《Cultivation: When you take things to the extreme》 Chapter 1 - 1: Xu Yang_1 1 Chapter 1: Xu Yang_1 Trantor: 549690339 Dongting Lake, Cloud Dream Marsh, spanning over eight hundred li, where the smoke and waves stretch boundlessly. In the depths ofte autumn, the wind turns stark and chill, with fog thickening, hinting at theing cold. Among the reeds drifts wisps of cooking smoke from a dpidated awning boat. At the bow, in front of the cabin door, a man wearing a conical hat and draped in a straw raincoat sits on a small stool, fiddling with the small stove before him. He appears very old, with white, withered hair peeking out from beneath his hat, his face deeply furrowed and spotted, marking the passage of time. His stooped figure is made more pronounced by the loose-fitting raincoat, exuding an air of twilight years, trembling on the brink of copse. An old boat and a decrepit fisherman upon Dongting Lake¡¯s vast expanse are not particrly unusual sights. The old man sits at the bow, tending to the little stove, on which sits a small earthenware pot, simmering a pot of simple brown rice porridge, its inviting scent slowly wafting around. After a moment, as the porridge boils, the old man reaches for arge bowl beside him, filled with various prepped shrimps and crabs, as well as rich orange roe and tender fish flesh, piled high. The old man dumps the entire content into the pot; as the porridge roils, the dark shrimps and crabs gradually turn red, and the delicate fish flesh turns snowy white. A delicious, fishy sweetness mixed with the subtle aroma of the porridge spreads through the air. With a sprinkle of salt, it bes truly appetizing. In such a manner, after a short while, a pot of freshwater fish porridge is ready. The old man takes a small bowl and sits at the bow, eating leisurely. ¡°Freshwater delicacies,¡± indeed fresh, yet also genuinely fishy. To thend-dwelling peasants, it might be a rare delicacy, but for those who live on the water, it could be tasteless or even repulsive. Xu Yang, however, doesn¡¯t mind and quietly savors this river fresh porridge he has been eating for who knows how many years. As he eats, he reminisces. How long has he been in this world? Twenty years? Thirty years? No, it¡¯s been forty years, forty-five years and three months! Reincarnation, the mystery of the womb, memories of past lives¡ He has been in this world for a full forty-five years! ¡°Forty-five years!¡± Xu Yang sighs softly, pouring the remaining shrimp and crab into his mouth, shells and all, and chews. He is a transmigrator, the kind who has been reborn through transmigration, havinge to this world and be an utterly ordinary fisherman¡¯s son. At eighteen, he broke the mystery from within the womb, regained the memories of his past life, and confirmed his reincarnation. Discounting the years before his memory returned, he, as a transmigrator, has been in this world for a full twenty-seven years. Other transmigrators might have achieved greatness or even be world-shaking figures in twenty-seven years. They might have established dynasties or at least carved out a domain for themselves. But Xu Yang¡ still remains a fisherman. It¡¯s not that he hasn¡¯t tried, but this world is more dangerous than he imagined. The knowledge and experience of a transmigrator can bring many advantages, and even wealth, power, beauty, andpanions, but they can also attract various dangers and potentially fatal threats. In this ancient world under feudalism, with an entirely rigid ss structure and nearly all pathways to upward mobility blocked, an unsupported fisherman¡¯s son revealing the advantages of a transmigrator would be like a child holding gold in a bustling market¡ªit doesn¡¯t take much to predict the oue. So, for over twenty years, Xu Yang remains a fisherman¡ at least on the surface. But in those long years, Xu Yang has been far from idle; on the contrary, he has umted a great deal. Xu Yang Lifespan: 45/145 Cultivation: None Skills: Eating (Chewing, Digesting, Essence, Strengthening, Unobstructed) Sleeping (Calming, Nourishing Life, Strengthening Body, Seldom Ill, Longevity) Breathing (Concealing Presence, Robust, Energetic, Life Extension, Longevity) Cooking (Tasty, Dissection, Essence, Freshwater Delicacies) Fishing (Guaranteed Catch, Fresh, Rare) Boating (Swift, Unruffled by Waves) Breeding (Training, Growth, Exotic Fish, Fish Eagles) Disguising (Camouge, Voice Modtion, Shrinking Bone, Concealing Presence) Knife Sharpening (Sharpness) Chop (Powerful) Flying Stone (urate) Swimming (Like a Fish in Water) ¡ In those days, nearly every transmigrator had some sort of cheat, and Xu Yang was no exception. He possessed an Attribute Panel! Though this Attribute Panel didn¡¯t have a point allocation function nor experience quests, it could bestow or, rather, solidify Xu Yang¡¯s abilities. The process of solidification was simple: as long as Xu Yang persisted in doing an activity over the years¡ªbe it trivial matters such as eating, drinking, sleeping, or breathing¡ªthe Attribute Panel would solidify it into a skill and generate various traits. These Skill Traits had the power to turn the decayed into the miraculous. Take eating as an example; Xu Yang¡¯s eating skill now possessed five Skill Traits: Chewing, Digestion, Essence, Strengthening, and Unobstructed. The Chewing trait meant he could chew food more efficiently; with a powerful set of teeth, he could easily grind down not just the shells of shrimp and crabs but also pig and cow bones. Then, through the Digestion trait, he would quickly digest and absorb the nutrients to strengthen himself. The subsequent traits, Essence and Strengthening, allowed him to gain more essence and nutrients from food, achieving stronger nourishing effects to bolster his body. Where others could only absorb three to four-tenths of the nutrients in a pound of meat, he could absorb five to six, or even seven to eight-tenths, and the Strengthening effect from these nutrients could be exerted to its fullest, essentially doubling the efficacy. As for thest one, Unobstructed¡ it simply meant his bowels were always clear, and he never needed to worry about constipation. Okay, that might be considered a bit useless, but setting that aside, the effects of the other four Skill Traits were still incredibly powerful. Combined with other skills such as Sleep, Breathing, Cooking, Fishing, and Husbandry, Xu Yang might still be an old fisherman at the bottom of society, but his physical condition far surpassed that of vigorous young men, and he could even match the legendary martial artists. Indeed, legendary. To someone like him, amoner, every martial artist was a figure of legend, beyond reach. Apart from his robust physique, these skills also granted Xu Yang longevity and various ways to earn ie. Even if he didn¡¯t utilize the knowledge of a transmigrator, with the fishing and hunting skills he currently possessed, he could be a wealthy man on the eight hundred li of Dongting Lake. But, he hadn¡¯t done so because it was equally risky¡ªthere was a chance of skyrocketing to sess, but also the possibility of ending up dead at the bottom of theke. With the help of the Attribute Panel, he could easily umte wealth in secret, gradually expanding without taking such risks that could bring disaster and threaten his life. Therefore, after all these years, Xu Yang remained a fisherman, an old fisherman at that. Due to living conditions and medical standards, the lifespan of ancient people was generally not long, especially for families living on boats. A person in their forties or fifties was considered old, and there were hardly any in their sixties or seventies. The hardbor of battling the elements often overtaxed their lives, making it difficult for ordinary people to reach such an age. In the eyes ofmon folks, Xu Yang was already not far from the end of his life, and it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if he passed away any day. But in reality, Xu Yang had just lived through less than one-third of his life and was in the prime years of his life, at the peak of vitality. Even if his lifespan didn¡¯t increase further, he could live another hundred years without illness or cmity. Unfortunately, that was just theory. A fisherman over a hundred years old would certainly not be considered a cherished centenarian but rather a monster, and it wouldn¡¯t even take reaching a hundred years¡ªwithin a few more years, he would attract numerous suspicions and prying eyes. ¡°Time is running out¡¡± Xu Yang sighed inwardly as he put thest shrimp into his mouth, chewing it into a pulp before swallowing. Soon, a warm feeling rose from his stomach and spread to his limbs, nourishing his body. A pot of river delicacy porridge, enough for two or three strong men, waspletely devoured by him alone. Yet, he only felt half full. Unsatiated, Xu Yang stood up and picked up a medium-sized fish basket from the side before turning back into the cabin. He lifted a wooden board in the center of the cabin to reveal a hidden cage. Inside the cage, numerous fish swam, along with a few turtles and soft-shelled turtles. Xu Yang took the scoop and carefully selected some to fill more than half of the fish basket. The rest he released from the cage, and then he left the cabin, pushing the awning boat towards the shore. He didn¡¯t propel the boat quickly, but steadily; the old awning boat calmly moved over the water and soon reached a dock. Standing at the bow of the boat, Xu Yang looked at his reflection in the water, and saw an old fisherman with a hunched body, draped in a bamboo hat and straw raincoat, his face lined and spotted with age, staring back at himself. No problems there. Xu Yang nodded inwardly, secured the boat, then carried the fish basket on his back and clumsily climbed ashore. On the shore, a minor official dressed in dark clothing was dozing on a reclining chair, idly fanning himself with a palm-leaf fan until Xu Yang arrived, at which point hezily opened his eyes to nce at him: ¡°Yo, Old Xu, still not dead yet?¡± ¡°Thanks to your blessing,¡± Xu Yang, already hunched over, smiled and carefully took out a few copper coins from his chest, counted them back and forth, before finally cing them on the small table beside the official. ¡°Hmm!¡± The minor official nodded, flicked the coins into a bucket with his fan, and then paid no further attention to Xu Yang. Xu Yang didn¡¯t say much more either; carrying the fish basket, he headed for the fish market. Chapter 2 - 2: Daily_1 2 Chapter 2: Daily_1 Trantor: 549690339 Dongting Lake, though nearly a thousand miles in size with many main tributaries and even connected to rivers flowing into the sea, ultimately could not pass through cities and prefectures, directly entering the street markets. Let alone Mansion City, even for county towns that were twenty to thirty miles away, without horses and carts, fishing families couldn¡¯t dream of selling fish in city markets. They could only set up stalls at the wharf fish market nearby, supplying local residents and merchants from the city who came to purchase. Xu Yang walked into the fish market, found a spot, and before he had set down his fish basket, saw a group of people approaching. The leader was a robust man with a burly figure and coarse beard and hair. ¡°Oh, Old Xu, still not dead?¡± ustomed to this greeting, Xu Yang didn¡¯t mind. He set down his basket and, with a forced smile, said to the burly man, ¡°All thanks to Seventh Master¡¯s blessing!¡± ¡°Haha!¡± The burly man, called Seventh Master,ughed, looking at the fish basket by Xu Yang¡¯s feet, ¡°Did you catch any soft-shelled turtles?¡± ¡°Thanks to your blessing, Seventh Master, I was lucky enough to catch one.¡± Xu Yang took a soft-shelled turtle tied with straw rope from the basket and handed it to ackey beside the big man. ¡°I always say, when ites to catching soft-shelled turtles, no one beats Old Xu!¡± The big man smiled and then asked, ¡°How much are you selling it for?¡± Xu Yang replied with a smile, ¡°If Seventh Master likes it, please just take it.¡± ¡°Hey, in business, cash and goods should clear out evenly, that¡¯s the rule of the Goldfish Gang. Who dares not to follow it?¡± The big man gestured, and one of his subordinates immediately tossed a small string of copper coins to Xu Yang. Then he stretched out his hand toward him and said, ¡°The stall fee for today, plus the pocket money for the month, thirty big coins in total!¡± Xu Yang didn¡¯t say much, took the small string of copper coins, and then flipped a small bag out from his bosom, pouring out more than ten slimy, fish-smelling copper coins. After counting them several times, he finally handed them over. Seeing this, the big man smiled again, ¡°If everyone were as straightforward as you, Old Xu, then I, Seventh Master, would have a lot less to worry about.¡± Xu Yang merely replied with another forced smile. The big man didn¡¯t have more to say and waved his hand, ¡°All right, I won¡¯t hinder your business anymore. There¡¯s a new batch of dried yellow croakers at Third Mother¡¯s ce, and that¡¯s your favorite, Old Xu. Be sure to give it a try when you pack upter.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes¡¡± Xu Yang smiled and sent off the big man and his entourage, then took out a small stool and started to hawk loudly with a slightly hoarse voice. Where there are people, there lies the Martial World, and this small fish market was no exception. In addition to official clerks who collected docking fees, the market also had a fishing czar. Stall fees had to be paid, plus monthly pocket money, and on top of that, tax levies from the authorities. With both the underworld and officialdom bearing down, themon folk were practically wrung dry. For lone fishermen like Xu Yang, it was one thing, but for those with families to support, the monthly squeeze, plus the daily living expenses for fuel, rice, oil, and salt, meant they could hardly hope to save, and it was a stroke of good fortune not to end up in debt. If disaster struck, or they fell on hard times, unable to catch fish or beset by severe illness, there was even the possibility of losing everything they owned and having to sell their sons and daughters. Getting rich through hard work was nothing but a delusional dream! Chen Qi was such a fishing czar, a boss of the Goldfish Gang ruling over Dongting City¡¯s fish market, throwing his weight around. Don¡¯t be fooled by his seemingly amiable demeanor; if you failed to produce the pocket money, he turned into a merciless predator, a wolf or tiger who ate men without spitting out their bones. Over the years, no one knew how many people he had driven to their deaths. Fortunately, Xu Yang, being alone and a skilled fisherman, managed to get by. ¡ ¡°Sister, look at this fish, caughtst night, guaranteed fresh, only ten big coins!¡± ¡°Who are you calling sister, you old bag of bones, you¡¯re old enough to be my father!¡± ¡°My apologies, my apologies, youngdy, look at this fish¡¡± ¡°It¡¯s barely breathing, still you guarantee freshness, no thank you!¡± ¡°Three big coins, if not, I¡¯m leaving!¡± ¡°Three big coins, really, that won¡¯t do. Look, eight big coins, I¡¯ll clean and gut it for you!¡± ¡°Fine, fine, eight big coins it is, but throw in that small one for me.¡± ¡ Folk struggled to get by, and fishing families even more so. Living by the vastke, fish sold for a pittance; a basket of fish and shrimp might not fetch much, sometimes even unsold. Fortunately, Xu Yang had a stroke of luck today; he sold most of his basket of fish, and the odds and ends left over, picked through by the customers, were bundled up and sold off cheaply, earning a total of thirty-five one money. Xu Yang secured the money and, carrying his fish basket, went to other stalls to buy daily necessities. Although fish sold for little, as a source of meat, its nutritional value wasn¡¯tcking. A pity, one could not live on fish alone. Essentials like firewood, rice, oil, and salt were indispensable, especially salt. Without it, one wouldck the strength for physical work and would fall prey to various diseases. So even with the low price of fish, fishermen had no choice but to sell them and use the money to purchase the necessities of life. This was why Xu Yang reluctantly epted the oppression of the Goldfish Gang. Otherwise, with his current skills, he could slip into Dongting Lake and neither the authorities nor the Goldfish Gang could hope to find him, let alone collect any taxes or pocket money. After buying a supply of daily necessities and spending most of the money he made from selling fish, Xu Yang didn¡¯t pocket the rest and head home, but instead headed to a small tavern. ¡°Oh, Old Xu!¡± ¡°Are you here to drink a couple of bowls again today?¡± ¡°Living alone sure isfortable.¡± ¡°Not like us, with families to look after. It¡¯s tough!¡± The tavern was already filled with customers, who teased Xu Yang when they saw him. Xu Yang didn¡¯t mind and picked a corner near the door to settle down. Then he called over a waiter and ordered, ¡°Two bowls of dried yellow wine, a te of fennel beans, a te of scrambled eggs, and half a chicken.¡± ¡°Right away!¡± It wasn¡¯t long before the waiter brought the food and drink to his table. Xu Yang cradled the bowl of wine, sipping it carefully before picking up his chopsticks to eat the side dishes and drink, appearing like a decrepit old man with a passion for wine. Did he really like wine? Not really. But he had toe. Because the owner of the tavern, Third Mother, was the mistress of the fishing czar Chen Qi from earlier. Even though as a boss of the Goldfish Gang, Chen Qi ruled the fish market, there were appearances to maintain. One couldn¡¯t rob or extort openly, it was necessary to squeeze money from the fishermen¡¯s hands without making it too obvious. Because the fishermen were the property of the Goldfish Gang; such actions would be equivalent to stealing from the Gang, which would not only disturb the market but also break the rules within the Gang. Chen Qi would not dare to take that risk, even if he had ten times the courage. But just because overt methods won¡¯t work doesn¡¯t mean covert ones won¡¯t either. If you have the wisdom of Zhang Liang, I have a wall-scalingdder; there¡¯s always a way to circumvent gang rules and extort tribute and money under various guises. Take this tavern for instance, after Xu Yang sells his fish, he must spend here, blowing through the rest of his money to ensure his own safety. Otherwise, a solitary old man with savings would have long since been ughtered like a fattenedmb. That being said, the experience is far from pleasant because the liquor here tastes like water mixed with water, the side dishes are pitifully scant, and the chicken served after being chopped clearly misses a few pieces¡ Even a ck shop might not be this bad! However, Xu Yang doesn¡¯t show much reaction, sitting in a corner and eating and drinking to himself. After all, this is still food¡ªit¡¯s certainly better than those casinos and brothels that only take money in and never give it back. The vorless liquor may not taste of much, but drink enough of it and it goes to your head. Soon enough, people around him started blustering and boasting, even dragging Xu Yang into their conversation. ¡°Old Xu, you¡¯re fifty-eight this year, right? My goodness, quite the elder!¡± ¡°Nah, he¡¯s older than Old Zhang by half a decade, so probably just in his mid-fifties.¡± ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m envious of you. Full belly for one, the whole family¡¯s not hungry¡ªunlike us¡¡± ¡°If I were you, no way would I be here drinking. I¡¯d be off enjoying some secret delight.¡± ¡°Go on, get lost, why bring up such a sore point? Don¡¯t you know he injured his ¡®root¡¯ in his early years¡¡± ¡°Hahaha, no wonder he¡¯s never spoken of matchmaking all these years.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a shame, I was thinking of matching you with Old Yu¡¯s widow¡¡± ¡°You¡¯d actually present that old spring onion?¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± The crowdughed and jeered, ridiculing him in their fun. Xu Yang, however, remained indifferent, paying them no mind, continuing to eat and drink alone in his corner. And so it went, drinking bowl after bowl until the afternoon, when Xu Yang finally settled the bill and left, carrying his fish basket away from the fish market. ¡ Having returned to his boat and stowed the fish basket, he pushed off toward the waters of theke, quickly reaching familiar territory. But before he could even sit down to rest¡ ¡°Yang!¡± A shout came from the distance. Xu Yang¡¯s gaze sharpened, his movements halted, and his body tensed under his straw raincoat. But just as quickly, he rxed again, turned his head, and looked in the direction of the sound. In the distance, arge ck-awning boat approached slowly, with an old man standing at the bow, and two young men in simple clothing rowing and punting behind him. ¡°¡¡± Xu Yang fell silent for a moment but eventually steered his boat to meet the neer. The boats drew alongside one another, and the elder from the other boat made no pretense of politeness,ing straight onto Xu Yang¡¯s boat: ¡°What, don¡¯t you recognize me? It¡¯s me, Cheng. Big brother, little brother, aren¡¯t you going to call uncle?¡± ¡°So it¡¯s Cheng.¡± Xu Yang looked at the old man, replying with neutral tone, then got straight to the point, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s sit down and talk, sit down and talk.¡± The old man grinned, pulling Xu Yang toward the cabin while the two young men also jumped down, all making their way inside the cabin. Entering the cabin, the elder nced around and then shifted back to Xu Yang, chuckling, ¡°Yang, you¡¯ve gotten old, haven¡¯t you? Well, we¡¯ve all reached this age; it can¡¯t be helped. I remember when¡¡± The man started on mundane topics, and though Xu Yang harbored suspicions, he didn¡¯t interrupt immediately and patiently engaged in idle chatter with him. This man was named Zhang Cheng, a distant cousin of his, but they were not close and had not been in touch for many years. Their scant emotional bond had dried up long ago. His showing up now could not possibly be for anything trivial; nobody would believe it otherwise. And sure enough, after some rambling, Zhang Cheng disclosed his motive, ¡°Yang, before our uncle passed, he and my father said that we must find you a marriage match so the family line wouldn¡¯t end. But who could have expected¡ well, never mind, let¡¯s not talk about that. Second brother!¡± Upon finishing, he motioned for the young man behind him toe forward and pointed at him while speaking to Xu Yang, ¡°My second son will take the Xu surname and call you ¡®father.¡¯ He¡¯ll look after you in your old age!¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°What are you standing there for? Call him ¡®father¡¯!¡± Xu Yang frowned, about to speak, when Zhang Cheng pped the back of the young man¡¯s head. The youth, with a simple and honest look, promptly stepped forward. Paying no heed to Xu Yang¡¯s reaction, he knelt and called out, ¡°Father!¡± ¡°¡¡± Xu Yang remained silent, without a word. Zhang Cheng smiled, squinting his eyes at Xu Yang and suggested, ¡°Yang, even though this kid isn¡¯t the brightest, he¡¯s second to none when ites to work. Let him assist you by your side, look after you as you age, and continue the family line. How about it?¡± ¡°¡¡± Xu Yang looked at him, silent for a while, but eventually nodded in agreement, ¡°That¡¯ll do.¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Seeing that Xu Yang had readily agreed, Zhang Cheng¡¯s expression sharpened, but then he quickly recovered, pping his hands and saying, ¡°That settles it then. Second brother, aren¡¯t you going to fetch your¡¡± ¡°Not so fast!¡± Xu Yang interrupted, ¡°This is a serious matter. It must be witnessed by others. Let¡¯s do this¡ªtomorrow, you and I will host a table of wine and invite some elders for a proper testimony.¡± Faced with Xu Yang¡¯s seriousness, Zhang Cheng paused and thenughed, ¡°Fine, fine, you think of everything, Yang. We¡¯ll do just that, and I¡¯ll set the table.¡± ¡°Good!¡± ¡°¡¡± Momentster, Xu Yang stood at the bow, watching Zhang Cheng and his son depart, before he bent his back and slowly turned to go inside the cabin. Within the cabin, Xu Yang sat in silence for a while; then, he reached down and slid open the floorboard under his feet. As the board moved, it revealed a hiddenpartment holding a sharp dagger, as long as an arm, with frosty de gleaming with a bone-chilling light. Xu Yang took out the dagger and without a word, picked up a grinding stone and sat in the cabin, silently sharpening the de. Chapter 3 - 3: Characteristics_1 3 Chapter 3: Characteristics_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Dad, why bother with so much effort and even have the second brother call him ¡®dad¡¯? I think that old coot won¡¯t live much longer, he might not even survive this winter. Once he kicks the bucket, or better yet, we could just finish him off directly. Then we take over his possessions. You¡¯re his cousin, who could challenge our im?¡± ¡°Exactly, I just looked and that decrepit boat has nothing but some pots and pans, worthless junk. Even if we sold it all, it wouldn¡¯t bring in much money. The boat itself is so rundown it¡¯s useless. Plus, we have to put on a whole feast.¡± On the awning boat, two young men looked at their father with iprehension in their eyes. ¡°You two idiots!¡± Zhang Cheng scolded his sons as ifmenting their inadequacy: ¡°Although that dead old man has no children, he has several distant rtives. Normally, they don¡¯t mix with each other, but who would miss the chance to feast on a family with no heirs? When the timees, arge crowd of people will definitelye rushing. How could we alone swallow this whole feast then?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The two sons exchanged a look, beginning to understand a bit more, but still puzzled: ¡°Is it necessary? What worthwhile fortune could that old guy have? Just some broken household items and a dpidated boat. Is it worth all this trouble?¡± ¡°You know nothing!¡± Zhang Cheng cursed again: ¡°In this world, a fisherman who could live to such an age invariably has some secrets tucked away. That old coot has always kept a low profile, not even taking a wife. He must surely have quite a bit saved up, even assuming he hasn¡¯t got a penny, we could¡¡± While speaking, Zhang Cheng lowered his voice: ¡°Use his identity, make those things rightfully ours to dispose of, understand?¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Got it, got it!¡± ¡°Dad, you really are shrewd!¡± Upon hearing Zhang Cheng¡¯s exnation, both sons finally had their ¡®aha¡¯ moment and began to praise him in agreement. ¡°Otherwise, how could I be the father of you two blockheads?¡± Zhang Cheng snorted coldly before turning his gaze behind him and spoke in a quiet, eerie tone, ¡°Cousin, oh cousin, don¡¯t me me. You¡¯ve lived long enough; it¡¯s time for you to go down there and reunite with your family. Rest assured, I keep my word. In the future, my second son will surely continue your family line¡¡± ¡ That night, inside the cabin, Xu Yang looked at the knife in his hand, its de sharpened to an extreme, reflecting a chilling light. Knife Sharpening (Sharpness) As the name suggests, this skill sharpens des to a keen edge. Regarding how sharp can it be¡ Xu Yang had done experiments. Though it was not to the point of cutting through iron as if it were mud, slicing through meat, chopping bones, severing heads, or piercing hearts was still remarkably easy. Setting aside the sharp de, Xu Yang turned to look outside the cabin, where he saw only the night sky, dark and boundless. Indeed, a perfect night for murder, a perfect time to set fires! Although Xu Yang did not know what Zhang Cheng and his sons were nning, their actions already posed a direct threat to his safety. Therefore, they had to die, tonight! Xu Yang stood up, shedding the oversized raincoat, revealing a bent and hunched body, which seemed no different from a typical old man. But as he removed more of his clothing, that hunched body, thin and gaunt, began to straighten and fill out. A strange noise of moving bones and sinews could be heard from within. A momentter, there was no sign of the thin and frail old man in the cabin, only a tall, sturdy build with well-defined muscles, a robust¡ old man? And when he touched his face with water, the blotches and deep lines on the old man¡¯s face disappeared, revealing a young man with sharp and rugged features. Breathing (Concealing Presence, Robust, Vigorous, Life Extending, Health Enhancing) Disguise (Camouge, Voice Altering, Shrinking Bone, Concealing Presence) Life Extending is a trait of the Breathing skill that not only extends one¡¯s life but also slows down bodily aging. With the additional years, Xu Yang was not an old man but in the prime of life. However, such abnormality could not be known to the world, so Xu Yang had long practiced a skill¡ªDisguise. Disguise¡ªhow to disguise? Xu Yang had no idea, but that didn¡¯t matter. With the Attribute Panel¡¯s skill solidification, whether he knew how or not, as long as he acted and practiced to a certain extent, he could cultivate a skill, develop traits, and turn the decrepit into the extraordinary. Xu Yang did just that. Initially clueless about disguises and voice alterations, all he did every day was smear mud on his face, don a hat and raincoat when going out, stoop and bow as he moved, and speak in a lowered voice. Over time, Xu Yang mastered the Disguise skill, developing the traits of Camouge, Voice Altering, Shrinking Bone, and Concealing Presence. Skill Traits have the power to turn decay into a miraculous state. With them, Xu Yang needed only simple materials like silt from the river bottom to disguise himself as a decrepit old fisherman, concealing his true appearance and life energy. Ordinary people, and even Martial Artists, could not detect any signs of deceit. To confirm this, Xu Yang even conducted several tests by crossing paths with members of the Goldfish Gang and other forces¡¯ Martial Artists on Dongting Lake, none of whom noticed anything unusual, showcasing the effectiveness of disguise under the influence of skill traits. Dressed only in shorts and having restored his original appearance, Xu Yang stepped out of the cabin and onto the deck, securing the sharp knife and a cloth bag around his waist. ¡°Woo!¡± Just then, a clear cry sounded, and a dark shadow descended, settling firmly on top of the awning. It was¡ªa cormorant, an exceptionallyrge cormorant. Breeding (Taming, Growth, Exotic Fish, Fish Eagle) In this strictly hierarchical world where ascension was hard to achieve, Xu Yang had been devising various ways to secure his own survival. Since martial arts were out of his reach, he decided to approach it from other angles. Therefore, Xu Yang honed the skill of Knife Sharpening and, through ¡°Throwing stones and skipping water,¡± mastered the precise art of the Flying Stone. In the cover of night, he wielded his de in secret, training a powerful shing skill with strong traits. With the Breeding skill and obtaining the Taming trait, he aimed to pursue the path of ¡°Beast Taming,¡± hoping to acquire a shrimp soldier or a crab general, perhaps even birds and beasts to act as bodyguards. Although subsequent developments were less than ideal, with no shrimp soldiers or crab generals, or transcendental traits emerging from Spirit Beast enlightenment, thebination of ¡°Growth¡± and ¡°Fish Eagle¡± did procure Xu Yang a formidable assistant. ¡°Growth,¡± as the name implies, means to grow veryrge. Animals bred with this skill developed better effects, grew at a faster rate, and ultimately achieved sizes greater than the average. As for the Fish Eagle, it meant he could train fish eagles to followmands and enhance their abilities. Thisrge cormorant was the product of Xu Yang¡¯s meticulous cultivation, named Laoliu! Why call it Laoliu? Because the previous Laoyi, Lao¡¯er, Lao san, Lao si, and Lao wu had all perished! Laoliu had just reached adulthood, it was the prime of his life as an eagle, and he would still apany Xu Yang for some time. ¡°Found it?¡± Xu Yang nced at Laoliu, who humanly nodded to him. ¡°Very good!¡± ¡°Go!¡± Seeing this, Xu Yang didn¡¯t say anything more. With amand, the fish eagle flew up into the sky, guiding the direction with its loud cries. Xu Yang also leapt from the bow of the boat, plunging into the dark and profound waters of theke. ¡°Plop!¡± The water of Dongting Lake in the deep autumn night had a bone-chilling coldness to it. But Xu Yang felt nothing of the sort, diving into the water, his body moved with astonishing speed as he started to swim. Swimming (Like a Fish in Water) After experiments, Xu Yang found that Skill Traits also ranged in hierarchy; two-character traits weremon, whereas four-character traits were rarer, higher in level, and more potent in effect. The Swimming skill¡¯s ¡°Like a Fish in Water¡± belonged to the rarer four-character traits. It allowed Xu Yang to move in the water just like a fish, as if he were arge fish of the same size. Given Xu Yang¡¯s current physical condition, a big fish of his body size would almost be considered a spirit monster in the water. So, one could imagine how Xu Yang performed under the water. Even if the Zhang family¡¯s boat was more than ten miles away, he was able to swim swiftly to the location without needing to sail on water and attract attention. ¡°Whoosh!¡± With the cries of the fish eagle guiding him, Xu Yang, like a fish, dived and swam swiftly, soon reaching the waters where the Zhang family¡¯s boat was moored. Xu Yang surfaced, only to see arge ck-canopied boat moored in a natural harbor ahead. Not all fishermen live on their boats. Those with property and houses onnd would reside ashore, taking to their boats only when necessary for fishing. It was only the truly destitute, those whose entire belongings were encapsted in a solitary, decaying boat, that endured the torments of the wind, rain, humidity, and sickness from within their unstable abode. Xu Yang was one such person, and the Zhang family was not much better off, with all three members living aboard thatrge ck-canopied boat. The boat was moored in the bay with a smallmp lit for illumination, to prevent collisions with other vessels. Xu Yang observed the sky, estimating the time, but ultimately he dismissed the idea of boarding the boat directly. Though he was strong and had a sharp knife as his weapon, making a stealth attack highly likely to seed, it was just that¡ªhighly likely¡ªand not a guarantee. One man can hardly fight against many; the other side had three people, two of whom were fit and strong. Moreover, he had not practiced any formal martial arts. Aside from being a bit more robust, he did not have much of an advantage, and a direct ambush risked overturning his plight. So¡ Xu Yang opened the small pouch tied to his waist, retrieving a goose egg-sized pebble. Flying Stone (Precision) This was another one of Xu Yang¡¯s attack skills, the art of the Flying Stone, cultivated through ¡°Throwing stones and skipping water.¡± It currently possessed just the Precision trait, ensuring extremely high hit rates within a certain range. Despite having just one trait, it was sufficient for his current offensive needs. Xu Yang did not believe any of the Zhang family could withstand a blow from his Flying Stone to the head. Now, all that was left was to wait patiently for someone to get up during the night to relieve themselves. Of course, if the wait proved fruitless, or if they had the habit of preparing a toilet onboard, Xu Yang would still board the boat and forcefully take lives. Chapter 4 - 4: Crisis_1 4 Chapter 4: Crisis_1 Trantor: 549690339 Cultivating good habits is an important thing. Take getting up at night for instance. Xu Yang hardly ever got up at night, and even when he asionally did, he wouldn¡¯t rashly leave the cabin but often went about his business by opening the hatch. After all, Dongting Lake was vast and full of dangers, especially at night. Who knew what idents might ur? It was best to stay in the cabin if possible, even to relieve oneself. Not just him, other old boatmen did the same. If there were facilities, they used a toilet; if not, a hatch would suffice. Only those young fools who knew nothing of life and death and couldn¡¯t be bothered with niceties would go outside the boat for that. Although Zhang Cheng was an old boatman who knew the rules of the water, his two sons didn¡¯t have such awareness. So¡ Xu Yang didn¡¯t have to wait long before he saw a figure emerge from the cabin, half-asleep and half-awake, and make his way to the side of the boat to undo his belt. It was the elder son of Zhang Cheng, smaller in buildpared to the younger one who was supposed to attend to his funeral. But Xu Yang wasn¡¯t choosy. He gripped the pebble in his hand tightly and, putting strength into his arm, hurled it with force. Most techniques with hidden weapons involved using the wrist, but Xu Yang didn¡¯t know any such techniques, so he relied on instinct, throwing the pebble with the strength of his arm. This method was showy and full of openings. Forget a martial artist, even an ordinary person would find it easy to dodge. But the elder of Zhang family was peeing while drowsy, in no condition to react or dodge. ¡°Plop!!!¡± There was a ssh followed by the sound of a heavy blow, and the elder Zhang family¡¯s brother grunted before toppling headfirst into the water, creating ripples. ¡°Elder brother?¡± In the cabin, the lightly sleeping Zhang Cheng was also startled awake by the noise outside and hurriedly went out to look. Seeing no one at the bow, only the ripples in the water, Zhang Cheng immediately panicked, shouting, ¡°Not good, Second son, wake up! Your brother has fallen into the water, hurry and save him.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Dad?¡± Hearing Zhang Cheng¡¯s frantic shouts, the robust second son of the Zhang family also rubbed his eyes and came out of the cabin. ¡°Your brother¡¯s fallen in, hurry, dive in and get him out.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± The second son of Zhang family didn¡¯t sense anything amiss and immediately dove into the water, leaving Zhang Cheng by the boat¡¯s side, waiting anxiously with antern in hand. ¡°This damned boy, I¡¯ve said it over and over, the wind and waves are strong at night, don¡¯t leave the cabin, but he wouldn¡¯t listen, and now look what¡¯s happened¡¡± Zhang Cheng, holding thentern, cursed under his breath by the boat¡¯s side, unaware of anything amiss. Until¡ ¡°Glub glub!!!¡± A flurry of bubble sounds came from below, indicating something was amiss underwater. Zhang Cheng¡¯s pupils contracted as he shone hisntern towards the dark depths, only to see a great deal of bubbles and blood red water surfacing. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Second son!!!¡± Finally realizing something, Zhang Cheng screamed, taking up an oar and thrusting it into the water, yet touching nothing. ¡°Elder brother, Second son!¡± This left Zhang Cheng with a panicked face, shouting helplessly. Just then, a surge of water sounded from behind, and Zhang Cheng¡¯s pupils contracted as he quickly turned around. The result¡ ¡°Plop!!!¡± A flying stone came hurtling out of nowhere and struck him squarely in the face, bursting into a spray of blood. Zhang Cheng felt darkness before his eyes and intense pain, then his world spun, and he involuntarily toppled over at the bow. Simultaneously, arge hand grabbed onto the side of the boat and hoisted a body out of the water. The figure rushed forward with a knife straight towards Zhang Cheng. ¡°Plop!!!¡± A dull thud sounded as the de prated the flesh, Zhang Cheng¡¯s body twitched, tensed up, but then went limp, unresponsive. ¡°Plunk!¡± Xu Yang pulled out the dagger, looked at the body emotionlessly and plunged the knife back into the deceased¡¯s chest. ¡°Plunk! Plunk! Plunk!¡± After three stabs, Xu Yang stopped, turned, and dove back into the water to drag out two bodies and throw them onto the deck. They were the Zhang family¡¯s brothers. Both had multiple knife wounds, their throats slit, and their hearts pierced, clearly beyond dead. Three bodies were neatly stacked together. Xu Yang then climbed back onto the boat and started searching inside the cabin. A short whileter, Xu Yang, with a bag tied around his waist, exited the cabin. He ignored the three corpses of the Zhang family, deftly pushed the boat off, and headed for the deeper waters of theke. Rowing (swiftly, with waves, without rm) As a fisherman, one who had lived on the water for over forty years, Old Xu¡¯s boating skills need hardly be mentioned. He had honed his abilities, developed his attributes, and moved over the water both quickly and steadily. In less than the time it took to burn half an incense stick, Xu Yang had steered the boat to the deep water area, then he turned around, went back into the cabin, and began to bore holes in various parts of the bottom of the boat. ¡°Glug glug!¡± ¡°Glug glug!¡± With the cabin bottom breached, water poured in. Xu Yang made his way to the bow, tying heavy weights to each of the three corpses and binding them together with the hull. After doing all this, Xu Yang somersaulted into the water and swiftly swam away from the area. In the vast Dongting Lake, disposing of bodies was a simple task. Once the bodies sank, the fish, soft-shelled turtles, shrimps, and crabs of theke would take care of the rest. Eventually, only three skeletons unidentifiable to anyone would remain at the bottom of theke. As for the aftermath, there was even less need to worry. For the fishermen who eked out a living on the water, every day was uncertain, full of potential mishaps such asrge waves,ke monsters, or some other reason leading to shipwreck and loss of life¡ Such events were not unusual and happened from time to time. Therefore, Xu Yang didn¡¯t need to worry that the death and disappearance of the Zhang family¡¯s father and sons would affect him. Even if they had met that day, no one would believe that an old fisherman on the brink of death could have killed all three members of the Zhang family. And if by some flight of fancy, someone did harbor suspicions and cast doubts upon him, having evidence or not didn¡¯t matter. As long as there was intent, as long as there were suspicions, they would inevitably act against him. After all, he was just a fisherman, an extremely lowlymoner. Whether they killed the wrong person or the right one, there were no consequences to bear. So, action could be taken without any misgivings¡ªa mere suspicion was enough. Xu Yang was aware of this, so he acted decisively, quickly ending the lives of the three members of the Zhang family that very night. ¡ In the middle of the night, the fish eaglended, perched on the bow. Xu Yang also emerged from the water, flipping onto the boat with swift movements, and entered the dark cabin. Once inside, he removed his sharp knife and, after wiping off the blood and the smell, he stowed it away in a hiddenpartment beneath the floorboards. Then he calmly sat down, opened the small pouch, and began to count the spoils of his night¡¯s endeavor. As the saying goes, murder and arson bring the reward of a golden belt. Without considering risk, plundering others is the quickest way to umte power and wealth. Although the victims of Xu Yang¡¯s raid tonight were only slightly less poor than himself, they still brought him an unexpected windfall. Xu Yang emptied the contents of the bag. The most eye-catching items were several pieces of yellow and white metal. There were also quite a few copper coins and a vivid, green jade pendant. The copper coins were from Zhang Cheng¡¯s family savings. However, the plump silver ingots and shiny gold leaves, as well as the vivid green jade pendant, were clearly not the kind of wealth a fisherman would be able to umte. The ingots alone were estimated to be worth around one hundred and eighty taels. Including the gold leaves and jade pendant, this unexpected fortune was enough for Xu Yang to leave Dongting Lake, buy a mansion and beautiful servants in the city, and live a life of decadent luxury. Seeing this, Xu Yang understood why Zhang Cheng and his sons had approached him. Their act of eating up one¡¯s estate was merely a distraction; their real purpose was to use him, an old man, as a front to liquidate some of the gold and silver, inconspicuously acquired, to improve their living conditions. Don¡¯t ask why they didn¡¯t simply spend it. If they dared to unt such arge amount of gold and silver, the Goldfish Gang would ensure they ended up at the bottom of theke. Without adequate strength, wealth and beauty could only bring about fatal disasters. So, they dared not dispose of the gold and silver openly but instead had to plot carefully, finding ways to convert it to cash. Xu Yang¡¯s inheritance was one of the methods they had found for this purpose. As for the origin of this treasure¡ ¡°Was it fished from the depths?¡± ¡°Dug up on an ind?¡± ¡°Stolen from a murder?¡± ¡°Who cares!¡± Xu Yang didn¡¯t dwell too much on the source of items that dead men couldn¡¯t testify about; he just collected them and bolstered his assets. Although he now had money, in his hands, it was no different from being in the hands of Zhang Cheng and his sons¡ªit couldn¡¯t be used just yet. Xu Yang was a man of self-awareness. Although he possessed many skills, few werebat-relevant. He had no way to confront martial artists, let alone a gang made up of many martial artists. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t use this treasure for the time being. Besides, the actions of Zhang Cheng and his sons had revealed another problem. He¡ was too old! If he lived a few more years, not to mention those bastards waiting to prey upon his estate, the Goldfish Gang might notice him and be suspicious. But if ¡°Old Xu¡± died, under what identity would he buy the essentials for living? Disguise himself? Wouldn¡¯t that raise suspicions and attract unwee scrutiny? Xu Yang frowned, pondered for a long time, and finally uttered a sigh, ¡°In the end, it alles down to insufficient strength.¡± Saying this, he stood up, preparing to start a fire to cook, make a midnight snack to replenish the energy he had expended earlier. However, despite nning for a snack, thoughts of future developments and directions continued to weigh on Xu Yang¡¯s mind. The formal identity of ¡°Old Xu¡± was about to crumble, and it was inevitable that he would need a new identity to interact with outsiders and purchase supplies. However, suddenly introducing a new individual could attract attention and trouble. The best way to deal with these problems was to increase his strength. How to increase it? Currently, the only thing he could rely on was the Attribute Panel, his golden finger. Xu Yang reviewed his skills, most of which were auxiliary. Only a few could increasebat capabilities, but their effects were not significant. Knife Sharpening, Flying Stone, Cleaving¡ªthey could only deal with ordinary people. Against martial artists possessing extraordinary powers, it would be a one-way ticket¡ªdoomed! Therefore, he needed to develop new skills urgently, ones that could enhance his basicbat strength. But how to develop them? Chapter 5 - 5: Dream Butterfly_1 5 Chapter 5: Dream Butterfly_1 Trantor: 549690339 Having crossed over so many years ago, Xu Yang had thoroughly familiarized himself with his golden finger. To develop a skill was simple, just one word¡ªdo! As long as one persisted, year in and year out, even the most trivial of tasks could forge a skill, create a trait, and grant one the power to turn the decrepit into the miraculous. But this doing came with requirements; one mustplete all aspects of a task. Only then can one say they have ¡°done¡± something. It was through this umted effort that a skill could be cultivated. Take breathing as an example, one mustplete the actions of ¡°inhaling¡± and ¡°exhaling¡± for it to count as one breath. Therefore, only by ¡°doing¡± can one cultivate a skill; there is no scenario where ¡°not doing¡± also counts as doing. What does ¡°not doing¡± mean? Continuing with the example of breathing, if breathing can generate a skill, what about not breathing? Can that generate a skill? Or not eating, not drinking water, not sleeping, not cultivating¡ªcan these reverse ¡°not doing¡± actions generate a skill? Clearly not. Xu Yang was certain of this. In order to conceal his robust Qi Blood and avoid suspicion, he had not married for many years, even spreading a fabricated rumor about having an injury to his manhood to avoid taking a wife, having children, and he had never once visited even the half-concealed brothels. In doing so, for these many decades, he certainly didn¡¯t develop any ¡°abstinence from visiting prostitutes¡± type of skill. Not even a skill like ¡°celibacy¡± had surfaced. Thus, Xu Yang was sure that one couldn¡¯t cultivate a skill from ¡°not doing.¡± One had to earnestly do something,plete it, and with continuous effort, it would crystallize into a skill on the Attribute Panel. And this doing had its conditions; it was not enough for one to subjectively feel they had done something¡ªit had to be trulypleted. For instance, with martial arts, when his memory first recovered, Xu Yang thought tobine the knowledge from before his transmigration with the Attribute Panel¡ªperhaps through Tai Chi Fist, military boxing, calisthenics, etc., to see if he could cultivate any martial skills. It resulted in nothing. Xu Yang guessed that this was likely because the punches he threw were not systematic. In the system¡¯s judgement, what he was doing wasn¡¯t practicing any Fist Skill at all, but rather iling his limbs randomly, which naturally wouldn¡¯t generate any ¡°Fist Skill,¡± but at most something like ¡°waving hands¡± or ¡°physical exercise.¡± Although exercise could enhance hisbat ability, it was time-consuming and inefficient, far less practical than quietly swinging a sword at night, so he simply gave it up and chose to swing a sword, thus cultivating the ¡°chopping¡± skill. But a single chopping skill clearly wasn¡¯t enough; Xu Yang needed a more formidablebat ability, such as learning a legitimate martial art. Yet, Xu Yang didn¡¯t have ess to any martial arts now! There was no choice but to settle for less, to continue doing things with destructive power, like throwing stones, which then could forge the ¡°Flying Stone.¡± From this point, extensions like flying knives, Flying Swords, and Flying Tridents could also possess some attack power and lethality. But could these things take on a Martial Artist? Xu Yang wasn¡¯t sure. Through observation and experimentation, the Skill Traits generated on the Attribute Panel indeed had the power to turn the decrepit into the miraculous; some could even be considered Divine Skills or spells, beyond the scope of mortals. Take Flying Stone as an example; if Xu Yang¡¯s Flying Stone skill developed a ¡°Never Miss¡± trait, then his Flying Stone would indeed never miss, hitting the target with 100% uracy, even if the opponent used extraordinary evasion techniques, flying to the heavens or burrowing into the earth, they couldn¡¯t escape his ¡°Never Miss¡± Flying Stone. But guaranteeing a hit was one thing; dealing damage after the hit was another matter entirely, which still depended on the effect of the Skill Traits. So, Xu Yang was uncertain if he could cultivate skills and traits with substantial lethality to face the uing array of hidden dangers and threats. Thus, after much thought, he still didn¡¯t have any effective n or solution. However, Xu Yang wasn¡¯t anxious. His decades of steadfast concealment had greatly honed his patience. Although the current situation was somewhat tricky, it wasn¡¯t at the level of a true life-and-death crisis, and it certainly could not throw him into disarray. If no solution presented itself, then he would let be. When the time came, a path would unfold before the mountain, and the bridge would straighten out once the boat arrived. There would always be a way. Harboring this mindset, Xu Yang indulged in another pot of delicious river delicacy porridge and thenfortably fell asleep fully clothed. Sleep (Calms the Mind, Nourishes Life, Strengthens the Body, Reduces Illness, Prolongs Life) The traits of sleep need no boration. Calming the mind affects one¡¯s spirit; nourishing life cultivates the Essence, benefiting the body. With additional benefits like strengthening the body, reducing illness, and prolonging life, Xu Yang¡¯s robust physique wasrgely nurtured by sleep, with the other half attributed to his diet. Eat well, sleep well, and the body naturally flourishes! Beyond strengthening the body and extending life, the skill of sleep also had a hidden advantage¡ªbeing able to sleep whenever desired, falling asleep the moment one closed their eyes, forever free from the troubles of insomnia. Xu Yang slumbered dressed as he was, his consciousness sinking into a warm, calming ocean. In his hazy state, he saw skyscrapers, bustling traffic, as if he had crossed back again, returning to that glittering modern city to resume a monotonous life of mindless routine. Was it real or false, good or bad? Xu Yang couldn¡¯t say, caught between sleep and wakefulness, his dreams inverted, lost in that hallucinatory world. In this state, after an indeterminate amount of time, every image was erased, dissolving into darkness. Then, that darkness was pierced by flickering lights, the sound of water, the wind, and the calls of Fish Eagles, along with the familiar fishy scent rushing into his senses, rousing the slumbering him back to reality. Chapter 6 - 5: Dream Butterfly_2 6 Chapter 5: Dream Butterfly_2 Trantor: 549690339 Xu Yang slowly opened his eyes, propped up his body, sat there nkly for a while, and then summoned the Attribute Panel that only he could see. Above the panel, within the skill column, a line of text slowly formed, shimmering with specks of gold. Dreaming (Zhuanzhou Mengdie) Zhuanzhou Mengdie? Looking at those four characters twinkling with golden light, Xu Yang was stunned. He had only developed one four-character attribute so far, which was the swimming skill, Like a Fish in Water. And a four-character attribute with special light effects? That was like a maiden¡¯s first ride in a sedan chair¡ªa first-time urrence! Moreover, dreaming, such an event, astonishingly wasn¡¯t listed under the ¡®sleep¡¯ attribute column, but had be an independent skill. What did this mean? It meant it was qualified to be an independent skill! Huge potential, promising future! And it didn¡¯t even require the future; right now, it had produced a four-character attribute resplendent with golden light. Zhuanzhou Mengdie? What effect? Xu Yang carefully examined it, and his expression changed ordingly, showing shock, curiosity, and delight among other mixed feelings. After a short while, he looked outside the cabin, at the already clear sky, and instead of going out to fish, hey back down on the bed, closed his eyes, and fell asleep. ¡ Darkness like a tide, then, in an instant, brightness. In a certain valley, below a cliff, amongst green grass,y a person covered in bloodstains. It was a youth, with a paleplexion, tattered clothes, body full of wounds and bloodstains, and no longer breathing¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be too much to call him a corpse. Suddenly¡ The noiseless corpse abruptly opened its eyes, filled with bewilderment, surprise, astonishment and joy. Then, he sat up, looking at his own hands and body, before lifting his head to gaze at the cliffs and vines ahead. Memories that didn¡¯t belong to him surfaced abruptly, blending with his soul. ¡°Am I¡ Xu Yang?¡± ¡°No, I am Li Qing Shan!¡± ¡°No, I am¡¡± ¡°Zhuanzhou Mengdie, the butterfly dreams of Zhuangzi!¡± ¡°I am Xu Yang, and I am also Li Qing Shan!¡± Muttering to himself a few times, regaining self-awareness, the confusion in his eyes also settled down, Xu Yang propped up his body, and began to look around. Zhuanzhou Mengdie, the butterfly dreams of Zhuangzi! This was the effect of the four-character attribute, allowing him to traverse into another world in a dreamlike manner, bing another person like Zhuangzi dreaming of a butterfly, inheriting their body, memories, and entire past life. Was it a true Snatch Body rebirth, traversing into another world? Or just an ephemeral, imaginary weaving of a dream journey? Xu Yang couldn¡¯t tell, but it didn¡¯t matter. To him, whether this world was real or fake, whether this life was dream or reality, waspletely irrelevant. What mattered was what benefits he could gain from it. ording to the original host, ¡°Li Qing Shan¡¯s¡± memory, he was born in ¡°Little Yellow Vige¡±, a poor hunter from the mountain, with parents long deceased, leaving behind a younger brother and sister. Their lives were extremely difficult. As the pir of the family, Li Qing Shan had to work hard tilling the few mu of thin fields at home, and often had to venture into the mountains to hunt, collect, and search for medicinal herbs, just to barely sustain the lives of his younger siblings and himself. But the wilds weren¡¯t just filled with exotic treasures; they also housed many dangers, with countless venomous snakes and fierce beasts. Every year, numerous mountain dwellers lost their lives to these perils. The original Li Qing Shan suffered an ident. Coming here to gather precious herbs, he identally fell from a cliff, crashing to the ground and losing his life. Then, Xu Yang came here through ¡°Zhuanzhou Mengdie¡±. ¡°` Zhuanzhou Mengdie not only allowed him to transmigrate, but the apanying divine soul also helped him heal both internal and external injuries of this body, even alleviating much of the weakness and powerlessness caused by hunger. The power of the divine soul is the key to ¡°Zhuanzhou Mengdie.¡± Zhuanzhou Mengdie requires the consumption of the power of the divine soul, which can be supplied by Xu Yang¡¯s original body or umted independently by the transmigrated incarnation. The death of the incarnation does not lead to the death of the original body, but it does cause certain damage to the original¡¯s divine soul. For most people, damage to the divine soul is a very serious matter; at best, it may lead to headaches and lethargy, and at worst, it can result in idiocy, madness, or the dispersal of the soul. But for Xu Yang, this is not a significant issue because he has the skill ¡°Sleep.¡± The soothing nature of sleep can effectively nourish the divine soul. Even if the incarnation dies and the divine soul is injured, he can recover by resting and continuing to use Zhuanzhou Mengdie for transmigration. In other words¡ªhe is not afraid of dying! Beyond that, the power of the divine soul has another marvelous use. That is¡ Xu Yang (Li Qing Shan) Cultivation: None Lifespan: 16/49 Skills: None ¡ Looking at the empty attribute panel, Xu Yang did not speak; he simply willed it to change. Then, on the attribute panel, within the empty skills column, a line of text slowly emerged. Eating (Chewing, Digestion, Essence, Strengthening, Smoothing) This is the marvelous use of the power of the divine soul: by consuming a certain amount of divine soul power, Xu Yang¡¯s original skills can be copied and bestowed upon his incarnation. Likewise, the incarnation can also transfer the skills cultivated by itself to the original body, essentially like having a subsidiary ount for power-leveling. Not just skills, but if the divine soul power is sufficient, even physical items can be transported between the two worlds, facilitating exchange as needed. Unfortunately, Xu Yang currently has no cultivation, and the divine soul nurtured by sleep is only slightly stronger than that of ordinary people. For now, he can only ¡°transfer¡± one skill, and that¡¯s as far as he can go. This is the original body¡¯s only support. After considering for a while, Xu Yang ultimately chose Eating, the skill with the widest application. Why not choose Breathing? Because Breathing is easy to practice, and it does not require the support of the original body; in a short time, the incarnation can learn it on its own. Eating is different. ording to his memory, the living conditions of the original Li Qing Shan were not good, and enduring hunger wasmon. To cultivate the skill of Eating, who knows how much time would be needed. Dreamlike transmigration, Snatch Body incarnation, are the basic functions of Zhuanzhou Mengdie. Besides, Zhuanzhou Mengdie also has a special hidden effect. That is¡ªTime Dtion. There is a considerable difference in the flow of time between the dream world and the real world, with different worlds having different flow rates. Currently, the ratio of the flow of time between the real world and this world is one to three hundred sixty-five. In other words, for every year that passes in the incarnation¡¯s dream world, only one day passes in Xu Yang¡¯s real world. Incarnation for power-leveling + time hack? This is Zhuanzhou Mengdie! A golden legend, the four-word trait, indeed extraordinary! ¡ Having received all the information and ncing once again at the precious herb growing on the cliff above, Xu Yang didn¡¯t think twice; he picked up the scattered items and the backpack nearby, then turned and walked away. Climb the mountain? Sorry, I can¡¯t! And even if he could, he wouldn¡¯t¡ªwhile it¡¯s just an incarnation and he¡¯s not afraid of dying, recklessness still needs to be calcted. How to take risks to gain the highest returns is a question that must be considered. Chapter 7 - 6: Mountain Household_1 7 Chapter 6: Mountain Household_1 Trantor: 549690339 Little Yellow Vige, the sun setting in the west, smoke curling up from the kitchens, a beautiful rural scene indeed. Xu Yang, carrying a basket on his back, returned to the vige, guided by memory. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Qinshan?¡± ¡°Is that Li Laoda¡¯s boy?¡± ¡°Gone for so many days, and he didn¡¯t die?¡± ¡°Really has a big life¡¡± ¡°Things are heating up now!¡± Upon entering the vige, he was met with many astonished gazes and peculiar stares. A tall, sturdy-looking youth came quickly towards him: ¡°Qinshan, where did you go?¡± Xu Yang nced at him and made up an excuse on the spot: ¡°I got lost in the mountains, it took me a long time to find my way out, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Well, you have no idea, Green River and Red Jade were almost out of their minds with worry, and¡¡± Remembering something, the youth¡¯s expression changed again, and he grabbed Xu Yang¡¯s hand: ¡°You¡¯d better hurry home and see for yourself. A big group of people are at your ce, preparing a feast, and they¡¯re talking about dividing up your family¡¯snd¡¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Xu Yang¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he quickly left the youth behind and headed for home. There¡¯s a saying that fits well, ¡°A poor mountain and bad water produce a crafty people.¡± The peasants between the fields and the wilds were actually not as simple and kind as romantic poets imagined, but more often than not, they were driven to sly and ugly acts by a life of hardship and dire poverty, calcting cruelly. Such as devouring a family¡¯sst resources! The so-called devouring of a family¡¯sst resources refers to when the head of a household dies, rtives and friendse to help with the funeral arrangements, disposing of the deceased¡¯snd, houses, and other assets, either by dividing or selling them. Then, theyy out banquet tables and feast for days or even weeks, until they have consumed all of the household¡¯s savings. As for the bereaved wife and children, ancient customs never considered women to count as much, and if there was no reliable inw family or a son old enough to shoulder responsibilities, they would have no choice but to be at the mercy of others. Not to mention the family¡¯s savings, even their own safety was not guaranteed; being sold off and remarried was amon urrence. Only a few lucky widows, with their fierce personalities and n protection, could establish themselves in the vige, but that was contingent on having a male heir. Without one, and without n protection, no matter how tough a woman was, she could not withstand the crafty harassment of local hooligans. The parents of Xu Yang¡¯s incarnation had died early, and he had not yet had time to marry and have children. The household consisted only of a pair of young siblings. How could they stand against those with evil intentions, like tigers, leopards, and wolves? Therefore¡ Xu Yang hurried home, and from afar, he saw his dpidated courtyard alive with the sound of gongs and drums, and bustle all around. Xu Yang¡¯s expression unchanged, he strode ahead, arriving at his own door to see several tables set up for a feast in the courtyard, with a crowd of people toasting and engrossed in eating and drinking. Most of them were men, but there were also many women, with children in tow, sitting in the yard, nimbly scraping bowls and snatching food. In the crowd, two stood out ¨C a boy and a girl, both half-grown children, huddled at the inner room¡¯s doorway, looking helplessly at the people eating and drinking in the yard. When Xu Yang caught sight of them, they too saw him, and tears welled up in their swollen eyes. ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± The siblings ran to the door in their surprise and joy, the slightly younger girl throwing herself into Xu Yang¡¯s arms, sobbing: ¡°Brother, they, they took all the rice from home, the vegetables from the fields, and the meat too, I tried to stop them, but they hit me¡¡± The little girl cried in Xu Yang¡¯s arms, recounting her grievances, while the slightly taller boy stood by, red-eyed and gritting his teeth, barely holding back his tears. This scene brought a sudden stiffness to the atmosphere in the yard; those gathered around the wine tables looked at Xu Yang and his siblings, their expressions shifting from shock to strangeness, from strangeness to awkwardness, until they found themselves without a ce to hide. ¡°Well¡¡± ¡°Qinshan, you¡¯re back?¡± ¡°Where have you been all these days?¡± ¡°Everyone thought something had happened to you.¡± A few individuals attempted to justify themselves, but upon encountering Xu Yang¡¯s icy gaze, their words choked in their throats. Caught between sitting and standing, they were utterly embarrassed. Just then¡ ¡°Hey!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that Qinshan?¡± At that moment, a loudughter rang out. Everyone turned to look, and there, at the central andrgest table, sat a man with a bare chest, thick with hair, holding a wine bowl andughing loudly: ¡°We haven¡¯t seen you for many days, everyone thought you were dead. Here they are, at your house, helping to arrange the funeral.¡± ¡°Brother!¡± Seeing this, before Xu Yang could react, the young boy at his side tugged at him and whispered: ¡°He, he took ournd deeds!¡± Xu Yang looked at the boy, then turned his gaze back to the burly man. This man was Li Laojiu. In terms of kinship, he was an uncle to the Xu Yang siblings. In Little Yellow Vige, he was a well-knownyabout, always idling, sneaking about, and never doing honest work. Confronted with Xu Yang¡¯s frosty stare, Li Laojiu appeared unconcerned, tossing a meaty bone on the ground¡ªa ck dog immediately sprung to it, gnawing vigorously. Only then did Li Laojiu scoff: ¡°Qinshan, although we are rtives, even brothers must settle their debts clearly. Everyone has been helping out at your ce, and I¡¯ve covered all these expenses. Now that you¡¯re back, shouldn¡¯t we settle this properly, clear and square?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Upon hearing this, everyone was momentarily stunned, shocked by Li Laojiu¡¯s shameless bullying but also feeling a sense of relieved justification for their difort. Just as Li Laojiu had said, with regards to the banquet arrangements to handle everything inside and out, how could Xu Yang and his siblings afford it? It was Li Laojiu who had stepped forward, advanced the money, enabling everyone to enjoy such a feast. Chapter 8 - 6: Mountain Household_2 8 Chapter 6: Mountain Household_2 Trantor: 549690339 But what kind of person was Li Laojiu, and how could he be so kind-hearted? He funded the feast solely to secure those few thin acres ofnd from Xu Yang¡¯s family, effectively sealing the mouths of others with a share of money. Now that Xu Yang was alive and had returned, the matter of seizing thend was definitely off the table. But since Li Laojiu had spent the money and hosted the banquet, he naturally refused to let his efforts go to waste, leading to his demand to settle ounts with Xu Yang. A clear-cut rogue! And he was indeed such a shameless idler. With him stepping forward, the crowd felt less awkward, looking at Xu Yang, eager to see how he would resolve the situation. Would he admit his bad luck and pay off Li Laojiu with some money? Or would he escte the situation, causing a racket that would end up before the n leader for judgment? Under the scrutiny of all present, Xu Yang remained silent, simply withdrawing a hatchet used for chopping firewood from his basket and striding toward Li Laojiu. ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°This¡¡± Seeing Xu Yang pull out a hatchet, everyone¡¯s expression changed, and they hurriedly stood up to get out of the way. Li Laojiu¡¯s face twitched, but he quickly suppressed it and scoffed, ¡°Oh, I see you¡¯ve grown bolder in just a few days, daring to raise your hand against an elder. Do you think I, Li Laojiu, grew up being scared? I¡¯ve seen it all over the years. If you dare, strike me here¡¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Xu Yang, with a cold expression, walked over, causing Li Laojiu¡¯s heart to skip a beat and a sense of foreboding to wash over him. ¡°Woof!¡± The ck dog at his feet, seeing a stranger approaching, bared its teeth at Xu Yang, ready to pounce. But Xu Yang did not stop, and he not only didn¡¯t stop but also suddenly elerated, charging right in front of Li Laojiu. ¡°Grr!¡± The ck dog pounced, aiming to bite Xu Yang. But he was caught off guard by Xu Yang¡¯s quicker movements. Xu Yang grabbed the hatchet with both hands and split it down on the dog¡ ¡°Plop!¡± A muffled sound followed by a blood stter. The ck dog was struck in the face by Xu Yang¡¯s hatchet and flipped onto the ground, letting out a pitiful whine as it twisted and convulsed. Without hesitation, Xu Yang advanced and began hacking and smashing the dog on the ground. In a short while, the vicious canine was silenced. Only then did Li Laojiu snap back to his senses. Looking at the mangled remains of the dead dog on the ground and then at Xu Yang, who was holding the hatchet covered in blood, a chill ran up from his tailbone to the back of his head, causing his legs to uncontrobly shake: ¡°You¡¡± ¡°Bang!¡± Before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by a loud noise as Xu Yang moved in and violently kicked him between the legs. ¡°!!!¡± The unexpected kick caught Li Laojiu unprepared, his vulnerable spot taking a heavy hit. His legs drew together in pain, his face streaked with tears and snot, so much in agony that he couldn¡¯t make a sound. Unsatisfied, Xu Yang delivered another kick, knocking him to the ground. Then, grasping the hatchet, he turned it backward and brought the t side down on the soft cartge of Li Laojiu¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Crack!¡± A crisp sound rang out, apanied by wailing, while the scene instantly descended into chaos. ¡°Qinshan, what are you doing!¡± ¡°Murder, it¡¯s a murder!¡± ¡°Quick, go find the n leader!¡± ¡°Hold him down, quickly hold him down!¡± The crowd was in a panic, their shrieks unceasing. Undeterred, Xu Yang flipped the back of the hatchet, pressing the heavy and rough cutting edge against Li Laojiu¡¯s neck: ¡°Where¡¯s the deed?¡± With his lower body injured and his shoulder bones shattered, Li Laojiu was in so much pain he was nearly out of his mind, but the hatchet¡¯s de against his neck and Xu Yang¡¯s cold words brought him back to his senses. He called out repeatedly, ¡°In my jacket pocket, in my jacket pocket, don¡¯t kill me, don¡¯t kill me¡¡± Xu Yang then got up and turned to his siblings, saying, ¡°Get his clothes over here.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± The equally petrified siblings finally snapped out of it, and Li Qinghe ran to fetch Li Laojiu¡¯s clothes, handing them to Xu Yang. Xu Yang took the clothes and rummaged through the pockets for his family¡¯s deed and a small string of copper coins, which he collected without hesitation. Then he turned to the crowd and said, ¡°Coming for the feast is fine, but shouldn¡¯t you also hand over the banquet contribution?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Hearing this, the terrified crowd pulled themselves together, exchanging nces, uncertain and uneasy. In the end, a few elders mustered the courage to step forward: ¡°Qinshan, ah, about this matter¡¡± ¡°Bang!¡± Their words were cut short as Xu Yang brought the hatchet down on the table: ¡°Will you pay or not?¡± ¡°¡¡± ¡°¡¡± ¡°` ¡°¡¡± A few old fellows froze in ce, staring at Xu Yang, whose presence exuded a sinister evil Qi and who was covered in blood, and found themselves speechless. Since ancient times, the imperial power did not extend to the countryside; the viges were entirely self-governed by ns,ndlords, local strongmen, and noble families¡ªthey were the emperors of the soil. Thus, regtions were extremelyx, and conflicts involving vigers wielding weapons weremonce. The battles were about ruthlessness: the more ruthless one was, the more fearsome and powerful they became. Was Xu Yang ruthless enough? Of course, he was. For decades on Dongting Lake, he had sent countless scoundrels like Zhang Family father and son off to their deaths; killing people was to him as ordinary as anything else. So, not only was he ruthless, but he was also swift and urate! Now, as Zhuanzhou Mengdie, without the fear of life and death concerning his original body, he was like hardened flesh cut by a rolling de. Aside from those nobles in high mansions, there was no one in the vige whom he did not dare provoke or contend with. ¡°The share money, of, of course, it, it¡¯s due!¡± A few old ghosts stuttered for a while, trembling as they brought out a few copper coins and ced them on the table, then looked back at Xu Yang. Xu Yang also turned his gaze to the others. At his nce, the crowd felt the hairs on their skin stand on end, and they could only fumble at their purses with shaking hands. After a brief period of scrabbling about, most of the people had paid their share and left the ce as if fleeing for their lives. Only a few women, truly unable to produce any money, could only look at Xu Yang with faces full of sorrow and eyes begging for mercy, ¡°Qinshan, we¡¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Gathering the money wasn¡¯t the objective¡ªestablishing authority was. Thus, Xu Yang did not waste much time bickering with these sons of turtles and drove everyone out before looking down at Li Laojiu, who was quivering on the ground. ¡°Qinshan, no, Big Brother Qinshan, Grandpa Qinshan, I was wrong, please, don¡¯t kill me¡¡± Feeling Xu Yang¡¯s gaze, Li Laojiu could not care about the severe pain and kept begging for mercy. Xu Yang held the short ax and looked coldly at him. After staring for a good while, he finally said, ¡°Get lost!¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± Li Laojiu, as if granted a royal pardon, struggled to his feet and ran outside as if escaping from peril. Xu Yang watched him leave with cold eyes. He knew this son of a turtle would definitely not let things rest. But he had no choice; even though imperial power did not extend to the countryside, it did not mean one could kill at will. Under the governance of ns and strongmen, there were still rules and order. It was okay to fight on regr days, but causing a death was a different matter. So, he could only let Li Laojiu go. ¡°Brother!¡± After Li Laojiu left, the once bustling courtyard becamepletely quiet. Li Qinghe looked at Xu Yang, covered in blood, with a mix of fear and excitement, while Li Hongyu did not think too much and collected the copper coins on the nearby tables,ing to Xu Yang with a face full of joy: ¡°So much money!¡± Xu Yang wiped the dog blood off his face and said to the two, ¡°Go and fetch a basin of water.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± A momentter, a clean Xu Yang was sitting by the dining table, while Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu transferred all the food and drinks from several tables over to him. Though called food and drinks, the servings were quite meager;bined, they could not muster a few meat dishes, and even the rice was coarse. Yet Xu Yang was unconcerned. Holding arge bowl, he lifted his chopsticks and, seeing Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu salivating, said, ¡°Eat!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± The two children, who had always been hungry, had never seen such a feast. Given permission by Xu Yang, they immediately started to dig in with their utensils. Xu Yang did not correct their manners, for his own table etiquette was not much better, scooping up food by the bowlful and eating voraciously. As the sole support for his original body at the moment, the effects of culinary skills needed no boration, especially for this body that had been increasingly malnourished. Eating a great deal could rapidly fill the nutritional void and strengthen the physique. Thanks to this, the food capacity of Xu Yang¡¯s body experienced a remarkable increase. He consumed almost the entire table of food and drinks, astonishing Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu, who were also stuffed to the brim. ¡°Brother, you¡¡± ¡°How could you eat that much?¡± The two looked at Xu Yang with concern, feeling that their brother seemed somewhat different, even a little frightening. Xu Yang nced at them and offered no exnation, merely asking, ¡°Do you trust me?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Children of the poor mature early, and the two had a maturity beyond their years. Now hearing Xu Yang speak like this, they became worried: ¡°Brother, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Xu Yang shook his head and said gravely, ¡°Li Laojiu has suffered such a big loss, he won¡¯t let it go easily. I¡¯ve heard that he has some connections with the Li Family. If he seeks revenge, we won¡¯t be able to bear it.¡± ¡°Then what do we do?¡± The two became even more rmed upon hearing this. Xu Yang took out the previousnd deeds and said to them, ¡°If you trust me as your elder brother, then follow me.¡± Chapter 9 - 7: Selling Oneself_1 9 Chapter 7: Selling Oneself_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Although it is but a few meager acres, it is still the family¡¯s heritage, you¡ truly wish to sell it?¡± In the ancient-styled hall, a middle-aged man dressed in a robe and garb of an officer sat in a high seat, looking down at Xu Yang and two others below, then at thend deed in his hand, his expression filled with a yfullyplex sentiment. Xu Yang nodded and said in a deep voice, ¡°Not only thend, but my siblings and I, all three of us, are willing to sell ourselves into servitude to the Lu Family in hope that Officer Lu will show mercy and provide us three siblings with a ce to live, to shelter us from the wind and rain!¡± ¡°Hmm~!¡± Officer Lu stroked his beard and appraised Xu Yang with half-closed eyes, then smiled and said, ¡°I have heard about the affairs of your family, and indeed, you have been somewhat excessive. Very well, I will take these acres. As for the three of you siblings¡ you wille to my house and work as aborer, and these acres will still be under your family¡¯s care. How does that sound?¡± ¡°Many thanks, my lord!¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yang did not say much, simply bowing his head and expressing his gratitude. Officer Lu nced at him, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, then he passed thend deed to the steward next to him: ¡°Zhang Fu, you will handle this matter. Speak with the Li Family properly, and ensure no misunderstandings arise!¡± ¡°Yes, my lord!¡± Steward Zhang Fu took thend deed and motioned to Xu Yang and the others: ¡°Follow me.¡± Xu Yang nodded, leading Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu away from the hall. Little Yellow Vige was home to two prominent families with the surnames Li and Lu. Though from the same vige, the rtionship between the two families was not good, and disputes were frequent. Hence, Xu Yang, carrying thend deed and apanied by his siblings, resolutely sought refuge with the Lu Family, even at the cost of enving themselves. This was a step taken out of necessity; that bastard Li Laojiu had some ties to the powerful Li Family of the Li n, and Xu Yang had just severely extorted those extortioners, virtually alienating all of his kin. Given this, where else could they find shelter within the Li n? To prevent revenge from Li Laojiu and avoid further troubles from the Li n, Xu Yang decisively sold himself to the Lu Family. The Lu Family, like the Li Family, was a major household in Little Yellow Vige; the two families werepetitors and could be considered old rivals. Officer Lu, known far and wide as a great phnthropist, naturally did not mind taking in Xu Yang, a person ostracized by the Li Family. Doing so, he not only acquired a good reputation but also got one over on his old rival. On top of that, he gained a few acres ofnd¡ªa case of killing three birds with one stone, a win for both honor and profit! As for the violent methods and the chaos Xu Yang had caused at the Li Family¡¯s expense, Officer Lu was unconcerned. It wasmon for mountain folk to be fierce, especially a youth with vigorous Qi Blood. Seeing someone bring ruin upon his own house in a fit of passion was quite normal, and there was no need to worry about weing such a household ve as a potential threat, let alone that the deeds for thend and property were securely in hand, leaving no room for any waves to be made. Such a person, if tamed well, would be a loyal dog, and in a few generations, the Lu Family would have more servants of clean background and unwavering loyalty, a pleasant prospect indeed? ¡ Thus, after a busy half-day, this matter finally came to a conclusion. Xu Yang sold thend deeds, property, and even himself and his siblings to the Lu Family and were now servants of the Lu Family. The Lu Family also kept their promise and resolved the matter of Li Laojiu, causing the Li Family to lose some face, neither too great nor too small. As a result, the grudge held by the Li Family was certainly inevitable, and members of the Li n would likely curse him behind his back and perhaps even seek trouble with him in secret. But Xu Yang did not care in the slightest. As long as it wasn¡¯t an overt life-threatening action, he simply didn¡¯t give it any thought. All he needed was time, a period of stable development. ¡°Brother!¡± That night, at home, Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu looked at their elder brother, full of confusion, having returned after selling themselves into servitude: ¡°Is it really okay to do this, that Lu Family¡ does not seem to be made of good people!¡± ¡°Whether they are good or not isn¡¯t important,¡± Xu Yang shook his head and said with a lightugh, ¡°What¡¯s important is that they can handle the Li Family, understand?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The siblings wanted to say more, but upon meeting Xu Yang¡¯s gaze, the words caught in their throats, and all they could do was nod in agreement, ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that you understand,¡± Xu Yang nodded and said solemnly, ¡°Just endure for a few years, I already have ns, don¡¯t worry!¡± No wonder Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu were worried; Xu Yang¡¯s decision was indeed debatable. Although the Li Family was not made of good people, the Lu Family was not any better, yet Xu Yang had sold his entire family to them, which seemed utterly foolish. Now, not only had the three siblings lost theirnd, but they had also lost their freedom. Their lives were entirely in the hands of the Lu Family, alive or dead at their whim. To havee to such a juncture, it might have been better to swallow the past grudges and feignpliance with Li Laojiu and others. After all, he too was a member of the Li n, and the Li Family would not go too far; the intentions of the Lu Family, however, were uncertain. To forsake one¡¯s n for a moment¡¯s arrogance and sell oneself to the Lu Family was sheer stupidity. But this was merely how ordinary people saw the situation. For Xu Yang, things likends and deeds were worthless. They were not the foundation of his existence nor the crux of his fate! His foundationy in the Attribute Panel and Skill Traits; as long as he could cultivate powerful skills and traits, nobody would be able to hold him down. Unfortunately, this Attribute Panel had one w, which was that one couldn¡¯t actively assign points. If I wanted to develop skills, I had to practice and umte experience until the skills formed. Therefore, Xu Yang needed time, a period of stable development time, to cultivate powerful skills and traits. For this reason, he resolutely beat up Li Laojiu, intimidated the others into paying their dues, and even turned against the Li n, crafting for himself an image of a brash and butcherous character. This deterred those plotting evil schemes; otherwise, after dealing with a Li Laojiu, there would emerge a Li Laojiu, Li Laojiu. It¡¯s the simple truth that if one is too kind, one will be bullied, and if a horse is too gentle, it will be ridden hard! With this deterrence in ce and then binding himself to the Lu Family, using them as a powerful backer, he would surely sleep soundly for years toe. Besides, selling himself and hisnds had alsoted him a sum of Silver Coins, which were perfect for seed capital. Next was to use this precious development time and the starting capital from selling himself and thend to focus on practicing skills. There was no ambition for domination, just a need to ensure a foothold in the vige. With the Attribute Panel, as long as I could firmly establish myself in the early stages, I could grow and expand, gradually exploring this world, utilizing its various resources to change the difficult circumstances in the real world. So¡ ¡°It¡¯ste, go to sleep!¡± Xu Yangforted a worried Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu, theny down on the bed and fell asleep. Meanwhile, in the real world, on a covered boat¡ Xu Yang opened his eyes, got up efficiently, took out the coarse rice he had bought the day before, grabbed a handful and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing vigorously. In the dream of Zhuanzhou Mengdie, the flow of time between the two realms was vast. He could not afford to linger too long in reality, or ¡°Li Qing San¡± would not just die of thirst or hunger, he would be buried alive as if dead by others. Therefore, there was no time to prepare food; he had to gulp down the rice raw, eating as quickly as possible before returning to the world of Mengdie. The coarse rice was rough to begin with, and eating it raw was tough, but fortunately, Xu Yang¡¯s eating skill included the trait ¡°Chewing.¡± His strong teeth effortlessly crushed the coarse grains, and swiftly, he had ingested nearly half a bag of coarse rice. After swallowing nearly half a bag of coarse rice and gulping down a fewdles of water, his previously somewhat empty stomach quickly bloated. Seeing this, Xu Yangy back down without a word and fell asleep again. His eating skill had now reached a point where one meal couldst as long as ten. This single meal could sustain him for three to four days, even five to six days. In the world of Mengdie, that tranted to five to six years, more than enough toplete his initial development n. ¡ In the world of Mengdie, the crowing of a rooster woke up Xu Yang. To say he woke up wasn¡¯t quite urate, for he hadn¡¯t slept at all. Given the 365-fold difference in time flow, he had just finished eating in the real world, and a whole night had already passed in Mengdie, barely leaving any time for sleep. But he was still full of energy. After freshening up, he said goodbye to Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu and headed to the Lu Family. He nned to seek a job, as it would help him develop his skills. As for what kind of job, he had already nned it out. The Lu Family, beingndlords with ancestors who had been imperial schrs, had umted a formidable fortune over the generations, well-known not just in Little Yellow Vige but also for miles around. In an agricultural society,nd was everything, but the ie ofrgendlords wasn¡¯t solely derived from farming or renting outnd. Growing crops and collecting rent? That would only bring in so much. For truendlords and gentry, leasing outnd and exploiting tenants were just one of many revenue streams, securing the most basic ie from grain. To grow and strengthen their holdings, they had to employ other means, such as renting outnd, lending with high interest, seizing properties forcefully, monopolizing salt and iron, breeding ves, trafficking people, evading taxes, and so on¡ In doing so, generation after generation umted wealth, bing the local tycoons and even monopolists, forming the base of the ruling system, governing the world together with the royal family and noble ns. The Li and Lu families of Little Yellow Vige, although not to that extent, were still considered local powerhouses, engaging in plenty of semi-legal shady dealings. For such a family business to remain stable, significant martial protection was essential, and both families maintained quite a few house guards and even hired Martial Instructors. Xu Yang originally wanted to be a house guard, learning martial arts from the instructors along the way, but he soon dismissed this idea. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to learn martial arts, but he was aware of his limits. For guards like these, the most important qualities were an untainted background and unwavering loyalty, as they mostly employed home-grown sons. As an outsider with thest name Li, even if he sold himself to the Lu Family, he would have no right to such a position, and seeking it would be humiliating. So¡ ¡°Steward Zhang, I would like to seek a job as a butcher. I hope you can help,¡± Xu Yang approached Zhang Fu, the steward who had handled the paperwork for his indenture the day before, got straight to the point about his intentions, and handed over a small pouch of coins. ¡°Oh?¡± Zhang Fu, unashamed, took the pouch and weighed it for a moment before looking up at Xu Yang, ¡°You know how to ughter pigs and cattle?¡± ¡°Not really!¡± Xu Yang shook his head, smiling lightly, ¡°But I have the strength, and I¡¯ve hunted animals before. It shouldn¡¯t be hard to learn.¡± ¡°I see¡ Alright, it just so happens we¡¯re short-staffed over there. I¡¯ll assign you as an apprentice!¡± Zhang Fu, pondering the weight of the pouch, eventually agreed after some thought. ¡°Thank you, Steward Zhang!¡± Chapter 10 - 8: Practice_1 10 Chapter 8: Practice_1 Trantor: 549690339 Although the Lu Family wasn¡¯t one of those top local tyrants, within ten miles of Little Yellow Vige, they were a well-known big household, monopolizing the surrounding ughter business and even raising a group of butchers under them. On regr days, the Lu Family would buy pigs, dogs, cattle, and sheep from the surrounding area, ughter them, and then sell the meat at the town market. Sometimes, they would also supply various restaurants in the county, making a fair amount of silver in the process. Xu Yang spent money to get this job, firstly to acquire skills, and secondly to secure a source of meat. ughtering pigs, dogs, cattle, and sheep should allow one to develop skills rted to ¡°killing,¡± and at the very least, one could practice their knife skills. Just like how the skill ¡°Flying Stone¡± developed from skipping stones, he hoped to develop rted offensive skills. As for meat, there was no hope for prime cuts, but getting some offal was not a problem, and with money, he could even buy certain amounts of meat at an internal employee rate. With a stable source of meat, along with the money from selling himself and the dietary skills supported by his original body, Xu Yang could soon nourish the thin body of the young man he possessed. By then, he might not be able to handle martial instructors, but dealing with a few manor guards or a scoundrel like Li Laojiu should be no problem at all. ¡ With money, as the saying goes, one can make even the devils turn mills. With the arrangement by Zhang Fu, the chief steward, Xu Yang was rather smoothly admitted as an apprentice butcher. Of course, Xu Yang¡¯s own performance wasn¡¯t bad either. After all, for a job like butchering, the key was physical strength and courage. Xu Yang was notcking in either and even had quite some ¡°work experience,¡± so getting the job was naturally not difficult. At noon, a blood-stained Xu Yang returned home carrying a load of pig offal. These were not shares from ughtering pigs. Apprentice workers just starting out had no right topete with veteran butchers. He could only buy some at a rtively favorable price, barely qualifying as an employee benefit. ¡°Brother!¡± Li Hongyu opened the door to greet him, but as soon as she approached, she was driven back by the smell emanating from Xu Yang and quickly pinched her nose, ¡°What is that smell?¡± ¡°Tonight we eat meat.¡± Xu Yang smiled, not saying much, and handed the pig offal to Li Hongyu, then went into the house to pick up a bamboo basket, a small axe, and a hunting bow. His younger brother Li Qinghe approached, ¡°Brother, it¡¯s already noon, are you still going into the mountains?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Xu Yang nodded, ¡°I¡¯m going to see if I can catch anything.¡± Li Qinghe¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Can I go too?¡± Xu Yang shook his head with a smile, ¡°Wait a few more years, then I¡¯ll take you with me.¡± ¡°Oh¡¡± Li Qinghe drew out the word, seemingly very disappointed. Xu Yang did not say more, shouldering the bamboo basket and leaving home, ready to go hunting in the mountains. He was not only going to be a butcher but also a hunter. After all, archery was a very sharp long-range offensive method. Not to mention the transmigrator who had experienced an information explosion, anyone with a bit of vision would know the advantage long-range had over closebat, so if there was a chance to practice, he would take it. In this manner¡ By evening, Xu Yang returned home, the bamboo basket on his back seeming quite heavy. ¡°Brother, what did you catch?¡± Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu ran out and then stopped, looking at the full bamboo basket on Xu Yang¡¯s back, their eyes filled with confusion. ¡°Why did you cut so much bamboo and bring it home?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were going hunting?¡± In the face of their queries, Xu Yang smiled and put down the bamboo basket, ¡°Sharping knives does not hinder chopping wood!¡± With that, he sat down and began to organize the bamboo he had cut. Why would he bring back a bunch of bamboo when he said he was going hunting? Simple, because he came back empty-handed! Although he had inherited the memories and identity of ¡°Li Qing Shan,¡± Li Qing Shan was not any formidable hunter, and his hunting skills were quite average. It was perfectly normal for him not to catch any game. Previously, there were even ns to sell the hunting bow and permit to focus solely on farming. Now that Xu Yang had transmigrated over, this situation had not changed since he only knew how to fish and not how to hunt. Butck of ability was not a problem; he would just practice. With the Attribute Panel, there was no skill he couldn¡¯t learn. Therefore, Xu Yang cut a basket of bamboo and brought it back to practice the ¡°Archery¡± skill. He took a fresh bamboo stick, shaved off all its branches and leaves, then carved two grooves at both ends before bending the entire stick into a crescent shape and binding it with a vine he had also brought back. Thus, a simple and crude bamboo bow that would be considered a mere toy for children was made. ¡°Hmm, not bad!¡± Although it wouldn¡¯tst long and its lethality was almost nil, Xu Yang was still satisfied and nodded his approval of his own work. The crudeness didn¡¯t matter, and nor did the fact it would break soon. As long as it allowed him to perform the act of ¡°archery,¡± that was enough. The key to practicing skills is the actual doing. Doing it well is certainly the icing on the cake, but even doing it poorly doesn¡¯t necessarily mean one cannot turn decay into magic. When he practiced the skill of disguise, wasn¡¯t it just smearing mud on his face, hunching his body, and lowering his voice? In the end, he still managed to develop the skill of disguise, and even acquired powerful Skill Traits like ¡°Concealing Presence¡± and ¡°Shrinking Bone.¡± Therefore, it is not key whether one does well enough but whether one does enough and for long enough. The bow was ready, but arrows were needed. Xu Yang took a few thin bamboo twigs and, without bothering with fletching for bnce, simply whittled the front end into a point, creating a roughly made arrow. ¡°Brother, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Is this¡ a bow and arrow?¡± ¡°What can that bow and arrow do? Er Gou¡¯s slingshot from next door is more powerful than that.¡± Looking at Xu Yang¡¯s crudely made work, Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu were even more puzzled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it; go cook the meal.¡± With a smile, Xu Yang sent the two youngsters on their way and continued with his grand bow-making endeavor. In ancient times, bow and arrow making was a high-precision craft, demanding great skill from the craftsmen and high-quality materials, which included the ¡®Six Materials¡¯: wood, horn, sinew, glue, silk, andcquer. Wood was for the bow limbs, forming the main body and determining the bow¡¯s draw weight, range, and lethality. Horn and sinew, from animal horns and tendons respectively, were attached to the inner and outer sides of the bow limbs to enhance the bow¡¯s sticity and power. Glue, silk, andcquer were all extremely important as well, and only with the best materials could a fine bow be crafted. The bamboo bow Xu Yang was making had no rtion to the word ¡®fine¡¯. It was feared that after a few draws, it might break. But no matter, if quality wascking, quantity would make up for it. If one bow failed, then make ten; if ten failed, then a hundred. Since bamboo and vines cost nothing, he could freely gather and craft them without any limit, surely be able to ¡°grind out¡± the skill. Apart from archery skills, the act of making bows and arrows might also generate a skill, providing Xu Yang with another craft to generate revenue. In ancient times, craftsmen who could make bows and arrows were considered a resource for wartime readiness. Not to mention other things, making enough to support a family was definitely doable. Xu Yang was quick with his hands, and since the bamboo bows and arrows didn¡¯t require fine craftsmanship, he worked rapidly, and before nightfall, he had transformed a basket of bamboo into a collection of bamboo bows and arrows. ¡°Brother, it¡¯s time to eat.¡± ¡°Mm!¡± Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu had also finished preparing dinner, so Xu Yang put down what he was doing, got up, and went to sit down at the dinner table. ¡°Brother, here¡¯s yours.¡± Li Hongyu presented him with arge bowl. Inside was steaming coarse rice, and on the table, there was also a big bowl of offal soup as a side dish, which¡ hmm, didn¡¯t exactly whet the appetite. The pigs raised by the rural households of the vige were generally not castrated, making their scent particrly strong, and the offal was no exception. Without sufficient spices, it was no easy task to turn these ingredients into a delicious meal. Therefore, the bowl of pork offal on the table, frankly, wasn¡¯t tempting, especially to Xu Yang. Even so, Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu gazed at the bowl, swallowing repeatedly at the sight of the fat floating on the soup¡¯s surface. With a smile, Xu Yang picked up his bowl and chopsticks: ¡°Let¡¯s eat!¡± ¡°Yep yep!¡± Having received approval from the head of the household, the two youngsters couldn¡¯t wait any longer and immediately started using their chopsticks. With the silver he had earned, Xu Yang wasn¡¯t going to shortchange himself. Although the meat dish was just a rough serving of pork offal, they had enough coarse rice and plenty of vegetables. The meal was quite a feast for Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu. While there was no wine to enjoy, there was plenty of food, and after they cleaned up the dishes, Xu Yang went back to his workstation. He picked up the simple bamboo bow and, facing the earth wall in the yard, he began practicing archery. A target? There was no target. After so many years of practicing skills, Xu Yang hade up with a set of rules and insights for skill training. At the beginning of practice, it¡¯s best to aim for quantity. Once a certain level is reached or a skill is generated, then gradually focus on quality to produce high-value traits. Therefore, he didn¡¯t make a target, or rather, the earth wall served as his target, helping himplete the set of actions: ¡°drawing the bow,¡± ¡°firing the arrow,¡± and ¡°hitting the mark.¡± By then, night had fallen, and the moon was high in the sky. Little Yellow Vige was engulfed in quiet darkness, with only a few households like the Lu family still lit up. Lamp oil and candles were expenses, so ordinary households would save where they could. Besides, there was nothing much to do at night except for producing and raising children, so most people were asleep. Under the cold moonlight, Xu Yang held the bow, stood tall, and corrected his posture and movements ording to the techniques and instincts from Li Qing Shan¡¯s memory. He then drew the bamboo bow and shot towards the earth wall. The result¡ ¡°Snap!¡± A quiet sound, and the bamboo arrow fell to the ground, having only floated forward a few steps, not even reaching the earth wall. Xu Yang didn¡¯t mind and continued to adjust his posture and actions, drawing the bamboo bow and firing another arrow. This time it was slightly better. The bamboo arrow flew five to six steps andnded at the foot of the earth wall. Xu Yang smiled and continued to draw the bow. His posture and movements gradually became standardized, and he had thoroughly mastered the original archery skills of the body. And so, under the cold moonlight, a skinny young man bent his bow and shot arrow after arrow at the earth wall. The light bamboo arrows flew out, chaotically at first, then gradually hitting the wall and leaving marks, until each bamboo arrow pierced into the yellow mud, sticking out from the top of the wall¡ Chapter 11 - 9: 3 Years_1 11 Chapter 9: 3 Years_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°` Years flew by, and in the blink of an eye, three years had passed. In Little Yellow Vige, at the Lu Family¡¯srge estate, within the kitchen courtyard. A heavy stench of blood and foulness permeated the air, apanied by the shrill screams that echoed. ¡°Quick, hold it down!¡± ¡°This beast is so strong!¡± ¡°We¡¯ve got it pinned, where¡¯s the bucket, bring it over.¡± ¡°Qinshan,e quickly¡¡± Several bare-chested, brawny men pressed a fat ck pig onto the stone b, but given the pig¡¯s heft and strength, they all struggled to restrain it. Amidst the chaos, the ce was filled with the sounds of a pig¡¯s desperate wails. Just then, a muscr youth, also bare-chested, strode into the scene with a pointed knife in hand. With one hand, he pressed the pig¡¯s head down, and with the other, he thrust the pointed knife into the pig¡¯s throat with impable uracy. The stinking pig blood spurted out, falling into the bucket below without sshing a drop on anyone. The youth pulled out the knife and turned to leave, and the men also let go of the ck pig, waiting for the blood to drain before hoisting it up. The youth came back, knife in hand, and skillfully slit open the pig¡¯s belly, expertly removed the internal organs, carving out the heart, liver, spleen, lungs, and kidneys, then cleaved the spine in two, smoothly splitting the whole pig into two halves. He lifted one half, tossed it onto the cutting board, then took the knife to dissect it further, removing the spine, tenderloin, ribs, fattyyers, forelegs and hindlegs, pig¡¯s knuckles, and trotters¡ One half of the pig was swiftly sectioned off. Like flowing clouds and streaming water, a feast for the eyes! Having finished with one half, he took up the other, and within the time it took to drink a cup of tea under the youth¡¯s skilled knife work, the hefty pig transformed into neatly separated chunks of meat. ¡°Send these prime cuts to the kitchen, take these leg meats to the butcher¡¯s shop, this small tenderloin should go to Steward Zhang¡¡± Xu Yang meticulously sorted the pieces of pork. Then he pulled out a piece of spine with a decent amount of meat on it, took up his knife, and started chopping. After he was done, he grabbed a piece of pig liver and threw them both into the bamboo basket at his feet. Only then did he put down his cleaver and told the others, ¡°You all can divide the rest.¡± Without waiting for the people¡¯s reactions, he picked up the basket filled with pork bones and liver and walked away. The butchers watched and did not dare to stop him; only after he left did someonement in a hushed voice. ¡°Qinshan is getting bolder and bolder.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the truth? That spine had at least a pound of meat on it!¡± ¡°If Steward Zhang finds out, won¡¯t he y ayer of skin from him?¡± ¡°Steward Zhang,e on, you can¡¯t take much from a man whose hand you¡¯ve fed, Steward Zhang won¡¯t bother with it!¡± ¡°Exactly, I heard Qinshan gives most of his pocket money to Steward Zhang every month; why would Zhang make it difficult for him?¡± ¡°Not to mention how formidable Qinshan is, not only his skills in ughtering pigs and butchering cows are brilliant, but his ability to fight andpete is also not bad. A while ago, when he was fighting over water with the Li Family, those from the Li Laojiu ended up bedridden, I¡¯ve heard.¡± ¡°With Qinshan¡¯s fierce spirit, what¡¯s a few extra pieces of meat? Not to mention Steward Zhang, even if the master knew, he¡¯d probably turn a blind eye.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard the master values Qinshan a lot and is even preparing to transfer him to serve as a guard in the household¡¡± ¡°Cut it out, don¡¯t spread rumors. Li Qing Shan is nothing but a conscienceless butcher. Being a member of the Li Family and yet so ruthless towards his own kin, how could the master ever favor him? He¡¯s lucky enough to be mixing with us!¡± ¡°Exactly, he takes so much meat for himself and leaves us with some stinking offal, treating us like beggars?¡± The crowd¡¯s attitudes varied; some respected him, some feared him, and some detested him but were helpless to change anything. But none of this mattered much to Xu Yang. Carrying his basket, he returned home. ¡°Brother!¡± Li Hongyu, who had grown into a youngdy, came out to meet him, cheerfully taking the basket from Xu Yang¡¯s hands. Upon opening it, she eximed in delight, ¡°So much, and with meat, too! How many pigs did you kill today?¡± ¡°One, a big one!¡± Xu Yang smiled and walked into the courtyard. Li Qinghe, who had also grown quite a bit, came up to him holding a fuzzy rabbit, ¡°Brother, when I went to chop bamboo today, I ran into this critter. Look, isn¡¯t it fat?¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± Xu Yang nodded with approval, ¡°We¡¯ll have the bones for lunch; save the rabbit for dinner.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Li Hongyu nodded, took the pig bones and liver out of the basket, and soaked them in clean water to rinse away the foul smell and any blood. Such a thing would have been unthinkable a few years ago¡ªthe blood water was a vital source of nutrition for the three siblings, too precious to waste. Li Hongyu began busying herself, preparing for the day¡¯s lunch as Xu Yang shifted his attention back to Li Qinghe, ¡°How¡¯s the bow holding up?¡± ¡°More than holding up¡ªit¡¯s a divine bow!¡± Li Qinghe was excited, taking off the bamboo bow slung on his back, ¡°That rabbit was at least twenty steps away, and I hit it with one arrow.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Xu Yang nodded, ¡°After we eat, let¡¯s go into the mountain again. One rabbit won¡¯t be enough for tonight.¡± ¡°Great!¡± ¡ In ancient times,moners typically ate two meals a day, while only the nobility and wealthy families would have three meals. But with Xu Yang, that standard was out of the question. Three years ago, they had already moved to three meals a day, and more recently, every meal included meat and was rich in fats and oils. Xu Yang¡¯s robust physique and the stature of Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu were a testament to that. ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready!¡± ¡°` Wisps of cooking smoke lingered in the air, and the meals were served. Li Hongyu, as usual, heaped a full bowl of coarse rice for Xu Yang, then ced arge pot of bone soup in front of him, ¡°Brother, here¡¯s yours!¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Xu Yang nodded, without any pretense, he picked up a piece of boneden with meat and put it in his mouth. Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu spooned the meat soup, pouring it over their rice before they began to eat. The pork spine bones, which originally came with ample meat, had only had some removed for herself and Li Qinghe by Li Hongyu. The rest, with all its meat, was left on the bones for Xu Yang. But Xu Yang didn¡¯t distinguish between meat and bone; he chewed the whole bone as soon as he put it into his mouth, crunching the meat, bone, and marrow together before swallowing. Soon, the lunch was over. Li Hongyu cleaned up the bowls and chopsticks, while Xu Yang stood up and said to Li Qinghe, ¡°Come, let¡¯s digest the meal with our usual routine. If you can find me, I¡¯ll make you an even better bow.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Hearing his words, Li Qinghe¡¯s face turned bitter, ¡°Do we have to, brother? We¡¯re too old for children¡¯s games. Besides, when have we ever found you? Aren¡¯t you tired of always hiding like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not tired,e on!¡± Xu Yang dismissed hisints and stubbornly left the house. Helplessly, Li Qinghe could only turn his pleading eyes towards his sister, Li Hongyu. Li Hongyuughed, ¡°Why are you looking at me? I still have cleaning up to do. You take your time searching.¡± ¡°Oh Lord!¡± Li Qinghe looked like he wanted to cry but found no tears, and with no other choice, he had to get up and walk outside. He was about to y a game with Xu Yang, a game they had yed daily for three years¡ªa game of hide and seek! One day three years ago, for reasons unknown, his older brother suddenly grabbed the two of them and started ying this game. After that, he became addicted to it, insisting on ying several times each day after meals, and now it had been three full years. Li Qinghe didn¡¯t know whether his older brother retained a childlike heart or had simply lost his mind, but he and Li Hongyu were seriously tormented by this. Every day Xu Yang insisted on ying hide and seek. In the beginning, it was still fun, with a hint of childhood yfulness between siblings. But as time went on, Xu Yang became increasingly difficult to find, and the game grew more and more boring. By now, it had turned into torture. They never managed to find him; each search was a futile effort until the game ended and Xu Yang appeared on his own, which was utterly uninteresting to the extreme. Yet Xu Yang never seemed to tire of it, dragging them into ying every day and even offering various rewards to tempt them. But those were always just empty promises, unreachable rewards that left them with a psychological shadow over the game of hide and seek. Today was no different. Li Qinghe, mustering all his energy, searched inside and outside the house for a long time and still couldn¡¯t find Xu Yang. It wasn¡¯t until noon, the predetermined time to head to the mountains, that Xu Yang, hiding who knows where, finally drifted into view, ending this exceedingly boring game. ¡°Brother, where on earth were you hiding just now? You didn¡¯t go off somewhere else, did you?¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t leave the yard.¡± ¡°Then howe I searched everywhere and still couldn¡¯t find you?¡± ¡°You weren¡¯t thorough enough. Pay more attention next time, and you¡¯ll definitely be able to find me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really!¡± ¡°¡.¡± After ending the tedious game of hide and seek, Xu Yang entered the house and took down a bamboo bow from the wall. This bamboo bow was light yellow in color, the result of being roasted by mes. Its curved limbs were wrapped with cow horn and sinew, enhancing its sticity and toughness. Combined with the tightly strung cow sinew string, it exuded a powerful sense of strength. This bow, a proud creation of Xu Yang¡¯s recent days, exceeded the range of a hunting bow and stepped into the realm of military weaponry. It was valuable, and its power was formidable. Such a bow was admittedly overkill for hunting. So, Xu Yang hung it back up and took down another bamboo bow that was slightly inferior. At that moment, Li Qinghe, with his bamboo basket on his back and a bamboo bow in hand, walked in, full of excitement, and said to Xu Yang, ¡°Everything¡¯s ready, shall we go?¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Xu Yang nodded, carried his bamboo bow along with his brother, and they left for Little Yellow Mountain. ¡. That evening, under the envious eyes of the neighbors, the two brothers brought back a sizeable haul of game. ¡°The Li brothers have gone to the mountains again.¡± ¡°Gosh, they caught so much stuff again, could that be a roe deer in the basket?¡± ¡°Howe whenever they go to the mountain, it¡¯s like they¡¯re stocking up? My old man can¡¯t even hit a wild chicken!¡± ¡°Nonsense, can your manpare to Li Qingshan?¡± ¡°Exactly, you haven¡¯t seen his archery. That bear that came out of the mountainst time was taken down by his team. He shot three arrows, directly piercing the bear¡¯s eyeballs and skull!¡± ¡°Comparisons really do kill people, and stuff should just be thrown out!¡± ¡°Those heartless brats, their lives are going well now, while we¡¯re suffering!¡± ¡°Exactly, remember thest dispute over water rights? He didn¡¯t consider any kinship at all and beat our Li Family people to such a state. I heard Li Laojiu and the others can¡¯t even get out of bed and walk around till now!¡± ¡°That heartless thing, abandoning his ancestors to work as a domestic servant for the Lu Family, being theirpdog. How will he face their parents and the ancestors of the Li Family after he dies?¡± ¡°Whose fault is that? You were the ones who did wrong first, bullying others. You provoked this, so you can¡¯tin about the consequences.¡± ¡°Exactly, so what if he¡¯s a domestic servant? His life is good. He not only gets pocket money from the master every month but also brings home meat regrly. The rent isn¡¯t too high, and even the hunting tax is less and easier to handlepared to other hunters. Look how much those three siblings have grown in the past few days.¡± ¡°Having a patron is great. If I knew, I would have sold myself to the Lu Family too.¡± ¡°Humph, what are you daydreaming about? Li Qingshan is doing well because he¡¯s skilled. Not only is he excellent at butchering pigs and cattle, but his hunting skills are unparalleled, which is why he¡¯s so highly regarded by the Lu Family and receives so much care. Do you have those skills?¡± ¡°I heard Officer Lu is even nning to ept him as a son-inw¡¡± Chapter 12 - 10: Results_1 12 Chapter 10: Results_1 Trantor: 549690339 Late at night, the sky was clear with sparse stars, all serene. In the courtyard, Xu Yang stood alone, bow in hand. On the dirt wall ahead, a charcoal-drawn target bristled with densely packed arrows. Another night¡¯s practice results. ¡°Thump!¡± Xu Yang drew his bamboo bow, loosed his final arrow, and the bamboo shaft, with great force, pierced the earthy wall, dislodging the arrows already lodged in the target by the impact of its strength. Impressive power! Xu Yang was very satisfied with this and opened his Attribute Panel. Xu Yang (Li Qing Shan) Cultivation: None Lifespan: 19/88 Skills: Eating (Chewing, Digesting, Essence, Strengthening, Unblocking, Healing Diet) Sleeping (Deep Sleep, Calming the Mind, Health Preservation, Body Strengthening) Breathing (Turtle Breathing, Empowerment, Revitalizing, Essence Nourishment) Butchering (Evil Qi, Unsheathing the Knife, Preservation) Hunting (Mountain Dweller, Chasing the Wind, Acuity) Artisan (Bow Making, Leatherworking, Toughness, Durability, Bamboo Crafts) Archery (Hit a Willow Branch at 100 Yards, Three Stars Connected Beads, Running Shot) Walking (Swift as Flying, Traversing Mountains and Ridges) Hiding (Concealment, Concealing Presence) Theft (Night Infiltration, Lock Picking) Reading (Night Reading, Deciphering, Never Forget After Reading) Knife Sharpening (Unparalleled Sharpness) Chopping (Overwhelming Force) ¡ Xu Yang noticed something, the difficulty of training skills in this world was much lower than in the real world. Merely three years of practice had yielded a collection of skills that matched the bulk of his twenty-seven years of hard work in reality. In addition, many high-quality four-character skill phrases had emerged. Keep in mind, he had trained tirelessly for twenty-seven years in the real world, acquiring many skills and traits, yet only had two four-character phrases, which were Like a Fish in Water for swimming and Zhuang Zhou Dreams of a Butterfly for dreaming. Yet in this world, in just three years, he had developed six or seven four-character phrases. Although none was as special as Zhuang Zhou Dreams of a Butterfly with its own effects, they surpassed Like a Fish in Water in quality. Why was this the case? Xu Yang did not know, nor did he dwell on it too much. Without solid evidence to theorize, specting further was meaningless. It was better to consider more practical matters. What practical matters? Of course, the significance of the newly added traits. As the only skill supporting his main body, Eating had gained just one new trait¡ªHealing Diet. Healing Diet, as the name suggests, meant he could heal his body through diet. No matter if it was internal or external injuries or severe illnesses and toxins, as long as he ate enough of the right foods, he could eventually return to his original state, making it a powerful healing tool. Breathing, Sleeping, and other skills remained mostly unchanged, their traits rted mainly to strengthening the body and invigorating the blood and vitality. Paired with the Eating skill, in just three years, these had nurtured and trained Xu Yang¡¯s once frail youthful body into robust manliness. In addition, skills like Butchering, Hunting, Bow Making, and Archery, which he had developed anew, also achieved excellent effects, helping Xu Yang gain a foothold in the vige, even garnering attention from the Lu Family, and greatly improving his standard of living. Now that he had a firm footing, it was time to n for growth and to build and strengthen his position. After finishing tonight¡¯s practice, Xu Yang turned and returned to his room, hanging the bow and arrow back on the wall, then pulled out arge box from under the bed. He opened the box, filled with garments, and went straight to the bottom, drawing out a set of ck clothing for night travel. Xu Yang changed into the night attire, took out a dagger as well, securing it at his waist, and fully equipped, he then silently opened the door and left home. Walking (Swift as Flying, Traversing Mountains and Ridges) Hiding (Concealment, Concealing Presence) Theft (Night Infiltration, Lock Picking) Over three years, through ying with his younger siblings and daily activities, Xu Yang had developed three more skills. Thebined effect of these three skills gave him a tremendous advantage in his nighttime operations. Under the velvety darkness of night, Xu Yang, dressed in ck from head to toe, became like a fish taking to water,pletely concealing his shape, footsteps, and breath. Ordinary vigers, afflicted with night blindness, let alone a martial artist with minor aplishments and sharp senses, would find it extremely difficult to detect his presence and movements. This was thebined effect of Concealment, Concealing Presence, and Night Infiltration. A powerful ability to stay hidden! Under the cover of night, Xu Yang moved as if flying, walking briskly. In the blink of an eye, he arrived outside the Lu Family estate. By then, it waste, the Lu Family¡¯s gates were shut tight, and guards with dogs were on night patrol. Although not imprable, the defenses were more than enough to deter ordinary thieves from sneaking in. However, Xu Yang had no trouble at all. He approached a corner of the wall, leaped up with a step on the bricks, and scaled the wall. Qinggong? No, Xu Yang didn¡¯t know any Qinggong. It was all the effect of the ¡°Walking¡± skill traits. Swift as Flying, Traversing Mountains and Ridges; the former greatly increased walking speed while thetter allowed oveing a variety of terrains and obstacles. Not just the walls of a wealthy family¡¯s estate, even cliffs, steep mountains, and high ridges were as t ground to Xu Yang. Having scaled the wall, Xu Yang wasted no time and headed straight for the study. As they say: no matter how vignt you are, you cannot guard against a thief from within! After all these years, Xu Yang knew the Lu Family¡¯s terrain,yout, and building distribution by heart. Soon, he arrived at the study. Using the Lock Picking trait of the ¡°Theft¡± skill, he silently unlocked the door, slipped inside, and in a short while, emerged with a backpack. Afterwards, Xu Yang did not linger; carrying the backpack, he quickly left the Lu Family¡¯s residence. ¡ Shortly thereafter, Xu Yang returned home, set down the backpack, removed his night attire, and lit a candle. In the dim candlelight, Xu Yang opened the backpack, but inside were not gold or silver treasures, but bound volumes of books. Chapter 13 - 10: Results_2 13 Chapter 10: Results_2 Trantor: 549690339 Xu Yang picked up a ¡°Dream Talks¡± and flipped through it skillfully, as if it was not his first time doing such a thing. Indeed, it was not the first time. Since over a year ago, by ying games like hide and seek, he obtained skills such as hiding and thievery, Xu Yang began to frequent the Lu Family¡¯s study. Books are thedder of human progress and also an important way for Xu Yang to understand this world. But there was a problem with reading, and that was the necessity of recognizing characters. Xu Yang was illiterate, or to be precise, he did not recognize the characters of this world. Whether it was he, who arrived through the Zhuanzhou Mengdie, or Li Qing Shan, the vige youth, both were illiterate. Fortunately, Xu Yang had an attribute panel and a transmigrator¡¯s base of information. He could make educated guesses as he decoded the text, eventually mastering the skill of ¡°reading¡± and developing the special traits of Night Reading, Decoding, and Never Forget After Reading. He could easily understand even the most challenging texts and hidden meanings. Thus, Xu Yang visited the Lu Family¡¯s study more than a dozen times, stealing the books in batches to read, absorbing the knowledge and information within like a sponge. Although the Lu Family was merely rural gentry, their ancestors had passed the imperial examinations and had produced a schr, so their collection of books was passably extensive. Apart from The Four Books and The Five ssics, which were basic texts, there were also various misceneous and strange tales, and even martial arts manuals that Xu Yang so eagerly sought. With these, Xu Yang finally had a rough understanding of this world. First and foremost, it could be confirmed that this was a ¡°normal¡± world. Why normal? Because the world in which Xu Yang¡¯s original self resided was a bit abnormal. Let¡¯s just speak of governance. Under normal circumstances, in ancient feudal rule, a dynasty wouldst at most two or three hundred years before it would sumb to historical cycles of events such asnd annexation and corruption in governance, leading to its downfall and destruction. Thus, a dynasty rises and falls, and upon creating a new Qiankun, there would be a brief period of rity. However, after two or three hundred years, it would fall into such a cycle again. This was the normal historical cycle that had been unwavering from ancient times until the present. However, the reality in which Xu Yang¡¯s original self resided was the exception. The dynasty known as Great Liang had sustained its rule for over a thousand years, withstanding all adversities and yet to fall. This was not normal, absolutely not normal. Historical cycles are an inevitability of human nature; a dynasty ruling for two to three hundred years would inevitably sumb as various interest groups be too bloated, acting as parasites for their own benefit and eating away at the nation until it crumbles¡ªan almost unalterable course of development. There were only two possibilities for a dynasty to endure a thousand years of tribtions and still maintain its governing framework. The first was the advancement of the era and technological progression that could, while maintaining the interests of the upper ss, ensure the livelihood of the lower ss. Perhaps such a dynasty couldst for a millennium without external enemies, wars, or natural disasters. The second was simple: pure suppression by absolute power. Possessing absolute power, regardless of the instability of the lower ss or the sly intentions of various parties, no force could oppose such might. Only then could a dynasty be sustained for a thousand years without falling. Which one is the Great Liang dynasty, one or two? Naturally, it is the second. Xu Yang had been fishing at Dongting Lake for decades and did not believe that the technological level under Great Liang had improved at all. On the contrary, symptoms ofnd annexation and regional strongholds that typically marked the end of a dynasty had already been present for many years. If Great Liang could still maintain its rule in such a situation, no one would believe there were no issues. Therefore, Xu Yang always kept a low profile in the real world, preferring to be a fisherman on Dongting Lake who could be bullied by anyone, rather than using his attribute panel, skill traits, and the transmigrator¡¯s advantages to struggle and strive to dominate a territory. ¡°` He had a premonition, an intuition that there was more than meets the eye behind Great Liang, and if he revealed his peculiar abilities, it would inevitably attract endless troubles. It was best to remain hidden, umte power, and bide his time until he could reverse the situation. This was the reality Xu Yang found himself in, a world where extraordinary powers existed, and one could not act rashly. By contrast, this world of Zhuanzhou Mengdie¡¯s dream was much more normal, with a historical process that followed a cyclical pattern. Since ancient times, the lifespan of each dynasty did not exceed two or three hundred years. There was no trans-era technological development, nor were there any powers beyond the ordinary. This is a normal world, or, in other words, a world with lower levels of power. There was also martial arts in this world, but ording to the secret martial arts manuscripts in the Lu Family¡¯s collection, and from what Xu Yang had seen and heard in recent years, the level of martial arts was quite low in this world. The practice of martial arts was basically about conditioning the body and cultivating one¡¯s Qi Blood¡ªalthough there were concepts of Inner Strength and even True Qi, their effects were ordinary at best. It was impossible for one person to be an army, charge through enemy lines seven times, ande back unscathed. Even for grandmasters who had refined True Qi, they wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand strong bows and crossbows¡ªa battalion of soldiers could easily surround and kill them. And such grandmasters who had refined True Qi were rare in the world, usually the towering figures or venerable heads of major sects in the Martial World. The top-notch experts in the Martial World could only cultivate Inner Strength, and even that had very limited effects, mainly fortifying the body. The notion of Internal Force Emission or Plucking Leaves and Flying Flowers was nothing but a fool¡¯s dream. This was also the reason why Xu Yang had be increasingly bold in his actions in recent years. With his exceptional archery skills, capable of hitting a willow branch at 100 yards and the Three Stars Connected Beads technique, his martial prowress was already not low in this world. With a bow in hand, the house guards and protectors of the Li and Lu families were nothing but live targets to him, one shot, one kill. The only threats were a few Martial Instructors, but even these threats were not significant, as they only knew some boxing and kicking techniques and hadn¡¯t even cultivated any Inner Strength¡ªthey were all easy targets for his arrows. With such archery skills, not to mention Xu Yang simply taking a few more bones while ughtering pigs, even if he openly took some of the meat to sell for money, the Lu Family would not say a thing. They wouldn¡¯t just keep silent, but they¡¯d also offer him benefits to win him over. Recently, Zhang Fu, the chief steward of the Lu Family, had intentionally mentioned a marriage proposal to him, offering a female member of the Lu n to marry him, aiming to tie him firmly to the Lu Family¡¯s battleship. However, Xu Yang had declined. If things kept progressing this way, bing more prominent, or even ruling like a king, would not be a problem in the future. But that was not Xu Yang¡¯s pursuit. Zhuanzhou Mengdie was still Zhuanzhou Mengdie after all; where his main body resided was his true base. He had to use the resources of this world to enhance the strength of his main body and resolve his increasingly dire predicament. How to use it, though? Xu Yang set aside the volumes of strange tales and turned his attention to the few martial arts manuals he had pilfered this time. Although these were referred to as secret martial arts texts, they were actually just a few superficial skills in boxing, kicking, and weaponry techniques such as ck Tiger Fist, Ground Knife, and Eight Trigrams Stick¡ªnone of which were anything to show off. There was not a single internal cultivation technique that could lead to the cultivation of Inner Strength or True Qi. Understandable, as after all, the Lu Family was just a rural wealthy n, not a major sect of the Martial World that would possess such profound martial arts secrets. Of course, a low level was not a problem for Xu Yang, who had an Attribute Panel and the ability to develop skills. Even shooting, a basic skill, could produce powerful Skill Traits like ¡°hit a willow branch at 100 yards¡± and ¡°Three Stars Connected Beads¡±, so these crude martial arts could naturally be transformed from decayed to magical. In fact, Xu Yang had already started practicing, but since the time was short and the skill was not yet fully refined, no Skill Traits had been formed. Once the skill was perfected and the traits emerged, his strength would grow once more. At that time, he could n to pursue more profound martial arts. Even though the profound martial arts of this world might only bemonce in his extraordinary reality, having them was better than not. Xu Yang, who severelycked a sense of security, did not reject any means to enhance his strength. Of course, that was a n for the future. His main task at the moment was to first cultivate martial arts skills and the corresponding Skill Traits to further strengthen his abilities. ¡°` Chapter 14 - 11: Sudden Turn_1 14 Chapter 11: Sudden Turn_1 Trantor: 549690339 The next morning, Xu Yang, carrying a bamboo basket, arrived once more at the Lu Family¡¯s grand mansion. By then, the ughterhouse in the back yard was already a hubbub of noise. ¡°Qinshan!¡± ¡°Brother Qinshan!¡± ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± ¡°So early today?¡± The butchers greeted him one after another, and Xu Yang nodded in response to each, then turned his attention to the pigs and dogs in the pen, ¡°Why did we collect so many this time? Is there an order from the city, or is a family hosting an event?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know, Qinshan?¡± ¡°Not long ago, the second miss sent a message; she¡¯s returning from the Hundred Sword Sect today!¡± ¡°Heard she¡¯s bringing back a new brother-inw too, a talented young man, truly exceptional. The master is so pleased that he wants to throw a big banquet, specially ordered these animals to be gathered. I heard they even brought back a big yellow ox!¡± ¡°Look, herees the ox!¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s a huge ox, must have cost a lot of silver?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the authorities prohibit the ughtering of oxen? Isn¡¯t the master going to get in trouble with thew this time?¡± ¡°Stop spouting nonsense. What ughtering? This ox died from a fall, and it¡¯s already been reported and recorded!¡± The crowd was abuzz with their conversations and arguments. Xu Yang frowned, looking at the yellow ox, but remained silent. An older butcher approached, ¡°Such a big ox, it¡¯s still best if you handle the knife, Qinshan.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Xu Yang nodded, turned to get his knife, and began sharpening it. The butchers took out ropes, tied up the yellow ox¡¯s hooves, and pulled together, directly toppling it to the ground. ¡°Moo!!!!¡± Perhaps sensing its predicament, the fallen ox bellowed out loud, but to no avail with its hooves tied and its body on the ground, it couldn¡¯t struggle. It could only provoke a deste scene. Compared to pigs and sheep, oxen and dogs have more spirit. Although the butchers rely on them for food, there¡¯s still a bit of taboo in their hearts. They now turned their gaze to Xu Yang, ¡°Qinshan, make it quick for this one.¡± Xu Yang said little, carrying his bright, sharp knife to the side of the yellow ox and pressing down on its head. ¡°Moo¡¡± Confronted by Xu Yang, the yellow ox, which had been crying pitifully, suddenly twitched, its eyes widened in terror, and it became rigid on the spot. At that moment, Xu Yang plunged the sharp knife into the yellow ox¡¯s neck, causing its body to shudder and then be motionless on the ground. Three years as a butcher had allowed Xu Yang to master the ¡°butchering¡± skill, and he developed three distinct traits: Evil Qi, Unsheathing the Knife, and Freshness Preservation. The daze of the yellow ox just now was the result of ¡°Evil Qi¡±. Each time he ughtered, more Evil Qi umted. Evil Qi, the essence of malevolence, brings ill fortune, having a certain intimidating effect on the minds and spirits of living beings, and it can even harm the soul. The yellow ox had been stunned by the Evil Qi emanating from Xu Yang, which caused it to lose its senses temporarily, allowing the sharp knife to pierce its vital parts and end its life. It was a painless death, after all, Xu Yang¡¯s butchering skill not only included Evil Qi but also the traits Unsheathing the Knife and Freshness Preservation. Thetter, obviously, extends the shelf life and freshness of meat. As for Unsheathing the Knife, it enhances the skills of ughter and dissection, allowing Xu Yang to discern the animal¡¯s bodily structure and vital points, then precisely handle the de to ughter and carve the meat. Thus, the death of the yellow ox was rtively swift. Withdrawing the sharp knife, blood gushed forth like a spring. Xu Yang turned and left, waiting for the blood to drainpletely before returning to begin skinning and butchering. Skinning an ox is different from skinning a pig; one can¡¯t simply start cutting and separating the bones and meat. One must first skin the ox, and it must be donepletely because in ancient times, ox hides were very useful and valuable ¨C for making bows, armor, and other fine materials. The more intact the ox hide, the higher the butcher¡¯s skill, and the greater the value of the hide. Xu Yang started the cut from the base, the bright de slicing beneath the hide, separating skin from flesh without a drop of blood, with nothing but the smooth separation of white fat and red muscle visible in a blink, aplete ox hide was peeled off by him. ¡°Brother Qinshan, what skill!¡± ¡°That knife work is incredible!¡± The butchers around him couldn¡¯t help but voice their admiration. Xu Yang remained silent, putting down the hide and starting to dismantle the flesh and bones. He crouched and leaned over, the sharp knife in his hand moving rhythmically through the meat, swiftly removing the internal organs, then the tendons and bones, all with grace. The slender de of the sharp knife effortlessly parted sinew and bone, without the rough, forceful hacking and hewing of ordinary butchers; it flowed like water through the crevices of limbs and the connections of muscles, to finally, with a ¡°tter¡±, separate the flesh and bones. The other butchers were spellbound, staring in silence, forgetting the wailing pigs and dogs around them, with eyes fixed only on Xu Yang and the swiftly dismantled yellow ox. In such a manner, after a short while, the yellow ox waspletely disassembled. Xu Yang stood up, sharp knife in hand, and surveyed his surroundings. The butchers¡¯ eyes met his, goosebumps rose, and they were all struck with horror, involuntarily stepping back several paces, fearfully watching Xu Yang. Xu Yang, with a sharp knife in hand, scanned over the crowd before finally shifting his gaze to a ck pig waiting to be ughtered. ¡°Next!¡± ¡°Oh, right!¡± The crowd seemed to snap out of a trance, their faces turning pale as they hastily pulled the ck pig forward for Xu Yang to ughter. Xu Yang paid no mind to their expressions, immersed in the second round of butchering. The other butchers continued to watch from a distance, but now they kept much further away, struggling to hide their lingering fear. ¡°Brother Qinshan¡¯s gaze just now¡ it was terrifying, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not addicted to ughtering, thinking of killing people now, is he?¡± ¡°When he looked at us, it was like he wasn¡¯t seeing people but rather pigs, dogs, cattle, and sheep waiting to be butchered, pondering how to cut, how to skin, how to dissect¡¡± Chapter 15 - 11: Sudden Turn_2 15 Chapter 11: Sudden Turn_2 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Damn, this guy really is a madman, better to stay away from him in the future!¡± ¡°A whole cow, butchered in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea?¡± ¡°If butchering a cow is this easy, wouldn¡¯t killing a person be a breeze?¡± The crowd was shocked, murmuring quietly among themselves. But Xu Yang was indifferent, focused on the dissection, and in a short while had neatly butchered an entire pig. ¡°Another!¡± ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Another!¡± ¡°Another!¡± ¡°Another!!!¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Brother, there¡¯s, there¡¯s none left!¡± Seeing Xu Yang immersed, resembling a mad demon as he ughtered the livestock one by one, the crowd was even more terrified, yet they had to steel themselves and speak up as a reminder. Hearing this, Xu Yang came back to his senses, standing amid the bloodbath holding a sharp knife, looking bewildered yet thrilled. In the Attribute Panel, under the Skills column, the butchery skill was glowing red, and the words ¡°Unsheathing the Knife¡± gradually blurred and transformed into four characters that emerged: Butcher¡¯s Technique! ¡°To meet the divine not with sight but with spirit, to stop at what is known and let the spirit move!¡± In that moment, an epiphany dawned on him, allowing Xu Yang to instantlyprehend the function of the Butcher¡¯s Technique. Butcher¡¯s Technique, a four-character trait, red symbolizing bloodshed! Following Zhuanzhou Mengdie, another skill with its own special effects. The core of it lies in the words ¡°Dissection¡±, an upgraded version of ¡°Unsheathing the Knife¡±. ¡°Unsheathing the Knife¡± hinged on the word ¡°Unsheath¡±, umting experience to be familiar with the target¡¯s body structure and mechanical properties, thus locking onto vital points during dissection for a precise and quick butchery. As an upgrade of ¡°Unsheathing the Knife¡±, Butcher¡¯s Technique was much more powerful. It didn¡¯t even require umted experience. Simply by observing the target, one could prate its essence, automatically visualizing its anatomical structure and mechanical traits in the mind, even predicting its movement in advance¡ªthe enemy won¡¯t move before I already know. Just as the Butcher¡¯s Technique states¡ªTo meet the divine not with sight but with spirit, to stop at what is known and let the spirit move! Now, whether it was a cow, a pig, or a human, as long as they stood before Xu Yang, he could discern their body structure, predict their movement, and lock onto their direction and vital points. As long as the opponent¡¯s physical speed didn¡¯t surpass the limits of his mental reaction, then all their moves and actions couldn¡¯t escape his perception, his prediction. This means¡ he could see through all moves, regardless of swordsmanship or fist skills, as long as it was a move, he could perceive it. While seeing through doesn¡¯t equate to cracking, if there was too great a disparity in physical prowess, seeing through moves wouldn¡¯t help to avoid them. But if the strengths wereparable, this skill virtually guaranteed an unbeatable position from the start. That is the power of Butcher¡¯s Technique: knowing before the enemy moves, seizing the advantage and predicting the enemy¡¯s vulnerabilities and move¡¯s ws for a preemptive strike, a fatal blow. Indeed, a four-character trait with its own special effects¡ªjust one word to describe it¡ªstrong! With this ability, even without a bow and arrow, Xu Yang was confident he could kill the Martial Instructors from the Li and Lu families. In other words, he now possessed the strongest martial force in Little Yellow Vige! ¡ Having snapped out of his trance, Xu Yang looked at the bloody scene and the astonished crowd around him, his mood lifted, ¡°Clean up here, send the meat to the kitchen, and the heads of these animals need to go to the ancestral hall for offerings. The rest, you can divide among yourselves.¡± With that, he threw arge chunk of beef tenderloin and a well-partitioned rib bone with meat into his bamboo basket. ¡°¡¡± ¡°¡¡± ¡°¡¡± The crowd was silent. Because pork was fishy, and dog meat was looked down upon, beef and mutton had be the main meat source for the rich and powerful. Moreover, with the government¡¯s strict ban on private ughtering of cattle, the price of beef was much higher. Thus, on the days when the Lu family ughtered cattle, these butchers didn¡¯t dare to take any for themselves¡ªnot even at an employee discount. All the meat was supplied to the meat shops or restaurants. But now, Xu Yang had nonchntly taken arge chunk of beef tenderloin and a meaty rib bone, thebined weight of the beef amounting to no less than ten pounds. Such audacity was breathtaking. The crowd was filled with envy but recalling the way Xu Yang had looked at them as if they were no better than pigs or dogs, and the smooth and decisive butchery, they dared not express any objections, remaining silent. Xu Yang didn¡¯t care about their reactions, picked up his basket, and prepared to leave. But unexpectedly¡ ¡°What are you doing, standing around like that? Don¡¯t you have work to do?¡± A party walked into the courtyard and began to scold the crowd as soon as they arrived. Xu Yang looked up to see a richly-dressed young man and a sharp-faced manservant, followed by two burly guards. ¡°Third Young Master!¡± ¡°Steward Zhang!¡± Seeing this, everyone quickly bowed their heads, and an old butcher even stepped forward with a ttering smile, ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°What, does the Third Young Master need to report to you before hees over?¡± The sharp-faced Steward Zhang was not swayed by this and berated them, ¡°What are you standing around dumbfounded for? Don¡¯t you know that the lord is hosting a banquet today? If you mess up his big event, who can afford it, you?¡± ¡°Dare not, dare not!¡± The old butcher didn¡¯t dare argue and could only say with agreement, ¡°Steward Zhang, we¡¯ve already ughtered and divided the meat, and were just about to send it to the kitchen.¡± ¡°So soon?¡± Hearing this, Steward Zhang was also somewhat surprised. With a fawningugh, the old butcher said, ¡°Yes, all thanks to Qinshan. His skills have significantly improved.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± It was then that Steward Zhang turned his head and focused his attention on Xu Yang standing to the side, smiling, ¡°It¡¯s Qinshan, eh? No wonder he has such skills.¡± ¡°Steward Zhang, I have things to take care of at home. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡± Xu Yang nodded, then, carrying his bamboo basket, prepared to leave. This man was the son of the chief steward, Zhang Fu, and the second steward of the Lu Family, Zhang Wang. Xu Yang had encountered him a few times, their rtionship neither good nor bad. The young man in the brocade clothes was the Third Young Master of the Lu Family, Lu Ming. Why had these two suddenlye to the stinking bloody butchery? Xu Yang didn¡¯t know, nor was he interested in finding out. All he wanted now was to go home and thoroughly experience the effects of the Butcher¡¯s technique. However¡ ¡°Stop right there!¡± A cold voice blocked his way. ¡°¡¡± Xu Yang halted in his steps, turned around, and looked at the brocade-d young man who had called out to him, ¡°Third Young Master, is there something else?¡± That teenager, Lu Ming, was in his adolescence, with a face full of freckles and pimple marks, making him look somewhat embarrassing, yet his demeanor remained exceptionally haughty, as he coldly stared at Xu Yang, ¡°What¡¯s in that basket of yours?¡± ¡°!!!¡± The butchers, upon hearing this, all felt a jolt of surprise and suspicion in their hearts. ¡°¡¡± Xu Yang¡¯s eyes were a bit vague, and without saying anything, he looked at Lu Ming and Zhang Wang for a while before finally speaking, ¡°Some pieces of meat and bones.¡± ¡°Some pieces of meat?¡± Upon hearing this, Lu Ming scoffed, ¡°Who allowed you to take them? Who allowed you to divide them? You, a mere servant, dare to take from the master¡¯s share, where do you get the gall?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked, their faces a picture of bewilderment. Xu Yang¡¯s brow also furrowed, but he showed no fear as he spoke calmly, ¡°These are the rules of the butchery.¡± ¡°Rules, whose rules?¡± Lu Ming persisted, unyielding, ¡°Are they your rules, or the Lu Family¡¯s rules? You dog of a servant, you dare to take the master¡¯s property and talk to the master about rules? Do you even know your ce? Come on, empty that basket, I want to see how much this dog of a servant has taken!¡± As he spoke, he motioned for two guards to step forward, each trying to nk Xu Yang. In response to this, Xu Yang made no move but gave the two guards a nce, his eyes cold and full of menace, enough to make them freeze in ce. ¡°What are you standing around for?¡± Seeing the two guards motionless, Lu Ming became furiously impatient and shouted, ¡°Take action, now!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for the trouble.¡± Before the words finished, Xu Yang threw down his basket, scattering a heap of cow bones and meat, his eyes fixed coldly on Lu Ming, ¡°I, a lowly person, do not understand the rules. I ask for the Third Young Master¡¯s forgiveness and hope you will not take offense!¡± ¡°You¡!¡± This demeanor was anything but a submissive acknowledgment of a mistake. Lu Ming was about to scold him, but as he met Xu Yang¡¯s gaze, he felt a sudden leap in his heart and a nameless terror, standing frozen, unable to utter half a word. Seeing this, Xu Yang did not press further and bowed before turning to leave. It was only after he had left that everyone seemed to awaken from a trance, and Lu Ming regained his senses as well, his face alternating between white and green with rage, he bellowed, ¡°Insolent dog of a servant, the world is turned upside down! And you two worthless fools, what were you doing just standing there, letting him walk away? What do I keep you for, you useless things¡¡± Watching a furious Lu Ming vent his anger, all the butchers in the courtyard looked at each other, somewhat puzzled by the situation. Chapter 16 - 12: Origin_1 16 Chapter 12: Origin_1 Trantor: 549690339 On the other side, Xu Yang, having left the Lu Family, didn¡¯t pause for a moment and rushed back home at full speed. ¡°Open the door!¡± ¡°Brother!¡± Li Hongyu opened the door and, seeing Xu Yang returning with both hands empty and in a hurry, was somewhat puzzled, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, no pigs to ughter today?¡± ¡°Close the door!¡± Without offering an exnation, Xu Yang dropped this single line and headed straight for the inner room. Seeing this, Li Hongyu also realized something and quickly shut the door, following him into the house. Inside the house, Xu Yang took off his bloody and dirty clothes and threw them aside, then took out new clothes from the wardrobe to change into, after which he put on a shoulder-protected leather armor vest. Noticing Xu Yang donning armor, Li Hongyu grew even more anxious, ¡°Brother, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Qinghe?¡± Xu Yang did not exin, instead, he took down a bow and arrows from the wall and slung two quivers around his waist. ¡°Brother!¡± Li Qinghe ran into the room and, witnessing Xu Yang with bow and arrows in hand, changed his expression, ¡°What happened?¡± Xu Yang, still without boration, pulled a long case from under the bed and opened it; inside was a Nine Ring Broad de, thick-backed and heavy: ¡°Put on the armor, take the bow and arrows, and bring everything we¡¯ve practiced with!¡± After saying this, he inserted the broad de into its back scabbard and, with bow in hand, walked outside. Go where? To the Lu Family? Just because of the recent conflict? Of course not! Although Xu Yang was decisive and ruthlessly efficient against his enemies, he was not the kind of person consumed by madness. He would never seek to annihte a whole family over a minor verbal spat, and besides, regarding the earlier incident, he wasn¡¯t in the right. A servant hiding profits warrants punishment from their master; it¡¯s only fair and square. If it were merely this trivial issue, Xu Yang would bow his head and tolerate it. But the present situation was no small matter, or rather to say, behind this minor conflict lurked a greater cause. Dividing up the meat among butchers was an unspoken rule tacitly permitted; no one would expose it without cause, as that would only embarrass everyone, and the master¡¯s family wouldn¡¯t be able to save face. Xu Yang was no exception; did the old master of the Lu Family truly not know about his doings? He did, but he merely turned a blind eye, silently consenting¡ªafter all, with Xu Yang¡¯s current proficiency, taking a little advantage of his position was justified. He would be worried if Xu Yang didn¡¯t take it. So why did Lu Ming find fault with Xu Yang now, making things difficult for him? Could it be that the third young master of the Lu Family had nothing better to do? Certainly not, at least Xu Yang didn¡¯t think so. There must be a reason for this urrence! Given Xu Yang¡¯s current capabilities, the Lu Family would never unreasonably cause him trouble or create rifts. The fact that Lu Ming came to find fault with him definitely had a reason behind it. What reason? Xu Yang didn¡¯t know, but he was aware that the Lu Family¡¯s attitude towards him had changed. And this reason for the Lu Family¡¯s shift in attitude and difficulty had to be out of the ordinary, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t so abruptly turn against him. Seeing the bigger picture from a small clue, Xu Yang didn¡¯t think the Lu Family would continue to get along with him amicably. So¡ To strike first is stronger, to striketer is to suffer! Xu Yang was not the kind of person who, knowing fully well the enemy¡¯s intent, would wait for them to strike first. ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°Are you all ready?¡± ¡°Ready!¡± Soon enough, Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu, also dressed in leather armor for protection and each carrying arge bamboo basket, appeared in front of Xu Yang. It was clear that they had practiced before. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Without any hesitation, Xu Yang pushed open the door, leading the two of them towards Little Yellow Mountain. Even though he was taking preemptive action, he wasn¡¯t foolhardy enough to drag Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu into a death match with the Lu Family. His n was to lead the two of them into the mountains first, to hide in a covert base they had previously established, then he would return to resolve the issue. But unexpectedly¡ ¡°Hurry, hurry, hurry!¡± Not long after the three had left, they saw a group of people approaching them head-on, with the limping Li Laojiu at the forefront. ¡°Li Qinshan!!!¡± Xu Yang saw Li Laojiu, and Li Laojiu also spotted the three of them. He excitedly shouted, ¡°You also have today, attack, grab these ingrates¡¡± ¡°Swoosh!!!¡± Before the words were finished, a sharp arrow pierced the air, flying towards them. ¡°Thud!!!¡± Li Laojiu didn¡¯t know what happened when suddenly a warm ssh hit his face. He turned in shock to see a person next to him stumbling back, an arrow piercing through their right eye and into the brain, then copsing to the ground. ¡°Murder, someone¡¯s been killed?¡± ¡°Murder!¡± ¡°Murder!!!¡± The others finally came to, and the scene instantly descended into chaos. Meanwhile, a hundred steps away, Xu Yang, regardless of themotion, drew his bow and let loose another arrow, downing another of the Li Family house guards near Li Laojiu. Craftsman (bow crafting, leatherwork, durability, endurance, bamboo craftsmanship) Archery (hit a willow branch at 100 yards, Three Stars Connected Beads, rapid shooting) The sturdy and finely crafted bamboo bow, coupled with the archery skill to ¡°hit a willow branch at 100 yards,¡± meant that not just any ordinary servant, but even ferocious beasts in the mountains or a martial artist with some level of cultivation, would not dare to face Xu Yang¡¯s arrowhead directly. ¡°Ah!!!¡± ¡°Quick, run!¡± That¡¯s when Li Laojiu and the others finally came to their senses in horror, screamed, and turned to flee. However¡ Xu Yang pursued them with long strides, drawing his bow and shooting vigorously, and in the blink of an eye, he had shot several men to the ground. ¡°Thud!¡± Li Laojiu fled with his back turned, but his speed was severely slowed down by his limp leg, which had not yet healed. He had not gone far before he was knocked to the ground by a surge of intense pain. An arrow had pierced his uninjured right leg; the iron-tipped bamboo shaft had gone through flesh and bone, and blood was oozing out gruesomely. ¡°Ah!!!¡± Li Laojiu let out a mournful howl, clutching his right leg in spasms. Before he had a chance to call for help, he saw a terrifying shadow looming over him. ¡°Qinshan, it¡¯s not, not my fault¡ spare me, spare me!¡± Looking at the tall and mighty Xu Yang, with a physique as strong as a tiger¡¯s, Li Laojiu finally realized the truth and began to plead incoherently for mercy. But Xu Yang didn¡¯t care at all, and grabbed his shoulder in one go, lifting him up as easily as one would pick up a chick. And so, Xu Yang carried the wailing Li Laojiu, along with the panicked Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu, toward Little Yellow Mountain outside the vige. There were no further obstructions along the way, and the vigers nearby all hid in terror at this sight. There was no sign of therge contingent of men from the Li Family and the Lu Family, as if they had not yet realized what was happening, allowing Xu Yang and the others to leave the vige smoothly. After leaving the vige and entering the wilderness, Xu Yang finally stopped and threw the hoarse-voiced Li Laojiu to the ground, then pulled out the Nine Ring Broad de strapped to his back with a reverse grip. ¡°No, no, don¡¯t kill me!¡± Li Laojiu¡¯s face had already turned pale, his consciousness dimming from the shouting and loss of blood from his wound, but faced with the terrifyingly sharp broad de in Xu Yang¡¯s hand, he immediately woke up: ¡°It¡¯s not my fault, it¡¯s the Li Family, Li Qingyun, he came back, he wants you dead, it¡¯s not my fault¡¡± Li Laojiu frantically tried to defend himself, but Xu Yang did not care for such talk, and ced the Nine Ring Broad de, purchased at a high price from the Mansion City¡¯s cksmith, directly on his neck: ¡°Speak, what¡¯s going on?¡± The cold de edge and the sharp pain shocked Li Laojiu, making him tremble like chaff, as he quickly said: ¡°It¡¯s Li Qingyun, the second young master of the Li Family, he came back from the Hundred Sword Sect, and he¡¯s gotten together with the second daughter of the Lu Family; the Li and Lu families want to unite through marriage¡¡± ¡°Li Qingyun?¡± ¡°Hundred Sword Sect?¡± Xu Yang frowned and continued to press for answers: ¡°How did the Li and Lu families suddenly decide to unite through marriage?¡± Li Laojiu swallowed with difficulty: ¡°I, I don¡¯t know, I really don¡¯t know, it¡¯s not my fault¡¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± Xu Yang¡¯s eyes sharpened, and he pressed the de even harder. A sharp pain shot through the neck, causing Li Laojiu to shudder and cry out: ¡°I heard¡ the eldest young master of the Li Family made connections with some influential person in Mansion City, and the Lu Family got wind of it. Knowing that the Li Family was going to prosper, they sent a message to the second daughter at the Hundred Sword Sect, urging her to seduce Li Qingyun who was also studying there. Before long, they got involved, and the Lu Family proposed a marriage¡¡± ¡°An influential person?¡± Xu Yang¡¯s brow furrowed: ¡°What influential person?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, I really don¡¯t know.¡± Li Laojiu cried profusely: ¡°Qinshan, I was wrong, it¡¯s my fault, I deserve to die, let me go, for the sake of our shared n and bloodline¡¡± ¡°Thud!!!¡± His words were cut off by a thud, followed by a horrifying ssh of crimson blood mixed with the glint of the de, and a head rolled to the ground. ¡°Hmm!!¡± This scene turned Li Hongyu¡¯s face deathly pale, her hands covering her mouth tightly. On the other side, Li Qinghe wasn¡¯t doing much better, clenching his teeth in an effort to stop himself from vomiting. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Xu Yang didn¡¯t care for any of that, sheathed his de, and led the two of them deeper into the mountains. Things were clear now. The Lu Family had sold him out. Over the years, in order to gain more resources and ensure their own development, he had been taking the lead in the Lu Family¡¯s battles, serving as a pawn against the Li Family, and with his growing strength, he had made the Li Family suffer a great deal. Originally, this mutual development had been beneficial for both sides. The Lu Family was very happy to use him, a traitor of the Li n, to strike a blow against the Li Family, and therefore their rtionship with him had always been good. Old Master Lu had be increasingly appreciative of him, repeatedly showing goodwill and wanting to thoroughly win him over, to bring him under his control. However, luck and misfortunee unexpectedly. The Li Family, somehow, had managed to curry favor with someone influential in Mansion City, and it seemed they were on the verge of rapidly rising in status and fortune. Seeing the situation turn unfavorable, the Lu Family quickly sought to ease their rtions with the Li Family, not only arranging a marriage between their children but also casting him away like a sacrificial pawn. What happened earlier at the Lu Family mansion, with Lu Ming¡¯s actions, were spurred by these developments, seeking to publicly sever ties with him, pin the me of betrayal on him, and thus kick him out. In doing so, they not only showed goodwill to the Li Family but also maintained their own dignity, a clever move indeed. The key to it all was the influential person that the Li Family had attached themselves to in Mansion City. Who was that influential person? Xu Yang didn¡¯t know, nor did he have any interest in knowing. He only needed to know one thing, that the Li and Lu families had made their break with him official. So¡ ¡°Wait here for my return. If after three days I still haven¡¯te back, do as I previously instructed!¡± Xu Yang, having led the two through twists and turns in the mountain forest, quickly arrived at a secluded bamboo house. This was his secret stronghold in the mountains, built for exactly this day. ¡°Brother!¡± Seeing Xu Yang about to leave on his own, Li Qinghe grew anxious: ¡°Must you really go?¡± Li Hongyu was even more worried: ¡°Right, we can¡¯t confront them, but can¡¯t we just hide? Let¡¯s just stay hidden in these mountains, they can¡¯t possibly catch us, right?¡± ¡°A man of honor in this world can tolerate certain matters, but some things¡ must be fought for!¡± Xu Yang shook his head, leaving two people behind who couldn¡¯t understand his words: ¡°Wait for my return!¡± With that, he ignored their reactions and turned to leave the bamboo house. Chapter 17 - 13: Archery_1 17 Chapter 13: Archery_1 Trantor: 549690339 That night, the Lu Family mansion. Despite an unexpected turn of events, the weing banquet stillmenced, only now the courtyards were filled with many tense-faced guards, armed and vignt. As such, after the banquet concluded and guests dispersed with satisfaction, the Lu Family patriarch, Lu Guan, went to his study with his third son, Lu Ming. ¡°Father!¡± Upon entering the study, Lu Ming hurriedly closed the door and asked his father, Lu Guan, with a tense expression, ¡°Is that Li Qing Shan really going toe back?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Lu Guan red fiercely at his son, speaking with frustration, ¡°I have long told you, to beat a snake and not kill it is to invite disaster. Today, since we have revealed our enmity, we should not have let him leave alive. Now that the tiger has returned to the mountain, there will be endless troubles. How can we sleep peacefully after this?¡± Hearing this, Lu Ming also felt aggrieved, ¡°I was just thinking about giving the Li Family some face, letting them take action to vent their anger, and ease the rtions between our two families. How could I have known that man would act so ruthlessly,mitting murder over a disagreement¡¡± ¡°Li Qing Shan¡sigh!¡± Lu Guan also let out a sigh, ¡°I recognized long ago that he was not an ordinary person. He knows how to be patient, when to advance or retreat, and he has his methods. If it weren¡¯t for the Li Family gaining the support of an influential person in Mansion City and the deep-seated grudge between our families, I would have never crossed him. s, s¡¡± ¡°Enough regrets, Father!¡± Lu Ming interrupted, ¡°I heard that the Li Family has found that Li Laojiu¡¯s corpse, decapitated, eyes wide open in death. Also, several of the Li Family¡¯s guards were all killed with his arrows¡ If such a person were toe back for revenge, what are we going to do? We surely can¡¯t keep guarding like this forever, can we?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Lu Guan waved his hand, reassuringly saying, ¡°Your father already has a n. In a moment, go to the storeroom and prepare some gold and silver with Zhang Fu. Tomorrow, send someone to Qingfeng Stronghold to enlist their help in searching for those three people. We will then join forces with the Li Family, and search the mountains together. With ourbined forces inside and out, we will definitely¡¡± ¡°Pfft!!!¡± Before he could finish his sentence, a blunt sound was heard. Lu Guan¡¯s body trembled, and as he looked down, he saw a bloody de piercing through his chest. Realizing what was happening, he struggled to turn his head. ¡°You¡!¡± ¡°Pfft!!!¡± Again, before he could finish his words or turn his head, the de in his chest was forcefully twisted, tearing through his torso and parting flesh from bone, sttering blood everywhere. ¡°Father¡¡± Lu Ming stood frozen in ce, his face smeared with blood, still unaware of what had happened, when he saw his father¡¯s body copse to the floor, revealing the person behind him, who looked like an Asura or an Evil Ghost. ¡°You!!!¡± Meeting the cold gaze of the other person, and seeing the bloodied de, Lu Ming finally came to his senses, his pupils shrinking, as he was about to scream. However¡ ¡°Pfft!!!¡± Before he could let out a shriek, a sh of steel cut through the air, knocking him heavily to the ground. After a few spasms, the study returned to silence. Xu Yang sheathed his de in his back scabbard, seemingly unconcerned with the two corpses on the floor, he started searching the bookshelves. Although he had been sneaking into the Lu Family¡¯s study to read their books for years, stealing was still stealing; certain valuable books and regrly read texts could not be casually disturbed. Now that all pretense had been shed, there was no need for concern. He directly packed up all the useful books to take with him. Thus, momentster, Xu Yang left the study carrying a bundle, and soon after, mes began to spread. ¡ On a night dark as ink, perfect for murder, and a wind ripe for spreading fire! Elsewhere, the Lu Family¡¯s westpound. ¡°There¡¯s a leak, there¡¯s a leak!¡± ¡°Someone, quick, put out the fire!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Shrill cries resonated as lights were ignited in every house. In a western chamber, two figures dashed out¡ªone male and one female, both youths. ¡°What¡¯s all the fuss about?¡± ¡°What happened?¡± The two of them, each wielding a longsword, furrowed their brows and stopped a maid to inquire about the situation. ¡°Miss, Young Master!¡± The maid appeared panicked, ¡°I don¡¯t know, it seems like there¡¯s a leak somewhere.¡± ¡°A leak?¡± The pair exchanged a look, then let go of the maid, ¡°Let¡¯s go see what¡¯s happened.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The maid hurried off, leaving the two of them uncertain and anxious. ¡°How could there be a leak all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Could it be the carelessness of a servant?¡± ¡°This¡ shall we dress and go have a look?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± After a brief conversation, they were about to return to their room to dress. But unexpectedly¡ ¡°Whoosh!¡± A sound broke the silence, and an arrow split the air. The male abruptly paused, swiftly drawing his sword to deflect the iing arrow with a flick of his de. ¡°Who goes there!¡± After parrying the arrow, the man shouted loudly, searching for the direction of the attacker. ¡°Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!¡± In response, the sound of piercing arrows filled the air. Three death-dealing arrows, hidden in the darkness of the night, roared toward them. The male concentrated his gaze and swept his sword, cleaving one of the arrows, but as the attacker fired three consecutive shots, he could only just keep up by deflecting the second arrow. Then¡ ¡°Pfft!!!¡± The third arrow followed immediately. With no time to parry or dodge, he twisted his body desperately, but was still struck by the arrow in his left shoulder, which went through his corbone. ¡°Qing Yun!¡± Seeing her lover hit, the female rushed to his aid, hurrying to his side. ¡°On the roof!¡± ¡°Be careful!¡± The man noticed where the archer was and screamed a warning to the female. Her eyes narrowed as she looked up, only to see a figure standing atop the roof to the left. The person was dressed in ck, donning armor, and was robust with a build suggesting the ferocity and agility of a tiger or panther. He held a tightly strungrge bow, already nocked with another arrow, ready to release a full draw¡ Chapter 18 - 13: Archery_2 18 Chapter 13: Archery_2 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Li Qing Shan!!!¡± Though they did not know each other and had never met, a name still leaped out from both of their mouths. But this did not hinder Xu Yang¡¯s actions, the bowstring was fully drawn, the arrows shot out with great force, and three arrows pierced the air, directly heading towards the two of them. The two of them also snapped back to their senses in shock and hurriedly swung their swords to defend, joining forces to deflect the three arrows. Seeing this, Xu Yang did not mind, and he drew three bamboo arrows from his quiver, nocking them to the bowstring once more. These two were none other than the second young master of the Li Family, Li Qingyun, and the second young miss of the Lu Family, Lu Ying. They were not yet married but had already hooked up together, cohabiting in the western courtyard of the Lu Family estate, which allowed him to catch them in the act. Both were born into powerful and influential families and had trained in the Hundred Sword Sect for many years. Although they had not mastered True Qi, they also had some foundation in Inner Strength, ranking as second-tier experts in the Martial World. Otherwise, they would not have been able to withstand his strong bow and powerful arrows. Now that the two of them were joining forces, even from his higher vantage point, with his ability to ¡°hit a willow branch at 100 yards¡±, sending out three consecutive arrows, it was still very difficult to shoot them dead. But his skills were not limited to archery! ¡°Run quickly!¡± Seeing Xu Yang nock another arrow, Li Qingyun and Lu Ying did not dare to meet the attack head-on, let alone charge forward against the sharp arrows, and could only retreat towards the outside of the courtyard. ¡°Whoosh!¡± But just as they moved, they saw the powerful arrows piercing through the air, flying towards them. Luckily, the two of them had already regained theirposure, both acting in unison, weaving their swords like a, and once again managed to block the arrows. But as three arrows were deflected, another arrow broke through, following them at the moment when their strength was exhausted, and there was no evading, no blocking¡ Butcher¡¯s technique! Though it was just the technique of butchering, with ¡®the great way being vast, where different paths lead to the same destination¡¯, the philosophy behind it was interconnected, not confined to form; applicable to butchering as well as to handling humans. Whether wielded with a knife or an arrow, as long as the essence was grasped, it was applicable. What essence? Discerning the target, breaking it down piece by piece! Anticipating movements, striking straight at the vital points! Therefore, this fourth arrow was unblockable by the two of them, because their movements, techniques, bodily reactions, all fell within Xu Yang¡¯s anticipations. This arrow struck at the juncture they were unable to dodge, unable to block, even unable to react to. ¡°Thud!¡± Lu Ying didn¡¯t have time to react when an arrow struck her shoulder, her body staggered, and her beautiful face turned pale in an instant. ¡°Run quickly!¡± With his beloved injured by an arrow, Li Qingyun did not dare to tend to her, already chilled with fear, and now only wanted to escape the range of the opposing arrows, shouting as he fled outwards. At that moment¡ ¡°Ha!¡± Under the cold moon and atop the roof eaves, the demonic archer, like a ghost reaping lives, took a deep breath and then slowly closed his eyes. His eyes were closed, but his hands kept moving, drawing arrows like lightning, shooting them like a downpour, pushing his body and the bow to their limits, unleashing a storm of arrows with the power of a single man! ¡°Encountering spirit without sight, the official knows to stop and the spirit wants to go!¡± The arrows poured down like rain, the flying arrows swarmed like locusts, enveloping the two in the courtyard. Attacking where they were bound to move and defending where they were bound to salvage, blocking all paths of escape, forbidding any glimpse of life, and ultimately¡ ¡°Thud!¡± The final muffled sound ended the violent tempest, the thorough outpour. Xu Yang opened his eyes, ignored the pain and numbness in his shoulder and arm, and looked towards the two people in the courtyard. In the courtyard, arrows littered the ground, blood flowed freely, and the twoy in a pool of blood. Their shoulders, arms, waists, knees, as well as vital areas like their hearts, throats, eye sockets, mouths, and noses were all pierced by sharp arrows. From the shock and despair frozen on their faces, one could imagine the hopelessness they faced moments before. This was the power of the Butcher¡¯s technique. Discerning the target, unraveling everything, by taking the initiative, certainly unbeatable in battle! To counter this, no other way existed but to overpower with brute force. With Xu Yang¡¯s current physique and archery skills, this brute strength threshold was at least that of a True Qi master, who could use their superior reaction and speed to dodge or counter his Butcher¡¯s technique with arrows. But clearly, Li Qingyun and Lu Yingcked this brute strength. Having not yet converted their Inner Strength into True Qi, they could not withstand Xu Yang¡¯s sudden assault and ambush. Their fate had been sealed from the start. Twisting his sore, numb, and now swollen arm, and ncing at the finely-made bamboo bow in his hand, which showed obvious cracks, Xu Yang shook his head, then leaped forward, jumping into the courtyard and walking towards the bodies of the two. Although his physique was robust and his archery powerful, he had after all not trained in martial arts, so such a burst of activity was a significant strain and damage to both his body and his weapon, and he would be unable to use it again for a while. Luckily, the only people from the Li and Lu families who posed a direct threat to him were Li Qingyun and Lu Ying, the two skilled practitioners who had returned from the Hundred Sword Sect. The various other martial instructors, household guards, and protectors were not his match at all. Therefore¡ ¡°` A few momentster, at the Lu Family mansion, mes reached for the sky amidst utter chaos. Some were fighting the fire, some were fleeing in all directions, some were taking advantage of the confusion to make off with valuables¡ Amidst the turmoil, Xu Yang, carrying arge bundle, advanced toward the Li Family residence under the cover of darkness. There are some things that you either never start, or you must follow through to the end, or else a wounded snake will bring endless trouble! ¡ Late at night, in the mountains, the continuous howling of wolves and screeches of monkeys could be heard. Within a hidden bamboo house, Li Hongyu clutched a dagger and crouched in a corner, her eyes filled with anxiety. Li Qinghe held a knife in one hand and a bow in the other, sitting beside the bed and staring fixedly at the closed bamboo door, his lips unconsciously bitten until they bled, betraying his inner tension. Just then¡ ¡°Knock, knock, knock!¡± The sound of knocking startled them both before they could react, they heard a voice from outside, ¡°It¡¯s me, I¡¯m back, open the door.¡± ¡°Brother!¡± Recognizing the familiar voice, they finally rxed and hurried forward to open the door. ¡°Phew!¡± As the door opened, a strong stench of blood rushed in with the night wind, causing them to stand still involuntarily. They saw Xu Yang with a knife on his back and a bow in hand, holding tworge bundles, emanating a strong scent of blood, his armor bearing several fresh red marks. ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°What happened to you?¡± This sight rmingly startled the siblings, prompting them to ask anxiously. ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± ¡°Close the door!¡± Without further exnation, Xu Yang, carrying the two bundles, came to the table and removed his armor and clothing, revealing his muscr torso and swollen shoulders. He then opened the bundles and applied several bottles of medicinal powder to his wounds. Li Qinghe and Li Hongyu stood by, yearning to ask questions but too afraid to speak. Xu Yang didn¡¯t exin much to them either, after applying the medicine that promoted blood cirction and reduced bruising, ¡°The matter is settled, but we¡¯ll need to live here for a while. We have to manage these provisions well; otherwise, we¡¯ll need to go down the mountain to resupply.¡± With that, he opened the two bundles, revealing some gold and silver amidst the jars of salt and bottles of oil, along with a stack of books. ¡°Get some food.¡± ¡°Oh, okay!¡± Li Hongyuplied and handed Xu Yang a jar of pickled pork hock. Xu Yang took the pork hock, bit into it, and then picked up a book, ¡°You both have kept watch all night and must be tired. Go to sleep, I¡¯ll keep watch.¡± ¡°Hmm¡¡± Although they had many questions, since Xu Yang said so, they did not insist and quietlyy on the bed, still staring at him. But they couldn¡¯t stay awake for long; soon, the pull of sleep was too strong, and they quickly fell asleep on their pallets. At this time, Xu Yang had already devoured the pork hock and was now intently reading the martial arts manual he had scavenged from the Li Family¡¯s house¡ªThree Yang Stakes! It was a manual of inner strength, a techniquemon and widespread, even considered pedestrian within the Martial World. But what wasmonce to the sects of the Martial World was precious knowledge and power beyond reach formoners like him in the countryside. Beyond the Three Yang Stakes, Xu Yang had packed an assortment of unread books, many of which were martial arts manuals, but mostlymon techniques like the Mandarin Duck des, Subduing Tiger Fist, Arhat Stick, and Grass Flight, all widely known and practiced martial arts. However, he didn¡¯t mind. He read through each one thoroughly, like a parched sponge soaking up every bit of moisture, striving to fill his mind to the brim. Lack of depth in a wide array of skills? Greed for more knowledge without mastering it? To him, these were not problems at all. With the ability to traverse between worlds, as Zhuanzhou Mengdie, and the vast differences in the flow of time coupled with the special effects of the Attribute Panel, he could master a plethora of skills, fill in all gaps, and even delve into numerous fields to blossom in all of them. Knowledge is power! Information is wealth! With ample time and a long life ahead, as long as he made good use of everything, he was sure to live a resplendent life. ¡°` Chapter 19 - 14: 5 Years_1 19 Chapter 14: 5 Years_1 Trantor: 549690339 Five yearster, Little Yellow Mountain. In the cold winter, a group of people hurried through the freezing forest. There were three people in the group, led by a tall and thin man with a sallowplexion. He carried a woodcutter¡¯s hatchet and walked in the front, followed by a frail woman and a stout-hearted young boy. ¡°Dear, can this¡ really work?¡± The woman, holding the young boy¡¯s hand, followed closely behind the man, her coarse face full of worry. ¡°Yes, it definitely can. As long as we find Qingfeng Stronghold, there will surely be a way¡¡± The man also looked a bit flustered but managed to keep a strong front in front of his wife and child, stubbornly moving forward. However, the woman was still not at ease, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Qingfeng Stronghold is filled with bandits. If we¡¯re caught by the officials¡¡± ¡°So what if they¡¯re bandits?¡± Before he could finish, the man was interrupted, his teeth clenched, ¡°The Zhang Family has clearly driven us toward a dead end. Instead of being pushed to death by them, it¡¯s better to join Qingfeng Stronghold, at least¡ there¡¯s a chance to live!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Dad is right!¡± Upon hearing this, the stout-hearted young boy next to the woman raised his head, speaking excitedly, ¡°If that Li Qing Shan could do it back then, I, Zhou Xiaoshan, can do it too. Once we arrive at Qingfeng Stronghold, we will surely live a good life.¡± After speaking, the boy then looked up at the man in front, his eyes filled with curiosity, ¡°Dad, do you really know that Li Qing Shan?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± The man smiled, standing up straight, ¡°Your dad and your Uncle Qing Shan grew up together as close as brothers, naked as the day we were born. If it hadn¡¯t been for¡ In any case, as long as we get to Qingfeng Stronghold, there will be good times for our family.¡± ¡°Stop right there!¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than a stern shout came from the woods, startling the three people into halting their steps. Immediately, two men dressed as hunters emerged from the woods, their bows and arrows aimed at the trio, ¡°Who are you?¡± The man hastily shielded his wife and child behind him, ¡°Big brothers, we¡¯re from Little Yellow Vige. We came into the mountains to chop firewood, we¡¯re not bad folks!¡± ¡°Chopping firewood?¡± Looking at the three peopleden withrge and small bundles, the two hunters clearly didn¡¯t believe them, ¡°You¡¯re carrying so much stuff just to chop firewood? You¡¯re trying to fool a ghost. Spit it out, what are you really up to?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The man¡¯s face reddened, too anxious to speak, while the woman and boy behind him became even more panicked. Just then¡ ¡°Hold it!¡± A severe shout rang out, and the man looked toward the sound to see a line of people stepping out from the woods, led by a tall young man. ¡°Deputy leader!¡± The two hunters turned around and revealed the identity of the young man. However, the young man did not dwell on that, and quickly approached the man¡¯s family, ¡°Are you from Little Yellow Vige?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± The man came to his senses and, looking at the young man in casual clothes, replied in rapid session, ¡°Yes, we¡¯re all from Little Yellow Vige, oh, brave hero¡¡± As he spoke, he instinctively sized up the young man, and then, in a sh of realization, ¡°You are¡ Qinghe, you¡¯re Li Qinghe?¡± ¡°You know me?¡± Li Qinghe looked at the man in astonishment, ¡°Which family are you from?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Da Niu!¡± The man also became excited, repeatedly saying, ¡°I¡¯m Zhou Da Niu who lives at the entrance of the vige. Don¡¯t you recognize me? Back then, I and Qing Shan¡¡± ¡°Zhou Da Niu?¡± ¡°Brother Da Niu?¡± With that, Li Qinghe also began to remember, his eyes wide with astonishment looking at the man who¡¯d grown old and sallow, ¡°You¡¯re Brother Da Niu? What brought you to this state?¡± Seeing that the other party recognized him, Zhou Da Niu was mixed with joy and sorrow, choking up, ¡°It was all because of the Zhang Family pushing us¡ Ah yes, this is my wife, and this, my son. Quickly, quickly, say hello, this is your Uncle Qinghe.¡± ¡°Brother Qinghe!¡± ¡°Uncle Qinghe!¡± The woman, hugging the young boy, began to greet him deferentially. ¡°Sister-inw!¡± Li Qinghe nodded, then turned back to Zhou Da Niu and asked, ¡°Brother Da Niu, what¡¯s¡¡± ¡°We have nowhere else to turn.¡± Zhou Da Niu¡¯s expression was bitter as he exined the situation, ¡°At the beginning of the year, my wife fell ill. Not having money for medicine, we could only borrow silver from the Zhang Family. With interestpounding, even offering ournd wasn¡¯t enough, we were pushed with no choice but to flee into the mountains¡¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Having grown up in a family from the hills, Li Qinghe understood Zhou Da Niu¡¯s plight and immediately began to reassure him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Qingfeng Stronghold is now under my big brother¡¯s control. I can¡¯t promise anything else, but there will definitely be food for you. Come with me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, thank you so much. Come on, Xiaoshan, kowtow to your Uncle Qinghe¡¡± Finding relief in a desperate situation, Zhou Da Niu didn¡¯t know how to respond and could only pull his wife and child along, thanking Li Qinghe incoherently. ¡°¡¡± Looking at the confused and relieved Zhou Da Niu, Li Qinghe felt aplex emotion in his heart. If his big brother hadn¡¯t led them to find a way out back then, would he have ended up as deste as the man before him? ¡ Meanwhile, in Qingfeng Stronghold, at the training ground. ¡°One!¡± ¡°Hah!¡± ¡°Two!¡± ¡°Hah!¡± ¡°Three!¡± ¡°¡¡± Upon the training ground, shouts continued without pause as nearly a hundred bare-chested, well-built men were practicing martial arts. A tall youth with a powerful build like that of a tiger or leopard stood among them, eying the ranks detachment, correcting the practitioners¡¯ movements with a short stick. Just then¡ ¡°Brother!¡± Wearing red, with a neat and efficient outfit, Li Hongyu approached the ground, addressing Xu Yang who was directing the training of the group, ¡°Someone from Hundred Broken Mountains hase.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Xu Yang responded without looking back, ¡°Take them to the hall. I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Li Hongyu nodded and turned to leave. ¡°What are you looking at, keep training!¡± Xu Yang also turned back around, as if nothing had happened, and continued to chide the others. ¡ Five years, neither long nor short. In these five years, Xu Yang primarily did two things: first, practice martial arts, and second, teach others to practice martial arts. Five years ago, he had started practicing martial arts with the secret manuals plundered from the Li and the Zhang families, ranging from internal strength mantras to external strength training, fist and foot techniques, and light body skills. He embarked on all the martial arts he could practice. Thus, two yearster, he had developed inner strength, and his archery skills had greatly improved. He decided to leave his inconvenient bamboo hut, shouldering his de and bow, and, just as he had wiped out the Li and Zhang families, he annihted the bandits of Qingfeng Stronghold, which loomed within the mountains, and imed it as his base. Over the next three years, using Qingfeng Stronghold as a foundation, he constantly recruited refugees from the mountains, taught them martial arts and archery, expanded the stronghold, and strengthened himself. Now, he could be considered dominant in his realm. Why expand the stronghold when he could devote that time and energy to diligently cultivating in peace? Not good enough! After many years of exploration and investigation, Xu Yang was quite certain that this was a low-martial world, devoid of excessively high-level forces. There were no invincible warriors who could be an army unto themselves, and no immortals with eternal life and evesting youth. The path of the martial arts here ends with the cultivation of true qi. In such a world, the power of an individual pales inparison to that of a group, and Xu Yang had to build a powerful group to serve him. Only then could some of his ideas and ns be reality. So, he began to manage the stronghold and develop his power! And the achievements of these years of management¡ Xu Yang (Li Qing Shan) Cultivation: Inner Strength Realm Lifespan: 26/159 Skills: Eating (Daily Devour One Ox, Strengthen Body and Health, Gluttonous Recovery, Absorb Qi to Fast, Extend Life) Sleeping (Soothe Spirit and Nourish Soul, Stabilize Foundation and Cultivate Essence, Heal Blood and Rejuvenate, Vigorous as Dragons and Tigers, Extend Life) Breathing (Strengthen Body and Health, Stabilize Foundation and Cultivate Essence, Qi Blood like Tides, Fierce as Thunder and Fire, Cirction of Breath like an Infant) Butchering (Butcher¡¯s Technique, Evil Qi like a Tiger, Fresh Tastes Delicious) Hunting (Alone in the Forest, Discern by Sound, Pursue for Thousands of Miles) Craftsmanship (Powerful Bow, Strong Arrows, Durable Hide Armor, Bamboo Craftsmanship) Archery (Hit a Willow Branch at 100 Yards, Four Stars in a Row, Shooting Rush like a Tiger, Arrow Flies like Lightning) Walking (Swift as Flying, Over Mountains and Across Ridges, Strengthen Body and Health) Hiding (Silence and Invisibility, Leave No Trace) Theft (Shadowy Night Movement, Silent, Lockpicking) Reading (Never Forget After Reading, Think from One to the Next, Innovate from the Old) Knife Sharpening (Unimaginably Sharp, Cut through Iron like Mud) Martial Practice (Crazy with de, Obsessed with Archery, Rise with Rooster¡¯s Crow, Diligence Makes Up For Dullness, Strengthen Body and Health, Extend Life, Integrate and Master Skills) Teaching (Instruct with Patience, Teach and Learn Together, Lead by Example) Martial Arts: Three Yang Stakes, Mandarin Duck des, Bagua Palm, Xingyi Fist, Five Animal y, Grass Flight, Iron Shirt, Golden Bell Shield, Divine Arm Skill, Dragon w Hand, Pursuit Wind Swordsmanship, Sun Piercing Fist Technique, Iron Staff Spear Technique¡ ¡ After five years of arduous training, Xu Yang reconfirmed one thing, that is, the difficulty of training skills and earning traits in this world is really much lower than in the real world. In these five years, he primarily did two things, that is, practicing martial arts and teaching disciples, hence he developed skills in martial arts and teaching. Among these, his progress in martial arts was the most noticeable; out of the seven traits, five were four-character traits. The teaching was slightly inferior, but it also had three four-character traits that could assist in development andplement each other: Earnest Instruction, Mutual Learning, and Leading by Example. The efficiency of skill training far exceeded that of the real world. Beyond the two main skills of martial arts practice and teaching, his other skills also improved significantly, having all advanced to the four-character trait level, with various effects greatly enhanced. The original independent skill of chopping had even integrated into ¡°Martial Arts Practice,¡± evolving into the more powerful trait ¡°Sword Mania.¡± Furthermore, the management and development of the stronghold¡ ¡°Greetings to Chief Li!¡± In the Hall of Righteous Gathering, Xu Yang sat high on the main seat, looking down at a middle-aged man dressed as a schr. Facing his substantive gaze, filled with hidden evil Qi, the middle-aged schr felt some pressure, but still managed to say, ¡°Chief Li is known to adore martial arts and has long been eagerly collecting profound martial art manuals from all over the world. These three secret tomes are superior martial arts from famous sects; they are a special gift from Heavenly King Liang to Chief Li!¡± Having said that, hemanded his subordinates to present a wooden box. ¡°Six Yang Skill?¡± ¡°Heart Crushing Palm?¡± ¡°Song Mountain Sword Skill?¡± ¡°That¡¯s thoughtful.¡± Looking at the three secret tomes in the box, Xu Yang smiled and looked at the visitor, ¡°Heavenly King Liang sends such a generous gift; what does he want in return, eh?¡± The question came off as rather impolite. The middle-aged schr¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, then rxed as he said, ¡°Chief Li is a young hero; our Heavenly King wishes to form an alliance between our two households, hence these secret tomes as a gift. Moreover, we¡¯ve heard that Chief Li has a young unmarried sister, while our Heavenly King¡¯s third son is also a bachelor. If our two families enter into a marriage alliance¡¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Before he could finish, he was interrupted, with Li Hongyu beside Xu Yang ring with round almond eyes, angrily saying, ¡°I will not marry!¡± ¡°¡¡± Facing the angry Li Hongyu, the middle-aged schr had no words, only turning his gaze to Xu Yang, ¡°I wonder what Chief Li¡¯s thoughts are?¡± Xu Yang smiled, nomittal, ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Sensing some unease in the middle-aged schr, but unable to do anything about it, he could only continue firmly, ¡°Chief Li, our Heavenly King is one of the leaders of seventy provinces, spanning north and south, seated upon Hundred Broken Mountains¡¯ Heavenly King Peak. Heroes and brave men from all the greenwoods obey hismands¡¡± Xu Yang remainedposed, cutting in to ask, ¡°So what?¡± ¡°¡¡± After a moment of silence, the middle-aged schr continued, ¡°If our two families enter into a marriage alliance, in the future, Qingfeng Stronghold and Heavenly King Peak would be one family. The salt, soap, and ss trades of Chief Li could then flow unimpeded through the thirteen northern and southern provinces, and surely lead to vast wealth. Our two households¡¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Before he could finish, he was again interrupted. Xu Yang, seated high on the main seat, spoke indifferently, ¡°Go back and tell Liang Sanjiang to prepare his coffin; in three days, I will go to Heavenly King Peak to im his head!¡± ¡°This¡!¡± The middle-aged schr looked utterly astonished, not expecting Xu Yang to be so direct. As he opened his mouth to speak again, he was interrupted by Xu Yang¡¯s dismissive gesture. ¡°Be gone!¡± Chapter 20 - 15: The Foundation_1 20 Chapter 15: The Foundation_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°What?¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Who gave him the courage of a bear and a leopard?¡± In the Hundred Broken Mountains, atop Heavenly King Peak, inside the Hall of Righteous Gathering, a series of table-pping sounds erupted as leaders sitting to the left and right stared angrily, eyes wide and round. Only the middle-aged man in the central seat, the master of the main seat, remainedposed, his cold eyes fixed on the middle-aged schr reporting below: ¡°Did he really say that?¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± The middle-aged schr nodded and said, ¡°Heavenly King, this Li Qing Shan is truly unbridled and audacious to the extreme!¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± From the main seat, one of the five chief leaders of the sixty-three provinces north of the Seven South, Heavenly King Liang Sanjiang of the Hundred Broken Mountains, let out a cold snort: ¡°This man indeed has some skills, but to provoke my Hundred Broken Mountains is far too audacious.¡± ¡°Big brother is right!¡± ¡°This kid doesn¡¯t know how high the sky is or how deep the earth is!¡± ¡°If he doesn¡¯t drink a toast, then let him drink a penalty wine!¡± ¡°Tomorrow, we¡¯ll obliterate his Qingfeng Stronghold!¡± ¡°Big brother, give me two hundred brothers, and I will pluck his head for you right away!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to trouble third brother with such a trifle; the two of us are enough to handle a small Qingfeng Stronghold.¡± Seeing Liang Sanjiang¡¯s stance, the leaders on either side were even more eager to fight. ¡°No rush!¡± Seeing his subordinates vying to fight, Liang Sanjiang was very satisfied internally, but shook his head on the surface: ¡°Although this man is arrogant, he has some skills, and is not to be underestimated. He must be approached with caution. Strategist, what do you think?¡± ¡°Heavenly King¡¯s words are very true!¡± Realizing Liang Sanjiang was asking for his input, the middle-aged schr didn¡¯t dare to dy and quickly responded: ¡°Although Li Qing Shan is arrogant, he¡¯s not one to shoot without aim. I heard that he was once just a small mountain resident of Little Yellow Vige, orphaned early and often bullied, almost driven to extinction by his n members.¡± ¡°Yet, with great daring, he sold himself to the Lu Family to confront the Li Family, driving away wolves and devouring tigers and took advantage of the situation to rise in power within the Lu Family in just a few years, bing very influential. He also mastered archery well enough to ¡®hit a willow branch at 100 yards¡¯.¡± ¡°Later, when the Li Family encountered a patron, and the Lu Family wanted to make peace, intending to sacrifice him, he struck first and eradicated both Li and Lu Families overnight. He then fled into the forest with his siblings, where his prowess grew uncontrobly, like a dragon entering the sea.¡± ¡°In just five years, he destroyed Qingfeng Stronghold, took over Little Yellow Mountain, recruited refugees from the mountains, expanded the stronghold¡¯s power, and even widely taught martial arts without reservation in food, clothing, gold, and silver. Not just the mountain refugees but also people from nearby viges and even towns and Mansion City know of his righteousness and extraordinary magnanimity. He is considered a hero by many.¡± ¡°Moreover, he¡¯s adept in various unique techniques, not only in making refined snowke salt but also in creating strange items like soap and colored ze. With these, he opened up trade routes, spreading across counties and prefectures, and coborated with wealthy families and big merchants. He could be said to make a fortune every day.¡± ¡°Despite making a fortune daily, he is not at all stingy, offering high bounties to acquire famous martial arts from all over and purchasing Iron Armor de Soldiers, provisions, and meat. Now, not only are his martial prowess and True Qi profound and immeasurable, his subordinates are also fierce and fearless,peting to devote their lives¡¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± The speech was interrupted before it could be finished. The middle-aged schr was startled, then quickly came to his senses and looked up to see that Liang Sanjiang¡¯s expression was icy cold, and the expressions on the other leaders¡¯ faces were none too friendly. Talking too much can backfire! The middle-aged schr was rmed inside and quickly lowered his head to rectify: ¡°In any case, Li Qing Shan is no ordinary viin. Although our Hundred Broken Mountains are ten times stronger than him, and with a peerless hero like the Heavenly King and such valiant and powerful leaders, we must still not underestimate him. We should proceed cautiously and n our moves deliberately¡¡± With such diplomatically cautious ttery, Liang Sanjiang¡¯s expression softened slightly. However, the other leaders were still displeased. ¡°Humph, Strategist, do not empower others at the expense of our own prestige!¡± ¡°That Li Qing Shan, a mere greenhorn, dares to be so insolent?¡± ¡°If he doesn¡¯t drink a toast, let him drink a penalty wine. Tomorrow we will obliterate his Qingfeng Stronghold!¡± ¡°His Qingfeng Stronghold has only been established for a few years, and he dares to challenge my Hundred Broken Mountains?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll tten the stronghold and capture him alive to give him a good beating. Then the salt business and those soaps and zes will all belong to us!¡± ¡°Third brother speaks well!¡± The leaders were all volunteering to fight, and Liang Sanjiang nodded in approval,ughing out loud: ¡°No matter how crafty he is, he cannot withstand thebined strength of me and my brothers. Ry my orders; gather the troops. Tomorrow we march on Little Yellow Mountain, crush Qingfeng Stronghold, and capture him alive to raise our¡¡± ¡°Swoosh!¡± Mid-sentence, an arrow suddenly shed through the air, shooting straight towards them. ¡°Hmm!!!¡± Liang Sanjiang¡¯s pupils shrank, and he instinctively reacted, narrowly evading the deadly arrow. As one of the chief leaders of the seven provinces in the south and sixty-three provinces in the north, and the reigning Heavenly King of the Hundred Broken Mountains, Liang Sanjiang was obviously no slouch. More than a decade earlier, he had achieved True Qi, and his Ghost Head Gold de was renowned in both the southern and northern thirteen provinces. He was considered a grandmaster-level expert simr to the heads of various sects and renowned figures in the Martial World. Even with such abilities, faced with thispletely unexpected arrow, he was still shocked and appalled. His True Qi instinctively surged as he instinctively moved, barely managing to dodge the frightening arrow. However¡ After one arrow came another, aimed in advance and calcted to lock onto the very spot where Liang Sanjiang was dodging for his life, leaving him no chance to evade or retreat, and not even enough time to react. ¡°Puh!!!¡± The forceful arrow pierced through him, and with a dull thud, even though it only struck his shoulder de and was not a fatal hit, it still forced Liang Sanjiang into painful retreat, tumbling back onto the golden chair. Chapter 21 - 15: The Foundation_2 21 Chapter 15: The Foundation_2 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°` At that very moment¡ ¡°Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!¡± Three arrows like lightning, one after another, caught everyone off guard as blood spurted violently, dazzlingly bright. ¡°Ahhh!!!¡± Immediately, a pitiful scream pierced the air, and Liang Sanjiang fell back into his gilt chair, limbs skewered by powerful bolts, pinned firmly in ce, the excruciating pain causing his eyes to bulge, nearly splitting at the seams, unable to hold back his cries. ¡°Big brother!¡± ¡°This¡¡± Caught off guard by the sudden change, the thunder swift and violent, a group of leaders¡ªstaring at the horrifying screams of Liang Sanjiang¡ªdidn¡¯t know what to do, when suddenly they saw¡ ¡°Swoosh!!!¡± ¡°Thud!!!¡± The sound of something piercing the air, then flesh, followed swiftly one after the other; everyone¡¯s pupils shrank, terrified by the gruesome sttering of blood. Atop the gilt chair, Liang Sanjiang slumped like mud, limbs prated by powerful bolts and yet another arrow entering his mouth, through the brain, severing the thread of lifepletely. ¡°Big brother!!¡± Seeing this, the crowd finally snapped to attention, their bodies instinctively jolting up as they turned to look outside. As their gazes shifted, they saw a figure stride in from the hall, majestic like a towering mountain, brimming with Evil Qi. ¡°You¡¡± The crowd was terrified, speech stuck in their throats. Yet the neer did not care, smoothly drawing the Nine-Ring de from his back, the ominous de reflecting a fearsome sharpness that made everyone wince, adding to their terror. ¡°All of you,e at me together!¡± With those words, the ughter began anew, transforming the Hall of Righteous Gathering into a storm of des and a tempest of blood. ¡ Shortly thereafter, the mor of fighting inside the hall subdued, while the chaos spread like wildfire outside, engulfing the entire stronghold. ¡°Thud!¡± In the Hall of Righteous Gathering, with the final blow, a cold gleam shed, and instantly blood sprayed crimson, a body severed from its head. Xu Yang stood alone in the hall, holding the heavy de, his gaze sweeping around the room, now filled with lifeless bodies and severed limbs. As the only survivor in the hall, looking at Xu Yang, whose de was unstained by blood and whose edge was intimidating, the middle-aged schr¡¯s legs went weak, and he fell to his knees, bowing his head, his voice trembling as he said, ¡°My lord, I greet you, Li Da of the household. Congrattions, sir, on taking over the estate of the Hundred Broken Mountains¡¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Xu Yangughed, sheathing his de, and looked at the man kneeling before him: ¡°You do know which way the wind blows.¡± ¡°Thank you for the praise, great leader!¡± Feeling that there was no intent to kill from the other party, the middle-aged schr felt slightly relieved and spoke with forcedposure: ¡°That Liang Sanjiang was a frog in a well, stubborn and self-righteous, actually daring to be the enemy of the household leader, truly seeking his own death¡¡± ¡°` ¡°Enough with the nonsense!¡± However, Xu Yang had no time to listen to the other side¡¯s ttery and cut to the chase, asking, ¡°Where is the storeroom?¡± Hearing this, the middle-aged schr didn¡¯t dare to waste words any longer. Struggling to stand, he said with trepidation, ¡°The storeroom of the stronghold mainly contains ordinary goods. Liang Sanjiang, being selfish and greedy, kept all of the extraordinary treasures and valuable loot in his private stockpile, along with numerous divine weapons and martial arts manuals. Please follow me, Leader¡¡± He didn¡¯t question why Xu Yang was so devoid of martial virtue, going against his word of moving out after three days and showing up today instead, shamelessly using strong bows and sharp arrows to ambush and kill the unsuspecting Liang Sanjiang. Because this is how the Martial World operates, where the victor is king. To say anything else would be meaningless. Hundred Broken Mountains, Heavenly King Peak, henceforth had a new master! Xu Yang¡¯s n had taken a crucial step forward. Ever since he took over Qingfeng Stronghold and had established a certain level of power and a solid foundation, he began to reveal the advantages of being a transmigrator. Relying on technologies such as fine salt, soap, and colored ze, he obtained arge amount of wealth. This wealth was not hoarded in his hands but constantly transformed into power. On one hand, he spent a fortune to obtain martial arts manuals from famous masters and various sects, enriching his own martial foundations. On the other hand, he purchased grain, meat, weapons, and armor, training his followers and strengthening the stronghold. In a world with no extraordinary powers and low martial arts, the power of money was extremely strong. Xu Yang¡¯s no-cost-spared and generous investments were naturally effective. Not only did his own martial arts improve rapidly, but the stronghold¡¯s strength also grew swiftly. Unfortunately, wealth is not omnipotent. Soon, Xu Yang encountered a bottleneck¡ªboth in his martial arts progression and the development of the stronghold. There is no need to borate on martial arts. With money invested and skill traits, in just a few years, Xu Yang had cultivated Inner Strength and mastered many martial arts. However, the cultivation of True Qi that followed Inner Strength was a jealously guarded secret of the major sects. Although he had an Attribute Panel and skill traits like a golden finger, these skill traits could only turn decay into magic, not create something out of nothing. At least for now, the skills and traits he had developed couldn¡¯t achieve that. Therefore, he could only offer a high reward for the purchase of martial arts from famous masters and True Qi cultivation methods. However, while he didn¡¯t secure any mana point, trouble knocked at his door first. Liang Sanjiang was one of those envious onlookers. Just as with martial arts cultivation, the development of the stronghold encountered simr issues. Little Yellow Mountain was too small, and Qingfeng Stronghold was even smaller. Even though he had taken in many fugitives from the mountains and attracted many poor people to join, he could not change the fundamental issue of size. Soon, he reached a bottleneck and became the target of contention by officials, bandits, and various other forces. To break out of this situation, he decisively took action against Hundred Broken Mountains. Hundred Broken Mountains, stretching from the Southern Dynasty to the north and located in the Central ins, is one of the main thoroughfares for north-south traffic. The mountain ranges are continuous, vast and deep, rife with bandits, thus merchants passing through often suffer robbery, which led to the mountain¡¯s name, ¡®Hundred Broken¡¯. Liang Sanjiang, a True Qi expert and a bandit leader, thirty years ago had forcefully united the bandits of Hundred Broken Mountains and became one of the chieftains over sixty-three provinces in the south and north, known as the Heavenly King of Hundred Broken Mountains. After taking the Heavenly King Peak, Liang Sanjiang secured the support and loyalty of all bandits in Hundred Broken Mountains. His power was extremely formidable. The imperial court sent troops to eradicate him multiple times, but they always returned without sess, boosting his reputation even further, shining brightly as if he were the sun at its zenith. He had set his sights on the recently risen Qingfeng Stronghold, not realizing that Xu Yang also had his eyes on his Hundred Broken Mountains. For Xu Yang, as long as he killed this man and seized the foundation of Hundred Broken Mountains, he could then upy a naturally defensible territory, no longer fearing any encirclement campaigns by the court or officials. Besides, controlling such a critical traffic route would enable him to collect profits from north-south trade. Coupled withmodities like fine salt, soap, and colored ze, bing the wealthiest in thend would be effortless. With money, one can make the godse through. Soon, the issues with martial arts cultivation would be resolved, and his progression to a True Qi Grandmaster would face no more obstacles. Therefore, after Liang Sanjiang sent men to his door, Xu Yang decisively took action. First, he set a three-day meeting to distract attention and then stealthily entered Heavenly King Peak. Outside the Hall of Righteous Gathering, he shot and killed Liang Sanjiang. Over the years, he had diligently practiced martial arts, not only cultivating the basics of Inner Strength, but with the aid of martial arts, his archery skills had also improved significantly. Combined with the Butcher¡¯s technique and the Iron Bamboo Bow that he meticulously crafted and was difficult for others to draw, even Liang Sanjiang, the True Qi Grandmaster, could not withstand his ambush and died on the spot. With Liang Sanjiang dead, the oue of this battle was without suspense. The remaining dozen or so stronghold leaders, the strongest only possessing Inner Strength, were like y chickens and pottery dogs against him, not worth one blow. In a moment, they were all cut down by his Nine-Ring de, which could easily slice through iron like mud and cleave through steel armor. Hundred Broken Mountains thus changed hands. With the foundation of Hundred Broken Mountains in his grasp, he was like a bird soaring into the sky or a fish leaping into the ocean. Casting his gaze upon the world, he faced no more constraints. In such a way¡ Chapter 22 - 16: Birthday Banquet_1 22 Chapter 16: Birthday Banquet_1 Trantor: 549690339 In the mountains, there are no years, and a cycle passes in leisure. Seventy-four yearster, on the Hundred Broken Mountains, the Heavenly King Peak. ¡°From the North Province, the East-bound Escort Agency, Head Escort Master Miao arrives!¡± ¡°Head Escort Master Miao presents a congrattory gift, a portion of Red Blood Ginseng!¡± ¡°Disciple Miao Fang, apanied by my son, pays respects and wishes the grandmaster longevity like the East Sea and a life as enduring as the South Mountain!¡± ¡°From the South Province, Zhenwei Escort Agency, Head Escort Master Wang arrives!¡± ¡°Head Escort Master Wang presents a congrattory gift, a pair of Sky Mountain Snow Lotus!¡± ¡°Grand-disciple Wang Tang pays respects, wishing the ancestral master brightness surpassing the sun and moon, evesting youth through the seasons!¡± ¡°Golden Jade Hall, Mr. Zhao arrives!¡± ¡°Mr. Zhao presents a congrattory gift, a millennium-warm jade pillow!¡± ¡°Student Zhao Hao pays respects, wishing my teacher evesting celestial fortune, a life as long as the heavens!¡± ¡°From the North Sea, the Flying Fish Gang, Gang Leader Meng arrives¡¡± ¡°From Xichuan Huwei Mountain, Boss Zhang arrives¡¡± ¡°From the East Mountain Commerce Association, Manager Qian arrives¡¡± At Hundred Broken Mountains, on Heavenly King Peak, in front of the Hall of Righteous Gathering, it was exceptionally lively. Troops and officials from all directions came, their voices of greeting unceasing, jubtion resounding. Zhou Hai, the main steward of the mountain stronghold, personally tended to the guests amidst the feast, weing friends from every direction. ¡°Brother Zhou, long time no see!¡± ¡°Manager Zhou, your charm hasn¡¯t diminished since back in the day!¡± ¡°Brother Zhou, how has the grandmaster been faringtely?¡± ¡°Brother Zhou¡¡± All faces greeted him with smiles, and Zhou Hai met them with a smile in return. ¡°Brother Miao, it has been a long time, oh, now I should address you as Head Escort Master Miao, shouldn¡¯t I!¡± ¡°Younger Brother Wang, your elegance surpasses that of the past!¡± ¡°Brother Zhao, all has been well with you, I trust?¡± ¡°The grandmaster has been exceedingly well!¡± ¡°Brother Qian¡¡± ¡°Big Brother Meng¡¡± ¡°Ah, we¡¯re all family here, there¡¯s no need for such formalities¡¡± The guests who had arrived on the scene were mainly from escort agencies, business associations, gangs, and the greenwoods. The gifts they brought were valuable, but the bonds were even stronger. During the feast, as they met with Zhou Hai, all faces engaged in friendly chatter, a harmonious atmosphere where both hosts and guests enjoyed themselves. At that moment¡ ¡°Manager!¡± A servant approached Zhou Hai, presenting a red invitation. ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhou Hai looked at the invitation, then turned to the servant and said, ¡°A distinguished guest has arrived, quickly, please invite them in!¡± ¡°A distinguished guest?¡± Upon hearing this, everyone was taken aback, especially seeing Zhou Hai standing in ce, reluctant to move. His expression grew more curious. To call them a distinguished guest, yet not receive them in person? Such behavior was indeed puzzling¡ªcould it be¡ As spections rose in the minds of the crowd¡ ¡°The leader of Kunlun, He Tianchong, along with his disciples, conveys wishes to Heavenly King Li for a longevity like the South Mountain!¡± With the announcement of their arrival, a group of people entered the Hall of Righteous Gathering. Only then did Manager Zhou Hai step forward to wee them, hands sped and a smile on his face: ¡°Mr. Iron Sword graces us with his esteemed presence; we have failed to greet you from afar, please forgive us!¡± The stance of Kunlun¡¯s leader He Tianchong was upright and staunch, like a pine, exemplifying the aura of a grandmaster. Hearing Zhou Hai¡¯s words, he too sped his hands in return and responded with a heartyugh, ¡°Manager Zhou exaggerates. Ie uninvited; it is I who should ask for forgiveness.¡± ¡°Ha ha!¡± Zhou Haiughed, not minding in the least, and gestured with a sweep of his hand: ¡°Please take a seat!¡± ¡°Please!¡± He Tianchong, without ceremony, led his disciples to sit down¡ªa perfect number for one table. ¡°The leader of Kunlun?¡± ¡°Mr. Iron Sword?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The seated guests were visibly taken aback at this development. ¡°Kunlun is far away in the Western Regions, whye to offer congrattions without any reason?¡± ¡°Looking at this, it seems Heavenly King didn¡¯t invite them!¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s not without reason, but rather there is a cause behind it!¡± ¡°If they¡¯re not here for good, they¡¯re here for ill!¡± ¡°Humph, they dare stir trouble here?¡± ¡°Today is the grandmaster¡¯s centennial birthday; they wouldn¡¯t dare such insolence!¡± ¡°They say Golden Jade Hall¡¯s trade spreads far and wide, and in recent years they¡¯ve revived trade between the Central ins and the Western Regions, causing quite a few disturbances. As Kunlun is a prominent power in the Western Regions, could it be they¡¯re here for this matter?¡± ¡°Humph, indeed they are not wee guests. Everyone knows that Golden Jade Hall belongs to Heavenly King, and Kunlun¡¯s faction picked this time to visit, clearly with ill intentions, wishing to disrupt Heavenly King¡¯s centennial celebration. They truly court death!¡± The crowd buzzed with conversation, their words quite harsh and without any attempt to disguise their thoughts. However, the Kunlun representatives remained undisturbed, sitting quietly at their table, waiting. At that moment¡ ¡°The leader of Kongtong, Chen Longfei, apanied by his junior siblings Meng Hun, Zhou Ming, Zhang Zui, Shen Que, Song Hua, Bai Qi, and Kang Xuan, along with numerous disciples, present their respects to Heavenly King Li for prosperity like the East Sea!¡± Another group stepped into the Hall of Righteous Gathering. Zhou Hai¡¯s demeanor unchanged, advanced to meet them: ¡°The arrival of the Kongtong Eight Heroes is an honor. We failed to greet you from afar, our apologies.¡± ¡°Manager Zhou is too courteous!¡± ¡°Please, have a seat!¡± The number of people from Kongtong exceeded that of Kunlun, filling up two tables. ¡°The Kongtong Eight Heroes?¡± ¡°They¡¯vee as well?¡± ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± ¡°Kongtong is in the northwest, in and of remote and bitter cold, whye to join the festivity?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard they¡¯re allied with Kunlun, also involved in the escort business, and had conflicts with Brother Miao¡¯s East-bound Escort Agency some years ago.¡± Thementary continued, the tone was still derisive, but just like the Kunlun members, the Kongtong party also ignored the remarks and quietly took their seats, waiting. At that moment¡ ¡°The disciple of E¡¯mei, Jingyin, apanied by fellow junior siblings,e to wish Heavenly King Li peace and health!¡± ¡°The abbot of Shaolin, Kongjian, along with his junior brothers Kongxing, Kongzhi, Kongxiang, and other disciples,e to wish Heavenly King Li a thousand autumns of happiness!¡± ¡°The representatives of Wudang, Ling Xu and Ling Chong, leading their disciples,e to wish Heavenly King Li evesting vitality like the evergreens!¡± ¡°Yi Feng from Divine Sword Manor wishes Heavenly King Li boundless longevity and fortune!¡± ¡°Yuwen Ao from White Camel Mountain wishes Heavenly King Li prosperity as vast as the East Sea!¡± ¡°Chen Jixuan from the Beggar¡¯s Guild wishes Heavenly King Li¡¡± ¡°Giant Whale Gang¡¡± Chapter 23 - 16: Birthday Banquet_2 23 Chapter 16: Birthday Banquet_2 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Peace Gang¡¡± ¡°Iron Palm Gang¡¡± ¡°Green City Sect¡¡± Guests from all corners arrived in an endless stream, and Zhou Hai, who refused no one, soon saw the expanded Hall of Righteous Gathering filled to capacity. ¡°The five great sects!¡± ¡°The seven great gangs!¡± ¡°The Two Elders of Wudang, the Four Monks of Shaolin!¡± ¡°The prestigious ns, the might of the Big Dipper!¡± ¡°All havee!¡± ¡°It seems today¡¯s affairs will not end peacefully!¡± ¡°The Heavenly King celebrates his hundredth birthday, how dare they act like this!¡± ¡°Such a disy clearly indicates they¡¯re banding together. They pretend toe for the birthday celebration, but their true intention is to stir up trouble!¡± ¡°Hmph, they¡¯re certainly bold, daring to seek trouble on the Hundred broken mountains. Haven¡¯t they learned their lesson from the past years?¡± ¡°They think they have strength in numbers and are clearly underestimating us!¡± ¡°We cannot let these viins ruin the Founder¡¯s birthday. As disciples and family members, we must join forces and drive them out of the mountain!¡± ¡°Hold on, since Brother Zhou invited them to sit, it means the Founder must have a n. We must not act rashly and spoil his arrangements.¡± ¡ Inside the Hall of Righteous Gathering, the murmuring was incessant, and the atmosphere even more indescribable. Seeing that the tables were full, Zhou Hai also stood up on the main stage and said to everyone, ¡°For all of you toe here to celebrate Heavenly King¡¯s birthday, Hundred Broken Mountains is deeply honored. With this meager wine, we express our humble gratitude. Please, everyone, drink freely, and not return sober today. Servants, serve the wine,mence the feast¡¡± ¡°Hold on!¡± His words were not yet finished when someone interrupted him. Zhou Hai looked down, gazing at the one who spoke up¡ªit was Kunlun Sect leader He Tianchong, but he did not care and still replied with a faint smile, ¡°What advice does Mr. Iron Sword have?¡± He Tianchong stood up, drawing the eyes of everyone, and spoke out clearly, ¡°Let¡¯s not beat around the bush. Today, we are here not only to celebrate Heavenly King Li¡¯s hundredth birthday, but there¡¯s another matter for which we ask the Heavenly King to exin to the world. So I dare to ask, where is Heavenly King Li?¡± Zhou Hai smiled, still unconcerned, ¡°Heavenly King Li has some pressing matters and cannot spare the time now. Mr. Iron Sword, all sect leaders, and esteemed figures of the Martial World, if there are matters you wish to discuss, you may speak of them now. Although I am not talented, I am still capable of speaking on behalf of Heavenly King Li.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you are not the right person to handle this, Manager Zhou!¡± Zhou Hai had hardly finished speaking when another man stood up¡ªit was Kongtong Sect leader Chen Longfei: ¡°It is better to invite Heavenly King Li toe out and confront the heroes himself.¡± ¡°Sect Leader Chen!¡± Zhou Hai lowered his gaze, looking at him coldly, ¡°How Heavenly King Li conducts his affairs is not for the likes of you to determine. I advise Sect Leader Chen and the rest of you not to bring disgrace upon yourselves!¡± ¡°You¡!¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Chen Longfei¡¯s expression stiffened, but before he could speak, someone mmed the table and stood up¡ªit was the Head Escort Master of the East-bound Escort Agency, Miao Fang. Miao Fang stood up, his tiger eyes ring coldly at Chen Longfei and the others from Kongtong, ¡°How the Founder acts is none of your business. If you have something to say, then say it. If you want to fight, then follow me outside the mountain and settle it. Do not disturb the Founder¡¯s birthday celebration!¡± ¡°You¡!¡± ¡°Brother Miao speaks the truth!¡± Chen Longfei was left speechless by Miao Fang¡¯s words, a mix of shock and anger on his face, when yet another man stood up¡ªit was none other than the Head Escort Master of Zhenwei Escort Agency, Wang Tang. Wang Tang rose to his feet, his hand pressing down on the table, his cold eyes sweeping over the sect leaders: ¡°Today is the hundredth birthday of our founder. If any of you have grievances with us, settle them outside the mountains. But if you act wildly and disrupt our founder¡¯s birthday celebration, don¡¯t me us for being ruthless!¡± ¡°Amitabha Buddha!¡± No sooner had the threatening words fallen than they were suppressed by a clear and sonorous Buddhist chant. This chant was so clear and resounding that it drummed in everyone¡¯s eardrums like a great bell, fully disying the profound cultivation of True Qi. Everyone turned their heads, following the sound, and saw an old monk with white eyebrows, dressed in a kasaya, rise from his seat and say while leaning on a Vajra Scepter: ¡°Head Escort Master Wang, you are still so overbearing. With a single disagreement, you resort to threats of violence. No wonder, seven years ago, you annihted our Shaoliny disciples and all seventy-eight people from the Dragongate Escort Agency!¡± ¡°Huh?!¡± At those words, everyone¡¯s gaze suddenly sharpened. Only Wang Tang remainedposed, his cold eyes turning to the white-browed old monk: ¡°I wondered who it was, and it turns out to be Master Kongjian from Shaolin. True, my Zhenwei Escort Agency haspeted with your Dragongate Escort Agency, even fought several battles, but the massacre that wiped out Dragongate Escort Agency was not our doing. Master, you should first investigate the facts of the case before you make baseless usations!¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Kongjian tapped his scepter and said coldly: ¡°Both physical evidence and witnesses point to you. You say it¡¯s not you, is that so?¡± ¡°Physical evidence can be manipted, and witnesses can lie. The truth is in the heart of hearts!¡± Wang Tang flung his sleeves, raising his hands to the sky: ¡°We, the disciples of Hundred Broken Mountains, have been taught by our founder¡¯s verbal instruction and personal example, his earnest teachings. We always act openly and uprightly, with a clear conscience. If it were the doing of my Zhenwei Escort Agency, I, Wang Tang, would readily admit it. If there is half a falsehood, I should suffer from the Five Thunder Boom, with both body and spirit destroyed!¡± ¡°Hundred Broken Mountains?¡± ¡°Heh!¡± Upon hearing this, Kongjian let out a coldugh: ¡°Who in the Martial World doesn¡¯t know that Heavenly King Li of the Hundred Broken Mountains is the leader of the bandits in the green forest, a peerless great bandit who roams the mountains and forests? The merchants and even ordinary travelers all suffer extortion. Even before Heavenly King Li joined the Martial World, he ruthlessly exterminated both his family and the Li and Lu families. Such a sect tradition, and he dares to im being open and upright, with a clear conscience¡ªit is trulyughable¡¡± ¡°You bald donkey!¡± The moment he said this, an uproar ensued. Wang Tang¡¯s eyes bulged with fury, pointing at Kongjian: ¡°You dare to insult my ancestor¡¯s reputation!¡± ¡°The truth is simply stated!¡± ¡°What Master Kongjian said is true. What heroes of the green forest? Aren¡¯t they just a bunch of bandits!¡± ¡°You thief monk, you¡¯re inverting right and wrong, spouting nder!¡± ¡°My Hundred Broken Mountains paves the way formerce, strategizing across the Martial World, westward to the deserts, eastward to the vast seas, south across the mountain ridges, north to the snowynds. Look at the Martial World, there is nowhere without the stations, Horse Gangs, merchant associations, and fleets of the Hundred Broken Mountains, truly rich in the Four Seas and prosperous in all directions. Would we need to extort themon people? Ridiculous!¡± ¡°Bald donkey, when ites to extortion, who in the Martial World canpete with you? Everyone knows that Shaolin, having been established for hundreds of years, is known as a temple but is actually andlord tyrant. Inside and outside the temple, the good fields it holds are not just ten thousand acres, plus the temple Buddha statues, how much of themon people¡¯s offerings have you swallowed, how much blood and flesh of the civilians have you consumed?¡± ¡°And those from Dragongate Escort Agency, what y disciples¡¯? They are clearly just your looting methods. Dragongate Escort Agency, relying on the status of thergest sect in the Martial World, purported to be an escort agency, but is actually no different from bandits. The acts of cunning and thievery are countless. It¡¯s only fitting that their destruction is heavenly retribution!¡± ¡°Everyone knows that though my founder came from humble origins, he has always acted with fairness and justice, never harming the innocent. Back then, the Li and Lu families were wealthy but unkind, overbearing and tyrannical, seeking to take my founder¡¯s life. The founder only executed the ringleaders and cut off their followers, without harming anyone else. Where is this talk of exterminating entire familiesing from?¡± ¡°Besides these malicious viins, all of you seated here are heroes of the Martial World. Ask yourselves, has my ancestor ever done anything unjust? Look across the Martial World, be it the women and men of the Martial World or themon people, who doesn¡¯t praise the name of Heavenly King Li as a righteous and benevolent ruler?¡± ¡°Hmph, what a ¡®righteous and benevolent¡¯ ruler; it¡¯s just to win over people¡¯s hearts and grow your own power!¡± ¡°True, you of the Hundred Broken Mountains widely shelter fleeingmoners, not knowing how many criminals and bandits have joined your camp, bing a den of filth, too foul to speak of!¡± ¡°It¡¯s exactly because you bandits and viins back them up, that many ignorantmoners grow bold,mitting murder and robbery. Then, following your founder¡¯s example, the ¡®righteous and benevolent¡¯ Heavenly King Li, they flee into the mountains, joining the bandits, thus bing the scourge of themon people, a malignant tumor of society!¡± ¡°You old ghost, you¡¯re framing others with lies, clearly it¡¯s you, the so-called Prestigious ns in cahoots with the government and powerful families, who oppress and extortyer byyer, driving people to such despair they must flee to the mountains to be escapees. You shameless old thief, turning ck into white like this, do you really think no one can cut off your dog head?¡± ¡°You youngsters, what right do you have to discuss such matters with us? Where is Li Qing Shan? Let hime out. What, does he dare to do but not to acknowledge?¡± ¡°Hehe, at tonight¡¯s banquet, why is there not one from the Li Family to be seen? Could it be that the old ghost knows his misdeeds have been exposed and he will be attacked by the heroes of the Martial World? Hence he ran off early, leaving you outsiders to be the scapegoats¡¡± Inside the Hall of Righteous Gathering, both sides insisted on their own arguments, their faces flushed with anger, and the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, on the verge of losing control. Just then¡ ¡°What a lively scene!¡± A light chuckle came from outside. Chapter 24 - 17: Powder_1 24 Chapter 17: Powder_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Hm?!¡± Voices came from outside, and the hall suddenly fell silent. Everyone frowned and turned to look, only to see a line of people calmly walking into the hall. The one at the forefront was a fair-skinned, handsome young master. This person, with a folding fan lightly flicking, walked ahead, followed by a group of oddly shaped attendants that included monks, Taoists, literati, and warriors, yet seemed to be none of these, even including a pair of enigmatic children of indeterminate gender. ¡°Who is he¡?¡± ¡°A Shaolin renegade, the poison monk Yuan Xing!¡± ¡°And the ghost-headed monk Zhang Tao!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t those two the Yin and Yang Children?¡± ¡°That old fellow is the emaciated Taoist Wang Yuan Spirit!¡± ¡°Where did this band of demons and monsterse from?¡± ¡°Boy, who are you?¡± ¡°No, this is a Western goods seller!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the background of this sissy, to have so many evil path experts following him?¡± Seeing the motley crew of followers behind the young master, everyone in the hall, especially the leaders of the various sects, were taken aback and did not dare to act rashly. Those from the Hundred Broken Mountains faction were also frowning, looking at the uninvited young master: ¡°Who might you be, and what brings you here?¡± ¡°Nicely put, nicely put!¡± The young master smiled and revealed his background: ¡°I am Li Shaobai of the Sacred Fire Sect. Today, I lead the left and right envoys of the Sacred Sect, the four Spell Kings, and the eight Altar Masters to personally ascend the Hundred Broken Mountains, to congratte Heavenly King Li on his long life of a hundred years!¡± ¡°You¡!¡± ¡°Audacious!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the disciples of the Hundred Broken Mountains immediately boiled with rage, and Miao Fang, the chief escort of the East-bound Escort Agency, was even more furious, kicking a wine jar toward the other party. ¡°Audacious!¡± Unexpectedly, someone behind the intruder also shouted angrily, and with a palm strike from a distance, shattered the flying wine jar with a thunderous crash, not harming the young master in the slightest. Seeing this, the young master cared even less, shaking his fan andughing: ¡°Wee to present our congrattions, yet this is how the Hundred Broken Mountains treats its guests. Heavenly King Li¡¯s name resounds around the world, yet he doesn¡¯t know how to teach his people some manners.¡± ¡°You¡¯re seeking death!¡± This remark enraged the people of the Hundred Broken Mountains even more, and they were about to attack him, but they were stopped by the head steward, Zhou Hai, with a wave of his hand. Zhou Hai stepped forward with a lightugh still on his lips: ¡°So it¡¯s the young leader of the Sacred Fire Sect in person. With such an entourage ascending the Hundred Broken Mountains, may I inquire as to your purpose?¡± ¡°Hahaha, it¡¯s said that Zhou Hai of the Hundred Broken Mountains is astute and resourceful, the capable right hand of Heavenly King Li. Seeing you today, your reputation is indeed well-deserved!¡± Li Shaobai gave a salute but did not continue to provoke. Instead, he turned to the people of the martial world: ¡°Everyone in the world knows that Heavenly King Li is just and benevolent, not only a hero of the ages but also a grandmaster. These so-called reputable ns dare toe here on Heavenly King Li¡¯s hundredth birthday to stir up trouble, truly seeking death.¡± Having said this, before the representatives of the various sects could recover, he changed the subject back to Zhou Hai: ¡°Steward Zhou, would you trouble yourself to report to Heavenly King Li, saying that our Sacred Sect intends to form an alliance with the Hundred Broken Mountains, henceforth joining our two houses together in strength and loss, sharing the world equally, and governing the martial world together¡¡± ¡°Witch!¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± ¡°Demon Sect fiend, how dare you be so bold!¡± At this point, the representatives of the various sects finally snapped back to reality and burst out in shock and anger, interrupting him. Li Shaobai, undisturbed, with flirtatious eyes fixed on Zhou Hai, said: ¡°As long as the Heavenly King agrees, today our two families can join forces to kill these hypocritical reputable ns here on the spot, elevate our two families¡¯ prestige, and from then on in the martial world, only our two families will be revered. Wouldn¡¯t that be delightful?¡± ¡°You¡¡± ¡°Demon Sect fiend, delusional fool!¡± On hearing these words, the sects were even more shocked and enraged, with some even causing an uproar. ¡°Well, I was wondering what gave the Hundred Broken Mountains the confidence to challenge the martial world. Turns out you¡¯re in cahoots with the Demon Sect fiends.¡± ¡°Fellow daoists, this is a trap. Let¡¯s fight our way out together!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go all out against these Demon Sect fiends!¡± ¡°¡¡± Just as the situation was about to spiral out of control¡ ¡°Base figures skulking in the shadows, impostors deceiving the world, how dare you use the name of our Sacred Sect to trick the heroes of the world!¡± A long, powerful shout suddenly came from outside, apanied by a strong st of True Qi that quelled the scene; a figure somersaulted into the room. ¡°Hm?!¡± The crowd furrowed their brows and focused their eyes, only to see the neer was a young man of noble presence and striking elegance, exuding an authoritative aura thatmanded respect. As soon as this personnded and stood firm, a crowd of people rushed in and stood behind him, supporting the scene. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°I am Li Shaobai of the Sacred Fire Sect, greeting the heroes of the world.¡± In the midst of the crowd¡¯s astonishment and uncertainty, the young man announced his name, also iming to be Li Shaobai. ¡°Li Shaobai?¡± ¡°Sacred Fire Sect?¡± ¡°How is there another Li Shaobai?¡± The crowd was baffled by his words, with only that cross-dressing young master showing a cold expression. The youth who imed to be Li Shaobai paid no heed and, facing the crowd with a sped fist, said, ¡°I am the true Li Shaobai, as for this person, they belong to those who deceive the world and steal names. Gentlemen, do not be fooled by her deceit.¡± After speaking, he turned his gaze to the young master and coldly exposed their identity: ¡°This person is not a member of our Sacred Sect but rather the daughter of the imperial Yang King, Princess Qingpin, who today has impersonated the name of our Sect to incite discord between Hundred Broken Mountains and various major Sects. This is a conspiracy by the imperial court, orchestrated to have us in the Martial World ughter each other. Everyone, you must not fall for their trick!¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°The imperial court?¡± ¡°Yang King?¡± ¡°Princess?¡± At these words, the crowd was even more astonished, looking towards both factions with uncertainty. ¡°Indeed, I am the daughter of the Yang King, the imperial appointee, Princess Qingpin!¡± Seeing that her identity had been exposed, the young master no longer pretended and, immediately sping her fist towards Zhou Hai, said, ¡°But the actions I have taken today were not meant to incite discord between Hundred Broken Mountains and the warrior sects. It is indeed the diabolic ambition of this Sacred Fire Sect, which has turned to rebellion!¡± While pointing at Li Shaobai, she continued, ¡°This Demon Sect has vast ambitions, desiring to rebel tonight and swallow the foundation of Hundred Broken Mountains. Having learned this information, I intended to warn the Heavenly King, but feared the word without proof would not be believed, forcing me into this desperate course of action. I hope the Heavenly King will forgive me, besides¡¡± Princess Qingpin then shifted her gaze towards the heads of the major Sects: ¡°Although everyone in the Martial World ims to fight against the Sacred Fire Sect, in truth, it is not so. Behind it stand many powerful supporters, and various major Sects have backdoor dealings with them to oppose the imperial court for personal gain. Today¡¯s incident is the culmination of their conspiracies!¡± ¡°You¡¡± ¡°Gentlemen, do not listen to her nonsense.¡± The crowd was startled and angered, ready to speak up, but Li Shaobai stood out again: ¡°Our Sacred Sect harbors no such intentions. The current imperial court is unjust, the foolish sovereign and treacherous officials are colluding, and themon people suffer bitterly. Our Sacred Sect stands as a banner for the people of the world!¡± He then pointed at Princess Qingpin again: ¡°What she says is all nder. She is the one with malicious intent; the imperial troops have already been secretly mobilized and encircled below the mountain, intending to capture Heavenly King Li along with all the heroes of the world in one fell swoop. I implore everyone to discern the truth!¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± Princess Qingpin, not to be outdone, pointed directly at Li Shaobai, saying to Zhou Hai, ¡°Steward, do not believe his words. The imperial court has no intention of troubling Hundred Broken Mountains and Heavenly King Li. On the contrary, it is this Demon Sect that has defied the authority, aspiring to snatch the foundation of Hundred Broken Mountains to establish its base. Not only did it collude with various major Sects, but it also mobilized arge army to besiege us. My father, upon learning of this information, dispatched troops¡¡± ¡°¡¡± ¡°¡¡± ¡°¡¡± The two engaged in a heated verbal duel, unyielding in their debate, while the crowd from Hundred Broken Mountains and the Sect leaders stood by, utterly dumbfounded. What¡¯s going on? The imperial court and the Demon Sect have both arrived, each with an army, now surrounding Hundred Broken Mountains? This was supposed to be a Martial World affair. How did the imperial court get involved, turning the situation into such a mess? ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Where is the Grandmaster?¡± ¡°Such a situation can only be resolved by the Heavenly King!¡± ¡°The troops are at the foot of the mountain, what should we do?¡± The scene was one ofplete chaos, with hidden agendas all around. Meanwhile¡ On Heavenly King Peak, in a room at the back of the mountain. The candlelight was bright but couldn¡¯t dispel the encroaching shadows of twilight. An old woman with white hair, lying weakly on the bed, looked with blurry eyes at the young man sitting beside her and said with difficulty, ¡°Brother, it seems, I can no longer be with you.¡± The young man, with ck hair like ink and a stern face, exuded a majestic aura from inside out, sitting beside the bed gripping the old woman¡¯s hand without a word. Li Hongyu also gripped his hand tightly: ¡°Brother, over the years, you have taken on too many burdens. I¡¯m useless, unable to master martial arts or handle ounts, not only failing to help you but also dragging you down. I¡¯m sorry, so sorry¡¡± Xu Yang shook his head: ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± Li Hongyu managed a difficult smile, looking relieved and rxed at him: ¡°I know, you are no ordinary person. That my second brother and I could follow you is the greatest fortune of our lives. Now, we have enjoyed that fortune. If there is an afterlife, I¡¯d still wish to be your little sister, is that okay?¡± ¡°¡¡± It took a while for Xu Yang to respond: ¡°Agreed!¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s a promise, don¡¯t deceive me!¡± Seeing Xu Yang agree, Li Hongyu rxed further. Her eyes, gazing upward, began to grow hazy as she murmured, ¡°Brother, look, second brother hase to meet me, and there¡¯s dad, mom, even Dahuang¡¡± Her voice trailed off softly as her blurry eyes gradually lost their sparkle, and her tightly gripping hand ckened. ¡°Miss!!¡± ¡°Ancestor!!¡± Seeing this, the Li Family members behind her immediately knelt down and cried in unison. Xu Yang remained silent, sitting quietly beside the bed. After a long time, he reached out his hand and gently closed those lifeless eyes. He then rose and walked away without paying any heed to the openly weeping crowd, whether their grief was genuine or feigned. Time is merciless, and on the road to immortality, there are bound to be regrets. Xu Yang did not want those regrets tost forever, nor did he want to remain powerless. Thus, he sought to be stronger, grasp power step by step, and take control of his destiny! Chapter 25 - 18: Entrance_1 25 Chapter 18: Entrance_1 Trantor: 549690339 In the Hall of Righteous Gathering, the noise gradually subsided, and the pattern became clearer. East-bound Escort Agency, Golden Jade Hall, and other escort bureau merchants stood together, siding with Hundred Broken Mountains. Shaolin, Wudang, E¡¯mei, Kunlun, as well as Kongtong and other sects formed a group, representing the Martial World faction. Then there was Princess Qingpin leading the imperial troops, and Li Shaobai with his Sacred Fire Sect followers, each forming their own faction. The four factions stood divided, their expressions bizarre, and the atmosphere even more subtle. After a moment of silence, someone could no longer hold back and turned their eyes to Zhou Hai, ¡°To this point, if Heavenly King Li does not make an appearance, I¡¯m afraid tonight this Hundred Broken Mountains will be awash in blood!¡± As soon as these words were uttered, all eyes gathered on Zhou Hai. Indeed, as stated, such a situation could only be resolved by the appearance of a key figure who could decide the overall situation. And on Hundred Broken Mountains, there had always been only one person who could decide the overall situation, and that was¡ ¡°Tap!¡± A soft footstep, barely noticeable, but with all the presentpany being who they were, instantly startled and turned around, looking towards the door. Just then a person entered, striding in with ease, a tall and majestic young man with an awe-inspiring presence. ¡°This¡¡± Upon seeing this person enter the hall, everyone from all factions was stunned, their eyes filled with confusion. ¡°Who is this man?¡± ¡°From which faction does hee?¡± ¡°Moreover, was this porridge not chaotic enough already?¡± The crowd furrowed their brows, filled with shock and doubt, until the neer crossed the center hall and ascended a high tier, turning to sit down on the dragon-head chair. ¡°This¡!¡± The pupils of the people constricted, filled with astonishment, and the leaders of the various sects, along with many elders, were even more horrified. Even Miao Fang, Wang Tang, and other Hundred Broken Mountains¡¯ sect members were agape with disbelief upon this sight. Only Wang Hai, the chief steward, looked as usual, bowing to the seated youth, ¡°Heavenly King!¡± These words caused an uproar in the entire hall. ¡°How is that possible?¡± ¡°He is Heavenly King Li?¡± ¡°What a joke!¡± ¡°Could they be fooling us?¡± ¡°Surely this is deception and bluster!¡± Everyone was in disbelief regarding the neer¡¯s identity, except the leaders of the major sects and a few renowned figures of the Martial World who were deeply furrowing their brows, filled with doubt. The public¡¯s reaction was no surprise, for who in the world did not know Heavenly King Li of Hundred Broken Mountains? He had been renowned for over seventy years, his reputation shaking the south and the north, echoing from the east to the west, living as a martial arts legend, a Peerless Master. How could this legendary figure, nearly a hundred years old, possibly be the young man before them? Could there really be a technique in this world for reversing age, to achieve immortality and eternal youth? Or was it just the Trickster Prince, a deceptive ruse? Naturally, people were more inclined to believe thetter, for if not, the matter would be far too terrifying. Yet¡ ¡°No, this man certainly is not Heavenly King Li!¡± ¡°Fifteen years ago, when Heavenly King Li was at Shaolin to challenge the Three Crossing Divine Monk, I had the fortune to catch a glimpse of him. Then, Heavenly King Li was clearly an old man with white hair and beard, with an immortal-like demeanor!¡± ¡°Why would this person pretend to be Heavenly King Li? What exactly is Hundred Broken Mountains trying to achieve by doing so?¡± ¡°What else could it be? At a hundred years old, his vital energy depleted, how could he withstand such a force? They had to find a substitute to deceive and impress. Who would have thought, who would have thought, that the illustrious Hundred Broken Mountains woulde to such a pass¡¡± ¡°Master Kongjian, I heard that fifteen years ago, Heavenly King Li went to Shaolin to challenge the Three Crossing Divine Monk, and you four were there to witness. You should know best, is this man really¡¡± ¡°Amitabha!!!¡± The voices of the crowd¡¯s astonished discussions were overwhelmed by a resounding Buddhist chant. Shaolin¡¯s abbot Kongjian stepped forward with his staff and performed a Buddhist salute, ¡°Heavenly King Li has achieved a level of skill that alters creation, reversing the cycle of life and death, rejuvenating himself. He can now stand shoulder to shoulder with our sect¡¯s Bodhidharma. This humble monk admires, truly admires!¡± ¡°This¡!¡± As these words came out, the hall was in an uproar once again. ¡°Truly Heavenly King Li?¡± ¡°What kind of joke is this?¡± ¡°Reversing age, immortality, and eternal youth?¡± ¡°Is there such martial skill in the world?¡± ¡°Why have I never heard of it?¡± ¡°Impossible, impossible, absolutely impossible!¡± The crowd was in shock, unable to believe it. Only the outer disciples of Hundred Broken Mountains epted the fact and immediately prostrated themselves, ¡°Congrattions to our Grandmaster for the great achievement of his Divine Skill!¡± Xu Yang shook his head, remained silent, and merely waved his hand for them to stand aside, then turned his gaze towards the leaders of the various sects and the numerous renowned figures of the Martial World, ¡°Shaolin, Wudang, E¡¯mei, Kunlun, as well as Kongtong, Beggar¡¯s Guild, Witch Mountain Sect, Divine Sword Manor¡ You have all arrived quite promptly.¡± ¡°¡¡± As soon as these words were spoken, a sense of foreboding surged in everyone¡¯s heart. Was he about to settle ounts? Of course, it was time to settle ounts! If it had been before, they would not fear being held ountable, because they had long been prepared to fall out with Heavenly King Li and even to engage in a fight, otherwise, they would not have dared toe to Hundred Broken Mountains to cause trouble during his birthday celebration. The crowd had such confidence because this martial arts legend was nearly a hundred years old. Even though he had once been invincible in the Martial World, no one can withstand the merciless ravages of time. At the age of a hundred, no matter how high his martial skills were, when faced with the major sects united and wearied by rotation in battle, they could still exhaust him to death. ¡°` But now, gazing at Xu Yang, whose hair was as ck as ink and who bore a striking and majestic appearance, everyone fell into silence. Could this still end in death? Even if it did, how much would they have to pay? Damn it, why did the traitor arranged within the Hundred Broken Mountains know nothing of such an important matter, leaving thempletely unprepared? The crowd felt annoyed in their hearts, and the pressure on their shoulders grew heavier. But silence wouldn¡¯t solve the problem, and Kongjian, the abbot of Shaolin, could only pluck up his courage and step forward to say, ¡°Heavenly King¡¯s mastery over creation is beyond mortal, and none of us wish to disturb the Heavenly King, to again mix in these worldly matters, yet the actions of the Heavenly King¡¯s disciples are too overbearing and tyrannical, causing grievances among the various Martial World sects¡¡± As soon as these words were uttered, the disciples from outside the Hundred Broken Mountains turned pale and immediately cursed in anger. ¡°Bald donkey, in the presence of the Grandmaster, you still dare to twist truth and spout nder!¡± ¡°The Grandmaster¡¯s earnest teachings are etched in our hearts, we have never done anything to tarnish our sect¡¯s reputation!¡± The crowd eximed in shocked anger, but were silenced by a wave of Xu Yang¡¯s hand. Xu Yang nced at Kongjian and then turned his gaze to Princess Qingpin and Li Shaobai. ¡°Martial World?¡± ¡°Imperial court?¡± ¡°Rebels?¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Made tough, Xu Yang said in a muted tone, ¡°In truth, you are all of the same ilk, unable to tolerate my man, Li Qing Shan!¡± ¡°¡¡± ¡°¡¡± ¡°¡¡± Once these words were said, the hall became deathly quiet. The crowd was shocked and dared not speak. In the end, it was Kongjian who came back to his senses first, ¡°Amitabha, Heavenly King, your words are too severe, we truly have no such intentions!¡± Both Qingping and Li Shaobai were jolted awake too, ¡°Yes, yes, yes, we absolutely have no intention to cause the Heavenly King any trouble!¡± However, Xu Yang paid them no mind and said with a cold nce, ¡°You can¡¯t tolerate me, yet how could I ever tolerate you?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The crowd¡¯s pupils shrank, showing a look of shock and fright. Kongjian furrowed his white brows, feeling greatly unsettled, but as the Shaolin abbot, he still had to ask, though with difficulty, ¡°What do you mean by this, Heavenly King?¡± Xu Yang gave no answer, his gaze swept across the crowd, finallynding on the leader of the Kunlun Sect, Mr. Iron Sword, He Tianchong, ¡°Fifty years ago, I ascended Kunlun and fought your grandfather, Mr. Three Exceptional. In fifty-two moves, I was victorious!¡± ¡°¡¡± The statement caused He Tianchong¡¯s face to twitch with fury and shock, yet he dared not speak. Xu Yang ignored him, looking next at the leader of the Kongtong Sect, Chen Longfei, ¡°Forty-five years ago, I went to Kongtong. The five elders of Kongtong met me in battle. In forty-two moves, they were defeated by my hand!¡± Chen Longfei: ¡°¡¡± ¡°Forty years ago, at the Beggar¡¯s Guild headquarters, your former leader, along with six of the nine-bag elders and eighteen disciples, formed the Dog Beating Staff Formation. In fifty-eight moves, it was broken by me!¡± ¡°Thirty-five years ago, at Divine Sword Manor, your grandfather with the Yishan Eight Swordsbined, took eighty-eight moves to admit defeat.¡± ¡°Thirty years ago, on the golden summit of E¡¯mei, the thirty-six Heaven Gang Sword Formation, sixty-two moves!¡± ¡°Twenty-five years ago, on Wudang Mountain, the True Martial Seven Sections, eighty-one moves!¡± ¡°Fifteen years ago, on Shaoshi Mountain, one hundred and eight Arhats formed the Vajra Demon Subduing Array, seventy-five moves!¡± ¡°¡¡± ¡°¡¡± ¡°¡¡± As he recounted each incident, the sect leaders¡¯ faces twitched, and their eyes flickered uncontrobly. Over these decades, the ability of the Hundred Broken Mountains to operate freely across the world, establishing escort agencies, horse gangs, merchant associations, and fleets in all directions, depended first on monopolies of several goods like salt, soap, and ze, and second on the martial power of Heavenly King Li. Seventy years ago, after the takeover of the Hundred Broken Mountains, this newly ascended Heavenly King offered a hefty reward for the purchase of martial arts techniques from well-known families across the world. Twenty years thereafter, having perfected his skills, he came down from the mountain to challenge the masters of the world. Mr. Three Exceptional of Kunlun, the five elder gods of Kongtong, and the Seven Disciples of Wudang, the three monks of Shaolin, and even the leading figure of the contemporary Martial World, the master of Divine Sword Manor, all suffered defeats. Thus, the world came to know a figure who made history in the Martial World ¡ª Heavenly King Li of the Hundred Broken Mountains! Now, seventy years had passed, and he had not made a move in fifteen years, causing people all over the world to forget these remarkable feats of the Defence Heavenly King. ¡°Amitabha!¡± With the chant of Buddha¡¯s name, Kongjian lowered his head, ¡°Heavenly King¡¯s divine skill is unparalleled, and we cannot match it, yet the sun and moon shine bright, justice lies within the human heart. If the Heavenly King intends to suppress the voices of the people with martial force, we will neither be convinced by speech nor heart!¡± With these words, he tried to bolster morale, and immediately, someone responded. ¡°Indeed!¡± ¡°Li Qing Shan, with your divine skill unmatched, do you intend to shield your own disciple?¡± ¡°Since ancient times, it is said that wealth cannot corrupt, power cannot bend, how can the people of the world be intimidated by your tyranny?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, everyone. However formidable he is, he¡¯s still just one person; I don¡¯t believe he can kill us all!¡± ¡°Indeed, Heavenly King Li, even if your power is unmatched and peerless, you are still flesh and blood, not steel and iron. Jade Fluid and Golden Core, once your True Qi is exhausted, you too cannot escape your fate!¡± The crowd shouted, forcefully stabilizing their position. Listening to this, Xu Yang smiled and said, ¡°Is that so? Then let¡¯s give it a try.¡± After speaking, his gaze dropped coldly. He looked first at Kongjian and others, then at Princess Qingpin and the young master of the Sacred Fire Sect. ¡°You, you, and you!¡± ¡°Come at me together!¡± With those words, the battle began. ¡°` Chapter 26 - 19: The Pinnacle_1 Chapter 26: Chapter 19: The Pinnacle_1 Trantor: 549690339 All under heaven is in chaos, all for the pursuit of profit. The current situation seems like a tangled mess, but when dissected, it boils down to a two-character motive¡ªinterests! Having sessfully seized the crucial position of Hundred Broken Mountains, and no longer fearing encirclement by imperial officials and various powers, Xu Yang began the journey of trading between south and north, managing the affairs of the world. With the unique geographical advantage of Hundred Broken Mountains and a monopoly on simple, cost-effectivemodities like refined salt and colored ze, he sessfully opened up the markets of the south and the north, aplishing the magnificent feat of bing a world merchant. As such, it goes without saying that the wealth he umted was substantial. Followers of Hundred Broken Mountains subsequently established two major tradingpanies in the south and north, along with four grand escort agencies in the east and west. In addition, they formed eight horse gangs and several fleets to conductnd and sea trade, dealing in salt, iron, food, horses, and even military equipment. They can be said to be rich across the Four Seas, with achievements in all directions. However, in all things, there exists a bnce. When one side rises, another must fall; when one side prospers, another must decline. The rise of Hundred Broken Mountains inevitably encroached on the interests of various parties. The imperial court, the officialdom! The ns, the powerful elites! The Martial World, the factions! There¡¯s only so much wealth in the world, already divided and held by various powers. With Hundred Broken Mountains cutting in and taking over the market, it inevitably had topete, snatch, and even fight with these forces. In the beginning, it wasn¡¯t too bad because Xu Yang¡¯s True Qi was not yet fully formed and his martial arts skills were still shallow. Thus, he employed a strategy of profit-sharing cooperation, ceding significant benefits to coborate with noble families, reputable sects, and even imperial officials, allowing them to also have a share of the profits, which permitted Hundred Broken Mountains to be epted. But as time went on, Xu Yang¡¯s skills were refined, and after he emerged from the mountains and defeated renowned experts of the Martial World one after another, Hundred Broken Mountains¡¯ actions became increasingly overbearing. The offered profits diminished more and more until eventually, he terminated the cooperation, forcefully dominating all major markets and squeezing the living space of the other forces. Salt, iron, grain, silk, horses, medicine, and closely rted businesses such as restaurants, inns, escort agencies, horse gangs, and fleets¡ªwhether it was the noble ns, the imperial government, or the leading sects of the Martial World, the market interests they upied were massively infringed upon and even monopolized by Hundred Broken Mountains. Now who could tolerate this? No one could! But they had to, because there was a towering mountain they couldn¡¯t cross, pressing down on their heads. In awe of Xu Yang¡¯s might that subdued the Martial World, the major powers could only grind their teeth and endure. And endure they did, for decades, until today, when they could no longer tolerate it and were ready to confront Hundred Broken Mountains head-on. After so many years of endurance, why couldn¡¯t they bear it any longer all of a sudden? There¡¯s no other reason¡ªtimes have changed! Decades ago, it was the prime of Xu Yang, and his pressure over the Martial World was unquestionable. Even the imperial court and the royal family acquiesced to Hundred Broken Mountains¡¯ presence after a few instances of Xu Yang¡¯s intimidating visits to the forbidden pce. But decadester, this Heavenly King Li, who once shook the world, had reached the ripe old age of a hundred. How much strength and capability does the once myth of the Martial World, the Peerless Master, still retain after the merciless passage of time? Furthermore, with the imperial dynasty in decline, the end of the era approaching, heroes rising up throughout thend, and regional powers bing established warlords amid the smoke of battle, all forces began investing and betting, joining the strife for supremacy. Naturally, they could no longer tolerate the existence of a mountain like Hundred Broken Mountains above them. Therefore, this situation inevitably came to pass. The imperial influence represented by Princess Qingpin seeks to swallow Hundred Broken Mountains, using the immense wealth umted by Hundred Broken Mountains to support the faltering state of the nation and, in the process, provoke conflicts within the Martial World to weaken all parties. The same goes for Li Shaobai of the Sacred Fire Sect, who covets the immense wealth of Hundred Broken Mountains, aiming to seize its foundation to strengthen itself, overthrow the imperial government, and ascend to the position of emperor. Even the reputable sects and renowned elders of the Martial World, though theyck the scale and ambition, equally covet the wealth of Hundred Broken Mountains, as well as the fame, prestige, and martial prowess that those in the Martial World chase. This is the Martial World! This is the world! All things, everything, at their root, are about those two words¡ªfame and gain. Therefore, Xu Yang says they are all of the same path, people who can¡¯t tolerate his presence, can¡¯t tolerate the presence of Hundred Broken Mountains! But if they can¡¯t tolerate Xu Yang, does that mean Xu Yang will tolerate them? In this world of martial arts, he has reached the ultimate peak, subdued the Martial World for decades, unmatched and unstoppable! But this isn¡¯t Xu Yang¡¯s ultimate pursuit, and the value of this world to him has not yet been fully exploited. Today is not the curtain call of his era, nor the end of his life. On the contrary, today he will unveil a new chapter in the life of ¡°Li Qing Shan,¡± starting¡ªnot creating¡ªa whole new era! So¡ ¡°Come!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see how much you¡¯ve grown over the years!¡± Xu Yang boldly challenged, but below him¡ There was silence! The crowd fell silent, not daring to speak, their eyes filled with doubt and astonishment. If things had developed as expected, they would have unquestionably joined hands and attacked together on the spot. But now, the development of events waspletely unpredictable. Who would dare to make the first move against this Defence Heavenly King, who had suppressed the Martial World for decades and had now seemingly regained his youth and mastered some unfathomable Divine Skill? No one dared! ¡°You dare not?¡± ¡°No matter!¡± Xu Yang, seeing this, was unconcerned. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some courage!¡± With that, he waved his hand. ¡°All those from Hundred Broken Mountains, exit immediately! ¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Grandmaster! ¡° Chapter 27 - 19: The Pinnacle_2 Chapter 27: Chapter 19: The Pinnacle_2 Trantor: 549690339 Miao Fang and the others, upon hearing this, all had a shocked expression. They opened their mouths to speak, but the moment they caught Xu Yang¡¯s eye, the words got stuck in their throats, and they were ultimately forced to swallow them down, bowing their heads and saying, ¡°Yes!¡± After speaking, they sped their hands and withdrew outside the door. With the people of Hundred Broken Mountains gone from the scene, only the various factions of the Martial World, the Sacred Fire Sect, and the imperial forces remained in the Hall of Righteous Gathering. However, no one dared to make a move, and the atmosphere became even more tense; it was clear that no one wished to stick their neck out. Xu Yang was unfazed. He turned and struck with the palm of his hand, not against the crowd but onto the chair behind him. ¡°Boom, boom, boom!¡± Instantaneously, there was a loud crash as mechanisms were triggered and giant rocks fell from four directions, sealing the hall in the blink of an eye. ¡°This¡!¡± The crowd finally reacted, looking at Xu Yang and the Broken Dragon Stones that had sealed off the Hall of Righteous Gathering with a mix of shock and anger, unsure of what to do. Xu Yang, however, remained at ease, ¡°With no retreat, the only choice is battle for life or death. What are you waiting for,e on!¡± ¡°You¡¡± ¡°Fine!!!¡± Seeing Xu Yang resolve matters in such a decisive manner, leaving no room for retreat, the crowd also faced the reality. Only to see the abbot of Shaolin, Fang Zheng, cast a nce, and someone in the crowd, understanding his intent, rose to his feet, ¡°Then allow the junior to experience Heavenly King Li¡¯s brilliant moves!¡± Having said that, he leapt forward, like a dragon soaring through the skies, his palm bearing an unrivaled force, mming directly towards Xu Yang. Xu Yang raised his eyebrows slightly, lifting his hand to meet the palm. ¡°Boom!!!¡± The palms collided, causing a thunderous boom. Tremendous True Qi poured out, creating a visible tidal wave surging in all directions, shaking everyone so forcefully that their Qi Blood boiled and their spirits were petrified. ¡°This is¡¡± ¡°Descending Dragon Palm!¡± The crowd was horrified, but before they could even utter a word, they saw a figure being sent flying back,nding on the ground, and retreating several steps, crushing the stone tiles along the way before barely steadying himself. It was¡ ¡°Guild Leader!¡± ¡°Chen Jixuan!¡± Seeing the person who had taken the initiative, the crowd was even more astounded. He was a middle-aged man, tall and burly, dressed in somewhat tattered clothes which did not conceal his imposing aura. It was none other than Chen Jixuan, the Beggar¡¯s Guild¡¯s leader, who had recently shaken the Martial World with the rise of the Great Xing Beggar¡¯s Guild! This man had been the first to strike, testing the waters, but while Xu Yang stood unmoved upon the high tform, Chen was sent tumbling back, crushing the stone tiles and even spilling a trace of fresh blood from his mouth. The difference in their strength was immediately clear! ¡°Beggar¡¯s Guild?¡± ¡°Descending Dragon Palm?¡± With a smile, Xu Yang shifted his gaze towards Kongjian amid the crowd, ¡°The Shaolin Great Rejuvenation Pill truly lives up to its name!¡± Thisment, abrupt as it was, seemed disconnected at first but everyone present, sharp as they were, quickly understood the implications, and their eyes widened in surprise as they looked at Kongjian and the others. The Descending Dragon Palm of the Beggar¡¯s Guild, renowned as the ultimate expression of yang power, had been lost for nearly a hundred years, only reemerging in the Martial World ten years ago with Chen Jixuan. It was assumed that the Beggar¡¯s Guild had found a great leader for its resurgence, but who would have guessed that there was a connection with Shaolin? It was no surprise, for such a mighty palm technique was easy to learn but hard to master. Without robust True Qi, it would be all form but no substance, nowhere near the power disyed by Chen Jixuan. However, how old was Chen Jixuan, really? Even with extraordinary aptitude and talent, it would be impossible for him to cultivate such a profound reserve of True Qi. Therefore, he must have received a powerful external boost, such as the treasured Great Rejuvenation Pill from a certain temple. To take down Hundred Broken Mountains, those bald monks must have invested heavily! The crowd mumbled in their hearts. Chen Jixuan, paying no attention to them, wiped the blood from his lips, steadied his internal injuries, and with aposed stance, said to Xu Yang, ¡°Heavenly King Li¡¯s skills are of divine creation; I am far from your equal. Nheless, for the sake of the Martial World¡¯smon cause, even if I am to fall in battle, I, Chen, am prepared to fight to the end. Heavenly King, your turn!¡± As he spoke, the air around him vibrated, and waves seemed to surge around him. ¡°This is¡¡± ¡°Congealing Void into Reality!¡± ¡°Qi Transforming Into Gang!¡± ¡°He has reached such a realm!¡± The crowd was startled upon seeing this. It was said that when True Qi was refined to the extreme, it could transform Qi into Gang, making the formless form tangible. Even without using techniques like the Cutting Air Palm, one could injure an opponent from a distance, and when defending, it was as though wearing threeyers of iron armor, imprable by a thousand arrows. Such masters were exceptionally rare. In the past hundred years, the only two people who were definitely known to have reached this realm were thete supreme master of the Martial World, the master of Divine Sword Manor, Yi Shan, and¡ ¡°Descending Dragon Palm?¡± ¡°Now witness mine!¡± With a smile, Xu Yang extended his hand andunched a palm strike that shook the void, his True Qi manifesting visibly. Suddenly¡ ¡°Roar!!!¡± A dragon¡¯s cry echoed, startling everyone. Before they realized what was happening, they saw a bright dragon silhouette emerge, carrying the momentum of copsing mountains and surging seas, pouncing straight towards Chen Jixuan. As the person involved, Chen Jixuan was even more astonished, his eyes nearly popping out in disbelief at the charging dragon silhouette. What is this? What is this!!! A Descending Dragon Palm conjuring a real dragon? Are you joking? This palm technique has been around for hundreds of years, but never had it been known to produce such a phenomenon. Most masters could only embody the dragon with their robust Qi, unleashing a powerful blow. Even if they managed to realize Gang Qi, at best they could barely produce a tangible palm force. A lifelike dragon that even roars? Do you think you¡¯re some kind of deity? What was happening now¡ ¡°Roar!!!¡± Before his thoughts could settle and his shock subside, the resplendent dragon silhouette had already reached him, overbearing like andslide, crashing down right in front of Chen Jixuan. Overwhelmed by shock, Chen Jixuan had his True Qi surge out reflexively, pouring all his power out in an attempt to counter the monstrous palm force. ¡°Boom!¡± Chapter 28 - 19: The Pinnacle_3 Chapter 28: Chapter 19: The Pinnacle_3 Trantor: 549690339 A thunderous boom echoed in all directions, as the True Dragon fiercely roared and crushed the opponent¡¯s palm strike, carrying the opponent¡¯s body and mming it heavily against the Broken Dragon Stone of the main gate at the back, causing the entire Hall of Righteous Gathering to tremble with a rumbling shake. After a moment of dead silence, the crowd turned back in disbelief, only to see dust filling the air and a body embedded within the Broken Dragon Stone¡ªit was¡ ¡°Guild Leader!¡± Gazing at Chen Jixuan, who was embedded into the stone wall with his life hanging by a thread, the members of the Beggar¡¯s Guild cried out in a shocked manner, and the rest were equally thrown into disarray. ¡°How could this be?¡± ¡°What martial art is this?¡± ¡°Descending Dragon Palm, impossible, absolutely impossible!¡± ¡°Everyone, do not lose yourposure. My three junior brothers, Vajra Demon Subduing!¡± Seeing the souls of the crowd nearly escaping them and their couragepletely lost, chaos would surely turn them into sitting ducks; Kongjian had no choice but to step forward. Before their eyes, the abbot of Shaolin, holding the Vajra Scepter, strode forward to the center with three other Shaolin monks of the ¡®Kong¡¯ generation leaping out behind him in a triangr formation to his left, his right, and behind Xu Yang. With a flick of their kasaya robes, out flew chains of iron, thick and numerous. The three monks moved in unison, thrusting their chains towards Xu Yang from three directions. With their substantial True Qi propelling them, sts of sound erupted in the void, showcasing their power. This was Shaolin¡¯s temple-guarding supreme technique¡ªthe Vajra Demon Subduing Array! Vajra Demon Subduing, a three-sided onught with iron chains whistling like whips on both sides and the back, and Kongjian attacking in unison from the front, leaping high with the Vajra Scepter for a crushing strike, a technique powerful in its simplicity. However¡ ¡°Boom!!¡± A resonating sound, deep as arge bell, set off ripples in the space around it, surging continuously. Kongjian, in mid-air with the scepter in both hands, aimed a mighty blow downwards in a mountain-splitting force, yet the Vajra Scepter, made of Mysterious Iron, was shockingly halted in the void above the opponent¡¯s head, as if blocked by an invisible protective aura. Not just Kongjian¡¯s scepter¡ªall the iron chainsshed out by the other monks were stopped outside, unable to touch Xu Yang. ¡°Twelve Heavenly Guardians¡ªGolden Bell Shield!!¡± Kongjian, clutching the scepter with both hands, his old face turning beet red and his two white eyebrows twitching with the movement of his eyes, squeezed out seven words gradually. No sooner had the words left his lips than the scepter in his hand vibrated with a ¡°buzzing¡± sound, an overwhelming force burst forth, tearing at his grip and striking his body, causing him to lose his hold and be sent flying with the scepter. ¡°Sect Leader!¡± ¡°Senior Brother!¡± Compared to Kongjian¡¯s direct forceful attack, the three monks who were mainly aiming to restrain suffered much less from the rebound, retaining enough strength to act. Seeing Kongjian thrown away, they immediately switched fromshing to entangling, each iron chain wrapping around Xu Yang¡¯s neck, waist, and legs. Despite such entanglement, they were still blocked by the invisible protective aura and couldn¡¯t touch him, but they managed to lock him down for the moment. Seizing this opportunity¡ ¡°ng! A sword strike came whistling through the air andnded on the invisible protective aura, causing a huge ng as if metal had struck metal. ¡°Unified Eight Swords?¡± Xu Yang lowered his gaze, looking at the sword that prated the protective aura and reached his body, then at the middle-aged man wielding the sword, he said with a light chuckle, ¡°You do live up to the reputation of Divine Sword Manor!¡± The master of Divine Sword Manor, the legendary swordsman Yi Feng, clenched his teeth without a word, channeling thest of his Gang Qi through his body, causing the sword that had pierced the aura to tremble and suddenly release a fierce sword Qi. Sword Gang! In this world of the Martial Path, it was the pinnacle of swordsmanship, as well as of cultivation! Only when one¡¯s True Qi reached the Gang Qi stage and the Divine Sword¡¯s Eight Forms were mastered to perfection could one execute the Unified Eight Swords technique. With this Sword Gang, Yi Feng had the confidence to prate pure steel, let alone a body of flesh and bones. But¡ The Sword Gang was released, piercing into the clothing, yet the sensation that followed was not that of flesh and blood, but rather the unyieldable feedback of metal. ¡°You!!¡± Yi Feng¡¯s pupils constricted, but before he could speak, a sh of golden light signaled the shattering of his precious sword, and a powerful force came crashing, sending him and the broken sword in his hands flying instantaneously. ¡°Manor Lord!¡± ¡°Impressive!¡± ¡°Sect Master Yi¡¯s strike hit the mark!¡± ¡°That old devil¡¯s time is up!¡± ¡°Everyone, attack together, take down this fiend!¡± ¡°If he doesn¡¯t die, we¡¯re the ones who will, go all out!¡± ¡°Kill! ! ! Although Yi Feng was repelled with his sword broken, the Sword Gang that pierced through the aura and touched his body greatly boosted morale. The people, with nowhere to retreat, no longer hesitated, drew their swords and rushed forward together. ¡°Heaven Gang returns to the origin qi!¡± ¡°Kongtong Seven Injuries Fist!¡± ¡°True Martial Seven-Cut Sword!¡± ¡°Heaven Gang Breaking Acupoint Finger!¡± ¡°Mysterious Ice Divine Palm!¡± ¡°me de Skill!¡± The scene resembled eight immortals crossing the sea, each showing their divine skills: sect leaders, Martial World elders, and the many experts recruited by the court, as well as the demons and monsters from the Sacred Fire Sect¡ª everyone brought their most powerful techniques to topple the person before them. However¡ ¡°Aoo!!!¡± There was Xu Yang, with both hands channeling, summoning six dragon shadows around him amidst a chorus of dragon cries, shining as bright as the sun. ¡°This is¡!¡± Before the crowd could recover from their shock, Xu Yang pushed with both palms, and the swirling dragon shadows instantly roared out, charging into the crowd with the momentum of six dragons sweeping through all directions, causing a tumultuous explosion. ¡°Boom!!!¡± As six dragons burst forth, the ten directions quaked, and where they passed, explosions and brilliant light engulfed the people. Amidst the destructive force, flesh flew, and numerous were injured or killed. The entire Hall of Righteous Gathering, and even Heavenly King Peak as a whole, were shaken to their core, trembling violently. Chapter 29 - 20: Communing with the Divine 1 Chapter 29: Chapter 20: Communing with the Divine 1 Trantor: 549690339 After the terrifying bombardment had ravaged the area, dust filled the air, obstructing all vision. The once resplendent Hall of Righteous Gatheringy in ruins, on the brink of copse, as if it could crumble into a heap of broken walls and remnants at any moment. ¡°Huh!¡± Suddenly, a strong gust swept through, dispersing the rolling dust clouds to reveal the scene of the battlefield. Amid the devastation, Xu Yang stood alone, surrounded by severed limbs and minced flesh and blood. ¡°You¡!¡± A sound emerged, and from the ruins Yi Feng, leaning on his broken sword, struggled to rise, blood streaming from all seven facial orifices, but he didn¡¯t care as he stared intently at Xu Yang, ¡°Indestructible¡ Vajra¡ Divine Skill?¡± Before he could finish speaking, he contradicted himself, looking at Xu Yang in disbelief, ¡°Even if it was the Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill, it still couldn¡¯t block my Sword Gang, and moreover, the Descending Dragon Palm you used just now was definitely not the Beggar¡¯s Guild¡¯s traditional Descending Dragon Palm. Such power, it has already exceeded the realm of Gang Qi. What on earth are you?!¡± Xu Yang looked at him without a word, clearly not intending to answer. This made him even more unwilling to ept it. Leaning on his broken sword, he tried to stand again, only to cough up another mouthful of blood, ¡°Could it be that, above Gang Qi, there exists a realm, with the power of reversing aging and eternal life¡¡± ¡°NO!? Xu Yang took over the conversation, answering him, ¡°Above Gang Qi, there is no realm. At least, not now.¡± ¡°Then you!?¡± Xu Yang murmured to himself, looking at his Attribute Panel. Xu Yang (Li Qing Shan) Cultivation: Gang Qi Realm Lifespan: 100/280 Skills: Eating, Sleeping, Breathing, ughtering, Hunting, Craftsmanship, Archery, Walking, Hiding, Theft, Reading, Knife Sharpening, Teaching¡ Martial Training (All Kinds of Weapons, Rise with the Crow, Diligence Makes Up Sabotage, Cleansing Marrow, Rebirth, Merging Yin and Yang, Eternal Youth, Prolonging Life, Boundless Life, Integrating Knowledge, Martial Path Communicates with God) Martial Arts: Nine Yang Skill, Nine Yin Scripture, Tai Chi Fist, Chaos Yuan Strength, Descending Dragon Palm, Bone Cleansing Scripture, Tendon-Altering Scripture, Dragon w Hand, Innate Gang Qi, Divine Sword Eight Forms, Mysterious Ice True Qi, Absorbing Skill Great Law, North Star Divine Skill, All-Directing Spear Technique, True Martial Seven-Cut Sword, Tiger-Leopard Thunder Sound Scripture, Cloud Flipping Rain Covering Sword, Sky Shaking Sun Shooting Archery, Indestructible Vajra Divine Skill, Twelve Heavenly Golden Bell Shields, Twenty-Four Golden Chaining Jade Locking Forms, Absolute Power Over The Eight Destions and Six Harmonies¡ In the past decades, aside from managing Hundred Broken Mountains and challenging the world¡¯s top experts, Xu Yang primarily did only two things: practice martial arts and teach martial arts. Through various ways and channels, he gathered martial knowledge from all over the world. After decades of refining, he reached the pinnacle of martial arts, at which point there were no longer opponents in the whole world. And those decades of umtion had also caused the martial training skill to develop many peculiar and even transcendent traits, allowing his martial arts to reach unprecedented heights, achieving a realm that martial artists of this world could never reach, where the Martial Path Communicates with God and transcends the ordinary. But that was just the transcendence and sanctity of martial arts. The skill traits that had currently emerged still couldn¡¯t create something out of nothing to lead him to a realm above Gang Qi, so his cultivation was still within the Gang Qi Realm. As for whether there is a higher realm above Gang Qi, Xu Yang currently couldn¡¯t give a definite answer either. But this was an answer for Yi Feng nheless. ¡°There¡¯s none?¡± Yi Feng¡¯s eyes trembled, hisst bit of determination dissipated, and his forcefully supported body toppled over, devoid of life. A generation¡¯s sword deity had fallen! Xu Yang nced at his corpse and said nothing more, turning to look around. ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡¡± Another sound came from the ruins as several figures struggled to their feet, miraculously survivors, among them Princess Qingping and Li Shaobai stood out clearly. Their survival was not due to their high martial skills, nor was it because Xu Yang had shown mercy, but because of their distinguished status, loyal guards stood in defense, and they were smart enough not to participate in the previous killing. Instead, they had run early to the perimeter near the Broken Dragon Stone, barely escaping disaster by the narrowest of margins. Even though they had narrowly escaped death, the residual impact of the palm strike left them not without serious injuries, spitting out crimson blood and appearing ready to copse any moment. Even so, they still forced themselves to stand. Why not feign death? Because they knew, in front of such a person, pretending to be dead was meaningless. The only way to save their lives was¡ ¡°Heavenly King, please spare our lives!¡± The pale-faced Princess Qingping, clearly badly injured, nevertheless managed to call out, ¡°Previously, Qingping was delusional, not realizing the unbeatable divine power of the Heavenly King and entertaining such disrespectful thoughts, truly deserving death. I hope the Heavenly King will be magnanimous and spare this foolish girl this once. Upon returning to the court, I will definitely report to the emperor and make a decree, no, I will respectfully invite the Heavenly King to be the Grand State Preceptor, with Hundred Broken Mountains as the Protected Holy Gate, enjoying glory for eternity, never to be changed¡¡± ¡°Shut your mouth, witch!¡± Before she could finish, she was interrupted by the equally bedraggled Li Shaobai of the Sacred Fire Sect. Li Shaobai, supporting himself, rushed forward, saying, ¡°Heavenly King, do not believe the deceitful words of this witch. The current court is corrupt, and the halls are full of bad emperors and dishonest officials. With the Heavenly King¡¯s supremely honorable status, if you be a state preceptor for that unworthy emperor, wouldn¡¯t that be demeaning to yourself?¡± Having said that, his legs buckled, and he knelt directly on the ground: ¡°The Sacred Fire Sect¡¯s principle has always been to honor the strong. Therefore, I brazenly ask the Heavenly King to take charge of our Sect, leading the millions of our followers to overthrow the unworthy emperor, and when that timees, the whole world will surely respond, offering food and drink to wee the King¡¯s forces!¡± Chapter 30 - 20: Communing with the Divine 2 Chapter 30: Chapter 20: Communing with the Divine 2 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Heavenly King!¡± Before his words were finished, another was seen weeping and kneeling on the ground. To their astonishment, it was that strapping fellow. He knelt down and cried out, ¡°It was our muddled brains, slicked withrd, that believed the lies of that Bald Kongjian. We colluded with the Hundred Broken Mountains to disrupt the Heavenly King¡¯s centenary feast, a crime deserving death a thousand times over. To atone, the entire Giant Whale Gang wishes to serve under the Heavenly King, from now on, at your beck and call, ready to go through fire and water, without hesitation!¡± ¡°Heavenly King, both the government and the Demon Sect harbor ill intentions. With Your Highness¡¯ nobility, why demean yourself by associating with them? We are willing to serve Your Highness as our lord, to rush to the fore in war, to conquer the Martial World and the great affairs of thend!¡± ¡°Heavenly King, there are still two forces beneath the Hundred Broken Mountains. We are willing to be the vanguard, to smash these chaotic bandits for the Heavenly King!¡± At this moment, the survivors were mostly ¡°quick-witted¡±, so without a second thought, they knelt and surrendered en masse, causing Princess Qingpin and Li Shaobai to twitch at the corners of their mouths,pelled to shout even more loudly. Xu Yang, however, paid them no mind. With a raise of his hand, he sent out a palm strike, shattering the Broken Dragon Stone at the main hall¡¯s entrance, and strode outward without looking back. He was not a bloodthirsty person; to him killing was merely a method, not a goal. Therefore, if one could avoid killing, it was best to do so, for dead people cannot create value like the living can. There were still many tasks to bepleted in this world, many potentials to be unlocked. How could he afford to squander such an important resource as manpower? It must be utilized properly! At the same time, beneath the Hundred Broken Mountains, the cold moonlight fell into the forest, faintly revealing a troop of armored soldiers lying in wait like dormant snakes. ¡°Buzz, buzz, buzz!¡± ¡°Smack!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± In the middle of the military array, a young man with a pale face violently smacked a mosquito biting at his neck, and then said with an irritated face to the unperturbed man beside him, ¡°This damned ce, with so many mosquitoes, is truly torturous!¡± The man, d in battle armor and exuding valor, nced at him indifferently and immediately said, ¡°I told you not toe. If you can¡¯t stand this bit of suffering, how will youmand an army in the future? No wonder Father always says you¡¯re disappointing!¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± The young man with the pale face snorted, ¡°Yes, I am disappointing, but you, aplishing so much, have also not gained any favors. Father is biased, giving all the good tasks to the second brother and letting us assist him. I don¡¯t care, since I¡¯m good -for-nothing, but you, big brother¡¡± ¡°Enough, third brother!¡± The man interrupted him, ¡°Don¡¯t say what you shouldn¡¯t say. You should address him as second brother, not ¡®old two.¡±¡® Having said that, he lifted his gaze towards the forest, ¡°Second brother is shrewd and capable; that¡¯s why he¡¯s entrusted with this responsibility. Father¡¯s foresight is beyond our reach; just do our duties well, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°What great responsibility? They¡¯re just a bunch of bandits and one old bastard. What¡¯s so impressive about that?¡± The young man scoffed, ¡°I don¡¯t understand what Father is thinking, cing so much importance on a gang of bandits, even sending arge force to encircle them. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to capture a few more cities with this effort?¡± ¡°What do you know?¡± The man red at him and said, ¡°These Hundred Broken Mountains stretch extensively; with the empire in its final years, chaos reigns, and themon people suffer. Countless have fled to these mountains, bing bandit refugees. If we can subdue them, after several years of management, we could raise an army of a hundred thousand strong men, a foundation for royal power!¡± ¡°This¡¡± Startled by these words, the young man also realized, ¡°Is it that formidable?¡± ¡°Otherwise why would Father send us with arge army?¡± The man snorted coldly, muttering, ¡°This ce is indeed strategically important. Look at how much money and provisions they¡¯ve umted over the years through trade between the north and the south. Plus, Li Qing Shan is eager to do good and readily epts refugees into the stockade. Now within these Hundred Broken Mountains¡¡± He stopped midsentence and suddenly showed an expression of shock. The young man with a pale face was puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the mountains?¡± The man fell silent for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°Nothing, justmenting. Fortunately, Li Qing Shan was obsessed with martial arts, and under his leadership, the Hundred Broken Mountains was merely a Martial World Sect. If he had ambition for the world, our Li Family¡ would probably have one more extremely fearsomepetitor!¡± ¡°Really?¡± The pale-faced youth was startled, seemingly understanding and yet not, but he quickly brushed it off. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything worth fighting over in this world. Which dynasty from ancient times to the present hasn¡¯t vanished in smoke and clouds after two or three hundred years? There is no dynasty thatsts a thousand years, only families thatst a thousand years. Isn¡¯t it better for us to be a thousand-year-old family? Why bother fighting over the world, a struggle that leaves us here feeding the mosquitoes¡¡± ¡°What do you know?¡± The man red at him, speaking with frustration. ¡°What thousand-year-old family? Stop listening to those ignorant and misguided notions. Do you think bing a thousand-year-old family is so easy, that you can just say it and ites to be, as if you¡¯re an Immortal with the power to reach heaven and pierce the earth?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The pale-faced young man was surprised. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± The man snorted coldly. ¡°The great trends of the world revolve aroundpetition. In an era of great strife, everyone is fighting. If you don¡¯t fight, you¡¯ll die; you¡¯ll be stepped on by others. What thousand-year-old family bullshit? If you were emperor, would you allow any family to tread on your head?¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°In this world, everyone is struggling. You only see dynasties dispersing in two or three centuries, but have you ever thought about how many families have been obliterated, their entire lineage executed during those centuries?¡± ¡°Without enough strength, you simply can¡¯t stand for a thousand years, and once you have that strength, do you still want to hide behind the scenes, manipting everything? After others seize the world, would they tolerate your existence?¡± The man sighed deeply and spoke sorrowfully, ¡°Under the force of destiny, one has no control over their life. Even if you don¡¯t want topete, others will push you, force you, and you must fight. If you do not, you will die. Everyone understands that when the nest overturns, no eggs are left unbroken.¡± ¡°Our Li Family is an example. Our family is toorge, with so many mouths waiting to be fed, many waiting to be cared for. With external threats lurking and internal dangers hidden, if we don¡¯tpete and try to advance, we¡¯ll be waiting for the ughter of others!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why our father led us to where we are today. Do you understand?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The pale-faced young man was greatly shaken and it took him a while to regain hisposure, repeatedly saying, ¡°I understand, big brother. I was ignorant, not realizing these deeper implications.¡± ¡°You must not only understand, but also remember. Keep it firmly in your heart.¡± The man nodded, his gaze distant, looking towards the brightly lit Heavenly King Peak amidst the darkness. ¡°Look at the Hundred Broken Mountains, it¡¯s a bloody lesson. With such stature, such wealth, yetcking the ambition to progress, merely being a Martial World Sect. In peaceful times it may be fine, but once turmoil erupts, it bes fat meat coveted by all, and will surely be devoured.¡± As he spoke, the man alsomented, ¡°I thought Heavenly King Li was a mighty sovereign of this era, who amassed such an enterprise from being a mere bandit. But now it seems, he is only a hero of the moment, possessing such a foundation fit for kings, yet failing to n for advancement, truly living a hundred years in vain.¡± After speaking, he raised his hand and grasped forward as if he wanted to catch something, and only rxed his grip after a long time, speaking solemnly to the young man beside him, ¡°How long can flowers in their splendor, oil bubbling over the fire,st?¡± ¡°Haha!¡± The youthughed at this. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Li Qing Shan came from the lowly origins of mountain folk, so it¡¯s only natural hecks great ambition. Such a foundation fit for kings should rightfully belong to us brothers, to establish an evesting dominion¡¡± ¡°Pfft!!!¡± His words were suddenly cut short by a muffled thud. ¡°Third brother?¡± The man looked up in shock, only to see the youth beside him copsing backward, crashing to the ground with a dark arrow feather lodged in his mouth! ¡°Third brother!!!¡± ¡°Swish swish swish swish swish!¡± As the cry of rm went up, it was drowned out by the whizzing sounds of arrows, which fell like rain, inundating the woodspletely. At the same time, on various mountain peaks, fierce red mes rose, revealing countless armored soldiers spreading across the mountains.. Chapter 31 - 21: Great Zhou_l Chapter 31: Chapter 21: Great Zhou_l Trantor: 549690339 Time flies, and years pass in the blink of an eye. Two hundred yearster. In the border city of the desert, within a slightly dpidated brothel. ¡°The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors were virtuous, their names enduring through the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties.¡± ¡°The Five Hegemons and Seven Warring States stewed in their own spring and autumn chess game, their rise and fall but a flick of the wrist.¡± ¡°How many lines in the annals of history bear their surnames, as countless moundsy deste in Northern Mang.¡± ¡°The seeds sown by our forebears are reaped by those who follow, what¡¯s the use of fussing over dragons and tigers shing!¡± ¡°Bravo!! ! ¡± With the finishing verse set, apuse filled the room. Atop the storytelling tform, a middle-aged man in a long robe, holding a folding fan, gave a rap on a wooden block, opening the tale. ¡°Today, I, the veteran, will share once again, the annals of Grand Ancestor of Great Zhou!¡± ¡°Our Grand Ancestor of Great Zhou, the Most Sacred and Divine Renwen Yiwu High Emperor who established the heavens and the doctrines, named Qinshan, of the Li n, originally from thends of Qinshan,ter moved to Yellow Mountain, born eldest of three sons to his parents!¡± ¡°In the fourth year of the preceding dynasty¡¯s Kangde era, at the age of neen, Grand Ancestor¡¯s parents passed away. He and his siblings were left in poverty without support and were furthermore bullied by their n, forcing them to sell themselves to the powerful Lu Family as servants.¡± ¡°In the seventh year of Kangde, Li n rose to prominence, the Lu Family sought their alliance, and wished to kill Grand Ancestor to secure a tie between the two families. Enraged in defense of his siblings, Grand Ancestor rebelled with sword and bow in hand, exterminating the heads of both Li and Lu families overnight, he then fled to the mountains to start an uprising. The local governments were shaken and all were fearful.¡± ¡°Oh,e on!¡± ¡°Mister Su, you¡¯re making too long of a head start!¡± ¡°Really, you might as well start from the creation of the world!¡± ¡°Get to the main point already!¡± ¡°Exactly, we¡¯ve all memorized this beginning part.¡± Before he could finish, the crowd below erupted inmotion. The storyteller was not annoyed but instead chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t rush, don¡¯t rush; in storytelling, we must proceed in an orderly progression to bring out the excitement.¡± After speaking, he rapped with his folding fan and continued, ¡°At that time, the court was unjust, and the powerful were arrogant, ordinary people could hardly survive. Hearing of Grand Ancestor¡¯s uprising, countless from the surrounding areas flocked to his cause, rapidly achieving a force to be reckoned with, unmatched in notoriety.¡± ¡°Thus, it incited the jealousy of the bandit overlord, Liang Sanjiang. Wishing to lead an army to attack, but before he could, Grand Ancestor took preemptive action, beheading this great viin and seizing the former Hundred Broken Mountains, the current foundation of Heavenly King Mountain!¡± ¡°After obtaining Heavenly King Mountain, Grand Ancestor collected various martial arts from renowned homes, dedicated himself to cultivating martial arts for twenty years, and eventually emerged victorious against all the experts of the world, all the great heroes, thereby bing invincible under the heavens. People of the Martial World trembled at his might, and all proimed Grand Ancestor as the Defence Heavenly King, his power subdued all, with none daring to disobey!¡± ¡°Time flew, and by the seventh year of the prior dynasty¡¯s sessor era, Grand Ancestor reached his centennial celebration on Heavenly King Mountain. Heroes from all over came to offer their congrattions, yet congrattions were a pretense, the real intent was to cause trouble. The major sects of the Martial World conspired at the birthday feast to take advantage of Grand Ancestor¡¯s old age and waning strength to avenge past grievances and annihte Heavenly King Mountain!¡± ¡°What they failed to anticipate, however, was that Grand Ancestor¡¯s martial arts had reached the pinnacle of perfection, surpassing the extraordinary and entering sainthood. Not only was he in the prime of spring and autumn, brimming with vitality, but he had also cultivated martial arts that couldmunicate with the divine. In the Hall of Righteous Gathering, he single-handedly battled against the world¡¯s finest, Shaolin, Wudang, E¡¯mei, Kunlun, the four monks, and five veterans, the divine swords crisscrossing inbat, all falling before Grand Ancestor¡¯s divine martial power, miserably defeated.¡± ¡°With Martial Path Communicates with God, Grand Ancestor¡¯s Cultivation was awe-inspiring, unmatched in the Martial World. However, the world was vast, extending far beyond the Martial World. To the north, the Fake dynasty; to the south, the Demon Sect; both coveted the foundation of Heavenly King Mountain. Three days after the centennial feast, both sidesunched an army of a hundred thousand soldiers, attacking Heavenly King Mountain from the north and the south.¡± ¡°But who was Grand Ancestor? The whole world¡¯s situation was within his understanding; how could he be unaware of the Fake dynasty¡¯s and Demon Sect¡¯s ambitions and plots? Long before, within Heavenly King Mountain, he had forged an army through martial arts. Three thousand Mysterious Armor Warriors emerged like dragons, easily defeating the formidable armies, taking countless enemy heads.¡± ¡°After the victorius battle of Heavenly King Mountain, Grand Ancestor led his forces north and south, overthrew the Fake dynasty, eradicated the Demon Sect, pacified the traitors, and established a new era ¨C that is ¡®Great Zhou¡¯!¡± ¡°Bravo!!!¡± Though these were oft-told tales and history repeated, the storyteller¡¯s skill was solid. Under his vivid narration, the audience listened with relish and apuded unanimously. ¡°Snap ! ¡± The storyteller rapped his folding fan and continued, ¡°Grand Ancestor attained the Martial Path through strength, and likewise, Great Zhou was established by martial might. Hence, after the founding, the Martial Path became Great Zhou¡¯s national foundation, pioneering a system that explored the mysteries ot the human body¡ªthe Martial Path Three Realms!¡± ¡°The Martial Path Three Realms: first realm to condense and cultivate Qi Blood, generating internal hidden strength; second realm to solidify this energy into True Qi; third realm to turn the intangible into tangible, achieving True Gang, each realm symbolizing an ascent to a new dimension.¡± ¡°Grand Ancestor¡¯s skills were profound and he reached a peak of perfection, entering a realm beyond mortals and into sanctity, but he still felt that the Martial Path was infinite and there was journey ahead. Therefore, after founding the nation, hepiled his lifelong martial arts knowledge into an unparalleled scripture ¨C the Great Zhou Martial Scriptures!¡± ¡°The Great Zhou Martial Scriptures epassed all of Grand Ancestor¡¯s knowledge, capturing the essence of martial arts from all over the world. Grand Ancestor used this to set up martial arts across the realm, desiring to enlighten the people and create a world of martial arts. By harnessing the wisdom of the world for collective progress, and constant innovation, he sought to carve a path forward for martial arts and glimpse the realms beyond True Gang.¡± ¡°However¡¡± The storyteller¡¯s voice paused mysteriously, sweeping his gaze across the audience, a hint of yfulness in his eyes, he continued, ¡°Though the people endure hardship and their wisdom is yet to be enlightened, spreading martial arts across the world is a formidable challenge, Thus, Grand Ancestor established three major national policies: centralizednd ownership, agricultural reform to enhance production, and the liberation of the people¡¯s energies¡¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Before he could finish, a cold snort sounded from below, ¡°This tant confiscation and exploitation are made to sound so appealing, truly the epitome of shamelessness!¡± ¡°Hmm!?¡± With that, the mood chilled instantaneously. The audience turned with puzzled frowns toward the source of the voice, a middle-aged man dressed in a schr¡¯s gown. Only the storyteller remainedposed, smiling calmly at the man as he queried, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®tant confiscation and exploitation¡¯?¡± Chapter 32 - 21: Great Zhou 2 Chapter 32: Chapter 21: Great Zhou 2 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Hmm!¡± This person was also fearless, speaking coldly, ¡°The ancestral fields of others are the result of generations of toil and sweat, umted through hard work. Youmandeer them with just an order, if this isn¡¯t robbery, what is? And you still have the face to im it¡¯s to relieve the people¡¯s burdens. I see it¡¯s clearly for the Li Family¡¯s empire, seizing the benefits of the people to stabilize their own foundation!¡± At these words, the crowd was even more shocked, looking at that person in doubt and fear, not daring to speak. ¡°Ha ha!¡± Only the storyteller on stage didn¡¯t care at all and instead asked the audience, ¡°Do you know why, throughout history, most dynasties couldn¡¯tst more than two to three hundred years before they inevitably fell apart, disappearing like smoke and clouds?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The crowd hesitated, afraid to answer. The storyteller smiled, ¡°It is because noble families became powerful, arrogantndowners amassednds under heaven, monopolizing the good fields of thousands of families, yet did not pay the taxes of those thousands, while thendless people bore heavy taxes. Life was hard for them, and with no other choice, they rose up to recreate heaven and earth!¡± Having said this, the storyteller turned his gaze back to the man, speaking with icy words, ¡°You parasites of the state, consuming the fat of the people, fattening yourselves, yet speaking of sweat and toil, deceiving yourselves and others, utterlyughable!¡± ¡°You¡!¡± ¡°p!¡± Enraged, the man wanted to retort, but the storyteller cut him off with a p of the block of wood used to keep time. ¡°Grand Ancestor nationalized allnd, distributing it equally among the people, ensuring that farmers had their fields, weavers their looms, residents their homes, and young and old had support. Themoners were no fools; they were well-fed and clothed without worries, and then had the excess energy to study and practice martial arts, enlighten their minds, and strengthen their bodies!¡± The storyteller nced coldly at the confounded middle-aged Confucian schr, ¡°This is the fundamental strategy for nation-building, an act in ordance with natural and human principles. Those who tried to stop the inevitable were long since turned to dust and ashes. You remnant evildoers, however, still harbor malevolent intentions. Do you not know that the of heaven is vast and unfailing, sparse yet letting nothing slip through?¡± ¡°You¡!¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Furious, the man¡¯s face turned the color of iron, but the storyteller paid him no mind and continued, ¡°Agriculture is the foundation of all under heaven, andnd is the root of farming and sericulture. When Grand Ancestor implemented this policy, it greatly relieved the burdens on the people. Furthermore, he selected great farmers and craftsmen from across the country, bringing together the diverse seeds from the Four Seas to develop farming and sericulture, and with the power of these sectors, pushed forward industry andmerce¡¡± ¡°Thus, all under heaven were prosperous, the people were wealthy, and no longer suffered from the worries of survival or the difficulties of food and clothing. Grand Ancestor¡¯s great n to establish martial arts throughout the nation was finally put into action. The Great Zhou Martial Scriptures spread far and wide; from the elderly to the youngest children, everyone understood the wonders of the Martial Arts Scripture and benefited from it. The strength of the people surged, and the power of the nation soared.¡± ¡°It is precisely because of this strategy that brought immediate benefits and will continue to benefit generations toe; our Great Zhou has been established for two hundred years but still enjoys the prosperity of its spring and autumn period, thriving and advancing day by day. Abroad, it has expanded its territory and subdued all directions; at home, all under heaven are prosperous and the nation is peaceful. In this age of martial arts, everyone is like a dragon. Such a scene, how could you lowly opportunists ever achieve The storyteller smiled, then addressed the crowd, ¡°The Great Zhou Martial Scriptures are the essence of our Great Zhou Country, initiallypiled by Grand Ancestor,bining all that he learned in his life. After the spread of martial arts throughout the nation, countless brilliant sessors emerged, who drew inferences from one another and continuously innovated.¡± ¡°Up until now, the Great Zhou Martial Scriptures aren¡¯t just the work of Grand Ancestor, but also the collective effort of hundreds of millions of our Great Zhou¡¯s citizens, numerous martial artists, schrs, grandmasters, and prodigies. It¡¯s a testament to pooled wisdom and painstaking effort, arguably the greatest book under heaven from ancient times to the present day.¡± ¡°There are currently twelve scrolls in the Martial Scriptures, with the Power Scroll as the main outline. As the name implies, it¡¯s the foundation of cultivation techniques. When Grand Ancestor integrated natural cycles into his practice, he fused the martial arts of hundreds of schools and created the Nine Yin and Nine Yang, Tai Chi Chaos Yuan, Heavenly Punishments and Earthly Evils, Five Elements and Four Laws. The foundational principles of all martial arts under heaven are contained in this scroll,bining Yin and Yang, perfectlyplete, not only avoiding the danger of conflict but alsoplementing each other, with a profundity beyondpare.¡± ¡°Today, the 18,365 Grandmaster Realm martial artists recorded in our Great 7.11011 are all rooted in this scroll¡¯s Martial Path.¡± Having said this, the storyteller looked back at the middle-aged man, smiling and asking, ¡°Do you know how many martial artists reached the Grandmaster Realm before Grand Ancestor implemented his martial arts policy two hundred years ago?¡± The man remained silent. The storyteller didn¡¯t care and simply continued, ¡°Officially, there were only two people, Grand Ancestor himself and the master of the Divine Sword Manor. Even if you count the hidden potential of major sects like Shaolin and Wudang, they were just a handful!¡± ¡°After martial arts were established throughout thend and everyone was like a dragon, Grandmasters emerged like bamboo shoots after a rain in the two hundred years hence. The number of Inner Strength martial artists and True Qi experts is countless. How could you parasitic rats understand Grand Ancestor¡¯s grand strategy and ambition in this prosperous age of martial arts?¡± The storyteller shook his head and went on, ¡°Apart from the fundamental Power Scroll that outlines the essence of cultivation techniques from the Martial Scriptures, there is also the Soldier Scroll that involves cultivating armor, harmonizing military and martial practices, and the Life Scroll that integrates medical theory and martial arts, capable of prolonging life, detoxifying, and saving lives from injury.¡± ¡°Furthermore, the Fighting Scroll that discusses striking techniques andbat, the Yi Scroll concerned with divination and the art of war, the Formation Scroll on the mysteries of the universe and naturalw, and even the Taoist Scroll that touches upon profound meditation, the unity of the ssics from Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism¡¡± ¡°In short, it epasses everything, leaving nothing untouched. It is not merely a sacred tome of martial arts, but also a remarkable book in the fields of military, weapons, medicine, pharmacology, fighting, technique, Tao, principle, engineering, formation, divination, and arithmetic. The Great Zhou¡¯s people all benefit from the Martial Scriptures, and foreign barbarians desperately seek but can¡¯t obtain even a single scroll.¡± With that, the storyteller stood up, his cold gaze turning to the middle-aged Confucian schr, ¡°You remnants, still wish to be the centipedes that won¡¯t die even when crushed, resisting such a grand trend of the Martial Path and the vast might of heaven?¡± Chapter 33 - 21: Great Zhou—3 Chapter 33: Chapter 21: Great Zhou¡ª3 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Trends?¡± ¡°Heaven¡¯s might?¡± Before the middle-aged Confucian schr could speak, a lightughter was heard from outside the door. The storyteller looked towards the source of the sound and saw a Taoist man in green robe, an old monk with white eyebrows, and a ragged old beggar carrying nine hemp sacks. The three men walked side by side into the brothel, approaching the storytelling stage. The green-robed Taoist held a banner inscribed with Iron Mouth Divine Judgment and said with a light chuckle, ¡°It¡¯s too early to say who holds the great momentum!¡± The white-eyebrowed old monk nodded and said, ¡°Heaven has eyes, the cycle of karma is inevitable, and retribution wille!¡± The ragged beggar. with batches all over his clothes. shook his head and said grimly, ¡°They say the Martial Ancestor of Great Zhou had breadth of spirit as vast as the sea, and he established martial arts across the world, a Peerless Master of extraordinary martial virtues. But why did he exterminate all the Sects back then, not even sparing our Beggar¡¯s Guild?¡± ¡°Could it be¡¡± The old beggar red at the storyteller, ¡°The prosperous age of Martial Path in Great Zhou cannot tolerate us ragged mendicants, feeling that we are an eyesore to His Majesty the Martial Ancestor?¡± With sarcasm and insinuation, one could tell the neers bore ill intent. ¡°Beggar¡¯s Guild?¡± ¡°Ha!¡± But the storyteller was fearless, standing with his hands behind his back, he sneered and said, ¡°Whatever you are, others may not know, but don¡¯t you know yourselves? Cheating, misleading, even harming and exploiting to the extreme, shocking to the eyes. If we were to tolerate you, where would the majesty of nationalws stand?¡± ¡°Hehe!¡± The old beggar just sneered, his expression unchanged and still appearing nonchnt, ¡°The victor bes king, the loser a bandit, if you say it¡¯s so, then it must be!¡± ¡°The king prevails by following the way of the king, the bandit fails by following the way of the bandit!¡± The storyteller stood with his hands behind him, facing them with stern brows, ¡°Therefore, the likes of you shall forever be defeated bandits!¡± ¡°Smooth talker!¡± This time, the old beggar did not retort. Instead, it was the middle-aged Confucian schr who stood up, anger in his voice as he said, ¡°Back when that tyrant raised his army, seeking to take over the world, our Confucian Gate did its utmost to assist him, with many Great Schrs fortifying his realm. Yet, he turned and eradicated our Confucian teachings, a tyrant unmatched in all of history.¡± ¡°What a joke!¡± The storytellerughed, ¡°You so-called rotten schrs know nothing but to form cliques for selfish purposes, to struggle for power and profit. When the country was in decline, you quickly switched allegiance to the new dynasty to continue enjoying wealth and luxury, touting ¡®carrying a basket of food and a jar of drink to wee the king¡¯s troops.¡¯ You are nothing but spineless, Great Zhou was established on martial might, why would we need you to fortify our realm?¡± ¡°You¡!¡± ¡°Shut up, shameless old scoundrel!¡± With a cold interjection, cutting off his words and paying no more attention to the middle-aged Confucian schr whose face had turned ashen, the storyteller turned his gaze to the green-robed Taoist and white-eyebrowed old monk, ¡°What act are you putting on, what specter are you trying to cast?¡± ¡°The Way of Heaven is unfeeling, humanity has its biases!¡± The Taoist Man in green spoke indifferently, ¡°That tyrant trod the path of iniquity, trampling on ethical norms, destroyed our Sect teachings, and with maliciousw and butchering sword suppressed human nature, he will be reviled by the people, and rebellion will arise in a sh!¡± ¡°Maliciousw?¡± ¡°What a joke!¡± The storytellerughed coldly, ¡°Great Zhou was founded on martial might andw as its core, even if the emperor breaks thew, he faces the same punishment asmoners. Over the past two hundred years, three emperors and seven kings of the royal family have put themselves under thew, willingly submitting to execution. How is this considered a maliciousw?¡± The green-robed Taoist also sneered, ¡°Defying human nature, doing the opposite of what is right, if not maliciousw, then what? Li Qing Shan may suppress it momentarily, but can he suppress it for eternity? Human hearts harbor self-interest by nature; him going against this nature, not to mention the people of the world, perhaps even his own Li Family are filled with resentment, hoping for his death.¡± The storyteller¡¯s brows knitted together in anger as he eximed, ¡°Human nature, human nature, if only there weren¡¯t so many of you promoting such reprehensible human nature! To call this Sect teaching and let the likes of you enlighten themon folk, I fear the world would never again see a bright and clear Qiankun, nor a radiant sun and moon!¡± ¡°You¡¡± ¡°Enough already!¡± The Taoist wanted to continue arguing but was interrupted impatiently by the old beggar, ¡°Why say so much, just uproot this nest of the emperor¡¯s hounds to avoid prolonged trouble.¡± ¡°The trend has been set, there¡¯s no need to hurry.¡± The middle-aged Confucian schr shook his head, his eyes fixated on the storyteller on the stage, noting his reactions, ¡°It¡¯s been two hundred years, that tyrant¡¯s Demon skills should have run their course, he should be dead by now, ¡°Whether he is dead or not doesn¡¯t matter.¡± The old beggar also smirked, ¡°He suppressed the world for so many years, so many people wish him dead. Let me tell you, for us to have achieved this extent of influence today, there are many within the court lending us a hand, even members of his Li Family have contributed considerably!¡± The Taoist Man in green stepped forward, ¡°Those who follow the way will be aided, those who lose it willck support. That tyrant, through his malicious actions, has already triggered a world-wide rebellion. With your level of cultivation, why sacrifice yourself for him? Better join us in this grand undertaking. Once we seed, we can share the techniques for the tyrant¡¯s evesting life; wouldn¡¯t that be wonderful?¡± ¡°Humph, a bunch of frogs at the bottom of a well, on the verge of death and still clueless!¡± The storyteller snorted coldly, ¡°Come at me together, let¡¯s see how much you¡¯ve improved over the years!¡± In the midst of his words, the aura of True Gang emerged powerfully, pressing the atmosphere to an extreme edge. ¡°Hmm!¡± The green-robed Taoist¡¯s eyes sharpened as he surveyed the surroundings; the audience that had been sitting below the stage had vanished without a trace, causing his heart to sink. Immediately, he said to the other three, ¡°Attack, let¡¯s make it quick and decisive!¡± ¡°Good!¡± ¡°Kill! ¡± ¡°Pawns of the emperor, meet your doom!¡± Upon hearing this, the three moved decisively,unching their attacks towards the storytelling stage, joining forces to besiege the storyteller.. Chapter 34 - 22: The End_1 Chapter 34: Chapter 22: The End_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Kill! ¡± Four men surrounded the tform, the man in the green robe and the middle-aged schr each drew a long sword, while the white-browed old monk and the old beggar were barehanded. Within the encirclement, the storyteller stood with his hands behind his back, stillposed. Although there were four of them, they dared not be careless. A tremendous surge of Gang Qi burst forth, and theyunched their killing moves without hesitation. ¡°Heaven Gang returns to the origin!¡± ¡°Haoqi Long breath!¡± ¡°Buddhist Law is boundless!¡± ¡°The arrogant dragon shall have regrets!¡± Killing techniques from all directions concentrated Gang Qi into forms, attacking their opponent fiercely. The storyteller justughed out loud, still standing in ce, immovable, with only the Gang Qi condensing into a body protective qi shield to fend off the attacks from all sides. Twelve Heavenly Golden Bell Shields? Yes and no! ¡°Boom!¡± The force of Sword Gang and palm techniques came crashing down,nding on the slightly unstable qi shield, and a thunderous noise shook the heavens. The stone-based tform suffered impact, sting out web-like cracks, with dust and smoke swirling. From the rolling dust, four figures were thrown out,nding in the four corners of the arena, staggering and smashing stone bricks under their feet, barely managing to stabilize themselves. Four against one, and still, the first to attack were the ones repulsed? Why? ¡°After so many years, you still haven¡¯t made much progress!¡± A soft murmur, and as the dust settled, it revealed the cracked tform and the storyteller standing on it with his hands behind his back. As peers in the True Gang Realm, how could the four men¡¯s simultaneous killing moves not harm him even slightly? ¡°Fighting Scroll!¡± Though they had somewhat anticipated it, such an oue still turned their faces ashen, a sight most unsightly. The Great Zhou Martial Scriptures, a peerless marvel with the Fighting Scroll within it. The Great Zhou Martial Ancestor collected various martial arts techniques from around the world, extracted their essence, discarded their ws, integrated and mastered them; unsurpassed inbat and brawling techniques. As the leader of the Great Zhou secret guards and the master of two of the twelve Martial Arts Scriptures, this storyteller focused on two scrolls: one being the Power Scroll, the fundament of the Martial Arts Scripture, and the other being this Fighting Scroll specialized inbat. Hisbat potency was extremely formidable. Now, as he deployed thisbat technique derived from Tai Chi Chaos Yuan, the Twelve Heavenly, Indestructible Vajra, and other martial arts, integrated and refined to form this body protective qi shield, it was not only supremely defensive but also drained the enemy¡¯s Gang Qi and had a rebounding force. Their powerful killing moves failed to scratch him, and instead, they themselves were injured. This was the Fighting Scroll, perfect in both offense and defense, unparalleled in battle. Amongst peers, there was simply no match! ¡°Only through Martial Arts Scripture can one withstand Martial Arts Scripture! ¡± ¡°Only with the Fighting Scroll can one be fearless of the Fighting Scroll!¡± This was the saying that had been most widely circted throughout thend in the two hundred years since Great Zhou¡¯s governance. These four were well aware of this, and if they could, they too would want to counter the Martial Arts Scripture with another Martial Arts Scripture, and match the Fighting Scroll with another Fighting Scroll. s¡ they were unable to do so! Although Great Zhou hadid out a strategy for martial arts to flourish across the world, creating an era of martial prowess where everyone could be as powerful as dragons, elder or youth alike, it did not mean that the methods of the Martial Arts Scripture were widely known to all. The Martial Arts Scripture that spread across the world only included the cultivation techniques for Inner Strength and True Qi. To ess Gang Qi cultivation skills and the True Martial Meaning, one would need to enter martial arts academies officially established by Great Zhou, such as Heavenly King Mountain, the most sacred ce of martial arts in the world. Only then could one learn the Gang Qi cultivation techniques and the core mysteries of each scroll. How could such remnants of rebels dare to enter a martial arts academy? Wouldn¡¯t that be courting death? Of course, they had tried it. They had attempted disguising their identities to infiltrate, or else they had cultivated martial arts seeds of pristine background to send into the academies for training; once they mastered the arts, they nned to transmit their knowledge to them. Yet for some unknown reason, once these seeds and traitors entered the martial arts academies, they either disappeared without a trace or turned coat, defecting directly to the service of the Great Zhou dynasty, leaving them not only empty-handed in terms of martial arts techniques but also defeated by the sweeps of the Great Zhou secret guards¡ª a significant blow, losing both thedy and the soldiers. After several such disappointments, they had no choice but to ept reality and abandon the attempt to infiltrate various martial arts academies to learn covertly, turning instead to other methods to steal the Martial Arts Scripture. Yet, with all their efforts, they only obtained some fragmented pieces, which were far from forming aplete system. Up to now, they still used the more than two hundred -year-old martial arts from various sects at the Inner Strength and True Qi levels. They had neither seen nor much less cultivated the core Gang Qi cultivation technique or the divine True Martial arts of the Martial Scripture. ¡®l¡¯neretore, taced witn a storyteller grounded In tne power Scroll and Skilled In the Fighting Scroll, deeply practicing the methods of the Martial Arts Scripture, even if they were four against one, they held no advantage. Knowing this, why would they stille forth? Did they perhaps rely on something to counter the storyteller¡¯s Fighting Scroll? ¡°The Martial Arts Scripture¡¯s Fighting Scroll is indeed formidable!¡± ¡°But what of it?¡± ¡°You are, after all, just one man!¡± ¡°That tyrant sought immortality, united the world¡¯s forces, advanced the martial path, but even after more than two hundred years, he has not seen sess. The realm of Gang Qi cultivation still marks the peak¡ª we all possess Gang Qi cultivation, and even if the Great Zhou Martial Scriptures are incredibly profound and magical, it¡¯s impossible for one to take on four!¡± ¡°When Gang Qi is exhausted, that will mark your doom!¡± ¡°The Martial Scriptures may be splendid, but they are born from our own martial arts. How much can you win by?¡± ¡°Kill! The four uttered coldly, openly revealing their intentions, and then theyunched another attack. The Great Zhou Martial Scriptures are unmatched, and in singlebat, none of the four stood a chance. But this was not singlebat; they were all Grandmasters in the True Gang Realm. All four joined forces, possessing an absolute numerical advantage, fully capable of ousting the opponent in a contest of Gang Qi, exhausting him before striking the killing blow. This was their trump card; as long as the storyteller couldn¡¯t break the encirclement instantly, they were confident of victory. ¡°Gang Qi exhausted?¡± Chapter 35 - 22: The End 2 Chapter 35: Chapter 22: The End 2 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°What¡¯s the need for such trouble!¡± At this, the storyteller couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°If I can¡¯t take you down in three moves, I willmit suicide right here and now!¡± ¡°Hmm!?¡± Upon hearing these words, all four individuals¡¯ eyes changed, filled with unease. The storyteller paid them no heed and raised his hand, saying, ¡°Pay attention, the first move¡ªFighting Scroll Dragon!¡± No sooner had he spoken than the Gang Qi took shape, transforming into a palm strike that conjured four dragon shadows, which thunderously shook all directions. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°How is it possible!¡± Their pupils constricted as they hurriedly activated their Gang Qi to counter the ferocious dragon shadows. However¡ ¡°Boom!!!¡± A great explosion resounded, shocking all ten directions; amidst billowing smoke and dust, the figures of the four individuals were sted away, striking against a tall wall before tumbling to the ground, coughing up crimson blood and convulsing repeatedly. ¡°Huh!¡± As the wind blew and dispersed the smoke, the storyteller stepped forward gracefully, looking down at the four, now severely injured and unable to get up, he shook his head, ¡°It seems I overestimated you.¡± ¡°Such power¡¡± ¡°You¡ are not Su Changqing!¡± The four, reeling from their grave injuries and a mix of anger and shock, gazed up at the storyteller on stage, ¡°Who in the world are you?¡± Within their shock and anger, there was fear, confusion, and the unwillingness of imminent defeat! They had conducted investigations well in advance, not only aware that this brothel was a stronghold of the Great Zhou¡¯s Secret Guards but even having a clear understanding of Su Changqing, the local leader of the Secret Guards¡¯ power. That is why they confidently came here to encircle and kill him. But now¡ This power, this level of cultivation, it definitely wasn¡¯t the original Su Changqing! If not Su Changqing, then who¡? ¡°It¡¯s bad enough that your martial skills are unimpressive, but to even gather such poor intelligence¡ªlf I were you, I would have long ago died of shame, unable to show my face in this world,¡± said the storyteller as he shook his head and, with a sweep of his hand across his face, revealed his true appearance. ¡°Chen Cejun!¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually you!¡± Seeing the man¡¯s real face, all four were startled, but then they seemed to understand. The Taoist Man coughed out blood, looking at the person on the dais with a bitter smile, ¡°Who would have thought, who would have thought, the illustrious Zhujia of Great Zhou, the general of the Brave Guards, would honor us with his presence in this remote ce, hahaha, we do not feel wronged in our defeat, not at all.¡± ¡°But what if we have lost?¡± As he spoke, he forced himself to stand up and, looking straight at Chen Cejun, said, ¡°The tyrant acts against principle, a widespread uprising is imminent. Today we have been defeated, but you will not always win. One day, you too will suffer aplete defeat, never to recover, hahaha!¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± The middle-aged schr by his side also propped himself up and said to Chen Cejun with a coldugh, ¡°The actions of that tyrant have alreadypletely eroded the support of the people. Right now, many in the court harbor resentment and rage. I¡¯m not afraid to tell you that amongst us there are those stubborn as cockroaches, dead but not stiff. The courtiers have put forth much effort, and even the Li Family¡¯s royal lineage, the current emperor of Great Zhou, has provided much assistance in secret, hahaha!¡± ¡°Naturally,¡± The old beggar alsoughed sinisterly, ¡°Which emperor would want an undying ancestor looming over his head? One would naturally find ways to dispatch him to the heavens. To think that his own rtives would act this way, I wonder how the old ghost feels about it!¡± ¡°Hahaha! ¡± All four erupted in bleak, coldughter, having epted the harsh reality of their defeat, using theirst breaths to sow discord. Chen Cejun shook his head, unperturbed, and simply asked with a light chuckle, ¡°Even if I weren¡¯t here today, how confident would you have been of your sess?¡± ¡°Ten percent?¡± ¡°Twenty percent?¡± ¡°Or thirty percent?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t even have a fifty-fifty chance, did you?¡± Chen Cejun smiled, his hands behind his back, his expression yful, ¡°You had no confidence at all, why bothering here to seek death?¡± Upon hearing this, the four fell silent. ¡°Because you had no choice but toe!¡± Chen Cejun answered for them, ¡°Because the Western Barbarians have received news that Great Zhou will soon dispatch troops against them, to expand the territory. They are scared and restless, so they forced you, theirckey defectors, to n this attack, to strike first and avoid being passive, isn¡¯t that Hearing this, the four remained silent. Chen Cejun shook his head and sighed, ¡°One could have avoided this path, but some insist on being dogs. To end up in such a state, how pitiful, howughable!¡± ¡°You¡¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± His words struck at their hearts, exacerbating their injuries and causing them to cough up fresh blood, unable to sustain themselves any longer. Chen Cejun ignored them, and walked away with his hands behind his back. A team of Secret Guards followed closely, entering in a single file and taking away all four, who were now teetering between life and death. ¡°Pir of the State!¡± Two leaders of the Secret Guards followed closely behind him, reporting in a serious tone, ¡°News has arrived. The Western Barbarians are on the hook. The main force is headed towards the border, and the General of the Piaoqi has already led his army to meet them.¡± ¡°Very good!¡± Chen Cejun nodded slightly and said calmly, ¡°The Secret Guards will move with the army. There must be no mistakes!¡± ¡®Yes!¡± Three dayster, on the shores of the East Sea. ¡°Coo! coo!¡± ¡°Whoosh-!¡± The cry of birds and the surging of waves were a natural spectacle that shook one¡¯s soul, causing an overwhelming sense of insignificance. Atop a sea cliff, on the edge of a hanging rock, a young man sat alone. No one knew how long he had been sitting there; his ck hair had scattered on the ground, and his clothes were worn and tattered by the wind. However, the skin that was exposed didn¡¯t show signs of weathering; instead, it shimmered with a lustrous, jade-like radiance. Suddenly¡ ¡°Whoosh!¡± A massive wave crashed against the shore, the white foam breaking against the cliff, and a sudden gust of wind enveloped the young man who was meditating. His body rose from the ground, hung in mid-air; tangible Gang Qi appeared around him like the brilliant radiance of the midday sun. Then, it condensed to the utmost degree, gatheringyer uponyer, casting him in the light of a celestial being.. Chapter 36 - 22: The End_3 Chapter 36: Chapter 22: The End_3 Trantor: 549690339 Gang Qi condensed into form, retracted into the body, and underyers ofpression, quantitative change led to qualitative change. It gathered at the young man¡¯s Dantian, resembling the nascent suncking dazzling brilliance but containing boundless potential. But just as the limits of concentration were reached, on the brink of sess¡ ¡°Pfft!¡± The young man¡¯s body trembled, blood spurted from his seven orifices, and the solid-formed Gang Qi in his Dantian, pushed to the extreme, suddenly dispersed, coursing through his limbs and body, seeping through flesh and skin to burst into a mist of blood. ¡°Bang!¡± The young man¡¯s body fell heavily to the ground, causing the cliff to shake, fracturing it with innumerable cracks. The young man sat in silence for a long time without speaking, only after a while did he open his eyes, the bloodstains and tattered clothes all vaporized from his body, vanishing like smoke. Afterward, the young man did not stand up; instead, he raised his hand and beckoned. ¡°Ancestor Emperor!¡± ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Patriarch!¡± Immediately, figures flew through the air one after another,nding behind the young man to perform deep bows in reverence. The young man, without turning around, simply said, ¡°Rise.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The crowd dared not disobey and stood up in unison, their expressions tense as they looked at the young man, the cracked cliff, and the fresh blood on the ground. In the end, it was an old man in a bright yellow robe who took the lead and asked, ¡°Ancestor Emperor, what happened?¡± ¡°I failed!¡± Xu Yang shook his head and muttered, ¡°In the critical moment of condensing Gang Qi and forming the elixir, it¡¯s about the spirit¡ªthe spirit controls the body, the body channels the Qi, converting Qi into Gang, holding the elixir in the field. My train of thought was correct, but the power of the Divine Soul is not like the force of Qi Blood; its growth is very difficult. My spiritual power was insufficient to control the Gang Qi, and in the end, I fell short of sess.¡± After speaking, Xu Yang finally turned around to face the people and said, ¡°Therefore, above True Gang, the fourth realm should be Divine Gang. We must find a way to strengthen the power of the Divine Soul, transform it from intangible to tangible, to effectively control the Gang Qi and step into the fifth realm¡ªforming the elixir!¡± ¡°Divine Gang?¡± ¡°Forming the elixir?¡± The crowd paused, filled with a keen interest, and several older members eagerly stepped forward: ¡°Patriarch, is this the path for the Martial Path henceforth ¡°No, this is just my current conjecture. Whether it can be achieved still requires us to walk the path step by step.¡± Xu Yang shook his head, looking at the people with a smile out of the blue: ¡°The rest is up to you!¡± ¡°This¡¡± As supernaturally gifted individuals, they immediately sensed something and looked at Xu Yang with disbelief and uncertainty: ¡°Patriarch?¡± Without further ado, their hearts skipped a beat, and they all knelt down, their eyes filled with sadness and fear. Xu Yang smiled calmly and said, ¡°I am going to die!¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Ancestor Emperor!¡± ¡°Master!¡± With those words, the crowd was even more terrified, uncertain of what to do. Xu Yang shook his head and said calmly, ¡°All human effort is limited, and life has an end. This is the natural order of things; there¡¯s no need for sorrow.¡± ¡°Patriarch¡¡± Although he said this, the crowd could not hide their grief, with some weeping openly on the ground. Xu Yang paid them no heed and continued, ¡°The water that bears the boat is the same that swallows it up. The burden is now passed to you¡ªlive up to it!¡± With that, regardless of how the people reacted, he closed his eyes, and a luminous glow rose from within his body, dispersing, with all signs of life swiftly waning. ¡°Sigh!¡± The crowd was momentarily stunned, not yet recovered when a gust of wind blew by, scattering everything, carrying it off with the wind. ¡°Ancestor Emperor! ¡± ¡°Master!¡± Martial Chronicle: In the year 1723 of the Era, the 217th year of Great Zhou Heavenly Martial, on June 28, the Martial Ancestor Li Qing Shan, on the East Sea shore, atop the Heavenly Martial Cliff, shattered the void, and ascended in broad daylight, thus bing the progenitor of the world, the Martial Path True Immortal! Chapter 37 - 23: Summary_l Chapter 37: Chapter 23: Summary_l Trantor: 549690339 On Dongting Lake, within the canopy boat, a pair of eyes slowly opened, time in chaos, years full of vicissitudes. Zhuanzhou dreams of butterflies, past memories, one scene after another surged to his mind, floating in his brain. Little Yellow Vige, Hundred Broken Mountains, a mountain dweller, a solitary butcher, selling himself into servitude and then defiantly drawing his sword, rallying cries in the forests and afterward walking the world alone, Defence Heavenly King, Peerless Master, founder of a nation, monarch of a golden age, spreading martial ways, carrying forth the past and forging the future¡ ¡°A lifetime!¡± ¡°An era!¡± ¡°Three hundred years!¡± Xu Yang sighed deeply as he stood up and turned to look outside the cabin, washing away the floating dust and powder, the boundless years had passed, and he had be that unremarkable old man once again. In haste, a dream of three hundred years, who knows I am the martial immortal? A lifetime, has ended! Although a little hurried, a bit iplete, on the whole, it was still considered fulfilling. Xu Yang Lifespan: 46/195 Cultivation: Inner Strength Realm Original skills: Eating (Daily Devour One Ox, Strengthen the Body, Prolong Life) Sleeping (Calm the Spirit, Stabilize Foundation and Cultivate Essence, Prolong Life) Breathing (Qi Blood like Tide, Stabilize Foundation and Cultivate Essence, Prolong Life) Cooking (Masterful Cooking, Food Therapy) Fishing (Abundant Harvest, Fortune Goes to the Clever) Boating (Unruffled by Waves, Break Through the Winds and Waves) Animal Husbandry (Alien Beast Taming, Strong and Healthy) Disguise (Change Appearance and Voice, Shrinking Bone, Concealing Presence) Knife Sharpening (Unrivaled Sharpness, Cut Steel Like Mud) Throwing Weapons (Flying Stone Unfeathered, Rushing Rain of Pear Blossoms) Swimming (Muddy Water Jiao Dragon) Dreaming (Zhuanzhou Dreams of Butterflies) New skills: Butchering (Butcher¡¯s Technique) Walking (Swift as Flying) Archery (Never Miss Every Shot, Nine Star Chain) Artisan (Skilled Craftsman, Divine Weapons) Reading (Never Forget After Reading, Inductive Reasoning) Teaching (Patient Instruction, Learning While Teaching, Lead by Example, Spread Martial Ways, Each Person Like a Dragon) Martial Practice (Diligence Makes Up for Lack of Skill, Cleansing Marrow, Eternal Youth, Martial Path Communicates with God, Founder of Martial Scripture) Martial Arts Scripture: Great Zhou Martial Scriptures As the saying goes: knowledge is power, information is wealth! In the world of Great Zhou, the reason why Xu Yang could develop Hundred Broken Mountains so swiftly was firstly due to the golden finger of the attribute panel and skill traits, and secondly because of the transmigrator¡¯s insight, experience, and information reserves. The transmigrator¡¯s insight, experience, and information reserves helped him create arge number of low-cost, exclusive products, with which to open up the market, circte goods throughout thends, and umte massive wealth. Only then could Hundred Broken Mountains be managed, allowing him to collect martial knowledge from around the world, create the Iron Armor de Soldiers, andy the foundation for a regal enterprise. Hence, the importance of knowledge and information. Xu Yang had long set his strategy, wherever Zhuanzhou dreams of butterflies would take him, to umte as much information as possible, to absorb the knowledge of each world, and to enrich his own potential and foundation. Therefore, after the battle of Hundred Broken Mountains, though he had already ascertained the pinnacle of the martial path, suppressing the experts of the world single-handedly, he did not end the life of ¡°Li Qing Shan,¡± instead, he boldly raised an army, vied for dominance of the world, founded the base of Great Zhou, and created a world of the martial way. The power of a collective will always surpass that of an individual, and the operational efficiency of state organs is not something the martial world or sects canpare with. As the Grand Ancestor of Great Zhou, he could mobilize the power of a nation¡¯s citizens and talents from all over for his own use. With countless geniuses and grandmasters at his service, he could pool wisdom and learn from a variety of sources, and the efficiency and capability were beyond imagination. That is how the Great Zhou Martial Scriptures emerged, aption of the essence of a world, the life¡¯s work of countless prodigies and geniuses. The Great Zhou Martial Scriptures are not merely a martial scripture; it is an extraordinarypendium that contains the essence of all domains in the Great Zhou world: cultivation techniques, martial skills, medicine, pharmacology, astronomy, astrology, Qimen Dunjia, Meihua Yishu, divination arts, formation methods, and the ssics of Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism, along with various schrly theories¡ In summary, epassing everything under the heavens, leaving nothing out! Beforeing to this world, Xu Yang was not an extraordinary person nor did he possess proficiency in any specialized field; he was just an ordinary, unremarkable office worker. If not for the golden fingers like the attribute panel and skill traits, survival itself would have been an issue, let alone any rise to prominence. But now, after the umtion of one world and gaining the potentiality of an entire world, his insight and information reserves have seen tremendous growth. Even without the attribute panel and skill traits that could turn the rotten into the miraculous, he could rely on his knowledge to secure a ce for himself and even aim for the world. The current him is no longer a mere transmigrator, but a master of the martial path, reaching the peak, achieving mastery, learned in ancient and modern times, integrating Eastern and Western knowledge ¨C a grandmaster who concurrently practices the teachings of Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism, achieving aplishments in many fields, even to the utmost pinnacle of exceptional talent. This is what the world of Great Zhou, over three hundred years, has contributed to his growth and change, truly enriching him from his previous impoverishment. Thus, the strength of Zhuanzhou Mengdie is evident, representing not just a path of a different life, but also the knowledge, information, frameworks, structures, and resources and opportunities of various worlds and systems. The above is what Xu Yang has gained from this transmigration through Zhuanzhou Mengdie into another world. Everything is so wonderful, with the only slight imperfection being the inability to breakthrough beyond the realm of True Gang and to advance the subsequent martial way and cultivation path. In this Great Zhou world, it truly is a low-martial world; the realm of True Gang is the end of the martial path, with no higher power existing, and all those myriad celestial and divine myths are but empty and illusory, the figments of human fantasy, This is also why Xu Yang suppressed and even destroyed the teachings of the Three Teachings Sects, these people are nothing but pure chatans, useless, and they even hindered his spread of martial ways and promotion of martial system development; it was necessary to strike them hard, eradicate and sweep them away.. Chapter 38 - 23: Summary_2 Chapter 38: Chapter 23: Summary_2 Trantor: 549690339 Apart from striking at the Three Teaching Sect, he also constantly suppressed the noble families, enacted strict and extremely fairws to maximize centralization of power. He shattered the thousand-year-old iron rule that the emperor and the schrs govern the world together, and that imperial power did not reach into the viges, sessfully implemented various major policies, liberated the workforce, increased production, and enhanced industry, agriculture, andmerce¡. Because of this, the spread of martial arts across the world could be sessfully executed. Unfortunately, even though the spread of martial arts across the world was sessful, and an era of martial arts prosperity was established, the creation and exploration of the Martial Path were still arduous. After all, there were no references, and one could only grope painfully in the dark without any clue. The difficulty needs no further boration. Thus, after more than two hundred years of arduous exploration, as Xu Yang¡¯s lifespan was nearing its end, the realm above the True Gang Realm had not been truly developed. He only proposed some hypotheses, such as the True Gang Spirit Condensation and the method of Embracing Core and forming dao that hest attempted in the East Sea. Among the many hypotheses, Xu Yang believed this path had the most hope and potential for advancing. Unfortunately, he still failed in the end. The reason for the failure was that his Divine Soul¡¯s power was insufficient to effectively control the Gang Qi andpress it into a Core. Great Zhou was a world with low martial arts potential, where martial arts cultivation was based on Qi Blood. The Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism sects were all chatans practicing martial arts based on Qi Blood, with no real cultivation techniques for bing immortals. Therefore, the Great Zhou world had almost no methods to empower the Divine Soul, relying only on the most basic practice of nourishing the soul with the body. The stronger the body, the stronger the Divine Soul, but this method was quite limited in effect. Even though Xu Yang had integrated all the martial arts of the world and created an extraordinary work like the Great Zhou Martial Scriptures, andplemented it with various skill traits to forge a physique unmatched in history, the growth of his Divine Soul¡¯s power was minimal, far from the hypothetical level required for the True Gang Spirit Condensation, where the formless bes tangible. Therefore, he failed. Actually, there was a possibility for him to seed because, apart from martial arts, he also had the Attribute Panel and Skill Traits, and the calming and soul-nourishing trait of the sleep skill could have strengthened his Divine Soul¡¯s power. But¡ in the few years before hisst attempt to break through, he had just exhausted a great amount of his Divine Soul¡¯s power. Why did he deplete it? It was used to transmit skill traits, of course. Zhuanzhou Mengdie allowed Xu Yang¡¯s true self and the dream butterfly avatar to share strengths and weaknesses, and to transmit skill traits, even physical items, at the cost of consuming Divine Soul¡¯s power. The importance of skill traits need not be said, as they were Xu Yang¡¯s greatest reliance and were naturally to be utilized. Throughout the two hundred years in Great Zhou, the Divine Soul¡¯s power, enhanced through restorative sleep, was mostly used to transmit skill traits. As a result, by the end, his Divine Soul was weakened, making True Gang Spirit Condensation impossible, and his attempt to Embrace Core and form dao failed. With regrets, he could only resign himself to dissolution, returning to his true self. This was his first time, no, his second time experiencing death! Only the first death was due to an unexpected cmity, while the second was a natural end due to the exhaustion of lifespan. In the Great Zhou world, he had also conducted experiments and data analysis, which led to the following conclusion. A normal person, under the premise of no illness or disaster, has a maximum lifespan of around one hundred twenty years. If one cultivated the Great Zhou Martial Scriptures and reached the True Gang Realm, by relying on the various life-preserving methods integrated into the scriptures such as Sun and Moon, Yin and Yang, Chaos Yuan Qi, Eternal Youth, Jade Lock Golden Gate, etc., the lifespan could be increased to at most one hundred eighty years. That was the limit! Xu Yang was able to live over three hundred years mainly for two reasons: first, his Martial Path Communicates with God, enhancing the lifespan extending effect of the Great Zhou Martial Scriptures, and second, skills rted to diet, sleep, breathing, martial arts, etc., all had life-prolonging traits. Coupled with Eternal Youth, the perpetual cycle, this extended his lifespan to over three hundred years. But that was the limit. After that, no matter what skills he tried to use or what traits he acquired, there was no way to increase his lifespan. Otherwise, he really wouldn¡¯t have wanted to end his life in the Great Zhou world like this. With this, he also discovered something else, that the generation of skill traits seemed to have a certain rtionship with the world¡¯s power level. In Great Zhou, a low-level martial world, the best skill traits generated were ¡°Martial Path Communicates with God¡± and ¡°Eternal Youth.¡± Traits like Zhuanzhou Mengdie, which are considered miraculous and inconceivable, had never appeared. Otherwise, if a trait like ¡°Immortality¡± were to be generated, then wouldn¡¯t Xu Yang live much more than just three hundred years? This also revealed how deep the waters of the real world were, how strong the extraordinary powers that existed within it were. I digress, back to the point, if his life had been long enough, and he waited for the Divine Soul to recover, then Xu Yang might truly have been able to step into the fourth realm of the Martial Path, True Gang Spirit Condensation, or even the fifth realm, Embracing Core and forming dao. To end it hastily now feels inevitably regrettable. Of course, it¡¯s just a slight regret. In fact, Xu Yang had already mastered the powers of the fourth realm of Martial Path, True Gang Spirit Condensation. Why? Because¡ªMartial Path Communicates with God! This was one of the traits of his martial skills, and as the name suggests, it meant that the Martial Path couldmunicate with God. This ¡®god¡¯ is not the god of Immortal Gods, but the god of Divine Intent and Divine Skills. As long as one cultivates a martial art to a certain level, it can endow the martial art with ¡°Divine Intent¡± and ¡°Essence,¡± thereby turning decay into a miracle, creating many profound and even miraculous effects. For example, the Descending Dragon Palm. A regr Descending Dragon Palm could at most unleash a single st of Gang Qi, but the Martial Path Communicates with God¡¯s Descending Dragon Palm could project a lifelike dragon shadow, with its power, range, and area of effect increased several folds, and it also carried the daunting Divine Dragon¡¯s Might, capable of intimidating opponents. It could almost be described as a Martial Divine Skill. ording to Xu Yang¡¯s conjecture, after reaching the fourth realm, True Gang Spirit Condensation, all martial artists would have this ability¡ªto bestow their martial arts with Divine Intent and Essence, turning decay into a miracle, Imown as the Art of Martial Divine Skills. Thanks to this trait, Xu Yang was in essence already a martial artist of the fourth realm, True Gang Spirit Condensation. If not for the damage to his Divine Soul, he might have been able toplete the final step of Embracing Core and forming dao, entering the fifth realm. At that time, his lifespan would surely have increased again. Although the effort fell short in the end, it did not affect the value of this trait. Martial Path Communicates with God, bestowing Divine Intent, not only allowed him to master the power of True Gang Spirit Condensation ahead of time, but also provided the potential for continuous enhancement in the future. After all, Divine Skills too have their high and low points, strengths and weaknesses. The Martial Divine Power of True Gang Spirit Condensation is at most a lesser Divine Skill, not even counting as a minor Divine Power. It might be effective for scaring martial artists of the mundane world of Great Zhou, but against Cultivators from the Cultivation World or the heavens-spanning Immortal Gods of the Divine Demon World, it would be nothing. Martial Path Communicates with God not only allows one to attain minor mana and minor Divine Skills but also holds the potential and hope of achieving great mana and Great Divine Powers. It was one of Xu Yang¡¯s most valuable gains in the Great Zhou world. He consumed nearly a hundred years of Divine Soul¡¯s power to transfer it, indicating its high level. Apart from Martial Path Communicates with God, Xu Yang also transferred four other traits: ¡°Diligence Makes Up Sabotage,¡± ¡°Cleansing Marrow,¡± ¡°Eternal Youth,¡± and ¡°Founder of Martial Scripture.¡± ¡°Diligence Makes Up Sabotage¡± and ¡°Cleansing Marrow¡± need no further exnation¡ªone increases cultivation efficiency, and the other improves martial aptitude, both beneficial traits for pursuing the Martial Path. ¡°Eternal Youth¡± is equally important, preserving youthfulness and peak condition. As for the ¡°Founder of Martial Scripture,¡± that¡¯s even more incredible. Besides increasing both the speed and effectiveness of the Great Zhou Martial Scriptures¡¯ cultivation, it also epasses the trait of ¡°Remove Husk and Keep Grain¡± to absorb various martial arts, enhancing and deepening the power and potential of the Great Zhou Martial Scriptures continuously. The current Great Zhou Martial Scriptures, even though they are just an ordinary cultivation manual, as long as Xu Yang keeps experiencing Zhuanzhou Mengdie, traversing countless worlds, and integrating the martial arts from these worlds into it, it will continuously evolve and transform, ultimately transcending the mundane to be Divine Demon Martial Arts, on par with those of Immortal Gods and Demons! At this thought, Xu Yang felt an urge to fall back asleep and embark on a second dreamlike life, to explore a second wondrous world. But after some consideration, he didn¡¯t immediately do so. The umtion from three hundred years in the Great Zhou world needed some time to digest after being brought into reality. There were also some minor matters to attend to in the real world. Moreover, the psychological and spiritual changes from living two lives¡ He decided to take a few days to sort out the trivial matters in the real world, gather some essential supplies for life, adjust his mental and psychological state, and then embark on the second dreamlike life anew. Chapter 39 - 24: An Exploration_l Chapter 39: Chapter 24: An Exploration_l Trantor: 549690339 The next day, at the fish market, inside a small tavern. ¡°Yo, Old Xu, still not dead yet?¡± ¡°Your body is still so robust!¡± ¡°Here to drink again today, did you catch a soft-shelled turtle?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t we ever catch one? All we get are stinking fish and rotten shrimp, bad luck!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand, you can¡¯t catch turtles withs, you must fish for them!¡± ¡°Old Xu has lived so many years, he may not have many skills, but fishing for turtles is his unmatched specialty.¡± ¡°Master Xu, it would be great if you could pass this skill to me. I¡¯d recognize you as my godfather and take care of you in your old age.¡± ¡°In your dreams¡¡± Xu Yang, wearing a straw raincoat and a bamboo hat, was tucked away in a corner, minding his own business, eating and drinking, ignoring the other patrons¡¯ jokes andughter, quietly enjoying this rare leisure time. Zhuanzhou Mengdie, the flow of time was different, he had spent more than three hundred years in Great Zhou, and nearly a year had passed in reality. That year had been very challenging for him because of the significant difference in the flow of time. He had to maintain a dream state for extended periods, or his alter ego in Great Zhou would be left uncontrolled, leading to thirst and starvation. Especially at the beginning, he had not yet established any base like Hundred Broken Mountains. In Little Yellow Vige, where hey low, silently umting power, in the real world, he could only eat rough rice and drinkke water directly. Later, when the rice ran out, he had to enter the water himself or let the Fish Eagle catch various fish and shrimp for him. He didn¡¯t have time to cook and would swallow them raw, living truly like a wild man, consuming raw meat and blood. After his alter ego took over Hundred Broken Mountains, practiced martial arts, improved skills, and gained the ability to fast, things got slightly better. But even then, life in the real world was still hurried and stressful. Aside from food and water, he had to deal with some trivial matters to prove he was still alive. If he hadin in his boat for more than three hundred days, ignoring everything, someone would have indeede to check on his unusual behavior. Do not doubt; the surveince of the lower-ss citizens in this world is precisely that strict because this is not an ordinary world. It is a world where extraordinary and transcendent powers exist, and there are tales of ¡°serendipitous adventures.¡± Common folk encountering such opportunities to suddenly ascend to great heights is not umon. As a result, various powers are very strict and sensitive in their surveince of ¡°anomalies.¡± Should unusual and extraordinary events ur within their domain, they will undoubtedly attract attention and investigation. Having fished on Dongting Lake for decades, Xu Yang had heard many such stories, most of which were false rms. However, the various powers still pursued them persistently, even intensifying their efforts. In response to this, Xu Yang could understand. Living in a world where the extraordinary could manifest, and possessing some strength himself, it was only natural to seek and pursue these opportunities at all costs; otherwise, how could he live up to himself? Therefore, strict surveince was an expected course of action. It would be problematic if they were indifferent. For the same reason, Xu Yang always acted with low profile, never revealing any anomalies, and being an honest fisherman on Dongting Lake while secretly amassing strength, waiting for a twist of fate toe. The opportunity had now arrived, but Xu Yang still had no intention of revealing himself because he had umted less than a year¡¯s power in the real world, not like in Great Zhou where he was unmatched and revered in the Martial Path for a century. His shallow cultivation of Inner Strength offered him no sense of security. So, he would remain an honest fisherman, maybe trying to find a way to change his identity and let ¡°Old Xu¡± retire with grace. As for leaving Dongting and living in hiding, that still wasn¡¯t within his considerations. Aside from the need for various supplies, just the risk alone was something Xu Yang didn¡¯t want to shoulder. This was a world where superhuman powers existed, and the deep forests were not safe, but rather more dangerous. How could Xu Yang leave the waters of Dongting Lake, which he knew so well, to seek refuge in such ces? Dongting Lake was his stronghold, the ce he knew best and the safest. For this reason, he had specifically worked hard in the East Sea of the Great Zhou world, developing his swimming skills and acquiring a powerful trait called ¡°Muddy Water Jiao Dragon¡± which he transferred back. If all went as expected, he would stay here until his strength could no longer improve and then consider leaving to seek a new ce for cultivation. So¡ ¡°Dang dang dang!¡± ¡°The Goldfish Gang has amand, everyone, immediately gather at the entrance of the fish market, do not bete!¡± A series of piercing gong sounds rang out, startling everyone inside the tavern. Xu Yang furrowed his brow. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± ¡°Such amotion¡?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an order from the Goldfish Gang, let¡¯s hurry, don¡¯t dy!¡± ¡°Exactly, angering those elites is something we cannot afford.¡± Seeing this, the people did not dare to dy and got up one after another to gather at the entrance of the fish market. Xu Yang also silently stood up, shouldered his fish basket, and walked outside. The fish market, just a small market, was not veryrge and had no fences, allowing free entry and exit. But not now, as outside the market there was arge troop of people, encircling the small fish market tightly. Seeing this, everyone was a bit panicky and hurried to the entrance of the fish market, with Xu Yang blending in with them. Although such a disy was rare, it had urred a few times over the decades, usually rted to some strange rumor, and typically would not involve an ordinary fisherman like him. Therefore, Xu Yang was not in a hurry to make a break for it but chose to follow the crowd to the entrance of the fish market. At the entrance of the fish market, a rudimentary high tform had been erected. A line of people stood on the tform, led by a pair of young men and women dressed in luxurious brocade clothes.. Chapter 40 - 24: An Exploration_2 Chapter 40: Chapter 24: An Exploration_2 Trantor: 549690339 The steward of the Goldfish Gang, the domineering Fishing Master Chen Qi, was also there; he was at the forefront, addressing the people below: ¡°Thisdy is our Goldfish Gang¡¯s Third Miss, and this gentleman is Young Master Tie from the Iron Lion Gang¡¡± ¡°Greetings, Third Miss!¡± ¡°Greetings, Young Master Tie!¡± The crowd also cooperated, bowing and saluting one after another. ¡°Very good!¡± Chen Qi nodded in satisfaction, pulling out a portrait: ¡°Today, Third Miss and Young Master Tie havee to find someone. This person had been in our area one or two years ago. Take a look, everyone; if you can provide information, my Goldfish Gang will handsomely reward you.¡± Having said that, he had several gang members take the portrait and show it amongst the people for everyone to see. Xu Yang nced at it, had no impression, and did not recognize the person, so he simply minded his own business, acting as an irrelevant bystander. After looking for a while, no one spoke, evidently, none wished to invite trouble upon themselves. Seeing this, Chen Qi did not mind, he directly kicked over a small chest at his feet. knocking out glittering silver ingots: ¡°SDeak uD if vou have anv clues. With Third Miss and Young Master Tie here, the reward promised will be substantial, and you might even get the chance to join our Goldfish Gang and enjoy wealth and honor¡¡± ¡°This¡¡± Looking at the sparkling silver, then at the earnestly promising Chen Qi, and the arrogant young man and woman behind him, someone finally couldn¡¯t resist the temptation and raised their hand to speak: ¡°Seventh Master, we¡¯ve seen this person.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Chen Qi¡¯s eyes brightened, and he picked up a silver ingot, tossing it to that person: ¡°Speak!¡± Catching the silver ingot, the person was overjoyed and hastily said to Chen Qi: ¡°This person was a rich young master; two years ago, he came to theke with his wife and daughter, wanting to hire a boat to tour theke, generously handing out a silver ingot, which had everyone scrambling for the business.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Chen Qi was delighted, repeatedly asking: ¡°What happened after that?¡± ¡°After that?¡± The person looked around and then said: ¡°Afterwards, Old Zhang stole the business because his boat wasrger. Then, there was no more news; Old Zhang said they toured theke and at Green Stone, the family disembarked and left. I don¡¯t know if it was true or not.¡¯ ¡°Old Zhang?¡± Chen Qi frowned: ¡°The same Old Zhang who disappeared about half a year ¡°Exactly, him!¡± Listening to the two men talking, Xu Yang slightly furrowed his brows beneath his conical hat. ¡°You¡¯re not trying to deceive me and leave me without proof of death, are you?¡± ¡°How dare I, Seventh Master, many people saw it; you can ask around if you don¡¯t believe me.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Hearing this, Chen Qi felt helpless and could only turn to look at the young man and woman behind him. The ¡°Young Master Tie¡± frowned and said in a deep voice, ¡°Ask about when he disappeared, where he disappeared, what he did before he disappeared, and who he met?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± Chen Qi hurriedly turned back, continuing to inquire amongst the crowd. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°It was at White Water Bay.¡± ¡°His boat was always moored there.¡± ¡°I remember, that day he seemed to have visited Old Xu once.¡± ¡°Exactly, I even ran into him; he said he was going to send his second son to be adopted by Old Xu.¡± With the hefty reward offered, the crowd could no longer hold back, directly dragging Xu Yang into the conversation. ¡°Old xu?¡± Chen Qi had an impression of Xu Yang and immediately started scanning the crowd: ¡°Where¡¯s Old Xu?¡± ¡°Here, here!¡± ¡°Old Xu, Seventh Master is looking for you, did you hear?¡± Familiar people nearby directly pointed out Xu Yang¡¯s location. With no choice, Xu Yang stepped forward: ¡°Seventh Master.¡± Chen Qi looked at him without sensing anything amiss and directly asked: ¡°Old Xu, Old Zhang went looking for you before he disappeared.¡± Xu Yang nodded, feigning a myopic old man¡¯s demeanor: ¡°Ah, yes, he dide looking for me.¡± ¡°What for?¡± ¡°To, to adopt his second son to me, said he wanted to provide for my old age.¡± ¡°What happened then?¡± ¡°After we had talked, they went back.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Chen Qi¡¯s brows furrowed as he quickly nced at the young man and woman behind him. The two observed Xu Yang before the young man stepped forward and coldly looked down upon him, ¡°Is that all?¡± Xu Yang, with a bewildered expression, stammered, ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± After a moment of contemtion, the young man no longer asked anything else. He then kicked the silver ingot at his feet towards Xu Yang, ¡°Very well, this is for you. If there¡¯s more information, do tell, and there will be a generous reward.¡± ¡°Thank you, Young Master Tie.¡± Seeing this, Xu Yang made an overjoyed expression, bending over to pick up the silver ingot. At that moment¡ The young man¡¯s eyes turned icy as he moved his feet again, kicking another silver ingot like a Flying Stone straight at Xu Yang, who was bending over. However, Xu Yang seemed to have anticipated this and stepped forward. Twisting his body, he grabbed the corner of his straw raincoat like a cloak and violently flung it, scattering glinting points of cold stars from within. Like a pear blossom rainstorm, they shot towards the high tform. Hidden weapons! ¡°Pupupupupu!¡± The people on the tform, taken by surprise, including Chen Qi and the rest, didn¡¯t even know what had happened before they were covered and hit by the flying hidden weapons. Instantly, blood sttered and they fell amidst the sounds of impact. The young man was also caught off guard. His actions had been a whim, a tentative probe based on a slight suspicion. After all, the other party was just a lowly fisherman; even if he was wrongly suspected, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal. But unexpectedly, this fisherman, who was almost decrepit and unremarkable in appearance, was so quick and decisive in his counterattack that even he was caught off guard. Though his thought processes were slow to catch up, his body instinctively reacted, autonomously circting True Qi within to protect his body. In the end¡ ¡°Dang! Dang! Dang!¡± The cleverly flung hidden weapons hit the young man¡¯s body, tearing his brocade robes, but revealed an inner armor vest that sparked upon impact. Unfortunately, a vest is just a vest¡ªit doesn¡¯t cover the entire body, let alone the face. Several of the iron nail weapons hit his face, and his True Qi couldn¡¯tpletely protect him, leaving numerous blood marks and even wounds. The young man was injured and let out an extreme cry of anger. However¡ ¡°Whoosh!¡± Xu Yang, who was below the tform, leapt into the air. Using an unknown lightness skill, he soared like a roc onto the tform, bringing with him a gust of wind that bore down on the young man. The young man, injured and enraged, had not yet reacted when he felt the fierce wind and saw a dark shadow approaching him. ¡°Bang bang bang bang!¡± Great Zhou Martial Scriptures, supreme fighting techniques¡ªthoughcking the support of True Gang, his Inner Strength barely managed to be activated. In an instant, heunched several moves: punch, palm strike, finger thrust, knee strike¡ªhitting the young man¡¯s throat, neck, ribs, and groin, all vital spots. Even with his True Qi formed, he couldn¡¯t protect himself, and a tide of severe pain overwhelmed him. But he couldn¡¯t even scream, because the person in front of him moved fluidly, faster than one could imagine. After a series of rapid strikes, another fatal blow wasunched; a powerful palm carrying force violently struck down onto the crown of his head. ¡°Bang!!!¡± A heavy sound echoed as the blood burst from his seven orifices, and the young man knelt to the ground on impact. ¡°Third Brother!¡± Only then did the woman to the left react. Ignoring the pain from the hidden weapons that had struck her, she reached to draw her sword. However¡ Xu Yang skillfully turned and twirled out like a spinning top, his ten fingers hooked like dragons and tigers in motion. The Fighting Scroll, fingernail chapter¡ªmerging Shaolin Dragon w, Wudang Tiger w, Nine Yin White Bone w, and Powerful Eagle w techniques. Molded by the skills of numerous great grandmasters and prodigies who innovated from tradition, eliminating the dross and consolidating the essence, it could be called a peerless marvel in the world. Before the woman¡¯s precious sword could leave its scabbard, she felt a fierce wind sweep towards her, so sharp and threatening it seemed to extinguish life itself. ¡°P!!!¡± With a chilling, sharp sound, a bloody light shed sharply as the woman stood frozen, her eyes bulging. The flesh of her throat was a bloody mess, exposing white bone. She had been ripped open, nearly half her neck bone and throat flesh torn away. Xu Yang said nothing, merely flinging the blood and flesh from his hand. Then, like a giant roc, he leapt down from the tform and headed straight for the outskirts of the town. The lightness technique from the Fighting Scrollbined with the speed of Swift as Flying allowed him, in just a few breaths, to be a distant ck shadow. ¡°Murder!¡± ¡°Young Master!¡± ¡°Miss!¡± ¡°Quick, chase him!¡± Only now did everyone awaken as if from a dream. Looking at the scene of carnage, with bodies strewn everywhere and blood flowing freely across the tform, the ce immediately erupted into chaos. The Goldfish Gang members surrounding the fish market, witnessing this, didn¡¯t know what to do. Seeing the tragic scene on the tform, each of them turned pale with horror. Chapter 41 - 25: Re-Entry 1 Chapter 41: Chapter 25: Re-Entry 1 Trantor: 549690339 The fish market was created to facilitate the buying and selling for fishermen, and naturally, it was not too far from theke shore. Xu Yang, regardless of the depletion of his inner strength, unfolded the lightweight technique of the Fighting Scroll inbination with the swift movement akin to flying, and in a few breaths¡¯ time, he rushed to the docks of theke shore. Afterward, he did not bother to look for the ck-canopied boat he had previously been on, but instead leaped straight into the water with a sshing dive. ¡°Glug glug!¡± Once Xu Yang entered the water, he felt an unusual force arise from all his limbs, even the surrounding water flowing in harmony with his body¡¯s movements, endowing him with an rming strength. With a mere slight motion, he darted dozens of feet away. Swimming: Muddy Water Jiao Dragon! This particr ability was honed by Xu Yang in the East Sea during his time in Great Zhou. The effect was simr to that of Like a Fish in Water, except the ¡°fish¡± had turned into a ¡°dragon,¡± allowing him to wield strength in the water as formidable as that of a Jiao Dragon. Although this Jiao Dragon was only of the same size as himself and was not a true sea-reversing, heaven-reaching mighty Jiao Python or True Dragon, it was still impressively powerful. Xu Yang had tested it, and even without using any martial arts, he could, by the strength of this Jiao Dragon alone, fight against and defeat several Grandmasters of the True Gang level in the water. Hence, upon entering the water, Xu Yang could almost be certain of his safety. Yet, he did not wish to linger. His body twisted like a dragon, his astounding speed unfurled as he headed straight into the depths of Dongting Lake. His earlier disguise¡ªif notpletely wless¡ªheld no breaks. Young Master Tie had not discerned anything amiss, and his attack was purely on a whim, thinking Xu Yang was nothing more than a lowly fisherman, whose life was trivial, inconsequential if taken on the spot. This is the sorrow of the lower ss in this world; lives as cheap as weeds, easily trampled upon, even wrongful convictions counting for little. Xu Yang understood this all too well and did not dwell on it, but simply pondered what had brought the other party here. Why? Zhang Cheng! Could there be some issue with the fortune amassed by Zhang Cheng and his son that rted to some strange fortune or opportunity, stirring up the Goldfish Gang and Iron Lion Gang into such a fuss to find him? That had to be the reason. But¡ It was none of his concern. Whatever opportunities for fortune there were, he had no interest in them, for he already possessed the greatest opportunity of this world. Zhuanzhou Mengdie, the myriad realms of all heavens; he just needed to keep umting, and he would eventually stand at the pinnacle. Therefore, regardless of whatever secrets or fortunes that came from the wealth he got from Zhang Cheng¡¯s family, Xu Yang didn¡¯t care and had no intention of utilizing them. In fact, he had already hidden that wealth away, without the slightest intention of using it. With such an incident urring now, there was even less reason to dig up trouble. Xu Yang swam directly back to his hideout, preparing the belongings he had anticipated needing for such a day, along with Fish Eagle Laoliu who had been waiting at home, and they began to move. Dongting was vast, extending over eight hundred miles, with many tributaries connecting to each other and to all the great bodies of water, even to the vast ocean. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack for one Goldfish Gang, let alone a hundred, to find a single person within it. Even so, Xu Yang did not want to take any risks. Apanied by his prepared emergency belongings and the loyal and crucial Laoliu, he moved to the remotest hideout, far away from the realm of the Goldfish Gang¡¯s influence. Meanwhile, at theke shore dock. Two middle-aged men, each leading a group of men, stood by the shore, watching their subordinates forcefully dismantle an old ck-canopied boat, both with faces grim as iron, murder surging in their eyes. A momentter, one of the men returned, presenting a shiny long sword: ¡°Gang leader, we¡¯ve already searched every nook and cranny of the cabin, and only this was found.¡± ¡°Search again!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± A middle-aged man barked the order furiously, and his followers, not daring to say more, turned to continue their futile search. This man was none other than Li Hengtong, the leader of the Goldfish Gang, who had just suffered the pain of losing his beloved daughter! On the other side, a middle-aged man with angrily bristling whiskers, exhibiting great ferocity, was the leader of another major gang in the city, the Iron Lion King. At this moment, his fury and grief were no less than Li Hengtong¡¯s, for he, too, had lost a son. He had seven sons, and counting himself, they were known throughout the city as the Eight Roaring Lions, an awe-inspiring force. Yet, to his dismay, he had lost one of them that very day, especially the third son whom he valued most and who was poised to forge a marital alliance with the Goldfish Gang. How could he not be heartbroken? ¡°Search, search for me,¡± he bellowed. ¡°Even if we have to turn Dongting Lake upside down, we must find the person who killed my son and y them, cut them to pieces, and scatter their ashes!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± As he gave the angrymand, his followers, although they responded solemnly, were full of sneering contempt internally. Turn it upside down, what a joke. Who do you think you are, the Heavenly King himself? Dongting Lake stretched over eight hundred li and was shrouded in mist and clouds, with treacherous terrain. Not to mention your small Iron Lion Gang, even if all the factions of Mansion City and the best of the Martial World were mobilized, it¡¯s unlikely they could search the entire Dongting Lake. The old fool has lost his son and gone mad with grief; just make a show of searching to appease him. The people silently sneered, with no intention of making an effort. Thus, three dayster, near a deserted ind in Dongting Lake, the wispy smoke of a cooking fire rose from a ck-awning boat. Xu Yang sat at the bow of the boat, with a pot full of meat and a jug of fine Daughter Red at his feet. Wine, meat, and a boat, where did theye from? Naturallv, thev were bought. Three days earlier, carrying his belongings and apanied by his little brother Fish Eagle, Xu Yang had raced across hundreds of li in one day to another area of Dongting Lake. Revealing his true appearance and demonstrating his martial prowess and cultivation, he assumed the identity of a wandering hero of the Martial World. With the wealth he had umted in secret over the decades, he purchased arge amount of supplies and a big ck-awning boat, and settled on this secluded, uninhabited ind. Although he knew it was nearly impossible for the Goldfish Gang to find him, the recent upheaval still instilled in him a sense of urgency and danger. My strength is too weak, and my heart is uneasy. I must enhance my power as soon as possible. And how to do that? By using a two-pronged approach. As the Founder of Martial Scripture, and with many special traits to aid him, the cultivation of the Great Zhou Martial Scriptures was as simple for Xu Yang as eating, drinking, breathing, and sleeping. Furthermore, the Great Zhou Martial Scriptures also incorporated the characteristics of the Nine Yin and Nine Yang, Tai Chi and Wuji, Chaos Yuan Qi, and other cultivation techniques, allowing him to cultivate autonomously and strengthen automatically. Even without active cultivation, his power would steadily grow. Thus, Xu Yang could both dream as Zhuanzhou Mengdie and cultivate martial arts at the same time. For him, sleeping was akin to performing cultivation exercises and meditating. It would enhance his power, advance his cultivation, and neither interfere with his dreaming nor hinder his martial arts practice. With this dual approach, his strength was bound to surge. So what was he waiting for? After polishing off the meat in the pot and emptying the jug of wine, Xu Yang, now well-fed and content, returned to the much more spacious cabin. He instructed Fish Eagle Laoliu to stay on guard outside while he himselfyfortably in bed, covered himself with a nket, and drifted off to sleep. Zhuanzhou dreams he is a butterfly, the butterfly dreams of Zhuanzhou. As time and space swirled and his spirit wandered the vastness of the heavens, after a dizzying whirl¡ Xu Yang awoke! He awoke with a start! Lifting his head, he looked out to see the sky filled with frost and snow, a world d in purest white, signaling the deadly chill of the deep winter. Xu Yang sat up and saw himself in tattered clothes, thin as a rail, huddled in the corner of an alley, slowly being buried by the swirling snow, practically on the brink of, no, already having frozen to death once before as a little beggar.. Chapter 42 - 26: Beggar_l Chapter 42: Chapter 26: Beggar_l Trantor: 549690339 In the midst of the bitter cold, thoughts rushed at Xu Yang like a tide, and he quickly received all the information from this body. He was indeed a beggar, his age not very clear, he didn¡¯t even have a formal name; people who knew him called him Dog. Dog, since his earliest memories, had survived on begging alongside an old beggar, living in destitution, freezing and starving. The few moments of joy in his memory were no more than scraps of food fought for with difficulty. Two years prior, the old beggar died, leaving him to survive alone, more oppressed than ever. Today, he died from cold and hunger, bing just another insignificant frozen corpse in the twentieth year of Emperor Yang Jian¡¯s Kaihuang era of the Great Sui. These were all the memories of the young beggar. ¡°Great Sui?¡± ¡°Kaihuang?¡± ¡°Twenty years?¡± ¡°A world that seems both real and unreal?¡± ¡°Or have I traveled to the history of China?¡± Xu Yang muttered to himself and propped himself up from the corner of the wall. Before traveling through time, although he was just an ordinary person, he still possessed basic historical knowledge. Great Sui¡¯s Kaihuang was the era name of Emperor Yang Jian, the founder of the Sui Dynasty. The twentieth year of Kaihuang was also the fourth year of the Renshou era. This meant that he had four years before that wretch, Emperor Yang of Sui, would take power, and the stormy chaos of thete Sui Dynasty would approach. Xu Yang was uncertain whether this Sui and Tang world was just an alternate version of the parallel world, or the one in Chinese history, but it wasn¡¯t important. To him, power was the key. As long as this world contained the power he sought, he wasn¡¯t concerned about historical perspectives. So, did this world hold the power he was seeking? It wasn¡¯t clear at the moment, after all, the original ¡°Dog¡± was just a young beggar with limited insights. Beyondmon knowledge of the era name Kaihuang of Great Sui and that this ce was just outside of Peng City in Xuzhou, he was ignorant of anything else¡ªhis understanding of this world was limited. ¡°It seems I have to explore on my own.¡± Xu Yang dusted off the frost on his body, prepared to leave this ce to find shelter, lest he perish from cold and hunger before aplishing anything. This body was extremely frail, the young frame skinnier than even a child¡¯s, and even with the power of Zhuanzhou Mengdie¡¯s divine soul filling the deficit, it barely restored his ability to move. If he couldn¡¯t find food, clothing, and shelter, he surely wouldn¡¯t survive three days¡ªperhaps not even the night. Thus, he had to find a way to get something to eat, wear, and a ce to sleep¡ ¡°How are you? Just as Xu Yang was contemting his next move, he suddenly saw someone running up to him. It was¡ a little girl, a delicate and pretty little girl. She wore a snovvy-white coat, clearly made from fine mink, still young and undeveloped but already stunning, her spirituality luminous between her eyebrows, moving like the rain in a secluded mountain. Seeing this, Xu Yang furrowed his brows. He didn¡¯t recognize this person, or rather, ¡°Dog¡± didn¡¯t recognize her; there was no impression of her in his memory, and it seemed unlikely that there could be any connection between them. So what was this all about? While Xu Yang was bewildered, the little girl handed him a paper bag, ¡°It¡¯s still warm, eat up quick!¡± Xu Yang looked at her, feeling a bit odd, but reached out and took the paper bag nheless. Upon opening it, steam rose and inside were several fragrant, greasy, steaming pork buns. ¡°Thank you!¡± Xu Yang was silent for a moment before bowing his head in gratitude. Taking a bun with his dirty hands, he wolfed it down ravenously. He understood what was happening. The little girl didn¡¯t recognize him; she hade over purely out of kindness, treating him as a beggar to whom she gave alms. Well¡ he was a beggar now! Far from feeling any aversion, Xu Yang was very grateful; he urgently needed such charity at the moment. ¡°Eat slowly, don¡¯t choke.¡± The little girl, seeing him eat so frantically, quickly cautioned him, then looking around as if she remembered something, added, ¡°I was in a rush earlier and forgot to buy water. Wait here, I¡¯ll go get you some¡¡± Before she could finish, Xu Yang casually grabbed a handful of snow from nearby and stuffed it into his mouth to chew. The little girl was shocked by his actions and it took her a while to recover, ¡°You can¡¯t eat snow, stop, I¡¯ll go buy you a pot of water!¡± ¡°No need.¡± Xu Yang shook his head, continued with the snow mixed with the buns, and soon finished off the whole bag, his weak and cold body feeling somewhat warmer. ¡°Thank you.¡± After once again thanking her, Xu Yang turned to leave the ce. This little girl was obviously not from an ordinary family, and it was best for him now not to get involved with her. ¡°Hey, wait a minute!¡± Seeing him about to leave, the little girl stopped him and took out a silver ingot from her belt, ¡°Here¡¯s some silver for you to buy some clothes and find a ce to stay. Don¡¯t sleep outside anymore; you¡¯ll freeze to death.¡± Without waiting for a response, she stuffed the silver ingot into his hand and then turned and left the alley. Looking at the silver ingot in his hand, Xu Yang fell into silence. Then he tucked the ingot into his bosom and walked toward the other end of the alley. But he hadn¡¯t gone far when¡ ¡°Dog, stop right there!¡± A gang of people came rushing up aggressively, blocking Xu Yang¡¯s path¡ª another group of beggars. Though beggars themselves, they were dressed noticeably better than the ragged Xu Yang, fitter and more robust.. They blocked Xu Yang¡¯s way, eyeing him coldly, ncing around, and then demanded sharply, ¡°What did that little girl give you just now?¡± Chapter 43 - 26: Beggar_2 Chapter 43: Chapter 26: Beggar_2 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Hand it over!¡± ¡°Hurry up and hand it over!¡± ¡°Otherwise, you¡¯ll suffer the consequences!¡± ¡°I saw it, that little girl was wearing a mink coat, very luxurious; she must have rewarded you with plenty of silver!¡± ¡°Hand it over!!!¡± A few people¡¯s eyes were frenzied as they shouted threats menacingly. Xu Yang looked at them, said nothing, and silentlyy down on the ground, hugging his head and curling up his body. ¡°ying this game with us?¡± ¡°You¡¯re seeing things!¡± ¡°Get him, beat him up!¡± ¡°Search him for that silver!¡± Seeing this, the others were also infuriated, cursing and ready toe forward to beat him. But unexpectedly¡ ¡°Swoosh swoosh swoosh!¡± In the midst of wind and snow, several sounds of cutting through the air resonated, and before the beggars knew what had happened, they were struck to the ground, howling in pain. Xu Yang huddled on the ground, hugging his head. He peeked through the gaps in his arms and saw a figure appearing at the entrance of the alley. It was a woman, dressed in white, transcending the snow, her face veiled with a light scarf. Though her appearance was not clear, her ethereal aura alone revealed a beauty out of this world. The downed beggars also caught sight of her and immediately understood the situation. They quickly propped themselves up and knelt, knocking their heads on the ground like garlic pounding: ¡°Mercy, fairy, mercy, we will not dare again, will never dare again¡¡± ¡°Get lost! ¡± The woman, seeing this, spoke no further and with a cold shout, ordered everyone away. ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± ¡°Leaving right away, leaving right away!¡± As if receiving amnesty, the people supported themselves up, crawling and rolling to flee. What is most important for a beggar? The skill to beg, the power to shout, the art of ying pathetic? None of these, it¡¯s the ability to read people, to be shrewd in situations! Without the skill to go with the wind, a beggar wouldn¡¯t live long. All of them were old beggars, with sharp eyes and shrewd in times of crisis. They knew this woman was no ordinary person so they promptly begged for mercy and escaped disaster. As the beggars fled, Xu Yang, who was cowering with his head hugged, also sat up and looked at the woman with ¡°uncertainty and astonishment.¡± ¡°Master!¡± As expected, behind the woman emerged a small figure, the little girl from before. She trotted over to Xu Yang, not minding how dirty his body was, and reached out to help him up: ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you.¡± Xu Yang nodded, indicating he was alright, and then turned his gaze towards the woman, performing an odd bow: ¡°Thank you, fairy, for your rescue!¡± The woman¡¯s face was veiled, her expression unknown, only her indifferent eyes were seen as she stepped forward to Xu Yang: ¡°Do you know where Jing¡¯an Temple is?¡± ¡°Jing¡¯an Temple?¡± Xu Yang thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s thergest temple in Xuzhou City. Does the fairy need me to lead the way? ¡°No need.¡± The woman shook her head, took out an envelope, and ced it in Xu Yang¡¯s hand: ¡°Take this letter to Jing¡¯an Temple, they will give you refuge.¡± Then, without waiting for Xu Yang¡¯s reaction, she turned to the little girl and said, ¡°Xuan Er, let¡¯s go!¡± With that, she turned and walked away. Seeing this, the little girl could only nce back at Xu Yang: ¡°Take care of yourself, be safe!¡± Then, she turned and followed in the footsteps of the woman, fading into the wind and snow. Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Xu Yang fell silent for a while, and eventually, turned towards Jing¡¯an Temple. In the midst of wind and snow, two figures¡ªone tall and one short¡ªboth seemed unearthly, as if celestial beings had descended upon the mortal realm. The little girl holding the woman¡¯s hand asionally turned her head back, hesitating as if she wanted to speak. The woman¡¯s gaze was indifferent as she calmly said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that little beggar is quick-witted. Jing¡¯an Temple isn¡¯t far from here. If nothing unexpected happens, he should arrive soon.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± Only then did the little girl¡¯s anxiety ease slightly. Still, as she gazed at the blustering wind and deste surroundings, she couldn¡¯t help but furrow her brows, asking with puzzlement, ¡°Master, didn¡¯t you say that the current Emperor of the Great Sui is a wise ruler you appointed to govern the world? Why then¡¡± The woman¡¯s expression remained unchanged, and she prompted, ¡°Why what?¡± After hesitating for a while, the little girl finally lifted her head and voiced the doubt in her heart, ¡°Why, under his rule, are there still so many beggars? Why are there so many people who can¡¯t eat their fill, can¡¯t keep warm, who copse and die on the streets from cold and hunger? Shouldn¡¯t everyone be free from worry about food and clothing?¡± This question rendered the woman silent for a long time before she replied softly, ¡°Even a wise ruler has his difficulties. To achieve a world where the harvests are abundant and the Four Seas are prosperous takes gradual effort; it cannot happen overnight.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The little girl nodded slightly but then doubt surfaced again, ¡°Then why are some people so cold and hungry they barely have clothes on their backs, while others are wealthy and luxuriant, with more than they can ever enjoy?¡± Hearing this, the woman was silent again for a while before she said, ¡°That is because in this world, people are selfish by nature, cing themselves above all else. It is impossible to achieveplete harmony and equal distribution across the Four Seas. This is a timeless truth about human nature that cannot be changed!¡± Upon hearing this, the little girl seemed to understand, muttering, ¡°The way of heaven is to take from what has surplus to supply whatcks. The way of man is to take from whatcks to supply what has surplus?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± The woman nodded and spoke solemnly, ¡°It is precisely because of this that we must spread the Buddhist Law, to enlighten human hearts, to guide human nature. Only then can there be the possibility of a harmonious world with equality for all beings. Do you understand?¡± ¡°I understand,¡± the little girl replied, nodding half-knowingly. But soon, she couldn¡¯t suppress her doubt, ¡°If the Buddhist Law can lead to a harmonious world, then why doesn¡¯t the Emperor of the Great Sui promote it widely? Doesn¡¯t he wish for a world where all beings are equal?¡± The woman fell silent again and after a long time said, ¡°It¡¯s not that he doesn¡¯t wish to but rather that he cannot. The Buddhist Law is indeed being promoted by the Emperor, but there are obstacles in the way, and that is why we must aid him, to quell the chaos across thend!¡± ¡°Not that he doesn¡¯t wish to, but rather that he cannot?¡± The little girl was somewhat incredulous, puffing up her cheeks as she said, ¡°I think it¡¯s not just that he cannot; he probably doesn¡¯t even want to!¡± The woman stopped in her tracks, turned her head, and a hint of surprise emerged in her indifferent eyes, ¡®Why do you say that?¡± ¡°Because the Emperor is also a human.¡± The little girl said as if it were a matter of course, ¡°Just as Master said, people are selfish by nature and the Emperor above all seeks only his own interests. Naturally, he would not wish for a world of harmony and equality for all, right?¡± The woman was silent, then sheughed softly, ¡°Xuan Er speaks the truth. The Emperor is human and also subject to selfish desires of the heart.¡± ¡°Then, Master, why should we still support such an Emperor?¡± The little girl was even more confused, ¡°Can¡¯t we just be the Emperor ourselves and, with the Buddhist Law, universally enlighten the people, creating a world of harmony and equality for all?¡± The woman shook her head; her words were soft yet firm, ¡°We cannot!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because we, too, are human!¡± ¡°This¡¡± The little girl lifted her head to look up at her master, who seemed otherworldly, beyond the mundane. As if understanding something, the confusion in her eyes cleared and turned into resolve. With a naive and tender voice, she said to the woman, ¡°Master, when Xuan Er grows up, I will surely choose a wise and enlightened Emperor to help him govern the world well!¡± The woman smiled, reached out her hand, and affectionately patted the girl¡¯s head, ¡°Master believes that Xuan Er can certainly do it.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm!¡± The little girl nodded, her expression hopeful, ¡°By then, there will no longer be people dying from the cold or hunger. Everyone will be able to eat their fill, keep warm, and live happily ever after¡¡± ¡°Then Xuan Er must grow up quickly.¡± Amid the wind and snow, the two figures walked on, eventually fading into the distance without a trace. Meanwhile, in front of Jing¡¯an Temple, Xu Yang, after making sure no one was following, decisively turned and left. If it had been in the first world, without any foothold, seeking shelter in the temple would indeed have been a good choice. It would have afforded effective protection and ample time to quietly umte strength and gradually grow. But that if did not stand. Having already obtained his first pot of silver, Xu Yang now had sufficient potentiality to support him. The prestigious but strict Jing¡¯an Temple was no longer the best option for him. so¡ Chapter 44 - 27: Xu Xian_1 Chapter 44: Chapter 27: Xu Xian_1 Trantor: 549690339 That night, within a dpidated temple. ¡°Hey, go easy, go easy!¡± ¡°Damn it, it kills me!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all that little bastard¡¯s fault, I must kill him when I get the chance.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to be difficult now, who knows what kind of dumb luck that brat stumbled upon to encounter such a noble person.¡± ¡°Hmph, how could such a noble person take a fancy to him? It was just a whim, being a busybody. Just give it a few days, when that person leaves, we¡¯ll take care of him, let him know who¡¯s the boss!¡± In the broken temple, a few beggars huddled by the campfire, massaging the bruises on their bodies, grimacing in pain, cursing nonstop. Just then¡ ¡°Gah!¡± The shabby door was suddenly pushed open, and a thin figure appeared, astonishingly¡ The beggars looked towards the sound and saw a youth in tattered clothes, skinny and frail, walking in. It was Xu Yang! ¡°You little bastard!¡± ¡°You dare toe back?¡± Seeing this, the beggars instantly flew into a rage, then, recalling something, they looked outside with panic-stricken faces. ¡°You brat!¡± ¡°You daree back alone? ¡°Seeking death! ¡± Seeing no one outside the temple and not spotting thedy from earlier, the beggars swallowed a heart-calming pill. The leader of the beggars, his eyes shining, strode towards Xu Yang. But unexpectedly¡ ¡°Bang!!!¡± Flying Stone hurtled through the air, striking head-on, hitting the beggar leader squarely in the face. Fresh blood sttered, skull bones cracked, and he was knocked to the ground, convulsing before turning into a limp mess. ¡°Boss!¡± ¡°Bang!!!¡± Another man, upon witnessing this, cried out in shock, only to meet the second Flying Stone, hitting him just as hard in the face, toppling him to the ground. This scene left the remaining few silent as cicadas in winter, standing there trembling, hands tightly covering their mouths, not daring to make a sound. Xu Yang, toying with two pebbles, approached the corpse of the beggar leader and said to the trembling few, ¡°I have some questions for you.¡± Hearing this, the beggars finally snapped back to reality, plopping down on their knees, pleading incessantly, ¡°Dog, no, Brother Dog, no, no, Lord Dog, this has nothing to do with us; it¡¯s all Wang Liu¡¯s doing¡ªit has nothing to do with us at all, we beg you, spare our lives, please¡¡± ¡°Old Baitou?¡± Xu Yang frowned, then remembered, it was indeed Old Baitou who had taken in the original ¡°Dog.¡± He hadn¡¯t expected such hidden secrets; it turned out to be an unwitting action that settled his fate. Xu Yang didn¡¯t say much, merely looked at them and asked, ¡°Recently, in this Xuzhou City, have any influential families suffered from strange and severe illnesses, or longsting diseases that could not be cured, looking for skilled doctors?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The beggars exchanged looks, unsure why Xu Yang was inquiring about this, but with their lives on the line, they couldn¡¯t afford to think too much and racked their brains to recall. ¡°I heard that Officer Wang from the south of the city fell ill with a cold some time ago, almost reaching the point of no recovery.¡± ¡°Also, it¡¯s said that the Governor¡¯s youngest son caught a strange disease, consulted many doctors but none could cure him; they even posted a reward recently, offering a hundred taels of gold to whoever can cure his son¡¯s illness.¡± ¡°Rumors say that the leader of the ck Tiger Gang suffered a demonic disruption while practicing his martial arts¡¡± Unlike the small-time beggar ¡°Dog,¡± these folks were the seasoned ones among the beggars, even holding the status of local snakes, and they managed to catch wind of many things happening in Xuzhou City. ¡°The Governor?¡± Xu Yang muttered to himself, then flicked his wrist,unching several pebbles. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± A series of muffled sounds followed, and the men copsed in response, silent. Xu Yang stepped forward to search the bodies, surprisingly finding a few small denominations of silver on the beggar leader. He wasn¡¯t surprised by this. Begging was an extremely profitable upation, particrly for structured beggar gangs. Indeed, the Beggar¡¯s Guild was where those bag-carrying elders belonged; killing them wouldn¡¯t incriminate too many innocents. Though the beggar leader wasn¡¯t an elder nor carrying a sack, by oppressing truly helpless beggars like Dog, he livedfortably, asionally venturing into darker pursuits. Therefore, Xu Yang dealt with them decisively. After cleaning up, leaving behind nothing but corpses, Xu Yang paid no mind and grabbed a mat that was rtively clean to lie down by the campfire. The next day, in front of the Governor Mansion, Xu Yang arrived at a steady pace. He had used the small silver coins he had scavenged the night before to procure a new outfit and had bathed and changed at an inn. Now, except for looking slightly frail, he was indistinguishable from an ordinary young man. As for the silver ingot given by the little girl, he had not used it, avoiding the trouble of a child with gold wandering through the bustling market. Thus, upon arriving in front of the Governor Mansion, he addressed the two gatekeepers, ¡°My surname is Xu, given name Xian, styled Qingyang. I heard that your master¡¯s son suffers from a rare illness and has issued a call for doctors. Therefore, I havee to answer the call, and I humbly request the two gentlemen to pass on the message.¡± The two gatekeepers focused their gaze and saw a young man of slim stature and fragile appearance. They immediately furrowed their brows, ¡°You are a doctor, too?¡± Xu Yang nodded, ¡°Indeed!¡± ¡°A doctor as young as you? ¡°No beard on the face, no strength in work. Go away, stop the nonsense. If you anger the master, not even ten heads would save you! ¡± The gatekeepers clearly did not believe him and were about to send him away. Xu Yang was unfazed and directly addressed one of them, ¡°Sir, yourplexion is pale, and the area under your eyes is dark. Do you feel listless in your daily activities, experience back soreness,ck of energy, and especially during intimate rtions, suffer fromck of vigor, always feeling a deficit in your body¡¡± That gatekeeper immediately widened his eyes in shock, looking at Xu Yang. Xu Yang ignored him and turned to the other, ¡°And you, sir, your Qi Blood is doubly deficient, even more so. Do you often linger in the pleasure districts, or perhaps at night all alone¡ ¡® ¡®Enough, enough!¡± ¡°This way, please, sir!¡± A momentter, inside an ancient and elegant bedroom in the Governor Mansion. ¡°Xu¡ Doctor, do you have a method to cure the illness?¡± A man in official attire, still exuding authority, slightly furrowed his brows, his mind filled with suspicion yet showing nothing as he patiently asked Xu Yang. ¡°It is indeed a rare illness, but nothing troubling!¡± Xu Yang picked up the brush, wrote down a prescription, handed it to the housekeeper beside him, then said to the Governor, ¡°Take this medicine, boil it in water, one dose per day. After three months, I assure you the illness will be cured with medication! ¡°Really?¡± Although he had already let numerous servantse to receive treatment from the young man, proving his exceptional medical skills, the Governor still found it hard to believe that his son¡¯s long-term stubborn illness could be cured in just three months. Xu Yang smiled confidently and dered, ¡°If the illness is not cured with medication within three months, Xu Xian is willing to pay with his life to the master!¡± ¡°You speak too gravely, sir.¡± The Governor, upon hearing this, quicklyforted him, ¡°My child¡¯s stubborn illness has persisted for years, and many skilled doctors havee, all at their wit¡¯s end. It is truly admirable that you, so young, possess such medical skill.¡± As expected of a head of state, a Seal-Frontier Senior Official, he handled this human interaction delicately. Facing the doctor responsible for his child¡¯s life and death, he did not present himself with arrogance, but responded with a lightugh, ¡°Sir, The magic hand rejuvenates and saves my son¡¯s life, for which I am immeasurably grateful. Someone, bring the consultation fee.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Soon, the housekeeper brought a tray of gold ingots. ¡°Please ept this with a smile, sir!¡± ¡°The master is too courteous!¡± Upon seeing this, Xu Yang shook his head and, with a hand gesture, addressed the Governor, ¡°I have no need for this consultation fee. I have but one impolite request. ¡± The Governor frowned upon hearing this but did not immediately reject the idea, merely stating, ¡°Please speak, sir.¡± Xu Yang answered with a smile, ¡°Myte master had but one wish¡ªto hang the pot to help the world and to bring glory to our medical skill. I, his sessor, dare not defy my master¡¯s wishes. Therefore, I earnestly request the master to permit me to open a clinic in Xuzhou City, to hang the pot in service to the world!¡± ¡°So it is.¡± Hearing that this was the request, the Governor instantly eased, immediately smiled and said, ¡°Sir, your wonderful skill and benevolent heart benefit the nation and its people. I have no reason to refuse. Please ept the consultation fee as capital for opening your clinic!¡± ¡°Thank you, master!¡± ¡°May I ask, sir, what will the clinic be named?¡± ¡°Hmm¡ How about naming it Security Hall?¡± ¡°Security Hall, maintaining health and wellbeing, very clever, very clever indeed!¡± Even with the umtion of a lifetime during the Great Zhou era, times have changed, and there are many ways to start an enterprise. Still, as the saying goes, where there are people, there is the Martial World, along with the strife and bloody conflicts over interests. Even the highly respected doctors, who save lives and help the wounded, cannot avoid these affairs. Do you think that with good medical skill, you can simply open a clinic, a pharmacy, treat the sick, heal the people, and be famous? It¡¯s not that simple. Even a fish market has its market tyrants, with gangs in control, exploiting and squeezing, and an even more lucrative, life-and-death essential industry like medical treatment cannot be free from disputes and live in harmony with the world. Each and every clinic, every pharmacy, has a supporting force behind it,peting against each other, squeezing out rivals, using various means to fight for market share, seize profits, and suppresspetitors. The corruption involved is endless. Xu Yang had no time for such trivial matters, so he directly chose to find a patron to shelter him from the storm, allowing him tofortably open a clinic, teach students, establish a foundation in Xuzhou, and gradually expand. For him, this was a simple matter. The disorder of the Governor¡¯s son was strange indeed, but what had he not seen in the three hundred years he protected the Great Zhou? He had integrated all worldly knowledge into the Martial Arts Scripture, of which the most profound, most impactful, and most developed were the ¡°Power,¡± ¡°Fighting,¡± ¡°Weapon,¡± and ¡°Life¡± Scrolls. The Power Scroll was fundamental to cultivation, the Fighting Scroll contained supremebat skills, the Weapon Scroll covered martial strategies, and the Life Scroll integrated medical knowledge and pharmacology. It was the Wonderful Skill of reviving the dead and healing the injured and thus was named the ¡°Life¡± Scroll. Inbination with the cultivation methods of the Power Scroll, the power of the Martial Arts Scripture, and the skill traits of transforming decay into magic, it wasn¡¯t just about The magic hand rejuvenates or curing diseases with medication¡ªeven reviving the dead and regrowing flesh on bones weren¡¯t impossible tasks. Of course, this was at the pinnacle of Xu Yang¡¯s time in the Great Zhou, when the Martial Path Communicates with God, his cultivation mingled with the universe, supported by three centuries of umted time and skill traits. Only then did he possess the ability to revive corpses and regrow bones. Now¡ at the start of a new journey, with nothing to his name, relying only on the medical knowledge stored in his memory, he no longer possessed such earth-shattering capabilities. Fortunately, curing this minor chronic issue was still a piece of cake. And so, three monthster, a clinic grandly opened within Xuzhou City, named ¡ªSecurity Hall! Chapter 45 - 28: Turbulent Times 1 Chapter 45: Chapter 28: Turbulent Times 1 Trantor: 549690339 Time flies, and years pass swiftly by; in the blink of an eye, sixteen years have gone. Those sixteen years, neither too long nor too short, but for ordinary people, enough time for the world to transformpletely. In those sixteen years, the era¡¯s name changed thrice, from Kaihuang to Renshou, then from Renshou to Daye. Yang Jian, the founding monarch of Great Sui, a formidable ruler of his generation, passed away in the fourth year of Renshou at Renshou Pce, aged sixty-four. In the same year, in July, the crown prince, Yang Guang, ascended to the throne, initiating the Daye era¡ªthus, he became Emperor Yang of Sui. After Yang Guang¡¯s ascent, he unified the north and south; domestically he constructed the Grand Canal, established the Eastern Capital Luoyang, and indulged in the utmost luxury. Internationally, he waged war frequently, conquering the Tuyuhun andunching campaigns against Ryukyu, and even thrice against Goguryeo. This led to harsh levies, and themon people could hardly bear the burden, with untold suffering, igniting the mes of war throughout thend. As a result, by the twelfth year of the Daye era, uprisings were rampant everywhere. Moreover, four major noble families, the ¡®five surnames and seven hopes,¡¯ divided territories to dere themselves kings. The empire was in a downward spiral, barely holding on¡ªthe world of Great Sui was on the brink of copse, and themon people suffered immensely, with their lives withering away and hardships mounting. But in these times, thend of Xuzhou was¡ ¡°Buns, fresh out of the oven! Thin-skinned, meaty, big pork buns, bursting with oil and fragrance!¡± ¡°Medicinal ster, a family heirloom! It works wonders for headaches and fevers with a sinqle application.¡± ¡°How novel indeed, that someone hase here to hawk medicinal sters?¡± ¡°What, can¡¯t I sell medicinal sters in this area?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that you can¡¯t sell them; it¡¯s just that they won¡¯t sell. Didn¡¯t you ask around when you came here? Do you know whose territory this is?¡± ¡°Whose territory is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Security Hall¡¯s territory. What, you don¡¯t know about Security Hall? Then surely you must know about our city¡¯s number one divine doctor, Xu Qingyang, who revives the dying, heals the wounded, and is known as ¡®Yanluo returns ¡°Doctor Xu is here!¡± ¡°Good day, Doctor Xu!¡± ¡°Greetings, Mr. Qingyang!¡± ¡°Doctor Xu,e try these pears, just picked this morning, absolutely fresh.¡± ¡°Doctor Xu, my child celebrated his first full month yesterday. I didn¡¯t dare disturb you because you were so busy, but please ept this basket of red eggs. Never mind, you¡¯re busy; I¡¯ll deliver them to Security Hall for you!¡± A man approached, dressed in in blue, dignified andposed, radiating an effortless elegance from within. Though young in appearance, he carried the presence of a grandmaster, inspiring respect and a sense of closeness in those around him. As neighbors on the street saw him, they all greeted him warmly, and he responded with friendly banter. He arrived at a bun shop and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take fifty meat buns.¡± ¡°Doctor Xu, they¡¯ve been prepared for you already.¡± The shopkeeper greeted him with a smile, handing over a wax paper bag: ¡°Here you are.¡± Xu Yang nodded, epted the wax paper bag, and handed over some small denominations of silver. Upon seeing this, the shopkeeper quickly waved his hands: ¡°No, no, you can¡¯t. It¡¯s my fortune that you eat buns from my shop. I cannot ept this money.¡± Xu Yang smiled, said nothing more, put down the silver coins, and turned to leave. Watching his departing figure, the ster seller stood dumbfounded for a moment before returning to his senses. ¡°He¡ is that the Doctor Xu?¡± ¡°Who else?¡± ¡°Is his medical skill that high?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about whether it¡¯s high¡ Let me tell you this, ever since Security Hall opened, those sixteen years ago, there hasn¡¯t been a patient that Doctor Xu couldn¡¯t treat or save!¡± ¡°Really? He¡¯s so young; can he really have such medical skills?¡± ¡°What do you know? ¡®Aspiration isn¡¯t relegated to those with age.¡¯ Doctor Xu is a prime example of this.¡± ¡°No matter the illness, be it minor orplex, as soon as theye to Security Hall and see Doctor Xu, the ailment is sure to be cured. Even if it¡¯s an incurable terminal illness, he can ensure a painless, peaceful parting. He¡¯s recognized as not just Xuzhou¡¯s, but the world¡¯s number one divine doctor!¡± ¡°Well, okay, even if his medical skills are really that high, his consultation fee must not be cheap. We¡¯re allmon folk here¡ªthe headaches and fevers can be managed, but going to his Security Hall or buying my medicinal sters seems more sensible.¡± ¡°What do you know? Years ago, Doctor Xu started providing free medical service. He doesn¡¯t charge usmon people, and he even gives away medicines. Moreover, he has taken in over a hundred disciples and almost a thousand students, all from impoverished backgrounds, including many orphans. Everyone praises him as a Bodhisattva reincarnated, a Buddha in human form!¡± ¡°This¡ don¡¯t trick me. Not charging for consultations and giving away medicines? And with over a hundred disciples and almost a thousand students to support, what does he live on, the northwest wind?¡± ¡°You just don¡¯t understand. Although Doctor Xu doesn¡¯t charge usmoners, he doesn¡¯t lose a penny from the wealthy. You¡¯ve heard of the Iron Palm Gang, right? The so-called number one gang in Youzhou came to seek Doctor Xu¡¯s help because their gang leader went crazy practicing martial arts. Guess how much they paid?¡± ¡°How much?¡± ¡°A full thousand taels of gold, ten pearls from the East Sea, and a ginseng from Mount Changbai for medicinal use.¡± ¡°So, you tell me, what does Doctor Xu live on?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡ But wait, are those big shots really so easy to deal with? Willingly handing over a thousand taels of gold, pearls, and ginseng as if they were simpletons? I¡¯ve heard of that Iron Palm Gang, and they¡¯re nothing but a bunch of vicious demons.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. But I do know that ever since a few years ago, when Doctor Xu started holding free clinics, there haven¡¯t been many daring to make trouble at Security Hall. Those few blind to the facts get chased out by club-wielding doctors¡ Wait, where are you going? ¡°To seek apprenticeship. By the way, how do I get to Security Hall?¡± Let¡¯s not dwell on their discussion. Elsewhere, Xu Yang, holding the buns, had already returned to Security Hall. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Sir!¡± ¡°Good day, Doctor Xu!¡± ¡°Greetings, Mr. Qingyang.¡± Over the past decade and more, Security Hall, now extensively erged, is home to many disciples and students, and hosts numerous medical visitors. Upon seeing Xu Yang¡¯s return, they all showed their respect. Xu Yang passed through the outer hall and entered the inner chamber, where he was met by a tall, broad-shouldered man with a square face, who did not look at all like a doctor: ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Xu Yang nodded, sat down in the armchair, opened the wax paper bag, and began to eat the buns. The man also brewed a cup of tea and offered it, then stood by and opened a booklet, ¡°The leader of the Sea Sand Gang, Han Gaitian, has sent someone here, specifically requesting Master to go and treat him, offering a consultation fee of one thousand taels and ten Sea Bright Pearls!¡± While eating his steamed bun, Xu Yang did not even look up, ¡°Not going.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The man nodded, made a note in the book, and continued, ¡°The leader of the Jukun Gang, Yun Yuzhen, has set the date for the 16th of the sixth lunar month toe for a consultation, offering a consultation fee of 100,000 taels of silver, and will present the qinggong technique, Bird Cross Skill, secret manual! ¡± With an unchanged expression, Xu Yang said indifferently, ¡°Have Xiao Shijiu handle it.¡± ¡®Yes!¡± The man nodded and continued, ¡°From the court¡¯s side, the new governor has not arrived yet, but it is heard that it is a person from the Yuwen Sect; they have already sent someone to deliver a greeting card, and it seems there is an implication for Master to go to the Eastern Capital.¡± ¡°Not meeting!¡± The informant from the Dongming Sect has arrived to convey that, starting with the next batch of soldiers¡¯ armor, the price will increase by thirty percent.¡± ¡°Buy as usual, until Refinement Edge Number can be self-sufficient!¡± ¡°The Great River Association has taken action, seizing three of our salt ships, demanding a ransom of 100,000 taels of silver!¡± ¡°Send Azure Dragon to deal with it!¡± ¡°Smoke signals are rising again throughout thends, and many rebels have raised their banners against Great Sui, with the most prominent being Li Zitong, proimed as the King of Chu!¡± ¡°News from Luoyang, Emperor Yang of Sui is once again on tour, preparing to travel south to Yangdu, Yangzhou.¡± ¡°Rumors in the Martial World, the present inheritor of Mercy Sailing Temple is about to step into the martial world, leading the Righteous Path, and selecting an emperor on behalf of heaven!¡± ¡°Word on the street is that the Taoist Treasure Book¡ªLongevity Jue¡ªhas been acquired by Yangzhou¡¯s number one expert, Push Mountain Hand Stone Dragon!¡± ¡°The four great experts of the Yuwen Sect, under the lead of Yuwen Huaji, themander in chief of Emperor Sui¡¯s guards, have already reached Yangzhou, seeking to snatch the book and present it to Emperor Yang of Sui!¡± Xu Yang sat on the master¡¯s chair, eating steamed buns and savoring fine tea, while listening to reports and giving out instructions. And so, in a short time, all affairs were settled, the man turned and left, leaving Xu Yang alone. Swallowing thest steamed bun, the grease on his hands naturally dissipated, Xu Yang lifted his head, gazing outside the hall, and murmured, ¡°Sixteen years, it has finallye!¡± Amid the murmur, the interface quietly opened. Xu Yang Lifespan: 28/300 Cultivation: True Gang Realm Skills: Butchery (Butcher¡¯s technique) Eating (Daily Devour One Ox, Strengthening Body and Health, Prolonging Life) Sleeping (Pacifying Mind and Nourishing Soul, Stabilize Foundation and Cultivate Essence, Prolonging Life) Breathing (Qi Blood like Tide, Stabilize Foundation and Cultivate Essence, Prolonging Life) Medical Skills (The magic hand rejuvenates, Medicine cures diseases, Golden needle crossing acupoints, Transferring Qi through the pce, Yanluo returns life) Walking (Swift as Flying, Traveling Thousands of Miles) Archery (Never a Missed Shot, Nine Stars in a Row) Reading (Never Forget After Reading, Infer many things from one case) Teaching (Earnest Teaching, Mutual Learning, Leading by Example, Spreading Martial Arts Throughout the World, Everyone Like a Dragon) Practicing Martial Arts (Diligence Makes Up Sabotage, Cleansing Marrow, Eternal Youth, Martial Path Communicates with God, Founder of Martial Scripture) Like the world of Great Zhou, this world also has a time flow difference from the main world of one to three hundred sixty-five; one day in reality is one year in this world, and the difficulty of practicing skills and brushing traits is far lower than in the real world. Thus, with the umtion of potentiality from the world of Great Zhou, the aid from his original body in reality, and sixteen years of hard work and training, and Divine Soul transmission, Xu Yang finally transferred and mastered his main skills from his original body. Now, he had regained his cultivation to the True Gang Realm of the Martial Path Three Realms and, with the trait ¡°Martial Path Communicates with God,¡± he was whollv canable of rivaling the masters theoretically within the Four-Realm Condensing Spirit. Just that the time was too short, and the foundation of his power and the strength of his Divine Soul were not enough, far from the substantial umtion of the three hundred year reign of Great Zhou; therefore, he still couldn¡¯t attempt a breakthrough. If it were possible, he really would have liked to umte another few decades, or even a hundred years. Unfortunately, this ¡®if¡¯ does not stand, as the world will fall into chaos, and a great era ising. What is a great era? A great era is a great conflict, the struggle of a great era, an era of great strife! Putting it in a way that modern people can understand better, it¡¯s about one wordpetition! Either you oupete others, or others oupete you; there is no third option. After all, with his current magnitude and strength, he has long been under the scrutiny of various forces; continuing to lie low, looking on from the sidelines for opportune gains is impossible. No one is a fool; before the m and crane battle, they will surely drag the observer who is a fisherman into the water too. So, whether Xu Yang likes it or not, willing or not, the mes of war in this troubled world will reach him. If that¡¯s the case, then so be it! Xu Yang has never been one to fear trouble; lying low to build up silently was only a temporary measure, not the ultimate goal. A true man, born into this world, cany temporarily in waiting but cannot hide from life forever; there are things worth fighting for, and no matter what, they must be fought for! He¡. is ready! Chapter 46 - 29: Seeking Medical Advice_1 Chapter 46: Chapter 29: Seeking Medical Advice_1 Trantor: 549690339 Thus, half a monthter. In the quiet room of the Security Hall, Xu Yang sat alone, silently practicing the Martial Arts Scripture. Although the Great Zhou Martial Scriptures synthesized many top martial arts and could always circte the heavens, whether standing, lying down, eating, or sleeping, thus autonomously enhancing one¡¯s power, this did not prevent Xu Yang from practicing in meditation. The speed of this ¡°active¡± cultivation vastly surpassed the ¡°passive¡± execution. In just sixteen short years, he had managed to cultivate traits such as ¡°Eternal Youth,¡± ¡°Martial Path Communicates with God,¡± and ¡°Founder of Martial Scripture,¡±rgely thanks to the miraculous effectiveness of the Martial Scriptures, as well as his own relentless hard work and training. Thebination of the two meant that sixteen years were equivalent to a hundred years of diligent practice in the Great Zhou. Otherwise, with his current level of cultivation and the strength of his Divine Soul, it would have been utterly impossible to transfer traits like ¡°Martial Path Communicates with God¡± and ¡°Founder of Martial Scripture¡± to support his doppelg?nger at the start. ¡°Knock! Knock!¡± ¡°Master!¡± Just when Xu Yang was circting his cultivation, the door was quietly tapped. The voice of his eldest disciple, Su Beixuan, followed, ¡°They have arrived.¡± Xu Yang opened his eyes, with the Gang Qi in his body still circting, just shifting from ¡°active¡± to ¡°passive.¡± He then stood up and walked toward the door. This was also one of the marvelous features of the Great Zhou Martial Scriptures: integrating the martial arts of the world, discarding the dross and keeping the essence, epassing everything without conflict,bining Yin and Yang, embodying Tai Chi Chaos Yuan, coexisting with the Four Methods and Five Elements. Unless breaking through a major realm, there was absolutely no possibility of failure in cultivation, nor any risk of conflict in the meridians or of going berserk. Xu Yang came to the door and did not waste words, directly asking the waiting Su Beixuan, ¡°How is it?¡± Su Beixuan replied solemnly, ¡°The injuries are very severe; it¡¯s quite dire. Third sister is treating them.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± In a quiet room, two young men stood beside a bed, looking anxious and hesitant to speak. On the bed, two women were sitting upright. The one at the front, dressed in white, had a beautiful face, now deathly pale with a bluish-ck tint, and ck blood oozed from her purple lips, dropping onto the bed where it steamed up little wisps of smoke. The woman behind her, d in a green cyan gown, pointed her sword-like fingers onto the back of the woman in white, right in the middle of a meridian point, with a clear and visible Qi emanating from her fingertips, warm and mellow yet vigorous and robust. That Qi entered the body of the woman in white, attempting to neutralize the cold poison within her, but it seemed to touch something, and with a sudden abnormal sound, a surge of Extremely Cold Air of Ice Mysterious spilled out. Not only did it freeze ayer of frost on the woman in white, but even the Qi that was healing her was affected. ¡°Bang!¡± Eventually, there was an explosive sound¡ªthe Qi froze, shattered into ice, and the woman dressed in green, who was administering treatment, was impacted, her body trembling and her right hand frosted over, rigid as if even the blood within had been frozen. ¡°Mother!¡± ¡°Doctor! ¡± The two onlooking youths were shocked and hurried forward, wanting to help but not knowing what to do. At that moment¡ ¡°Creak! ¡± A soft sound as the door was pushed open. ¡°Who?¡± The two were startled and turned around to see a person walking in calmly, dressed in in green, exuding ease. Although they did not sense any malice, their long time on the run still left the two youths very tense. They immediately stood in front of the bed, on guard against the neer. But Xu Yang did not pay attention to them and walked straight up. The two wanted to stop him, but they were pushed aside by an unseen force, only able to watch helplessly as he approached the bed. ¡°Ma¡ Master!¡± The woman in green on the bed also noticed him and tried to get up. Xu Yang shook his head, reached out a hand, pressed it on her shoulder, and lightly channeled his Qi. ¡°Crack! ¡± With a series of crisp sounds, the frozen hand, and the creeping ice that was about to invade the body from the arm, instantly shattered, turning into wisp of mist that dissipated, allowing the hand that turned purplish-ck to rapidly regain its color. The woman was freed from the freezing condition, exhaled a breath of cold air, and looked at Xu Yang with a slight shock, ¡°Master, this cold poison¡ it¡¯s truly terrifying. ¡± Xu Yang smiled and spoke no further, ¡°Let me take over.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The woman got up and made room. Xu Yang did not take a sitting position on the bed but casually sat beside it. He then lifted his hand, summoning True Gang Qi, and immediately, a brilliant light appeared. It was dazzling but not blinding, rather gentle like the warm sun in spring, instantly warming up the room that had just been cold. The scroll of Pure Yang¡¯s Power, the art of rejuvenation! The techniques of the Martial Arts Scripture, both scrolls working together,bined with the power of Martial Path Communicates with God, Xu Yang pressed a hand downwards onto the woman¡¯s back, transferring the Pure Yang¡¯s Power into her body gradually. Suddenly¡ ¡°Hiss! ¡± The woman moaned softly, and plumes of smoke rose. The ice that had frozen her began to melt rapidly, together with the pallor, the underlying bluish-ck tint dissipated, hints of color returned, and the vitality within reignited¡ Thus. After a moment¡ ¡°Pfft!¡± With a surge of Xu Yang¡¯s palm, the woman¡¯s body shuddered, and she spat out a mouthful of ck blood containing lumps of ice, falling onto the bed and steaming, immediately turning into a trickle of blood-water. ¡°Mother!¡± The two youths were startled, their eyes filled with worry, yet not daring to disturb. They weren¡¯t fools. They could naturally tell that this seemingly not much older youth was the master of the beautiful doctor¡ªtheir destination, the top divine physician in Xuzhou and even throughout the world: Xu Xian, Xu Qingyang. ¡°Ice Mysterious Power?¡± Xu Yang withdrew his hand and murmured, ¡°Indeed extraordinary, but what a pity¡ It¡¯s not quite there yet!¡± Just now, he had harnessed the essence of Pure Yang¡¯s Power, the rejuvenating art from the life-giving scroll, and the force of Martial Path Communicates with God, conjuring a Divine Gang of Pure Yang Rebirth. He channeled it into the body of the woman in white, dispersing the persistent cold poison entwined within her. In the Great Zhou world, this technique would be enough to dissolve all unique cold poisons. Whether it be the Xuanming¡¯s Godly Palm, the True Qi of Cold Ice, or the Jiuyin¡¯s Ultimate Extreme Strength, none could withstand his Divine Gang of Pure Yang Rebirth. But¡ the cold poison in this woman¡¯s body put up a stubborn resistance for a good while and was notpletely eliminated in the end. Why? Because it was not an ordinary cold poison, but one equivalent to Divine Gang, possessing Divine Intent. It originated from a martial arts practitioner of the Four-Realm, one with True Gang Spirit Condensation. That is¡ ¡°Ice Mvsterious Power!¡± ¡°Yuwen Sect!¡± ¡°Yuwen Huaji!¡± Ice Mysterious Power was the hereditary secret technique of one of the four great noble families, the Yuwen Sect. Legend has it that within the Yuwen Sect, only two people truly mastered this technique. One was the sect leader, Yuwen Shang, the other was Yuwen Shang¡¯s subordinate, the second strongest in the Yuwen Sect, the current Imperial Guard Commander of the Sui Dynasty¡ªYuwen Huaji! This technique was the first of the Divine Intent Martial Arts that Xu Yang came into contact with outside of his own strength of Martial Path Communicates with God. He was quite interested in this martial art that could be cultivated to condense Divine Intent and step into the Four-Realm of the Martial Path. Although he had also deduced the method of Four-Realm Divine Intent in the Great Zhou world, deduction was merely deduction and not sessful, much less mature. How could it bepared with the Divine Intent Martial Arts that had been passed down for hundreds of years? Just now, Xu Yang could clearly feel that within the cold poison, there was a distinctive force, abination of spirit and Gang Qi, a transformation from death to life, from nothingness to existence, turning decay into a miracle, emanating an extreme cold ambiance that other cold poisons could not possess. Only with this could it contend against his Divine Gang of Pure Yang Rebirth. Without a doubt, that was Divine Intent, the Divine Intent of Ice Mysterious Power. ¡°Mother!¡± Xu Yang¡¯s thoughts were his own and unrted to the other two who, seeing the woman in white spitting blood, also got up to leave, leaving the two young men with no choice but to rush to the bedside to check on her condition. After spewing out that mouthful of ck blood, the pale color on the woman¡¯s face decreased significantly, her vitality seemingly restored somewhat. She came around upon hearing the young men¡¯s shouts, ¡°Where¡ am I?¡± ¡°In Xuzhou, we¡¯ve reached Xuzhou, Mother!¡± ¡°It was Doctor Xu, no, Doctor Xu who saved you!¡± The two young men, seeing her be conscious, grew even more excited, quickly exining the situation to her. ¡°Xuzhou?¡± ¡°Doctor Xu?¡± Fu Junjuan was momentarily stunned before regaining her senses, turning to look at Xu Yang and struggling to sit up, ¡°Thank you, Doctor Xu, for saving me, Junjuan¡¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too quick to thank me.¡± Xu Yang interrupted her, ¡°There¡¯s still some of the cold poison remaining in your body. If it¡¯s notpletely removed, your life is still in danger.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Upon hearing this, Fu Junjuan was taken aback, and the two young men were even more shocked, hastily prostrating themselves, ¡°Doctor Xu, you¡¯re so powerful, you must have a way, right? Please show mercy and save our mother!¡± ¡°It can be saved.¡± Xu Yang¡¯s expression unchanged, he calmly said, ¡°But first, we need to talk about the consultation fee.¡± ¡°Consultation fee?¡± Hearing this, all three were taken aback, their expressions slightly strange, but they quickly recovered, saying again and again, ¡°No problem, just name the price, Doctor Xu, even if it¡¯s mountains of gold and silver, we¡¯ll find a way to get it for you.¡± Xu Yang shook his head, getting straight to the point, ¡°I want the Longevity Jue on your persons!¡± ¡°Longevity Jue?!¡± This statement made all three¡¯s eyes harden, and involuntarily, Fu Junjuan¡¯s grip tightened on the sword next to her. Having been pursued by Yuwen Huaji for so long, they were naturally aware of what Longevity Jue was and of its tremendous allure. Now, this unfathomably strong Doctor Xu actually knew of this book¡¯s presence on their persons, didn¡¯t that mean walking into a tiger¡¯s den¡ ¡°A book for a life, to exchange or not is up to you,¡± Xu Yang said indifferently, interrupting their thoughts, ¡°I never force anyone!¡± Upon hearing this, all three fell silent. But it didn¡¯t take long for the more robust-looking of the two young men to raise his head, ¡°We¡¯ll exchange, we¡¯ll do it!¡± The other young man also agreed, ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll exchange. If it can save Mother¡¯s life, what¡¯s a book worth?¡± ¡°Doctor Xu, this is the Longevity Jue. We ask for nothing else but for you to save our mother!¡± Having said this, they took out an unassuming looking book and presented it to Xu Yang with both hands. ¡°Xiao Zhong, Xiao Ling¡¡± Seeing this, Fu Junjuan wanted to intervene, but she stopped halfway through her sentence.. Chapter 47 - 30: Heart-stopping_l Chapter 47: Chapter 30: Heart-stopping_l Trantor: 549690339 She halted her speech, not because she was reluctant to part with the Longevity Jue, nor because she feared that the other party would stand by idly, refusing to treat her and letting her lose her life, but rather¡ All of a sudden, she thought of something, something extremely disconcerting. She and her two sons were in Yangzhou when by a stroke of fate they obtained the wondrous tome Longevity Jue, only to be immediately pursued by Yuwen Huaji, with no way to heaven and no door into the earth, ultimately left with no choice but to fight to the death. But Yuwen Huaji, truly deserving his status as the second greatest expert of the Yuwen Sect, wielded his Ice Mysterious Power with immense ferocity. She exerted all her strength, deploying her sword techniques, yet she was no match for him. Instead, she was struck by a heavy blow, and the Mysterious Ice cold poison entered her body. Just as she was about to be killed by him, a group of mysterious individuals suddenly burst upon the scene and collectively held off Yuwen Huaji, allowing her and her sons to escape with their lives. Later, while seeking medical advice, someone sent them news that there was a mystical healer in Xuzhou with extraordinary medical skills, who could bring the dead back to life and mend white bones, capable of curing the world¡¯s most peculiar and difficult diseases. As a result, the two boys, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, carried her, who was seriously injured, and hurried non-stop toward Xuzhou. Along the way, Yuwen Huaji and the imperial forces continued their relentless pursuit, but they were always thwarted by that mysterious force using various methods to intercept and block them. In the end, not only was Yuwen Huaji left frustrated and exasperated, but she herself was bewildered, unable to grasp the intentions of that mysterious force. It wasn¡¯t until now, as she looked at Doctor Xu, that she began to vaguely understand what was going on. That mysterious force was probably rted to Doctor Xu, or perhaps it was his subordinates outright. They had protected them overtly and covertly on their way to Xuzhou, all for the sake of the Longevity Jue. No, if it was just for the Longevity Jue, why would they go to such great lengths and risk intercepting Yuwen Huaji and the imperial forces, escorting them all the way to Xuzhou? They could have simply taken it by force; with her so badly injured, and neither Kou nor Xu skilled in martial arts, could they really put up a fight? Could it be that Doctor Xu is a man of integrity, who, although interested in the Longevity Jue, wishes to obtain it through proper means, and does not want to take it by force? After much deliberation, Fu Junjuan could onlye to this one conclusion. ¡°The Longevity Jue?¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Xu Yang took the book, browsed through it for a while, and then confirmed its authenticity. Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling hurriedly said, ¡°Can you save our mother now?¡± Xu Yang, however, shook his head, ¡°No.¡± Upon hearing this, both were taken aback, looking at Xu Yang with shock and uncertainty. Xu Yang exined, ¡°Her injuries are too severe, her body too weak. Just now, exerting my power was already at the limit. If I continue to remove the cold poison, she will certainly not be able to withstand it. She must first be nourished. After that, every three days I will exert my power once, and after three times, she can fully recover.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Upon hearing this, the two of them finally rxed, but soon they hesitated again, looking at Xu Yang with something they wanted to say but stopped short. Xu Yang, however, didn¡¯t care much about that. He hadn¡¯t deceived the two of them. With his current capabilities, even the Divine Intent cold poison was not difficult to remove. If it weren¡¯t for Fu Junjuan¡¯s severe injuries and weak body, he could have activated the Divine Gang of Pure Yang Rebirth right now topletely eliminate the Mysterious Ice cold poison in her body. ¡°Get some rest, I wille to heal you after three days.¡± Leaving behind those words, Xu Yang was ready to leave. ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Fu Junjuan, snapping out of her daze, hurriedly called out to stop him, ¡°Doctor Xu, you¡¯re not aware, this book is of great consequence. One of the four great families of the world, the Commander of the Imperial Guards of the Sui Emperor, Yuwen Huaji, covets this book and has been relentlessly pursuing us three. It won¡¯t be long before he catches up to us here¡¡± Although she already had a suspicion that the mysterious force escorting them to Xuzhou was under themand of Doctor Xu before her, she couldn¡¯t point it out directly since he hadn¡¯t admitted it, so she could only bring up the fact that Yuwen Huaji was pursuing them. Xu Yang, hearing this, remained unconcerned, holding the Longevity Jue and saying, ¡°Since I have epted this book, I will ensure your safety. Rest well and do not worry too much.¡± After saying that, he didn¡¯t wait for her reaction and turned to leave the room, with his senior disciple Su Beixuan following him. ¡°This¡¡± Watching his retreating figure, Fu Junjuan furrowed her brows tightly, her heart filled with more doubt and uncertainty than ever. Seeing Fu Junjuan distressed from the healing, Li Suwen, the youngest of the three disciples, chuckled reassuringly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Our master is a man of his word; if he promises to keep you safe, he will keep you safe. Not just a mere Yuwen Huaji, even if the three Grandmasters themselves were toe, they couldn¡¯t harm a hair on your head.¡± Fu Junjuan: As a disciple of Fu Cailin, one of the world¡¯s three Grandmasters and the master of the Sword Dao, she really wanted to refute Li Suwen¡¯s words, but couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it out loud. She admitted that this Doctor Xu was indeed unfathomable, especially during the healing just now, with such a robust and vigorous pure yang force that certainly marked him as one of the top masters of the era. However, whenpared to her own master, who has reached the pinnacle of the Sword Dao, there was probably still a slight gap. The three Grandmasters were universally recognized by the Martial World and the various kingdoms as the peak figures of the Martial Path, and except for unrivaled geniuses like the Lingnan Heaven de, who else couldpare with them? This Doctor Xu wasn¡¯t well-known, and even if he was a hidden expert, he might still be a bit inferior to her master. However, dealing with Yuwen Huaji shouldn¡¯t be a problem, especially since throughout their journey, Yuwen Huaji had been intercepted several times by that mysterious force, fighting to a standstill. Now that they had reached Xuzhou and had this unfathomably powerful Doctor Xu with them¡ Wait, something¡¯s not right!!! A thought shed through Fu Junjuan¡¯s mind, and her expression changed drastically, filled with horror. She¡ had thought of something, something even more terrifying upon further contemtion. That mysterious force that had been escorting and helping them, the mother and her two sons, to Xuzhou might have had more reasons than just the gentlemanly Doctor Xu¡¯s love for wealth obtained in the proper way. They¡ had another target, something besides the Longevity Jue. That was¡ Yuwen Huaji! They wanted to lure Yuwen Huaji to Xuzhou, to this ce, before that person! What do they want to do? What do they want to do! Fu Junjuan didn¡¯t know, and it was precisely this ignorance that caused her to be so horrified, so panic-stricken. Vaguely, she felt that she had been swept into a vortex, a whirlpool so profound, fiercely spinning, as if it were about to engulf the world and devour everything, and she was helpless in its pull! This Doctor Xu¡ The more she thought about it, the more terrified she became, the more she pondered, the more frightened she grew. Unconsciously, cold sweat began to bead on Fu Junjuan¡¯s forehead, and her face turned pale once again. ¡°Mother?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Are you having another attack?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go get Doctor Xu!¡± Seeing this, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling were both shocked and hastened forward to check on her. The impulsive Kou Zhong even wanted to go find Xu Yang. ¡°No, don¡¯t!!!¡± Fu Junjuan finally snapped out of her shock and hurriedly stopped Kou Zhong, managing to show a strained smile: ¡°Mother is fine, just thinking about some things.¡± Despite her words, her eyes couldn¡¯t help but dart to the side to catch Li Suwen¡¯s reaction. Li Suwen, however, seemed unconcerned, giving off a teasing smile: ¡°You two rest well. Call for me if you need anything.¡± With those words, he also left the room. Fu Junjuan: ¡° Chapter 48 - 31: Visitor_1 Chapter 48: Chapter 31: Visitor_1 Trantor: 549690339 So it was, three dayster. A huge caravan entered Xuzhou City. Armored soldiers led the way with imposing military horses at the front, followed by sturdy servants and skilled Martial World escorts at the rear. In the center was a grand carriage pulled by four horses side by side, luxurious and extraordinary, further exuding majesty. Since ancient times, there were regtions for the number of horses in a carriage: the emperor¡¯s carriage had six, vassals had five, high-ranking officials had four, schrs had three, literati had two, andmoners had one. A four-horse carriage was the privilege of high-ranking officials, indicating the extraordinary status of the person inside. Inside the carriage, two men were seated opposite each other. One was dressed as a schr, gentle and refined, the image of cultured elegance. The other was dressed as a warrior, wearing foreign attire and skilled in mounted archery, exuding authority with every nce. The schr lifted the curtain to look outside and saw the streets smooth and wide, carriages like dragons, people like streams, the endless calls of hawkers, and shops bustling with customers¡ªeverywhere bristling with vitality and prosperity. The schr squinted his eyes, let the curtain fall, and turned to the warrior seated opposite him, ¡°Shi Ji, what do you see?¡± The warrior¡¯s expression was calm and steady, ¡°A thriving vigor, everything blooming inpetition, truly a scene of prosperous times!¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± The schr nodded and sighed, ¡°This ce is as prosperous as the Eastern Capital, even surpassing Jiangnan!¡± After saying this, he looked outside again, ¡°Just now on the way here, outside the city, I saw the fields being tilled, viges inhabited, no vagrants on the roads, no starved bodies along the way, and themoners showed no signs of hunger. They live and work in peace and contentment, truly enjoying a time of great peace.¡± ¡°Given this¡¡± The schr turned his gaze back and asked in a serious tone, ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange?¡± ¡°It is indeed strange.¡± The warrior furrowed his brow, ¡°These years have seen grand constructions that exhaust the people and drain the wealth, with internal efforts to build canals and the Eastern Capital, and external military campaigns, annihting the Tuyuhun, subjugating Goguryeo, repeatedly imposing taxes on the people, and the burden ofbor is heavy, causing the livelihood of the people to wither, with uprisings breaking out across thends, and the sky lit with the fires of war¡¡± The schr smiled and continued, ¡°Given that, to still have ces where people live in peace and contentment with ample food and clothing, isn¡¯t it bizarre?¡± The warrior frowned and asked in a heavy tone, ¡°What could be the reason?¡± The schr shook his head, ¡°I don¡¯t know yet, but I suspect it has something to do with that man.¡± ¡°That man?¡± The warrior furrowed his brow and probed, ¡°Are you referring to Doctor Xu?¡± ¡°Exactly, it¡¯s him.¡± The schr nodded and murmured, ¡°This man came from a beggar¡¯s background, starving and freezing, yet from somewhere he acquired an unparalleled medical skill. Sixteen years ago, he cured the stubborn illness of the governor Wang Bosheng¡¯s child, thereby establishing himself in Xuzhou and starting the Security Hall clinic.¡± ¡°In these sixteen years, he has been a healer to the world. The great families of Xuzhou and those of renown and noble lineage have all been treated by him; his miraculous healings and immediate remedies have increased his fame and significantly added to his wealth.¡± ¡°He also epted numerous disciples, over a hundred in discipleship and nearly a thousand students, all receiving the true transmission of his medical skills. Not only was the Security Hall in Xuzhou City expanded several times, but he also opened many branch clinics, spreading throughout Xuzhou.¡± ¡°Five years ago, he changed his policy and started offering free treatments to the people, not charging them for medicine or consultations, thus winning their hearts. The people of Xuzhou, upon hearing his name, invariably praise him as ¡®the magic hand with a benevolent heart at Security Hall, the righteous and kind Xu Qingyang!¡±¡® ¡°Even more, some have set up his longevity que in their homes, offering incense day and night without rest, proiming him as a Bodhisattva incarnate, Buddha reborn¡ªa greatpassionate being, delivering all people¡ ¡± Listening to the schr¡¯s words, the warrior knitted his brows in surprise and apprehension, ¡°What is he trying to do?¡± ¡°Yes, what is he trying to do?¡± The schr sighed and murmured, ¡°Offering medical services for free, performing charity, rejuvenating with magical hands, garnering the hearts of people. With such actions, Shi Ji, what does it remind you of?¡± ¡°The end of the Han Dynasty!¡± ¡°Zhang Jiao!¡± ¡°The Yellow Turbans!¡± ¡°Rebels!¡± The warrior¡¯s gaze sharpened as he spoke forcefully, ¡°Clearly this man intends to start a rebellion!¡± Hearing this, the schr¡¯s face turned stern, ¡°Without evidence, we must not speak rashly!¡± ¡°What proof is needed?¡± The martial artist didn¡¯t understand and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Isn¡¯t his behavior proof enough?¡± ¡°It is and it isn¡¯t.¡± The schr shook his head and said solemnly, ¡°In any case, before the situation bes clear, we should neither jump to conclusions nor act rashly.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m afraid he really might rebel!¡± A silence ensued; neither of them spoke, and the atmosphere inside the carriage suddenly became oppressive. After a while, the martial artist looked up and said solemnly, ¡°Xuzhou City is the heart of the Central ins, a strategic location that all warriors vie for. Our Yuwen Sect intends to aplish great things, and we must keep this ce under our control. How can we allow this man to upy it?¡± ¡°Of course we can¡¯t, otherwise why would our elder brother petition the emperor, sending you and me to take up official posts in Xuzhou?¡± The schr shook his head and said softly, ¡°But with the situation unclear, we must not act rashly. We must n gradually. This Xu Qingyang has an unknown background and is unfathomable. Now that he has established his influence, a direct conflict, even if our Yuwen Sect could win, would cost us dearly. Such an action would be unwise!¡± ¡°Then what do you suggest¡¡± ¡°Add fuel to the fire, let the wolf devour the tiger!¡± The schr smiled chillingly and continued, ¡°Although this man is extraordinary, he ultimatelyes from a lowly background, and this world belongs to the noble families. The four major ns, the ¡®Five Surnames and Seven Hopes,¡¯ and the eight great families¡ªeach has been inherited for hundreds to nearly a thousand years, with deep potential and strong strength that this man cannot match with just over a decade¡¯s umtion.¡± ¡°His actions must have already caused dissatisfaction among the noble families of Xuzhou City. It¡¯s only because of his ample resources and the mediation of the retiring governor, Wang Bosheng, that they have managed to coexist. Now that Wang Bosheng is old and leaving office, and you and I have been appointed the new leaders of Xuzhou, all we need to do is add fuel to the fire, and we can certainly provoke a fight between the two sides.¡± ¡°At that time, we can exploit the power of the noble families to uncover the roots of this Xu Qingyang, devise a n, and strike a sessful blow in one fell swoop!¡± ¡°Brilliant!¡± Hearing this n, the martial artist also praised, chuckling, ¡°Zhiji, you truly deserve to be the chief strategist of our Yuwen Sect!¡± ¡°Ha!¡± The schrughed, taking the praise in stride, and the atmosphere inside the carriage rxed. Just then¡ ¡°Giddy up! ¡± Suddenly, the sound of a galloping horse was heard, followed by movement outside the carriage. A family servant lifted the carriage curtain and presented a letter. ¡°Hmm?¡± Yuwen Zhiji took the letter, and his brows immediately furrowed, ¡°It¡¯s a message from our elder brother!¡± Yuwen Shiji leaned over, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Yuwen Zhiji opened the letter, reading it carefully, and after a moment, he frowned and said, ¡°Our elder brother has been chasing the three people who fled with the Longevity Jue. However, he has been repeatedly thwarted by a mysterious force, which has allowed those three to escape to Xuzhou. Hence, he has asked us to cooperate in intercepting them to acquire the Longevity Jue. ¡°This¡ Hearing this, Yuwen Shiji was also taken aback, ¡°With Chengdu and Wudi by Huaji¡¯s side, what skill could those three possess that allowed them to escape the pursuit of the three formidable masters of our Yuwen Sect?¡± ¡°The martial arts of those three are merely average. The key lies in that mysterious force. Moreover¡¡± Yuwen Zhiji¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°Those three havee to Xuzhou because they were severely injured by our elder brother¡¯s Ice Mysterious Power, and their lives are at risk. They are in need of medical attention, which means they must currently be at¡ the Security Hall!¡± Upon hearing this, Yuwen Shiji fell silent. ¡°The Longevity Jue cannot be lost. Change of n!¡± Yuwen Zhiji set down the letter, ¡°Send couriers immediately in the name of our Yuwen Sect, inviting the heads of Xuzhou¡¯s great families to a gathering. Then with the military tally and imperial edict in hand, proceed to the barracks tomand the troops, in preparation for any potential civil unrest in Xuzhou. Our elder brother is already on his way; as soon as he arrives, we will act at once to eliminate the Security Hall!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Chapter 49 - 32: A Visit_1 Chapter 49: Chapter 32: A Visit_1 Trantor: 549690339 Thus, three more days passed. ¡°The overall situation is settled!¡± ¡°Enter the city!¡± A troop, solemn and disciplined, slowly entered Xuzhou City like a menacing giant python. In the central array, one man rode atop a horse. He appeared to be around thirty, tall and lean with long limbs, and had an ancient and rugged countenance, indifferent and emotionless. His eyes were deep and inscrutable, emanating an extreme coldness akin to pr ice, yet also subtly revealing an intimidating authority. It was none other than the second strongest master of the Yuwen Sect, the current Emperor¡¯s Imperial Guard Commander¡ªYuwen Huaji! Behind Yuwen Huaji, there followed three others, riding their horses. They were Yuwen Chengdu, Yuwen Wudi, and Yuwen Shiji. The four great masters of the Yuwen Sect had all arrived! They led the private soldiers of the Yuwen Sect along with the elite imperial guards into the city. Outside, the local garrison of Xuzhou had been ordered to cooperate with the original city defense, sealing the vast city of Xuzhou tight. No wonder they presented such an imposing lineup. Originally, Yuwen Huaji had set out lightly, only taking Yuwen Chengdu and Yuwen Wudi, along with a few trusted subordinates, south to Yangzhou to seize the treasure manual of the Longevity Jue from the Push Mountain Hand Stone Dragon. They killed the Stone Dragon, but the manual had not fallen into their hands; instead, it ended up with two young ruffians and a woman. Helpless, he could only lead his men in pursuit, only to be repeatedly ambushed on the way by a group of mysterious experts skilled in joint attack tactics and battle array methods, leaving him in a sorry and disheveled state. Though the mysterious group consisted of experts, none of them couldpare with him in terms of cultivation. However, they were numerous and versed in the art of joint strikes and battle formations. Together, they could just barely block him. After being intercepted by them several times, Yuwen Huaji eventually could not endure it. He decisively gave up the chase of the trio and turned to gather the masters of the Yuwen Sect and the elite imperial guards to deal with the mysterious group first. Yet, the opponent had vanished without a trace. Seeing this, Yuwen Huaji did not disband the forces. Instead, he led therge group of men northward, continuing the pursuit of the three fugitives who possessed the Longevity Jue. Among the three, the woman in white with the highest martial prowess was wounded by his Ice Mysterious Power, her veins invaded by the cold toxin, almost beyond salvation by anyone under the heavens. Without the white-d woman¡¯s interference, the remaining two young men, who barely knew martial arts, escaping from the palm of Yuwen Huaji was a fool¡¯s dream! The only problem now was none other than Doctor Xu. Xian ¡°Xu Qingyang?¡± ¡°A beggar amounting to this day is no ordinary fate!¡± ¡°Who is supporting him from behind?¡± ¡°Lingnan, unlikely, Li Sect, makes no sense, Dugu¡ even less possible!¡± ¡°In the realm of ck and white, the Demon Sect has been silent for long, Buddhism stays aloof, Taoism¡¯s influence is waning and hard to recover, and Confucian Gate is a strategy of noble ns; nothing fits, none of it fits!¡± ¡°Who exactly is this person¡?¡± Yuwen Huaji¡¯s eyebrows were tightly knit, his doubts unresolved. ¡°Elder brother! ¡± At that moment, Yuwen Shiji rode forward and whispered to him, ¡°Something seems off.¡¯ ¡°Oh?!¡± Yuwen Huaji¡¯s gaze sharpened as he looked left and right, noticing that every house was locked tight, and the streets were utterly deserted. To avoid startling the enemy, they had not cleared the area or evacuated the citizens in advance. So, what did this emptiness after entering the city indicate? ¡°News leaked out, which is within reason.¡± Yuwen Huaji shook his head: ¡°If theycked even this much capability, how could he have gained a foothold and grown his power in Xuzhou until today?¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Yuwen Shiji nodded but said no more. The troop silently marched on, heading straight for the heart of the city. Meanwhile, in the Security Hall¡ Fu Junjuan¡¯s body trembled, spitting out blood still containing traces of ice, but they were nearly undetectable. ¡°It is done.¡± Xu Yang stood up, hands in sleeves, eyeing her with interest, ¡°You¡¯re recuperating quicker than I anticipated. The Nine Mysterious Great Skill is truly renowned. ¡± ¡°You tter me, sir.¡± Despite being her sect¡¯s core method and prized martial art, faced with Xu Yang¡¯spliments, Fu Junjuan remained very humble¡ª or perhaps¡ quite terrified. In the few days they had been together, although their interactions were limited, she had noticed something. Doctor Xu was extremely interested in the martial arts of the world¡¯s renowned families, especially the ¡°Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao¡± martial techniques. For anyone else, this would be normal; after all, who in the Martial World would not desire to cultivate advanced martial arts? But Doctor Xu was different. His level of martial cultivation was already among the top in the world. He theoretically did notck for advanced martial skills¡ªand now with the possession of the Taoist treasure manual Longevity Jue, why was he still so interested in other martial arts? Could it be that he wanted to practice all the world¡¯s martial arts, tobine andprehend them, and create a peerless Martial Path scripture unmatched in ancient and modern times? Fu Junjuan shivered, discarding this wild conjecture from her mind and secretly praying that Doctor Xu would not set his sights on her sect¡¯s Nine Mysterious Great Skill and Yi Sword Technique. Xu Yang was unaware of her thoughts and simply stated, ¡°With this treatment, the cold toxin in your body has beenpletely removed. After several days of recovery, you should be fully healed.¡± After he spoke, he had his leading disciple, Su Beixuan, present two new books to the bewildered Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, ¡°I have already collected the original copy of the Longevity Jue. These are transcriptions I have made. There should be no errors, you may use them for your cultivation. If there are any issues,e and find me.¡± ¡°This¡¡± The two hesitated for a while but eventually epted the offer. Xu Yang smiled and continued, ¡°Furthermore, if you or anyone close to you needs to seek medical advice in the future, you can alsoe to me for treatment. You will only need to pay with martial arts scriptures as the consultation fee.¡± ¡°This¡ Thank you, Doctor Xu.¡± Hearing this, the two did not know how to respond and could only sp their fists in thanks. ¡°Then it is settled. Rest well.¡± Xu Yang did not say much more, finished giving his instructions, and turned to leave. Kou Zhong, Xu Ziling! He recognized these two, yet he did not fully know them. In his memory, they were the protagonists of the novel ¡°The Twin Dragons of the Great Tang Biography.¡± So the question arose, was this world a real one, or a fantasy concocted in a book? Did the protagonists possess traits like being ¡°favored by destiny¡± or ¡°children of fate¡±? This was a very important matter because such worlds were unlikely to be one-offs. As long as he continued to live through Zhaungzhou Mengdie, he would surely travel to worlds of novels, biographies, history, and myth, encountering those ssical stories that were well-known and loved. Therefore, he had to confirm whether this world had things like ¡°favored by destiny¡± or ¡°children of fate,¡± how powerful they were, whether they could correct the world, ensure the original course of history, or even eliminate the influence and traces of him, an ¡°outsider.¡± It would determine his future strategy and stance towards the ¡°protagonists.¡± Thus, he copied two editions of the Longevity Jue and gave them to the ¡°protagonists,¡± the Twin Dragons, wanting to see what fate and developments they would encounterter on, to see if they could still achieve the legend as in the original work. To put it simply, he was using these two brothers as test subjects, testing whether something like the ¡°protagonist¡¯s halo¡± really existed. The test was not only about the ¡°protagonist¡¯s halo¡± but also about the practice of martial arts. Although the Longevity Jue hade into his possession, it was not yet fully deciphered, and he did not know whether it could be cultivated. Thus, he needed some test subjects to pave the way, which would be great if helpful, with no loss if not. Such is a benefit thates without any cost! ¡°This Doctor Xu¡ truly a good person!¡± The two examined the Longevity Jue in their hands. Although it was a copy, its technique was exquisite, its artistry brilliant, virtually indistinguishable from the original, without any discrepancy ¨C at least in their eyes, there was no difference. This made the two of them marvel that Doctor Xu was genuinely skilled and benevolent. Although he had taken their Longevity Jue as a fee for his service, he did not keep it to himself and gave them copies. In effect, it was equivalent to treating them free of charge, this¡ this¡ this¡ While the two were filled with admiration, holding the ¡°Longevity Jue.¡± Outside the Security Hall, a voice suddenly rose. ¡°Yuwen Huaji hase to visit. Where is Mr. Qingyang? A deep shout resonated, powerful enough to prate the walls of all ten directions, revealing the profound depth of internal cultivation of the one speaking. ¡°Yuwen Huaji?¡± ¡°He¡¯s here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good!¡± Hearing this voice, Fu Junjuan and the Twin Dragons were startled and immediately stood up, rushing to the front door. At the same time¡ Outside the Security Hall, staring at the tightly closed door that gave no response, Yuwen Huaji¡¯s expression turned icy as he spoke again, ¡°Mr. Qingyang is known for his skilled hands and benevolent heart, which I greatly admire. However, there is something you may not know. A few days ago, three imperial criminals, disguised as patients, entered the Security Hall to seek treatment.¡± ¡°I havee today for this matter and hope that Mr. Qingyang can distinguish right from wrong and hand over these three imperial criminals to avoid tainting the peaceful atmosphere of this medical institution with blood and violence.¡± His words set the scene and made his stance clear. However, there was still no response from the other side. Yuwen Huaji¡¯s brows furrowed, and his eyes grew colder, unable to contain himself any longer: ¡°Since the gentleman refuses to heed advice, then don¡¯t me me for being impolite. Come, break down the door!¡± As he spoke, he was ready tomand his troops to charge. Just at that moment¡ ¡°Crack! ¡± The doortch moved, and the medical hall opened. A line of people walked out, led by a inly dressed man with an extraordinary demeanor, hands sped behind his back, steady as Mount Tai. Yuwen Huaji¡¯s gaze sharpened, halting his soldiers with a wave of his hand, then he bowed with sped fists, ¡°I have long heard of Mr. Qingyang¡¯s youthful achievements, a Grandmaster by nature. Seeing you now, it indeed lives up to the reputation, admirable, admirable!¡± Xu Yang smiled and did not respond. Yuwen Huaji¡¯s eyes flickered, and he continued, ¡°As previously mentioned, please hand over those three imperial criminals. Otherwise, this ce of healing and saving lives might soon be caught in a whirlwind of violence, causing harm to innocent lives!¡± ¡°Scoundrel!¡± No sooner had the words fallen than a fierce shout was heard, and everyone turned to look. Upon the tall wall appeared three figures, Fu Junjuan and the two young Ko and Xu. Kou Zhong shouted, ¡°This matter has nothing to do with Doctor Xu. If you want to fight,e at us.¡± Yuwen Huaji nced at him, then turned his gaze back to Xu Yang, ¡°It is well known that Doctor Xu is not only outstanding in medical skills but is also devoted to the Martial Path, often epting martial arts scriptures as consultation fees to treat heroes of the Martial World. The Longevity Jue¡ should now be in your possession, right?¡± Xu Yang smiled nonchntly, ¡°What if it is?¡± Yuwen Huaji, looking at him, eventually bowed his head and said, ¡°Doctor Xu is known for his skilled hands and merciful heart, and I truly wish not to confront you with weapons. However, I ask that you hand over the Longevity Jue. It is a treasure of the imperial pce, stolen by thieves, and I wasmissioned to retrieve it and present it to the Emperor!¡± ¡°Quite the speaker, ¡± Xu Yang smiled, ¡°For that, I will give you a chance.. Hand over the Ice Mysterious Power techniques, and I will spare your life today!¡± Chapter 50 - 33: Strength_1 Chapter 50: Chapter 33: Strength_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°How audacious!¡± ¡°Insolence!¡± Such words made Yuwen Huaji¡¯s brows furrow tightly. Yuwen Chengdu and a host of experts from the Yuwen Sect were even more a mix of shock and rage. This person had already taken the Longevity Jue, but still dared to covet their Yuwen Sect¡¯s ancestral secret technique, the Ice Mysterious Power; truly an audacity that knew no bounds! On what did he rely, from where did he get such confidence? Yuwen Huaji¡¯s brows were tightly knit as he coldly eyed everyone from the Security Hall, and finally spoke, ¡°I have long heard of Mr. Qingyang¡¯s passion for the martial path, collecting martial arts from all over the world. After seeing you today, it is indeed as rumored, but¡¡± His words took a turn, chillingly cold, ¡°I wonder if your martial arts cultivation canpare to your medical skills?¡± The stage was set, and an explosion of action was imminent! Xu Yang smiled with hands behind his back and said, ¡°Come at me all at once!¡± ¡°Hmm!?¡± Yuwen Huaji¡¯s gaze sharpened, unsure in his heart, but he did not back down. With a clear and loud call, he said, ¡°Then Yuwen Huaji shall seek advice.¡± Having said that, the Gang Yuan internal energy activated, and he leapt from his horse into the air,unching a powerful punch towards Xu Yang. With this punch striking out, a chilling wind howled immediately, causing the temperature around to plummet rapidly, turning icy cold. It was the Ice Mysterious Power! This Yuwen Sect¡¯s hereditary secret technique possessed extreme cold power, and without profound cultivation, it would be incredibly difficult to withstand. Now in the month of May, at the threshold of summer, the sun harshly overhead already carried the hint of heat, but as soon as Yuwen Huaji¡¯s Ice Mysterious Power emerged, the surrounding area immediately turned bitterly cold, the temperature dropping below zero. Those without profound internal energy to protect their bodies all trembled uncontrobly. That was just the impact of the extreme cold of the Mysterious Ice. Ice Mysterious Power, besides the extreme cold of Mysterious Ice, also has a ¡®Power¡¯ aspect. Facing the direct onught, Xu Yang only felt a wave of cold power pressing towards him, seemingly insubstantial yet substantial, causing the air all around topress from above, below, left, and right, leaving one clueless on how to resist. This was the marvelous use of ¡®Power¡¯ within the Ice Mysterious Power. The adeptness with which the coldness of Mysterious Ice was controlled approached a state of magical integration, even beginning to merge with the heavens and the earth ¡ª or rather, the surrounding environment ¡ª to harness the power of nature to attack the opponent. If one were in thends of the far north, where the extreme cold presides, under the influence of weather and terrain, the power of the Ice Mysterious Power could be amplified several times. With this technique, Yuwen Huaji moved unhindered through courts and the martial world. Under the heavens, few could stand as his rival. Not even the first master of Yangzhou, who had been renowned for several decades, the Push Mountain Hand Stone Dragon could defeat him and met defeat in Jiangnan. This testified to his strength! However¡ In front of the Security Hall, Xu Yang still stood with his hands behind his back, immovable as a mountain. Not only did he remain still, but even the disciples and the many members of his sect behind him did not stir, despite the howling wind and the iing Ice Mysterious Power. ¡°This¡!¡± This scene caused everyone¡¯s pupils to shrink. Before they could even speak, the Ice Mysterious Power pressed down, the formerly almost imperceptible power suddenly congealing, freezing tiny ice crystals in mid -air from all directions, unified in their attack. Yet what was seen¡ ¡°Whoosh!¡± Xu Yang remained still; the void twisted, and Gang Qi materialized into existence, depicting both Yin and Yang, manifesting the image of Tai Chi. The Tai Chi Diagram spun, epassing all creation, transforming Qi Three Thousand, instantly dissolving the force of the Ice Mysterious Power, along with the bitter cold and ice crystals that surrounded it, sweeping it all away. Martial Arts Scripture Fighting Scroll¡ªQi Three Thousand! Built upon the principles of Nine Yin and Nine Yang and the theory of Chaos Yuan Tai Chi to assimte and transform power, augmented by the subtleties of Beiming¡¯s Skill,plementary and unified, is the ultimate art of the Fighting Scroll. It is capable of absorbing and dissolving power, epassing the ability of Qi Three Thousand. Though the Ice Mysterious Power was a secret technique of the Yuwen Sect, a martial art capable of ¡°Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao,¡± in terms of the intricate depths under ¡°Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao,¡± it could notpare to the Martial Arts Scripture. Because the Martial Arts Scripture was created by Xu Yang, integrating and connecting the martial arts of the entire Great Zhou world, also epassing the collective wisdom of countless outstanding martial artists, geniuses, and great craftsmen of Great Zhou, evolving for more than two centuries. The intricacies involved are imaginable. Each aspect had been perfected to the ultimate, just short of the method of ¡°Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao.¡± Compared to this, while the Ice Mysterious Power also had the method of ¡°Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao,¡± it was far from reaching the depths of the Martial Arts Scripture because the power of a family or a sect could neverpare to that of a nation, an entire world. Of course, the Ice Mysterious Power had its own advantages, namely the method of ¡°Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao.¡± But¡ Martial Path Communicates with God, reaching the pinnacle, the Martial Arts Scripture in Xu Yang¡¯s hands also possessed Divine Intent. The only advantage was leveled, and the oue was foreseeable. The force of Ice Mysterious Power that Yuwen Huaji released with all his might vanished instantly under the spinning Tai Chi Diagram. Although he had prepared his mind, knowing that his opponent was unfathomable and far from ordinary, seeing this spectacle still made Yuwen Huaji unable to maintain hisposure. Taiji Yin and Yang, Qi Three Thousand? Such a technique¡ Yuwen Huaji¡¯s eyes narrowed with doubt and astonishment as he looked at Xu Yang: ¡°I did not expect that in just a few days, sir would prate the unsolvable Longevity Jue. Yuwen Huaji is impressed, truly impressed!¡± His words were a ploy, a probing attempt. Xu Yang, however, was indifferent and calmly said, ¡°It is not the Longevity Jue, but it is enough. As courtesy dictates, how about you receive my palm?¡± Without waiting for Yuwen Huaji¡¯s reaction, he raised his hand and struck out with his palm. ¡°Roar!!!¡± Upon the palm release, a dragon¡¯s roar resounded, echoing across the eight deserts, a dazzling dragon shadow surged majestically forth, embodying supreme Yang, ultimate firmness, strongest force, swallowing and annihting all in its path towards Yuwen Huaji. Fighting Scroll Descending Dragon! In the Great Zhou world, Xu Yang¡¯s chief disciple, the General of the Brave Guards Chen Cejun, had also used this move against enemies, but never with such magnitude and power. Because Chen Cejun¡¯s cultivation was only at the extreme realm of True Gang, not yet attaining Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao, he could merely use his True Gang extreme realm¡¯s Gang Qi to summon a tangible but spiritless dragon image, symbolizing the limit that martial arts in the Great Zhou world had reached in cultivating to the True Gang Realm. Only the path to Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao remained uncharted. Now, executed by Xu Yang, with the marvels of the Martial Path Communicates with God under hismand, this deficiency was finally rectified. Combining the power of Pure Yang with the Descending Dragon move, a palm strike emerged like a ferocious dragon from the sea, achieving ultimate momentum, shocking all directions. Faced with such an rming sight, Yuwen Huaji didn¡¯t even have time to speak. His robust Gang Yuan reacted instinctively, pushing his Ice Mysterious Power to its limit, freezingyers of ice crystals in the void, forming a giant ice tiger. Mysterious Ice Extreme Moves¡ªTiger¡¯s Ice Roar! The huge ice tiger roared and stepped into the void, rushing towards the engulfing Descending Dragon Palm with the force of toppling mountains and overturning seas. ¡°BOOM!!!¡± As dragon and tiger collided, a thunderous explosion rang out. The crystalline ice tiger shattered into pieces, while the Descending Dragon Palm remained unbendingly fierce, unleashing its residual force in a thunderous crash against Yuwen Huaji¡¯s chest. ¡°BANG! ! Another loud bang, armor scattered, blood sttered, and Yuwen Huaji, suspended mid-air, was sent flying a hundred Zhang away by the shadow of the dragon, smashing into a restaurant, his fate unknown. After the shock came a deathly silence, the air momentarily hung suspended. It was only after a long while that the experts from the Yuwen Sect snapped back to reality in horror. ¡°Brother! ¡± ¡°Eldest Brother!¡± ¡°Huaji!¡± ¡°General! ¡± ¡°Quick, release the arrows!¡± ¡°Kill! The Yuwen Sect¡¯s experts frantically regained their senses, and seeing Xu Yang still calm andposed in front of the Security Hall, they were terrified. They hurriedly ordered the archers to release their arrows, while they themselves abandoned their horses, which had been paralyzed on the ground by the dragon¡¯s might, and rushed to where Yuwen Huaji was using qinggong. ¡°Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!¡± Despite the soldiers¡¯ own panic, years of drilled discipline and instinct led them to unleash a rain of arrows. Xu Yang did not care. With a casual wave of his hand, a tide of Gang Qi appeared, repelling countless arrows like breaking waves, sending them back into the ranks of the army, instantly causing a chorus of screams. Meanwhile, at an unknown location. ¡°WOOO!!!¡± A long and melodious horn sounded, instantly spreading throughout Xuzhou City. ¡°Take action!¡± ¡°Kill! Amid the sound of the horn, countless figures suddenly appeared from the previously empty streets, all of them armored soldiers brandishing swords and bows. In an instant, a wave surged, and thousands of Mysterious Armour Warriors emerged from all sides. Many archers climbed atop buildings, aiming down at the Yuwen Sect¡¯s troops and valiant guards, their bows drawn to full moons, showering arrows like rain. Elsewhere, outside of Xuzhou City, Yuwen Zhiji, the chief strategist of the Yuwen Sect, was gazing at Xuzhou surrounded by various extravagantly dressed family heads. ¡°Xuzhou has always been at the heart of the Central ins, a strategic point that must be contended for by military strategists.¡± ¡°How can such a splendidnd be upied bymoners?¡± ¡°That Xu Qingyang has been arrogantly relying on the power of Wang Bosheng for many years, today he finally receives his retribution.¡± ¡°Brother Yuwen is a pir of the state. By quelling this rebellion, your name will surely shake the world¡¡± The heads of the noble families were sipping their wine and talking with full confidence. Yuwen Zhiji was holding his wine cup but looking deeply uneasy, a sense of unrest growing within him. Where did this anxietye from? He couldn¡¯t articte it clearly. His brother Yuwen Huaji was one of the strongest in the Yuwen Sect, aside from the leader Yuwen Shang. Renowned throughout the world, apart from three grandmasters, the wielder of the Lingnan Heaven de, the leader of the Yinkui Sect, the sessor of the Cihang, and the four holy monks of the Purity Zen Sect, he had almost no equal. Adding to that the likes of Yuwen Chengdu and other Yuwen Sect experts, along with arge troop, trusted Imperial Guards, and reinforcements from various distinguished families in Xuzhou, it was not just the Security Hall, but even the currently most renowned and powerful rebel king, Li Zitong, would be leveled in one battle. But why did he feel such unease, growing stronger and stronger¡ ¡°WOOO!!!¡± Just as Yuwen Zhiji was filled with doubts and fears, another melodious horn sounded from within Xuzhou City. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°Where did that horn sounde from?¡± Yuwen Zhiji¡¯s expression changed, sensing something was amiss. At that moment¡ The middle-aged man who had been toasting with him suddenly drew a thin sword from his waist and pinned Yuwen Zhiji in ce. Yuwen Zhiji looked at the man in shock and anger, about to speak, but then saw that the other family heads were doing the same, each drawing their hidden weapons and watching him coldly. In an instant, a dreadful suspicion arose in his mind, turning hisplexion deathly pale. Propping himself up, he said, ¡°You¡ are not the head of the Zhang Family!¡± ¡°The wisdom of the chief strategist of the Yuwen Sect truly surpasses others.¡± The middle-aged man smiled slightly, reversed his hand, and pulled off his face mask to reveal the youthful face beneath. ¡°Please, my master has been waiting for you for a long time.¡± ¡°Master?¡± Yuwen Zhiji murmured, his confusion instantly clearing as he looked at the ¡°family heads¡± before him and said bitterly, ¡°What a move by Xu Qingyang, what a move by the Security Hall. I had no idea you had grown to such an extent. The families of thisnd of Xuzhou must have long been reced by you, haven¡¯t they?¡± Having said that, he didn¡¯t care about the sword at his neck and turned his eyes back to the war-torn Xuzhou: ¡°No wonder the world is in chaos, and the people are suffering, yet thisnd of Xuzhou still prospers. It has already changed hands long ago. So much has happened in these mere sixteen years?¡± ¡°You¡¡± Yuwen Zhiji turned his head to look at the young man and his followers: ¡°Who exactly are you! !!¡± Chapter 51 - 34: Trade_l Chapter 51: Chapter 34: Trade_l Trantor: 549690339 Three dayster, inside Xuzhou City, on the bustling streets packed with carriages and horses. Fu Junjuan walked ahead, dispirited and in a daze, followed by an equally disheartened Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling. Although three days had passed and Security Hall had undergone multiple clean-up procedures including washing, burning, and disinfecting, the three still felt a thick, lingering stench of blood in the air that seemed impossible to dispel. The scenes from three days before were seared into their memories, vivid whenever they closed their eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind!¡± Suddenly, Kou Zhong stopped in his tracks, clenched his fists, and dered, ¡°I¡¯m going back to ask to be a disciple!¡± ¡°Be a disciple?¡± Xu Ziling was surprised, looking at him incredulously, ¡°Be a disciple of whom?¡± ¡°Of none other than Doctor Xu, no, Master Qingyang!¡± Kou Zhong¡¯s fists tightened, his eyes full of longing, ¡°To wield power that can turn the skies and overturn the seas, effortlessly pping that dog-thief Yuwen Huaji into a dead fly mid-conversation, a man should aspire to such greatness. I must be his disciple, master the same martial arts as him, awe the world, and traverse the Martial World¡¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? I¡¯ve told you to stop listening to those wild tales!¡± Watching an excited Kou Zhong, Xu Ziling was at a loss for words, ¡°Even if you ask to be a disciple, would he just ept you?¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he?¡± Kou Zhong turned back, serious, ¡°I¡¯ve already made inquiries. Master Qingyang has always epted numerous disciples. Most of the disciples in Security Hall are from poor families or orphans, just like us. If Master Qingyang could ept them, naturally, he could ept us too. Xiaoling, let¡¯s go together, shall we?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Hearing this, Xu Ziling hesitated. Fortunately, Fu Junjuan snapped back to her senses in time, ¡°That won¡¯t do!¡± ¡°That wan¡¯t do?¡± Kou Zhong, confused, looked at her, ¡°Why not, mother?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Fu Junjuan¡¯s expression was one of hesitation, but finally she said, ¡°This man is unfathomable, with terrifying schemes and stratagems, an extremely frightening and dangerous existence. You must never get entangled with him.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Kou Zhong cocked his head, ¡°But I think Master Qingyang is a good person. Look, he healed your wound, mother, squashed Yuwen Huaji, that dog-thief, and even gave us the Longevity Jue manual. He¡¯s practically the number one good Samaritan in the world.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± Fu Junjuan wanted to exin, but didn¡¯t know where to start, only able to say, ¡°Just listen to your mother, do not get involved with this man. He¡¯s very dangerous, extremely dangerous!¡± ¡°This¡¡± Kou Zhong was somewhat hesitant. ¡°Alright, what mother says goes, so that¡¯s what we¡¯ll do.¡± Seeing Fu Junjuan so serious, Xu Ziling sided with her, advising Kou Zhong, ¡°Mother wouldn¡¯t harm us. Besides, since Doctor Xu allowed us to leave, it means he has no intention of taking us as disciples. Going back now would be pointless. Why not practice the Longevity Jue well with mother?¡± ¡°This¡ alright then.¡± Upon hearing this, Kou Zhong didn¡¯t insist any further, though he was a bit disappointed. Meanwhile, at Xuzhou¡¯s government office, in the dungeons. Yuwen Huaji, dressed in prisoner¡¯s garb and with a pale, anxious face, looked uncertainly at the person before him. ¡°Well, have you thought it through?¡± Xu Yang sat before him, smiling lightly, ¡°A book for a life, it¡¯s a bargain.¡± Yuwen Huaji fell silent for a while, but finally said, ¡°The secret manual is originally in the sect leader¡¯s hands; I can only copy one for you.¡± ¡°That¡¯ll do!¡± Xu Yang nodded, ¡°One book for one life. Plus, Yuwen Chengdu, Yuwen Wudi, Yuwen Shiji, Yuwen Zhiji, and the host of masters and trusted aides from your Yuwen Sect are all avable for trade.¡± Yuwen Huaji sank into silence again. After a long while, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t have that many!¡± A book for a life seems simple enough, but how many martial arts techniques that can reach the level of ¡°Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao¡± like the Ice Mysterious Power are there in the world? Even though Yuwen Huaji was the second inmand of the Yuwen Sect and had the authority to ess the sect¡¯s treasury and royal storehouses, and had umted quite a hoard from his dominion in the Martial World over the years, he still found it difficult to redeem all the Yuwen Sect¡¯s masters, including Yuwen Chengdu. Now, he understood why Xu Yang had shown mercy three days ago. He had spared his life and captured the Yuwen Sect¡¯s masters without killing them. It turned out to be a ploy for ransom, a hostage extortion. If possible, he really didn¡¯t want to y right into Xu Yang¡¯s hands. But that possibility did not hold true. Including himself, the four top masters of the Yuwen Sect, along with their chief strategist Yuwen Zhiji and their retainers, personal guards, and friends, had all fallen into this trap in Xuzhou. Although the Yuwen Sect had great strengths and vast interests, they could not withstand such losses, so they had to pay the ransom no matter what. ey aman?c nave mat many cop-nn marmal arcs: What to do? Yuwen Huaji found himself in a dilemma. After a moment, he tentatively said, ¡°Could gold, silver, grain, and fodder suffice?¡± Xu Yang smiled and said, ¡°They could!¡± ¡°How much?¡± ¡°For each of the four great experts of the Yuwen Sect, a martial arts secret manual equivalent to the Ice Mysterious Power is required. For the others, gold, silver, grain, and fodder will suffice¡ªGang Qi practitioners ten thousand taels, True Qi practitioners five thousand, Inner Strength and trusted aides¡¡± Facing the terms set by Xu Yang, Yuwen Huaji fell silent for a while but eventually nodded and said, ¡°As Mister suggests, I will personally write a letter to the Yuwen Sect. The required items can be arranged to arrive shortly. I hope Mister will keep his promise.¡± Xu Yang smiled, said nothing more, had someone bring in the Four Treasures of the Study, and then stood up and left the prison¡ As always, killing is only a means, not the end. Yuwen Huaji bore no deep grudge against him and there was no reason he had to be killed. On the contrary, a living Yuwen Huaji could bring him even more benefits, more advantages. These ransoms were just one of them. Moreover, he needed Yuwen Huaji to be alive, to return to Yang Guang¡¯s side to fulfill his historical mission by stirring up chaos in the world, initiating the struggle for the dragon throne. For this reason, he had half-sold, half-given the surviving experts and the private troops of the Yuwen Sect back to him. As for whether this would be releasing a tiger back to its mountain? No matter the Yuwen Huaji in history or in the novels, none ended with a good fate. They didn¡¯t even require Xu Yang¡¯s attention as others would take care of him thoroughly. So, what tiger to release, what mountain to return to? Unless after he returned, he immediately mobilized all forces of the Yuwen Sect and persuaded Yang Guang to dispatch troops to Xuzhou, betting the veryst of the Great Sui Dynasty¡¯s national fortune¡ªonly then could he pose a certain threat. But would he do such a thing? Clearly not! Such action would bring him no benefits. As a person in power, rational cold-bloodedness was an essential trait; he would only be driven by interests, not personal grudges, love, hate, or emotions. He wouldn¡¯t take such a huge risk to gamble against Xu Yang with all his wealth, even if he might win but at the cost of great damage to his vital energy. Therefore, after returning, not only would he not seek trouble with Xu Yang, but he would also retract the power of the Yuwen Sect to avoid further conflicts with Xu Yang, trying his best to preserve his own strength to stand firm in this tumultuous world. Xu Yang believed that Yuwen Huaji was smart enough to understand this. Even if he wasn¡¯t, others in the Yuwen Sect would ensure that he did. If there were any risks, it would be exposing some of his secrets, such as having reced the major families in Xuzhou with substitutes, secretly forging iron armor for the Martial Guardians, and bringing Xuzhou under his control. This news, once out, would certainly make all the families in the world feel threatened, seeing him as their greatest enemy, and may even band together to attack him swiftly, to rid themselves of him quickly. After all, such actions were too shocking, too extreme, and touched upon the bottom line of the major families. But Xu Yang had no choice but to do so because this world was different from the Great Zhou. In the Great Zhou¡¯s timeline, after the Sui and Tang dynasties during the Song and Yuan periods, a series of twists and turns had greatly weakened the power of major families. The segregation of the Martial World and the court was the best proof of this. However, this world was different. History was in the Sui and Tang period, and after four hundred years during the Eastern and Western Han dynasties, the major families had thoroughly taken root. Following the Three Kingdoms, Wei, and Jin dynasties, the usurpation of power by the Sima Family and the implementation of the nine grades of rank in regimes allowed the families to reach their zenith. Even the subsequent chaos caused by the Five Barbarians did not affect this, but rather it further strengthened the major families, leading to today¡¯s four major cliques, the Five Surnames and Seven Hopes, the eight major families, the Guanlong elite¡ªeach a behemoth with a heritage of hundreds or nearly a thousand years. It¡¯s clear how powerful the families were. The Great Sui fell after only two generations, and besides the supreme reason of Yang Guang, the creation of the imperial examination system, which was resisted by the major families, was also an important factor. Therefore, in this world, Xu Yang couldn¡¯t operate as he did in the Great Zhou world during the Hundred Broken Mountains period, through profit-sharing, mutually beneficial cooperation, and persuading the major families to amodate him. Because these bastards had been lording over for too long and had be a group of voracious wolves and tigers, wanting to swallow all benefits and unwilling to share with Xu Yang, even if the share was 70-30, 80-20, or even 90-10. And Xu Yang did not have absolute martial power to challenge the experts of various schools and suppress the Martial World as he did in the Great Zhou, forcing all forces to ept his presence. Hence, regrettably, he had to utilize some extreme measures, changing the bloodline of Xuzhou¡¯s major families, recing the people or items, and manipting them in secret. This matter, once leaked, would surely make him the enemy of the entire world. But it didn¡¯t matter anymore. By now, he had already grown powerful, the momentum was on his side, and he was at the turning point of an era when the world was in chaos. Even if all the families in the world were against him, they wouldn¡¯t be able to shake his foundation. At most, he would have more enemies, but for him, the difference was negligible. It was just a matter of using their own means. As for blocking the news¡ There¡¯s no wall in the world that doesn¡¯t leak any wind. Even if he silenced Yuwen Huaji and the others, the anomalies during the battle at Xuzhou would still raise suspicions. A slight investigation and analysis could lead to the same conclusion; there was no point. Therefore, Xu Yang chose the most cost-effective strategy¡ªransom for release, exchange captives for money! Chapter 52 - 35: Reaction_l Chapter 52: Chapter 35: Reaction_l Trantor: 549690339 Several dayster, outside the territory of Xuzhou City, a cavalry unit hurriedly sped along, led by the pale-faced Yuwen Huaji. ¡°Brother, we¡¯ve already left the territory of Xuzhou. Let¡¯s find a ce to rest and recuperate; your injuries¡¡± Watching the pale-faced, teeth-clenched Yuwen Huaji, Yuwen Zhiji, who was riding closely beside him, expressed his worry with repeated urging. Several days earlier, a deal had been struck, and the Yuwen Sect, at great expense, had sent arge troop with a hefty sum of gold to purchase their freedom. They then rode relentlessly, day and night, fleeing Xuzhou in extreme haste, far away from thisnd fraught with danger. Yuwen Zhiji had no objections to this n. That man was so terrifying that it was only right to avoid his sharp edge, but Yuwen Huaji seemed to have developed a psychological trauma, ignoring his injuries as he urged his horse into a frantic gallop, not daring to stop even for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m not seriously harmed, we cannot dy. Additionally, dispatch someone ahead to prepare a boat; we must hurry back to Yangdu!¡± Yuwen Huaji¡¯s face was pale, one hand pressed against his chest, tirelessly channeling the Gang Yuan to suppress the pain of his internal injuries. He was severely wounded. On that day, Xu Yang¡¯s Descending Dragon Palm not only crushed his Ice Tiger Roaring Power head-on, but the residual force also sent him flying a hundred Zhang away, causing severe injuries on the spot and nearly leading to his death. Fortunately, Xu Yang wanted to use him in exchange for ransom and promptly brought him back for treatment with the Life Scroll, saving his life. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to ride a horse now, let alone move. Although Xu Yang had saved his life using the Life Scroll and even helped restore some of his strength, he was not fully healed. These few days of relentless horse riding had aggravated his injuries, causing him intense pain. But he still didn¡¯t dare to stop, nor did he dare to stop even after leaving Xuzhou, instinctively wanting to distance himself from that man, from that terrifying ce. This was a psychological shadow, a shadow cast by that palm strike. Now, all he wanted was to immediately return to Yangdu, back to the side of Emperor Yang of Sui. This wasn¡¯t because the idiot Yang Guang could offer him any sense of security, but because it could help him seek revenge, wiping away the humiliation and psychological shadow, the terrifying nightmare that man had left him. Did Yang Guang possess such an influence? Yes! Because he represented imperial authority, the supreme imperial authority. Yuwen Huaji believed that by seizing that power, he could wash away all the humiliation of today. This was a well-considered conclusion, not unfounded self-confidence. Imperial power indeed possessed such a mighty force. Take his own Yuwen Sect as an example. Within the Sect, there were two factions: one led by the Sect Leader Yuwen Shang, which focused on the Martial World and never meddled in court affairs; the other faction was led by himself, Yuwen Huaji, who served in the court and attended to the emperor. Therefore, he couldn¡¯tmand all the strength of the Yuwen Sect and was always subject to the restrictions of the Sect Leader, Yuwen Shang. But if he could seize the power of the world and be the emperor, then the entire Yuwen Sect would have to obey hismands, even the Sect Leader Yuwen Shang would have to submit to him. Not just the Yuwen Sect, but also Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism, especially Buddhism which had dominated the Righteous Path of the Martial World for hundreds of years. The Mercy Sailing Temple and Purity Zen Sect, these two great Sacred ces of the Martial World, represented them. The worldpeted for the Dragon Throne, with various powers making their moves, aiming to ¡°support the throne.¡± The Mercy Sailing Temple even had the traditional mission of ¡°selecting the emperor on behalf of Heaven,¡± and its sessive heirs had always been the most powerful supporters of the imperial authority. Now, with Emperor Yang devoid of virtue and having lost governance both inside and outside, he had already been abandoned by the Three Teaching Sect. Otherwise, the heir of the Mercy Sailing Temple would not have entered the world again, moving in the Martial World to restart the task of ¡°selecting the emperor on behalf of Heaven.¡± As long as he could solve Yang Guang, taking his ce to be the new emperor, and express his support for Buddhism, he would certainly gain the favor of the Mercy Sailing Temple. At that time, with the power of the Yuwen Sect and the assistance of Buddhism, he would be able to pacify the various rebellious forces across the world, establish a new dynasty, and create a new era. In light of this, what was Xu Qingyang to be concerned about? Xuzhou could be left to him. Not to mention how Xu Qingyang¡¯s ¡°Rece the People or Item¡± tactic would incite indignation among the noble families and wrath of gods and men, even if he could win over the hearts of the noble families, it would be difficult for him to withstand thebined might of the Yuwen Sect and Buddhism. In the future, once he ascended to the throne and held power, today¡¯s humiliation would surely be repaid a hundredfold! This was Yuwen Huaji¡¯s nning for the future, and also the reason he was insisting on rushing toward Yangdu despite his injuries. The situation of the world was unstable, with various forces rising in rebellion. The desirable head of Yang Guang, along with those one hundred thousand elite imperial troops, could not fall into the hands of another. They were destined possessions within Yuwen Huaji¡¯s grasp! As Yuwen Huaji left Xuzhou and hurried toward Yangdu, various forces also arrived in Xuzhou. The battle of Xuzhou a few days ago, although not earth-shattering, had nevertheless gathered many under the storm clouds, attracting countless attentions. Therefore, inside an ordinary inn within Xuzhou City. ¡°Greetings to the Holy Maiden!¡± ¡°Rise.¡± A stunningly charming woman in pink clothes, with natural seductive bones, sat casually on a bed, her bare jade feet swinging as she shook a bracelet full of bells, ¡°Have you ascertained the details?¡± ¡°Reporting to the Holy Maiden, the Longevity Jue is indeed in the hands of that Goguryeo demoness, and the artifact from Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure was also obtained through her hands,¡± said the subordinate without daring to lift his head, respectfully. ¡°Half a month ago, this demoness and her two adopted sons were pursued by Yuwen Huaji. They fled all the way to Xuzhou in search of the divine healer, Xu Qingyang, for treatment.¡± ¡°Xu Qingyang intervened to neutralize the Ice Mysterious Power used by Yuwen Huaji, and then with a single palm strike, he heavily injured the approaching Yuwen Huaji, also unleashing the long-hidden strength of the Security Hall. A contingent of irond elite soldiers annihted Yuwen Huaji¡¯srge force, and all four high-level masters of the Yuwen Sect were captured.¡± Upon hearing this, the woman grew impatient, ¡°There¡¯s no need to waste time on these widely known events. I want to know the details about Xu Qingyang, his true identity, his origins!¡± ¡°This¡¡± Her subordinate hesitated for a moment, but ultimately disclosed the truth, ¡°This person¡¯s background is quite peculiar. When Security Hall first opened sixteen years ago, someone investigated him.¡± ¡°The findings were that he was a beggar from within Xuzhou City, who nearly froze to death on the streets. Then, from nowhere, he acquired an exquisite medical expertise, changed his name, and his fortunes soared uncontrobly.¡± ¡°In the sixteen vears since, he openlv recruited disciples, expanded his medical practices, covertly trained disciples in martial arts, and even adopted the art of disguise to perform recement tricks, silently recing the major families and sects of Xuzhou. Unbeknownst to others, he gained actual control of Xuzhou.¡± ¡°Furthermore, we¡¯ve discovered that the major tradingpanies, courier firms, and Horse Gangs, as well as gang fleets of various rivers and seas, all have close ties to Security Hall. It is likely that many have been infiltrated using recement tactics.¡± ¡°With these methods, he has not only raised an elite force in iron armor but has also seized the hearts of Xuzhou¡¯s people and control over thend. Whether it¡¯s the stationed army from the state counties, the private armies of families, or the followers of various factions in the Martial World, they all obey him without question. He has turned Xuzhou into an iron barrel, watertight and imprable!¡± Listening to her subordinate¡¯s ount, thedy in pink also became serious and said in a deep voice, ¡°Another Song Que?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The subordinate hesitated again, and finally agreed, ¡°This person¡¯s deeds indeed bear some resemnce to the leader of the Song Family.¡± These words rendered the woman silent, revealing a sense of helplessness. The leader of the Song Family, Heavenly de Song Que, was a legendary figure in the Martial World, whose fame was in no way inferior to that of the three Grandmasters. A gifted individual in both martial arts and military strategy, Song Que swiftly reformed Lingnan after bing family head, quelled rebellions, and united local warlords. Later, Emperor Yang Jian of Sui, seeking to unify thends, was met by Song Que leading ten thousand elite troops. The result was ten victories in ten battles, leaving Yang Jian utterly defeated and embarrassed. With no other choice, Yang Jian withdrew from Lingnan, conferred the title of Duke of Zhennan on Song Que, and permitted him to govern independently. This remained one of Emperor Yang Jian¡¯s lifelong regrets. Such was Song Que¡¯s military brilliance, known as a grandmaster of military strategy, profoundly versed in both ancient and contemporary tactics. In the realm of martial arts, he was a prodigious talent, famous from a young age, and it was rumored that his martial skills were on par with the three Grandmasters. Even the most renowned figures of the Demon Sect, including the Underworld Queen with her eight top experts, dared not provoke him lightly. Thedy in pink could rte because she was from the Demon Sect. To avoid angering the leader of the Song Family, they had withdrawn their forces from Lingnan years ago, thus steering clear of the ¡°Heavenly de¡¯s¡± edge. Now, was Xuzhou about to encounter another troublesome character like this? However, Xuzhou was different from Lingnan. Although Lingnan was a remote and barbarous region, seizing it had no significant impact on the overall situation. But Xuzhou¡ was in the heart of the Central ins, a strategic location coveted by all, a must-have territory. Even Heavenly de Song Que might not be able to secure it. Could this person surpass Song Que? ¡°You¡¯re saying this person with a single palm strike heavily injured Yuwen Huaji?¡± ¡°Yes, in front of arge crowd that day, his strike burst forth like a dragon. Yuwen Huaji, despite exhausting all his power, couldn¡¯t withstand it and almost got sted to death on the spot. It seemed the man might have even held back somewhat.¡¯ The woman in pink was silent for a while, ¡°So, it means the Longevity Jue has fallen into his hands?¡± Her subordinate nodded, ¡°This man has a penchant for collecting different martial arts from all over the world. Previously, he even demanded the original manual of the Ice Mysterious Power from Yuwen Huaji. If the Longevity Jue was on that Rakshasa woman, it should be in his possession by now.¡± The woman fell silent again, then she spoke, ¡°Where is the Rakshasa woman ¡°We¡¯ve been tracking her, and she, along with two others, has left Xuzhou¡¡± Elsewhere, within the tranquility of Jing¡¯an Temple in Xuzhou City, Under the cold moonlight, in the quiet meditation room, a person frowned slightly while reading a letter. In the night wind, beneath the bright moon, she, garbed in blue, looked ethereal and otherworldly with her stunning beauty, as if she was a lotus flowering in pure water, rain on a deste mountain, dreamlike, an illusion, not of this world. Her eyes, especially, radiated wisdom and enlightenment, resonating with the profound principles of Buddhism. Even with her brows furrowed, her expression conveyedpassion. She stared at the letter in her hand for a long time without speaking, seemingly in a daze until a breeze scattered the pages. That¡¯s when she snapped back to reality, raised her eyes to the sky, and murmured to herself. ¡°Xu Xian?¡± ¡°Xu Qingyang?¡± ¡°You¡. who exactly are you?¡± Chapter 53 - 36: Sudden Enlightenment_1 Chapter 53: Chapter 36: Sudden Enlightenment_1 Trantor: 549690339 And so, half a monthter. Inside the Security Hall, within the quiet chamber. Xu Yang was sitting cross-legged on a bed bitterly cold to the touch, with four martial arts scriptures including the Ice Mysterious Powerid out before him. They were the ransom Yuwen Huaji used to redeem himself and others, all four capable of ¡°Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao,¡± top-tier martial arts. Although they were top-tier martial arts, in terms of their intricacy, they were still inferior to the Great Zhou Martial Scriptures. The only noteworthy aspect was the method of Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao. Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao essentially involved two steps: first, condensing the spirit; second, unifying with the Dao. The so-called condensing spirit involves concentrating divine intent into one¡¯s martial arts, transforming them profoundly, reaching an extraordinary level of mastery. How to condense the spirit? ording to the descriptions in these four martial arts scriptures, it is impossible to concentrate the power of the divine soul by relying solely on the body¡¯s strength; one must use the power of ¡°the Dao.¡± What is ¡°the Dao¡±? All things are part of the Dao! All things in the world, the natural elements, and everything between heaven and earth can be referred to as the Dao. As long as martial artists concentrate their spirit on the Dao and focus on it, channeling the essence of their martial arts to connect with the ambience of the Dao, they can strengthen their divine souls and condense divine intent. This might sound a bit mystical. To put it simply, it¡¯s a visualization technique! Visualize one thing, focus on one thing, to strengthen one¡¯s own spirit, and then infuse that spirit into the martial arts, transforming tangible Gang Qi into the Condensing Spirit Gang Yuan, and one can step into the realm of Condensing Spirit. This is the visualization technique. Hence, martial artists who have reached the Four-Realm Condensing Spirit will endow their emotions onto something, whether it be the dao of sword, the dao of de, the Natural Way, the Yin and Yang Dao, or even poetic and artistic sentiments. In fact, even indulgences like eating, drinking, and gambling can serve as the physical manifestations of ¡°the Dao.¡± Taking the Ice Mysterious Power as an example, to condense the spirit, one mustprehend the Dao of ¡°Mysterious Ice.¡± The most direct method of cultivation is to find and of ice and snow, visualize and feel the power of ¡°Mysterious Ice,¡± and ultimately merge the spirit that is rich with ¡°Mysterious Ice ambience¡± into the martial arts. Only then is the Ice Mysterious Power truly developed. The ambience of the Dao is critically important, as it directly affects the effectiveness of condensing the spirit and the power of the martial arts. Again using the Ice Mysterious Power as an example: due to the Dao of ¡°Mysterious Ice,¡± the Ice Mysterious Power possesses traits like ¡°freezing¡± and ¡°extreme cold,¡± and its power can be enhanced several fold in snowy and icy environments. Therefore, the choice of ¡°the Dao¡± is crucial. What should Xu Yang choose as his Dao to contemte, to condense, and to integrate? Sword and de? Fist and foot? Or the Five Elements and Four Laws, Taiji Yin and Yang? Xu Yang was indecisive at that moment. Although there is a saying, ¡°Three thousand Daos lead to the same destination,¡± theoretically, all ambiances of Dao can reach the utmost state without any distinction of superiority. Take the three world-renowned Grandmasters for example. The Martial Path of the esteemed Bi Xuan was conjoined with the Dao of Yan Yang, both part of the Five Elements and Four Laws as the Ice Mysterious Power of Yuwen Huaji, but the difference in strength between them was like heaven and earth. And as for the hermit Ning Daoqi and the grandmaster swordsman Fu Cailin, who cultivated the Natural Way which belongs to the Dao of Heaven and Earth, their aims were profound. However, Song Que, who focused on ¡°the dao of de,¡± was not a bit inferior to them. Therefore, theoretically, there is no hierarchy among the Daos. As long as your insight is deep enough, and your aptitude is sufficient, even if you contemte a piece of that¡ you could also be a great Grandmaster. But theory is just theory. In reality, there are still differences in strength and suitability. For instance, martial arts like the Ice Mysterious Power, which belong to the Five Elements and Four Laws, generally have limited utility, heavily influenced by the environment. In snowy and icy conditions, they are almost invincible, but their strength diminishes immediately once away from such environments. In the blistering heat of summer or the expanse of a desert, only a fraction of their power remains effective. On the other hand, the dao of sword and de is highly adaptable. As long as one has a weapon in hand, one can exhibit its power. Although the enhancement may notpare to that of the Five Elements and Four Laws borrowing the power of heaven and earth, it has the advantage of consistency and is not affected by external factors. Regarding the conceptual ambiances of Dao like Heaven and Earth, Nature, Yin and Yang, and Wuji, although they are highly adaptable and powerful, they require extremely high levels of aptitude andprehension and also necessitate studying scriptures from Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. Most martial artists would find it difficult to reach such a level. So, what should Xu Yang choose, or rather, what would be the most appropriate choice for him? Looking at the four martial arts scriptures before him, Xu Yang furrowed his brows tightly, falling silent. Suddenly, a spark of inspiration appeared in his mind like a bolt from the blue, exploding in his head. The Dao? What was his Dao? What was his greatest advantage? Xu Yang lifted his hands and stared nkly, slowly a bold idea rose in his mind. Could he¡ visualize himself? Are humans not a part of nature and everything in the world? The mystique of the human body, the power of self ¨C is this not called¡ the Martial Path? The Martial Path, could it beprehended, visualized, entrusted with one¡¯s spirit, strengthening the soul? If possible, then its strength, its effects, its range of applicability¡ would it be the strongest? In a sh of enlightenment, Xu Yang closed his eyes, emptied his mind, and amidst the consciousness in his mind, an image of the human anatomical structure suddenly appeared. In the image, there were countless lines and nodes, which represent the cirction routes and vital points of the body through which True Qi flows, and the key locations within the body. Suddenly, a glow lit up, True Qi began circting, and the entire structure of the human body brightened up, clearly indicating the operation of the ¡°Martial Arts Scripture.¡± As the Martial Arts Scripture operated, his spirit extended, faintly touching upon something. ¡°Boom!¡± Inside the quiet room, without any wind stirring waves, Xu Yang¡¯s body slowly lifted, suspended in midair, drawing the airflow from all directions, forming a cyclone around his body. The first step of Condensing Spirit and Co-Dao is visualization, which is followed by strengthening the spirit, then connecting the spirit with the intentions of the Dao, thereby absorbing the power of heaven and earth into the body, converting Gang Qi into Yuan! Xu Yang had practiced the Great Zhou Martial Scriptures for sixteen years, with the assistance of various Skill Traits; both his power and spirit were nearing perfection. Now that he had an epiphany, his umtion becamepletely full, and he was totally ready for the final assault. The final assault was to absorb the power of heaven and earth and merge Divine Intent into the body. How to absorb it? Condense the intent of the Dao with the spirit, practice the Cultivation Techniques with the body, unify the human with nature internally and externally, and resonate to draw upon the power of heaven and earth. Therefore, the intent of the Dao is key, and the location is also key. If one cultivates the Ice Mysterious Power, it is best to break through in a world of ice and snow because there, the Ice Mysterious Power is abundant and enriches the chances of sess and the effect afterward. Now that Xu Yang is visualizing his body, using martial arts as the Dao, can he draw upon the power of heaven and earth? Of course he can! Humans are also one of the myriad things in the world; how can they not draw upon the power of heaven and earth? Xu Yang sat cross-legged, floating in the air, with qi flowing in a vortex around his body, constantly merging into his physique. The human body is also one of the myriad things; the human body¡¯s power is the power of heaven and earth, so the power of heaven and earth that Xu Yang needs to absorb is the Qi Blood strength that constitutes the human body. Qi is the origin! Blood is the essence! Not only did a cyclone form around him, but even the food stored in his stomach was rapidly digested at this moment, turned into nutrients, and merged into the body. But this was not enough! Xu Yang made no move, simply shifting the airflow, causing the bottles of elixirs ced on the shelves to instantly shatter, drawing the precious herbs turned elixirs into the vortex. They didn¡¯t need to be swallowed; their essence was drawn out directly, turning into ashes. In the end, only a vortex, condensed from the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and the essence of the elixirs, enveloped Xu Yang¡¯s body, spinning violently in the void. After an unknown amount of time, finally¡ ¡°Whooosh!¡± Within the vortex, a true vacuum formed, swallowing all the spiritual energy and elixir essences, revealing a semi-transparent body. The meridians and acupoints could clearly be seen, along with the cirction of Qi Blood, like trains¡ ¡°Whooosh!¡± A mighty surge of energy burst forth. His tightly closed eyes opened, and all surrounding objects, including the precious Cold Jade Bed beneath him, turned to dust in an instant, leaving only Xu Yang standing in the void. He stood there, so conspicuous, so undeniable, as if he attracted the attention of all beings in the world, even the sun, moon, and stars seemed to focus and watch him. If the sensation Yuwen Huaji gave off when he pushed the Ice Mysterious Power to its limit was like a thousand-year-old block of ice, then Xu Yang standing there was like the sun, a realm of space, or even a whole world! That strong sense of self, that feeling of independence, made it impossible for anyone or anything to ignore his presence, just like the sun in the dark universe, forever the focal point of the world. This was the meaning of the Martial Path, ¡°I am Wudi, only I am revered, all mighty power returns to the self,¡± the intent of the Martial path! Xu Yang, feeling such a state within himself, finally understood the meaning of ¡°Martial Path Communicates with God.¡± Before, although he had developed the Skill Trait of Martial Path Communicates with God, he did not understand the principle nor could he teach the method to others so that they could gain the same power. But now, he understood. Why does the Martial Pathmunicate with God? It¡¯s because ¡°I¡± have endowed it with power, making it undergo rebirth and be divine. The Martial Path is the way of the self; I am the martial, the martial is me, with me there is no enemy, only martial is revered. Now, even if he removed the ¡®Martial Path Communicates with God¡± trait from his Attribute Panel, Xu Yang could still use the power of the self to exhibit the martial arts of godlymunication. Of course, there is no need for that, because the Martial Path Communicates with God granted by the Skill Traits is not in conflict with the Martial Path he has cultivated on his own; instead, they can stack and enhance the effect of the ¡°Divine Intent of the Martial Path.¡± This is important. ording to Xu Yang¡¯s own information gathering and Yuwen Huaji¡¯s testimonies, the world¡¯s experts, including the three Grandmasters, Evil King, and Heavenly de Song Que, are all in the realm of ¡°Condensing Spirit¡± and none has set foot into the ¡°Co-Dao¡± threshold because once one is ¡°Co-Dao,¡± they possess the power to break the Void and no longer remain human. If everyone is in the realm of Condensing Spirit, how do we differentiate their strength? It depends on the strength of the ¡°Divine Intent of the Martial Path.¡± The stronger the Divine Intent of the Martial Path, the stronger the actualbat power. Yuwen Huaji and his likes are just average in the realm of Condensing Spirit, while Yuwen Sect¡¯s leader Yuwen Shang, Dugu Sect founder You Chuhong, and Underworld Queen Zhu Yuyan rank higher. And the three Grandmasters, Heavenly de Song Que, are at the peak of their realms, with hopes of reaching Co-Dao and smashing the Void! Now although Xu Yang has just entered the realm of Condensing Spirit,bining the power of ¡°Martial Path Communicates with God¡± with the mystery of the Martial Scriptures and the strength of the Martial Path, he might well challenge the three Grandmasters and contend for the title of ¡°The Unsurpassed of the World.¡± Does that mean he is unrivaled under heaven again? No, no, not yet unrivaled truly; at most, he could defeat a Grandmaster. If the opponents joined forces or multiple enemies besieged him in a relentless onught, he might not be able to dominate as he desired. Ironically, within Buddhism, there are four notorious old fellows who enjoy ganging up! So¡ he¡¯d better wait some time before knocking on their door.. Chapter 54 - 37: Strategy_1 Chapter 54: Chapter 37: Strategy_1 Trantor: 549690339 And so, another month passed. Inside the Security Hall, within the quiet chamber. ¡°Fu Junjuan is dead?¡± Xu Yang sat cross-legged on a brand-new thousand-year-old Cold Jade Bed, looking somewhat surprised as he asked Su Beixuan, who hade to report: ¡°How did she die?¡± Su Beixuan spoke solemnly: ¡°After they left Xuzhou, they headed towards Yongzhou. Three days ago, they were ambushed by the Demon Sect¡¯s Yinkui Sect. The sect leader, the Underworld Queen Zhu Yuyan herself, made an appearance. Fu Junjuan was no match for her, and in order to cover Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling¡¯s escape, she sacrificed herself to dy the enemy and was ultimately killed by Zhu Yuyan.¡± ¡°Zhu Yuyan?¡± Xu Yang murmured, pondering in his heart. Because he was conducting an experiment on the ¡°protagonist¡¯s halo,¡± Xu Yang had withdrawn all forces monitoring Fu Junjuan and the Twin Dragons, to avoid his own ¡°external force¡± causing interference and affecting the oue of the experiment. Now that Fu Junjuan had died, although the person who killed her had changed from Yuwen Huaji to Zhu Yuyan, she had still died, and it was just as originally, in order to protect the Twin Dragons. Could it be that there is indeed some sort of ¡°protagonist¡¯s halo¡± or ¡°force of destiny¡± working to ensure the development of the original course? Or was it merely a coincidence? There were too few leads, making it difficult to corroborate, and Xu Yang wasn¡¯t able toe to a conclusion for the moment. But even if there were indeed forces like ¡°destiny¡± capable of correcting trajectories to ensure that events follow a certain course, these would also need to be ¡°rationalized,¡± not simply urring without reason. What does ¡°without reason¡± mean? For example, if a meteorite were to fall from the sky and deliberately kill Fu Junjuan, who was not supposed to be alive, that would be ¡°without reason,¡±pletely illogical¡ªas if you had to die, no ifs or buts about it. Such force is beyond human resistance, akin to the ¡°will of heaven,¡± which harshly enforces corrections, indicating that this type of ¡°destiny¡± is of a very high level and possesses tremendous strength. Xu Yang doesn¡¯t believe that such a high-level force of destiny exists in this world. Therefore, even if there truly is a force of ¡°destiny¡± in this world, it should be rtively weak, unable to actively correct the course or change things directly, but rather subtly helping from the side, achieving its mission in a ¡°rational¡± manner. The ambush of Fu Junjuan by Zhu Yuyan is a disy of this ¡®rationalization¡¯. Fu Junjuan possessed two great treasures, which kindled others¡¯ greed: one was the Longevity Jue, the other, clues to Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure. The Longevity Jue needs no further discussion as it is a coveted martial arts scripture among those in the Martial World. Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure, on the other hand, is a treasure left by the Sui Dynasty¡¯s high official Yang Su, said to contain all the gold, silver, treasures, and divine weapons amassed throughout his life. Therefore, there has always been a rumor in the Martial World that whoever possesses either the Heshi Jade or Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure could rule the world. With Fu Junjuan carrying these two treasures, it was reasonable that others would covet them and attempt to ambush her, whether that person be Yuwen Huaji or Zhu Yuyan. Thus, Xu Yang could be somewhat at ease. Even if he changed the course of this world and killed the two protagonists, Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling, the ¡°force of destiny,¡± if it exists, would have a hard time harming him, and certainly couldn¡¯t just drop a meteorite on him, eliminating him as an ¡°anomaly from beyond the heavens.¡± Of course, this is only within the confines of this world. If he were to travel to worlds like Journey to the West or Investiture of the Gods, where he directly interfered with the ¡°protagonists,¡± it¡¯s highly likely that a meteorite would fall from heaven, or even immortals and demons might cross the realm to take action. Special circumstances require special treatment and can¡¯t be rigidly applied or generalized. Xu Yang¡¯s thoughts returned, and he continued to inquire: ¡®What about Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling?¡± Su Beixuan replied: ¡°After Fu Junjuan sacrificed herself to buy time, the two of them escaped by jumping into a river. After that, their whereabouts became unknown. Shall I send people to search for them?¡± ¡°No need.¡± Xu Yang shook his head and calmly said, ¡°Everyone has their fate; let them be.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Su Beixuan didn¡¯t ask any further questions. He agreed and then left the quiet chamber. Leaving Xu Yang alone, sitting on the Cold Jade Bed, lost in his thoughts. Fu Junjuan had died, still as in the original story, sacrificing herself to cover Kou Zhong and Xu Ziling¡¯s escape. In that case, would these two protagonists be motivated by revenge to advance vigorously and embark on their own path, achieving the legend of ¡°The Twin Dragons of the Great Tang¡±? Xu Yang was not entirely sure. But it didn¡¯t matter. He had no familial or personal rtionship with those three. His previous intervention had only been to vie for the Longevity Jue and contend against the Yuwen Sect, without any intention to cling to the protagonists¡¯ coattails. Now, even more so, they were each destined to their own lives, and however things unfolded was of no concern to him. Since it didn¡¯t concern him, there was no need to think further about it. Xu Yang redirected his focus, continuing to peruse the Longevity Jue in his hands. Over the past month, Xu Yang had focused on only two matters. One was to consolidate his cultivation and stabilize his realm, fully mastering the power of Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao. The second was toprehend the Longevity Jue, decrypting its oracle bone inscriptions and human meridian diagrams. He had made gains in both regards. Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao requires no further boration. Relying on the umtion of a lifetime and the profound mysteries of the Martial Arts Scripture, within just a month, Xu Yang had solidified his newly attained cultivation level and masterfully harnessed the formidable power of Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao. Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao involves converting Gang Qi into Gang Yuan. At this stage, a martial artist¡¯s Inner Strength is no longer Gang Qi, but a tangible liquid called Gang Yuan. Whether in terms of quality and potency or the volume stored, both have increased manifold, by as much as tenfold or more. After all, stepping into this realm requires Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao, absorbing the forces of heaven and earth into the body, which is a rebirth, a profound transformation that transcends the mundane, hence the dramatic improvement in effects. Besides the enhancement of strength, the extension of lifespan should not be overlooked. As mentioned before, the maximum lifespan of a mortal is about 120 years. Under the premise of cultivating the Martial Arts Scripture, a martial artist who has reached the True Gang stage, which is the third realm, can live up to 180 years and beyond.. Chapter 55 - 37: Strategy_2 Chapter 55: Chapter 37: Strategy_2 Trantor: 549690339 This is the limit. Although there are no ¡°Martial Arts Scriptures¡± circting in this world, after Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao, the lifespan of Four-Realm Warriors generally reaches 150 years. If one avoids conflicts and does not sustain any hidden injuries, one could even live up to 200 years. If one were to cultivate the Longevity Jue, which focuses on nurturing health and extending life¡ There is no data on this at present, but Xu Yang estimates that there should be hope to live to 300 years, or at least 250 years at the very least. That is to say, apart from the three Grandmasters, the four Holy Monks, the Evil King of Heavenly de, and other illustrious figures known to the world, there might be many old undying masters hidden in the shadows, past grandmasters. This is a force that cannot be ignored, especially regarding the Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism, which have long heritages and profound depth. It is only logical that they possess profound techniques and secret methods for extending life and nourishing vitality, and that several old undying grandmasters are hidden within their ranks. But it doesn¡¯t matter. They may live long, but Xu Yang will live even longer. With the help of ¡°Martial Arts Scripture¡± and various skill traits, after breaking through the Martial Path¡¯s Fourth Realm, his lifespan has increased to 500 years. Now, at only 26 years old, with a lifespan of 500 years, he could outlive all those old undying people, even the youngest among the contemporary grandmasters, Song Que, who won¡¯t live to half his age. As long as he wishes, he could simply oust all of these individuals. It just doesn¡¯t hold much significance because, after all, new talents will emerge in every generation. Even if this group of people dies, new grandmasters will rise to prominence. This is what has been achieved through ¡°Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao.¡± On the other hand, the deciphering of Longevity Jue is also nearingpletion. Longevity Jue, a Taoist Treasure Book, is one of the four great unique texts of the Martial World. It is said to have been written by Guang Chengzi, the teacher of the ancient emperor Xuanyuan Huangdi. At first nce, the book appears to be ordinary, but in reality, it is crafted from mysterious golden silk, impervious to water and fire and resistant to damage from swords and knives. The text within consists of oracle bone script, totaling more than 7,400 different characters, profound and difficult to interpret. It also contains seven detailed charts of the human body¡¯s meridians, equallyplex. Through the ages, those who have obtained this book have not beencking in Heaven Reaching wisdom, knowledgeable of the past and present, but none have ever managed to fully decipher it. They have only left their own insights in the nk spaces of the book, densely packed, expressing their individual opinions, which only makes it more puzzling for others. As a result, to this day, it hasn¡¯t been heard that anyone has managed to cultivate this remarkable technique. It is not a matter of talent orprehension; it is simply that they do not understand it and don¡¯t know how to practice it. But this isn¡¯t much of a problem for Xu Yang. Back in the Great Zhou world, during the time when he was a ve of the Lu Family, Xu Yang repeatedly sneaked into the Lu Family¡¯s library, stealing books to practice his ¡°reading¡± skill. At that time, he did not recognize the ancient text, and reading was a matter of guesswork. Over time, this led to the development of the ¡°deciphering¡± trait. Later, as his strength grew and his reading umted, the deciphering trait progressively upgraded, evolving from ¡°learning by analogy¡± to ¡°inferring other things from one fact,¡± all incorporating a decoding effect. As long as the text did not contain high-level powers or extraordinary might, he could decipher it, and naturally, this also applied to Longevity Jue woven from oracle bone script. Now, the deciphering work is almostplete, and what follows is the start of cultivation. However, Xu Yang encountered a problem here. That is how to integrate the Longevity Jue into the Martial Arts Scripture. The Martial Arts Scripture is the foundation of his Martial Path, possessing extraordinary might and tremendous potential. It is impossible to abandon it; even if he were to cultivate the Longevity Jue, he would need to incorporate it into the Martial Arts Scripture system and merge the two into one. The prerequisite for incorporating it into the Martial Arts Scripture system is that he must first learn and master the Longevity Jue. How can he integrate it without even knowing it? And there are precisely two requirements to cultivate the Longevity Jue. First, one must not possess any Inner Strength cultivation, as it would cause conflicts with the cultivation technique and make it impossible to master. Second, the practitioner needs to cultivate with ¡°unintended intention¡±, necessitating the study of Taoist ssics toprehend the unintentional intention of the natural world. He could meet thetter requirement, since after all, he had a lifetime¡¯s worth of umtion in Great Zhou and had already be a Grandmaster who had mastered the essence of the Three Teaching Sects. But the former¡ Did it mean he must abandon his martial arts? Clearly, Xu Yang wouldn¡¯t do that. Therefore, there was only one method left. That was to learn without practicing; to only study the principles and structural system of the cultivation technique without engaging in actual practice. After mastering this, he could then integrate it into his Martial Arts Scripture. The difficulty of having the theory without practice was imaginable; it was perhaps ten to a hundred times harder than directly cultivating the Longevity Jue. But that was not a problem. The Longevity Jue was not an essential cultivation technique for Xu Yang¡ªhis foundation was in the Martial Arts Scripture. As long as it was beneficial to his Martial Arts Scripture, it didn¡¯t matter if it took extra effort, as he had plenty of time. Not to mention, he had a cheat! As the Founder of Martial Scripture, he could greatly enhance the cultivation effects of his Martial Arts Scripture and also possessed the trait of ¡°integrating insights¡±, allowing him to absorb various martial arts, remove the chaff and keep the grain, and continuously enhance the power and potentiality of the Martial Arts Scripture system. This was just one of his abilities¡ªthere were second, third, fourth, fifth¡ Teacher (Imparting knowledge generously, mutual learning, leading by example, spreading martial arts all over, everyone bing as powerful as dragons) The Teacher skillprised five major traits. Imparting knowledge generously could greatly enhance the effect of ¡°teaching¡±. Mutual learning meant mutual benefit¡ªwhile teaching disciples, one could also improve and gain insights. Leading by example was self-exnatory; being a great role model could inspire disciples and enhance their cultivation. Spreading martial arts all over was Imparting knowledge generously + Mutual learning on a grand scale, enhancing the effects and apanying the mutual benefit and insight feedback¡ªessentially, all the Martial Artists in the world were Xu Yang¡¯s disciples, receiving his guidance and offering back a portion of their insights. Everyone bing as powerful as dragons enhanced the disciples¡¯ talents,prehension, and cultivation effects, making all of Xu Yang¡¯s followers as remarkable as dragons, all of them prodigies. Combining these five traits with the legacy and potentiality of the Great Zhou Martial Scriptures, the efficiency of power development goes without saying. Xu Yang¡¯s ability to grow the Security Hall to this extent in just sixteen years was inseparable from the help of these skill traits. Not only for developing power, but they also greatly assisted in martial cultivation¡ªeach disciple was akin to a cultivation essory, and the more disciples there were, the faster the cultivation, growing exponentially like a snowball, which was why Xu Yang could catch up with a hundred years of toil in Great Zhou in just sixteen years. Therefore, Xu Yang didn¡¯t need to worry about integrating the Longevity Jue at all. As long as he disseminated it, his speed inprehending the principles of the Longevity Jue would increase significantly, and it wouldn¡¯t be long before he could incorporate it into his Martial Arts Scripture. Not just the Longevity Jue, but also the Ice Mysterious Power contributed by Yuwen Huaji, along with various other top-notch martial arts in this world, could all be integrated into the Martial Arts Scripture system through the method of ¡°spreading martial arts all over¡±. Although spreading martial arts all over would touch upon various interests and face resistance, creating many enemies, Xu Yang didn¡¯t care. No matter the number, he would just kill them off. Moreover, he didn¡¯t intend to achieve it overnight, making everyone capable of cultivation¡ªthat was unrealistic. The correct approach was to first harvest a wave of leeks, then incite apetition in martial arts, akin to an arms race, forcing them to cultivate. If they didn¡¯t cultivate, they would die¡. Chapter 56 - 37: Two Years 1 Chapter 56: Chapter 37: Two Years 1 Trantor: 549690339 Time flies, and the years pass by swiftly, just like that, another two years had gone by. In the fourteenth year of Great Ye, on the eleventh day of the third month, on the day of Bingchen. The son of Xu Guogong, Yuwen Shu, Chief of the Imperial Guard and Right Guard General Yuwen Huaji, rebelled and assassinated Emperor Yang of Sui in Yangdu of Yangzhou, hanged all members of the Sui royal family and their rtives, and with the support of one hundred thousand Brave Guardians, donned the yellow robe, proimed himself emperor, established the state of Xu, and changed the era name to Tian Shou. With that, Sui dynasty ended after a mere two generations. There was no ruler over thend, and the battle for the dragon throne truly began. Factions everywhere began to make their moves, like ten ravaging serpentspeting fiercely. With the mes of war and the smoke of guns, the entirend was plunged into chaos, and the Martial World was anything but peaceful. In Yangzhou, above the waters of the Huai River and the great river, a golden and glittering treasure ship became the focus of everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°That is¡ ¡± ¡°The treasure ship of Golden Jade Hall!¡± ¡°It is said that the ship is forty-four Zhang long and eighteen Zhang wide, with nine masts, twelve sails, anchors weighing several thousand jin, multiple decks that can amodate a thousand people, and capable of traveling on rivers and seas, covering over ten thousand li a day, thus being called the treasure ship.¡± ¡°With this treasure ship, Golden Jade Hall has formed a fleet to navigate the rivers and traverse the Four Seas, seizing the profits from allmerce under the heavens, it can truly be said that their wealth pours in like the flow of water and is rich enough to rival countries.¡± ¡°Wealthy and imposing, wealthy and imposing indeed!¡± ¡°I heard that today, here on the Huai River, Golden Jade Hall is holding a grand gathering to auction many Divine Skills, secret manuals, and the world¡¯s rare and exotic treasures.¡± ¡°Family heads from Yangzhou and nearby regions, as well as figures from both the righteous and the underbelly of the Martial World, even bandit kings and rebels from various ces, have dispatchedrge teams, bringing with them hefty amounts of gold to participate.¡± ¡°Oh my, those bandit kings havee too, aren¡¯t they afraid of just starting to rob openly?¡± ¡°Rob, you try if you dare, do you know who stands behind Golden Jade Hall?¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Heavenly King Wu of Xuzhou, Medical Monarch Xu Qingyang!¡± ¡°Is it him?¡± ¡°The one whose fame has risen in recent years, threatening even that of Heavenly de Song Que?¡± ¡°I hear that this man¡¯s martial arts are unfathomable. He once defeated Yuwen Huaji with a single palm in Xuzhou, and none of the four great experts of the Yuwen Sect could match him.¡± ¡°All that¡¯s old news. Recently, the number one disciple of the Evil Emperor, Xiang Yutian, for reasons unknown incurred his wrath, and he went to confront him, killing him with a single blow!¡± ¡°There¡¯s also the chairman of the Luoyang Chamber of Commerce, the Great Wealth God of the Yinkui Sect, Pi Chen Rong Fengxiang, and the major merchant from Western Sichuan, Fat Business Man Anlong. These two had a conflict with Golden Jade Hall not long ago and they were so frightened that these two Demon Sect grandmasters immediately withdrew, and until this day, they dare not show their faces, and no one knows where they are hiding.¡± ¡°Of the eight great experts of the Demon Sect, perhaps only the former Evil King Shi Zhixuan might be able topete with this man, others are but ordinary at best.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard he has already sent out a challenge and is about to head to Lingnan to challenge the Leader of the Song Family, Heavenly de Song Que!¡± ¡°If he can defeat Song Que, then the three Grandmasters of the world may well need to be referred to as the only Grandmaster!¡± ¡°They say as the ruler of Xuzhou, not only is his martial art peerless, his strength is formidable too,parable to the four big ns. Under hismand, the Mysterious Armour Warriors, all Martial Artists, possess extremebat prowess and are the elite of the elite.¡± ¡°Xuzhou lies at the heart of the Central ins, a strategic location under the heavens, he alone defends it, and with no hero under heaven daring to challenge, his authority is evident.¡± ¡°Rob him, if he doesn¡¯t rob you back, you should feel blessed. I¡¯ve heard to avoid him, the Yinkui Sect evacuated their influence from Xuzhou overnight; they don¡¯t dare to provoke him at all.¡± Looking at the treasure ship moored on the Huai River, many from the Martial World and heroes of the rivers andkes began to discuss fervently, revealing numerous astonishing pieces of news. Just then, on the riverside, one ship after another began to move, converging towards the grand and glittering treasure ship like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Is it starting?¡± ¡°That ship flying the ¡®Li¡¯ g, could it be the Li n from Longxi?¡± ¡°And that one with the ¡®Cui¡¯ g, it¡¯s the Cui n from Boling!¡± ¡°The Lu family from Fanyang, and the Wang family from Taiyuan have also arrived.¡± ¡°Look, that banner with the word ¡®Dugu¡¯, could it be the Dugu Sect?¡± ¡°That woman standing at the bow, could it be Dugu Feng? It is said that this woman is the most outstanding heir of the Dugu Sect for three generations, surpassing even her father Gudu Feng, anding close to her grandmother You Chuhong, with the posture of a Sword Deity!¡± ¡°The Song Sect hase as well, the one standing at the bow, isn¡¯t that Land Sword Song Zhi?¡± ¡°And there¡¯s the Li Sect. Could that woman possibly be Princess Pingyang Li Xiuning, known as the Female Zhuge Liang?¡± ¡°With the Li Sect entering Guanzhong, the contributions of this woman cannot be underestimated!¡± ¡°Who is that pretty boy standing beside her? He looks quite unpleasant to the eye.¡± ¡°The five surnames and seven hopes, the four big families, except for the Yuwen Sect, who are too overwhelmed to attend, all have arrived.¡± ¡°Not only the prestigious families but look, various factions of the Martial World, gangs from all walks of life, along with both the good and the bad, and the forces of rebel kings and great bandits, have entered the venue.¡± ¡°What treasure is Golden Jade Hall selling that it attracts such power from across the world to gather here?¡± ¡°Heh, this you do not know. What they sell is so impressive, you can¡¯t help but buy.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t help but buy, what kind of thing is so impressive? Could it be the Queen Mother¡¯s Peaches of Immortality, or Supreme Elder Lord¡¯s elixirs?¡± ¡°I really want to go up there and enjoy the excitement¡¡± Watching the parade of sails rising and heading straight towards the treasure ship, the onlooking crowd couldn¡¯t help but show their envy. Just like that, momentster. On the treasure ship, inside the auction hall. A fat middle-aged man with a Buddha-like smile ascended the high tform and saluted everyone in the hall. ¡°My name is Jin Wuming, president of Golden Jade Hall. I believe everyone here is clear about the rules of today¡¯s auction, so I will not waste time reiterating them and will only mention three points.¡± ¡°First, bids are final, hands raised in no regret; say one and it¡¯s one, say two and it¡¯s two!¡± ¡°Second, fair and just, cash transactions, you must not use your power to pressure others or disrupt the auction!¡± ¡°Third, Golden Jade Hall broadly collects all kinds of rare treasures from across the world, be it martial arts secrets or exotic treasures. As long as they are of value, they can be exchanged for silver to participate in this auction. If you wish to exchange, please go to the side hall. We have professional appraisers, who ensure fair and genuine transactions without deceiving the old or the young!¡± ¡°Now, let the auction begin!¡± After stating the rules, Jin Wuming did not idle talk and waved to have the first auction item brought up. ¡°This is the Mysterious Armour, a masterpiece forged by the Refinement Edge Number¡¯s grand cksmith. Each piece is made from mysterious steel, forged a hundred times, impervious to knives and spears, imprable by powerful arrows. When Martial Artists don the armour, one can stand against thousands, invincible to all foes. Two hundred sets will be auctioned today, with a starting price of two hundred thousand taels of silver!¡± As soon as he finished, the crowd¡¯s eyes gleamed with excitement. Princess Pingyang Li Xiuning immediately raised her bid panel: ¡°Three hundred thousand taels!¡± ¡°The Li Sect dominates Guanzhong, truly opulent and forceful, but¡¡± Land Sword Song Zhi smiled and raised his panel too: ¡°Three hundred and fifty thousand taels!¡± ¡°The Song Sect may be confined to a corner of Lingnan, but with its vast trade routes, it is rich enough to rival nations!¡± Li Xiuning turned her gaze, her expression unchanging: ¡°Four hundred thousand taels!¡± ¡°The wealth of Guanzhong is indeed paramount!¡± Song Zhi shook his head and calmly raised his hand: ¡°Four hundred and fifty thousand taels!¡± Li Xiuning¡¯s eyes narrowed as she looked at Song Zhi with surprise and uncertainty, then turned to the beaming Jin Wuming on the stage, and suddenly understood something. She sighed and said softly, ¡°The value of the Heavenly de Eight Styles is beyond thousands of gold, Xiuning admits defeat!¡± Having said that, she stoppedpeting. Seeing this, Jin Wuming did not urge others to bid and with a strike of his gavel settled the matter: ¡°Four hundred and fifty thousand taels of silver, two hundred sets of Mysterious Armour, go to guest number seven.¡± ¡°The next auction item, from Security Hall¡¯s finest, the Yanluo returns life pill¡. Chapter 57 - 38: Competition 1 Chapter 57: Chapter 38: Competition 1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Azure Dragon Yi Wood Pill!¡± ¡°White Tiger Gengjin Pill!¡± ¡°Pure Yang Qi Supplement Pill!¡± ¡°Hundred Refinement Mysterious Iron Sword!¡± Item after item flowed onto the auction block, mostly produced by Refinement Edge Number and Security Hall: weapons and pills. Such armaments and life-saving objects have significant strategic value. They were basically all acquired by the various grand sects and the power factions of the rebel kings, who each controlled their own territories and had immense wealth. Others simply couldn¡¯tpete. From this, one could also discern the world¡¯s structure and the power distribution among the various factions. The Li Sect, settled in Guanzhong and firmly rooted in Chang¡¯an, held the strongest position, embodying tremendous wealth and power. Following them was the Song Sect, secluding itself in Lingnan, and then the Dugu Sect, which upied Luoyang. As for the Yuwen Sect¡ since Yuwen Huaji hadmitted regicide and usurped the throne, it was shunned by all. The sect was now in deep trouble and couldn¡¯t even participate in this grand auction. It probably wouldn¡¯t be long before they were annihted. Beyond the three major sects, sects of the five surnames and seven great families, as well as various rebel kings, also demonstrated remarkable strength. The struggle for power in thend was intense, and it was too early to tell who would eventually emerge victorious. As such, when the auction of weapons, armor, and medicinal pills had concluded, the grand sects and rebel kings could finally take a breather, and the tension shifted to the martial factions and ns of the Martial World. Why were they tense? Because¡ ¡°Next, we start the auction of martial arts manuals!¡± ¡°The first item¡ªIce Mysterious Power!¡± ¡°This is a secret manual passed down within the Yuwen Sect. It can be cultivated to the realm of Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao, obtaining the unique strength of extreme coldness of Mysterious Ice,bining hardness with softness, illusion with reality, and is particrly effective against fire and yang attributed techniques. It also has profound effects on Qinggong body movements, with hidden cold poison that infiltrates the heart channels, beyond salvation even by immortals. The starting bid is fifty thousand taels of silver!¡± Listening to Jin Wuming¡¯s introduction, everyone below was silent. After a long while, someone raised their paddle, ¡°Sixty thousand taels!¡± Jin Wuming chuckled and announced, ¡°This guest bids sixty thousand taels, does anyone¡¡± ¡°Seventy thousand!¡± Before he could finish speaking, someone raised their hand to bid, casting a cold nce at theirpetition. ¡°Humph!¡± But the other party snorted in defiance, not willing to show weakness, and raised their hand, calling out, ¡°Eighty thousand!¡± ¡°Ny thousand! ¡± ¡°One hundred thousand!¡± ¡°One hundred and five thousand!¡± ¡°One hundred and ten thousand!¡± Watching the two parties jacking up the price, continuously pushing it higher, everyone was silent, with none of the joy of watching from the sidelines. Why? Because they too could empathize; the distress of one is felt by all. Sincest year, Golden Jade Hall had been conducting acts of great audacity, stirring up chaos in the Martial World. That is the public auction of various martial arts manuals, including the top-notch martial arts and core techniques of different ns and factions, even those legendary divine techniques, directly breaking the situation where each family cherished their own secret possessions. Isn¡¯t that a good thing? Not really, at least not for the existing martial arts factions and organizations in the Martial World¡ªit isn¡¯t! Because it directly spurred a meaninglesspetition of attrition, plunging the entire Martial World into a whirlwind of blood and violence. Not to mention others, just take the two forces currentlypeting for the Ice Mysterious Power technique. Why are theypeting? Because they are enemies, deadly ones, who would go to extremes to crush each other into dust and obliterate each other¡¯s existence. However, as the two forces were evenly matched, a direct fight would be too costly, so they barely coexisted. But the emergence of Ice Mysterious Power disrupted this bnce. Since both factions cultivated fire and ice attributed techniques, if the ice faction obtained this Ice Mysterious Power, its strength would surge, directly threatening the existence of its rival enemy. Therefore, the faction that cultivated fire attributed techniques had topete fervently for the Ice Mysterious Power technique. For the ice faction, this was also uneptable. As they practiced ice attributed techniques, directly opposing their enemy, letting the enemy secure the Ice Mysterious Power and master the ice attributed technique of Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao would erase their advantage, putting them in the passive position of ¡°the enemy has while Ick, the enemy¡¯s strength against my weakness.¡± Thus, they too could not afford to let the manual fall into their rival¡¯s hands. This led to maliciouspetition. Over matters of life and wealth, neither side would budge, driving up the auction price, with Golden Jade Hall being the only beneficiary, while both parties suffered great losses and threats. This was just the case with ordinary enemies caught in a stalemate. If it came to those who faced the eradication of their entire families, they were even less restrained, willing to spend thest of their family¡¯s resources to acquire a profound martial art to seek revenge. Not too long ago, there were rumors of a minor courier agency that angered a powerful organization. They were wiped out in a night, except for the young head courier who was out at the time and barely escaped. Afterward, the young head courier took the family¡¯s wealth to Golden Jade Hall and purchased a manual of a forbidden art that could be mastered quickly. At the cost of bing something neither human nor ghost, he cultivated Gang Qi and began seeking revenge on that organization. The strength of that organization was just so-so, definitely not enough to withstand someone who had cultivated such a malevolent skill. Left with no choice, they had to run to Golden Jade Hall themselves to obtain and cultivate the same technique. In the end, both parties mastered the same evil technique and ended up in a state where they were neither human nor ghost, neither yin nor yang. Through such a desperate and deadly struggle, ultimately both sides were destroyed, and no one ended up with a favorable oue. From this arose a blood-soaked and sinister wind! Nowadays, in the Martial World, everyone is on edge. As soon as Golden Jade Hall starts an auction, all major martial sects and factions send representatives to watch their sworn enemies closely. Once an opponent bids for a martial art, they wouldpete for it fiercely. If they failed to secure it, they would strike first and hard. As soon as the auction ended, they wouldunch an attack, giving the opponent no chance to master the skill. With this tactic, Golden Jade Hall stirred up the martialpetition between the various sects in the Martial World and reaped astonishing profits. Thus, the conflicts in the Martial World began. The turbulence in the Martial World arose from this. Had anyone else or any other power employed such methods, they would have been attacked by the major sects long ago. But Golden Jade Hall¡ Well, since the auction of secret manuals began, people have been heading to Xuzhou continuously, hoping to confront Heavenly King Wu and to force him to yield. And then¡ there was no ¡®and then¡¯. Golden Jade Hall continued its business as usual, and those opposed, those looking for trouble, either kept silent, disappeared, or were outright annihted. That Heavenly King Wu has a really bad temper! Some thought of seeking out peak forces like Ning Daoqi or sacred ces in the Martial World like Mercy Sailing Temple and Purity Zen Religious, or the Head of the Righteous Path, to intervene and stop Golden Jade Hall¡¯s activities, hoping for the Martial World to return to its former tranquility. But¡ Ning Daoqi is as elusive as a dragon seen only in its head and not its tail. These so-called sacred ces of the Martial World, the Mercy Sailing Temple and the Calming-heart Zen Religious, along with the Head of the Righteous Path, didn¡¯t even make a sound, let alone reveal their ns. In short¡ªno can do, impossible to handle! With no other choice, everyone had to join in and hold their noses to attend the auction- ¡°One hundred fifty thousand taels!¡± ¡°Sold! ¡°The Ice Mysterious Power cultivation technique goes to bidder number fifty-six!¡± With the fall of the hammer, the fate was sealed and the family studying ice-based martial arts secured the Ice Mysterious Power technique. Even though they sessfully obtained the technique, the family head¡¯s expression was far from pleased. Because they were just an ordinary martial family, far from able topare with the power of the Li, Song, or Dugu ns, with their coffers now drained by the one hundred fifty thousand taels. Not to mention that after the auction, their opponents might be desperate and a deadly fight was almost inevitable. If he could, he really would not want to do this since it is not at all conducive to the continuation and survival of his family. But s, this ¡®if¡¯ doesn¡¯t hold up. In today¡¯s world, in today¡¯s Martial World, it¡¯s all about one thing. Struggle! Everyone is struggling; if you don¡¯t, you¡¯ll die! Unless you are a powerful influence like the Song Sect, with ultimate Grandmasters at its helm, no one can sit back and watch the world change from their peaceful perch. The crowd falls silent, weighed down by their heavy hearts. However, Jin Wuming on stage didn¡¯t mind and still smiled like Maitreya Buddha, ¡°The second item for auction, the me Sun Marvelous Skill!¡± ¡°This is a marvelous skill created by one of the three great Grandmasters, Bi Xuan of the Western Regions, and is a me Sun Skill of the fire type, surpassing Ice Mysterious Power. However, the set of techniques is iplete, missing the final stage.¡± ¡°The starting bid¡ªfifty thousand taels of silver!¡± At the announcement of the second item, those who had just fought over the Ice Mysterious Power, along with those yet to bid, were all rendered speechless and astonished. ¡°Can¡¯t you have a little shame?¡± ¡°You just sold Ice Mysterious Power and now you¡¯re offering me Sun Skill?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you fear getting killed one day by conducting business this way?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such brazen and shameless behavior!¡± ¡°You bunch of bastards are even cker than the Kunlun ve!¡± The crowd cursed inwardly, wishing they could tear apart Jin Wuming on the stage. But as much as they hated him and cursed him, their actions were swift. The family that failed to obtain Ice Mysterious Power immediately raised their bid: ¡°Eighty thousand! ¡± ¡°One hundred thousand!¡± ¡°You just bought Ice Mysterious Power, where do you even have the silver topete with me, are you bluffing? ¡°I¡¯ve got it, if you can¡¯t afford it, shut up!¡± ¡°To hell with you, one hundred twenty thousand taels!¡± The air was thick with tension, as if infused with gunpowder, and everyone began a desperate gamble against their rivals. ¡°Golden Jade Hall¡¡¯ Li Xiuning observed from the sidelines, her cold gaze upon the frenzied andpetitive bidding before ncing at the ever-smiling Jin Wuming on stage and frowning slightly, ¡°Clever tactics, but I wonder, how long can you keep up such a vtile approach?¡± Song Hui was also silent: ¡°Operating so extremely, yet Mercy Sailing Temple refuses to intervene. Could it be they n to descend upon Xuzhou and choose Heavenly King Wu as emperor?¡± ¡°No, this person acts with disdain for others and dominates with his powerful martial prowess; he¡¯s definitely not the best candidate for Mercy Sailing Temple,¡± she said, then turned her attention towards Li Xiuning. ¡°Li Sect!¡± ¡°While they have many supporters and control Guanzhong, theyck a top-level master. To truly unify the Martial World and reign supreme, they must rely on the support of Mercy Sailing Temple and Buddhism to firmly establish themselves as the sacrednd of the Martial World, as the Head of the Righteous Path.¡± ¡°A monarch rules the world, I govern the Martial World. The monarch holds power, I collect the faith.¡± ¡°Only then will it meet the interests of Mercy Sailing Temple and Buddhism! ¡± ¡°With this in mind, they will meet Heavenly King Wu soon..¡± Chapter 58 - 39: Clue_l Chapter 58: Chapter 39: Clue_l Trantor: 549690339 Somepeted fiercely, shing with great turbulence. Others watched coldly, analyzing the situation. Thus, they finally reached thest moment. ¡°Thest item to be auctioned, the Taoist Treasure Book¡ªLongevity Jue!¡± Jin Wuming gave a hefty p on the table, and soon a maid presented seven volumes of the sacred texts before everyone¡¯s eyes. ¡°The Longevity Jue!¡± Although they had long known that this item would be the finale, the sight of those seven brand-new sacred texts still somewhat startled the crowd. But Jin Wuming paid no heed to these reactions and began to introduce the texts to everyone. ¡°As everyone knows, there are four miraculous sacred texts within the Martial World. First is the Taoist Longevity Jue, second is the Demon Sect¡¯s Heavenly Demon Strategy, third is the Silent Temple¡¯s Mercy Sailing Sword Scroll, and the fourth is the legendary and most mysterious War God¡¯s As.¡± ¡°Two years ago, the Longevity Jue was obtained by the master of the Golden Jade Hall, the Defense Heavenly King of Xuzhou, Medical Monarch Xu Qingyang. ¡± ¡°Master Qingyang was knowledgeable in both ancient and modern wisdom, with Heaven Reaching intelligence, spending one hundred and eighty days deciphering the seven thousand four hundred plus oracle bone scriptures and seven human meridian diagrams contained within, thus unraveling the cultivation method of this book.¡± ¡°This book¡¯s cultivation technique can be divided into seven parts, corresponding to Yin Yang and the Five Elements, capable of being cultivated individually or all seven parts simultaneously, or alternatively, one Yin with one Yang, two people together, or five people practicing together with Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth!¡± ¡°This method is extremely mysterious, fitting seamlessly with the Natural Way, the Theory of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, only those with great perseverance, great wisdom, and great fortune can master it; the requirements for aptitude and enlightenment are extremely high. One must also study Taoist ssics to understand the meaning of ¡®unintended,¡¯ to enter its path.¡± ¡°Furthermore, this cultivation method goes against the principles of other martial arts, therefore it cannot be practiced with any Inner Strength in the body, as otherwise, a sh of the two forces would harm oneself!¡± ¡°Since this book is named Longevity, it naturally has the effect of extending life, after mastering it one can maintain youth and longevity, avoid illness and disaster, cultivate Innate Qi, and practice the way of Nature, Yin Yang and the Five Elements. ¡± ¡°It is said that at the highest realm, one might even have the prospect of Unity of Heaven and Man, breaking through the void, Ascension to the Immortal Realm!¡± Jin Wuming rambled on, leaving the crowd below stunned and filled with uncertainty. ¡°This¡ ¡°Is it true or false?¡± ¡°Unity of Heaven and Man, eternal youth?¡± ¡°Breaking the void, Ascension to the Immortal Realm?¡± ¡°Hmph, the more he talks, the more mystical it sounds. If there really were such Immortal Law, why wouldn¡¯t Xu Qingyang practice it himself?¡± ¡°Exactly, and to be so kind as to sell it, probably he just messed about and guessed some questionable, unverifiable methods that may or may not be workable, hence releasing it for the world to experiment with! ¡± ¡°That Longevity Jue is said to have been written by Guang Chengzi, having circted for thousands of years already, with no word of anyone ever mastering it. It¡¯s all written in ancient oracle bone script; even if Xu Qingyang is that incredible, he couldn¡¯t have tranted it without a single error or omission, right?¡± ¡°What if his trantion is wrong, and we follow his methods¡ªwouldn¡¯t that be seeking our own deaths?¡± ¡°It would be one thing if it were the original being auctioned, but this copied replica he wrote, who the hell would dare cultivate it?¡± The crowd internally whispered, all harboring doubts about its authenticity. Jin Wuming watched their reactions, unconcerned: ¡°I assure you on the reputation of the Golden Jade Hall that this book and its methods are indeed genuine and effective. If you find any mistakes after practicing it, you may go to any of the Golden Jade Hall¡¯s businesses for a full refund. Should you encounter inner demons during practice, the Security Hall will treat you free of charge!¡± ¡°On the other hand¡¡± Jin Wuming swept a cold gaze over the crowd and said sternly, ¡°If anyone requests a refund and then secretly cultivates this book and seeds, they would bemitting fraud against the Golden Jade Hall. It will be a matter of life and death; such a person must be killed!¡± ¡°This¡¡± Seeing how solemnly Jin Wuming swore, the crowd began to hesitate. ¡°Could it¡ be true?¡± ¡°Is Xu Qingyang really that benevolent?¡± ¡°Who cares, true or false, why not just take it home and have a few martially untrained servants try it out to know for sure?¡± ¡°Even if it doesn¡¯t work out, there¡¯s a full refund; it¡¯s a no-loss deal!¡± ¡°If it is true, that¡¯s a huge gain. Eternal youth and extended lifespan, how much money could even buy that?¡± ¡°And to cultivate Innate Qi, the Dao of Nature, Theory of Yin Yang and Five Elements¡ªthat would make one another grand figure like the hermit Ning Daoqi, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± As they mulled it over, the crowd began to be tempted. Just at that moment¡ ¡°Hahaha!¡± Someoneughed heartily, breaking the tension. The crowd turned their heads, following theughter, to see an unremarkable middle-aged man standing up. ¡°Golden Jade Hall, truly a master strategist, profiting from selling martial arts and stirring up discord in the Martial World. Now, throwing this Longevity Jue into the mix, once it enters the Martial World, how many storms of blood and violence, of des and swords will it unleash?¡± His provocative words had everyone¡¯s eyes locked onto Jin Wuming on the stage: ¡®What exactly is your intention with such a move, Heavenly King Wu?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Jin Wuming¡¯s gaze turned icy as he looked at the man: ¡°The breadth of my master¡¯s vision is beyond what you petty people canprehend.¡± ¡°Vision?¡± The middle-aged man scoffed, ¡°Heavenly King Wu¡¯s vision is to incite chaos in the Martial World, making everyone feel insecure, even selling demonic martial arts¡ªdo you want the entire world to be those inhuman, ghostly martial artists of the Demon Sect?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Jin Wuming snorted coldly and calmly said, ¡°Golden Jade Hall has always been open and aboveboard; the cultivation techniques we sell are all orthodox martial arts. Where do these usations of demonic artse from? Clearly, you have ulterior motives, framing and ndering, stirring up trouble, ruining my master¡¯s reputation!¡± Having said that, he suddenly pointed a finger, and a sword qi shot straight at this man. The middle-aged man¡¯s eyes tighted, wanting to dodge, but he was too slow to act and was directly grazed by the sword qi across the side of his face, peeling off a human skin mask. ¡°Hmph!¡± Jin Wuming snorted coldly, looking at the middle-aged man now showing his true face: ¡°So it¡¯s the Eight Demonic Envoy from the Heavenly Lotus Sect. What, your Sect Master didn¡¯t dare to show his face and sent such apdog to ¡°You¡!¡± The middle-aged man was both shocked and furious, at a loss for what to do. Jin Wuming did not care for him: ¡°Today¡¯s grand event is not a ce for bloodshed, so I¡¯ll spare your life for now. Go back and tell Anlong that if you ruin my master¡¯s reputation again, I¡¯ll ensure that not a single soul from the Heavenly Lotus Sect survives, exterminating your whole sect!¡± With that, he threw a palm strike that sent the man flying out of the hall, severely injured and unable to rise. Jin Wuming did not look at him again but turned his attention back to the crowd: ¡°Everyone present is extremely astute. Such petty tricks should be obvious to you. I won¡¯t waste more words. The auction will continue.¡± With that, he proceeded to introduce: ¡°This Longevity Jue is divided into the yin, yang, and five elements within seven cultivation techniques. We¡¯re selling ten copies of each this time, which makes seventy in total. Each is priced at one hundred thousand taels of silver, with no bidding involved. They are avable for anyone to purchase, with no limits on quantity, on a firste, first-served basis. Ladies and gentlemen, please.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Looking at the seven precious manuals on the stage, the crowd hesitated. ¡°Seven hundred thousand taels!¡± Just then, Song Zhi raised his que: ¡°I, the Song Sect, will take one set!¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°The Song Sect¡¡± ¡°Indeed wealthy and powerful!¡± ¡°Nonsense, they¡¯ve sold the Heavenly de Eight Styles; how could they not be wealthy?¡± ¡°Wonder what price Golden Jade Hall offered them for that Heavenly de Eight Styles.¡± Song Zhi was the first to raise his que, and the crowd was not surprised. The Song Sect dominated Lingnan with extensive trade routes, and they were intrinsically wealthy and powerful. Furthermore, for today¡¯s grand event, they had sold the extraordinary ¡°Heavenly de Eight Styles¡± to Golden Jade Hall, making their funds even more plentiful. In fact, not just the Song family, many of the major families, martial sects, and gangs in attendance had sold some of their family¡¯s unique skills and rare treasures to Golden Jade Hall to gather enough funds¡ªotherwise, where would all that silvere from? In doing so, Golden Jade Hall demonstrated its clever tactics, not only selling martial arts manuals to stir uppetition in the martial world but also opportunistically acquiring martial arts from around the world, turning them into their own umtion. The depth of their resources now was formidable, perhaps surpassing even the four great families and even sacred ces of the martial world like Mercy Sailing Temple. ¡°Seven hundred thousand taels; I, the Li Sect, will also take one set!¡± After Song Zhi made his bid, Li Xiuning also was unwilling to show weakness and simrly procured a set. Hearing that the Innate Qi of this Longevity Jue has miraculous effects on healing internal injuries and even the mind and spirit, I might have hope for my grandmother¡¯s illness¡¡± Dugu Feng¡¯s eyes tightened as she called out, ¡°I, the Dugu sect, will also take one set.¡± With the three major powers making their move, three sets were immediately determined. Seeing this, the rest of the people could not hold back and began to raise their ques to grab their purchases. And so it went¡ ¡°Thest copy of the Longevity Jue Yan Canon goes to the guest with number seventy-eight.¡± ¡°All ten sets, seventy copies, have sold out. Thank you all for your patronage.¡± Jin Wuming smiled and took a note: ¡°I¡¯ve just received a message. We are adding one more item for sale unexpectedly.¡± ¡°Added unexpectedly?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Hearing this, the crowd grew interested. Jin Wuming did not leave the crowd in suspense: ¡°This item for sale is a clue, a clue to Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure.¡± ¡°Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The mention of this caused everyone to be startled. ¡°Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure, possessing either the Heshi Jade or it would grant dominance over the world!¡± Jin Wuming smiled slightly: ¡°We cannot confirm the authenticity of this clue, so Golden Jade Hall makes no guarantees. It won¡¯t be auctioned. It¡¯s ten taels per copy, and anyone can purchase it. If you¡¯re interested, please proceed to the side hall.¡± Having said that, he didn¡¯t wait for the crowd¡¯s reaction and turned to leave. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure, wow!¡± The crowd looked at each other, then saw that the Li Sect¡¯s noble daughter, Li Xiuning, was the first to stand up, leading her attendants to the side hall. It wasn¡¯t just her¡ªall the other great families and rebellious strongholds began to move, following her as well. For them, the temptation of Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure was perhaps even greater than that of the Longevity Jue manuals.. Chapter 59 - 40: As the Wind Rises_1 Chapter 59: Chapter 40: As the Wind Rises_1 Trantor: 549690339 Several dayster, Changan City, Tai Chi Pce. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure is actually in Changan? Li Yuan, who had ascended the throne after Emperor Yang of Sui¡¯s abdication, looked astonished at Li Xiuning who had just returned from Yangzhou. Li Xiuning nodded and said in a deep voice, ¡°Given by Golden Jade Hall, such a clue should not be without basis.¡± ¡°Besides, I¡¯ve heard rumors in the Martial World that only a Goguryeo demoness knew the location of Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure, and now that she¡¯s been killed by the Underworld Queen Zhu Yuyan, the secret of the treasure only remains with her two adopted sons.¡± ¡°These two individuals are somewhat rted to Xu Qingyang. Now that they¡¯ve sold the clue through Golden Jade Hall, it¡¯s likely they want to draw Zhu Yuyan to Changan to take revenge at the opportune moment. It¡¯s logical and reasonable, so it¡¯s not likely to be a falsehood.¡± ¡°A demoness?¡± ¡°Zhu Yuyan?¡± ¡°Xu Qingyang?¡± Listening to Li Xiuning¡¯s description, both Li Yuan and Li Shimin frowned. ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Only the fourth son, Li Yuanji, shouted excitedly, ¡°Since the treasure is in Changan, what are we waiting for? Let¡¯s immediately send people to search, inside and out. I refuse to believe we can¡¯t find it.¡± Li Jiancheng, the Crown Prince, also spoke excitedly, ¡°Father, it is said that possessing either the Heshi Jade or Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure can grant one the world. Now that Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure has appeared in Changan, it¡¯s clear that Father is truly the one destined to rule!¡± Looking at the excited Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, as well as the also stirred up Li Yuan, Li Shimin and Li Xiuning were both speechless. They exchanged a nce and then spoke out. ¡°Father, we need to discuss this matter thoroughly.¡± Li Xiuning stepped forward, his voice tense, ¡°The clue to the treasure was publicly sold by Golden Jade Hall for ten taels, it¡¯s now widely known. All the major powers of the world will surely gather in Changan.¡± ¡°Gather in Changan?¡± ¡°They dare?¡± ¡°Do they think our Li Tang is made of mud?¡± Hearing this, Li Yuanji started to bluster again. Li Xiuning didn¡¯t pay attention to the two, simply saying to Li Yuan, ¡°There¡¯s also a message within the clues that the Holy Relics of the Demon Sect¡¯s Evil Emperor are hidden in the core of the treasure. Thus, Evil King Shi Zhixuan, Underworld Queen Zhu Yuyan, as well as the eight grandmasters of the Demon Sect, and forces from all sects will surely act upon hearing this news and gather here.¡± ¡°Demon Sect?¡± ¡°What nonsense Demon Sect¡¡± ¡°Silence!¡± When Li Yuanji wanted to continue ranting, he was sternly cut off by an imposing Li Yuan. Unlike Li Yuanji, who had been pampered from a young age and ignorant of affairs in the Martial World, Li Yuan, as the leader of the Li Sect, was acutely aware of the significance of the words ¡°Martial World,¡± ¡°martial artsmunity,¡± and ¡°Demon Sect.¡± In this world where martial arts flourished, and extraordinary beings transcendedmon folk, Grandmasters with the power to dominate battlefields andmand armies at will were a terrifying force to behold. Thus, though the Imperial Court was positioned above the Martial World, it could not fully dominate it. Even a ruler must show due respect to Grandmasters. Take the three Grandmasters for example, each one was a pir supporting their nation. Martial Artist Bi Xuan was a general honored by the Turkic Khagan, and the sword master Fu Cailin was revered as divine in Goguryeo, leading them to repel the Great Sui¡¯s forces time and again. As for the wanderer Ning Daoqi, though he didn¡¯t concern himself with the matters of the Central ins dynasties, his existence was a key reason why foreign martial artists did not dare to invade the Central ins lightly. Such was the awe of Grandmasters. Within the Demon Sect, there was also a Grandmaster-level expert, namely, the Evil King Shi Zhixuan! A single Evil King was already not to be underestimated, let alone adding eight grandmasters of the Demon Sect. If they were all to enter Changan¡ Thinking this, Li Yuan¡¯s scalp began to tingle. Although his Li Sect was the strongest of the four great noble families, this strength was confined to military and political matters. When it came to martial arts¡ Well, speaking of martial arts, his Li Sect had many experts too, and even Li Yuan himself was a top-notch expert not inferior to Yuwen Sect¡¯s leader Yuwen Shang. But ¡°top-notch¡± depends on who you¡¯reparing with! Li Yuan acknowledged that he was not a match for the likes of supreme Grandmasters such as Song Que, Ning Daoqi, or Shi Zhixuan. If it were just Shi Zhixuan, that could still be manageable, but with the current situation, would there only be one Shi Zhixuan? And in Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure, there was the Demon Sect¡¯s ultimate relic, the Evil Emperor¡¯s Holy Relics! ¡°It¡¯s not just Shi Zhixuan and the other masters of the Demon Sect that we need to be wary of, the Heavenly King Wu from Xuzhou must not be underestimated,¡± added Li Xiuning, applying more pressure. ¡°As everyone knows, Golden Jade Hall is the business of the Heavenly King Wu of Xuzhou. He got the clue, knowing full well where the treasure lies, yet he did not im it for himself; instead, he announced it to the world,¡± he continued. ¡°What does he intend by doing this?¡± ¡°Could it be those two young men insisted on it?¡± ¡°Impossible. If Xu Qingyang agreed to kill Zhu Yuyan for them, they would certainly willingly offer up the clue to the treasure. It makes no sense for them to do this.¡± ¡°Therefore, there¡¯s only one possibility!¡± Li Xiuning said gravely, ¡°It¡¯s the intention of the Heavenly King Wu. This is all his setup. He wants to use Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure and the Evil Emperor¡¯s Holy Relics to attract the world¡¯s top fighters to gather in Changan!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°This¡ Li Xiuning¡¯s analysis shocked everyone present. ¡°Xu Qingyang!!!¡± Li Yuan, suddenly alert, was even more astonished, ¡°What does he want to do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Li Xiuning shook his head and said in a heavy tone, ¡°But one thing is for sure, his ultimate goal is definitely not as simple as just Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure or the Evil Emperor¡¯s Holy Relics. He must have a scheme, as for what that scheme is¡¡± Saying this, the Princess known as the ¡°Female Zhuge¡± could not help but furrow her brow. What was he plotting? What in all of this was worth his scheming? Could it be that he wished to use this opportunity to seize Chang¡¯an, to overthrow the foundation of the Li Tang dynasty? Impossible! Even with Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure and the Sacred Relic of the Evil Emperor, even if it attracted all the top experts to gather in Chang¡¯an, so what? Could it be that all the top experts in the world would follow his orders, march into Chang¡¯an, and overthrow the Li Sect? It didn¡¯t make sense, not at all! Li Xiuning was deeply troubled, for the first time in her life feeling that her intelligence was insufficient. Li Shimin¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed, and Li Yuan and the other two were also silent. Ultimately, it was Li Shimin who broke the silence, ¡°No matter what this man¡¯s intentions are, such actions are a sign of ill-will, and the well-intended do note. We must take precautions to guard against any unforeseen events.¡± Although this approach was conservative and defensive, there was no better n at the moment, and Li Xiuning agreed, ¡°What second brother said is extremely true. The key lies with this Xu Qingyang. We just need to be particrly wary of Xuzhou and this person.¡± ¡°Xuzhou is still manageable. Xuzhou is far from Chang¡¯an, even if they send troops to march westward to attack us in Guanzhong, they must pass through Luoyang, Sishui, Hangu, and Dongtong among other ces. It is almost impossible for them to reach Chang¡¯an.¡± Li Shimin said with a grave voice, ¡°The key still lies with this person. I¡¯ve heard that this Heavenly King Wu¡¯s martial skills are unfathomable, nearly on par with the Lingnan Heaven de. If he were to act rashly and invade on his own, we might have difficulty resisting!¡± After speaking, he turned to Li Yuan, ¡°Your Majesty, could we invite a few Grandmasters to counter this man¡¯s sharp edge?¡± ¡°A few Grandmasters?¡± At Li Shimin¡¯s words, Li Yuan felt quite helpless and said with a wry smile, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t be possible.¡± Grandmasters, what are Grandmasters? They are the supreme powerhouses of this world! Looking at the entire world, the number of people capable of this is merely the count of one¡¯s fingers, at least publicly it is so. Although the Li Tang had many forces supporting it, the idea of inviting several Grandmasters at once¡ Li Shimin also understood the difficulty, but still urged Li Yuan, ¡°Your Majesty, this Xu Qingyang is no ordinary threat. From being a starving beggar, he has risen to his position today in a mere eighteen years.¡± ¡°In terms of martial skills, strategies, cunning, and methods, he can truly be called the foremost person of this age, even surpassing Song Que, who once resisted the Emperor of Sui alone and governed Lingnan independently.¡± ¡°Facing such a person, no estimation would be an exaggeration. If we cannot defeat him in one fell swoop but let him return to the mountains, we would leave endless troubles for the future. Thus, your child boldly asks, Your IVIaJesty, to please Invite several Grandmasters to capture tms person.¡± Li Shimin spoke with genuine concern and sincerity. ¡°This¡¡¯ Li Yuan was also somewhat hesitant, ¡°Let your father think about it more!¡± As the most powerful and influential monarch in the world at that time, Li Yuan did indeed have the means to invite several Grandmasters. But the price that would have to be paid¡ he really did not wish to ept it. Seeing this, Li Shimin did not speak further, only silently clenched his fists. Meanwhile, within the Demon Sect, the Yinkui Sect¡ ¡°What?¡± ¡°Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure is in Chang¡¯an?¡± ¡°The Holy Relics are there too, and the news has even been spread?¡± The Leader of the Yinkui Sect, the Underworld Queen Zhu Yuyan, looked at the disciple Venvan who came to report, with a mix of shock and anger. ¡°Yes!¡± Venvan nodded, ¡°This message should have been given to the Golden Jade Hall and released with the approval of Xu Qingyang.¡± ¡°Xu Qingyang!¡± Zhu Yuyan¡¯s expression turned cold as she said icily, ¡°Issue the order, gather the entire sect, and follow me to Chang¡¯an.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Venvan was startled and quickly advised, ¡°Master, I¡¯m afraid this is a trap set by Xu Qingyang to aid those two in their revenge. If you go, you¡¯ll be falling right into his trap.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t worry about that now. The Holy Relics must not fall into anyone else¡¯s hands.¡± Zhu Yuyan¡¯s expression was icy, ¡°What¡¯s more, after this news has been spread, he will surelye as well.¡± Venvan¡¯s eyes sharpened, looking at Zhu Yuyan, who was full of hatred in her eyes, and quickly bowed her head, saying no more. Elsewhere, in Lingnan, the Song Sect! Under the bright moonlight, a man stood with his hands behind his back in the training field. His temples were frosted with age, indicating he was past his prime, but there was not a trace of decline. On the contrary, it added to his noble air of a high-ranking family, the schrly grace of an academic, formidable and unattainable. Along with his well-proportioned figure andmanding presence, he exuded the aura of a Grandmaster of the dao of the de. It was the Leader of the Song Family, the Lingnan Heaven de¡ªSong Que! ¡°Treasure?¡± ¡°Relic?¡± ¡°Chang¡¯an ¡°Xu Qingyang? Muttering these words, he suddenlyughed and turned around, his eyes sparkling like morning stars, exuding an awe-inspiring radiance. Song Zhi stepped forward, tentatively asking, ¡°Brother, this matter¡¡± ¡°You stay and guard Lingnan. I will take a trip to Chang¡¯an!¡± Song Que smiled lightly and left with ease, leaving Song Zhi behind, unsure what to do.. Chapter 60 - 41: Cloud Surge_1 Chapter 60: Chapter 41: Cloud Surge_1 Trantor: 549690339 Such was the case, and so passed another night. In Xuzhou City, within Jing¡¯an Temple. A zen monastery held two people facing each other. One d in snow-white attire, the other in jade-like green robes¡ªboth appeared otherworldly beneath the moonlight, as if on the verge of bing celestial beings. ¡°Xuan Er!¡± After facing each other in silence for an unknowable time, the woman in white finally spoke, ¡®You¡¯ve been in Xuzhou for over two years, haven¡¯t you?¡± The woman in green robes nodded, replying calmly, ¡°Two years and three months, Master.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The woman in white smiled, scrutinizing her, then proceeded to ask, ¡°What are your thoughts?¡± The woman in green robes fell silent for a moment before finally responding, ¡°Farmers have their fields, weavers their looms, dwellers their homes, the old and young have support, and themoners are not fools. The people have food and warmth, there is no need to worry about clothing or food, doors are not shut at night, lost items are not picked up on the roads, though thews are strictly enforced, they are strict but not harsh, agriculture is fundamental, apanied by industry andmerce¡¡± ¡°Truly a spectacle unparalleled in ancient times!¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± The woman in white nodded, ¡°This man is truly an unprecedented figure!¡± The woman in green robes¡¯ expression grew stern, ¡°Then, Master¡¡± ¡°But such a pioneer must be shunned by the world. Unprecedented they may be, yet they are also unwee throughout history!¡± The woman in white shook her head, ¡°His actions are perverse and contrary, and have provoked the great indignation of the world. Continuing thus, he is no different from Wang Mang or Zhang Jiao, adorned with fresh flowers for a moment, unmatched in influence, but like a fire frying in oil, eventually reaching its end, unsustainable in the long run.¡± ¡°Sustainable?¡± The woman in green robes furrowed her brows, looking at her master, ¡°From ancient times to the present, through all dynasties, which one has not vanished after two or three hundred years? Who has eversted forever, who wasn¡¯t like a fire frying in oil?¡± The woman in white fell into silence, gazing at her disciple, then after a long while said, ¡°If he continues to act so perversely, I fear he won¡¯t evenst two or three hundred years.¡± ¡°What do you mean by acting so perversely?¡± The woman in green robes met her gaze, ¡°Does this world belong to all its people, or does it belong to the noble ns and sects?¡± ¡°It belongs to all its people!¡± The woman in white calmly expressed, ¡°But it is also a world of the noble families.¡± As she spoke, she turned her gaze outside the temple, ¡°Human nature is self-interested. The household, the country, the world¡ªthat¡¯s the immutable state of human affairs. He goes against human nature, goes against the will of heaven, and so he will be abandoned by the people, opposed by all under heaven, and in the end, his body and spirit will be crushed to dust!¡± Having said that, she turned her gaze back to her disciple, ¡°Xuan Er, do you think he can resist the great forces of the world on his own?¡± The woman in green robes fell into silence. ¡°This man is a hero!¡± ¡°But not a sovereign!¡± The woman in white stated calmly, ¡°In terms of martial prowess, strategy, cunning, and means, he is beyond reproach. But in this, he is mistaken!¡± ¡°He was wrong to be so extreme, to rece the entire lineage of noble families in Xuzhou with the ¡®Rece the People or Item¡¯ tactic, causing all noble families to feel threatened and terrified at the mention of his name.¡± ¡°Such treatment of noble families is one thing, but he has also incited strife within the Martial World, causing bloodshed among the martial ns; before his foundation is stable and his royal cause established, he resorted to ruthless measures, making enemies of everyone, enraging both mortals and gods¡¡± ¡°One false step leads to another!¡± The woman shook her head, sighing, ¡°At this point, there is no turning back for him! The woman in green robes remained silent, speaking only after a long while, ¡°So, Master, you already have someone else in mind?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°The Li Sect!¡± The woman in white spoke evenly, ¡°The Li Sect has entered Guanzhong, taking a strong hold over Chang¡¯an, already possessing the air of a sovereign!¡± ¡°The Li Sect?¡± The woman in green robes murmured to herself, ¡°If the Li Sect takes over the world, will Xuzhou still have the prosperity it enjoys today?¡± These words left the woman in white in silence, only after a long while did she reply, ¡°Emperor Tang, ruling with kindness, will surely treat themon people well.¡± ¡°He is kind, but are his subordinates just as kind?¡± The woman in green robes relentlessly pursued the matter, locking eyes with the other, ¡°Master, when Mercy Sailing Temple selects an emperor on behalf of heaven, is it truly for the world¡¯smon folk, for the well-being of the people, or is it for the enduring prosperity of Mercy Sailing Temple, for the Buddhist Sect?¡± The woman in white fell silent, looking at her disciple, then after a long while said, ¡°Xuan Er, you¡¯ve changed!¡± The woman in green robes too, was silent. ¡°You are still young, and it¡¯s understandable to be emotional for a time.¡± The woman in white shook her head, ¡°But as the holy maiden of Mercy Sailing Temple, you must understand that reality is reality; it is not swayed by emotions. You must be rational, you must be clear, you must realize that¡¡± ¡°He¡ªwill undoubtedly be defeated! !!¡± With a voice like thunder, Fan Qinghui looked at Shi Feixuan and said each word, ¡°This is reality, do you understand?¡± Shi Feixuan¡¯s eyes trembled, and she lowered her head. ¡°Very good!¡± Fan Qinghui nodded in satisfaction, then suddenly changed the subject, ¡°Have you seen him?¡± The sudden question startled Shi Feixuan, who after a pause, shook her head gently, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Fan Qinghui¡¯s gaze became unfathomable as she asked again, ¡°He is that beggar boy from back then, isn¡¯t he?¡± Shi Feixuan fell silent, and in the end, she did not speak but simply nodded in silence. ¡°How unpredictable life is, the whims of fate indeed!¡± Fan Qinghui sighed, speaking somberly, ¡°If back then I had not brought you here, would there still be an Xu Qingyang today?¡± After speaking, she turned her gaze back, looking at the silent Shi Feixuan, ¡°Perhaps this too is destined by the unseen will of heaven, that a descendant of Mercy Sailing Temple must face this cmity to awaken and attain the ultimate understanding of the path!¡± ¡°Master¡¡± Shi Feixuan raised her head, not continuing the topic, but asked instead, ¡°You¡¯ve chosen the Li Sect, simply because they have the appearance of a sovereign?¡± Fan Qinghui looked at her, saying nothing. Shi Feixuan did not mind, and said to herself, ¡°The four great sects of the world, the Yuwen Sect hasmitted regicide and seized power, their loyalty waning, their days are numbered.¡± ¡°The Song Sect is secluded, and with a man like Song Que, if they seed, they definitely won¡¯t rely on my Silent Temple,¡± ¡°The Dugu sect is weak, nowhere near as powerful as the Li and Song sects, making sess difficult!¡± ¡°Only the Li Sect, favored by the noble families and situated in Guanzhong, has strong power and a superior military force. However, theyck a Grandmaster to lead them. If they wish to unify the world and control the Martial World, they must rely on my Silent Temple!¡± Shi Feixuan lifted her head and calmly gazed at Fan Qinghui: ¡°That¡¯s why, Master, you chose the Li Sect, right?¡± This gaze, this questioning, silenced Fan Qinghui for a moment, but ultimately he admitted, ¡°Indeed!¡± ¡°Then, is this chosen emperor truly for the people of the world, themon citizens, or is it for my Silent Temple, for the Buddhist lineage?¡± Unwilling to ept this, Shi Feixuan pressed on, questioning: ¡°Master, you didn¡¯t teach Xuan Er this way before, whyu..?¡± ¡°Because that¡¯s reality!¡± Fan Qinghui cut off her words: ¡°It is both for my Silent Temple and the people of the world. Private interests serve public ones as well; there¡¯s no conflict. Do you understand?¡± Shi Feixuan remained silent, just gazing at Fan Qinghui, feeling for the first time that her Master, who raised her, was somewhat¡ terrifyingly unfamiliar. ¡°You should and must understand.¡± Fan Qinghui shook his head: ¡°Now, this region of Xuzhou, he¡¯s managed it to be as secure as an iron barrel, controlling nobility, factions, and the Martial World all with one hand, except for¡¡± ¡°This Jing¡¯an Temple!¡± Fan Qinghui shifted his gaze and stared at Shi Feixuan asking, ¡°Why hasn¡¯t heid his hands on Jing¡¯an Temple? Is it because of you, or does he have a fondness for our Buddhism, allowing us to remain outside his control?¡± Shi Feixuan was silent, unable to respond. ¡°Neither!¡± ¡°It¡¯s because the time isn¡¯t right yet. He doesn¡¯t wish to startle the snake in the grass and provoke a counterattack from our Buddhism!¡± Fan Qinghui, relentless: ¡°Once the time is ripe and his power is sufficient, he will ¡®Scour the Court and Sweep the Den,¡¯ exterminate our Buddhist lineage, and sever our Buddhist teachings!¡± Shi Feixuan: ¡® ¡°He¡¯s too tyrannical, too domineering!¡± Fan Qinghui shook his head: ¡°He treats Buddhism this way, and simrly both Taoist and Confucian teachings. He can¡¯t tolerate anyone in the world, so how could the world tolerate him?¡± Shi Feixuan: Fan Qinghui¡¯s expression was indifferent as he continued: ¡°If nothing unexpected happens, he will soon take action against Jing¡¯an Temple and all the temples and Taoist temples within Xuzhou¡¯s territory, thoroughly removing forces that are not under his control, ensuring there are no hidden dangers within Xuzhou.¡± ¡°This¡¡¯ Startled, Shi Feixuan asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because he will soon make a big move!¡± Fan Qinghui, hands sped behind his back, spoke gravely, ¡°A few days ago in Yangzhou, Golden Jade Hall held an auction. There, they sold information about Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure for ten silver taels. Now, the whole world knows, Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure is in Chang¡¯an!¡± ¡°Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure is in Chang¡¯an?¡± Shi Feixuan¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, half understanding. ¡°This is his scheme!¡± Fan Qinghui spoke solemnly: ¡°Using Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure as bait, he¡¯s lured heroes from across the world to Chang¡¯an. There must be a plot.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Shi Feixuan¡¯s face changed, uncertain: ¡°What plot?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Fan Qinghui shook his head, saying gravely: ¡°But this man, when he acts, it¡¯s always earth-shattering. Now that the location is Chang¡¯an, it¡¯s very likely that his scheme targets the Li Sect, so¡¡± Shi Feixuan¡¯s eyes sharpened as she began to understand: ¡°Master¡¡± Fan Qinghui shook his head and calmly said, ¡°The Li Sect has officially sought help from my Silent Temple. I¡¯ve already sent messages to Tiantai Sect, Sanlun Sect, Huayan Sect, and Zen Buddhism. The four Holy Monks will soon head to Chang¡¯an. No matter his scheme or plot, this time we must eliminate him in Guanzhong!¡± Shi Feixuan¡¯s pupils contracted: ¡°Master, you¡!¡± ¡°No more words!¡± Fan Qinghui waved his hand, cutting her off: ¡°The situation in Xuzhou today is all due to this man. As soon as he dies, Xuzhou, secure as an iron barrel, will instantly crumble and fall into our hands easily.¡± Shi Feixuan still wished to argue: ¡°But the people of Xuzhou¡¡± ¡°It¡¯s precisely for the people of Xuzhou that we must do this!¡± Fan Qinghui firmly stated, ¡°If this man doesn¡¯t die, Xuzhou will inevitably raise arms, vying for the world. And as he is deeply loved by the people, who are willing to give their lives for him, with the power of one state opposing the momentum of the entire world, the blood of Xuzhou¡¯s people is bound to be drained dry, while the world suffers ravages of war, ultimately harming both sides!¡± ¡°Therefore, he must die, he absolutely has to die. Only if he dies can Xuzhou be taken without a fight, surrender without battle. Only with his death can the world be unified by a call to arms and enjoy longsting peace. Only if he dies¡¡± Fan Qinghui looked at Shi Feixuan, speaking word by word: ¡°Can the noble families, the Martial World, and the hearts of the people be at ease!¡± Shi Feixuan stood in ce, staring nkly at her Master, unable to find a rebuttal. ¡°I know, these methods are not honorable.¡± ¡°But Xuan Er, you must understand, sometimes, for the sake of the world, for the sake of humanity, we must be ruthless!¡± Fan Qinghui stood with hands sped behind his back, his expression cold: ¡°As for such karma, if there is retribution, let your Master bear it alone!¡± ¡°Master¡¡± Shi Feixuan tried to speak but stopped, as Fan Qinghui didn¡¯t heed her: ¡°Enough said, follow me, let¡¯s leave. This Jing¡¯an Temple¡ will soon cease to exist.¡± Three dayster. Inside the Security Hall, in the courtyard. Xu Yang stood alone with his hands behind his back. ¡°Master!¡± Su Beixuan approached briskly, presenting an item¡ªit was a pure white handkerchief. ¡°Just now, someone threw this into the hall!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Xu Yang took the handkerchief and saw four elegant characters inscribed upon it. ¡°Chang¡¯an¡ danger?¡± Xu Yang looked at the handkerchief, smiling slightly: ¡°Didn¡¯t see anyone?¡± Su Beixuan shook his head, looking ashamed: ¡°No.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Unconcerned, Xu Yang asked: ¡°How are the preparations going?¡± Su Beixuan replied gravely: ¡°Everything is proceeding smoothly.¡± Xu Yang shook his head, gazing into the sky: ¡°Hurry it up. Some people are already impatient. Don¡¯t keep them waiting too long.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Chapter 61 - 42: The Final Revelation_1 Chapter 61: Chapter 42: The Final Revtion_1 Trantor: 549690339 Three monthster, in Guanzhong, Chang¡¯an. The Han Dynasty had the Eastern and Western Han; likewise, there were the Eastern and Western Capitals. The Eastern Capital was Luoyang, while the Western Capital was Chang¡¯an. After thete Sui Dynasty received the Mandate of Heaven, seeing that Chang¡¯an was in ruins, it built a new city named Great Xing, designated as the national capital. In the thirteenth year of the Great Ye era, Duke of Tang, Li Yuan, raised an army in Taiyuan, stormed Guanzhong, and took Chang¡¯an directly. The Li Sect was one of the four major ns. Though feared by Emperor Yang of Sui and distanced from the imperial court, they made broad alliances with the Guanlong elite and local strongmen, winning the hearts of the Guanlong gentry. Therefore, after the uprising, there was swift internal and external response. Entering Guanzhong and seizing Chang¡¯an, supporting Yang Yu, residing in Tai Chi, they easily became the dominant force without breaking a sweat. Guanzhong was and of wealth and riches, famously known as the nd of golden cities spanning a thousand miles,¡± a heavenly abode on earth. The Li Sect, having taken over Guanzhong and supported by the Guanlong gentry, quickly grew in strength and now stood at the forefront among the many heroes of the world. Their foundation was solid, and the aura of kingship began to show, already bearing the mark of a True Dragon. Thus, in the fourteenth year of the Great Ye era, when Emperor Yang Guang was assassinated by Yuwen Huaji and perished in Yangdu, Li Yuan received the throne from Yang Yu, bing emperor, establishing a new era, founding Li Tang, whose fame and splendor were unmatched for a time. However, these glorious times began to diminish over the past three months. Within the city of Chang¡¯an, soldier¡¯s armor was seen everywhere. Troops patrolled ceaselessly inside and outside the city. The imperial pce was even stricter; every ten steps there was a post, and every five steps, a sentry, without a single gap. But even so, this could not stop the chaos within the city of Chang¡¯an. Conflicts would still asionally ur inside and outside the city. The city guards were exhausted from their duties, and the people were in a state of panic. All this was because¡ ¡°These Martial World folk really do have boundless gall,pletely disregarding my Li Tang.¡± Above the city tower, amidst the gathered generals, Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, d in resplendent armor, watched the chaos caused by various martial arts factions within and outside the city, extremely furious. Ever since the news that Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure was hidden in Chang¡¯an was spread by the Golden Jade Hall, the entire Martial World immediately boiled over. All kinds of Sects and wandering martial artists, as long as they had the opportunity and could get away, all rushed to Chang¡¯an. Why? No reason, joining the throng was simply the innate nature of the Martial World folk. Some sought fame and reputation, others for gold and silver treasures, some for martial arts manuals, and still others for a smile from a beauty¡ In short, what those from the Martial World pursued could all be achieved by joining the fray. So whether it was a grand martial arts convention or the appearance of treasures, every time there would be arge gathering of those from the Martial World, regardless of whether the news was true or false, as long as there was excitement, people would join in. This time, the reappearance of Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure was no exception. As soon as the news spread, immediately the winds and clouds converged, and the Martial World, Prestigious ns, and valiant wanderers all gathered in Chang¡¯an. With so many people, troubles naturally multiplied, especially since those who came were indisciplined and unrestrained folk from the Martial World. Although they didn¡¯t dare challenge the authority of Li Tang, that didn¡¯t mean they wouldn¡¯t cause trouble in the city of Chang¡¯an. All being children of the Martial World, when tempers red, who cared about Li Tang? They¡¯d draw their swords and sh first, then run away if necessary. Therefore, in recent times, the public order in Chang¡¯an city drastically worsened, not only causing the popce to live in fear but also making Li Tang feel its foundation was shaky. It was forced to call back the Sect¡¯s experts, as well as elite imperial guards. Only then was the situation barely suppressed. But this was just superficial containment; the hidden dangers did not abate but instead escted. On the other hand, Li Shimin and Li Xiuning stood side by side, simrly observing the situation in Chang¡¯an with cool detachment, but unlike Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji, they were not impotently furious. ¡°As elusive as clouds, as unpredictable as rain, that Heavenly King Wu truly has Heaven Reaching methods that put others to shame!¡± Li Shimin stood with one hand on the city wall, overlooking the streets of Chang¡¯an, his expression exceedingly grave. ¡°Such tactics are indeed powerful, but Second Brother need not be too hard on himself.¡± Li Xiuning shook her head, reassuringly speaking, ¡°Our Li Tang is the chosen of people¡¯s hearts, destined to rule over the world. His opposition and defiance will ultimately lead him to be nothing but bones in a grave!¡± Though without a feather fan lightly waving, her intelligent eyes still had the bearing of Zhuge Liang, as she strategized, ¡°Thus, Second Brother need not fret over this and be disrupted by his schemes. It¡¯s just like the mantis stalking the cicada unaware of the oriole behind. As long as we obtain the ultimate result, what does temporary advantage or disadvantage matter?¡± ¡°What Third Sister says is true, I was indeed aggrieved.¡± Heartened by Li Xiuning¡¯s words, Li Shimin¡¯s mood improved significantly. Turning his eyes towards the outskirts of Chang¡¯an, he murmured to himself, ¡°Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure, Heshi Jade, either one could secure the world. But is this rumor true or false?¡± ¡°It¡¯s both true and false.¡± Li Xiuning shook her head, calmly stating, ¡°If a single piece of jade or a treasure hoard could determine the fate of the world, then there would be no such contention among people. All that can be said is that these two treasures could enhance our strength, bing a great boost in seizing the world. That¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Correct.¡± Li Shimin nodded, speaking in a deep voice, ¡°Although they can¡¯t truly determine the fate of the world, they can indeed significantly increase one¡¯s power. If Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure is truly within Chang¡¯an, it must be seized for Li Tang.¡± ¡°That would be best!¡± Li Xiuning did not draw conclusions rashly, ¡°Big Brother and Fourth Brother, as well as our men, have already thoroughly searched inside and outside of Chang¡¯an city without finding any trace of that treasure. Whether this matter is true or false still needs to be discussed. Perhaps it is an borate ruse the Heavenly King Wu concocted to achieve his goals, not minding the sacrifice of his reputation.¡± ¡°There¡¯s that possibility, but it¡¯s not necessarily false either.¡± Li Shimin shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure, made by the world¡¯s leading ingenious craftsman Lu Miaozai, a friend of Yang Su, has extremely subtle and intricate mechanisms that are naturally difficult to find, possibly buried underground or hidden within¡¡¯ Chapter 62 - 42: Finally Appearing_2 Chapter 62: Chapter 42: Finally Appearing_2 Trantor: 549690339 Between the words, Li Shimin¡¯s pupils constricted, and Li Xiuning was also startled into awareness. ¡°In the water?¡± ¡°Underground?¡± ¡°Where the two merge, the connected part!¡± ¡°That¡¯s where the treasury¡¯s mechanism lies!¡± Both were extremely intelligent, a sh of inspiration, and they figured out the crux of the matter. This revtion greatly excited Li Shimin, who immediately wanted to take action, ¡°I will dispatch someone to seal off and investigate all the waterways within and outside Changan City immediately. The mechanism of Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure must be among them.¡± Li Xiuning stopped him, ¡°Though Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure is important, the real key lies with Heavenly King Wu. This man uses the treasure as bait, clearly intending for the mantis to stalk the cicada; we must not fall for his trickery and act as his pawns. Instead, we should watch coldly from the sidelines, to catch him.¡± Then this female Zhuge Liang analyzed solemnly, ¡°Now looking at the world, the only sovereigns are this man and our Li Tang. The rest are but chickens and dogs, unworthy of mention. If we can y him in Changan, then there will be no one left in the world who can stand in the way of Li Tang¡¯s Great Ye. Compared to that, what does a mere treasure vault count for?¡± ¡°This¡ Li Shimin was taken aback, then came to a realization, pping his forehead, ¡°The oversight was mine, nearly falling into that man¡¯s trap. Thanks to your reminder, sister, I will deploy the trusted aides now. If those experts fail to kill him, we¡¯ll overwhelm him with our army, a barrage of arrows, sparing no expense to ensure this man remains in Changan forever.¡± He then grabbed Li Xiuning¡¯s hand, ¡°But such a troop movement will certainly be known to Father Emperor, and it¡¯s likely that eldest brother and the fourth brother will interfere. So, I ask that you go to the pce to inform Father Emperor of this crucial matter, and not let it hinder Li Tang¡¯s Great Ye.¡± ¡°Rest assured, big brother, I will go to the pce immediately!¡± ¡°Good!¡± Meanwhile, at House-riding Bridge, by the waters of Qu River, two young men arrived side by side. Among the eight scenic spots of Changan, House-riding Bridge was one, located atop the Qu River just outside Changan City. As one of the eight scenic spots, under normal circumstances, it would be bustling with literati who would linger and forget to return. But with current disturbances in Changan, no one dared to wander aimlessly, so there weren¡¯t many people crossing the bridge. The two young men came to the middle of the bridge, exchanged a look, and without further words, they leaped forth. ¡°Ssh!¡± The two jumped into the water in unison and disappeared in an instant, leaving bystanders in astonishment. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Did someone jump into the river?¡± ¡°Such fine young men, how could they be so despondent?¡± As the crowd was expressing their surprise, suddenly a figure skimming over the water, flying in from a distance, appeared. It was a stunningly beautiful woman with an elegant demeanor. Zhu Yuyan flew in swiftly but saw no trace of the two men, immediately turning to the onlookers, her icy gaze possessing the power to captivate souls, ¡°Did you see two men together?¡± ¡°This¡ ¡°They just jumped into the water.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhu Yuyan¡¯s gaze sharpened as she looked under the bridge. Just then¡ ¡°Rumble!¡± An anomaly arose, turning into intense tremors that affected even Changan City, causing it to tremble. In the distance, amidst the steep, ovepping mountains, a loud boom resounded, dust and smoke billowing. ¡°Hmm!?¡± Zhu Yuyan¡¯s gaze intensified, following the sound, and saw a gap revealed when a boulder moved aside. ¡°There!!¡± Seeing this, Zhu Yuyan no longer cared about the two in the water, activated her Gang Yuan, soared into the sky, and headed straight for the mountains. Thismotion also attracted the attention of powers both within and outside the city walls. ¡°Over there!¡± ¡°Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure has appeared!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°The chance to strike it rich is here!¡± ¡°The Holy Relics of the Evil Emperor will definitely be mine!¡± In an instant, Changan both within and beyond boiled over, countless Martial Artists rushed out of the city, surging towards Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure. Among them were top experts capable of Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao, flying through the air with incredible speed. ¡°Underworld Queen Zhu Yuyan!¡± ¡°Demon Marshal Zhao Deyan!¡± ¡°Heavenly Master Xi Ying!¡± ¡°Is that¡ Yuwen Shang?¡± ¡°The Yuwen Sect is in such a state, yet he still finds time to get involved?¡± ¡°Dugu Feng has arrived too!¡± ¡°And that one, is it the Affectionate Schr Hou Xibai?¡± ¡°With this kid here, Shi Zhixuan must have arrived as well, right?¡± ¡°The beauty brigade of Mercy Sailing Temple has also arrived.¡± ¡°Why has there still been no sign of Purity Zen Sect?¡± It was like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each disying their divine skills; all the major forces plunged into Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure, except for Li Tang, the local overlord, who remained still and unaffected. Of course, there were also those in the Martial World with insufficient strength who, wisely choosing to protect themselves, stayed outside as onlookers,menting and gesturing. And so it went, for who knows how long. Within the woods¡ ¡°Out of the way!¡± A figure leaped into the air, a woman in white with bare feet, enchanting yet brimming with demonic charm. With a ribbon as her weapon, her movements resembled the Heavenly Demon Dance, quickly repelling several people entwined around her. But after these few, there were more, all of them in relentless pursuit. ¡°Demonic woman, stop!¡± ¡°Put down the Evil Emperor¡¯s relics!¡± Several women in white robesunched themselves into the air, swords in hand, righteousness in their bearing; suffused with the essence of Zen, they were the experts from Mercy Sailing Temple. Behind them, a ghostly shadow leaped from Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure, chasing directly after the woman attempting to flee. The whole lot, chasing and entangling, hurried out of the woods and arrived beside the Qu River. ¡°Damn it!¡± Dudu clenched her teeth in frustration. She had pushed the Heavenly Demon Dance to its limits but still couldn¡¯t shake off the pursuers; after all, these experts from Mercy Sailing Temple had Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao skills, specializing in Buddhist Law and thuspletely unaffected by her dance¡¯s beguiling illusions. What to do now? As Dudu pondered her retreat¡ ¡°Demoness, halt!¡± Several figures flew towards her, all robed in white monastic garb. ¡°Purity Zen Sect!¡± ¡°You shameless bald donkeys¡!¡± Seeing the ambush, Dudu finally couldn¡¯t help but curse loudly. The neers paid her no heed, intent on encircling and striking. But just then¡ ¡°Niece, don¡¯t panic, Uncle Bian is here.¡± Anguid and mockingugh broke through, and another expert appeared, stepping into the fray and blocking a Purity Zen Sect expert. ¡°Hahaha, how could I miss such excitement?¡± On another front, a rotund figure bounced forth, simrly intercepting a Purity Zen Sectbatant. ¡°The Holy Relics belong to no one but me!¡± ¡°Baldy, meet your death!¡± Demon Sect masters emerged one after another, halting the Purity Zen Sect¡¯s ambush. Dudu was surrounded by them, but she didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit of safety knowing that these fellow sect elders were even worse than Mercy Sailing Temple and Purity Zen Sect¡ªravenous wolves and tigers, harboring ill intentions. However, she was without options. The encirclement had formed, and with Evil Emperor¡¯s relics upon her, she was the focus of the entire battlefield. If she tried to break through, she would surely be attacked by the crowd, and the oue of that scenario was obvious without saying. So many experts with Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao skills, from both the path of righteousness and the demonic path, with the power of Buddhist and Demon sects fully disyed¡ªwho in the world could escape such a predicament with ease? The three Grandmasters, Evil King Heavenly de? She really shouldn¡¯t have taken on this hot potato! What to do now? As Dudu wallowed in troubled thoughts, not knowing what to do¡ A hand¡ extended in front of her. Dudu¡¯s pupils constricted sharply. She suddenly looked up, only to see that at some point, a person had appeared in front of her. That was¡ A young man, with a confident bearing, noble and imposing, d in a simple blue robe, seemingly at one with the universe: at one moment he was within arm¡¯s reach, and the next, he felt as distant as the horizon. He was clearly standing there, yet his presence was undetectable, silent and illusory as a reflection in a mirror or the moon¡¯s reflection on the water. Yet, at the same time, he emitted an intense vibe that no one could overlook. It was as if¡ this heaven, this earth, the sun, the moon, the stars, and the primeval universe were all visible to the eye but impossible topletely perceive. We are aware of the vastness of the universe yet feel insignificant within it. Unity of Heaven and Man! Grandmaster Realm! A moment of terrified realization, then awakening. Looking at his overly young face and the hand extended towards her, Dudu fell silent for a while and then, trembling, took out a yellow jade crystal still carrying the warmth of a young girl, and with great difficulty, handed it over to him. At that moment, thebatants from both paths of righteousness and demonism, as well as the Buddhist and Demon sects¡¯ masters, noticed the abrupt change in the situation. After a moment of shock, they immediately separated and formed a circle around them, watching in uncertain astonishment at the person at the center of it all.. Chapter 63 - 43: Celestial Being_1 Chapter 63: Chapter 43: Celestial Being_1 Trantor: 549690339 Silent, deadly silent, an eerie stillness prevailed. The battlefield that had just been as fiery and indecisive as ever fell into a terrifying silence due to the appearance of one person. No one dared to make a move, no one dared to speak, even breathing involuntarily suppressed, lest they break this fragile equilibrium. This¡ is this the intimidating power of a Grandmaster? No, not just a Grandmaster, the man before them is definitely not just a mere Grandmaster! Those present, each one a notable master from either the paths of light or darkness, or from the Buddhist or Demon Sects, all possessed the cultivation of ¡°Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao¡±. Though they might slightly fall short whenpared to a Grandmaster, the gap was not impossible to bridge. Take ¡°Heavenly Monarch¡± Xi Ying, one of the eight great masters of the Demon Sect; in his early years, he was so hounded by ¡°Evil King Heavenly de¡± Song Que for the sh of their titles that he fled in disgrace into the Western Regions, only returning to the Central ins in recent years. Though lesser in strengthpared to his current self, the young Song Que was already a master of the dao of de, and yet Xi Ying still managed to survive his relentless pursuit. This demonstrates that although Grandmasters are strong, they are not absolutely unbeatable. After all, everyone is at the realm of ¡°Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao¡±, and as long as there¡¯s no breakthrough, no matter how strong, there are limits to their power. But this person¡ He is like an insurmountable peak, beyond reach! As unfathomable as the abyss, impossible to gauge! Unbeatable, absolutely unbeatable! Cannot move, mustn¡¯t move at all! This was the warning screaming in their minds, the shout of primal fear. Masters like them might doubt others, even selves, but they must trust such instincts and premonitions. Thus, they did not dare to move, not even slightly. At this moment¡ ¡°Dudu!¡± A woman soared into the air, her figure graceful and stunningly beautiful ¡ª it was Zhu Yuyan, the Underworld Queen of the Demon Sect. Zhu Yuyan flew out from the woods and arrived at this eerie battlefield. Noticing something was amiss, her gaze firstnded on her disciple, then was immediately drawn to the unfamiliar young man. ¡°Master, Revered Master!¡± Although Dudu was subjected to the brunt of the pressure and was even more deterred, upon noticing Zhu Yuyan¡¯s arrival, she still mustered her weak body to turn back and make a face uglier than crying to her. ¡°Underworld Queen! ¡± ¡°Sect Leader!¡± ¡°Demoness, halt!¡± ¡°Leave the sacred relic behind!¡± At this time, masters from both the paths of light and darkness, as well as the Buddhist and Demon Sects, rushed out from Yang Gong¡¯s Treasure. Upon their arrival, all eyes immediately focused, uncertain and wary of the person in the center. At this moment, Xu Yang was still examining the sacred relic of the Evil Emperor in his hand. He could clearly feel that within this yellow jade-like relic, there was an extremely powerful energy contained. It was the essence of previous Evil Emperors! It¡¯s said that this peculiar object is a treasure of the Demon Sect, into which every Heavenly Evil Path Leader would pour their life¡¯s energy before death. Up to this day, this relic had absorbed countless essences from Evil Emperors, bing a sacred object that people of the Demon Sect dreamt of acquiring, even though almost no one knew how to use it. Though not the main aim of his journey, obtaining this prize was also satisfying. Xu Yang smiled, pocketed the relic, and then cast his gaze upon the unsure crowd: ¡°What are you all waiting for?¡± Although his words were light, they struck fear into their hearts, and after a moment of silence, then¡ ¡°Retreat!!!¡± The people of the Demon Sect, without a second word, promptly took flight, retreating backwards. Such an action directly stunned everyone present. Those of the Demon Sect, most fixated and determined to acquire the Evil Emperor¡¯s sacred relic, chose to flee as their first course of action? What did this mean? Was the man really that terrifying? The people of the Righteous Path, inwardly contemptuous, subsequently¡ ¡°Retreat! ! ! ¡± In a fleeting thought, their disdain gave way to realization. Masters from the Mercy Sailing Temple and the Purity Zen Sect also lifted their bodies and rapidly pulled back. They must retreat, of course they must, for if they couldn¡¯t win, not retreating would be courting death, wouldn¡¯t it? The Martial World already had a well-established rule: only Grandmasters can stand against Grandmasters! Since such a figure had appeared, there would naturally be powerhouses of equal caliber to confront them. Those who were not at the level needed to swiftly vacate the area; otherwise, staying there would only get in the way and increase casualties. Even the members of the Demon Sect, who were deeply obsessed with the sacred relic, were aware of this. How could the masters of the Righteous Path not understand? So¡ªwithdraw! The crowd was astonished, extracting themselves quickly, all but one person. That was Dudu. She too wanted to flee, but facing the man before her, her trembling body couldn¡¯t muster a shred of strength. Xu Yang paid her no heed, lifting his hands void of any concern, his energy flowing forth. In an instant¡ ¡°Gurgle gurgle!¡± A sound of flowing water rose, and in Qu River, an anomaly suddenly appeared. ¡°Roar!!!¡± The river water boiled, dragons howled and soared, and over ten dragon shadows burst forth from the river, shocking all around with their tumultuous and ocean-overturning aura. Xu Yang Lifespan: 29/520 Cultivation: Divine Gang Realm Skills: ughter, Eating, Sleeping, Breathing, Medical Treatment, Walking, Archery, Reading, Teaching¡ Martial Practice (Diligence Makes Up for Clumsiness, Cleansing Marrow, Eternal Youth, Martial Path Communicates with God, Founder of Martial Scripture, Unity of Heaven and Man) In the past two years, apart from pondering the Longevity Jue, bitterly practicing the Martial Arts Scripture, and enhancing his power, Xu Yang had also developed a new skill trait¡ªUnity of Heaven and Man! What is Unity of Heaven and Man? It is the connectivity of heaven and man, merging as one, and employing the power of man to invoke the capabilities of heaven and earth. It is one of the abilities that a martial artist possesses after achieving Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao. Take Yuwen Huaji as an example, after his cultivation of the Ice Mysterious Power and achieving the state of Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao; he could stimte the Gang Yuan within his body, in coordination with the Divine Intent of the icy dao, to enter the state of ¡°Unity of Heaven and Man¡±. With this, he can summon the power of heaven and earth to create icy crystal frost. Therefore, whenever Yuwen Huaji unleashes his Ice Mysterious Power, ice will crystallize and snow will cascade; this is the manifestation of Unity of Heaven and Man. In an icy snovvy environment, his power would be vastly enhanced. This is the Unity of Heaven and Man achieved after ¡°Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao¡±. Today, Xu Yang¡¯s cultivation of martial skills generating the effect of Unity of Heaven and Man follows the same principle. Only, its effect is even stronger and can stack with Xu Yang¡¯s own abilities. After all, he himself is a martial artist who has achieved ¡°Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao¡± and also possesses the capability of ¡°Unity of Heaven and Man¡±. Thus, his own capabilitybined with the skill traits, the effects of the double ¡°Unity of Heaven and Man¡±¡ ¡°Gurgle gurgle!¡± ¡°Roar!!!¡± Over ten water dragons surged up from within Qu River, casting a terrifying shadow enveloped with dragon might over the surrounding area. The dragons¡¯ roars shook the wilds and quaked the heavens. This was the scene at the moment. The skill traits coupled with his own capabilities, the dual effects of ¡°Unity of Heaven and Man¡±, had surpassed the extreme limit of the Condensing Spirit Realm. Underneath the shadow, behind Xu Yang, Dudu knelt directly onto the ground with a ¡°plop¡± upon witnessing the over ten water dragons soaring up from Qu River with sky-shaking roars. As for those experts from both the righteous and evil paths who frantically retreated, seeing this spectacle filled them with horror, and they pushed their internal Gang Qi to the limit, fleeing the scene at their utmost speed. Unity of Heaven and Man? They, of course, knew what Unity of Heaven and Man was, but even the Unity of Heaven and Man of a Grandmaster was never this exaggerated, overdone, terrifying! Returning to Yuwen Huaji as an example, his cultivation stood in the middle-upper tier among those of the Condensing Spirit martial artists, but his ¡°Unity of Heaven and Man¡± could at most conjure a single Ice Mysterious Giant Tiger. Even in an icyndscape where his Ice Mysterious Power was many times greater, it couldn¡¯t possibly reach such an extent. Not to mention him, even the three Grandmasters, four Holy Monks, and the Evil King Heavenly de, all of whom are at the peak of the Condensing Spirit Ultimate Realm, could not demonstrate such fearsome might through Unity of Heaven and Man, even in the most favorable environments. Such power¡ ¡°Roar!!!¡± While still in horror and unsettled in spirit, amidst their confused thoughts, came the heaven -shaking dragon roar. Xu Yang deployed his palms, and his qi surged forth, channeling the power of heaven and earth. Over ten water dragons burst forth from Qu River, transforming into thousands of dragon shadow streams, and with a sky-sweeping momentum, they bombarded towards the frightfully retreating crowd. ¡°Not good!¡± ¡°Quick..!!!¡± The crowd¡¯s pupils contracted, forcibly halting their retreat. Their internal Gang Yuan surged in response, attempting to block the overwhelming onught of water dragon shadows. Under such an assault, fleeing would mean certain death. Only by mustering full strength for defense could one hope for a sliver of survival. ¡°Boom boom boom!!!¡± A series of thunderous booms echoed, like deafening thunderps, as over ten water dragons split into countless streams, bombarding from the skies, epassing a hundred feet in radius, and engulfing the figures below. ¡°Boom rumble rumble!¡± After a final thunderous roar, there were no more soaring cries, and the scene of crisscrossing dragon shadows ended with water vapor dispersing into the air. Experts from the ck and white paths, the Buddhist and Demon Sects, masters who¡¯ve achieved ¡°Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao¡±,y on the ground, their fates unknown. Only a handful of them remained standing, but they too were seriously injured and teetering on the verge of copse. This was still the result of the water dragons dispersing and injuring the crowd. If the water dragons hadn¡¯t dispersed and had focused their attacks, the scene would undoubtedly have been a bloody carnage with countless individuals bursting to death. ¡°You¡ Hmph!!!¡± Zhu Yuyan pressed a hand over her chest, her eyes filled with a mix of shock and rage as she looked at Xu Yang. Just as she was about to speak, a gush of fresh blood spurted out, and her faltering body could no longer support itself, tumbling heavily to the ground. As the leader of the Underworld Queen sect and having cultivated the Heavenly Demon Great Skill to the seventeenth level, being a step away from the Grandmaster realm made her strength not to be underestimated, hence why she received special attention. As a result, among thest standing few, even with the strongest of them, she was the first to fall. Fortunately for her, the others could not endure much longer either. The injuries within their bodies erupted, and soon after, they fell to the ground one after another. In the end, within the battlefield, only Xu Yang was left standing, and there was Dudu, kneeling behind, trembling incessantly. Just at that moment¡ ¡°Whoosh!¡± A figure, ghostly as a specter, arrived from nowhere, carrying a surge of chilly wind and a torrent of Demonic Qi, heading straight for Xu Yang with an intimidating force.. Chapter 64 - 44: Grandmaster 1 Chapter 64: Chapter 44: Grandmaster 1 Trantor: 549690339 This sudden attack was truly unexpected. What kind of person would dare tounch a stealth attack after witnessing this scene? Could it be that he believes his own strength surpasses that of the many experts from both the righteous and evil paths, from Buddhism and the Demon Sect? No one knew. But he indeed made his move. His figure was like a specter, filled with a chilling Yin Qi and raging Demonic Qi, elusive and unfathomable. To this, Xu Yang showed no surprise; he raised his hand and struck with his palm, not toward the ghostly figure, but into¡ the void? The void, the emptiness, within the air itself! With a palm strike from Xu Yang, ripples appeared, and a figure tumbled out from the void, hands moving as fast as lightning, casting six seals in an instant, each move uncertain between reality and illusion, each style flowing between life and death. The Undying Seal Technique! At that moment, Xu Yang¡¯s palm had arrived, but unlike the previous overpoweringly strong and resolute strike, this palm was imbued with the force of Primordial Unity,bining the essence of Wuji, as if heaven and earth were one, truly exquisite in this world. Fighting Scroll¡ªPrimordial Unity! What is Primordial Unity? Primordial Unity refers to the primordial Yuan Qi from before the heavens and earth were formed, the chaos of existence. The profound essence of the Primordial Unity technique is that it forms a world within itself, akin to the universe and the earth, impervious to any technique that absorbs, converts, deflects, or counteracts force, making it one of the ultimate techniques of the Martial Arts Scripture, Fighting Scroll. To put it in terms modern people might understand, it means¡ disregarding any blocks or immunity to damage. Unless the opponent¡¯s martial arts realm and techniques surpass those of Xu Yang¡¯s Martial Arts Scripture, there is no possibility of dissipating this force of Primordial Unity. Does this person possess such capability? Certainly¡ The man let out a fierce shout, his hands moving wildly as if possessed, unleashing the six great seals of the Undying Seal Technique to counter Xu Yang¡¯s Primordial Unity palm strike. Indeed, it was the top skill of the Demon Sect¡¯s Evil King¡ªthe Undying Seal Technique! The six great Undying Seals,bined into one strike, blurred the lines between reality and illusion, life and death, in one instant appearing within an arm¡¯s reach, in the next, distant as the horizon, intending to use this to nullify the opponent¡¯s ultimate move. However¡ ¡°Boom!!!¡± With a thunderous sound, under the Primordial Unity palm, the Undying Seals shattered. The neer was sent flying, flickering through the void, only barely managing tond over thirty feet away. Xu Yang did not pursue, standing in ce, his expression calmly watching the neer: ¡°Shi Zhixuan?¡± The person in question wore a ck robe, with temples like frost, his brows exuding a chilling evil aura, yet inexplicably carrying a sense ofpassion. His facial features were difficult to describe, seemingly unchanged, yet giving off entirely different impressions¡ªone moment he personified malevolence, the next,passionate sorrow, and at times, formless and indistinct¡ With such a temperament, there was no need to say more; it must be the top figure of the Demon Sect, the Evil King, Shi Zhixuan. Xu Yang looked at Shi Zhixuan, and Shi Zhixuan also gazed at Xu Yang, wiping away the streak of fresh blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes filled with shock and doubt. Known as the Evil King, Shi Zhixuan was considered the foremost of the eight great masters of the Demon Sect and oftenpared to Heavenly de Song Que, regarded as a Grandmaster-level expert. But one knows oneself best, and Shi Zhixuan was very clear that he had not yet entered the Grandmaster Realm and was not the match of any Grandmaster of this world. Why then did the world consider him a Grandmaster? Simply because, faced with Grandmaster-level opponents, he may not win or outfight them, but he could preserve his life and even retreat with ease. Years ago, disguised as a virtuous monk, he infiltrated Buddhism, pledging as a disciple to Master Jiaxing of the Sanlun Sect and Grandmaster Daoxin of the Zen Sect, stealthily learning the secret skills of these two Holy Monks. Consequently, the Four Holy Monks of the Four Sects united to hunt him down, determined to reim his martial abilities. The Four Holy Monks of Buddhism, each a Grandmaster-level powerhouse, on par with the Three Great Grandmasters of the world, form a formidable force when united. Yet, Shi Zhixuan managed to escape their surrounds three times, and though gravely wounded each time, ultimately kept his life. This is why the world saw him as a Grandmaster. After all, if someone whom the Four Holy Monks could not subdue was not a Grandmaster, it would be inconceivable. But this was merely the ignorant view of the public; Shi Zhixuan was keenly aware, certain that he had not stepped into the Grandmaster Realm. His repeated escapes from the encirclement and pursuit of the Four Holy Monks were partly because the monks, as great figures of Buddhism, embodiedpassion and merely aimed to capture him alive, not fatally striking him down. Secondly, he possessed two exceptionally profound martial arts techniques¡ª the Undying Seal Technique and the Phantom Demon Body Skill. So-called Grandmasters, although dominantly strong, are still within the ¡°Condensing Spirit¡± realm, not yet stepping into the ¡°Co-Dao¡± realm capable of breaking voids. So, why do Grandmasters dominate other Condensing Spirit martial artists? It is because of spirit! The soul and spirit of a Grandmaster have reached perfection, even forming an ¡°Impetus¡± existence. Condensing Spirit martial artists, achieving Unity of Heaven and Man, depend on their efficiency of harnessing the powers of heaven and earth to determine theirbat oues. But with the perfected soul and spirit of a Grandmaster, nurturing an ¡°Impetus,¡± when exerted, it can seize control of a region, making it impossible for ordinary Condensing Spirit martial artists to achieve Unity of Heaven and Man, unable to harness the powers of heaven and earth. In this situation, how could an ordinary Condensing Spirit martial artist confront a Grandmaster, one united with heaven and earth,manding the Impetus? They simply couldn¡¯t! Shi Zhixuan was not a Grandmaster and had not formed an Impetus; facing Grandmaster opponents, he could not contend. But though he could not win, he could flee! His Undying Seal Technique, intertwining the principles of reality and illusion, life and death, could effectively nullify attack power, converting the energies of life and death. Even as a Grandmaster, if he didn¡¯t use his full strength, it was very hard to knock him down or heavily injure him with one strike. And when a Grandmaster exerted his full strength, stretching his ¡°momentum¡± to the limit and gathering the power of heaven and earth to unleash his strongest killing move, Xu Qingyang would have already escaped using his unpredictable Phantom Demon Body Skill. After all, gathering that level of heavenly and earthly power took quite some time. Thus, Shi Zhixuan became a Grandmaster who was not a Grandmaster. He couldn¡¯t defeat a Grandmaster, but a Grandmaster couldn¡¯t kill him either. And those top experts below the level of a Grandmaster were no match for him; they had no choice but to treat him as a Grandmaster. With that, Shi Zhixuan acted unbridled across the world, not only provoking the four Holy Monks of Buddhism but also challenging the most battle-famed, deadliest ¡°Heavenly de¡± Song Que among the Grandmasters. This shows his ability. But Shi Zhixuan knew that his technique was not invincible and it was possible for someone to break it. To break his technique was actually quite simple. As long as one¡¯s moves were more exquisite, surpassing his Undying Seal Technique and Phantom Demon Body Skill, then it was possible to kill him directly without having to mobilize the power of heaven and earth, giving him a chance to escape. Shi Zhixuan was also clear about this. However, since creating the Undying Seal Technique, he had roamed the world for many years and had never encountered a martial artist whose martial arts attainments and realm of technique surpassed his. Even the four Holy Monks or Ning Daoqi, who was secretly imed to be ¡°the number one person in the world,¡± their martial arts attainments were onlyparable to his, difficult to distinguish clearly, at most they could use strength to overpower and defeat him. To wish to break his technique and kill was simply wishful thinking. But¡ Looking at the excessively young face before him, Shi Zhixuan¡¯s heart surged with turmoil that took a long time to subside. Could this person actually break his Undying Seal Technique? His Undying Seal Technique, operating on the principle of ¡°fictitiousness and reality, life and death,¡± was simr to Taiji Yin and Yang, cycling in reincarnation, capable of neutralizing all forces, transforming them into the Qi of life and death and nourishing himself, thereby achieving the ability of ¡°undying.¡± But just now, that palm strike from his opponent, which harnessed the Primordial Unity, united with the concept of Wuji, seemed as if heaven and earth became one entity, wless and undecipherable, unable to dissipate his Undying Seal Technique, but instead shattered it with one strike. The superior and the inferior were already determined! Not an opponent! Retreat! !!!! His thoughts turned instantly, and he made a decision. Shi Zhixuan¡¯s body moved and turned into multiple ghostly shadows, breaking out in all directions. Phantom Demon Body Skill! He had dared to attack stealthily just now because he had something to rely on. Don¡¯t misunderstand, he had a clear understanding of his own strength, and he thought that he was a Grandmaster who was not a Grandmaster and able to take down this terrifying expert who had nearly exterminated both the righteous and evil paths, as well as the two sects of Buddhism. He dared tounch a stealth attack because the opponent had just used his most extreme killing move. Grandmaster-level fighters, once their momentum was built, could achieve Unity of Heaven and Man, invoking terrifying powers. But this Unity of Heaven and Man carried an immense burden, causing severe depletion of both spirit and Gang Yuan. So, after executing an extreme move, a martial artist would enter a rtively weakened state for a period of time. It was this particr moment Shi Zhixuan had seized to daringly initiate the stealth attack, and the attack wasn¡¯t meant to defeat the opponent but purely to approach using his body skill and snatch away the Evil Emperor¡¯s relics. Who could have anticipated that Xu Qingyang was so powerful that even without invoking the power of Heaven and Man, he could still forcefully break his Undying Seal Technique? With that being the case, why continue the fight? Better to flee for his life. The Evil Emperor¡¯s relics were important, but were they more important than his life? With the Phantom Demon Body Skill unleashed, ghostly shadows moved unpredictably, each searching for a direction to break out. Which one was the true body? Xu Yang¡¯s expression remained unchanged. He took a step that seemed to shrink the ground, instantly moving several meters forward, and at the same time, he began to move his hands, transforming Tai Chi, seemingly slow but actually fast, strikingter but arriving first, and with one force, shook the void. ¡°Boom!! The void trembled as if a bell sounded, and amidst the rolling ripples, a figure tumbled out. Shi Zhixuan! Although it was anticipated, having his Phantom Demon Body Skill broken still sent a shock through Shi Zhixuan. Without caring about the injuries from the strike, his body twisted, attempting to transtorm into shadows again. But unexpectedly¡ ¡°Whoosh!! !! ¡± Xu Yang moved his hands, and the Yin and Yang Qi turned into ck and white fishes chasing each other¡¯s tails, driven by the Tai Chi momentum, pulling the surrounding void. The Phantom Demon¡¯s method immediately copsed, and Shi Zhixuan himself was dragged along, involuntarily flipping in front of Xu Yang. Fighting Scroll¡ªTai Chi! If the Primordial Unity was strong in its solidity and wlessness, then this Tai Chi method excelled in inclusiveness, swallowing the world, epassing everything, possessing tremendous control power. The forcefully pulled Shi Zhixuan was extremely shocked and angry, his Undying Seal Technique about to be forcibly exerted. However¡ Xu Yang moved like abination of a turtle and a snake, extremely slow yet also extremely fast. Before Shi Zhixuan could unleash his Undying Seal Technique, Xu Yang struck him on the chest from behind, and under the tremor, his Gang Yuan dispersed immediately, the Undying Seal Technique, dead in the womb. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± In an instant, several moves struck in session, fluid as flowing water, hitting various parts of Shi Zhixuan¡¯s body, cutting off the flow of his Gang Yuan, sealing the acupoints around. And in the end¡ The ck and white fishes chased their tails and struck out, sending the Demon Sect¡¯s Evil King flying with one hit, mming him more than ten meters away and leaving him unable to rise again.. Chapter 65 - 45: The Trend_1 Chapter 65: Chapter 45: The Trend_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Evil King¡¡± Seeing Shi Zhixuan lying motionless on the ground, not knowing whether he was dead or alive, Dudu¡¯s body trembled. She lowered her head, knelt down properly, and continued her role as a backdrop, quietly and obediently. Following the defeat of Zhu Yuyan and other experts from both the righteous and the evil paths, as well as from Buddhism and Demonhood, Shi Zhixuan, who once roamed the world unrestrained, also met with defeat. Who else could stand against him? Amidst such doubts¡ ¡°Amitabha!¡± A Buddhist chant arose, and four figures appeared simultaneously from all directions, stepping toward the center from each side of the surroundings, swiftly entering into the battlefield and forming an encirclement, trapping Xu Yang. Four monks, all seasoned yet vigorous. The monk on the left, with white hair and beard, held a Vajra Scepter in hand. His demeanor was dignified and graceful, his figure robust and imposing. The monk on the right was gaunt and had a darkplexion. At first nce, he did not seem remarkable, but his eyes were profoundly deep, as if containing the sun, the moon, and the stars. The monk above them had the appearance of Maitreya, with an open chest and a big belly, indicating his ability to tolerate much. His eyes seemed to shine with divine light. Despite his corpulence, he did not appear clumsy but rather exuded an air of serene contentment and affable kindness. The monk below was tall and straight, with a broad and high forehead, his eyebrows jet ck and glossy. His face was long and generous, and his eyes sparkled with wisdom. He had the countenance of a virtuous high monk full ofpassion for the world. They were indeed Emperor Heart Venerable of the Huayan Sect, Master Jiaxing of the Sanlun Sect, Daoxin, the Fourth Patriarch of the Zen Sect, and Master Zhihui of the Tianhe Sect. The Four Great Holy Monks of Buddhism! Elsewhere¡ ¡°Charge!!¡± The earth trembled, and the sound of hooves boomed like thunder as an elite cavalry burst forth from within Changan City, followed by a procession of infantry that stretched like a dragon. It was the mighty army of Li Tang. Li Shimin led the charge on horseback, halting his forces at the House-riding Bridge, with ranks of steel-d soldiers arrayed in battle formation behind him. Li Xiuning stood by his side, gazing across the river at the Qu River Battlefield, murmuring, ¡°Are those four the Great Holy Monks of Buddhism?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Li Shimin nodded, his gaze sweeping over the scene of devastation along the Qu River, then fixed onto the encircled Xu Yang confronting the four holy monks, his expression grave and tense. ¡°With Xu Qingyang¡¯s strategic nning, he truly had the confidence to rely on. Neither the forces of righteousness and evil nor the gates of Buddhism and Demonhood could stop him alone. If it weren¡¯t for Father Emperor seeking assistance from Mercy Sailing Temple and inviting the Four Great Holy Monks, Xu Yang might have truly slipped through our fingers today.¡± Li Shimin¡¯s demeanor wasden with trepidation, and Li Xiuning also furrowed her brows, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that these Four Great Holy Monks are extraordinary figures within Buddhism, each of them as powerful as any of the three grandmasters. Whether that¡¯s true or not¡¡± Li Shimin¡¯s eyes hardened with a cold intent to kill, ¡°True or not, today we must make sure he does not leave Chang¡¯an alive. Otherwise, letting him escape would be like releasing a tiger back into the mountain, no, a dragon into the sea. He would be a dire threat to Li Tang in the future, a disaster waiting to happen!¡± Both of them tookmand amidst the ranks of armored soldiers, poised and ready to strike, merely awaiting the oue of the battle across the river. On the other side¡ Amidst the mountains and above a sea of bamboo, two people stood on green bamboo, as if suspended in the void, watching the distant battlefield. ¡°The Four Great Holy Monks¡¡± Shi Feixuan murmured, her hands unconsciously tightening around the jade flute she held. Fan Qinghui¡¯s gaze was icy, ¡°I never expected his cultivation to have reached such a level. Had we not invited the Four Great Holy Monks today, the implications would have been unimaginable¡¡± Between their words, anxiety was evident. Looking back at the center of the battlefield¡ The encirclement wasplete, the four monks silent, and Xu Yang, too, remained speechless, standing with hands behind his back amidst the formation, the picture ofposure. Ultimately, it was Daoxin, the portly master resembling Maitreya. who broke the silence. ¡°Amitabha!¡± He nced at Shi Zhixuan, whoy unconscious, unsure of life or death, then turned his gaze back and chanted a Buddhist incantation. ¡°I have long heard of Benefactor Xu¡¯s fame, and indeed, upon meeting you today, you truly possess exceptional talent and are unrivalled in the world. At such a young age, to have such cultivation, we are beyondparison!¡± ¡°However¡¡± His words paused, sharply changing course, ¡°The relic of the Evil Emperor is an object of extreme malevolence, containing not only the essence of past Evil Emperors but also mixed with various demonic qi, which confuses the mind and beguiles the soul.¡± ¡°The sea of suffering is boundless; turning back is the shore!¡± ¡°Lay down the butcher¡¯s knife, and on the spot be a Buddha!¡± The Emperor Heart Venerable, who wielded the Vajra Scepter and radiated an awe-inspiring authority, also spoke, ¡°I hope your reverence will abandon this object and your obsession, to prevent harming innocents and bringing disaster upon the world!¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yang immediatelyughed, ¡°What, after so many years of studying Buddhist Law, have you only learned self-deception?¡± With a light chuckle and a singlement, the atmosphere in the area instantly became tense. ¡°Hmm!?¡± ¡°Obstinate and foolish!¡± ¡°Since that is the case, do not me us for whates next!¡± The four monks¡¯ eyes narrowed, and the color ofpassion in their eyes gradually shifted into the Vajra Wrathful Deity. Although in wrathful form, there was no intent to ughter or kill, only a heart set on subduing demons and quelling evil, disying their profound mastery of the Buddhist Law. Mindset, mindset, upon reaching the Grandmaster Realm, what¡¯s most important is the cultivation of the mind. Should one act against one¡¯s own principles, injuring the soul and clouding the mindset, one¡¯s entire cultivation would inevitably be affected. Therefore, even though they came to Changan for the sake of the Great Ye and the faith¡¯s fortune, determined to y Xu Yang on the spot, the four monks could not harbor the intention to kill but could only exhibit the Vajra Wrath under the guise of covering demons and subduing evil. To put it simply, they could not consider themselves as murderers but had to perceive this as an act of subduing demons and quelling evil, a gesture to rescue the world from cmity, which is why they could embodypassionate anger in the form of Vajra Wrath. Therefore, when Xu Yang called their actions self-deception, he was not in the slightest wrong. But the four monks, having practiced the Buddhist Law for many years, paid no heed to the mundane views of the world. They showed little anger towards Xu Yang¡¯s words and still disyed the Vajra Deity withpassion, taking steps to subdue demons and relieve the people¡¯s suffering. ¡°Amitabha Buddha!¡± A series of chants echoed, and four streams of thoughts emerged, interweaving and converging into a powerful force. The grand force of the Buddhist Law! The power of Grandmasters, strong in spirit, manifests in force, merges into the Tao, acting with the capabilities of heaven and earth. As all four were Holy Monks of Buddhism, their methods of practice might differ, but at their core was the Buddhist Law. Therefore, the force of the four could merge, constituting a Buddhist force unique in this world. ¡°Amitabha Buddha!!!¡± Golden light shone brightly, ethereal images solidified, and behind the four monks, four great Buddha figures faintly appeared, with dazzling Buddhist light soaring to the sky, extending into vast realms governed by ¡°Buddhist Law¡±. The force seizing heaven and earth! The four monks joined hands, their Buddhist Law converged, forming a grand Buddhist force, directly seizing control of this territory. Within this grand force, and the scope of this domain, all yuan qi from heaven and earth were dominated by the Buddhist Law of the four Holy Monks. Unless their grand Buddhist force could be broken, or one could counter with an equally powerful force, nothing could harness the power of heaven and earth to achieve Unity of Heaven and Man. What kind of ¡°force¡± could contend with such a grand Buddhist force? None! To date, looking across the world, no one could withstand such a force. For the grand Buddhist force of the four monks arose not just from their cultivation but also from their spiritual faith, the culmination of Buddhism¡¯s prosperity over hundreds of years. During the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, an era spanning four hundred years, Buddhism gradually prospered, and its force steadily built. Otherwise, how could the saying, ¡°In the Southern Dynasty, there are four hundred and eighty temples, amidst countless towers in the misty rain,¡± be passed down through the ages? In the Grandmaster Realm, the spirit is paramount. With this great Buddhist force, their hearts, forged by the faith of incense, are unbreakably strong and crystal clear.. Even Grand Cultivators of Taoism and Great Schrs of Confucian Gate must retreat in their presence¡ªhow could anyone else stand against them? Chapter 66 - 46: The Dragon Falls_l Chapter 66: Chapter 46: The Dragon Falls_l Trantor: 549690339 All forces converged, and the Buddha Realm was established. Four monks stood at the four corners, their dignified auras untouchable and fierce. Seeing this, Xu Yang did not say anything more, but raised his hand and once again initiated the Unity of Heaven and Man stance. The key to the battle between Grandmastersy in the sh of stances and the struggle for power. When four monks joined hands to set up the Buddha Realm, ordinary Grandmasters could hardly resist their momentum; anyone trapped within it was bound to be defeated. But Xu Yang was no ordinary Grandmaster. The Martial Path Communicates with God, Unity of Heaven and Man; these two Skill Traits,bined with his own abilities, yielded a result far moreplex than a mere sum of parts. With hands slightly lifted, the Unity of Heaven and Man took shape, and faintly, it seemed as if a giant, like a god or demon from legends, arose to stand between heaven and earth, opening up a vast space within the boundless Buddha Realm, taking partial control of the Yuan Qi. ¡°Hmm?!¡± Observing that Xu Yang had established his stance within their Buddha Realm, the eyes of all four monks concentrated sharply. In the Buddha Realm, he could still establish his stance? Such capability was indeed terrifying; they must not let him remain! ¡°Amitabha!¡± In an instant, the murderous intent transformed into a Buddhist intention, as the four monks chanted in unison, joining hands to subdue the demon. The Emperor Heart Venerable held the Vajra Scepter and leaped up, striking with the staff. The power of the Buddha Realm lent its strength, greatly enhancing the fierceness of the attack. Great Perfection Staff Skills! Among the four monks, in terms of martial arts, Master Jiaxing¡¯s Kuchan Profound Power was the foremost, known as the ultimate in defense. The Great Perfection Staff Skills of Emperor Heart Venerable were next, belonging to the Vajra Demon Subduing category, followed by the Bodhidharma¡¯s Hand of Daoxin and the Buddha¡¯s Heart Palm of Zhihui, each with its own special traits. As the one with the most potent offensive force, Emperor Heart Venerable inevitably took on the main assault task. When he employed the Great Perfection Staff Skills, it was as though a Vajra¡¯s wrath was splitting the heavens and shaking the earth. Daoxin and Zhihui, the other two monks, also executed the Bodhidharma¡¯s Hand and Buddha¡¯s Heart Palm, pushing out left and right, with their mighty palms pressing down like mountains, also significantly boosted by the power of the Buddha Realm. Only Master Jiaxing remained motionless, sitting in the void, with an expression of profound suffering, as ifmenting for the world. Amid the tight encirclement, facing the Vajra Sceptering straight at him and the Buddha¡¯s Palm pressing from both sides, Xu Yang remained fearless and made his move. With one hand he shook the Vajra, and with the other, he subdued the Tathagatha! ¡°Roar!¡± The forceful hand sent out a dragon-like palm strike, unleashing a roaring dragon¡¯s silhouette, embodying ultimate strength, righteousness, and grandeur. The Fighting Scroll, Descending Dragon Chapter¡ªAscendant Dragon Returns to the Sea! ¡°Ascendant Dragon¡± signified the zenith of power, which when reached its peak, was bound to fall from the vault of heaven. Thus, the essence of the original Descending Dragon Palm techniquey in the concept of ¡°the ascending dragon regrets,¡± implying strength that was not exhausted. But whenbined with the Martial Arts Scripture, the ultimate move of the Fighting Scroll Dragon no longer contained the notion of regret. Instead, it became an unyielding stance. What is unyielding? To expend everything, leaving nothing behind, rather to snap than to bend, preferring death to retreat¡ªthat is unyielding. This move brings forth the utmost of the Ascendant Dragon¡¯s strong stance, not sparing even if it led to bloodshed across the cosmic ne or the Dragon Soul returning to the sea, Hence it is called¡ªAscendant Dragon Returns to the Sea! An ultimate move without any reservation! ¡°Roar!!!¡± The Ascendant Dragon roared, hurtling forward, crashing with full force into the Vajra Scepter. The scepter¡¯s shadow shattered, revealing its true form. Emperor Heart Venerable¡¯s eyebrows trembled with shock, his body rigid, his hands pressing down on the scepter, beneath whichy the lifelike shadow of the Ascendant Dragon. However¡ This deadlocksted but a fleeting moment. ¡°Roar!! ! ¡± The Ascendant Dragon roared angrily, shattering mountains with its might, breaking the Vajra Scepter into pieces, with Emperor Heart Venerable himself being brutally hit by the dragon¡¯s head, the unyielding force piercing through his body. Just then¡ ¡°Amitabha!¡± A Buddhist chant echoed grandly as Master Jiaxing suddenly made his move, appearing instantly behind Emperor Heart Venerable, steadying his body with a push and neutralizing the fierce power of the Ascendant Dragon. Among the four monks, Jiaxing was the crown, his Kuchan Profound Power acimed as the ultimate in defense, immovable as a mountain, even surpassing the Emperor Heart¡¯s Perfection in Staff Skills. Up front, Jiaxing supported Emperor Heart, offsetting the force of the Ascendant Dragon. Behind, Daoxin and Zhihui attacked in unison, their mountainous palms swiftly closing in. ¡°Bodhidharma¡¯s Hand!¡± ¡°Buddha¡¯s Heart Palm!¡± The two monks executed their ultimate techniques without reservation, their overwhelming palms striking Xu Yang¡¯s body. Xu Yang did not dodge; with one hand, he manipted the elements, revealing yin and yang qi, forming into ck and white fish within his palm, receiving the two monks¡¯ palm strikes with the motion of Tai Chi. Martial Arts Scripture Fighting Scroll¡ªQi Three Thousand! ¡°Whoosh-!¡± As the mountainous palms struck down, the result was astonishingly graceful, with the yin and yang qi absorbing everything. Not just absorbing but also unleashing! Xu Yang gathered the palm strikes of the two monks and then transformed and released them, once again employing the Ascendant Dragon Returns to the Sea, assaulting Emperor Heart and Master Jiaxing fiercely. Assimting and unleashing, the Ascendant Dragon Returns to the Sea was even more powerful than before. A sh of brilliance appeared in Master Jiaxing¡¯s eyes, and he immediately shifted Emperor Heart behind him, confronting the attack himself. To say he confronted it was still in his seated posture, as Master Jiaxing sat cross-legged, suspended in the void, appearing like an unmoving y sculpture, calmly engaging in profound meditation, steadier than any mountain. Kuchan Profound Power! ¡°Boom!!!¡± The roaring Ascendant Dragon arrived, its tremors not inferior to thunder, sending ripples cascading out, threatening to fracture everything. Nevertheless, Master Jiaxing remained inert, pushing his Kuchan Profound Power to its extreme, with the power of the Buddha Realm vastly supporting him, like an ancient Buddha clothed in ck, seated in the void, enduring the battering of the Ascendant Dragon¡¯s force. As expected of the foremost among the four monks, unsurpassed in defense, despite the fierce attack of the Ascendant Dragon, the ancient Buddha with his sorrowful expression sat motionlessly in the void, unmoved, stable as Mount Tai. Just as the Ascendant Dragon was about to expend all its force and dissipate without achievement. Xu Yang tapped the ground with one foot and leaped into the air, a dazzling golden light like the proud sun, surprisingly¡ A True Dragon appeared with a roar, piercing through theyers of Buddhist light, soaring straight into the sky above. Descending Dragon, what is meant by Descending Dragon? The original Descending Dragon Palm of the Beggar¡¯s Guild referred to subduing the opponent, implying that its palm strength was so fierce that it could subdue a dragon. But after integrating with the Martial Arts Scripture, this Descending Dragon Palm had transformed beyond recognition. The essence of ¡°Descending Dragon¡± no longer pertained to others but to oneself. It was about subduing the dragon within, the strength of one¡¯s self. To put it simply, it was about developing one¡¯s own body to its ultimate limit, mobilizing the strength of every organ, every muscle, every bone, and even every cell, to fully control and master one¡¯s own abilities¡ªthis is ¡°Descending Dragon!¡± Such a realm existed only in theory and had not been achieved before, as ordinary martial artists simply could not fully control and master themselves. But now, Xu Yang had attained and realized it! In the realm of Condensing Spirit, envisioning oneself, and thenbining it with the mysterious power of ¡°Martial Path Communicates with God,¡± he ultimately reached this theoretical extreme of the cultivation technique, subdued the dragon within, and mastered the power of self. Therefore, at this moment, he could transform into a dragon, with both form and spirit intact, an unmatched True Dragon! ¡°Roar!!!¡± Above the sky, the True Dragon roared and hovered, locking onto the ck-robed ancient Buddha from high above. ¡°This is not good!!!¡± The pupils of the three monks named Daoxin shrank, sensing the terrifying force of this move. They did not dare to speak more and immediately came to help. The three monks came to assist, arriving behind Master Jiaxing, pouring all their Yuan Skill into supporting the might of Kuchan. The ck-robed ancient Buddha¡¯s body became even more solid, as though the True Body of Buddha had descended. And in that moment¡ ¡°Roar!!!¡± In the sky, the True Dragon roared unrestrainedly, furiously colliding downward, prating the body of the ancient Buddha. Every bit of True Power, without the slightest leak. Extremely terrifying control of power! Ultimately¡ ¡°Boom!!!¡± A loud explosion, the Buddha Realm shattered, the vision dissipated. In the midst of the battlefield, Xu Yang stood with his back turned, slowly clenching his fingers. Behind Xu Yang, the three monks supported Master Jiaxing¡¯s body, forming a triangle of stable posture. But the result¡ ¡°Xu! Qing! Yang!!!¡± ¡°Ahh!!!¡± Master Jiaxing¡¯s eyes bulged with rage. He struggled to utter three words before his body trembled and exploded into pieces. ¡°Boom!!!¡± The ck robes burst, blood sprayed fiercely, and Master Jiaxing, who bore the brunt of the defense, exploded on the spot, body and bones obliterated! ¡°Bang!!!¡± With Master Jiaxing¡¯s explosive demise, the three monks also suffered the impact. Each one of them was sted out, spewing blood,nding over ten meters away. Beneath the tattered Buddhist robes were their flesh and bones shaking uncontrobly, twitching before they all fell unconscious to the ground. The victor had been decided! Xu Yang stood with his back turned, not looking at the oue, simply slowly closing his hand into a fist, dissipating the raging power within him. He had won, unsurprisingly! Why? Because he was stronger! The four monks together demonstrated an overwhelming power of Buddhist Law. Within the entire Martial World, whether it was the three Grandmasters or Lingnan Heaven de, under the suppression of this great power, all would be cast down and ughtered. But Xu Yang was an exception. Because he was an anomaly, the greatest anomaly in this world! Martial Path Communicates with God, Unity of Heaven and Man, his two extraordinary Skill Traits merged with his own abilities. The result was not simply additive¡ª not one plus one equals two, but equaled three, four, even five or six¡ªa multiple increase in power. The great power of Buddhist Law constructed by the four monks could not suppress Xu Yang¡¯s own potentbination of Martial Path Communicates with God and Unity of Heaven and Man. The two forces were closely matched, with neither outstripping the other, making it difficult to discern superiority. Since both parties were evenly matched in ¡°power,¡± determining who was superior woulde down toparing the depth of their cultivation and the sophistication of their martial arts. In this regard, Xu Yang was naturally the victor. The Fighting Scroll of the Martial Arts Scripture was unparalleled, not only integrating the essence of Great Zhou¡¯s martial arts but also incorporating top-notch martial techniques of this world like Ice Mysterious Power, me Sun Skill, Longevity Jue, Yi Sword Technique, and Heavenly de Eight Styles. Over the years, he had amassed them all, fully understanding and integrating them into the Martial Arts Scripture system. Master Jiaxing and the four monks, although great Buddhist figures, seasoned in cultivation, how could theypare with Xu Yang, who possessed the Martial Arts Scripture and many Skill Traits? Hence, their defeat was not unjust, not in the slightest! But¡ While Xu Yang was victorious, he too paid a price. The technique of Descending Dragon, specifically the move Ascendant Dragon, was incredibly extreme, carrying a terrifying toll on the body. Common Grandmasters, if using such a technique against an enemy, might indeed defeat their foe but would end up with their bodies copsing, resulting in mutual destruction. It was only Xu Yang, with the world¡¯s exceptional teachings integrated into the Martial Arts Scripture, his Body Training Skill reaching incredible heights, and numerous Skill Traits enhancing his physique, who had cultivated an unparalleled body, allowing him to survive without his body exploding after disying this move. Even so, he was severely injured, his Qi Blood churning within, organs shaking incessantly. Moreover, a surge of disordered Qi Blood rose, causing fresh blood to spill from the corner of his mouth. Though not conspicuous, it was particrly striking. Such signs made it clear to anyone that he was wounded. In response to this oue¡ On both banks of the river and the surrounding areas, there was a deathly silence. The crowd waspletely dumbfounded, eyes wide with amazement, still not recovered from the shock just witnessed. No wonder, for such a sight, could it be the deed of a mere mortal? When did this world gain so many gods and immortals? Chapter 67 - 47: Breaking Through_1 Chapter 67: Chapter 47: Breaking Through_1 Trantor: 549690339 To say they were Immortal Gods was no exaggeration. Whether it was the four monks¡¯ Buddhist Law or Xu Yang¡¯s Unity of Heaven and Man, both had surpassed the stage of ¡°Condensing Spirit.¡± Above Condensing Spirit, there is Co-Dao, possessing the ability to ¡°Break the Void. ¡± In this world, they could well be considered Martial Path True Immortals. Such a disy of power was within reason. But what was reasonable was not something the public could ept. What did they see? An ancient Buddha? A True Dragon? What a battle of gods! The crowd came to their senses, profoundly shocked. ¡°What has happened?¡± ¡°Can someone tell me what just happened?¡± ¡°Is this the strength of the four great holy monks?¡± ¡°Xu Qingyang, no, Heavenly King Wu, truly a divine being!¡± ¡°Holy The crowd was rmed, and Li Shimin¡¯s heart leaped, instinctively wanting to retreat, but the horse beneath him was so taken by the dragon¡¯s might that no matter how he tugged at the reins, it wouldn¡¯t budge. ¡°Second brother!¡± Only Li Xiuning quickly came to her senses and shouted to Li Shimin in a deep voice, ¡°Quick, release the arrows!¡± ¡°Release arrows?¡± Li Shimin was startled, then came to his senses, but hesitated, ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Quick! ¡± Seeing his hesitation, Li Xiuning urgently said, ¡°He has exhausted his energy and cannot continue!¡± ¡°This¡¡± Li Shimin¡¯s eyes sharpened, and he finally realized what was happening, immediately drawing his treasured sword andmanded loudly, ¡°Archers obey, release thousands of arrows at once!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Although they were equally horrified by the recent spectacle, the well-trained soldiers, ustomed to strict discipline, swiftly took action, bending their bows and releasing arrows. ¡°Whoosh whoosh whoosh!¡± The arrows flew like locusts, forming a dense curtain of rain, covering Xu Yang by the Qu River. Was this foolish, to think mere arrows could harm a Grandmaster? Yes, they could! Although Grandmasters were formidable, they were still flesh and blood and did not possess the Indestructible Vajra body. Theoretically, with three thousand archers, an arrow barrage could exhaust a Grandmaster¡¯s Gang Yuan. Once the Gang Yuan was depleted, even a Grandmaster would be no more than a fish on the chopping board. But that was just theory, and practically impossible to achieve, as no Grandmaster would be foolish enough to stand still and let three thousand archers deplete their energy. With the power of a Grandmaster, free from hindrances and burdens, one could move freely on the battlefield,ing and going as they pleased ¡ª let alone three thousand, even thirty thousand archers would struggle to kill a Grandmaster. Unless¡ the Grandmaster was already severely injured and exhausted. Was Xu Yang injured? He was injured, and severely at that, both physically and mentally. After all, the skill trait of Unity of Heaven and Man only took care of the ¡°unity¡± and did not bear the consumption of ¡°unity;¡± thus, when Xu Yang performed a double Unity of Heaven and Man, he had to endure double the mental exhaustion. Now, Xu Yang was not only physically injured but also severely mentally worn out. Had it been any other Grandmaster, they might indeed have no power to resist and could be killed by this barrage of arrows.But again, others are others, and Xu Yang is Xu Yang. Thanks to the subtleties of the Martial Arts Scripture and various skill traits, his physical strength, Gang Yuan quality, and mental will were all a big cut above those of martial artists of the same level. So, although injured, he was not yet exhausted, and could even perform one more extreme move in addition to Ascendant Dragon Returns to the Sea, the ultimate move of Unity of Heaven and Man. At this moment, facing thousands of archers and a dense rain of arrows, he did not flee but simply waved his arm. ¡°Gurgle gurgle!¡± Once again in the waters of Qu River, an upheaval urred as the flow surged up, forming a screen of water that covered the battlefield. The battlefield? Indeed, the battlefield! On the battlefield, aside from Xu Yang, there were the quivering Dudu and the ck and white masters who were heavily injured and unconscious. These were his spoils of war, hard-earned captives, how could he let them be killed at the final hurdle? Thus, a screen of water was drawn from the Qu River, covering the battlefield, shielding everyone. ¡°Whoosh whoosh whoosh!¡± A thousand arrows were released, raining down, but they were blocked by the screen of water. The water screen seemed merely thin, but being flowing water, it had its own force; the arrows shot into it were directly washed away, causing no harm at all. ¡°Do not stop the arrows!¡± ¡°I want to see how much Yuan Qi he still has!¡± Li Xiuning urged everyone on, intensifying the attack. Li Shimin himself took up the bow, releasing an arrow. As everyone knows, King Qin was skilled with bow and horse, with peerless archery, regarded as Great Tang¡¯s foremost general. Although there was no Tai Chi Pce now, this did not affect Li Shimin¡¯s archery; one arrow split the air, piercing the water screen, shooting straight towards Xu Yang. Xu Yang did not move, and as the arrow neared him, it hit a Body Protective Qi Shield, instantly shattering, showing the force behind the powerful shot. Such an oue made Li Shimin clench his teeth, wordless, as he drew another arrow, aiming with a full draw. He did not believe that after sweeping aside high-level masters of the ck and white paths, battling the Evil King Shi Zhixuan, and then facing off against the pinnacle of the four holy monks in utter conflict, this man could still stand unyielding under his thousands of arrows. If he truly had such prowess, then Li Shimin would admit defeat with full conviction. What, retreat? Impossible. By now, the conflict between them had be irreconcble. They couldn¡¯t tolerate each other, and he couldn¡¯t tolerate them. So, there was no room for retreat, only to fight with all they had ¡ª either you die, or I perish. Li Shimin saw it clearly, so did Li Xiuning, who brandished her sword, directing and inspiring the soldiers, ¡°This man is at the end of his tether, do not be afraid. Alternate in shifts, keep the arrowsing non-stop, absolutely do not let him have a chance to escape¡¡± ¡°Boom boom boom!¡± Before she could finish speaking, the earth trembled, and the noise was like thunder. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°This is¡¡± ¡°The sound of horse hooves?¡± Both men were startled, doubtful, as they turned to look back. Behind themy Chang¡¯an. But soon they realized that these thunderous hoofbeats did note from Chang¡¯an City at their rear. If not from Chang¡¯an, then from where? In this region of Guanzhong, besides Chang¡¯an, where else could there be cavalry¡ Suddenly terrified, pupils shrinking, Li Shimin raised his head to see dust swirling in the distance, roiling like a dragon. ¡°Boom boom boom!¡± The ground shook, the sound of thunder rang out, kicking up a sky full of dust, within which could vaguely be seen a troop of iron-d elite cavalry, galloping towards them. Cavalry? Where did these horsemene from? In thends of Guanzhong, besides his Great Tang army, where else could such a troop of cavalry be found? This was¡ ¡°Drive!¡± The iron-d elite cavalry, charging fast, though their numbers were not great, only a thousand riders, but they possessed an earth-shattering momentum. ¡°Bow! ! ! ¡± At onemand, the troops moved in unison, reaching back for their iron-rimmed great bows, stringing them on horseback like a full moon. Anothermand, the charging horses like dragons, releasing a steel curtain of rain, overwhelming the Tang soldiers by the Qu River with their barrage. ¡°No good!!!¡± ¡°Your Highness, be careful!¡± The generals eximed in rm, several trusted aides, ready toy down their lives, immediately rushed to Li Shimin and Li Xiuning¡¯s side, raising their shields in defense. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± In the next instant, a rain of arrows fell, fire sparks flew, and the once heavily armored Great Tang army instantly fell in swathes, all pierced by powerful arrows and steel bolts through their shields. ¡°Bang!¡± A great general fell to the ground, his big hand desperately pressing on his chest, grasping an arrow that had prated his refined Mysterious Armor, he cried out hoarsely, ¡°Refining the tip¡to break¡the armor arrow!!!¡± ¡°Bang!!!¡± No sooner had he spoken, than another arrow struck, bursting sparks of fire, and exited through the helmet, prating the brain. ¡°Refining the tip to break the armor arrow!¡± ¡°Martial Guardian Army of Xuzhou!¡± ¡°Xu Qingyang! ! ! ¡± Protected by a host of dedicated trusted aides, Li Shimin also came to his senses, seeing the Tang army falling en masse amidst the arrow rain, he could no longer care about other matters, and shouted loudly, ¡°Change the rear guard to the vanguard, retreat quickly!¡± Having said that, he snatched up an iron shield and headed for Chang¡¯an with Li Xiuning. He could not understand, no matter how hard he tried, why the Martial Guard Army from Xuzhou would appear outside Chang¡¯an City. How did they get in? After all, Chang¡¯an is in Guanzhong territory, and not only is Luoyang between there and Xuzhou, it is also separated by the Sishui, Hangu, and Dongtong barriers, each of which is heavily guarded, with strict inspections. Even if a person could sneak through, surely the restricted items like soldier¡¯s armor, bows, arrows, and warhorses couldn¡¯t also be snuck in, could they? Then where did these well-equipped Martial Guardians in Mysterious Armore from, wielding swords and bows? Could it be that they could fly, descending from the heavens like divine warriors? Or had some noble house betrayed the Li Tang, covering for them, transporting materials¡ Li Shimin was in turmoil, unable to make sense of it all, and with no time to consider these matters further, he led the remnants of his forces in a retreat towards Chang¡¯an. ¡°Drive!¡± The Martial Guard cavalry pursued relentlessly, galloping without pause, chasing towards Chang¡¯an, with only a hundred riders branching off to join Xu Yang at the battlefield to begin clearing. Meanwhile¡ ¡°How could this happen?¡± In the forests and bamboo groves, watching the surprise attack by the Martial Guard cavalry and the disarray of the retreating Great Tang army, along with the severely wounded four Holy Monks, Fan Qinghui¡¯s face turned pale as she almost couldn¡¯t maintain her lightweight skill and risked falling from the top of the bamboo. ¡°Master¡¡± ¡°Run!¡± Shi Feixuan wanted to utter words of constion but saw her suddenly wake up fully, and without another word, she leaped away. At the same time¡ ¡°How could this be, how could this be!¡± Within Chang¡¯an City, all gates were tightly closed, and the popce was in panic. Li Shimin and Li Xiuning charged on their horses, rushing through ck Tortoise Pce Gate, heading straight into the Tai Chi Hall. ¡°Father!¡± In the Tai Chi Hall, Li Yuan sat on the dragon throne, simrly filled with shock and indignation. As soon as the rush-returned Li Shimin reached him, without waiting for him to speak, Li Yuan rushed down from his throne: ¡°How is the battle? Is Xu Qingyang dead?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Li Shimin¡¯s face changed, sensing something was amiss, but still, he rapidly responded, ¡°This man unexpectedly had reinforcements at the ready, a troop of Martial Guardians attacked and saved him at a critical moment.¡± ¡°How could this be!¡± Li Yuan¡¯s face paled, staggering back a few steps, nearly copsing to the ground. Li Shimin quickly asked, ¡°Father, what¡¯s wrong?¡± A civil minister by the side hurriedly informed him, ¡°Urgent news from the border, Xuzhou dispatched troops, Luoyang surrendered without a fight, the Martial Guard Army marched straight in, quickly breached Sishui, stormed Hangu, and threatened Dongtong¡ªif we don¡¯t send reinforcements soon¡¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Hearing this news, Li Shimin couldn¡¯t care for anything else anymore and grabbed the civil servant, demanding, ¡°How could Luoyang surrender without a fight? What happened to Wang Shichong, what about the Dugu sect, are they all dead? And about the three passes, holding such natural defenses, well-garrisoned, how could they fall so quickly? Who is spreading false military intelligence?¡± ¡°To¡ªto report, Prince of Qin!¡± The civil servant trembled with fear as he replied, ¡°The surrender of Luoyang without a fight is indeed true. As for the exact reason, we do not know. Regarding the fall of the passes, the urgent military report states that the Martial Guard Army consists entirely of highly skilled martial artists, all capable of being the first to scale walls, armored in Mysterious Armor, with strong bows and lethal arrows; our forces simply couldn¡¯t hold them off¡¡± Before the servant could finish, Li Shimin, in a state of shock, released him. Li Xiuning standing next to him was also pale, biting her teeth hard: ¡°This man¡¯s orchestration is indeed aimed at the foundation of our Li Tang!¡± ¡°Not good!¡± Having said this, she suddenly awoke to the urgency, hurriedly speaking to Li Yuan, ¡°Father, he has been injured but not killed, he¡¯ll certainly attack the city next, aiming to breach Chang¡¯an. We must make a quick decision!¡± Chapter 68 - 48: Conclusion 1 Chapter 68: Chapter 48: Conclusion 1 Trantor: 549690339 Three dayster, the world was shocked to hear. Armed forces rose from Xuzhou, with Martial Guardians like dragons, their horses trampling mountains and rivers. In one day, they took Luoyang, broke through Sishui, and assaulted Hangu Pass. In two days, they secured Dongtong, stomped over Guanzhong, and surrounded Chang¡¯an. On the third day, they breached the fortitied city, entered ck Tortoise, and eradicated Li Tang. Just three days, and the master of Chang¡¯an was reced, shaking the world! Xuzhou, Sili, and Yongzhou were all connected. Peng City, Luoyang, and Chang¡¯an were linked together like a dragon. The ruler of Li Tang, Li Yuan, led his troops, breaking out from the western gate, only to be chased down by the iron cavalry of the Martial Guardians, struck to death by an arrow through the heart. The crown prince Li Jiancheng and the fourth son Li Yuanji also died amidst the chaos of battle, and the fate of the rest was unknown. The situation under the heavens had once again changed. Chang¡¯an, Heavenly Prison. Zhu Yuyan¡¯s face was deathly pale as she leaned against the corner of the wall, gazing powerlessly at the unharmed Dudu and the many experts of both the dark and upright paths in the surrounding cells. With a bitter smile, she said, ¡°Tell me, why has he spared our lives? What does he really want?¡± Dudu lowered her head, unable to meet her master¡¯s eyes, and said with great guilt, ¡°He wants the ¡®Heavenly Demon Strategy¡¯!¡± ¡°I knew it.¡± Zhu Yuyan scoffed disdainfully, unsurprised, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll give it to him, but I have one condition!¡± Dudu looked up in surprise, ¡®What condition?¡± Zhu Yuyan¡¯s eyes hardened, ¡°I want Shi Zhixuan!¡± Dudu fell silent for a moment before admitting, ¡°He is unlikely to agree.¡± ¡°Then let the ¡®Heavenly Demon Strategy¡¯ die with me!¡± Zhu Yuyan¡¯s face twisted, and she hissed vehemently, ¡°I would rather we both be destroyed than to let him have his way!¡± ¡°This¡¡± Dudu timidly raised her hand, ¡®Master, I also know the ¡®Secret of Heavenly Demon¡¯.¡± With their eyes locked, both fell silent. After a while, Zhu Yuyan finally broke into a smile as lovely as a blooming peony, ¡°Please go back and tell Heavenly King Wu, that Yuyan was momentarily possessed by a demon. The entire collection of the Kuiyin Sect¡¯s ¡®Heavenly Demon¡¯ will surely be handed over with both hands!¡± ¡°Master, it¡¯s just the two of us here, please don¡¯t do this, I¡¯m scared¡¡± Tai Chi Pce, within the Tai Chi Hall, a person sat cross-legged on the floor, looking through numerous cultivation techniques and secret scrolls, one moment ecstatic, the next soullessly despondent. ¡°Taoist Heart Demon-nting Great Skill, Purple Blood Punishment Escape, Shocking Heavenly Demon, Lotus Ring Demon Phase¡¡± ¡°Two Sects, Six Paths ¡ª countless people from the Holy Gates have longed for the ten volumes of ¡®Heavenly Demon Strategy¡¯, which today finally have hope of beingpleted! ¡± Having said this, he raised his head again, his eyes, filled with the weight of years, gazing at the figure standing silently above the hall. ¡°Four unique books of the Martial World ¡ª ¡®Longevity Jue¡¯, ¡®Heavenly Demon Strategy¡¯, ¡®Mercy Sailing Sword Scroll¡¯, ¡®War God¡¯s As¡¯ ¡ª you already possess two, still needing the ¡®Mercy Sailing Sword Scroll¡¯ and the most mysterious ¡®War God¡¯s As¡¯ of legend.¡± ¡°If all four books areplete, and one cultivates their skills together, one can surely embrace the core and co-dao, shattering the void!¡± ¡°No. the former Evil Emoeror of our Holv Gate. Xiang Yutian. merelv brought the ¡®Taoist Heart Demon-nting Skill¡¯ of the ¡®Heavenly Demon Strategy¡¯ to perfection and shattered the void to ascend. If one were to cultivate all four books, achieving Great Formation, then even in the Upper Realm, that person would be a formidable figure indeed.¡± ¡°No, no, no, it is impossible. How profound are these four miraculous books? With the energy of a single person, how can one cultivate them? Afraid even with a lifetime of effort, one cannot bring even one skill to perfection.¡± ¡°You gathered martial arts from all over the world and now seek these four miraculous books, what exactly is your goal? And there is also my ¡®Undying Seal Technique¡¯¡¡± His words grew more chaotic, his expression once again maddened, revealing a face fierce with evil: ¡°To think that I, Shi Zhixuan, would serve as your beast of burden, such a fool¡¯s dream¡ Ah!!!¡± Before he could finish speaking, another scream erupted, the twisted expression gradually returned to normalcy, once again bing that of a schr with a face of suffering years. ¡°I¡¯ve given the Sect Master a goodugh.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. How do you feel?¡± ¡°Still the same, half good, half bad.¡± ¡°To cleanse an illness one must draw out the threads slowly, do not be anxious.¡± ¡°Sect Master, rest assured, I understand.¡± Having said this, Shi Zhixuan lowered his head, ¡°With these techniques, the ¡®Heavenly Demon Strategy¡¯ should soon bepleted without mishaps. And I, the Evil King, will also be able to retire sessfully, free from worries.¡± Xu Yang nodded, ¡®You may go.¡± ¡®Yes!¡± ¡°Master!¡± As Shi Zhixuan left with an armful of secret texts from the Demon Sect, Su Beixuan, his senior disciple, arrived at the Tai Chi Hall, ¡°They havee.¡± Xu Yang was not surprised and spoke calmly, ¡°Then bring them in.¡± ¡®Yes!¡± Momentster, two women entered the hall behind Su Beixuan. One in white, purer than snow; the other in a green robe, as refined as jade; both otherworldly, as if ready to ascend to immortality. Xu Yang sat above in the hall, his gaze lingering on the woman in green. For a moment, the atmosphere became unexined. Suddenly, the woman in white couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, ¡°Fan Qinghui, the Sect Master of the Silent Temple from the Mercy Sailing Temple, greets Heavenly King Wu! ¡± Xu Yang, forthright, cut to the chase, ¡°I want the Heshi Jade, ¡®Mercy Sailing Sword Scroll¡¯, and all the sacred texts and secret techniques from the Mercy Sailing Temple and Purity Zen Sect.¡± Despite her mental preparation, upon hearing these conditions, Fan Qinghui could not help but fall silent. After a long while, she looked up and said, ¡°As the unrivaled lord under the heavens and a Peerless Master, the collections of Mercy Sailing Temple and Purity Zen Sect are naturally open for the Heavenly King. As for the Heshi Jade, it is kept within the Purity Zen Sect, and I have already sent a message to Abbott Kong, who will send the Heshi Jade to Chang¡¯an shortly.¡± To the victors belong the spoils, there was no need for more words. Even if the other party was taking advantage of the situation, one must agree with a smile to preserve oneself. A person wise to the current affairs is a true sage, and as the Sect Master of Mercy Sailing Temple, she was indeed among the sagest of sages. So she agreed. But¡ Fan Qinghui nced at the hall and hesitated before speaking out, ¡°May I ask the Heavenly King if there is room for my Mercy Sailing Silent Temple and the incense fire of Buddhism?¡± Her words were straightforward, as they should be. In the face of such a high-level character, flowery rhetoric was meaningless. Only the most real interests held value for conversation and exchange. ¡°How many temples are there in the Southern Dynasty, among the numerous towers obscured by rain and mist?¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yang also smiled, ¡°Buddhism has been introduced to the Central ins for over four hundred years. In these four hundred years, how many temples have been established, how many believers have been developed, and how much incense offering has been collected?¡± Fan Qinghui: ¡°¡¡± She remained silent, and Xu Yang also didn¡¯t pay attention, continuing on his own, ¡°The Purity Zen Sect is situated south of Luoyang, with hundreds of structures within the temple, forming a self-contained entity, including seven great precious halls, all topped with tricolored zed tiles. The Buddha statues in the halls are all realistically forged by skilled craftsmen from fine gold and bronze!¡± Fan Qinghui: ¡°¡¡± ¡°And that¡¯s just one Purity Zen Sect!¡± ¡°How many more are there in the world beyond the Purity Zen Sect?¡± Xu Yang lowered his eyes calmly and asked, ¡°Do you think I have room for you?¡± Fan Qinghui was silent for a while before finally insisting, ¡°We can cut back on expenses, contribute all superfluous wealth to the national treasury, just asking for a ce to exist, forever apanying the ancient Buddha and the greenntern. I beg the Heavenly King to show mercy!¡± Xu Yang shook his head, his words calm but backed by unquestionable cold authority, ¡®Your existence is a hindrance. I don¡¯t have so much time to entangle with you. Thus, I am giving you onest opportunity.¡± Fan Qinghui¡¯s pupils shrank, feeling uneasy, yet having no choice but to forcefully say, ¡°Please speak, Heavenly King.¡± ¡°Fight one more battle.¡± Xu Yang smiled and said straightforwardly, ¡°I know you have more potential than you¡¯ve shown, and you are not willing to ept such a loss. There are also the Taoist and Confucian schools, and the noble families of the world. Go back and pass on the message, tell them that I am domineering, I respect only myself, I won¡¯t tolerate them even the slightest, so¡¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice but to fight to the death.¡± ¡°Use all your power ande fight me again.¡± ¡°The location will be set at your Mercy Sailing Silent Temple, on Emperor¡¯s Step Peak.¡± ¡°The timing is for you to decide, whenever you¡¯re ready,e and find me.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s the Buddhist or the Taoist and Confucian teachings, those who disagree, juste, I refuse none!¡± ¡°Oh, and there¡¯s also the Eastern Turkics and Goguryeo; tell Bi Xuan and Fu Cailin that after I unify the Central ins, I will inevitably campaign against the whole world. If they don¡¯t want to wait for death, let theme to the Central ins and join forces with you for onest fight!¡± After thesements, Fan Qinghui¡¯s face had turned an iron blue, extremely unsightly. ¡°Heavenly King¡ do you really need to go to such lengths?¡± ¡°Otherwise?¡± Xu Yang smiled, countering, ¡°Do I look like I am joking with you?¡± ¡°Heavenly King!¡± Fan Qinghui red resolutely, ¡°Thew of Buddha is boundless, and has never feared de or spear. You may have the power to reach heaven and shake the ancients, strength to dazzle the present, but you can only suppress for a moment, not forever. There will be a time for another to rule the world.¡± Xu Yang smiled, unconcerned, ¡°We¡¯ll deal with that when it happens.¡± Fan Qinghui was at a loss for words, not knowing how to respond. Helplessly, she could only flick her sleeve, ¡°Since the Heavenly King is so determined, then we too have no choice but to apany you in this gamble to the death. At Emperor¡¯s Step Peak, we await your grand arrival!¡± ¡°No need for an escort.¡± Fan Qinghui left in a rage, her sleeve unsettling the air. As Sect Master of the Mercy Sailing Silent Temple, she should not have lost herposure like this. But such was the man who marched her relentlessly into a corner without room for maneuver, intent on driving them to their demise. This overbearing nature was undeniable, rendering her ability to form alliances and manipte circumstancespletely ineffective. Naturally, it was hard for her to avoid losing herposure. But none of this concerned Xu Yang. ¡°It¡¯s time to wrap things up.¡± Mumbling to himself, Xu Yang took out an object in the Tai Chi Hall. It was a bead, yellow like a precious gem. The Evil Emperor¡¯s relic! This man had always avoided uncertainties, never fighting unprepared battles. To him, challenging the entire world was just the final process of concluding affairs, no suspense involved. Because he intended to overwhelm with absolute power. Where does this absolute powere from? Ites from this Evil Emperor¡¯s relic! As a treasured heritage of the Demon Sect, this relic contains a vast amount of essence umted within, the power invested by generations of Evil Emperors, along with fortuitous additions of heaven and earth Yuan Qi and the entangled and strange evil Yin energy ¨C it¡¯s a tremendous source of power. If he could absorb the essence within, his cultivation would grow rapidly, perhaps even breaking through the limits of a Condensing Spirit Martial Artist. After all, upon achieving Grandmaster status, one¡¯s mind and spirit are already perfected, with only the foundation of one¡¯s powercking. If the foundation is strong enough, theoretically any Grandmaster has the chance to strike towards the realm of Co-Dao. If sessful, that means bing an Upper Sect Grandmaster capable of Embracing the Core and co-dao, able to break through the void and ascend to the Upper Realm. Although Xu Yang isn¡¯t yet considering breaking through the void, it doesn¡¯t stop him from absorbing the essence of the Evil Emperor¡¯s relic and stepping into the fifth realm of the Martial Path¡ªEmbracing the Core and co-dao! As for how to absorb the essence from the Evil Emperor¡¯s relic, he has the answer. Zhu Yuyan, Shi Zhixuan, and a group of Demon Sect experts have all contributed their sects¡¯ secret treasures, including the supreme Taoist Heart Demon-nting great skill from the Heavenly Demon Strategy. Cultivating this technique allows for the absorption of the essence of the Evil Emperor¡¯s relic, gaining the umtion of hundreds or even hundreds of years in a single night.. chapter 69 Chapter 49: Request_1 69 Chapter 49: Request_1 ``` 1 Time flew by, and half a yearter. Flowing west, descending south past Stone Bend, amidst the misty rain, there stood an ethereal peak. It was called Emperor''s Step. What was Emperor''s Step? No one knew. Atop Emperor''s Step Peak, there was a hermitage, the most mysterious ce in the Martial World¡ªMercy Sailing Silent Temple. Inside the Silent Temple, within a secret chamber, Fan Qinghui looked haggard, her stunning beauty marred by hardships, with strands of white starting to show at her temples, revealing the immense pressure she had been under and the energy she had expended during this time. "Master..." Seeing her worn-out appearance, Shi Feixuan felt heartache yet powerless, "Why must you endure such suffering?" "I am the Head of Mercy Sailing Silent Temple, I cannot let it down." Fan Qinghui shook her head, looking at her disciple with a trace of relief in her eyes, "In the past six months, I have traveled the world, uniting all parties. Atst, my efforts have borne fruit¡ªthree Holy Monks, along with three Grandmasters and the heads of Taoism, Confucian Gate Sages, a total of nine Grandmasters, will have a decisive battle with that man atop Emperor''s Step Peak." "Master... " "Enough!" Shi Feixuan wanted to speak, but Fan Qinghui silenced her with a wave of her hand. "I know you do not wish to see thise to pass, to be honest neither do I, but what can we do when he is upromising and insists on forcing us into a life-and-death battle?" Fan Qinghui shook her head, "At this point, there''s no use talking further. We can only give it our all!" With that, she raised her head, looking directly at Shi Feixuan. "What should have been done and what shouldn''t have been, I''ve already done. Now, there''s only onest thing left unfinished. Xuan Er, I beg you, lend me your strength!" "Master...!" Shi Feixuan''s gaze trembled, looking at the resolute Fan Qinghui, unsure how to respond. Unperturbed, Fan Qinghui continued, "I have looked into it. Xu Qingyang, he is a man who deeply values loyalty and duty. After the opening of Security Hall, he has patronized a certain bun shop every day for twenty years, rain or shine, without fail." Shi Feixuan: "..." Looking at the silent Shi Feixuan, Fan Qinghui smiled with satisfaction, "Even though he did not take my letter to join Jing''an Temple as a monk he has still epted your favour and owes you a life-saving debt!" "Master..." "Hear me out!" Shi Feixuan wanted to speak, but Fan Qinghui gestured for her to be quiet and continued, "Although his actions are domineering and he is utterly self-centered, one cannot deny his strong sense of loyalty and his word being as good as gold. He has always been just as steadfast to his disciples and followers as he is to his subjects." As she spoke, Fan Qinghui took Shi Feixuan''s hands in hers, picking up the sect leader''s sword that was beside her. "You have a life-saving grace over him, and he must hold a ce for you in his heart, so... " Fan Qinghui solemnly handed the sect leader''s sword over to Shi Feixuan, "I ask you for one thing¡ªpreserve Mercy Sailing Silent Temple!" "This..." Shi Feixuan knelt on the ground, holding Mercy Sailing in her hands, looking bewildered at Fan Qinghui. Fan Qinghui also looked at her, saying with a light smile, "There are two ways this can be achieved." "Firstly, you enter the royal pce to serve him, offering yourself to tame the demon within. By doing so, even if he decides to annihte Buddhism and Taoism, he would spare Mercy Sailing Silent Temple for your sake, ensuring our lineage''s survival and fulfilling your wish¡ªa solution that serves both ends." "Master!!" These words changed Shi Feixuan''splexion instantly, she looked at Fan Qinghui panic-stricken, "Xuan Er could never entertain such thoughts." "Affairs of love are human nature, and I am not ming you." Fan Qinghui shook her head, speaking earnestly, "But you must understand one thing¡ªalthough this person values loyalty, he has even greater ambition. You can choose to serve him, but you must see your true position clearly. You are the Head of Mercy Sailing Silent Temple, you have to ensure our lineage''s continuation. Only then, in death, can I rest in peace!" "Master...!!!" With these words, Shi Feixuan became even more horrified, involuntarily grasping Fan Qinghui''s hand. "Life and death are destined; there''s no need for such measures." Fan Qinghui shook her head calmly, cradling Shi Feixuan''s face in her hand, "Besides, there''s another way, but I know that you, Xuan Er, with your kind nature, would find it too cruel. I truly do not wish for you to endure such torturous anguish. Hence, you only need to follow the first method I mentioned, and all will be well." Having said this, she pushed Shi Feixuan to the ground, sealed her acupoints, and immobilized her body. "Master!!!" ``` Lying on the ground, unable to move, Shi Feixuan looked up at Fan Qinghui''s resolute face and seemed to realize something, horror filling her eyes: "Don''t...!" Fan Qinghui sat cross-legged on the cushion, her expression calm, showing no ripples: "Xuan Er, your master is now, for you, performing a head-rite, passing on all my life''s cultivation to you. From this moment on, you are the fifteenth Head of the Mercy Sailing Silent Temple. The heavy responsibility of the Mercy Sailing Silent Temple is now entrusted to you!" "Master!" Shi Feixuany on the ground, her tears flowing freely, unsure of what to do. Fan Qinghui, however, paid no heed: "Calm your heart, Condense your spirit, let your cultivation flow through the Heavenly Cycle, and do not let your master''s sacrifice be in vain!" With those words, she activated the Gang Yuan within her body. Instantly, without any wind, waves arose in the secret room. Shi Feixuan, lying on the ground, was pulled by a force beyond her control and began to levitate in the air, her hands touching those of Fan Qinghui''s. "Our lineage''s inheritance, the Mercy Sailing Sword Scroll, though it ces most importance on mental state rather than the foundation of cultivation, it is ultimately better to have it than not." "Xuan Er, you are inherently kind, with an honest and pure heart. For you, the barrier of mental state is not much of an obstacle. It''s just that the word ''emotion'' is so difficult to define." "I hope that one day, you can ovee the obstacles of the emotional tribtions, with a sword heart clear and bright, to love without obsession, to achieve the highest realm of the Mercy Sailing Sword Scroll, and to carry forward our Mercy Sailing''s Silent Temple." "If so, in the silence of theherworld, below the nine springs, your master and the ancestors of the Mercy Sailing Silent Temple would rest in peace, serenely entering the cycle of reincarnation!" In the midst of her words, Gang Yuan became qi, and Fan Qinghui''s pure and refined Yuan Skill slowly entered into Shi Feixuan''s body, causing her own life force to rapidly deplete. Her three thousand strands of ck hair turned into white frost, and even her stunningly beautiful face began to age. "Master...!!!" Now, Shi Feixuan had regained control of her body, but looking at Fan Qinghui who was about to pass away, she didn''t dare to struggle, only able to weep and ept. "Xuan Er, your master is leaving, take good care of yourself!" With herst breath, Fan Qinghui smiled, copsed onto the cushion, and with a bowed head, breathed herst, no longer responding. "Master!!!" Shi Feixuan cried out in horror, rushing forward, wishing to embrace Fan Qinghui''s body, but before she could touch her, the lifeless body disintegrated into countless shards of light. In the end, in the secret room, she was alone, staring at the empty cushion, her eyes full of confusion and helplessness. ... After an unknown amount of time had passed, Shi Feixuan, in a daze, walked out of the Silent Temple and entered the great hall of the Mercy Sailing. But what she saw... "Paying respects to the Head of the Temple!" A group of disciples, kneeling on the ground, seemed to have been waiting for a long time. "..." Seeing the well-prepared crowd, Shi Feixuan was even more at a loss. "Step down!" At that moment, a woman who appeared to be of some authority dismissed the crowd and came to Shi Feixuan''s side, and asked sternly, "Head of the Temple, are you prepared?" "Prepared?" Shi Feixuan was startled, "What preparation?" "This..." The woman furrowed her brows and said in a serious tone, "The preparation for the assassination of the Demon Head, of course?" "The assassination of the Demon Head?" Shi Feixuan suddenly came to her senses, looking at the other with eyes full of astonishment. "Indeed!" The woman saw her reaction and, showing no surprise, calmly exined, "Grandmaster martial artists value mental state and momentum above all. That man has never been defeated since he appeared, and in the battle of Chang''an, he swept through the light and dark paths, Buddhism and Taoism, the Evil King, the Underworld Queen, and all four Holy Monks." "With this, he has developed an invincible momentum, his heart and his state are imprable." "If we let him climb Emperor''s Step Peak in such a state, even if the nine Grandmasters join forces, they might not be able to kill him. Instead, they would be his sharpening stone, making him fight increasingly bravely and strongly!" "Therefore, our only hope is to break his mental state before the battle, to destroy his momentum, to crush his will to fight." Having said that, the woman looked solemnly at Shi Feixuan: "Head of the Temple, you have saved his life before, and he greatly values love and righteousness. Therefore, it can only be you who strikes, to assassinate him. Whether you seed or fail, it will cause him heartbreak, even if it''s just a little, just a glimmer, it will be the turning point of our victory!" "Therefore..." The woman knelt on the ground, hands earnestly pleading, "For the sake of the world, themon people, and our Mercy Sailing''s Silent Temple, I beseech the Head of the Temple ¡ª sacrifice yourself to bait the demon!!!" Chapter 70 - 50: The Finale (Two in One)_1 Chapter 70 - 50: The Finale (Two in One)_1 And so, it was June once again. The fierce battle of Chang''an, the change of hands in Guanzhong, it''s been over a year. In this year, intimidated by the might of "Heavenly King Wu," the fires of war subsided in all directions, and the various warlords quieted down. After all, no one wanted to be the next unfortunate soul after the Li Family, to be assaulted a thousand miles by the Martial Guardian army, to have their domain trampled by flying cavalry. Everyone tried to keep a low profile, not daring to make any rash moves. In this chaotic world, there was, atst, a rare moment of tranquility. ... The mighty Yangtze River flows east, washing away the heroes of ages past. By the old stronghold to the west, people say: it''s the Red Cliff of the Three Kingdoms'' Zhou Yu. Rocks jut out of the river, waves crash against the shore, rolling upyers of white froth like snow. Thendscape is picturesque, a scene of many heroes of its own era. In distant thought, I remember General Zhou of the past, celebrating his marriage to the young Lady Qiao, so brave and handsome. With a feather fan and a silk scarf, he chatted andughed, the enemy ships turned to ashes and smoke amidst their jests. Wandering in dreams of the old country, how affectionate one must be tough at me for prematurely greying. Life is but a dream, let me offer a toast to the moon reflected on the river¡ The Yangtze River, Red Cliff, an ode to the ancient times, remembering the bygone years. Looking at today''s world, the feelings evoked are even moreplex. By the banks of the Yangtze, there are no iron chains linking the waters, nor can one see two armies drawn up in battle, with a general directing troops with his feather fan and silk scarf. There is only a magnificent treasure ship, standing amidst the drizzling rain, upon the surging river waters. Beyond this treasure ship, there are many more vessels navigating the river, some flying gs high to show off their status, while others go unnoticed, ordinary and silent. Within one of these boats. "Bang!" A wine jug was mmed down heavily, its fragrant contents sshing across the table. A young man with bloodshot eyes and a scruffy beard was staring intently at the treasure ship outside the cabin, unknowingly deforming his bronze wine jug with his grip. "Second brother!" The equally haggard Li Xiuning approached, looking at Li Shimin, who was no different from a drunkard, and angrily snatched away his wine bottle: "Look at yourself, what have you be? If Father knew from the afterworld, what would he feel?" "Father?" Li Shimin propped up his body, his expression one of agony: "It was I who harmed Father. If back then I had..." "Enough!" Li Xiuning interrupted him: "What''s the point in saying these things now? Father and our older brother are gone. The Li Family has you as the only man left. If you continue to wallow in despair, then our Li Family really is finished." "What good will it do if I take heart?" Li Shimin suddenly erupted in anger, standing up and saying, "This man has taken Guanzhong, captured Luoyang, and seized Xuzhou. These three strategic locations form a solid foundation for power. His Martial Guardians are an invincible force. With his own martial prowess, he intimidates the whole world. Who can defeat him?" "..." Looking at the somewhat copsing Li Shimin, Li Xiuning remained silent, only speaking after a long while, "If we win this battle, there''s hope." "Win?" Li Shiminughed sarcastically, a look of disdain in his eyes, "If there was any guarantee of victory, why would the Purity Zen Sect depart from the Central ins and flee overseas? Why don''t the Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucian Gate summon all their Grandmasters to Emperor''s Step Peak? Instead, they''re hedging their bets, investing on both ends, one group fighting to the death and the other leaving?" "Clearly, they know not to put all their eggs in one basket!" "This battle has slim chances of sess. That man has obtained the Evil Emperor''s Relic, acquired the secret texts of the Demon Sect,pleted the Ten Strategies of Heavenly Demons. He must have a method to absorb the Relic Essence. Even if the nine Grandmasters risk their lives, at most they can only defeat him, with no chance of capturing him!" "What''s the point? It''s just a dying struggle!" After pouring out his thoughts, Li Shimin slumped back into his seat, then asked Li Xiuning, "What about those noble families? Are they nning the same thing?" "Indeed!" Li Xiuning sighed, "A portion of them have already built fleets ready to sail overseas, while others remain in the Central ins, seemingly intending to defect." "Defect?" Li Shimin scoffed dismissively, "Does he have room for them?" With a sigh, Li Xiuning responded, "If they are willing to make painful cuts and dare to discard their strength, then follow the rules and live under constraints, they might barely be tolerated." "Then, are they still nobility?" Li Shiminughed derisively, "Do they think they can endure it for a lifetime, or for generations toe? Sooner orter, their true nature will reveal itself. By then, they''ll still face annihtion. It''s better to withdraw early." Li Xiuning replied with a bitter smile, "Perhaps they are thinking of making their move after Xu Qingyang passes a century from now!" "A century?" "How many centuries?" Li Shiminughed, "With Xu Qingyang''s martial arts reaching unknown heights, possessing the Longevity Jue, Heavenly Demon Strategy, the Evil Emperor''s Relic, the Heshi Jade, and other extraordinary treasures, how many centuries can he live? I''m afraid those fools'' great-great-grandchildren will have passed away, and Xu Qingyang will still be alive and well!" "Outliving him, what a joke they''ve concocted." "Even if by some miracle, they outlive him, so what? In his hands, what will be of the world over those centuries?" "Centuries of iron-d rule is enough to establish a system. Even if one day he truly departs, those who wish to rise up will face tremendous risks and pressures." "It''s not worth it, not worth it at all!" Li Shimin shook his head, and his bloodshot eyes finally regained their sanity and rity. Standing up, he spoke solemnly, "We should leave as well!" "Leave?" While Li Xiuning also had such thoughts, hearing Li Shimin say it aloud left her feeling lost and clueless: "Leave for where?" "Anywhere is fine. The world is vast, and we will certainly find a ce to settle. I can''t defeat Xu Qingyang, but can''t I defeat those barbarian tribes beyond our borders?" Li Shimin shook his head, stood up, and looking towards the great treasure ship outside the cabin, he murmured, "To step back is to find a broader world. Father, please forgive your unfilial child. To preserve the bloodline of our Li Tang and continue our family legacy, I can no longer avenge you!" Chapter 71 - 50: The Finale (Two in One)_2 Chapter 71 - 50: The Finale (Two in One)_2 ... Let''s set aside the various thoughts and considerations for now. Amidst the misty rain, a lone boat floated by. Upon the boat, a figure stood as if she were an archer, detached from the world, in white garments surpassing the snow, ethereal like a celestial being! Though the boat was light, it did not fear the surging waves of the river, gliding through as a butterfly flits among flowers, approaching the grand treasure ship from below. Subsequently, the woman stepped upon the water as if walking on ripples, rising straight towards the clouds, and lightlynded on the treasure ship. Atop the treasure ship, several people were awaiting respectfully, with Su Beixuan at their head. Leading the others, Su Beixuan stepped forward to greet the aloof and indifferent Shi Feixuan with a bowed salute, "We''ve seen Fairy Shi." The people behind him followed suit, bowing in unison, "We''ve seen Fairy Shi!" Confronted with the bowing crowd, Shi Feixuan fell silent, at a loss for what to do. However, Su Beixuan seemed unconcerned, speaking directly, "The master has been waiting for a long time." In the midst of his words, his gaze fell on the sword in her hand. Shi Feixuan nced briefly and softly asked, "Should Iy down my sword?" "There''s no need," Su Beixuan replied, shaking his head gently. "It''s just that there is something we would like to rify with Fairy Shi," Su Beixuan continued in a soft voice. "Hmm?" Shi Feixuan''s brows furrowed, looking at Su Beixuan and the crowd behind him, "What is it?" With a smile and a soft voice, Su Beixuan inquired, "Does Fairy Shi know who I am?" "..." Tightly furrowing her brows in confusion, Shi Feixuan still responded, "The chief disciple of Heavenly King Wu, the head disciple of Security Hall, the fame of Young Master Beixuan, who in the world does not know it?" "I don''t deserve to be called any ''young master''!" Su Beixuan shook his head, speaking calmly, "Fairy Shi may not know this, but I was not always known as Su Beixuan. I was once called Little Dog, a lonely orphan begging in the streets of Xuzhou City, without a father or mother, without any support." "..." Shi Feixuan fell silent, as if she knew what he was about to say. But Su Beixuan paid no heed and continued, "That year, I was only eight years old when several old beggars broke my limbs and left me on the streets to beg for coins. If not for meeting the master, I would not have survived that winter!" "The master killed those beggars and took me back to Security Hall. He mended my limbs, took me as his disciple, taught me to read, to practice martial arts, and guided me carefully, shaping me into the Su Beixuan of today!" Su Beixuan stated, looking at Shi Feixuan with a calm demeanor. Shi Feixuan could only respond with silence. Su Beixuan, not minding her silence, continued, "There are thousands, tens of thousands of people like me!" Shi Feixuan''s gaze sharpened as she watched him, still remaining silent. "Fairy Shi!" Su Beixuan also looked at her, calmly saying, "The master is a man of deep sentimentality. You once saved his life with a simple meal, and therefore, he must hold you in high regard. Therefore, you are the only person in the world who might be able to afflict the master''s state of mind. You are his only w, his only weakness." "...!" Shi Feixuan''s gaze sharpened, and she involuntarily gripped her treasured sword tightly. Su Beixuan caught her action in his eyes, shook his head, and calmly said, "No need to be nervous. Without the master''smands, we will not make a rash move. We are here to tell Fairy Shi something." "..." Silent and full of apprehension, Shi Feixuan looked at him and the people behind him, and after a long while, she asked, "What is it?" "Should today''s battle go awry..." Su Beixuan looked at her calmly and said, "We, these people, will definitely seek vengeance for our master!" "..." Stepping forward, Su Beixuan, with the people behind him stepping up in unison, met Shi Feixuan''s gaze and said word by word, "At any cost, regardless of gain or loss, we will stop at nothing to¡ªavenge!" "..." Faced with such calm gazes, such calm words, Shi Feixuan''s heart trembled, and she involuntarily took a half step back. "We hope the Fairy takes heed, keeps it in mind, and inscribes this in her heart." With that, Su Beixuan said no more, turned his body to the side, and with a beckoning hand, said, "Please." "..." After a long period of silence, Shi Feixuan finally took a step forward. Shortly after, at the top of the treasure ship. Xu Yang stood alone, hands behind his back, gazing into the distance at the ripples on the river. Once Shi Feixuan reached this location, led by Su Beixuan, he turned to leave, leaving the two alone. Xu Yang said nothing, and Shi Feixuan remained silent as well. That silencested until a gentle breeze apanied by a light rain arrived, whisking away the light veil on Shi Feixuan''s face. Xu Yang turned around, looking at her somewhat disconcerted expression, and said with a lightugh, "It''s been a long time since west saw each other." "..." Shi Feixuan did not speak, silently resting her hand on her sword. Catching a glimpse of her action, Xu Yang''s expression remained unchanged, "Did they send you to kill me?" "..." Shi Feixuan remained silent as if her silence spoke volumes. Xu Yang did not care and calmly stated, "You can''t kill me." "I know," Shi Feixuan replied, still pressing on the treasured sword, finally breaking the silence, "But I had no choice but toe." In her eyesy struggle. "Is that so?" Xu Yang said with a smile, his voice still calm, "Then draw your sword." "..." Shi Feixuan, silent, her hand quivering on the hilt of her sword, could not draw it after a long standoff. "You needn''t be afraid," Xu Yang shook his head and spoke calmly, "You can''t kill me, nor can you injure me. You can only kill one person." "One person?" Shi Feixuan''s eyes wavered, uncertainly staring at him, "Who?" "You!" "..." N?v(el)B\\jnn "..." The words hung between them, both silent. Xu Yang looked at her and softly smiled, "In this life, one should have a clear conscience." After saying this, he also did not wait for her reaction and simply strode off. Shi Feixuan stood rigid in ce, one hand on her sword, motionless for a long time. It was not until they brushed past each other, crossing paths, that a sound was heard... Chapter 72 - 50: The Finale (Two in One)_3 Chapter 72: Chapter 50: The Finale (Two in One)_3 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°ng! ¡± The treasured sword hit the ground, its wielder seemingly lost and forlorn. Xu Yang, however, didn¡¯t look back, stepping into the void and crossing the river. In front of Rainy Mountain, at the base of Emperor¡¯s Step Peak. A man stood with his hands behind his back, as if waiting for a long time. Xu Yang walked on air, lightlynded, and stopped behind this person. The man turned around at that moment, his handsome face revealing no signs of age. Although he was past his prime, his presence hadn¡¯t waned, and there was not the slightest trace of aging. His eyebrows were like swords, his eyes like stars, his energy buoyant, exuding the grandeur of a Grandmaster. It was none other than¡ªHeavenly de Song Que! One of the three Grandmasters, renowned across the Martial World. The Lingnan Heaven de, awe-inspiring in all directions. In both prestige and strength, he was in no way inferior to the three Grandmasters. He might even be regarded as surpassing them. He was truly worthy of the name Heaven de. Xu Yang halted his steps, looking calmly at this dao of de Grandmaster: ¡°I have long heard of the Heavenly de; seeing it today indeed lives up to its reputation.¡± Song Que smiled, shifted his gaze to Emperor¡¯s Step Peak behind them, and said, ¡°Qing Hui asked me to kill you!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Xu Yang smiled, his expression unchanged: ¡°Then why not on Emperor¡¯s Step Peak?¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to kill you, nor do I have the ability to do so.¡± Song Que shook his head, speaking calmly: ¡°I offer you Lingnan in exchange for something of yours, how about that?¡± Xu Yang was unsurprised: ¡°Which item?¡± Song Queughed: ¡°Your treasured boat.¡± Xu Yang nodded: ¡°Agreed.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡± Song Que smiled again, then nced at the treasured de in his hand: ¡°I haveprehended the ninth style of Heavenly de Eight Styles, but I¡¯ve never found anyone worthy to test the de on. Brother Xu, would you oblige me in a match?¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yang also smiled: ¡°I couldn¡¯t ask for more!¡± ¡°Good!¡± Seeing Xu Yang consent, Song Que didn¡¯t say much, raised his de, and said: ¡°Please!¡± Xu Yang gestured with an open hand: ¡°After you!¡± Song Que smiled, and the Heavenly de was unsheathed. With just one swing, it seemed to make the world lose its color. As the de gleamed, it conjured images of iron horses and bristling troops, of armies ughtering one another, and of scenery changing and beauties turning into skeletons. In the turn of the de, it suddenly returned to its purest form, an unadorned strike incorporating endless variations: lifting, shing, breaking, cutting. At the peak of its movement, visions of a battlefield emerged, with blood and gore raining down, telling of unceasing strife in the Martial World. This single strike was the lifework of the Heavenly de, the lifework of Song Que. It epassed everything he was: his military and de tactics, every skirmish and deadly fight he had been through. This single strike was the Heavenly de, and it was also Song Que, for the Heavenly de was Song Que, and Song Que was the Heavenly de. Beyond the de, there was nothing else, possessing the de yet forgetting the de, only the self without the self! Unity of Heaven and Man, Unity of Man and de! This was the ninth style of the Heavenly de¡ªPerfect Heaven de! The moment this strike was unleashed, it usurped all brilliance, casting darkness upon the heavens and the earth. Just as everything was about to be cleaved in two¡ ¡°Boom!¡± A fist struck out, in yet sparkling with brilliance, the ultimate power turning into the ultimate light, like a proud sun rising in the sky, instantly illuminating the world, staunchly colliding with the unparalleled edge of the de. Finally¡ ¡°Boom!!!¡± A tremendous sound erupted, and the preceding spectacle was all erased. Below Rainy Mountain, in front of Emperor¡¯s Step Peak, they faced each other. Song Que looked down at his treasured de, now showing tiny cracks that soon multiplied, breaking into fragments. Then looking at Xu Yang, who stood firm, deep and unfathomable as an abyss. Song Que smiled: ¡°With Brother Xu in this world, the dao is not alone!¡± Having said that, he bowed to Xu Yang, sheathed the remnants of his de, and turned to leave. As Song Que departed, Xu Yang¡¯s gaze also returned to Emperor¡¯s Step Peak. The rain was hazy, and the mountain appeared otherworldly, like a fairnd on earth. But Xu Yang didn¡¯t say much, leaping directly upwards. ¡°Roar!!!¡± A dragon¡¯s cry shook the heavens, summoning all of his strength, the proud dragon surged towards Emperor¡¯s Peak.. Chapter 73 - 51: Illusion (Overslept, Rushing to Work Now)_l Chapter 73: Chapter 51: Illusion (Overslept, Rushing to Work Now)_l Trantor: 549690339 Time flies swiftly by, and in the blink of an eye, two hundred years have passed. Another cold winter month. Chang¡¯an, snow fluttering about. Having expanded several times over two hundred years, Chang¡¯an, once the capital beyond the city limits, now epasses the former Qu River, turning it into a rather ordinary sight within the city. By the Qu River, there stands a tavern called Lucky Building. Atop Lucky Building, a woman sits by the window, gazing down at House-riding Bridge below, engulfed by the blizzard. Every day, tens of thousands of pedestrians and carriages cross the bridge in the heart of Chang¡¯an, but few know that a century ago, this bridge had changed her, changed the world, changed the fate of countless people. As the snowstorm grows heavier, the foot traffic wanes, all in a vast expanse of white. Suddenly¡ A figure, treading through the snow, appears. It is a woman, dressed in white, her beauty surpassing the frost and snow, ethereal, as if not of this world. ¡°Hmm-!¡± The woman props her chin, looking at this person with a somewhat amused expression. The stranger seems to notice her gaze, crosses the bridge with a turn of steps, and enters the tavern. She ascends to the upper floor and sits down across from her. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since west met.¡± ¡°Hmm¡ a long time indeed!¡± A calm greeting, with no ripples. Dudu toys with the wine cup, eyeing the person before her with interest, ¡°You¡¯ve gone out again, did you gain anything?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Shi Feixuan shakes her head, her demeanor calm andposed beneath the veil. ¡°Oh, I thought you¡¯d bring back a little girl to take over your duties as the Head of the Temple,¡± Dudu says with a smile, looking around. ¡°But I understand, after all, Emperor¡¯s Step Peak is gone, Mercy Sailing Silent Temple is no more. The pretty nuns have dispersed, those who could run did, and the loyal fools have either died or been wounded. It¡¯s all over now. Why bother with a sessor?¡± ¡°Loyal fools?¡± Shi Feixuan frowns slightly. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Dudu, ringing a bell with a yful look, teases, ¡°It¡¯s thetest ng. You¡¯re a bit behind the times, aren¡¯t you, little Xuan Xuan!¡± This cringeworthy nickname makes Shi Feixuan fall silent, before finally asking, ¡°What brings you here?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that? Why can¡¯t I be here?¡± Although there was no hostility in Shi Feixuan¡¯s words, picking a quarrel seemed to be someone¡¯s instinct; Dudu shrugs and ys along nonchntly. ¡°The Yinkui Sect is gone, the Demon Sect is exterminated, and even the brothels were swept clean two hundred years ago. I wanted to be a Huakui but had nowhere to go. If I don¡¯te here to drown my sorrows in wine and indulge in food and drink, where else can I go?¡± As she finishes speaking, she suddenly notices something, looking Shi Feixuan up and down. She sees a few strands of white at her temples. Instantly, she falls silent. Shi Feixuan nces at her, still serene andposed, ¡®What¡¯s wrong? Dudu falls silent for a moment, ¡°You¡¯ve aged!¡± ¡°Everyone ages,¡± Shi Feixuan says without change in expression. ¡°I¡¯m human, so naturally, I will age, just like you, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡¡± With eyebrows knitted, Dudu looks uncertain, ¡°It¡¯s been just over two hundred years.¡± ¡°Over two hundred years?¡± Shi Feixuan smiles, replying, ¡°Isn¡¯t that long enough?¡± At these words, Dudu is again rendered speechless. rlkvvo hundred years earlier, the True Dragon had soared into the cloud-shattered rain over Emperor¡¯s Step Peak! Mercy Sailing Silent Temple, nine Grandmasters, annihted in a single battle. Even Emperor¡¯s Step Peak itself was destroyed in the great war, bing dust in history. Henceforth, the world submitted; thends were united. Heaven Martial established the dynasty,mencing a new era. Martial prowess spread throughout thend, everyone as mighty as a dragon. An era of prosperity, an era belonging to the Martial Path, officially began. The teachings of the Martial Arts Scripture spread through thend, coursing throughout the world. With collective wisdom, innovations flourished, reaching divine levels of nonqtprv To this day, rooted in the Martial Arts Scripture, aplete system of martial cultivation has been established. First Realm Inner Strength, Second Realm True Qi. Third Realm True Gang, Fourth Realm Condensing Spirit. Fifth Realm Co-Dao, shattering the void. Through the ingenious application of the Martial Arts Scripture, national strength, people¡¯s strength, and productive forces all saw unprecedented enhancements. Poption, quality, average lifespan, and cultivation levels soared to remarkable heights. Grandmasters with the Four-Realm Condensing Spirit, spiritually fulfilled, are granted a lifespan of three hundred years and can retain their youth and vitality until the end of their days, only showing signs of aging as their time draws near and they¡¯re about to relinquish their power. This is the mystical application of the Martial Arts Scripture,bined with Longevity Jue, Heavenly Demon Strategy, Mercy Sailing Sword Scroll, and countless other secret techniques and ssic teachings of the Three Teaching Sect. It can be said to seize the essence of heaven and earth itself. Dudu is one such example. Using the Martial Arts Scripture to achieve the Grandmaster Realm, she remains, after two hundred years, the same graceful, fairy-like girl. But Shi Feixuan¡ Although she still possesses a youthful appearance, the whiteness at her temples tells a different story, leaving Dudu speechless. Though she too cultivated ording to the Martial Arts Scripture, it seems she did not reach the Grandmaster Realm, holding only the ordinary Condensing Spirit cultivation level. Without reaching the Grandmaster Realm, one cannot attain fulfillment. The lifespan of a Martial Artist at the Condensing Spirit stage is at most between two hundred and two hundred thirty years. She¡ With thoughts in disarray and emotions unspeakable, All Dudu could do was remain silent. It wasn¡¯t for outsiders toment too much on her rtionship with that person. Observing the silent Dudu, Shi Feixuan also refrains from speaking further, standing up with a lightugh. ¡°I need to visit the pce. Will youe with me?¡± ¡°That¡¡± Dudu looks at her, then quickly shakes her head. ¡°You should go by yourself. I don¡¯t want to be a third wheel and disturb your time together. Give my regards to the King, and tell him little Dudu wille to dance for him in the pce after a while.¡± Shi Feixuan nced at her, shook her head, and turned to leave. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s that look supposed to mean? Although I¡¯m over two hundred years old, both mentally and physically, I¡¯m still a girl. Not like you, with a body that doesn¡¯t age but a spirit that¡¯s already withered. So detached from worldly affairs, are you trying to be an immortal?¡± After some back-and-forth, Shi Feixuan had already drifted into the distance, and Dudu could only helplessly sit down and continue to drown her sorrows in wine and song. In Changan City, within the Tai Chi Pce, atop Heaven Martial Mountain. At the very summit, surprisingly free of wind and snow, it was like an immortal realm isted from the rest of the world. A Bodhi Tree, growing at the peak of the mountain, in a climate not suitable for its existence. Yet, it miraculously thrived, with lush branches and vibrant green leaves,pletely unaffected by the external wind and snow. Beneath the Bodhi Tree, one person leaned against its trunk, reclining for a short rest. Suddenly, another person ascended the mountain, stopping before the Bodhi Tree. Only then did the person resting beneath the tree open their eyes, smiling and saying, ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Shi Feixuan nodded, remaining silent, and quietly sat down beside him, her already calm heart bing even more at peace. The Bodhi True Seed, the treasure of the Tianzhu Country. Fifty years ago, the Li n, rulers of the Tianzhu Country, submitted to their conquerors, presenting this item as a token of sincerity. Since then, this tree on Heaven Martial Mountain had appeared, capable of cleansing the spirit, nurturing the divine soul, and aiding one in achieving the realm of Grandmaster. Shi Feixuan sat beside him, leaning against the Bodhi, at a very close distance to him, yet they never touched. Just as their rtionship had been for two hundred years. Shi Feixuan remained silent, and so did Xu Yang. After an unknown span of silent moments, Shi Feixuan finally broke the silence. ¡°I heard that Shi Zhixuan has entered the Fifth Realm and will soon break through the Broken Void.¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Xu Yang nodded, chuckling as he said, ¡°Both he and Song Que are extraordinary talents. Song Que has long since cast aside the affairs of the Song n, focusing solely on cultivation. Apart from the sword, there is nothing else, and so he was able to take a step ahead thirty years ago.¡± Shi Feixuan smiled, taking over the conversation, ¡°So you let him leave, to devote himself entirely to cultivation, and that¡¯s how he reached the Fifth Realm, breaking the Broken Void!¡± Xu Yang nodded, ¡°He¡¯s dedicated and hadbored diligently for many years. The evil deeds of his past as the Evil King have all been redeemed. I shouldn¡¯t still be confining such a talent of this generation. Perhaps, one day, we might even hear legends about them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡¯ Shi Feixuan smiled, turned her head to look at his profile, ¡°What about you then, when will you leave?¡± Xu Yang shook his head, murmured, ¡°I still have some matters to deal with. I can¡¯t just leave like that.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shi Feixuan murmured softly, then asked, ¡°Qingyang, you once told me that one should live a life without regrets, so do you¡ have any regrets?¡± Xu Yang turned to look at her, her expression forlorn. After a long silence, he finally replied, ¡°I do!¡± Shi Feixuan¡¯s curiosity piqued, ¡°What are they?¡± Xu Yang shook his head, ¡°Many. That¡¯s why I must keep seeking, keep progressing until I control everything, until I¡¯ve redeemed all.¡± Shi Feixuan looked at him, also without saying a word. After a long while, she smiled, ¡°Don¡¯t forget about me!¡± Xu Yang remained silent, wordless. Shi Feixuan then looked up at the flourishing Bodhi Tree, a trace of reminiscence appearing in her eyes. ¡°Life in this world is like a dream, an illusion, like dew, and like lightning. Master, Xuan Er has failed to live up to your expectations, but¡ has no regrets in this life!¡± After speaking, she turned her gaze back to Xu Yang, ¡°Although I know you don¡¯t care for Buddhistw, could you recite the Rebirth Mantra for me just once?¡± Xu Yang shook his head, speaking calmly, ¡°It¡¯s not that I dislike Buddhistw, just the false Buddhistw. If the Buddha is true, if thew is solid, what harm is there in belief?¡± Having said that, he began to recite the Brahma Sound. ¡°Do-ta-ga-do-ya, Ami-li-duo-po-pi¡¡± With the chanting of the Brahma Sound, the mantra of rebirth began, and a golden light gradually appeared. In the midst of the golden light, Shi Feixuan became astonished, then relieved, and raised her hand, which slowly turned into an illusion. Yet she didn¡¯t care, only speaking to the person close in front of her. ¡°If there¡¯s a next life, if there¡¯s reincarnation¡¡± ¡°You don¡¯t abandon me, I won¡¯t leave you¡¡± ¡®Qingyang, take care! ¡± ¡°Bang!¡± With her words, the golden light shattered, and the illusory figure dissipated into nothingness. A hand reached out, as if to grasp something, but ultimately caught nothing. It was futile. The Brahma Sound suddenly stopped, the chanting abruptly ended. Underneath the Bodhi Tree, all was silent. Just then, in the real world¡ The closed eyes suddenly sprang open, and the slumbering person also suddenly awoke. Xu Yang sat up, looking around at the familiar yet unfamiliar surroundings, momentarily disoriented in spirit. But this was not the reason for his awakening. The reason he awoke from his dream was that¡ Had he been dreaming (Zhuanzhou Mengdie, the cycle of life and death)? ¡°Reincarnation¡ Rebirth?¡± Looking at the skill characteristics in his skill bar, shining with a faint golden light just like Zhuanzhou Mengdie, Xu Yang fell silent. Had he been dreaming? He had been dreaming all along, through lifetimes in Great Zhou; in Sui and Tang; over five hundred years in total. Thus, the appearance of a second skill trait seemed only natural, right? Zhuanzhou Mengdie, Reincarnation Rebirth¡ Xu Yang raised his head, looking into the endless dark sky, speechless for a long time, but ultimately, heughed. Several monthster, in a mysterious ce out of the reach of mortals. ¡°Head of the Temple!¡± A gray-clothed nun, cradling an infant, approached another nun dressed in white, sitting motionless in meditation on a cushion, and joyfully said, ¡°It¡¯s a girl.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The nun smiled, took the baby, her eyes strangely gleaming, ¡°In that case, it must be fate.¡¯ After saying this, she reached out and touched the child¡¯s forehead, leaving a red dot there. ¡°Last night, when you were born, I could hear the sound of Brahma chanting in the darkness, like a dream, like an illusion, like lightning, like dew.. Thus, I grant you a name, to be called¡ªMeng Fanying!¡± Chapter 74 - 74: 52 Chapter: Conclusion_l Chapter 74: 52 Chapter: Conclusion_l Trantor: 549690339 Time flew by like a shuttle, six hundred yearster. In the midst of a vast desert. ¡°Anomalous maic field fluctuation!¡± ¡°Determine the target¡¯s location!¡± A fighter jet passed by, out of thin air, dropping several people. The groupnded on air, each taking a corner, manipting some kind of instrument in their hands. At this moment, ripples in the void began to swell, resembling illusions of flowers in mirrors and the mirage of a castle in the sky. It turned out to be a pce, ethereal and illusory. ¡°Target has been confirmed!¡± ¡°Indeed it¡¯s the Temple of War God!¡± Several people stood at their positions, controlling the instruments and transmitting their joy. Just then, the void cracked open, and a figure stepped forth. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Data analysis indicates that this maic field should maintain stability for about an hour.¡± ¡°Shall we allow one of us to proceed first?¡± Each of them bowed respectfully and offered their suggestions. Xu Yang shook his head, ¡°No need, you all may withdraw.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Hearing this, the group did not say more and retreated one after another. Xu Yang too took a step forward, walking towards the ethereal pce. The Temple of War God, the greatest secret of this world and the most elusive ce of all. It is said that within, lies the War God¡¯s As, the source of all martial arts and the foremost of the four great ancient texts. Throughout history, many who possessed great luck and destiny stumbled upon this pce by chance and thusprehended earth-shattering, unparalleled martial arts. Longevity Jue, Heavenly Demon Strategy, and Mercy Sailing Sword Scroll all originated from here; each bears traces of the War God¡¯s As. Therefore, as being the foremost of the four great ancient texts and the source of all martial arts, only by mastering the War God¡¯s As can one truly reap the fruit of this world¡¯s essence. This has been the grandest goal of Xu Yang¡¯s rule for eight hundred years. He wanted to enter the Temple of War God! But the Temple of War God was not so easily entered, as it wasn¡¯t a fixed ce but an independent space, a realm on its own, that shifted constantly, with its appearance location always uncertain. Over the past few centuries, it had appeared many times, but Xu Yang always missed it by a hair¡¯s breadth, only able to glean information about the temple and the as from the lucky few who had gained entry. But while those fortunate souls were lucky, their talents and perceptions were not particrly remarkable¡ªat least not to the extent that they could fullyprehend the War God¡¯s As. Thus, they only brought back iplete records or even mere fragments of speech, which, after beingpiled, could at best create incredible skills like Longevity Jue and Heavenly Demon Strategy but were incapable of replicating the War God¡¯s As in its entirety. Fortunately, through the evolving martial arts technology and various means, Xu Yang had deduced the movement pattern of the Temple of War God. Therefore, this time he caught it sessfully. This was also hisst opportunity. He had ruled this world for more than eight hundred years! A Condensing Spirit Martial Artist, attaining Grandmaster status, could, with the marvel of the Martial Arts Scripture, live up to three hundred years. A Co-Dao Martial Artist grasping the Golden Core, if they did not break through the void, would have a lifespan of five hundred years. Xu Yang had already reached the realm of Embracing Core and co-dao eight hundred years ago, utilizing the Evil Emperor¡¯s relic. Only then could he have a battle that ttened Emperor¡¯s Step Peak and eradicated the nine Grandmasters. Absolute power prevailed. After embracing Core and co-dao, his lifespan directly increased to eight hundred and fifty years, nearly two-thirds longer than that of an ordinary This was the result of various skill traits augmentations. But that was the limit. Eight hundred fifty was the extremity; there were no more means to extend it. Thus, in just over a decade, he would die once again. This was hisst chance. If he could not obtain the War God¡¯s As this time, then he would have to consider breaking through the void to gaze upon the rumored wonder of the ¡°Upper Realm.¡± Xu Yang took a step forward, walking into the pce of illusion and mirage. Suddenly, the world spun, the space shifted abruptly, and everything around him changed drastically. He had arrived at an astonishing ce. In the void, Yuan Qi was abundant; all around, unique flowers and alien nts filled his sight. Therey a colossal pce, mountainous in front of him. In an instant, his human body felt so insignificant. Xu Yang stepped forward, walking towards the titanic hall, seeming like a tiny being lost in and of giants. In front of the great hall stood a stone tablet, inscribed with three ancient seal characters of an unknownnguage. Though thenguage was unfamiliar, Xu Yang miraculously understood its meaning. Temple of War God! He took another step closer; behind the tablet stood a massive bronze gate, towering dozens of Zhang high, thick and formidable as a mountain nk. In front of it, Xu Yang resembled an ant, utterly inconsequential. Fortunately, the bronze gate was already slightly ajar, allowing him to enter without having to exert any force to push it open. Xu Yang passed through the gap and entered,ing inside the hall. Immediately, the scene within the hall left him shaken. The space inside the grand hall was even more vast than the outer world, with the dome above disying the sun, moon, stars, and the Milky Way, forming aplex and mysterious constetion map. In the void, forty-nine relief sculptures floated, each asrge as a mountain, suspended without any support in the midst of the void. Xu Yang walked forward and saw that the first relief depicted a god d in strange armor and masked. The deity seated beneath him was a beast resembling but not quite a dragon, diving down from the nine shattered thick clouds, Each piece of thick cloud bore inscriptions from the ¡®Ninefold Heaven¡¯ down to the ¡®First Heaven¡¯. Above the relief, there were also unidentifiable ancient seal characters spelling ¡®War God¡¯s As I¡¯. War God¡¯s As! The supreme Mysterious Skill from the legends! Had he finally found it? Upon seeing this, Xu Yang did not get excited, but instead, his attention was captured by another object. Was that¡ a person? Aside from him, there was still another person sitting in the Temple of War God! Upon noticing this, Xu Yang was not surprised and directly approached,ing to the side of the person. The person had a solemn appearance, with a gentle smile still on the lips, the clothes on the body had weathered away to dust, revealing a well-defined body with drazon-like muscr knots. Xu Yang reached out and gave a gentle press, but the figure did not budge an inch. He channeled his strength, fingers firm as vajra, yet the body remained unmoving. This person, or to be exact, this corpse, had a physical hardness that even surpassed that of Mysterious Iron or refined steel. With Xu Yang¡¯s current strength, there was no metal or mineral in the world that could withstand his full-strength finger. But the corpse withstood it, and he could not even leave the slightest dent on the body despite exerting all his strength. This¡ Xu Yang, upon seeing this, was not surprised either and calmly lowered his gaze. In front of this person, on the ground,y a line of script, written in oracle bone characters. ¡°Guang Chengzi certified Broken Vajra here!¡± ¡°Guang Chengzi?¡± ¡°Broken Vajra?¡± Although he had already heard of this existence from the lucky few who had gained ess to the Temple of War God, it was only after witnessing with his own eyes and feeling with his own hands that Xu Yang truly understood the significance of the words ¡°Broken Vajra.¡± What kind of realm was this? How was it different from the Broken Void? Why did Guang Chengzi not ascend to the Broken Void but died here, or rather, left his physical remains here? How many earth-shattering secrets did the Temple of War God truly contain? No one could provide Xu Yang with the answers. Xu Yang didn¡¯t care, and simply sat down cross-legged, bing neighbors with Guang Chengzi, and began to contemte the forty-nine reliefs amidst the void. This was the inheritance of the ¡°War God¡¯s As,¡± which required extremely high natural talent andprehension ability to grasp the martial arts contained within. If the talent was inadequate and the understanding insufficient, it would be no different from a book without words, utterly iprehensible with its various shapes and unknown characters. Conversely, those with exceptional talent and extraordinary understanding could grasp the true meaning hidden within, even without any literacy, and achieve various insights and realizations. The Longevity Jue, Heavenly Demon Strategy, and Mercy Sailing Sword Scroll from the four major marvelous books were slowly evolved from these realizations. Regrettably, from ancient times to the present, no one has been able toprehend all forty-nine reliefs with Heaven Reaching wisdom, integrating and deducing theplete War God¡¯s As. Could Xu Yang do it? He wasn¡¯t sure himself. His aptitude andprehension were not bad, and with the aid of Skill Traits and centuries of umted knowledge, it wasn¡¯t an overstatement to call him the foremost person of ancient and modern times, or else he wouldn¡¯t have been able to integrate the three marvelous books with all the Martial Arts Scriptures of the world. But facing the War God¡¯s As, he still had no confidence. Because this martial art¡ let¡¯s tentatively call it a martial art, was simply too profound, far surpassing the three marvelous books, and to call it a cultivation technique of cultivating immortals or gods was no exaggeration. Even Xu Yang suspected that among Cultivation Skills, it held an extremely high status, and the Temple ot War God itself did not seem like a creation of ordinary men, existing as a world of its own, with spatial shifting¡ In short, the waters here were deep, and Xu Yang wasn¡¯t sure how much he could probe. Therefore, he could only do his best. Xu Yang opened his mind, gazing at the forty-nine gigantic reliefs in the void, and suddenly saw countless magnificent and mysterious shocking sights that he couldn¡¯t help but be immersed in. And so he did, for an unknowable length of time. In the real world, within the cabin, Xu Yang slowly opened his eyes, looking bewildered and confused. He¡ was dead? Yes, he was dead! How had he died? Xu Yang wasn¡¯t very clear himself, only remembering that he had been immersed in the War God¡¯s As, like a dry sponge soaking up water from the ocean of knowledge, utterly lost to the world and unaware of the passage of time. Until his consciousness was jolted, and he woke up from a deep sleep, only to discover he was dead. More urately, ¡°Xu Qingyang¡± was dead. Xu Yang sat up and was dumbfounded for a while before he was able to stabilize his condition and sort out his thoughts. He indeed had died, but it was not due to any attack or from not eating for too long and dying of thirst or starvation. With ¡°Xu Qingyang¡¯s¡± current cultivation, he couldpletely sustain himself on air and abstinence, as long as he absorbed Yuan Qi from heaven and earth; not eating or drinking for decades would not be a problem. And there were no enemies within the Temple of War God, only an old neighbor, Guang Chengzi, so he naturally would not have been attacked. He had died because his lifespan was exhausted. Immersing himself in the War God¡¯s As, he had contemted for over a decade, reaching the life limit of eight hundred and fifty years. So, he died. This left him feeling somewhat regretful. The War God¡¯s As was too vast and mysterious, and even after sitting in meditation in the temple for more than a decade, he still had not fully prated and cultivated theplete War God¡¯s As, only understanding some of its subtleties. After organizing these subtleties, perhaps he could derive a world-shattering book that would even surpass the Longevity Jue, Heavenly Demon Strategy, and Mercy Sailing Sword Scroll, but still, it would notpare to theplete War God¡¯s As. That was not something an ordinary person could cultivate. Therefore, Xu Yang did not dwell on it too much, but sighed and mused to himself, ¡°I wonder how long my remains willst. If someer enters the Temple of War God and sees two dead men sitting side by side, will they think the War God¡¯s As is deadly and dare not contemte and practice it?¡± ¡°If so, then the sin would be vast.¡± ¡°If I have another chance to enter this world in the future, I must uncover the secrets of the Temple of War God and figure out a way to pocket it, just like¡¡± As he murmured, Xu Yang looked down at a seal in his hand, a slight smile appearing on his face.. Chapter 75 - 53: Harvest (Summary, Data Flow)_1 Chapter 75: Chapter 53: Harvest (Summary, Data Flow)_1 Trantor: 549690339 Eight hundred years, a lifetime, has ended once again. This time, there was no mood for reciting poems. Because the spirit was a bit exhausted, and the soul somewhat heavy. This was unavoidable. Although possessing the trait of ¡°Youthful Forever,¡± which kept his body perpetually young, the aging of the soul was not included in this. The dusting of the soul, with the body not old yet the spirit waning, and ultimately the heart dying and the spirit dissolving, or the soul bing overrun by demons and perishing in the Heavenly Demon Catastrophe, are allmon urrences. Therefore, the cultivation of the soul is very important. Martial Artists in the Four-Realm Condensing Spirit who fail to perfect their souls will never achieve the Grandmaster Realm, let alone step into a higher one. Xu Yang¡¯s soul wasplete, having stepped into the fifth realm, Embracing Core and co-dao, shattering the void, but eight hundred years of time still dusted his heart with weariness, tinting it with traces of old age. So¡ Xu Yang, holding the Jade Seal in his hand, slowly closed his eyes, and his mind cleared in an instant, as if cleansed and purified. The heaviness of the years and the fatigue of time washed away swiftly, restoring vigor to his soul and returning it to youth. The Heshi Jade! The Imperial Jade Seal! This was a rare treasure capable of cleansing the soul and strengthening the Divine Soul. Even in the world of Great Tang, methods for directly enhancing the Divine Soul and improving the level of one¡¯s heart condition were scarce; they could only be achieved by concentrating on something and growing through the path of Enlightenment, without direct methods of cultivation. Otherwise, reaching the Grandmaster Realm would not be so difficult. Although there are no direct methods to cultivate the Divine Soul and improve one¡¯s heart condition, some treasures do possess such wonderful uses. For instance, the Bodhi Tree that the Li n offered him as tribute from Tianzhu Country, nted atop Heaven Martial Mountain, and this Heshi Jade, the Imperial Jade Seal, representing the ultimate symbol of power in the Central ins Dynasty. All these treasures could effectively enhance the power of the Divine Soul and improve the cultivation of one¡¯s heart condition, with the Heshi Jade being the most potent. Therefore, Xu Yang had ¡°transported¡± it back. Zhuanzhou Mengdie enabled the passage between existence and nonexistence by consuming the power of the Divine Soul, allowing the exchange of skill traits, cultivation levels, and various items between his true body and avatars. Among them, the skill trait transfer had the lowest cost, followed by cultivation, with items being the most burdensome. To transport the Heshi Jade, Xu Yang spent a full four hundred years: the first two hundred strengthening his Divine Soul with various methods and rare treasures, and the next two hundred were spent in a weakened state of his Divine Soul after seeding in the transfer, recovering and replenishing it. In other words, to obtain the Heshi Jade, Xu Yang sacrificed many skill traits. But it was worth it. The world level of Great Tang was not much higher than that of Great Zhou; in a few hundred years, no earth-shattering skill traits had emerged. Xu Yang had long ago selected the most effective and cost-efficient ones to transfer, giving up only the chicken ribs, tasteless yet regrettable to discard. It was not a loss to exchange them for the Heshi Jade. The Heshi Jade, which could effectively increase the power of the Divine Soul and improve the cultivation of the heart condition, held an extremely significant strategic value for one who could dream as Zhuanzhou and travel through countless worlds. It was essential capital for starting his legacy. Having addressed the issues of a dusty heart condition and an aging Divine Soul, the next step was the cultivation technique. There wasn¡¯t much to say about that. The Martial Arts Scripture had gained another lifetime¡¯s umtion, advancing further from a hundred-foot pole, having fully deduced the systems of Four-Realm Condensing Spirit and Five-Realm Co-Dao, and due to the blending of Longevity Jue, Heavenly Demon Strategy, Mercy Sailing Sword Scroll, and Heavenly de Eight Styles among the top martial arts, the arts of Dao Protection in repelling enemies and battling had also greatly increased. With the method for Proving the Dao and achieving eternal life, as well as the art of Dao Protection inbat, coupled with medical, pill, and formation Imowledge, Xu Yang¡¯s foundation of cultivation had deepened by a substantial amount. He already did not need to worry about issues such as cultivation practice and techniques for a while. Besides, he had sat in contemtion in the Temple of War God for over ten years,prehending the War God¡¯s As, gaining many insights and understandings that, if integrated into the Martial Arts Scripture, could lead to further innovation and indirect knowledge and even possibly offer a glimpse into realms above Embracing Core and co -dao. Therefore, there was no issue with cultivation techniques! Having spoken about the acquisitions of items and techniques, thest was the foundation of his existence. The Attribute Panel, Skill Traits! Xu Yang Lifespan: 54/210 Cultivation: True Qi Stage Existing skills: Eating, sleeping, breathing, cooking, fishing, boating, farming, disguising, knife sharpening, using hidden weapons, swimming, ughtering, walking, archery, craftsmanship, reading¡ New traits: Dreaming (Zhuanzhou Mengdie, Cyclic Rebirth) Teaching (Patient Guidance, Mutual Learning, Leading by Example, Spreading Martial Arts to the World, Making Everyone Like a Dragon, All Age Mentor) Martial Practice (Heaven rewards hard work, Cleansing Marrow, Eternal Youth, Martial Path Communicates with God, Founder of Martial Scripture, Unity of Heaven and Man) New skills: Formation (Rock Formations, Blend False with True) Taoist Skills (Whim, Divination with grassroots, Watching people and looking at qi, Dragon seeking and acupuncture) Medicine (The magic hand rejuvenates, Medicine cures diseases, Golden needle crossing acupoints, Qi moving across the pce, Yanluo returns life) nting (Exotic flowers and herbs, Weather Controlling, Abundant Harvest, Robust Growth, Pest and Disease Reduction) Although Xu Yang had lived for more than eight hundred years in the Great Tang world, after deducting the over four hundred years spent on transporting the Heshi Jade and various other expenditures, only a little over three hundred years were actually avable for practicing skills and acquiring traits. Therefore, the newly added skills and traits this time were not too numerous and could be analyzed one by one. First is Dreaming, where Zhuanzhou Mengdie goes without saying, but the focus is on Cyclic Rebirth, the second four-character trait with a golden light effect after Zhuanzhou Mengdie, involving the power of ¡°reincarnation..¡± Chapter 76 - 53: Harvest (Summary, Data Flow)_2 Chapter 76: Chapter 53: Harvest (Summary, Data Flow)_2 Trantor: 549690339 Xu Yang could use this skill trait to guide a soul, urately speaking, the soul of a living being through transcendence, assisting its reincarnation, rebirth, and transmigration, while also protecting its true spirit from extinguishment. He could prate the mystery of the womb, maintain or revive past life memories as early as possible, and prevent the ¡°true self¡± from being lost. This was very important. Based on the effect of this trait, although reincarnation could be seen as rebirth, in reality, it was not much different from being killed; both memories and self would be erased. After such reincarnation, whether the reborn you was still you was unclear to anyone. But with this trait, one could protect the true spirit from extinction, shelter it from the cleansing of reincarnation. Once the mystery of the womb was solved, the true self-consciousness would recover and take absolute control, truly living out a ¡°second life¡±. From this, one could see the terror of this skill trait; theoretically, it could even achieve a hundred lifetimes of re-cultivation. Thus, possessing a golden light effect, alongside Zhuanzhou Mengdie, was absolutely unproblematic. Following the dream was the much-discussed skill of teaching and martial arts practice. The teacher gained a new trait called ¡°All Age Mentor¡±. Martial arts practice gained ¡°Heaven rewards hardwork¡± and ¡°Unity of Heaven and Man¡±. All Age Mentor was, quite simply, exactly what it sounds like ¡ª bing a mentor for all ages. As long as one cultivated the Martial Arts Scriptures, they would automatically be considered Xu Yang¡¯s disciple, influenced by his ¡°teaching¡± skill, bringing him insights and feedback from the teaching. Though the effects of this teaching couldn¡¯tpare to hands-on personal instruction, its advantage was in the numbers. Anyone who practiced the Martial Arts Scripture or any cultivation technique created by Xu Yang would, willy-nilly, be considered his disciple. With such numbers, the impact was self-evident. After the Great Tang had stabilized the world for eight hundred years, hundreds of millions of martial artists worldwide were Xu Yang¡¯s indirect disciples, all providing him with feedback on their insights, significantly speeding up his extraption of the Martial Arts Scripture and even increasing his cultivation, the benefits of which were evident. This was All Age Mentor. As for ¡°Heaven rewards hardwork¡± and ¡°Unity of Heaven and Man¡±. ¡°Unity of Heaven and Man¡± needs no further exnation, having been introduced before. ¡°Heaven rewards hardwork¡± was an upgraded version of the original ¡°Diligence Makes Up Sabotage¡±. The original ¡°Diligence Makes Up Sabotage¡± was just aboutpensating for talent through hard work, and the effect was¡ reasonable, sufficiently satisfactory. Butpared to ¡°Heaven rewards hardwork¡±, they were not at the same level. With ¡°Heaven rewards hardwork¡±, as long as you diligently pursued your goal, you would definitely be rewarded and progress. Of course, that was the theory. In practice, it was still challenging, since it only guaranteed a reward, not a ¡°huge¡± reward. Without the support of conditions likews, wealth,panions, and location, advancements were still fraught with difficulty. But this didn¡¯t detract from its value, especially for Xu Yang, who had ample time and could easily procurews, wealth,panions, and locations. The ¡°Heaven rewards hardwork¡± trait could help him break through many bottlenecks and even carve a new path. With the additional traits exined, let¡¯s look at the new skills acquired. There weren¡¯t many, but they were all quality skills. Taoist Skills, its full name being the Five Skills of Taoism, namely: Mountain, Medicine, Destiny, Physiognomy, and Divination. Having stabilized the world for over eight hundred years in the Great Tang, Xu Yang¡¯s cultivation in the martial arts field had reached perfection. Therefore, Xu Yang began to explore other areas, especially those ¡°mystical¡± and ¡°supernatural¡± fields, such as Buddhism and Taoism, Haoran Confucianism. But¡ Though the Great Tang could achieve ascension, breaking through the void to enter the Upper Realm, it was essentially a world dominated by martial arts. There were no such entities as immortals, demons, gods, or Buddhas, at least not in the Great Tang. Everything, aside from the mysterious and unfathomable Temple of War God, could be exined and achieved through martial arts. As a result, all these things that Xu Yang dabbled in were ultimately ssified under the category of ¡°martial arts practice¡±, unable to generate corresponding skill traits. In the end, he had to switch his approach, not using Gang Yuan or martial arts, just purely ¡°performing¡± these tasks, bing someone who divines fortunes, reads faces, practices Feng Shui, or works as an Array Master¡ And so, after fooling around for several hundred years, he finally developed some rted skill traits. For example, in the Formation skill, with the Blend False with True trait, one could use rocks to arrange formations, alter the environment, Deceive perception, and achieve an ¡°Illusion Array¡± effect. The same was true for the Taoist Skills like Whim, Divination with grassroots, Watching people and looking at qi, and Dragon seeking and acupuncture. Whim meant asionally having precognitive twinges on a whim. It wasn¡¯t always urate, nor was it always inurate. Divination with grassroots allowed one to use grassroots for divination to predict fortunes and misfortunes, but it still couldn¡¯t guarantee uracy, sometimes being effective and other times not. Watching people and looking at qi was a bit better; one could observe a person¡¯s demeanor and facial features, judge their status and potential, even discern their cultivation level, but this was contingent upon not too great a disparity in ¡°rank¡± between the two parties. If an ordinary forteller tried to discern the supreme destiny of the emperor, they would likely discern nothing. Dragon seeking and acupuncture followed the same principle, allowing one to locate auspicious Feng Shui sites, but also depending on the rank disparity. Don¡¯t expect an average Feng Shui master with mediocre cultivation to find an imperial tomb. All in all, they were all mediocre. But Xu Yang did not despise them. Through experimentation, it was proven that these ¡°mystical¡± skill traits were extremely hard to develop, as such abilities could potentially involve ¡®heavenly secrets. To be able to develop such high-level things was already quite an achievement, so why be picky and dissatisfied? Xu Yang was a content and happy man, so he was never picky or disdainful. Thest of his medical and cultivation skills were just as they sounded. The magic hand rejuvenates, enhancing the effect of ¡°techniques.¡± The medicine cures the disease, enhancing the effect of ¡°medications.¡± Golden needle crossing acupoints involved acupuncture, pushing qi through the pce was about massage, and Yanluo returns life was about temporarily boosting a patient¡¯s vitality during treatment. As for the wondrous flowers and exotic herbs, favorable weather for crops, abundant harvests, and robust growth with few pests and diseases, there¡¯s no need to say more; the meaning is clear on the face of it. Thus, the results of over eight hundred years in the Great Tang were fully ounted for. Items, the Heshi Jade! Cultivation Technique, Five Realms Martial Arts Scripture! Skill Traits, all sorts of new additions! His gains were abundant, with almost no regrets¡ Regrets? Xu Yang sat on the bed board, looking at the Heshi Jade in his hand, and fell silent. He could say that he lived a life with a clear conscience. But he couldn¡¯t say that he lived a life without any regrets. There are always regrets in life. Even he was no exception. Shi Feixuan¡ Over two hundred years ofpanionship, many things had been left unsaid. The reason their rtionship hadn¡¯t advanced further was because both parties had their own concerns. Her concerns were Fan Qinghui, the Mercy Sailing Silent Temple and the deathbed entrustment of her master. Although Xu Yang wanted her and she wouldn¡¯t refuse, the barrier in her heart, that guilt and burden, ultimately could not be dissolved. And Xu Yang had his own concerns. He didn¡¯t want to be moved or to feel. To walk the Martial Path alone meant to be heartless and solitary by nature. If he could hardly take care of himself, how could he take care of others? Thus, he had always avoided matters of the heart. But some things, you can¡¯t avoid just because you want to. Who among us is emotionless as grass and trees? Under the Bodhi Tree, that final farewell, still vivid in his mind, the passing of hundreds of years had not washed it away. This was his only regret in the Great Tang world, apart from the Temple of War God, and also the greatest regret of this lifetime. Is there still a chance to mend this regret, a hope to reim it? Xu Yang didn¡¯t know. Though in the end, through reincarnation, he could protect her true spirit from extinction, ensuring her rebirth, and she would definitely be reborn in the same world as him, since this cycle of life and death was rooted in him. But¡ with the vastness of the world and the boundlessness of humanity, even if she could be reborn ande to this world, whether they could renew their past rtionship, Xu Yang could not guarantee. ¡°Let¡¯s leave it to fate then!¡± In the end, he sighed lightly and epted the oue.. Chapter 77 - 54: Impermanence 1 Chapter 77: Chapter 54: Impermanence 1 Trantor: 549690339 Having said all that, it has passed. To live is to look to the future. What should be the next step? Xu Yang fell into thought. Continue dreaming the dreams of Zhuanzhou Mengdie? That¡¯s certain, but not now. The eight hundred years had eroded too heavily, and even with an extraordinary treasure like the Heshi Jade,pletely cleansing the spirit and regaining vitality would require some time. Before that, Xu Yang did not n to dream again. Besides, the umtion of eight hundred years, along with thest decade or so of insights from the War God¡¯s As, also needed time to be assimted and mastered; one shouldn¡¯t just umte without utilizing. Thus, the next step should focus on the development in the real world. Dreaming the Zhuanzhou Mengdie dreams may be wonderful, but they are ultimately but illusions, and the reality of one¡¯s physical existence is the foundation. If the physical self is in constant peril, then any amount of dreaming, any achievements, are meaningless. One must strengthen the physical body¡¯s power, extend the lifespan, and use various methods to aid and protect one¡¯s Dao. All of these can be achieved through cultivating the Martial Arts Scripture. In the world of Great Tang, over eight hundred years had passed; in the real world, nearly three years had gone by. During these three years, Xu Yang had continuously cultivated the Martial Arts Scripture, intentionally or otherwise, actively or passively, while asleep. Hence, his cultivation had reached the True Qi Stage and was alreadyplete, soon to transform into True Gang. With a cultivation level of Martial Path True Gang, he already possessed a certain self-defense capability in this mundane world and could even consider establishing his own Martial World faction or opening a martial arts school. The power of a group will always surpass that of an individual; the benefits of establishing a force go without saying. The examples of Hundred Broken Mountains in the world of Great Zhou and the Security Hall in the world of Great Tang are but the best instances. But¡ Xu Yang pondered for a long while, but eventually conceded the idea. The real world is different from Great Zhou and Great Tang. Over these three years, he had also conducted various explorations in his spare time. The deeper he probed, the more dangerous it became. When he established forces in Great Zhou and Great Tang, he faced covetousness from all quarters, exclusion, and even brazen acts of seizing power. Could things be calm in the real world? Clearly not. Gangs would vie for territory, martial arts schools for disciples. In any industry where there are benefits, conflicts are bound to arise. Skirmishes of the Martial World are inevitable. Xu Yang had no desire to be enmeshed in such whirlwinds and to stage the all-too-familiar theatrics of ¡°after beating the small ones,e the big ones, and after the big ones, the undying seniors¡± with those bastards. Thus, establishing a force was temporarily out of the question. But not establishing a force does not mean he couldn¡¯t teach martial arts. The various attributes of the teacher¡¯s skills, such as mutual growth through teaching and All Age Mentor, possess extremely powerful assistive effects that can effectively enhance the speed of cultivation. It would be too wasteful not to utilize them. Therefore. Xu Yang nned to alter his appearance and, under the guise of a ¡°martial expert,¡± impart certain Martial Arts Scriptures, even directly print and mass-produce martial arts manuals, scattering a dozen here and a heap there. In doing so, he could not only disseminate the Martial Arts Scripture and enjoy various feedback bonuses from the teacher¡¯s skills; he could also conceal his identity. As long as enough people cultivated the Martial Arts Scripture, when he used those techniques in the future, it wouldn¡¯t attract excessive attention or suspicion. Of course, the Martial Arts Scriptures he threw out couldn¡¯t be the full version. Theplete Martial Arts Scripture was all-epassing, a mature cultivation system. Had he disposed of the entirety, it was unpredictable how many disturbances it would cause or how much attention it would draw. Xu Yang would not create such trouble for himself. He only nned to release a simplified version of the Martial Arts Scripture. It would contain only the methods from the Inner Strength stage to the True Gang stage, and various secret techniques and ultimate moves from the Power Scroll and Fighting Scroll would also be cut. This simplified Martial Arts Scripture would be only slightly stronger than the top-tier martial arts passed around in the ordinary world, just a tiny bit more, no more, no less, perfect for testing the waters. In addition to teaching the Martial Arts Scripture, constructing air, breeding alien beasts, and undertaking cultivation production were also agenda items. Farming is a challenging task but also a joyful one, especially when the harvest belongs entirely to you. He had no interest in the Martial World or seeking immortality through Cultivation. He just wanted to live his life well. In the vast expanse of Dongting Lake, he dreamed of fishing, feeding eagles, finding a secluded ind to settle down, setting upyers of formations for self-protection, undisturbed; raising cats and dogs, chickens and ducks, snakes and turtles; nting flowers and grass, and opening up a few acres of rice fields and orchards¡ In short, to farm honestly and practice martial arts quietly! Until he was unmatched in the world, then he would leave seclusion to kill those bastards who troubled him and prevented him from living a peaceful life! Such a simple, humble, unpretentious little wish. After all, cultivating the Martial Arts Scripture currently requires only the essence of Qi Blood, with no need for nature¡¯s spiritual energy, Spirit Stones, or Spirit Veins; surely those unknown Cultivators hidden somewhere wouldn¡¯t bother to find trouble with a mere fisherman in the mundane world, right? Thus¡ Time flies, years pass swiftly by. In the blink of an eye, three months passed. It was still the same fish market, the same tavern, but much had changed. After all, three years had gone by. Three years, while not exceptionally long, brought many changes. First was the Goldfish Gang; it¡ was no more. How it disappeared, opinions varied. Some said it offended a certain big shot, others conjectured a hero had intervened. In any case, it was gone. Gone was gone. Such things were all toomon in the Martial World. Not just the people in the Martial World, but evenmoners had grown ustomed to witnessing the rise and fall of different powers; it didn¡¯t matter who was in charge, it was all the same to them. Eat they must, and work they must. The Goldfish Gang was gone, but the Iron Lion Gang remained, though the once mighty Eight Roaring Lions had now been wiped out. An unappreciated disciple, known by the nickname ¡°ck Dog,¡± seized power through conspiracy and killed several lion cubs and the old lion, and took thest lioness. He was thoroughly enjoying himself. Indeed, the world is unpredictable, nothing can be foreseen. In those three years, amidst all the change, only one name remained unaltered, a taboo. ¡°Old xu!¡± Many still vividly remember that bloody affair, that tumultuous episode from three years ago. Nobody dared to mention it, even though the Goldfish Gang was no more, and the Iron Lion Gang had died out too. Why? Because after the Goldfish Gang was gone, the Silver Fork Gang appeared, and nothing changed. In fact, things got even worse. But none of this concerned Xu Yang. ¡°Old Xu¡± was a thing of the past. Now, he was a martial artist dressed in ck, with a sword slung on his back and an air of Evil Qi about him. No one dared to provoke him, let alone let their imaginations run wild enough to connect him with the old fisherman from years ago. ¡°Honored guest, your wine!¡± A buxom and graceful woman approached, delicately cing a pot of wine in front of Xu Yang, deliberately leaning forward to reveal an enticing glimpse of her chest. She was called Jiu Niangzi, the new proprietress of the tavern, rumored to be the daughter of the former ¡°San Niangzi¡±, following in her mother¡¯s footsteps. Xu Yang ignored the tant hint, picked up his chopsticks, and continued to eat and drink. Just like in the past. Only, things had changed: the beverages and dishes were no longer watered-down sour wine or fatty meat and skimpy chicken, but rather fragrant, intoxicating Huadiao wine and deliciously cooked gourmet dishes¡ There were also no loudmouth drunks spewing nonsense nearby. Much morefortable. After having his fill, Xu Yang left a piece of small denomination silver on the table and stood up to leave. Jiu Niangzi looked on with longing: ¡°Honored guest, take care. Doe back more often!¡± Xu Yang smiled and left the tavern, where a donkey cart had been waiting for a while. The carter pulled back the curtain: ¡°Honored guest, your goods are all loaded. Where should I deliver them to?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Xu Yang smiled, climbed onto the cart, and with a light flick of the whip, took up the reins adeptly. Seeing him so down-to-earth, the carter felt much more at ease and struck up a casual conversation: ¡°Honored guest, you really handle the cart impressively, even more steady than this old fellow who¡¯s been driving for over a decade.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡¡± The two chatted andughed while driving towards the outskirts of town. Suddenly¡ ¡°Come here, everyonee over.¡± At the entrance to the fish market, there was amotion. Xu Yang stopped the cart and looked toward the noise, only to see a group of brawny men hauling a bloodied young man, and hanging him directly from the archway of the fish market. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Old Chu¡¯s boy?¡± ¡°I remember, his name is Chu He or something like that.¡± ¡°How did he get into trouble with the Silver Fork Gang¡¡± ¡°Did hemit some kind of offense?¡± ¡°Who knows!¡± As the Silver Fork Gang hung up the bloodied youth, everyone felt a jolt of fear. They wanted to leave but dared not make a move. ¡°Hmph!¡± At that moment, a burly leader of the Silver Fork Gang snorted coldly andshed his long whip forcefully onto the boy¡¯s body, adding another ghastly, bloody welt. ¡°This brat, daring to steal our Silver Fork Gang¡¯s Martial Arts Secret Techniques, truly audacious and oblivious to death! Today, I will show everyone what happens when you vite the rules of my Silver Fork Gang, so no one else makes the same grave mistake.¡± With that said, anothersh struck the boy. The crowd fell silent upon hearing this. Just beside the burly man was a weasel-faced man dressed like a fisherman, who chuckled and said, ¡°Well struck, Eight Masters! Your skills are improving by the day. This Chu family brat dared to steal our Silver Fork Gang¡¯s martial arts ¨C he was asking for it. And as for that old man, pah, he got off easy¡¡± While ttering the burly man, he also intimidated the onlookers, tantly ying the role of a sycophant. Seeing this, the people felt both anger and fear, yet none spoke out. They knew what was going on. Stealing the Silver Fork Gang¡¯s Martial Arts Secret Technique? If that Chu boy had such skills, would he still be toiling on theke under the sun and wind, fishing? Most likely, he had fortuitously found a Martial Arts Secret Technique and was secretly practicing it when the sycophant caught him and ratted him out to the Silver Fork Gang. Upon hearing that a fisherman was covertly practicing martial arts, the Silver Fork Gang couldn¡¯t stand it, suspecting that he stumbled upon a Divine Skill. They immediately led arge group to the scene, seized the Chu boy, and tortured him cruelly. Such incidents were not umon. After the Silver Fork Gang rose to power, they became even more heinous and intensified their actions, turning a blind eye even if many cases were built on false charges or were entirely fabricated, ruling with an iron fist. In recent years, several fishermen had already met unjust deaths. And now, the Chu family was added to the list. Old Chu was likely already dead, and as for that little boy, it was uncertain how much longer he could endure. Those damn Silver Fork Gang! The crowd cursed silently in their hearts, still keeping their silence. ¡°Take a good look; this is the result of practicing the Silver Fork Gang¡¯s martial arts without permission!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say Eight Masters didn¡¯t warn you all. Some things are not for everyone to touch. If anyone dares to steal from the Silver Fork Gang again, or finds something but doesn¡¯t turn it in and secretly tampers with it, hmph, this will be the consequence!¡± With that, anothersh struck down forcefully. The blood-soaked boy hung in mid-air, only letting out a muffled groan, no longer having the strength to scream. ¡°Leave him hanging here, as a lesson for those who pass by!¡± ¡®Yes!¡± The manager of the Silver Fork Gang threw down his whip and left with his men, leaving only two gang members to watch the scene. Seeing this, the onlookers dared not speak and quickly left with bowed heads. ¡°Honored guest¡¡± On the donkey cart, the carter looked worriedly at Xu Yang, fearing that this guest with a sword on his back, a figure out of the Martial World, might take up the cause of injustice and lend his sword in aid. Xu Yang smiled, said nothing, spurred the donkey cart on with his whip, and headed straight for the docks.. Chapter 78 - 55: Fisherman_l Chapter 78: Chapter 55: Fisherman_l Trantor: 549690339 The season was deep autumn, and the mist was starting to rise at night. At the fish market entrance, beneath the signboard, the young boy remained hanging. To kill one to warn a hundred, to shake the hearts of the people. ¡°Damn it, this is really bad luck, why can those guys go and drink with Eight Masters while we have to guard this stinking brat and drink the north wind?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you,d, are also not willing to give proper tribute to Eight Masters. These tough and dirty jobs naturally fall to poor devils like us.¡± ¡°His mother, those stinking fishermen, even if you squeeze them dry they don¡¯t have much Silver. I got up early this morning to search Old Chu¡¯s boat, and what do I find? A bunch of broken household stuff. After all the trouble of finding a few coins, they all went to Eight Masters, and I didn¡¯t get a single one.¡± ¡°Be content, at least the kid only found an ordinary Fist Skill manual. If he really had picked up a Divine Skill Secret Scroll and mastered it, we¡¯d be the ones losing our lives, just like Old Xu three years ago. Man, you don¡¯t know how ruthless he was, that third daughter of the Goldfish Gang¡¡± On the small table beside them, two members of the Silver Fork Gang were grumbling. For such matters, every gang and sect had long established aplete set of procedures. First was surveince, tracking unusual behaviors through various signs. If someone suddenly came into money for no reason or behaved out of the ordinary¡ªfishermen not focusing on fishing, farmers not tilling thend as they ought, but instead sneaking around practicing Fist Skills, learning martial arts¡ªthen, without a doubt, there was a problem. Then came the informants. The resources of the gangs were limited; they could not constantly monitor everyone. Therefore, they resorted to an informant system, with everyone watching each other, ready to report at the first sign of trouble. Last was torture. Upon receiving a lead, they would immediately seize the person, subject them to severe interrogation, and by all means, dig out the other party¡¯s secrets. They would also loot the person¡¯s home, kill them, and leave no trace of trouble behind. If nothing could be extracted, they would toss the half-dead person out as fish bait to see what they might catch. Now, it was the ¡°fishing¡± stage. They hung the Chu Family boy up here to see if they could unexpectedly reel something in. If there were gains, so much the better, but no worries if not. After all, who wouldn¡¯t like to undertake a no-cost all-profit venture? It just made things tough for these minor gang members, who had to stand guard here in the chilly night, and also¡ ¡°I tell you, working in our line of business is not without risk. Do you know the Goldfish Gang? Back in the day, they were doing our kind of work, which drew in a big fish. In a single night, someone wiped out the entire Goldfish Gang, paving the way for our Silver Fork Gang to rise.¡± ¡°Really? That dangerous? Why would our gang leader still engage in such activities, isn¡¯t he afraid of ending up like the Goldfish Gang?¡± ¡°What do you know? Do you think our gang leader has the final say in these matters? There are so many important figures behind the scenes. That¡¯s why, as soon as I get my Silver, I go enjoy myself immediately, better than being left with nothing when you¡¯re dead. That would be a huge loss.¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Bang!¡± In the midst of their conversation, a Flying Stone suddenly shot through the air, and both men fell to the ground. Immediately after, from within the dense night mist, a person leaped into view, flicking a finger to release a stream of True Qi that snapped the rope holding the young boy. Catching the falling boy and tucking him under the arm, the stranger swiftly made an exit. A momentter, on Dongting Lake, aboard a ck-canopied boat. ¡°Ugh-I¡± Chu He¡¯s eyelids twitched as he slowly came to, immediately feeling intense pain throughout his body, except for a warm sensation on his back. ¡°Where am 1¡?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move, I¡¯m treating your wounds!¡± Chu He was startled and wanted to get up, but he heard these words, which seemed to carry a strange power, causing him to involuntarily stop his motion. Although he dared not move, he could still look around. Chu He rolled his eyes left and right, realizing he was sitting on a ck-canopied boat, surrounded by the familiar waters of Dongting Lake. Was he safe now? The familiar surroundings allowed Chu He to rx a bit, but soon his heart was filled with sorrow and anger again. He was originally just a fisherman¡¯s son, making a living by fishing on Dongting Lake with his father, enduring oppression and living a life of extreme hardship. One day, by chance, he stumbled upon a martial arts manual. No, it hardly qualified as a secret manual, just an ordinary Fist Skill manual. Even though it was just an ordinary Fist Skill manual, for a fisherman¡¯s son like him, it still represented a hope to transcend his ss and change his fate. So he kept it a secret from his father and practiced the Fist Skills from the manual in hiding. He couldn¡¯t read, so he practiced by following the illustrations, desperately trying to develop some martial skills. In the end, he didn¡¯t manage to develop any martial arts skills before the Silver Fork Gang caught on. It turned out that a fellow fisherman, Zhang San, had seen him practicing the Fist Skills in secret and reported him to the enforcers of the Silver Fork Gang. Just the hint that someone might be secretly practicing martial arts was enough for the Silver Fork Gang. They stormed onto his family¡¯s boat with arge group, turned the boat upside down¡ªtheir only means of livelihood¡ªconfiscated the Fist Skill manual, and that wasn¡¯t all. They smashed their belongings, stole their money, and even beat his father to death. Still unsatisfied, these people grabbed him and tortured him, demanding that he hand over anything else he might have found. But he had nothing else; all he found was the Fist Skill manual. Nheless, the Silver Fork Gang did not care about the truth. They tortured him almost to death and then hung him up at the entrance of the fish market, clearly not intending to let him go. Do it thoroughly or not at all; that was the way of the Silver Fork Gang. It was at this point that Chu He realized how naive and foolish his actions had been. He not only caused his own death but also that of his father.. Chapter 79 - 55: Fisherman_2 Chapter 79: Chapter 55: Fisherman_2 Trantor: 549690339 Those people, they won¡¯t reason with you, because you are just amoner, amoner as lowly as grass. As long as you are under suspicion, as soon as they think you are under suspicion, they will move against you. First, they will crush your bones and suck your marrow, then they will ruthlessly kill you off, leaving no hidden dangers behind. Reason? Present evidence? Who do you think you are to reason with me? Chu He finally saw the reality clearly. Unfortunately¡ it was toote. He had already lost everything. Chu He was in a daze, overwhelmed with grief. Just at that moment¡ A stream of strange True Power came from behind, infusing into every limb and bone of his body, making Chu He feel as if he were submerged in a spring, his entire body rxed, the acute pain gradually fading. So it went, for who knows how long. The strange True Power slowly dissipated, and Chu He returned from his dream-like state to reality, frantically checking his body, only to find that many of his bloody wounds had now scabbed over. ¡°That should be about enough.¡± Xu Yang lowered his hands and looked at the bewildered Chu He, asking, ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°Good, good.. Chu He was stunned for a while, then quickly came to his senses, hurriedly propping himself up and falling to his knees, ¡°Thank you, old immortal, for saving my life. ¡± At this moment, Xu Yang, d in a raincoat and without a hat, his white hair showing signs of advanced age and his face crisscrossed with wrinkles, looked just like an old fisherman. But Chu He knew that a person capable of such feats could not possibly be just an ordinary old man. He must be an immortal, if not an immortal, then a Different person. He must seize this opportunity! Looking at Chu He, who was kneeling on the ground and kowtowing repeatedly, Xu Yang shook his head and asked calmly, ¡°Do you want revenge?¡± ¡°Revenge?¡± Chu He¡¯s eyes focused sharply, and he lifted his head, then banged it against the ground again: ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve dreamt of it.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Xu Yang nodded and got straight to the point, ¡°I will teach you a martial art. If you master it, taking revenge won¡¯t be difficult.¡± ¡°Martial art?¡± Chu He was startled, then suddenly overjoyed: ¡°Thank you, old immortal, thank you!¡± ¡°I am not any old immortal, just a simple fisherman from Dongting Lake.¡± Xu Yang shook his head and stated calmly, ¡°Would you like to be the disciple of this fisherman?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, Chu He is willing.¡± Chu He knelt on the ground and kowtowed loudly: ¡°Master above, your disciple Chu He bows to you.¡± ¡°Very good, rise!¡± Xu Yang smiled and helped him up: ¡°Our fate is only tonight. How much you can grasp depends on your destiny.¡± ¡°Tonight?¡± Chu He was taken aback, not understanding. Xu Yang did not exin but simply said, ¡°I will now teach you the Martial Scripture Manuscript, to aid you in operating the martial arts mental skills. This is the foundation of cultivation, the source of all else, not to be neglected, but to beprehended with care!¡± After saying that, he raised both hands, ced them against Chu He¡¯s, and assisted him in operating the Power Scroll mental skills with his own True Qi. So it went, for who knows how long¡ ¡°Very good, your body has remembered the pathways of the martial arts mental skills. If you practice diligently and work hard in your cultivation, one day you will produce Inner Strength, cultivate True Qi, and even condense True Gang.¡± Xu Yang lowered his hands, looking at the astonished Chu He: ¡°Martial skills alone are not enough; you also need martial techniques to fight and kill. Hence, I will teach you a fighting skill suited to your weapon of choice. What weapon are you ustomed to?¡± ¡°Weapon?¡± Chu He was taken aback and at a loss. As a fisherman¡¯s son, he had no ustomed weapon. Xu Yang didn¡¯t mind and, with a casual gesture, saw a pitch-ck trident fly into his hand: ¡°Can you use a trident?¡± Chu He hurriedly nodded: ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± ¡°Then I will teach you a set of trident skills!¡± ¡°Watch carefully!¡± ¡°The trident, a long-handled, sharp weapon, can stab like a spear, yet with its twin prongs, can also block and trap¡ ¡°This martial art is called the Iron Trident Eight Skills, with merely eight moves. It simplifiesplexity and embodies great ingenuity in its simplicity!¡± ¡°If you master it, along with your cultivation technique, ordinary martial artists will be no match for you!¡± In the midst of conversation, Xu Yang gripped the fish spear with his hands and unfolded his movements within the restricted space on the dark awning boat. The iron trident was pitch-ck, but in his hands, it cast fleeting trails of silver light, blinding to onlookers, forcing peril in the tight quarters. Each and every move, in and unadorned, was performed with the smoothness of flowing clouds and the refreshing forthrightness of spilling water. Although he couldn¡¯t understand and had no rted knowledge in his memory, watching Xu Yang¡¯s movements, a phrase nheless arose in Chu He¡¯s mind. ¡°Skill approaches the way!¡± After a short while, the silver light ceased, and Xu Yang, holding the fish spear, asked with a chuckle, ¡°Did you see clearly?¡± Chu He remained silent for a moment before timidly responding, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then again, slower, pay attention!¡± ¡°Yes, Master!¡± Chu He sat up straight, focusing intently. Xu Yang also restarted his movements, handling the iron trident as if it were a brush painting freely. ¡°Now, it¡¯s your turn to practice.¡± ¡°Your stance is incorrect. Power shoulde from your arm, driving your wrist, and prating through your fingers¡ªthat¡¯s how you¡¯ll truly grip it tight!¡± ¡°What you¡¯re wielding is a trident, not a staff. Large swings and sweeping a thousand troops is unsuited for you. You need to be like a snake, like a dragon, swift, urate, and fierce. Thrust the spear, stab¡¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mess up your footsteps, they must coordinate with your body, and your Inner Strength should flow on its own¡¡± And so, as the night wore on, Chu He finally could no longer endure, copsing in exhaustion, gasping for breath. ¡°That¡¯s enough for now.¡± Xu Yang nced at him but didn¡¯t push further, just took out a book instead: ¡°This is the Martial Arts Scripture I¡¯ve written by hand, which includes not only the textual Cultivation Techniques but also diagrams of the body¡¯s energy pathways. The Iron Trident Eight Skills I taught you just now are also illustrated at the back. If there¡¯s anything unclear, look it up yourself.¡± With that, he handed the book over to him. ¡°Master!¡± sping the brand-new book, Chu He was stunned for a moment before he came to his senses, quickly kneeling on the ground. ¡°Disciple has erred, I shouldn¡¯t have beenzy. Master, please don¡¯t abandon your disciple. I will change, no, I will resume my practice right now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the case.¡± Xu Yang shook his head, stopping his movements: ¡°As I said before, you and I only have the fate of master and disciple for this one night. Now that the bond has run its course, we must part ways.¡± After speaking, he helped him up: ¡°Onest thing, you must take to heart.¡± ¡°This¡ Please speak, Master!¡± ¡°Do not seek revenge until you have reached the True Gang Realm.¡± Xu Yang shook his head: ¡°With your potential, unless you experience some fortuitous adventure, to achieve the True Gang Realm will take at least over a decade of hard cultivation. You must restrain yourself and not act recklessly and go to your death.¡± ¡°True Gang Realm?¡± Chu He was taken aback, inquiring cautiously, ¡°Does the Silver Fork Gang have a master of the True Gang Realm?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Xu Yang shook his head, speaking indifferently: ¡°But I know that three years ago, the Goldfish Gang did, and I assume the Silver Fork Gang isn¡¯t much inferior.¡± Chu He¡¯s expression became solemn: ¡°Understood, Disciple will bear it in mind.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more than just that.¡± Xu Yang shook his head: ¡°Even after you¡¯ve attained the True Gang and sought your vengeance, you absolutely must not return to your vige in glory to show off. It¡¯s best to keep a low profile or even take flight a thousand miles away, never to return.¡± ¡°This¡ Why is that?¡± Chu He was full of confusion. Xu Yang smiled: ¡°Three years ago, because of a matter like yours, the Goldfish Gang provoked a mysterious master and was eradicated overnight by this enigmatic figure.¡± ¡°This¡ ¡°Do you know where the mysterious master who annihted the Goldfish Gang went afterward?¡± ¡°Where did he go?¡± ¡°He died!¡± ¡°This¡¡± Chu He wore a look of astonishment, struggling to make sense of it all. Xu Yang exined: ¡°The waters of this world are very deep. The Silver Fork Gang is merely the shallowestyer, perhaps even just bait. If you swallow it, then the fisherman will inevitably notice your presence, and naturally, stronger people will be sent to handle the situation. That¡¯s how the mysterious master who destroyed the Goldfish Gang died.¡± ¡°This is the case of ¡®defeat the small ones and the big onese, defeat the big ones and the eldest ones show up¡¯. It¡¯s interconnected and has be systematic!¡± ¡°Do you understand?¡± ¡°This¡ Disciple understands.¡± Chu He finally realized the gravity of his situation and promptly knelt down, thanking him: ¡°Master¡¯s kindness, your disciple has no way to repay. If there¡¯s an afterlife, I will surely be indebted to serve¡¡± ¡°No need for that!¡± Xu Yang shook his head, chuckling as he spoke, ¡°All that matters is, should trouble arise in the future, do not let slip the name of your master.¡± With that, without waiting for a response, he took a leap and flew away, vanishing into the dense fog of Dongting Lake. Chapter 80 - 55: Rebirth_l Chapter 80: Chapter 55: Rebirth_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Chu He, number sixty-six, A-ss Area of Dongting.¡± Above the vast and misty Dongting Lake, a dark awning boat glided smoothly. On the boat, Xu Yang, d in a straw raincoat and wearing a bamboo hat, skillfully rowed the oars, appearing to be just an ordinary fisherman. The matter of imparting martial arts had crossed his mind for a while, but in the end, he extinguished the idea of printing and distributing secret manuals. That way, while efficient, was too conspicuous and risky, not his style. He still preferred that kind of subtle, imperceptible change that quietly influenced everything, at least in the real world. Therefore, he discarded the idea of distributing martial arts manuals everywhere, and instead, turned to provide opportunities to those homeless children harboring deep vengeance. Chu He was the sixty-sixth child, and in the three months prior, he had already taken on more than sixty disciples like him. This number might sound exaggerated, but were those Martial World factions really that crazed, to have destroyed the homes and families of over sixty in just three months? Of course not. These sixty-plus individuals were not all taken from around Dongting Lake. Apart from Dongting Lake and its surrounding areas, Xu Yang had also visited several nearby towns and even provincial capitals, assuming different identities: sometimes a fisherman old man, sometimes a martial hero, or a diviner with unerring predictions, a wandering Taoist man, to recruit disciples and teach them martial arts. This was his harvest from visiting the provincial capitals. With this, he also confirmed one thing. This world was extraordinary, where even amongmon folks, there were numerous encounters of Immortal fate. In every province and capital, such events urred, where people from the lower echelons encountered Immortal fate, armed themselves, and developed a murderous intent, ughtering the factions that oppressed them, resulting in many sensational and dreadful massacres. No one knew how many factions were wiped out as a result, the government and even the imperial court were greatly impacted. But the environment did not improve; after a period of ughter, those who fortuitously obtained extraordinary power and became Immortal fate Men soon disappeared without a trace, impossible to find again. In the end, the factions remained the same, and the government was still that very government. Why were they not discouraged by repeated destruction, even intensifying their actions? Because they had no choice! Big fish eat small fish, and small fish eat shrimps. They were just the small fish in the middle, the decision was not in their hands. So, they would act if they wished to, and even if they did not want to, they still had to. This had formed a tightly knit pyramid-like system. In this system, the driving force was interest, as seizing Immortal fate was an investment with a high rate of return. There was no loss if it failed, but immense profit if sessful, so why not take part? They definitely would! Therefore, such a harsh and distorted environment emerged. Many people lost their homes and families as a result. Xu Yang disguised himself and intervened, saving many such orphans and teaching them martial arts to avenge their deep-seated hatreds. This was the first move in the game. Besides, Xu Yang discovered something else, something both good and bad. The good news was, in this world, Gang Qi was the limit of the Martial Path, and there were no Martial Artists with Four-Realm Condensing Spirit, let alone those with Co-Dao. The bad news was, although there were no Martial Artists above Gang Qi in this world, there were¡ Cultivators. Yes, those darn Cultivation folks! Through various channels of information and his own investigations, Xu Yang confirmed the existence of Cultivators. Furthermore, these Cultivators had formidablebat prowess. He even stumbled upon one using a Flying Sword in a fierce fight with an Immortal fate Man, destroying a city wall several dozen feet high. Thisbat ability was almost on par with him from the Great Tang world after absorbing the Evil Emperor¡¯s relic and undergoing Embracing Core and co-dao. Thus, one could see the ferocity of these Cultivators. Fortunately, after observation, Xu Yang noticed that most Cultivators did not like to live in the mundane world. The stronger they were, the more this held true, only powerful Immortal fate Men would draw out strong Cultivators. For instance, the one mentioned earlier using the Flying Sword was drawn out because an Immortal fate Man had consecutively annihted several factions and even bloodbathed the government, making too much noise. In other words, unless you¡¯re an Immortal fate Man causing major disturbances, those Cultivators would hardly bother you. Xu Yang was quite content with this; he was a very honest person who never liked to stir trouble proactively. At least in the real world, that was the case. Taking on a few disciples, imparting some martial arts, testing the waters, this was enough for now. Next, he would focus on cultivation, continue to develop Xu Yang propelled the small boat deeper into theke, and soon vanished into the vast, fog-covered waters. The eight hundred Dongting, boundless as the mists on the water. This described the geographical and scenic features of Dongting, not the seasonal scenery. Regardless of spring, summer, autumn, or winter, Dongting Lake was always covered with boundless mists and shrouded in clouds. As autumn and winter approached, the fog grew thicker, especially in the central area. Even the seasoned fishermen who had been on theke for decades dared not venture too deeply, fearing they might never return. But to Xu Yang, this was no obstacle. With the trait of ¡°Muddy Water Jiao Dragon,¡± he had already explored all of Dongting¡¯s waters. There were fish and shrimp, turtles and soft-shelled turtles, even gigantic fish-like water monsters, but no Cultivators, at least none that he had discovered. As long as there were no Cultivators, everything else was manageable. In the foggiest central area, Xu Yang carefully selected a deserted ind to serve as his base. Although the ind wasn¡¯trge, it had enoughnd to cultivate some paddies, nt flowers, fruit trees, and even grow Spiritual Medicine ¡ª perfectly suiting Xu Yang¡¯s needs.. Chapter 81 - 55: Rebirth_2 Chapter 81: Chapter 55: Rebirth_2 Trantor: 549690339 He steered the small boat through the dense fog, and soon the silhouette of a deste ind, exposed like a solitary grave, emerged eerily in the mist. Yet he was unbothered, steering the boat onward, and he actually collided head-on with the deste ind. The result¡ There was no sandy beach upon impact, no boat run aground; Xu Yang piloted his small craft straight ¡°through¡± the heart of the solitary ind. This¡ was actually an illusion! Piercing the veil of the illusion, the world abruptly opened up, and as the thick fog dispersed, arge ind in the middle of ake was revealed. The ind¡¯s surroundings were dotted with strange rocks, which did not feel abrupt but naturally formed, harboring their own mysterious charms. Formation (the rocks formed a formation, blending false with true) Xu Yang brought the boat to shore, disembarked onto the ind and began to transport various living supplies. ¡°Grr! Grr! Grr!¡± At that moment, a series of strange calls and pping shadows descended from the sky, revealing a group of predatory birds. Among them, a Fish Eagle and a Golden Eagle stood out for their size; with glossy feathers, they were the most splendid and majestic. The Fish Eagle needs no introduction; it is the loyal Laoliu, who has apanied him for years. As for the Golden Eagle, it was the most outstanding among the many fierce birds Xu Yang had raised recently, surpassing even Laoliu inbat power, with exceptional scouting and mobility capabilities! Xu Yang even saw in it the hope of bing a ¡°spiritual pet.¡± ¡°All right, all right, I¡¯ming.¡± Looking at the group of young ones moring for food, Xu Yang shook his head, moved all the supplies to his newly built cabin, and then grabbed two buckets to head to theke. He pulled up several trap cages and filled both buckets to the brim. ¡°Okay, eat up.¡± Carrying two buckets full of fish and shrimp, Xu Yang approached the hungry birds and let them feast. Although, as predatory birds, they could hunt for their own food, to grow quickly, to develop and be more powerful ¡°alien beasts¡± than ordinary predatory birds, they needed abundant food and nutrients provided by their master, Xu Yang. The two buckets of shrimp and crabs were swiftly devoured, with Laoliu and the Golden Eagle eating the most. Seeing the two still looking unsatisfied, Xu Yang shook his head and turned to bring over another two buckets of seafood. No way around it, in thiske region shrouded in smoke, almost no fishermen came by, leaving the resources exceedingly abundant. Coupled with Xu Yang¡¯s fishing skills and catching techniques, not just a few buckets, even a few boats worth of catch would be effortlessly gathered. Of course, Xu Yang was not the type to deplete resources without consideration. In addition to bird rearing, he also farmed fish. Along theke, he had set up breedings, ready to farm some special species of fish for food reserves and to nurture alien beasts. So after feeding the birds, he had to feed the fish. He opened the storage, carried out two big bags of rice grains, and poured them directly into the breedings. Rice grains? Yes, rice grains, grown by himself. He had already cleared fields on the ind, cultivated thend, and these rice grains were the first harvest. Due to his ntation skills, which came with features like nurturing exotic floral nts,manding favorable weather, abundant harvests, and robust growth, growing these mundane crops was incredibly sessful. The first batch of rice grains, with just a month¡¯s time, matured under the effects of manding favorable weather¡± and ¡°robust growth.¡± Moreover, due to ¡°nurturing exotic floral nts¡± and ¡°abundant harvests,¡± the yield was extremely high, and some rice grains were of a special variety, with better taste, higher nutritional value, and a slight effect of enhancing the body¡¯s Qi Blood. Xu Yang called it White Jade Rice. He had nted for three months and harvested three batches, umting a total of one hundred and fifty catties of White Jade Rice. The quantity was not veryrge, but Xu Yang was already quite satisfied because with each harvest, the amount of White Jade Rice was increasing. This indicated that his ¡°good breed cultivation¡± n was very sessful. As long as he continued to nt, one day he would be able to grow White Jade Rice exclusively. White Jade Rice, without a doubt, was for his own consumption, while the ordinary rice grains were used to feed the fish. Although no special breeds of fish had appeared yet, Xu Yang believed that as long as he continued raising them, he would eventually cultivate fish with a good taste and high nutritional value, of a supreme alien breed. After feeding the fish, he went to the fields to check on the rice crops and medicinal herbs. There was nothing much to say about the rice, its growth was promising, and it seemed another harvest would being soon. As for the medicinal herbs, Xu Yang had nted ordinary varieties, without any particrly treasured species. Their only feature was age; he had chosen types that gained stronger medicinal properties with age. Theoretically, such herbs could turn from decay to magic given enough time. Take for instance millennium sealwort or ten-thousand-year-old polygonum multiflorum ¨C these were ordinary herbs that depended entirely on age for their effectiveness. The older the herbs, the stronger their potency. Once they reached a thousand or ten thousand years, they could undergo a total rebirth, bing extraordinary. As is well known, there are many methods to increase the age of medicinal herbs. A ten-thousand-year-old Spiritual Medicine might not actually have grown for ten thousand years. Xu Yang¡¯s nting skills, with features like ¡°Exotic Flowers and Herbs¡± and ¡°Vigorous Growth,¡± made the age of the herbs increase very rapidly. Millennia or ten millennia were perhaps an exaggeration, but growing a few hundred years¡¯ worth of herbs was certainly feasible. After all, he had a long life ahead and plenty of time. He could simply wait it out, as long as no one came to disturb him, he could farm on this small ind for centuries. And so, the day¡¯s work waspleted, yet less than half a day had passed. Xu Yang hesitated for a moment but eventually decided to return to his house,y down on his bed, and pulled the covers over him. With the influence of the Heshi Jade over three months, his spirit had already been cleansed and revitalized. The umtion of his life in Great Tang and the insights from the War God¡¯s As had also been nearly fully digested. Furthermore, now that he had a preliminary understanding of the real-world situation and knew that powerful Cultivators were only interested in those with Immortal Fate, it was almost impossible they would bother him, aplete nobody. Therefore, while enjoying his leisurely farming life, he wondered whether he should also experience a new dream life. After all, constant farming, so repetitive, could be as boring as it was interesting, right? So, he decided to start the dream. Having not stirred up any trouble for such a long time, he felt uneasy. He just hoped that this time Zhuanzhou Mengdie would bring him a novel world, a novel life, and novel encounters. He had already done the Martial World struggle for supremacy twice, ying this not-so-fun game for over a thousand years. Truth be told, he was already somewhat tired of it. He wished for this dream to be different, to touch upon a new world, a new system, a new power¡ With such thoughts, Xu Yang closed his eyes. And then¡ ¡°Gurgle gurgle!¡± The sound of flowing water woke him up. As consciousness returned and light entered his eyes, Xu Yang looked around in astonishment, only to find himself submerged in water. What was happening? Was he this time a drowned and unlucky soul? Wait, that¡¯s not right¡!!! Xu Yang stared nkly for a while and then with a surge of horror, he realized that something was off about his perspective. Not just perspective, but also¡ In the ckwater River, a Green Fish stared with round, panic-stricken eyes, shockingly looking at its own ¡°hands,¡± oh no, fins! Chapter 82 - 56: Green Fish (First Update)_1 Chapter 82: Chapter 56: Green Fish (First Update)_1 Xu Yang looked at his own fins¡ well, he couldn¡¯t see them. At this moment, in the river, there was only a small green fish with a bowed back and bulbous eyes. Its fins, like hands, reached forward but failed to touch anything, appearing strange andical. He¡ had turned into a fish? Yes, he had be a fish! If he had known it would be so magical, he wouldn¡¯t have made such a careless wish. Domination of the world may be clich¨¦, but upon reflection, it didn¡¯t seem too bad. Now, what was he to do? Should he restart? Xu Yang fell silent for a while and eventually epted reality, opting not to restart the dream. Having lived so many years in dreams, he had seen and eaten much, but this experience was a first for him. What did it feel like to be a fish? He couldn¡¯t quite articte it. In any case, it felt bizarre; his fins seemed like hands, yet they were not hands. Without limbs for movement, he could only wiggle his body and tail, which was very ufortable for him. Even though he had once transformed into a dragon in the Great Tang world, that ¡°dragon¡± wasn¡¯t a real dragon. It was a manifestation of his spirit willbined with the forces of nature, created under the state of Unity of Heaven and Man. In reality, he was still a person, maintaining the body of a human. It¡¯s just that he appeared to be in dragon form to the average person. Therefore, hecked the experience of bing somethingpletely different and now found adjusting to this new body difficult. What, memories? This little green fish, just about three inches long, still fell under the ¡°fry¡± category. What memories could it have? There was only a single piece of information. And that was¡ Hungry, hungry, hungry, very hungry! So hungry! Extremely hungry! It wasn¡¯t just the fish that was hungry; Xu Yang was too. This was a little green fish that died from malnutrition and hunger. Even if Xu Yang came here through a Zhuanzhou Mengdie experience, with the power of his Divine Soul filling part of the void, the feeling of hunger in his stomach remained. It wanted to eat! But Xu Yang held back this instinctual urge. Before one can do their work well, one must first sharpen their tools! First, he needed to understand the situation, then devise a strategy, and finally take action. That way, the results woulde with half the effort! The situation fell into two categories: the surrounding environment and his own state. First was the surrounding environment. Where was this? He didn¡¯t know! A fish¡¯s memory is limited, and this little green fish was no exception. Living in a state of constant hunger, there was no chance it could think of anything else. Even with a full belly, the fish¡¯s limited Spirit Wisdom was unlikely to provide Xu Yang with the environmental information he needed. At present, Xu Yang only knew one thing¡ªthis dream world had a time flow difference of ten to onepared to real time: ten days in the dream equaled one day in reality. Compared to the time difference of 365 times in Great Zhou and Great Tang, time in this world had shortened quite a bit, though he didn¡¯t know why. This was the environmental situation. Now, looking at himself. Xu Yang, as usual, called up the Attribute Panel. Xu Yang Race: Green Fish Cultivation: None Lifespan: 0.3/6 Skills: None Very concise. He was now a four-month-old green fish, barely reaching the ¡°mature¡± age. However, due to the scarcity of food and poor nutrition, his body was much smaller than other green fish of the same age. Being small meant having less strength, which made catching prey even more difficult, leading to death by starvation in the end. This was the ¡°original owner¡¯s¡± life experience. But now that he was Xu Yang, he naturally wouldn¡¯t be so unlucky. Call for aid from his primary body! Xu Yang closed his eyes, and immediately a line of text appeared in the skill column. Swimming (Muddy Water Jiao Dragon) Thanks to the Heshi Jade, an extraordinary treasure, Xu Yang had not only cleansed his spirit during this time but also significantly increased his Divine Soul power. Otherwise, he truly wouldn¡¯t have been able to transmit this swimming skill with a four-word trait characteristic. But that was the limit, as his Divine Soul from his primary body was already weakened. This skill would be the only support for the initial period. Xu Yang opened his eyes and with a flick of his tail, the surrounding water began to move at hismand, endowing him with a sudden burst of tremendous strength. Human life is hard, but the life of a fish is even harder. As a fish, you must constantly battle against nature to survive within it. Water is also a part of nature. As a fish, you cannot be apart from water, but you cannot drift with the current either. If you want to eat, if you want to live, you must continually fight against the flow of water. This was very difficult for a malnourished little green fish, which is why the ¡°original owner¡± died of hunger. It didn¡¯t have enough strength to fight against the current, to oppose the environment, to obtain the food it needed to satisfy its own needs. Xu Yang initially didn¡¯t either, after all, it was his first day as a fish, and he waspletely unfamiliar with fish skills. But he had Skill Traits; with ¡°Muddy Water Jiao Dragon¡± transmitted over, he was immediately elevated to the status of an equivalent-sized Jiao Dragon. Jiao Dragons possess their own unique strength and can control the flow of water, making them an unmistakable ¡°different species.¡± The help this lent to Xu Yang goes without saying. With a flick of his body and tail, propelled by the water, his tiny body shot out instantly. Eat, eat, eat, he wanted to eat! Fat what? Green fish are omnivorous, with young ones primarily feeding on nkton, though they can also consume aquatic nts. But nkton¡ is generally found in the excrement ofrger fish. It¡¯s not that it¡¯s not possible, just that there¡¯s no need. After all, Xu Yang is now a ¡°Muddy Water Jiao Dragon¡± of the small green fish level. He has the capital to hunt for prey, no need to eat that stuff. Xu Yang swung his tail and swiftly swam, quickly arriving at a shallower part of the riverbed. On the riverbed, there were many soft-bodied creatures with blue-ck shells on their backs, moving slowly. Snails! One of the main foods for green fish. Xu Yang swam forward, opened his mouth, and swallowed a snail. Green fish have teeth, but not the kind of teeth we think of, rather pharyngeal teeth located in the pharynx. Thus, when eating snails, they can¡¯t directly bite but need to first swallow them, then use their pharyngeal teeth to crush the shells and spit them out, consuming only the snail¡¯s flesh and innards. The entire process can be described in three words. Crisp and crunchy! A few crunches, and a snail entered his stomach. The feeling of hunger slightly abated. But only very slightly. Xu Yang looked around and locked onto another snail. He flicked his tail, darted forward, and swallowed it in one gulp. ¡°Crack! Crack! Crack!¡± It must be said, the green fish¡¯s choice to feed on snails is the right one. As the body of the green fish isrge, sluggish, and awkward, hunting for shrimp or crabs is very difficult. Snails, on the other hand, move slowly and are plentiful; they are the green fish¡¯s favorite food. That¡¯s why the green fish is also known as the snail green fish. Xu Yang roamed freely through this stretch of the riverbed, quickly preying on over a dozen snails. Just as he was about to feel full¡ ¡°Gurgle gurgle!¡± The sound of rapid water flow came, Xu Yang¡¯s expression changed, and with a flick of his tail, he darted into a small crevice. No sooner had Xu Yang squeezed into the crevice, than he saw water churn, and a terrifying shadow swam past fiercely through the water. That was¡ arge catfish, an exaggeratedlyrge catfish. Therge catfish carried an imposing momentum, bit into a panicked and fleeing big green fish, and with a shake of its hefty body, it forcefully tore the green fish apart into shreds, then began to savor the flesh amidst a bloody scene. Within the crevice, having witnessed this, Xu Yang shrank further back. The survival of the fittest, the natural order of predation¡ªthere¡¯s nothing to be said about that. Big fish eat small fish, and small fish eat shrimp. If you don¡¯t want to be someone else¡¯s meal, then grow stronger until you be the biggest of them all. But how to grow stronger? Martial Arts Scripture? Xu Yang furrowed his nonexistent brows. The Martial Arts Scripture, with its endless wonders, epasses everything, but after all, it was designed for humans to practice and never considered the issue of fish. Therefore, he wasn¡¯t sure whether he could still cultivate the Martial Arts Scripture and, with a ¡°fish body¡±, develop Inner Strength, True Qi, and Divine Intent Gang Qi. Try it out! Without overthinking, Xu Yang immediately began to operate the Martial Arts Scripture. Then, he encountered a problem. It didn¡¯t work! The Cultivation Technique of the Martial Arts Scripture is based on the human body, using structures essential to humans like ¡°meridians¡±, ¡°mana points¡±, and ¡°Dantian¡±, to mobilize Qi Blood and condense Inner Strength. Then, storing this Inner Strength in the Dantian, enhancing its quality step by step, is followed by the development of True Qi and Gang Qi. The structure of a fish¡¯s body ispletely different from that of a human¡¯s, hence the Martial Arts Scripture can¡¯t be applied. Though Xu Yang could solve this problem, given that he is the Founder of Martial Scripture and a great figure in the Martial Path who can create his own Cultivation Techniques, naturally, he could also improve them. Modifying the Martial Arts Scripture to fit the structure of a ¡°fish body¡± was not a difficult task for him. At most, it would take some time and effort. But that wouldn¡¯tpletely resolve the issue. Whenpared to the human body, the fish bodycks many key structures. For example¡ the Dantian! Compared to humans, the fish body not only has narrower meridians and fewer mana points, but the Dantian is almost nonexistent. That means the efficiency of condensing Qi Blood and cultivating Inner Strength in a fish body is far lower than in a human body. Xu Yang estimated it to be at least a hundred times lower. Low cultivation efficiency¡¯s one thing, but with no Dantian for storage, the painstakingly cultivated Inner Strength would either be expelled from the body or forcibly retained within, keeping the state of being saturated with Inner Strength at all times. This does more harm than good, putting a tremendous strain on the body, and it could lead to exploding from the inside without a trace one day. How to solve this problem? After much thought, Xu Yang could onlye up with one solution. And that was¡ Body Training! If there¡¯s no Dantian and no storage, then don¡¯t store it at all. All the Inner Strength that¡¯s been condensed should be used to strengthen the body. The Martial Arts Scripture amalgamates all martial arts under heaven, and Divine Skills for body training are not in the minority; naturally, there is a set body training Cultivation Technique. To focus on body training without cultivating Inner Strength isn¡¯t a very good choice, to be honest. After all, Inner Strength ys a variety of roles, and many martial arts must be supported by Inner Strength to be executed. If one trains only the body, honestly, that is simply a brute, easily manipted by others. But some things, good or bad, aren¡¯t the key; what¡¯s essential is suitability. What¡¯s suitable is the best. At this moment, Xu Yang had no better choice; body training was the only way out. So¡ªtrain! In a moment, the strategy was decided. Xu Yang peeked out from the crevice to check the situation. To outsiders¡ to other fish, this little green fish seemed to be sneaking peeks surreptitiously, showing almost human-like behavior, which appeared quite peculiar and amusing. A momentter, after confirming that therge catfish had left, Xu Yang didn¡¯t linger any longer. He dashed out from the crevice and continued to prey on defenseless snails. Whether it¡¯s practicing Cultivation Techniques or Body Training, the foundation is the Qi Blood strength of the body¡ªoh no, the fish body. So, to cultivate, one must first build up Qi Blood. If you¡¯re malnourished and your Qi Blood is deficient, then practicing will not only be of no benefit but can even be harmful. You must first eat your fill. Soon, the water was filled with the faint sounds of ¡°crack crack crack..¡± Chapter 83 - 57: Dark Water_l Chapter 83: Chapter 57: Dark Water_l Trantor: 549690339 In dreams thirty-six months, in reality one hundred and eight days. Three years had passed. In the ckwater River, within Shallow Bay. A green fish was moving sneakily. It was over six feet long, with jade-like green scales glinting, as if radiant light was circting. The body beneath the scales was taut, resembling a fully drawn bow, exuding a sense of strength from inside out. An overwhelming sense of power! As if beneath those scales, not fat, but muscles twisted like dragons¡¯ sinew were concealed. In fact, it had both! In this bend of Shallow Bay, the size of the green fish had be enormous; no predators dared to provoke it, turning all the other fish into its prey. But it still acted covertly, poking its head around and ensuring safety before it felt at ease to swim freely in Shallow Bay. ¡°Crack crack crack! ¡± The fish flicked its tail and shot off like an arrow released from a bow, rushing to the river bed to bite arge river m. That¡¯s right, bite! Ordinary green fish only have pharyngeal teeth, unable to tear apart their prey, capable of only swallowing and grinding. This particr green fish, however, had sharp teeth, just like those of a shark. With one bite, it crunched the m¡¯s shell, and then plunged its head into the shell to enjoy the rich and sweet m meat. Indeed rich and sweet. After bing a fish, even its sense of taste seemed to have changed; the m meat, which was extremely fishy to humans, appeared unbelievably sweet and perfect as an appetizer before a meal to the fish. After a few crunches, the m meat was swallowed, and the green fish swam out from the m shell with a bit of radiance flickering between its teeth. Upon closer examination, it turned out to be a pearl, nurtured within the m¡¯s body. ¡°Crack crack crack! ¡± sping the pearl, the fish wasted no words and crunched it up, swallowing it dnum Afterward, it patted its belly/chest with its fins and continued to swim leisurely and hunt in the water bay. Xu Yang Species: Green Fish (Alien Species) Cultivation: Qi-blood realm Lifespan: 3/29 Skills: Swimming (Muddy Water Jiao Dragon) Eating (Daily Devour One Ox, Form Supplementing Form, Big Fish Eat Little Fish) Breathing (Strengthening the Body, Stabilizing Foundation and Cultivate Essence) Sleeping (Pacifying the Spirit and Nourishing the Soul) Taoist Skills (Whim, Divination with Grassroots) Martial Arts (Fish-Dragon Change, External Muscle Bone Training) Cultivation Technique: Martial Arts Scripture Fish-Dragon Transformation! Three years is neither long nor short. In these three years, Xu Yang¡¯s size had grown from less than three inches to over six feet. It was aplete transformation, a revolution of earth and sky. Green fish are a species that typically grow slowly. In just three years, to go from three inches to six feet is like a child of five or six years old growing into a small giant two to three meters tall in just a few months. It was indeed exaggerated. But looking at the skills column, it was perfectly reasonable. Aside from the ¡°Muddy Water Jiao Dragon¡± trait inherited from the start and the ¡°Taoist Skills¡± specifically transmitted earlier, Xu Yang, through relentless diligence, had developed several new skill traits over the three years. The traits for breathing and sleeping need no boration, as they are old friends. What¡¯s essential is the eating skill! Daily Devour One Ox, Form Supplementing Form, Big Fish Eat Little Fish. Daily Devour One Ox, a trait Xu Yang¡¯s original form also possesses, includes lower-level traits like ¡°digestion,¡± ¡°chewing,¡± and ¡°smooth flow,¡± enhancing his digestive and chewing capabilities, ensuring smooth excretion, thus avoiding any difort. Form Supplementing Form is a new skill trait Xu Yang has cultivated, which, just as the name implies, means to supplement form by form¡ªeat what you need to strengthen. Eating crustaceans like shrimp, crabs, and snails can significantly enhance the scales¡¯ strength, and eating different fish results in various enhancements. Xu Yang¡¯s sharp teeth stem from consuming carnivorous fish with sharp teeth, such as pomfret, catfish, and ckfish. Not just fish, but whatever he could digest would bring the effect of ¡°Form Supplementing Form.¡± For instance, the pearl he had just savored could improve the whiteness and nutrition of his scales, enhance their strength, and slightly boost his internal Qi-blood power. With this skill, Xu Yang had evolved slightly, bing an ¡°Alien Species¡± green fish! As for thest skill, Big Fish Eat Little Fish, it¡¯s a trait that applies inbat. Big fish eat little fish, little fish eat shrimp! When one¡¯s size is more significant than the opponent¡¯s, all abilities are enhanced, including but not limited to strength, speed, body¡¯s toughness, neural response, life recovery, scale armor protection, and so on. In short, as long as you are bigger than the opponent, your capacities areprehensively enhanced- However¡ it is limited to aquatic creatures such as fish, shrimps, crabs, turtles, and the like, and it also requires an underwater environment. If the opponent is not a fish or an aquatic creature like a shrimp, crab, turtle, or soft-shelled turtle, and the battleground is onnd rather than water, then the effect of ¡°big fish eat small fish¡± will be lost. There are many restrictions. But these restrictions do not negate its value; rather, they highlight its strength and preciousness. Xu Yang had personally experimented with it, and this characteristic of ¡°big fish eat small fish¡± can currently increase an entire realm of body training. That¡¯s right, Muscle Bone Realm! After a year, Xu Yang took himself as a model, continuously experimented and revised, and finally created a Martial Arts Scripture suitable for the ¡°fish¡± physique that focuses on horizontal training, naming it ¡°Fish -Dragon Transformation.¡± Because of the short time and only referring to himself, the data was insufficient, so the current Fish-Dragon Transformation Cultivation Technique has only revealed three cultivation realms. These are the Qi-blood realm corresponding to the Inner Strength realm, the Skin and Flesh Realm corresponding to the True Qi Stage, and the Muscle Bone Realm corresponding to the True Gang Realm. Practicing this ¡°Fish-Dragon Transformation¡± Cultivation Technique also allowed Xu Yang to develop martial arts skills and gain two new traits¡ª Fish-Dragon Change and External Muscle Bone Training. The Fish-Dragon Change can enhance the cultivation effect of the ¡°Fish-Dragon Transformation¡± and gradually turn the ¡°fish body¡± into a dragon¡¯s body. That¡¯s right, transforming into a dragon! When creating the Fish-Dragon Transformation body training method, Xu Yang referred to the dragon-subduing concept of the Descending Dragon Palm. The Descending Dragon Palm is about subduing one¡¯s inner dragon to master one¡¯s power, thereby achieving a rebirth and reaching the ultimate martial arts state. The Fish-Dragon Transformation takes this as its core concept, simrly subduing the self, mastering the self, controlling body evolution, and eventually transforming fish into dragons. ording to Xu Yang¡¯s ideas, as long as this Fish-Dragon Transformation continues to improve and he persists in practicing, it is absolutely possible to eventually transform from fish to dragon; even if not bing a True Dragon, one could be fish-dragon species such as Jiao Dragons or other dragon-like alien beasts. Now that the martial arts skill of Fish-Dragon Change has emerged, it aligns even more with his ideas. Pursuing this development, if he persists, there wille a day when he can undergo a rebirth and change from fish into a dragon! Compared to the Fish-Dragon Change, the other trait ¡°External Muscle Bone Training¡± does not seem so impressive and can only enhance the effect of body training. But it¡¯s still satisfying and better than nothing. Indeed, with these skill traits assisting, coupled with his newly created Fish-Dragon Transformation Cultivation Technique, Xu Yang was able to transform from a nutritionally deficient, nearly three-inch-long little green fish into a powerful six-foot-long being in just three years, with a strong physique, covered in green scale jade armor, and sharp fangs and teeth. Not to mention Shallow Bay, whichcks big fish, even if he enters the ckwater River where big fish swarm and many monstrous aquatic creatures exist, he would still be considered significant¡ in the fish world! That¡¯s right, ckwater River! Although as a fish Xu Yang could notmunicate with the outside world. by chance, he poked his head out of the water to survey the surroundings and overheard a conversation among passersby on the bank, from which he learned the name of this river. This river is called ckwater! When he first heard this name, Xu Yang was very shocked, even a bit panicked. ckwater River, it seems there is also one in ¡°Journey to the West¡±! Could it be the same? Did he inadvertently travel to the fantastical world of ¡°Journey to the West¡± inhabited by gods and Buddhas? What a joke? Xu Yang was somewhat shocked, but soon he calmed down, investigated carefully, and ultimately discovered¡ It should just be a coincidence in name. This ckwater River is not the ckwater River from ¡°Journey to the West.¡± Because he had roamed the river for more than a year and had not seen any shrimp soldiers or crab generals, let alone the second -generation good-for-nothing little kappa crook that upied people¡¯s cave mansions, kidnapped their daughters, and insisted on eating Monk Tang¡¯s flesh. So, it is almost certain that the two rivers simply share the same name. Having confirmed it was not the world of ¡°Journey to the West,¡± Xu Yang felt much more at ease and began to explore the ckwater River step by step. Firstly, the river can be divided into three areas: the outermost Shallow Bay, the middle Deepwater area, and the innermost and true ¡°ckwater¡± ckwater area. Shallow Bay is a normal water area with regr fish, and the most that happens is the asional appearance of big fish from the deep water, but nothing too extravagant. The Deepwater area is different; the water starts to turn ck, and there are many strange fish and even monstrous aquatic creatures living there, with fiercepetition, and many big fish die fighting each other every day. Regarding this, Xu Yang found it somewhat iprehensible. The world of wild beasts is simple and not asplicated as that of humans. Wild beasts typically fight each other for only two reasons: first, for hunting and survival, and second, for mating and propagation. Besides these, few things are worth the risk of injury or death for wild beasts to fight. However, the situation in the Deepwater area breaks thismon sense. The big fish fight fiercely in the Deepwater area, not for hunting, nor for mating. Why is that? Xu Yang couldn¡¯t be sure himself but had a feeling that these big fish, like gu insects raised by humans, are driven to fight and kill each other under the urging of a certain will or factor, for the purpose of elevation and evolution. Xu Yang trusts his instincts very much. Therefore, he could be certain that the water of ckwater River was not only ck but also profoundly deep! After the Deepwater areaes the ckwater area, which he defined as the ¡°forbidden zone.¡± The water in that region ispletely ck, thick as paste, giving off an extremely dangerous vibe. Xu Yang has yet to venture into that area. After all, he¡¯s only at the first realm of body training, how could he possibly enter the unfathomable and terrifying ckwater area? Don¡¯t even mention entering, even approaching is difficult, because the periphery of the ckwater area is guarded by powerful aquatic creatures and top-level overlords from the Deepwater area, as if the ckwater benefits them greatly; they squat there and are simply unwilling to leave. Thest time Xu Yang went there to check it out, arge corpulent catfish nibbled at him, almost splitting his back open. Chapter 84 - 58: The Hegemon_l Chapter 84: Chapter 58: The Hegemon_l Trantor: 549690339 After a satisfying swim, Xu Yang was finally full and content. At this time, a sweep of the surroundings revealed that the fish and other creatures in the shallow water zone had significantly decreased in number. It was much more deste than before. There was no helping it, since cultivating martial arts naturally consumed massive amounts of resources. Moreover, Xu Yang possessed traits like ¡°Daily Devour One Ox¡± and ¡°Form Supplementing Form, ¡± which necessitated frequent hunting and feeding. After eating like this for three years, the ecology of the shallow water zone was severely damaged. If Xu Yang didn¡¯t leave, this area might even bepletely consumed by him. In fact, Xu Yang had already been contemting leaving the shallow water zone and venturing into the deeper waters. However¡ In the shallow water, a six-foot-long, plump Green Fish used its sharp teeth to bite off several water weeds and then held them in its mouth, moving to a ce where the current was slower and clumsily tossed them with its pectoral fins. The scattered water weeds formed an irregr pattern on the riverbed. Xu Yang looked left and right, up and down, but he couldn¡¯t discern anything significant. But he didn¡¯t care; he continued to clumsily gather the water weeds with his fins and tossed them energetically once more. If someone saw this scene, they would definitely be scared. A Green Fish underwater, human-like, curling its body, using its pectoral fins to toss water weeds for fun? How creepy that scene was, no matter how you looked at it! Xu Yang, however, didn¡¯t mind and struggled with his pectoral fins to gather the water weeds again and threw them. This time, when the water weeds fell and formed a pattern, it was the character for ¡°danger.¡± ¡°Danger?¡± Xu Yang¡¯s non-existent brows furrowed as he looked in the direction of the deep waters before he shook his head, waggling his tail, and found a lush area of water grass in Shallow Bay tofortably lie down. Time to sleep! Today was not suitable for going out! Taoist Skills (Whim, Divination with grassroots) In the world of Great Tang, after more than eight hundred years of random trials and attempts, Xu Yang finally managed to develop Taoist skills and traits. He was capable of divination with grassroots, determining auspicious and inauspicious signs, physiognomy, and dragon seeking and acupuncture, which made him seem almost divine. But he might also just be a chatan. Because the levels of these traits were too low and the effects were too weak, Xu Yang¡¯s Taoist skills couldn¡¯t ensure uracy; they were unreliable and low-quality. Yet, they were still influential enough for him. Take, for example, this time when he divined the character ¡°danger.¡± Danger, what kind of danger? A grand peril or a minor one? A danger from water or fire, from man or beast? He didn¡¯t know, couldn¡¯t calcte it. It was simply danger¡ªbelieve it or not, it¡¯s up to you. Xu Yang chose to believe. Although this thing was unreliable and worked only asionally, if you flipped your perspective, you¡¯d realize that it actually still served some purpose. For instance, this ¡°danger,¡± although it might not always be urate, as long as you heeded it and avoided the risk, you would indeed never encounter the danger. By the same logic, if the sign was ¡°auspicious,¡± whether urate or not, as long as it was positive, you should go for it; if not urate, there would be no loss, but if it was, you might have good luck. In this way, wasn¡¯t it a form of seeking good fortune and avoiding disaster? Therefore, Xu Yang chose to believe and decided that today was not suitable for going out. The exploration of the deep water zone could wait for another time. As one eye closed in sleep, the other opened to wakefulness. In the real world, within a small hut, Xu Yang sat up from the bed and stretched himself. Who realizes the dream first in this vast dream of life? I alone am aware! This most recent dream world would be temporarily named the ¡°ck Water¡± world. The flow of time between the ck Water world and the real world was a ratio of ten to one. Compared to Great Zhou and Great Tang, this was much shorter. This had both advantages and disadvantages. The disadvantage was obvious; Xu Yang couldn¡¯t recklessly use the ¡°time difference¡± cheat to cultivate for hundreds or thousands of years at a stretch. But there were also many benefits. For example, Xu Yang could pay attention to the real world while exploring the ckvvater River, ensuring the development of Dongting Lake. He felt this dual-mode operation was quite eptable, affecting neither Zhuangzhou Mengdie¡¯s dream nor his real-world ventures. asionally entering such worlds to consume the vast temporal discrepancies of other worlds and turning centuries of umtions into strength was also a fine choice. Now, with the Green Fish of the ck Water world asleep, the real-world Xu Yang needed to start working as well. ¡°Ancient Zhuangzhou dreamt of butterflies, but today I, Xu Yang, dream of fish, ha¡!¡± With a self-deprecatingugh, Xu Yang got up, washed up, and left the house. His first task was to feed the eagles. Three years had passed in the ck Water world, while in the real world, it had been over a hundred days or more than three months. With over three months of meticulous nurturing, Laoliu, the Golden Eagle, and the other birds of prey had grown even more majestic. Especially the Golden Eagle, whose body size had surpassed that of the eldest, Laoliu, bing the most conspicuous among the birds of prey with a wingspan reaching four meters, talons that could split tigers and leopards, and sharp eagle eyes. With it keeping watch, Xu Yang felt even more at ease. In addition, the cage fish farming project had yielded some results, and among the schools of fish, there had emerged a species he named ¡°Red Carp.¡± This Red Carp¡¯s body was crimson throughout, brimming with vitality. It was not only delicious to eat, but also effectively enhanced one¡¯s Qi Blood when consumed, aiding in cultivation. The Golden Eagle was able to grow this way partly because Xu Yang would asionally feed it a tail of Red Carp. Of course, the Golden Eagle itself was quite impressive; unlike Laoliu, who was also given a few Red Carps by Xu Yang but did not make as much progress. This was due to the limitations of bloodline and talent, which were simply beyond help. After feeding the eagle and the fish, Xu Yang made his way to the fields to begin harvesting a new batch of mature rice. Thanks to his ¡°superior breeding¡± program, nearly half of this batch of rice was White Jade Rice. There were at least two hundred pounds, enough tost until the next harvest. The only question was whether this White Jade Rice could be further cultivated to be a higher-grade breed or even the legendary ¡°Spirit Rice¡±? Xu Yang looked forward to finding out. After checking the paddy fields, he turned his attention to the herb garden. Nothing much to say; these herbs relied on their age and thus far, less than half a year had passed. Even with Xu Yang¡¯s nting skills and special traits, nothing significant could happen. Patience was key! After a busy day, Xu Yang caught two Red Carps from the cage, and together with the bacon he had bought before and the greens from his own vegetable garden, he meticulously prepared a dinner. From the Red Carp, one was used for soup and the other sliced thinly. He mixed scallions and Sichuan peppers with sesame oil and soy sauce as a dip. Then he steamed the bacon with White Jade Rice, apanied it with a dish of little bok Choy and opened a jar of fine Jade Ice liquor. The taste was truly¡ Indescribable! After a satisfying meal and a drink, he went to bed and tucked himself under the covers¡ In the ckwater River, Xu Qingyu opened his eyes, feeling his stomach rumble with hunger. But seeing that Shallow Bay had be so deserted, Xu Yang did not rush to hunt and eat. Instead, he yed with water grass divination again. It had to be said, this thing was really addicting, giving one the thrill of gambling with fate! ¡°Gurgle, gurgle!¡± The water grass fell and formed a pattern; Xu Yang focused his eyes and saw that it formed the character ¡°luck.¡± ¡°Finally got it.¡± Xu Yang breathed a sigh of relief. Without paying attention to the shivering small fish and shrimps around him, or the little ms and mussels, he flicked his tail and swam off towards the dark and deep waters. In the deep-water area, the water was dark but still faintly clear, not like the central region, where it was as thick as paste. Even though he did not know why the water was ck, it seemed harmless for now, so Xu Yang wasn¡¯t too concerned. Compared to Shallow Bay, the deep-water area was wider and richer in resources, filled with abundant food. There were countless schools of fish, many unusual fish species, and even aquatic Spirit Monsters. Luckily, Xu Yang was also no pushover; with his six-feet-long Green Jade body, he was a formidable creature in the deep waters. As long as he did not provoke the five dominant lords lurking on the edge of the forbidden zone, there were hardly any fish that could cause him trouble. The five dominant lords? Who were these five dominant lords? These were terms and positions Xu Yang had given them, referring to the five most powerful alien aquatic beings on the edge of the forbidden zone. The first was a Giant Beast with a massive body, over nine meters long, resembling a small mountain, residing near the restricted zone, its body half-submerged in the ck water, unfathomably strong. The second was a serpent of uncertain species, which Xu Yang whimsically named ¡°Scaly Snake.¡± It was notrge, but strong and poisonous, with a frighteningly deadly venom. Xu Yang always steered clear of these two. The third was a fat catfish,rge in size, strong, not slow, and with sharp teeth. It had once ambushed Xu Yang, biting him hard enough that even his Green Jade Scales were nearlypromised. The fourth was a lobster, a bright red one with formidable strength and quick movements, with a hard carapace and powerful ws. Xu Yang had not fought it directly, but he had seen it kill many big fish and even somerge turtles. The fifth was an eel, an Electric Eel that could release electric shocks. Xu Yang had been shocked by it from a distance once before; the numbing of his scalp and the feeling of his heart stopping were memories still fresh in his mind. Among the five dominant lords, aside from the Giant Beast, the other four had their own tribes and subordinates¡ªnone of them to be trifled with, especially the Electric Eel that could shock together. In the entire deep-water area, apart from the Giant Beast, no one could withstand that. Thus, the five dominant lords remained unchallenged to this day. But starting today, Xu Yang had decided to change this hierarchy. Big fish eat small fish, small fish eat shrimps. He, Xu Qing Fish, was ready to rise up! Xu Yang flicked his tail and charged toward the territory of the lobster tribe among the dominant lords. When picking persimmons, choose the softest! Among the five lords, the Giant Beast was untouchable, the venomous snake unbearable, and let¡¯s not even mention the Electric Eel. After counting them out, he could only contend with the lobster and the catfish. The catfish was big and strong, with sharp, prating teeth that were unpleasant to deal with. The lobster was different though¡ªtheir ws were formidable, but with Xu Yang¡¯s size, other than the dominant lobster, it would be hard for others to pinch him. Even the dominant lobster was much smaller than him. Big fish could prey on smaller fish to achieve an effect. Not to mention that the lobster¡¯s carapace would help in ¡°Form Supplementing Form,¡± and the nutritional value itself was exceedingly high. As long as Xu Yang could swallow this tribe, his strength would undoubtedly increase substantially, and his Green Jade Scales would significantly fortify, bing his greatest advantage for challenging the ¡°Fat Catfish¡± tribe. First, eat the small ones, then the big ones. One step at a time, climb to the top. This is the world of survival of the fittest amongst alien beasts! Chapter 85 - 59: Fish-Dragon_l Chapter 85: Chapter 59: Fish-Dragon_l Trantor: 549690339 The world of beasts is bloody, cruel, yet also innocent and simple. After all, without the capacity forplex thoughts, they couldn¡¯t entertain the intrigues and machinations. But what they couldn¡¯t sustain, Xu Yang could. Instead of directly seeking out the dominant Lobster King, he targeted its subordinates one by one to break them down. Though called subordinates, those able to live in this deep water area were all somewhat different from ordinary fish, at leastrger in size. With a surge of aggression, Xu Yang entered the territory of the lobster n and quickly found severalrge lobsters leading a hunt. The shells of these lobsters were thick, and their overall color was dark blue to ck, with only their backs a shade of red hinting at their extraordinariness. Without a word, Xu Yang flicked his tail forward and took a bite at one of therge lobsters. ¡°Crack! ¡± The targeted lobster was in the middle of its own hunt, unprepared for any danger, when suddenly a torrential force apanied by the rush of water mmed into it, followed by arge green fish surging out and biting at its head. Fish-Dragon Change + Muddy Water Jiao Dragon + Big Fish Eats Little Fish! Though currently at the Qi-Blood realm level of Body Training, with the enhancement from these three Skill Traits, Xu Yang¡¯s fighting power was no less than that of a Muscle Bone Realm Demon Monster. A first-realm Alien Beast with Qi-Blood Body Training could rival an Inner Strength Martial Artist. A second-realm Spirit Monster with Skin and Flesh Body Training could rival a True Qi Martial Artist. A third -realm Demon Monster with Muscle Bone Body Training could rival a True Gang Martial Artist. All five dominators of the deep waters were third-realm Demon Monsters. Their tribal elites, like this Red -Backed Lobster, also possessed the capability of a second -realm Spirit Monster. Had it been in Shallow Bay, it could easily have ruled as king. Unfortunately for it, it had encountered Xu Yang. In just one bite, using sharp teeth evolved through ¡°Form Supplementing Form¡±, the force of the Fish-Dragon Transformation, and the ability to overpower from Big Fish Eats Little Fish, Xu Yang crushed its skull. A second-realm Spirit Monster, though formidable, was just a spirit monster after all. Without the ability to survive a crushed head. After biting the Red-Backed Lobster to death in one bite, Xu Yang did not stop there, but turned to rush at the remaining Red-Backed Lobsters. ¡°Crack! Crack! Crack!¡± The other Red-Backed Lobsters panicked and scattered, but none was fast enough to escape him. In a short amount of time, he had crushed their heads with his bites, leaving only a few ¡°underage¡± young lobsters to flee. With a principle of sustainable development, Xu Yang ignored the little ones and began to clear the battlefield. A six-foot-long green fish, its scales gleaming like jade in the murky water, swam unrestrainedly among the chaos, crushing the shells of the lobsters and swallowing them whole. Soon, several ¡°Spirit Monster¡± ss Red-Backed Lobsters had be a source of nourishment in his belly. It was only then that Xu Yang noticed something, the bloodline in these Red -Backed Lobsters seemed a bit unusual. Was that¡ Dragon Species Blood? Xu Yang wasn¡¯t sure, but after consuming these Red-Backed Lobsters, he distinctly felt an improvement in his ¡°Fish-Dragon Transformation¡±. Not a small benefit! So he continued to eat. lust like that a sneaky stealthyrge green fish began to harass the territory of the Red-Backed Lobsters. When the enemy advances, we retreat; when they stop, we harass. When the enemy tires, we strike; when they withdraw, we pursue. And thus, several days passed in a sh. After a few days, it¡¯s still the same water domain. ¡°Crack! Crack! Crack!¡± Apletely red, stunningly shelled, four to five-foot-long Lobster King, enraged, was leading its subordinates patrolling back and forth through the territory. In recent days, a hatefulrge green fish had caused continuous destruction on their Red-Backed Lobsters¡¯ turf, having already killed several of their elites. Having no choice, the Lobster King itself had to leave the edge of the ck water to personally deal with therge green fish. However, it hadn¡¯t expected the green fish to be so cunning; it would immediately flee upon seeing the Lobster King, continuing to sneak attack its subordinates. Exhausted and frustrated after several days, its subordinates had suffered heavy casualties and death. Limited intelligence prevented it from analyzing the situation or realizing the predicament it was in. Peril can strike in an instant! Suddenly¡ ¡°Gurgle!¡± A massive force brought a turbulent flow, scattering the Red-Backed Lobsters all about, only the ¡°Demon Monster¡± ss Lobster King struggling to hold its position against the current. But it wasn¡¯t just the water attacking. Within the current, a giant shadow emerged, as broad as a barrel and over seven feet long. Its body, covered in jade- like green scales, emitted a faint green light in the dark water, which went unnoticed before, making it very conspicuous now. That was arge Green Fish! The Green Fish arrived with the wave, flicking its body and tail fiercely. ¡°Whack!!!¡± The Lobster King was still trying to resist the current, and there was no way to dodge the Green Fish¡¯s powerful Dragon Tail Swipe; it got hit directly on the head by the fish¡¯s tail, causing its five-foot body to uncontrobly somersault away. Fish-Dragon Transformation¡ªDragon Tail Swipe! Without Inner Strength and with the body of a fish, many martial arts skills were unusable, and the usually unbeatable ¡°Fighting Scroll¡± was mostly wasted. Luckily, Xu Yang was well-resourced, and quickly created a set of martial arts suitable for his fish body, in conjunction with the ¡°Fish-Dragon Transformation¡± cultivation technique, named¡ªFish-Dragon Eight Skill! This Fish-Dragon Eight Skill, which was also in line with the intricacies of the ¡°Martial Arts Scripture,¡±bined hardness with softness, and was infinitely variable. Though it had only eight moves, it could deal with all sorts of opponents. The Red -Backed Lobster King was no exception. With its hard shell and fierce ws, ordinary spirit monsters and demon monsters found it difficult to break through its defense. If caught in its pincers, one could expect to lose a body part. But Xu Yang was no ordinary demon monster. His Dragon Tail Swing packed an immense power, blending hardness with softness, containing both a strong strike and a hidden supple force, wounding both internally and externally with a single swipe of the tail. Even the solid shell of the Lobster King couldn¡¯t withstand such a blow, cracking open directly at the front. Xu Yang, seizing the advantage, wouldn¡¯t let the lobster off. With a flick of his tail, he propelled himself forward, cutting through the water like a cannonball and mming hard into the Lobster King. Fish-Dragon Eight Skill¡ªFish Head Cannon! The head of the Green Fish was round like a cannonball, the optimal aerodynamic design, and now covered with scales and armor, it could perfectly serve as a weapon. With such a head,bined with the power of the Muddy Water Jiao Dragon¡¯s tail flick, this Fish Head Cannon was barely less powerful than a real cannonball, minus the explosion. Although the Lobster King was a demon monster, such a collision cost it half its life, immediately stripping it of the ability to move. Xu Yang, however, didn¡¯t care, charging forward to deliver a barrage of tail whips and headbutts, pummeling in a furious, relentless attack, until the Lobster King¡¯s shell shatteredpletely and it flopped limply, only then did he stop. One of the five overlord monsters, the Red-Backed Lobster King, had fallen! Well, it wasn¡¯t really the right way to speak of something like this falling. Dealing with it was hardly a matter for pride. In the world of Great Tang, he had in batches of Four-Realm Warriors and even Condensing Spirit Grandmasters. Now, to use martial arts to bully an intellectually inferior lobster, if he couldn¡¯t handle that, he might as well quit and go crash into a b of tofu. After ying the Red-Backed Lobster King, Xu Yang didn¡¯t waste time and began to eat it immediately. The Lobster King, not particrlyrge, was about five feet long, flesh included. Now, broken into pieces by Xu Yang¡¯s beating, the shell shattered, and the meat mush, making it quite convenient to consume. First, Xu Yang devoured the sweet and delicious lobster meat, then gnawed and chewed on the hard shell. Form Supplementing Form; the more one eats these things, the tougher they get! ¡°Crack! Crack! Crack!¡± Under Xu Yang¡¯s powerful bite, it didn¡¯t take long for the remains to be cleaned up entirely. ¡°Mmm¡ not bad!¡± After eating his fill, Xu Yang contentedly patted his chest, quite satisfied with his meal. Should he take advantage of his victory and devour all the spirits and alien beasts of the Red-Backed Lobster tribe? Forget it, he had to practice sustainable development, not to fish the pond dry. Moreover¡ Xu Yang flipped over, exposing his belly, feeling a cozy warmth all over, longing tofortably sleep off the meal¡ ¡°No, wait!!!¡± Just as his fish eyes were closing, his human intelligence snapped Xu Yang awake, realizing the state he was in. Without a second word, he wiggled his body and swiftly swam towards Shallow Bay. Three monthster, in the vibrant patches of Seagrass in Shallow Bay. Between the dense foliage lurked arge figure, more than nine feet long, nearly ten feet, scaled and armored like green jade, emitting a faint glow, save for a line of vivid red embedded along its back. Looking at the head, it still bore the shape of a Green Fish, but on the jaws, the fish¡¯s lips had grown four golden tendrils radiating a mysterious majesty. The imposing aura of its bloodline origin was enough to make the surrounding fish and crustaceans tremble and even faint, belly-up. The transformation from Fish to Dragon was taking shape! Suddenly¡ ¡°Gurgle!¡± The Green Fish opened its eyes, its body surged as it flicked its tail, causing a turbulent current to swell in the small bay. Undeterred, its body and tail flicked like a dragon taking flight, darting like an arrow toward deeper waters. Xu Yang Race: Green Fish (Dragon Species) Cultivation: Skin and Flesh Realm Lifespan: 4/99 Skills: Swimming, Feeding, Breathing, Sleeping, Taoist Skills, Martial Arts¡ Cultivation Technique: Martial Arts Scripture Fish-Dragon Transformation! That Red-Backed Lobster indeed carried the bloodline of a dragon species, even if a minuscule amount. But Dragon Blood is still Dragon Blood. Having killed the Lobster King of demon monster level and devoured an entire group of spirit monster level Red-Backed Lobsters, the cumtive effect of the dragon blood finally became apparent. Furthermore, with the skill traits of ¡°Form Supplementing Form¡± and ¡°Fish-Dragon Change,¡± he finallypleted a minor ancestral regression, an evolution in his fish life. Now, he could be referred to as a Dragon Species Green Fish, or¡ªAzure Dragon Fish! Regardless of the name, what mattered wasn¡¯t important. What was important was power! With a body over nine feet long, nearly ten, Xu Yang, who had sessfully undergone ¡°Fish-Dragon Transformation,¡± saw a substantial increase in both size andbat strength. So, with fierce determination, he was now heading towards his next target, ready to take revenge on the fat catfish that had nearly gutted him. He could be rather petty at times.. Chapter 86 - 60: Innate Talent_1 Chapter 86: Chapter 60: Innate Talent_1 Trantor: 549690339 Several dayster, in the ckwater River. In a ce where the muddy waters spread like marsnd. Within the murky dark water, a faint green light flickered. A Green Fish, nine feet long and almost ten feet in length, was engaged in a fierce battle with a fat, ck-bellied and white-stomached catfish. This fat catfish was only six feet long, but its body was extremely wide and chubby, resembling an overturnedrge water jar with rows of sharp spikes in its mouth, akin to a rasp, which were the catfish¡¯s unique teeth. Although its body was bulky, its movements weren¡¯t clumsy. On the contrary, it was very agile, churning the muddy waters fiercely. But its opponent was even more remarkable, covered in scales and armor, shining with a bright green light. With a nine-foot body that seemed to possess the strength of a Jiao Dragon, capable of turning rivers and seas, its strength and speed surpassed that of the fat catfish. After an intense struggle, the catfish was covered with wounds, with all sorts of scars across its ck skin and white belly from bites, ps, and head-on collisions. In contrast, the Green Fish appeared vibrant, with its Green Jade Scales sleek as new, showing no sign of damage. ¡°Gurgle gurgle!¡± Although it was at the end of its tether, being a carnivorous species with extreme ferocity, the fat catfish lunged forward once more, biting towards its opponent¡¯s tail spine. However, the Green Fish turned its body like a dragon, and with a forceful flick of its tail, it smacked the thousand-pound catfish away, dazing it and leaving it unable to regain control. Afterward, it no longer wasted time. It whipped its body, charging headfirst. Its nine-foot form shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, along with a burst of surrounding water, heavily crashing into the snow-white and fatty belly of the catfish. The belly of the fat catfish was truly remarkable; as big as a drum, thick with fat, and its outer skin iparably tough and extremely slippery. Ordinary attacksnding on it wouldn¡¯t harm the fish but rather risk getting entangled by its belly, being tightly twisted like dough, or directly repelled, leaving the attacker either dead or injured. It was the catfish version of the ¡°Cotton Belly¡± martial arts! But at this moment, faced with the opponent¡¯s head charging like a cannonball, its catfish belly was of no use. There was no chance of entanglement or repelling; it couldn¡¯t even dissipate or transfer the force of the attack. It was directly hit, its innards shattered and its backbone and fish bones crushed. ¡°Blurp blurp!¡± Blood spurted out, and within the muddy water, one less of the five overlords remained. Xu Yang didn¡¯t dare to dy and leapt forward, feasting heartily. In terms of taste, catfish is a species whose quality can vary greatly. The delicious ones are extremely good, while the distasteful ones are extremely bad, affected by water quality, environment, and diet, among other factors. Luckily, the water of the ckwater River was quite good, resulting in the meat of this catfish being of high quality too¡ªrich but not greasy, without any earthy or rotten smell. Instead, it was tender and sweet, a true delicacy. It was delicious just like the previously consumed Lobster King, each having their own merits. ¡°Gurgle¡ not bad!¡± After satisfying his hunger, Xu Yangid down again, flipping onto his belly and drifting with the waves. The Green Fish wasrge-bodied and preferred tranquility over activity, especially after eating when it just wanted to lie down. Although Xu Yang¡¯s consciousness was in absolute control, his bodily instincts still had some influence on him. As a result, he had be muchzier recently, often sleeping after eating, like a salted fish. But fortunately, this was limited to this body; his main self wasn¡¯t affected. If this animal instinct were to spread to his main self, turning it into a salted fish as well, that would be a major problem. While lying on his belly and drifting with the waves, enjoying the post-meal rxation, Xu Yang was also contemting his next move. The five overlords of the deep waters, the easiest to deal with, the Red-back Lobster King, and the ck-skinned Fatty Catfish, had been taken care of, leaving the Giant Turtle, the Electric Eel, and the Scaly Snake as the three tough nuts to crack. Who would be the next target? The Giant Turtle? That creature was like a small hill, its shell so unimaginably hard that he would likely not be able to bite through it even if it just stood there and let him chew. The Electric Eel was even less approachable. Ordinary electric eels were killers in the water; this Demon Monster-level electric eel was certainly so. In ckwater River, aside from the Giant Turtle, there probably wasn¡¯t any demon monster that could withstand its electric shock. Not to mention, these creatures liked to swarm. Apart from the Demon Monster-level Electric Eel King, there was also a bunch of Spirit Monsters and Alien Beast-levelrge electric eels. Should they gather and discharge electricity together, even the Giant Turtle would turn tail and flee. And the Scaly Snake? No, no, that creature possessed a deadly poison and was also gregarious. Itmanded a group of Spirit Monster and Alien Beast-level venomous water snakes. Although they may not be able to bite through his Green Jade Scales, they were still highly dangerous. Xu Yang thought and thought, and eventually realized that of the remaining three, none were easy to bully. It was to be expected¡ªif they were easy to bully, they would have been wiped out long ago and not have made it to this day. In fact the Lobster King and the Fatty Catfish were also troublesome. The lobster shell and ws, the belly and mouth of the catfish, were all formidable in offense and defense. It was just that he had a counter for them¡ Wait, a counter? Xu Yang¡¯s eyes hardened, and he suddenly had an epiphany. All things in nature, all living beings, have their checks and bnces! Every creature had its strengths and also its weaknesses. As long as he exploited their strengths and avoided their weaknesses to strike their vital points, he could easily resolve dangerous enemies. Take the Lobster King and the Fatty Catfish as examples; their strengths were the lobster shell and ws, and the catfish belly and mouth. The lobster shell and catfish belly served as defense, which were broken through by Xu Yang¡¯s sharp fangs and the power of Fish-Dragon Form, while the lobster ws and catfish mouth were countered by the Green Jade Scales, unable to breach his defense. This was a case of biological counters. Without such counters, and simplyparing raw strength and speed, they would never have been defeated so swiftly. Likewise, could Xu Yang find a way to counter the Giant Turtle, the Electric Eel, and the Scaly Snake? If it were ordinary demon monsters or Green Fish, then certainly there would be no way. After all, the various advantages of a creature are innate, born with them. To change themter in life would require thousands of years of evolution and reproduction through generations¡ªit simply wasn¡¯t possible to achieve overnight. But Xu Yang was no ordinary demon monster, no ordinary Green Fish! Form Supplementing Form! Evolve and grow! He would give himself the abilities to resist poison and electricity, to tackle that group of electric eels and scaly snakes. The electric eels and scaly snakes¡¯ most fearsome traits were their electric shock and deadly poison. Robbed of these two tactics, they would be no different than the Lobster King and the Fatty Catfish¡ªsimpler to deal with than one might think. So, how to gain abilities to resist poison and electricity? Xu Yang pondered for a moment, then turned around and disappeared into the darkness of the water. After only a short while, he caught a big fish with a dark green back and a snow-white belly. This was¡ a pufferfish! Over the past few years, Xu Yang had tried almost every type of fish, turtle, shrimp, and crab in the ckwater River. The only thing he hadn¡¯t tried was a pufferfish. No way around it, this thing was highly poisonous; who would want to deliberately make themselves ufortable? Moreover, Xu Yang was not entirely sure whether the ¡°Form Supplementing Form¡± would grant him poison resistance. After all, it was about supplementing form, not adaptive evolution. Eating pufferfish in excess did not guarantee enhanced poison resistance; it could instead fortify other aspects, such as the pufferfish¡¯s shape, or its ability to bloat its body. All of these were possibilities. Therefore, Xu Yang hadn¡¯t actively consumed pufferfish to boost his poison resistance over the years. But now he wanted to give it a try, since he had practiced the Fish-Dragon Transformation, his constitution was robust, he could afford to risk it. Just a small pufferfish, it surely couldn¡¯t poison to death his demon monster level Fish-Dragon Form¡ right? Looking at the alien beast level big pufferfish in his hand, Xu Yang hesitated for a while before deciding to let it go and caught a regr pufferfish to bring back. Then¡ ¡°Gurgle!¡± A single bite, crunch crunch, and then he swallowed it. With his current size, a regr pufferfish was too small, hardly different from a slice of sashimi. ¡°Seems like¡ I don¡¯t feel anything?¡± After eating the pufferfish, he waited for a while, but no reaction urred. Seeing this, Xu Yang became bolder, turning around and catching a big alien beast level pufferfish. ¡°Crunch crunch!¡± ¡°Hmm¡ seems like there¡¯s a bit of a sensation now, let¡¯s have more!¡± ¡°Crunch crunch crunch!¡± Xu Yang swam a circuit in the deep waters, devouring several alien beast pufferfish. Then¡ ¡°Gurgle gurgle!¡± He felt the world spin, stars danced before Xu Yang¡¯s eyes, and he flipped over onto his back, his belly facing upward as he floated towards the surface. He felt the effects! However, being of Fish-Dragon Form, his physical strength was formidable. Xu Yang quickly regained consciousness and, powering through difort, found a secluded spot toy low, closed his fish eyes, and deeply fell asleep. Thus, three monthster. In the ckwater River¡ Numerous alien beasts and even Spirit Monsters fled in panic, trying to escape the terrifying figure glowing with an eerie green light behind them. But how could they escape faster than this apex predator? In an instant, a Spirit Monster level pufferfish was overtaken by the green glow, its head bitten off and devoured with relish. In a blink, the Spirit Monster pufferfish, the size of a small grinding wheel, was eaten clean. Not satisfied, it then turned around, attacked, and bit a pitch-ck water snake. ¡°Crunch crunch crunch!¡± Xu Yang munched on spicy strips while calling up his Attribute Panel. Xu Yang Species: Green Fish (Dragon Species) Cultivation: Skin and Flesh Realm Lifespan: 4/99 Skills: Swimming, Eating, Breathing, Sleeping, Taoist Skills, Martial Arts¡ Cultivation Technique: Martial Arts Scripture Fish-Dragon Transformation. Talents: Green Jade Scales, Fish-Dragon Form, Immunity to All Poisons. Overall, not much had changed, only a new ¡°Talents¡± section had been added. What are talents? ording to Xu Yang¡¯s understanding, these were the innate abilities of alien beasts, which were not skills, couldn¡¯t be honed into traits, and could only be cultivated like a Cultivation Technique or improved through ¡°growth¡± and ¡°devouring.¡± As for whether these could be transferred to his main body, he did not know yet since he had not experimented. In general, these talent abilities seemed to be unique to ¡°alien beasts¡± and closely rted to the growth of their bloodlines¡ªthe purer and richer the bloodline, the stronger the talents. Presently, Xu Yang had awakened three talents: Green Jade Scales, Fish-Dragon Form, and Immunity to All Poisons. Green Jade Scales was a talent he had obtained through his own growth, Fish-Dragon Form was the result of practicing Fish-Dragon Transformation and devouring Dragon Blood, and Immunity to All Poisons was the hard-earned result of his recent ¡°Form Supplementing Form¡± endeavors. During these three months, he had eaten pufferfish, gnawed on poisonous snakes, and asionally ventured into the territory of Scaly Snake to provoke its underlings, experiencing the sensation of snake venom injection. Thus, with Heaven¡¯s fair retribution, he finally reaped his rewards. Talent ¨C Immunity to All Poisons! It specifically countered poisons! Scaly Snake, here Ie! Xu Yang let out a long howl, wriggled his body, and headed straight for the snake¡¯s den.. Chapter 87 - 61: Change Again_l Chapter 87: Chapter 61: Change Again_l Trantor: 549690339 In the depths of ckvvater River, at the edge of the forbidden realm, near the Snake¡¯s nest. A streak of bright light shot through like an arrow, immediately causing the serpents to boil over with excitement, hissing as they emerged. Among them, a nine-foot-long snake was particrly conspicuous. This snake, ck all over with patterns covering its body, had a lump on its head that seemed to have a sharp horn in it. A lump on its head with a concealed horn revealed the air of a Jiao Dragon! Given time, it might well be a vile Jiao Dragon, poisonous and fierce. Unfortunately, Xu Yang did not give it that time. ¡°Hiss, hiss, hiss!¡± The Green Fish, like a dragon, surged forward, inciting the hissing chorus of the serpents. Among them were nock of Spirit Monster and Alien beast level great snakes. But¡ It was of no use! Xu Yang simply flicked his tail, snacking left and sending the attacking swarm of snakes flying. ¡°Hiss!!!¡± The Snake King, enraged, took matters into its own hands. Its nine-foot body dashed forward in a sh, jaws open aiming for the Green Fish. Xu Yang didn¡¯t dodge or avoid, allowing its venomous fangs to strike. ¡°Crack! Crack!¡± The sounds of collision rang out, green light sshing in every direction; the Snake King¡¯s razor-sharp fangs shattered upon the Green Jade Scales. The Green Jade Scales were Xu Yang¡¯s innate gift in his Green Fish form. Enhanced by ¡°Form Supplementing Form¡± and ¡°Blood of the Dragon Species, ¡± its strength was top-notch among Demon Monsters, far exceeding that of the Lobster King¡¯s shell. The Snake King¡¯s fangs were sharp, but they were still far from prating this defense. Now with its fangs broken, its sneak attack had failed, and Xu Yang retaliated with a whip of his fish tail across its face. ¡°Hiss! ¡± The Snake King screamed, tumbling away, but in the blink of an eye, it stabilized its body, raised its head, and opened its mouth wide¡ ¡°Pffft!!!¡± A surge of dark green, gloomy lighted poison mist billowed out, instantly enveloping Xu Yang¡¯s body. It had held back a move! But so had Xu Yang. Within the terrifying poisonous green light, a strike of blue emerged. The Fish-Dragon Form shot out like an arrow, crashing into the body of the Snake King, biting down on its vital seven inches. ¡°Hiss! ¡°Crack! In pain, the Snake King struggled wildly, but Xu Yang, without any care, bit down repeatedly with his sharp teeth, severing the snake¡¯s body. With the poison neutralized and the body severed, there¡¯s no need to borate on the Snake King¡¯s fate; it soon became food in the belly of the Green Fish. ¡°Hmm¡ This Snake King¡¯s body actually had Dragon Blood!¡± No sooner had Xu Yang swallowed the flesh and blood of the Snake King than he felt a warm current rise within him, stirring the long-slumbering Blood of the Fish -Dragon. Clearly, this snake was also of the Dragon Species, and its consumption was greatly beneficial. Unfortunately, Xu Yang¡¯s body was not what it had been once, and a Demon Monster level Dragon Species Snake King was not enough to make his Fish-Dragon Cultivation Skill undergo another transformation. Therefore, Xu Yang did not hesitate to turn around and begin chasing down those Spirit Monster level and Alien beast level water snakes. A mosquito¡¯s leg was still flesh; it was a waste not to eat it. In a short while, the elite of the Scaly Snake n followed their King on the road to oblivion in Xu Yang¡¯s belly. The power of the Dragon Blood rose once more. s, it still did not meet the requirements for the Fish-Dragon Second Transformation. Yet Xu Yang still felt fatigue, as if some strange change was taking ce within his body. Thus, he halted his actions and sank his body into the snake¡¯s nest, nestled in ce, closing his eyes to fall into a deep slumber. He slept like this for three months. After three months¡ Immediately, the green scales, like jade, fell away. Was he shedding? Not quite, this was¡ Xu Yang Species: Green Fish (Dragon Species) Cultivation: Skin and Flesh Realm Lifespan: 4/99 Skills: Swimming, Eating, Breathing, Sleeping, Taoist Skills, Martial Arts¡ Cultivation Technique: Martial Arts Scripture.Fish-Dragon Transformation. Innate Abilities: Green Jade Scales, Fish-Dragon Form, Immunity to All Poisons, Gloomy and Severe Poison, Dragon Snake¡¯s Molt. Two new innate abilities had been added¡ªGloomy and Severe Poison and Dragon Snake¡¯s Molt. There¡¯s no need to borate on Gloomy and Severe Poison; the Poison that Scaly Snake sprayed earlier was this substance itself, which even Demon Monsters could not withstand. As for Dragon Snake¡¯s Molt¡ as the name implies, it¡¯s like the molting of a dragon or snake. Dragon Snakes could speed up digestion, enhance absorption, heal injuries, and restore strength by molting. Thus, with each molt, the physique of a dragon or snake would improve, and conditions like injury and weakness could be eliminated. The only downside was that molting required arge amount of food and nutrients. If there wasn¡¯t enough food, it would consume the Qi Blood in the body, and if Qi Blood was also insufficient, the molt would fail, resulting in a great loss of Yuan Qi. Xu Yang was not a dragon or a snake, but a dragon fish, and therefore he could not molt in the same way. However, shedding scales had the same effect. After shedding scales, his scales would be even harder and more solid, enhancing everything beneath them. While it wasn¡¯t as significant as the Fish-Dragon Transformation, it was still an all-around progress. Very good, very powerful! Xu Yang moved his body and immediately felt a surge of strength throughout, unable to help himself from letting out a satisfied, long howl. ¡°Roar!!!¡± Although it was the cry of a Green Fish, the sound was like a dragon¡¯s chant. The coral that made up the snake¡¯s nest shook with the impact, copsing amidst the tremors. The ckwater churned, dust and sand stirring all around. A streak of blue light, like lightning, pierced through the murky flow of the ckwater, heading straight for the zone of electric storms. The five supreme rulers, three had fallen. What remained were the Giant Turtle and the Electric Eel. For the Giant Turtle, there was no good solution for now. But that Electric Eel¡ Just like dealing with the Scaly Snake, all that was needed was to develop an ¡°anti-electric¡± ability. So, Xu Yang prepared to undergo electrotherapy, and incidentally, to taste what Electric Eel was like. ¡°Crackle, pop!¡± A momentter, he emerged from the Electric Eel¡¯s territory, charred all over but having gotten what he wanted. These creatures were indeed fearsome; had it not been for his impressive defense from his Green Jade Scales, he would have likely perished there. But he did note away empty-handed, for a four- to five-foot Electric Eel was now held in his mouth. The first step was the hardest, but after the first one, the second and third came easily¡ And so it went, another three months passed. Four years had gone by in the ckwater River. ¡°Crackle, pop!¡± An eight-foot long, golden-bodied Electric Eel King, along with a dozen Spirit Monster- and Alien Beast-grade subordinates, released a barrage of electricity. Their golden lightning sshed out, forming a terrifying electric in the water. Within the electric, there was Green Jade like a dragon! A Green Fish, swaying its body, forcefully broke through the golden electric. Despite the¡¯s terrifying power, which crackled on its body, shatteringyers of green light and leaving scars, the Green Fish did not retreat. Braving the electric shocks, it charged forward, ultimately reaching the heart of the Electric Eel formation. By that time, most of its Green Jade Scales had been destroyed by the electric, and beneath countless scars, flesh was visible; the fish looked extremely pitiable. To charge against the was an incredible risk. If it were possible, Xu Yang would have preferred not to take such a gamble. But ¡°if¡± did not apply; this was a risk he had to take. Because¡ ¡°Roar!¡± Within the Electric Eel formation, the golden-bodied Electric Eel King shimmered with electric light. On its head and belly were prominent lumps, on the verge of bursting. It was about to break through! The strength of this Electric Eel King was extraordinarily fearsome, and its intelligence far surpassed that of ordinary Demon Monsters. Xu Yang¡¯s previous Electric Eel hunting had thoroughly enraged it, leading it to chase him down with arge force several times. Although Xu Yang was agile and had escaped its electric several times, each was a narrow escape. If it advanced further and transformed into an Electric Flood Dragon, then he would likely have no ce left to stand in the ckwater River. Therefore, Xu Yang had no choice but to attack, taking the risk. Seeing Xu Yang charging forward, bearing the onught of the electric, the Electric Eel King was both shocked and furious. Disregarding the loss of its Yuan Qi and the safety of its subordinates, it was about to push its electric power to the limit. But¡ it was a step toote! ¡°Gurgle!¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Xu Yang opened his mouth and spat out a greenish-blue water arrow, apressed, poison-tipped missile from his mouth, embodying the Gloomy and Severe Poison. ¡°Pfft!¡± The poison arrow pierced through the Electric Eel King, turning its golden body green. The poison took effect! Though the Electric Eel King had terrifying electric power, it had almost no resistance to poison; once stricken by the Gloomy and Severe Poison, its spirit left for theherworld, belly-up in defeat. ¡°Ssh, crackle!¡± Even as the Electric Eel King fell, the electric was still active. Xu Yang swung his tail and pounced on the remaining Electric Eels. ¡°Crackle¡¡± With his body charred ck and in excruciating pain, feeling as if it no longer belonged to him, Xu Yang finally let out a sigh of relief. Atst, it was done! This Electric Eel King had been truly terrifying. Even though he had consumed Electric Eels in the meantime, using Form Supplementing Form to evolve an ¡°anti-electric¡± talent, he was still left reeling beneath its electric. Had it not been for his potent Gloomy and Severe Poison, the oue of this encounter would have remained uncertain. Indeed, one should never underestimate the heroes of this world, for hidden dragons and crouching tigers abound! With a quiet sigh, he steeled himself and began to reap the fruits of victory. The first was the Electric Eel King; even more terrifying than the Snake King, with a lump on both its head and belly. The golden, blood-tinged tumors were on the brink of bursting, and given more time, it would have likely sprouted horns and ws. Then, it would no longer have been an Electric Eel King, but a Jiao Dragon, a lightning-controlling Electric Flood Dragon! Who could withstand such a demon monster? Fortunately, it had ultimately failed to cross that heavenly threshold and nowy as a meal on Xu Yang¡¯s te. Despite the invasion of the deadly poison, turning the normally golden Electric Eel green, his own poison was, of course, nothing to despise or fear. Xu Yang delightedly feasted upon it. Devouring heartily, in no time, the soon-to-be Jiao Electric Eel King and a dozen Spirit Monster and Alien Beast-grade Electric Eels were swept into Xu Yang¡¯s mouth. After the feast, the pains from his injuries seemed to fade, and the warm, cozy feeling returned. Xu Yangfortably narrowed his eyes and, without seeking another ce, simply settled down on the spot. Plunging into a profound sleep, the Fish-Dragon Cultivation Skill automatically operated, initiating a second cycle of molt and evolution. This transformationsted a year. A yearter, in the depths of the ckwater River. On the riverbed, a giant shadowy dormant. Over eighteen feet in length, its body covered in scales, it was cloaked in a dull sheen as if it were a stone statue. Suddenly¡ ¡°Crack! Crack! Crack!¡± A series of sharp noises, as the stone coat shattered, and suddenly, radiant green light burst forth, lighting up the dark water. Within the green brilliance, one could see a fish, over eighteen feet in length, its Jade scales shimmering brightly. Though its head was that of a Green Fish, it bore six golden, electrically-charged whiskers, with a streak of scarlet on its back resembling the radiance of the sun. And beneath its fins, in the chest and belly area, stood two prominent lumps pulsing with green light and seeming ready to burst forth. With such a form and appearance, was it a dragon or a fish? Indeed, it was a Fish-Dragon! Chapter 88 - 62: Divine Mansion 1 Chapter 88: Chapter 62: Divine Mansion 1 Trantor: 549690339 Xu Yang Race: Green Fish (Dragon Species) Cultivation: Muscle Bone Realm Lifespan: 5/180 Skills: Swimming, Eating, Breathing, Sleeping, Taoist Skills, Practicing Martial Arts¡ Cultivation Technique: Martial Arts Scripture ¡ª Fish-Dragon Transformation. Innate Abilities: Green Jade Scales, Fish-Dragon Form, Immunity to All Poisons, Gloomy and Severe Poison, Dragon Snake¡¯s Molt, Thunder-Driving Lightning-Lifting. Another change to the status panel. First was his cultivation, which after the Fish-Dragon Second Transformation, had finally reached the current limit of the ¡°Fish-Dragon Transformation¡± ¡ª the Muscle Bone Realm! His lifespan had also increased, reaching the maximum lifespan for a cultivator at this stage: one hundred and eighty years. But these were not the key points. The critical addition was the new innate ability ¡ª Thunder-Driving Lightning-Lifting! For thunder is the pivot between heaven and earth, capable ofmanding all within the Three Realms and the nine regions of the earth! The application of thunder is considered supreme among all methods, with the greatest authority, the grandest momentum, the most formidable presence, and the strongest force. In any system or practice, thunder methods are always top-tier, synonymous with power. Thanks to the contribution of the Electric Eel King and its species, Xu Yang ¡°Form Supplementing Form¡± obtained an innate ability rted to thunder ¡ª Thunder-Driving Lightning-Lifting! Thunder-Driving Lightning-Lifting, a divine skill indeed. Did Xu Yang¡¯s Thunder-Driving Lightning-Lifting hold such power? Not yet. While divine skills are formidable, they are also dependent on cultivation. With Xu Yang¡¯s current cultivation, ¡°Thunder-Driving Lightning-Lifting¡± at best only allowed control over a small amount of ¡°thunder and lightning¡± power, barely enough to stimte some electrical energy, and that was all. To trigger the real pivots between heaven and earth, the shes of lightning, one must have a sufficient foundational cultivation. He was not yet capable of this. But even so, he was already powerfully equipped. Didn¡¯t the Electric Eel King, with its mastery over controlling electricity, rule almost invincibly within its realm? Even Xu Yang, who arrived as if with cheats enabled, was electrified to a point where he saw stars¡ With this innate divine ability, plus the recently achieved breakthrough in cultivation, the increase in strength, and the supplementary boost from many skill traits, Xu Yang was confident enough to challenge the strongest being in ckwater River, as well as its ultimate tyrant ¡ª the Giant Turtle. Yet, he did not immediately proceed to the challenge, instead, he swam towards the ¡°Forbidden Area.¡± The Giant Turtle might be strong, but it wasn¡¯t the critical point. What Xu Yang truly cared about were the secrets of the ¡°ck Water.¡± What exactly was hidden within the Forbidden Area? Why did the five tyrants upy territories just outside of it? What benefits did it bring them? If there were benefits, why didn¡¯t they just enter itpletely, instead of lurking just outside? Could it be there¡¯s some danger inside, or even a terrifying existence? Xu Yang decided to explore first before dealing with the Giant Turtle. After all, the ck Water Forbidden Area was vast, not restricted to a single entry point. Previously, the five tyrants were stationed around its periphery, and now that Xu Yang had eliminated four of them, drawing near became easier. He didn¡¯t need to engage in a fierce fight with the Giant Turtle. Xu Yang swam swiftly, and after a short while, he reached the edge of the Forbidden Area. Looking in, one could see that the Forbidden Area was filled with pitch-ck, viscous water, rolling like sesame paste, devoid of any other forms of life. The fish and turtles of the deeper waters instinctively avoided the ce. Only a few ¡°spirit monsters¡± of the fish species lurked around, but even they dared not touch it directly. The only exception was the Giant Turtle, half-submerged in the ck water, the sole creature to touch the water and enter the Forbidden Area. What mysteries did this ck water hold? Xu Yang hesitated for a moment and finally got close to the edge of the Forbidden Area and spat out a Gloomy Poison Arrow. The poison arrow was loosed, disappearing without a trace, eliciting no response. The ck water remained unchanged, without the slightest disturbance. Xu Yang fell silent for a bit, then, not willing to give up, he released a golden electric current. Still, like a clod of earth into the sea, there was no reaction. Xu Yang frowned and reached out with his fin, tentatively touching the ck water. And then¡ As soon as they connected, the ck water transformed into vapor, streaming into his fin. Startled, Xu Yang swiftly propelled himself away, shooting back several meters, and began examining his condition with uncertainty. The result was¡ ¡°Is this ck water actually pure nature¡¯s spiritual energy? ¡°No, no, no. Compared to the Great Tang world, where Condensing Spirit martial artists can manipte nature¡¯s spiritual energy, this ck water¡¯s spiritual energy is even purer and more powerful, able to effectively enhance one¡¯s cultivation and even change one¡¯s physique.¡± Xu Yang watched the surging Forbidden Area filled with ck water, analyzing and guessing internally about the situation. This ck water was indeed pure nature¡¯s spiritual energy. No, the term nature¡¯s spiritual energy was too vague. A system should be established, with different levels defined! The first level is themon nature¡¯s spiritual energy, which pervades the world but is invisible to the naked eye and beyond the senses of ordinary beings. Only those at the Condensing Spirit stage can contact and utilize it by invoking their Divine Intent and Taoist Rhyme! The second level is the refined nature¡¯s spiritual energy, clearly distinct from themon variety. It can create visible anomalies, such as the dark water of ckwater River, which showcases a manifestation of altered spiritual energy. The third level consists of sentient nature¡¯s spiritual energy or, in other words, nature¡¯s spirit energy. Not only can it alter the environment, but it can also manifest physically in various forms. The ck water in this Forbidden Area is an example of pure nature¡¯s spirit energy. In both the Great Zhou and Great Tang, as well as the mortal world, the prevalent nature¡¯s spiritual energy is of themon kind. Yet here in ckwater River, refined spiritual energy fills the deeper areas, and within the Forbidden Area lies ¡°nature¡¯s spirit energy.¡± This is indicative of the high tier of this world. Nature¡¯s spiritual energy is the source of all things. The benefits are immeasurable ¡ª residing in ces with pure spiritual energy will naturally improve one¡¯s physique, lifespan, and even one¡¯s cultivation levels due to environmental influences. The ck water in this Forbidden Area is the third type of nature¡¯s spiritual energy, tangible and manifest. Its benefits for living beings are self-evident. Merely immersing in it can elevate one¡¯s level without eating, drinking, or cultivating. With such a wonderful substance, why isn¡¯t it being utilized? Even the previous five tyrants only stationed themselves on the periphery, not daring to go inside and absorb it freely. Why? Because¡ it has an owner! Indeed, this pure and substantial spiritual energy of nature had an owner. Within the spirit energy, there was a spiritual will, not strong but definitely existent. To absorb this spiritual energy, one must first eliminate the spiritual force within it. If one didn¡¯t clean it away and directly absorbed it, the spiritual will within the spiritual energy would umte and possibly assimte the absorber. This greatly shocked Xu Yang. There¡¯s a spirit within the spirit energy, an undying will? What¡¯s going on? What secrets are hidden within this forbidden zone? Xu Yang contemted for a long time. Although he had some guesses, he couldn¡¯t be sure of them. Fortunately, there was an immortal living fossil in the ckwater River. Maybe he could ask it for some guidance. Xu Yang sprung up and swished his tail to leave. Shortly after, he arrived at another ce on the edge of the forbidden zone. Here, there was a giant turtle, three Zhang in size and like carrying a mountain peak. Its body, massive as a mountain, was half-buried in the ck water, half-exposed outside, dormant there for a long time without movement. If not for a strong, undeniable breath of life emanating from it, anyone would mistake it for a stone sculpture. Xu Yang swam up over it, looking down to examine the other. ¡°You¡ finally came!¡± At that moment, a fluctuation, a wave of a spiritual disturbance came. There were no words, but there was a voice, an elderly voice echoing in Xu Yang¡¯s mind. It was the giant turtle! Spiritual transmission? Condensing Spirit Realm! This giant turtle had reached the ¡°Condensing Spirit¡± level, even the limit of Condensing Spirit, a grandmaster with a fully realized heart and soul. In this way, it could use the spirit to directly transmit thoughts. Xu Yang¡¯s mind stirred, and his consciousness responded, ¡°You know me?¡± ¡°Of course, I know. That peculiar little green fish, when you were spying on the Divine Mansion, I discovered your existence along with your uniqueness, your magic¡¡± The giant turtle¡¯s elderly voice came through, ¡°Now it seems I didn¡¯t see it wrong. Those few spiritless fools have already be your food, huh, despite them cultivating near the Divine Mansion for so long!¡± ¡°Divine Mansion?¡± Xu Yang didn¡¯t prolong the small talk, getting straight to the point, ¡°What Divine Mansion?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°It seems you¡¯re innately intelligent!¡± The elderlyugh resounded, ¡°There¡¯s a Divine Mansion within this ck Water, which is the residence of the ckwater River God. To enter it and find the ckwater Divine Seal, one can be the new ckwater River God!¡± ¡°ckwater River God?¡± ¡°ckwater Divine Seal?¡± Xu Yang¡¯s gaze became focused as he continued to ask, ¡°Then what happened to the original ckwater River God?¡± ¡°Naturally, he¡¯s dead!¡± The giant turtle chuckled, ¡°Otherwise, how would the ckwater River be as it is now?¡± ¡°Dead?¡± Xu Yang murmured and then asked, ¡°How did he die?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The giant turtle shook its head, ¡°But he¡¯s most definitely dead.¡± After speaking, it lifted its head, ¡°You can feel it too, right? That undying spiritual will scattered among the spiritual energy in the ck Water, that¡¯s the divine awareness left in the ckwater Divine Seal by the ckwater River God.¡± ¡°Because of this divine awareness, we creatures cannot directly absorb the ckwater Spiritual Energy; otherwise, we would be seized by it and assimted into part of the ck Water.¡± ¡°Only those of us who have developed intelligence and cultivated a divine soul may purify the divine awareness in the ck Water and absorb the ckwater Spiritual Energy to enhance our own cultivation.¡± ¡°But the speed of such absorption is just too slow.¡± The giant turtle looked at Xu Yang with a hint of indescribable brilliance in its eyes. ¡°Do you want to be the new ckwater River God?¡± ¡°ckwater River God?¡± Xu Yang, upon hearing this, revealed no stance, simply asking, ¡°How to be one?¡± ¡°Explore the Divine Mansion with me. Whoever finds the ckwater Divine Seal will be the ckwater River God!¡± The giant turtle looked at him, transmitting its thoughts, ¡°With our current cultivation, we are entirely capable of withstanding the spiritual will within the ck Water. As long as we do not get immersed for too long, there¡¯s no danger. Let¡¯s team up, explore together, find the location of the Divine Mansion¡ªthat¡¯s where the ckwater Divine Seal is.¡± ¡°Once you refine the ckwater Divine Seal, you can be the new ckvvater River God. If I find it first, after I be the River God, I can appoint you as General Qingyu and we¡¯ll both enjoy the spiritual energy of the Divine Mansion.¡± ¡°Conversely, if you find the divine seal first and be the River God, I hope that in return for telling you all this, you won¡¯t drive me away. I could serve as your Turtle Prime Minister, how about that?¡± The giant turtle looked at Xu Yang, awaiting his answer. Xu Yang stayed silent, then responded, ¡°Agreed!¡± ¡°Good!¡± The giant turtle nodded, an almost humanlike smile on its aged turtle face, ¡°Then let¡¯s get going. I¡¯ve grown quite impatient,¡± With that, it heaved its body up, flipping over a giant stone from the riverbed, ¡°This is the area I¡¯ve explored over the years, now mapped out. We need to explore these regions next¡¡± Xu Yang didn¡¯t say much, swimming forward to inspect the map. At that moment¡ ¡°Roar!!!¡± The giant turtle¡¯s eyes zed with brilliance as it opened its mouth to emit a roaring bellow, sending out waves of ripples charging towards Xu Yang.. Chapter 89 - 63: Divine Skills_l Chapter 89 - 63: Divine Skills_l Chapter 89: Chapter 63: Divine Skills_l Trantor: 549690339 Suddenlyunching an attack, the Martial Artist Xu Yang struck with three lethal moves in an instant. What were those three moves? A roaring shout, surging water, and a giant bite! Within the roaring shout, Divine Intent was contained, an attack on the spiritual level. The water surged violently, exerting heavy pressure, revealing the Mystical Tortoise¡¯s innate control over water. The giant bite, fierce as a dragon, with iron teeth and steel jaws, manifested the formidable strength of the Mystical Tortoise¡¯s physical body. In an instant, the surprise attack gave no quarter to the opponent. It showed fierce ferocity, and cunning experience! However¡ The giant bite mped down, with its iron teeth and steel jaws, on the Green Jade Scales. Sparks flew off like fireworks , many shattered, and new marks appeared on the fish scales. But they were just marks. The Green Jade Scales did not break! This greatly surprised the Giant Turtle. In the deep water zone, among the five tyrant-level demon monsters, excluding the filling roles of the Lobster King and Catfish King, the others all had their unique abilities: the ck Snake King with its lethal poison that would kill immediately upon contact, and the Eel Dragon, controller of electricity, unstoppable by anyone. This Mystical Tortoise, apart from its innate capacity to control water, also possessed an unmatched physical strength. Anything caught between its iron teeth and steel jaws would not survive, not even the armoured Lobster King could withstand its bite. But now¡ The heart of the Giant Turtle was shocked, with the instinct to retreat. But it was toote! Having bitten with full force, how could it just withdraw? Before it could even move, a sh of golden light burst forth, and electricity flowed¡ ¡°Crackle crackle crackle!!! ¡± The Green Fish remained still, brilliant light scattering around as the Green Jade Scales became transparent, revealing the glowing current within. Sparks flew and the electricity exploded, rushing into the mouth of the Giant Turtle, ravaging its tongue and flesh as though it had swallowed a ball of lightning, bursting within its lips and mouth. ¡°Gurgle gurgle!! !¡± The body of the Giant Turtle trembled, shaking like a mountain, uncontrobly convulsing, as its mouth and tongue were directly bombarded by the terrifying current, searing and cauterizing its flesh, leaving behind only charred marks. The might of thunder and lightning was truly terrifying! This was still due to its strong Mystical Tortoise body. Any other demon beast hit by such an electric shock would have turned to a charred lump by now. Only it, a Mystical Tortoise that exceeded the category of ¡°demon monster¡± and wasparable to a Four-Realm Condensing Spirit Martial Artist, could withstand such a blow. Although it did not die, it was severely injured. The Giant Turtle cried out in pain, spitting out the Green Fish and retreating backwards. But why would Xu Yang let it go? With a sway of his tail, he turned his head and opened his mouth, shooting forth a dark arrow of poison. ¡°Gurgle gurgle!¡± However, the Giant Turtle was prepared. It spurred its Divine Intent, and the water moved on its own, instantly forming a water barrier in front of itself. The dark poison arrow, despite being called an arrow, was in reality just Xu Yang controlling the muscles in his throat topress the poison into a shape before forcefully shooting it out. It was neither a spell nor a Divine Power, having only the effect of severe poisoning without the ability to prate. Thus, upon hitting the water barrier, the dark poison arrow immediately shattered, dispersing the poison in all directions. At that moment, the currents once again shifted. Containing the poison, the streamspressed and formed into a water arrow, shooting straight towards Xu Yang. This was the true ¡°water arrow¡± technique! With the water arrow piercing towards him, Xu Yang wanted to dodge. But to his surprise, the Giant Turtle invoked its Divine Intent, and the surrounding currents quickly whirled, creating a heavy pressure that weighed down on Xu Yang like a mountain. This Giant Turtle, a naturally unique species known as the ckwater Mystical Tortoise, was inherently bestowed with two Great Divine Powers: control over water and earth. What was the power of earth control? Among the four elemental forces¡ªearth, wind, fire, and water¡ª The Mystical Tortoise possessed the ability to manipte the Earth Yuan, influencing gravity. Combined with its other water-controlling Divine Power, in aquatic environments, it could create ¡°heavy water¡± to oppress, making a single droplet heavy as a mountain! This was thepounded dual-element Divine Power¡ªEarth Yuan Heavy Water! Under the effect of such a Divine Power, even other demon beasts would be suppressed and ughtered at will. Unless there was a Divine Power of the same level to counter it. Only Divine Power can stand against Divine Power! Did Xu Yang possess it? Unclear, but the Giant Turtle did not believe that a small Green Fish like him could awaken an Innate Divine Ability of the same level as its own Earth Yuan Heavy Water. Therefore, this move was one it was determined tond! With the gravitational pull of the Earth Yuan and heavy water bearing down like mountains, faced with such an arrow shooting towards him, there was no escane. Just then¡ ¡°Roar!!!¡± The Green Fish roared, its body swaying, and a dragon-like tremendous force emerged, allowing it to escape from thepressing Earth Yuan Heavy Water. Divine Power? Indeed, none. Though Xu Yang had awakened many Innate Divine Abilities, not one could contend with ¡°Earth Yuan Heavy Water.¡± Butck of Innate Divine Abilities did not meanck of Skill Traits. Muddy Water Jiao Dragon! Muddy Water! Jiao Dragon! The former was the capability to control water; thetter, the strength of a Jiao Dragon. Combined, they were enough to help him break free from ¡°Earth Yuan Heavy Water.¡± The Green Fish soared like a dragon, leaping out andpletely escaping the range of the Earth Yuan Heavy Water. Having extricated himself, Xu Yang neither fled nor attacked but simply watched the Giant Turtle coldly. Seeing this, the Giant Turtle did not pursue; it justid down on the spot, spitting out a mouthful of ck water mixed with arge amount of charred flesh and blood fragments. ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected you to have obtained the electric control ability of that little loach; it was my oversight!¡± The Giant Turtle looked at Xu Yang, its eyes filled with regret. Xu Yang did not speak, his demeanor cold and calm. Surprise attack? Something he had anticipated! Many ordinary people and Cultivators have a stereotype about Spirit Monsters transformed from turtles and soft-shelled turtles. They all think that these Spirit Monsters, with their huge bodies and slow movements, are benevolent and kind elders, fond of instructing the young and even bestowing opportunities upon them. This is apletely erroneous perception. In the world of Alien Beasts, there is no such thing as a Mr. Nice Guy, nor could there be. Survival of the fittest, natural selection; every Alien Beast is the result of thew of the jungle. Turtles and soft-shelled turtles are no exception, and they¡¯re even more ferocious. Given this Giant Turtle¡¯s age and size, behind it must be a growth story of mountains of corpses and seas of blood. You think of them as benefactors or old sages of opportunity? They see you as fat sheep knocking at their door, pigs walking themselves to ughter! The world of Alien Beasts is bloody and cruel, devoid of the beautiful romantic fantasies of people. Therefore, Xu Yang was not the least surprised by the Giant Turtle¡¯s ambush and had already prepared a countermeasure. The key issue now was whether the ckwater Divine Mansion was real or fake. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s real.¡± As if seeing through Xu Yang¡¯s thoughts, the Giant Turtle transmitted another thought: ¡°You have proven your strength and earned the right to cooperate with me. The previous conditions still stand. We can explore the Divine Mansion together, search for the divine seal, and whoever finds it keeps it. What do you think?¡± True to its status as an old Turtle, its thick skin made even city walls appear inadequate. Xu Yang did not respond. He nced at it and then with a flick of his tail, turned and left. Cooperate? Cooperate my turtle eggs! Cooperating with such an old fiend¡ªhow was it any different from plotting with a tiger for its skin? Xu Yang would never entrust his back to such a creature, nor did he want this old sly boots lurking around while exploring the unknown. So, regardless of whether the ckwater Divine Mansion was real or fake, he had to kill this old creature first. Only by removing this obstacle could he explore the ck Water Forbidden Area without any worries. But¡ how to deal with it? This Giant Turtle was much more of a handful than the previous ck Snake King and Electric Eel King. The ck Snake King and Electric Eel King had their dominance through deadly poison and electric shock, which were their strengths and also their fatal weaknesses. Once the countermeasure was found, they could easily be defeated. But this Giant Turtle¡ it relied on pure brute force! First was its Cultivation: the Cultivation of this Giant Turtle had surpassed the realm of Demon Monsters and reached the realm Xu Yang suspected to be that of Demon Beasts, equivalent to a Martial Artist of the Four-Realm Condensing Spirit, and a Grandmaster of fulfilled Divine Intent. Then there was its talent: the Giant Turtle was an exotic species with innate abilities to control water and earth. Its Innate Divine Ability, the ¡°Earth Yuan Heavy Water,¡± was terrifyingly powerful. Had it not been for Xu Yang¡¯s Muddy Water Jiao Dragon power, today¡¯s odds would have been grim. Lastly was its physical body: this Giant Turtle not only possessed impressive Divine Skills but also had tremendous bodily strength. It withstood a bombardment of electricity that ravaged its head and mouth, only to be wounded and not killed, illustrating its frightful vitality and defensive power. It was this time, by luring it to bite his body and taking the opportunity to st electricity into its rtively vulnerable mouth, in order to shock its entire head, that he managed to inflict significant damage. If he had directly released electricity from outside, it might have caused only minor abrasions to its tough head. And that¡¯s considering its flesh: if it were its shell, the defense would at least be tenfold stronger. Even lying there letting him electrocute it might not be sessful. With such a tough creature, how and where should he target? Xu Yang fell into deep thought. On the other side¡ ¡°This Green Fish is extraordinary!¡± The Giant Turtley on the ground, its expression grave and uneasy. The reason itunched a decisive and ruthless sneak attack was partly because it regarded the ck Divine Seal as its own and would not allow any other fish or turtle toy a finger on it. Another reason was the intense threat it sensed from Xu Yang. A Green Fish had evolved from amon creature into a formidable Demon Monster in just a few years, consuming four of the five former rulers. Such a growth rate was far too terrifying, and even it felt a deep sense of threat. Therefore, it made its move, a decisive one at that. But decisiveness did not ensure sess, and the strength of the Green Fish even exceeded its estimates. This left the Giant Turtle very uneasy. It was strong, the sole Demon Beast in ckwater River, with almost no one able to stand up against it. But it had ws: its huge body was slow-moving, unable to chase agile prey. Otherwise, it would have swept clean all the Demon Monsters, Spirit Monsters, and Alien Beasts in ckwater River long ago. It needed nourishment, lots of it, to aid its growth and enhance its strength and Cultivation. Only then could it delve deeper into the ck Water Forbidden Area, find the Divine Mansion, and im the divine seal to be the legendary River God. This was also one of the reasons itunched a sneak attack: a Dragon Species Green Fish of such size that had awakened Spirit Wisdom was surely prime nourishment. Such a boost, delivered right to its doorstep, how could it possibly miss out? No way! But it had failed. What to do? Chasing was out of the question; it would certainly not catch up. But to let it grow unchecked would surely be a major concern in the future. ¡°I must speed up the search and find the Divine Mansion before that Green Fish, and take control of the divine seal!¡± The Giant Turtle looked in the direction Xu Yang had left, propped up its now-recovered body, and with thunderous steps entered the ck waters for what seemed like the umpteenth time, embarking on another search.. Chapter 90 - 64: Strategy_l Chapter 90 - 64: Strategy_l Chapter 90: Chapter 64: Strategy_l Trantor: 549690339 The Giant Turtle uprooted a mountain and dived back into ckwater River, searching for the Divine Mansion. On the other side, Xu Yang was deep in thought and had a bit of an idea. He couldn¡¯t do anything to the Giant Turtle right now by fighting head-on or facing it alone. Sneak attacks and mass ambushes would also be ineffective, as the opponent¡¯s defense was simply too strong. But being ineffective now didn¡¯t mean it would be ineffective in the future. He decided¡ to wear out this old turtle! Of course, this endurance battle wasn¡¯t aboutpeting for lifespan in the conventional sense. With turtles living for thousands of years, and considering the time flow in this world was only a tenth of the real world¡¯s, Xu Yang really didn¡¯t have the capital to outlive or exhaust it to death. So, he was going to¡ out-develop it! Not to oust it in death, but to oust it in slowness, in the progression of its realm, in its speed of improvement! As long as he could surpass the Giant Turtle in strength before it found the ckwater Divine Mansion and became the deity of ckwater River, he could easily solve this problem. This was Xu Yang¡¯s strategy. Apletely feasible strategy. Because Xu Yang had discovered something. The growth of Alien beasts relied on three key factors. First was Yuan Qi, constrained by the environment. Second was food, constrained by resources. Third was bloodline, constrained by innate talent. Yuan Qi needs no boration; the Giant Turtle could enter the Forbidden Area and absorb the ckwater Spiritual Qi, and so could he. They were on the same starting point. The key was food. With its massive body and slow movements, the Giant Turtle had great difficulty in hunting. Fish that were at the level of Spirit Monsters and Alien beasts could easily detect its presence from afar and escape immediately. To capture big fish, it would have to use Divine Skills to forcefully pull those Spirit Monsters and Alien beasts to it using ¡°Earth Yuan Heavy Water,¡± but the Yuan Qi expended in doing so would probably exceed what was replenished by feeding. Therefore, the Giant Turtle¡¯s food sources were incredibly scarce. It could hardly ever catch Spirit Monsters or Alien beasts and had to nibble on water vegetation and ordinary fish with low spirit wisdom, which couldn¡¯t resist. In fact, it had been years since it had managed to eat a Spirit Monster or Alien beast. If it weren¡¯t for the nourishment of the nature¡¯s spiritual energy in the ck Water Forbidden Area, it might not only fail to progress but could even regress. So, Xu Yang could start with food, suppressing the opponent while striving to catch up. That was the situation with food. Then there was the aspect of bloodline¡ The Giant Turtle was naturally a rare breed with a powerful bloodline, otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have been the foremost Demon Beast in ckwater River. In this aspect, Xu Yang couldn¡¯t suppress it, he could only catch up by continuing to cultivate the Fish-Dragon Transformation Skill. The dragon is the supreme being among the Aquatic n. As long as he continued to cultivate the Fish-Dragon Transformation Skill and purify the Dragon Species bloodline, he could surely surpass the slowly progressing, or even stagnating Mystical Tortoise. After all, bloodline growth also depends on food. Without sufficient provisions, not just the Mystical Tortoise, even the ck Tortoise would have a hard time improving its strength. Therefore, Xu Yang¡¯s n to out-endure and out-develop was entirely feasible. ¡°The first step is to be self-sufficient, ensuring a cycle of supply, not to drain the pond to get all the fish, and to avoid destroying the ecology!¡± ¡°Next is to leave no stone unturned for that Mystical Tortoise, cutting off its food supplypletely, letting it only drink the northwest wind!¡± ¡°That means, we need to manage breeding, surveince, dispersal, and other tasks properly.¡± ¡°Which is to say¡ I¡¯ll have to engage in agriculture and develop subordinates!¡± ¡°The more fish, the greater the power!¡± A glint of sharp light shed in Xu Yang¡¯s eyes as he immediately soared and swished his tail, patrolling around ckwater River. Three dayster. ¡°Gurgle gurgle!¡± Within the Forbidden Area, ckwater bubbled, and a mountain-like immense figure heavily stepped out. It was the Giant Turtle! It had searched the Forbidden Area for three whole days, yet it came up empty-handed. In those three days, eroded by ckwater and absorbing the nature¡¯s spiritual energy into its body, the residual divine consciousness of the river deity also umted, imposing an extremely severe burden on its spirit, forcing it to exit from within the Forbidden Area. Having stepped out of the ck Water Forbidden Area, the Giant Turtle didn¡¯t linger. It moved its massive body and headed towards an area dense with fish. It was time to feed! As the saying goes, what makes you can break you. Its mountainous size endowed it with immense strength and an invincible physique, but this also made its movements incredibly slow and difficult to conceal. For a predator, this could be fatal. The major fish at the level of Spirit Monsters and Alien beasts could detect its presence from a distance, scatter immediately, and even with its water control abilities aiding its movement, it was hard to catch those big fish. Left with no choice, it could only go after ordinary fish and shrimp below the level of Alien beasts. However, these ordinary fish and shrimp had frail Qi Blood and scarce nutrition. Sometimes the energy expended in hunting didn¡¯t even match the gain. So, the Giant Turtle seldom went hunting, usually lying by the edge of the Forbidden Area, relying on absorbing ckwater Spiritual Qi to subsist. But this time, it wanted to eat something. In the past few days, it had absorbed too much ckwater Spiritual Qi, and both its spirit and body were somewhat overburdened. It needed to feed to console itself and recover, ¡°This time I¡¯ll indulge a bit and use Divine Skills to capture a few Spirit Monster big fish to treat myself well!¡± ¡°Which ones should I catch? The Red-backed Shrimp tastes delicious, the catfish is also good, and I haven¡¯t had eels or loaches in a long time¡¡± The Giant Turtle controlled the currents, moving its body like a king surveying its territory, swimming leisurely in ckwater River. But it quickly sensed something was amiss. ¡°Where are the fish?¡± ¡°Where are the fish???¡± ¡°Where are the fish of my ckwater River!!!¡± Afterpleting its circuit and finding nothing, the Giant Turtle finally realized something as it faced the deste depths devoid of fish, letting out a dragon-like roar of anger. The fish¡ were gone! All major fish of the Spirit Monster and Alien beast levels had disappeared from the deep water area. Who did this? Who was so cruel as to not leave a single one for it? With rage, the Giant Turtle turned back, its eyes zing with spirit light like twonterns lighting up within ckwater River, searching for the enemy¡¯s trail. But it found nothing! There was no sign of fish to be seen! ¡°Little thief! ! ¡± The Giant Turtle roared furiously, brimming with anger yet helpless, forced to reconcile with its bad luck by manipting the water currents to sweep some ordinary fish and shrimp before it and bitterly swallowing them whole. It knew who was behind this. Along the entire ckwater River, aside from itself and that Dragon Species Green Fish, no one else could have cleaned out the deep-water zone¡¯s Spirit Monsters and Alien Beasts in just three short days. Did this little thief intend to cut off its food supply to limit its growth? Truly despicable! But it was of no matter, for it still had ckwater Spiritual Qi, which couldpletely rece food. Even without eating, it wouldn¡¯t starve to death, and it could even raise its cultivation, purify its bloodline. As long as it had enough time, it could still advance. You, Green Fish, think you can oust me, the Mystical Tortoise? Even if I can¡¯t find the Divine Mansion¡¯s divine seal, I am set on eating you up! After casually consuming some insipid food that it was a pity to waste, the Giant Turtle returned to the edge of the Forbidden Area, lying down to digest the Spiritual Energy. Although it didn¡¯t get to eat what it wanted and was in a bad mood, it wasn¡¯t anxious. The ckwater River was only so big, and there were only so many Spirit Monsters and Alien Beasts. Such an event, the opponent could at most pull it off once in a short time. After eating this batch of Spirit Monsters and Alien Beasts, it would take at least another ten or twenty years for the next batch to be born. With such a long growth cycle, it was almost impossible for the opponent to overtake it as the number one Demon Beast of the ckwater River by relying on food resources. Even if it were possible, by the time it seeded, it would take hundreds or even thousands of years. Could that mere Green Fish live that long? Even if it could live that long, by that time, I would have long found the ckwater Divine Mansion and refined the ckwater Divine Seal. Then, I would have control over the entire ckwater River, and wouldn¡¯t I kill that detestable little thief? So, no need to overthink, just peacefully sleep! The Giant Turtle closed its eyes and peacefully fell asleep,pletely ignoring its rival. And so, three years passed. Three yearster¡ The Giant Turtle once again awoke from its slumber and let out a long howl that shook the heavens and the earth. It had refined the ckwater Spiritual Qi again, its cultivation had risen, and its strength had increased. This was already the fifty-eighth time in three years that it had probed the ckvvater for Spiritual Energy absorption. Though it had not found the ckwater Divine Mansion, the long-term full-load absorption of ckwater Spiritual Qi had also significantly enhanced its cultivation, purified its bloodline and bolstered its strength; it was now even more formidable. Therefore, it let out a pleased howl to express the joy in its heart. After the howl, it looked up, only to see that the ckwater River was still the ckwater River; there seemed to be no change. But the Giant Turtle inexplicably felt uneasy. Over these three years, that little thief hadn¡¯te looking for trouble, nor had it ventured into the deeper waters of the ckwater to search for the Divine Mansion. It had only been absorbing ckwater Spiritual Qi at the edges, which puzzled the Giant Turtle and it couldn¡¯t figure out what it was nning. Could there be a plot afoot? The Giant Turtle hesitated for a moment, but ultimately propped itself up and began patrolling the ckwater River. After patrolling around¡ ¡°Hmph!¡± ¡°That¡¯s all you¡¯ve got.¡± ¡°If you have the ability, eat all the fish in this ckwater River!¡± Looking at the empty and deste deep-water zone, where not just the Spirit Monsters and Alien Beasts but even ordinaryrge fish were nowhere to be seen, the Giant Turtle snorted coldly. It stopped wasting time, turned around and returned to the Forbidden Area, ready to probe the ckwater once more. What it didn¡¯t realize was that shortly after it left¡ A dragon chant sounded like a battle horn, echoing throughout the bottom of the ckwater River. Following that, the ckwater surged with an immense tidal wave. Amidst the surging tide, a burst of green light was distinctly noticeable. Upon closer inspection, it was a Green Fish with a dragon-like appearance, d in scales and armor, eight feet long, leading the way, followed by a mighty school of fish with severalrge and impressive Spirit Monsters and Alien Beasts among them. The Green Fish led the fish school back with the tidal wave, then flicked its tail,manding them like a general. The fish school dispersed in every direction, beginning their daily tasks of hunting, feeding, mating, andying eggs. For Alien Beasts, this was routine. Yet today¡¯s work was different. Although it was still a big fish eating little fish, and little fish eating shrimps kind of ecological structure and food chain, it was now noticeably more efficientpared to before, without meaningless waste and unnecessary consumption. Overall, it appeared as efficient as machinery, fluid like the passing clouds and flowing water, maximizing efficiency to the utmost. It seemed as if each school of fish, even every single fish, had their own post, their own job. Each one was dutiful, selflessly contributed, and became part of the collective, busily working for it. This scene was utterly incredible, bewildering to even think about! How could such collective behavior, such work efficiency, be achieved not by humans, but by fish? No, not just fish, but also turtles, shrimps, and crabs¡ªdifferent species altogether working together cooperatively? This¡ Xu Yang Species: Green Fish (Dragon Species) Cultivation: Muscle Bone Realm Lifespan: 12/200 Skills: Swimming (Muddy Water Jiao Dragon) Eating (Daily Devouring of Ten Cows, Form Supplementing Form, Return to the Ancestors, Big Fish Eat Little Fish) Breathing (Strengthening the Body, Stabilize Foundation and Cultivate Essence, Purifying Blood and Converting Qi) Sleeping (Soothing the Spirit and Nourishing the Soul, Extending Life) Taoist Skills (Whim, Divination with Grassroots) Martial Practice (Fish-Dragon Change, External Muscle Bone Training) Breeding (Alien Beast Taming, Spirit Beast Enlightenment, Strong Body, Robust Growth, Dragon King¡¯s Command) Special Abilities: Green Jade Scales, Fish-Dragon Form, Immunity to All Poisons, Gloomy and Severe Poison, Dragon Snake¡¯s Molt, Thunder-Driving Lightning-Lifting. Chapter 91 - 65: Enduring to Death_l Chapter 91 - 65: Enduring to Death_l Chapter 91: Chapter 65: Enduring to Death_l Trantor: 549690339 Three years had passed, and Xu Yang¡¯s Cultivation had not improved, still lingering at the third tier of Body Training, the Muscle Bone Realm. It wasn¡¯t that he hadn¡¯t been working hard, but rather there was a problem with his Cultivation Technique. The Fish-Dragon Transformation Skill, which he had created based on the Martial Arts Scripture and adapted to his own body, was inadequate in many ways. Previously, he had only developed it up to the realms of Qi Blood, skin and flesh, and muscle and bone, which is why his cultivation could only reach the Muscle Bone Realm. Fortunately, over the past three years, by observing the bloodline changes in his own body and the path of the Green Fish returning to its ancestral dragon form, he had finally deduced the fourth tier of the Fish-Dragon Transformation Skill for Body Training. The fourth tier of Body Training should correspond to the Rebirth Realm! To shed one¡¯s mortal body and reborn, that is beyond the ordinary and can be called a demon cultivator. The fourth tier of the Martial Path, Condensing Spirit, requires ¡°Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao¡± to achieve. Then, for the fourth tier of Body Training, the Rebirth Realm, is there also a need for ¡°Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao¡±? Yes! Because this tier is created by Xu Yang based on the Martial Arts Scripture, it naturally couldn¡¯t deviate from the core principle. The Martial Path requires Condensing Spirit, and so does Body Training, so as to draw in the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit into oneself. The power of the Divine Soul is equally crucial for a body training demon cultivator. This was the reason why the Giant Turtle, among the five overlord, was far ahead of the others. Being a natural Alien beast born with intelligence, it cultivated much faster than other Spirit Monsters. While other Spirit Monsters that stepped into the third tier and transformed into Demon Monsters were blocked by the ¡°Awakening Tribtion¡± and struggled to shed their mortal forms and be demon cultivators, Only it moved forward unimpeded, entering the fourth tier and bing ckwater River¡¯s sole Demon Beast! This demonstrates the importance of intelligence and wisdom for a Demon Beast. Human cultivators require ¡°Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao¡± to step into the fourth realm of the Martial Path. Demon cultivators need ¡°Awakening Consciousness and Gaining Wisdom¡± to step into the fourth tier of Body Training. When you get down to it, it¡¯s merely four words. Unity of Heaven and Man! By seizing the essence of heaven and earth and infringing upon the profound secrets of the sun and moon, one can obtain their own Dao fruit. With the Cultivation Technique¡¯s revisionsplete, the next step was to cultivate. This wasn¡¯t a difficult task for Xu Yang, as he had experienced ¡°Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao¡± before. Even if the system changed slightly, cultivating anew was easily within his grasp. This was the change in Cultivation and the Cultivation Technique. It¡¯s worth mentioning offhand, though it¡¯s not the main point. The main point is the Skill Traits. In three years¡¯ time, many skills had changed. In terms of eating, his ¡°Daily Devour One Ox¡± had progressed to ¡°Daily Devour Ten Oxen,¡± with all aspects such as eating, digestion, and absorption abilities all enhanced. Moreover, a new trait called ¡°Return to the Ancestors¡± had been developed, with the effect of purifying the bloodline power of food and absorbing it. For example, if other Spirit Monsters ate a Dragon Species carp, they would only gain a bit of mottled dragon bloodline. But when Xu Yang ate it, he could purify it, obtaining a bit of pure dragon bloodline. The difference in quality was at least tenfold! This was the eating skill. Looking at the breathing skill, it also had a new trait¡ªBlood Qi Purification. This trait also rted to ¡°bloodline,¡± enabling one to purify the blood Qi in the body through breathing, thereby enhancing the bloodline¡¯s purity. Although the effect of each enhancement was minuscule, almost negligible, breathing is a continuous activity day and night. The umted benefit of such quantity was quite considerable. With this, along with the eating skill¡¯s ¡°Return to the Ancestors,¡± Xu Yang¡¯s bloodline power had be more purified and strengthened during this period. But even this wasn¡¯t the key point. The real focus was still¡ Farming (Taming Alien Beasts, Enlightening Spirit Beasts, Strong and Sturdy, Thriving Growth, Dragon King¡¯s Command) Xu Yang had transferred his main body¡¯s Farming skills and, through three years of hardship and intensive practice, had developed three brand-new traits ¡ªEnlightening Spirit Beasts, Thriving Growth, and Dragon King¡¯s Command. Enlightening Spirit Beasts, as the name suggests, involves enlightening Spirit Beasts. Xu Yang could spend Cultivation, bloodline, and Spiritual Energy to enlighten creatures, elerating their growth, strengthening them, and even awakening their intelligence. Thriving Growth, also self-exnatory, enables the farmed Spirit Beasts to grow robustly. Combined with the already existing Strong and Sturdy trait, it could significantly enhance the overall quality of the Spirit Beasts. As for thest trait, Dragon King¡¯s Command, it allowed Xu Yang to mand¡± all Aquatic n Spirit Beasts of lower tiers, achieving a unity of mind and effortless control, making them do whatever he wished. Coupled with the original Taming Alien Beasts skill, Xu Yang spent three years in ckwater River intensively farming and developing, dramatically increasing the volume of the Aquatic n, substantially boosting the number of species, and raising arge number of Spirit Beasts. Compared to three years ago, when he had swept them clean, the numbers had multiplied several times over. This demonstrated the power of the Farming skill and the wonder of ckwater Spiritual Qi. Even a skillful woman can¡¯t cook without rice. Farming skills can only improve farming effects, not create out of nothing. Without a good environment and ample resources, he wouldn¡¯t be able to raise anything worthwhile. ckwater Spiritual Qi was the best environment and resource. It could even rece food; many fish species didn¡¯t even need to eat, relying only on the pure Yuan Qi that drifted from the forbidden zones to meet their needs for survival, growth, and reproduction. With such resources at his disposal, Xu Yang¡¯s farming Great Ye naturally progressed rapidly. Nowadays, ckwater River contained 13,485 types of Aquatic n members, with 5,617 species being farmed in groups, alongside 35 Demon Monsters, 560 Spirit Monsters, and 2,352 Alien beasts¡ This was the result of the Farming skillbined with ckwater Spiritual Qi. Although the farming was a great sess, Xu Yang did not make all the farmed beings his prey. Instead, he carefully selected various kinds of Demon began to train. Yes, he was training troops! Without training troops, how could hepletely clear the field and impose a food blockade on the Giant Turtle? Chapter 92 - 65: Endure until Death _2 Chapter 92 - 65: Endure until Death _2 Chapter 92: Chapter 65: Endure until Death _2 Trantor: 549690339 Now, Xu Yang¡¯s water army had just been established, and he had ¡°sentries¡± constantly monitoring the movements of the Giant Turtle. As soon as the sentries transmitted the message informing of any unusual movements from the Giant Turtle, Xu Yang, this ¡°Dragon King,¡± would lead his water army and the school of fish to relocate, making sure that the Giant Turtle could not feast on anyrge fish of Spirit Monster or Alien Beast level¡ª limiting it to preying on small fish and shrimp for sustenance. In this way, over time, the Giant Turtle, unwilling to expend its energy,pletely gave up hunting for food and instead contracted at the edge of the Forbidden Area, subsisting on the ckwater Spiritual Qi. Now, with the establishment of Great Ye in its beginning stages and his forces strong, should Xu Yang immediatelyunch an attack against the Giant Turtle? Of course not! Three years of preparation was not enough to defeat the Giant Turtle. Neither Xu Yang himself nor the newly-formed water army could pose a threat to the Giant Turtle. So, the waiting game continued. Time flew by in such a manner. Spring came and went, and flowers bloomed and wilted season after season. Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, fifteen years had passed. In the ckwater River, at the edge of the Forbidden Area. ¡°Aooooo!!! ¡± A roar, akin to a dragon¡¯s chant, carried boundless rage and shook the waters in all directions. A Giant Turtle, its form as massive as a mountain, roared skyward. ¡°Green loach, worthless fish,e out,e out now!¡± ¡°If you¡¯re brave enough,e out and fight me to the death, ahhh!¡± A strong wave of mental energy erupted, rushing through the water in all directions. But there was no response. This made the Giant Turtle even more furious. One could see that at this moment, it no longer possessed its formerposure. Its eyes were dense with blood vessels. The top of its head was covered in scorch marks. The shell of the Mystical Tortoise on its back, once the hardest part, was now also riddled with scars. Between anger and mania, there was nothing but fear and helplessness. How did ite to this? ¡°Come out!!!¡± The Giant Turtle roared furiously, disturbing the ten directions, but still, there was no response from its surroundings. Having no choice, it had to give up this futile act of provocation and angrily urged the water to carry its body away. Just then¡ ¡°Crackle, snap, crackle, snap!¡± In the depths of the ck water, electricity shed, and a of lightning fell from above, enveloping the Giant Turtle. Upon seeing this, the Giant Turtle quickly withdrew its head and limbs into its shell, adopting the strongest defensive posture to resist the onught of the electric. ¡°Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!¡± In an instant, electricity rampaged and sparks flew, leaving several scorched marks on the shell and scattering ash and debris in the water. After a while, the electric dispersed. The Giant Turtle extended its head and looked up to see a brilliant golden light from a distance above. That was¡ eels, golden all over, shing with electric lights, hundreds of them. Hundreds of Electric eels, all Demon Monsters, among which more than a dozen had reached the limit of Demon Monsters, simr to the former Electric Eel King, with bulges on their heads, fleshy growths on their bellies, barely hidden horns, and ws as if they were about to burst forth. But all of this was eclipsed by the dazzling green light within their ranks. Green Jade light, resplendent as ever. On closer inspection, it turned out to be a¡ Green Fish? It was over eighteen feet long and about seven feet around. Atop its head, a solitary horn stood out like green jade. Above its mouth, six golden barbels flickered with electricity. Below its fins, between its chest and belly, danced two ws. With three toes on each w, it was indeed a Jiao Dragon, a Green Jiao Fish Dragon. The Green Jiao Fish Dragon,manding the shoal of eels, was also surrounded by bursts of electric light. ¡°Crackle and pop!!!¡± The Green Jiao crackled with electricity, the eels responded, and a Demon Beast together with hundreds of Demon Monsters stimted the electric currents within their bodies to weave an electric. ¡°Boom!¡± Hundreds of lightning bolts converged into thunder, striking mercilessly. The Giant Turtle hurriedly retracted its head, using its back shell for defense. But such was the terror of the thunder, even the Mystical Tortoise¡¯s carapace was sted open by a formidable hit, leaving a shocking, gaping crack. ¡°Roar!!!¡± In pain, the Giant Turtle let out a mournful cry and angrily invoked its Innate Divine Ability ¡ª Earth Yuan Heavy Water, pressing directly towards the Green Jiao and the multitude of eels. However, what they saw was¡ The Green Jiao roared in unison, thrusting forward, its body swiftly twirling into a whirlpool, effectively scattering the Earth Yuan Heavy Water. Witnessing this scene, fury surged in the Giant Turtle¡¯s heart. It had been careless! Fifteen years ago, it had been careless! It had failed to notice the schemes of this little thief, letting its guard down and allowing him to grow powerful within the ckwater River, gathering forces, practicing military tactics, attaining such might. When it first discovered Xu Yang¡¯s methods, it was disdainful, not believing that a mere Green Fish could muster any real threat. Even if it could, it would have found the Divine Mansion, taken control of the divine seal, and governed the entire ckwater River in the meantime. So initially, its attitude was entirely dismissive, treating it as a joke ¨C watch him build tall towers, watch them copse¡ Yet the towers did not copse, but instead grew ever taller andrger, while the Divine Mansion it sought remained elusive. Now, its opponent was well-established, with strong soldiers at itsmand, while it was alone and unaided. How could this be? You, a mere fish, are also rearing fish? That was fine, but how did you rear all these creatures? Does this ckwater Spiritual Qi really possess such miraculous effects that it could casually nurture a host of Demon Monsters? If so, why were there only five overlords in the deep water zone before? Did the other Spirit Monsters and Alien beasts not absorb ckwater Spiritual Qi? It couldn¡¯t understand, just couldn¡¯t make sense of it ¨C the Giant Turtle waspletely baffled! There was only one thing it was clear about now. And that was¡ it was in danger. This damn Green Mudskipper had nurtured fish for over a decade and raised a horde of Demon Monsters, among which the most dreadful were the hundreds of Demon Monster-ss Electric eels that called themselves the ¡°Electro Department¡± Water Army. Each one was as powerful as the former Electric Eel King, possessing terrifying electric control abilities. Thus, with the Electric Department Water Army numbering in the hundreds, plus itself having sessfully broken through and advanced to a Demon Beast, arranged in the ¡°Electro Department¡± formation, they all activated their electric current powers, transforming them into thunderous assaults. Even with its thick shell, it felt its scalp tingle from the bombardment. After several rounds of being hunted and bombarded, it was already scarred and injured both inside and out. If this continued, it surely couldn¡¯t hold on. What to do? Flee, but where to? Its movements so slow, and with the Green Mudskipper persistently harassing it, where could it possibly escape to? The ck Water Forbidden Area? No, that was not an option. This Green Mudskipper was exceedingly cunning and sly. The current siege had capitalized on the moment it entered the Forbidden Area, absorbed full of Spiritual Energy, and caught it unprepared while exiting heavilyden. Now, with unrefined ckwater Spiritual Qi filling its body, entering the Forbidden Area again was tantamount to courting death. What to do? Was there truly no way out? No, even in death, it wouldn¡¯t let this Green Mudskipper have it easy! The Giant Turtle gave a defiant roar and prepared to make a desperate stand. Unexpectedly¡ ¡°Retreat!¡± Xu Yang flicked his tail, leading the Electro Department Water Army to decisively dodge its ferocious attack. Thinking of mutual destruction was overly ambitious. Witnessing such a shameless tactic, the Giant Turtle¡¯s eyes nearly burst with rage, almost spewing blood. But Xu Yang didn¡¯t care, determined to use Kite Tactics, dragging out the fight, wearing it down to death. Rather than iming any spoils of war, he would rather force the Giant Turtle into the ck Water Forbidden Area, than to risk a life-and-death struggle with it. In the face of this, the Giant Turtle was helpless. Its own speed was slow, and its Earth Yuan Heavy Water had been neutralized by the opponent, leaving it with no means to fight for its life. And so, three dayster¡ ¡°Boom!! ! ¡± Struck by electricity, the body of the Giant Turtle fell to the ground with a thunderous crash. Its eyes were wide open, as if it had died with unseeing eyes. A millennium old soft-shelled turtle, a ten-thousand-year-old tortoise; it, the ckwater Mystical Tortoise, naturally exceptional among its kind, was now, incredulously, boiled to death by a fish! How could it rest in peace in theherworld? Chapter 93 - 66: Three Years (1/6)_1 Chapter 93 - 66: Three Years (1/6)_1 Chapter 93: Chapter 66: Three Years (1/6)_1 Trantor: 549690339 Watching the giant turtle¡¯s corpse like a mountain sink to the bottom of the water, Xu Yang¡¯s expression remained unchanged, calm as a still well. Only the myriad ¡°Water Army¡± arrayed behind him heaved a sigh of relief. This giant turtle was truly formidable. Xu Yang hadid his ns,unching an attack when it once again explored the Forbidden Area and was brimming with ckwater Spiritual Energy but not yet weighted down, personally leading the various Water Army units in formation to surround and kill it, thereby seizing every advantage of timing, location, and harmony. This was the first time in fifteen years that he had taken action against the giant turtle, and it was also thest time. After fifteen years of lying low and umting strength, he made no move until he could make a ferocious and ruthless one, leaving no room for mercy, determined to seed in one strike. The giant turtle was thus at a disadvantage. Even so, its resistance was still astounding. Its numerous feigned life-threatening struggles were all illusions, for it still harbored hope of breaking out. In the end, it exerted all its strength in a desperate thrust to break through the encirclement and reach the shore. Once ashore, it could escape for its life. After all, the majority of Xu Yang¡¯s Water Army were from the Aquatic n and did not possess the ability to fight onnd, whereas this ck Water Mystical Tortoise was amphibious and could survive onnd as well. But if it knew this, how could Xu Yang be unprepared? He could forego the spoils of war, allow the giant turtle to die in the ck Water Forbidden Area, but he would never let the tiger return to the mountain or the dragon to the sea, allowing the giant turtle to escape and be a thorn in his side, lurking as he slept peacefully. Therefore, he had long prepared a ¡°Mysterious Department¡± Water Army. Mystical, meaning ck¡ªthis so-called Mysterious Department Water Army was simply an army of Demon Monsters from the ckwater River. Unlike the sparse Electro Department, which only had a hundred or so, the Mysterious Department Water Army was numerous. All Demon Monsters and even Spirit Monsters with the awakened talent for ¡°water control¡± had been incorporated into the Mysterious Department Water Army by Xu Yang. With fifteen years of umtion, supported by ckwater Spiritual Energy and cultivation techniques, the size of the Mysterious Department had reached a force of five thousand. Five thousand Demon Monsters, the Mysterious Department in formation, collectively exercising their power to ¡°control water.¡± What kind of scene, what kind of spectacle was that? Half of the ckwater River would be driven by them! Even though the giant turtle was a naturally different Alien Beast, a ck Water Mystical Tortoise, how could it contend with five thousand Mysterious Department Water Army soldiers with its singr power? The Mysterious Department, controlling water,yered interception after interception, staunchly blockaded the giant turtle in the ckwater River, fundamentally leaving it no opportunity to break free and rush ontond. Finally, after adding Xu Yang and the forces of the Electro Department, such intense fighting ensued for three days. Life and death wore on, until they wore the giant turtle down to its death. The Mysterious Department Water Army suffered heavy casualties as a result. Members of the Electro Department were alsopletely exhausted. Even Xu Yang, this ¡°Dragon King,¡± had expended quite a bit of Yuan Qi. But these sacrifices, these losses, they were all worth it. From now on, in the ckwater River, Xu¡¯s Green Fish would reign supreme! Xu Yang flicked his tail and emerged like a dragon to the side of the giant turtle¡¯s corpse, beginning to savor this hard -won spoils of war. As for the ck Water Forbidden Area¡ there was no rush to explore. Because he had been exploring it for a long time already. In those fifteen years, not only the giant turtle was exploring the Forbidden Area; Xu Yang was too, absorbing ckwater Spiritual Energy and enhancing his own strength. Thus, both parties had explored for more than a decade, yet nothing was found, and to this day, no trace of the Divine Mansion had been seen. Perhaps the giant turtle had lied, and there was no Divine Mansion at all? Xu Yang did not think so. The giant turtle had proven with its life that it firmly believed such a Mansion existed within the Forbidden Area. The various phenomena of the ck Water also indicated that within the Forbidden Area, there must be something divine and mystical, even if it wasn¡¯t the divine seal of the Divine Mansion, some other treasures were present. The reason they had not found any clues for so long was most likely one of two possibilities: either the Forbidden Area was too vast, and the exploration was insufficient, or internal Formations were causing confusion and istion. In this regard, Xu Yang didn¡¯t have a good solution, only the most simple and unadorned approach to breaking it down. Endure! The Forbidden Area is wide and unfathomable? Then explore bit by bit, one day it will all be clear. Internal Formations causing obstructions? Then erode it little by little, not believing the Formation¡¯s power will not diminish. Even if the power doesn¡¯t diminish, Xu Yang could still absorb ckwater Spiritual Energy, continuously enhancing his power. As long as his strength surpassed the level of the Formation, he would naturally be able to ovee the obstacles of the Formation and locate the Divine Mansion. Not to mention he had subordinates, various departments of the Water Army, myriads of Demon Monsters, all of whom could grow with the aid of ckwater Spiritual Energy and join him in exploring the Forbidden Area and searching for the Divine Mansion. Many hands make light work, and the same went for many fish. Therefore, one word¡ªendure! Leave it to time, and it will solve all difficulties. Of course, that¡¯s provided you live long enough; otherwise, as it solves all things, it will also solve you. In this regard, Xu Yang was quite confident. In the ckwater River, the Green Fish persisted and wore down all resistance. Quietly umting, quietly exploring. On the other side, in the real world¡ ¡°Twenty years as fish and dragon, three years lying amongst yellow millet dreams!¡± ¡°The great dream must finally awaken, and it is I who truly am!¡± Xu Yang opened his eyes, sat up, and stretched his limbs, with a sound like the roaring of tigers and leopards. ¡°Three years!¡± The era of the Great Tang had ended, and he had drifted into the ck Water Realm in his dreams, making it more than three years now. Three years was neither long nor short. But a lot can change, perhaps even a transformation as drastic as the heavens turning and the earth overturning. Xu Yang got up, washed himself clean, and then as usual went outside. ¡°Screech!! ! ¡± A cry pierced the sky, and a daunting shadow descended,pletely covering Xu Yang. Turning his head, he followed the sound and saw a golden eagle with wings wide enough to span more than three yards, its feathers as tough as steel. Only its sharp talons and beak shone with a brilliant golden light, their hooked shape chilling to behold. ¡°Screech!¡± Following the golden eagle, many fierce birds arrived, thergest of which were a cormorant and a peacock. The cormorant and peacock, along with the many fierce birds, closely followed the golden eagle,nding around Xu Yang. ¡°Screech! ¡± The golden eaglended, crying out once more. In a somewhatical fashion, it shuffled its ws closer to Xu Yang, rubbed itsrge head against his shoulder, and then settled down beside him, staring at him with eager eyes. If it had a tail, it probably would have spiraled into the air. Xu Yang shook his head in response, ¡°Not today, some other time.¡± ¡°Screech¡¡¯ The golden eagle let out a pitiful cry but dared not persist, resigning itself to sit obediently. Xu Yang paid it no mind and picked up tworge wooden buckets to collect the fish and shrimp from the basket traps and cages. After moving back and forth, he filled tenrge buckets and added five bags of rice and one bag of White Jade Rice before today¡¯s bird feed was ready. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I only have to feed them every ten days, three meals a month. If it were every day, who could keep up? Watching the golden eagle and the flock of voracious birds feast, Xu Yang shook his head, wondering if he should hire some people to help out on the ind or continue using Enlightening Transmutation to create worker Spirit Monsters. As for the former¡ better not, too many people bring trouble, and it¡¯s not very secure, especially since he has to enter his dreams. Thetter is an option, though he¡¯ll have to wait a bit longer. Although he had transferred over the cultivation skills for the Green Fish, and could now also transmute Alien beasts and bestow them with Spirit Wisdom, this transmutation came at a cost. It required the consumption of abilities such as strength, Spiritual Energy, and Qi Blood. Currently, Xu Yang had neither Spiritual Energy nor Qi Blood to spare and could only consume his own physical strength. Although it was only his reserves being depleted, not the limit of his abilities, recovery still required significant time. He was on the verge of breakthrough, poised to step into the Condensing Spirit realm, and could not afford any damage. Therefore, he had to refuse the golden eagle¡¯s earlier request for transmutation. After feeding the eagles, Xu Yang carried severalrge bags of rice to thekeside cage farming base. ¡± The cages were arranged neatly in rows, clearly delineated! Xu Yang poured the regr rice mixed with fodder into the cages for the regr fish breeds. ¡°Gurgle gurgle!¡± As the feed hit the water, the surface bubbled with activity as a swirling mass of fish surged forth, moring for the food. Xu Yang observed for a moment and then, with a motion of his hand, urged his True Qi to draw out several evolved big fish from the cages, relocating them to a separate area. Next, he turned and picked up thest bag, emptying it to release grains of White Jade Rice, full and gleaming like pearls, into theke. ¡°Plop plop plop!¡± Once the White Jade Rice was in the water, theke immediately erupted with activity. Exotic fish of all kinds surfaced, each vying to snag the grains of rice. ¡°Not bad!¡± Gazing upon the dazzling array of precious exotic fish in the water, Xu Yang nodded in satisfaction. Having acquired abilities such as ¡°Spirit Beast Transmutation¡± and ¡°Dragon King¡¯s Command¡± after sending back the cultivation techniques for the Green Fish, he then decided to focus his farming efforts on fish. Although Dongting Lake couldn¡¯tpare with the favorably-endowed ckwater River, which was suffused with ckwater Spiritual Qi, Xu Yang had still managed to breed numerous exotic fish over the years with his farming skills and food supply. Some had even reached the level of ¡°Spirit Monsters.¡± Now, Xu Yang quickly channeled his True Qi, pulling a Spirit Monster-tiered big Green Fish from theke. This would be his main meal for the day. He tossed the Green Fish into one of the cages as a reserve food supply. Afterward, Xu Yang turned and headed into the field to begin harvesting this season¡¯s ripe White Jade Rice. That¡¯s right, White Jade Rice. After three years of ¡°superior breeding,¡± all the rice cultivated on the ind was now White Jade Rice. The ordinary rice he had just used to feed the fish was leftover stock that would be gone once all used up. Xu Yang not only ate White Jade Rice himself but also used it to feed the birds and fish. Such was the result of his three years of diligent farming. The ind was small, and arablend was limited, but leveraging his ¡°agricultural¡± skill, Xu Yang still managed to reap bountiful harvests. A harvest cycle of one month yielded over a thousand pounds of White Jade Rice. And there was more than just White Jade Rice¡ªthere were the superior variants, Yellow Jade Rice! The grains of White Jade Rice were plump like pearls, rich in nutritive Essence, and eating them could enhance one¡¯s Qi Blood. Yellow Jade Rice grains, though smaller and less plump, contained a unique force that could slightly augment one¡¯s Divine Soul with consumption. To Xu Yang, its value far surpassed that of White Jade Rice. Unfortunately, it was scarce! The few fields on the ind would yield over a thousand pounds of White Jade Rice from this harvest, but less than ten pounds of Yellow Jade Rice were not even enough to satisfy Xu Yang¡¯s personal needs. If there had been ample supply, using it to nourish the Alien beasts, along with his farming skills and Enlightening Transmutation, would have produced remarkable effects. s, such extravagance wasn¡¯t possible at this stage. After harvesting the rice fields, Xu Yang visited the herb fields, checking for pests and diseases before departing. Was that the end? Not quite! Xu Yang took another bucket of fish and shrimp, along with a bag of White Jade Rice, to another part of the farming base. ¡°Eat up, I¡¯ll need your helpter.¡± Smiling at the tranquilke, he poured a whole bucket of fish and shrimp and arge bag of White Jade Rice into it. ¡°Crackle crackle!¡± The water¡¯s surface roiled with action as electric currents sparked, and several golden Electric eels led hundreds of their smaller kin to feast on the meal.. Chapter 94 - 67: Breakthrough (2/6)_1 Chapter 94 - 67: Breakthrough (2/6)_1 Chapter 94: Chapter 67: Breakthrough (2/6)_1 Trantor: 549690339 Watching the electric eels frantically scramble for food in the water, Xu Yang smiled and turned to leave. He had set up two breeding bases on the small ind, on the east and west coasts, respectively. On the West Coast, he built cages to breed arge number of ordinary fish species, as well as various precious alien fish. The East Coast, however, retained its original appearance, breeding only one type of fish¡ªthat was the electric eel he had painstakingly sought after with great effort. Other fish species, only alien fish, were qualified to feed on White Jade Rice. But for these electric eels, even ordinary ones, Xu Yang also fed them with White Jade Rice. Apart from White Jade Rice, Xu Yang also caught arge number of fish and shrimp daily for meat, provided the maximum support to the electric eel group, and continuously consumed his own cultivation power to refine the special spirit monsters among the electric eels, cultivating an Electric Eel King. With such an unrestrained investment, the electric eels grew rapidly. In just three years, over a thousand electric eels had matured, and he had also bred several dozen alien electric eels, more than ten spirit monster electric eels, and one demon monster-level Electric Eel King, which was his strongest alien beast, its growth even outpacing that of the Golden Eagle. Why did Xu Yang value the cultivation of electric eels so much? It was not just because of the ¡°thunder¡¯s¡± power, but also because they had one great utility. He brought another two bags of White Jade Rice, poured them into theke for the electric eels to scramble for, and then returned to the breeding base on the West Coast to take the Green Fish that was prepared as an ingredient back to his cabin. This Green Fish was a spirit monster, seven feet in length and weighing over a thousand pounds. Enough for a ¡°whole fish banquet!¡± Xu Yang picked up a knife and skillfully began to butcher. The fish head was split in two, each half then divided into four, one half seasoned with chopped chili peppers, the other half steamed! The fish flesh was finely sliced, clear and translucent. Half was ced on ice to be eaten raw with condiments such as scallions, ginger, peri, spicy oil, while the other half was boiled and dressed with a mouth-numbing and spicy sauce, ced in a y pot to keep the hot pot at the correct temperature. There were also the fried fish bones, spicy stir-fried fish dders, and the pan-seared fish tail¡ the entire Green Fish was used without waste, each part delicious. Even the fish scales, after being deep-fried, were crispy and tasty, fragrantly spicy and delicious. Thus, the ¡°whole fish banquet¡± was served. A spirit monster level Green Fish, after Xu Yang¡¯s cooking and with various special effects from his ¡°culinary skills,¡± its effects were no less than those of spirit pills. Even so, Xu Yang was not satisfied. He also brought out a pot of rice steamed with a mixture of White Jade and yellow jade rice. Although there were no guests, somewhat lonely, enjoying such a feast on one¡¯s own was also one of life¡¯s pleasures. ¡°Eat!¡± Xu Yang picked up his bowl and chopsticks, gently smiled, and enjoyed the fruits of hisbor. This mealsted nearly half an hour. A whole fish banquet, nearly a thousand pounds of fish flesh, plus a hundred pounds of White Jade Rice, ten pounds of yellow jade rice, as well as some garnishes and side dishes, wine and delicacies, all went into Xu Yang¡¯s stomach. Daily Devour One Ox, effortless. This was just his human form. If transformed into the Green Jiao Fish Dragon in the ckwater River, with the ability to ¡°Daily Devour Ten Oxen,¡± these dishes wouldn¡¯t even be enough as an appetizer. After eating and drinking to his heart¡¯s content, Xu Yang stood up and opened a box, which was filled with various bottles and jars of potions. Not wasting any time, he picked up a bottle, pulled out the cork, and poured it directly into his mouth, gulping down the entire bottle of potion. These potions were all crafted by him in disguise over the years, traveling through the provinces, purchasing raw materials from various pharmacies, and refining them personally. Although they were not considered genuine spirit pills, they did have numerous tonic effects. Amon martial artist, even one with True Gang cultivation, would find one bottle sufficient for half a month¡¯s training. But one bottle was not enough for him. After finishing one, he immediately started on another, tossing back dozens of bottles from the box like they were candy beans and stuffing them all into his stomach. If it were anyone else, such a way of consumption, not to say it would cause their body to burst and perish, would at least lead to Qi Blood bacsh, But he was just fine as if nothing had happened, and after eating, he took off his outer garment, bared his chest, and headed out towards the East Coast. On the shore of the East Coast, groups of electric eels, also full and satisfied. Without a word, Xu Yang arrived and leaped into the water. ¡°Gurgle gurgle!¡± As Xu Yang plunged into the water, he assumed a meditative posture, with thousands of electric eels swimming over of their own ord to surround him. ¡°Begin! ¡± Xu Yang remained motionless, conveying his wish with his mind. The electric eels received the ¡°Dragon King¡¯smand¡± and immediately activated the electric currents within their bodies. ¡°Crackle, crackle, crackle!¡± Thousands of electric eels exerted their power, including the demon monster-level Electric Eel King and dozens of spirit monster alien electric eels, to generate a pale golden electric around Xu Yang¡¯s body, beginning to electrocute him. Indeed, electrocute! Xu Yang wanted them to electrocute himself. This was the main reason he spared no expense in cultivating electric eels. He wanted these electric eels¡ to aid his cultivation! This method was known as ¡°Thunder Lightning Body Training.¡± The human body itself contains bioelectricity, functioning based on bioelectricity toplete neural responses and to control movements. Therefore, theoretically, electric shocks can stimte the body, aiding its growth and evolution. But this is only a theory, and in practice, it is very hard to seed. In the worlds of Great Zhou and Great Tang, many extreme madmen have created the martial arts scripture ¡°Heavenly Thunder Tempering.¡± However, most of those who trained in this scripture were struck dead by lightning, with the remaining either ending up with various degrees of electric shock disabilities or a very few, one in ten thousand cases, achieving sess. It simply couldn¡¯t be replicated. It wasn¡¯t untilter that Xu Yang incorporated these martial arts scriptures into the Martial Arts Scripture, painstakingly creating the Heavenly Thunder Tempering Mana Point bybining everyone¡¯s collective wisdom, which barely allowed practitioners to avoid being struck dead by lightning. However, such Heavenly Thunder Tempering was, to be candid, a gradual process, recing the fierce heavenly thunder with mild electric shocks, which severely limited the results. And in the end, there was no way to withstand the true tempering of heavenly thunder, or else one would surely turn to ashes. Chapter 95 - 67: Breakthrough (2/6)_2 Chapter 95 - 67: Breakthrough (2/6)_2 Chapter 95: Chapter 67: Breakthrough (2/6)_2 Trantor: 549690339 Therefore, this martial arts technique was quite useless, so much so that Xu Yang hadn¡¯t even practiced it. It wasn¡¯t until he entered the ck Water World and devoured the school of electric eels, obtaining the innate divine ability ¡°Thunder-Driving Lightning-Lifting,¡± that he had an epiphany. The reason the Heavenly Thunder Tempering technique was useless wasn¡¯t just due to the martial arts itself; the problem alsoy with ¡°thunder and lightning.¡± His understanding of thunder and lightning, his research into it, and his control and use of it were far from thorough, which naturally rendered the Heavenly Thunder Tempering technique he created quite useless. However, there was nothing wrong with the basis of this technique; indeed, thunder and lightning could temper the body, and the effects were extraordinary. Eventually, Xu Yang referred to his own innate power of ¡°Thunder-Driving Lightning-Lifting¡± and revised the Heavenly Thunder Tempering technique in the Martial Scripture manuscript, ultimately introducing a powerful thunder and lightning body refining technique. Xu Yang named it the ¡°Thunder-Driving Lightning-Lifting Technique.¡± It was recorded in the Martial Scripture Manuscript, within the Body Training Chapter. After creating the technique, the next step was actual practice. Therefore, Xu Yang began searching for electric eels to cultivate them. Of course, if one isn¡¯t afraid of death, one could also try to act as a lightning rod during a thunderstorm. Xu Yang was afraid of dying, or rather, he didn¡¯t want to die, so he chose to cultivate using the most familiar electric eels. As expected, this method proved to be highly effective. In just three short years, Xu Yang¡¯s body training technique advanced rapidly, his martial arts inner yuan also increased, and now he had reached the limit of both the ¡°Muscle Bone Realm¡± and the ¡°True Gang Realm.¡± He was about to break through and enter the fourth stage of body training, the ¡°Rebirth Realm,¡± and the fourth stage of martial arts, the ¡°Condensing Spirit Realm.¡± Today was the time for his breakthrough. Therefore, he threw himself avish feast of fish and swallowed all his reserved essence pills to nourish himself for the breakthrough of the four barriers. In theke, within the electric, Xu Yang sat cross-legged. ¡°Crackle! Crackle! Crackle!¡± The thousands of electric eels exerted their power simultaneously, and the golden current was visible to the naked eye, forming an electrical that enshrouded his body, yet there was no explosive reaction; instead, it was absorbed bit by bit into his body, merging into his flesh and blood. It wasn¡¯t just the current. The surroundingke water, and even the dense mist on theke surface, the entire area¡¯s nature¡¯s spiritual energy, all were influenced by his divine intent and began converging towards this ce, coalescing, turning into a vortex¡ In a blink, the Yuan Qi Vortex was formed, mingled with golden currents, like a dazzling sun hanging over theke. Then, with a wave of thought, the surrounding electric eels that had exhausted their electrical power received themand from the Dragon King and retreated like a receding tide, leaving behind only the Electric Eel King and a few spirit monsters to channel theirst bit of electricity into the Yuan Qi Vortex. Within the Yuan Qi Vortex, Xu Yang sat cross-legged in a virtual spiral, his eyes already closed, his divine intent unfolding boundlessly. Between the boundless divine intent, his own body became manifest, a towering presence. Following that, his physical body turned transparent, disying its internal structure¡ªall the interlinked lines and nodes, with thunder and lightning coursing through them. This was the human meridian diagram under the influence of spiritual energy and thunder and lightning tempering! Visualizing his own body, mastering oneself! I am the heaven and earth, and the heaven and earth are me! Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao, a metamorphosis of body and soul! The four stages of growth will now be broken through! With a loud explosion, the vortex in theke suddenly burst apart, unleashing a sky-high wave. Amidst the white waves, a human figure like a dragon intertwined with lightning emerged, shooting a hundred Zhang into the sky. One Zhang and three meters, a hundred Zhang into the sky, already high up in the air. He hadpletely burst forth from the boundary concealed by the ind¡¯s stone formation. But Xu Yang hadpletely lost himself, oblivious to everything, and plunged into the clouds and mists of the sky. Yes, the sea of clouds! The uniquendscape of Dongting Lake¡ªonce up a hundred Zhang, one would be amidst the vast and billowing sea of clouds. In the midst of the sea of clouds, Xu Yang soared, surrounded by intertwining lightning, and with a thunderous push of his palms, a dragon shadow roared out. Descending Dragon Palm? No, it was more than the Descending Dragon Palm! ¡°Roar!!!¡± As the mighty dragon soared with lightning shing around it, the force of the palmbined with the might of thunder and lightning, instantly cleared a path a hundred Zhang long in this vast and misty sea of clouds, which remained for a long time. In such a state,pletely absorbed and after unleashing a powerful strike that expressed his satisfaction, the main character finally came back to his senses. Looking at the hundred-zhang void in the sea of clouds created by his own palm strike, Xu Yang let out a soft chuckle then turned and returned. ¡°Humph!¡± This time, as hended, his movements were casual without immense force smashing down, shaking heaven and earth. Having broken through the four realms, whether it was in the internal cultivation of Inner Yuan or the external training of the physical body, everything waspletely mastered after ¡°Visualizing the Self,¡± ¡°Subduing Dragon and Tiger,¡± and ¡°Condensing Spirit and Unifying Dao, ¡± reaching an effortless state, lifting the heavy as if it were light and the light as if it were heavy. The difference of one realm was like the difference between heaven and earth. Add the battle traits boosted by ¡°Martial Path Communicates with God¡± and ¡°Unity of Heaven and Man,¡± and now, as long as Xu Yang did not encounter a master of the fifth realm, he could dominate the world with ease. Ah¡the mundane world, that is. As for the Cultivation World, the situation is unclear, so let¡¯s not talk about that for the moment. ¡°Thrilling! ! Xu Yang let out a loudugh and summoned his attribute panel. Xu Yang Lifespan: 60/350 Cultivation: Condensing Spirit and Rebirth (Inner Cultivation and External Training, Four Realm State) Skills: Eating, Sleeping, Breathing, Cooking, Fishing, Boating, Breeding, Disguise, Knife Sharpening, Hidden Weapons, Swimming. Butchering, Walking, Archery, Artisan, Reading, Dreaming, Teaching, Martial Practice, Formation, Taoist Skills, Medicine, Farming¡ Talent: Control Electricity! Condensing Spirit and Rebirth, inner and outer four realms! Reincarnated and transmigrated to this world, finally achieving something noteworthy in his sixtieth year. The first forty-five years were spent in hidden umtion, enduring mockery and ridicule, bullying and oppression. But it was all worth it. Without those forty-five years of patient umtion and gathering of strength, he could not have reached where he was today. Every step was carefully nned, umtion leading to rapid progress. Past grievances could all be avenged. Ah¡it seems there¡¯s nothing left to avenge now. The Goldfish Gang had been dealt with, and those who had troubled him, bullied, and oppressed him over the years, he had secretly taken care of them all. They are all dead? Then let it be. Xu Yang shook his head, no longer pondering. Rather than dwelling on the past which no longer mattered, he should be looking to the future. From entering Great Zhou and creating the Martial Scripture. To now, having achieved the state of the four realms. All in all, it took him fifteen years. It could be said to be incredibly swift. You must know, in the world of Great Tang, it took him almost twenty years to reach the state of Condensing Spirit. And that was with the help of many disciples and the ¡°Teaching¡± skill. In the real world, he didn¡¯t take on many disciples and didn¡¯t benefit from the boost of the teaching skill. Then how could he step into the four realms more quickly, both in Inner Cultivation and External Training and attaining both sides of the Rebirth Four Realms State? There are three reasons for this. First, the profoundness of the cultivation technique, which assimted the Martial Path systems of both Great Zhou and Great Tang, and in the ck Water World, was refined through self-perception, Fish-Dragon Transformation, and innate divine abilities. After such fortuitous refinements, his cultivation naturally advanced much more swiftly than when he began in Great Tang. Second, the help of his skills. He had acquired many skill traits, especially the ¡°Heaven rewards hardwork¡± and ¡°Founder of Martial Scripture¡± in martial practice, which tremendously aided cultivation, particrly the cultivation of the Martial Scripture, hence a more rapid progression. Third, external aids such as the absence of nature¡¯s spiritual energy werepensated for with essence pills, Spirit Rice, and alien beasts as nourishment, coupled with the newly perfected ¡°Thunder and Lightning Quenching Body¡± technique. With theseyers of enhancements, his advance in realms was naturally swift. All of this was the result of Xu Yang¡¯s own hard-earned efforts, the rewards of his diligent cultivation. Great umtion leads to a rapid rise, Heaven rewards hardwork! Such should be the way of a lifetime! Chapter 96 - 68: Cultivator (3/6)_1 Chapter 96 - 68: Cultivator (3/6)_1 Chapter 96: Chapter 68: Cultivator (3/6)_1 Trantor: 549690339 Time flies, and another March has arrived. Upon Dongting Lake, the misty expanse remains vast and obscured by clouds. In its depths, the waters are still taboo, no one daring to approach, the aversion deep-rooted. But the world is ever-changing, and there are always exceptions. At this moment, a solitary boat drifts upon theke. Though called solitary, it spans several meters and canfortably amodate a dozen people with horses. Currently, three men and two women stand aboard, gracefully touring Dongting, a most refined sight. The three men each differ in attire: one dresses as a schr, idly brandishing a folding fan; the other two are d in ck and white, bearing swords and sabers, as if martial heroes from the Martial World. The two women are equally distinguished: one wears a white dress, her demeanor cool and detached; the other is garbed in pce attire, dignified, and luxurious, both stunning as a peony and a lotus side by side, blossoming on this modest boat. ¡°I¡¯ve long heard that Dongting¡¯s misty waters are quite extraordinary, and seeing them today proves the tales true,¡± one of them remarked. ¡°We are still on the outskirts of theke; further in, as we near theke¡¯s heart, the mists grow even denser!¡± another said. ¡°Sadly, despite such marvels, this ce remains mundane, with no Spirit Vein buried beneath, no concentration of Spiritual Energy¡¡± ¡°If there were Spiritual Energy here, it would have long been imed by the major sects or powerful families. How could they allow the likes of us to tour such a ce?¡± ¡°Many Cultivators, upon witnessing Dongting¡¯s enchanting sights, would assume there must be some mystical secret or treasure of Immortal fate hidden within, wasting time scouring the waters, only toe out empty-handed.¡± ¡°Such jokes abound, and soon no one bothersing here to waste their time. Only novices to the Cultivation World, naive to everything, fall for the traps set by deceitful peddlers,ing here in search of Immortal fate.¡± ¡°Haha, surely Brother Song isn¡¯t referring to us?¡± ¡°Of course not, our purpose here today is to enjoy the scenery, not to chase after some Immortal fate.¡± ¡°Still, you never know¡ªsomething interesting might happen.¡± ¡°Indeed, even though this cecks Spiritual Energy and isn¡¯t favored by Cultivators, it is considered unusual and secluded to ordinary Martial Artists. Many so-called experts of the Martial World hide here to seek Immortal fate.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that not long ago, someone iming to be a Fisherman appeared here, teaching martial arts.¡± ¡°Heh, experts of the Martial World, no matter how proficient, are still mortals. If they truly had potential, they would have been discovered by Searching Immortal Envoys and sent to cultivate in the major sects. Who would then bother learning martial arts with limited power and prospects?¡± ¡°Miss Tie, with your exceptional talent and unique gift, you must not be obsessed with so-called martial arts. The true path lies in Qi Cultivation and Cultivation.¡± ¡°You needn¡¯t be so verbose. I¡¯ve heard Miss Tie has already obtained a Searching Immortal Order from the Green Jade Sect. She just needs to wait for the Immortal Gate to open in September, and she can attempt entry. Given Miss Tie¡¯s aptitude, it¡¯s certain she¡¯ll be a disciple of the Green Jade Sect, ¡± came another voice. ¡°The Green Jade Sect, ah¡¡± ¡°Speaking of the Green Jade Sect, we must mention Brother Zhang. Is it true that you are soon to be recruited by the Tianshu Sect?¡± ¡°Is that even a question? Everybody knows Brother Zhang is extraordinarily gifted, with exceptional fortune. Not only is his Cultivation profound, but hisprehension is also remarkable¡ªa natural seedling for a Formation Master. The Tianshu Sect, being a grandmaster of the Array Path, naturally wants to recruit such a talent.¡± ¡°Oh, you tter me¡¡± The three men chatted andughed, the two martially dressed menvishing praise, while the schr in green seemed pleased, subtly showing off his background. From the corner of his eye, he frequently nced at the woman beside him. However, the woman in white, cool as a lotus blossom, did not react at all. Her gaze fixed on the mysterious mists of Dongting Lake, her thoughts uncertain, she didn¡¯t utter a single word, causing the schr some embarrassment. Thankfully, the woman in pce clothes covered her smile, graciously offering a way out: ¡°Don¡¯t be so merry, gentlemen. Miss Tie hase here to pursue her enemy and intends to execute that viin here. Make sure not to get so lost in your amusement that you let the scoundrel escape!¡± ¡°Ah, Fairy Yang can rest assured. Although we aren¡¯t very skilled, capturing a lowlife who chanced upon Immortal fate is still well within our grasp,¡± one of the men in martial attire assured. ¡°Exactly. Fairy Yang, if you don¡¯t trust us brothers, don¡¯t you trust Brother Zhang?¡± asked the other. ¡°Without boasting, just consider this Dark Iron Boat, a mid-tier Magic Artifact. Energized by Brother Zhang¡¯ste-stage Qi Cultivation mana, it¡¯s powerful enough to shatter mountains and cleave valleys. What could a scoundrel with a stroke of Immortal fate possibly do against that?¡± ¡°This Dark Iron Boat is still a defensive Magic Artifact. I¡¯ve heard that Brother Zhang also possesses a Gengjin Sword that was forged from a Flying Sword sword embryo and has already ranked among superior Magic Artifacts. When activated, even Foundation Establishment Cultivators would have to avoid its edge.¡± ¡°Exactly, exactly. Thatmoner is nothing but a mortal, without any foundations or inheritance. Whatever Immortal fate falls into his hands would be like casting pearls before swine, and he will never amount to anything.¡± ¡°Miss Tie, rest assured, once Brother Zhang takes action, he will surely capture him with ease and avenge you.¡± The two began to tter extravagantly once again. Seeing this, the Schr couldn¡¯t help but feel pleased, but still humbly said, ¡°You two brothers tter me too much. What I have is no Flying Sword, just a failed sword embryo. Though it has some might, it¡¯s far from matching a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Having followed me for many years, to this day, it has only in an Evil Cultivator in theter stages of Qi Cultivation!¡± ¡°An Evil Cultivator in theter stages of Qi Cultivation?¡± ¡°Brother Zhang is truly Brother Zhang, we are ashamed inparison!¡± ¡°Turns out we have underestimated Brother Zhang, how shameful.¡± Hearing this, the three sycophants hurried to keep up, making the Schr¡¯s smile even brighter. However, thedy in white still showed no reaction. This made the Schr somewhat embarrassed, and the others had no choice but to change the subject. ¡°Have you heard that in recent times, there¡¯s been a Jiao Dragon appearing in Dongting Lake?¡± ¡°Really? Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, many fishermen have seen it. That day in the foggy parts of theke, a dragon¡¯s roar shocked the sky, audible for miles around. Then came thunder that shook the heavens, and the shadow of a golden dragon appeared, soaring and frolicking amidst the clouds above theke, lingering for a moment before vanishing without a trace.¡± ¡°This¡ While discussing the rumors from a few months ago, the three of them were somewhat astonished. Only the Schr was unconcerned, shaking his head and saying, ¡°Ignorant mortals, it¡¯s nothing but rumors built upon rumors. How could a dragon, a Divine beast of supreme honor, appear in the mortal realm?¡± ¡°Perhaps it was a Jiao Dragon?¡± ¡°Even if it was a Jiao Dragon, it could be on par with Great Golden Core cultivators, even Nascent Soul Ancestors. How could it dwell in Dongting Lake, which doesn¡¯t even have a Spirit Vein?¡± ¡°In my opinion, it was just a temporary cloud and rain, a rainbow phenomenon, apanied by thunder. Themon people, not knowing the cause, have spread rumors. It¡¯s not surprising.¡± ¡°That makes sense, Brother Zhang is indeed experienced and knowledgeable¡¡± Amidst their conversation, the small boat ventured deeper. In the depths of Dongting, the mist enshrouded everything, reducing visibility to an extreme low. Zhang Guanghua waved his paper fan and said to the woman named ¡°Tie Xiner¡± d in white, ¡°Miss Tie, do you know where that scoundrel is hiding?¡± Tie Xiner then turned her gaze back, ¡°That viin was hit by my palm, which contained my azure-blue fragrant powder. Even diving into the water won¡¯t block it. As long as he is within a thousand zhang, I can detect his whereabouts.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Zhang Guanghua nodded, ¡°My Dark Iron Boat can travel tens of thousands of miles a day, moving freely. At most, in three days, we should be able to search all inside and outside Dongting Lake.¡± Seeing this, Tie Xiner bowed slightly, ¡°Thank you for your aid, Brother Zhang!¡± ¡°Hey, between you and me, there¡¯s no need for such formalities.¡± Zhang Guanghua smiled and spurred the Dark Iron Boat forward, venturing into the mist. After all, being a mid -tier Magic Artifact, it boasted impressive defenses, and there was no need to worry about hidden reefs or other hazards. After careening about for a moment¡ ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhang Guanghua frowned and brought the Dark Iron Boat to a halt. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Brother Zhang, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Puzzled looks were cast by everyone. Zhang Guanghua frowned, staring ahead, ¡°That small ind¡ there¡¯s something strange!¡± ¡°Strange?¡± ¡°What kind of strange?¡± Everyone looked in the direction he indicated, only to see a deste ind, standing alone out there, seemingly nothing out of the ordinary. Zhang Guanghua shook his head, said nothing, but waved his fan to produce a fierce gust of wind. ¡°Whoosh!¡± The tangible wind swept across, causing the illusory scenery to ripple like reflections on water. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°A formation?¡± The crowd gasped in surprise as they finally recognized what it was. ¡°An Illusion Array?¡± ¡°Just a singleyer?¡± Zhang Guanghua tapped his folding fan against his palm, smiled lightly after making a silent assessment of the difficulty, and said, ¡°It seems a fellow cultivator has settled here!¡± After speaking, he looked around, ¡°Gentlemen, shall we go and pay a visit?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The group hesitated, unable to make a decision. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, gentlemen, we are not those vicious Robbing Cultivators; we¡¯re just going to take a look. If indeed it is someone from our own circles, then let¡¯s pay them a visit. If it is an Evil Demon, then it will be time to y demons and eradicate devils.¡± After saying this, Zhang Guanghua turned to Tie Xiner, ¡°What do you think, Miss Tie?¡± ¡°Brother Zhang speaks the truth,¡± Tie Xiner nodded, looking coldly at the ind shrouded in illusion, ¡°Perhaps the enemy I seek is hiding right there.¡± ¡°Good, then let¡¯s go take a look!¡± Seeing Tie Xiner agreeing, Zhang Guanghua didn¡¯t bother asking for anyone else¡¯s opinion and directly urged the Dark Iron Boat toward the illusion. One should not be so reckless when facing a formation. However, the person responsible for this rudimentary Illusion Array in this ce devoid of spiritual energy doesn¡¯t seem like someone with profound cultivation. Therefore, there was no need to be overly cautious. The Dark Iron Boat charged, piercing through the mirage-like scenes, and discovered an ind of moderate size on theke. By the side of the ind, there was also a boat, clearly indicating someone lived there. Zhang Guanghua¡¯s eyes sharpened, and without a word, he flew the Dark Iron Boat up into the sky, heading straight for the ind. The Flying Boat ascended, giving them a high vantage point, immediately revealing the entire ind with its attention drawn to a field of golden, ripe grain. ¡°A farm?¡± Zhang Guanghua¡¯s eyes narrowed, he maneuvered the Flying Boat above the fields, and with a gesture, a spike of rice flew up into his hand. ¡°Is this¡ Spirit Rice?¡± Zhang Guanghua looked at the white jade grain in his hand, then down at the fields below ripe for harvest, his eyes glinting with a sharp light. ¡°In the mundane world, to be able to grow Spirit Rice?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense, it doesn¡¯t make sense!¡± ¡°Unless¡ Immortal fate!¡± ¡°Treasures of Immortal fate, it must be treasures of Immortal fate!¡± His mind raced to a conclusion, and a barely conceble joy rose in Zhang Guanghua¡¯s eyes. Immortal fate, Immortal fate, true Immortal fate! To cultivate and harvest Spirit Rice in thisnd devoid of spiritual energy, could it be the work of mere mortals? Let aside mortals, evenmon cultivators couldn¡¯t do this, unless they were willing to shatter spirit stones and use the powdered stone as fertilizer. Zhang Guanghua didn¡¯t believe anyone could be so extravagant. So he was certain, behind this field of Spirit Rice awaiting harvest, there was a stroke of Immortal fate, a treasure. A treasure of Immortal fate that would soon be his! What, cultivators? Which cultivator would shrink away in the mundane world to farm ¨C did they have some serious illness in their head, or was there a problem with their body? Only the Immortal fate Men, those both fortunate and unfortunate, would undertake such bizarre endeavors. Therefore¡ ¡°Brother Zhang!¡± ¡°This must be the handiwork of an Immortal fate Man!¡± ¡°Such an opportunity should rightfully belong to Brother Zhang!¡± Meanwhile, the other three hade to the same realization and immediately congratted Zhang Guanghua, making clear theirck of intention to contend for it. ¡°Haha, since it¡¯s an opportunity, let¡¯s share it,¡± Zhang Guanghuaughed, then with a serious tone added, ¡°First, let¡¯s search the area to see if the Immortal fate Man is here, then we¡¯ll harvest the Spirit Rice in the field. I see there¡¯s another area that seems to be a medicinal field, you must be very careful not to damage the spiritual herbs.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Seeing Zhang Guanghua, a Qi Cultivator in thete stages, willing to share a piece of the cake, everyone was suddenly motivated, even the aloof Tie Xiner was eager to try. Zhang Guanghua wasted no more words, the Mysterious Iron Flying Boat descended to the ground. The group stepped out of the Flying Boat; he swept his fan, and the several-zhang-long Flying Boat shrank to the size of a palm, which he then tucked into his sleeve. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Zhang Guanghua stowed away the magic artifact and led the group toward the central cabin on the ind. Just then¡ ¡°Screech!! ! ¡± A cry pierced the sky, stirring the winds and clouds.. Chapter 97 - 69: Furious Killing_1 Chapter 97: Chapter 69: Furious Killing_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Screech!! ! ¡± Amidst the cries, a Golden Eagle swooped down from the sky, its might carrying the wind and clouds as it swept towards the people, its ws sharp enough to tear tigers and leopards. ¡°Be careful!¡± All of them were cultivators with extremely fast reflexes and promptly activated their defenses. The pce-garbed woman and Tie Xiner immediately crushed Jade Talismans, forming two Green Jade light shields to protect themselves within. Zhang Guanghua was even more casual, with a flick of his folding fan, mana was urged forth, forming a protective Spirit Light not weaker than the two women¡¯s. Only the two men in sturdy clothing were a bit slower to act, frantically urging the Talismans in their hands, andstly managing to conjure up a spiritual light defense. And the target of the Golden Eagle was also them, with a wingspan of several meters, it came sweeping in with even stronger might, its golden-hooked ws directly smashing through one man¡¯s light shield, piercing his flesh and shoulder de, and snatching him into the sky. ¡°Big Brother!¡± Seeing his elder brother being carried off by the Golden Eagle, the remaining man in ck was filled with shock and rage, and quickly turned his gaze towards Zhang Guanghua. ¡°To think there¡¯s a Spirit Monster here!¡± ¡°That treasure is no trivial matter!¡± Zhang Guanghua, looking at the Golden Eagle about to fly off into the distance, lit up with excitement, but also a hint of doubt. He swept his folding fan, sending several Gang winds that condensed into sharp des chasing after the eagle. ¡°Screech!¡± But the Golden Eagle, with a p of its wings, was incredibly swift. Even while gripping a person, it did not slow down, directly soaring against the sky and dodging the wind des. ¡°Brother Zhang!¡± Seeing his elder brother being taken away by the Golden eagle, the man in ck couldn¡¯t help but shout out again. Zhang Guanghua¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, and he was about to take out the Dark Iron Boat to chase after it. But unexpectedly¡ ¡°Whoosh!!!¡± An arrow flew, the powerful projectile breaking the air. Zhang Guanghua¡¯s gaze sharpened, his mana surged, and the Spirit Light instantly thickened. ¡°Bang!!!¡± The powerful arrow split the air, its force tremendous. It shattered upon the light shield, causing the once solid Spirit Light to tremble and flicker. The power of this arrow was evident! ¡°A master! ¡± A shock surged in Zhang Guanghua¡¯s heart, and he could no longer care about the man in white taken by the Golden Eagle. Mixed with shock and anger, he looked towards the direction from where the arrow hade. However¡ ¡°Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!¡± The arrows flew rapidly, like a torrential pear blossom rain, one arrow following the next, each faster than thest, instantly turning the sky into a shower of locusts covering them all. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± The rain of arrows fell, the powerful projectiles bombarding them. The arrows, already strong and enforced with Gang Yuan, had a terrifying prating power, and even the Jade Talismans and Spirit Light shields began to crack under the onught. As the Spirit Light shatteredyer byyer, their protective measures were on the verge of failing. Zhang Guanghua¡¯s gaze focused, his mana from thete Qi Cultivation stage surged, even his in green robe emanated light, forming a double defense to withstand the rain of arrows. On the other side, Tie Xiner crushed yet another verdant Jade Talisman, and amidst the flickering green light, a set of Green Jade battle armor emerged, protecting her entirely and resisting the barrage of arrows. Both had their own methods. But the pce-garbed woman and the man in ck didn¡¯t have such potentiality. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± The arrows flew with fierce intensity, bombarding the two who struggled to maintain their Spirit Light shields, their eyes filled with terror as they looked toward the source of the arrows. In front of them, by a rice paddy, stood a striking figure, a man of impressive martial bearing stepping forward. In his hands, he held a bow, an excessivelyrge one, its body entirely ck, like iron yet like bamboo, its string as thin as silk, taut to the extreme but also appearing incredibly tough, emanating an intimidating sense of power. He strode forward, seemingly emerging from the rice fields, with a bamboo quiver¡ªno, it should be called an arrow barrel¡ªon his back, filled to the brim with arrows, at least a hundred. A hundred? Or even several hundred? The two didn¡¯t know, but looking at the dense cluster of arrows in the ¡°barrel,¡± their hearts were filled with fear and even more despair. ¡°Brother Zhang¡!!¡± In their terror and desperation, they wanted to cry for help. But unexpectedly, Zhang Guanghua was equally stunned. He saw the imposing young man, his aura fierce, drawing the bow and shooting arrows, advancing towards them with deliberate strides. It was clear that with each step he took, the speed and power of the arrows increased. Step by step, the distance between them rapidly closed, the tempest of arrows grew more intense, more ferocious. Arrows were drawn like lightning, raining down like a storm! ¡°Bang, bang, bang, bang!¡± In the blink of an eye, several arrows pierced the air, streaking like a string of beads, hitting with precision. ¡°Bang!!!¡± The Spirit Light shield shattered at the impact, the man in ck¡¯s eyes wide open with extreme shock and anger, yet he could do nothing but fall to the ground unwillingly. As the man in ck fell, the pce-garbed woman followed suit, pierced by three swift arrows through her Spirit Light, her body tumbling down. ¡°Sister Yang! ¡± Zhang Guanghua showed no response, but Tie Xiner cried out in rm. But the next moment, she regretted that cry. Because that shout caught the attention of the man, who then drew a terrifying iron arrow from the quiver on his back! A terrifying iron arrow? Yes, a terrifying iron arrow! What kind of iron arrow could be described as terrifying? Six feet in length,pletely ck, made entirely of refined steel, an iron arrow with Golden Eagle feathers! This was not just an arrow; it was a bolt, a bolt for a ballista!!! How could a bow use such an arrow? If it were someone else, or another bow, Tie Xiner might still have doubts. But seeing this man, and the great bow in his hands already drawn to the limit, Tie Xiner harbored no doubts and dared not to have any. ¡°Green Jade Armor!¡± Without any hesitation, Tie Xiner crushed thest Jade Talisman immediately. ¡°Buzz!¡± In an instant, a bright green light shone forth as the jade armor materialized around her, forming the most perfect defense. But Tie Xiner dared not rely on this to recklessly fight back; instead, she turned and ran, using her movement technique to confuse her pursuer¡¯s line of sight. However, Xu Yang¡¯s gaze was cold and detached as he nocked a steel arrow, drawing the bow to a full crescent. He didn¡¯t know who these people were, how they had discovered this ce, or even what their intentions were. But none of that mattered now. Their actions had directly threatened his survival. So, they had to die, right now, all of them! A small sound, a pathetic cry of a bow¡¯s frame and string under unbearable tension. But Xu Yang, heedless of the potential breakage, pulled with fury to the limit and then released the arrow. ¡°Swoosh!!!¡± Such an arrow flew, breaking through the air. At the same time, Tie Xiner, who was still making use of her movement technique in a desperate evade, felt an indescribable terror, a sense of utter hopelessness as if there were no escape from heaven to earth. She couldn¡¯t escape, couldn¡¯t escape, she¡ couldn¡¯t escape! ¡°Brother Zhang, save me¡¡± In a moment of terror and despair, she too chose to call for help. But before she could finish speaking, there came a¡ ¡°Bang!!!¡± ¡°Spurt! The Green Jade Armor shattered, and a shadowy light pierced through her. Tie Xiner¡¯s body trembled, disbelievingly she lowered her head, only to see in front of her the Green Jade Spirit Armor holed and shattered, revealing a deep, pitch-ck and dark red wound, an arrow-inflicted gash that seemed bottomless¡ ¡°Thud!¡± A corpse fell to the ground, life extinguished. On the other side¡ Xu Yang tossed aside the damaged bow that could no longer be used, raised both fists, and struck out like a thunderbolt. ¡°Boom, boom, boom!¡± With the speed of lightning, his fists exploded with ferocity. First to strike, first tond, each punch carried the might of a thunderbolt, each blow had the force of ten thousand catties. They struck the Gengjin Sword, sending sparks flying and light scattering. ¡°Bang!!!¡± The final blownded¡ªthe unfinished Gengjin Sword was sent flying by a punch, pitted and twisted, returning miserably to Zhang Guanghua¡¯s hands. ¡°This¡¡± Seeing his treasured Flying Sword pitted and nearly ruined, Zhang Guanghua¡¯s pupils shrank, struck with utter terror. ¡°You are at the third stage ofplete cycle, no, you¡¯ve broken through the fourth stage of physical training!¡± ¡°Damn it!! Startled by the unexpected development, Zhang Guanghua snapped out of his shock and, too distraught to grieve, he took out his Dark Iron Boat and prepared to escape. He couldn¡¯t understand, for the life of him, why someone with the physical training of the fourth stage,parable to a Perfect Qi Refinement expert, would hide away in a world devoid of Spiritual Energy, farmingnd and raising eagles. Was he insane, or was the world insane? Did this fellow not fear his Cultivation regressing, no hope for Foundation Establishment? It made no sense, no sense at all! But now was not the time to think about these things. Flee, flee at once! Zhang Guanghua urged his Mana, poured it into the Dark Iron Boat, ready to activate this mid-tier Magic Artifact and fly far away. But¡ Beneath the earth, Xu Yang sank his stance, drew up the Gang Yuan within his body, and tapped into the forces of heaven and earth. Martial Path Condensing Spirit, Unity of Heaven and Man! In a split second, the winds and clouds changed, lightning streaked by, and a dragon shadow roared into existence, winding and circling around his body. Holding the Dark Iron Boat and witnessing this terrifying spectacle, Zhang Guanghua was dumbstruck for a good while before reacting. Swearing furiously in his mind, ¡°You motherfucker are supposed to be a body cultivator, what the hell is this thing?! Utterly frightened, unable to speak further, Zhang Guanghua¡¯s face turned ashen. In a frenzy, he pushed his Mana, erging the Dark Iron Boat rapidly, carrying him as he flew into the sky. However¡ ¡°Roar!!!¡± With a dragon¡¯s roar that shocked the heavens, Xu Yang brought his palms together, gathering the power of Heaven and Man. A dragon shadow intertwined with lightning bolts screamed forth, mming towards the fleeing Dark Iron Boat in terror. Aboard the Flying Boat, Zhang Guanghua turned his head in shock and rage at this scene, intending to reroute the Mana from the travel speed Array pattern to fully activate the Dark Iron Boat¡¯s defensive Array pattern, but¡ It was already toote! ¡°Boom!!!¡± With a thunderous crash, the dragon collided in fury, assisted by thunder and lightning, shattering the Dark Iron Boat on the spot, exploding into a spectacr firework disy above the small ind. After the fireworks, debris fell, among them a notably intact corpse. Because it was the only thing that remained whole.. Chapter 98 - 70: Harvest (5/6)_1 Chapter 98: Chapter 70: Harvest (5/6)_1 Trantor: 549690339 After the great battle, this small ind returned to tranquility. Xu Yang bent down, picked up the great bow, and looking at the clearly cracked bow with its lost sticity, he shook his head helplessly. This bow was now junk. It pained him a bit because it was his proudest creation in the recent years. The bow was made from ink bamboo that was tougher than steel but as flexible as green bamboo, and the bowstring was taken from a Spirit Monster-level dragon-kind fish. Moreover, with the enhancement of his craftsman skills and after spending a year and three months, he had finallypleted it. With such a Dark Iron Bow coupled with armor-piercing arrows forged from hundred-refined steel, empowered by his Yuan Skill, and the augmentation of skill traits such as unfailing uracy and the Nine-Star Continuous Beads, even a Martial Arts Grandmaster or a reborn Demon Beast would perish under its arrow, without a chance of survival. The woman who summoned the Green Jade Spirit Armor was the perfect example. She was strong and the Green Jade Spirit Armor was formidable, but still, it couldn¡¯t withstand his fatal arrow. Unfortunately, such arrows could only be used once; otherwise, the Dark Iron Boat and Gengjin Sword of that green-robed schr might have been salvageable. Such a pity, such a pity! Xu Yang shook his head, stepped over the fragments and debris, and came to the side of the green-robed schr¡¯s corpse. Hisplexion was pale, blood oozed from all seven orifices. Although his outer appearance was mostly intact, the organs under his skin, as well as his meridians and bones, had already turned to mush. There was no need to crush his bones and scatter his ashes to ensure safety. It was just a bit disgusting. Xu Yang shook his head again, bent down, and quickly stripped his spoils from the body. A green robe that was faded and significantly damaged. A small gold-embroidered bag hanging at the waist, still in rtively good condition. Beyond that, there was nothing else; even the Flying Sword from earlier was nowhere to be found. After searching him, and then others, Xu Yang acquired three differently styled small bags and some various trinkets¡ªtalisman stones, jewelry, and such, their purpose unknown to him. The main finds were still the four small bags. As a transmigrator, he hadn¡¯t eaten pork, but he¡¯d seen pigs run. If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, these four small bags must be the standard-equipped Storage Bags of Immortal fate Men! But how to open them? Xu Yang tried to pull the bags open by force, but nothing budged. It wasn¡¯t that hecked strength, he just felt that any further force could rip the bags apart. Brute strength wouldn¡¯t work. Xu Yang hesitated for a moment, then tried to stimte his Divine Intent and channel a thread of Gang Yuan into the bags. Subsequently, the bags opened automatically. Not only did they open, but they also established a mental link with Xu Yang, allowing him to ¡°see¡± inside the Storage Bags. It was a tiny space about a square foot, surrounded by chaotic streams of air. He could reach in or simply will it, and items within autonomously came forth, quite convenient. ¡°Is this a Storage Bag?¡± ¡°Thews of space are indeed miraculous! ¡± Xu Yang, like a child with a new toy, began to ce various items into the Storage Bag and take them out again, thoroughly enjoying himself. After a while, he calmed down, put everything away neatly, and picked up the fourth Storage Bag. It was the green-robed man¡¯s Storage Bag. With a thought of Divine Intent, he channeled Gang Yuan. But this time, the Storage Bag didn¡¯t open on its own. Xu Yang frowned, for he sensed a spiritual imprint on this bag. A spiritual brand? A password lock? Xu Yang hesitated for a while, then stimted his Divine Intent to wash away the spiritual imprint on the Storage Bag. It wasn¡¯t difficult, and in just a moment, the spiritual brand on the Storage Bag was erased by his Divine Intent. The Storage Bag then opened, revealing a space five square feet in size, several timesrger than the other Storage Bags. Not only was the spacerger. but there were also more items inside. Aside from the nearly scrapped Gengjin Sword, there were many things Xu Yang couldn¡¯t name. Well, essentially, Xu Yang couldn¡¯t name any of the items. What do you expect? He wasn¡¯t a Cultivator, so naturally, he had no idea what these things were used for. But no matter, he couldn¡¯t understand, but someone else could. ¡°Screech! ¡± With a cry, a Golden Eagle swooped down and dropped a bloodstained, scar-covered man before Xu Yang. It was the very white-robed man that had been captured earlier. Cultivators are indeed Cultivators. Even though his body was pierced by the Golden Eagle¡¯s ws, going right through his shoulder de, he was still conscious. Now, lying on the ground, instead of crying out in pain, he tried to get up and flee for his life. Only to be flipped over by a smack of the Golden Eagle¡¯s wing, he rolled right in front of Xu Yang. Xu Yang paid no attention to him, arranged the Storage Bags in front of him, and then without looking up said, ¡°I have some questions for you.¡± The man nced at the four very familiar Storage Bags on the ground, then sneakily caught a glimpse of the several corpses around him as well as the wreckage of the Dark Iron Boat and immediately knelt down, banging his head on the ground like smashing garlic. ¡°Senior, please spare my life, we were blind and ignorant, and disturbed your cultivation. I am willing to be your servant for all eternity, to atone for my sins¡¡± ¡°Silence!¡± A cold shout interrupted his words. Xu Yang sat cross-legged on the ground, his face cold and detached, ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for chatter right now. I ask, you answer. If not, you die!¡± The man fell silent under such direct and domineering words, then gritted his teeth and said, ¡°If the senior has any questions, this lowly one dares not refuse to answer, but please promise to spare my life. Otherwise, I¡¯d rather die than reveal a single word.¡± Having said that, he looked up with a bit of confidence, ¡°The senior has obtained this Immortal fate but still wanders in the mortal world, which suggests you haven¡¯t entered the Cultivation World yet. Although this lowly one is of little merit, I still know a lot about the various matters within the Cultivation World and affairs of the world. As long as the senior makes a heart demon oath to spare my life, I will surely¡¡± He was cut off abruptly, unable to continue. Why did he stop? Because he noticed that the Immortal fate man with a terrifyingly powerful strange treasure was looking at him with a very odd expression. Could it be¡ pity? Pity for what? After feeding the fish, Xu Yang, having washed the blood from his hands, returned to his dwelling with five Storage Bags. Ny-nine percent of people in the world cannot endure severe interrogation, unless their Cultivation reaches the Condensing Spirit realm allowing their spiritual will to overpower the physical body and suppress all pain and stimuli. This man was not that one percent, and his Cultivation had not reached such a realm. So, he quickly confessed, disclosing everything he knew, holding nothing back. There was no helping it; although the method of torture wasn¡¯t Xu Yang¡¯s preference, having been around for so many years and having been an emperor in two lives, he had inevitably picked up some techniques. After dealing with this minor character, Xu Yang returned to his cozy little house to sort out the sequence of events and his gains from the battle. The whole affair was actually notplicated. These people had no rtion to him and didn¡¯t even know of his existence. This time their venture into Dongting Lake was to assist a woman named Tie Xiner in ying an enemy. It¡¯s indeed curious that Tie Xiner, the sole survivor of the Iron Lion Gang after her parents and several brothers known as the Eight Roaring Lions were killed by traitors, managed to encounter a stroke of luck while on them. She became a Cultivator, entered the Immortal Cultivation World, and eventually returned to the Iron Lion Gang to seek revenge for her family. Unexpectedly, the traitor also turned out to be an Immortal fate man with a strange treasure, and during their fierce battle, although he was ultimately no match for her, he managed to save his life and escape into Dongting Lake. Left with no other choice, she had to call on friends and recruit a group of fellow Cultivators to help, including Zhang Guanghua, ate-stage Qi Cultivation expert, to search Dongting Lake and pursue the enemy. But they did not find the enemy; instead, they stumbled upon his hideout and ended up being annihted in the process. The world is indeed unpredictable. But this had nothing to do with Xu Yang. Her ordeal merely provided him with some information. Immortal fate Men are indeed fat sheep! But that does not mean Immortal fate Men must necessarily be at odds with Cultivators. Immortal fate Men can very much be Cultivators. And sometimes, Cultivators can also be ¡°Immortal fate Men¡± inadvertently. In the end, it all boils down to strength. If you¡¯re weak, without sufficient background, and in possession of precious treasures, you¡¯re an innocent person with a guilt-inviting treasure, open to attack and murder by anyone as an ¡°Immortal fate Man.¡± On the other hand, if you¡¯re strong and well-backed, even if you started out as an ¡°Immortal fate Man,¡± acquired various fortunes, and possessed strange treasures, you could still proudly be a Cultivator since no one can defeat you, or the cost of attacking you does not justify the gains. In short, the identities of Immortal fate Men and Cultivators are not fixed, and there are no marks to prove that one is indeed an Immortal fate Man with great treasures. This means that Xu Yang can now enter the Cultivation World as long as he doesn¡¯t reveal too much, and others will at most see him as an enigmatic Loose Cultivator rather than an Immortal fate Man on the rise with precious treasures. Of course, Robbing Cultivators are an exception. To those ruthless bastards, as long as they can rob, and seed in robbing, that¡¯s their ¡°Immortal fate!¡± ¡°So, can I go to the Cultivation World now?¡± Sorting through the information he had acquired, Xu Yang felt an urge to act. But he quickly subdued the thought. His strength was not weak. Zhang Guanghua and Tie Xiner were both in thete stages of Qi Cultivation, and the remaining three were at the middle stage; yet, against him, they couldn¡¯tst a few moves. Such strength was already enough to get by in the Cultivation World and even flourish there. Xu Yang also intended to venture out and see more, gather information, and broaden his horizons. But not just yet. Knowing oneself and the enemy assures victory in every battle! His understanding of the Cultivation World and Cultivators was still insufficient to act hastily. While he might be able to cope with rootless Loose Cultivators off the beaten path, if he encountered the direct disciples or even the elders and sect masters of major Immortal Gates, he would clearly be no match for them. The first step in entering the Cultivation World is to contact Cultivators, understand Cultivation, and be a Cultivator! Now, the means to understand Cultivators and the Cultivation Worldy before him. Opening up all five Storage Bags, he took out everything, and carefully sorted and arranged the items by category. They could roughly be split into four categories. The first was Cultivation Skills, various Cultivation skills and a collection of misceneous knowledge. The second was consumables, such as Talismans, medicine pills, Spirit Stones and other daily necessities for Cultivators. The third was Magic Artifacts and equipment, like Zhang Guanghua¡¯s Gengjin Sword, Tie Xiner¡¯s Green Jade Sword, and that pce-dressed woman¡¯s peach blossom fan. Mostly, they were low-grade magic artifacts, only the Green Jade Sword was a mid-grade artifact. Gengjin Sword was indeed a high-grade artifact, but sadly, it was nearly destroyed by his ¡°Lightning Thunderbolt Fist.¡± Apart from these conventional items, there were also special items beyond the ordinary, such as that slightly familiar Jade Pendant, which was a trial token issued by a sect called the Green Jade Sect. Any Cultivator possessing it could proceed to the Green Jade Sect to undertake trials, and upon passing, they could be a disciple of the Green Jade Sect. For Xu Yang, this item was somewhat useless, but if sold, it could still fetch a good number of Spirit Stones.. Chapter 99 - 71: Cultivation (System Settings, Slightly Watery)_l Chapter 99: Chapter 71: Cultivation (System Settings, Slightly Watery)_l Trantor: 549690339 Apart from the Green Jade Order, there were some items that even the man in white could not recognize, nor did he know their uses, which Xu Yang ssified as special items. They had no use for the time being, so he decided to leave them forter. As for magical artifacts, were they of any use? He had a few, but not many. The superior quality Gengjin Sword was already scrapped, the medium quality Green Jade Sword was of average power, and as for the inferior quality artifacts, there was no need to mention them¡ªthey were junk, unusable, and couldn¡¯t be sold casually, since they were stolen goods. Although these few individuals were Loose Cultivators, Loose Cultivators also had their foundations and backgrounds, especially Zhang Guanghua, ate-stage Qi Cultivation shrimp who had quite awork within the Cultivation World. If he were to bebeled as a Robbing Cultivator for these stolen goods, that would be more loss than gain. Despite the fact that the Cultivation World follows thew of the jungle, even encouraging the pursuit of Immortal fate Men, Robbing Cultivators were still severely cracked down on by all major Sects and markets. Once wanted, they would be targets for everyone, with everyone entitled to strike down on them. This is also understandable. Even though Cultivators follow the principle of the survival of the fittest, forces such as Sects, markets, and families also need order, which allows for continuous business and trade. Robbing Cultivators plundered, which meant disrupting the order of these major powers and smashing their rice bowls, essentially cutting their leeks, so naturally, they couldn¡¯t be tolerated. Therefore, without any special abilities, it¡¯s better not to engage in Robbing Cultivation¡ªit¡¯s no joke being on the wanted lists of major powers. Although the artifacts weren¡¯t very useful, this trip wasn¡¯t entirely fruitless. Various consumables like Spirit Stones, Talismans, and medicinal pills added up to the value of several hundred inferior Spirit Stones. If the five Storage Bags were included, it would easily be over a thousand. A thousand Spirit Stones, nearly enough to buy half a Foundation Building Pill. Indeed, murder and arson provided a golden belt; being a Robbing Cultivator was a quick way to make money. ¡°Deathes just as quickly though,¡± Xu Yang shook his head, dismissing the entirely untempting thought from his mind and turned his attention to the final spoils of war. Cultivation Skills! For Xu Yang, these were the most valuable spoils of war, which could help him directly understand the Cultivation World and Cultivators, as well as aid his own advancement and power increase. Knowledge is power! Xu Yang took a Jade Slip and began ¡°reading¡± it with Divine Intent. The ¡°Qi Cultivation¡± system of Cultivation shared many simrities with the two systems of ¡°Martial Arts¡± and ¡°Body Training¡± he had researched, yet they were not entirely the same. Qi Cultivation involved cultivating nature¡¯s spiritual energy and required a special qualification called ¡°Spiritual Root¡± to enter the threshold of Cultivation. The first realm of Cultivation was the Qi Cultivation realm. Qi Cultivation had twelve levels, each with three levels making a checkpoint, which could be divided into the early, middle,te stages, and Perfect Qi Refinement. In the early stage, one cultivated ¡°Internal Breath.¡± In the middle stage, one cultivated ¡°True Qi.¡± In thete stage, one cultivated ¡°Mana.¡± At Perfect Qi Refinement, one cultivated the ¡°Perfect Qi Refinement.¡± Internal Breath, True Qi, and Mana were easy to understand, corresponding to the Inner Strength, True Qi, and Gang Yuan of the Martial Path system. But what did Perfect Qi Refinement mean? Actually, it was not hard to understand¡ªit was the limit of Condensing Spirit, the Grandmaster Realm of the spiritual state of mind. After achieving Perfect Qi Refinement in Qi Cultivation, one¡¯s body, Divine Soul, and Mana needed to be perfect, and only then could one attempt to reach the Foundation Establishment Realm. Therefore, the Cultivation system and the Martial Path system corresponded in this way. Martial Path Inner Strength equates to early-stage Qi Cultivation. Martial Path True Qi equates to middle-stage Qi Cultivation. Martial Path True Gang equates tote-stage Qi Cultivation. Martial Path Condensing Spirit equates to Perfect Qi Refinement in Qi Cultivation. Martial Path creating a ¡°Golden Core¡± equates to Cultivation¡¯s Foundation Establishment. ording to this correspondence, Xu Yang should be considered as a Cultivator at the Perfect Qi Refinement stage. But while that¡¯s the theory, in reality, it doesn¡¯t work quite like that. From the very beginning of Qi Cultivation, at the Internal Breath Realm, Cultivators start absorbing nature¡¯s spiritual energy for their practice, and their Cultivation Techniques generally include methods for cultivating the Divine Soul. Therefore, whether it¡¯s the Divine Soul or body, or the Internal Yuan Mana, Cultivators are superior to Martial Artists of the same realm. ording to that man in white, even an early-stage Qi Cultivating Cultivator could effortlessly cross realms and pin down an opponent who is at the mid-stage Qi Cultivation and a True Qi Martial Artist. With impressive artifacts or spells, they could even challenge those at thete-stage Qi Cultivation and True Gang Martial Artists, spanning two realms. Such is the dominance of a Cultivator. ording to this logic, a Martial Artist with Four-Realm Condensing Spirit might very well be unable to defeat ate-stage Qi Cultivating Cultivator. But this only applies to ordinary Martial Artists. Xu Yang does not fall into this category. The Martial Scripture is profound; even without nature¡¯s spiritual energy, the martial arts cultivated are not inferior to the magic techniques of Cultivators of equal realm. Hisbat skills might also be on par with or even superior to magic techniques. Plus, as the Founder of the Martial Scripture with traits such as Unity of Heaven and Man and Martial Path Communicates with God, along wth his dual cultivation of both the internal and external path¡ªMartial Path internal and Body Training external¡ªwhen all these advantages arebined, he should not worry about challenging others across realms. Others challenging him across realms? They likely don¡¯t know the meaning of death. Therefore, Xu Yang now fully qualifies to regard himself as a Cultivator at the Perfect Qi Refinement stage. Although he¡¯s on par with Cultivators at Perfect Qi Refinement, it doesn¡¯t mean that these Cultivation Techniques have no value to him. On the contrary, these Cultivation Techniques are of great significance. They represent a system, a system of Qi Cultivation in Cultivation. Though the Martial Scripture is exquisite, Xu Yang is neither arrogant nor satisfied with his current state, nor will he confine himself to his present achievements. He intended to absorb the strengths of other systems, integrating them into the Martial Scripture, enriching its potentiality. In time, the Martial Scripture might transcend the mundane, bing marvelous and stunning, evolving into the world-shaking Divine Demon Martial Arts. Who says one cannot practice martial arts while cultivating immortality? Celestial martial arts are still martial arts, Divine Martial is also martial arts! So, these cultivation techniques are very important, containing methods for cultivating nature¡¯s spiritual energy and Divine Consciousness. After integrating and thoroughly understanding them, the Martial Arts Scripture will indeed be able to advance further and be ¡°Divine Martial Cultivation!¡± However¡ After reading through the various technique jade slips among the spoils of battle, Xu Yang then invoked the power of his Divine Soul to perform Inside View and eventually discovered a little problem. He¡ did not have a Spiritual Root! Not even a bit, he was a true and thorough,plete mortal. This was not surprising, as the major powers had always had ¡°Searching Immortal Envoys¡± walking the earth. If he had the qualifications of Spiritual Roots, he would certainly have been discovered early on and sent to the Cultivation World to cultivate, rather than fishing on Dongting Lake for decades. No Spiritual Roots, what to do? Nothing can be done! At least the techniques of the Cultivation World cannot be done. Their stance is one, no Spiritual Roots, don¡¯t cultivate; otherwise, it¡¯s like a eunuch going to a brothel, full of desire but powerless to do anything but stare. This was a big problem. But for Xu Yang it wasn¡¯t really a problem. No Spiritual Roots, don¡¯t cultivate? Then he simply wouldn¡¯t cultivate. What he valued most was the application of nature¡¯s spiritual energy and the cultivation of Divine Soul and Divine Thoughts in the cultivation techniques. Although both were centered around the Spiritual Roots, the great paths are varied, but all lead to the same destination. Xu Yang could transnt their philosophies and create his own Martial Path to cultivation or use some other organ to rece the Spiritual Roots. ording to the descriptions in cultivation techniques, the Spiritual Roots are simr to the Dantian, both are hidden within the body. Although invisible and intangible, they definitely exist. Since they exist, there must be ways to transnt, rece, stimte, or create them; Xu Yang didn¡¯t believe a living man could be choked to death by urine. So, the issue of Spiritual Roots, wasn¡¯t an issue. After finishing with the technique jade slips, Xu Yang turned his gaze to those ¡°misceneous books.¡¯ These misceneous books were varied, some were jade slips, some were books. Xu Yang picked up a jade slip and explored it with Divine Intent. Then, he backed out with a speechless expression on his face. Truly a mixed bag, there were even dynamic erotic pictures! Unfortunately, the drawings were very ordinary, not evenparable to those of Great Tang or Great Zhou¡ Cough cough, back to the main topic, after rummaging through the pile of misceneous books, Xu Yang finally found some rtively valuable things. First was a travelogue, a travel journal of the Cultivation World, recording the customs and geography of various ces. Next was a map, marking the topography and the distribution of powers in the Cultivation World, even indicating information about the powers. Last was a ¡°Primary Understanding of Array Formation!¡± A Formation Book? No, not really a Formation Book, just an introduction to the most basic Imowledge about formations. Although there are said to be a hundred arts in cultivation, the ones that truly flourish are just a few: formations, alchemy, artifact refining, and talismans. An Array Master sits at the top of the hierarchy, with the highest status, strongest power, and most revenue, truly invincible. The only downside is the potential to go bald. Unfortunately, formations are very hard to learn; the beginning is hard, the middle is harder, thetter part even more so, and the end as difficult as ascending to the heavens. But that still doesn¡¯t negate the strength and prestige of an Array Master; the value of the inheritance of array knowledge always surpasses that of alchemy, talismans, artifact refining, and other skills. Xu Yang also wished to be an Array Master. For an Array Master, the most difficult task is learning; formations are difficult to learn and even harder to master. Many Array Masters neglect their cultivation in favor of studyingplex formations, and before they even master the formations, they meet their end. But this was not a problem tor Xu Yang, who teared nothing more than learning and had more than enough time. Even if his understanding was poor, his aptitude weak, and his talent for formationscking, he could still forcefully umte sess over time. Not to mention, he had the Attribute Panel and Skill Traits. For him, the way of formations was like a fish in water! Unfortunately, this was merely a basic introduction to formations and not a real Formation Book, containing only a fewmon formation exnations and some basic knowledge, without the real methods for setting up formations. ¡°Maybe I should consider buying one. After all, I have quite a few Spirit Stones, and a beginner level Formation Book shouldn¡¯t be too expensive, right?¡± Xu Yang stroked his chin, quickly forming a n. No time like the present. Xu Yang opened up the map, beginning to select a target. To buy things, naturally, one looks for a market. But not just any market will do. You have to consider the type of goods, the market¡¯s specialty, but most importantly, the strength of the market, business reputation, and the distribution of Robbing Cultivators¡ªthese critical, life-or-death details. Fortunately, the map was clearly marked. Soon, Xu Yang found the most suitable market for himself, based on his own conditions. The White Dragon Ind Market, located on White Dragon Lake, was a market built on a Lake Ind. He could get there via a tributary of the Dongting water system, ensuring he could enter the water at any time to y to his ¡°Muddy Water Jiao Dragon¡± strengths. Moreover, the power levels around the White Dragon Lake Market and the surrounding Cultivation World were generally lower, with Foundation Establishment Cultivators being the backbone, and it was unlikely for Golden Core masters to appear; those overseeing the market were also at the Foundation Establishment level. With no Golden Core masters appearing, only Foundation Establishment, and being on ake ind, as long as he avoided traps and formations, he was confident he could escape unharmed. So¡ why not go have a look? It would also be a good opportunity toy low; those five cultivators had connections, and now that they were all extinguished at Dongting Lake, who knew what trouble that could stir up. And so it was happily decided. Off to White Dragon Lake! Chapter 100 - 72: Market District_l Chapter 100: Chapter 72: Market District_l Trantor: 549690339 Although he had already decided to go to White Dragon Lake, Xu Yang couldn¡¯t just abandon his old nest here without any care and leave. There were many things to pack, and Xu Yang certainly did not want to let others benefit from his hard work. First came the Spirit Rice. He picked up the sickle and started harvesting again, collecting all the mature White Jade Rice and Yellow Jade Rice, threshing and packing them, and stuffing them into several Storage Bags. It must be said that with Storage Bags, many tasks became much more convenient. Unfortunately, the tiers of these Storage Bags were not very high, and the storage space was extremely limited. Xu Yang also had quite a bit of stock that he couldn¡¯t pack up and take with him. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ll need to find more Storage Bags when I get the chance, or get a Magic Artifact with more space for storage.¡± Xu Yang shook his head and took out all the White Jade Rice that couldn¡¯t fit in the Storage Bags, preparing to feed the eagles and the fish, allowing these little creatures to eat their fill. ¡°Eat up, eat up. After this meal, who knows when the next will be.¡± Watching the birds feast heartily, Xu Yang shook his head with a smile and turned towards the fishgrounds. In the fishgrounds, he also poured several bags of White Jade Rice into the water. After a group of enlightened fish had eaten their fill, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll be gone for a while. Hide yourselves well and don¡¯t get caught by outsiders. Meanwhile, help me look after the fish and don¡¯t just think about eating all the time¡¡± After speaking, he did not wait to see if these fish with limited Spirit Wisdom understood. He just opened all the cages. Although he possessed the ¡°Dragon King¡¯s Command¡± trait, the intelligence of those ordinary fish was far too low, making them very troublesome to control, and he could not stay in the water all the time. Therefore, he eventually decided to use cages for breeding. Now that he was leaving, he had no idea when he would return, nor did he know if anyone woulde to the ind. To prevent his fishgrounds from disaster and his fish from harm, Xu Yang decided to temporarily release them back into theke. Anyway, he had the Dragon King¡¯s Command. When he returned, a single order would bring a hundred thousand fish obediently back¡ The fishgrounds were handled this way, and so was the Electric Eel farm. Those electrifying little guys were excellent for cultivation practice, and how could Xu Yang allow them to fall into the hands of others? Therefore, Xu Yang personally went down to theke, found a hidden spot as their temporary den, and expended his Cultivation to further enlighten the Electric Eel King and a few Spirit Monsters, enhancing their Spirit Wisdom and strength. Only then did Xu Yang feel at ease to leave. After the Spirit Rice was collected and the fish had been arranged, thest things to deal with were the eagles and the medicinal fields. The Spiritual Medicines in the fields had only been growing for a few years, not mature enough to harvest and of no use. Xu Yang could only hope fortuitously that the damn Cultivators had some principles and would leave those underage herb seedlings untouched. As for the eagle flock, after much deliberation, Xu Yang finally decided to take only the Golden Eagle with him on the road. Laoliu, along with the newly advanced peacock, were tasked with leading the birds to migrate elsewhere, to hide away and wait for his return from White Dragon Lake. ¡°Why does this feel a little sad?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all the fault of those bastards who can¡¯t do anything right.¡± ¡°But in the end, it¡¯s still because I¡¯m too weak!¡± Looking at the deserted ind with birds and fish scattered around, Xu Yang shook his head, dispelling the difort in his heart. Having finished preparing, Xu Yang didn¡¯t bring anything else with him, just dressed ordinarily, carrying several Storage Bags, and plunged into Dongting ¡°Screech! ! ! ¡± The Golden Eagle cried out and took off, soaring into the sky, proceeding alongside him. Thus, three dayster. White Dragon Lake! Thiske was also within the borders of Liang Country, covering an area even greater than Dongting and known for its ¡°Thousand Li White Dragon¡± scenic beauty. Countless poets and schrs from ancient to modern times have lingered here, leaving behind their immortal writings. There were even rumors that in the center of thekey a White Dragon Immortal Sanctuary where immortals appeared, with Escape Lights and sword shadows crisscrossing, yet without a trace to be found, drawing many seekers of immortals and the path to wander about, yearning to enter but failing. ¡°Is this¡ arge-scale Formation?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just an ordinary Illusion Array, separating the realms of immortals and mortals, preventing mortals from entering and absorbing nature¡¯s Spiritual Energy from within.¡± ¡°Although it covers arge area, because it has Spiritual Energy, this array hardly consumes anything to iste the outside world, preventing mortals from entering to absorb nature¡¯s Spiritual Energy. When you do the math, it¡¯s quite a profit.¡± ¡°No, this Illusion Array is only the surface, inside there must be another Formation gathering Spiritual Energy¡¡± In theke, Xu Yang, who had already digested the Primary Understanding of Array Formation, immediately noticed the extraordinariness of the market at White Dragon Lake. This made him even more excited, and he immediately swam into the range of the Formation. It was distinctly noticeable that within the range of this Formation, the Earth Yuan Qi was much purer. Although it could notpare with ck Water River, let alone the ck Water Forbidden Area, it was far superior to the mortal world. Xu Yang, swimming in the water like a dragon, traveled several more tens of li before finally spotting an ind ahead. It was an exceedingly vast ind where Xu Yang could feel the active Spiritual Energy miles away, with clouds and mists swirling around the ind like jade belts or Jiao Dragons, continuously enveloping thend and showing no signs of dissipating. The spectacle was the result of dense nature¡¯s Spiritual Energy reaching a certain degree of concentration¡ªa miracle and a vision on its own. The concentration of Spiritual Energy on White Dragon Ind wasparable to that of the deep waters of ck Water River, no wonder it could sustain Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Xu Yang¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he leaped out from the water. Using his Cultivation to dry his clothing, he subsequently treaded across theke¡¯s surface towards the magical ind. The ind had a main gate, the only entrance, guarded by four White Dragon Ind disciples in white robes wielding swords on both sides. ¡°The entry fee is one Spirit Stone,¡± one of the guards said, seeing Xu Yang who arrived empty-handed and with an unremarkable Cultivation level. He collected the Spirit Stone in a matter-of-fact way.. Chapter 101 - 72: Marketplace_2 Chapter 101: Chapter 72: Marketce_2 Trantor: 549690339 Xu Yang didn¡¯t waste words, paid a spirit stone, and received a wooden token before entering the ind. Cultivators, seizing the essence of heaven and earth, encroachinz on the mysteries of the sun and moon, rely on spiritual energy to practice. Spiritual energy is sustenance, it is strength, it is hope and the future. Therefore, cultivators seldom stay in the mortal world for long, because there is no spiritual energy there, which is of no help to cultivation; staying too long can even cause their cultivation to regress, just like people suffering from malnutrition without food. Such an important resource naturally needed to be controlled. Those ces abundant in spiritual energy had long been upied by major forces. Loose cultivators wanting to enter must pay spirit stones, or else they would be driven away or even killed on the spot. Like White Dragon Ind, entering the ind required paying a spirit stone, allowing one to stay for a day. After a day, if one could not find shelter, they would have to leave on their own, otherwise, the enforcement team would drive them out. Therefore, the industries like ¡°renting cave mansions¡± and ¡°selling cave mansions¡± in the markets were always booming. ¡°The cultivation realm is vast, but residence is not easy!¡± ¡°However, it doesn¡¯t have much to do with me.¡± With a smile, Xu Yang stepped into the market. They¡¯re said to be cultivators of the Immortal Cultivation World, but they¡¯re in fact not much different from mortals. In the marketce, noise and mor were everywhere; cries of hawkers echoed back and forth, and the variety of trades and stalls were dazzling. Although Xu Yang had just entered the Immortal Cultivation World, he knew well that the hearts of people in this world were treacherous. Hence, he had already disguised himself with ¡°Disguise Concealment¡± and simted the mana aura of a cultivator with Divine Intent Gang Qi, now presenting himself as a cultivator in the mid-phase of Qi Cultivation. Not too high, not too low, perfect for fishing. ¡°Would the honored guest need guidance?¡± ¡°Honored guest, I¡¯m most familiar with White Dragon Ind.¡± ¡°My ancestors for eight generations have been from White Dragon Ind; I could certainly guide the honored guest.¡± ¡°Senior, I only ask for one spirit stone.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take only half a piece¡¡± At the entrance of the marketce, some people loitered. As soon as they saw Xu Yang¡¯s novice appearance, they immediately surrounded him. Xu Yang smiled and randomly chose one: ¡°You¡¯ll do.¡± ¡°Thank you, honored guest!¡± Seeing this, the rest sighed but did not insist. They were mortals whose ancestors had been cultivators, allowing them entry into the Immortal Cultivation World, but theycked spiritual roots and couldn¡¯t cultivate. Their work involved serving as guides, earning spirit stones to contribute to their families. Spiritual root, a single spiritual root, determined the fate of so many people? ¡°Is this the honored guest¡¯s first time on White Dragon Ind?¡± The young man Xu Yang picked spoke up readily. Xu Yang smiled, ¡°Correct, do you have any rmendations?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s rmendations, there are plenty.¡± The young man smiled cautiously, asking, ¡°It depends on the honored guest¡¯s needs, whether to earn spirit stones, or to buy and sell goods, talismans, magic artifacts, pills, or if you seek cultivation techniques. Different shops offer different things.¡± Xu Yang was interested, ¡°Then let¡¯s start with earning spirit stones.¡± ¡°Earning spirit stones, huh.¡± The young man looked Xu Yang up and down and then continued, ¡°There are many ways to earn spirit stones. If one¡¯s cultivation is profound and strength formidable, good at fighting, one could take on themissioned tasks of White Dragon Ind, which are quite rewarding.¡± ¡°If one is skilled in elixirs, talismans, or artifact refining, one could make a fortune daily. Whether it¡¯s White Dragon Ind itself or the various shops, they¡¯re willing to hire pill masters, talisman masters, artifact refiners at a high price.¡± ¡°Furthermore¡¡± The young man looked around, then leaned closer and whispered, ¡°Pursuing and capturing Immortal fate Men who do evil is also a path. If you¡¯re lucky and hit upon a big fateful encounter with the supernatural, then you could soar to the heavens in one leap.¡± ¡°Immortal fate Men¡¡± ¡°Immortal fate, selling fateful encounter hints!¡± Xu Yang murmured to himself, his thoughts unsettled, when he suddenly heard hawking nearby, someone actually selling hints to fateful encounters with the supernatural. Turning his head to look, he saw a middle-aged man in brocade robes with a rotund figure, loudly hawking his wares. Xu Yang approached, and the middle-aged man noticed him, ¡°Honored guest, might you wish to buy a clue to a fateful encounter with the supernatural?¡± ¡°A clue to a fateful encounter with the supernatural?¡± Xu Yang narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing the man, ¡°What kind of fateful encounter clue?¡± ¡°The whereabouts of those Immortal fate Men, of course.¡± Seeing Xu Yang¡¯s novice appearance, the middle- aged man¡¯s smile grew even brighter, ¡°After the honored guest buys it, go and investigate, and perhaps you¡¯ll obtain a great fateful encounter and soar to the skies in one leap!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Xu Yang smiled, ¡°How do you sell it?¡± ¡°Different news, different clues, different prices.¡± The middle-aged fatty rubbed his hands together, his demeanor that of a cunning merchant, ¡°There are those that cost one Spirit Stone, those for ten, and even those for a hundred Spirit Stones. You are free to choose.¡± Xu Yang took out a Spirit Stone, ¡°Let¡¯s start with one that costs a Spirit Stone to see.¡± ¡°Sure thing!¡± The middle-aged fatty epted the Spirit Stone, looked around cautiously, then lowered his voice to say, ¡°To the east of White Dragon Lake, there is anotherke called Dongting. A few months ago, an unusual phenomenon urred in theke, and a Jiao Dragon stirred the winds and thunder, witnessed by hundreds of fishermen. There must be an ¡®Immortal Fate¡¯ there.¡± Xu Yang fell silent for a while, ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± The fatty nodded as if it was only to be expected, ¡°For one Spirit Stone, that¡¯s all you get. Sir, if you buy the ten or a hundred Spirit Stone ones, you will definitely get more detailed clues about ¡®Immortal Fate.¡¯ What do you say, do you want one?¡± ¡°No need!¡± Xu Yang decisively refused and turned away. The youth followed him, and after they had walked some distance, he said in a low voice to Xu Yang, ¡°Sir, you shouldn¡¯t believe that man¡¯s words; he is a notorious scammer from White Dragon Ind.¡± ¡°A scammer?¡± Xu Yang smiled, turning back, ¡°Is there anyone who sells this stuff who isn¡¯t a scammer?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The youth scratched his cheek, then also broke into a smile. ¡°Indeed, those who sell this kind of information are basically all scammers. They establish gangs and factions in the mundane world to collect tales of ¡®Immortal Fate.¡¯ If they had any reliable news, they would have taken action themselves long ago, rather than sell it to others. What they sell is mostly second or third-hand, or even twenty or thirty-times removed, and ismon knowledge. It¡¯s just that you are new here¡¡± ¡°So it seems you know quite a bit as well,¡± Xu Yang smiled and took the opportunity to ask, ¡°Apart from what we just talked about, have there been any other rumors about Dongting Lake recently?¡± ¡°Dongting Lake?¡± The youth recalled for a moment, then shook his head, ¡°No, although Dongting Lake has its peculiarities, it has been thoroughly explored by countless cultivators over the years. It¡¯s just an ordinary ce with no hidden Spiritual Energy. It¡¯s true that some ¡®Immortal Fate Men¡¯ like to hide there, thinking they can move about unseen. But to cultivators, an area spanning eight hundred miles is trivial, and can be thoroughly searched with some effort.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Hearing this, Xu Yang didn¡¯t ask further, ¡°I¡¯m looking to buy some items, lead the way.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Half a dayter, Xu Yang left the market and headed straight out of White Dragon Ind. As for the youth¡ ¡°Shopkeeper, you are indeed as cunning as a fox and wise beyond anyone else!¡± Inside the shop, the youth bowed respectfully to the middle-aged fatty selling ¡®Immortal Fate¡¯ information, ¡°After that duet performance, he indeed let down his guard around me and followed me to several shops.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The chubby shopkeeper narrowed his mung bean-sized eyes and asked, ¡°What did he buy?¡± The youth listed them off like valuable possessions, ¡°There¡¯s the Purple Ink Bamboo from the Purple Bamboo Hall, the Fish-Dragon Sinew from White Dragon Ind, some Mysterious Iron Steel from Iron King Mountain, all sorts of materials, and then he went to Rejuvenation Hall and bought the Elixir Recipes for Nourishing Yuan Pills and Vitality Pills¡¡± ¡°Hmm-!¡± The fat shopkeeper pondered for a moment, ¡°All these together must cost several hundred Spirit Stones, right?¡± ¡°Four hundred and fifteen lower-grade Spirit Stones.¡± The youth promptly added, ¡°He was a bit short on Spirit Stones, so he sold two or three Magic Artifacts. I saw it clear as day, he has at least four or five Storage Bags on him.¡± ¡°Two or three Magic Artifacts?¡± ¡°Four or five Storage Bags?¡± The fat shopkeeper frowned, ¡°Could he be a Robbing Cultivator, here to phish, baiting people into a trap?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The youth paused, taken aback, then fell silent, not daring to hastily conclude on such a serious matter. Fortunately, the chubby shopkeeper soon made a decision. ¡°Hmph, just a mid-level Qi Cultivation practitioner, he is most likely an ¡®Immortal Fate Man.¡¯ And even if he¡¯s really a Robbing Cultivator fishing for prey, in this underworld of double-crossing, who¡¯s to fear whom is not yet certain. Did you use the iming Life Incense?¡± ¡°I did, I did.¡± ¡°Good, not open for three years, but once open, good for three years.. Let¡¯s see what kind of ¡®Immortal Fate¡¯ I¡¯ll encounter this time!¡± Chapter 102 - 73: Robbing Cultivator_l Chapter 102: Chapter 73: Robbing Cultivator_l Trantor: 549690339 Killing and arson for a golden belt, repairing bridges and roads leaves no corpse! Xu Yang left White Dragon Ind, stood on thekeshore, and took out a mini bamboo raft. Inferior Magic Artifact¡ªGreen Bamboo Boat! Priced at one hundred Spirit Stones, the main body is made of ¡°Spirit Bamboo,¡± engraved with ¡°Light Wind¡± Array patterns, possessing a very fast escape speed, but with extremely weak defense. It can¡¯t withstand attacks from mid-Qi Cultivation Cultivators and can only be used as a means of transportation, not suitable for battling other cultivators. Xu Yang tossed the bamboo raft, and Gang Yuan reced Mana to infuse it. The three-inch bamboo raft instantly grew in the wind, transforming into a small boat that was a Zhang in length and quite broad. The methods of Cultivation are indeed magical¡ªmost magical artifacts possess the ability to alter their size, able to switch between two fixed states. Like this Green Bamboo Boat, three inches when small, one Zhang whenrge. As long as Mana is infused, one can freely switch between them, but it is limited to these two fixed states. It can¡¯t be shrunk to five or six inches, nor erged to two or three zhang. This type of low-priced magical artifact can only switch between fixed states. Only high-tier magical artifacts, and even superior Magical Treasures, can change size at will. But it¡¯s still not bad. Xu Yang stepped onto the Green Bamboo Boat and headed straight out of theke. Although he has not yet begun Cultivation, the Great Dao is infinite, all roads lead to the same goal. Divine Intent Gang Qi and Cultivation Mana are essentially energies, special energiesbining nature¡¯s Yuan Qi with the human body. Although the quality of Cultivation Mana is higher, as long as a Martial Artist has strong control and studies Cultivation Skills, they canpletely convert their own Divine Intent Gang Qi into Cultivation Mana, though with some loss. For Xu Yang, this was not an issue at all. Therefore, he could also use magical artifacts, and not only use them; Formation, Elixir Skills, Talisman, and Artifact Refining methods¡ªall the things Cultivators can do, he could do them all. Except for not having a Spiritual Root, there is no difference between him and a regr Cultivator. Riding the Green Bamboo Boat, Xu Yang left White Dragon Ind, heading out of the Immortal Cultivation World. The boat moved neither slowly nor urgently, with Xu Yang neither anxious nor impatient. Fishing requires patience. He had just strolled around the market and had his eye on quite a few items, including a lower-tier Array Formation heritage. But s, he was short on funds. Even if he sold all his ¡°booty,¡± he couldn¡¯t get enough Spirit Stones to purchase those desirable items. Thus, he decided to y the role of a Robbing Cultivator for once, to see if anyone would take the bait. It is true that being a Robbing Cultivator is dangerous, with everyone calling for their execution and being pursued, but this is only for those who rob and plunder all year round. For someone like Xu Yang, who just asionally hits a jackpot and knows the art of Disguise Concealment, there¡¯s virtually no risk. The only exception would be if someoneid a targeted killing trap for him in a counter-fishing scheme. Xu Yang didn¡¯t believe that someone would target him just as he entered the Cultivation World. So, go ahead with the n, and if necessary, switch identities afterward. ¡°No, that¡¯s not right. How can fishing be considered robbery? It¡¯s self-defense, a righteous action!¡± Xu Yang smiled, leaving the Spirit Lake, heading straight for the mundane world. Elsewhere¡ ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°He¡¯s headed towards the mundane world.¡± ¡°Can you discern any background or origins?¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s a neer, never seen him before!¡± ¡°Followed the whole way, just him alone.¡± ¡°Seems like a real greenhorn. Let¡¯s move.¡± ¡°Indeed, we¡¯ve seen most of the Robbing Cultivators around White Dragon Lake, and there¡¯s an unspoken understanding among us; no one would do this kind of thing. Unless it¡¯s a mighty dragon crossing the river. But what of that? With the methods of us three brothers, even a Foundation Establishment Cultivator can be dealt with. What¡¯s there to fear? ¡°Considering this guy¡¯s behavior earlier, he¡¯s undoubtedly from the Immortal fate Men, carrying treasures and spendingvishly. He has already attracted quite a bit of attention in the market. If we don¡¯t make our move now, others might beat us to it.¡± ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s go!¡± Having left the Immortal Cultivation World and returned to the mundane realm, Xu Yang finally understood why Cultivators were unwilling to stay long in the mundane¡ªmalnutrition and regression of Cultivation were part of it, but the other part was the thin Yuan Qi of the mundane, which would greatly reduce the fighting power of Cultivators. A spell cast in the Cultivation World with full force of Mana would unleash its full power. In the mundane world, without the aid of nature¡¯s Spiritual Energy, the same amount of Mana would only yield one-third of the original power. ording to the records in the Cultivation Travel Record, there are even Death Lands in the world, environments worse than the mundane world. Although the mundane worldcks high-grade Spiritual Energy, low-grade Yuan Qi is still present. But those Death Landsck even Yuan Qi; they are true Origin Spirit Deserts, forbidden zones for Cultivation. To this, Xu Yang felt somewhat curious: ¡°If I get the chance, I might actually go ¡°Boom!!!¡± Before he could finish his thought, a sudden change urred. A torrent of water beneath exploded like thunder, heavily mming into the bottom of the Green Bamboo Boat, causing the fragile boat to burst into pieces and scatter. Xu Yang flipped and rose, flying back several zhang,nding and taking several steps across the water¡¯s surface while looking around in shock and doubt. At that moment, a figure burst out from the waters. It was a burly middle-aged man with coarse hair and a beard. Abruptly bursting from the water, holding a fishing spear, heughed wildly, ¡°Kid, how do you like the Kui Water Thunder from grandpa?¡± Xu Yang¡¯s face darkened, and without responding, he plunged back into the water. ¡°Hahaha! ¡± Seeing this, the burly manughed instead of being surprised. ¡°As I thought, just a little greenhorn!¡± With that, he leapt, diving into the water as well. This world is one of struggle¡ªwhether a sheep or a wolf, one must fight. This was also reflected on White Dragon Ind. The Cultivators who came to trade in the White Dragon Ind market were mostly capable of waterbat, skilled in the Water Battle Method or Water Escape Technique, able to rely on water to escape in critical moments. Everyone thought the market of White Dragon Ind was quite safe.. Chapter 103 - 73: Robbing Cultivator_2 Chapter 103: Chapter 73: Robbing Cultivator_2 Trantor: 549690339 But they didn¡¯t know that the Robbing Cultivators around White Dragon Ind, in order to adapt to thepetition and to establish a footing within the Robbing Cultivator realm of White Dragon Ind, had all diligently practiced the Technique of Water Battle and Water Escape, with each being a master of waterbat. Entering the water in front of them was not just making a fool of oneself by disying one¡¯s slight skill before an expert, it was seeking one¡¯s own death! Such amateurish behavior was definitely that of an Immortal fate Man. With thest of his doubts cast aside, the burly man with streaks of muscle picked up his harpoon and plunged into the water like a ck fish, chasing straight after his target. Two others converged from either side, one a round-shaped, golden-skinned fatty and the other a skinny youth, akin to a stick of bamboo. ¡°Big brother, third brother, that kid is just bluffing. Let¡¯s move quickly and not let the fat sheep escape.¡± With a kick, the big man activated his mana, and in an instant, the water surged, wrapping around him as he chased after him hastily. The twopanions also employed their methods. The fatty¡¯s body suddenly swelled, moving through water like a Golden Toad, his speed astonishingly fast. The bamboo pole-like youth spat out a ck sword, merging man and sword, rapidly escaping through the water, equally lightning-fast. The three were none other than the notoriously infamous Robbing Cultivators around White Dragon Lake¡ªthe Three Scourges of White Dragon! Each had reached the tenth level of Qi Cultivation and had also practiced Body Training Skill, achieving ¡®Perfect Qi Refinement¡¯ with a body fully refined. Together, they could even hold their own against Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and possibly even escape unscathed. How else could they have the ability to be Robbing Cultivators? ¡°Haha, you stinking kid, swim all you like, but can you be faster than the Five Elements Escape Technique?¡± ¡°Let me show you the methods of a Cultivator!¡± The second of the Three Scourges, the burly man,ughed wildly and employed the Water Escape technique, catching up to Xu Yang in the blink of an eye. At that moment, Xu Yang, who¡¯d been darting away like a fish, suddenly turned around, countering with a palm strike. ¡°Hmm!¡± The big man¡¯s eyes focused sharply, his harpoon piercing forward, carrying the power of the water, colliding with the opponent¡¯s palm strike, resulting in a stalemate. Immediately thereafter, the other two arrived at the battlefield, forming a siege that quickly encircled Xu Yang. ¡°Big brother, third brother, this kid has some skill. Seems like he¡¯s encountered great fortune, be careful.¡± The palm exchange just now had given the big man a hint that something was wrong, prompting him to immediately warn hispanions. ¡°Kill! The fatty, resembling a Golden Toad and bizarre in appearance, didn¡¯t waste words and spat out a beam of golden light,unching an attack towards Xu Yang. The bamboo pole-like youth likewise pushed his ck sword forward, like a venomous snake biting from behind. The burly man threw his harpoon, which turned into a sharp ck light, apanied by the mighty force of the rushing water, heading straight for Xu Yang. Each employed their own methods. But¡ Amidst the water, Xu Yang raised his hand, instantaneously utilizing Tai Chi, with the Fighting Scroll¡¯s ultimate move emerging once again. ¡°Qi Three Thousand!¡± In a sh, a pair of ck and white fish chasing each other¡¯s tail appeared, influencing the surrounding currents to form whirlpools. Within the whirlpool, Tai Chi rotated, the yin and yang energies embodying the lore of the three thousand, causing the three magic artifacts¡¯ brilliance to copse instantly, revealing their true forms. A golden bead, a harpoon, and a ck sword. ¡°What¡!!!¡± Seeing the other side wield Tai Chi, instantly retracting their magic artifacts, all three were stupefied on the spot. What kind of spell was this? A moment of doubt was followed by shock. ¡°Something¡¯s not right!¡± ¡°This is trouble!¡± ¡°Run quickly!¡± The trio suddenly came to their senses, not bothered about their magic artifacts, they spurred their mana and turned to flee. What is most important for a Robbing Cultivator? It¡¯s perceptive ability! A Robbing Cultivator with poor insight not only dies quickly but also miserably. Although they had misjudged their opponent this time, it wasn¡¯t toote to mend the fold after a sheep is lost; as long as there is life, there¡¯s hope¡ Flee! Flee! Flee! Fear and panic fueled their flight. But how could a fisherman possibly let go of a fish that had taken the bait so easily? Within the depths, Xu Yang stepped forward and submerged while unleashing Divine Intent, connecting heaven and earth, the surrounding water pulled into forming a tornado whirlpool. Muddy Water Jiao Dragon! Unity of Heaven and Man! Along with the Martial Path Yuan Skill, the strength of divinity! In an instant, the tornado formed, the whirlpool raging and spiraling violently, clenching onto the movements of the three. ¡°This is bad!¡± ¡°Big brother!¡± The trio cried out in rm, exerting their full strength into their escape techniques, but the water-spirit energy, once sopliant to theirmands, now seemed like a different entity, not just refusing to respond to them but also opposing them, pushing them away, forcibly dragging their bodies inch by inch toward the tornado whirlpool. ¡°What is this¡?¡± ¡°Divine will guiding mana, controlling Yuan Qi!¡± ¡°He¡¯s at the Perfect Qi Refinement level, he¡¯s a Perfect Qi Refinement Cultivator specializing in spells!¡± ¡°We must work together to activate the Golden Toad, otherwise we¡¯ll all die under his spells!¡± Realizing the truth, they were more horrified than ever. The leader of the Three Scourges, the middle-aged fatty, let out an angry shout and then spat out a beam of golden light. It was apletely golden Golden Toad. All three urged their mana into the Golden Toad. ¡°Arrrgghh!!!¡± Mana surged, and the Golden Toad bellowed, swelling a hundredfold in an instant to be a thirty-foot behemoth that swallowed the trio in one gulp. The very next moment, a tornado struck, the vortex expanding; the Golden Toad was too slow to evade and got swept up in it. ¡°Gurgle gurgle!¡± ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± The violent rotation of the deep-water tornado shattered beams of golden light. Meanwhile, above theke¡ ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Thismotion¡¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem like the work of those three.¡± ¡°It looks like the Three Scourges of White Dragon have met their match this time.¡± ¡°A match? This ruckus, it¡¯s not just a match;, it¡¯s like an iron bastion!¡± ¡°I knew it; in this day and age, where can you find a true novice?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all old demons pretending to be novices, tricking and trapping!¡± ¡°Could it be that some Foundation Establishment Cultivator couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and took matters into their hands to deal with those three scoundrels?¡± Watching the violently churning hundred -yard-wide tornado vortex, everyone peering both openly and in secret couldn¡¯t help but be astonished. Such uproar, such a spectacle, wasn¡¯t this what you¡¯d expect when a Foundation Establishment Cultivator makes a move? Lucky for us, it was the White Dragon¡¯s Three Scourges who stepped on thisndmine, otherwise¡ At this thought, many felt a secret chill, filled with lingering fears. At that moment¡ ¡°Boom!!!¡± A massive explosion urred: the vortex burst, and the tornado spewed out an angry torrent in which a glint of gold could be seen. It was the Golden Toad! ¡°It¡¯s that fatso¡¯s Golden Toad!¡± ¡°A supreme grade defensive magic artifact! ¡± ¡°To be ruined to such an extent¡¡± The spectators¡¯ pupils contracted, their eyes revealing horror. Only to see the Golden Toad tumble out from the raging torrent, cove wounds, its body riddled with cracks, not knowing what sort of devas blows it had suffered that brought this defense-oriented supreme gra artifact to the brink of destruction. As the onlookers were still in shock, with the Golden Toad still in mid-air, another angry wave exploded from within the vortex. ¡°Boom!¡± As the wave exploded, a figure flew out, stepping into the sky in pursuit of the Golden Toad, fists shing like lightning as they furiously bombarded it. Thunder-Driving Lightning-Lifting skill! Lightning Thunderbolt Fist! ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± ¡°Boom!!!¡± With thunder and lightning roaring, punches raining down wildly, under the continuous heavy strikes, the already severely damaged Golden Toad, pushed to its limits, finally couldn¡¯t withstand any more and exploded thunderously into pieces. The Golden Toad burst apart; the three men were flung out, faces pale and spitting blood. ¡°Senior, please spare us!¡± ¡°We are willing to submit!¡± Their magic artifact broken, sharing its fate, heavily injured, the three could only beg for mercy in hopes of survival. However, the neer paid them no heed; fists shing like lightning, they thundered out, bolts of electric light like dragons fleeing in terror, striking the bodies of the three men. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± Three explosive sounds were heard, akin to a splendid fireworks disy bursting open in the sky. Struck by lightning, their flesh blown to pieces, three Qi Cultivation tenth level, body-perfected Robbing Cultivators didn¡¯t even get to leavest words before they were struck by lightning through their bodies; their internal organs became charred mush, while their heads and orifices emitted wisps of blue smoke. The Three Scourges of White Dragon¡ªdead! The bodies of the three fell, sinking into the water. Xu Yang leaped high, akin to an Ascendant Dragon Returning to the Sea, plunging into the roiling waters and vanishing in the blink of an eye. In the end, the battlefield fell silent, leaving behind only a myriad of astounded spectators. Staring at theke still turbulent, yet empty of any figure, it took a long while for people to snap back to reality. ¡°This senior¡¡± ¡°Really acts in an unconventional manner!¡± ¡°Punishing the wicked and evil without leaving a name, such high righteousness!¡± ¡°What high righteousness, isn¡¯t this just smashing and grabbing then making a getaway¡¡± ¡°You shout louder and call him back; see who¡¯s making a getaway then.¡± ¡°Exactly, with incidents like robbing cultivators, can you even call it robbery? That¡¯s called Demon-Exterminating and Guard of The Dao!¡± ¡°This senior cultivates the Thunder Series, so fearsome, so fearsome!¡± ¡°Thunder and lighting are the key elements between heaven and earth; they canmand everything in the Three Realms and the nine regions, subjugating all spells, all Divine Skills, all bodily abilities. As such, those who cultivate thunder techniques are called the kings of spell cultivators, theirbat power even surpassing that of Sword Cultivators!¡± ¡°Amongbat practitioners, the Sword Dao is supreme!¡± ¡°Among spell practitioners, thunder and lightning reign supreme!¡± ¡°We Cultivators traverse against the heavens, fearing nothing, the only dread being thunder and the Heavenly Tribtion. Those who cultivate the Thunder Seriesmand the forces of heaven and earth with human might, every single one an invincible battle-strong figure.¡± ¡°Meeting such an end at the hands of such a person, the three fiends didn¡¯t die unjustly, not even in the slightest!¡± Chapter 104 - 74: Trading_l Chapter 104: Chapter 74: Trading_l Trantor: 549690339 The following day, Xu Yang entered White Dragon Ind again, maintaining his previous appearance but revealing his cultivation. Perfect Qi Refinement. From the tenth to twelfth level of Qi Cultivation signifies a state ofpletion, with three barriers: the physical body, Divine Soul, and Mana. Although Xu Yang had just broken through the four barriers and recently stepped into the realm of Martial Path Condensing Spirit, he had already reached the Grandmaster Realm of perfectpletion. For him, the three barriers of perfectpletion posed no obstruction whatsoever. His body had undergone rebirth through the Body Training Skill. His Divine Soul was alreadyplete, aided by the Heshi Jade and a thousand years of umtion from his previous lives in Great Zhou and Great Tang. As for Mana, he possessed the profound Martial Arts Scriptures, the Thunder and Lightning Tempering Skill, various Skill Traits and the nourishment of foods¡ When all these aspects werebined, it took Xu Yang only three months after his promotion to reach the Condensing Spirit Ultimate Realm. Corresponding to Perfect Qi Refinement! In White Dragon Lake, where only one Foundation Establishment Cultivator openly resided, a cultivation of Perfect Qi Refinement was sufficient to dominate. Not to mention, he was also a ¡°Thunder Series¡± cultivator. Thus, Xu Yang unusually decided to make a high-profile appearance. After killing The Three Scourges of White Dragon, he entered the marketce of White Dragon Ind with his previous identity to prepare for the sale of The Three Scourges¡¯ treasures in exchange for Spirit Stones. Such an action seemed somewhat inconsistent with his usual style. But, in fact, it was not. The reason Xu Yang had lived as amoner andid low for more than twenty years was because his Attribute Panel couldn¡¯t be upgraded by adding points¡ªonly through time umtion. Also, the issue of the Immortal Fate Men was delicately interconnected, triggering a chain reaction at the slightest touch, so he acted with extreme caution. After all, with no capital to operate with initially, the margin for error was far too low. Now the situation was different; he had the strength, the capital, the ability to protect himself, and some understanding of this world. An event like that involving the Immortal Fate Men was unlikely to happen to him again. After all¡ The loss would not be worth the gain! Given the strength he currently disyed, below Foundation Establishment he had fewpetitors, and above that level, it would be a mutually destructive battle. Which brain-addled Foundation Establishment Cultivator would risk their life in a desperate struggle with a Thunder Series Spell Cultivator of Perfect Qi Refinement, especially one specialized in Thunder Skills? What for? To challenge his mighty Thunder Skill, only to face a potential self-destruct? Or because they think he has strong connections and will seek revenge? In this world, everything hustles for profit, and Cultivators are no different. Unless there is a vendetta as deep as the ocean or an enormous benefit to be gained, no Foundation Establishment Cultivator would risk their life in a desperate fight with a twelfthyer Thunder Lightning Magic Cultivator. It simply wouldn¡¯t be worth the loss. If they win, they gain nothing. These Practicing Thunder Skill folks usually have a self-destruct trick up their sleeves as ast resort, ensuring that anyone who fights them not only fails to obtain any spoils but also gets sted with blood. If they lose, even less needs to be said. They would create a formidable enemy and endless trouble for themselves. Without any deep-seated grudges, which Foundation Establishment individual would be so foolish? Therefore, in the short term, Xu Yang could freely enter and leave the White Dragon Ind marketce and openly sell the spoils of The Three Scourges of White Dragon. There was virtually no risk. So, Xu Yang came. He acted with caution, not out of timidity or paranoid fantasies that the whole world was against him. He would still undertake normal, rational activities that were well within his control and which he deemed secure. Upon entering White Dragon Ind, he did not seek a guide but headed directly to the tall tower at the center of the marketce. White Dragon Tower, a property of White Dragon Ind itself, was also thergest store in the marketce, buying and selling a range of items including, but not limited to, Cultivation Techniques, Magic Artifacts, elixirs, Talismans, intelligence, and various heritages¡ In short, they sold everything, bought everything, and their reputation was quite good, since they were a Foundation Establishment power. No sooner had Xu Yang walked into White Dragon Tower than a woman came to greet him. ¡°A distinguished guest graces our doorstep with his presence!¡± The woman greeted him with a smile and a bow, ¡°I am Yun Yan, the manager of White Dragon Tower. May I know the esteemed name of our guest?¡± Xu Yang responded indifferently, ¡°My name is Shi Jian.¡± ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s Senior Shi!¡± The woman smiled charmingly and gestured, ¡°As our honored guest, Senior, pleasee upstairs to the reception.¡± Xu Yang nodded and headed straight for the second floor. Clearly, he was not surprised by this treatment. On the other hand, everyone in the lobby was left exchanging nces, filled with confusion and doubts. Not until the two figures ascended to the second floor and vanished from sight did someone venture to speak out. ¡°That person is¡¡± ¡°The Thunder Lightning Mana King who killed The Three Scourges of White Dragon yesterday!¡± ¡°Shi Jian? ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of this name. Could he be a ¡®big-shot¡¯ from another region?¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that his Thunder Skills are exceptional. Even that Supreme Grade Magic Artifact that protected the body of The Three Scourges was shattered by him.¡± ¡°That Golden Toad was a defensive-oriented Supreme Grade Magic Artifact with the ability to leap through water and space. The Three Scourges once escaped a Foundation Establishment Cultivator¡¯s pursuit with it, but it fell into his hands yesterday!¡± ¡°Thunder Skills are formidable. They control the pivotal forces of heaven and earth, the ultimate among all skills. They overpower everything in the Martial Path, whether it be cultivating skills or Divine Skills, Magic Artifacts or Spiritual Treasures. If it belongs to this world, if it still resides within the Three Realms and the Five Elements, then it is ovee by thunder and lightning. Otherwise, why would we Cultivators fear the celestial Thunder Tribtion so profoundly!¡± ¡°With his Perfect Qi Refinement and as a Thunder Series cultivator, probably no one canpete with him below Foundation Establishment level, and above that, he could fight to the bitter end. No wonder some people jokingly call him the Thunder Lightning Mana King.¡± ¡°Manager Yun Yan was so respectful to him¡ªdoes White Dragon Ind intend to recruit him?¡± ¡°Most likely, considering the current situation on White Dragon Ind¡¡± ¡°Truly enviable! If only I could practice the Thunder Skill, that would be wonderful!¡± Chapter 105 - 74: Transaction_2 Chapter 105 - 74: Transaction_2 Chapter 105: Chapter 74: Transaction_2 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Cultivating the Thunder Skill, how luxurious of you. Do you possess a Thunder Spiritual Root? That is an anomaly among Spiritual Roots, one in ten thousand!¡± ¡°Without a Spiritual Root, don¡¯t even think of cultivating. The heritage of Thunder Skills is priceless, while a Thunder Species Spiritual Root has a price but no market!¡± The crowd was abuzz with discussion, but it had nothing to do with Xu Yang. Following the woman upstairs, they arrived in a quiet room. ¡°This is Spiritual Tea, a special product of Spirit Rain Mountain. Please enjoy, esteemed guest!¡± Yun Yan brewed a pot of Spiritual Tea and respectfully poured him a cup. Xu Yang epted without hesitation, raising the cup to drink, ¡°I¡¯m here to do business. ¡± The statement seemed somewhat abrupt. But Yun Yan was no ordinary individual, she instantly understood the subtext and immediately smiled, ¡°This humble girl understands. What does the senior require? White Dragon Ind will spare no effort to satisfy.¡± The words ¡®White Dragon Ind¡¯ were slightly emphasized in her speech. Xu Yang smiled and without further ado, he pulled out four Storage Bags and ced them on the table, asking, ¡°How many Spirit Stones can these fetch?¡± ¡°Allow this humble girl to inspect them first.¡± Yun Yan reached for a Storage Bag, her Divine Soul scanning its contents, and quickly came to a conclusion. ¡°Golden Toad, a supreme grade defensive Magic Artifact, shattered into pieces. Material recycling value of three hundred Spirit Stones!¡± ¡°Golden Toad Bead, a high-grade offensive Magic Artifact,rgely intact, valued at one thousand three hundred Spirit Stones!¡± ¡°ck Dragon Fork, a high-grade offensive Magic Artifact,rgely intact, valued at one thousand one hundred Spirit Stones!¡± ¡°Mysterious Water Sword, a high-grade offensive Magic Artifact,rgely intact, valued at one thousand one hundred Spirit Stones!¡± ¡°Green Jade Sword, a medium-grade offensive Magic Artifact¡¡± ¡°ck Dragon Nail, a medium-grade offensive Magic Artifact¡¡± After appraising, Yun Yan set down the first Storage Bag and said to Xu Yang with a smile, ¡°The totales to five thousand nine hundred and twenty-three inferior grade Spirit Stones. Given the bulk, I¡¯ll round it up to an even six thousand Spirit Stones. What do you think, esteemed guest?¡± Xu Yang nodded, ¡°That¡¯s eptable, quite fair.¡± ¡°Our White Dragon Ind always prioritizes fairness and honesty, no deceit to young or old!¡± Yun Yan smiled, then took the second Storage Bag, finding it full of consumable items such as pills and talismans. Xu Yang timely remarked, ¡°I don¡¯t recognize all these pills and talismans. Please appraise them first before we discuss the sale.¡± Yun Yan cast a nce at him, then understandingly set about appraising the items. ¡°This is a Yellow Bud Pill, which replenishes Mana and elerates cultivation!¡± ¡°This is a Qi Restoring Pill, which replenishes Yuan Qi and heals injuries!¡± ¡°This is a Detoxifying Pill, which can expel toxins and purify the body!¡± ¡°This is a Mysterious Water Pill, containing Mysterious Water Power, useful for those practicing water-rted Cultivation Techniques or for water element spiritual pets!¡± ¡°This is Kui Water Thunder, crafted from the energy of Kui Water. Though not a true Thunder Technique, it has explosive effects, especially in waterbat, greatly enhancing its power.¡± ¡°This is¡¡± As expected of the chief steward of White Dragon Tower, she swiftly appraised all the various pills, talismans, and consumables in the Storage Bag. Xu Yang nodded and kept all the pills that could aid in cultivation and enhance his prowess, as well as some defensive talismans. He pushed everything else forward and said, ¡°Sell all of these.¡± ¡°Very well! ¡± Seeing this, Yun Yan simply smiled, not surprised. Indeed, there was no need for surprise. The force of Thunder Skills was such that he didn¡¯t need any other offensive means. Keeping pills that helped in cultivation and improved Cultivation, as well as some defensive talismans, was enough to show confidence in his own mastery of Thunder Skills. It also suggested he was a solitary Cultivator, dedicated to arduous practice. Otherwise, for these consumables and previous various Magic Artifacts, even if not for personal use, it would have been a good choice to bring them back for his family, Sect, or subordinates. There was no need to trade them away. ¡°These pills in total are worth three hundred and thirty-six Spirit Stones.¡± After setting aside the pills that improved Cultivation and defensive talismans, there wasn¡¯t much left, certainly not as much as the previous Magic Artifacts. Robbing Cultivators, those with strength, indeed amass riches through plundering, but they can¡¯t just plunder without any expense. Once Spirit Stones are obtained, they must be quickly converted intobat power. Hence, Robbing Cultivators invest heavily in Magic Artifacts, as this directly affects their work efficiency and safety. Take The Three Scourges of White Dragon, who had a supreme grade Magic Artifact, three high-grade Magic Artifacts, as well as numerous medium and inferior grade Magic Artifacts. Their wealth wasparable to a typical Foundation Establishment Cultivator. This demonstrates just how lucrative their line of work is. Of course, the risks are great too. And now, that trio is finished. Yun Yan picked up the third Storage Bag and then showed a look of surprise, ¡°What is this¡?¡± ¡°Just a bit of Spirit Rice I grew myself.¡± Xu Yang smiled, ¡°Please assess.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the senior to be skilled in agriculture.¡± Yun Yan in turn became more rxed and assessed, ¡°This is White Jade Rice, a tier one Spirit Rice, beneficial for enhancing Qi Blood and strengthening the physique, totaling five thousand six hundred pounds¡ valued at five hundred and sixty inferior grade Spirit Stones.¡± ¡°Ten pounds per Spirit Stone, that¡¯s not bad!¡± Xu Yang nodded and then brought out some Yellow Beam Rice, ¡°And these?¡± ¡°This is¡¡± Yun Yan took one look and was astonished once more, ¡°This is Yellow Beam Rice, which aids the Divine Soul and is a special type of Spirit Rice urring from a mutation of White Jade Rice. The fair price per pound is ten Spirit Stones. If the senior is willing to part with it, I can offer twelve Spirit Stones per pound.¡± ¡°Ten Spirit Stones per pound?¡± Xu Yang pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°We can cooperate again in the future.¡± ¡°That is eptable.¡± Hearing this, Yun Yan didn¡¯t show much concern, and reached for the fourth Storage Bag to check its contents, finding an assortment of misceneous items. ¡°Is this the Searching Immortal Order of the Green Jade Sect?¡± ¡°This is a seed of the Green Snake Vine.¡± ¡°This is an identity jade token of a disciple from Red River Valley.¡± ¡°This is¡ a Passage Order from our White Dragon Ind..¡± Chapter 106 - 74: Trade_3 Chapter 106 - 74: Trade_3 Chapter 106: Chapter 74: Trade_3 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°These Robbing Cultivators, they are unfilial!¡± Looking at the various items in the fourth Storage Bag, especially the identity tokens of the disciples of White Dragon Ind and their passes, Yun Yan¡¯s face also grew unsightly. But she quickly adjusted her emotions, swapped back to a smile, and looked at Xu Yang, ¡°These misceneous items are worth twelve hundred Spirit Stones.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡¯ Xu Yang nodded his head, showing no interest in haggling. ¡°A total of eight thousand two hundred low-grade Spirit Stones.¡± Yun Yan quoted the price, ¡°Does the senior wish to sell them all?¡± Xu Yang nodded, ¡°Sell them all.¡± Yun Yan was not verbose, ¡°Alright, I will have someone fetch the Spirit Stones.¡± ¡°No rush!¡± Xu Yang shook his head, ¡°I want to buy some things as well.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Yun Yan was not surprised and asked with a lightugh, ¡°What does senior wish to purchase?¡± ¡°Some elixirs that can enhance cultivation, as well as some Elixir Recipes and materials. If there is aplete Pill Master inheritance, that would be the best. Additionally, I want Spiritual Farmer inheritances, Spirit nt Seeds, and Array Formation inheritances, Formation gs and tes, and other rted items. ¡± Xu Yang looked at Yun Yan, ¡°Do you have them?¡± ¡°Pill Master?¡± ¡°Spiritual Farmer?¡± ¡°Formation Master?¡± Yun Yan looked at Xu Yang, her eyebrows knitting slightly. The knit brows were not because White Dragon Tower didn¡¯t have these items, but because she didn¡¯t expect Xu Yang to want these things. In her estimation, this ¡°Thunder Lightning Mana King¡± would surely be a cultivator who is ¡°deaf to matters outside his window and who wholeheartedly cultivates thews of heaven and earth.¡± Or to say, all Thunder Cultivators and Sword Cultivators would be such ascetic practitioners. Among warriors, the Sword Dao is supreme! Within mage cultivators, Thunder and Lightning reign as king! What defines a Sword Cultivator or a Thunder Cultivator? One who cultivates Sword techniques, nurtures the Flying Sword, and has no other pursuits beyond this path is a Sword Cultivator! By the same logic, one who practices Thunder Series and has no pursuits beyond this is a Thunder Cultivator! Both these cultivation methods require specialization because they are too powerful; without it, it is difficult to achieve greatness. Some extreme Sword and Thunder Cultivators, in order to master profound Sword techniques and powerful Thunder Series, even forsake their own foundational progression, the enhancement of their realms and cultivation. From this, one can see the difficulty of being a Sword or Thunder Cultivator: behind the ability to shatter ten thousand paths with a single sword or annihte ten thousand daos with thunder lies the ceaseless hard cultivation, day and night, with great perseverance and dedication. With such cultivation methods, even the most basic foundation and realm be difficult to maintain; how can one afford to be distracted by other arts? Therefore, Thunder and Sword Cultivators are extremely pure ascetics: in the early phases, they focus solely on cultivation. Only when they have reached an exceptionally profound realm and possess sufficient lifespan and vitality could they possibly spare attention to secondary pursuits, such as Alchemy or Painting Talisman. But the man before her¡ Wanted a Pill Master inheritance, then a Spiritual Farmer inheritance, and in the end, even the Array Formation was not overlooked. What is he nning to do? Engaging in so many arts, including the so-called ¡°foremost among a hundred skills, the uniquely difficult¡± Array Path. Is he abandoning his Thunder techniques, not advancing in his realm anymore? Yun Yan couldn¡¯t figure it out. But Xu Yang, clearly, was not going to exin, ¡°Do you have them or not?¡± ¡°These¡naturally, we do.¡± Though very curious, Yun Yan didn¡¯t dare to ask further out of respect for the privacy valued in the Immortal Path, and could only answer, ¡°Our White Dragon Ind has been in operation for many years; collectings from Pill Masters, Talisman Masters, Artifact Refiners, and Formation Masters are all avable. Additionally, we have collections for farming, brewing, Beast Taming, and other unconventional skill inheritances.¡± ¡°Very well. ¡± Xu Yang nodded and pushed forward a list he had prepared beforehand, ¡°Bring me one of everything listed here.¡± Yun Yan took the list and her curiosity grew, but she did not ask further, ¡°Although we have many inheritances, they are mostly first-tier. Does senior want them all?¡± Xu Yang nodded, ¡°Everything on the list, if it¡¯s not repeated, I want it all, and the various materials too.¡± ¡°Well¡alright!¡± Yun Yan stood up, ¡°Senior, please wait a moment.¡± ¡°Mhm!¡± Xu Yang closed his eyes and quietly waited. He knew that acting like this would attract much curiosity and suspicion. But it didn¡¯t matter. He intended to use the identity ¡°Shi Jian¡± only once, and after purchasing these items, he nned to leave without a fuss. Their curiosity, their suspicions ¨C none of it had anything to do with him. As for whether White Dragon Ind would take action because of this, unless they could immediately summon a Great Golden Core cultivator, there was no logical reason for them to attack a Thunder Cultivator of Perfect Qi Refinement over such peculiar behavior. There would be no benefit, only harm to their own reputation, without a single advantage; it was something they definitely wouldn¡¯t do. In this world, there are people who are willing to take risky deals, but there are none who conduct business at a loss. Soon, a subordinate brought over a Storage Bag. Yun Yan pushed the Storage Bag towards Xu Yang, ¡°The items senior requested are all here, totaling seven thousand eight hundred and fifty-three Spirit Stones. Let¡¯s offer a discount, seven thousand five hundred Spirit Stones. You have seven hundred stones left over, please check and count them.¡± ¡°Mhm!¡± Xu Yang nodded and began inspecting the items. Quickly¡ ¡°There¡¯s no problem!¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s conduct the transaction.¡± Shortly, the twopleted the transfer of items within the Storage Bag. The deal was settled, clean and clear. Xu Yang also stood up, ¡°Then, I will take my leave!¡± ¡°Senior, please wait a moment!¡± Yun Yan hastily stopped him.. Chapter 107 - 75: Invitation_1 Chapter 107: Chapter 75: Invitation_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Hmm?¡± Xu Yang cast his gaze down and looked at the woman: ¡°Is there something else?¡± Although she also had the cultivation of the tenth level of Qi Cultivation, when he swept his gaze over her, Yun Yan was startled and hurriedly said, ¡°Senior, please don¡¯t misunderstand. There¡¯s something White Dragon Ind would like to discuss with you.¡± After speaking, she pushed forward a storage bag. Xu Yang looked at her for a while before picking up the storage bag to check it and finding that it was full of spirit stones. Yun Yan smiled and said, ¡°These three thousand spirit stones are the bounty for those three robbing cultivators. Senior has acted heroically, eliminating demons to guard the Dao, and has removed a scourge for our White Dragon Ind. This is a small token of our gratitude. Please ept it!¡± ¡°I would be disrespectful to refuse.¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yang did not say much and directly epted the three thousand spirit stones. Seeing this, Yun Yan¡¯s smile grew even broader: ¡°In addition, there¡¯s another matter I must inform Senior about.¡± After she finished speaking, she pped her hands. ¡°Come in!¡± As she spoke, the door was pushed open, and two disciples of White Dragon Ind led a pale-faced youth inside. Xu Yang nced at him, his expression unchanged, and turned his gaze away. Yun Yan said with a lightugh, ¡°This person is a pawn of the robbing cultivators. Yesterday, he led the way for Senior with malicious intentions. Our White Dragon Ind has already destroyed their den, leaving only this one. How he should be dealt with is entirely up to Senior to decide.¡± The youth was pale and struggled to direct his gaze towards Xu Yang: ¡°Senior, I was also forced into this. I ask for your magnanimity, please spare my life¡¡± ¡°Your matters have nothing to do with me.¡± Before he could finish, he was cut off. Xu Yang¡¯s expression was indifferent. He didn¡¯t even look at the youth, only saying to Yun Yan, ¡°Just get to the point.¡± ¡°Senior is indeed decisive and efficient.¡± Yun Yan smiled, gestured for the two to take the youth away, and then put on a fragile and overburdened expression: ¡°Although Senior has just arrived, you must have heard quite a few rumors outside, haven¡¯t you?¡± Xu Yang remained indifferent, giving no response. Yun Yan didn¡¯t care and continued, ¡°Although many of the market rumors are baseless, they are not entirely without cause. In recent years, White Dragon Ind has indeed been unable to suppress the situation. Otherwise, these robbing cultivators wouldn¡¯t be so rampant as to dare to attack White Dragon Ind disciples in secret.¡± Xu Yang¡¯s expression did not change, but he weighed her words in his mind. Previously, it was said that although robbing cultivators were extremely lucrative, their situation was difficult for they were looting from the mouths of various major powers. Therefore, they were universally condemned and had to live like rats, scurrying about in hiding. Given that, why were The Three Scourges of White Dragon so boldly brazen,mitting robbery in broad daylight right outside White Dragon Ind? Could it be that White Dragon Ind did not care? They truly did not care! More than a decade ago, rumors circted that the elder of White Dragon Ind, the great cultivator in theter stage of Foundation Establishment, was nearing the end of his life and no longer had the strength to take action and maintain control. Although within White Dragon Ind there was a junior ind master at the early stage of Foundation Establishment, the early andte stages of Foundation Establishment were two different concepts. He could only defend White Dragon Ind and was somewhat powerless concerning matters outside the ind. He didn¡¯t even dare to leave the protection of White Dragon Ind¡¯s grand formation because there were many enemies of White Dragon Ind. Previously, they were deterred by the elder¡¯ste-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation. Now, as the elder¡¯s life was nearing its end, only a junior at the early stage of Foundation Establishment remained. Once he left the ind, he would surely be targeted for assassination by formidable enemies. Hence, White Dragon Ind increasingly found it difficult to maintain control. Robbing cultivators grew bolder and more audacious, not only robbing cultivators outside the ind but even targeting disciples of White Dragon Ind who ventured out. The Three Scourges of White Dragon were an example of this. If this situation continued to develop, it wouldn¡¯t be long before the White Dragon Ind market would lose its customers and eventually be forced to close. This was the oue White Dragon Ind¡¯s enemies andpetitors wanted to see. This is the norm in the Cultivation World. A powerful cultivator can lead a family or a force to great strength, but also to weakness and even destruction. After all, cultivators have a limited lifespan and cannot live forever. Speaking of lifespan, Xu Yang had also discovered something else: the lifespan of cultivators in this world was unexpectedly short. Yes, short! Xu Yang found out after some investigation that the cultivators of this world were indeed a group of short-lived beings. How short-lived? The lifespan of those at the Qi Refinement Realm, even at its peak, was merely two hundred years. The lifespan at the peak of Foundation Establishment was only three hundred years. At the Golden Core Realm, even a patriarch could only live for five hundred years. Only those at the Nascent Soul stage with great divine powers could have a lifespan of a thousand years. If this wasn¡¯t short-lived, what was? Keep in mind that in the world of Great Tang, Xu Yang, after merging the Longevity Jue, the Heavenly Demon Strategy, the Mercy Sailing Sword Scroll, and other top martial arts to further transform and enhance his Martial Arts Scripture, had a longevity that far exceeded the cultivation techniques of this world A Grandmaster martial artist at the Condensing Spirit Ultimate Realm, in terms of the cultivation realm, was onlyparable to a cultivator at the Perfect Qi Refinement stage, yet he possessed a lifespan of three hundred years, on par with a Foundation Establishment cultivator. As for those who had entered the Co-Dao Realm, the martial artists who had attained that level didn¡¯t even need to be mentioned. Their cultivation corresponded to Foundation Establishment cultivators, but their lifespan was five hundred years, on par with a Golden Core patriarch. Why is it that cultivators can¡¯t outlive martial artists? Is the cultivation technique inferior to the martial path technique? No, in terms of both the body and divine soul or the internal Yuan mana, the quality of a cultivator is higher than that of a martial artist. Xu Yang spected that the reason cultivators in this world had such short lifespans was not due to the problem of cultivation techniques, but rather, it was an issue with the world itself. There was something wrong with this world! Not just the cultivation skills, but the Martial Arts Scriptures were the same¡ªcultivating Martial Arts Scriptures in this world did not increase one¡¯s lifespan as much as in the world of Great Tang. Why? Xu Yang could not be sure, perhaps it was due to the world level. With a higher world level, the constraints on lifespan were stronger, and there might even be a ¡°Heavenly Dao¡± consciousness that suppressed these cultivators. Perhaps, given his current weak strength and low level, Xu Yang did not dare to jump to conclusions. In any case, cultivators in this world simply had short lifespans. But Xu Yang was an exception. Although the Martial Arts Scriptures were also suppressed by the world and their life-extending capabilities were far inferior to those in the Great Tang world, it did not affect Xu Yang too much. Now, at the Condensing Spirit Ultimate Realm, he wasparable to a Perfect Qi Refinement cultivation, possessing three hundred and fifty years of life, surpassing the lifespan of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. Why? Because the main reason for his longevity was not only due to the Martial Arts Scriptures but also¡ªSkill Traits! Extending life, Eternal Youth, and Founder of Martial Scripture, these Skill Traits either directly increased his lifespan or enhanced the effects of Martial Arts Scriptures, which indirectly extended his lifespan. Martial Arts Scriptures were suppressed by the world, but Skill Traits were not. This ¡°cheat¡± granted Xu Yang all abilities and effects that were unimpeded by the world, even breaking through the normal rules of the world. For example, the nting skill. Normally, in the mundane world, it was impossible for ordinary nts to transform into Spirit nts, but Xu Yang could cultivate Spirit Rice from ordinary rice in the mundane world by enhancing the seeds through his nting skill optimization. There was also cultivation. Due to the issue with Spiritual Roots, the efficiency of Martial Arts Scripture cultivation was far inferior to that of cultivation skills, but with various Skill Traits, Xu Yang¡¯s cultivation efficiency of Martial Arts Scriptures could rival or even surpass cultivation skills. It not only bridged the gap in techniques but also the disadvantage of ¡°Spiritual Roots.¡± This demonstrated the strength of these Skill Traits, and the terrifying nature of the Attribute Panel. The level of this ¡°cheat¡± might be even higher than he imagined. Attribute Panel, what exactly is it, what secrets does it hide, is there a conspiracy, any dangers? Xu Yang had once questioned this, or rather, he always had such doubts. But questions remained questions; he did not obsess over them, nor did he be maniacal and resist the Attribute Panel or discard the Skill Traits. They were his foundation for survival, regardless of what was involved behind them, any secrets, conspiracies, or plots; he had to rely on this power for now. Abandoning it would be the most foolish thing to do. The right choice was to utilize its power, but not to rely entirely on it. Just like the Martial Arts Scriptures, they were achieved through the Attribute Panel and Skill Traits, but they were also a product of Xu Yang¡¯s own hard work. Even without the Skill Traits, they would still be Martial Arts Scriptures, not vanishing into thin air, losing all effects. That was a digression, back to the main point. The Ind Master of White Dragon Ind, his lifespan was nearing its end! If the situation on White Dragon Ind could not be suppressed, to prevent the market from closing, the only solution was to enhance strength. There were many ways to enhance strength, but the most direct and quickest was to bring in outside help. ¡°Let¡¯s not beat around the bush!¡± With a smile, Yun Yan cut to the chase, ¡°May I dare to ask if senior is a Loose Cultivator, or if you already belong to a sect or family?¡± Xu Yang¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he coldly responded, ¡°What difference does it make if I¡¯m a Loose Cultivator or attached to a sect?¡± ¡°If senior already belongs to a sect, then we naturally would not presume to disturb you.¡± Yun Yan shook her head, revealing her intention, ¡°But if senior is a Loose Cultivator, then I, on behalf of White Dragon Ind, sincerely invite senior to join us. White Dragon Ind is willing to offer senior the position of Law Enforcement Elder, where you can cultivate with the benefits of a Spiritual Vein Cave Mansion, and receive various tributes every year. Should you achieve meritorious deeds, you may exchange for treasures from our stores.¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yang straightforwardly replied, ¡°I appreciate the kind offer, but I am ustomed to being as free as a cloud and wild crane, and really do not wish to be restrained. Farewell!¡± Having said that, and not caring about Yun Yan¡¯s reaction, he bowed and headed for the door. ¡°Senior¡¡± Yun Yan intended to retain him, but seeing his determination, she halted her steps, a bitter smile appearing on her face. She truly wished to recruit this person to join White Dragon Ind. After all, he was a Thunder Cultivator, a Thunder Cultivator with Perfect Qi Refinement. In terms ofbat power, he was no less than a Foundation Establishment Cultivator and even surpassed some Foundation Establishment Cultivators who were not adept at fighting. If he were to join and be the Law Enforcement Elder for White Dragon Ind, leading teams to clear out nearby Robbing Cultivators, the market of White Dragon Ind would surely be able to continue its operations. Regrettably, the man was resolute and unmoved. However, it was also understandable. The current situation on White Dragon Ind was not just an issue with Robbing Cultivators; it involved pressure from many enemies andpetitors, already tangled up in the disputes between Foundation Establishment forces. Without enmity or incentive, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator would naturally not risk attacking a Perfect Qi Refinement Thunder Cultivator. But if it involved a cultivation market, the enormous benefits were enough to tempt a Foundation Establishment Cultivator to take the risk. The man saw things clearly and therefore would not stumble into danger. About this, she was helpless; she could not coerce him against his will. ¡°Well then, we might as well lie low for a while, wait for the Ind Master¡¯s cultivation to advance, then repav those families in kind.. Fortunes shift and change; which family can remain evergreen for an eternity?¡± Chapter 108 - 76: Return 1 Chapter 108: Chapter 76: Return 1 Trantor: 549690339 One yearter, at Dongting Lake. ¡°I¡¯ve returned!¡± Standing at the bow of a ck-canopied boat, Xu Yang looked out over the vast and misty waters of Dongting Lake, his eyes filled with nostalgia. A year ago, he had rejected the invitation from White Dragon Ind, decisively leaving that ce of conflict. Afterward, he did not return directly to Dongting Lake but instead traveled to other regions, touring Liang Country. He made his presence known both in the ordinary world and in the realm of cultivation. Through this, he had also rified the general situation in Liang Country. First of all, the cultivation world of Liang Country was dominated by three major Golden Core Sects, namely Tianshu Sect, Green Jade Sect, and Medicine King Valley. Among them, Tianshu Sect was the strongest, recognized as a grandmaster of the Array Path, with several Golden Core experts, and it was said that their old ancestor had reached the Perfect Gold Core Realm, potentially breaking through to achieve Nascent Soul at any moment. The Liang Country¡¯s royal family stemmed from the bloodline of Tianshu Sect¡¯s founding master. Although the founding master had long since passed away, as long as the Tianshu Sect¡¯s legacy endured, the royal family would remain the sovereign rulers of Liang Country. Beneath the three major Sects were various Foundation Establishment forces, with varying strengths, but none posed a significant threat to the hegemony of the three Sects. Thepetition amongst them was fierce, and the situation on White Dragon Ind was amon urrence. Below the Foundation Establishment forces were the Qi Cultivation loose cultivators,cking the capacity or the right to exist independently, as Qi Cultivators didn¡¯t qualify or possess the ability to upynds rich in spiritual energy. Qi Cultivation practitioners who wanted to cultivate had no choice but to attach themselves to Foundation Establishment forces, join Sects, serve in families, or rent Cave Mansions in the marketces, earning Spirit Stones to maintain their cultivation, which was highly challenging. Xu Yang continued his low-key tour of the cultivation world while scattering ¡°opportunities¡± among the ordinary people. He took on many more disciples, further spreading the Martial Arts Scripture, enhancing the effects of his teaching skills. Of course, there were risks associated with such indiscriminate recruitment of disciples, namely that their characters couldn¡¯t be guaranteed without his constant oversight and guidance, potentially fostering ungrateful ingrates who might betray him, their master. However, it didn¡¯t matter. He was using false identities and disguises; losing oneyer of disguise simply meant he had another to fall back on, so basically no one could find him, and even if they did, they posed no threat. After all, when it came down to it, all problems were, fundamentally, matters of strength. His current power was sufficient to support him in many endeavors. Spreading martial arts all over was still not feasible, but taking some disciples ana teacmng some martial arts was entirely errortless, witnout any pressure. Therefore, his actions grew bolder and bolder. Apart from personally taking disciples under his wing, he also distributed secret manuals, instructing thousands in various disciplines, which again slightly increased the speed of his cultivation. Beyond teaching, during this year, he used Zhuanzhou Mengdie to, with a tenfold time difference in the ckwater River, thoroughly research the Pill Master, Spirit nt, Beast Taming, and some unique skill inheritances he had obtained on White Dragon Ind. Now, apart from Array Formation, he had more or less mastered all other skill inheritances. It must be said, Array Formation was indeed very difficult to learn. Even with the umtion of two lifetimes and schrly brilliance, coupled with the ¡°Never Forget After Reading¡± ability to immediately grasp and creatively apply new knowledge, learning the Array Path was still extremely challenging, and he had not yet mastered it. And this was only a first-tier Array Formation inheritance corresponding to the Qi Refinement realm. Considering the second-tier Foundation Establishment Arrays, third-tier Golden Core Arrays, fourth-tier Nascent Soul Arrays, and even the fifth-tier Divinity Transformation Great Arrays, one could only guess how long it might take to study them. But it didn¡¯t matter; he had Zhuanzhou Mengdie, and no matter how esoteric the path of Array Formation was, he could conquer it bit by bit with time on his side. If the tenfold time disparity of the ck Water World was not enough, he would switch to other worlds, a thousandfold or a hundredfold¡ªsess was only a matter of time. Thus, he was not in a hurry, traveling through Liang Country and wandering the ck Water in spirit. So it was that after a year had gone by, he who had traversed Liang Country returned to the familiar Dongting Lake. Indeed, he had considered settling down somewhere in the Cultivation World. Although he did not rely on Spiritual Energy to cultivate, having it was still better than not, right? But in the end, after much thought, he dismissed the idea. Qi Cultivators could not upynds rich in Spiritual Energy; they could only attach themselves to Foundation Establishment forces, either seeking shelter with a family or joining a sect. This was uneptable to him as he needed a great deal of private space for farming and development. Joining a force would inevitably lead to being monitored, and if his extraordinary abilities were exposed, it would bring a whole host of problems. Of course, he could consider establishing his own power. With his currentbat strength, he could even face Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and if he was willing to struggle, taking a small piece of Spirit Land was not impossible. But¡ what¡¯s the point? For a small piece of Spirit Land, to engage in mind games and deception with those Foundation Establishment forces? Wasn¡¯t that tiring? Xu Yang had clear self-awareness and action ns. His foundation was not a territory, but the Attribute Panel, Skill Traits, Zhuanzhou Mengdie, and thousands of worlds. Wasn¡¯t mastering these more valuable than any Spirit Land? It was like when he used to be a fisherman. Was he only fit to be a fisherman? No, if he wanted, he could ascend gradually without appearing exceptional, join a gang, or enter a martial arts hall. But why didn¡¯t he do it? Because the risk was not proportional to the reward. Joining a gang meant dealing with those above and below him, and asionally having to fight fiercely with others.Joining a martial arts hall meant involvement in the conflicts of the Martial World, equally perilous. It was better to be a fisherman, although at the bottom, because it was stable. He could have ample time to practice skills and umte traits, gather strength, and expand his capabilities. Simrly, even though Spirit Land was desirable, the entanglements of various interests were too many and did notpare to the ease and freedom of the mundane world. There was no way a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, in their right mind, woulde topete with him for a piece of ordinarynd. At most, some Qi Cultivators desiring immortal fate woulde along, which he could easily handle. Therefore, he returned to Dongting Lake, his Dongting Lake. Dongting Lake remained unchanged, the same Dongting Lake as always. As the boat entered theke, clouds veiled and fog enshrouded, the mist on the water growing thicker. But Xu Yang was well-practiced and directed the ¡°ckwood Boat¡± beneath his feet straight toward hisir. This ckwood Boat was also a Magic Artifact, a superior quality evasion-type Magic Artifact, one of the storeroom treasures of the Three Scourges of White Dragon. The artifacts he had acquired through underhanded means were mostly sold, with only this ckwood Boat and a Green Shirt being kept. This wasn¡¯t because he couldn¡¯t use Magic Artifacts, on the contrary, besides the ¡°Fighting Scroll,¡± the Martial Arts Scripture also included the ¡°Soldier Scroll,¡± which specialized in the art of using weapons. If he had divine weapons, hisbat power would be even greater than with the Fighting Scroll. ording to Xu Yang¡¯s ns, the ¡°Soldier Scroll¡± should develop in a direction simr to a Sword Cultivator¡¯s ¡°Sword technique¡±: practicing the Sword technique, nurturing a Flying Sword, with the technique activated, the sword woulde forth and allws would be annihted ¡ª the true grace of a Sword Cultivator! Xu Yang had cultivated the ¡°Thunder Series¡±; if he were to also cultivate ¡°Sword technique¡± andbine them into the ¡°Thunder Sword¡± technique, there would be few who could withstand him in the same realm. Unfortunately, none of those magic artifacts were Flying Swords. Although it didn¡¯t have to be a Flying Sword, the ¡°Soldier Scroll¡± was not limited to the Sword Dao, Xu Yang considered that the current Fighting Scroll could already meet thebat needs. After all, the priority was always cultivation, so in the end, he still sold those magic artifacts. Magical artifacts used as boats, their speed extremely fast, it didn¡¯t take long before he returned to the familiar ce. Looking at the lonely deste ind, Xu Yang breathed a sigh of relief. The formations weren¡¯t broken! It seemed that for the past year or so, no one had set foot on the ind. The deaths of Zhang Guanghua and those five, hadn¡¯t they attracted any cultivators to investigate? Could it be that they were all orphans? Or seeing that even ate Qi Cultivation practitioner like Zhang Guanghua had fallen, people were afraid toe here lightly? Xu Yang couldn¡¯t be sure, but having his ce unspoiled was a good thing regardless. The ckwood Boat surged with dark light, passing through the illusion of water moon mirrors, and immediately the scenery cleared up. ¡°I¡¯m back!¡± Xu Yang smiled, sprang into the air, shrank the ckwood Boat, and stored it in his Storage Bag. It¡¯s worth mentioning that now he, the proud owner of countless Storage Bags,rge and small ¨C over twenty in total, was more ¡°nine-bagged¡± than the Nine Bags Elder himself. There was no helping it. Traveling for over a year, it was inevitable to encounter those who were courting death, plus the hoarded privacies of the Three Scourges of White Dragon Ind, his Storage Bags were bound to be abundant. One year¡¯s time, harvest aplenty! Back on the ind, Xu Yang smiled and called out to the Golden Eagle following close behind: ¡°Go, call all of them back for me.¡± ¡°Screech!!!!!¡± Having followed Xu Yang for a year and received many enlightenments, the now demonized Golden Eagle cried out, soaring into the sky as if dering the king¡¯s return. Xu Yang shook his head and went to the abandoned fishery to the west, put away his Green Shirt magic artifact, and with a leap, dove into the water. A momentter, the water boiled as various Alien beasts and Spirit Monsters of the fish species led the shoals of fish to gather and return to the fishery. Under the Dragon King¡¯smand, all fish returned! Compared to a year ago, these Alien fishes were noticeably thinner, and the number of the shoals had also decreased. There was no helping it; Xu Yang hadn¡¯t been here for a year. The breeding skills couldn¡¯t take effect, plus there was no Spirit Rice like White Jade Rice to feed them. Remaining in this Yuan Qi-sparse mortal world, decline was inevitable. Luckily, Xu Yang was back, and none of it was a problem. Allocating management tasks, rebuilding the fishery, Xu Yang let out a light chuckle and once again dived into theke. Soon, he arrived at a hidden spot at the bottom of theke. There, thousands of electric eels gathered with a golden-bodied, lightning-shing Electric Eel King amongst them. Seeing his return, the swarm of electric eels boiled with excitement, with the Electric Eel King swimming around him, coiling around his body and crackling, releasing a year¡¯s worth of grievances, resembling a few hundred-pound child, but one equipped with 100,000 volts. ¡°Alright, alright!¡± Xu Yangughed, took out a bottle of pills, and threw it directly to it, then threw several bags of White Jade Rice from his Storage Bag: ¡°Eat up, then let¡¯s start nting after you¡¯re done!¡± Momentster, Xu Yang, apanied by the swarm of electric eels, returned to the eel farm on the east coast of the small ind. ¡°Screech!!!!!¡± By then, the Golden Eagle had also led a host of Alien beasts and birds of prey back, with Laoliu and the peacock notably among them. ¡°You¡¯ve all gotten skinny!¡± Looking at the overly excited flock, Xu Yang shook his head and threw out a few more bags of White Jade Rice. ¡°I¡¯ll make an exception today, eat your fill.¡± After petting the birds and pacifying their emotions, he finally headed to the medicinal garden. In the medicinal garden, the Spiritual Medicines that had been nted before were all intact, not picked by anyone nor eaten by insects. ¡°It seems that even when I¡¯m away, the Skill Traits of my abilities still have some effect.¡± Xu Yang thought to himself, then took out a bag of crystalline powder from his Storage Bag and poured it into the medicinal field. This was¡ Spirit Stone powder. It could effectively promote growth and enhance the medicine age. Of course, doing so was rather extravagant and might even be counterproductive. But there was no choice; this Spirit Stone powder was the result of when Xu Yang took down some rubbish Robbing Cultivators and identally blew up the people along with their Storage Bags, turning the Spirit Stones and magic artifacts inside to ash. With no other use, they served as fertilizer. This Spirit Stone fertilizer wasn¡¯t in abundance; it could only be supplied to the medicinal fields and not the rice fields. It didn¡¯t matter, Xu Yang had other fertilizers. He turned and walked into the rice fields, where thend was overgrown with weeds, and some rice stalks already bore grains¡ªwhich, upon peeling, turned out to be White Jade Rice! In his absence, Spirit Rice had actually grown in this field autonomously? Could it be the effect of the nting skills? No, it was the effect of the ¡°fertilizer!¡± A year ago, after the harvest, he had buried some ¡°fertilizer¡± in the ground; these Spirit Rice nts had sprouted right where the fertilizer was buried. Cultivators¡¯ bodies were treasures through and through, valuable even after death. When Xu Yang had visited several Cultivation ¡°ck markets¡± in Liang Country, there were quite a few who bought the bodies of deceased Cultivators. The stronger the power, the higher the price. But he didn¡¯t sell because he needed them too. Xu Yang took out a Storage Bag, poured out severalrge chunks of ice, which were frozen bodies¡ªamong them were unmistakably the Three Fiends of White Dragon Ind. Then, he took out a mid-tier magic artifact level hoe, began digging the ground, ploughing the field, applying fertilizer, and nting, burying all these bodies into the rice field to serve as fertilizer to enhance soil fertility. With such high-quality fertilizer, the next rice harvest was sure to be bountiful, yielding more exotic and excellent Spirit Rice crops.. Chapter 109 - 77: Goal_l Chapter 109 - 77: Goal_l Chapter 109: Chapter 77: Goal_l Trantor: 549690339 After tilling the field and working thend, he returned to his freshly cleaned cabin and prepared himself a feast to refresh and cleanse away the dirt. Well-fed and content with wine, he returned to his bed, instinctively pulling the nket over himself, Xu Yang was about to sink into a deep slumber again. This time, he had set two goals for himself. First, in the Dream World, explore the ck Water Forbidden Area to find the Divine Mansion divine seal mentioned by the Giant Turtle. Second, in the real world, break through the Condensing Spirit Ultimate Realm and step into the tierparable to Foundation Establishment, known as Embracing Core. Exploring the ck Water Forbidden Area required no specific technique, merely the endurance of time. In the reality of over a year and a decade in ck Water, Xu Yang continued his exploration. Although he still found no clues, he believed that perseverance would pay off eventually, for heaven rewards the diligent. On the contrary, the real challenge was breaking through the Condensing Spirit Ultimate Realm and mastering Embracing Core co-dao. In the Great Tang world, Xu Yang had already broken through once, sessfully embraced the core, and entered the fifth realm. However, that breakthrough was achieved through a shortcut, leveraging the vast Essence provided by the Evil Emperor¡¯s relics. It was not through his own strength but with the aid of external forces that he broke through the bottleneck, and it was not reproducible in reality. How to achieve a normal breakthrough? Based on Xu Yang¡¯s experience in the Great Tang world, including that of Song Que, Shi Zhixuan, and some sessors, as well as the descriptions and practices of ¡°Foundation Establishment¡± in the cultivation techniques of this world, the breakthrough should be like this. To step into the fifth realm, whether for the Martial Path Condensing Spirit or Cultivation Qi Refinement, one must first cultivate the foundation of the fourth realm, the ¡°flesh,¡± ¡°Divine Soul, ¡± and ¡°Inner Yuan¡± to perfection. Xu Yang had already met this condition. He was a Grandmaster of Condensing Spirit, with dual cultivation in body training. His flesh and Divine Soul were both aplished, and as for Inner Yuan, his Martial Arts Scripture techniquesbined with skill traits had long since reached fruition. Once the body, Divine Soul, and Inner Yuan are perfected, one can attempt to break through the realm. The method of breakthrough is quite simple ¨C fusion! The flesh, Divine Soul, and Inner Yuan must be merged into one, seamless and wless, to step into the fifth stage of cultivation, be it Martial Path Embracing Core or Cultivation Foundation Establishment. This concept is also hinted at in the names of the realms. Martial Path Embracing Core is not about condensing a Golden Core, but embracing the Dantian, implying that a martial artist¡¯s cultivation has reached internal and external perfection, wless andplete like a world of its own, embracing the Dantian, the heart of this world, within itself. Cultivation Foundation Establishment describes the process more urately: tri-element integration to establish the foundation of the path, merging internal and external into one, forming the internal world of Cultivation. The future Golden Core, Nascent Soul, and even the Purple Mansion Primordial Spirit, will all be nurtured based on this foundation. Therefore, the key to breaking the barrier lies in fusion. With sessful fusion, one aplishes Martial Path Embracing Core and Cultivation Foundation Establishment. But the question is, how to fuse? There are two methods. First, self-cultivation, letting fate decide, refining the flesh, Divine Soul, and Inner Yuan to their limits and allowing them to fuse on their own. When the mind and spirit intersect and the Dharma body unites, the three elements be one, naturally breaking through to the fifth tier. Second, seeking external assistance to achieve one¡¯s own goal, consuming Spirit Pills or treasures of heaven and earth to lend a powerful external force to help merge the ¡°three elements¡± and ultimately break through to the fifth realm. The first method needs no exnation, relying half on strength and half on luck. Thetter is different, depending on one¡¯s wealth, background, and methods. In the Cultivation World, there exists a pill called ¡°Foundation Building Pill.¡± Solo breakthroughs, left to fate, carry enormous risks. If sessful, all is well, but if not, the sh of the three forces can at best result in a deviation and an uncontroble burst of mana, which recoils against the flesh and Divine Soul, destroying the foundation of one¡¯s cultivation. At worst, it can lead to a fatal explosion, obliterating both body and soul. The Foundation Building Pill not only helps the ¡°three forces¡± merge but also prevents the sh that could ur upon a failed merger, avoiding uncontroble mana that can ruin the foundation of cultivation. It is an essential Spirit Pill for anyone seeking to establish their foundation. In the Great Tang world, he had seen many Grandmasters at the peak of Condensing Spirit die from exploding bodies because they failed at Embracing Core and co-dao. Even with his cultivation and medical skills at the time, he was unable to save them, or rather, there was simply no time for rescue. If there were Foundation Building Pills, then the number of experts in the Great Tang who could embrace the core, co-dao, and break through the Broken Void would definitely be more than just Song Que, Shi Zhixuan, and the few that came after. This shows the importance of the Foundation Building Pill. Reality is not a dream world, and in this aspect, no mistakes can be tolerated. Unless a Skill Trait effective in this situation is revealed, Xu Yang will definitely need to take a Foundation Building Pill as a safety measure against failure. But the problem was, where would he find a Foundation Building Pill? Although the price of a Foundation Building Pill in the marketce was mostly around two to three thousand Spirit Stones, the listed price was one thing, how they were actually sold was another. These pills were not directly sold in the marketce of Foundation Establishment powers. They had to wait for major auction events to possibly be presented for auction, wherepetition was fierce. Starting bids at two thousand, and the final transaction price was usually around four to five thousand or sometimes even surged to seven to eight thousand. Golden Core powers did have them for sale in their marketces, but they were simrly expensive. Moreover, around the marketces of Golden Core powers, there lurked arge number of Robbing Cultivators. They might not rob other items, but Foundation Building Pills¡ This was still the lowest quality Foundation Building Pill, which could only ensure that if Foundation Establishment failed, the ¡°Tri-element conflict¡± would not destroy one¡¯s foundation. To purchase good or even superior quality Foundation Building Pills, which could effectively support ¡°Tri-element integration¡±, one would need more Spirit Stones, and it would attract even more attention. For a Qi Cultivation cultivator who had reached full circle, seeking these items was far too dangerous. Even for Thunder Cultivators, there were no exceptions. Fortunately, Xu Yang already had a strategy. If buying was not safe, how about making them himself? Could he craft Foundation Building Pills? Yes, absolutely! Although it¡¯s called a Foundation Building Pill, it is still technically categorized as a ¡°tier one¡± Qi Refinement level elixir. Theoretically, a tier one Pill Master could also make Foundation Building Pills, but the sess rate would be extremely low. Materials for Foundation Building Pills were exceedingly precious, and a single failure would be costly, not to mention for a tier one Pill Master, even tier two Pill Masters would be significantly impacted. Therefore, it was generally only tier three Pill Masters who could stably produce Foundation Building Pills. This was also why the marketces of major Golden Core powers could sell Foundation Building Pills directly. Without the backing of Golden Core powers, how could they afford to employ a tier three Pill Master? But none of these were problems for Xu Yang. A low sess rate? Just keep practicing. As long as he kept practicing and refining his technique, then even as a tier one Pill Master, he could increase the sess rate of crafting Foundation Building Pills. After all, he had Zhuanzhou Mengdie. The differences in the flow of time and the resources from various worlds could fully support his production of Foundation Building Pills. Moreover, he could also attempt breakthroughs in dreams, umting experience time after time, improving the ¡°Foundation Establishment¡± sess rate. He didn¡¯t even need to refine pills in the real world. He could simply utilize the resources in the Dream World to craft the Foundation Building Pills, or find treasures such as the Evil Emperor¡¯s relics, and then use the power of his Divine Soul to transfer them back. Either way, he could achieve his goal. It¡¯s truly said, ¡°In dreams, one can find a beauty¡¯s grace, in dreams,es a house of gold¡±! So, without a doubt, he would continue dreaming, for in dreams, he had everything.. Chapter 110 - 78: Earth Deities_l Chapter 110 - 78: Earth Deities_l Chapter 110: Chapter 78: Earth Deities_l Trantor: 549690339 Three more years have passed in slumber, dreaming for thirty years! Within the ckwater River, amidst the forbidden zone. Dim green light flickered, coursing through the ck waters. Indeed, it was a Jiao Dragon, a Green Jiao with four ws and three toes, scales and armor draping its form. Its body stretched neen fathoms, its girth exceeding three fathoms, fishtail merging with serpentine posterior, its hide shimmering with the luster of pearls and jade. It bore the authentic visage of a Jiao Dragon, utterly devoid of falsehood. Xu Yang hadin dormant for another three years, within which thirty years of dreams unfolded, bestowing yet another transformation upon the Green Fish. Now embodying the ¡°Fish-Dragon Triple Transformation,¡± it had sessfully acquired the form of a Jiao Dragon and its strength surged tremendously. Throughout these thirty years within the ckwater River, besides its continuous cultivation, expanding the Water Army, and exploring the forbidden zone, it also delved into the arts of elixir skills, talisman, array formation, and the crafts of spiritual nt cultivation, beast taming, and artifact refining. The umtion of time yielded prominent results. Presently, he had fully mastered these inherited skills, including the most profound methods of Array Formation, achieving the rank of a first-tier Pill Master, Talisman Master, Artifact Refiner, Array Master, Spiritual nt Farmer, Beast Tamer, and various other distinct abilities. The Hundred Arts of Cultivation, entering the initial path! Moreover, with his relentless exploration of the ck Water Forbidden Area, he attained new discoveries. ¡°As expected, there is an Array Formation within this forbidden area capable of confounding directions and bewilder sense, no wonder over the years neither the Giant Turtle nor my Water Army could find any clues. All were obstructed by the Array Formation and could not prate deep into the forbidden zone.¡± ¡°Now, with the nourishment of ckwater Spiritual Qi, the powerful transformation from Fish-Dragon, and significantly enhanced Divine Soul¡¯s strength,bined with my mastery of first-tier Array Formation, I managed to discern and break through the illusions of this Array Formation.¡± Xu Yang murmured to himself, the Jiao Dragon cautiously swam and carefully explored the depths of the ck Water Forbidden Area. One must be vignt! There remains one question. vet without an answer. How did the ckwater River God die? Does the ckwater River still harbor hidden perils? All remain unknowable. Therefore, Xu Yang must explore with caution to avoid any potential dangers. Exploring prudently, advancing carefully, the already dense ck water grew progressively thicker, even solidifying into substantial chunks, with many block-shaped ck Water Crystals sinking to the riverbed. Could that be¡ Spirit Stones? Indeed, they were Spirit Stones, seemingly condensed from aggregated Spiritual Energy, the medium-quality ones at that! Had the ckwater Spiritual Qi be so dense that it started forming medium-quality Spirit Stones? If he delved deeper, might there be Supreme Quality Spirit Stones or even the legendary Top-grade Spirit Stones emerging? Could there possibly be a Supreme Grade Spirit Vein in this ce? With doubt and anticipation, Xu Yang continued to venture deeper. Momentster, the ck water began to clear, and the view suddenly opened up. There was no more ck water here, only an ancient and solemn pce made of ck crystalline structure remained. Xu Yang stepped forward to investigate, noticing inside the pce various scattered items, numerous weapons, and assorted turtle shells and crab carapaces, which appeared to be¡ remains? Indeed, they were remains, the remains of the Aquatic n! Not just any aquatic beings; Xu Yang swept his tail towards a turtle shell, finding its hardness surpassing even that of the Giant Turtle. This seemed to be the exuviae of a Demon Beast, possibly even from a ¡°Foundation Establishment Demon Cultivator.¡± Not just one, but scattered all around, the ground was littered with turtle and m shells, shrimp tips, and crab ws. The troops under themand of the former ckwater River God? How did they end up in this state? Had they suffered some great disaster? Xu Yang furrowed his brows, hesitated for a moment, but ultimately decided to continue his exploration. Venturing deeper into the residence, within the main hall, from a distance he spotted an enormous throne. The throne was alsoposed of ck Crystal Spirit Stones, upon which sat a skeleton with a crown on its skull, wearing a dragon robe, its flesh decayed to dust, revealing a humanoid skeletal structure, its pale hand still clutching an engraved seal, a damaged and worn-down Mysterious ck Seal. ¡°Is this¡¡± Gazing at the skeleton, Xu Yang felt a surge of uncertain astonishment. Undoubtedly, this skeleton seated upon the throne must be someone of no ordinary status, very likely the ckvvater River God himself. But¡ why had it been reduced to this state? Xu Yang did not believe the ckwater River God was born of the Human n, for both the throne it sat upon and its skeletal remains were farrger than the normal human form. If Xu Yang¡¯s guess was correct, this ckwater River God must also originate from a different race, it¡¯s just that its strength and cultivation had reached the ¡°Transformation¡± realm. What is Transformation? Within the Demon Cultivation Realm, Qi Blood, flesh, bones, Rebirth, followed by creatures equivalent to Foundation Establishment with a Demon Body, and equivalent to Golden Core with Transformation. Rebirth into a demon. Foundation Establishment forms the body. Golden Core allows Transformation, Nascent Soul deres sovereignty. Was this ckwater River God merely a Golden Core stage big demon who had achieved Transformation? Of course not, those turtles, lobsters, and crabs outside could very well be of the Foundation Establishment tier or even the Golden Core Transformation tier. How could the ckwater River God merely be at the stage of Golden Core Transformation? Its humanoid skeletal remains did not signify that it was at the Golden Core Transformation stage, but merely indicated that at the very least, it was a Golden Core caliber big demon. He could be a Nascent Soul Demon King, or even an Immortal Lord at the Divinity Transformation level¡ªabove that, it¡¯s also possible. This was also the reason why Xu Yang felt such unease and uncertainty. How could such an entity turn into a mere skeleton? You must understand that in the Temple of War God, even the remains of Guang Chengzi possessed the ability of the ¡°Broken Vajra,¡± uncorrupted for a thousand years, lifelike as ever. Now, the existence of this ckwater River God, a figure among the ranks of the Immortal Gods, had actually turned into a skeleton, unable to preserve its physical body? What did this indicate? Xu Yang couldn¡¯t say for sure, but he had a guess in mind. The reason Guang Chengzi¡¯s remains in the Temple of War God remained intact and lifelike for a thousand years was that before his death or ¡°Corpse Resolution,¡± hisplete Earth Yuan Skill had not dispersed, being fully condensed within his flesh, thereby preserving it without decay or corruption. Yet this ckwater River God, despite being far more powerful than Guang Chengzi of the Great Tang world, suffered extremely severe injuries before death, not only making his demise certain and beyond recovery but even preventing the preservation of his physical body intact. After death, his divine power dissipated, his flesh turned to dust, leaving behind nothing but this skeletal remnant. What kind of existence, what kind of injury, could drive an ¡°Immortal God¡± to such a plight? Xu Yang fell into silence for a while before swimming forward and swirling his tail around the seal held in the skeleton¡¯s hand. The divine seal! How the River God died, Xu Yang did not know, but he had not forgotten his purpose because of it. He wanted the ckwater Divine Seal! ¡°Whoosh!¡± The flick of his tail caused a slight touch, which the skeleton could not withstand. The crown on its head and the dragon robe over its bones disintegrated into dust and dispersed with the wind. Xu Yang was somewhat taken aback, staring at the ashes of the ckwater River God that were once bones and at the seal still wrapped around his tail, his expression one of astonishment. But, after all, he was a fish that had weathered great storms. Soon, he regained hisposure, looking at the scarred seal, he pondered for a moment and then activated his Divine Intent. Divine Intent turned into thought, probing into it. Suddenly¡ ¡°Boom!!!!¡± A torrent of information exploded forth, rushing into Xu Yang¡¯s mind. Even with his current level of cultivation, his Divine Soul was thrown into disarray by this torrent of information, sending him tumbling down in the hall. His Jiao Dragon body shrank into a ball, convulsing violently, the pain extraordinary. ¡°God god god ¡°Heavenly Spirit, Earth Aura, Human God!¡± ¡°Heavenly beings are Immortals, earthly beings are Earth Deities, human beings are Gods!¡± ¡°Heavenly Court, Emperor!¡± ¡°Fengdu, Underworld!¡± ¡°Four Seas, Dragon Pce!¡± ¡°Heavenly Immortals cultivate the Heavenly Dao, Earth Deities cultivate the Earth Path, Human Gods receive incense offerings!¡± ¡°Divine seal, divine seal¡ After an unknown stretch of time, that surging torrent finally subsided, dissolved, and integrated into his consciousness. Xu Yang opened his eyes, steadied his trembling Jiao Dragon body, and looked at the seal entangled in his tail, his expression a mixture ofplexity and surprise. That torrent of information was not a remnant soul seizing his body, but rather a legacy of cultivation techniques, specifically, the cultivation methods of an ¡®Earth Deity.¡± ording to the description within it, there are three paths of cultivation in this world. Those who cultivate the Heavenly Path be Heavenly Immortals, those who cultivate the Earth Path be Earth Deities, and those who cultivate the Human Path be Human Gods. This divine seal was none other than an Earth Ghost Divine Seal, the ckwater River God¡¯s Earth Ghost Divine Seal. Both Heavenly Immortals and Earth Deities generally derive their power from nature¡¯s spiritual energy, the only difference being that Heavenly Immortals cultivate the ¡°Heavenly Spirit,¡± Earth Deities cultivate ¡°Earth Aura,¡± while Human Gods absorb human incense offerings and the faith of the masses. Without discussing other cultivation methods, as there are no rted legacies in the divine seal, it only covers this ¡°Earth Deity¡± cultivation method. The so-called Earth Deities are the gods of and, establishing a connection with a ce through their divine seal, bing the Earth Deity of that ce, then nurturing a Spirit Land. The stronger the Spirit Land, the higher the status. There are many ways to enhance Spiritual Energy, such as sorting out the Earth Vein, changing geomancy, cultivating various animals and nts, establishing a natural ecosystem, and cycling between heaven and earth. All these can effectively enhance Spiritual Energy and elevate Earth Yuan. The ckwater River was originally just an ordinary river until the ckwater River God was bestowed the ckwater Divine Seal by the Heavenly Court, bing the Earth Deity of this ce. After thousands of years of effort, it transformed into the extraordinary ckwater River seen today by building the Divine Mansion, sorting the Earth Vein, and adjusting the geomancy. An Earth Deity can protect a region, transforming an ordinary ce into a realm as beautiful as the Immortals¡¯ abode. This is what is meant by the saying, ¡°Mountains are not esteemed for their height if they harbor Immortals, waters are not esteemed for their depth if they harbor Dragons! ¡± One can see the capabilities of an Earth Deity. Some powerful Earth Deities are even able to transformnd into territories, realms into small worlds of Cave Heaven Blessed Land, achieving longevity equal to the heavens. As long as the foundation of Cave Heaven Blessed Land remains intact, the Earth Deity can be undying and indestructible. Why did the ckwater River God die? Because he was too weak. Though he was also an Earth Deity, he had not reached the stage of ¡°transformingnd into territory¡± to elevate the ckwater River into a Spirit Land, let alone the ability to ¡°transform territory into realm,¡± turning the ckwater River into a small world of Cave Heaven Blessed Land. So he died, gravely injured by someone, with terrible wounds. He drained all the Earth Yuan Spiritual Qi from the ckwater River, even the aquatic soldiers and generals he had painstakingly nurtured, absorbing their Spiritual Energy until they perished. Even that was not enough to preserve his life, and in the end, he died of his severe injuries, his spirit and form both extinguished. Leaving behind only this ckwater Divine Seal. The Earth Ghost Divine Seal, out of the ordinary. Even though the ckwater River God had perished, this damaged divine seal still operated autonomously, regting the ckwater River¡¯s Earth Vein and geomancy, gathering Earth Yuan Spiritual Qi, and healing itself. As such, over millions of years, the ckwater River that the ckwater River God had ¡°drained dry¡± gradually regained its former state. Arge amount of Earth Yuan Spiritual Qi was drawn by the divine seal, converging around the Divine Mansion, turning it into the ¡°ck Water Forbidden Area.¡± The spiritual intentions carried within the Spiritual Energy were not as the Giant Turtle had mentioned, remnants of the ckwater River God¡¯s consciousness but originated from the divine seal itself. As it sorted the Earth Vein and condensed the Earth Yuan, it naturally had a certain degree of control over the Spiritual Energy.. Chapter 111 - 79: Becoming a God_l Chapter 111: Chapter 79: Bing a God_l Trantor: 549690339 Apart from the Earth Vein inheritance, within the ckwater Divine Seal there was a message disclosing to Xu Yang the cause of death for ¡°ck Water Dragon Monarch.¡± In this world, it¡¯s a world of Immortal Gods. With Immortal Gods manifesting and traversing the mortal realm, the Three Realms are dominated by the Nine Heavens Supreme Heavenly Venerable, ¡°Qiong Gao,¡± the Heavenly Emperor who reigns supreme over the Heavenly Court above,mands Fengdu below, receives worship from the world of humans, and makes the Four Seas bow in observance. Under the rule of the Heavenly Emperor, the Three Realms are orderly. Heaven, earth, humans, ghosts, and gods are distinctly separated. As a territorial Earth Deity, the ck Water Dragon Monarch could not ascend to heaven, but he enjoyed a few thousand years of peace in the ckwater River. Until one day, when a blood moon hung in the sky, the Demon Realm invaded. The great saint of the Demon Realm, ¡°Mara,¡± led a horde of demons in the invasion of the Three Realms. The gods of the Three Realms, led by the Heavenly Emperor, met the enemy head-on. A cataclysmic battle unfolded where gods died and demons perished. Countless Heavenly Immortals, Earth Deities, and Human Gods perished in that great battle. The ck Water Dragon Monarch sustained grave injuries from a powerful being of the Demon Realm. Despite managing to barely escape and retreating back to hisir in the ckwater River, he eventually sumbed to his wounds and died. This was the cause of the ck Water Dragon Monarch¡¯s demise. In the end, how did the battle unfold, who won and who lost? Xu Yang did not know, as there was no record in the divine seal. Yet, one could glimpse the leopard through the tube; from some of the current events, one could discern quite a few clues and signs. Did the Heavenly Emperor win? He probably did not. If the Heavenly Emperor had triumphed, repelled the Demon Realm¡¯s army, and resolved the crisis of the Three Realms, then the order of heaven and earth should have been restored by now. So why has no new river deity taken charge of the ckwater River after millions of years? Could it be that there were so many casualties that the positions were left severely vacant, to the extent that no new deities havee to take up the position of the river god? Impossible! Divine positions, like official posts, are always sought after as long as the imperial system is in ce. It wouldn¡¯t make sense for millions of years to pass, for the ckwater Divine Seal to autonomously gather Spiritual Energy and form an existence such as the ¡°ck Water Forbidden Area¡± without any other Earth Deitiesing to take charge of the ce. So, did the Heavenly Emperor lose? That doesn¡¯t make sense either. If the Heavenly Emperor were defeated and the Demon Realm victorious, then the world today should be teeming with chaos wrought by demons. Yet, why has Xu Yang not seen a single demon or ghost in the ckwater River and its surrounding areas after mingling there for so many years? So, what exactly happened? Xu Yang spected that the Heavenly Emperor neither lost nor won; the result was likely both sides suffering heavy damage. The Heavenly Court was severely damaged, and the Demon Realm retreated. The Heavenly Emperor and Mara both incurred heavy injuries and their whereabouts became unknown, leaving behind leaderless and heavily casualties-ridden gods of the Three Realms. Each returned to their respective ces of cultivation to heal and recover their Yuan Qi. This rest duration has been thousands of years. To this day, the system of the Heavenly Court has not been rebuilt, and the surviving gods have not fully recovered from their injuries; many are still in slumber, with some possibly meeting the same fate as the ck Water Dragon Monarch. Thus, no new Earth Deities havee to take over the position of the river deity of the ckwater River. After all, even those ¡°Emperor¡± level great deities are still in a slumber, healing; who would bother about a minor ce like the ckwater River? For deities, time is the least valuable. Having gone through an epochal war of Immortals, Demon Gods, and divine saints, taking tens of thousands of years to heal ispletely normal. So, the current situation is¡ ¡°Am I unbeatable under the heavens again?¡± As Xu Yang grasped the divine seal, he came to a usible yet not so usible conclusion. For the time being, within the ckwater River, indeed no one could rival him. Even outside the ckwater River, not many could contend with him. After all, the great deities were all healing, and the lesser deities, well, it was doubtful how many were even alive. As long as he didn¡¯t stir trouble in the abodes of the great gods, there would not be too many deities in the world capable of opposing him, or so to say, free enough to do so, possibly none at all. Should he venture out for a wander, then? Naturally, the answer was¡ no! The primary task at hand, was to study the method of the ¡°Earth Deity.¡± Xu Yang found this quite interesting. Heavenly Immortals, Earth Deities, and Human Gods, although different, are essentially part of the same system, which is the ¡°Divine God¡± path. The cultivation of Earth Deities depended on locality! First, establish a Spirit Land, then a Spirit Domain, and finally, transform the Spirit Domain into a realm, bing a Cave Heaven Blessed Land. Hence, Earth Deities can regte Earth Veins, optimize Feng Shui, enhance Earth Yuan power, and transform mundanends into Immortal Spirit domains. This not only serves as the ¡°authority¡± of Earth Deities but also as their cultivation method. It brings various benefits to Earth Deities, enhancing theirbat abilities, developing Divine Skills, extending life, and achieving immortality. That¡¯s right, immortality. Theoretically, Earth Deities can live forever. As long as the increase in lifespan provided by the Spirit Land exceeds the depletion caused by time, Earth Deities could attain longevity equivalent to heaven and earth. ck Water Dragon Monarch is one such example. As a Jiao Dragon with strong bloodlines, he naturally had a lifespan of thousands of years. After bing an Earth Deity, his lifespan was extended to tens of thousands of years. He died young, equivalent to a human in his twenties or thirties, which was akin to dying prematurely. Although it¡¯s uncertain whether the Earth Deity¡¯s method of prolonging life would be as potent if applied to the real world, Xu Yang still decided to cultivate it. After all, there¡¯s no downside. If you can cultivate, why not do it? To cultivate the method of an Earth Deity, one must first have a divine seal. Where does one acquire a divine seal? ording to the legacy information within the divine seal, it is an essence of nature, imbued with the profound truths of heaven and earth. There are only two ways to obtain it: one is through natural cultivation in ordance with thews of heaven and earth, and the other is through the authority of an ¡°Emperor¡± to refine it. The former requires a specific cultivation method, one must find and without a master and patiently congregate and cultivate over the years, only then might a divine seal be naturally birthed. Thetter method is much simpler; all that is needed is for an ¡°Emperor¡± level deity to divide their authority, creating a new divine seal. After taking charge of it, one bes an Earth Deity. This ckwater Divine Seal belongs to such category; it was formed by the ¡°East Sea Dragon King¡± when he divided the rivers of the world, and by taking charge of this seal, one can be the River God of the ckwater River. So the question arises: how can Xu Yang obtain the divine seal in the real world? To condense it himself, let alone whether he can seed, the consumption alone is something he cannot afford. Then¡ to bring this ckwater Divine Seal into the real world? Impossible, this divine seal was forged by the Dragon King as a division of authority, set for one domain, and cannot be changed. Even if he transferred this divine seal to the real world, he could not cultivate the Earth Deity Law since there is no ckwater River in the real world. What to do then? Xu Yang furrowed his brows, pondering without finding a solution. ¡°So, can I only wait until my realm rises and my strengths increase, until I have ample time and resources to condense the divine seal and then cultivate this Xu Yang looked at the ckwater Divine Seal, lost in deep thought for a long time before finally deciding, ¡°Never mind, I will cultivate first and see what happens. After all, umting experience and knowledge storage is something that one can never have too much of!¡± This was his forte: he never dwelled on pointless things, never fixated stubbornly on problems, and least of all worried about things that were of no use. First, cultivate then see. The cultivation method of the Earth Deity Law is very simple: it involves regting the earth veins, adjusting geomancy, and reinforcing the Earth Yuan Spirit Qi. ording to this logic, could it be that as long as the Spiritual Energy is sufficiently dense, the strength of an Earth Deity can be endlessly elevated? No, Spiritual Energy is only one of the standards and not the entire condition ror tne promotion or Eartn Deities. The strength of a Spirit Land, aside from the density of Spiritual Energy, also depends on the natural structure of its creatures. The Way of Earth Deities lies in nature; just having Spiritual Energy is not enough, it is also necessary to nurture creatures and build civilizations, to develop them like a world, a civilization, and at a certain stage, even assimte the incense belief of Human Gods. In fact, Heavenly Immortals, Earth Deities, and Human Gods, though they are three different developmental paths, their essence is the same system, the same road¡ªthey all belong to divine beings. The great way is three thousand, yet they all lead to the same destination. How much more for the same path? Whether Human Gods or Earth Deities, cultivation to the end is all the same: it¡¯s about bing a great existence that controls a part of the world. Therefore, in the cultivation of Earth Deities, apart from enhancing the Earth Yuan Spirit Qi, it is necessary to nurture creatures and even develop civilizations. A powerful civilization of creatures not only aids an Earth Deity in conflict but also improves the luck and status of a Spirit Land, bringing various benefits to an Earth Deity. Take for instance the master of the Three Realms, ¡°Qiong Gao, ¡± the Heavenly Emperor! What is the master of the Three Realms? It is the perfectbination of ¡°Heavenly Immortal,¡± ¡°Earth Deity,¡± and ¡°Human God,¡± the supreme existence of the Three Realms! The entire world is His Cave Heaven Blessed Land, all capable of providing Him with power, with support. The more prosperous the world, the more flourishing the civilization, the stronger His power bes. Hence, if Xu Yang wants to cultivate the Earth Deity Law, going it alone is not advisable; bringing others along for the ascent is the right path. ¡°Continue breeding, enhancing the quantity and quality of the Aquatic n, without worrying about the consumption of Spiritual Energy. After cultivating the Earth Deity Law, the more creatures belonging to the Spirit Land, the stronger the gathering effect of Spiritual Energy will be, which is beneficial for the growth of the Spirit Land.¡± ¡°Also, seek out Spiritual Medicine for cultivation. This world has extremely high status, abundant in Heavenly and Earthly spiritual objects, fully able to meet the material requirements for Foundation Building Pills. Cultivate some, send them back for reserves, and meanwhile, taking advantage of the time flow difference and the materials of this world, focus on enhancing the art of Alchemy. ¡± ¡°Finally¡ ¡± Xu Yang nced at the ckwater Divine Seal in his w and then soared, hovering above the grand hall. ¡°Roaar! ! A dragon¡¯s roar shook everything as waves of ck Water surged towards him, and three pieces of ck Water Essence were swallowed by him. ck Water Essence, condensed from Spiritual Energy, isparable to top-grade Spirit Stones. Spirit Stones can not only be used as currency but also aid in cultivation; the higher the quality, the purer the Spiritual Energy, and the better the effect. It is said that one supreme grade Spirit Stone can even rece the Nascent Soul Condensing spiritual objects, helping Golden Core Cultivators ascend to the Nascent Soul Realm. Although Xu Yang did not have supreme grade Spirit Stones, three pieces of ck Water Essence,parable to top-grade Spirit Stones, along with the massive Spiritual Energy drawn by the divine seal, were already enough to rece the supreme grade Foundation Building Pill and help him securely break through to the fifth realm of Body Training and cultivate a Foundation Establishment Demon Body. Yes, he was going to break through and do it now. After all, he had umted decades in the ckwater River; what needed tempering had been tempered. Now that he had obtained the ckwater Divine Seal, a breakthrough was just a matter of course. This breakthrough would also add anotheryer of experience for his real world¡¯s self and be greatly advantageous for future breakthroughs. ¡°Roaar!! ! ¡± Within the raging ck Water, a Green Jiao coiled, absorbing the pure Spiritual Energy, and underwent the Fish -Dragon Change. ¡°Boom boom boom!¡± The ckwater Divine Mansion trembled, and an almost tangible pressure spread, as if dering to the creatures in the river that the Dragon Monarch had taken his ce, and ck Water had a master.. Chapter 112 - 79: Red Moon_l Chapter 112: Chapter 79: Red Moon_l Trantor: 549690339 Time marches on, years pass like an arrow, and a hundred years have quicklye and gone. The ckwater River remains the ckwater River, yet much has changed. ¡°Lord Dragon King¡¯s procession is setting off!¡± Gongs and drums thunder, firecrackers burst in unison as myriadmon folks gather at the bank of the ckwater River to stroll through the temple fair and worship the Dragon King. Eight burly men lift a stone statue of the Dragon King, parading it through the streets. Moreover, numerous farmerse to the fish farm, pouring down sacks of fish food. Within the waters of the river, a multitude of fish scramble for the food, including some gigantic creatures and even Spirit Monsters. But the people are ustomed to these sights, minding only their task of pouring down the fish food, with children watching alongside, pointing and eximing, theirughter unending. ¡°I wonder if Lord Dragon King will make an appearance tonight?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? He definitely will. Today¡¯s the second day of the second lunar month, ¡®Dragon Rising Day,¡¯ a grand day for the Lord Dragon King. How could he not join in the festivities with the people?¡± ¡°All thanks to Lord Dragon King¡¯s blessings, there are no longer any water monsters eating people in the ckwater River, and our surroundings enjoy favorable weather for crops!¡± ¡°It is said that the temple hosts of the Dragon King¡¯s temple are all disciples of Lord Dragon King. Lord Dragon King has passed down numerous farming techniques, blessing us with favorable weather and greatly increased grain yields, yielding bountiful harvests year after year.¡± ¡°Look at those men, carrying a statue of the Dragon King weighing tens of thousands of pounds on their shoulders like it¡¯s as light as cotton ¨C no effort at all. Indeed, they all have learned Immortal Laws from Lord Dragon King, and will be Immortals in the future.¡± The crowd is abuzz with heated discussions. Meanwhile, within the ckwater River. The water grows deeper, the Spiritual Energy thicker. Each waterway is closely guarded, with shrimp soldiers and eel dragon patrols moving back and forth. At a closer look, beneath theyers of dark water, lies a ck Crystal Dragon Pce, the Divine Mansion of the ck Water Dragon Monarch. Each of the four gates of the Divine Mansion is guarded by the Water Army of four departments. At the southern gate, there stands a general with a Jiao¡¯s head and human body, d in chainmail of locked gold, wielding a trident entwined with electric light, exuding an imposing presence¡ªit¡¯s the Electro Department¡¯s great general, Eel Dragon Jiao! At the northern gate, a general with bulging eyes and a corpulent body, bncing on a single leg, his body gleaming with golden luster, wearing only arge red cape draped behind him, fights bare-handed and looks fiercely powerful¡ªit¡¯s the Dou Department¡¯s great general, Golden Toad King! At the eastern gate, another general with a Jiao¡¯s head, hissing and spitting out a long letter, appears to be transformed from snake skin, with a Xuan Water magic sword hanging at the waist, entrancingly seductive and captivating¡ªit¡¯s the Dragon Department¡¯s great general, the warrior woman Bai Jiaojiao! At the western gate, a general with ck skin and a white belly, extremely corpulent, wielding a pair of eight-sided golden mallets, possessing the strength to crush waves and shatter mountains¡ªit¡¯s the Mysterious Department¡¯s Big Belly General! Beyond the gates, within the water mansion, m Spirits act as attendants¡ªradiant and enchanting¡ªwhile the Turtle Minister is a chancellor, the epitome ofposure. ¡°Quick, quick, quick, you maidens, howe you are slower than this old fellow?¡± An elder with a turtle shell and cor urges on a group of m Spirit attendants, ¡°Hasten with these dishes and drinks; do not dy the Dragon Monarch¡¯s enjoyment of his wine.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The attendants reply in chorus, tittering as they carry the food and drinks into the hall. Within the vast main hall, a Green Jiao with a nine Zhang long body reclines on the Dragon Throne in an almost humanlike pose. Numerous attendants flit through the hall, pouring spiritual wine intorge bathtub-sized goblets, and there are also grains of Spirit Rice the size of fruits, as well as roasted beef and mutton¡ Indeed, roasted, for fire can be kindled within this water mansion to cook food to perfection. ¡°Dragon Monarch, please enjoy!¡± ¡°Hmm-!¡± Xu Yang stretches out a short w, lifts a goblet, and drinks it all in one gulp, then tosses a few roasted and cooked beef and mutton into his mouth, chewing and swallowing contentedly before lying back on the Dragon Throne. As mentioned before, Green Fish are naturallyzy, preferring stillness over action. Instinct has a profound influence and has made Xu Yang increasingly indolent and fond of pleasures, requiring periods of ¡°wine pools and meat forests¡± every so often. Whenpared to his constantly arduous, diligent cultivation, it¡¯s an extravagantlyfortable existence. For this, Xu Yang finds no solution; such are the instincts of the body, which he cannot fully resist. It¡¯s good enough not to be swayed by the ¡°naturally lecherous dragon nature¡±. If one doesn¡¯t loosen up to the ¡°inherently salty fish nature¡±, this body might well go mad with restraint. Naturally, instincts are just that, with only some influence, but not enough topletely dictate actions. In these past hundred years, Xu Yang nevertheless aplished many things. Like¡ ¡°How are things at the Spirit Medicine Garden?¡± Having drunk another cup of Spiritual Wine and feeling slightly intoxicated, Xu Yang casts his gaze downward and asks the attendant beside him. Not daring to dy, the woman promptly responds, ¡°Reporting back to Master, under the nourishment of Spiritual Energy, there will be three batches of Spiritual Medicine ripening this month. Master, would you like to harvest them personally, or shall your disciples do it in your stead?¡± Lounging on the Dragon Throne, Xu Yangzily waves a paw, ¡®You go.¡± ¡®Yes!¡± The woman nods, taking care to remember. She is Xu Yang¡¯s foremost disciple, one of the few from the Human n in the water mansion. Over sixty years ago, a group of people suddenly arrived at the banks of the ckvvater River, chanting something about sacrificing to the Dragon King, then they threw her and several boys and girls into the river. And then¡ Xu Yang had a group of disciples and began to make contact with the humans of this world, formally extending his influence beyond the ckwater River. He has no ns to fight for supremacy in the world again. In this world full of Immortal Gods, although the great deities are mostly slumbering now, Xu Yang still dares not to be too ostentatious, content to be an idle fish in the ckwater River. Extending his influence outwards is only to probe for information and gather Spiritual Medicine; nothing more. Aside from recruiting and instructing these Human n disciples, Xu Yang did not neglect his own strength and the development of the Aquatic n. In a hundred years, he has reflected upon himself, achieved insights, created the Fish -Dragon Transformation ¡°Transformation Realm¡± Cultivation Technique, and with the aid of the ckwater Divine Seal, seeded in cultivation. He is now a Great Transformation Demon,parable to a Golden Core, with a Dragon Ball fully formed.. Chapter 113 - 79: Red Moon_2 Chapter 113: Chapter 79: Red Moon_2 Trantor: 549690339 On the side of the Aquatic n, since taking over the ckwater Divine Seal, Ipletely gained control of the ckwater River and was able to summon Earth Yuan Spirit Qi at will. Therefore, the Great Ye of cultivation received further enhancements, leading to a steep rise in the numbers of the ckwater Aquatic n, and the Water Army divisions developed swiftly. Now, there are a hundred thousand Water Army soldiers, divided into four divisions: ¡°Mystery,¡± ¡°Dragon,¡± ¡°Big Dipper,¡± and ¡°Electricity.¡± Each division¡¯s general is a Golden Core Great Transformation Demon,manding hundreds of Foundation Establishment lieutenants with Demon Bodies. As for soldiers at the Demon Beast level, their numbers exceed ten thousand. Golden Cores are difficult to achieve, and demonic cultivation is even harder. These four generals could, in a mere hundred years, be Great Transformation Demons with internal pills, all thanks to my ¡°enlightenment.¡± It was an enlightenment of both the cultivation skills and the authority of the Earth Deities. Yes, the authority of the Earth Deities can also enlighten and awaken, and whenbined with the enlightenment traits of the cultivation skills, the dual effects ovepped to achieve such advancement. Both in terms of strength and influence, the progress was immense. Only one aspect remained stagnant. That was the Earth Deity Cultivation Method, the development of the Spirit Land. After cultivating, Xu Yang realized just how difficult the Earth Deity Cultivation Method was. It can be divided into five major realms: Mortal Land, Spirit Land, Spirit Realm, Blessed Land, and Cave Heaven! The ckwater River currently belongs to the Spirit Land level, but this was not my achievement¡ªit was the result of the autonomous operation of the ckwater Divine Seal over the past millions of years, gathering Spiritual Energy and elevating the Earth Yuan. A hundred years ago, when I took over the divine seal and began the Earth Deity cultivation, the ckwater River was already at the Spirit Land level. A hundred yearster, despite my painstaking efforts to improve the quality of the ckwater Aquatic n by several folds, transnting numerous Spiritual Objects, and even receiving offerings of incense from themon people and the willpower of the popce, the ckwater River remained at the Spirit Land level. Although there are ranks within the Spirit Lands, the fact that a hundred years of hard work failed to advance even one realm, despite many skills helping development, shows just how arduous the path of Earth Deity cultivation is. In fact, Earth Deity cultivation isn¡¯t measured in terms of hundreds of years but in terms of thousands or tens of thousands of years. The former ck Water Dragon Monarch spent thousands of years to barely raise the ckwater River to the ¡°Superior Spirit Land¡± level. However, once the Demon Realm invaded, the entire realm copsed in one fell swoop, dissipating like smoke. Now that I¡¯ve taken over, starting from the ¡°Inferior Spirit Land¡± level, a hundred years of hard work has only just managed to touch the threshold of the ¡°Middle Spirit Land.¡± Thus, to elevate to Superior Spirit Land and then turn the Superior Spirit Land into a Spirit Realm, as well as the Spirit Realm into Blessed Land and Cave Heaven, it would take hundreds of thousands, if not millions of years, to be sessful. This clearly shows how difficult the way of the Earth Deities is. Fortunately, the Earth Deity Cultivation Method does not hinder cultivation progress. It is like¡ a profession? Yes, a profession, specifically a profession called ¡°Deities.¡± The ranking of the deity profession only affects its efficacy and does not limit advancement in other areas. Theoretically speaking, even if Xu Yang¡¯s Earth Deity Cultivation Method does not advance and he remains a minor River God forever, it won¡¯t prevent him from practicing martial arts and cultivation, and reaching the realm of Martial True Immortals. A deity¡¯s position is one thing, cultivation is another; high ranking deities are naturally strong, but low-ranking deities are not necessarily weak. That¡¯s the logic. Therefore, Xu Yang didn¡¯t care much about it and continued living hisx life: raising fish, nting grass, asionally firing up the furnace to refine pills, improving his skills proficiency, further researching talismans and formations, all the while maintaining cultivation at a rxed pace as he pondered the Fish-Dragon Transformation Skill¡ Like this, more than a hundred years have passed. His alchemy had greatly improved, and now he had a seventy percent chance of being able to sessfully create Foundation Building Pills. A seventy percent chance is quite significant. It should be noted that even a tier three Pill Master has only a seventy to eighty percent chance of creating Foundation Building Pills, with forty percent of that reliant on their profound cultivation, controlling it with their Divine Soul and Mana. Xu Yang, now also a Golden Core-equivalent Great Transformation Demon, had a seventy percent chance, thanks to his cultivation strength advantage, to create Foundation Building Pills. It was time to try, and in fact, he was already trying. Periodically, he would expend his Divine Soul¡¯s power to transport the Spiritual Medicine grown in the ckwater River into the real world. Now, the real world¡¯s reserves of Spiritual Medicine were sufficient for him to attempt making Foundation Building Pills three times. That was the umtion of a hundred years in the ckwater River. The harvest was vast. But there was still a regret, and that was¡ Cultivation Techniques! In this world, although there were Immortal Gods once, that was tens of millions of years ago. Tens of millions of years ago, during the war between gods and demons, the heaven shattered and the earth cracked. Countless Heavenly Immortals, Earth Deities, and Human Gods fell; mortals needless to say, except for those who were fortunate enough to receive the protection of great gods and escape into Cave Heaven Blessed Lands, the rest were basically wiped out. The current Human n was entirely new, with absolutely no inheritance from the Ancient Immortal Gods. The inheritances of those Ancient Immortal Gods, along with the rted Cultivation Techniques, Jade Slips, and Dao books, had been destroyed in that great war. What little survived could not withstand the erosion of time. The fact that a ce like the ckwater Divine Mansion could leave behind a mansion and a divine seal was luck within luck. For a hundred years, Xu Yang had been dedicated to searching for ¡°Immortals¡¯ Cave Mansions¡± and ¡°Earth Deities¡¯ Lost Treasures,¡± but to no avail. A few great gods¡¯ sacred mountains and Dao ces he, a ¡°stateless person,¡± did not dare to visit rashly, resulting in him not even having ess to the higher-tier Cultivation Techniques. He was still practicing a version of Fish-Dragon Transformation that he had modified reference to his own form. This made Xu Yang somewhat distressed. Hecked Cultivation Techniques. The Martial Arts Scripture he had only extrapted to the ¡°Golden Core Embrace¡± realm. It was the same with the Cultivation Skills; all the Cultivator Techniques he had were only those of Foundation Establishment, with nothing on Golden Core, let alone the methods to break through from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core. These were monopolized by the Golden Core Sects. To acquire Golden Core Techniques, one would have to approach Golden Core Sects to purchase or exchange for them. Yet, the techniques Xu Yang had were all obtained from Qi Cultivation cultivators, the strongest being on the level of The Three Scourges of White Dragon. How could they have the capital toe in contact with Golden Core Sects? Now, Xu Yang only had one set of techniques that contained the Golden Core chapters, which was the Fish-Dragon Transformation. This Fish-Dragon Transformation was created by him referencing his own Fish-Dragon Form. Rather than calling it creation, it was more about riding the wave and assisting its surge, naturally expediting the evolution of the ¡°Fish-Dragon Form.¡± His original human body could not imitate and cultivate it at all. Hence, his primary goal now was to acquire the inheritance of the Immortal Gods from this world, preferably developing all the way to a Daluo Golden Immortal without having to worry about theck of Cultivation Techniques ever again. However¡ Just as Xu Yang was contemting how to find the inheritance of the Immortal Gods¡ At the bank of ckwater River, the drums and gongs were deafening, marking the climax of the temple fair. Suddenly¡ A mass of Yang Yun clouds surged, obscuring the sky and blocking the sun! ¡°Why has it gotten dark?¡± ¡°Could it be going to rain?¡± ¡°Why would Lord Dragon King arrange for rain today?¡± Everyone was astonished, looking up to see the great darkened sky covering the vault of heaven. Amidst the darkness, a bloody light could be seen, slowly taking shape, unfolding from a crescent into a half-moon, then from a half-moon into a full moon, sinister and inauspicious, casting its light over the heavens. Blood Moon in the sky! ¡°Boom!!!¡± In an instant, the water surface exploded, and a dragon shadow flew out of ckwater River, rushing into the sky, staring uncertainly at that blood moon. ¡°Qiong Gao, thou hast lost!¡± At the same time, in the space between heaven and earth, a voice indescribable and beyond characterization boomed, announcing to all beings of the Three Realms. ¡°I am Mara, the Master of the Six Heavens of the Demon Realm, the Great Freely Wandering Heavenly Demon King!¡± ¡°This world belongs to me!¡± Chapter 114 - 80: Total Annihilation_1 Chapter 114: Chapter 80: Total Annihtion_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Mara!!!¡± Although Xu Yang had already felt an ominous premonition, hearing this revered name still sent shivers down his spine, as if a great terror had descended upon him, leaving him terrified and his soul shattered, powerless, like a fish on a chopping block. This was unrted to one¡¯s will or determination. It was sheer suppression due to the disparities in power and standing. Even the most resilient ant would tremble before the Immortal Gods and bow down in fear. Strength, position, the vast differences in the levels of life¡ªthese were not things that will or determination could ovee. That being, the one in existence, was too powerful, so much so that words could not describe his might. Even Xu Yang, the ck Water Dragon Monarch, with the status of an Earthly God Authority and his Golden Core Transformation, was overwhelmed; not to mention the millions of mortals gathered on both banks of the river, all of whom stood petrified, staring nkly at the red moon in the sky. The red moon hung high, and its blood light illuminated the Three Realms and Six Paths. Then the sky cracked, stars fell, and one Demon God after another descended from beyond the universe. ¡°Heavenly Will!¡± From Mount Tai of the Eastern Peak, a sigh echoed from the underworld, followed by an earthquake that shook the mountains. The revered Five Peaks crumbled into the depths of the earth, leaving behind only a dark abyss, leading to an unknown part of theherworld. In the vast Four Seas, the Jiao Dragons roared in anger, and thousands of them followed the True Dragon, spinning to open up a whirlpool in the sea, into which a crystal pce disappeared without a trace as well. ¡°Catastrophe! ¡± Above the Nine Heavens, a pce rose with the wind, breaking through the Broken Void, and vanished into the vastness of the sky. All over the Three Realms, famous mountains and great rivers witnessed the glittering of divine lights, as one after another, daoist ces of practice, Divine Domains, Blessed Lands, and Cave Heavens became separate. ¡°Ha ha ha!¡± ¡°Where do you think you are going!¡± ¡°Stay!¡± Outside the firmament, hordes of demons descended, intercepting the gods from all directions. More Demon Gods swung their colossal arms, casting countless seeds of theherworld¡¯s Blood Sea, which transformed into Asura Demon Generals that fell into the Three Realms. ¡°Wash the Three Realms with blood, turn them into the Blood Sea, and let them join myher river!¡± ¡°Kill! Kill! Kill!¡± Countless Asura Demon Generals descended upon the mortal world, and with the red moon above, they weptherworld blood rain. Amongst the blood rain, the bewildered people underwent horrific mutations. ¡°Kill¡ kill¡ kill!¡± ¡°Heh! Heh! Hell!¡± Those bathed in the blood rain rapidly transformed, the majority turning into Demon Soldiers, with only a few surviving. But this survival was no blessing, as the Demon Soldiers immediately began to ughter, turning the lively festival and markets into a blood-soaked battlefield in an instant. In the sky, the Green Jiao was suspended, and although its body was not mutated by the blood rain, its spirit was still in shock. At that moment, amidst his consciousness, the ckwater Divine Seal suddenly vibrated, conveying a sense of tranquility. Earth Deity Law, Natural Way! In an instant, the shock dissipated, and Xu Yang awoke in astonishment. But before he could act, he saw¡ ¡°Kill! Kill! Kill!¡± A demon general descended from the sky, standing thirty feet tall, with three heads and eight arms, extraordinarily ugly and extremely frightening. ¡°Asura! ¡± The name suddenly popped into Xu Yang¡¯s mind, making him realize the origin of his opponent. It was indeed one of the six paths of the Demon Realm, the Blood Sea Ashura of the Netherworld! This n was born from the creative forces of the Netherworld Blood Sea, the males grotesquely ugly, the females beautiful, all quick to anger and fond of fighting, to the extent of extreme ferocity. This Asura demon general descended from the sky, bathed in blood. Without a word to Xu Yang, he raised his eight Asura arms, ready tounch an eight-arm dragon attack. Xu Yang¡¯s eyes narrowed as he spurred the Dragon Ball. Lightning exploded around his body, and he became a thunderbolt that cleaved toward the demon general. ¡°Kill kill kill! The might of the thunderbolt was not to be underestimated, but the Asura demon general had no fear, shaking his eight arms wildly and striking in frenzy, he met the force of the lightning with his bare body. What a formidable Asura demon general, his eight arms whirling in a frenzied blow¡ªnot only did he smash the thunderbolt but also continued his assault directly before the Green Jiao, disying the might of the Blood Sea Ashura. But Xu Yang was not one to be easily dealt with. His dragon tail swung out, crackling with electricity,bining the force of the Jiao Dragon with that of lightning, heavilyshing the body of the Asura demon general, and striking a dazzling lightning fire across his bloody armor. ¡°Kill kill kill!¡± Yet the Asura was fearless, growing wilder as the battle raged on. His arms in front embraced the tail of the Green Jiao, while the six arms on the sides moved vigorously, dealing heavy blows to the body of the Green Jiao, shattering the Green Jade Scales and inflicting severe injuries. This demon¡¯s strength was even greater than that of a Golden Core cultivator! Xu Yang¡¯s eyes focused, and he made up his mind. His body, like a huge serpent, wrapped around the Asura¡¯s body. The body of the Asura, reaching thirty feet high, couldn¡¯t bepletely ensnared by the body of the Jiao Dragon that was nearly thirty feet. He could only wind around him a few times and restrain the Asura¡¯s eight arms. Yet it was not enough topletely bind him. The Asura demon general let out a wild battle cry as his demonic might surged again. His eight arms struggled furiously, bursting forth with a terrifying strength that made the Jiao Dragon¡¯s body tremble, scales shatter, and mystical yellow blood ssh. If that was the case, the Jiao Dragon still refused to relent, clinging desperately to the demon¡¯s body, while summoning the power of the ck Water Earth Yuan. ¡°Boom rumble!¡± The sky darkened, lightning shed, and thunder roared. From within the ckwater River, nine dragon shadows emerged, entwining the Asura demon general like chains, pulling him down, intending to sink him into the river. It was the earthly god authority wielding the power of the spiritnd to attack a powerful foe! The Nine-headed ck Water Dragon represented the power of the entire ckvvater River ¨C the equivalent of the river unleashing its full might. Thus, as the nine dragons tangled and pulled, the Asura demon general still wouldn¡¯t yield, standing firm against the might of the Earth Deities in the void. Just then¡ An enormous whirlpool formed in the ckwater River, emanating the force of the Earth¡¯s pr ma. If at that moment a Human God had swept his divine sense across the area, he would have discovered an army of hundreds of Mystical Tortoises arrayed in a battle formation at the bottom of the ckwater River, heedless of the cost, wielding the power of the Earth¡¯s pr ma to ensnare the Asura and drag him down. The Water Army of the Mysterious Department, aiding with their formation, exerted the divine skill bestowed personally by the Giant Turtle in ancient times ¨C the Earth Yuan Heavy Water! With thebined force of Earth Deity Law, Divine Skills, and Green Jiao¡¯s desperate fight, the Asura demon general ultimately couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and his thirty-foot-tall body crashed thunderously into the water. ¡°Crack pop pop!¡± The moment the Asura demon general entered the water, countless electric currents stirred, forming a golden electric. The Electro Department Water Army! The lead general of the Electro Department, an Eel Dragon Jiao that had undergone Transformation, wielding a three-pronged fork, led ten thousand elite soldiers of the Electro Department in a battle formation. Countless currents flowed with the water, creating an electric that enveloped the Asura demon general. Upon seeing this, the Asura demon general was also astonished. Although his murderous rage reached the heavens, he had not lost his reason, and within that violent killing, a thread of lucidity persisted. This was why he found it strange that these Aquatic n members were unaffected by the magical rain, even assisting the Jiao Dragon. You see, this rain originated from the blood river of the Demon Realm¡¯s six paths, which birthed the Asuras. Even the dragon ns of the Four Seas would be bewitched by it, so what ability did these Aquatic n members possess to resist its influence? Could it be that the godhood of this Jiao Dragon was above even that of the Dragon Kings of the Four Seas? Impossible! Then what was the exnation? The Asura Demon General was baffled. However, he quickly cast aside this doubt, furiously struggling with his eight arms, attempting to break free from his bonds. He was not suited for thinking; whatever peculiarities this Jiao Dragon had, killing was the answer. Asuras were born to kill, fighting against the heavens and the earth, never resting until death! ¡°Kill, kill, kill!¡± The Asura roared furiously, his cries of ughter shaking the heavens, his Demon God¡¯s fighting power climbing once more. ¡°Bang!¡± The Green Jade Scales shone brilliantly before shattering, blood of a ck-yellow hue spurting out, yet still tightly binding the Asura¡¯s eight arms. Ignoring the pain in his body, with a peaceful gaze, Xu Yang looked toward the ckwater River. He thought of the ckwater River that he had painstakingly built bit by bit, and his heart filled with countless thoughts, ultimately settling on a single sigh. ¡°Everyone, flee for your lives!¡± A sigh, a thought, and in an instant, it spread all across the riverbed of the ckvvater River. ¡°Dragon Monarch!¡± ¡°Master!¡± The Water Army¡¯s divisions, the generals, and the many Disciples who rushed over from the Divine Mansion were all shocked beyond measure by the thought conveyed. They were ovee with a foreboding premonition that caused them to shiver. Xu Yang said nothing else, his thoughtsmanding forces everywhere, then clenched his body regardless of his injuries to restrain the Asura¡¯s eight arms, and the giant head of the Jiao Dragon revolved,ing face to face with the Asura Demon General. Not just facing each other, but pressing close. The head of the Jiao Dragon pushed against the Asura¡¯s forehead, foreheads and eyes locked in a confrontation, one side cold and unfeeling, the other brimming with murderous intent. Tangible res shot out, violently colliding in the void. ¡°Kill! ! ! In the face of the Jiao Dragon¡¯s cold gaze, the Asuraughed madly, his killing intent soaring skyward, utterly indifferent to his predicament. ¡°Die!¡± Xu Yang kept his words sparse as well. Lightning flickered all around him, seeping out from within, making his ten- zhang-long body instantly light up. In the blink of an eye, he transformed from a ¡°Green Jiao¡± into a ¡°Golden Dragon!¡± Inside the belly of the Golden Dragon was a Golden Core, also crisscrossed with lightning, generating thunder spontaneously, and emanating an aura of destruction. At all costs, detonate the Dragon Ball! Thunder-Driving, Lightning-Lifting, unleashing his full might! No, not just the Dragon Ball! Within his Divine Soul, between the Sea of Consciousness, a divine seal radiated brilliance. The authority of the Earthly God, the ckwater Divine Seal, was disintegrating and destroying itself in the Sea of Consciousness. Ultimately¡ ¡°Boom!!!¡± A tumultuous explosion, and a golden glow burst forth from the pitch -ck depths, like the light of dawn or the luster of a pearl. Regardless of what it was, everything was destruction, devouring all that was to be destroyed. The entwined Jiao Dragon Asura was consumed in an instant, vanishing into the boundless brilliance of the lightning. A sudden explosion, annihtion in all directions! A thousand Zhang in range, creating a vacuum, the ckwater surged up, wrapping countless Aquatic n members, sweeping across all sides. ¡°Dragon Monarch!¡± ¡°Master!¡± Countless frantic cries, caught between the ck rain and the blood, heading towards an almost desperate future. In the real world, atop his bed. ¡°Heh!!!¡± Xu Yang¡¯s eyes snapped open, and he sat up with a start, drenched in a heavy sweat as if he had just experienced a nightmare. A nightmare? Indeed a nightmare! Mara, ruler of six heavens in the Demon Realm, the King of Heavenly Demons at ease! That sensation of having his spirit, soul, and consciousnesspletely overtaken left an extremely terrifying psychological shadow on him. Even awakening from the dream and returning to reality, he could notpletely dispel it. Even though he had be part of the Immortal Gods in this life¡¯s dream, after that ordeal, he realized thatpared to those true deities and demons, he was still as insignificant as an ant, as humble as dust! The gap in stature and level could not be erased by grand words and bold speeches. Therefore, he said nothing, only sitting silently on his bed. After a long time, his heart finally settled down, and he vaguely sensed a transformation. Between life and death, there is great terror! Confronting such beings, the terror exceeds even that of life and death. This terror could be a demon obstructing one¡¯s mind but also aids in the transformation of one¡¯s spirit, and in the act of self-realization. Whether Xu Yang was the former or thetter ¡ He couldn¡¯t tell. But indeed, his heart had rxed, finding peace. Afterward, he lowered his gaze and looked at his hand, the hand that had been clenched into a fist all along. As he spread his palm open, in the centery a speck of crystal brilliance! This was thest gain from the ck Water World; after the divine seal disintegrated and expended the strength of the Dragon Soul, in the instant of self-destruction, a fragment was transmitted back. No, to call it a fragment was an overstatement; it was merely a speck of crystal! Yet, it was this very speck of crystal that had drained him, the ck Water Dragon Monarch, the Great Transformation Demon of the Jiao Dragon¡¯s soul. Chapter 115 - 81: Harvest (Summary)_l Chapter 115: Chapter 81: Harvest (Summary)_l Trantor: 549690339 Although Zhuangzhou Mengdie allows for the interchange of existence and non-existence and the transmission of various items, it is not a matter of sending whatever one wishes. One must act ording to their capabilities! Take the ckwater Divine Seal, for instance, Xu Yang once entertained the thought. However, he discovered that the divine soul power required to transmit the ckwater Divine Seal was terrifyingly vast; even Jiao Dragons at the Golden Core Transformation tier could not satisfy even one ten-thousandth of it. Indeed, one ten-thousandth! Is the ckwater Divine Seal truly so precious that the soul of a Jiao Dragon at the Golden Core Transformation tier cannot transmit even one ten-thousandth of it? Xu Yang did not understand at first either, butter he gradually realized it was not the ckwater Divine Seal that was valuable, but the ¡°ck Water River!¡± The divine seal is the tangible right of the heavens and the earth; to transmit the divine seal is to transmit the heavens and the earth, to transmit a world! Just imagine, tearing the entire ck Water River from the ck Water World and moving it through transmission to the real world. How much energy would it consume to go back and forth, in and out? For a mere Jiao Dragon at the Golden Core tier, being insufficient to even one ten-thousandth of it ispletely reasonable. So what about this bit of crystal¡ Is it one ten-millionth or one hundred-millionth? Neither. Through research, Xu Yang found that to transmit the entire divine seal, which would mean transmitting the entire ck Water River, waspletely unrealistic. But by this, he also proposed a bold conjecture. If not the entire ck Water River, just a bit of ck Water, or even without the ck Water, just an empty divine seal? Would the cost be much lower then? Xu Yang had not tried, but he thought it was feasible, so in the final moments of his self-destruction, he attempted it, breaking down the divine seal, severing the right, and creating an ¡°empty¡± divine seal. Then, he seeded, though notpletely. The right and the divine seal were one and the same; there was no such thing as ¡°empty.¡± So after severing the right, Xu Yang did not get aplete empty divine seal but only a piece of an iplete divine seal shard. The function of this shard is¡ Xu Yang rose, left the little cabin, and entered the medicinal field. Looking at the small ind where he had been living for nearly twenty years, he hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he chose to embed the divine seal shard into the ground. As the shard entered the earth, there was no sound, and everything seemed normal, yet something was changing imperceptibly in the darkness. Xu Yang had no words, only activated Divine Intent and entered the Unity of Heaven and Man state. Soon after, he brought his hands together in a seal, and in an instant, the Earth Aura gathered like dragons, forming a point of Spirit Light that fell into the center of his brows. This is¡ªCondensing Spirit, the method of solidifying a divine seal! As mentioned earlier, divine seals came from two sources: one was the condensation of heaven and earth, and the other was the division by godhood. Condensation of heaven and earth is divided into natural condensation and artificial condensation. The former needs no exnation, but thetter requires finding an ownerlessnd not yet solidified into a divine seal. Using the ¡°sealing¡± method to gather Earth Aura, it would take years, perhaps even centuries of continuous effort, to sessfully form a divine seal. This method is extremely time-consuming, taking at least a hundred years of nonstop gathering of Earth Aura to seed. But now¡ Within Xu Yang¡¯s sea of consciousness, a seal floated. He had seeded! This was the function of that bit of a divine seal shard, allowing Xu Yang to rapidly solidify a divine seal. It¡¯s just¡ a little small! The Spiritual Land range of this divine seal authority was just like its predecessor, only a tiny bit. How tiny is it? Just this medicinal field, this less than fifty square meters medicinal field! Heavens be merciful, even for the lowest tier Earth Deities holding the Earth God position, the divine seal authority¡¯s Spiritual Land spans over ten miles, epassing one or more viges. For slightly higher-tier Earth Deities, like his position as ck Water Dragon Monarch, the divine seal authority¡¯s Spiritual Land is the entire ck Water River, stretching over eight hundred miles just like Dongting Lake. What does this less than fifty square meters medicinal field amount to? Even a well-residing Dragon King has tens to hundreds of miles of underwater area beneath the well! Isn¡¯t his miniature version a bit too extreme? Xu Yang was somewhat helpless. But soon he epted reality and consoled himself, ¡°It may be small, but it¡¯s better than nothing. Not to mention that it can grow in the future. In this world, there should be no one else cultivating the Earth Deity Law. With only me, it will surely develop rapidly.¡± Although this was self-constion, it was not unreasonable. The cultivation of Earth Deities relies upon the Spiritual Land. With proper management, the Spiritual Land can indeed grow. Especially in this world, without the restraint of the Heavenly Court orpetition from godhood, as long as he could handle those Cultivators and invest vast resources, the Spiritual Land would rapidly develop. A low starting point hardly mattered. Not to mention, he still had an ¡°external bonus!¡± Xu Yang Lifespan: 70/350 Cultivation: Condensing Spirit and Rebirth (internal and external training, four-tiered realm) Pre-existing skills: Eating, Sleeping, Breathing, Cooking, Fishing, Boating, Disguising, Knife Sharpening, Throwing Weapons, Swimming, Butchering, Walking, Archery, Reading, Training in Martial Arts, Taoist Skills, Medical Arts¡ New traits: Dreaming (Zhuangzhou Mengdie, Cycle of Rebirth, Divine Travel Through Worlds) Beast Taming (Enlightening Transmutation, Thriving Growth, Dragon King¡¯s Command, Dragon Monarch¡¯s Grace, Fish Leaping Over Dragon Gate) Formation (Stone Formations, Mirroring Moon in the Water, Strategy and Battle Formations, Assisting with Mystic Water) Spirit nt (Exotic Flowers and Rare Herbs, Cultivation of Fine Species, Minor Cloud Rain Skill, Thriving Growth, Pest-Free and Fewer Diseases, Bountiful Harvest of Grains) Artifact Refining (Skilled Craftsmanship, Divine Weapons and Equipment, Aquatic n Soldier¡¯s Armor) New Skills: Alchemy (Practice Makes Perfect, Grass and Wood Spirit Pills) Painting Talisman (Inspired Brushwork, Thunder Talisman Lightning Spell) Earth Deities (Tending to Earth Veins, Earth Deity Transformation, If There Be Dragons, The Land Thrives, Shrimp Soldiers and Crab Generals, m Ladies and Turtle Ministers, Dragon Department¡¯s Personal Army) Martial Arts: Martial Arts Scripture. Innate Ability: Thunder Commanding Power. Xu Yang dreamed he was a fish for just over a hundred years, after which he perished in the Blood Moon Cmity brought about by the descent of Mara. In just over a hundred years, he didn¡¯t master many skills, and even fewer were transmitted back. They can be exined one by one, in appropriate detail. First and foremost are the dreaming skills. In addition to the existing Zhuanzhou Mengdie and Cycle of Rebirth, a new trait was added¡ª¡±Divine Travel Through Worlds.¡± The effect of this trait is simple, it consumes the power of the Divine Soul to target a world for direct divine travel, eliminating the need to enter someone else¡¯s dreams and instead directly creating a body, akin to sending in an avatar. The benefit is quite clear, in the world of dreams Xu Yang is even less fearful of death, as even if he¡¯s killed, he can re-enter through divine travel and start anew. The downside is the huge cost, as it requires the consumption of arge amount of Divine Soul power, and the damage is even more serious if death urs during divine travel. Besides, one cannot directly choose a world¡ªit is only possible to target worlds that have been previously visited. Because this trait emerged in the ¡°ck Water World,¡± previous worlds like Great Zhou and Great Tang are not included in the travel history, so for now it is only possible to designate the ck Water World for divine travel. This means that Xu Yang could indeed start dreaming again and return to the ck Water World to check on things. But clearly, he won¡¯t do that. Are you kidding? To go back at a time like this and be killed by those Asuras again? The ck Water World is beyond saving. The ¡®Qiong Gao¡± Heavenly Emperor has vanished without a trace, and the remaining Emperor-level deities have also fled; the divine realms and Cave Heaven Blessed Lands have separated from the Three Realms, all to evade the might of ¡°Mara.¡± Unless the Heavenly Emperor can return, leading the gods to fight against Mara and the Demon Realm¡¯s army, there is no hope for the ck Water World. Whether the Heavenly Emperor can return, Xu Yang does not know, but he has no intention of re-entering the ck Water World, at least not now. Returning to the main topic, after dreaming, there¡¯s the new skill that reced ¡°Breeding¡±¡ªBeast Taming! Enlightening Transmutation, Thriving Growth, and the Dragon King¡¯s Command need no further exnation, as they¡¯re all existing traits. The focus is on the newly added Dragon Monarch¡¯s Grace and Fish Leaping Over Dragon Gate. Dragon Monarch¡¯s Grace enhances the transformation effect on the aquatic species. Fish Leaping Over Dragon Gate increases the growth and evolution efficiency of ¡°Dragon Species¡± among the aquatic poption, and there¡¯s even a chance for them to transcend and transformpletely. This bes a powerful tool for cultivating a Water Army. Xu Yang was able to nurture four generals with Golden Core Transformation Cultivation and many junior officers with Foundation Establishment in just over a hundred years, thanks to these two skill traits. It¡¯s known that Demon Race lifespans are generally long and their cultivation progresses slowly; reaching Golden Core Transformation at a little over a hundred years old is already peerless talent amongstmon demon beings. This is the effect of ¡°Beast Taming.¡± Next is Formation. Mirror Flower Water Moon, recing Blend False with True, enhances the effect of the ¡°Illusion Array¡±. Military Strategy Formation enables the use of soldiers as gs to enhance the ¡°Combat Array¡± effect. Mysterious Water Assistance yields aid from ¡°Mysterious Water¡± whenying out formations in water domains. It¡¯s not very strong, but it¡¯s passable, barely satisfactory. Following Formation is the new skill that reced ¡°nting¡±¡ªSpirit nt growth. Added traits include Selective Breeding, Minor Cloud Rain Skill, and Bumper Crop. Selective Breeding and Bumper Crop are self-exnatory and need no boration. Minor Cloud Rain Skill, on the other hand, enhances the effect of the ¡°Minor Cloud Rain Skills,¡± strengthening the power of the spiritual rain. Each has its use and is rather good. After nt Growthes the new skill that reced ¡°Craftsman¡±¡ªArtifact Refining. Among them, Divine Weapons and Equipment and Skilled Craftsmanship are existing traits, with only the addition of Aquatic n Soldier¡¯s Armor being new. Its function is as follows: when using aquatic materials such as turtle shells, m shells, crab carapaces, shrimp carapaces, snake skins, fish bones, etc., to refine armor-type magic artifacts, the overall effect is greatly enhanced. These are all the added traits to old skills. Now for the new skills. There are not many new skills, only three. Alchemy, Painting Talisman, Earth Deities. With Alchemy¡¯s Practice Makes Perfect, as long as one practices enough times, the sess rate of alchemy will inevitably improve. Grass and Wood Spirit Pills enhance the alchemy effects of ¡°grass and wood¡± type spirit pills, including the sess rate, pill yield, and quality of the pills, etc., very versatile. Painting Talisman¡¯s Inspired Brushwork is simr, effectively increasing the sess rate of drawing talisman inscriptions. However, Thunder Talisman Lightning Spell is worth mentioning, as itprehensively enhances the effect of ¡°thunder and lightning talismans,¡± andbined with the innate ability Thunder Commanding Power that was transferred over, Xu Yang would be extremely popr if he were to make and sell thunder and lightning talismans, potentially bing a market highlight and earning a fortune without difficulty. Thest Earth Deities skill is a culmination of a hundred years as a ¡°ck Water Dragon Monarch¡±. Tending to Earth Veins needs no exnation, simply enhancing the effect of tending to them. Earth Deity Transformation improves the transformation effect. If There Be Dragons, The Land Thrives indicates that all ¡°dragon-rted¡± creatures within the Spirit Land can benefit thend, even improving the tier of the Spirit Land and godhood. Finally, Shrimp Soldiers and Crab Generals, m Ladies and Turtle Ministers, and Dragon Department¡¯s Personal Army further enhance the transformation effect on shrimp, crabs, turtles, ms, and all dragon-type fish species, inbination with the ¡°Beast Taming¡± skill, allowing him to establish a formidable Water Army at Dongting Lake. This is what has been umted and gained from a hundred years of divinity in the ckwater River.. Chapter 116 - 82: Ten Years_l Chapter 116: Chapter 82: Ten Years_l Trantor: 549690339 The next morning, Xu Yang opened his eyes and sat up, stretchingnguorously. He felt invigorated all over, a sense offort and exhration he had never known before. He had slept through the night, finally resting peacefully without his usual dreams and divine wanderings, just deep and stable slumber. That sleep had been incredibly restful, clearing away any dust that had settled on his soul. In fact, there wasn¡¯t much dust to begin with. In the ck Water World for over a hundred years, except for the initial battles with creatures like the Giant Turtle, he had mostly been lying low, enjoying himself¡ªpracticing his cultivation, refining elixirs, drinking wine, eating meat, and studying formations and various misceneous disciplines as hobbies. Life was simply toofortable. It was nothing like his time in the Great Zhou and Great Tang worlds, where he had been involved in maniptive schemes and deceit. It was not only disgusting but also incredibly boring, the same old tedious issues circting over and over. The others might not be tired of dying, but Xu Yang was fed up with the killing. Rather than struggling for power in the world or living the life of a king who indulged in luxury and privileges, Xu Yang much preferred to be carefree and idle, like a salted fish. Moreover, the real world was also calm and peaceful, without worry or annoyance¡ If possible, he really wanted to continue like this forever, to cultivate into an immortal sincerely and quietly. Unfortunately, such a wish is mostly unrealistic. This world is still one of strife. Lying low like a salted fish, avoiding the world¡¯s conflicts, one could still end up extinguished in disaster, without even the capital to flee for life, when facing cmities like the descent of Mara and the Blood Moon Catastrophe. Unlike those mighty gods and emperors who, even if they couldn¡¯t defeat Mara, were able to use their great mana to break through the realm, taking their domains and Cave Heavens to seek refuge elsewhere. This is the consequence of lying low. Although in the situation of the ck Water World his fate would have been the same whether hey low or not, Xu Yang was still reminded by these experiences. As a fish must strive, so must a person. Those who immerse themselves in pleasures without seeking progress will surely fall victim to catastrophe and be destroyed by it. Heaven brings forth the killing intent, stars shift in battle! Earth brings forth the killing intent, dragons and snakes rise from thend! Heavenly tribtions, earthly catastrophes, divine cmities, demon catastrophes, human disasters, monster tribtions¡ Looking around, killing intents abound, pushing one to desperate straits! Even if one earnestly tries to avoid it all, without contention, it can¡¯t ensure that ¡°sitting at home, disasteres from the sky.¡± so¡ ¡°Gotta do what¡¯s gotta be done!¡± Xu Yang shook his head, got up from his bed, went through his usual washing routine, and then shouldered a hoe to hit the fields. In the paddy field, a sea of golden yellow awaited, another season of Spirit Rice ready for harvest. Walking into the field, Xu Yang parted the ears of rice, like an old farmer who had toiled thend his whole life, checking on his hard-earned harvest. A hundred years in ck Water, ten years in reality, he had now been farming on this small ind for over a decade. Thanks to various ¡°fertilizers¡± enhancing thend¡¯s fertility and the effects of the ¡°Spiritual nting¡± skill, he had been reaping bountiful harvests year after year, umting an astonishing amount of Spirit Rice. In addition, the ¡°Premium Breed Cultivation¡± project was progressing systematically and thriving. Although no second-tier Spirit Rice had yet appeared, various effects of first-tier Spirit Rice were cultivated, including some unique varieties of Spirit Rice not seen in the market. This season, for instance, Xu Yang primarily grew a kind of Spirit Rice called ¡°Blood Spirit Rice,¡± which significantly enhances the power of Qi Blood, especially effective for beast ns, and is a staple food for Beast Tamers. This kind of Spirit Rice is best fertilized with the flesh and blood of Alien Beasts¡ªthe more it is applied, the better the effects. So, whenever Xu Yang had some free timetely, he would catch birds and fish, bleed them, and use their blood as fertilizer, asking his Spirit Beasts to make a little sacrifice since, after all, the Blood Spirit Rice was mainly for them to eat. Though using the blood of Spirit Beasts as fertilizer felt a bit like robbing Peter to pay Paul, thanks to the nting skills, the overall yields were still positive. Not to mention that Xu Yang also sometimes buried bodies to enrich the soil, and the Golden Eagles contributed their droppings. With the multifold application of fertilizers, the Blood Spirit Rice flourished magnificently, making all the investment worthwhile. Parting the golden ears of rice, Xu Yang saw that the grains within looked like red pomegranates, the plump Blood Jade Spirit Rice coated by a husk, yet still faintly glowing red. Xu Yang then parted another astonishingly vibrant stalk, which seemed more like a fruit tree, and plucked out a fist-sized grain of Blood Spirit Rice. An exotic top-quality product¡ªGiant Blood Spirit Rice! Capable of greatly enhancing the power of one¡¯s Qi Blood, it had a noticeable benefit for Foundation Establishment Cultivators and Demon Cultivators alike, and it could also be used to refine second-tier elixirs like the ¡°Beast Blood Pill,¡± a mainstream pill for demon cultivators in Foundation Establishment to improve their cultivation, worth a small fortune. Unfortunately, Xu Yang did not yet possess the elixir recipe for the Beast Blood Pill. ¡°This is for you,¡± Xu Yang said with a smile, tossing the fist-sized Spirit Rice to the Golden Eagle at his side. ¡°Screech!¡± The Golden Eagle cried out, grasping the Spirit Rice and swallowed it whole. ¡°Eat slowly, no one is fighting you for it.¡± Xu Yang shook his head, patting its steel-like feathers, looking like an old ratner watcmng ms toonsn son. Ten years might seem long to people, but to Spirit Monsters and Demon Beasts, it counts for little. While ordinary beasts typically have lifespans much shorter than those of humans, once they awaken their Spirit Wisdom and enter the path of cultivation, their lifespans rapidly outpace those of humans. Many Qi Cultivation Realm Spirit Monsters and Demon Beasts can easily live for hundreds of years, effortlessly outliving many Foundation Establishment Cultivators. The Golden Eagle was the same. Over ten years, with Xu Yang¡¯s Beast Taming skills and the resourcesvished upon it, it had reached the pinnacle of ¡°Demon Beasts,¡±parable to a human Cultivator at the Perfect Qi Refinement stage. Just one more step would transform its Demon Body, shed its oscitory bone, and allow it to be a true Foundation Establishment Demon Beast. To meet its cultivation needs, Xu Yang had even made a trip to the market, spending a hefty sum to buy a Cultivation Technique suitable for avian demon beasts that could directly enter the Foundation Establishment Realm. Of course, Laoliu and the other birds were also given this technique. Xu Yang¡¯s Qi Refinement cultivation had long beenplete, and he was just waiting for the Foundation Building Pill to make a breakthrough, so over these years, he didn¡¯t mind the loss of strength and kept using enlightening spirit awakening. Now, the number of fierce birds he was raising, as well as the alien beasts and spirit monsters in the two fisheries to the east and west, has skyrocketed, with quite a few demon monsters and demon beasts emerging, among which the Golden Eagle and Electric Eel King were the prominent figures. Thebat power of these demon beasts was extremely considerable, each awakening an innate divine ability, and although they dared not im to be the match of Foundation Establishment Cultivators, killing a few Perfect Qi Refinement Loose Cultivators was not a problem. But this was limited to loose cultivators; the disciples fromrge sects and major forces were not included. Cultivation was a matter highly dependant on one¡¯s background; cultivators nurtured by sects and supported by families were almost like a different speciespared to wild, wandering, and solitary loose cultivators, with a vast difference inbat ability. As the ¡°Thunder Lightning Mana King,¡± Xu Yang could dominate among Qi Cultivation loose cultivators, and even those of Foundation Establishment influence had to treat him with caution. However, the Qi Cultivation disciples from Golden Core sects did not fear him and even intended to contest his skills. It wasn¡¯t that thunder cultivators weren¡¯t strong, but that loose cultivators were at a disadvantage, whether in terms of cultivation techniques or magic artifacts, in both quantity and quality,pared to elite cultivators of sect origins. If ¡°Shi Jian¡± were from a sect background, those individuals wouldn¡¯t dare challenge a thunder cultivator of the same realm even if they had ten times the courage. This was the plight of loose cultivators, whose strength was inferior to that of sect cultivators except for a few with great fortunes. Fortunately, Xu Yang was among that minority. ¡°Gugu! Gugu!¡± After gobbling up the Spirit Rice, the Golden Eagle looked pitifully at Xu Yang and even made a ¡°gugu¡± sound, a trick it must have learned from some bird. Xu Yang unceremoniously pped it. ¡°I told you not to eat so fast, it¡¯s gone now. Watch carefully, wait until it¡¯s ripe, then you can have a few more, after all, you gave the most blood and contributed the most,¡± he said. ¡°Gugu!¡± Hearing this, although the Golden Eagle was disappointed, it quickly became motivated again by the grand picture Xu Yang painted, pping its wings excitedly like a child weighing over a thousand pounds. ¡°Go, go, go, out of here,¡± Xu Yang shooed it away and picked up a hoe to dig another part of the fallow field, burying a few bodies encased in ice there. Helpless, despite cultivating his moral character and remaining uninvolved with the world for ten years, there would inevitably be the shortsighted who forced their way onto his doorstep. Over the years, he had buried many, and the topsoil was almost piling up. With no choice, he had to keep digging deeper and n the fields properly, resting one plot while nting another, to make more effective use of the soil and take his farming undertaking another step towards sess. Now, although it appeared that Xu Yang was the only oneboring, in reality, there were hundreds of cultivators apanying him silently within the ground, offering themselves selflessly. Highly meritorious hard work, no less! After burying a few new bodies, Xu Yang put down his hoe, freed his hands, and began to stir the Gang Yuan within his body with Divine Intent. Instantly¡ ¡°Whoosh!¡± Above the Spirit Field, clouds gathered, and rain rich in Spiritual Energy fell down. Minor Cloud Rain Skills! An essential skill for Spiritual nt Farmers, which Xu Yang had mastered. The cloud cover was small, just barely over the rice field, but the downpour of Spiritual Rain was immense, alreadyparable to that of Spirit Lands when employing the Minor Cloud Rain Skill. As mentioned before, the power and effects of cultivating skills were influenced by two major factors: one was the cultivator¡¯s own mana, and the other was the external Yuan Spirit of the environment. In the Spirit Lands, teeming with Yuan Spirit, the power of cultivating skills would be enhanced. In the mundane world, with sparse Yuan Spirit, the power of cultivating skills would inevitably decline. In such cases, cultivators mustpensate with their own mana to perform the skills normally, at great expenditure. But now, Xu Yang did not consume too much Gang Yuan mana and managed to perform the Minor Cloud Rain Skill at a normal level in the mundane world. Why was this so? One reason was that Xu Yang had buried many Spirit Stones, arranging a Spirit Gathering Array to enrich the ind¡¯s Spiritual Energy. But this alone was not enough to match the Spirit Lands of Foundation Establishment forces. So, there was a second reason, which was the ¡°minor cloud and rain¡± trait of the spirit nt skilling into effect. The Attribute Panel, Skill Traits, with tremendously high positions. In the ck Water World, the Red Moon Cataclysm, the Nether River Blood Sea that turned into the blood rain of the Red Moon, affected all beings in the Three Realms, turning them into demon objects, except for the blessednds and domains of deities and emperors such as the famous mountains and great rivers, and the vast seas, which could resist the blood rain and remain upromised. Xu Yang was not a great deity and could not resist the blood rain, but his nurtured Aquatic n and Water Army could withstand the blood rain¡¯s mutation, as could ckwater River. As a Spirit Land, it went unaffected by the blood rain, still providing support to Xu Yang, using the entire river¡¯s strength to assist him in a mutual destruction battle with the Asura Demon General. All these were due to the effects of skill traits. The position of the Attribute Panel, the power of the Skill Traits, was not inferior to the Red Moon blood rain. This gave Xu Yang a clearer understanding of the power of his external ¡°cheat.¡± The source of the Red Moon blood rain came from the very foundation of the Demon Realm, the Nether River Blood Sea! Thus, even it could not mutate his Spirit Land or Aquatic n, showing the formidable nature of the Attribute Panel and Skill Traits. Of course, the Attribute Panel and Skill Traits, no matter how strong, still required his own power to support them. When facing the Red Moon blood rain, the ckwater River couldst only for a while, and once the rain umted and turned into a blood river, the sheer volume disparity left him helpless.. Chapter 117 - 83: The Pill is Formed – Part 1 Chapter 117: Chapter 83: The Pill is Formed ¨C Part 1 Trantor: 549690339 After tending to the fields, he visited the fish ponds, which had also flourished. Over a decade, the quality had transformed. Content with this development, Xu Yang finally made his way to the medicinal herb garden. The garden boasted a variety of spiritual medicines, which, nurtured by skill traitsbined with ¡°fertilizer¡± and ¡°spiritual energy¡±, had reached a medicinal age of a hundred years. A hundred years was quite decent, but most of the herbs Xu Yang had cultivated were mundane, and a century-old medicinal age was far from miraculous; at least a millennium was required for them to transform substantially. After his contact with the Cultivation World, he had purchased batches of spirit medicinal nt seeds at various markets. However, spiritual medicines grew much slower than mundane herbs. After a decade of cultivation, their medicinal age had increased by only twenty years, making them nearly useless. Xu Yang was here not to harvest the spiritual medicines, but to utilize the power of this ¡°spiritnd¡± to aid in his alchemy. What pill? Foundation Building Pill! Xu Yang opened his storage bag and took out several spiritual medicines radiating spirit light, and brimming with spiritual energy. These were cultivated in the ckwater River, then transferred here through the power of his Divine Soul. He had conducted numerous sessful experiments with them and could rece the materials of this world to refine Foundation Building Pills. These ingredients were sufficient for three attempts. If he seeded once, he could use the pill to break through the fifth realm and achieve Foundation Establishment! With his current mastery of Elixir Skillsbined with the help of his skill traits, his sess rate was around fifty percent. Fifty-fifty, neither high nor low. Not very stable. But Xu Yang still decided to proceed with alchemy, because after a decade of umtion and refinement under the effect of various skill traits, particrly ¡°Heaven rewards hard work¡±, he had reached the carrying limit of the Qi Refinement Realm. If he did not consume a medicinal pill for Foundation Establishment, he might lose control and inadvertently establish his foundation on his own. This was the power of skill traits. Heaven rewards hard work, and there will always be a return. No bottleneck or barrier could prevent it from working. As long as you practice, there will definitely be gains and rewards. Regrettably, Heaven rewards hard work could only guarantee returns in martial practice and cultivation, not assured sess in realm breakthroughs. Its principle was like watering a nt; it only focused on pouring in, not caring whether the container could handle it or not. Therefore, the risks of Foundation Establishment still existed, and only by consuming spirit pills could one bepletely safe. Xu Yang had no choice but to start the furnace and begin alchemy. Of course, he had another option, which was to refine it in the ckwater River and then transport the finished Foundation Building Pills here. This would ensureplete safety without having to worry about the sess rate. But after weighing the pros and cons, he did not choose to do so. The cost-effectiveness was too low! Transporting aplete Foundation Building Pill would consume a lot of Divine Soul power, a price much greater than transferring spiritual medicines. If Xu Yang chose to transport Foundation Building Pills, he would have to give up many skill traits and the divine seal he had been striving to attain. Was it worth giving up all that for one Foundation Building Pill? Of course not. To him, the Foundation Building Pill was important but not that important. His life was critical, only one chance, no room for error. But this realm, Foundation Establishment, what was it inparison? Not much really. Compared to those skill traits and the divine seal rted to the Earth Deity Cultivation Method, one Foundation Building Pill really wasn¡¯t much. A person aiming for great sess must n for the moment and even more for a lifetime! So after careful consideration, Xu Yang decided to only transfer the spiritual medicine ingredients and allocate his Divine Soul power to more important skill traits. Now, with three sets of ingredients, if he couldn¡¯t seed in refining one Foundation Building Pill, he would have to consider other options, such as attending a major auction held by the Foundation Establishment powers. But that was a big risk. Over the past ten years, Xu Yang had seen several such auctions, but every time one ended, it resulted in a bloodbath outside the markets. Many Robbing Cultivators woulde to snatch the pills, and even those who were not Robbing Cultivators didn¡¯t mind ying the part. Even Foundation Establishment Cultivators would shamelessly disregard their status and engage in the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Xu Yang really did not want to wade into that mire. Therefore, this time, he must seed in refining the pills! Xu Yang arranged the various spiritual medicines, then took out a pill furnace as green and lustrous as carved jade. The Green Jade Furnace, a supreme-grade magic artifact, made from the ¡°Green Jade Stone¡± that is a specialty of the Green Jade Sect¡¯s mountain gate. It conveyed spiritual energy better and came with an intrinsic essence of green jade, which could slightly improve the sess rate and quality of spirit pills crafted from herbs. This item had cost Xu Yang two thousand eight hundred lower-grade spirit stones! One must know that when Xu Yang previously sold the supreme-grade magic artifacts of The Three Scourges of White Dragon, he fetched just over a thousand spirit stones per item. But this Green Jade Furnace, also a supreme-grade magic artifact, nearly cost him three thousand spirit stones, highlighting the enormous expense of alchemy. An ordinary Loose Cultivator couldn¡¯t even dream of affording it. Fortunately, Xu Yang was no ordinary Loose Cultivator. ¡°Rise! t, Xu Yang activated his Gang Yuan, transforming it into mana, and channeled it into the Green Jade Furnace. Immediately, the magic artifact expanded upon contact with the wind and turned into arge cauldron,nding firmly on the ground. ¡°Open ! ¡± Xu Yang cast another stream of Gang Yuan mana, opening the cauldron in anticipation of the pill fire. Pills require fire to refine! This fire was not a regr me, but a ¡°Spiritual Fire¡± ignited by a cultivator¡¯s mana. Generally speaking, cultivators with wood-based cultivation techniques had the greatest advantage in alchemy due to their fire brimming with vitality, most suitable for refining various beneficial and restorative herbal spirit pills. Of course, cultivators of other elemental cultivation techniques could also use their mana to ignite spiritual fires for alchemy, and it wasn¡¯t necessary to only employ wood elemental spiritual fire. It really depended on the elixir skills and spiritual medicines in question. Xu Yang was a mere mortal without a Spiritual Root. He could cultivate all elemental techniques since he was, ording tomon sense, not able to cultivate any¡ªhis efficiency in absorbing spiritual energy was nowhere near the standards of cultivation. However, thanks to the Martial Arts Scripture and various skill traits, he could meet the standards of cultivation despitecking a Spiritual Root. This fatal w had now be an advantage, enabling him to practice all elemental cultivation techniques and produce mana of any element. So is he going to use a wood-attributed spiritual fire for alchemy now? No! Xu Yang brought his hands together, and Thunderbolt Strength roared into existence, electric light danced like dragons, soaring and startling as it moved. Innate Divine Ability¡ªThunder Commanding Power! While all attributes of mana could be utilized, how could theypare to the ease of using an innate divine ability? It must be said, Zhuanzhou Mengdie truly had boundless creation, even capable of transmitting innate divine abilities. Xu Yang¡¯s Thunder Commanding Power was at his fingertips, as natural as an extension of his body. ¡°Boom!¡± The thunder and lightning entered the furnace, recing the fire used for making pills, infusing thunderbolt strength and turning the Green Jade Furnace into a golden jade color. For thunderbolt is the pivot between heaven and earth, capable ofmanding all within the Three Realms and ninends, not only governing destruction but also creation. Otherwise, how could Xu Yang use it for both body tempering and increasing his cultivation? Simrly, using thunder techniques in alchemy can also create extraordinary effects! As Xu Yang manipted the electric energy, the golden lightning poured into the furnace, making the Green Jade Furnace appear transparent and visible. Then, with a control of mana, the spiritual medicine took flight, autonomously hurling itself into the furnace to have its essence extracted beneath thunderbolt creation, turning into elixir liquid. The grass and wood elixir technique solidifies the liquid into pills! With Xu Yang manipting the lightning, it danced chaotically like golden snakes. It appeared less like he was concocting pills and more like he was dueling with someone. There was a sense of wild intensity, yet it flowed smoothly like the drifting clouds and flowing water¡ªa paradoxical beauty! ¡°Ha!!!¡± Once all the spiritual medicine had been inserted, the man, who was seated cross-legged, suddenly stood up, raised his hands furiously, and lightning burst forth like a dragon. ¡°Boom!!!¡± The lightning, like a dragon, plunged in, and the furnace, weighing tens of thousands of pounds, suddenly lifted from the ground, suspended in midair. As the thunder and lightning danced wildly around the furnace, mana within his body rapidly depleted, but Xu Yang continued to discharge the electric energy relentlessly. So it went on for who knows how long¡ ¡°Rumble!!!¡± Another roar thundered, scattering the thunderbolts and causing the Green Jade Furnace to crash down, shaking the entire small ind. At the same moment of impact, the lid of the furnace opened, and electric light erupted, spitting out a bolt of lightning. ¡°Ha!¡± Xu Yangughed heartily, reaching out his hand to draw in the lightning, which immediately hurtled towards his palm. Then, closing his hand, the lightning dissipated, leaving behind only a shimmering Spirit Light. Xu Yang looked down, opened his hand, and saw a Spirit Pill quietly lying there in his palm. The main body of the pill was white jade in color, with golden patterns like climbing dragons on the outside, and amidst the shimmering light, shes of lightning could be seen¡ It was indeed the pill born from Thunder Tempering Skill¡ªthe Supreme Grade Foundation Building Pill! This pill contained the life-force of spiritual medicine and also the power of thunderbolt creation. The former could protect the body and divine soul, smooth out the violent surges of mana, prevent the adverse effects of a failed Foundation Establishment due to the sh of the three forces, and save the cultivator¡¯s life. Thetter could enhance mana, refine the body and soul, assist in merging the power of the three forces and, upon sessful Foundation Establishment, improve the cultivator¡¯s abilities, even directly reaching the peak of the early phase of Foundation Establishment. This is the Supreme Grade Foundation Building Pill, made through the Thunder Technique. Typically, Foundation Building Pills refined through general elixir techniquese in three qualities: low, medium, and high. Low-grade pills only save lives, while medium and high-grade pills provide some assistance and promote the merging of the three forces. But to significantly promote the merging of the three forces and enhance the capabilities after Foundation Establishment, only the Supreme Grade Foundation Building Pill can achieve that. And such a Supreme Grade Pill cannot be produced through ordinary elixir techniques, but only with special elixir techniques. Xu Yang¡¯s Thunder Tempering Skill is one of them. ¡°Marvelous!¡± One attempt with the materials resulted in sess, and a Supreme Grade pill at that. It goes without saying that Xu Yang was overjoyed; heughed loudly and stored the Spirit Pill in his Storage Bag. If he were to auction this pill, selling it for tens of thousands of Spirit Stones would be a breeze. If it were sought after by the scions of great Sects or powerful factions needing Foundation Establishment, it could even fetch hundreds of thousands of Spirit Stones. But obviously, Xu Yang would not do that, for he was not inck of Spirit Stones. Having farmed for over a decade and with various patrons willingly giving him their wealth, Xu Yang¡¯s worth might not be enormous, but it was substantial. Moreover, with a continuous stream of ie, there was no need to take the risk of auctioning this Supreme Grade Foundation Building Pill. This one was for his own use, and if the remaining two sets of materials also yielded sess, he would use them for the Golden Eagle and the Electric Eel King. If both demon beasts sessfully achieved Foundation Establishment, he would have three major Foundation Establishment level forces. As long as he didn¡¯t provoke the Three Sects of Golden Core, he could do as he wished in the Cultivation World of Liang Country. ¡°A decade of umtion finally pays off!¡± ¡°Now, it is time for Foundation Establishment.¡± Xu Yang packed up the furnace and did not entertain the thought of continuing alchemy, but instead began to n for Foundation Establishment. This sessful pill concoction could not be attributed to luck alone, but it also involved a significant element of chance, and so couldn¡¯t be guaranteed to happen again and again. Therefore, as a prudent measure, it would be better to consume the Spirit Pill andplete Foundation Establishment first. With an elevated realm and strengthened power, the effects of alchemy would also significantly improve. After all, the quality of mana and the strength of one¡¯s divine consciousness are important factors affecting alchemy. Chapter 118 - 84: Foundation Establishment_1 Chapter 118: Chapter 84: Foundation Establishment_1 Trantor: 549690339 Three dayster, after having fully recuperated and replenished the Yuan Qi consumed in alchemy, Xu Yang, in his peak condition, prepared another banquet for himself. A very ordinary banquet. He didn¡¯t ughter any spiritual beasts again. It wasn¡¯t that he had grown sentimental, he still clearly distinguished betweenpanion -type spiritual pets and consumable-type spiritual beasts. The reason he refrained from killing was that he had just obtained the divine seal, and the Earth Deity Cultivation Method was in its initial stage. Every spiritual beast could aid his cultivation, enhance the spiritnd, and after transformation, could be soldiers and officers like the m Ladies and Turtle Ministers. They were extremely precious human resources, capable of helping him nurture more spiritual beasts, cultivate spirit fields, and even straighten out the earth veins and water channels, undertaking various tasks. This is also one of the reasons why Earth Deities tended to cultivate subordinates¡ªthe vast spiritnds solely managed by an Earth Deity would be an unmanageable burden. A powerful Earth Deity will inevitably have many subjects and vassals, and may even form systematic establishments¡ªlike the Heavenly Court, Underworld, and Four Seas Dragon Pce. For this reason, over the years, Xu Yang rarely consumed cultivated spiritual beasts, eating various types of Spirit Rice and Spirit Fruits instead. This could also be considered somewhat of a ¡°Cultivator¡± lifestyle. After a fulfilling meal, Xu Yang didn¡¯t linger and went straight to the East Coast Fishery. At the East Coast Fishery, currents of electricity swam about. Over ten thousand electric eels gathered here, including over a thousand Spirit Monsters, nearly a hundred Demon Monsters, and there was also an Electric Eel King of demon beast level. The Electric Eel King¡¯s body was golden with thunder patterns all over, with bulges on its head and tumor-like growths on its belly, showing signs of transforming into a Jiao Dragon. The Beast Taming skill had traits like ¡°Dragon King¡¯s Grace¡± and ¡°Fish Leaping Over Dragon Gate.¡± The Earth Deity skill had traits like ¡°Earth Deity Transformation¡± and ¡°Dragon Department¡¯s Personal Army.¡± These skill traits were particrly friendly towards the Aquatic n, especially those containing ¡°dragon bloodlines.¡± The electric eels also had dragon bloodlines, and thus benefited greatly and grew rapidly. The current Electric Eel King, in terms of cultivation,bat power, and bloodline strength, was even superior to the Golden Eagle, making it Xu Yang¡¯s most powerful spiritual beast. ¡°Wuu wuu!!¡± Upon seeing Xu Yang, the Electric Eel King made excited sounds, echoing like the roar of a dragon. Xu Yang smiled without saying much and dived into the waters. The gathering of electric eels instantly dispersed, and the ordinary eels all retreated, leaving only the alien beasts behind. Even so, more than three thousand electric eels remained, showcasing the aplishments of a decade¡¯s nurturing and transformation. For these excellent aides in his cultivation, Xu Yang had made a hefty investment,mitting far more resourcespared to any other fish breed. As Xu Yang submerged, three thousand electric eels formed a battle formation under themand of the Dragon King. A real battle formation! Years ago, in the ckwater River, when confronting the Giant Turtle, Xu Yang had formed a Water Army and set up a battle formation for encirclement and suppression. At that time, however, he had not mastered formation arrays¡ªhis so-called battle formation was merely a sequential arrangement andcked special functions. Now it was different. He had mastered the ways of Array Formation, though only a tier-one Array Formation, but it still possessed mysterious and miraculous powers. Three thousand electric eels formed a battle formation, all stimting the electric currents, which instantly caused golden lights to flicker, forming a dragon shadow¡ªa dragon shadowposed of electricity. The Electric Element Dragon Formation! Originally the ¡°Mysterious Yuan Dragon-forming Array,¡± Xu Yang, after mastering Array Formation, reced the Mysterious Water Power with the Electric Element Power to modify it, enabling the umtion of the electric element power within the array, triggering a qualitative change through quantitative change to manifest an electric dragon. Xu Yang sat cross-legged in the water, positioned at the head of the dragon, and took out a Foundation Building Spirit Pill, swallowing it. Upon entering the stomach, a Tri-element Integration urred! Xu Yang concentrated his mind,manded the Qi with his spirit, and merged the Qi with the essence. The tri-element was the integration of three brilliances: jade brilliance as the essence, golden brilliance as the Qi, and nine brilliances as the spirit. When the tri-element united, the three brilliances converged at the crown¡ª the essence, Qi, and spirit merged as one! This was the ancient method of Qi Cultivation, currently referred to as the body, divine soul, and mana. Sitting cross-legged in the water, with the spirit pill in his stomach, Xu Yang immediately transformed it into primordial creation force. Three streams diverged: one for the body, one for the divine soul, and one for the mana. These three forces, originally from the same source, attracted each other after divergence, promoting the unity of the three¡ªthis was the effect of the Supreme Grade Spirit Pill for Foundation Establishment. ¡°Crackle!!!¡± At this moment, the Electric Element Dragon Formation also began to exert strength, the electric dragon raising its head with golden lights flickering, channeling the vast electric currents into Xu Yang¡¯s body. With many forces converging, Xu Yang sat calmly in the water. After an indeterminate period¡ Finally, he opened his eyes. A sh of electric light in his eyes before returning to tranquility. Conversely, the energy within Xu Yang¡¯s body continued to climb, quickly breaking through the limits of Qi Cultivation. After exceeding the limits of Qi Cultivation, its momentum did not stop but kept climbing. Qi Cultivation perfected, achieving Foundation Establishment! Early-stage of Foundation Establishment, surpassing the limit! Mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, also reaching the peak! He had actually broken through in one go, reaching the peak realm of the mid-stage Foundation Establishment. The three brilliances converged at the crown, the Mysterious Pass One Mystery achieved! The tri-elementbined, internal and external as one! The foundation of the Immortal Path, thus established! Smooth, exceedingly smooth, without any difficulties or obstacles. That easy? Indeed, that easy! With ten years of umtion and ten years of refinement, and traits such as ¡°Heaven rewards hard work,¡± breakthroughs for Xu Yang were just a matter of course. In fact, even without taking this Supreme Grade Foundation Building Pill, his chance of sess in Foundation Establishment on his own was as high as ny percent. But being naturally cautious, especially since this matter concerned his life, he did everything possible to ensure aplete certainty. However, the power of the Supreme Grade Foundation Building Pill was not wasted. Along with the tempering and body conditioning effects of the Electric Element Dragon Formation Array, it pushed his cultivation from the initial entry of Foundation Establishment directly to the mid-stage. ¡°Whoo-whoo!!!¡± Xu Yang had just achieved a breakthrough when a humming sound emerged. The Electric Eel King swam excitedly towards him, its several Zhang long eel dragon body coiling and intertwining, rubbing its big head against Xu Yang¡¯s shoulder and cheek, revealing a longing desire. Seeing this, Xu Yang wrinkled his brow, but seeing how eagerly the Electric Eel King craved it, he still nodded in agreement, ¡°Alright then!¡± With that, he pointed a finger between its eyes and took out a bottle of Beast Blood Pill from his storage bag. Beast Blood Pill, a second-tier Spirit Pill, was something he could not yet concoct himself; this bottle was purchased from the market. Xu Yang expended his cultivation energy to perform the transformation once again and tossed the bottle of Beast Blood Pill into the mouth of the Electric Eel King. ¡°Whoo!!!¡± The Electric Eel King let out a long cry, swallowed the Spirit Pill, and then swam towards the surface of theke. Xu Yang sat in the water without chasing after it, merely watching as the Electric Eel King burst from the water and soared into the clouds. It was about to breakthrough! Perhaps it was stimted by Xu Yang¡¯s aura, or maybe it was the enhancement of the breeding and Earth Deity¡¯s traits after Xu Yang¡¯s own breakthrough, which affected the Electric Eel King at the very limit of the ¡°Demon Beast¡± stage; either way, it had the idea of breaking through. This thought, this desire, was incredibly strong ¡ª an instinctual impulse of life. This disrupted Xu Yang¡¯s ns. He had originally intended to make a second Foundation Building Pill to guarantee a fail-safe breakthrough for the Electric Eel King. But ns cannot keep up with changes, and with such a stimulus, it was a natural instinct for the Electric Eel King to breakthrough. Forcibly suppressing it would not only be unsightly but could also possibly leave lifelong regrets and affect future progress. Therefore, after much thought, Xu Yang still nodded in assent. The moment the Electric Eel King emerged from the water, it soared between the clouds of Dongting, its body flickering with lightning, like gold snakes dancing wildly, yet it seemed blissfully untroubled by any pain. ¡°Crack! ¡± ¡°Pop!¡± Swimming amidst the crackling sounds suddenly came the explosion of the lumps on its chest and abdomen, sttering a huge amount of vivid red blood. But it seemed to disregard this, still joyfully swimming among the clouds, issuing a series of satisfying cries. ¡°WhOO! ! ! Amidst the long cries, flesh fell away, revealing a pair of golden ws exploring outward, and the electricity shimmering around its body grew even more intense. ¡°Crack! ¡± Another strange noise exploded¡ªit was the lump on its head bursting open, scattering flesh and blood, with a glimmer of gold light barely visible within. That was¡ a horn, a small horn not even three inches tall! As a Demon Beast, the Electric Eel King¡¯s body had already reached several Zhang, making this small horn seem almost insignificant inparison to its massive body,ically undersized. But no matter how small, it was still a horn. A horn emerged on its head, and with a pair of ws on its chest and abdomen, it had achieved a ¡°half-Jiao¡± body. A Jiao Dragon, known for having at most one horn, four ws and three toes! Now that the Electric Eel King had a small beginning horn and exploring ws, it couldn¡¯t be called a Jiao Dragon yet, only a ¡°half-Jiao!¡± The breakthrough was sessful, achieving a half-Jiao Demon Body! ¡°Roar!!!¡± Upon achieving the half-Jiao Demon Body, its whining turned into a dragon¡¯s roar. The Electric Eel King, excited, surged into the sky. It spun and swam in the sea of clouds of Dongting, with lightning crisscrossing around its body and thunder roaring, as if to announce its rebirth of shedding the old for the new. ¡°Screech!! ! ¡± Even a Golden Eagle was attracted by this sight, watching the Thunder Jiao Electric Dragon amidst the sea of clouds, feeling a mix of shock, anger and disbelief. ¡°Well, in some time, there will be those seeking fortunes from immortals Imocking on my door again,¡± muttered Xu Yang, shaking his head resignedly as he watched his spirited spiritual pet frolic. He also summoned his Attribute Panel. Xu Lifespan: 70/800 Cultivation: Embracing Core and Co-Dao, External Body Cultivation of True Body (Five Barriers realm, Mid- Stage Foundation Establishment) Skills: Eating, Sleeping, Breathing, Cooking, Fishing, Boating, Disguise, Knife Sharpening, Throwing Weapons, Swimming, ughtering, Walking, Archery, Reading, Martial Training, Taoist Skills, Medicine, Dreaming, Beast Taming, Formation, Spirit nt Cultivation, Artifact Refining, Alchemy, Talisman Drawing, Earth Deity. Martial Arts: Martial Arts Scripture. Special Talent: Thunder Commanding Power. Martial Cultivation Five Realms, Embracing Core and Co-Dao! Body Cultivation Five Realms, External Cultivation of True Body! Tri-Element Integration, Inner and Outer as One, Cultivating True Foundation Establishment! Breakthrough sessful! The most significant increase after the breakthrough into the Foundation Establishment Realm was lifespan. It increased dramatically to eight hundred years! Eight hundred years of lifespan has now surpassed that of Foundation Establishment, even surpassed that of the Golden Core, and is catching up to the Nascent Soul elite! A Nascent Soul Cultivator, a possessor of Great Divine Power, would only have a lifespan of a thousand years. He has hardly entered Foundation Establishment yet has obtained eight hundred years of lifespan. If such a thing were to spread, it would drive countless cultivators mad. ¡°At this rate, reaching the Golden Core Realm might grant me two thousand years of lifespan,parable to a Deity Transformation Venerable!¡± ¡°Regarding cultivation techniques, although the Martial Arts Scripture is wonderful, it still falls far behind the top-notch methods of this world.¡± ¡°My extension of lifespan to eight hundred years is still thanks to the Attribute Panel and Skill Traits, breaking through the restrictions of this world on cultivators and enhancing the longevity effect of the Martial Arts Scripture.¡± ¡°Although my lifespan is extended, it only means extended lifespan and nothing more. Mybat capabilities have not been elevated to surpass the Golden Core or match the Nascent Soul.¡± ¡°The method of longevity, and the art of Dao protection ¡ª while I see hope in the former, thetter still has many deficiencies!¡± Xu Yang murmured to himself, his understanding of his own situation clear as day. ¡°Thus, I must venture through the dream once more, both to supplement the art of longevity and to cultivate the art of Dao protection!¡± ¡°To verify the Dao within dreams is just like this!¡± Chapter 119 - 85: Action 1 Chapter 119: Chapter 85: Action 1 Trantor: 549690339 Three dayster, within the little cabin. Xu picked up a pen and was in the midst of drawing talismans. The pen shaft, made from green bamboo, possessed the texture of fine jade and emitted a faint luminescence. The bristles were top-quality wolf hair, firm, vigorous, upright, and pliable. His strokes flowed like dragons and snakes, exemplifying stability and exuding a grand and imposing aura. The Green Jade Pen, a mid-tier magic artifact, was priced at eight hundred spirit stones and also produced by the Green Jade Sect. As one of the Three Sects of Golden Core in Liang Country, the Green Jade Sect had a distinctive feature: they were adept at crafting with ¡°Green Jade.¡± This was because the sect controlled arge piece of spiritnd, Green Jade Mountain, within whichy a third-tier supreme grade Green Jade Spiritual Vein. Nourished by this spiritual vein, the Green Jade Sect¡¯s mountain gates were abundant with spiritual objects. Their material was top-grade, whether for alchemy, artifact refining, or talisman making and formation setting. The Green Jade Sect had been able to thrive for a thousand years, still in its prime, and this had a lot to do with their resources. ¡°Green Jade series¡± pills, talismans, and magic artifacts were extremely popr in the Cultivation World of Liang Country, and Xu Yang had acquired a fair number of them. One could see him writing fluidly, finishing a talisman in one go. The power of thunder and lightning condensed at the tip of his pen, and in a sh, he had drawn the talismanic symbols on the paper, which still flickered with traces of electricity. This was the first-tier spirit talisman¡ªthe Small Thunder Talisman! Over the hundred years at ckwater River, Xu Yang hadpletely mastered the first-tier talisman technique and acquired the ability to draw talismans. Now, coupled with the ¡°Thunder Commanding Power¡± divine skill and the assistance of his skill traits, his creation of the Small Thunder Talisman seemed effortlessly elegant. He achieved a high sess rate of seventy percent, and his products were of excellent quality. The Small Thunder Talisman was already the strongest attacking spirit talisman among first-tier talismans. Because it required the invocation of thunder and lightning powers, it was notoriously difficult to make, and ordinary talisman masters didn¡¯t dare attempt it, fearing aplete loss. Xu Yang¡¯s sess rate for making talismans was as high as seventy percent, and his Small Thunder Talismans, thanks to the effects of ¡°Thunder Series Talisman,¡± were even more potent than the ordinary ones. The Small Thunder Talisman, already the most powerful in the first-tier, was enhanced by Xu Yang¡¯s skill trait to a degree that its power wasparable to that of the general second-tier attacking talismans. At the cost of the first tier for the power of the second, and being part of the ¡°Thunder Series¡± talismans, with this ability alone, Xu Yang could earn arge sum daily and collect countless spirit stones. ¡°Very good!¡± Xu Yang was very satisfied with this and stored the one thousand seven hundred and fifty-third Small Thunder Talisman as an important part of his ¡°firepower¡± reserve. If one¡¯s cultivation isn¡¯t enough, firepower willpensate. More than a thousand top-quality Small Thunder Talismans might not explode a Golden Core cultivator to death, but severely injuring a Perfect Foundation Building or breaking a second-tier formation was not an issue. This was also part of Xu Yang¡¯s decade of umtion. Xu Yang put away the talismans, along with the spirit ink, talisman paper, and talisman pen, then took out a sickle from his storage bag and headed for the field. Although he had decided to restart his dream cultivation practice, he needed to settle some real-world matters first, such as harvesting the season¡¯s spirit rice, sowing new seeds, visiting the market to replenish cultivation supplies, buying pills, spirit ink, talisman paper, and so on. He needed to take care of these matters before he could restart his dream practice with peace of mind. In the field, Xu Yang brandished dual sickles, employing his Martial Arts Scripture¡¯s Fighting Scroll techniques. He moved swiftly, des shing with cold light, and within a short period, he had harvested several acres of spirit fields. Afterward, he applied the Spiritual Farmer technique to thresh the rice, yielding three thousand two hundred catties of Blood Spirit Rice, three hundred and fifty catties of Large Blood Spirit Rice, and over two thousand catties of rice husks fit for feed. Xu Yang stored all the spirit rice into his storage bag and then summoned the Golden Eagle, tossing it a Large Blood Spirit Rice, ¡°Watch the house well!¡± ¡°Goo-goo-goo!¡± The Golden Eagle excitedly caught the Blood Spirit Rice in its beak and humanely waved its wings at Xu Yang. Without further words, Xu Yang released the magic artifact, the ck Wood Boat, transformed his Gang Yuan into a spell, conjured an Escape Light, and vanished into the clouds of Dongting in the blink of an eye. White Dragon Ind. Compared to more than a decade ago, this Cultivation World¡¯s market had declined considerably. But decline or not, it still upheld the ¡°market¡± framework. There had been rumors of the White Dragon Ind market closing down due to pressure from enemies and rivals several years ago until the Ind Master had made a breakthrough to the middle period of Foundation Establishment, showcasing his cultivation to the public, allowing the business to resume. Though the middle period of Foundation Establishment couldn¡¯tpare with thetter stages, it was enough to support a market. The enemies and rivals of White Dragon Ind no longer dared to press too hard, as fortunes could change. If they oppressed White Dragon Ind today, they themselves could be suppressed by White Dragon Ind tomorrow. Going too far would mean cutting off their own retreat. The Cultivation World, like the Martial World, wasn¡¯t just about fighting and killing. It was also about human rtions and the survival of the fittest but within a set of underlying rules and tacit agreements. At the White Dragon Tower, Xu Yang arrived with purposeful strides. Confronted by the weing manager, he directly asked, ¡°Where¡¯s your steward?¡± With a smile, the manager bowed and said, ¡°The steward is currently in discussion with the Ind Master. I¡¯ve already sent someone to notify him. Please, senior, have a seat and tea on the second floor, and the steward will be here shortly.¡± ¡°Mhm!¡± Xu Yang said no more and went straight to the second floor. Seeing this, everyone in the hall wasn¡¯t surprised. ¡°That senior hase again.¡± ¡°Thunder Lightning Mana King, Shi Jian!¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that this man practices thunder and lightning techniques with incrediblebat power, on par with Foundation Establishment cultivators!¡± ¡°Really? A mere Qi Cultivator daring to sh with a Foundation Establishment Cultivator?¡± ¡°Others might not, but he is a Thunder Series Spell Cultivator. If he really fights for his life, even Foundation Establishment must avoid his edge.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t so, how could he have dealt with White Dragon Tower so many times and still remain unscathed?¡± ¡°Everyone knows this man is wealthy, even considered a tycoon, yet no Robbing Cultivator dares to target him.¡± ¡°Strong power truly deters the petty.¡± ¡°I wonder when he will break through to Foundation Establishment.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Yun Yan, the steward, is on excellent terms with him, even to the point or contemting a parthersing¡¡± The crowd whispered among themselves, filled with gossip and rumors. Thus, a momentter. ¡°Senior Xu Yang¡¯s visit brings glory to White Dragon Tower.¡± Yun Yan rushed over, with a charming and gentle smile on her face, but when she saw Xu Yang, her heart shivered. ¡°Has this man¡ made a breakthrough?¡± Although the aura he emitted was still that of the twelfthyer of Qi Cultivation, a vague sense of danger still raised suspicions in Yun Yan¡¯s heart. Xu Yang, however, didn¡¯t care about that, pushing forward a few storage bags: ¡°The usual rules, take a look.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Yun Yan also collected her thoughts, calmly and quietly began to inspect the storage bags. Whether this person had made a breakthrough or not was irrelevant to her. With the current situation of White Dragon Ind, they could only do business honestly and could not afford to damage their reputation. Otherwise, the consequences and costs would be unbearable for any of them. ¡°White Jade Rice, Yellow Beam Rice, Blood Spirit Rice, Green Bamboo Rice, Jade Spirit Rice¡ totaling seven thousand eight hundred jin.¡± ¡°The total price is three thousand six hundred and fifty-two lower-grade Spirit Stones!¡± Yun Yan, looking at the various types of Spirit Rice brimming in the storage bag, her eyes flickered, but she did not say much more, moving on to the second bag for inspection. ¡°Mysterious Turtle Shield, a mid-tier defensive Magic Artifact, crafted with expert technique, brand new and unused, without any damage. In terms of defense, it can evenpare to supreme-grade Magic Artifacts, priced at one thousand five hundred Spirit Stones!¡± ¡°Green Scale Armor, a mid-tier defensive Magic Artifact, crafted with high skill, also brand new and unused, without any damage. Truly a fine piece, priced at one thousand two hundred Spirit Stones.¡± ¡°Phantom Cloud Bead, a mid- tier concealment Magic Artifact, also a fine and new product, priced at one thousand Spirit Stones.¡± ¡°Mysterious Thunder Bead, a supreme-grade offensive Magic Artifact, created with the dual elements of Mysterious Water and Thunder Lightning. A fine piece among fine pieces, priced at two thousand five hundred Spirit Stones.¡± Yun Yan, observing the various Magic Artifacts in the storage bag, and then casting her gaze towards Xu Yang, said with a smile, ¡°Senior¡¯s Magic Artifacts are of increasing quality.¡± Unfazed, Xu Yang replied indifferently, ¡°What, can¡¯t handle them?¡± ¡°Senior jests, although White Dragon Ind cannot be considered a major power, we can still handle a batch of Magic Artifacts.¡± Yun Yan shook her head, giving her quote, ¡°The total price for this batch of Magic Artifacts is thirteen thousand five hundred and sixty-three lower-grade Spirit Stones.¡± Xu Yang nced at her and asked, ¡°While I was walking in the market, I noticed that the prices of various pills, talismans, and Magic Artifacts have risen quite a bit. Has something happened?¡± ¡°I was just about to discuss this with you, Senior.¡± Yun Yan nodded and said soberly, ¡°Rumor has it, the Three Sects of Golden Core in Liang Country are nning to join forces to explore the Hundred Thousand Mountains. They¡¯re also nning to recruit cultivators from all sides, offering various treasures for exchange of military merits. Foundation Building Pills are quitemon, as well as supreme-grade Magic Artifacts and even Spiritual Artifacts, not to mention Golden Core Skills¡¡± ¡°The Three Sects of Golden Core?¡± ¡°The Hundred Thousand Mountains?¡± Xu Yang furrowed his brows. The Hundred Thousand Mountains, a perilous region bordering the Cultivation World of Liang Country, were said to harbor a hundred thousand demon beasts, including Foundation Establishment Demon Generals and even Golden Core Demon Kings. Cultivators often ventured there seeking mysteries and adventures, with varied fates¡ªsome were devoured by demon beasts, while others encountered fortuitous opportunities¡ In short, the Hundred Thousand Mountains were rich in resources, arge piece of ¡°fat meat.¡± The Three Sects of Golden Core had each made moves towards it, wishing to exploit the Hundred Thousand Mountains, but in the end, they were repelled by the Golden Core Demon Kings within the mountains. This time, with the Three Sects of Golden Core joining forces to open up the region, and even recruiting cultivators while offering various treasures as rewards for military merits¡ What were they nning? Xu Yang was unclear. But it didn¡¯t matter whether he was clear or not; he certainly wasn¡¯t going to wade into this muddy water. so¡ ¡°With the looming battle, the prices of pills, talismans, and Magic Artifacts naturally soared. On the other hand, the prices of materials that cannot be immediately transformed intobat power have declined ¨C after all, once the Hundred Thousand Mountains are opened, arge amount of materials will emerge, impacting market prices,¡± Yun Yan exined, watching Xu Yang closely, observing his reaction to this information, especially noting hisck of interest in ¡°Foundation Building Pills,¡± which further confirmed her suspicions. So she immediately said, ¡°At White Dragon Tower, we conduct business fairly, without deceiving either the young or the old. Senior¡¯s collection of Artifacts is of fine quality, and if you wait to sell themter, their prices will surely increase significantly.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Xu Yang shook his head, speaking calmly, ¡°Let¡¯s trade at the current market price.¡± ¡°Senior is generous!¡± Upon hearing this, Yun Yan smiled, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, White Dragon Tower won¡¯t let Senior suffer a loss. We¡¯ll increase the price by an additional ten percent on top of the market rate. Additionally, would Senior like to purchase materials? The prices of materials have dropped considerably, and it would be a good deal to stock up now.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Xu Yang nodded, pushing forward a list, ¡°Order double the amount of each type of material on this!¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Afterpleting the transaction, Xu Yang did not linger and left White Dragon Ind, heading straight for Dongting Lake. Although he had no intention of getting involved with the chaos of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, the activities of the Three Sects of Golden Core and the foreboding atmosphere in the Cultivation World of Liang Country still left him feeling uneasy. Therefore, he decided to return to his ind for a closed-door retreat, keeping away from this whirlpool. He would wait until after the matter was resolved and everything returned to calm beforeing out again. After all, in these past ten or so years, through his use of pills, talismans, Artifact Refining, and various outputs from farming and breeding, he umted quite a fortune. The resources required for his cultivation filled storage bag after storage bag, and even if he avoided the Cultivation World for decades, it wouldn¡¯t affect his own progression. So, he decided to go home, sleep, and dream! Chapter 120 - 86: Scholar_l Chapter 120: Chapter 86: Schr_l Trantor: 549690339 That night, near the end of summer, there was a hint of chill in the air, the aura of autumn gradually emerging. Inside the somewhat dpidated Ma Family ancestral hall. A few youths on night watch sat at the entrance, chatting casually and sporadically. ¡°How could it be, someone just vanishes into thin air?¡± ¡°Exactly, the n spends so much money every year to feed and take care of him, all in the hopes that he¡¯ll pass the exams and bring honor to our ancestors, right?¡± ¡°And yet, thisd, out of nowhere, just disappeared!¡± ¡°The old master from the private school said that thed¡¯s essays were written exceptionally well, he was certain to pass the examinations this time and be a ¡®tongsheng¡¯. In the future, bing a ¡®xiucai¡¯ or even passing the ¡®juiren¡¯ exams was within reach. Who would¡¯ve thought that he would end up¡¡± ¡°It¡¯s really odd. I saw him just the other day, hearty and full of life. How could he just be gone all of a sudden? Could it be that he encountered some ghostly fox or spirit monster that stealthily drained him of his Yang energy?¡± ¡°What ghostly fox or spirit monster? Don¡¯t scare me,d.¡± ¡°You might not believe it, but I¡¯ve heard that these ghostly foxes, they fancy young and tender schrs with delicate skin and tender flesh the most.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes! It¡¯s said that if they take a fancy to someone during the day, at night they¡¯ll transform into beautiful women and stealthily engage in pleasures with the men. There¡¯s even a fancy term for it¡ what¡¯s it called¡ ¡®adding fragrance to the sleeves¡¯!¡± ¡°If they have their way with you a few times, let alone a frail schr who can¡¯t lift a load or do manualbor, even we robust farmhands would exhaust all our Yang energy and meet our death!¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense, though. If these ghostly foxes feed on people¡¯s Yang energy, why go after frail schrs? With their effeminate looks, those dandies are all show and no substance. How much Yang energy could they have?¡± ¡°Tell me about it! They should being after us. Like me, for instance¡ªI wake up every morning full of vigor; my Yang energy is as potent as it gets. Wouldn¡¯t that be far better than those useless pretty boys?¡± ¡°You never know, they might just fancy that kind.¡± ¡°Pah, I reckon it¡¯s all hogwash made up by those schrs, which is why only they have all the fun, while us honest farmhands have to rely on our own two hands.¡± ¡°If some ghostly fox beauty really showed up at my door, I¡¯d make sure she couldn¡¯t get out of bed!¡± ¡°Oh, please, you¡¡± The group of youths delved deeper into ribald humor, carelessly joking around without regard for the situation. Only an old man stayed out of the fray, taking a sip from his wine bowl on his own. After the rowdy group of youths settled down, he finally said, ¡°Youds have no idea how high the sky is or how deep the earth is. Do you truly think those tales of ghostly foxes are false?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The youths looked at each other, their faces a mix of shock and uncertainty, as they watched the old man: ¡°Eight Masters, what do you mean by that? Are you saying there really are ghostly foxes and spirit monsters in this world?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you say it a bit louder?¡± Eight Masters red at the man and scolded, ¡°Boys, remember this: you can eat your fill, but mind what you say. As the saying goes, the gods are watching from three feet above. When ites to matters of gods and ghosts, it¡¯s best to respect them from a distance!¡± ¡°This¡¡± Seeing him so serious, the youths felt somewhat intimidated, though one of them, brave due to his inexperience, persisted. ¡°Eight Masters, don¡¯t frighten us now. If there really were ghostly foxes that sucked out people¡¯s Yang energy, then why go after the fair-faced schrs specifically? Wouldn¡¯t our Yang energy as farmhands be much stronger?¡± Emboldened by this, the others joined in the taunting: ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right! If they¡¯re not after Yang energy and just fancy good looks, then what¡¯s there to be afraid of with those ghostly foxes? I¡¯d be more than happy for them toe over and be my wives!¡± ¡°What do you lot know?¡± Eight Masters gave the youths a disdainful nce: ¡°Those ghostly foxes go after schrs not just for their life force but also their literary aura.¡± Curious, everyone asked, ¡°What¡¯s a literary aura?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not too clear on the details myself.¡± Eight Masters shook his head: ¡°But ording to what the old folks used to say, schrs who read a lot and have good knowledge emit a kind of literary aura. The spirit monsters benefit greatly from absorbing it, so they prefer targeting schrs. Only after the schrs have disappeared do they go after youths like you, sucking away your Yang energy¡¡± Seeing him speak so gravely, the youths exchanged nces, bing somewhat frightened. ¡°Eight Masters, don¡¯t scare us!¡± ¡°Yeah, exactly!¡± ¡°I think thatd must have had some acute illness that struck him dead.¡± ¡°Right, right, right, the corpse I saw had a twisted face and body, he surely died of a fit, like from the falling sickness.¡± The group quickly agreed, steering the conversation away from the topic of ghostly foxes. Eight Masters replied with a coldugh, ¡°Now you know fear, huh? From now on, keep your lips tight. Also¡¡± As he spoke, he nced back at the ancestral hall before asking them, ¡°Do you know why the n leader asked me to stay up with youds to watch the corpse?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The youths looked at each other, all puzzled. Eight Masters shook his head, speaking ominously, ¡°People who die such violent deaths are suffocating with resentment, unable to expel it from their throats. If we¡¯re not careful, it might¡¡± ¡°It might what?¡± The crowd swallowed hard, anxious eyes fixed on him: ¡°Out with it, say it!¡± ¡°Turn into a reanimated corpse!¡± Eight Masters gave a grim smile, showing his yellow teeth: ¡°Do you know what a reanimated corpse is¡?¡± ¡°Whoosh!¡± Before he could finish, they heard a noise behind them. Eight Masters turned rigid, frozen in ce. The youths were also startled, and as they lifted their heads and looked toward the sound, their expressions turned to horror. Pointing behind Eight Masters, their mouths gaped wide open, unable to utter a word as they stood there, trembling like leaves in the wind. Eight Masters, seeing their reactions, shuddered and shouted, ¡°Damn brats, stop it already! You trying to scare someone to death in the middle of the night¡¡± ¡°The corpse is reanimating!¡± Before he could finish, the youths screamed and turned on their heels, bolting out the door. Eight Masters¡¯ body jerked abruptly as he slowly turned his head, only to see that in the hall, the person who had been lying on the funeral nk had now eerily risen to a seated position. This caused Eight Masters to instantly turn deathly pale, and with a softening of his legs, he sat down on the ground. Then, in a panicked scramble, he propped himself up and ran out, tumbling and crawling. ¡°A corpse, the corpse has turned! Someonee quick, help me! ! Inside the ancestral hall, sitting on the horizontal board, Xu Yang¡¯s eyebrows were tightly knit, one hand pressing on his temple, feeling a piercing pain in his head, and his memory waspletely confused, as if someone had split open his skull and torn apart his soul. What¡¯s going on? What had befallen the original owner of the body that he¡¯d suffered such severe injuries that even the power of his divine soul that came through the dream of the butterfly couldn¡¯tpletely soothe his wounds? Xu Yang sat on the horizontal board, his hands clutching his head, his fingers tightly pressing on his temples in an attempt to alleviate the pain, but it was to no avail. Having no other choice, he disregarded the surroundings and directly started to practice the Martial Arts Mental skills. In the real world, Cultivation Skills, generally included methods to cultivate the Divine Soul. Incorporating these into the Martial Arts Scripture, Xu Yang finally remedied the significant w in the cultivation of the Martial Path, where it was difficult to cultivate the divine soul before Condensing Spirit. The intense pain in his head now suggested it was not merely a physical injury, but rather a wound to the soul. Xu Yang¡¯s transformation through Zhuanzhou Mengdie wasn¡¯t a typical seizure of another¡¯s body; he received not just the body but also the soul, meaning the injury that caused the ¡°original owner¡± his death also affected him now. Xu Yang clutched his head, silently practicing the Martial Arts Scripture, not knowing how long it took before the intense pain in his mind gradually subsided. ¡°Heh, heh!¡± By then, he was drenched in sweat, hisplexion ashen, looking as if he had been fished out from water. At the same time, a fragmented, chaotically jumbled flow of memories surfaced in his mind. His name was Ma Wencai, a local of the North City in Jinhua Mansion within the Jiangzhe region. Orphaned at a young age, he was a lonely and destitute child, but fortunately, he was bright and sharp, seemingly born to study. Therefore, he was nurtured by the Ma n and was allowed to study with the n. He also received monthly rations for his excellent performance. He knew opportunities were scarce and was even more diligent, living by the maxim ¡°Let not the noise of the world disturb the focus of one¡¯s schrly pursuits.¡± He hoped to pass the exams and make a name for himself. In this way, he worked hard and eventually grew up to take part in the imperial examinations. But unexpectedly, on the eve of the county test, he¡ What happened then? Xu Yang didn¡¯t know. He had died, but he didn¡¯t know why or how. He didn¡¯t even have the memories leading up to his death, as if a piece of his soul had been torn out and taken away. This caused Xu Yang¡¯s brows to furrow tightly, his heart uneasy. Thoughcking memory information, he was still certain that the original owner¡¯s death was no ident. It was murder! Someone had deliberately harmed him. Now that he hade back to life, the adversary would know and would not be willing to let go. They would surely find an opportunity to strike again. Considering the original owner¡¯s chaotic memories and the peculiar injuries on this body, the murderer undoubtedly possessed extraordinary powers. Therefore, his current situation was very dangerous¡ªthe opponent could strike at any time, and as a frail schr incapable of fighting, he had no power to resist or defend himself. What to do? Xu Yang¡¯s brows were knotted in worry, momentarily without a strategy. It wasn¡¯t that hecked wisdom or cunning; rather, the current situation was a clear case of the enemy being in the light and himself in the dark. In this scenario of vastly unequal information, even a wise man can do nothing without rice, much like a skilled woman is helpless without the necessary ingredients to cook. ¡°First take one step at a time, and if worsees to worst, I¡¯ll have to change my appearance and flee, temporarily avoiding this ce of conflict!¡± Eventually, Xu Yang could only make such a n and struggled to prop up his weary and weakened body to leave the ancestral hall. Just at that moment¡ ¡°Quick, quick, quick!¡± ¡°Surround this ce!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let him escape!¡± Arge crowd with torches in hand rushed over, enclosing the ancestral hall tightly. Xu Yang halted his step and looked outside. He saw a line of people with spears and shields cautiously entering the ancestral hall and shouting to him from a distance. ¡°Wencai, is, is that you?¡± Xu Yang looked at them and quickly grasped the situation. He then called out, ¡°It¡¯s me, n Leader. I¡¯m not dead, nor have I turned into a zombie. Please don¡¯t panic and watch out for idents.¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°He can still talk?¡± ¡°He really didn¡¯t turn into a zombie, is the dead man alive?¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s a talking corpse!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s try again; if that doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll just burn him.¡± Hearing this, the members of the Ma n were still somewhat uneasy and dared not approach. Finally, it was the n Leader who said, ¡°Well, Wencai, it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t believe you, but with something like this¡ Anyway, please bear with us, just stay put, and we¡¯lle back for you when it¡¯s light out tomorrow.¡± ¡°Alright, no problem,¡± Xu Yang nodded his head without further words, ¡°But could you throw me something to eat? I¡¯m a bit hungry.¡± ¡°No problem, just wait!¡± Chapter 121 - 87: Evil Era_l Chapter 121: Chapter 87: Evil Era_l Trantor: 549690339 Three dayster, within a simple thatched cottage, wisps of cooking smoke rose into the air along with the fragrance of rice. By the stove, Xu Yang, who had cleared himself of suspicions of ¡°corpse transformation,¡± removed the lid of the pot and scooped out a full bowl of coarse rice, with slices of cured meat buried within. The melting fat infused with the rice, releasing an even more enticing aroma. Xu Yang picked up his chopsticks and didn¡¯t bother to go elsewhere, simply sitting by the stove to eat. In no time, arge bowl of rice mixed with cured meat disappeared into his stomach. After eating, he didn¡¯t wash the dishes, but put down his chopsticks and went into the yard to practice a set of boxing techniques on the spot. His movements were like a fierce tiger and a swimming Jiao Dragon, with his fists carrying the momentum of wind and thunder, truly grand and powerful. This was a supreme skill from the Martial Arts Scripture, recorded in the ¡°Power Scroll¡± called the Thunder-Driving Lightning-Lifting Skill. The technique originally stemmed from the concept of ¡°Heavenly Thunder Tempering¡± and was rather rudimentary, not very useful in practice. Only after Xu Yang, with his Fish-Dragon Form, acquired the divine ability of ¡°Thunder Commanding Power,¡± and thoroughly understood the nature of thunder and lightning, did this technique evolve and transform, bing a formidable and risk-free Divine Skill. It eliminated the dangerous ws of ¡°Heavenly Thunder overbearing the mind, turning one to ash¡± and allowed a practitioner to gradually master the power of thunder and lightning with a step-by-step approach. Externally, it could refine the body using the ¡°Body Training¡± method; internally, it could enhance the Inner Yuan, aplishing the prowess of the ¡°Martial Path.¡± It was a supreme skill that integrated two systems, cultivating both internally and externally. ording to Xu Yang¡¯s conception, when practiced to a certain degree, this skill could even seize the creative forces of Heaven and Earth, cultivating the ¡°Thunder Commanding Power¡± divine ability, and mastering the power of lightning without the need for transfer from Zhuanzhou Mengdie. But this was not the main reason why he was practicing his boxing at the moment. The Thunder-Driving Lightning-Lifting Skill was also part of the Martial Arts Scripture system,bining internal and external cultivation, suitable for practice while sitting as well. The reason Xu Yang chose dynamic ¡°moving pile¡± cultivation with boxing rather than static ¡°meditative pile¡± practice was due to inadequate conditions for thetter. Static pile, that is, meditation, involves sitting still and circting Internal Breath, which not only requires a significant level of internal cultivation for control but also depends on certain external conditions, such as the power of Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit. Only by absorbing the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit or swallowing spirit pills to transform external forces into nourishment can one ensure that the efficiency of static pile cultivation outweighs that of dynamic pile cultivation. Having just arrived in this world, and only taking over this body for three days, where could Xu Yang have developed such internal cultivation? Not only could the internal conditions not be met, but the external requirements were also difficult to fulfill. In Xu Yang¡¯s perception, this world, this realm, can only be described in two words. Barren! Utterly barren! Forget the world of ck Water where gods and Buddhas flooded the skies, this ce didn¡¯t evenpare with the Great Zhou or Great Tang, nor with the mundane world of his real body. In Great Zhou and Great Tang, as well as the mundane world where his origin body resided, there might not be nature¡¯s spiritual energy, but there was still ordinary Yuan Qi. This world was different; not only was there no pure spiritual energy from nature, but even the ordinary Yuan Qi was incredibly scarce. Yuan Qi is fundamental to everything; the result of its scarcity is a barren world. This barrenness is reflected in many areas, most notably in the quantity, quality, and lifespan of living beings. ording to the memories of the body¡¯s original owner, which Xu Yang sorted through in the past three days, as well as information gathered from books and subtle inquiries, this world truly was in a state of extreme scarcity. Not to mention other aspects, just look at life expectancy. People in this world generally lived very short lives, with most only reaching fifty or sixty years at most. Take the Ma n as an example; Xu Yang had covertly looked through the family records. Over a dozen generations spanning several hundred years, there were fewer than five members who lived past sixty years of age. This was not normal, not normal at all. While it is true that the average lifespan in ancient times was very low, mostly in the range of thirty to forty years, that wasrgely due to war and poverty reducing the poption, skewing the average downwards, rather than the actual lifespan of ancient people being so short. In Great Zhou, Great Tang, and in the Origin Body Mortal world, as long as one did not engage in life-draining hardbor such as ¡°smithing, ship propping, or tofu selling,¡± an ordinary person, absent illness and disaster, could easily live to seventy or eighty, or even over a hundred years old. But in this world, it wasn¡¯t possible. Even if someone lived a life of luxury, spared from illness and cmity, it was still challenging to live past sixty. Why? Simply put, Yuan Spirit was scarce, thend was infertile, and the world was harsh! Whether considering the innate source or acquired supplies, there was a severe deficiency, naturally limiting lifespan. The issue of native lifespan aside, the quantity and quality were the same¡ªwhether it was humans, animals, spirits, or even nts and all things of nature¡ªthey all existed in a severely barren state, with short lifespans, few in number, and low in quality. This was the impression this world, this realm, had made on Xu Yang. Barren! Impoverished! Arduous! This reminded him of two major hypotheses from Taoism and Buddhism. The End Times of Evil Age! The five turbidities and evil world! In the End Times, the Yuan Spirit is silent, and allws are extinguished! Amidst the five turbidities, human lifespan greatly diminishes, with centenarians being rare! In this age, in this world, there must surely be a rise in Evil Skills, and the world must De m great disorder. Whether the world was in disorder, Xu Yang did not know. But based on what he had encountered so far, this world indeed existed in such an End Times of Evil Age condition, with sparse Yuan Spirit and a barrennd, which was very unfriendly to cultivators like him and to ordinary people alike. Fortunately, he had mastered a variety of skills, not solely relying on spiritual energy for cultivation. If it had been a cultivator from the real world, transported to this world, they would have been absolutely helpless, bing unable to cultivate and effectively a cripple. Without spiritual energy, what could they possibly cultivate? Even for him, theck of spiritual energy was a severe handicap and interference. While the Martial Arts Scripture does not rely on nature¡¯s spiritual energy, it cannot create energy out of nothing and rece it. All things abide by thew of conservation of energy; the Martial Arts Scripture might not use nature¡¯s spiritual energy for cultivation, but it still must rely on ordinary Yuan Qi as well as food for nourishment, absorbing nutrients to foster oneself, and thus be powerful. It¡¯s not possible to conjure something from nothing, cultivating supreme Divine Skills by merely breathing in the northwest wind; that would be utterly unreasonable. Nature¡¯s spiritual energy was scarce, and all creatures were malnourished. Having just arrived, he had no ample resources to sustain himself, so his cultivation was naturally greatly affected. How much nutrition could that bowl of coarse rice and that piece of cured meat possibly provide? It was hardly enough to support static pile cultivation; he could only get moving, practice dynamic pile and throw punches, digesting the nutrition from the food and converting it into Qi Blood, distributing it throughout his body to marginally enhance his cultivation. It was extremely difficult! As for this, Xu Yang currently had no good solution. If his Divine Soul were strong enough, transmitting the various skill traits from his Origin Body, he could break through the world¡¯s restrictions, disregard the scarcity of nature, and elerate the practice of Martial Arts Scripture. But this ¡®if¡¯ was not realistic, as his current Divine Soul cultivation level was nowhere near transmitting those advanced and efficient skill traits. He could only rely on ¡°himself!¡± A clever woman cannot cook without rice; facing the current plight and unknown enemies, he had no good countermeasures either. He could only explore step by step, attempt little by little. Afterpleting a set of boxing, his body¡¯s Qi Blood boiled, and it had indeed improved quite a bit. Since the body¡¯s original owner was murdered, Xu Yang urgently needed the capability to protect himself, and after clearing his suspicion, he withdrew his meager savings to purchase some meat and grains as nourishment for martial training. Unfortunately, his savings were so meager that the grain and meat he purchased were only enough for three days, and the meal he had just eaten was thest. Thus, the effect of the martial training wasn¡¯t too strong, just barely managing to reach the level of an average adult. There was no helping it; the original owner was a weak schr who couldn¡¯t perform physicalbor and had been in a sub-health state for a long time. It was already quite good that three days of training had brought him up to par with an average person. Xu Yang returned to his room, took out the Four Treasures of the Study, ground the ink,id out the paper, picked up the brush, and began writing, producing splendid writings In no time. In this world, there were many odd characters, phenomena, and tales! For example, the development of the Way of Literature. In a world where nature was impoverished and all things struggled to grow, resources were limited. People¡¯s clothing barely covered their bodies, their food was insufficient, and hardship was the norm. Logically, in times of such hardship, the Way of Literature should be even harder to pursue because schooling consumed a lot of resources. The Four Treasures of the Study and books of ssics were all valuable items thatmon families could ill afford. But this world was different. The items rted to literature were sold at ridiculously low prices! Whether it was the Four Treasures of the Study or standard printed books, the price was so low that evenmon folk could easily afford them. Take the ¡°original owner,¡± Ma Wencai, for instance¡ªa poor schr with deceased parents, alone and unsupported, his livelihood entirely dependent on the n¡¯s charity. Even so, his home had plenty of books,cking none of the Four Treasures of the Study, and even possessing a few spare sets. This clearly didn¡¯t make sense! There must be a cause for any wind that blows¡ªanything unusual must have an underlying reason! There must be a reason for this. As for what that reason was¡ Xu Yang still wasn¡¯t very sure. But one can deduce the whole from a part! In such a poor world, the prices of literary items were so cheap that evenmoners could practice literature and stand out, with a hint of ¡°the world learns literature, everyone is like a dragon¡±¡ This reminded Xu Yang of his own deeds in Great Zhou and Great Tang. In Great Zhou and Great Tang, he gathered the wisdom of all beings to deduce Martial Arts Scripture and executed policies such as publd ownership, emancipation ofbor, and improved productivity with an iron fist. These policies allowed themon people to live without worry about food and clothing, providing ample resources and time for them to practice martial arts and strengthen themselves. At that time, the prices of meat, grain, paper, books, medical herbs, and other materials rted to the Martial Path were all driven down by his policies of ¡°improving production,¡± ¡°price monitoring,¡± ¡°strict prohibition of market maniption,¡± and ¡°universal ess, ¡± benefiting everyone. For this, he killed many people, a great many people, causing countless merchants, nobles, and influential ns who could not bear the changes to attempt his overthrow time and again, only to be in en masse, leaving fields of corpses in their wake. One could say that the Martial Path¡¯s golden age in Great Zhou and Great Tang was created on a foundation of the blood and corpses of countless opposing interest groups, forcibly established by his unparalleled martial prowess and iron-fisted governance. Honestly, such a system wasn¡¯t an appropriate strategy for governing a country because it severely contravened human nature. If anyone else had attempted it, they would have been overthrown by various powers and met with national ruin and personal disaster. It was only because of him, possessing peerless martial prowess to suppress the world, dominating all under heaven,bined with various skill traits and a group of nearly fanatical disciples and followers, that he was able to suppress dissenting hearts from all sides and push forward the policy of ¡°Spreading Martial Path throughout the World.¡± Even so, there were still those who dared to court death by standing in his way. This indicated how difficult it was to implement this approach; it touched on too many interests. Unless there was an overwhelmingly powerful force to support it, such a policy would never seed. Nowes the question. Great Zhou and Great Tang, with the Martial Path spread throughout thend, had him as the driving force behind it. What about this world? Who was the one promoting the Way of Literature, allowing merchants and nobles, great ns and academies of various doctrines to not monopolize thedder of ¡®literature,¡¯ not reap the considerable profits, and to sell literary items so cheaply that evenmon folk could pursue education and realize such a prosperous era for literature? Who was it? Xu Yang did not know. But he was certain that behind it, there must be an extremely powerful force, an extraordinary transcendent power. Only a force beyond the mundane could suppress ¡®human nature,¡¯ personal gain, andpel those interest groups to make such a painful concession. How powerful was this transcendent force? Xu Yang still did not know. But, using his own ¡°Spreading Martial Path throughout the World¡± as a reference, Xu Yang was sure that this power must either be a supremely strong individual who could suppress all and sweep away everything, or an interest group that won the hearts of many and was the trend of the times. The former could use personal great power to suppress collective dissent and force the world to follow his will. Thetter would be a scenario where all major powers and groups had amon interest, resulting in a cooperative trend. Is it the former, or thetter? Chapter 122 - 88: Sudden Realization_1 Chapter 122: Chapter 88: Sudden Realization_1 Trantor: 549690339 Whether the former or thetter, it didn¡¯t matter much to Xu Yang at the moment. It only confirmed one thing for him, that this world harbored transcendent powers, incredibly potent transcendent forces. This was evident from the time flow in this worldpared to the real world. The time flow in this world was a hundred times slower than that of the real world. A hundredfold time difference! Although it was less than the tenfold difference of ck Water World, it was higher than the 365-fold difference of Great Zhou and Great Tang. After numerous Dream Butterfly experiences, Xu Yang had spected that the difference in time between dreams and reality might be rted to the world¡¯s level, at least it was one of the deciding factors. The higher the level of the Dream World, the stronger the power, the smaller the time difference with the real world! In the ck Water World, where gods and buddhas are ubiquitous, the time difference is only tenfold. For the mundane Martial Path of Great Zhou and Great Tang, it¡¯s 365-fold. The hundredfold time difference of this world was enough to prove that its world level was higher than that of Great Zhou and Great Tang. Let¡¯s not speak of Great Zhou; in the world of Great Tang, there exists earthly Yuan Qi, methods of martial training that allow one to enter five realms of the Martial Path. Here, the Yuan Spirit is scarce, and the heavens and earth arecking, yet its world level is actually higher than that of Great Tang? Interesting, truly interesting! Xu Yang had be quite interested in the cultivation methods of this world. The methods of cultivation, regardless of their systems, all cannot avoid the fundamental principle of ¡°provisions.¡± Just like the foundation of technology is energy, every cultivation system needs provisions as its foundation. For Cultivation Qi Cultivation, Yuan Spirit is needed. Martial Path Body Training also requires provisions. An energy source is a necessity. Therefore, what kind of energy source, what kind of provisions, does this world¡¯s transcendent system rely on for its cultivation methods? Heaven and earth Yuan Spirit, impossible, it¡¯s too impoverished. Flesh and blood provisions also need the support of Yuan Spirit; the resources are simrly scarce. What could it be? Xu Yang still didn¡¯t know. But you can infer the whole picture from a part of it; by examining the various phenomena of this world, one can discern some clues. For instance, the Way of literature here is illogically prosperous. Could it be that this is a ¡°Confucian Tao¡± world where studying can cultivate overwhelming righteousness and writing alone has the power of divine skills? Possible! But¡ Xu Yang stopped writing, nced at the article he had personally penned, and slightly furrowed his brow. With the umtion of knowledge from two worlds, a schr of Heaven and Earth, he was no longer the ordinary transmigrant but a Grandmaster who had mastered knowledge through the ages and practiced the Three Teaching Sect. Although in Great Zhou and Great Tang he had twice destroyed temples, eradicated Buddhism and Taoism, suppressed Confucian Gate, and swept through Qiankun, that didn¡¯t stop him from practicing the Three Teachings and delving into the profound mysteries of their scriptures, bing an expert in Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. In worldly terms, his Taoism, Buddhist Law, and Confucian cultivation were all top-notch; even if Holy Monks and Great Schrs were to debate scriptures with him, he could argue them to the point of being utterly defeated. He had no trouble reading any rare Dao Zang texts, Buddhist scriptures fluently, and could craft exquisite articles and famed masterpieces with ease. He also perused the original host¡¯s collection of books and examined this world¡¯s various ssics and texts, which were quite sophisticated, but they were not the methods of the Immortal Gods. With his current Confucian cultivation, the poetry and articles he wrote were in no way inferior to those written by the Great Schrs. Yet¡ There was no response! Absolutely no reaction! Exquisite articles, bereft of any ir. Famed masterpieces, without any phenomena. These were his original pieces of writing. And the previous articles and poems that he hadn¡¯t bothered to think too deeply about, simply giarizing, also showed no anomalies, nor did they bring him any Cultural Qi benefits for cultivation,pletely inconsistent with his understanding of the ¡°Confucian Taoist Cultivation Skills.¡± Was his method of writing incorrect, or was there some other reason? Xu Yang frowned, crumpled the exceptional article fit for a top schr into waste paper, and threw it into the furnace beside him. Then, he picked up his brush to write again. This time, he didn¡¯t write poetry or articles, but rewrote Buddhist scriptures. The Diamond Sutra, the Surangama Sutra, the Infinite Life Sutra, the Lotus Sutra, the Heart Sutra¡ He couldn¡¯t copy that much, but he chose famous chapters from Buddhist Tablets, ssified as advanced scriptures in Buddhism, along with some Buddhist doctrines that he had understood and integrated. Setting aside the fact that he had twice eradicated Buddhism, academically speaking, these were in no way inferior to the scriptures he had looked up in the past few days, and technically, they were much better. But¡ still no response. Xu Yang¡¯s brow furrowed as he threw another sheet of paper into the furnace and began writing the Dao Zang scriptures. Sorting through the original host¡¯s memories and his discreet investigations these past few days, Xu Yang noted that though the Way of literature was prevalent in this world, it wasn¡¯t the sole domain of the Confucianism; Taoism and Buddhism thrived as well, with the Three Teachings all enjoying a period of prosperity. If indeed there was a mighty force behind the flourishing way of literature, then the Three Teachings of Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism couldn¡¯t be overlooked. Now that the literary path was flourishing and the Three Teachings of Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism were thriving like never before, if there truly were transcendent cultivation methods, they must be rted to the Three Teachings. However, why¡ A Taoist Scripture waspleted, yet still there was no response. ¡°So-called ¡®Cultural Qi¡¯ is not formed through scriptures alone!¡± Xu Yang¡¯s gaze sharpened as he put down his writing brush and threw the newlypleted scripture into the furnace. ¡°All things have a source; nothinges from nothing. Objects of literature and ink are merely vessels, not the root cause. Naturally, they cannot provide me with power!¡± ¡°If those magnificent writings, timeless masterpieces, and scriptures of Buddhism and Taoism possess extraordinary power, then something must have be their energy source, infusing them with power!¡± ¡°What could it be?¡± ¡°Excluding the most basic Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit, there is only one possibility left!¡± ¡°Incense, belief, the will of the masses, the power of the divine soul!¡± ¡°The cultivation sustenance of this world is the belief in incense, the power of the divine soul amassed by the masses!¡± ¡°The so-called Cultural Qi of Confucianism and Buddhism and Taoism alle from the belief in incense and the power of the divine soul gathered by the masses, turning falsehood into truth, transcending the mundane.¡± ¡°Therefore, a poem, an essay, a scripture of Buddhism or a Taoist canon, no matter how well-written, are meaningless unless they spread in the world, absorbing the public¡¯s willpower. Only then can they turn decay into wonder, obtaining extraordinary power!¡± ¡°This is¡ the method of ¡®cultivating the true through the false¡¯!¡± ¡°Therefore, in this world where the Way of Literature thrives, the driving force behind it are the cultivators of the world, with the Three Teaching Sect working together to promote literature, harvesting the world¡¯s incense and the public willpower as sustenance for their own cultivation.¡± ¡°All this talk of Cultural Qi of Confucian Tao and Buddhism and Taoism, when put inly, are all methods of divine soul cultivation!¡± One can see the whole by observing a part. In an instant, Xu Yang connected all the information, all the clues, and came up with an answer. Once this answer was deduced, the entire affair, all intricate doubts, were all thoroughly resolved. In this world, where Yuan Qi is scarce, the only way to cultivate is to gather the power of all beings. The ways to gather the mass are twofold, one is to collect their flesh and blood, and the other is to collect their souls. But they cannot be taken directly, because that is eating human flesh and sucking human souls, undeniably the method of the Evil Path, uneptable to the world, unsustainable in the long term. To maintain a continuous flow like a slow stream, the only way is religious cultivation and incense offerings, refining the power of the divine soul of the masses to serve as sustenance for one¡¯s own cultivation. This is the Righteous Way of Cultivation in this world. Therefore, the literary path in this world can prosper, and objects of literature and ink can be somon, because behind them the entire Cultivation Realm is the backing. Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism all need the ¡°Way of Literature¡± as a vessel to collect the belief of the masses, the incense of the people. Beautiful writings and timeless masterpieces have no magic in themselves, but due to the Confucian Taoist Cultivation Skills, once they spread throughout the world and are studied by many, they can turn decay into wonder, gaining extraordinary transcendent power. Cultivating the true through the false is precisely this. Not only articles and poems, but other scriptures of Confucianism, as well as those Great Schrs, were all originally ordinary mortals. The reason they could transcend was that they practiced Confucianism and received the support of the divine soul empowered by the belief of the masses. After understanding this core principle, many of Xu Yang¡¯s doubts were immediately rified. Why are there legends of Ghost Foxes and Spirit Monsters in this world that like to seek out schrs to consort with? Because schrs belong to the Confucian system, with the power of the gathered divine soul¡ªthe Cultural Qi¡ªwithin them! This is greatly beneficial to the cultivation of Spirit Monsters, which is why entities like Ghost Foxes love to enchant schrs. Actually, not only schrs but also young Taoists and monks are their targets for enchantment and consumption. The power of the souls of all beings is an extraordinary sustenance, already forming a system. The Cultural Qi of Confucianism seeks fame, for with fame one can be a cultivator of Confucianism, thus being endowed with Cultural Qi, ascending above ordinary people. In the n records of the Ma n, among the few who lived past sixty, without exception, all were literati with official titles, and at least all of them held the title of Juren; the lower title of Xiuzi was not enough. ¡°So, the method of cultivation in this world is to study those timeless Confucian ssics, to draw Cultural Qi from them, or to take the civil examinations to acquire an official title granted by the government. With this, one can also gather Cultural Qi.¡± ¡°Of course, releasing one¡¯s works for the world to read can also rue a significant amount of Cultural Qi.¡± ¡°But these require time, an extremely long umtion of time to build a reputation known to the world and sincerely worshipped, only then can one gather enough Cultural Qi!¡± ¡°Although this is the Righteous Way of Cultivation, it is far too slow.¡± ¡°The most direct, fastest way is to consume humans; those Spirit Monsters and Evil Cultivators must very much like to eat those abounding in Cultural Qi, even consuming Great Schrs and Grand Cultivators, as well as the court¡¯s appointed officials, and even the Dragon Qi of the Emperor, all of which can elevate one in a single step!¡± Xu Yang sorted through the context, inching closer to the truth: ¡°Was my original body coveted by a Spirit Monster, dead from having its Cultural Qi drained?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not right. The original owner had not yet taken the official exams, not even passed the preliminary county level exam, not having achieved even the status of a child schr¡ªwhere would he get any Cultural Qi to attract a Spirit Monster?¡± ¡°Moreover, if a Spirit Monster were to drain the Cultural Qi, it would also drain life and Yuan Qi, thus the cause of death should have been due to exhaustion of vital essence, turning into a dried corpse, whereas the original host died from a severe injury to the soul¡¡± ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°The soul?¡± Xu Yang¡¯s eyes focused, and he suddenly awoke: ¡°Evil Cultivators!¡± His thoughts were still unsettled when suddenly¡ ¡°Strike this effigy¡¯s head, let it burst open and collect the soul!¡± ¡°Strike this effigy¡¯s body, let it be torn apart and worry for its life!¡± ¡°Strike this effigy¡¯s feet, let nails pierce them so it cannot walk!¡± ¡°Strike this effigy¡¯s back, let it toil like an ox and horse without rest!¡± In the depths of the darkness, with chant upon chant, a hoarse and shrill curse entered Xu Yang¡¯s mind.. Chapter 123 - 89: Curse Killing_1 Chapter 123: Chapter 89: Curse Killing_1 Trantor: 549690339 The voice was extremely hoarse and pierced with a night owl¡¯s sharpness, stabbing into Xu Yang¡¯s mind like steel needles. Xu Yang only felt a sudden throb in his temples on both sides, as if a great terror of life and death descended upon him, followed by a severe pain in his head. ¡°Ah!!!!¡± Even he, caught off guard and subjected to such intense pain, couldn¡¯t help but let out a piercing scream. ¡°Bang!!¡± His body then involuntarily staggered back, disrupting tables and chairs, and he toppled heavily to the ground, limbs convulsing, his facial features twisted, as if enduring immense agony. Pain, pain, pain! Indescribable, intense pain! It felt as though his soul was being pierced by steel needles, creating excruciating pain that prated his skull and mind. Amidst the agony, the sound of cursing resonated repeatedly. Although it carried a heavy local ent, Xu Yang heard every word clearly, as if they were being carved into his very soul and flesh with a chisel. ¡°Strike your little head, let it split open and your soul be collected!¡± ¡°Strike your viinous body, let it be torn apart and your life filled with worry!¡± During the curse, it seemed as if he saw a white-haired old woman with w-like withered hands, holding a red-soled white shoe, forcefully pping it against a straw figurine. Three silver needles were stuck in the figurine¡¯s head, and a small piece of red paper was affixed to its chest, with the words ¡°Jinhua North City Ma Wencai¡± written on it. The old woman, holding the embroidered shoe, chanted incessantly, cursing without pause. Each time she cursed, she pped the shoe down hard on the straw man¡¯s body. ¡°Ah!!¡± With each smack of the shoe, Xu Yang¡¯s pain intensified, and he writhed violently on the ground, eventually crashing into the bed and clutching his head fiercely. A Martial Path Grandmaster, who had gone through three lifetimes and a thousand years of trials, now appeared so helpless? So helpless indeed! Because this pain was acting directly upon his soul. It was not the pain of the body, but the torment of the mind, of the soul; it didn¡¯t go numb, nor could it be suppressed by force of will. Each wave was so vivid, so intense, that it was impossible tobat by mere determination. ¡°Bang!¡± The embroidered shoe struck again, making Xu Yang feel as if his head was exploding, with blood and brain matter boiling and spewing forth. ¡°Ah!!!¡± Another scream, and Xu Yang clutched his head, hastily circting the Martial Arts Mental skills. Faced with such an attack on the soul, a spiritual curse, physical resistance was useless. Only by running the Martial Arts Scripture and relying on Divine Soul Cultivation Method was there hope to resist. However¡ ¡°Bang!¡± The embroidered shoe struck down again, hitting the straw figure¡¯s head, causing Xu Yang to feel as though his own limbs were spasming and twisting. His neck, shoulders, and the bases of his legs felt as though they were being pulled apart by immense force, about to tear open. Under such torment, even the strong Xu Yang was in agony, his face turning pale, his body sweating profusely, as if struck by a deadly illness, almost biting off his own tongue. At this moment¡ ¡°Strike your little feet, let them be pierced by nails with nowhere to go!¡± ¡°Strike your little back, let you be used like an ox or a horse with no rest!¡± The old woman¡¯s curses grew even more severe, after beating the figure¡¯s head, she turned it over, and there was another piece of red paper on its back, bearing the birthdate and other details of the original ¡°Ma Wencai.¡± Then, the embroidered shoe struck heavily down on the straw figure¡¯s backbone. ¡°Bang!!!¡± Xu Yang felt as if he had been struck a heavy blow, copsing onto the bed, his back as if pierced by iron chains through the shoulder des, dragging him mercilessly, with both feet in such pain as if thousands of steel needles and iron nails were piercing through. ¡°Evil Skills!¡± ¡°Curse Skill!¡± ¡°Ah!!!¡± Xu Yang bit the tip of his tongue fiercely, exerting force and biting it off, bursting into a spray of blood in midair. ¡°Puh!¡± With the tip of his tongue bitten off and the blood spattered, his spirit was momentarily roused, dispelling some of the agony. The Demon Sect¡¯s Blood Burst Skill brutalized the body to unlock a burst of Qi Blood potential for a moment. This was a secret of the Martial Path, not a Cultivation Wonderful Skill nor did it have the power to break curses. But such an eruption of bodily Qi Blood did provide some stimtion to the soul, barely allowing Xu Yang to w back control of his body. Regaining control, Xu Yang didn¡¯t dare dy. Bracing himself, he rolled out from under the bed with a cleaver, and then stumbled through the door. The perpetrator who had harmed the original owner had finallye to finish the job. Who was the enemy? Xu Yang did not know. But one thing was for certain: this person was undoubtedly an Evil Cultivator! In this world, they practice cultivating skills under the guise of real Cultivation, using the Power of the Souls of All Beings as nourishment for their cultivation. Given that, one could imagine the extensive use and development of the power of the soul. Xu Yang was sure that in this world of cultivators, Curse Skills were the mainstream in magical duels! This Evil Cultivator was no exception, casting Evil Skills and Curse Skills from afar, hoping to kill Xu Yang through the air. What to do? Xu Yang didn¡¯t have many options. In the realms of Great Zhou and Great Tang, he had no experience with such skills. While the ck Water World was teeming with gods and buddhas, he had only acquired the Earth Deity Cultivation Method and no other heritage. As for the cultivation methods of the real world¡ The real-world Cultivators, who relied on various divine and spiritual skills forbat, didn¡¯tck Curse Skills, but Xu Yang had not encountered them so far. Therefore, he had no method to dispel or break the curse, and could only resort to the most simplistic approach. Kill! If he could kill the person who cast the curse, then he might have a sliver of hope for survival. Grasping the firewood knife, he stumbled out of the thatched cottage, his hair bun had long sincee undone, his face contorted in extreme pain, pallid as death, with fresh red blood lingering around his lips. His clothes, torn and disheveled, soaked through with sweat, made for a ghastly sight. ¡°Wencai, you¡ this¡¡± ¡°Quick, go call the family head!¡± ¡°Someone help,e quick, he¡¯s turning into a corpse again!¡± The Ma family members living nearby, upon seeing his condition, were scared witless, panicking and fleeing. He, however, could not afford to attend to that, clutching the firewood knife as he stumbled towards the outskirts of the vige. He did not know where the caster of the curse was hiding, but after being cursed, it seemed there was a sensation guiding him, faintly pointing him in a direction. Xu Yang, in this moment, could not afford to think too much. He could only act like a dead horse being used as a living one, heading towards that direction as his only option. And so, he stumbled out of the Ma Family Vige, exerting thest of his strength to hurry along. Finally¡ ¡°Peach! Blossom! Mountain!¡± Xu Yang¡¯s body shuddered, he stopped in his tracks, staring ahead at the mountain that was neither tall nor short, nketed in peach blossoms, and clenched his teeth tightly. ¡°Smash, smash your petty human head, scatter your soul to the winds, forever at peace!¡± ¡°Ahh!!!¡± Xu Yang screamed in agony, blood spurting from his mouth, as he fell back onto the ground. After a few convulsions, he drew hisst breath. In this manner, a short whileter. Within Peach Blossom Mountain, a pink miasma drifted in, and amidst it, several ethereal figures could vaguely be seen giggling as they came to Xu Yang¡¯s side and lifted up his corpse. ¡°Whoosh!¡± A light breeze blew, dispersing the miasma, leaving behind no trace of the frolicking figures or the corpse, not even the bloodstains were left, just a deste and eerie empty mountain path. In the real world, Xu Yang sat up, his eyes as still as an ancient well, as he silently raised his hand to massage his temples. He was dead! Just as he reached Peach Blossom Mountain, the excruciating pain of his soul, which he had briefly suppressed through the secret Demon Sect method by stimting his Qi Blood, erupted once again. It was even more violent and terrifying than before, shattering his consciousness. Thus, he died, under the Curse Killing Skill. Regarding this, Xu Yang harbored no resentment or rage. After all, for him, it was merely a journey of Zhuang Zhou dreaming he was a butterfly; just the beginning, with no attachments. Death meant little; it was no big deal. The death of ¡°Ma Wencai¡± was insignificant. What was important was¡ that world! Divine Soul Cultivation Method, cultivating the real through the illusion? Curse Killing Skill, iming lives from afar? Xu Yang found these very intriguing. After three lifetimes and a millennium of umtion, his Cultivation Technique was quiteplete. He cultivated both externally and internally ording to Martial Arts Scriptures, perfectly wless. Even the Divine Soul cultivation of the prior four realms had been supplemented by Cultivation Skills. But he was still very interested in the cultivation system of that world. Firstly, the foundation: the Divine Soul Cultivation Method. Methods to cultivate the Divine Soul do exist in the current world of cultivators, but their principle mostly relies on using highly purified nature¡¯s spiritual energy to nurture the soul, or some Evil Skills that directly devour living souls to strengthen oneself. Although useful, these methods are not particrly ingenious, at least the Cultivation Skills that Xu Yang currently knew of were like this. In that world, the cultivation method that harnessed the power of the souls of all beings, and cultivates a real Divine Soul through the strength of their collective intentions, reminded Xu Yang of the Human God Skill in the ck Water World. Perhaps there was somemon ground between the two? If he could obtain this Cultivation Method and then breed a host of Spirit Beasts to worship him, continually supplying the power of their Divine Souls, wouldn¡¯t he gain another ¡°cultivation essory,¡± one meant for Divine Soul cultivation? If, in the future, the Earth Deity Law and the Human God Skill could bebined, he might even aspire to The Way of Heavenly Immortal and be a supreme deity like the Heavenly Emperor ¡°Qiong Gao,¡± turning an entire world and countless beings into the foundation of his own cultivation. A grand prospect! So¡ ¡°Engage Divine Travel, re-enter this realm.¡± ¡°Peach Blossom Mountain?¡± ¡°Heh!¡± Xu Yang chuckled coldly, closed his eyes, andy back down to sleep. Divine Travel Through Worlds, location-based teleportation; as long as he had entered a world once, he could set his location for Divine Travel. There was no need to dream like Zhuang Zhou again, nor to inherit someone else¡¯s life. He could directly expend the power of his own Divine Soul to form an avatar. The strength and physical condition of the avatar were determined by the amount of Divine Soul power invested by the original body. If there was enough Divine Soul power, he could even create an avatar indistinguishable from his original self. Of course, that was just a hypothetical; it was not feasible because Xu Yang did not possess enough Divine Soul power to create an avatar equal in cultivation to himself. With his current Divine Soul strength, after using Divine Travel Through Worlds, he could at most create a mortal avatar without any cultivation, and the original would need to recuperate for some time to recover the expended Divine Soul power. The cost was tremendous. But Xu Yang was willing to pay it. This world was highly significant. Aside from the unique Divine Soul Cultivation Method, he was also very interested in its Curse Killing Skill. The Curse Killing Skill, targeting the Divine Soul, was difficult to guard against. This was one of the current shorings of the Martial Arts Scripture; it had not incorporated any Curse Skill, neither for attack nor for defense. This experience of dying had made Xu Yang realize the power of the Curse Skill. Even if he didn¡¯t use it forbat, it was still necessary to cultivate it for self-protection. Only in this way, when he encountered another expert in this field in the future, would he not be as helpless and passive as he was today. Chapter 124 - 90: Peach Blossoms_1 Chapter 124: Chapter 90: Peach Blossoms_1 Trantor: 549690339 Ten yearster, Peach Blossom Mountain. Atop Peach Blossom Mountain was Peach Blossom Taoist Temple, within the temple resided the Peach Blossom Immortal, the Peach Blossom Immortal who nted peach trees¡ Within North City County, everyone knew of a mountain called Peach Blossom Mountain; atop the mountain was a temple called Peach Blossom Taoist Temple, and within the temple lived a cultivator renowned as Peach Blossom Taoist. This Taoist was a well-known true cultivator within North City County, whose Taoism could drive away evil and exorcise ghosts, whose single Spirit Talisman could eliminate illness and save people, and who also had the ability to vanquish demons, conjure fertility, and more. The local people within miles praised his meritorious deeds. On this particr day¡ ¡°Boom!¡± The clouds were dense, the rain poured heavily, and with shes of lightning and peals of thunder, heaven and earth were shaken. Within the closed-door Taoist gymnasium, in a hidden chamber secluded from view, a Taoist sat on a mat with his eyes tightly closed, his brow slightly furrowed. The man wore the Supreme Pure Hibiscus Crown on his head and donned pink peach blossom robes. His brows nted upwards like gant sword-strokes, his nose stood like a lofty ridge with a handsome philtrum, his cheeks adorned with whiskers like a noble gentleman, and his wide mouth framed in cinnabar-red lips truly resembled a true cultivator of thew, a paragon of immortal grace and elegance from a respectable family! He was none other than the master of Peach Blossom Taoist Temple¡ªPeach Blossom Taoist. ¡°Boom!!!¡± Another thunderp struck like a shatter of the heavens, terrifying in its awe. Even though the chamber was built deep within the Taoist Temple, protected by numerous brick walls, it could not fully shield the sound, causing Peach Blossom Taoist¡¯s body to tremble slightly. Behind him, at each of the three sides, stood a locust wood rack filled with jars and pots, sealed with Yellow Talismans, emanating an eerie aura. Facing the roaring thunder, the many jars on the three wooden racks trembled, and from within them came faint crying sounds. Seeing this, the seated Peach Blossom Taoist furrowed his brows tighter, feeling uneasy, and immediately closed his eyes to make his calctions. But soon he opened his eyes again, shook his head with a sigh, and abandoned this futile endeavor. Divination involved the secrets of heaven, which was not something a petty evil cultivator like himself could master. It was one thing to deceive others and ghosts on normal days, but now, was he going to deceive himself as well? Yet, without this fruitless effort, his heart truly felt uneasy, filled with inexplicable fear. ¡°Could it be that someone is scheming against me, wanting to harm me?¡± Peach Blossom Taoist¡¯s eyebrows tightened as he secretly spected, but then he immediately dismissed the thought, ¡°No, no, no, as a humble Taoist who lives in seclusion, not stirring up troubles, who would bother to make life difficult for me? Could it be¡ my identity has been exposed?¡± ¡°It should not be, it should not be!¡± ¡°Damn it, every time I encounter a thunderstorm, I am always so restless. The Evil Path Cultivation Method really has many defects and hidden dangers!¡± ¡°The thunder terrifies, the ghosts dare not emerge, and I lose my sight and hearing from the outside. It is time to find a few disciples to act as Divine Guard Generals to fill this void, otherwise, I will surely be taken advantage of by others in the future!¡± Peach Blossom Taoist sat on his meditation mat, startled by the deafening thunder outside the temple, and his heart throbbed with fear, while he also secretly contemted and nned for the future. Thunder and lightning are the pivotal mechanisms of heaven and earth, holding the greatest power and manifesting the utmost authority. When thunder rolls, all evils retreat, and no malevolent spirits dare to offend. As an evil cultivator, a specialist in the Ghost Path of evil cultivation, Peach Blossom Taoist¡¯s greatest fear and concern was thunderstorm weather. During thunderstorms, the continuous crashing of thunder encapsted the grandeur of the universe¡¯s power, forcing the hordes of ghosts to only shrink within the Yin Altar and not dare to poke their heads out, lest they risk having their underworld souls shattered by the thunderous sound. Not to mention the underworld ghosts beneath him, even he, the Ghost Lord Taoist, could only shrink within the Taoist Temple, hidden deep inside the secret chamber, or else he might also be terrified by the thunder to the point where his evil skills would go berserk and damage his soul. This was the inherent defect of the Evil Path Cultivation Method. Though it could lead to rapid advancement, it came with numerous hidden dangers, taboos, and was shunned by society. If it wasn¡¯t for this, Peach Blossom Taoist would not have holed himself up in the insignificant North City County to y the role of a well-behaved Taoist. If his identity as an evil cultivator were exposed and it drew the attention of Taoist, Buddhist, and Confucian Gate masters, with his current level of cultivation, he would face more danger than fortune. Therefore, he stayed hidden within Peach Blossom Mountain, secretly rearing ghosts and practicing his skills. He had already kept a low profile. But why still feel uneasy? Peach Blossom Taoist could not understand. Over the years, he had always been amiable towards others, staying away from disputes and encountering nothing particrly unusual¡ Nothing unusual? Peach Blossom Taoist frowned at the thought. If there were any bizarre and abnormal urrences throughout the years, he had indeed experienced one. That poor schr from Ma Family Vige had a birth date and time that matched his own, a type of Spirit Material so rare toe by, that in a moment of weakness, he cast a spell to confine the schr¡¯s soul, intending to refine it into a personal underworld ghost. Unexpectedly, after the soul was confined, the schr came back to life, and even the soul he had seized inexplicably lost one spirit and two souls. Feeling uneasy, he had no choice but to make another move, summoning the ¡°Three Aunts and Six Wives¡± nine ghosts and casting a curse to assassinate the man. To his surprise, this frail schr who couldn¡¯t even pass the district examination endured the first round of assassination curses from his Three Aunts and Six Wives nine ghosts and even found his way to the base of Peach Blossom Mountain through his spiritual connection. The Three Aunts and Six Wives nine ghosts, his proud mastery, required finding nuns, female Taoist priests, fortune-telling women, and then finding matchmakers, brokers, and other six types of wives, who are killed during the Yin hours to refine into underworld ghosts. Only then could he create the ¡°Three Aunts and Six Wives¡± nine great underworld ghosts. These nine ghosts could bewilder people, capture souls, cast spells, and ce curses with many evil skills and being female ghosts, they were extremely yin and terrifying. For such nine ghosts to cast their spells and curse a mere mortal, it should have been as easy as taking something out of one¡¯s pocket. Yet unexpectedly, the first assassination attempt had not seeded. How could that weak schr, who didn¡¯t even have the ¡°schr¡± status, withstand the curse of his Three Aunts and Six Wives nine ghosts? When something out of the ordinary happens, there must be something demonic at y. He was startled at the time and summoned the nine ghosts again, finally managing to kill the man at the mountain base. This was the most extraordinary event he had encountered in recent years. Saying it¡¯s recent, but it¡¯s also been over ten years. The schr¡¯s bones have long since turned to ash¡ªcould there still be any trouble lingering? Peach Blossom Taoist¡¯s eyebrows were tightly knitted, his mind unsettled. Just then¡ ¡°Boom!!!¡± Another thunderp exploded, causing the heart of the Peach Blossom Taoist to skip a beat. In the aftermath of the shock, the secret room¡¯s door¡ ¡°Boom!!!¡± With a loud bang that shook all directions, the tightly shut door of the secret room sted open, and amidst the dust and smoke, a figure burst in. ¡°Hmm!?¡± The Peach Blossom Taoist¡¯s pupils constricted as he immediately rolled to evade, while simultaneously casting a talisman. ¡°Bang!¡± A figure soared in, thrusting a sharp sword directly at him, shing with the light and feathery talisman. Instantly, Yin Qi exploded like thunder, violently catapulting him away. However, the intruder¡¯s Qinggong was exquisite, and his movements were masterful. Even though he was blown away by the fierce Yin Qi, with just a twist and somersault, hended steadily on the ground. On the other side, the Peach Blossom Taoist, who had flipped off his meditation cushion, stood up and coldly sized up his opponent. The other party looked like a young man, d in Mysterious Armor, a sword on his back, and a great bow slung behind him, an imposing figure, majestic as a mountain, fully disying the martial might of a Martial Artist. ¡°Who are you to dare invade my Peach Blossom Taoist temple?¡± The gaze of the Peach Blossom Taoist sharpened as he spoke, and suddenly, he threw a jar. ¡°Bang!¡± The jar, resembling an urn for bone ashes, fell to the ground, and immediately an Underworld Ghost flew out, shrieking as it lunged towards the neer. The intruder, without a word, took a gourd from his waist, poured it onto his sword, and instantly a stench of blood and filth assailed the senses. ¡°Heavenly Morning Glory?¡± ¡°ck dog¡¯s blood?¡± ¡°Trifling tricks!¡± The Peach Blossom Taoist¡¯s nostrils red as he instantly identified the smells, and he let out a scornfulugh, his fear vanishing at once. Had the intruder been a true cultivator of Taoism or Buddhism, or a renowned schr of the Confucian path, he might have had some fear. But this was just a Martial Artist, someone who knew no spells, who dared to vite his Peach Blossom Taoist temple relying on some filthy substances? Did he truly think him to be a novice Evil Cultivator that only raised little ghostly children? The Underworld Ghost flew out, shrieking as it pounced to attack. The intruder¡¯s long sword was stained with filth, fighting against the tangible and intangible Underworld Ghost, and for a moment, it seemed they were locked in a stalemate. ¡°Hmph!¡± Seeing this, the Peach Blossom Taoist was even moreposed and walked aside saying, ¡°You chose a good time to attack. On an ordinary day, with your meager abilities, you wouldn¡¯t even be able to reach Peach Blossom Mountain, let alone have the fortune to witness my tactics.¡± Having said this, he reached for a small stand, preparing to cast his spell. But unexpectedly¡ ¡°Shriek!!!¡± The sword light shed, the dark chamber suddenly brightened, and the tangible and intangible Underworld Ghost was cut in half by the sword, emitting a pitiful shriek before copsing and dissipating. ¡°Hmm!?¡± The eyes of the Peach Blossom Taoist constricted, suddenly feeling uneasy. Turning to look at the intruder, he had already taken the great bow from his back, with an arrow nocked, the bow drawn full circle. At the tip of the arrow, a Yellow Talisman rolled down and unfolded. ¡°You¡¡± Before he could finish speaking, the talisman-arrow shot out, heading straight for the Peach Blossom Taoist. ¡°Bang!¡± With an explosion, Yin Qi burst forth, forming a formidable defense. Within the Yin Qi, the Peach Blossom Taoist stepped out, throwing the half-broken arrow shaft onto the ground, and looked coldly at his opponent: ¡°Just a Praj?¨¡p¨¡ramit¨¡ Heart Sutra Talisman¡¡± Before he could finish speaking, he was struck dumb with horror. For the person in front of him had notched another arrow, fixed with a talisman. Lightning flickered, and it whistled as it tore through the air. The Peach Blossom Taoist had his eyes full of dread, and with no time to evade, was struck by the talisman-arrow¡¯s force. ¡°Boom!!!¡± There was a loud explosion, the thunder shattered, the surging Yin Qi instantly turned to ashes, and the Peach Blossom Taoist was mmed into a corner of the wall, his hand desperately covering his chest, trying to condense Yin Qi at any cost to suppress the thunderous power of the arrows shot into his body. However, the rampaging lightning was unstoppable by the Yin Qi, which turned to ash, making the pain even more unbearable. ¡°Thunder Talisman!¡± ¡°You¡!!!¡± The face of the Peach Blossom Taoist turned deathly pale, his expression twisted. He ignored his own code of martial ethics and in a rage, used thest of his strength to sweep everything off the stand, including the Yin Altar. ¡°Bang bang bang bang!¡± Instantly, the Yin Altar shattered, ghostly energy surged, and countless Underworld Ghosts howled as they charged out, among them nine elderly ghostly figures with the clearest shapes and most intense Yin Qi. They were the ¡°Three Aunts and Six Wives,¡± nine ghosts! ¡°Go!¡± The Peach Blossom Taoist fell to the ground, ignoring how dangerous the thunderstorms were, thunder rolling ominously outside. He channeled all his power intomanding the Underworld Ghosts, determined to annihte his foe on the spot. However¡ Xu Yang¡¯s hands flickered, lightning intertwined, and two ¡°Small Thunder Talismans¡± appeared in his palms. With the added force of lightning bolts, he lunged forward, striking with his bare hands into the horde of ghosts, unleashing havoc. Chapter 125 - 91: Taoist Scriptures_1 Chapter 125: Chapter 91: Taoist Scriptures_1 Trantor: 549690339 The situation has progressed to this point, and the oue is no longer in doubt. As an evil cultivator of the Ghost Path, the Peach Blossom Taoist was indeed formidable, especially with the Three Aunts and Six Wives¡¯s Nine Ghosts powers. Even a high-ranking individual of the Righteous Path amongst ¡°Taoists¡± without specific countermeasures would likely be no match for him. But s, what led to his rise through evil skills also led to his downfall by the same! In a thunderstorm, the awe of heaven and earth prevails! Even for the Three Aunts and Six Wives¡¯s Nine Ghosts, their abilities are reduced to a fraction of their power,pletely unable to unleash any of their tricks. Under such conditions, when faced with Xu Yang, who was empowered by the ¡°Small Thunder Talisman¡± and executed the Lightning Thunderbolt Fist, the oue was predictable. ¡°Boom!¡± Xu Yang threw a punch, and the thunder roared like a rampaging dragon. An old woman with stark white hair couldn¡¯t dodge in time and was instantly vaporized into ash, not even able to let out a wail. ¡°Pfft!!!¡± Another of the Three Aunts and Six Wives¡¯s Underworld Ghosts was sted to ash by the thunder, severely affecting the Ghost Lord¡¯s Divine Soul. The Peach Blossom Taoist trembled, spewing out a mouthful of fresh blood. The remaining Yin Qi in his body went out of control, violently reverberating throughout his flesh and even his soul. The bacsh of evil skills was terrifying indeed! ¡°Die!¡± Another punch was thrown, and with the might of lightning and thunder, thest of the Three Aunts and Six Wives¡¯s Ghosts was obliterated. ¡°Ahh!!!¡± The Peach Blossom Taoist screamed and fell to the ground. From the arrow wound in his chest, a copious amount of Yin Qi burst forth, with glimpses of rampant thunder and ravaging electric currents. After a spasm like this, the Taoist also turned to dust and smoke. In the end, only a set of clothes and a duster were left on the ground. Once the Ghost Lord died, the remaining Underworld Ghosts immediately tried to flee, but where could they go during a thunderstorm? They had no choice but to shrink back into the Yin Altar, begging for mercy inplete terror. ¡°Mage, spare our lives, Mage, spare our lives!¡± ¡°We were controlled by the Peach Blossom Taoist¡¯s evil skills, and we had no choice but to obey him!¡± ¡°Mage, spare our lives, we are willing to serve you as our master, to go through fire and water, nothing will be too much to ask!¡± ¡°Please, spare us!¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Faced with the cries and pleas of a group of Underworld Ghosts, Xu Yang coldly snorted without saying a word, but he did not strike them down again. ¡°Whew!¡± It was also time for the two Spirit Talismans stuck to the center of his palm to disintegrate into ash and fall off on their own, dispelling the terrifying power of thunder and lightning, which made all the Underworld Ghosts hiding in the Yin Altar heave a sigh of relief. Xu Yang remained expressionless, taking strides toward the remnants left by the Peach Blossom Taoist. A gentleman may take revenge after ten years! Having the ability to travel through numerous worlds and return to this one, he did not rush to avenge his previous life with his mere mortal cultivation; instead, hey dormant, umting strength while secretly investigating Peach Blossom Mountain and the Peach Blossom Taoist Temple. After lying dormant for ten years, he not only umted some power but also figured out the foundation of the Peach Blossom Taoist Temple. Thus, heunched a sudden attack, taking advantage of the right time and ce, and sessfully killed his enemy, avenging the murder of his body! Indeed: Knowing yourself and your enemy ensures victory in a hundred battles! Xu Yang came to the site of the Peach Blossom Taoist¡¯s remnants and found that only the Supreme Pure Hibiscus Crown and the pink peach blossom robe were preserved; all other garments had perished along with the Peach Blossom Taoist. Xu Yang squatted down and lifted the robe only to discover a pouch lined inside containing three scroll scriptures. Whatever material these three scriptures were made of, they remained intact despite the Peach Blossom Taoist being struck by thunder talismans and electric arrows, and with Yin Qi uncontrobly ravaging his body, destroying flesh and clothes to ash. Only the Taoist garments and Magic Artifact were left undamaged, indicating that these scriptures were certainly no ordinary items. Xu Yang, not in a hurry to leave, started to examine them on the spot. The three scriptures included the ¡°Supreme Cave True Spirit Cultivation Scripture,¡± the ¡°Nine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable Jade Shu Sutra,¡± and ¡°Xuanming True Person¡¯s Ghost Controlling Method.¡± ¡°Taoist skills?¡± ¡°Evil skills?¡± Xu Yang raised an eyebrow in surprise. The ¡°Supreme Cave True Spirit Cultivation Scripture¡± needs no further exnation, it is a Taoism cultivation method that allows one to cultivate Taoist Mana, recognized as a canonical ssic in Dao Zang. Taoist Scriptures are categorized into two main types: those for cultivating the way to immortality and those for protecting and battling on the path. This scripture is of the former type, for cultivating mana, strengthening Taoist Cultivation, enhancing one¡¯s foundation, and seeking immortality. In this world where Divine Souls can practice cultivation through borrowed means, cultivating this method does not require Spiritual Energy, nor does it require a Spiritual Root. One simply needs to study the Taoist Scriptures, recite them daily, and over the years, mana can be cultivated. Seeing this, Xu Yang frowned. Although this method could be practiced, it did not align with his initial pursuit of the way, nor did it match the purpose of his divine travels in this world. What interests him in this world is the Divine Soul Cultivation Method that allows for the practice of cultivation through borrowed means. This scripture is merely a product of the Divine Soul Cultivation Method, a result of the Taoist tradition cultivated over many years by millions of believers, offerings, and worshipping, not the foundation of the Divine Soul Cultivation Method. It can only cultivate mana in this world; in another world without the practice of cultivation through borrowed means, it would revert to its original nature, bing a mere ordinary book no matter how much it¡¯s studied, useless. Therefore, it is not what Xu Yang ultimately seeks! What Xu Yang desires is the root of the cultivation practice of this world, the Divine Soul Cultivation Method that can transform mundane books into Taoist and Buddhist scriptures. Only by obtaining such a Mana Point, could he apply the Taoist skills of this world to other worlds. However, a method that rtes to the fundamental secrets of cultivation, arguably the biggest secret of this world, clearly isn¡¯t something a mere evil cultivator could possess. ¡°It seems one would need clues from the core inheritance of the Three Teaching Sect.¡± Xu Yang shook his head, taking this scripture and then turning his attention to the remaining two scrolls. ¡°Nine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable Jade Shu Sutra¡± This is ¡ª Taoist Skills! Dao Protection Combat Skills! Xu Yang flipped through it right there and after a short while, his eyes lit up with delight. This set of Dao Protection Combat Skills was actually a rare Thunder Series Combat Skill, including not only the most basic Thunder Commanding Power, but also various thunder sigils, talisman, and curse spells. Such as Thunder Summoning Talisman, Thunder Inviting Talisman, Falling Thunder Talisman, Five Thunders Talisman, Heavenly Thunder Talisman, Fire Thunder Talisman, as well as Yin Thunder Talisman, Yang Thunder Talisman, Gathering Thunder Talisman, Transforming Thunder Talisman, along with Five Thunders Protective Spell, Five Thunders Ghost Annihtion Spell, Five Thunders Sha Breaking Spell, Five Thunders Demon Destruction Spell, Nine Heavens Divine Thunder Spell¡ and so on and so forth. In summary, this was a veryplete set of Thunder Series Combat Skills, containing various wonderful uses of thunder. It could be used inbat and offense, for protection and defense, to avert disasters and solve difficulties, to gather thunder and transform electricity, and even tobine the power of the Five Elements and the Four Laws, invoking the lightning of the Five Elements, the thunder of the Four Laws, and casting spells such as ghost subjugation, sha breaking, and demon ying, using various targeted methods to activate thunder to obtain even more powerful restraining effects. This delighted Xu Yang immensely. Although in the real world, due to the limitations of the Spiritual Root, thunder methods are in a state of ¡°Avable but Unvalued¡± and unwanted, resulting in a low price, that only applies to ordinary thunder methods, low-tier thunder methods. But for something like this fully systematic high-tier Thunder Series as in ¡°Nine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable Jade Shu Sutra¡±, the value is definitely high, not something you can buy with Spirit Stones. The techniques of gathering and transforming thunder contained within it, along with the Five Thunders Protective Techniques, could even tackle Heavenly Tribtions, making their value for high-tier cultivators immeasurable. Most importantly, this Thunder Series differed from the previous Taoist Scriptures, as it was not about the Divine Soul borrowing the falsehood of cultivation to achieve sess, but a genuine spell that could be directly used in reality and various worlds. To Xu Yang, this was not surprising. The reason this world relies on the power of the Divine Soul to borrow and fake cultivation is because the world is poor in resources and sparse in Prime Spirit,cking the sustenance to support cultivation. Hence, it is necessary to find another path and substitute the power of the souls of all beings for the power of the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit. But the problem of resources only affects cultivation techniques, not cultivating skills. Cultivating skills, like a cannon, as long as you provide it with ammunition, with energy, it can harm your enemies. It doesn¡¯t care how you obtained the ammunition; as long as it meets the specifications, as long as it can be fired, it will shoot. Therefore, it is a true method that can be directly applied to reality and other worlds, driven by sufficient mana, no matter whether this mana was cultivated through Divine Soul, Spiritual Energy, or converted from some other power, it does not matter, and does not affect it. This made Xu Yang feel as if he had found a most precious treasure. Even though in the real world those ignorant cultivators see him, ¡°Thunder Lightning Mana King Shi Jian,¡± as a mysterious and powerful Thunder Cultivator, he knows his own matters. How could he count as a Thunder Cultivator? Not knowing a bit of Thunder Cultivation techniques, he solely relied on the Innate Divine Ability tomand thunder and show power. Oh, and there was also a Small Thunder Talisman, but strictly speaking, that is Talisman skills, not Thunder Series. The real Thunder Series, that¡¯s in the ¡°Nine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable Jade Shu Sutra¡±. All the wonderful uses of thunder are in there. Compared to before, Xu Yang was truly unworthy of the name Thunder Cultivator. It was like an ignorant wild monkey finding a rod of thunder but only knowing how to swing it like a stick, never truly unleashing the power and subtlety of thunder. ¡°I¡¯ve benefited greatly, benefited greatly indeed!¡± Xu Yang muttered to himself as he solemnly stored the scripture in his bag. Just obtaining this genuine scripture on thunder was enough to make his divine travels in this life worthwhile. It was unknown where Peach Blossom Taoist had found his fortune to obtain such a proper Thunder Series scripture. Fortunately, the man was an Evil Cultivator, a Ghost Path Cultivator, who dared not practice this method, or else Xu Yang would have had no chance of oveing him today. ¡°It¡¯s all about timing and fate!¡± Xu Yang sighed softly, turning his attention to thest scroll. ¡°Xuanming True Person¡¯s Ghost Controlling Method¡± Just by reading the title, one could tell that nine out of ten, it was an Evil Skill. But techniques have no moral alignment, and power no righteous or evil nature; it all depends on how the cultivator uses them. Therefore, Xu Yang was not averse to it and began to read. This scripture was not made of paper nor woven from golden silk. Instead, it was crafted from some kind of leather, soft to the touch as if caressing a woman¡¯s skin, fine and smooth. Within the lines, there was a chilling ghostly energy and a formidable malice, a decidedly evil method and object. The text was Taoism, except it was the Taoism of the evil path. It could cultivate mana, advancing Taoist cultivation, but the methods of cultivation were too cruel, requiring the consumption of human blood, flesh, and souls, not only damaging the harmony of heaven but also unepted by the world. There were many hidden dangers, many taboos, easily suppressed by various righteous Taoist methods. The Peach Blossom Taoist, who had been vanished, was the perfect example. Full of Yin Qi mana, facing thunder¡¯s righteous methods, even with higher Taoist cultivation, he was powerless to resist. Xu Yang would not abandon the Righteous Path to practice such a problematic Evil Skill. So, he overlooked the Evil Cultivator¡¯s methods and focused solely on the Ghost Enving Skills. Within the scriptures, the Ghost Enving Skills were not as impressive as the previous Thunder Series scripture, but they still contained numerous spells, talismans, and sigil techniques. For instance, the ¡°Three Aunts and Six Wives¡± Nine Ghosts, ¡°Partners in Crime¡± Two Ghosts, and ¡°Learned Schrly Command¡± Five Ghosts, ¡°Increase Life and Damage Fate¡± Two Generals, as well as various Underworld Soldiers, Ghost Generals, Ghost Kings, Ghost Emperors, and methods for refining andmanding Ghost Gods. Besides, there were Exorcising Ghost Talisman, Ghost Subjugation Talisman, Ghost Collecting Talisman, Ghost Sending Talisman, Soul Hooking Talisman, Soul Stealing Talisman¡ Many sigils rted to ¡°controlling ghosts¡± were recorded. There were also the Five Ghosts Transportation Technique, Five Ghosts Wealth Attraction Technique, Five Ghosts Life Stealing Technique, Five Ghosts Misfortune Transformation Technique, and spells like Nine Ghosts Soul Searching Spell, Nine Ghosts Body Division Spell, Nine Ghosts Life Healing Spell, Nine Ghosts Life Extension Spell, Soul Snatching Spell, and so on and so forth. Also included were crafting methods for ¡°Yin Altar¡±, ¡°Magic Artifact¡±, ¡°Soldier Tomb¡±, ¡°Command g¡±, and other Ghost Path objects. ¡°Although it¡¯s not as good as the Thunder Series genuine scripture, it¡¯s still a method against enemies!¡± Xu Yang muttered to himself as he also stored this scroll into his bag. Chapter 126 - 92: Increase and Loss_1 Chapter 126: Chapter 92: Increase and Loss_1 Trantor: 549690339 Three dayster, at Peach Blossom Mountain. ¡°Atop Peach Blossom Mountain lies the Peach Blossom Taoist temple, within which resides the Peach Blossom Immortal!¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that here upon this mountain resides a true cultivator, truly a marvelous abode of the Taoist way!¡± ¡°Last time at this Peach Blossom Taoist temple, the Taoist bestowed upon me a dose of immortal elixir that proved miraculously effective upon my return.¡± ¡°No wonder, Brother Zhang, you¡¯ve recently been so full of vigor, ying allers at the Spring Breeze Pavilion. So it was the Peach Blossom Taoist¡¯s divine elixir that you had!¡± ¡°Such a fine thing, and you didn¡¯t share it with us good friends sooner? You must be punished for this!¡± ¡°Alright, alright. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll treat you at the Spring Breeze Pavilion. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Hahaha¡¡± A group of reckless young masters, apanied by their house servants and attendants, were climbing up Peach Blossom Mountain for pleasure, until they arrived at the gates of the Peach Blossom Taoist temple. ¡°Cough cough!¡± Upon seeing this, the handsome young master in the lead lightly coughed, reminding hispanions, ¡°Be a bit more serious. The Peach Blossom Taoist is a true cultivator who holds thew. We cannot be disrespectful. If we displease the Taoist¡¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we understand!¡± Hearing this, the group restrained their frivolity slightly and tidied up their clothes before entering the temple. But no sooner had they stepped through the gates than the whole party was rooted to the spot in shock. ¡°This¡!!¡± Inside the Peach Blossom Taoist temple, the courtyard wasid out with stacks of yellow talismans and sealed jars surrounded by a ghastly aura. There were also several undecayed corpses and fully skeletal remains on the ground. The carefree young masters had never seen such a horrifying sight. After being stunned for a moment, they finally came to their senses and, in a panic, scrambled and tumbled out of the Peach Blossom Taoist temple. And so, a day passed. The following day, at noon, a procession climbed the mountain in a rush. Leading them was an official, followed by a group of constables. Apanying them were a monk and a Taoist, both outsiders in their own right. The group made haste up the mountain and into the Peach Blossom Taoist temple, where they saw the Yin altar bone cups, the corpses and skeletons, and a pink peach blossom garment on the ground. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Has the Peach Blossom Taoist met with misfortune?¡± ¡°Was it an attack by demons, or a haunting by ghosts?¡± The officials looked on at the corpses and skeletons with unease, while the monk and the Taoist paid more attention to the piles of Yin altar bone cups and the pink peach blossom garment. ¡°Yin altar bone cups!¡± ¡°Reeking of ghostly qi!¡± ¡°Certainly the work of a ghost demon, evil cultivator!¡± ¡°Was the Peach Blossom Taoist secretly harmed by a demon? ¡°That can¡¯t be right. If a demon hade to secretly harm the Peach Blossom Taoist, why would they leave these items behind?¡± The monk and the Taoist exchanged nces, both full of doubt and uncertainty. At that moment¡ ¡°Creak~!¡± With the sound of a door opening, a person emerged from the inner hall. He wore a tall hat, his robe covered with a ck veil. His sword-like eyebrows were akin to a tiger¡¯s wings, and his piercing eyes glinted with a severe light. His middle-aged face had temples touched by frost, yet he did not show his age. A beard as graceful as willow leaves flowed elegantly, yet he bore no hint of the ethereal bearing of a Taoist sage, disying instead a formidable aura of swift and decisive action that made one¡¯s heart tremble and feel the pressure. As he opened the door and stepped out, the assembled group was startled. The head constable beside the official felt the stimtion of the man¡¯s powerful presence and unconsciously drew his de halfway. Seeing this, the monk and the Taoist were also taken aback, but as cultivators above the ordinary, they quicklyposed themselves and watched the neer with wary eyes. He, on the other hand, paid no heed to them and stepped into the courtyard facing the gathered officials, the monk, and the Taoist. ¡°This ce¡¯s Peach Blossom Taoist was a ghostly demon, an evil practitioner,¡± he dered. ¡°He has been in by me!¡± With that, he pointed his two-fingered sword-like gesture. ¡°These Yin altar bone cups and corpses are the evil works of witchcraft unearthed from within this temple!¡± Then, turning to the crowd, he spoke in a cold voice, ¡°I, a wandering cultivator, havee here to enforce justice on behalf of the heavens, ying this demon. From now on, Peach Blossom Mountain and the Peach Blossom Taoist temple shall be renamed Mount Jilei and Mingxiao Taoist temple. Does anyone object?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The people looked at each other, unsure of how to respond. The monk and the Taoist narrowed their brows, filled with doubt and disbelief. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Xu Yang swept over them with a cold gaze. ¡°Do you all believe I am unfit to upy this Taoist sanctuary?¡± As he spoke, beneath his robe, thunder and lightning swirled like dragons, startling everyone. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Thunder magic!!!¡± Seeing this disy, the pupils of the crowd constricted, and the monk and the Taoist were horrified. For a moment, the atmosphere was tense and at a standstill. In the end, it was the official who broke the silence. ¡°Taoist master, please hold back your divine skills!¡± The official chuckled lightly and stepped forward to diffuse the tension. ¡°I have long felt that both the Peach Blossom Taoist temple and the Peach Blossom Taoist were odd and eerie, unlike the benevolent sort. To find out he was an evil cultivator, masquerading as a genuine Taoist true man, and now for you, master, to have in him and are willing to station yourself here to deter demons and evils¡ªthis is indeed a blessing for the people of North City!¡± Having said this, the official saluted with cupped hands and inquired with a smile, ¡°May I ask for your respected name and the ce of practice, Taoist master?¡± Xu Yang remained indifferent, stating coldly, ¡°I am Shi Jian, a loose cultivator.¡± ¡°So, it is Taoist Shi Jian!¡± Despite his aloof demeanor, the official didn¡¯t mind and continued with a smile, ¡°Master Taoist, by ying the demon and taking over this Taoist temple, you protect the safety of thesends, and for that, you are indeed a blessing to the local people.¡± ¡°I will immediately report back, and have this mountain renamed Mount Jilei, this temple as Mingxiao Taoist temple, and henceforth, it will be recognized as your sanctuary.¡± Then turning to the monk and Taoist, he asked, ¡°Master White Mountain and Daoist Green River, what are your views on this matter?¡± ¡°This¡¡± After exchanging nces, they looked at Xu Yang again, then bowed in unison. ¡°We have no objections!¡± ¡°This Peach Blossom Demon hid so deep; it is only thanks to Daoist friend¡¯s prating vision that we weren¡¯t caught in its scheme!¡± ¡°Whether we live or die is of small consequence; the catastrophe it could have brought upon themon people is what truly matters. Your actions, Daoist friend, are of immeasurable merit. It is only right for you to enter this mountain.¡± Their words were not ttery but rification and detachment. Although they did not know the origins of the person before them, the disy of Thunder Skill alone was enough to prove his identity. After all, Thunder Skill is the most revered among the various methods of Taoism, epassing the pivot of heaven and earth and holding the greatest authority. It is vehemently opposed to all Evil Path cultivation methods, except for some deviant thunder, demonic thunder, and sinister thunder spells. Thus, Thunder Skill is the hallmark of a true practitioner of the Taoist Path, the pir of the Righteous Path. The thunder and lightning he had just summoned were of pure energy and formidable power, certainly not the thunder of trickery and evil. He was undoubtedly a high-ranking figure of the Righteous Path. Although he imed to be a loose cultivator unwilling to disclose his sect, this did not affect his status as a Thunder Cultivator of the Righteous Path in the slightest. His ying of the Peach Blossom Taoist was an act of exorcising demons and guarding the Dao. As local cultivators, they could not only find no fault in him but also needed to quickly dissociate themselves, especially since they had had dealings with the Peach Blossom Taoist. While not extensive, their interactions were not insignificant. If they didn¡¯t rify and the other party suspected them of being Evil Cultivators, what then? It is known that Thunder Cultivators act swiftly and decisively, abhorring evil as if it were their sworn enemy, and ready to strike at a moment¡¯s notice. They certainly did not wish to sh with such an individual. ¡°Then it is settled,¡± said Xu Yang, without furtherment. He waved his hand, and thunder roared, lightning like fire, shattering the Yin Altar, bone cup, and skeleton on the ground into ash. Witnessing this scene, everyone was startled and filled with even greater reverence. ¡°Truly pure Thunder Skill!¡± ¡°This person¡¯s strength must not be underestimated!¡± ¡°If that Peach Blossom Taoist really was a Ghost Path Evil Cultivator, dying at his hands was destined!¡± ¡°Having this person in North City County is also a good thing; at least, he can suppress the arrogance of that Old Demon from Orchid Temple!¡± The White Mountain Monk and Daoist Green River were secretly rmed but kept theirposure as they bid farewell to the crowd and left. Xu Yang didn¡¯t see them out and soon returned to the temple. This world, although not as overrun with deities and Buddhas as the ck Water World, is not to be underestimated. The transmissions of the Three Teaching Sect, the various powers, and the multitude of demons, evil spirits, and hidden dragons and crouching tigers are all present. In such a world, it¡¯s impossible to establish a firm foothold without an official identity. That¡¯s why Xu Yang staged this whole y-to upy Peach Blossom Mountain as his Daoist ground under the identity of ¡°Shi Jian,¡± avoidingter usations of being a demon or an Evil Path cultivator when recruiting disciples and expanding his influence, which would attract the suppression of high-ranking figures from the Three Teachings. Additionally, with such an identity, he might gradually join the Taoist sects and strive for the core Divine Soul cultivation methods. Of course, that was forter. The immediate priority was to enhance his strength. In the secret chamber, Xu Yang sat on a meditation cushion, with three Taoist scripturesid out before him. The ¡°Supreme Cave True Spirit Cultivation Scripture¡± needs no further mention, for it is a True Scripture of Taoism. To cultivate the mana and Taoist Cultivation of this world, one must study this scripture and practice diligently day and night. The ¡°Nine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable Jade Shu Sutra¡± is a True Scripture for Thunder Skill, capable of greatly enhancing his power to guard and battle for the Dao. Since it is a Righteous Way of Cultivation, there are no shortcuts to rapid sess. One can only rely on their own foundation¡ªthe stronger the foundation, the stronger the Thunder Skill. Therefore, there wasn¡¯t much to be said about these two matters¡ªit was all about enduring! On the contrary, the ¡°Xuanming True Person¡¯s Ghost Controlling Method¡± offered several shortcuts. In the world of Taoist cultivation, there are six major realms, namely Taoist Children, Taoist Man, Taoist, Mage, True Man, and True Monarch. ording to Xu Yang¡¯s understanding andparison, Taoist Children, Taoist Man, and Taoist correspond to the three realms of Inner Yuan in the Martial Path, the early, middle, andte stages of Qi Cultivation respectively. There was nothing much to say about these, as they were all about diligently practicing Taoist methods to increase Taoist cultivation (Divine Soul). The fourth realm, the Mage, corresponds to the Martial Path Condensing Spirit,pletion of Qi Cultivation, where one can cultivate a Yin Soul and cast Curse Spells. The fifth realm, the True Man, for Martial Path Golden Core practitioners who have established their foundation, can project their Yin Soul out of their body, so that even in death, their spirit does not perish. The sixth realm, the True Monarch, corrtes to levels beyond Golden Core, where practitioners can transform Yin into Yang and travel from the North Sea to Cangwu in a single day. The Peach Blossom Taoist was a Mage, who had already cultivated a Yin Soul, capable of casting a variety of Curse Spells, undeniably strong. Unfortunately, born from an illegitimate line and being an Evil Cultivator, he was caught by Xu Yang at an opportune time and subdued with the power of thunder, which obliterated himpletely. If he were a cultivator from a proper lineage, with Xu Yang¡¯s current state of being at a mere third realm of Martial Path True Gang, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to touch him. Too bad, this ¡®if¡¯ does not hold. The Peach Blossom Taoist is dead. But the Ghost Enving Skills he left behind have something extraordinary about them. Although the Thunder Series is powerful, it requires a foundation. Without a hundred or eighty years of arduous cultivation, one shouldn¡¯t even dream of seeing results. This Ghost Enving Skill is different, though, offering many shortcuts and various wonderful uses. Now, Xu Yang had his eye on a specific technique involving Underworld Soldiers and Ghost Generals. ¡°Increase Life and Damage Fate¡± two Generals! This skill requires the malevolent souls of Underworld Soldiers as the base, preferably the souls of generals who died on the battlefield. Once captured and fed with arge number of evil spirits, when a certain level is reached, they can be refined into the ¡°Increase Life General¡± and the ¡°Life-shortening General,¡± also known as the Increase and Decrease Two Generals. The Increase and Decrease Two Generals only kill and do not save. By ughtering evil ghosts and devouring them, they can grow rapidly, and they can even provide their own Yin Yuan to their master through the ¡°Increase and Decrease¡± method, enhancing their master¡¯s mana, boosting their master¡¯s Taoist cultivation, and even extending their lifespan. The benefits are numerous. However, the drawback is also clear¡ªit is extremely easy to lose control. Since a General¡¯s soul is naturally unruly and is the most ferocious of Underworld Souls, after being refined into the Increase and Decrease Two Generals and consuming millions of evil spirits, they essentially be an embodiment of ¡°evil.¡± If something goes wrong and they can¡¯t be controlled, the two Generals will be great Ghost Kings and turn on their master. Therefore, without sufficient power to suppress them, one should never cultivate the Increase and Decrease Two Generals, or else it is tantamount to giving away one¡¯s life. Like the Peach Blossom Taoist who had the sense to understand this, he would rather spend time and effort to gather the ¡°Three Aunts and Six Wives,¡± the nine ghosts, than cultivate the more powerful and beneficial Increase and Decrease Two Generals for fear of losing control and being devoured by them. But Xu Yang had no such worry. With just the methods from ¡°Xuanming True Person¡¯s Ghost Controlling Method,¡± he might not be able to suppress the Increase and Decrease Two Generals, but what if he added the ¡°Nine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable Jade Shu Sutra¡± to the mix? Let them rebel and see what happens? Therefore, Xu Yang decided to find a way to refine the ¡°Increase Life and Damage Fate¡± two Generals. At the same time, he would study the Taoist Scriptures, diligently practice the Thunder Series¡ªthree pronged approach. In this way, before long, he would be able to acquire a significant fighting force and securely establish himself in this world filled with demons and strangeness! Chapter 127 - 93: Jie Yuan_1 Chapter 127: Chapter 93: Jie Yuan_1 Trantor: 549690339 Despite deciding to focus on all three tasks at once, adopting the identity of ¡°Shi Jian¡± to cultivate techniques andmand Underworld Ghosts on the mountain, there were still many tasks to attend to below the mountain that were not urgent to the moment. Xu Yang removed his disguise, restored his original appearance, and left Mount Jilei for the county town of North City. ¡°tbreads, freshly baked tbreads!¡± ¡°Crisp pears, freshly picked crisp pears!¡± ¡°Make way, make way, don¡¯t block the road!¡± ¡°Selling sters, hereditary good sters, I guarantee they¡¯ll cure your headaches and fevers in a day!¡± Within the county town, upon the streets, there were bustling crowds everywhere. There were also carriages and horses like dragons, flowing endlessly, all radiating a sense of prosperity and vitality. This was North City county town, North City of today. At this moment, a young schr who had just returned from studying abroad entered the town. ¡°Li Jieyuan?¡± ¡°Truly, it is Li Jieyuan!¡± ¡°Sword Minister sir, you¡¯ve returned?¡± ¡°Brother Li, we haven¡¯t seen you for days, where have you been?¡± ¡°Could it be that you¡¯ve been out on a schrly journey? Such a refined matter, and you didn¡¯t inform any of us!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Officier Li indeed, I was just saying this morning I felt a twitch in my eyelids, turns out I was about to meet a VIP!¡± ¡°Sword Minister sir, when will there be new editions of ¡®Records of Great Zhou Martial Ancestor¡¯ and ¡®The Record of Martial of Tang¡¯?¡± ¡°Go on, all that fighting and killing, what¡¯s there to see? Better to write more about ¡®Dream of the Red Chamber,¡¯ ¡®Seven Fairies,¡¯ and ¡®Bai Suzhen.¡¯ Young Master Liuxian, why don¡¯t you write another storybook like those? All of us sisters are eagerly waiting.¡± ¡°Li Jieyuan, Li Jieyuan, just draw me a picture, or write a few words if you can¡¯t. My girl hasn¡¯t eaten or drank for days, she says if she can¡¯t see the calligraphy and paintings of Master Li, she might starve herself to death¡¡± ¡°You wish, who doesn¡¯t know that Li Jieyuan¡¯s poetry and painting are unparalleled, his talent towers above all, and a single piece of his calligraphy is worth a fortune. Every day outside Li Mansion there are countless people waiting to pick up any scrap of his brilliance, what makes you think you¡¯re worthy of asking him to write for you?¡± Upon Xu Yang¡¯s return, people greeted him along the way, and exmations of wonder never ceased. As for Xu Yang, he merely nodded in response and did not pay them much attention, heading straight for his home. Watching his receding figure, the crowd discussed him even more, each with their own attitude. ¡°Is that Li Jianchen, Li Liuxian?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it just him!¡± ¡°Hmph, he¡¯s conceited about his talent, yet he hasn¡¯t even be the top schr, and he¡¯s already got his eyes on his forehead.¡± ¡°Conceit is not without foundation. They say that from childhood, his schr examinations at the academy, county, and prefecture levels were always outstanding, and during the provincial exams, he seized the crown in one fell swoop, earning the title of Jie Yuan. Even Mr. Wen Yuan and the provincial examiners were full of praise for his essays, saying he had the makings of a top schr, and might even make the history books by achieving the top spot in three consecutive exams!¡± ¡°If there¡¯s a bushel of talent in the world, then Li Liuxian has taken eight scoops of it!¡± ¡°Not only that, but it¡¯s said he¡¯s also extremely skilled in the art of calligraphy and painting. Not just as a poet and painter, he¡¯s a master calligrapher, and even excels in music theory, his skill at ying the zither is mesmerizing, turning the world upside down. In North City, Jinhua Mansion, and even throughout the Great Chen Dynasty, countlessdies are smitten by him, unable to eat or sleep!¡± ¡°It¡¯s said he loves writing novels and storybooks. He has published many works, including ¡®Records of Great Zhou Martial Ancestor,¡¯ ¡®The Record of Martial of Tang¡¯ recounting the blood and wind of the Martial World, ¡®Legend of Swordsman of Shushan,¡¯ ¡®Legend of the Sword Immortal¡¯ describing the Cultivation World and the ways of immortals. Then there are ¡®Dream of the Red Chamber,¡¯ ¡®Seven Fairies,¡¯ ¡®Bai Suzhen,¡¯ tales of lovelorn men and women entwined in love and hate, leaving readers¡¯ hearts wrenched, tossing and turning sleeplessly, night after night, waiting for his new releases!¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s young women waiting for marriage, hardworking farmers with faces to the soil and backs to the sky, or swaggering mavericks from the Martial World, even schrs engrossed in studying, they are all eagerly awaiting his next book, to start a new volume, to write a new chapter!¡± ¡°Sword Minister, you old thief, update already!¡± The discussions were many and varied, mostly filled with admiration and respect. But there were also voices of disagreement. ¡°Hmph, talented he may be, but hecks the backbone of a true schr!¡± ¡°Exactly, we schrs have read the sage¡¯s books, we serve the emperor and the country above, and bring peace to the people below. Only such use of our learning doesn¡¯t betray our studies, yet this man is fixated on Side-Path Left Way pursuits, truly ignorant, wasting his time!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, poetry is but a minor skill, and fine arts are merely a pastime. Whatpares to the sage¡¯s books and the main road of righteousness? This man¡¯s infatuation with his diverse hobbies will surely cause him to be discarded by the main path. When the timees for the imperial exams, don¡¯t even think about winning the top spots.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t just talk about winning the top spots, he might even fail the exams. After all, human energy is limited, and yet he indulges in painting and calligraphy, loses himself in the zither¡¯s melody, and enjoys writing those novels. How many heads and arms does he have? Is he an immortal, capable of the Method of Avatar, the Divinity Transformation?¡± ¡°It¡¯s said he¡¯s also proficient in the ways of medicine and martial arts. He¡¯s opened a medical clinic and a pharmacy in town, named Security Hall and Baozhilin. He treats patients daily, and every day a bunch of shameless women go to him for treatment, it¡¯s simply enviable¡bah, it¡¯s a disgrace to schrs!¡± ¡°A scandal to schrship, a beast in schrly robes!¡± ¡°About that¡ keep your voice down, he¡¯s not only a dual talent in literature and martial arts, but his swordsmanship is also incredibly sharp. Recently, a brute tried to rob people outside the town, only to be killed by him single-handedly, leaving aplete mess. Even the constables from the county yamen knelt down and begged to be his disciples.¡± ¡°Guess why there have been so many fewer bullies in North City in recent years?¡± ¡°All because they provoked him, and then one by one they disappeared.¡± ¡°This¡¡± At this point, the critical voices paused for a moment. Yet some were still indignant and refused to back down. ¡°Afraid, afraid of what!¡± Chapter 128 - 93: Jie Yuan_2 Chapter 128: Chapter 93: Jie Yuan_2 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°As schrs, how can we possibly fear hisscivious power?¡± ¡°Exactly, wealth cannot corrupt us, power cannot bend us, what does it matter if he knows martial arts, in broad daylight, with the universe so clear and the sun and moon so bright, would he dare disregard thew and senselessly draw his sword to kill?¡± ¡°Hmph, I¡¯ve heard that every so often, he leaves the city without a trace, potentially harboring some unspeakable secret.¡± ¡°Long has been the rumor that this fellow is not human, but a spirit monster in disguise, a millennia-old ghost beneath human skin. Otherwise, how could a man of such young age possess such learning? It¡¯s beyond what mere talent can exin!¡± ¡°Right, right, he¡¯s definitely not human, absolutely not!¡± ¡°Enough with the nonsense, if he isn¡¯t human, how could he take part in the imperial examinations? Do you think Mr. Wen Yuan and the other examiners are just for show, allowing a demon to enter the examination grounds, and even selecting him as the top scorer?¡± ¡°Indeed, Li Jieyuan¡¯s [Xu Yang¡¯s] periodic departures from the city are for tending the fields on his estate outside. Though a schr, he never forgets the importance of agriculture. Unlike you lot, who neither work nor know the grains, living off others¡¯ toil ¨C parasites, the lot of you, and still you im to be schrs!¡± ¡°Do you even understand the toil behind every grain on your te, let alonepose poetry about it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only us bystanders speaking; if it were those vigers who¡¯ve received Li Jieyuan¡¯s [Xu Yang¡¯s] kindness, or those infatuated with his poetry, paintings, music, and stories, as well as the pupils from his clinic and school, they¡¯d y you for trying to tarnish Li Jieyuan¡¯s [Xu Yang¡¯s] name with such nder, turning ck into white,¡± ¡°Go on, get out! We don¡¯t want your business. A schr, what are you good for, ptui!¡± ¡°Dressed up animals, disgraces to the literati; if you don¡¯t leave, I¡¯ll call the authorities ¨C do you believe that? The county magistrate and the head of constables, they¡¯re all good friends with Li Jieyuan [Xu Yang]. Let them find out how you recklessly gossip, they¡¯ll throw you in jail and give you a good flogging with eighty blows!¡± ¡°Get out of here, quick! Don¡¯t foul the air with your nonsense; if word gets out that someone here is conspiring against Master Li, how am I supposed to keep this tavern open? Leave now!¡± ¡°We sisters refuse to serve you; leave now or we¡¯ll have you castrated!¡± But within moments, the chatter turned to argument, many schrs were chased out of taverns, eateries and even brothels, with dirt-streaked faces and in utter disarray. ¡°Good, good for you, Li Sword Minister [Li Jianchen]!¡± ¡°Feigning virtue, buying people¡¯s hearts!¡± ¡°We disdain to associate with you!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, stop talking; if we continue, they¡¯ll start throwing rotten eggs.¡± ¡°This is an insult to culture, an insult to culture, ow, who the hell threw that brick?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s a stale steamed bun, you fool!¡± ¡°Brother Zhang, help me, these people have gone mad¡¡± One by one, they fled in distress, and chaos ensued. Yet all of this had nothing to do with Xu Yang; he had already returned to his mansion. ¡°Young master!¡± ¡°Teacher!¡± ¡°My lord!¡± ¡°Master!¡± The interconnected courtyards of four sections made up the estate of the Li Mansion today. Inside, there were numerous bold servants, clusters of maids, and many more in-clothed clinic disciples and vigor-wearing martial hall followers, along with family guards safeguarding the ce and warrior instructors, who all bowed respectfully upon Xu Yang¡¯s return. ¡°My lord, there have been no disturbances in the city these past days, only that the county magistrate left with the head of constables for a while.¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that an incident urred at Peach Blossom Mountain, the details of which are still being investigated.¡± ¡°As per your instructions, we¡¯ve acquired two more estates outside the city for nting medicinal herbs, which should suffice to meet the current needs of the Security Hall and Baozhilin.¡± ¡°The martial instructor has returned from Jinhua Mansion, bringing news that the Ghost Realm of the Orchid Temple has expanded again. Even during daylight, it¡¯s ominously grim, and nearly a hundred people have vanished there recently; not even official decrees and blockades have been effective.¡± ¡°There are rumors in the streets that the Emperor¡¯s health is worsening by the day, and the struggle for session is intensifying!¡± ¡°It¡¯s rumored that Taoism intends to offer Longevity Medicine in hopes of securing the position of State Preceptor!¡± ¡°Word has it that a great figure from Buddhism is expected toe and suppress the specters of the Orchid Temple!¡± Xu Yang returned to the study, with the steward following to report the recent situation in the city. Xu Yang listened, while picking up a brush and creating an exquisite painting. Ten years ago, using his ability to Divine Travel Through Worlds, he had re-entered this world, not by inheriting someone else¡¯s body, but by manifesting a separate incarnation from his Divine Soul. After that, he did not resume using the identity of ¡°Ma Wencai;¡± instead, he arrived in the North City County as ¡°Li Jianchen,¡± iming to be a student from afar. It was theter period of the dynasty, and the household registration management was extremely chaotic. Coupled with some of his tricks, blending in was a breeze. However, this time he did not, as he had in the Great Tang, directly align with a powerful family, use his medical skills to gain their support and protection, then open a clinic, recruit disciples, and grow his influence¡ That approach worked in the world of Great Tang, but not here. This world had supernatural forces, and many difficult diseases were more than just medical mysteries. His medical skills, though peerless, were ultimately mundane. Unless he used the ¡°Life Scroll,¡± there was no way to treat those special diseases. And the powerful families did not need him for treatments, as Taoism and Buddhism had their methods. If the high masters from these sects were helpless, his mundane medical skills were even less useful. That path was blocked from the very beginning. Even if it wasn¡¯t blocked, he couldn¡¯t just casually open a clinic and vie with other powers for medical interests¡ªsomeone would certainly target him. After all, in this world, with its extraordinary Curse Skills, invisible assassinations weremonce. Without a significant backing, any overreach was bound to be met with lethal retaliation. Thus, he chose a different path and sought another form of support. That was¡ªthe imperial examination! In this world, the heritage of the Three Teaching Sect was flourishing mightily. Confucian Gate, being one of the three, had unmistakable strength. More importantly, because Confucianism borrowed the appearance of Cultivation, it greatly promoted the Way of Literature. The examination system had been established and was free from the control of any one person or family, highly ensuring fairness. Additionally, the thresholds had been lowered¡ªonce you attained an official rank, you¡¯d be recognized as a disciple of the Confucian Tao and naturally protected by the Confucian system. To put it simply, it was like a coalition of interests, representing the benefits of all members, thus sustained by everyone involved! Therefore, Xu Yang resolutely joined the imperial examinations. With his own literary aplishments, he seeded in bing the top schr of the county exam, earning the title of Jie Yuan. This was the advantage of having supernatural power. When it came to the supernatural, fakery was difficult; if you had real talents and learning, you were bound to stand out. Although in this world¡¯s Mana Points, borrowing the appearance of Cultivation, theoretically, even a pile of dung, as long as it had enough believers, could transcend the ordinary and be genuine, holding mystical power. But there was a problem: How do you make someone believe in it? Who would worship a pile of dung? The methods involving Divine Souls, borrowing the appearance of Cultivation, could not be faked. One had to truly believe for it to be effective. Therefore, Confucian Gate pursued great talents and timeless masterpieces, exquisite writings, rather than promoting worthless works. Because only the former could convincingly win people¡¯s faith, effectively borrowing the appearance of Cultivation. Thetter, even if promoted by the power of the entire nation, was unlikely to be effective. Even if it was, the cost wouldn¡¯t be worth the gains. Thanks to his real talents and learning, Xu Yang took the imperial examinations, gained an official title, and directly became part of the Confucian system. He even caught the attention of several Great Schrs, and his future prospects were limitless. With this, he not only gained the aid of ¡°Cultural Qi¡± to improve his literary and martial skills but also the support of Confucian Gate. He sessfully opened a clinic, a martial arts school, a butcher shop, and a rice shop in North City County. He recruited disciples, amassed wealth, and furthermore bought manors and farnds outside of the city to cultivate and breed as supply reserves. With a schrly rank and the augmentation of literary fortune, ordinary Evil Demons and witchcraft could hardly harm him in secret. Being part of the Confucian system, with mutual interests, both the academic forest of schrs and the gates of officialdom epted him, leaving others powerless to ostracize him. Therefore, Xu Yang could establish himself in North City County, stabilizing his foothold and expanding his power without being killed by others due to conflicts of interest. This was the benefit of having a powerful background. However, ¡°sess hinges on Xiao He, as does failure.¡± Being a titled schr was an advantage but also a burden. While it shielded him from many troubles, it also attracted more. This was also why, after umting only Three Pass Realm Cultivation after ten years, Xu Yang sought revenge against the Peach Blossom Taoist. He urgently needed to enhance his power! Chapter 129 - 94: Visitors_1 Chapter 129: Chapter 94: Visitors_1 Trantor: 549690339 Xu Yang (Li Liuxian) Lifespan: 28/150 Cultivation: Inter Practicing True Gang, External Muscle Bone Training (Internal and External Three Pass Realm) Skills: Eating, Breathing, Sleeping, Walking, nting, Animal Husbandry, Archery, Martial Arts, Medicine¡ Literary Path (Calligraphy and Painting, Poetry and Prose, ying the Zither with Matchless Skill, Storytelling, Immersive Experience) Martial Skills: Martial Arts Scripture. Talent: Control of Electricity. In this world, the way of Mana relies on the imitation of cultivation, with the Three Teaching Sect as the foundation! Among them, Taoism and Buddhism focus on cultivating Mana, which is straightforward: they receive the faith and offerings of incense, using them as nourishment to enhance their Taoist Cultivation and Divine Soul, thereby cultivating Internal Yuan Mana. Confucian Gate, however, is slightly different. It cultivates Cultural Qi and the means of receiving the power of the Divine Soul are not through incense and faith, but rather through official ranks and positions, literary brilliancy, and talents. Nevertheless, the Cultural Qi cultivated also has the wondrous use of Mana. Thus, among the Three Teachings, which is the strongest and which is the weakest? Taoism is the strongest, followed by Buddhism, and Confucianism is the weakest. If it were the mundane world, surely the Confucian Gate, which holds the channels to official ranks that highly ovep with influential families, would be the strongest. But this is not the mundane world; it is a world of gods and spirits, detached from the ordinary, where power is everything. Taoism, with the longest heritage and deepest potentiality, is undoubtedly the strongest. Next is Buddhism, which also receives incense faith, has profound potentiality, and a long heritage. Confucianism, on the other hand, has the shortest history and thinnest foundation. And although it has the way of Cultivation through Cultural Qi and attracts schrs from all over the world, it does not match the pure faith and rich incense, making it the weakest among the Three Teachings, falling behind both Taoism and Buddhism. Unless one acquires official ranks, the speed of Cultivation through Confucian literary methods will be extremely slow. Not to mention others, let¡¯s talk about Xu Yang. Over the past decade, he not only attained the title of ¡°Jie Yuan¡± but also became famous throughout the world for his calligraphy and painting, poetry and prose, music, and his skill in ying the zither. He even started writing novels, turning them into ys, which spread among the people and became extremely popr, earning him astonishing traffic and wealth. But what of it? The umtion of Cultural Qi is still slow. Because after a millennium of the Three Teachings managing the world, a concept has taken deep root in people¡¯s hearts. All are inferior, only the schrly are exalted! Calligraphy and painting, poetry and prose are merely minor amusements. Stories and ys cannot even rise to the level of elegance. Only the sacred scriptures can pave the grand road, enabling one to attain official ranks and ascend directly to the heavens. Therefore, despite doing so much, the ¡°Cultural Qi¡± benefit Xu Yang brings is still inferior to official ranks and titles. In fact, even with official ranks and titles, the speed of Cultivation through Confucian methods is extremely slow, and the life-prolonging effect is very poor. Those great schrs are without exception elderly men. This world operates as such, with the Righteous Paths of Cultivation progressing slowly because they can only absorb the believers¡¯ faith and the power of the Divine Soul bit by bit. Without the umtion of time, everything is empty talk. Unless one takes the shortcut of the Evil Path and devours the flesh and soul of living beings. Among the Righteous Ways of Cultivation, the Confucian literary path is the slowest to progress. If Xu Yang were to focus solely on the Confucian literary path, he would have to enter the capital for exams and seek official ranks. Then, he would step into the political arena, enduring the turmoil of the court. Only after wading through this for two or three decades might he have a chance to be a Great Schr. If it were normal times, it wouldn¡¯t matter; he has plenty of time and patience, and two or three decades of umtion is nothing. But it is not normal times; it is the end of the dynasty, an extraordinary moment! Above, there are intense political struggles, and below, strife in the Martial World. Rebellions arise in various localities, and chaos spreads in all directions. There are also Evil Spirits, Demons and malevolent ghosts running amok. With the ever-changingndscape, crises abound. With his current fame in the Literary Path, along with his wealth and property, who knows how much trouble he will attract. Those powerful warlords and would-be usurpers, will they spare him, a man of great renown in the world? And the Evil Spirits and Demons, will they pass up a rich source of Cultural Qi, beneficial to their Cultivation? The powerful on all sides are covetously eyeing his assets and life, wishing they could divide and devour him. This is the burden of ¡°great fame.¡± Yet, one cannot simply discard such renown as it is tied to the way of Cultivation. Having no choice, Xu Yang can only find ways to enhance his own strength to cope with various crises. To strengthen himself, one way is through Martial Arts Scriptures. Although after using Divine Travel Through Worlds, his Divine Soul was exhausted, very weak, and unable to transfer abilities such as ¡°Founder of Martial Scripture,¡± he could still practice skills himself and break through the limitations of heaven and earth to some extent. In addition, he opened a clinic, started a private school, and bought arge amount of farnd for nting and animal husbandry. Although he cannot yet cultivate rare flowers, exotic grasses, or alien beasts due to theck of high-level Skill Traits,mon grains and meats still suffice as nourishment to meet the demands of early-stage cultivation on the Martial Path. With this, plus the aid of ¡°Cultural Qi,¡± he has managed to increase his Cultivation to the Three Pass Realm in ten years. He also substitued Cultural Qi for Mana to refine a few Small Thunder Talismans as a lifeline. But this is still not enough, far from enough! When a nation is on the verge of copse, there must be monsters. Nowadays, the world overflows with all kinds of demons, ghosts, and all manner of spirits running amok. Not to mention other ces, let¡¯s talk about Jinhua Mansion, where there resides the ghastly Ghost Realm¡ªOrchid Temple! Xu Yang did not know if this was the Orchid Temple he remembered, nor if it housed Nie Xiaoqian, Ning Caichen, Yan Chixia, or the Demon Tree Grandma, but he knew this ce was very dangerous, so much so that even the Taoist experts and Buddhist masters within Jinhua Mansion were at their wits¡¯ end with it. The government was powerless as well, unable to exterminate the evils within Orchid Temple and could only seal off the area to prevent living souls from entering, but to little effect as people still disappeared from time to time. This speaks to the horror of Orchid Temple. North City County alsoy within the boundaries of Jinhua Mansion, neither too far nor too close to Orchid Temple. As someone deeply coveted by demons and ghosts for his ¡°Cultural Qi treasure trove,¡± Xu Yang¡¯s situation could be said to be very dangerous; it would not be surprising if some creatures wished to feast on him. Xu Yang had thought about leaving, to avoid this dangerous ce, but after investigating, he realized that the whole world was the same. Demons were rampant everywhere, and the Three Teaching Sect was not powerful enough. Although moving away might help him avoid Orchid Temple, wherever else he went, he would face another ¡°Orchid Temple.¡± Avoidance was meaningless. Only by enhancing his strength could he face everything. Therefore, he diligently practiced the Martial Arts Scripture and the Confucian Tao¡¯s literaryws, while also seeking the cultivation methods of both Taoism and Buddhism. However, unlike Confucian Gate, Taoism and Buddhism had not established a civil examination system; they relied on incense and faith for the collection of Divine Soul strength. Visiting them, Xu Yang could only be a believer, providing them with faith. Want to start practicing? Sorry, your background is unclear, and without an introduction, you¡¯re not epted! Even if you¡¯re epted, you must undergo a ten to twenty-year assessment, starting from the very bottom as Taoist Children, handing out tea, delivering water, serving the teachers¡ªonly after diligent and hardworking service was there hope to acquire aplete mana point. This left Xu Yang facing repeated setbacks until he had no choice but to take a risk and cause trouble for the Peach Blossom Taoist. Otherwise, with his disposition, it was highly likely he would have waited until the Peach Blossom Taoist was old and on the verge of death, or even after his light had gone out, to make a move against Peach Blossom Mountain. This was also why Xu Yang prepared to refine the ¡°Increase and Decrease Two Generals.¡± The current situation was unstable, and his own safety precarious. He had to enhance his strength as soon as possible to face the chaotic dangers of a troubled world. But the progress of the Righteous Path¡¯s methods was too slow. Reluctantly, he had to practice the arts of the Evil Skills to enhance hisbat abilities with the help of ghosts. Of course, it was just skills, notws! Skills are not inherently good or evil; nor do powers possess inherent morality¡ªit all depends on how the cultivator wields them. As long as he did not cultivate evilws that changed his nature, even practicing evil skills would not affect his status on the Righteous Path, nor would he be restrained by the Righteous Way of Cultivation, like the Peach Blossom Taoist who was full of taboos and defeated before the battle even began. In the span of a thought, a colored ink painting came into being under his brush! ¡°My lord, this is¡¡± The butler nced at it and showed a surprised expression. What he saw was neitherndscape nor beauty. But¡ evil ghosts! Picture of the Night Walk of a Hundred Ghosts! Among the hundred ghosts, the Three Generals stood out the most prominently. One general with a green face, fierce teeth, and a savage mouth held a steel fork in the left position. Another general with a red face exudes a chilling aura, his fierce eyes and eyebrows performing an ominous dance as he held an iron chain in the right position. And another general, with an obscure form shrouded in darkness, difficult to discern, sat firmly in the center. ¡°Night Walk of a Hundred Ghosts, Increase and Decrease Two Generals!¡± Xu Yang applied a dot with his brush to the center of the forehead, bestowing two glowing red eyes: ¡°This one shall be the Chief General!¡± ¡°This¡ My lord¡¯s creation is truly fantastic!¡± The butler, though bewildered by the painting of a hundred ghosts, did not dare to say more and could only offer a ttering p. ¡°Ha!¡± Xu Yangughed, setting down the brush: ¡°After the ink dries, have it mounted. I have someone to give it to.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The butler nodded, not asking further questions. Just then¡ ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± There was a knock on the door, and Xu Yang raised an eyebrow: ¡°Come in.¡± Immediately, the door opened, and a young schr in a blue robe entered the study: ¡°Master, there is someone asking to see you.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Xu Yang smiled, intrigued: ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The disciple hesitated for a moment, then lowered his head and said, ¡°I do not know, but by the look of it¡ it may not be human. We saw that he was out of the ordinary and did not dare to make a decision ourselves, so we came to ask for your guidance, Master.¡± ¡°Interesting.¡± Hearing this, Xu Yang was not surprised but chuckled lightly: ¡°Please take them to the parlor.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The disciple replied and left the study. ¡°Not human?¡± The butler frowned, looking at Xu Yang: ¡°Shall we call people back?¡± ¡°No need!¡± Xu Yang shook his head with a lightugh: ¡°Such politepany; as the hosts, how can we be impolite?¡± ¡°This¡ Yes!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Chapter 130 - 95: Academy_1 Chapter 130: Chapter 95: Academy_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Elder gentleman, please enjoy the tea. The young master will be here in a moment.¡± In the living room, a maidservant presented a fragrant cup of tea. ¡°There¡¯s no hurry, no hurry.¡± Atop the guest¡¯s seat, an elderly gentleman with white hair stroked his beard and smiled, ¡°Li Jie Yuan is a busy man, it¡¯s only right for the likes of me to wait.¡± He was d in brocaded robes, resembling a wealthy Officer, and despite his white hair and ancient years, he did not show signs of twilight years. Instead, his face was ruddy, full of life and vigor as though he belonged to a family of Immortals. Behind him stood another figure, a young girl in red, her petite frame hidden beneath arge red cloak, with even her face mostly concealed by a fur-lined hood, its color unclear. An elderly and a young person, one seated and one standing, waited a moment like that until someone finally entered the room. ¡°To have esteemed guests visit and not greet them from afar, how impolite of us!¡± A lightugh sounded throughout the room. The elderly gentleman turned around, following theughter, and saw a young man stepping in gracefully, devoid of the frailty of schrs; instead, he emanated an aura of valor and bravery. ¡°Li Jie Yuan!¡± The elderly man immediately rose to his feet, greeting with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s I who doesn¡¯t deserve such a reception from Li Jie Yuan. It is an honor simply to enter your abode.¡± ¡°You tter me, elder. Please, take a seat!¡± ¡°After you, Jie Yuan.¡± Xu Yang grinned and took the seat of honor, casting a nce at the girl beside the old man, then quickly redirected his attention to him and directly inquired, ¡°May I know your esteemed name, elder?¡± ¡°I apologize for the sudden visit andck of introduction, my apologies!¡± The elder stood up, sping his hands together and said, ¡°My surname is Xin,monly known as Huang Shi, and this is my daughter, Shisi.¡± ¡°So it is Elder Xin.¡± Xu Yang nodded, then chuckled and asked, ¡°May I inquire as to the purpose of Elder Xin¡¯s visit?¡± ¡°I dare not deceive Li Jie Yuan.¡± Old Man Xinughed, straightforward as ever, ¡°I have indeede here to seek a favor!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Xu Yang¡¯s eyebrows raised slightly, showing no surprise, ¡°Please speak, elder.¡± Old Man Xin observed Xu Yang, then nced again at the young girl beside him with her head bowed low, before returning his gaze and inquiring with an unexpected light chuckle, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Li Jie Yuan has not yet taken a wife?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Xu Yang gave him a look, then shook his head, ¡°I have no such intentions yet!¡± ¡°What a pity, then.¡± Old Man Xin shook his head with a sigh, then swiftly changed the subject, ¡°Jie Yuan, what do you think of my daughter Shisi?¡± As he spoke, he gestured with his hand. The young girl shuddered slightly as if bashful but still reached out to lift her hood. One could see she was about fourteen or fifteen years of age, draped in a brightly colored red cloak that nevertheless did not seem vulgar or mboyant, but instead exuded a lively and ethereal charm. Underneath the red cloak was a gown of white, with a belt of gold-threaded jade wrapped around her waist, graceful and delicate. She was like a delicate bud on the verge of blooming, showing a hint of stubbornness within her tenderness ¡ª truly alluring. She lifted her head, biting her red lips slightly, eyes filled with shyness. She seemed ready to meet his gaze but quickly became flustered and lowered her eyes, nervously giving a curtsy, ¡°Shisi pays respects to the young master!¡± A beauty in her modesty is always a sight to cherish. However, Xu Yang cast only one nce at her before turning away, ¡°Elder, what is the meaning of this?¡± Old Man Xin smiled, ¡°Does my daughter Shisi meet Jie Yuan¡¯s standards?¡± Xu Yang looked at him, then shook his head, ¡°Elder, please speak frankly.¡± ¡°Li Jie Yuan speaks straightforwardly indeed.¡± Despite such words implying rejection, Old Man Xin wasn¡¯t discouraged; he sped his hands together and said, ¡°No use beating around the bush, and I dare not deceive you, young master, we are not beings born of human essence; instead, we belong to the race of Spirit Monsters!¡± ¡°Your sincerity towards others ismendable, elder,¡± Xu Yang nodded, seemingly not surprised. Seeing this, Old Man Xin also nodded inwardly. In this world, Ghost Gods were manifest, and Demons roamed freely. The existence of Spirit Monsters, though perhaps an earth-shattering secret to themon folk, meant little to the upper echelons. To those who had reached a certain level of understanding, interaction with such beings was natural. This man had achieved the title of Jie Yuan, a schr of the Confucian Gate, and knowing about the existence of otherworldly beings was only to be expected. If he had panicked, screaming ¡°talk not of ghosts and spirits¡± like those indigent Confucians, Old Man Xin would have been disappointed; disappointed that he had misjudged and chosen the wrong individual. Seeing that Xu Yang remained unfazed, Old Man Xin began to narrate his own origins. ¡°I am of the fox lineage, living in seclusion in Yellow Mountain. Although we might be categorized as Spirit Monsters, we do not practice Demonic and Evil Skills, nor do we harm the natural order or the innocent. Instead, we devote ourselves to practicing Buddhism, seeking no quarrel with the world!¡± ¡°However¡¡± Old Man Xin let out a deep sigh and continued gravely, ¡°When the world fell into chaos and Demons ran rampant, we aspired to live in seclusion, yet cmities repeatedly came knocking at our door. This has forced my family to flee far away, leaving Yellow Mountain in search of refuge.¡± ¡°But in these times, where in the world are there no Demons and evil spirits preying upon innocents? We, the Kind Spirit Monsters, are coveted by Demons and eyed by Evil Cultivators. Each one watches us like prey, longing to seize our flesh, souls, Mana Essence, to use it in their practices and enhance their Taoist Cultivation!¡± A bitter expression crossed Old Man Xin¡¯s face, ¡°Even the venerable practitioners of the Righteous Path from both Taoism and Buddhism often carry biases against our kind. The extremists would strike down any Spirit Monster they encounter, indifferent to whether we have perpetrated evil!¡± ¡°In this way, although the world is vast, there seems to be no ce for my family. After moving from Yellow Mountain, troubles continued to pursue us, forcing us to keep moving to avoid them. Unexpectedly, it led to even more tribtions, and we even incurred the wrath of a particrly formidable enemy!¡± Old Man Xin sighed, ¡°I have lived for over two hundred years, and my time ising to an end; death holds no fear for me. However, beneath me and my wife¡¯s knees are many children. If we were to pass away, they would be left destitute and vulnerable, likely to be bullied incessantly. Therefore, these past years, my wife and I have been marrying off our daughters, hoping to find them a refuge.¡± Chapter 131 - 95: Academy_2 Chapter 131: Chapter 95: Academy_2 Trantor: 549690339 Speaking, Old Man Xin turned his gaze towards the red-d young girl at his side, ¡°The first thirteen daughters have already found families to take them in, the only one left is Shisi who hasn¡¯t been entrusted to anyone yet. Hence, I came here to ask if she could be married to Li Jieyuan. She needn¡¯t be the main wife; being a concubine would suffice, as long as she has a ce to exist.¡± As he finished speaking, Old Man Xin stood up and, to Xu Yang¡¯s surprise, began to kowtow deeply, ¡°I beseech Li Jieyuan to have pity on my young girl and, out of great kindness, take her in!¡± ¡°Elder, you must not do this.¡± Xu Yang shook his head, raising an empty hand gently, True Gang energy invisibly emanating to support the elder¡¯s body. Feeling the invisible True Gang, Old Man Xin¡¯s expression subtly changed, but he quickly regained hisposure and stood up, ¡°Li Jieyuan, with your unparalleled genius and literary grace, you are destined to be a top schr in the future!¡± ¡°With such honors to your name, demons and evil spirits will surely retreat. Although my enemy is formidable, they would not dare to harm a hair on your head. My wife and I would do everything possible to lead it away, ensuring it does not trouble you.¡± After speaking, he looked earnestly at Xu Yang, ¡°What does Jie Yuan think?¡± Xu Yang observed him in silence. He finally understood the other¡¯s intention. In this world, Divine Soul methods, under the guise of the unreal, Cultivation is not only practiced by humans but also by spirit monsters. However, most spirit monsters prefer the rapid advancement offered by the Evil Path Cultivation Method over the slow-progressing Righteous Way of Cultivation, devouring human blood, flesh, and souls, along with their Mana Essence. Such spirit monsters are known to the people as demons and evil spirits. Yet, there are spirit monsters that do not follow these dark shortcuts but cultivate ording to the Righteous Dao. These monsters can be considered kind. However, being kind does not necessarily lead to good fortune. In fact, the standing of kind spirit monsters is quite awkward. Since they practice the Righteous Dao, which leads to slow progress and pure mana, they are seen by other animalistic demons as walking Spirit Pills, beneficial to consume and without the risk of retaliation or pursuit by high-ranking individuals from Taoism or Buddhism. Human cultivators aren¡¯t much better than demons, with those from the Evil Path often being even more brutal, all of them wanting to capture these spirit monsters for consumption and to strengthen their own Cultivation and Taoist practice. Righteous Daoist cultivators also harbor prejudices, subscribing to the idea that those who aren¡¯t part of their clique have ill intent, often scorning these spirit monsters. Some extremists even follow a policy of killing all demons and monsters on sight, without regard for good or evil or the Righteous or Evil Path. Thus, the situation for kind spirit monsters is very difficult. In times of peace, with demons lying dormant, they can seclude themselves from the world. But when chaos reigns, with demons running rampant, they be hunted ¡°Spiritual Medicine.¡± The Xin Family¡¯s Foxes are such kind spirit monsters. With the chaos of the world and demons running amok, they were forced to leave their ancestral home of Yellow Mountain, fleeing desperately from one ce to another, yet still coveted by all kinds of demons, and in the end, they incurred the wrath of a terrifying enemy. To avoid disaster, they had no choice but to marry off their children, seeking shelter for them. Thus, they came to him, the renowned Li Jie Yuan! This was not surprising. Although he had not demonstrated great strength to the outside world, with the literary talent he had shown, it was almost certain that he would achieve the honors of a top schr in the future. The title of top schr had significant meaning within the system of Confucianism. Though not on the same level as a Great Schr, it was enough to determon demons and monsters, and with the backing of Confucian Gate, protecting a small fox was easily manageable. So, was he to agree? In the face of Old Man Xin¡¯s anxious and hopeful gaze, as well as Miss Xin Shisi¡¯s nervous and shy look, Xu Yang shook his head with a light smile and said, ¡°I don¡¯t mean to hide anything from you, elder, but I have no interest in fame or a political career, and I won¡¯t be taking part in the imperial examinations anymore. I¡¯m afraid the honors of a top schr are not in my future.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Old Man Xin stood rooted to the spot, surprised and uncertain. ¡°However¡¡± Xu Yang lowered his gaze and looked at Miss Xin Shisi, who was also at a loss, and smiled, ¡°I intend to engage in educational work, transforming my private school into an academy to admit numerous students. If the elder is willing, let this youngdy enroll. With the educational aura of the academy, ordinary demons will surely not dare to offend.¡± ¡°In addition, I have some connections in North City, Jinhua Mansion, and with schrs of Jiangzhe. They are all friends of mine. Master White Mountain from Mana Bright Temple and Daoist Green River from Qingping Taoist Temple also share a certain affinity with me. If the elder trusts me, Li Liuxian, why not settle down here in North City?¡± Xu Yang looked at the two, smiling lightly as he said, ¡°I guarantee absolutely no one will trouble you!¡± ¡°This¡¡± Upon hearing this, Old Man Xin was even more astonished and unsure of what to do. Xu Yang did not press or push for an immediate answer. He indeed wanted the Xin Family¡¯s Foxes to settle down, preferably with the whole family in tow. But it wasn¡¯t because Miss Xin Shisi¡¯s beauty had stirred his heart; rather, these kind spirit monsters were of great use to him. He wanted to raise these foxes! As mentioned before, there are two ways to cultivate skills: focusing on quantity and focusing on quality. There¡¯s no need to discuss quantity; it is a matter of time umtion and continuous practice. Quality also needs no exnation, which is to perform as perfectly as possible. If these kind spirit monsters were to swear allegiance to him, it could drastically improve the quality of his ¡°breeding¡± skill, yielding high-level traits, enhancing his fighting power, and aiding his cultivation. Therefore, he hoped the Xin Family would settle down, ideally bringing along all their rtives¡ªseven aunts and eight uncles. He could provide for their basic needs and even pay them a monthly allowance for raising them. Chapter 132 - 95: Academy_3 Chapter 132: Chapter 95: Academy_3 Trantor: 549690339 What, an enemy? Who cares? With a debt sorge it doesn¡¯t weigh one down, there¡¯s already an Orchid Temple nearby, a few more demons and ghosts wouldn¡¯t make any difference. Anyway, he doesn¡¯t care. ¡°A school?¡± ¡°Enrollment?¡± ¡°This¡ this¡ this¡¡± Although the conditions Xu Yang offered were very enticing, Old Man Xin still hesitated, ¡°Li Jieyuan, isn¡¯t this approach too ostentatious? If it draws the attention of our enemy and harms the innocent, how could I bear it?¡± ¡°A tree wishes to stay still but the wind keeps blowing; some things are unavoidable. Better to face them head on.¡± Xu Yang smiled, sayingposedly, ¡°The philosophy of my school is to teach without discrimination. As long as one is kind and righteous, whether human or demon, all may study in my school. Whoeveres to trouble us, is my enemy, and I will show no mercy!¡± ¡°This¡!¡± The final four words, carrying a sharp edge, startled Old Man Xin, who looked at Xu Yang with a mixture of surprise and awe. After a long while, he finally eximed in admiration, ¡°Everyone says Li Jieyuan is not only matchless in poetry and painting, but also in literary and martial skills. I had my doubts before, but now I see it was like looking at the sky from the bottom of a well and not recognizing Mount Tai!¡± With that, he gave Xu Yang a bow, ¡°Given this, I entrust my daughter to Li Jieyuan.¡± After he finished speaking, he turned to the girl beside him, ¡°Shisi, from now on, Li Jieyuan will be your husband. You must serve him well, in life never parting, in death never abandoning.¡± ¡°Father¡¡± The girl¡¯s gaze trembled, then she nodded, turned to Xu Yang and, with a shy voice, greeted, ¡°Shisi has seen her husband, my lord!¡± ¡°No need for such formalities.¡± Xu Yang shook his head, lifting his hand in a gesture, and helped her up, ¡°As you join my school, you be my student. And as for Old Man Xin¡ do you truly wish not to stay in North City?¡± Old Man Xin shook his head and said with a bitter smile, ¡°Our enemy is extremely formidable; I dare not involve the young master. If my daughter has a home to settle in, that is enough for me.¡± Having said that, he opened the three brocade boxes on the table. ¡°These humble gifts were intended to be Shisi¡¯s dowry, so now let them be a contribution to the school!¡± Xu Yang looked over and saw that all three brocade boxes contained books. Ancient books full of ssical charm and Cultural Qi! Treasures of ink and culture, where Cultural Qi gathers. Reading them aids cultivation; all are invaluable! Upon seeing this, Xu Yang also sighed, ¡°These gifts are too precious.¡± Old Man Xin smiled, ¡°Please ept them, Sir!¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Xu Yang nodded, not refusing any further, then turned his gaze to the red-clothed girl, ¡°You¡¯re called Shisi?¡± The girl nodded, ¡°Yes!¡± Xu Yang smiled again, asking, ¡°That is your nickname, do you have a formal name?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Shisi nced at Old Man Xin. Old Man Xin caught the implication of the question, and immediately began stroking his beard andughing, ¡°A wild fox from the hills has no formal name.¡± Shisi also lowered her head and said, ¡°Since childhood, my parents and sisters have all just called me Shisi.¡± Xu Yang nodded, ¡°In that case, what if I give you a name?¡± ¡°Very good! Very good!¡± Old Man Xin¡¯s eyes lit up with a smile, and he quickly agreed, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to thank the young master?¡± Shisi was also somewhat surprised, ¡°Shisi thanks the young master!¡± ¡°Hmm¡¡± Xu Yang pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°Yun means beautiful jade, and since a beautiful woman is like jade, let¡¯s call you Xin Yun, shall we?¡± ¡°Xin Yun?¡± Shisi repeated the name softly, and after savoring it, her joy intensified, ¡°Thank you, young master, for the name.¡± Xu Yang nodded, then turned his eyes back to Old Man Xin, ¡°If the old gentleman is unwilling to stay in North City, I will not coerce him. If in the future there is any need, feel free to seek me out. Should I be able to help, I will not decline.¡± ¡°Thank you, Li Jieyuan!¡± Old Man Xin¡¯s eyes sharpened, and he spoke earnestly, ¡°With my daughter having found such a destination, even if I enter theherworld, I could smile at rest in the afterlife.¡± After speaking, he turned to Miss Xin Shisi, ¡°Shisi, would you see your father out?¡± ¡°Father¡¡± Tears welled up in Miss Xin Shisi¡¯s eyes, filled with worry. Yet, facing her father¡¯s gaze, she dared not speak more and could only see him out. Xu Yang stood in the hall, watching the two leave. A short whileter, outside the Li Mansion. ¡°That¡¯s enough, you should stop here.¡± Old Man Xin stopped walking and looked at Xin Shisi, who was tearful like a pear blossom bathed in rain, ¡°Shisi, from now on you belong to another¡¯s family. Don¡¯t be so wilful, don¡¯t throw tantrums anymore.¡± ¡°Father¡¡± Xin Shisi stared at her father, unable to help crying out, ¡°I still want to be with you and mother.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say such headstrong things.¡± Old Man Xin shook his head, speaking firmly, ¡°This Li Jieyuan is truly a gentleman and possesses extraordinary skills. In the future, he¡¯s destined for great things. Serve him well and you will be blessed. As for your mother and me, we¡¯re thousand-year-old foxes, what¡¯s there to fear? Don¡¯t worry; those demons and ghosts can¡¯t trouble us.¡± ¡°But¡¡± ¡°But what? You don¡¯t want to?¡± Old Man Xin looked at her, feigning surprise as he asked himself, ¡°That¡¯s strange, when we moved, who owned thatrge box of poetry collections, storybooks, and portraits? And who was crying and insisting not to throw them away?¡± At these words, the girl¡¯s face flushed red, and she stood there, at a loss for what to do, ¡°That¡ well¡¡± ¡°Alright, your dreams are fulfilled, your desires met, what more could you want? Don¡¯t y coy when you¡¯ve gained an advantage.¡± Old Man Xin shook his head, sighing, ¡°It¡¯s good that he intends not to pursue fame and officialdom; the current age is turbulent, the capital especially full of hidden dangers. It¡¯s better to stay away. Enough said, let¡¯s leave it at that. Go back now. After I deal with those matters, your mother and I wille to see you. Oh right, I have yet to speak in detail with him about our enemy. When you have a moment alone with him, you must tell him everything. It will help bring the two of you closer. Understand?¡± Chapter 133 - 95: Academy_4 Chapter 133: Chapter 95: Academy_4 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Understood, understood!¡± ¡°Why are you stuttering? Affairs of the heart are the very nature of man. Now that you¡¯ve got a head start into the Li Mansion, you must seize the opportunity. Otherwise, if some other vixenes along, how could a little girl like youpete against that? Oh, if only I¡¯d had your sisters instruct you more!¡± ¡°Father!!¡± Three monthster, outside the county town, a new academy opened. ¡°Is this the Guo Bei Academy?¡± ¡°Li Jie Yuan truly has a mind that wanders beyond the skies, as elusive as an antelope hanging by its horns. Impossible to fathom!¡± ¡°Exactly, at a time like this, instead of rushing to the capital to take the exams, he opened an academy. What is he thinking? Does he not want his fame and status anymore?¡± ¡°Could it be that he is not confident about this imperial examination, so he¡¯s dying it for now and will take the exams in the next session?¡± ¡°Get real, he¡¯s just scared. Having earned the title of Jie Yuan, he¡¯s been distracted by other matters, even tinkering with writing novels and storytelling books, wasting his talents for nothing. Afraid that he won¡¯t achieve high ranking if he goes to the capital, he¡¯s simply chosen not to go.¡± ¡°Keep your voice down, we¡¯re outside the city, and there¡¯s no rotten cabbage or stinky eggs here, but those people will throw stones!¡± ¡°Whether he ranks high or not, for him, it¡¯s all the same. You wouldn¡¯t know, but a few days ago when the academy started, people with status from Guo Bei County, Jinhua Mansion, even from Jiangzhe, came one after the other. Those who couldn¡¯t attend sent representatives with gifts.¡± ¡°His influence in Jiangzhe¡¯s schrly forests, the sea of learning, the political scene, and literary circles is simply terrifying!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not all. I¡¯ve heard that even cultivators from remote ces and esteemed individuals from Buddha¡¯s Way have close ties with him. Not to mention several Taoist Temples and monasteries nearby, the Taoist leader from Mount Jilei¡¯s Mingxiao Taoist Temple at Peach Blossom Mountain even sent a grand gift to congratte him.¡± ¡°Mount Jilei¡¯s Mingxiao Taoist Temple? I heard that the Taoist there is a fierce practitioner of Thunder Skills. Just half a month ago, he personally eliminated a gang of demons disguised as bandits. Themotion could be heard thundering a hundred li away!¡± ¡°Is Young Master Liuxian¡¯swork really so terrifying?¡± Outside the academy, onlookers of all stripes were discussing heatedly. Inside the academy, each ssroom was bustling with activity. In one corner of the ssroom, Miss Xin Shisi sat upright, waiting for the teacher to call roll. Today, she had changed into a green gown, dressing as a man. A beauty like jade, just as a gentleman should be. Though exceedingly handsome, she didn¡¯t stand out in the current ssroom. Because¡ ¡°Zhu Yingtai!¡± ¡°Present!¡± ¡°Li Yingtai!¡± ¡°Present!¡± ¡°Liang Yingtai!¡± ¡°Present!¡± ¡°Zhou Wenjun!¡± ¡°Meng Wenjun!¡± ¡°Zhuo Wenjun!¡± ¡°Feng Suzhen!¡± ¡°Lu Suzhen!¡± ¡°Zhang Suzhen!¡± ¡°Bai Suzhen!¡± Watching the students below, who were very handsome and as splendid as a multitude of flowers, the teacher calling roll couldn¡¯t help but put down the register and said, ¡°The academy doesn¡¯t forbid women from studying, what are all of you doing?¡± ¡°Hehe!¡± ¡°Teacher, what are you talking about? I¡ we disciples don¡¯t quite understand what you mean!¡± ¡°Where¡¯s Li Jieyuan? Isn¡¯t he supposed to be teaching this ss?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll die if I don¡¯t see Sword Minister!¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen the sybus? Young Master Liuxian only teaches music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and the martial arts of archery and horsemanship. He is not teaching this ss.¡± ¡°Anyone wanna trade books? I¡¯ve got a new copy of Peony Pavilion, willing to trade for Romance of the Western Chamber¡¡± ¡°Silence, silence!¡± Looking at the giggling youngdies below, the teacher stood firm, tapping the desk with a ruler, and said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve entered the academy, you must follow its rules. If anyone is stubborn and refuses to be taught, they will be expelled from the academy, never to be admitted again.¡± Upon hearing this, the noisy crowd instantly quieted down, sitting properly like obedient children. ¡°s!¡± The teacher shook his head, unsure whether this was a blessing or a curse, but continued with the roll call. Soon, the ss ended, and the students were set free, instantly forming several groups. ¡°Auction! Auction! An authentic portrait of Li Jieyuan, lifelike and vivid, for just ten silver taels each.¡± ¡°Ten taels? Why don¡¯t you go rob someone? Don¡¯t buy from this fraudster; my portraits are even better, and they¡¯re only eight taels!¡± ¡°To capture a man¡¯s heart, you must first capture his stomach. I have a rtive who serves as a maid in the Li Mansion; I couldn¡¯t be clearer about Sword Minister¡¯s dietary preferences. Five silver taels for each piece of information!¡± ¡°You swindlers! I¡¯m already studying at the academy; I don¡¯t need these Side-Path Left Way tricks. With my natural beauty, the position of Madam of Li Mansion will definitely fall into myp.¡± ¡°Mirrors for sale! Mirrors for sale! One coin each, take a good look at yourselves!¡± Watching the boisterous young female schrs, Miss Xin Shisi sat quietly in the corner, not saying a word, but feeling a sense of superiority in her heart. These people are too lowly, not even through the gate of Li Mansion and already dreaming big dreams. Among the thousands of students at the academy, how many noblewomen and charmers are there? How could the young master possibly notice them all? Not like her, who was already near water and could first enjoy the moon¡¯s reflection¡ ¡°Xin Yun?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the little fox from the Xin Family!¡± Her thoughts were still unsettled when a group of handsome young masters surrounded her table, eyeing her with eager intensity. Miss Xin Shisi was startled and looked up, only to be even more frightened: ¡°You, you all¡¡± ¡°What ¡®you¡¯?¡± A group of them promptly cut her off. ¡°Let¡¯s cut to the chase and speak inly!¡± ¡°This one¡¯s from the Shui Family¡¯s small serpent, this one¡¯s the rabbit from the Bai Family, this one¡¯s the pheasant from Peach Mountain¡¡± ¡°We are the Guo Bei Academy Evil Spirit Alliance!¡± ¡°Now we¡¯re setting some ground rules with you. First, you¡¯re not allowed to casually approach Young Master Liuxian; second, you¡¯re not allowed to absorb Young Master Liuxian¡¯s Cultural Qi; third, you¡¯re not allowed to absorb Young Master Liuxian¡¯s yang energy; fourth, you¡¯re not allowed to tempt Young Master Liuxian with demon arts; fifth, you¡¯re not allowed to be alone with Young Master Liuxian¡¡± ¡°Wait, wasn¡¯t it supposed to be three rules?¡± ¡°Mind your own business, I¡¯ll dictate as many as I want!¡± ¡°In short, you¡¯re not allowed to seduce Young Master Liuxian, and most certainly not allowed to absorb his Cultural Qi or yang energy to harm his health. Especially you, little vixen. You fox spirits are best at seducing men. If we catch you having any improper designs on the young master, get ready to be made into a fur coat!¡± Chapter 134 - 96: Withering Prosperity_1 Chapter 134: Chapter 96: Withering Prosperity_1 Trantor: 549690339 Three years, three more years, and another three years! In the blink of an eye, nine years had gone by. Inside Jinhua Mansion, outside North City County. In the wilderness, amidst a cluster of mountains, a secluded wild observatory of fox Chan (Zen) lied hidden. Named¡ ¡°Dry Prosperous Mountain!¡± ¡°Dry Prosperous Taoist Temple!¡± ¡°Dry Prosperous Taoist!¡± Within the wilderness and the mountains, in a pavilion, two figures watched with cold eyes. It turned out to be a monk and a Taoist, both outsiders of the world. If any devout followers of Taoism and Buddhism were present, they would recognize their identities as reclusive experts from Jinhua, true cultivators of Taoism. Master White Mountain of Mana Bright Temple! Daoist Qinghe from Qingping Taoist Temple! The two stood in the pavilion, coldly observing the Dry Prosperous Taoist Temple. This pavilion was situated a good ten li (Chinese mile, approx. 0.5 km) away from Dry Prosperous Mountain. Given the twists and turns of the mountainous terrain, one could not climb to a high vantage point to overlook all the mountains; logically speaking, it would be impossible to spot the Dry Prosperous Taoist Temple hidden amidst the cluster of mountains. But these were two great experts of Taoism, and of course, ordinary reasoning did not apply to them. The two stood within the pavilion, their eyes shimmering with spiritual light, peering into the location of the Dry Prosperous Taoist Temple from afar. ¡°Dry Prosperous Monster!¡± ¡°Such evil cultivators tarnish the reputation of our Taoist sects!¡± Daoist Qinghe¡¯s expression was icy, tinged with anger. White Mountain Monk sped his prayer beads: ¡°This person is a notorious evil cultivator, having roamed Jiangnanmitting atrocities for many years. With brutal methods, he acts with impunity, eluding thew. No one has been able to hold him ountable. In recent years, he has even moved to Jiangzhe Territory, taking refuge in Jinhua Mansion, and still, no one can do anything about him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because he relies on the power of that Orchid Old Demon!¡± Daoist Qinghe spoke coldly: ¡°The powerful cultivators of Jinhua Mansion are now stationed around Orchid Temple, to prevent the Orchid Ghost Realm from expanding. They cannot afford to act rashly, or else how could they have tolerated his brazen behavior!¡± White Mountain Monk also sighed: ¡°This monster has roamed here with some schemes in mind¡ªperhaps rted to the old demon inside Orchid Temple. He might be attempting a diversion, a strategy of crying in the east and striking in the west. Our fellow cultivators must not act rashly against him.¡± Daoist Qinghe¡¯s eyes held anger: ¡°It¡¯s infuriating that our Taoist cultivation and mana are insufficientpared to several fellow cultivators. Otherwise, we must have torn down his Evil Temple!¡± White Mountain Monk shook his head: ¡°This monster¡¯s abilities are not ordinary. He has cultivated a spell, the ¡®Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light¡¯ of the Taoist righteous path. It allows him to investigate all matters under heaven, including the past and future, even to inquire of ghosts and gods,municate with the yin and yang, possessing some capability of ¡®Heaven View Earth Hear.¡¯ Moreover, his spies are scattered throughout these mountains.¡± ¡°Three years ago, Subduing Dragon Abbott of Mana Bright Temple temporarily left Orchid Ghost Realm with the intention to sweep away this Dry Prosperous Taoist Temple. However, the monster detected it in advance, and by the time action was taken, he was already gone.¡± ¡°Subduing Dragon Abbott refused to let the tiger return to the mountain and led the temple monks in pursuit for three months, but still returned empty-handed. This emboldened the monster to act even more wildly.¡± ¡°Indeed cunning!¡± White Mountain Monk sighed softly, full of helplessness. ¡°Heaven View Earth Hear?¡± Daoist Qinghe snorted coldly: ¡°Such an art of great divine power, how could an evil monster like him manage to cultivate it?¡± After speaking coldly, helplessness was evident: ¡°The ¡®Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light¡¯ is indeed a righteous skill of our Taoist sect, capable of investigating the Three Realms. I don¡¯t know how this monster got hold of the skill, but he has cultivated it, and with the many spies he has in these mountains, it truly isn¡¯t easy to bring down his Dry Prosperous Taoist Temple.¡± ¡°It certainly isn¡¯t easy!¡± White Mountain Monk nodded, then turned his gaze towards the distant sky: ¡°Let us hope that Brother Shi¡¯s action today can eradicate this monster; otherwise, if he continues to cause harm, countless innocent people will suffer.¡± ¡°Brother Shi!¡± Daoist Qinghe also turned his head, looking in the direction of North City: ¡°Since he destroyed the Hundred Ghosts Taoist five years ago, Brother Shi has not made a move. Now, five years have passed; I wonder to what realm his Thunder Series has advanced.¡± ¡°Certainly extraordinary.¡± White Mountain Monk smiled: ¡°Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have targeted this Dry Prosperous Taoist Temple, nor would he have asked us toe and watch.¡± ¡°Indeed, indeed.¡± Daoist Qinghe nodded: ¡°With Brother Shi overseeing, not to mention North City, even Jinhua and the whole of Jiangzhe Province have been much more peaceful in recent years. This Dry Prosperous Monster acts with unrestrained malice, truly thinking no one can control him. Today, he will see the prowess of a true cultivator of the righteous path!¡± As the words fell, a sound was heard¡ ¡°Boom!!!¡± A p of thunder, a bolt from the blue. Instantly, the sky darkened, and Yang Yun clouds gathered,yer uponyer obscuring the heavens. ¡°Rumble!¡± Clouds collided, lightning shed, thunder roared, and in a blink, torrential rain poured down, enveloping the wilderness and the mountains. ¡°Hmm!¡± Daoist Qinghe stroked his beard, squinting as he observed the changes in the heavens and earth, murmuring: ¡°Brother Shi¡¯s technique of ¡®Cloud Cover and Rain,¡¯ his ¡®Thunder Commanding Power,¡¯ has be increasingly divine. I can barely discern any traces of the spells at work. No, this isn¡¯t the spell of ¡®Cloud Cover and Rain,¡¯ the ¡®Thunder Commanding Power,¡¯ it¡¯s in harmony with the natural weather¡¡± As he spoke, his fingers inadvertently pulled and broke several strands of his beard. Hearing this, White Mountain Monk also showed a look of surprise, his eyes gleaming with Spirit Light as he observed the natural patterns. ¡°This¡ formed entirely by nature, the thunderstorm came on its own¡ªwith hardly any trace of spells. It seems Brother Shi has calcted the natural weather, knowing that a thunderstorm would arrive, that¡¯s why he chose today to strike at the Dry Prosperous Taoist Temple.¡± ¡°With the advantage of timing and conditions, he¡¯s already seized the initiative!¡± White Mountain Monk first expressed admiration, then smiled: ¡°That Dry Prosperous Monster is a Spell Cultivator using evil skills. Under the frightful power of the world¡¯s thunder, most of his evil power will likely be stripped away. Those ghosts and spirit monsters scattered in the mountains, those puppet paper figures, will also lose their efficacy, effectively blinding his external senses.¡± ¡°Adding to this, the thunder and rain are naturally formed, without any discernible traces of a cultivator¡¯s spellcasting. Even if that Dry Prosperous Monster has mastered the ¡®Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light,¡¯ and might have an instinct for danger, he would never expect someone to take advantage of the natural thunderstorm to strike.¡± Chapter 135 - 96: Withering Flourishing _2 Chapter 135: Chapter 96: Withering Flourishing _2 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Marvelous, marvelous!¡± The White Mountain Monk eximed in admiration repeatedly. Taoist Man Qinghe also nodded in agreement, ¡°This Dry Prosperous Monster, using the heretic methods, has hastily achieved his cultivation, reaching the state of ¡®Yin Soul Leaving the Body,¡¯parable to our Taoist True Men. His mastery of evil skills is indeed formidable, but in thunderous weather¡ heh heh heh!¡± As he spoke, Taoist Man Qinghe smiled coldly, ¡°The thunder and lightning of heaven and earth are terrifying. Not to mention him, a demon of evil, even we, the Righteous Skills True Men of Taoism, dare not let our Yin Soul leave our bodies and practice at such times!¡± ¡°If we cannot let our souls leave our bodies to practice, how is he different from us?¡± ¡°A demon of evil will always be a demon of evil. Most of his cultivation is illusory, apanied by many taboos.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that, he wouldn¡¯t have been chased and forced to flee in a sorry state by the Subduing Dragon Abbott that year.¡± ¡°Today, with Brother Dao taking action, you will surely defeat him!¡± Between their conversations, both men were all smiles. Meanwhile¡ In North City County, Mount Jilei. Inside Mingxiao Taoist Temple, lightning shed and thunder roared. A mana altar stood tall, withmand gs arranged in two columns on either side. On the altar, incense was burned, and yellow talismans were pasted all over. A man stood in front of the altar, with his long hair bound in a high crown, covered in a dark robe, holding a Peach Wood Sword in his hand. He scattered a handful of Thunder Summoning Talismans, stepping in the Big Dipper formation, reciting the Divine Movement Curse Intent and calling upon the wind and rain,manding thunder and brandishing lightning. It was indeed: The True Man¡¯s divine skills were revealed as he initiated the ritual of Taoism! ¡°Nine Heavens Responsive Mansion, supreme Jade Pure King.¡± ¡°Transformation fills all directions, discussing Taoism sitting among the Nine Phoenixes.¡± ¡°Holding the golden Ru Yi, proiming the Jade Shu Treasure Scripture.¡± ¡°Those unaligned turn to dust, the decree is swift as wind and fire. ¡°Inmand of the five thunders, governing the heart across the Three Realms.¡± ¡°Greatly kind and saintly, supreme and profound in Tao. ¡°Disciple respectfully invites Nine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable, to decree the thunderous and Jade Pure realm ennobled gods and generals!¡± ¡°Summoning the thirty-six Thunder Generals!¡± ¡°First summon the twelve Heavenly Thunder Generals: Thunder General of Divine Loftiness, Thunder General of Five Directions, Thunder General of Traveling Wind, Thunder General of Traveling Rain, Thunder General of Traveling Clouds, Thunder General of Spreading Bounty, Thunder General of Traveling Ice, Thunder General of Traveling Loftiness, Thunder General of Flying Sand, Thunder General of Harvesting, Thunder General of Subduing Demons, Thunder General of Swallowing Ghosts.¡± ¡°Then summon the twelve Earthly Thunder Generals: Thunder General of Correcting Virtue, Thunder General of Punishing Evil, Thunder General of Social Decrees, Thunder General of Rice Cultivation, Thunder General of Four Seasons, Thunder General of Averting Disasters, Thunder General of Gathering Toxins, Thunder General of Assisting the Endangered, Thunder General of Healing Diseases, Thunder General of Great Ascension, Thunder General of Inspecting Heaven, Thunder General of Observing Earth.¡± ¡°Lastly, summon the twelve Human Thunder Generals: Thunder General of Gathering gue, Thunder General of Capturing Toxins, Thunder General of Averting Misfortune, Thunder General of Eliminating Cmity, Thunder General of Breaking Cmity, Thunder General of Destroying Temples, Thunder General of Confining Mountains, Thunder General of Subjugating Tigers, Thunder General of Striking Tigers, Thunder General of Annihting Corpses, Thunder General of Piercing Barriers, Thunder General of Managing Souls, Thunder General of Cleansing Oddities.¡± ¡°The order of Thunder Generals carries out swiftly, as fast as wind and fire, should not be dyed. Wherever the blessing descends, there will be spears, and where the thunderous voice resonates, there will be numbers. If it should be dry, let it be dry; if rain is needed, let it rain!¡± ¡°Go!¡± With that incantation, as the sword raised its Spirit Light, a talismanic decree shot straight into the heavens. At that instant¡ ¡°Boom!¡± A thunderous sound resonated, and the world shook as the lightning shed and the thunder roared. Amidst the wild storm, it seemed as if celestial generals had received their orders and departed. At the same time, atop Dry Prosperous Mountain, within Dry Prosperous Taoist Temple. ¡°This thunder¡ something¡¯s not right!!!¡± On his meditation cushion, a Taoist man abruptly opened his eyes, full of shock and skepticism. His heart pounded with trepidation, as if he were struck by an rming bell, echoing ceaselessly. ¡°Someone is out to kill me secretly!¡± The Dry Prosperous Taoist¡¯s eyes narrowed, as he promptly got up and bowed towards the altar. ¡°The spirit light of heaven, the spirit light of earth, let the light open before me, profound and entering the mirror!¡± ¡°I invoke the Supreme Elder Lord with utmost urgency as if it were a decree!¡± ¡°Open!¡± Having hurriedly recited the incantation, the Dry Prosperous Taoist shouted aloud. The Spirit Light in his brow shed, splitting open to reveal a talismanic script. Then, he lifted his right palm and covered it with his left, grinding them together as if grinding ink or wiping a mirror. In just a moment, a Spirit Light began to form and transformed into a profound scene. This was indeed the righteous technique of Taoism¡ªthe Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light! The Dry Prosperous Taoist, with Spirit Eyes open upon his forehead and holding the Xuan Guang Mirror in hand, took just one nce and saw in the mirror the vast thunder and lightning. As the thunder dispersed, it revealed a mountain, a view, a path, an altar; it was¡ ¡°Jinhua Mansion, North City County!¡± ¡°Mount Jilei, Mingxiao Taoist Temple!¡± ¡°Thunder Lightning Mana King¡ªShi Jian?¡± ¡°I did not seek trouble with you, yet you havee to provoke me?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Having seen the face of his foe, the Dry Prosperous Taoist sneered angrily, ¡°A mere mage still not versed in the out-of-body stage, do you really think your Thunder Series is formidable enough to fight beyond your realm?¡± ¡°Today, let me show you the might of a True Man and the art of leaving the body!¡± Having said that, he put away the Xuan Guang Mirror and started to perform a ritual at the altar. However¡ ¡°Boom!!!¡± The thunderous noise echoed, reverberating with a roaring shock. Before the altar, the Dry Prosperous Taoist who was about to exercise the incantation trembled, as if struck by lightning, suddenly opened his eyes wide, and his mouth bled a tinge of bright red. ¡®How is this possible!¡¯ ¡°Even if you practice the thunder series, the human soul and Yin God are fragile. During stormy weather, you absolutely do not have the ability to leave your body!¡± ¡°Not to mention that you have not yet entered the state of leaving the body. The power of your Yin God and the art of your curse should not possess such might!¡± ¡°What is going on, what is happening!¡± The Dry Prosperous Taoist¡¯s face turned ashen, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as his eyes filled with horror, and he descended into chaos. He could not help but be dismayed. Just now, he had opened his Spirit Eyes and initiated the profound gateway to ascertain the origin of his adversary and discovered it was merely a mage, which had greatly assured him. Although he was an Evil Cultivator and his strength greatly reduced during thunderstorms, this restriction only applied to his external offensive capabilities. Being a Genuine Evil Skills True Man who had entered the fifth realm and was capable of Yin Soul leaving the body, he might not be able to attack or curse others during a storm, but within the sanctity of his ownir and before his altar, he should have more than enough power to protect himself. Thereupon, having a mage of merely the fourth realming to engage in a magical confrontation was tantamount to asking for humiliation, wasn¡¯t it? Chapter 136 - 96: Withering and Flourishing_3 Chapter 136: Chapter 96: Withering and Flourishing_3 Trantor: 549690339 Even the mightiest Thunder Series cannot bridge the vast divide between a Four-Realm Mage and a Five-Realm True Man. Lacking both mana and Taoist cultivation, even with the advantage of favorable timing and geography, the force of thunderstorms stands little chance against his protective skill. This was the crux of the Dry Prosperous Taoist¡¯s confidence. But now¡ ¡°Boom!¡± A thunderp exploded, instantly nking his mind. The Dry Prosperous Taoist¡¯s body trembled; his crown shattered out of nowhere, leaving hair disheveled and blood flowing from his mouth, despite no physical assault. ¡°No, this can¡¯t be possible!¡± ¡°Five Thunder Boom, divine punishment, destruction of heaven and earth!¡± ¡°Five Thunder Destroying God Spell!!!¡± ¡°How could such a curse spell, cast by a mere mage, achieve such terror?¡± ¡°Its mighty power even challenges my Dry Prosperous Life and Death Skill!¡± ¡°Such might, were it not for a Five-Realm True Man casting the spell while out of body, would be insurmountable!¡± ¡°Why, why?¡± ¡°Could the Heavenly Eye fail, the Mysterious Light be mistaken?¡± ¡°Impossible, impossible!¡± Before the Mana Altar, reeling from the Five Thunder Destroying God Spell, the Dry Prosperous Taoist¡¯s crown splintered, his hair wild, muttering like a madman, unable to fathom where the failure urred, where the errory. At that moment¡ ¡°Boom!¡± Thunder resounded, a massive quake, the might of heaven and earth itself burst forth upon the Dry Prosperous Taoist¡¯s yin soul and spirit. Five Thunder Destroying God Spell! A Thunder Series curse killing skill. Five Thunder Boom, divine punishment, destruction of heaven and earth, summoning the power of cosmic thunder to strike the divine soul from the shadows. Its power far surpasses the ¡°Three Aunt Six Wives Nine Ghosts iming Lives and Seizing Souls Curse¡±. It is one of the absolute curses of Taoism¡¯s Thunder Series; only a Taoist True Man could cast such a spell. Once cast, the spell bes fivefold thunder, consecutively assaulting the opponent¡¯s yin soul and spirit. If performed during a thunderstorm, resonating with the thunderps in the sky, its power would be further amplified. Ordinary True Men,cking strong defensive skills or protective methods, can only meet with demise and scatter like smoke and dust. Is the Dry Prosperous Taoist ordinary? He is unordinary; in fact, he is below that, a Spell Cultivator of evil skills, a false True Man inted by pretense. Although he has the ¡°Dry Prosperous Life and Death Skill¡± sustaining his body and the ¡°Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light Skill¡± for avoiding cmities, he is still unable to fend off the Five Thunder Destroying God Spell, meticulously prepared by his adversary. At this very second, Five Thunder Boom, annihting the soul, leaving his mind nk, his yin soul wracked with unbearable pain, his physical body suffering from the bacsh, mana spiraling out of control, evil Qi erupting violently¡ªbeads of sweat rolling off him until his robes were soaked. ¡°Boom!!!¡± ¡°Pfft!!!¡± Another thunder strike, another shockwave. The Dry Prosperous Taoist spat a mouthful of blood and copsed on top of the Mana Altar, teetering on the brink of life and death. At life¡¯s sharpest edge, there¡¯s no room for reserve. The stunned Dry Prosperous Taoist, ignoring the mana rampaging within, struggling to stand, bit his tongue, and spewed a mouthful of blood onto the Mana Altar. ¡°Ancestors save me!!!¡± Blood sprayed, staining the altar, activating a y effigy consecrated upon it. It trembled, releasing a divine light into the Dry Prosperous Taoist¡¯s forehead. This was the heritage of potentiality, the method of ancestral salvation. With great effort, the Dry Prosperous Taoist propped himself up to a sitting position. Simultaneously, the y deity atop the altar split asunder, and three indistinct yin spirits emerged, forming a trinity to shield the Dry Prosperous Taoist. This was the protective echo of ancestral True Men of the Dry Prosperous lineage left behind: portions of their yin spirit, sustained by mana as daily offerings, summoned in times of crisis to save a disciple¡¯s life. While the Five Thunder Destroying God Spell was dreadful, the Dry Prosperous Taoist was, after all, a Five-Realm True Man whose yin soul had exited the body. Coupled with the legacy of his lineage and the protection of ancestors, even the Five Thunder Destroying God Spell could not vanquish him in an instant. Curse skills have a tremendous cost, and the Five Thunder Curse Skills all the more so. Even a Taoist True Man with yin soul out of body cannot cast such spells in session, lest their divine soul sustains major Yuan Qi damage, hindering future advancement and reducing their life essence and longevity. The Dry Prosperous Taoist refused to believe that a mere Spell Cultivator could continuously deploy thunder curses strong enough to shatter his vital protective methods. If only he could endure the onught of this one Five Thunder Destroying God Spell, he would escape certain death. And as the Dry Prosperous Taoist exerted his entire strength, desperately defending against the Five Thunder Destroying God Spell¡ Atop Mount Jilei, within Mingxiao Taoist Temple¡ ¡°Hmph!¡± Xu Yang snorted coldly, stowed his magic sword, and channeled his mana. Thunder shed, a cmitous cloud formed, soaring from Mingxiao Taoist Temple, heading straight for Dry Prosperous Mountain. Chapter 137 - 97: Anomaly_1 Chapter 137: Chapter 97: Anomaly_1 Trantor: 549690339 In the mountain wilderness Taoist Temple, wails echoed, not even the sound of thunderstorms couldpletely drown them out. In the pavilions, upon hearing this noise, the White Mountain Monk and Taoist Qinghe were both filled with shock and uncertainty. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°It¡¯s that demon¡¯s agonized wails!¡± ¡°Could it be that Taoist Brother Shi has seeded?¡± ¡°No, the demon Qi has not dissipated, the evil Qi has not vanished!¡± ¡°Inside the Taoist Temple, mana still persists, that demon has not yet met his demise!¡± ¡°Even with Brother Shi¡¯s Thunder Series and the aid of the right time and ce, could he still not take down that demon?¡± ¡°The Out of Body True Man is indeed no ordinary figure, we should also start our mana altar to lend Brother Shi a helping hand!¡± ¡°Today, we must bring down his Dry Prosperous Taoist Temple!¡± Amidst their astonishment and doubt, they were about to start the mana altar to provide assistance. But at that moment, they saw¡ ¡°Rumbling!¡± In the shing lightning and roaring thunder, amidst the raging wind and downpour, a vast expanse of heaven and earth suddenly revealed a silhouette, riding the Yang Yun clouds toward us, unimpeded by lightning or touched by the storm, with feet stepping on the dark ominous clouds and a body moving with the shocking dragons of lightning, as if the Divine Monarch of the thunder department had descended to the world. Indeed¡ ¡°Brother Shi!¡± The two stopped in their tracks, their faces full of astonishment. But quickly, they realized and exchanged a wry smile, saying, ¡°It seems we¡¯ve underestimated Brother Shi¡¯s divine skills!¡± Saying so, they withdrew and continued to be spectators. In this world, cultivating skills with the divine soul as the foundation,e together as a multitude. Therefore, the focus of cultivation is also on the divine soul. Four-Realm Mages must condense their soul into a Yin Soul, which enables them to perform various cultivating skills. Five-Realm True Men must possess the ability to perform skills with the Yin Soul out of body, to utilize even more profound Mana Points. As for the ultimate beings of this world, the Six Realm True Monarchs, they must transform Yin into Yang, achieving a Yang God that fears not the thunderous power or fierce winds, so as to roam the North Sea in the morning and Cangwu in the evening. The fundamental skills focus on the divine soul, hence the art ofbat also has an inextricable connection with the divine soul. Cultivators of this world, righteous or evil, all regard ¡°Curse Skill¡± as the mainstream for battling with skills. This is true for both the White Mountain Monk and Taoist Qinghe. However, this ¡°Shi Jian¡± fellow daoist is an exception. Ever since he slew the Peach Blossom Path and took over Peach Blossom Mountain¡ªrenaming it Mount Jilei Mingxiao Taoist Temple and making it his own cultivation ground¡ªhe frequently took action, sweeping the demon and ghostly beings across North City County. Having cleared North City County, he moved on to Jinhua Mansion, clearing out the Orchid Ghost Realm and various other special areas, leaving no demons, ghosts, malevolent spirits, or numerous Evil Path cultivators unin. Unless facing a formidable enemy, he rarely resorted to Curse Killing Skills, instead choosing to doorstep with sword in hand or even barehanded; his thunder and lightning fiercely unbridled, a veritablebat maniac. Did the Dry Prosperous Taoist think that surviving the Thunder Summoning Curse Killing would let him escape cmity? In Jinhua Mansion, who wouldn¡¯t know that the Mingxiao Spell King of the thunderous Mount Jilei in North City possesses not only the ability to conduct rituals, but also the power to in enemies with his sword, hisbat skills no less formidable than his ritual skills? Indeed, after a round of Thunder Series Curse ying he came riding the clouds, sword in hand, knocking on doors. Therefore, there was no need for the two of them to lend a hand; today was bound to be the day of downfall for that demonic Dry Prosperous Path! ¡°Rumbling!¡± Lightning shed, thunder roared and heavy rain poured; a Yang Yun cloud descended from the sky, ragingly charging into the Dry Prosperous Taoist Temple. At the same time, inside the Dry Prosperous Taoist Temple. The Dry Prosperous Taoist¡¯s brows twitched as he opened his eyes, which were full of bloodshot streaks and radiated pain and exhaustion. He had resisted! With his True Man¡¯s Yin Soul, exhausting all his sect¡¯s potentiality, he ultimately endured that Five Thunder Boom, the Divine Spell of annihting god. But before he could rejoice in his post-cmity survival, a mighty enemy stormed into his Dry Prosperous Taoist Temple, borne on wind and thunder. ¡°This is too much, too much to bear!!!¡± ¡°You have your rituals and the Five Thunder Divine Spell, that¡¯s tolerable, the thunderstorm gives Taoist me no advantage against you!¡± ¡°But to dare to be so bold, toe alone into my Dry Prosperous Taoist Temple?¡± ¡°Do you truly think my life¡¯s Taoist Cultivation and abilities are no more than paper mache and hot air?¡± ¡°Come meet your end!¡± The Dry Prosperous Taoist shouted, leaping up from his mat, heedless of the thunderstorm outside his temple, he lifted his blood-stained sword and ignited dozens of Yellow Talismans before the altar, which were instantly reduced to ashes. Suddenly, the Taoist Temple shook, the earth cracked open, and dozens of red wooden coffins surfaced, covered in cinnabar Yellow Talismans; an overwhelming Yin Qi and pressing evil Qi emitted from them. ¡°Arise!!!¡± With a shake of his sword, the Dry Prosperous Taoist opened the dozens of coffins as numerous Corpse Bodies stood upright. In the legacy of the Dry Prosperous Path, there exists a formidable Corpse Refining skill. For many years, the Dry Prosperous Taoist practiced evil, wandering through the various provinces of Jiangnan, secretly harming many Martial World experts with his Evil Skills and collecting their bodies. By dedicating day and night to the sacrificial refinement, he rued dozens of Corpse Bodies nearly as powerful as Four-Realm demons. Even the renowned Buddhist monk with decades of reputation in Jinhua Mansion, Master Fulong of Fahua Temple, dared not fight him alone; he would need to bring a group of disciples, eighteen temple monks, to pursue and battle him. ¡°That old Fulong baldy, with his True Man cultivation, still didn¡¯t dare to face me alone. You, a mere Four-Realm Mage, dare to charge into my Dry Prosperous Temple by yourself?¡± The Dry Prosperous Taoist sneered coldly, and with a boost of his Evil Skills, the Corpse Bodies formed an array. However¡ Xu Yang rode the clouds, flew down swiftly, andnded directly inside the Dry Prosperous Taoist Temple, amidst the Corpse Body array. Dozens of Corpse Bodies revived, eachparable to a Four-Realm demon, filled with an umtion of Yin Qi and Evil Qi, extremely malicious. Such a Corpse Body array, with the Yin Qi and Evil Qi soaring into the sky, would be a perilous challenge even for a Five-Realm True Man without extraordinary means. Yet, Xu Yang had no fear, drifting into the array, and with a raise of his hand, he fiercely threw¡ At that instant, countless yellow talismans flew out, all inscribed with cinnabar-scripted seals, amid the convergence of thunder and lightning. The Dry Prosperous Taoist¡¯s pupils immediately shrank. Thunder Summoning Talismans, Thunder Inviting Talismans, Thunder Dropping Talismans, Thunder Gathering Talismans, as well as Wind Thunder Talismans, Fire Thunder Talismans, Yin Thunder Talismans, and Yang Thunder Talismans, Thunder Generating Talismans, and Thunder Destroying Talismans¡ Talismans upon talismans, all of them thunder talismans! With that throw, he actually cast out over a thousand thunder talismans, including those for summoning and inviting thunder, for dropping and gathering thunder, as well as those representing Yin and Yang, life and death, the Five Elements and Four Laws! Although they weren¡¯t of high grade, their sheer number and top-notch quality meant that when over a thousand thunder talismans were explosively activated, that scene was something to behold¡ ¡°Boom boom boom!¡± Lightning shed and thunder roared, the earth shook, and the formation created by congealed Yin Qi and Evil Qi was directly sted through by the violently erupting thunder and lightning. Amidst the thunder and lightning, one figure stood out, like a Divine Monarch of the Thunder Department descending upon the world, sword in hand, as the bolts of lightning surged with hismand. ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± Sword Qi soared like rainbows, and the lightning coursed like dragons, exploding upon the bodies of the refined corpses, with dozens of them falling in an instant. ¡°You¡ urgh!!!¡± Seeing this, the Dry Prosperous Taoist started to exim in shock, but the bacsh of his connected cultivating skills hit him first, causing his body to shudder, as he spat out another mouthful of fresh blood. ¡°How is this possible, how is this possible?¡± ¡°You, a mere Four-Realm Mage, where did you get so many thunder talismans?¡± ¡°Just who in the world are you!¡± The Dry Prosperous Taoist, disheveled and spitting blood, was already somewhat delirious. He couldn¡¯t understand, just couldn¡¯tprehend why things always developed beyond his expectations. He had opened his Heavenly Eye earlier, invoked the Mysterious Light, and clearly discerned the background of the neer: merely a Four-Realm Mage, a Loose Cultivator at that, not a direct descendant of the righteous Taoist teachings, and had been residing in North City County for the past ten years. How could he possibly employ the Five Thunder Destroying God Spell, normally only wielded by True Men of the Taoist Gate Righteous Skill? It would have been understandable had it been the Five Thunder Destroying God Spell alone¡ªperhaps attributable to his outstanding talent and a Divine Soul unlike ordinary people, allowing him to cast spells beyond his realm. But what about these thousands of thunder talismans? Thunder Series skills are difficult to cultivate, and thunder talismans are hard to create. How did you, a Four-Realm Mage, acquire thousands of thunder talismans? How much mana and spirit from Mages and True Men would need to be drained to refine these? Forget calling you a Four-Realm Mage; even True Men among the righteous Taosim lineage of the Five Realms may not possess such wealth and potential! Just who are you!!! The Dry Prosperous Taoist was seriously injured, filled with shock and rage, his mind descending into madness, increasingly beyond his own control. But Xu Yang did not care for any of that, his sword drawing thunder, a startled thunder dragon sweeping away, eradicating the remaining refined corpses one by one. ¡°Boom!!¡± The thunderous sounds echoed, lightning wreaked havoc, shattering thest refined corpse into ash. ¡°Urgh!!¡± The Dry Prosperous Taoist¡¯s body trembled once more, another mouthful of fresh blood spurted out, his vitality rapidly fading, his flesh withering as though it were rotting wood. ¡°Whoo!¡± In the next instant, the rotting wood turned to ash, leaving only his robes copsing to the ground. But this was merely an illusion. ¡°You won¡¯t get away!¡± Xu Yang¡¯s eyes gathered the thunder, and with a sweep of his hand, he grabbed toward an unseen area in the void. In the void, in an area invisible to ordinary people, a frenzied Underworld Soul, paying no heed to the outside world of shing lightning and torrential rain, attempted to flee and escape. An out-of-body Yin Soul. In the world of cultivation, the Divine Soul is paramount. A Four-Realm Mage can refine an Underworld Soul. A Five-Realm True Man possesses even greater out-of-body abilities. Even if abandoning the physical shell, they can be a ghost or demon and can even seize another¡¯s body to live another life¡ªextremely formidable. But as formidable as they are in strength, they are just as vulnerable. Exposure to sunlight scorches them like fire, the wind cuts like a knife, immersion in water numbs with extreme cold, thunderous roars shatter the soul, and if they fail to find a host in time, the Underworld Soul will scatter and disintegrate. Thus, moving about during a thunderstorm is tantamount to certain death. But at this moment, the Dry Prosperous Taoist had no choice but to escape, his Underworld Soul fleeing for its life. Being struck by lightning would be preferable to falling into the hands of this man. However¡ Xu Yang grasped firmly, and a hundred yellow talismans flew out, striking directly at the Underworld Soul of the Dry Prosperous Taoist. Suddenly, the Spirit Talismans shed with brilliant light, transforming into chains and hooks among various kinds of torture devices, fastening onto the Dry Prosperous Taoist¡¯s soul, securely locking his spirit and Underworld Soul. They were Ghost Collecting Talismans, designed specifically for Underworld Souls and Evil Ghosts ording to the Xuanming True Person¡¯s Ghost Controlling Method. Though they were not as numerous as the previous thunder talismans, they still amounted to a hundred. ¡°Collect!¡± With a hundred Ghost Enving Talismans suppressing, coupled with the daunting thunder from heaven and earth, even the out-of-body Underworld Soul of a True Man couldn¡¯t resist. The Dry Prosperous Taoist could not even let out a wail before Xu Yang swept him into his sleeve. With that, the battle came to an end. Within the Dry Prosperous Taoist Temple, the evil aura gradually faded. Outside, the rain continued pouring, lightning shing, thunder roaring, unabated even as the battle concluded. This was only natural. The thunderstorm had not been summoned by Xu Yang¡¯s spells, but was a natural weather urrence on earth; he merely took advantage of the situation, and it would not stop simply at his whim. Xu Yang waved his sleeve, collecting the scattered remains, then entered the grand hall of the Taoist Temple, arriving at the Mana Altar, he began to loot the spoils of battle. A short whileter, having packed everything into his bag, Xu Yang didn¡¯t linger, turning to leave the Dry Prosperous Taoist Temple. He rode the thundercloud, heading straight for a pavilion in the mountains some ten miles away. Chapter 138 - 98: Yin Mountain_1 Chapter 138: Chapter 98: Yin Mountain_1 Trantor: 549690339 Lightning shed and thunder roared, the fierce wind was apanied by torrential rain. How could a small mountain pavilion provide shelter? On any ordinary day, it would have been aplete mess. But a mountain need not be high if it is inhabited by immortals, a pavilion need not berge if it embodies the Tao. White Mountain Monk and Taoist Qinghe stood in the middle of the pavilion, smiling gently, waiting in silence. After a short while, amidst the raging storm, a thunder cloud arrived, revealing the figure of a True Monarch. Xu Yang waved hisrge sleeve and collected his magic artifact beforending in the mountain pavilion. The two of them immediately went forward to greet him. ¡°It¡¯s been a few years, Brother Dao¡¯s divine skills have advanced by leaps and bounds!¡± ¡°Now, we should rightly address you as our senior.¡± ¡°Thanks to our senior for ridding Jinhua of a great evil!¡± ¡°Brother Dao¡¯s merit is boundless!¡± The two moved forward, with Taoist Qinghe joking freely and White Mountain Monk praising withpassion. ¡°Both Daoist friends tter me too much. Such monsters are intolerable by the world, I merely took advantage of the situation.¡± Xu Yang smiled, choosing not to ept their address as senior and continued to refer to them as Daoist friends. In the way of cultivation, the advanced practitioners lead the way. Twenty years ago in North City, only three true cultivators possessed magic skills, they were the two of them and Peach Blossom Path, all Four-Realm Mages. Latterly, Peach Blossom Path was in by Xu Yang, revealing his identity as an evil cultivator, and Mingxiao Taoist Temple reced Peach Blossom Taoist temple as one of the three greatw enforcers of North City, standing alongside Mana Bright Temple and Qingping Taoist Temple. At that time, Xu Yang had already shown strength that faintly surpassed theirs, but due to simr realms, they continued to address each other as Daoist friends, albeit more respectfully. As time went by, Mount Jilei¡¯s Mingxiao Taoist Temple gradually grew in influence, continuously sweeping through the demons and evil spirits in North City and even the entire Jinhua Mansion, raising the pressure on Mana Bright Temple and Qingping Taoist Temple day by day. Faced with Xu Yang¡¯s ever-increasing power and remarkable battle achievements, the two could only change their address to Brother Dao. Now, twenty yearster, in North City, there¡¯s no longer mention of the three cultivations standing in equal fame, only Mount Jilei¡¯s Mingxiao Taoist Temple uniquely flourishing. The name of the Thunder Lightning Mana King, Shi Jian, resounds through North City, Jinhua, and even the entirety of Jiangzhe Province. With the renowned status of Mount Jilei¡¯s Mingxiao Taoist Temple at such a height, Mana Bright Temple and Qingping Taoist Temple no longer feel the pressure because the gap is too wide, and there is no way to catch up, so they simply calmed their minds and quietly waited for this ¡°Brother Dao¡± to make a breakthrough and honor him as their senior. Today, hemands the wind and summons the rain, wields lightning with unbeatable force, and effortlessly took down the evil cultivator Dry Prosperous Taoist, who had wreaked havoc for many years. Regardless of whether his realm has advanced, such ability alone suffices to discuss matters on an equal footing with ¡°True Men.¡± Therefore, their change in address to senior is also a matter of course. But Xu Yang did not adopt this posture and continued to interact with them as equals, addressing them as Daoist friends. ¡°Brother Shi truly has a straightforward nature, we have been overly contrived.¡± ¡°Please!¡± The two were not those given to pretenses, and not dwelling too much on this, they invited Xu Yang to be seated with a wave of their hands. ¡°Please!¡± Xu Yang smiled, sat down with the two of them, and with a sweep of his sleeve, brought out a tea set: ¡°This is the new season¡¯s Thunder Peak Mist Sprout, please taste it, my two Daoist friends.¡± The two exchanged a nce, both letting out a wry smile. ¡°We were invited toe here, yet we¡¯ve not aplished anything, and still, we are enjoying Brother Shi¡¯s Immortal Tea; we are truly ashamed!¡± ¡°I am not as immensely skilled in cultivating techniques as Brother Shi and possess nothing worth mentioning, but allow me to enhance the atmosphere with a censer of incense.¡± Taoist Qinghe chuckled, and with a flick of his sleeve, a censer appeared, from which a trail of incense rose, refreshing the heart and mind. ¡°Qingping incense?¡± ¡°If Daoist friend is so humble, then how could I, this poor monk, dare to present this simple array of fruits and vegetables?¡± White Mountain Monk shook his head and drew forth a collection of fruits and vegetarian dishes, and instantly, the table was filled with an array of items notmonly enjoyed by the mundane world, all spiritual objects of the immortals. In this world, although Yuan Energy is sparse and the world is barren, this does not mean there are no spiritual objects thate into being. The Divine Soul method uses the false to cultivate the true and can be applied to the cultivation of living beings, and naturally can also be used to cultivate various spiritual objects. For example, the array of fruits and vegetarian dishes disyed by White Mountain Monk is the famous ¡°Mana Bright Temple¡± vegetarian feast, each serving infused with the genuine and pure spiritual essence of Buddhism, beneficial to consume,parable to spirit pills and miraculous medicine. And the Qingping incense of the Taoist Qinghe, which is the unique spiritual object from ¡°Qingping Taoist Temple,¡± helps focus the mind and aids cultivation. It is said that daily use can also increase the strength of the spirit and achieve the power of outer-body experiences. For ordinary mortals, these are indeed spiritual objects of the immortals. Of course, Xu Yang¡¯s contribution was equally impressive. ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°This Thunder Peak Mist Sprout tastes even more sublime!¡± ¡°Not only is the spiritual energy pure, but it also carries an essence of thunderbolt creation. Brother Shi¡¯s divine skills are beyond our reach!¡± ¡°Thunder Peak¡¯s Immortal Tea is truly unrivaled!¡± As the two of them tasted the tea, all they could do was express their admiration. ¡°It¡¯s just a small Spiritual Tea, how could it be worthy of being called by the Immortals?¡± Xu Yang shook his head andughed, enjoying the drink with the two of them. So it was that outside the pavilion, lightning shed and thunder rolled, and the rain poured down, while inside, incense was burned, and tea was enjoyed in contented leisure. The three cultivators drank together, the conversation flowing freely. Taoist Qinghe reced wine with tea, raising a cup to Xu Yang, ¡°Brother Shi, today you¡¯ve eliminated that monster, removing a great blight from Jinhua Mansion, thus upholding the reputation of our Taoism. It¡¯s truly admirable. Please!¡± White Mountain Monk also said, ¡°Over these years, Brother Shi has purged a horde of demons, rectifying the atmosphere in North City, Jinhua Mansion, and even the entire Jiangzhe Province. You¡¯ve greatly diminished the arrogance of demons and evil spirits, preventing them from running rampant. It¡¯s indeed a boundless merit.¡± ¡°Exorcising demons and exterminating evil spirits, carrying out the will of Heaven, is the inherent duty of a cultivator. How can I take credit for it?¡± Xu Yang shook his head, then sighed, ¡°s, my mana is inadequate, and my Taoist cultivation is modest. I can¡¯t handle Orchid Temple and can only let such ghosts from the Ghost Realm cause harm to the world.¡± ¡°Orchid Temple!¡± Upon hearing this, both were solemn, ¡°That Orchid Ghost Realmmunicates with theherworld; inside are countless demons and spirits that have been entrenched there for nearly a millennium. Many great individuals havee, including true cultivators of Taoism, but in the end, all were powerless against it.¡± ¡°Nowadays, the world is unpredictable, and demons are rising all around. Evil spirits run rampant, and the Ghost Realm is also expanding. True Monarch Changrong from White Cloud Taoist Temple personally came to Jinhua, and together with the true men from both Buddhism and Taoism, they were barely able to restrain it!¡± The two sighed, looking at Xu Yang again, ¡°Brother Shi, your Thunder Series is extraordinary and the bane of demons and evil spirits. Once you achieve the status of a True Man or True Monarch, you will surely annihte this realm and sweep away all those evil spirits.¡± Xu Yang smiled, understanding their intentions, ¡°Rest assured, I have no intention of entering that Orchid Temple right now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Relieved by his words, both breathed a sigh of relief. The Orchid Ghost Realm was no ordinary ce, an alternate dimension where yin and yang converged, not only inhabited by thousands of evil ghosts but also backed by an old demon that has reigned supreme in theherworld for ten thousand years, untouchable. If not for this, True Monarch Changrong from White Cloud Taoist Temple would have joined forces with other true men to have already eradicated this Ghost Realm, instead of letting it harm so many until now. The Old Demon was formidable. Even a Heavenly Master from Taoism had no power to suppress it; in fact, they were at a disadvantage, only able to situate themselves outside the Ghost Realm, in the world of the living, to check its expansion. Only with the emergence of a ¡°Heavenly Master¡± to suppress that ten thousand-year-old demon could Orchid Temple be dealt with. Otherwise, it would remain as such. But was it that easy to be a ¡°Heavenly Master¡±? Considering this, both shook their heads silently. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this matter anymore.¡± Taoist Qinghe quickly changed the subject, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that there was a disturbance at Hundred Ghosts Forest some time ago?¡± White Mountain Monk said with a serious expression, ¡°Indeed, roughly half a year ago, a Taoist who called himself Yin Mountain entered Hundred Ghosts Forest and upied the chaotic burial mound. There, he enved ghosts and practiced his cultivating skills as part of his training. He had a multitude of Underworld Soldiers and powerful Ghost Generals under hismand, quite formidable indeed.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Taoist Qinghe turned to him, ¡°So, Monk, you¡¯ve met him?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t met him, but we¡¯ve exchanged a few blows!¡± White Mountain Monk revealed a bitter smile, ¡°I was no match for him. I couldn¡¯t even enter Hundred Ghosts Forest and was defeated by his Ghost Generals.¡± ¡°That powerful?¡± Hearing this, Taoist Qinghe was also surprised, ¡°Isn¡¯t that simr to the Hundred Ghosts Taoist from before?¡± Hundred Ghosts Taoist, also known within Jinhua Mansion as an Evil Cultivator who upied the chaotic burial mound of Hundred Ghosts Forest, a ce dense with buried corpses and condensed with yin and sinister energy. He practiced a very formidable skill of enving ghosts, with over a hundred evil ghosts under hismand. While not as strong as the Dry Prosperous Taoist, he was among the more powerful Four-Realm Mages. Mana Bright Temple and Qingping Taoist Temple had previously joined forces to attack Hundred Ghosts Forest, but ultimately, they were no match for Hundred Ghosts Taoist with the home ground advantage and were forced to retreat. Having no other choice, the two asked Xu Yang for help from Mount Jilei, and relying on his thunder prowess, they finally executed the Hundred Ghosts Taoist. However, Hundred Ghosts Forest¡¯s chaotic burial mound contained countless buried corpses, and the umted yin and sinister energy made it and of death, which the three could not transform in a short period of time. They could only seal it temporarily, waiting for the yin and sinister energy to dissipate on its own. But unexpectedly, before the yin and sinister energy faded, a Taoist skilled in enving ghosts and practicing his skills, Yin Mountain Taoist, appeared. ¡°I fear he is more formidable than the Hundred Ghosts Taoist.¡± White Mountain Monk said with a bitter smile, ¡°Yin Mountain Taoist¡¯s Ghost Enving Skills are extraordinary. He even developed two powerful Ghost Generals named ¡®Increase Life¡¯ and ¡®Damage Fate.¡¯ These were especially terrifying. On the day I went to investigate, I was defeated by the ¡®Increase Life General¡¯.¡± ¡°¡®Increase Life¡¯ and ¡®Damage Fate¡¯ Generals?¡± Taoist Qinghe¡¯s gaze intensified, visibly rmed, ¡°I¡¯ve heard these two Generals are exceptional, considered the epitome of malevolence among ghosts, relentless killers that feed on evil and consume ghosts, advancing rapidly in cultivation. In the future, they could even be Ghost Kings or Ghost Emperors, rivaling True Men and True Monarchs.¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± White Mountain Monk nodded, his face conveying his ordeal, ¡°I don¡¯t know how long Yin Mountain Taoist has cultivated these two Generals. Although they are still Ghost Generals, their mana surpasses mine, and they are not restrained by my Buddhist Law. I was utterly defeated and forced to retreat by just one ¡®Increase Life General¡¯.¡± There are different levels and strengths of cultivation among ghostly beings. A Ghost General is equivalent to a Four-Realm Mage. A Ghost King isparable to a Five-Realm True Man. A Ghost Emperor even surpasses a Six-Realm True Monarch. ¡°If even you are no match for him, then those ¡®Increase Life¡¯ and ¡®Damage Fate¡¯ Generals must have reached the extremity of the Ghost General Realm!¡± Taoist Qinghe looked gravely concerned, ¡°Increase Life and Damage Fate are the most malevolent Generals among all kinds of ghostly beings, nearly impossible to control. The Yin Mountain Taoist who has cultivated such Generals must certainly have reached the Five Realms, ascending to True Man status, otherwise, he could not possibly suppress them.¡± ¡°The Yin Mountain Ghost Path, a Five-Realm True Man!¡± ¡°Increase Life and Damage Fate, Four-Realm wickedness at its extreme!¡± ¡°Added to that, his force of numerous Evil Ghosts and Underworld Soldiers¡¡± ¡°Hiss!!!¡± Taoist Qinghe inhaled sharply, ¡°This Yin Mountain Taoist might be even more problematic than the Dry Prosperous Monster?¡± White Mountain Monk nodded with a wry smile, ¡°It seems likely.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Taoist Qinghe appeared uncertain and then turned his gaze to Xu Yang who was listening quietly by their side, not speaking a word. ¡°Brother Shi, what do you think?¡± Chapter 139 - 99: Power_1 Chapter 139: Chapter 99: Power_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Me?¡± Faced with the gazes of the two, Xu Yang smiled yfully. ¡°Actually, some time ago, I met this Yin Mountain Taoist.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± White Mountain Monk and Taoist Qinghe looked at Xu Yang with some surprise, but they quickly came to terms with it. If the changes in the Hundred Ghosts Forest were known to White Mountain, how could he, renowned in Jinhua for his exceptional abilities, the King Shifa, not know? Taoist Qinghe asked curiously, ¡°Brother Shi, how does that Yin Mountain Taoist¡¯s skillspare to yours?¡± ¡°Hard to say.¡± Xu Yang shook his head and said with a lightugh, ¡°I did not cross hands with him.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± White Mountain Monk and Taoist Qinghe exchanged a nce, both somewhat surprised. After ten years of acquaintance, they knew well the nature of this brother Dao: he loathed evil, eliminated demons, never showed mercy, and was fearless. Unless he faced an entity like those from the Orchid Ghost Realm, there was virtually no evil spirit that could make him back down. Now, he had met with that Yin Mountain Taoist and there had been no conflict, no fight? Could it be¡ ¡°Although the Yin Mountain Taoist practices ghost-controlling techniques, that¡¯s all there is to it!¡± Xu Yang shook his head, interrupting their spection. ¡°He only practiced the Ghost Enving Skills and did not delve into the evil path. On the contrary, his cultivation techniques are indeed from Taoist True Scriptures, with Taoist mana that is extremely pure. He has definitely not practiced any of the cruel and extreme evil cultivation techniques; therefore, he is not an evil cultivator.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Upon hearing this, the two were somewhat astonished and weren¡¯t sure what to think. Eventually, White Mountain Monk was the first to recover. ¡°No wonder that day he only ordered the Increase Life General to fight me and did not let the Increase and Decrease Two Generals attack together. After winning, he stopped at the right moment, merely driving me out of the Hundred Ghosts Forest without delivering a deadly blow. It turns out he does not share the same nature as those from the Ghost Path.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good he¡¯s not an evil cultivator!¡± Relieved by this, Taoist Qinghe also breathed a sigh of relief. They did not doubt Xu Yang¡¯s words. The ways of cultivation and the art of Dao protection are inseparable, yet distinctly different, and not the same thing. Moreover, in this world where cultivation is focused on the Divine Soul, ghost souls and underworld spirits are also valuable resources for spiritual practice. Therefore, practitioners of Ghost Enving Skills are not umon, with loose cultivators being particrly numerous. Let¡¯s not even mention those impoverished loose cultivators without resources; even within the two doors of Taoism and Buddhism, there are many experts who employ ghost-controlling techniques. Hence, one cannot simply brand someone an evil cultivator for employing ghost control. If so, what about the legion of Divine Guard Generals within Taoism and Buddhism? Whether one is an evil cultivator or not depends on the cultivation technique, not the skills used. As long as one does not practice the evil cultivation techniques, does not consume human flesh and soul, does not harm the natural order, and does not bring cmity upon the living, then even if they practice Ghost Enving Skills, they cannot be considered evil cultivators. On the contrary¡ ¡°I¡¯ve also looked into this man¡¯s background; he¡¯s a loose cultivator. Ten years ago, once his cultivation skills matured, he began to wander the Jiangnan region, specializing in killing evil ghosts and demons, feeding those spirits to the Increase Life and Damage Fate Two Generals.¡± ¡°Although he sometimes harms living people, those are immensely evil individuals, whose deaths are insignificant. After all, the Increase and Decrease Two Generals are only suited to feed on evil ghosts; consuming ordinary underworld souls is more harmful than beneficial.¡± Xu Yang said with a lightugh, ¡°Therefore, not only is this man not an evil cultivator, but he¡¯s also a pir of talent for the Righteous Path.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Though they had epted the fact that the man was not an evil cultivator, hearing Xu Yang give such high praise and even calling him a pir of talent for the Righteous Path still left White Mountain Monk and Taoist Qinghe quite doubtful. However, Xu Yang didn¡¯t care what they thought and dropped another bombshell, ¡°Truth be told, Yin Mountain Taoist brother and I admire each other greatly and share simr aspirations. After exchanging the ceremony of brotherhood with eight bows, he is my brother and I am his junior. Henceforth, Mount Jilei¡¯s Mingxiao Taoist Temple and the Hundred Ghosts Forest¡¯s Yin Mountain Mansion Taoist Temple will be branches of the same lineage, sharing the same spirit, flourishing together, and declining together!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°This¡!¡± This statement nearly knocked White Mountain Monk and Taoist Qinghe off their feet, as they looked incredulously at Xu Yang. It was indeed unbelievable. They were well aware of Xu Yang¡¯s divine skills, with his Thunder Series techniques being extremely sharp. Not to mention among loose cultivators, even among the legitimate heirs of the Taoist Righteous Sects, such talent was very rare. He was indeed a prodigy. And such a figure had sworn brotherhood with a ghost-controlling loose cultivator? It truly was unimaginable. But, reflecting on the usual conduct and behavior of King Shifa, both eventually came to terms with it. Although Brother Shi from Mount Ji was vehement in despising evil and eliminating demons, never sparing them, he was not stubbornly dogmatic or unreasonable. On the contrary, he was clear about good and evil, readily helped others in justice, and his thunderous methods were reserved only for ghosts, demons, and evildoers, never harming the innocents or muddling right with wrong. Back when he took over Peach Blossom Mountain, he seemed somewhat ruthless and fierce, but that was because they had dealings with Peach Blossom Path. Once they proved their innocence and cleared any suspicion, he personally apologized without letting his high cultivation status get in the way. This allowed the three of them to cultivate together and form a deep bond of friendship. Not to mention the three of them; in Jinhua, and throughout the Jiangzhe region, among the Righteous Daoist cultivators, aside from those hypocritically righteous ones, who doesn¡¯t respect his character? The Mingxiao Taoist Temple that loathes evil, the King Shifa who eagerly champions justice, who in the Jiangzhe region does not know, who is not aware? And it¡¯s not only the people; even among demons, he only eliminates the vicious and never harms the virtuous. Not to mention anything else, let¡¯s talk about Li Jieyuan¡¯s Guo Bei Academy. Every true cultivator in Jinhua Mansion knows that in recent years, Guo Bei Academy has harbored a great many unusual spirit monsters. But has he ever visited Guo Bei Academy to y demons and exorcise evil? Never! Why? Because the demon spirits in Guo Bei Academy are all kindly spirit monsters that do not harm human life, much less cause misfortune to the masses. Thus, he naturally wouldn¡¯t make a move against them. He not only refrained from acting but also provided them with protection. Many cultivators who wished to bother those demon spirits at Guo Bei Academy were ¡°persuaded¡± eloquently to turn back by him. Furthermore, those evil cultivators who harbored ill intent and wanted to use kind spirit monsters to practice their techniques were, without exception, annihted by his thunder series skills¡ªreduced to ashes and smoke. One can see how high his moral standing is: although he practices thunder series skills and despises evil as an enemy, he is by no means an upromising cultivator who kills indiscriminately without differentiating between right and wrong. If the Yin Mountain Taoist is indeed as he says, then it¡¯s only natural for him to be sworn brothers with him. Taoist Qinghe chuckled, ¡°Brother Shi truly has a passionate nature!¡± White Mountain Monk also nodded, ¡°The matter of the Hundred Ghosts Forest was myck of caution. I shall visit Senior of Yin Mountain in the future to offer my deep apologies with a birch as penance.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Xu Yang waved his hand and said gently with a smile, ¡°Brother Dao of Yin Mountain is magnanimous, such small matters will surely not weigh on his heart. Besides, he¡¯s currently engrossed in his austere cultivation in the Forest of Hundred Ghosts, harnessing evil ghosts for his techniques. It¡¯s best if we do not disturb him.¡± Having said that, he reassured them, ¡°When we have free time one day, I¡¯ll act as a matchmaker and invite him to join the two of you for a gathering. Over drinks and happy chatter, we will naturally dispel any past misunderstandings.¡± ¡°That¡¡± ¡°Alright then!¡± Upon hearing this, White Mountain did not persist, ¡°Please convey my apologies on my behalf, Brother Shi.¡± Xu Yang nodded, ¡°Of course.¡± Only Taoist Qinghe slightly furrowed his brows, hesitating to speak, ¡°Brother Shi, there is a matter I¡¯m unsure whether to discuss.¡± Xu Yang smiled, ¡°My friend, you may speak freely.¡± Taoist Qinghe hesitated for a moment but ultimately decided to voice his concern, ¡°Brother Shi, your judgement is naturally infallible, but from what I understand, those Increase Life and Damage Fate Two Generals are utterly malicious ghosts, prone to losing control. If they can be suppressed, all is well, but if not, and they bite back at their master, that¡¯s truly unfortunate.¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± White Mountain Monk also said, ¡°The Increase Life and Damage Fate Two Generals have reached their limit; just one step further, and they could be a Ghost King. My pure Buddhist Law has no effect on them. If they were to lose control, what then? If Brother Shi has the opportunity, I suggest advising Senior of Yin Mountain to restrain those two generals¡¯ progress.¡± Xu Yang chuckled, ¡°Rest assured, Brother Dao of Yin Mountain has his methods. I can even guarantee with my life that if Increase Life and Damage Fate Two Generals bring misfortune to the people, I will risk my own cultivation without hesitation to annihte them.¡± ¡°That¡¡± ¡°Since Brother Shi has said so, we feel relieved.¡± Seeing Xu Yang so confidently make such a guarantee, the two of them looked at each other and chose not to dwell on the matter any further. Taoist Qinghe then changed the subject, ¡°Brother Shi, has Li Jieyuan already be your disciple?¡± Xu Yang shook his head, smiling lightly, ¡°Sword Minister and I are sworn friends of different ages. We consider each other equals and do not speak of a master-disciple rtionship.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Taoist Qinghe raised an eyebrow, ¡°He is exceptionally talented and proficient both in literary and martial arts. It¡¯s a pity that the current political climate is unstable and fortunes are unclear. Otherwise, if he were to go to the capital for the imperial examinations, he would surely emerge as the top schr with ease and could effortlessly be a Great Schr in the future.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± White Mountain Monk concurred, ¡°Nowadays, it¡¯s hard to pursue studies of Confucianism and Buddhism. This man has unwrought talent¡ªhe¡¯s like uncarved jade. If he steps onto the path of cultivation, he¡¯ll surely achieve extraordinary aplishments. Taoist Friend Qinghe and I have long wished to take him under our wing.¡± Xu Yang chuckled, ¡°I have already gifted him a copy of the Taoist True Scriptures. I believe it won¡¯t be long before we gain another fellow Daoist.¡± ¡°Brother Shi is magnanimous.¡± Upon hearing this, Taoist Qinghe could not help but smile wryly, ¡°Although we cherish talented individuals, we are hindered by the rules of our fraternities and cannot easily impart our teachings. If Li Jieyuan were to join either of us, I¡¯m afraid he would waste more than a decade. Now that Brother Shi has imparted the teachings, we can rest assured.¡± Taoist of Peach Blossom nodded his head, ¡°This man possesses great talent and fame throughout thend, and his literary fortune is profound. After stepping on the path, he will surely make rapid progress, and his eventual aplishments will certainly surpass both of us. Only Brother Shi can stand shoulder to shoulder with him.¡± Xu Yang smiled, ¡°My fellow Daoists tter me too much.¡± Taoist Qinghe then spoke, ¡°However, in recent years, Guo Bei Academy¡¯s actions have been rather unconventional. Brother Shi, when you have time, you should advise Li Jieyuan, as continuing in this manner may lead to blessings that are not blessings.¡± Hearing this, Xu Yang¡¯s expression turned serious, ¡°Sword Minister and I share a genuine friendship. I thoroughly understand his character¡ªhe would never do anything unjust or improper. As long as he does not follow the path of evil, does notmit wicked deeds, he will forever be my good friend Shi Jian. Those who make things difficult for him will be making them difficult for me, Shi Jian, regardless of their origins. There will be a showdown!¡± ¡°That¡¡± Taoist Qinghe and White Mountain Monk looked at each other, then simultaneously disyed a wry smile, ¡°Brother Shi is indeed passionate; we were the ones who were too much. Enough said. Just as Brother Shi stated, as long as he does not take the path of evil, does notmit wicked acts, then what¡¯s the harm in being a bit unorthodox? We who share a bond in cultivation should advance and retreat together, how can we break promises and betray loyalty?¡± In the end, their helplessness faded away, reced with genuine sentiments. In recent years, with the expansion of Guo Bei Academy, some of Li Jieyuan¡¯s actions have indeed been somewhat unconventional. Though his reputation and influence in the Jiangzhe schrlymunity have been sufficient to maintain control of the situation, it will ultimately lead to shocks and possibly even rejection by all sides if he does not restrain himself. That¡¯s why the two of them intended to use their good friend ¡°Shi Jian¡± to persuade him to moderate a bit. But they did not expect their Brother Dao Shi¡¯s friendship with Li Jieyuan to run so deep, showing a totalmitment to protecting him. Given this, the two could not say much more, for it was just in the nature of their ¡°Brother Shi¡± to be so loyal. There was no way he would betray or abandon loyalty. However, with him, a mana kingparable to a true person, providing protection, and the addition of his newly sworn brother Yin Mountain Taoist, as well as their own standing as righteous cultivators from Mana Bright Temple and Qingping Taoist Temple, forming a powerful alliance, what was the harm in Li Jieyuan being a bit unconventional in his conduct? As long as he doesn¡¯t follow the path of evil, that¡¯s all that matters. For any other matters, they would do as Brother Shi said: have it out and see who is greater. Leaving the matter aside, the three of them enjoyed their tea and joyful conversation, the atmosphere warm and harmonious. So it continued until sunset behind the western hills, and only then did the feast end. The three parted ways, each returning to their own Daoist abodes. Chapter 140 - 100: Harvest_1 Chapter 140: Chapter 100: Harvest_1 Trantor: 549690339 At the Mingxiao Taoist Temple on Mount Jilei, Xu Yang returned upon a cloud, descending into the sacred courtyard. ¡°Master!¡± The Taoist temple was now unlike its former days, filled with disciples majority of whom were Taoist children, yet there were also many Taoist men and even Taoists among them. ¡°Close the altar.¡± Xu Yang dissipated the thunder cloud and with a few words, proceeded towards the great hall. ¡°Yes!¡± The disciples responded in unison, beginning to dismantle the mana altar. Xu Yang also returned to the hall and approached the General Altar of the Thunder Series. The cultivators of this world,pared to the cultivators of the real world, should be considered practitioners of ancient methods. The ancient methods might not be inferior to the modern ones, nor are the modern methods necessarily inferior to the ancient ¨C it can only be said that each has its unique strengths. Xu Yang did not reject either, as long as they were useful, he did not mind adopting and cultivating them, transforming them into his own potentiality. This method had one major feature: the mana altar, akin to the magic artifacts of modern cultivators, yet slightly different, abination of magic artifacts and array formation, aiding mana, Taoist cultivation, curse skills, and divine skills, capable of connecting heaven and earth. Hence, when cultivators of this world fought using their skills, they usually opened altars, and even for daily practice, they needed to venerate the mana altar. Like Xu Yang, within the temple, he revered an altar of ¡°Nine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable,¡± using it to deploy thunder series, doubling his efficiency and greatly increasing his power, an essential item inbat. In addition, the mana altar had many wondrous uses, such as practicing spells, artifact refining, alchemy, talisman making, array setting, performing exercises, seeking enlightenment, and more, all of which benefitted from it. It could also receive offerings and absorb the power of worship to bolster the mana altar¡¯s might. It¡¯s no exaggeration to say that a cultivator of this world must have a mana altar. Without the support of a mana altar, one simply cannot be considered a cultivator. And the mana altar also bes one of the foundations for cultivators in this world, especially for those major righteous paths with ten thousand years of heritage whose altars receive ten thousand years of worship and faith empowerment, having umted an immense amount of mana. If they are pushed to their limits and utilize such a foundation, even millennia-old demons would suffer greatly. Xu Yang had been the master of Mount Jilei for less than a decade, and the altar had been established for only a few years. The offerings were sparse, and the power of faith was meager, but even so, it provided him with great support that could not be ignored. Now, returning from thebat, he did not immediately sit down to examine the spoils of battle. Instead, he first took incense sticks, lit them, and inserted them into the cauldron, venerating the altar¡¯s ancestral master. ¡°With the ancestral master¡¯s protection, may my path prosper!¡± After such a sincere prayer and offering of incense sticks, Xu Yang then seated himself. The ancestral master? Which ancestral master? Of course, it was the ancestor of Taoism, the Supreme Pure Moral Heaven Venerable. The cultivators of this world were all disciples of the Ancestor of Dao, venerating the Supreme Elder Lord! But this Supreme Elder Lord was not the Supreme Elder Lord of that other context. With ten years of arduous cultivation, pondering Taoist methods, and reviewing many ancient texts, Xu Yang confirmed something. This world was not originally so barren. During the ancient times, this world was also abundant in prime spirits, a celestial paradise filled with gods and immortals. Yet for some unknown reasons, the prime spirits of heaven and earth gradually dwindled, the celestial world turned into the end times of an evil age, with gods and immortals breaking through the realms and departing, various major Taoist sects ascended one after another, leaving behind only those with shallow cultivation to struggle on, barely surviving in this realm. Thus, this world possessed the ¡°Nine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable Jade Shu Sutra,¡± a system of thunder methods with aplete structure and high tier ¨C the legacies of ancient immortal gods and major Taoist gates left in the world. Even the divine soul cultivation method, a way to ¡°fake cultivation to attain the real,¡± was created by the ancient immortal gods before their ascension, for the descendants and disciples who could not ascend, hoping to preserve a part of their tradition, a slim chance of survival. That is also why, in the previousbat, Xu Yang chanted incantations, calling upon the gods of the thunder department. One reason was because the tradition was such. Two, it indeed carried mana. Although the ancient immortal gods had ascended and left this world, their ¡°divine names¡± did not lose their efficacy. Those divine names and offices of the ancient immortal gods are actually rted to the Dao of Heaven and Earth, and chanting them can invoke the power of the Dao of Heaven and Earth. Without going into details, even the simple phrase ¡°by the decree of the Supreme Elder Lord, expedite as thewmands,¡± found in virtually all curse spells to conclude them. Why so? Because the Supreme Elder Lord, the Moral Heaven Venerable is an embodiment of the ¡°Dao¡± itself! The methods of Taoism, the Supreme Elder Lord¡¯s decrees, are not actually calling upon the Supreme Taoist Ancestor to act, but to rouse the power of the Dao of Heaven and Earth. What is summoned is the ¡°Dao!¡± As long as there is heaven, as long as there is earth, the Dao will exist, and so will the Supreme Elder Lord. The Supreme Elder Lord is thus, and so are the other immortals. Although they have ascended and are no longer of this realm, the Dao of Heaven and Earth associated with their divine names and offices still exists unfaded. Merely by chanting their names, one can invoke heaven and earth, invoke the Dao. This is not only for this world ¨C in other worlds, as long as the Dao of Heaven and Earth exists, one can recite ¡°by the decree of the Supreme Elder Lord, expedite as thewmands,¡± to strengthen the connection with the Dao of Heaven and Earth, increasing the might of Taoist methods. Of course, one could choose not to intone the name, relying solely on one¡¯s own ability to cast spells. But clearly, Xu Yang was not such a stubborn mule. Why not use what is useful? After reverentlypleting the offerings to the ancestral master¡¯s altar, only then did Xu Yang sit cross-legged to inspect the gains of the day. But first, he had to examine himself. Xu Yang (Li Liuxian) Lifespan: 37/240 Cultivation: Martial Path Condensing Spirit, Body Training Derivation, Taoism Yin God (Four Boundary Realm) Skills: Eating, Breathing, Sleeping, Walking, nting, Breeding, Archery, Martial Training, Medical Skills, Teaching¡ Cultural Dao (Calligraphy and Painting, Poetry and Prose, ying Zither as an Art, Novels and Storybooks, Immersive Experience, Unparalleled Talent, Cultural Qi Infusing the Body) Taoist Magic (Thunder Lightning Mana King, Increase and Decrease Two Generals) Martial Arts: Martial Arts Scripture. Spell: Supreme Cave True Spirit Cultivation Scripture, Nine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable Jade Shu Sutra, Xuanming True Person¡¯s Ghost Controlling Method, White Cloud Immortal¡¯s Spirit Grass Song, Supreme Yin Body Training Skill, Supreme Pure True Man Vital Linkage Jue, Supreme Pure Contemtion Mirror Sword Figure, Supreme Pure Wearable Talisman Scripture Jue, Cave Truth Eight Scenery Jade Tablet Morning Figure¡ Talent: Thunder Commanding Power! Over the course of nine years, Xu Yang developed three distinct identities. The first was that of Li Jieyuan, a man of unparalleled talent and famous throughout thend. The second was King Shifa, a man abhorring evil and acting with decisive thunderous authority. The third was a practitioner of the Yin Mountain Way, cultivating the ghost-controlling arts and the Increase and Decrease Two Generals, which shortens life expectancy. The three identities, each with their own roles. ¡°Li Liuxian¡± established academies, martial arts halls, pharmacies, and shops in North City County, using these to gather wealth and expand his influence. At the same time, through Cultural Dao, he became famous throughout thend and gathered Cultural Qi for cultivation. He has now be an undeniable power in North City County, even possessing substantial influence in Jinhua Mansion, with his strength and influence not to be underestimated. ¡°Shi Jian¡± then built a Taoist temple on Mount Jilei, recruited disciples, trained followers, and diligently practiced the Thunder Series, finally reaching the realm of Yin God and earning the title of Thunder Lightning Mana King. Moreover, he was fair and just, abhorred evil, had extensive connections, and won the people¡¯s hearts. He was an unwavering pir of the Righteous Path, a Righteous Skills True Man! The ¡°Yin Mountain Way¡± cultivated the ghost-controlling arts in secret, training the Increase and Decrease Two Generals. Once these two generals were trained, they traveled throughout various ces capturing evil ghosts and killing evil beings, using these acts to continue cultivating their skills. They sessfully brought the Increase and Decrease Two Generals to the extreme realm of Ghost General, ready to break through to Ghost King with their extraordinarybat abilities. This was the growth of the three identities. As for skill traits. In just ten years, not much progress had been made. Whether nting and breeding or martial training and teaching, none had managed to develop extraordinarily high-quality skill traits. The cultivation of spirit nts and spirit beasts remained challenging, and the martial cultivation and disciple training saw only average results. To break the limitations of Heaven and Earth and ovee the scarcity of Yuan Spirit would require at least a few decades, or even centuries of umtion. After all, those high-quality skill traits were the result of nearly a thousand years of effort by Xu Yang in Great Zhou, Great Tang, and the ck Water World. It was unreasonable to expect the same sess in this world in just a mere decade. But he did note out of this period empty-handed. During these ten years of cultivating and spellcasting, he developed quite a few eye-catching skill traits. The first was from Cultural Dao. Unparalleled Talent with Cultural Qi Infusing the Body, the effects need not be stated at length, basically enhancing talent and elerating the gathering of Cultural Qi. With this, although Xu Yang didn¡¯t obtain any official recognition for his aplishments, the amount of Cultural Qi he gathered was substantial, significantly speeding up his cultivation. Next was Taoist Magic. Thunder Lightning Mana King, Increase and Decrease Two Generals. The Thunder Lightning Mana King trait, simr to the Martial Path Communicates with God trait in martial arts skills, affects all martial arts, whereas Thunder Lightning Mana King only affects the Thunder Series. It canprehensively enhance the effects of ¡°Thunder Series¡± in cultivation, practice,bat, Artifact Refining, Alchemy, Talisman Making and Array Formation, as well as constructing Mana Altars and offering sacrifices to the Thunder Gods. In short, everything rted to the ¡°Thunder Series¡± can be improved by it, and significantly so. This is why Xu Yang, with the cultivation of a Four-Realm Mage, was able to perform the ¡°Five Thunder Destroying God Spell,¡± which normally only a Five-Realm True Man could muster. The Thunder Lightning Mana King trait bridged the gap between his realm, cultivation level, Taoist Cultivation, and Mana. Beyond the Five Thunder Destroying God Spell, other Thunder Series techniques and various thunder talismans also benefited from this trait. Plus, with Xu Yang¡¯s Talisman Making skills, the sess rate of making Thunder Series talismans reached a terrifying 90 percent. As a result, after ten years of umtion, the number of various thunder talismans he had at hand was so great it could scare others. Not only were there many, but the quality was not low, truly fine works of art. The Dry Prosperous Taoist met his end at the hands of Xu Yang¡¯s Thunder Series and talismans, which was well deserved. It wasn¡¯t just him, an Evil Cultivator full of fluff, even a Righteous Taoist would be confidently obliterated by Xu Yang¡¯s thunderous assault. That was the Thunder Lightning Mana King. As for the Increase and Decrease Two Generals. Its effect was simr, enhancing the overall effectiveness of the ¡°Increase and Decrease Two Generals,¡± including their growth speed,bat abilities, and most critically, control. With this trait, Xu Yang¡¯s Increase and Decrease Two Generals were not only growing and fighting far better than themon ghost cultivator¡¯s generals, but they were also much safer. As long as there wasn¡¯t a huge gap in strength, there was hardly any chance of the Underworld Ghosts going out of control and turning against their own master. This was the result of ten years of umtion. With this, thend of North City was under his control. Even the likes of the Dry Prosperous Taoist Man, an Evil Skills True Man, were decisively eradicated, scouring his den with great force. His influence was growing, his foundations solidifying. But it was just beginning to solidify and grow. A grand momentum was not yet established; there were still hidden dangers. Therefore, Xu Yang could not afford to rx and immediately began to examine the spoils from his assault on the Dry Prosperous Taoist Temple. The Dry Prosperous Taoist had roamed freely for many years and had amassed considerable wealth. Various Taoist inheritances, as well as Magic Artifacts, elixirs, talismans, Evil Skills materials¡ A mixture of everything, a feast for the eyes. But for Xu Yang at this stage, very few of them were truly valuable. In the end, only two Taoist Scriptures were solemnly ced before him. ¡°Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light Skill¡± ¡°Xuanyuan Divine Sword Jue¡± Chapter 141 - 101: Mysterious Light_1 Chapter 141: Chapter 101: Mysterious Light_1 Trantor: 549690339 Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light Technique. Although the name sounds somewhat rustic, it is, without a doubt, a Taoist Gate Righteous Skill, even capable of cultivating to the level of ¡°Heaven View Earth Hear¡± and ¡°Admiring Eye of Heaven¡± ¨C such Great Divine Power. By practicing this technique, one can open their Spirit Eyes to see the Mysterious Light, which can be used to inquire into all matters under heaven, even peering into the Heavenly Court and Underworld, life and death, past and future, spirits and demons, and the hidden secrets of gods and Buddhas. In short, as long as it still exists within the Three Realms and the Five Elements, theoretically, anything can be investigated with Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light, revealing its essence and origins. This was Xu Yang¡¯s understanding of the ¡°Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light Technique.¡± But understanding was just understanding; he had never obtained its Mana Point, let alone practiced this profound and righteous technique. Now, the Dry Prosperous Taoist risked his life for righteousness, fulfilling Xu Yang¡¯s wish by presenting the technique to him. Xu Yang would not disappoint him and immediately began to study the wondrous skill within the Taoist Scriptures. After some indeterminate time, Xu Yang set down the scripture, his face full of admiration. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, so that¡¯s how it is, truly a Great Divine Power!¡± Between his words, he clearly gained insight into the subtleties of the righteous skill. Why could Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light inquire into the Three Realms? Because its basis was ¡°asking the heavens for the way!¡± To extract information from everything under heaven and earth, as long as you have left traces, and as long as you are within the Three Realms and the Five Elements, the world will inevitably be aware of your information, because everything you¡¯ve interacted with is a part of heaven and earth. For example, if you take a step, the ground will bear the weight, the air will be disturbed, and there will be the intervention of light, material changes¡ In essence, every thing in the world, including yourself, serves as ¡°eyes and ears¡± watching you; whatever you do, the world retains traces. The Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light Technique is about entering the world¡¯s information repository, using great mana as the ess right to inquire the information within, thus knowing everything that can be known. Therefore, it is a righteous skill of the Taoist Gate and Art of Divine Abilities because it already touches upon the Heavenly Mechanism! Xu Yang had always coveted such skills of Heavenly Mechanism. s, such cultivating skills were also extremely rare and precious within the Cultivation World. It¡¯s not just the Foundation Establishment forces, even the Three Sects of Golden Core might not have the rted heritage and collection. Only in this realm with its exceedingly high status, although declined due to ¡°The End Times of Evil Age,¡± there remain many Immortal God techniques and Righteous Skill legacies, enabling the acquisition of such Great Divine Power techniques. Xu Yang stood up and turned towards the Mana Altar, ready to test the subtlety of this technique. He scattered a handful of Yellow Talismans, then stepped through the Big Dipper formation, casting a spell and reciting an incantation. ¡°Heaven so clear, Earth so spiritual, the three wonders of Sun, Moon, and Stars, asking the heavens about ghosts and spirits, beholding the depths to see the essence¡ I summon Supreme Elder Lord with haste as themand!¡± ¡°Through the eyes enters the Spirit Law, into the mirror enters the Mysterious Light!¡± ¡°Open!!!¡± As Xu Yang¡¯s voice resounded, mana surged, and within his brow, Spirit Light flickered, slowly manifesting an inscription as if a mud pill pce was opening to reveal the spirit eyes. The Spirit Eyes were formed, then it was time to behold the Mysterious Light. Standing before the Mana Altar, Xu Yang lifted one hand as if he was holding a mirror, and ced the other hand over it, activating his mana and starting its rotation. In just a short time, the Mysterious Light flickered in the palm, solidifying into a mirror revealing itself. That was the Xuan Guang Mirror! ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± With a smile, Xu Yang opened his Spirit Eyes and peered into the mirror. But all he saw was a glimmer of Mysterious Light, with no information whatsoever. Because he had yet to inquire. What to ask? Xu Yang considered. With his current Cultivation and the newly-initiated Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light Technique, it was impossible to ask about life and death, past and future. He could not even get involved with matters of spirits and gods, at most he could inquire about mundane objects. Like¡ ¡°Meditation mats, made of cattail, a mundane object, yet because Cultivators meditate upon them year-round, have also be imbued with traces of spiritual energy and mana, possessing a certain effect of Condensing Spirit and calming the mind. Commoners who use it can ward off nightmares.¡± With a thought from Xu Yang, the mirror immediately disyed a meditation mat, precisely the cushion he used for daily meditation and practice. Seeing the meticulously detailed information in the mirror, Xu Yang smiled and thought to himself: ¡°This could be considered a treasure appraisal technique. In the future, if I go to the markets, I may very well find some overlooked treasures and earn a few Spirit Stones.¡± ¡°No, no, no, using such Divine Skills for treasure appraisal is really putting great talent to petty use!¡± ¡°Now I¡¯ve just started, but once I reach a certain level, the spell will be Divine Ability, and Heaven View Earth Hear will be a trivial matter. I might even, like the legendary True Monarch Eng, grow an Admiring Eye of Heaven that can illuminate the Three Realms and see through to theherworld!¡± ¡°By then, whatever demons or evil spirits, with a single nce I could discern their essence, and inbat, I could identify their spell ws, weaknesses, and vital points, simr to theplementary subtlety of the Butcher¡¯s technique!¡± ¡°Upon reaching the pinnacle of mastery, one might even be able to glimpse into the Heavenly Mechanism, ascertain the past and future, knowing five hundred years ahead and five hundred years behind¡ªa true Immortal and formidable being.¡± ¡°Moreover, one could act on a whim, receive premonitions, and thus avoid catastrophe and danger. It¡¯s just that the Dry Prosperous Taoist¡¯s skills were not refined, and he hadn¡¯t mastered it; otherwise, he would have noticed my movement without my intervention.¡± ¡°Wonderful Skill, Wonderful Divine Power!¡± With a smile, Xu Yang retracted the Mysterious Light, and the Spirit Eyes between his brows likewise closed, leaving only a faint inscription trace. The Future Heavenly Eye, thus it unlocks! With just this one Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light Technique, this sweep of the Dry Prosperous Taoist Temple is truly worth more than its value. Not to mention¡ Xu Yang held up the second Taoist scripture. No, it should not be called a Taoist scripture, as this is a¡ ¡°Xuanyuan Divine Sword Jue!¡± ¡°Sword technique?¡± ¡°Flying Sword?¡± Xu Yang raised his eyebrow and flipped through it. Among the spell cultivators, thunder reigns supreme! Among the fighters, the Sword Dao is unrivaled! Sword cultivators focus solely on fierce fighting techniques. Xu Yang was also very interested in this, and he had wanted to acquire sword techniques multiple times in the present world. However, sword cultivators are different from thunder cultivators. Thunder cultivators have limitations due to their Spiritual Roots, making the lower tiers of the Thunder Series in surplus, hence their low price and ease of acquisition. For sword cultivators, it is different. There is no concept of ¡°Sword Spiritual Root¡± in the Cultivation World. As long as one cultivates with sword techniques, they can be a sword cultivator. Furthermore, given the Cultivation World¡¯s highlypetitive environment and the struggle for survival, sword techniques which can significantly enhance one¡¯sbat capabilities, regardless of their quality, are sought after by countless people and their prices remain high. With Xu Yang¡¯s current assets, he had only acquired a few first-tier sword techniques corresponding to Qi Cultivation. As for the second-tier sword techniques corresponding to Foundation Establishment, the starting price was tens of thousands of Spirit Stones. He could afford them, but it really was unnecessary. But now, in his dreams where anything can exist, a copy of the ¡°Xuanyuan Divine Sword Jue¡± was given to him. After an unknown amount of time, Xu Yang finished reading the entire scripture, with surprise in his eyes. This sword technique is a true fighting technique that can be applied in real cultivation and other worlds. And it was of high tier. ording to the divisions of the real Cultivation World, it was at least a fifth-tier sword technique, capable of cultivating a sword cultivator up to the Divinity Transformation realm. Unfortunately, the scroll was iplete, and the technique was not whole. This portion in his hands was only the first part, which could at most be cultivated to the third-tier realm. Even so, a third-tier sword technique was worth hundreds of thousands of Spirit Stones in the current Cultivation World. No wonder it is said that knowledge is power, information is wealth! ¡°Although it¡¯s iplete, with such a development,pleting it in the future won¡¯t be difficult,¡± he thought. ¡°It¡¯s not just this sword technique, but other more profound righteous True Scriptures and Art of Divine Abilities could also be within reach.¡± ¡°After all, this world was once in the heyday of the Immortal Path, with gods and buddhas everywhere. While it may notpare to the ck Water World, the various heritages left behind are still extraordinary.¡± ¡°Thus, with Li Liuxian practicing the Xuanyuan Divine Sword, Shi Jian practicing the Thunder Series True Scripture, and Yin Mountain Taoist cultivating the Ghost Enving Skills, the three distinct identities each with its own features, are more intimidating!¡± ¡°Adding these three reputations together, plus the threat from Orchid Temple, at the very least, I could earn a few decades of development time.¡± Xu Yang sat on the cushion with a deep and determined gaze, nning for the future. The same old saying goes, where there are people, there¡¯s a Martial World, there are winds of strife swirling about interests. This world is no exception. As development progresses and he expands, he will inevitably affect others¡¯ interests. Otherwise, during the recent feast, neither White Mountain Monk nor Taoist Qinghe would have advised him to restrain himself. But can such matters be avoided by holding back? The good are bullied, the kind are ridden; if you don¡¯t devour others, others wille to devour you. Giving in cannot solve the problem; it only emboldens the other party to take advantage. Therefore, Xu Yang chose to build momentum, distinguishing three identities, to form a backdrop of support. With this, he should be able to fight for a few decades of development time. Considering his current pace of advancement, after decades of umtion, it won¡¯t be othersing to trouble him, but him going to stir up trouble for others. Of course, it would just be stirring up trouble. This world¡¯s waters are too deep, and the foundation of the Three Teaching Sect is profound. The legacies left by the ancient Immortal Gods included not only traditions but also some Immortal Spirit Magical Treasures, enshrined within the great Taoist temples, acting as items that stabilize fortunes. Even after tens of thousands of years, they still possess extraordinary power. A few decades from now, barring any major idents, Xu Yang estimated that his own power would at most be enough to dominate a region, to carve out a territory. To swallow territory like a tiger, like the Great Zhou and the Great Tang once unified the world, would require at least several hundred or even a thousand years of umtion. But it doesn¡¯t matter. With the hundredfold time difference, along with a long lifespan, coupled with the ability to wander among myriad worlds and the technique of dreaming anew, not to mention thousands of years, even ten thousand years, he could afford to wait. He just needed to endure! Chapter 142 - 102: The Young Master_1 Chapter 142: Chapter 102: The Young Master_1 Trantor: 549690339 Three monthster, within North City County. ¡°Spring break hase again.¡± ¡°How does time pass so quickly?¡± ¡°A day apart feels like the autumn season, a month apart, wouldn¡¯t that be a hundred years?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been over a hundred years since I¡¯ve seen Liuxian, couldn¡¯t hear his poetry duels, couldn¡¯t see his brilliant brush bring forth flowers, couldn¡¯t apany him with melodies as harmonious as mountains and flowing water, couldn¡¯t eat the meals he painstakingly cooked for me, aaah, I¡¯m going to die!¡± ¡°What are you, lovesick? You¡¯re talking about going to school like it¡¯s some kind of romance, and then ¡®the meals he carefully cooked for you,¡¯ that¡¯s the cafeteria, the cafeteria, do you understand? Over ten thousand people from the academy, anyone can go eat there!¡± ¡°Also, ¡®Liuxian¡¯ is what you call him; you should call him ¡®The Dean¡¯ or ¡®The Head of the Academy.¡¯ As soon as you¡¯re out of the academy gates, you little demon spirit have no manners. Be careful, lest the instructors hear you and you have to face the ruler when you return.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll say it if I want, what¡¯s it to you? Liuxian, Liuxian, my dear, my dear, husband, husband, if you¡¯re not happy, bite me, h h h!¡± A group of youthful schrs with powdered faces and peach blossoms for cheeks, twittering like swallows, passed through the streets, drawing eyes. Although such scenes had bemon in North City County, the sight of these beautiful and elegant figures still garnered much attention. In one tavern, from the second floor, covetous eyes looked down. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Miss Caifeng?¡± ¡°And that one there, Miss Qingluan!¡± ¡°Qingluan and Caifeng, one of Jiangnan¡¯s top ten Huakui!¡± ¡°They¡¯ve actually entered the Guo Bei Academy?¡± ¡°Not just them. Out of Jiangnan¡¯s top ten Huakui, six have entered the Guo Bei Academy, and the remaining four are probably considering it.¡± ¡°Damn it, aren¡¯t those people running brothels interested in making money anymore? Just like that, they let their Huakui run off to the Guo Bei Academy?¡± ¡°Well, some escaped on their own, desperate for a chance, while others were obviously sent over with ulterior motives. But regardless, once they¡¯ve entered the Guo Bei Academy, it¡¯s done, and I¡¯m afraid, from now on, they¡¯ll no longer be attainable!¡± ¡°Curses!¡± ¡°Li Liuxian, I am at odds with you!¡± ¡°Keep your voice down. If people outside hear you, are we still going to drink here?¡± On the second floor, a group of schrs watched the boisterous beauties on the street, their teeth gritted in resentment, yet they were powerless to do anything but drown their sorrows in alcohol and vent their frustrations. Only one among them looked curious. ¡°Who are these people, to cause such gloom among the gentlemen here?¡± The one who spoke was a young man, dressed in expensive clothes, with a handsome and extraordinary appearance. The others looked up, and seeing that it was he who asked, promptly started to exin. ¡°Young Master Chu, you¡¯re new to North City and unaware.¡± ¡°These individuals are the ¡®female gentlemen¡¯ of the Guo Bei Academy.¡± ¡°That Guo Bei Academy and that Li Liuxian, truly shameless and reprehensible to the extreme!¡± A few schrs expressed their grievances with faces full of resentment. Hearing this, Young Master Chu grew even more intrigued. ¡°Guo Bei Academy?¡± ¡°Li Liuxian?¡± ¡°Female gentlemen!¡± Young Master Chu tapped his folding fan and asked the crowd, ¡°What¡¯s the story here?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The schrs exchanged nces, all somewhat surprised. The name of Guo Bei Academy was now well-known throughout the region, if not throughout the entire world. This Young Master Chu, generous and sophisticated, exquisitely attired, had, over several days of acquaintance, led them to conclude that he muste from a noble family. To them, it was strange that he was unaware of the name of Guo Bei Academy. Even though it was strange, the several schrs didn¡¯t think too much of it and began to recount the story. ¡°This Guo Bei Academy was founded by that Li Liuxian, who spouts nonsense about teaching all with no discrimination, even epting women as students, and barely charging any tuition. epting riffraff from all walks of life into the academy, truly a ce full of turbulent smog, unbearable to witness!¡± ¡°epting people from all backgrounds is one thing, but what they teach is a mixed bag of rubbish. Music, chess, calligraphy and painting are fine, although minor pursuits, they are still considered refined knowledge, but medicine, engineering, mathematics, martial arts, what are these? Is it an academy or a medical clinic, a school or a martial sect?¡± ¡°Exactly. It would be one thing if he were ignorant and unskilled, but running an academy and teaching such bizarre techniques, leading astray the youth, damaging the reputation of the schrlymunity, utterly contemptible!¡± ¡°And yet he is so learned that his fame spreads far and wide, esteemed by the great schrs. He holds significant influence throughout Jiangzhe and even among all schrs of Jiangnan. Thus, despite the appalling nature of the Guo Bei Academy, everyone can only pinch their noses and let it be.¡± ¡°Who would have guessed, over the past few years, instead of showing restraint, he¡¯s grown even more audacious, actually admitting courtesans from brothels, causing a collective exodus of Huakui from top establishments in Jiangnan, to be ¡®students¡¯ at his academy.¡± ¡°Bah, is this educating and nurturing talent, or inly using the name of the academy to engage in vile and disorderly behavior, corrupting the holy path of poetry and prose taught by sages to such a degree?¡± ¡°Indeed, Brother Zhang, you know, right? His family runs a brothel. Recently, they weren¡¯t cautious, and one of their Huakui mistresses ran off to the Guo Bei Academy. He hurried over to get her back, but guess what happened?¡± ¡°The ruffians from the Guo Bei Academy didn¡¯t give a second thought before drawing their swords and killing Brother Zhang and all his family¡¯s servants on the spot, blood flowing like rivers!¡± ¡°That Li Liuxian, tyrannical and unreasonable, has taught his students and disciples to be more brutal and venomous than the next. Brother Zhang was a candidate in the official examinations, with recognition for his schrship, and they just killed him without hesitation.¡± ¡°Even if Brother Zhang did start a fight in their academy, hurt someone, they had no right to do such a thing. What regard do they have for thews of the court, for justice, for the rule ofw?¡± The schrs became more and more agitated as they spoke, and in the end, they took a hefty drink and started pouring out their grievances to Young Master Chu. ¡°That detestable Li Liuxian, relying on the protection of the schrly elders, covers the sky with one hand here in North City County, and even in Jinhua Mansion. When Brother Zhang¡¯s family carried his corpse to the county office to file aint, the office refused to ept it, shirking responsibility. When they went to the mansion office, it was even worse; not only did they ignore theint, they beat them and threw them out, using them of ndering Li Liuxian and the Guo Bei Academy.¡± ¡°Brother Zhang is dead, and Li Liuxian didn¡¯t stop there. He used his power to suppress the Zhang Family, destroying their household and swallowing their assets whole, heartless and vile to the extreme!¡± ¡°Not just the Zhang Family, over the years, how many in North City County and Jinhua Mansion have had their properties and lives taken by him?¡± ¡°There are those who say that in North City County, you can discuss state affairs, criticize the government, even curse the current Emperor, but you must never speak ill of Li Liuxian, never offend the Guo Bei Academy; otherwise, your family will be ruined and annihted down to the ninth degree of kinship.¡± The schrs, growing increasingly resentful, even broke down in tears as they spoke. ¡°Brother Chu, it¡¯s only because this restaurant belongs to Brother Meng¡¯s family that we dare speak to you about these matters here. Otherwise, walls have ears, and in North City County, we would no longer have a foothold!¡± ¡°When a nation is on the brink of copse, demon spirits are sure to arise, and Li Liuxian is the demon among demons.¡± ¡°He¡ he bullies people too much!¡± ¡°No wonder he has been unwilling to go to the capital to take the exam all these years, as he had made up his mind to be the emperor of his own domain here.¡± ¡°Hmph, he abandons the books of the sages and devotes himself to the trivial arts of poetry and painting. Even if he went to the capital, what could he do? Could he possibly be the top schr?¡± ¡°It¡¯s exactly because I hope he doesn¡¯t be the top schr that I hate him. In recent years, there has been treacherous upheaval in the court, and the struggle for session has intensified. Not to mention the top schr, two great schrs have fallen. If Li Liuxian were to go to the capital, we could breathe a sigh of relief, but this crafty devil stubbornly refuses. He¡¯s cunning as a ghost, deceitful as a fox, despicable!!¡± ¡°Brother Chu, although you don¡¯t mention it, we are all aware that you have the ability to manipte affairs in the capital like turning your hand. Is there a way you can deal with this person or perhaps lodge aint against him in the capital?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, lodge aint against him. We, the people of Jiangnan, have long suffered under him!¡± As they spoke, all eyes fell on Young Master Chu, filled with hope. ¡°Hmm¡!¡± Confronted with everyone¡¯s expectant gazes, Young Master Chu first pondered for a moment, and then gave a meaningful smile, ¡°This scoundrel has be a malignant tumor. We schrs ought to eradicate it to feel at ease.¡± Having said that, he sped his hands together, ¡°Rest assured, after I return to the capital, I will definitely find a way to present his wicked deeds before the Emperor and remove this tumor for the people of Jiangnan!¡± ¡°Good, good, good, that would be excellent!¡± ¡°Brother Chu truly rescues us from dire straits!¡± ¡°On behalf of the schrs and people of Jiangnan, we thank you profoundly for your great kindness and virtue, Brother Chu!¡± ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that Brother Chu hase to clear the skies and bring forth the moonlight; otherwise¡¡± The schrs, upon hearing this, were all overjoyed and ovee with gratitude. ¡°No need to mention it.¡± Young Master Chu chuckled lightly, his eyes ncing to the side, then suddenly, a sharp glint appeared in his eyes. He rose and hurried to the window, asking the others without looking back, ¡°What¡¯s the background of that woman?¡± ¡°Woman?¡± The crowd was puzzled, then got up and joined him at the window, following his gaze. They saw on the street, in front of a rouge shop, a group of girls emerged, all dressed as academy disciples, surrounding a stunningly beautiful girl in a red cape and white clothes. ¡°Her?¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Brother Chu, you mustn¡¯t!¡± Seeing this, the schrs¡¯ faces all changed. They hurried to pull Young Master Chu back into the room, but he stood still as a statue, staring intently at the girl below, immovable. Helpless, they could only say, ¡°She is Li Liuxian¡¯s maid, strictly off-limits. Brother Chu, you must not provoke her now, or Li Liuxian might draw his sword ande for you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right, with your elegance, Brother Chu, why worry about a beautiful woman¡¯s favor? You needn¡¯t take this risk.¡± ¡°Absolutely, let¡¯s drink instead!¡± As they spoke, they tried to coax him back to the table. ¡°Li Liuxian?¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Young Master Chu ignored everyone and stood by the window, mumbling to himself, and then a smile appeared on his face. But that smile, like a jackal¡¯s, sent shivers down one¡¯s spine. At the same time, on the street below. Miss Xin Shisi stopped in her tracks, looking up and frowning slightly. ¡°Shisi, what¡¯s wrong?¡± The group of girls around her also stopped and curiously looked around with her. Miss Xin Shisi spoke with a frown, ¡°It¡¯s nothing really, I just felt¡ like someone was watching me.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that very normal?¡± A woman with a mature, alluring demeanorughed and said, ¡°Our Miss Shisi, a beauty that overshadows the Heavens, enchanting and gorgeous, even Young Master Liuxian can¡¯t resist you, let alone those ordinary men. What¡¯s so strange about them looking a few more times?¡± ¡°Big sister!¡± Blushing at such words, Miss Xin Shisi retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. The young master, he, he¡¡± ¡°What about him?¡± ¡°Go on, tell us.¡± ¡°We are very curious.¡± ¡°Being in the mansion for nine years, practically an old husband and wife, yet you¡¯re still so shy?¡± ¡°Do you need your sisters to teach you a few tricks, how to tightly bind a man¡¯s heart?¡± The women surrounded her, teasing and making risqu¨¦ jokes,pletely disregarding the presence of others. There was no helping it; such was the nature of vixen spirits. ¡°I, I¡¯m ignoring you all!¡± Embarrassed by her sisters¡¯ teasing, Miss Xin Shisi could no longer focus on the earlier odd sensation and quickly turned away to escape from the gaze of those around her. ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°She¡¯s embarrassed, embarrassed!¡± ¡°Thisss.¡± The group of vixen spirits chuckled behind her, following her as they moved on. Chapter 143 - 103: Chu Wolf_1 Chapter 143: Chapter 103: Chu Wolf_1 Trantor: 549690339 Because the students recruited were mostly from various sects of Taoism and impoverished farming families, Guo Bei Academy had always had the tradition of spring break. They would take a break in spring to return to the fields to plow and nt and only after that would they return to the academy to study. Moreover, the ¡°principal¡± led by example, and its influence trickled down so that agriculture surprisingly became the mainstream hobby of the Guo Bei students without them realizing. Whether it was just for show, out of genuine interest, or in order to stand out, during spring break arge number of Guo Bei students would head to the fields to engage in farming and sericulture. Even the Xin Family¡¯s Fox, who was usuallyzy and pampered, was no exception. ¡°The sealwort in the fields is growing even better now.¡± ¡°I wonder when it can be used as medicine.¡± ¡°Why use it as medicine when it¡¯s so bitter? It¡¯s better to make it into soup.¡± ¡°The young master is truly talented; he actually invented the Method of Cultural Qi Farming. Not only has the ordinary rice harvest been abundant, but it has also cultivated various precious Spiritual Medicines.¡± ¡°I heard that even in the master¡¯s medicinal field, there are ginseng and ganoderma with hundreds of years of medicinal age, including sealwort. Even the Spell King Shifa from Mingxiao Taoist Temple sometimeses to ask the master for medicines for Alchemy.¡± ¡°Ordinary schrs and literati are all engrossed in studying poetry and literature and striving to obtain titles and fame to gather Cultural Qi and increase their Cultivation. Who would be willing to use their own Cultural Qi to nurture others?¡± ¡°It is only after obtaining a title and an official position that one would ensure the agricultural production of a region. But most would use the power of their official status and the faith of the people to ensure favorable weather, taking from the people and using it for them, who would consume their own Cultural Qi and damage the foundation of their Cultivation?¡± ¡°The young master¡¯s method is truly brilliant. Although he doesn¡¯t take tribute, when students enter the academy, most umte some Cultural Qi after hard study. By applying it to farming, production is sure to increase; it can be said that Cultural Qi has reced tribute.¡± ¡°With this method, in recent years, the academy¡¯s farnds and the estates under the name of Li Mansion have all had abundant harvests. Grain shops, oil shops, and businesses like martial arts schools and medical halls have also been thriving more and more each day.¡± ¡°Shisi, you must seize this opportunity. You can¡¯t let another vixen steal such wealth from you.¡± ¡°Second sister, don¡¯t talk nonsense¡¡± ¡°Ha ha, I am a fox after all, shouldn¡¯t talking nonsense be expected of me?¡± The neen foxes of the Xin Family, both big and small,rks and swallows, had been ying and frolicking non-stop ever since they returned from the fields. Miss Xin Shisi was among them, carrying a bamboo basket with her small face blushing from her sisters¡¯ teasing. Just as the group of foxes was frolicking and causing a ruckus¡ ¡°Whoosh!¡± A st of evil wind blew over, shrouding the surroundings in a sudden fog. ¡°Hm?!¡± ¡°Big sister!¡± ¡°Something seems wrong!¡± The Xin family foxes also sensed something, stopping in their tracks with looks of rmed confusion as they gazed around. ¡°Ladies.¡± At that moment, a frivolous voice sounded, and a person emerged from the fog, holding a folding fan and bowing with a greeting, ¡°I pay my respects to youdies from across the way.¡± It was a young man dressed in luxurious clothing, handsome and extraordinary. ¡°This¡¡± The Xin family foxes looked at each other with rmed confusion, eventually, the oldest remained calm and stood in front of her sisters, ¡°Who are you who dares to create disturbances here?¡± ¡°Me? A person?¡± The young man gave a chilling smile, ¡°Oh? Do I look like a person to you?¡± As he said this, he lifted his head, revealing not a human face at all! But rather¡ A wolf¡¯s head, a huge wolf¡¯s head. With blue-ck fur and fierce features, matched with his brocade garments and human limbs, the sight was shockingly terrifying. ¡°A wolf!!!¡± Even though they had already suspected the stranger to be unusual, seeing this sight still made the Xin family foxes panic. ¡°I am Chu Cai from Mount Mang. I am pleased to meet you,dies!¡± At this, the ¡°wolf gentleman¡± gave a sinister smile and introduced himself to the terrified fox girls. ¡°Mount Mang?¡± ¡°Chu Cai?¡± ¡°You¡!¡± The Xin family foxes came to a realization, their expressions turning even more horrified, ¡°You are the Chu Family Wolf from Mount Mang!!!¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± The wolffish young man named Chu Cai smiled, opening his folding fan and speaking with grace, ¡°Indeed, I am from the Chu Family of Mount Mang.¡± ¡°Big sister!¡± At this, the group of foxes became even more panicked, instinctively huddling behind their older sisters. The elder Xin Family fox sister barely managed to maintain herposure, shielding her younger sisters behind her, and looked at the Chu Family Wolf with uncertain fear, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Ladies, there is no need to be afraid. I mean no harm,¡± said Chu Cai with a smile, turning his gaze to Miss Xin Shisi among the group of foxes, ¡°My visit today is not to trouble you,dies, but rather, I havee to offer a piece of joyous news for you.¡± ¡°Joyous news?¡± ¡°What joyous news!¡± Naturally, the Xin family foxes didn¡¯t believe his words, bing even more wary. ¡°Ha ha!¡± Chu Caiughed, his wolfish eyes glinting menacingly, ¡°I have long heard that the foxes of the Xin Family are stunningly beautiful, peerlessly exquisite, beyondpare. Now that I have seen it for myself, it is indeed true. I, unworthy as I may be, wish to ask for the hand of a fox maiden from the Xin Family to be my wife in the Chu Family of Mount Mang. I wonder what youdies think?¡± ¡°What?¡± All the foxes were taken aback upon hearing this. In this world, humans have their own societal norms, and demons have their own Martial World. Aside from those wild Spirit Monsters who became what they are midway through life, other demons have lineages and traditions. Like them, the sisters are known as ¡°Xin Family¡¯s Fox¡± from Yellow Mountain, also considered a renowned family among Spirit Monsters. And the person before them is even more significant. Hees from the Chu Family of Mount Mang, the greatly infamous Chu Family Wolf. Alive in Suhang, buried in Mount Mang! Mount Mang, a ce of Immortal Spirits, is not only sought after by emperors and nobility for burial, ensuring an auspicious afterlife, but even the Supreme Taoist Ancestor and the Dragon and Tiger Heavenly Master among other great Taoist founders had also practiced there, making it one of the ancestral grounds of Taoism. Chapter 144 - 103: Chu Wolf_2 Chapter 144: Chapter 103: Chu Wolf_2 Trantor: 549690339 At the same time, it was a paradise for all kinds of Spirit Monsters! After all, Mount Mang is treacherous and unfathomable. Even Taoism cannot fully upy it, and many demons and Spirit Monsters are born within it. The Chu Family Wolf is one of them, even a prestigious royal n among them, with a high reputation in the Demon World. The Xin Family¡¯s Fox is also considered a noble bloodline among the Spirit Monsters. Naturally, they had heard of the notoriety of the ¡°Mount Mang Chu Family Wolves.¡± Indeed, notoriety! Wolves travel thousands of miles to feed on flesh, and the Chu Family Wolves are no exception, known for their ferocity among demons. A demon knocking on the door to propose marriage to a Wolf from the Chu family? Isn¡¯t this like the weasel paying respects to the chicken at New Year¡¯s? Clearly harboring ill intentions! The Xin Family¡¯s Foxes were simultaneously shocked and enraged, yet they dared not act rashly. In the end, it was the elder sisters who forcefully maintained theirposure, protecting their younger sisters and feigned politeness with a smile to the Wolf: ¡°So it¡¯s Young Master Chu. We were blind not to recognize Tai Shan, and may I ask which lucky sister of ours has caught Young Master Chu¡¯s eye?¡± ¡°Well spoken, well spoken.¡± Chu Cai immediately looked sharp, his gaze fixated on Miss Xin Shisi, who was shielded by her elder sisters behind them: ¡°It¡¯s precisely Shisi!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¡± ¡°How dare you!¡± Upon hearing these words, the Foxes of the Xin Family all changed color, both shocked and angered. Only a few elder sisters still forced themselves to stay calm, maintaining the situation: ¡°So it¡¯s Shisi. Unfortunately, Young Master Chu is a step toote. Shisi has already been promised to someone else ¡ª the renowned Li Liuxian, the dean of Guo Bei Academy. Thus, Young Master Chu¡¯s kind offer is beyond our fortune to enjoy. Please leave.¡± ¡°Guo Bei Academy?¡± ¡°Renowned throughout thend?¡± ¡°Li Liuxian?¡± Chu Cai scoffed coldly, full of disdain: ¡°Are thedies trying to scare me with him?¡± Then with a flick of his folding fan, revealing a fierce wolf¡¯s head, he said: ¡°What do you take my Chu Family for? Let alone his mere position as Jie Yuan, even if he became the top schr, received official rank, I¡¯d still feast without error.¡± Having said that, he stepped forward, his gaze intense as he eyed Miss Xin Shisi among the foxes, making no effort to hide his covetousness. Genuine covetousness ¡ª drool overflowed from the wolf¡¯s mouth, full of the wolf¡¯s innate greed and brutality. Seeing this made the group of Foxes both shocked and angry. ¡°How audacious!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be presumptuous!¡± ¡°This is North City!¡± ¡°Do you know of Mount Jilei¡¯s Mingxiao Taoist Temple?¡± ¡°Atop the Mingxiao Temple sits King Shifa, a recluse with mastery over the Thunder Series!¡± ¡°His Mana is immense, hostile towards evil. You dare to misbehave here ¡ª aren¡¯t you afraid of being struck by thunder and reduced to ashes?¡± ¡°Out of consideration for us both being members of the Demon Race, we advise you to leave quickly; else, once your demonic aura spreads out, King Shifa wille, and you¡¯ll have no chance to escape.¡± Seeing that their adversaries had revealed their ns, the Xin Family Foxes stopped feigning politeness and directly threatened them with the power of Mingxiao Temple. ¡°Mingxiao Temple?¡± ¡°King Shifa?¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°A mere Mage dares to im the title of Spell King?¡± Upon hearing this, Chu Cai burst intoughter: ¡°If he had achieved the status of a True Man, perhaps this young master might have feared him a bit. But just a Mage, even if he practices the Thunder Series, does he really think my Chu Family Wolves are vegetarians? Don¡¯t talk about his absence; if he came, I¡¯d eat him too!¡± Having said this, he no longer cared about the Foxes¡¯ reactions, his terrifying wolf eyes fixated on Miss Xin Shisi: ¡°Shisi, both of us belong to the Spirit Monsters, originating from the Demon Race. Your Xin Family of Yellow Mountain also ranks as a noble house among the Demon Race. Why demean yourself by serving a mortal? Better marry into my Chu Family ¡ª wouldn¡¯t it be joyful to ascend to immortality and be ancestors?¡± ¡°Delusional dreams!¡± ¡°You, a wolf, dream of ascending to immortality?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t even qualify to be a ghost!¡± ¡°Young Master is a close friend of King Shifa. If you continue this senseless disturbance, you may not even get a chance to be a ghost.¡± The host of foxdies were both shocked and infuriated, threatening loudly, but they seemed more bluster than substance. Only Miss Xin Shisi remained calm, drawing her sword and staring icily at the Wolf. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about how I have already married into the Li Mansion to serve the Young Master and live or die for the Li Mansion. Even if I were still free, I would never stoop to consorting with a demon wolf like you!¡± ¡°Since ancient times, those who are different do not n together. You demons, neither practicing the proper spells nor walking the Righteous Path nor umting virtuous deeds, only know greed and plunder, causing suffering to the masses. One day you will reap what you sow. Miss Xin Shisi would rather die than join forces with you in ignoble collusion!¡± Saying this, she pointed her sword directly, with no sign of backing down. Upon hearing this, the Wolf onlyughed. ¡°Proper spells?¡± ¡°Righteous Path?¡± ¡°Virtuous deeds?¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± As the Wolf roared withughter, full of scorn, he said: ¡°What proper spells and Righteous Path, virtuous deeds? We, the beastly kind, are naturally about survival of the fittest, thew of the jungle. What, humans can eat animals, but animals can¡¯t eat humans? Such rubbish principles are nothing but human yground rules.¡± Then pointing his finger usingly, he coldly stated: ¡°Miss Xin Shisi, don¡¯t forget that you are also beasts, demons, Spirit Monsters, and outcasts. Without taking refuge in religious cultivation, humans will kill you just the same, skin you, eat your flesh!¡± ¡°Then, will you still want to debate with them about what is right or wrong, good or evil? Have you lived among humans so long that you¡¯ve forgotten who you truly are, your inherent nature and true form?¡± ¡°This¡!¡± His words left the Xin Family Foxes speechless, uncertain how to retort. But Miss Xin Shisi was unmoved, her voice cold: ¡°Survival of the fittest, natural selection may indeed be the nature of the beast, the logic of nature, but having begun cultivation, you should know that order must exist in the cosmos, that boundless plunder cannot be tolerated, for it will undoubtedly lead to your demise. You, consuming beasts and humans, demons and fiends, fattening yourself on the masses ¡ª how can you possibly achieve a righteous transcendence?¡± Chapter 145 - 103: Chu Wolf_3 Chapter 145: Chapter 103: Chu Wolf_3 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Exactly, exactly!¡± Upon hearing this, the foxes of the Xin Family regained their senses. ¡°Even if we had to marry a pig or a dog, we wouldn¡¯t marry you, you jackal!¡± ¡°What do you mean, bing your wife? Being your emergency rations would still be too good for you!¡± ¡°You demons, not only do you eat humans, but you don¡¯t even spare other spirit monsters.¡± ¡°Hurry up and leave, or we¡¯ll call for help!¡± The foxes of the Xin Family stood together, trying to scare off their opponent. However, the wolf from the Chu Family was not intimidated at all. ¡°Very well, since you refuse to drink a toast, you must be forced to drink a forfeit. Don¡¯t me me for being impolite now.¡± ¡°Attack!¡± As soon as he finished talking, the jackal waved hisrge hand, and from within the fog emerged several sinister figures that walked upright like wolves. ¡°Kill!¡± ¡°Devour them!¡± Chu Cai roared and led the pack of wolves to the attack. ¡°Form up!¡± The Xin Family¡¯s foxes¡¯ pupils contracted, and they drew their swords immediately, forming a sword formation on the spot. ¡°Hmm!?¡± ¡°This formation?¡± As Chu Cai and his pack of wolves fell into the sword formation, they immediately sensed something was off. The foxes of the Xin Family didn¡¯t waste words; they activated their sword formation and attacked from all directions. Zhenwu Seven-section Formation! In the world of Great Zhou, Wudang¡¯s peerless martial arts scripture was integrated and further modified by Xu Yang. With wisdom amassed over three generations and the incorporation of the method of the Array Formation from Cultivation, it underwent a transformation as profound as rebirth, no longer the mundane martial arts of the past. After the establishment of the Guo Bei Academy, due to Xu Yang¡¯s reputation and strong support from various parties, spirit monsters from all around were attracted toe, including the Xin Family¡¯s foxes, who had changed their mind and sent all neen daughters to the Guo Bei Academy for protection. Xu Yang had taken good care of them and had taught them this method of joint battle array early on as a means of protection. After the revision, it had be a tier-one battle array. As long as the quality was sufficient and the formation intact, it was more than enough to handle cultivators below the Foundation Establishment tier. Foundation Establishment fifth stage corresponds to a True Man, and among the demon kind, a Demon King! Did this Chu Family wolf possess the cultivation of a Demon King? Clearly not! Though of noble birth, he was still young, and at the moment, he was merely at the peak of a Demon General¡¯s strength. He was simply unable to break the Zhenwu Seven-section Formation when it was fully deployed by the neen foxes of the Xin Family. In just a short time, one of the wolf servants fell to the sword. The Chu wolf was furious, sweeping away with a w to push back the sword points of two foxes, but immediately two more foxes lunged with their swords from the left and right. ¡°What kind of formation is this?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter!¡± Unable to break through the persistent defense and wild from frustration, Chu Cai finally stopped holding back and let out a roar, unleashing the power of the Heavenly Wolf Howling Moon. ¡°Wooo!!¡± With a long howl, his body swelled in size. The noble young man with a wolf¡¯s head suddenly transformed into an upright standing jackal demon, his dark green body gleaming with a silver light. His demonic power surged, hinting at a breakthrough to the fifth stage, the stature of a Demon King. ¡°Heavenly Wolf Howling Moon!¡± ¡°Innate Divine Ability!¡± ¡°Not good!¡± The foxes of the Xin Family¡¯s faces changed, and they pressed forward with a more aggressive swordy. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± However, they were swept aside by the wolf¡¯s w, and several younger foxes had their swords shattered and bodies sprayed with blood, already injured. Fortunately, Miss Xin Shisi and several elder sisters risked their lives to arrive in time, barely maintaining the formation¡¯s stability. Although it had not broken, the formation was on the verge of copse, growing increasingly perilous. In a moment of desperation, one of the fox sisters could only threaten further, ¡°Scream all you want, make it nice and loud. With such amotion, there¡¯s no way Mingxiao Taoist Temple won¡¯t hear it. Once King Shifa arrives, forget being a demon, you won¡¯t even qualify to be a ghost.¡± Hearing this, the other foxes also spoke up, ¡°Rightly said, sisters, don¡¯t be afraid¡ªour sword formation will hold until King Shifa arrives. Once the Spell King is here, that will be the end of this jackal!¡± ¡°Roar!¡± The words had an effect, and a glint of light shed in the eyes of the Chu wolf, who then forcibly burst out of the encirclement. ¡°Scared, are you?¡± ¡°Atst, he fled!¡± ¡°Wait, this direction¡¡± ¡°He¡¯s not trying to escape!¡± ¡°The Academy!¡± ¡°Young Master!¡± Watching the Chu wolf break away, Miss Xin Shisi and her sisters had no time to breathe a sigh of relief before they realized something, their expressions changed, and they quickly gave chase. Chapter 146 - 104: Sword Box_1 Chapter 146: Chapter 104: Sword Box_1 Trantor: 549690339 Shadows and light streaked by, a fierce chase ensued, and in the blink of an eye, they reached North City Academy. At the forefront was a massive wolf, its dense demonic aura shot up to the sky, rming the winds and altering the colors of the clouds. Miss Xin Shisi pursued closely, followed by the bloodstained bodies of the Xin Family¡¯s foxes, each bearing different degrees of injuries. The formation was profound and had many strengths, its only weakness being its mobility. That¡¯s why mid and low-tier formations were incredibly poor in mobility, capable only of steadfast defense, hardly suitable for pursuit. High-tier formations, on the other hand, often enveloped an entire region, or even a whole world, so the question of mobility wasn¡¯t even on the table. The Zhenwu Seven-section Formation was merely a tier-one battle array, and as the cultivation of the Xin Family¡¯s foxes varied, the formation inevitably became disordered during pursuit. After the relentless battle to this point, all but Miss Xin Shisi had suffered injuries of varying severity. Yet even so, they dared not give up. The target of the Chu Family Wolf had clearly shifted, now direcly heading for North City Academy. He intended to strike at North City Academy, at ¡°Li Liuxian¡±. With this being the case, how could the Xin Family¡¯s foxes stand idly by? Although in their hearts, this prospective ¡°brother-inw¡± was an unfathomably talented and godlike figure, they could not ignore the reality that without a title or official position, he was still but a mortal. No matter how schrly or extraordinary his martial skills were, no matter that he created the matchless Zhenwu Seven-section Formation, a mortal was ultimately just a mortal. How could he withstand a demon, especially a notorious one like the Chu Family Wolf? Unless King Shifa from Mount Jilei¡¯s Mingxiao Taoist Temple arrived posthaste, it was feared that no one in North City Academy could withstand the Chu Family Wolf. At least, that was what they believed. So¡ ¡°Demon, with your exceptional literary talent and the academy imbued with abundant cultural Qi, you¡¯re only seeking your own death.¡± Unable to catch up, all the Xin Family¡¯s foxes could do was intimidate from behind. However, the Chu Wolf paid them no heed and lunged straight for North City Academy. Exceptional literary talent? Abundant cultural Qi? Who were they trying to scare? Did they think he hadn¡¯t done his homework? Li Liuxian had only be famous for about a decade or so. Although his name was renowned throughout thend and he caused a stir in the literary world, his actual aplishments amounted to no more than a sessful provincial exam, with no official title or the protection of the public¡¯s spirit. Considering the painstakingly slow progression of a Confucian career path, he was at best a Third Realm Confucian Schr. A third-tier cultivator, and the weakest inbat among all three teachings, and now he wanted to intimidate the nearly Demon King-level Chu Family Wolf? What a joke! Even situated within the academy, a nexus of cultural Qi, it didn¡¯t pose any threat. Today, not only did he intend to take down the Xin Family¡¯s fox, but he also nned to devour the top schr in thend, along with all the schrs and the kind spirit monsters of the North City Academy, turning them into nourishment to ascend to Demon King status! Demon nature, driven by insatiable greed, gradually clouded his reason and made him utterly mad. The drawbacks of evil skills started to show. Yet he ignored them and threw himself into the academy. ¡°Not good!¡± ¡°Miss Shisi!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about us anymore!¡± ¡°Hurry up and stop him!¡± ¡°We must hold him off until King Shifa arrives!¡± Seeing this, all the Xin Family¡¯s foxes were panicked and urgently ordered Miss Xin Shisi to pursue. However, even without their instructions, Miss Xin Shisi had already acted, following the Chu Family Wolf as it broke into the academy. Among the neen foxes of the Xin Family, she was the one with the best aptitude, the highest understanding, and after marrying into the Li Mansion, she was deeply favored and was taught many Taoist True Scriptures. When Xu Yang was present, she could serve him every night, with the apaniment of literary cultivation and the nourishment of cultural Qi; her progression became extraordinary, surpassing her older sisters to be the strongest of the Xin Family¡¯s foxes. Although she was still no match for the Chu Family Wolf, she could at least engage in a life-threatening struggle. No matter what, she had to hold on until reinforcements arrived. Miss Xin Shisi clenched her teeth and chased into the academy. Ahead, the Chu Family Wolf was relentless. After entering the academy, it was even more resolute in its heart. This ce, though rich in cultural Qi, was inferiorpared to the major academies of the world. Not to mention the Great Schr of the fifth tier, there might not even be a Schr of the fourth tier present. Under such circumstances, what was there to fear? Kill, kill, kill! Devour, devour, devour! Without needing to make an effort to look, the ce with the most concentrated cultural Qi would undoubtedly be where Li Liuxian resided. The Chu Family Wolf howled madly as it proceeded. If it weren¡¯t for the spring break, with not many people left in the academy, who knows how many casualties there would have been. Even so, the intrusion of such a demon still caused considerable chaos. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Once inside the academy, bolstered by the cultural Qi, Miss Xin Shisi found newfound strength and with her sword, she caught up with the Chu Family Wolf, intent on cutting it off. ¡°Seeking death?¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll grant your wish!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll eat you first, then him!¡± The Chu Family Wolf, enraged by her actions, had its primal instincts take over, turning tounch a deadly offense. To say nothing of it not genuinely seeking capture, even if it had a slight inclination, how could it rival the vicious nature of a demon? The Chu Wolf turned back mercilessly, with a furious assault that was life-threatening. Miss Xin Shisi was immediately under immense pressure, and despite the support of the academy¡¯s cultural Qi, she was steadily forced back and steadily overwhelmed. The Chu Family Wolf from Mount Mang was from a Demon King n, with its Divine Skills, Heavenly Wolf Howling Moon, allowing it to boost itsbat prowess, making this nearly Demon General-level Chu Caiparable to a Demon King. Miss Xin Shisi, though exceptionally talented, was still young with a shallow cultivation, no match for such a demon. It only took a few moves before her defeat was apparent. Fortunately, they were now within the academy, and apart from her, there were others. ¡°Quickly inform the young master, tell him to rush to Mingxiao Taoist Temple¡¡± ¡°Bang!!!¡± Before she could finish speaking, a surge of demonic Qi roared forth, a wolf w swept across causing a resounding ng. Sparks flew and the long sword broke upon impact. Barely withstanding the strike, Miss Xin Shisi was also sent flying into a building. ¡°Roar!¡± The Chu Wolf roared, about to continue its pursuit when a glimpse from the corner of its eye immediately drew its attention. In the academy, near the edge of the lecture hall, sat a man leaning against the doorpost of the veranda, holding a scroll in his hands, yet his eyes were closed, evidently asleep. Despite being asleep, the cultural Qi condensing around him from outside to inside deeply attracted the Chu Wolf. ¡°Li Liuxian!¡± ¡°Roar!¡± Seeing his true prey, Chu Cai no longer cared about Miss Xin Shisi and charged at it with a bellow. ¡°Young Master!¡± Clutching her broken sword, Miss Xin Shisi struggled to stand and rushed out, seeing Chu Cai¡¯s movement and the still sleeping Xu Yang in the corridor, she was instantly struck with terror. Having apanied him for many years, she knew well that her young master had a habit of deep sleep, asionally sleeping for days and nights at a time, not to be disturbed by others. Unexpectedly, today was one of those days he was asleep. What should she do? Miss Xin Shisi¡¯s heart was aze with urgency, not caring for her own wounds, she desperately chased after him. But how could she surpass the speed of Chu Cai at this moment? The Chu Family¡¯s Wolf came howling furiously, and in a blink, it pounced into the courtyard, charging directly at the corridor. On the corridor, Xu Yang leaned against a doorpost, his eyes closed in deep sleep, showing no sign of waking up. Just as the wolf¡¯s snout was about to reach him¡ ¡°Buzz!¡± From the room behind, something suddenly stirred. It was¡ a wooden box, a long wooden box hanging on the wall. As the box moved, a rosy light burst forth, sending out beam after beam of sharp radiance. Sword light, sword light, all was sword light. A hundred beams of sword light burst from the Sword Box, moving like dragons. The Chu Family¡¯s Wolf had just pounced down, its gaping maw not yet open, when it saw a dazzling burst of light and a torrent of swords issuing forth. ¡°Bang bang bang bang bang bang!¡± A series of urgent and explosive noises were heard; the mighty stream of swords came howling, impacting the body of the wolf, bursting open in radiant shes, with countless sword qi and demon qi scattering. Caughtpletely off guard, Chu Wolf¡¯s demonic aura defense was prated with ws, and almost instantly, several beams of sword light pierced sharply through its body, bringing unbearable agony. ¡°Flying Sword!!!¡± In his intense pain, he finally snapped to his senses, recognizing the opponent¡¯s technique, a mix of shock and rage surging within him as he forcefully invoked his demonic aura for protection. But unexpectedly¡ ¡°Rolling thunder!¡± The Sword Box shook, and rosy light burst forth, not just sharp edges, but also shes of lightning and peals of thunder. In a sh, a sword shot out, with thunder bolting away like a dragon. The eyes of Chu Wolf narrowed, horror stricken as it attempted to dodge. However, the sword light entwined with lightning was unimaginably fast, reaching him in a blink. ¡°Pfft!¡± Before lightning, all defenses fail; the demonic aura protection was instantly shattered and the demon¡¯s body could hardly withstand the sword¡¯s force, getting pierced through, leaving a massive wound. The body of Chu Wolf trembled, it fell to the ground, convulsing repeatedly. ¡°Flying Sword!¡± ¡°Thunder Series!¡± ¡°How is this possible!¡± Between disbelief, the stream of swords continued like a dragon, striking down, enveloping the giant wolf¡¯s body, prating it through and nailing it into the earth. Seeing this scene, Miss Xin Shisi who had rushed over anxiously, came to a halt. The shocking changested but an instant, and the situation waspletely reversed. All the swords had fallen, leaving only dust and smoke. Within the dust and smoke, a gigantic wolf with thousands of sword artifacts piercing its body was nailed to the earth, unable to move. At this moment, within the corridor, by the doorpost, a sleeping person slowly opened his eyes. Xu Yang opened his eyes, nced at the struggling and twitching giant wolf in front of him, then at the calm Sword Box behind him, shook his head, and stood up. ¡°Roar!¡± Thousands of sword artifacts prated its body, nailing it firmly to the ground. Such wounds would have spelled certain death for amon man long ago. But this demon wolf, far frommon, still struggled mightily, and upon seeing Xu Yang getting up, it roared even louder, ¡°My father is the Wolf King Chu of Mount Mang¡¡± ¡°Boom!¡± Before it could finish its words, a sword shot out, trembling with thunder and lightning, and fiercely pierced through the wolf¡¯s head. ¡°Pfff!!!¡± A muffled sound rang out, the fur burnt and the giant wolfy dead on the ground with the sword artifact prating its skull. ¡°Hum!¡± Xu Yang stood up and with a casual wave, thousands of swords moved in unison, turned into light, and returned to the Sword Box, leaving behind only a wolf carcass riddled with holes. Xuanyuan Divine Sword Jue? Yes and no! Long before acquiring the Xuanyuan Divine Sword Jue, Xu Yang had cultivated the art of the Flying Sword, a technique obtained from the Cultivation World. Though it was but a first-tier Sword technique, it boasted extraordinary power andid the foundation for his identity as a Sword Cultivator. Therefore, upon acquiring the Xuanyuan Divine Sword Jue, his cultivation proceeded effortlessly, and in a mere three months, he mastered the ¡°Sword Box!¡± There are three methods to the art of the Flying Sword. The first is the Sword Artifact, which focuses on the cultivation of the ¡°Sword Artifact,¡± aiming to craft an extraordinary sword of immortal or divine caliber to wield against enemies with endless might. The second is the Sword Pill, focusing on the method of ¡°Sword Qi,¡± emphasizing control over the flying sword, to the extent that it can be flexible enough to wrap around a finger, stretch out to form a sword, or be condensed into a pill, thus refining the sword into silk and differentiating the sword light. The third is the Sword Box, focusing on the cultivation of ¡°Sword Intent,¡± where thousands of swords can move like dragons, scouring the court and sweeping the den, or a single sword can cleave the heavens, destroy allws, and within the box, a Sword Realm is formed, amodating thousands of sword artifacts. The Xuanyuan Divine Sword Jue cultivates the ¡°Sword Box,¡± and Xu Yang, who had just started cultivating it, had gathered hundreds of sword artifacts within it, carrying it with him at all times, nurturing it day and night, thereby condensing his Sword Intent, allowing thousands of swords to fly forth with a single thought. Granted that his Sword Box was newly formed and its power was still weak, insufficient to y an evil wolf near the status of a Demon King. But Xu Yang had hidden hundreds of Thunder Charms within the Sword Box and had been nurturing them with the Thunder Series, solidifying the Thunderbolt Sword Intent. With such preparation, to exterminate a demon wolf was effortless. The Xuanyuan Divine Sword has threeyers of cultivation methods: the Human Sword, the Land Sword, and the Heavenly Sword. The Human Sword requires one to cultivate with human methods, to y demons and eliminate evil, to gather the Upright and Righteous Qi, and to achieve the Human Sword revered by all people. The Land Sword requires cultivation with the earth¡¯s methods, to gather the essence of the earth, to condense the sharp Qi of metal, and to achieve the unrivaled Land Sword. The Heavenly Sword requires cultivation with heaven¡¯s methods, to refine with thunder, merging the might of heaven and earth, and to achieve the Heavenly Sword that makes gods and demons turn aside. Which method is Xu Yang cultivating? All three methods simultaneously! Xuanyuan is, after all, the supreme Sovereign, master of the trinity of heaven, earth, and man. Only by cultivating all three methods can one refine the true Xuanyuan Divine Sword, uniting the trinity of heaven, earth, and man to exorcise ghosts and gods. At present, Xu Yang has merely stepped on the path, with the Human Sword yet to be achieved, the Land Sword yet to be achieved, and the Heavenly Sword even further frompletion. In the future, when the three methods of heaven, earth, and man are perfected, to forge the true Xuanyuan Divine Sword will be within reach. Then, not just a demon wolf nearing the status of a Demon King, but even a Demon Emperor or a Demon God could be in with a single sword. Only then will it truly reflect the elegance of a Sword Cultivator! Chapter 147 - 105: Indulgence_1 Chapter 147: Chapter 105: Indulgence_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Young Master!¡± ¡°Headmaster!¡± ¡°Master!¡± The Demon Wolf fell, and outside the courtyard, arge crowd had gathered, looking uncertainly at the mountainous corpse of the Demon Wolf and at Xu Yang, who stood alone on the corridor. ¡°Young Master¡¡± Having been stunned and lost in shock, Miss Xin Shisi was jolted awake, turned to look at Xu Yang, and was about to speak when her suppressed injuries acted up. The world spun, and she fell straight from mid-air. Among the Xin Family¡¯s Foxes, though she had the highest cultivation and the strongest power, there was still a significant gap between her and the Chu Family Wolf. Her desperate dying tactics had caused her serious injuries and, furthermore, trying to hold on had only added to her trauma. With the Demon Wolf dead and the dust settled, her mind rxed, her body likewise rxed, and her uncontroble injuries naturally red up. Fortunately, a figure shed by swiftly and caught her in his arms. ¡°Young Master!¡± ¡°Headmaster!¡± Behind them, the Xin Family¡¯s Foxes had also hurried over, and seeing the copsed Demon Wolf in the yard and Miss Xin Shisi, unconscious in Xu Yang¡¯s arms, they became worried: ¡°Is Shisi alright¡¡± ¡°She is just unconscious, nothing serious. I will heal her wounds, so there¡¯s no need to worry.¡± Xu Yang reassured them with aforting voice, then turned to look at the Xin Family¡¯s Foxes, who were disheveled and injured: ¡°You all are injured as well, go and rest first. Later, I will send someone with medicine for your injuries.¡± ¡°Thank you, Young Master!¡± Upon hearing this, the Xin Family¡¯s Foxes all breathed a sigh of relief. Elsewhere, the true disciples who had stayed at the academy also rushed over: ¡°Master, this corpse¡¡± ¡°The demon qi is too strong for you to handle.¡± Xu Yang nced at the wolf corpse and waved his hand, collecting it: ¡°It¡¯s over. You all can disperse now.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The crowd dispersed, and Xu Yang, carrying the unconscious Miss Xin Shisi, turned and walked toward his bedroom. His steps were gentle, not jostling, yet the beauty in his arms became increasingly smaller and lighter. By the time they reached the bedroom, the beautiful young girl had disappeared, leaving behind only a small white-furred fox lying quietly in the crook of his arm. Xu Yang wasn¡¯t surprised, but calmly sat down, took out a Spirit Pill and fed it to her, then activated the Life Scroll to dissolve the medicine¡¯s power, healing the injuries within her body. In this world, the demon species practice cultivation differently, unlike the demon beasts of the present Cultivation World. In the real world, for a demon beast topletely transform into a human form, it must reach the Nascent Soul Realm. In this world, however, kind Spirit Monsters with a heritage generally cultivate the ¡°Supreme Yin Body Training Skill.¡± The Supreme Yin Body Training allows them to use the power of Supreme Yin Moonlight to refine the Demon Body and transform into human form; they don¡¯t need to reach the Nascent Soul Realm¡ªmerely theter stages of Qi Cultivation with aplished mana are sufficient to transform. This type of transformation is not an illusion but a genuine transformation. There is no difference from a real human body, and they can change their appearance, hide their aura, and avoid being hunted and killed by demons, monsters, and Evil Path cultivators. It is an essential Cultivation Technique for kind Spirit Monsters. The only downside is that when seriously injured or dead, the Spirit Monster will revert to its original form. But this is not a w of the technique, as even in the real world, Nascent Soul demon cultivators revert to their true form upon death. At this moment, with Miss Xin Shisi returning to her fox form, it meant her injuries were very severe, possibly even damaging her foundation. Fortunately, over the years, Xu Yang, with the nurturing of Cultural Qi and the aid of his Skill Traits, had cultivated many Spiritual Medicines, turning them into various Spirit Pills, and, coupled with the effect of the ¡°Life Scroll,¡± was indeed sufficient to restore her to her original state. After a while, when the cultivation session ended and the Spirit Pill¡¯s power had taken effect, the little fox, who initially showed signs of pain, gradually rxed her furrowed brows and fell into a stable slumber. Xu Yang nodded, alsoy down, embracing the white fox as he sank into a dreamscape. A dream within a dream is, of course, a return to reality. Just now, he had been asleep, dreaming back to the real world, attending to some matters. After all, he had been here for more than twenty years. Even with a time difference of a hundredfold, more than two months had passed in the real world, and there were plenty of issues to address on the ind. Had it not been for the Demon Wolf¡¯s attack, he would have slept for several more days. Xu Yang drifted away into deep sleep, and the white fox also rested quietly in his arms, exuding a sense of tranquil beauty of the years. In such a state, time was hard to grasp. The white fox¡¯s body trembled slightly, and a burst of radiance flickered, the glow of Supreme Yin Moonlight. Within the glow, the fox form vanished, leaving behind only a breathtakingly beautiful young girl, her clothes gone, bare of all cover. Time passed unknowingly in this state, until the young girl¡¯s eyelids quivered and slowly opened, full of bewilderment. ¡°Young Master¡!¡± Miss Xin Shisi awoke to find herself lying in the arms of another, which initially startled her, but upon realizing it was Xu Yang, she calmed down. Yet, she soon discovered something else, saw her unclothed self, and her face heated up rapidly. Flushed and not knowing what to do, she blushed deeply. Although she had been ¡°wed¡± into the Li Mansion for over a decade, serving asionally with a touch of red sleeves, and attending to night-time matters, that was truly just adding the touch of red sleeves, assisting during studies and nothing more. Their rtionship had made no substantial advancement, and such openly intimate encounters were utterly unprecedented. Therefore, her panic was understandable. In turmoil, Miss Xin Shisi was about to get up and dress. But looking at the soundly sleeping Xu Yang on the bed, a capricious thought stopped her in her tracks. The ¡°lessons¡± from her elder sisters haunted her mind, making the embarrassed little fox¡¯s face turn even redder, as if she would bleed. In the end, she mustered great courage, tentativelyy back down, and curled up in the nook of his arms. She trembled as she made contact, and then gradually pressed closer, finally resting snugly against him. Chapter 148 - 105: Indulgence_2 Chapter 148: Chapter 105: Indulgence_2 Trantor: 549690339 So it was that the distance between them became so close, not even a sliver of space was left. Miss Xin Shisi closed her eyes, her body tensed up, and she pressed herself to his side, like a thief in the night. After staying so close for a while, finding that Xu Yang still had no reaction, the little fox finally began to rx, trembling as she parted her eyelids, cautiously sizing him up. Hey there quietly on his side, still deep in sleep. His features were not particrly handsome, but from inside out, he exuded an air of bravado, deep and lofty, stable and powerful, giving one a sense of peace of mind. Gazing at him like this, the nervousness, indecision, and unease in Miss Xin Shisi¡¯s heart dissipated in an instant, leaving only a sense of safety, warmth, and calm¡ªas if at that moment, even if the heavens were to fall and the earth to split, it would have no effect on her. She rxed, no longer shy, and looked over him as a matter of course, this man whoy on the same couch and slept by her pillow. Compared to ten years before, when they first met at Li Mansion, he had hardly changed at all, still with the appearance of a young man, evencking any sign of a beard; time seemed to leave no trace on him, without any hint of aging. Miss Xin Shisi even had the illusion that he was not only immune to aging but seemed to be even younger with time, like the Immortals of legend. Perhaps, he was an Immortal¡ªhow else could he possess such skill to vanquish the Chu Family Wolf with such an air of ease? But if he was an Immortal, what was she? A mere little fox Spirit Monster? Ten years had passed¡ªhad she grown old? While the lifespan of Spirit Monsters might be long, ten years was not a short time. The little fox, whose appearance had not changed and still seemed like a young girl, began to feel aimlessly adrift. In the midst of this¡ ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± A gentle voice arose, breaking through the muddle of thoughts. Miss Xin Shisi¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly closed her eyes, burying her head like an ostrich, curled up in the crook of his arm, pretending to sleep. ¡°Stop pretending.¡± Xu Yang opened his eyes and, seeing her all stiff, couldn¡¯t help but smile a little as he reached out to tease her nose. Only then did Miss Xin Shisi face reality, opening her eyes to see his narrow expression and feeling her own state, her face blushing once again. Xu Yang smiled, reached for the nket beside them, and covered her body, fair as white jade, ¡°You¡¯ve just recovered from your injuries, rest well.¡± Having said that, he was about to rise and leave. ¡°Young Master!¡± Seeing him about to go, Miss Xin Shisi, who had been too shy to control herself just moments before, found strength from somewhere, and flung herself into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist. Though separated byyers of clothing, he could still distinctly feel the touch, warmth, and breath of the young girl¡¯s tender and fragrant body. Xu Yang fell silent for a while, and in the end, he didn¡¯t force his way out but simply sat down, his arm hanging at his side. This unsettled the girl somewhat, making her anxious, yet she stubbornly held on to him, unwilling to loosen her embrace. After an indeterminate time, Xu Yang was still silent. Miss Xin Shisi looked up at him, her eyes slightly dim, a bit downhearted, but still forced herself to ask, ¡°Young Master¡do you have someone in your heart?¡± Xu Yang was silent again for a while before finally answering, ¡°There is one.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± With her guess confirmed, the girl¡¯splexion turned slightly pale, but as she saw Xu Yang¡¯s expression, a flicker of hope and luck surged in her heart, ¡°Then why doesn¡¯t Young Master keep her by your side?¡± Although she was asking, she already had an answer in her heart. Knowing the character and style of her young master, if that person were still in this world, he would surely keep her by his side, even if he had to take up his sword and fight his way into the capital to take her back from the emperor himself. But now, here he was, alone. That could only mean that she was no longer in this world, no longer in this realm. Therefore¡ Xu Yang shook his head and spoke softly, ¡°Some things are beyond the realm of human capability.¡± Even though she knew she shouldn¡¯t, Miss Xin Shisi still felt a surge of surprise and joy upon hearing these words. For a moment, guilt and luck conflicted within her, leaving her indescribable. Yet even so, she was unwilling to let go and mustered the courage to say, ¡°Yun Er does not know who that sister is, nor dares to hope to rece her in Young Master¡¯s heart, but I just hope¡ Young Master can give Yun Er a chance, even if it¡¯s only for a while, just a moment.¡± Having said that, she looked up at him with eyes full of hope. Confronted with her expectant gaze, Xu Yang fell silent and then gave a wry smile, ¡°You and I, belonging to two different lives, cannot have a future!¡± ¡°Yun Er does not seek a future.¡± Upon hearing this, Miss Xin Shisi still refused to give up. She clung to him and said, ¡°Even if it¡¯s only for a while, I will have no regrets in this life. If that sister returns in the future, back to Young Master¡¯s side, Yun Er will leave on her own, without any entanglement. All I ask is for Young Master to ept Yun Er for now, even if, even if only as a substitute!¡± After speaking, she pressed herself against his chest and began to sob, somewhat lost and helpless. In the eyes of others, she was the only fox woman who had managed to enter Li Mansion, keepingpany every day in great happiness. But only she knew in her heart that she had never entered his, not even qualifying as someone exceedingly close. In terms of closeness, there were at least a few hundred true disciples in Li Mansion who were closer to him than she was. Otherwise, why, after so many years ofpanionship, did she still know nothing about him, even foolishly trying to stop him from easily killing the Chu Family Wolf? This barrier filled Miss Xin Shisi with fear, anxiety, and relentless unease, like a fox that could be abandoned by its owner at any moment. Looking at the frightened and confused Miss Xin Shisi, Xu Yang shook his head, once again feeling the weight of ¡°the greatest burden is to be loved by a beauty!¡± With a sigh, he lifted his drooping arms and gently embraced her. The strong arms and warm embrace gave the scared and helpless fox a sense of support and protection. ¡°Young Master!¡± Miss Xin Shisi looked up at him, her eyes glistening, yet filled with joy. Xu Yang smiled and asked softly, ¡°Are you truly without regret?¡± ¡°Without regret!¡± Though still tear-streaked like pear blossoms in the rain, Miss Xin Shisi¡¯s face broke into a smile, and looking into Xu Yang¡¯s eyes, she said, ¡°Even if it¡¯s only for a while, Yun Er is without regret.¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yang shook his head, ¡°If you wish to pursue, then seek perfection, forever and ever, for eternity. How could you be content with just a moment?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Miss Xin Shisi gazed at him in a daze, not quite understanding the meaning of his words. Xu Yang smiled and said, ¡°Though there are many hardships, the challenge of oveing obstacles is one of the great pleasures of life!¡± After speaking, he didn¡¯t bother to exin further and simply leaned down to kiss the girl¡¯s soft, delicate lips. Parting with tears wrapped at the crossroads, the greatest burden is to be loved by a beauty! Throughout Great Zhou and Great Tang, ruling as emperor twice, he had seen countless beauties with skin like ice and bones like jade, but he took none into his pce. The first reason was Zhuanzhou Mengdie; using another¡¯s body always left him somewhat reluctant. The second was that he walked the Great Path alone; beauty fades, and affairs of love inevitably end in regret, which he truly did not want to be involved in. But now¡ With Divine Travel Through Worlds, a thought bes reality, and the current ¡®me¡¯ is me, just as the ¡®me¡¯ in dreams is also me. There is no difference between the two, nor is there any need for reluctance; it is a dreamy union of hearts and spirits. As for walking the Great Path alone. He sought immortality not for the sake of immortality itself, but for transcendence over all, to master fate, and to live without regret or remorse. If his journey was filled with regrets and remorse, then what meaning would there be in seeking the path? When life is joyful, one must revel in pleasure, do not let the golden cup face the moon in vain! Since he possesses the Ability of Reincarnation, it¡¯s not only in dreams that he can live a life but also in this current world. What is there to fear? Xu Yang simply cannot believe that on this Great Path, he cannot take his child¡¯s hand and walk together! Chapter 149 - 106: Taiyin_1 Chapter 149: Chapter 106: Taiyin_1 Trantor: 549690339 One spring night, amidst the beautiful and auspicious scenery, eventually the rain ceased and clouds scattered. The next day, at noon, inside the bedroom. Xu Yang, who had not slept the entire night, was lying on his side on the couch, with one arm embracing the still-sleeping beauty, gentlybing her disheveled hair. As if sensing his gaze, the eyelids of the girl, who was newly married, fluttered; she slowly roused and turned toward him. Seeing him so close and herself so indecent, images poured into her mind, reying the indulgence and absurdity of the previous night. In an instant, she blushed a deep red, an unbeatable splendor. But despite her bashfulness, she still propped up her weak body, ready to take up the responsibilities of a wife, ¡°My lord, let me help you dress.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Xu Yang shook his head and sat up, then with a sweep of his arm, he embraced her once more. ¡°My¡ªmy lord!¡± This bold act made Miss Xin Shisi¡¯s heart leap in panic, her hands and feet at a loss, ¡°We¡ªwe can¡¯t, in broad daylight!¡± Though she said this, her soft, boneless body had no power to resist, instead, she helplessly copsed into his embrace, clinging closely to him without any space left between them. Now a married woman, her eyes and brows had gained a unique charm; the fox¡¯s allure gradually revealed, breathtakingly prating to the bone, making it even harder for one to control themselves. Xu Yang smiled, not teasing her, only holding her delicate waist, ¡°I¡¯ve been studying the Supreme Yin Body Training Skill for a long time, but there are still a few points I don¡¯t understand. Yun Er,e and help me verify it.¡± ¡°The Supreme Yin Body Training Skill?¡± Miss Xin Shisi was startled, then came to realization, feeling somewhat rxed but also a bit disappointed, ¡°What do you need me to do to help, my lord?¡± ¡°Quite simple.¡± Just then, Xu Yang let out a slight smile, ying with her ck-as-ink hair, ¡°Try transforming for me.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± Miss Xin Shisi stared nkly at him, taking a while before responding, her face flushed with embarrassment as she stuttered, ¡°Transform into¡ªinto what?¡± Xu Yang lifted her hanging hair, looking at her delicate ear, especially the pendant that shimmered like white jade, he chuckled lightly, ¡°Let¡¯s start by transforming your ears.¡± ¡°My¡ªmy lord!¡± Miss Xin Shisi lowered her head, trying to hide from his gaze, her voice trembling, ¡°Please don¡¯t tease Yun Er¡ ¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s for research into spells, with no other intention!¡± Xu Yang smiled, his demeanor and words utterly devoid of seriousness, instead lowering his head yfully to nibble on the blushing white jade pendant, ¡°Just transform for me to see!¡± ¡°!!!¡± Her sensitive spot attacked, Miss Xin Shisi¡¯s body trembled, nearly copsing into his arms, it took her a while to brace herself, yet she was still deeply conflicted. In front of him, she was reluctant to reveal her otherness, as that identity always made her feel uneasy, fearing that it would be a wedge between them. But now Xu Yang, under the guise of ¡°academic research,¡± how could she refuse? With no choice left, Miss Xin Shisi had to suppress her embarrassment and activate the Supreme Yin Body Training Skill. Amidst a shimmer of moonlight, a pair of snow-white fox ears popped up amid her raven hair. ¡°Hmm¡¡± Xu Yang nced at the fox ears amidst Miss Xin Shisi¡¯s long hair, then released the reddened white jade pendant from his mouth and asked with a lightugh, ¡°Does this count as having two pairs of ears?¡± ¡°It¡ªit does.¡± Miss Xin Shisi didn¡¯t know how else to respond to him and could only nod her reddened face. Xu Yang watched her, then reached out to y with the fluffy white fox ears, ¡°Does it make your hearing better?¡± ¡°!!!¡± Miss Xin Shisi¡¯s body shook, her face heating up rapidly, at a loss for words. He, however, was not done yet. After toying with them for a while, he lowered his gaze and embraced her waist, ¡°Try transforming a tail for me to see.¡± ¡°My¡ªmy lord!¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Let¡¯s leave the joys of the bedroom for now. Xu Yang was indeed very interested in the Supreme Yin Body Training Skill and had been studying it for quite some time. This skill could absorb the power of the Supreme Yin Moonlight, shedding the demon body to assume a human form. For members of the demon race, it was greatly beneficial. For him, it was also valuable, even immensely so. After all, he had been farming on the ind, cultivating many Spirit Beasts. If these Spirit Beasts could all transform into human form through the Supreme Yin Body Training Skill, then the ind¡¯s shortage of manpower could be effectively addressed. Even though skills such as Beast Taming and Spiritual Farming needed to be personally performed by him to gain the characteristic effects, it didn¡¯t mean that he had to do everything on the ind himself. He needed to enter dreams and continue his cultivation, while at times he also had to engage in alchemy and artifact refining, create talismans, and set up formations¡ªit was simply impossible to keep track of all matters, big and small. It was necessary to add some helpers to deal with trivial matters that were not urgent. Furthermore, the Supreme Yin Body Training Skill could absorb the power of moonlight, which was greatly beneficial for the cultivation of demons. In this world, where the Yuan Spirit was scarce and thends barren, the power of Supreme Yin Moonlight was weakened, hence the cultivation effects were not very significant. But in the real world, it was different. This Supreme Yin Body Training Skill would definitely enhance the cultivation speed of his spirit beasts significantly. The significance was profound. Therefore, after obtaining this mana point, Xu Yang devoted himself to meticulous research. With his talent andprehension,bined with the experience from the previous life in the ck Water World and the Fish-Dragon Change, his progress was not lightning fast, but it was certainly far beyond ordinary people. Now with Miss Xin Shisi cooperating, aside from a bit of yful teasing, it was indeed a schrly pursuit. In such a manner¡ A momentter, the research concluded. Miss Xin Shisi shook her fluffy fox ears, her snow-white long tail trembled incessantly, and her body that was like creamy white jade was covered in ayer of alluring color. It was an experience, a feeling she had never had before, which brought unprecedented reactions and shyness. Fortunately, his yful mischief went no further. He did not press for more excessive demands. Miss Xin Shisiy in his arms, taking quite a while to get used to the posture. Her heart still fluttered with shyness, so she hastily changed the subject, ¡°Young Master, since you¡¯ve in that Demon Wolf, we need to be wary of the Chu Family¡¯s retaliation.¡± ¡°Chu Family?¡± Xu Yangughed, unconcerned, continues to y with those snowy fluffy fox ears, ¡°What Chu Family?¡± Miss Xin Shisi lightly bit her silver teeth and enacted a great tactic of distraction, ¡°Mount Mang¡¯s Chu Family is a mighty n amongst the Demon King n, a notorious existence far more formidable than the enemy our Xin Family provoked in the past.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Xu Yang¡¯s eyebrows rose with interest, ¡°How much more formidable?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not very clear on the specifics,¡± Miss Xin Shisi shook her head, ¡°But I¡¯ve heard that at least one Demon King presides in each of the several great royal families within the Demon World.¡± ¡°Just a Demon King?¡± Xu Yang heard this but didn¡¯t pay much attention. In this world, a Demon King corresponded to the Five-realm level of cultivation, which is to say a Taoist True Man¡¯s level of cultivation. Not weak, but not overwhelmingly strong either. With Xu Yang¡¯s current strength, he would be able to handle it without much difficulty. Miss Xin Shisi, lying in front of his chest, spoke with some worry, ¡°Mount Mang¡¯s Chu Family, even among the Demon King ns, is considered powerful. It¡¯s likely that there¡¯s more than one Demon King in their midst. Young Master, since you¡¯ve killed one of their direct bloodlines, they will surely seek vengeance. You must be cautious and prepared.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Xu Yang smiled and his right hand fell, caressing her white-jade-like, smooth body, ¡°This world, after all, is dominated by humans, not demons. Even if they seek revenge, they won¡¯t dare toe in full force¡ªotherwise, theirir would surely be left unguarded.¡± ¡°They wouldn¡¯t likely do something so self-defeating.¡± ¡°Even if they did decide toe in full force for revenge, I would still be able to handle it.¡± Xu Yang shook his head, lowering his gaze, ¡°On the other hand, you all, should you encounter trouble in the future, remember to act ording to your abilities. Do not engage in a life-or-death struggle unless absolutely necessary. Don¡¯t repeat the mistake you made this time.¡± In over twenty years of umtion and management, North City had long be the core area close to Xu Yang¡¯s heart. Throughout the county, his people were in ce, and for various potential emergencies, there were contingency ns. And he, was the most solid assurance among these contingency ns. Due to the poverty of thend and limited resources, in twenty years he hadn¡¯t cultivated many outstanding disciples. Thebat level of Guo Bei Academy was mostly between second and third tier; they simply couldn¡¯t pose a significant threat. Hence, among these contingency ns, if they faced an adversary of fourth or fifth tier, it was not the responsibility of his subordinates to contend. Their primary duty was to ensure their own safety, leaving the problems to be handled by Xu Yang himself. This wasn¡¯t an upside-down approach where priorities are confused but a recognition that at this nascent stage, there was no logic in making such unnecessary sacrifices. It was like ying a strategic management game. In the starting phase, when attacked by enemies, you¡¯d naturally send out the strongest heroes to deal with them, not the farmers who were pivotal for development and construction but limited in fighting capabilities. This approach not only held no value but would also hinder the overall development. Therefore, Xu Yang himself was the greatest contingency n! He had also told Miss Xin Shisi and the other Xin Family¡¯s Foxes, in the face of danger, there was no need to fight to the death. A tactical retreat would suffice. Once they made it to the academy, he would naturally take action and resolve the issue. With his arrangements throughout Guo Bei Academy, let alone a Five-realm Monster King, even a Six-realm Demon Emperor would be intercepted and stalled long enough to evacuate and disperse. Miss Xin Shisi, worried and confused, wasn¡¯t aware of his true strength, and so she had forgotten his instructions, leading to Miss Xin Shisi¡¯s serious injury. Such an event is something he naturally wished wouldn¡¯t ur a second time. After this incident, Miss Xin Shisi had no reason to doubt his capabilities. She nodded and affirmed, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Young Master. Yun Er understands!¡± After speaking, she nced out the window and saw it was noon. She quickly propped herself up, ¡°It¡¯s sote already. Young Master, don¡¯t you have matters to attend to? With such a disturbance yesterday, King Shifa mighte to inquire. You should get up quickly!¡± As she spoke, she prepared to help him dress. Although Guo Bei Academy was currently on spring break, she had been with Xu Yang for ten years and was all too familiar with his daily routine, knowing full well that the Young Master had no concept of taking holidays and had many matters to attend to each day. Seeing this, Xu Yang, however, took her hand and pulled her back into his embrace,ughing softly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I will take a few days off for spring break too.¡± Then, he leaned over once more, savoring the moment like the warming embrace of exquisite jade in a beautiful setting. Chapter 150 - 107: Artifact Refining_1 Chapter 150: Chapter 107: Artifact Refining_1 Trantor: 549690339 Several dayster, in the real world, inside the small cabin. Xu Yang opened his eyes and woke up. Mingxiao Taoist Temple, Hundred Ghosts Forest, Guo Bei Academy, these ventures had all gotten onto the right track, and all that remained was to steadily grow them. There was nothing much to say about that¡ªjust one word: endure! Enduring through time, umting strength. Until he could resolve the matter of Orchid Temple. As long as he could solve the problem of the Orchid Ghost Realm, he would have enough prestige to deter all parties, further expand his influence, takeplete control of Jinhua Mansion, and even plot for the entire Jiangzhe Province, possibly the whole south. By then, he would haveid the foundation of a kingly way. He could aspire to rule the entirend, or choose to live securely in his own territory. During this time, he could also spare some attention to deal with matters in the real world. With a hundredfold time difference, more than twenty years had passed in the dream, and in reality, more than two months had gone by. In the course of those two months, aside from some inconsequential flies, no one hade to disturb his peaceful life, nor had there been any particrly important or major events. After all, this was the mundane world, where high-tier cultivators like those at the Golden Core or Nascent Soul stages were rarely seen, let alone Qi Cultivationte-stage little grasshoppers. The storms of the Cultivation World rarely reached this barrennd. Xu Yang¡¯s initial choice was very correct; the ce was secure enough as long as there were no idents. However, the peace and tranquility for the time being did not make him idle and content with the status quo. In the Cultivation World, it was survival of the fittest! If he didn¡¯t want to be someone else¡¯s prey, he had to be industrious and find all sorts of ways to enhance his strength. Xu Yang decided to transfer some of the gains from his recent foray into the dream world into reality. What gains? Two main directions. One was Ghost Enving Skills, increase life and damage fate! The other was the Thunder Series True Scripture, Ancestor Master¡¯s Altar! He decided to construct a Yin Altar Soldier Tomb, gather Underworld Souls and Evil Ghosts, refine two generals to increase life and damage fate, and then build a ¡°Nine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable¡± Mana Altar to enshrine for future fighting uses. Both of these belonged to skills useful for fighting, capable of effectively enhancing hisbat power. As for the Xuanyuan Divine Sword and the Method of Heaven, Earth and Man¡¯s Three Talents, they required too many conditions and significant investments, so he temporarily put them aside. These were the main directions. There were also some secondary branches, like Alchemy, Artifact Refining, Talisman Making, and Array Setting, which were also methods of enhancement. In addition, the transmission of the Supreme Yin Body Training Skill also needed to be scheduled to quickly train a group of people to handle the misceneous affairs on the ind. In short, there was a lot to be busy with. But busy as he was, Xu Yang was not disorganized. He methodicallypleted the daily tasks of farming and feeding before he began new work. He took out a green-skinned gourd and with a leap, shot into the sky. In the sky, the clouds and winds were changing. ¡°Pop!¡± Xu Yang activated his mana, pointed with his sword, opened the gourd¡¯s stopper, and immediately an astonishing suction force emerged, pulling the surrounding clouds and airflow and incessantly drawing them inside. Imitation Swallowing the Sky Gourd! This was an artifact he had forged, using a magical treasure from the World of Dao and Law as a reference, after purchasing materials from the Cultivation Market some time ago. The true Swallowing the Sky Gourd was a magical treasure of the World of Dao and Law, a relic left by Ancient Immortal Gods. Its power was self-exnatory; it could contain the atmospheric phenomena of heaven and earth, such as frost, rain, and thunder and lightning. The wind, frost, rain, and snow here are not ordinary; they are all extreme atmospheric phenomena from above the nine heavens. The wind bes fierce gales, frost bes harsh frost, rain bes poisonous rain, snow bes deathly snow, and the thunder and lightning are Nine Heavens Divine Thunder. It can take in all atmospheric phenomena from heaven and earth and use them to attack and fight, hence the name Swallowing the Sky Gourd. The one Xu Yang held was merely a poor imitation based on descriptions in Taoist Scriptures and his own understanding of the Path of Artifact Refining; it did not possess the capability to harness the extreme auras of the nine heavens. However, it could still collect some ordinary atmospheric phenomena. During this time, he had already gathered wind, clouds, dawn light, smoke, frost, snow, rainwater, and thunder and lightning. These collections were not intended forbat but were meant for artifact refining. He was preparing to forge a magical treasure from the World of Dao and Law. Its name¡ªCumted Thunder Cloud! After research, Xu Yang found that cultivators from the World of Dao and Law lean towards¡ antiquity? Cultivators in the real world mainly use flying boats as their flying artifacts. But in the World of Dao and Law, riding clouds and fog is mainstream, with flying ships being a rarity. Nheless, as a pragmatist, Xu Yang only cared about practicality. The practicality of this Cumted Thunder Cloud was quite impressive. To forge this treasure, one must collect the winds and clouds, dawn light, smoke, frost, snow, rainwater, and thunder and lightning from the sky, and refine them into one thunder cloud. Once this cloud was refined, one could activate the power of wind, clouds, dawn light, smoke, frost, snow, rainwater, and thunder and lightning, supplemented by casting spells to greatly enhance its might. Moreover, it could absorb atmospheric phenomena from heaven and earth, strengthening its power, reducing its consumption, and even transforming it into mana to replenish the owner. When engaged in battle, it not only served as both offense and defense but also had recovery effects, truly an all-in-one capability. When used as a flying artifact, it could reduce or even exempt the influence of weather. Even in torrential downpours and roaring thunder, it could still traverse the earth and sky without fear of thunder strikes and could even use the momentum of the wind, clouds, and thunder to increase its flight speed. With such an all-round, practical magic artifact, how could I not acquire one? The same vest, ¡°Shi Jian¡± in the world of Dao and Law had already refined one, and naturally, my original self must also be fully equipped. Xu Yang gathered the winds and clouds, then the rosy glows, and finally even the unique misty fog of Dongting Lake was mostly devoured until the gourd was filled. He then returned to the ind to begin the artifact refining. Since it was a ¡°cloud and mist¡± ss artifact, there was no need for a spiritual fire furnace; it could just be refined using Thunder Series techniques. Speaking of Thunder Series techniques, Xu Yang thought of the ¡°Thunder Lightning Mana King¡± trait again. He had coveted this trait for a long time. Unfortunately, his cultivation was too weak and his Divine Soul too fragile to transfer this skill trait back. Otherwise, this refining would have been almost guaranteed to seed. Luckily, he wasn¡¯t far off now. After all, he had mastered the first-tier Path of Artifact Refining and had studied for many years in the world of Dao and Law. The refining of Cumted thundercloud had already be second nature, a well-trodden path, so even without the ¡°Thunder Lightning Mana King¡± trait to strengthen him, it was hardly likely he¡¯d fail. At worst, the quality of the artifact he refined would be slightly lower. He simply tossed the ¡°Swallowing the Sky Gourd¡± without releasing the various weathers it contained, directly stimted the Thunderbolt Strength, and started refining it together with the gourd. Using thunder as the fire! Using the gourd as the furnace! ¡°Boom boom boom!¡± shes of electricity and peals of thunder were a sight to behold. Mana was stimted one after another, turning into resounding thunderbolts, striking into the Swallowing the Sky Gourd. The little green-skinned gourd tumbled and turned in the shing thunder, the mouth of the gourd shifting between swirling winds and clouds, spewing rosy glows, and then steaming fog, amidst the lightning and thunder, the various weathers changing unpredictably, gradually bing one. And so it went, for who knows how long¡ ¡°Go!!!¡± Xu Yang formed hand seals, the mana surged, and the final bolt of thunder was unleashed, roaring into the inside of the Swallowing the Sky Gourd. ¡°Buzz!¡± ¡°Boom boom boom!¡± The Swallowing the Sky Gourd trembled, with shes of thunder inside, followed by the ejection of a beam of rosy light that solidified into a deep and significant ck cloud with lightning traversing through it. Indeed ¡ª it was the Cumted thundercloud! ¡°Supreme Grade Magic Artifact!¡± Xu Yang, looking at his own creation, however, shook his head with some regret: ¡°What a pity!¡± This refining, without the blessing of the ¡°Thunder Lightning Mana King¡± and without the protection of the ¡°Ancestor Master¡¯s Altar¡±, inevitably resulted in a reduced quality of the finished product. In the world of Dao and Law, the Cumted thundercloud in ¡°Shi Jian¡±¡®s hands was a genuine Supreme Grade magic artifact, even possessing the potential to ascend into a Spiritual Artifact. All that was thanks to the merits of the ¡°Thunder Lightning Mana King¡± and the ¡°Ancestor Master¡¯s Altar¡±. In the real world, without these blessings, the Cumted thundercloud he refined was merely a Supreme Grade magic artifact with mediocre quality, its potential exhausted. Although, with his current cultivation, a Supreme Grade magic artifact was barely sufficient, he still felt a slight sense of loss. ¡°Maybe, after the Thunder Lightning Mana King trait is transferred here, I could go to various Cultivation Markets and collect some special meteorological items. Perhaps then I could refine a Cumted thundercloud of Spiritual Artifact level.¡± ¡°If I manage to gather some special stormy clouds or strange and unusual phenomena, there might even be a future possibility of refining a Cumted thundercloud of Magical Treasure level.¡± Xu Yang mused for a while, then gathered up the Swallowing the Sky Gourd, which had aplished its task, and stepped atop the dark and substantial Cumted thundercloud, heading out from the ind. Once the magic artifact was refined, the next task was the Mana Altar. He nned to build two Altars. One Yin Altar and one Thunder Altar. Compared with magic artifacts, the conditions for constructing an Altar were much more lenient. This wasn¡¯t to say that Altars were inferior to magic artifacts, but rather that Altars did not require a one-time definitive shape. The poor have their ways to create an Altar, the wealthy their particrities. If you don¡¯t have the conditions, you can make an arbitrary Altar and offer mana and incense day and night; it is still an Altar, albeit not very powerful. Once you have the conditions, you can always add bricks and tiles, rece them with various quality materials, and enhance the power of the Altar. This can be done bit by bit and it doesn¡¯t have to be perfect on the first try. The longer an Altar is built and worshipped, the more terrifying its power became. This was also one of the reasons for Xu Yang¡¯s slow development in the world of Dao and Law. The profound potentiality of the major sects was too deep. Not to mention the magical treasures left behind by the Immortal Gods, but even the Mana Altars they had worshipped for thousands of years were formidable weapons, deterring others from encroaching. If you can¡¯t beat them, then you must stay low-key and develop slowly. I digress; back to the main point, Altars are not only useful for fighting but are also extremely helpful for cultivation, alchemy, artifact refining, talisman making, array setting, and more. Given the chance, you should strive to build it perfectly. Xu Yang had a small fortune by now, and his conditions weren¡¯t too shabby, so he decided to visit various Cultivation Markets to purchase quality materials for constructing the Altars. Recently, there were rumors in the market that the Three Sects of Golden Core were going to open the Hundred Thousand Mountains, and material prices were low. Not to take advantage of this opportunity to buy low would truly be a disservice to himself. And so, Xu Yang rode the Cumted thundercloud and quickly arrived at the familiar White Dragon Ind market. But as soon as he entered White Dragon Ind, he realized¡ There was a pervasive sense of sorrow and despair in the market. How sorrowful and desperate? He couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it. If forced to describe it, it felt like the rooftop after a financial crisis or stock market copse. What had happened? Xu Yang furrowed his brows, looking at one after another cultivator with pale faces and despairing eyes. After a moment of hesitation, he finally headed towards the White Dragon Tower. Chapter 151 - 108: Massacre_1 Chapter 151: Chapter 108: Massacre_1 Trantor: 549690339 Inside the White Dragon Tower, Yun Yan once again received Xu Yang. It was evident that this great steward of the White Dragon Tower also donned a worried expression. Seeing this, Xu Yang didn¡¯t beat around the bush and directly asked, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because of the Three Sects of Golden Core¡¯s initiative to develop the Hundred Thousand Mountains?¡± Yun Yan revealed a bitter smile and didn¡¯t conceal anything, ¡°Half a month ago, within the Hundred Thousand Mountains, for some unknown reason, a Perfect Qi Refining Flying Peng Demon King suddenly appeared, with an extremely fierce temperament. The Three Sects of Golden Core, seeing this, could only halt their development n, and the yet-to-be-issued recruitment order simply vanished without a trace.¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s what happened.¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yang also understood, ¡°Then the loss is indeed not small.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Yun Yan said with a bitter smile, ¡°Initially, the news that spread about the Three Sects of Golden Core developing the Hundred Thousand Mountains, mentioned extremely generous merit rewards. If one fought for a moment there, it was equivalent to ten years of Cultivation, which led many Cultivators to spend all their savings, trade up their equipment, purchase magic artifacts and talismans, as well as pills and other items, while also offloading various materials¡¡± ¡°As a result, the prices of all sorts of battle-rted items soared, practically all were traded at a premium, whereas the prices of Cultivation-rted items and materials continuously dropped. With such an influx and outflow, the deficit is imaginable.¡± ¡°If the Three Sects of Golden Core had proceeded with their n to develop the Hundred Thousand Mountains, then everything would have been negotiable, any losses could have been recovered, and there might have even been a surplus of profit. But now that an error has urred, and the development n is canceled, the situation has turned rather dire.¡± Yun Yan shook her head and sighed, ¡°With this wave of impact, who knows how many people¡¯s hard work has gone down the drain. Not to mention loose cultivators, even a Foundation Establishment force like White Dragon Ind has suffered considerable losses, severely damaging our vital energy.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yang appeared unconcerned, ¡°So, what¡¯s the market situation for various materials now?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Seeing Xu Yang¡¯s indifferent attitude to the situation, Yun Yan¡¯s bitter smile deepened, but she still responded honestly, ¡°There are ups and downs; items aiding in Cultivation have increased in price, whereas those used for fighting have decreased. Which type is the Senior looking to purchase?¡± Previously, it was rumored that the Three Sects of Golden Core had offered very generous conditions, directly designating three Spirit Lands in the Hundred Thousand Mountains as outposts. Not only could one rent a Spiritual Vein Cave Mansion for Cultivation at an extremely low cost of military merits, but one could also exchange for all sorts of pills, Cultivation Techniques, and rare treasures. All these were Cultivation resources, essentially meaning that as long as one entered the Hundred Thousand Mountains, there would be no further worry over the needs of Cultivation. Therefore, Cultivators decisively invested their entire fortunes, traded for equipment, and the magic artifacts, pills, and talismans they purchased were all geared towardsbat and fighting, with very few items for Cultivation purposes. As a result, when the news of the development n¡¯s failure spread, the magic artifact marketpletely crashed, with the price of all items rted tobat plummeting rapidly, while Cultivation-rted items and materials surged in value, even the rental fees for the Spiritual Land Cave Mansions changing three times a day. This left those Cultivators who had invested their fortunes and traded up their equipment in a bitter and incessant struggle. The handful of Spirit Stones they had left could hardly sustain them for long. They either had to sell the previously purchased magic artifacts at a low price or go out to find opportunities to somehow maintain their Cultivation needs. However, this had nothing to do with Xu Yang. He not only did not suffer any losses, but also took advantage of the situation to sell off a batch of magic artifacts at high prices and acquired a batch of materials at low cost. Even though the market is presently saturated, and these materials cannot be sold, with sufficient patience, waiting for the market to adjust, he could still reap a considerable profit. There was no loss, not in the slightest. In fact, he could even take advantage of this situation to stock up on another batch of low-cost materials for constructing the two great Mana Altars. Xu Yang produced a list, ¡°Based on what is written here, purchase the materials that have dropped in price. Forget about the ones that have risen.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Yun Yan nodded, summoned a maidservant, and instructed her to take the list and prepare ordingly. Although White Dragon Ind also suffered significant losses in this ¡°financial storm¡±, as a Foundation Establishment power that operated a Cultivation Market, with a Spirit Land as their cornerstone, they were able to endure the loss. At most, it meant tightening the belt a bit further. The truly miserable ones were the Qi Refinement loose Cultivators. Their meager fortunes simply couldn¡¯t withstan such a beating. Some unlucky individuals now don¡¯t even have the Spirit Stones to rent a Cave Mansion, forcing them to live as wild Cultivators in the mortal world. The way of Cultivation does not tolerate stagnation; a Cultivator, spending too much time in the mortal world, risks lowering their Cultivation. ¡°No wonder there have been an increasing number of Cultivatorsing to Dongting Laketely. They are driven by their circumstances.¡± ¡°It seems it¡¯s time to advance further.¡± ¡°To live in seclusion within the bustling market, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, practicing in the mortal world, would indeed appear unusual.¡± Xu Yang inwardly mused, nning his future development. After a short while, the maidservant returned, presenting the requested items. Xu Yang checked them, confirmed their uracy, and then proceeded with the exchange of Spirit Stones. With the transactionplete, Xu Yang didn¡¯t linger any longer, and stood up saying, ¡°I shall take my leave!¡± ¡°Senior, please wait a moment.¡± Yun Yan called out to him. Xu Yang turned back around, ¡°Does Manager Yun have further advice?¡± ¡°Senior jests.¡± Yun Yan said earnestly, ¡°Due to this incident, many Cultivators are desperate and resorting to dangerous measures, turning to the acts of Robbing Cultivators. As such, there have been continuous disturbances in various marketstely. It would be best for the Senior to be cautious as well.¡± ¡°Thanks for the warning.¡± Xu Yang nodded, then turned and left. Seeing this, Yun Yan, left behind, also wore a bitter smile. Indeed, there had been continuous disturbances in various marketstely, all caused by Robbing Cultivatorsmitting murder and robbery. After all, with the suspension of the Hundred Thousand Mountains¡¯ development, the Cultivators needed an outlet for theirbat equipment, and with not as many opportunities or perilous locations to explore, they were left with no choice but to turn on other Cultivators. Even if not Robbing Cultivators, under these circumstances, they had to turn rogue, fighting others to the death. However, these situations generally urred only among Qi Refinement Cultivators. Foundation Establishment Cultivators, already sessful in their practices, possessing substantial wealth, were able to weather this storm. Unless driven by sufficient profit, Foundation Establishment Cultivators rarely engage in the acts of Robbing Cultivators. The Three Sects of Golden Core also don¡¯t permit them to disrupt the lower echelons¡¯ ecological bnce. If there really were any Foundation Establishment Robbing Cultivators toe across this ¡°King Shifa¡± of immeasurable strength, they would likely gain no advantage. This reminder was only a courtesy, a good deed for fostering a good rtionship. But it seems now¡ This favor, it¡¯s not so easy to grant. Such petty tricks and thoughts aren¡¯t enough to truly change the nature of our rtionship. Yun Yan felt utterly powerless. She considered herself to be quite tactful and adept at socializing, even among Foundation Establishment Cultivators she could handle herself with ease. But facing ¡°King Shifa,¡± she always felt like she was exerting force on nothingness, unable to grasp anything substantial. ¡°Where does he reallye from? He¡¯s as inscrutable and deep as a thousand-year-old enigma!¡± ¡°Let it be. Regardless of his origins, White Dragon Ind isn¡¯t plotting against him.¡± ¡°As long as we treat each other with sincerity and mutual benefit, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± Let¡¯s not dwell on the petty thoughts for now. Elsewhere, Xu Yang, who had left White Dragon Ind, was maneuvering the pitch-ck Thunder Cloud out towards theke¡¯s exterior. But before he could fully leave the range of White Dragon Lake, ¡°Cultivator Shi, please wait a moment!¡± A man approached on a Flying Boat, gesturing from the prow. It was an old man with a celestial aura about him, his Cultivation having reached the tenth level of Qi Refinement. He stood on the Flying Boat, waving from afar and addressing him as a fellow daoist, showing no apparent malice. However, Xu Yang¡¯s expression was frosty, and he directly unleashed a palm of thunder. If there was something to discuss, couldn¡¯t it be done in the Market? Why intercept him outside? Did they think they could fool anyone with such tricks, treating him like a three-year-old? In a world like the Cultivation World, acting this way towards a stranger is asking for death, even if it leads to a misunderstanding and wrongful killing. It¡¯s no one else¡¯s fault but their own. Therefore, Xu Yang was decisive in his actions. ¡°Boom ¨C Boom ¨C Boom!¡± With the sound of thunder, a bolt of lightning crackled forth like a dragon, directly striking the man. ¡°!!!¡± Although he was prepared, the sudden decisive strike still startled the man, who didn¡¯t dare to resist and quickly steered his Flying Boat to evade. ¡°Boom!¡± The thunder exploded, a deafening roar ensued, and the high-grade Magic Artifact level Flying Boat was shattered by Xu Yang¡¯s Thunder Series attack. In the splendid fireworks, a broken corpse plummeted into White Dragon Lake along with the debris of the Flying Boat. Qi Refinement¡¯s tenth level, gone in a blink! Xu Yang¡¯s expression remained unchanged without any perturbation, he stood on the Cumted thundercloud and swung out another palm, thunder and lightning swiftly striking towards an empty space. It was a void, an empty void. There seemed to be nothing there, but under the bombardment of the thunder, a figure was sted out. Dressed in a ck robe with a sinister aura all around, his mana suggested he was of Foundation Establishment Cultivation. Hiding in the nothingness, the ck-robed man was awkwardly forced to reveal himself by Xu Yang¡¯s thunderbolt. ¡°Foundation Establishment!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± Facing Xu Yang, who had flushed him out, the man in the ck robe¡¯s face twisted with rage, then without a second thought, he clenched his teeth and fled. He was a Robbing Cultivator, one who practiced Demon skills of Foundation Establishment level. He had targeted Xu Yang upon receiving confirmed information that this ¡°Thunder Lightning Mana King¡± had conducted multiplerge transactions with White Dragon Tower, which suggested considerable wealth. Even though he appeared to be a mere Perfect Qi Refining stage cultivator, his actual wealth exceeded some Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Even though his identity as a Thunder Cultivator was quite intimidating, it didn¡¯t mean he was invincible. The gap between Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment couldn¡¯t necessarily be bridged by Thunder skills. Hence, the man in the ck robe was tempted, ready to take a risk and see if he could take down this fat sheep. After all, he was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator and of the Demon Path at that, most adept at sneak attacks. If he managed a sessful ambush, with his Evil Skills, even a Thunder Cultivator would be easy prey, ready for the ughter. This was the source of his confidence. But now, that confidence had vanished. Dammit, those bastards at the Listening Pavilion dared to sell him fake information¡ªthis person wasn¡¯t some mere Perfect Qi Refining, but a genuine, bona fide Foundation Establishment! A Foundation Establishment, and moreover, a Thunder Cultivator, how could he even fight this? Any victory woulde at the cost of half of his life! Only a fool would engage in such a loss-making deal! The man in the ck robe didn¡¯t hesitate to turn tail and run. But would Xu Yang let him escape? Having Robbing Cultivatorse knocking was something he had foreseen. After all, he had engaged in so many transactions with White Dragon Tower before, each time involving tens of thousands of Spirit Stones¡ªit had umted into a considerable fortune. Even Foundation Establishment Cultivators might be tempted. Such wealth couldn¡¯t be secured by Qi Refinement alone, even for a Thunder Cultivator. That a Foundation Establishment Robbing Cultivator would target him and make a move was thus expected. Xu Yang was not surprised but had long been prepared. He wasn¡¯t ready to give up his identity as ¡°Shi Jian¡± just yet. Therefore, revealing his strength this time, he intended to kill a chicken as a warning to the monkeys, to deter any covetous gazes. Chapter 152 - 109: Killing with a Bang_1 Chapter 152: Chapter 109: Killing with a Bang_1 Trantor: 549690339 The most important things for a Robbing Cultivator are keen eyesight and a resolute heart. Although the man in the ck robecked eyesight, his heart was very decisive. Seeing the situation turn unfavorable, he turned around and fled, even employing a secret Demon Path technique to transform into a pitch-ck rainbow light, escaping rapidly into the distance. ¡°Supreme Jade Pure King, Nine Heaven Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable!¡± ¡°Transform Ten Directions World, subdue all demon spirits!¡± ¡°Holding divine qi in hand, whipping the wind,shing the thunder!¡± ¡°Commanding the Five Yuan Skill, aiding souls through the long night!¡± ¡°Heavenly Venerable¡¯s imperial edictmands, appointing the position: Grand Spiritual Officer of Universal Inspection, fierce official without bias across the Three Realms!¡± ¡°Divine soldiers, hurry forth like a decree!!!¡± Xu Yang recited the spell, and the Thunder Series true method was instantlypleted. In a blink, thunder roared, and lightning streaked across the sky. Even the dense Cumted thundercloud underfoot began at the same instant to sound with booming thunder and sh with bright lightning. Xu Yang formed the Thunder gesture with his hand, urging his mana, and within an instant, the world around him darkened, then brightened once again. ¡°Boom!¡± A bolt of lightning, striking down furiously, locked onto the ck rainbow light that had already escaped a hundred paces away. Five Thunder Demolishing Demon Spell! Xu Yang, now at the Foundation Establishment stage of cultivation, corresponded to a Taoist True Man in the World of Dao and Law. A Taoist True Man is already capable of deploying thunder spells, including the Five Thunder Destroying God Spell, Five Thunder Demolishing Demon Spell, Five Thunder shing Demon Spell, and so on, embodying the thunder¡¯s peak, excising demons and evil, and driving out malevolence with righteous methods. The Five Thunder Demolishing Demon Spell is one of them,plementing the Five Thunder Destroying God Spell. Five Thunder Destroying God, annihtes the Divine Soul! Five Thunder Demolishing Demon, primarily breaks the demon body! It utilizes thunder to st the flesh and body. Compared to the Five Thunder Destroying God Spell, which targets the Divine Soul, the Five Thunder Demolishing Demon Spell is faster and its effects are more direct and visible. Just one thunderbolt descended, aiming straight at the fleeing ck demonic light. Feeling the threat of the devastating heavenly thunder, the demonic light flickered, bing unpredictable, repeatedly changing its course, attempting to dodge the sting thunder. However, no matter how it shifted and dodged, the thunder relentlessly locked onto its form, never veering off course. In the end¡ ¡°How can this be!¡± With an rmed shout, the heavenly thunder struck, and the demonic light was utterly obliterated, revealing a person¡¯s figure. It was the man in the ck robe. The exquisitely ck robe, once radiant with mysterious light, was now reduced to tattered cloth. Even as a Supreme Grade magic artifact, it could not withstand the strike of the thunder, and beneath the ruined garment, his body was streaked with blood, covered in burn marks, vast expanses of skin, flesh, and even bones were charred to ashes. After they crumbled away, fresh red flesh and innards were exposed¡ What a gruesome sight. Even for a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, such injuries are extremely severe, reaching the brink of life and death. This was the result of Xu Yang hastily casting the spell, the power of the thunder somewhatcking. If he had time to open an altar and fully invoke the Five Thunders, coupled with the skill traits of the ¡°Thunder Lightning Mana King¡±, not to mention a mere early-stage Foundation Establishment opponent, even those at the middle and evente stages of Foundation Establishment would perish under the thunder, leaving not even bones behind. This is the might of ¡°Five Thunder Demolishing Demon.¡± Five Thunder Boom, targeting the physical body specifically! Xu Yang, at the midpoint of the Foundation Establishment stage of cultivation,pletely overpowered the opponent with his mana and Taoist cultivation. Moreover, with the authority of the Thunder Series True Scripture that suppressed Demon Path skills¡ ¡°Pffft!!!¡± The man in the ck robe, his escaping light shattered, burst out in a pitiable explosion of his body, suffering an unprecedented heavy hit. No longer capable of fleeing or even maintaining flight, he plummeted straight into theke. Xu Yang arrived on a cloud, reaching out his hand, and with thunder transforming into a great palm, he plunged into theke and pulled out a person, no, a corpse. It was indeed that man in the ck robe, clearly already dead. There¡¯s no recourse, before the power of thunder, all methods cease! The might of the pivotal force of heaven and earth, all skills and bodies must yield, and his Demon Path body was especially susceptible. The fact that he wasn¡¯t instantly shattered to pieces was the result of Xu Yang¡¯s restraint. A battle between Thunder Cultivators is inherently overpowering. Moreover, it was a mid-stage against an early-stage Foundation Establishment opponent¡ªwith realm, cultivation level, and foundational potential fully superior, even overwhelming. If one can¡¯t instantly defeat the enemy under these conditions, what kind of Thunder Spell is it? Xu Yang retrieved the corpse, storing it in his Storage Bag, and then turned to collect the spoils from his earlier disposable foes. Though disposable, he was still at the tenthyer of Qi Cultivation; even the leg of a mosquito is flesh, and there was no reason to let it go. Fetching the charred corpse, he stored it in his Storage Bag, and after confirming nothing was left behind, Xu Yang finally rode his cloud away. Thus a great battle came to an end. The rain stopped and the clouds dispersed, the thunder and lightning had passed. White Dragon Lake returned to tranquility. But this was only on the surface. Soon¡ After a short while, inside White Dragon Tower. ¡°Steward!¡± A maid hurriedly came reporting the news. ¡°What?¡± Yun Yan¡¯s eyes narrowed as she looked at the maid: ¡°Is it true?¡± ¡°Not a word is false!¡± The maid nodded her head, speaking solemnly: ¡°Just now, seventy-five li outside of White Dragon Ind, it was witnessed by numerous cultivators!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Yun Yan then regained herposure: ¡°Do we know the identity of the Foundation Establishment Robbing Cultivator?¡± ¡°ording to the description of his appearance, the performance of his skills¡ It should be the infamously notorious Zhang Jia with his Demon Hand!¡± ¡°Zhang Jia?¡± Yun Yan frowned: ¡°I heard that this person practices demon skills and has a notorious reputation, his methods being extremely strange. Several cultivators from the markets who werebat-ready at the Foundation Establishment level tried to capture him but were repeatedly evaded by him, and he even counterattacked in secret, assassinating one. To this day, the victim is entwined with demonic fire, enduring agony day and night, unable to recover.¡± ¡°To think that he has now fallen at White Dragon Lake.¡± ¡°This Elder Shi, no, King Shifa, is truly remarkable!¡± Finishing her words, she then looked towards the maid: ¡°How many moves did the two exchange, and what methods did they employ?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The maid shook her head with a wry smile: ¡°The specifics are unknown, and no one dared to closely watch the battle. However, ording to the ounts from those who were nearby, Elder Shi, no, King Shifa seemed to have only made three moves.¡± ¡°Three moves?¡± Yun Yan¡¯s heart skipped a beat, she became even more amazed, ¡°What about three moves?¡± The maid narrated, ¡°King Shifa started with a palm strike, killing Zhang Jia¡¯s demon minion, then another palm forced the hidden Zhang Jia out of concealment, and finally, he mobilized his Thunder Series skills to summon heavenly lightning. From a hundred paces away, he struck down Zhang Jia, who was fleeing with his Escape Light, all with three moves.¡± Such a description from the maid plunged Yun Yan into silence. After a long while, she finally let out a wryugh, ¡°It seems we have underestimated this King Shifa!¡± The maid lifted her head, puzzled, ¡°What do you mean, Steward¡?¡± Yun Yan shook her head, dering solemnly, ¡°When I met him earlier this year, I found him unfathomable and even more elusive!¡± ¡°Initially, I thought he had merely broken through Qi Cultivation to reach Foundation Establishment, but now it seems likely that he had achieved Foundation Establishment long ago, and the change in aura I sensed back then was a breakthrough from the early to the middle phase.¡± ¡°This man is actually a mid-stage Thunder Cultivator!¡± ¡°No, no, no!¡± She hadn¡¯t finished her thought when she shook her head again, dismissing it, ¡°Mid-stage Foundation Establishment may not be the truth either. Given his style, it¡¯s possible he¡¯s still hiding his strength, andte-stage Foundation Establishment is also a possibility.¡± ¡°Ate-stage Thunder Cultivator in the stages of Foundation Establishment!¡± ¡°Within the bounds of Liang Country, aside from the Three Sects of Golden Core, who could roam as freely as he?¡± ¡°This Zhang Jia picked the wrong person to rob, he really didn¡¯t know whether to live or die.¡± At this point, Yun Yan let out an inexplicable smile, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that only a Zhang Jia was lured out. If those other robbing cultivators in Foundation Establishment and those few old fogeys were also drawn out and caught in one fell swoop, then my White Dragon Ind would finally know peace.¡± Having said that, she pondered for a moment and then instructed the maid, ¡°Collect the items from that previous list as much as possible, no matter the cost. Since this incident originated from our White Dragon Ind, whether intentional or not, we must offer an apology, and not neglect our duty!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± News had reached White Dragon Tower, and rumors flew through the marketce. ¡°Have you heard?¡± ¡°Heard what?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the bigmotion outside just now?¡± ¡°It was just thunder, what¡¯s so strange about that?¡± ¡°That was someone engaging in magicalbat.¡± ¡°Such a hugemotion, it has to be the sound ofbat, could it be¡ a Foundation Establishment Cultivator?¡± ¡°Just now, one of the robbing cultivators in Foundation Establishment attempted to y King Shifa outside the ind, but instead, he was thunderously annihted by King Shifa.¡± ¡°Shi Jian!¡± ¡°He really has broken through!¡± ¡°Zhang Jia might have been a Demon Cultivator, deeply vulnerable to Thunder Series spells, but would he really be killed by one strike?¡± ¡°Hismand over Thunder Series is extraordinary; he most definitely has an impressive background!¡± ¡°That Old Ghost Shi is truly cunning; clearly having already made a breakthrough in Foundation Establishment, yet he has been feigning ipetence, clearly hoping to lure others into a trap. Luckily, I didn¡¯t fall for that, or else the one dead today wouldn¡¯t have been Zhang Jia.¡± ¡°Damn it, I knew it, that Old Ghost Shi is full of schemes. Back then he baited The Three Scourges of White Dragon, and now he¡¯s baited the demon-handed Zhang Jia.¡± ¡°Just what kind of dragon crossing the river has he turned out to be¡¡± All were shocked and apprehensive. On the other side¡ Xu Yang, having changed his appearance to his original look, had returned to Dongting Lake on a cloud. Cumted thunderclouds, aside from thunder and lightning, carried mist and rosy light, which could change shape or even shift into concealment. Upon leaving White Dragon Ind, he had entered a state of ¡°Concealing Presence Flight,¡± using the mist and rosy light to hide himself and making use of certain skill traits to further conceal his presence. Without Golden Core cultivation or the art of Spirit Eyes, no one would think to discover him. Thus, Xu Yang didn¡¯t have to worry that anyone would follow the trail of ¡°Shi Jian¡± to find hisir. After returning to Dongting Lake, he did not rush back home but instead patrolled the eight hundred waterways. Lately, many unfamiliar faces had turned up in Dongting Lake, some ordinary people and some Cultivators. Some were Loose Cultivators who had been bilked by the Three Sects of Golden Core because the rental fees for Cave Mansions spiked thrice daily, depleting their Spirit Stones and forcing them to eke out a living in the mundane world, where they happened to take a fancy to Dongting Lake. Though inconvenient, they posed no great threat. But others were different. Within the main hall of the Flying Fish Gang, in a study¡ A young man stood with his hands behind his back, gazing into the night sky. Two subordinates reported in a serious tone. ¡°Young master, after several days of investigation, we¡¯ve pinpointed the location. ¡°The Cultivators who¡¯ve gone missing recently are likely trapped there.¡± ¡°We released Spirit Beasts to scout, but it¡¯s like a stone sinking into the ocean; not a single bit of news came back!¡± ¡°The mere mortals we sent, the majority discovered nothing, likely confused by a Formation.¡± ¡°A few who carried Talismans never returned, probably detected.¡± ¡°Good, you may leave. Maintain surveince and don¡¯t act rashly,¡± the young man responded after hearing the reports, not saying anything more. ¡°Yes!¡± The two nodded and left the study. The young man was left alone, his brows furrowed with tension and an inexplicable unease. The matter of Immortal fate had be systematic, with many Cultivation families in the mortal realm possessing power, monitoring anomalies everywhere, and hunting ¡°Immortal fate Men!¡± His Wang Family was no exception. In recent years, however, they¡¯ve detected a significant anomaly. Dongting Lake! Over the years, hundreds of Cultivators havee to Dongting for various reasons and then vanished without a trace. That is not normal, highly abnormal, even exceeding the usual scope of ¡°Immortal fate.¡± ¡°Hundreds of Cultivators couldn¡¯t have disappeared without reason!¡± ¡°There must be some secret hidden within Dongting Lake!¡± Chapter 153 - 110: Making Plans_1 Chapter 153: Chapter 110: Making ns_1 Trantor: 549690339 What secret? He didn¡¯t know either. But ording to experience, there were only a few possibilities. It was either a hidden Immortal Fate or an old monster lying dormant. Or perhaps there was a predecessor¡¯s Cave Mansion or a secret domain fraught with danger. All were great opportunities! They were also great perils! That was why he felt so uneasy. One after another, over a hundred Cultivators had fallen and disappeared into Dongting Lake. Among them were nock of experts in thete stages of Qi Cultivation. Although the youth also hadte-stage Qi Cultivation, he didn¡¯t think he was much stronger than those who had gone missing. Therefore, he had never dared to venture deep into Dongting Lake but instead set up his base in Mansion City, ordering his subordinates to probe around cautiously with all sorts of methods. Only after several months of careful investigation did he finally confirm the location. ¡°Whether it¡¯s an Immortal Fate Men in hiding or a Cultivator lying dormant, they both need Spiritual Energy to cultivate,¡± he said. ¡°Without Spiritual Energy, even if one obtained an Immortal Fate treasure, it would be difficult to advance in cultivation, let alone achieve Perfect Qi Refinement.¡± ¡°That Dongting Lake can cause evente-stage Qi Cultivators to fall and get buried indicates that the forces within are at least at the level of Perfect Qi Refinement.¡± ¡°In the mortal world, Perfect Qi Refinement is such an extraordinary event that it¡¯s already worth the involvement of Foundation Establishment practitioners!¡± ¡°I hope that once the news is sent back, the ancestors will act promptly. The powers eyeing Dongting Lake now are not limited to our Wang Family!¡± The youth muttered to himself, sighed, then took out a Spirit Stone and prepared to sit down and cultivate. In the mortal world, Spiritual Energy was thin, almost non-existent. If one wanted to cultivate, they had to rely on Spirit Stones or Spiritual Medicine. Directly absorbing Spirit Stones was a very extravagant affair for a Qi Cultivation practitioner. But he had no choice. The path of Cultivation, Yuan Spirit is the foundation! If one didn¡¯t absorb Spiritual Energy for a long time, not only was there a risk of cultivation regression, but it could also cause the Spiritual Root to wither and shrink, lowering the qualifications for Cultivation, and making further advancements impossible. He was already at thete stage of Qi Cultivation and had a future prospect of achieving Perfection and challenging the Foundation Establishment threshold; he couldn¡¯t afford to lose out because of a short-term setback. However¡ The moment he closed his eyes, he felt uneasy. With a jump in his heart, the youth hurriedly opened his eyes. Then he saw that an additional figure had appeared in the brightly-lit study. The youth¡¯s pupils constricted and, without thinking, he tried to activate his Magic Artifact and Talisman for protection and to fend off the enemy. But before he could act, the figure standing in the middle of the study moved like a ghost, instantly closing the distance. Approaching him, a hand reached out and grasped his throat directly. The youth was terrified, quickly trying to summon his Mana, but he felt a pain in his neck, as if struck by lightning, and his body immediately became numb. Only then did the person let go, looking down at him from above and asked, ¡°Who are you people?¡± In the middle of the night, breaking into someone¡¯s home and asking who they are was indeed a bizarre scene. But the youth understood what he meant and was even more aware of what was happening, filled with horror and despair in his heart. Fortunately, his mentality was exceptional, and he quickly regained hisposure, respectfully saying, ¡°Senior, Ie from the Wang Family of Red Maple Mountain. The Foundation Establishment Ancestor in my family is Wang Tianling. We came to the mortal realm for some mundane affairs. May I ask where we have offended the senior?¡± The way he spoke was watertight ¨C responding to the other¡¯s question, revealing his own background, and subtly highlighting his family background while showing respectful attitude to indicate no malicious intent, presenting himself as the innocent and weaker party. Such skill in speaking was something ordinary people might not learn in a lifetime. This was the advantage of being born into a prominent family; their starting point was where others might never reach. Unfortunately¡ Xu Yang shook his head as he looked at him. A momentter, having obtained all the information, Xu Yang dumped a bloodied and terribly mutted corpse into Storage Bag number thirty-one and immediately turned to leave, vanishing in an instant. This person was named Wang Haishi, a member of the Red Maple Mountain Wang Family. The Red Maple Mountain Wang Family was a Foundation Establishment family, with a mid-stage Foundation Establishment Ancestor at its helm. Such a person, such a force, Xu Yang had dealt with more than just one tonight. After all, over the years, he had buried the bodies of hundreds of Cultivators on the ind as fertilizer for thend. Not to mention other gains, at least a hundred Cultivators had fallen directly into Dongting Lake. The disappearance of so many Cultivators, followed by the chain reaction of theirwork of rtionships, inevitably exposed the abnormalities of Dongting Lake, bringing it into the sight of various powers. The Wang Family was one of them, or rather, just one of them. Apart from the Wang Family, there were other forces, other stronger Foundation Establishment forces. Xu Yang selectively targeted a few soft targets to extract a series of intelligence. But this did not solve the problem. The exposure of Dongting Lake was inevitable. The scrutiny and coveting of those Foundation Establishment powers would not cease due to the loss of a few pawns but would intensify, pulling out all the stops topete for what they perceived to be an opportunity. What to do? Abandon Dongting Lake, this old haunt that has been operated over many years? It¡¯s meaningless, in the Cultivation World, it¡¯s the survival of the fittest. Wherever you hide, it¡¯s the same; conflicts are inevitable, you just change the opponent. His cultivation also requires resources; without resource support, progression is bound to slow down. Not to mention, the Spirit Land of Dongting Lake is also involved in the cultivation of the Earth Deity Law. Therefore, unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary, he won¡¯t abandon Dongting Lake. Moreover, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator hiding in the mundane world all day is truly too unusual. Over time, there will inevitably be rumors, and it might even draw the attention of Golden Core sects. The loss is not worth the gain, and it¡¯s even more dangerous. So, the correct approach is not to shrink back and flee, but to face it openly, taking this opportunity to reveal the Spirit Land of Dongting to the public, integrating it into the Cultivation World, and developing it as a legitimate foundation. This is what it means to hide in in sight! How should this be done? Xu Yang had already made a n in his heart. Three dayster, within Dongting Lake. Two streaks of escape light came tearing through the sky, prated the sea of clouds over Dongting, and descended onto an ind at the heart of theke. As the escape lightsnded, two figures materialized; they were, indeed, two cultivators. One of them was a middle-aged man, with temples already greying, but who did not show signs of old age, still exuding sharpness, with a piercing gaze, and a tall and straight figure, like a sheathed divine sword, capable of intimidating even when its edge was not revealed. The other person was also middle-aged, wearing a green robe embroidered with jade, emanating an air of an otherworldly being. ¡°Is this the Spirit Land belonging to the Taoist Friend?¡± ¡°Indeed¡ where there are outstanding people, there is a sacred Spirit Land!¡± Having crossed the array, and stepping onto the ind, the middle-aged man narrowed his eyes, observed for a while, and gave a thought-provoking appraisal. ¡°I appreciate the Immortal Envoy¡¯s visit.¡± Xu Yang smiled, producing a Storage Bag and handing it to the middle-aged man: ¡°Please inspect the Spirit Land.¡± ¡°Hey, how can this be right? It must not, must not!¡± ¡°Ah¡ Taoist Friend, you¡¯re putting me in a difficult position!¡± ¡°Enough, enough. Since it¡¯s a kind gesture from Taoist Friend Li, I shall ept it humbly, ah¡¡± After a round of customary refusal, the middle-aged man happily epted the Storage Bag, nodding inwardly. This Li Jianchen also knows the ropes, not putting on any airs that Sword Cultivators are known for. But that¡¯s only to be expected, given that he, Bai Yunzi, represented the dignity and prestige of the Green Jade Sect as the Searching Immortal Envoy¡ªwho would dare put on airs with him? In the path of cultivation, one should not only know how to fight and kill, but also understand the ways of the world. Even Sword Cultivators are no exception. If one is too proudly aloof, ignorant of when to advance or retreat, then they are bound to end up ¡°too rigid and easily broken.¡± This Li Jianchen gets it, which is very satisfying. Bai Yunzi smiled as he pocketed the Storage Bag and then began to tour the ind with Xu Yang. They first visited the rice fields, then the fish ponds, and eventually came to the herb fields. The herb field was notrge but was the essence, where Spiritual Energy from all directions converged. Sighting that the field was mostlymon herbs with only a few Spiritual Medicines, Bai Yunzi nodded secretly and then said to Xu Yang, ¡°The Spiritual Energy here is not abundant, barely qualifying as first-tier!¡± After speaking, he nced at the surrounding area, noting the distinctly evident Gathering Spirit Array, andmented, ¡°Taoist Friend must have put in a lot of effort, right?¡± Xu Yang nodded, speaking calmly, ¡°Having drifted through life, my potential is exhausted, with no hope for further progress in cultivation, so my greatest wish is to have a ce of my own, to pass on what I¡¯ve learned to the next generation. In doing so, even if I have merely passed through this life, it was not in vain.¡± ¡°Taoist Friend¡¯s earnestness is moving, but¡¡± Bai Yunzi shook his head, showing a possibly genuine look of helplessness and a wry smile, ¡°The dispute over Spirit Lands is a rule of the sects; we must go by the book, and I¡¯m helpless in this matter. I hope Taoist Friend can understand.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Xu Yang didn¡¯t mind at all, continuing calmly, ¡°The Immortal Envoy only needs to be fair and impartial. I will do my best; the nning lies with us, but the oue is in the hands of fate. If I¡¯m not up to the task, then losing is just losing; there¡¯s no resentment to be felt.¡± ¡°Taoist Friend is open-minded, truly worthy of being a Sword Cultivator!¡± Bai Yunzi smiled, then without further ado, he dered, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I will go back and report to the sect, to inform all cultivators and initiate thepetition for the Spirit Land.¡± ¡°At that time, as the discoverer, Taoist Friend only needs to defend for three rounds on the stage to im this Spirit Land and establish it as the foundation for your family lineage.¡± After speaking, he pondered for a moment, ¡°This whole affair will take some time; how about we schedule it for three months from now?¡± ¡°Three months?¡± Xu Yang mused at the suggestion, then nodded, ¡°Let¡¯s go by what the Immortal Envoy says.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Bai Yunzi nodded and asked, ¡°The time is set, but the location¡¡± Mid-sentence, he looked towards Xu Yang, pausing briefly. Xu Yang smiled, taking over the conversation, ¡°Let¡¯s have it at Dongting Lake. It¡¯s straightforward and won¡¯t cause any trouble.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Bai Yunzi reciprocated the favor, ¡°Let¡¯s do as Taoist Friend suggests. In three months, at Dongting Lake, we¡¯ll initiate thepetition for the Spirit Land. I wish the Taoist Friend every sess.¡± Chapter 154 - 111: Layout_1 Chapter 154: Chapter 111: Layout_1 Trantor: 549690339 After sending off Bai Yunzi, the ¡°Searching Immortal Envoy,¡± the ind was once again inhabited solely by Xu Yang. Under the heavens, allnd belongs to the king! At the edges of thend, all are the king¡¯s subjects! Where there are people, there will be the Martial World, and there will be governing systems in ce, a matter that hasn¡¯t changed since time immemorial. The Cultivation World is no different, except that the rulers have shifted from secr dynasties to Cultivation Sects. The Three Sects of Golden Core govern Liang Country and have long established aplete system, with each sectmonly appointing ¡°Searching Immortal Envoys.¡± Thew of Cultivation has the Spiritual Root as the foundation and Spiritual Energy as the essence. The so-called Searching Immortal Envoys are disciples of the Three Sects of Golden Core, representing the Three Sects within Liang Country, wandering the mortal realm from time to time, scouting for Spiritual Root seeds, exploring Spirit Lands and Spirit Veins, to be brought into their fold. The former are talent resources; thetter, development resources¡ªboth are strategic assets that naturally must be tightly controlled. Within Liang Country, all resources, whether in the secr world or the Cultivation realm, theoretically belong to the Three Sects of Golden Core; individuals cannot im them as their own, especially when ites to Spirit Lands and Spirit Veins. Therefore, even if you discover a Spirit Land, or even after exhausting resources and much effort, you cultivate a piece of Spirit Land yourself, it doesn¡¯t belong to you but to the Three Sects of Golden Core. You must report it, otherwise you are deemed disloyal, and they have grounds for eradication. Of course, Cultivators are different from mortals. If you¡¯re harsh with mortals, that¡¯s just how it is¡ªthey don¡¯t have the power to resist. Cultivators are different. With powerful weapons in hand, the intent to kill arises spontaneously. Even for the Three Sects of Golden Core, it isn¡¯t possible to oppress them to death, cutting off all avenues for advancement; otherwise, there would be a bacsh that could shake the foundations of the Sect. Therefore,pared to the mortal world, where government and factions relentlessly oppress and block paths for advancement, the governance of Sects in the Cultivation realm is somewhat more temperate¡ªwhile they eat meat, others get to sip the broth. This is where the distribution of Spirit Landses from. After discovering a Spirit Land, although you cannot directly im it, you can report it to the Three Sects of Golden Core. If it¡¯s a third-tier Spirit Land, there¡¯s no need to say more¡ªit¡¯s certainly an asset for the Three Sects of Golden Core. But if it¡¯s a slightly inferior second-tier or first-tier Spirit Land, then the Three Sects of Golden Core won¡¯t im it for themselves. Instead, they will record it and subsequently announce it to Cultivators, especially the Foundation Establishment forces, initiating apetition for the Spirit Land. As the discoverer of the Spirit Land, you have the right to ¡°defend the position.¡± If you fend off challengers three times under the witness of the Three Sects of Golden Core, then you can secure ownership of the Spirit Land and be part of the ruling system of the Three Sects of Golden Core. This was Xu Yang¡¯s n to ¡°hide in in sight.¡± First, he gathered all kinds of extraordinary items on the ind, arranging them to resemble what a ¡°first-tier Spirit Land¡± should look like, and then, under the guise of ¡°Li Jianchen,¡± he sought out the Green Jade Sect¡¯s Searching Immortal Envoy in this region. The Green Jade Sect, one of the Three Sects of Golden Core, is the actual ruler of Dongting Lake and the surrounding areas. Xu Yang found the Green Jade Searching Immortal Envoy and reported the matter of the Dongting Spirit Land. Spirit Lands are naturally urring; although Dongting is mundane, the possibility of creating a Spirit Land exists and shouldn¡¯t raise too much suspicion. As a newly formed Spirit Land, it¡¯s only first-tier. Xu Yang, as ¡°Li Jianchen,¡± disyed the Cultivation of mid-stage Foundation Establishment and imed a piece of the first-tier Spirit Land, which theoretically wasn¡¯t a difficult task. But that was only in theory. The Cultivation World does not rely solely on fighting and killing; social niceties are also important. Such disputes over Spirit Lands are usually dealt with by a Foundation Establishment force calling friends and forming alliances to collectively defend the position three times before they can finally secure it for themselves. Connections are very important. If you are at the Foundation Establishment stage and your n also has members at this stage, or you have good rtions with other Foundation Establishment forces, and everyone is willing to give you face, securing the Spirit Land would be no problem. However, if you¡¯re all alone without the support of allies, you would have to defend the position by yourself against three Foundation Establishment challengers, which is quite difficult. Xu Yang was not alone. Besides himself, the ind was home to the Foundation Establishment stage Spirit Beasts¡ªa Golden Eagle and an Electric Eel. With such a lineup, ordinary Foundation Establishment forces would know better than to trouble him. But he didn¡¯t n to do it this way. Because what he truly cared about was not some Foundation Establishment force, but a Golden Core force like the Green Jade Sect. Although Sect governance isparatively lenient, that was merelyparative¡ªthey are still mountains pressing overhead. For a Loose Cultivator to suddenly emerge with two Foundation Establishment Spirit Beasts and not be suspected by a Golden Core Sect¡ªit was impossible. Moreover, Foundation Establishment forces have duties of ¡°taxes andbor¡± towards Golden Core Sects. The greater the number of Foundation Establishment members, the more taxes they pay, and if there are more than two members, they are obligated to send one Foundation Establishment member to serve the Sect periodically. Thus, the governance of the Three Sects of Golden Core in Liang Country has formed into a perfect system. All Cultivators, all forces, are tied to their war chariots. To keep oneself removed from these matters and grow more powerful is an impossibility. Therefore, Xu Yang did not intend to expose the Spirit Beasts. Without revealing the Spirit Beasts and defending the position alone¡ªwould this work? Of course, it could work. With his current strength and potential, as long as he doesn¡¯t confront a peak Foundation Establishment Cultivator or ate-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator from a major sect, not to mention three positions, he could hold ten. However¡ this disy of strength was not his goal. This time, he needed not only to assert his Foundation Establishment power to deter all covetous parties but also to be epted by the Green Jade Sect, lowering their suspicion and apprehension towards him. That way, he could have some peace and time to develop. To intimidate various Foundation Establishment parties and not arouse suspicion and wariness from the Golden Core Upper Sects¡ That¡ poses quite a challenge. But Xu Yang had already made preparations. With just one performance, he could achieve his goal. After Bai Yunzi left, Xu Yang did not idle. He immediately took out materials and started Artifact Refining once again. This time, the artifact he was going to refine was called the Hundred Ghosts Banner, also an ancient magical artifact from the world of Dao and Law. This banner could collect lost souls and control Underworld Ghosts; it was a must-have for cultivators who practiced ¡°Ghost Enving Skills¡±. It is said that on the Hundred Ghosts Banner, there is even the Spiritual Artifact level Thousand Spirits Banner, and even the Magical Treasure level Ten Thousand Souls Banner. But Xu Yang currentlycked such capital and could only honestly refine the Hundred Ghosts Banner. With his current artifact refining skills, refining an artifact could be said to be a feat within his grasp. In no time, a long, eerily cold banner was refined within the thundercloud spiritual fire. Thunder, being the vital pivot of heaven and earth, governs all things, with both Yin Yang and the Five Elements within it. Therefore, using thunder as fire for refining a Yin-aligned artifact like the Hundred Ghosts Banner posed no problems at all. Far from shing, it allowed Yin and Yang to meld together, bestowing a hint of pure Yang onto the ¡°Yin artifact,¡± enhancing its quality and power. ¡°A high-quality artifact is also not bad.¡± Xu Yang smiled, stored the Hundred Ghosts Banner, and then took out the second batch of materials. Indeed, the second batch of materials¡ªhe needed to refine multiple Hundred Ghosts Banners, as one was not enough to meet his needs. Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit. Although he was already quite strong, he didn¡¯t mind making himself stronger, readying himself to be in the fullest state for thepetition over the Spirit Land in three months¡¯ time. And so, three days passed. On the third day, as the sky darkened again, the neenth Hundred Ghosts Banner was also refined amidst the thundercloud spiritual fire. Xu Yang nodded in satisfaction, ced it into his storage bag, then changed his appearance and disguised himself, erasing ¡°Li Jianchen¡¯s¡± appearance to be an old Taoist man with a cold face and a sinister aura. ¡°I am the Yin Mountain Taoist, haha!¡± Xu Yangughed out loud, then rode on thunder clouds, heading straight out of the ind. Xu Yang traveled through the clouds, leaving Dongting Lake, speeding thousands of miles, finally arriving at a valley shrouded in dense mist. This ce was not a Spirit Land, nor did it have a Cultivation Market, but at midnight, it would be a different kind of trading ce¡ªknown as the Ghost Market! Xu Yang retracted the thunder clouds andnded in the valley, casually throwing two spirit stones to the ck-clothed man at the entrance. With such an attitude, the two guards of the Ghost Market wanted to get angry, but seeing the mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation revealed by the visitor, their anger quickly turned into smiles: ¡°Senior, pleasee this way!¡± Xu Yang didn¡¯t bother with them and just walked into the valley. Within the valley, the Ghost Market was in full swing, with numerous stalls disying various illicit items, such as mortal and cultivator corpses and souls, as well as zombie-like creatures and rted materials of the Demon Path. Xu Yang holding the Hundred Ghosts Banner went straight to arger stall. The stall owner was also a Foundation Establishment cultivator with a simrly cold presence and pale face, clearly someone who practiced Yin-aligned cultivation techniques or was frequently apanied by perverse and evil spirits. ¡°Fellow Daoist, what do you need?¡± The stall owner looked up, saw a ¡°peer¡± with mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, and his attitude warmed slightly. Xu Yang¡¯s expression was icy as he got straight to the point, ¡°Evil Ghosts, the more malignant the better.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The stall owner wasn¡¯t surprised by the request and directly produced a bone cup: ¡°Fellow Daoist, how about this one?¡± Xu Yang took the bone cup, swept it with his divine consciousness, and then nodded: ¡°Not bad, how much?¡± The stall owner was straightforward: ¡°There are ten extremely malignant ghosts inside the cup, collected strenuously by yours truly, at a minimum of one thousand spirit stones!¡± ¡°One thousand spirit stones?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair.¡± Xu Yang nodded, then asked, ¡°Only one?¡± The stall owner gave him a look and then brought out three more bone cups: ¡°Four of them, and I can give a 10% discount to fellow Daoist.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t need your bone cups, three thousand spirit stones!¡± Xu Yang didn¡¯t say much else, directly tossing out a storage bag. The stall owner checked the storage bag and immediately showed a bit of delight: ¡°It¡¯s a deal, fellow Daoist can just take them.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Xu Yang nodded, pulled out the Hundred Ghosts Banner, and immediately collected the Evil Ghosts from within the bone cups. ¡°This banner¡¡± The stall owner looked at the Hundred Ghosts Banner in his hand, somewhat surprised: ¡°Truly a fine piece.¡± Xu Yang didn¡¯t respond and, having collected the Evil Ghosts, turned and walked towards another Foundation Establishment cultivator¡¯s stall. Thus, half an hourter, having toured the entire Ghost Market, Xu Yang left the valley. By then, inside the storage bag, the Hundred Ghosts Banner contained hundreds of Evil Ghosts. But he was not yet satisfied. Taking advantage of the night, he rushed to another Ghost Market. He intended to gather Evil Ghosts, topletely fill the neen Hundred Ghosts Banners, and with them, he aimed to refine the ¡°Increase Life and Damage Fate¡± generals. The art of Enving Ghosts was also a tactic, one that could effectively boostbat strength in a short period and could disguise identity¡ªperfectly suiting his next ns and schemes. Chapter 155 - 112: Yin Altar_1 Chapter 155: Chapter 112: Yin Altar_1 Trantor: 549690339 As the saying goes, ¡°With money, one can make even ghosts grind the mill!¡± Once one¡¯s power grew and spirit stones became abundant, every task at hand would simplify considerably. In just a brief span of ten days, Xu Yang visited all the ghost markets within the boundaries of Liang Country. He threw out heaps of spirit stones to purchase evil ghosts and fierce souls, as well as some special materials for constructing the Yin Altar, the yield was indeed fulfilling. Ultimately, he filled all neen of his Hundred Ghosts Banners with evil ghosts, including the underworld souls of two Foundation Establishment cultivators, the result of hisst act of hiding his cultivation and baiting them while posing as a Qi Cultivation practitioner, both of whom were Ghost Path Cultivators. Together with the Demon Cultivator he had in earlier at White Dragon Lake, Xu Yang now possessed three Foundation Establishment cultivators¡¯ underworld souls in his hands. Inbination with the thousands of evil ghosts within the neen Hundred Ghosts Banners, it was sufficient for him to refine the Increase and Decrease Two Generals. Of course, such frenzied spending had nearly emptied his coffers, or else he wouldn¡¯t have resorted to hiding his cultivation and baiting others in the end. He simply had no spirit stones left. Luckily, the fishing method was very effective, having directly caught two Foundation Establishment Evil Cultivators, his newfound wealth was quite substantial. Not only did it replenish his spirit stones, but it also provided him with two Foundation Establishment underworld souls and many materials that couldn¡¯t be bought in the ghost markets, perfect for constructing the Yin Altar Soldier Tomb. Had he not been worried about causing too muchmotion, inciting panic, and inviting trouble, Xu Yang would have liked to fish a few more times. Upon returning to Dongting Lake, the eyes of various powers still lingered, though none reached out to probe any further. Clearly, Bai Yunzi had reported the matter of ¡°Dongting¡¯s Spirit Land¡± to the Sect, making it known to all parties. Once the others received the news and learned that a mid-stage Foundation Establishment Sword Cultivator was hidden within, they naturally would not send their subordinates to their deaths. Some with insufficient strength even gave up altogether. Only a few formidablepetitors remained, watching intently, waiting for thepetition for the Spirit Land to begin after three months. Xu Yang did not strike against them again; instead, he returned to the ind, activated the formation, and began setting up the Yin Altar. To control and train underworld ghosts, it was best to construct a Yin Altar first, as it could effectively enhance the effect. During this period, Xu Yang had umted quite a bit of material through financial purchases and counter-killing while fishing, especially the contributions from the possessions of those two Foundation Establishment Ghost Cultivators, which provided enough for him to build a Yin Altar on the level of a ¡°Taoist True Man.¡± A Taoist True Man corresponds to Foundation Establishment, and ording to the ssification of this world, that would be a second tier Yin Altar,parable to spiritual artifacts. However, constructing a Mana Altar was far simpler than refining spiritual artifacts; if one had sufficient materials and the appropriate cultivation level, there was almost no chance of failure. Xu Yang went to the midst of the herb field, to a small plot of unnted empty space. He didn¡¯t need to activate any formation mechanisms, only needing a thought to prompt the Earth Deities Divine Seal. In an instant, the earth flowed like water, spontaneously opening up, revealing a staircase. Xu Yang stepped on the staircase, descending underground, arriving in a secret chamber. The chamber was notrge, with walls on all sides, and the ceiling and ground were covered in dense yellow talismans. There were Soul Calming Talismans, Soul Nurturing Talismans, Yin Gathering Talismans, Gathering Spirit Talismans, Soul Hooking Talismans, Soul Stealing Talismans, Troop Dispatching Talismans, Commanding Talismans, Fire Sparking Talismans, Life Chasing Talismans¡ Thousands of them, all controlling ghosts talismans, on yellow paper with cinnabar as ink, the vivid red characters outlined and depicted, within this dark chamber, they carried a hint of strange and sinister implication. Moreover, with Xu Yang in his guise as ¡°Yin Mountain Taoist,¡± d in a ck robe sternly, his countenance grave, he appeared even more like a sinister and evil practitioner. But Xu Yang didn¡¯t care. First, he took a talisman pen, dipped in cinnabar ink, and began to draw Yin talisman scripts on the ground as the foundation for the Yin Altar. As he drew the talismans, spiritual energy from the void began to gather, gradually transforming into Yin primal energy. This was not just the work of the talismans, but also the application of the Earth Deity Mystical Skills. The Mana Altar is abination of ¡°vessel,¡± ¡°magic,¡± and ¡°formation¡±! The vessel need not be mentioned; that is the Mana Altar itself. The magic is the offerings of incense, umtion of Taoist practices. The formation is then the connection of the Mana Altar with heaven and earth, forming a strategic arrangement. Xu Yang activated his divine seal, utilized Earth Deity¡¯s power, coupled with constructing the Yin Altar, and aligning with the earth¡¯s formation. In this way, his work was not only twice as effective, but it also significantly enhanced the power of the Mana Altar. Without any surprises, Xu Yang¡¯s Yin Altar and Thunder Altar would both be established upon this Earth Deity Spirit Land. With the Earth Deity Law, formation boosting aid, and Talisman craft flowing like clouds in the stream. In just a little while, the Yin Altar¡¯s talismanic foundation was drawn. Xu Yang then turned around and with vigorous strokes, he filled in the nk spaces on the four surrounding walls, until the entire chamber was covered. It was then that he put away the talisman pen and cinnabar, took out the neen Hundred Ghosts Banners, along with the nine previously made Yin Command gs, making twenty-eight in total, which he ced around the perimeter to construct the foundation of the formation for the Yin Altar. After that, he turned and moved to the center of the chamber, taking out jujube wood, pagoda tree wood, yellow earth, and ck mud from his storage bag, to begin building the main body of the Yin Altar. As the old saying goes, ¡°Without Yin alone can¡¯t be formed; without Yang alone can¡¯t flourish!¡± Even for a Yin Altar, one can¡¯t solely use materials of pure Yin and methods of pure Yin to construct it. Such extreme practices are forbidden and wicked; though they may be formidable for a time, they leave no leeway for either enemy or the practitioner. The chances of uncontroble Yin ghosts causing harmful bacsh, resulting in the destruction of both the altar and the practitioner, are significantly increased, leading invariably to a bad end. Let alone oneself meeting a bitter fate, it could potentially be a disaster in the mortal realm, truly the vilest among wicked techniques. Xu Yang would not resort to such methods. He sought to harmonize Yin and Yang, tobine hardness and softness, constructing a Righteous Skills Yin Altar. Jujube wood is Yang, pagoda tree wood is Yin. Yellow earth is hard, ck mud is soft. Yin and Yang united, hardness and softnessbined. Only then does it constitute the righteous way! He had truly invested a great deal, using materials that were all spiritual in nature. The jujube wood was from a thousand-year-old yang jujube tree, and the pagoda tree wood was from a thousand-year-old yin schrtree. The yellow earth was collected from the surface of a Spirit Land, and the ck mud, from the belly of a Spirit Land. Both were imbued with Spiritual Energy and transformation, further emphasizing their attributes of Yin and Yang. Such a construction formed an eight-cornered Dharma Seal, divided into the five cardinal directions. Xu Yang stood before the Mana Altar and then took out five Underworld Soldiermand gs, hanging them in the respective directions of east, west, south, north, and center. After that, he ced a table made from the same jujube wood and pagoda tree atop it, covered it with Yellow Talismans, set up a sacrificial furnace and incense sticks, and then arranged the offerings of three animals and four rituals. With this, the embryonic form of a Righteous Skills Yin Altar was established. The reason why it was said to be embryonic was that itcked the final step¡ªinaugurating the altar andmencing the ritual! Xu Yang cast away a bunch of Spirit Talismans, holding a sword in one hand and making seals with the other, walking through the Big Dipper¡¯s steps as he performed the incantation. It was¡ ¡°Heaven pure, Earth spiritual, I now call upon the Underworld Soldier Five Ghosts to obey the charm order. With divine skills that span myriad miles, capture all who defy righteousness under the heavens and y every unjust god among mortals. With the left hand holding the seal thatmands Celestial Soldiers and the right hand wielding the g that directs Celestial Generals, summon forth Celestial Soldiers and Generals to mymand. Should any malevolent spirits or evil demons refuse to submit, let the Five Ghosts ignite mes to burn these demons, to eradicate all evil spirits and eliminate fiends¡ As a disciple, I devoutly request, Five Directions Five Ghosts, heed my charm order, in the name of my Yin Mountain Old Ancestor¡¯s divine army, may this order be executed promptly asw!!!¡± It was the Five Ghosts Underworld Soldier method recorded in ¡°Xuanming True Person¡¯s Ghost Controlling Method,¡± also known as the Five Chaotic Generals and Soldiers, first documented in the ¡°Yin Mountain Mana Scrolls,¡±ter included in the ¡°Ghost Enving Skills¡± by the Xuanming True Person. This method was also considered a Taoist Gate Righteous Skill, capable ofmanding the Five Ghosts Underworld Soldiers and the Five Chaotic Generals and Soldiers to act onmand. Although this world was primarily focused on Cultivation and may not have the entire system of spirits and deities of Daoism, even if the spirits and gods were absent, the Dao still existed. When charms and incantations were invoked, heaven and earth responded, and their mighty power still manifested. ¡°Whoosh!!!¡± Amidst the chanting, a Yin wind howled, and Yellow Talismans scattered chaotically. Xu Yang¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he intensified his Mana, summoning Underworld Soldiers and ghostly steeds from the five directions. The neen Hundred Ghosts Banners and nine Yin Command gs erected around resonated in response, with countless Evil Ghosts and Underworld Souls flying out and circling the Mana Altar, screeching incessantly¡ The scene was truly reminiscent of Evil Skills! Fierce Evil Ghosts and resentful Underworld Souls even rushed towards Xu Yang, intending to devour the Taoist practitioner of Ghost Skills. ¡°Hmph!¡± Xu Yang let out a cold snort, and suddenly, thunderbolts burst forth around him, causing the host of Evil Ghosts and Underworld Souls to retreat in terrified screams. Unconcerned, Xu Yang directed the sword to draw upon the thunder and lightning and pointed a finger out. ¡°Roar!¡± In that moment, thunder roared and lightning surged, transforming into a pure Yang essence that struck the righteous Yin Altar. ¡°Whoosh!!!¡± Suddenly, the Yin wind dissipated, the hundreds of ghosts returned to the banner, leaving behind only the Yin-Yang integrated altar standing solemnly within the secret chamber, shining brightly without a trace of sinister aura, emanating a sense of sacredness and dignity. The Righteous Skills Yin Altar was officiallypleted. ¡°Ha!¡± Seeing this, Xu Yang also felt ted andughed heartily. Then, he put away the sword, sat in front of the altar, and called over a Hundred Ghosts Banner. With a flick of the long banner, hundreds of Evil Ghosts and Underworld Souls whistled out. Among them, two Foundation Establishment Underworld Souls stood out with their substantial forms and fearsome might. ¡°It¡¯s going to be you two.¡± Xu Yang stimted his Mana power, and with lightning shing, he turned it into two Taoist charms, merging them with the thunderbolt creation and pure Yang essence, striking the two Foundation Establishment Underworld Souls and imprinting the divine seals into their foreheads. He was indeed selecting them as the primary bodies for the Underworld Ghosts to start refining ¡°Increase Life and Damage Fate Two Generals!¡± ¡°Roar! Roar!¡± With the influence of the thunderbolt creation, pure Yang entering their fate, the ¡°Increase Life and Damage Fate Two Generals¡± roared with excitement and pounced on the surrounding Evil Ghosts, opening their huge, gaping mouths and feasting heartily. Over these ten days, apart from purchasing from the Ghost Market, Xu Yang had been cultivating in his dreams, even letting the Golden Eagle act as a substitute driver on the road. After such ten days, with the umtion in the World of Dao and Law, he was finally able to transfer a skill trait back with him. Xu Yang chose ¡°Increase Life and Damage Fate!¡± It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want ¡°Thunder Lightning Mana King,¡± but the tier level of Thunder Lightning Mana King was clearly higher than that of Increase Life and Damage Fate. The Divine Soul strength umted in the World of Dao and Law was still not enough to transfer this skill trait back. Therefore, he had to settle for the next best thing and take Increase Life and Damage Fate first, and aim to acquire Thunder Lightning Mana Kingter. With his current mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivation, coupled with the might of Thunder Series and the help of skill traits, there was no need to fear losing control of the Underworld Ghosts and them backfiring on their master. He could boldly refine the two Foundation Establishment Underworld Souls into the Increase Life and Damage Fate Two Generals. Originally just Foundation Establishment Underworld Souls, now with Taoist refinement, skill trait enhancement, and having devoured the thousands of Evil Ghosts from the neen Hundred Ghosts Banners, what kind of strength and power would the newly refined Increase and Decrease Two Generals possess? It¡¯s likely that they could contend and vie even withte Foundation Establishment phases! This was the power of Ghost Enving Skills. Living beings focus on gradual progress in cultivation and must not rush lest they risk deviation. Except for those who are the descendants of great gods, saints, immortals, and powerful beings, no one can expect to advance a thousand miles in a single day. Ghosts are different. They are Yin spirits, not living beings, and can swallow Underworld Souls and Yin Qi to grow rapidly and escte their power quickly. Especially the Increase and Decrease Two Generals, such as Underworld Ghosts; as long as there is sufficient nourishment, they can indeed leap forward a thousand miles a day, making rapid strides in strength. With over two months left, relying on the Righteous Skills Yin Altar, thunderbolt pure Yang, Ghost Enving Skills, and skill traits, Xu Yang could certainly refine these unconventional Increase and Decrease Two Generals to an extraordinary level before the conflict for the Spirit Land, thus gaining another powerful means. When the timees, unless the Golden Core ancestors of Green Jade Sect personally appear, no one will pose a substantial threat to him. Not even a Perfect Foundation Building Practitioner can do so! Absolute confidence! Chapter 156 - 113: Rebellion_1 Chapter 156: Chapter 113: Rebellion_1 Trantor: 549690339 Time flew by, and before we knew it, three months had passed. Three monthster, over Dongting Lake. Streaks of spirit light soared through the sky, entering the cloud-enshrouded Dongting Lake, astonishing countless mortals who beheld the spectacle. It would probably be only a few days before tales among themon folk would tell of spirit light above Dongting Lake and immortal tracks appearing within Cloud Dream Marsh. But this was just a tale for mortals. In the Cultivation World, the matter of the Dongting spiritnd had already been known far and wide. A piece of tier-one spiritnd, man-made and with limited potential, was generally of mediocre value. In the past, a single Foundation Establishment Cultivator could have imed it and used it as a base for further cultivation. But this time, things were different from before. Deliberate orchestrations had made the struggle for this spiritnd not only about interests but entwined with debts of blood and vengeance. It was destined to not end well! ¡°Whoosh!!!¡± As the spirit light descended, a gust of wind howled, clearing away the mists clouding Dongting. Within the spirit light, there were flying magical artifacts, with the least of them being of high-grade quality. Some even were supreme grade, spanning dozens of meters,rge enough to be a ship building. This was arge-sized flying magical artifact, capable of carrying dozens of people. Whether it was speed or defense, this surpassed ordinary flying artifacts by far. A typical Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivator couldn¡¯t possibly afford it nor had any need for such an expense. Only a faction with ample wealth and exceptional potential, hosting dozens of cultivators, would require and be able to gather the personnel to effectively control such arge-sized artifact. As for Loose Cultivators, solitary figures though they might be, even if they could afford it, wouldn¡¯t have the means to operate it. Such artifacts wereced withyers of Formation Restrictions. They could be used for travel and could be deployed inbat, like moving fortresses, serving as a heavy offense and defense weapons, as well as symbols of status, strength, and potential. And within such a three-deck ship¡ ¡°Li Jianchen?¡± ¡°Mid-Foundation Establishment?¡± ¡°Sword Cultivator?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Within the hall, three individuals were seated, each possessing Foundation Establishment Cultivation. The person in the main seat was an old man with white hair and a natural aura of authority. His cultivation had impressively reached thete Foundation Establishment stage. To his left and right sat two middle-aged men; one at the early and the other at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. It was the individual at mid-Foundation Establishment who spoke out in anger, ¡°Hiding and cowering, bullying the weak with your strength, luring and killing the youths of our n¡ªsuch acts, even under the guise of a ¡®Sword Cultivator,¡¯ are truly shameless and disgraceful,cking in any face or decency!¡± His words carried not just intense anger but waves of hatred. Where did this hatrede from? It originated from Xu Yang¡¯s recent deeds. Before reporting the Dongting spiritnd to the Green Jade Sect, he chose not too soft or too tough targets amidst the various factions¡¯ spies, dealt a ruthless hand, and eliminated them. These spies belonged to factions that noticed something amiss with Dongting and had been sent ahead to inquire about the situation. Most of them possessed notable cultivation,rgely in thete Qi Cultivation stage and of elite status within their respective Foundation Establishment forces. Now fallen at Dongting Lake and for their rtives, how could there not be hatred? The situation had evolved to a point where it was no longer merely about the dispute over the spiritnd¡¯s benefits but included a grudge over the blood debt of fallen disciples. Had it not been for this, they would not have gone to such lengths to confront a mid-Foundation Establishment Sword Cultivator. There are distinctions even among spiritnds. A tier-one spiritnd corresponds to the Qi Cultivation stage with limited value; it could only be a familial foundation for exclusive use. To establish a marketce and attract cultivators toe and engage in businesses like ¡°spiritnd leasing,¡± thend would have to be at least tier-two. Like White Dragon Ind, which belongs to the lower grade of tier-two. Such spiritnds have value, worth enough for Foundation Establishment Cultivators to risk their lives in life-and-death struggles. Dongting Lake was merely a tier-one spiritnd, a man-made tier-one spiritnd at that. Belonging to the lower grade with limited potential and not particrly valuable. It certainly wasn¡¯t worth a Foundation Establishment Cultivator risking his life over. But now¡ ¡°A mere piece of tier-one spiritnd; if it were just his mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation iming it, then so be it!¡± ¡°But he has willfully ughtered our descendants, this enmity cannot go unavenged, this rage unquenched!¡± The man at mid-Foundation Establishment mmed his hands on the table, seething with righteous fury, his killing intent sharp and clear. He was the Foundation Establishment Ancestor from the Wang Family of Red Maple Mountain¡ªWang Tianling! No wonder he was so enraged. The person from the Wang Family who had been killed was intimately rted to him, his own illegitimate child. He had hoped the youngster would seize the opportunity to achieve something to elevate his status in the family so that he could tilt the family¡¯s resources in his favor. Yet, unexpectedly, the young man fell before achieving anything, in at Dongting Lake. How could he not harbor hatred? But fury aside, his rationality remained intact. The adversary¡¯s cultivation was at mid-Foundation Establishment, no weaker than his own, and as a Sword Cultivator, exceptional inbat. On his own, seeking vengeance was nothing but a foolish dream. He might even end up in by his opponent¡¯s de. Therefore¡ ¡°Father-inw, I heard that your son was also a victim of that viin.¡± Wang Tianling turned to the white-haired elder in the main seat, ¡°This enmity must be avenged! The white-haired elder nced at him with an indifferent expression and said nothing. This man was the Foundation Establishment Ancestor of another Foundation Establishment family, Qingfeng Mountain¡¯s Zhou Family¡ªZhou Mingyu! He was the Wang Family¡¯s inw, offering mutual assistance. As the Zhou Family¡¯s ancestor, Zhou Mingyu had reached thete Foundation Establishment stage decades ago and was considered among the top within the various Foundation Establishment forces under the Green Jade Sect. Therefore, he was Wang Tianling¡¯s hope for revenge. The road to cultivation was such that there was always a higher mountain. The more advanced the stage, the clearer the gap between realms became. Throughout history, there have been examples of Qi Cultivation mid-stagers fighting across levels against those atter stages; likewise, Qi Cultivation at Perfect Refinement risking their lives against Foundation Establishment cultivators. But there have never been tales of Foundation Establishment battling Golden Core, Golden Core challenging Nascent Soul, or Nascent Soul contending with Divinity Transformation. ¡°Don¡¯t even mention Golden Core Nascent Souls; even among those on the Foundation Establishment level, a minor realm gap can be a chasm.¡± ¡°With Zhou Mingyu¡¯ste-stage Foundation Establishment, steeped in decades of strength, facing a mid-stage Foundation Establishment, even if he were an unparalleled Sword Cultivator, the advantage and probability of victory would be immense.¡± ¡°That was Wang Tianling¡¯s n.¡± ¡°But how could Zhou Mingyu not know his intentions?¡± ¡°Cunning as an old fox!¡± ¡°As a Foundation Establishment Cultivator who¡¯s lived nearly two hundred years with another hundred years of life expectancy, to tell the truth, Zhou Mingyu wasn¡¯t very keen on getting involved in such disputes where the effort and rewards, risks and gains, were disproportionately aligned.¡± ¡°But there are some matters that, even as the family ancestors, one cannot control.¡± ¡°This time it was not just the Wang Family; the Zhou Family too had people die.¡± ¡°As an ancestor, if he did not make a stand, what would the people below think?¡± ¡°Once hearts are scattered, the family bes difficult to manage.¡± ¡°Hence, he must make an appearance in this matter, even if blood debts can¡¯t be reciprocated with blood, it¡¯s crucial to severely damage the opponent¡¯s face, to regain some breath for the family.¡± With this in mind, Zhou Mingyu set his resolve. ¡°This person murdered our family¡¯s descendants, creating a sea of blood and deep enmity, which cannot go unanswered.¡± ¡°However¡ Sword Cultivators are formidable, not to be underestimated!¡± ¡°Plus, this person¡¯s background is unclear, and no one knows the extent of his methods!¡± ¡°Rash fighting would be truly unwise!¡± ¡°Only by knowing the enemy and knowing oneself, can one fight a hundred battles without danger.¡± After analyzing the situation, Zhou Mingyu finally decreed, ¡°Three matches, I¡¯ll take thest, and shall clinch victory over him!¡± Having said that, he cast his gaze down and looked towards Wang Tianling. Wang Tianling¡¯s expression changed, and he immediately grasped the situation, but without the ability to refuse, could only respond solemnly, ¡°Father-inw rest assured, I will challenge the first match and certainly probe the depths of this person, to see how much skill he possesses!¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Zhou Mingyu nodded, then shifted his gaze to another Foundation Establishment Cultivator. But that person, being only early-stage Foundation Establishment, was quite terrified and hastily bowed, saying, ¡°My cultivation is superficial, ascending the tform will only invite ridicule, and I can¡¯t probe this person¡¯s capacity, please forgive me, great ancestor!¡± Zhou Mingyu nced at him, not pressuring him too much: ¡°No matter, I¡¯ve already sent word to Yan Changfeng, he will fight the first match, Tianling will fight the second, I will take the third, and Li Jianchen¡¯s defeat is certain.¡± ¡°Yan Changfeng?¡± Hearing this, Wang Tianling and the other person, surprised but also relieved, replied, ¡°If it¡¯s him, then it¡¯s assured.¡± Zhou Mingyu¡¯s expression remained indifferent: ¡°As a price, after achieving victory, that piece of Spirit Land shall belong to him, and in return, he willpensate our losses with Spirit Stones.¡± ¡°This¡ that works too!¡± ¡°A tier-one Spirit Land, moreover of inferior quality, is tasteless to possess, handing it over to him is no concern.¡± Both agreed on this point without any objections. ¡°Then it is settled.¡± Zhou Mingyu nodded, but then frowned suddenly, looking around with a sense of unease in his heart. Meanwhile¡ On White Dragon Ind, within a secret chamber. Xu Yang sat before the Mana Altar, a Spirit Light condensing between his eyebrows, revealing a talisman that seemed like an opening eye, gazing at the Xuan Guang Mirror in his right hand. Within the Xuan Guang Mirror, the image that appeared was precisely that of Zhou Mingyu and the two others. Their entire conversation just now was reflected in the mirror. It was the Taoist Gate Righteous Skill¡ªSpirit Eyes Mysterious Light! In this period of time, afterborious day-and-night practice, Xu Yang had brought this technique to minor aplishment, not daring to say he could question the heavens or delve into the secrets of the Three Realms, but to observe some minor matters at his level was still doable. Zhou Mingyu¡¯s trio, all being of Foundation Establishment Cultivation, shared the same great realm as Xu Yang, and currently plotting against him, which under the intertwining of cause and effect, made the observation even easier. This was also one of the great advantages of the Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light skill, differing from ordinary divination methods. Ordinary divination techniques, when involving oneself, are fraught with obstacles and subject to the chaos of ¡°heavenly secrets.¡± However, the fundamental principle of the Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light technique is to question the heavens and enter into the system of the universe to inquire information. Involving oneself not only presents no obstacles but even helps because you yourself are part of the universal system, forming a cause-and-effect link that aids in information querying. Initially, Dry Prosperous Taoist was able to detect his presence with this method, so now he could naturally also identify Zhou Mingyu¡¯s trio¡¯s conspiracies against him. ¡°One early-stage Foundation Establishment!¡± ¡°One mid-stage Foundation Establishment!¡± ¡°And e-stage Foundation Establishment old ghost!¡± ¡°The Wang Family, the Zhou Family¡ perfectly suits my intention!¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Xu Yang chuckled softly, put away the Spirit Eyes, dispersed the Mysterious Light, and stood up to walk outside. Momentster, amidst the sea of clouds. Aboard each Flying Boat, Cultivators appeared one after another. The leader of each was, without exception, of Foundation Establishment Cultivation. At that moment, another streak of azure light flew in andnded in the midst of the crowd, revealing a figure. It was a supreme-grade Magic Artifact level Green Jade Boat. Atop the Green Jade Boat stood a person¡ªnone other than the Green Jade Immortal Envoy, Bai Yunzi. ¡°Fellow Immortals, there is no need for pleasantries, I will not mince words as for why we gather,¡± Bai Yunzi said with a slight smile, going straight to the point. ¡°The struggle for the Spirit Land begins now, fellow Daoist, please go ahead!¡± As soon as he had spoken, he cast his gaze downward! Following that, a sword light, like the roar of a dragon, erupted from Dongting Lake, reaching the midst of those gathered and revealing the figure of a man. It was a middle-aged man with sharp eyebrows and an upright posture! His eyes swept the crowd, and he bowed: ¡°Li Mou has wandered half his life and wishes to seek and to settle in; I hope the fellow Daoists here will allow me this small honor¡¡± Before he finished speaking, a voice interrupted: ¡°You shameless wretch, you still have the face to show up?¡± ¡°A man of such low virtue desires to upy this Spirit Land?¡± ¡°Viin, today you shall pay the blood debt in blood!¡± Shouts of indignation rang out as the Wang Family and Zhou Family members burst out in anger. Chapter 157 - 114: Sword Fight_1 Chapter 157: Chapter 114: Sword Fight_1 Trantor: 549690339 Although he was selective and killed only a part of the surrounding informants, instead of exterminating all of them, that part was still quite significant. Thus, as the Wang and Zhou Families took a stand, they immediately received echoes of support from all quarters. ¡°Indeed!¡± ¡°You too are at the Foundation Establishment level, and a Sword Cultivator at that, how can you behave so shamelessly?¡± ¡°Hiding your head and showing your tail, lying in wait here, to lure and kill Qi Cultivation juniors with your Foundation Establishment status. How is your behavior any different from that of a Robbing Cultivator?¡± ¡°Those who possess virtue should upy the Immortal Spirit items. You, such an unvirtuous scoundrel, how are you qualified to stand on the stage?¡± ¡°This person¡¯s background is unclear, and he is brutal and merciless, undoubtedly a Robbing Cultivator. We implore the Immortal Envoy for discernment!¡± ¡°Why bother with suchpetition? Let¡¯s join forces and y him first, then decide the ownership of the Spirit Land!¡± The crowd¡¯s sentiment surged, intermingled with grief and indignation. It was evident that someone¡¯s actions had incurred public outrage. ¡°This¡¡± Seeing the crowd¡¯s passionate agitation, Bai Yunzi also felt somewhat troubled as he lowered his gaze towards Xu Yang. ¡°They who kill shall be killed!¡± Xu Yang¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he faced the crowd¡¯s fierce intent to kill and said coldly, ¡°What now, you all can seize the opportunities of others, yet others can¡¯t im your lives?¡± ¡°What a joke!¡± Having said that, he leaped into the center of the arena, standing alone like a sword, and proimed, ¡°Li Mou is right here. If you want to kill, thene!¡± Between the words, his intense aura locked onto the crowd. His sword had not yet left its sheath, but it had already disyed its edge, striking terror into everyone¡¯s hearts. At his words, silence fell in all directions. The voices of anger fell abruptly silent. Those below the Foundation Establishment level did not dare to speak. Even those above it remained mute. Clearly, no one wished to be the first to stick their neck out. After all, this was a Sword Cultivator, a mid-Foundation Establishment Sword Cultivator! The way of the Sword Cultivator was unparalleled in battle! Even a mighty one in thete stage of Foundation Establishment might not dare to challenge his sharpness. Not to mention, he was alone, without any encumbrances. Unless they could kill him on the spot, who among these people with homes and businesses could withstand the revenge of such a formidable enemy? The crowd fell silent,cking a voice, and the situation remained in a deadlock. Seeing this, Bai Yunzi stepped forward to support Xu Yang, determining the nature of this event. ¡°Taoist Friend Li is right. Since ancient times, they who kill shall be killed. On the path of Cultivation, life and death are predestined, and the matter of karmic retribution has nothing to do with grievances,¡± said Bai Yunzi. ¡°As for whether one is a Robbing Cultivator¡ I have checked, and there are no relevant warrants. Let¡¯s not speak of this matter again!¡± ¡°If any of the Taoist friends here feels aggrieved, then step up to the tform and fight. Rely on your abilities, and let life and death be determined by fate!¡± With Bai Yunzi¡¯s words, the nature of the event was set. This made everyone curse silently in their hearts. ¡°This old fox must have received quite a bit of benefit from him!¡± ¡°That Li Jianchen has really splurged, even making this skinflint speak for him.¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Green Jade Sect¡ Hmph!¡± The crowd cursed inwardly yet were helpless to do anything. Bai Yunzi, as the Searching Immortal Envoy of the Green Jade Sect, represented the dignity and will of the sect. Since he had now characterized the event, they could not counter it, or else it would be a tant defiance against the Upper Sect. Bai Yunzi saw everyone¡¯s reactions and not only was his heart not in chaos, but he also sneered coldly. Although Bai Yunzi was greedy, he was also principled; having received payment, he would certainly do the job. Of course, his support for this ¡°Li Jianchen¡± had another crucial reason: bnce of power! As a Golden Core Upper Sect, the Green Jade Sect had to bnce the various forces under it, ensuring no single party grew so strong as to threaten its ruling position. Therefore, bnce was important; suppress the strong, support the weak, and maintain equilibrium among the forces to secure their rule. Now, with Li Jianchen being on the weaker side, Bai Yunzi, on behalf of the Green Jade Sect, naturally leaned toward him, using this to provoke conflict and intensify the various disputes, consuming the strengths of the different Foundation Establishment powers. If it were not for this consideration, even if Xu Yang had given him a generous gift, he would not have supported him like this.Thus, the gathered Cultivators fell silent. A momentter, a person stepped forward boldly. ¡°The Immortal Envoy speaks true. On the path of Cultivation, let us rely on our abilities and let life and death be determined by fate. Why say more?¡± A young man stood atop the Flying Boat, with an upright posture and an extraordinary presence. ¡°It turns out to be Taoist Friend Yan.¡± Seeing this person, Bai Yunzi seemed to understand his intent and smiled, ¡°Does Taoist Friend Yan wish to test his sword on the tform?¡± ¡°Indeed I do!¡± The young man smiled and said with a cupped fist salute, ¡°If no one objects, then allow Yan Mou to take this challenge.¡± ¡°Yan Changfeng?¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually him!¡± ¡°Sword Cultivator against Sword Cultivator?¡± ¡°Now it¡¯s going to be exciting!¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that this person is from a Qi Cultivation family, and he is the first in his family to reach the Foundation Establishment level. Is he now engaging in battle to secure a piece ofnd for his family to stand on?¡± ¡°A tier one Spirit Land, even a lower grade one, is it worth risking his life for? Could it be that his Yan family has also suffered casualties this time?¡± ¡°There must be some trickery afoot¡¡± The crowd had their own suspicions, but their outward reactions were uniform. ¡°Taoist Friend Yan jests, how can we contend with each other?¡± ¡°With Brother Changfeng in action, sess is assured!¡± ¡°Brother Changfeng, teach this man a lesson!¡± There was unanimous agreement, without any dissent. Yan Changfeng nodded, then turned toward Xu Yang, ¡°Taoist Friend Li, I mean no offense!¡± And with that, he leaped into the air andnded in the middle of the battlefield, standing opposite Xu Yang. Xu Yang¡¯s expression was cold and indifferent, and he remained silent. ¡°Very well, the first challenge will be decided between you two.¡± Only Bai Yunziughed quietly, then spurred his seated magic artifact into action, releasing four spirit lights that divided the clouds over Dongting. ¡°This shall be the boundary, to step out is to admit defeat!¡± ¡°Agreed!¡± Yan Changfeng nodded, then cupped his hands towards Xu Yang and said, ¡°Taoist friend, please.¡± After speaking, he joined his sword fingers together and activated his magic artifact, which turned out to be a Flying Sword without tip or hilt, resembling a long needle. In this world, Flying Swords mostly take this shape in their initial form as ¡°Sword Pills.¡± As the sword cultivator¡¯s proficiency in the Sword Dao grows, the sword light differentiates, and the sword is refined into threadlike forms, gradually transforming it into the state of a Sword Pill. Seeing this, Xu Yang didn¡¯t say much either, merely leaning forward slightly to reveal the long sword strapped to his back. ¡°Hmm!?¡± Yan Changfeng¡¯s eyes narrowed and he thenughed, ¡°I did not expect my friend to also cultivate with a Sword Artifact. I am eager to learn!¡± The cultivation method of a Sword Pill primarily focuses on controlling ¡°sword light,¡± so Flying Swords are mostly needle-like without tips or hilts, solely sharp and prating. The Sword Artifact on Xu Yang¡¯s back obviously didn¡¯t follow this method, but instead the ¡°Sword Artifact¡± method, which mainly cultivates the quality of the Sword Artifact in conjunction with sword techniques andbat skills, and can even unify man and sword, possessing exceptional might. Which of these two methods of cultivation is stronger? That depends on the practitioner, and cannot be easily judged. Therefore, Yan Changfeng wasn¡¯t too surprised and simply joined his sword fingers again, invoking a sword technique that immediately produced multiple differentiated sword shadows and sword light. Three sword shadows, three beams of sword light! It was the ¡°Sword Light Differentiation¡± stage. Though he had just entered the threshold, mastering only three beams of sword light, he was capable of many variations that were difficult to defend against. The three beams of sword light tore through the air, each one sharp and intimidating. Xu Yang¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he moved, drawing his sword so swiftly it seemed a dragon shedding its scabbard. ¡°ng!¡± In an instant, a beam of sword light zed forth, stinging the eyes of all who saw it. ¡°ng ng ng!¡± The next moment, the sound of metal striking metal echoed intensely, like rain pounding on banana leaves. In the midst of the battlefield, three rays of light intertwined, besieging one man and his sword. But that man, with the long sword in hand, unfolded a storm of thrusts as swift and piercing as torrential raindrops, confronting each sword shadow in turn. ¡°Hmm!¡± ¡°This swordsmanship¡¡± ¡°It seems to bear traces of martial skill!¡± ¡°This man must have entered the Dao through martial arts; that¡¯s why he cultivates with a Sword Artifact.¡± ¡°Judging by his appearance, his former life must undoubtedly have been that of an Immortal fate Man.¡± ¡°No wonder he struck at the Wang and Zhou families; these two are keenly interested in matters of the Immortal fate.¡± ¡°To cultivate with a Sword Artifact requires refining the Sword Artifact then unifying body and sword until the person and the artifact be one, unleashing its true power. It¡¯s unknown to what extent this man has reached.¡± ¡°Yan Changfeng practices the Sword Pill method, mastering Sword Light Differentiation and has just stepped through its gates; if this man isn¡¯t able to unify man and sword, then I fear his chances of victory are slim.¡± As they watched the two sword cultivators sh, the surrounding Foundation Establishment practitioners each expressed their views. However¡ ¡°ng ng ng!!!¡± In the midst of the battlefield, an urgent metallic din rang out, with sparks flying in all directions. The sight dazzled the onlookers and was too fast to follow. Such furiousbatsted only a moment before the three beams of sword light revolved back, coalescing into a Flying Sword marred by numerous scars. The sword, like a long needle, bore many deep cuts and notches, which made Yan Changfeng¡¯s heart bleed as he inwardly winced in pain. But he did not dare to be careless and immediately fled with Escape Light to the boundary, saying, ¡°The skill of the Taoist friend is superior, I admit defeat!¡± After saying this, he cupped his hands, indicating his surrender. Seeing this, Xu Yang didn¡¯t pursue, but instead sheathed his sword and returned to the center of the area. ¡°Huff!¡± Yan Changfeng, upon seeing this, also let out a sigh of relief, sweat already forming fine beads on his forehead. ¡°What¡¡± ¡°What happened?¡± The crowd looked at each other with astonishment in their eyes. They were fighting fiercely one moment, so how did Yan Changfeng end up conceding defeat so suddenly? Could he be a nt? The crowd was perplexed. Only a group of Foundation Establishment Cultivators seemed to ponder, frowning tightly. Bai Yunzi did likewise, but quickly rxed his brow and looked at Xu Yang with a light chuckle, ¡°The swordsmanship of my friend is truly extraordinary!¡± Having said this, he announced to everyone, ¡°The first challenge is won by Taoist friend Li, who will take the stage for the next two challenges?¡± The crowd, upon hearing this, fell silent. Especially the Foundation Establishment practitioners, who grew even more quiet. Anyone who had reached Foundation Establishment surely wouldn¡¯t have poor vision; most were able to ascertain the reason behind Yan Changfeng¡¯s concession. It wasn¡¯t a farce, but a matter of being outssed by better skills. Although Li Jianchen did not disy the unification of man and sword, his swordsmanship was unparalleled, repeatedly striking at the enemy¡¯s weaknesses. It seemed to be a contest of four swords, but in reality, it was Li Jianchen with his lone sword overpowering Yan Changfeng¡¯s three beams of sword light, leaving Yan Changfeng powerless to respond. As a result, his Flying Sword rued numerous scars, and in the end, he had no choice but to concede. To be able to gain such an advantage against three with one, indicates the high level of his swordsmanship. He not only anticipated his opponent¡¯s moves but alsopletely understood his adversary¡¯s weaknesses. Striking first and arriving first, even when striking after, his attacks carried defense, and his defense contained attacks¡ Such swordsmanship and sword skills,bined with the edge of a Sword Artifact, clearly resulted in aplete victory! Unless Yan Changfeng could advance further, allowing Sword Light Differentiation to divide three into nine, to gain a significant numerical advantage, he would stand no chance of winning. Yan Changfeng understood this, and so he conceded defeat promptly to avoid the loss of his treasured Flying Sword. As sword cultivators known for being unrivaled in battle, if Yan Changfeng couldn¡¯t defeat him, what chance did they have¡ Chapter 158 - 115: Hot-handed_1 Chapter 158: Chapter 115: Hot-handed_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Swordsmanship?¡± ¡°Sword Skill?¡± Zhou Mingyu¡¯s expression was cold as he cast his gaze downward. Wang Tianling¡¯s eyes narrowed, unease in his heart, but there was no other choice at this point. Gritting his teeth, he stepped forward. ¡°I will go!¡± After speaking, he descended into the battlefield, his gaze coldly fixed on Xu Yang, taking a stance as he dered, ¡°Even if I die today, I will seek justice for the Wang Family¡¯s children and for all the innocent people who died tragically!¡± Without waiting for Xu Yang¡¯s reaction, he summoned his magical artifact. It was a set of the Four-sided ck Tortoise Shield! With the Mystical Tortoise Shield deployed, it rotated on all sides, protecting him within. Then he raised a bright pearl, summoning the power of rivers, sending out raging waves in a torrent. It was the Supreme Grade Magical Artifact¡ªthe Torrent Pearl! In a cultivator¡¯s battle, the key factors boil down to a few points: Cultivation Realm, cultivating skills divine magic, and external items like magical treasures, spiritual artifacts, spirit pills, and talismans. Although Wang Tianling was not a sword cultivator, he still had mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation and was the ancestor of the Wang Family. The Wang Family, a Foundation Establishment power, had generations of Foundation Establishment Cultivators and a long lineage with profound potentiality. Wang Tianling himself was skilled in the Path of Artifact Refining, a second-tier Artifact Refiner, with many magical artifacts at hand. In a battle of magic, he might not be weaker than Yan Changfeng, perhaps even stronger. After all, Yan Changfeng was a hard-luck Qi Cultivator from a family without means, whose entire worth was in that Flying Sword¡ªunwilling to risk it, and naturally, could only admit defeat. But he was different. ¡°Go!¡± Wang Tianling activated the Torrent Pearl, and more than ten water dragons emerged within the torrents, charging towards Xu Yang with the force of a copsing mountain and rushing seas. Xu Yang remained silent, his sword moved with his body, drawing from the sheath and plunging into the raging torrents, fighting against the dozen water dragons. ¡°Hmph!¡± With a cold snort, Wang Tianling took out another top-tier magical artifact, a quaint and ancient-looking mat. Wang Tianling sat upon the mat, and immediately, Buddha¡¯s light shone brilliantly, fortifying his body, stabilizing his defense, and replenishing his mana. The Mysterious Turtle Shield, the Torrent Pearl, along with this mat¡ªthree artifacts, all of supreme grade, providing aprehensive offense and defense. This showed the depth of his resources. Not satisfied still, he took out a jade bottle and poured out a Spirit Pill, swallowing it to refine and assimte its power. The audience was silent at this sight. Such actions were indeed extravagant for the arena. But with a bitter feud at stake, they couldn¡¯t wellment. Even the referee Bai Yunzi stayed silent, almost as if he was pleased to see it. ¡°Ao!!!¡± Amidst the thundering waves, the water dragons roared ferociously. Wang Tianling assimted the spirit pill, boosted his mana, and pushed the power of the Torrent Pearl to the limit. Dragon after dragon, relentless in their pursuit, sought to grind the opponent to death within the fury of the waves. Xu Yang, wielding his sword, turned the rivers upside down. For a moment, though not defeated, he struggled to break through the adversary¡¯s position. ¡°Hmph!¡± ¡°What kind of sword cultivator is this, no more than this!¡± Seeing this, Wang Tianling¡¯s sneer grew even colder, but he didn¡¯t let his guard down, taking out yet another top-tier magical artifact¡ªa pearl brimming with chilling coldness,plete with the phantom of a Jiao Dragon within it. ¡°Go!¡± Wang Tianling hurled the pearl, which entered the roaring waves and instantly turned the water to ice, locking the surroundings and trapping Xu Yang within a crystalline world of ice. ¡°This Wang Tianling¡¡± ¡°Is so well-endowed?¡± ¡°Four top-tier magical artifacts!¡± ¡°No wonder he¡¯s a second-tier Artifact Refiner.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no surprise that Old Ghost Zhou would want him for a son-inw!¡± Witnessing this scene, the onlookers were astounded, their lips twitching, even Bai Yunzi eximed in amazement. While the audience¡¯s chatter couldn¡¯t affect the battle, Wang Tianling sat atop his mat, focusing his efforts on controlling the two spiritual pearls. The water dragons transformed into ice dragons, unleashing a howling blizzard as they repeatedly assaulted their foe, determined to let their opponent perish in this ice-encased prison. He had once used this technique to y an enemy in the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment; its power was self-evident, and no further exnation was needed. However, it was an immense drain on his resources. Fortunately, these four artifactsplemented one another and formed a system, greatly reducing the mana consumption. Otherwise, even with his mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, it would be difficult to operate four top-tier artifacts at the same time¡ ¡°Tianling, be careful!!!¡± Just as Wang Tianling was straining his mana in an attempt to exhaust his enemy to death, Zhou Mingyu, who was watching from the sidelines, suddenly eximed with rm. ¡°What?¡± Wang Tianling¡¯s expression changed, and before he could react, a sonorous sword chime erupted from within the ice crystal prison, roaring like a dragon! ¡°Ao!!!¡± The sword chime was sonorous, the sword light dragon-like, as Xu Yang burst forth, transforming into a dazzling silhouette, boldly breaking through the prison. ¡°This is¡¡± ¡°To unify man and sword!¡± ¡°Using the body to guide the sword!¡± Seeing this, let alone the bystanders, even Yan Changfeng, a fellow sword cultivator, showed a face full of shock. ¡°Bang!!!¡± In the midst of shock, a loud noise erupted, and ice shards scattered all around. The sword light as a dragon, with a long cry emerged, instantly shattering the ice prison, and charged directly at Wang Tianling. Seeing this, Wang Tianling¡¯s face went pale, hurriedly spurring the Four-sided Mystical Tortoise Shield to protect himself. The shield of the Mystical Tortoise, the acme of defense, purely in terms of protective ability, was evenparable to a lower-grade spiritual artifact. However¡ The sword light like a dragon, came roaring through, shing across the heavens in a single stroke. Though it was just one sword attack, its might far surpassed Yan Changfeng¡¯s previous Sword Light Differentiation. It was the critical juncture in the cultivation of Sword Artifacts¡ªthe unification of man and sword! This sword strike didn¡¯t just embody the raw power of the Sword Artifact itself, nor merely the cultivator¡¯s own strength, but abination of the two. Their powers multiplied many-fold, even tens, hundreds, or thousands of times over. It was like the differentiation of sword light, conjuring thousands upon thousands of swords. Under this sword strike, even the Mystical Tortoise was powerless. ¡°Boom!!!¡± A ngorous boom reverberated, and blinding sparks erupted, shattering the Mystical Tortoise Spirit Shield to pieces upon impact. ¡°Tianling!!!¡± Seeing this, Zhou Mingyu¡¯splexion from outside the arenapletely changed. Ignoring the rules of the tform, he leaped up and rushed into the battlefield. But¡ It was toote! The sword light, like a dragon, furiously swept down, shattered one side of the Four-sided ck Tortoise Shield, revealing the utterly terrified Wang Tianling inside. ¡°No, I surren¡!¡± A panicked shout, trying to beg for mercy and concede to save his life. But the sword light did not pause for an instant, a life-ending sh fell, and in a moment, swallowed the cry of rm. ¡°Tianling!¡± A streak of white light, swift as lightning, rushed into the battlefield with tremendous force, too fast for the eyes to follow. However, he was still a step toote. A streak of sword light shed out, colliding with him. ¡°Bang!¡± With the collision, the sword light rebounded,nding dozens of feet away, revealing Xu Yang¡¯s figure stepping on the void, staggering back before finally stabilizing. On the other side, the white light also dissolved, revealing the furious face of the Zhou Family patriarch, Zhou Mingyu, fierce as a raging lion. Zhou Mingyu paid no attention to him, and instead rushed straight to Wang Tianling. Wang Tianling was seen sitting on the Buddha¡¯s Light Mat while three ck Tortoise Shields continued to orbit around him. The golden Buddha light that emanated from within the mat was still intact, seemingly protecting his body without any significant damage. However¡ As Zhou Mingyu came closer, he saw a line of crimson blood slowly emerge from Wang Tianling¡¯s neck. Followed by¡ ¡°Pfft!!!¡± A muffled sound, blood sprayed, and the head upon the neck was sent flying by the force. ¡°Tianling!!!¡± Zhou Mingyu cried out in rm, lunging forward. But unexpectedly, a streak of sword light, furious as a dragon¡¯s roar, collided with him again. ¡°Bang bang bang!¡± nging sounds erupted violently, and caught off guard by the fierce sword energy, even Zhou Mingyu, ate-stage Foundation Establishment expert, was forced back. Seizing this opportunity, the sword light swiveled, sweeping the Buddha¡¯s Light Mat, Mystical Tortoise Spirit Shield, the two Spiritual Pearls that appeared in the void, and even Wang Tianling¡¯s headless corpse body into a bag. ¡°You¡!!!¡± Zhou Mingyu, forced back by the sword light and witnessing such an act, was beyond furious, his rage boiling over as he prepared to engage inbat. However¡ ¡°Zhou Mingyu, do you dare to defy the rules of the Green Jade Sect?¡± A roar of anger thundered, pressuring him, causing Zhou Mingyu to freeze in his tracks. The crowd turned their heads, following the voice, and saw Bai Yunzi standing atop the Green Jade Sect, equally enraged. How could he not be furious? The dispute over the Spirit Land, the battle on the tform, was a rule established by his Green Jade Sect. Now, someone had brazenly burst onto the tform, openly pping the face of the Green Jade Sect. As the Green Jade Sect¡¯s Searching Immortal Envoy, how could he not make a statement? Seeing Bai Yunzi¡¯s rage, Zhou Mingyu also came to his senses and quickly bowed his head, ¡°It was impetuosity on my part due to the urgency of the moment; I did not intend any disrespect. I implore the Immortal Envoy to forgive mypse!¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Seeing this, Bai Yunzi finally let out a cold snort and retracted his anger, ¡°Since you¡¯ve put it that way, I will let you off this time. But if there¡¯s a next time, don¡¯t me me for reporting to the Sect and charging you with the crime of disobedience!¡± ¡°Yes, thank you, Immortal Envoy!¡± Zhou Mingyu quickly nodded and heaved a sigh of relief. But quickly, he remembered something and angrily looked up at Xu Yang, ¡°Scoundrel, how dare you act so ruthlessly!¡± This remark once again drew everyone¡¯s attention to Xu Yang. Xu Yang raised his hand, silently wiping away the blood from the corner of his mouth, then finally responded back to him, ¡°On the tform, life and death are fated. What, he can kill others, but others can¡¯t kill him? After so many years, still so shamelessly unaware?¡± ¡°You¡!!!¡± Zhou Mingyu was enraged by his words, yet had no way to refute them. Bai Yunzi also spoke up, ¡°Indeed, on the tform, life and death are fated. Wang Tianling stepped onto it, fully aware of the risk of death.¡± After speaking, he gave Xu Yang another look, inwardly taken aback. He had not expected Xu Yang to be so ruthless, decapitating Wang Tianling on the tform. Now the situation was a bit difficult to manage. But things being as they were, difficult to manage or not, it had to be resolved. Bai Yunzi looked at Zhou Mingyu, then at the crowd around, ¡°The second round still goes to Taoist Friend Li. Who will take the stage for the third round?¡± Hearing this, everyone fell silent, their gaze collectively shifting to Zhou Mingyu. At this point, who else but his Zhou Family would take the stage, who would dare to step up? This Li Jianchen was truly a Sword Cultivator, decisive in killing, ruthless in action,pletely indifferent to the power and influence of both the Zhou and Wang Families. Such a character was best not provoked unless one was confident of victory in a single strike. Meanwhile¡ ¡°Ancestor!¡± ¡°My husband!¡± ¡°Father!¡± The members of the Wang Family cried out, their gaze turning to Zhou Mingyu. At this point, theirst hope was thiste-stage Foundation Establishment ancestor of the Zhou Family. Zhou Mingyu paid them no attention, his eyes fixed on Xu Yang. After a long while, he finally spoke up. ¡°For the third round, I shall take the stage!¡± Chapter 159 - 116: The Curtain Falls_1 Chapter 159: Chapter 116: The Curtain Falls_1 Trantor: 549690339 The words were cold, heavy with weight. Indeed, they were heavy. If he could, Zhou Mingyu really didn¡¯t want to step into this arena. After all, the opponent had already proven their strength as a bona fide sword cultivator. Determined in heart and formidable inbat! If he went up, he might not win, and even if he could win, he might not be able to kill, and killing woulde at a great cost. It wasn¡¯t the wise choice. But he had no other option. With Wang Tianling being his son-inw, if he didn¡¯t make an effort to fight this battle, it would be extremely difficult to bring the Wang Family under control. Without Wang Tianling, the Wang Family was a plump piece of meat, and Zhou Mingyu really didn¡¯t want to hand it over to someone else on a silver tter. Not to mention, all the supreme grade magic artifacts and the storage bag had been taken by the opponent. That was the majority of the Wang Family¡¯s assets; how could he allow an outsider to im them? So¡ ¡°Come, let this old man see what you¡¯re made of!¡± In the middle of the arena, atop the tform, Zhou Mingyu¡¯s hair and beard bristled with rage, his eyes zing fiercely, exuding an intimidating presence. Seeing this, the crowd was also shocked. ¡°This old ghost¡¡± ¡°He¡¯s be even more powerful!¡± ¡°The White Tiger Gengjin Jue is indeed extraordinary!¡± ¡°I heard that this old fellow was also a battle cultivator who made a name for himself inbat in his younger years.¡± ¡°He¡¯s been in thete stage of Foundation Establishment for decades, and by now, he might have achieved the Perfect Foundation Building.¡± ¡°Perfect Foundation Building? Would he even dare to leave his home?¡± The crowd murmured among themselves, their eyes filled with curiosity. Even Bai Yunzi on the Green Jade Boat showed a hint of curiosity on his face. In the realm of Foundation Establishment, there are four stages: early, middle,te, and the Great Achievement Realm. But cultivators who have reached the Perfect Foundation Building generally engage in arduous cultivation in hopes of achieving the Golden Core. They rarely venture out, nor do they dare to, lest they leave the protection of their great formations. After all, the world is full of uncertainties, with ¡°idents¡± aplenty! Therefore, under normal circumstances, thete stage of Foundation Establishment is seen as the highest level ofbat power. Zhou Mingyu was at thete stage of Foundation Establishment several decades ago, so even if he hasn¡¯t broken through to the Perfect Foundation Building, his strength is unfathomable, definitely the number one among all the cultivators present. Can he take down Li Jianchen? The crowd watched with bated breath. Seeing this, Xu Yang wasted no further words. He immediately soared with his sword, attacking first. This was the first time he took the initiative to attack in the three matches, and he started with unifying man and sword. It showed the pressure that Zhou Mingyu brought. ¡°Hmph!¡± Zhou Mingyu snorted coldly. Without resorting to a magic artifact, he confronted the fierce sword light with his bare hands. ¡°Bang!!!¡± A nging explosion sounded as Zhou Mingyu struck with his palm. Behind him, a White Tiger phantom appeared, its ws carrying sharp white radiance, heavily mming down on the sword light, leaving five conspicuous marks that lingered. That was the White Tiger Gengjin Qi! He was a body cultivator whose foundational technique, the White Tiger Gengjin Jue, had reached the Great Achievement Realm. Just one more step, and it could be perfected, possibly to cultivate the ¡°White Tiger Gengjin Body!¡± Once achieved, even great demons that had achieved the Golden Core Transformation could be fought with his bare hands. This showed the formidable power of this technique. Its unique White Tiger Gengjin Qi was a weapon of ughter, second to none among ordinary sword cultivators. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± Zhou Mingyu pressed forward, hammering wildly with White Tiger Gengjin,pletely overpowering by sheer force. He didn¡¯t rely on tricks, making it difficult for his opponent to use any as well. After several attacks, the dazzling sword light began to dim. Seeing this, onlookers sighed inwardly. ¡°What a pity, what a pity¡¡± ¡°Li Jianchen has fought consecutively and expended too much!¡± ¡°Especially just now, with unifying man and sword, breaking through Wang Tianling¡¯s Tan Pearl, Ice Jiao Pearl, and Mysterious Turtle Shield, you can imagine how much power he exhausted. The sword artifact has lost its sharpness.¡± ¡°In such a condition, against an enraged Zhou Mingyu, one could predict his predicament!¡± The crowd shook their heads in dismay, not optimistic about the oue. Bai Yunzi also frowned slightly, thinking about how to salvage the situation. Just then¡ ¡°Bang!!!¡± The sword emitted its sharp edge, colliding again, but was repelled by the heavy blow of the White Tiger, tumbling back in disarray. Even the unity of man and sword was hard to maintain; the separation of body and sword caused him to stagger and fall, spilling droplets of bright red blood. It was only after retreating more than ten paces that he was able to steady himself. The long sword in his hand was now riddled with marks and full of cracks. The hand holding the sword was also bloodstained, striking terror into the hearts of those who saw it. Such was the might of the White Tiger Gengjin. No matter how strong a magic artifact, it was still just an artifact, belonging to the first tier. A Foundation Establishment Cultivator was of the second tier, and the White Tiger Gengjin Jue was a formidable Body Training Skill. The strength and sharpness of his body had surpassed that of a magic artifact,parable to a lower tier defensive Spiritual Artifact and attack Spiritual Artifact. In such a sh, how could it not be damaged? Seeing the opponent severely wounded, Zhou Mingyu held nothing back, transforming into a White Tiger of Gengjin Qi, fiercely pouncing to kill. Now it was a matter of life and death. At this moment¡ Xu Yang remained impassive, soaring with his sword, and again merged into one, condensing into a beam of sword light. A bright, sun-like golden yellow sword light. The Xuanyuan Divine Sword Jue! The sword light surged, growing several yards in size, like a Heavenly Sword fiercely shing down at the Gengjin White Tiger. ¡°Bang!!!¡± In the end, a colossal bang erupted, and a dazzling brilliance stole everyone¡¯s vision, leaving them in blinding pain only to see a vast expanse of white. In such a fashion, time passed, until their eyes slowly recovered within their tears and their ears ceased their ringing amid the heat, regaining their vision. Pain, distortion, haziness¡ In their confusion, they saw two figures, standing opposite each other. One with white beard and hair, full of raging presence, his right hand tightly pressed against his chest, his eyes filled with shock, anger, and disbelief. The other, with a shattered crown and disheveled hair, whose temples were already streaked with white, were now all turned to withered color, even breaking and splitting. His once full face had also be gaunt and wrinkled, as if it had lost a tremendous amount of blood, flesh, and spirit. Chapter 160 - 116: The Curtain Falls_2 Chapter 160: Chapter 116: The Curtain Falls_2 Trantor: 549690339 Zhou Mingyu! Li Jianchen! In everyone¡¯s eyes, the two stood facing each other. Who would win and who would lose? No one knew for the moment. Only to see Zhou Mingyu pressing one hand against his chest, exerting tremendous force without restraint, yet still, a bit of crimson seeped out. However, he couldn¡¯t care less, his eyes fixed on Xu Yang as he hissed, ¡°Golden Core Sword Jue?¡± ¡°Merely a broken move!¡± Xu Yang, having transformed from a middle-aged appearance to that of a withered old man, shook his head and gripped the battered long sword in his hand. Zhou Mingyu stared at him, taking a long while before finally speaking, ¡°For a single tier-one Spirit Land, you would go to such lengths?¡± Xu Yang¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he said faintly, ¡°Li Mou has wandered half a life to secure a ce of refuge, to leave as a legacy for future generations. For this cause, I wield my sword, preferring to break rather than bend!¡± ¡°You¡!¡± Zhou Mingyu still wanted to speak, but the movement aggravated his injuries, causing his body to tremble and a sweet metallic taste to surge in his throat. Xu Yang, however, paid him no heed and looked at him coldly, ¡°Are you up for another round?¡± ¡°You¡ very well!!!¡± With that posture, Zhou Mingyu gritted his teeth and then flew up,nding directly into the Zhou Family¡¯s Magic Artifact Tower Ship. ¡°Go!!!¡± At hismand, the tower ship turned into light, breaking through the sky and away. ¡°Puh!!!¡± Xu Yang¡¯s body also trembled, and to the shock of all onlookers, he spat out arge mouthful of fresh blood. ¡°This¡¡± Seeing this, everyone looked at each other,pletely at a loss. Xu Yang did not concern himself with their reactions, raising his hand to wipe away the blood from his lips before turning to look at Bai Yunzi on the Green Jade boat, ¡°Immortal Envoy, what do you say?¡± Seeing his condition, Bai Yunzi was silent. After a long pause, he finally said, ¡°Taoist Friend Li, a true man of resolve indeed, worthy of the name of a Sword Cultivator!¡± Having said that, he turned his gaze to the crowd and announced solemnly, ¡°In the third round, Taoist Friend Li is victorious. With all three challenges defended, the Dongting Spirit Land henceforth belongs to Taoist Friend Li!¡± Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent, then each summoned their Magic Artifacts and a series of Escape Lights shot out, heading away. ¡°Father!¡± No sooner had the crowd left than an Escape Light descended from above,nding beside Xu Yang and revealing a figure; it was a young man in white with a heroic bearing. The youth supported Xu Yang, who then looked towards Bai Yunzi and bowed, ¡°Thanks to the Immortal Envoy, may I invite you to the ind for a talk?¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Bai Yunzi nodded, retracted the Green Jade boat, and apanied the two as they descended onto the ind. ¡°This is my son, Li Liuxian!¡± Once on the ind, Xu Yang first consumed a medicinal pill, and then introduced the youth in white to Bai Yunzi. ¡°A hero indeed emerges from youth.¡± Bai Yunzi gave the youth a nce, noting that he was only at theter stages of Qi Cultivation, before shifting his focus back to Xu Yang and said with a wry smile, ¡°What is the need for this, Taoist Friend? It is but a tier-one Spirit Land; with your strength, surely there will be other options in the future.¡± Xu Yang shook his head and sighed, ¡°Life is short; only through struggle can we aspire. Who can predict the matters of the future?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Bai Yunzi, upon hearing this, had no choice but to proceed with the formalities. ¡°From now on, this Spirit Land of Dongting will belong to Taoist Friend, but every five years, the Sect will send someone to inspect the Spirit Land and determine its tier. The higher the tier, the greater the taxes andbor duties to be shouldered. If these cannot be met, the Spirit Land will be reimed. I hope Taoist Friend is aware of this.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Xu Yang nodded and then took out a Storage Bag: ¡°This is the offering for the past twenty years, already prepared. Within, there is also that iplete sword technique I just demonstrated, which, if I am not mistaken, shoulde from a set of Golden Core Sword Jue. I am willing to present it to the Upper Sect.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Upon hearing this, Bai Yunzi was taken aback: ¡°How is this possible?¡± ¡°It is possible!¡± Xu Yang smiled, revealing his motive: ¡°I am aware that all Spirit Landse with the responsibility of taxes andbor duties. However, my remaining time is short, and I wish only to teach my disciples during that time. Therefore, I present this technique. Although it is only an iplete move, with the Immortal Envoy¡¯s abilities, it should be enough to exempt me from twenty years ofbor, shouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Looking at Xu Yang¡¯s greying hair and the high-tier Storage Bag in his hand, Bai Yunzi hesitated for a while before finally epting it: ¡°Rest assured, Taoist Friend, I will do my utmost!¡± ¡°Thank you, Immortal Envoy!¡± A momentter, Bai Yunzi departed by boat, and the ind returned to its peaceful state. ¡°Li Liuxian¡± then supported Xu Yang, heading into the Medicine Field Spiritual Land. The divine seal was activated, water flowed into thend, and a secret passage instantly opened up. Both of them entered. The young man in white, who had just made his first public appearance, couldn¡¯t hide his triumphant joy and straightway waved his arms. ¡°Master, Master, how was it? My acting wasn¡¯t bad, right?¡± Looking at the Golden Eagle who had ¡°revealed its true form,¡± Xu Yang shook his head and threw a bottle of medicinal pills: ¡°Take my form and go upstairs to heal.¡± ¡°Oh, Oh, Oh!¡± The young man in white nodded, then activated his mana, and as moonlight circted, a perfect copy of ¡°Li Jianchen¡± appeared before him. It was none other than the Supreme Yin Body Training Skill! This skill not only helped demonic beings cultivate a human form but also included the wonderful use of illusion and Concealing Presence. Coupled with Xu Yang¡¯s disguising techniques, unless a cultivator had Spirit Eyes, they would unlikely see through it. Thus, after the Golden Eagle had sufficiently trained, Xu Yang let him appear before Bai Yunzi under the identity of ¡°Sword Minister Li Jianchen¡¯s son, Li Liuxian.¡± As an Immortal Envoy of the Green Jade Sect, although Bai Yunzi had practiced some Spirit Eyes techniques, at most, he could perceive Spiritual Roots and Spirit Lands. To see through the disguise of the Supreme Yin Body Training Skill and Xu Yang¡¯s illusion disguise was nothing but wishful thinking. With these maneuvers, on top of the momentum gained from the previous three sessive battles¡ªdefeating Yan Changfeng, ying Wang Tianling, and repelling Zhou Mingyu¡ªthe next decade or two should provide ample time for development, without question. Of course, the premise was that he could get rid of thest bit of trouble. After sending the Golden Eagle away, Xu Yang changed his appearance, removing the disguise of ¡°Li Jianchen¡± and adopting the appearance of Yin Mountain Taoist, sitting cross-legged in front of the Yin Altar. Then he took out a bottle of healing medicinal pills to consume, cultivating the Life Scroll,bining the power of thunderbolt creation, the nurturing abilities of the Divine Spiritual Land, and various other techniques and Wonderful Skills to heal the damage from the recent battle. Shortly after, his injuries were fully recovered, and he looked vibrant and energetic. There was no longer any sign of the previous depletion of Qi Blood and Life essence. Xu Yang stood up and came to the front of the altar, retrieving the longsword used in the previous battles, and he took out a jade bowl from the Storage Bag. With a touch of the sword, fresh blood flowed out, tinged with strands of Gengjin¡¯s sharp essence. It was indeed the blood of the Gengjin White Tiger left in the sword. Xu Yang put away the longsword, took out a Talisman Pen, removed a grass figurine that had been offered atop the Yin Altar for more than two months, and took out two pieces of yellow paper as a base. Using blood as ink, he wrote down a name. Qingfeng Mountain, Zhou Mingyu! The six characters of his name and residence were attached to the front of the grass figurine, and then his birth date and hour obtained through the Heavenly Eye Mysterious Light inquiry were pasted on the figurine¡¯s back. Afterward, Xu Yang offered the figurine in front of the altar, scattered a handful of Yellow Talismans, took positions ording to astral influences, and began chanting the curse. ¡°Heaven pure and bright, Earth Spirit alert and strong, nowmand Underworld Soldier Five Ghosts to Obey the Charm Order, Divine Skills transform across myriad distances, seize and cut down the unrighteous in the world, exterminate all the improper deities of the mortal realm, left hand bearing the sealmanding Celestial Soldiers, right hand waving the g leading celestial generals, summoning Celestial Soldiers and generals toe forth¡If there are malicious spirits and malevolent ghosts who disobey, let the Five Ghosts seal their heaven and earth and listen!¡± ¡°On Qingfeng Mountain, Zhou Mingyu of the Zhou Family cultivates amidst treasured ships, crying to heaven meets no response, invoking earth finds no spirit, eyes dimmed as sun and moon darken, ears ringing with the cry of ghost gods, mouth and nose like stuffed, movement hindered, inviting longevity yet damaging fate, summoning souls and seizing spirits without trace!¡± ¡°I execute thismand urgently by the divine authority of Yin Mountain Mansion Old Ancestor!!!¡± Chapter 161 - 117: Seizure_1 Chapter 161: Chapter 117: Seizure_1 Trantor: 549690339 In the firmament, amidst the billowing clouds, a streak of Escape Light darted through at immense speed. It was a Tower Treasure Ship flying boat. This supreme graderge Magic Artifact, now pushed its spiritual power output to the utmost limit, making the entire building ship sparkle with dazzling Spirit Light. Formations were fully activated, and its speed was so astonishing that the depletion of Spirit Stones waspletely disregarded. Within the flying boat, at the helm. Zhou Mingyu sat upright upon a Green Jade lotus tform, drawing the vitality of the lotus to heal his wounds. He had not changed his clothes, which were still stained with blood, especially at the chest, where a sword wound had nearly pierced through. Fresh blood continued to ooze out, soaking and staining his clothes red. A middle-aged Cultivator at the early stage of Foundation Establishment stood by his side, looking at the dreadful state of his family¡¯s ancestor with deep concern and anxiety, like an ant on a hot pot. He could never have imagined that things woulde to this, that Li Jianchen could have inflicted such grave injuries to his family¡¯s ancestor. If something happened to the ancestor, could he, a mere early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, shoulder the burden of the Zhou Family and Qingfeng Mountain? Clearly, he could not! This was why the ancestor decisively withdrew without daring to engage Li Jianchen in a fight to the death. It was a fight he simply could not afford! Li Jianchen practiced the Golden Core Sword Jue, and even if he only used an iplete move that greatly diminished his life essence and reduced his lifespan, the power of the Golden Core Sword Jue was undeniable. To fight him to the death, even if victorious, woulde at a terrible cost, perhaps even leading to one¡¯s own death, akin to both jade and stone being burned to ashes. It didn¡¯t matter if Li Jianchen lived or died, but as the Zhou Family ancestor, Zhou Mingyu could not afford to falter! The foundation of Qingfeng Mountain had to be upheld by a Cultivator at thete stage of Foundation Establishment. Otherwise, it would face a situation like White Dragon Ind, being confined to its defenses, subject to oppression and attacks from all sides, struggling to maintain the market trade, and gradually spiraling into decline. If the future generations proved ipetent and could not quickly nurture a cultivator to stabilize the situation at thete or mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, once the family¡¯s potentiality was exhausted, they would not only have to relinquish Qingfeng Mountain, but they would also be driven to extinction by their enemies. Therefore, Zhou Mingyu dared not gamble, nor did he dare linger outside. He immediately ordered the Zhou family members to power up the flying boat and return to Qingfeng Mountain as fast as possible, lest their enemies received the news and took the opportunity to ambush and kill them. While the middle-aged Cultivator was full of worries. ¡°Hah!¡± Above the lotus tform, as the Spirit Light converged, Zhou Mingyu, who had been regting his breathing for a long time, finally exhaled a murky breath and opened his eyes. ¡°Ancestor!¡± The middle-aged Cultivator hurried forward, ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°Barely stabilized.¡± Zhou Mingyu shook his head and lowered his gaze to the sword wound on his chest. Although the wound had clotted and no longer bled, he could still feel an extremely fierce energy within it. ¡°The Golden Core Sword Jue is indeed formidable!¡± Zhou Mingyu sighed, and said in a low voice, ¡°I underestimated that Li Jianchen!¡± ¡°Ancestor¡!¡± Hearing this, the middle-aged Cultivator grew even more anxious. ¡°Rest assured!¡± Zhou Mingyu shook his head andforted him, ¡°Although the Golden Core Sword Jue is formidable, it requires the cultivation of a Golden Core to unleash its true power. Li Jianchen is only at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, and even if he forcibly performed a move by sacrificing his life essence, itcks the might of a Golden Core. Against others, it might kill, but against me¡ hmph, he stillcks the necessary skill!¡± ¡°The Ancestor¡¯s might is awe-inspiring!¡± Hearing this, the middle-aged Cultivator let out a sigh of relief and did not forget to offer a ttering remark. ¡°What might? It¡¯s merely survival.¡± Zhou Mingyu shook his head again and sighed, ¡°Sword Cultivators truly live up to their name. My cultivation of the White Tiger Gengjin Jue has reached the Great Achievement Realm. The strength of my physical body is so greatly tempered that even at the peak of Foundation Establishment, it would be difficult to easily break through. Yet I was wounded so terribly by that one strike from Li Jianchen, I fled in embarrassment and lost all face!¡± ¡°The ancestors should not dwell on this.¡± The middle-aged Cultivator quickly consoled, ¡°That Li Jianchen put his life on the line for his strike, significantly diminishing his life essence. He fears not living long in this world. After his death, when we return to Dongting Lake, we must make the Li Family repay the blood debt with blood!¡± Between the lines, there was no thought of seeking revenge directly against the adversary. Zhou Mingyu nodded in agreement, ¡°This man is resolute, not ordinary. Now that his life essence is greatly damaged, he has nothing to lose. We need not argue with such a man desperate to die. Let him be arrogant for a while!¡± After saying this, as if to justify his own cowardice, he began to earnestly instruct. ¡°As Cultivators who seek longevity, such behavior might seem imposing, but it is actually forsaking the fundamental for the trivial, an act that fails to distinguish between what is important and what is not. You must not emte him!¡± ¡°The Ancestor is wise.¡± Seeing that the ancestor shared his perspective, the middle-aged Cultivator smiled and asked, ¡°What about the Wang Family¡¡± Upon hearing this, Zhou Mingyu¡¯s expression turned sorrowful, ¡°Tian Ling¡¯s death is truly a tragedy. After we return to Qingfeng Mountain, you will take some people to offer our condolences. Remember, do not let Yun¡¯er and the others be bullied as widows and orphans!¡± This statement made the middle-aged Cultivator¡¯s eyes light up, and he nodded immediately, ¡°Grandson understands, Ancestor, rest assured!¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Zhou Mingyu nodded, ¡°Go down. I will regte my breathing again. The flying boat must not slow down. We need to return home as soon as possible. Once the news spreads, those old ghosts will surely take action.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The middle-aged Cultivator nodded and respectfully left the room. Zhou Mingyu also closed his eyes, preparing to circte his energy again to nourish the severe injuries within his body. But at that moment¡ ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhou Mingyu opened his eyes, his brow slightly furrowed. What is it? He couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it, but he felt an inexplicable unease, a whimsical foreboding. It was as if a great disaster loomed overhead. Though he had not cultivated divination, at such a level of cultivation, he could sense the rhythm of heaven and earth, producing a faint premonition of warning¡ªit was not unfounded or without reason. ¡°Could those old ghosts have already received the news?¡± Zhou Mingyu¡¯s brows were tightly knotted, filled with a sense of unease, yet there was nothing he could do. Helpless, he could only close his eyes again, channel his cultivation to regte his breath, and try his best to recover from his injuries. Meanwhile¡ Within the spiritnd of Dongting Lake, inside a secret chamber. In front of the Yin Altar, the curse had beenpleted; the body of the straw effigy harboring the curse was ready to be unleashed! Xu Yang ced down his magic sword, picked up the straw effigy, and tucked it into his sleeve. He then activated the Earth Ghost Divine Seal within his sea of consciousness, transforming into a streak of golden light, and vanished into the void. The Earth Deity Law, the art of teleportation! By consuming the power of the spiritnd, one could teleport between the spiritnd and its connected regions. Given the tier of the Dongting spiritnd, one could teleport up to five hundred miles at a time. It was a major means of saving one¡¯s life. Otherwise, Xu Yang would not have put on such an overt drama. Even if the situation spiraled out of control, with Foundation Establishmentpleters or even Golden Core experts appearing, he could still use this method to escape and save his life. Of course, his current use of this technique was not to flee for his life, but to pursue and kill. Chasing after the Tower Treasure Ship to y Zhou Mingyu and eliminate thest trouble! Some things, if you choose to do them, you must see them through to the end. Eliminate the roots to prevent future troubles! As for why he didn¡¯t just directly kill with a curse¡ Xu Yang was not the kind of person to make a wedding dress for someone else. Zhou Mingyu¡¯s cultivation was in thete Foundation Establishment stage, and as the patriarch of a Foundation Establishment power holding sway over the Qingfeng Mountain Cultivation Market, his family was wealthy and affluent. It would be too unfair to himself to go through the effort and expense of cursing him to death without collecting some spoils of war. So¡ With the divine seal driving the spell and the spiritnd lending its power, he appeared five hundred miles away in an instant. Xu Yang¡¯s figure solidified, he threw out the Cumted Thunder Cloud into the sky, which transformed into mist and rosy light, concealing his presence as hey in wait. Although the Zhou family¡¯s Tower Treasure Ship was a supreme graderge magic artifact with astonishing escape speed, it couldn¡¯t have flown hundreds of miles in such a short time. Xu Yang locked onto the energy trail and teleported forth, positioning himself ahead. The next step was to wait patiently, like lying in ambush for a hare. Zhou Mingyu did not have to wait long before he saw a streak of Escape Light approaching rapidly from afar. ¡°Perfect timing!¡± Xu Yang smiled, seated upon a cloud, he took out the straw effigy cursed with the spell just before and then produced two long nails. The two long nails, one red and one ck, disyed the alternating cycle of Yin and Yang. They were the curse artifacts meant to pair with the Increase Life and Damage Fate Generals¡ªthe Increase Life and Damage Fate Yin-Yang nails! Xu Yang held the straw effigy in one hand and the nails in the other. One nail pierced through the Heavenly Spirit from above, the other stabbed into the Huiyin point from below. Then, using his finger as a brush, he uttered the incantation, ¡°Increase life decrease fate, Yin prospers Yang dies!¡± ¡°Go!!!¡± With one flick of his finger, darkness fell upon the world, and in that instant, the white clouds turned into ominous Yang Clouds, foreboding and terrifying, signifying bad omens. In the sinister atmosphere, two ghostly figures condensed behind Xu Yang¡ªit was the towering form of two Ghost Generals. One general had a ghastly green face with fierce tusks, wielding a steel trident. The other had a fierce countenance with blood-redplexion and evil eyes, brandishing iron chains. The two generals appeared and then transformed into streams of energy that entered the pierced straw effigy. Instantly¡ ¡°Rumble!¡± The foreboding clouds collided, and muted thunder rumbled, suffocating. Inside the Tower Treasure Ship, Zhou Mingyu, who was channeling his cultivation to heal, opened his eyes once more, feeling irritation and restlessness, his Qi Blood boiling, with waves of unease. It seemed that a grave disaster was about to befall him! What¡¯s happening? Zhou Mingyu did not know, but instinctively, he took out several second-tier Spirit Talismans for protection from his Storage Bag. He also swallowed a second-tier pill to increase his Qi Blood and restore his vitality. Finally, he took out a Green Jade bead and consecrated it above his head, casting down a protective green light over himself. All of them were his life-saving methods and family¡¯s potentiality. But even this could not ease the sense of unrest, which instead intensified and became more ominous! ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Zhou Mingyu frowned deeply, pondering internally. Though he was injured, it wasn¡¯t fatal. With all the precautions he had taken, even if some old enemies got the news and came to assassinate him while he was down, he was confident he could fend them off. Why then this feeling of unease? Could it be¡ ¡°Hiss!!!¡± In the midst of his agitation and confusion, a sudden excruciating pain emanated from his mind. No, not the mind, but rather the soul! The soul was wracked with intense pain as if it were being cleaved in two or as if needles were prating his skull, running through him and causing severe agony. ¡°Ah!!!¡± This soul-piercing searing pain, which even Zhou Mingyu, who had experienced a hundred years of trials and several life-and-death turns, couldn¡¯t withstand, caused him to cry out in pain and fall from the lotus seat. Chapter 162 - 118: The End_1 Chapter 162: Chapter 118: The End_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Someone has cursed me in secret!¡± Amidst the boundless agonizing pain, Zhou Mingyu finally awoke in horror, realizing the source of his unease. He struggled to prop up his body with difficulty and took out several second-tier talismans from his storage bag, cing them on his forehead and activating them all at once. Evil Skills, Curse Spell! Detestable tactics! As a Foundation Establishment Cultivator who had lived for nearly two hundred years and seen much of the world, he had also heard of such cultivating skills. Although such means were mostly of the Demon Path and not prevalent in the Cultivation World of Liang Country, he had only heard of them and never came into close contact, let alone knew how to counteract them. He had never eaten pork, but he had seen pigs run; he was aware of a few countermeasures. The Curse Killing Skill mainly targeted the Divine Soul, and the methods to counteract it were basically threefold: either y the caster, perform a body-protecting curse-nullifying skill, or rely on one¡¯s own strength to resist head-on. Zhou Mingyu was neither versed in curse spells nor in possession of curse-nullifying body-protecting skills, and finding his adversary was unrealistic at this juncture. Therefore, he had no choice but to resist head-on! The talismans he used were all second-tier Spirit Talismans for stabilizing the Divine Soul and resisting evil demons. One of them, moreover, was of superior quality and quite valuable! Zhou Mingyu, enduring the severe pain, activated it to stabilize the defense of his Divine Soul, resisting the curse spell¡¯s attack. In an instant, he saw the pain lessen and his soul began to recover its cohesion. Indeed effective! But Zhou Mingyu still dared not be careless. Propping up his body, he sat back on the lotus tform, closed his eyes, and spurred his divine consciousness to assess his condition. No sooner had he closed his eyes than darkness surged like a tide, overwhelming his consciousness and making it fuzzy. In that daze, within the gloom, two figures suddenly appeared like specters. They were two terrifying and grim Ghost Generals. One General had a green face with fangs, a ferocious mouth, and a steel fork in hand. The other General had a red face with a fierce gaze, eyes and eyebrows filled with malice, holding an iron chain across. Although the two Generals were fiendishly terrifying and embodied Underworld Ghosts, their approach now bore the air of walking the Big Dipper¡¯s steps. In a moment, they had ominously stepped in front of him. Zhou Mingyu¡¯s pupils constricted with terror. Before he could act, he saw the green-faced General step forward and twist his body, hurling his fork. ¡°Bang!!!¡± Though they were second-tier talismans, they could not withstand the refined methods and the special enhancements of the Increase and Decrease Two Generals. With a thrust of his fork, the protectiveyer shattered instantly, and one of the Spirit Talismans on his forehead ignited, burning to ash and dispersing. As the Spirit Talisman turned to ash, Zhou Mingyu, sitting on the lotus tform, trembled. Veins bulged between his head and neck, his facial features twisted,rge beads of sweat rolled down, soaking his clothes. The scabbed sword wound on his chest also split open in an instant, blood spurting out, a shocking sight to behold. Pain, pain, pain, indescribably intense and to the marrow! ¡°Hu!¡± Amidst the severe pain, another talisman shattered, spontaneouslybusting without fire, the ashes scattering. Within his sea of consciousness, the red-faced General charged, sweeping his iron chain, breaking the protective talisman¡¯s defense, and hooking onto Zhou Mingyu¡¯s soul essence. Zhou Mingyu¡¯s pupils constricted, and before he could act, the iron chain tugged, pulling acerated piece of flesh from his soul essence¡¯s body. How could the Divine Soul have flesh and blood? Zhou Mingyu didn¡¯t know, only feeling he had lost something crucial, overwhelmed by immense pain that made him scream piercingly. ¡°Ah!!!¡± With a scream, Zhou Mingyu toppled from the lotus tform and heavily fell to the ground. His once white hair gradually became gray and lifeless, dry and brittle, even scattering like ash. Within his physical body, a putrid mix of dingy sweat, crimson blood, and various foul-smelling filth overflowed, the stench unbearable, enough to cause retching. The heavens could pity him. Before, although his hair was all white, embodying an elderly visage, he still had the vitality of youth within and radiated vibrancy, unlike his current state of total decline, showing the signs of impending doom, at the life-and-death threshold. How could this happen? How could this happen! Lifespan, lifespan¡! In a moment of terrifying enlightenment, Zhou Mingyu realized what he had lost. Life essence! Lifespan! Those two Evil Ghosts had snatched away his life essence, cutting away his lifespan. ¡°How utterly vicious!!!¡± Zhou Mingyu screamed, propping up his body, struggling desperately. But where was there a path to life for him? For three months, with painstaking sacrifice and cultivation, devouring thousands of Evil Ghosts, absorbing all essences of Underworld Souls, further empowered by the thunderbolt creation and the vitality of pure Yang, along with skill enhancements and special attributes, the Increase Life and Damage Fate Two Generals had been cultivated. They long surpassedmon norms, dreadfully terrifying, and fiercely invincible. Let alone at thete stages of Foundation Establishment, even at the peak of Foundation Establishment, one might not withstand them. Zhou Mingyu, as a physical cultivator, had a naturally weaker Divine Soul and no knowledge of Taoist healing skills. Facing the onught of the Increase and Decrease Two Generals, he was at a disadvantage within a disadvantage. Forget the Divine Soul, even his physical body was not at its peak, afflicted with a deep unhealed sword injury. Internally and externally beleaguered, the Increase and Decrease Generals push him to the brink of death! In such a state, where was there any path to survival for him? There was not only no path to survival, but also growing despair. Both eyelids felt like they weighed a thousand pounds, heavily sinking down, his vision twisting and blurring, dim and dark, hardly able to see anything. In both ears, the drumming buzzed and roared like the cries of ghosts and howls of wolves, plunging his mind into chaos, the world spinning around him, with no ability to hear. Even his nose and mouth were sealed by an invisible force, unable to exhale or inhale, stuck in between, an indescribable pain. Moreover, his limbs felt as if a mountain was pressing down, bearing the weight of ten thousand catties, unable to struggle or escape, as if he was being crushed alive. ¡°Ancestor!¡± Perhaps rmed by themotion, the middle-aged cultivator who had just left returned posthaste with several others to the house, only to be frozen in shock, appalled by the dreadful state of their family ancestor, unsure of what to do. ¡°Ancestor!!!¡± ¡°How could this happen?¡± ¡°Could it be that the sword wound was poisoned?¡± ¡°Quick, bring the antidote pills!¡± Although they did not know what was happening, the crowd was jolted awake, seeing Zhou Mingyu writhing on the ground in pain, growing increasingly weak; they rushed to administer pills to him. However, Zhou Mingyu¡¯s veins bulged, his jaws tightly clenched, blood oozing from his mouth, making it impossible to get the pills inside. ¡°Ancestor!¡± ¡°This¡¡± While the Zhou family members stood helpless, ¡°Puh!!!¡± A muffled sound erupted as Zhou Mingyu¡¯s body convulsed, and he vomited arge spurt of fresh blood. His once robust body visibly withered at a rate visible to the naked eye, as if his flesh and spirit were being hollowed out, leaving only skin adhered to a skeleton. ¡°Ancestor!!!¡± The Zhou family members¡¯plexion changed drastically, stricken with horror. Before their shocked cries could finish, they saw two dark streams spewing out from Zhou Mingyu¡¯s body, transforming into two towering, fearsome ghost generals. Increase Life and Damage Fate! Gazing at the two ghost generals, the middle-aged cultivator with a Foundation Establishment level of cultivation was the first to react, his pupils contracting, readying to take action. But¡ ¡°Puh!¡± The Increase Life General, with his green teeth bared, moved swiftly, twisting his waist, and threw his fork, skewering the man against the wall along with it. Suddenly, the building ship trembled, spirit light shed, and the Zhou family members were thrown into panic. At that moment, a malevolent cloud descended from the sky, and Yin Qi surged like a tide, breaking through the magic artifact defenses and mming into the building ship. It was a Daoist with a cold face and a sinister aura. The Daoist man held a long banner, with surging Yin Qi around his body, and a hundred ghosts wailing as he shed with the panic-stricken Zhou family cultivators. In such a condition, momentster¡ Numerous spirit lights burst out of the building ship, scattering in all directions, fleeing in rm. Inside the building ship, Xu Yang held the Hundred Ghosts Banner at ease, showing no intention of pursuing them. Eradicating the roots was only necessary for Zhou Mingyu. As for the rest¡ he needed them alive! Only if they lived would the news of ¡°Yin Mountain Taoist¡± intercepting the Zhou family¡¯s Tower Treasure Ship and killing the family¡¯s elder Zhou Mingyu spread, clearing ¡°Li Jianchen¡± of suspicion. He wanted to create distractions for the Green Jade Sect and other forces, diverting attention from the Spirit Land of Dongting Lake. The Yin Mountain Taoist was indeed a suitable choice, a practitioner of the Demon Path who employed underworld ghosts to assassinate ate-stage Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivator was enough to draw attention. Moreover, with the deaths of Wang Tianling and Zhou Mingyu, it was certain that the assets of both families would be hard to defend, especially the Qingfeng Mountain market owned by the Zhou family, which would definitely have to be relinquished, sparking a new battle for the Spirit Land. At that time, the Green Jade Sect would certainly engage in their bncing strategy again, inciting various forces to fight over it, creating a storm of bloodshed. In such a scenario, would anybody still pay attention to the inconspicuous Dongting Lake and a Li Jianchen whose life was almost spent? Clearly not! After this event, he would have at least twenty or thirty years of development time. At the very least, before Li Jianchen ¡°meets his fate and dies¡±, it was unlikely that various forces and the Green Jade Sect would bother with Dongting Lake again. Especially the Green Jade Sect, that was crucial. The many things he had done were mainly to prepare for this Golden Core level Upper Sect. As for those Foundation Establishment powers, they were just a side note to deter, ultimately insignificant. After a short while, a tide of ghosts engulfed the building ship flying boat, morphing into the dark currents and disappearing. The scene concluded! Chapter 163: 119 chapter: Inheritance_1 Chapter 163: 119 chapter: Inheritance_1 Trantor: 549690339 In the world of Cultivation, the territories were vast. Take Liang Country as an example, with its fifteen provinces, each governed by the Three Sects of Golden Core. Among them, Tianshu Sect was the strongest, controlling nine out of the fifteen provinces, while the remaining six were evenly divided between Green Jade Sect and Medicine King Valley. Even these three provinces wereparable to arge nation, and Green Jade Sect could not govern them directly. It could only co-govern with various Foundation Establishment forces through the Twelve Green Jade towers. The Twelve Green Jade towers, each led by a Foundation Establishment Cultivator as The Twelve Fairy Seekers, and in each Cultivation Market, there were smaller Green Jade establishments managed by those with eitherplete Qi Cultivation or early Foundation Establishment as directors. This formed the ruling system of Green Jade Sect. Their strength was clearly formidable. At this moment, within a Green Jade Tower. ¡°Is it true?¡± One of The Twelve Fairy Seekers, Bai Yunzi, furrowed his brows upon hearing the news from his subordinate. ¡°There¡¯s confirmation from Director Zhang at Qingfeng Mountain Market, no mistakes, it really happened!¡± The subordinate reported, ¡°On their way back, the Zhou Family was ambushed by Evil Cultivators. Their Magic Artifacts were seized, their people in. The patriarch Zhou Mingyu and the family head Zhou Jifeng have gone missing, their fates unknown, with more likelihood of ill than good.¡± Upon hearing this, Bai Yunzi fell silent. The Zhou Family of Qingfeng Mountain was considered among the top-tier Foundation Establishment powers under Green Jade Sect¡¯s rule. After all, those withplete Foundation Establishment dared not travel lightly, andte-stage Foundation Establishment was the usual pinnacle ofbat power. With this advantage, the Zhou Family firmly held their ground in Qingfeng Mountain¡¯s second-tier Spirit Land, operated markets, rented out Cave Mansions, and umted considerable assets through various means. Their legacy had persisted to this day, still thriving without any sign of decline. Zhou Mingyu, ate-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, had nearly a hundred years of lifespan left. He had also raised an early-stage Foundation Establishment heir. Even a hundred yearster, when his time came, his sessor could maintain this family enterprise. But unexpectedly¡ Zhou Mingyu was dead! This waspletely unforeseen. As a Searching Immortal Envoy tasked with overseeing the area, Bai Yunzi was well aware of Zhou Mingyu¡¯s strength. Not even aplete Foundation Establishment Cultivator could easily take him down without extraordinary means. And yet, he was now dead. Who had made the move? The Zhou Family¡¯s known enemies? Or those aged ghosts withplete Foundation Establishment? Or perhaps a ferocious dragon that had crossed the river from some unknownnd? Bai Yunzi¡¯s brows were tightly knit as an image of a withered old face, drained of both Qi Blood, inexplicably surfaced in his mind. ¡°Was it him?¡± ¡°No, no, no, although he bore a grudge against the Zhou Family, it shouldn¡¯t have escted to this extent.¡± ¡°Furthermore, the timing doesn¡¯t fit. Zhou Mingyu left by boat first, while he stayed on the ind to talk with me. The difference in their departures was too great; how could he have caught up?¡± ¡°Even if he set out immediately after I left, with his mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivation and considering the speed of the Zhou Family¡¯s Tower Treasure Ship, it would be very difficult to intercept Zhou Mingyu before he returned to Qingfeng Mountain.¡± ¡°Not to mention he was injured, with his life essence greatly damaged and both Qi Blood weakened!¡± ¡°With such a state, how could he possibly have killed Zhou Mingyu?¡± ¡°Unless he concealed his real strength.¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t make sense¡¡± ¡°So, was it just his strike that severely wounded Zhou Mingyu, providing an opportunity for others?¡± Bai Yunzi analyzed, initially casting suspicion on Xu Yang, then shifting it away. This was a normal reaction. For such an unsolved murder, the first suspect would naturally be someone with a vested interest. In the struggle for Spirit Land by Dongting Lake, the two had just engaged in a confrontation, even sparking a real fire. With this context, Zhou Mingyu¡¯s ambush naturally pointed to Xu Yang as the prime suspect. But after his analysis, Bai Yunzi dismissed the suspicion towards him. Should Zhou Mingyu¡¯s death indeed be the doing of this individual, then the affair would be iparably terrifying. As the Searching Immortal Envoy, Bai Yunzi truly did not wish for such a frightful event to ur within his jurisdiction. It was a kind of instinctive subjective intention, one that even he himself had not noticed. His subordinates also opportunately said, ¡°Director Zhang reported that a few of the Zhou family managed to escape by luck. ording to their descriptions, the person who ambushed and killed was a nefarious evil cultivator, who attacked with overwhelming Yin Qi, with a hundred ghosts surging like tides.¡± ¡°Such behavior is extremely simr to that of the Yin Mountain Taoist who wandered through various ghost markets some time ago, luring and killing two Foundation Establishment cultivators.¡± ¡°Yin Mountain Taoist?¡± Bai Yunzi frowned, ¡°A devious evil cultivator was able to ambush and kill Zhou Mingyu?¡± Within his speech, uncertainty and shock were evident, but he soon came to a realization. ¡°Although Zhou Mingyu was not weak, he was severely injured by Li Jianchen with the Golden Core Sword Jue. The Yin Mountain Taoist took advantage of this,unching a surprise attack; it is only natural that the Zhou family were destroyed unsuspectingly by his hands!¡± ¡°Li Jianchen, Li Jianchen¡¡± ¡°Well then, I shall do them a favor with the flow!¡± Murmuring to himself, he finally decided and rose to leave. Meanwhile¡ On the small ind, within the secret room, in front of the Yin Altar. Looking at the dozens of Storage Bags before him, Xu Yang revealed a smile akin to that of a weathered farmer. Hard work reaps rewards, a fruitful return! Next,es the joyous and much-anticipated segment of opening the bags. For this, Xu Yang was also somewhat eager. In this period of time, for the refining of the Increase and Decrease Two Generals, he traveled across Liang Country, collecting evil ghosts, purchasing all sorts of materials, constructing the Righteous Skills Yin Altar ¡ª he did not know how many Spirit Stones he had spent in total, back and forth. Lastly, he had to deal with Bai Yunzi, the Green Jade Immortal Envoy, and gave away two Storage Bags, which were not light in weight and extremely precious. After all these maneuvers, even he was drained, facing a potential deficit crisis. Fortunately, the effort paid off and was able to fill in the gaps! The dozens of Storage Bags represented the umtion of hundreds of years by the Zhou and Wang families. Most valuable of them all, undoubtedly, were the possessions of Zhou Mingyu and Wang Tianling. As the heads of their respective powers and mid-tote stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, the wealth and potential of the two were iparable to that of ordinary loose cultivators. With an expectant heart, Xu Yang first opened Wang Tianling¡¯s Storage Bag. ¡°tter!¡± Within the Storage Bag, the most numerous and eye-catching items were the Spirit Stones, neatly stacked, amounting to no less than a hundred thousand. As the head of the Wang family and a second-tier Artifact Refiner himself, Spirit Stones were something Wang Tianling certainly did notck. Apart from Spirit Stones, there were Magic Artifacts, Supreme Grade Magic Artifacts. Wave Pearl, Ice Dragon Pearl, a Mystical Tortoise Shield with one side broken, that Buddha¡¯s Light Mat, and a furnace cauldron used for Artifact Refining a total of five Supreme Grade Magic Artifacts. In the end, Xu Yang even found apletely ck sword with subdued edges, a Flying Sword. ¡°Is this¡ a Spiritual Artifact?¡± ¡°A lower grade Spiritual Artifact?¡± ¡°And a Flying Sword?¡± Xu Yang was surprised; he had not expected Wang Tianling to have such a collection, a truly pleasant surprise. But soon, his attention was captured by a pile of Jade Slips. While Spiritual Artifacts were excellent and Flying Swords powerful, the most valuable to Xu Yang were likely these Jade Slips. Xu Yang picked up a Jade Slip, swept his divine sense over it, and immediately revealed an expression of delight. Most of these Jade Slips were Cultivation Skills with not very high tiers; they were all Foundation Establishment level with limited value. However, one of them was a skill inheritance, the skill inheritance of a second-tier Artifact Refiner. Chapter 164 - 119: White Tiger_1 Chapter 164: Chapter 119: White Tiger_1 Trantor: 549690339 Hundred Arts of Cultivation have a value worth myriad gold, especially the four main streams: Pills, Talismans, Tools, and Formations. Indispensable on the path of Cultivation, they are indeed the sharp tools for cultivators to establish wealth and flourish. In this period of training in dreams, taking advantage of the vast difference in the flow of time, Xu Yang has thoroughly researched the skills of Elixir Skills, Talisman, Artifact Skills, and Formation, but only up to the first and second tier limits, he is still tackling the challenges. Indeed, tackling! He obtained many inheritances in the World of Dao and Law, including the skills of Pills, Talismans, Tools, and Formations, and their grades are extremely high, with many capable of stepping into the realm of Taoist True Monarchs, which ording to this world¡¯s ssification, is equivalent to the third tier of Golden Core. In this case, doesn¡¯t this Tool legacy lose its value? Not at all! Although there are inheritances in the World of Dao and Law, many are ancient Cultivation methods, with many materials now extinct, unable to methodically replicate and refine ording to procedure. One also has to consider the differences between the two worlds, issues such as adaptation to local conditions, and cannot directly apply them to reality without adjustments. If one wants to practice the ancient methods, one must also practice the modern ones. By taking cues from each other,plementing one another¡¯s strengths and weaknesses, one can apply them freely, and even innovate and create new methods. Therefore, this Tool inheritance is still of great use to him and can enhance his foundation. Moreover, knowledge is priceless; replicating and selling a set of skill inheritances can exchange for a vast amount of Spirit Stones. Take White Dragon Ind, for instance; they have a second-tier Talisman method inheritance, which has been listed for sale for years at the price of fifty thousand Spirit Stones. Even if no one shows interest, the price will not be lowered, at most sold in installments. Even if not much is sold, it is still a tool for generating wealth. Wang Tianling, as a second-tier Artifact Refiner, already possesses the ability to refine Supreme Grade Magic Artifacts, and has even begun attempting to refine Spiritual Artifacts. The Spiritual Flying Sword in the Storage Bag is the result of his painstaking efforts. Although it is only a lower-grade Spiritual Artifact, a Spiritual Artifact is still a Spiritual Artifact, its might and value far surpassing those of Magic Artifacts. It¡¯s just that Wang Tianling¡¯s Cultivation is too low, his abilities not up to par; otherwise, summoning this Flying Sword in battle, even without the activation of Sword techniques, would still have caused him some trouble. Just his assets alone are worth up to two or three hundred thousand Spirit Stones. Indeed, he is worthy of being the leader of a local power, far richer than those poverty-stricken Loose Cultivators. Xu Yang nodded to himself, opening the second Storage Bag, which belonged to the Zhou Family¡¯s patriarch. Compared to Wang Tianling, this patriarch of the Zhou Family seemed quite modest, thebined value of various Elixirs, Talismans, Magic Artifacts, and Jade Slips being just over a hundred thousand Spirit Stones. But there was no helping it, as the Zhou Family¡¯s main decision-maker was not this patriarch, but Zhou Mingyu, the aged ancestor in thete stage of Foundation Establishment. The bulk was yet toe! Xu Yang opened Zhou Mingyu¡¯s Storage Bag and sent his divine consciousness into it, immediately dazzled by the treasures within. Spirit Stones, piles upon piles of Spirit Stones! At a rough count, at least three to four hundred thousand. Xu Yang wasn¡¯t surprised by this. With the Zhou Family upying Qingfeng Mountain, a second-tier Spirit Land, operating a Cultivation Market and earning a fortune daily, umting such wealth over hundreds of years was only natural. This was even after ceding most of the profits to the Green Jade Sect. If not for Green Jade Sect¡¯s oppression and control, not to mention three to four hundred thousand, even three to four million would have been within reach. Xu Yang even found a small pile of Spirit Stones that were breathtakingly radiant and full of aura. Are these¡ mid-grade Spirit Stones? Their aura was pure,parable to Elixirs; even for Foundation Establishment Cultivators, they were extremely beneficial, capable of aiding in Artifact Refining, setting up Formations, and versatile forbat. Such a piece of mid-grade Spirit Stone could be worth a thousand lower-grade Spirit Stones. Beyond that, there were Magic Artifacts, Elixirs, Talismans, Cultivation Technique Jade Slips, and other items. Among them, the Tower Treasure Ship was the most precious, arge Supreme Grade Magic Artifact with a valueparable to a lower-grade Spiritual Artifact. Added together with various second-tier Elixirs, second-tier Talismans and various materials, Cultivation Technique Jade Slips, as well as a second-tier Talisman inheritance, and this extremely spacious, Spiritual Artifact grade Storage Bag, theirbined value was no less than a million Spirit Stones. Is this the foundation of the Zhou Family? Indeed, they are the tycoons of the marketce. However, the insatiable greed of the human heart is an abyss that cannot be filled. Even with umted wealth that could be described as enormous, they did not forget the tactics that they used to rise up and were still keen on matters of immortality, leading to such downfall. It can only be said, heaven¡¯sw is clear, karma is never in error! After examining for a while, Xu Yang finally took out a Jade Slip, looking at it with interest. White Tiger Gengjin Jue! A Body Training method from the Cultivation World! Currently, Xu Yang divides his practices into three categories. One is the Inner Yuan martial arts, based on the Martial Arts Scripture. Currently, he has only extrapted as far as the ¡°embracing the elixir¡± realm, corresponding to the Cultivation¡¯s Foundation Establishment. One is the external Body Training, based on the Martial Arts Scripture¡¯s Fish-Dragon Transformation and also using the Thunder-Driving Lightning-Lifting Skill along with Thunder and Lightning Quenching Body to toughen up his body. So far, he has only extrapted as far as the ¡°external body¡± realm, corresponding to the Cultivation¡¯s Foundation Establishment. The third is the Earth Deity Cultivation Method. Its system isplete but its progress is slow. Currently, there¡¯s no significant use, so it¡¯s momentarily set aside. Due to theck of Spiritual Root, Xu Yang cannot directly practice Cultivation Skills. He can only research and modify, integrating them into the Martial Arts Scripture, to create his exclusive ¡°Martial Path of Cultivation¡± practice. Therefore, Xu Yang has always been keen to collect various methods and inheritances. The White Tiger Gengjin Jue, as one of the rare body-training cultivation techniques in the Cultivation World, piqued his immense interest. ¡°White Tiger Gengjin, White Tiger Gengjin¡¡± Immersing his divine consciousness, he contemted the cultivation technique and soon had aplete understanding of the White Tiger Gengjin Jue. But after finishing, Xu Yang slightly furrowed his brow, feeling that there was something not quite right about the White Tiger Gengjin Jue. What was not right? Was there a problem with the technique? No, no, no, it wasn¡¯t that there was a problem with the technique, but rather¡ In an instant, enlightenment struck. Xu Yang put down the jade slip and once again activated the Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light. Immediately, within the Xuan Guang Mirror, information appeared. ¡°White Tiger Gengjin Jue, a Foundation Establishment body-training cultivation technique, only those with a superior grade metal spiritual root can practice it, achieving Foundation Establishment upon minorpletion, advancing to theter stages upon majorpletion, and even reaching the pinnacle of Foundation Establishment!¡± ¡°After perfection, with subsequent techniques, one can cultivate the White Tiger Gengjin Body, which is one of the Postnatal Five Spirits Five Elements Battle Bodies!¡± ¡°The Postnatal Five Spirits Five Elements Battle Bodies, consisting of the White Tiger Gengjin Body, Azure Dragon Jia Wood Body, ck Tortoise Ren Water Body, Vermilion Bird Bing Fire Body, and Kylin Wu Earth Body!¡± ¡°Geng Metal, Jia Wood, Ren Water, Bing Fire, and Wu Earth, all belong to the Yang aspect of the Five Elements, innate and also postnatal, and if one acquires the Yin aspect of the Five Elements, they can harmonize Yin and Yang to bring forth mysterious transformation, evolving into the Innate Five Spirits Five Elements Battle Bodies.¡± ¡°The Innate Five Spirits Five Elements Battle Bodies are then known as the White Tiger Gengxin Metal Body, Azure Dragon Jiayi Wood Body, ck Tortoise Renkui Water Body, Vermilion Bird Bingding Fire Body, and Kylin Wuxin Earth Body.¡± ¡°If one possesses the Five Elements Spiritual Root and cultivates all Five Spirits Five Elements Battle Bodies, then they can cultivate the divine power¡ªFive Colors Divine Light!¡± ¡°The Postnatal Five Spirits Five Elements Battle Bodies can cultivate a minor divine power, the Postnatal Five Colors Divine Light!¡± ¡°The Innate Five Spirits Five Elements Battle Bodies can cultivate a Great Divine Power, the Innate Five Colors Divine Light!¡± Staring at the information discovered in the Xuan Guang Mirror, Xu Yang was stunned. Five Elements Battle Bodies? Five Colors Divine Light? Could it be the Five Colors Divine Light he knew from his memories? How deep were the waters of this world, for such cultivation techniques to have been passed down? Xu Yang¡¯s heart skipped a beat, he snapped back to reality, and was about to inquire further. But then, he stopped himself. Using the Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light to inquire about the heavens depended on the karmic ties and one¡¯s spiritual stature. With his current level of cultivation, was he qualified to inquire about divine powers like the ¡°Five Colors Divine Light¡±? Clearly not! Even this information about the Five Spirits Five Elements Battle Bodies was only obtained because he acquired the White Tiger Gengjin Jue, which led to the rted information due to karmic reasons. So, it was better not to hastily inquire. Otherwise, if bacsh urred, a minor injury would be the least of concerns, while the disruption of his spiritual progression would be far more severe. Having recently achieved minor sess with the Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light, he had no intention of squandering his progress and starting over from scratch. For the time being, he would not inquire. Turning off the Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light and looking at the cultivation technique jade slip again, Xu Yang felt an eager desire to try it out. He had to admit, the allure of the Five Elements Battle Body was massive. Especially the Five Colors Divine Light, which was extremely captivating for the mind and spirit. Xu Yang was very interested. But he couldn¡¯t practice it directly, for hecked the Metal Spiritual Root. He could only first contemte it, integrate it with his Martial Arts Scripture, and see if he could modify it to create a Five Spirits Five Elements Battle Body that suited him. This method of experimentation was risky to carry out in reality; one mistake could be life-threatening. It was better to verify it in dreams. Xu Yang memorized the technique, then opened the other storage bags, sorted and categorized everything, and ced them orderly. Having tallied everything up atst, the total value of all magic artifacts, pills, talismans, inherited jade slips, various materials, and some unknown wondrous items, should be over two million Spirit Stones. To understand, Xu Yang¡¯s previous wealth amounted to only about two hundred thousand Spirit Stones, and those two ghost cultivators he had ¡®fished¡¯ for, along with the demon cultivator Zhang Jia, were even less fortunate, their entire fortunes not exceeding a hundred thousand Spirit Stones. Gaining over two million Spirit Stones in one go not only filled the previous void but also increased Xu Yang¡¯s wealth tenfold, instantly providing resources for him to raise Spirit Beasts, construct the Thunder Altar, and practice the Earth Deity Law to improve the tier of his Spirit Land. ¡°Indeed,mitting murder and arson begets a golden belt!¡± ¡°Regrettably, such acts cannot be frequently done.¡± ¡°With the mantis stalking the cicada unaware of the oriole behind, hunters throughout the day must be wary of bing the hunted!¡± ¡°Hence, it¡¯s best to farm thend honestly and dream peacefully!¡± With a smile, Xu Yang gathered up the storage bags that looked like a small mountain and did not venture anywhere else. He simply sat cross-legged in front of the sinister Mana Altar, closed his eyes, and slipped into his dreams. In the hurry of three months, with a hundredfold time difference, twenty-five years had passed in the dream. What was the scene now? Chapter 165 - 120: Chen Dynasty_1 Chapter 165: Chapter 120: Chen Dynasty_1 Trantor: 549690339 Jiangzhe, Jinhua Mansion, North City. On the wide road, a carriage slowly moved forward. Though ordinary without the courtesy of a minister, a closer inspection of the carriage framework revealed an unusual refinement, especially the two horses pulling it, tall and agile as dragons, evidently noble steeds that could gallop a thousand miles with ease. The coachman drove the horses at a slow pace, with the carriage so stable that it hardly shook. Inside the carriage, two people sat opposite each other. One was a young man, with eyebrows like sharp swords and bright stars for eyes, exuding an extraordinary elegance. Adorned in brocaded robes, his every movement was filled with an aristocratic air, and he seemed to have an innate authority that inspired awe. The other person wore faded monk robes, with a clean-shaven head and features as if painted, quite androgynous in appearance, but he emitted a sense of virtuous dignity that was both awe-inspiring andpassionate, truly a great sage. As they sat opposite each other, the young man was in no hurry to speak, instead he lifted the curtain and looked down with his eyes. First, his gaze fell upon the road. This road could be considered one for official travel; it was over fifty steps wide, exceptionally broad and t, solid in its construction, notposed of regr stone and earth. No matter if it was treading horse hooves or rolling carriage wheels, the road sustained no damage. The smoothness of the ride was partly due to the coachman¡¯s skilled driving and the high quality of the horses and carriage, but it was also inseparable from the road itself. The young man was certain that any carriage would glide smoothly on this road, even at high speed. ¡°The standard of this road is no less than that of an imperial thoroughfare, and the materials used are exceptional,¡± the young man mused with a focused gaze, ¡°Ordinary roads are paved with stone and earth, with rural areas typically having dirt paths and only counties in mansion territories boasting stone paved roads, yet none as expansive as this. Only the imperial highways have such specifications, and even those are not as firm as this surface. Could this be the legendary concrete?¡± Upon hearing this, the monk smiled, ¡°Your Highness is also aware of concrete?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The young man¡¯s expression grew solemn, and he sighed softly, ¡°In the governance of a country, poetry and books are esteemed above all, and the practices of workers and farmers are regarded as weird skills and side-path left ways. In the pce, I perused various texts, mostly sage¡¯s articles, Confucian and legal scriptures, or Taoist and Buddhist canons. Practical studies like agriculture, craftsmanship, and medicine are seldom seen!¡± Unchanged in expression, the monk continued to inquire, ¡°Does Your Highness have an interest in the studies of workers, farmers, and the medical arts?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about liking them, but such practical knowledge would be a pity not to utilize,¡± the young man sighed lightly, his voice distant, ¡°The teachings of the Three Teaching Sect can lead to the practice of Divine Magic, not only for attaining Divine Skills but also for pursuing longevity and the hope of evesting life. Thus, everyone in the world focuses on cultivation, Confucians pursue fame through literature, and Taoists and Buddhists engage in deep practice. Who would willingly spend their time and energy delving into those weird skills?¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± The monk nodded and muttered, ¡°Who would be willing?¡± ¡°Li Liuxian was willing.¡± Taking over the conversation, the young man spoke gravely, ¡°Guo Bei Academy epts all kinds of students from across the world without discrimination, and has even established various disciplines such as agriculture, craftsmanship, and medicine. After decades of cultivation, it has now produced a group of great farmers and master craftsmen, as well as brilliant medical practitioners. This concrete is the creation of its engineering department.¡± ¡°With this material alone, North City, Jinhua Mansion, and even every city and county in Jiangzhe Province have constructed major roads. The smooth passage of carts and horses brings unparalleled convenience. The already wealthynd of Jiangnan, with such convenient transportation, not only enhancesmercial exchanges but also continuously brings in a flow of resources into North City.¡± ¡°Moreover, it is rumored that the cost of this material is extremely low, suitable not only for paving roads but also for constructing tile-roofed houses and even buildings, and it can even be used for building cities and erecting walls with remarkable effects.¡± ¡°Ordinary city construction is usually a massive drain on resources, requiring not just arge workforce and imposing hardbor on the people but also consuming a great amount of materials. Stones have to be quarried from mountains and transported to cities for construction, then bound together with sticky rice mortar. Such a time-intensive andborious process drains the lifeblood of the people to erect a city.¡± ¡°Hence, from ancient times, those who undertook such vast construction projects without reason have often been dim-witted and tyrannical rulers, heralding the beginning of a dynasty¡¯s decline.¡± ¡°If this material is truly as cost-effective as rumored¡¡± Pausing, the young man¡¯s gaze sharpened, ¡°It could be considered a great asset of the nation, a cornerstone of the sovereign path!¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± The monk nodded and then questioned further, ¡°Does Your Highness wish to bring this asset into His own possession?¡± The young man fell silent for a while before finally speaking, ¡°If possible, I would like to offer it to my father, the Emperor.¡± The monk shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m afraid His Majesty is not in the state of mind to concern himself with these matters at present.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± With a solemn expression, the young man spoke morosely, ¡°The Emperor is aging, Divine Martial is no more, and he is gradually bing more ineffectual.¡± ¡°It would be best to refrain from speaking such words, Your Highness,¡± the monk cautioned with another headshake, ¡°Through the ages, every emperor has longed for immortality. Although our current Emperor is extremely talented and strategic, no one can escape themon human desires. Your Highness should understand this.¡± ¡°I do understand, but¡¡± The young man lifted his head, ¡°Emperors may be blessed with the nation¡¯s destiny and looked up to by countless citizens, but with great poweres great responsibility. The umtion of power from all the people into one person, with all itsplexities, can also be a burden.¡± ¡°That is why emperors struggle to cultivate and find it even harder to extend their lives. Even when they consume Spirit Pills and marvelous medicines, the effects are minimal and may even incur the resentment of the people. If misgovernance and misconduct arise, public outrage could boil over, resulting in a bacsh so powerful that the emperor could suddenly die a disastrous death, condemned by thousands, perishing without an ailment!¡± ¡°Knowing this, why does my father insist on defying nature¡¯s course?¡± ¡°The Emperor¡¯s life is bound to his empire, and to wish for longevity, one must govern well!¡± ¡°Yet my father pins his hopes on elixirs, isn¡¯t that neglecting the fundamental and chasing after the superficial?¡± As he spoke, the young man clenched his fist, pounding heavily on the windowsill, but it couldn¡¯t relieve the frustration in his heart. Hearing this, the monk only shook his head and remained silent. Thirty years ago, the Great Chen Dynasty was in decline. Back then, Emperor Ying Zong reigned over thend. Ying Zong was known as such, but he was in fact an ipetent ruler, depraved andwless, drawing the wrath of heaven and the resentment of the people. Disasters sprung up everywhere, and demonic beings roamed free, causing the people to suffer miserably and resentment to swell, elerating the decline of the Great Chen Dynasty. However, Emperor Ying Zong was oblivious, indulging in the pleasures of his harem all day long, to the extent that the people¡¯s grievances boiled over, ultimately rebelling against the emperor and causing his violent death within the pce, bringing an end to his licentious life. After the death of Ying Zong, the crown prince ascended the throne, bing Emperor Xian Zong of the Great Chen. Although Xian Zong was the son of Ying Zong, he was unlike his father. Gifted and intelligent from a young age, wise and divinely martial, upon ascending to the throne he received great assistance from Buddhism, purged the power ministers, beheaded the treacherous courtiers, reformed the court officials, wise and divinely martial, turned the tide, and astonishingly revitalized the state of Chen, ushering in an era of ¡°Great Revival and Order.¡± He was the mastermind behind the Great Revival of Chen. However¡ Since ancient times, beautiful women and famous generals were not allowed to show their whitened hair to the world. Even with the status of an emperor, holding the power over the world, one could not defy the natural span of life. Thirty yearster, this capable and tactful ruler, wise and divinely martial, had also reached the ripe old age of seventy. In this world, heaven and earth are scarce, and the lifespan of creatures is very short. Unless one cultivates. However, an emperor, entangled with the will of the people, finds it difficult to pursue cultivation. The age of seventy is already approaching twilight. The wise ruler gradually became confused and muddleheaded. He began to believe in the effects of elixirs and pursued the Art of Longevity. However, it is an iron rule that emperors cannot live forever. Under the great terror of life and death, Xian Zong¡¯s actions became increasingly foolhardy, and with the addition of many princespeting for session and intensifying strife within the court, the world that had just stabilized for a few years was once again embroiled in turmoil, gradually leading to rebellion. Furthermore, the demonic beings roamed with even greater intensity, surpassing the past. In the blink of an eye, it was time for the dynasty¡¯s fateful cycle to repeat. As a prince of the Chen Dynasty, Liang Xiao had repeatedly offered counsel, hoping his father the emperor could restore the country. However, by now Emperor Xian Zong was nearly deranged, not only ignoring his advice but also banishing him from the capital city. This left Liang Xiao deeply despairing, nearly without hope. But his nature resilient, he did not give up but took hisst hope to thends of Jiangnan. ¡°I heard that in the county of North City, Mount Jilei¡¯s Mingxiao Taoist Temple, and its King Shifa, a Taoist True Man, expert in Thunder and Lightning true cultivation, can concoct elixirs such as the Youth-Retaining Pill, the Resurrection Pill, and the Life-Enhancing Pill, all possessing extraordinary effects. If I could acquire such a Spirit Pill and present it to my father, perhaps I could receive his forgiveness and return to the capital!¡± ¡°However¡¡± Liang Xiao¡¯s eyes focused, and raising his head, he looked at the monk, ¡°Grandmaster, do you think that King Shifa really lives up to his great reputation or fails to do so?¡± The monk smiled and calmly said, ¡°How could someone who established such a foundation be a fraud?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Liang Xiao replied and nodded, but felt an unexinable restlessness. The monk, seeing his state of mind,ughed and said, ¡°Your Highness, are you worried about Li Liuxian?¡± Liang Xiao remained silent for a while before finally nodding, frankly admitting, ¡°Indeed!¡± ¡°Li Liuxian is known as the top schr of the world, with an elegance and reputation so grand that for decades, looking across the world, there are none who could surpass him!¡± ¡°What¡¯s more, it is said that amongst the luck and literary talent of the world, Li Liuxian alone upies one out of eight parts, with the rest owing him twice that!¡± ¡°Clearly a man of high talents, thirty years ago he was the number one schr known throughout thend, unmatched and renowned. Thirty years on, he became even more of a colossus in literature, a Grandmaster of his era.¡± ¡°He bears the title of the Four Sages and Four Excellences in the arts of zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. His poetry, calligraphy, painting, zither ying, chess strategies, and even his novels and short stories, have spread throughout the world, known to all!¡± ¡°With such high esteem and intense literary charm, even Great Schrs pale inparison!¡± After a series of exmations, Liang Xiao lowered his head, his heart filled with concern. ¡°Yet this man acts willfully and unrestrainedly, with great ambitions hidden within!¡± ¡°Fifteen years ago, during my father¡¯s golden age, he heard of his fame, and just as the imperial exam was being held, he issued an edict specifically calling him to the capital for the test!¡± ¡°But he paid it no heed, neither epting the decree nor showing himself, leaving the eunuch who announced the decree no choice but to return with it unopened. This infuriated my father who raged that night, yet in the end, it came to nothing, and he did not hold Li Liuxian ountable.¡± Having said this, Liang Xiao raised his head and looked at the monk, ¡°Grandmaster, do you know why?¡± The monk smiled and calmly replied, ¡°Because by then he had already established his influence, his wings fully grown; even His Majesty dared not lightly decree his arrest.¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Liang Xiao nodded, his voice tinged with a wry smile, ¡°This man has opened an academy in North City, teaching without discrimination, widely epting students, and has innovated practices like cultivating Cultural Qi in farming, craftsmanship, and medicine. Throughout the counties of Jinhua and even the wider Jiangzhe Province, he promotes agricultural endeavors, enjoying yearly favorable weather and abundant harvests.¡± ¡°With this as capital, he reinvests in development, not only making the Guo Bei Academy growrger each day but also expanding the tradingpanies and escort agencies under his wing. They operate throughout the north and the south, traveling to all regions, earning a fortune daily, rich enough to rival nations. They also provide for the popce, nurturing citizens, enhancing themon good, building a system that thrives in a virtuous cycle, constantly innovating, steadily expanding!¡± ¡°To this day, the Guo Bei Academy has be the fifthrgest in the world, and if one were to disregard umted potentiality and solely count the number of students, it might even be considered thergest academy in the world.¡± ¡°Li Liuxian, not only is he renowned throughout the world, but his influence also extends widely; he even has the demeanor of a Grandmaster, an All Age Mentor!¡± ¡°Moreover, he has extensive connections, with the entire literary world looking up to him, countless friends and an innumerable following. King Shifa of the Mingxiao Taoist Temple on Mount Jilei and those Taoist True Men of the Hundred Ghosts Forest¡¯s Yin Mountain Mansion Taoist Temple, both deeply connected friends, are behind him, leveraging their status to back him up.¡± ¡°Even he himself has earned the title of Sword Immortal, in no way inferior to these two ways!¡± ¡°A character such as this, on such a foundation, what can even my father do about it?¡± Liang Xiao let out a bitterugh, raising his head, and directly asked the monk, ¡°Grandmaster, do you think¡ will he rebel?¡± Chapter 166 - 121: Crossing_1 Chapter 166: Chapter 121: Crossing_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°This¡± The monk, upon hearing this, was also taken aback and then shook his head with a bitter smile, ¡°Hard to say!¡± Liang Xiao, hearing this, also gave a bitter smile, ¡°Yes, hard to say, really hard to say!¡± Indeed it was hard to say. If this world had no cultivation and was a mundane world ruled by emperors, there would be no question¡ªhe would certainly rebel, he would undoubtedly rebel. Even if he himself had no ambition to be emperor, those under him would beg him, push him, or even force him, to take that position. At such a scale, no one had a choice. Seed or fail! Either ascend to the throne, enjoying wealth and honor! Or die and be crushed to dust, with no hope of recovery! There was no third possibility, and others wouldn¡¯t give him a third possibility either. But this hypothesis wasn¡¯t valid. In this world, there were spells and there was cultivation, divine magic to master and Longevity Dao Fruit to seek. Emperors could not control everything, nor were they the most noble or the most powerful beings. Powery in the hands of cultivators, and the cultivators revered the Three Teaching Sects. Even for emperors, without the support of the Three Teachings and without cultivators at theirmand, they were but useless idols. Moreover, an emperor¡¯s dignity also had to bear the weight of a myriad of people; it was a protection as well as a burden, making cultivation impossible and life expectancy hard to extend. Therefore, as long as there was a choice, no cultivator would abandon their own path to be an emperor. This Li Liuxian, who was eight feet tall in talent and known throughout the world, and who cultivated the Flying Sword technique with a hidden reputation as a Sword Immortal, was certain to be a True Man in the future¡ªit was unlikely he would abandon his path. But if he did not be emperor, with the extent of Guo Bei Academy¡¯s influence, whoever ascended the throne in the future would certainly suppress it or even destroy it at any cost. What emperor could tolerate and leave unchallenged such an existence that could be king without a crown? Would he stoop to be under others, be manipted, and live his life swallowing his voice and anger? Clearly, he would not. Liang Xiao did his research and knew the man¡¯s temperament well¡ªit was fierce and domineering, believing in his own supremacy! ording to Liang Xiao¡¯s spection, there were only three possibilities for this man in the future. First, die and have his n annihted¡ªthis goes without saying, as it¡¯s the result of failure. Second, to operate from behind the scenes as the supreme power, putting forward an emperor while remaining and developing Guo Bei Academy in the background until eventually bing an existence like the Three sects Doctrines, transcending generations and enduring through the ages. Third, to rule a piece ofnd as king, not participating in the strife but also not allowing anyone to step over him, bing a local emperor who doesn¡¯t heed anyone¡¯smands¡ªlike the major Taoist schools, although surrendering some benefits to the new emperor is apromise, it is also a way to survive. Among these three, the second is the most likely. At least that¡¯s what Liang Xiao believes. Given this man¡¯s courage and the current scope of Guo Bei¡¯s foundation, Liang Xiao could not believe that he would be content with being a small local emperor, living in an obscure corner without vying with the world. That didn¡¯t match his approach. Keep in mind, in recent years, this man¡¯s actions had been extremely fierce. Using Guo Bei as a base, he expandedrgely beyond Jinhua Mansion, a bloody expansion met with challenges countered either by the point of his sword in persuasion or by the swing of it in destruction, causing all forces to steer clear of his edge. For this, he didn¡¯t just fight formidable enemies; he had several shes with the leaders of both the Mingxiao Taoist Temple and the Hundred Demon Dark Mountain, including the Righteous Skills True Men from both Buddhist and Taoist traditions. If he had meant to live quietly in peace, why would his actions be so extreme? Therefore, Liang Xiao was very worried. He was concerned about Li Liuxian as well as King Shifa. Outside rumors stated the two were not master and disciple, but rather sworn friends of different generations, deeply bound by shared oaths. For this reason, the Spell King from the Mingxiao Taoist Temple not only came out multiple times to intimidate other forces for his sake but also called upon Buddhist and Taoist True Men friends from the Hundred Ghosts Forest and Yin Mountain Way to join him inbating the cultivators who came to cause trouble, culminating in the ying of two of them. It even rmed True Monarch Changrong, who was suppressing the Orchid Ghost Realm, to personally mediate and prevent the situation from escting further. This showed the depth of their rtionship. Whether or not their loyalty ran deep was beyond Liang Xiao¡¯s knowledge, but he was sure that their interests were tightly intertwined. If Li Liuxian seeded in his quest for power in the future, then the Mingxiao Taoist Temple and the Yin Mountain Mansion Taoist Temple would be the dominant sects in the world esteemed within Taoism. Given this, as the ninth Prince of the Chen Dynasty, could he still seek Spirit Pills when visiting the Mingxiao Taoist Temple? It seemed highly unlikely. This left Liang Xiao feeling helpless. Actually, whether the Spirit Pills worked or not was not of much concern to him; after all, they didn¡¯t have much effect even when consumed. What truly made him feel ufortable was this kind of despair, the profound despair of a copsing empire that could not be turned back. Had his Great Chen Dynasty, his Liang family¡¯s Great Chen Dynasty, truly be hopeless? Liang Xiao¡¯s gaze faltered for a moment before he raised his head to look at the monk before him, ¡°Master, in the current situation, there is only one person who can solve it. Could you tell me where the Holy Monk Duxing actually is?¡± The monk looked at Liang Xiao, who clung to him like a drowning man grasping at straws, and sighed deeply, ¡°I truly do not know.¡± Although he anticipated the answer, hearing it stated still left Liang Xiao feeling disheartened. He had ced hisst hope, his only hope, on that man. That man¡ the Holy Monk Duxing! Back when his father, Emperor Xian Zong, ascended the throne, despite being ambitious, he faced the mess left by Ying Zong and saw it as an insurmountable cmity, beyond redemption. Untilter, a monk arrived in the capital city. That monk bore the dharma name Duxing! Upon entering the capital, he went straight to the major Buddhist temples to discuss the Dharma and debate the scriptures with the revered monks and sages. Chapter 167: 121: Ferry Crossing_2 Chapter 167: 121: Ferry Crossing_2 Trantor: 549690339 After three days of debate, the oue was unknown. All that was known was he left one temple for another, and within the span of three months, he had visited every major Buddhist temple in the capital. In the end, the power of Buddhism was unified under him; the high monks from the temples regarded him as their leader and went to all the major Taoist temples to debate on the doctrines and scriptures. This debate went on for three months; in nine doctrinal debates between Buddhism and Taoism, Master Duxing alone defeated three True Monarchs, and the Buddhist Sect triumphed over Taoism, achieving aplete victory. Afterwards, Master Duxing entered the pce representing Buddhism, assisted the young Emperor in removing powerful ministers, executing traitorous courtiers, reorganizing the court hierarchy, and revitalizing the nation¡¯s vigor. After helping Emperor Xian Zong regain control of the court, Master Duxing, now conferred the title ¡°Holy Monk,¡± led high monks from the Buddhist temples and Buddhists from all directions on a tour around the world, subjugating demons and evil spirits that were causing chaos everywhere. The world was thereby purified! Emperor Xian Zong also implemented new policies with strong support from Buddhism, reorganized thend, and ultimately achieved a great revival. It can be said that without Holy Monk Duxing, there would be no Emperor Xian Zong, esteemed for his great talent and strategy, and divine martial prowess. Yet, a few years ago, Holy Monk Duxing, who had led Buddhism and supported the Emperor, suddenly announced he was entering seclusion and disappeared without a trace. Without Holy Monk Duxing, the once wise and divine martial Emperor Xian Zong began to govern recklessly, issuing one foolish edict after another, causing the situation to deteriorate rapidly and the recently restored empire to fall back into turmoil. Even within Buddhism itself, sects began to divide and demolish each other over doctrinal disagreements andpetition for incense offerings. Even Master Wuhua was driven out of the capital along with him. If anyone could still save the day, it would undoubtedly be Holy Monk Duxing. But where was Holy Monk Duxing? Liang Xiao didn¡¯t know. He had asked many people, including Master Wuhua, a fellow high monk of Buddhism. But even Wuhua imed to have no knowledge of it. This filled Liang Xiao with despair. How he wished for Holy Monk Duxing to return and counsel his father, the Emperor, who was losing his mind and verging on madness, or perhaps join him in supporting the restoration of the empire as he once supported his father. He vowed he could do it even better. However, however¡ ¡°Holy Monk Duxing, where exactly did you go?¡± Liang Xiao shook his head, ncing outside. But as soon as he nced out, he was stunned. Outside the carriage, on both sides of the road, was a dazzling golden light. Ears of rice, golden ears of rice. Both sides of the road were lined with fields, and the nted rice had matured, with the golden ears weighed down by their own fullness, creating a golden ocean that dazzled Liang Xiao¡¯s eyes. He didn¡¯t know how to describe it. For someone like him who had grown up in the depths of the pce, such a scene of farming was extremely rare. Let alone¡ ¡°Stop!¡± Liang Xiao snapped out of his reverie and hurriedly called the carriage to a halt. Turning to Wuhua, he saw that thetter was also staring out of the window, frowning slightly at the contiguous golden rice fields. ¡°Master,e, let¡¯s go down and take a look!¡± The coachman stopped, and Liang Xiao called out before stepping out of the carriage. Seeing this, Wuhua, without a word, followed him into the fields. ¡°Master, look at this rice!¡± Liang Xiao, excitedly reaching out to pluck an ear of rice with golden color and full grains, peeled the husk and ced several rounded, plump grains of rice, resembling white jade, in his palm before popping them into his mouth to chew. ¡°This rice¡¡± ¡°Is no ordinary rice!¡± ¡°The essence and nutrients inside are obviously much higher than those of normal rice!¡± ¡°And this yield, I have read extensively, and seen much about agriculture, normal rice yields at most one or two hundred catties per acre.¡± ¡°How much does this yield per acre, a thousand catties, or two thousand catties?¡± ¡°Is this the Method of Cultural Qi Farming?¡± ¡°No, no, no, the Method of Cultural Qi Farming has been practiced by predecessors, and even in years of great disaster, Great Schrs have sacrificed their lives and spent their entire Cultivation to hasten the maturation of crops, but the increased yield was not significant, how did he achieve this?¡± ¡°Could he have made some special innovations?¡± Clinging to the ear of rice, Liang Xiao was both shocked and thrilled, swinging between fear and anger, looking somewhat deranged. Wuhua, upon witnessing this, remained silent as he was equally astonished. Just then¡ ¡°Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing?¡± A shout came, startling both men, who turned to see an old farmer rushing towards them with a hoe on his shoulder. The old farmer, eyeing Liang Xiao standing in the field holding an ear of rice, flew into a rage: ¡°Oh, so you dare to steal,e with me to the officials!¡± With that, he moved towards Liang Xiao, intent on grabbing him. ¡°How dare you!¡± Liang Xiao stood still, but the nearby coachman bellowed a warning and sent his palm flying towards the old farmer. The farmer, not ustomed to such a scene, saw the blowing and braced for impact. ¡°Amitabha!¡± At the critical moment, a Buddhist chant sounded, and golden light flowed, dissipating the coachman¡¯s palm strike into nothingness. It was Wuhua who had acted. ¡°You must not act rashly!¡± Liang Xiao also awoke in shock and immediately halted the coachman. However, the old farmer, startled, fell onto his backside, looking at the three men with a mix of fright and anger: ¡°You, you still dare to hit people?¡± ¡°Esteemed elder, we¡¡± Liang Xiao, assuming the dignity of a prince, was about to exin. But the old farmer didn¡¯t wait to listen, yelling out loud. ¡°Help! Someone is stealing!¡± ¡°Who, who¡¯s stealing?¡± With that shout, a crowd of farmers converged from all around, encircling them. ¡°This¡¡± Seeing this, Liang Xiao truly realized what was meant by ¡®sly vigers in a poor and harsh environment¡¯! Just as he was thinking of how to extricate himself. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± A group of people approached on horseback, entering the scene, turning out to be several young men and women in strong attire, carrying swords. ¡°It¡¯s the patrolling students!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve arrived just in time!¡± ¡°They were stealing!¡± ¡°And they hit someone!¡± A chorus of farmers started speaking all at once. ¡°Enough!¡± The leading youth silenced the crowd and then approached Liang Xiao and hispanions: ¡°What is all this about?¡± Liang Xiao sized him up and asked with a bow: ¡°May I ask who you are¡?¡± ¡°We are the patrolling students on duty from Guo Bei Academy.¡± The youth¡¯s expression remained unchanged: ¡°And who might you be?¡± ¡°Guo Bei Academy?¡± ¡°Patrolling students on duty?¡± Liang Xiao raised an eyebrow and then said: ¡°We are merchants from afar who came here, and upon seeing the rice in these fields so full and plump, we were overjoyed and acted without thinking. It was not intentional, and we are willing topensate this elder for his losses.¡± With that, he ordered the coachman to bring out a silver ingot. The youth looked at him, then at the old farmer, took the silver ingot, pinched off a small piece with two fingers, and handed it to the old farmer before returning therger part of the ingot to Liang Xiao. ¡°Within North City county, thew is as firm as iron¡ªone is one, two is two. Considering your unintentional actions, and as it¡¯s your first offense without causing injury, we will let this matter pass. Should there be a next time, you will be punished.¡± ¡°Alright, disperse now.¡± With that, he turned to disperse the crowd. Liang Xiao looked at the silver ingot in his hand, which had been broken off at the corner, his expression odd, eyebrows tightly furrowed. Elsewhere, Wuhua, without a word, fixed his gaze on the side of the official road, also frowning slightly. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The group did not linger, mounting their horses, ready to leave. Seeing this, Liang Xiao quickly called out, ¡°Wait!¡± The few turned back; ¡°What else is there?¡± Liang Xiao asked: ¡°Could you tell me the way to Guo Bei Academy?¡± ¡°Guo Bei Academy?¡± The group looked at him: ¡°That¡¯s where you are.¡± ¡°This is it?¡± Liang Xiao was surprised, not understanding. The youth on horseback exined: ¡°The whole of North City county falls within the academy¡¯s bounds¡ªthere are nine main campuses, twenty-four branch campuses, as well as thirty-six middle schools, seventy-two elementary schools, numerous fields and houses for students, dining halls, training grounds¡ all these are part of Guo Bei Academy. Didn¡¯t anyone tell you this when you arrived?¡± Liang Xiao was silent for a moment, then finally said: ¡°Then may I ask where I can find Master Li Liuxian?¡± ¡°The headmaster is teaching at the main campus today. Here is a map and the academy¡¯s rules. You look like you can read, so find your own way there. We must continue our patrolling duties!¡± The group tossed a booklet to Liang Xiao and then turned their horses and galloped away. After the group departed, there were also sounds of horse hooves and the sh of soldier¡¯s armor in the void as if an invisible troop had also departed. ¡°Master, this¡¡± Liang Xiao, holding the booklet, turned to look at Wuhua, somewhat at a loss. Wuhua paid him no heed, still looking in the direction where the group had disappeared, his brow deeply furrowed, unable to rx. Chapter 168 - 122: Enrollment_1 Chapter 168: Chapter 122: Enrollment_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Master?¡± After waiting for a moment and seeing that Wuhua remained silent, Liang Xiao couldn¡¯t help but call out again. It was then that Wuhua finally turned his head around and looked Liang Xiao up and down, ¡°Your Highness, are you still nning to proceed?¡± ¡°This¡¡± At these words, Liang Xiao was also hesitant, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Master?¡± Wuhua shook his head slightly and said solemnly, ¡°This ce is full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers, and I¡¯m afraid my Cultivation is not enough to ensure your safety, Your Highness!¡± Only then did Liang Xiao understand his meaning, bing more hesitant, but after considering his own situation and everything he had seen and experienced along the way, he finally gritted his teeth and said, ¡°We¡¯vee all this way, it would be unreasonable to leave now without further ado!¡± ¡°Alright then!¡± Upon hearing this, Wuhua no longer tried to persuade him and simply said to the coachman, ¡°You must not injure anyone recklessly after this.¡± The coachman did not speak, only waiting for Liang Xiao¡¯s reaction. Liang Xiao also spoke firmly, ¡°The Master is right, with so many hidden dragons and crouching tigers around, we must not take any rash actions unless we¡¯re at a juncture of life and death!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The coachman then nodded in acknowledgment. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The three of them got back into the carriage and continued onward. Liang Xiao also opened the academy¡¯s rulebook,paring it with the outside world while introducing it to Wuhua. ¡°Master, the ce we are currently in is still the outskirts of the Guo Bei Academy.¡± ¡°The outskirts, aside from the official roads, are mostly fields.¡± ¡°The fields within North City are now all owned by the Guo Bei Academy.¡± ¡°The Guo Bei Academy has allocated them, mainly for the peasantry to cultivate, thus the fields are divided into three types: fields for themoners, fields for the students, and fields for the academy!¡± ¡°Themoners farm their fields, which yield eight hundred per mu, seventy percent goes to the academy, and thirty percent to the farmers, and no other taxes orbor are imposed.¡± ¡°Students till the student fields, which yield a thousand catties per mu, and due to the nourishment of Cultural Qi, some reach as much as fifteen hundred. All harvests go to the academy, but the cultivating students receive academic credits.¡± ¡°The academy tills the academy fields, which yield three thousand per mu, and also produce Spirit Rice, belonging to the masters, but students can also exchange it for academic credits.¡± Liang Xiao looked at the booklet in his hand, his expression growing more and more animated. ¡°A yield of three thousand per mu, with Spirit Rice too, this¡¡± He finally ran out of words, uncertain how to express himself further. Wuhua also frowned lightly, his prayer beads gently turning in his hand, remaining silent. Seeing this, Liang Xiao did not dare to speak further, only continuing to flip through the handbook. The carriage moved slowly forward, and in just a short time, a great number of peasants appeared in the paddy fields on both sides of the road. They were harvesting the rice, with many carts and horses parked on both sides, several of which were already filled and ready to be transported away. Liang Xiao looked over and furrowed his brow, ¡°Why aren¡¯t there people harvesting the outeryer ofmoner fields? Could it be that these fields differ, with varying maturity times?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, speaking of quality, shouldn¡¯t the lowest qualitymoner fields mature first?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not right, you can¡¯t calcte farming like that. Commoner fields are of lower quality, so they mature slowly and are harvestedter, while student fields are of higher quality, mature quickly, and are harvested earlier.¡± As he spoke, Liang Xiao¡¯s pupils dted with shock, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, aren¡¯t the academy fields the ones that produce the most and are of the highest quality?¡± ¡°A yield of three thousand per mu, how many harvests per year?¡± Liang Xiao quickly flipped through the booklet in his hands, but he couldn¡¯t find any relevant information, which made him increasingly anxious. Seeing this, Wuhua also sighed, ¡°With this agricultural technique, thend of North City can sustain tens of millions of people.¡± ¡°No wonder in recent years, Guo Bei Academy has been opening its doors wide, recruiting arge number of students, and even openly taking in refugees and relocating people from disaster-stricken areas. Now, the poption within North City is probably not less than a million!¡± ¡°With a million people as a base, even if one in ten is conscripted, with a singlemand, North City could muster a hundred thousand elite troops!¡± ¡°Add to that various other incentives, students from all directions whoe because of the academy¡¯s fame, the number of students at Guo Bei Academy, the number of Cultivators¡¡± ¡°Provisions, with such provisions, even if Cultivation is difficult, a path can still be forged!¡± ¡°The path of Cultivation is based on faith, and a million people can provide how much faith.¡± ¡°No wonder Guo Bei Academy, as well as the two temples Mingxiao and Yin Mountain, have developed so rapidly in recent years.¡± ¡°This is the foundation for an emperor, as well as for the Daoist tradition!¡± Wuhua¡¯s words were eerie, leaving Liang Xiao heavy-hearted, momentarily at a loss for what to say. After a while, he snapped back to reality, ¡°That¡¯s not right, even if there¡¯s nock of provisions, how can a single county amodate a million people, not to mention maintaining so many fields? Where would people live¡¡± Before he could finish, he realized something startling and, no longer concerned about his appearance, he lifted the curtain and stuck his head out. He saw in the distance, at the end of the official road, a continuous spread of buildings. Tall buildings stood in clusters, with bustling traffic, but no city gates in sight. As a prince, born in the pce and ustomed to the splendor of the capital, Liang Xiao thought that aside from famous mountains, great rivers, and Cave Heaven Blessed Lands, there would be no other scenery that could move him. But now, at just a glimpse into the distance, he felt an indescribable shock. While he was still lost in amazement, A man rode past on a horse and then stopped, ¡°Put your head back in, you¡¯re too old for this sort of thing, don¡¯t you know it¡¯s dangerous?¡± Liang Xiao: After half a day, the carriage entered the city, North City. It was even more dazzling, with everything new and exotic. The three of them parked the carriage and walked into a tavern. The waiter came to serve them, providing a booklet, ¡°What would you gentlemen like to eat? Our establishment has milled rice, medicinal wine, Spirit Fish, and rare meats supplied by the academy, quality guaranteed, honest to all ages!¡± Liang Xiao looked at the booklet in his hand, ¡°What is this?¡± The waiter smiled, ¡°It¡¯s the menu, with pictures and descriptions, created by the talented hands of the academy¡¯s students!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Liang Xiao opened it and saw that each dish was vividly illustrated and described. Chapter 169 - 122: Enrolling_2 Chapter 169: Chapter 122: Enrolling_2 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Indeed.¡± Though intrigued by the novelty, as a prince by birth, he did not show much embarrassment andposedly began to pick dishes, ¡°Let¡¯s have a sweet and sour carp.¡± The server nodded, then asked, ¡°What kind of fish would you like? We have ordinary lotus-fed carp fed with milled rice husks, and we also have Spirit Fish lotus-fed carp bred in the Poetry Fish Pond of the academy.¡± Liang Xiao nced at the menu, ¡°This Spirit Fish costs ten gold per tail and it¡¯s also limited in quantity?¡± ¡°The Spirit Fish bred in the Poetry Fish Pond greatly nourishes and can aid in cultivation, naturally making it quite expensive. Limited quantity is to be expected.¡± The server exined, ¡°If the guest is a schr of the academy, purchasing with study credits, there will be no limitation on the amount. Alternatively, with Cultural Qi Money from the Mingxiao Taoist Temple, Yin Mountain Mansion Taoist Temple, Qingping Taoist Temple, Mana Bright Temple, and other Mana Money, no quantity limits apply when buying and there is even a discount.¡± ¡°Study credits?¡± ¡°Cultural Qi Money!¡± ¡°Incense Money?¡± Liang Xiao and Wuhua exchanged nces, before Liang Xiao took out a gold ingot, ¡°Then I¡¯ll take one tail.¡± ¡°Alright, please wait a moment,¡± the server said. ¡°Hold on!¡± The server was about to leave, but Liang Xiao stopped him, ¡°Where can one exchange for this Cultural Qi Money, Incense Money? Do we need to enter the academy, or worship at Taoist temples and monasteries?¡± ¡°No need.¡± The server was adept with this, ¡°Once you leave our tavern and go straight ahead, after three streets, turn left¡ follow that way, and you wille upon a moneychanger; it¡¯s run by the academy. If the guest has gold, silver, or treasures, Taoist True Scriptures, all can be exchanged for Mana Money within!¡± Liang Xiao and Wuhua looked at each other, then Liang Xiao took out another gold ingot, ¡°Can the shopkeeper exchange some for me?¡± The server wasn¡¯t surprised, and he chuckled, ¡°Of course, we can exchange small amounts as a transaction, though the rate will be somewhat lower than at the moneychanger. What do you think?¡± ¡°Exchange it.¡± ¡°Right away!¡± A momentter, a small string of Mana Money was handed to Liang Xiao. Liang Xiao observed the copper coins in his hand, indistinguishable from ordinary ones, ¡°Is this Mana Money?¡± ¡°Correct, fair dealing, genuine as can be.¡± The server nodded, ¡°They contain Cultural Qi, incense power, Mana, and can aid in cultivation. If the guest doubts, any cultivator can verify their authenticity at a nce.¡± Liang Xiao gave him a look and then handed the Mana Money to Wuhua. Wuhua examined the Mana Money in his hands, his gaze shifting, and then nodded, ¡°It is indeed ingenious.¡± Only then did Liang Xiao turn back, scanning the server up and down, ¡°You also know of cultivation matters?¡± The server smiled, ¡°In North City County, it ismon knowledge.¡± Hearing this, Liang Xiao fell silent again. Though magic was now evidently prevalent in the world and not some earth-shaking secret, it was still not something just anyone coulde into contact with. Ordinarily, one would have to pass schrly examinations or join one of the two great branches of Taoism or Buddhism to have the chance to understand it. But in North City County¡ even an utterly ordinary server could discuss it in detail. It was a glimpse into the wider world from a narrow view, impressively enlightening. Yet, startled too often, he had be numb to it, so Liang Xiao maintained hisposure. Until the dishes were served. ¡°Hmm!?¡± After just one sip of Spiritual Wine, Liang Xiao¡¯s expression changed, his eyes filled with astonishment. Wuhua noticed his reaction, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°This wine¡¡± Liang Xiao stared at the cup in his hand, somewhat in disbelief, ¡°It seems to have increased my Mana a bit.¡± Wuhua frowned upon hearing this. Mana-enhancing Spiritual Objects were not umon, and all the great Taoist branches had relevant Mana Points producing a variety of these items, like the Bean Fasting Fruit from his White Dragon Temple, which was well-known for its effects. However, such Mana-enhancing objects werergely ineffective for those of the imperial family, as they carried Dragon Qi, which naturally repelled the cluttered thoughts and Mana of themon popce. Forget Mana-enhancing Spiritual Objects, they couldn¡¯t even practice magic cultivation. Liang Xiao himself had tried to cultivate Mana just like other Cultivators by reciting Taoist Scriptures. But whenever he looked at the Scriptures, his mind became flooded with distracting thoughts, making it impossible for him to meditate and focus. Not only was he unable to cultivate Mana, it was fortunate he didn¡¯t suffer demonic possession from the attempt. This was an inevitable plight for the imperial family, a rule of iron from ancient times to the present, countless emperors wishing to defy the heavens and change their fate, but all failed to break this ultimate barrier. Yet now¡ This sip of Spiritual Wine had actually increased his Mana a bit. Even though it was just a bit, negligible, almost non-existent, Mana was still Mana. The breakthrough from zero to one signified what? Liang Xiao was terrified, restless in his seat. ¡°Your Highness¡ please calm down!¡± Wuhua too was heavy-hearted, but he managed to soothe him down. To the two of them, no longer concentrating, the delicious food tasted as dull as wax. A short whileter, the two descended from the tavern and joined the coachman, heading towards the main buildings indicated on the map. ¡°That material of reinforced concrete, used to build high-rise buildings for people to live in, could amodate a poption of a million while preserving the farnd even within a single county.¡± ¡°Truly, it¡¯s an instrument of great importance to the nation!¡± In the midst of their admiration, they finally reached the gate of the mainpound. But they were stopped. A young man dressed like the previous patrol student barred their way, ¡°Are you not schrs of the academy?¡± The two exchanged nces, then nodded, ¡°No, we are not!¡± ¡°Do you have invitations?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°Any proof?¡± ¡°That¡ we don¡¯t have either!¡± Watching the three with nothing to show, the young man shook his head and said indifferently, ¡°If you¡¯re not academy schrs and have no invitations or proof, you cannot enter to attend the lectures. You may go register to enroll, or send a visiting card. Once approved, you will be received ordingly.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Liang Xiao hesitated for a moment, ultimately deciding not to reveal his identity and could only ask, ¡°Where do I register, and what are the requirements?¡± Chapter 170 - 122: Enrollment_3 Chapter 170: Chapter 122: Enrollment_3 Trantor: 549690339 The young man raised his hand and pointed, ¡°Over there, turn left, the enrollment office. No requirements, but there is an entrance assessment, with results determining the allocation of schools.¡± ¡°Entrance assessment?¡± Liang Xiao murmured, then nodded, ¡°Many thanks!¡± ¡°No need.¡± Passing by the young man, turning left, he quickly arrived at the ¡°recruitment office!¡± What he saw was a sea of people, a long line snaking away. There were the old and the young, men and women. Apart from themon folk in various attire, there were Martial Artists from the Martial World with knives and swords on their backs, as well as monks and Taoists from beyond the secr life. There were Taoists, monks, nuns, rich gentlemen in brocade robes,dies from well-to-do families, as well as ragged refugees, skinny beggars, and destitutemoners. Seeing this, Liang Xiao fell silent as well. He didn¡¯t need anyone else to exin; he knew where these people came from. Over the years, Guo Bei Academy had adhered to the principle of ¡°education without discrimination,¡± having opened its gates wide and recruited students broadly, even defiantly epting refugees from all over, regardless of the court¡¯s reaction; including those from all nine schools of thought and walks of life, runaway ves, prostitutes¡ In summary, as long as one was a person who had notmitted evil, they could enter the doors of Guo Bei Academy. Even non-humans were allowed! This policy caused great chaos. Not to mention the prostitutes; each year, countless brothel women sought every possible way to flee to Guo Bei Academy. Half of the Qinhuai Eight Beauties and the Top Ten Huakui of Jiangnan had entered the Guo Bei Academy. The courtesans and managers of other brothels followed suit, finding ways to escape their bonds. Countless brothels went bankrupt over this, and those that went to the academy to im their people were sent back, sometimes even used of crimes and stripped of their property. Aside from the prostitutes, there were beggars; several branches of the Beggar¡¯s Guild were eradicated, and all the beggars from the Jiangzhe region were relocated to Guo Bei, either to study or to work thend, with begging no longer tolerated. This brought a massive poption and numerous students to Guo Bei Academy. It also resulted in opposition from all sorts of forces, with outright conflict and difficulties. So much so, that Sword Immortal Li on multiple asions had to draw his sword and confront others in deadly duels, along with Mingxiao Taoist Temple and Yin Mountain Mansion Taoist Temple¡ With interests shing, numerous conflicts arose. For the time being, Guo Bei Academy still held the upper hand. After all, Li Liuxian¡¯s Flying Sword technique was incredibly powerful, King Shifa¡¯s Thunder Series was terrifying, and the Underworld Soldiers and Ghost Generals of the Yin Mountain Way were hard for other powers to match; they could only unwillingly dodge the sharp edge. Even True Monarch Changrong had only managed to mediate and had been the peacemaker on several asions. In spite of this, Guo Bei Academy did not restrain itself, but became increasingly rampant, resulting in a constant influx of people into Guo Bei County. Divine Soul method, Cultivating the false to pursue the true! Poption means resources, it means cultivation, it means everything. Guo Bei Academy¡¯s policy was no different from cutting flesh from the bodies of other powers. If it weren¡¯t for the formidable ¡°Iron Triangle,¡± the academy would have been leveled long ago. Of course, these issues were of no concern to Liang Xiao at the moment. He only had one thing to worry about right now. With such a long line, when would it be his turn? He ended up queuing from the afternoon until dusk. sses had already finished at the academy, and Liang Xiao was still in line, his legs numb from standing. It should be noted that although he hadn¡¯t studied spells, he had trained in martial arts and was physically fit. But even in the midst of such waiting, he still felt tormented with difort. Others, on the other hand, were silent and uining. After some indeterminate time¡ ¡°Finally, it¡¯s my turn!¡± Liang Xiao took a deep breath and walked into the recruitment office with Monk Wuhua. In a private room, a woman in an academy uniform greeted him. ¡°Name?¡± ¡°Liang¡ Xiao Liang!¡± ¡°Sex and age?¡± ¡°Male, eighteen!¡± ¡°Family address?¡± ¡°This¡ Jinyang Mansion.¡± After the registration, the woman asked, ¡°Which discipline do you n to enroll in?¡± ¡°Which discipline?¡± Liang Xiao looked surprised, ¡°I¡¯m not quite clear, could you exin a bit?¡± ¡°Call me senior sister!¡± The woman nced at him and exined, ¡°Our academy has four main divisions: Literary, Martial, Taoism, and Buddhism. The Literary division includes Confucian, Engineering, Agriculture, Medical and other studies. The Martial division has Fighting, Soldiering, Body Training, and Generalship categories. The Taoism and Buddhism divisions have inheritances from the Mingxiao Taoist Temple, Yin Mountain Mansion Taoist Temple, Qingping Taoist Temple, and Mana Bright Temple. Which one do you choose?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Liang Xiao considered for a moment, ¡°I can more or less deduce what the Literary disciplines are about, but I¡¯m a bit lost about the Martial ones, could you¡ senior sister, exin a bit more?¡± The woman didn¡¯t mind and continued, ¡°The Martial division is self-exnatory: Fighters primarily study the martial arts ofbat, hand-to-handbat technique, kicks, palm strikes, movement techniques; Soldiers focus on the Martial Path of weaponry,bining Weapon Management with Thunder Series techniques; you¡¯ve heard of the Headmaster¡¯s Flying Sword, right? That¡¯s a part of the Martial Path¡¯s category of controlling swords!¡± ¡°Oh, oh!¡± Liang Xiao nodded repeatedly, ¡°And what about Body Training and Generalship, what do those entail?¡± ¡°Body Training is External Physical Training, to make the body as hard as Indestructible Vajra, capable of fighting demons and monsters!¡± ¡°Generalship is about mastering the art ofmanding troops, focusing on military tactics and formations on the battlefield.¡± After the woman¡¯s introduction, Liang Xiao more or less understood the various disciplines and courses at Guo Bei Academy. But he was still undecided, ¡°Senior sister, I don¡¯t know what to choose, can you give me some advice?¡± The woman looked at him, ¡°Choose what you like, or if you have any particr talent in an area, you can consider that.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Liang Xiao hesitated for a bit, ¡°Can I study them all?¡± ¡°You can!¡± Upon hearing this, the woman wasn¡¯t surprised, ¡°As long as you¡¯re willing, you can finish one discipline and then start another, until you¡¯vepleted all the courses. Guo Bei Academy, education without discrimination, imposes no limits.¡± Chapter 171 - 122: Admission_4 Chapter 171: Chapter 122: Admission_4 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°This¡¡± Liang Xiao had only meant to test the waters, but the unexpected oue left him in a quandary. Atst, he said, ¡°Then I would like to start studying the art of sword control with Principal Li¡¡± ¡°Certainly!¡± The woman started to register and continued, ¡°We currently offer two enrollment options. The first incurs no tuition fees, but you¡¯ll have to take on many jobs, work diligently for the academy and study frugally. The second involves a fixed tuition fee, sparing you somebor, but you still have a credit requirement to meet, with a certain number of school tasks toplete each month.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Liang Xiao pondered for a while before replying, ¡°May I see what the first option requires?¡± ¡°Certainly!¡± The woman took out a book, ¡°This contains the details of the requirements. Moreover, regardless of which method you choose for enrollment, you must leave a blood imprint during the registration of your school records, rted to curse spells. Should you use your acquired knowledge for evil after your education, the academy will send enforcement disciples to apprehend you.¡± ¡°Blood imprint?¡± ¡°Curse spells?¡± Liang Xiao¡¯s expression grew tense, a bit at a loss. The woman seemed indifferent, ¡°Whether you ept or not is your decision.¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Your¡ Young Master, you mustn¡¯t!¡± Liang Xiao hesitated, Wuhua was mute, and the coachman beside him repeatedly interjected to dissuade him. However, with a clenched jaw, Liang Xiao nodded his head in agreement, ¡°I ept.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± The woman nodded and took out the registration page. ¡°Enter and undergo the entrance examination. Once you¡¯ve passed, bring your certificate to register your school records. After registration, you¡¯ll be given dormitory attire and a Jade Slip for student records. In particr, the Jade Slip is your identity proof and credit record; don¡¯t lose it, or you¡¯ll have difficulty moving around within the academy.¡± ¡°There¡¯s an exam too?¡± Liang Xiao was startled, ¡°Isn¡¯t it said that everyone is taught without discrimination, and all can enroll?¡± The woman smiled, ¡°While there is teaching without discrimination, we must know your level before you enroll so we can ce you ordingly. If you know nothing and are directly assigned to one of the nine main academies, do you think you could manage and keep up?¡± ¡°This¡ I understand, thank you, senior!¡± Only then did Liang Xiao grasp the situation. Disregarding the coachman¡¯s anxiousness, he rose and headed towards the examination area. ¡°Young Master!¡± The coachman was rmed but powerless, so he could only look to Wuhua, hoping he would say something. However¡ ¡°Name.¡± ¡°Wuhua.¡± ¡°Gender and age.¡± ¡°Male, twenty-eight!¡± ¡°Family address?¡± ¡°Nomadic, a mere wandering monk.¡± ¡°What subjects and field of study do you wish to register for?¡± ¡°The liberal arts, agriculture!¡± ¡°Alright, proceed to the examination then.¡± Wuhua picked up the form and headed towards the examination area, leaving the coachman alone, dumbstruck. A momentter, at the entrance of the admissions office, Liang Xiao looked at the examination result in his hand, equally silent. Name: Xiao Liang, assigned academy Shushan¡¯s Affiliated Middle School¡¯s Affiliated Third Elementary School, field of study: Martial Soldier Sword subject! Wuhua stood beside him, holding a copy of his examination result as well. Liang Xiao silently put away his own copy and gave Wuhua a smile, ¡°Master is learned and knowledgeable, with profound understanding of Buddhist Law. Surely you must have been admitted into one of the nine main academies, right?¡± ¡°Hmm, the main academy of agricultural sciences!¡± Wuhua nodded calmly, ¡°Additionally, they have appointed me as a Guest Educator at the Calming-heart Zen Religious.¡± Liang Xiao: In the silence that followed, Wuhua added, ¡°Your Highness has always been intelligent and widely read since childhood. Only due to theck of exposure to cultivation methods do you find yourself enrolled in a small school. The Soldier Martial Sword Subject integrates both Dao and martial arts. The techniques of controlling weapons and the Flying Sword led to this oue. Your Highness needn¡¯t concern yourself. After enrollment, strive to catch up and I¡¯m certain you will soon advance to the middle school, then transfer to an affiliate, and eventually ascend to a main academy.¡± Liang Xiao: Chapter 172 - 123: System_1 Chapter 172: Chapter 123: System_1 Trantor: 549690339 Let¡¯s set aside the academy life of a certain prince for now. Elsewhere, within Li Mansion. Xu Yang led an elderly couple into the hall, ¡°Father-inw, mother-inw, this way please. Yun Er, serve the tea!¡± ¡°Yes, young master.¡± Dressed as a married woman but still retaining the appearance of a young girl, Miss Xin Shisi also offered them Immortal Tea. ¡°Father, mother, please have some tea.¡± ¡°Good, good, good!¡± Old Man Xin looked at his daughter and son-inw in front of him, smiling from ear to ear, repeatedly praising the scene, while the elderly woman beside him with a youthful face and white hair also nodded continuously. Compared to the past, there was almost no change in him; he was still clothed in extravagant silk robes, resembling a wealthy Officer, and although his hair was white and he was well beyond his years, he didn¡¯t feel the least bit aged. Instead, he radiated a healthy glow, full of vitality as if he came from a family of Immortals. The elderly woman beside him was also vigorous and spry, old yet undiminished, and even exuding a bit more of the aura of an Immortal¡¯s household. Fox Immortal, fox yet Immortal. The two took their seats and savored the fragrant tea, then eximed, ¡°The Immortal Spirit Qi of this Thunder Peak Mist Sprout is ever more pure. Just one sip makes me feel my mana has advanced a bit. King Shifa truly masters the Taoism art!¡± Xu Yang smiled, ¡°If father-inw and mother-inw like it, I will pack some for you to take backter. Mingxiao Taoist Temple has increased its production and has sent more this way. I have prepared it as a gift, so when the two of you return to Mount Jilei, you can also bring some for your sisters.¡± ¡°How could we ept this.¡± ¡°Liuxian, you are too polite.¡± Upon hearing this, the elders immediately refused, ¡°This Thunder Peak Mist Sprout is given by King Shifa to aid in your cultivation. How could we take over the nest of the magpie? No, we can¡¯t.¡± Xu Yang smiled unconcernedly, ¡°It¡¯s just some Spiritual Tea, nothing significant. Please take it with you, father-inw and mother-inw.¡± ¡°This¡alright then.¡± The elders initially wanted to decline further, but knowing their son-inw¡¯s assertive character, they finally agreed with a smile. Especially Old Man Xin, who couldn¡¯t hide the joy on his face and felt utterly content in his heart. In his lifetime, the best decision he made was to betroth his daughter Shisi to this Li Jie Yuan, no, Sword Immortal Li! Now, as one rose to enlightenment, even the pets and poultry ascended with him, not only did his daughter find a blissful ce to belong, but their Xin Family also found a safe haven to shelter from the storm and live peacefully¡ªmore carefree than when they were in Yellow Mountain. Even the two of them had received Spirit Pills as aid, their Cultivation improved, and their lifespan extended. The Demons that once gave them no peace on earth or in heaven now not only dared not scheme against them but even behaved submissively in their presence. All these were thanks to their worthy son-inw! Unfortunately, this worthy son-inw is a man of singr affection, having only taken Shisi as his partner. If only the other fox sisters could enter Li Mansion, how wonderful would that be? No, no, no, that wouldn¡¯t do. If he were to be a man of many loves, opening up a royal harem, then his daughters might not be able to hold onto their territories. After all, within Guo Bei Academy nowadays, there are countless Spirit Monsters of various kinds¡ªtigresses from Ba Mountain, Flower Demons from Jingzhou, and even a Chu Qingniao with a trace of Qingluan blood, all of supreme beauty and grace with noble origins and remarkable lineage. Add to that the other human female cultivators¡ªthis talented beauty, that national belle¡ªif he were indiscriminate in his affections, then Li Mansion would be quite lively. His daughter Shisi, with her simple nature, pure and kind-hearted, how could shepete with those alluring women? It is better to have a thousand choices but choose only one! Old Man Xin felt waves of relief, but quickly snapped back to reality, hastily reporting, ¡°Liuxian, just as you anticipated, when we arrived at the Gold Silver Leopard¡¯sir, it was already gone.¡± The Gold Silver Leopard was a Demon King. Three days ago, Xu Yang had asked them to visit theire of the Gold Silver Leopard to check whether the Demon was still in the mountains. When they arrived, they found only a few lesser demons and no sign of the Gold Silver Leopard. Where had it gone? Old Man Xin did not know, but he suspected his son-inw had his reasons for keeping an eye on it. Thus, not wanting to neglect the matter, the elders hurried back to report. Xu Yang, appearing unconcerned, still replied with a lightugh, ¡°Thank you for the trouble, father-inw and mother-inw.¡± After saying this, he had Miss Xin Shisi fetch two jade bottles. ¡°I hear elder sister haspleted her cultivation perfectly. Here is one Foundation Building Pill for her, father-inw and mother-inw, please take it back to her. As for this bottle, it contains ordinary Spirit Pills to be given to the other sisters. Their cultivation must not fall behind.¡± As Xu Yang introduced them, Miss Xin Shisi presented the two bottles of Spirit Pills to the elders. ¡°Foundation Building Pill?¡± ¡°This¡ we can¡¯t ept it!¡± The elders were startled upon hearing this and hurriedly attempted to refuse, but the words wouldn¡¯te out. The Foundation Building Pill was a ¡°specialty¡± recently introduced by Mingxiao Taoist Temple on Mount Jilei. Over ten years ago, the couple had reached an advanced age and were nearing the end of their lives. At that time, their daughter Miss Xin Shisi came home for a visit and brought with her two thunderbolt creation-grade supreme Spirit Pills, iming they were gifts from King Shifa of Mingxiao Taoist Temple to her husband, named Foundation Building Pills! It was said that these pills could help Cultivators break through and step into the True Person Level, so they were offered to the elders with respect. The revtion astounded the couple. Twenty years ago, King Shifa of Mingxiao Taoist Temple had already pioneered the Thunderbolt Refining Pill technique, creating many mysterious and miraculous Spirit Pills that were unheard of in ancient times, gaining fame in the Taoist world and astonishing Cultivators everywhere. But a Spirit Pill that could aid in breaking through the fourth realm to achieve the body of a Five-Realm True Man was still shocking. One must know that since Ancient Times, the leap from the fourth realm to the fifth has been a great divide. During Ancient Times, it was less challenging with abundant Yuan Sprit and deities everywhere; it was not difficult for Cultivators to advance in levels. Even if one failed in breaking through, there were masters with powerful mana to support them, without worry. Chapter 173 - 123: System_2 Chapter 173: Chapter 123: System_2 Trantor: 549690339 But after ancient times, Yuan Spirits fell silent, the world became barren, the heavens and deities broke through their realms and ascended, leaving behind descendants who could not be nurtured properly. In this turbid and evil age, amidst the cmities of heaven, earth, and demons, they struggled desperately. As such, progressing in cultivation was not only slow but also fraught with great risks, especially from the Perfect Four Realms to the Five Realms. It required the Three Flowers to gather atop one¡¯s head, fusing the internal and external,bining mana, Taoist cultivation, and the physical body, with the essence, qi, and spirit integrated as one. The risks were enormous, and a single misstep could lead to deviation and theplete destruction of one¡¯s cultivation. The great schools of Taoism were better off, for they had the Ancestor Master¡¯s Altar that could not only protect oneself but also aid in breakthroughs. Thus, each generation had True Men emerge, and sometimes, they even achieved the status of a True Monarch. But they, these Kind Spirit Monsters, had no such fortunes. Even if they were kind-hearted and dared to establish a Mana Altar to ept offerings from all directions, they would be condemned as conducting depraved rites. Taoist cultivators would certainly destroy their mountains and temples, and exterminate their homes and lineages. Therefore, life was difficult for Spirit Monsters, even more so for Kind Spirit Monsters. Like this couple who were nearing the end of their lives and were merely at the stage of Perfect Four Realms with no hope of reaching the Five Realms and bing a Demon King. But at this time, two Supreme Grade Spirit Pills of thunderbolt creation were presented before them. With these Spirit Pills, they seeded in breaking through and entered the realm of the Demon King. Heaven had shown mercy; it was the first time in the Xin Family¡¯s millennium-long heritage that a fox achieved the Demon King status. Their hardship was beyond words. This Foundation Building Pill could assist in breaking into the Five Realms, and its value goes without saying, especially to various Spirit Monsters. Today, the Guo Bei Academy had established a mature contribution system. Whether it was students, teachers, or those Kind Spirit Monsters who devoted themselves to service, they could earn academic credits and Mana Money through various tasks. These could then be exchanged for milled rice, medicinal pills, weapons, magical treasures, Taoist True Scriptures, and other cultivation necessities. Among these, the Foundation Building Pills produced by Mingxiao Taoist Temple at Mount Jilei were undoubtedly the most popr and the most expensive. Their eldest daughter, Miss Xin Shisi¡¯s sister Xin Yiniang, had been progressing steadily in her cultivation with the aid of the academy, and now had reached the same stage of Perfect Four Realms as they had, ready to make a breakthrough at any moment. Hence, during this period, the elderly couple and the various foxes of the Xin Family had been continuously taking on tasks, umting academic credits to exchange for Foundation Building Pills for Xin Yiniang. Unexpectedly, Xu Yang had already prepared them in advance. This surprise was both delightful and unsettling to them,ced with anxiety and worry. They were well aware that their son-inw was no ordinary individual, and that the academic credit-contribution system established in the Guo Bei Academy was a system, a regimen that concerned future development and influenced the big picture¡ªa public apparatus. How could a public apparatus be used for personal benefit? If what is public is used for personal gain, then surely people¡¯s hearts will be divided! Having already received two Foundation Building Pills, if they were to ask for more, even with the connection of kinship, it might well provoke jealousy in others and upset the bnce, especially among those students who diligently served the academy. We work hard, earning credits and exchanging them for sustenance, and you ascend with just one step through connections? What kind of fairness is that? If everyone were to follow suit, focusing on rtionships andworking, who would truly be dedicated to their duties? Wouldn¡¯t the system and regimen that the Guo Bei Academy had established with great effort copse overnight? Although their son-inw held high prestige, and there was no one in the academy who did not respect him, and even if he were to show favoritism no one would say anything, some things, once started, could not be stopped. If one does not abide by the rules oneself, how can one set an example and serve as a model teacher? Such a transgression was too great for the Xin Family to bear! Rtionships need to be maintained by both parties. Taking advantage of them unterally, without restraint, will only lead to the thinning of bonds and eventually the breaking of the rtionship altogether. Therefore, the couple and the fox girls had yet to mention Xin Yiniang¡¯s culmination in cultivation, even concealing it from Miss Xin Shisi. They silently took on tasks, umted academic credits in contribution, waiting to exchange them for Foundation Building Pills. But now¡ Looking at the medicinal pills presented by Miss Xin Shisi, the elders of the Xin Family felt anxious and uneasy, hastily trying to refuse them. ¡°Liuxian, this cannot be done!¡± ¡°As for academic credits, we will soon umte enough, and then we will naturally exchange them for Foundation Building Pills for Yiniang. As the head of the academy and a model for teachers, how can youmit such an act of using public resources for private purposes? We cannot bear such a sin.¡± ¡°Yes, please take back these medicinal pills. It is not urgent for Yiniang at the moment.¡± The two elders from Xin Family repeatedly declined. Xu Yang smiled reassuringly and said, ¡°My dear inws, rest assured, this is a personal gift and has nothing to do with public systems; after all, humans are not emotionless vegetation, and those in public positions can have private lives, as long as they do not disrupt the establishedws!¡± Having said that, he added, ¡°Moreover, due to the increasing production of various materials, Mingxiao Taoist Temple has decided to increase the output of Foundation Building Pills. ordingly, the academy will make necessary alterations. Any student who has advanced from the secondary school to the main campus and achieved the Perfect Four Realms will be eligible for a Foundation Building Pill!¡± ¡°This is the academy¡¯s support for education, and the exchange price for Foundation Building Pills will also be reduced to a certain extent to basically meet the demands.¡± ¡°Therefore, my dear inws, you can rest easy and hand over these medicinal pills to big sister with confidence.¡± Xu Yang¡¯s words left the elderly couple from the Xin Family in a daze. After a while, Old Man Xin finally came to his senses, staring at the Spirit Pills in front of him and then at his worthy son-inw, stuttering, ¡°This¡ this¡¡± He was stammering, at a loss for words. No wonder he was so diposed. The significance of Foundation Building Pills goes without saying. Currently, the North City Academy has been able to gather such arge number of Kind Spirit Monsters for two main reasons. One is because of their son-inw, who is exceptionally talented and well-known throughout thends, and because North City Academy teaches without discrimination, opening its gates widely, and has the strong capability to offer shelter to Kind Spirit Monsters from being hunted by Demons and in by those on the Righteous Path, attracting female spirits from all directions along with their families to seek refuge at the academy. The second reason is due to various cultivation resources and miraculous Spirit Pills avable there. Among these, Foundation Building Pills are the most valuable and attractive, but due to their limited production, they haven¡¯t been able to be supplied inrge quantities to meet all demands until now. Even to his own knowledge, within North City Academy, there are at least dozens of four-realm Spirit Monsters painstakingly umting credits, waiting to exchange for Foundation Building Pills. At this moment, if Foundation Building Pills are produced inrge quantities for these four-realm Spirit Monsters who have joined the academy, it would likely be just a matter of moments before North City Academy would see a surge of new Five-realm Monster Kings. Dozens of Monster Kings? How could he not be shocked by that thought? And this is only considering the Kind Spirit Monsters, not even the human cultivators. Although it has been a short time, among the nine main campuses, there aren¡¯t many four-realm cultivators, which are nowhere near as numerous as the four-realm Spirit Monsters who have brought their families to seek refuge, but all in all, there are about twenty to thirty people. If all of them were to breakthrough and achieve the Five Realms, just how powerful would North City Academy be? What, betrayal? Over the years, among the many disciples of North City Academy, Old Man Xin had yet to see a single one above the third realm turn their back on the academy. These academy students, especially those who joined Li Mansion¡¯s medical and martial schools many years ago, their loyalty has been unwavering. Their betrayal is out of the question! Contrarily, it¡¯s the Kind Spirit Monsters who joined halfway through whom caution must be taken. But after some thought, Old Man Xin concluded that unless they suddenly lost their minds, there should be no Kind Spirit Monster who would betray North City Academy, right? Even if there were such fools, their parents, spouses, children, and family members would probably force them to reconsider, even resorting to extreme measures if needed. Family heritage and the fate of their lineage, how could they allow it to be ruined by one individual¡¯s selfish actions? Chapter 174 - 124: Change_1 Chapter 174: Chapter 124: Change_1 Trantor: 549690339 Having sent away the overjoyed elder couple of the Xin family, it was once again time for the couple to be alone. ¡°Young Master!¡± Miss Xin Shisi turned around and bowed to him solemnly. ¡°On behalf of my parents and elder sister, I¡¯d like to thank the Young Master!¡± Her words wereden with deep affection and earnestness. She had long been aware that Mingxiao Taoist Temple was going to increase the production of Foundation Building Pills, and that all the students of Guo Bei Academy, as well as those who fought against spirit monsters, would benefit. However, the quality of Foundation Building Pills could vary greatly. When Mingxiao Taoist Temple first started refining Foundation Building Pills, due to the unfamiliarity with the new alchemy method, the produced pills were of inferior or lower quality, merely serving to preserve life and protect the body, incapable of assisting breakthroughs. But the two Foundation Building Pills she gave her parents were of supreme grade; they were infused with a great amount of Thunderbolt Strength, using the power of thunderbolt creation to make up for the deficiencies in alchemy skills and ingredients, yielding such spirit pills. Such a method of pill refinement was highly consuming, how could ordinary people possibly obtain them? It was only because she, as his beloved, went to Mingxiao Taoist Temple personally that King Shifa was willing to disregard the exhaustion of his Mana and Taoist Cultivation, using all of his thunderbolt creation power to refine such spirit pills. Only such spirit pills could assist her parents, whose lifespan wasn¡¯t much, and whose essence, energy, and spirit were all weak, to make a breakthrough in their cultivation. Ordinary Foundation Building Pills, let alone the inferior ones, even those of high quality, would probably not achieve this effect. The two pills from back then were of supreme grade, and the one now was the same. The depth of his kindness went without saying. Xu Yang smiled and embraced her into his arms, ¡°Between you and me, do we still need to talk about such things?¡± ¡°Young Master¡¯spassion.¡± At these words, the girl showed shyness, with a beauty beyondpare. Her already delicate and boneless body became even softer as she copsed into his embrace, though she struggled to straighten up and gave him a proactive kiss on the lips. Xu Yang held her in his arms and looked at her. The woman in his arms had a face that had not aged, still reminiscent of the past. Time seemed to leave no trace on her; although she dressed as a married woman, she still possessed the appearance of a maiden, breathtakingly beautiful and unparalleled in the world. Their eyes met, saying everything that needed to be said without words. With a smile, Xu Yang carried her horizontally and headed towards the bedroom. It was another night of excellent beauty and passion. The next day, early in the morning. Feeling refreshed and cheerful, Xu Yang got up with the help of Miss Xin Shisi and transformed into a streak of sword light, piercing into the celestial Qingming realm, heading straight for Mount Jilei. Since ancient times it has been said, ¡°Thend of softness is the tomb of heroes; a beauty¡¯s embrace, the grave of the valiant. A strong will turns to steel after a hundred refinings, yet under a woman¡¯s tender care, it bes soft as silk around her finger.¡± Although such sayings apply to others, they had no such effect on him; instead, it aided his cultivation, but that didn¡¯t mean he could indulge all the time. There were still important matters to attend to. Within the sword light, his mind partially distracted, he nced at his attribute panel. Xu Yang (Li Liuxian) Lifespan: 63/700 Cultivation: Embracing Core Outer Body, Yin Soul out of body (Unified within and without, Taoist True Man, Five Realms) Eating (Daily Devour One Ox, Strengthen Body and Health, Food Aversion for Longevity) Sleeping (Soothe the Spirit and Nourish the Soul, Stabilize Foundation and Cultivate Essence, Vigor of Dragon and Tiger, Extend Lifespan) Breathing (Strengthen Body and Health, Stabilize Foundation and Cultivate Essence, Vigorous as Thunder and Fire, Cirction of Breath like an Infant) Travel (Swift as Flying, Scaling Mountains and Crossing Ridges, Strengthen Body and Health, Cloud Riding, Sword Light Across All the Way) Reading (Never Forget After Reading, Reflect on Every Aspect, Scriptures of the Three Teaching Sects, Path through the Book Mountain, Boat on the Sea of Learning) Martial Training (Heaven rewards hard work, Martial Path Communicates with God, Founder of Martial Arts Scripture, Extend Lifespan, Yin and Yang Dual Cultivation) Teaching (Patient Teaching, Mutual Learning, Lead by Example, All Age Mentor, Everyone Bes a Dragon) Beast Taming (Enlightening Transmutation, Thriving Growth, Fish Leaping Over Dragon Gate, Large-scale Breeding, Both Pet and Beast) Spirit nts (Exotic Flowers and Herbs, Quality Cultivation, Mighty Cloud Rain, Thriving Growth, Second World Shennong) Formation (Stone Formations, Thunder Formations, General Formations, Sword Intent Formations, Talisman Formations) Alchemy (Practice Makes Perfect, Herbal Spirit Pills, Thunder Spirit Pills) Painting Talisman (Spirit in Each Stroke, Thunder Talismans and Lightning Scripts, Mana Altar Talisman Making) Artifact Refining (Skilled Craftsman, Divine Weapons and Precious Artifacts, Nurturing Flying Swords) Cultural Qi (Four Sages and Four Excellences, Cultural Qi as Deep as the Abyss, Immense Righteous Qi) Taoism (Thunder Lightning Mana King, Increase and Decrease Two Generals, Five Chaotic Generals and Soldiers, Three Laws Sword, Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light, Yin and Yang Dual Cultivation) Martial Arts Scripture: Martial Arts Scripture. Spells: Supreme Cave True Spirit Cultivation Scripture, Nine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable Jade Shu Sutra, Xuanming True Person¡¯s Ghost Controlling Method, Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light Numbers, Baiyun Immortal¡¯s Spirit Grass Song, Supreme Yin Body Training Skill, Supreme Pure True Man Vital Linkage Jue, Supreme Pure Contemtion Mirror Sword Figure, Supreme Pure Wearable Talisman Scripture Jue, Cave Truth Eight Scenery Jade Tablet Morning Figure¡ Three months hurried by, and with a hundredfold time difference, a full twenty-five years had passed in the dream, with changes that were indeed earth-shattering. First was the cultivation, a sessful breakthrough¡ªboth the Inner Yuan martial arts and the physical body of the Outer Yuan had entered the fifth barrier realm,parable to the Cultivation World¡¯s Foundation Establishment. The Taoist cultivation, too, had reached the stage of the soul leaving the body, where the yin soul could separate from the flesh. Even in death, the spirit would not perish. With this cultivation level, the span of life reached the limit of seven hundred years. Whenpared to reality, it falls short. In the real world, I¡¯m only in the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, but with various traits augmented, I can break the constraints of the heavens and earth to possess a lifespan of eight hundred years, overpowering Golden Core cultivators and closely chasing Nascent Soul practitioners. However, in this world, due to the dormant Yuan Spirit and the impoverishment of heaven and earth, cultivators have even shorter lifespans. A Taoist Real Man at the levelparable to Foundation Establishment generally has only two hundred years of life, a True Monarch somewhat better, with up to four hundred, but still a hundred less than Golden Core cultivators in the real world. Although Xu Yang had various skill traits augmenting him, allowing him to break through the constraints of the heavens and earth to extend his life, he was still somewhat affected. Only upon reaching the pinnacle of Taoist True Man and the peak of Cultivation Foundation Establishment could he achieve a lifespan of seven hundred years. These were the changes in cultivation and lifespan. Next, let¡¯s look at the skill traits. In the real world, over the course of three months, apart from refining the Ghost General, Xu Yang was not idle. He continuously used the Heshi Jade and various elixirs and spirit talismans that could replenish and restore the power of the divine soul to add to his strength and transmit skill traits. That¡¯s right¡ªtransmission! Transmitting skill traits from the real world to the world of Taoistw. The more Xu Yang came to understand it, the more he realized the significance and value of this world. Therefore, he decided to increase his investment, transferring some development-oriented skill traits to strengthen the power of Guo Bei Academy, in order to n for the future and bring this world into his fold. The power of money is strong; with the cost-insensitive investments of Heshi Jade and various elixirs and spirit talismans, Xu Yang sessfully transferred arge batch of developmental skills. Such as the meticulous guidance of teachers, teaching and learning from one another, leading by example, an All-Age Mentor, making each person as powerful as a dragon¡ªindeed a powerful tool for developing the academy. There were also skills like Spirit nt cultivation, Beast Taming, Formation setting, Painting Talisman, Artifact Refining, and Alchemy. These traits helped him scale up his farming, enhance production, significantly improve output and quality, and gain arge amount of spiritual objects to serve as resources for cultivation. Otherwise, relying only on Divine Soul cultivation methods, without other resources, would make it impossible to develop Guo Bei Academy to its current state in twenty or thirty years, let alone two or three hundred years. Apart from support through transmission from the real world, Xu Yang also relied on his own efforts in the world of Daoistw, developing new skills and traits. For example, his travel methods had reced the walking skills. Aside from traits like Swift as Flying, he acquired two new traits: Cloud Riding and Sword light Across All the Way. There¡¯s not much to say about these two traits. As the names suggest, they enhance the effects of cloud riding and sword flying, including speed, defense, power, and so on. They aren¡¯t very strong, but whenbined with other skill traits, the umted effects can lead to qualitative changes. Reading skills too had improved. Afterprehensively studying the scriptures of the Three Teaching Sect, Xu Yang greatly enhanced his speed of reading the scriptures and cultivating the mana of this world. It was with the aid of these skill traits that he was able to perfect his Taoist cultivation in just over twenty years and achieve the pinnacle of a True Man. In the sphere of Beast Taming, he now had traits for mass breeding and pet bifurcation. Mass breeding is self-exnatory¡ªit¡¯s about cultivating on arge scale. Even if he was not personally involved in the nurturing, he would still gain a portion of the skill benefits and trait augmentations, increasing the yield while also freeing his hands. Otherwise, how could he possibly manage so many breeding grounds in Guo Bei Academy by himself? As for pet bifurcation, it¡¯s quite straightforward¡ªseparating the cultivation of spiritual beasts from spiritual pets. Spiritual beasts are bred for consumption as cultivation resources, thus reducing the enhancement of spirit wisdom but strengthening spiritual energy and meat quality. This way, the resulting spiritual beasts don¡¯t have high intelligence, almost none, but the meat quality is excellent and filled with spiritual energy, making them superior food ingredients. Spiritual pets, aspanions, are cultivated partners, so their spirit wisdom and spiritual energy are enhanced. They can cultivate the Supreme Yin Body Training Skill more quickly, transform into spirit monsters, bing helpers that provide workforce assistance. This skill trait also addresses the racial issue within Guo Bei Academy. After all, there are many spirit monsters in the academy, of the benign kind. Spirit monsters can¡¯t consume humans, but humans can consume beasts. Over time, this disparity would inevitably cause tensions. With the implementation of pet bifurcation, spirit monsters were separated from the ranks of beasts; now, people only consume creatures that do not develop spirit wisdom, whereas spirit monster groups capable of developing such wisdom are cultivated as pets. While this doesn¡¯t entirely resolve the issue, it does minimize disputes. Even the spirit monsters benefited because they, too, like humans, could consume spiritual beasts. Spiritual beasts without wisdom bear no curses or grievances, thereby not adversely affecting the Divine Soul cultivation method, and preventing plunging into the path of demons. Following Beast Taming came Spirit nt cultivation, with two new traits: Mighty Cloud Rain and Second World God of Shennong. Mighty Cloud Rain needs no further exnation; it¡¯s an evolved version of a lesser cloud-raining skill, able to significantly enhance the effects of the Cloud Cover and Rain spell. With this trait, Xu Yang¡¯s single spell could enshroud the entire Guo Bei area with spiritual rain, moisturizing all fields within Guo Bei County. As for the Second World God of Shennong, it works simrly to ¡°mass breeding¡± but with far superior effects. Relying on this trait, Xu Yang again freed his hands and a great deal of time. Any crops nted under his guidance would fall under his farming system, receiving all the beneficial trait bonuses from his cultivation skills, significantly improving both quality and yield, making him a true Second World God of Shennong. Besides, with Formation, Alchemy, Talisman Making, Artifact Refining, Taoism, and Law, new traits continuously emerged, but their functions are self-exnatory and do not require much elucidation. Using these skill traits, along with various formations, ancient and modern techniques melded from the Cultivation World, Guo Bei Academy, Mount Jilei¡¯s Mingxiao Taoist Temple, and the Hundred Ghosts Forest¡¯s Yin Mountain Mansion, the three powers surged forward in their development. It¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that holding a single county or conquering a province, even aspiring for the whole of Jiangnan, was well within their means. However, Xu Yang still kept his power contained within North City, and although there was some external development, it was more about extending his reach through trade routes than creating new foundations. Why? Because this world is different from the Great Zhou or the Great Tang! Chapter 175 - 125: Plot_1 Chapter 175: Chapter 125: Plot_1 Trantor: 549690339 In the mundane worlds of Great Zhou and Great Tang, with his umted potentiality and skill traits, expanding his power was rtively simple. He only needed to bide his time for a while, and once he had enough manpower, he could easily begin to expand outward. When encountering obstructions, he would use a mix of the carrot and the stick, coercion and inducement, to clear the way. If necessary, he could take more extreme measures, like employing a disguise or recing key individuals within various factions in secret. He had done all of this in the world of Great Tang, and it had worked quite well, his power growing rapidly. But in this world, it wouldn¡¯t work. Because this world had Taoism, unless he personally oversaw and maintained operations day and night, someone skilled in Taoist arts could easily see through his disguises. Not to mention there were Divine Skills like ¡°Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light,¡± which could unveil any deceptions. With just a nce of the Spirit Eyes and a sh of the Mysterious Light, one could obtain all the information and know all the secrets. Therefore, disguises and secret recements would not work. Not only would they fail, but they would alsobel him as an evil outsider, subject to be hunted down by everyone. Even the ¡°North City Iron Triangle¡± he had created would not be able to withstand the pressure. Furthermore, with the prevalence of magical practices, each faction possessed extraordinary means. Even if they feared his might and dared not act brazenly, they could still cause significant losses through covert actions. This would lead to a gradual erosion of his strength. If he could split himself into three avatars like the Three Pure Ones, creating ¡°King Shifa¡± and ¡°Yin Mountain Way,¡± then he could defend each territory and ensure the management of his power. But he couldn¡¯t do that. He only had alternate identities, no avatars, and certainly not the time to deal with the nuisance of that bunch. So, he simply switched to a different strategy for expansion, consolidating his forces, gripping them tightly like a fist, focusing solely on managing North City. As a result, he achieved surprising effects. North City was fortified like an iron bucket under his leadership, with his eyes and ears in every corner. Patrols roamed day and night tirelessly, creating a defense that was imprable like water off a duck¡¯s back or a needle unable to pierce through. With the practice of Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light, not even a Taoist True Monarch hoping to deceive the heavens and cross the sea could seed in harming others under his watchful eye. This was the effect of ¡°gripping tightly.¡± A hand spread open covers arge area but with weak fingers is easily injured at every turn. But if the hand forms a fist, with five fingers clenched together, it has formidable strength and can deliver a crushing blow to anyone. Now, after many years of development, his strength had increased dramatically, and his power had greatly expanded. He finally had the resources to spread his hand and grasp at territories in all directions. So¡ Mount Jilei, Mingxiao Taoist Temple! A sword light descended from the sky and fell into the main hall of the temple. Among the hundreds of disciples inside, including Taoists and Four-Realm Mages, all were well aware yet indifferent to this urrence, obviously ustomed to it and showing no intention of intervening. In the main hall, a mana altar stood tall with a divine statue at its center. The statue had disheveled hair and a third eye on its forehead, sitting in a posture of wrath. One hand held a wish-fulfilling scepter, the other a golden whip, and below it rode a dark watery ink Kylin. This was none other than the Taoist Thunder Ancestor¡ªNine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable! Immortal Gods each have their unique aspects, manifesting differently. The current statue represented the Thunder Ancestor in an enraged aspect. The Nine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable Jade Shu Sutra records: The supreme Jade Pure King, sovereign over thirty-six heavens. The Nine Heavens¡¯ Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable, transforming the Ten Directions World. Disheveled hair riding a Kylin, barefoot treading onyered ice. With a clinched fist of Nine Heavens¡¯ Qi, his whistlemands thunder and lightning. Indeed, this was the enraged aspect of the Thunder Ancestor. The Thunder Ancestor, in his wrathful state, upied the center, with various gods of the Thunder Department standing to the left and right. There were Six Waves Heaven Sovereign Emperors, Jade Officials as the Five Thunder Envoys, the Green, Red, White, ck, and Yellow gods of the five directions, as well as the Rain and Dew Sovereigns, Wind and Fire Sovereigns, Thunder Sovereigns, Lightning Sovereigns, generals, Thunder Officials, judges, divine clerks, messengers, children, and more¡ Large and small, densely packed, some with statues, others with memorial tablets, filling the entire hall. Incense offerings and faith bolstered their presence. It truly was a disy of divine authority and Taoist magic in the human realm! Xu Yang descended into the hall, not bothering to change his appearance, and approached the painstakingly constructed Thunder Mana Altar where he had devoted many years of worship. First, he offered incense, then bowed respectfully, and finally sat down on a meditation cushion. He began to meditate quietly, seeking the Unity of Heaven and Man. After an unknown span of time, finally reaching a state of no distractions and Unity of Heaven and Man, Xu Yang opened his eyes, stood up, and performed rituals in front of the altar with his sword in hand. He recited, ¡°The Heavenly Emperor orders the exhibition of true magic; the Nine Heavens¡¯ five-colored auspicious clouds descend; the golden light of the Qi dragon shines brightly in Qiankun; the myriad deities summoned to attend Dragon Transformation; with absolute confidence relying on irond words, no hidden forms nor false speech allowed; with the words of the Heavenly Immortal Emperor, by the Mysterious Gate¡¯s vivid light and earthly script; I appeal to the Primordial Spirit of the High Heavenly Emperor for light to descend, swiftly, swiftly as decreed!¡± ¡°Open!¡± With a forceful cry, his Divine Skills were revealed. Suddenly, Spirit Light flickered, concentrating between his eyebrows and manifesting a Spirit Talisman script that stood upright at the center, like a Heavenly Eye. As the Spirit Light shimmered and pulsed ceaselessly, finally¡ ¡°Ding!¡± The Talisman shimmered, its eyes opened, and a beam of Spirit Light followed, shooting into the void and disappearing from sight. Upon observing Xu Yang, between his eyebrows stood an unwavering Heavenly Eye, its ancient depths indifferent and detached. The world is not kind; it regards all beings as straw dogs! Supremely fair and just, selfless and without attachment, emotionless and indifferent! This was indeed the Heavenly Eye! Over the past twenty-plus years, Xu Yang¡¯s main practice was not Thunder Series, nor was it the art ofmanding ghosts, nor the newly acquired Xuanyuan Divine Sword Jue. Instead, it was the Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light technique. He had devoted a great deal of time and energy to this practice, and after over twenty years of arduous effort, he managed to master it to a high level, enabling him to use magic to open the Heavenly Eye and investigate matters across the Three Realms and Six Paths of beings, including humans, ghosts, and gods. Why focus on mastering the Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light technique? It was a move born of necessity. In this world, Taoism was rampant, and there were numerous methods to scrutinize one¡¯s background and origins, even constantly monitoring and witnessing every move, all of which could easily be seen through. Xu Yang, who had traveled through many worlds and dreamt his way into this one,cked a ¡°legitimate¡± identity; he was like an illegal immigrant who had sneaked in. If someone were to uncover his trail, he could be used of being an extraterritorial Heavenly Demon. Moreover, in recent years, as the influence of the Guo Bei Academy grew and began to touch upon various interests, the number of overt and covert attacks became countless. There were also all sorts of Evil Skills, hexes, and curses being used to kill. Lacking a means to avert disaster, conceal himself, and prevent others from prying into his affairs and uncovering secrets they shouldn¡¯t, would make it impossible for him to have survived thus far. Therefore, Xu Yang had no choice but to painstakingly practice the Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light technique, to avert disasters, conceal himself, and keep others from spying on him and discovering secrets that could lead them to trouble his doorstep. In this world, there are still many a sage and mystical treasures that could suppress him. After twenty-five years of arduous cultivation, he not only mastered the ¡°Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light¡± to an advanced level but also unlocked a trait called ¡°Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light,¡± which significantly enhanced the effect of the technique. Now, it should be difficult for anyone in this world to uncover his true potential; instead, he was able to perceive many secrets, conspiracies targeting him or those around him, and hidden traps. And so¡ Xu Yang activated the Heavenly Eye, emitting a streak of spirit light into the palm of his right hand before grinding it with his left. After a moment, the mysterious light formed a mirror, and the hazy insides cleared to reveal a scene. It was a stretch of vast mountains, perilous and majestic, filled with numerous deste hills, adding an air of ghostly spirits and sinister death. It was none other than¡ªMount Mang! Inside Mount Mang, demons gathered. Xu Yang focused with the Heavenly Eye, and with a sh of mysterious light, the scene in the mirror shifted. The vast mountains faded away, reced by a resplendent golden pce. Inside the pce, beings took their seats. Though they were called beings, they took not the form of humans but of jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards. Their bestial bodies took on human shapes, truly a gathering of demons and ghosts, of all manner of evil spirits. Before them, they did noty ordinary dishes but rather the bloody, raw flesh of living humans, some still screaming, grabbed forcefully to be devoured raw. Above them all, a shadow loomed, markedly tall. Upon closer look, one could see a wolf-headed humanoid. Its once greyish fur had turned silver-white, indicating countless years of life. Indeed¡ It was the Chu Gonghou, one of the Demon Kings of Mount Mang and the ancestral leader of the Chu Family Wolf n, who after a millennium of diligent cultivation had finally broken through and stepped into the realm of the Demon Emperor. With the Heavenly Eye focused and the Spirit Light shining, information naturally appeared,ying bare the entire foundation of the demon. Of this, however, it knew nothing. ncing down, there were two to three hundred demons, most of them Demon Kings, the rest were Demon Generals. Xu Yang was not surprised by this. When a country is on the verge of copse, demons will abound! As a dynasty approaches its end, when production can no longer meet demand, a situation of ¡°overpoption¡± arises. Moreover, with corrupt governance and irreversible decadence, unequal distribution, uprisings be frequent, and it all can only be resolved with a massive ughter before a new dynasty is established. Therefore, at the dawn of a new era, a great order is necessary: first, for the founding emperor¡¯s bold vision and, second, for a fair redistribution of interests that can amodate all sides. This world is no different, except that it has the added presence of demons. Once the imperial court is unable to suppress all factions and the great Taoist schools fall into strife over the contention of fortune and destiny, demons naturally emerge to prey on humans and cultivate until a new dynasty is built and can suppress the world again, causing them to retreat back to theirirs and lie dormant once more. So, what is a couple of hundred Demon Kings in the grand scheme? A gathering of Demon Kings enjoyed their feast. As the Demon Emperor and host, Chu Gonghou from his high seatughed only after the Demon Kings were full with food and drink, ¡°How is it? Does the taste satisfy? These humans are top-quality bloody food, bred specially by me. I even had them cultivate Taoism so they taste much better than ordinary mortals, right?¡± ¡°Excellent!¡± ¡°Magnificent!¡± ¡°King of Chu is generous!¡± ¡°Indeed, quite a vor.¡± The satisfied Demon Kings naturally joined in the ttery of their host. Chu Gonghou chuckled, ¡°We are all of the same kind; no need for me to hide anything. Today, I¡¯ve invited everyone to gather here at Mount Mang for a matter of great importance, a most delightful affair.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± At this, the Demon Kings showed their interest. Chu Gonghou gave a sinister smile, words emerging from his big, bloody mouth: ¡°Guo Bei Academy!¡± The lively feast instantly turned cold, and the demons fell silent, a deathly hush pervading the air. It was so quiet, one could hear a pin drop! Seeing this, Chu Gonghou seemed unconcerned, ¡°What, afraid?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The Demon Kings also came to their senses, looking up at Chu Gonghou with uncertainty, not knowing what to do. After a while, a demon braved to ask, ¡°Is King Chu nning to target Guo Bei Academy?¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Chu Gonghou nodded, a grim smile on his face, ¡°I¡¯ve already investigated. Right now, the poption of Guo Bei County is like a sea, with just one county housing a million people.¡± ¡°A million people. If turned into bloody food for our nourishment, quite a few of you seated here could break out of the Demon King form and ascend to be rulers among Demon Emperors, right?¡± ¡°Not to mention, within the Guo Bei Academy are tens of thousands of students who are literary and endowed with Cultural Qi, along with numerous Taoist spell cultivators.¡± ¡°By feeding on them, how much further could our cultivation progress?¡± ¡°Furthermore, those so-called good demons who betrayed their roots are now hiding inside as well, each a supreme grade nourishment, top-quality bloody food. Are you not tempted?¡± ¡°If we can conquer Guo Bei Academy, we¡¯ll have endless bloody food at our disposal, even more preferable than the officials and even the Emperor of the capital. Using them as nourishment to break out of the King form and achieve the Demon Emperor realm is not far-fetched at all. There¡¯s even a chance to transform into Demon Gods, breaking the realm, ascending, and seeking eternal life!¡± Chu Gonghou raised his wine cup and drained the crimson blood within, then mmed the cup forcefully onto the table. His fierce wolfish eyes turned to the gathered demons, ¡°Would you all be willing to join me in this great endeavor, to partake in this grand scheme?¡± Chapter 176 - 126: The Plan is Settled_1 Chapter 176: Chapter 126: The n is Settled_1 Trantor: 549690339 Despite the warm invitation from Chu Gonghou, the gathering of Demon Kings remained silent. Breach the Guo Bei Academy? It sounded good in theory, but how could it be executed? Which demon in the realm didn¡¯t know that the Guo Bei Academy had consumed countless lives, yet the problem was that it was indigestible! Decades ago, in the early days of its establishment, Guo Bei Academy had attracted numerous Kind Spirit Monsters and literati due to the nature of its students and faced infiltration by demons and Evil Cultivators seeking to plunder and murder within the province of Guo Bei. In the end, Guo Bei Academy remained Guo Bei Academy, while those demons and Evil Cultivators vanished without a trace. That included the Chu Family¡¯s young wolf cub. Surely you, King Wolf Chu, are not unaware of this? Let¡¯s not even talk about ordinary demons, even Five-realm Monster Kings and True Man-level Evil Cultivators who entered Guo Bei disappeared without returning. Years of bloody lessonster, you, King Wolf Chu, still dare to entertain such thoughts? Could it be¡? Suddenly realizing something, a shiver ran through the eyes of the Demon Kings, their hearts filled with shock. However, despite the fear, they kept a neutral expression, waiting to hear what Chu Gonghou had to say. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be afraid,¡± said Chu Gonghou with a chilling smile. ¡°Since I have invited you all here, I naturally have a reason for doing so.¡± ¡°This¡¡± The Demon Kings exchanged nces, feeling that there was some logic to his assurance. As the leader of the Chu Family¡¯s wolves, Chu Gonghou certainly knew the formidable nature of Guo Bei Academy. Otherwise, why would he havein in wait all this time before taking action against Guo Bei Academy? Remember, decades ago, his n lost a wolf cub there. That cub was a legitimate bloodline member of the Chu Family, with strong blood and exceptional talents, deeply favored by Chu Gonghou. Yet after the news was sent back, Chu Gonghou did not retaliate over the years, nor did he take action personally. Clearly, King Wolf Chu was cunning and far-sighted. Such an abrupt change now surely indicated he had something to rely on. But this reliance¡ The hearts of the Demon Kings were filled with doubt, and they dared not jump to conclusions. In the end, it was the older demons who mustered the courage to probe. ¡°King of Chu, that Guo Bei Academy is extraordinary!¡± ¡°Indeed, just Li Liuxian alone, with his Sword technique of the Flying Sword, is extremely sharp!¡± ¡°Eighteen years ago, my cousin also fancied taking on Guo Bei Academy, only to be in by a sword from ten miles away!¡± ¡°That was a true Sword technique, the Flying Immortal Skill, coupled with the immense Cultural Qi that Guo Bei Academy possessed, ying Demon Kings as if they were mere pigs and dogs¡ªtruly not something to provoke carelessly!¡± ¡°Furthermore, within the county of Guo Bei, there are two other true Spell Cultivators, the Thunder Lightning Mana King from the Mingxiao Taoist Temple at Mount Jilei, and the Hundred Ghosts Taoist from the Hundred Ghosts Forest in Yin Mountain Mansion Taoist Temple, both of whom are close friends with Li Liuxian.¡± ¡°That Thunder Lightning Mana King, Shi Jian, possesses horrifyingly powerful Thunder Series skills, particrly lethal against our kind. Over a decade ago, when the eight great demons of the Langshan wanted to capture Guo Bei, they ran into him. Three of the Demon Kings were instantly obliterated on the spot, and he chased down and exterminated four more, with only one narrowly escaping back to Langshan!¡± ¡°After returning, the surviving demon was mortally wounded and died soon after. Then, Shi Jian led the disciples of Mingxiao to thoroughly scour Langshan, killing countless members of our kind. To this day, Langshan is left with nothing but a few cats and dogs.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s the Yin Mountain Taoist, whose Ghost Enving Skills are nothing to scoff at. The old ghost of the Dry Tomb at White Bone Mountain, with thousands of years of Taoist Cultivation, had a rank of Ghost Kings and Ghost Generals among his followers, each more powerful than us.¡± ¡°Fifteen years ago, on July 15th, during the Ghost Festival when the Ghost Path is wide open and the Dual Realm of Yin and Yang is essible, the entire White Bone Mountain rose up. The old ghost of the Dry Tomb led five Ghost Kings and over ten thousand Underworld Soldiers into the county of Guo Bei.¡± ¡°What became of them?¡± ¡°The five Ghost Kings along with the ten thousand Underworld Soldiers were stopped dead in their tracks by the Increase and Decrease Two Generals and the Five Chaotic Generals and Soldiers from the Yin Mountain Mansion Taoist Temple. The resulting battle was earth-shattering. Eventually, the Yin Mountain Taoist himself joined the fray, and together with the Increase and Decrease Two Generals, ughtered the old ghost from the Dry Tomb, all five Ghost Kings, and more than ten thousand Underworld Soldiers. Not a single one survived; they were all devoured and annihted.¡± The old demons started listing the military feats of Guo Bei Academy one by one, which stirred even greater fear among the gathered Demon Kings. Despite making statements that seemed to bolster the enemy¡¯s morale and diminish their own, all present were veterans of old and wouldn¡¯t be bothered by such trivialities. Testing Chu Gonghou¡¯s confidence and support was the key. ¡°Hmph!¡± ¡°Let us not boost the morale of others and undermine our own prestige!¡± As expected, Chu Gonghou let out a cold huff, and went straight to the point, ¡°If I dare to take action against that academy, it means I have full confidence in conquering it.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Seeing Chu Gonghou¡¯s confidence, the old demons perked up, ¡°Is King of Chu truly confident?¡± As they spoke, the eyes of all the demons were focused on Chu Gonghou. Although the world had its fair share of rampaging demons, it was still a world belonging to the Human n, whose strength far surpassed that of demons. Especially the Righteous Skills Cultivators from various sects of Taoism, who were usually able to defeat demons of the same level, and if not for the longevity advantage of demons, who had ancient beasts and old ghosts defending their territories, they would have been wiped out by the various sects long ago. Even the ancient demons with thousands of years of Taoist Cultivation only dared to guard their domains and hesitated to venture out, for the sects would spare no expense to mobilize their potentiality and unleash their vast destructive power to shatter the souls of ancient demons. Thus, the demons were curious about where Chu Gonghou got the audacity to target the Guo Bei Academy. Li Liuxian and the two cultivators from Mingxiao and Yin Mountain held true True Man-level Cultivation, ughtering Demon Kings as easily as butchering pigs and dogs. To act against them, at the very least, a Demon Emperor would need to make a move; otherwise, there was no chance of victory. Had Chu Gonghou reached the realm of the Demon Emperor? Even if he had stepped into that realm, being just one Demon Emperor, how could he possibly stand against the three cultivations of Guo Bei? Chapter 177 - 126: Plan Settled_2 Chapter 177: Chapter 126: n Settled_2 Trantor:549690339 The demons were puzzled and all the more curious. ¡°That¡¯s natural,¡± King Chuughed heartily, standing up, ¡°Now, allow me to introduce another distinguished guest I¡¯ve invited!¡± As he spoke, to his left, a figure suddenly materialized in an empty seat. It was¡ A white ape, a giant primate with snow-white fur and fiery red eyes. It carried a massive sword on its back, emitting a chilling aura. After appearing, it said nothing, grabbed the bound woman on the table, tossed her into its mouth, and began to chew forcefully, blood sttering and staining its fur red. ¡°This is¡¡± ¡°The Sword Demon Ape!¡± ¡°He¡!?¡± Watching the white ape devour its meal, the demons looked at each other, filled with surprise and uncertainty. This demon, they knew, was a famed Demon King like King Wolf Chu, the Southern Mountain Sword Demon Ape. However, whereas King Wolf Chu was the patriarch of the Chu Family Wolf n on Mount Mang, this Southern Mountain Sword Demon Ape was a naturally unique species, a solitary creature who kept to itself. It was inherently ferocious and somehow obtained a Sword Cultivator¡¯s mana technique, haphazardly mastering a set of Demon Sword Skills that was quite formidable, rampaging through South Mountain. That King Chu could invite it here. Could it be¡? A leap of intuition in the demons¡¯ hearts, they carefully sensed the aura and were further shocked to their core. ¡°It¡¡± ¡°Has it broken through?¡± ¡°Demon Emperor!!!¡± Looking at the Sword Demon Ape gorging itself, covered in blood, the demons couldn¡¯t help but recoil in shock. ¡°My lords, there¡¯s no need for rm.¡± King Chu waved his hand and said ominously with a smile, ¡°That Li Liuxian calls himself a Sword Immortal. Now, I¡¯ve brought him a Sword Demon. Let¡¯s see if he¡¯s truly capable. Will he rise to meet a challenge and find his equal?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The demons exchanged nces, bewildered, but seeing King Chu¡¯s demeanor, they had no choice but to cooperate reluctantly. ¡°King of Chu is formidable, but what about Thunder Lightning Mana King and Yin Mountain Taoist¡¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± The words were unfinished when an icy snort interrupted them, followed by a y of light and shadow as a figure manifested on the right. It was a man, a man with the head of a serpent. His serpentine head and flesh wings spread angrily, the lumps on his head already burst open, revealing a pair of horns entwined with lightning, taking on the aspect of a Jiao Dragon. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°The Shocking Thunder Python of Mount Mang!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve transformed into Jiao?¡± Seeing this person, the demons were astonished beyond measure. This person, like King Chu and the Sword Demon Ape, was also a famed Demon King with a great reputation, who dwelled on Mount Mang. Born a unique species known as the Shocking Thunder Python, he could naturally control thunder and lightning, and his strength was even superior to King Chu¡¯s. He was heralded as the leading Demon King beneath the Demon Emperor in Mount Mang. Now, the python transforming into Jiao meant that he too had stepped into the realm of a Demon Emperor? This was difficult for the demons to ept. There¡¯s a saying that when a nation is about to fall, there will be demons, but for three Demon Kings to break through to Demon Emperor one after another was astonishing. Was it a coincidence? Or was it an inevitable result of long umtion? The demons did not know. But looking at King Chu, the Sword Demon Ape, and now this Shocking Thunder Jiao, their hopes for the incident at North City Academy rose somewhat. Jiao vs. Thunder Cultivator, Demon Emperor vs. True Man, even with the difference in Cultivation, they should not be at a disadvantage, should they? If this Shocking Thunder Jiao could hold off Shi Jian and the Sword Demon Ape could deal with Li Liuxian, with King Chu facing the Yin Mountain Taoist, wouldn¡¯t North City Academy be at their mercy for plundering? This¡ might just be possible! Without realizing it, their convictions wavered. Still, a few of the older demons remained cautious, looking at the seated Shocking Thunder Jiao: ¡°Python, no, Jiao King, are you confident that you can defeat Shi Jian?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± The Shocking Thunder Jiao snorted coldly, ¡°If I had no confidence, would Ie here to jest with you?¡± ¡°This¡ Alright then!¡± With their minds made up, the demons turned their gaze towards King Chu: ¡°So King Chu will deal with the Yin Mountain Taoist?¡± ¡°No, no, no!¡± King Chu shook his head and smiled, ¡°I still have another distinguished guest to introduce to all of you.¡± With that said, he turned his gaze to another vacant seat. Then, a glint of gold shed, revealing a divine aura and gradually a figure took shape. ¡°This is¡¡± ¡°Buddhist Light!!!¡± The pupils of the demons contracted as they leaped to their feet in rm. No wonder they were agitated. In Mount Mang of the north, where demons converged, a sacred Buddhist Light had suddenly appeared; what did that signify? If not for King Chu sitting there, they might believe this was a trap set by Buddhism. ¡°My lords, please calm yourselves.¡± King Chu smiled faintly, steadying the anxious crowd, ¡°Allow me to introduce Master Xunlong, a fellow seeker of the path just like us.¡± As he spoke, the Buddhist Light dispersed, revealing the figure of a man, dressed neither like a monk nor a Taoist, yet resembling both. With eyes cast down, he exudedpassion and yet an imposing aura, the mana resonance emanating from him sending shivers of fear through the demons below. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°A Taoist True Monarch?¡± Looking at this Master Xunlong, who was neither monk nor Taoist, neither righteous nor sinister, neither good nor evil, neither demon nor human, the demons were perplexed, unsure of what to make of the situation, and could only look to King Chu for guidance. ¡°The Yin Mountain Taoist will be dealt with by Master Xunlong. His Buddhist light is the nemesis of Underworld Ghosts, sure to sweep them away into emptiness,¡± King Chu said with a grim smile. ¡°My lords, you need only join me in attacking North City Academy and relish in the bloody feast as you please,¡± King Chu continued. ¡°This¡¡± Hearing this, the demons hesitated. Pies falling from the sky are not necessarily a good sign. Did King Chu go to all this trouble to invite the Sword Demon Ape and Shocking Thunder Jiao, both Demon Emperors, and find this enigmatic True Monarch Cultivator from who knows where, to sh desperately against the three cultivators of North City, solely to create this opportunity for them, allowing them to raid North City Academy and indulge in a bloody feast? Chapter 178 - 126: The Plan is Set_3 Chapter 178: Chapter 126: The n is Set_3 Trantor:549690339 What good fortune could possibly be this generous! The demons were skeptical. The King of Chu must have some ulterior motive; perhaps he wanted to use them as cannon fodder. Seeing the hesitancy among the demons, the King of Chu spoke again with a smile, ¡°Gentlemen, you¡¯re overthinking it. I have invited you to n a great venture because inside the Guo Bei Academy, aside from Li Liuxian and his twopanions, there are quite a fewbatants.¡± ¡°Those who have sought refuge under hismand and are considered the so-called righteous ones have, with the help of the Spirit Pills from Mingxiao Taoist Temple, broken through one after another. Now there are eighteen Demon Kings with pure mana, exceptional talents, and having been taught and guided by Li Liuxian, they have mastered the orthodox Divine Skills and possess remarkablebat abilities, not to be underestimated.¡± ¡°Furthermore, inside the Guo Bei Academy, there are nine major institutes. Apart from the medical, agricultural, industrial, andmercial institutes that aren¡¯t skilled inbat, the Heaven Martial Institute, Shushan Sword Institute, Military General Institute, Dragon Chapter Talisman Institute, and Cycle Formation Institute ¨C these five major institutes all have numerous disciples and should also not be underestimated.¡± ¡°And the Mingxiao Taoist Temple, Yin Mountain Taoist Temple, along with their aplices in crimes, Mana Bright Temple and Qingping Taoist Temple, have also fostered many Taoists, Buddhists, and the Chaotic Generals and Soldiers, among whom are plenty of Real Man Magicians, Ghost Kings, and Ghost Generals, constituting a significant problem.¡± ¡°Lastly, Guo Bei, a county cultivated for many years, isyered with formations, fueled by an ocean of Cultural Qi and thriving incense offerings, concealing untold dangers. If they trigger their formations, add the reinforcement of their Mana Altar, and rally the Taoist support,mitting life and limb, even we might find it difficult to suppress them in the short term.¡± ¡°So¡¡± The King of Chu turned his gaze towards the assembly of Demon Kings. ¡°Soldier against soldier, general against general, Master Xunlong and his fellows will hold off Li Liuxian and his twopanions, while you join me in raiding the Guo Bei Academy. Everyone will use their skills to clear out the academy¡¯s disciples, destroy Guo Bei¡¯s formations, and it would be best if we could breach the central hub of the academy along with several major Taoist Temples.¡± ¡°Once the hub is breached, and the Taoist Temples are destroyed, those three individuals led by Li Liuxian will no longer pose a threat, and Master Xunlong and the others will certainly be able to y them.¡± ¡°At that time, thend of Guo Bei, with its million souls, will be our sustenance, free for us to feast upon!¡± The King of Chu split open his gaping maw, ¡°Such a grand prospect, would you all like to share in this bounty with me?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The demons exchanged nces, clearly tempted. But a few of the Old Demons remained rational: ¡°The thoughts of the King of Chu are indeed good, but if all of us leave the Northern Territory andunch an assault on Guo Bei, such a hugemotion will not go unnoticed by the followers of Taoism, will it?¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s said that Shi Jian has cultivated the Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light technique, which can divine information about anything between the heavens and the earth, ghosts, gods, and all six paths of the Three Realms. With such a grand movement from us, how could we possibly escape his eyes?¡± ¡°He might even be watching us right now!¡± ¡°If he seeks help from Taoism and they send a few True Monarchs to lie in wait with formations set, wouldn¡¯t we be walking right into a trap?¡± ¡°Right now, in Jinhua Mansion, right next to Guo Bei, there is a True Monarch of Taoismmanding over a dozen True Men suppressing the Orchid Ghost Realm. If Guo Bei is in danger, he will surely take action to help, not to mention the various Taoist Temples and Buddhist Temples throughout Jiangzhe¡¡± The words of the few Old Demons were like a ssh of cold water waking up the excited Demon Kings. The King of Chu, however, was unconcerned and said with a light smile, ¡°Gentlemen, rest assured, if I take action, I am confident of sess.¡± With that, he took something out of his sleeve. It was a lifelike golden dragon. The Golden Dragon Treasure Ship! Its dragon might dissipated in an instant, startling the demons, making their hearts skip a beat, almost causing them to kneel and cower. ¡°Is this¡¡± ¡°Dragon Molting?¡± ¡°Exactly, it is the Dragon Molting!¡± The King of Chu smiled faintly, ¡°This is a relic from ancient times, part of a True Dragon¡¯s molting. Our predecessors of the Demon Race refined it with great magic to obtain this treasure, capable of concealing thousands of demons. With this cover, the various Taoist sects will not detect us.¡± ¡°As for the technique of Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light, what, do you think that Shi Jian, a mere Real Man Magician of Taoism, could pry into the affairs of several Demon Emperors?¡± ¡°This matter is sure to deceive the heavens and cross the sea, achieving sess swiftly!¡± ¡°Now, it¡¯s up to you whether you wish to join in this grand endeavor! Listening to the King of Chu and seeing the treasure ship made from the True Dragon¡¯s molt in his hands, as well as the many temptations of the Guo Bei Academy, the nature of the demons, ultimately, could not hold out. ¡°We are willing to go through fire and water for the King of Chu!!!¡± Chapter 179 - 127: True Monarch_1 Chapter 179: Chapter 127: True Monarch_1 Trantor: 549690339 Before the Mana Altar, the Mysterious Light Mirror appeared. Looking at the scene within the mirror, Xu Yang¡¯s brows slightly furrowed. His frown was not due to the aggressive approach of the opponent but because the situation was abnormal and tinged with eeriness. It was quite normal for someone to set their sights on the Guo Bei Academy, as a tall tree catches the wind, and the temptation was astonishing. However, three Demon Kings simultaneously breaking through and achieving the body of a Demon Emperor, and finding a True Monarch Cultivator with unclear background to collude with them¡ªall four acting in collusion like a nest of rats and snakes¡ªthis was somewhat abnormal. There must be another force behind this! Xu Yang hesitated for a moment but eventually did not use the Heavenly Eye to investigate. His current level was merely of a True Man. Fifth Stage of True Human Realm, equivalent to Foundation Establishment. Demon Emperor is of the sixth realm,parable to Golden Core. Foundation Establishment and Golden Core, a difference of one realm, as vast as the difference between the clouds and mud. Logically speaking, even if he had cultivated the technique of the Xuan Guang to the ¡°Heavenly Eye¡± stage, it would be difficult to surveil without alerting the other party due to the disparity in realms and levels, a gap that cannot be bridged. But this was only in terms of conventional methods; relying on the Skill Traits, Xu Yang made up for the difference between them. With the Heavenly Eye¡¯s oversight, even the likes of Chu Gonghou who had now be Demon Emperors, could not sense it. However, just because Chu Gonghou and the others could not detect it did not mean that the one pulling the strings behind the scenes could not detect it. It would be better not to act rashly and startle the snake by hitting the grass. Xu Yang withdrew his mana, the Mysterious Light dissipated, and along with it the Heavenly Eye closed, transforming into a talisman that vanished between his brows. Afterward, Xu Yang raised his hand and motioned. A person approached him. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Prepare the Mana Altar, set up the rite!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The disciple took the order and left. Xu Yang also turned around, his brilliance flickered, and his shape changed, already assuming the appearance of ¡°Shi Jian¡±. Then, with a sweep of the duster, mists rose by themselves, and he mounted his body and went straight up into the sky. Should mortals witness this scene, they would surely exim at the methods of the immortals. Xu Yang rode the clouds, traveling far away, and soon left thends of Guo Bei County. North City is part of Jinhua; beyond North City lies Jinhua. Within Jinhua Mansion, there¡¯s a forbidden name that changes the color of people¡¯s faces when spoken. It¡¯s called¡ªOrchid Temple! As Xu Yang rode the clouds, in just a moment, he saw a deste wilderness. In the middle of the wilderness, the forest was dense, with solitary graves. Above the ridges, peaks were steep, locking the four directions. From a high vantage point looking down, one could see a formation that subtly conformed to the Principle of Yin and Yang, trapping this deste ce within it. At the center of the formation, under the seal, there was a dpidated and secluded ancient temple situated between the wild forest. The ancient temple was dpidated, with secluded paths and eroded by arge amount of vines and moss; but overall, it still retained the facade of the structure. Inside the temple, stone pagodas stood tall¡ªwhether or not Buddha bones were still enshrined was unknown. Outside the temple, everywhere was adorned with steles, dried graves, and tombs; even during the day, it felt eerie. However, all these eerie scenes were merely illusions to cover up the reality. Xu Yang¡¯s gaze became sharp, and between his brows, the sacred light flickered, faintly forming into a talisman, outlining the contours of the Heavenly Eye. With the Heavenly Eye opened, just one nce shattered the ghostly illusions instantly¡ªa splendid, brightly lit ancient temple stood amidst the darkness, with shadowy figures inside, singing and dancing in peace as if indulging in enjoyment. Yet with a sh of the Heavenly Eye¡¯s Mysterious Light, a secondyer of illusion shattered. The splendid, brightly lit temple disappeared in an instant, leaving only a dark, deste temple about to copse. It was like a giant tree rooted in darkness, with countless corpses, skeletons, ghosts, and demons howling ceaselessly beneath it. Darkness¡ªwhere does ite from? How can there be darkness under the bright sky? Amon person cannot understand; only Cultivators can perceive. The darkness is not a y of light and shadow but made up of Yuan Qi. Yin Qi, the darknessposed of boundless Yin Qi, like a massive vortex, lies within this destend. It is the ovep between the Dual Realm of Yin and Yang, the gateway from the world of the living to the Netherworld. Even if the sun is in the sky and the sunlight is shining brightly, it cannot dispel this boundless Yin Qi. Within it, shadowy figures loom, countless Evil Ghosts roaming, wishing to enter the world of the living and consume the living. The Dual Realm of Yin and Yang is a peculiar aspect of this world. However, Xu Yang did note for this, so let¡¯s leave that aside for now. With a thought, the clouds descended,nding on an isted peak. Within the solitary peak, there was a simple reed shed. In front of the shed sat a Taoist Man with white hair and beard, full of immortal energy and Taoist bones, undoubtedly a true practitioner of Taoism. Seeing Xu Yang descending from the clouds, the Taoist Man also stood up to greet him, smiling lightly and saying, ¡°Has Taoist Friend Liuxian arrived?¡± ¡°Greetings, True Monarch!¡± Xu Yang nodded, performing the proper courtesies. This person was none other than the master of the White Cloud Taoist Temple, highly respected, transcendental, and a Grandmaster of Taoism¡ªTrue Monarch Changrong! Several decades ago, as the Orchid Ghost Realm fiercely expanded, no one within Jinhua Mansion could restrain it, and it seemed that Mansion City would be swallowed by the Ghost Realm. At the critical juncture, True Monarch Changrong came from White Cloud Temple, single-handedly repelling the multitude of ghosts and demons. Afterward, he led cultivators from both Taoism and Buddhism, more than a dozen True Men, to suppress the area around Orchid, preventing the Orchid Ghost Realm from expanding further. He maintained this suppression for several decades, rarely leaving the area. This disyed the height of his morals. Although Xu Yang frequently wielded sword and spear, destroying the Doctrines of the Three Sects within both Great Zhou and Great Tang, it was because most of the Three Sects in Great Zhou and Great Tang were pseudo-Buddhists and pseudo-Taoists¡ªdevoid of virtue and conduct. They imed to be gates of enlightenment but were in fact local tyrants. For such bastardscking in virtue and use, only good at causing trouble and frustrations, Xu Yang naturally intended to eradicate them root and branch, scouring the court and sweeping the den. However, this world was different. Taoist magic was honored, cultivators sought the truth, and the Three Sects had extremely high standards for their own moral character. While not everyone could be considered saints, on the whole, they were still part of the Righteous Path. Righteous Daoist cultivators all saw it as their duty to y demons and eradicate evil spirits, often willing to sacrifice their lives for righteousness, with those dying to defend the path being far from rare. While this did have some connection with their cultivation, judging by actions rather than intentions, what was done was done. Regardless of the motivation, it did not affect their nature. Take True Monarch Changrong here, who spent decades suppressing the Orchid Ghost Realm and protecting the peace of thend; even though this was part of his cultivation, it still did not change the fact that he brought great benefits to themon people and umted vast merit. Xu Yang¡¯s respect for such genuine cultivators of the Way was sincere and unfeigned. ¡°Taoist friend is still as courteous as ever.¡± True Monarch Changrong smiled, inviting him to sit down and brewing a pot of Immortal Tea: ¡°This is the newly arrived Baiyun Mist Mountain Tea. Please, taste it and see how it is.¡± Xu Yang raised his cup and drank,menting, ¡°Baiyun Immortal Tea truly lives up to its reputation.¡± ¡°If you like it, then take some back with you.¡± True Monarch Changrong smiled and then got right to the point: ¡°Now is not yet the time for rotation, Taoist friend must have important matters to attend to bying here, right?¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Xu Yang nodded and said, ¡°I, along with Brother Dao of Yin Mountain Way and Sword Minister, need to take a leave of absence for some time and won¡¯t be able toe for the rotation. I must trouble the true monarch to make alternative arrangements.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Hearing this, True Monarch Changrong couldn¡¯t help but frown: ¡°Could it be that Taoist Friend Liuxian has got into some dispute with others again, sigh¡ Liuxian is a sword cultivator, decisive and straightforward, unbending, which is understandable. However, actions need not always result in confrontation with drawn swords. How about I mediate as a middleman and everyone sits down and talks it over?¡± There was an unmistakable helplessness in his words. Over the years, Guo Bei Academy had been constantly developing and growing. Although there was no expansion of a conquering nature, the ¡°plundering style¡± of recruiting students and moving poptions had brought about conflicts with various forces. For this, duels with des and spells, and battles with curse skills were quitemon, making the already unstable Jinhua Mansion even more tumultuous. As the only Taoist True Monarch within Jinhua Mansion and also the master of White Cloud Taoist Temple, a highly esteemed figure in Taoism, he had no choice but to step in and take control of the situation. But these matters were always one in which every party felt justified. Additionally, with Guo Bei Academy conducting their affairs wlessly and Li Liuxian and his twopanions possessing extraordinary strength, forming a sworn brotherhood with strong ties¡ Binding the three together, not to mention ordinary people, even he, the master of White Cloud Taoist Temple and a True Monarch of Taoism, might not be able to withstand them. Thus, he had no choice but to be partial to Guo Bei Academy to keep Jinhua peaceful. But to his surprise, this approach made others perceive bias, thinking that he, as a True Monarch of Taoism, was taking sides. Heaven have mercy, if not for his partiality, those three would have already embarked on a ughter. A sword cultivator, a thunder cultivator, and an atypical Yin Mountain Way whomanded ghost gods. Did they really think he could suppress them? Being caught in an extremely difficult position, True Monarch Changrong still hoped Xu Yang could give him some face. Looking at the True Monarch of Taoism, who had suppressed the Ghost Realm for decades but was essentially a pushover, Xu Yang shook his head with a smile: ¡°It¡¯s indeed a matter concerning the academy, only it¡¯s not personal affairs but rather an issue with demons.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Demons?¡± Hearing this, True Monarch Changrong immediately changed his expression: ¡°What demon is so blind as to dare provoke the three of you?¡± ¡°You jest, True Monarch.¡± Xu Yang shook his head, calmly saying, ¡°Several Demon Emperors from Mount Mang have gathered a host of demons, evil spirits, and malevolent entities, aiming to attack Guo Bei Academy.¡± ¡°Mount Mang?¡± ¡°Demon Emperor?¡± ¡°Several?¡± Upon hearing this, True Monarch Changrong was also taken aback, then his demeanor became more solemn: ¡°Is what Taoist friend says true?¡± Xu Yang nodded: ¡°I have seen through them with Heavenly Eye Mysterious Light, there¡¯s no possibility of falsehood.¡± True Monarch Changrong fell silent for a moment, then seriously said: ¡°I can¡¯t be in two ces to deal with the Orchid Ghost Realm, but I can send a letter inviting fellow Daoists from all around toe and lend you a hand, ensuring Guo Bei¡¯s safety.¡± Xu Yang shook his head: ¡°There¡¯s no need for True Monarch to trouble yourself. The three of us have our own methods to cope. My visit was to ask for leave, and second, to remind the True Monarch that the movement of the Mount Mang demons may also involve other schemes. Perhaps it could also implicate Orchid Temple. Therefore, I ask you to be wary of the ck Mountain Old Demon, and to remain vignt against their colluding misdeeds!¡± ¡°This¡¡± True Monarch Changrong pondered for a moment, then agreed: ¡°What Taoist friend says is quite right. The ck Mountain Old Demon is a giant of the Netherworld, half-demon and half-god. If the demons of Mount Mang intend to act against Guo Bei Academy, they will undoubtedly seek his alliance. I must reinforce the defenses. No, to be safe, I will still send a letter inviting a few friends over to bolster our forces.¡± Hearing this, Xu Yang did not say more: ¡°True Monarch, you arrange as you see fit. Once I¡¯ve dealt with those demons, I¡¯ll return to face the ck Mountain Old Demon with you.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± His words seemed to make True Monarch Changrong sense something, looking him over: ¡°Could it be that Taoist friend is about to make another breakthrough?¡± Xu Yang smiled, unassumingly: ¡°If all goes well, it will be in this very ce!¡± ¡°This¡ ck!¡± Even True Monarch Changrong could not help but let out a long sigh: ¡°Taoist friend is truly a once-in-a-lifetime genius, I am noparison!¡± ¡°You are too modest, True Monarch.¡± Xu Yang stood up: ¡°There are still many preparations to be made, I shall take my leave first.¡± ¡°Taoist friend, take care.¡± True Monarch Changrong nodded, then remembered something else: ¡°By the way, which method does Taoist friend n to use to deal with this?¡± Xu Yang smiled: ¡°I have ordered my disciples to set up a Mana Altar, to perform the ceremonies, preparing to hold the Luotian Dajiao within Guo Bei County.¡± ¡°Luotian Dajiao?¡± True Monarch Changrong¡¯s eyes sharpened, then he understood and smiled: ¡°No wonder Taoist friend is so confident. With the potential of Guo Bei County, if you hold a Luotian Dajiao ritual, it¡¯ll naturally be easy to deal with the Mount Mang demons. With such a n, I can rest easy. I¡¯ll write a letterter, calling for cooperation from all the surrounding areas.¡± ¡°Thank you, True Monarch!¡± ¡°Taoist friend, you are too polite!¡± Chapter 180 - 128: Mobilization_1 Chapter 180: Chapter 128: Mobilization_1 Trantor: 549690339 Three dayster, inside the academy. Liang Xiao had recovered from the blow to his ego dealt by Wuhua and began to adapt to this novel academy life. As a prince, and once the much-favored Ninth Prince, not only had he been taught by Great Schrs within the pce walls and browsed through numerous Scriptures, but he had also incognito sought learning at Yingtian Academy, the foremost of the four great academies in thend. But even when he was masquerading, he traveled with a procession of three horse-drawn carriages, hundreds of maids and servants, and guards, with all his luggage filling up three entire carriages. Upon admission, he received even more special attention. Unlike now, when he was assigned to a small school and even forcibly separated from his sole protector and servant. Without a single person to attend to him, this prince, who¡¯d grown ustomed to luxury and had never lifted a finger in his life, became the butt of many jokes. Fortunately, the academy¡¯s system was well-established, and its framework meticulous. His temperament was also extraordinary, so he quickly adapted to life here. ¡°Dong!!!¡± The morning bell resonated at dawn, carrying a Zen-like quality as if waves were crashing against the shore, an endless echo cleansing the mind and spirit. Liang Xiao opened his eyes, sat up, and stretched, instantly dispelling any drowsiness. He felt energized and rejuvenated. This was an experience he had rarely encountered in his eighteen years of life. With the Heavenly Family Bloodline and as a prince, not only was cultivation of mana difficult, but the effectiveness of various Taoist Spiritual Objects was also significantly reduced. The usual Spirit Pills and magical medicines had no effect on him. The offerings of fruits and vegetarian dishes from various Taoist Temples and monasteries were akin to chewing wax, providing him with little to no benefit. Only Supreme Grade Spiritual Objects¡ªthe kind that provided benefits even to Taoist True Monarchs¡ªhad any noticeable effect on him. But those of such caliber were rare treats even for his emperor father, so how much could a mere prince like himself enjoy? But now, this bell sound¡ ording to the instructor, this bell, known as the Morning Bell, was one of the treasures of the academy; it would ring every morning at dawn. Its tone could purify the soul and invigorate the spirit. Coupled with the Evening Drum that sounded at night to promote peaceful sleep, its cyclic nature, morning and evening, day and night, effectively nurtured the soul and boosted energy. Together, they were known as the Morning Bell and Evening Drum! Liang Xiao had heard of this Morning Bell and Evening Drum, famous magical instruments of Buddhism. Severalrge Buddhist temples in the capital city had them set up, but only the Morning Bell and Evening Drum at Longhua Temple had any effect on a prince like him. Yet, even the one at Longhua Temple wasn¡¯t as effective as the academy¡¯s. It revealed the miraculous nature of this ce. But Liang Xiao had already grown ustomed to it. After just three days of attending school, everything he saw and learned was strikingly novel, and even turned some of his beliefs upside down. After the continuous barrage of shocks, amazement turned to numbness, and he no longer found anything out of the ordinary. ¡°Liang, are you up?¡± ¡°Hurry and wash up; don¡¯t bete again.¡± A nce around showed that his dorm mates had already started their morning routines, and the dorm leader Li Daniu reminded him. ¡°Oh, oh!¡± Liang Xiao dared not dy. He quickly got up, finished his ablutions, and followed his dorm mates out the door, heading toward the dining hall. At Guo Bei Academy, lodging and basic meals thrice a day were provided for free. If you had academic credits or Mana Money, you could even add extra dishes and enjoy various Taoist Spiritual Objects exclusively provided to the students, including milled rice and Spirit Rice harvested from the academy¡¯s fields, delicacies made from the rare breeds of Spirit Beasts and Alien Beasts raised within the academy, and various Spirit Pills¡ In addition, the Tiangong and Mingxiao produced various Soldier¡¯s Armor, Magic Artifacts, Talismans, and even high-tier Spiritual Treasures. If you had enough credits, you could exchange for them. In fact, there was no need to exchange if you couldplete your studies and pass the assessments to progress to the branch schools or the main school, as there was a standard set of benefits endowed upon you. As he had enrolled in Shushan Sword Institute, the main school disciples were each equipped with a Flying Sword, albeit only at the level of Magic Artifact. Despite this, their power was not to be underestimated, and each was also issued a sword robe, armor, and a Storage Bag as standard gear. This was something many envied. Sadly, he was currently just a freshman in a small school. Flying Swords and the like felt too far out of reach. The academy had provided him with a longsword and several sets of uniforms for changing and daily use. The group walked down from the dormitory building to the equally extensive and borately constructed dining hall. Then came the grueling wait in line. The number of students at Guo Bei Academy was simply too vast, and even after dividing them into main, branch, and small schools and building arge dining hall to segregate the streams, serving tens or even hundreds of thousands of students and faculty was still a daunting task. As such, queuing up for meals every morning took up a significant amount of time. Time-wasting was one thing, but within the dining hall, the aroma of food was irresistible. Various dishes crafted from milled rice and Spirit Rice along with cuisines made with Spirit Beasts and Alien Beasts were incredibly fragrant, impossible to conceal. The academy¡¯s students were mostly cultivators, so all had hearty appetites. Queuing hungrily for meals each day was a torturous ordeal. The veterans were used to it, but neers often found it hard to endure. Seeing Li Daniu ahead of him virtually drooling, Liang Xiao shook his head and took out a volume of Taoist Scriptures to read. Supreme Pure Great Cave True Scripture This was a¡ False Sutra! What is a False Sutra? In this world, where the cultivation of Taoism is based on the Divine Soul, it is necessary to gather the Power of the Souls of All Beings and use falsehood to cultivate truth. Therefore, Taoist Scriptures are divided into True Scriptures and False Sutras. A False Sutra embodies the ¡°false¡± in using falsehood to cultivate truth¡ªa crucial intermediary. Reciting a False Sutra not only yields no cultivation of mana but also depletes one¡¯s mental and spiritual energy. The expended mental and spiritual energy will, through the False Sutra as an intermediary, merge into a True Scripture, enhancing the power of the True Scripture. In doing so, cultivators who possess True Scriptures can absorb the souls of all beings through the scripture to cultivate their mana. Chapter 181 - 128: Mobilization_2 Chapter 181: Chapter 128: Mobilization_2 Trantor: 549690339 Seeing it this way, the method of the False Sutras can be called the work of an Evil Demon! But why would the Ancient Immortal Gods create a method of Evil Demons? Chanting the False Sutras, although it harms the Divine Soul, does not damage the foundation. On the contrary, over a long period of time, with repeated study, it can even enhance the Divine Soul. If one could persist in chanting for several decades, rain or shine, there is also a possibility of cultivating Mana. That is to say¡ªcultivating the true through the false! Although this possibility is low and the Mana cultivated is not abundant, on the whole, the method of the False Sutras is not purely plundering and exhausting resources but rather mutually beneficial and reinforcing. As a Prince, Liang Xiao was unable to cultivate the True Scriptures, but there was no harm in reciting the False Sutras. He stood in the line, queuing up while reading a book, silently chanting the scriptures in his heart. Not just him, in the queue, many of the students were doing the same. This was an assignment from the academy, a grading task! All students, after enrollment, would receive a False Sutra and were required to recite it daily; it was a basic task that had to bepleted no matter what. Afterpleting the basic task, continuing to recite would be considered a contribution, and they could earn credit rewards. As a new student from a small school, Liang Xiao had limited ways of earning credits, so the task of reciting scriptures was something he could not ck off on. As for mary transactions, within Guo Bei Academy¡¯s exchange system, gold and silver held very low value and could only be exchanged for Mana Money, not credits, hence one couldn¡¯t purchase special Spiritual Objects like the current popr Foundation Building Pill. Only Taoist True Scriptures, the Art of Divine Abilities, and various Taoist Spiritual Objects, Magic Artifacts, and Magical Treasures could be traded for substantial credits. But Liang Xiaocked such things, let alone those, he did not even carry much gold or silver on his person. After all, he was a criminal exiled from the capital, sent here, no longer the Ninth Prince once favored by royal grace. Without money, he was impoverished and had to work hard to earn credits by himself. Although it was somewhat arduous, he did not mind. On the contrary, he liked, even enjoyed, such an environment. In the capital, within the pce, as a Prince witnessing the chaos in the world and the disorder in politics, he too had dreamed of reversing a dire situation, propping up a copsing edifice, restoring order to the world, and purifying the Qiankun. However, dreams are beautiful, reality is cruel! As time passed, he grew older, and his experiences increased, efforts again and again came to naught, hopes dissipated time and time again, he realized what it meant to ¡°stave off the inevitable decay.¡± The efforts of an individual are insignificant in the face of the overall decline and corruption. Not to mention him, even his father, the Emperor of the Great Chen Dynasty, the mainstay of its revival, and who was strongly supported by Buddhism, found his hands tied and faced many considerations when acting. The so-called great governance of revival was nothing more than a temporary peace resulting from variouspromises. The fundamental problems had not been resolved; it was like an old man on his deathbed taking a potent drug, merely clinging to life, struggling to draw breath. The power of the emperor vs. the power of the chancellor, the imperial family vs. the noble families, as well as the struggles between factions, the preconceptions of different sects, and the battles among Princes for the throne; the various investments, the power struggles and wagering, the court filled with several major forces, dozens of small groups, intricately interwoven, impossible to untangle. They were like a decaying corpse, lying in a rotten coffin, void of any vitality or vigor. On the contrary, any new and fresh force would be firmly suppressed by their decaying hands¡ªthey would rather die in that decayed coffin than cut away their own rotting flesh to make any change. In that environment, Liang Xiao felt as if countless rotting tentacles were wrapped around his neck, his throat, his limbs, pulling at his body with all their might, dragging him into that decaying abyss, making all his efforts vanish like smoke and swept away by the current. Suffocation, an indescribable suffocation. Despair, an indescribable despair. So much so that when he was exiled from the capital, he felt somewhat relieved, a burden lifted off his shoulders. After arriving in this ce, he felt an energy, a vigor he had never experienced before. Compared to the capital,pared to the pce and that interwoven, interest-entangled court, this academy felt more like a nation, a fresh, vibrant nation. Here he did not feel a single obstacle, on the contrary, the entire academy, the whole system, the atmosphere, and the policies, were actively pushing him, evenpelling him, to unleash his strength and move forward. Liang Xiao did not know what to use to describe it. Or maybe¡ like those machines at the Tiangong Academy? Yes, machines, a tightly structured, high-powered national machine! Once this machine is set in motion, each of its parts will burst with strength, contributing value. With established systems leading the charge, everyone will start to operate, pushing towards the same goal together. It is millions of individuals, yet it is a whole! Such converged power¡ Liang Xiao could not imagine, nor did he dare to imagine. What would the Guo Bei Academy look like after a total mobilization, what kind of power would it unleash? If possible, Liang Xiao hoped he would never have to witness such a scene. But¡ the development of events often defies one¡¯s wishes! After an unknown amount of time, the scriptures ended, and the procession had arrived at its destination. Liang Xiao put away his scriptures, looked ahead at Li Daniu, who was eagerly on tiptoe and said with a smile, ¡°Stop looking, wipe your mouth, see how you¡¯re drooling.¡± Li Daniu then came back to his senses, embarrassedly wiped away his drool, and then whispered to him and a few roommates, ¡°Did you hear? Today they¡¯ve added dishes, the portion of milled rice has doubled, and there¡¯s even exotic beast meat!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Liang Xiao raised an eyebrow in surprise, ¡°Really? Don¡¯t be fooled by someone fooling you.¡± In between the words, he clearly did not believe it. The Guo Bei Academy, having expanded to its current size, has just the student body numbering a hundred thousand, not to mention the various teaching and administrative staff, the entire academy has at least two to three hundred thousand people. Two to three hundred thousand people, all practicing martial arts, each one a big eater, the consumption of food alone is an astonishing number each day. It was only Guo Bei Academy, which widely practiced the Method of Cultural Qi Farming, that could afford to have bumper harvests every season, harvesting not just milled rice but even Spirit Rice; otherwise, it simply couldn¡¯t sustain so many students. In Liang Xiao¡¯s view, it was already quite difficult for Guo Bei Academy to maintain the current conditions. Could it manage if the portions were increased? ¡°No, that¡¯s not right!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no smoke without fire; everything has a reason!¡± ¡°Rumors are rare within the academy, let alone such rumors.¡± ¡°So, the extra meal is true?¡± ¡°Why suddenly add meals for no good reason? The current rations should already be sufficient to meet basic needs, right?¡± ¡°Could it be¡!¡± Liang Xiao¡¯s eyes grew sharp, he realized something, and a wave of panic arose in his heart. Li Daniu, however, saw nothing strange: ¡°Of course it¡¯s true, would I dare spread such rumors without certainty?¡± There were discussions among the surrounding teams. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°I heard about it three days ago.¡± ¡°The principal announced that the quality of meals for the entire academy will be doubled in supply.¡± ¡°We¡¯re just a small school, so we were a few dayster to knowing, but in the Nine Major Courtyards, they started adding meals three days ago.¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that the basic portion for students in the main courtyards includes Spirit Rice, which has now doubled in supply; the academy is truly wealthy and powerful.¡± ¡°Spirit Rice is nothing, I heard the principal also added a new benefit; all students from the small schools who move up to the main courtyards and reach Perfect Four Realms can get a Foundation Building Pill.¡± ¡°It is said that the production of Foundation Building Pills at Mingxiao Taoist Temple has greatly increased, so the academy has also rxed the conditions. Not only can you get it for free after reaching Perfect Four Realms, but the point exchange price has also been significantly reduced.¡± ¡°Now in the main courtyards, who knows how many teachers have gotten Foundation Building Pills and are currently in retreat trying to break through.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just the Foundation Building Pills, the exchange prices for other elixirs, Soldier¡¯s Armor, Talismans, and Magic Artifacts have also been reduced.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The crowd around him was buzzing with discussions, shocked and uncertain. Liang Xiao¡¯s heart also sank amidst these discussing voices. One can infer the whole picture from a part! It might seem insignificant, just a small increase in the food portions, but once the numbers are scaled up to hundreds of thousands, it bes a colossal change. What had happened? Liang Xiao did not know. But from these indications, he could be certain that the Guo Bei Academy, this giant machine constructed from the Nine Courtyards¡¯ students and millions of civilians, was fully mobilizing! Chapter 182 - 129: Luo Tian_1 Chapter 182: Chapter 129: Luo Tian_1 Trantor: 549690339 As the ninth prince of the Chen Dynasty, thest thing Liang Xiao wanted to see still happened. The Guo Bei Academy is mobilizing in full force! So quickly, so suddenly! Liang Xiao was caught off guard, and in his mind, only one voice echoed. Great Chen¡ is doomed! His Liang family¡¯s Great Chen is doomed! No wonder Liang Xiao thought so. Given the current scale of the Guo Bei Academy, what could possibly lead to its full mobilization? There was only one possibility, raising troops to vie for the world! Otherwise, there was no way the entire academy, with tens of thousands of students and educators, would all be mobilized, along with an increase in provisions, the bestowment of Foundation Establishment Spirit Pills, and a substantial reduction in the exchange prices of strategic resources such as talismans, Soldier¡¯s Armor, and Magic Artifacts. All of these were preparations for war! And not just any war, but a massive and intense battle. So, apart from the struggle for the world, what other possibility could there be? Liang Xiao¡¯s face was pale, his body was chilled, and despair surged in his heart. Although the Great Chen had risen again several decades ago, pulled back from the brink of copse, that was just it¡ªit was only pulled back, and the situation had not beenpletely broken through to recreate Qiankun. In recent years, his father the emperor had grown old and be muddled,cking the vigorous talent of his younger years. Several of his decisions had led to the declining state of thend, worse than during Ying Zong¡¯s time. Given this, how could they withstand the Guo Bei Academy? Great Chen, his Liang family¡¯s Great Chen, was it really going to perish like this? What could he do? What should he do? ¡°Liang, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Just as Liang Xiao¡¯s thoughts were in turmoil, a voice called out, bringing him back to reality. ¡°!!¡± Liang Xiao jerked awake, looking at Li Da Niuy with a concerned expression, along with the inquisitive gazes of several roommates behind him and quickly said, ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing, just thinking about some matters.¡± Li Da Niuy did not think anything of it: ¡°You looked a bit pale, I thought you were feeling unwell¡ It¡¯s our turn now,e on up.¡± Although it was a junior academy, it ssified students purely based on knowledge, not by age, family background, or identity. Hence, there were quite a few people like Liang Xiao, who were now distracted and absent-minded. Even though they were not from the royal family of the Great Chen like Liang Xiao, they were influential nobles and came from prominent families. Their visit to the Guo Bei Academy was a strategic move by their families, an investment. Now seeing such actions from the academy, they naturally needed to ponder the underlying implications and see if it could help them and their families profit. Liang Xiao was distracted and absent-minded, but in the end, he refrained from any rash actions and went to the academy with his roommates after breakfast to start the day¡¯s studies. At this point, what could he, a prince exiled from the capital, possibly do? Escape the academy and send a warning? Would that be of any use? Recalling the chaos in the capital and within the pce, Liang Xiao shook his head, his despair gradually turning to resignation. Destiny changes, and the divine right of kings shifts; this is the natural order. As a prince of the Chen Dynasty, he was well aware of its condition. To perish was expected¡ªat least that would conform to thews of nature! In the past, he couldn¡¯t change anything. Now, he couldn¡¯t change anything either. So¡ let them handle it! Liang Xiao calmed himself, feeling as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and proceeded to the academy to start his day¡¯s lessons. Unexpectedly¡ ¡°Xiao Liang.¡± An educator entered the hall and directly called his name: ¡°Someone from your family hase looking for you.¡± ¡°My family?¡± Liang Xiao was startled, his expression one of bewilderment. But soon he saw a familiar figure at the door. It was his guard, Old Ma the coachman. Liang Xiao was silent for a while, but ultimately, he walked out. ¡°Young master!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Outside the academy, faced with Liang Xiao¡¯s inquiry, the coachman fell silent and did not speak; instead, his eyes conveyed a message. Upon seeing this, Liang Xiao also fell silent, and after a long time, he finally said, ¡°I¡¯ve just started my studies, and it¡¯s not good for me to take leave¡ you¡ go back.¡± After speaking, he turned to leave. ¡°Young master!¡± The coachman¡¯s expression changed, and he hurriedly stopped him and whispered, ¡°There¡¯s trouble here; there may be great chaos soon. You must not stay for long; please follow this old servant and leave quickly!¡± Although he was not enrolled, Old Ma could still see the rming actions well beyond the academy in Guo Bei; as a member of the secret guard for the royal family, he could perceive the deeply disturbing signs. Therefore, he had rushed here, hoping that Liang Xiao would leave with him. ¡°Leave?¡± ¡°Go where?¡± Liang Xiao smiled and then shook his head, calmly saying. ¡°From now on in this world, there is no Liang Xiao, only Xiao Liang. Go back and tell my father that his son Xiao is already dead¡ if he still remembers that he has such a son.¡± ¡°Your Highness!¡± The coachman¡¯s face changed as he directly grabbed hold of him. Liang Xiao¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he indifferently looked at him, ¡°This is the academy, I advise you to conduct yourself with dignity.¡± ¡°Your Highness¡¡± ¡°Amitabha!¡± The coachman¡¯s expression changed again as he was about to speak, but a resonant Buddhist chant suddenly echoed in his ears. Turning his head, he saw a monk who had appeared at some unseen moment. It was¡ ¡°Master Wuhua!¡± Seeing Wuhua, Liang Xiao was also somewhat surprised, but he quickly understood his purpose foring. With the changes at the academy, even he, a neer to this small school, had noticed the signs; how could Wuhua, who had been epted into the Shennong Main School and hired as a Guest Educator, be unaware? His arrival this time was obviously to give guidance to him, to prevent him from making a misstep and choosing a path he should not take. As expected, Master Wuhua cast his eyes downward and said to the coachman, ¡°Within the academy, you must not recklessly resort to violence.¡± With that said, he waved his sleeve and the coachman felt his hand lighten. Regaining his senses, he saw that Liang Xiao had moved behind Wuhua. ¡°Your Highness, Master Wuhua¡¡± ¡°Amitabha!¡± Seeing this, the coachman wanted to speak, but Wuhua shook his head to interrupt, ¡°No need for more words, just follow me and all will be clear.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Upon hearing this, not only the coachman hesitated, but Liang Xiao also frowned. Wuhua, understanding his thoughts, spoke softly, ¡°I have already requested leave for you, and the academy has approved it,e with me.¡± Liang Xiao, upon hearing this, fell silent, and in the end did not speak, silently following Master Wuhua¡¯s footsteps. The coachman had no choice but to follow along. The three of them left, walking outwards, and soon they had left the small school under the Shushan Sword Institute. Upon leaving the school and reaching the outside, they saw that the bustling market was still as busy with carriages and horses, and pedestrians were like woven threads. It was just as before, yet there was something different. All kinds of shops, whether it be wine houses, tea rooms, grain shops, clothiers, or even medical halls, pharmacies, and residential houses¡ªevery building had vermilion and yellow talismans tightly affixed above their entrances. In front of the main doors, there were also offering stands and incense tables,den with the three sacrificial offerings of meat, fruits, vegetarian dishes, grain, fish, and other various offerings. Incense was inserted, emitting curls of green smoke that were soothing to the heart and mind. If such a scene were present in just one household, it might not be significant. But when thousands of households across the entire area are doing the same, it bes extraordinarily startling. Apart from the vermilion and yellow talismans and the offering stands, there were many apricot-yellow Taoist gs erected on both sides of the streets. ¡°This is¡¡± Liang Xiao¡¯s pupils constricted as he turned to Wuhua, ¡°A sacrifice ritual?¡± Wuhua nodded and said calmly, ¡°Luotian Dajiao!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Luotian Dajiao?¡± Upon hearing this, both Liang Xiao and the coachman¡¯s faces changed color. One was a royal prince, the other was a member of the royal secret guard, both with extensive knowledge and experience, and they understood what the Luotian Dajiao signified. It was a grand ceremony of Taoism, extremely solemn and of profound significance! Within the Dao Zang, there were the texts ¡°Ritual Procedures of Luotian Dajiao,¡± ¡°Three Dynasty Ceremony of Luotian Dajiao,¡± and ¡°The Supreme Dongxuan Lingbao Heaven Speaks of the Superior Mysteries of the Luotian Dajiao¡±, which mentioned this ceremonial sacrifice. This ceremony was extremely solemn, necessitating the establishment of nine grand mana altars, convening the emperor, officials, as well as the worship of myriad people toward the deities of heaven and earth. Among them, the top three altars belong to the Universal Heaven, which required the emperor to preside over the worship of three thousand six hundred sacrificial positions; the middle three altars, the Cycle of Heaven, presided over by the nobles, offered worship to two thousand four hundred sacrificial positions; and the lower three altars, the Luotian, where themon people offered sacrifices to one thousand two hundred sacrificial positions. Universal Heaven, Cycle of Heaven, Luotian, with the nine grand mana altarsbining the force of the emperor, nobles, and all people, paid homage to seven thousand two hundred sacrificial positions, worshiping the supreme beings of the Three Realms, the eminent saints of the ten directions, the jade realms, gold pces, and celestial truths¡ The official entities of the Three Realms, all the mighty spirits! Sacrificing to heaven and earth, to the deities, to¡ the Great Dao! Through this, one could draw upon supreme might, bringing down boundless divine skills! It was a secret weapon of Taoism! It required the devoted effort of an entire nation¡ªthe emperor, nobles, and all citizens, offering incense in every home, offering sacrifices in every household, for a period of forty-nine days toplete the ceremony sessfully! The resources needed were vast, consuming the effort of the multitude, and even impacting the very foundation, so it was not to be initiated lightly. Yet its power was immensely terrifying¡ªonce the ceremony began, with the nine mana altars invoking the deities of the entire universe,bining the power of the Great Dao from the ten directions, and blessed by the highest correctness of thew, all malevolence and evil would be repelled with ease! Throughout more than three hundred years since the founding of the Chen Dynasty, there had only been three instances of the Luotian Dajiao, along with two Buddhist Water-Land Dharma Assemblies of the same stature. These five major sacrifices all bore significant implications. One was to quell rampaging demons, one to alleviate the disaster of drought demons, one to execute the Demon Emperor of Mount Mang, and another to subjugate the ghost gods of the Netherworld. Thest one, even closer to him, was several decades ago, during the early reign of Emperor Xian Zong, where the Holy Monk Duxing invited the Buddhistmunity from the ten directions to hold a Water-Land Dharma Assembly. By virtue of the assembly, Holy Monk Duxing greatly increased his mana, joining forces with the Buddhistmunity from the ten directions to cleanse the demons of the Northern Territory, providing potent support for the rejuvenation under Xian Zong. Such grand sacrifices had the power to significantly enhance mana and Taoist cultivation, and even surpass the limits that regr regtions could not. Practiced by Taoism, one could be a Taoist Cultivator and a Heavenly Master; practiced by Buddhism, one could be a Great Virtuous Monk. It was by this power that Holy Monk Duxing was able to cleanse the demons of the Northern Territory; even several millennia-old demons were sealed within theirirs by the Buddhist Law, never again able to wreak havoc ormit evil. Such was the power of these grand sacrifices and ceremonies. Now, was Guo Bei county also about to hold a Luotian Dajiao? Liang Xiao did not doubt whether they could afford to hold it¡ªwith the current potential of Guo Bei Academy, a million citizens offering incense, a Luotian Dajiao could easily be conducted. But the question was, what was the purpose of holding this Luotian Dajiao? Could it be to cleanse the Orchid Ghost Realm? Or was it to bless and enhance the military might, rallying troops to vie for control of the realm? That Thunder Lightning Mana King, said to have reached the pinnacle of True Man, if blessed with the power of Luotian Dajiao, would be almost invincible¡ªeven if not quite a Heavenly Master, he would be at the extreme realm of True Monarch. Across thend, who could stand against him? Chapter 183 - 130: Thunder Begins_1 Chapter 183: Chapter 130: Thunder Begins_1 Trantor:549690339 Liang Xiao remained silent, and the coachman was even more mute. True Monarch Extreme Realm? Perhaps the Holy Monk Duxing might be a match. But the Luotian Dajiao didn¡¯t just enhance the ¡°Mana¡± and ¡°Taoist Cultivation¡±, nor merely the realm of ¡°Cultivation¡±; it also augmented the power of the Great Dao and the capability of ¡°Divine Skills¡±. That person¡¯s Thunder Series was already terrifying, coupled with the Luotian Dajiao invoking the divine might of the Thunder Ancestor, could the Holy Monk Duxing really withstand it? It¡¯s likely a faint hope. Unless¡ the Chen Dynasty holds another Water-Land Dharma Assembly to contend with this Luotian Dajiao. Yet, this Water-Land Dharma Assembly isn¡¯t so easily convened. Such a high-level sacrifice is extremely costly. Not to mention other things, just the offerings for incense worship alone would consume a vast amount of manpower and resources, converting to a sum of money that would be astronomical. In a ce like North City County, with a poption of one million, every household sets up an altar andys out an incense table, sacrificing the three sacrificial offerings, along with fruits, vegetarian dishes, incense, talismans, and ¡°Command gs¡±. These offerings need recement every seven days, continuing the worship for forty-nine days in total. All these numerous expenses could deplete the national treasury. Where would the current Chen Dynasty find such money? Even if it could, after being siphoned off at various levels, there would likely not be much left. The local governments would also invent reasons to levy additional taxes on the people. The Worship of Myriad People had not yetmenced, but the resentment and karmic forces had already arrived. By then, would the Water-Land Dharma Assembly even be possible? Thew of the ¡°Divine Soul¡±, cultivating the true through the false, is a process of simultaneous merit. They must understand the principle that water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it! Fortunately, Liang Xiao had longe to terms and merely heaved a sigh over it. Only the coachman remained silent, his expression grave as he pondered in secret. Wuhua didn¡¯t say much either, leading the two men forward. On the road, vehicles and horses were busy transporting materials, with groups of schrly students patrolling back and forth. Once outside the city, the security was even tighter. Every ten steps there was a post, and every five steps a sentinel, all being fully-armed soldiers in ¡°Soldier¡¯s Armor¡±. There were also many students from the institutes,ying out ¡°Command gs¡± and inspecting the formations. ¡°What is this¡?¡± Liang Xiao was astonished, and the coachman was curious. ¡°Disciples from the Heaven Martial Institute and soldiers from the Military General Institute, as well as Formation Masters from the Cycle Formation Institute and Talisman Masters from the Dragon Chapter Talisman Institute.¡± Wuhua turned his head, ncing at the coachman: ¡°Presently, North City is under martialw, guarded by the Brave Guards and Heaven Martial Guards. With Formation Masters and Talisman Masters setting up magical formations, not to mention just you, even if all the ck g Guardians were summoned, they might not be able to break in or out.¡± On hearing this, the coachman could only be silent. Wuhua didn¡¯t say more, turning to Liang Xiao: ¡°What do you think, Your Highness?¡± Liang Xiao smiled gently, ¡°Master, please call me Xiao Liang from now on. In this world, Liang Xiao no longer exists!¡± ¡°Well said, well said!¡± Seeing his enlightenment, Wuhua too felt reassured: ¡°This poor monk wishes to go to Mingxiao Taoist Temple to offer incense. Would benefactor Xiao Liang care to join?¡± ¡°I am willing to apany the master.¡± Liang Xiao smiled and then asked, ¡°This is also a task from the institute, isn¡¯t it?¡± In his words, there seemed to be an implication. Wuhua, with a calm expression, neither confirmed nor denied: ¡°Indeed, all the educators from the nine major institutes, disciples, and Cultivators within North City County must visit Mingxiao Taoist Temple to offer incense.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Liang Xiao raised an eyebrow, ¡°Are there academic credits for this?¡± ¡°There certainly are.¡± ¡°Then I definitely can¡¯t miss it.¡± The two men shared a smile and then turned to walk away arm in arm. The coachman was left alone, gazing at the posts and sentinels every few steps, the all-around martialw by the Brave and Heaven Martial Guards, and the busy Formation Masters and Talisman Masters, he could only sigh helplessly and walk away, fading into the distance. Mount Jilei, Mingxiao Taoist Temple! After decades, this ce too had greatly changed. The peach blossoms still formed a forest, yet the miasma was nowhere to be seen. The mountain gate stood wide open, leading straight to the clouds. Now, with hundreds of Taoists conducting the Luotian Dajiao, the apricot and yellow ¡°Command gs¡± were lined up in two rows from the foot of the mountain, ascending along the steps, fluttering in the wind and issuingmands in all directions. Halfway up the mountain, one could see the ceremonial sites offering sacrifices to 1,200 wandering ghosts and ¡°Earth Deities¡±, as well as Immortals from the human world. Further up from the mountainside, along the path, there were 2,400 more ceremonial sites, worshipping the stars of the Cycle of Heaven, each with its own divine general. At the summit, a Mana Altar stood tall, with numerous divine statues on either side, an array of spirit tablets adding up to 3,600 in total, worshipping the supreme of the three realms, the saints of ten directions, Heaven Kings, Emperors, and various celestial officials. Moreover, a five-colored fabric covering the sky and sun shielded the Mana Altar, because the sacrifices had begun, and it was not yet time to present them to heaven. Wuhua and Liang Xiao arrived arm in arm, finding a long queue of disciples from many institutes, Cultivators from North City, and the Buddhist and Taoist congregations from the peaceful andwful realms of Mingxiao, lining up to make offerings. ¡°Is this the Luotian Dajiao?¡± Seeing the ¡°Command gs¡± and ceremonial sites almost covering the entirety of Mount Jilei, even Liang Xiao couldn¡¯t help but gasp in surprise. He then asked Wuhua, ¡°How does thispare to the Water-Land Dharma Assembly hosted by Holy Monk Duxing back then?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯tpare.¡± Wuhua shook his head, ¡°Although Holy Monk Duxing was virtuous, at that time the nation¡¯s power was on the decline, in turmoil. Implementing new policies faced great resistance, and there were quite some grievances amongst the popce. Such a Dharma Assembly resulted in mixed merit. How could itpare to this?¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Liang Xiao nodded, his expression one of reflection. Using the false to cultivate the true can¡¯t be enforced. Bad execution remains bad. Even with the threat of force to make people bow in appearance, it cannot erase the resentment in their hearts. In the end, the kingdom would still be turned upside down. In today¡¯s North City, with themon people well-fed and clothed, and the whole poption sincerely making offerings, the effects of the sacrifices were self-evident. It greatly surpassed the Water-Land Dharma Assembly conducted by Holy Monk Duxing in the capital back in the day. ¡°Just wondering who has the power, daring enough to make the institute head and that King Shifa take such measures.¡± After careful thought, Liang Xiao no longer believed that this Luotian Dajiao was targeted at the Chen Dynasty. Given the current state of the Chen Dynasty, there really is no necessity for such a show of force. Chapter 184 - 130: Thunder Arises_2 Chapter 184: Chapter 130: Thunder Arises_2 Trantor:549690339 If it¡¯s not the Chen Dynasty, then what is it? Liang Xiao didn¡¯t know and was very curious. Wuhua smiled faintly and said, ¡°The poor monk doesn¡¯t know either and is just waiting to see.¡± Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, a month had passed. Liang Xiao¡¯s life had returned to normal. The mobilization had already been carried out, but the war had not yet arrived. Everything quietly passed in a state of calm yet not calm. Guo Bei was under martialw, forbidding entry and exit, which caused unrest among the surrounding areas, but it quickly returned to silence. The rituals had be routine, and although the offerings were abundant and the expenses were vast, with the foundation of the Guo Bei Academy, they could fully support it, and themon people had noints. Just like that, forty-nine days passed, and it was the thirty-third day. Mount Jilei, Mingxiao Taoist Temple! Before the Mana Altar, Xu Yang opened his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s here!!!¡± In the center of his forehead, Spirit Light burst forth, revealing an indifferent, emotionless pupil of the Heavenly Eye that prated the Three Realms. The Heavenly Eye illuminated, Mysterious Light prated the deep, revealing a shimmering golden dragon shadow within the boundless sea of clouds, speeding through the sky with astonishing velocity. It was the Divine Ferry Treasure Boat made from the True Dragon¡¯s Molt. The Divine Ferry soared through the sky, the Treasure Boat broke through the void, heading straight for Guo Bei. Inside, aside from Chu Gonghou, Sword Demon Ape, Shocking Thunder Jiao, True Monarch Xunlong, there were also hundreds of Demon Kings, thousands of Demon Generals, and tens of thousands of various Demons. That was the Demon Army that Chu Gonghou had assembled by traveling around the world and uniting all sides during this period. Know thyself, know thy enemy, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles. As an Old Demon of a thousand years, he naturally knew the terror of Righteous Daoist cultivators fighting on their home ground. Even as a Demon Emperor, a forceful attack would likely end badly. Arge army was needed to attack Guo Bei, disrupt their formations, and then they might have hope of sess. Therefore, after the Mount Mang Conference, he spent quite some time traveling to all corners, threatening and enticing, uniting the Demons from various ces to form this mighty army, which had now finallye to attack. The moment of decisive victory had arrived, and they were determined to achieve victory in a single battle! ¡°Humph!¡± Watching the imposing advance of the Divine Ferry Treasure Boat, Xu Yang said nothing else and turned to leave the hall, heading to the altar of the grand ritual. With a flick of his dust whisk, the five-colored cloth was removed, revealing the clear blue sky in an instant as heaven and earth seemed to merge. Although it was only the thirty-third day, and the merit was not fully realized, it was enough to cope. Xu Yang put away his dust whisk, donned his ritual robes, and stepped onto the Nine Ceremony High Altar with the Big Dipper steps. First, he offered three sticks of incense, then he bowed deeply, and disciples on both sides beat the ritual drums, sounding twenty-four tones. Amid the drumming, Xu Yang took out his magic sword, stepped with the Big Dipper steps, and began to chant and cast spells. ¡°Qingyang reflects the void, the sun¡¯s spirit returns, the divine tiger wards off evil, the flying heavenly bell rings, crushing treachery and destroying tests, binding all demons, the Nine Microcosms return to the Way, the eight Majestics absorb essence, thousands verify the records, the Three Elements cleanse, the Left Roarmands the Central Yellow, the Right Strikemands the Six Dings, revolving and uniting, rotating the heavenly script, sanctifying and towering, the Three Paths proceed smoothly, Qing Yun flows wide, merging into the Huang Ting¡¡± ¡°Supreme Three Heavens¡¯ Mysterious Origin begins, from one breathes life, before Laojun, The True Infinite Way of the Three Pure Ones, the Hao Tian Golden Pce, the Supreme Jade Emperor!¡± ¡°The disciple respectfully requests, first to light the Spirit Light, second for the Taoist moon to shine brightly, third for grace to dere to the ninends, fourth for sincerity to reach the nine heavens, fifth for all True Spirits to gather, sixth for the Taoist breath to spread, seventh for heaven to open wide, eighth for hell to be destroyed, ninth for the Mysterious Skill to be universally applied, tenth for riding the scene to fly through the sky, eleventh for all under heaven to embrace virtue, twelfth for the Way to transform without action.¡± ¡°I sincerely beseech, the Supreme of the Three Realms, the Saints of the Ten Directions, the Jade Capital¡¯s Golden Pce, Heavenly Emperor, Heavenly Truth, the Saints of the Ten Directions, the Officials of the Three Realms, all powerful spirits!¡± The chanting of the mantra proimed, urging on the spells! Heaven and earth changed, the wind and clouds moved! In an instant¡ ¡°Boom rumble!¡± A thunderbolt in the clear sky, a giant tremor shook heaven and earth. The winds changed and the clouds transformed, as they howled mightily in all directions. Outside Guo Bei County, within the sea of clouds, the Divine Ferry Treasure Boat came flying. Inside the Treasure Boat, a world unto itself, holding tens of thousands of Demon Soldiers. ¡°Guo Bei is in sight, my children, charge in! Blood and feast to your heart¡¯s content, and you shall achieve the Great Way!¡± A giant wolf with silvery-grey fur standing erect let out an earth-shaking howl, the original form of Chu Gonghou. ¡°Kill, kill, kill!¡± The Demons howled, and their Demonic Qi shot up into the sky. At that moment¡ ¡°Eh!?¡± The expression on the Shocking Thunder Jiao¡¯s face suddenly changed as he looked up in rm and surprise. Immediately¡ ¡°Boom rumble!¡± With a loud bang, heaven and earth trembled; then, a torrential rain began to pour down. Thunderstorm, another thunderstorm! Heaven¡¯s timing was assisting them! But it wasn¡¯t a natural urrence; it was the grand ritual of Luotian Dajiao in practice, conjuring wind and rain, manifesting the Divine Skills of summoning thunder and controlling lightning. ¡°Boom rumble!¡± The downpour was relentless, the thunder and lightning were dazzling, and brilliant shes of lightning tore through the sky. With the Power of Thunderbolt, they struck heavily upon the Divine Ferry Treasure Boat. Even if it was a True Dragon¡¯s Molt, even if it was an ancient Magical Treasure, faced with such a force of nature, it couldn¡¯t withstand the attack, and the True Dragon let out a mournful cry as its shadow solidified and it fell from the sky. ¡°Boom rumble!¡± Inside the Divine Ferry, within the Treasure Boat, a tremendous shake ensued. The tens of thousands of Demons inside were rocked by the impact of the thunder, trembling and shaking. Chu Gonghou was filled with shock and rage, ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an ambush!¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°How cunning!¡± The three Demon Emperor True Monarchs, including Shocking Thunder Jiao, were also full of shock and anger, grinding their teeth with hatred. But they dared not take risks at that moment, and could only turn to Chu Gonghou and say, ¡°The situation has been exposed, the enemy is hidden and we are exposed, the situation is unfavorable, retreat!¡± ¡°This¡¡± Chu Gonghou clenched his teeth tightly, extremely reluctant to give in, but ultimately did not let rage cloud his judgment. He roused his mana, controlled the Divine Ferry, and was about to turn into nothingness and fly away. The True Dragon¡¯s Molt, an ancient Magical Treasure with the ability to turn solid into void, to disappear into nothingness, was unstoppable, and had helped Chu Gonghou escape death numerous times. This time, there would be no exception¡ ¡°Heavenly Spirit, Earth Spirit, the disciple respectfully requests the assistance of the Nine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable, to erect an iron fortress today, to turn this ce into a prison of thunderbolts, invisible from all directions, as deep as a wall of bronze and iron, where golden light blinds and thunder descends, where Yang Yun covers the heavens and brings down thunderbolts, causing Demons and evil spirits to stand unsteadily, frightening the souls of Evil Spirits. I invoke the supreme Jade Pure Divine Soldiers with an urgentmand as decreed byw!¡± Chapter 185 - 130: Thunder Rises_3 Chapter 185: Chapter 130: Thunder Rises_3 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Hurry!¡± A stern shout rang out, incantations were activated, and amidst the howling winds and torrential rain, lightning and thunder revealed a phantom figure, disheveled, with a third eye on its forehead, fully disying an aspect of fury and awe. Astride a dark aquatic ink Kylin, one hand wielding a Ruyi scepter, the other a golden whip; even as an illusory figure, with an uncertain semnce, it possessed boundless might. It was none other than the Taoist Thunder Ancestor¡ªNine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable! Upon the Thunder Ancestor¡¯s appearance, with ash of the golden whip, the heavens instantly roared with thunder, turning into a thunderous whip, striking heavily upon the Divine Ferry Treasure Boat. ¡°Roar!¡± A woeful cry resounded, as the Divine Ferry Treasure Boat, crafted from the True Dragon¡¯s Molt and situated in the void, was suddenly cleaved in two by a stroke of lightning, instantly turning from illusion to reality, breaking apart in the middle. Numerous demons spilled forth, plummeting towards the ground below. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°This Thunder Series!!!¡± ¡°How is this possible!!!¡± The myriad demons were struck with terror and disbelief, Chu Gonghou and others couldn¡¯t believe their eyes, and quickly spurred their mana, seeking to flee at once, daring not to face the formidable power head-on. A joke, indeed¡ªfor the other side had summoned the Thunder Ancestor, and even if it was just a projection, a shadow that couldn¡¯t even be considered an incarnation, it was not something these so-called Demon Emperors from the mundane world could contend with. Didn¡¯t that ancient Magical Treasure, the Divine Ferry Treasure Boat, get shattered by a single strike? Flee, flee, flee! The countless demons fled in panic, with Chu Gonghou and the other four Demon Emperor True Monarchs leading them. However¡ ¡°Rumble rumble rumble!¡± Amidst the fierce wind and downpour, with continuous lightning and thunder, the earth suddenly copsed, and walls rose from all sides, climbing thousands of feet. In an instant, a fortress touched the heavens and earth, with an endless abyss as its foundation, covered by dark Yang Yun clouds above, and lightning striking through, connecting with the copper walls and iron ramparts, surrounding the fortress in dazzling brilliance from the thunderous glow. This was the Divine Skills of Thunder Series¡ªThunderbolt Hell Iron Fortress! Thousands of feet high, connecting heaven and earth, though it was just a metaphor, this Thunderbolt Hell Iron Fortress that appeared so rapidly¡ªits four sides spanned thousands of feet across, trapping all of the ten thousand demons led by Chu Gonghou within. Meanwhile¡ At the Guo Bei Academy, inside the canteen, Liang Xiao was queuing up and had yet toment the sudden storm when he saw¡ ¡°Look, what is that?¡± A cry of astonishment captured everyone¡¯s attention. Liang Xiao looked toward the source of the noise and then stood frozen in ce. He could see in the distance, beneath the Yang Yun clouds, amidst darkness, lines of Sword light Across All the Way emerged, converging into a vast stream of swords rushing into the sky, heading far away. ¡°That is¡¡± ¡°Direction of the main courtyard!¡± ¡°Our Shushan Sword Academy¡¯s direction?¡± ¡°That Sword light¡?¡± ¡°Could it be the headmaster¡¯s Flying Sword?¡± ¡°No, no, no, the headmaster¡¯s Flying Sword, isn¡¯t this radiant!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the disciples of the Shushan Sword Academy!¡± ¡°What are they trying to do?¡± Watching the resplendent stream of swords rise to the sky and vanish into the clouds, the neers in the canteen were hit by another wave of shock. Elsewhere¡ ¡°Rumble rumble rumble!¡± In a tavern by the street, Old Ma cautiously opened a window to observe the outside conditions. This storm was out of the ordinary; the downpour caused every household to shut their doors, and passersby were sheltered by shops. In a moment, the streets were deserted. Clearly, there had been rehearsals. As a Secret Guard of the Great Chen Royal Family, his senses were sharp, and his premonitions, precise. Something was afoot, something significant! As for what that significant event was¡ ¡°!!¡± Amidst his thoughts, Old Ma¡¯s pupils suddenly contracted. He saw that outside, on the streets amidst the torrential rain, the incense offered in front of the doors of various shops still burned, trailing blue smoke. Offerings of meats and fruits seemed undisturbed by the storm. What¡¯s going on? Old Ma didn¡¯t know what to make of it, but he saw shadowy figures appear one after another; next to the incense tables, troops of soldiers materialized. Dressed in ck robes and ck armor, formed from paper, they radiated an icy Yin Qi, seemingly not of the living. Underworld Soldiers! Ghost Generals! Troops of Underworld Soldiers and Ghost Generals settled beside the incense tables, absorbing the incense, consuming the fruits, and some even grabbed the sacrificial animals¡¯ heads, feasting to their content. In a blink, the incense turned to ash, the fruits withered, and even the meats turned into a pale waxy color. ¡°Roar roar roar!¡± The group of Underworld Soldiers and Ghost Generals, now satiated, mounted their paper horses, turned into a raging Yin wind, and flowed out in torrents. The number was undetermined. ¡°tter tter tter!¡± As the Underworld Soldiers left, the ground trembled once more, hoofbeats thundering, as a troop of fully-armed cavalry stormed out, steaming mist rising in the pouring rain, heated by the Qi Blood within their bodies, boiling hot as fire, causing the rain to evaporate. ¡°Brave Guards?¡± ¡°Martial Artists!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Brave Guards of the Heaven Martial Institute and the Martial Guardians of the Military General Institute!¡± ¡°Aside from those stationed outside for martialw, they still had a troop of battle-hardened cavalry in reserve?¡± ¡°No, rather, these are the true Brave Guards and Martial Guardians!¡± ¡°Where are they going?¡± Being a ck g Secret Guard of the royal family, both a Martial Artist and a soldier, Old Ma watched his ¡°peers¡± thunder past, his heart quaking, an unease he couldn¡¯t suppress. At the same time¡ Outside the Orchid Temple, atop a solitary peak. True Monarch Changrong gazed at the sky, feeling the boundless might of the thunder, and murmured with a sigh, ¡°Truly, a new generation surpasses the old. Even I cannotpare!¡± After speaking, he shook his head, swept his dust whisk, and sat upon a cloud, rising into the sky, ¡°My fellow Daoists, secure the Formation, stay alert, do not give that Old Demon any opportunity to disrupt our n to exorcise the Demon!¡± ¡°Rest assured, True Monarch!¡± ¡°We shall not fail our duty!¡± In an instant, the various parties responded, their Formation firmly suppressing the creatures of the Ghost Realm. Chapter 186 - 131: External Assistance_1 Chapter 186: Chapter 131: External Assistance_1 Trantor: 549690339 Thunderbolt Hell Iron Fortress, no shape seen in all directions, copper walls and iron ramparts a thousand zhang deep, golden light dazzles the eyes with lightning, misfortune clouds overhead bringing thunder, Demon King and generals wail in despair, even the soul of the Demon Emperor True Monarch fades away. This is the scene at this moment. The Thunder Seriesmands the divine, Purgatory Siege enfolds. Tens of thousands of Demon Soldiers, trapped within, with misfortune clouds above them bringing incessant thunder, and endless abyss below with space inverted, all around, everywhere, copper walls and iron ramparts, lightning shes scaring them away. Such spells are no longer human efforts, but divine majesty! Even a Taoist True Monarch would exhaust all his mana and still would find it difficult to invoke. Only by setting up a ceremony and gathering the strength of tens of thousands can one cast it. Within such divine power, even the Demon Emperor True Monarch feels desperation. ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± Thunderbolt Hell and Iron Fortress, with thunder rolling down intermittently, lightning streaking menacingly among the array of demons, causing countless casualties to Demon Soldiers and generals and even Demon Kings, who can only desperately flee in panic. But at this moment, where can they escape to? Among the demons, those capable of flight soar towards the sky, hoping to surpass the thousand-zhang fortress. Yet as soon as they reach the sky, they are met with a dense and solidyer of misfortune clouds veiling overhead, filled with thunder and lightning. In the blink of an eye, they fall like mosquitoes, charred to ash. If not the sky, then to the earth. Among the demons, those adept at burrowing dive downwards, trying to prate the bottomless abyss. However, the abyss is endless, making it impossible to flee; they soon find themselves back where they started. This is due to the space being inverted and the formation being chaotic! Thunderbolt Hell and Iron Fortress is not a simple divine skill, but abination of cultivating skills and formations. Formation within the spell, spell within the formation, once the thunderbolt transforms into hell and the iron wall encircles, it forms its own realm, with the setup being mysterious and profound. Ordinary skills of flying or burrowing can¡¯t break through it at all. Seeing this dire situation, the crowd of demons is even more frightened; several Demon Kings, in anger and horror, directly activate their spells, striking at the copper walls and iron ramparts, hoping to break through the siege and make a way out. However¡ ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± Spells strike, lightning explodes, the techniques of the Four Methods and Five Elements, all are dissipated by the power of thunder and lightning. Copper walls and iron ramparts, now conductive of lightning, are not only untouchable, but also dissolve magic. After all, among the three thousand paths of Taoism, only the Thunder Series is supremely revered! The strength of thunder, the pivot of heaven and earth, represses all mana in the world. The Four Methods or the Five Elements, as long as they share a simr level, they are suppressed by the Thunder Series. Now, in terms of realm, cultivation, Taoist Cultivation and mana, or level of authority, which among these Demon Kings canpare with Xu Yang, who sits upon the Nine Ceremony High Altar, with the power of tens of thousands, achieving Unity of Heaven and Man,manding Taoism and divinity? Breach the siege? Sheer folly! Thunderbolt Hell and Iron Fortress represents a point of no return! ¡°This¡¡± ¡°What can we do, what can we do!¡± ¡°Ah!!!¡± ¡°King of Chu, you son of a bitch!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve killed us, you damned killed all of us!!!¡± ¡°We must find a way to open a passage; otherwise, we¡¯re all going to die here.¡± As thunder roars and wails echo, the numerous Demon Kings, disregarding their worries of Chu Gonghou the Demon Emperor¡¯s power, curse wildly and cry out in panic. At this time, Chu Gonghou, Sword Demon Ape, Shocking Thunder Jiao, and True Monarch Xunlong, four sixth-realm powerhouses, had already gathered together. He paid no attention to the curses of those Demon Kings, for at the moment, breaking through the siege was his top priority as well. But how to break through? The walls, towering over ten thousand zhang, thick beyond measure, further reinforced by lightning. Though they are sixth-realm powerhouses, Demon Emperor True Monarchs, far more powerful than the myriad Demon Kings, to shatter such an entrapment¡ ¡°Unless there is a second Divine Ferry Treasure Boat!¡± Shocking Thunder Jiao cast his gaze directly upon Chu Gonghou. ¡°Easier said than done, where would we get a second Divine Ferry Treasure Boat?¡± Chu Gonghou gritted his teeth, feeling a deep pain and destion. That Divine Ferry Treasure Boat, made from the molt of a True Dragon and the treasure that secured the Chu family¡¯s position, an ancient legacy of a formidable demon power, which he usually regarded as precious as life, was now shattered by Xu Yang, wielding the might of the Thunder Ancestor. Without this treasure, how could his Chu family establish themselves on Mount Mang henceforth? No, no, no, it was no longer a problem for the future, surviving was the main concern. Chu Gonghou turned his gaze to that monk-like but unorthodox True Monarch Xunlong and spoke with a heavy tone: ¡°It hase to this, Master, won¡¯t you take action yet?¡± Within his words, he ced hisst hope in the other¡¯s hands. ¡°Amitabha!¡± Upon hearing this, Xunlong didn¡¯t shirk, and after a resonant chant of Buddha¡¯s name, he offered the method to break the deadlock: ¡°This spell is extraordinary, this formation profound. To split them would mean certain death, only by uniting our strength to attack one spot, do we have a thread of hope.¡± After speaking, he pointed to the north: ¡°Together, we assault this ce with me. There will be reinforcementsing, a synergy from within and without. We must break the formation and open a path. Remember, on this hinge our life and death, so no one should hold back their strength, hoping for luck, else it¡¯s but a road to death.¡± The threepanions of Chu Gonghou looked at each other and then nodded in agreement: ¡°We will follow the Master¡¯s words.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Xunlong didn¡¯t waste words, bellowed loudly, and the mighty chant of Buddha¡¯s voice somehow overpowered the thunder, echoing throughout the field andmanding the tens of thousands of demons. ¡°This path has disyed divine power, forcibly breaking the Divine Ferry Treasure Boat, causing great loss of mana. Thus, for the time being, he has nothing to follow.¡± ¡°Once he recovers and unleashes powerful divine skills again, we will surely die. If you want to live, follow me, strike with all your might at the north wall!¡± After saying this, without waiting for the reaction of the demons, he activated the spell. A bright beam of Buddha light appeared, heading straight towards the northern wall. ¡°Boom!!!¡± The True Monarch used his cultivating skills, the Buddha¡¯s light vast and mighty, but still no match for the divine power of thunder, his full-force strike shattered before an iron wall as imprable as bronze. However, this strike had given them direction, pinpointing the location. ¡°Kill!¡± ¡°Those who don¡¯t want to die, charge with me!¡± ¡°Only by breaking through the formation will there be a chance to live!¡± Xunlong led the way, with the three emperors following behind. Chu Gonghou, already in his True Body form, let out a long howl, and astonishingly, a silver moon appeared above him, making his fur shine with a silver-white translucence. Heavenly Wolf Howling Moon! The wolves of the Chu Family from Mount Mang were descendants of a great demon bloodline, progeny of the Heavenly Wolf. His Innate Divine Ability allowed him to harness the power of the Supreme Yin Moonlight, greatly enhancing hisbat strength in a short time. Young Master Chu had once used this technique to elevate his strength to a level nearly equal to that of a Demon King. As the patriarch of the Chu Family Wolves and a being with the body of a Demon Emperor, how could Chu Gonghou be inferior to his descendants? Activating his Divine Skills, Heavenly Wolf Howling Moon, Chu Gonghou¡¯s aura skyrocketed, and he finally spat out a silvery-white spherical core. It was the Demon Emperor¡¯s Inner Core! A sixth realm Demon Emperor, possessing an Inner Core, it was an artifact of dual cultivation of life force, the foundation of all foundations. With Divine Skills and Inner Core in y, it was clear he was fighting with all he had. A shadow of the Heavenly Wolf, fierce and thundering, rushed out, colliding straight into the northern wall. ¡°Roar!¡± The Sword Demon Ape also let out a roar, drawing the demonic sword from its back, and in an instant, man and sword unified, turning into a crimson sword light apanied by boundless killing intent, rushing towards the northern wall as well. It was precisely the technique of uniting man and sword, the art of Sword Artifact cultivation. It too was going all out! ¡°Roar!¡± With Chu Gonghou and the Sword Demon Ape betting their lives on their attacks, the Shocking Thunder Jiao naturally did not dare to hold back and transformed into its true Thunder Jiao form, opening its mouth to spit out a lightning-shing Dragon Ball, the Demon Emperor¡¯s Inner Core. Upon releasing the Inner Core, mana broke free like a flood, a dragon- or python-like thunderbolt burst forth over a thousand feet long, straight towards the northern wall. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°All in!¡± Seeing the three Demon Emperors make their move, the Demon Kings, trapped in a dire situation and left with no choice, clenched their teeth and once again stimted their mana, bringing out their trump cards, each disying their Divine Skills in a manner simr to the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, assaulting the northern wall together. ¡°Rumble!!!¡± At one point in the northern wall, a horde of demons attacked so fiercely that even walls of bronze and iron, thousands of feet high, shook with each strike. Thunder and lightning dispelled the offense, shattering one spell after another, yet hundreds and thousands more followed in rapid session. Pressure surged for a moment. But these were grand Divine Skills and such an onught, while intense, failed to show signs of defeat, resulting in a white-hot deadlock. If the situation dragged on like this, the demons would exhaust their strength, and the siege might not even break. After all, behind the siegey a millionmoners and a vast array of rituals to provide support. But just as the standoff reached a deadlock¡ ¡°Rumble!¡± Outside the siege, there was sudden turmoil within the earth. The Earth Dragon turned over, shaking all directions, as an enormous figure burst forth from the soil and mmed heavily against the iron walls of the siege. This figure, dragon-like yet with the semnce of a Jiao, stretched for over a thousand feet, its entire body crimson as blood, with countless limbs and feet, and its head opened like an abyss, revealing a fierce maw. It was¡ a Heavenly Dragon, a Blood Armored Sky Dragon! Heavenly Dragon, also called the centipede! This Blood Heaven Dragon, a thousand feet in length, emerged from the deep earth, leaving behind a dark and profound abyss. Its strength was formidable, and its momentum immense! Such a colossal demon, with all its power unleashed in one strike, hammered down upon the iron walls of the siege. Simultaneously, from within the siege, the three emperors and a monarch, along with the demon horde¡¯s assistance, coordinated an inside-out attack. ¡°Rumble!¡± No matter how solid the bronze walls and iron barricades, no matter how mighty the Thunder Series Divine Skills, they could not withstand the desperate struggle of tens of thousands of demons paired with the massive demon¡¯s attack from outside, resulting in a world-shaking impact that shattered the bronze wall, copsed the iron barricade and opened a path to life. ¡°Charge!!!¡± With the iron walls shattered and the path to life opened, the demon horde did not dare to dy and rushed towards the outside world. The Blood Armored Sky Dragon, too, sought to withdraw after its sess, its thousand-foot body turning to slip back into the earthly abyss. However¡ ¡°Hmph!!!¡± A cold snort sounded, thunder like massive pirs relentlessly crushed downwards, striking the body of the Heavenly Dragon, sting its carapace and flesh into charred ashes. ¡°Roar!!!¡± The Blood Armored Sky Dragon let out a mournful cry but did not dare to counterattack, diving into the abyss, disappearing in a blink as it fled. Although the Blood Armored Sky Dragon was wounded and fled, the iron fortress of the siege had ultimately crumbled, and seizing the opportunity, the demons surged out of the Thunderbolt Hell. However¡ ¡°Big Dipper Pivot, Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Sect!¡± ¡°Kill!!!¡± Thousands of swords, a vast flow, overwhelmed the sky, descending in waves Chapter 187 - 132: Sword Release_ Chapter 187: Chapter 132: Sword Release_ Trantor: 549690339 Swords, swords, swords, thousands upon thousands, they surged like a torrent, covering the sky and nketing the earth in a wild bombardment! Where did the swordse from? Far off in the distance, amidst the torrential rain, a thousand men formed an array. Clothed in white, purer than snow, they stood with a steely resolve, unbent and unbroken. All were Sword Cultivators, with edges sharp and fearsome, shaking the very souls of others. The heart of a sword wielder has to be clear and bright, donning white to show their wlessness! Indeed, they were the disciples from one of the Nine Courtyards, the Shushan Sword Academy. The abilities of the thousands of Sword Academy disciples varied, with the strong ones having reached Foundation Establishment,parable to True Men, and even the weakest had attained the fourth tier, Martial Path Condensing Spirit, not any less than a Mage. But regardless of their respective levels of cultivation, it made no difference at the moment. For with the thousand men arrayed, they had already be one entity, forming a battle Strategy. What formation was it? Tianshu, Tianxuan, Tianji, Tianquan, Yuheng, Kaiyang, Yao Guang. The Seven Stars of the Big Dipper Formation! This was an ancient formation passed down through the ages, drawing from the power of the Big Dipper¡¯s seven stars and harnessing the Dao of Heaven and Earth to operate the sword technique of the Immortal Gods, its power boundless, capable of ying True Monarchs! ording to the current Cultivation system, this was a third-tier formation; if a thousand Cultivators came together, with one hundred Foundation Establishment as the bones of the formation and nine hundred Qi Cultivation as the foundation stones, then this would be enough to draw in Heaven and Earth and activate the Seven Stars, shaking the Big Dipper itself, so much so that even Great Golden Core cultivators would have to retreat three measures or risk the peril of their lives. The way of formations is wonderfully mysterious; a third-tier Golden Core formation does not necessarily need Golden Core Cultivators to preside over it. For example, this formation, just needing Foundation Establishment as the bones and Qi Cultivation as the foundation, once the required number of people are gathered, can contend against, even y, Golden Cores. This is the subtlety of a formation¡¯s might. After obtaining this formation, Xu Yang then delved into thew of Sword Cultivation and integrated what he learned. The sword array harmonized, and he ultimately mastered the Seven Stars Big Dipper Sword Formation, which has been one of the main courses of study at Shushan Sword Academy for nearly a decade. Now, it was the time for testing their studies, to witness the fruits of their efforts. The Big Dipper led the swords, with Tianshu as the guide, unleashing the first technique of the Big Dipper Sword Formation¡ªTen Thousand Swords Return to the Sect! Also known as the Thousand Swords Jue! As the Big Dipper led the sword technique, with Tianshu as the guide, amidst the storm and gale, the ten thousand swords surged like a torrent, channeling the full force of the Big Dipper Pivot, ughtering straight toward the horde of demons and evil spirits. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°How can this be!¡± The demons, who had just broken through the iron wall siege and emerged from the inferno of thunder, had no time to catch their breath before they saw the vast stream of swords, nketing the sky and descending like rain, locking them in its embrace. To retreat, there was nowhere to retreat; behind them was the prison of thunder! To avoid, there was no escape; iron walls rose up all around! ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°I¡¯m all in!¡± ¡°Kill!¡± With no other choice, the horde of demons gritted their teeth and faced the all-epassing surge of swords. ¡°Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!¡± In an instant, with a resounding thunder, the ten thousand swords furiously poured down, striking the demons like rain beating on banana leaves, exploding amidst the multitude of monsters, sttering flesh and blood, countless demons pierced by des, dead beneath the sword. ¡°Ahh!!!¡± Just at that moment, a roar erupted, and a stream of blood-red sword light burst forth, bearing a torrential killing aura, recklessly clearing the myriad of swords, forcibly breaking through the Tianshu¡¯s momentum. Fierce killer sword intent, the unity of man and sword! Sword Demon Ape! There it was, the Demon Emperor merging with the demonic sword, sweeping away the countless streams of swords, forcefully prating the formation. Truly a rare species by birth, with the bloodline of a great demon. Even a third-tier sword formation could not block his path to life. But, s¡ this was more than just a third-tier sword formation. ¡°Buzz!!!¡± Amidst the storm and thunder, a sound emerged, barely perceivable yet supremely clear, impossible to overlook, reaching everyone¡¯s ears. Then they saw it, a beam of sword light, a dazzlingly brilliant beam, Swallow Heaven and Annihte Earth upon arrival. Golden yellow sword light, strikingly radiant. Within it, one could vaguely see a Divine Sacred Weapon, with one side of the de engraved with sun, moon, and stars, the other with vegetation and terrain, the hilt in two parts, one inscribed with the techniques of farming and animal husbandry, and the other with the Strategy of Uniting all Lands. Its brilliance was sacred and majestic, truly the paramount holy weapon of the ancient and modern Dao. It was none other than the Divine Sacred Weapon, feared by Ghost Gods and terrifying to Evil Demons, forged through the Practice of the Three Laws of Heaven, Earth, and Man¡ªXuanyuan Divine Sword! Twenty-five years of umtion, gathering the world¡¯s Cultural Qi and collecting the wishes of the people from all around, millions of citizens engaging in agriculture and animal husbandry, ensuring their peaceful and happy livelihoods, without worry for food and clothing. In this way, when millions turned their hearts as one, the Human Law was naturally established. After Human Law, came Earth Law, which was even simpler to cultivate; gathering the famous swords of the world, including the elite metals, all contained within the box, to refine the meaning of the sword, melding the essence. Thus nurtured, Earth Law was alsopleted. The most challenging was Heaven Law. Heaven Law was like thunder and had to be tempered by thunder, infused with the majesty of Heaven and Earth, only then could the sword be consideredplete. Fortunately, Xu Yang was a Thunder Cultivator, and he had the assistance of the ¡°Thunder Lightning Mana King.¡± For twenty-five years, night and day, he tempered the sword, finally incorporating a thread of the essence of thunder, a portion of the might of Heaven and Earth into the sword, inseparable from one another. Indeed ¡ª with the Three Laws offering the sword, a Divine Sacred Weapon emerges before the world! This battle was its first! What was the might of a Divine Sacred Weapon? They beheld the resplendent sword light, Swallow Heaven and Annihte Earth as it arrived. Its power and momentum reached an utmost extreme,bining with the thunder of Heaven and Earth, one sword to execute demons and devils. ¡°No!!!¡± With a scream of total terror, the blood-red sword light that had just broken the array shook and turned back, preferring to flee back into the deadly formation than face it head on. However, it was toote to escape now. ¡°Bang!!!¡± The sword light zed, shing down from the heavens. The demonic red sword instantly shattered, the blood light fragmented; the demonic sword split in two, revealing a gigantic ape¡¯s body, also severed at the waist, its blood and flesh raining down, plummeting towards the ground. The Demon Emperor of the Six Realms, the Sword Demon Ape, defeated and fallen. One sword, just a single sword, had in the Demon Emperor, as if ughtering pigs and dogs! But his sacrifice was not without value. Only when the demonic sword broke, and the white ape died, did the remaining demons manage to break out of the massive current of swords under the leadership of Chu Gonghou, Shocking Thunder Jiao, and Monarch Xunlong. Though they suffered heavy casualties and left countless corpses behind, they eventually broke through. Not sparing a nce for the Sword Demon Ape, whose sword had broken and who had met his demise, Chu Gonghou, Shocking Thunder Jiao, and True Monarch Xunlong, three powerful beings of the Six Realms, each chose a different direction and fled swiftly. Birds of a feather flock together until disaster strikes and they scatter. Not to mention that they were not even close to beingrades in adversity, the reason for their visit was solely for personal gain, conspiring to seize the million blood meals of the Guo Bei Academy. Now that the situation had turned against them and they faced encirclement, naturally, their first priority was to save their own lives, how could they care about others? As for escaping together¡ that would make them too big a target and even more dangerous. Better to escape separately, which was the wisest choice. It wasn¡¯t just the three of them; the other demons thought likewise. The inferno of lightning and rain, an impregnable encirclement, bolstered by the bombardment of ten thousand swords, had, after a ruthless ughter, reduced tens of thousands of demons by half. But of that half, there were still tens of thousands, who now each chose a direction to frantically escape, like headless flies scattering in all directions. In a sh, demons were seen fleeing in all directions, some flying in the sky, others burrowing into the ground, some showing their true monstrous forms, while others took on human shape, with the howling wind of demons and the flickering shadows of monsters¡ It was like the legendary Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each disying their divine skills! However¡ ¡°Hoo!!!¡± An ominous wind roared in, and a tide of darkness surged forward. From all sides, another encirclement began to take form, with ranks of Underworld Soldiers and Ghost Generals riding on paper-armored horses, wielding spears and swords, densely packed and solidly formed, closing off every escape route for the demons and snuffing out theirst bits of vitality. ¡°Underworld Soldiers?¡± ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Yin Mountain Mansion!¡± Seeing this, the horde of demons nearly gnashed their teeth to pieces, but with no other choice at this point, they could only charge towards the phnx of Underworld Soldiers with desperate abandon. ¡°Amitabha!¡± True Monarch Xunlong chanted loudly, as boundless Buddhist light followed him, directly transforming into a dragon shadow that soared into the sky. But unexpectedly¡ ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?!¡± A thunderous shout erupted, and the chilling wind howled. From amidst the ominous clouds above, a figure descended with three heads and six arms, a fierce face with sharp fangs, resembling Yasha Asura, a fierce and evil spirit. With each of its six arms wielding magic artifacts¡ªtridents, iron chains, battle axes, and whips¡ªthis figure was none other than the Increase Life and Damage Fate yin-yang General! The Increase and Decrease Two Generals, after bing a Ghost King, couldbine Yin and Yang into one entity, transform into the Increase Life and Damage Fate yin-yang General, also called the Great Evil Ghost King! Originally at the fifth realm in cultivation, the Increase and Decrease Two Generals, once united, saw their power surge, even capable of battling with a True Monarch of the Six Realm. And these were only the ordinary Increase and Decrease Two Generals! The Increase and Decrease Two Generals under Xu Yang were obviously not ordinary. The Great Evil Ghost King they became was terrifyingly formidable. The Great Evil Ghost King descended from the heavens, its three vicious heads and dynamic six arms throwing the tridents and unfurling the iron chains, directly skewering the dragon shadow¡¯s head and wrapping around the opponent¡¯s body, then, with a pull and a yank, shattered the Buddhist light. As the Buddhist light shattered and the dragon shadow dissipated, Monarch Xunlong tumbled out in a sorry state, looking at the three-headed, six-armed Great Evil Ghost King with a mix of shock and anger in his eyes, unable to hide it. Although he had a demon body, he was not a demon, for he practiced the righteousw of Buddhism, and his pure Buddhist light was inherently restrictive to Underworld Ghosts. Yet, this Great Evil Ghost King, formed by the union of the Increase and Decrease Two Generals, showed no fear and was not restrained at all. Clearly, it had been refined by the Taoistw, turned into a Divine Guard General. After the union of yin and yang, it was no longer part of the Underworld Ghosts but had be a Ghost God body, enjoying offerings and possessing many divine skills. Facing such a formidable enemy, what could be done? Monarch Xunlong was shocked and hastily sought a strategy. But before he could devise one, a trident was hurtling towards his face. Monarch Xunlong was startled and tried to dodge hastily, but it was still toote. He was impaled through the shoulder by the trident. Then iron chains whirled towards him,shing around his waist and violently pulling him in front of the enemy. The three-headed and six-armed Ghost God stood several feet tall. Compared to it, Monarch Xunlong seemed norger than a child. Yet the Great Evil Ghost King showed no mercy, as its mighty axe fell furiously, striking down the immobilized Monarch Xunlong to the ground, blood spraying out copiously. His corpse fell to the earth, the lunar glow dissipating, revealing his demon body¡¯s true form¡ªa hundred zhang long, entirely blood-red Blood Armored Centipede. In the blink of an eye, half of the four great Demon Emperors were no more. Elsewhere¡ ¡°Clomp, clomp, clomp!¡± The earth trembled, hoofbeats like thunder, as a troop of Mysterious Armor cavalry charged in as a fresh force, entering the battlefield to form military formations and implement strategic maneuvers, entangling with the demons desperately attempting to break out. It was the disciples and Martial Guardians from the Heaven Martial Institute and the Military General Institute! Behind them, the disciples of the Sword Academy who retracted their Flying Swords also reformed their formations; from arge formation to smaller ones, small teams dived into the battlefield to jointly annihte the demons. In the distance, Taoists from Mingxiao, Talisman Masters, Formation Masters, and the armed forces from the Nine Courtyards approached, determined to exterminate these tens of thousands of demonspletely. As for the Kind Spirit Monsters, they too were students or instructors and were part of the Nine Courtyards system, not separately categorized. The Foundation Building Pills previously distributed were now showing their effect, with dozens of new Foundation Establishment cultivators joining those who had already advanced, over a hundred cultivators of the fifth realm, thousands of fourth realm disciples forming battle arrays to fight, all bolstered by the Grand Ceremony Taoism. With such forces, how could the severely wounded and scattered Demon Army stand a chance? The oue of the battle was no longer in doubt! Chapter 188 - 133: Yang God_1 Chapter 188: Chapter 133: Yang God_1 Trantor: 549690339 The Sword Demon perished, and Monarch Xunlong was no more; of the four Demon Emperors, two had already fallen. The remaining two, upon witnessing this scene, felt as if their souls were utterly terrified, desperately fleeing for their lives. ¡°Roar!¡± Chu Gonghou pushed his Divine Skills to the limit, transforming into a Silver Moon Heavenly Wolf, its paws treading the void, soaring straight into the heavens. As if it intended to escape to the moon and beyond. Although both the Sword Demon Ape and Monarch Xunlong had died, their sacrifices were not in vain. One had held off the Xuanyuan Divine Sword, while the other had entangled the Great Evil Ghost King. Now, of North City¡¯s three cultivators, only the Thunder Lightning Mana King Shi Jian remained. Although he might be the most troublesome to deal with, he had consecutively performed grand Divine Skills, first destroying the Divine Ferry Treasure Boat, then initiating Purgatory Siege, and finally, shing with the thousand-zhang Blood Heaven Dragon. After several bouts of consumption, even as a Taoist True Monarch, he must be exhausted, his mana severely damaged, and his Taoist Cultivation greatly diminished, right? Perhaps he no longer had the strength to interfere. Even if he did have some energy left, he might not necessarily stop him. When fleeing for life, you don¡¯t necessarily have to be faster than the enemy, but you definitely need to be faster than your teammate. At this moment, Chu Gonghou¡¯s speed was extremely fast, already bursting out of the battlefield area. In contrast, the Shocking Thunder Jiao, which was only just reaching the edge of the battlefield, was noticeably slower than him. Therefore, Chu Gonghou did not dare to cken his pace, intending to take advantage of the momentum and make a distant escape. But he had not anticipated¡ ¡°Boom boom boom!¡± Thunderclouds collided, thunder roared, and a bolt of lightning descended from the sky, blocking his path abruptly. Within the lightning, a figure appeared, his tall crown binding his hair, his mysterious robe concealing his body, his thick eyebrows angled sharply like wings, his eyes zing with thunder, his sideburns touched with frosty flecks, and his long beard flowing with the elegance of a gentleman. His divine countenance opened his Heavenly Eye, and the myriad spirits in his crown chakra gathered brilliance, truly a rightful Cultivator of the pure Dao, a man of the Jade Pure and Heavenly Shores amongst mortals. ¡°The Thunder Lightning Mana King!¡± ¡°Shi Jian!!!¡± Gazing at the Taoist True Monarch who had be the incarnation of thunder and lightning before him, Chu Gonghou¡¯s pupils constricted, his heart skipped a beat, and then without a second thought, he turned and fled. How did the othere from nowhere with such a terrifying speed of escape? Why did he choose to stop him instead of going after the slower Shocking Thunder Jiao behind him? In the heart of the Wolf King, doubts piled up, and terror surged. But clearly, this was not the time to dwell on these questions. Escaping was of the essence! The other¡¯s strength needed no further discussion, having been demonstrated inly in the recent confrontation. Even if he were just newly ascended to the Six Realms, let alone those seasoned Demon Emperors or the myriad-year-old demons that were half-ghost and half-divinity, he might not be his match. He could only flee; if he failed, he would surely die! The Heavenly Wolf spun around, his paws pounding the ground in a furious sprint, transforming into a streak of silver light that shot away in the blink of an eye, with an escape speed that was astonishing. Speed was the strong suit of the Heavenly Wolf, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to outpace Shocking Thunder Jiao, who was also a Demon Emperor. However¡ Xu Yang did not move a step, merely raising his arm, immediately summoning thunder from the skies that streaked toward the silver light like a thunderbolt. You could see, at this moment, his body was semi-transparent, faintly discernible with lightning coursing through it. Was this¡ the soul? A soul that had attained Pure Yang Creation! A Yang God! In Trance! In the practice of Taoism, the Four Realms solidify the Yin Soul, the Five Realms allow the Yin Soul out of body, and the Six Realms achieve Pure Yang Creation. Although the physical body is an essential vessel for navigating life, it must be acknowledged that it also represents an obstacle that limits the sensitivity of the cultivator¡¯s soul to the Dao of Heaven and Earth and constrains the power of their Divine Skills. Therefore, after reaching the Five Realms in Taoist Cultivation, one can leave the physical body and let the Yin Soul out, merging with the heavens and practicing the Dao. After the Yin Soul leaves the body, unhampered by the physical form, the soul can better perceive and resonate with the cosmos, entering a deeper state of Unity of Heaven and Man, thereby significantly enhancing the power of one¡¯s Taoism. This is described as a qualitative change. Therefore, the difference between a Four-Realm Mage and a Five-Realm True Man is just one realm, but the disparity is as vast as that between the clouds and the mud. The difference lies not just in the level of Cultivation, mana, and Taoist Cultivation, but also in the ability of the Yin Soul to leave the body, and the power granted by the Dao of Heaven and Earth. This is the Yin Soul going out of body for a Five-Realm True Man. But after the Five Realms, with Pure Yang Creation, the Yin Soul is transformed into a Yang God, which has infinitely wonderful uses. The soul is Yin, and the physical body is Yang. After the Yin Soul leaves the body, it bes extremely vulnerable without physical protection. Sunburn is like roasting with fire, being exposed to wind feels like slicing with knives, immersion in water brings extreme cold, and thunder causes the soul to scatter. Even with the soul out of body, it cannot stray too far from the physical form, lest it runs the risk of the soul disintegrating. When merged with heaven to practice the Dao, one must also be careful not to lose oneself in the profundity of the Dao; otherwise, one can be petrified and unmoving. This is the frailty and multitude of risks associated with the Yin Soul. The Yang God is different. Once the Golden Core is cultivated with Pure Yang Creation, the soul no longer fears sun, wind, water, or fire, and even amid shing lightning and thundering, there is support to be found. In addition, with the Unity of Heaven and Man, the effects are even greater, and there is a connection of Yin and Yang Creation between the soul and the body that can help maintain the self against loss, enabling an instantaneous return to the physical form amidst obstacles. With this wonderful capability, a Six-Realm True Monarch, using the method of Yang God Trance, can perambte from the North Sea to Cangwu within a single thought. Unless faced with a Magical Treasure or Divine Skill targeted at the soul, one cannot hope to intercept the Returning of the Yang God. Such is the marvel of the Yang God. Now Xu Yang, in his current state as a Yang God, hase out in a trance to intercept and kill. Although he could have killed these two newly ascended Demon Emperors from within the Taoist Temples by casting spells, his recent consecutive disys of grand Divine Skills had caused severe depletion to his soul. To perform further Curses would definitely result in a deficit, so it was best to conserve energy if possible and carry out the interception in a trance. Though the trance of the Yang God also consumed the soul, it was ultimately easier than long-range spell-casting and remote cursing. Moreover, after the trance, unencumbered by the physical body, he could achieve Unity of Heaven and Man, practicing the Dao with his body Chapter 189 - 133: Yang God_2 Chapter 189: Chapter 133: Yang God_2 Trantor: 549690339 What is the Unity of Heaven and Man, and what is this bodily Daoist technique? As the name implies, it is the fusion of the spirit with heaven and earth, practicing Taoism through the body. Through this, Xu Yang¡¯s Yang God transformed directly into thunder and lightning. He is both the body of the Yang God and the body of thunder and lightning! The thunder and lightning is him; he is the thunder and lightning. This is the Unity of Heaven and Man, practicing Taoism through the body. The might of the Daoist technique increased manifold;pared to The way of the True Man, it was a transformation of a different quality. Flee, flee, flee! The Chu Family Wolf was fleeing for its life. The speed of the Heavenly Wolf had reached its limit. Yet, no matter how fast the Heavenly Wolf ran, it was useless before the thunder and lightning. ¡°Boom, boom, boom!¡± The thunder and lightning struck like a whip, hitting the Heavenly Wolf¡¯s nk repeatedly. ¡°Bang!!!¡± With a sh of lightning and sparks flying everywhere, the shadow of the Heavenly Wolf was cut in half, revealing Chu Gonghou¡¯s original shape and body¡ªwith a huge burn wound stretching across his waist, its insides charred to ckened bones and organs. The power of a single strike was terrifying indeed! There¡¯s a saying, ¡°Iron head, steel bones, tofu waist!¡± Although Chu Gonghou was not an ordinary demon, his waist was a significant vulnerability. Now severely injured, under the ravages of the thunderous assault, even the Demon Emperor could not hold on, and his vast body fell from the sky. ¡°Boom!!¡± The Demon Wolf crashed into the earth, its body, while not as massive as the Blood Heaven Dragon that had previously shattered the thunderous purgatory and the iron wall siege, or Monarch Xunlong and the Shocking Thunder Jiao with their hundred-meter bodies, was still over thirty meters long. Truly immense. However, the moment thisrge being fell to the ground, silver light poured down from all directions. It was the sharp, armor-piercing, crossbow bolts cutting through the air. Each and every bolt, about a meter long and engraved with runes, flew with a roar, piercing the body of the Demon Wolf, snuffing out itsst signs of life. Demon-breaking Arrows! Produced by the Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute! ¡°Good!¡± ¡°Hit!¡± ¡°Fire another and nail it in the head!¡± From all around, crossbows were readied, and the disciples of the Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute operated the newest achievement of their research, the war magic artifact, engaging in the battle. In the vault of heaven, seeing that Chu Gonghou had indeed died, Xu Yang did not linger any further, and his body turned into a ray of lightning, speeding away. Elsewhere¡ Flee, flee, flee! In the opposite direction, the Shocking Thunder Jiao was fleeing for its life, not daring to nce backward for a moment to check the situation of the battlefield and the fate of Chu Gonghou. Sometimes, running faster than your teammate is not a good thing, it can make you an easier target. And just like that, Chu Gonghou had stepped on andmine. Although his teammate had stepped on andmine, the Shocking Thunder Jiao still dared not rx. Desperately extracting mana, it exerted its escape technique, already having fled a thousand miles away. I should be safe now, right? Far from North City, a thousand miles away, the Shocking Thunder Jiao finally felt slightly relieved. But¡ ¡°Boom!¡± Lightning shed, thunder roared, and winds disturbed the clouds. A bolt of lightning came from the sky and, with a loud bang,nded in front, revealing the figure of a Taoist man. ¡°Shi Jian?¡± ¡°Yang God?¡± ¡°You¡!!!¡± Seeing Xu Yang standing in his way, the Shocking Thunder Jiao clenched its teeth and eventually lowered its head, saying, ¡°The divine skills of the Spell King are earth-shattering, I am thoroughly convinced, willing to offer the Dragon Ball, and from now on, I will bow before the Spell King, ready to go through fire and water, refusing nothing!¡± These were words of submission. It was unexpected indeed. But thinking about it, it also made sense. What do you do when you can¡¯t win? If you don¡¯t want to die, you have to surrender! The Shocking Thunder Jiao considered itself a special kind and, with a body of a thunderous Jiao serpent, matched the opponent¡¯s practice well. Now willing to bow and be his mount, or even a spirit beast, it was reasonable to expect the other party to ept¡ ¡°Evil demon techniques will never achieve the Dao!¡± Rumbles of thunder filled the sky,ing forth with no intention of epting surrender. ¡°You¡ fine, fine, fine, you refuse the toast only to drink the forfeit, do you really think you¡¯re the only ones, you pack of Taoists, who can wield the Thunder Series?¡± ¡°If you cannot live today, then die, perish together with your treasures, turn to ash and vanish into smoke!¡± Seeing no path to life given by the other side, Shocking Thunder Jiao¡¯s demon nature red up. With a roar, it spat out the Dragon Ball amidst the wild sts of thunder and blinding shes of electricity, ready to expend all of its Yuan Skill in a desperate, life-or-death struggle, determined to go down with its enemy. However¡ ¡°Child¡¯s y, like bringing an axe to the doors of a master carpenter!¡± ¡°The five thunders evolve to their extreme, allws return to the origin!¡± Xu Yang waved his hands, and countless bolts of thunder moved at his will, manifesting in the mighty form of the Five Elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Dazzling thunderous light surged like a flood, instantly engulfing the Dragon Ball. ¡°You¡!!!¡± The color drained from Shocking Thunder Jiao¡¯s face as it felt the connection to its Dragon Ball rapidly fading, disappearing in the middle, losing its sensation to the internal pill in the blink of an eye. This filled Shocking Thunder Jiao with immense fear and shock. This Dragon Ball was its internal pill, the essence of its life and the foundation of its cultivation. Now that the connection was lost, how could it not be startled? How could it not be frightened? In a state of panic, Shocking Thunder Jiao watched as the thunderous tide retreated, wrapping around the Dragon Ball, which Xu Yang swept into his robe with a wave of his hand. Thunder Jiao? Dragon Ball? Perishing together with your treasures, turning to ash and vanishing into smoke? To an ordinary True Monarch, it might pose some threat. But he was no ordinary True Monarch; he was the great patriarch of the Thunder Series, further aided by the formidable characteristic of being the ¡°Thunder Lightning Mana King.¡± Before him, to resort to thunder was nothing but bringing an axe to the doors of a master carpenter, a self-seeking path to death. By directly casting ¡°The five thunders evolve to their extreme,¡± he wrested control of the Dragon Ball from its wielder. The art of ¡°The five thunders evolve to their extreme,¡± recorded in the Jade Shu Treasure Scripture, was one of the thunder spells that could use the power of the five thunders to neutralize the abilities of myriadws, even transforming the tribtions of Heaven and Earth, the three disasters and the five hardships¡ªit was famous as a thunder spell that could turn cmities astray. If Heaven and Earth Tribtion Thunder, the three disasters, and the five hardships could be neutralized, Then surely a mere Dragon Ball was no exception; it was directly stripped of its control. ¡°Return my Dragon Ball!¡± Shocking Thunder Jiao snapped back to reality and let out a wild roar, ready to fight with all its might. But Xu Yang simply ignored it, his expression cold. He waved his sleeve outward. Instantly, thunder rumbled through the sky, mercilesslyshing upon the body of Thunder Jiao. Deprived of its internal pill, with its mana and Taoist cultivation rapidly dissipating, how could Shocking Thunder Jiao withstand such thunderous onught? It wailed tragically and plummeted from the sky. ¡°Boom!!!¡± A thunderous roar echoed as the thunderous strike hit the ground, tearing a deep ravine in the forest. With a sweep of his sleeve, Xu Yang turned the thunderous force once again, plowing through the forest and gathering up the body of Thunder Jiao, then transformed into a streak of light and departed. The great battle thus came to an end. But there were still many loose ends to tie up. Such as the tens of thousands of demon corpses on the battlefield. The main force of the Nine Courtyards¡¯ disciples emerged, with sword formations, spell formations, battle formations, and talisman formations joining forces with the Mingxiao Taoists and the Yin Mountain troops, and with the power of the Luotian Dajiao ritual, they finally ughtered the tens of thousands of demons. Except for a few that slipped through, the rest were utterly destroyed. Among those tens of thousands of demons were four Demon Emperors, several hundred Demon Kings, and thousands of Demon Generals. The rest,rge and small, summed up to tens of thousands in total. Were this the real world, using the cultivation system, it would equate to four Golden Core stage Demon Emperors, several hundred Foundation Establishment Demon Generals, and tens of thousands of Qi Cultivation level lesser demons. So many demon beasts, their corpses alone as materials¡ªwere of tremendous value. Not to mention these demons had their own establishments and fortunes, like Chu Gonghou of the Chu Family Wolf ancestry, who had an ancient magical treasure, the Divine Ferry Treasure Boat. While the other demons might notpare to Chu Gonghou, they still possessed considerable wealth. Spoils of war poured into the storerooms, not onlypletely making up for the expenses of organizing the Luotian Dajiao but also earning a hefty profit. Such were the spoils of war; as long as one could win, the return on investment post-battle was well worth the initial expenditure. Xu Yang acted ording to thew, streaking through the sky with his thunderous energy, shing back. The battle had ended, and within the battlefield, the Nine Courtyards¡¯ disciples, along with the logistical staff, were clearing up. Xu Yang said little else as he gathered up the bodies of Chu Gonghou, Monarch Xunlong, Sword Demon Ape¡ªthe three Demon Emperors¡ªand the remnants of the True Dragon¡¯s Molt and the Divine Ferry Treasure Boat, before soaring away with the thunder, returning to his Taoist ce. At Mount Jilei, Mingxiao Taoist Temple. Above the Nine Ceremony High Altar, a bolt of thunder descended, entering the body of the Mage. With the Yang God entering the orifice, Xu Yang opened his eyes, looking at the spoils of war in the Storage Bag, his expression unchanged. He put away his magical sword, descended from the Mana Altar, then without having his disciples tidy up, he pulled up the five-colored cloth again, covering the sky and concealing thend, severing the connection between heaven and earth. The Luotian Dajiao required forty-nine days of ritual to be deemedplete and meritorious. Now it was only day thirty-three. Although the demons had been eradicated, Xu Yang had no intention of halting the sacrifice just yet. The Luotian Dajiao had infinite uses: not only could it fortify mana and aid in growing Taoist cultivation, suppress demons in all directions, it also brought blessings to avert disasters, with sweet rain relieving drought, retreating water to extinguish floods. Whether it be ying demons, Taoist cultivation, or even agriculture, animal husbandry, all could greatly benefit from it. Therefore, Xu Yang decided toplete this Luotian Dajiao ceremony. Besides, there was one more matter, a point of doubt, which he needed to rify using the power of the Luotian Dajiao to dissipate the mist and ascertain the truth. So¡ Xu Yang swept his dust-brush, causing clouds and mists to rise. Mounting his Cultivator¡¯sw body, he headed straight into the heavens. Chapter 190 - 134: Invitation_1 Chapter 190: Chapter 134: Invitation_1 Trantor: 549690339 Jinhua Mansion, Orchid Temple, fortified heavily, seals binding the Ghost Realm. Although the ancient temple was dpidated and filled with a ghostly aura, it was momentarily tranquil. At this time, auspicious clouds drifted in, heading straight into the mountains. ¡°Daoist friend.¡± ¡°True Monarch.¡± Xu Yang descended from the cloud, walking towards the reed shed. True Monarch Changrong also stood up to wee him, cupping his hands with a smile, ¡°Congrattions, Daoist friend, for sessfully ying demons, clearing away numerous disasters for the world, a merit immeasurable!¡± ¡°True Monarch, you overpraise me,¡± Xu Yang shook his head lightly and said with a light smile, ¡°It¡¯s just that the demon did not know the mandate of Heaven, courting death in its own way. I merely acted along with the momentum.¡± ¡°You are too humble,¡± True Monarch Changrong shook his head and sized him up, then with a smile said, ¡°Daoist friend might as well call me Changrong.¡± With a smile, Xu Yang did not demur but cupped his hands in salute, ¡°Shi Jian has seen Brother Changrong!¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Changrongughed, steadying him, and the two returned to the table to sit down. Then Changrong raised a cup of fragrant tea, ¡°Rather than wine, let¡¯s toast with tea to congratte Daoist friend for his increased Taoist cultivation and sessful practice!¡± Xu Yang too raised his cup in response, ¡°To celebrate with Brother Dao!¡± The path of cultivation favors those who reach it first. Unless they¡¯re blood rtives or direct disciples of a sect, when cultivators interact, they don¡¯t consider age, only cultivation level. Those of the same realm address each other as peers. If one is a realm higher, then they are referred to respectfully as senior. With a sixth realm cultivation, Xu Yang had addressed Changrong as ¡°True Monarch¡± until now. Although Changrong did not actively im the status of a senior, nor did he insist on changing the address, his eptance signified an acknowledgment of the unspoken rules of the cultivation realm. Now, by bringing it up himself, suggesting a change in address, it wasn¡¯t due to being intimidated by Xu Yang¡¯s demonstrated strength in vanquishing demons. It was because¡ Xu Yang had broken through! He had transcended the fifth realm and ascended to the sixth realm, thereby achieving the body of a Taoist True Monarch. As a true monarch, with the same realm, naturally, they should interact as equals. Even so, Changrong humbled himself and allowed Xu Yang to address him directly by his Taoist name, Changrong. This was a show of respect for strength. No matter how newly ascended Xu Yang was as a True Monarch, whether it be mana, Taoist cultivation, or cultivation skills divine magic, Changrong was no match for him. This was reality, to be acknowledged. Changrong ced himself precisely within his status. But would Xu Yang be insensitive? Still, he addressed him as Brother Dao, neither disrupting the hierarchy nor striving to close the distance between them. Thus, both host and guest were content, each finding satisfaction. The two drank tea instead of wine, celebrating together. A brief momentter, they delved into the heart of the matter. Putting down his teacup, True Monarch Changrong looked at Xu Yang and sighed with a question, ¡°The Luotian Dajiao ritual is indeed a grand ceremony of our Taoist tradition. With such support, Taoist Friends Liuxian and Yin Mountain must have broken through as well, right?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Xu Yang nodded with a light chuckle, ¡°Each has progressed greatly, receiving invaluable benefits.¡± A Taoist True Monarch, whose realm corresponds to that of the Golden Core in the cultivation system. If within the cultivation system, one seeks to break through from Foundation Establishment to Golden Core, to ensure absolute sess, it¡¯s best to find a forming core spirit object, like the ¡°Five Elements Gold Binding Pill,¡± that can effectively increase the sess rate and prevent mishaps from failed breakthroughs¡ªcontrol loss over the three essentials, the violent sh of the five Qi, and the runaway of mana¡ªthus saving the cultivator¡¯s life foundation. But in this world of Dao and Law, where the heavens and earth are barren, there is no Five Elements Gold Binding Pill nor any other forming core spirit object. To condense a Golden Core and step into the realm of True Monarch, you only have two choices. Either take a risky move, braving the danger of mana losing control and the foundation being damaged, to form the core on one¡¯s own. Or seek the assistance of a Mana Altar, use up a sect¡¯s potentiality, and form the core under the protection of the Ancestor Master¡¯s Altar. Which kind was Xu Yang? Naturally, thetter. He originally possessed the cultivation of the True Man¡¯s extreme realm, and breaking through was a matter of moments. After conducting the Luotian Dajiao ritual, he received even greater empowerment from the grand ceremony, with effects far exceeding those of the Ancestor Master¡¯s Altars of the great Daoist sects. Thus, entering into the sixth realm and achieving True Monarch status was as natural as water flowing into a channel, without any suspense whatsoever. If not, how could he have previously manifested his Yang God, sessively eliminating Chu Gonghou and the Shocking Thunder Jiao? Indeed, nine days earlier, using the power of the Luotian Dajiao ritual, he had forged his Golden Core, experiencing the Pure Yang Creation, and achieved the body of a True Monarch. To be honest, using the Luotian Dajiao ritual to ascend to True Monarch was avish, wasteful act. Normally, Luotian Dajiao would be used to help a True Monarch advance to the ¡°Heavenly Master¡± realm. But it doesn¡¯t matter, Xu Yang had the luxury to afford it, the boldness to squander it. True Monarch Changrong was well aware of this, and with a sense of admiration said, ¡°Xuanyuan Divine Sword, Holy Divine Weapon, Increase Life and Damage Fate Yin-Yang skill, Thunder Commanding Power Divine Magic; you three Daoist friends are of extraordinary talent, something I am not capable of!¡± Xu Yang chuckled, ¡°You tter me too much, Brother Dao!¡± True Monarch Changrong shook his head, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, but simply asked, ¡°What are your ns next, Daoist friend?¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yang did not conceal his intentions, ¡°This battle for the dragon, I wish to enter the fray and contend for the fate of Taoist orthodoxy!¡± After speaking, he turned to True Monarch Changrong, ¡°Does Brother Dao care to lend me a helping hand?¡± After the Luotian Dajiao ceremony and achieving the status of True Monarch, Xu Yang stood at the pinnacle of this world. Whether in terms of Cultivation Realm, Mana, or Cultivation Skills Divine Magic, he could be deemed unparalleled. Looking across the world, among all cultivators, even the Taoist Righteous Sect could hardly find a few who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him. Furthermore, with Guo Bei Academy now capable of holding the Luotian Dajiao ceremony at any moment, significantly enhancing his power and even aiding him in bing the ¡°Heavenly Master!¡± A Daoist Celestial Master is without equal in the whole world. Even if the great Taoist sects spare no expense, exhausting their potential and employing Ancestor Master¡¯s Altars, and even Ancient Magical Treasures and Immortal Gods¡¯ objects, they would still struggle to pose a threat to him. In other words, he is yet again invincible. Having be invincible, the concerns he had before naturally disappeared like smoke and clouds. Next, Guo Bei Academy will definitely be expanding outward, seizing Jinhua and Jiangzhe, and even the whole south, then raising an army to campaign northwards, contending for the world and unifying the realm. This is an inevitable development. The current scale of Guo Bei Academy dictates that it must take this path; there are no other options. Today, he came to True Monarch Changrong with three main matters in mind. The first was to dere his stance and at the same time, to draw in this esteemed personage of Taoism, a Grandmaster, to join the alliance. Guo Bei Academy will definitely expand its influence and will certainly strive for dominance over the world. But how to vie for dominance is the question. Between Great Zhou and Great Tang, Xu Yang¡¯s strategy was to act with unparalleled self-respect, to forcefully push across the world, to suppress all those who refused to submit, and to obliterate all dissidents, including the established and long-inherited three major sects, which he toppled and eradicated. Can such tactics be applied to the world of Daoism? Definitely not! Great Zhou and Great Tang aremoner¡¯s worlds, where the so-called Three Teaching Sect merelyprises chatans¡ªiming to be sacred institutions but in reality, being tyrannical and corrupt. Killing them is warranted, and there¡¯s nothing more to say. But in this world, where Taoism is sanctified, the Three Teachings consist of genuine cultivators and morally upright cultivators at that. Xu Yang cannot act against them, for doing so would be ill-founded and lead to endless troubles and bacsh. Not to mention, each great Taoist sect has its legacy, from times ancient when gods roamed the heavens. Even if they broke the realm and left aeons ago, who can guarantee they will never return? Should the daye when the Yuan Sprit revives and the Ancient Immortal Gods return to this realm, to find their legaciespletely eradicated, what would their reaction be? Moreover, the Three Teaching Sects have long heritages and deep foundational potential. The numerous sects have an array of tactics and although they may not be able to confront him head-on, if they were to disperse and wage guerri warfare, they could inflict great losses on Guo Bei Academy, or even result in mutual destruction. This is truly unnecessary. Thus, in this campaign to dominate the world, Xu Yang has made certain modifications to his strategy. Towards the Three Teachings and the great Taoist sects, he would not directly exterminate them but would offer them a choice, allowing them to join the Guo Bei Academy system. While retaining a certain level of independence, they would contribute their strength to him. Mana Bright Temple and Qingping Taoist Temple are examples of this. One temple and one Taoist temple, one monk and one Taoist, have already boarded the grand ship of Guo Bei Academy, bing part of the academy¡¯s Taoist orthodoxy, yet retaining a significant degree of independence. Sect affairs can be self-determined. As long as they do not breach the principles, the academy will not intervene. If Mana Bright Temple and Qingping Taoist Temple are so, then so is White Cloud Taoist Temple. As long as True Monarch Changrong agrees, Xu Yang will naturally provide him with corresponding treatment. However, treatment and duties are mutual; there¡¯s no such thing as enjoying benefits without making contributions. Having boarded the same ship, one must exert effort for it. Guo Bei Academy doesn¡¯t sustain idlers. Of course, not joining is also an option, but those who do not join are the enemy. Xu Yang will not tolerate them. They must either leave overseas or have their orthodoxy extinguished; there are no other choices. Xu Yang has made his attitude clear. Seeing this, True Monarch Changrong also smiled, stood up, and bowed his hands, saying, ¡°Changrong has seen the Taoist Master!¡± His attitude was likewise clear. Xu Yang immediately helped him up, ¡°With Brother Dao¡¯s assistance, I will be like a fish in water. From now on, White Cloud Taoist Temple shall be one of the academy¡¯s Taoist orthodoxy!¡± Changrong nodded, smiling lightly as he said, ¡°I am willing to serve the Taoist Master!¡± In the Luotian Dajiao ceremony, thousands of families worship, and the Nine Ceremony High Altar is venerated by millions. A Taoist True Monarch¡¯s Divine Magic is revealed, while the souls of the malicious demons disappear. This battle has disyed Guo Bei Academy¡¯s sufficient strength to expand and strive for world dominance. For White Cloud Taoist Temple, joining efforts with Guo Bei Academy at this time is a favorable move as well. Once Guo Bei Academy conquers the world, White Cloud Taoist Temple will also share in the fortunes and at least continue its glory for a few more centuries. The sects of the world can be divided into three ranks. The first rank are the distinguished current Taoist sects, such as the Heavenly Master¡¯s sect, which has produced a Heavenly Master within thest thousand years. With a surge in fate and an increase in strength, they unquestionably upy the first rank. The second rank includes the direct lineages of the Three Teachings, all of the major orthodox sects, which have ancient heritages and profound potential. Each has several Taoist True Monarchs, and each generation produces at least one True Monarch to ensure the continuous lineage. The third rank is also of the Three Teachings, with equally long traditions, but due to various reasons, their legacy has been drained and their resources for cultivation have be insufficient. They have no True Monarchs, only True Men, and cannot ensure that sessive disciples be True Men either. If anything goes wrong, they risk extinction. The ranking of these ranks is not fixed and depends on the specific strength. White Cloud Taoist Temple, for instance, was originally a second-rank Taoist sect with several Taoist True Monarchs within. However, due to subsequent disasters which caused many True Monarchs to fall or pass away, White Cloud Taoist Temple¡¯s strength greatly diminished, and its vitality was severely weakened, relegating it to the third rank. Only with Changrong achieving True Monarch status did it see some improvement. This is still the fate of a second-rank sect. As for third-rank sects like Mana Bright Temple and Qingping Taoist Temple, whichck True Monarchs and have only a few mages, they can only struggle to maintain their legacy in remote and deste ces. True Monarch Changrong, having lived for three hundred years, if White Cloud Taoist Temple cannot cultivate a second True Monarch within a hundred years, it will risk the decline of its legacy. Therefore, faced with Xu Yang¡¯s invitation, True Monarch Changrong could not refuse. Even if not for himself, for the sake of the sect¡¯s heritage, he had to ept. Chapter 191 - 135: Suspicion_1 Chapter 191: Chapter 135: Suspicion_1 Trantor: 549690339 True Man Changrong joined the alliance, and the strategic development was finalized. The first matter could be consideredplete. As for the second matter¡ Xu Yang lowered his gaze, nced at the deste ancient temple amidst the wilderness, then turned back to True Monarch Changrong and asked, ¡°Brother Dao, was there any disturbance here just now?¡± True Monarch Changrong nodded: ¡°As Taoist Master anticipated, that Old Demon indeed had ns, but with the separation of the Dual Realm of Yin and Yang, coupled with the suppression of numerous formations, even with its ten thousand years of Taoist cultivation, it is powerless to do anything.¡± Xu Yang smiled: ¡°I thank Brother Dao for your efforts.¡± ¡°It is my duty, what efforts are there to speak of?¡± True Monarch Changrong shook his head and added: ¡°However, this infestation of ghosts from the Ghost Realm is always a severe hidden danger. Does the Taoist Master have a method to resolve it?¡± Xu Yang smiled: ¡°Naturally, there is a way, but as a newly advanced True Monarch, I need some time to consolidate my Cultivation Realm. Additionally, Guo Bei Academy needs time to process and digest after ying tens of thousands of demons.¡± ¡°That is true.¡± True Monarch Changrong nodded and asked: ¡°When does the Taoist Master n to take action?¡± ¡°In ten years,¡± Xu Yang said with augh: ¡°Ten years should be about right. By then, scouring the court and sweeping the den in one fell swoop, we will definitely root out this scourge, and perhaps even y that ck Mountain Old Demon, eliminating a major disaster.¡± ¡°Ten years?¡± True Monarch Changrong murmured and then nodded in agreement: ¡°That is good. Adequate preparation ensures nothing will go wrong.¡± This time, Guo Bei Academy¡¯s ying of tens of thousands of demons yielded an extremely astonishing harvest. However, the world of Dao and Law differs from the modern Cultivation World. In the Cultivation World, demon beasts are full of treasures, usable immediately upon ying, broken down into various materials. But in the world of Dao and Law, it is not possible for demons, because the Divine Soul Cultivation Method gathers them together, and demons devour living beings, inherently carrying the resentment of those beings, rendering the mana, souls, and physical bodies of demons, all of evil nature. Ordinary people cannot eat them, and even prolonged contact can lead to infection by demonic and evil qi, resulting in a fall into demonhood. Even cultivators can not directly use them as resources, as it would not only be of no benefit but would also damage the foundation of their cultivation and might even lead them down the path of evil. They must be purified of evil qi through various methods before they can be utilized. This is a colossal project. Therefore, Xu Yang set a ten-year development n. Ten years should be enough for Guo Bei Academy to digest this batch of resources. During this time, it can also develop and expand externally, further enhancing its strength. By then, sweeping away the Ghost Realm will be easy, and they could even consider the ck Mountain Old Demon¡¯s territory. An old demon that refuses to die is a thief! Such ancient demons are exceptionally troublesome, like centipedes that are hard to kill even when cut into pieces! Throughout history, there have been Daoist Celestial Masters who have eradicated the Orchid Ghost Realm several times, but each time only a few hundred years of peace were gained, and after a few hundred years, the Ghost Realm would re-form. The reason for this is that they never resolved the fundamental issue¡ªthe ck Mountain Old Demon. Without the destruction of ck Mountain, the Old Demon remains alive. If the Old Demon is alive, the Ghost Realm persists. Eliminating this Old Demon of ck Mountain who has be a spirit is quite a difficult task. Even for a Daoist Celestial Master, it is easier said than done. But Xu Yang felt that he could give it a try. Seeing Xu Yang¡¯s intention to eliminate the ck Mountain Old Demon, True Monarch Changrong also said: ¡°If ten years from now, the Taoist Master can remove that ck Mountain Old Demon, a stable world can be expected soon afterward.¡± Xu Yang nodded: ¡°I will certainly do my best!¡± In this world where Dao and Law are revered, although there is no limit of Spirit Root physique, the requirements for one¡¯s character are exceptionally high, especially for the Righteous Path and Righteous Skills, which cannot be achieved without great virtue. In such a world, with such methods of cultivation, the environment created is naturally not as cruel as in the real Cultivation World. Whatever is done must have proper justification, or else it is regarded as the conduct of evil demons, and everyone would have the right to punish it. Even inpeting for the leadership of the Dao and the fortunes of that leadership, one cannot directly take over someone else¡¯s territory; thepetition must be for faith and worshipers, and it must be fairpetition without resorting to trickery. To put it simply, it¡¯s aboutpeting in serviceability. Averting disasters, praying for blessings, ying demons and exorcising ghosts, curing diseases, and saving people¡ These are all responsibilities of the practitioners of Taoism and the main means ofpetition within it. If Xu Yang can remove the ck Mountain Old Demon, his prestige in the Taoistmunity will reach its peak. Coupled with the influence of Guo Bei Academy, as well as his abilities as a Daoist Celestial Master, the world would not be far from unification, with little resistance to expect. After all,peting for the dragon is about the inheritance of the Dao andpeting for fortune for development. One wouldn¡¯t jeopardize the entire inheritance of one¡¯s Dao for a temporal opportunity for development. That would be to neglect the essentials for the sake of the trivial. Cultivators, valuing long life, can simply try again after several hundred years if they fail this time; there¡¯s no need to risk their lives. Having set a period of ten years, Xu Yang finished the second matter for his visit. Finally, the third matter, which was also the most important one. Xu Yang asked: ¡°Brother Dao, were you watching the battle just now?¡± True Monarch Changrong nodded: ¡°Aside from a few disturbances from the Old Demon, I have been observing the rest of the time.¡± Xu Yang spoke in a deep voice, ¡°Brother Dao must have seen the Blood Armored Sky Dragon that broke through my Thunder Purgatory and encircled the city with its iron walls.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± True Monarch Changrong showed no surprise, ¡°Does the Taoist Master know the origin of this demon?¡± Xu Yang shook his head: ¡°I do not know, but based on my spection, it must be the very force behind the scenes that instigated the myriad of demons to attack, aiming for Guo Bei Academy.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± True Monarch Changrong arched an eyebrow, ¡°What¡¯s this all about?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the specifics,¡± Xu Yang said solemnly, recounting the incident: ¡°On a whim, I activated my Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light and peered into thend of Mount Mang, where the demons gathered; the Chu Family Wolf, the Sword Demon Ape, and the Shocking Thunder Jiao, three demon kings broke through to be Demon Emperors simultaneously with Monarch Xunlong, who was originally a Blood Centipede, banding together various demons with the intent to target Guo Bei Academy.¡± ¡°Three demon kings turning into Demon Emperors at once?¡± True Monarch Changrong frowned and said, ¡°Is it a coincidence, or¡¡± ¡°I had my suspicions at that time, and now it seems even less like a coincidence.¡± Xu Yang nodded, ¡°It must have been the Blood Armored Sky Dragon that secretly assisted and orchestrated it from behind the scenes.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Upon hearing this, True Monarch Changrong was also filled with shock and doubt: ¡°Could the Blood Armored Sky Dragon truly have helped demon kings ascend to be Demon Emperors, and to break through three at once?¡± ¡°This¡ This is no ordinary demon.¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Xu Yang nodded, his voice grave: ¡°Ordinary demons certainly do not have this ability, not to mention ordinary demons, even the ck Mountain Old Demon such an age-old demon would find it difficult to cultivate Demon Emperors in quantities.¡± True Monarch Changrong¡¯s eyebrows were tightly knit, his eyes filled with disbelief as he looked at Xu Yang: ¡°Does the Taoist Master mean to say that the strength of the Blood Armored Sky Dragon is even greater than that of the millennium-old demons?¡± Xu Yang shook his head: ¡°Its strength may not be far off, but its unique abilities are far beyond what other old demons can achieve.¡± In this world, there is a method that involves feigning genuine cultivation, which involves amassing a following. It could be called creation itself. But it also has its ws: it can only be cultivated to the sixth realm at most. Daoism tops at True Monarch, and demons at the title of Emperor. Be it human or demon, righteous or wicked, it is the same with no exceptions. Even for the ck Mountain Old Demon, a being of a millennium, it possesses but the cultivation of a Demon Emperor. It is only because the demon was born uniquely, as the spirit of the ck Mountain, with an extremely long life, nearly immortal; thus, after living for thousands of years, its mana and Taoist cultivation far exceed that of ordinary Demon Emperors. Hence, it is specially categorized among the millennial old demons. Just as the ck Mountain is, other millennium-old demons are the same, all at the rank of Demon Emperor, yet none has broken through. The sole exception is the legitimate human cultivator! The Righteous Path allows human cultivators to break through the limitation of the sixth realm by means of grand rituals such as the Luotian Dajiao or Water-Land Dharma Assembly, bing the sole Seventh Realm cultivators of this world. They are known as ¡ª Daoist Celestial Masters! Since the founding of the Chen Dynasty more than three hundred years ago, there have been five Great Rituals; thus, theoretically, there should be five Daoist Celestial Masters. Why do I say theoretically? Because Daoist Celestial Masters have the capability to break through the realms and ascend to the Upper Realm in pursuit of the Longevity Dao Fruit. Therefore, these Daoist Celestial Masters should have ascended afterpleting their ritual duties, exterminating demons, and quelling natural disasters. They are not likely to stay in the human realm for an extended period, as doing so would gradually erode their cultivation, making ascension impossible if they lingered too long. Unless, once again, a Great Ritual was performed to replenish it. The Great Ritual is the only way to break through the sixth realm and achieve the status of a Heavenly Master. Beyond that, no matter how much you cultivate, you cannot surpass the sixth realm. Over the years, Xu Yang collected Daoist practices from all over the world, traditions from various factions, and found that, whether cultivation techniques or cultivating skills, they all ended at the Golden Core realm. Beyond Golden Core, everything was erased without a trace. At first, Xu Yang also found this puzzling butter uncovered the truth with deeper investigation. It turned out to be the doing of the Ancient Immortal Gods. As the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit fell dormant, and the Ancient Immortal Gods broke away from this realm, they could not bear to see the path of cultivatione to an end. Hence, they established the Divine Soul Cultivation Method. Using a false method of cultivation, they relied on the Power of the Souls of All Beings in ce of the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit as sustenance for cultivation. But as with everything, there are pros and cons. The Divine Soul Cultivation Method¡¯s biggest drawback is its slow progress. The higher the realm, the slower the cultivation. At the level of True Monarch, without millions of years of umtion, one cannot hope to be a Heavenly Master. But which True Monarch cultivator has millions of years of lifespan? Faced with the impetus of life and death, some may despair and turn to demons, pursuing extremes, devouring the living beings of an entire realm to achieve their own Dao fruit. The Ancient Immortal Gods naturally could not allow such a thing to happen. Therefore, when they broke away from this realm, they took with them all cultivation methods beyond the Golden Core, regardless of whether it was a cultivation technique or a cultivating skill, whether it involved the Yuan Spirit or Divine Soul. Anything that pertains to beyond the Golden Core was taken away, leaving nothing in the human realm. For the Immortal Gods, it was not difficult. Even Xu Yang could investigate the Three Realms with his Heavenly Eye, let alone the great immortals and gods. They took away all methods beyond the Golden Core, leaving only the Great Ritual as the sole means and hope of ascension, to prevent future generations from venturing into extremes. Their intentions were painstaking indeed. But it also caused suffering for Xu Yang. Whether it was the ¡°Xuanyuan Divine Sword Jue,¡± the ¡°Xuanming True Person¡¯s Ghost Controlling Method,¡± or the most relied upon ¡°Nine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable Jade Shu Sutra,¡± they all had only practices up to the Golden Core realm. Moreover, he was very interested in and wanted to obtain the False Cultivation Skill, but the core essence of it was also taken by the Ancient Immortal Gods, leaving behind only the system built by this method ¡ª which is the various Taoist True Scriptures ¡ª to prevent someone from researching the Divine Soul Cultivation Method beyond the Golden Core. Immortal Gods are indeed Immortal Gods, meticulous in their nning, leaving Xu Yang with no recourse. Chapter 192 - 136: Shocking_1 Chapter 192: Chapter 136: Shocking_1 Trantor: 549690339 The inheritance is iplete, a significant problem. This was one of the reasons why Xu Yang strove for supremacy over the realm. The current Taoism holds tremendous potential and numerous benefits. He did not wish to abandon it, yet the inheritance was wed. The only solution was to gather a collective force to usher in a golden age of Taoism. Like deriving the Martial Arts Scripture, they relied on the wisdom of all beings to deduce the divine skills of Taoism. Therefore, he intended to unify the realm. As for ascension¡ he was not considering it for the time being. Since he was an ¡°unregistered¡± being and was unaware of the conditions in the Upper Realm, should there exist supreme beings like the Ancestral Daoist and Ancestral Buddha above, his ascension would be like stepping into a trap. Such powerful beings could, with a casual nce, likely see through his origins as an ¡°extraterritorial Heavenly Demon. At that time, being killed might be a mercy, just a single death. But he feared they had means to trace back to his true form through dreams, which would spell utter disaster. So, ascension was not a consideration for now. He would first unify the realm and then see. True Monarch Changrong was unaware of Xu Yang¡¯s foresight and remained focused on that Blood Armored Sky Dragon. To be honest, a Demon Emperor, even one that was an Old Demon of ten thousand years, was not much to speak of. Because Righteous Skills Cultivators wielded great weapons like ¡°Luotian Dajiao.¡± When a Heavenly Master made his move, mighty with the divine powers of Taoism, even an Old Demon of ten thousand years could be executed or suppressed and sealed. But an Old Demon capable of mass-producing Demon Emperors¡ ¡°If this is true, it will be a great cmity!¡± True Monarch Changrong lifted his head, his expression very serious, ¡°Taoist Master, this demon cannot be left unchecked!¡± Xu Yang nodded, ¡°That¡¯s what I think too, which is why I¡¯vee to discuss the origins of this demon with Brother Dao. As you are older and more experienced, do you know what kind of demon this is?¡± ¡°This¡¡± True Monarch Changrong paused, then gave a wry smile, shaking his head, ¡°Although I¡¯ve been absorbed in cultivation for a hundred years, I truly do not recognize this demon. Among the many demons, I¡¯ve never heard of an Old Demon with the original form of a Blood Armored Sky Dragon. Could it be a remnant species from ancient times? No, before the ancient Immortal Gods ascended, how could they have allowed such a demon to remain in the mortal world?¡± Having said this, he seemed to think of something and immediately looked at Xu Yang, ¡°Taoist Master, can your Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light not uncover the details of this demon?¡± Xu Yang smiled, remaining silent. A convergence of spirit light gathered from between his eyebrows, drawing out a talisman. Then, he opened his eyes, upright between his brows, devoid of any emotion. ¡°The Admiring Eye of Heaven?¡± Seeing this, True Monarch Changrong felt a surge of surprise in his heart, ¡°Taoist Master, have you cultivated the Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light to such an extent?¡± Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light, a Taoist Gate Righteous Skill, divine power that can inquire about matters of heaven, earth, human, ghost, gods across the Three Realms and Six Paths. When cultivated to a certain level, it can even develop ¡®Heaven View Earth Hear¡¯ and ¡®Admiring Eye of Heaven¡¯ great divine skills. It¡¯s not only cultivators who practice this method; many among the Immortal Gods do as well. And the Admiring Eye of Heaven is extraordinary, even rted to one of the great men in the Immortal Realm ¨C the widely respected True Monarch Qingyuan Miaodao! At the mouth of the Gan River, the deity Eng ¨C Yang Jian! Eng¡¯s third eye, the third eye atop Yang Jian¡¯s forehead, is the Admiring Eye of Heaven, which can illuminate the nine heavens and ten earths, the Three Realms and Six Paths. Except for a few great beings, no one can hide from the gaze of his Heavenly Eye. Of course, True Monarch Eng¡¯s Admiring Eye of Heaven is an innate great divine power, born with its own foundation. The Admiring Eye of Heaven cultivated through Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light, on the other hand, is an acquired divine skill, far less powerful than the innate. But thatparison is with Immortal Gods, and even among them, with the top-tier powerhouse True Monarch Eng. For lesser immortals and gods, even the acquired Admiring Eye would see right through them. Not to mention cultivators of the mortal world. Unless they possess some magical treasure or a divine skill of equivalent caliber to conceal themselves, they could not escape the scrutiny of the Admiring Eye of Heaven. Now that Xu Yang had also cultivated the Admiring Eye of Heaven, True Monarch Changrong naturally couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. In his memory, even for a Daoist Celestial Master, cultivating the Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light to such a level was extremely difficult. And yet, how long had it been since he¡¯d stepped into the True Monarch realm that he had developed the Admiring Eye of Heaven? This¡ Watching True Monarch Changrong¡¯s doubtful gaze, Xu Yang smiled and reassured, ¡°It¡¯s a fluke of fate, a lucky sess. Brother Dao need not concern himself with it.¡± Watching Xu Yang offer such ¡°reassurance,¡± True Monarch Changrong did not know what to say to him and changed the subject, ¡°Since you¡¯ve acquired the Admiring Eye of Heaven, surely you can glimpse some details of that demon, right?¡± Xu Yang shook his head and remained silent, opening his Heavenly Eye and emitting a beam of mysterious light. The light fell, transforming into a mirror of light, which shimmered with mysterious light and gradually revealed a scene. One saw a vast darkened sky, forming a Netherworld, where countless ethereal, iplete souls roamed restlessly, like walking corpses that never slept, and asionally one might see Underworld Soldiers and Evil Ghosts rushing past. ¡°Is this¡ the Netherworld?¡± True Monarch Changrong furrowed his brow, somewhat puzzled by the meaning. Xu Yang remained silent, as the scene within the Xuan Guang Mirror shifted again. A massive city stood against a mountain. The mountain was ck Mountain; the city was ck City. The city was filled with the howling and wailing of Evil Ghosts, with squads of Underworld Soldiersing and going, using iron chains to drag souls they¡¯d hooked into the city. ¡°City of Unjust Death?¡± ¡°This¡!¡± Recognition dawned in True Monarch Changrong¡¯s eyes as he finally understood what Xu Yang was observing. Just at that moment¡ ¡°Who¡ is it?¡± ¡°Dare! To! Peek! At! My! City! Of! Unjust! Death!¡± Word by word, sentence by sentence, voice by pause, the giant city was enveloped in flying sand and rolling stones, forming a terrifying visage that blotted out the sun and sky. It was indeed¡ ¡°ck Mountain Old Demon!¡± True Monarch Changrong¡¯s expression shifted, realizing that such unbridled probing had startled that colossal figure of the Netherworld. ¡°Come to die!!!¡± Confronting the unknown surveince, the ck Mountain Old Demon was straightforward, directly spewing a mouthful of Yin-poisonous ck Sand, aiming to defile the opponent¡¯s Divine Soul. However, Xu Yang¡¯s expression remained unchanged, and with a sh of Mysterious Light in the mirror, the entire ck Mountain giant city vanished into thin air. Afterward, Xu Yang turned to True Monarch Changrong, who looked puzzled, and said, ¡°With the Admiring Eye of Heaven, the reflection of the Xuan Guang Mirror, and the empowerment of the Luotian Dajiao, even ck Mountain¡¯s millennium Old Demon cannot block my inspection.¡± True Monarch Changrong nodded and asked, ¡°Taoist Master means¡?¡± Before he finished speaking, the color drained from his face. ¡°Exactly!¡± Xu Yang nodded, and his Heavenly Eye shined again, the Mysterious Light in the mirror flickered, but the scene remained unseen, swallowed by darkness and void. ¡°This¡!¡± True Monarch Changrong¡¯s expression turned solemn, with a glint of terror in his eyes: ¡°The Admiring Eye of Heaven, even with the Luotian Dajiao empowerment, cannot spy on the trace of the Blood Armored Sky Dragon?¡± ¡°How could this be possible?¡± His words were incredulous, filled with shock and dismay. It was no wonder that True Monarch Changrong was so shaken. The situation was indeed terrifying. With Xu Yang¡¯s current status and the empowerment of the Luotian Dajiao, in this world, who could evade his investigative powers? Even the ck Mountain Old Demon, dwelling in the Netherworld, within the City of Unjust Death, possessing absolute home-field advantage, was helpless against his Heavenly Eye¡¯s inspection and could not hide. But this Blood Armored Sky Dragon¡ not even a trace could be seen? What did this imply? True Monarch Changrong couldn¡¯t be certain. It was precisely because he couldn¡¯t be certain that he was so fearful. ¡°There¡¯s no smoke without fire.¡± ¡°Abnormal urrences signify monsters and demons.¡± Yet Xu Yang was calm: ¡°Sometimes, theck of clues can also be a clue!¡± Having said that, he asked True Monarch Changrong, ¡°In Brother Dao¡¯s opinion, how many things in this world exist that my Admiring Eye of Heaven cannot see?¡± ¡°This¡¡± True Monarch Changrong lowered his head, carefully pondering before answering gravely, ¡°To my knowledge, there should be none. Even the treasured relics of the great Taoist sects or the remnants left by the Ancient Immortal Gods would not be able to fully block the Admiring Eye of Heaven, empowered by the Luotian Dajiao, to the extent of leaving no trace at all.¡± ¡°After all, Ancient magical treasures and items of the Immortal Gods require cultivation to wield their power.¡± ¡°Unless¡¡± True Monarch Changrong suddenly looked up at Xu Yang: ¡°Unless this demon¡¯s cultivation far exceeds yours, and like you, he has learned the way of the Heavenly Eye and the Method of Concealment, then it might be slightly possible.¡± ¡°No!¡± Xu Yang shook his head and said calmly, ¡°When he breached my Iron Wall Encirclement earlier, we exchanged a blow. As for strength, he was at best my equal, perhaps even slightly inferior. Even if he cultivated the way of the Heavenly Eye and the Method of Concealment, he couldn¡¯tpletely elude my scrutiny.¡± True Monarch Changrong¡¯s pupils contracted, his astonishment deepening, as he tentatively asked, ¡°Taoist Master means¡?¡± Xu Yang smiled and spoke calmly, ¡°Brother Dao, what if, when the Ancient Immortal Gods broke through the realm during their Ascension, something was overlooked and remained unearthed?¡± ¡°This¡!¡± True Monarch Changrong stared nkly at him for a long while before finally regaining his senses, his expression one of horror as he shook his head repeatedly. ¡°Impossible, absolutely impossible. The Ancient Immortal Gods were so powerful, how could anything be overlooked? It¡¯s impossible, utterly impossible!¡± he eximed in a flustered and disoriented manner. ¡°There¡¯s no need for Brother Dao to panic,¡± Xu Yang assured him with a smile. ¡°Among the Ancient Immortal Gods, there were indeed many powerful beings, including supreme entities such as the Ancestral Daoist and Ancestral Buddha. Logically speaking, there was nothing that could evade Their perception, especially the Great Demon Saints, who would be of particr interest to Them.¡± ¡°But¡¡± ¡°The Great Dao numbers fifty, Heaven evolves forty-nine, with the Escaping One remaining.¡± ¡°Who can guarantee that there will be no exceptions in all things?¡± ¡°Perhaps there was an object that escaped the heavy scrutiny of the Ancestral Daoist and Ancestral Buddha and the detection of the Immortal Gods¡¯ powers, left behind.¡± Xu Yang looked at True Monarch Changrong: ¡°What does Brother Dao think?¡± ¡°This¡ could perhaps be a usible exnation,¡± he replied, frowning heavily. ¡°What could this ancient relic be?¡± ¡°That¡¯s uncertain. It could be a magical treasure, a legacy, or something else entirely.¡± ¡°Of course, it is also possible that it¡¯s not an ancient relic but a visitor from beyond our realm that came afterward.¡± Xu Yang shook his head and spoke somberly, ¡°But no matter what it is, one thing is certain: its tier and status must be above the Golden Core, and it must excel at concealing fate. Only then could itpletely block my Admiring Eye of Heaven¡¯s search.¡± ¡°Hiss!!!¡± Upon hearing Xu Yang¡¯s analysis, even with True Monarch Changrong¡¯s cultivation level, he couldn¡¯t help but inhale sharply: ¡°That demon holds such a treasure in his hands? If we allow him to grow and expand, won¡¯t it potentially be¡?¡± Without finishing his thought, he disregarded hisposure as a True Monarch, grabbed Xu Yang¡¯s hand, and eximed, ¡°Taoist Master, we must unearth this demon as soon as possible, or else a great disaster may loom over us, potentially bing a cmity for all living beings, a catastrophe that could bring about the end of the world!¡± Chapter 193 - 137: Identity_1 Chapter 193: Chapter 137: Identity_1 Trantor: 549690339 Catastrophe for all living beings? A cmity that could end the world? This was no rmist talk, nor was True Monarch Changrong worrying without reason. Instead, the possibility of this event was very real. Before the Ancient Immortal Gods ascended, why did they take all the mana points above the Golden Core with them? Wasn¡¯t it just in case, to prevent subsequent cultivators from bing desperate and crazed in their pursuit for the Path, without any hope for eternal life, and turning to extremes? If righteous skills cultivators might take an extreme path and fall into the demon path, bing demons, then what about the demons who were originally demons? If there was a chance, if there was an opportunity, they would definitely not hesitate to devour all beings in a realm and turn them into their own sustenance. Therefore, after listening to Xu Yang¡¯s analysis and learning that the Blood Armored Sky Dragon possessed an ancient relic, True Monarch Changrong became restless. The Blood Armored Sky Dragon, with a thousand-zhang demon body, not only previously coborated from within and without with Chu Gonghou and the other four great Demon Emperors to break Xu Yang¡¯s iron-ringed siege but also withstood Xu Yang¡¯s blow of the Heavenly Thunder Great Skill, injured but not dead, and fled. This showed that its power was no less than that of an old demon of ten thousand years, and even stronger than an average old demon of ten thousand years. If Xu Yang did not have the power bestowed by the Luotian Dajiao and relied solely on his own abilities, spells, and divine skills, he might not be able to defeat it. Such a demon, its aura already formed. If it truly has ancient remnants in its hand, the mana points above that of the Golden Core, then it will certainly practice without hesitation, turning all the living beings in this world into sustenance for its blood and achieving its Dao fruit. Maybe it is already doing so. Although other demons also feed on living beings, they do not possess the mana points above the Golden Core; no matter how much they feed, they cannot break through to the sixth realm. At most, they can only reach the status of a ten-thousand-year-old demon, which the righteous skills cultivators and the various Taoist sects are fully capable of handling. But this Blood Armored Sky Dragon, possessing an ancient artifact¡ªif it continues to devour living beings, then it is highly likely to break through the realm of the Demon Emperor and be an existence even more terrifying than a ten-thousand-year-old demon. By then, even if the Daoist Celestial Masters and the holy buddhist monks appeared, they would probably find it hard to match it. The lives of countless beings in this world may well turn into its sustenance. Therefore, it must be dug out, in, erased, and forever removed as a threat! ¡°How could I not know this matter?¡± Xu Yang shook his head with a sigh, ¡°But the demon has ways, even with my Admiring Eye of Heaven, it¡¯s hard to detect its trail. Under the heavens, is there any spell that can find it?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Hearing this, True Monarch Changrong also appeared troubled, lowering his head and frowning in contemtion of a strategy. After a moment, he suddenly raised his head: ¡°Kunlun Mountain, the Kunlun Mirror!¡± ¡°Hmm¡¡± Xu Yang pondered for a moment and then nodded, ¡°If Kunlun Mountain is willing to lend this treasure, there might be some hope.¡± Kunlun Mountain, a prominent vein of Taoism, ranked top-tier, has produced five Daoist Celestial Masters, with a long-standing inheritance and profound potential. Within its gates, there is also a treasure that protects the mountain¡ªan imitation of an artifact left behind by the Ancient Immortal Gods, the Kunlun Mirror. Although it is only an imitation, an artifact¡¯s replica is still notparable to ordinary magical treasures. It is said to be able to reflect all things and see both the past and future, and possesses a technique with a nuance simr to Xu Yang¡¯s ¡°Admiring Eye of Heaven.¡± If Kunlun is willing to lend this treasure and use it in conjunction with Xu Yang¡¯s Admiring Eye of Heaven, they might indeed have the chance to dig out the Blood Armored Sky Dragon. But the question is¡ will Kunlun lend it? Xu Yang shook his head and sighed, ¡°All this is merely my own conjecture, without proof or reality, without evidence or basis. Kunlun is likely to not lend out this treasure.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Upon hearing this, True Monarch Changrong was also silent. In this world where cultivation is practiced, the nature of one¡¯s heart is of utmost importance, and acting along the righteous path is mainstream. However, humans are human after all, and emotions and desires are unavoidable. Among the various Taoist temples, there are also frictions and conflicts between different sects and factions. Now, Xu Yang¡¯s guess about the Blood Armored Sky Dragon is just spection following his failure to detect with his Admiring Eye of Heaven¡ªit¡¯s a one-sided story without any tangible proof, so how could others believe it? Not to mention, there is also a possibility of deception. After all, Xu Yang himself is the user of the Admiring Eye of Heaven. If he were to deceive intentionally, not allowing the Admiring Eye of Heaven to reveal the whereabouts of the Blood Armored Sky Dragon, using rmist talk to intimidate the various Taoist sects, wouldn¡¯t it be like throwing sheep into a tiger¡¯s mouth if Kunlun lent out their mountain-protecting treasure? And with even more malice, the origins of the Blood Armored Sky Dragon are unclear; does that mean you, the Thunder Lightning Mana King, are above suspicion? Don¡¯t forget, you are a loose cultivator! All major Taoist sects have their traditions and records to trace. Yet your Mingxiao Taoist Temple at Mount Jilei only rose to prominence over thest few decades. Who knows the details of your background as the Thunder Lightning Mana King, and where youe from? What if, you too are an old demon in human form? What if, you are in collusion with the Blood Armored Sky Dragon, ying a double act? With the utmost malice, you¡ are not to be trusted! Thus, Xu Yang did not believe that Kunlun would lend their mountain-protecting treasure to him. In response to this, True Monarch Changrong, too, had no solution and could only say in a grave tone, ¡°Taoist Master, please stand guard here on my behalf; I will personally go to Kunlun Mountain to exin the situation clearly and invite other major Taoist sects as witnesses. We must convince them to lend us the Kunlun Mirror.¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yang also fell silent, finally speaking after a long while, ¡°Thank you for your efforts, Brother Dao!¡± He was well aware that by doing this, True Monarch Changrong was putting his reputation, his life, and even his sect¡¯s inheritance on the line for him. If his trust was misced, then the future of White Cloud Taoist Temple¡ ¡°For the sake of all life under heaven, we must attempt this!¡± True Monarch Changrong¡¯s expression was calm, ¡°I will set out for Kunlun immediately.¡± ¡°No rush!¡± Xu Yang, hearing this, shook his head, ¡°There¡¯s another matter I need to discuss with Brother Dao.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± True Monarch Changrong raised an eyebrow, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still about that Blood Armored Sky Dragon.¡± Xu Yang spoke gravely, ¡°With such a massive body, the Blood Armored Sky Dragon couldn¡¯t have appeared from nowhere; especially since the ten-thousand-year-old demons are few and are monitored and suppressed by the major Taoist sects all around the world. How could a Blood Armored Sky Dragon suddenly emerge?¡± Chapter 194 - 137: Identity_2 Chapter 194: Chapter 137: Identity_2 Trantor: 549690339 True Monarch Changrong¡¯s gaze sharpened, ¡°Does the Taoist Master mean¡¡± Xu Yang said with a light chuckle, ¡°Although I cannot see its trace, I can guess its identity.¡± ¡°How could you guess?¡± True Monarch Changrong was somewhat startled and doubtful. ¡°Simple!¡± Xu Yang smiled and said, ¡°Once cultivation reaches such a level and develops to such an extent, there must be traces. It¡¯s impossible for it to be quietly cultivating somewhere, unnoticed, and be an ancient monstrosity over ten thousand years.¡± A cultivator needs resources for cultivation. But resources don¡¯te without reason; one must fight for them, snatch them! Therefore, a world of cultivation is inevitably a world of great contention. This is the case for the current world of cultivation, and it¡¯s no exception in the world of Taoism, even with ¡°moral¡± constraints. There are still struggles over fate and incense offerings between the great sects of Taoism. Withoutpetition and strife, remaining unknown while hiding in the deep forests and mountains to be a True Monarch or an ancient monstrosity of ten thousand years is an impossibility. Once one reaches a certain scale, it is inevitable to collide with all parties involved. Guo Bei Academy is the best example of this. ¡°So¡¡± Xu Yang said solemnly, ¡°This Blood Armored Sky Dragon must have an identity in the open, an identity that allows it to obtain resources for its cultivation.¡± ¡°This¡¡± True Monarch Changrong¡¯s eyes sharpened again, ¡°Does the Taoist Master mean that the Blood Armored Sky Dragon is among the strongest in the world?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Xu Yang nodded and analyzed, ¡°After the empowerment of the Luotian Dajiao ritual, my mana and Taoist cultivation are close to that of a Heavenly Master. Therefore, when the Blood Armored Sky Dragon could break through my ¡®Iron Wall Siege¡¯ and survive a strike of my Heavenly Thunder Great Skill, it must undoubtedly be an ancient monstrosity of ten thousand years. Ordinary True Monarchs and Demon Emperor Monarchs have not such ability!¡± ¡°An ancient monstrosity of ten thousand years?¡± True Monarch Changrong frowned and said, ¡°The few known ancient monstrosities each have their own territory and are under close surveince. If there were any unusual movements, they could not ¡®Deceive the Heavens and Cross the Sea.¡¯ However, since the Blood Armored Sky Dragon possesses an ancient treasure, it might not be under the full surveince of the great sects of Taoism. This¡¡± The more he spoke, the more confused it became, even less clear. ¡°I have already observed with my Admiring Eye of Heaven, and all the ancient monstrosities of ten thousand years are in their own dens and have shown no signs of activity.¡± Xu Yang shook his head, ¡°Therefore, the identity of this Blood Armored Sky Dragon should not be one of the known ancient monstrosities of the present.¡± ¡°Not an ancient monstrosity?¡± True Monarch Changrong was astoundingly dubious, ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°If not a demon, then naturally it¡¯s a human,¡± Xu Yang said with a smile. ¡°ording to Brother Dao¡¯s view, among all the sects and Ten Directions True Monarchs under heaven, who could, under the empowerment of the Great Ritual, match an ancient monstrosity of ten thousand years?¡± ¡°This¡!¡± True Monarch Changrong¡¯s expression changed, his gaze at Xu Yang filled with shocked uncertainty, ¡°Does the Taoist Master suspect¡¡± ¡°The Chen Dynasty¡¯s rejuvenation!¡± ¡°The Great Virtuous Monk!¡± ¡°Duxing!¡± Xu Yang put forth a conjecture, ¡°Looking at all those under the heavens, among the cultivators of the Ten Directions, only this person has the ability, or rather, this person is the only one who, decades ago, conducted the Water-Land Dharma Assembly and received the empowerment of the masses.¡± ¡°Could it be him?¡± Although True Monarch Changrong also had a vague idea, hearing Xu Yang reveal the answer still changed his expression. ¡°No, no, no.¡± But he quickly shook his head and said, ¡°Decades ago, he entered the capital alone, first visited the great Buddhist temples to preach and conquer a group of high monks. Then he led Buddhism in disputations of the Buddha¡¯s Way against Taoism, overpowering three True Monarchs of Taoism. With this, he set the tone for the foundation of the Chen Dynasty¡¯s rejuvenation.¡± ¡°After the Chen Dynasty¡¯s great governance, one was to return favor for favor, and the other was to cleanse the world. For him, a Water-Land Dharma Assembly was held, increasing his cultivation greatly and establishing him as the Great Virtuous Monk, cleansing the Northern Territory of demons.¡± ¡°Logically, at this moment, he should already have ascended after breaking the realm. How could he¡?¡± True Monarch Changrong looked puzzled. But Xu Yang was unsurprised, ¡°Does Brother Dao believe that the Chen Dynasty truly rejuvenated?¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°That¡¯s just the appearance,¡± said Xu Yang, shaking his head. ¡°A Water-Land Dharma Assembly conducted like that could not possibly help him be a Great Virtuous Monk, nor could it aid him in ascending after breaking the realm. As for cleansing the Northern Territory of demons, I fear that too was neither entirely truth nor entirely falsehood.¡± True Monarch Changrong fell silent for a while before finally speaking, ¡°Even if this demon truly is Duxing, since he has already disappeared and even Buddhism does not know his whereabouts, what can be done once the identity is confirmed?¡± Xu Yang smiled, ¡°If he could disappear, he can also return. Regardless of whether he has any magic techniques surpassing the Golden Core, cultivation cannot do without resources. He either has to dominate a region in the form of a thousand-year-old great demon, or he has to revert to being his holy monk. There are no other options.¡± ¡°So what the Taoist Master is saying is¡¡± True Monarch Changrong tentatively asked, ¡°To reveal Duxing¡¯s true identity?¡± ¡°Indeed, it must be exposed.¡± Xu Yang shook his head and said somberly, ¡°But, as I have said, all of the above are merely the words of myself and my household, without evidence or proof. Since Duxing is regarded as a holy monk of Buddhism, if I were to proim to the world that he is a demon in disguise, the entire Buddhistmunity would challenge me, perhaps even to the death.¡± ¡°Taoist Master¡¡± True Monarch Changrong, upon hearing this, could not help but sigh in resignation. Xu Yang¡¯s expression remained calm, unconcerned, ¡°Although I do not fear Buddhism, such contention, the internal consumption of the righteous path, is not only futile but could even aid the demon in gaining power. That is not my wish!¡± ¡°The Taoist Master¡¯s righteousness!¡± True Monarch Changrong nodded approvingly, ¡°Then what should we do?¡± ¡°There is nothing that can be done.¡± Xu Yang shook his head and sighed, ¡°If Brother Dao could borrow the Kunlun Mirror, it would naturally solve the problem by revealing the demon¡¯s identity. However, if you can¡¯t borrow it, or if the Kunlun Mirror fails to reveal the demon¡¯s roots, then we have no choice but to wait for him to expose himself.¡± ¡°Expose himself?¡± True Monarch Changrong¡¯s eyebrows raised in understanding, and his expression changed instantly, ¡°Taoist Master means¡¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Xu Yang nodded, ¡°No matter how well he hides, as long as he has an agenda, there wille a day when he slips up. At that time, there will be no need for us to expose him, people of the world will see his true face.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t¡ isn¡¯t that too passive?¡± True Monarch Changrong found it difficult to ept, ¡°As the saying goes, when the map is unrolled, the dagger is revealed; when he slips up, I fear it will be the moment he strikes!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I said there is nothing that can be done.¡± Xu Yang shook his head, ¡°Unless something unexpected happens, this missing Holy Monk Duxing will soon return to the capital, select a new emperor, implement reforms, and during that process, eliminate his adversaries to gather resources.¡± ¡°Once he umtes enough, he will rise up and strike, swallowing the emperor and ministers of the Chen Dynasty, even themon people of the capital, the millions in the north, and then attack the major Taoist sects to seize the blood of cultivators as resources.¡± ¡°Growing step by step, his power increasing with each move, in the end, he will be a world-ending giant demon!¡± Xu Yang sighed, ¡°A cmity is imminent!¡± ¡°This¡¡± True Monarch Changrong was a mixture of shock and anger, ¡°Are we just going to let him be?¡± ¡°What else can we do?¡± Xu Yang shook his head, ¡°Even if I immediately urge the Guo Bei Academy to take up arms, it is not possible to destroy the Chen Dynasty overnight. As a holy monk, his return will surely have the full support of Buddhism. By then, a stand-off between the north and south is inevitable, and we¡¯ll be helpless against him.¡± ¡°Unless¡ I take a dangerous move, enter the capital directly, and execute him!¡± Xu Yang looked at True Monarch Changrong, ¡°If it reallyes to that, I will try to take action. But I cannot guarantee sess, and the oue will likely be as previously mentioned.¡± ¡°Taoist Master!¡± Even True Monarch Changrong couldn¡¯t help but change color at this, looking at Xu Yang unsure of what to do. He understood what Xu Yang¡¯s attempt meant. In conflicts of Taoism, there are many key factors, and various aspects can have an impact. But the most important are the cultivation realm, spells and divine skills, artifact spirits, and the mana altar or Taoist domain. Thus, the advantage of fighting on home ground goes without saying. As long as one is on their home ground and well-prepared, a cultivator¡¯s power can be several times magnified. The recent battle between Guo Bei Academy and the demons of Mount Mang serves as an example. The demons of Mount Mang, the four Demon Emperors, to be honest, were not weak. But because they were fighting on away ground, facing a well-prepared Guo Bei Academy that had arranged the ¡°Luotian Dajiao,¡± they were at an absolute disadvantage and got entirely ughtered without a chance to fight back. This shows the advantage of home ground. Xu Yang may be powerful, but if he leaves Guo Bei and enters the capital alone, his home ground turning into enemy ground, could he still capture Duxing? The hope is slim, and there is a risk of losing his life! So, his attempt is to risk his life for the people of the capital, the millions in the Northern Territory, and all beings of the world, to fight with all his might! How could Changrong not be moved by this? ¡°Taoist Master!¡± True Monarch Changrong stood up, speaking earnestly, ¡°No matter what, I must get Kunlun to lend us the Kunlun Mirror!¡± Xu Yang smiled, ¡°Brother Dao, you have my thanks for your efforts, but there¡¯s no need to insist. Just inform the world about this matter so that they can be on guard and won¡¯t copse at the first blow when the timees. As for the rest¡ we do our humanly best and leave the rest to fate!¡± Chapter 195 - 138: Magical Treasure_1 Chapter 195: Chapter 138: Magical Treasure_1 Trantor: 549690339 The True Monarch acted decisively and soon after bidding farewell to Xu Yang, Changrong left for White Cloud Taoist Temple to prepare for matters regarding Kunlun. He left Orchid Ghost Realm under Xu Yang¡¯s guard. He too was straightforward and, rising on a cloud, transmitted his voice, ¡°Since Brother Changrong has departed, this ce is left in my care. All of you havebored hard over these past days and have merits in your guard duties. You may return to your own practices.¡± With that said, he flicked his dust whisk and more than a dozen Spirit Pills flew out, eachnding near a cultivator in different directions. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Thank you, True Monarch!¡± Knowing that Xu Yang had reached the realm of a True Monarch and was more than capable of suppressing this area, the various Taoist True Men were more than happy to unload the burden, gratefully took the Spirit Pills, and bid farewell. After the crowd had left, Xu Yang no longer concealed his actions and directly opened his Storage Bag to begin tallying the gains of battle strength from this asion. In truth, there wasn¡¯t much to tally; with his current level of cultivation, there were only a few spoils of war that he found noteworthy. The shattered remnants of a True Dragon¡¯s Molt, the Divine Ferry Treasure Boat. The corpses and internal pills of Chu Gonghou, Shocking Thunder Jiao, Sword Demon Ape, and Monarch Xunlong. And amongst the possessions of several Demon Emperors, some special materials and Taoist True Scriptures. Xu Yang¡¯s method of handling them was quite straightforward; he immediately took out the Sword Box of the Xuanyuan Divine Sword. The True Dragon¡¯s Molt and the Divine Ferry Treasure Boat were relics left from ancient times, the kind of treasures that a second-tier Taoist sect might have as their mountain¡¯s guardian objects. Of high tier and powerful utility. Unfortunately, they were broken! Snapped across the middle by a whip from the Thunder Ancestor. Looking at their condition, they seemed difficult to repair, and Xu Yang had no intention of expending the effort. So, he chose the most trouble-free approach and fed them directly to the Xuanyuan Divine Sword. The Xuanyuan Divine Sword was forged with the rituals of the Three Laws. This Divine Ferry Treasure Boat was crafted by an ancient power and, aside from the True Dragon¡¯s Molt as the main ingredient, it incorporated many heavenly and earthly treasures, including quintessence of gold and iron, which belonged to the earthlyws and were perfectly suited for nurturing the Xuanyuan Divine Sword. After decades of rigorous cultivation and with many skill traits enhancing him, Xu Yang¡¯s strength had be very powerful, a well-rounded form of strength with no weaknesses. Whether it was his foundational cultivation, cultivating skills, divine magic, mana altars, or even his base of resources, forces, disciples, and hands, he had no shorings. The only thing hecked was a Magical Treasure! In both spellbat and battles, Magical Treasures are of significant importance and carry serious implications. The prominent sects of the Three Teachings and first-ss Taoist Gates have their base founded on three things: the long-cherished Ancestor Master¡¯s Altar, numerous Taoist True Scriptures, and Magical Treasures and Spiritual Artifacts left behind by Ancient Immortal Gods and the Ancestors of the Taoist Pulse. Currently, Xu Yang was in need of a powerful Magical Treasure. Although he was an Artifact Refiner, he was only at the second tier, capable at most of forging Spiritual Artifacts, and to create a Magical Treasure on par with the Golden Core, he needed to be a third-tier Artifact Refiner. Even if he became a third-tier refiner, without enough materials, his efforts would be for naught. There are not too many materials in this world for him to forge Magical Treasures with, unless he went on a rampage ughtering Demon Beasts and even targeted those millennia-old demons. But that would be too troublesome; there¡¯s a simpler and faster way to provide him with a Magical Treasure. That is, to nurture the Xuanyuan Divine Sword. The Xuanyuan Divine Sword, a Holy Divine Weapon, was cast through thebination of the threews of Heaven, Earth, and Man. As long as it continues to absorb the powers of human faith, the elite essence of earthly gold and iron, and the might of heavenly thunder and lightning, the tier of the Xuanyuan Divine Sword can keep increasing. In theory, it could even be a genuine Divine Sacred Weapon. Of course, that¡¯s only theoretical. Now possessing only half of the Divine Sword Jue, Xu Yang, even if he used resources to force its advancement, could at most forge a Supreme Grade Spiritual Artifact. To create a genuine Divine Sacred Weapon, he would either need to find the other half of the Sword technique to enhance the nurturing efficiency, or he could rely on centuries or millennia of umted time and skill traits to break through the limits of the cultivation method. Still, this remains a viable path. Moving forward, Xu Yang nned to focus on cultivating the Xuanyuan Divine Sword as his ¡°life-bound Magical Treasure.¡± Once it is forged, he truly would have no weaknesses in the World of Dao and Law; even if various Taoist sects spared no expense to bring out ancient relics and their guardian Magical Treasures, they wouldn¡¯t be able to threaten him. Xu Yang took out the Sword Box and tenderly caressed it, feeling the hum of countless Sword Artifacts within, merging into a vast and unparalleled sword intent, nurturing a Divine Sacred Weapon. This feeling, how should one describe it? It was almost like having a pet. Through all these years, with the million residents of North City, and the Cultural Qi he provided, human faith was certainly notcking. Regarding earthlyws, he had spent a fortune gathering famous swords from around the world, the elite of gold and iron, and ced them within the Sword Box, resulting in nock of effectiveness. Heavenlyws went without saying; the Thunder Lightning Mana King, with Heaven-Reaching fortuity, consecrated it daily with thunder and lightning. With these three aspects, coupled with the ¡°Three Laws Sword¡± trait of his cultivating skills, this Xuanyuan Divine Sword had already been nurtured into a Supreme Grade Spiritual Artifact. A Supreme Grade Spiritual Artifact already possesses sentience, and with one more step, it could be a Magical Treasure and develop Spirit Wisdom. Once the Spirit Wisdom reaches a certain level, and the tier of the Magical Treasure further advances, it bes a Spiritual Treasure. The most top-notch guardian treasures of the major Taoist Gates are also of this level. A Spiritual Treasure has its Artifact Spirit, and even without a Cultivator¡¯s input of mana for control, it can autonomously exert certain might. It is said that above a Spiritual Treasure lie Immortal Artifacts, whose spirits can even take human form, gaining life indistinguishable from that of humans. Right now, the Xuanyuan Divine Sword is merely a Spiritual Artifact, but its future potential is far beyond that. Forget the future, even now, Xu Yang was confident in its advancement. Firstly, he took out the Divine Ferry Treasure Boat which was broken into two halves, filled with scars. ¡°Hum!¡± As soon as the object was taken out, the inactive Sword Box began to vibrate with a hum, exuding a sense of longing toward Xu Yang. Xu Yang smiled and without further ado, he directly presented it to the Sword Box. In the next instant, the Sword Box opened, and divine light spewed out, swallowing the two halves of the Divine Ferry Treasure Boat into its belly. Afterward, the Sword Box trembled, emitting a series of sonorous ringing sounds, as if countless Sword Artifacts were stirring endlessly within. So it went on, and it was unknown how long before the Sword Box finally calmed down. Xu Yang then took out the second batch of materials. Internal pills, the Thunder Jiao¡¯s internal pills. He had already nned for these spoils of war, using all the flesh and blood of the four Golden Core Demon Beasts as material reserves, purifying them of evil aura for use in Alchemy and Artifact Refining, or as food ingredients, all of which were of great importance. As for the internal pills¡ Whether in the Cultivation system or the Taoist system, these internal pills are extremely precious materials. The saying goes, ¡°The myriad paths of the great Dao lead to the same destination.¡± Whether it be Cultivation or Taoism, refining to the sixth realm involves the formation of a Golden Core. Internal pills are also pills, and utilizing them can aid the Golden Core. In the World of Dao and Law, the research in this area is quite primitive; it¡¯s basically just refining internal pills to boost Mana. The Cultivation World is different. Although the behaviors of those Cultivators aren¡¯t great, their obsession with pursuing longevity is extraordinary. They have researched various Cultivation Techniques, such as Foundation Building Pills and Five Elements Gold Binding Pills. These do not exist in the World of Dao and Law. Moreover, there¡¯s the method of ¡°Pseudo Core¡±, which involves refining the internal pills of Golden Core Demon Beasts, or some special Magical Treasures, into Pseudo Cores to be integrated into the body. In this way, one could also enter the Golden Core Realm, except it would cut off one¡¯s path, leaving no possibility for further advancement. Despite this, there are still countless Cultivators flocking to it. After all, that is a Golden Core! How many among the millions of Cultivators in the world can form a Golden Core? One percent, one-thousandth, or one-ten-thousandth? Being able to form a Golden Core and live for five hundred years already surpasses ny-nine percent of Cultivators. To Xu Yang¡¯s knowledge, the Golden Core old ancestor of the Green Jade Sect is actually a Pseudo Core. Not just the Green Jade Sect, but Medicine King Valley, and even the strongest, the Tianshu Sect, have quite a few Pseudo Core Cultivators. This is a choice, an inevitable choice. Xu Yang is now a Taoist True Monarch, equivalent to a Golden Core, so naturally, he no longer needs to consider the issue of Pseudo Core. Besides, he has the Luotian Dajiao, a great killing device. As long as the nation is wealthy and strong with an increasing poption, he could continuously hold Luotian Dajiao rituals, mass-producing Taoist True Monarchs, allowing people like Miss Xin Shisi and those in the academy system who are in the fifth realm to advance. Therefore, the Pseudo Core method is not of much use to him. He decided to feed all four internal pills to the Xuanyuan Divine Sword to upgrade it into a Magical Treasure. In this regard, it appears that the heritage of the World of Dao and Law is superior, for the Luotian Dajiao is much better than any Pseudo Core method. However, it is only natural when you think about it. The Luotian Dajiao is a major Taoist ritual, connected to the Immortal Gods of Taoism, while the Pseudo Core method in the Cultivation World is most likely created by Nascent Soul or Divinity Transformation Cultivators. With the difference in realms, it is natural that they cannotpare. It¡¯s just unknown if the powerful beings of the main world of Cultivation can match up to the gods of Dao and Law? Xu Yang was very curious about this. However¡ The Sword Box stirred, lightly touching Xu Yang, pulling him back from his thoughts. ¡°Eating so fast?¡± Looking at the Sword Box which had already devoured the Divine Ferry Treasure Boat, Xu Yang shook his head and tossed the Thunder Jiao¡¯s internal pill to it. The Sword Box moved, divine light emanated, and it swallowed the internal pill entwined with lightning. This Thunder Jiao was an unusual breed, with its internal pill being extraordinary, perfectly suited to the way of thunder, greatly benefiting the Xuanyuan Divine Sword. While feeding the Sword Box, Xu Yang pondered his next move. He wasn¡¯t the type to sit idly awaiting doom. However, there wasn¡¯t really a good approach to dealing with the Blood Armored Sky Dragon. Exposing one¡¯s identity, others may not believe. Direct confrontation, storming into the capital? Victory wasn¡¯t guaranteed, and even if one could win, ying the adversary would be difficult. Instead, it would give him an excuse to unite the power of Buddhism, making things even more troublesome. So, he could only wait for him to show his true colors in desperation, then join forces with the world to campaign against him. Or¡ get ahead of him by breaking through limits in strength? ¡°First take over the entire south, then pluck out this Orchid Ghost Realm, and after that, it¡¯s time for a trip to the capital.¡± Xu Yang raised his head, gazing toward the north: ¡°I wonder, will you be faster, or will I?¡± Chapter 196 - 139: The Scholar_1 Chapter 196: Chapter 139: The Schr_1 Trantor: 549690339 Five yearster. ¡°Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!¡± ¡°Howl!!!¡± In the wilderness, darkness enveloped everything, punctuated only by the shrieking of night owls and the howling of wolves. Just then, within the darkness, a flickering light appeared, trembling as it approached. ¡°Whoosh!¡± A gust of wind howled past, causing the light to flicker unsteadily, revealing the silhouette of a frail figure. It was a schr, donning a long robe and a square scarf on his head, carrying a bamboo scroll case wrapped in white cloth on his back. His features were handsome, but his frame was delicate, appearing quite incapable of even trapping a chicken. Clutching antern, he walked through the forest with trembling hands, his pace frantic. The wolves¡¯ howling from all directions filled him with terror, spurring him to quicken his steps, but his trembling legs only slowed him down. ¡°Howl!!!¡± At that moment, a chilling chorus of howls surrounded him, and the dark forest stirred, casting a few pairs of ghastly green eyes in his direction. ¡°!!!¡± The schr¡¯s face paled, his body shook, and he somehow found the strength to scramble forward in a frenzied flight. He ran for an indeterminate time, and even as hisntern went out, the schr dared not stop. Suddenly¡ ¡°Bang!¡± He crashed to the ground with a loud noise, panic-stricken as he looked ahead to see what he had collided with. There, under the sparse moonlight and within the gloomy tree shadows, stood a lone figure. It was¡ a man, a young man. His posture was tall and straight, like a pine or a sword, his staturerge but not bulky. d in a cyan gown, he exuded an air of detachment from worldly concerns, as if he were beyond the ordinary realm. He stood there, and for a moment, the horror and gloom that pervaded the wilderness and dark forest seemed to retreat like a receding tide. The sharp, howling wind and the lingering, spine-chilling howls all fell silent. Seeing this, the terrified schr calmed down, struggled to his feet, tidied his disheveled clothes, and bowed to the other man. ¡°My name is Ning Caichen. May I ask for your honored name, sir?¡± As he spoke, his eyes darted around, taking in the other¡¯s appearance. Under the cold moonlight, the man¡¯s figure and face were illuminated ¨C with eyebrows like drawn swords and eyes like stars, he seemed both cultured and stalwart, suggesting both a schr and a chivalrous swordsman, yet he carried no sword with him. ¡°Thank goodness, thank goodness. With such an appearance and bearing, it¡¯s impossible for him to be a bandit or a thief.¡± Assured by the other¡¯s extraordinary demeanor, Ning Caichen felt more at ease. The man also looked at him. ¡°Ning Caichen?¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Upon hearing this, the man gave a light chuckle and said, ¡°My surname is Li, and my given name is Qinshan, from Qin River.¡± ¡°Li Qing Shan?¡± Ning Caichen murmured, feeling as though he had heard the name before. But he could not recall where, and so he just bowed and said, ¡°So you are Brother Li, please forgive my rudeness!¡± After speaking, he sized up the other man. ¡°Brother Li, you are from Qin River?¡± The man nodded with a light smile, ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°Qin River lies within Guanzhong!¡± ¡°Traveling such a long distance, what brings you here?¡± Ning Caichen, looking surprised, asked, ¡°Could it be that Brother Li also seeks to study at the Guo Bei Academy?¡± ¡°Guo Bei Academy?¡± Hearing this, the man smiled again. ¡°Something like that.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we should travel together.¡± At this, Ning Caichen was overjoyed and quickly suggested. ¡°I am from Zhejiang, living in Jiaxing, and I also wish to study at Guo Bei Academy. Unfortunately, the journey has drained my funds, and I cannot afford the city¡¯s expenses. I¡¯ve heard of a temple here that generously takes in travelers, so I sought shelter, and now I¡¯ve had the good fortune to meet you. What a stroke of luck.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The man smiled, looking him over. ¡°Where did you hear about it?¡± ¡°Why, in Suzhou City, of course.¡± Ning Caichen looked puzzled. ¡°You didn¡¯te from Suzhou City?¡± The man shook his head with a smile. ¡°I came from somewhere else.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ning Caichen didn¡¯t dwell on it. ¡°No matter where wee from, meeting here must be fate. It¡¯s gettingte, not a good time to travel. Brother Li, shall we head to the temple ahead to seek lodging for the night?¡± With those words, he expressed genuine warmth. Such an attitude was not strange. After all, in such deste ces, if one could findpanionship, it was a blessing most would eagerly wee. Furthermore, the neer had an impressive demeanor, suggesting he possessed both schrly knowledge and martial skill, which greatly increased the feeling of security. Facing him, not just a few wolves, but even encountering bandits seemed manageable. ¡°That sounds good,¡± the man responded, not rejecting the offer. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Let me light thentern to guide our way!¡± Ning Caichen, filled with joy, took out a flint and rekindled thentern. ¡°Whoo!!!¡± As soon as thentern was lit, a prolonged howl echoed around them, and the biting wind howled, making Ning Caichen, in his thin clothes, shiver uncontrobly. Looking at Brother Li beside him, who wore only a thin robe yet seemed unfazed by the cold, Ning Caichen felt a pang of envy. His humble background didn¡¯t allow for learning such martial arts. The two of them traveled together, walking forward. After some time, a pile of rubble suddenly appeared in front of them. Upon closer inspection, they discovered that it was the mountain gate of a temple¡ªthe years had not been kind to the gate tower, which had copsed, leaving only a single, damaged stele still standing, its surface eroded by wind and rain, with three dark red characters emzoned on it ¡ª Orchid Temple! From there, they lifted their gaze upwards and saw an ancient templeid out along the stone stairway, shrouded in the boundless darkness. Under the sparse, cold moonlight, a circle of dpidated and rotten contours was faintly illuminated, its abandonment of unknown duration. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Orchid Temple?¡± Ning Caichen stepped forward, holding thentern to illuminate the stele, and looked at the temple¡¯s name, feeling a bit strange: ¡°Orchid Temple, Orchid Temple¡ Who would name a temple Orchid Temple?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be like naming a person ¡®Person¡¯ and a city ¡®City¡¯?¡± ¡°Odd indeed, odd indeed!¡± Ning Caichen shook his head, turned back, and asked, ¡°Brother Li, what do you think?¡± Xu Yang smiled, his expression unchanged: ¡°The world is so vast, nothing is too strange. A temple named Orchid is not that odd.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Ning Caichen nodded, not dwelling on it too much, and simply lifted thentern higher, casting light forward¡ ¡°Has this temple been abandoned?¡± Ning Caichen frowned deeply but soon rxed his brows, turned back to Xu Yang, and said, ¡°Since it¡¯s an abandoned temple, then surely there are no monks inside. We need not announce ourselves and can just go in. I wonder if it¡¯s still habitable.¡± Xu Yang smiled, ¡°We¡¯ll see when we take a look.¡± With that, he took the lead and walked ahead. ¡°Brother Li, wait for me!¡± Ning Caichen hurried to follow. As the two approached the ancient temple, the sparse, chilly moonlight illuminated discarded stonenterns and ruined Buddha statues along the way, as well as two figures of wrathful guardians whose originally majestic and intimidating poses took on an extra ghastly horror in this eerie and dark environment, radiating a sense of warning. However, neither of them felt any fear. Xu Yang said nothing, and even Ning Caichen wasn¡¯t scared. After all, he was a schr who believed in the saying ¡®Confucius did not speak of strange powers or chaos from spirits,¡¯ a principle taught in countless sages¡¯ books that he hadmitted to heart. He dismissed talk of ghosts and spirits, seeing these just as statues. The two treaded the stone steps, passed through the mountain gate, and entered the temple. As soon as they crossed the threshold of the temple, they saw that the main hall in front was brightly lit, with the sound of voices faintlying from within. ¡°There are people here?¡± Ning Caichen was surprised and looked at Xu Yang. Xu Yang¡¯s expression remained unchanged, and he silently pressed on. When they arrived at the entrance, they saw the main hall aglow with light, with many candlesticks already lit. There was also a bonfire in the center, around which sat several groups of people, some dressed in brocaded clothes, some in in blue robes, apparently a few wealthy young masters and young schrs, apanied by three distinctively styleddies. ¡°So many people?¡± Seeing this, Ning Caichen was taken aback. ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Another guest has arrived?¡± In the main hall, the group of people noticed him, and immediately someone raised a hand: ¡°Are you looking for lodging, brother?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Ning Caichen felt uneasy and nced at Xu Yang beside him. Seeing no particr reaction from him, he then stepped forward to join the conversation: ¡°My name is Ning Caichen. I greet all the gentlemen here, as well as the three youngdies.¡± After saying this, he bowed respectfully to everyone. This polite demeanor immediately garnered much goodwill. Straightaway, someone approached and grasped his wrist warmly, ¡°So you are Brother Ning. What a wonderful coincidence tonight, please, have a seat.¡± After saying this, he led him to sit next to the bonfire and began introducing the others around. ¡°My surname is Feng, a gentleman from Guangling!¡± ¡°This is Young Master Chu!¡± ¡°Brother Chu has his residence in Jiangning, hailing from a noble lineage!¡± ¡°This is Brother Gao from Songjiang.¡± ¡°This gentleman is Brother Xie, who lives in Hangzhou.¡± ¡°And this is Brother Zhu.¡± After introducing the young masters and schrs, Feng Sheng then turned towards the three styles-varyingdies, his eyes revealing a hint of infatuation, before he went on to say, ¡°This is Miss Nie, ady from a distinguished family, truly a refined young miss. And these two are her sisters, Miss Qing and Miss Die.¡± Listening to Feng Sheng¡¯s introductions, Ning Caichen felt that something was off, but he couldn¡¯t quite pinpoint what it was and could only reply courteously: ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Brother Feng, Brother Chu, Brother Gao, Brother Xie, Brother Zhu. I am Ning Caichen, pleased to meet all the gentlemen here, and also¡¡± Having said that, he nced at the three women, noticing that the young woman in the center was exceptionally graceful and clearly a young miss from a high-status family, far surpassing the two gorgeous attendants on either side with her delicate and pitiable beauty. Yet, as he was not one to lust, his demeanor remained solemn and respectful: ¡°I greet the three youngdies!¡± ¡°You can just call me Xiao Qian, young master.¡± The young woman smiled captivatingly, her words tender and touching. Without a hint of seductiveness, she nheless enchanted several of themendably vigorous young men, leaving them spellbound. Upon seeing this, Ning Caichen¡¯s brow furrowed; he felt they had missed something important. What had they missed? After thinking for a moment, Ning Caichen quickly realized and turned around, calling out, ¡°Brother Li,e over here!¡± ¡°Brother Li?¡± The crowd was taken aback, confusedly looking at Ning Caichen. Chapter 197 - 140: Storytelling_1 Chapter 197: Chapter 140: Storytelling_1 Trantor:549690339 Seeing the confused expressions of the others, Ning Caichen was also puzzled and immediately turned to Xu Yang, introducing him to the crowd, ¡°Gentlemen, this is Brother Li, who has traveled here with me.¡± At this sight, everyone was taken aback, only then did they notice another person in the hall. No, it would be more urate to say that a person had appeared out of nowhere! This left everyone rooted in ce, unsure of how to proceed. Until now, they had only seen Ning Caichen alone. When did this persone in, and how had they not noticed at all? The crowd was rmed at first but soon strangely rxed. Only the three maidens turned pale, dropping their heads, sitting silently, daring not to speak. However, the schrs did not notice this. The warm-hearted Feng Sheng stood up and said, ¡°So this is Brother Li, my apologies, my apologies.¡± After speaking, he sat down and said to everyone, ¡°To think that a trip out has led to a night at an ancient monastery, a chance encounter with all the gentlemen here, and even three youngdies, truly is a delight of life. Tonight, we must drink joyfully and sing merrily.¡± After saying this, he poured himself a cup of fine wine. In the hands of the others were also cups, which clearly showed that they were drinking earlier. Feng Sheng went on to top each off. Last of all, he offered two cups to Ning Caichen and Xu Yang, ¡°Brother Ning, Brother Li, please!¡± Seeing this man¡¯s wild and somewhat dissolute demeanor, though not disagreeable, Ning Caichen did not refuse and took the wine cup, toasting and drinking it all in one go. ¡°What a generous drinker, Brother Ning.¡± With a smile, Feng Sheng then asked, ¡°What ce does Brother Ning hail from, and what brings you to stay here?¡± Ning Caichen made no attempt to conceal it, ¡°I am a man of Jiangzhe, from Jiaxing. I wished to study at the Guo Bei Academy, but due to excessive expenses on the road, my funds are nearly exhausted. I could not afford the cost of staying in the city, and having heard that there was a temple here generously offering lodging, I decided toe.¡± ¡°Guo Bei Academy?¡± These words provoked a variety of reactions from the people present. ¡°Brother Ning is seeking to study at Guo Bei Academy?¡± Feng Sheng smiled and eximed, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Guo Bei Academy admits allers without discrimination, even women are allowed to enroll and study. Many beauties from Jiangnan, including the Qinhuai Eight Beauties, have forsaken the brothel to immerse themselves there. If given the chance, I¡¯d like to witness it myself.¡± At this, a schr by the name of Xie alsoughed and said, ¡°Brother Feng truly is a romantic and unrestrained, an exemr for our kind!¡± Another voice chimed in, ¡°But I¡¯ve heard that the headmaster of the Guo Bei Academy is quite domineering and overbearing, extremely unorthodox!¡± ¡°It¡¯s beyond unorthodox, it¡¯s downright rebellious!¡± A young man dressed in silk spoke coldly. ¡°There are already rumors circting that Li Liuxian looks down on everyone and harbors disloyal intentions, thinking of rebellion. Back in North City, he already dominated the local area, dering himself king,pletely disregarding the government, driving countless families to ruin.¡± ¡°In recent years, he has expanded his reach to various ces in Jiangzhe and across Jiangnan, establishing branches everywhere. There are Taoist Temples, martial arts schools, merchant guilds, escort agencies, cloth workshops, granaries, pharmacies ¨C he wants to control everything, leaving no room for others.¡± ¡°Now, it¡¯s not just Jiangzhe and Jiangnan, but likely the entire southern region, thend of seven provinces, that he¡¯s tainted with his influence!¡± ¡°His ¡®academy¡¯ is only a school in name but is in fact a local military stronghold. Its nine main departments carry out administrative duties akin to the Three Departments and Six Ministries of the imperial government, and he has a private army and manufactures armor and weapons. He even collects taxes ¨C the duties of the imperial government are performed by him, rightful or not. If this isn¡¯t treason, what is?¡± ¡°Today¡¯s seven provinces of the south are no longer the empire¡¯s; they belong to Li Liuxian, to the Guo Bei Academy. Countless people have been oppressed by his tyranny and even had their families wiped out.¡± ¡°His actions are no different from those of a bandit. From antiquity, it has been said that in literature there is no first, and in martial arts there is no second ¨C our history has always featured a contention of a hundred schools of thought. Yet he insists on being unrivaled, denouncing other academies as facious and heretical if they do not join Guo Bei.¡± ¡°The Taoism and Buddhism sects, if their temples and Taoist temples do not merge into the Guo Bei Academy¡¯s dominion, then he would destroy their establishments or force them to flee far away.¡± ¡°Furthermore, he seizesnds across the world, swallowing up others¡¯ businesses. He no longer resorts to cunning schemes, but directly uses brute force to expropriate. Countless people driven to death and despair by him, their homes destroyed, left destitute and disced!¡± ¡°A traitor, a viin, every person under heaven wishes to devour his flesh alive!¡± ¡°Bang!!!¡± The more the richly-dressed Young Master Chu spoke, the more agitated he became, until he finally smashed his wine cup to pieces. ¡°This¡¡± Seeing his manner, the others looked at each other in astonishment, not knowing what to do. But Young Master Chu paid them no heed and turned his gaze towards Ning Caichen, ¡°So I advise you not to go to that Guo Bei Academy. Such a tainted ce is not worthy of the name of an academy. Going there would only make you an aplice to a tiger¡¯s deeds!¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Brother Chu is drunk!¡± ¡°Please excuse him, Brother Ning.¡± Hearing this, a few hurried to smooth things over. However, Young Master Chu was not looking to save face, ¡°I¡¯m not drunk, I¡¯m very clear-headed. Others may fear Li Liuxian, but I, Chu Jiangliu, certainly do not.¡± ¡°To cause his downfall, first let him be mad with power. With Li Liuxian¡¯s current conduct, he¡¯s the maddest of the mad, the craziest of the crazy. No one in the world can stand him; his downfall is but a moment away!¡± ¡°With the new emperor on the throne, bringing reform to the bureaucracy and reordering the Qiankun, and with the support of the Holy Monk of Cihang leading Buddhism, we will surely see the prosperous era of restoration under Emperor Xian Zong revitalized, sweeping away all rebel forces and bringing peace to the ten directions!¡± ¡°So, Brother Ning, I urge you, do not make a misstep or board the ship of that viin. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be implicated and die a regretful death in his pernicious wake¡ Here, Brother Feng, fill another cup, and let¡¯s drink together.¡± Young Master Chu¡¯s face was flushed, whether with drunkenness or sobriety, it was hard to tell. Seeing this, the people found it inappropriate toment further. Only one person took things seriously. That was¡ ¡°Brother, your words are mistaken!¡± Ning Caichen stood up and addressed Young Master Chu, ¡°Although the Gaobei Academy is indeed somewhat overbearing and despotic, in these chaotic times, such draconian measures are needed to cleanse the Qiankun and purify the heavens!¡± ¡°Today, with the Three Teaching Sect¡¯s various divisions, despite all iming to be orthodox and prestigious, they still hold sectarian biases and rivalries, incessantly fighting. Much of the world¡¯s chaos stems from this!¡± ¡°Guo Bei Academy has consolidated all Taoist Unity, dispelling the world¡¯s conflicts. It implements practical education to benefit the livelihood and development of the people; the citizens live peacefully and joyously, and the nation grows stronger by the day, sweeping away the previous air of decline.¡± ¡°With such deeds, how can it be considered treasonous?¡± ¡°This is the master of the righteous path!¡± Ning Caichen looked at Young Master Chu, ¡°Since ancient times, those who win the hearts of the people conquer the world. Those who lose governance and virtue should naturally be reced, just like the cycle of life and death. This is thew of nature and the way of heaven. Where does the talk of usurpatione from?¡± ¡°You¡!¡± Hearing these words, Young Master Chu¡¯s fury intensified. He mmed his cup down and cursed, ¡°Good, it turns out you¡¯re also a rebel! Before even entering Guo Bei Academy, you¡¯ve been bewitched by their heretical rhetoric. You cannot be spared!¡± With that, he moved to draw his sword. ¡°Brother Chu, Brother Chu!¡± ¡°No, no!¡± Seeing this, several people hurriedly restrained him. But Ning Caichen showed no fear, ¡°I may be untalented and too weak to truss a chicken, but I am not intimidated by a threatening sword. If you wish to kill, thene. But does Brother Chu realize the consequences of your family history?¡± ¡°You¡ Hmph!¡± At this moment, Young Master Chu also calmed down, looking at the undaunted Ning Caichen, he resentfully pushed his precious sword back in its sheath, ¡°Rebel, do not be so arrogant. The new emperor has initiated a new era, and the Holy Monk has returned. The imperial court will surely re-establish order and purge the disloyal. When the timees, you will regret it!¡± After speaking, he sat down sulkily and paid no further attention to Ning Caichen. The other schrs, seeing this, felt helpless and could only persuade Ning Caichen to sit down. Such scenes have be increasinglymon in Jiangnan in recent years. The sh, conflict, and influence of new and old ideologies are reflected in every aspect. This includes the concepts, discourse, position, and side-taking of schrs and literati. By extrapting from the particr to the general, one can understand the dramatic changes in the seven southern provinces over the past few years. The new regime and the old, two powers, each with its own following, and stakes intertwined. Thus, the arguments are the least of concerns, as outright brawls and fights to the death are all toomon. This is the sweeping trend, the onught of waves, the copse of old forces and old rules, and the establishment of new forces and new orders. Bloodshed and ughter are inevitable! In response to this, several schrs who had not yet taken sides could not say much, only trying their best to appease both parties to avoid bloodshed right then and there. Feng Sheng didn¡¯t dare to propose more toasts and could only change the subject, asking Ning Caichen, ¡°Brother Ning, you reside in Jiaxing. Shouldn¡¯t you be seeking education in Jinhua within Jiangzhe Province? How did youe to thisnd of Guangling?¡± ¡°Thend of Guangling?¡± ¡°What Guanglingnd?¡± These words left Ning Caichen utterly astonished, ¡°Isn¡¯t this Suzhou Mansion?¡± ¡°Suzhou Mansion?¡± ¡°What Suzhou Mansion?¡± Feng Sheng was also surprised, ¡°This is Guangling County, I¡¯m from Guangling. I went on a trip recently, intoxicated by the mountains and waters, lost track of time, and roamed indiscriminately, ending up at this temple. How could I possibly run from Guangling to Suzhou?¡± ¡°Wrong, isn¡¯t this Hangzhou?¡± ¡°Nonsense, this is clearly Jiangning!¡± ¡°Gentlemen, do not jest with me; this is clearly Jinyang.¡± ¡°This¡ this¡ this¡¡± Hearing their conversation, the faces of the other schrs also changed, looking at each other in dismay, extremely shocked. ¡°It¡¯s wrong, there¡¯s something wrong with this ce!¡± Young Master Chu also sensed something amiss. He stood up abruptly and drew his precious sword, looking around at everyone with a mix of shock and anger, hisplexion pale and his heart in a panic. How had he ended up here, and why was he making merry with these strangers whose origins and identities he did not know? This was not his usual behavior! Why was he acting so contrary tomon sense and his own awareness, and yetpletely oblivious to it? What on earth was going on? Ning Caichen was also unsettled, feeling that strange sensation growing stronger in his heart, and so he approached Xu Yang, ¡°Brother Li, something¡ seems a bit off.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Xu Yang responded with a smile upon hearing this, ¡°Where do you think it¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°You!!!¡± Before Ning Caichen could speak, Young Master Chu turned and rushed at him, his sword pointing straight at him, his face a blend of shock and anger as he demanded, ¡°Are you a human or a ghost?¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± This action startled Ning Caichen, who then stood up in anger, ¡°If you have a grievance,e at me, and do not involve others.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Young Master Chu shouted furiously, staring intently at Xu Yang, pointing at Ning Caichen, ¡°When he came in, we only saw him alone, we didn¡¯t see you at all. How did youe in, or rather, what exactly are you?¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°I am a storyteller and a writer.¡± Seeing this, Xu Yang responded with a smile, ¡°Now, I have a story, would you like to hear it?¡± ¡°This¡¡± His words seemed magical ¨C regardless of what everyone was thinking, willing or not, at that moment they all obediently sat down, including Young Master Chu with his unsheathed sword. The crowd listened, and he began his story. ¡°Once upon a time, there was a mountain, and on that mountain, there was a tree¡¡± Chapter 198 - 141: Yin and Yang_1 Chapter 198: Chapter 141: Yin and Yang_1 Trantor:549690339 The ruined ancient temple, the gloomy mansion, the crowd surrounded the bonfire, sitting in a circle, listening to a storyteller narrate ancient tales. Such a scene was also marvelous. The expressions on everyone¡¯s faces were filled with fear, but they were helpless to do anything. The storyteller, however, was the picture ofposure, wielding a folding fan that seemed to snap open from nowhere, as if awakening wood, and tapped it against his palm. ¡°Do you know which mountain this is, what tree this is?¡± The crowd was silent, unable to speak. The storyteller smiled and unveiled the riddle. ¡°The mountain is the Soul-Devouring Life Death Mountain, and the tree is the Tree of Gloomy Yin-Yang!¡± ¡°This story begins with this mountain and this tree!¡± ¡°Before endless years had passed, at the beginning of time, the Supreme Elder Lord created the heavens.¡± ¡°The clear Qi rose, and the turbid Qi sank, forming Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, Yellow, and the vastness of the cosmos!¡± ¡°One domain of Heaven and Earth, yet divided into two halves, one bright, the other dark, known as the Dual Realm of Yin and Yang.¡± Xu Yang eloquently proceeded to recount the origin of this world. In this realm, there was also a tale of the heavens and earth being created, but not by Pangu; it was by the Supreme Elder Lord. Contained within the Dao Zang was the ¡°Scripture of the Highest Heavenly Opening,¡± which recounted the deeds of the Supreme Elder Lord opening the heavens and educating all living beings. ¡°The Supreme Elder Lord split the world into Yin and Yang, with both realms separate and governing their own affairs.¡± ¡°Thus, in the Netherworld, there was a ck Mountain, whose age was beyond record.¡± ¡°The Netherworld is the ce of reincarnation, where souls wander hither and thither, naturally carrying an aura of shadowy spirits.¡± ¡°Over thousands and thousands of years, the umtion of Yin Qi eventually bestowed ck Mountain with Spirit Wisdom, transforming it into a Mountain Spirit!¡± ¡°As ck Mountain gained sentience, it began, both intentionally and unintentionally, to devour Underworld Souls, strengthening itself.¡± ¡°After thousands and tens of thousands of years, ck Mountain eventually became a great Demon; and as the Yuan Spirits fell silent and the Immortal Gods ascended, leaving the Netherworld without a master and reincarnation in disarray, it dered itself the king, establishing the City of Unjust Death on ck Mountain!¡± ¡°That is the ck Mountain Old Demon!¡± With a tap of his folding fan, Xu Yang finished narrating, turning back to the crowd, who remained confused and terrified. They didn¡¯t know the origins of this inexplicable storyteller, nor if he was human or ghost, demon or fiend, and why he would tell them these seemingly unrted tales. But one thing was certain¡ªtheir current situation was very bad. This Orchid Temple, this storyteller, everything was imbued with an eerie air. The crowd was terrified, but Xu Yang paid them no mind and continued. ¡°As the saying goes, when one attains the Tao even the chickens and dogs ascend to heaven, and ck Mountain bing a spirit also brought quite a few benefits to others.¡± ¡°Among these beneficiaries was a locust tree that grew on ck Mountain.¡± ¡°This tree was a locust tree by kind, and naturally extraordinary, with the ability to bridge the Dual Realm of Yin and Yang.¡± ¡°This is the Locust Tree of Gloomy Yin-Yang!¡± With a stern tap of his folding fan, Xu Yang spoke, ¡°After ck Mountain became a spirit, this Yin-Yang locust also transformed into a demon. Although not as ancient as ck Mountain Old Demon, it too possessed Taoist cultivation of thousands of years and called itself the Demon Tree Grandma.¡± ¡°A mountain and a tree, born and grown together, deeply rooted and intertwined, especially that tree demon whose life and fortune were entirely in the hands of ck Mountain Old Demon, dared not to rebel, and could only be driven to do its bidding unwillingly.¡± ¡°There is a way of the world andws for all living beings¡ªalone, Yin does not produce life; Yang alone does not sustain growth. Even demons are not an exception.¡± ¡°Both the tree demon and ck Mountain Old Demon, being spirits and demons of the Underworld, needed to absorb the vital Qi of the living from the world of light; otherwise, without this nourishment, not only would their cultivation struggle to advance, but they would also face the danger of perishing along with their path.¡± ¡°Thus, ck Mountain Old Demon controlled the tree demon and used its ability to bridge Yin and Yang to open a channel between the two realms, ughtering a temple and transforming it into a haunted ghost realm.¡± Having said this, Xu Yang lowered his gaze to look at the baffled crowd: ¡°Do you know the name of that temple?¡± Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent, their eyes filled with even greater terror. ¡°The temple was called West Peak.¡± ¡°Later, it became Orchid Temple.¡± With a light tap of his folding fan, Xu Yang looked at the crowd: ¡°Your fortunes are quite good to have made it here.¡± The crowd found his jesting words hard to bear, not knowing how to respond, on the verge of tears. Xu Yang, however, did not care for their reactions and continued speaking. ¡°Since then, the Orchid Ghost Realm fed on living humans, bing a pair of old demons nourished with flesh and blood; ultimately, it attracted a person of high Taoist cultivation to take action and suppress it.¡± ¡°However, few know that the tree demon possessed not only the ability to bridge Yin and Yang but also the skill to travel through space; it was just highly consuming, which made it not worth the trouble, so it was seldom used.¡± ¡°After the ghost realm was sealed, living beings could no longer enter, the supply of fresh blood discontinued, and without the nourishment of Yang Qi, not only was advancement in cultivation difficult, but there was also the risk of madness.¡± ¡°Madness?¡± Hearing this, Ning Caichen could no longer contain his curiosity and broke the silence, ¡°Do demons also suffer from madness?¡± Xu Yang smiled and exined, ¡°Going berserk due to cultivation is not the same as falling into the Demon Path; instead, it happens when the Yin spirit and physical body lose control over mana and Inner Yuan, causing chaos and self-destruction. All cultivators face this danger, and Demon Spirits are no exception.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ning Caichen nodded, ¡°So¡¡± ¡°So the ck Mountain Old Demon couldn¡¯t sit still anymore.¡± Xu Yangughed, ¡°He had no choice but to order the Underworld Soldiers of the City of Unjust Death to spread out and capture the fresh souls of the newly deceased to devour, while at the same time allowing the Demon Tree to use its innate ability of spatial discement to create Gloomy Ghost Realms in various ces, luring living beings into their trap.¡± Having said this, he looked at everyone, ¡°You all came here because of this.¡± ¡°This¡¡± The crowd was unsettled, their questions fading, but soon they were filled with terror again. Orchid Temple, the Yin-Yang Locust Tree, a pair of hungry Old Demons. This¡ ¡°Young Master, spare our lives!¡± The crowd was terrified, and before they could speak, the girl beside them stood up and knelt on the ground with a thud. It was Nie Xiaoqian. Nie Xiaoqian knelt on the ground, which left Qin Die and another person behind her at a loss, but she paid them no mind and pleaded with tears to Xu Yang, ¡°Young Master, we were originally wandering lone souls, captured by the Demon Tree and turned into ghosts lured to tempt men into this temple, to their demise.¡± ¡°This¡¡± The crowd was taken aback upon hearing this, especially Feng Sheng, who was even more incredulous, ¡°Miss Nie!¡± Nie Xiaoqian ignored him, tears streaming down her face as she continued, ¡°Xiao Qian is aware of the heavy sins we carry which are unforgivable, but I still boldly beg the Young Master to free us sisters from the fate of being ghosts; even if our souls disperse, at least a hint of our True spirit will be free!¡± After speaking, she began to knock her head on the ground. Xu Yang watched her but merely smiled, ¡°You are quite clever.¡± His words made Nie Xiaoqian¡¯s heart skip a beat, knowing that her little schemes could not be concealed from one so skilled in the ways of Taoism. She quickly bowed, ¡°Xiao Qian was bold, deceiving the Young Master, deserving of death, deserving of death!¡± After speaking, her head bobbed up and down like pounding garlic, leaving everyone staring in amazement. Seeing this, Xu Yang shook his head, ¡°Get up.¡± ¡°Young Master¡¡± Nie Xiaoqian lifted her head, staring nkly at him, then her eyes filled with surprise and joy, and she once again kowtowed on the ground, ¡°Thank you, Young Master, thank you, Young Master!¡± Xu Yang said nothing more and turned to leave. Indeed, there was nothing more to say. A female ghost, lonely and helpless, captured by the Demon Tree to serve its will. If she hadn¡¯t possessed a shred of cunning or a hint of the will to survive, how could she have lived until now? The world of ghosts is not necessarily simpler than that of humans! So, Xu Yang did not probe any further but gave her a chance at life. ¡°Brother Li¡¡± As Xu Yang turned to leave, the crowd finally snapped out of it, and Ning Caichen hastily followed. Nie Xiaoqian rose to her feet, ¡°Young Master, be careful. This ce is no longer part of the living world but the Netherworld, a Ghost Realm carefully crafted by the ck Mountain Old Demon and Grandmother, and it is connected to the City of Unjust Death of ck Mountain, which is extremely dangerous¡¡± ¡°Boom!¡± Before she could finish speaking, a thunderous noise was heard, and dust and broken stones fell. The already dpidated ancient temple was on the verge of copse. ¡°Not good!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Grandma!¡± ¡°Young Master, be careful!¡± Witnessing this scene, all three ghosts¡¯ faces changed, and Nie Xiaoqian called out in warning. Before the cries of rm had ended, a dark figure shot through the air, countless tendrils and roots like giant pythons, twisting into Orchid Temple, grinding the building to rubble. ¡°Boom!¡± As the ancient temple fell apart and the hall crumbled, amidst the chaos of stones and clouds, a giant tree rose into the sky, its thousand-foot form casting a menacing shadow as it took root behind the grand hall. The ground shook and stones shattered, terrifying everyone into taking cover, but there was nowhere to run. In the moment of utter despair¡ ¡°Hum!¡± Sword Qi burst forth, its light dazzling, engulfing everyone¡¯s vision. For an indiscernible amount of time, the sword light finally scattered, and vision gradually returned. The terrified crowd looked around and found themselves in a wild and deste ce surrounded by menacing trees, but the gloomy ancient temple, as well as the towering storyteller and the frightening Yin-Yang Locust Tree Demon, were nowhere to be seen. Could all that they had experienced have been nothing but a bizarre dream? But this¡ The group exchanged puzzled looks, recognizing each other, both familiar and strange, including Nie Xiaoqian and the simrly bewildered ghostly sisters, their thoughts in turmoil, unable to distinguish reality from illusion. Just as everyone was at a loss¡ ¡°Heavenly path returns, Seven Stars as the sword!¡± ¡°Form the array!¡± A soft shout rang out, and swords of light rose from all around, brilliantly converging and weaving tightly together to form a realm of swords, revealing a grim Ghost Realm within. Chapter 199 - 142: Black Mountain (First Update)_1 Chapter 199: Chapter 142: ck Mountain (First Update)_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Ancient temples in all directions are like demonic prisons.¡± ¡°Seven-foot cold frost swords are like dragons.¡± This was the scene and the impression it made on everyone present. Sword light stretched infinitely, weaving a domain of swords, casting light upon an expanse of darkness. Within this realm of swords, amidst the darkness,y an ancient and dpidated temple, where boundless dark currents surged like tidal waves, surrounding a towering, sky-reaching tree. This tree was a locust tree, yet not an ordinary one; it stood a thousand feet tall, with countless roots and vines hanging down, rooting themselves into the ancient temple, forming an eerie sanctuary where a myriad of phantom shadows wailed and shrieked. It was the Locust Tree of Gloomy Yin-Yang! As a peculiar demon, it had already stepped into the Demon Emperor Realm, possessing thousands of years of Taoist Cultivation. Although not yet at the level of ancient demons such as those of ck Mountain, who could boast ten thousand years of cultivation, it was far superior to beings like Chu Gonghou, ranking as a formidable power among the Demon Emperors. Thus, when it sensed the abnormality within the Orchid Temple, it resolutely took action. It wasn¡¯t overestimating its own abilities, but rather, it had no choice. nts and stones are vastly different from animals and livestock, it was extremely difficult for them to awaken Spirit Wisdom and transform into spirit monsters or demons. However, correspondingly, once nts and stones became enlightened, surpassing the boundary of beasts and livestock, their starting point and strength were certain to surpass those of simr creatures. The ck Mountain Old Demon was one example. As the spirit of ck Mountain from the Underworld, in terms of strength, it was one of the top powerhouses even among ancient demons thousands of years old. Even Daoist Celestial Masters and Holy Buddhist Monks could only seal it instead of destroying its body, the ck Mountain that had existed for countless years. Such was its formidable strength. However, sess was Xiao He, and so was failure! Though demon trees and mountain spirits were powerful, far surpassing beastly spirit monsters, they had one significant weakness and w: their bodies were difficult to move, or simply could not move at all. Like the ck Mountain Old Demon, its body, a sprawling and towering mountain of unknown expanse, belonged to the immobile category. Therefore, it could only reign in its own domain, dominating an area, incapable of ruling the world for eternity. It was the same for this demon tree. People move and live, trees move and die! As a tree, its body might not be as immobile as the ck Mountain, but moving it was extremely burdensome; uprooting it came at a painful cost, devastating its foundation, severely wounding its Yuan Qi, potentially ruining thousands of years of cultivation in an instant. How could it ept this? Not to mention, moving might not necessarily mean escaping. Therefore, it had no choice but to fight desperately. ¡°Boom!¡± The ancient temple fell apart, rocks copsed and scattered like clouds, and the massive Yin-Yang Locust Tree soared high, with countless roots emerging like dragons. Moreover, overwhelming Yin Qi roared mightily like tides, sweeping along myriad evil ghosts, biting towards the opponent¡¯s sword light. The magnitude of its presence was undeniable, and its strength was significant. Yet the sword light was crisscrossing, swift and agile like a dragon. The Sword Realm outside, although formed in battle formation, did not aid in the onught. It was just a blockade, isting all sides to prevent any from slipping through the. Among the Ghost Realm, amidst the turbulent currents, lingered the afterglow of one man and one sword. ¡°Boom!¡± Within the vast stream of sword energy, a divine light burst forth, shattering the endless darkness, sweeping across like a long rainbow during the day, striking the Ghostly Tree Shadow directly. That one sword, that one light, its brilliance and shock were indescribable, beyond words. One sword, just one sword! ¡°Spurt!¡± With the pass of the sword, the demonic atmosphere instantly dissipated. The mighty Yin-Yang Locust Tree, a thousand-foot stature, shook thunderously. Roots and vines, serpent-like or dragon-like, instantly stiffened, solidified, withered, and shattered. Countless phantom ghosts wailed, in an instant freeing themselves from their bounds, rushing in all directions. Yet the Sword Realm blocked them, sealing off their escape routes; countless phantom ghosts had no way up to the heavens, nor a door to descend to the earth, either being sliced apart or captured. Amidst the wails of thousands of ghosts, the battle concluded withoutplication. Outside the Sword Realm, a group of people stood still in shock, with confused expressions, struggling to ept what had happened. Even Nie Xiaoqian, the ¡®Resourceful Big Sister¡¯ who had early on realized that something was amiss and took decisive action, was now in utter astonishment, disbelief etched on her face. The grandma is dead? Just like that? With only one sword? Just one sword! This¡ As one of the phantom ghosts under the Yin-Yang Locust Tree, Nie Xiaoqian was well aware of her grandma¡¯s capabilities, which were iparable to ordinary demons. Within the Orchid Ghost Realm, she held an absolute home-field advantage, not only being able tomand thousands of phantom ghosts to fight but also to channel the forces of both Yin and Yang realms, applying the Gloomy Skill that maniptes space-time. Gloomy Skill meant the interaction of gods and ghosts, the merging of Yin and Yang! It was the Art of Divine Abilities rted to ¡°space-time.¡± Rooted in the Ghost Realm, the Demon Tree Grandma, using her Yin and Yang Gloomy Skill, forged the ¡°Alternate Demon World¡± Divine Power, capable of turning the intangible into tangible, the solid into the void, space-time shift, transformation of Yin and Yang, almost able to divert any attack. Even a Taoist True Monarch invoking a mountain-subduing Magical Treasure would find it hard to harm its true body. But now¡ One sword, just one sword! And with that, all was settled to dust. What kind of spell, what kind of Divine Skills were these? Nie Xiaoqian couldn¡¯t imagine and found it hard to ept. But she soon woke from her shock, her heart filled with joy and relief. Reality is reality, regardless of whether you ept it or not, whether you acknowledge it or not, it remains fact. The grandma is dead, no matter the cause of death; dead is dead! She saved her life and gained freedom, how could she not rejoice and cheer? Not just her, the Green Butterflies to her left and right, once they came to their senses, were overjoyed beyond measure, almost wishing to embrace each other and weep, looking at this ¡°big sister¡± who led them with even greater admiration. If it weren¡¯t for her decisive kneel and wise submission just now, they would probably face more danger than safety at this moment. Indeed, even in death, one must use their eyes and brains. Let¡¯s not talk about everyone else¡¯s reaction for a moment. After piercing the heart with his sword and ying the Demon Tree Grandma, Xu Yang did not reappear before the crowd, but instead went directly through the barrier between yin and yang into the Netherworld. ying the Demon Tree Grandma was a matter of course for him, without any suspense. After all, no matter how strong the Demon Tree Grandma was, in terms of Cultivation, she was merely a Demon Emperor, a second-rate one at that, with only a few thousand years of Taoist Cultivation, nowhere near the likes of ck Mountain Old Demon with tens of thousands of years. Now, having initiated the Luotian Dajiao and acquired the strength of a Daoist Celestial Master, Xu Yang¡¯s Cultivation Realm, Taoist Cultivation, and Mana were far superior to hers, and coupled with the now Magically Treasurable Xuanyuan Divine Sword, it was natural and fitting that he yed her with one strike; it would have been abnormal not to. As for that Art of Yinyang Gloomy Skill, the art of spatial transfer, it was truly profound and extraordinary. But¡ even the strongest Divine Skills require Cultivation to support! Without sufficient Cultivation, even the most astonishing Great Divine Powers cannot exhibit much of their might. Facing Xu Yang, who waspletely overwhelming in Cultivation Realm, Taoist Cultivation and Mana, with the help of his life-bound Magical Treasure, the Xuanyuan Divine Sword, the Demon Tree Grandma¡¯s Yin and Yang Gloomy Skill was utterly ineffective; the spatial transfer failed, and Xu Yang seized the opportunity to pierce her heart with a sword. Cultivators, cultivators, Cultivation is the foundation, and Realm is the cornerstone. Without sufficient Cultivation, all Spells and Divine Skills, all Magical Treasures and Spiritual Treasures, are nothing but castles in the air. The Realm of the Underworld, the great dark heavens, devoid of the brilliance of the sun and moon, is filled with nothing but yin clouds and death Qi. Under the ck heavens is ck Mountain. And beneath ck Mountain, there lies ck City. ck Mountain towers high, stretches unbroken, covering an unknown expanse ofnd. The majestic city with its gates wide open bustles like a thoroughfare. Suddenly¡ ¡°Who is it!¡± A cry of fury shook ck Mountain, trembling the heavens and the earth. ¡°Boom!¡± At the same time, a Sword Light descended upon ck Mountain, as though thunder was striking from the heavens. The Locust Tree of Gloomy Yin-Yang, the mountain of life and death, was originally a Demon born alongside them. It took root atop ck Mountain, deeply entrenched, governed by it. Eventer, when merging the Dual Realms of Yin and Yang through its Gloomy Yin-Yang Skill, the actual location did not change. Therefore, the roots of the Locust Tree of Gloomy Yin-Yang were still on ck Mountain; the tree body that appeared just before was merely a section of its trunk. Now, with the death of the Demon Tree Grandma, as Sword Light descends from the heavens, ck Mountain Old Demon is jolted awake for the first time. Its reaction seems a bit sluggish. But there¡¯s no helping it, that¡¯s just how a mountain spirit that has taken form behaves. Its speech isn¡¯t even clear, how fast can its reactions be? Only after the death of the Demon Tree Grandma does it awaken; ck Mountain erupts into action, sand and stones fly in all directions, condensing into a giant hand that rises to meet the Sword Edge. This giant hand, formed of ck stone, as hard as metal, extremely sturdy, imbued with the Power of Mountains and the Qi of Death, is nearly impossible for ordinary cultivators to contend with. However, the one who hase is by no means ordinary. A sword descends from the heavens, its light brilliant, cleaving the dark heavens and earth. Fire of man andw, the righteousness is vast. Essence of Earth Law, unsurpassably sharp. The might of Heavenly Law, Scouring the Court and Sweeping the Den. The Three Laws invested in the sword, all energy concentrated in one strike. ¡°Boom!¡± A loud explosion resounds, shaking the heavens and earth, causing ck Mountain to tremble. The giant hand made of ck stone was pierced in an instant, the mana within also shattered in a moment. With that, stones rolled downhill, the giant hand disintegrated. Only the sword remained unchanged, thunderously puncturing the mountain¡¯s peak. If it were a human body, this would be akin to a sword piercing through the Heavenly Spirit. However, ck Mountain is not human; from within the deep sword wound, a near-liquid stream of Yin Qi surges out, along with mixed ck Sand Evil Qi and spewing Earthfire venom, seeking to corrupt the Sword Light, reduce the Magical Treasure to g, and shatter the offensive. This is ck Mountain Old Demon¡¯s signature move¡ªck Sand Poisonous Fire. Having be sentient over untold years, ck Mountain consumed the souls of countless living beings, harboring within it their vengeful, poisonous Evil Qi,bined with the vile and toxic mes naturally urring in barren and dangerousnds. Fused together and cultivated by the Old Demon over tens of thousands of years, it eventually became a Divine Ability¡ªthe ck Sand Poisonous Fire. This fire, tainted with Evil Qi and steeped in poison, is extremely corruptive; even for a Taoist True Monarch, a single breath could cause serious injury, damaging theirw body, contaminating their Yang Spirit, and if not cleansed quickly, it could even lead to demise and death. Now, as the sword pierces ck Mountain, it is not merely sprayed upon; it is fully immersed in this ck Sand Poisonous Fire. With such contamination, such a vile concoction of Evil Qi and venomous mes, even a Magical Treasure, how long can itst? ¡°Bang bang bang!¡± The Earth Sha poisonous fire spewed violently, carrying with it swirling ck Sand that eroded and collided with the Sword Light, causing a dazzling spray of sparks. Yet, the Sword Light continued to not retreat but instead began to spin and surge, unleashing the Thunderbolt Strength, like an electric dragon twisting and writhing within the mountain body. ¡°Boom!¡± Immediately, ck Mountain shook, rocks crumbled like clouds, countless tunnels drilled out by the force. The Old Demon could not bear it and eventually the vast expanse of ck Mountain had a human face emerge, contorted in agony, features twisted, still straining to open itsrge mouth and violently expel what was within. ¡°Pfft!¡± With all the might of the Earth Vein and the Power of Mountains and Rivers expended, the sword inteced with thunderbolts was finally vomited out. Thereafter, ck Mountain shook, its expression settled into silence, and apparently it took on a defensive posture, withdrawing into itself. Chapter 200 - 143: Refining_1 Chapter 200: Chapter 143: Refining_1 Trantor: 549690339 The ck Mountain Old Demon¡¯s choice to shrivel up in defense was out of necessity. In the previous exchange of blows, the strengths of both sides had been revealed. In terms of cultivation realm and mana Taoist cultivation, although it was the essence of ck Mountain and an old demon of ten thousand years, it still held no advantage. Because the other was a Daoist Celestial Master, one level of difference meant a world of distinction, which even it could notpensate for. Regarding cultivation skills divine magic and fighting techniques, although it was the ruler of ck Mountain and had turned the treacherous and wickednds into divine magic, with power of mountains and rivers and the ability of the earth vein, the opponent¡¯s Luotian Dajiao, with the support of thousands, and possession of divine sacred weapons and the Three Laws Sword, surpassed it by more than just a small margin. Inferior in cultivation realm, lesser in Taoist cultivation and mana, and also outmatched in divine magic and skills. Falling short in every aspect, at a disadvantage on all fronts, how could such an utterly unequal battle be fought? Therefore, the ck Mountain Old Demon decisively gave up on attacking and chose to bunker down defensively, clinging to a strategy of dy. As an old demon of ten thousand years, it had been in existence for tens of thousands of years, during which more than one Daoist Celestial Master had attempted to rid the world of this cmity, but without exception, they all returned without sess. The reason for this was its tactic of shrinking into defense. As a spirit that had be sentient from ck Mountain, its strength was continuously replenished by the connecting earth vein, and its greatest expertise was in defensive and attrition warfare. Unless someone could level the sprawling ck Mountain and sever the earth veins connecting it in all directions, it was futile to even dream of cutting off its power supply. Unable to tten the mountains or sever the earth veins meant that it could continually draw from the Earth Yuan, restoring its mana and healing its injuries, essentially bing an immortal presence. Thus, it only needed to fortify the mountains and remain in defense to be invincible. As a spirit born of stone, it was incredibly tough. Focusing solely on defense, even a Daoist Celestial Master would find it difficult to break. Even if its defenses were breached, it could transfer the ¡°Mountain Core,¡± the special internal pill of the mountain spirit, elsewhere and rebuild the defensive line. As long as the mountain core remained undamaged, and its internal pill intact, it could endlessly rebuild its defenses and hold out indefinitely. Who could afford such a drawn-out conflict? Even a Daoist Celestial Master didn¡¯t have such resources. That is why, over tens of thousands of years, despite many Celestial Masters and Holy Monks attempting to cleanse the world of demons, when they confronted it, they all returned empty-handed, only managing to ce a formation at best, merely sealing it for a few decades. It had been so in the past, and it seemed it would be the same now. As long as it anchored its defense and refrained from breaking its position, with a bit of endurance, the mighty foe would eventually recognize the difficulty and retreat. Outside ck Mountain, sword light transformed, revealing the figure of a man. Xu Yang looked at the defensively entrenched old demon, shook his head without saying much, and with a movement from the sword box on his back, he released millions of sword artifacts. Thousands of swords, vast and flowing like a curtain of rain descending from the sky, pierced into various parts of ck Mountain. ¡°Boom boom boom!¡± Although unsure of the opponent¡¯s intentions, the ck Mountain could not allow things to escte. As the mountain stirred, the old demon exerted its strength, and instantly, sand flew and earthfire spouted, attempting to wash over and refine the millions of sword artifacts. However¡ Xu Yang¡¯s body turned, and the divine swords reemerged, splitting from one into three, and three into nine. Subsequently, nine Xuanyuan Divine Swords executed crisscrossing thunderbolts. ck Mountain was startled, no longer caring about the purpose of the millions of sword artifacts, as ck sand condensed and earthfire retreated, warily anticipating the movements of the nine divine swords. Xu Yang, however, paid no mind; the nine swords flew out and came crashing down, firm as steel nails, driving into the mountain at strategic points. They were nodes of the formation, acupoints of the earth vein. ¡°Trying to sever the earth vein?¡± Finally understanding the opponent¡¯s intentions, the ck Mountain Old Demon snorted coldly, solidified the mountain¡¯s stance, and stimted the ck sand poisonous fire, subtly contaminating the opponent¡¯s sword artifacts. Just now, the opponent was able to pierce deep into the mountain¡¯s body because it hadn¡¯t been solely focused on defense. Now, with undivided attention on shrinking itself down and solidifying the mountain, the tens of thousands of sword artifacts and those nine divine swords could at the most puncture the outeryer of stone, wishing to prate into the core of the mountain body and threaten its mountain heart was nothing but wishful thinking. Without breaching its mountain-body defenses, how could one even attempt to sever the earth vein lying under the connected mountain terrain? Therefore, the ck Mountain Old Demon regarded the opponent as engaging in a futile effort, not worthy of concern, focusing solely on its defense while secretly powering the ck sand and earthfire to corrupt the magical treasures. But soon¡ ¡°No! No, no, no!¡± ck Mountain trembled with rm, the ck sand poisonous fire bursting forth violently, trying to push off the nine divine swords and the thousands of sword artifacts from its body. The nine divine swords nailed onto it were like blood-sucking locusts, absorbing the essence of its stones and the force of the earth vein. What was happening? What was happening! It was the doing of Xuanyuan. The Xuanyuan Divine Sword, perfected by the Three Laws. Among them, the Earth Law was about incorporating the world¡¯s metals and melting the power of the earth¡¯s essence. For the ck Mountain Old Demon, whose very existence as a mountain spirit was tied to the earth vein, the Xuanyuan Divine Sword was an irresistible delicacy. With a single sword dividing, negating into nine steely nails in collusion with the thousands of sword artifacts, Xu Yang prated into its body, absorbing the essence of the ck Mountain Old Demon¡¯s earth. This act of ¡°undermining the foundation¡± greatly frightened the ck Mountain Old Demon. The earth¡¯s essence was its life essence, its foundation. For every bit the Xuanyuan Divine Sword absorbed, the Old Demon weakened marginally. Although the influence was insignificant for the moment, if this continued over a long period with one side weakening and the other strengthening, that would be uneptable. The entire ck Mountain might be nourishment for the foe. The ck Mountain Old Demon was greatly rmed, spewing ck sand and releasing poisonous fire to contaminate the opponent¡¯s Sword Artifact while simultaneously mobilizing the Power of Mountains and Rivers and the ability of the Earth Vein, locking up the Power of Earth¡¯s Essence in the whole ck Mountain so that it could not be absorbed. However¡ ¡°Boom! Outside, Xu Yang was chanting spells and casting magic, summoning thunderbolts. The dark heavens and earth, filled with the aura of death and sinister clouds, were suddenly torn apart by a thunderbolt. Heavenly thunder fell, striking ck Mountain, not only shocking the Old Demon¡¯s Divine Soul but also empowering the Sword Artifact with thunderbolt. ¡°Boom! ck Mountain trembled mightily, Mana went out of control, revealing a vast gap. The ck sand poisonous fire surged and, taking advantage of the gap, the nine divine swords embedded in the rock surface and thousands of Sword Artifacts sank further down into the mountain, stabbing fiercely into the mountain¡¯s body. The Might of the Thunderbolt, needless to say. With Xu Yang¡¯s ability as a Daoist Celestial Master and the aid of the ¡°Thunder Lightning Mana King¡±, utilizing the power of Thunder Series, even a millennium-old demon couldn¡¯t withstand several rounds of it. Although the ck Mountain Old Demon had exceptionally strong defenses and had the home-ground advantage with endless Earth Yuan force, it wasn¡¯t exempt from such Thunder Series spells. Under the bombardment, its mind trembled with fear, and gaps in its defense became unavoidable. If it were just Thunder Series attacks, even if its defenses were broken, it could adjust and recover afterward without worrying. But the opponent wasn¡¯t just using Thunder Series spells. Thunder Series strikes opened gaps, and the Sword Artifacts immediately took advantage and greedily absorbed the Life essence of the Mountain Spirit. The Essence of Earth continuously escaped, as if life itself was fleeing. Greatly frightened, the ck Mountain Old Demon struggled fiercely but was firmly suppressed by the opponent¡¯s Thunder Series to assist the sword. Xu Yang¡¯s strategic intent was now very clear. He wanted to refine the ck Mountain Old Demon! Had it been anyone else, even if they were also a Daoist Celestial Master, such a thought would be nothing but a pipe dream. But he was not anyone else, he was Xu Yang, who possessed the Attribute Panel and Skill Traits. The Thunder Lightning Mana King and Three Laws Sword, these two Skill Traits, had raised his Thunder Series potency and divine sword effects by at least one level. ck Mountain was formidable, the Old Demon horrifying. Ordinary Thunder Series Divine Magic couldn¡¯t harm its roots, ordinary Xuanyuan¡¯s Divine Guard Generals also couldn¡¯t refine its essence. But Xu Yang could, with Thunder Series aiding the sword, attacking simultaneously, even the ck Mountain Old Demon could only await its ughter. ¡°Boom! The lightning shed and thunder roared incessantly, and the nine divine swords along with thousands of Sword Artifacts, aided by the thunder, slowly sank into the mountain, elerating the process of refinement. Feeling its Life essence draining away, the ck Mountain Old Demon could no longer endure. The City of Unjust Death shook violently, its gates opening wide, as countless Underworld Soldiers and Evil Ghosts surged like a torrent, led by four Ghost Emperors towards Xu Yang. Xu Yang¡¯s expression remained unchanged, paying them no heed, as only the blue and red divine lights behind him flickered. Amid the thick smoke and fire, two towering figures materialized, clearly the two Divine Guard Generals with green faces and fierce fangs. Increase Life and Damage Fate, Divine Guard Generals! During the five years that Guo Bei Academy expanded, Xu Yang also took this opportunity to eradicate demons and evil spirits in the southern regions, securing ample materials and resources to invest in the crafting of the Increase and Decrease Two Generals, coupled with the faith and prayers of millions from Guo Bei, he sessfully refined them into ¡°Ghost Emperors!¡± Ghost Emperor matched Demon Emperor, embodying the Sixth Realm. But these Increase and Decrease Two Generals, with the ¡°Increase Life and Damage Fate¡± trait of Xu Yang¡¯s Daoist skills, along with Taoist Gate Righteous Skills and devotional offerings, were crafted into half-divine, half-ghoulish Divine Guard Generals. Their strength was not just worlds apart from ordinary Increase and Decrease Generals but vastly distinct. Now, they should not be referred to as Ghost Emperors but ¡°Ghost Gods,¡± on par with a millennium-old demon. The Increase and Decrease Generals, feasting on ghosts, looked at the millions of Evil Ghosts surging out of the City of Unjust Death, especially the leading four Ghost Emperors, and immediately let out an excited roar, rushing forward to battle them. Meanwhile, Xu Yang sat upon the Cumted Thundercloud, single-mindedly casting Thunder Series spells, aiding the Xuanyuan Divine Sword, and fully focused on refining ck Mountain. Given the immense size of ck Mountain, even with the assistance of his Skill Traits, it would take a considerable amount of time to refine it. This was destined to be a prolonged grinding battle of attrition. Luckily, he had plenty of time. The final battle had not yet arrived, and that Blood Armored Sky Dragon, the former Master Duxing, now the National Guardian Abbot, and the Holy Monk Pudu Cihang of Buddhism, had only just managed to maintain the situation in the Northern Territory, struggling even to hold their ground, let aloneunch an offensive. Both sides were umting strength, waiting to see who could break the bnce first. This was also the reason Xu Yang acted early, sweeping the Orchid Ghost Realm. The original n was to develop for ten years before acting, ensuring a foolproof approach. But now, due to the pressure from Pudu Cihang, he had no choice but to act early and take down the ck Mountain Old Demon, to feed Xuanyuan. The Xuanyuan Divine Sword had already ascended to a Magical Treasure. After refining the Old Demon and acquiring the Essence of ck Mountain, it may have the hope of advancing to a Spiritual Treasure. A single Spiritual Treasure might not be sufficient topletely break the bnce, but it could also serve as a source of confidence, allowing him to cause some trouble for his opponents. He couldn¡¯t let his foes swallow the Northern Territory with ease andfort. And so it went, for who knows how long. In the Underworld, a roar resounded, shaking all directions. ¡°I! Fight! You! To the end!¡± ¡°Boom!¡± In a desperate counterattack, staking everything, it was relentlessly engulfed by roaring thunderbolts. Chapter 201 - 144: Scheming_1 Chapter 201: Chapter 144: Scheming_1 Trantor: 549690339 Forty-nine dayster, a mournful howl echoed throughout the Underworld. Sitting atop the Cumted Thunder Cloud, Xu Yang wore an indifferent expression, calm like a still ancient well. After forty-nine days and relying on the cultivation of a Daoist Celestial Master, as well as Luotian Dajiao, the Thunder Series Divine Skills, the Xuanyuan Divine Sword, and other numerous means including Skill Traits, he had finally dispersed the Yang God and soul of the ck Mountain Old Demon. Although the Yang God was shattered and the soul scattered, ck Mountain did not copse and destruct. After all, this was a mountain range, a part of Yin Mountain¡¯s Earth Vein that existed for untold time. Its size was too vast, its potentiality too profound, and its resources too abundant! Even with the Xuanyuan Divine Sword drawing the essence of earth, it could not refine it in a short period of time. If he were to stop now and neglect it, a second ck Mountain Old Demon might emerge after a million years. But clearly, Xu Yang was not going to do that. At this moment, the Xuanyuan Divine Sword hadpletely submerged into the mountain, even piercing through the Internal Pill at the Mountain Core of the ck Mountain Old Demon, continuously drawing the essence of the mountain¡¯s Earth Vein, transforming it into nourishment to evolve itself. Another project that would take a considerable amount of time. Given the size of ck Mountain, even with the Xuanyuan Divine Sword, it would take years to refine it. But Xu Yang was not in a hurry; he had plenty of time. Moreover, with the Divine Sword buried in the mountain, transforming and growing by itself, it did not need constant attention, and he could spare his effort to deal with other matters. However, he did not leave immediately but sat atop the Cumted Thunder Cloud, where at some point he had again taken on the appearance of ¡°Shi Jian.¡± With a sweep of his dust whisk, he said softly, ¡°Come out.¡± Though the words were softly spoken, they traveled far and wide, to a silence that followed. After a moment, streaks of light darted across the sky, apanied by the brilliance of auspicious clouds. Several cultivators, riding clouds, arrived before ck Mountain, bowing deeply to him: ¡°We¡¯ve seen the Heavenly Master!¡± ¡°Fellow Taoists, there is no need for such formality.¡± Xu Yang raised his hand in a gesture, helping them up: ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard guarding the Governors, so here are some Yin Yang Life Transformation Pills from me to regte the Yin and Yang energies. Please ept them.¡± With that, he swept his dust whisk, and several spirit pills flew out. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°How could we?¡± They were startled by this gesture, uncertain what to do with the spirit pillsid before them. Eventually, an elder Taoist spoke up: ¡°Guarding the Governors is our duty, undeserving of reward. How could we ept the spirit pills from the Heavenly Master?¡± Xu Yang smiled: ¡°They¡¯re just a few spirit pills, nothing much really. Just ept them as a small token of my goodwill.¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Alright then!¡± ¡°We thank the Heavenly Master!¡± Since he insisted, the cultivators no longer refused, and with a bow, they epted the spirit pills. Xu Yang sat on the Cumted Thunder Cloud, his Divine Consciousness sweeping through all directions. For forty-nine days, as he refined ck Mountain, thunder roared without cease, with shes of lightning and asional quaking of earth and mountains. Suchmotion could not have failed to draw attention. In fact, all sorts of powers from the Underworld, including those ancient demons on par with ck Mountain, had noticed the changes here. But they did note to help. Those who coulde, dare not. Those who dared, could note. The former goes without saying, their strength was inferior to ck Mountain so naturally they did not have the courage to provoke Xu Yang. Thetter, albeit on par with ck Mountain, were much like the ck Mountain Old Demon, constrained by their true forms and unable to leave theirirs; even if they wanted to help, they were powerless to do so. Of course, they probably did not have the desire to help in the first ce. After all, they were demons; to expect demons to aid each other was unrealistic. At most, they would join an opportunistic battle where there were spoils to be had. But when facing an unbeatable foe, it was every demon for itself. Hence, the demons did note; instead, many sects from Taoism did. In this world, there is the Dual Realm of Yin and Yang: the realm of the living for the Yang, and the realm of the dead for the Yin, with clear boundaries and specific duties. But since the Ancient Times, the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit had be dormant, and Ancient Immortal Gods ascended to higher realms, severely disrupting the order of the Dual Realm of Yin and Yang. The Underworld in particr, as the dwelling for lost souls, had ¡°Underworld Governors¡± responsible for the reincarnation of True Spirits. During the Ancient Times, there was a host of Governors and Nether Gods managing it. After the ascension of these Governors and Nether Gods, the Underworld was left without divine governance, and with the Governors unable to enforcews, order grew chaotic. Numerous Evil Ghosts imed territory as their own, disrupting the bnce of Yin and Yang and destroying the cycle of reincarnation, causing turmoil in the Underworld and even affecting the Yang realm. Fortunately, the Ancient Immortal Gods had foresight. The major sects of Taoism had long since cultivated Divine Guard Generals, who were sent into the Governors to maintain order; each sect also appointed a True Monarch to oversee, barely managing to maintain the status of the Underworld. The Taoists who came were the Daoist True Monarchs stationed by the major Taoist sects in the Governors. Xu Yang genuinely appreciated these individuals who were actually doing the work. Of course, he simrly admired their Taoist traditions, divine skills, and Mana Points. Although he could not directly request anything from them now, establishing good rtions and doing them a favor was always beneficial. These True Monarchs found this very agreeable. ¡°Beneath the great reputation lies a true man indeed!¡± ¡°This Daoist Master Mingxiao is truly kind and benevolent!¡± ¡°With such mighty mana, even the ck Mountain Old Demon couldn¡¯t escape his grasp?¡± ¡°Such spirit pills are a gift of nature; no wonder the Mingxiao sect has thrived so well these years.¡± ¡°Indeed, he is the most outstanding figure in Taoism in recent centuries. Unfortunately, his path does not align with our Buddhism¡¡± Among the group of Taoists, there were also two monks who, though they received spirit pills, inwardly sighed. Xu Yang saw it but did not point it out, simply saying, ¡°While it¡¯s nothing new to mention, I must remind everyone that Pudu Cihang is no benignant force and harbors great ambitions. My fellow Taoist friends in the Northern Territory must be very cautious and on guard.¡± Chapter 202 - 144: Planning_2 Chapter 202: Chapter 144: nning_2 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°This¡¡± Several Taoist men looked at each other in dismay, unsure how to respond to these words. The two monks smiled bitterly, pressed their palms together in a salute and said, ¡°Heavenly Master, although there is a conflict of ideologies with the Abbot, it is merely a philosophical disagreement. Why must you nder so? Wasn¡¯t everything clear on Kunlun Mountain two years ago?¡± Xu Yang nced at them with a calm expression, not minding their words, ¡°Whether this matter is true or false, time will tell. I don¡¯t insist that you all believe me, I only ask that you keep these words in mind. In case of adversity, you will not be caught off guard, not to mention the danger of Taoism perishing and bringing disaster to the innocent.¡± ¡°Amitabha!¡± Upon hearing this, both monks fell silent, then sighed in unison, turned around, and left, leaving behind two bottles of Spirit Pills. Their attitude was quite clear. Seeing this, the several True Monarchs could only feel helpless. In the past few years, the world has seen great changes, with heroes appearing in both south and north. In the south, there is no need to say much. The Guo Bei Academy has developed swiftly, rising like a dragon, and the master of the Mingxiao Taoist Temple, the Thunder Lightning Mana King, has been recognized as the foremost person in Taoism in the past thousand years. With the help of the Luotian Dajiao ritual, he has entered the Seventh Realm of Taoism and, as a living Heavenly Master, has swept through the seven provinces of the south, leaving demons and evil spirits of all sorts trembling at the sound of his name. As for the north, although the Chen Dynasty has been established for more than three hundred years, the state apparatus is bloated and gradually decaying. However, since Emperor Xian Zong passed away four years ago, the Great Virtuous Monk returned from his travels, leading Buddhism, and assisting the new emperor, there have also been reforms inaugurating a new era, overhauling the bureaucracy, and reorganizing the court. Besides that, with the Guo Bei Academy¡¯s expansion, conflicting ideologies, and shing interests prompting a migration of southern forces to the north, the situation in the north has gradually stabilized. The new emperor¡¯s policies have greatly enhanced the national strength, and the itinerant monk has been conferred the title of ¡°National Guardian Abbot¡± by the new emperor, with the honorific ¡°Pudu Cihang¡±, also a most distinguished figure in Buddhism in the past thousand years. One as the master of Mingxiao, one as the National Guardian Abbot. One as a Taoist Heavenly Master, one as a Holy Buddhist Monk. The north and the south stand in opposition, each holding sway over their side, both striving for supremacy. Such situations have urred several times throughout history. But the conflicts between Buddhism and Taoism in history often stopped at a certain point. After all, they both belong to the Righteous Path and were faced with the threat of demons. Settling their differences was generally enough; there really was no need to fight to the death or destroy mountains and temples, and eliminate each other¡¯s lineages. But this time¡ The tension between the two sides was very, very thick. First, the master of Mingxiao made a move, proiming to cultivators all over the world and the ten directions of Taoism that Pudu Cihang was a Demon in disguise, holding an ancient artifact in hand and nning to devour the world¡¯s living beings for cultivation resources. Then the National Guardian Abbot struck back, also proiming to the world and the ten directions of Taoism that he was the true Demon in disguise, the so-called ¡°Three Cultivations¡± of Guo Bei were actually all one Demon, with unknown origins and grand schemes. Besides, within the Guo Bei Academy, what they call ¡°Kind Spirit Monsters¡± are all demonic, and these so-called Spirit Pills and miraculous medicines are refined from flesh and blood. Even the provisions produced by the academy are made by coercing human cultivators to farm using their Cultural Qi and Mana. In short, both sides used the other of being a Demon, both imed the other had unknown origins and sinister intentions, and neither would rest until the other was dead. If they were both lone individuals, that would be one thing; if they truly fought each other, even if they perished together, only two lives would be lost. But they are not. Each represents their respective lineage, their respective power. Moreover, their personal charisma is incredibly strong. The master of Mingxiao is righteous and detests evil, and is quick to help the needy. The National Guardian Abbot is a Great Virtuous Monk,passionate in the Buddhist Law. Both sides have their own supporters, even pulling the Taoist and Buddhist circles of the south and north onto their chariots of war. For instance, at the White Cloud Taoist Temple, True Monarch Changrong is utterly devoted to the master of Mingxiao, firmly believing the National Guardian Abbot to be a Demon in disguise. To this end, he travels far and wide, invitingpanions from all quarters, requesting the loan of the Kunlun Mirror from Kunlun Mountain to uncover the true form of Pudu Cihang. In the seven provinces of the south, many Taoist sects and numerous True Monarchs stand firmly with the master of Mingxiao, just as Changrong does. In the northern six provinces, the situation is simr. As a once-in-a-millennium Great Virtuous Monk, the Buddhist Law of Pudu Cihang is truly profound. All major Buddhist sects admire and follow him, likewise boarding his chariot of war. Therefore, this matter is no longer just about the life and death of two individuals; it is about the survival of the Buddhist and Taoist sects of the north and south. If a conflict erupts, it will certainly shake the heavens and the earth and cause countless casualties. The consequences are so severe that all the major Taoist sects are somewhat frightened, afraid the situation might spiral out of control. Finally, after some intermediaries made arrangements, a major Buddhist and Taoist convention was called two years ago. Both the master of Mingxiao and the National Guardian Abbot were invited, and the Kunlun Mirror was borrowed from Kunlun Mountain to verify their identities and prove their ims. The result¡ was inconclusive. These two individuals, one a Daoist Celestial Master and the other a Buddha¡¯s Way spell king, had both cultivated methods to conceal their fates, such that even the Kunlun Mirror could not reveal their roots. Even so, neither side was willing to give in. They stood by their previous statements, and it all devolved into a war of words, nearly causing the situation to spin out of control and nearly turning the great Buddhist and Taoist convention into an all-out battle. Since the Kunlun Mirror could not uncover their true nature, the argument naturally came to no resolution. Both sides remained steadfast in their ims, unwilling to back down, and the northerly and southerly battles of Buddhism and Taoism seemed inevitable, with no chance of turning conflict into harmony. In regard to this, the Northern Territory Taoist Gate and the southern Buddhists had no choice but to remain neutral for the time being. The assembly of True Monarchs who came today were all individuals from the Northern Territory Taoist lineage, because the southern, regardless of Buddhism or Taoism, had all been integrated into the Guo Bei Academy system, and naturally would note to watch. Since it is the orthodoxy of the Northern Taoism, those from Buddhism will surely favor Pudu Cihang. Therefore, the two monks acted very decisively, not arguing with Xu Yang; they left the Spirit Pills behind and departed. The remaining True Monarchs of Taoism had no choice but to ept this. As part of the Northern Territory¡¯s Taoist orthodoxy and True Monarchs of Taoism, they naturally leaned towards Xu Yang¡¯s side. However, Cihang Pudu, the National Guardian Abbot, was impable in his actions. Though a Holy Monk of Buddhism, he held exceedingly high prestige among the Northern Territory¡¯s Taoist Gates. They, too, did not wish to take sides with their orthodoxy and could only choose neutrality. Under these circumstances, it seemed inappropriate to ept the Spirit Pills. But to refuse would be to slight the host of Mingxiao Taoist Temple. The True Monarchs felt somewhat helpless. Xu Yang shook his head too, ¡°Those involved are often confused; the bystanders see things clearly. Esteemed Taoist friends, do as you see fit!¡± With these words, there was an implied suggestion for the guests to leave. A few True Monarchs exchanged nces and were also inclined to leave. But no sooner had they turned to go, than one of them looked back, curiosity prompting him to ask, ¡°Heavenly Master, with this demon ying, have you opened another Luotian Dajiao?¡± Sitting upon the clouds, Xu Yang nodded, ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Hearing this, they were all taken aback. The Luotian Dajiao, a grand Taoist ceremonial rite, is extraordinarily potent but vastly consuming. Even with the full support of a nation, it cannot be performed many times. Look at the Chen Dynasty; despite over three hundred years since its founding, it has only held five such grand rites of Taoism and Buddhism. Five years ago, for the Demon of Mount Mang, a Luotian Dajiao was held in North City¡¯s territory. Now, five yearster, facing the ck Mountain Old Demon, with North City upying the South, another Luotian Dajiao was held. How¡ Could Guo Bei Academy¡¯s resources be so abundant? To hold two great rites within a five-year span? The implication was rming. By contrast, even with a new emperor ascending the throne in the North, Buddhism¡¯s aid, and the enactment of new policies, could the effects of a decaying resurgence trulypare to that of a burgeoning advance? Let alone two great rituals, the Chen Dynasty might now struggle to afford even one. Advantages and disadvantages, strengths and weaknesses, were gradually bing clear. But still¡ That person gazed at Xu Yang, hesitating, but ultimately his curiosity could not be restrained, ¡°Heavenly Master, with your current cultivation, ascension is easy. Why must you relentlessly oppose Buddhism to the bitter end?¡± ¡°Indeed, why not let go of the dispute and seek the Way together?¡± ¡°Both North and South are involved, involving Buddha¡¯s Way; should war break out, countless lives will surely be devastated.¡± ¡°Heavenly Master, is there truly no room for reconciliation?¡± Upon hearing this, several True Monarchs of Taoism also began to voice their persuasion. As people of the Northern Territory Taoist Gate, they still preferred neutrality, hoping both sides could convert hostilities into friendship. However¡ Xu Yang shook his head and calmly said, ¡°I have said all I can. There is nothing more to say. Remember my words, and time will tell.¡± Having said that, he paid no mind to how the others responded, swept away the dust with his Buddha¡¯s broom, and rode the clouds away. Good advice is wasted on the damned! But for years, he had been persuading the major Taoist Gates, and even Buddhism, to beware of Pudu Cihang. It felt like putting a warm face to a cold posterior. It was not that he stooped low, but that it would cause trouble for Pudu Cihang. Besides, it alsoid a groundwork that could assist him in gathering the various Taoist orthodoxy¡¯s right teachings for the future. Having been a human for several lifetimes, and nearly a thousand years as a mortal emperor, he was used to being misunderstood and even maligned in such matters. Whether the world understood or was grateful was not important. What mattered was whether he could achieve his goals and reap the results. Chapter 203 - 145: Rebellion_1 Chapter 203: Chapter 145: Rebellion_1 Trantor: 549690339 Guo Bei Academy, Xu Yang returned, back to his home. ¡°Young Master!¡± Miss Xin Shisi came to greet him and saw a smile on his face, she already knew the result, but still asked, ¡°Was your journey smooth?¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Xu Yang chuckled lightly, embracing her waist. ¡°Order the word passed down, a grand feast for three days, a celebration for all under heaven!¡± After speaking, he bent his head for a kiss, causing the beauty to moan softly, her cheeks flushing with misty tears. Although she was a married woman and the couple had been so for years, she still showed a young girl¡¯s shyness at intimate moments. The handmaidens standing by, too, promptly withdrew with discernment, turning to prepare for the grand feast. Xu Yang was to host a banquet, a grand feast for all under heaven to celebrate together. It wasn¡¯t that he was indulging in pleasure and idleness, pursuing enjoyment as soon as he achieved a little sess. Rather, it was¡ social propriety, something that must be done. The Orchid Ghost Realm had been entrenched for many years, always seen as a thorn in Jinhua¡¯s side. Now that it had been uprooted, by reason and emotion, it was necessary to proim it to the world. It would not only stabilize the public heart but also enhance prestige¡ªwhy not do it? Additionally, this demon-subduing ritual brought forth efforts from all aspects. Once victory was secured, it was appropriate to acknowledge contributions and rewards, thereby benefiting unity among the people. Also, it was an opportunity, a chance to see the reaction of others. Pressure, after all, is always rtive. The presence of Pudu Cihang was a constant worry in his heart, but wasn¡¯t he also the sword hanging over Pudu Cihang¡¯s head? Now that he had in the ck Mountain Old Demon, aplishing what past Heavenly Masters couldn¡¯t, it would undoubtedly redouble the pressure on Pudu Cihang. He was certain to do something. Therefore, Xu Yang gave him the opportunity, let him put on a show, to see what tactics he could employ. Three dayster, the banquet began. Guo Bei, adorned withnterns and streamers, celebrated with all under heaven. Even the seven provinces, in various sub-branches, all partook in the beneficence. ¡°White Cloud Taoist Temple, True Monarch Changrong has arrived!¡± ¡°Qingping Taoist Temple, True Man Qinghe has arrived!¡± ¡°Mana Bright Temple, White Mountain Master has arrived!¡± ¡°Phoenix Song Mountain, Fairy Qingluan has arrived!¡± ¡°¡¡± That night, with the moon high and lights shining bright, the entire city was destined for sleeplessness. The banquet flowed like a river, with distinguished guests filling the seats. Laughter and greetings were exchanged, and from time to time, radiance soared into the sky, and auspicious clouds descended as various high-ranking Taoists arrived to offer their congrattions. Amidst the worldly fireworks and immortal spells, a unique charm emerged under their mutual reflection. Apart from the people from Guo Bei Academy itself, there were also those who had joined the system and boarded the same warship, including the major Taoist sects and some hesitant, wavering neutral forces unsure of where to cast their lot. Anyone could see that this banquet was not just a simple celebration of victory, but also carried a strong ¡°political¡± overtone, determining the fate not only of the seven southern provinces, north and southnds, the three major sects, all Taoist Unity, but also the entire world¡¯s destiny. Therefore, no one dared to treat this lightly; all invitees made sure to attend this grand banquet. At the banquet, guests took their seats, clearly separated by their affiliations. The Taoists were led by True Monarch Changrong, nked by Great Schrs from Confucian Gate and high monks from Buddhism. Now, with the southern seven provinces, the Three Teaching Sects, and the major Taoist sects¡ªeven Loose Cultivators from the Taoist Temples¡ªall under the Guo Bei Academy, there was indeed no shortage of True Monarchs present, totaling thirty-six. They represented the southern Cultivation Realm. On the other side, various demon immortals, led by Fairy Qingluan from Fengwu Mountain, along with several Kind Spirit Monsters who had stepped into the sixth realm. Although they were fewer in number, their power was not to be underestimated, and they were even closer to the Academy than the major sects, some with the intent to fullymit. After all, as Spirit Monsters, they need not consider the inheritance of the sects, nor are they concerned with sectarian views; survival is their primary concern. Many Kind Spirit Monsters had in the past joined the major Taoist sects, bing the so-called Divine beasts guarding the mountains or even mounts and pets. Now, faced with the Guo Bei Academy, which offered better treatment and equal status, what reason did they have to refuse? Three Teaching Sects, all Taoist Unity, the entire southern Cultivation Realm, along with a bunch of demon immortals, the Taoist True Monarchs present, and Cultivators of the sixth realm, nearly amounted to fifty in total. At any time and ce, they formed a force that could not be ignored. Below the True Monarchs were the True Men, not to mention the countless, there were thousands, mostly disciples of the Academy and Kind Spirit Monsters, followed by disciples from the major sects. As for Mages below True Men¡ they could only be arranged on the periphery. There were three main seats set aside in the banquet hall, all currently empty. But the crowd didn¡¯t have to wait long, as two figures soon arrived hand in hand. One stood tall and proud, brimming with a brave and extraordinary aura, subtly holding great power and authority, and also disyed schrly grace. The other wore a striking red robe over an impable white attire, her youthful appearance rivaling that of a nation¡¯s beauty, stunningly exquisite. The two entered together, hand in hand, immediately bing the center of attention in the room. ¡°Greetings to the headmaster!¡± ¡°Brother Dao of Sword Minister!¡± ¡°Young Master Liuxian!¡± The crowd stood up, each paying their respects. ¡°The presence of such distinguished guests brings glory to this humble ce.¡± ¡°Please!¡± Xu Yang smiled, took his seat, and then invited the rest to do the same, before finally speaking, ¡°Today we have a grand celebration, a joy shared by all under heaven. My two elder brothers should have been here, but just recently, while sweeping through the Orchid Ghost Realm, my eldest brother witnessed the disorder of the ghostly realms and the chaos of Yin and Yang, and thus he wished to restore the order of the Dual Realm of Yin and Yang, establishing the Yin Mountain Mansion to uphold thews of the Governors.¡± ¡°Yin Mountain Mansion?¡± The crowd was momentarily startled upon hearing this. But soon the Taoist True Monarchs came to an understanding and unanimously praised, ¡°Brother Dao of Yin Mountain has boundless merit!¡± It had been said before that the order of the Yin and Yang realms was deteriorating. Hence, each major Taoist sect had to allocate resources to maintain the order of the Governors, to prevent the chaos of Yin and Yang. However, the Netherworld was perilously dangerous, not only infested with numerous Evil Ghosts but also inhabited by age-old demons like those from ck Mountain. Even for the major Taoist sects, they could only barely maintain the situation in the Netherworld, and with regards to self-governing entities like the City of Unjust Death, they were willing but powerless to regte. Chapter 204 - 145: Rebellion_2 Chapter 204: Chapter 145: Rebellion_2 Trantor: 549690339 Even so, entering the Netherworld and establishing the order of the afterlife is also a symbol and expression of a top-ranking Taoist sect. It can bring fame and power, but it alsoes with obligations and responsibilities. Now, Guo Bei Academy has be the master of the south; if it were also to establish the order of the Netherworld, its authority would be all the more justified. ¡°That is one point,¡± ¡°And there is another.¡± The crowd had just received news from the Yin Mountain Mansion and hadn¡¯t yet digested it when they saw Xu Yang open his mouth and say, ¡°My second brother enforces thew, eradicates demons, but looking across the world, there are more than just those in ck Mountain causing cmity. Therefore, my second brother has decided to purge the world, exterminate the group of demons, and for this reason, is absent from this banquet. I hope you all understand.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Everyone was startled upon hearing this, but they soon came to terms with it, and True Monarch Changrong even stroked his beard and said with a smile, ¡°The Taoist Master still despises evil as vehemently as before; now those demons are in for trouble.¡± There was an implication in his words. Indeed, there was! Despite having the image of a kind old man, one must never assume that a True Monarch is without schemes or intelligence, in and simple. True Monarch Changrong saw through the ingenuity of Xu Yang¡¯s strategy with just a nce. It was an open strategy aimed directly at Pudu Cihang! Pudu Cihang is a demon that wishes to swallow the world whole and turn it into nourishment for itself. But it cannot possibly stand against the entire world alone, devouring all directions. When the timees to cause trouble, there must be demonic minions ¡ª especially those age-old great demons ¡ª who will definitely be its aplices, joining this frenzied battle to intercept the cultivators of the major Taoist sects. Now, under the name of Daoist Celestial Master, Xu Yang¡¯s cleansing of the world¡¯s demons is a tant move to cut off Pudu Cihang¡¯s arms, weakening its power. Pudu Cihang has no grounds to oppose it and can at most covertly intervene, helping those demons to hide away. If a hand is extended too many times, it might just slip up. This move is formidable indeed. Furthermore, purging the world of demonses with many gains, and by using them as resources, the strength of Guo Bei Academy is sure to leap forward dramatically. This is truly putting Pudu Cihang on the grill! True Monarch Changrong can already foresee the doubled pressure on the north after this news spreads. It wasn¡¯t only True Monarch Changrong who saw things clearly; the other True Monarchs were also insightful, quickly understanding the intricacies inside. Beyond their admiration, they began to feel upbeat about the future prospects. At that moment, Xu Yang raised his ss and said with a lightugh, ¡°Although the two elder brothers are not present, the three of us share honor and disgrace. I toast to you all as an expression of my sentiments.¡± ¡°Taoist Friend Liuxian is too kind.¡± ¡°Please!¡± Upon hearing this, the others also smiled and raised their sses in response. Just as the host and guests were thoroughly enjoying themselves¡ ¡°The imperial envoy has arrived!¡± A shrill shout disrupted the atmosphere of the banquet. Frowning, the crowd exchanged nces and then looked towards the source of the voice. They then saw a group approach, entering the area. At the head of the group, one was a young man dressed in a dragon robe, and the other was a middle-aged monk with amanding presence, tall in stature as if he were a protector deity. ¡°This¡¡± Seeing this scene, everyone frowned, but no one spoke, instead turning their gazes to Xu Yang. Xu Yang didn¡¯t make a move, allowing the neers to approach the center of the banquet. They left their guards outside and walked into the middle of the banquet area alone. Then the young man lifted an object in his hand, looked around at everyone, and directed his gaze towards the seat of honor: ¡°The imperial edict is here, where is Li Liuxian?¡± ¡°Impudence!¡± At these words, a disciple of the academy angrily mmed the table and stood up: ¡°Who are you to call my master by his name so casually?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± The young man smiled unconcernedly, ¡°I am King Zhao of the royal family of Great Chen, the brother of the Emperor. I am now serving as the imperial envoy, here to announce the decree. Where is Li Liuxian?¡± ¡°What audacity¡¡± Seeing him assume such an attitude, the crowd grew angrier and were about to act. Yet, Xu Yang waved his hand, ¡°Read it.¡± ¡°So you are Li Liuxian. Indeed, meeting a person is better than hearing of them.¡± With a smile, the young man opened the imperial edict and read aloud, ¡°By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees, Li Liuxian is talented beyond measure, esteemed by all under the sky, truly a pir of the state and a support of society. Now bestowed with the title of King Zhennan, to forever govern the southernnds, his title shall be hereditary and never change with the country sharing his prosperity. Guo Bei Academy is hereby dered the premier academy in all thend¡¡± As they listened to the youth read the decree, everyone was speechless, with furrowed brows. Is this an imperial decree? Not a joke? Has there ever been such an absurd imperial decree? No no no, although the reasoning is absurd, upon closer consideration, it may well reflect the Chen Dynasty¡¯s stance toward that National Guardian Abbot, right? King Zhennan, to forever govern the southernnds? Could it be that they are willing to concede, seeking peace to achieve a division of north and south? No, no, that¡¯s not it. If there were a desire for peace, why would they send someone like him, especially at such a gathering? What on earth do they intend to do? In the hearts of the crowd, doubt piled upon doubt. At that moment, the youth had finished reading the decree, his smile enigmatic as he looked toward the stage, ¡°Congrattions to King Zhennan, please receive the decree.¡± Xu Yang looked at him and simply smiled, ¡°A guest is a guest, find them a ce to sit.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Hearing this, someone immediately stood up and cleared a seat. Seeing this, the youth was fearless, ¡°King Zhennan is indeed hospitable.¡± Having said this, he and the monk boldly took their seats. This action plunged the atmosphere into awkwardness; people exchanged nces, unsure of what to do. At this moment¡ ¡°Ha!¡± A light chuckle drew attention, and it was the youth who spoke again, ¡°There¡¯s food and drink, yet no songs or dances. How can this pass for a feast? s, this king arrived in haste and did not bring any dancers.¡± After speaking, his gaze shifted, looking at Xu Yang, ¡°King Zhennan, I hear your Guo Bei Academy teaches all without distinction, even women can enroll. Even those from the Jiangnan Top Ten Huakui and the Qinhuai Eight Beauties have been admitted into your academy, which really arouses envy. Could we perhaps invite them to present a song and dance for our enjoyment?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Upon hearing this, everyone was astonished, looking unbelievably at King Zhao. Is this man¡ mad? Does he know what he¡¯s doing? Or is he doing this deliberately? What exactly is Pudu Cihang up to? As everyone was stunned, Xu Yang remained indifferent. Seeing this, King Zhao grew even more audacious, ¡°But I reckon that even the Jiangnan Top Ten Huakui and the Qinhuai Eight Beauties do notpare with the beauty at King Zhennan¡¯s side. Could we perhaps ask King Zhennan to¡¡± ¡°Drag him down and execute him!¡± Before the words were finished, they were abruptly cut off from above. The scene tensed, and immediately action was taken, moving toward King Zhao. Although he had expected such an oue, witnessing it caused King Zhao¡¯s expression to change, and he began to shout loudly, ¡°Li Liuxian, I am an envoy appointed by the Emperor, the brother of the Emperor, a royal prince of Great Chen, you dare¡¡± Before he could finish, he was seized and dragged out of his seat. ¡°Amitabha!¡± Seeing this, the middle-aged monk finally stood up, reciting the Buddha¡¯s name in calm protest, ¡°When nations are at war, envoys should not be harmed. What you do¡¡± ¡°Go back and tell Pudu Cihang.¡± Again interrupted before finishing, Xu Yang cast his gaze downward, indifferently speaking, ¡°Such trifling tricks won¡¯t help him in any way. Present something more convincing, or else his days are numbered!¡± Chapter 205: 146 Chapter: Water and Land_1 Chapter 205: 146 Chapter: Water and Land_1 Trantor: 549690339 A banquet, an unexpected twist, actually led to tremendous changes in the world. The next day, news spread like wildfire across thend. ¡°North City¡¯s Li Liuxian, defying the imperial edict, murdered the prince, and has be a traitor, to be hunted by parties from all directions!¡± ¡°The imperial court dispatched a million troops, marching south to suppress the rebel, determined to pacify the disloyal subject.¡± ¡°Overnight, the seven provinces of the south changed their allegiance, alling under the jurisdiction of the Guo Bei Academy.¡± ¡°The six provinces of the north were greatly shaken, and thereafter, the major noble families united their strength, generously donating funds to assist the imperial court in eradicating the rebellion.¡± ¡°The great Taoist schools also entered the fray, with the conflict between Buddhism and Taoism about to erupt!¡± ¡°Both sides took Qinhuai as the boundary, forming a standoff between the north and the south!¡± Thus began the turbulence of war-torn times. But no one would have thought that this beginning wouldst fifteen years! The north and south remained deadlocked. During those fifteen years, neither sideunched an offensive, instead strengthening their fortifications, training their soldiers, and stockpiling provisions. This situation wasn¡¯t strange at all. Because everyone knew, in this world, what decided the oue of battles wasn¡¯t numerous soldiers and horses, but Taoist cultivators. If the cultivators didn¡¯t move, what was the use of soldiers ughtering each other in battle? Meaningless attrition was something neither side would engage in, so such a stalemate was within reason. Fifteen yearster. The capital city of the Northern Territory. It was the peak of summer, and despite being in the north, there was little relief from the heat. Although summer nights were stifling, the hearts of the people were tranquil and peaceful. The city was festooned with lights, as if a grand event were about to take ce. In front of every home, there was an altar with incense burning, and it wasden with fruits and vegetarian offerings. At street corners and alleys, almsgiving took ce, with monastery monks opening their doors wide, offering relief to the poor. In addition, in the major temples, tens of thousands of monks chanted Buddhist scriptures in unison, with the solemn Brahma Sound¡¯s chanting echoing immensely, like the striking of a great bell, shaking the hearts of people, awakening profound realizations. Only outside the city, along the Zhishui River, was it slightly deserted. If it were any normal time in the bustling capital, the river would surely be filled with pleasure boats, Huakui¡¯sughter, and endless romantic escapades. But due to the convening of the ¡°Water-Land Dharma Assembly,¡± there were taboos within and outside the city, and such businesses of pleasure had to cease the drums and lower the banners. Unable to do business, unable to attract customers, thentern-less pleasure boats were quietly moored on the water, being battered by the wind. It was on one such pleasure boat. ¡°Miss, why have youe out again?¡± A strikingly attractive woman in red sat by the railing, staring into the distance at the brightly lit capital city, lost in deep thought, silent for a long time. An attendant quickly approached her side, covering her with a cloak: ¡°You know your own body, catching wind, getting cold, what would we do? Even though these past few days there is a Water-Land Dharma Assembly in the city and we don¡¯t have to entertain guests, should you still torment yourself like this?¡± The woman did not speak, letting the attendant attend to her, and after a long while, she finally said, ¡°Die, after the Water-Land Dharma Assembly ends, won¡¯t it be time for me to leave the pavilion?¡± Seeing her despondent, like a walking corpse, the attendant realized and sighed deeply, speaking sorrowfully, ¡°Miss, rest assured, Mother said she would find you a good ce.¡± ¡°A good ce?¡± Upon hearing this, the woman let out a bitterugh, ¡°What good ce? After she has made a fortune out of me, surely the courtesan manager will be reced by the brothel keeper, do you really think I am a three-year-old child?¡± ¡°Miss, you mustn¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± The attendant¡¯s face changed, quickly covering her mouth: ¡°If someone were to hear this, it would be terrible.¡± Gazing at the attendant and then back at that brightly lit capital with its faint Buddha¡¯s light and constant flow of Brahma Sound, the woman murmured, ¡°The Buddha ispassionate, saving all beings, why won¡¯t he spare a nce at me? Could it be that I¡¯ve really sinned in a past life, destined to suffer in this life?¡± ¡°Miss, please don¡¯t say anymore!¡± The attendant, hearing her speak so, turned as white as a ghost, quickly holding her, begging, ¡°Let¡¯s go back, shall we?¡± Seeing the attendant so frightened, the woman knew she had spoken too much, closed her eyes, nodded slightly, and got up to leave. However, just as she rose to turn her head, she caught a glimpse of something startling¡ªa lone figure. Upon the river under the full moon, a single light boat floated, with a person standing alone on the boat, in a green robe floating ethereally, as though he was close at hand, yet also distant on the horizon. Caifeng was startled, standing in ce for a moment, as if possessed, she inexplicably called out, ¡°Excuse me, sir, the night air is cold, would you care toe aboard for a drink?¡± ¡°Sir? What sir?¡± The attendant, notprehending, followed her gaze and then saw the figure, equally astonished. The man turned his head, looking at the two on the boat, and smiled, stepping toward them. With one step, he traversed space as if it were nothing, appearing instantly beside them. This kind of skill made Caifeng¡¯s heart skip a beat, and she hastily bowed, saying, ¡°My name is Caifeng, I have the honor of meeting you, sir. May I inquire of your name?¡± Li Liuxian smiled and said, ¡°My surname is Li, named Liuxian.¡± ¡°Li Liuxian?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Caifeng was shocked, her face full of astonishment, but she quickly regained herposure, sizing up the man before her, then bowing again, ¡°So you are Master Li. Today, the pleasure boat is not receiving guests, but it can entertain friends. If Master Li doesn¡¯t mind, would you like toe inside for a chat?¡± Clearly, she did not recognize him as the infamous Li Jieyuan, mistaking him for someone with the same name by coincidence. Li Liuxian, seeing her, responded with a light smile, ¡°That would be nice.¡± ¡°Die, go to the kitchen quickly and prepare some food and drinks.¡± Caifeng eximed with joy, ordering the attendant, then turning to say, ¡°Sir, pleasee in!¡± Chapter 206 - 146: Water and Land_2 Chapter 206: Chapter 146: Water and Land_2 Trantor: 549690339 Xu Yang smiled and went with her. Upon arriving in the room, Caifeng habitually said, ¡°I have some knowledge of music, so how about I y a piece on the zither to entertain the young master?¡± Xu Yang shook his head, ¡°I came to inquire about something from thedy.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Caifeng nced at him, ¡°Please feel free to ask, young master.¡± Xu Yang smiled and said, ¡°Is there a Water-Land Dharma Assembly being held in the city?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Caifeng nodded her head and borated, ¡°I heard that the Emperor¡¯s new policies are showing great effectiveness, the nation is peaceful and the people secure, the rivers clear and the seas calm. Therefore, His Majesty issued a decree to invite the National Guardian Abbot to conduct a Water-Land Dharma Assembly, to dispel disasters, pray for blessings, protect the popce, and to aid in the suppression of southern rebellions¡¡± As she spoke, she suddenly stopped, gazing fixedly at Xu Yang. Xu Yang looked back at her and smiled, ¡°Does thedy have something to say?¡± ¡°I¡¡± Caifeng¡¯s speech halted, a glimmer of hope shed in her eyes, but it was quickly extinguished like a snuffed out me, ¡°It is already a great fortune for me to meet the young master, I dare not yearn for more.¡± Xu Yang smiled and abruptly asked, ¡°Do you want me to save you?¡± Caifeng stared at him, taken aback by his directness, and it took her a while to gather her wits before hurriedly saying, ¡°Caifeng knows, the young master is extraordinary, surely a Spell Cultivator, but Caifeng is trapped in the bitter sea of the mortal world and does not wish to implicate the young master¡¡± Her words were filled with tears, half true, half false, and even she could not clearly discern if she was trying to use modesty to elicit sympathy or if she genuinely did not want to burden him by getting involved in this matter. It must be the former, right? Otherwise, why would she have suddenly taken the initiative to invite him aboard her boat? But could he really save her from this sea of suffering? The owner of this Phoenix Perch Building was that person! Even a Cultivator might not dare to provoke him, right? Perhaps it was better not to involve others. Her thoughts were in disarray, tangled and hard to unravel. Seeing this, Xu Yang also remained silent. As the atmosphere grew more intense¡ ¡°Bang!¡± The door burst open, and a maid rushed in, panic-stricken, eximing, ¡°Miss, it¡¯s terrible, your mother has returned, and she¡¯s heading this way! That person¡ Eh?¡± She scanned the room, her gaze wandering in search of someone, but there was no trace of anyone¡¯s presence, as if no one had been there at all. Witnessing this, Caifeng, too, was startled, herplexion turning pale. Just then, footsteps sounded, and another group of people entered the room, lead by a mboyantly dressed madam and several brawny guards. ¡°Phoebe, I heard you had a guest. Where are they? Let Mama have a look, to make sure you haven¡¯t been deceived by some stranger¡¡± The madam walked into the room, searching around. Caifeng quickly snapped out of it and hurriedly said, ¡°There¡¯s nobody here, Mama, you¡¯re just being paranoid.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The madam looked at her suspiciously, searched the room once more to ensure there was nobody else there and then spoke, ¡°Good, there¡¯s nobody. Some distinguished guests have arrived and need yourpany. Go and freshen up.¡± ¡°Distinguished guests?¡± Caifeng was startled and slightly panicked, ¡°I thought that during the Water-Land Dharma Assembly¡¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t speak of it, and I don¡¯t speak of it, who will know?¡± The madam red at her, ¡°Enough, get ready. I¡¯ll go and invite the guests over.¡± Without waiting for her response, she turned and left. Caifeng fell silent for a moment, then quietly began to apply her makeup. Shortly after, a group of young men d in splendid garments arrived in the room. ¡°Is this Miss Caifeng?¡± ¡°Indeed, a peerless beauty among mortals!¡± ¡°Third Hall¡ Brother Liang, tonight is your lucky night.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha!¡± Laughter filled the air as several men took their seats. Caifeng also yed the lute to apany them. They toasted and drank, their spirits rising high, and it wasn¡¯t long before they started discussing strategies and tactics. ¡°That Li Liuxian really doesn¡¯t act like a filial son. Jiangnan, with all its romantic charm, what has he turned it into?¡± ¡°Exactly, he won¡¯t even allow brothels to operate. All the women have entered his academy, and he enjoys all the beautiful women in the world by himself, without giving others the chance to even take a nce!¡± ¡°Hmph, I don¡¯t think he will be able to leap about for much longer. Everyone knows that the southern rebels gain their strength from the North City Three Demons. The Abbot¡¯s all-seeing eye reaches heaven, and he¡¯s already seen through the demons¡¯ true forms. They pretend to be three, but in reality, they are one devil, deceiving the world and stealing honor while being hollow inside.¡± ¡°In the past, the Abbot schemed to provoke their rebellion. That North City Old Demon, not recognizing his fate, openly defied the imperial decree, murdered a prince, and even raised a rebel banner, dering himself emperor. He is indeed courting death.¡± ¡°Emperors are revered, connected to all the people. That North City Old Demon self-proimed as king will surely be shackled by the karma of millions. It would be good enough if his cultivation does not regress, yet he dreams of further progress?¡± ¡°This time, the Emperor has exhausted the nation¡¯s resources, and all sides have generously donated to support the Abbot in holding the Water-Land Dharma Assembly. With the vast Buddhist Law¡¯s blessings, we will move south to clean up the rebels and surely y that North City Old Demon.¡± The men continued to toast and drink merrily. But Caifeng seemed somewhat distracted and, in apse of attention, snapped a string of her lute and cut her finger. ¡°Miss!¡± As the lute¡¯s music crashed, fresh blood spilled. The maid Xiaodie¡¯s face changed, and she hurriedly took out a handkerchief to bandage her up. The banqueting men also noticed themotion and, seeing Caifeng¡¯s delicate demeanor, their eyes lit up. They all turned their attention to the central figure and said teasingly, ¡°Brother Liang, Caifeng is still a brothel girl who must wait until the end of the Dharma Assembly before leaving the Phoenix Perch Building. We can¡¯t break the rules, so why not forget about tonight?¡± Although the words seemed to advise, they were, in fact, veiled with sharp criticism and insinuation. ¡°Hmph!¡± As expected, upon hearing this, the finely dressed young master sneered, ¡°What rules? They are just set by my second brother. I¡¯ll talk to him tomorrow, and that will settle it. Tonight, I have invited everyone here, so the rest of you may leave.¡± With that, he stood up and staggered toward Caifeng. ¡°This¡ Young master, you mustn¡¯t!¡± Caifeng¡¯s face changed, and she quickly propped herself up, trying to flee with Xiaodie¡¯s help. ¡°You, why are you running!¡± The young master, his face flushed with drunkenness, was seized by anger when his grab fell short. He immediately kicked over the lute stand in a furious outburst. Caifeng backed away in terror, only to bump into someone. Someone who hadn¡¯t been seen earlier! ¡°Young master¡¡± Seeing the person reappearing before her, Caifeng was lost in shock, uncertain if it was real or a fantasy. Xu Yang smiled, ¡°As a person, sometimes you don¡¯t have to think too much.¡± ¡°Young master¡¡± Caifeng looked at him, unsure of what to say. Meanwhile, the other men snapped back to attention. ¡°Who are you, daring toe here to cause trouble, seeking death¡¡± ¡°Pu!¡± A sword silenced their angry words. The men stood frozen, faces filled with disbelief. Then blood sttered, and heads flew off. In an instant, the room was filled with a horror that reeked of blood. Xu Yang paid them no mind, pointing a finger at Caifeng¡¯s forehead, then casually tossed a cloud of mist toward her, ¡°Go.¡± Only then did Caifeng snap out of her daze. She looked at him, then at the cloud in front of her, a mix of surprise and joy, and said repeatedly, ¡°Thank you, young master, thank you!¡± Xu Yang shook his head, turned away, and looked out toward the capital, ¡°How many can escape such a great cmity?¡± After speaking, he didn¡¯t wait for their reaction, his sword¡¯s light shooting up, straight into the heart of the capital. Although his hopes were slim, some things still had to be attempted; regardless of the oue, efforts must be exhausted to be free of regrets. Chapter 207 - 147: Tathagata_1 Chapter 207: Chapter 147: Tathagata_1 Trantor: 549690339 The Water-Land Dharma Assembly, an unprecedentedly grand asion. At every street corner and within the deep pce courtyards, altars and incense tables were everywhere to be seen. But the grandest spectacle was within the imperial pce, at the site of the Heaven and Earth Altar. On the high altar, under the heavens, steps of white jade led up where the current Son of Heaven, leading the royal family and officials both civil and military, came forth to offer sacrifices. Furthermore, high monks from the major Buddhist temples, leading three thousand six hundred monks, were divided into upper, middle, and lower sections, chanting sutras and presiding over the sacrificial rites. At this moment, looking up at the Heavenly Altar, dozens of high monks from Buddhism stood to the left and right, donned in kasayas, radiating a dignified treasure-like aura. The Buddhist high monks, on par with the True Monarchs of Taoism and the Great Schrs of Confucian Gate, are all Sixth Realm cultivators. Now that there are so many, it is apparent how profound the Buddhist foundation is. Buddhist high monks stood on each side, and in the center there knelt reverently the civil and military officials, along with rtives of the royal house. At the very summit, there stood one person wearing the twelve-symbols court robe, the most solemn of regal attires ¨C the emperor of the Chen Dynasty, the current Son of Heaven. Even as the emperor, at this moment he knelt down as well, sincerely offering sacrifices to the deities. Only one person stood by his side ¨C a middle-aged monk. This person appeared androgynous, not like amon human, and within the sanctity and dignity there was also a sense ofpassion, dressed in a brocaded Buddhist robe that gleamed with golden light yet without the slightest air of vulgarity, only a sense of utter sacredness. It was none other than the National Guardian Abbot, the Great Virtuous Holy Monk ¨C Pudu Cihang. As the Son of Heaven conducted the sacrifices, the Abbot presided, and the resounding Brahma chant echoed like the tide, with the golden glow of Buddha¡¯s light illuminating the entire sky. Such was the scene of ¡°The Great Assembly of the Dharma Realm¡¯s Sacred and Ordinary Water-Land Pudu.¡± However¡ A sword light descended from the heavens, disrupting this harmonious ambiance, this sacred sacrifice. ¡°Hmm!?¡± Above the Heavenly Altar, the eyes of the several dozen Buddhist high monks standing left and right of the jade steps all became sharp and focused. They knew that there was only one who would dare to wield a sword into the pce at this moment, to stir chaos in this Water-Land Assembly ¨C it could only be one person. Indeed¡ In front of the Heavenly Altar, as the sword light fell, it revealed the figure of a person. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Seize them!¡± The Heavenly Altar was heavily guarded, and upon seeing this, soldiers of the Imperial Forest Army immediately drew their swords and rushed toward the intruder. However¡ ¡°Pff!!!¡± Without moving, his sword autonomously came into action, instantly shattering armor. A number of guards stood frozen in ce, followed by a spurt of blood sshing, staining the jade steps with their dreadful screams. Yet, he disregarded everything and strode toward the Heavenly Altar. Despite the painful lesson just witnessed, a mere few deaths clearly weren¡¯t enough to intimidate the Imperial Forest Army. Suddenly, two phnxes of soldiers, fearless in the face of death, came charging like dragons to apprehend him. However¡ ¡°Amitabha Buddha!¡± Above the white jade steps, the chant of Buddha resonated as a high monk swept out two streams of Buddha¡¯s light with his sleeves, stopping the death-bound Imperial Forest Army. On the other side, more than ten Daoist True Monarchs who hade to observe the ceremony shook their heads and sighed as they watched the person ascend the jade steps, heading straight for the Heavenly Altar, ¡°Sword Minister Daoist, to act like this is really¡¡± Their words were filled with helplessness. The congregation of Buddhist monks was even more indignant. They knew who the intruder was, and for that reason, they were all the more resentful. Although we are opponents, even enemies, there is still some dignity to be maintained, isn¡¯t there? Over the years, when you¡¯ve held the Luotian Dajiao in North City several times, have we ever intervened and caused chaos? Now that our Buddhist sect has finally managed to hold a Water-Land Assembly, youe directly with a sword to our doorstep? You¡¯re a leader in your own right; don¡¯t you have any sense of shame or understanding of reciprocal propriety? While the Buddhist monks felt indignant, the Daoist True Monarchs felt their faces losing luster too. Such behavior was indeed very low. Low or not, it was of no use. Even if he was as rumored ¨C the one person behind the Three cultivations of North City ¨C he was still merely a Daoist Celestial Master in terms of cultivation. In this forbidden pce of the capital city, on top of the Water-Land Assembly, in the face of Pudu Cihang, a fellow Seventh Realm Buddhist monk, what kind of advantage could he possibly gain? Wouldn¡¯t being driven back simply be bringing humiliation upon himself? Why put himself through such trouble? Everyone truly could not understand. But whether they understood or not had nothing to do with Xu Yang. The Imperial Forest Army had been blocked by Buddha¡¯s light. The Buddhist monks, too, had made no rash moves. With no one to stop him, he stepped upon the jade stairs and finally arrived at the peak of the Heavenly Altar. Atop the Heavenly Altar, the Son of Heaven of the Chen Dynasty knelt on the ground, watching him approach step by step with a measure of panic, not knowing what to do. Xu Yang, however, paid him no heed, directing his gaze instead to the person beside him, the Holy Buddhist Monk with calm and untroubled eyes. Pudu Cihang! This National Guardian Abbot remained calm with an unwavering presence, seemingly having anticipated this, and looking at Xu Yang who now stood before him, he even smiled gently, his voice soft andposed as he asked, ¡°You havee?¡± Xu Yang nodded, equally serene, ¡°I have.¡± The monk smiled, the picture of tranquility, ¡°How confident are you?¡± ¡°I do not know.¡± Xu Yang shook his head, his gaze cold, ¡°What about you?¡± Pudu Cihang smiled, his bearing still unperturbed, ¡°I also do not know.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Xu Yang looked at him, then nced around, and looking back, he remarked, ¡°The arrangements seem a bit rushed.¡± Cihang Pudu¡¯s expression remained unchanged, ¡°Sincerity is what matters!¡± ¡°I fear your sincerity iscking.¡± Xu Yang shook his head, speaking calmly, ¡°I will only strike once.¡± ¡°Very well!¡± Pudu Cihang nodded his head, ¡°Please!¡± ¡°Come!¡± Xu Yang did not waste words, leaping up, and in an instant, a sword appeared horizontally in the sky. For the past fifteen years, Guo Bei Academy had expanded on three fronts, governing seven provinces and extending the Guo Bei system across the entire south, strengthening the popce and enhancing production. Not only had they obtained a vast amount of resources and food, but they also caused the southern poption to multiply several times over. With the Divine Soul Cultivation Method using the illusory to cultivate the true, the poption became a resource, and the growth of the poption equaled the growth of strength. Guo Bei Academy, governing seven provinces, had, in just fifteen years, caused the poption in the South to multiply several times. Consequently, one can imagine the pressure that the North had to endure. While Cihang Pudu was popr and received generous donations from all major powers, who even spared no expense in conducting the Agricultural Methods to boost production and increase the poption, theycked the necessary Skill Traits. Even if they spent a fortune, they couldn¡¯t catch up with the mature technology and the ¡°external aid¡± of Guo Bei Academy. The gap was irreparable. This was the disparity in governing national power. On the other hand, the establishment of ¡°Yin Mountain Mansion¡± in the Netherworld, maintaining the order of the Dual Realm of Yin and Yang, greatly purged the haunts of Evil Ghosts everywhere. While eliminating Evil Ghosts far and wide, they also trained numerous Underworld Soldiers and Ghost Generals to serve as the Ghost Gods of the Harbormasters, enjoying the offerings of incense from the people. The increase in strength was equally astonishing. After all, with the Netherworld in chaos and teeming with Evil Ghosts, as long as one had enough strength, it represented a vast resource. Faced with this, the North had no choice but to follow suit, with the major Buddhist temples joining forces to purge the Ghost Realms. It was equivalent to an alternative form of militarypetition. But in the Netherworld, where Ghost Gods reigned supreme, the power of the Buddhist temples was obviously not on par with that of Yin Mountain Mansion. Therefore, in the battle between the Ghost Gods, the North was also falling behind. The only thing that could turn the tables was the war against the Demons from all directions. In these fifteen years, the contemporary Daoist Celestial Master, Thunder Lightning Mana King Shi Jian, leading the Taoists of Mingxiao, purged Demons from all directions, even a ying Old Demon of ten thousand years, causing his fame to spread far and wide, known to all. Not to be outdone, Buddhism, with the National Guardian Abbot, Cihang Pudu personally leading the monks, also began to purge Demons from all directions, ying several Old Demons of ten thousand years, even more than Mingxiao Taoist Temple. But this superiority did not exceed by much. After all, everything had to be reasonable. As a Daoist Celestial Master and a practitioner of thunder, it took Xu Yang months of effort to y a single Old Demon of ten thousand years. How could a Holy Monk of Buddhism possibly sweep them all away so easily? Wouldn¡¯t that be tantly telling the world that there was something wrong with their means of exterminating Old Demons? So in thispetition, although Buddhism had an advantage, it didn¡¯t widen the gap too much. The number of ten-thousand-year Old Demons eradicated by both sides ranged between six and four. Six for the North, four for the South! While they regained some ground, this was still not something particrly joyful for Pudu Cihang. Because in reality, he had lost forty percent of his forces, as those ten-thousand-year Old Demons should have been future aids to him. But now they had been prematurely eradicated by Mingxiao Taoist Temple, causing him not only a loss but also enabling the opposition to significantly increase their power. As one waned and the other waxed, it was all the more unfavorable. Under such mounting pressure, Pudu Cihang finally could not hold back anymore. Therefore, there was the Water-Land Dharma Assembly today which, in Xu Yang¡¯s view, seemed somewhat precipitate. Although it was rushed, one only dared to do so with confidence. This could be seen from the reaction of Pudu Cihang as well. He still held an advantage, an absolute home-field advantage. Even Xu Yang had to admit that he had no assurance this time. But, as always, there are things that, despite slim hopes, one must strive for. Since he had undertaken the legacy of this world¡¯s Daoism, some responsibilities had to be shouldered. Otherwise, with his Daoist heartpromised, even if he did not descend into the path of Evil Demons, further advancement in his cultivation would be difficult! Temperament in Daoism is like the Spiritual Root in Cultivation; it is both an aid and a limitation. But Xu Yang did not resist such limitations. What he sought was to live without regrets, to have a clear conscience. So it was in the past, so it remains today, and so it will be in the future. ¡ ¡°Oom!¡± A sword rose horizontally into the sky, a dazzling radiance blooming, tearing through the veil of night. Within the brilliance, one could vaguely make out a golden sword artifact, reflecting the sun, moon, and stars, revealing magnificent mountains and rivers, as if receiving the worship of countless followers, and seeing the majesty of heavenly might rolling through. The resplendent sword light shook both the ancient and modern worlds. It was none other than the Holy Divine Weapon¡ªXuanyuan! ¡°This sword¡¡± ¡°Not good!¡± ¡°Abbot, be careful!¡± Upon witnessing the might of this holy artifact, and the aura of the divine weapon, the monks of Buddhism couldn¡¯t help but change their expressions, a mix of shock, anger, and horror overwhelming them. ¡°The Xuanyuan Divine Sword?¡± ¡°He actually managed to refine it?¡± ¡°This sword is alive; it is no ordinary object!¡± ¡°No wonder he dares toe alone¡¡± ¡°It seems this matter will not end well!¡± ¡°I wonder if the treasures of Buddhism can withstand this sword?¡± Watching this scene, the True Monarchs of Taoism also showed solemn expressions. ¡°Amitabha!¡± At the summit of the Heavenly Altar, a Buddhist chant sounded. Pudu Cihang remained calm, hands pressed together in a bow, immediately surrounded by brilliant Buddhist light. Within the Buddha¡¯s light, his figure gradually disappeared, revealing the image of Sakyamuni Tathagata. A Six-foot Golden Body, sitting on a lotus dais, radiated with Buddha¡¯s light like the brilliance of a great sun, difficult for even cultivators to look directly at. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°A Six-foot Golden Body!¡± ¡°The Tathagata¡¯s Aspect!¡± ¡°He actually managed to cultivate such Divine Skills?¡± Seeing this, the True Monarchs of Taoism could not help but change their expressions. A Six-foot Golden Body, the Tathagata Aspect, belongs to the Buddhist Aspect Dharma Body among the Divine Skills of Buddhism. The Tathagata is neither from somewhere nor going anywhere; it is the Aspect of the Dharma Body of Buddha. To have cultivated this Divine Skill shows that this monk¡¯s Buddhist Law has reached an extremely high realm, foreseeing the potential to achieve Buddhahood. Though they knew that Pudu Cihang¡¯s Buddhist Law was profound, they hadn¡¯t expected it to be to such an extent that even the Tathagata Aspect had been cultivated. No wonder he was soposed. With the Xuanyuan Divine Sword, can this body be shaken? Chapter 208 - 148: The Appearance of Law_1 Chapter 208: Chapter 148: The Appearance of Law_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Six-foot Golden Body?¡± ¡°Amitabha Buddha!¡± With the Dharma likeness of Sakyamuni Tathagata revealed, even the True Monarchs of Taoism paled inparison; let alone the disciples of Buddhism and others, who immediately knelt on the ground and began to worship devoutly. Even high-ranking monks of Buddhism had tears in their eyes at this moment. ¡°A likeness of Sakyamuni Tathagata!¡± ¡°Senior Brother Duxing is truly the foremost among us in Buddhism!¡± ¡°Great times for Buddhism, truly great times for Buddhism!¡± ¡°Well said, well said!¡± The monks sighed, bowing down to the ground. Above the Heavenly Altar, within the void, the Dharma likeness of Sakyamuni Tathagata emerged, his Six-foot Golden Body seated upon the lotus dais, sacred and authoritative, invibly majestic. Yet, across the sky dashed the Xuanyuan Sword, its rage pouring forth as luminous sword light that tore through the night and shattered the Buddhist radiance, shing directly towards Tathagata, intent on making the Buddha weep bloody tears. ¡°Boom!!!¡± A roar sounded, and where the two forces met, the sword light and the Buddha light reflected each other, causing a chaotic collision that immediately became one, swallowing the sight of all who watched. Even the True Monarchs, at this moment, could not discern the situation in the field, unable to even directly gaze upon the conflict. Fearsome power surged, distorting the void, breaking and annihting it, revealing the chaotic nothingness at the edge of space and time. Broken Void! In this world, seventh realm cultivators could shatter the void and ascend to the realm of the Immortal Spirits. Now, as bothbatants were of the Seventh Realm, the space itself could barely withstand their extreme confrontation. If space could barely endure, there was no need to mention the rest; beholding the dazzling brilliance that carried the ultimate force sweeping towards them, everyone finally awoke from their shock and hurriedly tried to flee. But at that moment, where could they possibly escape to? In this moment of despair¡ ¡°Amitabha Buddha!¡± A Buddhist chant began, ushering in a boundless torrent. The mighty Buddhist Law shielded all directions, while also connecting with the lotus dais, sustaining the Dharma likeness Golden Body. It was the power of the Water-Land Dharma Assembly, the advantage of the home field. Time passed in such a manner, no one knowing for how long¡ ¡°Crash!!¡± A crisp sound rang out, as something broke apart. Immediately afterwards, the Buddha light ebbed like a tide, grandly receding. The majestic divine weapon, the valiant sword with dragon-like spirit, vanished without a trace, its whereabouts unknown. The Six-foot Golden Body, the Dharma likeness of Sakyamuni, also dissipated into smoke and cloud. In the end, only one person remained, standing in the midst of the void, with his palms together in salute. It was¡ªPudu Cihang! There he stood with his palms joined, amidst the void, still dignified and seemingly unscathed. However¡ ¡°Pfft!!¡± A muffled sound, and crimson blood spurted from his chest, carving out a sword wound. Though the sword wound was small, the blood poured forth prominently, its scarlet hue startling to behold. ¡°Abbot!¡± ¡°Holy Monk!¡± ¡°State Preceptor!¡± Seeing this scene, the Buddhist monks, the Emperor of the Chen Dynasty, as well as the civil and military officials, were all shocked and dismayed. ¡°Amitabha Buddha!¡± Only Pudu Cihang remainedposed, chanting the Buddha¡¯s name, his hand alight with golden brilliance and the …e Buddha Seal forming in his palm, pressing to his chest. The sword Qi dissolved instantly, the bloody wound closed in a moment, restored as before. The onlookers finally rxed upon seeing this scene. The observing True Monarchs of Taoism also heaved a silent sigh of relief. ¡®In the end, it was all a fruitless effort!¡¯ ¡°Six-foot Golden Body, the Dharma likeness of Tathagata; Buddhist divine powers can withstand the ancient sword technique.¡± ¡°All the treasures of Buddhism are also within him; although the Xuanyuan Sword is extraordinary, it can only manage to draw even at best.¡± ¡°Equal cultivation, equal Taoist cultivation, equal divine powers, and equal magical treasures.¡± ¡°Thus, the key to victory lies above in the sacrificial ceremonies.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that our Daoist Luotian Dajiao is inferior to their Buddhist Water-Land Dharma Assembly, nor is the umtion of the South lesser than the potential of the North, but that distant mountains and rivers cannot be reached by whipping the horses.¡± ¡°Having the home ground naturallyes with advantages.¡± ¡°This time, Buddhism has won!¡± Though they did not choose sides, their stance remaining neutral, upon seeing Buddhist Law surpassing the Taoist Law, a sigh could not help but inwardly escape the True Monarchs of Taoism. ¡°The External Demons have departed, the Dharma Assembly is undisturbed!¡± Pudu Cihang descended, facing the Buddhist monks, the emperor and ministers of the Chen Dynasty, and the watching True Monarchs of Taoism, ¡°This humble monk will now preach, spreading the great vows of the Buddha. Those with affinity, the faithful, all are wee to listen!¡± ¡°Amitabha Buddha!¡± ¡°The Abbot is merciful!¡± ¡°Pudu Cihang¡¯s merit is boundless in saving all beings!¡± Upon hearing this, everyone could not help but kneel down in worship. Pudu Cihang said no more, his hands joined together as he manifested the Dharma likeness once again, Buddha seated upon the lotus dais, Sakyamuni preaching the Dharma. Suddenly, the profound Brahma Sound swept out like a tide, spreading throughout the capital, inside and out. This transformed thend of the Capital Region into a Buddha Kingdom, a Buddha Realm. Countlessmoners, numerous cultivators, and disciples of the Three Teaching Sect were immersed in the Buddhist Law, intoxicated and obsessed. Even the True Monarchs of Taoism were listening intently, deep in thought. Buddhism was originally Taoism; different paths leading to the same destination! Pudu Cihang, who had even mastered the Six-foot Golden Body and the Tathagata¡¯s divine form, revealed the profound depths of his Buddhist Law. Even though they were True Monarchs of Taoism, listening to his teachings would be greatly beneficial. On the other side¡ In North City County, on Mount Jilei, at Mingxiao Taoist Temple. A Nine Ceremony High Altar had been erected, and the Luotian Dajiao rites were being performed. Atop the Nine Ceremony High Altar, one person sat cross-legged, with eyes tightly shut, silent and still. Just then, a sword light descended from the sky. ¡°Bang!!!¡± The sword light fell, entering the Heavenly Spirit, and the body of the person shook in response. Xu Yang slowly opened his eyes, and a trickle of crimson spilled from his lips, which he wiped away with a sweep of his hand. He had been injured, a wound to his Yang God. Guo Bei Academy, with its three-pronged development, was rapidly gaining strength. If things continued this way, in just a few years, the strength of the southern seven provinces wouldpletely surpass that of the north. By then, Xu Yang wouldn¡¯t even need to take action himself; just by continuously holding Luotian Dajiao, he could mass-produce Daoist Celestial Masters and Seventh Realm cultivators. In fact, this was exactly what he was already doing. Not counting this time, within fifteen years, Guo Bei Academy had held Luotian Dajiao twice more, sessfully adding two major Seventh Realm forces to Guo Bei Academy. Although ordinary Seventh Realm cultivators did not possess his formidable strength, a Seventh Realm was still a Seventh Realm. Their cultivation was apparent, and could not be overlooked. Once the number of Seventh Realm cultivators reached a certain level, the gap in strength between the two sides would be unmistakably wide. Once the gap became pronounced, the bnce would break! By then, even if Buddhism was willing to fight to the death for Pudu Cihang, they would struggle to contend against the multitude of Seventh Realm cultivators and therge numbers of Five Realm True Men and Six Realm True Monarchs cultivated by Guo Bei Academy. Therefore, if the dy continued, Cihang Pudu was bound to be defeated and would have to resort to a game-changing strategy. However, Xu Yang¡¯s development was a tant and honest stratagem, one that could not be replicated nor easily contained. To change the game, he had to start with himself. The best method was, undoubtedly, to break through the Seventh Realm and even reach realms above the Seventh Realm. If that was not possible, then his only choice would be to ascend and flee this world. There were no other options, for Xu Yang would lead a group of Daoist Celestial Masters, ghost gods, demon immortals, and other Seventh Realm forces across heavens and earth in a relentless pursuit to the death. Either ascend and flee for his life, or sit and wait for death. Therefore, he initiated this Water-Land Dharma Assembly, making his stance clear to Xu Yang. He did not n to ascend and save himself; he still intended to make a final struggle, devour all living beings in the Northern Territory, and transform them into blood nourishment. Using the ways of the demon, he would break through the Seventh Realm, and even beyond, to be a true World-ending Giant Demon. Of course, Xu Yang could not let him have his way, so he sent his Yang God in a trance, plunging his sword into the Capital Region. In fifteen years, the Xuanyuan Divine Sword had already assimted the essence of ck Mountain, capturing the Power of Earth¡¯s Essence. Added to that, the righteousness nurtured by the million students of Guo Bei Academy, the incense offerings of countless civilians from the southern seven provinces, and his own day and night efforts to invoke Thunderbolt Strength for cultivation, all following the tripartitew of heaven, earth, and humanity, the sword had undergone rebirth, gained sentience, and stepped into the ranks of Spiritual Treasures. Although it was only a Lower Grade Spiritual Treasure, it was already top-notch in this world. Even the treasured possessions of the great Daoist sects, the remnants left by Ancient Immortal Gods, could only share the limelight with it. Unfortunately, even with such a divine sword in hand, Xu Yang did not have the assurance of victory. The Yang God entered trance, and the sword plunged into the Capital, but it was just a desperate attempt. The final oue, as expected, was a failure. In terms of Cultivation Realm, Pudu Cihang, as a Holy Monk of Buddhism, was not much inferior to him. In terms of cultivating skills and Divine Magic, Pudu Cihang had mastered the Sakyamuni Tathagata form, and even if it was most likely falsely achieved through demonic methods, it should not be underestimated, and was not weaker than his Xuanyuan Divine Sword Jue. In terms of Magical Treasures and Spiritual Artifacts, as the leader of Buddhism, Pudu Cihang had all the treasures of Buddhism at his disposal, plus the possible existence of ancient relics. Compared to his Xuanyuan Sword, they not only matched in quality but also outnumbered it. The only aspect he was inferior in was Skill Traits. But the Skill Traits Xu Yang had developed could not bridge the advantage of fighting in his home court. That Water-Land Dharma Assembly site was fortified with countless Formations and supported by the incense burners of many Buddhist temples, equivalent to the Mana Altars of various Daoist sects, providing maximum assistance to Pudu Cihang. In contrast, Xu Yang fought on foreign ground, far from help, without Formation backing, and with his ritualistic Mana Altar weakened. Even with the addition of Skill Traits, it was very difficult to defeat Pudu Cihang. In the end, he gave his all, only to both sustain injuries. A near-death injury was meaningless, the Water-Land Dharma Assembly continued, and he had to return without aplishing his mission. Next, if things went as expected, once the Water-Land Dharma Assembly was over, Cihang Pudu would begin his feast. He could not stop it. On Buddhism¡¯s side, there was no persuading them; Pudu Cihang¡¯s status in Buddhism now was akin to his in Guo Bei Academy and the southern cultivation world. Would the disciples of Guo Bei Academy and the cultivators of the southern Cultivation Realm believe he was the North City Old Demon simply because Cihang Pudu said so? Obviously not! Simrly, the Buddhism of the Northern Territory would not believe that Cihang Pudu was the Blood Armored Sky Dragon and change their allegiance just based on his few words. Therefore, persuasion was useless; he could only reveal the true identity of Pudu Cihang unless thetter was foolhardy enough to confront him in battle in the south. If he didn¡¯te, Xu Yang could do nothing but let him have his way. At least, that was the case for the Capital Region. In other ces, there might still be some chances for remedy, but bloodshed and catastrophe would inevitably ensue. The situation was now unavoidable. At present, his concern was how to eliminate Pudu Cihang. If there was enough time, it went without saying, he could use the Luotian Dajiao ritual to cultivate a group of Seventh Realm forces, relentlessly hunting up to the heavens and down to the earth, surely eradicating Pudu Cihang. But Pudu Cihang would obviously not allow him that much development time. After the Water-Land Dharma Assembly, he would begin to devour the world, growing rapidly like a snowball. Not only the Seventh, but even the Eight Realms might be breached. At that time, it would be a cmitous World-ending Event! He had to eliminate this cmitous demon before Pudu Cihang broke through the Seventh Realm! But still, the question remained, how? The battle just now, with their utmost sh, allowed him to probe into some of Pudu Cihang¡¯s secrets. A victory was already difficult to achieve, let alone a decisive ughter? Unless¡ Xu Yang raised his eyes to the sky: ¡°This is the only way!¡± Chapter 209 - 149: Calamity Begins_1 Chapter 209: Chapter 149: Cmity Begins_1 Trantor: 549690339 Taibai peaks buried in snow, in June¡¯s daylight, clouds surge like escaping white smoke. A monthter, Mount Zhongnan, Taibai Peak, the Pce of Longevity. This was one of Taoism¡¯s ancestral courts, a ce of outstanding people and spirit, with beautiful mountains and rivers. On the peak, pces clustered majestically, surrounded by a sea of clouds as vast as the heavens, resembling a fairnd. At this moment, the sound of gongs and drums echoed, the Brahma chant resonated, and Buddha¡¯s light entered the sea of clouds, piercing the tranquil air. A team, resembling a dragon, approached swiftly, unmistakably a group of monks from all directions, arriving at the gates of Mount Zhongnan, handing over a visiting card to the gatekeeping boy. A momentter, several streaks of flowing light descended, transforming into the figures of Taoist men, indeed several Taoist True Monarchs from the Pce of Longevity. Several True Monarchs came to wee them, and amidst the team, the brilliant Buddha¡¯s light was visible as a monk, resembling the Buddha himself, stepped forward and came before the True Monarchs, ¡°This monk has witnessed the presence of the various True Monarchs!¡± ¡°The Abbot hase from afar, which fills us with honor and surprise.¡± ¡°Please!¡± Although the purpose of their visit was unknown, the True Monarchs did not dare to neglect the Holy Monk from Buddhism and immediately weed him into the pce. Once inside the guest hall, everyone took their seats. As they looked at Pudu Cihang, questions filled their eyes. ¡°The Water-Land Dharma Assembly isplete, Abbot. Why travel here instead of to the south?¡± Pudu Cihang smiled, ¡°The purpose of this monk¡¯s visit precisely concerns the matters of the south.¡± ¡°This¡¡± The several True Monarchs nced at each other, uncertain of his intentions, and could only ask, ¡°Does the abbot still insist on what was said before?¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Pudu Cihang nodded and said, ¡°This monk hereby vows to eradicate the Demon. Mount Zhongnan is Taoism¡¯s ancestral court, and the Pce of Longevity is the model of the Taoist tradition. Thus, I havee to request the aid of the True Monarchs!¡± ¡°This¡¡± The True Monarchs, upon hearing this, frowned deeply. They of the Pce of Longevity on Mount Zhongnan, as an ancestral court of Taoism with a celebrated lineage, how could they possibly join Pudu Cihang¡¯s battle chariot and direct the spearhead towards the south amidst the conflict between Buddha¡¯s Way and Taoism? Maintaining neutrality and staying clear of this muddy water would be good enough. As a Holy Monk of Buddhism, Pudu Cihang should understand this principle; why then would hee to invite disdain? The True Monarchs looked troubled. Pudu Cihang, unaffected, said, ¡°This matter is not a conflict between Buddha and Taoism, but a matter of life and death for all beings. Hence, this monk took the liberty to visit and trouble you all to invite True Monarch Danyang; I will exin everything to him.¡± Upon hearing this, the others could only nod, ¡°Please wait, Abbot. We have already sent word, and our lead teacher brother will arrive shortly.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Pudu Cihang nced and waited quietly. This left the True Monarchs somewhat embarrassed, so they tried to find another topic, ¡°Abbot, with the Water-Land Dharma Assembly concluded, Brother Bao Heng went to attend but has yet to return. Could it be something has dyed him?¡± Pudu Cihang smiled, ¡°True Monarch Bao Heng remains in the capital, discussing the Dharma and debating Tao with several fellow practitioners, perhaps momentarily forgetting himself and missing his journey back.¡± ¡°I see.¡± The others nodded, harboring no further suspicions. A momentter, a middle-aged Taoist Man dressed in Taoist robes, with an impressive demeanor, walked into the hall. It was indeed the lead teacher of the Pce of Longevity¡ªTrue Monarch Danyang. ¡°Lead teacher brother!¡± ¡°True Monarch Danyang!¡± The several True Monarchs stood up immediately, and Pudu Cihang also came forward to meet him. ¡°With the Abbot gracing us with your presence, it truly honors us¡ Hmm!?¡± True Monarch Danyang was about to exchange pleasantries when he felt something was amiss. He looked at Pudu Cihang¡¯s calm face, and his third eye¡¯s Spirit Light flickered, revealing the talisman between his brows. Once the Spirit Talisman appeared, his vision transformed, and upon seeing the person in front of him again, he beheld mountains of corpses and seas of blood, surrounded by endless curses and resentment, merely concealed by ayer of Buddha¡¯s light. ¡°You¡ How bold, demon!¡± This vision terrified True Monarch Danyang, who became instantly furious, ¡°How dare youe to my Pce of Longevity and behave so recklessly!¡± ¡°Amitabha!¡± Seeing this, Pudu Cihang showed no surprise, looking at True Monarch Danyang with a calm demeanor, ¡°It is no wonder that this is an ancestral court of Taoism, this Five Evident Spirit Officer Seal truly lives up to its reputation.¡± ¡°Jade Shu Fire Department, Divine Guard General,e forth with urgency!¡± True Monarch Danyang had no intention to engage in conversation, he formed a hand seal and uttered a summoning chant; immediately, a Divine Guard General appeared in front of him with a fiery red face, bulbous eyes, sharp fangs, and a fierce expression, wielding a golden whip in one hand and a gold brick in the other, wearing golden armor and standing atop wind and fire. He was none other than the Duotian Supervisor Spirit Officer, the foremost divine protector of Taoism! As the ancestral court of Taoism, Mount Zhongnan possessed a treasure known as the Five Evident Spirit Officer Seal, capable of invoking the Duotian Supervisor Spirit Officer. Though not the true deity himself, he possessed extraordinary might. The King Spirit Officer appeared, wielding a golden whip, and unleashed a ferocious attack. ¡°Amitabha!¡± Pudu Cihang¡¯s expression remained unchanged, he proimed the Buddha¡¯s name, his body radiating splendid Buddha¡¯s light. Suddenly¡ ¡°Boom!¡± The earth shook, the halls crumbled, and amidst the boundless Buddha¡¯s light, the likeness of ?¨¡kyamuni manifested. ¡°Homage to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss, behold the Tathagata¡¯s presence! ¡°Will you noty down your butcher¡¯s knife and take refuge in Buddha, to forever enjoy ultimate bliss?¡± ¡°You¡ Ancestor Master, aid me!!!¡± In the west, within the Pure Yang Pce, a gathering of True Monarchs hastened to assemble in the Hall of the Three Pure Ones. ¡°Lead teacher brother, something terrible has happened!¡± ¡°News from the Pce of Longevity: Pudu Cihang is a demon!¡± ¡°The Pce of Longevity has been attacked by it; demons are rampant on Mount Zhongnan, I fear they will not hold out for long!¡± ¡°The words of North City have turned out to be true!¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Quickly, dispatch this news throughout thend to inform all paths, as well as the Buddhist temples, and also to North City, to call for Taoist Master Mingxiao!¡± ¡°Under the pretext of the Water-Land Dharma Assembly, that demon has summoned high monks from various temples to the capital to preside. Now I fear the Capital Region is in great peril.¡± ¡°We must hasten our aid to Mount Zhongnan¡¡± ¡°Rumble!¡± Before they could finish speaking, the mountain gate shook. ¡°What¡¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Several True Monarchs, shocked and angry, hurriedly cast spells to check the anomaly. But what they saw¡ ¡°The Old Demon of Bashan?¡± ¡°How is that possible!¡± Outside the mountain gate, a ck tiger, a massive demon ck tiger as immense as a mountain, raised its paw and struck down heavily upon the gate of the Pure Yang Pce, with countless more demons appearing across the mountainside. ¡°You snotty-nosed brats of the Pure Yang Pce, this king hase to collect the interest owed from years past, hahaha!¡± The ck tiger roared withughter, delivering another blow so powerful that even the mountain gate¡¯s array, which shimmered with spiritual light, could hardly withstand thebined force of its terrifying physical strength and the sinister demonic qi, causing the mountains themselves to shake. ¡°This Old Demon of Bashan¡¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t he killed before?¡± ¡°That Pudu Cihang deceived us!¡± ¡°No, even a demon as ancient as ten thousand years couldn¡¯t possibly shake the mountain gate of our Pure Yang Pce.¡± ¡°Has it¡ broken through?¡± ¡°Quickly summon the Ancestor Master and deploy the Pure Yang Sword Diagram, we absolutely cannot let it breach the mountain gate!¡± The True Monarchs were panic-stricken and in disarray as they hurried to call upon the Ancestor Master¡¯s Altar, throwing a scroll into the air. The scroll unfurled, revealing a diagram in which a figure appeared, a man of lofty Daoist virtue exuding an otherworldly aura, with a sword on his back, sheathed yet fiercely sharp. It was none other than the founder of Pure Yang, the Mysterious Dao Heavenly Venerated One, Lu Zu Dongbin! Lu Zu cast a cold nce and drew his immortal sword from its sheath, shing it towards the demon. ¡°The Pure Yang Sword Diagram?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Seeing this, the Bashan tiger sneered coldly and with a swipe of its paw, shattered the iing sword light. ¡°Did you really think this king remained the same Bashan Tiger of yesteryear?¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± Amidst the peals of wildughter, demonic qi surged, overpowering the might of the sword diagram, and the mountain gate trembled on the verge of copse. Just then¡ ¡°How arrogant these demon cultivators are!¡± A figure descended from the sky, his flying whiskshing out like a whip, instantly repelling the ck tiger. ¡°It¡¯s True Monarch Changrong!¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Has he be a Heavenly Master?¡± As True Monarch Changrong descended from the sky to battle the Old Demon of Bashan, the cultivators of Pure Yang Pce were stunned for a moment before realizing, ¡°Quick, wee him into the mountain to take control of the Pure Yang Sword Diagram!¡± ¡°Brother Dao Changrong,e inside the mountain!¡± The cultivators shouted, and True Monarch Changrong, without further entanglement, drove back the ck tiger and retreated into the pce. ¡°Thank you for your assistance, Brother Dao!¡± ¡°This matter¡¡± As the Pure Yang cultivators came forward to speak, they were cut off by True Monarch Changrong. ¡°That Pudu Cihang has tamed a host of ancient demons using the Deceive the Heavens and Cross the Sea technique and passed down the Seventh Realm methods. Now, these ancient demons have all stepped into the Seventh Realm, and coupled with the numerous demons it has hidden, this ce is no longer defensible, we can only retreat to the south.¡± True Monarch Changrong looked at the others, ¡°Later, I will open a path. Everyone must break through, otherwise, I fear you will fall prey to the demons!¡± ¡°This¡¡± At these words, all the Pure Yang cultivators turned pale. ¡°Brother Dao, has it reallye to this?¡± ¡°With your cultivation as a Heavenly Master, plus the Pure Yang Sword Diagram and formations, perhaps we could still hold the line.¡± ¡°Brother Dao Changrong, has Taoist Master Mingxiao gone to Mount Zhongnan, or is he unwilling¡¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Just as a few were about to speak, True Monarch Changrong interrupted them coldly, ¡°If the Taoist Master hadn¡¯t sacrificed himself to enter the capital and fought the demon to a standstill at the Water-Land Dharma Assembly, causing it to suffer injuries and reveal weaknesses, how could Pce of Longevity even have caught sight of its tracks? We probably would have died without knowing why, let alone send out any messages.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Hearing this, the cultivators were chastened, but still they struggled to say, ¡°We were blind and did not heed the Taoist Master¡¯s words, instead believing the deceitful words of that demon, but this¡¡± ¡°No more words are needed!¡± True Monarch Changrong waved his sleeve, ¡°The Taoist Master has already decided to retreat to the south. If you don¡¯t leave, then stay here. I can save the effort and rescue those who should be saved.¡± One monthter, in North City County. At Mount Jilei, within Mingxiao Taoist Temple. In the guest hall, the atmosphere was somber. The cultivators remained silent, overwhelmed by grief and anger. Suddenly, footsteps were heard as a group of people entered the hall. Looking up, the crowd was struck by a mixture of shock and joy, and they hurried forward to greet them. ¡°Taoist Master!¡± ¡°Heavenly Master!¡± Some cried out in excitement, others wept, while a few outright fell to their knees. ¡°We were blind and did not heed the words of the Heavenly Master, instead believing the deceitful words of that demon. Now¡ it is toote for regrets, far toote!¡± ¡°In the battle at Mount Zhongnan, our Taoist sect leader and five True Monarchs all perished at the hands of the demons, and out of the thousands of Taoists in Pce of Longevity, barely one in ten survived, all others bing blood food for the demons.¡± ¡°We beg you, Heavenly Master, to take action, to cleanse the demons, and save the people of this world.¡± ¡°We, as cultivators, are ashamed and willing to sacrifice our lives to assist the Heavenly Master in pacifying the Northern Territory and exterminating the cmity-spreading demons, to atone for our sins.¡± Their voices filled with sobs and regret as they spoke. Seeing the people kneeling before him, Xu Yang shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s the will of the heavens, not the fault of individuals. My fellow Taoists, there is no need for self-me!¡± With a wave of his hand, he helped everyone to their feet and then turned to True Monarch Changrong, ¡°What¡¯s the situation now?¡± True Monarch Changrong shook his head, ¡°The area around the capital is now like the Ghost Realm, shrouded in demonic Buddha light for thousands of miles, impossible to discern, but it¡¯s likely that no living beings remain inside.¡± ¡°Under the name of the Water-Land Dharma Assembly, the demon beckoned senior monks from various Buddhist temples to the capital, including the Sanlun Sect, Faxiang Sect, Tiantai Sect, Huayan Sect, Pure Land Sect, Chan Sect, Vinaya Sect, Esoteric Buddhism, and the major temples¡ªGreat Compassion Temple, Grass Hall Temple, Huayan Temple, Fragrance umtion Temple, and Promoting Goodness Temple¡ The high monks of all these temples have disappeared into the capital, and the remaining monks could not withstand the demons, perishing one and all.¡± ¡°The Buddhist lineage has been nearly decimated to one in ten!¡± ¡°Taoism has also suffered tremendous losses. With the ruination of Mount Zhongnan and the annihtion of Pce of Longevity, even Pure Yang Pce couldn¡¯t escape. Furthermore, Misty Cave, Mount Taibai, Mount Mang¡ The Northern Taoist sects have all been broken, with demons rampaging through six provinces, causing unbearable suffering for all living creatures.¡± ¡°We did our utmost in the rescue efforts but only managed to relocate a portion; still, tens of millions of civilians have be prey to the demons.¡± ¡°The demon has passed down the Seventh Realm methods, and now under itsmand are four grand demon gods, all ancient demons who have broken through. Besides, there¡¯s a host of Demon Emperors and Demon Kings, and the paths between the dual realms of yin and yang have also been opened, allowing countless Evil Ghosts to stream into the human world. Along with the Demon Army, they are now pressing towards the south.¡± Chapter 210 - 150: The Nail Head_1 Chapter 210: Chapter 150: The Nail Head_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°The northernnds have already be a Demon Realm!¡± ¡°The people of all six provinces have fallen into the clutches of demons!¡± ¡°We in the south are in grave danger as well!¡± ¡°Once the demon conquered Zhongnan, it returned to the capital and entrenched itself without leaving.¡± ¡°Yet it still has numerous minions that plunder souls to continuously transport into the capital.¡± ¡°That demon, after destroying Mount Zhongnan and consuming the Taoists of the Pce of Longevity, along with the people of the Capital Region, the emperor of the Chen Dynasty, the civil and military officials, as well as the Buddhist monks who attended the Water-Land Dharma Assembly¡ ¡°With such a blood feast as its nourishment, it¡¯s only natural that it would break through the Seventh Realm, and even the Eighth Realm is in sight.¡± ¡°Now that it¡¯s entrenched in the capital, firmly guarding the Demon Realm, it is certainly looking to consume the blood feast and break through to the Eighth Realm!¡± ¡°Once it sessfully breaks through, I fear no one in this world will be able to withstand it.¡± ¡°An unprecedented cmity, a world-ending giant demon!¡± True Monarch Changrong¡¯s expression was solemn, and everyone within the hall was even more panicked. The Pudu Cihang possesses ancient relics and Mana Point heritages. The ancient relics are manageable, and as it currently appears, they¡¯re only able to conceal fates and shield Xu Yang¡¯s Admiring Eye of Heaven from surveilling. Despite their high tier, they are not breaking any limits and cannot decisively determine the oue of the battle. The trouble lies in that Mana Point heritage! In this world, the Sixth Realm is the end of the Dao Veins, and to ascend to the Seventh Realm, one must rely on the power of rituals, and only righteous Daoist cultivators and kind spirit monsters can receive the blessing. Evil cultivators and demons not only gain no benefit, but it is also detrimental to them. Therefore, since ancient times, for ten thousand years in this world, not a single demon of the Seventh Realm has emerged, at most only centenarian old demons of the Sixth Realm. But the emergence of Pudu Cihang has changed this situation. It holds the Mana Point heritage in its hands, whetherplete or iplete, but at least there is no problem in breaking through to the Seventh Realm. It has passed on these Mana Points to various great demons, allowing those old demons who have cultivated for ten thousand, even tens of thousands of years, with already sufficient umtion, to rapidly break through the Seventh Realm and be demon godsparable to Daoist Celestial Masters. And it itself has the potential for the Eighth Realm or even the Ninth Realm, bing a true world-ending giant demon.¡± No wonder it does not wish to ascend. Such nourishment is hardly obtainable even in the Upper Realm, not to mention the various Taoist heritages left in the mortal world by the ancient Immortal Gods, various inheritances, Divine Skills, and Magical Treasures of great value, how can it be overlooked? It seeks topletely devour this world! And they¡ ¡°We cannot sit idly by and wait for death!¡± ¡°If we dy any further, defeat is certain!¡± ¡°Once the demon breaks through, no one in the world will be able to subdue it!¡± ¡°Taoist Master!¡± ¡°Heavenly Master!¡± Though they felt guilty, at this point, everyone had no choice but to turn their gaze towards Xu Yang. Seeing this, True Monarch Changrong sighed as well, looking at Xu Yang like everyone else: ¡°Taoist Master, do you have a way to subdue that demon?¡± In the words, there was nothing but helplessness. At this point, time and initiative were no longer on their side. A further dy meant certain defeat. But going on the offensive also held little chance of victory. On the side of the demons, apart from Pudu Cihang, the cmitous giant demon, there were also four great demon gods, with the power of the Seventh Realm. In contrast, the Guo Bei Academy has only held three Luotian Dajiao ceremonies in recent years, one of which was to support Xu Yang¡¯s entry into the capital to y demons, so there have only actually been two powers of the Seventh Realm nurtured: one is True Monarch Changrong himself, and the other is the Qingluan demon immortal from Phoenix Song Mountain. Even with the addition of the Yin Mountain Mansion allowing those who Increase Life and Damage Fate to unite as one, there were at most three figures of the Seventh Realm against four great demon gods, with the odds of victory being an even match. And this was currently the situation. With further dys, the subordinates of Pudu Cihang would likely number more than just four great demon gods. And on the Guo Bei Academy¡¯s side, at most one more Luotian Dajiao ceremony could be held. The Luotian Dajiao ceremony requires vast resources. Although Guo Bei Academy now controls the rich seven provinces of the south, able to mobilize massive human and material resources, the Luotian Dajiao consumes more than just human and material resources, but also the Divine Soul force of the myriadmon people. The so-called offerings of incense, inly speaking, is the harvesting of the Divine Soul force of millions ofmon people. This kind of harvesting cannot be too frequent, otherwise the Righteous Path bes the Evil Path, doing more harm than good. Like the Guo Bei Academy performing sacrifices once every five years, that¡¯s the limit, any more would harm the foundation. Therefore, even now, at this moment of life and death, they can only hold one more Luotian Dajiao, which is still a desperate measure, squeezing everyst bit out of an already burdened popce. What can be done? True Monarch Changrong didn¡¯t know either and could only look to Xu Yang, cing thest hope in him. In the face of the tense gaze of the crowd, Xu Yang¡¯s expression remained calm, showing no signs of perturbation: ¡°At this point, the only thing left to do is¡ huh?!¡± Before he could finish his sentence, his brow suddenly furrowed, and on his forehead, a Spirit Light suddenly appeared, consolidating into a Talisman, which then transformed into an angry open eye. The Spirit Light concentrated, and the Talisman flickered, forming an eye that pulsated vigorously, trying to open, but it was obstructed by some force. Amidst the ensuing conflict, fresh blood the color of crimson unexpectedly seeped out, running down from Xu Yang¡¯s forehead, creating a startling streak of blood. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Taoist Master!¡± ¡°Heavenly Master!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Seeing this, everyone was shocked and rushed forward to check his condition. Xu Yang offered no response, with his eyes tightly shut, standing in ce in silence. Just as everyone was at a loss¡ ¡°Rumble rumble!¡± A roar came from outside the pce. Turning their heads toward the sound, they saw an ominous cloud of cmity rushing in from the north, quickly darkening the skies. The cmity cloud descended rapidly, obscuring the sun and darkening the day. Amidst the dense darkness, though there was the sound of rolling thunder, no lightning was seen. Only an expansive cmity cloud, a relentless cloud of cmity, spread over like a curtain drawn down on them. Opressing, unbearably opressing. Even cultivators of the Sixth Realm, Daoist True Monarchs, were rmed and agitated under this celestial phenomenon, filled with trepidation. ¡°What is this¡?¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°The strange celestial signs must be the work of a monstrous fiend!¡± ¡°From the north¡ Is it that demon?¡± ¡°It¡¯s using dark magic against the Taoist Master!¡± ¡°No good, quickly protect the Taoist Master with a spell!¡± Those present were either true inheritors of the Dao or possessed genuine cultivation, and at a nce, they recognized the crux of the matter. True Monarch Changrong swept his dust whisk and immediately drew a circle around Xu Yang, while also employing a spell and chanting mantras. ¡°On the South Sea shore, a single fur, evergreen both day and night, it remains unold; the Queen Mother¡¯s peaches offer retreat, and all sorts of demonic and evil skills are dissolved: the first unraveling clears the yellow garb, the second neutralizes the Nanli Method, the third dispels the Hundred Arts Law, the fourth releases from the Three Masters¡¯ Law, the fifth breaks the cksmiths¡¯ Law, the sixth undoes the Painters¡¯ Law, the seventh lifts the Tiling Law, the eighth eradicates the Stone Masons¡¯ Law, the ninth dispels the Carpenters¡¯ Law, the tenth resolves the Repair and Amendment Law; heaven and earth are unbound, years and months freed, day and hour released, all the ancestor masters¡¯ manifold bindings are undone, respectfully summoning the Six Stars of the Southern Dipper, the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper, Imand in the name of the Supreme Elder Lord, hasten, hasten as the decree!¡± It was precisely the Hundred Unraveling Demonic Skills Spell! Curse spells are a mainstream method ofbat in this world, and there are spells for cursing as well as for dispelling them. Now, True Monarch Changrong was casting the Taoist Righteous Sect¡¯s Hundred Unraveling Demonic Skills Spell, capable of neutralizing the vast majority of demonic curse techniques. However¡ ¡°Bang!!!¡± A loud explosion sounded, the light circle shattered, and True Monarch Changrong staggered back several steps, his mouth dripping with fresh blood. ¡°Brother Dao!¡± ¡°This¡¡± The cultivators¡¯plexions changed, and they hurriedly steadied him. True Monarch Changrong steadied himself, looking at Xu Yang who stood unflinchingly with his eyes tightly closed, his face a ghastly shade of iron, a mix of shock and fury. With his cultivation as a Daoist Celestial Master, he had been unable to break the spell; not only that, but he had even suffered a bacsh. What kind of curse had that demon cast to be so formidable? Could it be¡ The cultivators were frantic, at a loss for what to do. Turning to Xu Yang, his Divine Soul was undergoing a drastic shift as well. ¡°Rumble!¡± All around, the world thundered ominously, mountains from all directions uprooted and moved towards him, pressuring him from every side. Xu Yang sat in the void, his body shimmering with golden light; one for Pure Yang Creation, and one for¡ ¡°Amidst the profound mysteries of heaven and earth, the primary qi is the root of all; by cultivating the great cmity of the mind, one verifies their divine skills; within the Three Realms, only the Way is revered supreme, the body has a golden light, which reflects upon my being, invisible to sight, inaudible to sound, epassing heaven and earth, nurturing all beings, chant the verses ten thousand times, and a light will be within the body, the Three Realms await guard, and the Emperor himself wees, all godse to worship, marshalling the court of thunder, demons and ghosts lose their courage, while spirit monsters go their way, within there is a thunderp, the Thunder God appears and hides, piercing through and thoroughly connecting, the Five Qi rise vigorously, the golden light manifests swiftly, covering and guarding the truth, hasten, hasten as the decreemands!¡± It was one of the Eight Great Dharma Protection Mantras of Taoism ¨C the Golden Light Spell! Xu Yang silently recited the divine spell as golden light enveloped and protected his Yang God. Yet, the mountains from all directions were unrelenting, thunderously closing in on him, encasing his body entirely and leaving only his head exposed. How can flesh and blood withstand the weight of mountains beyond measure? Had it not been for the golden light enfolding him and the divine spell¡¯s protection, he would have likely been crushed into a pulp. Even so, confined as he was, it was difficult to move. Having just his head sticking out made him as vulnerable as a target. Just then¡ ¡°Moo!!!¡± A cow¡¯s bellow shook the heavens and the earth. Looking in the direction of the sound, they saw storms parting in the sky, lightning shing, and thunder roaring. A Green Bull, no ordinary bull but an Ancient Green Bull, thundered toward him. Upon its back was a Heavenly Plow, with the sky as its handle, the winds as its moldboard, and the cmitous clouds as its grips¡ It was indeed a Heavenly Plow! The Green Bull, pulling the Heavenly Plow, thundered forward, aiming directly for Xu Yang¡¯s head. The punishment of the Plowhead! Xu Yang¡¯s expression unchanged, seated amidst the mountains, allowed the Green Bull and its plowhead to advance, protected only by the Golden Light Spell he silently recited. ¡°Moo!!!¡± ¡°Rumble!¡± The Green Bull bellowed, the Heavenly Plow angrily surged, striking hard upon the peak of the four mountains, furiously plowing towards Xu Yang¡¯s head. Its momentum was astounding, the force tremendous. However¡ ¡°Bang!!!¡± A colossal sound, the earth shook and the mountains quivered. It was as if the Green Bull had struck an iron wall; even the Heavenly Plow shattered on impact. All vanished like smoke, the only thing undiminished was the golden light. Xu Yang opened his eyes to find everyone around him, their faces taut with tension. ¡°Taoist Master!¡± Seeing him awake, the cultivators were startled, with True Monarch Changronging forward to ask, ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Xu Yang shook his head, speaking faintly, ¡°Though that demonic and evil skill is fierce, it cannot break my Golden Light Spell for the moment.¡± After speaking, he nced outside and saw the tumultuous cmity clouds recede like the tide, the vast dark heavens once again clear for thousands of miles. ¡°For the moment!?¡± The others still detected the critical nuance in his words. True Monarch Changrong asked gravely, ¡°What kind of curse technique did that demon cast?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more than just a curse technique!¡± Xu Yang shook his head. The talisman between his brows coalesced as the Admiring Eye of Heaven opened once more. The talisman flickered, and the Heavenly Eye pulsed, its furious opening an especially terrifying sight. Xu Yang paid it no heed, as mana surged and he forcibly opened the Heavenly Eye. Finally¡ ¡°Pfft!¡± A soft sound, and blood sprayed forth, the light of blood mingling with the Spirit Light to reveal a Mysterious Mirror. In the Xuan Guang Mirror was seen a great altar between heaven and earth, the site of the Water-Land Dharma Assembly. Atop the altar, sttered with blood and inplete disarray, one could see it had witnessed great upheaval. But there was no sight of bodies, neither dead nor survivors. Only at the very summit stood a figure, neither monk nor Taoist, half-demon, half-monster. Pudu Cihang! The figure stood in front of the altar, reciting an incantation, appearing to offer a sacrifice. In front of the Mana Altar on the offering table, there ced a notable item, a straw effigy. On the effigy was affixed a talisman, blood-red in color, with dark ink marking the strokes, spelling out ¡°Guo Bei umted Thunder Mingxiao Path¡± in seven characters. Atop the effigy¡¯s head was a nail, not driven into a board, but into a piece of redwood, uniting the two into one entity, exuding a particrly strange aura. ¡°This is¡¡± ¡°Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Scripture!¡± The cultivators were astonished as Xu Yang sighed, revealing the origin of the item. Chapter 211 - 151: The Final Battle_1 Chapter 211: Chapter 151: The Final Battle_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Scripture?¡± Upon hearing this, the cultivators were all taken aback, as if they had never heard the name of this item before. Fortunately, with the Xuan Guang Mirror showing, there was information avable. ¡°The Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Scripture was created by an Ancient Demon n Great Sage, who mimicked the treasure of the carefree stray Immortal, Taoist Man Lu Ya, and made the Nailhead Seven Arrow Book!¡± ¡°As it is a replica, its power is not as great as the authentic Nailhead Seven Arrow Book. For this reason, that Demon n Great Sage took a different approach, adding an ancient Curse Spell, the Plough-Head Curse, thus creating the Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Scripture!¡± ¡°As it¡¯s a Demonic and Evil Skill to cultivate this treasure, its activation requires a sacrifice of lifespan, using hair as straw, bones as nails, blood as ink, and skin as paper, to serve as materials for the Curse Spell.¡± ¡°Then, they tie the hair into a straw effigy, soak talisman scripts in blood ink made of flesh, inscribe the victim¡¯s name on them, and worship them for seven times seven, forty-nine days, after which the cultivating skill automatically takes effect, attaching it to someone¡¯s body.¡± ¡°After the skill isplete, there are three major threats: the Nailhead Skill, the Plough-Head Curse, and the Seven Arrow Book.¡± ¡°The Nailhead Skill, onceplete, would see the Evil Skills of Nailhead lodged in, unable to be removed nor purified. As long as it remains in one realm, no matter where one goes, to the heavens or the earth, one cannot avoid the skill nor diminish its power.¡± ¡°The Plough-Head Curse, an ancient Curse Skill, capable of moving three mountains and five peaks, traps the victim¡¯s body, leaving only their head and neck exposed. Then, the Green Bull pulls the Heavenly Plow, shattering the enemy¡¯s head and neck, aiming specifically at the Divine Soul, incredibly fierce in its effect.¡± ¡°The Seven Arrow Book is the fundamental treasure, a Seven Day Curse Killing by seven arrows; after worshipping for seven times seven, forty-nine days, it then employs the Curse Skill, with Nailhead increasing in severity each day for seven days, and the Plough-Head Curse worsening with each incantation, seven nails for seven days, seven arrows with seven curses, destined to extinguish the life of the adversarypletely!¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°How extremely poisonous!!!¡± Looking at the information revealed in the Xuan Guang Mirror, not only the cultivators, but even True Monarch Changrong couldn¡¯t help but cry out in shock. Poisonous? It¡¯s more than just poisonous! Xu Yang shook his head and sighed, ¡°The Nailhead Seven Arrow Book is an ancient magical treasure. Even Immortals would scatter their souls if cursed by it. This Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Book, although only a replica, still possesses some power. I fear the Daoist Celestial Master may find it difficult to withstand!¡± ¡°This¡!¡± Hearing this, all the cultivators looked concerned: ¡°Even the Taoist Master cannot resist it?¡± Xu Yang shook his head, ¡°This curse is formidable, seven killings in seven days. It is only the first arrow now, and it¡¯s easily defensible, but by the seventh arrow, its power will have increased many times over¡.¡± ¡°Not only they, the Demons, possess treasures!¡± True Monarch Changrong said solemnly, ¡°In our Taoism, there are also treasures to avert cmity and help in crossing tribtions, to undo curses and protect the body. With the Taoist Master using such protection, and us conducting skills to share the burden, coupled with the empowerment of the Luotian Dajiao and the support of the prayers from the masses, we might not be unable to withstand this curse.¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± ¡°At White Cloud Mountain, we have the White Cloud Spirit Grass Song Scroll, which can avert disaster and protect the Divine Soul. We offer it to Taoist Master to counteract this Evil Skill!¡± ¡°In Pure Yang Pce, we have a copy of the Ancestor Lu Pure Yang Sword Diagram, which can y nameless External Demons and protect the Yang God¡¯s soul. We are also willing to offer it to the Taoist Master.¡± ¡°And we from the Misty Cave¡¡± ¡°Mount Taibai as well¡¡± Everyone was talking over each other, and all Taoist sects, except for those that had beenpletely annihted, produced their treasures that guarded their mountains. Xu Yang, however, shook his head, ¡°This Nailhead Book ranks first among Spiritual Treasures, and I¡¯m afraid the treasures of my fellow Taoists might not be able topete.¡± ¡°Then what should we do?¡± Upon hearing this, everyone started to panic. ¡°To break the Curse Killing Skill, there are but three methods,¡± said Xu Yang. ¡°One is to ovee the skill with another skill, dispel the curse with another curse. But given that the Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Book¡¯s Curse Skill and magical treasure both surpass our own, this method won¡¯t work. The second is to kill the caster, destroying the curse treasure. Doing so means we must marshal our armies to head north, andunch an onught against the Capital Region.¡± ¡°As for the third option¡¡± At the end of his words, Xu Yang sighed, ¡°Our only option is Ascension!¡± ¡°Ascension?¡± The cultivators looked at each other, not sure what to do. Xu Yang¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he calmly said, ¡°He wants to force my Ascension!¡± ¡°This¡¡± The cultivators¡¯ gazes intensified, as if they somewhat understood. True Monarch Changrong also frowned deeply, ¡°What does the Taoist Master mean¡?¡± ¡°That Nailhead Book is just a replica; it can only conduct Curse Killing within this realm,¡± Xu Yang shook his head. ¡°Should I ascend to the Upper Realm, it would have no effect on me, and this disaster would naturally resolve.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent. They could only be silent. If not silent, what else could they say? In such a situation, if it was not beyond salvaging, it was still with little hope. As the one at the heart of it all, the only one capable of contending against Pudu Cihang, and now afflicted with such a vile curse¡ What should they do, what should they do? The people didn¡¯t know what to do, and it was even harder to ask Xu Yang to stay and make a futile sacrifice for this irredeemable situation. ¡°This Demon¡ how utterly malicious!¡± True Monarch Changrong¡¯s face was full of bitterness, but still he mustered the strength to say to Xu Yang, ¡°Taoist Master, ascend as quickly as possible, and inform the ancestors in the Upper Realm to send down Celestial Soldiers to vanquish the Demons; maybe there is still hope.¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± ¡°What True Monarch Changrong says is true.¡± ¡°At this point, we have no choice but to request the ancestral master to descend to subdue demons from the Lower Realm!¡± Upon hearing this, everyone agreed, albeit it was an approval born of helplessness. A Seventh Realm cultivator possesses the power to ascend, reaching the Upper Realm of Immortal Gods. But since ancient times, a barrier has separated the realms of immortals and mortals; Only those who ascend have been seen, never a banished immortal. The great sects of Taoism have also lost the means to contact the ancestral masters of the Upper Realm. Therefore, they couldn¡¯t be certain of the situation in the Upper Realm, nor could they guarantee that after ascending, they would definitely be able to meet the ancestral master and request Celestial Soldiers to descend and subdue the demons. Even if they managed to request aid, whether they could arrive in time was another issue. It¡¯s possible that by the time the Celestial Soldiers arrive, this realm would have already been devoured by that demon. Thus, this method was thest, helpless choice they had. But at this juncture, did they have any other path to take? The atmosphere became heavy with an implied sorrow, filled with despair. Seeing this, Xu Yang simply smiled, ¡°If that demon wants to force me into ascension, how could I possibly make its wishe true?¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Taoist Master!¡± The crowd looked at him in astonishment, at a loss for words. ¡°No need for further talk.¡± Xu Yang shook his head and spoke solemnly, ¡°Currently, I have two strategies. The first is to hold our ground, to see if I can resist that Nailhead Seven Arrow Scripture, while Brother Dao Changrong ascends to report the matter to the ancestral masters of the Upper Realm. As long as we can request Celestial Soldiers to subdue the demon before it breaks through to the Eight Realms, this catastrophe can be resolved.¡± ¡°Taoist Master!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, True Monarch Changrong¡¯s expression changed immediately. He was well aware of the current situation. In the Guo Bei Academy, including himself, there were only four major Seventh Realm forces. And now, with Xu Yang struck by the Nailhead Seven Arrow Scripture, his life was in grave danger, uncertain even from morning to evening. If he were to ascend at this moment, with one less majorbat power in the Guo Bei Academy, facing the iing demons from the Northern Territory, copse was likely imminent¡ True Monarch Changrong wanted to speak, but Xu Yang gestured him to silence. ¡°There¡¯s another strategy as well, which is tounch an offensive.¡± Xu Yang continued with a serious tone, ¡°That demon feeds on living beings, shrouded in curses and abhorrent to the world. When it attempts to break through to the Eight Realms, it will surely incur the wrath of gods and humans alike, who will cast down thunderous tribtion. If I seize the opportunity to strike, there¡¯s a chance to annihte it.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Upon hearing this, the faces of all present lit up with renewed hope, ¡°This n might just work!¡± Yet, True Monarch Changrong was still anxious, ¡°But Taoist Master, with the Nailhead Curse in your body, can youst until the demon¡¯s tribtiones?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we have a seven-day deadline!¡± Xu Yang said gravely, ¡°He wants to force my ascension; I intend to force his tribtion!¡± ¡°Force his tribtion?¡± True Monarch Changrong muttered to himself, then suddenly realized what was meant, ¡°Taoist Master means¡?¡± ¡°We move our armies northward immediately, at all costs,unching a direct assault on the Capital Region!¡± ¡°I want to decide life and death with him before the seven-day curse strikes!¡± Xu Yang dered with determination, ¡°Now that he is devouring living beings of the Northern Territory, without the power of the Water-Land Dharma Assembly rituals to aid him, in terms of cultivation, he is but a Seventh Realm demon. As long as our army can break into the Capital Region, destroy his daoist arena, and ruin his formations, I am confident I can kill him.¡± ¡°At that time, facing the life and death tribtion of the Eight Realms, whether he wishes to cross it or not, he will have to face it!¡± Xu Yangid out the n and then looked at the cultivators, ¡°This assaultes with extreme risks, deaths, and injuries are inevitable, and we may well lose everything. Do my fellow daoists wish to take this chance with me?¡± ¡°Taoist Master!!!¡± The cultivators¡¯ faces tensed, and then they knelt down. ¡°We are willing toy down our lives for the Taoist Master!¡± ¡°Our bodies bear heavy sins, and we ought to atone with our lives!¡± ¡°A general dies on the battlefield; a cultivator dies for the Dao. To sacrifice one¡¯s life for righteousness is our duty!¡± The cultivators were not afraid, expressing their resolve. ¡°Good!¡± Seeing this, Xu Yang did not say more, ¡°Issue mymand, deploy our forces in one direction, straight toward the Capital Region.¡± Having said that, he turned his gaze to True Monarch Changrong, ¡°Brother Dao Changrong, you and Fairy Qingluan lead the forces. I will also request the assistance of the Increase and Decrease Two Generals, along with the Ghost Gods from Yin Mountain Mansion to apany you. Though the enemy has four great Demon Gods, no Demonic and Evil Skills can stand against the Taoist Gate Righteous Skill. Coupled with the treasures of Taoism, breaking through the Capital Region should not pose a problem.¡± ¡°I will stay in Guo Bei, resisting the Curse Killing Skill, and also keep watch over Pudu Cihang. If it makes a move, I will strike to intercept.¡± ¡°However, this also means I cannot assist you any further. Life and death will be determined by destiny!¡± Xu Yang looked at True Monarch Changrong, then at the cultivators gathered in the hall, and spoke with gravity, ¡°Brothers, take care!¡± Upon hearing this, the cultivators simply smiled. ¡°Rest assured, Taoist Master. We pledge to fulfill yourmand!¡± With a seven-day deadline, time was of the essence. The order was immediately issued. Guo Bei Academy, along with the seven provinces of the south, sprung into action like a war machine thundering to life. The main forces of the Nine Courtyards disciples, joined by the great sects from north to south, along with the Underworld Soldiers and Ghost Generals from the Yin Mountain Mansion, formed an army, an immense force marching straight toward the Capital Region. The remaining people of the seven provinces, hundreds of millions of civilians, once again offered sacrifices,mencing an unprecedented Luotian Dajiao ritual since ancient times. With the power of the rituals supporting them, the cultivators set forth with their weapons drawn. Xu Yang sat in Guo Bei, waiting for the Curse Spell to strike him, and for the tribtion destined by heaven to arise. The final battle was about to begin! Chapter 212 - 152: The Nest is Overturned_1 Chapter 212: Chapter 152: The Nest is Overturned_1 Trantor: 549690339 But speaking of the past few days, all the cultivators had received their orders and departed. Even True Monarch Changrong had returned to White Cloud Taoist Temple, leading an assembly of Real Man Magicians from within the sect, including two newly promoted True Monarchs, to head together to the grand encampment at the Qinhuai River, preparing for battle. Fifteen years ago, the north and the south had established their boundaries by the Qinhuai River, building cities and training armies, each facing off against the other. Today, the Northern Territory had fallen into the demon realm. The Chen Dynasty¡¯s forces north of the Qinhuai River either defected to the south or returned north to meet their deaths. In contrast, to the south of the Qinhuai River, fortifications were high and sturdy, defenses were on full alert, and there was a rapid mobilization of seven provinces¡¯ forces. Cultivators acted swiftly, and at thetest within one day, the vanguard of the army could set off. Xu Yang bid farewell to everyone and turned to enter the temple. ¡°Master!¡± A group of disciples came forward to greet him, all with the cultivation of a Five-Realm True Man. Over the years, all three parties had developed significantly. The disciples of Mingxiao Taoist Temple were among the earliest to be taken in and received the most resources. With several decades of umtion, there were now one hundred thousand disciples, surpassing even the Pce of Longevity and Pure Yang Pce in the number of Taoists. Among the one hundred thousand disciples, there were not many in the Six Realm of True Monarch, only a mere three, for after all, he couldn¡¯t cultivate the ¡°Five Elements Gold Binding Pill¡± in this world, nor could he use the Luotian Dajiao regrly, making it fundamentally impossible to mass-produce Six Realm cultivators. These three had broken through because: one, they possessed exceptional talents; two, they had rich cultivation resources; and three, the various skill traits of their teachers had added final touches, causing quantitative changes to lead to qualitative changes, hence they stepped into the realm of True Monarch. Although there were not many Six Realm True Monarchs, there was no shortage of Five-Realm True Men, an entire host of three thousand. Three thousand Real Men, if ced in the current world, would be equivalent to three thousand Foundation Establishments. Scouring the entire Liang Country and the Three Sects of Golden Core, they probably couldn¡¯t muster that many. But Xu Yang, using various skill traits, had ¡°grown¡± them over decades. If one were to also include Guo Bei Academy and all the kind spirit monsters that hade to seek refuge, it would be enough to assemble arge army of cultivatorsposed of Five-Realm True Men. To raise troops for a thousand days is to use them for one moment! Now was the time to use them. Xu Yang looked at the three disciples: ¡°You will lead three thousand Real Men, sixty thousand mages, hurry to the grand encampment at the Qinhuai River, arrange the Duotian Altar, Shenxiao Great Array, summon the various gods from the Thunder department to possess, this time, we will risk our fortunes and lives, to fight the demons once and for all, to be victorious is to live, to be defeated is to die, there will be no turning back!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The three understood the gravity of the situation and dared not dy, immediately epting themand and departing. Xu Yang then turned and ascended the Nine-Rites high tform, crossed his legs and closed his eyes, and his Yang God exited his body. Once the Yang God emerged, it traversed through Yin and Yang, entering directly into theherworld. In ancient times, ck Mountain, the City of Wrongful Deaths, had already been transformed into a sector of the Governors of the Netherworld. With the descent of the Yang God, itnded in the Governors¡¯ office, arriving at the drill ground, at the muster stage. This muster stage was also a Mana Altar, surrounded bymand gs unfurled in all eight directions, andmand tablets hung high on all ten sides. ¡°Heaven is clear, Earth is spiritual, soldiers follow the seal¡¯s turn, generals obey orders, and heed mymand and deployment!¡± With Xu Yang¡¯s figure manifesting, he stood on top of the muster stage, with a wave of themand g and a chant of the magic incantation, ghost soldiers from all ten directions approached. The troops divided into ten directions, forming five forces: the Eastern Jiuyi soldiers, the Southern Baman soldiers, the Western Rong soldiers, the Northern Di soldiers, and the Central Qin soldiers. The five forces of soldiers were distinct from one another, including lively and active Five Chaotic Generals and Soldiers, unkempt and disheveled Five Chaotic Generals and Soldiers, roaming and hunting Five Chaotic Generals and Soldiers, soul-collecting and restricting Five Chaotic Generals and Soldiers, South Mountain binding Five Chaotic Generals and Soldiers, chicken-ughtering and blood-offering Five Chaotic Generals and Soldiers, chicken-disturbing and shouting Five Chaotic Generals and Soldiers, self-shouting and responding Five Chaotic Generals and Soldiers, g-waving and shouting Five Chaotic Generals and Soldiers, finger-biting and blood-dropping Five Chaotic Generals and Soldiers, moving the cool and relieving pain Five Chaotic Generals and Soldiers, knife-opening and blood-letting Five Chaotic Generals and Soldiers, knife-sealing and bone-connecting Five Chaotic Generals and Soldiers¡ All one hundred thousand ghost soldiers were fully present. Then, five gusts of cold yin wind rolled in, kneeling before the muster stage ready to take orders¨C these were the five Ghost Emperor Generals. ¡°Central Ghost Marshal Yao Bisong!¡± ¡°Northern Ghost Marshal Lin Jingzhong!¡± ¡°Western Ghost Marshal Cai Ziliang!¡± ¡°Southern Ghost Marshal Zhang Zigui!¡± ¡°Eastern Ghost Marshal Chen Guixian!¡± ¡°Greetings to the Mansion Lord!!!¡± The marshals of the five directions appeared in response to the summons. Xu Yang waved themand g once more: ¡°Where are the two Generals of Increase Life and Damage Fate?¡± ¡°Rumble!¡± Before the words fall, theherworld was struck by shes of lightning and thunderps, startling all spirits into wailing and terrifying both gods and ghosts. Two figures descended with the thunder: one in azure, one in crimson, both towering more than twenty feet tall, with ferocious faces and angry eyes, their mien like vajras and their spirit more fierce than asuras, causing even the ghost gods to weep at night and demons to cry out in fear. Upon seeing this, Xu Yang uttered not another word; with a shake of both hands holding themand gs, he summoned lightning from all ten directions. ¡°No limits between Heaven and Earth, creation of Yin and Yang, the gods follow mymand, orders unite as one!¡± ¡°Swift!!!¡± As the words were spoken, lightning streaked forth swiftly, striking the bodies of the two generals, aiding them tobine loss and gain into one, uniting Yin and Yang. After a moment, lightning exploded and, amidst dazzling divine light, a general with immense anger emerged with three heads and six arms, each wielding a divine weapon, while an eye in the middle of his forehead emitted lightning and divine light. Indeed¡ ¡°Heavenplies and mankind consents, I hereby decree to appoint you as Yin Mountain Mansion¡¯s Great Protector, the Grand Marshal of the Five Chaotic Generals and Soldiers, and the vanguard of wind, fire, lightning, and thunder!¡± ¡°Lead the troops to open the path, connecting Yin and Yang, eliminating demons and ghosts, ying evil spirits and monsters, vanquishing wickedness and eradicating evil!¡± ¡°Go!!!¡± Along with the shout, Xu Yang mmed the desk, andmand gs from all eight directions andmand tablets from all ten sides flew out, falling amidst the ranks of the five forces of soldiers. ¡°Orders Received!!!¡± With all the ghosts thunderously obeying themand, the Great Increment-Decrement Marshal roared out. Immediately, winds and fires howled, sand and stones flew, apanied by lightning and thunder piercing through the dual realm of Yin and Yang, creating a thoroughfare through theherworld. ¡°Roar! Roar! Roar!¡± The myriad ghosts roared as they followed suit, rushing towards the mortal realm. In the mortal realm, it was broad daylight, and all was serene under the heaven and earth. At the boundary of the Qinhuai River, one side was deserted while the other was tightly guarded, a somewhat strange contrast. At this moment, within the northern bounds of the Qinhuai River, a group was fleeing in panic. ¡°Hurry, hurry, hurry!¡± ¡°The Qinhuai River is just ahead!¡± ¡°Once we cross the Qinhuai River, we¡¯ll be in the south.¡± ¡°These evil ghosts dare not pursue. Quickly!¡± A group of people fled in panic, including monks and Taoists, schrs and warriors, some riding auspicious clouds and others on magic artifacts. Behind them, a chilling wind whistled like an overwhelming tide, threatening to chase them down and engulf thempletely. A piece of monk¡¯s robe fluttered hurriedly through the air as an elderly monk with white eyebrows maneuvered a magic artifact, with a terrified young monk standing behind him. The young monk looked back and saw the surging tide of Yin Qi, within which malevolent spirits with hideous faces appeared, causing his ownplexion to turn pale with fear. They were Buddhist monks from the north, remote and isted due to their small temple, which had spared them from attending the deadly Water-Land Dharma Assembly in the capital city and allowed them to escape this catastrophe. But having escaped this catastrophe, there was another waiting. The northern territory had be a demon realm, where demons and evil ghosts ran rampant. After enduring countless hardships, with most of their temple fellows either dead or injured, only the two of them, an old monk and a young one, had managed to escape to this ce. The path to life was right before them, but death pursued them closely from behind. Seeing the old monk looking gaunt and his mana nearly depleted, the young monk¡¯s eyes filled with despair. ¡°Baiyun, your master can¡¯t go on. Hold tightly to the staff, I will send you on your way. Remember, you must bring the Golden Buddha to Mingxiao Taoist Temple and give it to Heavenly Master Shi. Only then can our Buddhism¡¯s great sin be slightly reduced.¡± ¡°Go!¡± After speaking, the old monk grabbed the young monk, stuffed a bundle into his embrace, and infused thest of his mana into the staff, ready to make the ultimate sacrifice to send him off. But unexpectedly¡ ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± A thunderous rumble ensued, and the sky darkened abruptly as if ominous clouds were descending. Suddenly, the howling wind and the surge of ghostly Qi twisted the space in front of them, revealing a gloomyherworld. ¡°Stamp! Stamp! Stamp!¡± ¡°Charging! Charging! Charging!¡± ¡°Flutter! Flutter! Flutter!¡± From within the gloom, the sounds of troops and horses could be heard, and the ck mist converged into a substantial Yin Qi. Then, the ground thundered with the sounds of hooves like thunder, and within the ck tide, shadowy figures could barely be seen as if an army of thousands was galloping towards them, blocking the way forward. ¡°This¡¡± Even the old monk couldn¡¯t help but change his expression at this sight. It was broad daylight, and the heavens were clear, yet were these the ghosts, the Underworld Soldiers, marching into the world of the living? Such power was a thousand times, no, ten thousand times stronger than the tide of a hundred ghosts furiously chasing them from behind. Was the demon¡¯s influence so extensive already? In a moment of shock, the army of thousands was already upon them. ¡°Amitabha!¡± ¡°Heaven¡¯s will!¡± ¡°Fate!¡± The old monk, left with no other choice, could only close his eyes and brace for the inevitable. But unexpectedly¡ ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± The whistling wind passed by, the dead not touching the living, and the army of thousands charged and collided, crushing the hundreds of pursuing evil ghosts who could not avoid them in time, reducing them to dust within the ck tide. ¡°Huff! Huff! Huff!¡± The gusts of chilling wind made their bodies tremble, but after waiting for a while, there was no pain, no feeling of a soul being devoured. The young monk couldn¡¯t help but open his eyes and tugged at the old monk¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Master, master¡¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± The old monk was also confused, opening his eyes and looking forward. Then he saw a towering ghost god, a three-headed, six-armed being, as formidable as a Vajra and as fierce as an Asura, stepping out from theherworld with a hundred yards in each stride, followed by orderly troops from the five directions. Those ghosts from before were merely the advance scouts! The main corps now approaching was the elite of the Yin government! ¡°This¡¡± ¡°The Great Increment-Decrement Marshal!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Yin Mountain Mansion!¡± The old monk also realized what was happening and quickly picked up the young monk to stand aside and avoid the Yin government¡¯s troops. ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± No one paid them any mind as the Great Increment-Decrement Marshalmanded the five ghost generals and a million Underworld Soldiers as the vanguard of a grand army that charged mightily toward the north, grinding any encountered demons to dust. The Underworld Soldiers borrowed the way, with the vanguard clearing the path. And then¡ ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± More rumbling could be heard in the skies afar. The old monk looked up, following the noise, his face filled with shock. He saw that to the south of Qinhuai, the skies werepletely dark, covered by an approaching mass of ck clouds. The uninterrupted expanse of ck clouds eclipsed the sun, and atop the clouds, indistinct figures of Taoists and mages could be seen, among the sounds of thunder drums and shing lightning resembling dragons, as if celestial soldiers had descended into the human realm. In fact¡ ¡°Mingxiao Taoist Temple!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Taoists of Mingxiao!¡± Before the old monk could recover from his astonishment, he heard Taoist survivors eximing nearby. ¡°It is said that under King Shifa of Mount Jilei¡¯s Mingxiao Taoist Temple, three thousand true men and a hundred thousand Taoists, all versed in Thunder Series magic and served by various gods of thunder, create epassing storm clouds and lightning veils the sun as they emerge, striking like celestial soldiers. Indeed, their reputation is well-deserved!¡± ¡°In the years past, when King Shifa purged the world of demons, the Taoists of Mingxiao followed, setting up the Duotian Altar and the Shenxiao Great Array. By invoking the Jade Pure Divine Thunder, countless demons and even millennia-old demons were obliterated under the might of these thunderbolts.¡± ¡°Are the demons about to taste the same bitter defeat this time?¡± Watching the Taoists of Mingxiao disappear into the distance, those who had survived the disaster spected in wonder. In the meantime¡ In the distant skies, a resplendent glow radiated, and thousands upon thousands of swords formed a mighty current, roaring their way across the sky, covering the sun and scattering the clouds with their ferocity. ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± The stream of swords soared high, darkening the sky, and the earth trembled with resonance. Armored legions emerged in the thousands, thunders roaring with their advance. Massive steel beasts spewed spirit light and rolled forward, an endless, majestic procession heading northward. Chapter 213 - 153: Day Six_1 Chapter 213: Chapter 153: Day Six_1 Trantor: 549690339 The southern army surged forth, and the northern demons gathered. They too received the news and shifted from attack to defense,ying down defenses one after another. The firstyer was the Ten Thousand Evil Ghost Array! For fifteen years, both sides developed separately yet in direct confrontation; Xu Yang entered the underworld establishing the Yin Mountain Mansion, while Cihang also had arrangements in the Netherworld. Now, as strategies were exhausted and des revealed, a sudden uprising opened the channel between the Dual Realm of Yin and Yang, summoning a million evil ghosts from the Netherworld as minions, and even an old demon like ck Mountain, stepping into the ranks of the Seven Realm Ghost Gods. The force of evil ghosts was massive, and death was of little consequence. Their Yin Qi was fierce, solidifying into a toxic miasma. If any living being were toe into contact with it, even if they didn¡¯t die, they couldn¡¯t avoid being tainted by the toxic Yin, which would reduce their mana and wear down their Taoist cultivation, making it perfectly suited as the first line of defense. But¡ Xu Yang had ghosts of his own! ¡°Roar! Roar! Roar!¡± From the Yin Mountain Mansion, an immense army charged forth. Even more formidable than the Ten Thousand Evil Ghost Array! Leading them was the Great Increment-Decrement Marshal, striding through the wind and fire, wrapped in thunder and lightning, wielding fierce weapons, eyes shining with divine light, six arms and three heads, a hundred zhang tall like a Demon God descending upon the world, taking the vanguard into the formation and sweeping away ten thousand ghosts. Decades earlier, after Xu Yang¡¯s expertise in Taoism developed the ¡°Thunder Lightning Mana King¡± trait, his mastery of the Thunder Series reached the pinnacle of this world, understanding the creation powers of thunder¡ªbringing life or death, being both Yin and Yang. The ultimate state of Thunder Series had the power to split the heavens and pierce the earth, shattering the endless chaos and creating a new world. While Xu Yang¡¯s mastery of the Thunder Series hadn¡¯t reached such a state, it still had the power to create and transform Yin and Yang. Therefore,bining many refined Taoist methods, he created the ¡°Thunder Training Ghost Skill.¡± With this skill, he trained Underworld Soldiers and Ghost Generals who not onlybined Yin and Yang but also possessed the creation power of thunder, able to manipte the forces of wind, fire, thunder, and lightning. Unafraid of scorching sunlight or raging winds and even unscared by thunderous explosives, they could walk the Netherworld and the world of the living under the clear blue sky and the bright daylight, appearing before the eyes of mortals. This Great Increment-Decrement Marshal was indeed his proud creation. Such a thunderous ghost, coupled with the deities of incense worship and embodied as a Ghost God, would not only be formidable today but could also potentially attain a position among the deities of the Netherworld even in ancient times. Now, Xu Yangmanded it to take the lead, and it did not disappoint him. Wind, fire, thunder, and lightning¡ªit charged directly into the formation. Although the Ten Thousand Evil Ghost Array was terrifying, it paled inparison to the Netherworld Ghost God, the Increment-Decrement Marshal. ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± The earth trembled, an abyss cracked open, and a massive mountain rose from within, reaching tens of thousands of feet in height. The Dry Mountain Old Demon! No, it should be called the Dry Mountain Demon God! One could see the Seven Realm Demon God revealed its true form, the ten-thousand-foot Dry Mountain blocking the path of the ferocious Increment-Decrement Marshal. Incensed, the Marshal waved its six arms, and the six divine weapons struck the opponent repeatedly, yet the mountain rocks, firmer than metal, sent sparks flying without breaking. Such an immense mountain was difficult to shake. This old demon was no longer a mere ghost but embodied half-demon, half-devil, half-ghost, half-god. The Increase Life Marshal, capable of defeating ten thousand ghosts, had little advantage over such an old demon. Just like the ck Mountain Old Demon of old, even a Daoist Celestial Master who was a whole realm higher still struggled to y it. Now, as a Demon God, even stronger than the former ck Mountain, who could contend with it in the Seventh Realm? ¡°Dong! Dong! Dong!¡± Just as the imposing Dry Mountain stood unmovable, blocking the pass¡ From the sky above, the sound of drums suddenly echoed. Looking up, one saw dense clouds converging, a great darkened sky. Cumted thunderclouds, Mingxiao Taoist Temple. Ten thousand standard Magic Artifacts. In such a case, it was as if the skies and sun were obscured as if the thunder department itself had descended to the mortal realm. Atop the cumulus clouds, vague figures could be glimpsed,prised of Real Man Magicians and True Monarchs leading the way. The many cultivators, some dressed in neat robes, others with disheveled hair, and still more strongmen with bare chests, forcefully beat the thunder drums with great intensity. The thunder drums themselves were Magic Artifacts. Every ten clouds held a small drum, every hundred a medium drum, and every thousand arge drum. Strongmen beating the thunder drums in harmony with the cumulus thunderclouds created a fury as if the heavens and earth roared with thunderous sound. Beyond the thunder drums, there were also the electric realms. ced upon clouds, with every ten hosting a small, every hundred a medium, and every thousand arge one. As the electricity danced like dragons between the clouds, casting light throughout the sky. The Duotian Altar! The Shenxiao Great Array! In this world when the Supreme Elder Lord opened the heavens, the Three Pure Ones differentiated, but the Mysterious Gate did not divide into the Three Teaching Sects, and there was no struggle for life and death as in the myth of the deities¡¯ conferral. The progenitor of the Thunder department, Nine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable, was not the Instructor Wen Zhong from the myth of deities¡¯ conferral but an incarnation of the Primeval Heavenly King of eternal life, a child of the ¡°Primeval Heavenly King¡± of Jade Pure lineage, and known as the Jade Pure True King. Thus, the thunder department of this world inherits the Jade Pure Taoist lineage, tracing back to the Duotian as the origin, to the Shenxiao as the tradition. Jade Purews dominate thunder; hence the title ¡°Nine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Mansion, the Supreme Jade Pure King.¡± The Duotian Altar and the Shenxiao Great Array are genuine teachings of the Jade Pure school. Although they consist only of the Golden Core section, the Array Formation¡¯s technique, whenbined with collective strength and following the cosmic order, allows for battle beyond boundaries. It¡¯s not unusual for a Golden Core array to contend against a Demon God. ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± As the Altar stood and the Great Array unfurled, the practitioners from all directions lent their strength. Above the clouds, a person stepped forward with crane-like hair and the visage of a youth, embodying the aura of an immortal. It was True Monarch Changrong. He stood upon the clouds,manding the formation, connecting with the Duotian Altar and executing the divine might of Taoist spells. ¡°The Heavens are boundless, the Earth is boundless, O Disciples, who set forth the Nine Bulls Creation Skill¡ªonce initiated, Heaven and Earth tremble, twice initiated, ghosts and gods are startled, thrice initiated, mountains crumble and boulders split, four times initiated, evil mages¡¯ heads shatter and their lives cease, not dragging a thousand pounds of pressure, when the Nine Bulls create once, both sides will split, respectfully inviting the Six Stars of the Southern Dipper, the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper, I serve the Supreme Elder Lord with speed like thew!¡± It was¡ªNine Bulls Creation Skill! ¡°Boom boom boom!¡± ¡°Moo moo moo!¡± The Taoist magic urged on, thunder roared, and nine green bulls descended from the sky, with Jade Pure Divine Thunder bestowed upon their horns, transforming into nine ancient thunder beasts, charging directly towards the Mount of a Thousand Zangs. All at once¡ ¡°Rumble rumble!¡± The initiation made the Heaven and Earth tremble, startled ghosts and gods, crumbled mountains and split boulders! The Heavenly Master performed his magic, and with the creation of the Nine Bulls Mountain, assisted by both the Duotian Altar and the Shenxiao Jade Pure forces, even the Mount of a Thousand Zangs, transformed by the Seven Realm Demon God, could not withstand and was struck to pieces, with boulders rolling down. Within the mountain of a thousand zangs, even a face emerged, a twisted visage of agony, filled with cracks as the rocky body likewise began to shake, ready to retreat back into the Earth and flee into the distance. ¡°Hmph!¡± ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going!¡± True Monarch Changrong snorted coldly and performed another Taoist spell. ¡°I serve the Elder Lord as thewmands, today I havee to fish the mountain peak, with a golden hook I fish, with a silver hook I fish, fishing up the four corners of the mountain of a thousand zangs, if still it does not rise, let the Nine Bulls lift it, the Yin Nine Bulls, the Yang Nine Bulls, with a heavenly and earth-shaking collision against the mountain gate!¡± ¡°Rumble rumble!¡± In the midst of the curse spell¡¯s sound, thunder reappeared, lightning like a dragon startled the heavens and fell, turning into myriad hooks and ropes, catching the four corners of the Dry Mountain, making it difficult to escape. Soon after, Yin and Yang moved together, as eighteen Thunder Bulls thundered forth, heavily striking at the base of the mountain. ¡°Bang!!!¡± A thunderous roar shocked Heaven and Earth, as the thousand zang high mountain copsed with a boom. It was shattered at its roots, the very foundation of its formation, by the joint Thunder Series of Yin and Yang Nine Bulls. Once the formation¡¯s footings were destroyed, the high mountain fell. Even as a Seven Realm Demon God, it was as if without root or duckweed. ¡°Roar roar roar!¡± Increment-Decrement Marshal roared. With six arms wielding weapons, he charged into the copsing mountain, digging out a jade-like mountain core and swallowed it whole into his belly. Dry Mountain Demon God¡ªdead! The Seven Realm Demon God fell from this world. With that, the Ten Thousand Evil Ghost Array also dissipated. The grand army surged forward, marching in parallel from the heavens to the earth, heading straight for the second formation. Five dayster, in the capital city, at the location of the mana altar. Three haggard Demon Wolves arrived, each bearing numerous scars. ¡°It¡¯s no use!¡± ¡°Those Taoists are too formidable!¡± ¡°That Mingxiao Taoist Temple¡¯s Duotian Altar, Shenxiao Great Array, it¡¯s like they have boundless mana to squander.¡± ¡°That Jade Pure Divine Thunder, stroke after stroke, inbination with those Taoists¡¯ Taoist magic and curse spells, we hadn¡¯t even made our move when half of us had already perished.¡± ¡°Lucky for me, I ran quickly. Had I been any slower, I am afraid I would have met the same fate as Dry Mountain by now.¡± ¡°The enemy is numerous and mighty. That old Changrong with his Mingxiao Taoists aiding him, each major Taoist Sect also produced their treasured artifacts, in addition to Guo Bei Academy¡¯s Sword Cultivators and Martial Artists, not to mention all sorts of peculiar and terrifyingly powerful magic artifacts, as well as the ghostly armies of the Yin Mountain Mansion. We couldn¡¯t hold them off, truly couldn¡¯t withstand them.¡± ¡°Also, that Phoenix Song Mountain¡¯s Qingluan, she, along with a bunch of old Taoists, set up some kind of formation that summoned the Nanli Vermilion Bird. A burst of mes dissipated my formation. How could I defend against that?¡± The three Demon Wolves looked battered, covered in wounds, and as they peered down at the Pudu Cihang below the mana altar, their eyes showed dissatisfaction. In this era, the Taoist arts were flourishing, and demonic and evil skills were always a step below the righteous mana points, even for those who had broken through to the Seventh Realm. So, facing the desperate southern Cultivators who had gathered in full force, fighting a life or death battle, they simply could not hold their ground and within five days were beaten back to the Capital Region. Their demon followers suffered heavy casualties. Even they, as Demon Gods, nearly perished on the battlefield. No, not nearly, one was already dead. This caused the remaining three demons to contemte retreat. They had already entered the Seventh Realm and could shatter the Broken Void, ascending to the Upper Realm at any moment. The reason they lingered in the human world was because of the temptation of the Duotian Altar by Pudu Cihang, who promised a share of the sustenance of the souls of the living beings of the south. But now, the tempting sustenance had turned into a tough bone, difficult to gnaw on, let alone potentially risking their lives. No matter how important the mana point was or how delightful the sustenance, it couldn¡¯tpare to one¡¯s life. Unless Pudu Cihang could turn the tides, these three demons were unwilling to keep up their futile resistance. Facing the three demons who bore an almost threatening posture, Pudu Cihang merely smiled, lifting his eyes northward and muttered to himself, ¡°The sixth day has passed!¡± With that, he lowered his gaze back to the demons, brought his hands together in a pious gesture, and said withpassion, ¡°Amitabha,y down the butcher¡¯s knife, turn around for the shore of salvation!¡± ¡°You!!!¡± The three demons¡¯ faces changed, ready to react. But unexpectedly, a vast Brahma Sound surged like a tide, instantly engulfing everything. At the same time¡ In the south, Guo Bei, Mount Jilei, Mingxiao Taoist Temple. Above the Nine Ceremony High Altar, Xu Yang remained calm, with a Taoist Scripture in hand, still finding leisure to read. Nailhead Plowhead, Seven Arrows Curse Spell. Now, on the sixth day. The sixth day, the sixth arrow, the sixth round of curse spell, was about to strike! Chapter 214 - 154: The Arrival of the Sword (Finale)_1 Chapter 214: Chapter 154: The Arrival of the Sword (Finale)_1 Trantor: 549690339 The curse killing approached, yet Xu Yang remained indifferent, still engrossed in the Taoist Scriptures in his hands. Although he had unified the South for many years, hindered by the views of sectarian gatekeeping, he had still been unable to directly request theplete teachings of the major Taoist schools. Only now, in the face of the cmity befalling the popce, with no more talk of sects and schools, not only did the various southern Taoist lineages offer up their ancestral teachings, but even the surviving seeds of the North had given their fortunes and lives, along with their lineages¡¯ inheritances. In his possession now were not only the arts ofbat and defense, protection of the Tao, and safeguarding of oneself from the various Taoist schools, but also secrets of cultivation that the Ancient Immortal Gods of antiquity left in the world, utilizing the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit. With these, current cultivation, breaking through the Golden Core, had no more barriers; as long as he umted enough, he could attempt the breakthrough. s, hecked the technique he most desired, the one he had longed to obtain¡ªthe method of feigning the ordinary to cultivate the true. A slight regret. However, as long as this world did not perish, Xu Yang believed that one day, he would obtain this technique. Therefore¡ ¡°Boom rumble!¡± Muffled thunder resounded, and the skies suddenly darkened. Xu Yang looked up and saw the Yang Yun descending once again, a great dark sky approaching. Within the darkness, a blood light could be faintly seen, contorting into a horrifying visage, and howling ferociously as it bore down on him. Xu Yang¡¯s expression was unchanged. He set down the Taoist Scriptures in his hands and sat alone on the high altar, surrounded by Yellow Talismans that had long been affixed. Many magic artifacts arrayed around to shield the Divine Soul and dissolve Curse Skills, but many were already cracked, a frightening sight to behold. Six days had passed with five rounds of curse killings, all blocked by him. But with the Nailhead Seven Arrow, each arrow stronger than thest, he had paid a heavy price. Countless talismans, elixirs, and magic artifacts had been consumed without measure. Now, the opposition had only two rounds of curse killings remaining, while his trump cards were also nearly spent. Who would be the first to fail? The facts would have to speak. ¡°Boom rumble!¡± Just as Xu Yang closed his eyes, his sea of consciousness twisted, and he was transported between mountains. The Three Rivers and Five Peaks shifted and converged from all sides, pressing heavily upon his body, exposing only his head. Xu Yang remained motionless, seated in the void, with golden light shimmering around him, withstanding the crushing mountains. It was still the Golden Light Spell. As one of the eight great protective Divine Spells of Taoism, this spell was exquisite, with extraordinary might. The previous five rounds of Nailhead Plowhead curse killings had been unable to break through the protective golden light. Of course, no matter how strong the Curse Skill, it depends on one¡¯s Cultivation. Without enough Cultivation to support it, all Taoist techniques and Divine Skills are but castles in the air. Now, Xu Yang devoted all his Cultivation to sustaining this spell, one could say this golden light was hisst line of defense. Once the golden light shattered, he would have no more defenses, and the Curse Skill would prate unimpeded, the Nailhead Plowhead would crush his Divine Soul. Therefore, the spell must not break, the light must not shatter. Otherwise, it would be the end of his Tao and his life. But the opposition also knew this well. The Three Mountains and Five Peaks, closing in from all sides, their power far greater than the first round, bore down upon the golden light, causing sparks to scatter and resounding with a metallic tter, as if undergoing a thousand refinings. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± In reality, atop the high altar, one magic artifact after another exploded into fragments, one spirit talisman after another turned to flying ash. Even the base of the Nine Ceremony High Altar shook as if struck by some terrifying force. The Nailhead technique, its might doubled. Then look at the Plowhead Spell. ¡°Mooo!!!¡± Within the sea of consciousness, a bellow sounded as the Ancient Green Bull pulled the Heavenly Plow, with wind, clouds, thunder, and lightning rushing forward. ¡°Bang!!!¡± A loud crash as the Heavenly Plow descended, colliding with Xu Yang¡¯s head, all defended by the protective golden light. During the initial round of curse killings, this Green Bull could only pull the Heavenly Plow once before crumbling to dust. With each passing day, with each round of cursing, the number of times Green Bull could pull the Heavenly Plow increased by one. Now, at the sixth round of curse killing, the Green Bull could continuously plow his head six times, each time stronger than thest. ¡°Boom rumble!¡± The first plow, the golden light flickered. The second plow, the spirit talisman turned to ash. The third plow, the magic artifact shattered. The fourth plow, the high altar trembled. The fifth plow, the golden light cracked. After five strikes of the Plowhead, Xu Yang¡¯s protective golden light was full of cracks and on the verge of copse. Could it withstand the doubly increased might of the sixth plow? No one knew. The Green Bull, merciless, fiercely pulled the Heavenly Plow, thunderously charging toward him. At that moment¡ A streak of sword light descended from the sky, merging into the cultivator¡¯s Heavenly Spirit. The dazzling sword light seemed to possess tremendous power. Poured into the Heavenly Spirit, it instantly bolstered the golden light. The golden light surged, its cracks vanished, and in an instant, it stabilized as before, perhaps even stronger than before. ¡°Bang!!!¡± A loud crash as the Green Bull collided but failed to shift the golden light, instead causing itself to shatter. The Green Bull crumbled, the Heavenly Plow broke apart, and the sixth round of curse killing dissipated into nothing. But no hint of joy appeared on Xu Yang¡¯s face. In the end, he had been the first to y his final card. The Xuanyuan Divine Sword, his Magical Treasure¡ªthrough it, he had blocked the sixth round of curse killing. But tomorrow, when the seventh arrow arrives, would he be able to hold it off? The Power of Seven Arrows, its strength untold. This final round of curse killing, I fear, will surpass the previous sixbined in terror. He might not be able to withstand it. Even if he could, it would leave him gravely wounded, greatly damaging his Yuan Qi. Then, should Pudu Cihang seize the opportunity to break through and ascend to the Eight Realms, who could possibly resist? ¡°At this juncture, we are in a dire situation, only a desperate struggle may bring a slim chance of survival!¡± Within the Northern Territory, beyond the Capital Region, atop the Duotian Altar, True Monarch Changrong, looking visibly diminished, said to the assembly of cultivators, ¡°Tomorrow is the seventh day; we must breach the capital and destroy the Taoist sanctuary before then.¡± ¡°Only then can the Taoist Master intervene and execute that demon.¡± ¡°Otherwise, even if the Taoist Master survives the Seven Day Curse Killing, he will be greatly wounded, and no longer able to contend with that demon.¡± Chapter 215 - 154: The Arrival of the Sword (Finale)_2 Chapter 215: Chapter 154: The Arrival of the Sword (Finale)_2 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Life or death, survival or extinction, all hang on this night¡ªwe have no choice but to stake everything on onest effort.¡± In saying this, his gaze swept across the equally haggard figures before him, and True Monarch Changrong felt helpless in his heart. After five days of fierce assault, leading an army over ten thousand miles, and breaking through four strategic points, they had forced the demons into retreat step by step. But they also paid a heavy price, with countless cultivators wounded or dead, and the rest were utterly exhausted. Their mana was severely depleted, and their Divine Souls were even more worn down. Even with ceremonial blessings and the recovery offered by elixirs, it was difficult to maintain their strength for battle. Even he, a Daoist Celestial Master, was weary from casting great divine skills continuously, yet he still forced himself to stand, even resorting to secret techniques that traded lifespan for temporary power. The troops were worn out! But now, at this point, they had no choice but to fight desperately to the end. ¡°Brother Dao, rest assured, we will risk our lives tonight to breach the city!¡± The cultivators spoke in solemn tones, already resolved to die. True Monarch Changrong wore a grave expression, ¡°Then let us begin. Remember, that demon has the ability to bewitch the minds of men. Initially, Buddhism trusted him deeply, which likely was a result of his deception. And those three monstrous gods, I fear, have be his puppets without even realizing it. We must be extremely cautious as we attack the city.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The crowd responded and dispersed each to their stations. Up ahead, the Yin Mountain¡¯s vanguard forces had already lost more than half their numbers. Of the five ghostly generals, only two remained; the troops under theirmand had suffered innumerable casualties, and even the Increment-Decrement Marshal was covered in wounds, having exhausted much of his strength. Yet as the vanguard, they still bravely took the lead, directly marching towards the Capital Region. In thend of the Capital Region, the Buddha¡¯s light shone brilliantly, enveloping an area of over a thousand miles. The cultivators charged into the battle array, only to hear the chanting of Brahma Sound and sinister tunes that followed. ¡°Namo, namo, Amitabha¡¡± ¡°Namo, namo, Amitabha¡¡± ¡°Namo, namo, Amitabha¡¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Not good!¡± Hearing the Brahma Sound, everyone¡¯s expressions changed, and True Monarch Changrong shouted urgently, ¡°Those beneath the True Man level, retreat from this ce; everyone else, fight with all your might.¡± As the order was issued, the army immediately split, and within the sea of Buddha¡¯s light, monstrous waves surged forth as countless demons swept in, with the three monstrous gods leading them. As the two sides shed, the holy Buddha Realm was soon awash with rivers of blood and covered with corpses. Meanwhile¡ Inside the imperial city, within the Daoist temple, before the Mana Altar. A monk sat alone, gazing at the sky as the Buddha¡¯s light around him glittered, revealing a Mysterious Mirror. Within the Mysterious Mirror, the Nine Ceremony High Altar stood, with a Taoist man sitting atop, also disying a serene countenance. ¡°You¡¯ve lost.¡± Pudu Cihang looked at Xu Yang, saying, ¡°My tribtion has yet toe, but your life is nearing its end. Why not ascend to avoid this cmity and n for another day?¡± The words were earnest, and he advised sincerely, as if the one in front of him was not a bitter enemy, but a dear friend instead. Xu Yang was unconcerned, preupied with his own perspective, ¡°Using the Buddha to cast demons, using demons to imitate Buddha, to reduce sin and evade cause and effect is not the way meant for this world.¡± ¡°True!¡± Pudu Cihang nodded: ¡°Ie from beyond this realm, an Outerworld demon, and this technique is also an Outerworld Great Skill.¡± Xu Yang smiled, unchanging in demeanor: ¡°Though the skill is exquisite, it has its limits; it cannot erase all sins and karma. That is why you dare not devour all the Northern Territory demons, for you would surely face divine condemnation and be hunted by gods and men alike!¡± ¡°True!¡± Hearing this, Pudu Cihang still remainedposed: ¡°The techniques of this world use falsehood to cultivate truth, and sentient beings possess power. If I were to devour all sentient beings of the Northern Territory, overwhelming resentment would envelop me, heaping sin upon sin and drawing thunderous tribtions, giving you the opportunity to prevail against me.¡± Having said that, he looked again at Xu Yang, ¡°Now, as I firmly guard the imperial city, just one more day of dy and the Seven Arrow Curse will be unleashed. You wouldn¡¯t be able to stop me, even if you survive. Then, within and beyond the capital, regardless of good or evil, human or demon, they will all be my sustenance to break through the barrier!¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yang simply smiled: ¡°Not afraid of being condemned by heaven and earth?¡± ¡°We cultivators naturally go against heaven¡¯s will¡ªwhat is there to fear from heavenly condemnation and earthly extermination?¡± Pudu Cihang, unfazed, remarked: ¡°Without you in my way, what can the Heavenly Tribtion possibly do to me?¡± Between the lines, he nced outward, ¡°The cultivators of this world are indeed extraordinary, but unfortunately, destiny is on my side!¡± After speaking, his gaze returned to Xu Yang: ¡°We both are cultivators from beyond this domain. Why must we fight to the death over this?¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yang simply smiled: ¡°Do you think I wouldn¡¯t?¡± This statement plunged Pudu Cihang into silence. All his words had but one purpose¡ªto persuade Xu Yang to ascend. The situation was now clear. His cultivation was still within the Seventh Realm, and because he feared the resentment bing karma would bring about divine punishment, he dared not devour all the souls of the Northern Territory, not even the three monstrous gods whom he had turned into puppets with his Brahma Sound. Thus, his advantage over Xu Yang was not great. If Xu Yang took advantage of the thunder of tribtion, and both gods and men united to exterminate the demon, Pudu Cihang would be hard-pressed to resist. To prevent this, he decisively utilized his strongest method, the Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Scripture! He intended to use this treasure to force Xu Yang to ascend, and then leisurely endure the Eight Realms of Heavenly Tribtion. But would Xu Yang ascend? This question had troubled him for a long time. Initially, he believed that Xu Yang would ascend. After all, this was a man of great ambition and schemes! Despite his years of fairly administering justice, praised as a pir of the Righteous Path, Pudu Cihang didn¡¯t believe this to be Xu Yang¡¯s original intention. If he were so pure-hearted, why would he disguise his identity and create the Northern City Three Cultivations to intimidate various factions? Such a person had to be a conqueror! And how could a conqueror give up life for righteousness? At most, he would seek revengeter. But now¡ Chapter 216 - 154: The Arrival of the Sword (Finale)_3 Chapter 216: Chapter 154: The Arrival of the Sword (Finale)_3 Trantor: 549690339 Looking at Xu Yang, Pudu Cihang remained silent without a word. Seeing this, Xu Yang smiled and said, ¡°You sent me the Nailhead Seven Arrow, so in the way of courtesy, I¡¯m sending you Five Thunder Boom atop.¡± ¡°Hmm!?¡± Pudu Cihang¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°Five Thunder Destroying God Spell?¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± Xu Yang smiled, stood up and dered, ¡°Wrath of gods and humans, Five Thunder Boom!¡± ¡°Hmm!?¡± Pudu Cihang¡¯s pupils shrank again, a nameless unease surged in his heart, but he still forced himself to say, ¡°I possess the Skill of the Boxun Demon Buddha; I am unentangled by sin, untouched by karma and disaster, how could there be wrath from gods and humans?¡± ¡°Boxun?¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Xu Yangughed out loud, ¡°I have a sword that can shake heaven and earth, it is the tribtion destined for you!¡± ¡°You¡!!!!¡± ¡°This is the will of heaven!¡± Before the words of anger and shock could be spoken, they saw the Taoist man sweep his whisk and bow to the heavens, and his body gradually began to glow. The Xuan Guang Mirror became hazy in an instant, and then shattered, with light and shadow scattering. The Xuan Guang Mirror broke, and all was dissolved. But the heart of the demon remained deeply unsettled for a long time. Pudu Cihang stood frozen in ce, his heart continuing to churn with waves. His cultivated skill came from beyond this realm, transmitted from the master of the Desire Realm¡¯s Six Heavens, the Great Free Heavenly Demon King¡ªMara Boxun. Boxun, that is, Mara, it¡¯s said that Buddha once confronted Mara, who dered that when the final tribtiones, Buddha will enter nirvana, and demons will rece Buddha, donning the monk¡¯s robe, entering temples, receiving offerings, turning Buddhands into Demon Realms, Buddha states into Demon Kingdoms. For this reason, Boxun created a method, named ¡°Transformative Freedom Boxun Heart Sutra,¡± the supreme great method that uses demons to achieve Buddha and Buddha to transform into demons, able to purify sins, dissolve karma, avoid retribution and even umte merit. Though he did not acquire theplete method, he was still able to dominate this world, achieving the renowned Holy Monk, Pudu Cihang. But now¡ Anxiety relentless as surging waves, incessantly troubling him. Why the disquiet? Why the tribtion? Pudu Cihang was well aware. At this juncture, there was only one method that could take his life. Wrath of gods and humans, thunderous ying by heavenly retribution! Yet he had the Demon Buddha skill, could erase sins, and avoid retribution. How could the other party invoke his heavenly tribtion? How could they!!! Pudu Cihang did not know, but he had no other choice but to activate the Boxun magical techniques, striving to dispel the resentment and sins from his body, thus reducing the power of the heavenly tribtion. However¡ Atop the Nine Ritual Altars in the Mingxiao Taoist Temple¡ Xu Yang made obeisance to heaven, and around his body, a light began to rise, as if grains scattering. Inside Mingxiao Taoist Temple, in Mount Jilei, the disciples and Taoists who could not go to war due to insufficient cultivation felt something and looked up, gazing towards the high altar. But what they saw was the figure on the high altar gradually turning into light, and in an instant, shooting into the vast sky. In Guo Bei Academy¡¯s schoolhouse, sacrifices were still being made. Miss Xin Shisi stood beside an offering table, staring nkly towards the north, lost in a trance. Suddenly, amidst the dimness, she was struck by a frightening premonition. She turned her gaze, seeing only that the incense on the offering table, on the censer, burned rapidly, turning to ashes in the blink of an eye, a plume of incense smoke rising straight to the heavens. ¡°This¡ My lord!?¡± Miss Xin Shisi, shocked and wanting to chase, but unsure where to go, could only look nkly at the sky, her vision blurring without her noticing. Not just the academy, but all seven provinces in the south, witnessed this sight. Incense turned to ash, offerings like wax melted away, an inexplicable loss felt, as if their heads were splitting and hearts wrenchingly pained. The grand sacrificial rites, the soul power of thousands, turned to incense and rose towards the heavens. This was the reciprocity Xu Yang presented to Pudu Cihang. The final sword strike, wrath of gods and humans, Five Thunder Boom atop! The Xuanyuan Divine Sword, with three methods offered, among them, the advancement of the Land method was fastest. After all, Xu Yang had swept away many demons, including the essence of mountains and minerals like ck Mountain, and with these fed the Divine Sword, thus its progress was astonishingly fast. Only the technique of the gods and humans was not easily aplished, thus Xuanyuan had remained a Lower Grade Spiritual Treasure till now. But now, Xu Yang intended to, with his human form, borrow the power of heaven to achieve Xuanyuan! Capital Region, Buddha Realm, in the midst of the battlefield. Rivers of blood flowed, with corpses strewn across the field. Demons and humans fought to the death, the carnage extreme. Three demon gods, now puppets, fought fearlessly and fiercely. True Monarch Changrong, Fairy Qingluan, and the Increment-Decrement Marshal also fought desperately with their lives at stake. Kill, kill, kill, until the sky darkened and the sun and moon lost their light. Yet the number of demons was endless, well-rested and ready, with the Buddha Realm¡¯s blessings, their formation held firm. Even as the cultivators were fearless, the Taoists sacrificed themselves, and the armies charged bravely, still, they could not break through the enemy lines. Time slowly slipped away in this massive grind of flesh and blood, and before anyone realized it, night was fading and dawn was approaching. But the darkness receded not into light, but into endless despair. ¡°Bang!¡± A sh of sword light, spattered with blood, fell to the ground, revealing a figure smeared with blood and riddled with wounds. It was Liang Xiao. After twenty years of arduous cultivation, his extraordinary talent had allowed him to step into the fifth realm of cultivators. As a student of the sword at the Shushan Main School, he had also been roped into this battle. However, the cultivation of the fifth realm meant very little in this battle. That he had made it this far was nothing short of a miracle. ¡°Is this¡ the end?¡± Looking at his broken Flying Sword, then at the depleted mana within his body, Liang Xiao let out a bitter smile,y down on the ground, and his eyelids began to droop. He had done everything he could. Whether he lived or died was now up to fate. Just as his eyelids were about to close¡ ¡°Hum!¡± The broken sword vibrated, resonating loudly. One sound arose, and ten thousand answered. Across the battlefield, all the soldiers howled in unison, their Sword Qi soaring to the sky. ¡°What is this¡¡± ¡°Taoist Master!¡± ¡°Headmaster!¡± ¡°Master!¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze sharpened, and even amidst the battle, they couldn¡¯t help being distracted and turned to look. With one nce to the south, they saw a bright sword light tearing through the dark sky. The sword came forth, gleaming brightly, instantly harmonizing with heaven and earth. ¡°Rumble!¡± Above the ninth heaven, clouds transformed, forming a storm vortex as though it were the eye of divine retribution, gazing down upon the Capital Region. ¡°Roar!!!¡± Within the capital, a dragon¡¯s roar shattered the Buddha¡¯s light, turning it into a boundless sea of blood. Within the sea of blood emerged the shadow of a dragon, the Blood Armored Sky Dragon. The centipede raised its head in shock and fury; its thousand-foot body coiled like a dragon, protecting the Mana Altar beneath it. It had arrived, still arrived, after all! The sword led the thunder, the gods, and humans shared their wrath. Not even the Skill of the Demon Buddha could diminish it. Could this be its fated catastrophe? No, even if it was destined to die, it would defy the heavens, change its fate, and break free from cmity. The centipede raised its head, the Heavenly Dragon roared mightily; its thousand-foot body coiled into a ball, intending to use its blood armor to withstand the lightning tribtion and the edge of the divine sword. However¡ The sword light shone brilliantly, the sword intent was chilling, connecting heaven and earth! In an instant, between heaven and earth, Sword Qi was born! In the sky, clouds turned into swords, lightning into swords, and rays of light into swords! On the ground, mountains became swords, rivers became swords, nature itself became a sword! Among the people, souls turned into swords, incense turned into swords, thoughts into swords! Even on the battlefield, the flow of blood reversed, the remnants of the army trembled, coalescing into swords, and roaring forth with ferocity. This was the Heavenly Sword, the Land Sword, the Sword of Gods and Men, the Xuanyuan Divine Sword! Swords from all over the world converged, the myriad flows gathered into a sea, forming a divine sword that struck mightily into the capital. At that moment¡ ¡°Roar!!!¡± A dragon¡¯s roar, a wail of grief, the thousand-foot blood armor shattered, the dragon¡¯s transforming body destroyed, and the brilliant sword light swallowed everything. Chapter 217 - 155: Making Plans_1 Chapter 217: Chapter 155: Making ns_1 Trantor: 549690339 Three dayster, the mes of war gradually died out, and the world was draped in mourning. After the battle in the Capital Region, rivers of blood flowed, with countless dead and wounded. With the Xuanyuan Sword¡¯s sh, the elimination of Pudu demons was achieved. Although the greatest threat was removed, there were still many loose ends that needed to be tied up. For instance, the three monstrous gods controlled by Cihang¡¯s evil skills. After Cihang perished, these gods and the demons within the Capital Region did not regain their senses but instead went into aplete frenzy, threatening to drag everyone down with them in mutual destruction. Fortunately, after ying Pudu Cihang, the Xuanyuan Divine Sword still had some lingering power left to autonomously sweep through the hordes of demons. Coupled with the aid of numerous cultivators, the situation was ultimately brought under control. Thus concluded the war that decided the fate of dynasties, and the mes of war gradually faded. It also led to a world draped in mourning, tears of sorrow from all directions. The major sects suffered grievous losses, especially the Northern Territory¡¯s Taoists. Many True Men and True Monarchs who survived the Northern Territory¡¯s Demon Catastrophe were heavily wounded or killed, with their sects¡¯ potentialpletely drained. Some even lost their cherished Guardians of the Mountain. Taoism fared thus, but Buddhism was even worse off. Having barely a tenth surviving initially, they then exerted their full strength, and the remaining high monks, seeking atonement for their sins, spared no effort in their struggle, eventually sacrificing their lives for righteousness and entering nirvana. However, the heaviest losses were at Guo Bei Academy. A million soldiers from Yin Mountain Mansion went to battle, and eighty percent of them perished, with innumerable Ghost Gods falling. The schrs from the Nine Courtyards and the Mingxiao Taoists also suffered countless casualties, with generations of umted talent wiped out in a single battle. Guo Bei Academy did not discriminate in its teachings; its students came from all over the world, representing all sects and schools of thought. With such casualties, the world is naturally draped in mourning, shedding tears of sorrow, and now the seven provinces of the South hang white silks in grief. This is the cmity brought by demons, the profound impact of disaster, the weight of immense suffering! In the mourning hall of Guo Bei Academy, Miss Xin Shisi, dressed in in white mourning clothes, held a broken sword box and knelt in silence for a long time. Above the hall, the memorial was not for a member of the Li Family but for Xin Family¡¯s Fox. In this decisive battle for life and death, Guo Bei Academy mobilized its full strength. As a member of the academy, the Xin Family¡¯s Fox naturally joined the battle. Except for Miss Xin Shisi, who stayed alone at the academy, the other foxes with sufficient cultivation led by Old Man Xin joined the fight. In the end, several foxes unfortunately sacrificed their lives. This mourning hall was set up for them. But everyone knew that this hall was also meant for someone else, even if no one dared to openly say it, no one wished to admit it. ¡°Shisi¡¡± Old Man Xin approached, observing his daughter¡¯s pale face and worn expression, wanting tofort her but unsure where to begin, ultimately, he could only sigh in helplessness. Then another figure approached, an elegantly dressed woman of regal bearing. ¡°Fairy Qingluan!¡± Upon seeing her, even Old Man Xin had to bow respectfully. Only Miss Xin Shisi, kneeling on the ground, seemed still lost and vacant of soul. Fairy Qingluan shook her head, helping Old Man Xin to his feet and then approached Miss Xin Shisi, ¡°Yun Er, before he left, the Taoist Master had something to tell me.¡± At this, Miss Xin Shisi¡¯s eyes finally showed a hint of life, and she quickly looked up at her. Seeing her like this, Fairy Qingluan sighed softly, ¡°The Taoist Master said, if he does not return, you shall take charge of the academy. I will support you, and together we will hold the Luotian Dajiao and give rise to the rightful Demon Immortals.¡± With such words, Miss Xin Shisi¡¯s eyes dimmed momentarily, but still holding the broken sword box close, she murmured, ¡°The young master said he woulde back, he will definitelye back. He never lies to Yun Er, never deceives!¡± Seeing her insistence, Fairy Qingluan was at a loss for words, and in the end, could only agree, ¡°The Taoist Master is no ordinary man. Perhaps, truly, there are ways to bring the dead back to life, to reincarnate once more. Therefore, Yun Er, you must take good care of this legacy and shoulder the responsibility of the academy!¡± Though she said this, her heart was heavy with a silent sigh. Pudu Cihang was extraordinary in strength, devouring the literati and warriors of the Chen Dynasty and the People of the Capital, as well as high monks from the Water-Land Dharma Assembly, raising his cultivation to the peak of the Seventh Realm. He then proceeded to Zhongnan, breaking into the Pce of Longevity, consuming the Taoist followers there, and the beings of the Northern Territory. His cultivation continued to climb, nearly breaking through the limits of the Seventh Realm to be an Eight Realm monstrous god unseen in a millennium. But fearing Guo Bei and thebined retribution of heaven and man, he used Demon Buddha techniques to suppress his advancement from crossing the tribtion, instead turning the capital into his stronghold withyers of arrays. He also wielded the Nailhead Seven Arrow Scripture, intending to first remove the cultivator¡¯s human tribtion before facing the thunderous Heavenly Tribtion. This illustrated the capabilities of the demon. In both cunning and might, he ranked among the strongest. Against such a demon, who could afford to hold back? No one could! It was necessary to use every ounce of power! Because the consequences of a near sess was something nobody could afford. Not to mention Xu Yang, even she, if ced in the same situation, would have no reservations and would be ready to risk her life to draw upon the mightiest of heavenly lightning, inexorably putting an end to the cmitous demon. No reservations could be made, no chances taken, because even the slightest hesitation or hope for luck could change the oue, potentially allowing the sacrifices to be in vain. A mountain built over nine rounds of work, only to crumble due to one basket unfinished! If she understood this, how could Xu Yang not? Thus, Xu Yang was undoubtedly fated to die, because he required it of himself. Sparing no chance of survival for himself, where could there possibly be any hope of survival? As for returning from the dead, reincarnation¡ For a Seventh Realm cultivator toe back to life, one would either need to carry out a Yang God possession or be saved by the intervention of an Immortal. The former had no chance of happening; ying a demon requires all one¡¯s strength¡ªhow could one preserve one¡¯s Yang God? Thetter¡ was even more unlikely. Why would an Immortal concern themselves with the mortal world? Reincarnation, however, had some hope attached to it. But that hope was merely a constion. This world has its cycle of samsara, but it is not the same as others. If the soul of a deceased being does not perish, it bes an Underworld Ghost, possessing a lifespan known as ¡°Yin longevity.¡± Once Yin longevity is exhausted, they¡¯ll enter reincarnation, their soul dispersed leaving only the True Spirit to cycle through the six realms. Whether such reincarnation can be considered real rebirth is unclear. Moreover, there was no certainty of reincarnation at all. Though reincarnation is significant in this world, it¡¯s not fundamental to all beings. Even without the true spirits¡¯ cycle of rebirth, life in the world will continue to arise spontaneously. So, many people do not have a ¡°past life¡±; they are true spirits newly born into the world. Otherwise, this world would have withered away long ago. After all, with the departure of the Ancient Immortal Gods, the order of the underworld copsed and the cycle of reincarnation was in chaos for ten thousand years, making it impossible for the cycle to sustain itself. Having no limit of reincarnation is both good and bad. The good needs no exnation; as long as there is sufficient food, the poption of living beings can increase endlessly. But the bad¡ once dead, one enters oblivion, with no chance of rebirth. So¡ I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t be able to return. Otherwise, why would he entrust me with safeguarding Miss Xin Shisi and the legacy of the academy until the Luotian Dajao begins again and Miss Xin Shisi bes a demon immortal capable of ascension? ¡°Taoist Master, rest assured, Fairy Qingluan will definitely live up to the great trust!¡± Just as Fairy Qingluan was silently making her oath, another person stepped into the hall. ¡°Heavenly Master!¡± Upon seeing the visitor, Old Man Xin paid his respects, and Fairy Qingluan also nodded. True Monarch Changrong, looking at the scene in the hall, remained silent for a long time before finally saying, ¡°My condolences!¡± Having said that, he turned to Fairy Qingluan, ¡°Before the Taoist Master left, he knew the true nature of that demon. It was not a demon of this realm, nor a devil of this realm, but something from beyond this domain that somehow sneaked in and wreaked havoc on the living.¡± Fairy Qingluan nodded, ¡°What does the Heavenly Master suggest?¡± ¡°Where there is one, there can be two, and where there is two, there can be three.¡± True Monarch Changrong shook his head, ¡°No one can guarantee that in the future, there won¡¯t be a second Pudu Cihang or even demons from another realm invading en masse. We must be on guard against all these possibilities.¡± Fairy Qingluan¡¯s expression grew focused, ¡°You mean¡¡± True Monarch Changrong spoke gravely, ¡°Before he left, the Taoist Master had already made arrangements. I have spoken with allies from all quarters, and they are willing to set aside their sectarian views, integrate their traditions with the academy. Henceforth, there will only be one Taoist lineage in the world, with cultivators from all directions united in purpose, ensuring that an incident like Pudu Cihang¡¯s will never happen again.¡± ¡°The Taoist Master has indeed left no contingency unnned!¡± Upon hearing this, Fairy Qingluan also sighed, ¡°But without the Taoist Master, the stabilizing pir is missing, and so sustaining the affairs of the academy will be challenging.¡± ¡°The Taoist Master had a grand wish before to unify the Dao Zang of the world and create a peerless True Scripture!¡± True Monarch Changrong also sighed, ¡°We must carry on the unfinished wishes of the Taoist Master, no matter how arduous the task, we must push forward!¡± Having said that, he turned his head and looked towards Miss Xin Shisi and the broken sword box she held in her arms. ¡°This sword of the Taoist Master, gathered the essence of the Earth and aligned with the power of the heavens, ying the cataclysmic demon, thereby ruing merit and bing a truly sacred weapon.¡± ¡°Madam, with this, you can stabilize people¡¯s hearts. By expanding the cultivation and agricultural systems throughout the world, we can increase the poption and bolster the people¡¯s strength¡ In this way, after a thousand years, the Taoist Master¡¯s grand wish will certainly be realized!¡± ¡°What do you think, Fairy?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s follow the words of the Heavenly Master.¡± The two grand cultivators of the Seventh Realm determined the future development strategy with their words. Miss Xin Shisi knelt on the ground, holding the sword box, silent as if all this had nothing to do with her. Suddenly¡ ¡°Buzz!¡± The sword box trembled, as if there was a resonance. Miss Xin Shisi¡¯s gaze sharpened, and she looked down. True Monarch Changrong and Fairy Qingluan were also shocked, looking at the tremoring sword box with some disbelief. Xuanyuan! This sword had already advanced to be a Spiritual Treasure. This time, by ying the demon with thebined forces of heaven and earth, it had undergone aplete transformation and be a sacred weapon of this era. Such a treasure, now endowed with spiritual nature, would not act without cause nor move rashly. So, what could be the reason for its vibration at this moment¡ could it be¡ ¡°Buzz!¡± A light sound, divine light suddenly appeared, spewing from the broken wood box and shooting straight out of the hall. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Quick!!!¡± Everyone was stunned for a moment, then snapped to awareness and hurriedly got up to chase out the door. Yet, upon exiting the hall, they stopped in their tracks, uncertainly gazing at the figure before them. A person stood in the courtyard, holding a golden miniature sword about three inches long, smiling at them. ¡°Taoist Master!¡± ¡°Young Master!!!¡± Two of them stood in shock, while another flew forth and threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly, already weeping uncontrobly. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that I woulde back?¡± Looking at Miss Xin Shisi, who was in tears, Xu Yang smiled, gently patting her hand, ¡°When have I ever lied to you, Yun Er?¡± ¡°Yun Er knows, Yun Er knows. The Young Master would never deceive me, never!¡± Hearing this, Miss Xin Shisi finally confirmed that the man before her was real. She broke into a relieved smile, though she was still reluctant to let go. Only when the other two approached did shee back to her senses in surprise and retreat shyly to the side. However, Xu Yang was the picture ofposure, facing the surprised duo who had rushed over, ¡°Brother Dao, Fairy, thank you for all the trouble!¡± ¡°Taoist Master, this¡¡± True Monarch Changrong and Fairy Qingluan looked at him, also at a loss for words. Xu Yangughed without exining much, simply saying lightly, ¡°I intend to usher in a golden age of Daoism. Will you two lend me a helping hand?¡± The two exchanged a nce and then answered with hands sped, ¡°How could we dare disobey an invitation from the Taoist Master?¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± And with that, the three of them looked at each other and smiled. Chapter 218 - 156: Thousand Years_1 Chapter 218: Chapter 156: Thousand Years_1 Trantor: 549690339 Time flitted by, and the years flew, just like that, two thousand years had passed. In five hundred years, everything can change beyond recognition. In two thousand years, even more so, it¡¯s apletely different world. In an ancient, dpidated temple, amongst the eerie Ghost Realm, a fierce battle was raging on. ¡°Is the spell ready yet? This old ghost hits so hard, I can barely hold on anymore.¡± ¡°Of course the damage is high; it¡¯s a Yin Sha attack. I told you to stack up on magic defense, but you wouldn¡¯t listen!¡± ¡°Old Five, cast another Golden Light Spell on him; others start chanting the Returning Qi Spell for recovery.¡± ¡°Heavenly Master, you should stop calling yourself that and start going by ¡®Turtle Spirit.¡¯ How long have you been holding onto that spell?¡± ¡°Alright, alright, eat my ultimate move¡ªFive Thunder Spell!¡± ¡°Boom!!!¡± With a thunderous roar, lightning struck from the sky. The Yin Sha ghost, who was entangled in battle with several soldier-armored martial artists, couldn¡¯t dodge in time. He was directly sted by the heavenly thunder on his head, exploding into dark streams and scattering his soul to the winds. The dark streams dissipated in all directions, leaving behind only a wooden chest, lying quietly on the spot. ¡°Phew!¡± ¡°We finally took care of it!¡± ¡°Hiss, it¡¯s so cold, so cold, cast another Golden Light Spell on me quickly, this Yin Sha is unbearable.¡± ¡°Damn, I¡¯m just a Qi Cultivation mage, where am I supposed to get so much mana from? The previous spells were all cast using talismans, you¡¯re on your own with this one.¡± ¡°Tsk, stingy ghost!¡± ¡°It¡¯s your own damn fault for choosing to be a martial artist¡ªrobust in Qi Blood, full in spirit. Isn¡¯t it clear that it¡¯s a profession designed to be a meat shield?¡± ¡°Nonsense, if I had money, who would want to be a martial artist? I would have gone for the Flying Sword long ago. It¡¯s both dashing and practical. That guy next door, with just his skill in the Flying Sword, got together with a foxdy as his cultivatorpanion.¡± ¡°Damn, I also want a foxdy, aaargh!¡± ¡°Okay, okay, incel, keep it down!¡± Chu Nan shook his head at the armored martial artists venting their frustrations and stepped forward to open the wooden chest. Afterward¡ ¡°Holy moly!¡± Even Chu Nan couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes at the sight of the golden little sword inside the chest: ¡°It dropped the Xuanyuan!¡± ¡°What?¡± Upon hearing this, everyone around him quickly gathered to look at the golden little sword inside the chest, all of them dumbstruck. ¡°Damn!¡± ¡°It actually dropped the Xuanyuan!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t curse like that, we are all cultivators, can¡¯t we be a little more cultured?¡± ¡°Cut it out, I follow the Spiritual Root Flow. What do I need culture for? Not like you, the big moralizing Heavenly Master.¡± ¡°Even if you follow the Spiritual Root Flow, cultivating your character is still beneficial. As the saying goes¡¡± ¡°Alright, alright, I get it. Big brother, I just want to rx in the game.¡± ¡°This is called the pure heart of a child, acting freely and naturally.¡± ¡°What are you folks babbling about? We got a Xuanyuan, how do we split it?¡± ¡°Right, right, right, I always thought we¡¯d have to beat some ultra-tough boss to get a drop of Xuanyuan. Never expected this old ghost could drop it.¡± ¡°I heard that the chance for the old ghost to drop Xuanyuan is only one in ten thousand!¡± ¡°We¡¯re gonna be rich now¡¡± Everyone huddled together, eyeing the golden little sword in the chest with excitement. ¡°Ahem!¡± Chu Nan cleared his throat and imed his authority as both the group leader and team captain: ¡°I guess everyone is clear on the value of Xuanyuan. I won¡¯t waste words. Let¡¯s have an internal auction. Does anyone want to bid?¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°I bid five thousand!¡± ¡°Damn, as expected of the young master of a Golden Core family, tossing out five thousand just like that!¡± ¡°Big bro, you¡¯re a martial artist; what do you need a Flying Sword for with that much money?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know; he has a crush on the ss beauty next door. She¡¯s a foxdy from the Xin Family.¡± ¡°As everyone knows, to be a daopanion with a Xin Family¡¯s fox, you must meet at least one of the following criteria!¡± ¡°First, your surname is Li; second, you are exceptionally talented in literature; third, your swordsmanship is unparalleled; fourth¡¡± ¡°Big brother, which one do you satisfy?¡± ¡°The reason I don¡¯t satisfy any is exactly why I need to use other things to charm her! I¡¯ve heard thedy is currently practicing the Xuanyuan Divine Sword Jue in the game and is preparing to refine a magical Xuanyuan Divine Sword to challenge the tree demon. Naturally, our great ¡®god of war¡¯ wants to make a grand gesture to win her favor.¡± ¡°Bro, take my advice. Being a ¡®simp¡¯ has no future.¡± As everyone was talking over each other again, Chu Nan was helpless: ¡°The ¡®god of war¡¯ bids five thousand, anyone else wants to bid?¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°I bid six thousand!¡± ¡°Wow, Heavenly Master, you¡¯re also interested in the foxdy?¡± ¡°Humph, I am devoted to Taoism, what foxdy or daopanion, they are all but beautiful skeletons!¡± ¡°Then why bid for this Xuanyuan?¡± ¡°Nonsense, I am a Heavenly Master who practices the Thunder Series, it¡¯s only natural to use the Xuanyuan, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Right, right, right, how could I have forgotten about this?¡± ¡°Seven thousand, Heavenly Master, just let me have it, my life¡¯s happiness is at stake here.¡± After a speechless tussle, the golden little sword was finally pocketed by ¡°the Martial God¡±. Chu Nan, ording to the proportion of contribution, distributed the Taoist money to everyone and then said, ¡°Alright, the mission isplete. I¡¯m logging off now. Tomorrow is the college entrance exam; you all shouldn¡¯t stay in the game for too long either.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°By the way, team leader, which school are you nning to test for?¡± ¡°No brainer, with the team leader¡¯s grades, he¡¯s definitely aiming for Wandao School.¡± ¡°Wandao School, I really want to get in too, but I heard it¡¯s incredibly tough.¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not that hard. Just be born with a better lot, with a Heavenly Spiritual Root, and you¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°Heavenly Spiritual Root, easy for you to say. Why don¡¯t you go and be born with one?¡± ¡°It¡¯s best to be like our team leader and the Heavenly Master, who work hard after birth to be top schrs!¡± ¡°Team leader¡¡± As everyone spoke at once, they looked back to find that Chu Nan had already disappeared in a sh of light. ¡°Phew!!¡± In his room, Chu Nan removed his gaming helmet, felt the meager amount of mana within his body, and reminisced about the powerful cultivation he had in the game. Confronted with the stark gap, he sighed a sentiment many had before him. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be great if real-life cultivation was the same as it is in the game?¡± ¡°Sigh!¡± He shook his head, stood up, and walked into the living room. In that living room, a middle-aged man was lying on the sofa, idly watching television. ¡°Divine Soul Technique, Fake Cultivation Skill, the Divine Domain technology has made a major breakthrough. Wandao School hasunched a brand-new Divine Domain product¡ªthe Yellow Beam Game Warehouse!¡± ¡°Compared to the ordinary Divine Domain gaming helmets, the Yellow Beam Game Warehouse has the following advantages.¡± ¡°First, the realism is significantly increased, reaching up to ny percent, and it is already being used in Wandao School and various other colleges for all kinds of simtion experiments. Many technical difficulties have been ovee as a result.¡± ¡°Wandao School has clearly stated that using the Yellow Beam Game Warehouse, breakthroughs, battles, cultivation, talisman making, formation setting, alchemy and artifact refining, and various other matters in the game can all be counted as experience that can be applied in real life cultivation.¡± ¡°Second, the Yellow Beam Game Warehouse is equipped with the Spirit Gathering Array and the Essence Nurturing Array. It can also be used in conjunction with various Spirit Pills and Spirit Liquids to prolong gaming time, while simultaneously taking care of cultivation and earning more academic credits.¡± ¡°Third, the Yellow Beam Game Warehouseplements the Fake Cultivation Skill. Wandao School has specified that using the Yellow Beam Game Warehouse to study Taoist Scriptures can effectively enhance the cultivation effect of the Fake Cultivation Skill.¡± ¡°Fourth¡¡± ¡°This breakthrough in Divine Domain technology, the development of the Yellow Beam Game Warehouse, was mainly by the following personnel: True Monarch Mingxin of Wandao School¡¯s Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute, True Monarch Mengyang of Wandao School¡¯s Mingxiao Taoist Institute, True Monarch Dongting of Wandao School¡¯s Pure Yang Taoist School, True Person Xishan of the Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute, True Person North Wind of the Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute, True Person Qingyu of the Mingxiao Taoist Institute¡¡± ¡°The aforementioned three True Monarchs are officially awarded the title of ¡®Heavenly Master,¡¯ as well as the main role in the blessing ceremony of the 983rd Luotian Dajiao.¡± ¡°The aforementioned ten True Persons are officially awarded the title of ¡®True Monarch,¡¯ as well as the deputy role in the 983rd Luotian Dajiao.¡± ¡°Now, the Yellow Beam Game Warehouse presale event officially starts. Order now to enjoy a ten percent discount, limited quantities avable, firste first served¡¡± Watching the advertisement on television and then looking at his father on the sofa, who was excited and restless, Chu Nan couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Dad, you¡¯re not really thinking of buying one, are you?¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± Chu Zhan sat up, excitedly saying, ¡°Thetest product from Wandao School has so many benefits. Your mom and your grandparents all practice with the Fake Cultivation Skill; if we buy it, our whole family can use it¡¡± ¡°Of course, I know about this thing, but the price¡¡± Looking at his excited father, Chu Nan helplessly shook his head, ¡°Can we afford it?¡± ¡°Well¡¡± Chu Zhan scratched his head, then said, ¡°We could take out a loan. After all, I am a Golden Core Martial Artist and I still have a good hundred years ahead of me. We can borrow the money and slowly pay it back. We¡¯ll definitely be able to repay it, and if not, there¡¯s always you. I believe in my son, you¡¯ll definitely get into Wandao School, maybe even win a schrship from the school¡¡± ¡°Go on, stop banking on Nan¡¯s schrship!¡± Before he could finish, a woman walked out of the kitchen, ¡°Nan, don¡¯t listen to your dad. He¡¯s always swift to act on his impulses. Come, dinner¡¯s ready. I¡¯ve made quite a few delicacies today to ensure you go into the exam room tomorrow smoothly, perform beyond your usual abilities, and surely get into Wandao School.¡± ¡°Right, right, right!¡± Chu Zhan also sat up and said, ¡°Your mom has gone through a lot of trouble for you. She bought top-quality Spirit Rice, precious beast spiritual meat, and even got a cup of that precious Spiritual Wine your grandfather keeps, just for us. Our father-son duo is in luck today.¡± ¡°Spiritual Wine?¡± Chu Nan, upon hearing this, was also taken aback, ¡°It¡¯s not the one that Grandpa always talks about, is it?¡± ¡°It is exactly that one. Back when Wandao School was still Guo Bei Academy, your grandfather used academic credits to exchange for it, and then it became a treasured family heirloom of your mother¡¯s side, revered as if divine, only brought out once when your mother and I got married, and not even allowed an extra nce since.¡± Chu Zhan patted Chu Nan¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Today, your dad is lucky thanks to you.¡± Chu Nan: ¡°¡¡± ¡°Oh,e on, you old man, always trying topete with your son for food,¡± the woman chided him with a nce. Chu Zhan didn¡¯t mind, chuckling as he sat down at the table, then asked again, ¡°Nan, are you really not going to reconsider, maybe change your intended major? The Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute, I heard it¡¯s one of the most fiercelypetitive institutes in Wandao School, you know!¡± ¡°No, thanks.¡± Chu Nan shook his head and said firmly, ¡°I am definitely getting into the Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute!¡± Seeing this, Chu Zhan was helpless and could only pat his shoulder and say, ¡°Getting into the Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute, you¡¯ll need at least a few decades before you could possibly operate the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor. It¡¯s different with other institutes; just a few years and¡¡± ¡°No!¡± Chu Nan shook his head, his expression resolute, ¡°I must pilot the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor!¡± Chu Zhan fell silent, then tried to persuade again, ¡°What if you consider Yin Mountain Taoist Academy, even though it¡¯s made of paper, the Ghost God Mech Armor is still a mech. Spirit treasures aren¡¯t exactly affordable for ordinary folks, but ghost gods are different. If all else fails, once you graduate, your dad can go ahead to Yin Mountain Mansion to start working¡¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°I am going to operate the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor!¡± Chapter 219 - 157: History_1 Chapter 219: Chapter 157: History_1 Trantor: 549690339 After the national college entrance exams, another three months passed. It was the ninth month of autumn, the season for school to begin. ¡°Wandao School, here Ie!¡± Chu Nan was filled with excitement, about to leave his home. ¡°Be careful, watch out for Flying Swords when crossing the road. Do you have everything? Did you check your Storage Bag again?¡± ¡°Find a cultivator partner and start a family early. Your mother and I are waiting to hold our grandchildren.¡± Chu Zhan watched his son leave, then wrapped his arms around his wife and sighed, ¡°This kid actually got into Wandao School. He truly is my son, Chu Zhan. Back in my day, I also almost made it.¡± His wife gave him a re, ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you going to work? Our son will be piloting Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor in the future. If you don¡¯t work hard, where will he get Spiritual Treasures from, and what Mech Armor will he pilot when he graduates?¡± At this, Chu Zhan could only smile wryly, ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m going now. A wife¡¯smand cannot be ignored.¡± Chu Nan left his home and arrived at the stairwell, where the cityscape immediately unfolded before him. Skyscrapers rose like dragons of steel, and towering buildings shot up, piercing the skies. Between these buildings flowed streams of light, countless Flying Swords and Flying Boats, and clouds and glows reminiscent of horse carriages shuttled back and forth, dazzling the eyes and too numerous to take in at once. On the surfaces of the buildings, holographic images broadcasted various news and advertisements. ¡°Galloping Flying Sword, four generations meticulously crafted¡ªyour best choice for travel!¡± ¡°Divine Domain world, Red me Guild, your dream home, inviting masters from all walks to join!¡± ¡°Thunder Method of Roaring Sky, far ahead of others!¡± ¡°Encourage multiple births, benefit the nation and the people!¡± ¡°Yuan Spirit Skill, bright future ahead, small investment, huge returns!¡± ¡°Latest version of Ghost God Mech Armor, the ninth generation grand release¡ªYin Mountain Mansion will hold a new Mech Armor unveiling on October 15th.¡± ¡°Newest Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor, Xuanyuan Divine Ship grand release¡ªWandao School will hold a new Mech Armor unveiling on October 11th.¡± ¡°The 983rd Luotian Dajiao will start in January, the following is the list of main and secondary positions¡¡± ¡°Congrattions to our Lofty Mountain True Man from our Academy for passing the Wandao School assessment and obtaining the title of True Monarch¡¡± Chu Nan arrived at the stairwell entrance, only to find many people already gathered, his neighbors from the same floor. In a world of Taoism, Cultivators did not require horse-drawn carriages to travel; one could simply fly out from atop high buildings. Thus, each stairwell entrance served as a transportation hub, where those with Magic Artifacts could travel independently, and those without could wait for public Magic Artifacts to ride. As a neer who had just been admitted to Wandao School, Chu Nan¡¯s Cultivation was not high. If he were to control a Magic Artifact alone, it would take a long while to arrive at Wandao School. Even his parents, both fifth-realm Cultivators, would spend a considerable amount of time on the journey. Luckily, every year as new students enroll, Wandao School and all major academies dispatchrge Magic Artifacts to various regions to pick up new students. He did not need to trouble his parents to send him; he only needed to gather at the high school and wait. Three dayster, within a sea of clouds, a rainbow light rapidly darted through. Within the rainbow light, impressively, was a Flying Boat, arge Flying Boat marked with the words ¡°Wandao School.¡± Inside the Flying Boat, resembling a ssroom, Chu Nan sat upright, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. On the podium, a young man addressed the crowd, ¡°Hello everyone, let me introduce myself. My name is Ye Chen, your senior, and also your first teacher as you enter Wandao School.¡± ¡°I presume you all know what the first lesson at Wandao School is, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, history!¡± ¡°To read history is to be wise, to know the old to understand the new!¡± ¡°Regardless of whether you¡¯ve entered Wandao School or any other college branched from it, your first lesson is always history.¡± Ye Chen smiled and asked the crowd, ¡°So where should this history start from?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The majority of the crowd exchanged looks, clueless, with only a few maintainingposed smiles. Ye Chen was unbothered, ¡°We need to start from the creation of heaven and earth.¡± ¡°Before the endless eons, the heavens and earth were unformed, the world was in chaos, everything was void, and there was only ¡®Tao¡¯.¡± ¡°The Tao refers to the ancient Sage, who by opening the heavens created the world.¡± ¡°This world has passed through epochs such as Hongyuan, Chaos Yuan, Taichu, Taishi, Taisu, Chaos, Jiugong, Yuan Sovereign and so on, collectively known as Ancient Times, also called the Era of Immortal Gods.¡± ¡°In Ancient Times, immortals and Buddhas filled the heavens, Ghost Gods roamed the world, and ordinary people lived alongside them¡ªa true golden age of Cultivation.¡± ¡°However, for reasons unknown, a cmity befell, the Yuan Spirits perished, Ancient Immortal Gods took their domains and vanished, leaving behind anguishing world, a fractured mundane realm, the decline of Tao, and an arduous path for Cultivators.¡± ¡°This marked the End of the Epoch Era!¡± ¡°In the End of the Epoch Era, with the Yuan Spirits vanished, although there were methods of Divine Soul, imitating the false for the real, it still couldn¡¯t fill the ravine in people¡¯s hearts, not to mention Demons¡¯ insatiable greed, hence Evil Cultivators and Demons continued to emerge.¡± ¡°During this troubled time, a massive Demon emerged, calling itself Pudu Cihang, deceiving people with the techniques of Demon Buddha, plotting to take over the world, and initiating a cmity that brought untold suffering to all living beings.¡± ¡°The Demon was powerful, possessing Mana Points, bringing the world to the brink of danger. Qiankun hung upside down, on the verge of life and death.¡± ¡°At the peak of this crisis, the founder of our Wandao School, umted Thunder Heavenly Master, Mingxiao Taoist Master, Guo Bei Sword Cultivator, and Liuxian, the Immortal Ancestor, sacrificed themselves for justice,bating the Demon and restoring unity to the world.¡± ¡°From that point on, all Ten Thousand Dao pathways converged upon North City. Guo Bei Academy was transformed into Wandao School, heralding the current golden age of Cultivation!¡± ¡°Ancient Times, End of the Epoch Era, the present age!¡± ¡°This is the history from ancient to modern times.¡± Ye Chen narrated with a lightugh. Though it was a tale often told, his vivid portrayal prevented any sense of tedium. Chapter 220 - 157: History_2 Chapter 220: Chapter 157: History_2 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°The establishment of Wandao School not only brought the former territories of the Chen Dynasty under control, but also added the regions of the Four Seas to its dominion.¡± ¡°To this day, under the heavens, there is nond that does not belong to the School, and no shore that isn¡¯t touched by its schrs.¡± ¡°Upholding the grand aspirations of the Taoist Master, Wandao School united all Taoist Unity, legacies from all over the world, integrating and innovating upon them to finally create the foremost Taoist True Scriptures since ancient times¡ªthe Taoist Scriptures!¡± ¡°The Taoist Scriptures, epassing all Taoist Unity, traditions of the world, Elixir Skills, Talisman, Artifact Skills, Formation, Curse Spell, Ritual Laws, Ghost and God¡¯s Skill, every Mana Point from minor cultivating skills to Divine Skills¡ªall are included within. They are the culmination of generations of cultivators pouring out their hearts, the painstaking efforts of countless great individuals, who spared no thoughts¡¡± ¡°Thus, with collective efforts and pooled wisdom of the world, after blending and innovating, the Taoist Scriptures came into being!¡± Ye Chen spoke with conviction, ¡°Aside from the Taoist Scriptures, there are also the Martial Arts Scriptures, which were also amassed through collective efforts and derived through thousands of years. Their brilliance goes without saying. Wandao School and various other academies base their traditions on these scriptures, passing on their teachings to the world, and educating all beings.¡± ¡°Within both scriptures, there are three main methods of cultivation!¡± ¡°The first method is the world¡¯s divine technique of Immortal Gods Creation, amunal effort that draws on the Fake Cultivation Skill to cultivate the Divine Soul.¡± ¡°Since this is a method of creation from the Ancient Immortal Gods, we, their descendants, are indeed inferior and thus have optimized very little, without introducing any new techniques. We have only developed a series of technologies to enhance the effectiveness of our collective efforts.¡± ¡°For example¡ªthe Divine Domain!¡± Ye Chen smiled and looked at the crowd, ¡°The Divine Domain game is a significant breakthrough of the Fake Cultivation Skill that allows for more efficient collection of the Divine Soul¡¯s power through a special Magic Artifact, the game helmet.¡± ¡°Therefore, entering the Divine Domain game andpleting daily tasks is a duty and responsibility for all of usmon people. It cannot be shirked, still less avoided, as doing so would be akin to evading taxes, breaking thew and order, and would result in a deduction of conduct points or even arrest and sentencing!¡± The crowd, hearing this, shared a knowing smile, and the ssroom atmosphere became even more lively. ¡°Although the Divine Domain game involves harvesting, it does not just take; it also gives back. Over time, it can strengthen the Divine Soul and offers various tasks and study point rewards, without costing everyone too much.¡± ¡°Furthermore, the actions taken within the game can also umte experience, particrly in Talisman Making and Formation, Artifact Refining, and Alchemy. Practicing these skills in the game can save countless materials.¡± ¡°The few True Monarchs who developed this method were directly granted the privilege of the lead position in the Luotian Dajiao. Their descendants reaped many benefits. Just like the recent news reported, those few True Monarchs who developed the Yellow Beam Game Warehouse, will soon achieve the rank of Heavenly Master, with prospects of obtaining the Longevity Dao Fruit.¡± Ye Chen sighed and continued, ¡°That is the first method, the Fake Cultivation Skill!¡± ¡°Now, the second method, Martial Path cultivation!¡± ¡°The Martial Path cultivation bases itself on Qi Blood. Where does Qi Bloode from? Ites from the conversion of Yuan Spirit!¡± ¡°Therefore, Martial Path cultivation requires a great deal of nourishment to foster robust Qi Blood, necessary for its practice.¡± ¡°But in this world where Yuan Spirit is dormant, where can one find such nourishment?¡± ¡°This is where the marvel of Fake Cultivation Skilles into y again!¡± ¡°The Mana achieved through Fake Cultivation Skill can be used in various productions, including nting and rearing!¡± ¡°Wandao School developed numerous consumable Spirit nts and Spirit Beasts, serving as nourishment for Martial Path cultivation.¡± ¡°With such development over a thousand years, Martial Path too has prospered.¡± ¡°Currently within Wandao School, there are two main institutes: Heavenly Martial and Warrior Martial¡ªone primarily focuses on the internal aspects of Martial Path and the other on external practice, further including Martial Path Divine Skills, which, if mastered, are not weaker than Taoist Skills.¡± Ye Chen paused, giving the crowd time to digest the information. ¡°This is the second, Martial Path cultivation!¡± ¡°Lastly, the third method, the Skills of Spirit Root!¡± ¡°After research, we have discovered that within the human body, there is a miraculous thing called the Spiritual Root.¡± ¡°The Spiritual Root is like the Qi Sea in the Dantian, undetectable without a special method.¡± ¡°Those who possess a Spiritual Root can cultivate an ancient method from ancient times, the Yuan Spirit¡¯s method, absorbing the power of the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit directly through the Spiritual Root.¡± ¡°Originally, with the dormancy of the world¡¯s Yuan Spirit, this method was practically useless.¡± ¡°However, the nourishments produced by Wandao School can substitute for Yuan Spirit.¡± ¡°Thus, cultivators with a Spiritual Root can consume various Spirit Rice, Spirit Meat, and Spirit Pills like Martial Artists, and the absorption efficiency is far higher than that of Martial Artists without a Spiritual Root.¡± ¡°Overall, as long as one has a Spiritual Root, the cultivation method of the Spiritual Root is the fastest and most efficient among the three major methods.¡± Ye Chen smiled and scanned the audience, ¡°Unfortunately, those with Spiritual Roots are one in ten thousand. Everyone present who was able to be admitted into Wandao School can be considered the pride of heaven, but not all have a Spiritual Root.¡± ¡°Moreover, there are levels among Spiritual Roots, categorized into Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, Yellow, each divided into three grades: high, medium, and low.¡± ¡°If you have a Heavenly Spirit Root, then you, my friend, are in luck. As long as you earn enough conduct points, you can be directly admitted to the main institutes of Wandao School, free to choose any, and you may even receive various offers vying to take you under their wing.¡± The crowd listened and chuckled, with some more unrestrained individuals replying. ¡°You make it sound simple, senior.¡± ¡°Heavenly Spirit Roots are not that easy toe by.¡± ¡°You might not even hope for one, even after being reincarnated for ten lifetimes.¡± ¡°If only Spiritual Roots could be artificially created or transnted.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even mention it!¡± Listening to the crowd¡¯sments, Ye Chen once againughed and said. ¡°Research on Spiritual Roots, especially in terms of artificial creation and transntation, has always been underway at Wandao School. If anyone among you can one day develop an artificial Spiritual Root or a method for transnting one, I can assure you that you will certainly pass the Heavenly Master¡¯s professional title examination and qualify for the leading position in the Luotian Dajiao.¡± ¡°Heavenly Master!¡± ¡°Luotian Dajiao!¡± Upon hearing this, the crowd¡¯s faces lit up with yearning. Seizing the moment, Ye Chen went on to exin, ¡°Wandao School unites all under heaven, creating newws to present to the world, hence the cultivation system has been reborn.¡± ¡°The original titles of Taoist Children, Taoist Man, Taoist, Mage, True Man, True Monarch, Heavenly Master, are no longer names for stages of cultivation but are honorary titles.¡± ¡°Cultivation stages are reced by new system names like Qi Cultivation, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul.¡± ¡°To enjoy the various benefits of the School, one must not only look at cultivation but also at professional titles.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re at the Golden Core stage, theoretically you could enjoy the benefits orded to a sixth realm Cultivator, but if you have not passed the True Monarch professional title examination of Wandao School, then you cannot receive the corresponding benefits.¡± Ye Chen looked at the crowd and said, ¡°Here at Wandao School, we value not just cultivation but also temperament, conduct, and morality.¡± ¡°The professional title examination is a test of your temperament, conduct, and morality, to see if you truly deserve your level of cultivation.¡± ¡°Without passing the professional title examination, even if your cultivation is sufficient, you cannot enjoy the corresponding benefits.¡± ¡°So, my fellow students, I must remind you earnestly here.¡± Looking at the crowd, Ye Chen cautioned, ¡°No matter what skills you cultivate, you must focus on temperament, nurture integrity and morals, and absolutely must not vite thews or discipline. For Wandao School bases its governance onw, abides by thew, stands by thew, and no one, no matter who, is allowed to break it!¡± His solemn words and serious demeanor caused everyone to restrain their smiles and sit up straight attentively. Ye Chen nodded and continued, ¡°In this regard, Taoism practitioners have the greatest advantage, for the reading and studying of Taoist Scriptures naturally cultivate temperament and ethics. Martial Artists and cultivators of the Spiritual Root must also be aware that though power is significant, if it is not used for righteousness, it then bes the power of demons, the way of evil cultivators.¡± ¡°Now you understand why there is a category for conduct as early as elementary and middle schooling, right?¡± ¡°Wandao School cultivates Cultivators who are protectors of the Righteous Path, benefactors of all living beings, not to poison the world for one¡¯s selfish desires!¡± ¡°Such demons and evil cultivators must be eliminated by everyone!¡± ¡°You who have been admitted to Wandao School must be the cream of the crop, the pride of heaven.¡± ¡°But I still need to warn you that in cultivation, morality is the foundation.¡± ¡°Without the Tao or virtues, even those with unmatched talents will find it difficult to achieve true sess.¡± With that, Ye Chen sighed, ¡°Even within Wandao School, there have been many such cautionary tales.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The crowd was startled upon hearing this and then curiosity surged, ¡°There are such people even within Wandao School?¡± Ye Chen smiled lightly, ¡°Of course there are, faces are known to many, but who truly knows what lies in hearts?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± The crowd nodded in understanding and then curiously asked, ¡°So what happened to them?¡± ¡°What else could happen?¡± Ye Chen calmly stated, ¡°With strictws, no one, whoever they might be, is allowed to break them. Since the establishment of Wandao School, neen hundred and thirty-seven years till today, those who tested thew and overstepped bounds, regardless of their status or talents, were executed without exception. Among them, were not only practitioners with Heavenly Spirit Roots, descendants of the Golden Core lineage, but also descendants of Heavenly Masters.¡± ¡°Even the Xin Family¡¯s Fox descendants and members of the Mingxiao Taoist Lineage have been sttered with blood here!¡± Looking at the crowd, Ye Chen emphasized, ¡°Therefore, you must all remember, never test thew. It is the basis of Wandao School¡¯s governance of the world, a boundary not to be crossed like a thunder pond!¡± Chapter 221 - 158: Mecha (6000 words, 2-in-1)_1 Chapter 221 - 158: Mecha (6000 words, 2-in-1)_1 The serious expression and solemn words caused a slight pause in the ssroom atmosphere. But soon, Ye Chen brightened up with a smile, "However, such examples are in the minority. I believe that in the future, all of you will be pirs of the Righteous Path, using the power of cultivators correctly for the Schr''s Pce, for all people, and for yourselves." Having said that, he pped his hands, and the silver screen behind him disyed a scene: "That''s about all for the history lesson. With a bit of time left, as both your teacher and senior, let me tell you about the various colleges at the Wandao School." "Our Wandao School, named after the Ten Thousand Dao, can be said to epass everything there is, leaving nothing out!" "Within the Schr''s Pce, the major colleges can roughly be divided into categories like Martial Path, Taoism, Swordsmanship, Spells, Shennong, Tiangong, Talisman, Array Formation, Alchemy, and Artifact, but a college doesn''t just specialize in one area, rather it integrates and prates them all, culminating in the Ten Thousand Dao." "Take the Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute where I study as an example. The Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute involves martial arts, Taoist spells, sword flying arts, Talisman skills, Array Formation skills, and even Ghost and God''s Skill. It does not focus solely on craftsmanship." "This is also a path of cultivation. With the three thousand great daos converging andplementing each other, knowledge of one leads to understanding of another." "Knowledge is power. The more you umte, the stronger your foundation will be, and the further you''ll go on this path." The words reached the ears of the audience, sparking realizations. Chu Nan couldn''t help but speak up, "Senior, are you also a student of the Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute?" "Indeed." Ye Chen looked at him with a lightheartedugh, "Although our Wandao School contains everything imaginable, with many small andrge colleges and all kinds of heritages, the hottest and most revered are still the top ten main colleges!" "The Heavenly Martial Academy focuses on martial arts and pays the most attention to the physical cultivation!" "The Mingxiao Taoist Institute focuses on Taoist spells, especially proficient in Thunderbolt Taoist Spells!" "The Shushan Sword Institute focuses on Swordsmanship, particrly the legendary flying swords!" "The Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute focuses on Artifact Skills, revering Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor above all else!" "The Shennong Main School focuses on production, the very foundation upon which the Schr''s Pce stands!" "The Yin Mountain Mansion focuses on Divine Soul, researching the ways of yin and yang, life and death!" "Besides, there are four more main colleges for Talismans, Alchemy, Array Formation, and Artifacts, each specializing in their craft, each performing its own duties!" With a smile, Ye Chen looked at the crowd, "Which college would you like me to talk about?" "Well..." The crowd looked at each other, unsure of how to respond. Only Chu Nan openly expressed, "I want to hear about the Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute, especially thews of Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor!" "Ha ha ha, good boy!" Ye Chen said with a smile of approval, "Then let''s talk about the Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute!" "Although within the Schr''s Pce, all the main colleges stand on equal footing, with none higher than the other, there are some things that have to be acknowledged: the students have an unofficial ranking of the colleges that the Wandao School does not recognize." "As the foremost, naturally is the Mingxiao Taoist Institute, with its heritage from the Taoist Masters and its reverence for Thunder Series skills, rightfully in the first ce!" "The second one is undoubtedly the Shushan Sword Institute. In the past, a Taoist Master gave his life to righteousness, his Xuanyuan Sword ying the world''s demons. Coupled with the advantages of Sword Cultivators, it ims the second ce, as it should." "As for the third..." Ye Chen said proudly, "It is our Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute!" Having finished, he looked at the crowd and asked again, "Do any of you know why the Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute is ranked third, bing the most popr and beloved college beneath the Mingxiao Taoist Institute and the Shushan Sword Institute in the Wandao School?" "This..." "I know!" While others hesitated, Chu Nan didn''t wait to speak, "Because of the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor!" "Exactly!" Ye Chen confirmed with a definitive hammer, saying firmly, "Because of the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor!" "What is Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor?" Ye Chen pulled out a teaching rod, wielding it as if it were an extension of his arm: "As everyone knows, when cultivators engage in battle, there are generally only two types of tactics." "That is, Spells and Artifacts." "There''s no need to borate on Spells; any kind of Spell, Curse Skill, Martial Path, or Divine Skills, all fall under Spells." "Artifacts are easy to understand as well ¨C they are external objects. Weapons, Magical Treasures, Talismans, Pills, all are ssified as Artifacts." "The Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor of our Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute revolves around both aspects, pushing the limits of Zhihui to create!" Having said that, he tapped with his teaching rod, and the image on the silver screen behind him changed to present a simple diagram. "Gengjin Sword!" "This is a Magic Artifact." "A very ordinary, unremarkable, low-tier Magic Artifact." "For a low-tier Magic Artifact, even if a Qi Cultivator infuses it with Mana to activate it, it can only harm enemies in the mid-stage of Qi Cultivation." "Very average, but what if..." Ye Chen tapped with his teaching rod again, and the diagram changed, revealing a massive Sword Artifact hundreds of feet in length and width. Within the Sword Artifact, there was a division, densely packed like a beehive. "A thousand Gengjin Swords, ten thousand Gengjin Swords, or even tens of millions of Gengjin Swords. What if they werebined through Talismans and Formations?" "Are they still just low-tier Magic Artifacts then? Is their power still limited to the early and mid-stage Qi Cultivation levels?" "When quantity changes lead to a qualitative change, the Luotian Dajiao can gather the power of thousands of people to create a Heavenly Master. So, what kind of terrifying power can tens of millions of Sword Artifacts unleash when assembled into a Formation?" "The so-called Mech is abination of Magic Artifacts, creating a whole from millions of lower-tier Magic Artifacts using methods like Talismans and Array Formations." "This is the Mech!!!" Ye Chen tapped with his teaching rod and looked at the crowd, "The art of Mech is a creation of our Wandao School based on rituals like the Luotian Dajiao and the Water-Land Dharma Assembly, merging Talisman, Formation, and Artifact Skills. Countless cultivator predecessors have spent thousands of years, pouring their heart and soul, wisdom molded into form. Truly, it is the foremost great creation technique since ancient times!" The crowd was shocked to hear this. Chu Nan was especially excited, "Exactly, the art of the Mech is unparalleled in the world, and it can even execute martial artsbat skills and Taoist Divine Skills. It is indeed the number one creation technique of the Wandao School. The predecessor who created this technique was truly a peerless genius of all ages!" Chapter 222 158: Mecha (6000 words, 2-in-1)_2 Chapter 222 158: Mecha (6000 words, 2-in-1)_2 Ye Chen nced at him and then nodded, saying, "When this method was proposed, it indeed dazzled the world. However, it was notplete in its early form and still faced numerous technical difficulties, which took a thousand years to barely ovee." After speaking, he looked at the crowd: "Among these technical difficulties, three stood out as the most challenging. Do you know which three they are?" "This..." "I know!" The crowd hesitated again, allowing Chu Nan to speak up and show off: "Structure, energy, and Divine Consciousness!" Seeing Chu Nan''s excessive enthusiasm, Ye Chen was amused and decided to engage with him, nodding and saying, "Correct. It is indeed structure, energy, and Divine Consciousness!" "There''s no need to dwell on the issue of structure. Combining ten million Magic Artifacts for movement and attack, theplexity speaks for itself." "The predecessors at the Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute tried countless methods and, finallybining the Great Ritual with Talisman Formations and Artifact Refining, created a stable, efficient, and powerful construction method." "This construction method is fundamental to mecha, and only by using it can the ten million scattered Magic Artifactponents be assembled into a mecha." Having said that, Ye Chen pointed with his teaching rod, and an image immediately appeared on the screen behind him. In the image was a high altar, the Nine Ceremony High Altar used in a Great Ritual. On top of the Nine Ceremony High Altar stood a person alone, waving theirrge sleeves and conjuring streams of Spirit Light, within which were Magic Artifacts¡ªthousands upon thousands, beyond count. Ten million Magic Artifacts fell into ce, and the Cultivator stimted Mana, and the Nine Ceremony High Altar shone brightly, connecting the floating Magic Artifacts around it, like building with blocks or piling bricks,bining them together. The Cultivator stood on the altar, continuously stimting Mana, casting Spirit Talismans. In the void, Array patterns flickered in and out of sight, and under multifaceted cooperation, within the dazzling Spirit Light, ten million Magic Artifacts gradually became one. Although the students present were all exceptionally gifted, having seen such images countless times before, it did not prevent them from being amazed once again. "This is our Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute''s Heavenly Crafting Technique!" Ye Chen held his teaching rod and said solemnly: "Only this technique canbine ten million Magic Artifacts into a whole, with talismans connected and formations linked. Ten millionponents be one entity, Mana transmission is unhindered, and they even enhance and support each other, like a formation, unified in strength, leading to a qualitative change induced by a quantitative one." "The emergence of the Heavenly Crafting Technique solved the structural problems of the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor." "But there are still two major technical challenges ahead!" "Energy, Divine Soul!" Ye Chen tapped his teaching rod, and the image changed: "Energy¡ªequivalent to provisions. A Cultivator can''t cultivate without resources, and a mecha can''t operate without energy. The Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor, assembled from ten million Magic Artifacts, has terrifying power, but its consumption is not to be underestimated. What can be used as the energy source to drive the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor?" "This is a huge problem!" "Ordinary Magic Artifacts are powered by the Mana supplied by the Cultivator." "But the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor is not an ordinary Magic Artifact; it''s a behemoth made from ten million Magic Artifacts." "If it relies on the Cultivator''s own Mana supply, not to mention Foundation Establishment Golden Cores, even a Nascent Soul of the Seventh Realm or a Divinity Transformation of the Eight Realms wouldn''tst long." "If we can''t solve this problem, then the purpose of the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor is lost. It won''t be able to help in battle and will instead be a burden." Ye Chen looked at the crowd: "So, does anyone know how to solve this problem?" "This..." "I know!" This time, it was not Chu Nan who spoke up, but a girl in a red dress who stood up: "Use external objects as an energy substitute for Mana consumption." "Exactly!" Seeing another person joining in, Ye Chen nodded in satisfaction: "External objects as an energy source, recing Mana!" "What external objects can serve as an energy source?" Saying this, Ye Chen took out a coin, a silver coin with flickering Spirit Light: "This is it!" "Ten Thousand Dao Spirit Coins!" "This is currently the main energy source for the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor." Ye Chen, holding the coin, said: "Do you know where these Ten Thousand Dao Spirit Coinse from?" "I..." "I know!" Chu Nan wanted to show off again but was preempted by the girl in red: "Mana Money is created using the Fake Cultivation Skill. Its principle is simr to the Mana Farming Skill, which concentrates Mana into coins or directly transforms Mana into coins, thereby creating Mana Money." "Correct!" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Ye Chen nodded: "Mana Money is essentially a Mana container storing a fixed amount of Mana, which can be used as an energy source." "So, the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor is a gold-devouring beast. Activating a Ten million artifacts-level Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor consumes an enormous amount of Mana Money, which an ordinary Cultivator simply cannot afford." At this point, fear flickered in Ye Chen''s eye, as if he had once drained his wallet because of this. Chu Nan frowned and said, "You just said it''s the current main energy source, so aside from Mana Money, are there other things that can be used as mech armor energy sources?" "Of course, there are!" Ye Chen smiled: "Energy, in essence, is Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit. Besides Mana Money, Spirit Rice, Spiritual Wine, Spirit Pills, and Spiritual Medicine can theoretically be used as mech armor energy sources, though they''re not cost-effective." "Our Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute has always been researching Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit and rted technologies, striving to develop a more efficient premium energy source that can rece Mana Money." After speaking, Ye Chen looked at the crowd again: "Speaking of which, I can''t help but bring up investment. My fellow students, Yuan Spirit technology will inevitably be mainstream in the future. If you have the means, you should invest more in rted industries, especially those under the name of our Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute, where the future returns will surely be astonishing." Chapter 223 158: Mecha (6000 words, 2-in-1)_3 Chapter 223 158: Mecha (6000 words, 2-in-1)_3 "This..." "Senior, are you advertising?" "To be honest, how many stocks of Yuan Spirit Industries did you buy?" Upon hearing this, everyone started to chuckle. Ye Chen, however, was unfazed, "Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit, like the tides, has its rises and falls, its prosperities and declines. This is the mainstream theory and also a major viewpoint of the Tiangong Craftsmanship Institute." "In fact, the world''s Prime Spirit is gradually recovering. If this trend continues, in a thousand or ten thousand years, it might not return to the era of the Ancient Immortal Gods, but the emergence of Spirit Lands, Spirit Veins, and even Cave Heaven Blessed Lands should pose no problem." "At that time, we can definitely find a more efficient energy source than Mana Money and take the technology of Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor up a notch." "Of course, Mana Money has its advantages too, at least it can produce a stable output, and the Mana Money refined by high-tier cultivators also works very well as an energy source. Thus, the Wandao School won''t give up on developing Mana Money technology." Ye Chen tapped his teaching stick and said with a light chuckle, "Energy problem, hereby solved. Next, we only have the Divine Soul hurdle left." "As everyone knows, when a cultivator operates an artifact, it consumes the power of the Divine Soul." "The more artifacts there are and the higher their tier, the greater the consumption of the Divine Soul." "Thus, you can imagine the consumption of a cultivator''s Divine Soul by a Spirit-Treasure Mech Armorposed of ten million artifacts." "Therefore, the problem of the Divine Soul is even more tricky than that of energy since control is rted to it, and external objects can hardly rece it." "How do we solve the problem of insufficient Divine Soul and the difficulty in control?" Ye Chen lower his gaze and pointed at Chu Nan, "This ssmate, what do you think?" Chu Nan smiled and immediately said, "Rely on Spiritual Treasures, or Ghost Gods!" "Correct!" Ye Chen nodded, "No wonder, after years of research, we finally came up with two solutions." "The first is to rely on Spiritual Treasures!" "Spiritual Treasures have spirits and can control countless artifacts. In coordination with a cultivator''s Divine Consciousness, they can operate mech armor." "After numerous experiments, as long as one Spiritual Treasure is used as the main core,bined with the Yang God of a cultivator at the Golden Core stage, it can drive a Spirit-Treasure Mecha of ten million artifacts level to fight for a long time at high intensity." "This is the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor!" Ye Chen tapped his teaching stick and said in a deep voice, "Besides the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor, there is also the Ghost God Armor, which works pretty much on the same principle, except that the core of the mech armor is changed from a Spiritual Treasure to a Ghost God." "A Ghost God is an Underworld Soul, created by the Incense Fire Method. The power of a Ghost God''s Divine Soul is far stronger than that of cultivators. As long as there is a sufficient quantity of sufficiently powerful Ghost Gods as the core, they can also drive a mech armor." "However, due to the unique nature of Ghost Gods, the artifacts also have requirements, so overall performance is slightly inferior to that of Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor." Having said that, Ye Chen pointed with his teaching stick, and the image behind him changed again. In the image, Yin Qi surged like a tide, and divine light burst forth. Artifact after artifact, some made of white paper, some unearthed from graves, some nurtured in the Underworld, some offered in incense worship... "These are the artifacts of the Ghost God Armor, which must lean towards the ghostly nature of a Ghost God. Therefore, they generally use Nether Artifacts. For cheaper alternatives, they use paper used for theherworld. Although not disposable, they wear out quickly. As for the choice, it depends on the students themselves." "By the way, this is internal video material from the Schr''s Pce, about to be released¡ªthe Ninth Generation Increment-Decrement Ghost God Armor. The technology has advanced quite a bit, and everyone should take a good look!" Ye Chen stood to one side, exining with a light smile. Upon hearing this, everyone was immediately drawn in. In the image, myriadher artifactsbined to form a towering, mountainous Ghost God general, a hundred feet tall. The Ghost God had a green face and fierce fangs. It looked lifelike, indistinguishable from being made of artifacts. Under the crown, its eyes were wide with anger, and above its forehead, vertical pupils stood erect. Its shoulders were d in armor as if devouring like dragons, and on both arms, you could see Tai Chi Bagua. Behind its back fluttered eight Ghost God Command gs. Around its entire body, Talismans and Array patterns¡ªten thousand scripted blessings¡ªadded to its majestic Ghost God authority, showing the mystery of Taoism. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Anyone who saw it would exim in admiration, what a mighty Increment-Decrement General! "Ghost God Armor, the Ninth Generation!" "Is this thetest Ghost God Armor?" "Truly a treasure from the depths of the Yin Mountain Mansion''s vaults." "This is nothing. It hasn''t even started moving yet. When the Increment-Decrement General starts up, it is said to have the body of three heads and six arms!" "That must be the Increase Life Marshal right? It''s not strange for a Ghost God to change, but can the mech armor also transform into three heads and six arms?" "Why not? Mech armor is mysterious and obeys the wishes of the heart, never conforming to a single pattern!" "You''ll see¡" As they watched the Increment-Decrement General in the image, everyone discussed animatedly, with Chu Nan looking particrly forward to it. "Boom!" Amidst the discussion, a Ghost God descended from the heavens, a three-headed, six-armed Ghost God, merging into the mech armor, bing one with it. "It''s the Increase Life Marshal!" "It''s actually Him?" "What a pity, it is just the Increase Life Marshal and not the Increase Life and Damage Fate Great Marshal." "If both Marshals merged into one, in their strongest state with the Ghost God Mech Armor¡" "They could probably battle evenly in the Eight Realms, couldn''t they?" "Nascent Soul of the Seventh Realm, Divinity Transformation of the Eight Realms. Nowadays, the method for Nascent Soul is already avable, but for Divinity Transformation¡" "Afraid we must to go to the Upper Realm to find it." Seeing this, everyone was startled and then sighed to themselves. Ghost God Mech Armor, without the Ghost Gods, how can it be armor? To drive a Ghost God Mech Armor, you must have a Ghost God of the Seventh Realm, tomand the myriadher artifacts with its incredibly powerful Divine Thought Spiritual Sense. Ever since the Wandao School was established, it has devoted itself to deducing cultivation methods. After a thousand years and enduring breakthroughs, a feasible method for the Seventh Realm was finally put forth. However, for cultivators to practice, the method alone is not enough; there must also be enough resources. Chapter 224 - 158: Mecha (6000 words, 2-in-1)_4 Chapter 224: Chapter 158: Mecha (6000 words, 2-in-1)_4 Trantor: 549690339 This world,cking in provisions, to ascend to the Seventh Realm, one still has to rely on the Luotian Dajiao. Therefore, within the Wandao School, the number of Seventh Realm cultivators is not many, and batches need to ascend every so often. Although there are not many cultivators, there are plenty of Ghost Gods. Because for the Ghost Gods of Yin Mountain Mansion, their Yin lifespan is exceptionally long, as long as incense offerings are maintained, they could remain in the world for a long time, not needing to ascend to the Upper Realm like cultivators. Thus, within Yin Mountain Mansion, there are a total of thirty-six Seventh Realm Ghost Gods. Among them, the ¡°Increase Life Marshal¡± and the ¡°Life-shortening Marshal¡± hold the oldest qualifications and are in charge of Yin Mountain Mansion. It is said these two Ghost Gods could also integrate into one entity, transforming into the ¡°Increase Life and Damage Fate Great Marshal, Yin Mountain Mansion¡¯s Great Protector,¡± theirbat power closely following that of the Eight Realms. If coupled with Ghost God Mecha, it is even harder to imagine. Regrettably, since the Ghost God Mecha wasunched, there have been eight generations of models, but during the unveiling of the eighth generation, no one has seen these two Ghost Gods integrate to adopt their strongest state and merge with the Ghost God Mecha. This has left many deeply regretful. ¡°Could it be that the current Ghost God Mecha still cannot bear the power of the Increase Life and Damage Fate Great Marshal?¡± ¡°How is that possible? The Way of Mecha is Ten Thousand Artifacts Combined, controlled by a core. As the core of the Ghost God Mecha, the stronger the Ghost God, the lower the difficulty of control. How could there be any issue of it not being able to bear the load?¡± ¡°Exactly, the mecha parts and the Ghost God core do not be a burden to each other. They only enhance each other¡¯s power. If we speak of bearing, then how could a Magic Artifact bear a Spiritual Treasure?¡± ¡°I think ah, Yin Mountain Mansion deliberately kept away one hand, hiding it and not showing it to us. In reality, there must certainly be a super Mecha specially made for the Increase Life and Damage Fate Great Marshal.¡± ¡°Artifacts Level is a basic mecha; ten thousand artifacts level is an intermediate mecha; a million artifacts level is an advanced mecha; ten million artifacts level is the main battle mecha; a hundred million artifacts level¡still in the realm of imagination, right?¡± ¡°What level of Spiritual Treasure, what level of Ghost God, would be required to operate a hundred million artifacts level mecha?¡± ¡°Such a thing, even Wandao School doesn¡¯t have it now, does it?¡± ¡°This¡ it¡¯s hard to say!!!¡± Everyone discussed enthusiastically and excitedly. Chu Nan remained silent, his eyes intently fixed on the image. Within the image, a Ghost God descended, merging into the Ghost God Mecha. In an instant¡ ¡°Buzz!!!¡± ¡°Crack! Crack! Crack!¡± The mecha vibrated, divine light spewed forth, countless talismans and array patterns circted, and the form of the Ghost God changed ordingly. In the blink of an eye, a Ghost God with three heads and three faces, six arms brandishing six types of weapons, appeared before everyone. Then, the Ghost God surged, with one set of arms sped together in front, another pair wielding a sword and saber, and thest pair wavingmand gs. It was¡ ¡°Heavenly spirit, Earth Spirit, disciple respectfully invites the ancestor Nine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable to set up the Thunderbolt Hell Iron Fortress today, turning this ce into a thunderous prison, with no shape in all directions, walls as deep as ten thousand feet, dazzling golden light transmitting thunder and lightning, cmitous clouds covering the sky and unleashing thunder, demons and ghosts unable to stand firm, evil spirits and wandering spirits trembling in fear, Imand with the supreme Jade Pure Divine Soldier, as urgent as a decree!¡± ¡°Rumble!!!¡± As the Ghost God chanted, the mecha cast spells, and in an instant, thunder and lightning descended from the sky, copper walls and iron barriers rose from all directions, and boundless cmitous clouds covered from above, turning the battlefield into an abyss. It was the Thunder Series Divine Skills¡ªThunderbolt Hell Iron Fortress. The divine ghosts chanted, the mecha cast spells! ¡°The Mecha represents the pursuit of Talisman, Formation, Artifact Skills, Mana Altar, Ritual Laws, the culmination of all these methodsbined!¡± Ye Chen pointed with his teaching rod and said solemnly, ¡°Therefore, the mecha can also cast spells, can also invoke incantations, can use Taoism Divine Skills, as well as variousbat techniques and battle skills. In short, anything a cultivator can do, the mecha can do too, and ites with its own Array Power, operating more efficiently and with greater might.¡± ¡°Take the Thunderbolt Hell Iron Fortress, this powerful Thunder Series Divine Skill, the oue from the Ghost God Mecha is already far beyond that of the Sixth Realm cultivator casting spells on the Nine Ceremony High Altar during the Luotian Dajiao.¡± ¡°It¡¯s clear that the spell-casting power of the mecha is formidable, akin to having its own Luotian Dajiao, Nine Ceremony High Altar.¡± ¡°Aside from high energy consumption, it has no downsides!¡± Gazing at the Ghost God Mecha in the image, Ye Chen also felt some envy and desire: ¡°With just such a Ghost God Mecha, if operated by a Golden Core cultivator, it could match a Seventh Realm Nascent Soul, and may even win in battle.¡± ¡°If operated by a Nascent Soul cultivator, disregarding energy consumption and pouring in Mana Money, it could even battle the legendary Divinity Transformation Venerable, the Eighth Realm Grand Cultivator.¡± ¡°This is the mecha, this is the mecha!¡± Chapter 225 - 159: Scholar’s Palace_1 Chapter 225: Chapter 159: Schr¡¯s Pce_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Mecha are good, but one must still act ording to their abilities, especially when ites to Spirit-Treasure Mech Armors, as they are not something just anyone can sustain.¡± Observing the eager crowd below, especially the fiery zeal in Chu Nan, Ye Chen felt like he was seeing his past self. Although he was reluctant, he still had to dampen their spirits, ¡°Even within Wandao School, there are only about a hundred Spirit-Treasure Mech Armors of Ten Million Artifacts Level, and only True Monarchs are eligible to apply.¡± ¡°However, there are so many True Monarchs within Wandao School, and arge number of new aspirants. Relying solely on the resources allocated by the academy, it would take at least a few hundred years for a chance toe to the newly advanced True Monarchs.¡± ¡°Therefore, if any of you students are interested in Spirit-Treasure Mech Armors, you¡¯d better set your sights on the basic and intermediate mech armors at the One Million Artifacts Level and Ten Million Artifacts Level. Intermediate mech armors only require a single Magical Treasure as the central core, and if controlled by the Yang God of a Golden Core Cultivator, it can be driven with ease.¡± ¡°In addition, the Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute is currently developing mech armor integration technology. Based on the principles of formation, multiple mecha arebined and controlled together by several cultivators. If this research is sessful, thebat power of Spirit-Treasure Mech Armors will definitely rise to another level.¡± ¡°This concludes the general introduction of the Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute and the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armors.¡± Ye Chen nced at the crowd, especially at Chu Nan and the girl in red, ¡°We will soon arrive at the Schr¡¯s Pce. There¡¯s a little bit of time left, so I can answer one more question. Does anyone have something to ask?¡± ¡°I do!¡¯ Without hesitation, Chu Nan immediately raised his hand. Ye Chen smiled and didn¡¯t mind. ¡°What do you want to ask?¡± Chu Nan looked at him with utter seriousness, ¡°I want to know if the legendary Xuanyuan really exists?¡± ¡°Xuanyuan!?¡± Upon hearing this, everyone¡¯s gaze sharpened at once. Xuanyuan! Within Wandao School, no, within the entire Cultivation Realm, there circted a legend, a legend about an ¡°Immortal Spirit Mech Armor.¡± A mech isposed of countless magical artifacts, and the number of artifacts determines the quality of the mech. Therefore, the ss of the mech is divided into ¡°Artifacts Levels,¡± with One Million Artifacts Level, Ten Million Artifacts Level, Hundred Million Artifacts Level, and Ten Million Artifacts Level¡ The highest Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor currentlyunched by Wandao School is the ¡°Duotian Supervisor Spirit Officer¡± of Thirty Million Artifacts Level, with the ¡°Five Evident Spirit Officer Seals,¡± the former treasured core of the Pce of Longevity, and thirty million artifactponents making up the school¡¯s gship mech armor. Beyond the Pce of Longevity, there are Pure Yang Pce and Misty Cave. The top treasures of the three grand ancestral courts of Taoism in the past have made up the three gship mech armors of Wandao School today, each of which exists at the Thirty Million Artifacts Level. But there has always been an external legend that aside from these three gship mech armors, there are two ¡°Myriad¡± Artifacts Level Immortal Spirit Mech Armors hidden within Wandao School. Myriad here refers to a hundred million! A mech armor made up of a hundred million artifacts? Does such a thing truly exist in this world? No one dares to conclude. But there have always been rumors that inside Wandao School, two such Immortal Spirit Mech Armors are concealed, one centered around the Great Increment-Decrement Marshal of the Yin Mountain Mansion, and another centered around ¡°Xuanyuan,¡± the treasured core of Wandao School. Chu Nan stared at Ye Chen, ¡°Two thousand years ago, demons wrought havoc upon the world and endangered all living beings. The Taoist Master sacrificed his life for righteousness, blood consecrated Xuanyuan, and slew the demon.¡± ¡°As a result, Xuanyuan achieved mastery over thews of heaven, earth, and humanity, transforming into the world¡¯s foremost Spiritual Treasure, and even aspired to the ranks of Immortal Artifacts.¡± ¡°Such a Spiritual Treasure, if used as the core, could it possibly support a Myriad Artifacts Level Immortal Spirit Mech Armor?¡± Chu Nan looked intently at Ye Chen, and so did everyone else, all awaiting his response. Myriad Artifacts Level, Immortal Spirit Mech Armor? Does it truly exist? If it exists, then its power¡ ¡°This question, I cannot answer for you.¡± Ye Chen shook his head and said with a wry smile, ¡°I am just an ordinary student of the Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute, not a True Man or True Monarch. I have hardly been in touch with even Thirty Million Artifacts Level Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor, let alone an Immortal Spirit Mech Armor.¡± ¡°This¡¡± The crowd looked at each other, equally helpless. ¡°This answer, you can only seek it when you have achieved academic sess in the future.¡± Ye Chen smiled, then continued, ¡°But one thing, I can assure you.¡± ¡°What?¡± The crowd was curious. Ye Chen said confidently with a smile, ¡°As long as the steps of the school do not stop, and we keep advancing steadfastly like this, one day there will surely appear Myriad Artifacts Level Immortal Spirit Mech Armors, and even surpassing Myriad, creating Ten Billion and Hundred Billion, Trillion and Quadrillion Artifacts Level Mech Armor,parable to the Ancient Immortals or even the Great Demons of the primordial age!¡± With these words, everyone¡¯s blood boiled, their passion surged. However¡ ¡°It¡¯s a pity that will surely be after ten million years, or even an eternity.¡± Ye Chen sighed deeply, ¡°Life is short, even if one cultivates a Nascent Soul and steps into the Seventh Realm, it¡¯s just a thousand years of lifespan. I wonder if I will live to see an Immortal Spirit Mech Armor, or even a Mech Armor of Wandao, emerge in my lifetime?¡± Hearing this, everyone¡¯s heated emotions cooled down, and they returned to reality, feeling slightly downcast. But no matter where or when, there will always be a few extraordinary individuals who emerge. ¡°Umm¡ senior, have you considered taking a position at the Yin Mountain Mansion?¡± ¡°Right, right, right. I¡¯ve heard that the ghost gods of the Yin Mountain Mansion live incredibly long, as long as the incense smoke doesn¡¯t fade and offerings continue, living a few tens of thousands of years is no problem.¡± ¡°You guys really are little smart alecks!¡± Hearing their words, Ye Chen couldn¡¯t help but feel helpless. ¡°In fact, there were indeed a few predecessors who pursued the way of Tiangong who chose this path, but Wandao School does not encourage such behavior.¡± ¡°Although the lifespan of Ghost Gods is long, it¡¯s difficult for Ten Thousand Tribtions Yin Spirits to be sacred. Embracing the path of Ghost Gods equates to cutting off one¡¯s own future. Right now, in our prosperous times, the Luotian Dajiao is held every two years, and the gate to the Seventh Realm is not hard to cross. Moreover, the Upper Realm also needs to be managed, so it¡¯s better to still practice the correct methods and ascend to the Upper Realm.¡± ¡°The Upper Realm?¡± The crowd became interested again, ¡°Can the Schr¡¯s Pce nowmunicate with the Upper Realm?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Just as Ye Chen was about to speak, the flying boat began to slow down. ¡°Sorry, time¡¯s up. You can log into the Schr¡¯s Pce Divine Domain to check this information after you enroll.¡± Ye Chen shook his head and then introduced, ¡°Now, let me formally introduce everyone to Wandao School.¡± Having said that, the sealed cabin doors around them opened, revealing the surrounding scenery outside. Below the flying boat, which was in the midst of the sky, was a vast ocean. In the midst of the ocean was an ind, like a golden turtle in hibernation. The size of this ind was such that it could not be called an ind, it should be referred to as a continent. From high above in the sky, looking down far into the distance, one could only make out the contours of the head and partial limbs of the golden turtle. Even so, the sight was astonishing, with clouds and mist surrounding it like jade belts, and one could also see towering peaks and cascades of waterfalls, truly ¡°a torrent falling three thousand feet, as if the Milky Way had descended from the ninth heaven!¡± One part was a mountain range, another a snowy in, with the scenery of the Northern Territory, thousands of miles of ice, and tens of thousands of miles of snow floating. There were also the lonely sands of the desert and the setting sun above the long river, with every kind of terrain andndscape readily found on this ¡°ind.¡± Thendscapes varied, and the architectures within were also different. There were Taoist temples crowned atop the mountain ranges, serene dwellings nestled amongst the woods and bamboo forests, ice crystal pces within the snowy ins of the Northern Territory¡ ¡°These are the major colleges of Wandao School!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about appearances. Inside the Schr¡¯s Pce, and within the colleges, there areyers of formations that change unpredictably. You might see just a small bamboo dwelling, but in reality, it contains its own world, with its own Qiankun, able to amodate tens of millions of students; even a billion people would not be a problem.¡± ¡°Additionally, this ce is spiritually alive, filled with Yuan Qi, which is one of the manifestations of the revival of Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit. Especially in the central areas of the major colleges, there are yuan-gathering formations, spiritual arrays, and we students also have the duty to inject mana every day to strengthen the spiritual arrays, thereby nurturing the Spirit Land and enhancing the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit.¡± ¡°After nurturing it for a thousand years, thend of the Schr¡¯s Pce has even stronger spiritual energy. Whether it¡¯s ordinary people or cultivators living here, they all greatly benefit. Ordinary people can extend their life and remain free from disease and disaster; cultivators can improve their cultivation rapidly and make great strides.¡± ¡°Additionally, it can optimize fertility, and increase the chance for future generations to possess a Spiritual Root, which can be regarded as essential for the inheritance!¡± ¡°The benefits are countless and innumerable!¡± ¡°But there¡¯s one thing¡¡± Ye Chen turned back, looked at the crowd, and eximed, ¡°Wandao School is vast, but finding residence is not easy!¡± In his words, there was a sense ofment. Ever since Wandao School unified the world, this era entered a stage of rapid development, with the poption that practiced the Fake Cultivation Skill being heavily promoted and focused on development. Even slogans like ¡°More births benefit the country and the people¡± were put forth. Consequently, the poption surged rapidly. ording to the statistics from Wandao School, the world¡¯s poption was already approaching the hundred billion mark. With a poption of a hundred billion, if not for the cultivators being extraordinary and with the governance of the Schr¡¯s Pce, as well as the various agricultural methods ensuring production and supply, the world would have already been unable to bear the burden and fallen into great chaos. Even so, some problems were still inevitable. For example¡ªhousing prices! Wandao School, being the heart of the world and the focal point of spiritual energy, is a ce all cultivators yearn for. But how many cultivators there are in this world, and how could Wandao School amodate them all? Out of necessity, certain measures had to be implemented. Over time, a saying emerged. While Wandao School is vast, finding residence is not easy! Truly, it is not easy to find residence! Even students who passed the exams could only live there rent-free for ten years. After ten years, they have to take on various work duties assigned by the Schr¡¯s Pce, rotating periodically outside to work in exchange with faculty from the branch colleges. To live stably in the Schr¡¯s Pce, you either need enough Mana Money to buy a Cave Mansion or pass a True Man¡¯s credentials examination to be assigned a Cave Mansion by the Schr¡¯s Pce. Furthermore, every two years, Wandao School holds a Luotian Dajiao, and during the ritual period, all the major colleges send teams to gather at Wandao School and engage in a Great Ritual battle. Cultivators from the civilian poption can also participate; if they perform exceptionally and win ces, they also receive Cave Mansions from the Schr¡¯s Pce along with a series of rewards. All three options are difficult, and countless Golden Core and even Nascent Soul cultivators toil and work hard for this. Ye Chen had a deep understanding of this because he was also one of them. ¡°Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit, Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit!¡± ¡°They say the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit is reviving, so why, after a thousand years, is the Schr¡¯s Pce still the only ce with a Spirit Land?¡± ¡°Could there be some hidden secrets?¡± Ye Chen pondered silently. The crowd below, however, did not notice his thoughts and just looked at the increasingly close Wandao School, imagining the campus life that was about to begin. Chapter 226 - 160: Rotation_1 Chapter 226: Chapter 160: Rotation_1 Trantor: 549690339 In the Schr¡¯s Pce, there is ake called Dongting. Above Dongting, there is an ind named Fish and Dragon. On Fish and Dragon Ind, there is a tree, the Three Treasures Bodhi. The Three Treasures: Buddhist Law, monks, and the Buddhistmunity! In the past, Pudu Cihang brought disaster to the people, leaving barely one-tenth of Buddhism and Taoism intact, and the tradition of the Northern Territory waspletely wiped out. This Three Treasures Bodhi Tree was once the treasure that guarded the mountain for a great Buddhist temple in the Northern Territory. First falling into the hands of Pudu Cihang, itter came into the possession of Guo Bei Academy, and to this day, it has be the property of the Wandao School, nted atop thiske in Dongting, on Fish and Dragon Ind. It is said that this tree, being the Bodhi True Seed and possessing the power of the Three Treasures, can aid cultivators in enlightenment, much like the World Honoured Tathagata beneath the Bodhi Tree, achieving great enlightenment upon Proving the Dao. How the World Honoured Tathagata achieved enlightenment in the past, nobody knows. But today¡ Beneath the Bodhi Tree, Xu Yang sits casually, caressing the beauty in his arms, and asks, ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Miss Xin Shisi lies in his arms, with a pair of snow-white fox ears hidden amidst her flowing ck hair trembling slightly, then she propped herself up and kissed his lips, her affection boundless, ¡°Wait for Yun Er, my lord!¡± Xu Yang smiled as he watched her, over two thousand years flowing by like water, leaving hardly a trace upon her, still as she was when they first met¡ªher beauty like jade, her spiritual energy adding to her immortal charm. Indeed, an immortal charm! Her cultivation had reached the Seventh Realm¡ªshe was, in this world, a demon immortal! Since the establishment of the Wandao School, with Taoism governing the world, the human poption grew exponentially, greatly reducing the difficulty of performing the Luotian Dajiao ritual. Now it could be held every two years, each time helping several Seventh Realm cultivators and over a dozen Sixth Realm cultivators achieve breakthroughs. When one person obtains the Dao, even chickens and dogs can ascend to heaven, let alone the beloved by one¡¯s side? Two thousand years ago, Xu Yang used the Luotian Dajiao ritual to help Miss Xin Shisi be a Seventh Realm demon immortal. Not just Miss Xin Shisi, but also the Xin Family¡¯s couple and the Xin sisters benefitted from the Luotian Dajiao, producing several demon immortals in session. This propelled the Xin Family to be a renowned and prominent household among the Demon Race, rivalling Qingluan of Phoenix Song Mountain. The name of the Xin Family¡¯s Fox became known to all without exception. Spirit monsters, once cultivated, often have lifespans much longer than human cultivators. Some species possess nearly immortal capabilities. For example, the Old Demon of this world has a lifespan of ten thousand or even tens of thousands of years while only being a Sixth Realm cultivator, equivalent to a human Golden Core¡ªimmune to disaster, they could live for hundreds of thousands of years without issue. This is the advantage of spirit monsters. However, the Xin Family¡¯s Fox is not one of these species, but merely amon spirit monster of the fox kind. Therefore, Miss Xin Shisi¡¯s lifespan isn¡¯t exaggerated. Even stepping into the Seventh Realm only grants her a lifespan of a little over two thousand years. And now, those two thousand years have passed. Her life, hase to an end. In contrast, Xu Yang is still in his prime, ascending like the noonday sun. Since ancient times, beauties and heroes alike are not allowed to show their white hair to the world! On the path of cultivation, separation and death are inevitable. Especially for someone like Xu Yang. But the couple do not feel sorrow. Because Xu Yang had already given her the choice, and she had made her decision early on. The choice Xu Yang offered was simple: one was Ascension, the other was reincarnation. Her cultivation had reached the Seventh Realm, even the peak of the Seventh Realm, no weaker than Pudu Cihang of the past. As long as she ascended to the Upper Realm, relying on the Spiritual Treasure Mecha prepared by Xu Yang and various methods, as well as the support of over a thousand cultivators from the Wandao School who had ascended, she would undoubtedly be able to attain the Eight Realms¡¯ Mana Point and make a breakthrough before her life ran out. With the breakthrough in cultivation, the lifespan increases naturally. As long as progression continues, there is hope for longevity. This was the first choice Xu Yang gave her. The advantages were obvious. But there were many risks as well. Firstly, the situation in the Upper Realm was still unclear to the Wandao School. Although over the past two thousand years, the Wandao School had sent over a thousand Seventh Realm cultivators to ascend, these ascended ones also carried various magic artifacts developed by the Wandao School in an attempt to establish a connection between the Upper and Lower Realms and to understand the state of the Immortal Gods in the Upper Realm. However¡ Like a y ox entering the sea, there was no news at all. All the cultivators, after ascending, sent no messages back. The variousmunication methods developed by the Wandao School also lost their effect; they simply couldn¡¯t establish contact. Therefore, to this day, Xu Yang has no knowledge of what the Upper Realm is like, whether it¡¯s safe or dangerous. Thus, ascending to the Upper Realm carried a great deal of uncertainty, even being quite perilous. Miss Xin Shisi was not afraid of danger, but she was very resistant to the idea of Ascension. Because Xu Yang had informed her of his origins and had made it clear that he himself would not be ascending to the Upper Realm anytime soon. This ¡°short time¡± was at least tens of thousands of years! Therefore, Miss Xin Shisi did not wish to ascend but leaned more towards the cycle of life and death, reincarnation and rebirth, as mentioned by Xu Yang. To go through reincarnation, find him, and be together again! That was the little fox¡¯s thought. In response, Xu Yang could only nod and agree. ¡°The cycle of life and death, reincarnation and rebirth may hold mysteries within the womb.¡± ¡°Even without these mysteries, as an infant, you will be defenseless and may face many perils and dangers.¡± ¡°You must take care in what you do, do not hasten unduly. Tread as if on thin ice, n before you act¡¡± Xu Yang held her in his arms, carefully giving his advice. Miss Xin Shisi leaned against him, listening quietly without a word. These words had already been spoken thousands, perhaps millions of times, but neither of them tired of them. Never tiring of speaking, never tiring of listening. After a long while, Xu Yang finally stopped speaking, gazing at her and leaning down. Just a kiss, a light touch, and brilliant radiance shed, as the beautiful figure gradually turned ethereal. As for this, Miss Xin Shisi didn¡¯t panic or resist, only looking at Xu Yang and reaching out to grip his hand tightly, ¡°Wait for me, my lord!¡± Chapter 227 - 160: Rotation_2 Chapter 227: Chapter 160: Rotation_2 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Hmm!¡± Xu Yang chuckled lightly and nodded his head. ¡°Bang!¡± After that, light and shadow fluttered and dissipated. Beneath the Bodhi Tree, only one person remained. Xu Yang looked at his empty palm and remained silent for a long time. Compared with the uncertainty-filled Ascension, his reincarnation cycle also had its fair share of pros and cons. The benefits go without saying, but the dangers and risks must be mentioned. The greatest risk was reverting to infancy, shrouded in the mystery of the womb. If born into a bad situation, with no one to guide him, there is no telling what might happen. For example, he, reincarnated into the Immortal Cultivation World, became the child of the most humble fisherman¡¯s family, shrouded in the ignorance of prenatal mystery, aimlessly drifting for eighteen years, until his parents passed away, and he finally broke through the confusion to recover his true self. The hardships during that period are too difficult to put into words. Fortunately, his cycle of reincarnation was not ordinary; he could infuse the power of his Divine Soul to resist the influence of the prenatal mystery, elerate the revival of his True Spirit, and potentially regain consciousness of his True Spirit as soon as he was born. Additionally, the input of the power of the Divine Soul also affected his Cultivation status and other attributes, enhancing the effects of reincarnation to some degree. What reincarnation effect? ording to Xu Yang¡¯s own understanding, it probably rtes to the circumstances of birth and innate talent after reincarnation; the more Divine Soul power invested, the better the circumstances and innate talent following rebirth. Therefore, Xu Yang had invested all the Divine Soul power he could control, even halting the transfer of Skill Traits early to assist Miss Xin Shisi in her reincarnation wholeheartedly. This should ensure the recovery of Miss Xin Shisi¡¯s True Spirit and her Cultivation talents after rebirth. Even with the issues of prenatal mystery and bodily talent resolved, the infancy of rebirth is still fraught with various uncertainties and dangers. In this regard, Xu Yang had no better solution but could only instruct Miss Xin Shisi to be careful, act after thorough nning, and not to rush and expose her unique nature, attracting dangerous assaults. Miss Xin Shisi, although naturally pure-hearted, was nheless a Seventh Realm cultivator who had lived for more than two thousand years. The ways of human interaction, the dangers and intrigues of the Martial World had long been clear to her. With his teachings, the Martial Arts Scriptures, and various methods, securing a foothold should not be difficult. Despite that, Xu Yang did not n to use ¡°cycle of reincarnation¡± as a regr method. Because it was too dangerous and could potentially expose his existence, Zhuanzhou Mengdie, Divine Travel Through Worlds, and his various skill traits¡¯ miraculous abilities. He wasn¡¯t afraid of betrayal, having lived for thousands of years, he had the ability to see through people¡¯s true natures. It¡¯s just that, in the Cultivation World, there are endless methods; if he were to reincarnate on a grand scale excessively, sending arge number of people from different worlds into his own, it was possible to sh with some Cultivation expert. If that expert were to soul-search and uncover memories¡ The risk would be too great! Therefore, before he had absolute self-protection, he would not use the cycle of reincarnation as a regr method. After sending Miss Xin Shisi off, Xu Yang¡¯s Divine Soul also fell into weakness; he leaned against the Three Treasures Bodhi Tree and quietly recovered, at the same time contemting his next move. Two thousand years ago, he used the ability of Divine Travel Through Worlds to revive from death, reimed the academy, and with the help of True Monarch Changrong and Phoenix Song Fairy, he integrated all Taoist Unity, unified the current Cultivation Realm, and officiallyunched the era of ¡°Wandao School.¡± Thus, the great age of Taoism began. Now, two thousand yearster, having gathered the wit of all beings, he had achieved many results. Like the Taoist Scriptures, the art of Heavenly Crafts Natural Creation, and the Cultivation methods of Nascent Soul of the SeventhRealm¡ All these achievements were the results of exhausting the wisdom of all mortals in the age of flourishing Taoism. Having achieved results, should he retire from the world of achievement? Of course not! Xu Yang had no intention of bidding farewell to this world so soon. This world had tremendous potential and was connected to the Ancient Immortal Gods. The results he had obtained thus far were just a scratch on the surface. In the future, this world, this great age of Taoism, would bear even more glorious and brilliant fruits. He also possessed the ability to travel through numerous worlds, constantly entering this world to harvest its civilization¡¯s fruits and crystallized wisdom. With that in mind, why would he have any reason to give up? Not to mention, he was now immortal. As early as two thousand years ago, when Guo Bei Academy was transformed into the Wandao School, he began to experiment with the Earth Deity Law and found this ¡°Golden Turtle Ind¡± overseas to serve as a Spirit Land. For that purpose, he expended a great deal of his Divine Soul¡¯s power, transferring the various skill traits of the Earth Deity from the real world to speed up the nurturing of the Spirit Land and the condensation of the Divine Soul. After more than six hundred years, he finally formed an Earth Ghost Divine Seal on Golden Turtle Ind. Afterward, he began to practice the Earth Deity Law, arranging Earth Veins, adjusting geomancy, nting Spiritual Objects, breeding Spirit Beasts, and even moved the Wandao School here, raising arge number of cultivators and Kind Spirit Monsters. He then set up various Gathering Spirit Arrays allowing cultivators from this world to infuse their mana, strengthening it day and night. Over time, this development gave rise to the Wandao School of today. The only Cave Heaven Blessed Land in the world! Well¡ it¡¯s not actually a Cave Heaven Blessed Land. ording to the Earth Deities¡¯ system of ssification, it¡¯s merely considered a mid-grade Spirit Land. But it¡¯s still impressive. The previous ckwater River God nurtured it for ten thousand years, and then it grew on its own for another ten thousand years. All those years of umtion only amounted to a high-grade Spirit Land, and that was in the abundant Spiritual Energy of the Divine Demon World. In this World of Dao and Law, where the Yuan Spirit lies dormant and Heaven and Earth are exhausted, there is only a slight sign of revival now, and that¡¯s all it is. By the looks of it, without a few thousand or even ten thousand years, Spiritual Energy would be nowhere to be found. For him to create a mid-grade Spirit Land in such a world, one relied on skill traits and the other on using the Fake Cultivation Skill. There¡¯s no need to borate on skill traits, as they¡¯re existences that defy nature. Given enough time, breaking through the limits of Heaven and Earth is not out of the question. As for the Fake Cultivation Skill, it¡¯s also miraculous. As long as the poption isrge enough, that almost trantes to infinite resources. Xu Yang governed the world with the Wandao School, greatly increasing the poption, using the spiritual power of billions to enhance the Fake Cultivation Skill, and transforming the mana obtained from this method into Mana Money, to rece Spiritual Energy for production, research,bat, and nurturing of the Spirit Land. It was practically more efficient than nature¡¯s spiritual energy itself. With the cooperation of skill traits and the Fake Cultivation Skill, Xu Yang¡¯s Earth Deity Cultivation Method progressed rapidly, creating a mid-grade Spirit Land in just over a thousand years. Continuing at this rate, in a few thousand years more, Golden Turtle Ind could rise to a high-grade Spirit Land, on par with the ckwater River of the Divine Demon World. Earth Deities live long lives, and within a Spirit Land, various things can extend an Earth Deity¡¯s lifespan. With the glorious development of the Wandao School, one can imagine how long Xu Yang¡¯s lifespan would be. Killing him would be really difficult! But without dying, he wouldn¡¯t be able to initiate a new Zhuanzhou Mengdie to explore new dream worlds. What should he do? What else could he do? If he can¡¯t dream, then he won¡¯t dream! Xu Yang always had a clear purpose and logical thinking in his actions. Zhuanzhou Mengdie, Divine Travel Through Worlds, was for the sake of strengthening his power and seeking immortality, not just for the sake of dreaming. Right now, the value of this World of Dao and Law has surpassed that of ordinary Dream Worlds. Until he has thoroughly assimted it, Xu Yang will not enter any new worlds. After all, the foundation of this World of Dao and Law isrgely supported by his skill traits. If he were to leave now, and return thousands of yearster, he would not find a golden age upon his return but would witness a world fraught with war, bloodshed, ughter, humans and monsters devouring each other, and even people consuming one another in a bloody apocalypse. Do not doubt it, for the poption of this world has already approached the immense marker of a hundred billion. If the educational system he established copses and the world¡¯s resources cannot support such a poption, wars would inevitably erupt to purge and ughter until the poption is reduced to below the level of production. Clearly, Xu Yang could not allow such a thing to happen, to see his hard work destroyed in an instant. So, he can¡¯t die for now. He must wait until the production system of this world is stable, self-sufficient even without his skill traits, and only then can he leave. On this matter, he already had a direction. The Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit of this world was already reviving, and with the influence of his Earth Deity Law, enduring a few thousand or ten thousand years should be enough to achieve his vision. During this period, Xu Yang decided to ¡°idle,¡± shifting his development focus to the real world. In the World of Dao and Law, his Cultivation reached the peak of the Seventh Realm, corresponding to the Nascent Soul stage, and he held many trump cards, being the master of the Wandao School. The cultivators of the entire world, billions of them, were at hismand. He could truly turn clouds with a flip of his hand, and rain with another, and even if Eight Realms Divinity Transformation practitioners or Ninth Realm powerhouses descended to the Lower Realm, he would have the confidence to wrestle with them. In contrast, the development of the real world over the past twenty-some years seemed rather paltry. Feeling insecure about this vast disparity, uneasy feelings filled his heart. Therefore, Xu Yang decided that for the next period, he would focus on developing the real world, elevating his strength, expanding his influence, and enhancing his own security. Chapter 228 - 161: Results (Compilation, Data Stream)_1 Chapter 228: Chapter 161: Results (Comption, Data Stream)_1 Trantor: 549690339 In the real world, on Fish and Dragon Ind. Below the Mana Altar, Xu Yang, havinge to, had awoken from his dream. A thousand years in a dream, over two decades had passed, which could truly be described as vast changes in the seas and fields. Xu Yang Lifespan: 90/1200 Cultivation: Embracing Core Outer Body, Yin Soul out of body (Inner and outer as one, Taoist True Man, peak of the fifth realm) Dreaming (Zhuanzhou Mengdie, cycles of rebirth, Divine Travel Through Worlds) Living (Daily consumption of nine cows, strengthening the body, Stabilize Foundation and Cultivate Essence, vigor of dragon and ferocity of tiger, prolong life, pacify the mind and nourish the soul, Qi Moves Mountains and Rivers, Cirction of Breath like an Infant¡) Skills (Butcher¡¯s technique, cutting iron as if it were mud, mastery over alchemy, diet therapy, abundant harvests, blessed by fortune, Shrinking bone, Concealing Presence, indistinguishable from the real¡) Travel (Swift as Flying, riding the clouds andmanding the fog, sword soaring across the sky,ing and going in Qingming, Muddy Water Jiao Dragon, overturning the seas and rivers, calm amidst tumult, riding the wind and cleaving the waves¡) Reading (Never Forget After Reading, deducing by analogy, ssics of the Three Teaching Sect, carrying on the past and forging ahead, libraries as vast as mountains and seas, Cultural Qi as profound as the abyss, righteous energy vast and boundless, self-cultivation and nature nurturing) Martial Arts (Heaven rewards hardwork, Unity of Heaven and Man, Thunder Tempering Body, Martial Path Communicates with God, Founder of Martial Scripture, Martial Saint in soldier¡¯s armor, prolong life, Qi and Blood Furnace) Teacher (Thorough teaching, reciprocal learning, leading by example, All Age Mentor, Moral Cultivation, Wandao School, everyone a dragon, Competition of the Chosen) Beast Taming (Enlightening Transmutation, robust growth, Fish Leaping Over Dragon Gate, systematic breeding, lord of Spirit Monsters) Spirit nts (Exotic flowers and rare herbs, cultivation of Spirit Seeds, Mighty Cloud Rain, systematic nting, Second World God of Shengnong) Formation (Formations from myriadws, Grandmaster of the generation, as if part of nature,manding as if directing one¡¯s own limbs, Triad Sword Formation) Alchemy (Spirit Pills from myriadws, Grandmaster of the generation, practice makes perfect, Pill Not Poison, Three Turns Golden Pill) Talisman Making (Talismans from myriadws, Grandmaster of the generation, ingenious creativity, Taoist Rhyme naturally formed, divine talismans and spirit charms) Artifact Refining (Thousands ways of Refining weapons, Grandmaster of the generation, Heavenly Thunder Earthly Fire, Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor, Heavenly Craftsman) Taoism (Daoist Celestial Master, master of Taoist Scriptures, Yin Mountain Mansion¡¯s governor, Xuanyuan Divine Sword, Luotian Dajiao, Duotian Altar, Mingxiao Taoist Lineage, Pure Yang God) Earth Deities (lord of the immortal isle, shaping of Spirit Land, Enlightening all Spirits, cultivation brings spirit, Dragon Monarch, Water Deity, Wandao School, worshipped by Myriad People, golden body from faith) Martial Science: Martial Arts Scripture. Spell: Taoist Scriptures. Talent: Thunder Commanding Power. Two thousand years in dreams, twenty years in reality. Under the disparity of a hundredfold time difference, development was naturally distinguished. Now, Xu Yang¡¯s cultivation had reached the peak of the fifth realm; Embracing Core Outer Body, Yin Soul out of body. In the current cultivation system, he was at the Perfect Foundation Building. Twenty years of hard cultivation, just to reach Perfect Foundation Building? Is that not a bit slow? Indeed it is somewhat drawn out, but it could not be helped. If he were in the world of Dao and Law, twenty years would be enough, not just for the fifth realm, even the sixth realm would be attainable. But the real world is not the world of Dao and Law; he did not have Guo Bei Academy, nor Mingxiao Taoist Temple, nor the support of powers like Wandao School to aid his cultivation. Although he had developed a certain force in the real world over those twenty years, in both quantity and quality, it was far inferior to the world of Dao and Law. The power was too weak, the scale too small, education and inheritance too scant, influence and control even lower; the various traits of the teacher skills could not be maximized. Thus, the pace of cultivation was naturally slow. Not to mention, the real world did not possess those miraculous fake cultivation skills. Although in the world of Dao and Law, the Yuan Spritsy dormant, which was tantamount to a world on the verge of itsst cmity for cultivators, but¡ Xu Yang was not a cultivator! He did not have a Spiritual Root; he could not absorb nature¡¯s spiritual energy directly, so did the dormancy of the Yuan Sprits affect him? To some extent, yes, but not significantly. It reflected a bit in nting and breeding, alchemy and artifact refining, where there would be some material gaps, but those could entirely be circumvented using skill traits. Therefore, even if the Yuan Sprits were dormant, he did notck resources for cultivation. And in the world of Dao and Law, the fake cultivation skill had no Spiritual Root limitation. Just by studying the Taoist Scriptures, one could enhance mana, which for him was akin to adding a unique ¡°Taoist Spiritual Root¡±. One with a Spiritual Root, one without; the oues naturally differed. That is why Xu Yang¡¯s pace of cultivation in the real worldgged far behind that in the world of Dao and Law. It was an unavoidable situation. In the world of Dao and Law, with Immortal Gods ascending, there was not much pressure from above, and he had a trump card like Divine Travel Through Worlds, allowing him to develop without restraint. Even if he died, he could start over. But the real world was different. He had yet to fully understand the circumstances of the real world and could not determine the limits of the ultimate fighting forces in this world; he alsocked the means to revive and start anew. In such a scenario, an incorrect move could result inplete defeat! Therefore, Xu Yang could not develop recklessly, at least not previously. Now, though¡ He had already attained a certain level of strength and confidence, which allowed him to progress prudently and explore carefully. With a backup to ensure his life was secure, he could even make some bold attempts. It was time to lift the veil of mystery from this world. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t even dream peacefully! Having discussed his cultivation, let¡¯s look at his skills. Although Xu Yang had ceased transmitting the traits of his skills over to aid Miss Xin Shisi in her rebirth and had stopped two hundred years prior, maintaining his soul powers at their peak in the world of Dao and Law, there were still eighteen hundred years before that, during which he had received many skill traits. Xu Yang had integrated these skill traits to simplify his attribute panel and make it less cluttered andplex. First were the life skills, originally separate skills like ¡°diet,¡± ¡°sleep,¡± ¡°breathing,¡± and other day-to-day activities that had beenbined into one. He now possessed either the original traits of these skills or their upgraded versions. Chapter 229 - 161: Results (Compilation, Data Stream)_2 Chapter 229: Chapter 161: Results (Comption, Data Stream)_2 Trantor: 549690339 For example, Daily Devour Nine Oxen is an upgraded version of Daily Devour One Ox, where the change is not just in quantity, but also in quality. Nine is the extreme number, and ¡°nine oxen¡± refers not just to nine oxen, but to hundreds or even tens of thousands of them. This significantly enhances the effect of ¡°eating,¡± thereby driving the speed of martial cultivation. This is Daily Devour Nine Oxen. There are also traits like strengthening the body, Stabilize Foundation and Cultivate Essence, which are self-exnatory and don¡¯t need much exnation. Only the meanings of ¡°Qi Moves Mountains and Rivers¡± and ¡°Cirction of Breath like an Infant¡± are slightly obscure, but they are also easy to understand as traits of breathing skills. The breath can move mountains and rivers, and it operates autonomously like an infant¡¯s, benefiting both cultivation andbat. These are life skills. Next, let¡¯s look at craftsmanship skills, which are also abination of various types. These include ughtering, Knife Sharpening, disguise, cooking, fishing, and more. Besides the Hundred Arts of Cultivation, all skills rted to life, or those that are insignificant, have been merged into ¡°craftsmanship.¡± Therefore, the change in craftsmanship skills is not substantial, and traits like the Butcher¡¯s technique are all self-exnatory in previous aspects, and their effects are known. After discussing craftsmanship, let¡¯s look at travel skills. These too are a merger of skills like ¡°walking,¡± ¡°swimming,¡± ¡°rowing,¡± and other action-oriented skills, and their traits are also self-exnatory. For instance, Divine Sword Freestyle enhances the effect of sword control, while Cloud Riding enhances the effect of Cloud Riding. There¡¯s also Traveling Through Qingming, which increases the speed of flying and escaping between heaven and earth, through the Qingming. It also helps inbat. All these skills areplementary and not significant, at least not at the moment. The future may be a different story. After all, even dreaming can produce a heaven-defying trait like ¡°Zhuanzhou Mengdie.¡± It¡¯s not that other skills couldn¡¯t be extraordinary, it¡¯s just that the time isn¡¯t ripe yet. Since the time isn¡¯t ripe yet, let¡¯s not talk about that for now. Let¡¯s focus on the main feature. Reading! This skill integrates the ¡°Taoism¡± of the World of Dao and Law, and its traits need no further exnation. Never Forget After Reading, draw inferences from one example, are all self-exnatory. Three Teaching Sect ssics, Build on the Past to Open the Future, enhance the effect of studying ssics from the Three Teachings, allowing one to extract the essence and discard the dregs, to build on the past and understand thoroughly. Mountain of Books Sea of Learning, Cultural Qi Deep as the Abyss, and also Righteous Qi Overwhelming, Cultivating One¡¯s Moral Character, the first two can enhance the effect of reading, with roads through the mountain of books and a voyage over the sea of learning, cultivating Cultural Qi deep as the abyss. Thetter two enable one to cultivate one¡¯s moral character and possess overwhelming Righteous Qi through reading, untouched by External Demons or confused by demons. This is very helpful for cultivation. This is about reading, now let¡¯s talk about martial training. Apart from the original traits, three new ones have been added: Thunder Tempering Body, Soldier¡¯s Armor Martial Saint, and Qi and Blood Furnace. Thunder Tempering Body needs no further exnation; it enhances the effect of tempering the physical body with thunder. Soldier¡¯s Armor Martial Saint is also easy to understand; it¡¯s an integrated upgraded version of the traits like de-loving Madman and Heaven Bow and Divine Arrow, proficient in all weapon techniques, able to wield any weapon as if it were a part of one¡¯s body. This is the essence of being a Soldier¡¯s Armor Martial Saint. As for Qi and Blood Furnace, it¡¯s self-exnatory as well. The body¡¯s Qi Blood is like a furnace that can refine all things, be it food, fuel, or even vile curses, all can be refined. It can be regarded as an integrated upgraded version of being immune to all poisons and Daily Devour Nine Oxen. After reading and martial training, let¡¯s see the skills of a teacher. As the key to the development of a power, teacher skills are also of paramount importance. Apart from the original traits, new ones like ¡°Moral Cultivation,¡± ¡°Wandao School,¡± and ¡°Competition of the Chosen¡± have been added. Moral Cultivation can elevate the moral character of disciples. This is important. If a power wants tost and grow, it cannot be selfish and greedy. Disciples with noble morals and good character are necessary¡ªthey must be present. Unless you have other means to control minds and exclude all dissent, imposing your will andmands thoroughly. Otherwise, how can you expect a group of selfish, life-fearing individuals, or even those who betray their friends for glory and turn their backs on loyalty for personal gain, to help you grow and strengthen your power? If they don¡¯t hold you back, stab you in the back, and cause you to end up battered and bankrupt, then you¡¯re doing well. Moreover, moral character also helps in cultivation and can effectively withstand invasions by External Demons. This is why Righteous Daoist cultivators can usually suppress demons and Evil Cultivators. The importance of Moral Cultivation is evident; without external threats, Xu Yang managed to develop Wandao School to such a level, and this skill trait is key. This is Moral Cultivation. In addition, there are Wandao School and Competition of the Chosen. Wandao School enhances the overall effect of Wandao School, including teaching, learning, research, development, creation, and cultivation¡ªa trait that is virtually a panacea, with strategic value that is not low. Competition of the Chosen, this trait is interesting. Since Wandao School was established in a world without external threats, its drive for development has always beencking. War is the best catalyst. Death is the loudest call to action. In a peaceful world without war, it is difficult to motivate people to strive for rapid development. Having no other choice, Xu Yang had to createpetition himself. Without external pressure, internal pressure must be applied. Thus, every two years, the Great Ritual of Wandao School coincides with the ¡°Great Ritual Battles.¡± The Ritual Battles, the Competition of the Chosen. Each major wing of Wandao School, its branches, as well as civilian groups, Loose Cultivators, can all participate. There will be contests of the Martial Path, Divine Skills, andpetitions in alchemy, talismans, artifact crafting, formations, and other projects, with significant rewards. Chapter 230 - 161: Results (Compilation, Data Stream)_3 Chapter 230: Chapter 161: Results (Comption, Data Stream)_3 Trantor: 549690339 Thus, internalpetition and conflicts inevitably spur motivation and elerate technological development. Xu Yang also obtained a skill trait known as ¡°Competition of the Chosen.¡± This allowed him to enhance his disciples¡¯ cultivation aptitudes through the ¡°Competition¡±, benefiting them whether they triumphed or failed. Theoretically, as long as he continuously organized suchpetitions and let a disciple participate regrly, even a pig could improve its aptitude and be the pride of the heavens. These were the three new characteristics added to the teacher skills. Each one was of significant help to the development of power. Following the teacher skills were the Hundred Arts of Cultivation. Beast Taming and Spirit nt cultivation need no further boration, as they have both developed systematic breeding traits that allow forrge-scale cultivation of Spirit nts and rearing of Spirit Beasts. Moreover, with ¡°Master of Spirit Monsters¡± and ¡°Second World God of Shengnong¡±, both yield and quality were improved. With these two major skills and their characteristics, in addition to utilizing the Fake Cultivation Skill, Xu Yang developed agriculture in the World of Dao and Law, massively boosting production which not only met the needs of a poption of a hundred billion but also supplied a vast proportion of cultivators for their cultivation, as well as consumption for Alchemy, Artifact Refining, Talisman Making, and array setting processes, creating an era of flourishing cultivation. This was the power of skill traits ¨C given enough time, they had the potential to defy heaven and change fate. As it was with Beast Taming and Spirit nt cultivation, the four arts of Alchemy, Talisman, Formation, and Item Refining also speak for themselves, their functions evident from their names. The focus, however, was on thest ¨C the skills pertaining to Daoism and Earth Deities. The Daoist skills were his greatest gain in the World of Dao and Law. The Daoist Celestial Master, an upgraded version of the ¡°Thunder Lightning Mana King¡±, provided a huge enhancement when using any Daoist Divine Skills, including but not limited to Thunder Series, Water-Fire Skill, Yin-Yang Skill, Ghost God¡¯s Skill, and even Curse and Aversion techniques¡ In short, all Daoist techniques from the World of Dao and Law received immense enhancements and improvements. The Master of Taoist Scriptures, akin to the Founder of Martial Scripture withinbat skills, made self-cultivation of personally created Taoist Scriptures more efficient and effective. The Yin Mountain Mansion, a trait of Ghost God¡¯s Skill, allowed the construction of a Yin Mountain Mansion to improve the cultivation of ghost gods, including aspects such as Increase Life and Damage Fate, Five Chaotic Generals and Soldiers, Yin Mountain Ghost Soldiers, and more. The Xuanyuan Divine Sword was a characteristic of the Divine Sword Jue,prehensively enhancing the might of the ¡°Xuanyuan Divine Sword¡± and the nurturing efficiency of the Method of Heaven, Earth and Man¡¯s Three Talents, greatly elerating the cultivation speed of the Xuanyuan Divine Sword. The Luotian Dajiao and Duotian Altar were to enhance the effects of the Luotian Dajiao ritual and the Duotian Mana Altar. Both were already potent weapons, and with the enhancement from their traits, their effects were even more formidable. This is why Xu Yang dared to dere that he could battle across nine realms in the World of Dao and Law. Once the Luotian Dajiao ritualmenced, the strength of a hundred billion people would converge. With the Duotian Altar and the Shenxiao Great Array set up, even a ninth-realm Grand Cultivator would face severe difficulties. Regrettably, this was possible only in the World of Dao and Law, not in reality, where hecked the necessary resources. Thest skills, Mingxiao Taoist Lineage and Pure Yang God, the former improved the effect of disciples cultivating the Thunder Series within the Mingxiao Taoist Lineage, and thetter boosted the power of the sixth realm in Daoist skills, the Yang God¡¯s strength, each possessing their own marvelous uses. Moving on to the Earth Deity skills. The Lord of Immortal Inds, Creator of Spirit Lands, was a specifically nurtured trait allowing him to enhance the cultivation effects of ¡°ind¡±-ss Spirit Lands. Enlightening all Spirits, and If Cultivated, Then Spirit, was an enhancement of Earth Deity abilities. As long as the quantities of Spirit nts, Spirit Beasts, and cultivators increased, so too would the Spiritual Energy of the Spirit Lands and the cultivation of Earth Deities. Dragon Monarch, Aquatic n, reflected the integration and upgrade of follower type skills such as the ¡°Dragon Department¡¯s Personal Army¡±, ¡°Turtle Deputy and m Girl¡±, ¡°Shrimp Soldiers and Crab Generals¡±, and others, enhancing the strength of the entire Aquatic n and even cultivating entities like Jiao Dragons. Thetter, after the construction of the ¡°Wandao School¡± within a Spirit Land, would yield an even more potent effect of Spirit Land cultivation. In theory, building just ten Wandao Schools could transform a Spirit Land into a Spirit Region. s, Xu Yang could not afford to construct even one at the moment. As for the final Worship of Myriad People, Incense Golden Body¡ Right as Xu Yang closed his eyes and Condensing Spirit, quietly digesting the aplishments of a thousand years, his room door was suddenly knocked. ¡°Hmm?¡± Xu Yang opened his eyes. ¡°Come in.¡± The door was pushed open, and two people entered: an elegantly dressed young man in ck and a charming young girl in yellow. ¡°Master¡ Big Brother!¡± ¡°Young Master!¡± The young man stammered, nearly misspeaking. Only the girl smiled and walked up, leaning on Xu Yang¡¯s knee and speaking with entangled affection, ¡°That Green Jade Envoy ising again.¡± Xu Yang nced at her and tapped her forehead. ¡°Act like a human being when you ought to.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like being human at all, dealing with those nuisances is such a hassle, it¡¯s much freer to be a fish under the water.¡± The young girl in yellowughed, the point of a horn faintly visible on her forehead as she rubbed against Xu Yang¡¯s palm, sparks shing with each touch. Xu Yang shook his head. ¡°Then this time, you shall go under theke, behave yourself and don¡¯t cause any trouble.¡± ¡°Thank you, Young Master!¡± The girl giggled delightfully, contented with the arrangement. Chapter 231 - 162: Human Heart_1 Chapter 231: Chapter 162: Human Heart_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°The arrival of the Immortal Envoy graces us with splendor and glory!¡± Xu Yang weed a person into Fish and Dragon Ind. It was none other than the Green Jade Immortal Envoy¡ªBai Yunzi. Looking at Fish and Dragon Ind, which seemed unremarkable and changed only slightly, and at the young man standing tall and proud before him, Bai Yunzi felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him. Twenty years ago, a battle for life and death at Dongting determined the ownership of this ¡°Fish and Dragon¡± Spirit Land. For this reason, the head of the Li Family, Li Jianchen, fought three consecutive battles in the arena, risking his life in thest one, employing the iplete version of the Golden Core Sword Jue, shing mightily against the old ancestor of the Zhou Family, Zhou Mingyu, leaving both parties severely injured. The battle was tragic indeed. Afterward, although Fish and Dragon Ind came into possession of the Li Family, just a decadeter came the tragic news that ¡°Li Jianchen,¡± the head of the family, had passed away in meditation. His son ¡°Li Liuxian¡± seeded him as head of the family, taking control of the Li Family and guarding Fish and Dragon Ind. Comparatively, the Zhou and Wang families suffered even greater tragedies. Thete-stage Foundation Establishment ancestor of the Zhou Family, Zhou Mingyu, suffered from the sword wounds, was ambushed and killed on his journey home, not only resulting in his own demise but also leading to the enemy seizing the family¡¯s umted resources and potentiality. The pir of the Zhou Family thus copsed. The second-tier mid-grade Spirit Vein of Qingfeng Mountain, as well as the Cultivation Market painstakingly managed by the Zhou Family, became targets for all. Various Foundation Establishment forces fought openly and in the shadows, causing the deaths of numerous Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and the annihtion of two Foundation Establishment powers, turning everything into a bloodbath. In the end, it was the Green Jade Sect that intervened and took over the Qingfeng Mountain Market, and only then did the turmoile to a halt. Having suffered heavy casualties and even losing their Spirit Land, the foundations of the Zhou and Wang families took a significant blow. In contrast, the Li Family, despite losing their head Li Jianchen, intimidated all sides with the mighty reputation of their Sword Cultivators and the unyielding spirit shown when fighting for the Spirit Land, securing twenty years of peaceful development. Now, twenty years have passed, and although Li Jianchen is no longer alive, his son Li Liuxian has raised his Cultivation to mid-stage Foundation Establishment. As a Sword Cultivator with extraordinarybat prowess, he has inherited his father¡¯s mantle. Guarding Fish and Dragon Ind, he is more than adequate. By all means, it should have been so. But¡ Bai Yunzi let out a sigh, yet his expression remained unchanged. Xu Yang saw this but also did not show any reaction. The two thus toured Fish and Dragon Ind and then returned to the reception hall. ¡°This is Red Leaf Immortal Tea, I invite the Immortal Envoy to appreciate it.¡± ¡°You tter me, young nephew!¡± After a round of pleasantries, Bai Yunzi set down his teacup and said to Xu Yang, ¡°Although Brother Li has departed early, with a worthy nephew seeding him, the Li Family is bound to thrive.¡± ¡°The Immortal Envoy is too kind,¡± Xu Yang shook his head, ¡°Liuxian is dull-witted, notparable to my father. It is already my great fortune to keep the family business going, I dare not aspire to more.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Bai Yunziughed, neither confirming nor denying any point, but looked around and then said, ¡°Your Spirit Land has be a first-tier mid-grade. If cultivated for another two or three decades, it should be able to advance to a first-tier upper-grade.¡± After speaking, he looked at Xu Yang, ¡°ording to the rules of our Green Jade Sect, once a Spirit Land reaches first-tier upper-grade, it must open a market. Moreover, Brother Li had an agreement with me¡ªto excuse the Li Family from twenty years ofbor. Now that the twenty years have passed, this arrangement cannot be continued. You should be prepared, the Sect¡¯s assignment could arrive at any time.¡± Xu Yang nodded, saying calmly, ¡°Liuxian understands.¡± ¡°Good that you understand, good that you understand,¡± Seeing his calm eptance, Bai Yunzi inwardly nodded in approval. In the territory of Liang Country, the Three Sects hold sway, and while various Foundation Establishment powers may survive, they must obey the Upper Sects, join their systems, and serve them. Without delving into other matters, just take the Spirit Land¡ªfor all intents and purposes, the Spirit Land is under your name, but the actual ownership still lies with the Green Jade Sect. You are but a tenant, and if you cannot pay the rent orplete thebor, the Green Jade Sect has the right to take it back. Not only that, once your Spirit Land is cultivated to a certain extent, it must also follow themands of the Green Jade Sect, open a Cultivation Market, and allow the Green Jade Sect to establish a ¡°Green Jade Tower¡± within to sell various items from the Green Jade Sect. After opening the market, the taxes andbor owed by the Spirit Land will increase, and you must ensure the market is running smoothly to earn Spirit Stones while bearing the tax burden. If the market is mismanaged, resulting in insufficient ie and leading to its closure, then the Green Jade Sect will reim the Spirit Land just the same. The exploitation is quite severe. But this is the way of the Cultivation World, where the strong prey on the weak, a hierarchical extortion, big fish eating little fish, and little fish eating shrimp. No one can escape this; either join this chariot and exist within this system, or be an enemy of it. Grow secretly and expand in the shadows? Such wishful thinking is absolutely impossible. Xu Yang, back in the day, established his reputation with a battle and staged a formidable performance, expending quite a number of Spirit Stones to waive twenty years ofbor. But now, times have changed, and circumstances have shifted¡ªthis ¡°agreement¡± could no longer be extended. Seeing Xu Yang¡¯s understanding, Bai Yunzi no longer hesitated, ¡°Young nephew, to tell you the truth, my term as the Green Jade Immortal Envoy is nearly over.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Xu Yang¡¯s eyebrows shot up in surprise, ¡°May I ask where the Immortal Envoy intends to ascend?¡± ¡°What ascent.¡± Bai Yunzi shook his head, ¡°After reporting back to the Sect, I¡¯ll serve as an elder and enjoy my remaining years in peace.¡± Then looking at Xu Yang again, ¡°Your father and I were also friends, so there is something¡¡± His words trailed off, not continuing. Xu Yang, seeing his intent, said, ¡°Please do not hesitate to impart any advice, Immortal Envoy.¡± With that, he handed over a Storage Bag. ¡°Ah, how could I ept this!¡± Bai Yunzi shook his head but still epted the Storage Bag, ¡°After I leave, my sessor will be a Golden Core seed of our Green Jade Sect and the favored disciple of the Law Enforcement Elder, named Lin Juefeng!¡± Chapter 232 - 162: Human Heart_2 Chapter 232: Chapter 162: Human Heart_2 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Golden Core seed?¡± ¡°Lin Juefeng?¡± Xu Yang frowned and looked at Bai Yunzi, ¡°This¡¡± ¡°He¡¯s a Sword Cultivator!¡± Bai Yunzi coughed lightly and said with implied meaning, ¡°A Sword Cultivator who is obsessively in love with his sword.¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yang also fell silent. After a moment, he finally said, ¡°Understood, thank you, Immortal Envoy, for the hint.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Bai Yunzi shook his head, stood up, and said, ¡°My nephew, I know your nature. It must be simr to Brother Li, but there are some things that one must endure if necessary, concede if required. To step back is to open a whole new world!¡± Having said that, without waiting for Xu Yang¡¯s reaction, he stood up, patted his shoulder, and then walked outside. ¡°Immortal Envoy, please go slowly.¡± Xu Yang watched him, then got up and escorted him outside. A momentter, a streak of Escape Light flew out of the cloud sea of Dongting. Xu Yang stood on the shore, watching the other party leave. Then, with a wave of his sleeve, Spirit Light began to emanate. ¡°Hum!!!¡± The void vibrated, Sword Qi surged, and the cloud sea of Dongting transformed instantly, enveloping Fish and Dragon Ind. The ind that just moments ago seemed ordinary, now had clouds and mist swirling about, resembling and of immortals. As the waves surged, figures emerged within the ripples of water: women of stunning beauty and radiant charm, men tall and stately, valiant and extraordinary. There were also several old men, hunched and bent, yet far from slow; on the contrary, they moved as Swift as Flying, each spirited and vivacious. An instant before, the Fish and Dragon Ind had seemed empty and deste; now it bustled with sounds and activity, alive with excitement. The crowd, returning from theke, each went back to their posts. Some went to the fields, where they saw space warp and the Formation change marvelously; what were originally first-tier Spirit Rice fields with mediocre growth instantly reversed, revealing a dense and golden, sea of ears with glowing Spirit Rice. ¡°This Golden Spiritual Rice is growing quite well!¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s third-tier Spirit Rice!¡± ¡°Those cultivators from the Green Jade Sect, truly they have mortal vision; all this third-tier Spirit Rice, along with the thousands of years old Spiritual Medicine grown here, and yet they couldn¡¯t see a single clue.¡± ¡°Of course, what kind of Divine Skills does our master possess? This third-tier Illusion Array and the Spirit Land are connected, with multipleyers of Formations linked together, along with the master¡¯s Wonderful Skill, creating a wless integration, invisible both inside and out. Not to mention those cultivators, even if they brought the Sect Master of the Green Jade Sect, and that Golden Core elder here, they would still be utterly blind.¡± ¡°Hmph, what Green Jade Sect, what Searching Immortal Envoy, arrogantly overestimating themselves, totally clueless. Our master possesses such Divine Skills and yet hasn¡¯t imed to be an Immortal or an Ancestor, and they dare to call themselves an Immortal Sect. They evene here every few years to make trouble for us, truly courting death.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, stop nagging and get on with the work!¡± The crowd chatted idly while they tended to the fields. Meanwhile, Xu Yang stood by theke, paying no attention to the murmuring of the m girls, fish spirits, shrimp soldiers, and crab generals under hismand. Over the years, due to external pressure from the Three Sects of Golden Core, he had not expanded his power excessively, nor had he openly recruited disciples. After all, to outsiders, Fish and Dragon Ind was just a plot of first-tier inferior Spirit Land, artificially created andcking in Spiritual Energy. The Li Family barely had enough for themselves, let alone sharing it with outsiders. Wouldn¡¯t that obviously seem suspicious? Unable to recruit disciples openly, but still needing to develop his power, Xu Yang could only nurture Spirit Beasts, using his Beast Taming and Earth Deities skills to awaken and enlighten the beasts, especially those from the Aquatic n. He then taught them the Taiyi Body Training Skills from the World of Dao and Law. Thus, the ind gained a group of Spirit Monsters. As of today, these Spirit Monsters not only shared his workload but had also cultivated their own Mana. With aplishments in Alchemy, Artifact Refining, Talisman Making, andying Formations, they could act as skilled workers in production and asbat-ready Cultivators on the battlefield. Even without Xu Yang lifting a finger, the Spirit Monsters under hismand could eradicate all the Cultivators of the Green Jade Sect below the Golden Core level. Unfortunately, that was only up to those beneath the Golden Core. He himself had not yet be a Golden Core, let alone any of his Spirit Monsters. And now, this Golden Core Sect of the Green Jade Sect¡ ¡°People¡¯s desires are insatiable, like a snake that tries to swallow an elephant!¡± Xu Yang shook his head, then started to cast spells and chant. ¡°The Heavenly Emperor decrees the manifestation of truth, down from nine skies descends the auspicious five-colored clouds, the golden light purifies the qiankun, illuminating all; myriad deities heed the call to attend the dragon transformation, the summoning Altar follows the irond prophecy, spares no invisibility nor speaks falsehoods; with thirty-seven words of the Immortal Gods the Mysterious Gate¡¯s light shines, scripting below the Heavenly decrees, I beseech the Great Heaven¡¯s Emperor, the Primordial Spirit descends with urgent orders!¡± Amidst the chanting, the Spirit Light converged, coalescing at the forehead into a Talisman, and then took the form of eyes to flicker. It was the Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light technique! In the World of Dao and Law, Xu Yang had long since perfected this skill to the extreme limits of the realm, not just achieving the ¡°Admiring Eye of Heaven¡± Divine Skill but also developing rted abilities from his Daoist skills. However, the capability level of the Admiring Eye of Heaven was quite high, and since he had yet to transmit it back for Miss Xin Shisi¡¯s reincarnation, it would need a little more time. Nevertheless, the ¡°Daoist Celestial Master¡± also amplified the Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light technique, and with his current state of Perfect Foundation Building, as long as he did not inspect Golden Core Cultivators, it was nearly impossible for anyone to notice anything unusual. So¡ With the Spirit Eyes activated, the Mysterious Light became still. Within the Xuan Guang Mirror, he distinctly saw a man and a woman standing on the Green Jade boat, conversing. ¡°Sister Lin!¡± The woman dressed in Green Jade robes, enhancing her proud figure, said, ¡°I just received the news that Uncle-Master Bai Yunzi has gone to the Fish and Dragon Ind. It seems likely that he will reveal your information.¡± ¡°Let him reveal it then.¡± The man known as ¡°Brother Lin¡± spoke lightly with a hint of a smile, unconcerned, ¡°His going saves me the trouble of speaking. That sly old fox is very astute. If the Li Family knows what¡¯s good for them, they will definitely offer him a good deal, and he will persuade the Li Family to present theplete Sword Jue. Wouldn¡¯t everyone be delighted then?¡± ¡°You are right.¡± The woman nodded and then furrowed her brows, ¡°But what if he can¡¯t persuade the Li Family? I¡¯ve heard that the previous patriarch of the Li Family, Li Jianchen, possessed the spirit of a sword cultivator. During the dispute over the Dongting Spirit Land, he fought to the death and even used the Golden Core Sword Jue, which greatly reduced his lifespan.¡± ¡°Spirit of a sword cultivator?¡± ¡°Does he deserve it?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± The man snorted coldly and said with his hands behind his back, ¡°He¡¯s just a halfway monk who stumbled upon the Golden Core Sword Jue by chance, without any family wealth or potential. Of course, he had to gamble with his life, ultimately losing it.¡± ¡°While sword cultivation is formidable, it is not for the reckless. Li Jianchen sacrificed his life for his n because he saw no path forward, his potential exhausted. Even with the Golden Core Sword Jue, he had no chance of breakthrough, so he fought to the death to secure a heritage site for his n.¡± The man said coldly and scornfully, ¡°He didn¡¯t even have the courage to draw his sword and forge ahead, to cut through thorns and reverse his fate. And he dare call himself a sword cultivator? It¡¯s a joke.¡± After speaking, he looked up at the sky and murmured, ¡°We cultivators act against the heavens. Even if insurmountable obstacles lie before us, we must stride forward, unafraid of death and undaunted by failure. Any obstacle must be cleaved with a single sword stroke. Only in this way can one be a true cultivator, a practitioner of the Sword Dao.¡± ¡°Brother¡¡± Such words dazzled the woman, who looked at him adoringly, ¡°Brother is truly worthy of being the Golden Core prodigy of our Green Jade Immortal Sect. On the day of the Sect¡¯s grandpetition, you will undoubtedly overpower the rest and be the number one talent of our sect.¡± Xu Yang: ¡°Haha, thank you for the blessing, Junior Sister!¡± The man smiled and then shook his head, ¡°But Zhuo Buqun and Feng Ningxian are not weak. To surpass them in thepetition, I must secure this Golden Core Sword Jue.¡± ¡°Brother¡¯s words are very true.¡± The woman nodded but then expressed concern, ¡°But what if the Li Family really only has that one iplete technique?¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± The man said coldly, ¡°That one iplete technique, whether seen by me or our master, is deemed exquisite. It must undoubtedlye from a superior set of Golden Core Sword Jue.¡± ¡°If the Li Family has obtained one iplete technique, then there is hope to acquire theplete set. Even if not the entire set, this iplete technique must have an origin. By following the trail, we will surely find the Sword Jue.¡± Standing with his hands behind his back, the man spoke coldly, ¡°If the Li Family is sensible and presents the Sword Jue, all the better. But if they are ignorant of what¡¯s good for them, they cannot me me for my ruthlessness.¡± ¡°This¡¡± The woman, somewhat worried, hesitantly said, ¡°Won¡¯t this break the rules of our sect?¡± ¡°Rules?¡± ¡°Haha!¡± The manughed,pletely unconcerned, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Junior Sister. As I said before, sword cultivation is not about being rash. I know what to do and will make sure no one can find fault.¡± ¡°Since Brother says so, I¡¯m relieved.¡± Watching the two in the Xuan Guang Mirror, Xu Yang fell silent for a while, still unsure of what to say. Having been in the World of Dao and Law for too long, his resistance to such matters seemed to have decreased quite a bit. He felt a bit¡ nauseated. But that¡¯s not important. What¡¯s important is¡ ¡°Green Jade Sect?¡± ¡°Golden Core?¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Xu Yang chuckled and dispersed the Mysterious Light, ¡°Set up the Mana Altar and prepare the ceremony!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Voices rang out from the void. A momentter, orders were disseminated, and Fish and Dragon Ind, after a brief pause, began to turn tumultuously. Chapter 233 - 163: Golden Core (Combined Into One, Too Lazy to Split)_1 Chapter 233: Chapter 163: Golden Core (Combined Into One, Too Lazy to Split)_1 Trantor: 549690339 What altar? The Nine Ceremony High Altar! Xu Yang is going to hold a Luotian Dajiao ceremony. But this isn¡¯t to deal with ¡°Lin Juefeng.¡± A mere disciple of the Green Jade Sect, with justte-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivation, is insignificant. Not to mention him, even the Green Jade Sect behind him is nothing special. What Xu Yang truly cares about is the Cultivation World. Until now, he¡¯s still unclear about the upper limits of the Cultivation World¡¯sbat strength, and even the situation in Liang Country is not fully grasped or understood. As the main world where his original body resides, and with such a vast difference in the flow of timepared to various Dream Worlds, one can¡¯t help but indulge in fanciful spections. The level ofbat power, especially at the upper echelons, how high does it really go, does it include real Immortals, how many great powers are there, those who have mastered Heaven Reaching arts, or the unknown secrets¡ All of these arouse Xu Yang¡¯s curiosity and he wishes to explore them. Therefore, he decided to take a risk, to make a move, to use the Green Jade Sect as a bait, to stir the winds and clouds of the Liang Country Cultivation Realm, to probe the visage of the Cultivation Realm, to see if he could reel in any big fish or uncover any secrets. In summary, it¡¯s just two words¡ªmake trouble! I¡¯vee to this world, to witness battles and strife! Xu Yang is a person who likes to stir up trouble; this is evident from his Zhuanzhou Mengdie experiences and his Divine Travel Through Worlds adventures. Conflicts of the Martial World, grudges of the Martial Arts World. Dynastic changes,nds changing hands. The Fish-Dragon Change, the havoc raised by demons¡ All along the way, the many events, they were all him stirring trouble, with clear goals and clear directions. This time is no exception. He doesn¡¯t n to sit idly by and y out the clich¨¦ script with the Green Jade Sect of ¡®defeat the junior and the seniores, defeat the senior and the undying oldes.¡¯ Some things, either you don¡¯t stir, or¡ stir it big! The initiative must be held in his own hands, to attack or to defend! So, he is going to hold a Luotian Dajiao ceremony. After all, the primary condition for stirring up trouble is to possess sufficient strength. If you¡¯re not strong enough but still cause trouble, that¡¯s like the God of Longevity hanging himself¡ªcourting death. Xu Yang is not crazy; needless to say, he won¡¯t look for trouble or seek death. On the contrary, he always believes in the doctrine of superior firepower and understands the principle that ¡®even when a lion fights a rabbit, it uses all its strength¡¯¡ªcrush with overpowering strength when possible; he does not like fighting across boundaries, winning with the weaker against the strong. Currently, his Cultivation is only atplete Foundation Establishment, and the Green Jade Sect is a Golden Core Sect, and even a thousand-year-old Golden Core Sect at that. Aside from the publicly known Pseudo Core elder, there are likely many more hidden resources they can rely on. If not, how could the Tianshu Sect, possessing several Golden Cores and even a Nascent Soul seed, tolerate a Green Jade Sect, with only a Pseudo Core, dividing Liang Country with them? If that¡¯s the case with the Tianshu Sect, Xu Yang doesn¡¯t even need to mention it; he¡¯s not even at Golden Core, and his nominal strength ispletely subpar to the Green Jade Sect. Inadequate? Then make up for it. Enhance your Cultivation, breakthrough the realm! Foundation Establishment advancing to Golden Core is neither difficult nor easy to say. First, you need a Cultivation Technique; without a technique, all is but empty talk. In this regard, Xu Yang has no barriers. The World of Dao and Law has developed for a thousand years; it¡¯s not just about Golden Core Skills¡ªNascent Soul Skills have also been deduced by the Wandao School, which is currently tackling the Mana Point of Divinity Transformation. With the issue of Cultivation Technique resolved, the final consideration is the risk of breakthrough and the probability of sess. To reach Foundation Establishment, you need a union of the three elements, the convergence of the three brilliances. To reach Golden Core, you need the congregation of the Five Qi towards the origin, with the Golden Core being swallowed. Both involve great secrets of the human body and the bridge between heaven and earth; the risk of breaking through is inevitable¡ªslight cases lead to possession by deviations,plete destruction of Cultivation, severe cases result in death and the dispersal of both body and divine soul. Therefore, cultivators typically look for external Spiritual Objects for Dao Protection, not necessarily to aid in forming the Core, but at least to ensure they don¡¯t die in case of failure. Such spirit objects for breaking through the realm are extremely precious. Foundation Building Pills can be sold for tens of thousands of Spirit Stones, let alone the Forming Core Spirit Objects for Golden Core¡ªstarting from a million Spirit Stones, you need to fiercely bid, and it¡¯s not strange to multiply several times in the end. After all, once life is lost, all is finished. Unless you are a Heavenly Spiritual Root cultivator, do not attempt to form your Core lightly. Xu Yang does not have a Heavenly Spiritual Root, not even a Spiritual Root, so he must seek external objects for protection. A normal cultivator in such a situation can only struggle desperately, enduring bitter cultivation, to obtain one Forming Core Spirit Object. But Xu Yang is not a normal cultivator; although he also doesn¡¯t have a Forming Core Spirit Object, he has the Ancestor Master¡¯s Altar and the Ritual Laws. A Luotian Dajiao ceremony can solve all problems, not only saving you from death but also aiding in breakthroughs. To achieve Golden Core is as easy as flipping a hand. Advancing to Nascent Soul is also not a difficult task. In the World of Dao and Law, the Wandao School used the Luotian Dajiao to cultivate over a thousand Seventh Realm cultivators, while countless Sixth Realm Golden Cores were countless. What Forming Core Spirit Object canpare to this? The only problem is that the Luotian Dajiao of the World of Dao and Law fundamentally uses the Fake Cultivation Skill created by the Ancient Immortal Gods to harvest the Divine Soul power of billions of people, transforming it into the power of the Ritual Laws, blessing the body of the cultivator. In the real world, there is neither the Fake Cultivation Skill nor the billions of people. What to do? Xu Yang had anticipated this. With a thousand years of diligent research and the collective wisdom and efforts of the Wandao School, he finally thoroughly understood the principles of the Luotian Dajiao, creating an altered version¡ªthe Yuan Spirit version of the Luotian Dajiao. Using the power of the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit to substitute for the Divine Soul power of the masses, a Luotian Dajiao can also be conducted. The only downside is the expenditure. How could the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit be mobilized at will? Apart from the part that is boosted by the array, the rest can only be substituted with Spirit Stones. Consequently, one can imagine the consumption of Spirit Stones. With Fish and Dragon Ind¡¯s current assets, it would be possible to hold only one Luotian Dajiao ceremony, on a rtively smaller scale at that, just enough for Xu Yang alone to achieve Golden Core. There¡¯s no possibility to include the other Foundation Establishmentplete spiritual pets and Spirit Monsters. Chapter 234 - 163: Golden Core (Combined Into One, Too Lazy to Split)_2 Chapter 234: Chapter 163: Golden Core (Combined Into One, Too Lazy to Split)_2 Trantor: 549690339 It wasn¡¯t that Xu Yang was useless, after over twenty years of development, unable toe up with even a bit of Spirit Stone, but rather that Fish and Dragon Ind was currently in its initial stage. Various investments were inevitable, and on top of that, he had devised a n that had consumed most of his assets, leaving him with few Spirit Stones to spare. This was also one of the reasons behind his current actions. Apart from testing the Three Sects of Golden Core and peering into the foundation of the Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm, he also needed to seize the opportunity to fill in the shortages, or the development of Fish and Dragon Ind would inevitably be affected due to theck of Spirit Stones. Although the consumption was enormous,pared to the original Great Ritual, the Yuan Spirit version of Luotian Dajiao also had a unique advantage, which was the time required to set it up. As a Great Ritual, the original Luotian Dajiao required the sincere hearts and souls of myriad people, worshiping for forty-nine days to achieve the best effect. However, the Yuan Spirit version of Luotian Dajiao reced the souls of the people with the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit, using Spirit Stones as a highly efficient means of conveyance, one could imagine the speed of the arrangement. The people of Fish and Dragon Ind operated at full speed, and in less than half a day, the Nine Ceremony High Altar was erected. Xu Yang ascended the altar, performed the ritual, and activated the power of the Ten Direction Array, substituting the Spirit Stone crystals offered by myriad people, which radiated splendor. Strands of brilliance, like incense smoke, rose into the sky, transforming into the power of the ritual. Xu Yang sat cross-legged atop the altar and began to make his breakthrough. To form a Golden Core, one must cultivate the Five Qi within the human body. When the Five Qi converge towards the Yuan, a Golden Core will coalesce and enter the belly. Wandao School had already demonstrated the Cultivation Technique. Martial Path called it Yuan Core, External Cultivation named it Yuan Fetus, and Taoism¡¯s Yuan Sprit was known as Yang God Gold Core. Xu Yang cultivated both internally and externally,bining four methods into one. He cultivated the Yuan Core internally and the Yuan Fetus externally. He achieved the Yang God through Taoism and the Gold Core through the condensation of the Yuan Spirit. Great Dao is Three Thousand, all paths lead to the same destination; these four major systems of cultivation also provided mutual insights. Taoist Martial True Scripturebined with the power of the ritual and the aid of Skill Traits¡ The breakthrough was natural and unhindered! It was not only without hindrance, but he also received great support from behind. Xu Yang sat on the altar, the Five Qi of his body ascended towards the Yuan. Within this inner world, Chaos coalesced into a mass, gathering strength and blessing from all directions and gradually taking the shape of a Golden Core, which then sank into the Dantian and merged into the Sea of Qi. With a Golden Core ingested into the belly, his fate was in his own hands, not dictated by the heavens! The power of the ritual transformed intow, and the Yuan Spirit Golden Core was formed. However, the breakthrough in his realm had not ended there. Following the Sea of Qi in the Dantian, anotheryer of light appeared. Ayer of Chaos Yuan light enveloped the Dantian. This was the Martial Path Yuan Core, condensed by the Martial Path Yuan Skill. Beyond the Martial Path Yuan Core, there surged a tide of Qi Blood. The surge of Qi Blood was tumultuous, but it had not yet formed a physical vessel. Because the human body was the vessel itself. Body Training, Body Training was about cultivating this fleshly body, this physical form. Therefore, the realm of Body Training Yuan Fetus did not involve physically forming a fetus but further strengthening the physical body, using the existing shell as the Yuan Fetus. With Qi Blood as the tide and the world stable, the External Cultivation Yuan Fetus was also achieved. In the end, there was only¡ Xu Yang¡¯s consciousness sank into the Dantian. Instantly, the Golden Core vibrated, a spark of creation transformed his phantom Yin Spirit into a substantial body. Pure Yang Creation! The Golden Core of the World of Dao and Law had a huge advantage over the Golden Core in the real world of Cultivation: the Yang God. The Golden Core of Taoism, through Pure Yang Creation, could achieve a Yang God Soul which could leave the body to Travel Heaven and Earth. This was something that Cultivators of the real world could not match. ording to Xu Yang¡¯s research, in this world one must advance through Eight Realms, which is the Divinity Transformation realm before their Divine Soul¡¯s nature could beparable to the Yang God of the World of Dao and Law. For Xu Yang, this was not a surprise; after all, specialization is key. The World of Dao and Law focused on the Divine Soul, possessing a unique advantage, which was only natural. As long as it was beneficial to him, he did not care whether it came from which world or which system¡¯s Mana Point. With Pure Yang Creation, a flicker of inspiration transformed his Yin Spirit into a powerful Yang God, with greatly increased strength and divine power. All four major Cultivation methods had broken through to the Golden Core. Yet, Xu Yang did not rise immediately. He still had an important matter to attend to. ¡°Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!¡± In the empty space, Spirit Light flickered, and one Storage Bag after another flew out, opening themselves to release streams of Sprit Light. Contained within the Spirit Light were Magic Artifacts, all uniformly crafted. Over twenty years of development, the Spirit Monsters of Fish and Dragon Ind each had their tasks, with all Hundred Arts of Cultivation developing. But the most numerous,rgest in scale, and highest in productivity was Artifact Refining. Ten years ago, the development focus of Fish and Dragon Ind shifted to Artifact Refining, pouring a great deal of resources and manpower into it. The number of Artifact Refiners was several times that of Pill Masters, Formation Masters, and Talisman Masters. Furthermore, various Spirit Monsters were also capable of producing some materials: birds shed feathers, m girls produced pearls, and the exoskeletons of shrimp and crabs were shed. There were various self-produced materials, plus those Xu Yang went out to purchase¡ Fish and Dragon Ind put in most of its wealth into the vigorous ¡°Great Artifact Refining¡± n. To this day, the number of standard Magic Artifacts on Fish and Dragon Ind had reached a staggering hundred thousand! A hundred thousand pieces, although the vast majority were low-grade and mid-grade Magic Artifacts, this quantity was still quite astonishing. A single Magic Artifact, even one made with the poorest materials and the shoddiest workmanship, was worth dozens of Spirit Stones. A hundred thousand Magic Artifacts, at the very least, would cost several million Spirit Stones. Were those from Fish and Dragon Ind the lowest quality? Clearly not. These Magic Artifacts were made with good materials, and the workmanship was excellent, most of them were high-grade, with a few even ssified as superior quality. After all, the Artifact Refiners from Fish and Dragon Ind were all personally taught by Xu Yang, with various traits from the Teacher¡¯s skills enhancing their craft. All their works were of good quality, so naturally, their products were excellent. These hundred thousand Magic Artifacts, just in terms of cost, were valued at eight million Spirit Stones. If they were to be sold as goods, they could easily yield a profit of twenty million Spirit Stones. Chapter 235 - 163: Golden Core (Combined Into One, Too Lazy to Split)_3 Chapter 235: Chapter 163: Golden Core (Combined Into One, Too Lazy to Split)_3 Trantor: 549690339 So, it¡¯s no wonder Xu Yang couldn¡¯t afford to hold several more Luotian Dajiao rituals with Spirit Stones, as the investment in his ¡°Great Artifact Refining¡± n was simply too high. But with great investmentes great reward. A hundred thousand Magic Artifacts were enough for Xu Yang to assemble a medium-grade mecha. Although thebination of cultivation and mechas, of Xianxia with fantasy, feels somewhat incongruous. But Xu Yang has always been a pragmatist; as long as it¡¯s useful, he doesn¡¯t care about the sh of styles. Moreover, who said cultivators can¡¯t pilot mechas? After all, why should cultivation be such an inconvenient matter? A mecha is just a term. If you don¡¯t like it, you can also call it arge Magic Artifact or abined Magic Artifact. Essentially, they are the same. From the Storage Bag, Spirit Light spewed forth, and a hundred thousand Magic Artifacts flew out one by one. Xu Yang rose to his feet, activated his mana, and connected all the artifacts. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± The Magic Artifacts, whichprised the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor, followed strict formal standards. It wasn¡¯t a matter of clumsily cobbling together a hundred thousand Magic Artifacts to form a Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor. They had to have uniform styles, meet certain specifications, and the quality and quantity both faced strict requirements. The artifact refiners from Fish and Dragon Ind were skilled, and with Xu Yang, the Ind Lord Dragon Monarch, personally giving the order, there was no chance of shoddy workmanship or cutting corners. A hundred thousand Magic Artifacts, uniform in style¡ªall of them fine products. Xu Yang connected all the artifacts with his mana, his heart and mind in harmony, and began the assembly process. Loan upon loan of talisman, loan upon loan of array pattern, was cast forth from his hands, some into the void, others upon the surface of the magic artifacts or joining the connections. Gradually they formed arrays and created marvelous effects. It was¡ªHeavenly Crafting Technique! The core technology of the Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute and also essential for assembling Magic Artifacts and driving mecha. As one of the originators of this technique, or rather, the progenitor, Xu Yang¡¯s execution was even more effortless. Not just effortless, but also aided by special traits. His artifact skills nowprised five major traits: Thousands ways of Refining weapons, Refinement Grandmaster, Heavenly Thunder Earthly Fire, Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor, and Heavenly Craftsman. Thousands ways of Refining weapons enable him to handle all kinds of artifact materials and methods as naturally as his own limbs, exerting the greatest effects. Refinement Grandmaster, as a master of refinement, can improve the efficiency and quality of artifact refinement, reducing the consumption and ws ¨C a universal upgrade akin to a panacea. Heavenly Thunder Earthly Fire greatly enhances the effects of refining artifacts with Heavenly Thunder and Earthfire, akin to the title of Thunder Lightning Mana King in the realm of artifact refining. Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor and Heavenly Craftsman need no further exnation. One affects the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor, the other applies to Heavenly Mechanic Methods¡ªboth provide huge enhancements. With these, the quality of the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor that Xu Yang assembled was bound to be at least one tier above other mechas of the same grade. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± As talismans were embedded and array patterns fused, the hundred thousand magic artifacts gradually formed into a whole. This whole was not in the shape of mechanical battle armor. After all, why should cultivation be such an inconvenient matter? The so-called mecha is just a general term; it doesn¡¯t necessarily refer to mechanical battle armor. It can take on countless forms to meet variousbat scenarios and situations. And now, what these hundred thousand magic artifacts formed was¡ A ck coffin? A massive ck coffin? No, it would be better described as a ck monolith, hanging in the air like a mountain. The main body of the mech was assembled; once the core was embedded, it could be driven and operated. A hundred thousand Magic Artifacts, a medium-grade mecha, would theoretically require a Magical Treasure as the core to possess sufficient intelligence to control all the artifacts and drive the mecha. But right now, Xu Yang didn¡¯t have any Magical Treasures on hand. Although he had developed for over twenty years and had be a fourth-tier Artifact Refiner, fully capable of creating Magical Treasures and even Spiritual Treasures, a capable wife cannot make a meal without rice. Materials of the third-tier were not produced on Fish and Dragon Ind and were difficult to find elsewhere. As he also had to focus on the World of Dao and Law, he didn¡¯t have the leisure to gather materials and refine treasures. Therefore, Xu Yang didn¡¯t have any Magical Treasures that could serve as the core for a medium-grade mech at the moment. He only had one Supreme Grade Spiritual Artifact that had been specially refined. He nned to use this Supreme Grade Spiritual Artifact as the core of the mech. Normally, even a Supreme Grade Spiritual Artifact would not have enough intelligence to control a hundred thousand Magic Artifacts and drive a medium-grade mecha. But Xu Yang had always been one to break the mould. His artifact skills, especially the two traits Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor and Heavenly Craftsman, couldpensate for the deficiencies. Combined with his Yang God and the power of his Golden Core, the Pure Yang Creation of the Yang God, there should be no problem in driving the mech. After all, his cultivation of four different methods meant his Yang God was powerful; aided by his skill traits, particrly the ¡°Pure Yang God¡± from his Daoist skills, his Yang God¡¯s power rivaled that of a Seven Realm Ghost God. To him, driving a hundred-thousand-tier Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor was more than manageable. However¡ Xu Yang stood solemnly on the altar and bowed ceremoniously forward. He then stepped into trance-like movements and began to chant spells. ¡°Transform my body, shape my body, my master manifests my True Martial Body. With disheveled hair, I sit in court, frightening all demons and spirits in the mortal world. Great demons cry out loud at my sight, lesser demons shed tears in torrents. Evil demons quake with fear, while evil spirits turn to dust.¡± ¡°My three souls and seven spirits shall depart, yet my body remains undying, returning to me. First soul ascends the Green Heavenly Ladder, the second soul hides in Nine Heaven Clouds, and the third soul proceeds to the Governors¡¯ abode. Where should my seven spirits wander, in Ancestor Master Cave reside my true form. One transformation, two transformations ¨C my body in endless forms on earth and sky. Humans seeing me shall thrive with longevity, ghosts seeing me turn into dust.¡± ¡°Imand by the decree of Supreme Elder Lord, swiftly, as thewpels!¡± ¡°Quick!¡± As the Curse Spell waspleted, a harsh shout erupted, and from Xu Yang¡¯s head flew out ten shades and light particles scattered from his body. The ten shades, his three souls and seven spirits. One ascended to the clouds, mounting the heavenlydder, another vanished into the mists of the Nine Heaven Clouds. One followed to Blessing Cord Ind in the East Sea, another transformed into the Immortal Pine of South Mountain. Chapter 236 - 163: Golden Core (Combined Into One, Too Lazy to Split)_4 Chapter 236: Chapter 163: Golden Core (Combined Into One, Too Lazy to Split)_4 Trantor: 549690339 The fierce winds of the North Sea whistle, the deserts of the Western Regions are shrouded in smoke. Descending into the underworld of the Nine Underworld Governors, crossing the Naihe Bridge of Underwood. Entering the Ancestor Master Taoist Altar, the body not spoiling from incense is cultivated. Ten rays of light, the three souls and seven spirits, scatter and fly away separately. Xu Yang disheveled his hair, looking wild and crazed like a Taoist in a frenzy, with his eyes wide and furious, he transformed into the image of the ¡°True Martial Ancestor Master,¡± his flesh bing stone to frighten the demons from all directions while preserving his undamaged body, impervious to Evil Skills. This is a Taoist body hiding technique! To learn skills, one must learn to hide, and not be afflicted by demonic and Evil Skills. This skill uses Taoist Skills to separate part of a person¡¯s three souls and seven spirits and hide them within the ten directions of heaven and earth as well as the Ancestor Master¡¯s Altar, to avoid being pursued and harmed by cursed Evil Skills, an extremely effective method of disaster avoidance and skill to evade tribtion. If Xu Yang had known to use this technique before thepletion of the Pudu Cihang ceremony, worshipping the Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Scripture, perhaps he could have avoided the vicious curse. After this technique was included in the Taoist Scriptures, it was further improved and optimized through deductions, and now it is even more effective. The separated portion of the three souls and seven spirits not only does not affect the Divine Soul but also serves as a saving seed. Even if the cultivator¡¯s Yang God leaves the body and unfortunately falls during a disaster, the hidden three souls and seven spirits can autonomously converge, return to the cultivator¡¯s body, and after some time, a new Divine Soul can be re-kindled. To put it simply, it is a means for the Divine Soul to ¡°die ande back to life.¡± Although after resurrection, the cultivation ispletely lost, and the Divine Soul is weak, it is still a vital secret technique for preserving life. With this, Xu Yang can afford to be a bit rash in the real world and investigate the foundations of the Three Sects of Golden Core, as well as the true nature of this world. Otherwise, with skills like Zhuanzhou Mengdie and Divine Travel Through Worlds at his disposal, he would not act rashly. You need confidence to take action. Aside from the body hiding and soul preserving Taoist skill on the altar, in front of Xu Yang, there also stood a golden body statue. A golden body statue of ¡°Xu Yang.¡± Yes, he made a golden body statue for himself! But this golden body was not made of gold; it was condensed from incense. Although in this world, there was no Fake Cultivation Skill, andmon people¡¯s incense worship carried not a hint of divine power, he possessed the strength to break the norm. Skill Traits! Among Earth Deity skills, there were two more traits. The Worship of Myriad People, the Incense-Forged Golden Body. Through the Worship of Myriad People, one could form an Earth Deity¡¯s Incense-Forged Golden Body, another essential technique to preserve life. Even if the Yang God is destroyed, it could absorb the power of incense from within the golden body, and inbination with the three souls and seven spirits left by the body hiding technique, resurrect a new Divine Soul. It could even rebirth the Earth Deity Divine Soul on its own without the need for the body hiding technique. With these two life-preserving methods at his disposal, Xu Yang was confident enough to venture out and stir up some trouble. But merely having a technique to preserve one¡¯s life was not enough; one also needed the power to stir up the winds and the clouds in all directions. Therefore¡ Xu Yang sat on the altar, simr to the True Martial figure, his flesh turned into a statue made of stone. Only a ray of golden light burst forth from the Heavenly Spirit. That was the Yang God of the cultivator. The body of the Yang God became substantial; apart from the dazzling golden light, it appeared no different from a real person. This Yang God, holding a Spirit Sword, flew into the pitch-ck ¡°stone coffin.¡± The Yang God as the core, embedded within. Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor¡ªActivate! ¡°Ka! Ka! Ka!¡± In an instant, myriad objects transformed, the stone coffin reassembled, and amidst the dazzling Sprit Light, a mecha unfolded. Mecha, Mecha, was still not a mechanical battle armor but took on a human form and rapidly condensed, transforming into a Cultivator of Taoism. The Taoist Man stood with a tall crown and bound hair, hidden in a ck robe, his brows inverted like wings, his piercing eyes thundering with vigor, temples white and mottled with frost, his beard long with the demeanor of a noble schr, his divine forehead wide as he opened the Heavenly Eye, his mysterious aura bright with Sprit Light, truly a true Cultivator, a Jade Pure Divine Sky Taoist among men. ¡°Ha-ha-ha!¡± Xu Yang stroked his beard andughed, looking at his appearance that was indistinguishable from an ordinary person, and then at his stone-sculpture-like flesh on the altar, very pleased, and he nodded in approval, ¡°With this body cultivated, in the realm of cultivation, who can trouble me below the level of Nascent Soul?¡± ¡°I¡¯m off!¡± With those words, his sleeves fluttered, thunder roared, and the figure of the Taoist disappeared. As said before, would a cultivator¡¯s practice be so inconvenient? ording to one¡¯s desires, shape-shifting at will, that is the magic of Heavenly Crafts Natural Creation! Chapter 237 - 164: Formation_1 Chapter 237: Chapter 164: Formation_1 Trantor: 549690339 Purple Cloud Mountain! A second-tier Spirit Land, ranked as superior, it is one of the two major branches outside the Green Jade Sect. The Three Sects of Golden Core, which control Liang Country, if a Spirit Land appears in this world, and it is second tier, it must be upied by the Three Sects. Only first-tier Spirit Lands would be distributed to various Foundation Establishment forces to invest in and nurture with their utmost efforts. Once these Foundation Establishment forces have nurtured the Spirit Land to the second tier, the Three Sects of Golden Core would then instruct them to set up markets and interfere; driving a wedge, adding to their influence with Cultivation Techniques, Spiritual Objects, and some unscrupulous methods to limit the prospects of perfect Foundation Establishment for various factions, making it difficult for them to break the Golden Core boundary. With this, the Three Sects of Golden Core have dominated Liang Country for a thousand years, never seeing the decline of the Sect or a change of power. The avenues for ascension and the output of resources are firmly controlled and securely held by them. With such a development, naturally, the strong be stronger, and the weak be weaker. After all, in the path of cultivation, resources are the foundation. Even with a superior Heavenly Spirit, without resources, one would also be buried in the mortal world. Purple Cloud Mountain, although not quite as good as Green Jade Mountain, the main peak of the Green Jade Sect, is also a second-tier superior Spirit Land. Its value is considerable, and it can be the foundation of a legacy. The Green Jade Sect has set up a Golden Core Great Array here, opened markets, and ced Four Searching Immortal Envoys to seek out talents from all directions, chances and strange treasures, while also monitoring the development and movements of various forces. Such a Spirit Land naturally has strong power; not only does it have a third-tier Golden Core Great Array, but it also has an elder who is at Perfect Foundation Building, as well as four Searching Immortal Envoys who are all at least at the middle stage of Foundation Establishment. The Golden Core Great Array and five Foundation Establishment Cultivators can resist a Golden Core assault, with the help of the Array Power. If an enemy, unaware of their fate, enters the formation to fight, they can also draw on the power of the Spirit Vein to maximize the might of the Great Array and annihte the enemy within the formation. The Golden Core Great Array definitely possesses such power. Even without the Golden Core Great Array, a Foundation Establishment at perfectpletion, inbination with a second-tier Array, can contend against a Golden Core. That¡¯s also why, besides the Three Sects, within the borders of Liang Country, there are very few Foundation Establishment Perfect Completion Cultivators venturing outside. Cultivators from all sides, once they reach Foundation Establishmentpletion, must shrink back within the Mountain Gate Array, devising all means to condense a Golden Core, daring not to venture out, otherwise, they may face various idents or even assassination. This shows the difficulty of the world and the cruelty of the Cultivation Realm. But these dangers are only for Loose Cultivators and small to medium-sized forces. As the controllers of Liang Country, the Three Sects of Golden Core have no such concerns. Inside Purple Cloud Mountain, at Green Jade Tower. Song and dance flourished; the feast was in full swing. It was a weing banquet for the newly appointed Searching Immortal Envoy. ¡°One always sees the new ones smiling; who cares for the cries of the old ones?¡± In a private room, two men drinking together, yet one of them sighed with such words. Although a Formation isted any sound, one could still feel the lively energy of the banquet, in sharp contrast to the quiet scene inside this room. In response, Bai Yunzi, who as the ¡°old one¡± was rather indifferent, said, ¡°Junior Brother Zhang, your poem is rather bitter. We cultivators should not be so affected and artificial.¡± ¡°I¡¯m merely speaking up for Elder Brother¡¯s injustice.¡± Zhang shook his head, ¡°Among the Searching Immortal Envoys, Elder Brother performed the best, and your merits are high. After another decade or two, to take over from the Seventh Elder as the master of Purple Cloud Mountain was not impossible.¡± ¡°Now with one decree from the Sect, they want to call you back and give you an insignificant post to retire!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this an obvious case of plucking peaches?¡± Zhang mmed the table, indignantly: ¡°Even for thew-enforcement lineage, such greed is unseemly!¡± ¡°Junior Brother, be careful with your words!¡± Bai Yunzi¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, his voice suppressed Zhang¡¯sments: ¡°We drink today only as a custom, let¡¯s not discuss other matters.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± Zhang knew he misspoke and quickly nodded in acknowledgment, but after ncing around, he still couldn¡¯t suppress his curiosity and asked in a lowered voice, ¡°I heard that Lin Juefeng is here this time to snatch the Li Family¡¯s Golden Core Sword Technique. Elder Brother, you have good rtions with the Li Family. What is Li Liuxian¡¯s stance on this?¡± Bai Yunzi felt helpless upon hearing this. He knew that his Junior Brother had already sided with a major branch within the Sect, which also had a Golden Core sessor preparing to shine in the Sect¡¯s grandpetition in two years. Thus, he paid close attention to Lin Juefeng, who was also a contender for Golden Core session. Honestly, Bai Yunzi did not want to get involved in such disputes. But when he thought about how his decades of hard work were so forcibly reaped by others, he felt somewhat aggrieved. Finally, he still said, ¡°I have informed them, and the Li Family has also agreed to offer the original Sword Technique.¡± ¡°What?¡± Zhang¡¯s expression changed immediately upon hearing this: ¡°Does the Li Family really possess theplete Sword Technique?¡± ¡°Not exactly,¡± Bai Yunzi shook his head, ¡°If the Li Family had theplete Sword Technique, why would they have fought to the death over a low-tier Spirit Land back then? It¡¯s probably just that leftover move and its origins that they will fully disclose to Lin Fengjue.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Zhang nodded: ¡°But will Lin Fengjue be satisfied with that? This youngster is quite arrogant and greedy. The Golden Core Sword Technique is crucial to him; he probably won¡¯t give up easily.¡± Bai Yunzi smiled slightly: ¡°If he¡¯s not satisfied, what can he do? The Li Family acknowledges our Green Jade Sect as the Upper Sect and pays tribute every year. If he breaks the rules, even if he is a Golden Core candidate, he must face the Sect¡¯s discipline. Do you¡ understand?¡± ¡°This¡ I understand, thank you for the reminder, Elder Brother!¡± The man was first taken aback, then enlightenment dawned upon him, clearly understanding what to use for his advantage. ¡°Hmm!¡± Bai Yunzi nodded, very satisfied: ¡°Come,e, let¡¯s drink!¡± ¡°Junior offers Elder Brother a toast.¡± ¡°Ha¡¡± As the two enjoyed their drink and conversation, The door to the room was suddenly knocked upon, and a voice came through. ¡°Is Uncle Bai Yunzi inside?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Both men furrowed their brows, their surprise and suspicion evident. In the end, it was Bai Yunzi who calmly rose and opened the door. As the door opened, the crowd was seen, and the one at the forefront was none other than Lin Fengjue, dressed in elegant azure robes. ¡°It turns out to be Nephew Lin.¡± ¡°Uncle Bai Yunzi is here, why didn¡¯t you inform me, causing your nephew to wait here and there, searching all over?¡± ¡°Sigh, this old man doesn¡¯t like to get involved in the bustle of young people; drinking a small ss with Junior Brother Zhang is enough. This must be Niece Zhou, truly born with innate grace.¡± ¡°Thank you for thepliment, Uncle¡¡± The two exchanged pleasantries, skilled in social graces, attentive to every detail, without missing a beat. Bai Yunzi was somewhat astonished by this, musing internally, ¡°This youngster, who knows exactly what to say to whom, is also shrewd and tactful. Now, the Li Family might be in trouble¡¡± His thoughts had yet to settle when suddenly¡ ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± The thunderous noise was startling, sending a shock to the heart. ¡°Hmm!?¡± All the cultivators present were taken aback by the sound of the thunder. The most advanced in cultivation, Bai Yunzi and Lin Fengjue, instantly furrowed their brows and looked up. Upon looking, they saw the sky had changed. Dark clouds descended abruptly, the clear sky vanished in an instant. Amidst the great dark heavens, lightning shed and thunder roared, each burst striking fear. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Such a celestial phenomenon!¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± The crowd was startled, their expressions one of puzzlement. Bai Yunzi and Lin Fengjue¡¯s brows remained deeply furrowed. It was at this moment, from the Spiritual Vein Cave Mansion atop Purple Cloud Mountain, a figure flew out. ¡°Who dares to vite my Green Jade Sect¡¯s Purple Cloud Mountain?¡± A stern shout resonated in all directions. Theer soared into the sky, activating an array power, surrounded by a brilliant Spirit Light, which,bined with the Heavenly Spirit and Earth Vein, made him look like a divine being. It was¡ ¡°The Seventh Elder?¡± Seeing this person, everyone¡¯s faces changed. For this person was none other than the master of Purple Cloud Mountain, with the cultivation of Perfect Foundation Building, the Seventh Elder of the Green Jade Sect. Even he was disturbed, which could only mean that¡ The Seventh Elder soared into the sky, activating the Golden Core Great Array of Purple Cloud Mountain, drawing power vigorously from the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit, with bright Spirit Light shooting to the heavens. Yet, with the sky covered by dark clouds, the brooding thunder and lightning continued unabated. Amidst the roaring, lightning descended, revealing banners, boldly nted around Purple Cloud Mountain. ¡°This¡!¡± ¡°An array within an array!¡± The Seventh Elder¡¯s pupils shrank; before he could speak, a streak of light flew towards him from behind andnded beside him, dering in a deep voice, ¡°Golden Core True Man, the visitor means no good, quickly send a message to the Sect, and inform the Supreme Elder!¡± ¡°Third Senior Brother!¡± Seeing that this person was also alerted, the Seventh Elder was startled, but soon he realized what was happening, turned around, and rushed towards the Purple Cloud Cave, handing over control of the Great Golden Core Array to the other. ¡°The Third Elder?¡± Below, inside the Green Jade Tower, upon hearing the Seventh Elder address the other, everyone¡¯s faces changed once more. Only Bai Yunzi and Lin Juefeng were not surprised. They too were part of the Sect¡¯s core and naturally knew of the Sect¡¯s potentiality. A grand Golden Core Sect with a thousand-year heritage, how could it have only one Golden Core? Apart from the obvious Golden Core, the Green Jade Sect had two more Golden Core cultivators and a Supreme Ancestor hidden in secrecy. Now, this Third Elder, one of them, with a Golden Core cultivation, stationed in Purple Cloud to ensure such a critical ce was not taken advantage of by outsiders. He had been guarding here for a hundred years, always peaceful, seldom appearing before others, which is why few know of the existence of this ¡°Third Elder¡±. Until now¡ ¡°I do not know who you are, but where has the Green Jade Sect failed you to warrant such an aggressive approach?¡± The Third Elder stood in midair, connected to the Array, his eyes full of solemnity. As the saying goes, no goodes uninvited! Knowing that there was a Golden Core Great Array here and still daring toe forward means they must have something to rely on. Not to mention the ability to create an array outside of an existing array. Among the Hundred Arts of Cultivation, Array Formation is foremost! An array draws on the very forces of heaven and earth, utilizing the power of nature, and cannot be opposed by any single person. Of course, this is true for cultivators and arrays at the same level. If there is a wide disparity in levels, force can break cunning. But this is crude and demands great effort, while the mainstream is to counter array with array, and ovee cunning with cunning. An array within an array is precisely this technique of using cunning to break cunning. The principle is simple, which is to deploy another array outside the existing one, overpowering the original with the new formation. But although simple in theory, it is difficult in practice. If the enemy¡¯s array is already established, using the power and will of heaven and earth, setting up another array means you have to wrest control of this power midstream. The difficulty of this can only be imagined. Generally, only if one¡¯s knowledge in Array Formation far surpasses that of the opponent can they have the confidence to employ the technique of creating an array within an array, otherwise, it¡¯s simply inviting humiliation. This Purple Cloud Mountain¡¯s Array, though constructed with Array gs and tes and not personallyid down by a third-tier Array Master, is still undoubtedly a Golden Core Great Array. If the opponent dares to deploy an array within an array outside of a Golden Core Great Array, does that not suggest¡ A fourth-tier Formation Master? A fourth-tier Formation Master! That is an existence not even a Great Nascent Soul Cultivator would dare to provoke, and even avoid at all costs. How could the Green Jade Sect provoke such an enemy? No, rather, how could the Green Jade Sect possibly have provoked such an enemy! Who is the damned fool with no eyesight, ignorant of life and death, to bring such a catastrophe upon the Sect? The Third Elder was a mix of shock and anger. But since the opponent had not yet broken through the Array and the identity of a fourth-tier Formation Master was not yet confirmed, he couldn¡¯t just concede defeat. He could only lower his stance as much as possible, soften his tone, and see if there was still room to maneuver the situation. Chapter 238 - 165: Breaking the Formation_1 Chapter 238: Chapter 165: Breaking the Formation_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Third Elder, actually lowering our stance¡¡± ¡°Thus so low!¡± Seeing their own Golden Core Elder humbly inquiring about the origins of the other party, the disciples of Green Jade Sect also realized something. Their already fearful hearts became even more chaotic, unsure of what to do. Catastrophe was imminent! What to do? No one knew. Outside the formation, the Yang Yun clouds obscured the sun, and in the thick dark skies, amidst shing lightning and roaring thunder,mand gs descended one after another, nting themselves at the footholds of Purple Cloud Mountain in all directions. In the blink of an eye, a formation was established, closing off the heavens and the earth, leaving no way in or out. The outer formation had already beenid out. If this formation was to operate and sessfully breach the Purple Cloud Formation, then the identity of the other party as a fourth-tier Formation Master would be indisputable. Considering this, even the Great Golden Core cultivators couldn¡¯t help but change color, ¡°Do you truly intend to go to such lengths?¡± As he shouted, the formation began to activate. He had already lowered himself so much, yet the other party still set up a formation, evidently determined to prevail with no room for negotiation. Since the other party was relentless, there was no reason for him to sit idly waiting for death as the formation was broken. Regardless of whether the other party was a fourth-tier Formation Master or not, a fight was inevitable, possibly even a battle to the death. The Third Elder spurred the formation, not hesitating to draw on the Spiritual Vein of Purple Cloud, causing the entire Purple Cloud Mountain to shimmer with Spirit Light and billow with Spiritual Energy, startling the surrounding wilderness. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°A formidable enemy hase!¡± ¡°What a tremendous disy of power!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Old Ghost Sun!¡± ¡°Even the Golden Core has been alerted?¡± In the market ce, various sects and Loose Cultivators were also startled, looking at the fully energized Purple Cloud Formation and then at the terrifying sight outside the formation with dark skies and shing lightning, their gaze involuntarily shifting towards the shops within the marketce. In this world, it is an era of great contention; those who have achieved advancement in their cultivation have all fought their way through blood and storm. When weak and powerless, one can only be exploited by others, but if someone takes them for kind and goodly folk because of this, that would be a grave mistake. If given the chance, they would not hesitate to shed their guise of weakness and transform into ruthlessly vicious Robbing Cultivators of the Demon Path. ¡°Lin Fengjue is here!¡± ¡°Who dares to act recklessly!¡± ¡°Those who offend Green Jade Sect¡ªwill be shown no mercy and killed!¡± ¡°Everyone is to immediately return to their Cave Mansion residences and must not linger outside, any vitors will be treated as conspirators.¡± ¡°The Enforcement Team is to mobilize fully, maintain order in the marketce, and execute any troublemakers.¡± Seeing sects and Loose Cultivators showing signs of agitation, Green Jade Sect immediately sent out theirw-enforcing Cultivators to suppress them. Lin Fengjue unhesitatingly took up his sword and soared to the sky, ready to seize the opportunity to establish his reputation. As for whether this would attract the attention of the great enemy outside the formation¡ He did not believe that after the Purple Cloud Formation was breached, he and the other Foundation Establishment Cultivators would have a chance of escape. This was a high-stakes gamble, betting that the other party could not break the Purple Cloud Formation. If he won the bet, he would earn the credit for suppressing the unrest. If he lost, he would not have to pay any additional price. So, why not take the gamble? Lin Fengjue observed keenly, and the others understood the situation well, each going about their duties. Only a woman flew up to Lin Fengjue¡¯s side, quietly transmitting to him, ¡°Brother Lin, I have a Talisman Treasure capable of deploying Golden Core escaping techniques, if the formation is breached¡¡± ¡°Boom!!!¡± Before she could finish, they heard a thunderous roar as divine thunder descended from the heavens. A roar of thunder, a bolt of lightning, tore through the dark sky and crashed into Purple Cloud Mountain. ¡°This¡!!!¡± The Third Elder¡¯s pupils shrank, filled with horror. This person was not only a grandmaster of formations but also a true practitioner of Thunder Series. The thunderous phenomena witnessed earlier were not a result of the formation¡¯s maniption but were brought forth by his overwhelming Mana. In the Hundred Arts of Cultivation, Taoism reigns supreme! Among all the Divine Skills, Thunder Series is held in the highest esteem! What will happen when Thunder Seriesbines with formations? The Third Elder dared not think further, exerting all his strength to maintain the defense. However¡ ¡°Boom!¡± Thunder raged fiercely, a divine punishment that obliterated all in its path, striking the formation repeatedly until the protection of the Golden Core Great Array, as fragile as paper, was burst through by a sh of lightning. Caught off guard, the Third Elder felt a wave of shock and terror as if a great disaster was upon him, a deathly tribtion had arrived. Then he saw the thunder swallowing his sight, dazzling lightning, and the tide of annihtion approach, instantly swallowing his consciousness. ¡°Boom!!¡± With a loud bang, the heavenly thunder struck the ground, opening a deep chasm, and cracks spread like a in every direction. ¡°Third Elder!!!¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Run!!¡± Seeing their Golden Core Elder being struck by the opponent¡¯s heavenly thunder, breaking through the formation and beingpletely sted into the ground, the disciples of Green Jade Sect turned pale, and the team that had just stabilized the situation instantly copsed into chaos. ¡°Dead, he¡¯s dead!¡± ¡°Old Ghost Sun is dead!¡± ¡°Green Jade Sect is finished!¡± ¡°Kill! Loot!¡± ¡°What are you waiting for, score big on this one and you won¡¯t have to worry for the rest of your life!¡± Upon seeing this, those with malicious intent among the crowd immediately began shouting, stirring up the atmosphere. Green Jade Sect was too preupied to care, and the disciples who hade to their senses were like headless flies, running around in panic. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°This person is so formidable, even the Third Elder within the formation was defeated by his single strike!¡± ¡°This man¡¯smand of the Thunder Series is extraordinary, and he is also a grand master in Formation; his attainments in Array Formation are exceptional. Although the Third Elder is a Great Golden Core cultivator, he is not a Formation Master. His formationsck true mastery and flexibility, which allowed the opponent to exploit¡¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of saying all this now?¡± ¡°Escape! Break out in all directions, save whoever can be saved!¡± Several Foundation Establishment cultivators quickly gathered and then scattered in all directions. ¡°Senior Brother!¡± ¡°Quickly activate that Talisman Treasure!¡± Lin Fengjue grabbed the woman beside him. Seeing this, the woman dared not dy and immediately took out a talisman, which was vivid and lifelike, with every feature detailed. The Talisman Treasure, or rather the sentient Spirit Talisman, is created by a Talisman Master during Talisman Making as if a cultivator has an ¡°epiphany.¡± Such creation urs by chance, and its power far exceeds that of ordinary talismans of the same tier. This was a third-tier ¡°Vertical Earth Golden Light Talisman.¡± Once drawn as a Talisman Treasure, even among the Golden Core cultivators, its escape speed was top-notch, an unparalleled life-saving tool, which the woman had obtained through serendipity during her secretive explorations. Now, for her beloved and for herself, although she was reluctant, she decisively activated the treasure. ¡°Boom!¡± With the Talisman Treasure activated, golden light shot upward, enveloping the two of them, turning them into an arrow loosed from a bow, shooting straight out of the mountain. At this time, the Purple Cloud Formation had been broken, and outside the mountain, the sky was dark and the earth dim, with only thestyer of the array remaining. This was the external arrayid by the opponents. The Vertical Earth Golden Light could also prate the void. Ordinary Golden Core formations, without a Formation Master inmand, would likely be unable to stop it. However, this was no ordinary array, nor was it unattended. Just then¡ ¡°Rumble!¡± Thunder struck down, shattering the golden light, and the two figures fell out, scattering like ashes. Under the thunderbolts, within the array, all magic ceased to exist! ¡°This¡!!!¡± The two were reduced to ash in an instant, startling the others into halting their steps, no longer daring to cross the line of the thunder pond. In the midst of this¡ A figure descended from the sky, standing leisurely on a cloud, and calmly stepped into the mountain. ¡°All things in this ce belong to me!¡± ¡°Those who cause trouble shall be killed without mercy!¡± As the words were spoken, the speaker flicked his sleeve, and thunderbolts rained down into the marketce within the mountain. ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± Several roars and explosions mingled among the crowd who were agitating, intending to cause chaos, looting the market stalls, and in the Spiritual Land Cave Mansion, all the Robbing Cultivators who were named by the thunderbolts were promptly turned into charred ash. ¡°!!!!!¡± In an instant, everyone froze, and a dead silence filled the marketce. Seeing this, Xu Yang said nothing further and turned back towards the Purple Cloud Cave. ¡°Rumble!¡± Just as he was turning, thunder rolled, and the power of the great array turned like a millstone, exerting pressure on everyone. Such an array¡¯s pressure was crushing. Even Foundation Establishment Cultivators found it unbearable, one by one kneeling on the ground, biting their teeth tightly, as if the weight of the Five Great Mountains had all fallen upon them, with their internal mana unable to circte. This was a technique of Taoism, The technique to Drag Thousand Mountains, also known colloquially as the Mountain Moving Curse, a binding spell that harnesses the force of mountains to oppress and immobilize, grinding bodies to powder and crushing souls. Xu Yang integrated this Taoist technique into the array, casting spells through the array, and invoking curses with it. Not to mention mere Foundation Establishment cultivators, even Great Golden Core cultivators in their perfection would struggle to move or use their mana under the immense pressure. Everyone was pinned down by the technique, unable to move, and could only watch helplessly as Xu Yang went towards the Purple Cloud Cave. Actually, where Xu Yang went was not of much concern to them, even insignificant. The problem was¡ No sooner had Xu Yang left than the array patterns lit up and shadowy figures shed, materializing within the array. ¡°Come,e,e, tie them all up for me, but be gentle, don¡¯t cause any injuries, these are all goodborers for our master to farm thendter!¡± A tall and honest-looking man ordered his subordinates to capture all the powerless Green Jade Sect disciples, as well as the cultivators in the marketce who were trying to loot. Bai Yunzi was among them. At that moment, his wits were scattered, lying on the ground with a look of bewilderment, not knowing what to do next. How did things turn out like this? Just moments before, he was at the Green Jade Tower, toasting and chatting merrily with others; how did he be a prisoner so suddenly? If only he knew the reason, he could die with understanding. But he had no idea what happened, and to die like this would be too unjust, right? That man¡ who exactly is he, and where did he offend him for him toe killing with such indiscriminate violence? ¡°That man¡¡± ¡°Seems like¡ Shi Jian?¡± ¡°The Thunder Lightning Mana King, Shi Jian?¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually him!¡± ¡°How is that possible?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of this name as well. In recent years, he¡¯s a Loose Cultivator who roams Liang Country. While his Thunder Technique is iparably sharp, his Cultivation is no more than mid-stage Foundation Establishment. But this man now seems beyond justte-stage Golden Core, doesn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Nonsense, of course he was concealing his Cultivation. No wonder for so many years, as he roamed everywhere in Liang Country, he encountered countless Robbing Cultivators and was always untouchable. It turns out he is a Golden Core!¡± ¡°A Great Golden Core cultivator disguising as a Foundation Establishment, fishing around¡ªthis is just too shameless!¡± ¡°Not just a Golden Core, not just a Thunder Cultivator, he is also a grand master in Formation, capable of breaking even the Golden Core Great Array of Purple Cloud Mountain.¡± ¡°Such a person could start his own sect. Why pretend to be a Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivator? Could it be¡¡± The crowd was abuzz with spections, filled with shock and disbelief. Bai Yunzi¡¯s brows were tightly furrowed, equally puzzled. At that moment¡ ¡°Bring him over!¡± At thatmand, Bai Yunzi was pushed forward in front of the honest-looking young man. The young man nced at him and said, ¡°Foundation Establishment Cultivation is not bad. My master wants to send someone back to your Green Jade Sect with a message. Sixth Master thinks you¡¯re alright, so you¡¯re the one.¡± With that said, and regardless of Bai Yunzi¡¯s reaction, he turned to two of his underlings, ¡°Strip him bare, don¡¯t leave a single hair, this old guy, all plump and smooth, must have scammed quite a lot. After you¡¯re done searching him, throw him out.¡± Then, turning to the captured Green Jade Sect disciples and opportunistic cultivators, he said, ¡°And these fes, their possessions are all ill-gotten, strip them clean, let¡¯s see if they have any interesting items that might please the master!¡± Chapter 239 - 166: Nail Head (6800, not divided)_1 Chapter 239: Chapter 166: Nail Head (6800, not divided)_1 Trantor:549690339 ¡°The mighty are honored, should they yield to me?¡± ¡°Heroes reach this point, daring to strive for the lead?¡± ¡°Audacious!¡± ¡°What nerve!¡± In the Green Jade Sect, atop Green Jade Mountain, within the Ancestor Master¡¯s Hall, the sound of table-pounding and angry shouts continuously arose¡ªit was the two Golden Core Cultivators to the left and right expressing their shock and rage. Only the white-browed elder on the central main seat remained calm andposed as he looked down at Bai Yunzi: ¡°Did he truly say that?¡± ¡°Truly so, without a shred of falsehood, I dare not deceive the Supreme!¡± Bai Yunzi hastily said, ¡°That person forced me to return and convey these words to the Supreme and the two Elders, after I had endured untold hardships¡¡± His words seemed on the verge of tears, so vivid and evocative that those who heard could feel sorrowful, and listeners might shed tears. This was not feigned but a genuine outpouring of emotion. Although the other party had let him leave Purple Cloud Mountain, just before leaving, that damned ¡°Laoliu¡± scrupulously searched him, from head to toe, not sparing even a single hair, leaving him thoroughly plundered. Heavens pity, as a Searching Immortal Envoy who was about to be ¡°irrelevant upon departure,¡± he had used his remaining authority during this period to extort a considerable graft, hoping to live the rest of his days infort upon returning to his sect. Yet, he encountered these bandits; his Magic Artifacts, Spirit Stones, and Storage Bag were all stripped from him, not a single hair left. Were it not for histe-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivation and the solid support of his actual Mana, he would not have been able to return to the Green Jade Sect at all. The bitterness of this, how could outsiders know? ¡°Enough!¡± The white-browed elder¡¯s gaze turned icy as he cut off his words: ¡°Repeat the events at Purple Cloud Mountain that day, without error.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± Feeling the pressure in the elder¡¯s words, Bai Yunzi woke from his daze, no longer daring to ply the Supreme Elder with his miseries, and recounted the events at Purple Cloud Mountain honestly. ¡°On that day atop Purple Cloud Mountain, a baleful cloud suddenly appeared, thunder descended from the sky, and Array Banners fell in the open, with another Formation forming outside.¡± ¡°The Third Elder emerged in shock and rage, wishing to question the origins of the other party. However, the other party did not respond, and as soon as the Formation wasplete, they started killing.¡± ¡°With just one move, thunder descended from the heavens, breaking through the Purple Cloud Formation. The Third Elder was caught off guard and was sted into the ground; his life or death is still unknown.¡± ¡°After the Formation broke, we disciples scattered in escape. Lin Fengjue and Zhou Xiruo, the two junior disciples, even used a third-tier Talisman Treasure, the Vertical Earth Golden Light, to attempt to break through the enemy¡¯s formation. They were stopped by the thunder, however, and were reduced to ashes on the spot.¡± ¡°After that, the person appeared, iming Purple Cloud Mountain as their own, and even killed a group of Cultivators who were seizing the opportunity to plunder amid the chaos. They then cast some Spell, pressing down thousands of Cultivators inside and outside Purple Cloud Mountain to the ground.¡± ¡°Afterward¡¡± Bai Yunzi recounted the events of that day verbatim, then knelt on the ground awaiting the judgment of the white-browed elder and the two beside him. The white-browed elder nced at him but said nothing else: ¡°You may leave.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Bai Yunzi felt a chill in his heart, knowing he was no longer qualified to be part of the ensuing conversation and might even be under suspicion. Not daring to say more, he immediately rose and left. The two Golden Core Cultivators watched him depart before speaking to the white-browed elder: ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any problems.¡± The white-browed elder shook his head: ¡°We must still keep watch, this concerns the Sect, and we cannot afford any mistakes.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The two agreed, not daring to dy. The white-browed elder then calmly analyzed the situation. ¡°A baleful cloud descending from the sky?¡± ¡°A Formation forming outside another?¡± ¡°Just one strike, and Purple Cloud is broken, a Golden Core in?¡± ¡°A third-tier Talisman Treasure, Vertical Earth Golden Light, also unable to escape?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The white-browed elder furrowed his brows, and the two at his sides also wore grave expressions. As Golden Core Cultivators and the absolute core of the Green Jade Sect, they were very aware of the Sect¡¯s strength. If this person was as formidable as Bai Yunzi described, their Green Jade Sect¡ might not be a match. ¡°The Purple Cloud Formation, although arranged as a Formation disk, is nevertheless a Golden Core Great Array and is connected to the Purple Cloud Spirit Vein. If the person could form a Formation from outside and break it with one strike, their Formation skills must be no less than third-tier.¡± ¡°Although my Third Junior Brother reached Pseudo Core through cultivation, he has been diligently practicingbat techniques for years. Inside the Great Array, evente-stage Golden Core experts would struggle to defeat him, yet now he¡¯s been killed by this person with one strike.¡± ¡°That Zhou girl¡¯s Vertical Earth Golden Light Talisman, I¡¯ve seen it before; it¡¯s indeed a Talisman Treasure. Once activated, it not only allows incredibly fast escape but also has the power to pierce through space. A typical third-tier Formation would not obstruct it.¡± ¡°Thus¡¡± Their words grew more solemn, and in the end, they fell silent, turning to the white-browed elder. ¡°A third-tier Formation Master, with exceptional skill!¡± ¡°Thunder Series of genuinew, unfathomable as gods and demons!¡± ¡°Late-stage Golden Core, perhaps even perfected!¡± ¡°Thunder Lightning Mana King¡ªShi Jian!¡± ¡°Who exactly is this person!¡± The white-browed elder furrowed his brows, looking at the two: ¡°Have you investigated clearly?¡± Upon hearing this, the two could only give a wry smile: ¡°We have tried our best to investigate, yet we still do not know this person¡¯s background.¡± ¡°We only know that this person first appeared thirty years ago, outside the White Dragon Ind Market. He fought against a group of Robbing Cultivators; at that time, he was merely at the Qi Cultivation stage, but with the power of Thunder Series, he faced three enemies alone and still held the upper hand.¡± ¡°Later, he traveled around Liang Country, visiting various Cultivation Markets and interacting or trading with various sects. During this time, he was coveted by many Robbing Cultivators and even made a lot of enemies.¡± ¡°But his Thunder Series was indeed formidable, and his Cultivation continued to advance. Over the decades, he progressed from peak of Qi Cultivation all the way tote Foundation Establishment. Those Robbing Cultivators who troubled him, as well as forces that held grudges against him, were basically wiped out by himpletely.¡± Chapter 240 - 166: Nail Head (6800, Not Divided)_2 Chapter 240: Chapter 166: Nail Head (6800, Not Divided)_2 Trantor:549690339 ¡°But he¡¯s well aware of his limitations, never provokes our Green Jade Sect members, and has not had conflicts with Tianshu Sect or Medicine King Valley, even when Tianshu Sect disciples provoked him, challenging him to a duel of spells. He always found an excuse to avoid it.¡± ¡°This shows how meticulous and deep his ns are; even though he makes decisive killings, he¡¯s not a reckless brute,¡± ¡°As for his origins, birthce, or heritage, there are¡ no records.¡± Their words ultimately betrayed a sense of helplessness. Having such an enemy, anyone would feel powerless. There was someone who pounded the table and said, ¡°This person acts so meticulously. Our Green Jade Sect also has rules for disciplining our disciples; logically, there should be no one provoking him, at most minor friction.¡± ¡°Yet, he tantly and brazenly came knocking on our door!¡± ¡°Obviously, this is not for personal grudges but to take our Sect¡¯s foundation to fuel his ambitions.¡± ¡°This person wants to step on Green Jade Sect to establish himself in the Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm.¡± With those words, the situation became clear. The two of them also deeply agreed. ¡°This person is a Thunder Cultivator and also versed in Formation, which shows hees from no ordinary lineage, surely from a prestigious family.¡± ¡°But in thends of Liang, aside from our Three Sects, what other heritages could be called great families of Mana Points?¡± ¡°Could it be¡¡± The two nced at each other, wanting to speak but stopping themselves. ¡°No goodes from an unwee visitor, and a wee guest does not arrive uninvited!¡± ¡°The Three Sects of Liang share the same roots and branches!¡± The elder with white eyebrows spoke coldly, ¡°No matter the origins or motives of this person, he has now offended our Sect, seized our Spirit Land, and killed our Golden Core members. Such a deep grudge, we must avenge.¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°We rely on the Supreme Elder for a decision!¡± Hearing this, the other two dared not say more and had to let the other take full control. Fortunately, the elder with white eyebrows had not let anger cloud his judgment. He spoke gravely, ¡°This person is a Formation Master, a third-tier, maybe even a fourth-tier Formation Master. Now, he has taken over Purple Cloud Mountain and, with the Spirit Land, set up a formation; even if Green Jade Sectunched a full assault, we would struggle to do anything against him.¡± ¡°Therefore¡¡± The elder with white eyebrows shifted his gaze to the two beside him and said, ¡°I will write two letters. Each of you will take one and go to Tianshu Sect and Medicine King Valley. Tell them the truth about this matter. Both Sects will surely extend a helping hand. Then, we can settle the score with this person properly.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Upon hearing this, both of them were stunned. Seeking help from Tianshu Sect and Medicine King Valley? Is that feasible? Although the saying goes that the Three Sects of Golden Core have always shared the same roots, they are still rivals within the same country. With Green Jade Sect facing a powerful enemy now, the other two not kicking us while we¡¯re down would be fortunate enough, let alone expecting their assistance? The two were filled with doubts and uncertainties, but the elder with white eyebrows did not borate further, ¡°The Three Sects of Liang share the same roots and branches. This matter also concerns the millennium-long ns of the Three Sects. You two take my letters and truthfully inform the Supreme Elders of the other two Sects. Assistance will surelye.¡± ¡°This¡ Understood!¡± With the elder with white eyebrows saying so, they could no longer contest and had to stand up and agree. The elder with white eyebrows also turned his gaze outward, ¡°Tianshu Sect is the Grandmaster of Array Path with ancient heritage and profound potentiality. Even if that person is a fourth-tier Formation Master, he will still find it difficult to contend with Tianshu on Liang¡¯s soil. Furthermore, with the support of our Green Jade Sect and Medicine King Valley, the great enmity of Purple Cloud Mountain will soon be avenged.¡± ¡°Before that, let him be arrogant for a while.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± In Purple Cloud Mountain, Purple Cloud Cave. Xu Yang, with his Heavenly Eye opened on his forehead, holding the Mysterious Mirror, watched the three people conversing within the Mysterious Light and smiled. ¡°Tianshu Sect?¡± ¡°Medicine King Valley?¡± ¡°The Three Sects of Liang share the same roots and branches?¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Amidst lightughter, the Mysterious Light shifted, attempting to investigate the affairs of heaven and earth. Yet, it was all chaos, with no information to be seen. His level was not high enough, he had no authority to peer into it. But Xu Yang was unfazed, dispersing the Mysterious Light and closing his Heavenly Eye. Sometimes, the absence of an answer is an answer in itself. What he had just tried to inquire about was the details of the Three Sects of Golden Core, and the overall situation of Liang Kingdom¡¯s Cultivation World. In these decades, he had wandered across various parts of Liang, roughly understanding the situation within the Cultivation Realm. In the Cultivation Realm of Liang, there is only Liang Country! There are no other countries, nor talk of overseas or outer realms. The vast Liang, strangely situated within mountains, surrounded by forests in every direction. Hundred Thousand Mountains! Liang Country is nestled within these Hundred Thousand Mountains, notpletely isted from the outer world, but at least Xu Yang saw no clear path. To leave Liang Country, one must traverse the Hundred Thousand Mountains where numerous Demon Beasts dwell, and even Golden Core Cultivators risk perishing. What to do? The Three Sects of Golden Core. It¡¯s said that every hundred years, the Three Sects of Golden Core open up the Hundred Thousand Mountains, creating a path to the outer world. At that time, all Golden Core Cultivators within Liang Country can travel to the outside world, even moving their families. Whether this information is true or false, Xu Yang could not say for sure. But the Cultivation Realm of Liang indeed lies within the mountains. With this revtion, numerous questions arise. The Hundred Thousand Mountains, teeming with countless Demon Beasts, among them many Golden Core Demon Kings, how can they allow a human nation of such arge territory to exist? Could it be because of the Three Sects of Golden Core? From the current view, this seems to be the only possibility. Yet the number of Golden Cores within the Three Sects surely cannot exceed the Golden Core Demon Kings in the Hundred Thousand Mountains. How do they ensure Liang Country is free from Demon Beast invasion and even manage to open the Hundred Thousand Mountains every hundred years? Moreover, ording to the Three Sects of Golden Core, beyond the Hundred Thousand Mountains lies a vaster world, more conducive to Cultivation and achieving the Dao, and to be a Nascent Soul, one must exit the Hundred Thousand Mountains. So why do the Three Sects of Golden Core still remain within the borders of Liang instead of moving their Sects outside the Hundred Thousand Mountains? Chapter 241 - 166: Nail Head (6800, no division)_3 Chapter 241: Chapter 166: Nail Head (6800, no division)_3 Trantor:549690339 All these are doubtful points. Xu Yang used the Heavenly Eye to probe and the Mysterious Light to inspect, but he couldn¡¯t get any results. Yet, having no results is also a kind of result. With his current cultivation, not even the Supreme Elder of the Green Jade Sect, thosete-stage Golden Core cultivators within the mountain gates, inside the Ancestor Master¡¯s Hall, protected by the Great Array, could block his Heavenly Eye¡¯s prying and the illuminating Mysterious Light. Hence, when he used the Heavenly Eye Mysterious Light to inquire into the grand secrets of the Three Sects of Golden Core and the matters of the Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm, he came up empty-handed. What does this signify? It signifies that within the Three Sects and the Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm, there exists an even higher power capable ofpletely suppressing him on a fundamental level, rendering his Heavenly Eye ineffective and his Mysterious Light unclear, making it difficult to probe the heavens and earth, to see the truth. An even higher power? How high could it be? Nascent Soul? Divinity Transformation? Or¡ Xu Yang didn¡¯t dare to make a definitive im. But he was certain that the Three Sects of Golden Core must know something, even perhaps, this was the fundamental reason they took root in Liang Country and were unwilling to relocate. So¡ ¡°The only way is to fight it out.¡± ¡°Well, let ite. I¡¯ll meet force with force, water with earth; it alles down to one¡¯s own abilities!¡± Xu Yang smiled, not taking it too seriously. The main intention of this embodiment was to test the foundations of all parties and stir up the winds and clouds of the cultivation world Three Sects of Golden Core? If they don¡¯te to him, he will go to them. As it stands now, with the three sects joining forces, it fits his intentions perfectly. After all, Lin Fengjue, who posed a threat to his true body, had already been sted to ashes; even amidst the great battle, if he could just spare some effort to wipe out that enforcement lineage of the Green Jade Sect, or perhaps even annihte the Green Jade Sect entirely, it would ensure the safety of his true body and Fish and Dragon Ind, allowing for a new beginning. And that was still the worst-case scenario. The body he currently possessed was a Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor constructed from a hundred thousand magic artifacts. The Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor, a creation of Tiangong, was profoundly marvelous. At the Ten Thousand Artifacts Level, it was invincible when utilized by a Golden Core cultivator. At the Million Artifacts Level, a Golden Core could control it to defeat Nascent Souls. At the Ten Million Artifacts Level, a Nascent Soul could pilot it to battle Divinity Transformations. At the Myriad Device Level, there were no data, but theoretically, it should possess the power of nine realms returning to void. And this was only an ordinary Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor. Due to skill traits, the performance andbat strength of Xu Yang¡¯s Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor were a notch above the ordinary mechas. Thus, his Ten Thousand Artifacts Level Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor could just barely be regarded as at the Million Artifacts Level. At the Million Artifacts Level, without a Nascent Soul, none can withstand it. Even for a Nascent Soul, capturing him would not be an easy task. If necessary, he could destroy both the mech and himself, and even take the opponents with him. Do the Three Sects of Golden Core have Nascent Souls? No one knows, but to err on the side of caution, Xu Yang assumed they did, and not just one. Numerous Nascent Soulsying siege would be enough to threaten him, and even destroy this mecha incarnation of his. But self-destruction remained thest resort; he wouldn¡¯t use it lightly unless it was a matter of life and death. Even though he had the methods of Hiding the Soul and the Incense Golden Body to preserve his life, so his Divine Soul could be reborn even after the mech self-destructed, it would take at least decades for his Yang God to recoverpletely. This kind of unnecessary waste and expenditure, it¡¯s better avoided if possible. Fortunately, if the enemy had something to rely on, he also had confidence. Not to mention anything else, just the formations. Using Purple Cloud Mountain as his base, he could set up a Golden Core Great Array, waiting at ease for the challenge from the three sects. Although it¡¯s also a Golden Core Great Array, the previous arrangement at Purple Cloud Mountain couldn¡¯t withstand even one of his moves; it was directly shattered by the thunderbolt, but that¡¯s not because the Great Array was too weak, but because he was too strong! He was too incredibly strong! Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor, invincible at Golden Core, might even fight against Nascent Souls. Thunderbolt Taoist Skill, the majesty of a Heavenly Master, is honored above all others. With skill traits bolstering him, the umted wisdom over a millennium of the Wandao School, the expertise in Array Formation of a Fourth Rank Grandmaster¡ Under these circumstances, breaking the formation in one strike was to be expected. If he couldn¡¯t break it, there would be a problem. It¡¯s because he was too strong, not because formations were too weak or useless. Formations have profound implications, with just their state involving several subcategories. In terms of control over the formation, there are the Unmanned Array, the Manned Array, the Formation Master¡¯s Array, and the Grandmaster¡¯s Array. In terms of spiritual energy supply, there are the Spirit-less Array, the Spirit Array, the Spirit Land Array, and the Spirit Vein Array. In terms of formation setup, there are the Array Banner Array, the Array te Array, the Immortal Array, and the Heaven and Earth Array. Regarding control, no need for boration, a formation without a controller versus one with a controller, a formation controlled by an ordinary cultivator versus a Formation Master, a formation controlled by an ordinary Formation Master versus one by a Grandmaster¡ The different person at the core of the formation can lead to differences like night and day or heaven and earth in terms of the formation¡¯s power. In terms of spiritual energy, no further exnation is needed, whether it¡¯s powered by ordinary Spiritual Energy or sourced from Spirit Lands and Veins, the supply and transmission of spiritual energy directly affect the efficacy of a formation. Theyout of a formation is about adapting to local conditions, not copying mechanically; a crudely formed array using Array gs and tes will have significantly reduced power. If a Formation Master can personally inspect the site and arrange the formation intimately, creating an Immortal Array, or even a Heaven and Earth Great Array, then the power of the formation can be multiplied manifold. The Great Array on Purple Cloud Mountain was an Array te setup with a Spirit Land as its source, a Manned Array. The Third Elder of the Green Jade Sect, with his Golden Core cultivation, was not versed in the art of formations and couldn¡¯t maximize the potential of this array. Now with Xu Yang in charge, leveraging the Spirit Land of Purple Cloud Mountain toyout a Golden Core Great Array and personally presiding over it, that would be¡ A Heaven and Earth Array with a Spirit Land as its source and a Grandmaster overseeing it! Once such an array is in ce, even a Nascent Soul, without considerable Array Formation skills, would face a perilous life-or-death situation. Chapter 242 - 166: Nail Head (6800, no split)_4 Chapter 242: Chapter 166: Nail Head (6800, no split)_4 Trantor:549690339 Moreover, Xu Yang was far from having just one means at his disposal in formations. In a world where Taoism has umted for a thousand years, how could it be ordinary? Seated cross-legged in the Purple Cloud cave, a beam of golden light spurted from his Heavenly Spirit and instantly entered the realm of nothingness, heading straight for his physical body. Under the manyyers of formations covering Dongting Lake¡¯s Fish and Dragon Ind, a Nine Ceremony High Altar stood erected towards the sky. Atop the altar, a Taoist Man sat erect, with eyes wide open and terrifying, as if in the wrathful image of the True Martial Ancestor¡ªit was indeed Xu Yang¡¯s physical body. As the Yang God returned and settled in the Heavenly Spirit, Xu Yang, in the state of ¡°True Martial Ancestor Master,¡± merged spirit and flesh, shedding the Stone Sculpted God Statue State. However, he retained the practices of concealing the soul within the body and the Incense Gold Body, without taking back the three souls and seven spirits from the ten directions of the world. This technique was mysterious. The parting of the three souls and seven spirits was only partial, notplete. Even without their return, it didn¡¯t affect his movements. The only drawback was the inability to cultivate, improve mana and Taoist Cultivation, and advance in realm and cultivation. Apart from that, everything was normal and unchanged. With the return of the Yang God, Xu Yang opened his eyes, and in his hand, there appeared a jade bracelet, a storage jade bracelet. With a thought, his divine sense entered it, and he saw bright spirit light dazzling the eyes. Spirit Stones, Magic Artifacts, Talismans, elixirs, and all kinds of heavenly materials and treasures, rare and precious items¡ªall were umtions of Purple Cloud Mountain. As one of the two major outposts of the Green Jade Sect and the operator of the Cultivation Market, the strength of Purple Cloud Mountain need not be overstated. The market had various shops selling all sorts of Magic Artifacts, elixirs, talismans, as well as Cultivation Skills and skill inheritances. The daily turnover of Spirit Stones and goods was immeasurable. They were indeed filthy rich! Furthermore, there was that Golden Core Cultivator, as well as the Searching Immortal Envoys who extorted everywhere, and the forces and horses from all corners of the market. Together, the value was beyond estimation. What was in this bracelet was only a part; the rest would be used as materials to set up the great Formation of Purple Cloud Mountain to meet the forces of the Three Sects of Golden Core. Even so, the value of this part of the ¡°ill-gotten gains¡± was over thirty million Spirit Stones. ¡°Indeed, mitting murder and arson earns one a golden belt.¡¯¡± Xu Yang sighed, shook his head, and tucked the storage bracelet into his chest. Getting rich through plunder might be fast but, frankly, it didn¡¯t suit him because there would alwayse a day when there was nothing left to plunder; it wasn¡¯t conducive to long-term development. Only mutual benefits, win-win cooperation, and the establishment of a positive cycle system, with continuous development and production, could truly grow strong and reach the pinnacle. In the world of Dao and Law, by relying solely on brute force to plunder, how long would it take to amass wealth like that of the Wandao School? Initiating production and working thend was the true path to power. Unfortunately, under the current circumstances, the true path wasn¡¯t an option for him. With the threat of the Three Sects of Golden Core and hidden dangers in the Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm, even relying on his Mecha incarnation, it was difficult for him to establish a foothold, create a sect, and develop it. Therefore, Xu Yang could only plunder first, reap a harvest of profits, and then make further decisions based on the situation. If the Three Sects of Golden Core could not bring forth several Nascent Soul cultivators, then he would upy Purple Cloud Mountain, and possibly even take over Green Jade Mountain, establishing the ¡°Mingxiao Taoist Temple¡± to recruit disciples and grow his forces. If the Three Sects had deep potentiality and could break his formations and annihte his incarnation, then the loot couldpensate for the losses, and he would continue to bide his time, restore his Yuan Qi, enhance his strength, and settle scores at ater date. He could attack as well as defend. Now was the time to attack. Xu Yang stood up, took out an object, and ced it before him on the table. It was a palm-sized redwood book, adorned with golden talisman patterns and faint flickering of thunder and fire. It was none other than the Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Scripture! Back then, when Xuanyuan went northward to y demons, the North City allied forces entered the capital. Amid the ruins, they found some relics from Pudu Cihang, including not only treasures from the Northern Territory and both Taoism and Buddhism but also the Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Scripture that Pudu Cihang had used to curse Xu Yang. As for the demonic arts of Pudu Cihang and that divine treasure capable of resisting the scrutiny of the Admiring Eye of Heaven, they were destroyed by Xuanyuan during the tribtion and could not be found. It was regrettable, but with such gains, it was still quite good. As one who had once been cursed, Xu Yang knew full well the fearsome power of the Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Scripture. Even a Heavenly Master with high cultivation would struggle to withstand it, and as a tool for assassination, it required no medium. Knowing a person¡¯s name was enough to cast a curse on them from afar. It was truly formidable, impossible to guard against. However, as this was demonic and evil skills, it required a great deal of one¡¯s life essence and lifespan. Pudu Cihang, being a demon, with a lifespan of millions of years, naturally had no fear, but Xu Yang was a human cultivator. Even with various skill traits that had extended his lifespan considerably, he could not afford such extravagance. Therefore, these past years, Xu Yang and the Wandao School had been researching this object, attempting to transform this demonic item into a righteous path magical treasure. In the end, Heaven rewarded their efforts, and the Wandao School sessfully re-refined the Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Scripture. The re-refined Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Scripture still required lifespan as a catalyst, but only a trace, with extremely low consumption¡ªat most one year, usually only forty-nine days, which is a fortnight, and could be supplemented through means. Lifespan was only the catalyst; the key was mana. Injecting arge amount of mana in ce of the lifespan consumed. Thus powered by the curse skill, its might remained formidable. Furthermore, through research, they introduced the method of thunder and fire refining, which surprisingly matched the treasure¡¯s true nature, enhancing its power without diminish, still capable of killing even a Seventh Realm Heavenly Master. Regrettably, the real Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Scripture stilly within the World of Dao and Law, in the Wandao School. The one in Xu Yang¡¯s hands was not the original. It was a¡ talisman, or rather, a Talisman Treasure. The Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Scripture Talisman! It could only be used once, and its power was somewhat reduced. But to deal with a Golden Core, it was still more than sufficient. Xu Yang ced the mahogany book on the altar, then lifted his hand to pull out a strand of hair, which, with a sh of spirit light, turned into straw. The straw was bundled into a straw figure, ced atop the mahogany book. Biting open his index finger, he used the blood as ink to write a person¡¯s identity and name on the Yellow Talisman. Zhang Zhiqi of the Green Jade Sect! With the name recorded, he then wrote the birth hour and date, as two Yellow Talismans were affixed to the front and back of the straw figure. Finally, he took out a nail, a long nail flickering with lightning, and drove it into the head of the straw figure. And so the Nailhead Scripture waspleted, ced upon the altar. Afterward, the Taoist man performed the spell, stepping through the constetions and chanting the incantation. ¡°I am a guest from Kunlun, by the southern stone bridge lies my old home, attaining the Chaos Yuan at the beginning of my cultivation, finding eternal life and knowing thews of nature, no pride in the furnace¡¯s Purple Gold Core; know that within the fire, the Jade Fluid burns.¡± ¡°Riding the Qingluan and the white crane, shunning the peaches at the banquet of immortals¡¯ mirth, nor going to Xuandu to pay homage to the Old Master, nor to Yuxu to pledge on the gates, the Three Mountains and Five Sacred Peaks are my yground, and I take joy at will on the inds of Peni, everyone calls me an immortal fanatic, but within my belly, sufficiency and emptiness are my own affair.¡± ¡°Lu Ya the hermit arrives here, the Nailhead Plowhead Seven Arrow Scripture, the souls of the Three Pure Ones vanish, even the life of an Immortal is extinguished.¡± ¡°May the gods hasten thismand like aw¡ªGo!!!¡± Chapter 243 - 167: Curse Coming_1 Chapter 243: Chapter 167: Curse Coming_1 Trantor:549690339 ¡°Boom!¡± Amidst the incantations, thunder and fire were startled into leaping upon the Nailhead Ploughhead Seven Arrow Scripture, enveloping the ¡°talisman¡± with raging momentum. Curse spells might be powerful, but they have a drawback, that is the need for time to prepare, worship, cast, invoke, and finally activate. The longer the preparation time, the more powerful the curse spell, and the harder it is for the cursed to resist. Just like the time Pudu Cihang cursed Xu Yang, they first nailed his name with the Nail Head Book Talisman and worshiped on the altar for forty-nine days, only then to activate the Plough-Head Curse and perform the Seven Arrow Seven Kill Skill. Xu Yang clearly didn¡¯t have that much time right now. But to curse a Golden Core, it doesn¡¯t need to be that troublesome, just invest mana and enhance the curse skill. With his current level of cultivation, activating the Nailhead Ploughhead Seven Arrow Scripture would be nearly unbearable for anyone below Nascent Soul. That Supreme Elder of the Green Jade Sect, Zhang Zhiqi, with histe-stage Golden Core cultivation, to be honest, was already not bad in this Liang Country, but after all, he was still a Golden Core, not versed in Taoism, hadn¡¯t achieved Yang God, and it was uncertain whether he had any means to protect his soul. For this curse to kill him, while it wasn¡¯t effortless, he still had plenty to spare. Even so, Xu Yang didn¡¯t take it lightly, raising his hand to unleash streaks of thunder, the pure mana of a cultivator. One after another, forty-nine streaks of thunder emerged in session, like the symbols of a death sentence falling into the Nail Head Book Talisman. Even with Xu Yang¡¯s current cultivation level, these forty-nine streaks of thunder nearly drained his mana. Fortunately, it was merely mana and Inner Yuan, not the life essence. The consumption could be recovered, and the loss could bepensated for. Forty-nine streaks of mana summoned death from below, and the thunder and me-wrapped Nailhead Ploughhead Seven Arrow Scripture ignited with a ¡°boom,¡± turning into an arrow-shaped beam of thunder and fire that was uncertain in reality and illusion. It shot into the sky and disappeared into the firmament in the blink of an eye. Only then did Xu Yang sit down to recover, showing ¡°True Martial Ancestor Master¡¯s¡± stern visage, intimidating the evil from all around, while his Yang God left his body once more, traveling through the void to return to Purple Cloud Mountain and take control of the vital spirit body again. Meanwhile, inside the Green Jade Mountain, within the Ancestor Master¡¯s Hall. White-browed and white-bearded, Zhang Zhiqi, with his crane hair and youthful face, paced back and forth, his heart filled with agitation and a vague sense of unease. The Three Sects of Golden Core had governed for a thousand years; during that time, they had faced challenges from other forces and other Golden Cores but always managed to keep them at bay, never allowing anyone to pose a substantial threat to their rule. After all, the origins of the Three Sects were extraordinary, they had powerful backers, ancient lineage, control over resources, and other cultivators, even if they luckily broke through and achieved Core Formation, still couldn¡¯t match theirbat power and were still under their control. But now¡ Thunder Lightning Mana King Shi Jian! This man, who appeared out of nowhere, had driven the Green Jade Sect to the brink of life and death. His origins were unknown, and his ambitions were immense. This kind of person, this kind of opponent¡ Zhang Zhiqi¡¯s brow was tense, his heart even more restless, as he called for the Sect Master of the Green Jade Sect, ¡°How goes the evacuation from Sword Stone Mountain?¡± Despite being the Sect Master of the Green Jade Sect, in the presence of this Supreme Elder, he was no different from a steward or servant, respectfully responding, ¡°Elder brother Liu has returned to the sect, and the marketces have been temporarily closed. Although there are still some loose ends, the main things have already been brought back. Even if that person makes a move, the loss won¡¯t be too great.¡± ¡°Good, you¡ may step down!¡± Hearing this, Zhang Zhiqi finally settled down a bit, dismissing the Sect Master of Green Jade and resumed his meditation. However, after only a brief moment of meditative trance, he opened his eyes again, his gaze filled with irritability and a hint of panic. ¡°What¡¯s going on, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Everything from Sword Stone Mountain has been withdrawn. Even if that person has no shame and decides to plunder, the loss shouldn¡¯t be too great.¡± ¡°I¡¯m within the sect, defending with the great formation, relying on the power of the Green Jade Spiritual Vein and the might of the Azure Dragon Formation. Even if a Nascent Soul attacks, I can fend off the enemy.¡± ¡°Qinfeng Changshan has my letter and has reached the Tianshu Sect and the Medicine King Valley. I have also sent a message. Help from the two sects should arrive soon.¡± ¡°With such measures in ce, why do I feel this sudden unease, this restlessness?¡± ¡°Am I overthinking, or is that person so terrifying that it causes me fear?¡± ¡°Could it be that he has nned to ambush the people from the other two sects on their way here?¡± ¡°No, no, no, this is a matter of great importance. The two sects must use their true power. If he stays and defends, it would just be suicidal to ambush them on the road?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on!¡± Zhang Zhiqi sat on his meditation cushion, veins throbbing on his forehead, bloodshot eyes pulsing. He felt a burning anxiety as if a great disaster loomed over him, yet he did not know from where the disaster woulde. This was a cultivator¡¯s whim, the response of Heaven and Man. The Nail Head Book Talisman is ultimately just a talisman, not the actual Nailhead Ploughhead Seven Arrow Scripture; it cannot quietly curse a cultivator like Pudu Cihang once did. After a cultivator is nailed, there will inevitably be a response from Heaven and Man, a sudden unease. If it were a Spell Cultivator, such sensations would immediately reveal their cause, prompting them to respond straightaway, employing concealment techniques, Body Protection Spells, Dissolution Skills, and other methods to counter with spell against spell, with curse against curse, to avert disaster and escape misfortune. However, Zhang Zhiqi was a cultivator, not versed in Taoism, had not achieved Yang God, and even if cursed, he did not understand the reason, nor did he have the means to avert disaster or protect his life. He only felt a great misfortune approaching, a massive cmity befalling him. At that moment¡ ¡°Rumble!¡± A tumultuous roar, like muffled thunder, resounded, darkening the clear skies abruptly. ¡°Hm!?¡± Zhang Zhiqi¡¯s gaze sharpened, looking upward. As he looked up, his face changed colors upon what his eyes beheld. On the distant horizon, a cloud of doom rolled in, swelling and surging, sweeping towards this ce. The clear sky of ten thousand miles turned dark in an instant. The cloud of misfortune descended abruptly, obscuring the sun. The light dimmed, and the atmosphere turned heavy and somber. Though there was the rumble of thunder, no lightning could be seen. Chapter 244 - 167: Curse Coming_2 Chapter 244: Chapter 167: Curse Coming_2 Trantor:549690339 There was only a foreboding cloud, a cloud that would not dissipate, covering the sky like a dark curtain. Oppression, unparalleled oppression. Even as a great cultivator in thete stage of the Golden Core, Zhang Zhiqi felt his heart race and skin crawl in the face of such a sinister and ominous celestial phenomenon, with waves of dread washing over him. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°An enemy invasion!¡± ¡°Supreme Elder!¡± Zhang Zhiqi rose up in rm and anger, as the Sect Master of the Green Jade Sect and several elders hurried into the hall in a panic, ¡°The celestial signs are unusual, it seems like enemies are attacking.¡± Zhang Zhiqi didn¡¯t speak; instead, he stimted his divine consciousness, activating the Mountain Gate Array, and connected with the Green Jade Spiritual Vein. ¡°Roar!!!¡± In an instant, a dragon¡¯s roar startled the mountain. Green Jade Mountain, one of the three great immortal mountains of Liang Country, a third-tier Spirit Land ranked supreme, contained a spirit vein deep within it like a slumbering dragon, connected to the veins of the mountains and rivers. The Green Jade Sect was founded on this basis, invited a third-tier Array Master from the Tianshu Sect, spent thirty-eight years and countless efforts, and finally established a majestic Golden Core Great Array. It was known as the Green Jade Azure Dragon Array! This array drew its power from the spirit vein of Green Jade Mountain, suited both its location and the natural order, and had nurtured the ¡°Azure Dragon Spirit¡± within the earth vein. Even without a third-tier Formation Master presiding over it, the array could unleash astonishing power. Even Nascent Soul Ancestors, without the means to break the array, would sigh in resignation, not daring to risk entering the array. Now that the celestial signs had changed and a formidable enemy was attacking, Zhang Zhiqi, who was rmed and panicked, decisively activated the array. ¡°Roar!!!¡± In the depths of Green Jade Mountain, a roaring, dragon¡¯s cry exploded. Because of the dark clouds casting shadows, the forests that had been shrouded in darkness suddenly lit up with an azure glow, a dragon-like swath of light connecting the mountains and earth veins. The azure light was dazzling, and the Earth Dragon looked up. A shadow of a dragon, roaring into existence, the brilliant azure light condensed rapidly, taking form from void to solid, coiling itself around and protecting the Green Jade Sect¡¯s gate. It was the Azure Dragon Spirit, connected to the Green Jade Spiritual Vein; under themand of the array, it could harness the power of heaven and earth. Even a Nascent Soul Ancestor would avoid it, unwilling to confront its edge directly. However¡ ¡°Boom boom boom!¡± The ominous cloud was vast, blocking out the sun. The thunder roared, frightening gods and ghosts alike. The force of Taoist Curse Spells seemed both real and unreal, both tangible and intangible, indeterminate in form and substance. The Azure Dragon Array, though also mysterious, s, had a different system andcked targeted defensive measures to restrain Curse Spells, and truly struggled to withstand the descent of the curse. Finally¡ ¡°Boom!!¡± A thunderp startled the mountain gate. In the Ancestor Master¡¯s Hall, Zhang Zhiqi¡¯s eyes sharpened, his heart skipped a beat as if struck by Five Thunders Boom, instantly petrified where he stood. In a sh, his consciousness sank into the sea of awareness, his soul panicked and helpless. Looking up, ¡°Zhang Zhiqi¡± saw that he was in the midst of mountains, wondering where he was, when suddenly the ground shook and mountains quaked from all directions with a rumbling sound. ¡°Boom boom boom!¡± The three mountains and five peaks moved and approached. From all around, they closed in on his body. Zhang Zhiqi then realized the gravity of the situation, wanting to evade, but being ¡°nailed¡± in ce, where could he possibly hide? No escape to the heavens above, no entrance to the earth below. Three mountains moved stones, five peaks bore down upon him. ¡°Boom boom boom!¡± In the blink of an eye, three mountains and five peaks surrounded him from all sides. Zhang Zhiqi, trapped in the middle, only had his head exposed, revealing a face stricken with fear and panic. ¡°This is¡¡± ¡°A Curse Spell?¡± ¡°Evil Skills!¡± ¡°A demon is harming me, cursing my Divine Soul!¡± Havinge from a major sect, Zhang Zhiqi, a Golden Core Cultivator, quickly realized his predicament and immediately detached a part of his consciousness to regain control of his physical body. ¡°Supreme Elder?¡± ¡°Elders?¡± As he returned to reality, he heard calls for him. The Green Jade Sect Master and several elders looked at him with anxious eyes. But Zhang Zhiqi had no time to care, immediately taking out spirit pills, talismans, and stimted spiritual artifacts and magical treasures¡ªevery method at his disposal was for defending the soul. As a Golden Core cultivator from a great sect, Zhang Zhiqi had heard of Curse Skills but had only heard of them in passing and didn¡¯t have much understanding, let alone specific countermeasures. But that didn¡¯t matter; most curse spells were aimed at the soul, and as long as he strengthened his soul¡¯s defenses, he would be able to block the enemy¡¯s attacks and unveil the falsehood, ultimately breaking the curse. Hence, he directly consumed several bottles of third-tier Spirit Pills, as well as various other soul-calming and mind-stabilizing third-tier talismans, not sparing a thought for their cost, and activated all of them at once, defending himself to the utmost. Beyond spirit pills and talismans, there were spiritual artifacts and magical treasures. The Three Sects of Golden Core each had their strengths: Tianshu Sect reigned supreme in Array Formations, Medicine King Valley was the great sect of alchemy, and Green Jade Sect was renowned for Artifact Refining. As a Supreme Elder of the Green Jade Sect and a third-tier Artifact Refining master, Zhang Zhiqi had a wealth of resources¡ªplenty of supreme-grade spiritual artifacts and even several magical treasures that surpassed spiritual artifacts. Among these spiritual artifacts and magical treasures, some could protect the soul. At this critical juncture, Zhang Zhiqi spared no effort, activating all of them and then sitting down cross-legged. At the same time¡ ¡°Boom boom boom!¡± The three mountains and five peaks closed in from all sides, pressing down on Zhang Zhiqi with sparks flying and a metallic ng. It turned out to be a Green Jade Spirit Armor, worn unknowingly, resisting the pressure crushing down on him. A lower-tier magical treasure that could protect the soul. Materials that could enhance the soul were extremely rare, and magical treasures even more so. The Green Jade Sect, with a thousand years of umted potentiality, possessed only one such piece. With the Green Jade Spirit Armor protecting his body, spirit light shone forth. It was the power of the third-tier Spirit Pills and talismans at work. However¡ ¡°Moo!!!¡± In the firmament, the winds and clouds transformed; a Green Bull ran rampant, as if dragging the entire sky behind it, with thunder and wind booming as it approached. ¡°!!!¡± Zhang Zhiqi¡¯splexion changed drastically, overwhelmed with fear, but at this point, he had no other choice but to fully stimte the Green Jade Spirit Armor, bracing himself against the Green Bull¡¯s charge. ¡°Boom!!!¡± Chapter 245 - 167: Curse Comes_3 Chapter 245: Chapter 167: Curse Comes_3 Trantor: 549690339 The Green Bull charged forward, and with a thunderous collision, the Heavenly Plow came crashing down upon the head, while the Green Jade Spirit Armor flickered with light. The extreme sh of both sides set off a booming roar. In an instant, his head throbbed with intense pain, his Divine Soul became unstable, which contorted Zhang Zhiqi¡¯s face and convulsed his body. With one plow, mountains crumbled and stones shattered! With one plow, heads cracked and blood flowed! With one plow, cores were ruined and talismans destroyed! ¡°Puh!!!¡± In the real world, within the Ancestor Master¡¯s Hall, Zhang Zhiqi, with eyes tightly shut, spat out arge mouthful of fresh blood, and his entire body directly toppled onto the ground. ¡°Supreme Elder!¡± ¡°Elder!¡± Witnessing this scene, the Sect Master of the Green Jade Sect and several elders changed their expressions and hurriedly step forward to check on him, only to find that he had already fallen unconscious, his life and death unknown. Looking up at the sky, the ominous clouds receded like a tide, and the thunder also dissipated, as if the storm had passed. ¡°The Supreme Elder has taken action and has driven off the great enemy, quickly help the Supreme Elder back to his Cave Mansion to recover.¡± Seeing this, the Sect Master of Green Jade could only use these words to calm people¡¯s hearts, lifting up the unconscious Zhang Zhiqi and rushing towards his Supreme Elder¡¯s Cave Mansion. Before they knew it, an unknown amount of time had passed. Darkness receded like the tide. Zhang Zhiqi slowly came to, only to see himself lying on a couch, surrounded by many people, on one side were cultivators from the Green Jade Sect, and on another were¡ ¡°Brother Zhang has awoken!¡± ¡°How do you feel?¡± The two people on either side looked at him and asked softly. They were his old friends, two Supreme Elders, one each from the Tianshu Sect and Green Jade Sect, Li Longpeng and Chen Fenghua. ¡°Brother Li, Brother Zhang¡¡± In the face of their gaze, Zhang Zhiqi took a deep breath, and a look of shock and anger surfaced on his pale face: ¡°This person is versed in the arts of Curse Spells, used a Curse Spell against me, attacking my Divine Soul. His methods are extremely vicious and incredibly harmful!¡± In his words, shock and anger mingled, leaving him with a deep sense of dread. Three mountains and five ridges weighed upon him, with the Ancient Green Bull as the plow¡¯s tip. Even with a Magical Treasure for protection, the Green Bull¡¯s forceful plow still caused a shock to his Divine Soul and inflicted damage. That kind of agony was beyond words, as if his soul truly had been split by the plow¡¯s tip, even he, a Great Golden Core cultivator, couldn¡¯t bear it and was knocked unconscious by the pain of the soul-splitting plow¡¯s tip. ¡°Curse Spells!¡± Upon hearing this, both of them fell silent. As members of major sects, they had also heard of Curse Spells, but like Zhang Zhiqi, only in passing, with little understanding. Li Longpeng, a Supreme Elder from Tianshu Sect and a Great Cultivator with aplete Golden Core, looked at Zhang Zhiqi¡¯s pale face, ¡°Brother Zhang, Curse Spells are surely lethal, inevitably a death struggle, each wave more formidable than thest. The person did not seed this time, but the next round of Curse Spells will undoubtedly be even more vicious!¡± Chen Fenghua at his side also spoke, ¡°To break the Curse Spell, one must either counter it with another spell, destroy it with another curse, or y the one who cast it, destroying the Curse Spell¡¯s medium!¡± ¡°We are not versed in Curse Skills, so to break the curse, we can only attack Purple Cloud Mountain!¡± ¡°Only by breaching Purple Cloud Mountain and ying Shi Jian can your life, Brother Zhang, have any hope of being preserved.¡± Both their words clearly defined the situation. Zhang Zhiqi¡¯s face was deathly pale: ¡°This person is a third-tier Formation Master, and might even possess fourth-tier mastery, defended by Purple Cloud and relying on the Great Array, just the three of us together may not be able to take it down.¡± After hearing this, both remained silent. In the end, Li Longpeng spoke up: ¡°Brother Zhang, rest assured, although we do not understand Curse Skills, we do have methods to guard the Divine Soul, and I refuse to believe that this person¡¯s Curse Spells are unbreakable.¡± ¡°Furthermore, this person¡¯s origins are unknown and he¡¯s also proficient in Curse Skills, which indicates he¡¯s no ordinary individual. Elder brother has already used the Tianshu Great Array to send a message, and our main sect will soon send support. By then, we must be able to capture him.¡± ¡°Before that happens, even if we cannot breach Purple Cloud Mountain, we must trap him and not allow this person to continue causing havoc at will.¡± ¡°Brother Zhang, rest for the night. Tomorrow, we will join forces to surround Purple Cloud Mountain and face this person¡¯s Array Formation skills, to see just how profound they really are!¡± Chapter 246 - 168: Termination Array_1 Chapter 246: Chapter 168: Termination Array_1 Trantor: 549690339 The following morning, Sprit Light flitted away, heading straight for Purple Cloud Mountain. The speed of a Golden Core cultivator was truly astonishing, taking merely an hour to arrive at the foot of Purple Cloud Mountain. The representatives from the Three Sects were all Golden Core cultivators, led by three Supreme Elders. Li Longpeng, Supreme Elder of the Tianshu Sect, was at the Perfect Gold Core Realm. Chen Fenghua, Supreme Elder of the Medicine King Valley, possessed ate-stage Gold Core cultivation. Zhang Zhiqi, Supreme Elder of the Green Jade Sect, was also at thete-stage Gold Core. Beyond the three Supreme Elders, there were a group of early-stage Golden Core cultivators, along with several mid-stage Golden Core cultivators. This was indicative of the potentiality of the Three Sects. Early-stage Golden Cores, most of which were Pseudo Cores made from refining a tier-three Internal Pill after reaching Perfect Foundation Building, had no hope of further advancement. Nheless, they enjoyed the longevity of a true Golden Core and specialized inbat techniques, constituting the main battle force of the Three Sects. Mid-stage Golden Cores, on the other hand, were True Cores achieved through proper advancement, holding significant future potential and possessing a cultivation advantage, not to be underestimated. Thus, united, the Three Sects surrounded Purple Cloud. And at this moment, Purple Cloud Mountain was¡ As always, calm and tranquil, without a ripple or wave. But this was only to the untrained eye. As a Supreme Elder of the Tianshu Sect and a tier-three Array Formation Master, Li Longpeng channeled his mana into his eyes and saw the mountain in a different light. Within the mountain, Sprit Light flickered, array patterns barely visible, stretching up to connect with the heavens and down into the earth¡¯s meridians. The mountain was unified, its might as one, seamlessly integrated inside and out, leaving no gaps or ws, formidable to behold. ¡°What an array!¡± Upon witnessing this sight, Li Longpeng, himself a Formation Master, couldn¡¯t help but exim in admiration. ¡°Adapting to the conditions, forming an array in harmony with nature. Although powered only by a single tier-two Spirit Vein, it capitalizes on the strength of numerous foundational array bases, alongside the harmonization by a Formation Master at its core. Its power is elite, even among the Golden Core Great Arrays; one could even call it a Termination Array.¡± Li Longpeng turned back, his expression grave, and spoke to Zhang Zhiqi, ¡°Brother Zhang, I fear this array might be even stronger than your Green Jade Sect¡¯s Green Jade Azure Dragon Great Array. With just us, it¡¯ll be difficult to break through!¡± Upon hearing these words, Zhang Zhiqi¡¯s already pale face grew even more distressed, his eyes betraying a sense of desperation and sorrow. Chen Fenghua, standing beside them, let out a sigh, ¡°In just a few days, this person has utilized Purple Cloud Mountain as a base to set up such a formation. It¡¯s evident that their mastery of array formations has reached the fourth tier.¡± ¡°A fourth-tier Formation Master!¡± Looking at Li Longpeng, Chen Fenghua asked, ¡°Brother Li, as a Formation Master, how do youpare to this person?¡± ¡°The way of array formations is the ultimate truth of heaven and earth, profound and inscrutable,¡± Li Longpeng shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ve spent half my life to enter the third tier, and still, it feels like an endless ocean of knowledge, never fully grasped. A fourth-tier in Array Formation, even within our Tianshu Sect, would be an extraordinary individual, truly hard to fathom their abilities!¡± Having said that, he once again stared at Purple Cloud Mountain, the array shrouding it, with furrowed brows, finding it hard to rx, ¡°How could such a person emerge in Liang Country without making a sound?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use of saying these things now?¡± Zhang Zhiqi, concerned for his life and death, couldn¡¯t care to discuss further and interrupted, turning promptly to Li Longpeng, ¡°Brother Li, as a master of array formations, is there any way to break this array? I¡¯m inflicted with a Termination Curse and am already a dying man; I¡¯m willing to risk this life of mine to perish together with this person.¡± In his words, he seemed prepared to fight for his life. ¡°This¡¡± Hearing his words, Li Longpeng also frowned, ¡°Considering mastery in array formations, I am not his equal, and even if you, Brother Zhang, sacrifice your life, it¡¯s doubtful we can break this array. Rather than attacking, we should defend. We could help you resist the attacks of the curse spell¡¡± ¡°We must break this array!¡± Before he could finish, a voice interrupted. The three furrowed their brows and looked up, only to see a middle-aged man who had, unnoticed, arrived at the scene. The man, middle-aged and with a dignified face, was also tall, radiating an imposing presence, feeling as heavy as a mountain with his every gesture. It was¡ ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°Old Ancestor Jingyue!¡± At the sight of this person, all three were taken aback. Then, Li Longpeng went forward to greet him, while Zhang Zhiqi and Chen Fenghua bowed deeply in respect. Their reactions betrayed the man¡¯s status. He was none other than the Supreme Great Elder of the Tianshu Sect, the only Nascent Soul cultivator in Liang Country ¨C Old Ancestor Jingyue! ¡°This array must be broken!¡± ¡°This person must be killed!¡± ¡°We cannot sit back and let things take their course, allowing him to grow powerful!¡± Old Ancestor Jingyue stepped forward with his hands behind his back, his cold gaze fixed on Purple Cloud Mountain, ¡°Otherwise, it¡¯s like letting the tiger return to the mountain, a future problem beyond measure!¡± Hearing these words, Zhang Zhiqi glimpsed a shred of hope, ¡°Ancestor¡¯s meaning is¡¡± Even in his speech, he dropped all formal titles, simply calling the man ¡®ancestor,¡¯ indicating how life-or-death urgency had stripped away any concern for status within their sect. Jingyue, however, paid no heed and continued to stare coldly at Purple Cloud Mountain. After a moment, he finally spoke, ¡°This person¡¯s mastery over array formations has indeed reached the fourth tier. With him controlling the array, it¡¯s a Termination Array amongst Golden Cores.¡± ¡°The array is stable, in harmony with heaven and man, using the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit from all ten directions as one.¡± ¡°Even if we set up another array outside the mountain, we cannotpete with him for the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit.¡± ¡°An outer array wouldn¡¯t seed!¡± ¡°If cunning strategies fail, then we must resort to¡¡± Jingyue turned to face everyone, ¡°Combining cunning with brute force, and forcefully breaking this array!¡± Li Longpeng¡¯s gaze sharpened, a touch of surprise in his eyes as he looked at Jingyue, ¡°Brother means¡?¡± Jingyue didn¡¯t respond verbally, simply spreading out his right hand to reveal a luminescent talisman. Within the glow of the talisman, one could vaguely make out a dragon-like pattern swimming within, alongside yin and yang energies forming two fishes chasing each other¡¯s tails, culminating in a Tai Chi Diagram. ¡°A Prohibition Breaking Talisman!¡± ¡°A fourth-tier Prohibition Breaking Talisman!¡± Jingyue dered solemnly, revealing its origins. ¡°A fourth-tier Prohibition Breaking Talisman!?¡± Everyone present was shocked. Li Longpeng immediately looked up, ¡°Brother, is this from the Sect Master¡¡± Chapter 247 - 168: Termination Array_2 Chapter 247: Chapter 168: Termination Array_2 Trantor:549690339 ¡°Indeed, it is the Prohibition Breaking Talisman bestowed by the Sect Master, personally crafted by the Tianshu Sect¡¯s Grandmaster of Array Formation!¡± Jing Yue nodded, ¡°Although the Sect Master granted this talisman not because of this person, now that things havee to this, it can only be used on him.¡± ¡°However, we only have one fourth-tier Prohibition Breaking Talisman, relying solely on it is not safe.¡± Having said that, he looked towards Zhang Zhiqi and Chen Fenghua, as well as the other Golden Core Cultivators from the two sects, ¡°Fortunately, over the years I have also refined a few Prohibition Breaking Talismans. Though they are only third-tier, they can still be useful against such formations. Each of you will take one, enter the formation with me, and when we activate the four talismans together, we will surely break through his formation.¡± After speaking, he distributed the three Spirit Talismans to the three of them. Prohibition Breaking Talisman! Although named a talisman, it was actually a product of the Array Formation. Or it could be said that Formation and Talisman were interconnected; both involved engraving the patterns of the Great Dao and mobilizing the power of heaven and earth. Once a certain level was reached, the two naturally merged seamlessly. The Prohibition Breaking Talisman stemmed from this ¡ª a great invention of the Array Formation Talisman. Only a third-tier Formation Master could craft it. As its name suggests, it was meant to break through prohibitions, created by Formation Masters who extrapted in reverse based on the principles of formations. Its purpose was to specifically disrupt the Yuan Spirit nodes and the heavenly and earthly formations, as well as talisman prohibitions. It could be said to be the nemesis of formations. After all, destruction is always simpler than construction. The ¡°mighty and clever¡± destructive force of this Prohibition Breaking Talisman was something that most formations could not withstand. Even if the Formation Master had exceptional skill and could promptly alter the formation to repair it, the impact caused by the Prohibition Breaking Talisman could still render the formation ineffective for a period of time. That period of time was the gap, the gap to break the formation! ¡°Though the Prohibition Breaking Talisman can break a formation, it must still find the precise node to achieve the greatest effect.¡± After allocating the three Prohibition Breaking Talismans, Jing Yue cast a cold nce at the crowd, ¡°We still do not know what kind of formation this is, nor its capabilities, whether it¡¯s a maze or an illusion array, a fierce or a killing array. To enter rashly may be unwise.¡± With that, he fell silent, only watching the crowd¡¯s reaction. The crowd was silent. After a moment, a few people clenched their teeth and stepped forward, ¡°One trains soldiers for a thousand days to use them for a moment. The disciple is willing to enter the formation and test its power.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Jing Yue nodded, his expression unchanging, ¡°Your going there is a great service. Act with caution and prioritize your safety.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± A few of them gritted their teeth, saying no more, and epted the dangerous mission. They had no choice but to ept it. After all, they were Pseudo Core Cultivators. The third-tier internal pills they had refined were provided by the sect. When necessary, they were expected to sacrifice for the sect; otherwise, what the sect had given, it could also take away. Now that the Prohibition Breaking Talismans were ready, and the scouts to probe the formation were in ce. All was ready, except for the opportunity. Jing Yue, with his hands behind his back, looked towards Purple Cloud Mountain and said to Li Longpeng beside him, ¡°Go and challenge them, see what they have to say.¡± ¡°Challenge?¡± Li Longpeng was surprised and hesitant, but he didn¡¯t dare to say more. He immediately rose into the air and came before Purple Cloud Mountain. ¡°Where is Shi Jian?¡± His voice was loud, but itcked conviction, clearly not expecting the other party toe out and respond to the challenge. However¡ ¡°How exquisite and profound, refined and mysterious; every motion demonstrates the Tao, and silence is divine, easily grasped in the palm like pearls, bright in the sky like the full moon; upon sess, one transcends the physical realm, and enters directly into the Great Luo Heaven!¡± Amidst the chant, a person riding on a cloud emerged from Purple Cloud Mountain, indeed a true cultivator of Taoism! ¡°Shi Jian!¡± Unexpectedly, the other party dared toe out and respond. Li Longpeng¡¯s eyes narrowed, and behind him, Zhang Zhiqi was on the verge of exploding with rage, ready to act, but he was stopped by Jing Yue stepping in front of him, ¡°This man has extraordinary skills, do not act rashly, wait and see how things unfold.¡± Hearing this, Zhang Zhiqi could only clench his teeth and stand still. Looking ahead, Li Longpeng was full of doubt and rm, but ultimately as a Great Golden Core cultivator, he quickly regained hisposure and asked coldly, ¡°Are you Shi Jian?¡± ¡°Indeed, I am.¡± Xu Yang, ungracious, sat on the cloud, coldly observing him and the others, ¡°Who are you, and why have youe?¡± Offended by his arrogance, Li Longpeng¡¯s eyes grew cold, ¡°I am Li Longpeng, the Supreme Elder of Tianshu Sect. We havee on ount of your upation of Purple Cloud Mountain and the use of curse spells to kill a cultivator from Green Jade Sect.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Xu Yang chuckled, then inquired, ¡°What business is the matter of Green Jade Sect to Tianshu Sect?¡± ¡°The three sects of Liang Country have always been as close as branches on the same tree, sharing honor and disgrace!¡± Li Longpeng waved his sleeves and spoke coldly, ¡°Your skills are indeed formidable, but to usurp someone else¡¯s Spirit Land in such a manner, and to employ your evil skills to take lives, isn¡¯t that a bit too vicious and despicable?¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yangughed again, ¡°The Way of Cultivation venerates the strong, giving precedence to the aplished. The Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit and the objects of creation, if you can upy them, why can¡¯t others?¡± ¡°You¡!¡± Li Longpeng was at a loss for words, about to retort. ¡°If you disagree,e and break the formation!¡± But Xu Yang interrupted him coldly, ¡°Break this formation and the curse spell will be lifted. If not, you had better return to your mountain and arrange your affairs.¡± Having said that, he swept his horsetail whisk and looked back at Jing Yue and the others, eyes colliding with Jing Yue¡¯s gaze. ¡°This formation is the Extinguish Heaven and Annihte Earth Formation, capable of wielding Heavenly Thunder Earthly Fire. If you do not fear death, you are wee to try to break it.¡± He finished speaking, ignoring Jing Yue¡¯s attitude and the reactions of the crowd, and returned to the mountain on his cloud. ¡°Supreme Elder!¡± Seeing him return to the formation in this manner, Zhang Zhiqi clenched his teeth in hatred, his eyes filled with reluctance as he looked towards Jing Yue. Jing Yue furrowed his brow, remaining silent, and after a long while issued the order with his hands behind his back, ¡°Enter the formation from four sides, let¡¯s see what he can do.¡± ¡°But¡ Yes!¡± The four Pseudo Core cultivators, though uncertain, dared not speak further and immediately entered the formation. However¡ The moment the four flew into the formation, they saw Purple Cloud Mountain silent and tranquil, without a single ripple¡ Chapter 248 - 168: Termination Array_3 Chapter 248: Chapter 168: Termination Array_3 Trantor:549690339 Still as calm as ever, without a single ripple! The four entered the Formation, like y oxen into the sea,pletely without trace or news. The crowd outside the Formation had been waiting for a long time, yet saw no sign of a response. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Could it be an Illusion Array?¡± ¡°How can there be no reaction whatsoever?¡± ¡°Could it be that¡¡± As they looked upon the unchanged Purple Cloud Mountain, the expressions of the crowd gradually grew more solemn, and the Pseudo Core cultivators were especially anxious and uneasy. This was, after all, four Golden Core Cultivators who had entered the Formation, yet there was not the slightest response. Were they trapped by the Illusion Array, or in by a lethal Formation? The crowd didn¡¯t dare to think further, their only choice was to look to Old Ancestor Jingyue. Jingyue remained silent, without a word for a long time. The atmosphere was heavy, oppressing the hearts of those present. After a long while, Jingyue finally broke the silence, ¡°Let us enter the Formation together and break the four gates¡¯ restrictions at once!¡± ¡°This¡¡± Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked, filled with panic and did not know what to do. Only Zhang Zhiqi gritted his teeth, ¡°I am willing to follow the Old Ancestor¡¯s orders!¡± Seeing him taking the lead, Li Longpeng and Chen Fenghua exchanged nces, and they too bowed their heads to ept themand. If one¡¯s lips are gone, the teeth will be cold! His way of doing things was so reckless and unbridled. If today he could curse Zhang Zhiqi to death, tomorrow he could do the same to them. Such a threat, if not eliminated, would leave them uneasy, even in sleep! Just as the four of them were about to lead a group of Golden Core Cultivators into the Formation for a forceful attack¡ Outside of Purple Cloud Mountain, tens of miles away, a youthy on the mountain peak, watching from a distance. ¡°Wow, a Nascent Soul, a fully matured Golden Core, twote-stage Golden Cores, and twenty to thirty early and mid-stage, Pseudo Cores and True Cores, most of the Golden Core Cultivators from the Three Sects of Liang Country are all here, aren¡¯t they?¡± The person appeared young, with a handsome face, yet also had a broad, bear-like back and a strong physique, and there was a determined air between his eyebrows. Hey prostrate on the peak, seamlessly blending with his surroundings; even from tens of miles away, he could clearly observe the battlefield situation and murmured to himself, ¡°If they all die here, that would make things a lot easier for me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, it¡¯s quite possible!¡± Before he could finish his sentence, a voice resounded in his mind, ¡°This person has an unclear origin, but he¡¯s definitely a fourth-tier Formation Master. The way he has set up this Formation¡ is almostparable to my younger days.¡± ¡°Really?¡± The youth was startled, ¡°Elder Zhen, were you that amazing back then?¡± ¡°Hmph, back then I was a sixth-tier Formation Master, revered as a Grandmaster. I¡¯m not someone this individual canpare to today!¡± The voice in his mind spoke coldly, ¡°But for a fourth-tier Formation Master, this person¡¯s prowess is indeed worthy of the title ¡®Grandmaster¡¯. Ordinary Formation Cultivators, without a thousand years of umtion and refinement, would find it extremely difficult to reach such a level of cultivation¡ How did he get in here? Can¡¯t the Three Sects even guard a gate properly?¡± The voice ended with a tone full of surprise and suspicion. The youth too was curious, ¡°Yeah, where did he pop out from? Could someone else be helping him? Elder Zhen, do you have any brothers or disciples?¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting!¡± The person in his mind scolded, ¡°The assistance you¡¯ve received from me is a unique and enormous stroke of luck. Others could not possibly have such fortune, talking about brothers and disciples¡ Back in the day, I was the number one Loose Cultivator in the Northern Domain, a solitary force capable of standing against Immortal Gates. Who would have been qualified to call me brother or peer?¡± ¡°Alright, alright, you¡¯re mighty and impressive. We can talk about the pastter, let¡¯s focus on the present for now,¡± The youth had grown ustomed to such conversations and pacified the other, then asked, ¡°Do you think he can hold back the forces of the Three Sects?¡± ¡°That¡ is hard to say,¡± The person in his mind hesitated, ¡°Although this person¡¯s Formation is powerful, the Three Sects have deep roots, and they must possess Magical Treasures capable of breaking his Formation. Once the Formation is broken, how can he, a single Golden Core cultivator, stand against the opposing Nascent Soul and the numerous troops?¡± Hearing this, the youth immediately became anxious, ¡°What should we do then, should we help him out?¡± ¡°Help him, what a joke! How can we help? Risk my life or yours?¡± The person in his mind cursed angrily, ¡°What cultivation do they have, and what¡¯s yours? In such a grand battle, you¡¯re in no position to meddle.¡± The youth scratched his head, ¡°I thought you had some tricks up your sleeve.¡± ¡°Tricks my ass!¡± The person in his brain cursed again, then turned around and said, ¡°But this formation of his¡¡± ¡°Boom! Rumble!¡± The words were not finished when thunder sounded. Then, the weather changed suddenly, the wind rose, and clouds surged. Yang Yun descended from the heavens, obscuring the sun, instilling panic in people¡¯s hearts. In broad daylight, thunder cracked, lightning shed, and even ghosts and gods trembled in fear. The great formation operated, the ground shook, mountains trembled, and flesh and blood were charred. Shock! Shock! Shock! Change! Change! Change! Jing Yue, Li Longpeng, Chen Fenghua, Zhang Zhiqi. Each of them led five Golden Core disciples, attacking from all sides, breaking into the formation. As soon as they entered the formation, heaven and earth transformed. Moments ago, Purple Cloud Mountain was calm, but now, winds howled, and thunder roared. It became as dark as dusk, the sun and moon lost their light. Grim and tragic, chaotic and bewildered. Heavenly thunder ignited earthly fire, and spirits of ghosts and gods wept! It was precisely ¡ª Extinguish Heaven and Annihte Earth! Hearing this formation¡¯s name might sound unfamiliar, but another name would certainly ring a bell ¡ª the God Sealing Ten Extinguishing Arrays. Although in the World of Dao and Law created by Laojun, there was no division between the Mysterious Gate and the Three Teachings, nor the cmity of gods being sealed during the era of Shang and Zhou, there were still ¡°Ten Righteous Gods who hasten clouds and protect rain in the Department of Thunder.¡± These Ten Gods also practiced array formation, known as the Ten Peerless Formations of the Thunder Department, which were simplified and left to the mortal realm. What Xu Yangid out now was thebination of the ¡°Heaven Extinguishing Array¡± and the ¡°Earth Annihtion Formation¡± ¡ª the Extinguish Heaven and Annihte Earth Array. What was the power of this formation like? Let¡¯s see what happened to everyone. Old Ancestor Jingyue, with his Nascent Soul cultivation, stepped confidently into the formation. But then, Yang Yun swirled about, and thunder struck from the heavens. Above, deadly lightning descended; below, Earthfire surged. The interaction of heavenly thunder with Earthfire formed an instant deadly attack. Jingyue¡¯s pupils constricted as he quickly activated his mana, conjuring a protective umbre above his head to shield himself. It turned out to be a high-grade magical treasure. A high-grade magical treasure was extraordinary by itself, and with the boost of Nascent Soul mana, it revolved, emitting brilliant Spirit Light that unwound the mix of Heavenly Thunder and Earthly Fire. Not only did it protect Jingyue himself but also allowed those behind him to avoid the cmity. However¡ ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± Explosions sounded from all directions; thunder and fire intertwined. Without such a magical treasure or such mana, the result for others was different. Aside from Zhang Zhiqi, Li Longpeng, and Chen Fenghua, three Great Golden Core Elders of theter stage, the apanying Golden Core cultivators faced the cmity of lightning and fire and suffered misfortune, being sted to pieces. Indeed: The Earth Annihtion Formation shaped the impure and heavy; above was merciless lightning, below was unforgiving fire. Pity the cultivators who formed their Golden Cores, unable to escape the formation and perishing like evaporating smoke. Chapter 249 - 169: Heavenly Sword_1 Chapter 249: Chapter 169: Heavenly Sword_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± The Extinguish Heaven and Annihte Earth Array conjured thunderfire, leaving no escape in all directions. In the Formation, atop Purple Cloud Mountain, sat a Taoist man. In his hands, he held a banner, both pole and fabric were scarlet red. But it was seen that the Taoist man sat unshaken atop the summit, casually wielding the red banner with grandeur and ease. As he unted the banner, heavenly thunder poured, earthly fire stirred, above there was the roaring of thunder, and below the mes raged fiercely. People from all sides, trapped within the Formation, had no way of retreat. Facing the cmity of Heavenly Thunder and Earthly Fire, with life and death hanging in the bnce, they could only fend for themselves like the proverbially resourceful Eight Immortals crossing the sea. However, aside from Jing Yue, the Nascent Soul, the rest of the Supreme Elders from the Three Sects could only protect themselves, unable to care for their apanying disciples. ¡°Heavens and stars, Big Dipper guide home!¡± Li Longpeng bellowed, tossing out six Supreme Grade Spiritual Artifacts, whichbined with his life-bonded Magical Treasure to form the Array of the Big Dipper. This Formation barely deflected the brunt of the thunderfire onught. Even so, the few behind him were still in mortal peril. They were not Supreme Elders,cking top-grade Magical Treasures and robust Mana, merely at the initial stage of Golden Core. Even if they exhausted all their tricks, what could it amount to? ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± With a series of thunderous sts, many Pseudo Cores were turned to dust. If Li Longpeng struggled so, there was even less need to discuss Zhang Zhiqi and Chen Fenghua, who could only block half of the thunderfire, the rest falling upon the bodies of their disciples. In an instant, the Pseudo Cores from the Three Sects were left in disarray, the majority obliterated by the Termination Array¡¯s fury of thunderfire. ¡°Damn it!¡± Upon witnessing this, the three of them felt both the pain of loss and panic. Although these Pseudo Core cultivators were meant to be cannon fodder, even cannon fodder had their value. To fall to ashes without achieving anything, how could they not grieve? More importantly, once these cannon fodder perished, how much longer could they themselves hold out? ¡°This Formation is extremely dangerous, we must not linger!¡± ¡°Prohibition Breaking Talisman!¡± In this moment of life and death, Li Longpeng couldn¡¯t spare any thought for caution. With the Big Dipper Array built from Magical Treasures and Spiritual Artifacts weathering the storm of thunderfire, he barely found a Node of the Formation, into which heunched the third-tier Prohibition Breaking Talisman gifted by Jing Yue. ¡°Boom!¡± As the Prohibition Breaking Talisman was activated, it exploded with a loud bang. In a sh, Array patterns flickered, Yuan Spirits were thrown into disarray, a multitude of Talismans were shattered, and the might of thunderfire was reduced by thirty percent. This was the effect of breaking the prohibition! Destruction has always been simpler than construction, and Prohibition Breaking Talismans tapped exactly into this principle. No matter how exquisite or stable a Formation, as long as the tier is matched, it will be impacted by the talisman, weakening the might of the Formation, and potentially breaking it apart. Some high-tier Prohibition Breaking Talismans, to enhance their ¡°breaking¡± effect, would also consist of some extremely rare Heavenly and Earth treasures, causing chaos in Yin and Yang, inverting the Five Elements, disrupting the principles of heaven and earth, affecting the order of space and time. Although the Three Sects¡¯ Prohibition Breaking Talismans in hand were not among these, they were still of fine quality, containing the intricate essence of the Array of the Big Dipper, and ordinary formations stood little chance against them. Against this move, there was no other method but to alter the Formation, mend the ruptures, and then continue the fierce battle with formidable foes. Thus, the Prohibition Breaking Talisman was an exceedingly effective means of breaking Formations. In theory, as long as the tier of the talismans was high enough and the quantity sufficient, all Formations could be forcibly breached. This ¡°Extinguish Heaven and Annihte Earth Formation¡± seemed no exception. With a single talisman from Li Longpeng, the Extinguish Heaven and Annihte Earth¡¯s might of thunderfire was reduced by thirty percent. ¡°Good!¡± Seeing this, Chen Fenghua followed suit, igniting his Prohibition Breaking Talisman gifted by Jing Yue. ¡°Boom!¡± The Prohibition Breaking Talisman was activated, shattering with a loud explosion, countless Array patterns and Talismans disintegrated. Although he was not a Formation Master and had not located the foundation nodes of the Formation like Li Longpeng, the power of the Prohibition Breaking Talisman alone was enough to impact the Formation and reduce the might of thunderfire by another twenty percent. From thirty to fifty, over half of the Formation¡¯s power was abated. The group that had been teetering on the brink of catastrophe, barely holding on, now found their footing steadied. ¡°Good!¡± Seeing this, Zhang Zhiqi hesitated no more. Protected by the Green Jade Spirit Armor, he was about to ignite his Prohibition Breaking Talisman. However¡ ¡°Rumble!¡± A peal of thunder exploded within his sea of consciousness. Zhang Zhiqi¡¯splexion changed, his body shuddered, and soon his facial features twisted in horror as blood spurted from his seven orifices. ¡°Moo!!!¡± Within the sea of consciousness, mountains moved in upon him, and the Green Bull descended from the sky, pulling the plow. With one plow, the Green Jade Armor shattered. With another plow, the cultivator¡¯s soul shattered. ¡°Ah!!!¡± A scream of agony pierced the air. Zhang Zhiqi¡¯s crown burst open, his disheveled hair flew wildly as blood erupted from his seven orifices, vital energy scattering from within him, he plummeted down from the cloud. The Plough-Head Curse, within two days the seven arrows ensure a destined death! Zhang Zhiqi¡ªdead! ¡°Brother Zhang!¡± ¡°Supreme Elder!¡± ¡°Not good!¡± ¡°Quick!!¡± Seeing this scene, everyone reacted differently. Fortunately, from behind, a fortunate surviving Golden Core from the Green Jade Sect seized the opportunity, flew forward, caught the body of Zhang Zhiqi, and that crucial Prohibition Breaking Talisman. In this moment of dire life and death, no words were needed. The person immediately spurred his Mana and ignited the Prohibition Breaking Talisman in mid-air. ¡°Boom!¡± The Prohibition Breaking Talisman activated, roaring forth into the void, shattering patterns of the Array. ¡°Rumble!¡± Purple Cloud shook, the Formation quivered, and the power of Heavenly Thunder and Earthly Fire was once again reduced. Seventy percent of its might was now gone! Even for a Golden Core¡¯s ultimate Formation, once seventy percent of its power was depleted, it no longer posed much of a threat. The situation reversed abruptly! ¡°Supreme Elder!¡± ¡°Brother Zhang!¡± ¡°Die, you viin!¡± Seeing Zhang Zhiqi fall, his death as tragic as it was sudden, both Li Longpeng and Chen Fenghua were needless to say, shocked and angered. Spurring their magic artifacts, they headed to strike at Purple Cloud¡¯s summit. However¡ At the peak of Purple Cloud, the Taoist man sat. The red banner waved, the ultimate Formation crumbled. One could see the Taoist man seated steadily atop the mountain, his scarlet banner flourishing, and the damaged Formation immediately transformed. ¡°Rumble!¡± In an instant, the menace of Thunder and Fire roared into being once again. Chapter 250 - 169: Heavenly Sword_2 Chapter 250: Chapter 169: Heavenly Sword_2 Trantor: 549690339 The formation¡¯s shape shifted and stabilized in an instant, churning vigorously. Li Longpeng and Chen Fenghua¡¯s pupils contracted, their expressions changed, and before they could react, thunder and fire moved together, attacking from above and below. Its power and momentum were even greater than before! ¡°Good!!!¡± Outside the formation, on a distant mountaintop, a young man watching the battlefield couldn¡¯t help but exim in his mind. The young man was astonished and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Good what?¡± ¡°This person¡¯s mastery of array formations has reached the fourth tier of the Phase Realm!¡± ¡°Look at the changes in the formation, smooth as flowing clouds and water, seamlessly natural. Even with three Prohibition Breaking Talismans forcefully striking, they couldn¡¯t make him reveal the slightest gap or w.¡± ¡°You can see the subtlety of his control over the formation, his strongmand has reached an extraordinary level, just a step away from the fifth tier Formation Master¡¡± ¡°No, no, not a step away. He must not have ess to a fifth-tier mana point, otherwise he would already be a fifth-tier Formation Master.¡± ¡°Although the Prohibition Breaking Talismans counter formations, this counteraction is rtive. Only talismans of equivalent level and sufficient quantity can break all formations.¡± ¡°Just three lowly Prohibition Breaking Talismans trying to break his formation?¡± ¡°Naivelyughable!¡± ¡°Unless there is a fourth-tier Prohibition Breaking Talisman, or ten third-tier ones targeting the nodes, otherwise it¡¯s foolish to think they pose a threat to the grand array he presides over.¡± ¡°This person, no, this young friend, as long as he does not fall midway, will surely be the Grandmaster of the Array Path in the future!¡± In his mind, a string of words barely hid his admiration, which resonated loudly in the young man¡¯s ears. In the cleverest of ways, it bes more profound! In the midst of Purple Cloud Mountain, the formation shifted. Three talismans attempted to break the prohibition, having no effect whatsoever. Though it is said that Prohibition Breaking Talismans counter formations, such a counter is always rtive. The talismans have their power, and the formations have their subtleties. A grand array¡¯s interconnected frameworks, how could there not be backup strength? If one node is broken, one foundation is destroyed, it essentially does not affect the overall situation. As long as the Formation Master adjusts from within, altering and repairing the formation, the grand array can continue to be maintained. To break the formation, the quality and quantity of the Prohibition Breaking Talismans must be enough to overwhelm, not allowing the speed of the array¡¯s changes and repairs to keep up with the talismans¡¯ destructive force. Obviously, mere three Prohibition Breaking Talismans, regardless of their quality or quantity, could not suppress the Heaven Extinguishing and Earth Annihtion Formation presided by Xu Yang. So¡ ¡°Boom!¡± The thunder and fire attacked incessantly, pounding Li Longpeng into a pitiable state, his Big Dipper Formation scarred and on the brink of copse. On the other side, Chen Fenghua fared even worse, with one magical treasure already sted apart and a second one brought out as a substitute, now desperately swallowing Spirit Pills, struggling to hold on with the power of the pills. As for the others¡ There were no others left! If even these two Supreme Elders in thete Golden Core stage were struggling to hold on, how could any other Golden Cores possibly withstand? They had already turned to ash and dust, their bodies dead and their paths extinguished. Except for¡ ¡°Senior Brother save me!!!¡± In a life-or-death crisis, Li Longpeng could no longer care about his pride and immediately cried out to Jing Yue for help. And in the next instant after his cry for help. ¡°Go!!!¡± Jing Yue¡¯s gaze intensified, finally discerning the critical point of the formation, heunched a beam of Spirit Light. ¡°Boom!!!¡± The Spirit Light surged like a dragon, with yin and yang energies, ck and white fish chasing each other, concealing within it the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper, like a divine sword with hidden edge. A fourth-tier Prohibition Breaking Talisman, bestowed by the main of Tianshu Sect! When it did not emerge, it was quiet; when it did, it shocked the heavens. The talisman surged like a dragon, breaking the prohibition, roaring into the void. Suddenly, the earth shook, the thunder and fire dissipated, and beneath Purple Cloud Mountain, the ground split open, creating a deep abyss rift, reaching from the bottom up to the mountain¡¯s peak. The Earth Dragon overturned! The Spirit Vein shattered! Most formations need to harness the power of heaven and earth. What is the power of heaven and earth? It¡¯s intuitively the Spirit Veins of heaven and earth. The Heavenly Spirit is qi, and the Earth Spirit is veins. The former is rare, exceedingly difficult to find, thus most formations can only rely on Earth Veins as their foundation. This fourth-tier Prohibition Breaking Talisman, targeting the Earth Spirit and destroying the Earth Vein, was truly like pulling out the bottom log that makes the pot boil. Pulling out the bottom log, the effect is naturally remarkable. The Earth Dragon overturned, and Purple Cloud Mountain crumbled. A chasm, a trench, rushing from the foot to the peak of the mountain, split this mountain of thousands of feet high right in the middle. This demonstrated the power of a fourth-tier Prohibition Breaking Talisman, truly the work of a Formation Grandmaster. ¡°A fourth-tier Prohibition Breaking Talisman!¡± ¡°Tianshu Sect truly spares no expense, bestowing such a thing.¡± Outside the battlefield, upon seeing this spectacle, the observing young man also sighed in his mind. ¡°That old fellow Jing Yue is quite ruthless; gambling with the lives of his Golden Core disciples, he refused to use the fourth-tier Prohibition Breaking Talisman until he found the core of the formation and targeted the Purple Cloud¡¯s Earth Vein.¡± ¡°Now that the Earth Vein is broken, pulling out the bottom log, not only will this formation be undeniably destroyed, but if that person had any tricks in reserve, they would be obliterated as well, with no chance of reversal.¡± ¡°What a pity, what a pity¡¡± Sighs echoed through the young man¡¯s mind. Looking again at the battlefield, it had reached an extreme point. ¡°Die!¡± With a strategy akin to pulling the carpet from underneath, the Termination Array copsed, and Purple Cloud Mountain burst apart, with the Taoist man soaring into the sky. Jing Yue with a treasure umbre over his head, flew towards the site, his tremendous mana surging forth with a palm strike that caused the winds and clouds to lose their luster. His Nascent Soul cultivation was fully disyed in its formidable might. However¡ The Taoist man soared high into the heavens, rendering his strike fruitless and forcing him to return. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going!¡± Seeing his opponent fly away toward the heavens after paying a hefty price to break the formation, Jing Yue couldn¡¯t possibly let him escape and instantly transformed into a long rainbow, chasing after him with urgent Escape Light. But unexpectedly¡ No sooner had the long rainbow ascended into the high skies than the winds and clouds began to change. ¡°Boom!¡± Above the sky, below the ninth heaven, amidst the vast sea of clouds, a sword streaked across the sky. What kind of sword was that? The Heaven Extinguishing Sword! With heaven, earth, and man in disarray, who could decipher the mysteries of the profound? The Heaven Extinguishing Array embodies the Three Talents; it manifests the numbers of the pre-heaven and conceals the chaos of the primordial. It requires the erection of Three gs within the array, arranged in ordance with the forces of heaven, earth, and man. Together they merge into one, transforming into thunder, and even an Immortal Body would be turned to ash and dust. Xu Yang did not have the Three gs in hand. Though without the gs, he did have a sword. Formation skills, five distinctive characteristics. All methods form an array, a Grandmaster of the generation. As natural as the sky, as easy as directing one¡¯s arm. Furthermore, with the inclusion of the final Three Talents Sword Array, it had long surpassed form and convention; the Three Talents gs could bepletely substituted by the Three Talents Sword. The Three Talents Sword was also the Xuanyuan Jue! Therefore¡ A sword illuminated the sky, and the sound of Heaven Extinguishing roared like thunder. A resplendent sword light swallowed the heavens and annihted the earth. Heaven Extinguishing Array! Xuanyuan Sword! The Thunder Series Sword Jue fused with the Array Path, the final killing move was revealed! ¡°!!!!!¡± Below the sword light, in the presence of heavenly might, Jing Yue¡¯s face turned deathly pale, too stricken with shock and panic to speak. At this moment, there was no time for distraction. In the next instant, the Heavenly Sword descended, a life-ending sh. ¡°Boom!¡± With a thunderous roar, all ten directions trembled, and a hundred miles around were in ceaseless tumult. Spirit Light surged, raging and sweeping through, as ripples in the void billowed outwards. A figure flipped over and emerged, retreating several steps in the air before mustering all his strength to stomp down. ¡°Bang!!!¡± With one step into the void, steadying his frame, Jing Yue¡¯s face was ashen, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. With gritted teeth nearly crushed to pieces, he let out a sound filled with shock, anger, sadness, and unwillingness. ¡°Heavenly Single Sword!!!¡± ¡°Ah!!!¡± With a roar and a wail, the thunder within him burst forth, instantly shattering his body. ¡°Boom!!!¡± With a massive explosion, his Nascent Soul body burst apart, and sword Qi of thunder surged outward in all directions. The surrounding mountains and peaks were affected; amid the rumble, they crumbled, and several peaks were ttened in an instant, riddled with scars. Amid the terrifying aftermath, a spirit light flew out. Within the spirit light, there was again an umbre, the Magical Treasure of Jing Yue. The umbre was now closed, tattered and torn, and within the remnants of the umbre fabric, one could vaguely make out an infantile form. The Nascent Soul of the cultivator! Though his fleshly body was destroyed, the Nascent Soul was not dead, taking refuge in the Magical Treasure, as it desperately fled. Just then, a massive hand descended from the sky, carrying the might of the winds and clouds, reaching straight for the treasure umbre. It was Xu Yang. Knowing the repercussions of letting the tiger return to the mountain, he naturally would not allow his opponent to escape. s, his current cultivation was far too weak; the Heavenly Sword could only be wielded once, and the subsequent attacks were without power. Even so, capturing a Nascent Soul that had lost its physical body was not a difficult task. Unless¡ ¡°Buzz!¡± The treasure umbre spun, Tianshu beckoned, the Formation aligned with the Big Dipper, and in an instant, it turned to light and vanished into the void, rendering any interception futile. In the blink of an eye, the long rainbow disappeared into the void. Above the vast sky, the Taoist man, alone, stood with his hands behind his back on the clouds, his gaze stretching far into the horizon, then he suddenly smiled. ¡°Tianshu of the Big Dipper, truly remarkable!¡± Chapter 251 - 170: Three Methods_1 Chapter 251: Chapter 170: Three Methods_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Holy shit¡ Holy shit¡ Holy SHIT¡ HOLY SHIT¡!!!¡± Outside Purple Cloud Mountain, dozens of miles away, the youth was lying prostrate on the ground, both hands covering his ears, yet still, cries of rm echoed in his mind. To this, the youth was also helpless; his master, a loose cultivator who had risen from the bottom, even afterter attaining the level of a Return to Void True Monarch and bing a Grandmaster of the Array Path, still had some habits of themon folk, and had always been unfiltered in his speech. But on the other hand, after spending so much time with him, this was the first time he heard him curse ¡°holy shit¡± so many times. Although that person defying the norm to y a Nascent Soul with the body of a Golden Core was indeed awesome and terrifying, was it enough to make him lose hisposure to such an extent? After all, weren¡¯t you a Return to Void True Monarch and a Grandmaster of the Array Path, a loose cultivator who had dominated the Northern Domain and contended against the Immortal Gates? Is it necessary to be so overexcited, like a bumpkin who has never seen the world? Or could it be that this old guy was just boasting and he wasn¡¯t really a Return to Void True Monarch? The youth secretly doubted in his heart, but on the surface, he still tried tofort and reassure: ¡°Elder Zhen, Elder Zhen, please calm down. Don¡¯t get so worked up, be careful not to let him notice!¡± ¡°Calm down, how can you ask me to be calm when faced with such a monster? How can I be calm?¡± Upon hearing these words, the cries of surprise in his mind grew louder. ¡°Do you know what that sword just now signified?¡± ¡°You think it¡¯s as simple as just a Golden Core ying a Nascent Soul?¡± ¡°That was the Heavenly Sword, Heavenly Sword, HEAVENLY SWORD, do you understand?!¡± The roar continued, the shock profound. The youth was surprised and quite puzzled: ¡°Heavenly Sword, what Heavenly Sword?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I say you know nothing,¡± Elder Zhen sighed and continued solemnly, ¡°Do you remember what I told you about the three strongest fighting powers among all the cultivation methods?¡± ¡°I remember,¡± the youth nodded and replied in a deep tone. ¡°Among the battle cultivators, the Sword Dao is supreme, unmatched in battle.¡± ¡°Among the spell cultivators, thunder and lightning reign supreme,manding authority over thousands.¡± ¡°Both sword and thunder cultivators are exceptionally strong cultivations, each capable of crossing boundaries.¡± ¡°But besides sword and thunder cultivation, there¡¯s another path that¡¯s equally powerful.¡± ¡°That is the way of Heaven and Earth¡¯s Array Path. Formation cultivators use the world as their instrument, simrly looking down upon all others, unrivaled in the cultivation realm.¡± ¡°Sword cultivators, thunder cultivators, formation cultivators, they make up the three strongest fighters, most who battle beyond their realms belong to these sses.¡± Saying this, the youth¡¯s eyes began to focus, as if he was starting to understand something. ¡°Indeed, those are the three great methods of cultivation,¡± Elder Zhen nodded and then asked, ¡°Now, in your opinion, is this person a sword cultivator, a thunder cultivator, or a formation cultivator?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The youth hesitated for a moment: ¡°Could it be that he cultivates all three methods?¡± ¡°Exactly, he cultivates all three methods!¡± ¡°This person is both a sword cultivator and well-versed in thunder series, even more proficient in array formations!¡± ¡°Thunder cultivators, sword cultivators, formation cultivators, all three are exceptionally strong cultivations.¡± ¡°Throughout history, there have been many prodigies who attempted to cultivate two methods, or even all three methods simultaneously.¡± ¡°Therefore, while cultivating all three methods is rare, it is not umon. In my heyday, when I traveled the Northern Domain, I encountered quite a few such individuals.¡± ¡°But¡¡± Elder Zhen paused in his speech and after a long while said, ¡°This person¡¯s cultivation of the three methods is not of the ordinary kind.¡± ¡°Not of the ordinary kind?¡± The youth was startled, his expression puzzled: ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°A person¡¯s life span is limited, as is their strength!¡± Elder Zhen sighed and exined, ¡°Thunder cultivators, sword cultivators, formation cultivators, each has its strengths, and to cultivate them simultaneously, one must merge them together; thunder seriesbined with swordsmanship can craft a Thunder Sword, array formationsbined with swordsmanship can achieve a Sword Formation. To cultivate all three methods, one must master each to perfection, integrate andplement them. Only then can one attain the profound and mysterious.¡± Listening to this, the youth seemed to understand but not quite: ¡°So¡¡± ¡°So it¡¯s difficult, incredibly difficult, as hard as ascending to the heavens!¡± Elder Zhen said gravely, ¡°A normal cultivator, focusing on one path, must devote their entire life¡¯s efforts. How much more so for those cultivating the three great methods and integrating them perfectly?¡± ¡°Therefore, the usual cultivator of the three methods isn¡¯t truly cultivating all three methods, they haven¡¯t cultivated all three to the pinnacle of perfection, to a state of transcendence and sublime mastery. They possess only a rudimentarybination based on shallow knowledge.¡± ¡°Not to mention anything else, take the Flying Thunder Sword Technique I taught you recently; can you say that is a Thunder Sword cultivation technique?¡± ¡°Clearly, you cannot. That technique is simply a sword technique supplemented by an auxiliary thunder series, its essence is a sword technique, not a Thunder Series Sword Jue.¡± ¡°True dual cultivation of thunder and sword must involve cultivating both thunder and sword arts to an extremely high level, attaining the peak, transcending the mundane, and integrating the intricacies of both perfectly. Only then is it true dual cultivation of the Thunder Sword.¡± After finishing, Elder Zhen asked the youth, ¡°So you see how difficult this is, right?¡± ¡°This¡¡± The youth was at a loss for words, unsure of how to respond. ¡°Sword cultivation is difficult, thunder cultivation is difficult, and formation cultivation is even more challenging!¡± ¡°So, cultivating all three methods and integrating them together, what is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a path to ascension. Cultivating it is as hard as ascending to the heavens!¡± ¡°But he¡ he achieved it!¡± ¡°He! Did! It!¡± Although in a spiritual body, without a physical form, the youth could still feel and envision Elder Zhen saying these words with heavy breaths and speech. ¡°Heavenly Sword!¡± ¡°Heavenly Sword!¡± Elder Zhen gritted his teeth, his shock evident: ¡°He just said his formation is called the Heaven Extinguishing Earth Annihting Array.¡± ¡°At first, I thought this Heaven Extinguishing Earth Annihting referred to Heavenly Thunder and Earthly Fire!¡± ¡°But I never imagined, this Heaven Extinguishing Earth Annihting truly means two arrays of Heaven and Earth!¡± ¡°That fourth-tier Prohibition Breaking Talisman only broke the Earth Annihtion Formation, but there¡¯s still a Heaven Extinguishing Arrayid out on top, ready to be triggered.¡± ¡°An array within an array, two connected arrays, yet distinct and clear. The breaking of Earth Annihtion did not affect the already fully charged Heaven Extinguishing.¡± ¡°After the Earth Annihtion Formation broke, he leaped into the sky, activated the formation, and the Heaven Extinguishing Array manifested lightning, incorporating his own thunder technique along with the power of swordsmanship to unleash a Heavenly Sword!¡± ¡°This Heavenly Sword represents his thunder technique, swordsmanship, and formation cultivation all reaching the pinnacle, a state of transcendence, merging the three perfectly,plementing each other as ifbining Heaven, Earth, and Man into one, and the sword moved with the might of Heaven!¡± ¡°This is the Heavenly Sword!¡± ¡°Compared to the significance behind this Heavenly Sword, what does ying a Nascent Soul against the norm count for?¡± Elder Zhen took a deep breath. ¡°In all my years dominating the Northern Domain, I¡¯ve seen and experienced much, but such a monstrous talent¡ I¡¯ve truly never seen, never seen anything like it.¡± ¡°Even if he possessed peerless talent, a naturally gifted spiritual body, and even started cultivating while in his mother¡¯s womb, it shouldn¡¯t be possible for him to master the Heavenly Sword at the Golden Core Realm, should it? How much time, effort, and umtion of knowledge and potential would that require?¡± ¡°Could it be that he was born a celestial fetus, with a lifespan of ten thousand years in the Golden Core Realm, or even immortality, giving him endless time to squander without advancing his cultivation, to focus solely on practicing swordsmanship, Thunder Series, and formation?¡± ¡°How the hell is that possible?¡± Elder Zhen¡¯s words became more and more chaotic, tinged with a hint of madness. Hearing this, the youth didn¡¯t know what to do. Fortunately, Elder Zhen soon calmed down. ¡°He¡¯s definitely more than just Golden Core Realm!¡± ¡°This body is merely a disguise, or perhaps an external incarnation!¡± ¡°His true self must be at least at the Divinity Transformation, or even Return to Void!¡± ¡°Only then would it be possible to master the Heavenly Sword.¡± ¡°Now that makes sense.¡± ¡°But why would such a persone here?¡± ¡°Did the Three Sects have a breach, or is there a problem with the Void Spirit Cave Heaven¡¡± ¡°Forget it, whatever!¡± After muttering to himself, Elder Zhen turned to the youth and said, ¡°This person¡¯s background is extraordinary; he must be eyeing the Void Spirit Cave Heaven.¡± ¡°Ah?¡± The youth was taken aback, then worriedly said, ¡°Then what do we do? We can¡¯t beat him, can we?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been teaching you for so long, and all you think about is brute force? Can¡¯t you use your brain a little?¡± Elder Zhen scolded with a tinge of disappointment, ¡°With his power, even if you and I tied ourselves together, we wouldn¡¯t be enough for one of his thunder strikes. But there¡¯s a saying, ¡®When the snipe and the m grapple, the fisherman profits!¡¯¡± ¡°When the snipe and the m grapple, the fisherman profits?¡± The youth blinked in surprise, his eyes gradually brightening, ¡°Elder Zhen, do you mean to let him sh with the Three Sects while we look for an opportunity to benefit from their strife?¡± ¡°You can be taught!¡± Elder Zhen nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Let him battle with the Three Sects. I¡¯ll take you to im the greatest benefits from the Void Spirit Cave Heaven first. Then we¡¯ll leave this godforsaken ce. After refining our cultivation, we¡¯ll return to collect the Immortal Artifact. Wouldn¡¯t that be wonderful?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, let¡¯s do that!¡± The youth nodded repeatedly but then expressed concern, ¡°But he¡¯s already beheaded a Nascent Soul. Can the Three Sects still entangle with him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re uninformed.¡± Elder Zhen shook his head, ¡°Each of the Three Sects has its own backing. What does one Nascent Soul amount to? Soon, there will be arge force rushing here to fight him to the death. By then, we¡¯ll be able to fish in troubled waters, find the Void Spirit Immortal Mansion, take all the treasures, and let them fight over nothing.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that!¡± The youth¡¯s eyes shone, ¡°What¡¯s the first step?¡± ¡°Cultivate first!¡± Elder Zhen said gravely, ¡°Your cultivation is too low. Even if they¡¯re like the snipe and m, you won¡¯t be able to profit as the fisherman. So the next step is to increase your cultivation. At the very least, you need to reach the Golden Core Realm. Foundation Establishment is nothing; outside, it¡¯s not even as good as a dog!¡± The youth wasn¡¯t bothered, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go back to cultivating now.¡± ¡°Go back where? With what little you have, what can you cultivate? You can¡¯t increase your cultivation on north winds alone!¡± Elder Zhen pondered for a moment, an idea forming, ¡°I¡¯ve got it, let¡¯s go to Green Jade Sect. Heh heh heh, let¡¯s enjoy the cool under the tree nted by others. Now that the Golden Cores of the Three Sects are destroyed and no one is guarding Green Jade Sect, isn¡¯t it ripe for the taking? Hurry, kid, I¡¯ll take you to make a fortune!¡± On hearing this, the youth hesitated, ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Stop that!¡± Elder Zhen interrupted, ¡°Do you still want to seek revenge? That girl has joined Tianshu Sect.¡± ¡°This¡ okay, let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t shout so loud. Do you want to lure that old ghost here?¡± ¡°Oh, oh, oh!¡± The youth nodded repeatedly, nced cautiously at Purple Cloud Mountain, and in an instant, his figure turned into a beam of yellow light, darting into the mountain and disappearing. Soon, within Green Jade Sect, Supreme Cave Mansion. ¡°Hahaha!¡± ¡°How about it? The Five Elements Escape Method I taught you is formidable, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°The power of the Five Elements is the logic of heaven and earth. Once you master it, not to mention these minor third-tier formations, even fourth-tier, or even fifth-tier great arrays will no longer bind you. As long as no one¡¯s controlling them, you can move in and out without a trace.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been telling you to get a higher-tier Storage Spiritual Ring. Look at you now, carrying a big bag on your back. With so many Storage Bags, if someone sees you, they¡¯ll go crazy, won¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Be careful, there are people ahead!¡± A youth, carrying a pack, cautiously sneaked out of the Spiritual Vein Cave Mansion without anyone noticing, making his way effortlessly to the front gate of the mountain. However, just as he was about to leave through the gate¡ ¡°Boom!¡± Yang Yun clouds descended like a tide, sweeping over everything. Command gs fell from the sky, one plunging straight down in front of the gate of Green Jade Sect. ¡°!!!¡± The youth stopped in his tracks, his face going pale. ¡°Damn it!¡± Elder Zhen, seeing this, also felt a headache, ¡°I knew he¡¯de, but I didn¡¯t expect him toe so quickly. Damn it, after using the Heavenly Sword, doesn¡¯t he need to rest a bit?¡± The youth was speechless and quickly asked, ¡°What use is saying this now? What do we do?¡± ¡°What can we do but run? If the old guy catches us, we¡¯re both done for!¡± ¡°Oh, oh, oh!¡± The youth nodded, turned around to leave, and prepared to find another way to break out. However¡ ¡°No, wait. That old ghost¡¯s acting so fast, the great array is about to be activated. If you dash out now, you¡¯re walking into a trap.¡± ¡°Then what do we do?¡± ¡°This¡ quick, find a set of Green Jade Sect menial disciple¡¯s clothes to change into. From now on, you¡¯re a menial disciple of Green Jade Sect. That old ghost didn¡¯t ughter Purple Cloud Mountain, so he probably won¡¯t ughter Green Jade Sect either.¡± ¡°And these Storage Bags¡¡± ¡°What of it? Find some ce to bury them. If there¡¯s a chance, we can dig them outter.¡± ¡°Oh, oh, oh!¡± Chapter 252 - 171: Void Spirit_1 Chapter 252: Chapter 171: Void Spirit_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Who is this demon daring to offend our Green Jade Sect!¡± A stern shout rang out as the Azure Dragon raised its head, roaring from within Green Jade Mountain. It was indeed the spirit of the Green Jade Earth Veins, the Azure Dragon Spirit. Although the Green Jade Sect¡¯s Golden Core Cultivators had emerged en masse, with the Green Jade Earth Veins¡¯ dragon formation that possessed an Earth Spirit, they could fend off most Golden Core Cultivators. Regrettably, the intruder was not among them. Command gs fell from the sky, instantly establishing another formation outside, quickly assuming a posture to trap the dragon. ¡°Roar!!!¡± The Azure Dragon, infuriated, roared as it tried to break through the formation surrounding the mountain. Formations are versatile, yet they have one w ¨C theyck mobility. Often, they¡¯re powerless against external forces. But as the tier of the formation rises, this w gradually fades. Some higher-tier formations not only exert force outwardly but can also change postures, move, and expand, even epassing an entire world within them. Although the Azure Dragon formation didn¡¯t possess such abilities, it could still dominate hundred miles of rivers and mountains ¨C beyond that, it was powerless. Now, with the enemy¡¯s formation right at the doorstep, the Azure Dragon, drawing from the Green Jade Spiritual Vein, struck mightily, ready to shatter mountains and crumble peaks. Yet, unexpectedly¡ ¡°Boom!¡± A thunderous roar, lightning from the heavensbined with descending sword light, forcefully prated the formation. ¡°Roar!!!¡± The Azure Dragon cried in agony, plummeting. Pinned down like a serpent skewered at its vital seven-inch point, it writhed in pain, and the power of the great formation immediately weakened by thirty percent. But this was just the beginning. ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± The booms continued in session, thunder fell from the sky, and sword light rained down like a deluge, each strike hitting the formation¡¯s foundation and the nodes of its Yuan Spirit. ¡°Roar!!!¡± The Azure Dragon wept bitterly, its body contorted as Green Jade Mountain shook along with it, but it was powerless to resist or retaliate. It could only watch helplessly as the enemy hammered one thunder sword after another into the mountain, into its body. ¡°How can this be, how can this be?¡± ¡°Is the grand formation truly useless?¡± ¡°Who is this sacred being that hase?¡± ¡°Quick, summon the Supreme Elder!¡± ¡°Hurry, go!¡± Inside the mountain gate, all was chaos. Watching the thunderous sword rain covering the sky, the youth was dumbstruck and at a loss for what to do. Fortunately, a stern shout in his mind brought him back to his senses. ¡°You bunch of idiots, what are you dawdling for? This broken formation is only third-tier and there¡¯s no Formation Master in control ¨C it operates solely on the Earth Spirit¡¯s instinctive movements. In front of that old ghost, it¡¯s as defenseless as a naked courtesan in a brothel, easy to break through. Move quickly ording to my instructions, or if he kills his way in here and finds out there¡¯s something wrong with you, both of us are done for!¡± ¡°Oh, oh, oh!¡± Upon hearing this, the youth finally snapped out of his daze, turning to run in a panic. Looking again outside the mountain, amidst the pervasive Yang Yun clouds, Xu Yang sat alone, simultaneously unleashing thunderous sword rain to break the Azure Dragon¡¯s formation and absorbing the energy of Spirit Stones to replenish his own consumption. The Heavenly Sword¡¯s might is incredibly strong, and its consumption equally severe. For an ordinary Golden Core Cultivator, after using the Heavenly Sword, they would bepletely drained. If they didn¡¯t recuperate in time, at best their Yuan Qi would suffer greatly and their cultivation level would plummet. At worst, their foundation would be damaged and long-term issues deeply embedded, their entire cultivation dissipating like water flowing eastward. However, Xu Yang was no ordinary Golden Core Cultivator. His current body was not one of flesh and blood, but rather a Spirit-Treasure Ten Thousand Artifact Body. The wear and tear and consumption of the Heavenly Sword on him could be entirelypensated by the ¡°Sprit-stone infusing¡± means. Xu Yang sat among the clouds, robe gleaming with Spirit Light beneath it. Countless Spirit Stones poured from his Storage Bag, all absorbed by the Spirit-Treasure Ten Thousand Artifact Body, turning into Mecha energy to make up for the battle consumption. This is consumption, and there¡¯s also wear and tear! ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± Amidst shes of Spirit Light, piece by piece of Magic Artifact fell down, many battered and severely damaged. Uniting three techniques to wield the Heavenly Sword not only consumed a tremendous amount of mana, but also ced an enormous burden on the body. Without an extremely resilient physique, one would end up withpletely shattered meridians and broken bodies after using such a technique, ending only in mutual destruction with the enemy. This would be the same as when Xu Yang previously cut down Pudu Cihang with his sword. After all, that¡¯s the Heavenly Sword, the might of heaven and earth. How can mere mortals wield it lightly? Even with the Spirit-Treasure Ten Thousand Artifact Body and the Heavenly Crafts Natural Creation Technique, with a hundred thousand artifacts sharing and bearing the load, arge number ofponents still suffered damage. The rate of loss reached a terrifying thirty percent, which was thirty thousand damaged Magic Artifacts. Eighty percent of these thirty thousand Magic Artifacts were beyond repair and required recement to continue fighting. With the destruction of Magic Artifacts and prior energy consumptionbined, this battle alone cost Xu Yang at least twenty million Spirit Stones. The gains from Purple Cloud Mountain had vanished at once. Thus, it¡¯s no wonder Xu Yang moved so swiftly and made his way directly to the gates of the Green Jade Sect. With such a deficit, how could he continue contending with the Three Sects? The Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor was excellent in all respects except for its terrifying consumption, waging a war of resources. Spirit Stones were an absolute necessity! ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± Spirit Light shed, lightning and fire rained down, with one damaged Magic Artifact after another falling down, swiftly being reced by brand-new spares. In just a moment, the Mecha was fully repaired, and itsbat power restored to its peak. The 30,000 reced Magic Artifacts were not discarded by Xu Yang as trash, but were all collected into his Storage Bag. Twenty years of development had brought the ¡°Great Artifact Refining¡± n of Fish and Dragon Ind to a resounding sess. Aplete production system had now been established: material sourcing, manufacturing, recycling, repairing, disassembling¡ every aspect was well-covered. The damaged Magic Artifacts, once brought back to Fish and Dragon Ind and processed through the Artifact Refining workshop, would be repaired or recycled. Every useful and valuable material would be utilized, shining brightly until itpletely vanished, leaving not a trace of worth. This is logistics! Without aplete production system as support, who could y around with something as gold-thirsty as the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor? The repair of the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor wasplete, and the spirit of the Azure Dragon was also dispelled by the thunderous lightning sword. The Green Jade Formation was thus broken. Xu Yang didn¡¯t waste words; he directly activated ¡°The technique to Drag Thousand Mountains,¡± subduing every single person in the Green Jade Sect. Then, he threw out the Beast Taming Bag and streams of Spirit Light spewed forth, as each Spirit Beast flew out and transformed into human form afternding and rolling on the ground. The Beast Taming Bag can nurture Spirit Beasts and also contain living people; it is the signature Magic Artifact of a Beast Tamer. However, nurturing Spirit Beasts is difficult; their growth is far slower than that of Human n Cultivators and requires a lot of resources, which ordinary people can hardly afford. Onlyrge forces can nourish a few to guard their sect entrances. Luckily, Xu Yang possessed the Supreme Yin Body Training Skill, which could aid Spirit Monsters in Transformation, cultivating Human n Cultivation Techniques, along with Beast Taming skills and the Enlightening Transmutation of the Earth Deity Cultivation Method. The number of Spirit Beasts under hismand was enough to shock the Demon Race. Although time had been short and he hadn¡¯t umted enough experience, these Spirit Monsters were not yet ready for major tasks, but they were more than sufficient for menial work. ¡°Caw caw caw!¡± ¡°My boys, follow me to capture people!¡± A cormorant soared into the sky, transforming into a robust man, leading a group of smaller transformed brethren into the mountains, using Beast Taming Bags to capture the defenseless Green Jade Sect Disciples. ¡°Be gentle over there; that¡¯s the Spirit Medicine Garden. Don¡¯t damage our master¡¯s Spiritual Medicines!¡± ¡°Go on, get lost; the Spirit Rice isn¡¯t ripe yet. How can it be harvested? Don¡¯t mess things up.¡± ¡°Go move the Spirit Stones, Magic Artifacts, medicinal pills, and Talismans that can be taken away directly.¡± ¡°You guys go to the scripture repository, you others to the Alchemy Room, and you to the Artifact Refining Workshop¡¡± ¡°Those mansions, towers, and Cave Mansions, don¡¯t miss a single one. Gather all the Spirit Stones, Magical Artifacts, medicinal pills, Talismans, and anything else you can carry.¡± ¡°Eh, who buried something here? Oh my, so many Storage Bags¡¡± The Spirit Beasts were set loose, raiding Green Jade, packing everything except the still-growing Spirit nts to transport back to Fish and Dragon Ind, to be thrust into the vigorous ¡°Great Production¡± campaign to support Xu Yang¡¯s next moves. Xu Yang sat in the clouds, not participating in the joyous post-battle loot gathering. Because there was something more important than all that. And that was¡ Xu Yang took out a Hundred Ghosts Banner and shook out a soul, which faintly exuded a golden radiance. It was the soul of a Golden Core Cultivator! Supreme Elder of the Tianshu Sect¡ªLi Longpeng! Under the Heavenly Sword, even Nascent Souls fall; how could Li Longpeng, with only Golden Core Cultivation, escape his fate? He had perished under the sword, and his soul had been captured by Xu Yang. The soul of a Golden Core Cultivator is an extremely precious material, perfect for practicing ghost-subjugating techniques. But Xu Yang wasn¡¯t nning to use this Underworld Soul for cultivation right now. Instead, he was about to¡ ¡°Hum!!!¡± A concentration of Spirit Light gathered at his forehead, shaping into an eye, and as it opened, it shot out a ray of divine light that illuminated the soul. Spirit Eyes Mysterious Light, prating the soul! The Righteous Path¡¯s version of soul searching. Under the Heavenly Eye and within the beam of Spirit Light, the soul had no power to resist, and memories flowed out, disying everything before Xu Yang¡¯s eyes. After some time, when the Heavenly Eye closed and the Mysterious Light faded away, it left behind a weak and listless Underworld Soul. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, that¡¯s how it is!¡± Xu Yang paid it no mind and quickly put away the soul of Li Longpeng. He then opened his Spirit Eyes again, allowing the Mysterious Light to shine towards the heavens, uncovering the secrets of this world. This time, it was no longer chaos and darkness; amidst the turbulent shadows, snippets of information surfaced. The Void Spirit Realm! Legend had it that in the Northern Region Cultivation World, after the Great Return to Void Cultivator known as ¡°Void Spirit True Monarch¡± perished, his Purple Mansion Primordial Spirit and his Immortal Artifact fell within the Barbaric Wastes of the Northern Domain, turning into a small world, a Cave Heaven Blessed Land. The Purple Mansion Immortal Treasure was hidden inside, umting the power of myriad Yuan Spirits to seek a chance for rebirth or to await a sessor¡¯s inheritance. This was only rumor, its truth unknown untilter when ¡°Three Friends of Bright Moon¡± discovered this Cave Heaven and confirmed the legends. The Three Friends of Bright Moon were sworn brothers, cultivators, with ¡°True Monarch Tianshu¡± as the eldest, ¡°Green Jade Venerable¡± and ¡°Bright Moon Pill King¡± as the younger brothers. True Monarch Tianshu, a Great Return to Void Cultivator, was the head of the Tianshu lineage of the Big Dipper Immortal Sect, with Green Jade Venerable and Bright Moon Pill King as the founders of Green Jade Mountain and Medicine King Valley respectively. After discovering this ce, the three attempted to enter the Cave Heaven to see if they could retrieve the Immortal Treasure left by Void Spirit True Monarch. However, they met with resistance from the world of the Cave Heaven. Unwilling to give up, after years of research, they finally devised a method to open a channel to this realm, sending their Disciples to search for the remnants of the True Monarch¡¯s Immortal Mansion¡¯s treasure. Once inside, the Disciples found that the Cave Heaven was vast, already hosting mortal kingdoms and colossal mountain ranges that harbored countless Demon Beasts. Given the vastness of the Cave Heaven and the Purple Mansion Immortal Treasure¡¯s ability to hide and elude detection, locating it with just the disciples of the three was as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack. Therefore, the three ordered their Disciples to establish three Sect branches there to oversee the world and search for the Immortal Mansion! Chapter 253 - 172: Countermeasure_1 Chapter 253: Chapter 172: Countermeasure_1 Trantor: 549690339 Void Spirit Realm? Cave Heaven Blessed Land! Void Spirit Monarch? Integration Great Power! I understand, I understand. After searching his soul, Xu Yang instantly rified all the rtionships between the Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm and the Three Sects of Golden Core through the secrets he learned from Li Longpeng¡¯s memories. Why is thend of Liang Country so barren? It is because in the past, an Integration Cultivator of the Northern Region Cultivation World, ¡°Void Spirit Monarch,¡± fell here. After the fall of this Integration Great Power, his Purple Mansion Primordial Spirit merged with the Immortal Artifacts left behind, creating a small Cave Heaven world on thisnd, absorbing spiritual energies from all directions to seek a chance for rebirth. Thus, this realm not only appears as a dangerous wilderness outwardly, but it is also extremely barren within, with the majority being mundanends, and only a few areas possess Spiritual Energy. This was all the result of the machinations of the Purple Mansion Immortal Treasure belonging to the Void Spirit Monarch. The Yuan Spirit power of this world has mostly been absorbed by the Purple Mansion Immortal Treasure, whose location remains unknown. Although Yuan Spirit is scarce and thend is barren, the legacy left by an Integration Great Power still brings numerous benefits to the creatures of this world. For example¡ªImmortal fate. Despite such barrenness without spirituality, why are there so many treasures and legends of ¡°Immortal Fate Men¡±? Because these treasures are all relics of Void Spirit Monarch, who for some unknown reason perished back then, leaving behind his Purple Mansion Immortal Treasure hidden somewhere, with most of his other belongings scattered throughout this world. Qi Cultivation, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core. Nascent Soul, Divinity Transformation, Return to Void. Integration, Mahayana, Crossing the Tribtion. An Integration Cultivator is already a great power, capable of dominating a territory even in the Northern Region Cultivation World. The relics of such existences, even if just scattered pieces, represent Heaven-reaching opportunities for mortals and low-tier Cultivators. Therefore, within Liang Country, there are so many ¡°Immortal Fate Men¡± emerging within themon folk. It is also because of the presence of Immortal Fate Men that such a stringent surveince system exists, as well as the pursuit and hunting of Immortal Fate Men. The legacy of Void Spirit is the underlying cause. The Three Friends of Bright Moon are the prime culprits. The Three Sects of Golden Core are merely the hounds and ws. The Three Friends of Bright Moon, sworn brothers and fellow cultivators, also hold significant fame within the Northern Region Cultivation World. Their eldest brother ¡°True Monarch Tianshu,¡± a master of the Tianshu lineage of Big Dipper Immortal Sect and of Immortal Gate heritage, possesses the cultivation of Return to Void. The two younger brothers, ¡°Green Jade Venerable¡± and ¡°King of Bright Moon Pill,¡± are also founders of their own sects with the cultivation ofte-stage Soul Transformation and Divinity Transformation, respectively. Their sworn brotherhood and collective cultivation are also considered a beautiful tale of their time. Upon discovering the Void Spirit Realm, they set up a grand Formation around it, intending to take the Immortal Treasure legacy left behind by the Integration Great Power for themselves. However, in the path of cultivation, there is always a higher mountain, a stronger realm, The gap between a Returned Void Cultivator and an Integration Great Power is hundreds, thousands of times greater than the gap between Golden Core and Nascent Soul! In the early stages of Qi Cultivation and Foundation Establishment, up to Golden Core and Nascent Soul, there are prodigies who could use various means to kill enemies across boundaries. But in theter stages, during Soul Transformation, Return to Void, Integration and Mahayana, let alone crossing a major realm, it¡¯s extremely difficult even to ovee one minor bottleneck. Forget relying on any methods, those who can cultivate to such realms are all prodigies with incredible opportunities and fortunes. You have your methods, I have my reliance. If our cultivations are on par, that¡¯s one thing, but you expect to kill across a realm, as if others are merely made of y? Hence, the higher the cultivation, the stronger the power, the more difficult it bes to battle across realms. Among the Three Friends of Bright Moon, the one with the highest cultivation and greatest strength is True Monarch Tianshu, a Great Return to Void Cultivator. Yet even such a person, born from an Immortal Sect and proficient in the Array of the Big Dipper, could not breach the Void Spirit Realm and take the Immortal treasures left by Void Spirit Monarch. The difference between Return to Void Union and Integration is as vast as that between heaven and earth. Even though Void Spirit Monarch has long perished, mon, the Three Cultivators of the Bright Moon are helpless against the Cave Heaven formed by his Purple Mansion Immortal Treasure. In the end, after much research, the Three Cultivators barely managed to develop a Mana Point that allowed them to send disciples into this realm. The Three Sects of Golden Core came about because of this. So, it is no wonder that the cultivation environment in Liang Kingdom is so harsh; people are here for the pursuit of the Immortal Mansion treasures, thus ¡°kill the wrong, never let go¡± is the natural course. The situation has now be clear. So, how do we solve the problem? Currently, Xu Yang has two main troubles. The first one is still the Three Sects of Golden Core. Although most of the Golden Cores of the three sects have been in by him, leaving only a few ¡°small cats and dogs¡± holed up in their sect gates, barely clinging to life, they are not a serious threat. But¡ the three sects have backers. The Three Friends of Bright Moon provide support to their main sect. ording to the memories from Li Longpeng, the outside world is filled with Yuan Spirit, a golden age for cultivation practices, which is far superior to this Void Spirit Cave Heaven that has been drained of its Yuan Spirit by the Purple Mansion Immortal Treasure. In thend of Liang Country, one can dominate a region by merely achieving Foundation Establishment, and one can establish a sect with the power of Golden Core. But in the outside world, what¡¯s the worth of Foundation Establishment? Even the wild dogs (Demon Beasts) on the streets are on that level. Golden Core is just the beginning of the journey. Nascent Soul is only somewhat aplished. Only by achieving Divinity Transformation can one truly set foot into the inner circle, qualify to establish a sect, and leave behind a legacy. And above Divinity Transformation, there are the mighty powers of Return to Void Union and the True Immortals of the Great Ascension Tribtion. Immortal Sects govern the world, and the powerful vie for supremacy! Numerous schools flourish, and mighty heroes stand side by side! This is thendscape of the outside world. Compared to it, Liang Country is far too insignificant. Any random Sect from the outside brought here would be an overwhelming colossus, casting a shadow that blots out the sun. And these Three Sects, even in the outside world, are not ordinary inheritances. Without saying more, let¡¯s just consider the strongest among them, True Monarch Tianshu. This person is not only a Grand Return to Void Cultivator but also the leader of the Tianshu lineage of the Big Dipper Immortal Sect. The Big Dipper Immortal Sect is one of the sacred ces of the Northern Domain, a formidable Immortal Sect lineage with a reputation that has resonated through ages. Having produced seven Mahayana True Immortals, renowned for its ¡°Heavens and Stars, Array of the Big Dipper,¡± it has shone brilliantly for tens of thousands of years. To this day, it remains as brilliant as the middle of the day, showing no signs of decline. True Monarch Tianshu, born to this sect, holds sway over the Tianshu lineage among the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper and possesses a highly respected position and astonishing strength. Had he been able to enter the Void Spirit Realm, squashing Xu Yang would not have been much more difficult than crushing an ant. But since he can¡¯t enter, he can dispatch his subordinates, disciples, and sect members, bringing various magical treasures to offer support. Based on Li Longpeng¡¯s memories, every hundred years, the Three Sects of Golden Core would drive the Golden Core cultivators from other forces under the pretext of breaking through the Hundred Thousand Mountains, making them fight against the demon beasts within. In the Hundred Thousand Mountains, there is a Nascent Soul Demon Beast that has long be ackey of the Three Sects, ying along with their scheme, and driving the demon beasts to ughter the human n¡¯s Golden Core cultivators. Thus, without expending much effort, the Three Sects can obtain various materials which fuel their formations, and with internal and external assistance, they can open the Void Spirit Cave Heaven. This is currently the only known method to reach the outside world. Besides that, in urgent situations, such as discovering remnants of an immortal abode¡¯s treasures, they can also notify the main sect and forcibly open the passage. Now, that constitutes an urgent situation. Xu Yang has massively struck the Three Sects; their Golden Core members are nearly annihted, and the only Nascent Soul has had his true body destroyed. Suchbat power haspletely exceeded the norm and should not exist within Liang Country. When things are abnormal, there must be demons at y! Now, the Three Sects would either regard him as an outsider who sneaked in or identify him as an heir of the Void Spirit Monarch or a reincarnated soul seeking to rebuild his cultivation. No matter what, they wouldn¡¯t let him off the hook and would certainly open the passage to call in reinforcements from the main sect. Even though grand cultivators like True Monarch Tianshu who have reached the Great Return to Void can¡¯t enter, nor can soul-transforming cultivators like the Green Jade Venerable and the Bright Moon Pill King, Nascent Soul cultivators are hardly affected. With the potentiality of the Three Sects, do not take the number of Nascent Soul cultivators lightly; just sending over a dozen or so could be enough to deal with him. This poses a problem! There¡¯s another problem! Void Spirit Monarch! Has this Integration Great Power, who was famous throughout the Northern Domain, truly fallen? What caused his fall, and why did he fall? Is he utterly dead? Xu Yang couldn¡¯t be sure. But byparison, with his current Golden Core cultivation, he already has many life-saving techniques; even if he were to die, there¡¯s hope for a return. If Golden Cores have them, why not Integration cultivators? This doesn¡¯t add up! Therefore, it¡¯s possible that the Integration Great Power still has a contingency n, and the treasures of the immortal abode in the Void Spirit Realm might yet return to their original owner. Returning to their original owner is not an issue in itself, as Xu Yang is not the kind of cultivator who covets the treasures of others. But¡ it is unwarranted to have harmful intentions, but necessary to guard against others! Who knows what Void Spirit Monarch might do after retaking possession of the immortal treasure. An uncontroble great power is a hidden danger and a threat. Externally, there is the menace of the Three Sects, and internally, the looming concern of the Void Spirit. How to respond? The best method, undoubtedly, is to leave, to go as far away as possible from this dreadful vortex. But Xu Yang cannot leave right now; the only way out is controlled by the Three Sects, and if he were to go through, it would mean seeking his own death. If he can¡¯t leave, then he must find another way to break the situation. As for Void Spirit Monarch, there¡¯s no need to worry at the moment. It wouldn¡¯t make sense for nothing to happen for a thousand years, and then as soon as he arrives, the Integration Great Power is revived. The main concern remains the Three Sects. How many troops will the Three Sects¡¯ reinforcements have? ording to Li Longpeng¡¯s memories, the spatial structure of the Void Spirit Realm is incredibly robust, with a powerful force resisting outsiders; thus, the passage opened by Tianshu Sect can¡¯t transport too many cultivators, especially powerful Nascent Souls, which are limited to three to five at most per transmission¡? The exact number is unclear to Li Longpeng, as such crucial matters are always managed by his senior brother Jing Yue. However, the Three Sects are unlikely to dispatch an army of Nascent Souls; otherwise, Jing Yue would not have such dire urgency this time. Thus, Xu Yang now has two choices. The first is to attack the mountain gate of Tianshu Sect before the arrival of the reinforcements, destroy their internal and external transportation formations, which should be able to dy them for a significant amount of time. The second is to ignore it, fully focus on scouring the resources of Liang Kingdom¡¯s cultivation world, hit the major forces, and take whatever can be taken before the reinforcements from Tianshu Sect arrive, and then return to Fish and Dragon Ind, continue undercover, waiting in silence, growing stronger before settling ounts with the Three Sects. The former option or thetter? Xu Yang tends to prefer the former, as it could buy him a lot of time. But there are also significant risks since behind the Three Sects stands True Monarch Tianshu and the Big Dipper Immortal Sect. Who knows if the enemy would be desperate after their own sect is destroyed and if they would pour all the Big Dipper Immortal Sect¡¯s resources into forcibly breaking the Void Spirit Cave Heaven, causing him to shoot himself in the foot? Therefore, the only option is to not pay attention to them, to fully exploit the resources of Liang Kingdom¡¯s cultivation world before the reinforcements arrive. This seems feasible, but after the plunder, would he still be able toy low safely? If the forces of the Three Sects arrive and he has vanished, would the Three Sects just let it go? They would definitely turn Liang Country upside down, purging the cultivation world, and perhaps even ughtering themon popce. Do not doubt that they couldmit such acts. To err on the side of caution, in matters involving the treasures of an Integration Great Power, what does it matter to them if they bloodbath an entire world? After all, there are no moral constraints to cultivating here, cultivators act unrestrainedly, it ismon for Demon Path practitioners to refine their cultivation with the blood of tens of thousands; while Righteous Daoist cultivators would not go that far, in case of necessity, they are also decisive in killing. Xu Yang does not believe that Fish and Dragon Ind would be spared from the Three Sects¡¯ purging afterward. He must find a way to avoid pushing True Monarch Tianshu and the Big Dipper Immortal Sect into a corner, while also preventing the Three Sects fromunching a purge-like ughter in Liang Kingdom¡¯s cultivation realm afterward. Is there such a perfect solution to the problem in the world? Xu Yang couldn¡¯t be sure, but he thought it was worth a try. To be honest, the way things have unfolded has really been unexpected. But Xu Yang does not regret causing this series of events and stirring up these waves. A powerful enemy is not to be feared. What¡¯s frightening is the unknown, the inability to respond, to guard against nothing, and theck of any room for maneuver. The power of the Three Sects is formidable indeed, but with his methods, it¡¯s not impossible topete with them. If he hadn¡¯t done all this, unaware of the true situation in the Liang Kingdom¡¯s cultivation realm, he would probably have developed Fish and Dragon Ind and entered the Three Sects¡¯ field of vision with his true incarnation. By then, the risks and threats would be a hundredfold, a thousandfold greater than now. Now, the enemy is in the light while he is in the dark; despite their strong hands, it¡¯s not impossible for him to give it a try. Chapter 254 - 173: Harvest_1 Chapter 254: Chapter 173: Harvest_1 Trantor: 549690339 The Green Jade Mountain Range was both the core of the Spirit Vein and the central hub of the grand Formation. Xu Yang stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the Azure Dragon Earth Spirit that had turned into a small serpent, yet he did not bring himself to ruthlessly kill it. The so-called Earth Spirit is essentially a Mountain Spirit, simr in existence to the ck Mountain Old Demon. Over time, these spirits gain intelligence and can harness the power of mountains and the energy of Earth Veins. When used to set up Formations, they¡¯re known as True Spirits, which can greatly enhance the power of a Formation. ying such an Earth Spirit would yield an essence that must contain a top-grade Spirit Stone¡ªan extremely precious natural treasure in the outside world. But Xu Yang had no such ns at the moment. Not only for this Earth Vein¡¯s spirit but also within the Green Jade Sect¡ ¡°Master, look, so many Storage Bags, all filled with good stuff!¡± Arge bird pped its wings, cooing as it flew into the Cave Mansion. It was covered in Storage Bags, and several more dangled from its beak; one might think it was a transformed elder from the Beggar¡¯s Guild. It was Laoliu! It reverted to its original form and trotted over to Xu Yang¡¯s side. While showing off the fully packed Storage Bags, it rubbed its big head affectionately against him. No wonder it reverted back to its original form¡ªhad it used the appearance of a robust man to act so coquettishly, Xu Yang probably would have kicked it away. That simply wouldn¡¯t do! As one of the first spirit pets to follow Xu Yang, Laoliu knew all too well that its bloodline and talent were inferior. Its status today as one of the three leaders of winged creatures on Fish and Dragon Ind, on par with the Golden Eagle and the crafty Peacock, was due to its seniority and rtionship with Xu Yang. Thus, holding onto the master¡¯s leg was a must¡ªfailing to do so was not an option. ¡°Bang!¡± Xu Yang pped the incorrigible bird away, then turned his gaze to the delicately standing girl behind him: ¡°How is it?¡± The girl bowed gracefully, her voice soft as she spoke, ¡°Reporting to master, I¡¯ve roughly finished the count: one hundred and thirty-five million lower-grade Spirit Stones, five hundred and sixty-seven thousand three hundred middle-grade Spirit Stones, three hundred and sixty-five top-grade Spirit Stones, one mid-tier Magical Treasure, three lower-tier Magical Treasures, and thirty-five supreme-grade Spiritual Artifacts.¡± ¡°Moreover, there are all kinds of Magical Artifacts, elixirs, Talismans, treasures of heaven and earth, Spirit Rice, Spiritual Medicine, and the Green Jade Sect¡¯s library of Jade Slips, Scriptures, and Cultivation Techniques, the value of which cannot be simply estimated.¡± ¡°Furthermore, there are the Spirit Medicine Garden, Spirit Rice fields, Green Jade bamboo forest, Green Jade quarry, Green Jade fish ponds, and other production sites. If moved, they could also yield a considerable amount of materials.¡± After the girl finished her report, Laoliu, who had been deeply affected by the conversation, also pped closer, adding, ¡°There¡¯s more, master! I¡¯ve captured all the disciples of the Green Jade Sect. Although most are just in Qi Cultivation, there are quite a few at the Foundation Establishment level and some who have just advanced to Golden Core. Gaga, they¡¯re all tucked into the bags now!¡± Xu Yang looked at him but said nothing. Laoliu trembled and hurriedly adjusted its posture, shrinking its head and saying, ¡°I haven¡¯t searched their belongings yet. I¡¯ll go and strip them clean straight away. We can surely squeeze out a few tens of millions of Spirit Stones from them¡ªI¡¯ll make sure that master is satisfied.¡± Only then did Xu Yang turn his gaze away, saying to the girl, ¡°First, settle the people properly. ces like the Spirit Medicine Garden should be left undisturbed for now¡ªwe may have to stay here for some time.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Hearing this, the girl didn¡¯t say much and simply nodded in agreement. ¡°Alright, you may go.¡± Xu Yang waved his sleeve and two streaks of light shot out,nding in the hands of the two recipients, revealing a jade bottle. ¡°Thank you for the reward, master!¡± The girl shed a sweet smile and curtsied again. ¡°Thank you for the reward, master~!¡± Seeing this, Laoliu on the side mimicked her, squeezing its throat and twisting its body as it called out to Xu Yang. Then¡ ¡°Bang!¡± Xu Yang pped the silly bird out of the cave and nonchntly collected the fallen Storage Bags into his sleeve. Seeing this, the girl chuckled and gracefully withdrew from the cave. Let¡¯s leave theedic underlings aside for now. Xu Yang sat on the ¡°Green Jade Couch¡± left by Zhang Zhiqi, beginning to tally the spoils of this battle. In this battle, he had sacrificed the Purple Cloud Spirit Land and expended a vast amount of Spirit Stones, Magical Artifacts, and a multitude of Formation Materials. But where there was investment, there was return. He had annihted all the Golden Core cultivators of the Three Sects along with Jing Yue, the Nascent Soul, within the Formation, beheading them with his sword and reaping a wealth of trophies. Although due to the influence of the Void Spirit Immortal Mansion, the Earth Spirits of Liang Country were scarce, it was only a shortage, not a barren wastnd. The Three Sects of Golden Core had governed for a millennium and had their umtions. These umtions consisted partly ofmon treasures stored as Sect reserves, and partly of private possessions of the Sect Masters and elders. By ying Jing Yue and others and storming the gates of the Green Jade Sect, Xu Yang had seized a significant portion of their thousand-year potentiality. How significant? There were hundreds of millions of Spirit Stones alone, mined from various Spirit Veins and stored by the Three Sects. Hundreds of millions of lower-grade Spirit Stones and several million middle-grade amounted to further hundreds of millions after conversion. There were even over a thousand top-grade Spirit Stones. The exchange rate from lower-grade to middle-grade Spirit Stones was one to a hundred. From middle-grade to top-grade Spirit Stones, it was one to a thousand. The value of top-grade Spirit Stones was clear to see. They were not only a major resource for high-tier cultivators but also essential materials for setting up high-tier Formations and crucial for Artifact Refining and Alchemy. Furthermore, high-grade Spirit Stones can self-recover. As long as their Spiritual Energy isn¡¯tpletely drained in one go, they can autonomously absorb the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit. With time, they will refill the consumed Spiritual Energy, making them legacy items and strategic resources. As for the Supreme Grade Spirit Stones¡ In thend of Liang Country, it¡¯s feared only three such stones can be produced, and these are the cores of the Three Sects¡¯ grand formations. Such treasures are the supreme materials for setting formations, and they can even raise the tier of the formation. Countless Formation Masters dream of acquiring them. Xu Yang is not just a Formation Master, but also an Artifact Refiner, and he craves these Supreme Grade Spirit Stones even more. ording to research by Wandao School, high-quality energy transmission can effectively enhance the battle capabilities of Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor. Therefore, Wandao School has always been dedicated to developing high-quality, high-tier Mana Money. But Mana Money, this artificially created item, is inferior in all aspectspared to the naturally formed Spirit Stones. In the World of Dao and Law where the Yuan Sprit lies dormant, only Mana Money can be used, with no other options. But in the present world, Xu Yang can fully exploit Spirit Stone technology to further strengthen the battle capabilities of the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor. If he embedded a thousand high-grade Spirit Stones,bined with the Supreme Grade Green Jade Azure Dragon, it¡¯s possible that his Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor could reach the Ten million artifacts level. A Ten million artifacts level Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor, personally controlled by him with Skill Traits enhancement, couldpletely rival a Nascent Soul. In this way, he might again roam unchallenged in the Void Spirit Realm. Beyond Spirit Stones, there were Magical Treasures. One high-grade Magical Treasure, severely damaged, not suited for major use. Nine middle-grade Magical Treasures, all covered with scars, in need of repairs. Over twenty low-grade Magical Treasures, mostly from the Green Jade Sect, each with varying degrees of damage. Moreover, there were numerous Spiritual Artifacts and various Artifact Refining materials, all stored in the Green Jade Sect¡¯s treasury. It is hard to avoid damage to Magical Treasures, after all, they are spoils of war, and it¡¯s unrealistic to expect them to be intact. Even if they were intact, they wouldn¡¯t be of much use to Xu Yang. He already possessed Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor; the other treasures were unfit for major use. Unless he used these treasures as cores to refine a batch of standardized Magic Artifacts to assemble a new set of Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor. But that would be pointless, and Xu Yang had no intention of wasting time repairing these severely damaged treasures. Melt them down directly, extract the materials. Then, with these materials and other items he had on hand, he could craft himself a Spiritual Treasures. A thousand years of umtion in the World of Dao and Law, the concentrated efforts of Wandao School, had pushed the primary skills of Talisman, Formation, and Artifact Refining to the fourth tier; only Alchemy, limited by materials, remained hovering at the third tier. As the head of Wandao School, Xu Yang¡¯s skills in Talisman, Formation, and Artifact Refining had all stepped into the fourth tier, and he had immersed himself in these skills for a thousand years, honing them to perfection, achieving a state of transcendence. Moreover, with the effects of Skill Traits, refining a Spiritual Treasure wasn¡¯t an issue. The only reason he hadn¡¯t crafted one before was theck of materials¡ªa skilled woman can¡¯t cook without rice. But now, having seized the thousand-year umtion of the Three Sects, he had the capital to craft a Spiritual Artifact for himself. With a Spiritual Treasure, he could build a Ten million artifacts level, or even Ten million artifacts level Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor. With that in this world of powerful Cultivators and lurking dangers, he would have some self-protective power. Beyond Spirit Stones and Magic Artifacts, there were also Elixirs and Talismans, no less valuable. Moreover, the entrance to Green Jade Mountain, a third-tier Spirit Land, was another great treasure. Add to that the captured disciples of Green Jade Sect and various others from all quarters and Loose Cultivators¡ Xu Yang could definitely operate in such a way as to transform these items, these people, and these events into resources that supported him. In the World of Dao and Law, why had his Cultivation advanced so swiftly? The reason was that he propagated his teachings far and wide, with numerous disciples and followers. The full potential of his ¡°teacher¡± Skill Traits were maximized, bringing reciprocal benefits back to him. As long as he had enough disciples, the benefits from the teacher Skill Traits were no less powerful than those of a high-grade Heavenly Spirit. Hence, for Xu Yang, the poption was also a crucial resource that must be made use of. But he had no intention of establishing a Sect, as he couldn¡¯t secure a foothold, and if he did establish a Sect and lineage, there would inevitably be a purge afterward, rendering it useless. If not through establishing a Sect, how would he propagate his teachings far and wide? He just needed to change his approach. After all, as long as the teachings were passed on, the Skill Traits would take effect. There was no need for the formalities of teacher-student or parent-child rtionships. He could create amerce association, mass print Martial Arts and Taoist Scriptures, and distribute them half-sold, half-given away across Liang Country¡¯s various circles. In time, all the Cultivators in Liang Country would be his ¡°Cultivation elerators!¡± Together with the resources already in hand and those soon to be his, even if his Spirit-Treasure incarnation was eventually destroyed by the Three Sects, he would still profit, and after achieving his goals could retreat and return to Fish and Dragon Ind to rest easy in contemtion and umtion. However, achieving all these things would take quite a bit of time. Would the Three Sects give him that time? Have the reinforcements arrived? Chapter 255 - 174: Heavenly Secret_1 Chapter 255: Chapter 174: Heavenly Secret_1 Trantor: 549690339 Within the Tianshu Sect, the great array was activated, its protection formidable. At the heart of the great array, a beam of starlight beckoned, opening the path through the void. Within the starlight, a figure descended, a young man with white hair. The youth¡¯s white hair conveyed a sense of time-worn wisdom, highlighting the extraordinary temperament of a cultivator. No sooner had his figurended than the starlight converged, leaving no trace of a path through the void. ¡°This¡!¡± A pale-faced man with unstable aura stepped forward, his gaze filled with uncertainty as he looked at the youth, ¡°Are you Yunji, Senior Brother? Why have youe alone to support us?¡± ¡°Hmm!?¡± The youth furrowed his brows, looking at the man, then his expression showed surprise as well, ¡°You are¡ Jing Yue, Junior Brother?¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s me!¡± Jing Yue nodded, his face pale, an even more bitter expression on his face. ¡°How could this be?¡± Seeing this, the youth was also shocked, ¡°That person was so powerful that he could destroy your physical body?¡± Jing Yue¡¯s expression grew serious as he said in a deep voice, ¡°He has achieved the Heavenly Sword!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The Heavenly Sword!¡± On hearing this, the youth was even more astonished, ¡°Why didn¡¯t the message mention this before?¡± ¡°Before sending the message, I hadn¡¯t shed with him, but I sensed that this person was extraordinary; thus, I sent the message in advance, fearing that we might suffer losses and that the main sect would remain unaware of the incident,¡± Jing Yue exined. He shook his head, ¡°After sending the message, I led the Golden Core cultivators of the sub-sect to swarm out, but that person had alreadyid down a great formation on Purple Cloud Mountain. His Array Formation Cultivation had astonishingly reached the fourth tier of the Phase Realm, resulting in heavy casualties for us.¡± ¡°Fourth tier of the Phase Realm?¡± ¡°An Array Formation Grandmaster?¡± The youth¡¯s brows were tightly knitted as he asked in a heavy tone, ¡°That Heavenly Sword¡ is it truly the Heavenly Sword?¡± ¡°Absolutely!¡± Jing Yue shook his head, speaking bitterly, ¡°This person cultivates the three arts of thunder, sword, and formation simultaneously. With one sword strike, he wields the power of heaven and earth. If not for the Big Dipper great formation drawing in the Tianshu and saving my life, I fear my Nascent Soul wouldn¡¯t have survived.¡± ¡°A Heavenly Sword cultivator!¡± Upon hearing this, the youth was disbelieving, ¡°How could it be just a Golden Core?¡± Skepticism permeated his words. This was not surprising. The Three Sects were on guard outside, with the great formation sealed, firmly defended, with no chance for outsiders to sneak into the Void Spirit Cave Heaven. If it wasn¡¯t infiltration from outside, it had to be a cultivator born within the Void Spirit Cave Heaven. But as cultivators advance, there are Heavenly Tribtions at the Nascent Soul stage, which are quite conspicuous and cannot be concealed. Under the surveince of the Three Sects, how could anyone quietly achieve Nascent Soul? And a Golden Core cultivating the Heavenly Sword? It made no sense, no sense at all. Therefore, the youth could only doubt the truthfulness of Jing Yue¡¯s words. To this, Jing Yue also felt helpless, ¡°If not for the might of the Heavenly Sword, how would I have fallen to such a state?¡± His words wereced with bitterness and rage. How could he not feel bitter, how could he not feel sad. His Cultivation had shockingly fallen from the early stage of Nascent Soul to the mid-stage of Golden Core, and with an unstable aura and his spirit misaligned with his body, if he did not recuperate soon, he feared he could not even maintain the mid-stage Golden Core. Such was the might of the Heavenly Sword! The sword of heaven and earth, ying both the person and their heart. Had it not been for the opponent¡¯s mere Golden Core Cultivation, had it not been for his life-saving Magical Treasure¡¯s formidable defense, had it not been for the saving grace of the Big Dipper formation¡ He would have died and his Dao vanished, turned to ash! Now, not only was his physical body destroyed, but his Nascent Soul was also wounded by the sword. Even if he had a backup body and seized another to be reborn, his Cultivation would unavoidably suffer a great decline. In such a state, having to preside over the Big Dipper formation, invoking the starlight of Tianshu from beyond the realm, it had left him with barely half a life. And now, to be doubted by others, one could only imagine the bitterness and anger in his heart. Seeing his condition, the youth hurriedly produced a bottle of Spirit Pills, ¡°This is the Bright Moon Pill, take it quickly!¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior Brother!¡± Jing Yue nodded, took the Spirit Pills, and immediately began to meditate right there. Momentster, as the Spirit Pills were assimted, Jing Yue¡¯s aura gradually stabilized. ¡°Huff!¡± Jing Yue opened his eyes and took a long breath. The youth asked with concern, ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°Worthy of the Bright Moon Pill,¡± Jing Yue praised, then shook his head, ¡°But the Heavenly Sword was too powerful; even the Bright Moon Pill can¡¯t heal the sword wound. It seems that in this life, I have no hope of returning to the Nascent Soul stage.¡± Hearing this, the youth fell silent, only after a while did he ask, ¡°Is that person truly a Heavenly Sword cultivator?¡± Jing Yue gave a wry smile, ¡°If Senior Brother doesn¡¯t believe it, you can try for yourself.¡± The youth shook his head, not taking up the conversation, instead he said, ¡°If that person is truly a Heavenly Sword cultivator, then there is only one possibility.¡± Jing Yue¡¯s gaze sharpened, ¡°You mean to say¡¡± ¡°The Void Spirit Monarch!¡± The youth took a deep breath, ¡°Golden Core Cultivation achieving the Heavenly Sword, there¡¯s only one possibility in this world ¡ª a great power reborn. And in this realm, who else can be called a great power besides the Void Spirit Monarch?¡± ¡°This person must be the reincarnation of the Void Spirit ¡ª that¡¯s the only way to exin it!¡± ¡°This¡¡± Jing Yue furrowed his brows, hesitantly saying, ¡°If this person is the reborn Void Spirit Monarch, shouldn¡¯t he umte strength in secret, restore his Cultivation, retrieve the Purple Mansion Immortal Treasure, and regain control of this realm¡¯s Cave Heaven? Why would he expose himself so openly and make such amotion?¡± ¡°This¡¡± On hearing this, the youth also frowned, ¡°Perhaps there is some reason?¡± Jing Yue gave a bitter smile, ¡°What reason?¡± The youth was silent for a long time before saying, ¡°Regardless of whether this person is the Void Spirit Monarch, we can¡¯t let him rampage unchecked.¡± ¡°You speak truly, but Brother, you alone, can you really withstand his Heavenly Sword?¡± Jing Yue looked at the youth, ¡°Why not send more people to assist?¡± ¡°How could I not wish to bring others with me?¡± The youth sighed helplessly and said, ¡°The incident urred suddenly, and the timing wasn¡¯t right. Furthermore, the Sect Master and the others went to the Ten Thousand Star Sea. Only Uncle Bei Chen, with his mastery in Array Formation, could send me here alone.¡± ¡°The Sect Master went to the Ten Thousand Star Sea?¡± Upon hearing this, Jing Yue was also startled. The Void Spirit Monarch, a Cave Heaven, resists external forces. Even True Monarch Tianshu would have to wait a hundred years for the right celestial timing to open a passageway. A hundred celestial timings, when the space bes vtile and reveals its weakness, only then can a temporary path be carved out. Currently, as the timing had not arrived, forcibly opening a passageway would require a significant sacrifice and could not transfer many cultivators. Jing Yue was well aware of this, but he had assumed that for the Sect Master, True Monarch Tianshu, it would not be difficult to send five or six Nascent Soul cultivators here. Yet unexpectedly, at this critical moment, the Sect Master had gone to the Ten Thousand Star Sea. ¡°Could it be¡¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Jing Yue¡¯s gaze was inquiring, and the youth did not conceal it, saying solemnly, ¡°The Sect Master¡¯s journey to the Ten Thousand Star Sea is for his own breakthrough opportunity. Inparison, even the Void Spirit Realm must be put out of mind.¡± Hearing this, Jing Yue was solemn, ¡°The Sect Master is about to make a breakthrough?¡± The youth smiled, ¡°Isn¡¯t that to be expected?¡± ¡°This¡ indeed, indeed it is to be expected!¡± Upon hearing this, Jing Yue also nodded, feeling a mix of emotions. The Big Dipper Immortal Sect¡¯s True Monarch Tianshu, has been the most prominent cultivator of the Northern Domain over the past ten thousand years. It is said that he was born with the blessing of the Seven Stars, a Big Dipper Star Body, seen once in ten thousand years, his innate talent even surpassing that of an upper-grade Heavenly Spirit. The master of the Big Dipper Immortal Sect personally took him under his wing, admitted him into the most powerful Tianshu Gate among the Seven Paths, making the young man thrive with pride and vigor. He did not disappoint, advancing rapidly on his path of cultivation, defeating all the prodigies of the Northern Domain. Unrivaled among his peers, crossing boundaries to fight was amon urrence for him. He was hailed as the number one immortal genius of the Northern Domain, and, being benevolent, cultivated extensive connections, not only bing sworn brothers with the elders of Green Jade Mountain and Medicine King Valley but also many other friends and acquaintances. The Three Friends of Bright Moon, sworn for a thousand years, with Green Jade Venerable and the Bright Moon Pill King still at Divinity Transformation, while he had already reached the Return to Void, continuing to advance rapidly on that path. It was rumored that he aimed to reach the Integration Realm before turning three thousand years old. Now, he journeyed to the Ten Thousand Star Sea, a perilous ce with connections to the stars, seeking the opportunity for Integration. Such an immortal genius, such a prodigy, wasn¡¯t his breakthrough expected? Jing Yue couldn¡¯t even bring himself to envy him. Because the gap was too wide. ¡°The Sect Master¡¯s voyage to the Ten Thousand Star Sea, who knows when he shall return. The senior members of the Immortal Sect must protect him, too busy to care for this ce.¡± The youth spoke gravely, ¡°Uncle Bei Chen advised me when he sent me here that if the enemy is too strong, then we should just defend the Great Array. In another ten years, the celestial timing wille, and by then, even if the Sect Master is not back, he can send a group of Nascent Souls here.¡± ¡°Ten years?¡± Hearing this, Jing Yue couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly, ¡°Will he give us ten years¡¯ time?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Junior Brother.¡± The youth reassured, ¡°Cultivation is the foundation. Unless this person bes a Nascent Soul, with just a Golden Core body, even if he cultivates the Heavenly Sword, he won¡¯t be able to break through the Tianshu Great Array overseen by you and me.¡± Jing Yue looked at him, feeling quite helpless, ¡°What if he condenses the Nascent Soul?¡± ¡°That¡¡± The youth paused mid-sentence, then smiled wryly, ¡°Then, we can only resign ourselves to fate.¡± Jing Yue fell silent, speaking only after a long while, ¡°This person has already reached the peak of Golden Core, and can soon condense the Nascent Soul. If he is indeed a reincarnation of the Void Spirit, then even without Nascent Soul Condensing Spiritual Objects, there is still a great chance of sess.¡± The youth listened and fell silent as well. ¡°Let¡¯s just do our best and leave the rest to fate.¡± Atst, Jing Yue seemed more at ease, ¡°If we are unlucky enough to meet disaster, the Sect Master will avenge us with blood.¡± ¡°Junior Brother need not be so pessimistic, this person may not necessarily be a reincarnation of the Void Spirit.¡± The youth hesitated for a moment, but ultimately stood up and said, ¡°I have brought an artifact with me that can reveal the root of this person.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Jing Yue raised an eyebrow in surprise, ¡°What is it?¡± The youth smiled, made no verbal reply, but pointed to his forehead. Suddenly, Spirit Light shed, and upon his forehead opened a vertical eye. Though it was an eye, it was not made of flesh and blood but had the quality of metal, resembling a treasured eye. ¡°This is¡¡± ¡°The Eye of Heavenly Mechanism!¡± The youth smiled, ¡°Junior Brother, do you know why, out of so many Nascent Soul candidates, Elder Bei Chen chose me toe here?¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°It¡¯s because I am well-versed in Array Formation and have dabbled in the Skill of Heavenly Mechanism. Even if I cannot defeat that person, I can still defend the Great Array.¡± The youthughed lightly, ¡°This Eye of Heavenly Mechanism is an artifact I acquired at great cost, a wondrous creation of the Pavilion of Heavenly Mechanism. Although it is only of medium-grade quality, it is enough to investigate any Golden Core. It can even glimpse into the foundation of a Nascent Soul.¡± ¡°The Treasure of Heavenly Mechanism.¡± Jing Yue¡¯s eyes hardened, still worried, ¡°This person¡¯s background is unclear; even if he is not the reincarnation of the Void Spirit Monarch, he must be the incarnation of a significant figure. Brother, using the Skill of Heavenly Mechanism on him¡¡± ¡°What of a great figure?¡± ¡°Within the Cave Heaven, beneath the Array Formation, can he harm me?¡± ¡°At most, I¡¯ll bear the bacsh of the Heavenly Mechanism, merely a few decades of lifespan, which I can still afford!¡± The youth seemed unconcerned and spoke forcefully, ¡°Hand over the control of the Tianshu Great Array to me, let me see what his origins really are!¡± ¡°This¡ alright then!¡± Hearing this, Jing Yue had no choice but to yield control of the Great Array. The transfer of array mastership, the flow of power, all augmented the youth¡¯s being. The youth activated his mana, and above his forehead, the closed metallic eye slowly opened, casting forth a divine light that prated the void. An expanse of void, chaos, but soon an image appeared. What kind of scene was it? Beings divine! They beheld deities, barefoot and with loose hair, d in dark robes, standing on tortoises and snakes, eyes fierce, wielding swords, exuding a formidable aura. Indeed¡ ¡°What demon dare causes havoc here!¡± With a loud shout, True Martial, with loose hair, came brandishing his sword. Chapter 256 - 175: Inviting the Gods_1 Chapter 256: Chapter 175: Inviting the Gods_1 Trantor: 549690339 In the void of nothingness, amidst the chaos, the deity with disheveled hair and bare feet, wielding supreme might, brandished a sword and shed down. Instantly¡ ¡°Bang!!!¡± ¡°Ahh!!!¡± A st resonated, followed by a scream, both erupting one after the other. The young man screamed, tumbling down from the skies, his crown shattered, white hair disheveled, and blood gushing out from the orifices of his ears and eyes, soaking and staining his silver-white hair crimson. The mingling of the two colors was truly a shocking sight. ¡°Brother!!¡± Even though Jing Yue was mentally prepared, he still startled at the sight and hurriedly went forward to support the young man¡¯s body. ¡°Huff! Huff! Huff!¡± The young man sat on the ground, gasping for breath, his white hair in disarray, blood streaming from his eyes and various openings, while atop his forehead, that device-like, metallic Heavenly Mechanism Jewel Pupil was fissured, a scar running from top to bottom, nearly prating into the flesh and bones of his brow. Although no fresh blood flowed out, it was even more terrifying. Jing Yue supported him, took out a pre-prepared Bright Moon Pill, and fed it into his mouth. The young man took the medicine, struggled to sit up, and activated his mana, channeling it throughout his body. After a moment, the spirit light faded, and his breathing gradually stabilized. The young man slowly opened his eyes, only to see a strand of his hair turn brittle and fall off, scattering like ash onto his own robe. ¡°This¡!!¡± Jing Yue¡¯s gaze sharpened with shock and terror. Seeing this, the young man also gave a bitter smile and reached up to his forehead to hide that split Heavenly Mechanism Jewel Pupil. ¡°This person is indeed a great being, merging with heaven and earth, with the might of Immortal Gods, possessing the authority of the Dao. This time, not only did I lose over a hundred and fifty years of lifespan, but I also sacrificed my Heavenly Mechanism Jewel Pupil¡ªwhat a misfortune!¡± Upon hearing this, Jing Yue showed no surprise, as there had been a precedent. He simply asked, ¡°What should we do next then?¡± ¡°What to do?¡± The young man let out a bitterugh, ¡°I¡¯m badly injured and can¡¯t keep going. I can only hold fast to the Tianshu Great Formation and report this incident back to the main sect to see what Uncle Bei Chen will decide.¡± Jing Yue looked at him and said nothing further, ¡°It¡¯s all up to you, brother!¡± He didn¡¯t know whether his brother Yunji, a Perfect Nascent Soul with quite a reputation in the main sect, was truly severely injured and unable to continue, or was doing it on purpose, using the Skill of Heavenly Mechanism as a ruse to avoid facing that person¡¯s Heavenly Sword, or perhaps both reasons applied? But it was all the same to him, as he too didn¡¯t want to risk another encounter with the power of that Heavenly Sword. Staying on guard of the formation and awaiting reinforcements was the best option. Even though the Sect Master was good to them, in the Immortal Path, self-interest prevails. He had already risked his life once and had no reason to stake thest half of it. Meanwhile, in the Green Jade Sect¡¯s Spirit Vein Cave Mansion, Xu Yang sat on the couch, still remaining unfazed. He was aware someone had used the Technique of Heavenly Mechanism to probe his origins; he even expected this. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have cast ¡°Concealment Art!¡± in advance. When learning the art, first understand how to hide. Do not let demonic and evil skills corrupt one¡¯s being! The Taoism Concealment Art is a great divine power that includes ¡°Concealment Art,¡± ¡°Change Body Art,¡± ¡°Retain Soul Art,¡± ¡°Split Spirit Art,¡± ¡°Invoke Deity Art,¡± ¡°Disaster Elimination Art,¡± ¡°Tribtion-evasion Art,¡± and many more profound techniques. Previously, Xu Yang used this art to transform his flesh body into an image of the ¡°True Martial¡± deity to deter demons and evils from all directions. This ¡°demons and evils from all directions¡± is a general term, not limited to demonic beings. Any force that harms him or targets him is categorized as such, and they would face the deterrence or even be in by True Martial. This was an application of the Concealment Art¡¯s ¡°Change Body Art¡± and ¡°Invoke Deity Art.¡± Even though there are no Immortal Gods in this realm, as stated before, ¡°Immortal Gods are the sovereigns of the Tao!¡± Immortal Godsmand the Tao, and the Tao itself is the Immortal Gods. Invoke Deity Art, in essence, draws upon the force of the Dao represented by Immortal Gods, rather than calling upon Immortal Gods themselves. Therefore, even if the True Martial Emperor doesn¡¯t exist in this world, it doesn¡¯t prevent Xu Yang from invoking ¡°True Martial.¡± As for why he chose to invoke the True Martial Emperor and not another Immortal God¡ It¡¯s about adapting to the local conditions. Among Xu Yang¡¯s Taoism, his most adept is the Thunder Series. If he invoked the Nine Heavens¡¯ Responsive Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerable, the power would undeniably surpass other deities. But invoking the Thunder Ancestor was not the best choice for him. Because he is not only a Daoist Celestial Master but also a practitioner of Earth Deities¡¯ Dao with the Earth Ghost Divine Seal. He is the Ind Master of Fish and Dragon Ind, Monarch of the Dongting Lake. As Ind Master, Lake Monarch, an undoubted water deity, the most powerful element in this Spirit Land is the water entity. If he invoked the deity in charge of water, drawing upon the ¡°Water Dao,¡± with the help of the Earth Ghost Divine Seal, the effectiveness of the Concealment Art and the power of the Invoke Deity Skill would greatly increase, far surpassing the invocation of a thunder deity. Therefore, he did not call upon the Thunder Ancestor, whom he had always worshipped, but instead summoned the True Martial Emperor. The True Martial Emperor, the Exorcising Demon Heavenly Venerable, is a well-known martial deity also known as the ck Emperor ck Tortoise, who presides over space, water, and earth. By drawing upon this deity, and with the support of the Earth Ghost Divine Seal, leveraging the advantages of Fish and Dragon Ind and the Dongting¡¯s Spirit Land, Xu Yang¡¯s incarnation as the True Martial Emperor may not Blend False with True, but still possesses a portion of the divine might. Divinity is the Tao itself! The divine might is the authority of heaven and earth, not only possessing tremendous power but also representing a lofty status. Thus, the True Martial incarnation can shock all directions and y any demon or evil spirit that crosses the line or transgresses against him. That Tianshu Sect person, oblivious to the truth, dared to use the Skill of Heavenly Mechanism to probe him and hit a brick wall. The Technique of Heavenly Mechanism is exceedingly profound, differing from conventional fighting; it¡¯s not just aparison of cultivation level but also a test of status and authority, involving understanding,prehension, and application of the Dao of Heaven and Earth. Could that Tianshu Sect person, with his level of Skill of Heavenly Mechanism, see through his True Martial state induced by the Dao? It would be as difficult as a three-year-old facing a global mathematical problem. Let alone him, even Xu Yang, using the Admiring Eye of Heaven, could not see through his True Martial state. Luckily, the Skill of Heavenly Mechanism was mysterious, and the bacsh wasn¡¯t that violent; otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have been as simple as losing just a bit of his lifespan. Peering into the Heavenly Mechanism confirmed that the Tianshu Sect reinforcements had arrived. Xu Yang certainly would not sit idly by and await his doom; he had long since activated the Admiring Eye of Heaven to survey the internal situation of the Tianshu Sect. However¡ Tianshu Formation, protected by the Array of the Big Dipper! The Tianshu Sect¡¯s mountain gate is the only fourth-tier Spirit Land in the Void Spirit Realm. With this as a foundation, the Tianshu Sect set up a Mountain Gate Array ranking at the fourth tier, boasting extraordinary might. Moreover, the Tianshu Array Path, a branch of the Big Dipper Array Path, had extremely stringent defenses, covering all bases. If the Green Jade Sect¡¯s Mountain Gate Array was like a sieve, full of holes, allowing free entry and exit, then the Tianshu Sect¡¯s Mountain Gate Array was like an iron sphere, a sphere without a single crack, not even for a fly to sneak through. The Admiring Eye of Heaven couldn¡¯t see into it! Thus, Xu Yang wasn¡¯t clear about the strength of the opposition either. ¡°Forget it, start with the small fry before seeking out the big trouble.¡± Though unclear of the enemy¡¯s situation, Xu Yang did not hesitate much and soon decided on his next move. Elsewhere¡ ¡°Is it done yet? I can¡¯t take it anymore!¡± Xiao Miao felt he was on the verge of madness. A fully grown man, he had actually been stuffed into a Spirit Beast Bag! The Spirit Beast Bag was not some Cave Heaven Blessed Land; it contained only a narrow space where spirit beasts couldn¡¯t move about, confined to eating, drinking, and sleeping¡ªno different from being in prison. Given this, one could imagine what the environment inside was like. If it had been only him, that would be one thing, but how could the Green Jade Sect possibly provide a Spirit Beast Bag for each of its many disciples? Moreover, because he was ying the role of a menial disciple, he had the ¡°honor¡± of squeezing into a Spirit Beast Bag with several burly and husky menial disciples. That¡ experience¡ Xiao Miao clenched his teeth tightly, struggling to ignore the several thick hairy legs pressing on him, and spoke to Elder Zhen in his mind: ¡°Is it done yet? Aren¡¯t you the Grandmaster of Array Path, the Return to Void True Monarch, the number one Loose Cultivator in the Northern Domain? Howe you can¡¯t even break through a Golden Core¡¯s spell?¡± ¡°You know nothing, Golden Core¡ Is he an ordinary Golden Core? This old ghost¡¯s background is perhaps even more significant than mine. He might as well be the reincarnated cultivation body of that dead Void Spirit Monarch. Are his tricks that easy to break?¡± In his mind, Elder Zhen cursed irritably yet seemed excited: ¡°Look at this spell, the mantra embedded within the mana, the spell entwined with the curse,pressing like a Thousand Mountains. Truly difficult to unravel and separate. I have roamed the Northern Domain for so long and have never seen such a spell before. Give me some more time, and I shall find a way to break it.¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Miao also felt helpless: ¡°Hurry up, will you?¡± ¡°Alright, alright¡¡± Before his words were finished, the world seemed to spin, and he was dumped out of the Spirit Beast Bag. ¡°Whew!¡± Once out of the Spirit Beast Bag, fresh air entered his nostrils, and the hairy legs fell to the side. Although he still felt the press of the Thousand Mountains spell upon him, Xiao Miao felt reborn and couldn¡¯t help but take a deep breath. Then, an even thicker,rger, and hairier leg appeared before him. ¡°I told you to be gentle. Be gentle¡ªdo you understand human speech? These are the Master¡¯s long-term workers. What will you do if you damage them? Who¡¯s going to plow the Master¡¯snd, sow his fields, mine his ores? You¡¯re all acting so recklessly¡¡± Laoliu scolded the group of underlings while pointing fingers, his posture mirroring that of an overbearingndlord¡¯sckey. Watching his two thick hairy legs, Xiao Miao silentlyy on the ground. ¡°What are you ying dead for?¡± Unexpectedly, Laoliu turned around: ¡°Get up, go register. Always sneaking around and beingzy, no wonder you¡¯re a menial disciple, showing no ambition whatsoever.¡± Xiao Miao fell silent for a moment, then picked himself up and walked towards the long queue ahead. The line ahead was long, but it was unusually quiet. Everyone was silent, with asional soundsing from the front¡ ¡°How can a disciple of the Green Jade Sect tolerate such humiliation!¡± ¡°Alive, I am a person of the Green Jade Sect; dead, I¡¯ll be a ghost of the Green Jade Sect!¡± ¡°Have the courage to lift the spell and have a fair fight with me!¡± ¡°Bang!¡± ¡°These bodies are of good quality. Send them to the Spirit Medicine Garden to be used as fertilizer.¡± ¡°This Hundred Ghosts Banner is filled. Bring ten new ones over here.¡± ¡°Who else wants to be a ghost? Get in line over here, don¡¯t waste time.¡± After a series of chilling sounds, a brightly dressed young girl stepped on the void overhead, looked down at everyone, and said. ¡°The Green Jade Sect¡¯sck of virtue is evident, and they¡¯re destined to die. You remnants should have been buried with them, but because our master is kind-hearted andpassionate, your lives were spared. If you do not cherish this, then you might as well all go together.¡± Having said that, she left with a flick of her sleeve, without paying the slightest heed to everyone¡¯s reactions. On the other side, Laoliu, holding arge stick, attracted everyone¡¯s attention with his sly grin: ¡°You heard her; if you don¡¯t want to die,e register. Our Master is kind-hearted, a Moral Cultivator second to none under the heavens. As long as you behave and don¡¯t cheat and ck off, I guarantee you can redeem yourselves and even earn a sum of Spirit Stones. One day, you will take pride in farming and nting for our Master.¡± Watching the good cop and bad cop act on stage, Xiao Miao kept a silent face, but inwardly, he wondered: ¡°What exactly does he want, getting people to farm for him? Isn¡¯t he afraid of the Three Sects¡¯ reinforcementsing to kill him?¡± ¡°How would I know?¡± Elder Zhen, hearing this, was also helpless: ¡°Right now, they are stronger than us. This man controls the mountain and an array is sealing the exterior. Even if I help you break this spell, you can¡¯t escape; better endure for the time being. Oh, if I had known this would happen, I wouldn¡¯t have meddled in these muddy waters. Now I¡¯ve lost both my wife and my soldiers!¡± While they talked, suddenly, a Thunder Cloud rose from a cave dwelling on Green Jade Mountain and headed outside the mountain. ¡°This¡¡± Looking at the figure on the cloud, Xiao Miao couldn¡¯t hide his surprise: ¡°Where is he going now?¡± ¡°What does it matter where he¡¯s going!¡± Elder Zhen, however, was nonchnt: ¡°We can¡¯t run away right now anyway. Let¡¯s just deal with the situation at hand, and we can discuss everything elseter.¡± ¡°Right¡ Alright then!¡± Chapter 257 - 176: Refining Treasures_1 Chapter 257: Chapter 176: Refining Treasures_1 Trantor: 549690339 Seven dayster, outside the mountain gate of Tianshu Sect. A thunder cloud rolled in, and in an instant, the heavens and earth surged darkly. Inside Tianshu Sect, Sprit Light emerged, revealing a grand Formation, the very Big Dipper Pivot. The Big Dipper Formation, with Tianshu at its forefront, held extraordinary power even without the other six stars. The Tianshu Formation was centered around the Tianshu Star alone, while the other six stars were feigned adjuncts, forming ¡°Little Big Dipper¡± array configurations. Such a Little Big Dipper Formation,pared to the true Big Dipper Formation, had its advantages and disadvantages, its strengths and weaknesses. Its shorings need not much discussion; the overall effects and Formation strength were certainly far inferior to the true Big Dipper Star Formation. But the advantages were also quite clear: it cost less to use, the deployment consumed fewer resources, and could be entrusted to lower-tier Cultivators. The true Big Dipper Formation was a Seventh Rank Immortal Spirit Array, not to be rashly intruded upon by even Integration Great Powers or Mahayana True Immortals. Within the Northern Region Cultivation World, only the Big Dipper Immortal Sect had the ability to maintain one; how could others even dare to wish for it? At most, there were arrays like that of Tianshu Sect, focusing on one star while simting six to build a Little Big Dipper Formation. Even a Little Big Dipper was an incredibly terrifying existence for lower-tier Cultivators. The present array was no exception; it was an undeniable fourth-tier Termination Array. Below Divinity Transformation, among Nascent Souls, those who dared to enter faced a ny percent chance of death! Among Formations of the same tier, there were also varying degrees of danger, with the Termination Array being the deadliest¡ªutterly lethal and perilous; without extraordinary means, entering the Formation meant certain death, no life spared! Although not as deadly as the Termination Array, the menacing Formation also offered only a slim chance of survival. No life spared versus a ny percent chance of death! How great was the difference between a slim chance and none at all? As the Tianshu star arose, the Big Dipper Formation wasplete. Above and below the mountain gate, they guarded resolutely, leaving no gaps. And in the heart of the great Formation¡ ¡°Has the time finallye?¡± Jing Yue¡¯s expression was solemn, a hint of tension barely concealed, as the shadow of the sword that day seemed to linger in his heart, refusing to fade. Yunji was by his side, silent, solemnly presiding over the Formation. He was a Nascent Soul Cultivator, a Great Cultivator with a Perfect Nascent Soul, and he was well-versed in both Array Path and the Skill of Heavenly Mechanism, just one step away from reaching the fourth tier and bing one of the rare Array Grandmasters in the Northern Domain. With his realm of cultivation and proficiency in formations, virtually no one below Divinity Transformation could break the Tianshu Great Array he oversaw. But it was only virtually unbreakable, not an absolute certainty. There were always stronger experts out there, another mountain higher than thest! Having already suffered at their enemy¡¯s hands, he naturally did not regard the situation as ordinary or customary. For all he knew, the enemy might possess fearsome methods capable of oveing his Little Big Dipper Tianshu with just Golden Core strength. One could not afford to be careless! The serious demeanor of the two of them caused an old man nearby to feel somewhat anxious and worried as well. The elderly man had white hair and a robust figure. Despite his age, there was no sign of frailty; instead, he exuded a powerful and forceful aura. Observing his level of cultivation, it was clear he had entered the Nascent Soul Realm. Another Nascent Soul. He was indeed that Nascent Soul Old Demon from the Hundred Thousand Mountains who had long since pledged allegiance to the Tianshu Sect. Well before the battle began, Jing Yue had called him back to the sect¡¯s mountain gate for fear that someone mightunch a surprise attack while their forces were elsewhere. Therefore, the Old Demon had not been taken to the battle at Purple Cloud Mountain but was kept to guard the gate. Now, he could be considered a significant force in the battle or, to put it another way, high-grade cannon fodder. He was well aware that if the Tianshu Great Array could not withstand the enemy¡¯s offensive, he would undoubtedly be thrown out to fight desperately and buy time for the rest. This was clearly not a good situation to be in. But as a Spirit Beast, with his life and death in Jing Yue¡¯s hands, he had no choice but to hope the Tianshu Great Array would be of some use and not just for show. ¡°It took him seven days to reach this ce, and he has done quite a few things in that time.¡± ¡°First, he went to Medicine King Valley and swept through all the Medicine King Valley disciples who had not yet been evacuated, along with Medicine King Valley¡¯s foundations, then set up a Formation that sealed the Spirit Land of Medicine King Valley, forbidding entry or exit.¡± ¡°Afterward, he made his way to several ces in Liang Country, wiping out all of the Three Sects¡¯ foundations, each of their markets, Spirit Veins, and various strongholds. Many of them were hidden branches and informants, not openly revealing their identities or making contact, but still, they could not escape his clutches.¡± ¡°Lastly, he went to the Hundred Thousand Mountains and raided numerous Demon Beastirs¡¡± Jing Yue reported all the enemy¡¯s movements over the past few days. Upon hearing this, Yunji was not surprised: ¡°This person must have practiced the Skill of Heavenly Mechanism. Nothing in the Void Spirit Realm is a secret to him, so it¡¯s only logical that our hidden agents were unearthed.¡± ¡°Furthermore, although we do not know who he truly is, even a skilled wife cannot make a meal without rice. Not even Integration Powers or Mahayana True Immortals can create something out of nothing.¡± ¡°Cultivation requires resources, as does setting up Formations!¡± ¡°His spree of looting clearly indicates that he does not have an overabundance of materials or resources on hand.¡± ¡°Not only does heck resources, but he also cannot, like us,municate with the outside world for backup.¡± ¡°Therefore, I am confident that, for the time being, he cannot pose a threat to the Tianshu Great Array.¡± True to the standard of a Great Nascent Soul Cultivator and master of the Skill of Heavenly Mechanism, he grasped the essence of the situation at a nce, quickly rifying the state of affairs between the enemy and us. Upon hearing this, Jing Yue nodded but still expressed some concern: ¡°However, if we let him wreak havoc and plunder the resources of the Void Spirit Realm, it could pose a significant threat to us.¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Yunji agreed but was somewhat helpless: ¡°Yet there¡¯s nothing we can do at this point. If we leave the Formation to confront him now, we would fall into his trap, ying right into his hands. We absolutely must not. We will steadfastly maintain our position and see whether his actions or our reinforcements wille first.¡± ¡°Well¡ alright.¡± Seeing that Yunji had chosen such a passive strategy, Jing Yue was worried but also helpless. Chapter 258 - 176: Refining Treasures_2 Chapter 258: Chapter 176: Refining Treasures_2 Trantor: 549690339 He had already taken the initiative once before, but the result was a devastating defeat, so how could he have the face to oppose Yunji¡¯s strategy? Now, all he could hope for was that the other party wouldn¡¯t act too swiftly. Outside the Tianshu Sect, atop the Cumted Thunder Cloud, Xu Yang stood alone, observing the Big Dipper Star Formation. ¡°Not bad, indeed not bad!¡± ¡°The Tianshu Array Path must be of the fifth tier!¡± ¡°A fifth tier, already among the ranks of Immortal Spirits, is like the path of Artifact Refining; a fifth-tier artifact refining method can craft lower-grade Immortal Artifacts.¡± ¡°If the Seven Stars gather together, forming the Big Dipper, then one could arrange the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper Array, a sixth-order method within the Array Path, a formation of middle-grade Fairy Spirit.¡± ¡°It is said that within the Big Dipper Immortal Sect, there is an array called the Cycle Big Dipper Star Master Array, which uses the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper as the main, aided by the countless stars of the Cycle, ranked as a seventh tier, a formation of upper-grade Immortal Spirit. Integration enters, Integration dies, Mahayana enters, Mahayana falls, unbreakable unless the Seven Immortals gather together; it is the greatest potentiality of the Big Dipper Immortal Sect.¡± ¡°If I could obtain this Mana Point¡¡± Xu Yang¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, then he shook his head. ¡°Greedy, I¡¯ve been greedy!¡± Having said that, he swept hisrge sleeve and rode the clouds directly upwards. The Tianshu of the Big Dipper was truly extraordinary. Although limited by the material of the formation base, making this Tianshu Great Array only fourth-tier, the Tianshu Array Path used toy out the array was undeniably a fifth-tier Mana Point. As a fourth-tier Formation Master, it was difficult to find ws in such a foreign fifth-grade formation in a short time, and in fact, there may not be any ws at all. To break the formation, one either had to patiently decipher and n slowly or attack forcefully and break through all at once. Xu Yang, now, the former or thetter? Neither. Hecked the power to execute either the former or thetter at present. Hising this time was merely to probe, to see the strength of the formation and the reaction of the other party. Know yourself and the enemy, and you will never be in peril. Diagnose the correct illness to prescribe the right medicine. Xu Yang rode the clouds, aloft in the sky, not speaking much; he simply pinched his fingers and cast spells incanting curses. ¡°By the decree of the Supreme Elder Lord, Ie today to fish the mountain¡¯s head; with a golden hook to fish, with a silver hook to fish, and fish up the four corners of ten-thousand-zhang mountain. If it still won¡¯t rise, let nine bulls carry it, the Yin nine bulls, the Yang nine bulls, shocking heaven and earth to fish the mountain¡¯s head!¡± ¡°Boom boom boom!¡± Amidst the Curse Spell¡¯s sound, the thunder reappeared, the lightning like dragons shocked the heavens as they fell, transforming into thousands of hooks attempting to fish up the gates of the Tianshu Sect. Fishing Mountain Skills! ¡°Tianshu of the Big Dipper, Seven Stars as One!¡± The Daoist spell rushed forth, intending to fish the gate. Yunji¡¯s eyes sharpened; he spurred on the power of Tianshu, the Seven Stars united, stabilizing the formation. ¡°Boom boom boom!¡± One could see the lightning like dragons, transforming into thousands of hooks, catching the four corners of the Tianshu Sect¡¯s mountain gates, attempting to fish up the gates and sever the foundation of the great array. However, the Tianshu Array Path was no ordinary path; under the suppression of the Seven Stars, the mountain gates stood unshaken. The Fishing Mountain Skill failed to achieve its purpose. Seeing this, Xu Yang didn¡¯t mind and cast another spell. ¡°Heaven is vast, earth is vast, the disciple sets up the Nine Bulls Creation Skill. With one creation, heaven and earth shake; with two creations, Ghost Gods are stunned; with three creations, mountains copse, and rocks split; with four creations, the heads of Evil Skills practitioners smash and their brains scatter, their lives extinguish. If it isn¡¯t dragging a thousand catties weight, nine bulls with one creation split both sides. I respectfully request the Six Stars of the Southern Dipper and the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper, by the urgent decree of the Supreme Elder Lord!¡± That was the Art of Creating Mountains! Fishing Mountain Skills, Art of Creating Mountains, Nine Bulls Formation Breaking Skill! This skill was designed to break the natural terrain of mountains and rivers and was known as the nemesis of earth formations; first, fishing up the four corners of a great mountain to expose its pirs and essential foundations, then unleashing the Yin and Yang nine bulls to crash against the mountain¡¯s heart pirs, scorning the cauldron¡¯s base, attacking the lifeline, akin to the ¡°Prohibition Breaking Talisman¡± in Daoist arts. In the battle in the Capital Region, True Monarch Changrong once used this method, as a Seventh Realm, to shatter the Dry Mountain Old Demon alive. The Dry Mountain Old Demon, a Seventh Realm Mountain Spirit, was also a natural formation in itself, but still could not withstand the Fishing Mountain Nine Bulls Creation Skill, attesting to the skill¡¯s power. Xu Yang, in his current incarnation, although only possessing the full power of a Golden Core, slightly less than True Monarch Changrong during the battle in the Capital Region, still, with the capabilities of the ¡°Daoist Celestial Master¡± and the optimization and deductions by the Wandao School over a thousand years, the power of this Fishing Mountain Nine Bulls Creation Skill has increased rather than decreased, surpassing the past. ¡°Moo moo moo!¡± ¡°Boom boom boom!¡± The Celestial Master performed the spell, calling down the thunder; in an instant, the winds were startled, and the clouds changed. The Yin nine bulls and the Yang nine bulls, eighteen Green Bulls descended from the sky, their heads and horns empowered by the Jade Pure Divine Thunder, as if primeval thunder beasts revived, charging directly at Mount Tianshu¡¯s gates and the Big Dipper Star Formation furiously. Suddenly¡ ¡°Boom boom boom!¡± With one creation, heaven and earth shook; with two creations, Ghost Gods were stunned; with three creations, mountains copsed, and rocks split! Thend shook, stones burst into clouds, and the Big Dipper Pivot was hit by the onught. Spiritual Light perished, Talismans and Array patterns crumbled, just like the scene at Purple Cloud Mountain that day, when cultivators from the Three Sects used the Prohibition Breaking Talisman, obliterating the Earth Annihtion Formation. The might of the Fishing Mountain Nine Bulls Creation Skill could be seen. Within the Tianshu Sect, at the core. ¡°Not good!¡± ¡°The method of Destroying Mountains and Crushing Peaks!¡± Yunji¡¯s eyes condensed, his thoughts swiftly turning, rapidly changing the formation, redirecting the damaged formation¡¯s foothold, recing the broken nodes, maintaining the formation while repairing the damage, just like Xu Yang had done at Purple Cloud Mountain. ¡°The method of Destroying Mountains and Crushing Peaks!¡± ¡°This man indeed has methods¡ªthis strike¡¯s damage to the formation is no less than that of a fourth-tier Prohibition Breaking Talisman.¡± ¡°s, he can only execute one spell at a time.¡± ¡°To break the Tianshu Great Array, the number of Prohibition Breaking Talismans needed is at least fifty, all unleashed in an instant, without leaving any room to maneuver.¡± ¡°How could he possibly unleash fifty Destroying Mountains and Crushing Peaks spells in an instant?¡± ¡°This formation is secure!¡± Yunji murmured to himself with confidence. The adversary couldn¡¯t break the Tianshu Great Array he was overseeing, at least not right now. As long as the great array wasn¡¯t broken, he could rest easy in his bed, since the Tianshu Sect had deep potential and had anticipated such events early on. Every kind of material within the sect was in ample supply, and the reserve of Spirit Stones was astonishing; even if the other party did not leave, he could wear them down until reinforcements arrived. Chapter 259 - 176: Refining Treasures_3 Chapter 259: Chapter 176: Refining Treasures_3 Trantor: 549690339 Defend, keep defending, as long as we hold out, the final victory will belong to our Tianshu Sect! Yunji steadfastly believed this. Outside the Tianshu Sect¡ The Mighty Bulls copsed, the Taoist magic dissipated. The mountains remained mountains, the formations remained intact. Tianshu¡¯s Big Dipper, unyielding and unmoving. Seeing this, Xu Yang didn¡¯t seem too concerned. With a casual wave of his sleeve, thunder clouds formed and he turned heading north. That it couldn¡¯t be breached was only to be expected. With his current strength, even with skill traits like that of a ¡°Daoist Celestial Master¡± and Taoist magic like the Fishing Mountain Nine Bulls, it would still be difficult to break through a fourth-tier great array upheld by a Formation Master. A cultivator¡¯s realm and cultivation are the foundation. Without sufficient cultivation to sustain it, everything else is as insubstantial as a house built in the air, not even worth discussing. His present level of cultivation wasn¡¯t enough to breach the Tianshu Great Array. What to do? Isn¡¯t it obvious? If the realm is insufficient, then raise the realm. If the cultivation isn¡¯t enough, then advance the cultivation. If the power is too weak, then strengthen the power. In the world of cultivation, transcending the ordinary and entering sainthood, power can solve all problems, and if not, it¡¯s only because your power isn¡¯t strong enough. So, the current priority is to enhance his strength. Xu Yang rode the clouds, speeding northward, instantly covering a thousand miles. Soon, he arrived at a familiar ce. Well, it couldn¡¯t really be considered familiar since he had just been there a few days earlier. Purple Cloud Mountain! This second-tier upper-ss Spirit Land was no longer as glorious as in the past. In the aftermath of a great battle, it was left with scars and a deep chasm that sliced through the mountain from bottom to top. As Purple Cloud Mountain was split, a massive amount of spiritual energy dissipated, blending into the surrounding world. Although it nourished thend temporarily, it couldn¡¯tst forever. Left unchecked, this second-tier Spirit Land would soon fall in grade and be mundane. All thanks to that fourth-tier Prohibition Breaking Talisman. It not only broke through Xu Yang¡¯s Earth Annihtion Formation but also inflicted severe damage to the spirit veins of Purple Cloud Mountain. As a result, Purple Cloud Mountain was now cracked open, continuously losing spiritual energy. If they didn¡¯t quickly rectify the situation by setting up a spirit-gathering formation to heal the damage to the spirit veins, this rare upper-ss second-tier Spirit Land within Liang Country might soon be a thing of the past. Xu Yang came here with a purpose in mind. To save Purple Cloud Mountain? Of course not! He sat upon the clouds, channeling his mana, and in an instant, thunder descended from the heavens, drawing forth the earthfire, enveloping the fractured and ruined Purple Cloud Mountain within. Heavenly Thunder Earthly Fire, the Heavenly Crafts¡¯ Natural Creation! He was going to Refine Treasures, to forge a Spiritual Treasure. What Spiritual Treasure? The Three Mountains and Five Peaks Seal! It was a mighty treasure of the Mysterious Gate, one of the great sects in the World of Dao and Law, from the Peach Blossom Cave of Nine Immortal Mountain. It is said that this treasure was crafted by the ancestors of Nine Immortal Mountain, who gathered the essence of the three mountains and five peaks and the spirit of all directions¡¯ earth veins. It could wield the Power of Mountains and Rivers, the Power of Thick Earth; even among spiritual treasures, it was considered superior, possessing extraordinary might. This treasure, shaped like a seal, was incredibly hard, with massive strength and weight. Used inbat, if thrown lightly it would crack a skull, if thrown with force it could mash flesh into pulp. Used to break through formations, it was also remarkably effective. With the force of the mountains and peaks bearing down, how could any formation withstand it? If inflicted lightly, the base of the formation would copse; if hit with full force, the foundation would crumble into dust, turning the great array into ashes. Truly formidable to the utmost degree! With this treasure, Nine Immortal Mountain suppressed many demons in the World of Dao and Law, especially those millenniums-old mountain-spirit demons. Upon hearing about the seal of Nine Immortal Mountain, all would keep their distance, terrified and trembling. However, it was a pity that Nine Immortal Mountain, belonging to the Northern Territory Taoist Gate, met with cmity during the Pudu Cihang Demon Catastrophe and all its disciples perished, none surviving. The treasure was then acquired by Pudu Cihang. After Xu Yang slew Pudu Cihang, this treasure became the possession of the Wandao School. Later, it became the core of the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor, and a series of ¡°Three Mountains and Five Peaks¡± mech armors were developed, with the highest reaching the Ten Million Artifacts Level. At the Ten Million Artifacts Level, it already belonged to the elite ss among the existing million artifacts level mechas. Above that were the ace mechas with treasures from the three great Taoist ancestor courts at their cores, such as the ¡°Duotian Supervisor Spirit Officer¡± from Pure Yang Pce. Ace mechas at Thirty Million Artifacts Level require Supreme Grade spiritual treasures as their core. The Three Mountains and Five Peaks Seal was merely an upper-ss spiritual treasure, with Ten Million Artifacts Level being entirely in line with its grading. But Xu Yang felt that the potential of this spiritual treasure was far from being fully tapped, especially after his Artifact Refining skills reached the fourth-tier Phase Realm. Therefore, he initiated a research project in the Heavenly Craftsmanship Institute to optimize the Three Mountains and Five Peaks Seal, aiming to elevate this treasure to the Supreme Grade tier. This was no simple task. But Xu Yang was no ordinary man. Under his leadership, the Heavenly Craftsmanship Institutebored painstakingly and after a hundred years of relentless effort, using materials produced by the spirit of Earth Deities at Wandao School, they sessfully re-refined the Three Mountains and Five Peaks Seal into a Supreme Grade spiritual treasure. The re-refining approach was quite straightforward: the Three Mountains and Five Peaks Seal, being a Land-Moving Treasure, not only possessed the hardness of metal and rock but also the Power of Thick Earth. These two aspects were already nearing perfection. To further enhance it, they had to work from other angles. Thus, Xu Yang drew inspiration from the Xuanyuan Divine Sword¡¯s Tri-Celestial Method, re-refining the Three Mountains and Five Peaks Seal with Heavenly Thunder Earthly Fire. He incorporated some precious materials from the Wandao School¡¯s Earth Deities¡¯ Spirit Land, along with the essence of mountains and earth. After this re-refinement, the Three Mountains and Five Peaks Seal indeed underwent aplete transformation. In addition to its original hardness and the Power of Mountains and Rivers, it now possessed the Thunderbolt¡¯s Might and the power of an inferno. When the seal was struck, thunder and fire blended like a fallinget, tearing the skies asunder, its power terrifying to the extreme. Xu Yang named it the ¡°Thunderfire Overturning Heaven Seal of the Three Mountains and Five Peaks!¡± Though rather shamelessly imitative, what mattered wasn¡¯t whether it was a knockoff but rather its power. As abat-specific spiritual treasure, the original Three Mountains and Five Peaks Seal was already an exceptional weapon, ideal for smashing foes or breaking through formations, unparalleled in its effectiveness. Chapter 260 - 176: Refining Treasures_4 Chapter 260: Chapter 176: Refining Treasures_4 Trantor: 549690339 After re-cultivation, with the aid of Heavenly Thunder and Earthly Fire, the Three Mountains and Five Peaks Seal transformed into the ¡°Three Mountains and Five Peaks Thunder Fire Overturning Heaven Seal.¡± From above, it resembled a meteorite crashing to the earth, and from below, it looked like mountains flipping the skies¡ªits power doubled, terrifying beyondpare. Moreover, dominating allws with thunder and lightning, refining all artifacts with violent mes, along with the Gold Stone Qi and the Power of Thick Earth as connectors, made it even more suitable to control tens of thousands of magic artifacts. Therefore, after re-cultivation, its mech armor¡¯s Artifacts Level saw a massive increase, breaking through the 60 million mark. The ¡°Three Mountains and Five Peaks¡± mech armor, previously at the 20 million artifacts level, was upgraded to the 60 million artifacts level ¡°Three Mountains and Five Peaks Thunderfire Overturning Heaven General¡± mech armor. It surpassed the three trump cards in one fell swoop and became the secretly unsurpassed weapon of the Wandao School. This was still the regr state of the Overturning Heaven mech armor. If Xu Yang personally controlled it, with the addition of various skill traits like Heavenly Craftsman, it might just reach the 90 million level, pressing close to the billion artifact threshold. At that time, under the Immortal Spirit, only Overturning Heaven would be revered! This is the Three Mountains and Five Peaks Thunder Fire Overturning Heaven Seal! Xu Yang was preparing to refine this Supreme Grade Spiritual Treasure in the real world. Of course, directly refining a Supreme Grade Spiritual Treasure was impossible. Even the most skillful woman can¡¯t cook without rice. This Void Spirit Cave Heaven was too barren, the output of Spiritual Objects was limited. Even if he searched through thousands of mountains and rivers, emptied the resources of the Three Sects¡¯ external estates, and even entered the Hundred Thousand Mountains to y many Demon Beasts that contributed to evil, he wouldn¡¯t be able to refine a Thunder Fire Overturning Heaven Seal of Supreme Grade Spiritual Treasure level. The quantity was small, and the quality was low. It was hard to refine Spiritual Treasures, let alone Supreme Grade ones. Don¡¯t you see the Cultivators of the Three Sects, including Jing Yue of the Nascent Soul Realm, all using high-quality Magical Treasures? Therefore, directly refining a Supreme Grade Spiritual Treasure was unrealistic. He could only settle for less and first refine a Lower Grade Spiritual Treasure level Thunder Fire Overturning Heaven Seal. For a Lower Grade Spiritual Treasure, Xu Yang was still confident. Heavenly Thunder Earthly Fire, he could produce it himself, no need to seek the seeds of Heavenly Thunder or the heart of Earthfire. The only trouble was the Power of the Mountain and River¡¯s Gold and Stone, the energy of Thick Earth. Three Mountains and Five Peakse first, Overturning Heaven Thunder Fire follows. Without the strength of the Three Mountains and Five Peaks to bear it, there would be no talk of the might of Overturning Heaven Thunder Fire. So, he must find a way to acquire materials of mountains and rivers¡¯ gold and stone, thick earth type. Very troublesome! But that was just a hassle and not impossible to achieve. On the contrary, this indirectly lowered the requirements. Because materials like the Power of Mountain and River Gold and Stone, Thick Earth, many could achieve a qualitative change through a change in quantity. As long as there were enough materials, even if they were of low quality, they could bebined into high-quality ones, thus meeting the requirements for refining a Spiritual Treasure. This was why Xu Yang came to Purple Cloud Mountain. As a second-tier Spirit Land, Purple Cloud Mountain couldpletely serve as his refining material. Not just Purple Cloud Mountain, but other Spirit Lands within Liang Country¡¯s borders, other mountains, even secr mountains and rivers, could all serve as his Refining Treasures materials. Xu Yang estimated that as long as he refined the core of the third-tier Spirit Land of Medicine King Valley and all the second-tier Spirit Lands upied by the Three Sects, and then picked three thousand stone mountains from the Hundred Thousand Mountains, extracting their Gold Stone Qi and Power of Thick Earth, with his Heavenly Thunder Earthly Fire, Heavenly Crafts Natural Creation, day and night tireless refinement over a few years¡ Thus, he should be able to refine the Lower Grade Spiritual Treasure level Three Mountains and Five Peaks Thunder Fire Overturning Heaven Seal. The project¡ was tremendous! Not just the Thunder Fire Overturning Heaven Seal, but also the matching magic artifacts were needed to form the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor. The magic artifactponents he was currently using were mostly water-attributed and could not bebined with the ¡°Three Mountains Five Peaks¡± Overturning Heaven Seal, which was attributed to ¡°earth,¡± ¡°thunder,¡± and ¡°fire.¡± Therefore, he not only needed to travel far and wide to gather mountain and river gold and stone materials, but he also needed to supervise the production of magic artifactponents by the Fish and Dragon Ind workshop, forging at least a million artifacts. A Lower Grade Spiritual Treasure, a million artifacts level, the might of the Three Mountains and Five Peaks Thunder Fire Overturning Heaven¡ªwould it break his Tianshu Big Dipper Formation? As the head of Wandao School, Xu Yang was very confident in his own painstaking creation. Breaking the formation was not an issue. The issue was¡ time! Would the other side allow him the time toplete such a massive project? Xu Yang could not say for sure, but he felt it was feasible. This was the result of the probing earlier. If the Tianshu Sect reinforcements had already arrived, with a dozen or twenty Nascent Souls hidden inside, they would have no reason to hunker down in the formation, allowing him to show off his might on the outside. They hunkered down in the formation, not daring to face him in an outright confrontation, and they also ignored his sweeping through the Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm and plundering resources from all sides over the past few days. What did this indicate? It indicated that they were apprehensive,cking in confidence, and dared not leave the formation to settle the score with him. Why was this so? Was it because something had happened externally, hindering the support from the main of Tianshu Sect, so their reinforcements had not arrived, or if they had, were too few in number and limited in strength? Xu Yang couldn¡¯t be certain, but given the current situation, he should still have some time. During this time, he intended to fully utilize the resources and power at his disposal to refine the Three Mountains and Five Peaks Thunder Fire Overturning Heaven Seal and its mech armor, giving Tianshu Sect a huge surprise. And then¡ Chapter 261 - 177: Honored Envoy_1 Chapter 261: Chapter 177: Honored Envoy_1 Trantor: 549690339 Half a monthter, at Red Maple Mountain. As a second-tier lower grade Spirit Land, Red Maple Mountain was originally owned by the Wang Family. However, heaven has its unpredictable changes, and man has his sudden misfortunes and blessings. Twenty years ago, above Dongting Lake, there was a conflict over Spirit Land. The Zhou and Wang families suffered heavy casualties, each losing a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. As a result, the Zhou Family lost Qingfeng Mountain, and the Wang Family didn¡¯t fare much better; within a few years¡¯ time, the ancestralnd of Red Maple Mountain had changed hands. It truly was¡ ¡°The ything of fate!¡± Above Red Maple Mountain, within the Yan family¡¯s estate, Yan Changfeng muttered to himself and looked up at the sky, reflecting on the past. As a Foundation Establishment Cultivator born into a Qi Cultivation family, he shouldered far too much. Back then, for the battle over the Spirit Land at Dongting, he had agreed to conditions from the Zhou and Wang families to enter the arena and dueled with the patriarch of the Li Family, Li Jianchen. In the end, he was defeated¡utterly bested by his opponent. Afterward, the Zhou and Wang families were sessively defeated, one dead and one injured, their loss extremely tragic. In the end, it even implicated their families, and two long-established Foundation Establishment lineages thus began their decline. But he seized this opportunity, using his overpowering strength as a Sword Cultivator to defeat strong opponents from all around, snatching the Wang Family¡¯s foundation at Red Maple Mountain. Within a decade or so, he brought it up to second-tier, possessing the qualification to manage a market town, which was far better than the first-tier lower-grade Fish and Dragon Ind. Was this not fate ying tricks on people? Yet, fate truly does y tricks on people! No sooner had he set his family on the right track, with over a decade of effort yet to bear fruit, than the skies of the Cultivation World began to change. In just half a month¡¯s time, Green Jade Sect and Medicine King Valley were sessively annihted. The Three Sects of Golden Core, which had governed Liang Country and ruled for a thousand years, was left with only a sole survivor. This sole survivor had a tough time too, being blockaded at their mountain gate, unable to go in or out. All the external establishments, branches, lineages, and undercover agents of the Three Sects were swept away by people in one stroke. A storm erupted, sweeping across the world, and all forces in the Liang Kingdom¡¯s Cultivation Realm were impacted. The Yan family was no exception, having sealed their mountain gate early on, daring not to venture out, fearing being caught in the great cmity of the Cultivation Realm and bringing disaster upon the family. Indeed, a great cmity! For these Foundation Establishment powers, such a drastic change was a matter of life and death. A speck of dust from history, a ripple from the era, bes an unbearable mountain when it falls upon an individual. Even though he was a Cultivator, a powerful Sword Dao Cultivator, at this moment, he felt a sense of confusion and helplessness, like ¡°drawing his sword and looking around at a loss.¡± What could he do? He could do nothing! Weaklings only wait for the oue, waiting for others to pass judgment on their fate. Yan Changfeng hated this feeling. But he was helpless. He had already tried his hardest, exercised his strength to the utmost. Yet the road ahead was still so difficult, his all-out efforts only allowing him to move forward slowly. Did he have any hope in this life of reaching the legendary Golden Core Dao? Even if it were the Golden Core, what of it? How many Golden Core Cultivators had died recently? Why had the world changed for no good reason? What once were influential Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivators now had no qualifications to step onto the stage, and the elusive Golden Core old monsters were butchered like stray dogs. Was it that he couldn¡¯t keep up with the tides of the era, or was the world changing too fast and too furiously? Yan Changfeng had fallen into deep self-doubt. Just then¡ ¡°Is young friend Changfeng there?¡± A shout came from outside the mountain. ¡°This is¡!¡± Yan Changfeng¡¯s eyes sharpened, and he snapped out of it, listening to the person outside and not knowing what to do. Fortunately, the other party soon continued, ¡°Young friend, don¡¯t be rmed. I am currently a messenger from Green Jade Mountain, sent by the Spell King to patrol the Cultivation Realm and transmit messages to all sides. That¡¯s why I¡¯vee to your Red Maple Mountain.¡± ¡°The Spell King¡¯s order?!¡± Yan Changfeng¡¯s gaze sharpened, his suspicion slightly eased, and he soared up, opening the great formation. Outside the mountain gate stood a man in the air, if not Bai Yunzi, then who? ¡°Yan Changfeng, greets¡the honored envoy!¡± Seeing Bai Yunzi, Yan Changfeng had a somewhat strange expression but stillpleted all the proper etiquette. He and this Green Jade Immortal Envoy were old acquaintances, having interacted frequently. His Yan family¡¯s acquisition of Red Maple Mountain was, in fact,rgely thanks to the other¡¯s ¡°assistance!¡± Now that they met again, he was still an envoy, but the Green Jade Sect was no longer the same Green Jade Sect. The Green Jade Mountain, Medicine King Valley ¨C both sects had changed hands, and the news of the Supreme Elder and all Golden Core Cultivators being wiped out had long spread throughout the Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm. In such a case, could be still be an envoy for Green Jade Mountain? Could it be that he was a weathercock, betraying friends for glory? That Spell King Shifa who employed such a man, could he also be a character scraping everyst bit of the earth for personal gain? If that were the case, then the days ahead for Liang Country would probably be difficult. Yan Changfeng¡¯s thoughts were in turmoil. Bai Yunzi saw this but did not point it out, simply smiling and saying, ¡°May Ie in and talk?¡± Yan Changfeng then came to his senses: ¡°Of course, the honored envoy, pleasee in!¡± With a smile, Bai Yunzi followed him in. The two entered the living room, and Yan Changfeng immediately called out, ¡°Someone, fetch my Cloud Mountain Tea¡¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± Bai Yunzi shook his head, ¡°Let¡¯s cut to the chase, young friend Changfeng. I am now an envoy of the Green Jade Mountain, on King Shifa¡¯s orders to patrol the Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm and ry messages to various powers. You must remember the following points carefully, without any errors.¡± Yan Changfeng¡¯s expression became solemn, ¡°Please speak, Honored Envoy!¡± Hearing this, Bai Yunzi also got straight to the point. ¡°Now that Liang Country has a new ruler, and the Spell King is revered, Green Jade Mountain, Medicine King Valley, and the stubborn Tianshu Sect, as well as all the spiritnds, markets, and strongholds that the Three Sects possessed in Liang Country, all belong to the Spell King.¡± ¡°All of you, whether powers or families, ns, or sects, who once served the Three Sects, must now serve the Spell King. Those who do not submit are rebels, and the Spell King has already formed an enforcement squad to patrol Liang Country, exterminate the remnants of the Three Sects, and deal with the Robbing Cultivators causing chaos.¡± Bai Yunzi looked at Yan Changfeng, ¡°Is the Yan family of Red Maple Mountain willing to serve the Spell King as master?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Yan Changfeng was startled and then quickly came to his senses, repeatedly saying, ¡°My Yan family shall look only to the Spell King¡¯s lead in the days toe.¡± ¡°Very good!¡± Bai Yunzi nodded and said with a lightugh, ¡°Young friend Changfeng is indeed astute, not like those who cannot read the times. By the way, do you know what thisw enforcement squad formed by the Spell King looks like?¡± ¡°This¡ I do not know; please enlighten me, Honored Envoy.¡± Yan Changfeng had no choice but to go along with the other party¡¯s lead, ying the role of the curious baby. Bai Yunzi smiled, ¡°There are ten teams in total, each team consisting of ten people, with Golden Core leading and Foundation Establishment as followers.¡± ¡°Golden Core as the leader?¡± Yan Changfeng was shocked, somewhat incredulous. ¡°Yes, Golden Core as the leader.¡± Bai Yunzi exined, ¡°The Spell King has decided to sweep across Qiankun, to change the unfavorable trends in the Cultivation Realm. He has already personally acted, eradicating the ws and hidden offspring of the Three Sects and ying a group of uwful Robbing Cultivators and Evil Demons, among whom were not a few Golden Cores.¡± ¡°Not a few Golden Cores¡¡± Yan Changfeng muttered to himself, finding it even harder to ept. Bai Yunzi said with a smile, ¡°There are still quite a few Golden Core Cultivators within Liang Country. They were merely retiring from public activity because of the Three Sects¡¯ influence.¡± ¡°Among these Golden Core Cultivators, some were quite fond of looting, or had outright cultivated into Robbing Cultivators. They have been justly executed by the Spell King.¡± ¡°The rest have been enlightened by the Spell King, undergone a change of heart, and are remade, bingw enforcement cultivators under the Spell King¡¯smand.¡± ¡°Next, the enforcement squad will patrol everywhere in Liang Country, exterminating the remnants of the Three Sects and uwful Robbing Cultivators, leaving no stone unturned, no mercy given.¡± Bai Yunzi looked at Yan Changfeng with a smile that was not quite a smile, ¡°Young friend Changfeng, there surely aren¡¯t any Robbing Cultivators from your Yan family, right?¡± ¡°No, absolutely not!¡± Yan Changfeng, startled, denied it repeatedly. ¡°It¡¯s good that there are none.¡± Bai Yunzi said with a smile, ¡°Additionally, among the enforcement squad are disciples personally taught by the Spell King, who possess the Heavenly Mechanism Eye. No matter if they are remnants of the Three Sects or uwful evil cultivators, none can escape detection before them. Young friend Changfeng, you must be careful not to slip up.¡± ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Honored Envoy.¡± Yan Changfeng swallowed nervously, also somewhat fearful and uneasy. ¡°After the eradication of the Robbing Cultivators, the Cultivation Realm of Liang Country will surely prosper.¡± Bai Yunzi continued, ¡°Since you now serve the Spell King, the taxes will remain as before, collected just as the Three Sects did, not a penny more, not a penny less.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that thebor required will increase, after all, the Spell King has exterminated the Robbing Cultivators, and a great many of the Demon Beasts from the Hundred Thousand Mountains have been in. From now on, the tasks ofbor will no longer bebat-oriented but focused on production.¡± ¡°The risk factor has been greatly reduced. As such, it¡¯s only right to increase somebor tasks, isn¡¯t it?¡± Bai Yunzi looked at Yan Changfeng, awaiting his response. ¡°Right, right, it¡¯s only right!¡± Yan Changfeng answered repeatedly, ¡°My Yan family and Red Maple Mountain will fully cooperate.¡± ¡°Very good!¡± Bai Yunzi nodded and said with a lightugh, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s nothing much to it, just some routine tasks¡ªplowing the Spirit Fields, nting Spiritual Medicine, mining Spirit Stones, raising Spirit Beasts. Every Cultivation Art has its arrangement; although it may be harder work, it¡¯s still better than constant fighting, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes!¡± Yan Changfeng nodded repeatedly, not daring to disagree. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s one more thing.¡± Bai Yunzi went on to say, ¡°Three months from now, Green Jade Mountain under the Spell King will hold a grand event!¡± ¡°A grand event?¡± Yan Changfeng¡¯s heart skipped a beat, looking at Bai Yunzi somewhat apprehensively, ¡°What¡ kind of grand event?¡± ¡°An auction, the Competition of the Chosen.¡± Bai Yunzi looked at him, ¡°All powers muste to participate. At the auction, there will be many rare treasures, Golden Core Skills, Core Formation Spiritual Objects, Magic Artifacts, Magical Treasures, medicinal pills, talismans¡ªessentially everything you could want, surely not disappointing you.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Yan Changfeng looked at Bai Yunzi, not knowing what to say, and finally forced himself to say, ¡°I understand. I will definitely be present at Green Jade Mountain in three months.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand.¡± Hearing this, Bai Yunzi shook his head, speaking seriously, ¡°This isn¡¯t just an excuse for you to give gifts and offer gold. The Spell King¡¯s purpose in holding this grand event is the prosperity of the Cultivation Realm, to promote development and exchange, without a shred of falsehood. Don¡¯t let your thoughts run wild with spection.¡± This statement took Yan Changfeng aback, and then he realized, ¡°You mean to say¡¡± ¡°The Golden Core Skills are real, the Core Formation Spiritual Objects are real, and so are all the other Cultivation Techniques and skills inheritance. Everything can be auctioned off as long as you have Spirit Stones, and you won¡¯t have to worry about being ambushed afterward, for the Robbing Cultivators in the Liang Country Cultivation Realm will soon bepletely exterminated.¡± Bai Yunzi said with a light chuckle, ¡°So, young friend Changfeng, if you are interested in the Golden Core Dao, it¡¯s best to start gathering Spirit Stones now, or you may regret missing out at the auction.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Yan Changfeng stood frozen, unsure of what to do. It took a while before he came back to his senses, looking at Bai Yunzi with astonishment and uncertainty, ¡°What exactly is the Competition of the Chosen about?¡± Bai Yunzi smiled and began to exin, ¡°This is a great incentive from the Spell King for the cultivators of Liang Country¡¡± Chapter 262 - 178: Development_1 Chapter 262: Chapter 178: Development_1 Trantor: 549690339 Three monthster, at Green Jade Mountain, within a Spirit Field. ¡°Order spreads swiftly, as fast as wind and fire, call forth drought or rain at will!¡± ¡°Wind rises!¡± ¡°Clouds gather!¡± ¡°Thunder arrives!¡± ¡°Rain falls!¡± Xiao Miao stood at the edge of the field, forming hand seals, chanting spells, and mana flowed from within him like water. Suddenly, the wind and clouds surged, thunder rumbled faintly, and a patch of rain clouds gathered above the field, quickly turning into a downpour. After an unknown amount of time, the clouds dissipated and the rain cleared. The rice nts in the Spirit Field were all brilliantly shining, verdant and dripping with life, carved as if from beautiful jade. They didn¡¯t resemble rice nts at all but rather seemed like jade or emerald seeds, it was as if someone extravagantly treated these precious materials as mundane, nting them right into the field. ¡°Phew!¡± As the clouds dispersed and the rain stopped, and the spellcasting wasplete, Xiao Miao too let out a sigh of relief, wiping imaginary sweat from his brow and thinking to himself, ¡°The ¡®Cloud Cover and Rain Skill¡¯ from the Taoist Scriptures is indeed profound, its effect is almost three times that of the ordinary Cloud Rain Skill, no wonder this Green Jade Rice grows so well, yielding two harvests in just three months.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that exaggerated. Although the Cloud Cover and Rain Skill is mystical, it can¡¯t possibly be three times more effective than the ordinary Cloud Rain Skill. The rapid growth of this Green Jade Rice should be attributed to the seeds and the Spirit Field,¡± a voice rang out, and in his mind, Elder Zhenmented, ¡°Who knows what methods that person employed to double the yield of the Spirit nts and significantly improve their quality. Could it be that besides Array Formation, he¡¯s also proficient in the cultivation of Spiritual Medicine?¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°That¡¯s for sure, that old monster is just that, an old monster, he knows all kinds of messy stuff. With that spare time, why wouldn¡¯t he focus solely on Array Formation? Maybe he could¡¯ve be an Immortal Spirit Formation Master or even a True Immortal of Array Formation by now.¡± Elder Zhen grumbled on, leaving Xiao Miao speechless, but he couldn¡¯t just interrupt, so he had to wait for him to calm down. ¡°However, it¡¯s also good. If he were a True Immortal of Array Formation, then he would surely be unbeatable by that tortoise egg Tianshu from the Big Dipper Immortal Sect, and the ownership of the Void Spirit Realm wouldn¡¯t be in any doubt,¡± Elder Zhen continued. ¡°Now, with two tigers fighting, one is bound to get hurt. It¡¯s the perfect opportunity for us to fish in troubled waters¡¡± Elder Zhen rambled on while Xiao Miao had no choice but to listen patiently. Just then, someone approached, raising a hand in greeting to Xiao Miao, ¡°Impressive Cloud Cover and Rain Skill, Miao bro!¡± It was an old farmer with white hair and a face lined with age but still sprightly and agile. He came to Xiao Miao¡¯s side and looked at the Green Jade Rice that had just been bathed in the spiritual rain and then at Xiao Miao, who looked as usual. He couldn¡¯t help but express his admiration: ¡°Young is good, you learn everything so quickly. In plot number three of the third ss, it is your field that is cultivated the best. No wonder the overseer hasmended you numerous times.¡± Xiao Miao smiled, ¡°I¡¯m just lucky to have both Water and Wood Spiritual Roots, which give me an advantage when using such spells. It¡¯s nothing special. Rather, it¡¯s Uncle Tian who has the genuine skill of a Spiritual nt Farmer. You must be tier two by now.¡± Hearing this, the old farmer also waved his hand dismissively, ¡°I¡¯ve farmed for over a hundred years, gaining a bit of insight through hard practice, it¡¯s nothing impressive. If you¡¯re interested, Miao Bro, I would sell my skills to you for a low price, a few Spirit Stones will do.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Miao was also taken aback. ¡°This old guy is just here to swindle Spirit Stones, don¡¯t bother with him. What kind of Spiritual nt Farmer¡¯s abilities canpare to a single finger of me, a Formation Master?¡± Elder Zhen said disdainfully in his mind, ¡°Moreover, why buy a Spiritual nt Farmer¡¯s inheritance when Green Jade Mountain has already given you one? That ¡®Taoist Scriptures ¡¤ Agricultural Book¡¯ is top-notch knowledge for Spiritual nt cultivation, do you need his shoddy tier two inheritance?¡± Elder Zhen was scornful in his speech. However, Xiao Miao did not refuse but looked at the old farmer with his white hair and deeply lined face, and probed, ¡°Uncle Tian, are you collecting Spirit Stones to attend an auction?¡± ¡°No,¡± replied the old farmer, shaking his head with a bitter smile. ¡°How could my meager possessions dare to aim for treasures at an auction? I just want to go to the market to buy a Foundation Building Pill to see if I can break through to Foundation Establishment.¡± After saying this, his eyes became earnest and fiery as he looked at Xiao Miao, ¡°Miao Bro, the overseer has rewarded you with so many Spirit Stones, could you lend me some?¡± ¡°I will give you my Spiritual nt Farmer inheritance, and the Green Jade Rice in my field, which is growing quite well; it¡¯s definitely going to be a bountiful harvest. I¡¯ll repay you with interest.¡± ¡°Although Green Jade Mountain has bestowed the Agricultural Book, blind trust in books is not as good as no books at all, you still have tobine theory with practice.¡± ¡°Why else would my field be the best cultivated if everyone has the Agricultural Book?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because of my many years of experience as a Spiritual nt Farmer!¡± ¡°I can teach you hands-on, and I guarantee you¡¯ll be the top Spiritual nt Farmer in plot number three of the third ss or even the entire third ss.¡± In his plea, he pinned all his hopes on Xiao Miao. Xiao Miao, seeing this, felt helpless but produced a Storage Bag, ¡°Let¡¯s draw up a promissory note then.¡± ¡°Of course, of course!¡± Upon hearing this, the old farmer immediately took out paper and pen from the Storage Bag, drew up a promissory note with Xiao Miao, and after receiving the Storage Bag, he said, ¡°Brother Xiao, I am indebted to you for your great kindness and will repay you one day!¡± Xiao Miao merely nodded, not saying much, but he sighed inwardly. The farmer before him, with his Perfect Qi Refinement cultivation, shouldn¡¯t have to be so humble. However, he was a prisoner, a cultivator of the Green Jade Sect, stripped of all his possessions, and now had to rely on farming to make a living. That would have been enough, but then Spell King Shifa took over the Green Jade Sect and reopened the market, promoting a big sale, brutally shing the prices of cultivation resources like Spirit Rice, Spiritual Medicine, and Spirit Pills. Included among them, was the Foundation Building Pill. Chapter 263 Chapter 178: Development_2 Chapter 263 Chapter 178: Development_2 ``` Foundation Building Pills were a major means by which the Three Sects maintained control over Liang Country, exerting influence over various powers. In the marketces operated by Foundation Establishment powers, Foundation Building Pills were never sold as regr items. Instead, one had to wait for the grand auction to be held, wherepeting parties vie for them, shing swords and spears, amidst bloodshed and carnage... Only then could the owner of the Foundation Building Pills be determined. Too difficult! As a result, many cultivators in Liang Kingdom''s Cultivation Realm had to break through on their own, without the aid of Foundation Building Pills. The number of casualties, you can imagine. But now, the Foundation Building Pills had been decentralized. Not only were they avable for sale at Green Jade Mountain, but in every major marketce that was formerly under the control of the Three Sects and now in others'' hands, the pills were openly sold, and the prices had even dropped significantly. The Cultivation Realm of Liang Country was boiling over with excitement. Countless Qi Cultivationpleters among the cultivators spared no effort and expense in gathering Spirit Stones to purchase Foundation Building Pills. If this had happened before, this move would definitely have sparked a bloody and fierce upheaval in the Cultivation Realm of Liang Country, with numerous cultivators turning into Robbing Cultivators, plundering wherever they could. But now, with the Three Sects eradicated, the Spell King ruled the world. Top ten Golden Core cultivators and a hundred Foundation Establishment enforcers patrolled in all directions. The remnants of the Three Sects and uwful Robbing Cultivators were hunted down to the ends of the earth, wiped outpletely. Looting was no longer an option. If one desired Spirit Stones, they had to earn them. Either by seeking the hidden and the mysterious or by living off one''s skills. But in thends of Liang Country, how many such secret realms were there to explore? So, the vast majority of cultivators opted for the following path. To sell themselves! To work! To sell themselves to the Green Jade Sect, to work for that "King Shifa." Spiritual nt Farmers, Beast Tamers, Pill Masters, Artifact Refiners, Talisman Masters, Array Masters... Hundred Arts of Cultivation, each with their own role to y. As long as you have a skill, Green Jade Mountain has a ce for you. Working for Green Jade Mountain, taking the Spirit Stones dispensed by Green Jade Mountain, going to marketces run by Green Jade Mountain, purchasing various items produced by Green Jade Mountain to enhance one''s cultivation and strengthen oneself, then going back to work for the Green Jade Sect with greater strength, doing more work, earning more Spirit Stones... A perfect cycle! On the surface, it seemed that King Shifa was at a loss, selling at reduced prices and earning less. But in reality, through this move, he got the whole Liang Country going, getting all powers and cultivators involved in the system established by Green Jade Mountain, working for him, contributing to him. Now, the entire Liang Country, the whole Cultivation Realm, was working for him, farming for him, cultivatingnd for him, taming beasts for him, raising fish for him, mining and quarrying for him, doing alchemy and Artifact Refining for him... In short, if you wanted to cultivate, if you wanted to advance, then you had to contribute your skill to Green Jade Mountain. What, you don''t have a skill? No matter, Green Jade Mountain can train you. "Taoist Scriptures: Agricultural Book" "Taoist Scriptures: Craftsmanship Book" "Taoist Scriptures: Alchemy Book" Mana Farming Skill, Cloud Cover and Rain, pest elimination techniques, methods for increasing yield and production... Hundred Arts of Cultivation, all with their respective Mana Points, pass on training. As long as you are a cultivator, proficient in using mana, you can sign documents with Green Jade Mountain, receive training from Green Jade Mountain, until you have mastered a skill, and then... work for Green Jade Mountain again. What, you''re not even a cultivator? No matter, apart from Taoist Scriptures, Green Jade Mountain has also released Martial Arts Scriptures. Even if you''re a mortal with no Spiritual Root and cannot practice Cultivation, you can still train in the ways of the Martial Path. Even though Martial Path techniques progress slowly, Martial Artists have a much stronger constitution than ordinary people and are capable of handlingborious work. Nowadays, Green Jade Mountain is implementing the Equal-field Method in Liang Country to increase production and enhance the power of the people, thereby increasing the poption. As the poption increases, the number of people with a Spiritual Root will inevitably increase as well, resulting in more bing Cultivators. It''s said that Green Jade Mountain also ns on "Spreading martial arts all over" and is striving to have all the ordinary people in Liang Country who cannot cultivate learn the Martial Arts Scripture, turning everyone into a Martial Artist. Martial Artists have robust physiques, which can fully support childbearing, unlike high-tier Cultivators who find it difficult to produce offspring. As long as Green Jade Mountain''s grand n of "Spreading martial arts all over" is sessful, it won''t be long before the poption of Liang Country and the number of Cultivators will double. These added numbers of people... will end up working for Green Jade Mountain! Working has be the only way out for the future Cultivators of Liang Country. At least, this is the case before that "King Shifa" is overthrown. As long as he does not die, as long as he can keep the situation under control, as long as Green Jade Mountain''s output and the goods in the various markets keep flowing, then this situation, this system, will continue to be maintained. All of Liang Country, all Cultivators, will have to work tirelessly for him, King Shifa, for his Green Jade Mountain. Contributing strength, creating value! This is just the effect brought about by one Foundation Building Pill. Apart from the Foundation Building Pill, Green Jade Mountain is also preparing to lift other restrictions. Golden Core Skill, Forming Core Spiritual Objects. The Golden Core Skill and Forming Core Spiritual Objects, which have been controlled by the Three Sects with few being released, as well as the life-extending Spirit Pills, are all ready to be made avable by Green Jade Mountain. When that timees, Liang Kingdom''s Cultivation Realm will surely boil, sparking an immensely fervent "working frenzy!" To turn one''s hand and bring clouds, to overturn it and bring rain! To stir the waves in the Four Seas, to sweep across the world with a tide! This is Xiao Miao''s greatest feeling toward the situation, and the reason he is sighing to himself at this moment. Why he sighs, is because he is also caught in the current of this era, swept away by the overwhelming trend. Like him, equally stripped bare, he now has to work sincerely and diligently for Green Jade Mountain. There is no other way, no other alternative! Elder Zhen? Elder Zhen can''t create Spirit Stones or Spirit Pills for him! In the current situation of Liang Kingdom''s Cultivation Realm, if you don''t work for Green Jade Sect, you won''t even have food to eat. Therefore, Xiao Miao has no choice, even though Green Jade Mountain no longer imposes Taoism on them, these "surviving criminals," and doesn''t even restrict their movements, he can''t leave Green Jade Mountain. Working has its differences in treatment, and as a sought-after position, Green Jade Mountain allows them to enjoy the immense benefit of the Green Jade Spiritual Vein, which countless "workers" are vying to enter. He can''t leave, and has nowhere to go! Since he can''t leave, he has decided not to leave. This time is a tribtion, but also an opportunity. Compared to the Three Sects, that King Shifa is harsh yet permissive toward Cultivators. As long as he can grasp and make good use of this, it would be a huge boost. He must seize this opportunity! "The Competition of the Chosen?" "Old Tian is a hundred and fifty years old and still dares to try for advancement, to take a chance." "I am a young man, how can I not dare to try my luck on the stage?" "The Three Sects'' counterattack is imminent, I must make full use of Green Jade Mountain''s various wonders to improve my Cultivation and enhance my strength before King Shifa is overthrown!" "Tomorrow''s Competition of the Chosen will definitely have a ce for me, Xiao Miao!" "As for the auction..." Xiao Miao nced at the bustling Green Jade Market in the distance and touched the worn-out Storage Bag at his waist, sighed, and turned to leave, "Let''s talk about that next time!" Chapter 264 - 179: Auction_1 Chapter 264 - 179: Auction_1 "How much is the Foundation Building Pill?" "The low grade is 5,000 Spirit Stones, mid-grade 10,000 Spirit Stones, high grade 20,000 Spirit Stones, and the supreme grade 50,000 Spirit Stones!" "Which type would our honored guests like to purchase?" In the Green Jade Market, within the Elixir Tower, at the counter. Yan Changfeng looked at the smiling shopkeeper, then at the dazzling array of jade bottles on the counter, hesitating in his mind. Behind him stood several people, mostly elderly or middle-aged, but there were also two or three young men and women. They were indeed the elders and younger generation of the Yan family. At this moment, those two or three youths could hardly contain themselves. "Foundation Building Pills are this cheap?" "Even the inferior Foundation Building Pills used to cost 10,000 Spirit Stones!" "Now the low grade is only 5,000, the price has been shed by more than half." "Supreme grade Foundation Building Pills, do they really exist?" "Although Foundation Building Pills are second-tier elixirs, even third-tier Pill Masters might not be able to produce a supreme grade one, right?" "I heard that supreme grade Foundation Building Pills have extraordinary destiny, capable of forging a perfect Dao base, and there is hope for the Golden Core Dao in the future." "Only 50,000 Spirit Stones for that? If we buy one for great-grandfather, wouldn''t our Yan family have another Foundation Establishment Ancestor?" "Don''t speak nonsense..." The chatter of the younger generation was enthusiastic, their eyes alight. However, the expressions of the several elders were serious, and they spoke in a low voice to Yan Changfeng, "Changfeng, the family''s top priority now is to assist you with your Core Formation. It''s sufficient to just get an inferior Foundation Building Pill for elder brother, and use all the remaining Spirit Stones to help you acquire the Golden Core Skill and Forming Core Spirit Objects that you need for cultivation." The words of the elders weighed heavily on Yan Changfeng''s shoulders. The tide of change was sweeping in. In the current Cultivation Realm of Liang Kingdom, ''Foundation Establishment Ancestors'' no longer had the power to suppress an area; one had to be a Great Golden Core cultivator to have a say. As a power that originally was at the Foundation Establishment level, the Yan family had a strong ability to judge the situation and unanimously decided to seize the opportunity presented by the era, to take advantage of the crucial moment and gain an advantage in this ''major upheaval,'' ahead of others. Otherwise, they would be surpassed by others, and eliminated by the times! To that end, they had emptied their coffers, and even at the risk of mining the Spirit Vein of Red Maple Mountain, they had gathered arge sum of Spirit Stones to attend this auction event. However, the auction hadn''t even started yet, and just the various shops in the market had already dazzled them. Spirit Rice, elixirs, magic artifacts, talismans, all kinds of cultivation necessities, wares for battle¡ªthey had everything of high quality, and the prices were incredibly low, almost like a half sale. It was mesmerizing. "No wonder the Cultivation Realm of Liang Kingdom has gone mad these days." "With such Spiritual Objects at such prices, who wouldn''t go crazy?" "Compared to the Three Sects, the contrast is even greater. Everyone is afraid that this is all a dream that they will wake up from, hence they spare no effort to buy frantically." Yan Changfeng sighed softly to himself and then stepped forward to speak to the shopkeeper, "I''d like a low-grade Foundation Building Pill." "Low grade?" Surprised, the several elders quickly stepped forward, "There''s no need for that, an inferior grade will suffice." Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper smiled, "I apologize, but we do not sell inferior grade elixirs, the lowest we have is low grade." "This..." The crowd was taken aback, their expressions astonished. The shopkeeper smiled and said calmly, "Rest assured, at the auction, the price of the Golden Core Skills will not be too high. In fact, the prices for all cultivation technique inheritances won''t be too high either. They are only included in the auction to increase appeal. Green Jade Mountain has no ns to profit from them, and moreover..." The shopkeeper looked at Yan Changfeng, "After the auction, Green Jade Mountain and all the major markets will directly sell Golden Core Skills. The price won''t be much higher than that of the Foundation Building Pill." "This..." Upon hearing this, the crowd was even more shocked. Only Yan Changfeng quickly regained hisposure, looking at the shopkeeper with dread and uncertainty, "Then what about the Forming Core Spirit Objects..." "Spiritual Objects are different from skills; their prices are hard to lower." The shopkeeper shook his head, dimming the light in Yan Changfeng''s eyes. Then, the shopkeeper''s tone shifted again. "However, Green Jade Mountain is currently researching the Five Elements Gold Binding Pill technique and is cultivating the materials required for the Five Elements Gold Binding Pill with full effort in Medicine King Valley. In a few years, we should be able to release it, by then, the difficulty of Core Formation will definitely be greatly reduced." "Five Elements Gold Binding Pill!" "A few years..." Yan Changfeng''s eyes narrowed, looking at the shopkeeper with surprise and uncertainty, and then he sped his hands and said, "Thank you for the warning, sir. Yan Changfeng is immensely grateful!" He had obviouslye to regard the other party as a high-ranking person of Green Jade Mountain. However... "What ''sir''? I''m just a little manager of the Elixir Tower," replied the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper shook his head, "These are things higher-ups asked me to say, an open secret, not any insider information. You don''t have to be polite with me. By the way, do you still want the Foundation Building Pill?" "..." "Give me one!" Momentster, the Yan family party left the Green Jade Elixir Tower with mixed emotions and headed toward the auction venue. By that time, the Green Jade Market was bustling with activity, filled with cultivators. Yan Changfeng also saw many familiar faces, but everyone tacitly did not greet each other. Soon, they arrived at the venue, which was an open-air venue. "Foundation Establishment cultivators, 10,000 Spirit Stones, either criterion will grant entry!" "At the auction, the highest bidder wins. Those who use their power to intimidate others,mit a great crime and face severe punishment!" Although called an open-air venue, not just anyone could enter. Either one''s cultivation had to be high enough, or one had enough Spirit Stones. Yan Changfeng had sufficient Cultivation and Spirit Stones, so he let the other members of the Yan family wait outside while he entered alone and took a seat below the stage. Others followed suit, and soon the ce was filled with people from all directions, just waiting for the main event to start. Chapter 263 - 178: Development_2 Chapter 263: Chapter 178: Development_2 Trantor:549690339 Foundation Building Pills were a major means by which the Three Sects maintained control over Liang Country, exerting influence over various powers. In the marketces operated by Foundation Establishment powers, Foundation Building Pills were never sold as regr items. Instead, one had to wait for the grand auction to be held, wherepeting parties vie for them, shing swords and spears, amidst bloodshed and carnage¡ Only then could the owner of the Foundation Building Pills be determined. Too difficult! As a result, many cultivators in Liang Kingdom¡¯s Cultivation Realm had to break through on their own, without the aid of Foundation Building Pills. The number of casualties, you can imagine. But now, the Foundation Building Pills had been decentralized. Not only were they avable for sale at Green Jade Mountain, but in every major marketce that was formerly under the control of the Three Sects and now in others¡¯ hands, the pills were openly sold, and the prices had even dropped significantly. The Cultivation Realm of Liang Country was boiling over with excitement. Countless Qi Cultivationpleters among the cultivators spared no effort and expense in gathering Spirit Stones to purchase Foundation Building Pills. If this had happened before, this move would definitely have sparked a bloody and fierce upheaval in the Cultivation Realm of Liang Country, with numerous cultivators turning into Robbing Cultivators, plundering wherever they could. But now, with the Three Sects eradicated, the Spell King ruled the world. Top ten Golden Core cultivators and a hundred Foundation Establishment enforcers patrolled in all directions. The remnants of the Three Sects and uwful Robbing Cultivators were hunted down to the ends of the earth, wiped outpletely. Looting was no longer an option. If one desired Spirit Stones, they had to earn them. Either by seeking the hidden and the mysterious or by living off one¡¯s skills. But in thends of Liang Country, how many such secret realms were there to explore? So, the vast majority of cultivators opted for the following path. To sell themselves! To work! To sell themselves to the Green Jade Sect, to work for that ¡°King Shifa.¡± Spiritual nt Farmers, Beast Tamers, Pill Masters, Artifact Refiners, Talisman Masters, Array Masters¡ Hundred Arts of Cultivation, each with their own role to y. As long as you have a skill, Green Jade Mountain has a ce for you. Working for Green Jade Mountain, taking the Spirit Stones dispensed by Green Jade Mountain, going to marketces run by Green Jade Mountain, purchasing various items produced by Green Jade Mountain to enhance one¡¯s cultivation and strengthen oneself, then going back to work for the Green Jade Sect with greater strength, doing more work, earning more Spirit Stones¡ A perfect cycle! On the surface, it seemed that King Shifa was at a loss, selling at reduced prices and earning less. But in reality, through this move, he got the whole Liang Country going, getting all powers and cultivators involved in the system established by Green Jade Mountain, working for him, contributing to him. Now, the entire Liang Country, the whole Cultivation Realm, was working for him, farming for him, cultivatingnd for him, taming beasts for him, raising fish for him, mining and quarrying for him, doing alchemy and Artifact Refining for him¡ In short, if you wanted to cultivate, if you wanted to advance, then you had to contribute your skill to Green Jade Mountain. What, you don¡¯t have a skill? No matter, Green Jade Mountain can train you. ¡°Taoist Scriptures: Agricultural Book¡± ¡°Taoist Scriptures: Craftsmanship Book¡± ¡°Taoist Scriptures: Alchemy Book¡± Mana Farming Skill, Cloud Cover and Rain, pest elimination techniques, methods for increasing yield and production¡ Hundred Arts of Cultivation, all with their respective Mana Points, pass on training. As long as you are a cultivator, proficient in using mana, you can sign documents with Green Jade Mountain, receive training from Green Jade Mountain, until you have mastered a skill, and then¡ work for Green Jade Mountain again. What, you¡¯re not even a cultivator? No matter, apart from Taoist Scriptures, Green Jade Mountain has also released Martial Arts Scriptures. Even if you¡¯re a mortal with no Spiritual Root and cannot practice Cultivation, you can still train in the ways of the Martial Path. Even though Martial Path techniques progress slowly, Martial Artists have a much stronger constitution than ordinary people and are capable of handlingborious work. Nowadays, Green Jade Mountain is implementing the Equal-field Method in Liang Country to increase production and enhance the power of the people, thereby increasing the poption. As the poption increases, the number of people with a Spiritual Root will inevitably increase as well, resulting in more bing Cultivators. It¡¯s said that Green Jade Mountain also ns on ¡°Spreading martial arts all over¡± and is striving to have all the ordinary people in Liang Country who cannot cultivate learn the Martial Arts Scripture, turning everyone into a Martial Artist. Martial Artists have robust physiques, which can fully support childbearing, unlike high-tier Cultivators who find it difficult to produce offspring. As long as Green Jade Mountain¡¯s grand n of ¡°Spreading martial arts all over¡± is sessful, it won¡¯t be long before the poption of Liang Country and the number of Cultivators will double. These added numbers of people¡ will end up working for Green Jade Mountain! Working has be the only way out for the future Cultivators of Liang Country. At least, this is the case before that ¡°King Shifa¡± is overthrown. As long as he does not die, as long as he can keep the situation under control, as long as Green Jade Mountain¡¯s output and the goods in the various markets keep flowing, then this situation, this system, will continue to be maintained. All of Liang Country, all Cultivators, will have to work tirelessly for him, King Shifa, for his Green Jade Mountain. Contributing strength, creating value! This is just the effect brought about by one Foundation Building Pill. Apart from the Foundation Building Pill, Green Jade Mountain is also preparing to lift other restrictions. Golden Core Skill, Forming Core Spiritual Objects. The Golden Core Skill and Forming Core Spiritual Objects, which have been controlled by the Three Sects with few being released, as well as the life-extending Spirit Pills, are all ready to be made avable by Green Jade Mountain. When that timees, Liang Kingdom¡¯s Cultivation Realm will surely boil, sparking an immensely fervent ¡°working frenzy!¡± To turn one¡¯s hand and bring clouds, to overturn it and bring rain! To stir the waves in the Four Seas, to sweep across the world with a tide! This is Xiao Miao¡¯s greatest feeling toward the situation, and the reason he is sighing to himself at this moment. Why he sighs, is because he is also caught in the current of this era, swept away by the overwhelming trend. Like him, equally stripped bare, he now has to work sincerely and diligently for Green Jade Mountain. There is no other way, no other alternative! Elder Zhen? Elder Zhen can¡¯t create Spirit Stones or Spirit Pills for him! In the current situation of Liang Kingdom¡¯s Cultivation Realm, if you don¡¯t work for Green Jade Sect, you won¡¯t even have food to eat. Therefore, Xiao Miao has no choice, even though Green Jade Mountain no longer imposes Taoism on them, these ¡°surviving criminals,¡± and doesn¡¯t even restrict their movements, he can¡¯t leave Green Jade Mountain. Working has its differences in treatment, and as a sought-after position, Green Jade Mountain allows them to enjoy the immense benefit of the Green Jade Spiritual Vein, which countless ¡°workers¡± are vying to enter. He can¡¯t leave, and has nowhere to go! Since he can¡¯t leave, he has decided not to leave. This time is a tribtion, but also an opportunity. Compared to the Three Sects, that King Shifa is harsh yet permissive toward Cultivators. As long as he can grasp and make good use of this, it would be a huge boost. He must seize this opportunity! ¡°The Competition of the Chosen?¡± ¡°Old Tian is a hundred and fifty years old and still dares to try for advancement, to take a chance.¡± ¡°I am a young man, how can I not dare to try my luck on the stage?¡± ¡°The Three Sects¡¯ counterattack is imminent, I must make full use of Green Jade Mountain¡¯s various wonders to improve my Cultivation and enhance my strength before King Shifa is overthrown!¡± ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s Competition of the Chosen will definitely have a ce for me, Xiao Miao!¡± ¡°As for the auction¡¡± Xiao Miao nced at the bustling Green Jade Market in the distance and touched the worn-out Storage Bag at his waist, sighed, and turned to leave, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about that next time!¡± Chapter 264 - 179: Auction_1 Chapter 264: Chapter 179: Auction_1 Trantor:549690339 ¡°How much is the Foundation Building Pill?¡± ¡°The low grade is 5,000 Spirit Stones, mid-grade 10,000 Spirit Stones, high grade 20,000 Spirit Stones, and the supreme grade 50,000 Spirit Stones!¡± ¡°Which type would our honored guests like to purchase?¡± In the Green Jade Market, within the Elixir Tower, at the counter. Yan Changfeng looked at the smiling shopkeeper, then at the dazzling array of jade bottles on the counter, hesitating in his mind. Behind him stood several people, mostly elderly or middle-aged, but there were also two or three young men and women. They were indeed the elders and younger generation of the Yan family. At this moment, those two or three youths could hardly contain themselves. ¡°Foundation Building Pills are this cheap?¡± ¡°Even the inferior Foundation Building Pills used to cost 10,000 Spirit Stones!¡± ¡°Now the low grade is only 5,000, the price has been shed by more than half.¡± ¡°Supreme grade Foundation Building Pills, do they really exist?¡± ¡°Although Foundation Building Pills are second-tier elixirs, even third-tier Pill Masters might not be able to produce a supreme grade one, right?¡± ¡°I heard that supreme grade Foundation Building Pills have extraordinary destiny, capable of forging a perfect Dao base, and there is hope for the Golden Core Dao in the future.¡± ¡°Only 50,000 Spirit Stones for that? If we buy one for great-grandfather, wouldn¡¯t our Yan family have another Foundation Establishment Ancestor?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak nonsense¡¡± The chatter of the younger generation was enthusiastic, their eyes alight. However, the expressions of the several elders were serious, and they spoke in a low voice to Yan Changfeng, ¡°Changfeng, the family¡¯s top priority now is to assist you with your Core Formation. It¡¯s sufficient to just get an inferior Foundation Building Pill for elder brother, and use all the remaining Spirit Stones to help you acquire the Golden Core Skill and Forming Core Spirit Objects that you need for cultivation.¡± The words of the elders weighed heavily on Yan Changfeng¡¯s shoulders. The tide of change was sweeping in. In the current Cultivation Realm of Liang Kingdom, ¡®Foundation Establishment Ancestors¡¯ no longer had the power to suppress an area; one had to be a Great Golden Core cultivator to have a say. As a power that originally was at the Foundation Establishment level, the Yan family had a strong ability to judge the situation and unanimously decided to seize the opportunity presented by the era, to take advantage of the crucial moment and gain an advantage in this ¡®major upheaval,¡¯ ahead of others. Otherwise, they would be surpassed by others, and eliminated by the times! To that end, they had emptied their coffers, and even at the risk of mining the Spirit Vein of Red Maple Mountain, they had gathered arge sum of Spirit Stones to attend this auction event. However, the auction hadn¡¯t even started yet, and just the various shops in the market had already dazzled them. Spirit Rice, elixirs, magic artifacts, talismans, all kinds of cultivation necessities, wares for battle¡ªthey had everything of high quality, and the prices were incredibly low, almost like a half sale. It was mesmerizing. ¡°No wonder the Cultivation Realm of Liang Kingdom has gone mad these days.¡± ¡°With such Spiritual Objects at such prices, who wouldn¡¯t go crazy?¡± ¡°Compared to the Three Sects, the contrast is even greater. Everyone is afraid that this is all a dream that they will wake up from, hence they spare no effort to buy frantically.¡± Yan Changfeng sighed softly to himself and then stepped forward to speak to the shopkeeper, ¡°I¡¯d like a low-grade Foundation Building Pill.¡± ¡°Low grade?¡± Surprised, the several elders quickly stepped forward, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, an inferior grade will suffice.¡± Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper smiled, ¡°I apologize, but we do not sell inferior grade elixirs, the lowest we have is low grade.¡± ¡°This¡¡± The crowd was taken aback, their expressions astonished. The shopkeeper smiled and said calmly, ¡°Rest assured, at the auction, the price of the Golden Core Skills will not be too high. In fact, the prices for all cultivation technique inheritances won¡¯t be too high either. They are only included in the auction to increase appeal. Green Jade Mountain has no ns to profit from them, and moreover¡¡± The shopkeeper looked at Yan Changfeng, ¡°After the auction, Green Jade Mountain and all the major markets will directly sell Golden Core Skills. The price won¡¯t be much higher than that of the Foundation Building Pill.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Upon hearing this, the crowd was even more shocked. Only Yan Changfeng quickly regained hisposure, looking at the shopkeeper with dread and uncertainty, ¡°Then what about the Forming Core Spirit Objects¡¡± ¡°Spiritual Objects are different from skills; their prices are hard to lower.¡± The shopkeeper shook his head, dimming the light in Yan Changfeng¡¯s eyes. Then, the shopkeeper¡¯s tone shifted again. ¡°However, Green Jade Mountain is currently researching the Five Elements Gold Binding Pill technique and is cultivating the materials required for the Five Elements Gold Binding Pill with full effort in Medicine King Valley. In a few years, we should be able to release it, by then, the difficulty of Core Formation will definitely be greatly reduced.¡± ¡°Five Elements Gold Binding Pill!¡± ¡°A few years¡¡± Yan Changfeng¡¯s eyes narrowed, looking at the shopkeeper with surprise and uncertainty, and then he sped his hands and said, ¡°Thank you for the warning, sir. Yan Changfeng is immensely grateful!¡± He had obviouslye to regard the other party as a high-ranking person of Green Jade Mountain. However¡ ¡°What ¡®sir¡¯? I¡¯m just a little manager of the Elixir Tower,¡± replied the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper shook his head, ¡°These are things higher-ups asked me to say, an open secret, not any insider information. You don¡¯t have to be polite with me. By the way, do you still want the Foundation Building Pill?¡± ¡°Give me one!¡± Momentster, the Yan family party left the Green Jade Elixir Tower with mixed emotions and headed toward the auction venue. By that time, the Green Jade Market was bustling with activity, filled with cultivators. Yan Changfeng also saw many familiar faces, but everyone tacitly did not greet each other. Soon, they arrived at the venue, which was an open-air venue. ¡°Foundation Establishment cultivators, 10,000 Spirit Stones, either criterion will grant entry!¡± ¡°At the auction, the highest bidder wins. Those who use their power to intimidate others,mit a great crime and face severe punishment!¡± Although called an open-air venue, not just anyone could enter. Either one¡¯s cultivation had to be high enough, or one had enough Spirit Stones. Yan Changfeng had sufficient Cultivation and Spirit Stones, so he let the other members of the Yan family wait outside while he entered alone and took a seat below the stage. Others followed suit, and soon the ce was filled with people from all directions, just waiting for the main event to start. Chapter 265 - 179: Auction_2 Chapter 265: Chapter 179: Auction_2 Trantor:549690339 It wasn¡¯t long before a person flew in, a middle-aged Taoist man with a broad and plump figure, his appearance rather prosperous. It was¡ ¡°I am Bai Yunzi, honored by Spell King¡¯s favor to preside over this auction.¡± Bai Yunzinded on the stage and saluted in all directions, ¡°The rules are, I presume, clear to all, so I shall not borate further. I hope everyone present will bear them in mind and not breach the regtions of Green Jade Mountain.¡± Having said that, he raised his hand and announced in a loud voice, ¡°The first item up for auction, Golden Core Skill scripture!¡± ¡°The Golden Core Skill includes thirty-six methods and seventy-two scriptures, making a total of one hundred and eight Mana Points!¡± ¡°Included are the Three Sects¡¯ heritage, as well as Martial Arts Scripture and Taoist Scriptures, and new cultivating skills devised by Spell King himself!¡± ¡°In essence, any Cultivator from Liang Country should be able to find relevant scriptures and, by following the steps faithfully, aspire to reach Golden Core.¡± ¡°This item will not be auctioned. Anyone present may purchase it; theplete Cultivation Technique costs one hundred thousand Spirit Stones, and a partial heritage costs ten thousand Spirit Stones!¡± Bai Yunzi looked at the audience with a smile, ¡°If any friends here need it, use this Jade Slip to make your selection. After the auction is concluded, go to Green Jade Book Tower, hand in your Spirit Stones with this Jade Slip, and you will obtain the Cultivation Technique heritage.¡± Without further ado, he swept his sleeve, and Spirit Light flew out, transforming into numerous Jade Slips, falling before the crowd. ¡°This¡¡± The audience exchanged looks, unsure of what to do for a moment. Although they had received ¡°inside information¡± knowing that Green Jade Mountain was pricing its Cultivation Technique heritage very low, they hadn¡¯t expected it to be this low. Aplete Golden Core Skill for just one hundred thousand Spirit Stones? What does one hundred thousand Spirit Stones mean? In the past, the Zhou Family of Qingfeng Mountain, at their strongest, no more thante Foundation Establishment, had a fortune of several million Spirit Stones. Those powers daring to want Golden Core Cultivation Techniques, which one did not have ancestors who had reached Perfect Foundation Building? Not to mention one hundred thousand, even a million or ten million, they could afford it. Green Jade Mountain setting the price so low, could it be an act of phnthropy? This thought had barely surfaced in people¡¯s minds when they remembered the various changes in Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm in recent times, and they were suddenly startled. Phnthropy? Possibly. But surely not the main reason. What exactly was King Shifa up to, that he was driving the development of Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm to such a degree? Foundation Establishment was understandable. But Golden Core¡ He himself was merely a Golden Core too! With Golden Core bing widespread, how could it benefit him? Wasn¡¯t he afraid that one day, some extraordinary talent would emerge, achieve Nascent Soul, and overthrow him? Alright, he really wasn¡¯t afraid; of the many Golden Cores from the Three Sects, most had turned to ash, and the rest had been captured alive by him, controlled through Curse Spells, turned into his hunting dogs, obedient to hismands. Even for Nascent Souls, they might not be his match. So it seemed, was he aiming to nurture a multitude of Golden Cores to strengthen his forces for a decisive battle with Tianshu Sect? The crowd could onlye up with this exnation. To be Golden Cores, to be cannon fodder! Very risky. But it didn¡¯t prevent the crowd from taking action. The Golden Core Skill could not be missed. Although Green Jade Mountain had said the major marketces would sell the skills directly afterward, who knew when ¡°afterward¡± woulde? Tianshu Sect hadn¡¯t been destroyed yet! King Shifa, no matter how strong, seemed to have no solution for the Tianshu Great Array. The world is unpredictable; who knows, one day Tianshu Sect might make aeback. Then, the Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm would change hands again. While the crowd did not care whose sky was above their heads, clearly you couldn¡¯t expect Tianshu Sect to sell Golden Core Skills and various Spiritual Objects at such low prices. Therefore, the skills had to be bought, and the uing Spiritual Objects were even more fiercely contested. Miss this opportunity, and there would be no other chance. The crowd began to move, purchasing the Cultivation Technique heritage. Bai Yunzi did not say more, and after a short while, introduced the second auction item. ¡°The second item up for auction, the cultivating skills heritage!¡± ¡°Those who cultivate longevity are practitioners of skills, those who fight and protect the Dao are practitioners of spells!¡± ¡°The cultivating skills heritage involves fighting.¡± ¡°It includes the Martial Arts Scripture, Taoist Scriptures, Thunder Series, Sword technique, great virtues of Spell King, imparting methods to the world.¡± ¡°This item, like the first, will not be auctioned. Anyone present may purchase it; theplete Mana Point costs one hundred thousand Spirit Stones, and a partial heritage costs ten thousand Spirit Stones!¡± Bai Yunzi looked at the audience, ¡°Please, friends!¡± The crowd fell silent, then bent their heads, quietly browsing through the Jade Slips, purchasing the spells they desired. Even though under Spell King¡¯s rule, Robbing Cultivators had almost died out, with little conflict in the Cultivation Realm, the present calm did not mean the future would be the same. If Tianshu Sect were to return, restoring Liang Country to its original state, then battles and strife would undoubtedly be unavoidable. Even if Tianshu didn¡¯t reim the country, who could guarantee Liang¡¯s situation would remain unchanged forever? Spells for Dao Protection, techniques for battle. You might not use them, but you cannot be without them! Even ordinary Cultivators thought so, let alone the warriors who lived bybat. ¡°Golden Core Sword Jue, Golden Core Sword Jue!¡± ¡°Who would have thought I, Zhuo Bufan, would be able to attain a Golden Core Sword Jue in my lifetime!¡± ¡°Thunder Series True Scripture, Qi Cultivation and Foundation Establishment are easy to find, but Golden Core is extremely rare, and now¡¡± ¡°Spell King is merciful, Spell King is merciful indeed!¡± The battle cultivators, especially those obsessed with the Sword Dao, looking at the many skills listed on the Jade Slip, could hardly contain their tears. ¡°Friends, please be patient!¡± Bai Yunzi smiled, ¡°Whether it¡¯s skills or spells, eaches with an added section for crafting Mana Money.¡± ¡°Any Cultivator with Mana can practice this method, turning Mana into Mana Money.¡± ¡°Mana Money has wonderful uses,parable to Spirit Stones, but cannot be stored for long and must be kept within a Mana Altar.¡± ¡°Friends here can refine Mana Money for transactions with us at Green Jade Mountain, for the exchange rate between Mana Money and Spirit Stones can be found at various marketce stores.¡± Chapter 266 - 179: Auction_3 Chapter 266: Chapter 179: Auction_3 Trantor:549690339 This statement, once made, shocked the entire hall. ¡°Mana Money?¡± ¡°Spirit Stone?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Everyone looked at each other in dismay, unsure of what to do. Meanwhile, outside the venue. ¡°Good gracious!¡± ¡°They¡¯ve even figured out how to condense mana into objects?¡± ¡°This is clearly aiming to exploit the inexhaustible Spirit Stone mines of the Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm, with its million cultivators!¡± Outside the venue, within the crowd, Elder Zhen¡¯s words once again startled Xiao Miao¡¯s mind. ¡°Mana-condensed objects?¡± Xiao Miao was puzzled, ¡°What are those?¡± ¡°What else could it be?¡± Elder Zhen enlightened him, ¡°Spiritual Energy from Spirit Stones can be absorbed by cultivators and transformed into mana, then isn¡¯t it possible for cultivators¡¯ mana to be condensed into Spirit Stones?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Xiao Miao was taken aback, ¡°Logically, it should be possible, right?¡± ¡°In theory, indeed it is feasible!¡± Elder Zhen said gravely, ¡°But do you know why no sect has done this before?¡± Xiao Miao didn¡¯t understand, ¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s impractical!¡± Elder Zhen exined, ¡°Converting Spirit Stones into mana is one level of consumption, and turning mana back into Spirit Stones is another. After two levels of consumption, the input and the output arepletely disproportionate.¡± ¡°Moreover, a cultivator¡¯s mana isn¡¯t groundless and endless. Either they absorb Spiritual Energy from Spirit Stones, or they consume Spirit Rice and Spirit Pills. One must expend resources to replenish mana.¡± ¡°Therefore, using mana to condense Spirit Stones is a very foolish act. The costs outweigh the benefits, and the condensed Spirit Stones are even difficult to preserve. It¡¯s a thankless task, utterly draining with no reward.¡± These words left Xiao Miao stunned, ¡°Then why does Green Jade Mountain still want to do this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the crux of the matter!¡± Elder Zhen spoke solemnly, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, that old ghost must have some special methods to greatly increase the yield of Spirit nts.¡± ¡°For him, Spirit Rice and Spirit Pills are resources with an extremely low cost, which can be fed to the cultivators of Liang Country like fodder, making them continuously produce Spirit Stones, oh no, Mana Money!¡± ¡°For others, this business would surely be a loss-making venture, but only he can profit immensely from it.¡± ¡°What kind of background does this old ghost have, even the Void Spirit Monarch seems tock such an ability!¡± Elder Zhen¡¯s words were filled with frustration. Xiao Miao stood there, somewhat dazed. At this moment, on the stage inside the venue. ¡°Condensing Mana Money requires the expenditure of mana, which inevitably slows down one¡¯s Cultivation. As for what choices to make, I¡¯ll leave it up to you.¡± ¡°Now, let us bring forth the third auction item¡ªa tier three Internal Pill!¡± As he spoke, Bai Yunzi swept his sleeve, and instantly, sprit light dazzled brilliantly, revealing ten jade tes, each bearing various colored Internal Pills. ¡°A month ago, Spell King took action, Scouring the Court and Sweeping the Den, purging the Hundred Thousand Mountains, ughtering countless demons.¡± ¡°Among them, there were nock of Golden Core Demon Beasts. After the Spell King killed them, he harvested their Internal Pills and personally refined them, dispelling the demonic energy, leaving only the pure Yuan Spirit. Any cultivator who has reached perfect Foundation Establishment can refine it safely and without risk, advancing to Golden Core.¡± ¡°Golden Core cultivators have a lifespan of five hundred years!¡± ¡°Although this is a method for creating a Pseudo Core, there will be no further progress possible in the future, but the five hundred years of lifespan are fully intact.¡± ¡°How to decide, I¡¯ll leave it up to you.¡± ¡°For this auction, there are only ten pills avable, and each starts at a bidding price of five million Spirit Stones, with each increase no less than one hundred thousand Spirit Stones.¡± ¡°The bidding starts now for the first pill, whiches from a Golden Core Demon Beast, the Green Wood Python. For Wood Spirit Root cultivators, refining it will yield twice the result with half the effort.¡± Bai Yunzi¡¯s voice echoed, silence swept over the area, followed by shock. ¡°A Pseudo Core!¡± ¡°It is actually a Pseudo Core!¡± Someone was startled, immediately cing a bid. ¡°Six million!¡± The crowd looked toward the source of the voice, only to see an elderly figure with white hair, appearing very frail, but with an extraordinary aura. ¡°Six million?¡± ¡°He is¡¡± ¡°The patriarch of the Chen family, Chen Nanfeng!¡± ¡°That old fellow is still alive?¡± ¡°Perfect Foundation Establishment only gets you three hundred years of life, isn¡¯t he over three hundred years old?¡± ¡°This man is a Wood Spirit Root cultivator, and he cultivates Wood Spirit Skills, which are best for prolonging life. Also, he rarely engages in fights and has been cocooning himself within the family¡¯s grand array, living pestilence-free to three hundred and fifty-seven and still not dead!¡± ¡°No wonder he jumped at this opportunity¡¡± The crowd buzzed with discussion, revealing the identity of the man. But ¡°Chen Nanfeng¡± didn¡¯t care, his eyes were fixed intently on the Internal Pill of the Green Wood Python on the stage. That wasn¡¯t just any Internal Pill, it clearly represented more than a hundred years of life. He had lived for three hundred and fifty-seven years, but the older one gets, the more afraid they are of death. Now, the hope for extending his life was right before his eyes. How could he miss it? Let alone the method of using a Pseudo Core, which precludes the possibility of further progress, at his age, what future prospects could he possibly have? Among the myriads of cultivators in the world, how many can achieve Golden Core? The Golden Core Dao, the Golden Core Dao, although merely the ignorant talk of low-ranking cultivators, it also indirectly reflects the underlying ecology of the Cultivation Realm. In the past, the Three Sects ruled the world, not only monopolizing Golden Core Skills and Core Formation Spiritual Objects, but also strictly controlled Pseudo Cores. After all, the Three Sects themselves had quite a few disciples who had reached perfect Foundation Establishment with no hope of achieving Golden Core. They were reserves ofbat power. During the battle at Purple Cloud Mountain, Green Jade Mountain used the stockpile of Demon Beast Inner Pills to transform a group of cultivators at perfect Foundation Establishment into Golden Cores, using them as cannon fodder to forcefully attack Purple Cloud Mountain. Although they didn¡¯t have much effect, it also showed the value of Pseudo Cores. A few million Spirit Stones is definitely not expensive because previously, even if you had the Spirit Stones, you couldn¡¯t buy them. ¡°Six million Spirit Stones once,¡± Bai Yunzi announced the price indifferently, without concerning himself with Chen Nanfeng¡¯s feelings. As expected, it didn¡¯t take long for a second voice to ring out. ¡°Seven million Spirit Stones!¡± ¡°You¡!¡± Chapter 267 - 179: Auction_4 Chapter 267: Chapter 179: Auction_4 Trantor:549690339 Chen Nanfeng clenched his teeth and looked towards the person bidding. That person, showing no fear, cupped his hands and said, ¡°Brother Chen, no offense, my Bai Family also needs this Internal Pill.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± On the stage, Bai Yunzi gave a light cough and said, ¡°Taoist Friend Chen, have you forgotten the rules of Qingyu Fadu and this assembly?¡± ¡°Not at all!!¡± As these words were spoken, Chen Nanfeng suddenly came to his senses, beads of cold sweat forming on his forehead, as he hurriedly said, ¡°It was mypse in judgment that lost myposure, please do not take offense, honored envoy.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Bai Yunzi snorted coldly, paying him no heed, and called out the bid, ¡°Seven million Spirit Stones for the first time.¡± Chen Nanfeng could only grind his teeth and say, ¡°Eight million Spirit Stones!¡± ¡°Eight million five hundred thousand Spirit Stones!¡± Although it was just the first Internal Pill, the various parties still engaged in a fierce struggle, and in the end, Chen Nanfeng, gritting his teeth, secured it for thirteen million Spirit Stones. The climax of the conference thus began. All ten Internal Pills were sold, with a total price nearing two hundred million Spirit Stones. Bai Yunzi smiled and then called out, ¡°Next, we have the following auction item¡ªthunderbolt creation pill!¡± ¡°The thunderbolt, being the pivotal mechanism of heaven and earth, creates and transforms all things. This pill, personally crafted by the Spell King, has the ability to prolong life. Foundation Establishment Cultivators who have never ingested thunder attribute life prolonging substances can, upon taking this pill, extend their lifespan by fifty years below the Golden Core; for Golden Core it¡¯s halved, and for Nascent Soul, it¡¯s halved again, with a maximum of three pills allowed to be consumed.¡± ¡°For this auction, there are only ten pills avable, with a starting bid of ten million Spirit Stones, and each increment must be no less than five hundred thousand Spirit Stones.¡± ¡°Holy shit!!¡± In the assembly, amid the crowd, Elder Zhen¡¯s voice once again resonated in Xiao Miao¡¯s mind. Although it was of no use, Xiao Miao still scratched his earhole and asked, ¡°What now?¡± ¡°No, nothing, thunderbolt creation, life prolongation, and even pill refinement into medicine, has that old ghost¡¯s Thunder Series reached such a level?¡± Elder Zhen underestimated in his voice, then said to Xiao Miao. ¡°You better learn well, see how others entice, and how they use coercion and bribery to make people work for them. To be a Cultivator, you can¡¯t just have mana; you have to use your brain, or else you¡¯ll be counting money for someone who sold you out.¡± ¡°This¡¡± Xiao Miao voiced doubt, ¡°Elder Zhen, have you also been sold by someone before?¡± ¡°Of course¡ you brat, dare you to trick me into speaking!¡± ¡°No, no, of course not.¡± ¡°The final item, the Forming Core Spirit Object, Mysterious Yin Spiritual Liquid, starting bid fifty million Spirit Stones.¡± ¡°No bids from anyone!¡± ¡°Alright, the Mysterious Yin Spiritual Liquid goes unsold. Taoist Friends, you are wee toe back next time.¡± After the life-prolonging elixirs, it was the turn for Core Formation Spiritual Objects. Spiritual Objects that can form a True Core. Prices far exceed those of Pseudo Cores and Life Prolonging Elixirs. Regrettably, no one could afford it. A price of ten or twenty million Spirit Stones, Foundation Establishment forces could empty their coffers and just manage to offer it, but fifty or sixty million¡ Sorry, they simply do not have it. But no matter, these Core Formation Spiritual Objects are not truly intended for sale. Working requires motivation, and without it, there¡¯s no efficiency. So, with these Cultivators, one must wield a big stick in one hand and a carrot in the other, dangling another carrot in front to threaten and tempt them into working. Material rewards, there must be. Beyond material rewards, one must fulfill their spiritual needs as well. There are many types of spiritual needs. The one chosen by Xu Yang is¡ ¡°The auction concludes sessfully!¡± ¡°Next,es the Competition of the Chosen!¡± ¡°If the Taoist Friends are not in a hurry, you are wee to stay on Green Jade Mountain for the night and witness or participate personally tomorrow.¡± ¡°Thepetitionsts for three days, and on the final day, the Spell King will personally be present to oversee the decisive battle. The winner will not only receive generous rewards but also gain the guidance of the Spell King and possibly even be a direct disciple of Green Jade Mountain!¡± ¡°To make a name for oneself, the time is now!¡± ¡°The open path to greatness lies before you!¡± ¡°Taoist Friends, what are you waiting for?¡± Chapter 268 - 180: The Great Competition_1 Chapter 268: Chapter 180: The Great Competition_1 Trantor:549690339 ¡°Competition of the Chosen?¡± Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent. In the pursuit of cultivation and immortality, all speak of seeking eternal life and the Way, but how many can truly achieve immortality and have the Wayst forever? The Way of Immortality is nothing more than a hope to cling to. The majority of cultivators care more about the present. For fame, for profit, fornds, for beauties, for their own desires, they fight and scramble, theypete and kill! This is the norm in the Cultivation Realm. Wherever there are people, there is the Martial World. But such cannot be the case within a single power. Thus, deadly fighting is downgraded to arenabat, which is only natural. Familypetitions, Sectpetitions. All kinds of contests are endless. Apart from a few Loose Cultivators, which Cultivator has not participated in apetition? These events can be interesting, but they can also be dull. It all depends on how you handle it. If it¡¯s a fierce battle with real swords and spears, full of tension and excitement, then it¡¯s certainly interesting. But if it¡¯s child¡¯s y, small fights, and pretense, or even rigging the results and rankings, then there¡¯s no point in watching. ¡°Is this time¡¯spetition the Green Jade Mountain¡¯s contest, or is it for the entire Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm?¡± ¡°Judging by Green Jade Mountain¡¯s attitude, it should include the whole Cultivation Realm; everyone can participate.¡± ¡°So what? The disciples of Green Jade Mountain will also take the stage, do you still have the guts to best them?¡± ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s their first majorpetition. If an outsider wins, where would Green Jade Mountain put its face? And where would King Shifa put his face?¡± ¡°You talk as if you could win. The disciples trained by King Shifa are probably stronger than the true sessors of the Three Sects. If you really have the ability to surpass them, so what if you offend King Shifa?¡± ¡°Exactly. Now in the Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm, the Golden Core Cultivators are nearly wiped out, those remaining have joined King Shifa as Law Enforcement Elders, and they will certainly not take the stage. Among the remaining Foundation Establishment Cultivators, who can rival the disciples of Green Jade Mountain, especially the few true sessors of King Shifa? Going on stage would only be a humiliation to themselves.¡± ¡°I wonder what the rewards are¡¡± The crowd buzzed with discussion, though most were not very enthusiastic. It was an inevitability. The Competition of the Chosen was being held for the first time. Logically and sentimentally, Green Jade Mountain¡¯s disciples shoulde out on top. These outsiders were there to add to the excitement; how could they steal the spotlight? Even if King Shifa didn¡¯t care, they had to maintain their proper status. Such were the subtleties of human rtionships. But¡ ¡°In this grandpetition, all Cultivators may sign up.¡± ¡°Thepetition is of two main types, one is cultivating skillsbat, and the other is a showcase of talents!¡± ¡°Cultivating skillsbat needs no further exnation; each uses their own methods on the arena, the strong win and the weak lose!¡± ¡°As for the talent showcase, it consists of the Hundred Arts of Cultivationpetitions ¡ª alchemy, talisman, artifact, array, farming, beast taming¡ etc., each has its own assessment and evaluation.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s cultivating skillsbat or a talent showcase, both use a point system. The winners of thebat will earn arge number of Azure Cloud Points, and even the defeated will receive some points based on their performance.¡± ¡°ording to the Azure Cloud Points, thepetition will determine the final winner through rounds of battles, with their name recorded on the Azure Cloud Rankings!¡± ¡°Azure Cloud Points can be exchanged on the Azure Cloud Rankings for Cultivation Techniques, elixirs, talismans, Magic Artifacts, and other rare and exotic treasures, as well as Spiritual Objects and resources.¡± ¡°Indeed, the Competition of the Chosen, an ascent to the Azure Clouds!¡± As he spoke, Bai Yunzi flew up into the air, and the tform below disappeared with him. In midair, without regard for the astonished gazes below, he tossed something down. As it fell and caught the wind, it grew, and within the dazzling Spirit Light, it transformed into a giant jade stele, a hundred zhang tall. ¡°Boom!!!¡± The stele fell to the ground with a roar, standing in the center of the venue, stirring up a cloud of dust. ¡°Whoosh!¡± In the next instant, a gale blew through, clearing the dust and revealing the amazed faces of the crowd. Bai Yunzinded gracefully beside the Green Jade stele and his promation reached the ears of the gathered Cultivators. ¡°The affairs of the Competition of the Chosen are all recorded on this Azure Cloud Ranking. This Ranking is a treasure of the Spell King, profound and infinite. Fellow Cultivators, you only need to channel your divine thoughts and connect with it to understand the rules of the Competition of the Chosen and the rewards and rankings on the Azure Cloud Ranking. The method to register and enter thepetition is also included, you may explore it on your own.¡± Having said this, Bai Yunzi did not wait for any reaction from the crowd and flew away into the clouds. After an unknown amount of time, the crowd came out of their stupor, looking up at the hundred-zhang-tall, emerald-green ¡°Azure Cloud Ranking,¡± unsure of what to make of it. A momentter, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator tentatively channeled his divine thought into the Azure Cloud Ranking. Then they saw¡ ¡°Azure Cloud Qi Refining Rankings, Qi Refinement Realm, top ten, first to third ce, reward includes one Supreme Grade Foundation Building Pill and one Supreme Grade Magic Artifact, fourth to sixth ce, reward includes one High-Grade Foundation Building Pill and one High-Grade Magic Artifact¡¡± ¡°Azure Cloud Foundation Establishment Rankings, Foundation Establishment Realm, top ten, first to third ce, reward includes one Forming Core Spirit Object and one Supreme Grade Spiritual Artifact, fourth to sixth ce, reward includes a bottle of thunderbolt creation pills and one High-Grade Spiritual Artifact¡¡± ¡°Azure Cloud Spirit nt Farmers Rankings, Spirit nt Farmers, top ten, first to third ce, reward includes a Spiritual Vein Cave Mansion on Green Jade Mountain, a bottle of thunderbolt creation pills¡¡± ¡°Azure Cloud Beast Taming Rankings, Beast Tamers, top ten, first to third ce, reward includes a Spiritual Vein Cave Mansion on Green Jade Mountain, a thousand catty of third tier Spirit Rice¡¡± ¡°Azure Cloud Pill Master Rankings, Alchemists, top ten, first to third ce, reward includes a Spiritual Vein Cave Mansion on Green Jade Mountain, a Low-Grade Magical Treasure Green Jade Pill Furnace¡¡± ¡°Azure Cloud Talisman Master Rankings, Talisman Masters, top ten¡¡± ¡°Azure Cloud Tiangong Rankings, Artifact Refiners, top ten¡¡± ¡°Azure Cloud Array Formation Rankings, Array Masters, top ten¡¡± Chapter 269 - 180: The Grand Competition_2 Chapter 269: Chapter 180: The Grand Competition_2 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Azure Cloud Points can be exchanged for various rewards on the Azure Cloud List.¡± ¡°Supreme Grade Foundation Building Pill, five thousand Azure Cloud Points!¡± ¡°Tier three Mysterious Snake Inner Pill, fifty thousand Azure Cloud Points!¡± ¡°Forming Core Spirit Object, Mysterious Yin Spiritual Liquid, one hundred thousand Azure Cloud Points!¡± ¡°Magical Treasures, Spiritual Artifacts¡¡± ¡°Talismans, Elixir Pills¡¡± ¡°Spirit Land ore veins, Spiritual Land Cave Mansions¡¡± ¡°Azure Cloud Points can only be obtained through the ¡®Competition of the Chosen¡¯.¡± ¡°The Competition of the Chosen is held once a year, with three days of continuous battles determining the ranking on the Azure Cloud List.¡± ¡°All Cultivators may participate by registering here.¡± ¡°Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit!!!¡± Within the sea of consciousness, Elder Zhen, who was browsing the Azure Cloud List with Xiao Miao, lost hisposure again. ¡°This old ghost is really freaking rich!¡± ¡°But even if he¡¯s rich, he shouldn¡¯t be spending like this, right?¡± ¡°Fine Foundation Building Pills again, Forming Core Spirit Objects, Spirit Vein Cave Mansions, Magical Treasures, Spiritual Artifacts¡ are you trying to y the God of Wealth here?¡± ¡°And it¡¯s held every year, good lord, what sins did youmit to squander your wealth like this?¡± ¡°Even if it doesn¡¯t hurt when the wealth was plundered, gold and silver mountains can¡¯t withstand such squandering, can they?¡± ¡°What the hell are you trying to do?¡± ¡°Ah, I can¡¯t take it anymore, Miao kid, let¡¯s get out of here quick; I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll go crazy if we stay any longer with this old ghost!¡± Facing Elder Zhen¡¯s nonsensical rant, Xiao Miao was helpless and could only remind him, ¡°Maybe he¡¯s making sure the wealth doesn¡¯t flow into the hands of others?¡± ¡°What wealth not flowing into the hands of others¡¡± Elder Zhen stopped talking and fell silent. A long silence. After the silence, there was a bitter smile. ¡°You¡¯re right, not letting the wealth flow into the hands of others!¡± ¡°This Competition of the Chosen, outsiders, I¡¯m afraid, will have a hard time winning any ce.¡± ¡°Even if they win a ce and take the rewards, as long as they remain in Liang Country, within the Void Spirit Realm, they will have to work for him, contribute value.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not nourishing outsiders, he¡¯s treating this Void Spirit Cave Heaven, the Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm, the million cultivators, the tens of millions of mortals, as his own possessions.¡± ¡°Those who steal hooks are executed, those who steal a state be princes, and those who steal from all under heaven¡¡± Elder Zhen¡¯s voice paused, not continuing, but solemnly said to Xiao Miao, ¡°Kid, let¡¯s go, this person is too dangerous. One misstep and catastrophe could be upon us. He can withstand it, but we can¡¯t take it.¡± ¡°Catastrophe?¡± Xiao Miao was taken aback and tentatively asked, ¡°Are you saying¡¡± ¡°Anything¡¯s possible. This person didn¡¯te to the Void Spirit Realm with simple intentions. I¡¯m afraid in the end, not only will the Big Dipper Immortal Sect be involved, but other Immortal Sects and Sacred ces from the Northern Domain might also intervene, not to mention the messy affairs of the Void Spirit Monarch¡ no one knows what it¡¯ll turn into.¡± Elder Zhen¡¯s voice was serious: ¡°If a great war breaks out in the end, this Cave Heaven world might be shattered by them!¡± ¡°That exaggerated?¡± ¡°Why else would it be called an Immortal Sect?¡± After a pause of silence, Xiao Miao shook his head. ¡°Where can we go?¡± ¡°Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm, it¡¯s under his control. Without Green Jade Mountain, we won¡¯t even have the most basic cultivation resources.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t sneak out of the Void Spirit Cave Heaven and flee elsewhere either. It¡¯s just burying our heads in the sand and doesn¡¯t solve the problem.¡± ¡°The only course of action now is to follow the momentum.¡± Xiao Miao¡¯s tone grew heavy: ¡°Elder Zhen, can your technique of concealing one¡¯s power deceive that person?¡± After a pause of silence, Elder Zhen said, ¡°As long as you¡¯re not in front of him, not noticed by him, you should not be exposed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Xiao Miao nodded: ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll first participate in the Qi Refinement Realmpetition. If discovered, I¡¯ll reveal my Foundation Establishment Cultivation. Considering Green Jade Mountain¡¯s way of doing things, since it¡¯s just cheating without causing loss of life, at most they will send me to mine.¡± Hearing this, Elder Zhen also sounded resigned: ¡°Have you decided?¡± ¡°Decided!¡± Xiao Miao clenched his fists and said firmly, ¡°With such good resources, how can I not make good use of them and do justice to myself?¡± ¡°You kid¡ alright then!¡± Elder Zhen shook his head and then said, ¡°I¡¯ll join you in this madness. At worst, we get caught by the old ghost and have our souls searched. If we die, we die; if we live, we live forever. What¡¯s there to fear? Let¡¯s do it!¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Miao showed a smile: ¡°Then I thank you, Master!¡± ¡°You cunning kid,¡± Elder Zhen scolded with augh, ¡°But it¡¯s also good. That old ghost is using the world as a chessboard, aiming to swallow the Void Spirit Realm. We¡¯ll move on his chessboard, taking his things, grabbing his rewards, and then subvert him in the end, driving him to ruin. Let¡¯s see if he dares to be so bold in the future.¡± Xiao Miao¡¯s eyes condensed: ¡°Are you saying¡¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Elder Zhen let out a cunningugh: ¡°We¡¯ll start with this Competition of the Chosen, first get to the top of the Qi Refinement List, take the top award, and then break through to Foundation Establishment.¡± ¡°This way, next year, you can take the reward from the Foundation Establishment List, participate in the Formation Master List, and besides, Elixir Skills, Talismans, Artifact Refining, I¡¯m skilled in all these areas. I can¡¯t guarantee first ce, but being among the top few shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t even have to work for him. With the rewards from the Competition of the Chosen, you can meet all the needs for Golden Core.¡± ¡°That old fellow calctes everything, but does he reckon with us two as a variable right under his feet?¡± On a beautiful day, early in the morning. Throughout the marketce, after one night, it had not calmed down at all but instead grew more intense. ¡°Competition of the Chosen¡± and ¡°Earning a ce on the Azure Cloud List¡± had be the focus of everyone¡¯s discussion. All Cultivators who heard about it were shaken and boiling with excitement. Most cultivators live in the present, andpared to the elusive pursuit of Longevity Dao Fruit, more choose to seek fame and fortune,nds and beauties, and the pleasures of desire.¡± Chapter 270 - 180: The Great Contest_3 Chapter 270: Chapter 180: The Great Contest_3 Trantor: 549690339 And this Competition of the Chosen satisfies precisely that need. As for fame, it goes without saying that in just one night, everyone had heard about the Azure Cloud Rankings. It wouldn¡¯t be long before the news spread throughout Liang Country. If one¡¯s name appeared on the board, they would instantly be a hot topic of discussion, reaping endless admiration and reverence. The benefits are also obvious. The various rewards listed on the Azure Cloud Rankings are enough to make anyone¡¯s heart race and eyes turn green with envy. Those Foundation Establishment Cultivators who once desperatelycked Spirit Stones now wished they could spring onto the tform to battle for Azure Cloud Points right away, exchanging them for the Spiritual Objects on the list. The appearance of the Azure Cloud Rankings gave the Cultivators of Liang Country goals and motivation. Otherwise, if they were simply told to keep working and cultivating over and over again, without variety, they might not rebel, but they would grow weary and find life empty, meaningless, and devoid of value, losing the drive to progress. The Competition of the Chosen, leaving a name on the Azure Cloud, would allow them to demonstrate their personal value, making their hard cultivation seem meaningful and rewarding. With this, their will to act naturally surged. Having goals and direction fills the emptiness of life. The driven Cultivators would exert themselves to their utmost, bing the best ¡°external cultivation aids¡± and contributing to the grand foundation of the ¡°Spell King¡¯s¡± great path. Of course, they were unaware of this. ¡°The Competition of the Chosen, the Azure Cloud Rankings!¡± ¡°To have one¡¯s name on the board is to be among the chosen!¡± ¡°We, as Sword Cultivators, why else do we live if not to make our swords known?¡± ¡°Today, on this list, there must be a ce for Ying Doni!¡± ¡°Other people might lose their lives ten times over for joining such rankings, but since it¡¯s organized by Green Jade Mountain, it is undeniably authoritative.¡± ¡°Spell King Shifa holds thispetition surely to gather all the world¡¯s heroes under one banner. We shouldn¡¯t hold back. Just go up and contest. Even if we overshadow the disciples of Green Jade Mountain, the Spell King won¡¯t me us; there will instead be rewards.¡± ¡°This old man¡¯s been farming his whole life. I may not be good at much, but when ites to farming skills, hehehe, that Spiritual Vein Cave Mansion is definitely mine¡¡± The crowd buzzed with excitement, their blood boiling, unable to contain themselves. It was then¡ ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± Outside Green Jade Mountain, thunder roared. Amidst the fleeing winds and clouds, a towering structure descended from the sky,nding with a thunderous crash just outside Green Jade Mountain. Immediately, a person flew out and proimed loudly. ¡°The Competition of the Chosen will be held within the tower!¡± The crowd, initially stunned, soon rose and headed towards the high tower. In front of the towering structure, a figure stood suspended in the air. It was¡ ¡°How is it him again!?¡± Seeing Bai Yunzi in the void, those who had rushed over were somewhat puzzled, ¡°Has Green Jade Mountain run out of people? For such an important event, they let a defector preside?¡± ¡°Nonsense, everyone of significance from Green Jade Mountain has to participate in thepetition. Those without the stature aren¡¯t suitable to take the stage. If he doesn¡¯t preside, who will?¡± The crowd muttered among themselves, but Bai Yunzi paid them no heed. ¡°This tower is called Sky-reaching, a treasure of the Spell King, with a separate Cave Heaven within, clear-cut divisions, capable of amodating a thousand people in one contest!¡± ¡°Each type ofbat and technique has its own segments. Those who have registered through the Azure Cloud Rankings and received the Azure Cloud Jade Token can use the token to check their battle times andpetition arrangements. Do not miss this, otherwise it will be regarded as forfeiture.¡± ¡°Moreover, this tower has been blessed by the Spell King himself, possessing the ability to aid in Enlightenment. If all of you give it your all, whether you win or lose, everyone will walk away with something gained.¡± ¡°Aid in Enlightenment?¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± The crowd, hearing this, was incredulous. Xiao Miao also hesitated, his mind calling out to Elder Zhen, wanting to see his reaction. However, in his mind, there was only silence. After a pause, Xiao Miao could no longer restrain himself and ¡°prodded¡± Elder Zhen with his thoughts. ¡°What do you want?¡± Elder Zhen responded irritably. ¡°About this¡¡± Xiao Miao tentatively asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to say something?¡± ¡°Say what?¡± Elder Zhen spoke calmly, ¡°The objects of Enlightenment are rare, butpared to the deeds that old ghost had done before, they are just so-so. Unless he digs up the Three Treasures Bodhi Tree of Brahma Sect that is of the Buddha seed level, it doesn¡¯t count for much.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°It¡¯s my turn.¡± Xiao Miao nodded, checked the Jade Talisman in his hand to confirm his ranking, and then headed towards the tall tower. ¡°Kid, get a grip. If they¡¯re putting out words like that, they definitely won¡¯t be faking it. It justes down to how potent the effects are. If the Enlightenment effect of the tower is decent, then we¡¯ll join the Formation Masterpetitionter, and I¡¯ll give you a lesson in Array Formation,¡± said Elder Zhen. ¡°Okay!¡± Confident, Xiao Miao stepped into the tower with the advice of Elder Zhen. As he entered the tower, he felt the world spinning around him and when he regained his bearings, he found himself in a vast expanse. Mist was everywhere, half real and half illusionary, like a tform in a sea of clouds. In the midst of the clouds stood another person, a tiny, adorable-looking young girl carved from jade. Though just a girl, and exceedingly cute, enough to evoke pity, Xiao Miao still did not dare to be careless and carefully observed the opponent. At the same time, a resounding voice echoed from the void. ¡°Xiao Miao, Perfect Qi Refinement Cultivation!¡± ¡°Shui Lingling, Perfect Qi Refinement Cultivation!¡± ¡°This bout is a Qi Refinementpetition. Any external objects, pills, talismans, and magic artifacts used must not exceed tier one, or else it will be deemed a loss!¡± ¡°The fight begins. Whoever breaks the Azure Cloud Jade Token first will determine the victor. No further killing is allowed!¡± ¡°Perfect Qi Refinement?¡± Listening to the introduction from Sky-reaching Tower, Xiao Miao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, although King Shifa had divine tactics, the Five Elements Reversal Qi Training Method that Elder Zhen had taught him wasn¡¯t bad either. It sessfully concealed his Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivation, and even the Sky-reaching Tower couldn¡¯t detect it, cing him into a Qi Refinement Realmbat ss. As a Foundation Establishment Cultivator facing opponents in the Qi Refinement Realm, the advantage was self-evident. Even if he had to restrain himself and couldn¡¯t use his full strength, he was confident he could defeat this cute little girl. Not just this little girl, but also otherpetitors, all the cultivators contending for the number one spot on the Azure Cloud Qi Refining Rankings¡ ¡°Big brother over there, are you ready?¡± His thoughts were interrupted by a timid voice calling out to him. Xiao Miao was startled and looked intently, only to see the young girl staring at him with big eyes, her expression intive. ¡°Such a small child is participating in thepetition too?¡± Surprised, Xiao Miao didn¡¯t say much, just replied, ¡°I¡¯m ready. Let¡¯s do this.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The girl nodded her head, then pped her hands together. ¡°Boom!!!!!¡± Thunder roared, lightning shed, and the raging forces of destruction surged forth, coiling around her in the shape of a thunderous draconic serpent. ¡°Holy shit!!!!!¡± Xiao Miao cried out in rm, splitting his figure into three, dodging the roaring thunderous draconic serpent. ¡°Boom!!!!!¡± With a loud bang, the thunder dissipated, revealing Xiao Miao¡¯s somewhat disheveled figure. In his mind, the voice of Elder Zhen was as loud as thunder, ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by this girl¡¯s appearance. Look at the might of this Thunder Series technique. If she¡¯s not that old ghost¡¯s biological granddaughter, then she¡¯s definitely his true disciple. Be careful, don¡¯t get eliminated in the first round¡¡± Before he could finish speaking, he saw the little girl retract the thunder and stand in ce, pinching a magic gesture with her hands and chanting a spell in her childish voice. ¡°I summon the Supreme Jade Emperor Haotian, the Three Mountains and Five Peaks Magic Spell. Heaven is not greater than earth, earth is not greater than me, I am not greater than Mount Tai, I summon a thousand mountains to crush, two summons for ten thousand mountains to crush, one man crushes ten, ten crush ten hundred, hundred crush thousand, thousand crush ten thousand, ten thousand cannot lift!¡± ¡°Quick!¡± With a single spell, a thousand mountains crushed down, ten thousand mountains pressed on, directing their weight onto Xiao Miao. Chapter 271 - 181: Disciple_1 Chapter 271: Chapter 181: Disciple_1 ¡°No good!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the technique to Drag Thousand Mountains!¡± Xiao Miao¡¯splexion changed, and he hurriedly urged his mana to dispel the other party¡¯s Taoism curse skill. In the three months¡¯ time, although not long, under the highly efficient actions of the cultivators, Green Jade Mountain still managed to aplish many things, including the spread of the Martial Arts Scripture and Taoist Scriptures. Therefore, Xiao Miao was no longer the clueless newbie to Taoism he had been initially. On the contrary, with Elder Zhen¡¯s help during this period, he had diligently studied the Taoist Scriptures, and he also mastered quite a few skills of Taoism. Among them was the technique known as the ¡°Fixation Skill,¡± which was another name for the technique to Drag Thousand Mountains. This skill was extremely fast and could drag thousands of mountains and suppress the human body, making it impossible to move. To break free, one either had to have strong mana to destroy it or to counter it with Taoism skills. Xiao Miao had not expected that this little girl, who appeared to be only seven or eight years old, would have such formidable methods. First, she used a fierce Thunder Series attack to force him back, then she created distance to employ her Taoism curse skill, putting him directly into mortal danger. What should he do now? Xiao Miao had no other tactics at his disposal. He could only channel his mana and first dispel the curse on him. However¡ ¡°Roar!¡± A sound like thunder or a dragon¡¯s chant echoed as Shui Lingling¡¯s petite body flickered and, through the use of a cultivating skill, she transformed into a thunder little dragon. Though the thunder dragon was small, its speed was unmatched, and in the blink of an eye, it was before Xiao Miao. And then¡ ¡°Boom!!¡± A loud explosion sounded, and the Green Jade Talisman shattered. Xiao Miao stood frozen on the spot, staring nkly at the young girl in front of him, at her silver-white short spear pointed at his abdomen, unsure of what to do. The girl smiled and withdrew her short spear: ¡°Big brother, you lost!¡± Xiao Miao: ¡°¡¡± At the same time, a resounding voice echoed through the void. ¡°Green Jade Talisman broken, Xiao Miao defeated!¡± ¡°The victor of this battle, Shui Lingling!¡± ¡°Shui Lingling gains fifty Azure Cloud Points!¡± ¡°Xiao Miao receives one Azure Cloud Point.¡± ¡°The contest is over, the battle has ended!¡± Amidst the resounding voice, a white light emerged, and the space shifted once more,ing before a jade wall. ¡°Your Azure Cloud Jade Token has been exhausted. Would you like to end thepetition, or do you wish to purchase a new Azure Cloud Jade Token?¡± From within the jade wall, a spiritual thought transmitted such a message. Only then did Xiao Miaoe back to his senses, staring at the verdant jade wall in front of him, gritting his teeth and saying, ¡°I was careless, it won¡¯t happen again.¡± After speaking, he took out a hundred spirit stones from his Storage Bag and ced them on the altar in front of the jade wall. The jade wall emitted a ray of Spirit Light and consumed the hundred spirit stones, leaving behind only a piece of lush green jade. It was none other than the Azure Cloud Jade Token! Justst night, through the Azure Cloud Leaderboard Monument, Xiao Miao had learned the rules of the Competition of the Chosen. A single defeat does not mean losing the chance topete. As long as you still have fighting strength, even if you are defeated by someone, you can purchase a new ¡°Azure Cloud Jade Token¡± and rejoin thepetition. The Azure Cloud Jade Token has many functions, connecting to the Azure Cloud Leaderboard Monument while also acting as a life-saving measure and determining victory or defeat during the Competition of the Chosen. The one in Xiao Miao¡¯s hand was said to be able to withstand one attack from a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, just the thing to serve as a life-saving method for a Qi Refinement realmpetitor. When the Green Jade Talisman shatters, it is equal to defeat. Afterward, one either spends spirit stones to purchase a new Azure Cloud Jade Token or withdraws from the current Competition of the Chosen. Xiao Miao chose the former, as he was not willing to ept defeat just like that. In his mind, Elder Zhen also said, ¡°This little girl¡¯s Thunder Series is so sharp, and she executes her Taoism so fluidly. Having such skills in the Qi Refinement Realm, did she cultivate in her mother¡¯s womb, or is she an Old Demon in disguise?¡± Xiao Miao fell silent and finally said, ¡°Perhaps she is the favored disciple of the renowned King Shifa.¡± ¡°Hmm!?¡± Elder Zhen seemed to catch something in his words: ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Xiao Miao shook his head, his gaze innocent: ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything particr!¡± But Elder Zhen was not fooled: ¡°You brat, you me me for not teaching you all my skills. If it hadn¡¯t been for the Wind-Thunder Escape Skill I transmitted to you, you couldn¡¯t even have dodged that little girl¡¯s first Thunder Series attack.¡± ¡°I know you have techniques to spare, but you always keep them to yourself. Now your disciple can¡¯t beat someone else¡¯s grand-disciple¡¡± ¡°It¡¯s your ownck of effort!¡± Elder Zhen grew frustrated, repeatedly saying: ¡°Let¡¯s go again; I refuse to believe that old ghoul is so capable that every young disciple from Green Jade Mountain is as formidable as that little girl.¡± Xiao Miao¡¯s eyes rolled: ¡°Alright, it¡¯s settled then. If I still can¡¯t win, you have to teach me more powerful spells when we go back.¡± ¡°Win first, then talk!¡± ¡°Xiao Miao, Qi Refinementplete!¡± ¡°Gui Sanqian, Qi Refinementplete!¡± As he looked at the delicate-looking young boy before him, Xiao Miao fell silent. The boy, surprised to see this, asked, ¡°Does my fellow Daoist have something troubling him?¡± ¡°Fellow Daoist¡¡± Looking at the obviously young, yet utterlyposed boy, Xiao Miao wanted to say something, but found he couldn¡¯t articte his thoughts and struggled before finally managing to ask, ¡°Are you also a disciple of Green Jade Mountain?¡± The boy nodded and said with a lightugh, ¡°Indeed!¡± Xiao Miao fell silent, then inquired, ¡°What¡¯s your rtion to Shui Lingling?¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Upon hearing this, the boy¡¯s expression revealed understanding: ¡°That is my junior sister.¡± Xiao Miao fell silent, and after a long moment, he could only steel himself and say, ¡°Let¡¯s start.¡± The boy smiled, ¡°I have yet to fight anyone. It seems unfair to battle you like this, giving the impression of ganging up. So, I will let you have three moves. Within three moves, if you can make me step out of this circle, I will admit defeat. How does that sound?¡± After saying this, he pointed with the tip of his foot and drew a circle justrge enough for a person around himself. ¡°You¡¡± ¡°That¡¯s too much!¡± Xiao Miao¡¯s face changed, but before he could speak, Elder Zhen angrily protested: ¡°This kid is so arrogant; he doesn¡¯t even consider me at all. Little Miao, take him down, use the Five Elements Harmony skill I taught you!¡± ¡°This¡ Alright!¡± Xiao Miao heard this and clenched his teeth, then said to the young child, ¡°Then I¡¯ll test your ability!¡± ¡°Be careful.¡± That said, he activated his mana with both hands, one hand channeling the Law of Fire Spirit, the other drawing the power of Water. ¡°Merciless Water-Fire Mixed Yuan Skill!¡± With one palm strike, water and fire moved together, merging without shing, instead possessing immense might. But the result was¡ The child gestured with one hand, and with both hands, the ck and white fish emerged chasing each other¡¯s tails, Taiji Yin and Yang formed in an instant, swallowing up the mixed essence of water and fire in a moment. ¡°The Five Elements reversed, Yin-Yang Harmony?¡± ¡°Indeed impressive!¡± ¡°Pity¡¡± The child looked at Xiao Miao, his eyes curving into a smile, ¡°Fellow Daoist, your skill has not yet reached the necessary level of proficiency.¡± Xiao Miao¡¯s face darkened, and without words, the Merciless Water-Fire appeared again, this time with a hidden streak of metal essence. However¡ With a turn of Yin and Yang, all of Taiji transformed. Xiao Miao clenched his teeth, still without words. The words of Elder Zhen echoed in his mind. ¡°Kid, give up. That brat has mastered the Taiji Yin-Yang Principle from the Martial Arts and Taoist Scriptures. Your Five Elements Harmony Skill hasn¡¯t reached the necessary proficiency and can¡¯t break his stance.¡± ¡°Howe there are so many demons on Green Jade Mountain? That girl who knew the Thunder Series before was enough, nowes this little brat practicing Taiji. Where did that old fellow find such a group of disciples?¡± ¡°Are you even listening¡ holy shit, Miao, you¡¯ve gone mad!¡± Amidst Elder Zhen¡¯s cry of astonishment, Xiao Miaounched another attack. He transformed water and fire with both hands, adding in a surge of metal essence, gradually merging the powers of the three elements into one. Just now, he had only managed tobine water and fire, with metal essence hidden behind and not forming part of the attack. But now, the three elements united, gradually bing one entity. The might of his power substantially increased. Seeing this, Elder Zhen was equally shocked. He knew Xiao Miao¡¯s situation well. Although Xiao Miao had been very diligent, the Five Elements Harmony Skill was incredibly profound and mystical, and until now he had only managed to merge two elements. There was still a gap before he could integrate three elements. Yet unexpectedly, he now seemed on the verge ofpletion. Had the stimtion allowed him to make a breakthrough right there and then? Elder Zhen didn¡¯t know, Xiao Miao also didn¡¯t know, at the moment all he wanted was to defeat his opponent. He gathered the force of the Tri-Element Integration and striking with a thunderous blow, aimed at Gui Sanqian. ¡°Hmm!¡± Gui Sanqian¡¯s expression sharpened, a serious look appearing on his young face for the first time, as the ck and white fish circted, transforming Taiji in an instant. Fighting Scroll ¡¤ Qi Three Thousand! Yin-Yang Qi dissipated the power of three thousand, the Might of Tri-Element scattered in an instant, turning into a vast and mighty torrent. ¡°Bang!!¡± With a thunderous strike, Xiao Miao¡¯s body was sent flying, and the Azure Cloud Jade Token broke once again. Xiao Miao sat on the ground, his face filled with disbelief. This little child, this small child who seemed only seven or eight, had managed to withstand his Tri-Element Integration with a technique from the Fighting Scroll. How is this possible? He had also studied the Martial Arts Scripture, and although it was also mysterious, it was after all martial arts, not nearly as powerful as his Five Elements Harmony Skill. Why then could this child break his Tri-Element attack with a technique from the Martial Arts Scripture? Is this Competition of the Chosen really fair? That King Shifa¡ ¡°You have my thanks for the lesson!¡± Xiao Miao couldn¡¯t ept it, Gui Sanqian did not bother exining further, offering a salute to mark the end of the fight. ¡°Green Jade Talisman broken, Xiao Miao defeated!¡± ¡°Victor of this fight, Gui Sanqian!¡± ¡°Gui Sanqian is awarded fifty Azure Cloud Points!¡± ¡°Xiao Miao is awarded one Azure Cloud Point.¡± ¡°Victory and defeat have been decided, the battle is over!¡± In the midst of the resonant voice, space twisted, and Xiao Miao found himself back in front of the Jade Pendant, facing the reality of his defeat anew. In his mind, Elder Zhen spoke in a heavy tone, ¡°That little brat is no ordinary person; his understanding of Taiji Yin and Yang exceeds what a Qi Refinement Realm brat should possess.¡± Elder Zhen murmured to himself, but Xiao Miao was unresponsive. ¡°Your Azure Cloud Jade Token is exhausted. Do you choose to end the battle, or do you wish to purchase another Azure Cloud Jade Token?¡± It wasn¡¯t until the Jade Pendant gave the prompt that he suddenly awoke, took out two hundred spirit stones from his Storage Bag, and purchased a third Azure Cloud Jade Token. The price of an Azure Cloud Jade Token doubled with each purchase. Having spent three hundred spirit stones in total, it was a significant sum for Xiao Miao, who was still ¡°carrying a penalty.¡± But he didn¡¯t care, grabbing the jade token and starting his third battle. ¡°Oh man, Miao, are you still going for it? Wasn¡¯t being defeated twice enough for you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you, the people from Green Jade Mountain are not to be trifled with;peting with them is like bringing trouble upon yourself!¡± Elder Zhen tried to persuade in the depths of his mind. Yet Xiao Miao ignored it, ¡°I achieved Tri-Element Integration just now. This Sky-reaching Tower truly aids in Enlightenment. One more fight, just one more fight, I swear I can win!¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°Xiao Miao, Qi Cultivationplete!¡± ¡°Ji Changkong, Qi Cultivationplete!¡± The world spun and space shifted again, revealing a cold-faced, handsome young man in ck, appearing before Xiao Miao. Xiao Miao looked at him, and before he could speak, the youth preemptively dered, ¡°Are you ready?¡± Xiao Miao¡¯s gaze sharpened, and he spoke in a deep voice, ¡°Please start!¡± Hearing that, the youth didn¡¯t waste words, immediately leaped up, his body suddenly glinting with sharpness as countless sword streams surged forth mightily. Chapter 272 - 182: Ranking_1 Chapter 272: Chapter 182: Ranking_1 On the third day of the Competition of the Chosen. In the market district, within a tavern. A young man sat in a corner, silently drowning himself in drink. He appeared utterly dejected. Yet nobody paid him any heed. All attention was focused on¡ ¡°The Green Jade Leaderboard, The Green Jade Leaderboard, the newest arrangement of the Azure Cloud Battle Leaderboard!¡± ¡°Exclusive news, just for one hundred spirit stones, no deception, genuine quality!¡± ¡°One hundred spirit stones, why don¡¯t you just go rob people? Outside is the Sky-reaching Tower, and inside, the Azure Cloud Leaderboard, both with the ability to record and project images. The Green Jade Mountain only asks for one spirit stone, and you dare to flip it to a hundred times that much?¡± ¡°Hey, sir, you are not right in saying that. Organizing a leaderboard surely can¡¯t focus on just one person, right? When you add everything up and want to look through them all, tell me, how many spirit stones should that cost? Plus, there are some unique pieces of information that were hard to collect, so why aren¡¯t they worth the spirit stones? If you don¡¯t want to buy, then don¡¯t buy, but don¡¯t nder good people.¡± ¡°Hmph, I won¡¯t buy it. It¡¯s much more economical to go see it for myself, and I certainly don¡¯t need those fake news probably fabricated by someone.¡± ¡°To buy or not to buy, the Green Jade Leaderboard, unique news, one hundred spirits stones each!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take one.¡± ¡°Such generosity from the customer!¡± Inside the tavern, hawkers were not amon sight, but the items on sale were neither food nor drink; surprisingly, they were jade slips. The patrons at various tables were seen to hold such items, all curiously perusing them. Some, drunk with wine, sang loudly and began to make an unrulymotion in public. ¡°What Competition of the Chosen, it¡¯s clearly apetition full of under-the-table dealings!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, just look at the ranking of the top ten on this leaderboard. Which one of them isn¡¯t a disciple of the Green Jade Mountain?¡± ¡°The martialpetition rankings are understandable; yes, the Green Jade Mountain is strong, the skills of the Green Jade Mountain are remarkable, we outsiders truly are no match, but even on the Hundred Arts Leaderboard you¡¯ve taken up all the spots; isn¡¯t that a bit excessive?¡± ¡°So you from the Green Jade Mountain are unmatched in martial contests and spell battles, and even in Spirit nt Beast Mastering, Alchemy, Artifact Refining, you¡¯re the number one?¡± A few cultivators spoke nonsense, whether truly drunk or feigning inebriation. The staff of the tavern ignored such behavior, nor did anyw enforcement teams appear. This only managed to anger the nearby patrons. ¡°Nonsense, if the Green Jade Sect wasn¡¯t skilled in these abilities, then how would we have the Elixir Tower, Treasure Tower, and Talisman Tower in this marketce?¡± ¡°Martial Arts Scriptures, Taoist Scriptures, many cultivating skills, they alle from the Green Jade Mountain. You¡¯ve just started learning someone else¡¯s techniques and already think to surpass your predecessors?¡± ¡°Just go practice, this first Competition of the Chosen, the top ten on the leaderboard will definitely all be disciples of the Green Jade Mountain.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak of the first one. Even for the next fewpetitions, it will still be Green Jade Mountain¡¯s disciples.¡± ¡°It might only be after decades or a century that a person from another power might emerge.¡± ¡°But still, it¡¯s not too bad. Even if we¡¯re defeated, we can still earn some Azure Cloud Points, and after umting for a few years, we can exchange them for a Foundation Building Pill.¡± ¡°That Sky-reaching Tower indeed helps one towards Enlightenment. After several bouts, my swordsmanship has obviously improved by a notch.¡± ¡°Disciples of the Green Jade Mountain must have been suffering through hard practices within that Sky-reaching Tower and also received guidance from the Spell King; theirbat strength naturally far surpasses that of ordinary cultivators.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel wronged by my defeat¡¡± People talked in various tones, their words filled with sighs. ¡°It¡¯s a pity that the Spell King doesn¡¯t open his doors to disciples, otherwise I would definitely join and study at the Green Jade Mountain.¡± ¡°You think as long as you agree to follow someone they will ept you? What do you think the Green Jade Mountain is?¡± ¡°Exactly, have a look at the Azure Cloud Battle Leaderboard. Which one of those listed is a mere nobody?¡± ¡°The top ten disciples are all dragons and phoenixes among people, prodigies of the heaven-borne caliber.¡± ¡°They are either Thunder Cultivators or Sword Cultivators, even their martial skills are transcendent.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve also been practicing that Martial Arts Scripture, so why don¡¯t I possess such formidable power? Could it be that the Spell King keeps his secrets hidden?¡± ¡°The skill isn¡¯t wed; the difference lies in the practitioner!¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t make it, don¡¯t me the unevenness of the road!¡± The crowd joked noisily for a while. In the corner, Xiao Miao sat dejectedly, silent. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s not a big deal to lose to three little Qi Cultivation kids, so what?¡± ¡°Furthermore, encountering such anomalies, isn¡¯t it perfectly normal to lose?¡± ¡°Just look at this Azure Cloud Leaderboard, what kind of demons and monsters are listed on it?¡± In his mind, Elder Zhen became active and, while browsing the Azure Cloud Leaderboard, attempted to console Xiao Miao, who was deeply dismayed. The Azure Cloud Leaderboard reserved the highest ranking for a detailed introduction ofbat abilities. Azure Cloud Battle Leaderboard: Regardless of realm, onlybat strength is considered; rankings are divided based onbat achievements. The current rankings are as follows. First ce: Li Jinling, Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Complete, rumored to be the senior brother of Green Jade Mountain (ording to legend), Cultivation Technique: Unknown, Cultivating Skills: One Hundred and Eight Thousand Swords, Combat Record: eighty-eight victories, zero draws, zero defeats. Introduction: Age unknown, but holds a very high status among the disciples of Green Jade Mountain, thus rumored to be the senior brother of Green Jade Mountain. His strength is absolutely powerful. At the peak of Foundation Establishment, he has fought eighty-eight battles in the Sky-reaching Tower without a single loss. Cultivating the ¡°One Hundred and Eight Thousand Sword Technique¡± from the ¡°Taoist Scriptures of Swordsmanship,¡± his sword flow is vast and overwhelming, with one hundred and eight thousand swords invincible to all. Second ce: Shui Linglong, Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Complete, rumored to be the senior sister of Green Jade Mountain (also ording to legend), Cultivation Technique: Unknown (supposedly a Thunder Spirit Root cultivator), Cultivating Skills: Martial Scripture Thunder Series, Taoist Scriptures Thunder Series, Combat Record: eighty-seven victories, zero draws, zero defeats. Introduction: Age unknown, but enjoys a very high status among the disciples of Green Jade Mountain, not inferior to Li Jinling, hence rumored to be the senior sister of Green Jade Mountain. Withplete Foundation Establishment Cultivation, she has fought eighty-seven battles without a single defeat. A Thunder Cultivator, cultivating the ¡°Martial Scripture of Thunder-Driving Lightning-Lifting Skill¡± and the ¡°Taoist Scriptures of Jade Pure Divine Sky Skill,¡± she pursues both martial and Taoist cultivation, possessing absolute strength. Third ce: Feng Qingqing, Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Complete, rumored to be the second senior sister of Green Jade Mountain (still ording to legend), Cultivation Technique: Unknown, Cultivating Skills: Five Elements Sword Art, Combat Record: seventy-two victories, one draw, one defeat. Introduction: Age unknown, like Li Jinling and Shui Linglong, she holds an extremely high status among the disciples. However, due to a previous defeat at the hands of Shui Linglong, she was relegated to second senior sister. Her Cultivation Technique is unknown, skilled in using a powerful set of Five Element Flying Swords, also an extraordinary Sword Cultivator. Fourth ce: Gui Wanshou, Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Complete, rumored elder brother of Green Jade Mountain (still ording to legend), Cultivation Technique: Unknown, Cultivating Skills: Earth Yuan Heavy Water, Combat Record: fifty-three victories, eighteen draws, two defeats. Introduction: Age unknown but appears very old, suspected to be from an older generation. However, among the older generation at Green Jade Mountain, currently, it seems only the Spell King is present. Therefore, it¡¯s suspected that he merely looks older than his actual age, which is likely around the same as Li Jinling and Shui Linglong¡¯s generation. His Cultivation Technique is unknown, but he has mastered ¡°Earth Yuan Heavy Water,¡± a divine skill from the Taoist Scriptures, possessing both offensive and defensive capabilities, hence has many draws in his record. Fifth ce: Ao Honglie, Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Complete, disciple of Green Jade Mountain, Cultivation Technique: Unknown (suspected to be a body cultivator), Cultivating Skills: Martial Scripture, Taoist Scriptures, Combat Record: forty-nine victories, seven draws, three defeats. Introduction: With a simple and honest appearance and being a sincere person, he also holds a very high status among the Green Jade Mountain disciples, although clearly not as much as Shui Linglong. His cultivation technique is unknown, suspected to be a body cultivator, possessing immense strength, with a powerful physique; he has defeated many opponents barehanded and is also proficient in both martial skills and Taoist cultivation, with a very high winning rate. Sixth ce: Ao Tieshan, Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Complete, disciple of Green Jade Mountain, Cultivation Technique: Unknown (suspected to be a body cultivator), Cultivating Skills: Martial Scripture, Taoist Scriptures, Combat Record: forty-three victories, three draws, three defeats. Introduction: Sworn brothers with Ao Honglie, also a body cultivator with immense strength and a strong fighting body, defeating many formidable opponents barehanded, and also proficient in both martial skills and Taoist cultivation. Seventh ce: Ji Changkong, Cultivation: Foundation Establishment early stage, rumored to be the junior brother of Green Jade Mountain (still ording to legend), Cultivation Technique: Unknown, Cultivating Skills: One Hundred and Eight Thousand Sword Technique, Qi Refinement Realm Combat Record: two hundred and eighteen victories, Foundation Establishment Combat Record: forty-two victories, twenty-five draws, seven defeats. Introduction: The junior brother of Green Jade Mountain, initially making his appearance with justplete Qi Refinement Cultivation but with the One Hundred and Eight Thousand Swords, he was invincible among those at the same stage and thus challenged Cultivators at the Foundation Establishment level, breaking through inbat, stepping into the Foundation Establishment Realm. His power is astonishing, with tremendous potential. He has dered his intent to surpass the senior brother Li Jinling, with an arrogant and ruthless personality. Most cultivators facing him are defeated with a single move. Eighth ce: Shui Lingling, Cultivation: Foundation Establishment early stage, recognized by everyone as the cutest junior sister of Green Jade Mountain, Cultivation Technique: Unknown (but confirmed to be a Thunder Spirit Root cultivator), Cultivating Skills: Martial Scripture Thunder Series, Taoist Scriptures Thunder Series, Qi Refinement Realm Combat Record: one hundred and ny-eight victories, Foundation Establishment Combat Record: thirty-nine victories, eighteen draws, one defeat. Introduction: Rumored to be Shui Linglong¡¯s younger sister, she is innocent and lovely, charming and moving. Like Shui Linglong, she is a Thunder Cultivator. It¡¯s said that her potential even surpasses Shui Linglong¡¯s and she is deeply favored by the Spell King. Originally also atplete Qi Cultivation level, after dominating, she challenged Foundation Establishment Cultivators and also broke through in battle, facing off against those at theplete stage in the early stage without falling behind. Ninth ce: Gui Sanqian, Cultivation: Early Foundation Establishment, Disciple under the Spell King (rumored), Cultivated Cultivation Technique: Unknown, Cultivating Skills: Martial Arts Scripture, Taoist Scriptures, Tai Chi Yin-Yang Principle, Qi Refinement Battle Records: One hundred seventy-eight wins, Foundation Establishment Battle Records: Thirty-five wins, twenty-eight draws, zero losses. Introduction: Mature beyond his years, humble and courteous, his rtionship with another extreme, Gui Wanshou, is unknown. Rumored to be a disciple under the Spell King, but without solid proof, his Cultivation Technique is unknown. However, he is proficient in Martial Arts Scriptures, Taoist Scriptures, and the Tai Chi Yin-Yang Principle. With Qi Three Thousand, he can annihte all things. Equally invincible in Qi Cultivation, capable of fighting against the odds in Foundation Establishment and achieving breakthroughs, he isuded as one of the Green Jade¡¯s three great prodigies, alongside Ji Changkong and Shui Lingling. Tenth ce: Laoliu, Foundation Establishment Completion, close confidant of the Spell King, elder of the Green Jade Mountain, the person with the greatest background behind the Spell King (confirmed), Cultivated Cultivation Technique: Unknown (suspected to be a body cultivator), Cultivating Skills: Martial Arts Scripture, Taoist Scriptures, Battle Records: Twenty-five wins, ten draws, thirteen losses. Introduction: Laoliu has the highest status in Green Jade Mountain besides the Spell King. His power doesn¡¯t match up to Li Jinling, Shui Linglong, or Feng Qingqing, but he is on equal footing with them. He is said to be an elder of the Green Jade Mountain, having followed the Spell King the longest. However, he is shameless and devoid of martial honor, resorting to despicable means in battle, utilizing malicious Magic Artifacts. He is like a dirty stream within Green Jade Mountain. But overall, his strength is rtively weak, having been defeated sessively by Ji Changkong, Shui Lingling, and Gui Sanqian. Because of his substantial family resources, he has managed to avoid elimination continuously through Jade Talismans, making him the most likely among the top disciples to be reced. Note: The Sky-reaching Tower aids in Enlightenment. Among the top ten disciples, except for Laoliu, who is ranked tenth, and Ji Changkong, Shui Lingling, and Gui Sanqian, who have just stepped into the Foundation Establishment Realm, the rest, including the senior brother Li Jinling, senior sister Shui Linglong, second senior sister Feng Qingqing, as well as Gui Wanshou, Ao Honglie, and Ao Tieshan, are all at Foundation Establishment Completion and may possibly achieve a breakthrough to the Golden Core Realm during battle. Please choose your challenges wisely. ¡°Look at this, what kind of demons and monsters are these?¡± ¡°If they¡¯re not Sword Cultivators, they¡¯re Thunder Cultivators!¡± ¡°That one practicesbat body, this one cultivates Divine Skills!¡± ¡°It¡¯s bad enough they fight against the odds, but they also pull offst-minute breakthroughs in battle?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe he managed to teach such disciples.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like this now, what will happen in a few years? Won¡¯t they turn the world upside down?¡± Elder Zhen vented his frustration as he looked at the Green Jade Battle Leaderboard. ncing at Xiao Miao, he remained despondent: ¡°I couldn¡¯t even block one move from that person.¡± ¡°Nonsense, that personunches One Hundred and Eight Thousand Swords with a single move, with one hundred and eight thousand strands of Sword Qi sweeping towards you. It¡¯s perfectly normal that you can¡¯t block it. You should be asking that whippersnapper how he managed to propel one hundred and eight thousand strands of Sword Qi with his Qi Refinement Realm cultivation; where does all that manae from, is he human or a demon?¡± Elder Zhen grumbled in indignation. ¡°No, it¡¯s my problem!¡± Xiao Miao suddenly sat up: ¡°We are all human. If they can do it, I definitely can too. Next time, next time I must win it back.¡± Elder Zhen fell silent, and after a long time, he finally said, ¡°I think¡¡± ¡°No need to say it!¡± Xiao Miao stood up and spoke firmly, ¡°Ten years, give me ten years, and I will surely catch up to them and even surpass them!¡± Chapter 273 - 183: Nascent Soul_1 Chapter 273: Chapter 183: Nascent Soul_1 Ten yearster, Dongting Lake. Dongting, once known as Cloud Dream. Due to its unique topography, with mists like seas ever present and never dispersing, it was often mistaken by the uninformed as a secluded haven of the immortals. Every year, many mortals came seeking immortality and arcane knowledge or to explore its mysteries, only to return empty-handed. However, this situation had changed in recent years. In these ten years, Liang Country had changed rulers, and the Spell King governed the realm. The separation between mortals and cultivators had thus dissipated, and no longer was there a barrier between them. The matters of cultivation were no longer a secret. The methods of cultivation were no longer concealed. Martial Arts Scriptures and Taoist Scriptures were spread throughout the world. Moreover, the disciples of Green Jade greatly advanced the work of production. Spirit Fields and Spirit Lands, Spirit Rice and Spiritual Medicine, as well as all sorts of magical nts and creatures¡ªthe techniques of Green Jade and the Creation Mysterious Ability made it possible to grow Spirit nts and produce Spiritual Objects, whether in the mundane world or on hallowed cultivation grounds. As nting flourished, so did animal husbandry. Now, all over Liang Country, whether mortals or cultivators, there were husbandry businesses raising birds and beasts, or fish and turtles, yielding an abundant supply of resources to sustain cultivators all around. As a notable water marsh within Liang Country¡¯s borders, Dongting Lake inevitably attracted attention¡ªand even covetous nces¡ªin this ¡°production boom.¡± However, within Dongting Lake on Fish and Dragon Ind, the head of the Li Family, ¡°Li Liuxian,¡± possessed extraordinary strength. Once, he managed to leave his name on the Green Cloud Ranking with his sword, even though he was at the bottom. But that alone secured the Li Family dominion over Dongting¡¯s water marsh and a thousand miles of surrounding territory. From then on, the Li Family expanded aggressively. Not only had the area of Fish and Dragon Ind expanded by dozens of times, but the waters of Dongting Lake had also grown, engulfing a thousand miles of nearbynd and transforming it into the Cloud Dream Water Marsh. Though Dongting expanded and submerged thend, civilian productivity was not impeded; on the contrary, it took new paths. Specialty products like ¡°Cloud Dream Rice¡± from Dongting Lake, along with various Spirit Fish, Spirit Animals, and Spirit Beasts of Dongting Lake, were rare delicacies. In the newly expanded Thousand Miles of Dongting Lake, aside from the core Fish and Dragon Ind, there were many smaller inds, both big and small, where mortals and cultivators coexisted, totaling almost a thousand in number. Hence, it was also known as Thousand Ind Lake. In Cloud Dream Water Marsh, the vast Thousand Ind Lake, hundreds of thousands of inders made their living from the waters of Dongting. Seeing this, the Li Family that ruled Fish and Dragon Ind subsequently transformed their family into a Sect and established ten more inds outside Fish and Dragon Ind to pass down their legacy, opening wide the gates of the Sect to ept disciples in droves. Today, within Dongting Lake, with Fish and Dragon Ind as the core, ten surrounding inds as support, and the countless inders as a foundation, life was thriving and prosperous. This was the result of ten years under the reign of the Spell King. Fish and Dragon Ind was just a microcosm. Within Liang Country, there was not just one Fish and Dragon Ind, one Dongting Lake. Other ces exhibited simr views. While some areas might not have developed as much, the process was generally the same. A microcosm that reflects therger picture. In these ten years, the rapid development and massive changes in Liang Country, described as day-over-day and earth-shattering transformations, were no exaggeration. The poption had grown significantly. The strength of cultivators had greatly increased. The standard in Liang Kingdom¡¯s Cultivation Realm had swiftly risen, showing signs of a ¡°Cultivation Golden Age.¡± In such times¡ On Dragon Ind, in the midst of Dongting Lake. The Nine Ceremony High Altar rose again, and the Luotian Dajiao ritualmenced once more. Ten Direction Arrays wereyered and interlocked, one after another. Beneath the waters of theke and amid the clouds of mist,rge ms could be seen opening and closing their mouths, swallowing and exhaling the fog, with faint shes of Spirit Light twinkling inside them. m spirits, indeed m spirits, nearly a thousand m spirits encircled the ind, their opening and closing mouths expelling copious amounts of cloud mist and radiance, distorting the void and shrouding everything in an ethereal, dreamlike realm. Dragons are water deities, and creatures of the Aquatic n are descendants of dragons. m spirits, of course, were no exception. Due to Xu Yang¡¯s ¡°Ind Master¡± and ¡°Dragon Monarch¡± Skill Traits, the m spirits of Fish and Dragon Ind that seeded in cultivation had nearly all awakened the ¡°Mirage Dragon¡± bloodline. Mirage Dragons, small ones called ms andrge ones called mirages, both intermediary beings, are part of the m species! Such Spirit Monsters, naturally gifted with Divine Skills, could exhale the Qi of mirage and create illusoryndscapes. Now, nearly a thousand m spirits exhaling Mirage Qi constituted an illusory realm equivalent to a third-tier Illusion Array. Any ordinary Golden Core cultivator who stepped inside would inevitably be disoriented between reality and illusion, unable to distinguish truth from falsehood, and would be trapped within the array, unable to extricate themselves. Such a setup was now merely the outer defense of the ind. On Fish and Dragon Ind, arrays were merged within arrays. Layer uponyer, each connected intricately, touching one part would affect the whole. A Grandmaster of the fourth tier of Array Formation who saw such an array would probably feel his scalp tingle with awe. No wonder an outer Illusion Array of Mirage Qi was needed. If not for the Mirage Qi and its illusions, how could the mere cloud sea of Dongting conceal such an array? In the heart of the grand array, atop Fish and Dragon Ind. People bustled about, with Escape Lights shing like dragons. After ten years of expansion, Fish and Dragon Ind had grown more than a hundredfold in size, no longer the tiny ind at the center of theke it once was. Nowadays, the ind was particrly bustling, with incense tables set up everywhere. Aside from Spirit Rice and Spirit Meatmon in offerings, there were also numerous glowing pieces of jade and coins, exuding a powerful aura. They were, in fact, Spirit Stones, as well as Mana Money that had been fully rolled out and systematized. Offering tables were set up everywhere, with innumerable rituals extending from the outskirts of the ind to its heart. In the center of the ind, a towering Nine Ceremony High Altar stood consecrated to heaven. Atop the high altar, a Taoist man in a mysterious robe sat with his eyes closed. The Luotian Dajiao ritual, gathering the collective strength of the congregation. Without the multitude of inders, Spirit Stones were used as a substitute, at a considerable consumption. Ten years ago, Xu Yang had conducted a small-scale Luotian Dajiao ritual to achieve the ¡°Four Laws Golden Dan¡± feat for himself. This small-scale Luotian Dajiao had nearly drained his coffers, and if it hadn¡¯t been for the timely financial aid provided by the Three Sects, the people of Fish and Dragon Ind might have had to tighten their belts and endure some tough times. Luckily, today was different from the past. Chapter 274 - 183: Nascent Soul_2 Chapter 274: Chapter 183: Nascent Soul_2 Having seized the foundation of Medicine King Valley from the Green Jade Sect and unified Liang Country to greatly promote production, establishing a Mana Money system, he hadplete ability tounch a standard Luotian Dajiao. A small-scale Luotian Dajiao could aid a Cultivator in transitioning from Foundation Establishment to Core Formation, achieving the rank of a Taoist True Monarch. A standard Luotian Dajiao could aid one in moving from Golden Core to Nascent Soul, achieving the status of a Daoist Celestial Master. Xu Yang now intended to conduct a standard Luotian Dajiao of this level to help himself step into the Nascent Soul realm. Yes, he was going to advance to the Nascent Soul realm. To condense a Golden Core and then advance to Nascent Soul in just ten years? Isn¡¯t that too fast? Not fast at all! In the World of Dao and Law, having cultivated numerous times from the beginning, and with the aid of research from the Wandao School, the cultivation of the Golden Core realm had long been thoroughly understood by him. With sufficient umtion of experience, the only thingcking was umtion and integration. In ten years, could he umte and integrate his cultivation to perfect and maximize his Golden Core Dao foundation? For an average person, this would naturally be impossible. But Xu Yang was no ordinary person. With many methods and aids, ten years was more than enough for him, even to spare. Breaking through the Golden Core and condensing the Nascent Soul at this moment was as natural as water flowing to a channel, not forced growth. In fact, it is quite normal for low-tier Cultivators to make rapid progress, especially for those favored by the heavens. It is said that some prodigies with Innate Spiritual Bodies start building their Foundation within the womb, immediately achieve Golden Core upon birth, and then condense their Nascent Soul in a hundred days. Not requiring much time for umtion, as long as their potentiality was deep enough, they too could form a supreme Dao foundation. Early cultivation is not the difficult part. The difficulty lies in theter stages, in the higher realms. As for future matters, there will be methods to deal with them in the future. Xu Yang did not worry too much; his focus remained in the present. Xu Yang Lifespan: 100/2200 Cultivation: Internal Yuan Core cultivation, External Yuan Fetus cultivation, Dao Magic Yang God, Yuan Spirit Golden Dan (Four Laws and Six Realms) Skills: Dreaming, Living, Handcrafting, Traveling, Reading, Martial Arts, Teaching, Beast Taming, Spirit nt Cultivation, Formation, Alchemy, Talisman Making, Artifact Refining, Taoism, Earth Deity methods. New traits: Daoism (Admiring Eye of Heaven, Escaping One) Martial Arts: Martial Arts Scripture. Spell: Taoist Scriptures. Talent: Thunder Commanding Power. Struggling for fifty years in the mortal world. Dominating for fifty years in the realm of Cultivation. Finally, at the age of a hundred, he achieved the Four Laws Golden Dan and was even on the verge of breaking into the Nascent Soul realm. That was a considerable aplishment. But Xu Yang was not satisfied. Age and lifespan, to him, were now of little significance. Not to mention the ability to ¡°Dream of Zhuanzhou and Butterflies¡±, to Divine Travel Through Worlds, spanning thousands of years, just consider the present; with the cultivation of a Six Realms Golden Core, he holds a lifespan of two thousand two hundred years. This was the effect of his cultivation technique and skill traits, augmented by the Earth Deity Law. The Earth Deity Cultivation Method can achieve longevity as long as one continues to develop and enhance the tier of their Spirit Land; the lifespan of the Earth Deities can be said to be infinite. Given the current trend of development, Xu Yang had no need to worry about lifespan issues for thousands of years. He had secured the method for longevity but still needed the Dao Protection skills. Without strength, even longevity would not be carefree. How did Xu Yang¡¯s strengthe about? One part was the umtion from ¡°Dreaming of Zhuanzhou and Butterflies¡±, Divine Travel Through Worlds. Another was the aid of the Attribute Panel and Skill Traits. The former doesn¡¯t need much exnation; not much had changed. Thetter had developed over ten years, with simrly little change. Only the Dao Magic skills had added two new traits. One was Admiring Eye of Heaven, and the other was Escaping One. Admiring Eye of Heaven needs no exnation; it enhances the effects of the ¡°Admiring Eye of Heaven¡± Divine Skill. As for ¡°Escaping One¡±, that was somewhat unexpected. Xu Yang had originally thought that the World of Dao and Law might at most generate traits like ¡°Daoist Celestial Master¡± and would not feature miraculous traits close to the Dao of Creation like ¡°Dream of Zhuanzhou and Butterflies¡±. But during these ten years in the present world, coinciding with a millennium in the World of Dao and Law, he received an unexpected surprise. Escaping One! Great Dao 50, Heaven evolves forty-nine! There is only the Escaping One, not among them, unseen and unfound. This is a skill trait that operates on the ¡°Heavenly Mechanisms¡±. It could let Xu Yang be an entity like the Escaping One on the level of the Heavenly Mechanisms. Uncountable, unaskable, unpredictable. It differs from the usual methods of hiding from the Heavenly Mechanism. Ordinary concealment either disrupts the Heavenly Mechanism, making it difficult for the opponent to deduce, or conceals oneself, making it impossible for the opponent to identify. To be honest, these kinds of methods aren¡¯t very clever, and sometimes they can even be indirect evidence. Take this Void Spirit Realm for example, where Xu Yang used his Admiring Eye of Heaven. Although he couldn¡¯t uncover the foundation of the Void Spirit Realm, the opposing force¡¯s suppression on the Heavenly Mechanism skills allowed him to deduce quite a bit of information. If his own cultivation was equivalent to that of the Void Spirit Monarch¡¯s, he could even use the process of elimination to find the hidden Purple Mansion Immortal Treasure. After all, if everything else is normal, and one area is chaotic or abnormal, doesn¡¯t that suggest a problem? Escaping One is different; it represents absolute untraceability. Even the most heaven-defying skills of seeing into the past and future cannot detect the existence of ¡°Escaping One¡±. What can be seen is only the ¡°false future¡± without the impact of Escaping One, unable to reflect the ¡°true future¡± affected by Escaping One. Even if someone knows of your existence and deduces with you as the target, the result would still be null and void. That¡¯s what Escaping One is about. Uncountable, unaskable, unpredictable! Its strength requires no boration, almost immune to all deductions of Heavenly Mechanism skills. That¡¯s why, after developing this trait, Xu Yang immediately transmitted it back. Only one who has practiced the Skill of Heavenly Mechanism knows how mystical and terrifying these kinds of skills and Divine Skills are. To say nothing of others, just Xu Yang himself. If he is willing to pay the price, he could use the Skill of Heavenly Mechanism to see throughout Liang Country. Chapter 275 - 183: Nascent Soul_3 Chapter 275: Chapter 183: Nascent Soul_3 In the entire Cultivation Realm, millions of Cultivators stood before him as if they werepletely naked¡ªnot just naked, but even more vulnerable, without a single secret left concealed. Inside and out, everything wasid bare. This feeling was incredibly terrifying, especially for someone like him who harbored a great secret and yet was weak in strength. The waters of the Cultivation World were too deep; there could exist Mahayana True Immortals, and among them, there might be sages versed in the secrets of heaven. If he were to expose himself, he would certainly face annihtion. Therefore, Xu Yang, at the first opportunity, sent back the Escaping One. With thisyer of protection, his sense of security greatly increased, and he had far fewer concerns in his actions. ¡°Nascent Soul, Nascent Soul!¡± Atop the Nine Ceremony High Altar, Xu Yang opened his eyes, still as calm as an ancient well. The Luotian Dajiao, advancing to Nascent Soul, was a process he couldn¡¯t be more familiar with. He had personally used it twice in the World of Dao and Law, and afterward, the Wandao School had conducted it over a thousand times; he had thoroughly researched it, with the chance of failure tending towards zero. There was nothing to be nervous about. Now, the problem was that he could only advance half of his Nascent Soul, no¡ªthe Seventh Realm! His current level of Cultivation, the Four Law Fruits, was the perfect crystallization of four different systems. However, these four systems were not altogetherplete. The most refined among them was the Cultivation Skill of the Cultivation World, which drew in the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit to transform into the Cultivator¡¯s Mana and condense the Yuan Spirit Golden Core. The highest Mana Point at present was the Seventh Realm, which was also the skill of the Nascent Soul. Next was the ancient Taoism of the World of Dao and Law that could simrly absorb the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit to be the Cultivator¡¯s Mana. Apart from the Yuan Spirit Golden Core, this skill also refined the Divine Soul. The highest realm of the Heavenly Master¡¯s skill was also the Nascent Soul of the Seventh Realm. Both systems were the results of Xu Yangbining his own learning, along with the research oues from the Wandao School. They both stopped at the Nascent Soul skill of the Seventh Realm without extending into the Eighth Realm of Divinity Transformation. It was so with the Yuanspirit Taoism; even less satisfactory were the Mysterious Skill of the Martial Path and External Body Training. The basis of Xu Yang¡¯s martial studies came firstly from the collective wisdom of various families from Great Zhou and Great Tang, and secondly from the transformative powers of the War God¡¯s As. Thetter was of immense importance. In the world of Great Tang, during thest decade, his enlightenment within the Temple of War God was an important reason for the subsequent realms in the Martial Path system. The War God¡¯s As could be described as a supreme Mysterious Skill. Even with Xu Yang¡¯s current perspective, it still seemed like a Heaven Reaching creation. He managed to extend the Martial Path system to the Six Yuan Core Realm, which wasparable to the Golden Core of the Yuanspirit Cultivation, partly thanks to the collective wisdom and his past enlightenment of the War God¡¯s As, which granted him a portion of its legacy. Regrettably, his level was too low back then, and the insights he gained were limited. Extending the Martial Path system to the Sixth Realm was his limit. He had no clue about the Seventh Realm technique, and progress at the Wandao School was also very slow. ¡°If there¡¯s a chance to return to the Great Tang world, I must find a way to take down that Temple of War God,¡± he thought. ¡°No, maybe even now, subsequent Martial Artists in Great Tang have developed higher Martial Path realms based on the War God¡¯s As.¡± ¡°The Martial Path system must bepleted!¡± Xu Yang sighed, feeling helpless. Unable to mark Great Tang during his Divine Travel Through Worlds. Unsure if he would ever see the War God¡¯s As again. Xu Yang valued the Martial Path system highly; after all, it was the foundation of his rise. The most important aspect was that the Martial Path system was not limited by Spiritual Roots and, together with his Farming Great Law, was a significant tool for expanding his influence. If his progress halted there, it would indeed be regrettable. Just as with the Martial Path system, the Body Training Skill was in a simr predicament. The Body Training skill was a method he deduced in the ck Water World, drawing on the body of a dragonfish and the Martial Path Body Training skill, carrying a vor of ¡°life evolution.¡± Unfortunately, it was also iplete, breaking down midway. Although he also managed to reluctantly deduce the Six Realm Yuan Fetus Skill, the road ahead was arduous, and the potential was limited. Therefore, at present, Xu Yang could only achieve the Nascent Soul of the Seventh Realm using the two systems of Daoist Mana and Yuanspirit. The Martial Path Body Training would fall a realm short, awaiting the day the system wasplete. ¡°The journey is still long and arduous!¡± ¡°But¡ it is also the joy!¡± Xu Yang smiled, momentarily setting these thoughts aside, focusing his entire being on preparing for his breakthrough. The Luotian Dajiao, advancing into the Nascent Soul realm, despite being a well-trodden path, could not be taken lightly. Especially at the final moment, when sess is achieved. Although both realms were at the Seventh Realm, the Nascent Soul of this world was different from the Heavenly Masters of the World of Dao and Law. In the World of Dao and Law, attaining the rank of Heavenly Master, unless one was a Demon or Evil Cultivator, would not lead to being struck by lightning. But in this world, any Cultivator, regardless of their Cultivation technique or physical prowess, would have to face the Heavenly Tribtion as soon as they seeded in condensing their Nascent Soul. From the Nascent Soul onwards, there would be a Heavenly Tribtion descending. Divinity Transformation, Return to Void, Integration Mahayana, all the way to the final Crossing the Tribtion for Ascension¡ªeach realm, each milestone, faced a trial by lightning. Beyond the lightning tribtiony other tribtions: of man, of heart, of demons, and an array of challenges. Who knows how many Cultivators, after arduous Cultivation and achievement, ultimately perished under the Heavenly Tribtion. Heavenly Tribtion, although Xu Yang had no fear of it, thisck of fear did not mean he did not take it seriously. Even when hunting a rabbit, a lion must use all its strength! He was a very serious person, always treating everything he faced with the utmost diligence. Chapter 276 - 184: Heavenly Tribulation_1 Chapter 276: Chapter 184: Heavenly Tribtion_1 Cultivation is already difficult, let alone crossing the Heavenly Tribtion. Due to the extreme danger of Heavenly Tribtion, how to transcend it has be a required course for high-level cultivators, and even a lifelong challenge for some. Various methods for crossing the tribtion have emerged as a result. Some rely on external objects, others on spells. Some rely on strength, others on luck. In short, it¡¯s like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each employing their divine skills. Xu Yang is a Daoist Celestial Master, mastering the Duotian Thunderbolt Technique and the Disaster-relief and Tribtion-evasion Skill, reinforced by many skill traits, protected by the Ancestor Master¡¯s Altar, the Luotian Dajiao, and equipped with Heavenly Crafts Natural Creation and Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor among many other measures. Not to mention passing through the thunder tribtion, even cheating fate by outright avoiding it is not out of the question. But he does not n to do so. This tribtion, he intends not only to cross it but to do so with great fanfare and drama! In this way, he could reap the benefits while achieving his goal. It could be called the best of both worlds, killing two birds with one stone. How to create such a grandiose spectacle? One could see Xu Yang sitting atop the high altar, motionless in form, his spiritual light shed, and he transformed from his true self into the guise of ¡°Thunder Lightning Mana King¡± Shi Jian. Immediately after, with a thought, he activated the formations, closing all the major arrays on Fish and Dragon Ind, leaving only the Mirage Dragon Illusion outside, swallowing clouds and puffing mist. The noise of Heaven and Earth Tribtion Thunder is too significant to conceal. If he were to transcend the tribtion on Fish and Dragon Ind, it would not be long before the news of a Nascent Soul cultivator crossing the tribtion on the ind would spread far and wide, bingmon knowledge. This is not what he wants. As the base of his true body, the most crucial aspect of Fish and Dragon Ind is its concealment. The best way to hide is in in sight! Even though Green Jade Mountain has already unified Liang Country, Xu Yang has not given up the identity of ¡°Li Liuxian.¡± If that is the case, why bother setting up the Luotian Dajiao on Fish and Dragon Ind? The reason is¡ ¡°Roaaar!!!¡± In the midst of the dreamy and hazy sea of clouds and mist, a roar rang out, like the chant of a dragon, the croak of a frog, and the cry of a bird, indistinct and intangible, with extraordinary rhythms, instantly rippling through the void. The m Spirit Illusion Array, a mirage! The disturbance of the Heavenly Tribtion cannot be hidden, but the Mirage Dragon¡¯s wonderful skill can transfer its noise and light elsewhere, creating a mirage. With this method, coupled with the effect of the ¡°Escaping One,¡± Xu Yang can cross the tribtion on Fish and Dragon Ind, and practically no one would be able to see through the ruse. If someone could still spot the ws in such a case, then whether he hides or not makes no difference. There is no need to worry, worrying is useless. All formation arrays have been removed, leaving only the Mirage Qi. In fact, formation arrays can also help in crossing the tribtion. After all, they are all external objects, and there is no reason why talismans, elixirs, magical artifacts, and treasures can be used, but formation arrays cannot. However, formations rely on their grandeur, connecting heaven and earth. Relying on formation arrays to cross the tribtion will greatly enhance the power of the Heavenly Tribtion, doing more harm than good. The Ten-Directional Great Array on Fish and Dragon Ind was personally arranged by Xu Yang, consuming a massive amount of spirit stones and materials. Naturally, it would not be used to block the tribtion thunder. With all formations removed, on Fish and Dragon Ind, only the Nine Ceremony High Altar stands tall. Atop the high altar, Xu Yang rose to conduct the ritual sacrifices. Although the world of cultivation knows no Immortal Gods, adherence to the traditions of the Mana Point merits a measure of reverence. Besides, aplete ritual ceremony can enhance the effects of Daoist spells and is not a meaningless disy. On the Nine Ritual Altars, the Taoist Man stepped through the constetions and performed sacrifices to the heavens and the spirits. Once the rites were done and the ceremonyplete, the blue smoke curled into nothingness, and spiritual light burst forth towards the vault of the sky. Within and without the ind, over the supply tables and incense tables stretched for ten miles, spirit stones turned to ash, mana money to cinder, spirit rice and spirit flesh, spiritual wine and spirit fruits, also cracked open as if melting wax. Only the spirit light soared to the heavens, as though offering sacrificial worship to the azure sky. The Dao of Heaven and Earth, that is the Immortal Gods. Yuan Spirit as incense, worshiping the vast sky, connecting continuously with the Three Thousand Great Dao, brought down the mighty power of the deities. The Luotian Dajiao, thus was aplished. The Nine Ceremony High Altar, stood blessed and augmented. Xu Yang¡¯s gaze sharpened as he epted the protective blessing, beginning his breakthrough. This time, only two systems could enter the Seventh Realm. One was the Cultivation Yuan Spirit, breaking the golden core to birth the nascent soul. The other was the Daoist Yang God, the Heavenly Master Being Position. How to arrange this? Xu Yang had long decided. First, to achieve the Cultivation Yuan Spirit¡¯s nascent soul, and then to assume the position of the Daoist Celestial Master! In a cultivator¡¯s method, the Yuan Spirit is the foundation. One must possess a Spiritual Root Qualifications to absorb the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit, transforming it into mana within the body, only then can one embark on a session of cultivation. Xu Yang had no spiritual root, but relying on various skills, especially the traits of the ¡°teacher¡± and ¡°martial training¡± skills, he too could absorb the Heavenly Earth Prime Spirit, equivalent to an alternative ¡°Mentor Spiritual Root¡± and ¡°Martial Spirit Root.¡± Therefore, he could also cultivate Cultivation Skills, and could congeal a Yuan Spirit Golden Core within his body. Now was the time for the Yuan Spirit Golden Core to shatter into a nascent soul. The Luotian Dajiao, with its mighty empowering strength. The Yuan Spirit Golden Core, undertaking self-breakthrough. Without any halt, without any hindrance. With a single thought from Xu Yang, the golden core shattered immediately. ¡°Bang!¡± The golden core exploded into particles of light and shadow, which then in an instant coalesced and solidified, revealing a miniature version of Xu Yang¡ªan infant in form, slightly tender in appearance, but standing in the Sea of Qi in the Dantian with an imposing stance that touched the sky. This indeed was the Cultivation nascent soul, the future Purple Mansion Primordial Spirit! The body of the nascent soul shone with bright golden light, subtly revealing the mechanics of Pure Yang Creation. The golden core shattered into the nascent soul as smoothly as flowing clouds and water, naturally and effortlessly. The absence of even the slightestplications disyed the profound potentiality of the cultivator. The aplishment of the Cultivation Yuan Spirit wasplete. Next would be the position of the Daoist Celestial Master. Within the Sea of Qi, the newly born nascent soul leaped up and, astonishingly, split into two, leaving the body and exiting the orifice. The nascent soul being the Primordial Spirit, at the moment the golden core shattered into the nascent soul, Xu Yang¡¯s Yang God had already merged with it. Now, to be a Daoist Celestial Master, a portion of the nascent soul¡¯s Yang God was separated out and merged with the universe, to be refined by the force of the Dao. The Heavenly Master, what is a Heavenly Master? He whoprehends the Dao can be called the Heavenly Master! In the World of Dao and Law, to achieve the status of a Celestial Master, there is only one method, and that is under the protective blessing of the Luotian Dajiao, to merge the Yang God with the Dao of Heaven and Earth, to maximally sense andprehend the force of Heaven and Earth. After such an experience, undergoing transformation and renewal, one may step into the Seventh Realm and achieve the Daoist Celestial Master. This method is extremely dangerous; without the protective power of the Luotian Dajiao, one would be 100% assimted by the Dao of Heaven and Earth, lost within it, unable to extricate oneself. Luckily, Xu Yang had everything he needed, without the slightest need to worry. In this way, after an unknown duration¡ Finally, a beam of golden light burst through the Broken Void, entering the Heavenly Spirit of Xu Yang¡¯s nascent soul. The golden light submerged, and the Nascent Soul sat cross-legged, sinking back into Xu Yang¡¯s dantian, where a mysterious and indescribable aura lingered around the tiny figure. It was the Taoist Rhyme! The Heavenly Master Being Position, the Seventh Realm had been achieved. With this cultivation, casting Taoist spells now would certainly double in might. Cultivating the Prime Spirit, practicing the Yang God of Taoism. Both major systems had sessfully advanced. This breakthrough was nowplete. Next, it would be¡ ¡°Boom!¡± As soon as the cultivator broke through, heaven and earth responded. Lightning struck out of a clear sky, thunder roared ominously. Misfortune clouds surged like tides, filling the sky in an instant, gathering above Fish and Dragon Ind. Seeing this, Xu Yang remained unconcerned, still seated on the altar, simply stimting his divine thoughts. ¡°Roar!!!¡± The Mirage Qi turned into dragons, the sound and shadow shifted, creating the illusion of a mirage city elsewhere. Elsewhere? Where exactly? Of course, it was¡ Within the Tianshu Sect¡¯s Great Array. ¡°Hm!?¡± ¡°Someone is crossing the Tribtion!¡± ¡°The Nascent Soul Tribtion!¡± Sensing a change within the Formation, Yunji was startled, and both Jing Yue and the Old Demon beside him were equally shocked. ¡°Is it him?¡± ¡°Who else could it be!¡± Both were uncertain and doubtful, while Yunji¡¯s expression grew grave. The ten-year period was approaching; very soon the Tianshu Great Array would be able to prate the Void Spirit Cave Heaven and summon reinforcements from the main sect. This was a good thing. However, fortune and misfortunee hand in hand; the very thing they least wanted to see also happened. That person¡ª¡ªhad made a breakthrough! The Three Sects had the duty to monitor, and within the Tianshu Formation, there was a special array solely for detecting reactions of Heavenly Tribtions within the Void Spirit Realm. Now with the Heavenly Tribtion manifesting, especially the Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribtion, it was undoubtedly him who had broken through. Although there had been no issues between the two during these ten years, with Tianshu Sect defending without exit and Green Jade Mountain not seeking trouble, Yunji knew this peace was just an illusion. If there was a chance to put the other side to death, neither would let it pass. Now that this person had broken through the Nascent Soul stage, would the situation be overturned? Yunji did not know, Jing Yue fell silent. Only the Old Demon next to them tentatively said, ¡°The Heavenly Tribtion is perilous; he might not make it through¡¡± Before his words could finish, they were interrupted by a look from Yunji and Jing Yue that was hard to describe. ¡°The Heavenly Tribtion is no obstacle for him,¡± Yunji said, shaking his head. He raised his right hand to his forehead, sliding out a metallic eye pupil¡ªThe Heavenly Mechanism Jewel Pupil. Over ten years, he had racked his brains and barely managed to repair this Heavenly Mechanism treasure somewhat. ¡°Elder brother!¡± Seeing Yunji summon the jewel pupil, Jing Yue was rmed, fearing he was losing his reason. ¡°Rest assured,¡± Yunji shook his head, calmly saying, ¡°I won¡¯t peek into his foundation, only watch the scene of his Tribtion crossing and guess that he won¡¯t have the spare effort to pay attention to us now.¡± With that said, the jewel pupil was activated, the Sprit Light shone forth, and revealed a realm. It was¡ Green Jade Mountain! ¡°Boom!¡± Above Green Jade Mountain, thunder sounded, announcing the Daoist True Man¡¯s crossing of the Tribtion. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Why would thunder strike all of a sudden?¡± ¡°With suchmotion, could it be that the Spell King is practicing his spells?¡± Inside and outside the mountain, numerous cultivators, watching the oppressive misfortune clouds that filled the sky, felt at a loss. What was happening? ¡°This is¡ holy shit!¡± ¡°That old ghost is crossing the Tribtion!¡± In the fields of Green Jade, Xiao Miao, who had only just left the fields, looked up at the sky filled with misfortune clouds. Just as he wanted to ask, Elder Zhen shouted in his mind: ¡°It¡¯s the Nascent Soul Tribtion; that old ghost actually has a Golden Core, this is outrageous!¡± ¡°Nascent Soul Tribtion, huh?¡± Compared to ten years ago, the now mature and even somewhat world-weary Xiao Miao, looking at the Thunder Clouds gathering in the sky, asked, ¡°Can he make it through?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that an idiotic question? The Nascent Soul Tribtion, and not the Mahayana or Ascension Tribtions. If he can¡¯t get through with his prowess, then what¡¯s the point of anyone else cultivating?¡± Elder Zhen responded irritably, ¡°Watch and learn well; it¡¯ll be useful when you face your own Tribtion one day.¡± ¡°Hmm!¡± Xiao Miao nodded, staring intently. On the other side, everyone else had also recovered from the initial shock. ¡°It¡¯s the Thunder Tribtion!¡± ¡°The Nascent Soul Thunder Tribtion¡± ¡°The Spell King has finally reached the Nascent Soul stage!¡± ¡°Quick, send this news back!¡± The cultivators were astounded, and immediately acted upon it. In the towns of Great Liang, there had always been rumors that although King Shifa of Green Jade Mountain was unmatched in the Thunder Series, his cultivation was still in the Golden Core stage and hadn¡¯t broken into the Nascent Soul, which was why he had been unable to act against the defensively postured Tianshu Sect. Now the Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribtion appearing over Green Jade Mountain undoubtedly confirmed this rumor. The Spell King crossing the Tribtion held no suspense; nobody was really concerned. The key point was whether, after crossing the Tribtion, Green Jade Mountain would take any action against Tianshu Sect,unching a final offensive. This concerned the future of the Liang Country Cultivation Realm and the fate of billions of mortals and millions of cultivators. Various forces were thus stirred into action. The Heaven and Earth Tribtion Thunder was reaching its critical moment. ¡°Boom!¡± The misfortune clouds collided, a peal of thunder rang out, unleashing terrifying lightning, tearing apart the dark sky and striking directly towards Green Jade Mountain. At the same time, within Green Jade Mountain, a figure stepped into the void and boldly walked into the Tribtion clouds. Chapter 277 - 185: Double Calamity_1 Chapter 277: Chapter 185: Double Cmity_1 ¡°This thunder cloud¡¡± ¡°The tribtion of the Nascent Soul oftenes in the form of the Twenty-Nine Heaven Tribtion!¡± ¡°If one¡¯s talent is extraordinary, attracting the envy of the heavens, it may increase to forty-nine tribtions.¡± ¡°Heavenly Tribtion Steps, they are trials as well as creations of nature; what the ultimate oue will be depends on the cultivator¡¯s actions!¡± ¡°It¡¯s said that when the Sect Master condensed his Nascent Soul, he experienced the 49 Stars-Thunder Tribtion. The Power of the Starsbined with the Thunderbolt¡¯s Might, thirty-six Thunder Bolts, each bearing the force of a star, descended. The Sect Master not only calmly bore them but also used the opportunity to refine his Big Dipper Star Body, transforming it and thus obtaining Heaven and Earth¡¯s Creation, an achievement unparalleled in history!¡± ¡°I wonder what kind of Heavenly Tribtion this person will face?¡± Within Tianshu Sect, Yunji, Jing Yue, and that Nascent Soul Old Demon from the Hundred Thousand Mountains, looking at the gathering Thunder Clouds above Green Jade Mountain, were each lost in different thoughts, filled with shock and uncertainty. Heavenly Tribtions are numerous, based on the number nine, multiples of ninebined. The least severe is the Nine Heaven Tribtion, and the most severe is the 99 Heaven Tribtions. Ny-nine, eighty-one, even the life of a Mahayana True Immortal is in peril. Apart from the number, there are types of Heavenly Tribtions: Yin and Yang, life and death, the Five Elements and Four Laws, as well as one¡¯s own Heart Demons. The forces of Heaven and Earth¡¯s Thunder and the power of the Great Waybine to form various types of tribtion thunders, even giving rise to Heart Demon Illusions, testing cultivators from all aspects to see if they are worthy of transcending the tribtion. Besides, the Heavenly Tribtion will also adjust the number and power of the Thunder Tribtions ording to the state of the one who is to transcend them. The higher the talent, the greater the potential, the more terrifying the thunder punishment will be. It¡¯s extremely harsh and perilous. No wonder higher-level cultivators regard the Heavenly Tribtion like a deluge and fierce beast, even viewing it as the very first difficult hurdle in the path of cultivation. However, there is also a creation of nature within the Heavenly Tribtion. The more numerous and powerful the tribtions are, the greater they indicate your exceptional talent, possibly even earning the jealousy of the heavens. If one has the means, like taking chestnuts from the fire, seizing the creation of the Heavenly Tribtion, then not only is it not a cmity but it could also be a great opportunity. Since ancient times, there have been many proud and gifted individuals who have attempted this, ultimately defying the heavens and stepping onto the immortal path. This also made Yunji and the other two quite conflicted. They both hoped that the heavens would send down the 99 Tribtions to obliterate this person with thunder, and yet feared that the other party¡¯s means reached the heavens and no matter what kind of Thunder Tribtion came, they could transcend it, perhaps even rising with the tide and achieving sudden enlightenment. Torn, utterly torn. But as bystanders, however conflicted they were, it would not affect the development of the situation. ¡°Rumble rumble!¡± Above Green Jade Mountain, the clouds collided, and the thunder roared. A Taoist man stepped through the void, entering the clouds directly. At once, the winds howled and clouds shifted, twisting into a vortex. Above the vortex, at the top of the firmament, the clouds stacked heavily. In the center of the vortex, within the void, there stood one man alone. Below, numerous cultivators lifted their heads to watch, tense in their observation. ¡°This is¡ the 49 Heaven Tribtions!¡± In Xiao Miao¡¯s mind, Elder Zhen¡¯s words echoed: ¡°The tribtion of the Nascent Soul is often twenty-nine in count. Those of exceptional talent may suffer the forty-nine tribtions. Although this person is out of the ordinary, he wouldn¡¯t dare to be overly outrageous in the matter of Heavenly Tribtion.¡± Hearing this, Xiao Miao also grew curious: ¡°Heavenly Tribtion can be outrageous? What kind of outrageousness are we talking about?¡± ¡°Of course, it refers to fifty-nine, sixty-nine, and even up to seventy-nine and eighty-nine,¡± Elder Zhen replied with an amused smile. ¡°In the history of the Northern Region Cultivation World, there have been a few such fools who didn¡¯t know whether they were alive or dead, and a few madmen defied by Heaven and Earth, who at the state of Nascent Soul attracted the Sixty Nine Heavenly Tribtion, even the 99 Heaven Tribtions.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Xiao Miao raised his eyebrows: ¡°And then?¡± ¡°And then?¡± Elder Zhen smiled indifferently, ¡°Of course, they died.¡± Xiao Miao: ¡°To face the 99 Heaven Tribtions at the Nascent Soul realm, who do you think you are, the child of Heaven¡¯s destiny?¡± Elder Zhen scoffed, then sighed: ¡°There may be opportunities within the Heavenly Tribtion, but one must also weigh their capabilities.¡± ¡°Like that little bastard of Tianshu, he was very self-aware. He used the Big Dipper Tribtion Transforming Art in advance; he didn¡¯t attract the Sixty Nine Heavenly Tribtion, only the forty-nine, thereby gaining Heaven and Earth¡¯s Creation without the risk of perishing.¡± ¡°How shrewd, eh?¡± Elder Zhen sighed and instructed: ¡°Remember, a dead man is a dead man, no matter how high one¡¯s talent or potential is, once dead, they are nothing but a piece of rotting meat!¡± Xiao Miao: ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± Amid their conversation, more than nine thunder strikes had already urred. The 49 Heaven Tribtions, thirty-six in total. The first nine, ordinary thunder, of mediocre strength. The Taoist man stood in the void, calmly receiving them, the nine Heavenly Thunders entering his body as if it was a disappearing mud ox into the sea. Mud ox entering the sea, without a trace to be found. Heavenly Thunder entering the body, also without reaction. ¡°In the Martial Arts Scripture, there is the Thunder Commanding Power, the Body Training Skill with Heavenly Thunder.¡± ¡°In the Taoist Scriptures, there is the Thunderbolt jade Shu Scripture, the Duotian Divine Xiao Thunder Skill.¡± ¡°Whether martial arts or Taoism, both can harness the Thunderbolt¡¯s Strength for oneself.¡± ¡°Thus, not only are the first nine Heavenly Thunders ineffective in causing harm, but even the subsequent twenty-seven thunders would hardly pose a substantial threat to the Spell King.¡± After the nine Heavenly Thunders, the first tier of the tribtion had been passed. The Taoist man stood unharmed, hands behind his back, suspended in the air. Everyone discussed eagerly, with covetous looks in their eyes. At this moment¡ ¡°Rumble rumble!¡± The clouds collided, thunder shook, and within the endless dark curtain, a round of the Great Sun could be glimpsed. The Great Sun¡¯s red glow, intensely hot, turned into a stunning lightning dragon, transforming into a streak of red thunder. ¡°This is¡!¡± The crowd was shocked, feeling anxious yet not understanding why. Only a rare few recognized the origin of this thunder. ¡°Great Fiery Heaven Thunder!¡± ¡°This person¡ could he be a fire-attributed spiritual body?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not right, a fire-attributed spiritual body would draw out the Five Elements Fire Thunder!¡± ¡°Great Fiery Heaven Thunder, the utmost yang and forcefulness, only the Great Sun Immortal Body would incur such a cmitous challenge.¡± ¡°This person, could he be on par with the Sect Master¡¯s Big Dipper Star Body, one of the three celestial nascent essences of the sun, moon, and stars: the Great Sun Immortal Body?¡± ¡°No no no, the world is unpredictable, Heavenly Tribtions are even more uncertain, those attracting the Great Fiery Heaven Thunder are not necessarily possessors of the Great Sun Immortal Body!¡± Chapter 278 - 185: Dual Tribulation_2 Chapter 278: Chapter 185: Dual Tribtion_2 Within the Tianshu Sect, Yunji Jingyue¡¯s heart was in turmoil, yet his face still managed to maintain an appearance of calm. At this moment¡ ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± Nine Great Fiery Heaven Thunders struck down in rapid session, leaving no room for escape. However, the Taoist Man was fearless, stepping into the void, and raising his hand to meet them. In an instant, the celestial thunder was drawn in, and crimson light entered his body. Each of the nine Great Fiery Heaven Thunders was absorbed and transformed by the cultivator. ¡°Rumble!¡± The fourth cycle of the 49 Heaven Tribtions had passed its second phase. The sky above was filled with umting clouds that began to shift again. Within the endless dark curtain, a sh of golden light suddenly appeared. The golden light merged with the thunder, turning into gold and silver lightning. ¡°This is¡¡± ¡°Gold and silver lightning, the thunder of the thunder attributes!¡± ¡°This man has the Great Sun Immortal Body, yet cultivates the Thunderp Technique?¡± ¡°Strange, indeed!¡± ¡°This situation is too abnormal, we cannot jump to conclusions rashly.¡± ¡°What kind of Spiritual Root does this old ghost have, what kind of body, what technique does he cultivate?¡± Seeing this situation, not to mention Yunji and the others, even Elder Zhen in Xiao Miao¡¯s mind was somewhat confused about the circumstances. Celestial Tribtion Creation, fortune and misfortune depend on each other; naturally, they wouldn¡¯t send fire-attributed heavenly thunders to a cultivator with a water-attributed Spiritual Root, as that would purely be a cmity. The attributes must match, at the very least there must be some connection. Thus, observing someone Crossing the Tribtion can also reveal some of their foundations. But now¡ Great Sun Crimson Thunder, belonging to pure Yang. Gold and silver lightning, belonging to thunder. What is this situation? Only Xu Yang knew. The first bout of nine heavenly thunders represented the standard Nascent Soul Tribtion. The second bout of nine crimson thunders represented the Daoist Celestial Master¡¯s tribtion. The third bout of nine golden thunders represented the Tribtions of Cultivating a True Spirit. Because he had no Spiritual Root, the Heavenly Dao couldn¡¯t determine his attribute, so it could only enhance the Thunderbolt Strength, turning ¡°silver thunder¡± into ¡°gold thunder¡± to use the full number of tribtions! People who didn¡¯t understand the key points would conclude he was cultivating the Thunderp Technique with a ¡°Great Sun Immortal Body¡± incorrectly. ¡°Rumble!¡± In the blink of an eye, the nine golden thunders were also dissolved. The fourth cycle of the 49 Heaven Tribtions was more than halfplete. Only thest phase, the final nine thunders, remained. The umting clouds collided, producing muffled roars. The Great Sun¡¯s crimson light and the gold light of the thunder illuminated each other. Nine thunders of gold and red, with a dramatically increased potency, thundered down disying the force of heaven and earth. Even those standing outside the mountain watching from a distance felt a sense of disaster looming and the sensation of celestial punishment and annihtion. If this was the feeling from the outside, then what about on the inside? The golden-red lightning thundered down. The body of the cultivator bore the brunt. Xu Yang, however, was fearless, stepping into the void, and transforming his palm into thunder. In a sh, the golden-red colors, the nine dragons of lightning, were led and circted by a pair of fleshly palms around the cultivator¡¯s body, swirling and moving until each of them was absorbed. The golden-red lightning was taken into the body. ¡°Body Training¡± skill traits, thunder tempered body, Qi and Blood Furnace. There was also the Cultivation Technique of the Martial Path, the power of Thunder Commanding. The heavenly thunder tribtion thus became a creation for the cultivator. The strength of the thunderbolt, assimted into the furnace of flesh and blood, tempered the cultivator¡¯s physical body. And thus, the forty-nine Heavenly Tribtions were fully passed. The clouds in the sky began to dissipate. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°It¡¯s passed!¡± ¡°Of course it passed!¡± ¡°The Spell King truly lives up to his reputations!¡± ¡°The forty-nine Heavenly Tribtions, so easily ovee.¡± Without shock or danger, as the tribtion passed, everyone rxed. But unexpectedly¡ ¡°Rumble!¡± In the heavens above, the cultivator raised his hand, and a beam of golden light shot straight up into the ninth heaven. It was¡ªDaoist Celestial Master, passing through his form, the Heavenly Master Being in Position! With the emergence of the Yang God, themand token rose, causing the scattering clouds to immediately regroup, and amidst continuous rumbling, lightning began to sh again. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°What is he trying to do?¡± The crowd was bewildered and uncertain. ¡°This madman!¡± Only within Xiao Miao¡¯s mind, Elder Zhen angrily said, ¡°He¡¯s attracting the Sixty Nine Heavenly Tribtion!¡± ¡°Dammit!¡± ¡°This person, truly bold and reckless!¡± ¡°The Sixty Nine Heavenly Tribtion!¡± Inside the Tianshu Sect, Yunji and the others were also a mix of shock and anger. The Method of Attracting Tribtion! If there is a Technique of Tribtion Transformation, then there is a Method of Attracting Tribtion. By reverse engineering the rationale of transforming tribtion, one can attract thunder and enhance the power of the heavenly tribtion. But few cultivators use such techniques. Because the heavenly tribtion is uncontroble, you cannot ensure whether you are bringing upon yourself the Sixty Nine Heavenly Tribtion or the Ny Nine Heavenly Tribtion. One mistake, and you could perish and your path could be extinguished. Ordinary cultivators do not dare to joke with their life and death. Prodigies and geniuses are even less likely to gamble with their lives. Haven¡¯t you seen True Monarch Tianshu, with his Big Dipper Star Body and exceptional talent, only crossing a forty-nine star studded tribtion? Only those indifferent to life and death, madmen or fools, would use such methods to enhance the heavenly tribtion. Is Xu Yang a madman or a fool? He is neither! He is the Daoist Celestial Master. As a Daoist Celestial Master, having the Heavenly Master Being in Position, with the assistance of his skill traits, he could, to a certain extent, control the heavenly tribtion. If he wanted to attract the Sixty Nine Heavenly Tribtion, that¡¯s what he would attract. If he wanted to attract the Ny Nine Heavenly Tribtion, that¡¯s what he would attract. There was almost no possibility of mishap. Therefore, he could use this method of attracting lightning. The creation of the Heavenly Tribtion is very rare. A great opportunity must be utilized. The Yang Godmanded, rising to the ninth heaven, the Heavenly Master Being in Position. Suddenly, the sky was covered with dark clouds and lightning raced, bringing down eighteen strikes of gold and red thunder. The Sixty Nine Lightning Punishment, theplete number of tribtions. Xu Yang stepped into the void, maximizing his Dao and Martial abilities, absorbing all the dual-colored golden-red dragons, the might of heaven and earth. The Martial Arts Scripture¡¯s power of Thunder Commanding! The Taoist Scriptures¡¯ Duotian Divine Xiao! With the Unity of Heaven and Man, Thunder Tempering Body, Qi and Blood Furnace, and the skill traits of the Daoist Celestial Master. Heavenly Tribtion was not a cmity but a creation! After an indeterminate amount of time, the thunder ceased, and the clouds dissipated. The Taoist Man¡¯s clothes were unruffled, he brushed his sleeve and returned into the mountain as if it were a small, mundane matter. All around was dead silence,sting for a long time. As for how the onlookers felt, Xu Yang did not care. This round of the Sixty Nine Heavenly Tribtion, the Thunder Tempering Body, was greatly beneficial to him. Chapter 279 - 185: Dual Calamities_3 Chapter 279: Chapter 185: Dual Cmities_3 The Nascent Soul cultivation had already solidified. The Martial Path Yuan Skill, which externally fortified the Yuan Fetus, had also undergone a partial qualitative change under the thunderbolt creation. Although Xu Yang had not experienced a rebirth, he could see the future hope of pushing out the Eight Realms¡¯ Mana Point. Martial Path Body Training was not a dead end¡ªit simply required more umtion. Apart from cultivation, the thunderbolt creation also greatly aided his spells and Divine Skills. Now, he truly deserved the title of Daoist Celestial Master. Striking while the iron was hot, Xu Yang was ready toplete the remaining matters. In the Nine Ritual Altars on Fish and Dragon Ind, with a sweep of Xu Yang¡¯s sleeve, his body transformed into an Escape Light and vanished. The Escape Light traveled extremely fast,ing and going in Qingming, as swift as lightning, arriving at Green Jade in the blink of an eye. Upon Green Jade Mountain, Xu Yang¡¯s Escape Light descended, but no one noticed. With his current level of cultivation, in this realm, except for the Void Spirit Monarch, whose life or death was unknown, no one could pose a threat to him, and there was no need for him to act through an avatar. At the Spirit Vein hub of Green Jade Mountain, there was a chunk of Green Jade at its core, connected to the entire mountain, the entire Earth Vein, the entire formation. This was the Heart of Green Jade Mountain and River, a Supreme Grade Spirit Stone. As soon as Xu Yang arrived, the Green Jade sensed his presence, and a ray of green light burst forth, transforming into an Azure Dragon that coiled around and rubbed against Xu Yang as if to please him. Xu Yang¡¯s expression, however, was indifferent, ¡°I need this item to refine treasures!¡± ¡°Wu!¡± Upon hearing this, the Azure Dragon whimpered instantly, moving its body in panic and not ceasing to rub against his arm, its eyes filled with a plea for mercy. Seeing this, Xu Yang finally smiled and raised his hand to gently stroke the Azure Dragon¡¯s head, ¡°Are you willing to be the Artifact Spirit of my Rebellion Seal?¡± ¡°Wu wu!¡± The Azure Dragon first paused upon hearing this but soon cried out in long whimpers, wiping away its fear and showing nothing but excitement and joy. Green Jade Mountain, or perhaps the character ¡°Qing¡± (Green) has misled many into thinking that Green Jade Mountain¡¯s Spirit Vein is a wood element Spirit Vein. In reality, the Green Jade ispletely different from Qing Wood. As for jade, it is the essence of stone! The Spirit Vein of Green Jade Mountain is an undeniable earth element Spirit Vein. Medicine King Valley¡¯s Spirit Vein is of the wood element. In over ten years, the refinement work for the Nine Immortals Peach Source Treasure, the Three Mountains and Five Peaks Seal, and the Thunderfire Overturning Heaven Seal had basically beenpleted; only the final material, a third-tier Mountain Core, a Supreme Grade Spirit Stone for the main body¡ªcarrying the power collected from the mountain and river¡¯s gold and stone, as well as the thick earth¡¯s qi¡ªwas needed for this Spiritual Treasure to beplete. The third-tier Mountain Core, a Supreme Grade Spirit Stone¡ªthere were only two in Liang Country¡ªone in Green Jade Mountain and the other in Medicine King Valley. Hence, Xu Yang hade here. There was nothing more suitable to be the primary material for the Rebellion Seal than the earth element Heart of Green Jade Mountain. But since the Green Jade was sentient, how to deal with it was also an issue. The choice Xu Yang gave it was to cooperate in the refinement process and be an Artifact Spirit. Otherwise¡ There was no otherwise; the Azure Dragon indicated that bing an Artifact Spirit was a job with immense prospects. It had no objections whatsoever and would fully cooperate with the refinement process. Seeing this, Xu Yang said no more, stretching out his hand to grasp the Green Jade disc. ¡°Ao!¡± With a roar, the Azure Dragon too cried out, turning and diving into the disc. Suddenly, thunder appeared, triggering the Earthfire and enveloping the Green Jade disc. ¡°Rumble rumble!¡± Having someone take away the core of the mountain and formation heartbeat, the Green Jade Mountain inevitably shook, with its Spirit Vein¡¯s Spiritual Energy quickly depleting, and the grand formation began to copse. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The Green Jade Mountain formation¡¡± ¡°Just as the Spell King made a breakthrough, there¡¯s a problem with Green Jade Mountain.¡± ¡°Could it be¡?¡± The sudden turn of events caused the cultivators both inside and outside Green Jade Mountain to be filled with terror and confusion. Xu Yang, however, paid no attention, focusing solely on refining the Mountain Core and taking out the materials he had collected over the past decade, throwing them into the Heavenly Thunder Earthly Fire to forge a transformative Spiritual Treasure. The essence of mountain and river¡¯s gold and stone! The qi of the thick earth! Over the course of ten years, he traveled all over Liang Country, refining more than a thousand mountains, visiting various Spirit Lands to draw the essence of their Earth Veins, and with the help of his disciples¡¯ hard work collecting various earth and gold elements¡¯ heavenly treasures and earthly treasures, he had barely managed to gather the necessary materials. Given the limited materials, there was only one chance for sess, with no room for failure. Fortunately, Xu Yang was fully confident. As various materials were added, the Heavenly Thunder Earthly Fire began to smelt them. Amidst the thunderous sparks and fiery flow, a seal gradually took shape. The body of the seal was azure, with transparent gold hardness. At the top, a True Dragon served as the knob; at the bottom, a piece of Green Stone served as the base. The surface was engraved with Three Mountains and Five Peaks, along with patterns of thunder charms and fire talismans. Surrounding it, strands of qi circted, each breath as heavy as Mount Tai. This was none other than the Nine Immortals Peach Source Treasure, the Three Mountains and Five Peaks Seal, the Thunder Fire Rebellion Stone! ¡°Rumble rumble!¡± As the treasure took form and its aura emerged, thunder roared around Green Jade Mountain, shaking the heavens and the earth. ¡°What¡¯s happening!¡± ¡°Is someone crossing the Tribtion again?¡± ¡°Who is crossing the Tribtion!¡± ¡°Is there a second person in Green Jade Mountain achieving Nascent Soul?¡± ¡°What¡?¡± Outside Green Jade Mountain, the people had not yet recovered from the tremors and the breaking of the great formation when clouds of cmity thickly surged, once again enveloping the skies above Green Jade Mountain. Chapter 280 - 185: Refining Treasures_1 Chapter 280: Chapter 185: Refining Treasures_1 ¡°He has attained Nascent Soul!¡± ¡°And he crossed the Sixty-Nine Heavenly Tribtion!¡± ¡°What can we do, what can we do?¡± Within the Tianshu Sect, the atmosphere was heavy with anxiety; though Yunji and the other two hadn¡¯t spoken a word, their expressions clearly revealed their turbulent thoughts. A cmity loomed, a disaster of total devastation! The person in question had sessfully advanced to Nascent Soul, and even the ferocious Sixty-Nine Heavenly Tribtion, with its gold and red thunder, seemed powerless against him. Not only did it fail to achieve anything, it even provided him with an opportunity for Heavenly Tribtion Creation, bolstering his strength even further. Now, his actual realm was anybody¡¯s guess. Witnessing the manner in which he crossed the tribtion, the three even suspected that the Sixty-Nine Heavenly Tribtion might not be his true limit. If it wasn¡¯t his limit, then why didn¡¯t he draw more? Because he knew his own strength! The primary goal in drawing in tribtory lightning during tribtion crossing was to capture the opportunities within the Heavenly Tribtion, not just to be struck by lightning. With the Sixty-Nine Heavenly Tribtion under control, one could snatch the thunderous opportunities to transform their own cultivation. The Ny-Nine Heavenly Tribtion brought fury from both humans and gods alike, its power increased manifold,pletely beyond control. Even if one could withstand it, they would be unable to turn the lightning to their use, instead, they would have to endure the injuries from the Heaven and Earth Tribtion Thunder¡¯s punishment. Therefore, it made no sense to draw upon the Ny-Nine Heavenly Tribtion. Some things need not be taken to the extreme. Acting ording to one¡¯s capacity, what¡¯s suitable is the best. That was how their Sect Master did things back in the day. The same was true for this person now. Even if speaking solely of tribtion crossing performance, this person was even better than their Sect Master. A major enemy, a formidable one without a doubt! The bnce of power had been disrupted. The Tianshu Great Array was no longer unassable. What can we do, what can we do? The three of them were filled with trepidation in their hearts. Eventually, it was Jing Yue, with his maturity andposure, who took a deep breath and spoke, ¡°Senior Brother, we must quickly inform the main sect of this matter, urging Uncle Bei Chen to be ready. When the passage to the Void Spirit Cave Heaven opens, we mustmit our full strength, sending strong reinforcements without any reservation, otherwise¡¡± Thest of his words were left unsaid, but all three understood the implication. Even when a lion fights a rabbit, it uses all its strength, let alone facing a tiger lurking by the dragon¡¯sir. If the main sect doesn¡¯t take this seriously and sends only a few insignificant Nascent Soul cultivators, we all know what will happen. This person is unrivaled with the Heavenly Sword, possesses divine mastery of Thunder Series techniques, and is a Grandmaster of Array Formation; with numerous methods at his disposal, he causes one¡¯s scalp to tingle and heart to race with fear. Now that he has advanced to Nascent Soul, even as a beginner in this realm, he may have shorings when fighting across realms, but among those in the same realm¡ To such a figure, being at the early stage of the Nascent Soul Realm doesn¡¯t make much differencepared to the Perfect Nascent Soul. There are genius cultivators capable of challenging and even defeating those at the perfect stage in the Foundation Establishment and Golden Core Realms or even fighting across realms. Thus, there are certainly mightier individuals, who in the Nascent Soul and Divinity Transformation Realms, can ignore the barriers and be invincible. In low-tier realms, the significance of the barriers only applies to ordinary cultivators. For those with supreme Heavenly Spirit aura or even Daoist celestial bodies, these barriers are virtually non-existent and meaningless. Only at high tiers, beyond Divinity Transformation, each threshold bes significant, turning the idea of fighting across realms into legend. Even someone like True Monarch Tianshu¡ªwho rarely appears once in ten thousand years as Northern Dipper Immortal Fetus¡ªcannot break this iron rule. The existence of the Void Spirit Realm is the best proof of this. Thus, this time, the main sect must give it their all. Otherwise, if we cannot protect the Void Spirit Cave Heaven, our lives¡ will not be safe either. Understanding the severity of the situation, Jing Yue was well aware of it, and Yunji was naturally just as clear. He nodded and said, ¡°Junior Brother is absolutely right. I will inform the main sect immediately. We must implore Uncle Bei Chen to dispatch a few battle-oriented Senior Brothers no matter what¡ Hm!?¡± His words were cut short, and he suddenly looked rmed. ¡°What happened?¡± Jing Yue furrowed his brow, probing further. ¡°Heavenly Tribtion!¡± Yunji looked up, his eyes filled with shock: ¡°There¡¯s another Heavenly Tribtion!¡± ¡°Another Heavenly Tribtion?¡± ¡°How can this be?¡± Hearing this, Jing Yue and the Nascent Soul Old Demon were also full of shock, ¡°Who is it!¡± Yunji remained silent, simply opening his treasure pupils and emitting a divine light. Within the divine light, a scene emerged, showing¡ Atop Green Jade Mountain, Yang Yun gathered again, ushering in a great dark sky. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°It¡¯s another Heavenly Tribtion!¡± ¡°Is there a second person in Green Jade Mountain achieving Nascent Soul?¡± ¡°Could it be one of the top ten disciples breaking through?¡± ¡°No, no, no, ten years ago, all of the top ten disciples were at the Foundation Establishment stage, and although several of them have formed their Golden Cores since then, how could they possibly perfect their Golden Core cultivation in a mere ten years? It must be some other great figure within Green Jade Mountain.¡± ¡°In Green Jade Mountain, aside from Spell King and the publicly known top ten disciples, there are likely many Great Golden Core cultivators. Influenced by the aura of Spell King¡¯s tribtion crossing, it¡¯s only natural that they would seize the opportunity to break through.¡± ¡°The foundation of Green Jade Mountain is terrifying indeed¡¡± Looking at the spreading Yang Yun that eclipsed the sun and nketed the top of Green Jade Mountain, the people who had just encountered a strange event were even more bewildered, whispering to each other and discussing fervently. Xiao Miao, leaning on his hoe, looked up at the sky and was inwardly shocked, ¡°Is another person about to cross the tribtion?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a person.¡± Elder Zhen¡¯s words came, filled with mixed feelings, but there was an inexplicable calm, ¡°It is a treasure!¡± ¡°A treasure?¡± Xiao Miao was startled, confused, ¡°What treasure?¡± ¡°What else could it be?¡± Elder Zhen exined, ¡°Heaven and earth are impartial and treat all beings equally without selfishness or ego. As long as one reaches the required realm, there will naturally be tribtions to test them. Therefore, when cultivators condense their Nascent Soul, they face the Nascent Soul Tribtion; when magical treasures be sentient, they face the Spiritual Treasure Tribtion. Simrly, spirit pills, talismans, and formations will also face Heavenly Tribtion once they reach the fourth tier threshold. There are no exceptions to this impartial treatment.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Xiao Miao nodded, then suddenly realized, ¡°So, this present cmity¡¡± ¡°Is precisely the Spiritual Treasure Tribtion!¡± Elder Zhen spoke solemnly, ¡°The earlier quaking of earth and mountains must have been due to some incident urring at the core of the Spirit Vein of Green Jade Mountain.¡± ¡°This person has just advanced to Nascent Soul and took the core of Green Jade Mountain¡¯s Spirit Vein to refine treasures. Sessfully creating a sentient magical treasure, they have drawn the Spiritual Treasure Tribtion.¡± ¡°A sentient magical treasure ranks at the fourth tier!¡± ¡°Besides being a fourth tier Array Formation Grandmaster, is he also a fourth tier Artifact Refining Grandmaster?¡± ¡°Which old ghost couldn¡¯t stand the quiet, running to this Void Spirit Realm to stir up trouble¡¡± As Elder Zhen spoke, full of confusion, Xiao Miao¡¯s heart was also a mix of emotions. At this moment¡ ¡°Rumbling!¡± The wind surged, and thunder roared with shes of lightning. The Heavenly Tribtion arrived again, directly overwhelming Green Jade. People were fearful, in a state of panic, when someone from within the mountain stepped out, ascending to the heavens alone. ¡°King Shifa!¡± ¡°This¡¡± Witnessing this scene, the people outside the mountain were all stunned. How is it him again? Didn¡¯t he just ovee it? Does this Heavenly Tribtion need to be crossed twice? The crowd was filled with shock and uncertainty. The Taoist man didn¡¯t speak, soaring alone into the sky, he took a seat among the tribtion clouds. Immediately afterward¡ ¡°Boom!¡± The tribtion clouds collided, lightning shed and sputtered, and in their midst, a sharp golden light and a deep yellow light intersected with the lightning,pleting the tribtion. ¡°Is this¡¡± ¡°Geng Metal Thunder!¡± ¡°Wutu Thunder!¡± ¡°Innate lightning, Heavenly Crafts Natural Creation!¡± In Xiao Miao¡¯s mind, Elder Zhen eximed in shock, ¡°This old ghost is refining a Spiritual Treasure with the powers of Metal and Earth!¡± ¡°The powers of Metal and Earth¡¡± ¡°Boom!¡± Just as Xiao Miao¡¯s doubts began to arise, thunder roared intensely once again. Gengjin and Wutu, the two great Pre-Heaven Five Elements forces, merged with the heaven and earth lightning and struck directly at Xu Yang, who was sitting amidst the clouds. Xu Yang was unconcerned, flipping his hand to throw out an object, which was indeed a seal. The seal was a greenish hue, as if cast from bronze, with an Azure Dragon as the knob and mountains and rocks as its base, exuding a sense of sturdiness from the inside out. Streams of energy fell in all directions, with each breath and thread carrying the weight of the Three Mountains and Five Peaks. A treasure indeed, a true treasure! As soon as the treasure appeared, it began to turn, tumbling into the midst of the lightning, embracing the refinement of the thunder. Heavenly Tribtion is both a cmity and an opportunity. It is so for people, and the same for other things. The opportunity of the Heavenly Tribtion can affect a cultivator¡¯s future path and can also determine the future of a Spiritual Treasure. How much potential it has, and what its upper limit might be, all depends on how much of this Heavenly Tribtion opportunity it can seize. Xu Yang certainly wanted to do it perfectly, under the premise of measuring his strength to achieve the maximum potential of this Three Mountains and Five Peaks Thunderfire Overturning Heaven Seal. Therefore¡ ¡°Hum!¡± A golden light flew out from the Heavenly Spirit, rising straight into the nine heavens. Yang God Trance, performing the ways of the Heavenly Master. Guiding the tribtion lightning to refine the Spiritual Treasure. Suddenly¡ ¡°Boom!¡± The umted clouds collided; there was a sh of lightning and peals of thunder; the force of the Heavenly Tribtion rapidly intensified. ¡°The Sixty-Nine Heavenly Tribtion!¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Sixty-Nine Heavenly Tribtion again!¡± ¡°He¡¯s using the Heavenly Tribtion to refine the treasure, this madman!¡± Seeing this scene, the three individuals from the Tianshu Sect inside Yunji clenched their teeth tightly, feeling terrified yet powerless. ¡°Just the Sixty-Nine Heavenly Tribtion!¡± In Xiao Miao¡¯s mind, Elder Zhen actuallyughed as if he had already adapted, ¡°I thought you would draw the 99 Heaven Tribtions. Seems like the old ghost doesn¡¯t have that ability, haha!¡± Xiao Miao: We¡¯ll set aside the reactions of the crowd for now. Xu Yang sat amidst the clouds, on one hand guiding the heaven and earth tribtion lightning, while on the other hand controlling the lightning to refine the treasure. Heavenly Tribtion Creation is a rare opportunity. Although as a Daoist Celestial Master, he could also summon heaven and earth lightning. But the thunder he summoned was just that, thunder,cking the creation aspect of this moment. Geng Metal Thunder! Wutu Thunder! What is Geng Metal, and what is Wutu Earth? Innate among the Five Elements, Metal is called Geng, Earth is called Wutu! Gengjin and Wutu are the metallic and earth forces among the Innate Five Elements. Innate objects, so precious, have almost vanished from this world, only the heaven and earth tribtions can reproduce their might. If he could seize this opportunity and merge a bit of the essence of the Innate Five Elements into the Spiritual Treasure, it could greatly elevate both the quality of the Spiritual Treasure and its future potential. Therefore, Xu Yang couldn¡¯t miss this opportunity. ¡°Boom!¡± The nine thunders struck in rotation, one after another. The Sixty-Nine Heavenly Tribtion, lightning to refine the treasure. Xu Yang sat within the tribtion clouds, deploying the Heavenly Crafts Natural Creation Technique, with skills like ¡°Heavenly Craftsman¡± and ¡°Heavenly Thunder Earthly Fire¡± to assist, he concentratedpletely, manipting the tribtion lightning to temper the Three Mountains and Five Peaks Seal within. The Three Mountains and the Five Peaks, Thunderfire Overturning Heaven. The former already had the core of Green Jade Mountain and countless metallic and earth element materials as its foundation. Thetter, a rarity among lightning objects, had to be filled in with various fire element substances. To truly refine the Three Mountains and Five Peaks Thunderfire Overturning Heaven Seal, he had to rely on this final heavenly and earthly tribtion lightning, chance, and creation. Xu Yang exerted all his strength without reservation, determined to create this treasure. With that, the golden tribtion lightning struck in turn. Six rounds, nine tiers, with fifty-four strikes, the measure of tribtion wasplete. In the midst of the skies, the tribtion clouds had vanished, leaving only a golden yellow thunderous light, as if it were a heavenly furnace forging treasures. Xu Yang stood outside, performing Heavenly Craft Creation, casting Array patterns and Talismans one by one, aiding the Spiritual Treasure in its transformation while also imprinting his own mark. Otherwise, once the Spiritual Treasure was refined, if he could notmand it with ease, that would be a joke. Finally¡ ¡°Boom!¡± ¡°Roar!!!¡± Amidst the roaring thunder, a dragon¡¯s roar erupted. The next instant, the brilliance was retracted, the thunder had subsided, leaving only a dragon shadow surging toward Xu Yang. Xu Yang¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he extended his hand. The True Dragon roared as it approached,nding in his hand, bing a seal, a shining golden seal. The seal that was once greenish and seemed carved from jade, had now turned entirely golden yellow. Around it, besides the flow of mountainous Earth Aura, there were streaks of lightning and electricity flickering, the sounds of the wind and mes uncertain. It was indeed a Middle Grade Spiritual Treasure¡ªThe Three Mountains and Five Peaks Thunderfire Overturning Heaven Seal! Xu Yang fully executed the Heavenly Artifact Refining Technique, and with the help of various Skill Traits, he finally seized the Heavenly Tribtion Creation opportunity for the Spiritual Treasure, melding a bit of the Innate Five Elements Essence and the powers of Geng Metal and Wutu Earth into the Overturning Heaven Seal. This Overturning Heaven Seal, not only ranked as a Middle Grade, but also possessed immense potential. A sentient treasure, enlightened and intelligent, has the ability to grow. But just like cultivators, being able to grow and having potential are two different concepts. With the essence of the Innate Five Elements, the Overturning Heaven Seal could not only grow but had tremendous potential, akin to a cultivator with an Upper Grade Heavenly Spirit, whose future achievements are limitless. As for Xu Yang¡¯s mood, there is no need to say more. Originally, he only wished to refine a Lower Grade Spiritual Treasure to fulfill the asion, but he ended up with a Middle Grade Spiritual Treasure unexpectedly. An unexpected joy, but also within reason¡ªall resulting from toil and cultivation, the fruits of hisbor. Xu Yang didn¡¯t say much, taking the Spiritual Treasure with him as he returned into the mountains, leaving behind the crowd who were at a loss for words, not knowing how to react. Chapter 281 - 186: Law Creation_1 Chapter 281: Chapter 186: Law Creation_1 ¡°The Sixty-Nine Heavenly Tribtion, achieving the Nascent Soul!¡± ¡°The Sixty-Nine Heavenly Tribtion, forging a Spiritual Treasure!¡± ¡°This¡¡± Inside the Tianshu Sect, the clouds of worry were denser than ever before. Yunji remained silent, Jing Yue said nothing, and the Nascent Soul Old Demon dared not make a sound either. In the oppressive atmosphere, time seemed to stretch on until Yunji finally let out a deep sigh, ¡°This person is actually a fourth-grade Artifact Refining Grandmaster as well, a Mid-Grade Spiritual Treasure of the metal and earth type. He won¡¯t stop until our Tianshu Great Array is broken!¡± His words were filled with helpless resignation. As disciples of the Big Dipper Immortal Sect from the Tianshu lineage, with him being a Grand Cultivator with Perfect Nascent Soul, it goes without saying that he could recognize the power of the Spiritual Treasure. Spiritual Treasures, what are they? A fourth-grade artifact, when it achieves spiritual intelligence, bes a Spiritual Treasure. Although inparison, Spiritual Treasures are just Nascent Souls, you cannot treat a Spiritual Treasure on the same level as a Nascent Soul cultivator. Whether it is elixirs, talismans, or Spiritual Treasures and arrays, the significance and value of external items are always higher than that of cultivators of the same level. For someone like him, at Perfect Nascent Soul, a Supreme Grade Spiritual Treasure would match his cultivation. But does he have a Supreme Grade Spiritual Treasure? No! Let alone a Supreme Grade, he doesn¡¯t even have a Lower Grade Spiritual Treasure; his strongest item is merely a Supreme Grade Magical Treasure. And yet, he¡¯s an Immortal Sect member, a Tianshu descendent at that. If we consider those impoverished Loose Cultivators, many who have attained Perfect Nascent Soul use high-grade, even Mid-Grade Magical Treasures. The path of cultivation is not easy, and Refining Treasures is even harder. Unless one has exceptional fortune or a powerful backing, it is fundamentally impossible to use Magical Treasures that match one¡¯s cultivation. The same goes for formations; a fourth-tier Array Master is certainly a Nascent Soul cultivator, but not all Nascent Soul cultivators are fourth-tier Array Masters. The former is far more valuable than thetter. This person is not only an Array Grandmaster but also an Artifact Refining Grandmaster. He has refined a Spiritual Treasure, a Mid-Grade Spiritual Treasure of the metal and earth type. A Mid-Grade Spiritual Treasure with extraordinary power, this metal and earth type Spiritual Treasure, wrought with thunder and fire, is specifically designed to break arrays. Even those without knowledge in Artifact Refining can see that it is a treasure crafted to shatter formations. In the whole Void Spirit Realm, what formations could possibly withstand this person¡¯s ability to break them? The only one is the Mountain Gate Array of their Tianshu Sect. Without a doubt, this person¡¯s act of Refining Treasures is targeted at their Tianshu Sect. He¡¯s about to make his move! A formidable foe approaches, a great disaster looms. What should be done? The three exchanged nces, their eyes full of helplessness. The atmosphere was so heavy it was suffocating. In the end, it was Yunji who let out a sigh, ¡°In one more month, the Void Spirit Channel can be opened.¡± ¡°No matter what, we must hold the Mountain Gate for this month and ensure the Tianshu Great Array remains intact.¡± ¡°Otherwise¡¡± Yunji didn¡¯t finish hisst words but simply directed his gaze to the others. In response, Jing Yue showed no sign of anything, while the Nascent Soul Old Demon shuddered. Although the ten-year period has already beenpleted, there¡¯s still one month remaining, and their Tianshu Great Array hasn¡¯t managed to connect with the Big Dipper Array outside. Therefore, they must continue to hold their position, to ensure the Tianshu Great Array remains unbroken for one month, so that it can connect with the Big Dipper Array and open the channel between the Void Spirit Cave Heaven and the outside world. Yet, now that the person has be a Nascent Soul and has refined a Mid-Grade Spiritual Treasure specifically to break arrays, it¡¯s clear he intends to besiege the Tianshu Great Array, possibly attacking as soon as tomorrow. How could they hold out for a month in such circumstances? The Old Demon didn¡¯t know, but he was aware that if necessary, he would undoubtedly be sacrificed as the ¡°price¡± to dy the man¡¯s advance. Quivering with fear, after persevering for ten years and finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, the situation had changed so drastically that he faced being cannon fodder once more, terrifying the Old Demon to his core. But despite the shock and horror, he had no choice. Not just him, Yunji had no choice either. ¡°The array stands as long as we stand, the array falls and we perish!¡± ¡°No matter what, we must hold out for this month!¡± Yunji¡¯s words were chilling as he set the strategy. There was no other way but to defend desperately! However¡ ¡°Hmm?¡± Yunji¡¯s gaze sharpened as he suddenly turned his head to look at a certain spot within the array. Elsewhere, on Green Jade Mountain. Inside the Spiritual Vein Cave Mansion, Xu Yang sat alone, looking at the Thunderfire Overturning Heaven Seal in his hand, activating the Artifact Spirit Dragon Soul within, ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°Longer is very good, thank you, master!¡± Voice emanating from within the seal, it was as tender as a child¡¯s¡ªit was indeed the voice of the former Green Jade Earth Spirit. Back in the day, the Earth Spirit was only a third-tier being, a mere essence of a small mountain, unlikely to reach Golden Core even in thousands of years. But now, Dragon Soul with the body of a Spiritual Treasure has risen to the rank of a Mid-Grade, fourth-tier being, equivalent to a Nascent Soul, with its own Artifact Spirit. Its potential for the future is immense; it wouldn¡¯t be exaggerated to talk about Heaven Reaching capabilities. Understandably, it was overjoyed. ¡°You¡¯ve even picked a name for yourself?¡± Seeing the greatly increased spiritual intelligence and wisdom of the Artifact Spirit Dragon Soul, Xu Yang smiled and nodded, ¡°Well, that¡¯s good too. Longer shall be your name. Ride the momentum and help me control the artifact!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Dragon Soul answered, and the seal shone brightly. The gleaming light was golden-yellow, solid as metal yet also as substantial as earth. With each breath, a mountain appeared; with each thread, a peak formed. In the void, the roar of thunder and fire continued to sound, resembling a dragon¡¯s roar stirring the air. Even another fourth-tier grand craftsman might marvel at the sight, admiring the work of ghostly artisanship, the creation of heaven and earth. A crystallization of effort and pride in his creation. Xu Yang smiled and tossed the Spiritual Treasure into the air. As the Thunderfire Treasured Seal took flight, controlled by the Artifact Spirit, it radiated splendid brilliance. Xu Yang waved his sleeve, throwing out several Storage Bags that opened on their own in mid-air. As the mouths of the bags unfurled, light poured out, and one by one, Magic Artifacts of the metal and earth types flew out. These were theponents of the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor. Over ten years, Xu Yang unified the Cultivation Realm of Liang Country, establishing a system on Green Jade Mountain that included the Hundred Thousand Mountains. All resources of Liang Country were his tomand. On Fish and Dragon Ind, the artifact refining workshop was in full production, throwing all the gathered materials into the process. Even Xu Yang himself would personally take part in refining the magical artifactponents of the ¡°Three Mountains and Five Ridges Thunderfire Overturning Generals¡± when he had some free time. After ten years, consuming massive resources and countless man-hours, he finally refined ten million magical artifactponents. Now, Xu Yang was about to use these ten million magical artifacts, inbination with the newly acquired Spiritual Treasure, to assemble the Three Mountains and Five Ridges Thunderfire Overturning Generals! This would be his first ten million artifacts level mecha in the real world. The Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor, a product of Heavenly Crafts Natural Creation, was astonishing in its might. At one million artifacts level, it could match a Nascent Soul, and even contend with a Perfect Grand Cultivator. At ten million artifacts level, it would be an unmatched existence among those with a Nascent Soul. What does it mean to be unmatched? One-on-one, victory is certain! One against ten, victory is certain! One against a hundred, victory is certain! Even facing thousands, victory is still certain! Though there are tens of thousands of enemies, I shall go forth. With grandeur, Ie and go freely. Only then can one be called invincible! With a ten million artifacts level mecha, even when facing hundreds to thousands of Nascent Soul cultivators, he could break out from the encirclement with overwhelmingbat power. In one-on-onebat, he could even cross ranks to fight, forcefully sh with Divinity Transformation, and battle Venerables. This is still what an ordinary cultivator uses, a standard mecha. Xu Yang was not an ordinary cultivator, and what he used was not a standard mecha. As the master of Wandao School and the originator of Heavenly Crafts Natural Creation, he was never in the realm of the ordinary to begin with. Add to that a series of features such as ¡°Heavenly Crafts Natural Creation¡± and ¡°Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor,¡± the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor he personally controlled was far superior to that of ordinary cultivators¡ªit was not quite heaven and earth apart, but it was indeed as different as clouds from mud. This ten million artifacts level Three Mountains and Five Ridges Thunderfire Overturning General, even against a Divinity Transformation Venerable, would have a stable advantage, and might even fight and win, securing victory and the kill! Unfortunately, the threats in this realm were far greater than Divinity Transformation! Otherwise, with this one move, Xu Yang could have turned the situation around and secured his footing. Though it¡¯s regrettable, what needs to be done still needs to be done. The ten million magical artifacts were spat out, connected by Heavenly Crafts Natural Creation. Apart from Xu Yang¡¯s Heavenly Crafts Natural Creation power, the Rebellion Seal, under Longer¡¯s control, also fullymanded the magical artifactponents. A Spiritual Treasure has a spirit,manding ten thousand artifacts! With the added advantage of being inclined towards the Metal and Earth elements, and the Thunder and Fire categories in artifactmand, controlling ten million magical artifacts is not without effort, but it is well within grasp. In the blink of an eye, ten million magical artifacts were assembled into form. A solid golden seal hung in the void, resembling a mountain of gold. If this Spiritual Vein Cave Mansion had not been located at the core, possessing its own Cave Heaven with ample space, it might not have been able to contain it. Seeing this, Xu Yang said not a word, as a golden light flew from his Heavenly Spirit directly into the ¡°gold mountain.¡± It was his Taoist Yang God. The Yang God exits the body, and the Heavenly Master practices! ¡°Boom!¡± As the Yang God entered, the golden mountain trembled; strands of Earth Aura fell like mountain chains, while Heavenly Thunder and Earthly Fire scared away all directions. Simultaneously, outside Green Jade Mountain¡ ¡°Boom!¡± The earth shook and the mountains swayed, rming all directions. In the sky, ominous clouds rose again, torrentially surging in, once again enveloping the mountain. For a moment, the fields were silent, and all directions were soundless. Xiao Miao, leaning on his hoe, stood in the field, dumbstruck as well. Inside Tianshu Sect, the three Yunji members were equally baffled, not knowing what to do. What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s going on? The first two rounds were all right, logical and exinable. But what about this third one? Did he refine a second Spiritual Treasure? That¡¯s a Spiritual Treasure, not a cabbage! Even a fourth-grade Artifact Refiner, wanting to refine a Spiritual Treasure, needs to put in a painstaking effort. Being sessful even once is good enough, would he really aim for simultaneous production,bining two processes at once? Delusional talk, wishful thinking! But now¡ Looking at the raging and surging tribtion clouds, more formidable than before, Xiao Miao swallowed hard and said, ¡°Elder Zhen, this¡¡± ¡°This sort of might?¡± ¡°The 99 Heaven Tribtions!¡± ¡°What has he done!!!¡± In his mind, a roar that could not hide his shock resounded. ¡°Creation Method Tribtion as well!¡± Inside Green Jade Mountain, Xu Yang stood with his hands behind his back, although there was a sigh, there was no surprise to be seen. The way of heaven is fair,cking selfishness, treating all things with equal kindness. Therefore, not only do living beings face tribtions, but magical treasures and artifacts do as well, and even Cultivation Skills Divine Magic must face challenges. This time, it was the Creation Method Tribtion for ¡°Heavenly Crafts Natural Creation, Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor.¡± Heavenly Crafts Natural Creation, Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor, represents the thousand-year effort of Wandao School, a Tao for all ages, the crystallization of wisdom from billions of cultivators. It¡¯s the creation of a world, the crystallization of a civilization, the result of an entire system. Could such cultivating skills emerge in the world without facing tribtions? It didn¡¯t manifest before because the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor previously used by Xu Yang was only at the level of one hundred thousand artifacts, which didn¡¯t reach the threshold of the Heavenly Tribtion. The Way of Heaven is such, and tribtions have their count; even a cultivator of the most extraordinary talents wouldn¡¯t face a Nascent Soul Tribtion in the Qi Refinement Realm. The same goes for spells. Although the method of Heavenly Crafts Natural Creation and thew of the Spiritual Treasure are extraordinary, they would not meet tribtions at the nascent stage. Thus, Xu Yang remained unscathed before, until this moment when the ten million artifacts level ¡°Three Mountains and Five Ridges Thunderfire Overturning General¡± appeared, prompting the Creation Method Tribtion to descend upon him. The Creation Method Tribtion is even more significant than cultivation. It is the establishment of a discipline, arge system! Because of this, the challenge is greater, being the utmost extreme, the Ny-nine Absolute Tribtions! Chapter 282 - 187: Hearing the Way_1 Chapter 282: Chapter 187: Hearing the Way_1 ¡°Ny-nine Heavenly Tribtions!¡± ¡°What did he do?¡± In the Tianshu Sect, the shock was even greater. Yunji was bbergasted, Jing Yue was stunned, and the Nascent Soul Old Demon found it unbelievable. The first tribtion, the Nascent Soul Tribtion, was logical. The second tribtion, the Spiritual Treasure Tribtion, also made sense. But this third tribtion¡ how could it be exined? Did he refine a second Spiritual Treasure in addition to that seal? How could that be possible! Even if he could multitask and refine two Spiritual Treasures at the same time, there wouldn¡¯t be enough materials in the Void Spirit Realm for him, right? Moreover, this third tribtion, with the number of ny-nine absolutes, had its might increased by several folds, signifying that the one undergoing the tribtion had terrifyingly extreme potential and capability, far beyond what the forty-nine or sixty-nine tribtions couldpare to. If the ny-nine tribtions were indicative of a treasure tribtion, then the one undergoing it must have at least a Supreme Grade Spiritual Treasure; it would also be reasonable to think that it might even be a legendary Immortal Spirit Instrument. So, how could this be exined? This Void Spirit Realm is barren, with limited resources. He didn¡¯t start a massacre and take all the life energy of the realm. How could it be possible for him to refine a Middle Grade Spiritual Treasure, let alone a Supreme Grade Spiritual Treasure or an Immortal Spirit Instrument, after having done so? A finedy can¡¯t cook without rice; where would he get the resources or materials from? It¡¯s inexplicable,pletely inexplicable. ¡°It¡¯s not the tribtion of Spiritual Treasures, it definitely isn¡¯t!¡± ¡°If not Spiritual Treasures, then it¡¯s Pill Treasures, Talisman Treasures, Formation Treasures¡¡± ¡°No, whether it¡¯s pills or talismans, they all need material supplies!¡± ¡°He extracted the Earth Aura from the Spirit Land of Liang Country, refined materials from the Hundred Thousand Mountains for ten years before he obtained enough for a Middle Grade Spiritual Treasure; where else could there be a ce, where else could there be resources for refining a second Spiritual Treasure or other treasures?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not a tribtion of beings or objects, then it¡¯s¡¡± Yunji looked up, Jing Yue turned his gaze, and in the moment their eyes met, both shrank back. ¡°A Tribtion of Cultivation Skills!¡± ¡°A Tribtion of Divine Skills!¡± ¡°Heavenly Sword!!!¡± ¡°Heavenly Sword?¡± At the foot of Green Jade Mountain, Xiao Miao was surprised. ¡°Only such an exnation could make sense.¡± Elder Zhen said in a deep voice, ¡°Cultivation Skills Tribtion, Divine Skills Tribtion ¨C is this person¡¯s Heavenly Sword Cultivation also advancing to the fourth tier?¡± ¡°Below the fourth tier, it¡¯s called cultivating skills; above the fourth tier, it¡¯s referred to as Divine Skills!¡± ¡°A third-tier Heavenly Sword wielding profound spells and techniques can dominate within the Golden Core level, even defeating Nascent Souls in cross-tier battles.¡± ¡°A fourth-tier Heavenly Sword, where skills touch upon the divine, I¡¯m afraid no one within the Nascent Soul level can block him, even if a Divinity Transformationes close¡ how the hell can Divinity Transformation enter this Void Spirit Realm?¡± ¡°If he survives this tribtion, he will be invincible, and overturning the Tianshu Sect will be a mere flip of his hand.¡± ¡°No, no, no, behind the Tianshu Sect is the Big Dipper Immortal Sect. If the Tianshu is destroyed, that little bastard may provoke the Big Dipper Immortal Sect. They might just go berserk and directly use the Big Dipper Formation to st open the Void Spirit Realm, and the consequences would be unimaginable.¡± ¡°What the hell does this old ghost want to do?!¡± Elder Zhen¡¯s words were in disarray, and his formation was also in chaos. At that moment, Xiao Miao appeared moreposed, gazing at the heavyyers of tribtion clouds, ¡°How powerful is the ny-nine Heavenly Tribtion?¡± ¡°Do you even need to ask?¡± Elder Zhen said irritably, ¡°Even Mahayana True Immortals, when undergoing Ascension, are not few in number who are struck dead by the ny-nine Heavenly Tribtions. Ny-nine absolute tribtions cutting off the way of the immortals, you think it¡¯s a joke? Although he¡¯s only Nascent Soul level now and won¡¯t face its full power, it¡¯s still a huge challenge, not to mention¡¡± Xiao Miao was surprised and pressed on, ¡°Not to mention what?¡± Elder Zhen spoke gravely, ¡°Not to mention that what he¡¯s facing is the Cultivation Skills Divine Magic Tribtion!¡± ¡°Cultivation Skills Divine Magic Tribtion?¡± The Heavenly Tribtion raged, pressing down menacingly. All sides spected, with doubt and unease. In Green Jade Mountain, in front of the Spiritual Treasure, Xu Yang stood with his hands behind his back, still calm. Tribtions fall into three categories: Living beings that are cultivators, external objects that are treasures, and cultivation skills and divine magic. Of these, the most difficult to ovee is the Cultivation Skills Divine Magic Tribtion. Because whether it¡¯s living beings or external treasures, they all have a certain foundation; even if you do nothing and just stand there, relying on your own strength, you can withstand several bolts of tribtion lightning. But Cultivation Skills Divine Magic can¡¯t do that; it¡¯s a pure ¡°technical¡± assessment. The Divine Magic Tribtion Lightning is endlessly variable, and its might is terrifying. If your skills are inadequate and your divine magic insufficient, solely relying on yourself and making external things resist, it will be like a formation¡¯s tribtion, continuously enhancing the tribtion¡¯s power. In the end, either you fail the tribtion and turn to ash, or you barely pass it at great cost. This is the Cultivation Skills Divine Magic Tribtion. Therefore, among cultivators, there¡¯s a saying: ¡°Cultivation is hard, refining treasures harder, and oveing Divine Magic Tribtion is like ascending to heaven!¡± Cultivating is hard, refining treasures is harder, and passing Divine Magic Tribtion is like ascending to the heavens! Compared to Spiritual Treasures, Cultivation Skills and Divine Magic are even harder to cultivate. Now, Xu Yang was not only cultivating Divine Skills but also establishing a new technique in the world. Tiangong summoning natural creation, Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor ¨C if this method seeds, it¡¯ll have a huge impact on the world. After all, this technique consumes a lot of resources, pooling the power of the lower tiers to oppose the mighty ones at the top. If sessful, it will require immense consumption. If not rigorously tested, from the perspective of the world¡¯s rules, it would be quite irresponsible. Thus, the ny-nine tribtions were within reason. Xu Yang didn¡¯t care, he wasn¡¯t afraid, on the contrary, he was somewhat looking forward to it. Heavenly Tribtion Creation, misfortune and fortune coexist. Even within the Ny-nine Absolute Tribtions, there was a glimmer of life. Having gone through this tribtion, by Heaven and Earth¡¯s Creation, his Heavenly Crafting Technique, his Spiritual Treasure Technique, would inevitably progress even further. With this thought in his mind, Xu Yang was even more expectant and immediately closed his eyes, concentrating fully. At the same time¡ ¡°Boom!¡± The Earth Aura descended, and the thunderous fire startled away. The golden mountain hanging in the void burst into dazzling brilliance like a proud sun. Within the golden light, the Spiritual Treasure took shape, and thousands of magic artifacts seemed to fuse into one, quickly transforming into a human form. The figure formed, and its appearance changed in the blink of an eye. In front of everyone appeared a hundred-zhang tall Taoist Man. It was the Thunder Lightning Mana King¡ªShi Jian! Draped in a ck robe, he was majestic as a mountain and seemed to wield the technique of heaven¡¯s phenomena and earth. However, the Taoist Man swirled his sleeve and his hundred-zhang stature rapidly shrunk to that of an ordinary person in the blink of an eye. The Art of Divine Abilities, the power of creation, one could glimpse a fraction of it. Thereupon, the Taoist Man stepped lightly on the void, moving away from the mountain. The third tribtion, also thest. Ny-nine Absolute Tribtions, extreme to the utmost. ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± Green Jade Mountain, the thousands of miles long Green Jade Mountain, nowy in the shadow of the tribtion tide. Dark clouds enshrouded the sky, a grand dark day, like the seaing in waves, ready to pour down from above. Knowing that the Heavenly Tribtion targeted only the Taoist Man and would not harm the innocent, witnessing such a scene, feeling such might, everyone was still shivering with terror and could not help themselves. Heaven¡¯s might, at this moment, one could see the true clues. ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± Lightning shed and thunder roared, the booming sound was like rolling thunder; amidst the vast tribtion clouds, there was a disy of myriad colors. There was light of ck and white, the Qi of Yin and Yang, merging into one color of Chaos Yuan. There was light of azure, red, and yellow, joining with ck and white, forming the affiliation of the Five Elements. There were Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water, the Four Laws acting in union, reying the creation of heaven and earth. Myriad colors, thunder of ten thousand jun, the power of the Three Thousand Great Dao intertwined with the thunderbolt¡¯s might of heaven and earth. This was the 99 Heaven Tribtions! Compared to the 49 Heaven Tribtions and the 69 Heavenly Tribtion, the difference was far more than just a few dozen tribtion thunders. It was a difference both in quantity and quality. No wonder even Mahayana Immortalsment that it is difficult to tread the path of the Ny-nine Absolute Tribtions. Yin and Yang of life and death, the Five Elements and Four Laws, the Three Thousand Great Dao thunderbolt creation. In a moment¡ ck and white twin fish chasing each other¡¯s tails, Yin and Yang with Chaos Yuan Qi roamed freely. Azure, red, yellow, and white thunderous light, the five colors swept through like a plow opening cavities. And there was the emergence of Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water, causing dragons and snakes to startle and tremble in all directions. The sky turned dark, and the earth murky, sand flying and stones running rampage. Golden snakes wildly dancing, dragons soaring and sea raging. Chaos, chaos, chaos, strong, strong, strong, the number ny-nine, the Absolute Tribtions. Such heavenly might, just one nce, was enough to make one¡¯s liver and galldder split with terror. However, the Taoist Man was fearless, the cultivator undaunted, stepping straight up to the azure clouds. The next instant¡ ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± The brewing wasplete, the tribtion number instantly activated, myriad colors poured down from the heavens, eighty-one tribtion thunders taking their turns to explode out. The Taoist Man raised his hand, fully responding, receiving the strikes from the heavenly tribtion, feeling the thunderbolt¡¯s creation. Using Cultivation Skills Divine Magic to withstand the tribtion, relying on one¡¯s own Cultivation to endure the hits, and using external objects for defense, were all inferior methods of Crossing the Tribtion. Only by using Divine Skills, outsmarting cleverness with cleverness, and transforming skill with skill, was the superior method of the Mana Point. It¡¯s like in an exam; using external objects is akin to cheating, which will inevitably lead to severe punishment. Even if one is not expelled (which would mean death and the extinguishing of one¡¯s Dao), one would still suffer heavy losses and gain no scores, equivalent to Crossing the Tribtion in vain. Only by fairly and squarely using Cultivation Skills Divine Magic to pass through the Heaven and Earth¡¯s tribtions could one receive its creation. How to use them? How others did it, Xu Yang did not know, but he was clear about himself. As for him, this tribtion was particr to his Heavenly Craft Method and Spiritual Treasure Technique. Thus, he could only deploy the Heavenly Crafting Technique, controlling the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor with all his might, to ept the refining and assessment of the Heavenly Tribtion. The profound secrets within were unknown to outsiders. So at this moment, in others¡¯ eyes¡ ¡°Not drawing the Heavenly Sword?¡± ¡°Enduring the thunder tribtion directly?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Several people frowned, uncertain and surprised, but they dared not jump to conclusions rashly. Within the tribtion clouds, amidst the sea of thunder, the Taoist Man maneuvered the thunderbolt, utterly forgetting himself. Heavenly Tribtion Creation, truly a creation. In the midst of being struck by the tribtion thunder, the deficiencies in the Heavenly Craft Method, the weak points of the Spiritual Treasure, many issues that Xu Yang had not discovered, or had found difficult to solve, the problems he was struggling to address were now exposed. This was very dangerous, one misstep could result in the destruction of treasure and loss of life, death and the extinguishing of one¡¯s Dao. But it was also very fortunate. Indeed, fortunate, the happiness of ¡°learning¡±! In this Heavenly Tribtion, amidst the thunderbolts, Xu Yang felt hisprehension, his potential, his mental capacity pushed to the limit. Those problems which he couldn¡¯t understand, couldn¡¯t grasp, couldn¡¯t prate, were now easily resolved and became clear to him. The shorings of the Heavenly Craft Method, the weaknesses of the Spiritual Treasure Technique, and his own various issues, at this moment, all had a direction, a n, a clear path and route¡ The mechanism of heaven and earth, the principle of the Great Dao¡ Is this what the Heavenly Tribtion is? Heaven and earth as the teacher, tribtion as the test! In just a brief moment, a few rounds of thunderbolts¡¯ assaults could equal hundreds to thousands of years of strenuous research and practice. With this, how could one not be intoxicated? Immersed in this ocean of ¡°knowledge,¡± ¡°principles,¡± and ¡°mysteries,¡± such a sense of happiness is likely iprehensible to those who are not cultivators. To learn of the way in the morning, and one could die content in the evening, that is the feeling. ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± Who knows how long, the clouds dissipated, the rain stopped, lightning vanished, and thunder quieted. In the sky, only one person remained, as if awakening from a dream. The Taoist Man was silent, silent for a long time. All around was stillness, a nket of silence. And so time passed, for who knows how long. Finally¡ ¡°Heaven and Earth Tribtion Creation Skill, Thunderbolt Fire Refining Divine Magic Skill!¡± ¡°In dreams of millet from eons before, only today the Great Dao¡¯s chapter is attained!¡± ¡°Wonderful!¡± ¡°Hahaha!¡± A heartyugh, resonating and carefree, the Taoist Man swept his sleeves to return to the mountain, leaving behindughter reverberating through the ten directions of heaven and earth. Chapter 283 - 188: Arrangement (Second Update)_1 Chapter 283: Chapter 188: Arrangement (Second Update)_1 Xu Yang¡¯s current mood was something outsiders would likely neverprehend. In an era of Taoism, the Schr¡¯s Pce createdws, umting time across three thousand years. Only today, in the midst of a world-shattering catastrophe, did the thunderbolt creation reveal the grand chapter of the Great Dao. This round of Ny-nine Absolute Tribtions solved countless puzzles for him, supplemented the weaknesses of the Heavenly Craft Method and the Spiritual Treasure Technique. It couldn¡¯t be called aplete overhaul, a regeneration from the ashes, but it was a step further beyond a hundred steps already taken. In a single moment ofprehension, he grasped the essence of creation,parable to a millennium of research, perhaps even ten thousand years of hardbor. This is the Cultivation Skills Divine Magic gained from Asking Heaven Tribtion. Regrettably, the number of Heavenly Tribtions exists only in this realm; other worlds do not have this rule, at least the World of Dao and Law does not. In the World of Dao and Law, there are indeed Heavenly Tribtions, but those are purely punitive, intended for ughter, decimation of heaven and earth, specifically targeting Demons and Evil Cultivators. Whether one crosses them or not, there¡¯s not much to gain. This world, however, is different. Though the heavens and earth are strict and the tribtions terrifying, if one can transcend them, the rewards are immense. If the World of Dao and Law also had a system of Heavenly Tribtions like this, the pace at which Wandao School researchedws would no doubt soar. Unfortunately, this ¡®if¡¯ does not hold true¡ No, no, no, just because the World of Dao and Lawcks it, does not mean Wandao School does not. If he were to establish a branch of Wandao School in this world, using the ¡°Asking Heaven Tribtion¡± method to tackle various cultivation dilemmas and then assign tasks requiring time and umtion to the Wandao School of the World of Dao and Law, Then, with both worlds, two Schr¡¯s Pces cooperating,plementing each other, might the pace of researchingws not increase a thousandfold, a hundredfold? There is great potential, great potential! A thought, a n, once again began to take shape in Xu Yang¡¯s heart. But that was a concern for the future. The problems of the present still needed to be addressed. Xu Yang returned to the mountain without saying much. Once the Heavenly Eye on his forehead opened and spirit light gathered in his hand, the Mysterious Mirror appeared at once. Within the realm of the Mysterious Light, amidst chaotic transformations, the scene soon settled on three figures conversing. It was¡ ¡°99 Heaven Tribtions, 99 Heaven Tribtions!¡± ¡°What should we do, what should we do?¡± ¡°Senior brother¡¡± Within the Tianshu Sect, the Old Demon¡¯s face was pale as Jing Yue¡¯s eyebrows were tightly furrowed. Yunji remained silent, with an unease in his heart that he couldn¡¯t shake off. The might of the 99 Heaven Tribtions needs no boration. Even from ten thousand miles away, merely observing the shadows made him shudder with fear. Put in the same position, if it were him facing such heavenly might, barely three or five cycles into the 99 cycles of tribtion, he would likely turn to ashes, his body and Dao both extinguished. But this person¡ actually withstood it with his body, and truly managed to hold on! Survive the tribtion of cultivating skills and Divine Skills with nothing but one¡¯s body? How could that be possible? Could it be that besides the Heavenly Sword, he also cultivated a body-enhancing Divine Skill, a fourth-tier Flesh Body Bing Saint Divine Skill? What kind of Flesh Body Bing Saint Divine Skill would face the 99 Heaven Tribtions? The authentic Indestructible Vajra Body from the Brahma Sect? Or the Flesh Body Bing Saint Skill from the Immortal Sect? Or possibly, from the stories of the Cultivation Realm, the Fighting War Saint Body which proves the Dao through strength? It¡¯s iprehensible, utterly iprehensible! Yunji was at his wits¡¯ end, unsure of what to do. Stand guard over the Great Array? He couldn¡¯t convince himself of this n, let alone his twopanions. They couldn¡¯t defend it, certainly couldn¡¯t. If that person attacked, the Great Array would undoubtedly break. What to do, Yunji didn¡¯t know, and neither did his twopanions. The three fell silent, the heavy atmosphere pressing down, stifling their hearts more and more. In the end¡ ¡°Enough!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s leave it to fate!¡± With a sigh, Yunji spoke in a grave voice, ¡°Report everything as it happened, and the main of Tianshu Sect will decide how to respond. We¡¯ll just follow orders.¡± ¡°We shall do as senior brother suggests,¡± Jing Yue agreed, having no objections. At this point, this hot potato was beyond their ability to handle. How to respond, whether to fight or retreat, only the main of Tianshu Sect could decide. The three were dispirited, enveloped in gloom. In Green Jade Mountain, Xu Yang smiled and dispersed the Heavenly Eye Mysterious Light. Years ago, once the World of Dao and Law transmitted the features of the Admiring Eye of Heaven back, Xu Yang¡¯s Heavenly Eye could prate the Tianshu Great Array, observing the internal situation of the Tianshu Sect and uncovering some hidden information. This included the hundred-year weak period of the Void Spirit, the opening of the passage, reinforcements from Tianshu, and True Monarch Tianshu stuck in the Ten Thousand Star Sea, unable to leave for a time; all of which he deduced with crystal clear rity using the Heavenly Eye. That¡¯s why he had been developing so brazenly, without concern for the Tianshu Sect¡¯s arrival. Previously, the time was not right for them toe. Now¡ as long as he wished, they still couldn¡¯te. To open the passage between Void Spirit Cave Heaven and the outer world, Tianshu needed to echo the Big Dipper, with two great arrays working together from inside and out. As long as he immediately set out to destroy the Tianshu Great Array at the Tianshu Sect, the main of Tianshu Sect, trapped outside, would have no way to open the passage and send reinforcements into the Void Spirit Cave Heaven. But Xu Yang didn¡¯t n to do that. This method was a temporary solution, not addressing the root cause, and would lead to serious consequences. True Monarch Tianshu and the Big Dipper Immortal Sect were indeed forces capable of flipping the table. The Void Spirit Realm is, after all, just a creation left behind by the Void Spirit Monarch, an Integration Great Power. The Big Dipper Immortal Sect is an Immortal Sect indeed, an ancient sect that hassted for hundreds of thousands of years and has produced seven Mahayana True Immortals throughout its history. If pressed into a corner, it¡¯s not just the Void Spirit Cave Heaven at stake¡ªeven if the Void Spirit Monarch, that Integration Great Power, were to be reborn, he would be scattered in soul and spirit, and die once more. Therefore, annihting the Tianshu Sect will not solve the problem. But leaving them unchecked cannot solve the problem either. Bnce! It¡¯s essential to find the right bnce! To neither allow the Big Dipper Immortal Sect to overturn the table nor let Tianshu regain control over Liang Country and do whatever they want, thus spoiling his grand cultivation ns. It¡¯s quite challenging. But Xu Yang doesn¡¯t mind giving it a try. True Monarch Tianshu, in his quest to achieve Integration, is caught up in the secret realm of the Ten Thousand Star Sea in the Northern Domain, with no time to attend to matters of the Void Spirit Realm. Under such circumstances, even if his ns failed and his maneuvers did not seed, the Big Dipper Immortal Sect would probably not flip the table immediately. After all, the Nascent Soul Dao Seed of True Monarch Tianshu and several Supreme Beidous protecting his path are also in the Ten Thousand Star Sea at the moment. Why would the Big Dipper Immortal Sect mobilize its profound potential and attack the Void Spirit Cave Heaven strenuously and thanklessly over a small, inconsequential matter? To spread one¡¯s forces thin and face enemies on all fronts is a major taboo in military strategy! Therefore, Xu Yang can act freely, whether he seeds or fails, until True Monarch Tianshu returns from the Ten Thousand Star Sea, he will have a period of time to develop peacefully. As for what happens after True Monarch Tianshu returns¡ªwhether it will be aparison of strength or a distant flight of a thousand miles to plot for the future¡ªthat will be nnedter. In this world, nothing is constant. The situation changes with time, and the future may bring new developments and opportunities. With a definite n in mind, Xu Yang doesn¡¯t say much more, and with a sweep of his sleeve, he sends a beam of spirit light flying towards the mountain¡¯s exterior. Three dayster, in the Spirit Fields, Xiao Miao was absent-mindedly hoeing the fields, his gaze constantly ncing towards the top of Green Jade Mountain. Not just him¡ªcultivators in all the Spirit Fields, as well as inside and outside Green Jade Mountain, were doing the same. A major era is about to begin, and a storm ising. It¡¯s clear to everyone that after ¡°King Shifa¡± broke through to Nascent Soul, he must take action against Tianshu Sect. Green Jade Mountain, Tianshu Sect! A sh between two powers and the oue of one battle will determine the future of Liang Country, as well as the fate of these cultivators. There¡¯s no room for anyone to be indifferent. Xiao Miao felt the same. ¡°Heavenly Sword, Heavenly Sword, he actually didn¡¯t use the Heavenly Sword, and withstood the 99 Heaven Tribtions with his bare body!¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Could it be that apart from the Heavenly Sword and his swordsmanship, thunder series, and formations, he has also cultivated the Body Training Skill?¡± ¡°What Body Training Skill can provoke the 99 Heaven Tribtions?¡± ¡°Old ghost, even if you¡¯re ying a demon, there¡¯s a limit. Aren¡¯t you exaggerating a bit too much?¡± ¡°What¡¯s such an old monster doing here in the Void Spirit Realm instead of preparing for Ascension outside?¡± ¡°Could it be that little bastard from Tianshu or rather those old bastards from Big Dipper Immortal Sect provoked him, so he specifically came here to give them a hard time?¡± ¡°No no no¡¡± Elder Zhen chattered on and on, his incessant talk giving Xiao Miao a headache, prompting him to interrupt. ¡°Elder Zhen, don¡¯t worry about what he¡¯s doing. Think about what will happen to Tianshu Sect instead. Will they really break through the Void Spirit Cave Heaven?¡± ¡°This¡ It¡¯s hard to say!¡± Elder Zhen shook his head: ¡°The Void Spirit Cave Heaven is formed from the Immortal Artifact of the Void Spirit Monarchbined with the workings of heaven and earth¡ªa creation of perfect timing, geographical, and human conditions.¡± ¡°The Big Dipper Immortal Sect could break it, but it woulde at a considerable cost, a loss beyond the worth, so, unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary, they wouldn¡¯t go to such extremes.¡± ¡°Now, it all depends on what that old ghost does. As long as he doesn¡¯t push things too far, with the nature of that bastard from Tianshu, he will probably allow him some time, waiting until he is perfectly prepared and sees a profit to be had before he makes a move.¡± Having heard Elder Zhen¡¯s analysis, Xiao Miao felt much relieved: ¡°Then we are still rtively safe.¡± ¡°This¡¡± ¡°ng! ng! ng!¡± Before he could say more, a sudden ringing cut him off. ¡°What¡¯s that¡?¡± ¡°The Green Jade Bell?¡± ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze turned, filled with rm and uncertainty. Shortly thereafter, within Green Jade Mountain, the cultivators all gathered together. Xiao Miao was among the crowd, standing midway towards the back, looking towards the front with an uncertain expression. Up front, a group of cultivators, mostly Golden Core, with the rest beingplete in Foundation Establishment,prised Green Jade Mountain¡¯s Enforcement Squad. Having swept through the Cultivation Realm ten years ago, King Shifa unified Liang Country, purged the Golden Core cultivators who were subjects of the Three Sects along with theirckeys and henchmen, spared neither demon beasts nor Robbing Cultivators, and showed mercy only to those ¡°who came to their senses,¡± whom he bestowed Taoism upon, ced under a spell, and reorganized as the Enforcement Squad that patrolled the four directions for Green Jade Mountain. Even to this day, these cultivators still formed the core strength of the Green Jade Mountain¡¯s outer sect. As for the inner sect¡ to this day, the specifics of the Green Jade Mountain¡¯s inner sect remain unknown. Only the ten famous disciples were somewhat known, while the rest remained shrouded in mystery. No one knew how many cultivators or how many experts there were in Green Jade Mountain apart from King Shifa and his ten disciples. Now, with everyone gathered here¡ ¡°Spell King!¡± In the midst of Xiao Miao¡¯s questions, someone ascended the stage, and the crowd spoke respectfully. Xiao Miao¡¯s eyes sharpened, and he lowered his head slightly, ncing out of the corner of his eye. He saw that upon the stage, a figure arrived astride a cloud. ¡°In one month, I will attack Tianshu Sect. The road ahead is perilous, and my life and death uncertain!¡± The Taoist Man seated on the cloud lowered his gaze: ¡°You have served for ten years and achieved some merit. Today, I will return your freedom to you. Go your separate ways, cultivate well, and do not waste the fruits of your efforts or the teachings of my Dao!¡± Having said this, without concerning himself with the crowd¡¯s reaction, he swept his dust whisk and enveloped all the Golden Core Cultivation Law Enforcement Elders in a light. Chapter 284 - 189: Reinforcements_1 Chapter 284: Chapter 189: Reinforcements_1 ¡°This¡¡± As the spirit light dissipated, everyone looked at each other, unsure of what to do. Is the Spell King nning to attack the Tianshu Sect? It was within expectations, logical, and there was nothing wrong with it. But why not take them along and also remove the Taoist curse skills from their bodies? If the Spell King was confident, believing that annihting the Tianshu Sect would be a piece of cake, then that might exin it. But right now, he clearly regarded the Tianshu Sect as a life-or-death enemy. Facing a difficult road ahead and uncertain life or death, did he not need cannon fodder to scout the way? And about the Tianshu Sect, trapped for ten years, they dared not step out of their door, not even a squeak¡ªwhy was the Spell King still so wary of them? Could it be that they had some sort of backing that could turn the tide and defeat Green Jade Mountain? Everyone was puzzled. Despite their confusion, no one dared to think further, and they all knelt down together. ¡°We are willing to follow the Spell King to annihte the Tianshu Sect!¡± ¡°The Tianshu is unkind, and the Three Sects are even worse. The world has suffered from them for a long time; everyone wants to punish them!¡± ¡°The Spell King imparted his teachings to us, a grace akin to rebirth. Though we don¡¯t carry the name of master and disciple, we already have the reality of it. How can we turn our backs on our master at this critical moment? Regardless of whatever backing the Tianshu Sect has, we vow to follow the Spell King to the death!¡± ¡°The Cultivation Realm of Liang Country is like wee rain after a long drought, now flourishing¡ªit must not be cut short midway. Although our cultivation is shallow, our united hearts also have strength. We wish to be the vanguard for the Spell King!¡± A group of Golden Core Cultivators knelt on the ground, their words a flurry, each expressing their stance. Seeing this, the people behind them also knelt down in droves, including the disciples of the former two sects. Was it sincere, or was it feigned? No one could tell for sure! Green Jade¡¯s rule over the world for ten years was clear for all to see. The Spell King¡¯s dissemination of his teachings brought prosperity to the Cultivation Realm, which wasmon knowledge. Add to that the Robbing Cultivators¡¯ sweeps, the establishment ofws, the rity of the universe, and the righteous energy of Qiankun¡ªif anyone said they didn¡¯t win the people¡¯s hearts, it would surely be false. However, if one said they were truly wholehearted, willing to go through fire and water, and spill blood, that would again be somewhat insincere. After all, cultivators transcend the ordinary. In a short ten years, even with the ability to act as a moral mentor, it is very hard to change a mature heart. Not like the disciples from the fantasy worlds of Great Zhou and Great Tang¡ªmost of Great Zhou and Great Tang¡¯s disciples were orphans raised by him from a young age, with ample time for guidance, the establishment of values, and cultivation of beliefs. And it certainly wasn¡¯t like those Demon Beasts and Spirit Monsters who were bound to him by methods like Beast Taming and Earth Deities¡¯ powers, with a ruler¡¯s brand connected by blood. These cultivators were all adults with mature mentalities and established personal values. External forces could hardly change them. Teaching skills and traits might be good, but theyck the ability to control the heart, unable to make these people wholeheartedly loyal. At least not for now. This was also why, even though Xu Yang unified Liang Country in ten years, he didn¡¯t open uprge sect gates to recruit disciples. One reason was that it was unnecessary. Thew was spread throughout the world, and the skill effect was there. Second, loyalty was unreliable, detrimental to concealment, affecting his ns. Right now, it was hard to say whether the people¡¯s expressions of support were sincere or just a facade. But it didn¡¯t matter, whether genuine or fake, it was all the same to Xu Yang. These people were his ¡°cultivation elerators,¡± and he certainly couldn¡¯t afford to sacrifice them as cannon fodder. In fact, he had done so much, mostly to protect the Cultivation Realm of Liang Country, to prevent the Tianshu Sect from bringing down the sword in arge scale after his departure, destroying the world of cultivation he had painstakingly built. That would be a huge loss for him. Therefore¡ ¡°My mind is made up, no need for further words!¡± Xu Yang¡¯s expression was indifferent, his words unemotional: ¡°You may leave.¡± ¡°Spell King!!¡± The crowd¡¯s eyes sharpened, still wanting to speak. ¡°Go now, just go!¡± Xu Yang, however, did not say much more, his dust whisk swept, and his figure gradually became ethereal. Afterward, a person stepped onto the tform¡ªit was Feng Qingqing, the second sister of Green Jade Mountain and the so-called ¡°Great Steward.¡± ¡°The master¡¯s will is firm, not to be changed by anyone; do not entangle over it!¡± Feng Qingqing took the tform, silencing everyone¡¯s chatter: ¡°Starting today, Green Jade Mountain, Medicine King Valley, and all the major markets will be closed. We will no longer be operating, preserving only the acquisition of materials and the exchange of Mana Money.¡± ¡°Spirit Fields and Spirit Rice, Spirit nt Spirit Medicines, as well as the breeding of Spirit Beasts, and the veins of Spirit Land that have matured, will all be harvested and submitted. The rest will be personal property. The ownership of various Spirit Lands, Cave Mansions, and shops will not be changed.¡± ¡°Green Jade Mountain is fully preparing for war. In one month, we will attack Tianshu. During this period, we will not deal with external affairs.¡± ¡°Everyone¡ take care of yourselves!¡± Having said this, Feng Qingqing also did not speak further and turned to leave. Leaving everyone in turmoil and unease. Amidst the crowd, Xiao Miao¡¯s expression was also bewildered. He had finally gained his freedom, rid of the ¡°remnant¡± status of the Green Jade Sect that had nothing to do with him. But he did not feel happy, instead somewhat at a loss, and even filled with panic and fear. It wasn¡¯t because he was being self-deprecating, but rather¡ ¡°It¡¯s over, this old ghost is going to stubbornly fight the Tianshu Sect to the end!¡± ¡°That group of little bastards definitely isn¡¯t his match, but the problem is that behind those little bastards are a bunch of old bastards!¡± ¡°Why do I always encounter such messes? Could it really be that digging up the ancestral graves truly harms one¡¯s moral fortunes?¡± ¡°What should I do now?¡± Elder Zhen was wordlessly choked up, and Xiao Miao could only respond in silence. He could already foresee what kind of massive quake would strike Liang Country once this news spread. However, such a quake was just the beginning. The tremors would be followed by a major battle, and the aftermath¡ªretaliation¡ªwould be the real crisis and terror. The lineage of Tianshu, the Big Dipper Immortal Sect¡ The outside world was too vast, and too dangerous. Could this small Liang Country withstand the impact? Hearts were filled with trepidation, and changes were afoot from all directions, but none could stop the passage of time. One monthter, in the Tianshu Sect. Yunji, Jing Yue, and that Old Demon, including the two half Nascent Souls¡ªeach one¡¯s expression was strange. A month ago, that man consecutively traversed three tribtions, reached the Nascent Soul stage, refined a Spiritual Treasure, and even mastered a heaven-shocking Divine Skill. They originally thought he would seize the opportunity to attack them, storming the Tianshu Great Array. Yet unexpectedly, during the subsequent month, he made no move at all. Well¡ not entirely motionless; they had also heard rumors about Green Jade Mountain fully preparing for war, closing off all marketces, ready to attack the Tianshu Sect. But¡ was it necessary? What war preparations were needed? If that man came to their doorstep, couldn¡¯t they just fight directly? Could the Tianshu Great Array actually hold back him who had traversed the 99 Heaven Tribtions? Yunji couldn¡¯t make sense of it, and more of his silver-white hair fell, but he had no mind to care about it. Though he couldn¡¯t understand, no mishap urring was always good. Now, with the one-month period havinge to an end, the Tianshu Great Array remained intact and unblemished, and the three of them were also safe and sound, about to open the Void Spirit Passage to guide the reinforcements from their main sect. At that time, the situation would be different. ¡°Hum!¡± Just as the three were projecting their minds into the distance, a sudden ripple surged in the void. ¡°The time hase!¡± Yunji¡¯s eyes focused, snapping out of it, and he immediately operated the Tianshu Great Array. A dazzling sprit light rose, entering the void to resonate with the Big Dipper. In an instant, the Seven Stars appeared together, the Tianshu aligning and returning, piercing through spatial barriers, forging a pathway. Immediately after, lights of the stars traveled through space, emerging and falling in front of the three. Trail upon trail of starlight, figure upon figure appeared, and in the end, twenty-one people were revealed, divided into three distinct groups. ¡°Chen Zhang, junior brother!¡± ¡°Yuyao, senior sister!¡± ¡°Dikui¡ Uncle-Master, even you havee!¡± Seeing the three groups of people and particrly thest person, Yunji couldn¡¯t stop his expression from changing. Three teams, each with seven members, were all Nascent Soul Cultivators, with their leaders being the Great Cultivators at the Pinnacle of Nascent Soul. One of them was a young man, with an upright stature, as staunch as frost, carrying a Seven Stars Treasure Sword on his back, with swordlike eyebrows and starry eyes, exuding an extraordinary aura. There was also a woman, with a graceful figure and a delightful smile. Though she did not openly disy any magical weapons, the starlight flickered in her eyes like waves, showing signs of a vast cosmos within, hinting at the profound mysteries of her arrays. Last of all was a middle-aged man, with an unusual visage, stern and unsmiling. His presence was heavy like a mountain, oppressive to those around. His indifferent gaze was majestic, but within that majesty was a chill. The cultivation of all three was at Nascent Soul, the stage of perfection. But within that perfection, there seemed to be fine distinctions in their levels. The young man and the woman wereparable, implicitly revealing that the middle-aged man stood a notch above them. Yunji was not surprised to see this. For this person was his Uncle-Master. In the path of cultivation, those who are more advanced in achievements lead the way. Whether it was the Big Dipper Immortal Sect or the lineage of Tianshu, the hierarchy among disciples was determined by their Cultivation, Golden Core with Golden Core, Nascent Soul with Nascent Soul¡ªwith some exceptions. This ¡°Dikui¡± Uncle-Master was such an exception. His Cultivation was not at Nascent Soul but at Divinity Transformation, and he was in thete stage of it. s, due to a great battle where he fell, although his Primordial Spirit escaped and seized a new body to continue cultivating, the limit of his cultivation was locked at Nascent Soul, forever losing the hope of returning to the stage of Divinity Transformation. Only his generational seniority as a Divinity Transformation Cultivator was preserved as a form ofpensation from the Sect. Even though he no longer possessed the cultivation of Divinity Transformation, Yunji still dared not neglect this Uncle-Master and immediately went up to greet him, bowing deeply in respect. ¡°Hm!¡± Dikui nodded, looking at Yunji then turning to the uneasy Jing Yue and others: ¡°The message you passed on, is there truly not a single falsehood?¡± ¡°Not a single one!¡± Yunji solemnly asserted, ¡°That man indeed mastered the Heavenly Sword, a month ago he even faced three tribtions, achieved Nascent Soul, refined a Spiritual Treasure, and explored thews of Divine Skills, standing firm against the 99 Heaven Tribtions, definitely not someone to be taken lightly!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Dikui looked at him coldly, ¡°Then why has he let things take their course for a whole month and note to seize this array?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Yunji faltered in his speech, unable to exin, and he could only insist: ¡°This disciple also does not know, perhaps he was injured during the Heavenly Tribtion, harming his Yuan Qi, and needs time to recuperate, or maybe there¡¯s some other reason. However, everything the disciple said before was seen with my own eyes, and there¡¯s no falsehood. If there¡¯s any error, Uncle-Master may take my life!¡± Dikui listened to this and finally nodded, ¡°It isn¡¯t that the Sect distrusts you, but this matter is of great importance and must be treated with caution. I hope you understand!¡± ¡°This disciple understands!¡± Yunji bowed again and then looked at everyone, asking cautiously, ¡°Uncle-Master, it¡¯s just the three of you leading the teams here¡¡± ¡°Are we three not enough?¡± The remark hadn¡¯t finished when the young man stepped forward, arrogantly saying, ¡°Three teams: one sword, one spell, one array; twenty-one Nascent Soulbatants. Even if this man has really be the Heavenly Sword, taking him down will still be more than enough.¡± ¡°Chen Zhang, junior brother, don¡¯t be so overconfident!¡± As soon as the young man¡¯s voice fell, the woman named Yuyao smiled gently and rebuked him lightly, then turned to Yunji to apologize, ¡°Don¡¯t be offended, Yunji. On our way here, we encountered the followers of the Brahma Sect and saw the current heir of Purity Temple full of grace and vigor. Junior brother Chen Zhang, who was eager topete, requested a bout, only to lose by half a move. He¡¯s been carrying that grudge inside, which might have spilled over here.¡± ¡°Purity Temple?¡± ¡°The current heir?¡± ¡°Lost by half a move?¡± Yunji was taken aback, turning to look just in time to see the young man¡¯s face turn ashen, yet he maintained a cold gaze without retorting. ¡°Yes!¡± Yuyaoughed, adding fuel to the fire, ¡°How old was that heir of Purity Temple? Since junior brother couldn¡¯t go all out, he suppressed his realm, his cultivation, and simply contended in swordsmanship, but still lost by half a move. Tsk, Purity Temple truly lives up to its reputation, passing down their legacy uniquely, indeed talented. Even our Tianshu Sword Cultivators are slightly inferior!¡± ¡°You¡!¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Before the two could continue, a voice pressed down. ¡°Is this the time to talk about such things?¡± Dikui stepped forward, his voice cold as he controlled the scene, ¡°This Void Spirit Realm is no ordinary ce, and the fall of the Void Spirit Monarch back then rtes to a significant secret. Now, with such a figure wreaking havoc here, there must be some cause and effect. ¡°The Brahma Sect has already received the news, and other major Immortal Sects are ready to act. There are those from the Sacred ces in the Northern Domain who won¡¯t be outdone. Plus, the Grand Cultivators involved with the fall of the Void Spirit Monarch¡ If this Void Spirit Realm opens, it will be a battlefield of dragons and tigers.¡± ¡°We must seize the initiative. At thetest, within a hundred years, there will be huge changes in this realm!¡± Chapter 285 - 190: The Enemy Approaches (Overslept, making up for it now, first update)_1 Chapter 285: Chapter 190: The Enemy Approaches (Overslept, making up for it now, first update)_1 ¡°Void Spirit Monarch!¡± Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent. This monarch was an Integration Great Power. Although this world was a grand cultivation era, where not only Integration Great Powers existed but also Mahayana True Immortals and even some who dared not to Cross the Tribtion, or those unwilling to Ascend after doing so, it did not imply that Integration Cultivators were worthless. The title of a great power was by no means in name only. Those who crossed the Tribtion incurred the envy of the heavens, daring not to act rashly nor were they able to do so. Mahayana beings, too, were limited by the Tribtions and could not easily make a move. Only Integration was without any taboo, roaming the heavens and earth unbound. Therefore, overtly and under normal circumstances, Integration Great Powers were already at the pinnacle ofbat power in the Cultivation Realm, and the masters of the great Immortal Sects were nothing more. The Void Spirit Monarch was not only an Integration Great Power but also the supreme leader of an Immortal Gate, who for some unknown reason, defected from the sect with a precious treasure thousands of years ago, sparking a great war that shook the Northern Domain. Many forces from the Northern Domain, including Brahma Sect, Demon Path, Demon Race, and various Immortal Sects, were involved and affected, eventually even rming a Mahayana True Immortal. With a Mahayana joining the fray, the Void Spirit was defeated. Although he managed to escape with severe injuries, he ultimately sumbed to his wounds in the Barbaric Wastes, thus creating the Void Spirit Cave Heaven. Therefore, as soon as True Monarch Tianshu discovered the Void Spirit Realm, he immediately set up a grand array, sealed off the news, and sent his disciples to explore inside. A thousand years have passed since then, and not only has there been no result, but the news has also leaked out. The heroes of the Northern Domain heard the news and made their moves; within the realm, foes unknown stirred trouble, and True Monarch Tianshu along with the mainbat power of the Big Dipper Immortal Sect were caught up in the Ten Thousand Star Sea, making the situation suddenly turn unfavorable. The leak of the news was not sudden, but rather, the time hade. In a hundred years, within the Void Spirit Realm, a great change was bound to ur. The treasures of the Void Spirit Cave Heaven, Void Spirit¡¯s Legacy, could not be concealed forever. The heroes of the Northern Domain, and all forces, were already heading this way. The Big Dipper Immortal Sect had no choice: either seize the opportunity ahead of others or withdrawpletely. In the end, the Big Dipper Immortal Sect chose the former. After all, the treasures of the Void Spirit were too tempting; back then, the entire Northern Domain was in turmoil because of it, each power involved, but in the end, no conclusion was reached, allowing the Void Spirit Monarch to escape with heavy injuries, a matter of great regret. Now with the opportunity before them, being an Immortal Sect¡¯s sacred ce, how could they pass up this chance? Whether for the treasures of the Void Spirit or for the pride of the Immortal Sect, they had to make a move this time. This was a unanimous decision between the Sect Master of the Big Dipper and the Seven Stars True Monarch. However, due to the peculiar situation of the Void Spirit Realm, the decision at the top could only be executed by their middle-ranked personnel. The responsibility was heavy. But they had no choice. ¡°The Void Spirit Cave Heaven has changed; the spatial passage cannot be maintained indefinitely, we could only transmit the twenty-one of us first, the rest will arrive in subsequent batches.¡± ¡°Before then, we must ensure the Tianshu Great Array is secure!¡± ¡°As for that person, if he does note, let him be; if hees to attack, we will defend the Array to our deaths.¡± ¡°Meet the soldiers with soldiers and counter the flood with earth; we cannot underestimate the enemy, we cannot ck off!¡± Dikui took the lead, instructing everyone, and formting the strategy. Yunji promptly spoke up, ¡°Uncle, that person is powerful, has Spiritual Treasures at hand, and Divine Skills within. Although the Tianshu Great Array is a fourth-tier grand array, I fear it may not withstand his onught, especially the power of his Spiritual Treasure and Divine Skills. Uncle, have you brought the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper gs this time?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Dikui¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he spoke solemnly, ¡°With the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper gs and us seven, strengthening the might of the array, even if it does not reach the fifth tier, it is a definitive fourth tier. If that person does not know what¡¯s good for him, he wille but never return!¡± Yunji, hearing this, finally rxed a little, ¡°Then I¡¯m relieved!¡± The Seven Stars of the Big Dipper gs were renowned throughout the world as the formal Spiritual Treasure of the Big Dipper Immortal Sect, generally of lower grade. Even though they were of lower grade, as a set of Array Treasures, their might and value wereparable to Middle Grade Spiritual Treasures, even High Grade Spiritual Treasures, a culmination of the ¡°Array of the Big Dipper Law¡± and ¡°Star Refining Art¡± of the sect, only held by elders in the Divinity-Transformation Realm. Although Dikui only had a Nascent Soul Cultivation now, he was once a Deity Transformation Venerable. Additionally, as a fourth-tier Array Master, the sect had made an exception by granting him a set of the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper gs, allowing him to lead a team of Nascent Soul Realm Array Masters. Indeed, an Array Master team, the six people with him were all third-tier Array Masters, each over a thousand years old; Dikui had even been reborn from body snatching, enjoying a lifespan of two thousand years. Ginger gets spicier with age; simrly, an Array Master bes stronger. As time umtes and years add up, even if they could not break through their realms, their understanding and grasp of the Array principles be increasingly profound and sublime. The seven people with Dikui were all Array Masters; one Grandmaster leading six Masters, together with seven pieces of the Big Dipper¡¯s set Array Treasure Seven Stars of the Big Dipper gs, once the Array was formed, even a Divinity-Transformation practitioner would have to give way and dare not sh. ¡°The sect sent me here; we must prevail by all means!¡± Dikui looked calm andposed, ¡°We, the seven of us, each holding a g, operating the Seven Stars, are enough to stabilize this ce¡¯s Earth Yuan. Regardless of that person¡¯s depth of knowledge in the Array Formation, as long as he holds no Array Spiritual Treasure in his hands, he would have no chance to break the Array with an Array.¡± ¡°The Array is without worry, inherently unbeatable!¡± ¡°What other methods does that person have left?¡± ¡°This¡¡± Under Dikui¡¯s gaze, Yunji hesitated, but ultimately, he said, ¡°Apart from Array Formation, he masters the Sword Dao and ims kingship with the Thunder Series. The Spiritual Treasure Divine Skills he developed during his Tribtion are not unrted to these.¡± ¡°Sword Dao?¡± ¡°Thunder Series?¡± ¡°Not bad at all!¡± Dikuiughed upon hearing this, ¡°But our Big Dipper Immortal Sect has never been outdone. Meet the soldiers with soldiers, counter the flood with earth, it¡¯s perfect to have a showdown with him.¡± Yunji¡¯s expression grew tense, ¡°Uncle, you mean¡¡± Dikui did not reply, merely turning his gaze towards the woman known as ¡°Yuyao.¡± Yuyao smiled enchantingly, full of allure yet maintaining dignified grace, ¡°This time, the sect has its orders, and our Master cares greatly, bestowing upon me twenty-one Cycle of Heaven Constetion Mirrors!¡± ¡°Cycle of Heaven Constetion Mirror!¡± Yunji was shocked, looking at Yuyao, ¡°Uncle Taihua even bestowed such a treasure?¡± Yuyao smiled and calmly said, ¡°Twenty-one Star Mirrors, arranged within the Array, drawing starlight, in conjunction with our sect¡¯s Wonderful Skill, Cycle of Heaven Star Art, do you think they canpete with his Thunder Series Divine Skills?¡± ¡°This¡ certainly, they can.¡± Yunji listened and, at a loss for words, could only respond with a wry smile, ¡°It seems the sect is truly determined this time.¡± The Star Dust Mirror was a Sacred Treasure of the Big Dipper Immortal Sect, bestowed by True Man Taihua¡¯s lineage from the Tianshu branch. This treasure is ranked as a middle-grade and, when assembled as a set, contains twenty-one Star Mirrors that can form the ¡°Cycle of Heaven Starlight Array,¡± calling upon the starlight of the heavens to strike down enemies with powerparable to a single upper-grade spiritual treasure. Sister Yuyao and the six behind her hail from True Man Taihua¡¯s lineage, and True Man Taihua¡¯s lineage is a well-known legal cultivation inheritance within the Big Dipper Immortal Sect, practicing one of the three great sacred texts of the sect, the ¡°Cycle of Heaven Constetion Jue.¡± Their full appearance, bringing treasures with them, clearly conveys the intentions of the Immortal Sect without words. Cycle of Heaven Constetion, whether this treasure and technique can contend against that person¡¯s Divine Skills? Yunji really wanted to say it could, but recalling the might of the 99 Heaven Tribtions that day, he found the words difficult to utter. Helpless, he could only give a bitter smile, turned his gaze, and looked towards the young man: ¡°Uncle Dikui, Sister Yuyao, you have all brought treasures, so would disciple Chen Zhang not fall behind, right?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Chen Zhang snorted coldly, pridefully remarking, ¡°You ask even though you already know!¡± Seeing this, Yunji did not mind and simply turned his gaze towards Yuyao. ¡°Hehe.¡± Yuyao covered her mouth with augh, stepping forward to say, ¡°Disciple Chen Zhang is the most outstanding disciple of Tianshu Sword Peak in nearly a thousand years. Although he lost half a move against the Brahma Sect in a sword fight previously, that Purity Temple heir is of Brahma Sect¡¯s orthodox lineage, and has always been passed down individually, with each heir being a peerless and stunning talent.¡± ¡°Losing half a move to her is not a shame!¡± Confronted with Yuyao¡¯s sarcastic and barbed words, Yunji could only remain silent. Rumors within the sect said that Yuyao and Chen Zhang once had an affair, almost bing Taoistpanions, but somehow they went their separate ways and even turned love into hatred. Apart from some important asions, she would always have a few harsh words for Chen Zhang whenever she encountered him elsewhere. For this, Yunji too was helpless, only allowing her to speak her mind. Fortunately, Yuyao knew her limits, ¡°Uncle Dongcang bestowed the Tianshu Sword, which shows his expectations. Disciple Chen Zhang, do not disappoint!¡± ¡°The Tianshu Sword!¡± Yunji¡¯s eyes sharpened as he inwardly marveled. The Tianshu Sword, an upper-grade spiritual treasure, is a replica of the ¡°Tianshu¡± Immortal Artifact of the Big Dipper Immortal Sect. An Immortal Artifact is the potentiality of an Immortal Sect; it should not be deployed lightly. This Tianshu Sword is already the first treasure of the Tianshu Sword Peak in in sight. With Chen Zhang having this treasure in hand, his sword cultivator prowess would be even greater, facing that person¡ Yunji¡¯s heart skipped a beat, a nameless unease rising within him. Uncle Dikui nced at him, without leaving a trace, and no further words were needed: ¡°Let¡¯s settle on this then, and see if that person dares toe!¡± ¡°Hmm~!¡± Within Green Jade Mountain, inside a cave mansion. Xu Yang sat on the couch, with the Heavenly Eye opened on his forehead and the Mysterious Mirror in his hand, observing everyone inside, especially Dikui, who had the highest cultivation and the strongest power, and he couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Is this the foundation of the Immortal Sect?¡± ¡°Indeed, there is no pure goodness in the world; the human heart is treacherous.¡± ¡°However, it¡¯s also good. You set the stage for me to make my entrance.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± With augh, the Heavenly Eye closed and the Mysterious Light faded. Xu Yang stood up without saying much, mounted the Thunder Cloud, and headed toward Medicine King Valley. The final battle was at a critical point, and he needed to withdraw while he had the momentum. If he were to withdraw, there was no reason to leave the Medicine King Valley¡¯s spirit vein behind for the enemy or to nurture others. It was just the right time as the cultivation of the Earth Deity Law was also at a critical juncture. If the third-tier spirit vein of Medicine King Valley could be integrated into Fish and Dragon Ind, it would be enough to elevate Fish and Dragon Ind to an upper-grade Spirit Land,parable to the Divine Demon World¡¯s ckwater River. With such a Spirit Land,bined with the newly-added ¡°Escaping One¡± feature, even if the Void Spirit Realm were to undergo great changes and various forces converged, he would be able to hunker down on Fish and Dragon Ind with his Spirit Monsters, waiting for the storm to pass and turmoil to subside. Therefore, there was nothing to fear, just be bold and do it¡ªseeding would be best, but failing would not impact the overall situation. Besides¡ ¡°The Brahma Sect?¡± ¡°Purity Temple!¡± ¡°Is it coincidence, or¡¡± Above the Thunder Cloud, Xu Yang stood with his hands behind his back, his thoughts slightly divided. In ten years, he had searched every hill and river of the Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm, yet he still had not found the two of them or the other reincarnated beings. Clearly, their reincarnation was not within this Void Spirit Realm, but in a broader world beyond the Void Spirit Realm. Now, upon hearing the name of the Brahma Sect¡¯s Purity Temple from the Tianshu Sect people, Xu Yang couldn¡¯t help but recall the past. How many years had it been since the Bodhi Tree¡¯s reincarnation spell? Seventy years, it had been seventy years! Back then, when the second life ended and he awoke from the dream, he was forty-six years old. Now, after several dreamlike cycles and sessful cultivation, he was over a hundred years old and ten more years had passed. Adding up the years spent in dreams, it amounted exactly to seventy. For cultivators who transcend the ordinary, seventy years are but the blink of an eye. How was she doing? The Brahma Sect? Purity Temple? Was it fate, or just a coincidence? Xu Yang couldn¡¯t say for sure. But being a man of resolute character, he soon suppressed these tumultuous thoughts. The current priority was still the Tianshu Sect. He would resolve this issue first, and any other matters could be addressedter. Chapter 286 - 200: The Final Battle_1 Chapter 286: Chapter 200: The Final Battle_1 Three dayster, outside the gates of the Tianshu Sect. Various forces gathered, gazing at the Tianshu Great Array from afar. The one-month deadline had arrived. When would the Spell King attack the mountain? The crowd suppressed their impatience, waiting for the curtain to rise. A hundred miles away, atop a remote peak. Xiao Miao sat alone, frowning, looking towards the distant and majestic gates of Mount Tianshu, feeling restless. The voice of Elder Zhen came through, ¡°Miaod, stop looking. It¡¯s no use. Even if you could do something, that girl wouldn¡¯t appreciate this favor from you. Why bother?¡± Xiao Miao remained silent, not saying a word, and it was a long while before he finally asked, ¡°What do you think his chances of winning are?¡± ¡°Hard to say.¡± Elder Zhen said solemnly, ¡°The Immortal Sect¡¯s potential is not to be underestimated. It all depends on how much they¡¯re willing to sacrifice. If they¡¯re ready to cut their losses, I¡¯m afraid he will take a tumble.¡± ¡°Is that so¡¡± ¡°He¡¯sing!¡± Xiao Miao murmured to himself, about to speak, but Elder Zhen¡¯s exmation interrupted him. ¡°Rumble rumble!¡± The sound of thunder roared, and ominous clouds approached, churning wildly, covering the sky as they headed straight for the gates of Mount Tianshu. ¡°He¡¯s here!¡± ¡°The Spell King!¡± Seeing this, everyone was shaken. ¡°With your esteemed presence, our Sect is honored!¡± Inside the Tianshu Sect, there was also a reaction, as brilliant starlight shone, and a figure stepped forward. It was the Immortal Sect Elder, a grandmaster in Array Formation, once a Deity Transformation Venerable, now a Great Nascent Soul Cultivator¡ªDikui! Dikui stood within the Formation, looking at the sky filled with ominous clouds, and then at the person above the clouds, he calmly asked, ¡°My friend, what brings you here?¡± Xu Yang¡¯s expression was indifferent, and his words were unfluctuating, ¡°To destroy your Sect!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Hearing this, Dikui did not show anger, but remainedposed, ¡°That will depend on my friend¡¯s skills!¡± Having said that, with a sweep of his sleeve, he gestured and said, ¡°Dare you enter my Formation to test the methods of the Immortal Sect?¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yang said, ¡°Take one of my seals and we will see!¡± With that, his hand conjured thunder and fire, and he sent forth a seal. ¡°Boom!¡± The thunder and fire surged, enveloping arge seal that tumbled forth like the overturning of a constetion. Those of the constetion, the stars! The seal of the mountains, assisted by the might of thunder and fire, appeared as if the stars themselves were plummeting, striking directly at the gates of Mount Tianshu. Meteorite Crashes to the Earth would be no different. ¡°Hmm!¡± Dikui¡¯s gaze sharpened, mana simultaneously surging, as the Seven Stars within the Great Array shone brightly. The might of the Big Dipper was instantaneously deployed, connecting with heavenly stars above and the Earth Spirit below, forming a realm of its own, an imprable wall of iron and copper. ¡°Boom!!!¡± The mountain toppled, the meteorite struck, raising an earth-shattering thunderous noise. The earth shook and the mountains quaked, the starlight flickered, the Big Dipper Pivot of the Tianshu was impacted, but ultimately, its base remained stable. The Great Array was undamaged, its foundation unharmed, without even a crack or crevice to exploit. On the contrary, the seal that had struck, after the collision, saw its thunder and fire dissipate, and the murky energy scatter. An initial strike wasunched, yet it returned without effect. ¡°This¡¡± ¡°The Spell King¡¡± Witnessing this, everyone was startled. ¡°As it should be, what¡¯s so surprising about that?¡± Only Elder Zhen was unconcerned, exining to Xiao Miao in his mind, ¡°That strike was not a real Spiritual Treasure, just a strand of Earth Aura, limited in might, a mere probe.¡± ¡°Look at that Formation, the Big Dipper Pivot, ranked fourth tier. Coupled with the array of Spiritual Treasures it contains, it has formed an unbeatable stance. Drawing the power of the heavenly stars and tapping into the Earth Vein¡¯s energy, brute force from outside won¡¯t break it, not to mention a Nascent Soul, even Divinity Transformation wouldn¡¯t break through without expending considerable effort in Return to Void!¡± ¡°Lad, remember, the most foolish people in this world are those who attack Formations from the outside!¡± To be honest, Xiao Miao had already understood this principle without Elder Zhen¡¯s exnation. There are essentially three methods to breaking a Formation: overpower it, outsmart it, or abination of both strength and cunning. The most direct approach, brute force, is also the most foolish. It can only break through lower-tier Formations. When facing Formations of equal or higher cultivation, there¡¯s nothing one can do. Lacking the knowledge of Array Formation and not entering the Formation, merely pounding from the outside is futile. You could tire to death without making a dent. After all, you are but a single person; you cannotpete in exhaustion with a vast Formation. The only way is to counter Formation with Formation, subtly breaking through or using abination of strength and cunning to solve it from within. The former is practical but not applicable here, as the Yuan Spirit has been pinned down by the opposing Great Array. You can¡¯t initiate Formation against Formation without the conditions to do so, unless you can set up a high-tier Formation of your own to seize the control of heaven and earth. Thetter is applicable but risky. One must enter the Formation, find the nodes or central core of the Formation, and solve it from there. It is extremely difficult. But breaking Formations is just that difficult. If it were easy, how could Array Formation stand as one of the three greatest arts, excelling above hundreds of skills? ¡°If this person wants to break the Formation, he can only enter it. Relying on the might of Spiritual Treasures, he must shatter the foundational base.¡± Elder Zhen spoke gravely, ¡°But clearly the Tianshu Sect won¡¯t allow him to enter, so the first challenge of this battle is to see his methods, whether he can forcefully break from the outside into the Formation.¡± ¡°But that man just now clearly invited him into the Formation, right?¡± ¡°You believe him just because he said so?¡± ¡°A mere strand of Earth Aura to breach my Great Array?¡± Within the Formation, Dikui chuckled, ¡°My friend, you seem to underestimate our Sect a bit too much!¡± Ignoring whatever reaction Xu Yang might have, Dikui sat in the void, reciting his knowledge as if counting his family¡¯s treasures. ¡°Formations can be divided into various types: lethal Formations, Illusion Arrays, defensive Formations, battle Formations!¡± ¡°Lethal Formations need the enemy to be inside to unleash their greatest power.¡± ¡°The same goes for Illusion Arrays, the marvels are seen within the array¡¯s engagement.¡± ¡°Only defensive Formations strictly guard and repel enemies from the outside.¡± ¡°And battle Formations, based on Formations,unch attacks from within, capable of ying enemies thousands of miles away.¡± Dikui smiled, looking at Xu Yang, ¡°Our Sect¡¯s immemorial teachings, the Array of the Big Dipper, are versatile in offense and defense,bining reality and illusion, intricate and boundless, creative and infinite. Since my friend is not willing to test the lethal prowess within the Formation, then watch from outside how my Big Dipper¡¯s defensive abilities fare?¡± ¡°On what basis?¡± ¡°A joke!¡± Before the voice had faded, thunder began to rise. The Taoist Man leaped into the sky, with thunderbolts shooting straight up to the ninth heaven. And then¡ ¡°Boom!!!¡± A p of thunder, a burst of me, the Three Mountains and Five Sacred Peaks appeared to topple down like stars, igniting the Earth Aura with the sky¡¯s thunder and fire, piercing through theyers of clouds, and melting the dark celestial canopy. ¡°Big Dipper Pivot, Seven Stars as One!¡± Despite being prepared and aware that his opponent was no meremoner, seeing such might, Dikui was still terrified and hurriedly manipted the Formation, defending with all his strength. The Seven Star Command Banner rose within the Formation, as if intending to fix a corner of the heavens and earth. With such a Spiritual Treasure, with such a Formation, under the concentrated starlight, even the void became as unyieldable as walls of brass and iron. However¡ Just how heavy could the Three Mountains and Five Sacred Peaks be? What kind of power did a Meteorite Crashes to the Earth hold? Descending from above, with thunder and fire aiding its momentum, it came overturning chaos and the primordial state. With such a strike¡ ¡°Boom!!!¡± A loud crash that shook heaven and earth. The Big Dipper Star Array, annihted by the thousands. The starlight condensed, and the void boundary as tough as walls of brass and iron was directly shattered, leaving a huge hole in the canopy of the sky, with cracks spreading like a spiderweb, not only throughout the void, but the Sect¡¯s gate also suffered destruction; mountains copsing, ridges toppling, countless foundations ruined, numerous nodes destroyed¡ ¡°Hiss!!!¡± Seeing this scene, Xiao Miao¡¯s mind echoed with a hiss of cold air being sucked in. ¡°This Spiritual Treasure is merely a Middle Grade one, yet it¡¯s so formidable?¡± ¡°Big Dipper Pivot, with the Seven Starsbining their forces, turned into a defensive Array, and it¡¯s been blown open by one strike?¡± ¡°Indeed, it is a Spiritual Treasure specialized in attacking Formations. The solidity of metal and stone, the thickness of the earth, the Might of Thunder and Fire, the heaven-overturning force, terrifying indeed, terrifying indeed!¡± Elder Zhen eximed in shock time after time, but Xiao Miao paid him no heed, her eyes fixated on the development of the battle. However¡ ¡°Rumble rumble!¡± As the earth shook and the mountains quivered, starlight rose again, filling the cracks, erasing and wiping them away. The Big Dipper Array, having suffered a tremendous blow, did not copse and disintegrate; instead, it transformed and reorganized quickly. In a blink, the Array was restored, with starlight glittering brightly, showing only the gate of Mount Tianshu, leaving no trace of the Spell King. ¡°The second challenge, battle within the Array!¡± Seeing this, Elder Zhen once again spoke gravely, ¡°Breaking through an Array is different from unraveling an Array. This great Array is presided over by a tier-four Array Formation Grandmaster, supported by a set of Seven Star Command Banners and an Array Formation Spiritual Treasure. Although that person¡¯s strike was terrifying, it was not enough topletely destroy the Array.¡± ¡°Next, the defensive Array will transform into an offensive and killing Array, an Illusion Array, a Binding Array. Now that the person is trapped within the Array, can he break out?¡± ¡°Taoist friend, well done, what bravery!¡± Within the Array, in the void, even though Dikui felt the damage to the Array and his heart was heavy, he still maintained a calm facade. Looking down at the ground, dust and smoke billowed, a massive crater embedded in the mountainside, like an abyss choosing its victim. Only because the gate of Mount Tianshu was so majestic and extraordinary did such a sight of a crater embedded therein exist, if it had been anywhere else, if not an abyss thousands of feet deep, then surely chasms miles long would have formed. In the pit, no figure was seen. Dikui¡¯s expression unchanged, he waved the Command Banner in his hand, transforming into starlight and escaping into the heavens and earth. Now that the enemy had entered the Array, his main task was to stabilize the Formation and sever the opponent¡¯s escape routes. As for the killing, others would take action. Dikui vanished from sight, the Array¡¯s structure solidified even more, and the starlight above and below was so bright it was as if one were in the Milky Way. At this moment¡ ¡°Moo! Moo! Moo!¡± With the sounds of mooing, heaven and earth stirred. From the depths of the Abyss, dust and smoke surged out like waves. Yin bulls and Yang bulls, eighteen Green Bulls came roaring out of the Abyss, charging towards the foundational corners of the Array. It was indeed the Nine Bull Building Mountain Skill! The might of this skill, even greater than before, and especially when executed from within the Array, did not need its threat level mentioned. At the critical moment¡ ¡°Brilliance of a rice grain also shines!¡± A sharp yell, starlight myriad falling from the heavens. Surrounding the skies, twenty-one treasure mirrors were suspended high, channeling the light from the celestial stars, and then reflecting it back at the enemy within the Array. ¡°Moo!¡± With just one reflection, the Green Bulls froze in ce. With another reflection, it pierced through the Green Bulls¡¯ flesh and blood. Finally, with one more reflection, the Taoism vanished like smoke and clouds. The spell of the Nine Bulls, in an instant, was broken. As the Taoism shattered, within the depths of the crater, thunder once again startled the surroundings. A person leaped out, intending to smash the surrounding treasure mirrors. However¡ ¡°Hehe!¡± A softugh, and a myriad of starlight rays shot towards the Taoist Man¡¯s body, aiming to prate and break through, to dissolve the soul and melt the spirit. This set of Middle Grade Spiritual Treasures, used in conjunction with the Big Dipper Array, possessed a might that could be dubbed terrifying. Even a Deity Transformation Venerable being struck by the twenty-one star mirrors, channeling the light from all around the heavens, would suffer severe injuries, their flesh would dissolve, their Primordial Spirit would be greatly damaged unless protected by an equal grade Spiritual Treasure, or else cmity was inevitable. Was the neer undergoing Deity Transformation, did he possess a Spiritual Treasure for protection? No one could assert for sure. But this did not affect the Array¡¯s killing intent. The mirrors flipped, the myriad starlight all aimed at the person within the Array. There was also a sword, rising shockingly into the sky, like a long rainbow piercing the sun, delivering the final death blow. The killing moves were fully deployed, leaving no leeway! Chapter 287 - 192: Earth Aura_1 Chapter 287: Chapter 192: Earth Aura_1 Big Dipper Pivot, the stars zoned bright, Sword Qi like a rainbow. The might of the Spiritual Treasure, the capability of the Formation, had reached an extreme. Although the people within the Formation were Nascent Soul Cultivators, the intensity of the battlefield at this moment was such that even those undergoing Divinity Transformation would feel terrified. Of course, these refer to wild Divinity Transformation cultivators¡ªthose without a Spiritual Treasure to protect their bodies, without Divine Skills to rely on, and without formidable Divine Bodies¡ªpossessing only the Cultivation Realm, theirbat power not quite corresponding. The world is full of hardships, especially for Loose Cultivators; such Divinity Transformation cultivators are not umon. Thus, it¡¯s no wonder that the Sects governed the world, reigning supreme for thousands of years! However, nothing in the world is constant; what remains unchanging? Even the sacred ces of the Immortal Gates sometimes encounter immovable obstacles and suffer crushing defeats. Indeed, within the strong there is stronger still, and every mountain looks up to a taller one! ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± One saw thousands of streaks of starlight falling, seeking to immobilize the Taoist Man¡¯s body, prate flesh and blood, and dissolve the Divine Soul. Starlight, starlight, the light of the stars, wherein lies the profound mystery in simply ¡°light shining¡± two words¡ªthe Cycle of Heaven¡¯s starlight, reflected and illuminated by the treasure mirror, more intense than the zing sun, the fierce winds and thunderous fire, the specks of starlight like grains of sand, grinding flesh to reveal white bone, even if one possessed the Divine Skills of a Venerable Primordial Spirit, within the Formation life would still hang by a thread. However¡ The Taoist Man stood with hands behind his back, neither dodging nor evading, with only the Earth Aura trailing down in strands, protecting his body. Thousands of streaks of starlight shone towards him, the might of the Spiritual Treasure, the power of the Formation, even Divinity Transformation with treasure would surely feel the pressure. But falling upon the Taoist Man, there was only the sound of clear and resounding ngs, like rain striking banana leaves in a fierce collision, the rampant starlight getting shattered, unable to break through the trailing strands of the Earth Aura. His defense was terrifying to the extent that not even thebined Middle Grade Spiritual Treasure, formed by the twenty-one Cycle of Heaven Constetion Mirrors, in ord with the Beidou Tianshu Grand Formation, could breach his outer protection? Everyone was shocked. But the offensive had not ended. After the thousands of streaks of starlight, there came another sword, swiftly following. A rainbow piercing the sun, an aura ferocious and tumultuous. Sword Cultivator, Tianshu Sword Cultivator! A Great Nascent Soul Cultivator, with a Supreme Grade Spiritual Treasure,bined with the Big Dipper Immortal Legend, the Tianshu Sword Cultivator¡¯s technique, unleashing ultimate destructive power. This sword could cross heavenly barriers and y beings undergoing Divinity Transformation! However¡ ¡°ng!!!¡± A loud ng sounded, with sparks scattering across the sky. The Taoist Man stood with hands behind his back, an indifferent look on his face, standing immovable as if he were a towering mountain. The Sword Cultivator appeared, full of astonishment, as his Spirit Sword, though dragon-like, could not progress an inch further. The Tianshu Sword, a Supreme Grade Spiritual Treasure in conjunction with the Big Dipper Immortal Legend, the Tianshu Swordsmanship put forth with all might in one strike; in terms of lethality and assault, it surpassed even the twenty-one Cycle of Heaven Constetion Mirrors. Therefore, his achievements in battle surpassed Yuyao by a fraction. But it was only by a fraction. The swording from the Big Dipper, a rainbow piercing the sun, a three-foot de attempting to break into the Earth Aura, barely making it three inches before it could not advance any further. The Earth Aura was dense and thick, each strand seemingly as heavy as thousands of mountains and peaks, weighing down upon the Tianshu Sword, making this Supreme Grade Spiritual Treasure unable to bear the weight, unable to shoulder it, like a trapped dragon, trembling incessantly. Heavy, heavy, heavy! Solid, solid, solid! Strong, strong, strong! ¨C This was the sensation Chen Zhang was experiencing at that moment. It felt to him that his sword was not thrust into a person¡¯s body, but rather into the metallic stones of a mountain, into the thick earth of thend. Hard, extremely hard, exceptionally hard! Heavy, tremendously heavy, extremely heavy! At that moment, he finally understood why even such aplete set of powerful Middle Grade Spiritual Treasures as the Cycle of Heaven Constetion Mirrors couldn¡¯t break through the opponent¡¯s outer defenses. Such imprability of the dense Earth Aura, the thickness of the Earth Aura; even his Supreme Grade Spiritual Treasure exerting full force could only breach by three inches. After three inches, the de stuck in the golden-stone mountain, sunk into the thick earth, with thousands of mountains weighing it down heavily. Even a Supreme Grade Spiritual Treasure was like a trapped dragon, unable to rise. Such defense, such formidable power, it was merely a Middle Grade Spiritual Treasure? Impossible, absolutely impossible, no Middle Grade Spiritual Treasure could! If not a Spiritual Treasure, then what was it¡ In a moment of horror, his mind slightly distracted. The Taoist Man raised his hand, delivering a palm strike. A palm strike, casually executed, seemingly careless. But in his opponent¡¯s eyes, it was Earth-shattering, thunderous with the weight of ten thousand jun. Chen Zhang¡¯s pupils constricted; he desperately wanted to withdraw his sword, but the Tianshu Spirit Sword stuck in the Earth Aura, burdened by thousands of mountains, was like a dragon or snake in chains,pletely unable to free itself. With no other choice, Chen Zhang could only abandon the Spirit Sword, gritting his teeth and lifting a palm, meeting the iing attack. ¡°Bang!!!¡± ¡°Pfft!!!¡± The sh between them resulted in a loud boom and a muffled impact. Without any suspense, Chen Zhang was sent flying on the spot, blood scattering like rain. The hand that met the palm, along with the entire arm, waspletely shattered, dyeing half his body red. His body¡¯s trunk was also struck, the upper and lower garments torn apart, blood spewing from various ces. Just one palm strike, just one hit, and the once graceful young man turned into a bloodied, tumbling mess. ¡°Chen Zhang!¡± ¡°Junior Brother!¡± ¡°Ah!!!¡± Seeing this scene, Yuyao screamed and stood up, the twenty-one Cycle of Heaven Constetion Mirrors swirling around, with thousands of starlight beams shifting and dancing; in an instant, they condensed into one, forming a nearly tangible, extremely thick column of light, aiming to crush the Taoist Man. A maneuver to save Zhao by besieging Wei! Yuyao made her move,unching a fierce attack on Xu Yang. On the other side, Dikui also shifted his formation, moving the severely injured Chen Zhang to a hidden spot. Seeing this, Xu Yang did not care. He sped his hands together, pushed forward, and released the Earth Aura once again. Rebellion Seal! ¡°Boom!¡± With the Rebellion Seal activated, the thunder and fire lent it strength, roaring upward against the firmament, directly striking the starlight column. ¡°Bang!!!¡± A massive sound erupted, shaking the earth and the mountains. The light column shattered, and the Star Mirror dimmed. The Earth Seal crumbled, the Mysterious Yellow dispersed. It seemed a draw. However¡ The Mysterious Yellow Earth Aura was just a wisp. Around the Taoist Man, the aura hung down in shades of Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, and Yellow, and there were still millions and millions left. ¡°Rebellion Seal!¡± Another move, Earth Aura transformed into a seal, Thunder Fire Rebellion burst forth, directly striking the Star Treasure Mirror. So powerful? Indeed, that powerful! The Heavenly Craft Creation Technique, the art of the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor, and the lifetime achievements of Taoism were not to be taken lightly. How could they be ordinary? In terms of defense, in terms of sturdiness, the Three Mountains and Five Peaks, using the sturdiness of metal and stone and the density of earth, and furtherbiningponents of tens of millions of Metal and Earth Magic Artifacts, they forge the Mysterious Yellow Earth Aura, a Spiritual Divine Skill, a grand Mech Armor technique. What is Mysterious Yellow Earth Aura? Mysterious and Yellow represent Heaven and Earth! It is said that in Ancient Times, within the primeval realm, the Old Master created a treasure when opening Heaven, known as¡ªHeaven Earth Mysterious Yellow Linglong Pagoda! This pagoda, made out of Heaven Earth Mysterious Yellow, is known for its defensive prowess, impervious to all techniques, invincible since the beginning. That shows the power of Mysterious and Yellow. Xu Yangcks the power of the Old Master and the mechanisms of the Ancestor of Dao, unable to obtain the Mysterious Yellow Qi, but with the Three Mountains and Five Peaks Seal and the Heavenly Crafting Technique, he has refined the Mysterious Yellow Earth Aura, that is, the Yellow Aura among the Mysterious Yellow Qi. The Earth¡¯s position is Kun, the aura is Mysterious Yellow, carrying all with its virtue! This Mysterious Yellow Earth Aura, achieved throughter efforts, although not as great as the innate Mysterious Yellow, is still top-notch among artifacts createdter, second only to apleteter Heaven Earth Mysterious Yellow. Calling it second in defense would not be a problem. With such a Spiritual Treasure, such Mech Armor, such a Divine Technique, how could it possibly be broken by a mere Star Mirror or Tianshu Sword? He is not alone, nor is it a single Spiritual Treasure fighting solo; it¡¯s a Mech Armor, with tens of millions of Magic Artifacts fighting together. In terms of Spiritual Treasure alone, the Midnight Middle Grade Three Mountains and Five Peaks Thunder Fire Rebellion Seal is not as good as thebinedponents of the Star Mirror and the Supreme Grade Tianshu Sword. But overall, your Cycle of Heaven Constetion Mirror only has twenty-one sides, while my Three Mountains and Five Peaks Thunder Fire has tens of millions of Magic Artifacts. A single Magic Artifact might be insignificant. A hundred Magic Artifacts might be like ants. But what about thousands or tens of thousands? Tens of millions of artifacts, united as one, with a Spiritual Treasure at the core, directing and controlling the millions¡ªhow could it be? Even Supreme Grade Spiritual Treasures would struggle topete. The Mysterious Yellow Earth Aura is exceptionally strong in defense and not just in defense. The Three Mountains and Five Peaks, thousands of towering peaks, the power of thick earth, needless to say, it¡¯s heavy. Even without using spells, just an ordinary strike would be earth-shattering for a regr cultivator. Not only is the defense extreme, but the strength is also extreme. In closebat, it is no less than an immortal fighting physique. Chen Zhang just now served as a bloody example with his own body. As a Sword Cultivator and a warrior, his physical body is not weak, indeed quite strong, perhaps not as strong as a cultivator of the same level, but definitely surpassing other cultivators. Such a Sword Cultivator, with a single palm strike resulting in crippling injury. This shows the power of this body is not something an ordinary person can handle. Chen Zhang left with serious injuries, and Yuyao arrived with anger and shock. However, even with all her strength poured into the Star Treasure Mirror, it only managed a draw with a wisp of Earth Aura. Quantitative change leads to qualitative change; the gap between the two sides is already vast. At this moment, Xu Yang pressed down with another seal, as the Thunder Fire Rebellion burst forth. ¡°Not good!¡± Yuyao¡¯s expression changed drastically; she quickly altered her formation, and the twenty-one Star Mirrors vanished into the air. Yet she was a Spell Cultivator, with only tertiary level exposure to Array Formation, and having just advanced to the third tier. Her ¡°Cycle of Heaven¡¯s Starlight Array,¡± even whenbined with Big Dipper Pivot, was still in Xu Yang¡¯s presence¡ An amateurish show, riddled with errors! ¡°Bang!!!¡± A huge noise sounded, and the Thunderbolt Overturning Sky General struck upward, hitting one mirror squarely, shattering it to pieces. ¡°Ugh!!!¡± The Star Mirror cracked, the Spiritual Treasure was damaged, and a Nascent Soul female cultivator trembled, blood spewing from her mouth, as her form appeared from the clouds. It was Yuyao¡¯s junior sister, one of the handlers of the twenty-one Star Treasure Mirrors. The twenty-one Star Treasure Mirrors, with Yuyao and six others each controlling three, allowed them to maximize the power of this set of Middle Grade Spiritual Treasures. Now, with one mirror broken, out of the three groups of seven, one was missing. Thebined formation was iplete, and its power immediately dropped by thirty percent. Upon seeing this, Xu Yang did not hold back. Another wisp of Mysterious Yellow Earth Aura arose, forming another Rebellion Seal and bursting forth. With the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor powered by Spirit Stones, as long as there are enough Spirit Stones, there¡¯s no need to worry about mana depletion. Having united Liang Country for ten years and established the Mana Money system, collecting the strength of Cultivators, Xu Yang¡¯s resources might not be enormous, but they were more than enough to support a battle with a Mech Armor of tens of millions of artifacts level for several rounds. The Thunderfire Seal rose, overturning the heavens, ready to shatter the remaining Star Mirrors. But unexpectedly¡ ¡°Buzz!¡± Within the Mysterious Yellow Qi, within the power of thick earth, the Tianshu Spirit Sword stirred, unleashing an unparalleled sharp edge. Chapter 288 - 193: Scheme_1 Chapter 288: Chapter 193: Scheme_1 ¡°Ugh!?¡± Xu Yang¡¯s eyes hardened as he lowered his head. Before him, emerging from the murky yellow haze, a sword revealed its sharp edge. It was the high-grade Spiritual Treasure¡ªTianshu! Comprising the essence of the Three Mountains and Five Sacred Peaks, and the metallic aura of rocks and stones, it possessed a maic elemental force that was particrly effective in restraining metallic weapons. Most Flying Swords were metallic, and Tianshu was no exception. Entrapped within such dense Earth Aura, it should have been immobilized. But now¡ ¡°Bang, bang, bang!¡± The Tianshu Sword moved, its sharpness increasing explosively as it spun within the murky Earth Aura, unleashing blinding thunder, lightning, and fire, seemingly drilling open the thick terrestrial aura. Xu Yang¡¯s brow furrowed as he raised his hand, reaching for the Spirit Sword. Unexpectedly¡ ¡°Bang!¡± The Tianshu Sword twisted, breaking free from the restraints, and then swiftly retreated, escaping the murky Earth Aura. Xu Yang¡¯s expression remained unchanged. He continued to reach towards his opponent without altering his momentum. However, Tianshu transformed; the sword turned into light, and the light into shadows, scattering wildly. Sword control technique! In an instant, a crisscross of sword shadows fluttered. Xu Yang stopped in his tracks and surveyed his surroundings. Within the void, threads of sharp brilliance interwove like a, ensnaring his body. Refining the sword into threads! The ultimate toughness, the supreme sharpness, the extreme edge. Only with fourth-tier Swordsmanship, that has reached divine heights, could one possess such ability. Had Chen Zhang aplished Swordsmanship so profoundly divine? Tianshu refined the sword into threads, the threads into a, cloaking Xu Yang¡¯s body. At the same time, from all directions in the sky, countless rays of starlight rained down. The Star Mirror, the Star Mirror, the Cycle of Heaven Constetion Mirror. The Spiritual Treasure reappeared, its power urged anew; a soul-grabbing starlight beam arrived in an instant, crossing the spatial chasm to shine upon the Taoist Man¡¯s Heavenly Court¡¯s forehead. The soul-stealing divine light of the stars! A fourth-tier cultivating skill, the divine ability of the stars! Aimed at the Primordial Spirit, soul-destroying and mind-dissipating; without an equivalent Spiritual Treasure or Divine Skills for protection, a single strike could be decisive. The Earth Aura was murky and dispersed, partly blocking the starlight, but still, some managed to prate and shine upon the Taoist Man¡¯s Heavenly Court. Instantly, the starlight scoured, soul-destroying and dispiriting. The Taoist Man stood rooted to the spot, as if he had lost control of his Divine Soul. At this moment another¡ ¡°Rumble!¡± The earth shook, the stars shone masterfully, as the Seven Star Command Banner rose from the mountains, drawing down a star to crash into the earth. Array of the Big Dipper, a fourth-tier Divine Power, Seven Stars summoning the devastating might of Pojun! Pojun, also known as Yao Guang, The Seventh Star of the Big Dipper, master of destruction and fighting, is the premier offensive divine ability within the Array of the Big Dipper. ¡°Boom!!!¡± With the Seven Stars summoning and Pojun descending from the heavens, smashing down upon theted Xu Yang, who stood under the soul-stealing starlight, unable to fend for himself. Three Spiritual Treasures, three Great Divine Powers,bined into a fatal assault. With the Taoist Man out of his senses and no way to escape, the Pojun Starlight crashed down upon him, the brilliant starlight engulfing the murky Earth Aura. ¡°Rumble!¡± The stars fell, crashing into the earth, shaking the ten directions¡¯ forests and creating countless gorges and serpentine valleys. At the center of the myriad gorgesy a vast crater. Within the abyss, dust billowed, with flickers of starlight, leaving the oue uncertain. Alive or dead? From the heavens, a man stepped out on the air, hundreds of sword threads returning as light into the sheath on his back. It was Chen Zhang. His body was still stained with fresh blood, but the shattered left arm had already been restored, and his expression shifted. After reiming his Spirit Sword, he looked down from above on the abyss: ¡°Such Spiritual Treasures¡¡± ¡°Boom!!!¡± He had yet to finish speaking when a loud boom was heard. Within the Abyss, Pojun Starlight shattered. A figure leapt out, mming down another seal that overturned heaven and earth. Chen Zhang¡¯s eyes focused, and Tianshu Sword was unsheathed instantly, transformed into light, and light into threads, weaving a tight sword in the void that enveloped the thunder and fire-filled Earth Aura Seal flipping towards the sky. ¡°Bang!!!¡± The moment the two forces shed, it was over in an instant; every thread of the sword snapped,yer byyer, the sword shattered; only the thunder and fire Earth Seal remained, not fading away, still flipping the skies, determined to corner its opponent into a deathtrap. At this critical moment¡ Space shifted, and the formation¡¯s patterns changed. Chen Zhang¡¯s figure became light and disappeared from the formation directly. The Earth Seal flipped the heavens, inversely rising to the firmament, crashing onto a void spot, demolishing a node. Soon after, as the formation¡¯syout changed, this node was also obliterated. Xu Yang¡¯s figure emerged, standing within the void, with little surprise, just a sigh. ¡°My way knows only the Skill of Heavenly Mechanism, not the treacherous hearts of the world!¡± After the sigh, he looked at the crowd, returning to a cold demeanor as he calmly said, ¡°Well yed!¡± ¡°You tter me, friend; we should be the ones admiring your divine abilities, which even the Tianshu Great Array couldn¡¯t conceal from your senses. We, on the other hand, werepletely oblivious, a true disgrace indeed!¡± A lightughter in reply, Dikui¡¯s figure reappeared, still asposed as ever. To the left and right in the sky, Chen Zhang and Yuyao also appeared with cold expressions. Xu Yang stood with his hands behind his back, his expression indifferent: ¡°You think these little tricks are enough to keep me here?¡± Yuyao smiled yfully, her words teasing: ¡°With your level of divine ability, surely you are no ordinary noble expert, yet you hide and target the young, don¡¯t you think it demeans your status?¡± Chen Zhang also spoke from the side: ¡°Such shamelessness, no matter who you are, today you must stay here. Let the world know that the Big Dipper Immortal Sect is not for everyone to bully or offend!¡± The tone and expression were entirely different from before. Xu Yang wasn¡¯t surprised by this. Because these two were no longer the Chen Zhang and Yuyao they had been before, but¡ Spirit Separation and Converting to Thought, Deity Transformation Venerable! This was a plot, a conspiracy, a trap! The reinforcements of the Tianshu Sect did not only rely on three Spiritual Treasures and a group of Nascent Soul cultivators as simple as that. There were also the divided spirits of two Divinity Transformation Venerables, hidden within the Spiritual Treasures, serving as the final measure. These two Venerables were none other than the masters of Chen Zhang and Yuyao, the Elders of Big Dipper Immortal Sect who have undergone Divinity Transformation, Sword Venerable Dongcang and True Man Taihua. One a Sword Cultivator and one a practitioner of the cultivating skills, both with achievements that shadow creation itself, and divine abilities attained, notable for the North Doulou Heavenly Sword Net and Star Soul-grabbing Light within the Big Dipper Immortal Sect. They were indeed prominent figures. Although the Void Spirit Cave Heaven rejected all forces above the Nascent Soul, the divided spirits of Divinity Transformation Venerables were not the same as a second Divinity Transformation, and could enter the Void Spirit Realm without hindrance. With this, they had their second reliance besides the Spiritual Treasures¡ªDivine Skills! Temporarily controlling their disciples through divided spirits andmanding the Spiritual Treasures allowed them to execute the Art of Divine Abilities. Although the divine abilities disyed in this way were far less powerful than those of their true bodies, they were still sufficient to influence the battle and determine victory, defeat, life, or death at a critical moment. A sword and a spell, two Great Divine Powers. Besides these, there was still one person in reserve. Dikui, this once Deity Transformation Venerable, now a Grandmaster of Array Formation, had also mastered a divine ability, an Array of Divine Ability. Three Spiritual Treasures, three Divine Skills, along with the power of Tianshu Great Array, these were all their methods, their confidence. With these methods and the previous preparations, why did they not reveal them before? It was a trap, a snare! Yunji had long sincemunicated the happenings in this realm, which naturally also included the incident where his Heavenly Mechanism Jewel Pupil tried to spy on the other party, only to be countered and in by True Martial, losing over a hundred years of lifespan. Knowing that the other party understood the Technique of Heavenly Mechanism, how could they reveal their trump cards? The previous arrangements, half-truth, half-false, all acted out for show. They set the stage to lure the guest into the pot, finally drawing the opponent into the trap, into this array of certain death. The plot had seeded. And now¡ Dikui smiled faintly, observing his opponent: ¡°Friend, your divine abilities are admirable. With a body of Nascent Soul, you took abined strike from the three of us, not only survived but also had the strength to spare, impressive, indeed impressive!¡± ¡°But¡¡± Yuyao, no, True Man Taihua took over the conversation, smiling lightly, ¡°How much strength do you have left?¡± ¡°What good will more words do?¡± Chen Zhang, Sword Venerable Dongcang, was even more straightforward, holding the Tianshu Sword, he coldly said, ¡°Let¡¯s make it clear under the sword!¡± Surrounded from three sides, when thingse to a head, deadly intentions are revealed. Chapter 289 - 194: Another Turn_1 Chapter 289: Chapter 194: Another Turn_1 North Doulou Heavenly Sword Net. Starfall Divine Light. Shaking Light Break the Army Astral Attraction. A sword, a magic, a formation, three Great Fourth-tier Divine Skills. The cultivation of the three individuals, though still at the Nascent Soul level, is not inferior to that of Divinity Transformation when operating within the formation, leveraging the might of the Spiritual Treasures and the power of Divine Skills. With such an encirclement, a sure kill is certain. In contrast, the enemy, after just one strike, had already suffered severe damage. For a Nascent Soul to survive three great Divine Skills without dying, despite not yet achieving Divinity Transformation, is already a shocking thing to hear. If they were still unhurt, it would be inexplicable both logically and emotionally. He must be injured, and seriously so, perhaps even on the verge of death. If that¡¯s the case, what is there to say? Sword Venerable Dongcang took the lead, the sword light differentiated, condensing into threads, slicing through the void, weaving a to ensnare. True Man Taihua followed closely behind, mirrors flipping, ten thousand rays of starlight, mesmerizing and soul-shattering,ter in action but first to arrive. Dikui sat within the formation, silently shaking the Command g to life; once again, the Seven Stars aligned into the Big Dipper, poised to descend upon the mortal realm. The three great Divine Skills struck again, theirbined formation intensifying the pressure. At this moment, not to mention breaking the formation, even escaping it was incredibly hard. Seeing this, Xu Yang too was at a loss for words, only rising into the air, flipping and colliding against the heavens. ¡°Hmm!?¡± ¡°Be careful!¡± ¡°A Divine Skill of the physical body?¡± Seeing that their adversary had the strength to hard-counter thebined assault of the three of them, Dikui frowned in thought but wasn¡¯t too surprised. Yunji had already spected that this person had cultivated a Divine Skill rting to the physical body, not only possessing astonishingbat strength but also a never-ending, ceaseless vitality. Now it seemed there was no falsehood in that spection. After such heavy injuries, to still have such strength. He was either blessed with the body of a Saintly Immortal Fetus or possessed a top-tier body fortifying technique. Indeed, a formidable enemy, not to be underestimated! Dikui¡¯s heart was filled with solemnity, the Command g in his hand swaying in tandem. In an instant, a star was beckoned forth, as Break the Army descended upon the world of men again. Before them, the dual-ultimate swordsmanship Divine Skills were already shing with the enemy. ¡°Boom!!!¡± The North Doulou Heavenly Sword Net cast a wide web, aiming to suppress the enemy¡¯s sharp edge. Sword Cultivators focus on offensive tactics, as, for them, offense is the best form of defense. It was the same at this moment; condensing swords into threads, weaving them into a that seemed deceptively delicate, every thread was in fact the ultimate concentration of myriads of Sword Qi, the epitome of sharpness, toughness, and lethality. Such threads, woven into a, would weaken any offensive by a third¡ ¡°Bang!!!¡± But amidst the thunderous roar, the shockwave sent the surrounding clouds scattering, and like a dragon, thunder and fire roared forth. Within the thunder-fire, a seal could be seen emerging, resembling a Dragon Ball being spat forth or a meteor reversing its course. Thunder Fire Rebellion, the true body of the Spiritual Treasure! The core Spiritual Treasure, with the support of tens of thousands of Magic Artifacts, initiated its True Body for the strongest assault. Compared to the previous Earth Aura¡¯s conjured phantom seal, the real seal pushed to the extreme was not only more potent in its might but also much sturdier than prior. With such a strike¡ ¡°Boom!!!¡± A loud crash echoed resoundingly, as the North Doulou Heavenly Sword Net was torn asunder, with Sword Qi scattering like a river breaking its banks. The Big Dipper Immortal Legend, Sword Dao Divine Skill, copsed upon contact! Dongcang¡¯s figure appeared staggering, retreating step by step. Luckily, backup arrived at that moment. A ray of starlight descended, shining directly into the seal. Starfall Divine Light, capable not only of capturing souls but also of extinguishing the spirit light of treasures; grains of star sand, repulsive as the vilest filth. However¡ Earth Aura churned hazily, strands draped down, and amidst them a ray of golden light, refined by Pure Yang Creation. Star sands, obstructed by Earth Aura! Loss of soul light, devoured by the Yang God! Starfall wondrous skill, a Fourth-tier Divine Skill, rendered useless. Luckily, after one star came another. The Big Dipper formation harnessed Shaking Light, as Break the Army¡¯s star plummeted towards the realm of men. Above, a star directly overhead, falling swiftly. Below, a thunder dragon clutched the seal, its head rising forth. From top to bottom, from bottom to top, the ultimate collision! ¡°Bang!!!¡± A resonating boom shook heaven and earth, exploding across a hundred miles, with dust and smoke rising like a sea and rifts snaking like dragons. The gates of Mount Tianshu also felt the aftershock, and despite protection from the grand formation, it too suffered from the colossal force, with countless buildings copsing and numerous disciples perishing, and even the grand mountain with deep-seated Spirit Veins cracked open. The utmost might of Spiritual Treasure Divine Skills, terrifying indeed! Amidst the void, Dikui sat upright, the corner of his mouth stained with fresh blood, evidently wounded not lightly. But more than his injuries, what he cared about was¡ ¡°How is suchbat strength possible?¡± Swallowing a mouthful of blood-tainted Qi Blood, his heart was filled with doubt and incredulity. Cultivators, cultivators, their Cultivation Realm is fundamental. A Nascent Soul remains a Nascent Soul regardless of what physical abilities are honed or Divine Skills cultivated, it should not be possible to exceed their realm by much, matching Divinity Transformation is already the limit. But this person¡ His defensive strength, his recovery power, hisbat ability¡ All had surpassed this limit! How was it possible? To have been caught in their trap, suffered three great Divine Skills, and still retain suchbat strength? Was his body undamageable? Was his Mana inexhaustible? Was his Primordial Spirit ungging? Or was his recovery rate faster than the consumption of such intense forces? It¡¯s impossible! Even if he had the body of a Saintly Immortal Fetus at the Nascent Soul Realm, he couldn¡¯t have such abilities. Dikui gritted his teeth, his mind reeling with shock, unable to ept it. At that moment¡ ¡°Boom!¡± The sky was aze, as another star fell from above. The star of Thunder Fire, the star of Metal and Earth. Rebellion Seal!!! A seal flipped and descended, like a star crashing down, furiously assaulting the earth. The situation reversed from defense to offense! Dikui¡¯s pupils shrank, his expression changed, only feeling a gravitational force heavy as a mountain bearing down on him. Only now, standing in ce of his adversary, did he realize the terrifying sensation of a meteor striking from above. He couldn¡¯t resist it directly, for direct resistance meant certain death. He wasn¡¯t a monster capable of defying the heavens and shing head-on with a falling star. Dikui bit hard, making a swift decision. The Seven Star Command Banner was unfurled, and the Big Dipper formation was instantly rearranged, counteracting the force of the enemy¡¯s mountainous pressure, swallowing his figure into the formation and instantaneously moving him elsewhere. Chapter 290 - 194: Another Turn_2 Chapter 290: Chapter 194: Another Turn_2 However, the price of human transference was the revtion of the array¡¯s structure. All nodesid bare, all foundations exposed, the Big Dipper Array¡¯s framework fully revealed, unable to transform for the time being. If not for this, how could one neutralize the opposing force¡¯s mountainous pressure and timely transfer his body to another position? This was the price he paid, and also the fruit of his adversary¡¯s battle. ¡°Boom!!!¡± Another thunderous roar, thunder fire meteor falling, striking the array¡¯s foundation. The might of thunder fire, the force of the meteor, their power need not be mentioned in detail; a single boom, though not cracking the sky or splitting the earth, was enough to shake mountains, destroying every crucial node and foundation of the array in an instant. ¡°Rumble!¡± Outside the great array, amidst the mountains. A massive tremor shook the surroundings. ¡°What¡¯s going on!¡± ¡°Has the formation broken?¡± ¡°Quick, look¡!¡± The ground shook, and hearts trembled in all directions. Amidst the shock of the crowd, they saw the spirit light shatter again. The gates of Mount Tianshu, dust waves like billowing tides, rolling out. ¡°Has the great array broken?¡± Xiao Miao too was startled to her feet. ¡°Get down, are you looking to die?¡± Elder Zhen barked sharply, ¡°The formation hasn¡¯tpletely broken, and this fire hasn¡¯t died down. If you don¡¯t want to die, stay down!¡± ¡°Rumble!¡± Before his words finished, another noise erupted. The gates of Mount Tianshu, spirit light shattered, mountain body fractured. The Big Dipper Pivot Array was on the brink of copse. Such was the might of the meteor. Within the earth, another heavenly pit appeared, like an abyss stretching across. Yet, before the dust had settled and themotion ceased, light and shadows burst forth from the abyss, striking up towards the heavens once more. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± Light and shadows like dragons, lightning fleeing in terror, sweeping across the sky, a momentary crackling heard throughout. Star Mirrors, Star Mirrors, twenty-one Star Mirrors, in an instant eighteen shattered. Not only were the mirrors shattered, but also lives were lost, six Nascent Souls wielding the mirrors were struck by the ground seal, their bodies and treasures exploding in unison. ¡°How dare you!!!¡± A scream of fury and astonishment, True Man Taihua, controlling the body of Yuyao herself, watched six of her direct disciples perish, eyes nearly splitting with rage, fury burning up to the heavens. However¡ ¡°Boom!¡± Xu Yang turned, releasing a seal, the forces of thunder, lightning, wind, and fire assisting, furiously smashing towards the enemy leader. ¡°!!!¡± Taihua¡¯s pupils shrank, filled with utter terror, desperately activating her mana, trying to avoid this lethal attack. However, Beidou Tianshu half destroyed, the Star Treasure Mirror ten-to-one gone. Without the support of the great array andcking the aid of the spiritual treasure, how much difference could there be between her ¡°divided spirit incarnation¡± and an ordinary Nascent Soul? Three Mountains, Five Peaks, Thunder Fire Rebellion, not only possessing the speed of a thundering star¡¯s fall, but also the Earth Aura of Three Mountains and Five Peakspressing down, even before the sealnded, the force arrived, pressing on her body, rendering her immovable, making it difficult to even activate her mana. Dikui was in a simr situation before, only saving himself by shifting through the Big Dipper Array. What did she have? ¡°Bang!!!¡± A seal flipped over, striking directly in front of her. Taihua couldn¡¯t dodge in time, only feeling a pain in her face, and then she lost consciousness. That was her experience. But to others¡¯ eyes¡ ¡°Splurch!!!¡± With a single hit from the Thunder Fire Rebellion, the stunning beauty blossomed like a flower, a burst of scarlet exploding in the air. The Gold Stone Earth Seal, too terrible in power, not to mention a beauty¡¯s tender body, even a battle-hardened body could hardly withstand the sheer impact andpressive force. The physical body shattered, the vital core of life, and the Nascent Soul they relied on for rebirth, unable to escape, perished within. Such was its might! ¡°Taihua!¡± ¡°Yuyao!¡± A cry of shock, a wail of grief. Xu Yang¡¯s expression remained unchanged, as he turned his body. At the same time, a sword light rose, a long rainbow piercing through the sun. One sword! One thread! One dot! A sword light, concentrated to the extreme, fine as silk, minuscule like a speck of light, moved at an unimaginable pace through the void, stabbing towards Xu Yang. Such sword fment, Earth Aura could hardly resist, the tiny spark pierced through flesh, and then violently exploded. How did it explode? The concentrated sword fment reversed in an instant, sword Qi bursting forth, exploding like a pear blossom rainstorm within the opponent¡¯s body. This one sword, poured out everything, truly everything. Not just mana, not just cultivation, but even this top-tier Spirit Sword Tianshu, staked in a desperate bet, a decisive struggle. Not a self-destructing spiritual treasure, but close enough. Such a strike, made with the resolve for death, its mighty potential well imaginable. The Earth Aura of chaotic yellow could not withstand the sword light piercing through. Flesh and blood against the onught of ten thousand swords¡ªwhat could be the oue? Certainly¡ ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± Ten thousand sword qi exploded from within, sting apart. Yet the Taoist Man raised his hands, shaped them into ws and, with both hands channeling power, gradually brought them together in front of his chest. As the ws channeled power, they wove a thick earthen hue, and under the suppression of the Earth Aura, the rampaging explosive sword qi was actuallypressed back. One stream after another, thousands upon thousands, as if time had reversed, the myriad burst sword qi strands solidified back into their original form, coalescing qi into swords, swords into threads, threads into light, the light revealing the man. The figure of Dongcang materialized, gazing at the sword thread prating the opponent¡¯s chest, then at the calm Xu Yang, his face a picture of utter astonishment and disbelief. ¡°You!!!¡± ¡°Bang!!!¡± With a single horrified cry, he was abruptly smashed apart. Xu Yang formed ws with his hands, daringly pressed down, and the extremely refined sword threads instantly shattered in the chest into tiny pieces, vanishing like smoke and ash. ¡°Crack! Crack! Crack!¡± ¡°Bang!!!¡± Dongcang¡¯s body trembled, and as he lowered his head, he saw countless fissures following the path of that sword thread, swiftly covering himpletely; then, with a single touch of qi, a gunshot sound rang out, and he turned to flying ash and scattered away. Reduced to ash, the Dao extinguished¡ªinstant death without even allowing the Nascent Soul to escape. With a single technique and a single sword, one after another, they perished. Three cultivators with Great Divine Power, and in a blink, two were dead. However, after the fall of the two¡ Xu Yang¡¯s body trembled, Spiritual Light ignited like fire, erupting violently. ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± A series of rapid explosions, like firecrackers bursting, apanied by thunder and lightning resounding in unison. The shattered Spirit Light, the wild Mana, the body scarred and wounded. Atst, wisps of blue smoke rose, and his Daoist robe was in tatters. The cultivator¡¯s mouth was bleeding, and with shaking hands, he pressed them against his chest, attempting to drive his Mana to suppress his injuries. However, the damage to the flesh was too severe, the Mana was present but uncontroble, bing chaotic within him instead of aiding him. The Earth Aura around him also dissipated, thread by thread, losing most of its robust momentum. Three Great Divine Powers, two rounds of bombardment, and finally, there was the Sword Cultivator¡¯s life-taking, self-sacrificing sword strike. Under such relentless battle, how could the Nascent Soul body withstand? Both logically and emotionally, it was impossible! To say he was severely injured was to be expected¡ªdeath was well within reason. To emerge unscathed would be the real issue. Xu Yang spoke no words, flipping his palm to extract a Spirit Pill and swallowing it directly. But as soon as the Spirit Pill entered his mouth¡ ¡°Boom! Boom! Boom!¡± The earth shook, the mountains quivered, and Spiritual Energy erupted tumultuously. The ground boomed loudly, mountains trembled ceaselessly, Rocks tumbled down, and dust clouds billowed. The gate of Mount Tianshu seemed to face doomsday, yet inexplicably, a vast amount of Spiritual Energy surged forth. ¡°This is bad!¡± ¡°Those bastards at Tianshu Sect can¡¯t beat that old ghost, they¡¯re gonna sacrifice the Spirit Vein and fight to the death with him!¡± ¡°The Spirit Vein of Mount Tianshu is a fourth-tier Spirit Vein; with this sacrifice, activating the Great Array, they will both be annihted in the end!¡± ¡°Kid, run!!!¡± At this sight, the spectators outside the scene were shocked and confused. Only Elder Zhen was awakened, and he hurriedly shouted a warning. ¡°Oh! Oh! Oh!¡± Xiao Miao quickly rose to leave, but after a nce at his surroundings and a second thought, he ultimately decided to yell out at the top of his lungs. ¡°Whoever doesn¡¯t want to die, run! The Spirit Vein of Tianshu is about to blow!¡± No sooner were these words spoken than silence engulfed the area. After the stillness came themotion, and onlookers from all directions scrambled away in panic. At this moment, within the Tianshu Sect, at the gate. The Seven Star Command Banner fixed the void in ce. The shattered Formation roared into action. Strands of Spirit Light shot outward, seeking to escape before being annihted. ¡°Today, this old man will die together with you!¡± The figure of Dikui appeared once more, his crown in disarray, his eyes red with blood, staring intently at the person within the Formation. Xu Yang remained silent, his hair disheveled, his cloak tattered, beneath which the pulse of his Mana was erratic. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Seeing this, Dikuiughed uproariously, ¡°With Cultivation limited to this extent, even if you had Heaven Reaching abilities, you cannot defy thews of reality. I don¡¯t have much life left, going back to the Sect would mean sitting and waiting for death. It¡¯s better to journey together. To have a great being send me off, I shall have no regrets in death.¡± Xu Yang remained silent, concentrating his Mana into a hammer-like form, the drifting Earth Aura gathering once again into a seal. The Rebellion Seal, the Rebellion Seal, it was indeed the Rebellion Seal! ¡°Hmm!?¡± Dikui¡¯s gaze sharpened, aware of his opponent¡¯s n, and thenughed loudly, ¡°It seems you still have arrangements here, but unfortunately, my Big Dipper Immortal Sect is determined not to let you have your way. Hahaha!¡± Amidst theughter, the sevenmand gs rose, connecting with the Big Dipper Starlight above and drawing upon the Earth Spirit of Tianshu below, preparing for ast desperate struggle that would destroy both sides. The cultivator said nothing, but drove the Earth Aura forward, eighteen Rebellion Seals tumbling with thunder and fire, choosing not to break the Formation and escape, but to bombard the surrounding heavens and earth. ¡°Boom!!!¡± The next moment, all directions exploded, the sky copsed and the earth shattered, a terrifying force swept through annihting hundreds of miles around, engulfing the entrance to Mount Tianshu, leaving behind a zone of imbnce and disorder, a chaotic and terrifying domain of death. Chapter 291 - 195: Harvest_1 Chapter 291: Chapter 195: Harvest_1 After the great battle, the shock to the heavens and the earth didn¡¯t cease. Mount Tianshu, once Liang Country¡¯s number one Spirit Land, had now turned into a dark abyss, a chaotic realm of death, unbnced and disordered. A Divinity Transformation, truly a Great Cultivator, had the power to change an area¡¯s environment with ease. Just now, the intensity of the battle within the formation was no less than that of a Divinity Transformation, and the final move was earth-shattering. Sacrificing the Tianshu Spirit Vein and activating the Big Dipper Formation, it was an all-or-nothing strike, do or die. It broke the bnce of this ce¡¯s heaven and earth, as well as its spatiotemporal order, leading to the current state of absolute chaos. The realm was in utter chaos, terrifying indeed, with unknown dangers buried within. Not to mention Golden Core cultivators, even Nascent Souls would likely face a nine-in-ten chance of death upon entering. It wasn¡¯t just internally chaotic; the external areas were also not safe. The surrounding regions for thousands of miles were affected by the disturbance. The sky was dark; thend was dim. Sand flew and rocks scuttled; dirt and smog tumbled wildly, and asionally, streams of chaotic void energy would burst forth from the realm, causing onlookers to shudder in fear and feel as though their souls were about to depart their bodies. ¡°Is this the power of a Nascent Soul?¡± ¡°More than just Nascent Souls, much more!¡± ¡°The Spell King¡¯s capabilities are terrifying indeed!¡± ¡°The Tianshu Sect¡ to think it had such potential!¡± ¡°Is the Spell King alive or dead?¡± ¡°Not a single disciple of Green Jade Mountain has been seen; could it be that the Spell King had made arrangements in advance?¡± ¡°What will be of Liang Country hereafter?¡± ¡°Thank goodness for that person¡¯s timely warning, otherwise, we would have been reduced to bones under the aftermath of the battle.¡± ¡°We must not linger in this ce for long!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s leave quickly!¡± Witnessing the aftermath of the great battle and thendscape that had turned into a realm of death, people were discussing fervently, still shaken. Afterward, they dared not stay any longer and quickly withdrew, each going their separate ways, distancing themselves from this troublesome ce. A single battle wiped out the Tianshu Sect, and Taoist magic was also gone. What followed was inevitable chaos in the Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm unless the ¡°Thunder Lightning Mana King¡± reappeared or the Green Jade Mountain disciples took control of the situation. The order system established over thest ten years had crumbled almost entirely, if notpletely. But¡ ¡°It was a necessary evil!¡± Xu Yang sighed in the Nine Ritual Altars within Fish and Dragon Ind. Within the sigh, Xu Yang extended his hand, and the void rippled visibly. Waves emerged in the void, carrying the dejected energy of chaos, and a seal fell, already covered in scars. The Thunder Fire Rebellion Seal of the Three Mountains and Five Sacred Peaks! This seal, this Spiritual Treasure, was now heavily damaged, with apparent cracks and defects, its Earth Aura dissipating and pure Yang golden light fading intermittently, causing Xu Yang an immense head-splitting pain. Xu Yang disregarded the pain, collected the damaged Spiritual Treasure, and only when the almost copsed and ethereal Yang God returned to his body did the intense pain in his head slightly abate. The Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor was indeed formidable, allowing a Nascent Soul to fight alone against Three Cultivations within the formation, overpowering three great Spiritual Treasures and Divine Skills. But even the strongest has its limits. The strength of the Three Cultivations of Tianshu had reached the boundary of Divinity Transformation. The power of the three Spiritual Treasuresbined with the big formation in a relentless bombardment. How could he remain unscathed? If it had been his flesh-and-blood body, he would have suffered grievous injuries long ago. The human body has limits, as does flesh and blood. Even if one could withstand the power and defense ofbat, keeping up with the consumption and recovery is another story. It was only because of the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor, powered by tens of millions of Spirit Stones, with Yuan Spirit converted into Mana as energy, and arge number of Magic Artifactponents avable for recement, that it could sustain such intense battle and maintain itsbat strength. Xu Yang spent who knows how many Spirit Stones, reced who knows how many Magic Artifacts, to stand tall against the continuous bombardment of the Divine Skills of the three individuals, enduring to the very end. Did the group from Tianshu Sect really think they were facing a single individual inbat? No, they were facing the Wandao School, Fish and Dragon Ind, tens of thousands of Spirit Monsters under Xu Yang, as well as the millions of Cultivators working for Green Jade Mountain in Liang Country. They weren¡¯t just confronting an individual but an entire system, an institution, and a set of mature industrial technology andplete Taoist traditions. They were not merely sted apart by the Divine Skills and Spiritual Treasures; rather, they were crushed by Spirit Stones, Mana Money, and the immense material and human resources. Gathering the collective strength of many is just like this. Of course, Xu Yang paid a heavy price. COUNTLESS Spirit Stones were consumed. Numerous Magic Artifacts were damaged. With the final all-in strike, not only was the newly acquired Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor thrown into the fray, but tens of millions of Artifact-gradeponents were destroyed, reduced to ashes, without even the chance to be retrieved. Even the core of the Mech Armor, the Spiritual Treasure itself¡ªthe Thunder Fire Rebellion Seal freshly forged from the Three Mountains and Five Sacred Peaks¡ªsuffered extremely severe damage. Even Xu Yang¡¯s Yang God, the actual maniptor of the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor, nearly perished in the final onught. Had it been the usual Mech Armor at the level of one hundred thousand artifacts, the Yang God that Xu Yang had split off would have unquestionably been annihted. Currently, his Cultivation level is only at Nascent Soul, not yet a Divinity Transformation. Although he has life-preserving techniques such as the Soul-Hiding Spells and the Earth Deity Incense Golden Body, even if his Yang God were destroyed, his life would not be threatened. However, the recovery and continuation of his practice would unavoidably take time and affect his cultivation. For now, it might be a matter of decades for Xu Yang to reumte theponents to reconstruct the Mech Armor, nourish the Spiritual Treasure, and heal the injuries of the Yang God. Once all this was aplished, he would regain his previous formidable power. Unable to maintain the resources of the entire Liang Country as he did with Green Jade Mountain ormand the service of millions of Cultivators, his rate of development and efficiency of umtion would inevitably decrease significantly. Chapter 292 - 195: Harvest_2 Chapter 292: Chapter 195: Harvest_2 As to why he needed to withdraw¡ Of course he had to withdraw! The situation was already crystal clear. Xu Ling¡¯s legacy was of great importance, and within a century, there would inevitably be major changes in this world. Now, beyond the boundaries of the Void Spirit Realm, a multitude of powers converged, all covetously eyeing this treasure. Themotion he had caused was big enough. If he did not withdraw now and continued to let things develop, when the Void Spirit Cave Heaven opened in a hundred years, he, the Stone Spell King of Green Jade Mountain who had ruled Liang Country for many years, would inevitably be the primary target for everyone. This was clearly not what Xu Yang wanted. So he chose to withdraw after achieving his goals and retreat to develop from behind the scenes. Of course, this move had a bit of a ¡®burying his head in the sand¡¯ quality to it. Not to mention the Tianshu Sect, even the various powers lurking outside, and the cultivators within the Void Spirit Realm, probably all had great doubts about his life and death. But there was no way around it. You can¡¯t do everything perfectly, without a single w or leak. Sometimes, with some issues, you just have to choose between ¡®not so bad¡¯ and ¡®especially disastrous.¡¯ Like now, faking death to escape, though it seemed even more suspicious, it was truly better than continuing to rule Liang Country and bing the top target of major powers in a hundred years, right? Choosing the lesser of two evils, it was better to vanish into the city and hide. Having decided to withdraw, then why bother with a big battle before leaving, leading to a pyrrhic victory? It was to preserve the Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm. In ten years, the Green Jade¡¯s teachings and the Taoist Martial True Scripture had spread throughout the Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm, avable for all to learn and practice. The cultivators of Liang Country, as long as they practiced, were all Xu Yang¡¯s disciples, and could bring him feedback through various features of the ¡°teacher skill.¡± They were equivalent to millions of cultivation elerators! If Xu Yang withdrew directly and returned the Liang Kingdom Cultivation Realm to the rule of Tianshu Sect, would they allow the Taoist Martial True Scripture to continue spreading? Obviously not, they might even carry out a purge, ughtering those who practiced it and forbidding the spread of the Green Jade teachings. This was something Xu Yang could not tolerate. Xu Yangcked a Spiritual Root and relied solely on skills for cultivation, as well as various kinds of nourishment and external forces like the Luotian Dajiao to advance swiftly. Now, with his Nascent Soul formed, the Luotian Dajiao was not that effective anymore; its power greatly reduced. After all, this mana point was used in the World of Dao and Law to achieve the status of a Heavenly Master, and above that rank, it naturally became less effective. The Wandao School had not yet been able to innovate and create a new Luotian Dajiao suitable for higher realms. Without the Luotian Dajiao, relying only on Spirit Pills and Medicines for nourishment? It wasn¡¯t impossible, but the resources of this ursed ce, Liang Country¡ One word, slow, very slow! So the ¡°cultivation babies¡± must be kept, no matter what. Otherwise, Xu Yang¡¯s cultivation speed would slow to an uneptable level, leaving him powerless to cope with the changes brought about by the Void Spirit a hundred yearster. To protect these ¡°cultivation elerators,¡± Xu Yang had no choice but to go after the Tianshu Sect and eradicate thempletely. As for whether they would flip the table¡ Times had changed! Xu Yang used to be concerned about this, but now he was not worried at all. Given the current situation of the Big Dipper Immortal Sect, it was impossible for them to flip the table. Because that would do them no good. Now that powers have gathered outside the Void Spirit Realm, even if they used the Immortal Sect¡¯s potential to st open the Cave Heaven, they would gain no advantage, and might even find themselves in apromised position due to theck of high-endbat power. And even if Tianshu Sect, in a fit of desperation, wanted to st open the Cave Heaven by any means, Xu Yang had the ¡°Escaping One¡± to cover him,bined with the power of the Earth Deities. As long as he gathered all the Spirit Monsters into beast bags and hid under Fish and Dragon Ind with the divine seal concealing him, Xu Yang didn¡¯t believe they could still find him. If they could find him under those circumstances, then Xu Yang would ept his fate. In any case, he had done his utmost with this matter. How things would develop from here was up to fate. He needn¡¯t be too concerned about that. This was the cost of the war, as well as strategic nning. Xu Yang lowered his gaze, then looked at the spoils of war. Although the battle had been fierce, culminating in mutual destruction, his formidable power allowed him to still plunder some spoils. First was a Spirit Sword, broken into several pieces. It was the treasured Tianshu Sword, an upper-tier Tianshu Spirit Sword! This sword was incredibly powerful, but it was unfortunate enough to meet Xu Yang¡¯s Thunderfire Overturning Heaven Seal. The Thunderfire Overturning Heaven Seal, forged from the Gold Stone Qi of the three mountains and five sacred peaks, was naturally the nemesis of Flying Swords and simr items. Afterposing the Spirit-Treasure Mech Armor, its toughness was even greater, and its power was more substantial. The Tianshu Sword, being pure offense and no defense, naturally could not withstand it. Now that the sword was broken into pieces and its spirit destroyed, a decline in quality was inevitable, but the material quality was there, and in the end, it still was a Lower Grade Spiritual Treasure. A Lower Grade Spiritual Treasure, no matter how low-grade, was still a Spiritual Treasure. Xu Yang had scoured Liang Country, umting resources for ten years, just to refine a Lower Grade Spiritual Treasure. In the end, it was only due to chance and Heavenly Tribtion Creation that he obtained a middle tier one. Just this Spirit Sword alone wouldpensate for the Spirit Stone deficit caused by this war¡¯s expenses. Xu Yang was a Sword Cultivator himself, in particr a cultivator of the Heavenly Sword, so the Tianshu Sword was also very suitable for him. Unfortunately, he did not n to use it. The best match for the wielder of the Heavenly Sword was still Xuanyuan. This sword, he intended to smelt and disassemble, harvesting its materials to repair the Thunderfire Overturning Heaven Seal. As the sword was metallic, it matched perfectly with the Rebellion Seal. After melting and forging it, not only could it repair the damages from the recent battle, but it would also deepen the essential potential of the Thunderfire Overturning Heaven Seal, creating a foundation for advancing to an upper-tier Spiritual Treasure in the future. This was the first acquisition; now on to the second. He drew forth a bronze mirror from amidst a myriad of Star Stones, the center of which was polished and gleaming, and Xu Yang took it out. Chapter 293 - 195: Harvest_3 Chapter 293: Chapter 195: Harvest_3 The Cycle of Heaven Constetion Mirror, a set of middle grade Spiritual Treasures whenbined. Xu Yang used the Rebellion Seal to smash neen of them, ultimately only two remained, and in the final moments of his assault, he even took the Storage Bag into the seal. There wasn¡¯t much to look through in the Storage Bag, just some Nascent Soul pills and talismans, along with a collection of various Spirit Stone materials. As for the transmission of cultivation techniques, they were all in their minds, and with soul restrictions protected by Primordial Spirits. With his current methods, he wasn¡¯t able to perform soul searching. Thus, even though he captured a few Nascent Souls at thest moment, they weren¡¯t of much use for the time being. Xu Yang nned to use them to refine ghosts, to bring forth a Seventh Rank ¡°Increase Life and Damage Fate Grand Marshal,¡± reconstruct the Yin Mountain Mansion in the real world, and equip it with a Ten million artifacts level Ghost God Mecha. When the timees, Fish and Dragon Ind will gain a mighty warrior who could also y the role of a viin, doing some unsightly tasks or stirring up interesting matters. ording to the information revealed by the Tianshu Sect, the outside world is named the Northern Domain, a grand era of cultivation. The Human n is not the only dominant force; there are also demons and myriad beasts, with various ghosts and monsters not a rare sight. Inside the Human n, apart from the Immortal Gate and Buddha Sect that barely count as the Righteous Path, there are Demon Paths and all kinds of Side-Path Left Ways, truly a case of a hundred schools of thought contending. In such a world, having multiple identities can make a lot of things very convenient. I digress, back to the main point. The Cycle Star Dust Mirror now has only two remaining pieces and can¡¯t be considered a set, not even qualifying as low grade. Xu Yang also didn¡¯t practice the Star Jue, so there wasn¡¯t much to say. He would melt it down, disassemble it, and recast the Rebellion Seal. This treasure was barely considered a Land-Moving Treasure as it was crafted from the rare ¡°Star Stone¡± and could also enhance the potentiality of the Rebellion Seal. Having decided the fate of the two Spiritual Treasures, Xu Yang then brought out thest piece of war loot. Amand g, a tattered Star Command g! The Seven Star Command Banner! A Formation Spiritual Treasure that is ranked as low grade. Although it is only low grade, due to the significance of the word ¡°Formation,¡± its value and status is certainly not lower than that of the matched set of the Cycle of Heaven Constetion Mirror. Of course, that applies when it is intact. Now¡ The Seven Star Command Banner is reduced to just one gstaff, and it¡¯s in tatters, its Spirit Light almost extinguished. Ultimately, during the scorched earth tactic, bursting the Big Dipper Great Array, this crucial gstaff for the Formation couldn¡¯t be preserved. Xu Yang exerted his full power just to barely save one, but it too was badly damaged and no longer usable. Such scraps, even if refined, could not be a Spiritual Treasure again. But Xu Yang didn¡¯t care. In his view, this was the biggest gain of the battle. Because within thismand gstaff, therey a portion of Taoism, a portion of the principles of Formation. The Big Dipper Immortal Legend, Tianshu Array Path! The Big Dipper Immortal Sect, the sacred ce of Formation, within it lies a Seventh Order Immortal Spirit ¡°Cycle Big Dipper Star Master Array!¡± Under the Seventh Order Immortal Spirit array, there is a Sixth Order Great Array, known as the Array of the Big Dipper. The Big Dipper also has Seven Stars, branching into seven transmissions, among which the Tianshu Array Path is one, ranked at the Fifth Tier. A Fourth Order connects with spirits, a Fifth Tier reveals the spirit, and a Fifth Order Great Array is capable of producing an ¡°Array Spirit.¡± Even without a Formation Master to control it, it can transform autonomously, its power boundless. The Wandao School, after years of research and with Xu Yang leading through his special abilities, has managed just barely to advance the art of Formation to the Fourth Order. As for the Fifth Order, it is too mysterious, and Xu Yang felt he had no way to begin. Therefore, this one gstaff containing some principles of the Tianshu Array Path was very important to him, and it might even help him open the door to the Fifth Order Formation Technique Path. The Three Thousand Great Dao ultimately lead to the same destination, especially true for the Wandao School system. A breakthrough in the Formation Technique Path will benefit other paths as well, leading to overall progress and development. Speaking of the Luotian Dajiao, Xu Yang did not believe its effects were limited to the Seventh Realm. It¡¯s just that currently, his cultivation in Formation is too low, not reaching the level of the Ancient Immortal Gods who created the technique, so he cannot develop a higher realm of the Luotian Dajiao. When his Formation cultivation improves, not only Seventh Realm Nascent Souls but also Eighth Realms Divinity Transformation, and even Ninth Realm Return to Void might have the hope of being massively upgraded using Luotian Dajiao or some other methods. As long as there¡¯s a path in cultivation, there¡¯s a way in the Tao! ¡°What a pity, just one Array Banner, which contains limited principles, insufficient to perform soul searching and capturing theplete technique.¡± ¡°How about starting a project to break soul restrictions within the Wandao School?¡± ¡°Let it be, without the materials, starting it is useless.¡± ¡°Still have to experience a great dream, eh!¡± Xu Yangughed, and then went no further, closing his eyes and falling into sleep right there on the Nine Ceremony High Altar. Chapter 294: 196: Sudden Change_1 Ten years in the real world, a thousand years in a dream. Taoism for a lifetime, what then? ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s finally over!¡± Inside the outdated Yellow Beam Game Warehouse, Ye Bai propped up his skinny frame, a youth who should have been full of energy, now filled with dejection. Sitting in the game pod, he nced at his wristwatch, a series of unread messages from concerned parents. But Ye Bai gave a bitter smile, deleted them all, then stood up to leave the pod, grabbed a bottle of Spiritual Wine from the fridge, slumped onto the couch, turning into a lump of y, and listlessly turned on the TV to continue wasting his meaningless time. It was indeed meaningless. What¡¯s the point of cultivation? A great era of Taoism where everyone is like a dragon? With a poption of three hundred billion, if all were pythons and True Dragons, how could this world possibly bear it? The vast majority are just small fish and shrimp, stepping stones for others, mere paving bricks.