《I have Immortality In The Cultivation World》 Chapter 1: Longevity Dao Fruit Chapter 1: Longevity Dao Fruit Editor: Henyee Trantions Prison Guard¡¯s Cap. Dark blue short jacket. ck trousers. On the chest, arge white circle with the character ¡°Prison¡± written inside it. Zhou Yi sized up his outfit and still couldn¡¯t bring himself to believe that he¡¯d woken up to be a prison guard of the Heavenly Prison in Fengyang Country. He was still enjoying hotpot, embracing a girl, and singing love songs the previous night, when suddenly he transmigrated! Dark, gloomy cells, the strong stench of decay, the shadowy figures of prisoners curled up behind the iron bars, and their humming sounds that were almost imperceptible. Everything served as a reminder to Zhou Yi that this was not a dream. ¡°I worked 996 before crossing over, and I¡¯m still working 996 after crossing. This fucking isn¡¯t a free trip!¡± Zhou Yi rubbed his temples, attempting to alleviate the severe pain from the memory sh, realizing the gist of his own circumstances. Same name, same surname; his father was also a prison guard, who unfortunately died of a coldst year, and his mother followed after a few months, sumbing to depression. The prison guard¡¯s household registration was hereditary, and following tradition, they had recruited Zhou Yi into the Heavenly Prison. Since he was born physically weak and sickly, and had no martial arts cultivation, his duty was only to deliver food to the prisoners. The Heavenly Prison was directly managed by the Imperial Court, detaining political prisoners and criminals with severe sentences. The overall number of inmates wasn¡¯trge, so the work was rtively easy. Zhou Yi stretched and warmed up his muscles with a few simple broadcast gymnastics movements but this caused a series of coughs, the pain and spasms in his chest became intense. ¡°Cough cough cough! This body is really too frail; no wonder he died so young¡­¡± Fear suddenly arose in Zhou Yi¡¯s heart as he remembered that he was a premature baby, congenitally weak and frequently ill, by now having already exhausted all the family¡¯s silver coins. Regardless of how much nourishing medicinal decoction he drank, it never cured his innate deficiency! ¡°Is this game setting me up to die again right from the start?¡± Zhou Yi carefully inspected his memories, and his heart sankpletely. Being a prison guard might seem like a despicable vocation, but given the exceptional identities of the prisoners, the job was quite lucrative. Father Zhou had been on duty in the prison for more than twenty years, managed to buy a house in Divine Capital, and even arranged for an Imperial Physician from the pce to personally diagnose and prescribe medicine for Zhou Yi, which ultimately amounted to nothing. With these thoughts, the only remaining option for Zhou Yi was to summon up his courage and softly call out. ¡°System!¡± No response. ¡°Golden Finger?¡± ¡°Elder?¡± ¡°System Daddy?¡± Zhou Yi called out affectionately several times, but still received no response, not even a ding sound. Suddenly. A golden light burst forth in Zhou Yi¡¯s mind, manifesting a round Golden Core. ¡°What is this thing?¡± Before his words fell, scenes after scenes appeared before Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes, spectacr, luxurious, terrifying, thrilling! Monstrous beasts roamed the wilderness, spewing mes that filled the sky. Pces of white bones sat atop thousands of feet high mountains, with figures that resembled both humans and ghosts riding swirling clouds of demons. Creatures with the heads of wolves and bodies of snakes calling upon storms, winged peoplemanding thunder. The firmament slowly opened its eye of golden light, gazing coldly and indifferently at the mortal world, unleashing countless purple divine thunders, leaving nothing but ashes within thousands of miles. Immortalsmanded flying swords, shing open rifts in the void. Demon Heads sat cross-legged in blood pools, with skulls and skeletons floating up and down. Giant gods, nine-dragon chariots, white tigers that howled at the sky, ck turtles that covered the sea¡­ The vast sounds of Immortal music buzzed, and the blurry images slowly faded away. At this moment. The Golden Core within his mind had already converged its divine light, resembling an ordinary golden pearl, slowly revolving and suspended within Zhou Yi¡¯s soul, as a strand of information entered his spiritual consciousness. Longevity Dao Fruit! ¡°Dao Fruit!¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this the Longevity Dao Fruit I obtained in the game from my previous life after cultivating to the highest level?¡± Before Zhou Yi¡¯s transmigration, he had been addicted to a cultivation simtion game, and after half a year of continuous y, he finally reached the max level. After surpassing the nine heavenly tribtions, he could choose a Dao Fruit. Since Zhou Yi was a ¡®leecher¡¯ who did not spend money, he had no choice but to select the only free Longevity Dao Fruit. [Dao Fruit: Longevity] Attributes: After reaching adulthood, no further growth, an endless lifespan, evesting and ageless. The free Dao Fruit came without any additional attributes or stats! ¡°So my golden finger is a game! Load game? Open game? Game panel? Di Chou Work Studio?¡± Zhou Yi tried calling out a few more times, confirming that he had not brought along any other game attributes, and could only shrug helplessly. ¡°So, am I now granted evesting youth?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, evesting youth doesn¡¯t mean immortal. It simply means one does not age, has an endless lifespan, but can still be injured, be ill, fall victim to idents, and be killed by others.¡± Zhou Yi moved his arms and legs and found that weakness and illness had vanished, his breathing was long and even, and his limbs were strong and vigorous. ¡°The innate deficiencies have disappeared, likely due to the influence of the Longevity Dao Fruit.¡± ¡°If I had known I would transmigrate, I should have spent ten 648s, and whaled the best Dao Fruit talent! However, while the other Dao Fruits increase talents and attributes, none offer evesting immortality¡­¡± Zhou Yi thought carefully for a moment and realized that in reality, as opposed to the game, the Longevity Dao Fruit actually seemed like the best choice. Because there are lifespan limitations in reality, even with other high-level attributes and talented Dao Fruits, one still needs to continue cultivating for evesting life, facing inevitable strife and battles. In the face of the dangers of war, survival is slim! On the other hand, having the Longevity Dao Fruit just requires one to be careful and wary, avoiding making enemies, and steadily cultivating. In tens or hundreds of thousands of years, one could still ascend to immortality and be an ancestor. Zhou Yi recalled the horrific scenes from the Cultivation World, where moving mountains and filling seas weremonce, and tearing through the void was taken lightly. Even with a high-level Dao Fruit to aid in one¡¯s cultivation, an untold number of struggles between life and death would have to be endured to achieve longevity. Gods, demons, and immortals are not always benevolent seniors. Should they discover Zhou Yi¡¯s unusually fast cultivation pace, or if someone with waning years needed the Heavenly Pride Furnace Cauldron, they might not hesitate to disregard their dignity to perform a Soul Search or take over his body to steal the Dao Fruit! The Dao Fruit is the ultimate goal in the path of cultivation, and without corresponding Dao Protection Art, one is like a child holding gold in a bustling marketce. ¡°Am I, Zhou Yi, the type to seek out trouble and fight recklessly?¡± Determined, Zhou Yi resolved to lie low until he was unmatched in the world, before going out to enjoy freedom in the exterior world. The Heavenly Prison was truly an excellent ce. Geographically, it was located in Ningde Fang of the Divine Capital, with the city¡¯s main gate to the west and the Ministry of Justice right to the east, and only two marketces away from the imperial pce. Thousands of imperial guards provided strict security, and one could always flee the city if needed, making it arguably the safest ce in Fengyang Country. Even in the event of a dynastic upheaval, attackers would target the pce; new emperors wouldn¡¯t release serious criminals, potentially allowing them to harm their ownnds and people. Enjoying the level of defense afforded to an emperor, yet without being confined by the Pce Court. ¡°Perfect! Let¡¯s set a small goal, to live in this Heavenly Prison for a few hundred years!¡± Zhou Yi, holding a food bucket, went to the door of each cell, scooping up a spoonful of some watery gruel made from indistinct ingredients. Upon hearing the noise, prisoners climbed up from their straw mats. With hands as dark as pitch, they fished in their coarse porcin bowls, finding only a few grains of coarse rice and some wilted vegetable leaves before flipping the bowl over with a crash. ¡°I am the Assistant Minister of Rites, how dare you make me eat such swill fit for pigs?¡± This was someone new who hadn¡¯t yet shed the pride of his former status! The cellmate, much more understanding, said, ¡°Young fe, another spoonful, please. This isn¡¯t enough to fill me up!¡± Zhou Yi, adhering to the principle of humanity, checked the cell number anddled some thicker porridge from the bottom of the bucket for the prisoner, reminding him. ¡°The end of the month is near, remember to have your family send money for food.¡± ¡°Another month has passed, huh!¡± The prisoner sighed, slurped his bowl clean, belched satisfactorily, then returned to his straw mat to sit in meditation and ponder. Chapter 2 - 2 Flying Rainbow Swordsman Chapter 2: Flying Rainbow Swordsman Editor: Henyee Trantions The prison never saw daylight all year round, only the passageway was lit by oilmps. It was dim and oppressive, hard to differentiate between day and night. Prisoners who had just arrived would mark the walls to record the days, but as time dragged on either too long or the walls were filled with marks, they lost the will to count the days. After all, too few lived to walk out of the prison! The prisoner sitting in meditation was someone Zhou Yi remembered, his surname was Su, and he was said to have once been a literary giant from Jiangnan. Because he wrote poetry that defied the current regime, he drew the attention of the Jinyiwei for investigation and, for some unknown reason, was found guilty of torturing a servant to death and was duly thrown into the prison. His family sent silver, and he could drink an extra spoonful of thin porridge with each meal! Perhaps one day, if he outlived the current ruler and a new sovereign ascended the throne to grant amnesty, he would be released. ¡°No wonder he¡¯s in such good spirits!¡± After distributing the thin porridge, Zhou Yi walked out along the prison cells. The noise came from near to far. Initially it was loud and incessant, then it turned into shouts and calls of various sizes, clearly from gambling. Since Fengyang Country was founded three hundred years ago, the dynasty¡¯smon illnesses were no fewer, such as the Emperor demanding birthday tributes, or the corruption of officials and thexness of military readiness. The discipline in the prison was no longer as strict as it was during the time of the Great Ancestor, otherwise Zhou Yi, sick as he was, wouldn¡¯t have been able to get in. Although officially there were over a thousand jailers, the majority were ghosts drawing sries without actually appearing, and the few colonels who did show up for duty spent all day drinking and gambling for pleasure. Zhou Yipared the current state of affairs in Fengyang Country with what was described in the history books¡ªit was likely that the dynasty was on the verge of being reced. ¡°Little Yi, finished delivering the meals? Come and y a few rounds!¡± The voice of the subordinate official Zhang Zhou woke Zhou Yi from his contemtions. Zhang Zhou was continuously blowing on the palm of his hand as if he could make the dominoes¡¯ numbersrger. Zhang Zhou was a prison subordinate, a minor official of no particr standing, and happened to be Zhou Yi¡¯s immediate superior, who had a good rtionship with thete Father Zhou. Zhou Yi shook his head, firstly because he was naturally cautious and not fond of gambling, and secondly because he had no silver coins. The former owner of the body spent all his family¡¯s silver daily on medicine to nourish his body, only to find it was in vain and allowed the soul from Blue Star to take over the body. Standing behind Zhang Zhou for a while, he observed a game simr to Pai Gow, with Colonel Niu acting as the banker. Tedious, dull! Zhou Yi calmed his thoughts, contemting how to cultivate in the future. Even with the Longevity Dao Fruit, he could not give up the pursuit of immortality; one day he might encounter demons from the evil path abducting people, or immortals whose battles obliterate a city. Natural disasters and man-made cmities could not be avoided by mere caution. Longevity was the Dao Fruit, but cultivation was the Dao Protection Art! ¡°The memories of the former self never heard of the methods of immortality, not even the existence of immortals, only that martial arts were divided into Inner Qi and body refining. The specifics still required a visit to the martial arts schools for more information.¡± Cultivation was for the sake of longevity¡ªZhou Yi already had the Dao Fruit, but would not forsake the essential for the trivial, seeking immortal life through risky wanderings. So for now, he could only choose the martial path! ¡°Should I first earn arge sum of money to improve my living conditions? If I can¡¯t manage to produce soap and cement, I could still work on saltpeter and develop greenhouses with controlled temperatures¡­¡± ¡°Or I could giarize some poetry and songs; once I have a reputation, the money will follow¡­¡± ¡°If all else fails¡­¡± ¡°Let it be for now. Currently in Divine Capital, I have a house and the prison provides food, so let¡¯s notplicate things over a bit of silver.¡± Zhou Yi had no trust in themercial environment of ancient times. In a society utterly dominated by officials, possessing arge sum of silver without any connections or backing was nothing but waiting to be ughtered like pigs and sheep. At this moment. An outside clerk came in and whispered something in Colonel Niu¡¯s ear. The colonel was a prison official of Ninth Grade, leading ten subordinate officials, each of whom managed ten jailers. Niu Su, byw, couldmand a hundred men. However, with so many drawing empty sries these days, he had only about twenty or thirty jailers under hismand, and they often did not all turn up. ¡°Brothers, we¡¯ve got work to do.¡± Niu Su threw the dominoes on the table and said, ¡°Lord Lei ordered that the thief who was imprisoned a few days ago must be interrogated and confess today, lest the execution be dyed.¡± Lord Lei, named Lei Hu, held the office of jailer, and aside from the guards stationed outside, he could be said to be the highest-ranking official within the prison. ¡°I¡¯ll do it, I¡¯ll do it!¡± Zhang Zhou¡¯s eyes were slightly reddened, and with the flickeringmp light, he looked almost like a demon. ¡°Today¡¯s luck is bloody awful, I¡¯ve lost everything. I must take it out on this crook!¡± Amidst the conversation, a group of more than a dozen people rushed toward the interrogation room. Zhou Yi hesitated for a moment before following them. The thief was in cell no. 12; upon opening the prison door, they saw a man hanging upside down, his face covered with bloodstains, making his features indistinguishable. Zhou Yi trailed behind the crowd, perhaps desensitized by memories of simr sights, the miserable state of the man evoked no nausea or urge to vomit. Zhang Zhou sshed water on the man¡¯s face to wake him, not bothering with questions, he began whipping him ruthlessly. Crack, crack, crack! With each sound, a new bloody welt appeared on the man¡¯s body. The whip was soaked in saltwater, and as it struck the wounds, the man cried out in pain. Only then did Zhou Yi see clearly: the man¡¯s mouth was devoid of teeth and half of his tongue had been cut off. How could he possibly confess to anything? Colonel Niu sat leisurely in the Taishi Chair, sipping tea and speaking softly with the clerk responsible for the records. Surrounding the spectacle, the dozen or so onlookers reacted differently; some appeared gratified, others indifferent, and some even ced bets on how many more rounds the prisoner could endure. After a long while, Zhang Zhou, growing tired from whipping, picked up a red-hot iron and pressed it randomly against the man¡¯s body. Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle! A stench of burning flesh filled the air as the prisoner¡¯s breath grew faint, reduced to mere instinctual groans. Colonel Niu stopped Zhang Zhou from continuing the torture: ¡°Don¡¯t kill him!¡± The clerk, havingpleted the record of the interrogation, lifted the man¡¯s hand and without using cinnabar, left a clear bloody handprint on the confession document. Irond evidence, an undeniable confession! Zhou Yi quietly asked a jailer next to him, ¡°Uncle Ye, what crime has this manmitted? He doesn¡¯t look like a government official.¡± ¡°This thief was a vagabond of the jianghu, known as the Flying Rainbow Swordsman or something.¡± ¡°Half a year ago, a drought in Yuzhou caused many to starve to death. This fellow led a group to storm the granary, killing more than a dozen grain merchants, and even beheaded the county magistrate.¡± Old Ye exined, ¡°The Jinyiwei have been tracking him for half a year, and finally caught him. He is sentenced to be beheaded for rebellion!¡± A hero of the greenwood! That was the first thought that came to Zhou Yi¡¯s mind. In times of drought in ancient times, the least that could happen was bodies scattered everywhere, and at worst there would be cannibalism. The man had opened the granary to release grain, saving countless lives! Colonel Niu nced at the confession, nodded slightly and said, ¡°A rebel of the White Lotus Sect, causing disturbances and plotting rebellion. Remember to feed him well. He will be executed in a month, but make sure he stays alive until then.¡± Zhang Zhou assured him, ¡°Rest assured, Sir, little Zhou will handle it carefully.¡± ¡°Sir, should we feed him something better?¡± Zhou Yi bowed in acknowledgment. Seeing the man¡¯s pitiful state, having been tormented to no longer resembling a human, it seemed unlikely he would survive a month on thin porridge alone. Colonel Niu waved his hand dismissively, ¡°No need for the trouble. This thief has tempered his internal organs; he¡¯s a top-notch expert in the jianghu. He won¡¯t die so easily.¡± Indeed. Later that evening, when Zhou Yi came with a bucket of rice, the man had regained some vitality, his eyes wide and fierce. Despite his face being marked with ck and purple burns and his body with bloodysh marks, he seemed not frail but rather infused with an air of ferocity. Zhou Yi didn¡¯t dare get too close, scooping up a spoonful of the thin gruel to pour into the man¡¯s mouth, but the man kept his mouth shut tight and struggled, identally causing some to spill into his nostrils. ¡°Cough, cough, cough!¡± The man choked and coughed uncontrobly. ¡°Hero, I am just a lowly government official, please don¡¯t make it hard for me.¡± ¡°State¡­ dog¡­ thug!¡± With half of his tongue cut off, the man¡¯s speech was muffled and unclear. Zhou Yi set down the bucket, looked outside, and saw that the cells to the left and right were empty, with all the jailers off ying cards. He returned to the man¡¯s side, bowed with sped hands in respect. ¡°Hero, you risked your own life to provide relief to the victims of famine. I hold the greatest respect for you. Now that you¡¯re imprisoned, you shouldn¡¯t give up on yourself. Even if you end up on the execution ground, you should have the strength to curse the Imperial Court!¡± After hearing this, the man was silent for a long time before slowly opening his mouth. Zhou Yi cleaned the rice grains and blood from the man¡¯s face, then carefully and gingerly poured the rice to avoid it going into his nostrils again. Chapter 3: The Extermination of the Dandy Chapter 3: The Extermination of the Dandy Editor: Henyee Trantions Martial arts experts truly have appetites. A half bucket of thin porridge, all went into the man¡¯s stomach. Zhou Yi cupped his hands together and said, ¡°Hero, might I have the honor of your name?¡± The man did not pay attention to Zhou Yi, closed his eyes for energy cirction, and his internal organs emitted a buzzing sound while his muscles and bones trembled continuously. Puh! A mouthful of fresh blood spewed out, the man¡¯s face white as snow, his breath instantly weak and listless. Zhou Yi looked on, guessing that the man was using his cultivation to heal himself, but it didn¡¯t seem to be very effective. ¡°Such a vicious poison!¡± The man spat out a mouthful of bloody spittle, ¡°My name is Wei Chang.¡± ¡°What does Hero Wei like to eat? I¡¯ll bring some for you tomorrow?¡± Zhou Yi had previously brought food for prisoners too, the price being a hundred times that of the outside, but all the silver he made was spent on nourishing medicinal decoctions. Wei Chang said in a cold voice, ¡°The Wei family has been exiled, and I have no silver to bribe you.¡± ¡°I just admire what Hero Wei stands for!¡± Zhou Yi spoke solemnly, ¡°With my personality, I¡¯m not the sort to sacrifice myself for others, yet I can¡¯t help but respect a hero. I can only offer some meals, please consider it my way of practicing what you preach!¡± Wei Chang closed his eyes and said no more. Zhou Yi carried the food bucket and left. Just as he stepped out of the prison door, a voice came from inside. ¡°Is there any wine?¡± ¡°There is!¡± ¡­ The next day. Zhou Yi first reported in at the front office, then went to pick up the food bucket at the kitchen. The sky prison had two kitchens, therge one for boiling thin porridge; rough rice and rotten vegetable leaves were cooked haphazardly just enough not to kill a person. The small kitchen wasid out exquisitely, filled with all kinds of ingredients like chicken, duck, fish, and meat, all cooked by Chef Liu from the Dingxiang Building. ¡°Brother Yi,st night cell number nine of the Bing section received a new inmate with quite the temper; be careful attending to him,¡± Chef Liu handed Zhou Yi a separately prepared meal box. Zhou Yi curiously asked, ¡°Brother Liu, what¡¯s his background?¡± Special prisoners or those whose crimes were not determined, or who had family or colleagues shielding them, were often locked up in the sky prison; the small kitchen was there for them. Chef Liu whispered, ¡°I heard he is the Dragon Chancellor¡¯s only son. Last night, he got drunk at the Spring Breeze Building, got into a conflict with a merchant, and ended up killing him on the spot!¡± Zhou Yi wondered, ¡°Isn¡¯t this kind of case supposed to be sent to the capital¡¯s big prison?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the whole story yet!¡± Chef Liu nced outside to make sure no one was around before continuing, ¡°After killing the man, His Lordship wasn¡¯t satisfied, led a group of family servants into the victim¡¯s house and¡­ the whole family¡­¡± He made a gesture of slitting a throat. Zhou Yi couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. This Dragon Lord was too brazen, daring tomit a massacre right beneath the Emperor¡¯s nose. Shocking news! Zhou Yi carried the meal box and the food bucket into the sky prison, greeted Zhang Zhou and others, and made his way to the deepest part, cell number nine of the Bing section. The sky prison was divided into three types of jails: A, B, and C. Type A housed thieves and murderers, type B housed political prisoners or schrs, and type C housed nobles and special prisoners. Cell number nine of type C was the cleanest and mostfortable, dividing what would have been two cells into a sitting room and a bedroom. Zhou Yi opened the prison door, and before he could enter, a shout came from within. ¡°Who is it?¡± The speaker was a stout man, robust and muscr, eyeing Zhou Yi¡¯s movements with a cold gaze. ¡°Big brother, I¡¯m here to deliver food to the Dragon Lord,¡± Zhou Yi said respectfully, extending the meal box. Outside of cell number nine of type C, there were four sturdy men, two guarding the door to the cell and two guarding the door to the inner room, clearly responsible for protecting the Dragon Lord¡¯s safety. Upon hearing this, the man lowered his guard, took out a silver needle, and tested the meals in the meal box one by one. ¡°Get lost!¡± Zhou Yi bowed and backed away, ready to close the prison door. A young master emerged from the inner room, clothes in disarray, cuddling a beautiful woman. ¡°Lao Si, when did my father say I can get out?¡± The poison-testing man replied, ¡°Young master, this time is a bit troublesome; that man named Chen turns out to be a distant rtive of the Qi Country Duke¡¯s household. We might need to stay for some more days.¡± ¡°What Qi Country Duke¡¯s household, this Fengyang Country is my father¡¯s¡­¡± The door mmed shut, muffling the rest of his words. Zhou Yi carried the bucket, delivering meals to each prisoner, finally arriving at cell number twelve of type A, nced around to ensure no one was watching, and drew a porcin bottle from his bosom. ¡°Hero Wei, this is the renowned Pear Blossom White from Divine Capital, a twenty-year vintage fiery liquor!¡± Upon opening the bottle, a rich fragrance of pear blossoms wafted out. Wei Chang still hung upside down, his arms and legs shackled by iron chains, even his neck mped with an iron hoop. ¡°Great hero, give it a try.¡± Zhou Yi carefully poured the wine into Wei Chang¡¯s mouth. Wei Chang¡¯s throat moved, a ball of fire trailing down his throat and into his stomach, indeed it was good liquor. ¡°Have some meat now.¡± Zhou Yi then took out a roast chicken from his bosom, tore off a strip of meat, and brought it to his mouth. Wei Chang, toothless, could hardly tear or chew, swallowed the chicken meat in a few gulps. ¡°Drink wine!¡± After that, Zhou Yi alternated between sips of wine and bites of meat, a jug of Pear Blossom White and a whole roast chicken, all went into Wei Chang¡¯s stomach. ¡°Exhrating!¡± Wei Chang took a long breath, ¡°Worthy of Divine Capital¡¯s fine wine, Yuzhou is a poor ce, far fromparable.¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°This Pear Blossom White is just one of them, there¡¯s also Qionghua Brew, Zhao Dian Hong, Jade Dew Spring, and so on. I¡¯ll bring a bottle every day, guaranteeing that the great hero tastes all of Divine Capital¡¯s fine wines!¡± Wei Chang said coldly, ¡°There are no free benefits in this world. You¡¯re eyeing the martial arts skills on Wei¡¯s person, aren¡¯t you?¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s face showed delight, and he did not hide it. ¡°Hero Wei, I indeed have a selfish motive in offering you wine and meat.¡± After finishing his duty yesterday, Zhou Yi had inquired around. There were quite a number of martial arts schools in Divine Capital teaching ordinary body-strengthening cultivation techniques. The tuition fees ranged from ten silvers to over a hundred, and one had to buy nourishing medicinal decoctions afterwards. To achieve some level of proficiency, one would need at least a few thousand silvers. To learn more advanced body-strengthening techniques, one must take a master and be a disciple of the martial arts school. In this era, bing a disciple wasn¡¯t just a nominal status. Respecting the master as one would a father for life, the disciple must endure hardships for them. Not to mention engaging inbat against enemies on behalf of the master. The son of a wealthy family will not sit in a drafty hall! Zhou Yi desired to learn the Dao Protection Art, but he was not willing to give up the fundamentals for the sake of a cultivation technique and take risks. As for the cultivation techniques involving Inner Qi, Zhou Yi asked around at several martial arts schools and only the genuine transmission from the school¡¯s head offered a chance to cultivate them. In this way, Wei Chang became extremely precious! Wei Chang was only in his thirties or forties and had reached a first-rate realm, famous throughout Yuzhou. The cultivation techniques he might casually impart were much more profound than those of the martial arts schools. With Wei Chang¡¯s execution scheduled a monthter, leaving no karmic ties, it was truly an excellent opportunity to have both. ¡°How would I, Wei, who holds a grudge against the Imperial Court, impart martial arts to you?¡± After saying this, Wei Chang closed his eyes to meditate, channeling his Inner Qi to impact the eight extraordinary meridians, attempting to break free from the Jinyiwei¡¯s secret drug. Zhou Yi was not discouraged, he packed up the wine jug and the food bucket and left the cell. ¡°Trust can¡¯t be built in a day, take it slowly; after all, there¡¯s plenty of time.¡± ¡°Even if Wei Chang ultimately refuses to impart the cultivation technique, there are other prisoners in the dungeon. But they are all criminals who havemitted atrocious deeds, with perverse and violent behavior. If cultivation techniques were passed to them, they could not be practiced lightly!¡± From then on. Zhou Yi¡¯s daily routine became highly regr¡ªsleeping, roll call, delivering meals, drinking with Wei Chang, sleeping, roll call¡­ In just over half a month, Zhou Yi found himself getting used to the life in Fengyang Country. He originally thought that without smartphones, games, movies, and other forms of entertainment, life would be dull and tasteless. However, a visit to the ¡®hook-house¡¯ with colleagues suddenly opened up a new world for him. The youngdies there were well-educated and enthusiastic, making Zhou Yi linger and forget to return. Today. After delivering meals, Zhou Yi came to Wei Chang¡¯s cell to drink. ¡°Great hero, this Autumn Dew Concentrate is only ten years old, I¡¯ve been tight on money these past few days!¡± Wei Chang nced at it and said disdainfully, ¡°Spent all your silver at the brothel?¡± Zhou Yi touched his face and said, ¡°Is it that obvious?¡± Wei Chang replied, ¡°Your face is red, ears are hot, signs of the unable-to-be-released vigor of a full spirit!¡± Zhou Yi eximed in surprise, ¡°Great hero knows medicine, too?¡± ¡°Medicine and martial arts have always been inseparable! Fortunately, you were able to practice restraint, preserving your essence. Otherwise, cultivating martial arts would have been much less effective.¡± In Wei Chang¡¯s voice, there was also a hint of surprise, having not expected Zhou Yi to be able to resist. Zhou Yi naturally understood the value of youthful vigor and asked curiously, ¡°By what you¡¯ve said, those martial arts experts didn¡¯t break their precepts in their youth?¡± Wei Chang said slowly, ¡°Among the martial arts techniques, there are nock of secret methods to lock in essence and solidify yang¡­¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s expression became solemn, and he bowed deeply. ¡°Please teach me, great hero!¡± Chapter 4 - 4 Nameless Technique Chapter 4: Nameless Technique Editor: Henyee Trantions After eating and drinking his fill, Zhou Yi was preparing to leave, his heart filled with regret that he had not learned any secret techniques. ¡°I am about to die!¡± Wei Chang suddenly dered. There were still more than ten days left until his execution. ¡°May you have a safe journey, hero. Before you go, I will surely find a bottle of century-old wine for you!¡± Zhou Yi spoke slowly, ¡°That¡¯s all I can do.¡± After spending half a month delivering wine, Zhou Yi had greatly closed the gap between him and Wei Chang, knowing that thetter had always been cultivating to expel poison. However, the potent poison fed by the Jinyiwei, like a chronic bone cancer, was futile to cure. ¡°This is already enough!¡± Wei Chang said, ¡°I never leave debts of gratitude unpaid. If I could escape, I would repay the wine a hundredfold. But now, with my execution imminent, the only thing I can do is pass on martial arts to repay the debt.¡± Zhou Yi, without any insincerity or pleasantries, sped his hands and said, ¡°Please impart your knowledge, hero!¡± ¡°Ie from humble beginnings, nothing but a country hunter. I didn¡¯t start practicing martial arts until I was fifteen, dominated a territory by the age of twenty, and by thirty there were hardly any rivals in Yuzhou. People imed the Flying Rainbow Swordsman was innately talented, but that¡¯s not the case!¡± Wei Chang said, ¡°The real reason is, while hunting, I chanced upon an ancient cave dwelling and obtained an anonymous mantra.¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement, inwardly guessing it to be some kind of unrivaled cultivation technique. ¡°This mantra is quite mystical. After establishing my family, I tried passing it onto my children, but none of them seeded. Then I passed it to other n members, with the same result!¡± Wei Chang said, ¡°Today, I will pass this mantra on to you. If you cannot sense its mystique, I will pass on another cultivation technique to you.¡± ¡°Thank you, hero!¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°Even if I cannot master it, if I meet your descendants one day, I will also pass this mantra on to them.¡± ¡°Humph! You sly fellow, I look down on using deceit to harm others,¡± Wei Chang said with his lips, but still felt relieved in his heart. Initially nning to impart an ordinary martial arts technique, he switched to a superior one after hearing Zhou Yi¡¯s words. ¡°Listen carefully now!¡± ¡°Heaven and earth generate yin and yang, create all things¡­¡± The anonymous mantra was a little over three hundred words. Zhou Yi listened carefully several times and memorized it. He recited it twice without errors to Wei Chang and then sat cross-legged to meditate in the cell. ¡°¡­calm your heart naturally, breathe slowly and evenly, gather divine light, and reach for the celestial heart¡­¡± Following the guidance of the anonymous mantra, Zhou Yi contemted the heavens and the earth in quietude. However, there was no response at all; he could not sense the clear and spiritual qi that Wei Chang spoke of. After almost half an hour, Zhou Yi¡¯s legs became numb from sitting in meditation, so he had to get up and move around. Seeing Zhou Yi¡¯s expression, Wei Chang naturally knew the oue, ¡°Do not lose heart. Of my many n members, no one has managed to seed.¡± Zhou Yi was disheartened, not because the technique was unsessful, but because he had a different spection in mind. ¡°Did you ever investigate the origins of the anonymous mantra?¡± he asked. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find any traces of the origins of that cave dwelling, however¡­¡± Wei Chang hesitated for a moment and then continued, ¡°Perhaps it has something to do with the legendary immortals. Nevertheless, talks of immortal cultivation are ethereal and elusive, so after a few years, I gave up looking.¡± ¡°Immortal Technique!¡± Zhou Yi muttered to himself; he was certain that immortals existed in this world. The practice of the anonymous mantra was to sense the clear and spiritual qi between heaven and earth, while themon martial arts techniques focusing on body refining and cultivating Inner Qi start with the human body itself. Thepletely different methods of cultivation were likely to be Immortal Techniques. This suggested that cultivating immortality might require some innate talent, like a Spirit Root, Spirit Vein, and simr attributes. On the flip side, those unable to cultivate Immortal Techniques are the ones without the talent for immortality! ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Yi could only shrug helplessly, indeed there is a loss for every gain. He was a bit disheartened, but certainly not devastated. Longevity Dao Fruit promises an endless lifespan. This represents boundless hope. Since Immortal Techniques require a special talent, then he would create a technique that doesn¡¯t rely on such innate gifts. The Great Dao is fifty, from which the heavens derive forty-nine, leaving a single thread of life for all beings! ¡°Moreover,¡± said Zhou Yi, ¡°the ¡®Nameless Technique¡¯ may not necessarily be a cultivation technique for immortality. Perhaps it¡¯s a martial arts secret technique that requires a special physique.¡± Zhou Yi was not one to wallow in self-pity, and immediately he regained his spirited vigor, ¡°Hero, since I have no fate with the ¡®Nameless Technique,¡¯ I must ask to be taught a conventional cultivation technique.¡± Wei Chang asked, ¡°Martial arts cultivation is divided into tempering the body and cultivating the Inner Qi. Which one do you wish to learn?¡± Zhou Yi decisively answered, ¡°Inner Qi cultivation technique!¡± Wei Chang said, ¡°Young man, do not be greedy. Do you know why Inner Qi cultivation techniques are rare?¡± Zhou Yi guessed, ¡°Because they are treasures beyond measure?¡± ¡°Not because they are valuable.¡± Wei Chang shook his head, ¡°Tempering the body externally requires less talent, and progress is rapid. Train the skin and the membrane for three to five years, and you¡¯d be a third-rate expert. Harden the sinews and bones for seven or eight years, you be a second-rate expert.¡± ¡°If you are not toocking in talent, twenty or thirty years of body tempering could let you reach the first-rate realm of refining the viscera!¡± ¡°Byparison, cultivating Inner Qi requires high aptitude andprehension. The average person meditating for twenty or thirty years would have a martial prowess not much different from that of the membrane realm.¡± ¡°Inner Qi reaching second-rate in fifty years, first-rate in a hundred years, and it takes two hundred years of cultivation to beparable to the marrow-refining strength!¡± ¡°Two hundred years? Who can live for two hundred years!¡± Zhou Yi was astounded. He had thought that Inner Qi cultivation techniques were hard toe by because they were precious, but it turned out to be because they were too trivial. ¡°That is the average person! Those disciples from great sects with exceptional talent, are nurtured with medicinal baths from a young age, refining their flesh, and using True Qi to temper their sinews and bones, cultivating Inner Qi three to five times faster than ordinary people.¡± Wei Chang said, ¡°Furthermore, with profound techniques and various elixirs, they could reach two hundred years of cultivation after only twenty or thirty years of dedicated practice!¡± ¡°If body tempering requires less talent and leads to rapid strength gain, why bother going through the arduous process of cultivating True Qi?¡± Zhou Yi harbored doubts. He didn¡¯t care if it took several hundred years. Disciples from great sects consumed vast resources to perfect their Inner Qi; there must be reasons for that. ¡°Both body tempering and Inner Qi cultivation belong to the postnatal realm, but above them lies the Innate realm of Grandmasters. Cultivating Inner Qi,pared with crude body tempering, makes it easier to break through to the Innate!¡± After pondering for a moment, Wei Chang said, ¡°I once participated in the martial alliance convention and listened to the teachings of an Innate Grandmaster. Some of the essence of cultivation he shared had some simrities to that ¡®Nameless Technique¡¯.¡± A thought struck Zhou Yi, ¡°Please, hero, impart to me the Inner Qi cultivation technique!¡± ¡°Have you decided?¡± Wei Chang reminded him, ¡°I will teach only one technique, enough to repay the favor of the wine you sent!¡± Zhou Yi nodded, ¡°One must have dreams; what if I can break through to the Innate Grandmaster?¡± ¡°Innate Grandmaster¡­ If therees a day when you truly break through to the Innate, I ask you to visit the Northern Border and look after my wife and children,¡± said Wei Chang, suddenly thinking of his family exiled in a bitternd. ¡°Convey my apologies to them for involving them in my affairs!¡± Zhou Yi solemnly replied, ¡°Your trust will not be misced!¡± ¡°The Inner Qi cultivation technique I practice is named the ¡®Guiyuan Skill,¡¯ of a neutral and gentle nature, a true transmission from the Qingcheng Daoists¡­¡± Wei Chang recited the ¡®Guiyuan Technique¡¯ word by word, and it turned out to be several times longer than the ¡®Nameless Technique.''¡± Theplete technique,prised of more than two thousand words, took Zhou Yi a full hour to memorize. Zhou Yi asked, ¡°Hero, is it possible to practice body tempering and Inner Qi cultivation concurrently?¡± Body tempering strengthens sinews, bones, and organs; when fully mastered, one¡¯s body bes as tough as steel, imprable to des and weapons. Cultivating true internal energy nourishes the organs; in case of illness or poisoning, one can circte the energy to heal diseases and expel toxins. Mastering both the external and internal to achieve the Great Achievement Realm would make Zhou Yi invulnerable to harm in the mundane world! Body tempering can effectively reduce physical injuries, and True Qi can nourish the five viscera and six bowels, preventing diseases. Achieving the Great Achievement Realm both externally and internally would grant Zhou Yi a life free from worry in the mundane world. ¡°It is possible! I myself practice both, with Inner Qi nurturing the organs to elerate body tempering. Most martial arts experts in the world do the same!¡± Wei Chang cautioned, ¡°Human energy ultimately has its limits. As the body ages and weakens, martial prowess declines instead of improving. Therefore, while practising both, one must make choices about which to prioritize.¡± ¡°Thank you for the guidance, hero!¡± Zhou Yi bowed in gratitude; with the Longevity Dao Fruit, even if hisbined cultivation was slow, several hundred years of practice could probably allow him to kill an Innate Grandmaster with a single p! Chapter 5 - 5 Be Cautious in Words and Deeds Chapter 5: Be Cautious in Words and Deeds Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°` Time slipped away in an instant. That day. it was the day Wei Chang would be beheaded at the marketce, to set an example with due process. Zhou Yi came early in the morning to deliver food, and upon finding the small canteen wasn¡¯t serving meals, he guessed that the noble young dragon had already been released from prison. Annihtion of an entire household! He¡¯d been detained just over half a month, with not even an interrogation to speak of. In prison, he stayed in a private cell, pampered with good food and drink from the guards, and even apanied by girls from the Spring Breeze Building¡ªfar happier than ny-nine percent of people out there. ¡°This world¡­¡± Zhou Yi, on duty at the heavenly prison, had heard his colleagues say more than once about the Dragon Chancellor¡¯s overwhelming power and influence. The reigning Emperor Chongming was obsessed with mystical practices, so much so that he hadn¡¯t appeared in court for twenty-six years. The Dragon Chancellor had now been Prime Minister for neen years, effectively having control over everything under heaven. Themon people discussed in private that even if His Majesty were to hold court again, the officials, both civil and military, wouldn¡¯t listen anyway! Cell number thirteen. Zhou Yi carried a food container, the routine execution meal prepared, ensuring that whether a prisoner¡¯s crimes were big or small, they would have meat and wine before their execution. ¡°Hero, you¡¯ll be on your way in another hour!¡± Wei Chang¡¯s hair was disheveled, and the burn scars on his face made him look like a fierce ghost. ¡°Did you bring the century-old fine wine?¡± ¡°Of course, I did.¡± Zhou Yi took out a porcin bottle from his bosom, opened the lid, and let the rich aroma of wine waft out: ¡°Century-old pear blossom white. The store owner treated it as a treasure and refused to sell it. I had to pawn most of my possessions just to get it.¡± Wei Chang gulped down half the bottle continuously, burped, and eximed in admiration. ¡°Fine wine!¡± Zhou Yi then fed him dishes such as lion¡¯s head meatballs from Dingxiang Building, fish belly tofu, and Buddha jumps over the wall. Rich yet not greasy, melting at first taste. As Wei Chang ate, he asked, ¡°How goes your practice of Guiyuan Skill?¡± ¡°I¡¯m of average talent. Meditating daily only allows me to gather a strand of Inner Strength.¡± Zhou Yi had anticipated this; age and poor constitution were factors, but the fact that he could cultivate Inner Strength already indicated that the cultivation technique was of high quality. The greatest difficulty in life is to ept being ordinary while still striving earnestly! ¡°Yourprehension is not bad, it¡¯s just unfortunate that you¡¯re older.¡± Wei Chang offered guidance on several key points of cultivation until, sated with food and drink, heughed heartily: ¡°This execution meal isn¡¯t bad. In forty-three years, I¡¯ve never tasted such delicious food or drunk such fine wine!¡± Zhou Yi fell silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, ¡°Hero, if these chains broke, could you escape?¡± Wei Chang shook his head, refusing. ¡°The poison has prated deep into my marrow, I wouldn¡¯t live more than a few days anyway. Might as well go to that execution ground and curse this Imperial Court!¡± At that moment. There came the sound of unlocking from the prison door. Zhou Yi hurriedly tidied up the bowls and chopsticks, Zhang Zhou, apanied by a clerk from the Ministry of Justice, came in. After confirming Wei Chang¡¯s identity, numerous guards escorted him to the execution ground. ¡°The kind suffer poverty and live shorter lives, while the wicked enjoy wealth and extended longevity!¡± Zhou Yi sighed and continued with his task of delivering food. The Assistant Minister of Rites from cell number six, after a month of torture, hade to ept his situation. Unfortunately, there was no one sending him Silver, with just two spoonfuls of thin porridge a day, he was already so starved he could barely breathe. ¡°Young man, one more spoonful, please, just one more!¡± ¡°That¡¯s all there is.¡± Zhou Yi ignored the Assistant Minister¡¯s pleas. For one, due to scarce resources, equality mattered more, and secondly, this person was no good to begin with. The reason he was locked up in heavenly prison was simple: he embezzled Silver from the Imperial Court. It is said that the Jinyiwei uncovered over a hundred thousand taels, and various gold and silver treasures piled up like a mountain. In the adjacent cell number seven. Su Wenhao awoke from his meditation, looking quite spirited. He finished his thin porridge with loud gulps, then spoke out, ¡°Young man, you seem troubled. I am well-versed in the art of Zhou Yi. I can help you with your worries!¡± ¡°Then can you calcte why I¡¯m troubled?¡± Zhou Yi felt some sympathy for Su Wenhao, who was locked up in the heavenly prison for merelyposing poems and voicing grievances. ¡°Is it because of him?¡± Su Wenhao gestured towards the side, where the emaciated former Assistant Minister of Ritesy on his bed, moaning with hunger. Zhou Yi felt somewhat disappointed in his heart. Su Wenhao¡¯s knowledge of Zhou Yi was about reading people and observing situations, not truly divining the future. Nevertheless, he nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ve hated corrupt officials all my life. They im to take the Imperial Court¡¯s Silver, but in truth, they¡¯re draining the lifeblood and fat from themon people!¡± ¡°` ¡°Hehehe, you just don¡¯t understand.¡± Su Wenhao chuckled twice, ¡°I know this guy. He was quite capable as an official and did some real things for the people. The silver he embezzled wasn¡¯t too much either.¡± The former Shng lying down grunted twice, ¡°Old Su, I did not make friends with you in vain!¡± Zhou Yi asked in surprise, ¡°Then why was he imprisoned in the Sky Prison?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about performance or integrity in the officialdom, but about taking sides!¡± Su Wenhao said, ¡°Those who are corrupt may not necessarily be barred from promotion, and those who are sent to Sky Prison are not always there because of corruption.¡± Zhou Yi pondered carefully and clicked his tongue twice, ¡°Interesting, interesting!¡± The former Shng said, ¡°You find it interesting, young man. Serve me another spoon of rice.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Zhou Yi intended to mock him but then thought better of it, considering that the prisoners of Yi Jail were no ordinary criminals and included many who returned to their official positions. It was best not to provoke them. He scooped the thick porridge from the bottom of the bucket and served a bowl to the former Shng. Zhou Yi asked, ¡°Why is Mister Su so talkative today?¡± This old man was usually reticent, spending his time in meditation and cultivation after his meals, presumably practicing some kind of inner strength technique, which is why he could maintain such vigorous energy and robust health. ¡°Trapped in prison, away for four or five years!¡± Su Wenhao recited a verse with pride, ¡°I have a premonition, the days of walking out of this cage and returning to freedom are not far.¡± ¡°Then congrattions to Su Wenhao.¡± Zhou Yi sped his hands respectfully and left with the bucket. This old man had been incarcerated for three or four years and still hadn¡¯t changed, unable to keep himself from reciting poetry, clearly showing his disagreement with Emperor Chongming¡¯s judgment. The former Shng, who was engrossed in cooking, suddenly paused, his eyes shining with excitement. After Wei Chang was beheaded. Zhou Yi¡¯s life resumed a routine of shuttling between home and Sky Prison. Father Zhou had spent most of his life as a prison guard. Most of the silver he earned went towards Zhou Yi¡¯s medical treatments, with the rest spent on buying a residence in the Divine Capital. In Ningde Fang, as soon as you enter the courtyard. ording to theyout of the Imperial Capital in his previous life, where the Imperial City was the center, Ningde Fang would be equivalent to a courtyard house within the second ring, which Zhou Yi could only afford after five hundred years of work without eating or drinking. The progress of the Guiyuan Skill was slow, but Zhou Yi was not in a hurry. His greatest advantage was time. With time, he would undoubtedly achieve great sess in his cultivation. ¡°Stretch out hand, touch sister¡¯s hairy bay, distracting those outside,fy and wide¡­¡± Zhou Yi hummed the new tune he¡¯d learned. Although he had not achieved great sess with the Guiyuan Skill, he possessed a Taoist technique for preserving vitality that enabled one to remain steadfast and vigorous. After checking in for duty, Zhou Yi carried the bucket to deliver meals. He encountered the night shift officer Chang Ning, followed by four prison guards, escorting a prisoner in shackles. The prisoner was disheveled, and upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Su Wenhao. Zhou Yi approached to greet him, ¡°Uncle Chang, what happened to him?¡± In the Sky Prison, Zhou Yi, being the youngest andtest arrival, referred to the other older guards and officers as uncles, a respectful term that also ensured their favor. Chang Ning snorted coldly, ¡°Humph! This guy refused to ept His Majesty¡¯s judgment and even ndered His Majesty¡¯s lifespan. He deserves to be sent to the Jinyiwei Prison for supervision!¡± The Jinyiwei Prison was where the Jinyiwei interrogated prisoners! Being sent to Sky Prison still left a sliver of hope for survival, but being sent to the Jinyiwei Prison meant one could only pray for a swift reincarnation to lessen the torture. Su Wenhao¡¯s face was pale, and he was muttering to himself, reciting some unknown poetry. Cell Yi-Eight. The former Shng sat cross-legged on a mat, nced at the thin porridge, and beckoned Zhou Yi over. ¡°I am about to be released. Go prepare some good wine and dishes. Otherwise, once I¡¯m reinstated, I¡¯ll make sure you all pay for it!¡± Zhou Yi looked at the empty cell beside him and suddenly understood. ¡°Please wait, Your Excellency. I¡¯ll go prepare it immediately!¡± That same afternoon. An imperial eunuch came to the prison to announce that Liu Shng had reported merits, and his servicepensated for his crimes. He was reassigned as the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. The Ministry of Personnel was prestigious, the Ministry of Revenue was wealthy, and the Ministry of Rites was poor¡­ Liu Shng had caught Emperor Chongming¡¯s eye, and his apparent demotion was actually a covert promotion; it was like a rat getting into a rice bin. ¡°From now on, you must be prudent and cautious in your words and actions!¡± Zhou Yi broke out in a cold sweat. If he hadn¡¯t given that spoonful of thick porridge, it would be difficult to say whether Liu Shng, given his temperament, would seek revenge after his release. It was hard to tell! Chapter 6 - 6 Finally Died Chapter 6: Finally Died Editor: Henyee Trantions Half a monthter. As Colonel Niu handled his cards, he said that Su Wenhao died in the imperial prison. They say that when he died, there weren¡¯t many bones left in his body that were still intact. ¡°In our line of work, remember to be cautious in what you say, be very cautious!¡± Colonel Niu cautioned, ¡°Especially you, young Yi, do not chat idly when delivering meals to the prisoners. Liu Shng asked me to tell you not to hear what you shouldn¡¯t, nor to speak of what you shouldn¡¯t!¡± ¡°The young man understands.¡± Zhou Yi felt a faint dread in his heart; this truly was a significant lesson. In Fengyang Country, there was no rule ofw; a person¡¯s life and dignity depended entirely on the will of those above. A single poem or phrase could potentially be a deadly usation! For instance, Zhou Yi bringing wine and meat to Wei Chang, calling him a hero, and praising him in conversation. If someone with an agenda reported to the Imperial Court, the lighter punishment would be exile, and the worse, being charged as Wei Chang¡¯s co-conspirator. At that time, Longevity Dao Fruit would have be as unreal as a fleeting cloud! ¡°Never try to stick your head out in any affair!¡± Zhou Yi warned himself that in the future, he would certainly encounter many more injustices, and he must learn to be indifferent. Just stand by, watch, and don¡¯t ask, don¡¯t meddle, and certainly don¡¯t rescue! Peddling through the mundane world while living as if outside of it. Zhou Yi understood the crux of it, transformed into an emotionless meal delivery man in the celestial prison, offering a smile only to the prisoners who offered silver in return. After all, a jailer¡¯s monthly sry was only five pieces of silver, not enough to cover the cost of listening to music once at the Spring Breeze Building. The better the prisoners ate, the more silver Zhou Yi earned in monthly profits; calling him their ¡®parent of clothing and food¡¯ was not an exaggeration! That day. The celestial prison admitted a new inmate, said to be the leader of southern rebels. Dark-skinned and thin, his face riddled with the wrinkles of sorrow; he looked nothing like a generalmanding tens of thousands, but rather a poor old farmer from the fields. The appearance of the old farmer general brought some excitement to the celestial prison. Colonel Niu and several officers took turns inventing cruel methods to torture and interrogate him, and in just a few days, the old farmer was no longer human-like. The old farmer didn¡¯t have Wei Chang¡¯s iron bones and resilience, yet his endurance surpassed everyone else. With torture devices like mps, branding irons, spiked whips, heavy shackles¡­ and so on, used one after another, he let out not a single scream. Each time after the torture ended, the old farmer spat out clots of blood but still had the energy to curse people out. ¡°Dog officials!¡± ¡°Go on, if I beg for mercy even once, I¡¯ll take your surname, grandson!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Yi, standing by, suddenly felt that this man indeed seemed more like a general. Only a few days after the general was taken in, he was sent off to be beheaded at the vegetable market. Together with him, dozens of others were executed that same day, from generals to sergeants, their blood sttering all over the execution grounds. The onlooking crowd cheered loudly; they just wanted to watch the excitement and paid no heed to why these people were being beheaded! Zhou Yi stood at the edge of the execution grounds, watching as the general¡¯s head rolled far away, eyes still wide open, staring defiantly at the executioner without any sign of submission. In the evening. Zhou Yi returned to his small courtyard and meditated as usual in his cultivation practice. The Guiyuan Skill had umted hundreds of strands of Inner Qi in the Dantian after more than half a year of practice, with the cultivation technique now operating smoothly. ¡°The universe is vast and limitless; where yin and yang unite, the primal qi harmonizes, and all return to the one¡­ Damn it, why can¡¯t my mind settle down!¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s mind was constantly filled with the image of the old farmer. He had heard him speak of how multiple provinces in the south suffered from consecutive years of drought, with corpses strewn everywhere, even to the extent of people exchanging their children for food, while the Imperial Court¡¯s relief grains were all embezzled by officials. Cannibalism! These three simple words were terrifying upon closer reflection, signifying countless human tragedies. ¡°Human beings, with too much empathy, lead such a tiring life!¡± Zhou Yi shook his head to disperse the turmoil within him; failing to vent his frustration could lead to his cultivation going awry and him bing possessed by a demonic force. ¡°How should I soothe my mind?¡± After much contemtion, he came up with a method. In his previous life, many people, overloaded with work and life stress, prevented falling into depression by cursing or striking at effigies, reportedly with good effects. ¡°The person I want to curse is far too taboo; uttering the words could be a death sentence, but I can write it down!¡± Zhou Yi purchased pen, ink, and nk notebooks to write in. The characters he wrote were in the simplified script from his previous life, which, even if seen, would not be recognized by others. ¡°How should I write it?¡± After pondering for a moment, he wrote: The thirty-ninth year of Emperor Chongming¡¯s reign, in the month of Guimao, on the day of Wuchen¡­ ¡°Seeing the beheading of the rebellious general today, my heart is heavy; this dynasty has rotted through from top to bottom.¡± Zhou Yi slightly furrowed his brows, feeling something was amiss. Since he was writing this diary to curse others, there was no need for such formality, so he shifted his pen stroke. ¡°Emperor Chongming is no good, cherishing vain dreams of immortality. It¡¯d be best if he choked on elixirs and died one day. Having written this, I must criticize those pce Pill Masters for theirck of professionalism ¨C using cinnabar, lead, mercury, and gold willy-nilly; one gulp guarantees to send Emperor Chongming to heaven. Maybe they do know alchemy? After all, this is a world of cultivation, and it¡¯s normal for Loose Cultivators without hope for immortality toe and enjoy the pce. Thus, I curse Emperor Chongming to have each of his eight princes fathered by eight different men! Upon thinking this, I immediately felt a burst of relief and continued my cultivation. Setting a small goal for myself: a hundred years of cultivation strength!¡± ¡­ Half a month passed. Zhou Yi opened his notebook and began to write in his diary again. ¡°Today, that young rake named Long was imprisoned again for murder, reportedly deliberately setting a fire that killed many people. This bastard is still arrogant in the celestial prison because too much salt was added to a dish, he had the guards beat me and the cook. I, Lord Zhou, will remember this! This is not over! Young Master Long, I, Zhou, will be waiting for you in the celestial prison¡­¡± Still not feeling at ease after writing this, Zhou Yi continued to curse Emperor Chongming for several hundred more words before he let the matter rest. Another month went by. Zhou Yi opened his notebook and recorded what he had witnessed during the day. ¡°Another month till the New Year, and yet one cannot find joy. Everyone knows that the charge of rebellion is unfounded, and the Imperial Court officials tacitly agree, beheading the entire family of the marshals of the National Dynasty, three hundred people in all. It¡¯s said that the rebel army has reached Yuzhou, just a few hundred miles from the Divine Capital, and the court doesn¡¯t think about sending troops to suppress them but continues to focus on its own internal strife. Fengyang Country is finished! Hence, I can¡¯t help but curse Emperor Chongming here¡­¡± ¡­ The fortieth year of Emperor Chongming¡¯s reign. ¡°I gained some insight today ¨C there actually are people who can transform their appearance through the Art of Disguise, from male to female, with no one able to discern their true sex. This lecher sneaked into the boudoirs of women, skulking about andmitting crimes. As a result, even within the Jinyiwei there were experts in disguise, who dressed up as beautiful women to bait the lecher, and finally they captured him alive. I record this matter because I have discovered a new method of venting, such as mixing some croton powder into the lecher¡¯s food. Does that seem somewhat perverted? All this is to be med on the Dog Emperor¡­¡± Zhou Yi fed the rapist several packs of croton powder, gaining the Art of Disguise, so that in hister years he could disguise himself as an old man to avoid colleagues from detecting anything unusual. Outside there was chaos and extreme danger, nowhere as safe as hiding in the sky prison! ¡­ In the forty-second year of the Chongming era. A hundred and fifty thousand rebel soldiers besieged the Divine Capital, the leader of whom was known as the Eight-Armed King. The officials were terrified, and the National Dynasty was unstable. Zhou Yi had thought that the changing of dynasties would happen tonight, and had prepared a lot of food and vegetables, hidden in the cer of his house, enough tost for half a year. As a result, the Eight-Armed King suddenly died a violent death. The Imperial guards took the opportunity to rush out of the city gates, crushing the rebel army and lifting the siege of the Divine Capital. ¡°Man cannot fight against fate, the destiny of Fengyang Country is not yet exhausted!¡± Zhou Yi recorded this event in his booklet, naturally not without vehemently cursing Emperor Chongming at the end. ¡°The world is in chaos, and the Dog Emperor still insists on collecting the birthday tribute. It is said that some prefectures have been taxed up to the one hundred and twentieth year of Chongming¡­¡± Three years passed, Zhou Yi umted five hundred taels of silver and found a martial arts school at a cheap price to begin practicing martial arts body refinement techniques. At such a turbulent time, even the sky prison was not so safe. Body refinement in martial arts was not only for fighting, but also for running fast! ¡­ In the forty-fifth year of the Chongming era. A special prisoner came to the sky prison, the big son of the Dog Emperor, the former Crown Prince. ¡°How can there be a Crown Prince of forty years, no wonder others rebel. The Crown Prince seems to be mild-mannered, not at all like the spawn of the Dog Emperor. It¡¯s a pity he didn¡¯t seed. Rumor has it that there is a Martial Arts Grandmaster at the Dog Emperor¡¯s side. The Eight-Armed King did not die of sudden illness but was assassinated¡­¡± Zhou Yi, as usual, cursed the Dog Emperor a few times, feeling pleased. He had been practicing the Guiyuan Skill for five years now; when fully activated, he could shatter a blue brick. ording to the martial arts world¡¯s standards, he should be unranked. Wei Chang was right, it is very difficult for ordinary people to make a breakthrough practicing Inner Qi. The body refinement technique Zhou Yi learned from the martial arts school is called the Five-Tiger Great Strength Fist, which by its name ismon goods, and is far inferior to the profoundness of the Guiyuan Skill. In three years, he reached the great aplishment of skin and flesh training, and his arms had the strength of fierce tigers. Blunt weapons like clubs and sticks, whennding on him, would have their power greatly reduced. He could already be considered a third-rate master. ¡­ In the forty-sixth year of the Chongming era. Zhou Yi returned from the Spring Breeze Building and took out his booklet to curse the Emperor Chongming fiercely. ¡°The Dog Emperor¡­¡± After writing three words, suddenly, he didn¡¯t know how to continue cursing; whatever insults he thought of, he found he had already used before when flipping through the previous pages. Zhou Yi browsed through his booklet; the frequency of his diary writing had decreased more and more. At first, he would write once every half month,ter once a month, and then once every two or three months. In recent journal entries, he seldom wrote about cases of injustice; the entries were all about cursing the Dog Emperor, yet the tragedies within the sky prison never decreased. ¡°The more I see, the more indifferent I be!¡± Zhou Yi muttered to himself, as time and experience umted, his emotional threshold seemed to be higher and higher. ¡°That¡¯s not right, I never tire of the sisters at the Spring Breeze Building!¡± The diary ended here, with nothing more to curse. Emperor Chongming had truly neglected his duties; staying away from court for over thirty years, he hid in the Shangyang Pce cultivating immortality. Zhou Yi, feeling helpless, finally wrote down. ¡°Why won¡¯t the Dog Emperor die?¡± From then on. Zhou Yi would write the same sentence every day, cursing for the early demise of Emperor Chongming. ¡­ Early in the morning. The mist was dense, and in the sky, thest stars and crescent moon still hung. Zhou Yi was moving rapidly in the courtyard, his fists punching the air, producing a continuous sound. Bang bang bang! It was like the sound of a cowhide drum, or like the rumble of distant thunder. In the bitter cold of winter, Zhou Yi wore only a thin short outfit, After a few rounds of punching, his Qi-Blood boiled and overflowed from his body, turning into steaming vapor. ¡°Ha!¡± At the end of his practice, Zhou Yi exhaled a long breath that formed a three-foot-long white mist in the air, lingering without dispersing. ¡°Having cultivated the Five-Tiger Great Strength Fist to the bone tempering stage, I¡¯m already considered a second-rate master. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve never fought anyone, nor am I versed in weaponry, so I only have power in appearances!¡± Zhou Yi had grown into an adult, and since five years ago, his stature and appearance had not changed in the slightest. Having truly experienced the profoundness of the Longevity Dao Fruit, Zhou Yi let go of hisst bit of worry andpletely became an ordinary and inconspicuous sky prison jailer, toozy to care about the Imperial Court or the martial arts world. Centuries passed, Zhou Yi remained unchanged, and the Fengyang Country was long gone! Back in his room. Zhou Yi slightly altered his appearance with some makeup, dulling his skin tone and making hisplexion look somewhat pale and sickly. At his current age of twenty-seven, it was easy to age prematurely after spending a long time in a dark and damp sky prison; thus, his current appearance was normal. He headed straight to the morning market. Zhou Yi found a stall, sat down, and called for thedy boss to bring up tofu brain and deep-fried dough sticks, when he suddenly heard a bell tolling. Resonant, sonorous, with echoes lingering endlessly! Dong dong dong¡­ Nine times in total, the ordinarily bustling morning market abruptly fell silent. All themon folk looked up towards the direction of the pce; their uniformly synchronized actions as if they had rehearsed many times, waiting for a long while. Zhou Yi kept his head down and continued eating his tofu brain, the corners of his mouth turning slightly up, sensing it was a hundred times more delicious than usual. ¡°The Dog Emperor is finally dead!¡± Chapter 7: 7 Chapter: Refuge in the Sky Prison Chapter 7: 7 Chapter: Refuge in the Sky Prison Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°` Themon people are blind and stupid. They cheer and jump for joy at the sight of rebels¡¯ heads being chopped off, only wanting to see blood spray feet into the air, wondering if they can dip their steamed buns into it. Yet, themon people are also wise. In unison, tens of thousands turned their gazes towards the imperial pce, their silent, voiceless grand will, has always been pushing history forward. Only then did Zhou Yi understand what it meant when a thousand people point their fingers at you, you would die even without an illness. He wiped his mouth and looked up to shout. ¡°Madam, check please.¡± ¡°Brother Yi, the meal is on the house today.¡± The proprietress snapped out of her daze caused by the bell tolls, pinching her face hard to prevent herself fromughing out loud. ¡°Alright.¡± Zhou Yi didn¡¯t fuss about tossing silver, as martial arts body refinement is a bottomless pit. The martial arts school charged a tuition fee, ten pieces of silver wasn¡¯t expensive. It was only after they taught the cultivation technique that they would tell you that you needed nourishing medicinal decoctions for body refinement, or else you would either wreck yourself or die during the process. The recipes for medicinal decoctions were a closely guarded secret of the school, known only to the owner, who sold the prepared elixirs to you. ¡°This scheme, no matter how you look at it, resembles the free online games where you won¡¯t get stronger unless you keep topping up money!¡± Zhou Yi clicked his tongue in wonder, no matter the past or the future, the tricks of traders never change. From tempering the skin to polishing the bones, he had already recharged five to six hundred pieces of silver, and the more challenging organ refinement and marrow cleansing were still ahead, with the medicinal decoctions bing increasingly precious; he estimated it would cost several thousand pieces of silver without end. Ordinary martial artists reach the second-tier realm and begin their adventures in the martial world. Amidst the shes of des and swords, how many are truly lofty and soaring? Most are there to make silver. Zhou Yi didn¡¯t have to take this risk, as the prison was full of corrupt officials; skimming a little off the top was enough to fund his martial arts body refinement. He walked along the street. Themoners seemed to be under a spell of silence, their gazes kept sneaking towards the direction of the imperial pce, they appeared eager to talk yet they dared not discuss publicly. Theymunicated with their eyes, anyway, it was all about cursing the Dog Emperor for finally dying. The prison. Lei Suyu had already changed into mourning attire and was directing the prison guards to erect white banners. The Emperor has passed away, and the whole country must observe mourning. Once the six-foot white banners were set up, Lei Suyu called all the prison guards together. ¡°We have received an order from the pce, starting now, the prison will be shut down, prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving. That includes myself, and we will have to eat and drink inside the prison!¡± Lei Suyu looked towards Zhou Yi, ¡°Little Yi, go check the prison kitchen¡¯s supply of rice and flour, buy more if it¡¯s not enough.¡± A ban on feasting is in ce during the Emperor¡¯s funeral, so only in rice and flour are permitted. Despite his age, Lei Suyu¡¯s memory is getting better¡ªhe is clearly nning to stay in his position until death, and it is rumored that he wouldn¡¯t trade it for an external official position at the Ministry of Justice of the seventh rank. Zhou Yi responded, ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Zhang Zhou reminded, ¡°Remember to stock up on some cooking wine, the dishes taste nd with just a little amount.¡± Ha ha! All the prison guards burst intoughter, while everyone else used cooking wine for cooking, Zhang Zhou used it to apany his meals. ¡°I¡¯ll save as much as possible.¡± Having worked in the prison for ten years, Zhou Yi was familiar with everyone, and they often met up to visit the brothels or enjoy music, so there were no restraints in their conversations and dealings. There were few formal officials in the prison, but many low-born guards were holding secure jobs passed down through generations. No one needed to look down on anyone, and due to the excessive perks, it was hard not to maintain good rtions with colleagues. ¡­ The kitchen. Chef Liu was already there,manding his son and apprentice to prepare arge pot of rice. Zhou Yi asked in surprise, ¡°Why are you here? Stop busying yourself and go, the prison is about to be locked down.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not leaving; I¡¯ll stay in the prison for a while.¡± Chef Liu wiped the sweat from his face and said softly, ¡°Our boss said there¡¯s going to be trouble in the Divine Capital, and Dong Xiang Lou has closed down. The manager and the workers wanted to leave the city but were stopped.¡± ¡°` ¡°I was thinking, where could be safer than the Sky Prison? So I brought Shunzi here to take shelter from the disaster!¡± ¡°Brilliant!¡± Zhou Yi gave a thumbs up, checked over the rice and face jars, and the wine jars¡ªenough to feed the entire Sky Prison for a month. After a brief chat with Chef Liu, he picked up the bucket and went to deliver meals. He wouldn¡¯t trade this job of delivering meals for any other assignment. Assignments often involved escorting prisoners to exile, traveling thousands of miles there and back. With the outside world in chaos, nothing was safer than staying in the Sky Prison. Of course, escorting prisoners was a coveted job among the guards. On the trip, they enjoyed fine meals and amodations in carriages and inns, and easily pocketed hundreds of taels of silver! Prison Cell Yi San. Zhou Yi poured out the watery porridge and was ready to leave. The elderly prisoner clung to the bars, his hair unkempt and his body as thin as a skeleton, pleadingly asked, ¡°Young man, it sounded like bells ringing to me. How many times did it chime?¡± ¡°Nine times,¡± he answered expressionlessly; the prisoner was an official from the Ministry of Works who had embezzled silver meant for the river embankment repairs. The embankment was only superficiallyyered with stones and sand on the surface, while the inside was stuffed with straw and rice husks. Last summer, a heavy rain hit before the water levels reached the alert line, but the embankment was the first to copse, ultimately causing the death or disappearance of over a hundred thousand people. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± The prisoner was stunned, then wailed and cried, kowtowing forcefully towards the direction of the pce. Zhou Yi shrugged and continued to deliver meals; the prisoners in Prison Cell Yi were all expert actors, and it was hard to tell whether their tears were out of profound grief or ecstatic joy. As usual, when a new emperor ascended the throne in Fengyang Country, a royal amnesty would be dered to show grace. Prisoners in Prison Cell Jia were much more straightforward, all of themughing and chatting, nearly shouting out praises for the emperor¡¯s death. ¡°Hey kid, when is the new emperor going to ascend the throne?¡± ¡°We¡¯re about to get out of here, can¡¯t we have a good meal before we leave?¡± ¡°Hahaha, Old Zhao still has three months before the execution grounds, long live our emperor!¡± Zhou Yi paid no attention to the shouting prisoners; ten years of delivering meals had made him ustomed to ignoring them. Thedle moved effortlessly around the bucket, controlling the few grains of rice and pieces of vegetable leavespletely within his grasp. Practice makes perfect! Certain prisoners whom he didn¡¯t like would receive only three to five grains of rice per meal¡ªafter some time, they¡¯d be reduced to dried-up husks. ¡­ Night fell. Themps in the Sky Prison were bright, with the sounds of dice games continuing incessantly. Thousands of imperial soldiers guarded the outer gate, and the inner gate was firmly locked, making it seem like a small, isted world. The national mourning prohibited alcohol, but to the prison guards, it was a trivial matter. Initially, Colonel Niu cautioned them not to be too brazen, but after losing three straight card games, he tossed the nationalw aside. ¡°No nines! No nines¡­¡± Guard Chang Ning puffed up and slowly lifted the domino, bursting intoughter as he swept all the money on the table towards him and drank down a bowl of alcohol with a gulp. The guards at the card table cursed, while the onlookers admired Chang Ning¡¯s card skills and lucky streak. ¡°Uncle Chang is so lucky!¡± Zhou Yi praised and subtly mentioned, ¡°We¡¯re holding many prisoners here, with quite a few dangerous ones in Prison Cell Jia. During the transition of the National Dynasty, we need to be vignt about security.¡± Chang Ning,pletely preupied with the card game, said without concern, ¡°With three thousand imperial soldiers surrounding the Sky Prison tightly, not even a top-notch expert could break in.¡± Upon hearing this, Colonel Niu, who¡¯d lost at cards, frowned slightly and said, ¡°Little Yi is right. We can¡¯t take this situation lightly. If real chaos breaks out, it¡¯s a major case that could cost us our heads!¡± Zhou Yi seized the opportunity to add, ¡°Don¡¯t we have a watchtower? I could go up there and keep watch; if someonees, I can give a shout.¡± ¡°Go, go, go, the key to the tower is in the cab, help yourself,¡± said Colonel Niu without suspicion, as he dealt the cards and added with concern, ¡°It¡¯s freezing up there, and the wind is strong on the watchtower, remember to take a few more nkets!¡± Chapter 8 - 8 Watching a Fire from the Other Side of the River Chapter 8: Watching a Fire from the Other Side of the River Editor: Henyee Trantions Watchtower. It stood tall at the northeast corner, three stories high, from there one could overlook the Sky Prison. ording to the regtions established by the Imperial Court, the watchtower was manned by prison guards day and night, guarding against the infiltration or escape of martial arts experts. Now that the defense wasx, most of the guards were skiving off their duties, naturally, no one went to the watchtower. Zhou Yi opened the iron door to the watchtower, followed the narrow staircase all the way to the top, and surprisingly found someone already standing there. ¡°Lord Lei, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°Watching the show!¡± Lei Suyu nodded slightly, looking towards the direction of the pce. Lines of torchlight connected like dots in the pitch-dark night sky, extremely conspicuous, with faint sounds of shouting and killing echoing through the night air. Zhou Yi feigned a shocked expression, ¡°Someone is leading troops to strike the pce, is this a rebellion?¡± ¡°In front of this official, stop ying dumb.¡± Lei Suyu candidly said, ¡°That is Long Tu leading troops to attack the pce¡¯s west gate, the leadingmander is the captain of the Five City Military and Horse Commander, along with the top three gangs and ten martial arts schools in the Capital.¡± The Five City Military is responsible for guarding the Capital Inner City, patrolling the One Hundred and Eight Districts Market. The Capital¡¯s Green Wolves, Soaring Eagles, and Golden Sand, the three major gangs, each control brothels, gambling houses, and livery stables, with thousands and tens of thousands of henchmen and fighters under theirmand. The ten major martial arts schools, although seemingly having the fewest numbers, were all martial arts experts, best suited for leading the charge in assaults. ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Yi muttered, ¡°This adds up to at least thirty to fifty thousand people, the Imperial Guards at the pce number only three to four thousand, could today be a day of great change?¡± Long Tu had been the Grand Secretary for thirty years, nearly all the Officials at the Imperial Court were his men, he also had many loyalists in the military, and officials affiliated with the ¡°Long faction¡± were scattered across the local governments. If they breached the pce tonight and seized control of the Capital and its surroundings, they could follow the example of the Sima family. They could safely install a young sovereign on the throne, with Long Tu continuing to control the Imperial politics. If they were more radical, they could dere themselves emperor and change the era¡¯s name, ensuring a smooth transition for the National Dynasty with the officials of the Long faction. ¡°Long Tu might have fallen for His Majesty¡¯s trap!¡± Lei Suyu shook his head and said, ¡°Just a few days ago at the assembly, Long Tu was still saying His Majesty was in good health, that he could live at least another three to four years¡­¡± ¡°Could His Majesty have feigned death?¡± Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow, that Dog Emperor had long since stopped caring about his reputation, it was possible he¡¯d stoop to faking death to catch Long Tu off guard. ¡°The Emperor has not appeared in court for thirty-six years, Long Tu has overwhelming influence in the court and the pce, both inside and outside; how could he not be sure of the news?¡± Lei Suyu pointed towards the direction of the pce¡¯s south gate, ¡°The deputymander of the Jinyiwei attempted to collude from within and without to breach the south gate, but fell into a trap and is now fighting his colleagues.¡± The Jinyiwei was the emperor¡¯s personal army, and the deputymander was actually conspiring with Long Tu! Zhou Yi felt a touch of schadenfreude, the Dog Emperor was abandoned by his followers, surely not enjoying the experience. Lei Suyu said, ¡°This morning, Long Tu was certain of His Majesty¡¯s death and even left a decree for His Highness Prince Qin to ascend, hastily assembling his forces to attack the pce.¡± After the failure of the former Crown Prince¡¯s rebellion, Emperor Chongming had not established a sessor; Prince Qin was his third son. Zhou Yi clicked his tongue, ¡°Not picking the eldest, nor the youngest, does this mean His Majesty had foreseen this daying?¡± Lei Suyu eximed in admiration, ¡°Among those in this Sky Prison, you really are the clever one.¡± ¡°Lord Lei tters me, I just like to frequent the pleasure quarters and listen to the storytellers recount history on normal days,¡± Zhou Yi said. The storyteller Zhou Yi mentioned was named Niannian, the currently most popr Oiran at the Spring Breeze Building. ¡°I also frequented the pleasure quarters in my youth, my mother would scold me every day for shaming our ancestors and dishonoring the Lei family. Later on, I realized that a man should achieve something worthwhile, thus I joined Long Tu and took charge of the Sky Prison within just over a decade.¡± Lei Suyu murmured, ¡°Had I been a pleasure-seeking young master, content to be a captain in the Sky Prison¡­ perhaps I could have avoided the punishment of family extermination.¡± Zhou Yi heard the first part of the sentence and retreated inconspicuously a few steps, his palm resting on the cloth bag at his waist. Inside the bag was lime powder mixed with a deadly poison taught by a certain death row inmate; even top martial artists in the jianghu would lose most of their strength upon smelling it. ¡°Youd are too sly, offering your heart to this official, yet you are guarded at every turn!¡± Lei Suyu said, ¡°With such a cautious nature, it¡¯s no wonder you¡¯ve refused promotion even after ten years of service.¡± ¡°I¡¯m naturally slow-witted, unable to fathom the schemes of those in high ces. Better to be content as a prison guard.¡± Zhou Yi said with a smile, ¡°When I get old, I will pass the job of prison guard to my son, and he¡¯ll pass it to his grandson. Generations of secure livelihoods, no matter who rules in the pce, they won¡¯t starve!¡± ¡°Now that is truly wise!¡± Lei Suyu slowly said, ¡°This morning it wasn¡¯t a message from the pce, but rather amand from Long Tu¡¯s steward, ordering me to falsely im imperial orders and lead the Tiao Imperial Guards to attack the pce. At the same time, open the prison gates and unleash all the prisoners to wreak havoc in the Capital!¡± ¡°Why would you¡­¡± Zhou Yi showed confusion, wondering why Lei Suyu would defy orders from Long Tu. It appeared that Long Tu¡¯s power was already overwhelming, and a change of dynasty seemed imminent. Going with the flow would ensure a share of the glory. Moreover, Lei Suyu, having ascended to his position with the help of Long Tu¡¯s power, hadn¡¯t hesitated to take care of Long¡¯s nsmen who had run afoul of thew over the years. Should Long Tu fall, the new emperor would undoubtedly purge the Imperial Court, and Lei Suyu wouldn¡¯t be spared. Lei Suyu looked toward the Capital, where the light from torches had climbed the city walls only to plummet quickly, signaling intense battle. ¡°I have a premonition that Long Tu will lose to His Majesty, so I defied themand at thest moment. By keeping Tiao steady and prevent chaos, my family¡¯s punishment could be reduced from execution to exile!¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°If you, Lei, led the Tiao Imperial Guards to ambush Long Tu from behind, perhaps you could achieve a great feat?¡± ¡°What if my premonition is wrong? Long Tu¡¯s thirty years of preparation may not be inferior to His Majesty¡¯s arrangements!¡± Lei Suyu sighed, ¡°When I was young, I would have tried for a struggle. Now that I am old, even if I were to gain tremendous honor, I wouldn¡¯t be able to enjoy it.¡± Zhou Yi cursed inwardly at the sly old fox; as long as Lei Suyu kept control of Tiao, he could emerge unscathed no matter who won. Just as he was about to continue the conversation. Suddenly. A rumbling of horse hooves came from afar. The ground of the Capital trembled as countless ck-armored cavalry emerged from the various marketces, neatly converging and charging toward the rebels assaulting the pce. ¡°Kill!¡± A long cry like a thunderp from a clear sky drowned out even the sound of hooves. Lei Suyu eximed in surprise, ¡°When did a Martial Arts Grandmaster appear in the army? His Majesty has hidden well, Long Tu is doomed to fail!¡± ¡°Martial Arts Grandmaster!¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes lit up, looking in the direction of the sound. s, the pce was too far away, only dim outlines were visible, as if a silver-armored general was leading the charge through the enemy lines. The attack on the pce halted, caught between arrows from the Imperial Guards in front and the Martial Arts Grandmaster leading troops charging from the rear. They were in dire straits. After several cavalry charges, the rebel forces¡ªa patchwork alliance of three factions¡ªwere segmented into isted groups each fighting for themselves. With another long cry, the silver-armored general announced, ¡°Long Tu has been executed, those who surrender will not be killed!¡± With their head cut off, the rebel forces immediately disintegrated. Atop the watchtower. Hearing this, Zhou Yi¡¯s face broke into a broad smile. ¡°Tomorrow there will be guests at Tiao, the wronged can have their revenge, and the vengeful can seek retribution!¡± Chapter 9 - 9 The Good Bad Person Chapter 9: The Good Bad Person Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°` In the forty-sixth year of Emperor Chongming¡¯s reign, winter. The Emperor passed away, and the Dragon minister plotted rebellion. The Duke of Weiyuan, holding thete Emperor¡¯s edict, led his troops to suppress the rebellion, and blood stained the Anding Gate. The next day. Divine Capital was under martialw as the military hunted the remnants of the Dragon minister¡¯s faction, filling the sky-prison to the brim. ¡­ In the sky-prison. Someone clutched at the bars, pleading for mercy. ¡°Your Majesty, your old servant is wronged!¡± ¡°I have absolutely no connection with Long Ni!¡± ¡°Long Ni deserves death at everyone¡¯s hands!¡± Others, certain of their impending death, cursed Emperor Chongming fiercely. ¡°Heaven is blind; how is the Dog Emperor qualified to shepherd the people?¡± ¡°The Zhao Imperial Family¡¯s death is not a pity!¡± ¡°Dog Emperor, I regret not being able to chew on your bones and flesh!¡± ¡°Old scoundrel, how dare you insult thete Emperor, I won¡¯t share the sky with you.¡± ¡°Lu, you old dog, if it weren¡¯t for the Dragon minister¡¯s protection back in the day, your whole family would have been executed for embezzling hundreds of thousands of taels of military provisions!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The sky-prison had never been this lively, noisy as a marketce. The quarreling parties even came to blows, civil officials grabbing hair and military officials throwing groin kicks. The prison guards watching were dazzled and whispered amongst themselves that these high-ranking figures couldn¡¯t even preserve their dignity before death. In Cell Jia 9. It was clean and tidy inside and out. Zhou Yi opened the cell door, inside were only two middle-aged men confined. Arge cor,rge enough to reach only halfway up a person, trapped their necks. They could only kneel with their heads down, lest the harshness of the cor break their necks. Upon hearing footsteps, the prisoners struggled to lift their heads to look. Zhou Yi greeted them with a smile, ¡°Young Master Long, we meet again!¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± The voice of Young Master Long was dry and hoarse, a stark contrast to the arrogance he had shown upon entering the sky-prison. ¡°Indeed, how could a noble young master like yourself remember a small fry like me.¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s smile remained, ¡°These past years, whenever Young Master Long made visits to the sky-prison, I¡¯m the one who brought your meals. If I didn¡¯t serve well, I¡¯d be pped.¡± Young Master Long frowned slightly, beginning to remember. But having beaten and killed so many people on ordinary days, he couldn¡¯t recall when he had hit Zhou Yi. ¡°Scoundrel!¡± Young Master Long said contemptuously, ¡°You act like a dog on ordinary days and only dare to take revenge when I¡¯m down on my luck!¡± ¡°I hope Young Master Long can always stay so tough.¡± Zhou Yi was not the least bit angry. He never intended to be a good guy because he didn¡¯t want someone pointing a gun at him. Therefore, he chose to be the bad sort of good guy, the evil sort of righteous man. If Young Master Long pped me, even if ten years pass, I must retaliate. Forgiving him is Buddha¡¯s business; Zhou Yi¡¯s sole responsibility is to send him off to the Western Paradise! ¡°Over the years in the sky-prison, I¡¯ve learned a variety of things. Since time is limited, I won¡¯t try them one by one.¡± Zhou Yi spoke calmly, as if chatting with an old friend, ¡°In a few days, you might be interrogated again, so we won¡¯t need torture instruments. Please, Young Master Long, try this pill¡­ ¡± He pulled from his sleeve a round, bright-red pill with strange patterns on its surface. ¡°A few years ago, the Jinyiwei caught a thief skilled in gu poisons. Before he died, he used this pill to trade for a jar of ten-year-old pear blossom white wine.¡± Zhou Yi always thought of Wei Chang whenever pear blossom white was mentioned, much of his resentment towards Young Master Long over the years came from this. The good are executed, the bad roam free. ¡°ording to the thief, there is a strange insect within this pill. After ingesting, it hatches in the stomach and intestines, then feeds on the internal organs. Since it eats little, the victim can live for another year or so.¡± Zhou Yi grabbed Young Master Long¡¯s mouth, easily prying it open, and with a flick of his finger, the pill went down his throat. ¡°Heh heh heh¡­¡± Young Master Long choked, unable to speak, until the pill dissolved, and he felt something crawling down his throat. Reaching the lungs, it perhaps grew tired and hungry, and began to randomly nibble at the flesh and blood. ¡°Ah¡ª¡± A scream of utter agony brought a sudden silence to the otherwise noisy cells. Young Master Long¡¯s neck and hands were locked in the heavy cor, his legs shackled; despite the excruciating pain, his struggles were confined to a limited range. His face turned red, veins bulged, resembling a ferocious ghost. After a moment. The gu worm, having fed, began to rest, and the pain slowly subsided. When Young Master Long looked up at Zhou Yi again, there was palpable fear in his eyes. ¡°Rest well, Young Master Long. The gu worm will wake up at any time, and it will be hard to get a good night¡¯s sleep from now on.¡± After saying this, Zhou Yi turned to look at the person next to him. The younger brother of Young Master Long, a teenager only in his teens. One has to admit, the Dragon minister was vigorous in his old age. ¡°Don¡¯te over here!¡± The young man shook with fear. Seeing Zhou Yi staring at him, he babbled, ¡°My father is the Grand Secretary, my mother is a princess¡­ I carry the blood of the Imperial n, don¡¯te over¡­¡± At that moment. Colonel Niu entered with the prison guards, relieved to see Young Master Long still alive. ¡°I knew it, little Yi wouldn¡¯t be too harsh, would he?¡± Torturing prisoners in the sky-prison was amon urrence, and as long as it didn¡¯t interfere with interrogation or execution, no one cared what torture the felons endured. Zhou Yi stood up to greet him, whispering, ¡°Uncle Niu, I didn¡¯t see Lei Suyu today?¡± ¡°Lei Suyu is in seclusion for reflection. He handed over all the prison affairs to me.¡± Colonel Niu¡¯s voice was deep, yet he couldn¡¯t hide the joy on his face. With Lei Suyu implicated in the rebellion, the likelihood of his return dwindled, and with some maneuvering, Colonel Niu was sure to take over the position of prison warden. As the others left the cell, the young man¡¯s fear gradually faded, and he turned to look at Young Master Long. ¡°` ¡°Brother, are you feeling any better?¡± Young Master Long watched the youth with venomous eyes, and through gritted teeth he spat, ¡°It¡¯s all because of you, this monstrous spawn, that I have fallen to such a state. Father surely would have achieved his great n!¡± The youth mumbled, ¡°Brother, how can you say that? Mother and I both support Father¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention that cheap woman!¡± Young Master Long cursed, ¡°That cheap woman seduced our father when she was drunk, birthing you, the monstrous issue, like a nail from the Dog Emperor. If it weren¡¯t for that cheap woman¡¯s false message saying the Dog Emperor still had several years to live, would Father have rebelled so hastily?¡± ¡°ording to the original n, involving the transfer of a hundred thousand troops from the Capital Garrison, sess was guaranteed!¡± The youth¡¯s eyes were dull, and he couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing, ¡°It can¡¯t be! It can¡¯t be! How could Mother deceive me? She even said I have the blood of two imperial dynasties and am destined to ascend the throne!¡± ¡°You fool¡­¡± Just as Young Master Long was about to sneer a few words, the gu insects suddenly came over and began to nibble at his intestines. Piercing, continuous screams followed. ¡­ Evening. Zhou Yi carried arge wooden bucket, delivering meals from cell to cell. The hungry civil and military officials, who hadn¡¯t eaten all day, were ravenous, and not caring for the quality of the food, crouched on the ground gulping down the gruel. ¡°Little brother, another spoonful, please, just one more!¡± A familiar yet strange voice. Zhou Yi carefully identified it and after a long while recognized, ¡°Minister Liu, we meet again!¡± As he spoke, he nced at the cell number and couldn¡¯t help but exim in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s Prison Cell Yi Six again!¡± Liu Shng, weathered as he was, hardly cared about this slight, and with a brazen face, he said, ¡°It¡¯s fate, little brother!¡± Zhou Yi asked, ¡°Minister Liu, I¡¯ve wanted to ask for years, since you were so close to Master Su, why did you report him?¡± ¡°Old Su¡¯s mouth could never hold water!¡± Liu Shng shrugged, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t reported him, he would have gotten into trouble sooner orter. Since we were all friends, why let others benefit from his fall? Better to credit me with the achievement!¡± ¡°I¡¯m impressed!¡± Zhou Yi truly admired him and hurriedly served Liu Shng good wine and meat. ¡­ Prison Cell Jia Twelve. Zhou Yi poured the gruel into a basin, leaving the prisoners to divide it among themselves. Prison Cell Jia housed violent criminals and strongmen, most of whom had martial skills and would divide the food ording to strength and weakness. The strong got to sleep on beds and eat their fill, while the weak had to guard the chamber pot and starve. Suddenly, a voice came from a corner of the cell, ¡°Brother Yi, is that you?¡± ¡°Master Luo? What are you doing here?¡± Upon hearing a familiar voice, Zhou Yi waved for the prisoners to give way, only then could he see the figure lying in the corner. Five Tiger Martial Arts School, Luo Hu. He had seven or eight knife wounds on his body, his clothes soaked with blood, an arrow broken off in his shoulder, and his legs twisted irregrly. Zhou Yi then understood why a top master at the Refining Organs Realm was not kept in solitary confinement. Luo Hu¡¯s injuries were so severe that he retained only a tenth of his strength, and his shattered leg bonespletely eliminated any chance of escaping from prison. Luo Hu leaned against the wall and pleaded, ¡°Brother Yi, I have some things I¡¯d like to discuss with you alone.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Zhou Yi spoke to the guard, asking to transfer him and the others to another cell temporarily to make space. The prisoners dared notin, for causing trouble could spoil the jailer¡¯s mood, and from then on, they would not have any pleasant days ahead, with treatments of varying cruelty every day. In Prison Cell Jia Twelve, only Zhou Yi and Luo Hu were left. Luo Hu spoke directly, ¡°I have a house in the Capital; it¡¯s registered under another name from out of town. At the bottom of the well, there are several thousand silver taels, the Five Tiger Fist manual, and tonic forms. Brother Yi, take them. It should be enough to cultivate to the Marrow Cleansing Realm.¡± Zhou Yi asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter first?¡± Luo Hu said in a low voice, ¡°Brother Yi, think of a way to get my son out, to leave a lineage for the Luo family¡­¡± ¡°Your son can¡¯t be released!¡± Zhou Yi rejected the idea outright. Ten martial arts schools in the Capital were suspected of treason, and during execution, their identities were carefully verified. For distant rtives, Zhou Yi might think of a way to get them out, but Luo Hu¡¯s son was surely on the watch list. ¡°Then change to someone else.¡± Luo Hu suggested, ¡°I have an affair with a widow in the Capital, and she¡¯s eight months pregnant. Please take care of her, Brother Yi.¡± Zhou Yi pondered for a moment and nodded, ¡°If the Jinyiwei haven¡¯t caught her yet, I¡¯ll help.¡± Luo Hu lowered his voice, ¡°That house is in Luchang Alley¡­¡± Zhou Yi noted down the address before saying, ¡°Master Luo, you also have to do something for me.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Go to Prison Cell Yi Six and kill someone for me!¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Whenever someone eats theirst meal, kill them!¡± Zhou Yi whispered his instructions and left the cell, sending back the original prisoners. Soon after. A quarrel broke out in the cell, which escted into a brawl. Luo Hu, now reduced from a tiger to a dog, was humiliated by unskilled fighters and his injuries worsened, nearly killing him on the spot. ¡°What¡¯s all this ruckus? No food for three days!¡± The jailer scolded and, fearing Luo Hu might be killed by the other prisoners, moved him to another cell. Prison Cell Yi Six. Minister Liu was enjoying his wine and meat when a bloody prisoner was thrown in; he couldn¡¯t help but look over several times. Luo Hu: ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Minister Liu: ¡°I am a minister¡­ Ah!¡± Luo Hu pounced on Minister Liu, smashing heads violently together. Minister Liu, just a civil servant and an old man, was killed instantly, his brains spilling out and sttering the faces of surrounding officials. The supervising jailer quickly intervened to separate Luo Hu, beating and kicking him for a while before confining him to another cell. Not long after. There was a loud bang in the cell ¨C Luo Hu hadmitted suicide by smashing his head against the wall. Chapter 10: Freedom From Selfish Desires Chapter 10: Freedom From Selfish Desires Editor: Henyee Trantions Sky Prison Office. Zhou Yi pushed the door open and bowed. ¡°Uncle Niu, were you looking for me?¡± Commandant Niu gestured for Zhou Yi to sit down. ¡°Kid, your methods are too crude. Aren¡¯t you afraid of being investigated by the Uniformed Guard?¡± After hearing the prison guard¡¯s report, Commandant Niu concluded that it was Zhou Yi who had used underhanded means to kill Assistant Minister Liu. This kind of thing wasmon in Sky Prison. Officials often sent their political enemies to Sky Prison. In order to prevent their political enemies from making aeback, they would spend a sum of money to have them killed. ¡°Uncle Niu, what do you mean? I¡¯m just doing an honest day¡¯s work delivering food.¡± Zhou Yi yed dumb, being careful not to confirm or deny his involvement. Assistant Minister Liu and Luo Hu¡¯s corpses were cold. True, the dead could not testify, but that did not eliminate risk. Fengyang Kingdom was not above thew. Guilt and innocence were all determined by the higher-ups, and they could always find a way to force a confession. Commandant Niu snorted. ¡°No wonder Master Lei told me that you¡¯re the most cunning guard in Sky Prison!¡± ¡°Master Lei¡¯s words are too ttering, sir.¡± Zhou Yi smiled and said, ¡°Dojo Master Luo has a residence in the capital and has hidden thousands of taels of silver. The silver is all yours, but the martial arts manual goes to me, and the residence goes to the widow.¡± ¡°How particr!¡± Commandant Niu praised, looking at Zhou Yi with increasing satisfaction. He would rather give up his own interests toplete what he had promised Luo Hu. Commandant Niu couldn¡¯t have imagined such an act. After all, it wasmon to bully widows. ¡°You see, Master Luo and I are indebted to each other.¡± Zhou Yi had no desire to be in the limelight, and the nourishing medicine recipe was not the most important thing. What he really wanted was for Assistant Minister Liu to die. Assistant Minister Liu was a true viin! This kind of person had no bottom line. If he didn¡¯t wipe him out now, there would be endless trouble. Supposing Liu made the new emperor happy and was reinstated to his position, Zhou Yi could only make a run for it. Commandant Niu asked curiously, ¡°I know you were obsessed with martial arts. What have you achieved?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been weak since I was young. Practicing martial arts is to strengthen my body.¡± Zhou Yi picked up the teacup lid on the table and twisted it in his hand, instantly turning it into powder. Commandant Niu had also gone to the martial arts school back in the day, but he couldn¡¯t withstand the pain of Body Tempering. He hadn¡¯t even mastered the Skin Membrane Technique, but he still knew how to differentiate between martial arts realms. ¡°Steel muscles and iron bones. A quiet little guy like you has achieved strength like this?¡± ¡°Ten years of ceaseless training, and endless amounts of nourishing medicine. Yet, my talent is still considered inferior.¡± Zhou Yi was not being modest. ording to Wei Chang, one could train their muscles and bones in seven to eight years in the martial arts world. However, those in the martial arts world did not have the time to cultivate their skills every day. From a young age, Master Luo¡¯s most beloved disciple bathed in medicinal soup and umted his inner qi. At the age of 16 or 17, he had already perfected his muscles and bones and actually stood a chance of bing a Connate Master in the future. Zhou Yi was not jealous. After all, that genius disciple had already died in the chaos. Surviving was all that mattered. Whoever lived the longest would be a grandmaster of their generation! Commandant Niu clicked his tongue in admiration. ¡°You¡¯re already a second-rate expert in the martial world. Why don¡¯t you go out and make a living? It¡¯s much better than staying here and delivering food.¡± ¡°Second-rate is nothing. The heads of the top ten martial arts schools in the capital are all experts in refining their organs. It¡¯s said that Master Chen of the Golden Saber Martial Arts School has already begun to cleanse his marrow. He has the divine powers strong enough to send cows flying and knock whole buildings down t. Zhou Yi shrugged and said, ¡°I can¡¯t possibly livefortably in a world like that.¡± A good, stable living is everything! That¡¯s all Zhou Yi was looking for. Moreover, the Sky Prison was low and powerful, and the benefits were generous and were not dependent on official struggles. It was simply perfect! Hearing this, Commandant Niu¡¯s eyes flickered. He suddenly asked, ¡°Kid, tell me, do you think I¡¯ll be promoted to warden?¡± Zhou Yi was silent for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°It will be tough!¡± ¡°How so?¡± Commandant Niu straightened his body. He had asked many people this question, and they all congratted and ttered him. Everyone believed that only Commandant Niu could be the warden of the Sky Prison. Outsiders who dared to enter and wouldn¡¯t know the rules of the Sky Prison. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they were imprisoned themselves! Zhou Yi deliberated for a moment before saying, ¡°In order to reduce the penalty for crimes, Master Lei will definitely inform the imperial court on what he knows of the Long Rebellion¡¯s ns. How can the new emperor trust prison officials going forward? It¡¯s very likely that a trusted subordinate will be appointed as the warden.¡± Zhou Yi had been at Sky Prison for 100 years. In that time, he had discovered that the staff turnover rate was so low that it was almost strictly hereditary. Warden Lei¡¯s father was a military officer. Commandant Niu¡¯s grandfather was a former prison guard. Even Zhou Yi¡¯s father and grandfather were prison guards. The residence of the fourth-rate Censor of the Imperial Court was rented. As a minor official, Zhou Yi¡¯s father bought a residence in the Divine Capital. Of course, the Censor might be pretending to be poor, but it was enough to exin the problem of the Sky Prison. Commandant Niu snorted indignantly. ¡°We have all kinds of rules here. If someonees along who doesn¡¯t know what they¡¯re doing, how can they control us?¡± ¡°They may not know the rules, but they can get the Uniformed Guard to make arrests. Who can stand being investigated? In the end, everyone will be reced, and they will set all the rules!¡± In the end, it¡¯s not the invaders who suffer, but the invaded. Seeing his face darken, Zhou Yi hurriedly expressed his loyalty. ¡°Uncle Niu, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll definitely support you.¡± ¡°What use can a food delivery boy like you be?¡± Commandant Niu sighed. ¡°Master Lei also advised me the same way. He joined the Long Rebellion back then, which led to his family being raided and exiled. If he hadn¡¯t done it, the Lei family wouldn¡¯tck wealth in any dynasty!¡± The nobility of the Imperial Court would be reduced from generation to generation. After five lifetimes, their ancestors would be exhausted, and they would be no different frommoners. However, the Sky Prison was a cradle-to-grave job that could be passed on to one¡¯s descendants. ¡°Uncle Niu, don¡¯t worry. If a new wardenes in, you can help him!¡± Zhou Yi consoled him further, saying, ¡°Sky Prison has been here since the previous dynasty. No matter whoes to be the warden, it won¡¯t be long before they be a part of Sky Prison.¡± Sky Prison was rtively independent and had little contact with the various government offices. Once the prison door was closed, it became an otherworldly ce. No one who held such great power and benefits would think of changing Sky Prison! Lieutenant Niu nodded slightly in agreement and changed the topic. ¡°You¡¯re 27 years old this year, right? Why do you still go to Spring Breeze Tower every day? My brother has a daughter who¡¯s dignified¡­¡± ¡°Uncle Niu, I¡¯m meeting Miss Nongyu tonight to discuss the Great Dao. I¡¯d better head out!¡± Zhou Yi waved his hand. Even after being transported to this ancient world, he couldn¡¯t escape being urged to get married. It was eptable to be a prison guard. In hister years, he would have the joy of teasing his grandchildren. However, the existence of the Dao Fruit of Eternal Life made it impossible for Zhou Yi to stay with anyone. First of all, he was afraid of exposing his secret. The Dao Fruit of Eternal Life was a treasure that Zhou Yi relied on. Even with disguises or transformation techniques, it was notpletely safe. If one spent too much time with the people around them, things could go wrong at any time. Then there¡¯s the issue of his wife aging. Decadester, she would no longer be young, and Zhou Yi would not know how to treat her. On the other hand, thedies of the Spring Breeze Tower would still be young and beautiful no matter how many years passed. Moreover, they only talked about money, not feelings, and had no attachments! Lieutenant Niu nced at Zhou Yi and waved his hand in disdain. ¡°Get lost. My niece is gentle and virtuous. I can¡¯t let you harm her!¡± ¡­ He went on his way. Zhou Yi did not go to Spring Breeze Tower. All banquets and entertainment were prohibited during the imperial funeral. Of course, this did not affect the business of Spring Breeze Tower. They opened a back door to secretly wee customers, and jacked up the prices. Instead, he returned home. Zhou Yi read for a while and thought about what he had done that day. ¡°I was a bit rash to do that to Young Master Long, but after venting my anger, I feel good!¡± Being careful was not the same as being sullen and cowardly. Besides, martial arts cultivation also focused on the state of mind, especially Internal Qi cultivation. If one¡¯s thoughts were not smooth, their progress would be slow, and they might even stagnate. Since ancient times, few true experts had relied on talent and resources to advance. Most of them had powerful mental states! Zhou Yi was naturally an exception. As long as he could live forever, the strong would be withered bones in their tombs, nothing more than stories, or even forgotten altogether. ¡°There¡¯s no harm in revealing your strength to Commandant Niu.¡± Zhou Yi had long nned to reveal himself. It was not to fight for power, but to be morefortable in Sky Prison. Diminishing his desires was key. No one can control you if youck ambition. As long as it didn¡¯t affect anyone¡¯s interests, others would be unwilling to provoke him. Instead, as a rather capable and quick-witted prison guard, his colleagues would be obliged to look after him. No matter how you look at it, today was a good day! ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll go see Master Luo¡¯s lover and send her to the countryside to lie low for a while. As for the silver and prescriptions in the residence, I¡¯ll go pick them up after a year or so. By then, she¡¯ll definitely be safe!¡± Zhou Yi had the most precious treasure in the world, and everything else was nothing. Right now, the Divine Capital was at its most chaotic period. The Imperial Guards, ck Knights, and Uniformed Guard were searching everywhere for traitors. What if they had already discovered Master Luo¡¯s residence? If Zhou Yi went now, he could be walking right into a trap. Then, it would be someone else delivering food the next day. Even without the Uniformed Guard, there were still Master Luo¡¯s disciples or nsmen. When the time came, there would be a battle¡­ This was all dangerous! Everything had to wait for a few years. Time was thest thing Zhou Yicked. After thinking about it, Zhou Yi got up and practiced a few times before returning to his room to cultivate the Origin Returning Mantra. The progress was slow, and he had not even reached the level of a third-rate expert. However, the cultivation method of inner Qi was always achievedter in life. It could not be rushed! The moon was bright and the stars were few. The night was still. A thin shadow leaped over the wall andnded in the darkness, clothes blending into the gloomy night. The figure crept along the base of the wall and snuck into the house. Just then?¡ª His legs buckled and he plummeted. The shadow reacted quickly. Inner Qi circted in his legs. He stepped on his left foot, then right foot and moved horizontally for a few feet to avoid falling into the pit. ¡°Goddammit, who digs traps in their yard?¡± In the moonlight, the shadow saw the spikes shining coldly in the pit, and its heart raced with fear. Its steps were light and silent, and it quickly touched the window frame of the master bedroom. It tapped on the window paper to blow incense inward. The shadow waited for a moment to confirm that the drug had taken effect. It opened the window and crawled in, rolling to reduce the sound ofnding. ¡°Ah¡­¡± There was a shrill scream as the shadow was pierced by a dozen nails on the ground. The nails were smeared with some kind of drug. The shadow felt numb and could not muster any strength. It circted its inner Qi to try to detoxify the poison, but it was useless. ¡°The Secret Drug of the Uniformed Guard. Even top experts are at the mercy of others after being injected with it!¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s voice sounded at the window. He had noticed it since the shadow entered the courtyard. Besides, he never meditated in the master bedroom. He always kept a dummy under the nket of the bed. ¡°Hero, have mercy¡­¡± The shadow was lying on the ground, pleading. He was about to beg for a softening of heart, but before he could say anything, he saw a few crossbow bolts flying towards him. An hour passed. Zhou Yi leveled the ground with a shovel and looked up at the date trees in the courtyard. ¡°The dates from this tree will definitely taste good next year. I¡¯ll have to share them with my colleagues!¡± Chapter 11: Pacifying the World Chapter 11: Pacifying the World Editor: Henyee Trantions The new year began. The new emperor ascended the throne, inaugurating the Hongchang era. Li Wu was appointed as the General Who Protects the Country to thoroughly investigate the Long Ni case. Entire families were exterminated, blood flowing like rivers. In the Eastern City Market, nine out of ten homes were empty, and less than half of the morning officials were present, ultimately yielding a total of 170 million taels of Silver. Emperor Hongchang decreed that Fengyang Country would not pay grain taxes for five years. That same year, in June. Li Wu was officially appointed as the Grand Marshal in charge of the military, leading his troops on a northern campaign. He crushed the various rebels and pacified six northern states before leading his army southward. ¡­ Divine Capital. Zhang Residence. A funeral banner was ced at the entrance, a mourning hall was set up in the courtyard, and white mourning streamers hung from the walls. At a nce, everything appeared bleak and deste. Zhou Yi walked into the mourning hall, offered three sticks of incense to Zhang Zhou, andpleted his respects with three prostrations and bows. Zhang Jin, the filial son, responded with a ritual bowing, and Zhou Yi hurriedly helped him up. ¡°Jin brother, moderate your grief and adjust to the changes.¡± Zhang Zhou had already retired from the heavenly prisonst year, reced by Zhang Jin in his position, taking medication for over half a year, but ultimately he could not survive the winter. The life expectancy of prison guards in the heavenly prison was not very long; Zhang Zhou living to fifty-four was already considered long-lived, whereas Father Zhou did not make it past forty. Scientifically speaking, it was due to working in dark, damp environments year-round and contact with various serious criminals, epitomizing society¡¯s darkest aspects, cing immense pressure on both body and mind, leading to premature aging and early death. However, people believed it was divine retribution, having done too many evil deeds and thus diminishing their moral virtue and shortening their lifespan¡ªeven many prison guards believed this! Zhou Yi offered a few words offort before a steward invited him to rest in another courtyard. ¡°You arrivedte,d. Did you go to the Spring Breeze Building again yesterday?¡± Colonel Niu sat boldly, his servants attending to him with tea on either side. ¡°Uncle Niu¡¯s temper is getting bigger. Are you nning to retire?¡± Zhou Yi was now thirty-two years old, and unavoidably of middle age, had applied ayer of special yellow wax on his face to appear around forty¡ªa perfect match for the premature aging typical of heavenly prison guards. ¡°Warden Zheng has arranged for my fourth son to take an armymand position. With such a grand favor, we cannot upy this position any longer.¡± The fourth son mentioned by Colonel Niu was indeed his own; his first three sons preferred reading and did not wish to work in the heavenly prison. After all, they were sons of a wealthy family who did not want to mingle in filthy ces. In recent years, Colonel Niu had worried much about this, now exchanging the position of a Colonel for that of an armymander. The surroundings were filled with associates from the heavenly prison; the rtionships cultivated by the Niu family were still useful, achieving the best of both worlds. Five years ago, just as Zhou Yi had predicted, the Imperial Court parachuted Zheng Gaoyuan into the position of warden. As soon as Warden Zheng took office, he initiated sweeping reforms and cracked down on corruption. When the Jinyiwei apprehended people, there was no need to change locations; an empty cell was sufficient to detain them. The old warden¡¯s subordinates were decimated, and Colonel Niu was the first to join Warden Zheng¡¯s ranks, taking a hard line against his former colleagues who called each other brother. Of course, no matter the upheaval, it did not affect the prison guards responsible for delivering meals! ¡°Then congrattions to Uncle Niu,¡± Zhou Yi observed Colonel Niu¡¯s graying hair and saw a hint of death in his eyes. Once retired, it was uncertain how many years he could endure. The love of parents for their children leads them to n far ahead. The Niu family¡¯s foundation was in the heavenly prison, and after a hundred years of cultivating connections, how could they ensure the security of such arge family business if it were abandoned, especially depending on those three heirs who couldn¡¯t even pass the imperial examination? Many officials and nobles were confined in the heavenly prison, and Zhou Yi stood by, watching and listening. Large families could not be toppled from the outside in a short time; they mostly decayed from within, and when the time was right, they copsed quickly! Colleagues and friends would gather to chat, and eventually the topic would shift to the rebellion suppression battlefield¡ªwhich had been the major event in Fengyang Country over the past five years. The Grand Marshal pacified the north in two years and had been leading his army south for over three years now. The battle was fierce, and the official reports often published victories over tens of thousands of the enemy. Prison guard Ye Cheng chuckled, ¡°The enemy numbers reported by the Imperial Court add up to three or four million now. If the rebels in the south really had such arge army, wouldn¡¯t they have surrounded the Divine Capital by now?¡± Zhou Yi cautioned, ¡°Brother Ye, watch your words¡ªlet that get overheard by the Li family and you¡¯ll find yourself in a cell.¡± These days, the Li family¡¯s prestige in Fengyang Country even exceeded that of the former prime minister. After all, no literary official, no matter how powerful, couldpete with a military officermanding hundreds of thousands of troops. Rumors flew in the streets that the south had not been pacified in three years because Li Wu was fostering rebels to strengthen his own power! ¡°You know nothing!¡± Colonel Niu scolded, ¡°The south isn¡¯t just about the rebels¡ªthe emperor said no grain taxes for five years, and the morale of the rebels in the north copsed. The south is different; they haven¡¯t missed a penny innd rent.¡± Among the crowd offering condolences at the Zhang family, Colonel Niu held the highest status; upon hearing this, others crowded around to listen. ¡°Who would dare to defy the Imperial Court¡¯s decree?¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Colonel Niu did not continue, swiftly changing the subject, ¡°Have you managed to refine your organs with Inner Qi, Zhou? At your age, your Qi-Blood has already started to wane, and it will only get harder from here on out.¡± ¡°It will take a few more years.¡± Zhou Yi shook his head. Another five years had passed, and his muscles and bones had reached peak training, but refining the organs and marrow was a bottleneck. Skin and bone were considered ¡°hard¡± skills, which could be improved over time with persistent training. Refining the organs and cleansing the marrow were ¡°soft¡± skills, which must not be rushed. Many people had rushed the process, only to break their internal organs and bleed to death. ¡°You¡¯ve been clever all your life, but you¡¯ve been foolish once. You¡¯ve thrown all your Silver into martial arts and brothels and haven¡¯t even managed to arrange a marriage. Who will take care of you when you¡¯re old?¡± Colonel Niu seemed to find his footing again, wanting tough heartily but feeling the setting was inappropriate. Over the years, he had often sought advice from Zhou Yi. Each time, Colonel Niu felt like a foolish brute. ¡°What if one day, I break through to be an Innate Grandmaster?¡± Zhou Yi spoke earnestly, but those present took it as a joke. In Fengyang Country, there were currently only two confirmed Grandmasters: one was the Grand Marshal Li Wu, and the other was the rebel leader in the south, known as the King of the Azure Heaven. At that moment. Someone rushed in, eximing loudly. ¡°Just now, a messenger from the victorious troops reported that the Grand Marshal has annihted the main force of the rebels and captured those two Kings!¡± There was an uproar among the people. Under the deliberate promotion by the Imperial Court, the news of the victory quickly spread throughout the Divine Capital. ¡­ The fifth year of Hongchang. The twenty-first of September. Today is the day the Grand Marshal returns to the Imperial Court, and the eastern gate of the Divine Capital is packed with people. The imperial guards stand on both sides of the road, constantly pushing themon people back to clear the way for the army¡¯s passage. Zhou Yi specially took leave, and early on, he upied a window seat in a street-side tavern. Back then, the night was dark and distant, and he failed to witness the grace of the Innate Grandmaster. Today was the perfect opportunity to make up for that regret. Noon time. The ground shook and the sound of horse hooves approached. Leading the entry into the city were four columns of cavalry in mysterious armor marked with the scars of swords and des, their killing aura intense. ¡°Each of them has the strength of the Skin Membrane realm. No wonder they sweep through the North and South as if it¡¯s nothing. That Dog Emperor didn¡¯t only scour the world to practice alchemy and cultivation but also secretly trained these martial cavalry.¡± Zhou Yi now thought back, the Dog Emperor seemed like something from the distant past. The Dragon Minister who once held immense power, the arrogant Dragon Scion, he could hardly remember their appearances. Following the cavalry was Grand Marshal Li Wu, still looking like the armored young officer he was, having pacified the North and settled the South in five years without a trace of wind and frost on his face, like a young master out for a leisurely trip. Young and handsome, immensely strong, with outstanding achievements and overwhelming power! Such a personality, just like the protagonist of a storybook, incited cheers from the people as soon as he appeared. Zhou Yi lowered his gaze, ¡°The Innate Grandmasters are even more formidable than imagined. These are but mortals; those legendary immortals and demons¡­ ¡± Behind Li Wu followed two prison carts, made of refined steel and only revealing a head from the inside. One was an old man with white hair like frost; the other, a disheveled Taoist. ¡°Could these be King of Yellow Heaven and King of the Azure Heaven? Rumors said they were twelve feet tall, with tiger backs and bear waists, and ate three to five living people at each meal. Howe they look so frail and thin?¡± ¡°What do you know? The King of Azure Heaven was once the Martial Alliance Leader of Jiangnan,manding four sects and eight factions. Many of the skilled rebels came from there.¡± The man speaking was dressed in dark, sturdy clothing, with a precious sword on his belt, clearly a person from the martial world. ¡°If you¡¯re an Alliance Hierarch, why the hell would you rebel?¡± ¡°Back then, who wouldn¡¯t want to?¡± ¡°Brother, what¡¯s the background of that King of Yellow Heaven? I heard he¡¯s the leader?¡± ¡°Legend has it that this man was originally a Taoist who dreamed of an immortal bestowing upon him the Immortal Law. He could draw Spirit Talismans and turn beans into soldiers, iming to be the reincarnation of the Immortal Yellow King¡­¡± The man shook his head as he spoke. Such mysterious and unpredictable tales are meant to brainwash the rebels, and nine out of ten cannot be trusted. For the purpose of boosting morale, the Imperial Court likewise ims to have defeated two to three million of the rebels! ¡­ The next day. Zhou Yi came to the prison to take up his duties and spotted the ck-d cavalry from afar. Anyone entering was searched, and from Zhou Yi¡¯s person, a dagger, sleeve arrows, a short crossbow, an unknown poison powder, and dark medicinal pills were found¡­ ¡°This is really for self-defense!¡± Zhou Yi exined time and again, and in the end, it was Warden Zheng who came forward to let him into the prison. ¡°Sir, what¡¯s all this about?¡± Warden Zheng said, ¡°The two rebel leaders from the Yellow and Azure factions have been locked up in the prison. The Grand Marshal has dispatched three thousand elite soldiers dressed in Mysterious Armor to guard them.¡± ¡°Why not send them to the imperial prison? It¡¯s much more secure there!¡± Zhou Yi frowned slightly, the Yellow and Azure individuals were no ordinary men. A Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch and an extraordinary Taoist, if they escaped, they could easily regather troops and raise the g of rebellion again. Warden Zheng spoke gloomily, ¡°You should just focus on delivering food. What¡¯s it to you if they escape? Would you be held responsible?¡± ¡°Thank you for the reminder, sir.¡± Zhou Yi didn¡¯t bother pondering over the court¡¯s struggles but instead found the two, Yellow and Azure, quite interesting. Inside the prison, the soldiers in Mysterious Armor also stood guard, with a post every five steps and a checkpoint every ten, plus experts hidden in the shadows to monitor. Cell number one. Zhou Yi opened the cell door and came face to face with the King of Azure Heaven. Shackled in refined steel restraints, with chains as thick as thighs wrapped around his limbs and neck, the King of Azure Heaven was tightly bound. The soldiers outside stared intently as Zhou Yi silently scooped rice and fed it to the King of Azure Heaven. ¡°Young man, your Inner Qi is pure, seemingly from a Taoist lineage, yet even if you practice it to death, you¡¯d only be second-rate. I can teach you a supreme technique; within ten years, you¡¯ll reach Innate mastery. Would you like to learn?¡± The hoarse old voice reached Zhou Yi¡¯s ears. He nced at the soldiers outside, and there was not the slightest reaction. ¡°This Secret Voice Transmission is my unique skill. Not just these youngsters, even that Li Wu would not be able to hear it.¡± Zhou Yi nodded silently, waiting for what was toe. ¡°The Inner Qi spirals, passes the Central Treasury, through the Cloud Gate¡­ and exits from the Qi Abode.¡± Another segment of sound entered his ears, but it wasn¡¯t some supreme technique; it was the method of Secret Voice Transmission. Zhou Yi activated the Inner Qi in his Dantian, followed the instructions of the King of Azure Heaven, and tried to let out two coughs. ¡°Cough! Cough!¡± The soldier at the door didn¡¯t react, still watching Zhou Yi feed the prisoner. After half a bucket of rice was fed, Zhou Yi picked up the bucket and left without paying any more attention to the King of Azure Heaven who kept transmitting voices. ¡°You little thief, how dare you deceive me!¡± Chapter 12 - 12 The Heroes of the Green Forest Chapter 12: The Heroes of the Green Forest Editor: Henyee Trantions Opportunity and risk appeared at the same time. Most people thought of the opportunity, but Zhou Yi thought quite the opposite. The King of the Azure Heaven clearly had no good intentions, yet ordinary people would willingly take risks for divine power. To acquire the supreme divine power and to ascend to the Innate level within ten years would make one a Grandmaster of the generation. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this plot feel somewhat familiar?¡± Zhou Yi shrugged his shoulders, knowing he was neither the son of some exalted hermit nor did he have any deep vendettas waiting to be avenged from his ancestors. Compared to a protagonist of fate, he was more like a minor viin tormenting people to scrape together silver. ¡°So, getting my hands on a Telepathic Secret Technique without cost, I¡¯m already quite content!¡± Zhou Yi carried a bucket into the No. 2 armor prison, where the King of Yellow Heaven was imprisoned. Theyout of the cells was simr, with the King of Yellow Heaven shackled to the torture rack, his hair disheveled, and his Taoist robe stained with dark red blood. His arms were twisted like noodles, broken in who knows how many ces. All ten fingers had been chopped off, leaving only bare palms. ¡°Your Majesty, please enjoy your meal.¡± Zhou Yi used the Telepathic Secret Technique, and sure enough, the guards d in Mysterious Armor at the door showed no response. The King of Yellow Heaven was momentarily startled, then continued to slurp his meal as if nothing was amiss, and telepathically inquired. ¡°Who are you? Are you here to save me?¡± ¡°No.¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s mind raced, and he replied, ¡°Please ascend to heaven, Your Majesty!¡± ¡°I should have realized earlier that those noble families are nothing but grass on the top of a wall, swaying with the east wind when it¡¯s strong, and with the west when it blows¡­¡± muttered the King of Yellow Heaven to himself. Zhou Yi frowned slightly and did not continue to deceive him. After delivering the meal, he went to seek Warden Zheng and imed to have caught a cold, asking for a month or two of leave. ¡°You, you¡¯re like an old turtle!¡± Warden Zheng waved his hand, not making things difficult for Zhou Yi. ¡­ Spring Breeze Building. Singing and dancing, women with flushed, alluring sleeves. The ce was already packed before evening, as today was the day to determine the Oiran. The brothel pushed out courtesans in groups of ten or twenty, taking turns showcasing their talents in music, chess, dance, painting, calligraphy, and poetry. Every ten days, two or three were eliminated until the final Oiran was decided. This round of selections was far more profitable than what the courtesans could earn from grooming. For the sake of supporting their favorites, wealthy merchants threw money without a second thought, spending countless sums on just one song. ¡°Miss Nongyu¡¯s zither skills are unparalleled! Reward!¡± A fat man with ten jade rings on his hands flung a stack of silver notes with a flick of his wrist. ¡°The poetry created by Miss Lianxiang has spread throughout Divine Capital, surpassing most schrs, and deserves to be ranked first!¡± The speaker was a schr who could not afford to scatter money like the fat man, so he called friends and schoolmates for support, making quite a scene. ¡°What nonsense poetry! It¡¯s been said before that Lianxiang bought those from outside with money.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t recklessly nder and tarnish one¡¯s reputation; my father is a judge in the capital. Dare to nder again, and you¡¯ll be arrested!¡± ¡°You dare to be arrogant with your little judge position, my Young Lord is from Marquis of Weiyuan¡¯s residence;e and try to arrest me if you dare!¡± ¡°Vulgar!¡± ¡°Useless!¡± ¡°¡­¡± In Divine Capital, the seat of Fengyang Country, even throwing a brick one could hit a sixth-grade official; a mere judge truly wasn¡¯t much. But once they started quarreling with the nobility, there would immediately be schrs to support them, and the crowd became tumultuous. Seeing the dispute escting, the old madam of the brothel could hardly keep her eyes open forughing. At the feet of the Emperor, nothing serious could happen. Shills mingling in the crowd on both sides would guide the conversation, and eventually, the oue would fall on thepetition for the Oiran. Having aroused such a fierce contest, they stood to earn at least tens of thousands of silver! Second-floor private room. Facing the stage downstairs was an open wall, providing a clear view of the courtesans¡¯ performances, and when tired, one could lower the brocade curtain to enjoy tea and conversation with the girls. Zhou Yi half-reclined on the soft couch, embraced by beauties on both sides, pouring wine and offering dishes. Every now and then, he would tell a joke from his previous life, making the two girls with easyughs burst into crisp cackles. Then, recounting a tragic love story, the girls empathized as if they shared his sentiments, shedding tearful streams. ¡°This is what true fortune looks like!¡± Zhou Yi indulged in fragrantpany, thoroughly enjoying himself. Having requested paid sick leave from the Sky Prison, Zhou Yi removed his aged makeup, adopting a youthful and handsome appearance and stayed at the Spring Breeze Building for over half a month. The Art of Disguise made it easier to turn a young face old, but very challenging to do the reverse. Under the influence of the gift of Evesting Immortality, Zhou Yi stopped aging once he became an adult. All Zhou Yi needed to do was slightly change his skin color, facial features, and voice. Even if Zhang Zhou were to be reborn, he wouldn¡¯t recognize him. The other prison guards at the Sky Prison rarely remembered what Zhou Yi looked like when he was young. ¡°I¡¯m like a ghost, an immortal ghost wandering around in this mundane world!¡± Zhou Yi swirled his wine cup and murmured, ¡°Empires or Imperial ns, civil servants or military officers, generations of prodigies or powers that dominated the court, they are all but fleeting clouds!¡± Since the King of Yellow Heaven had conspired with the southern noble families, the Sky Prison had be a powder keg. It was best to wait until the turmoil had passed before returning. Crash! A loud sound followed by women¡¯s screams interrupted Zhou Yi¡¯s thoughts. ¡°I have plenty of silver, and I can sleep with whomever I want. Do you look down on me?¡± The man who spoke was short and fat, yet possessed surprising strength. With one p, he smashed a table and scolded while gripping the madam¡¯s neck. ¡°Cough, cough, cough¡­¡± Unable to speak, the madam felt as if her neck was about to break. ¡°Where did this bumpkine from, daring to cause amotion at the Spring Breeze Building!¡± Before the words even finished, a figure had already reached them, the de aiming straight for the fat man¡¯s neck without any intention of holding back. ¡°We are the Twin Giants of the Northern Mo, not some bumpkins.¡± The short, fat man released the madam and bounced up from the ground like a rubber ball. Twirling in the air, he deflected the de with his rotund body and crashed into the swordsman with full force. Bang! Bang! After sessive loud crashes, the swordsman mmed into the wall and slowly slid down. Spitting out a few mouthfuls of blood, mixed with pieces of innards, he twitched twice and then fell silent. The old madam turned pale with fear, trembling uncontrobly. The swordsman was a hidden patron of the establishment, tough as nails. He couldn¡¯tst even one round and she didn¡¯t dare refuse to sell anymore. ¡°Nongyu, why aren¡¯t you attending to this great master already?¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± The stocky, plump man burst into heartyughter, grabbed Nongyu by the clothes, and after a few bounding leaps he had taken him away. The waitstaff of the Spring Breeze Building skillfully removed the corpse of the sword-wielding assassin, cleaned the bloodstains, reced the tables and benches with new ones, as if nothing had happened at all. A momentter. The guests resumed their lively merriment, continuing to y music and dance. ¡°How many top-notch experts has that been?¡± Zhou Yi had been mingling in the Spring Breeze Building, and in half a month¡¯s time had seen numerous first-rate experts, some of whose depths were unfathomable and were very likely top-tier masters of the spinal cleansing realm. News spread fastest in brothels and taverns, and the very next day after the King of the Azure Heaven was imprisoned, people were already discussing it. Fifteen years ago, the King of the Azure Heaven was just an ordinary disciple of the Great River Gang with mediocre martial arts talent. While escorting a shipment by boat, he identally fished out a divine martial arts heritage from the river, and in just ten years he broke through to be an innate grandmaster. If not for encountering the great marshal Li Wu, no one in Fengyang Country could have stopped him, and he could have at least secured half of the kingdom! Rumors spread with incredible swiftness, evidently amplified by someone¡¯s deliberate instigation. Men of the martial world had no interest in rebellion or bing kings, but they couldn¡¯t resist the lure of divine martial arts, and experts from all over Fengyang Country flocked to the Divine Capital. ¡°The noble families, all should be executed!¡± Zhou Yi shook his head lightly and ate the grapes that the girl had peeled for him. ¡­ That night. The stars and moon were obscured, ck clouds covered the sky. The Dali Temple suddenly caught fire, which spread rapidly to a dozen or so pavilions. The inferno burned the sky dark red, and the personnel from the City Patrol Division were powerless to do anything. The Dali Temple contained numerous important archives, and the Prefect of the Dali Temple immediately issued an order to call on the Imperial Guards from the heavenly prison for assistance. The heavenly prison was right next to the Dali Temple, and once the head of the Imperial Guards received the order, he immediately sent troops to extinguish the fire. Shortly after the Imperial Guards left, dozens of figures appeared outside the heavenly prison. Tall and short, fat and thin, each with a bizarre appearance. Monks and Taoists, all with faces that clearly showed merciless ferocity. The heavenly prison gate was made of refined steel, and the walls were a full zhang thick, which even innate grandmasters couldn¡¯t st open. ¡°When will the gate open?¡± ¡°Almost in half a moment.¡± ¡°Hehehe, Big-head ghost, didn¡¯t you say only fools woulde here?¡± ¡°You big dumb bears, you are the fools!¡± ¡°A nest of ghosts. Once the business here is done, I¡¯ll send you to see the King of Hell.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Just as they were talking, a loud noise came from the front. Boom! The heavenly prison gate copsed under the impact¡ªnot because the refined steel door broke, but because gunpowder had sted the gate¡¯s hinges from the inside. The prison wardens were dumbfounded, and the Mysterious Armor troops began to form their ranks. ¡°Kill!¡± A loud cry sounded, and dozens of figures rushed through the prison gate at lightning speed. ¡°How dare you! The heavenly prison is sacrosanct, those who assault¡­.¡± The Mysterious Armormander couldn¡¯t finish his sentence before a flying needle, a hidden weapon, pierced through the armor, shredding his heart to pieces. Hundreds of Mysterious Armor cavalry could kill a spinal cleansing expert with a charge, but on foot in closebat, it turned into a one-sided ughter. What¡¯s more, among those attacking at night, there was more than one top-tier expert. ¡°Haha¡­ kill to our heart¡¯s content!¡± The stocky, plump man¡¯s weapon was two copper hammers, each hammerhead the size of a human head, smashing wildly upon entering the cells. Wardens fell wounded or dead by just a graze, and in moments, more than twenty were killed under his hammers. Red and white smeared the hammerheads; he licked them with his tongue, killing even more ferociously after that. The stocky, plump man was the first to reach Cell A1, swinging his hammer down and shattering the cell¡¯s bars. ¡°King of the Azure Heaven, I¡¯m here to save you!¡± ¡°You two bears from the Northern Deserts¡­¡± The King of the Azure Heaven slowly raised his head, his disheveled hair revealing a face that was masculine and handsome. ¡°You¡¯re not the King of the Azure Heaven?¡± The stocky, plump man had not seen the King of the Azure Heaven before, but he had heard that the Martial Alliance Leader of South River was an old man with a face full of wrinkles. Suddenly feeling a tremor in his heart, his eyes filled with horror, he trembled, ¡°You¡¯re the God of ughter, Li Wu!¡± ¡°You bears aren¡¯tpletely stupid.¡± Li Wu gave a light shake, and the chains binding his limbs spontaneously unlocked. ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are, you¡¯re going to die!¡± The stocky, plump man spoke fiercely, but as he threw his copper hammers, he himself turned and ran like a bouncing ball. ¡°I heard you like to watch dogs eating people. Tomorrow I will find hunting dogs to see how many they can feed on.¡± Li Wu¡¯s figure shed, appearing instantly behind the stocky, plump man, flicking his fingers consecutively. Invisible jolts of True Qi shattered the limbs and brushed past lightly, sealing all the acupoints around the body with Innate True Qi. The several experts standing outside the cells, upon seeing Li Wu, reacted as if they had seen a ghost. ¡°Retreat!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a trap!¡± But it was already toote. As Li Wu passed by them, they fell to the ground, breathless. ¡°Li Wu, you are ruthless!¡± The speaker had white hair and wore a blue Taoist robe fluttering without wind, obviously a cultivator deeply versed in Inner Qi. Li Wu spoke slowly, ¡°As of today, all the true disciples and secr followers of the Heaven One Temple of South River and Jinguang Temple will be dealt with for the crime of conspiring to rebel!¡± ¡°Amitabha!¡± The monk held a spade, his golden True Qi radiating from his body, as if a living Vajra had appeared. ¡°There¡¯s no escape, let¡¯s go together!¡± The Impermanent Ghost¡¯s hands were ck as ink, emitting a foul, pungent odor of poison, moving through the cells like a wraith. ¡°Below the Innate, all are ants!¡± Li Wu¡¯s hands suddenly produced a green longsword. Driven by Innate True Qi, it moved agilely in the air, cutting the Impermanent Ghost in two. The Taoist priest and the monk didn¡¯t even survive a few moves before they too fell to the flying sword! The remaining martial artists lost all will to resist, throwing down their weapons and kneeling to beg for mercy¡­ Chapter 13: Replacing with Facial Disguise Chapter 13: Recing with Facial Disguise Editor: Henyee Trantions The next day. Zhou Yi came to the Sky Prison for roll call. The main gate had not yet been repaired, and there were patches of ck and red blood on the ground and walls that made shoes sticky when stepped on. Warden Zheng was killed by the attackersst night, so the earlier agreed-upon job swap with Colonel Niu naturally was voided. However, there was no need to keep count anymore, as Colonel Niu also perished in the chaos ofst night. ¡°The Sky Prison rarely encounters problems, but when it does, it¡¯s earth-shattering. I¡¯ll have to pay my respects to many in theing days.¡± Zhou Yi entered the prison cell to find it empty and with few remaining prisoners. It was said that the mastermind who attempted the prison break tried to take prisoners with him, among them several high-ranking officials of the previous dynasty. The Mysterious Armor soldiers ambushed outside repelled the attackers in a few charges, killing all the thieves along with the hostages they had taken. ¡°Well, that makes my job a lot easier.¡± Zhou Yi carrying a food bucket, tapped on the bars, ¡°Old Bai, why didn¡¯t you take the opportunity to escape yesterday?¡± This prisoner surnamed Bai was quite interesting. He was extraordinarily handsome, and if he were dressed in white and opened a folding fan, his appearance alone could mesmerize countless martial heroines. The specifics of his crime were unclear, as the archives contained no records¡ªthrown directly into the Sky Prison by the royal n¡¯s estate. ¡°I am wrongly used as it is; wouldn¡¯t escaping just make me a real criminal?¡± Old Bai quickly finished his soup and, looking at the abundant leftovers in the bucket, said, ¡°Just give them all to me, save you the trouble of carrying it back.¡± Zhou Yi ced the food bucket inside the cell, feigning surprise, ¡°From the sound of it, you imply that if you wanted to escape, you could have?¡± ¡°Thought about it the day before, got scared yesterday. I¡¯d rather quietly serve out three to five years here,¡± Old Bai said, recalling the fear he felt fromst night¡¯s events. In the martial world, it was said that the Saint of Thieves was top-tier in swordsmanship, but his qinggong was unparalleled¡ªfast enough to outpace an Innate Grandmaster. Old Bai was outwardly modest, but he certainly felt pride inside. It wasn¡¯t until he witnessed the swordsmanship used to kill people, treating top fighters like chopping vegetables, that he realized how little he knew. Why would an Innate Grandmaster need to race with you? With a sh of his flying sword, you¡¯d be sliced in two. ¡°What did you see to be so frightened?¡± Zhou Yi was quite curious. As he had been talking to the surviving jailers, they provided unclear descriptions ofst night¡¯s battle within the Sky Prison. Not a single jailer on duty in the Sky Prisonst night had survived! An elite fighter who had perfected his Inner Qi both internally and externally was a match for ten thousand on the battlefield; not even the Mysterious Armor soldiers could capture him. Otherwise, General Li Wu wouldn¡¯t have needed to take action personally. Old Bai shook his head repeatedly, ¡°Can¡¯t say, can¡¯t say!¡± ¡°Want some drink?¡± Zhou Yi took a sk from his waist and opened it, releasing the fragrance of wine. ¡°Pear Blossom White, aged ten years!¡± Old Bai¡¯s nostrils twitched as he urately identified the wine¡¯s name and age. Who in the Jianghu didn¡¯t enjoy a good drink? After more than two years in prison, his pte was as nd as a bird¡¯s. The aroma of the wine, tantalizing him, caused him to salivate involuntarily, his throat involuntarily moving. ¡°Let me drink first!¡± Old Bai was well aware of how malicious this very jailer before him could be, having tricked many high-level Jianghu experts from Prison Cell Jia. The Jianghu experts were carefree outside, casually taking out ingots of gold to settle ounts¡ªill-gotten gains from stealing or looting, spent with ease but with no savings. Once in Sky Prison with no one to provide them meal money, they had to drink swill daily. Unable to bear it any longer, they made deals with Zhou Yi: a unique acupoint technique for a couple of chicken legs, a secret medication recipe for a sk of wine, or even Jianghu secrets for a few pancakes. Zhou Yi, however, did not y by the rules. To those he liked, things were fine, but for those he disliked, the chicken legs were spoiled, and the water mixed with wine. ¡°I always y by the rules. Those individuals I dealt with were all unforgivable criminals,¡± Zhou Yi handed the sk through the bars, defending himself. ¡°You talk a good game, but what about the Jiangnan hero?¡± Old Bai took a sip of wine, breathed a sigh of relief, then sipped slowly to savor the vor, fearing he¡¯d finish it without tasting it. ¡°On the surface, he was a champion of justice, but in private, he dealt in organ harvesting, an utterly heartless business. He deserved to die, his organs shattered, reduced to a mere bag of skin, didn¡¯t he?¡± Zhou Yi took out a red pill marked with ck lines from his chest, examined it for a moment, and then carefully reced it. ¡°The Miao brothers¡¯ Gu insects are indeed peculiar. They can keep a person alive even when their organs are shattered!¡± After several more drinks, Old Bai suppressed the fear in his heart and said mysteriously, ¡°Do you believe in the art of the flying sword?¡± ¡°I believe!¡± Zhou Yi thought to himself, I¡¯ve even seen a fairy who could slice through the void with one sword. ¡°¡­¡± Old Bai had intended to shock Zhou Yi, but his words were cut off mid-sentence. Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes grew distant, ¡°Let me guess,st night General Li used the art of the flying sword to easily kill those who attempted the prison break?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Old Bai, who was quick-witted, shifted the subject, ¡°Do you know who was killed? Ling Xu the Immortal of the Sky One Observatory, Monk Kong Ming from Jinguang Temple, and White Impermanence, the leader of the ghosts!¡± ¡°They¡¯re all dead. I¡¯m not interested in their glorious past,¡± Zhou Yi said contentedly, believing now that the Innate talent wasn¡¯t an end to his own progress, as Innate Grandmasters could already perform techniques akin to wielding instruments. Feeling frustrated and at a loss for words, Old Bai handed back the empty sk and prepared to lie down on the straw mat to rest. Sincest night, the moment he closed his eyes, all he could see was the image of the flying sword taking lives; he couldn¡¯t sleep at all. Zhou Yi said, ¡°We¡¯re all part of Jianghu; don¡¯t trust everyone, and don¡¯t be too cynical. You really should have let that fellow go¡ªdying ten times over couldn¡¯t atone for his sins.¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± Old Bai was a first-rate expert, upying a cell by himself, next to the Jiangnan hero. Zhou Yi said, ¡°No matter how secret you two were, you might have fooled the jailer on patrol, but could you fool the other prisoners? Someone traded their conversation with me for a chicken leg.¡± ¡°¡­¡± All at once, Old Bai no longer wanted to be in prison. Perhaps even epting the Commandery Princess¡¯s marriage proposal wouldn¡¯t be as suffocating as this. Zhou Yi continued, ¡°I saved your life, didn¡¯t I? I hear you¡¯re quite good at qinggong. Could you teach me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired!¡± Old Bai turned around, with his back to Zhou Yi. ¡­ Half a year had flown by in the blink of an eye. The new warden, originally in charge of the Jingyi jail, had unexpectedly been promoted to oversee the Sky Prison. In Fengyang Country, the unspoken rules of the various prisons were more or less the same, it¡¯s just that it was much easier to make more money in the Sky Prison. Now all the prison guards were familiar with their duties, and the Sky Prison had returned to its usual state. ¡°Old Zhou, good morning!¡± The guard on duty at the door, Feng Qiao, greeted his senior colleague; after all, there were few who had worked in the Sky Prison longer than Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi responded with a smile, ¡°You were the one who slipped away early yesterday, afraid you¡¯d have to foot the bill?¡± ¡°With a shrewish wife at home, I had no choice!¡± Feng Qiao kept bowing his hands apologetically, as he was originally the head jailer of Wannian County Jail in Jingji and was still not used to life after his transfer to the Divine Capital. The most expensive brothel in Wannian County would only charge one or two silver for an overnight stay, but in the Spring Breeze Building, merely touching a girl¡¯s hand cost ten silver! Even if the silver was gilded, it wouldn¡¯t be worth that. Zhou Yi joked, ¡°Since Colonel Niu himself went, it should be on the prison¡¯s ount, so don¡¯t feel too bad about it.¡± Feng Qiao immediately regretted it; he had intended to ask around this morning and then boast at home, pretending he had enjoyed himself at the Spring Breeze Building. ¡°There will be other opportunities in the future.¡± As Zhou Yi chatted with his colleagues on the way, he carried the bucket to distribute meals. Prison Cell Yi Seven. The prisoner had just been incarcerated not long ago, a Ministry of Personnel official who hadmitted the crime of selling official posts. His hair was gray, and his frame was thin and gaunt. At such an age, entering the Sky Prison meant he wouldn¡¯tst a year or half a year. The prisoner saw Zhou Yi pour the rice and struggled to stand up with difficulty, coughing violently a few times, then slowly shuffled over and picked up his bowl to eat slowly. Every action he took resembled that of an old man on his deathbed. A glint of sharpness passed through Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes. Skilled in the Art of Disguise, he had already noticed several ws. The expression on the face was too stiff; even if he was pretending to be at death¡¯s door, the skin couldn¡¯t be so utterly motionless. There was a subtle difference between the color of the skin on the neck and that of the hands, especially the ck mud stuck to the hands: firstly, the shape was too deliberate, and secondly, it had not blended into the skin at all. Moreover, such a weak old man could not possibly hold the bowl so steadily¡­ Zhou Yi silently left and made his way to Old Bai¡¯s cell, taking out a sk of wine from within his clothes. Old Bai opened the sk and sniffed, ¡°Pear Blossom White again? This liquor is too strong; it¡¯s nowhere near as smooth as Zhaodian Red or Jade Dew¡¯s gentle vor.¡± ¡°A long time ago, an old friend of mine loved to drink Pear Blossom White; I got used to it and have been toozy to change my taste.¡± Zhou Yi struggled to remember Wei Chang, recalling only a robust man with a broad forehead and wide face; the specific details had be blurred. ¡°Tsk tsk, someone as sly as you actually had friends?¡± After half a year, Old Bai had be familiar with Zhou Yi, so his speech lost much of its previous caution. Zhou Yi didn¡¯t want to dwell on the past; with his infinite lifespan, he would umte countless pasts in the future, including possibly Old Bai, so he had to learn either to seal them away or to forget. ¡°I practiced the Drifting Step yesterday, and some of the turns just didn¡¯t feel right¡­¡± Old Bai pondered for a moment before speaking, ¡°The world¡¯s qinggong essentially divides into two types: the short-range quick movements and the long-distance sprinting. The Drifting Step belongs to the former¡­¡± He detailed the key points of practicing the Drifting Step, imparting his knowledge to resolve Zhou Yi¡¯s doubts until the sk was emptied. Before leaving, Zhou Yi asked, ¡°Shall I bring Zhaodian Red or Jade Dew tomorrow?¡± Old Bai replied, ¡°Let¡¯s stick with Pear Blossom White; I¡¯ve gotten used to it and don¡¯t feel like changing vors either.¡± Zhou Yi paused, then squatted down again, ¡°I¡¯ll find a hundred-year-old Pear Blossom White for you, but you need to do something for me.¡± Old Bai nodded and said, ¡°That would be wee; in the past, I would never drink anything less than a hundred-year-old fine wine!¡± Zhou Yiughed, ¡°You don¡¯t even ask what it is, what if it¡¯s murder, arson or robbery?¡± ¡°Although you¡¯re cunning, you¡¯re someone with principles.¡± Old Bai stated, ¡°Moreover, if it were truly evil, I would¡¯ve enjoyed the fine wine for free. And what could you do to me if I refused to do it?¡± ¡°The prisoner in Cell Yi Seven seemed to have been switched outst night¡­¡± Zhou Yi exined the background of the prisoner, along with the ws left after his disguise. ¡°How intriguing! How could I miss such an interesting matter?¡± Old Bai¡¯s eyes lit up¡ªboredom was rife within the prison walls, ¡°You can rest assured that if he makes any move, he will certainly not escape my eyes.¡± ¡°Be careful, that person is very likely to be an expert.¡± Zhou Yi repeatedly cautioned him, stressing that it was merely surveince; if that fellow escaped, there was no need to give chase. ¡°Don¡¯t worry! I¡¯m an old hand at this; safety first, isn¡¯t that something I would know?¡± ¡­ A few dayster. Zhou Yi came to the prison to deliver meals. Grinning, Old Bai waved and used Inner Qi to send a telepathic message, ¡°That guy finally made a movest night.¡± ¡°What did he do?¡± Zhou Yi had learned more than a dozen qinggong skills from Old Bai, including some top-notch secrets. In return, he taught Old Bai the Telepathic Secret Technique from the King of the Azure Heaven. ¡°He visited Prison Cell Jia Onest night, searched around for half the night, and then came back.¡± Excitement showed on Old Bai¡¯s face¡ªeveryone knew that cell had confined a Martial Arts Grandmaster just six months earlier. Chapter 14 - 14 Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique Chapter 14: Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°What do we do next? Keep watching him?¡± Old Bai, seeing Zhou Yi¡¯s expression flicker uncertainly, scratched his head and urged impatiently. ¡°Why not wait until that fellow finds the King of the Azure Heaven¡¯s secret manual, then you and I can join forces andunch a surprise attack? Wouldn¡¯t it be easy to capture him then? Or maybe you could poison him in advance, leaving him half-dead for an even more foolproof n!¡± Bing a Martial Arts Grandmaster is the ultimate dream of everyone in Jianghu, evenid-back Old Bai couldn¡¯t escape thatmon yearning. Tales of the King of the Azure Heaven¡¯s rise to power had spread throughout Jianghu: unnoticed before the age of thirty, he acquired supernatural powers, and within a decade, he had attained the Innate Realm. A Martial Arts Grandmaster, the Southern Alliance Leader, he was peerless in power and influence for a time¡ªwith beauties and gold and silver merely bonuses of his status. ¡°Are you stupid?¡± Zhou Yi pointed at his clothes: ¡°I¡¯m a prison guard; there¡¯s no need to keep trailing behind him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true!¡± Realization dawned on Old Bai. Watching Zhou Yi walk towards Prison Cell Jia One, he really wanted to ask the name of the divine technique but feared losing one of his few friends. ¡­ Prison Cell Jia One. It was empty and spotless, every corner meticulously clean. After thwarting a prison break and assassination attempt that night, the Jinyiweibed through this cell, scraping off threeyers of wall ster. ¡°If the Jinyiwei couldn¡¯t find it, is that guy just trying his luck, or does he know something?¡± Zhou Yi had seen the pathetic state of the King of the Azure Heaven, most of his bones broken, and even needing help to eat, which was why he couldn¡¯t leave the heavy steel rack. He had probed every part of the rack with his Inner Qi, along with the manacles and chains, all of which were made of solid steel. There were certainly experts in Inner Qi among the Jinyiwei who must have searched in the same way. It wouldn¡¯t be so simple for the King of the Azure Heaven to hide his legacy. ¡°There must be a method that outsiders couldn¡¯t discover¡­¡± A bright idea suddenly shed in Zhou Yi¡¯s mind. He pressed his palm against the rack and let his Inner Qi flow into it, following the Telepathic Secret Technique. ¡°Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique!¡± The King of the Azure Heaven¡¯s voice suddenly rang in his ear, following which was a verse of over three thousand words, teaching how to devour and refine others¡¯ Inner Qi to make it one¡¯s own. It contained a method to break through to the Innate Realm, extremely crude and straightforward without any profound or subtle mysteries. With five hundred years of Inner Qi, once activated, it could forcibly draw in the qi of heaven and earth, allowing one to ascend to the Innate Realm quite naturally! In a serious tone, the King of the Azure Heaven cautioned at the end, ¡°The Inner Qi refined by the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique is exceedingly bizarre, shortening your lifespan by one year for every five absorbed. With top experts in each generation, the legacy can continue, ensuring enduring wealth and prestige, but descendants of the Cang family must not covet the Innate Realm recklessly¡­¡± ¡°No wonder the King of the Azure Heaven is only in his fifties, and as a grandmaster of the Innate Realm, he already appears so withered and aged!¡± Zhou Yi listened to the entire technique and then used the Telepathic Secret Technique once more. Indeed, the King of the Azure Heaven¡¯s voice could be heard again. Listening carefully, he noticed the voice seemed to be quieter this time. ¡°That person must be a descendant of the King of the Azure Heaven. If he can¡¯t find the demonic technique, it¡¯s bound to cause trouble.¡± Zhou Yi pondered for a moment. It was always best to y it safe. The person was risking their life to seek their family inheritance, so he might as well help him out. It¡¯s good business to be amodating! Returning to Prison Cell Jia Six, he found Old Bai squatting in a corner, sighing with dejection. ¡°Who¡¯s the girl you¡¯re thinking about now?¡± The most frequent stories Zhou Yi had heard recently were Old Bai boasting of the beauties in Jianghu: the sixth-ranked beauty on the Rouge List, the transcendent and ethereal Female Sword Immortal, the legitimate daughters from the Jiangnan gentry families¡­ He hade to realize that Old Bai wasn¡¯t in the Heavenly Prison to suffer, but rather to hide from love debts! ¡°I¡¯m reminiscing about past friends.¡± Old Bai theatrically raised his hand, his eyes brimming with deep sentiment, he sang the strange and bizarre songs he had heard from Zhou Yi: ¡°Friend oh friend¡­¡± Zhou Yi, unable to stand Old Bai¡¯s off-key antics, interrupted: ¡°Stop it! Do you want to know the King of the Azure Heaven¡¯s demonic technique?¡± ¡°Would Old Zhou really tell me?¡± Old Bai¡¯s figure shed, leaving several afterimages in the air, and in an instant, he was at the cell door. Zhou Yi said, ¡°This technique is called the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique, it allows one to devour and refine others¡¯ Inner Qi, the specific refining method¡­¡± ¡°Hiss! It really is a demonic technique; no wonder the King of the Azure Heaven achieved grandmastery in ten years!¡± Old Bai gasped, waving his hand, ¡°It¡¯s good enough to know the name. I can use it to brag to others. Don¡¯t tell me the content of the technique. I might not be able to resist practicing it.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it for bragging to women?¡± Zhou Yi looked at him with disdain, although he couldn¡¯t help but feel envious; the Longevity Dao Fruit didn¡¯t have the effect of enhancing beauty, and his appearance remained rather ordinary. ¡°The technique has its drawbacks too, absorbing five years of Inner Qi reduces one¡¯s lifespan by one year, aging prematurely. Even the King of the Azure Heaven¡¯s Grandmaster level couldn¡¯t reverse it.¡± ¡°Then I should definitely not practice it! Being strong is temporary, but being charming is a lifetime affair!¡± Old Bai pointed to his face: ¡°In Jianghu, we don¡¯t rely on our fighting skills. It¡¯s this face that has helped me through countless troubles. That time at the Commandery Prince¡¯s mansion, hundreds of swords were pointed at me, but it was the Commandery Princess who personally came to my rescue¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Yi, unable to bear his smugness, grabbed a bucket and ran off. ¡­ Before he knew it, another month had passed. Having obtained the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique, Zhou Yi did not rush to cultivate it, but continued to watch the other man¡¯s movements in secret. One early morning. Zhou Yi arrived for roll call at the Heavenly Prison, only to find imperial guards on duty outside and Jinyiwei searching inside. ¡°Old Zhou, someone broke out of prisonst night. They say that the prisoner was killed and reced by someone using the Art of Disguise.¡± Feng Qiao spoke in a low voice, ¡°School Captain Lu epted silver from Master Xiao of the Ministry of Punishment. He carried out a midnight interrogation, intending to leave the prisoner crippled, if not half-dead, but to their surprise, the man was an expert!¡± School Captain Lu¡¯s neck was broken on the spot, and the prisoner killed his way out of the cell, escaping into the night. ¡°This¡­¡± Zhou Yi didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. From the perspective of his colleagues, he should sympathize, but the arbitrary torture of a prisoner seemed quite wrong. Unwritten rules are just that, unwritten. If someone truly takes them for right, it can only mean that person has a sinister heart! ¡°When we mournter, just send some extra condolence money.¡± Zhou Yi entered the prison without being searched, as the Jinyiwei guards paid no mind to someone who merely delivered prison meals, especially since he had been doing so for fifteen or sixteen years. In the end, the matter was left unresolved. The thief had used the Art of Disguise, and his true appearance and age were unknown, so naturally, no wanted notices could be issued. The presence of Jianghu experts as prisoners had always been a great scourge to Fengyang Country. In the Divine Capital and its surroundings, things were rtively stable. However, in the territories controlled by the state governments, numerous martial powerhouses upied thend. Some were as powerful as the King of the Azure Heaven, who had wrought havoc in Jiangnan for more than ten years, while the weaker ones would roam the viges and towns, bullying and dominating the local markets and countryside. Cultivating martial arts required vast amounts of silver and time, which ordinary people could scarcely afford. As a result, they were exploited and oppressed, without even the right to amoner¡¯s righteous indignation. The disparity in strength between martial artists andmoners might not be as vast as that between immortals and mortals, but it wasn¡¯t something that could be opposed by just three or five people! ¡°In this Extraordinary World, ss divisions have only be more solidified. People can only see the splendor above, never paying attention to the misery at the bottom.¡± Zhou Yi was not a saint with the world in his heart; he simply sighed at this thought, then went to Prison Cell Jia. He used a secret technique to investigate the punishment column, and indeed, the voice of the King of the Azure Heaven hadpletely vanished. ¡°With the final karmic retribution settled within the cell, peace should now return as it was.¡± During these days of delivering food, Zhou Yi had secretly probed the prisoners in the cell, who had robust Inner Qi, who was ted for execution, and who had no sect or background outside. Others, upon obtaining the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique, cultivated it discreetly, cultivating their Inner Qi, while the radical ones recklessly devoured the Inner Qi of Jianghu experts. The former improved slowly, while thetter were pursued and killed. Whether cautious or reckless, by thew of Jianghu, those who cultivated demonic techniques never met a good end. Zhou Yi, however, was different. The Heavenly Prison was full of Jianghu experts¡ªwhat he needed to do was just pick the right targets to devour! After carefully selecting, he chose Yu Sheng, a first-rate expert as his target. Yu Sheng could be called a legend in Jianghu who had risen from nothing. As ad, he was fierce and belligerent; as an adult, hemitted burries. He didn¡¯t gamble or indulge in pleasures with the silver he acquired but used it all for his martial cultivation. Because of his innate talent, he quickly earned a reputation in Jianghu, known as the Blood Saber Guest. One who always walks by the river cannot avoid getting wet; he finally fell into a trapid by the Jinyiwei and was thrown into the Heavenly Prison to await his execution after autumn. ¡°Whether you die sooner orter, it¡¯s all the same. Instead of being executed, why not trade your Inner Qi for a meal of meat and wine? Sounds reasonable, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Zhou Yi ced his palm over the prisoner¡¯s Dantian. The prisoner¡¯s Inner Qi gushed out like water from an open sluice, flowing along the meridians all into Zhou Yi¡¯s body. The prisoner was in extreme agony, convulsing violently but unable to make a sound, until his Dantian shattered, and his meridians severed, resulting in his death. ¡°That¡¯s about seven to eight years worth of Inner Qi. The loss in the process was quite severe, but the Heavenly Prison is full of Jianghu experts!¡± Zhou Yi felt the Inner Qi in his Dantian had increased by more than fifty percent. No wonder so many people were keen to cultivate demonic techniques. The feeling of effortless gain was indeed somewhat satisfying! ¡°Shaved off two years of life¡­¡± Zhou Yi carefully sensed the changes and found that his internal organs had undergone subtle changes. One could say they had matured or aged. The Longevity Dao Fruit, which had remained silent for more than ten years, vibrated briefly, and the aged organs reverted to their original state. ¡°So, this is the correct way to activate the Longevity Dao Fruit, cultivating demonic techniques that reduce lifespan but improve one¡¯s state rapidly!¡± Zhou Yi murmured to himself, disregarding the prisoner curled up dead in the corner, and leisurely proceeded to the next cell. It was rare for prisoners in the Heavenly Prison to live until their execution day. After their death, their identities were confirmed, but no one pursued the cause of death. Such matters were hard to investigate and not allowed to be investigated. Tracing the source might even involve Emperor Hongchang himself. Devouring Inner Qi was just the first step of the demonic technique; it required some time afterward for refining and integrating. Zhou Yi was not in a hurry. Regardless of how slow the integration of Inner Qi was, it was still hundreds of times faster than cultivating the Guiyuan Technique. The Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique had another feature that Zhou Yi found very satisfactory. Before reaching the level of an Innate Grandmaster, there were basically no bottlenecks. All one needed was to find enough sources of Inner Qi and spend time and effort to refine and integrate them. ¡°Inner Qi of five hundred years, and Innate Realm shall form itself!¡± The Guiyuan Technique and the Five-Tiger Great Strength Fist he previously practiced, one internal and one external, were both upright and majestic cultivation techniques. Regardless of how fast or slow the progression, the many bottlenecks made Zhou Yi very frustrated. For example, transitioning from external tempering of muscles and bones to internal refining of organs was a challenge Zhou Yi had to figure out on his own. It took him a full five years just to get started. In the cultivation of martial arts, one needed technique, talent, resources, and the guidance of a renowned teacher. After all, life is finite; one cannot simply rely on time to forcefully break through bottlenecks. ¡°Inner Qi for five hundred years; that would need about eighty or ny people¡­¡± Zhou Yi looked at the prisoners in Prison Cell Jia as if they were a herd of pigs ready for the ughter. ¡°From now on, we should treat them better; they can¡¯t drink slop anymore. With weakened bodies and dissipating Inner Qi, that would be a loss!¡± From that day on. Prisoners in Prison Cell Jia started to drink thick porridge, which even had bits of meat in it. They were, of course, extremely grateful to Zhou Yi. ¡­ Autumn of the seventh year of Hongchang. Zhou Yi entered the kitchen to pick up the food bucket and saw that Chef Liu had prepared the food boxes and instructed delivery to Prison Cell Bing Jiu. ¡°Which noble young master has been put inside again?¡± Zhou Yi had grown ustomed to this. Over a decade, he had seen many spoiled young aristocratse to the Heavenly Prison as if on a vacation. Some even took pride in it. If a young master from Divine Capital had not been to Prison Cell Bing Jiu to enjoy the special treatment of the Heavenly Prison, they could hardly im to be top-ranked nobility. Chef Liu whispered, ¡°I heard it¡¯s a side branch of the Li family. As for what he did, I did not dare to ask!¡± The Li surname was not umon in Divine Capital, and there were certainly wealthy families among them. However, since Emperor Hongchang¡¯s ession, the only household that could be addressed as the ¡®Li family¡¯ in the capital was the residence of the Great General. A rtive of Li Wu! Chapter 15 - 15 Devotion to Public Duty for the State Chapter 15: Devotion to Public Duty for the State Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°But that¡¯s one of the Li family, old Liu, you¡¯ve got to bring out your best!¡± Zhou Yi opened the food box, revealing eight dishes, four cold and four hot, all bursting with color, fragrance, and vor. Even the wine jug contained a century-old brew; the fact that such fine wine could be found overnight surely meant that the prison warden had put some thought into it. ¡°Of course.¡± Chef Liu curled his lips. ¡°I used every trick passed down from eighteen generations of ancestors, all to avoid angering the nobleman.¡± There were many unspoken rules in the small kitchen of the heavenly prison, especially with regards to cell B9. Chef Liu had to tailor the meals ording to the prisoner¡¯s family rank, official position, and the closeness of kinship. It absolutely could not be one-size-fits-all. If a noble from the rank of a duke and an official at the level of vice minister were served the same dishes, trouble would surely arise afterward! These dissolute sons of nobility, out of sheer boredom,peted only in terms of face-saving, thinking something like ¡®I¡¯m in the heavenly prison yet I can eat four cold and four hot dishes, and drink a hundred-year-old wine, that certainly gives me more face than you with only four hot dishes!¡¯ The reasons for the disputes and jealousies among these privileged scions might seem senseless and born out of idleness to ordinary people, but the officials up and down the prison had toply anyway. In the Chongming Dynasty, the most powerful family was the Long family, but now such treatment had shifted to the members of the Li family. Li Wu pacified internal strife in the north and south of Fengyang Country, consolidated for a year, and thenmanded an army of a million tounch a northern campaign against the Great Yong Dynasty, vowing to recapture the three lost states. Now their power and influence eclipsed even that of the Long family during the Chongming Dynasty! Zhou Yi, carrying the food box, first went to cell B9, encountering Captain Zhu who was responsible for the daytime guard. Captain Zhu repeatedly cautioned, ¡°Old Zhou, serve with utmost care. That lord is a violent man; if he flies into a rage, I won¡¯t dare rescue you!¡± Zhou Yi said in surprise, ¡°Captain, I¡¯m just delivering the food¡­¡± ¡°Do you know why that lord is in the heavenly prison?¡± Captain Zhu reminded him in a low voice, ¡°For letting his troops loot the merchant roads, then pretending to attack bandits, he ughtered several viges and imed false merits!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Yi fell silent for a long while before asking, ¡°Such a horrifying act, who would dare expose it?¡± Allowing troops to loot and killing good people while iming false merits! Each act was a major crime deserving of the extermination of the Nine ns, and surely the Li family¡¯s Nine ns would have to include Great General Li Wu. That man was in the midst ofmanding a million-strong army on a northern campaign. If mishandled, this matter could lead to a cataclysmic upheaval! Now even Captain Zhu knew about it, clearly indicating that it could no longer be concealed; it was akin to proiming the Li family¡¯s crimes to the world. Zhou Yi did not believe that the Imperial Court, or rather Emperor Hongchang, had the audacity for such a thing! Captain Zhu said, ¡°Who else could it be but Chancellor Zhang!¡± After his ession to the throne, Emperor Hongchang purged the remaining forces of the Long chancellor, and not one of the four cab officials escaped implication. Now upying the position of Grand Secretary was his hidden residence teacher, Zhang Zhengyang. ¡°No wonder.¡± Zhou Yi had never seen Zhang Zhengyang, but from the gossip in the marketce, he believed him to be a minister crucial to the country. Rumors said that as soon as Zhang Zhengyang became Grand Secretary, his first memorial solved the internal and external troubles of Fengyang Country. To secure the interior before repelling foreign threats, to go north before dealing with the south! Emperor Hongchang¡¯s cancetion of five years¡¯ worth of taxes was also a strategy proposed by Zhang Zhengyang, using it to consolidate the hearts of the rebel forces and the people, definitively ending the issue of the rebels being defeated but not destroyed, a danger that could re up again. In the seven years as Grand Secretary, Zhang Zhengyang was the only person who could be spoken of in the same breath as Li Wu. Cell B9. Zhou Yi opened the prison door, took out the dishes from the food box, and arranged them on the table. ¡°Your Excellency, it¡¯s time to eat.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± The prisoner sat cross-legged on the soft couch in the inner room, eyes still closed, emitting a light snort from the tip of his nose. Zhou Yi bowed and withdrew, feeling that this person did not unt his arrogance like the usual spoiled nobility, who feigned extravagance to show they were above others. Instead, this man seemed to look down on everyone from his bones. ¡°He is indeed fearless!¡± ¡­ Several dayster. Zhou Yi came to the small mess hall to collect the food and found that Chef Liu was not there. ¡°What¡¯s going on with this guy?¡± The crimes of the prisoner Li Xiong were already the talk of the town, with many people pounding the Imperial Drum in protest in the previous days, iming to be rtives of those from the viges he had ughtered. The Imperial Court turned a deaf ear, acting as if they heard nothing. Ultimately, it was the capital¡¯s constables who took away theinants one by one on the pretext of causing public disturbances, incarcerating them in prison. With this development, the capital judiciary became the outlet for the people¡¯s grievances; each day, its main gate was smeared with all manners of filth. The Imperial Censor submitted a memorial rebuking the Divine Capital¡¯s prefect for numerous offenses, including mistreating the popce, failure in oversight, sheltering a felon, and others, yet not a single word implicated the Li family. Having no choice, the Divine Capital¡¯s prefect submitted a petition for his crimes and then entered the heavenly prison himself. In just a short period of time, Divine Capital experienced swift and dramatic changes, with the storm¡¯s eye centered on cell B9. Chef Liu had inexplicably lost his mind, and Zhou Yi rushed to find Captain Zhu, asking about today¡¯s meal delivery. Captain Zhu spoke with righteous indignation, ¡°He¡¯s just another prisoner in the heavenly prison. He should eat what the others eat; there¡¯s no need for special treatment!¡± Zhou Yi frowned slightly, then suddenly said, ¡°Is there news from the north?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Captain Zhu didn¡¯t keep it secret, since it couldn¡¯t be hidden for a few more days anyway, ¡°Tomorrow at noon, the entire Li n rted to Li Xiong will be executed and their homes searched. I guess it won¡¯t be long before the Jinyiwei bring people here!¡± Zhou Yi asked, ¡°At the request of the Great General?¡± ¡°Indeed, the older the object, the more bizarre it bes, the older the person, the more shrewd! Old Zhou, you are so astute, howe you¡¯re stuck delivering meals for a lifetime?¡± Captain Zhu whispered, ¡°The prison warden said the Great General personally wrote a petition in his own blood, iming that the Li family should have implicated the Nine ns, kneeling and pleading His Majesty for understanding, to grant mercy beyond thew, and only execute Li Xiong¡¯s branch!¡± ¡°The Great General is upright!¡± ¡°The Great General is wise!¡± Zhou Yi and Captain Zhu exchanged nces, their eyes filled with horror, sensing that a storm hundred times greater than any the Capital had seen was about to sweep through. Cell number nine. Zhou Yi poured the watery porridge into the bowl and tapped the spoon against the bars, calling out. ¡°Time to eat!¡± Li Xiong nced at the swill and a sh of horror crossed his eyes, then returned to calm: ¡°It seems my cousin, for the sake of his own reputation, is sending his uncle¡¯s family to death!¡± In this era¡¯s n ethics, covering up for family members was a virtue; Li Wu¡¯s actions were contemptible to the great ns. Zhou Yi asked in surprise, ¡°You know already?¡± Li Xiong replied coldly, ¡°Watching you lot scramble and step on one another, I could guess that the situation outside has changed.¡± ¡°Tomorrow at noon, your entire family will be executed.¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°Your parents, wives, and children, all lost their lives because of your greed!¡± Li Xiong, expressionless, nced at Zhou Yi, as if mocking him with disdain. ¡°Do you have a son? How old is he this year? Is he cute? In the future he might learn martial arts and join the army, or perhaps study literature and take exams; he might marry a virtuous wife, and you¡¯ll have grandsons. Or maybe a daughter, who will marry¡­¡± Zhou Yi continued unrushed, describing a blissful scene of a united family with children and grandchildren gathered around the knees. Li Xiong¡¯s expression gradually changed, and by thest sentence, ¡°Your ten-year-old son¡¯s head chopped off, spraying blood several feet into the air,¡± his eyes were filled with furious crimson. ¡°¡­At around ten years old, probably not understanding anything, he will ask you why he is being beheaded, and if it will hurt a lot, won¡¯t he?¡± Zhou Yi said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ll teach you a trick, get your son drunk before the execution to spare him the pain if the executioner¡¯s de is dull, otherwise it would be a hundred times more agonizing!¡± ¡°Get out!¡± Li Xiong roared, ¡°What do you know? My cousin only thinks of leaving a noble legacy, watching our kinsman to death, not even allowingmerce!¡± ¡°I followed him for years in battle, shedding gallons of blood. Back in the Divine Capital without silver to host feasts, I wasughed at as a country bumpkin!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t embezzle military pay; I can¡¯t engage in trade; what¡¯s left but to rob!¡± Li Xiong said coldly, ¡°While I fought desperately on the front lines, those damned nobles sold arms to Great Yong,mitting the same crime of treason. Why shouldn¡¯t I take it for myself?¡± Zhou Yi asked doubtfully, ¡°How do you exin killing innocents for merit?¡± Having vented, Li Xiong¡¯s resentment dissipated somewhat, and his demeanor returned to calm: ¡°Someone has to take the me for robbing merchants, and those people were unlucky enough to be chosen by me!¡± ¡°If you lead troops to raid the noble¡¯s residence and behead the treasonous smugglers of military arms then and there, perhaps General Li might save your life. But you dare not, only capable of ughtering the innocentmonfolk!¡± Zhou Yi shook his head and said, ¡°Such a bullying and cowardly nature, seems to have no difference from us, the scavenging, trampling breed, does it?¡± Li Xiong slowly turned his head, finally looking directly at Zhou Yi ¡°Sharp-tongued!¡± Zhou Yi shrugged and walked away with the bucket. ¡°Later when your family arrives, I¡¯ll arrange for you and your children to be in the same cell. Cherish yourst night!¡± ¡­ The Hall of Supreme Harmony. Silence reigned. The Emperor dismissed the chambein from his side, leaving only Grand Secretary Zhang Zhengyang in the Hall. ¡°Teacher, this turmoil is too dangerous.¡± Emperor Hongchang came down from the dais, personally carrying two embroidered cushions, and sat facing Zhang Zhengyang at the same level. ¡°Your Majesty, I was left with no choice.¡± Zhang Zhengyang bowed and then sat down to speak, ¡°The civil officials harbor treasonous intentions, even as powerful as Long Ni, they can be destroyed overnight. As for military officers like Li Wu, with their bravery and outstanding achievements overshadowing the sovereign, ruling over the world¡­¡± He paused there, as if weighing his words, and after a moment added, ¡°They are capable of upending the orthodox session!¡± Emperor Hongchang frowned deeply, ¡°Teacher, Li Wu is diligent in royal affairs and excessively strict with his own kin. How can he bepared to the likes of Long Ni?¡± ¡°That is where the fear lies. If indeed Li Wu were as greedy and violent as Long Ni, that would be the end of it. But he¡¯s strict with his family to win the people¡¯s heart, clearly harboring grand ambitions! With Li Xiong¡¯s case, Your Majesty publicly made it an issue, intending for Li Wu to petition, and the Imperial Courtpelled to pardon Li Xiong and his family.¡± Zhang Zhengyang said, ¡°How could I expect that Li Wu would be so ruthless against his own uncle and cousins? With such callous and resolute actions, can he be said to have an ounce of loyalty or integrity?¡± Emperor Hongchang asked puzzled, ¡°Li Xiong¡¯s crimes are intolerable under heaven, how does the teacher exin this?¡± ¡°This destroys the golden body of Li Wu¡¯s reputation. He can lead armies, can conquer in all directions, but he must never have a virtuous name known throughout the world!¡± Zhang Zhengyang said, ¡°Themon people will never allow a man who shields his kin while ughtering the people to rule over them. This way, Your Majesty can rest easily without worry.¡± Emperor Hongchang shook his head, ¡°Teacher, as the historical records say, he who has strong troops and valiant horses is suited to rule. If indeed Li Wu harbors treasonous ambitions, with his military authority, I am uncertain¡­¡± ¡°The records are correct, but not to be fully trusted.¡± Zhang Zhengyang continued, ¡°After enduring the chaos under the previous emperor with the uprising of Long Ni, the people have only just settled in peace for a few years and would not wish to see turmoil again. Such is the will of the multitude, an overwhelming trend that no military force can ovee!¡± Emperor Hongchang remained silent for a long time, still slowly shaking his head. ¡°Li Wu has been loyal and has contributed to the state, heeded thete emperor¡¯s testament, and subdued the north and south, only then do I have my today!¡± ¡°Li Qing has not failed me, nor will I fail him!¡± Chapter 16 - 16 Innate Grandmaster Chapter 16: Innate Grandmaster Editor: Henyee Trantions The next day. The Heavenly Prison. Zhou Yi carrying a prisoner¡¯s meal, arrived at cell number Bing Nine. Enshrouded in in white garments, four boys and three girlsy neatly on the ground, void of breath. A woman dressed in mourning clothes slumped on the floor, her eyes staring nkly. Li Xiong stood within the cell, looking at Zhou Yi with cold eyes as he approached. ¡°Remember this, the general and his family are waiting here; tell Li Wu when hees in!¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s brow furrowed slightly at the sight of the tragic scene of a father killing his children in the cell. Taking note of the absence of any jailers on duty, he realized the situation. The Imperial Court had no intention of carrying out a public execution, signaling to Li Xiong that he shouldmit suicide in the Heavenly Prison out of fear for his crimes. ¡°The Great General was incorruptible and dedicated to his duties, and with outstanding meritorious service. In the future, he shall be worthy of beingmemorated in the Grand Ancestral Temple.¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s words to Li Xiong the day before had overstepped due to his indignation at the massacre of themon people. How could he casually discuss Li Wu and the Imperial Court today? Even though the Officials yearned to exterminate the Nine ns of Li¡¯s family, they had to praise his loyalty and devotion to the country on the surface. ¡°He wille. I will be waiting for him!¡± After Li Xiong spoke, he struck the forehead of the woman with his palm and then pped his own head. The couple died together, their skulls shattered. ¡°To think it hase to this, why did it ever start!¡± Zhou Yi pretended to panic as he went out to call the jailers, having Li Xiong¡¯s family carried out from the cell. The Li n would take care of the bodies, but whether they could be buried in the ancestral graves was unknown. ¡°Today my mood is foul; I¡¯ll pick an unlucky one to practice my demonic technique on!¡± Zhou Yi, holding fine wine and dishes, walked unsteadily to cell number Jia Twelve. The prisoner was burly like a bear, towering half a head taller than the six-foot execution rack, his shiny bald head scarred by several knife wounds. He was the type that would make citizens report a thief entering the city just by walking down the street. The prisoner nced at the wine and meat, licked his lips, and said, ¡°Is it my turn today?¡± ¡°You seem quite knowledgeable.¡± Zhou Yi set the food and drink, picking up a piece of meat with chopsticks and bringing it to the prisoner¡¯s mouth. The prisoner didn¡¯t hold back, indulging in the meat and wine, eventually belching contentedly: ¡°Even when I was outside, I heard about a jailer in the Heavenly Prison who enjoys torturing martial artists¡ªno one can withstand his cruel punishments.¡± ¡°I have a reputation in the martial world?¡± Zhou Yi learned of this for the first time; he focused solely on his daily duties, never caring about the martial world or the court. The prisoner said, ¡°The martial world calls you the ¡®Old Devil of the Bloody Prison,¡¯ rumoring your entire family was killed by martial experts, making you so vicious.¡± ¡°Old Devil?¡± Zhou Yi looked at his graying hair and nodded slightly: ¡°That¡¯s quite a name; it has quite a presence. The fellow martial artists have ttered me with exaggeration!¡± The prisoner said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re like a turtle, hiding in the Divine Capital, otherwise you would have been beaten to death long ago!¡± ¡°Perhaps they came to the Divine Capital, but nobody knew about it.¡± Zhou Yi noted that over thest two years, his courtyard in the Divine Capital had been bustling; the jujube tree grew lush and bore fruit that his colleagues praised as sweet and delicious. Perhaps the flesh and blood of the in martial experts, rich in special energy, made the jujubes extraordinary. Zhou Yi nned to nt a grapevine next and invite his colleagues to taste it. ¡°I don¡¯t believe in such torture. I¡¯ll try your cruel punishment today.¡± The prisoner boasted confidently, ¡°Back in the monastery, I vited the precept of not taking life, and eighteen Martial Monks broke their staffs on me¡ªyoung master, I still survived!¡± ¡°So, you are a high disciple of Buddhism. My apologies.¡± Zhou Yi tidied up the bowls and chopsticks and ced his hand over the prisoner¡¯s dantian, operating the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique. A surge of Inner Qi flowed out like floodgates opening, streaming from within the prisoner¡¯s body and soonpletely devouring the prisoner¡¯s Inner Qi. ¡°You¡­ what is this?¡± Veins on the prisoner¡¯s bald head throbbed, his eyes bulging in disbelief: ¡°Devouring¡­ Demonic Technique?¡± ¡°You actually know of it?¡± Zhou Yi did not wait for the prisoner to speak and struck his head with a palm, allowing Inner Qi to rupture through his body and scramble his brains into mush. ¡°The more one knows, the greater the curiosity and the more dangerous it is!¡± ¡­ The beginning of the twelfth year of Hongchang. The Great General Li Wu crushed the enemy¡¯s main forces at Serpentine Mountain, ughtering two hundred thousand and capturing the Third Prince of Great Yong. He then pursued the retreating troops for twelve hundred miles, fully recovering the old territory of Fengyang. Upon the victorious news reaching the Divine Capital, the citizens rejoiced, while the Imperial Court Officials remained eerily silent. That autumn. Li Wu led his army deep into the territory of Great Yong, toppling twelve cities and reaching the impregnable Soul Suppressing Pass at the Southern Border. Themander of Soul Suppressing Pass, despite Li Wu¡¯s challenges, refused to emerge, and the Great Yong Dynasty sent envoys to seek peace. ¡­ All these shifting events in the world were irrelevant to Zhou Yi. In the courtyard. Zhou Yi sat cross-legged under the grapevine, silently operating the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique. The torrential Inner Qi flowed through his meridians like a roaring river, faintly echoing the thunderous crashing of waves. ¡°In seven years¡¯ time, after devouring the Inner Qi of more than ny martial artists¡­ Now, I¡¯ve finally reached the five-hundred-year threshold!¡± Zhou Yi took a leave of absence from the jailer position, focusing solely on secluded cultivation at home until he broke through the Innate Realm. ¡°ording to the description of the demonic technique, with Inner Qi umting to five hundred years, one needs only to keep cycling it continuously¡ªleveraging one¡¯s own body to provoke the forces of heaven and earth, one will be able to perceive the realm of an Innate Grandmaster!¡± The Inner Qi continued its circuit through his meridians, cycling through several Grand Circtions. Zhou Yi felt his meridians stretching to their limits, with some of the finer ones beginning to fracture, yet he still couldn¡¯t sense the Innate Realm. ¡°Hmph!¡± Zhou Yi couldn¡¯t help but grunt in pain; the agony of the fissures in his meridians wasparable to being torn apart by a cruel torture. At this point, continuing to operate the demonic technique might either lead to a breakthrough to the Innate level, orpletely rupture his meridians, turning him into a cripple. In the worst case, he might perish with his Dao-path extinguished. ¡°Ordinary people might grit their teeth and persist, gambling their lives for a breakthrough into the Innate realm. I¡­ I will try again tomorrow!¡± Thus, Zhou Yi stopped cultivating and stood up to brew a pot of fine tea, holding Buddhist scriptures in his hand and reciting them. He centered his spirit and calmed his restlessness. The next day. Zhou Yi once again circted his demonic technique, going a few more cycles than the previous day and once more reaching the limit of what his meridians could endure. ¡°It seems my innate talent is indeed somewhatcking.¡± ¡°Those withmon, inferior talents watch the years pass by, year after year. Either they be disheartened and indistinguishable from the crowd, or they risk their lives desperate for a breakthrough, after all, one¡¯s lifespan waits for no one.¡± ¡°Fortunately, there¡¯s the Longevity Dao Fruit. What bottlenecks, what shackles, none can withstand the test of time.¡± ¡°Only I, even if seas turn to mulberry fields and the world changes, remain unchanged!¡± Zhou Yi stopped cultivating and took out a roll of Buddhist scriptures to recite. Apart from teachings on enduring suffering, other topics in the Buddhist texts, such as cause and effect and karma, resonate with Zhou Yi. Autumn goes and springes, time passes swiftly. In the blink of an eye, half a year has gone by. At first, people in the heavenly prison would ask why old Zhou had not returned, butter they got used to his absence. Today. Zhou Yi was burning incense and chanting scriptures when suddenly he felt an understanding of the profound mystery. The Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique started to circte on its own within his body. It circted for dozens of Grand Circtions, and yet his meridians did not feel the slightest bit of swelling pain. At this moment, strands of cool air gathered into Zhou Yi¡¯s body from the outside world, like threads of ice, like fine rain, silently moisturizing everything. ¡°Is this the spiritual energy of heaven and earth?¡± Zhou Yi closed his eyes to sense and felt that there was a mysterious energy hidden between heaven and earth, splitting into five colors so thin as to be nearly imperceptible. As the mighty Inner Qi circted, it led the five-colored spiritual energy to merge into his body, integrating with his Inner Qi. The cloud-like scattered Inner Qi, as the spiritual energy was assimted, gradually condensed into a tangible form. Five hundred years of mighty Inner Qi waspressed and transformed into a delicate stream. ¡°Is this the True Yuan of the Innate? Its quantity has decreased tenfold, but its quality has increased a hundredfold!¡± Zhou Yi circted the True Yuan, releasing it from his fingertips through his body, condensing into a visible sword of Qi, swinging it towards the stone bs on the ground. Whoosh! Without a sound, the sword of Qi cut the stone b into two pieces. ¡°Using Inner Qi to harm others, its power greatly diminishes after three or four feet. Beyond ten feet, the Inner Qi dissipates. But True Yuan is different, even at a distance of twenty to thirty feet, it can stay condensed without losing its power.¡± ¡°With such a method of killing, to themon folk, it is almost akin to an immortal¡¯s!¡± ¡°No wonder it is said in the stories of the rivers andkes that below the Innate grandmasters, all are but ants!¡± Zhou Yi circted the Innate True Yuan, and after a Grand Cirction, the spiritual energy from heaven and earth that had merged into his body was almost imperceptible. ¡°At this rate of cultivation, do I need to spend hundreds of years to reach theplete perfection of the Innate Realm?¡± ¡°The reason for such slow progress must be more than just poor talent. Neither the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique nor the Guiyuan Technique provide methods for cultivation beyond the Innate stage.¡± ¡°Secondly, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is extremely thin in themon world, so absorption is naturally slow. Thirdly, relying solely on one¡¯s own cultivation without the assistance of pills and such¡­¡± Zhou Yi carefully considered and enumerated several reasons for the slowness of his cultivation. ¡°However, I still have to cultivate in hiding among themon people. Even if it takes hundreds of years until there is truly no progress, it is not toote to go to the Cultivation World.¡± ¡°The Cultivation World is different from themon people¡¯s world. It is too hard to stay hidden, there are too many ways to harm others, and it is very difficult to cultivate in peace as I do now.¡± Zhou Yi actually found that the extremely thin spiritual energy in themon world acted as a kind of protection for him. ¡°Moreover, it seems that there are indeed cultivation techniques¡­¡± Zhou Yi suddenly remembered the Nameless chant that Wei Chang taught him, which was about sensing the energy of heaven and earth and using the technique to refine and strengthen the body. Unable toprehend it at all in the past, now that Zhou Yi had advanced to the Innate realm, he could already sense the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. ¡°¡­Calm the mind naturally, breathe gently, gather divine light, and reach the heart of heaven¡­¡± Zhou Yi silently recited the chant, and the True Yuan in his body flowed on its own, attracting the spiritual energy from heaven and earth at a speed several times faster than before. The spiritual energy refined by the Nameless chant did not increase the Innate True Yuan but instead merged into the tendons, bones, viscera, and limbs, visibly lengthening the martial body refinement that had just entered the initial stage of the viscera realm. ¡°This chant is not a method of cultivation; it is the Body Refinement technique from the legends!¡± ¡°In this case, can I also cultivate another horizontal Innate?¡± Zhou Yi revealed a smile. Whether in martial arts or in cultivation, everything was for the sake of nurturing the Longevity Dao Fruit. As long as he could increase his strength, he would not hesitate to spend time cultivating, whether it be a hundred years or a thousand years, there was no difference. ¡°Tomorrow I should go on duty!¡± ¡­ The heavenly prison. Zhou Yi greeted the duty officer, Feng Qiao. ¡°Old Feng, long time no see.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Feng Qiao was lost in memories of the lovely girl from the Spring Breeze Building, the Oiran from eight years ago. Once unattainable even for the wealthy merchants who threw their fortunes at her, now she was avable for merely five Silver pieces. ¡°Old Zhou, you didn¡¯t die?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Yi asked, ¡°Who said I died?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what everyone in the prison was saying. They said you liked to torture practitioners from the rivers andkes to death, killing so many. There are many enemies outside, and chances are you were ambushed and killed, and not even your bones were left intact!¡± Feng Qiao exined, ¡°Captain Zhu even sent people to your house, knocking on the door with no response. Everyone believed it.¡± ¡°I hid outside for a while, but it¡¯s fine now.¡± Before entering seclusion, Zhou Yi had prepared arge amount of food, locked the door tightly, and spent his days enjoying tea, reading, and contemting his state of mind, toozy to pay attention to anyone knocking at his door. During that period, indeed some thieves entered the yard, perhaps enemies or perhaps just burrs, but none could survive a palm strike from Zhou Yi. Who could withstand the power of five hundred years concentrated in one punch! Chapter 17 - 17 The Emperor Grows Old Chapter 17: The Emperor Grows Old Editor: Henyee Trantions Zhou Yi resumed his duties without anyone giving him a hard time after the news of his supposed death spread. With a slight demonstration of his skill of breaking des with two fingers, the prison guards all cheered in approval. Warden Liu praised, ¡°Old Zhou is someone who remembers old times, and Little Yu doesn¡¯t need to go and escort; just delivering the meals with Old Zhou will be fine.¡± Little Yu, named Yu Jie, was a youth of around seventeen or eighteen and had yet to be tainted by the bleak atmosphere of the prison, much like Zhou Yi had been when he first came to the prison¡ªquietly standing behind the other prison guards, speaking little. Zhou Yi smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve been in this ce for so long, I¡¯ve gotten used to its smell.¡± ¡°Tonight at Spring Breeze Building, we¡¯ll throw a wee-back party for Old Zhou to wash away the dust of his journey.¡± Captain Zhu put his arm around Zhou Yi¡¯s shoulder and whispered, ¡°Lately, the prison hasn¡¯t been peaceful; at night, someone always sees ghost shadows. Now that you¡¯re a great master, Old Zhou, keep an eye out!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered.¡± Zhou Yi, who had been meticulously careful before, could now afford to be a little more rxed after his promotion to the Innate Grandmaster. Nothing happened on his day of duty. Night fell. Changing out of their uniforms, Yu Jie and the rest headed straight for Spring Breeze Building. Zhou Yi asked, ¡°Old Feng, you said before that you had a shrewish wife at home, have you finally been enjoying yourself?¡± ¡°Old Zhou doesn¡¯t know?¡± Captain Zhu made a face and said, ¡°This guy bought a pair of twins from a trader and has been secretly keeping them in Divine Capital. Somehow his wife from the county found out and made a huge scene¡­¡± ¡°Originally, I put up with that woman because there was some silver at home,¡± Feng Qiao said with a mix of shame and annoyance, ¡°But now all that silver seems like nothing. I found an excuse and divorced her!¡± The profits of the prison were a hundred times, if not more, greater than those of the county jail, and the chance to escort exiled criminals could yield more silver than several years¡¯ earnings at the county jail. Zhou Yi did not try to persuade that one should not abandon the wife of his youth. To do so would be to draw needless resentment for speaking too deeply of shallow rtionships, which could be seen through the feigned smiles and actual disdain in the eyes of his colleagues, predicting that Feng Qiao would not have an easy life ahead. Who would dare to work with someone who divorces his wife as soon as he strikes it rich? ¡°How are the twins doing?¡± ¡°Young, very smooth!¡± Feng Qiao wasn¡¯t blind and could see the disdain of his colleagues, but what did it matter to him, as long as he didn¡¯t care about his reputation or future? After half a year away, the Spring Breeze Building had changed its Oiran. The old madam of the establishment lit up with joy upon seeing Zhou Yi, ¡°Lord Zhou, it¡¯s been a long time since yourst visit.¡± As a patron of twenty-one years, though Zhou Yi didn¡¯tpete for the Oiran¡¯s favor or randomly give tips, the silver he had spent over the years at the Spring Breeze Building was enough to buy a residence in Divine Capital. It was these loyal customers that were the foundation of Spring Breeze Building¡¯s enduring sess year after year! Zhou Yi smiled and asked, ¡°Which opera are we listening to tonight?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s your favorite, Lord Zhou!¡± The old madam summoned a waiter and gave a few instructions. They interrupted the opera that had been ying halfway through on the stage and switched to ¡°Drunken Spring Breeze.¡± The new Oiran was a woman of ample bosom. With slightly parted red lips, she began her light singing of ¡°Drunken Spring Breeze,¡± ¡°¡­gently I push my lord, oh so tenderly¡­ arms entwined, swaying gently¡­¡± On the second floor in a private room. Zhou Yi and Captain Zhu led the way, with other colleagues sitting to their left and right. The waiter promptly served dishes without needing any orders, all favorites of Zhou Yi, and the wine was fifty-year-old Pear Blossom White. ¡°Lord Zhou, eat and drink as you please tonight; there¡¯s no need to settle the bill,¡± After the old madam made a few yfulments that kept the prison guardsughing, she gracefully departed. Captain Zhu remarked, ¡°If you¡¯re with Old Zhou at Spring Breeze Building, you get the royal treatment. When wee on our own, we always sit scattered in the main hall and never enjoy such attentive care!¡± ¡°You would enjoy the same treatment if you spent ten thousand silver here, Captain Zhu,¡± Zhou Yi casually estimated that he spent at least several hundred silver each year; over twenty years, the sum had certainly exceeded ten thousand. ¡°¡­¡± Captain Zhu murmured, ¡°Old Zhou, why don¡¯t you follow Old Feng¡¯s example and buy a few to keep at home? You wouldn¡¯t be able to spend so much silver in a lifetime!¡± The colleagues also looked at each other in astonishment; even with all of the prison¡¯s perks, one couldn¡¯t amass money so fast. Spending ten thousand at Spring Breeze Building was nothing; practicing martial arts and body conditioning always cost more. The Body Tempering Soup alone used medicinal ingredients that spanned a hundred years and the treasures that had no market value were countless. Including other expenses, the total was incalcble. Moreover, Zhou Yi was just delivering meals, never taking part in escorting criminals, the major source of ill-gotten gains. Where did he get all that silver? ¡°I have many friends in the martial world; people alwayse to my door offering money, the kind that¡¯s hard to refuse even if you wanted to,¡± In recent years, Zhou Yi hadn¡¯t taken much silver from the prison. Instead, many prisoners were so terrified upon seeing him enter with wine and meat that they desperately promised gold and silver treasures for their lives, although he never went to im any. The share of the silver divided within the prison came only from extras for well-connected prisoners, and after dividing it among colleagues and officials, it was far from enough to cover his expenses at Spring Breeze Building. ¡°So that¡¯s how it is!¡± The prison guards suddenly remembered that Zhou Yi, despite his aged appearance, was a martial arts expert. A first-rate master of the Filthy Realm could be promoted directly to a junior g officer in the Jinyiwei or make a significant name for himself in the martial world, like Flying Rainbow Swordsman dominating Yuzhou, or the Twin Bears of the North imposing authority over the Northwest. Captain Zhu stated, ¡°From now on, all the extra fees from prisoners will go to Old Zhou; as for how much Little Yu gets, you two can discuss it among yourselves.¡± ¡°Thank you, Captain Zhu.¡± Zhou Yi did not bother to exin, for the bulk of his ie actually came from burrizing private homes. At first, it was just petty thieves, but after acquiring the nickname of Old Demon of the Bloody Prison, some sought vengeance for friends and family, while others were valiant young martial heroes. They often left behind plenty of thumb rings, jade pendants, and silver notes. Zhou Yi couldn¡¯t be bothered to distinguish between the good and the bad. Once involved in the martial world, one should be prepared to face death. With all the corpses buried, the ground in his yard had risen by three feet. Zhou Yi wouldn¡¯t be surprised in the slightest if zombies crawled out one day. ¡°In the past six months, what major events have urred in Divine Capital?¡± ¡°Heh heh, Old Zhou, you¡¯ve missed quite a show!¡± Captain Zhu smiled and recounted, ¡°Some time ago, the Great General returned to the capital, and all of Divine Capital came out to watch. His Majesty beheaded the prince of Great Yong in front of their ambassadors and offered his head to the Grand Ancestral Temple.¡± ¡°Then howe peace was negotiated again?¡± After leaving the prison, Zhou Yi had heard bits and pieces about peace talks and returning five cities to Great Yong. ¡°War is full of uncertainty, and no one can guarantee a win every time; it¡¯s better to quit while you¡¯re ahead,¡± Captain Zhu¡¯s tone changed, ¡°Anyway, using that reason, the Ministry of War has issued nine military orders in session, recalling General Li from the Northern Border!¡± Zhou Yi shook his head slightly, ¡°Captain Zhu believes that General Li can continue to win battles?¡± Captain Zhu affirmed, ¡°Of course he can! General Li is a great general thates once in a thousand years. Since quelling the Long Ni rebellion, he has never tasted defeat.¡± Zhou Yi looked at his colleagues and asked, ¡°Do you all think the same?¡± ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°General Li knows people and delegates well, having promoted a number of frustrated officers, who now are formidable generalsmanding their own regions.¡± ¡°General Li is also a Grandmaster of the Innate Realm. It¡¯s possible for him to take the head of an enemymander amidst tens of thousands of troops, even wiping out Great Yong.¡± His colleagues responded one after another, all agreeing that Captain Zhu¡¯s words were reasonable. ¡°Then let me ask you¡­¡± Zhou Yi spoke quietly, ¡°How old is His Majesty now?¡± Captain Zhu silently calcted in his heart, the current Emperor was twelve when the previous Emperor ascended the throne. Emperor Chongming reigned for forty-six years, plus twelve years since he took the throne himself, making him seventy-two this year. Even though the Emperor enjoys all the glory and wealth, apart from Emperor Chongming, who was celibate and neglected state affairs, it is rare to live to the age of seventy. Emperor Hongchang is already old! Although the prison guards are the lowest-ranking officials, not even ranking in rank, they can¡¯t help but hear about the struggles within the Imperial Court, being in charge of watching over offending officials, and they naturally understand the dangers involved. Zhou Yi asked, ¡°For General Li¡¯s recapture of lostnds, defeating enemy nations, and expanding territories, what rewards did these great achievements receive?¡± Immediately, a colleague answered, ¡°He was bestowed with the nine dignities, appointed with the Yellow Axe, allowed to enter the court without haste, praised without kneeling, and ennobled as the Duke of a border county!¡± ¡°Cough cough cough!¡± Captain Zhu coughed twice to awkwardly interrupt the topic and called out to a waiter nearby. ¡°Tell the girls toe over. How can we just drink dry at Spring Breeze Building?¡± As the topic abruptly turned to this, Spring Breeze Building, which had been lively and joyous, suddenly lost its appeal. After a few more rounds of drinks, everyone dispersed and headed home. ¡­ Prison Cell Number Nine. Zhou Yi sat cross-legged inside, cultivating inwardly with the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique and practicing the Nameless mantra outwardly. The Spiritual Energy in the sky prison was gloomy and cold, converging into his meridians for refining, bing even more bone-chillingly cold, shing with the warm True Yuan in his Dantian. ¡°Cultivation also needs to alternate between tension and rxation, I¡¯ll rest for these few days and first pick out the lesser thieves from the prison.¡± Zhou Yiy on the bed, with his ear pressed against the brick bed surface, as the Innate True Yuan circted through his meridians. In an instant. Snores, painful groans, scoldings, footsteps, drinking, the prison guards ying games and guessing fists while drinking, snakes and rats burrowing around noisily, all kinds of sounds were mixed together, like countless ants crawling by one¡¯s ear. The Earth Listening Technique! Some unnamed tomb raider, in exchange for a roasted chicken, passed on this technique before dying. The tomb raider would tap the ground and use the Earth Listening Technique to determine if there was a space several meters underground, then use other methods to deduce whether it was a tomb or a cave. With Zhou Yi executing it at the Innate Realm level, the entire sky prison was within the range of his hearing. By distinguishing and filtering out unnecessary sounds. No matter how skilled someone is in Qinggong, there would still be the sound of wind and vibrations during their swift movements. It would be difficult for someone not well-versed in Qinggong to distinguish these from the noisy and chaotic surroundings. Zhou Yi had learned various styles of Qinggong from many prisoners. From the famous master thief of the martial world to the lowest sneaks who skitter across roofs, he had adopted the strengths of many. As long as anyone in prison used Qinggong, they wouldn¡¯t escape the Earth Listening Technique. The first half of the night passed without incident. At dawn. The duty guards were weary, either dozing off on the tables or finding corners to rest in. Amid the howling of the night wind, a shadow entered the sky prison. The guard at the gate, drowsy, looked up to see nothing and continued slumbering against the wall. The me in the corridor¡¯s oilmp flickered, casting a shadow on the wall that, with the dancing me, seemed like a struggling ghost. The shadow, as if entering an uninhabitednd, went straight to the depths of the sky prison. Prison Cell Number Two. The empty cell had no prisoners at the moment, the shadow skillfully used a key to open the iron lock and entered the cell confidently. The shadow searched every nook and cranny without missing any gaps. Click! The iron gate closed on its own without any wind, trapping the shadow inside the cell. ¡°Who?¡± A clear cry of rm came from the shadow, who instinctively tried to open the cell door, only to see a sword Qi, solid as reality, thrusting towards them. Swoosh! The sword Qi shed against the cell door, severing the bars made of refined steel. ¡°Senior, please spare my life!¡± The frightened shadow scrambled back, the enveloping grey fog quickly dispersed, revealing the person inside. ¡°Heh heh heh heh¡­¡± A series of trademark demonicughter, an ancient and deep voice, rang directly in Yu Jie¡¯s ears. ¡°Boy, what are you doing in the sky prison?¡± The voice was elusive, indiscernible in origin. Perspiration broke out on Yu Jie¡¯s forehead as he bowed in all directions, thinking he had encountered an extraordinary old monster. ¡°Junior is the grandson of Yu Shitou, here to inherit what my ancestor passed down in the sky prison. I meant no offense whatsoever!¡± Chapter 18: The Art of Talismans and Seals Chapter 18: The Art of Talismans and Seals Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Yu Shitou, what kind of name is that?¡± Zhou Yi recalled all the criminals in the prison, certain that there was no such person. In Jianghu, it was not umon for someone from the lower sses to climb their way to the top, but once they gained power, they would adopt a domineering moniker. Gang leader Li Ergou, Sword God Zhang Tiezhu¡ªspreading such names would only bringughter from their peers in Jianghu. As a result, many experts had simr titles, frequently using characters like Xiao, Ba, Hao, and Lie in their names, likely chosen by the same person. ¡°I consider myself well-informed, yet I have never heard of such a person. Are you still trying to deceive me, boy?¡± Sword Qi circled above Yu Jie¡¯s head, gently spinning, and strands of hair fell to the ground, narrowly missing his skull by half an inch. ¡°Senior, please calm your anger, I have no intention of deceiving¡­¡± Yu Jie, frightened out of his wits, gritted his teeth and said, ¡°Yu Shitou is the real name of my ancestor. He is known by another name outside, called the King of Yellow Heaven!¡± ¡°King of Yellow Heaven¡­¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s voice was ethereal, as if recalling the past, ¡°I have met him once, and he spoke of the turmoil of Cang Huang, manipted by the Jiangnan noble families. In the end, both Heavenly Kings became pawns!¡± ¡°You are right, senior. In those days, with the help of my ancestor¡¯s Talisman Technique, even Li Wu could not easily prevail.¡± Yu Jie indignantly said, ¡°The Jiangnan noble families initially supported my ancestor, but then they secretly switched allegiance to the Imperial Court, deceiving my ancestor and the King of Azure Heaven into drinking a strange poison. Otherwise, how could an Innate Grandmaster be captured alive!¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it was.¡± Zhou Yi suddenly realized, only after using demonic cultivation to break through to the Innate Realm did he learn how formidable the King of Azure Heaven really was. That Li Wu was able to capture him alive, he had thought it was due to his extraordinary talent, but the truth was that he had been poisoned with something unusual. The Great General, known throughout thend, was said to be upright and honourable, yet he had resorted to such despicable means. This realization doused the pride in Zhou Yi¡¯s heart like a bucket of cold water. An Innate Grandmaster was invincible among mortals, but that did not make them immortal. Enemies would use traps, poison, nightmare wins, and other malicious methods. A moment of carelessness and one would follow in the footsteps of the King of Azure Heaven! ¡°How can you prove you¡¯re a descendant of the King of Yellow Heaven?¡± ¡°This Talisman Script is called the Shadow Talisman, a secret Talisman Technique of my ancestor. It was the source of power for the shadow secret guards that once shook Jiangnan.¡± Yu Jie took out a Talisman Script from his chest, painted with cinnabar to formplex symbols: ¡°When the Imperial Court¡¯s troops broke through the King¡¯s mansion, I survived the massacre by using this talisman to hide.¡± Zhou Yi asked, ¡°What is the use of this talisman?¡± Yu Jie replied, ¡°The Shadow Talisman can summon a mist to surround the body, blending into the night, making one virtually invisible.¡± Zhou Yimanded, ¡°Demonstrate it, let me see it for myself!¡± In the past, sensing danger in the prison, Zhou Yi hastily left seeking refuge and never saw the King of Yellow Heaven again. At first, it was believed that the stories of the King of Yellow Heaven using talismans to treat diseases were merely a strategy to gather faith and prepare for rebellion. Now it seemed there was some truth to these mysterious skills. The art of Talisman Script had transcended ordinary martial arts, resembling more the practice of cultivators, which filled Zhou Yi with anticipation. Yu Jie dared not refuse. He infused his Inner Qi into the Talisman Script, and the Shadow Talisman spontaneouslybusted into ash. A group of ck mist rose out of nowhere in the cell, wrapping around Yu Jie a half-foot from his body. From a distance, it merged with the darkness of the night. Zhou Yi asked, ¡°Do you have other Talisman Scripts?¡± ¡°In the past years, while evading the Jinyiwei manhunt, I had used up all the Attack Talisman Scripts, leaving only a few Shadow Talismans and Godspeed Talismans,¡± Yu Jie exined. Yu Jie took out another Talisman Script, which had patterns different from the Shadow Talisman. Zhou Yi, hidden in the shadows, watched Yu Jie for a moment, uncertain whether the boy had any Attack Talisman Scripts left; the situation could turn dangerous if a fewrge fireballs were suddenlyunched at him once he revealed his position. An Innate Realm Grandmaster, who had just embarked on the path of cultivation, might not withstand a Spirit Talisman. ¡°Did the King of Yellow Heaven not pass the art of Talisman Script to you?¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Yu Jie replied, ¡°He did teach me some, but due to my limited talent, I have yet to grasp it.¡± Zhou Yi made no attempt to disguise his intentions, his tone fierce and domineering, ¡°I am very interested in the art of talisman scripts, so how about I exchange your life for it?¡± Yu Jie was certain that Zhou Yi was an entric figure of the Jianghu, whose nature was perverse and violent. He dared not refuse. With a ripping sound, he tore open his sleeve and took out a blue-covered book hidden inside: ¡°The talisman techniques passed down by my ancestors are all recorded here. Elder, please feel free to take them and study.¡± Zhou Yi asked further, ¡°If you have an inheritance, why did youe to this Sky Prison?¡± ¡°Elder is unaware that my ancestors only passed down the basic talisman techniques. Then, a sudden cmity struck, and they could not leave aplete legacy.¡± Yu Jie exined, ¡°Even with the basic talisman techniques, after years of study, I still couldn¡¯t grasp the essence. My only hope was to find the subsequent content, perhaps to learn the art of talisman scripts.¡± ¡°Ha-ha-ha-ha!¡± A string of eerieughter reached Yu Jie¡¯s ears, as Zhou Yi¡¯s voice revealed a chilling murderous intent. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying all this because you n to use me to seek out the talisman technique inheritance?¡± Yu Jie candidly admitted, ¡°Junior has searched everywhere that my ancestor might have left the legacy, and now only the Sky Prison and the Imperial Prison remain.¡± ¡°Imperial Prison¡­¡± Zhou Yi had already searched the Sky Prison, so it was very likely that the King of Yellow Heaven¡¯s talisman techniques were left in the Jinyiwei Imperial Prison. The Imperial Prison was fraught with danger, even more so than the Sky Prison! ¡°It¡¯s said that the King of Yellow Heaven learned the art of talisman scripts from a foreign master. Is this true or not?¡± ¡°I dare not deceive you, Elder!¡± Yu Jie felt the killing intent gradually disperse and breathed a sigh of relief at the bottom of his heart, responding truthfully. ¡°What the world knows is just a ruse told by my ancestor. In the years of drought, the Dog Emperor kept raising taxes, and my ancestor joined a Taoist temple just to eat.¡± ¡°Who would have thought the temple also had no rice? My ancestor refused to starve to death. On the surface, he became a wandering Taoist, but secretly he made a living by tomb robbing.¡± ¡°The talisman techniques were unearthed from a tomb in Mount Dai. After mastering them, my ancestor used the spirit water to practice medicine and took in many disciples¡­¡± There was no need to continue; the disciples of the King of Yellow Heaven were spread across Jiangnan, many of whom were the sons of noble families. After joining forces, they rebelled and proimed themselves as the Kings! Zhou Yi stared at Yu Jie for a while, and, in the end, decided not to kill him. Hemanded, ¡°Leave the book and you may go.¡± ¡°Thank you, Elder!¡± Yu Jie¡¯s face lit up with delight. He bowed repeatedly to the surroundings, carefully ced the book on the ground, and quickly left the Sky Prison. Zhou Yi did not pick up the book but secretly followed Yu Jie to a solitary household in Desheng Square. Yu Jie breathed a sigh of relief, quickly packed up his gold and silver valuables, and headed straight for the west gate of Divine Capital. The soldiers on duty seemed familiar with Yu Jie. After receiving several silver notes, they sent him out using the basket lift. ¡°This kid has potential!¡± Zhou Yi stood on the city wall, watching Yu Jie¡¯s figure disappear from sight. He returned to the Sky Prison. Cell Number Two. The blue-covered booky quietly on the floor, untouched. Zhou Yi picked up a stick and flipped through the pages one by one. No attack talisman script was triggered, and he then found a rat to nibble a few pages, ensuring there were no deadly poisons that would be released upon contact. Wrapped in his Innate True Yuan, he picked up the book and read through it page by page. ¡°Talisman paper, talisman brush making techniques, cinnabar mixed with Beast Blood¡­ Drawing a talisman must be done with a calm and steady mind¡­ channeling Inner Qi to the tip of the brush¡­ finishing in one breath, without interruption¡­ ¡± The contents recorded in the book were not the formal art of talisman scripts, but rather felt like Yu Jie¡¯s ssroom notes, interspersed with many insights of uncertain uracy. Zhou Yi turned to thest few pages, which contained fourplete talisman scripts. ¡°Dust Cleansing Talisman, Peaceful Home Talisman, Shadow Talisman, Featherweight Talisman!¡± Chapter 19: Expelling Evil Spirits to Protect the Home Chapter 19: Expelling Evil Spirits to Protect the Home Editor: Henyee Trantions Zhou Yi flipped through the book several times and thenmitted it to memory. The breakthrough of the Innate Realm wasn¡¯t just in martial power, or to put it another way, martial power was only an external manifestation. The true transformation was the elevation of one¡¯s essence, qi, and spirit towards a higher level of existence. His memory was not far from photographic. ¡°Originally, I thought of oveing the bottleneck in martial arts by practicing a few cultivation techniques. Now that I have the art of talisman, once I master it, I will be considered half an immortal cultivator.¡± Practioners regarded talismans and such arts as Dao Protection Art, while the Immortal Techniques were the foundation of attaining the Dao. Pursuing arts without foundation was neglecting the essence for the trivial. Zhou Yi had obtained the Longevity Dao Fruit, so he viewed problems from a different angle than cultivators. All methods that could increase one¡¯s strength in the world, whether it be cultivation techniques or talisman artifact refining, were all arts to uphold the Longevity Dao Fruit. ¡°The talisman brush should be made from the tail fur of a white fox, with a hundred-year-old fox being of the highest quality.¡± ¡°The talisman paper should still be tanned from beast skin; the older the beast, the higher the sess rate¡­¡± Zhou Yi didn¡¯t need to hunt personally. The Divine Capital was the essence of Fengyang Country; rare and precious materials like the hundred-year fox fur would surely be sold there. If there wasn¡¯t enough silver, it could be owed! The next day. Head Jailer Zhu heard that the small thief in the Heavenly Prison had been eliminated and, realizing Yu Jie had disappeared, he couldn¡¯t help but be shocked, given that thetter had entered the prison through his connections, ¡°Old Zhou, you are the stabilizing needle of our Heavenly Prison!¡± The news of Zhou Yi¡¯s body refinement reaching his organs would not take long to spread to the Jinyiwei; surely, someone woulde to recruit him. The Zhou family had been prison guards for five generations; his background couldn¡¯t be cleaner, and he was more reliable than those martial artists from the jianghu who were sought after. ¡°Rest assured, Commander Zhu, I have no intention of leaving the Heavenly Prison.¡± Zhou Yi was indeed tempted by the possibility of talisman inheritance hidden within the imperial prison, but he had enough patience to wait for the right moment. Time was always on Zhou Yi¡¯s side! One monthter. The talisman brush and paper were sessfully made. Using the book, Zhou Yi started to self-study the drawing of talismans. Naturally, he didn¡¯t seed at first; the True Yuan gathered at the tip of the brush but could not be fused into the talisman. ¡°Nothing is difficult for one who is ustomed to it!¡± In the blink of an eye, two years had passed. Zhou Yi¡¯s life was simple and uneventful, yet he still heard about many significant incidents from his colleagues. At the beginning of the thirteenth year of Emperor Hongchang¡¯s reign, just after Zhou Yi had broken through to the Innate Realm, Fengyang Country and Great Yong formally signed a peace treaty. The Minister of the Household proposed to the Emperor that the nation¡¯s treasury was depleted and requested the reduction of the Northern Border¡¯s military. Since Emperor Hongchang¡¯s ession, wars had been constant for thirteen years, so the rationale was sound. Rumors say that in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, right in front of Emperor Hongchang and all the officials, Grand Secretary Zhang Zhengyang respectfully inquired to Li Wu, ¡°This matter is of grave importance. Only with the approval of the Duke who secures the nation can we dismiss the border army!¡± What happened afterwards varied ording to different civilian ounts¡ªsome say Li Wu scolded the Grand Secretary on the spot, while others say Li Wu yielded, resulting in the dissolution of seventy percent of the million-strong Northern Border army. As the court was unstable, the jianghu was also filled with shadowy undercurrents. A rumor began to circte at some point that a powerful family in Jiangnan, the Cang family, possessed a demonic technique that could absorb other people¡¯s inner qi. The Cang family, a small n previously not well-known, produced top and first-rate martial artists in just over a decade, with seemingly every family member bing a martial arts prodigy. And since the Cang family specialized in inner qi, it corroborated the rumors spreading throughout the jianghu. In the fourteenth year of Emperor Hongchang, the Cang family was besieged by over a dozen sects led by the Buddhist and Daoistmunities, resulting in the death of more than a thousand members, with none of the elderly, women, or children spared. Someone asked Master Fang Yuan of the Huasheng Temple, ¡°Did the Cang family truly possess a demonic technique that absorbed inner qi?¡± Master Fang Yuan, with apassionate expression, chanted a Buddhist mantra, ¡°Amitabha! Perhaps someone found it,¡± he said. This statement spread throughout the jianghu, and Buddhism gained yet another stain, prompting mockery from various factions and sects for a while. But after a few months, it ceased to be a topic of discussion. After all, there were too many significant events urring in both the jianghu and the imperial court for Buddhism to remain a hot topic. Issues such as Zhou Yi bing a first-rate master, which constituted sizable news in the Heavenly Prison and could stir some ripples in the Divine Capital, barely made a ssh in Fengyang Country. The Jinyiwei sent people to recruit him, at first promising the rank of Captain, andter raising the offer to Banner Leader. Zhou Yi rejected their offers several times, and eventually, the matter was dropped. The eyes of the world forever focus on the newest people and events, and as two years passed, no one paid attention to the insignificant jailers. Whenever asionally mentioned at the dinner table, they would be spat upon with disdain. ¡°Such people, even if they are experts, are hopeless cases!¡± At the end of the thirteenth year of Hongchang, as New Year¡¯s Eve approached. An imperial decree spread throughout thend, and the long-vacant position of Crown Prince of Fengyang Country finally had an heir. The eldest prince, Zhao Xian, was married to the legitimate daughter of teacher Zhang Zhengyang. ¡°No wonder he¡¯s be the Grand Secretary, this vigorous old man is truly extraordinary!¡± Zhou Yi clicked his tongue a few times and then put the matter out of his mind. The imperial court and the martial world were to him but floating clouds, far less interesting than the art of talisman crafting. After two years of painstaking copying and drawing, having worn out numerous talisman brushes and ruined countless pieces of talisman paper, the depiction of four types of talismans had be almost instinctual,plex strokes flowing effortlessly in one go. True Yuan gathered at the tip of the brush, merging with the strokes into the talisman, making the cinnabar on the talisman paper crystal clear and translucent. Pop! A soft sound, and the True Yuan within the cinnabar dispersed, the talisman paper shattering into dust along with it. Zhou Yi was already used to this; he carefully reflected on the reason for his mistake just now, changed to a new piece of talisman paper, and continued drawing. Two years from ignorance to beginner¡¯s level, it was through such meticulous correction of errors that Zhou Yi had a premonition that the day he wouldplete a true talisman wasn¡¯t far off. ¡°I¡¯m running out of talisman paper, I need to get some on credit again.¡± Zhou Yi had heard that the gang Mighty Tiger Hall in South City recently acquired a white tiger skin, and the hall¡¯s leader even held a banquet to celebrate the catch. ¡°Being a fellow disciple brother who practices the Five Tiger Fist, it¡¯s only right to borrow it for use!¡± The leader of Mighty Tiger Hall, mentored by Luo Hu, did not participate in the rebellion back then, andter, amidst the Jinyiwei¡¯s closure of the fighting rings, snagged the remaining fist manuals and health tonic recipes, bing a local boss in his own right. ¡°¡­an empty void, yet the Spirit Talisman forms itself!¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s spirit was lucid and clear, and as the final stroke fell, a faint spiritual glow shimmered on the talisman paper. ¡°Eh? It didn¡¯t break!¡± Zhou Yi was surprised and picked up the House Protection Talisman to inspect it closely; it was identical to the description in the book, but whether it was effective remained to be seen. True Yuan poured in, and the talisman ignited without me. An invisible and intangible wave swept across the entire courtyard. At that moment. It was the depths of winter, the night deep and silent. Whirlwinds of cold winds suddenly swept through the courtyard, producing a mourning howl. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes were sharp as lightning as he abruptly turned towards the jujube tree in the courtyard. Where there was once emptiness, billowy ck mist now floated, taking on a vague human form with only two red glows where the face should be. Turning his head towards the grape trellis where they typically dined, drank tea, and enjoyed wine, he saw some shadows hiding among the trellises, others perched upon the stone stools, and even two ghostly figures sprawled across the dining table. A dozen pairs of red, resentful eyes red at Zhou Yi, as if ready to pounce and bite at any moment. ¡°Ghosts?¡± Zhou Yi felt no fear in his heart but was rather intrigued. His True Yuan converged into his hand and caught one of the ghostly shadows. The result was that the ghostly figure let out a shrill and pitiful scream when it touched the True Yuan and then dissolved into nothingness. ¡°That¡¯s too fragile, they can¡¯t be called ghosts, at most they¡¯re like remnant souls.¡± Zhou Yi, Protected by True Yuan, approached the ghost shadows. Woo woo woo¡­ The malicious and ferocious ghost shadows were frightened into retreating continuously until they were squeezed into a corner, piled on top of each other like smoke and mist. ¡°You died by my hand while alive and even as ghosts, you dare not defy me, how boring! How utterly boring!¡± Zhou Yi finished speaking, and his True Yuan formed a sword¡¯s edge, weaving back and forth among the ghost shadows, ying them yet again as if they died a second time. Chapter 20: The Ghost of Yu Niang Chapter 20: The Ghost of Yu Niang Editor: Henyee Trantions The remnant souls in the courtyard were too weak to arouse Zhou Yi¡¯s interest. Based on his past life¡¯s conjectures about ghosts, there was one ce that surely housed genuine spirits. The heavenly prison. Year-round, it never saw the light of day and was home to many who had been wrongfully imprisoned and died under brutal torture¡ªa perfect setting for the aggrieved and vengeful ghosts. ¡°Perhaps the reason why the jailers¡¯ life spans are so short is that they are constantly apanied by shadowy souls, tainted by their yin energy, which reduces their longevity. I¡¯ve been in the heavenly prison for over twenty years and have never heard of a fierce ghost harming anyone, so they aren¡¯t particrly powerful entities,¡± Zhou Yi reflected. ¡°I¡¯ll draw another Peaceful Home Talisman and try it out in the heavenly prison tomorrow.¡± Zhou Yi nned to stay in the mundane world for a few hundred years, until he could no longer improve his cultivation, and then find a way to reach the Cultivation World. During this time, the heavenly prison would serve as his base of operations; he had to clean out the hidden spirits. First, to prevent the revtion of the Longevity Dao Fruit, and second, because no one wants ghosts peeping on them. After the first Peaceful Home Talisman was drawn, Zhou Yi¡¯s brushstrokes flowed much more smoothly the second time around. After destroying more than a dozen pieces of talisman paper, he finally managed to sessfully create another. ¡°It seems that entry into talisman drawing isn¡¯t so difficult after all. Yu Jie had instruction for several years and yet didn¡¯t seed. Perhaps I have a natural talent for talisman making?¡± Zhou Yi was quite pleased with himself; drawing talismans, though not as lucrative as alchemy, would be a handy skill to have once he entered the Cultivation World. The next day. Arriving at the heavenly prison early, Zhou Yi wasn¡¯t sure of the effective range of the Peaceful Home Talisman, so he purposely chose a central location to activate it. An invisible wave swept across the cells, conjuring gusts of chilling wind out of nowhere. The wind carried the faint sound of crying and wailing, and the chill brushed past his ears as if someone was whispering secrets. ¡°As expected, there are many shadowy souls!¡± Zhou Yi looked around the heavenly prison, which could well be described as a nest of lingering spirits. Hanging from the ceiling were humanoid shadows, like bats suspended in a cave, their pairs of crimson eyes all fixed on Zhou Yi. Most were indifferent and emotionless, but some bore poison and hatred, likely those who died by Zhou Yi¡¯s hand in life. There were even more in the cells¡ªhuddled in corners, clinging to walls, or lying on straw mats, each in a different pose. The prisoners, sleeping alongside shadowy souls every day, didn¡¯t need torture to have their lifespans cut short by the corrosive yin energy. A shadowy figure emerged silently from the ground and stealthily climbed onto Zhou Yi¡¯s back, with arms formed from mist tightening around his neck. ¡°Hmph!¡± True Yuan flowed out of Zhou Yi¡¯s body, and the shadow melted into nothingness like butter in fire amidst a shriek of agony. ¡°Out ofpassion, I shall send you all on your way to reincarnation!¡± His True Yuan transformed into Sword Qi, sweeping out fast as lightning, pulverizing the remnants of souls before they could even think to flee. ¡°Senior, spare my life¡­¡± A woman¡¯s startled cry came from above, and Zhou Yi saw a shadow slowly morphing, revealing a face and materializing a dress of emerald green mist. ¡°A female ghost!¡± Zhou Yi shed in front of the woman, examining her with curiosity, ¡°You seem somewhat familiar?¡± The woman said, ¡°Senior, I am Huang Yuniang, the daughter of Huang Heng from the Ministry of Rites. I was imprisoned here a year ago, and during that time, you took care of me¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re Old Huang¡¯s daughter?¡± Zhou Yi quickly recalled Huang Heng, who was wrongfully imprisoned a year ago on charges of embezzlement. A mere fifth-rank official used of embezzling three thousand taels of silver, he didn¡¯t qualify for the heavenly prison, let alone his wife and daughter being imprisoned with him. The reason behind it was simple. Wei Chang, a notorious lecher from Divine Capital, had unexpectedly seen Huang Yuniang¡¯s beauty and, disregarding his own dignity and public ridicule, sent for her hand in marriage. He proposed to make Huang Yuniang his concubine and promised to ensure Huang Heng¡¯s promotion and prosperity in return! Considering himself from an honorable lineage, Huang Heng could not endure such an insult and harshly rebuked Wei Chang as shameless. A few dayster, he was denounced by a colleague, used of epting three thousand taels of silver from merchants while supervising the National Academy¡¯s repairs. Wei Chang originally intended to keep the family of three in the heavenly prison to bring them to their senses, hoping to continue with the marriageter. However, Huang Heng, frail in health, died within a month. His wife followed him in despair, while Huang Yuniang, to avoid Wei Chang¡¯s harassment, took her own life in the cell. Zhou Yi felt pity for the Huang family¡¯s plight and always gave them a few extra spoonfuls of porridge when serving meals. ¡°Back then you were disheveled, and I wondered why Wei Chang would be in such a rush, even for someone like you.¡± ¡°My father said many women were abused in the heavenly prison, so he told me to mar my appearance to avoid¡­¡± Huang Yuniang corrected herself, ¡°Senior, of course, you¡¯re different. You only punish the bad and the wicked, never mistreating the wrongfully used.¡± ¡°You saw all that?¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s voice remained calm and impassive, his True Yuan ready to be a sword at any moment. As a wronged spirit, Huang Yuniang had be extremely sensitive to life force and hastily exined. ¡°I am aware that senior is an Innate Grandmaster, fond of drinking and listening to prisoners¡¯ stories, secretly ying those who try to break out, and turning a blind eye to the wrongfully used attempting to escape¡­¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± These past two years, after making significant progress with the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique, Zhou Yi had not shown any anomalies since absorbing Inner Qi no longer increased his True Yuan. The only thing that might be considered a w was his eternally unchanging appearance! ¡°Why are you different from those other remnants?¡± There were more than a hundred lingering spirits in the heavenly prison, all dazed remnants except for Huang Yuniang. Huang Yuniang obediently replied, ¡°Senior, after my death, my soul attached itself to the Jade Hairpin, and by being nurtured by it, I was able to retain my intellect and memory.¡± Zhou Yi asked further, ¡°As a ghost, do you understand any Divine Skills or techniques?¡± ¡°I can absorb the essence of humans to strengthen my ghostly form, and I can possess people to disturb their spirits,¡± said Huang Yuniang. ¡°However, I can only possess the weak and ordinary; those who are robust and have strong yang energy are difficult to approach. Those cultivators with substantial achievements exude strong Qi-Blood, and getting near them feels like being scorched by fire.¡± Zhou Yi nodded slightly, ¡°So you¡¯re nning to hide here in the heavenly prison instead of going through reincarnation?¡± The lingering spirits were far weaker than expected, yet that also made sense since they were merely a year old as ghosts. ¡°The vendetta against my parents cannot coexist under the same sky!¡± Huang Yuniang knelt on the ground and pleaded, ¡°This humble girl asks the senior to lend a hand. After avenging my parents, I am willing to offer my life-sustaining Jade Hairpin and serve you night after night!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Yi was suddenly taken aback and somewhat annoyed, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Huang Yuniang murmured, ¡°Hidden in the shadows, I heard the senior and colleagues talk daily about the Spring Breeze Building, Oiran, and the like; I thought you were of a flirtatious nature.¡± After her entire family unjustly died and she became a vengeful ghost, Huang Yuniang hade to a realization. All the dogmatic social etiquette was meaningless; to avenge her parents, she was willing to be a ve or a maid. ¡°My surname isn¡¯t Ning!¡± Zhou Yi had no interest in ghost knights and said, ¡°There are many in the Heavenly Prison who are worse off than you. A mere Jade Hairpin is not enough to transform into a ghost; is there another reason?¡± Huang Yuniang fell silent for a moment, then said, ¡°In life, I liked to read ancient books, and my father specially collected some for me, including a volume of Daoist scripture that I recited day and night, clearing the mind and brightening the spirit.¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Recite it for me to hear!¡± ¡°The Daoist scripture is named ¡®Cultivation of the Spirit Theory by the True Person of Qing Wei¡¯.¡± Huang Yuniang recited, ¡°Upon birth, humans embrace the harmony of yin and yang¡­ All methods of nurturing the spirit, the heart should be like that of an infant, serene internally¡­¡± After Zhou Yi memorized and recited it several times to himself, he indeed felt refreshed, with a slightly clearer sense of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. ¡°With such profound scripture, your father never read it?¡± Huang Yuniang murmured, ¡°Father could have be a ghost too, but with only one Jade Hairpin to rely on, he urged me with his dying breath not to do evil and chose to let his soul scatter.¡± ¡°Old Huang was somewhat inflexible in thinking, but he had a resolute nature.¡± Zhou Yi asked, ¡°How am I to help you take revenge, by pping Wei Kang to death?¡± An Innate Grandmaster can undertake an assassination without shedding their face. Only a master of the same level would find it hard to trace. A strand of True Yuan attached inside the target¡¯s body would detonate on its own once the distance was great enough. If waiting for an opportunity, when the victim carelessly stumbled and hit their head, one could take the moment to stir around inside their brain a bit. The world would only think that Wei Kang, havingmitted countless wrongdoings, identally tripped and fatally hit his head. This was the method Zhou Yi thought of in a short time. A normal Innate Grandmaster would hardly bother with such trouble, likely storming into Wei Kang¡¯s residence and beating him to death in front of everyone. In a melodramatic way, one might say ¡°A Grandmaster must not be insulted,¡± with an air of overwhelming arrogance! ¡°The vengeance for my parents must be exacted by my own hands.¡± Huang Yuniang said, ¡°With my feeble strength, I cannot leave the ten-zhang range of the Jade Hairpin I reside in. I ask the senior to assist me by cing the Jade Hairpin beneath Wei Kang¡¯s bed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s simple.¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°After your revenge is taken, either find a new ce to go or enter the cycle of rebirth¡ªyou shouldn¡¯t stay in the Heavenly Prison.¡± ¡°Senior, could I go to the imperial prison?¡± Seeing Zhou Yi¡¯s expression darken, Huang Yuniang quickly continued, ¡°I must also trouble the senior to send this humble girl away from the Divine Capital to find a dark ce, and that will suffice.¡± Zhou Yi asked, ¡°Why do you not wish to enter the cycle of rebirth?¡± Huang Yuniang said, ¡°Even the smallest creature clings to life; I do not know if there is reincarnation in this world, and even if there is, that reborn self would not be the same person.¡± Zhou Yi nodded in agreement, ¡°Remember the final instructions of Old Huang.¡± Huang Yuniang kowtowed in gratitude, then swore to the heavens. ¡°I will heed my father¡¯s teachings and nevermit harmful deeds. Should I break this vow, let heaven and earth exact their wrath upon me!¡± ¡­ Wei Kang¡¯s residence. The inner quarters. The sixty-two-year-old Wei Kang, still strong in hister years, had just settled down with his newly taken concubine, Wan Yu, after a half-night of exertions. In his dreams, he saw boundless white mist rolling, hazy and blurred as if it were the Immortal Realm. Within the fog appeared a woman in green robes, beautiful as a flower, seductive and affectionate. ¡°My lord,e over!¡± The voice was ethereal and elusive, her form enchanting and voluptuous, and Wei Kang¡¯s gaze was immediately fixed. ¡°My beauty, wait for me¡­¡± As he said so, he rushed forward, only to grasp at air; her voice then came from behind him again. ¡°My lord, I am here!¡± With eyes only for the gorgeous woman, Wei Kang pursued her relentlessly, no matter how many times he missed,pletely unaware that his lower body was gradually bing transparent. At this moment. The day had already brightened. Not daring to disturb Wei Kang, the concubine carefully rose to see thedy of the house. By midday, Wei Kang was still deep in slumber, unresponsive like a walking corpse. Only then did people realize something serious had urred! When the old dowager learned of this situation, she hastily called for Imperial Physician Ge from the pce to examine him. After taking his pulse carefully, Imperial Physician Ge shook his head, ¡°The lord of our country shows a normal pulse, only a bit weak and unreceptive to nourishment; he shouldn¡¯t beatose.¡± Having enquired in detail, the old dowager sent someone to escort Imperial Physician Ge back to the pce. Wei Kang¡¯s eldest legitimate son, Wei Chang, volunteered, iming he wanted to discuss his father¡¯s condition with Imperial Physician Ge to seek a proficient doctor for treatment. Once they were outside the door, Wei Chang lowered his voice and inquired. ¡°Imperial Physician Ge, can my father still wake up? With such prolonged unconsciousness, could there be danger to his life?¡± ¡°My medical skills are humble; the Princely Heir should seek others for consultation.¡± Imperial Physician Ge dared not say more and hurried onto the carriage. Chapter 21: Establishing the Altar Ritual Chapter 21: Establishing the Altar Ritual Editor: Henyee Trantions Several days passed. Wei Kang¡¯s facial features bulged out, his chest and abdomen sunk in, and his body became emaciated as if he were a corpse. All the imperial physicians from the pce and famous doctors from the Divine Capital had been consulted, but none had a clue or could diagnose the illness. Huang Yuniang hovered above Wei Kang¡¯s head, opened her mouth to swallow, and strands of grey-white mist merged into her soul body. ¡°The Yin spirit devours the essence of the human body, seeming intangible, yet it can reflect upon the physical form. So it is the essence, qi, and spirit that serve as the anchor for humans¡­¡± Zhou Yi hid in the shadows, observing the changes in Wei Kang¡¯s body. In another three to five days, Wei Kang would disperse soul and spirit. It appeared that the efficiency with whichmon vengeful spirits killed was somewhat slow, their advantage lying only in their stealth and mystery. Zhou Yi was about to leave, nning to show his face in the sky prison for the roll call and then find an excuse to slip out. He had already be one who drew money without doing any work, and Captain Zhu had found another prison guard to deliver the food. In the past, he had scorned and despised the prison guards who drew money under false pretenses, but when it was Zhou Yi¡¯s turn, the taste wasn¡¯t bad at all! At this moment. The gates of the Duke¡¯s residence swung open, and the old dowager personally received the guests, with the young masters of the house standing respectfully to the side. Zhou Yi suddenly became interested. Who couldmand such respect? The eunuch whom Emperor Hongchang had sent to visit the pce just a few days ago had entered through a side door. Moreover, the old dowager was the former queen¡¯s own sister, and even today she deserved to be addressed respectfully as Aunt. The humming of chanting and the sounds of Buddha¡¯s song approached, and momentster, two rows of eight yellow-robed monks led the way. They cleared the path, struck their bowls, scattered flowers, and waved gs. Following them were another eight muscr martial monks with bare upper bodies smeared with gold powder, carrying a lotus tform on their shoulders. gs in bright colors were nted all around the lotus tform, fluttering in the wind, asionally revealing the portly Chan Master sitting in the center. Zhou Yi¡¯s gaze swept over the martial monks; each one was a master of bone forging, and faint spiritual energy fluctuations emanated from the seated Chan Master. ¡°Interesting, interesting! Indeed, the Divine Capital is teeming with hidden dragons and crouching tigers. Staying in the sky prison has limited my experiences!¡± As the procession of monks reached the entrance of the Duke¡¯s residence, the Chan Master slowly stood up from the lotus tform, his gaze heavy as he looked towards the skies above the residence. ¡°Amitabha! What kind of demon dares to wreak havoc in the Divine Capital?¡± Upon hearing this, the old dowager quickly sent someone forward to invite the Chan Master and his entourage into the residence. The portly Chan Master spoke solemnly with the old dowager, mentioning the formidable nature of the evil presence and the need to conduct a ritual which would cost him decades of cultivated power and so on. The cost of the entire arrangement was more than two hundred thousand taels of gold and silver! The entire annual revenue of Fengyang Country did not exceed ten million taels, and yet, the Chan Master¡¯s single ritual required two to three percent of the national tax. ¡°Let¡¯s proceed exactly as Master Miao Jue says!¡± The old dowager decisively agreed and took the keys to the treasury for someone to carry out the silver. Inside wererge silver ingots cast in the size of winter melons, which required two people to lift and carry on their shoulders. It wasn¡¯t until nightfall that they finished weighing and ounting for the silver. ¡°The abbot of Vajra Temple, Miao Jue, one of the national masters conferred by the Dog Emperor!¡± Zhou Yi learned of the Chan Master¡¯s origins from the discussion in the Duke¡¯s residence; it was said that he had once slept foot-to-foot with Emperor Hongchang to discuss the path to immortality and was considered one of the highly revered figures of both Buddhism and Daoism in Fengyang Country. ¡°Over ny years old yet appearing simr to someone in their fifties or sixties, he must surely have other tricks up his sleeve, otherwise, he could not have fooled the Dog Emperor!¡± Emperor Hongchang, who delved in sandalwood and sought the Tao, was not truly a fool. Back then, many chatans from the rivers andkes, confident in their undetectable deceits, aspired to enter Shangyang Pce to enjoy wealth and honor, only to end up thrown into prison and dying under severe torture. ¡°The Dog Emperor would rather see the National Dynasty in turmoil than be deceived by such chatans, obsessed with the pursuit of the Tao. Perhaps¡­ he might have seen a real immortal?¡± By now, it was dark. In Wei Kang¡¯s courtyard, dozens of whale oil candles as thick as an arm were lit. The martial monks had already constructed a Buddhist altar three feet and two inches high, and the eight yellow-robed monks, each holding a Buddhist magic artifact, took turns performing rituals on the altar, looking quite solemn and dignified. Seeing this, the people of the Duke¡¯s residence bowed in respect with their hands together each time a monk stepped down from the altar. Miao Jue sat cross-legged on the lotus tform, hands joined together in silent prayer. ¡°What is this fellow up to?¡± Zhou Yi frowned slightly¡ªif not for the fact that there were spiritual energy fluctuations around Miao Jue, he would have lost interest in watching the monk put on a show to deceive people. It wasn¡¯t until the hour of Zi. ¡°Amitabha!¡± Suddenly, Miao Jue chanted loudly, his voice booming like thunder, instantly awakening the drowsy attendants of the Duke¡¯s residence. Miao Jue leapt up and flew over the heads of the crowd,nding on the dais. Zhou Yi thought the monk was about to perform a true magic ritual, but then he saw Miao Jue begin to chant and perform a ritual, with strands of True Yuan solidifying at his fingertips, ¡°Wait another half an hour, and if that bald thief keeps up his performance, he¡¯ll taste my sword!¡± Miao Jue seemed to sense the danger and chanted for only a short while before taking out a bronze mirror from his bosom. The bronze mirror was simple in design, with one side polished to a shine and the other engraved with patterns of clouds and seas. ¡°Amitabha! Won¡¯t you reveal your true form, demon?¡± As Miao Jue¡¯s words fell, the shadow of a person appeared on the bronze mirror, taking the form of Huang Yuniang. ¡°¡­¡± During the day, Huang Yuniang had heard that a high monk wasing to exorcise demons, so she stopped absorbing essence and stood not far from the dais to watch the show. However, under the reflection of the bronze mirror, her soul involuntarily revealed itself. ¡°Who is this woman?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a ghost!¡± ¡°A ghost!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Some people at the Duke¡¯s Mansion noticed Huang Yuniang appearing out of thin air, causing amotion with cries of rm as they scrambled to hide behind the dais. Using the bronze mirror to fix Huang Yuniang in ce, Miao Jue cried out, ¡°Burn my lifespan, give me a divine weapon! All disciples, heed mymand, quickly subdue the demon and vanquish the evil spirit!¡± ¡°Om!¡± Eight martial monk disciples responded with a shout and charged together at Huang Yuniang. The fiery yang energy cultivated through martial arts was exceedingly effective against yin spirits, and her soul body nearly dissipated just from their proximity. ¡°These monks¡­¡± With a flick of his fingers, Zhou Yi sent a True Yuan sword spinning past Miao Jue¡¯s wrist, circling before him, and also sliced off a few of his whiskers. In the past two years, his Innate True Yuan had barely increased, but his control had be more refined. Within thirty feet, he could shape it into myriad forms and manipte it at will. Solidifying a sword tip was a manifestation of Zhou Yi¡¯s dream of bing a Sword Immortal! Miao Jue felt a pain in his wrist as the bronze mirror fell from his grasp, no longer able to hold the yin spirit. Huang Yuniang fluttered up and vanished in an instant. The martial monks turned to look at the dais, only to see Miao Jue with a stunned and horrified expression. He then pulled out a medicine bottle from his chest and poured it into his mouth. ¡°Pfft!¡± Miao Jue spat out a mouthful of blood, his face pale as he suddenly rolled off the dais unconscious. ¡°Master!¡± ¡°Abbot!¡± Cries of rm filled the air. Barely holding on to life, Miao Jue murmured, ¡°Amitabha! This poor monk has failed the Old Madam. The demon¡¯s mana is formidable, breaking the Vajra Exorcism Formation¡­ Pfft!¡± Before he could finish, he spat out another mouthful of blood and fainted. One of the monks said, ¡°Old Madam, we will take the abbot back to the temple for rest. The two hundred thousand silver will be sent back tomorrow.¡± ¡°What are you saying, Master? The monk was injured because of my family affairs, and it has shortened his lifespan.¡± The Old Madam shook her head, ¡°Such gold and silver can be considered as offerings.¡± ¡°Amitabha!¡± The monk chanted the Buddha¡¯s name and had the martial monks carry the soft sedan away in a rush. In the shadows. Zhou Yi watched as the farce drew to a close and said to Huang Yuniang, ¡°You¡¯ve seen it yourself, a soul without physical form can¡¯t act recklessly. Remember to be cautious and careful in the future!¡± ¡°Thank you, senior, for the rescue.¡± Huang Yuniang knelt on the ground, ¡°Having avenged a great injustice, should the senior have any requests in the future, you need butmand me, and I shall not hesitate even if my soul is torn and scattered!¡± Wei Kang had lost sixty to seventy percent of his essence and even if he awoke, he wouldn¡¯t live for more than a few days. The condition of his body was like amp running out of oil, beyond the aid of even divine physicians. ¡°It just so happens I¡¯m leaving the Capital for a bit, let me find you a ce along the way.¡± Zhou Yi pocketed the jade hairpin and vanished in a flicker. Chapter 22: Buddhism and Taoism are One Family Chapter 22: Buddhism and Taoism are One Family Editor: Henyee Trantions Eastern Gate of the Divine Capital. The monk showed the token from the Marquis Wei¡¯s residence, and the guards on duty did not dare to check it, hurrying to open the city gate to let them through. The martial monk possessed extraordinary strength, sprinting for over ten miles without resting. Inside the sedan chair. Miao Jue, who should have been at hisst breath, sat steadily, almost looking like a different person if not for therge patches of fresh blood on his monk¡¯s robe. ¡°How fortunate that I had prepared in advance, otherwise I would have caused great cmity¡­¡± As Miao Jue thought of that sh of sword light, he involuntarily shuddered, lifted the curtain, and poked his head out, anxiously urging the martial monk. ¡°Faster, once we¡¯re back at the temple, we¡¯ll close the mountain gate and see no one!¡± Hearing this, the martial monk knew the situation was serious and stretched his muscles a bit, quickening his speed even more. Miao Jue withdrew his head, ready to lie down and rest, when he quickly noticed someone else beside him. d in ck clothes and a dark cloak! ¡°Ah¡­ Amit¨¡bha!¡± Startled, Miao Jue eximed, then immediately switched to chanting Buddha¡¯s name. The monks following outside heard the noise and asked the abbot what happened, and if they needed to stop for a while. ¡°Cough cough cough! Your teacher has some upset in his qi, no need to stop, quickly return to the temple.¡± After speaking, Miao Jue turned back to the man in ck and bowed repeatedly, speaking in a low voice, ¡°Grandmaster before me, what are your orders? This monk will not hesitate toply.¡± ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± Zhou Yi used Secret Voice Transmission, his voice ancient and resonant. Miao Jue shook his head again and again, also wondering how the Marquis Wei had provoked such a personage. Zhou Yimanded, ¡°Bring me that bronze mirror to take a look.¡± Miao Jue hesitated for a moment, then obediently offered the bronze mirror with both hands. Upon close examination, Zhou Yi discovered a few small characters on the side of the bronze mirror: ¡°Bestowed to disciple Yulingzi by Daoist Xuan Qing.¡± Miao Jue, with keen insight, exined, ¡°The origins of Daoist Xuan Qing are unknown. Yulingzi was the patriarch of the Divine Capital¡¯s Yuling Temple two hundred years ago. His lineage was severed due to involvement in a treasonous conspiracy.¡± Zhou Yi funneled his True Yuan into the bronze mirror, causing it to emit a dazzling light that was more than ten times stronger than when Miao Jue used it. ¡°How did the bronze mirrore into your possession, and what is its function?¡± ¡°Vajra Temple was built near the ruins of Yuling Temple. We identally discovered an underground pce there, which housed this precious mirror. To prevent the loss of the relics of the former sages, we brought it back to the temple for worship.¡± Miao Jue said, ¡°The precious mirror can manifest ghostly souls and fix the forms of ghostly entities, but it has no effect on the living.¡± ¡°There¡¯s more than just the precious mirror in the underground pce, isn¡¯t there?¡± Zhou Yi stuffed the bronze mirror into his chest: ¡°I, too, am a Daoist, practising in ordance with the Three Pure Ones alongside Yuling Temple. You, this monk, not only stealthily took the treasure but also wish to obscure the transmission of Daoist teachings?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Miao Jue¡¯s chubby face turned red with effort. He was always the one duping others, but today he had met someone even more shameless: ¡°Predecessor¡¯s guess is not wrong, indeed there is another Daoist scripture.¡± ¡°Have the people outside stop, go to the temple¡¯s Scripture Pavilion and fetch the scripture called ¡®Jade Spirit¡¯s Commentary on the Ksitigarbha Sutra¡¯ and recite it yourself.¡± Zhou Yi reminded, ¡°If it corroborates what you recite, and there is a single wrong word, I will ughter the entire Vajra Temple!¡± Now he was pretending to be an unfathomable old freak from the jianghu; his words and actions needed to be domineering and brutal, both efficient in getting things done and avoiding raising suspicions. Sometimes people are strange in that way; when you treat them brutally, they obedientlyply; treat them kindly, and they start ying tricks on you. ¡°Stop!¡± Miao Jue lifted the curtain and instructed, ¡°Fa Zheng, go to the Scripture Pavilion in the temple, and fetch the ¡®Jade Spirit¡¯s Commentary on the Ksitigarbha Sutra¡¯.¡± Fa Zheng bowed in response and swiftly ran off with Light Body Skill. Zhou Yiughed, ¡°Vajra Temple is renowned throughout Fengyang Country, who would have thought that they were practicing Daoist scriptures!¡± ¡°Since ancient times, Buddhism and Daoism have been considered the same family.¡± Miao Jue said, ¡°Moreover, the scripture is quite mysterious. After being in the monastery for over a hundred years, only three people have managed to master it. The rest remain disciples of our Buddha!¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s gaze sparkled, ¡°Don¡¯t waste time with idle talk, recite the scripture quickly!¡± ¡°The heavens and earth are profound and boundless, without extreme limits, whenbined they create vital energy, merging and returning to one¡­¡± The name of the scripture is the ¡°Guiyuan Technique.¡± It contains more than five thousand words, the beginning part is the method of cultivation, and thest five hundred words record a light body skill, which when executed allows one to be as light as a feather. Miao Jue was engrossed in cultivating the Guiyuan Technique, practicing martial arts only enough to toughen his skin. Yet, when he used the light body skill, he could leap over tens of feet through the air. Jumping is different from flying. The former goes from low to high and then falls down, while thetter moves horizontally through the air. Two to three hours passed. As dawn began to break, the monk Fa Zheng finally returned with the scriptures. Zhou Yi flipped through them, finding no errors, and tucked them into his chest, ¡°I have to ask, you could have directly used your magic yesterday, so why waste several hours performingrge-scale rituals?¡± ¡°Those nobles and wealthy households like that, withoutrge altar ceremonies, they think even three to five thousand taels of silver to be costly.¡± Miao Jue said with a pained expression, ¡°This humble monk has no choice. On normal days, the monastery distributes porridge and rice generously, and we only collect forty percent rent from the tenant farmers. We must charge the rich more to afford the monastery¡¯s martial monks.¡± ¡°Don¡¯tin in front of me!¡± Zhou Yi nced at the plump monk. He had indeed heard of Vajra Temple¡¯s reputation; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been so amiable in his dealings. ¡°This monk spoke out of turn.¡± Miao Jue was sharp, able to perceive the softening tone of Zhou Yi¡¯s voice. He immediately breathed a sigh of relief, at least his life was spared. Zhou Yi then asked, ¡°Do you know of any ces nearby that are perpetually gloomy and cold?¡± Miao Jue was slightly startled and after some thought, he said, ¡°This monk knows of one ce, about three hundred li southeast of Divine Capital, a cold pool that is a remarkable sight. Many officials and nobles go there to escape the summer heat.¡± Zhou Yi shook his head slightly, ces crowded with people were not suitable for the dwelling of spirits. ¡°Please wait a moment, senior. This monk will call someone to ask.¡± Miao Jue stuck his head out and asked around a dozen monks before turning back and saying, ¡°There are three other shady ces, the Mass Burial Mound ten miles away, the ancient battlefield on the Great Cool Mountain, and¡­ Mountain of Eternal Life!¡± Zhou Yi patted Miao Jue¡¯s shoulder, ¡°If this master hears any bad rumors, he wille to Vajra Temple to discuss the scriptures and reason with you!¡± After speaking, he swaggered open the pnquin curtain and disappeared from the astonished gazes of the monks. ¡°Amitabha! Acting so thoroughly and ruthlessly, which old monster could it be?¡± Miao Jue felt fear and anger, sticking his head out and scolding the monks. ¡°What are you standing around for, get back to the monastery quickly!¡± ¡­ Mountain of Eternal Life. One hundred and fifty li away from Divine Capital, the location of the Fengyang Country¡¯s Imperial Mausoleum, where the emperors of the Zhao family were buried. The area around the Imperial Mausoleum was guarded by the imperial troops, strictly forbidding anyone to approach to prevent damage to the dragon veins. Zhou Yi thought the underground pce of the Imperial Mausoleum was the perfect ce to put Huang Yuniang. The massive underground pce offered her plenty of space to wander without ever encountering the living. Act as a gentleman, expect as a viin! Huang Yuniang had solemnly sworn not to harm anyone. Perhaps she could resist the temptation for ten or twenty years, but what about after a hundred or a thousand years? Could she still be trusted not to be a Ghost King? After all, it¡¯s by devouring the vital essence of humans that a ghost can grow stronger swiftly! Zhou Yi walked with measured steps, but his speed was not slow at all, covering dozens of feet in a single step as if shrinking the ground beneath him. At the same time, he perused the Guiyuan Technique. ¡°It has simrities to the Nameless mantra. It must be an Immortal Technique.¡± ¡°The former involves gathering spiritual energy for body refinement, while this scripture refines spiritual energy into the dantian, turning it into mana. I wonder how this mana differs from the Innate True Yuan?¡± Zhou Yi did not rush to cultivate; he needed to thoroughly understand the scripture before shifting from martial arts to immortal cultivation. In cultivating immortality, there is no need to hurry! ¡°Together with the scripture Huang Yuniang gave that enhances the soul, am I on my way to cultivating essence, energy, and spirit, as per the legends?¡± Chapter 23 - 23 Honest Girl Chapter 23: Honest Girl Editor: Henyee Trantions The Imperial Mausoleum lies at the southern foot of Mountain of Eternal Life. The mausoleum area spans fifty li in every direction, surrounded by mountains and facing the Sushui River to the north. The tombs in the Imperial Mausoleum are aligned from west to east, with a total of seventeen burial pits. Zhou Yi effortlessly passed through the mausoleum¡¯s guards and arrived in front of the newest tombstone of Emperor Chongming. ¡°The emperor is truly the most unreasonable creature in the world, the Dog Emperor spent more than thirty years seeking immortality without attending court, while taking over a decade to construct the Imperial Mausoleum.¡± ¡°You are unaware, senior. When the Imperial Mausoleum was being built, my father held office in the Ministry of Works Construction Department.¡± Huang Yuniang emerged from the Jade Hairpin, ¡°ording to my father, once the Dog Emperor¡¯s tomb waspleted, to guard the mausoleum¡¯s secrets, tens of thousands of craftsmen were all buried alive.¡± Zhou Yi nodded slightly, ¡°I¡¯ve heard something about this. It was a bigmotion at the time, and Long Ni directly dispatched troops to suppress it.¡± The Imperial Court¡¯s army couldn¡¯t defeat the rebels throughout thends, but they were skilled at oppressing themon people; soon, all was quiet. Huang Yuniang said, ¡°The Dog Emperor was a dim-witted ruler his whole life, but on his deathbed, he did a good deed by secretly cultivating General Li.¡± ¡°One can¡¯t be certain if it¡¯s good or bad.¡± Zhou Yi looked at the great achievements written on the tombstone and said, ¡°From now on, you will be living in the Dog Emperor¡¯s tomb, making full use of it.¡± Back when I studied history, the books only mentioned how some emperors were ipetent. Zhou Yi didn¡¯t have a firsthand experience, and it was hard for him to harbor any hostility towards them. Having lived through the era of Emperor Chongming, Zhou Yi had truly seen and heard. Man-eat-man, these three lightly written words, represented numerous tragic or absurd fates. Others like ¡°slight,¡± ¡°ughter,¡± ¡°great famine,¡± ¡°extermination of three ns,¡± ¡°more than half dead,¡± etc., were simply sketched out. Unlike the flowerynguage on tombstones, with not a hint of emotion, they seemed even more cold and cruel. ¡°Remember, if you have the power one day, help me burn the Dog Emperor¡¯s corpse and let the wind scatter his ashes!¡± Zhou Yi found a secluded ce, his True Yuan sword light pierced the mausoleum, sensing the vast tomb inside, and ced Huang Yuniang, attached to the Jade Hairpin, into it. The Sword Qi crumbled the earth at the entrance, and after some time, all traces were gone. ¡­ Heavenly Prison. The remaining souls were thoroughly cleansed, and the cold, gloomy air had mostly dissipated. The prison guards discussed it for many days, but eventually, since it was a good thing, they let it go. Ever since Zhou Yi took action to eradicate the viins, he was nominally still a prison guard, but in treatment, he was equal to Captain Zhu, allotted his own room. He had craftsmen refurbish and decorate it finely, set up mahogany furniture, bought high-quality tea sets, brewed a pot of pre-rain Longjing tea, and lived morefortably at work than at home. ¡°Why should I care about the high halls of power and the distant rivers andkes? Better to cultivate immortality!¡± Zhou Yi had been practicing the Guiyuan Technique for half a year, his Innate True Yuan had all transformed into Mana, increasing the efficiency of absorbing Spiritual Energy from the heavens and earth by several times. Although it was originally just a few decimal points, there was still substantial progress made! Cultivation Mana has significant advantages over martial True Yuan; it¡¯s more attuned to the great Dao of the universe, with a pure and spiritual nature that changes at will. For instance, True Yuan could solidify into shapes like swords, knives, and fists, but the details would appear rough; Mana only needed a thought to transform into a lifelike palm. On this day. Zhou Yi was meditating when he suddenly sensed someone entering his room, quietlynding on the beam above. ¡°Come down!¡± A streak of Sword Qi swept by, and The Guest on the Beam couldn¡¯t avoid it in time and fell, gracefully flipping in the air tond steadily on the ground. ¡°How could you bear toe to me?¡± Zhou Yi took a good look at Old Bai and had to admit that the man¡¯s looks had not only kept but also improved with a mature and steady charm added to his debonair appearance over the past decade. Originally a killer of young girls with his dashing looks, he could probably now enchant countless young women. ¡°Quite unprecedented for a Grandmaster of the Innate realm to hide in the Heavenly Prison delivering food!¡± Old Bai¡¯s eyes shed with envy, but remembering the tragic state of the Cang family, he also felt some relief, ¡°Old Zhou, I¡¯m nning to get married and especially came to invite you as my witness.¡± The groomsmen were essentially the groom¡¯s attendants, sticking by the groom¡¯s side to fend off excessive drinking, lest he be too drunk to consummate the marriage. Zhou Yi eximed in surprise, ¡°You rascal are actually getting married? Which girl possesses such charm?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Princess Rongchang.¡± Old Bai took out a red invitation from his bosom, with gold thread embossed on it, and the decoration was quite luxurious. Zhou Yi was slightly taken aback, then he scorned, ¡°You scoundrel really have no shame¡ªhaving your fun and leaving a trail of conquests, and now you want to settle down and harm an honest girl?¡± Princess Rongchang, the legitimate daughter of Fengyang Country¡¯s Dongyang Prince. In prison, Old Bai boasted numerous times that he had identally fallen into the prince¡¯s mansion, teetered on the brink of life and death, and used his looks to capture Princess Rongchang¡¯s heart, before turning heel and sneaking away. Old Bai set the invitation aside and picked up the teapot, guzzling several mouthfuls. ¡°Are you still my brother or not? Do you really think I want to get married? It¡¯s all because they have something on me.¡± ¡°What do they have on you, and do you need my help?¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s eyebrows raised. It wasn¡¯t just that Old Bai had been a benefactor, the two were also close friends. Over the years, whenever Old Bai sporadically visited the Divine Capital, he would look for Zhou Yi to drink and chat, bringing with him local delicacies and fun specialties from various ces. After drinking, they would go their separate ways, with Zhou Yi still guarding the prison, while Old Bai continued to wander the world. Zhou Yi envied Old Bai¡¯s carefree life, and Old Bai admired Zhou Yi for being indifferent to fame and fortune, their rtionship akin to that of gentlemen whose interactions are as pure as water. ¡°Back in the day, in order to escape, I exchanged tokens of affection with Princess Rongchang. I thought it was just a joke, but who would have thought that the girl would be so fixated? Years have passed, and she hasn¡¯t forgotten.¡± Old Bai sighed, ¡°The Dongyang Prince had no choice as he watched his daughter grow older. He hired several top experts, sending them to scour thends for me¡ªto either marry his daughter or¡­¡± Zhou Yi couldn¡¯t hold back anymore, pointing at the door and saying. ¡°Get out! Get out now!¡± ¡°Haha, remember toe on time!¡± Old Bai could no longer maintain his mournful expression, which turned into a triumphant smile, finally gaining the upper hand once again. ¡­ The fifteenth day of the month was a suitable day for marriage. Zhou Yi had asked for leave early, getting familiar with theplicated and borate marriage proceedings. Captain Zhu, upon hearing that it was the Dongyang Prince¡¯s mansion giving away their daughter in marriage, marveled at Zhou Yi¡¯s wide connections, and shamelessly asked for an invitation, citing the desire to broaden his horizons. Captain Zhu was a man eager to progress, and he wouldn¡¯t miss such an opportunity. On that day. Yongchang ce was decked out in red silk; from Old Bai¡¯s new residence to the prince¡¯s mansion, peonies were lined along both sides of the road, with the ground covered in petals of various colors. The cost of the decorations along the road alone amounted to tens of thousands of taels of silver. Not to mention Old Bai¡¯s new residence in Yongchang ce, which was adjacent to the Imperial Pce. Thend there was so valuable that it couldn¡¯t be measured in gold and silver. ¡°Just because you¡¯re handsome means you can do whatever you want?¡± Zhou Yi looked into the mirror, touching his own face. ¡°I¡¯m not bad either!¡± One of the other advantages of mana over True Yuan was that it was constantly nurturing the body, transforming it towards perfection, which is why in the Cultivation World, all men are handsome and no women are ugly. After a series of procedures, they finally brought the princess back home. In the Bai family¡¯s banquet hall. Old Bai, following the elders of the prince¡¯s mansion, went from table to table toasting and talking, getting to know the various royal and marquis families. Zhou Yi stayed by his side, quietly transmitting his voice, ¡°The Dongyang Prince is really good to you, introducing all these rtions to his new son-inw like this?¡± ¡°Perhaps this is how parents love their child.¡± Old Bai, still light-hearted the day before, suddenly sounded different now that he was truly married. Chapter 24 - 24 The Noble Business Chapter 24: The Noble Business Editor: Henyee Trantions The Dongyang Prince¡¯s residence stood as a noble lineage since the founding of Fengyang Country, unwavering for hundreds of years. The wedding of their only legitimate daughter was the grand event of the entire Divine Capital. Lao Bai had to acquaint himself with many people, and without exception they were all notable nobility; one couldn¡¯t favor one over another. The masters the Prince¡¯s residence sent to drink had already changed shifts four times. Zhou Yi smiled from start to finish, no matter how much alcohol he consumed, he would refine it away in an instant. Lao Baimunicated through a whisper, ¡°Old Zhou, pretend to be drunk soon enough, lest others notice anything unusual.¡± ¡°Just a moment longer.¡± Zhou Yi closed his eyes and sensed carefully, the faint killing intent moved as Lao Bai moved. Those who had mingled in the Jianghu all had enemies, but to cause trouble during the Prince¡¯s daughter¡¯s wedding, Lao Bai must have provoked either their daughter or their wife. Zhou Yi wasn¡¯t sure how the other party would make a move, and from a distance, he had no full assurance he could dissolve the crisis unseen. Finally. All the old acquaintances of the Prince¡¯s residence had been met, a total of two to three hundred people. Zhou Yi suspected Lao Bai¡¯s carefree nature meant he had probably forgotten most of them already. There were two banquet halls, onerge and one small. Therge banquet hall was for Lao Bai¡¯s n, rtives, and the nobility of the Prince¡¯s residence, while the small banquet hall was for entertaining those from the Jianghu. The Imperial Court scorned the rudeness of the Jianghu, and the Jianghu despised the hypocrisy of the Imperial Court. Hosting them separately was to the liking of guests from both sides. The moment Zhou Yi stepped into the small banquet hall, he located the source of the killing intent. In the southeast corner, at a table, two individuals who seemed to be silently drinking kept ncing at Lao Bai from time to time. The tables in the front were fine, all giving face to Lao Bai and the Prince¡¯s residence. That was, until he encountered a white-haired Taoist who upied a whole table alone, whom no one dared approach, pouring and drinking his own drinks. The old Taoist ignored Lao Bai and coldly looked at Zhou Yi, ¡°So this is the notorious Blood Prison Demon?¡± Zhou Yi smiled as he poured wine for the old Taoist, ¡°They¡¯re just Jianghu nicknames, not worth mentioning.¡± The old Taoist stared nkly at the wine pot. Others either weren¡¯t paying attention or were too far away to see that the wine pot was standing upright and the wine was flowing out on its own. It flowed steadily and filled the cup without spilling a drop. ¡°Cough cough!¡± The old Taoist coughed twice, his face full of a ¡°Spring Breeze Turns into Rain¡± smile, ¡°I have long heard of your great name and had the intention to be acquainted. Should you pass by Jingyun Manor in the future, Changchun Temple will wee you with open arms.¡± This sort of meticulous technique likely meant his internal practice of organs had reached a high level of achievement, suggesting he might one day reach the pinnacle. Foes were better resolved than deepened, especially those in the Jianghu who preferred not to make enemies, the old and weakened masters even more so. ¡°It¡¯s better not to visit the Heavenly Prison, Taoist¡­ I will definitely ept your invitation when I have the time.¡± Zhou Yi nodded slightly, but his mind was constantly locked onto the southeast corner. The old Taoist¡¯s aura was that of a top Jianghu master, but those two young individuals were even stronger. Lao Bai went along toasting,pletely unaware of the danger, until he reached the table in the southeastern corner. ¡°The Jianghu friends havee from afar; Bai is truly¡­¡± His voice abruptly stopped, Lao Bai¡¯s face turned from white to red then green, he instinctively retreated two steps, letting Zhou Yi step in front. ¡°Lewd thief!¡± ¡°Scoundrel!¡± Two scornful voices from women rose, followed by two shes of sword light, one aimed at Lao Bai¡¯s neck, the other straight for his lower body. ¡°Women?¡± Zhou Yi was momentarily startled, then flicked his finger across the sword edge. An incredibly terrifying force transmitted to his wrist, the two women cried out in pain, and their swords fell to the ground. Such an unexpected turn of events had already rmed many guests. The masters from the Prince¡¯s residence, hidden for protection, leaped up to surround the two women, ready to capture them alive. Who would have known that the women¡¯s Qinggong was so mystical? One soared through the air while the other moved in unpredictable ways, and in an instant, they had escaped the banquet hall, their whereabouts unknown. Zhou Yi, who kept his skills and reputation hidden, had already left the small banquet hall. Before leaving, he couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously through a whispered transmission. ¡°Who are those two women? Such young age with this level of martial arts, they might have the potential to break through to the Innate level in the future!¡± Lao Bai himself did not want to answer, but Zhou Yi kept transmitting messages, incessantly urging him. Left with no choice, he said, ¡°One is the grand senior sister of the Unmeasured Sword Sect, the other is the saintess of the Heavenly Demon Sect¡­¡± ¡°**!¡± Zhou Yi especially regretted meddling in others¡¯ business. He thought that scumbag deserved to have his wedding scene turned upside down. ¡­ The grand banquet hall. Zhou Yi, havingpleted his task, found a corner to sit down and rest. By now the banquet was more than halfway through. The elders had left the table, leaving behind only the younger generation, who were keen on drinking and having a lively time. Being naturally boisterous, their talk became uninhibited as the wine flowed and their ears warmed. The son of the Lord of Dingcheng spoke up, ¡°Have you heard? Recently, many positions have opened up at the Northern Border, and His Majesty intends to promote the nobility.¡± ¡°The Northern Border is cold and barren. Who would want to go there and suffer?¡± The speaker was the son of Marquis of Weiyuan, ¡°In a few days, there will be new assignments in the Capital Garrison. That¡¯s the real opportunity!¡± ¡°The Capital Garrison is too expensive!¡± ¡°A brigadier general demands a hundred thousand silver taels, how many years would it take to earn that back?¡± ¡°The Northern Border is much cheaper, I heard amander is only twenty thousand silver taels.¡± ¡°Why buy amander¡¯s position? Spend a few thousand more to be Armory Supervisor. That¡¯s where the real profits lie!¡± ¡°¡­¡± They discussed matters of state as purely business ventures. The son of Marquis of Weiyuan shook his head and said, ¡°You know nothing¡­ The border troops at the Northern Border have had a few skirmishes with Great Yong. Though they seem minor, there¡¯s no telling when full-blown war might break out!¡± Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly lost interest in going to the Northern Border. Making money was good, but life was more important. With their family¡¯s wealth, they couldn¡¯t deplete their fortunes in several generations. ¡°Now that His Majesty intends to support the nobility, we must seize this opportunity. At the very least, we should secure a powerful general¡¯s position. Only with military power in hand does a noble title truly mean something!¡± The son of Marquis of Weiyuan proposed, ¡°No matter the money needed for bribery, it¡¯s worth it. It¡¯s a steady business. The Imperial Court allocates a million silver taels annually, and we¡¯ll earn it back one day.¡± ¡°Liang brother speaks wisely.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s agree, we¡¯ll all go to the Capital Garrison to serve His Majesty!¡± ¡°My father always scolds me for not pursuing proper endeavors. Today, let¡¯s be generals and hold our heads high for once.¡± ¡°We nobles share the nation¡¯s fate, others may rebel, but we won¡¯t!¡± ¡°Be careful what you say!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Drunk to the point of being incoherent, these young nobles had already assumed their positions in the Capital Garrison as a given. In truth, it wouldn¡¯t be far off, as their families had deep connections and were willing to spend heavily on bribes. Zhou Yi silently listened for a while, then stood up and left the table. ¡°No wonder these people treat state affairs as business; most things in the world can be considered business, both loyalty and betrayal, prosperity and decline.¡± Some chose betrayal and decline, perhaps with no other choice! How could Emperor Hongchang not know that these noble sons were worth no more than dog excrement? Not to mention arranging troops, they couldn¡¯t even remember how many soldiers were under theirmand, let alone lead them in battle. Sometimes, it¡¯s reassuring to use the useless. They would drink the soldiers¡¯ blood, make silver, and do business, but they would never rebel! ¡°Another storm is brewing, I hope¡­¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, uncertain whether he hoped for a revolt or a smooth transition. Before leaving, he presented Lao Bai with a long-prepared congrattory gift, a jade token handcrafted with care. Ordinary in material and carving, yet the unique hint of crimson blood made it quite distinctive. Not knowing how to refine artifacts, Zhou Yi simply applied mana, forcing a drop of blood into the jade stone. Connected by blood, they could recognize this jade token for hundreds or even thousands of years toe! Chapter 25: Li Wu Goes to Jail Chapter 25: Li Wu Goes to Jail Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°` In the seventeenth year of Emperor Hongchang. Summer. A special prisoner arrived at the Sky Prison. No one escorted him, and no one dared to escort him; he walked into the cell on his own. Li Wu! The Sky Prison was built on the foundation of the former dynasty¡¯s prison by Fengyang Country, with a history tracing back a thousand years. It had confined countless nobles and royals and today, it weed the second Innate Grandmaster as its inmate. The guardsbined wouldn¡¯t have been enough for Li Wu to ughter! ¡°It¡¯s truly beyond expectation¡­¡± Zhou Yi prided himself on understanding Fengyang Country¡¯s big picture from an observer¡¯s perspective but he couldn¡¯t fathom human hearts. ¡°Bring the meal box, I will deliver it personally.¡± ¡°Master Zhou, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡± The prison guard in charge of delivering meals now was Zhang Yun, the grandson of Zhang Zhou whose son Zhang Jin had died at the hands of thieves within two years of serving in the Sky Prison. Zhou Yi, bearing in mind an old favor, recruited Zhang Yun into the Sky Prison after he came of agest year. Cell number Bing Nine. Li Wu was meditating with his eyes closed when he suddenly sensed a dangerous aura and opened his eyes to see the approaching prison guard. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Just a Nameless prison guard.¡± Zhou Yi replied telepathically, unlocked the cell door, took fine wine and exquisite dishes from the meal box, andid them out on the table one by one. After fifteen years, he finally saw up close the renowned Great General and Martial Arts Grandmaster, whose name was known across thend! It wasn¡¯t that there hadn¡¯t been opportunities before, but Zhou Yi, who always yed it safe, did not wish to approach such a personage without being sure of his safety, lest any ident ur. For instance, those seeking revenge on Li Wu were surely martial arts experts themselves; their battles could easily result in coteral damage to bystanders. ¡°Li never believed there were true masters among themon folk, after all, life is short. Who could reach the summit of achievement and yet obscure their name in solitude?¡± Admiration filled Li Wu¡¯s eyes as he also used the Telepathic Secret Technique, ¡°It is only today that I realize such extraordinary individuals truly exist in this world, and I find myself humbled!¡± ¡°The General is too kind.¡± Zhou Yi voiced the question on his mind, ¡°General, why did you enter the Sky Prison today?¡± Li Wu said, ¡°Back then, Li Xiong let his troops wreak havoc, ughtering thousands of civilians. As his militarymander, I¡¯m guilty of neglect. As a nsman, I bear the guilt of failing to supervise him.¡± ¡°The General jests. Everyone in Fengyang Country knows how strict you are with your family.¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°I¡¯ve been here in the Sky Prison for several decades, and members of other familiese and go all the time. Yet from the Li family, only Li Xiong has emerged.¡± Furthermore, Li Xiong¡¯s misdeeds were not significantly rted to Li Wu, and his act of sacrificing his kin also provided an exnation to the people. Li Wu shook his head, ¡°That¡¯s merely the duty of an official. It¡¯s not worth mentioning.¡± ¡°The General knows what I want to ask¡­¡± Zhou Yi got straight to the point, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you follow Long Ni¡¯s path?¡± Li Wu replied, ¡°If he¡¯s a traitor, how could I stoop to his level?¡± ¡°Had it not been for the General, perhaps it wouldn¡¯t have been Long Ni, but¡­ Emperor Taizu Long?¡± Zhou Yi, who had witnessed Emperor Chongming¡¯s reign, knew the Dog Emperor had long lost the people¡¯s trust; after Long sessfully rebelled in the capital, he could have easily secured the throne. ¡°Long Ni¡¯s rebellion was confined to the Divine Capital, resulting in over sixty thousand casualties. If Li was disloyal, regardless of victory or defeat, it would have been a massive upheaval involving all the provinces.¡± Li Wu murmured, ¡°The National Dynasty has only just seen a few years of peace. I cannot, for my own selfishness, cause suffering to the people!¡± Zhou Yi fell silent for a moment, ¡°The General could have resigned and retired.¡± An Innate Grandmaster does not crave power; the Imperial Court would not deliberately trouble one, and if pushed too hard, the Grandmaster could simply storm the Royal Pce! Li Wu said, ¡°I am well aware that my merits are a threat to the sovereign. As long as I live, the National Dynasty will not be at peace. Thete Emperor owed me a great debt, and with his dying breath earnestly entrusted me to prioritize the welfare of the people of the National Dynasty above all else!¡± That Dog Emperor only taught others, when did he himself ever care for the people of the National Dynasty? Zhou Yi saw Li Wu¡¯s mention of Emperor Chongming and the loyalty on his face, refraining from cursing tantly. ¡°Is everything settled at the general¡¯s home?¡± Li Wu nodded and said, ¡°His Majesty promised that as long as Li serves the country with absolute loyalty, the Li family will rest with the nation!¡± To die was to serve the country with absolute loyalty! Do you believe that promise? Zhou Yi ultimately did not ask this question. Li Wu might or might not believe it, but in fact, he had already made his choice. One was the unwillingness to start a war again, and the other was to repay Emperor Chongming for his kindness. ¡°No matter why Li Wu imprisoned himself, in the end, it resolved the strife.¡± Zhou Yi knew that if he were in Li Wu¡¯s position, he definitely couldn¡¯t do the same. Most likely, upon receiving a military order from the Ministry of War in five years, he would directly lead the Northern Border troops back to Divine Capital to remonstrate with arms. As for how many would die in an armed remonstration, Zhou Yi didn¡¯t care. After all, I and my family cannot die! How many people in this world are willing to sacrifice their lives and power for strangers they do not know? People like Li Wu would probably be scorned as foolishly loyal byter generations when looking back at history. ¡°Li Wu was a natural-born hero, strict with himself and his family; it¡¯s just a pity¡­ when the Li family goes to jail, take good care of them.¡± Zhou Yi was never shy about specting on people¡¯s hearts with malice. He had previously guessed that Li Wu would rebel, but he was wrong. Now he guessed that Emperor Hongchang, before dying, would deal with the Li family and their military influence cleanly, leaving a spotless and pure Fengyang Country for his sessor. ¡­ The times create heroes, and heroes change the times! Li Wu¡¯s imprisonment cleared the gloom over Divine Capital in a single day, and the previously repressed Imperial Court suddenly felt much lighter. The officials presented petitions one after another, stating that General Li had contributed to the country and begged His Majesty to forgive his crimes. Nobody was clear on the specific crimemitted by Li Wu, but everyone knew that Li Wu couldn¡¯t live to walk out of the sky prison. ¡°Duke of the State is truly the pir of the country!¡± Using various extravagant praises, the officialsuded Li Wu¡¯s imprisonment, hoping to swiftly grant him posthumous honors in the imperial ancestral temple. Yet, when speaking privately with their confidants, they scorned Li Wu as a mere crude military man who undeservedly controlled millions of troops, meeting the same fate as Long Ni! When this news spread among the people, it caused a huge uproar! Li Wu was ostracized by the officials of the Imperial Court, with even the Ministry of War not supporting him. However, in the eyes of themon people, he was akin to a savior sent from heaven. At first the public sentiment was tumultuous, with many moring to demand an exnation from the Imperial Court. Latterly, rumors such as ¡°Li Wu¡¯s southern campaign, wanton massacre of the civilians,¡± ¡°Li Xiong plundering merchants, endorsed by Li Wu,¡± ¡°The death of Duke Wei, the culprit behind the scenes is Li Wu,¡± and so on spread¡­ After enough mudslinging, with Jinyiwei arresting quite a few people, the public opinion quickly dissipated into nothingness. As Li Wu said, the people of Fengyang Country had just enjoyed a few years of stability and did not want to stir up chaos again. They no longer needed a Great General who swept across thend with an awe-inspiring reputation. In memory of Li Wu¡¯s past suppression of rebellion, building a temple and erecting a stele was sufficient¡­ ¡°Thosemon folks think you¡¯re already dead. They build temples and erect steles for you, offering incense and worship, weeping bitterly.¡± Zhou Yi asked, ¡°Do you have any regrets about your choice?¡± ¡°Mr. Zhou need not persuade me further. This decision was my own, with no rtion to others. It¡¯s not about leaving a name in history; it¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t want to see many more people die!¡± Li Wu picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of food, followed by a drink of wine. ¡°Besides, there¡¯s no longer any chance for regrets.¡± Zhou Yi frowned slightly at these words and waved his hand, summoning the wine pot. The wine was named Nine Fermentations Spring, a tribute from the Royal Family of Fengyang Country, nearly two hundred years old. Originally, the wine was a clear amber red, but due to an unknown amount of powder added, it had turned a pale color. ¡°This poison was added a bit too excessively. A fine wine has turned into poison with a hint of alcohol!¡± ¡°The taste is still quite remarkable, a rarity in the world!¡± Li Wu¡¯s expression remained natural, taking bites of food and sips of wine as though the potent poison was nonexistent. ¡°General, do you have anyst words? I can still help with some minor matters.¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s nature made it hard for him to be noble, but he didn¡¯t hesitate to show respect to those who were. Chapter 26 - 26 The Calamity of Annihilation Chapter 26: The Cmity of Annihtion Editor: Henyee Trantions Zhou Yi was reluctant to get involved in the power struggle of Fengyang Country but wanted to do something for Li Wu. In the past, when watching martial arts dramas, there were always knights-errant who would voluntarily protect certain incorruptible officials, exhausting themselves in the process. ¡°This is just a pretext for the start of the drama, it¡¯s best to act as if it doesn¡¯t exist¡­¡± Zhou Yi had initially thought this way, but after chatting with Li Wu over the past few days, he unexpectedly developed the desire to y the hero just this once. This action did not align with his established principle of staying above worldly affairs! ¡°Mr. Zhou¡¯s indifference towards the secr world, yet making such a promise, doesn¡¯t it prove that my choice is not wrong?¡± Li Wu caressed his palms andughed, his face unknowingly marked with several ck streaks, spreading from his neck towards his head. An Innate Grandmaster tempers their skin and bones externally, while internally refining their viscera and marrow. Their whole body is united like the primordial chaos, nearly reaching a state immune to all poisons. However, this deadly poison targets the brain directly, and upon outbreak, one bes akin to the living dead. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s much good!¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s gaze dropped, and he suddenly thought of several faces, his mind inexplicably agitated. ¡°Li has lived a life without regrets towards the Imperial Court, but I¡¯ve been too harsh towards my n members. Those petty enemies who dare not show their faces usually, after Li¡¯s death, will certainly seek vengeance upon my family!¡± Li Wu pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°There are a few skilled soldiers in the residence, they should be able to prevent any mistakes¡­¡± Zhou Yi promised, ¡°As long as the Innate do not emerge, the Li family will be unharmed.¡± Below an Innate Grandmaster, Zhou Yi could easily exterminate them all with a wave of his hand! ¡°Li expresses his gratitude!¡± Li Wu tried to get up to show his respects but suddenly his vision blurred, and he fell back into his seat. The undisputed Innate Grandmaster of a nation, reduced from the esteemed and powerful Duke, who held firm to his inexplicable perseverance, to a state where he could not even stand stable. ¡°How substantial is the Zhao Imperial Family¡¯s umted virtue to endure such destruction?¡± Zhou Yi sighed, ¡°Even if there¡¯s an extraordinary old monster, I guarantee the Li family will not be wiped out.¡± Li Wu apologized, ¡°In this way, Mr. Zhou won¡¯t be able to remain in seclusion in the Sky Prison.¡± Zhou Yi shrugged, ¡°I¡¯ve been in the Sky Prison for decades, changing ces isn¡¯t too bad.¡± Li Wu asked, ¡°Change to where?¡± Zhou Yi pointed eastward, ¡°The Imperial Prison!¡± Li Wu fell silent, speechless: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°General Li doesn¡¯t understand humor. For now, I will go out toy low, then change my identity and return to the Sky Prison¡­¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s expression stiffened suddenly, he reached out to test Li Wu¡¯s nose, finding no breath left. ¡­ In the seventeenth year of Hongchang. Duke Li Wu passed away in the Sky Prison. He was posthumously awarded the title ¡°Loyal and Martial¡±, signifying ¡°loyalty to the sovereign and love for the country, powerful and wise in virtue.¡± At the age of seventy-six, Emperor Hongchang, undeterred by the Officials¡¯ opposition, insisted on mourning Duke Li Wu with the honor of an emperor. The historians recorded the details, setting the example of the monarch and his subject to be passed down to future generations. ¡­ New Year¡¯s Eve was approaching. Thick clouds covered the sky, the piercing cold north wind howled, and heavy snow had been falling all day without pause. At midnight. The patrolling soldiers, deterred by the severe cold, hid in the barracks drinking. The Divine Capital was utterly silent, save for the sound of snowkes softlynding. The Duke¡¯s residence. The night watchmen were dozing off when a shadow flitted past their hazy eyes, and as they were about to raise their hands to greet it. A de¡¯s glint crossed their throats, hot blood spraying on the ground. Silence, ughter! Assassins d in ck, like cold machines, killed as efficiently as mowing grass without needing a second strike, advanced from the outskirts of the Duke¡¯s residence towards the inside, leaving no survivors. ¡°Assassins!¡± A sudden scream pierced the air, followed by an unceasing sh of swords and des. The experts within the residence were startled awake, with some confronting the enemy at the main house, and others rushing towards the rear residence, their actions as coordinated as a military formation. Inner Chamber. Li Ye, the sessor to the title of Duke Zhenguo, was protected by hundreds of martial arts experts. Commander Li said, ¡°The enemy hase prepared, perhaps the duke should change his clothes and leave through the secret passage first?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t get away.¡± Li Ye¡¯s face showed no fear, and having once campaigned with his father, he pointed towards the eastern residence, ¡°The thieves besiege the Duke¡¯s mansion, while Prince Anhua¡¯s mansion remains silent. Where do you think I can escape to?¡± Commander Li said in a deep voice, ¡°Your grace, in such circumstances, it¡¯s even more imperative that you preserve your life for future nning!¡± ¡°n for what, to rebel?¡± Li Ye¡¯s words carried a hint of indignation, ¡°My father has earned the right to be enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple and to leave his name in history. How could his son rebel? Or do you think, with my father¡¯s wisdom, he couldn¡¯t foresee today¡¯s disaster for our n?¡± ¡°The old duke¡­¡± Commander Li was Li Wu¡¯s trusted and loyal follower, yet faced with Li Ye¡¯s questioning, he didn¡¯t know how to exin. The women of the Li family hid in their rooms, their eyes filled with terror, and many clutched daggers, ready to take their own lives at any moment. Li Wu had departed with a carefree and resolute air, leaving those behind to live in fear! At this moment. There were no more sounds of fightinging from the outer chamber, as the number of enemies was too great, and even soldiers in formation could not stop them. The men in ck step by step surrounded the inner chamber, stepping on the white snowkes, leaving a trail of fresh red footprints. ¡°Heh heh heh!¡± The signature ghastlyughter echoed throughout the duke¡¯s mansion, ¡°Li Wu killed my disciple, today I shall blood-wash¡ª¡± The voice suddenly stopped. ¡°¡­¡± The leader of the men in ck frowned and gestured for his subordinates to investigate; Duke Zhenguo¡¯s mansion had a few tough figures, and they had gone to great lengths to coax this old monster out of hiding. A momentter. Two subordinates dragged a body over; it was an old man with white hair. His face bore sevenrge flesh bumps, engraved with words: Impermanence, Life-iming, Death God, Debt Collector¡­ The leader examined the old man¡¯s injuries, finding only one wound that had pierced directly through the heart. Knowing the old man¡¯s prowess as a rare master in the martial world, the subordinates could guess how formidable the person who acted was, yet they felt no fear and quietly awaited the leader¡¯s nextmand. ¡°Kill!¡± At thatmand, the men in ck charged toward the rear residence. ¡°More suicide troops, just how many enemies did Li Wu have?¡± An aged voice reached the ears of the leader, and before the leader could speak, a wave of Sword Qi pierced through his chest. With their leader gone, the remaining men in ck¡¯s ability to fight dropped sharply. Several volleys of arrows shot out from the inner chamber, and making use of well-prepared traps, they managed to halt the men in ck¡¯s assault. Commander Li, leading from the front, fought valiantly, and after half an hour, finally eradicated the invaders. ¡°Wu Yama!¡± Commander Li recognized the identity of the old man, ¡°The cluster of ghosts the old duke eradicated were this man¡¯s disciples. Rumors in the martial world spoke of his early demise; it¡¯s shocking that he¡¯s still alive today.¡± Li Ye showed no interest in Wu Yama and bowed in all directions. ¡°My gratitude to the elder for saving us time and again!¡± ¡°I owed Li Wu a favor in the past. Today, it¡¯s repaid. If someone elsees to kill, the young boy will have to make his own luck.¡± Zhou Yi, concealed in the shadows, transmitted these words before using the Light Body Skill to disappear in a few shes. Upon hearing this, Li Ye¡¯splexion changed dramatically, and he whispered the matter to Commander Li. The Duke Zhenguo¡¯s mansion had suffered numerous nocturnal assaults. Initially, with many experts in the mansion, they effortlessly repelled the invaders. However, the relentless enemies continuously sapped the mansion¡¯s strength, which now was a mere tenth or less of what it once was. In thest three invasions, the enemies had grown more formidable. Their survival to this day depended entirely on the covert protection of a superior elder. Commander Li suggested, ¡°Your grace, why not leave the Divine Capital and live in anonymity?¡± ¡°In the Divine Capital, it¡¯s just assassins that strike; out there, it will be bandit armiesying siege!¡± Li Ye looked up at the imperial pce. Ever since Emperor Hongchang had sent Li Wu away, his health had declined day by day, and now the Regent Crown Prince was in charge of state affairs. ¡°After the former emperor fell ill, how many years did he spend in Shangyang Pce?¡± Commander Li thought for a moment and replied, ¡°Roughly seven or eight years!¡± Li Ye was silent for a long time, his voice somber. ¡°A step back, and it¡¯s death and the extinction of our n¡­ Take my calling card to the Eastern Pce, and ask for an audience with the Regent Crown Prince.¡± Chapter 27: The Millennium Aristocratic Family Chapter 27: The Millennium Aristocratic Family Editor: Henyee Trantions The moon was bright and the stars scarce. Zhou Yi fell into the courtyard, his face changing from that of an old man to a middle-aged one. On regr days in the sky prison, this was his appearance. With manabined with the Art of Disguise and the Bone Shrinking Skill, even those close to him could not recognize him. ¡°The matter of the Li family is considered over,¡± he said. Having made three covert moves, Zhou Yi¡¯s existence had already drawn attention. The strange old man tonight was just a hair¡¯s breadth away from Innate. ¡°There are even fewer Innate Grandmasters than I expected. Perhaps in Fengyang Country¡­ am I the only one? Li Wu had roamed unchallenged through both Fengyang and Great Yong, with no one but the King of the Azure Heaven, a fellow practitioner of the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique, to match him!¡± After twenty-six years of cultivation, he had suddenly be peerless in the mortal world! Zhou Yi reminded himself that this was the Immortal and Demon World. Innate was just stepping into the threshold of the Cultivation World, and without the understanding of spells or possession of magic artifacts, any cultivator could easily best him. ¡°Based on human logic, those struggling Loose Cultivators, aware that their path was hopeless, would rather rule supreme in the mortal world than live humbly as underlings in the Cultivation World.¡± ¡°There are rumors that the great founder of Fengyang Country had the power of ghosts and gods. Could he have been a down-and-out Loose Cultivator?¡± ¡°Or perhaps the mortal world is regted by the Cultivation World, and the rise and fall of dynasties are simply changes made ording to the will of immortals!¡± Zhou Yi checked his sense of pride. By taking advantage of the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique and the prisoners in the cell, he had cunningly stepped into Innate and gained just enough power to protect himself, which meant he mustn¡¯t act recklessly. ¡°Speak prudently and act cautiously, concentrate on cultivation!¡± ¡­ The next day. The heavy snow had finally stopped. Today was New Year¡¯s Eve, and the streets were adorned with couplets and rednterns, exuding a strong festive atmosphere. The news ofst night¡¯s attack on the Duke of Zhen¡¯s residence hadn¡¯t leaked at all, as though the two or three hundred people who had died never existed. Commoners only know what the Imperial Court wants them to know! For example,moners only knew that Li Wu died in the sky prison. The many court struggles he had been involved in before his imprisonment were beyond the knowledge of ordinary people. As the Li family¡¯s decline became more apparent, some past events began to circte, generally among officials who discussed them in casual conversation, with servants overhearing and then boasting to rtives and friends. One led to ten, ten to a hundred. There were tales of Chancellor Zhang appearing weak on the surface, consulting the Duke of Zhen on every matter, while actually alienating His Majesty from Li Wu. There were stories of nobles of the National Dynasty fighting over military authority with officers from Li Wu¡¯s faction,ing from the lower ranks. Or of Li Wu¡¯s loyalists in the military seeking promotions and riches by defecting to a certain chancellor¡¯s camp¡­ The information was a mix of truth and fiction, hard to discern the real from the false. In just one short year, the incense offered at Li Wu¡¯s temples had greatly diminished. Give it another ten or eight years, and only wild grass would keep thempany. ¡°There is nothing in this world that time cannot erase, except for me!¡± Zhou Yi walked towards the sky prison, carrying a bucket to deliver food. Zhang Yun, the jailer responsible for delivering the meals, was home for the New Year. The sky prison was not like other offices; during the holidays, the jailers had to take turns resting, but Zhou Yi was the exception, going every day to check in and attend to his duties as usual. Being alone, he felt the prison was more lively than his own home. Zhou Yi was not devoid of rtives; his ancestors hailed from Lean Mountain Vige in Ningshan County, and there were still hundreds of n members, with close cousins still alive. In those days, Zhou Yi was frail and seemed unlikely to live long. The elder of the Zhou n suggested to Father Zhou that a child from the n be adopted, lest Zhou Yi die prematurely, leaving the position of jailer and the residence in the Divine Capital without an heir. Father Zhou, working in the sky prison and witnessed all sorts of sordid affairs, how could he not see through the n members¡¯ intentions? Let alone that Zhou Yi was not yet dead, were he to agree to the adoption, the n would then likely find a way to hasten Zhou Yi¡¯s demise once Father Zhou was no longer around. After several disputes, the n elder still did not give up, so Father Zhou decided to sever tiespletely! After Father Zhou passed away, Zhou Yi inherited the position of jailer. The Zhou family members asionally came to the Capital to check in, waiting for him to be ill and die. Waiting left and right, Zhou Yi saw several uncles and cousins die off, his cousins grew old. And with that, ties to these rtives werepletely cut off! ¡°Old Zhou, perfect timing, I need a favor from you.¡± Captain Zhu hailed him, leaning in to whisper, ¡°A prisoner was brought to the heavenly prison today, and I need your skills for tormenting the scoundrels from Jianghu to administer a punishment on this scoundrel!¡± Zhou Yi asked, ¡°What did he do?¡± ¡°What else can an official do, but embezzle money!¡± Captain Zhu exined, ¡°But this guy is a particrly good at embezzling¡ªnicknamed ¡®Three Feet Above the Sky¡¯. In three years, he bled Luyang Prefecture dry, allegedly amassing over ten million taels of silver.¡± The annual tax revenue of Fengyang Country was almost about ten million taels. Zhou Yi, puzzled, asked, ¡°Civil officials usually can¡¯t survive many rounds of severe torture, so why call on me?¡± In recent years, whenever there arose a stubborn and unruly criminal from Jianghu, Captain Zhu would request Zhou Yi to handle the punishment. The reputation of the old demon of the blood prisonrgely stemmed from this. Captain Zhu rified, ¡°The Imperial Court captured the man, but we haven¡¯t found where the silver is hidden. This bastard has an especially tough mouth, and we can¡¯t risk using heavy torture lest we identally kill him.¡± ¡°His family¡¯s lives don¡¯t matter?¡± In his many years at the heavenly prison, Zhou Yi had seen the asional official withstand heavy torture; however, when rtives such as parents or children were brought in and tormented, few could remain indifferent. Thew of collective punishment was indeed cruel, but Zhou Yi quite agreed with it. In this era, there was a sense of unity within ns; if the n members enjoyed the benefits provided by a corrupt official, they should also share in the punishment. ¡°Originally, this bastard¡¯s family were farmers. Years ago, when famine struck, entire viges starved to death, and he lost all his rtives.¡± Captain Zhu exined, ¡°He might have a wife and children, but just like the silver, we have no idea where they¡¯re hidden.¡± ¡°Was he prepared to fall into the and get imprisoned from the start?¡± Zhou Yi, driven by curiosity, picked up a bucket and went to Cell Yi-Seven. The prisoner, lying on a straw mat, had his back covered in a crisscross of bloody welts, and fresh blood seeping from his buttocks had soaked through his clothes. Hearing the noise, he slowly lifted his head. His face was square, with an air of integrity. Zhou Yi unlocked the cell door, squatted in front of the prisoner, and said, ¡°A mere civilian who climbed to the rank of a third-grade officer, with a chance to reach the core of power¡ªwhy resort to being a corrupt and depraved official?¡± The prisoner remained silent, theny down again. ¡°Over ten million taels of silver¡ªif recovered by the Imperial Court, and eleven parts dispersed among the people, it would also count as your atonement.¡± Zhou Yi flicked his finger, and his mana formed a needle point, prating the prisoner¡¯s body. As it flowed through the bloodstream, moving throughout the body, the sharp sensation sliced through his meridians. The pain, from inside out, was even harder to bear than being sentenced to death by dismemberment. Besides, such a sentence eventuallyes to an end, but this strand of mana only pricked and didn¡¯t break, making the torture endless. The ruthless criminals of Jianghu may not fear death, nor torture, but they can¡¯t endure a needle moving inside their bodies. ¡°Ah!¡± The prisoner cried out in pain, his body shaking like chaff, his eyes bloodshot and red. Zhou Yi struck several of the prisoner¡¯s acupoints, to prevent him from fainting from the pain. He had to remain conscious to experience the punishment. After a long while. ¡°Where is the silver?¡± Zhou Yi waved his hand to dispel the mana, and slowly said, ¡°Perhaps you can challenge your limit of endurance. Thest one was a criminal from the Marrow-Cleansing Realm, iming to be a human demon, and he didn¡¯tst two days before confessing.¡± ¡°Heh, heh, heh¡­¡± The prisoner, after intense gasping, said, ¡°The silver is at the Lu family¡¯s¡ªyou tell the Imperial Court to go fetch it!¡± ¡°The Lu family of Jiangnan?¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. Among the many prominent families in Jiangnan, eight carried the most historical weight, with lineages dating back to the previous dynasty or even the one before. There are no dynasties thatst a thousand years, but there are families that do! Among them, the Lu family ranked in the top three. ¡°What, scared?¡± A spiteful look shed in the prisoner¡¯s eyes as he spoke with resentment. ¡°I¡¯m afraid too, so I had no choice but to be a corrupt official!¡± Chapter 28 - 28 Crown Prince’s Rebellion Chapter 28: Crown Prince¡¯s Rebellion Editor: Henyee Trantions The harm of noble families is far worse than that of rebels. While thetter are fierce like fire, there is always a way to extinguish them. The former have existed since ancient times, everyone can see how noble families are undermining the foundation of the dynasty, yet there are scarcely any means to control them. Zhou Yi slowly shook his head, ¡°You¡¯re not the first to say this, nor will you be thest. The evil of noble families may run deep, but it¡¯s no excuse to be a corrupt official.¡± ¡°Cough cough cough, easy for you to say!¡± After mentioning the Lu family, the criminal seemed topletely let go. ¡°My lord¡­ my parents starved to death because officials embezzled the disaster relief grain. I swore that once I triumphed in the imperial examinations, I would purge the Imperial Court and cleanse thend!¡± Zhou Yi showed a bit more interest, ¡°Tell me about your experiences, which you consider profound grievances, but are actually quite clich¨¦?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The criminal was rather helpless, but with his execution not far off, this was probably hisst heart-to-heart conversation. ¡°After ten years of hard study, I passed the imperial examination with distinction, became a magistrate, and thought I could achieve great things. Yet the bureaucracy was full of local gentry, with nomands being executed beyond the yamen or into the viges.¡± The criminal nced at Zhou Yi, ¡°And the most troublesome, were people like you, low-born clerks,¡± Zhou Yi nodded slightly, weren¡¯t Imperium and clerks sharing the world more than just mere words? ¡°Moving from county to county, not only was I unable to aplish anything, but I also became theughingstock of my peers, receiving the lowest evaluations year after year!¡± The criminal murmured, ¡°Time wasted like this, how could I retain any ambition or zeal? I simply let them have their way, and I spent my days reading and writing, neglecting all official duties.¡± Reality wore away at his ideals and aspirations, turning him into a negligent official. Zhou Yi asked, ¡°What does this have to do with the Lu family?¡± ¡°In the sixth or seventh year of Hongchang, I was assigned to Changfeng County, which was hit by severe flooding¡­ The rivers overflowed, and people were in dire straits.¡± The criminal recounted, ¡°As usual, I submitted a memorial to the Ministry of Revenue, requesting the allocation of silver and grain for disaster relief. ording to the procedure, the Imperial Court must first inspect the disaster, then draft regtions for relief, which took quite some time.¡± ¡°By the time the disaster relief was arranged, most of the victims had already died, allowing for a smaller silver dispense. Minor disasters would resolve on their own, with no need for further aid.¡± ¡°Surprisingly, the Imperial Court swiftly ordered grain to be transported from the surrounding counties and allocated three hundred thousand taels of Disaster Relief Silver.¡± ¡°With such support, Changfeng County would have easily ovee the flood. Sleepless nights spent in vain for ten years, and atst, I could do something for the people, fulfilling my parents¡¯ wishes!¡± The criminal paused here, ¡°During the famine when my parents were dying, they exhorted me: Be a good official in the future, saving the people from fire and water!¡± Zhou Yi straightened his posture, this convict was indeed different from the others. In the Sky Prison, there are plenty of corrupt officials, and Zhou Yi is used to hearing their various excuses for amassing silver¡ªultimately driven by desires for indulgence. ¡°Just when I was ecstatically preparing for the relief efforts, people from the Lu family arrived.¡± The criminal spoke bitterly, ¡°A lowly doorman berating a schr of the Son of Heaven, iming that the grain and silver were secured by the Lu family from the Imperial Court. Why should it be distributed to themon people?¡± ¡°However, this was what made me realize why the Imperial Court allocated the funds and grain, regardless of the memos!¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°In the end, was the disaster relief money and grain taken to the Lu family?¡± ¡°What could I possibly have done?¡± The criminal said, ¡°Changfeng County is under the jurisdiction of Luyang Prefecture. The Lu family has entrenched itself there for a thousand years. Saying a single ¡®no¡¯ meant being used of embezzling funds and grain andmitting suicide out of guilt on the same day!¡± ¡°What happened afterward?¡± Zhou Yi didn¡¯t need to ask to guess the subsequent developments. ¡°The funds and grain were given to the Lu family. The people of Changfeng County suffered heavily, forced to sell their sons and daughters to survive¡­¡± The criminal sighed, ¡°That year they rated me as ¡®Outstanding¡¯. The patrolling Imperial Censor praised me for loving the people like my own children and for my relief efforts, and after a year, I was promoted to Deputy Magistrate of Luyang Prefecture!¡± Though a Deputy Magistrate was also of the seventh rank, moving from a county to oversee a province was indeed a promotion. A natural disaster had yed into the Lu family¡¯s hands, earning them silver and property. The criminal was promoted, and everyone was pleased! ¡°From then on, I became an official of the Lu family, achieving ¡®Outstanding¡¯ evaluations every year, and in a little over ten years, I was appointed as the Governor of Luzhou, ruling over a region.¡± The criminal sneered, ¡°Those same peers who had mocked me became close friends, eager to ingratiate themselves with me. To curry favor, they presented me with silver, Oiran, and poetry, doing everything to tter and fawn.¡± ¡°Since then, I took bribes when there was money, sold positions when there was office, living without restraint¡­¡± ¡°Utterwlessness and defiance of the heavens!¡± Zhou Yi snorted coldly, the man had experienced wasted years and despair,pletely degenerating amid the fear of death. The convict¡¯s gaze was deep, his voice ethereal: ¡°What is thew? It is but a technique of the Imperial Court to govern and bind the people! And what is heaven? His Majesty is heaven, the Imperial Court is heaven, the schrs are heaven!¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°However, you are about to die now.¡± ¡°The moment I became the Lu family¡¯spdog, I was already dead.¡± The prisoner¡¯s eyes were hollow and lifeless: ¡°What does it matter if you kill me? No one can change the corruption of the officialdom, nor can anyone save the Imperial Court!¡± Zhou Yi said coldly, ¡°For every corrupt official, one caught is one skinned and gutted.¡± The prisoner said, ¡°But the ones who rece them will be another batch of corrupt officials!¡± Zhou Yi asked, ¡°So, is the Imperial Courtpletely rotten?¡± The prisoner shook his head gently, pointing to his own face: ¡°It¡¯s not the Imperial Court that¡¯s rotten, nor the noble families, but the schrs who are thoroughly corrupt!¡± Zhou Yi was slightly taken aback, this bastard was indeed a bit different from the previous corrupt officials. Curious, he said, ¡°You¡¯re a dog of the Lu family and an official in Fengyang¡ªhow did you end up in this prison?¡± ¡°When the master fattens up the dog, it¡¯s time to kill and eat it, lest the dog turns on its master one day.¡± The prisoner said, ¡°In this way, the Lu family didn¡¯t just snatch the silver but also won people¡¯s hearts. When the Oiran who gued the region are caught by the Lu family¡¯s Qing Tian, the people apud!¡± ¡°It seems you are not the first dog.¡± ¡°Nor thest.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t you thought of resisting?¡± ¡°Would it have been of any use?¡± The prisoner¡¯s retort left Zhou Yi speechless for a long while. The thought alone of the millennia-old noble families was terrifying; without any cheats or advantages, there truly was no way to begin. He left the cell. Zhou Yi reported the results of the interrogation in detail to Captain Zhu. ¡°The Lu family!¡± Captain Zhu¡¯s eyes bulged: ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean there¡¯s no way to get it back?¡± Zhou Yi inquired with a puzzled expression, ¡°Old Zhu, you seem troubled. Why are you so concerned about this matter?¡± ¡°No, no! You¡¯re busy, Zhou, I need to step out for a bit.¡± Captain Zhu denied repeatedly and took his leave with a bow. Zhou Yi frowned slightly: ¡°Old Zhu, this fellow, couldn¡¯t be dealing with some big shot, acting on their behalf? Millions of taels of silver could support an army, and in the whole Fengyang Country only a few people could make use of it!¡± It wasn¡¯t worry for Captain Zhu¡¯s safety that he felt; everyone must face the consequences of the path they choose. Zhou Yi was more worried about coteral damage¡ªthe fish pond getting disturbed. If Captain Zhu was implicated in a major case, he, a frequent associate, could inevitably be affected. ¡­ Prophetic words, indeed. The eighteenth year of Hongchang, January. The cheerfulness of the New Year had not yet faded when a sensational case burst forth in Fengyang Country, causing upheaval in the Imperial Court. Regent Crown Prince Zhao Chi plotted regicide! The Jinyiwei caught the Imperial Chef attempting to poison his target and, after interrogating him through the night, found dragon robes and the Jade Seal in the Eastern Pce. ording to the Eunuch of the Eastern Pce¡¯s testimony, the Crown Prince had ordered that he be addressed as His Majesty, the Crown Princess Consort as the Empress Dowager, and the other concubines in corresponding terms to the Inner Pce. Faced with irrefutable evidence, Zhao Chi had no defense and admitted to colluding with the Regent¡¯s mansion to plot treason. The Emperor Hongchang raged! The Imperial Guards surrounded the Regent¡¯s mansion while the Jinyiwei conducted a citywide manhunt for allies of the Crown Prince. Captain Zhu turned out to be a new pawn under the Crown Prince¡¯smand! Chapter 29 - 29 Blood Refinement Technique Chapter 29: Blood Refinement Technique Editor: Henyee Trantions Now. The prison cell is a dark door. Zhou Yi is outside. Captain Zhu is inside. ¡°Old Zhou, if you want tough, justugh, I can handle it!¡± Captain Zhu, dressed in a wretched white prisoner¡¯s uniform and with a face like he was mourning, said, ¡°Considering the many years we¡¯ve been colleagues, could I ask you for a favor?¡± Zhou Yi nodded and said, ¡°Old Zhu, just speak your mind.¡± Captain Zhu pleaded, ¡°I¡¯m suspected of plotting tomit treason, which inevitably leads to my family being exiled and our property being seized. When the timees, could you help out a bit, Old Zhou? Just to make sure my wife and children don¡¯t suffer unnecessarily on the road.¡± ¡°Old Zhu, how did you get involved with the Crown Prince¡¯s faction?¡± Zhou Yi didn¡¯t look down on people, but before the act of treason, the Crown Prince was already the regent. How could he take an interest in a mere ninth-grade captain? ¡°At the big wedding of Bai Junma two years ago, I got in touch with the nephew of Duke Qi.¡± Captain Zhu said, ¡°Later, using the convenience of the Sky Prison, I extorted quite a sum of silver from a few corrupt officials, and thus, caught the eye of the Crown Prince.¡± The niece of Duke Qi was the Crown Prince¡¯s consort. Due to the conspiracy case, the Duke was demoted to a Marquis. Those corrupt officials detained in the Sky Prison had hidden their ill-gotten gains before the case came to light. Captain Zhu, taking advantage of his position, ferreted out the silver through severe torture and temptations. The nephew of Duke Qi was in dire need of silver to buy his official position, so he didn¡¯t mind Captain Zhu¡¯s humble background and pulled him into the Crown Prince¡¯s party. ¡°Old Zhu, rest assured about this matter. Your colleagues in prison will definitely take good care of your family,¡± Zhou Yiforted him, ¡°Once they are sent to the ce of exile, I¡¯ll also talk to the local officials. I can¡¯t promise a life of luxury, but at least they won¡¯t be subjected to hardbor and ill-treatment.¡± ¡°Such righteousness, Old Zhou!¡± Captain Zhu was inexplicably moved. It¡¯s easy to find people who add flowers to brocade, but rare to find those who give coal in snow. Zhou Yi consoled Captain Zhu some more, saying that once his family was pardoned and returned to the Divine Capital, he could arrange for them to be jailers. They would be safe and secure, and all would be well. ¡­ Prison Cell B-9. This cell had problematic Feng Shui; many high-ranking people who entered met their doom here. Li Ye paced back and forth in the cell, asionally ncing down the corridor as if he was expecting something. Sharing the cell with Li Ye were his three younger brothers, ranging from seven or eight to a little over ten years old; they looked terrified and pale. Zhou Yi arrived outside the prison door, his gaze sweeping over the four individuals. The three younger ones had been born into luxury and were not ustomed to apanying their father Li Wu on his military campaigns. Their vibrancy paled inparison to Li Ye¡¯s. A flicker of joy crossed Li Ye¡¯s eyes as he tentatively said, ¡°Senior, you are¡­¡± ¡°Indeed, it is I.¡± Zhou Yimunicated telepathically: ¡°I promised Li Wu that I would preserve a line of Li¡¯s blood, to prevent the end of a hero¡¯s lineage!¡± The elderly voice that reached his ears was identical to that of the senior who had acted secretly before. Li Ye breathed a sigh of relief in his heart; this was thest lifeline his father had left for the Li family. ¡°I thank you, Senior, for saving my life.¡± Li Ye, observing Zhou Yi¡¯s words and expressions, understood that Zhou Yi didn¡¯t want to reveal his identity and asked his three brothers to temporarily retire to the inner room. Zhou Yi curiously asked, ¡°How did you know my identity?¡± Li Ye replied, ¡°Before my father¡¯s demise, he sent word that if one day the entire Li n was imprisoned, in this very cell, waiting for the food delivery, it would be the Li family¡¯sst chance.¡± Zhou Yi then asked, ¡°Did the Li family really get involved in the Crown Prince¡¯s rebellion?¡± Li Ye was silent for a moment before answering truthfully, ¡°Indeed, I have been in contact with the Eastern Pce, hoping to help the Crown Prince ascend to the throne sooner, as a means of seeking life in the face of death. However, there wasn¡¯t enough time to get in touch with my old contacts in the army.¡± Zhou Yi, surprised, said, ¡°So, are you saying the rebellion was orchestrated by Emperor Hongchang himself?¡± Li Ye nodded and said, ¡°To my knowledge, the Crown Prince never had any intent to assassinate; he simply wished to force the incumbent to abdicate.¡± Zhou Yi clicked his tongue in amazement: ¡°Emperor Hongchang is indeed ruthless, willing to discard his own son to wipe out the Li family root and branch. Such a hasty frame-up clearly suggests his time is running short.¡± Li Ye bowed deeply and said, ¡°I implore you, Senior, to save the Li family!¡± Zhou Yi reminded him, ¡°I promised Li Wu I would only save one.¡± The four sons of Li Wu were criminals in the eyes of the Imperial Court, thorns in the flesh of Emperor Hongchang. nning to rescue even one was immensely risky. ¡°I dare not ask for too much; to preserve the bloodline of the Li family is already more than I could have hoped for,¡± he said. Li Ye continued, ¡°Before his death, my father left behind a secret technique, which was taught to him by the previous emperor. Now that the Imperial n seeks to annihte the Li family, I am no longer bound by my oath. I offer this technique in exchange for you taking my youngest brother as your direct disciple!¡± ¡°Your youngest brother?¡± Zhou Yi, puzzled, said, ¡°You are the current Marquis of the Nation. If you die, the Li family¡¯s connections in the military will be mostly gone.¡± ¡°After my father¡¯s death, once-closet uncles shunned the Li family as if we were snakes or scorpions. What connections are you speaking of?¡± Li Ye said, ¡°Ick talent in the martial arts, with no hope of bing a grandmaster. My youngest brother, on the other hand, is exceptionally gifted. If he could train by your side, he might break through to the Innate realm someday.¡± ¡°Is it the Flying Sword Technique?¡± Zhou Yi asked. Li Wu had once lured and killed martial arts experts. Old Bai had seen it with his own eyes, how the flying sword slew as easily as mowing down grass. ¡°The secret technique is known as the Blood Refinement of Spiritual Weapons; only Innate grandmasters can practice it,¡± he exined. Li Ye exined, ¡°You seek a Spiritual Vessel, then perform a Blood Sacrifice on it. If the heart resonates with it, after years of nurturing, it can be integrated into the body andmanded as easily as one¡¯s own limbs.¡± Zhou Yi showed interest but shook his head, ¡°Although the technique is impressive, I¡¯m afraid I do not take disciples.¡± In this era, the rtionship between a master and disciple is not simply that of teacher and student¡ªit¡¯s akin to having another set of parents. If the master needs help, disciples are there to toil. If the disciplemits evil, the master also bears the me. Li Ye heaved a sigh of resignation. The Blood Refinement Technique was the only thing of value he had to offer; he had nothing else that could move a grandmaster. ¡°However¡­¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s tone shifted, ¡°I possess a cultivation technique that requires a special kind of root and bone structure; very few people in the world can seed at it. If one can master it and devote several decades to diligent practice, reaching the Innate realm is within reach!¡± Li Ye pondered for a moment, understanding he had no other option, ¡°Thank you for your generous offer of the technique, senior. I will now reveal the Blood Refinement Technique¡­¡± He proceeded to disclose every detail of the secret technique to Zhou Yi, leaving out not a single word. ¡°Such a technique can already be considered Artifact Refining,¡± Zhou Yi mused to himself, finding it increasingly profound. He asked, ¡°How can you tell? What qualifies as a Spiritual Vessel?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure myself, but my father once said that in the Divine Capital, there are two items that possess spirit,¡± Li Ye said. ¡°The Mountain and River Cauldron, enshrined within the Grand Temple, and the Jade Seal, passed down through Fengyang Country; these two artifacts, alongside the Founding Great Ancestor¡¯s Sword my father wielded, are known as the Three Treasures of Fengyang.¡± ¡°Both sound quite troublesome,¡± Zhou Yi remarked. Having seen the Grand Temple¡¯s Mountain and River Cauldron before, he knew it to be nearly as tall as a person and weighed two or three tons. The Jade Seal, though small, was hidden deep within the imperial pce, guarded by countless imperial soldiers. Locating exactly which pce and where the seal was required personal exploration. ¡°Let¡¯s put this matter aside for now; we can n for it gradually in the future.¡± Zhou Yi could afford to wait. He might even oust the copse of Fengyang Country, at which point the Mountain and River Cauldron and Jade Seal would be within easy reach. ¡°This cultivation technique I have is called the Guiyuan Technique, and less than one in ten thousand people are capable of practicing it,¡± Zhou Yi said. ¡°Bring your three younger brothers to me. I will test their root and bone structure one by one. If it doesn¡¯t work out¡­ other family members can try.¡± ¡°We will do as you say, senior,¡± Li Ye replied without insisting that his three younger brothers survive. Other cells still held Li Wu¡¯s children by concubines, and even further removed were lesser branches of the Li family. The great n of revenge for the n could not be severed by the degree of kinship! ¡°The universe is boundless and endless; when elementsbine, vital energy converges, mingling back into unity¡­¡± Zhou Yi imparted the Guiyuan Technique to the four brothers and waited as they sat in meditation to practice. They didn¡¯t actually have to produce Mana, but merely being able to attract the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth would indicate potential for cultivation. About half an hourter. Li Ye stood up first, shaking his head slightly, then turned to look at his three younger brothers with hopeful eyes. His second and third brothers then finished their meditation, but no matter what, they couldn¡¯t sense the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth described in the Guiyuan Technique. Only the fourth brother, Li Hong, remained seated in meditation, not only showing no signs of fatigue but also disying an expression of immersion and enjoyment. ¡°Is this¡­ a Spirit Root?¡± Zhou Yi, with his keen senses, felt the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth fluctuating ever so slightly, converging towards Li Hong at a speed several times faster than when he himself cultivated. ¡°The Li family has its sessor!¡± Chapter 30: The Mainstay of Rejuvenation Chapter 30: The Mainstay of Rejuvenation Editor: Henyee Trantions Li Hong awakened from his cultivation, and upon opening his eyes, he saw his eldest brother staring intently at him. ¡°Fourth brother, how do you feel?¡± Li Ye believed that a grandmaster would not stoop so low as to deceive him, yet the changes in Li Hong would determine the subsequent instructions. ¡°Very good!¡± Since his youth, Li Hong had been practicing top-tier internal cultivation techniques, with martial arts experts refining his muscles and bones, and after consuming numerous elixirs, his physique and strength had greatly increased after a short period of spiritual energy nourishment and regtion. ¡°Once the senior saves you and takes you away, find a ce to covertly cultivate and break through to the Innate level, then seek an opportunity to avenge our nsmen!¡± Li Ye instructed, ¡°If the Zhao family also has a grandmaster for protection, then you need not take the risk to seek revenge, change your name and identity instead, and carry on the Li family lineage.¡± ¡°Eldest brother!¡± Although Li Hong was young, he understood the implication and couldn¡¯t help but want to cry out loud. ¡°Men of the Li family can bleed, can die, but must never shed tears!¡± Li Ye scolded Li Hong not to be cowardly and repeatedly instructed him to focus on his cultivation in the future, to be wary of the Jinyiwei, and to prioritize survival over revenge, among other things. ¡°Thank you, senior, for the grace of saving my life and passing on the cultivation technique. No matter whether the Li family prospers or declines, the descendants will respect you like parents and revere you like ancestors!¡± Li Ye, with his three younger brothers, kowtowed on the ground. ¡°There is no need for such a grand gesture.¡± Zhou Yi asked, ¡°When do you n to rescue him from the prison?¡± Li Ye replied, ¡°Senior, please wait a few days. Once the Imperial Court issues the verdict, it is highly likely that it will involve stripping of rank and exile to the border. If bandits attack during the journey, you can take advantage of the chaos to rescue the fourth brother.¡± Zhou Yi nodded slightly, agreeing that doing so would not attract attention and would thus make Li Hong¡¯s covert cultivation much safer afterward. ¡°How can you be so sure the Imperial Court will decide on exile? To eradicate your family, the current ruler even sacrificed his own son!¡± Li Ye said, ¡°Emperor Hongchang is wholeheartedly striving to be a sage and illustrious monarch, to leave his name in history and will not want the infamy of mistreating a meritorious official. To spare the Li family¡¯s lives will earn him the reputation of benevolence, and then he can quietly eradicate the family using bandits. It¡¯s the best of both worlds!¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°Putting aside the plight of the Li family, Emperor Hongchang is indeed a regent of revival!¡± During Emperor Chongming¡¯s reign, Fengyang Country nearly copsed, with most of its territory falling into the hands of Great Yong and rebels. In the eighteen years since Emperor Hongchang took the throne, he had managed to sweep away the decadence and restore the prosperity of the National Dynasty. Li Wu contributed significantly to this, but warfare is not the only aspect of running a state. Emperor Hongchang¡¯s effective handling of the mess left by Emperor Chongming proved him to be a truly capable and sovereign ruler. ¡°The Dog Emperor himself was nothing extraordinary, but his eye for people was incredibly urate, with both Li Wu and Emperor Hongchang.¡± Zhou Yi, remembering the arrangements Emperor Chongming had made on his deathbed, secretly developed Li Wu, schemed to death the Dragon Chancellor, and decreed that the third prince ascend the throne, calcting and orchestrating everything brilliantly. ¡°How has such a clever person be so engrossed in seeking the way of Immortal cultivation?¡± ¡°Senior¡­¡± Seeing Zhou Yi¡¯s change in expression, Li Ye thought there might have been an oversight and added, ¡°If Emperor Hongchang sentences the Li family to beheading, then I must trouble the senior to rescue the fourth brother during the escort.¡± ¡°Why not in the prison?¡± Currently, Zhou Yi was the most senior jailer in the prison, having ousted three wardens, and it would be effortless to rece someone. Li Ye said, ¡°The four of us brothers are thorns in Emperor Hongchang¡¯s side. Any mishap in the prison will surely implicate the officers and officials there, and so it would not be good if it affected the senior¡¯s seclusion.¡± Zhou Yi looked deeply at Li Ye for a moment and nodded his head, not saying much further. Such a thoroughly perceptive person could thrive anywhere. It was a misfortune for him to have been born into the Li family. ¡­ What followed was indeed within Li Ye¡¯s predictions. The Imperial Court¡¯s three judicial departments conducted a joint trial, and with the firm evidence of conspiracy, the verdict was quickly delivered. The Crown Prince was stripped of his title and confined for life within the pce, never to leave, while the rest involved received punishments ranging from exile to beheading. Among these, the Li family, as major supporters of the conspiracy, were stripped of their dukedom, and the Nine ns were sentenced to execution! After hearing the verdict, Emperor Hongchang, lying on his sickbed, summoned the Grand Secretary, Zhang Zhengyang. ¡°The Li family has great merits for the National Dynasty. Even if Li Qing has betrayed me, I cannot betray him. Change the sentence from execution of the Nine ns to exile, and ensure that there are no interruptions to the Li family¡¯s lineage!¡± This deration spread throughout the Imperial Court, with the officials loudly praising the Emperor¡¯s mercy! When themon people in the marketces learned of this, they had to admit that the current Emperor was a benevolent sovereign who remembered old loyalties. In the third month of the same year. Under the escort of the Imperial Guard, 137 members of the Li family were transported in prison carts toward the Northern Border. Zhou Yi had already asked for leave half a month in advance, with the reason being visiting friends in the martial world, and his return date was indefinite. Warden Liu, being understanding and reasonable, approved the leave, earnestly telling him that his sry and share of the profits would be kept for him, and no matter how long he was away, to remember toe back. ¡°` After all, it¡¯s hard to find masters in this world who don¡¯t vie for power and profit! Mountain of Eternal Life. The tomb of Emperor Chongming. Zhou Yi¡¯s mana prated the soil, gently tapping the tomb¡¯s apex, but he heard no response after a long wait. ¡°Could something have happened to Huang Yuniang?¡± ¡°Emperor Chongming, that cur, held sway over a nation, collecting all sorts of treasures in the name of the birthday tribute. He might have possessed true Immortal Laws, with Blood Refinement of Spiritual Weapons being one of them!¡± ¡°Sending Huang Yuniang rashly into this tomb was somewhat imprudent!¡± Zhou Yi pondered for a moment before leaving the Mountain of Eternal Life, with no intention of trying to enter the tomb. Many methods rted to cultivation were rumored among themon folk, and if there were formations and prohibitions inside the tomb, a moment of carelessness could lead to death and obliteration of the dao. ¡°I shalle back to investigate after furthering my cultivation!¡± ¡­ Zhou Yi bought a horse and headed north along the official road. Leaving the bounds of the Divine Capital for the first time in more than twenty years, he widely opened his heart to the sights and fellow travelers along the way. The sages once said, ¡°Read thousands of books, travel thousands of miles!¡± Sheltering in a deste temple from rain, he shared a few ghost stories by the campfire with a merchant he happened upon, who, despite being scared sleepless, kept urging him to continue the tales. He also encountered gant heroes of the rivers andkes, who would fight to the death at the slightest provocation. Amidst shes of des and swords, Zhou Yi cheered loudly and even generously rewarded them with a piece of silver. The result was that both heroes, failing to appreciate the gesture, banded together and came at him. ¡°Would Zhou stoop to valuing bravery over sense?¡± Zhou Yi cried out and then fled in a desperate hurry. He also met a dashing and unusual woman of the martial world, who fell for him at first sight, dering that she would marry no other but him. Zhou Yi always heard Old Bai boast about how carefree the men and women of the rivers andkes were, and he wanted to experience it for himself. However, as he followed the woman to a certain residence, no sooner had they arrived and before anything could happen, seven or eight burly men with dark hair leaped out. ¡°Hands up¡­ pah, this is a stick-up!¡± ¡°Old Bai has led me astray!¡± Zhou Yi sighed deeply, with no choice but to kill all the robbers. On his journey, Zhou Yi never neglected his goal, always keeping an eye on the Jinyiwei troops trailing one or two miles behind him. ¡°We¡¯re nearing the Serpentine Mountain!¡± Zhou Yi flicked his reins, and the horse¡¯s hooves galloped, with the mountain rangeing into view at the end of the ins. He rode swiftly on, covering another twenty-odd miles. The mountains ahead were clear to see, twisting and coiling like a giant green python, spanning the sky. Serpentine Mountain! This expansive mountain range had only one path slicing through it, leading to the borders of the Northern Border. Fengyang Country regarded Serpentine Mountain as a natural barrier, so much so that even in thete period of Emperor Chongming¡¯s reign, the Great Yong army failed to breach it. ¡°With many mountains and deep forests, it¡¯s the perfect ce to silence someone! If Emperor Hongchang doesn¡¯t make a move soon, there are quite a few of Li Wu¡¯s proteges among the army of the Northern Border¡­¡± Zhou Yi tied his horse at the mountain¡¯s foot, pped a Featherweight Talisman on himself, and soared towards the Serpentine Mountain. As light as goose down, he lightly touched the ground and sprang into the air, crossing over a dozen yards before gently descending. ¡°Qinggong,bined with talisman spells, already possesses a third of the magic of flying!¡± About an hourter. Zhou Yi ascended to Nameless Peak and looked out far and wide. Mountains stretched like the sea, the setting sun like blood. The mountain wind swept through the forest, with undting verdant waves, the momentum grand and majestic. An eagle soared above, while a tiger¡¯s roar echoed through the mountains. Zhou Yi looked down at the mountain road below, with the Jinyiwei and the prison cart stretching a mile or two, faintly hearing the sound of weeping. ¡°Such a scene, to kill and stain with blood would be far from beautiful!¡± Chapter 31: Desolate City of the Northern Border Chapter 31: Deste City of the Northern Border Editor: Henyee Trantions In the dense forest. Countless mountain banditsy in secret ambush, coldly staring at the prison cart below. Whoo¡ªtweet tweet¡ª Bird calls with some rhythm began to sound, and the bandits¡¯ eyes shed with a bloodthirsty light as they surged out from behind rocks, from bushes, and atop trees. ¡°Brother, lend me your clothes.¡± A voice rang out behind a bandit. Before the bandit could turn around, there wasplete silence. Zhou Yi changed into the clothes, his mana coursing as he employed the Bone Transformation Skill. After altering his facial structure, he further disguised himself with the Art of Disguise, ending up looking seventy to eighty percent simr to the dead bandit. At this time. The Imperial Guards on the mountain path had already detected something amiss. The head of the Imperial Guards, Yang Shou, saw birds suddenly take flight from the mountains and waved his hand to signal a halt to the march, ordering scouts to investigate on the mountain. After a long wait with no sign of the scouts returning, it was certain that an ambushy within the mountains. ¡°Form up, prepare to meet the enemy!¡± Yang Shou led the elite of the Imperial Guards; they quickly gathered around the prison cart and formed a defensive circle, ready for action. ¡°Hahaha! Heaven above! As a protector under the Heavenly King, today I will ughter all of Butcher Li¡¯s n as a sacrifice to the Heavenly King!¡± A deafeningughter echoed through the air, followed by dozens of huge rocks flying from the mountain, raining down on the troop formation like raindrops. ¡°Stone-Throwing Cart!¡± Yang Shou let out a cry of rm but before he could scatter his troops, the boulders came crashing down upon them. The huge stones thrown from the mountain were too powerful for any man to withstand; as they struck the crowd, screams of agony followed without cease. After three or four rounds of boulders, the formation of the Imperial Guards was shattered. ¡°Kill! Kill¡­¡± Charging and killing shouts erupted from both sides of the mountain, the sound suggesting the presence of at least several thousand people. Yang Shou shouted loudly, ¡°Form up, form up!¡± The Imperial Guards struggled to reassemble their ranks only to face a downpour of arrows resulting in heavy casualties and deaths. ¡°Defend!¡± A look of despair shed through Yang Shou¡¯s eyes, not from fear of the enemy¡¯s numbers, but from another spection that had formed in his mind. At least a dozen Stone-Throwing Carts, organized archers¡ªthese were not things that mountain bandits or rebel armies could afford. The mention of a background was clearly just a pretense. As soon as the Imperial Guards made contact with the mountain bandits, they immediately sensed that something was off. The elite Imperial Guards, hardened by daily training, were overwhelmed by the formidable strength of the mountain bandits. Yang Shou, wielding his long spear, killed several bandits and had a clearer view from horseback¡ªit was evident that the Imperial Guards were being forced back step by step. ¡°I cannot die like this!¡± Themander¡¯s heart harbored thoughts of retreat, and if he would not stand and fight, how could his soldiers? And whether intentional or idental, there were no bandits blocking the mountain path ahead or behind. Thus, after Yang Shou was the first to flee on his horse, the Imperial Guards broke rank and scattered in retreat. The bandits¡¯ target was the prison cart; they made no move to chase the fleeing soldiers, instead wielding their weapons to ughter the prisoners. The members of the Li n in the prison cart, with shackles on their hands and feet, were utterly incapable of resistance and could only watch as they were massacred. In the woods. Zhou Yi, carrying the young Li Hong, stood on a tree branch. ¡°Time to go. In a while, they¡¯ll check the corpses and might notice something odd.¡± During the confusion of the fight between the Imperial Guards and the bandits, Zhou Yi took the opportunity to rescue Li Hong and left behind a simr-sized bandit with a disfigured face on the prison cart. ¡°Senior, please wait, I want to watch my n members die with my own eyes, so that I can etch this hatred even deeper into my heart.¡± Li Hong showed no tears or sorrow but listened as his mother, elder brother, and rtives screamed in agony, each meeting their end under the bandits¡¯ des. A momentter. All members of the Li ny dead, and the bandits opened the prison cart,ying out the corpses one by one. Several of the bandits, dressed in long robes, came forward to count the bodies. Among them, a few corpses had faces so mangled with blood and flesh that they had to be carefully identified by their body shape and attire. ¡°This was the doing of a prominent family from Jiangnan.¡± Hearing the conversation between the men in long robes, Zhou Yi said, ¡°They haven¡¯t suspected you, they just think that your face was severely wounded in the melee.¡± ¡°Those few are my younger uncle Li Chi, my cousin Li Yi, my younger cousin Li Liang, and I am only a year or two apart from them in age, and our statures are also quite simr. Eldest brother is meticulous, fearing that I would be pursued by the Jinyiwei, he sent someone to disfigure their faces.¡± Li Hong¡¯s voice was calm and unemotional, the only sign of distress was the bloodshot redness in his eyes. ¡°To be honest, I am more impressed with your brother. Neither the person who disfigured their faces nor the one who struck the blow likely knew the purpose behind what he did!¡± Zhou Yi, holding onto Li Hong¡¯s cor, leapt away and disappeared into the woods in a few bounds. ¡­ Northern Border. Deste City. Just hearing the name, one knows it is a ce of bitter cold. Criminals exiled by Fengyang Country were all in this ce, with an iron mine nearby, continuously worked until they died or a general amnesty was dered. The sound of horse hooves in session awakened the soldiers on watch. ¡°Halt!¡± The soldiers hurriedly drew their swords and stopped the two riders who came galloping up: ¡°What brings you to Deste City?¡± ¡°To visit an old friend.¡± Zhou Yi dismounted from his horse, and two silver lumps rolled out: ¡°Oh? Brother, you dropped your silver!¡± ¡°Ah?¡± The gate official seemed to have never encountered such a brazen briber; even those officials who were the least concerned with saving face would transfer silver on the sly. Disgusting, even with a covered face? The gate official felt contempt in his heart, yet he quickly reached forward to pick up the silver, wiping it off and stuffing it into his chest: ¡°Who is it that this gentleman is looking for?¡± Zhou Yi replied, ¡°I only know his surname is Wei, from Yuzhou, probably came here around the thirty-sixth year of Chongming.¡± The gate official dragged out his words, ¡°It¡¯s been nearly thirty years; who knows if he¡¯s still alive, it¡¯s not going to be easy to deal with!¡± Zhou Yi flicked his sleeve, and another two lumps of silver fell out. The gate official helplessly said, ¡°You can go to the city and look for Liu San, he manages the miners from Yuzhou, if he¡¯s still alive, you¡¯re certain to find him.¡± Zhou Yi took out two more lumps of silver from his chest: ¡°Is there a way to see him, to arrange some lighter work?¡± The gate official felt it burning his hand: ¡°For that, you need to go to the yamen and look for Steward Sun from the household department; with silver, you could work as an odd-job man at the yamen.¡± Zhou Yi continued handing over silver, ¡°Is there anything else I need to be aware of?¡± ¡°My lord, you¡¯re generous!¡± The gate official patted his chest, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it for you, don¡¯t worry about finding someone; heck, even getting someone out of Deste City is possible.¡± Zhou Yi said in surprise, ¡°You can take someone away?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand, how else would the mine have so many deaths each year if people couldn¡¯t be taken away?¡± The gate official instructed his soldiers to guard well and not to let any thieves into the city, then led Zhou Yi and another into the city. Inside the city, walls were broken, and weeds grew wild in the streets; not even a single figure was visible. The shops on both sides were deste, broken windows and doors creaking in the wind, the noise echoing like ghosts. ¡°This ce used to be a military base, quite prosperous back in the day. Now that the border troops have moved to Yizhou, what¡¯s left is just an empty city¡­¡± The gate official seemed to feel guilty about taking the silver and began acting as a tour guide, narrating the history of Deste City. ¡°Look at the Gathering Generals tform, where once the Duke of the State beat the drums of war¡­¡± ¡°This tavern used to have Divine Capital¡¯s finest wine. After every victory, the Duke woulde here for a drink¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Most of what the gate official spoke about rted to the Duke of the State and only upon arriving at the Northern Border did one truly understand the extent of Li Wu¡¯s renown and his far-reaching influence. Li Hong, following what the gate official said, seemed to see his fathermanding troops on the Gathering Generals tform, drinking merrily in taverns. Zhou Yi patted Li Hong¡¯s shoulder and whispered, ¡°Remember what your brother cautioned!¡± Li Hong nodded slightly, subduing and containing his emotions. ¡°Rest assured, sir, I will change my surname to Zhou before advancing to Innate.¡± Silver yed a bigger role in Deste City than Zhou Yi had anticipated. Thanks to the introduction by the gate official, Steward Sun from the household department proved to be understanding, stating his price openly. ¡°A thousand taels for a living person, with an additional two hundred taels to be added to the household registry ¡ª fair and square for young and old alike!¡± Chapter 32 - 32 The Old Friend’s Descendant Chapter 32: The Old Friend¡¯s Descendant Editor: Henyee Trantions County Government Office. Household Administration. Steward Sun discussed with Zhou Yi the buying and selling of criminal convicts, openly in front of various clerks and colleagues, evidently, this matter was an open secret in Deste City. One usually relies on their environment for sustenance. The Wild City Yamen survived by selling convicts. For twelve hundred taels of silver, exiled convicts could fake death at the mines, change their names and surnames, and have their household registration moved to Deste City. After some years and pulling the right strings, they could be transferred to other prefectures, thereby washing themselves clean and bingmon citizens. ¡°Master Zhou, don¡¯t find it too expensive; this silver isn¡¯t going into our own pockets,¡± Steward Sun indicated upwards: ¡°The grand master is a graduate of the imperial exams from twelve years ago. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Turns out he¡¯s a disciple of Chancellor Zhang!¡± Zhou Yi showed respect and whispered, ¡°That year during the pce exams, things were anything but peaceful. While everyone¡¯s attention was on the posting of results, Chancellor Zhang took the opportunity to¡­¡± He made a grasping motion with his hand, his eyes sweeping across the officials of the Household Administration, asking, ¡°Do you know why?¡± Steward Sun bowed and said, ¡°Please enlighten us, master!¡± The various clerks of the Household Administration perked up their ears, noting down these state secrets of the National Dynasty. When recounting them to colleagues over drinkster, it would be the cr¨¨me de cr¨¨me of conversation topics, a delightful indulgence akin to discussing international politics at a barbecue stand. ¡°That year the Duke of the State won a great victory on the Northern Border, seizing the momentum to invade Great Yong, achieving tremendous acim!¡± Zhou Yi slowly continued, ¡°The serving Minister of War was a high-ranking military officer who had previously joined forces with the Duke of the State to crush the rebel forces in Jiangnan. With one inside and one outside, no one in the Imperial Court could control them.¡± ¡°Chancellor Zhang seized this opportunity to remove him, breaking the National Dynasty¡¯s conventions, and a civilian official took on the role of Minister of War¡­¡± ¡°Hiss!¡± Steward Sun no longer doubted that Mr. Zhou must havee from the Divine Capital. He spoke with respect, ¡°Please have a seat, master. I will hurry thosezy workers along!¡± ¡°Thank you for your trouble, steward.¡± Zhou Yi behaved with decorum and grace, neither condescending nor arrogant, with a manner that was as refreshing as a spring breeze. It took only a moment for him to engage in a joyful conversation with the Household Administration clerks. He casually mentioned secrets of the Divine Capital, such as a certain high official retiring back to his hometown, who, to everyone¡¯s surprise, ran up a debt of several thousands of taels of silver at the Spring Breeze Building without paying his bill, resulting in the courtesan whispering into the ear of the Imperial Censor. Consequently, the official faced over a dozen censures and ended up disgraced,pelled to beg for retirement. Such rumors were not to be taken as gospel, for who could really know the reasons behind an official¡¯s retirement? But, traditionally, people much prefer such scandalous news. Steward Sun eximed in amazement, ¡°What kind of ce is the Spring Breeze Building that it could influence the Imperial Censor to submit a censure?¡± ¡°Ordinary people who visit the Divine Capital only know The Bureau of Music as a nice area, but that¡¯s not really the case. The Bureau of Music is for lesser officials. The real Golden Cavern of the Divine Capital is none other than the Spring Breeze Building¡­¡± When Zhou Yi mentioned this, everyone became more energetic. Initially, he was just casually chatting with the Household Administration clerks, but after he reviewed three or five Oirans, clerks from all the other conference rooms crowded around. Divine Capital had three significant realms, all of which Zhou Yi knew only too well. Home, the imperial prison, and the Spring Breeze Building. Having mingled in the Spring Breeze Building for over twenty years, Zhou Yi had profound exchanges with the dozens of Oirans selected during that period. His critiques were so incisive and knowledgeable that they entered the heart like a piercingsh. Among a group of men, nothing forges bonds better than discussing sensual pleasures¡ªa truth as old as time! Zhou Yi sighed and said, ¡°The Oiran selected the year beforest, Su Xiao Xiao, was of the finest caliber in nearly a decade. Sadly, before her grooming wasplete, she caught the eye of Duke Wei and he spent money to take her into his household as a concubine.¡± ¡°A woman from the pleasure quarters managed to enter the Duke¡¯s household?¡± ¡°Duke Wei, he¡¯s an extremely powerful figure!¡± ¡°Truly, she has good fortune!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The crowd burst into a lively discussion. The fates of those Oirans weren¡¯t all that great¡ªthose who retired gracefully became concubines to merchants, and most ended up asmon prostitutes as they aged and lost their charm. ¡°` ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. The one with the worst fate has to be Su Xiaoxiao!¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s voice took a turn, piquing everyone¡¯s curiosity as he leisurely sipped his tea, ¡°That lord from the National Dynasty also feared his wife. It wasn¡¯t long after Su Xiaoxiao entered his residence when she unfortunately fell into a well and died.¡± ¡°s¡­¡± ¡°What a pity, what a pity!¡± ¡°The most superior in recent ten years, yet fated not to be seen!¡± ¡°Heaven envies the beauty!¡± ¡°I always said, how could such a mere prostitute be so fortunate?¡± No one reproached the lord¡¯s wife for the murder, even deeming Su Xiaoxiao deserved her end, thinking a prostitute striving to cling to the noble threshold of the National Dynasty¡¯s household was simply seeking her own destruction. Wei Chang, the lecherous lord of the National Dynasty, on the contrary, because of his fear of his wife, ended up winning people¡¯s favor. If even the mighty lord feared his wife, and I too fear my wife, doesn¡¯t that make me on par with the lord? The ways of the world are such, beyond anyone¡¯s power to change. As the conversation flowed, footsteps approached, and the bailiffs ushered in seven prisoners in convict garb. The mine was situated over ten miles from Deste City, and identifying and verifying each individual took no less than four or five hours. As dusk approached, the tasked bailiffs finally brought the men back. More than a hundred mouths from the Wei family were exiled. After over twenty years, only these seven were left, barely clinging to life. Zhou Yi¡¯s gaze swept over the prisoners¡¯ faces, turning to the eldest-looking man to ask, ¡°Are you a descendant of Hero Wei?¡± ¡°Answering to your grace, I am Wei Jun, the third son of my father, Wei Chang,¡± he replied. Wei Jun had been informed by the bailiffs on the way there that the gentleman was an old acquaintance of the Wei family and hade to Deste City to spend silver to save lives. After rescuing Li Hong, Zhou Yi changed his appearance to that of someone who had endured the hardships of the imperial prison, looking slightly aged at forty-five. He deliberately conducted his affairs with this appearance, revealing the favor he owed to Wei Chang from the past while also conveniently exining the origins of his Inner Strength. Knowing this, others wouldn¡¯t face much trouble and would instead respect Zhou Yi for repaying a debt of gratitude. Zhou Yi inquired, ¡°Hero Wei was once kind to me, and today I am here to repay that kindness. Think carefully, would you rather return to your old home or stay at the Northern Border?¡± ¡°Your grace, we¡¯ve already discussed this on the road, and we will not return to Yuzhou but will stay in the Northern Border to make a living,¡± Wei Jun answered, ¡°We¡¯ll wait a few decades before going back to offer incense and sacrifices to our ancestors.¡± It had only been just over twenty years since the Wei Chang case, and there were still many enemies of the Wei family in Yuzhou. Even if they changed their names and identities, once recognized and reported, the Imperial Court would still send someone to verify their identity. ¡°Hmm.¡± Zhou Yi gave an affirming grunt and pulled a stack of silver notes from his sleeve, ¡°I must trouble you, Steward Sun. I see that Deste City has many vacant houses; is it possible to purchase one for the Wei family to reside in?¡± ¡°Sir, you jest. For broken and abandoned houses, there¡¯s no need to buy; simply choose any and have it transferred,¡± Steward Sun received the silver notes, no less than fifteen or sixteen of them, grinning ear to ear, ¡°If the Wei family wishes to stay in the city, they can be arranged to join the householders and work as servants. Their daily task will be to guard the granary. They¡¯ll certainly notck food and drink.¡± Seeing Zhou Yi look over, Wei Jun quickly responded, ¡°Thank you, your grace, and thank you, Steward Sun!¡± The Wei family was endlessly grateful to Zhou Yi. After their family¡¯s destruction, they truly understood the reality of rtionships. Back in Yuzhou, the Wei family had a significant reputation, the Flying Rainbow Swordsman had extensive connections, yet when misfortune struck, not one person lent a helping hand. In the Jianghu, many are fair-weather friends, and only on rare asions do you find real heroes, who then be widely celebrated in tales and stories. One should not assume everyone is as such. ¡°Old Sun, the robust ss needs people. Why note to work here? Patrolling the mines is carefree.¡± ¡°The armory is also short on hands, guarding the city gate has many perks.¡± ¡°Nonepare to the ease of my ritual room. No need to report for daily attendance, after all, there aren¡¯t even any schrs in the city!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The stewards of the three sses and six rooms all made their voices heard, firstly out of respect for Zhou Yi¡¯s extraordinary origins, and secondly out of consideration for the silver in y. Zhou Yi sped his hands together and said with a smile, ¡°Thank you all. I¡¯ll be counting on you to look after the Wei family in the future. Once I¡¯m off to the Divine Capital, I can¡¯t make promises about an Oiran at Spring Breeze Building, but anything else is yours to arrange!¡± Laughter erupted all around. Chapter 33 - 33 The Remaining Defeated Soldiers Chapter 33: The Remaining Defeated Soldiers Editor: Henyee Trantions The Wild City Yamen was very particr about rules; they would act immediately upon receiving money. The eight members of the Wei family were instantly registered as residents and were issued identity certificates, with the archives recording that the ¡°Wei n¡± had been doing business in the Deste City for generations. Wei changed his surname to Wei, and he also chose a homophone for his name. Zhou Yi wondered, ¡°Isn¡¯t such direct forgery risky for potential errors?¡± ¡°Mr. Zhou, please be at ease. In the arid climate of the Northern Border, documents easily get damaged.¡± Steward Sun exined, ¡°These archives are burnt clean every year, so no one can find anything upon investigation. Besides, who are the people managing household registration, and who would dare to check?¡± Zhou Yi slightly nodded, acknowledging that this method was somewhat simr to that of the Sky Prison. The Sky Prison also had means of substitution and was extremely secretive and careful, unlike here where things were done tantly without regard for consequences. The power of the emperor doesn¡¯t reach into the viges, not to mention the far-off Deste City. The Deste City didn¡¯t even have a tavern, so the Yamen¡¯s kitchen prepared a table full of dishes, with more game than vegetables. Drinking the strong liquor unique to the Northern Border and boasting of various true and false exploits, the atmosphere was quite lively. During the feast, the County Magistrate also made an appearance, after all, a business dealing over ten thousand silver taels doesn¡¯t happen many times a year. The County Magistrate¡¯s surname was Zhao, his given name was Tai, with a plump and prosperous appearance, shiny and polished, not resembling a schr at all. Even in poverty, one must not let officials suffer; even in hardship, the schr-officials must befortable. Zhao Tai, a man from Jiangnan, had built a garden with flowing water in the Back Office and bought many beautiful ves, living each day in leisure and pleasure. Once the Yamen was closed, it truly bore no difference from the imperial pce! Recalling bygone days in the Divine Capital, Zhao Tai couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°I still remember when I went to the capital to take the exams. I was at the Spring Breeze Building reciting poetry and painting, and I took the lead. I shared my heartfelt feelings with Miss Rui Rui. I wonder how she is now?¡± ¡°She married a wealthy merchant from Jiangnan. It¡¯s said that Miss Rui Rui wanted to see the scenery of Jiangnan, to see if it¡¯s as lovely as depicted in paintings.¡± Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow, unexpectedly encountering the protagonist from the strange tales. Miss Rui Rui had been the Oiran back in the day and had also been famous in the Divine Capital, bound to be noted in some unofficial history books in the future. Her most famous trait was her obsession with men of the Zhao surname, to the point where she rejected the advances of a Princely Heir of a marquess¡¯s house. Some said she was involved with members of the Imperial n, others said with sons of illustrious families. She waited in the Divine Capital for two years but in the end, disheartened, she left to marry far away in Jiangnan. Who knew that the heartbreaker would turn out to be a chubby fat man, whose eyes vanish into mere slits when he smiles! Zhao Taimented the vicissitudes of fate, downing several cups of strong liquor before heading back to the Back Office to ease his sorrows. The meal ended with both hosts and guests in high spirits. After the feast, Steward Sun ordered a servant to lead Zhou Yi and the Wei family to look for a residence. ¡°Mr. Zhou, there were rich households in East City before, with some possessingrge estates with three to five courtyards.¡± The servant stroked the silver in his hand, impressed that the guests from the Divine Capital were indeed generous with their money. The Wei family quickly chose a house, not far from the County Government Office, with front, middle, and back courtyards. The sign on the gate had much of its writing worn off, but from the half-remaining ¡°bow¡± character, it could be inferred that it once belonged to the Zhang family. Most of the rooms in the courtyard were still in good condition, only empty of furniture inside. It was gettingte and they were all rough men, so they casually tidied up a few rooms to get through the night. Zhou Yi activated a Dust Clearing Charm, and the room was instantly clean. He sent a telepathic call for Wei Jun toe for questioning. Wei Jun bowed and said, ¡°Benefactor, what orders do you have for me?¡± Zhou Yi asked, ¡°Do you know which Cultivation Technique Hero Wei relied on when he was renowned in Yuzhou?¡± Wei Jun¡¯s gaze became focused, instinctively thinking that Zhou Yi had rescued the Wei family possibly for his father¡¯s Cultivation Technique legacy, but still obediently answered. ¡°My father depended on an unnamed chanting form and the Flying Rainbow Sword Technique.¡± Cultivation Techniques were vital but not as crucial as one¡¯s family members¡¯ lives. Digging in the iron mines for a few more years, and the Wei n would be eradicated. Zhou Yi nodded and said, ¡°It seems you truly are the descendant of Hero Wei.¡± ¡°Benefactor, do you want that chanting form?¡± Wei Jun recited word by word, ¡°Heaven and earth give birth to Yin and Yang, changing all things¡­¡± Zhou Yi verified the authenticity and waved his hand to interrupt Wei Jun¡¯s recitation, then asked, ¡°Have you ever thought of revenge?¡± Wei Jun initially shook his head then nodded, ¡°When my father was being hunted by the Jinyiwei, he came home to tell us not to seek revenge for him. However, the blood feud of the Wei family is as deep as the ocean and as high as the sky, how could we easily forget!¡± ¡°If the Wei family wishes for revenge, then don¡¯t forget this mantra,¡± Zhou Yi advised, ¡°If the descendants of the Wei family can master this technique, they will surely rise again, and if they can reach the Great Achievement Realm, then they will have hope for revenge.¡± ¡°I will remember the guidance of the benefactor.¡± Wei Jun hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°My benefactor is unaware that I adopted a son at the mine, who has cultivated the Nameless Technique.¡± After Wei Jun exined, Zhou Yi finally understood the situation. The Wei n members all had martial arts foundations and were much stronger than the other prisoners, thus they held some prestige in the mining camp. Some prisoners who were alone and didn¡¯t want to be bullied joined under the Wei n, gradually forming not a small group. ¡°Take this silver, and in a few days, redeem that adopted son of yours.¡± Zhou Yi took out thest two silver notes, ¡°Since he has cultivated the mysterious Nameless Technique, do not treat him like an ox or a horse. Remember, only with sincerity can you effectsting change.¡± These words were heartfelt, enough to repay the debt of gratitude from Wei Chang! Tears filled Wei Jun¡¯s eyes as he respectfully epted the silver notes and knelt to offer thanks. ¡°Thank you, my benefactor, for an enormous kindness the Wei n will never forget. Should we ever be ungrateful, may heaven¡¯s punishment befall the nine ns of the Wei family!¡± ¡­ The next day. Zhou Yi arrived in front of Gathering Generals tform. Li Hong had been sitting there in meditation for an entire day and night, both for cultivation and remembrance. ¡°It¡¯s time to leave.¡± Zhou Yi transmitted his voice, ¡°Find a ce of Spiritual Mountain Blessed Land and go into seclusion to practice the Guiyuan Technique. Your progress will be much faster.¡± ¡°Elder, I have decided to stay here,¡± Li Hong said as he got up. ¡°My father was once unchallengeable in the Northern Border, and I intend to follow in his footsteps. The first step to doing so is to restore the former prosperity of Wild City.¡± Zhou Yi cautioned, ¡°The energy of man is limited, do not neglect your cultivation!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, elder. I had some insights yesterday and have already condensed the first strand of Mana.¡± Li Hong¡¯s fingertips flickered with a spiritual light, faint but visible, a genuine flutter of Mana. ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Yi was suddenly at a loss for words; Mana¡¯s quality and rank were equivalent to the Innate True Yuan. Now Li Hong could be considered to have stepped into the Innate realm, although he was not yet fit for fighting and battling. As they spoke, The ground faintly trembled, and a barely discerniblemotion could be heard. Li Hong stood on the Gathering Generals tform and looked into the distance to the north, where a noisy crowd was approaching. ¡°Elder, it seems that an army hase to Wild City!¡± The army was moving fast, or rather, running away quickly. As they approached the city gates, it became clear that they were a few hundred to a thousand defeated soldiers. Each one was disheveled, having discarded helmets and armor, with only half a g remaining. Themander bellowed, ¡°Open the city gates! Quick, open the gates!¡± The gate official asked, ¡°What soldiers are you, and from where have youe?¡± The Dutoi replied, ¡°I am from Yizhou Wei, under General Chai¡¯smand, Liang Ying. Half a month ago, without a deration of war, Great Yong invaded, and over half of Yizhou has fallen. The attack on us is imminent!¡± ¡°Do not deceive me.¡± The gate official reprimanded, ¡°The thirty thousand Northern Border troops are known for their battle prowess. Five years ago, they swept through Great Yong with ease. Aren¡¯t you just bandits or thieves trying to deceive us into opening the gates for plundering?¡± ¡°Nonsense! There¡¯s nothing worth taking in Wild City; even bandits are toozy toe here to loot,¡± Liang Ying shouted. ¡°There are no thirty thousand troops in the Northern Border now; we cannot even muster fifteen thousand to stop Great Yong¡¯s million-man army from pushing southward!¡± Seeing that the city gates remained closed, the other soldiers became noisy and chaotic. ¡°Those officials from Divine Capital just drain money and soldiers¡¯ blood¡­¡± ¡°Those nobles have no clue about military affairs; they have us farming, hauling, and building houses every day¡­¡± ¡°I heard Great Yong¡¯s soldiers disguised as merchants easily infiltrated the northern guard post and, with internal and external collusion, took it down in just one day¡­¡± ¡°Hurry and open the gates, or we¡¯ll force our way in!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Hearing this, the gate official was frightened and quickly calmed them down, ordering the servants to report urgently to the County Government Office. ¡°The defeated army from the Northern Border¡­¡± Zhou Yi muttered to himself, looking at Li Hong on the Gathering Generals tform, feeling that their meeting was bound to cause a change. Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Plunder and Pige Editor: Henyee Trantions Deste City quickly sprung to life. Liang Ying¡¯s forces were just the beginning, and subsequently, more than ten groups arrived. The smaller contingents had three to five hundred people, therger ones had a thousand or two. They found quarters in the city and then ordered the county magistrate to muster food and fodder. ¡°Deste City doesn¡¯t even have ghosts, how are we to muster food and fodder?¡± Zhao Tai faced schrs that could rely on their schr-mentor connections, but against these starving defeated soldiers, he couldn¡¯t clearly or dare to articte his reasoning, so he had no choice but to transport the food from the mines to be distributed. With several thousand peoplebined in the city, that food wouldst at most three to five days. The generals andmanders of the various units were also aware that Deste City had no food, and theymunicated in private. They imed to the outside world they were enacting a scorched earth policy to resist Great Yong, then they began looting the viges around Deste City. The soldiers passed through like ab, legally and systematically robbing, leaving the homes of themoners empty of everything, forcing them to be refugees dragging their families south to flee for their lives. Those who dared to resist were used of being Great Yong spies! At the city gates. Li Hong watched as cart after cart of food and goods were transported to the various military leaders within the city, struggling to contain the rage in his heart. ¡°Sir, I often hear my elder brother talk about how the million strong army of the Northern Border used to, if notpletely refrain from harming themoners, at least maintain strict discipline. How could they have degenerated to such a state in just a few years?¡± Fearing death in foreign warfare, oppressing themoners at home, the poison of these bandit soldiers is even worse than that of mountain bandits and rebellious armies! ¡°Human nature is just so. It¡¯s difficult to be better, as one must abide by various rules and constantly be tamed and disciplined. Bing worse, however, is very easy; never mind five years, a few months are enough to turn an iron army into bandits!¡± Zhou Yi slowly said, ¡°The situation at the Northern Border is about to escte, and with the dangers of war looming, a wise man does not stand under a copsing wall. Today, I am returning to Divine Capital. Remember, in times of great turmoil, your first and foremost duty is to preserve your life.¡± After lingering in Deste City for half a month, a session of news of defeats from the Northern Border had arrived. Just yesterday, the defeated soldiers in the city nearly rioted because thest military force with aplete structure at the Northern Border was encircled and defeated by Great Yong¡¯s army. The Northern Border¡¯s Yi and Su provinces, which were once Great Yong¡¯s old territories, have now beenpletely reimed. How much more of Fengyang Country will fall is still unknown. Li Hong expressed surprise, ¡°With your strength, Sir, even surpassing my father¡¯s, who in this world could possibly retain you?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t even left Fengyang Country; how can you speak of the vastness of the world?¡± Zhou Yi solemnly said, ¡°Those who practice cultivation must remember not to be arrogant. The world is vast, vast enough that ordinary people cannot traverse it in their entire lifetime!¡± Li Hong performed a disciple¡¯s salute and bowed deeply, ¡°Thank you for your guidance, Sir.¡± In recent days, the exchange with Zhou Yi and the extravagant ideas expressed in these conversations had broadened Li Hong¡¯s horizons. Some ideas seemed unimaginable, yet upon careful reflection, they were truly profound and mystical. Li Hong gained an understanding of many principles not found in books, and although there was no formal master-disciple name between them, there was indeed such a reality. ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± Zhou Yi was not one to dawdle; possessing a life so long and boundless, he needed to get ustomed to partings sooner rather thanter. Li Hong bid farewell with tears, ¡°I wish you a smooth journey, Sir.¡± With his parents and brothers all dead, and now parting ways with Zhou Yi, he truly stood alone in the vast Northern Border. Zhou Yi turned back to take a look and said through a voice transmission. ¡°The chaos in the Northern Border is a catastrophe for themoners, the soldiers, and the Imperial Court. The only one who benefits is you. If you wish to emte Marquess Zhen Guo, you should use your silver to buy a Gueri General rank.¡± After speaking, he mounted his horse and whipped it, galloping away into the distance. A Gueri General with real power tomand troops cost only a few tens of thousands of silver, and even though Marquess Zhen Guo¡¯s residence was in decline, Li Hong could still afford it. ¡­ Following the official road southward. Three dayster. From afar, he could see smoke rising from the chimneys; up ahead was Chen Family Ridge, where he had stayed during his journey. The vige head, Old Chen, was a remarkable person, skilled at roasting delicious crispy rabbit and brewing high-quality yellow wine, and his conversation and insight were extraordinary. Zhou Yi engaged him in extensive discussions about the world and history, only to find that he could not gain the upper hand. They talked throughout the night until they were both content. ¡°Mountain hermits are no different,¡± he muttered.¡± Zhou Yi patted his withered pocket, ¡°Not even a single piece of silver left behind. Brother Chen knows the stars and the geography; he would not begrudge the mere two silver for lodging, would he?¡± Poor at home but rich on the road, Zhou Yi had left with five thousand silver notes, and ¡®heroes¡¯ on the way had gifted him a few thousand more. Now, he had spent everyst penny. As Zhou Yi pondered, he did not stop his horse, drawing ever closer to Chen Family Gully. A gust of wind blew, and his expression subtly changed! ¡°What a strong scent of blood.¡± Zhou Yi leaped from the horseback, covering a hundred zhang in an instant. Indeed, there was smoke in the vige, though it wasn¡¯t from farming households cooking. Instead, two to three hundred soldiers had started fires at the entrance of the vige. The soldiers on guard noticed someone approaching and shouted with their broadswords in hand, ¡°What are you looking at, old man? If you don¡¯t wish to die, scram!¡± ¡°Where are the people of Chen Family Gully?¡± Zhou Yi didn¡¯t need to ask to guess. The soldiers¡¯ garments and swords were stained with fresh blood, the cooks were ughtering pigs and sheep, and piles ofrge and small sacks of grainy nearby. The leader spoke, ¡°What nonsense, just kill him with arrows.¡± At thatmand, bows twanged, and dozens of arrows flew at him. ¡°Zhou has never been fond of fighting, but some people just seem hell-bent on seeking death!¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s figure blurred, moving faster than lightning, exceeding the reaction limit of ordinary people. The leader only saw a faint shadow weaving through his soldiers. They didn¡¯t even make a sound before they copsed like mowed grass. ¡°Ghosts!¡± The leader screamed and ran towards Chen Family Gully, clutching his head. Butchering over two hundred soldiers took merely a few breaths. Zhou Yi pursued in a few leaps, and his icy voice reached the leader¡¯s ear. ¡°You¡¯re so keen to see ghosts; I shall grant your wish!¡± With those words, he activated the Peaceful Home Talisman, and shadows of the dead drifted out of the houses in the vige. Most were indistinct and faceless, but some with missing arms or legs and covered in de and gunshot wounds were clear to see. Among them, one particrly distinct vengeful spirit had a broken neck and two holes in its stomach, from which blood oozed. Shriek! Upon seeing the leader, the vengeful spirit¡¯s resentment soared, its face contorted with fury, and it let out a piercing ghostly wail. The other confused ghostly entities, stirred by the vengeful spirit¡¯s call, rushed to attack. The leader, who had never witnessed such a terrifying scene¡ªseeing one ghost dragging its intestines and another carrying its own head¡ªpassed out as his eyes rolled back in terror. The swarm of ghosts descended upon the leader, about to devour his life force and blood, when suddenly, the malevolent energy of a military formation manifested around him for protection. The pain was as if they were being cut and stabbed, causing the ghosts to scream and retreat, daring not approach any further. The vengeful spirit¡¯s eyes nearly burst from its sockets, its mouth spewing ck fog towards the leader. Zhou Yi circted his mana and used the martial technique Lion¡¯s Roar, ¡°Brother Chen, spare him for the moment; I still have questions to ask him.¡± His voice boomed like thunder, and the vengeful spirit awakened from its fury, recognizing Zhou Yi¡¯s face, its eyes weeping blood. ¡°Thank you, sir, for avenging the bloodshed of Chen Family Gully!¡± ¡°Brother Chen, restrain your grief.¡± Zhou Yi approached the leader, mana piercing through several acupoints, the excruciating pain awakening him from unconsciousness. ¡°Are you a deserter from the Northern Border?¡± The leader, surrounded by ghostly spirits with blood-red eyes staring vengefully at him, chilling him to the bone, quickly crawled up and began to kowtow, pleading desperately. ¡°I had no choice. After the defeat and desertion at the Northern Border, the Imperial Court never issued new orders or distributed food or sries!¡± ¡°For thest seven or eight days, we¡¯ve had no food. To avoid starving to death, we had no option but to plunder the civilians!¡± Chapter 35 - 35 The Ren Yin Transformation Chapter 35: The Ren Yin Transformation Editor: Henyee Trantions Eighteenth year of Hongchang. The year of Renyin. The twenty-third day of the fifth month. Dark clouds obscured the moon, and all was silent. A carriage draped in ck cloth stopped at the back door of Prince Qin¡¯s residence. The guards on duty, upon seeing the elder alight from the carriage, dared not impede him and hurried to report inside the residence. Upon hearing of Zhang Zhengyang¡¯ste-night visit, Zhao Yuan spected that something momentous was afoot and promptly invited the visitor to his study, ordering the guards to dismiss all servants and forbidding anyone from approaching! Zhang Zhengyang, alone, uttered his first sentence upon entering the study, which turned Zhao Yuan pale. ¡°His Majesty has passed away, two hours ago!¡± ¡°Ah! Father Emperor¡­¡± Zhao Yuan eximed in shock, rising to his feet suddenly, then slumped back down and said, ¡°Father Emperor kept even the news of his death secret, there must have been arrangements.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Zhang Zhengyang nodded and said, ¡°Thete Emperor left a decree appointing the four of us as regents to assist the sixth prince in governing the nation.¡± ¡°Then why are you¡­?¡± Zhao Yuan¡¯s eyes shed with hope, the bells of Shangyang Pce had not rung, and Emperor Hongchang¡¯s death was not yet public knowledge; there might be a chance for things to change. Zhang Zhengyang said, ¡°A sovereign should not be doubted, yet the sixth prince is naturally unruly, and does not seem fit for the throne!¡± Zhao Yuan nodded slightly, waiting quietly for what was toe. The so-called ¡®not fit for the throne¡¯ was just a pretense; there must be other reasonspelling Chancellor Zhang to risk defying thete Emperor¡¯s decree. ¡°The other three regents: one a eunuch scoundrel, one an ignorant woman, and one a crude noble!¡± Zhang Zhengyang dered, ¡°The great affairs of the National Dynasty cannot be decided by such people! It was only with thete Emperor¡¯s tireless efforts that the dynasty had its revival. I absolutely cannot stand by and watch it be ruined by an unworthy child!¡± ¡°Chancellor Zhang speaks with reason!¡± Zhao Yuan guessed the identities of the other three and held immense respect for his father¡¯s arrangements in the imperial decree. The eunuch scoundrel, steward of Jinyiwei and controller of the internal secretariat. The sixth prince¡¯s birth mother, Imperial Consort Sun, had her father and brothers in charge of the Capital Garrison. The senior noble, older than eighty, held the greatest prestige and status among the nobility. Chancellor Zhang, who had controlled court politics for nearly twenty years, had supporters throughout the Capital¡¯s court and the provincial governments¡ªa presence remnant of Long Ni¡¯s days. Only these three powerful figures, who were not part of the Officials of the court, could check and bnce Chancellor Zhang, offering the sixth prince enough time to mature and seize power. Beyond his reverence, Zhao Yuan also felt jealous. The current Empress had only one son, and after the Crown Prince was deposed for his conspiracy, Zhao Yuan became the eldest son. So why should the throne fall to the sixth brother? Zhao Yuan could understand his father¡¯s good intentions in limiting Chancellor Zhang¡¯s power through the decree, but that did not mean he wouldply! Zhang Zhengyang continued, ¡°Those three are now in the imperial pce, and the decree has not yet been issued to the six ministries. If Your Highness is inclined, I am willing to offer my full support!¡± ¡°Has Chancellor Zhang forgotten the urgent report from the Northern Border?¡± Zhao Yuan changed his tone, reminding him, ¡°At this critical time, squabbling for power might dy matters on the front, and if the Northern Border is defeated¡­¡± ¡°What of a defeat at the Northern Border? At worst, we cedend and paypensation, which canter be recaptured. There¡¯s only one throne, miss it now and you¡¯ll never have another chance!¡± Chancellor Zhang, the cunning old fox of decades, knew Zhao Yuan was already tempted and added fuel to the fire, ¡°A defeat at the Northern Border may not necessarily be a bad thing. After Your Highness ascends the throne, you can use the war to divert conflicts within the court, thus easily securing your position.¡± ¡°Father Emperor assumed the throne as Prince Qin, and now as Prince Qin, I am the rightful sessor!¡± Zhao Yuan no longer concealed his intentions and promised, ¡°Once I ascend to the throne, Chancellor Zhang will remain as Grand Secretary, managing all affairs within and outside of the court.¡± Zhang Zhengyang bowed deeply in gratitude, ¡°Your servant thanks Your Majesty for his great favor!¡± ¡°Chancellor Zhang, no need for such formality.¡± Zhao Yuan hurriedly stepped forward to lift him, his mind filled with wariness. Zhang Zhengyang, in his quest for power, had betrayed his own Emperor. Once he ascended the throne, his first act would be to purge Zhang¡¯s faction. ¡°There¡¯s no time to lose, we must secure the situation before the decree is promulgated!¡± Zhang Zhengyang said, ¡°I have gathered the servants of my residence and have also won over Commander Lin, who is stationed at the eastern gate of the imperial pce, to fully support Your Highness and quickly take control of the situation in the pce.¡± ¡°That¡¯s excellent!¡± Zhao Yuan ordered the guards¡¯mander to assemble the men, and he also called for the chief steward of his residence, handing him a waist token to dispatch orders to several martial arts schools in Divine Capital to hurry to the eastern gate of the imperial pce to regroup. Each of these martial arts schools was controlled by Zhao Yuan from behind the scenes; when the Crown Prince was in power, they were only used as a means to make money, but now they had transformed into a force vying for power. Or one could say that any prince would nurture atent force, ready for unexpected needs! Speed is of the essence in war, and opportunity cannot be lost. From the moment Zhang Zhengyang entered the prince¡¯s residence, not even a full hour had passed, and Zhao Yuan had already arrived at the eastern gate of the imperial pce with over a thousand men. Armored and weaponed, brandishing swords and spears, their mass was quite imposing. Upon seeing Chancellor Zhang apanying him, Commander Lin ordered the city gates to be opened. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness. The officials are still in Shangyang Pce!¡± ¡°For your great service this time, Commander Lin, you will be granted a marquisate when I ascend the throne.¡± Zhao Yuan¡¯s generous rewards invigorated the morale of the men following him, all of whom believed that entering the imperial pce meant the situation was set. ¡­ Shangyang Pce. The lights were bright. The sixth princey on the dragon bed, sobbing quietly. The Imperial n is not without family affection, especially a child of only ten who was the most beloved by Emperor Hongchang. Eunuch Wang, Duke Chengguo, and Zhang Zhengyang stood before the bed, faces weary. Imperial Consort Sun sat aside and summoned an inner servant to inquire, ¡°What time is it now?¡± ¡°Answering Your Highness, it is the fourth watch of the Yin hour.¡± The inner servant, knowing what Imperial Consort Sun wanted to ask, proactively answered, ¡°There is less than half an hour until the officials attend court.¡± Imperial Consort Sun nced at the unfazed Chancellor Zhang, feeling a sense of relief in her heart, perhaps this man was truly indifferent to the gain or loss of power, a truly loyal and patriotic minister of his generation! Not long ago. Emperor Hongchang had passed awayte at night, and before his death, he had issued a decree to appoint four individuals as regent ministers to assist the sixth prince. Imperial Consort Sun and the others realized immediately that this was Emperor Hongchang¡¯s way of dividing Zhang Zhengyang¡¯s power to prevent the instability of the National Dynasty due to the youth of the monarch and the strength of the minister. Therefore, when Zhang Zhengyang was preparing to leave Shangyang Pce to proim the decree, he was stopped by the other three regent ministers. Having controlled the politics of the Capital for nearly twenty years, Zhang Zhengyang had many hidden forces within the Capital. If he took advantage of the night to conspire and cause trouble, the other three would have no power to resist. After much back-and-forth negotiation, the four set the rule. No one could leave Shangyang Pce before dawn, they would keep the death a secret for now, and wait for the officials to attend court before announcing the decree. Imperial Consort Sun¡¯s confidant left the city to inform the Capital Garrison, Eunuch Wang ordered the inner servants to gather the Jinyiwei, and after the decree was announced at the morning court, they would have enough strength to confront Zhang Zhengyang. Only Duke Chengguo remained unperturbed, as if he had no concern for the major matters of the National Dynasty. Suddenly. Noise came from outside the pce gates, followed by a series of screams. Imperial Consort Sun hastily sent someone to check what was happening outside. Duke Chengguo cast a nce at Zhang Zhengyang, noticing that thetter still had an expressionless face as if he was not surprised by the disturbance outside. The inner servant returned with a face full of terror, ¡°Your Highness, His Highness Prince Qin and Chancellor Zhang have led troops in, killing anyone they see¡­¡± While speaking, he suddenly stopped, and along with other people in the pce, they all turned to look at Zhang Zhengyang. Zhang Zhengyang remained silent, slowly raising his hand to peel off the aged skin behind his ear, revealing his true face. Chapter 36: A Girl Left Orphaned Chapter 36: A Girl Left Orphaned Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Who are you?¡± Imperial Consort Sun screamed out loud. ¡°I am¡­ cough, cough. Having been a eunuch for so long, it¡¯s hard to break the habit of how I speak.¡± This person was pale and beardless, and spoke in a high-pitched voice, ¡°Merely a nobody skilled in petty theft, not worthy of entering the eyes of your highness, the Imperial Consort. You might as well spend more time talking with your son, lest you no longer have the chance to see him!¡± Thinking of the chaos among the troops outside, Imperial Consort Sun couldn¡¯t help but shudder in fear, hugging the Sixth Prince tightly. Eunuch Wang furrowed his brows, recalling all the inner servants in the pce, when suddenly an idea struck him. ¡°You are Feng Zhong, the Pce Cleansing Eunuch from the Imperial Chambers!¡± ¡°No wonder Eunuch Wang was valued by thete emperor and served as a trusted minister despite being a eunuch, truly a first for our National Dynasty.¡± Feng Zhongxian said admiringly, ¡°I am but a lowly figure in charge of cleaningtrines, as insignificant as the maggots in a cesspool, yet Eunuch Wang remembers my name.¡± ¡°I am not like you,¡± Eunuch Wang said coldly, ¡°who, with the art of facial disguise, can actually sway the session of the National Dynasty.¡± In the midst of their conversation. The pce doors banged open, and a hundred troops rushed in. Following them was Prince Qin Zhao Yuan, with the real Chancellor Zhang at his right, holding a bloodied sword in his hand. ¡°Father, your son has arrivedte!¡± Zhao Yuan, seeing Emperor Hongchang lying on the dragon bed, instantly shed two lines of hot tears, not knowing whether it was out of grief or excitement. Eunuch Wang demanded, ¡°Your Highness Prince Qin, why do you barge into the pce without an imperial decree?¡± ¡°Eunuch, shut your mouth!¡± Wiping away his tears, Zhao Yuan chastised, ¡°I received a secret report from Chancellor Zhang stating that Imperial Consort Sun attempted to harm the emperor and fabricated an edict to ce her own son on the throne. I immediately brought troops to rescue, but s, it was toote!¡± In just a few words, hepletely denied the political legitimacy of the edict. In the future national records, it would be noted that Imperial Consort Sun and her aplicesmitted regicide and usurpation, with Zhao Yuan leading troopste at night to rectify the chaos. Duke Cheng looked deeply at Zhang Zhengyang and asked, ¡°May this old man take his leave?¡± ¡°Please, Lord Duke.¡± Zhang Zhengyang instructed people to clear the way, whispering to Zhao Yuan, ¡°The nobility are tied to the nation¡¯s fortune; Duke Cheng is not a supporter of the Sixth Prince. After the matter is settled, he can be won over.¡± Zhao Yuan nodded slightly, his cold gaze turning towards the Sixth Prince, Zhao Yi. Zhao Yi, intelligent and astute, had already guessed what was toe and pleaded in a slightly childish voice, ¡°Second Brother, your younger brother volunteers to renounce the throne. May you spare our lives, mine and our mother¡¯s?¡± Zhao Yuan was momentarily startled and hesitated slightly; this brother had always been obedient and got along well with his siblings. ¡°Your Highness, if you don¡¯t eliminate the root when cutting the grass, it will only cause future problems!¡± Zhang Zhengyang reminded, ¡°The Sun family controls the Capital Garrison, and by early tomorrow, arge army will arrive. Then it will be your Highness pleading for your brother to spare your life.¡± ¡°Kill!¡± Zhao Yuan, no longer hesitating, gave the order with a wave of his hand. A momentter. Imperial Consort Sun and Zhao Yiy in front of Emperor Hongchang, with all other eunuchs and maids in Shangyang Pce dead. At the hour of Mao. The officials entered the Imperial Pce and went to the Hall of Supreme Harmony for the early court session. Since the former Crown Prince¡¯s rebellion failed, Emperor Hongchang personally took charge of the court affairs again. But due to his frail and weak body, most early court sessions were just a formality, waiting for Eunuch Wang to announce something like ¡°The emperor is unwell,¡± after which the civil and military officials would each return home. However, upon entering the Hall of Supreme Harmony, they looked up to see a middle-aged man sitting on the throne. Feng Zhong, who had been temporarily promoted to Eunuch of the Forecourt, took out an imperial edict in bright yellow and read it aloud. The gist of it was that thete emperor passed awayst night, leaving behind an edict naming Prince Qin Zhao Yuan as his sessor. The civil and military officials looked at each other in dismay, not knowing whether to cry or to bow in homage. Zhang Zhengyang was the first to kneel and cry out long live the emperor. The others soon realized, and after the customary three kneelings and nine kowtows, acknowledged Zhao Yuan as their new ruler. ¡­ Chen Family Ditch. Themander of the defeated troops died devoured by a horde of ghosts, his flesh and blood consumed until nothing remained but his pallid bones. Zhou Yi paid close attention to the changes in the ghosts, finding that after swallowing living souls and flesh, most of their auras had grown slightly stronger and had acquired a more vicious spirit. A small portion of these ghostly souls, however, turned into green smoke and dissipated following themander¡¯s death. The aggrieved soul of Old Chen, along with the vige¡¯s ghosts, all knelt before Zhou Yi and knocked their heads on the ground in gratitude. ¡°We thank the benefactor!¡± Zhou Yi asked, ¡°Do you have any ns for the future?¡± Old Chen replied, ¡°We naturally intend to scatter our remaining souls, so we may reincarnate as soon as possible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very good,¡± he said. Zhou Yi nodded slightly, knowing that without the stimtion from the Peaceful Home Talisman, the ghosts couldn¡¯t even manage to manifest their forms properly and would scatter within three to five days. Without objects to attach to, and no way to refine the souls, they wouldn¡¯t even make proper vengeful ghosts. Old Chen¡¯s ability to maintain his wits and to expel ghostly fog was due to his schrly pursuits and understanding of principles in life, which made his soul far more resilient and powerful than ordinary people. Old Chen pleaded, ¡°We need to trouble the benefactor to dig a hole and bury our remains. There is no need for individual graves and gravestones, as no one wille to pay respects in the future anyway.¡± Zhou Yi nodded in agreement and resolved to find a Feng Shui treasure spot so that they could be reborn into a wealthy and noble family in their next lives. Hearing this, the group of ghosts once again knocked their heads on the ground in thanks. Among themon folk, there were masters skilled in Feng Shui who could find so-called dragonirs using various forms and secret techniques; however, to cultivators these were little more than trivial arts. By sensing where the spiritual energy was pure and rich, they could identify these treasured Feng Shui sites. Afterward. Leading the way, Old Chen walked in front with Zhou Yi pulling a cart, collecting the corpses from house to house. The various states of death were too horrific to put into words. Zhou Yi observed that after collecting the corpses, some of the weaker ghosts dispersed with the wind on the spot, while the stronger spirits became even more transparent. Having filled a cart with corpses, Zhou Yi found a Feng Shui treasure spot near Chen Family Ditch and stamped his foot to create arge pit. Once the corpses were buried, the already faint ghostspletely dispersed and were no longer to be seen. Witnessing this scene, Zhou Yi spected inwardly, ¡°Perhaps the custom of burying the dead to put them to rest originated from this, to effectively reduce the harm that vengeful spirits and fierce ghosts cause to the living!¡± The second cart was half-filled with corpses when it stopped in front of a small farming courtyard. ¡°This is Shuan Zhu¡¯s home. His daughter Ya¡¯er is just two years old. What a sin!¡± Old Chen nced over the sparse crowd of ghosts and didn¡¯t find Shuan Zhu among them. Zhou Yi¡¯s brow rose slightly when he heard a breathing sound and said, ¡°Maybe there is someone alive here?¡± Excited, Old Chen¡¯s soul fluttered unstably as he darted into the house and back out again. ¡°Chen Ya¡¯er is alive!¡± Zhou Yi pushed the door open to enter and saw two corpses on the bed, the man stabbed in the abdomen and the woman with her neck half-severed. The couple died embracing each other, their blood staining the bed a dark, reddish-ck, with the breathing soundsing from beneath them. Zhou Yi lifted the cadavers and pulled back the quilts to reveal a small baby girl wrapped inside. She appeared to be about two or three years old, pink and tender, as if she were hungry. As the nket wrapping her was removed, the baby girl struggled to turn over, crawling onto her mother¡¯s body, frantically grabbing with hands covered in blood, randomly licking them to alleviate her hunger. ¡°Benefactor!¡± Old Chen knelt down again and kowtowed, ¡°Chen Ya¡¯er is thest of our vige, I implore the benefactor to give her some food, and raise her to adulthood.¡± ¡°Stand up,¡± he said. Zhou Yi pondered for a moment. For nearly three decades, he had been solitary and carefree. He did not wish to bring another into his home, firstly because the Longevity Dao Fruit must not be exposed, and secondly because he had no experience with raising children. A misstep might weigh heavy on his conscience. However, Zhou Yi couldn¡¯t bring himself to watch the little girl starve to death. ¡°Old Brother Chen, I have my own unavoidable difficulties, but I will take Chen Ya¡¯er back to Divine Capital and find her a good family,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll visit her often, ensuring she lives a life of peace and joy!¡± Chapter 37: Undercurrents Surge Chapter 37: Undercurrents Surge Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°` The gloaming was heavy and deep. To the southeast of Chen n Gully stood a colossal grave mound. The ghosts in the vige saw the corpses interred, their resentment dissipating into wisps of blue smoke, all but Old Chen¡¯s wronged spirit. Zhou Yi found a piece of bluestone, his mana shaped it into a long stele, and with his finger acting as a pen, he inscribed upon it. ¡°Chen n Gully, the grave of three hundred and twenty-seven, in the eighteenth year of Emperor Hongchang¡¯s reign, on the twenty-seventh of the fifth month!¡± His finger was like refined steel, prating three fen into the stone. Old Chen knelt in thanks, ¡°For such great kindness, the Chen n has nothing with which to repay. We will pray for benefactor¡¯s blessings in the Netherworld, and if there is an afterlife, we are surely to be oxen and horses to repay the debt!¡± ¡°What do you intend to do now?¡± Zhou Yi, holding the swaddled infant, protected Chen Ya¡¯er with a barrier of mana. Many ghosts had dissipated not long ago, leaving behind a dense, chilling aura of death, and children or elders passing by this ce might very well fall ill with evil spirits entering their bodies. ¡°Now at my life¡¯s end, I must trouble the benefactor with one more thing,¡± said Old Chen. ¡°Please may the benefactor lend his power to disperse my soul.¡± Zhou Yi asked in confusion, ¡°Why is this?¡± Old Chen exined, ¡°Originally just a fragment of a soul, it would have faded in a few days, but who knew that in this cold ce, it even congealed a bit more.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡± If Zhou Yi had not had the Longevity Dao Fruit, when his time approached, he would definitely have tried every possible means to extend his life. Orthodox methods, bizarre practices, heretical scriptures, none would he reject. Methods like seizing a body with a spirit to extend life, or bing a ghost cultivator after death, or simply being buried in an extremely yin ce to transform into a longevous zombie. Influenced by the information explosion of a former life, he believed that as long as one maintains one¡¯s self-awareness, bing a demon or ghost is of no consequence. ¡°Being eroded by this Yin energy, many desires have started to form in my heart, such as absorbing Yang energy or consuming fresh blood,¡± Old Chen rified. ¡°This is just the beginning and already I am restless. Given more time, I would inevitably be an evil vengeful spirit, bringing cmity to others. Better to kill off these wicked thoughts while I am still rational, so I plead with the benefactor to end them!¡± ¡°Old Brother Chen is truly a remarkable man!¡± Zhou Yi eximed, ¡°You are a hundred, a thousand times better than those Dog Emperors who, knowing their imminent death, still bring disaster upon the world in their quest for longevity.¡± ¡°Ha ha, you tter me too much, benefactor. I¡¯m just a poor schr who never even passed the imperial examination,¡± Old Chenughed. ¡°Had I be the Emperor, living in wealth and luxury, maybe I would have be fearful of death.¡± ¡°Farewell, Old Brother Chen!¡± Zhou Yi gave a formal bow. Although Old Chen was not an Emperor, Emperors did not have the chance to be wronged spirits, andpared to the chance of longevity, Old Chen was much closer to it. All things in this world revolve around what one can relinquish or acquire. Many people are greedy for gain but few can let go. Zhou Yi was the same. Old Chen dered unburdened, ¡°I wish for the benefactor to live forever, and in the next life, I shall repay you!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Yi didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment, so he waved his hand, and his mana turned into a sword light, shattering the aggrieved spirit to pieces. Looking down at the swaddle, Chen Ya¡¯er stared nkly at the gravestone, as if imprinting it in her memory. ¡°Old Brother Chen urged repeatedly, to not harbor thoughts of revenge. But the deep-seated vengeance for the blood of parents and rtives, such karma, how could one hide from it ory it aside!¡± Zhou Yi watched the little girl¡¯s lips, rosy and tempting to ruffle a few times. Giggling, giggling, giggling! Chen Ya¡¯er let out a crispugh, adding a touch of warmth to the new grave, the misty haze, and the cold wind. ¡­ Thunderous, thunderous, thunderous! The sound of horse hooves was like thunder. More than ten ck-clothed cavalrymen rushed past on the official road. The cavalry carried bright yellow small gs, and whether officials or merchants, all quickly moved aside, for dying the Imperial edict was a great disrespect. Zhou Yi, with one arm holding the swaddled infant, gently pulled on the reins with the other, and the red horse beneath him neatly stepped aside. ¡°` ¡°Emperor Hongchang has actually copsed!¡± Zhou Yi, anxious to take Chen Ya¡¯er back to Divine Capital to find her wet nurse, sped along the imperial road day and night after leaving Chen n¡¯s valley, already encountering four different groups of messenger cavalry. The cavalry carried the Imperial Court¡¯s edicts, rushing to all the provinces and counties of Fengyang Country, to post the news of the new sovereign¡¯s ession. ¡°Hissting achievements and faults shall be left to posterity to evaluate!¡± Since Emperor Chongming set a precedent, Zhou Yi didn¡¯t hold much animosity toward Emperor Hongchang; for emperors, killing meritorious subjects wasn¡¯t really considered a stain. Looking back through history, the struggle for power between the emperor and his subjects urred in every dynasty. Reiming lostnds and streamlining mountains and rivers, lighteningbor service and reducing taxes, Emperor Hongchang will surely have a ce in the history books. ¡°What a pity that he chose to ensure the stability of imperial power even at the expense of the National Dynasty¡¯s decline. Perhaps Emperor Hongchang saw the defeat at the Northern Border before his death. People truly cannot learn from history; because when faced with overwhelming forces, the choices they make are all selfish!¡± Early June. Zhou Yi saw from afar the walls of Divine Capital City, still towering and stable. At the West City Gate. Bustling and jam-packed, a queue stretched for two or three miles. Hundreds of the Imperial Guards d in armor stood on duty, meticulously inspecting every carriage and pedestrian entering and leaving the city, turning over even the boxes over three feet in size. ¡°No travel permit? Arrest him, lock him up!¡± ¡°Is this de registered with the government office? No? Arrest him!¡± ¡°A bow and arrows? The Imperial Court has issued an edict, temporarily banning hunting, confiscate those¡­¡± The Imperial Guards were thorough in their searches, showing no favoritism, and a man iming to be the son of a Capital judge was punched, kicked, and dragged away to be mped in heavy shackles on the spot. Dozens of people lined up neatly at the base of the city wall, bearing hundred-pound shackles around their necks, and within mere days, a person would be ruined. The head of the Imperial Guards bellowed, ¡°Assaulting the Imperial Guards is tantamount to rebellion. Take my name card to the Capital¡¯s government office and summon Judge Li for questioning!¡± This approach frightened many merchants and officials; after all, the truly lucrative deals were explicitly written in thew. In contrast, mostmon people showed respect, thinking the general was a good official. No other reason than justice! A plump merchant stepped forward, slipping several silver notes into the officer¡¯s hand, ¡°General, our Wantong Bank has been a renowned establishment in Divine Capital for two hundred years, can we have some convenience?¡± ¡°Wantong Bank, of course, is well-known.¡± The head of the Imperial Guards pocketed the silver notes into his sleeve and ordered his soldiers, ¡°First, inspect his merchandise to see if there is anything contraband; otherwise, why would he bribe me.¡± Startled, the merchant let out a cry but couldn¡¯t stop the Imperial Guards from finding several sets of armor in his wagon. ¡°Secretly manufacturing armor, does Wantong Bank seek to rebel?¡± Seeing this, other merchants either left with their carriages or sent people to the Capital to find connections. Zhou Yi waited in the queue for a long time before showing his prison guard badge to the Imperial Guards. To his surprise, the head of the Imperial Guards recognized Zhou Yi and even joked, ¡°I¡¯ve long heard of Mr. Zhou, the notorious demon of the blood prison, and atst I get to meet him in person.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a nickname from the jianghu, not to bepared with the general.¡± Zhou Yi wasn¡¯t surprised by this; among the several million people in Divine Capital City, to pick out just fifty top experts is to find the rare few, and as a guard in the sky prison, Zhou Yi couldn¡¯t escape the attention of those who were interested. The head asked, ¡°I hear sir lives alone, who is this child with you?¡± Zhou Yi exined, ¡°She¡¯s a girl from a distant rtive¡¯s family. She doesn¡¯t have a formal name yet, so we just call her Ya¡¯er. Her family couldn¡¯t afford to keep her, so they sent her to me, at least she won¡¯t starve here.¡± ¡°I see, Mr. Zhou, pleasee in.¡± The head didn¡¯t ask any further questions and ordered the Imperial Guards to clear the way, sending someone to inform his superiors after Zhou Yi had left. It has only been a few days since His Majesty ascended the throne, and suddenly, many rumors have spread in Divine Capital. Rumors such as the second prince¡¯s ascension was illegitimate, and the original edict proimed the sixth prince as the next emperor¡­ Rumors that of the four great appointed ministers, two died on the spot¡­ Rumors that the second prince was ruthless, in front of thete Emperor¡¯s corpse, he personally killed Imperial Consort Sun and the sixth prince¡­ Such rumors painted a vivid picture to the extent that the undercurrents of Divine Capital surged, and many harbored ulterior motives. The strict searches by the Imperial Court¡¯s guards at the city gates and the scrutiny of carriages and pedestrians were just the beginnings of a storm! Chapter 38: Not Seeking Glory and Splendor Chapter 38: Not Seeking Glory and Splendor Editor: Henyee Trantions Courtyard. The green shade of the jujube trees covered like a canopy, and the grapevines shielded half the yard. Zhou Yi pushed the door open and entered, his brow slightly furrowed. The aura in the courtyard was mixed and chaotic, and not just one person had been here, judging by the freshness of the scents that lingered. Examining some hidden marks and arrangements, it was clear that the visitors had been respectful of the rules and had not rummaged through carelessly. This truly was a sign of ill-intent! ¡°Every time there is a transition of imperial power, the Divine Capital bes fraught with troubles in autumn.¡± Zhou Yi used a Dust-Clearing Charm, and immediately the space was clean and tidy. He then went to the tooth shop to hire two wet nurses, who would stay in the west wing of the small courtyard to take care of Chen Ya¡¯er¡¯s daily needs. ¡°Where to find a good family¡­¡± Zhou Yi pondered and remembered that most of his acquaintances were not exactly virtuous. Following this line of thought, he reflected on himself and suddenly realized. ¡°So in the eyes of ordinary people, I am a greedy jailer, a brutal and cruel official, a cold-blooded Demon Head!¡± I myself am the viin! Night fell. Zhou Yi sipped tea and chanted scriptures in the courtyard until the moon was high in the sky. A shadow flew across the sky; a figure in white drifted down with the wind in circles,nding in the courtyard. Zhou Yi clicked his tongue and said, ¡°I¡¯ve waited all night, and I didn¡¯t expect it would be you of all people toe.¡± ¡°How did you know someone woulde?¡± The visitor was none other than Old Bai, holding a jar of liquor, who sat down opposite Zhou Yi as if he owned the ce. ¡°It was just a guess.¡± Zhou Yi spoke truthfully, as he did not know divination or fortune-telling, but he had felt that the head of the Imperial Guards¡¯ enthusiasm during the daytime was excessive, and there had been quite a few people snooping around his residence. ¡°Three hundred years of pear blossoms white, all thanks to my father-inw¡¯s ample clout, which is why they sold me a jar,¡± said Old Bai as he opened the jar, and the scent of the liquor wafted through the courtyard. ¡°Now, Old Zhou, guess why I¡¯vee to you?¡± Zhou Yi poured himself a bowl, the drink fresh and cool like spring water, thick like amber, and downed it in one gulp, feeling thoroughly refreshed. ¡°I can¡¯t guess! But if it¡¯s good news, I¡¯ll go, and if it¡¯s bad, I shall drink away for free.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone so shameless!¡± Ever since Old Bai had learned this phrase, it had be his mantra: ¡°My father-inw, the Dongyang Prince, invites you to his mansion for a minor post, colloquially known as a Protector.¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s eyebrows knit together, ¡°This is the Divine Capital, not the Northern Border. Does a Prince¡¯s mansion really need to recruit a Protector?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been traveling these past months, and great changes have urred in the Capital¡­¡± Old Bai recounted all the news of the aftermath of Emperor Hongchang¡¯s death, including how they concealed his death, how Prince Qin Zhao Yuan stormed the pce at night, and how Noble Consort Sun and her sixth son met their demise¡ªmixing truth with fiction as he spoke. Zhou Yi asked, ¡°Did the current emperor really kill his own mother and brother in front of thete emperor¡¯s remains?¡± Old Bai nodded, ¡°No smoke without fire, it¡¯s very likely true.¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°So the Divine Capital is unstable, and the Dongyang Prince is recruiting Protectors because he fears chaos that might endanger his family?¡± ¡°My father-inw¡¯s considerations are not just about security!¡± Taking a sip of wine, Old Bai waved his hand, ¡°I¡¯m just fulfilling a duty bying here. It doesn¡¯t matter to me whether you ept or not. If you¡¯re interested in glory and wealth, you could take a trip to the mansion of the Prince.¡± ¡°Glory! Wealth!¡± Upon hearing these two words, Zhou Yi did not envision gold and silver treasures, but blood-drenched corpses. Old Bai reminded him, ¡°Old Zhou, in a few days I¡¯ll be heading to Jiangnan with my wife. Why don¡¯t you join us on the boat for some leisure?¡± ¡°I have matters to attend to in the Divine Capital and can¡¯t go to Jiangnan for now,¡± Zhou Yi muttered thoughtfully before adding, ¡°However, there is someone I need to entrust to you¡­¡± He then described Chen Ya¡¯er¡¯s identity, careful not to mention the ghosts of Chen Family Ditch, simply saying he acted when he came upon an army massacring civilians, saving the sole survivor. ording to Old Bai, with each household in the Divine Capital now trying to recruit experts, either as Protectors for self-preservation or with other schemes in mind, Chen Ya¡¯er had be a vulnerability for Zhou Yi. If indeed she were kidnapped, Zhou Yi would not give in; instead, he would choose revenge for Chen Ya¡¯er! Old Bai listened, filled with righteous indignation, and promised, ¡°Rest assured, Old Zhou, my son is also going to Jiangnan, and he¡¯ll be goodpany for Chen Ya¡¯er.¡± ¡°Eh? How could I forget about you?¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°How about raising Chen Ya¡¯er at your ce, making her your goddaughter or something? That would give you aplete family with both a son and a daughter.¡± Old Bai, originally a carefree spirit, had caused no small amount of trouble in the jianghu relying on his Qinggong. He wasn¡¯t the best choice for entrusting someone. However, marriage and family really could change a man, and since marrying Princess Rongchang, Old Bai had be a steady and domestically focused husband. At Zhou Yi¡¯s suggestion, Old Bai was taken aback. He had not managed to persuade Zhou Yi, yet he might be bringing back a goddaughter? Zhou Yi assumed that Old Bai was afraid of his wife and promised, ¡°Just tell Princess Rongchang directly that Chen Ya¡¯er is a direct granddaughter of an Innate Grandmaster. Just take care of her for twenty years, and during this period, your family will be safe and sound!¡± ¡°What about after twenty years?¡± Old Bai was quite tempted; he had previously thought about asking Zhou Yi for protection over his household, but he had always felt too embarrassed to say it out loud. Even though he knew Zhou Yi would agree, Old Bai did not want to put his friend in a difficult position. Zhou Yi slowly said, ¡°After twenty years, Chen Ya¡¯er will no longer need anyone¡¯s protection.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Old Zhou, I will take care of her as if she were my own daughter,¡± promised Old Bai. Suddenly, Old Bai¡¯s tone changed, and with a sheepish expression, he said, ¡°If¡­ I mean if Chen Ya¡¯er and my boy fall in love with each other, would it be possible?¡± Zhou Yi said angrily. ¡°Shameless scoundrel!¡± ¡­ The next day. The Imperial prison. After roll call, Zhou Yi chatted with colleagues about things seen on the road, sharing local specialties from Divine Capital he had bought for everyone. They agreed to meet at Spring Breeze Building that evening, and the slight feeling of unfamiliarity instantly dissipated. In ancient times, people listened to operas in hookah lounges; today, foot baths and massages serve as supreme tools for bringing colleagues closer. Zhou Yi returned to his single room, where the water for tea had yet to boil. Neer Colonel Lu knocked and entered, carrying a package of tea leaves: ¡°Biluochun from Mount Taichuan. Fancy a taste, Old Zhou?¡± ¡°No reward without merit, does Colonel Lu have a task for me?¡± Zhou Yi could enjoy Old Bai¡¯s wine for free, but couldn¡¯t casually ept Colonel Lu¡¯s tea; the former was a close friend, while thetter was merely a colleague. ¡°Old Zhou, are you willing to spend your life in the Imperial prison?¡± Colonel Lu said, ¡°With your skills, you could easily serve a royal household as an officiant. Should you follow the right person, it¡¯s not out of the question to bring glory to your ancestors and enjoy wealth and honor.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the Imperial prison?¡± Zhou Yi said with a smile, ¡°My great grandfather was a prison guard here, and so was my grandfather, which then passed on to my father. I can¡¯t betray my ancestors!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The Imperial Court has always promoted benevolence and filial piety; by bringing up his ancestors, Zhou Yi left Colonel Lu with nothing to say. Zhou Yi continued, ¡°I seek not wealth or glory, only to live a life of peace. Please take this tea back, Colonel Lu.¡± Colonel Lu waved his hand, ¡°Don¡¯t make me feel awkward, Old Zhou. This Biluochun is a gift for you. From now on, we¡¯re colleagues. I¡¯ll still need Old Zhou¡¯s help and care for various matters!¡± ¡°Then I shall ept it without courtesy,¡± replied Zhou Yi with a smile. ¡°Please wait, Colonel Lu. Today we shall savor this renowned tea!¡± ¡°Stop with the ¡®Colonel¡¯; we¡¯re about the same age. Just call me Old Lu,¡± he insisted. ¡°Haha, Old Lu!¡± Zhou Yiughed. A few momentster. The rich aroma of tea spread through the air, intoxicating and delightful. Zhou Yi spent his free time tasting tea and reciting scriptures, and over more than twenty years, he had cultivated exceptional tea ceremony skills. In a few hundred years, Zhou Yi would be a refined schr, well-read in the Confucian, Buddhist, and Daoist scriptures, proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, wine, flowers, and tea. Only in the art of poetry, without a natural talent, truly could not be forced. In the following days. Many came to his home or the Imperial prison, offering various benefits, from wealth and honor to militarymission and noble titles; Zhou Yi gently refused them all. Such behavior, in the eyes of those dignitaries, was nothing but arrogance due to talent! Consequently, they sent skilled fighters to scale walls and break into houses at night, trying to teach him a lesson, only to flee back with bruised faces. Zhou Yi only revealed his physical cultivation skills, which after being tempered by True Yuan and nurtured by Mana, had reached the limit of internal organ refinement, one step away from the pinnacle of horizontal training¡ªMarrow Cleansing. At the Marrow Cleansing stage, one possesses the force to cleave through thousands of troops with ease! Especially within Divine Capital City, during small-scale conflicts, a Marrow Cleansing expert bes even more invaluable. As the news spread, more people came to recruit him. Not until Zhou Yi took firm action, crippling a few flies and issuing a statement to the public, did things calm down. ¡°I seek not wealth or power, and prefer to die old in the Imperial prison!¡± he announced. Only then did peace return. Chapter 39 - 39 Each Scheming on Their Own Chapter 39 Each Scheming on Their Own Editor: Henyee Trantions Outside Shangyang Pce. The on-duty eunuch stopped Zhang Zhengyang, standing on the steps, spoke down to him from a higher position. ¡°Chancellor Zhang, His Majesty has already gone to bed. If there is a matter, you can submit it in the Imperial Court tomorrow.¡± ¡°I have urgent matters to report; please trouble Eunuch Xu to announce my presence.¡± Zhang Zhengyang looked towards the pce, brightly lit and filled with the sound of stringed instruments and dancing. The asionalughter and yful shouting of the women could be heard. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare disturb His Majesty¡¯s rest,¡± said Eunuch Xu. ¡°Chancellor Zhang, please return.¡± ¡°Your servant begs to see His Majesty!¡± Zhang Zhengyang knelt outside the pce gate, his voice filled with tears and continued to plead for an audience with His Majesty. Knocking his forehead on the ground, blood started to seep from his brow. After a long time. With no response from inside the pce, Zhang Zhengyang¡¯s expression shifted from resolute to one of despair and dejection. After thrice kowtowing and nine bows, he struggled to his feet and left. ¡°Your servant takes his leave!¡± ¡­ Inside the pce. Forty or fifty beautiful pce maids danced and yed in the hall, but Emperor Yongxing was not to be seen on the dragon throne ahead. Upon Zhao Yuan¡¯s ascension to the throne, he established the Yongxing reign. This year was still the eighteenth year of the Hongchang era, and next year would be the first year of Yongxing. Eunuch Xu hurried to the small pavilion in the rear pce and knelt to report: ¡°Your Majesty, Chancellor Zhang has left the pce.¡± Emperor Yongxing reclined on a couch, surrounded by over twenty attendees like stars around the moon, all high-ranking officials in crimson and purple. To his left was the Minister of War Liang Dong, and to his right, the Minister of Personnel Xie Wei. Both had been confidants of Zhang Zhengyang, but now they had pledged themselves to Emperor Yongxing. As the saying goes, ¡°When the son of Heaven changes, so do the court¡¯s servants.¡± The officials could clearly see that the powerful Chancellor Zhang would inevitably fall and had to n ahead ordingly. Emperor Yongxing asked: ¡°Chancellor Zhang just left like that? Did he show any insubordination?¡± Eunuch Xu reported truthfully: ¡°To reply to Your Majesty, Chancellor Zhang looked despondent and voiced noints.¡± ¡°Chancellor Zhang knows his ce.¡± Emperor Yongxing gestured for Eunuch Xu to step back, then turned to ask the eunuch waiting at his side: ¡°De Fu, have you found out who is behind the rumors?¡± Li Defu was originally a eunuch in Prince Qin¡¯s residence, serving close to the then-young Emperor Yongxing, and had now suddenly risen to hold the seals of the Imperial Household Department and serve asmander of the Jinyiwei. ¡°To answer Your Majesty, there were too many people in the pce that night. It will take some time for a thorough investigation.¡± Emperor Yongxing spoke coldly: ¡°What wrong is there in entering the pce to quell rebellion? I¡¯m asking who¡¯s spreading rumors about the murder of my sixth brother?¡± Ever since the imperial edict proiming his enthronement was issued, various rumors like usurpation and unfilial conduct had spread throughout Divine Capital, subtly undermining Emperor Yongxing¡¯s strong position. Li Defu knelt with a thud: ¡°Your Majesty, this servant deserves to die for not yet having full control over the Jinyiwei.¡± Emperor Yongxing¡¯s brow furrowed slightly; he wanted tomand someone to drag this useless person out and kill him, but given his hurried ascension, there were too few reliable people at his disposal. Themander of the Jinyiwei was far too crucial and sensitive a position. He preferred to entrust it to a loyal but inept individual rather than allow outsiders to interfere. ¡°Your Majesty, anyone with clear eyes knows these rumors are false. Those people don¡¯t care about the truth, they just want to tarnish Your Majesty¡¯s reputation,¡± said Xie Wei. Instead of chasing the trail of the rumor-mongers, let people be led by the nose; it¡¯s better to target the source directly. The beneficiaries of these rumors are no more than those three!¡± Of the six sons of the former emperor, the eldest legitimate son was imprisoned in the Cold Pce, the sixth son was dead, leaving only three who were eligible to rece Emperor Yongxing. Emperor Yongxing nodded slightly; a lethal glint shed in his eyes. He had been hesitant when executing his first brother, but it had be easier since. If not for his reputation, he would have exterminated all three brothers and their entire families by now, and the capital¡¯s rumors would¡¯ve dissipated on their own. ¡°A bunch of people hiding their heads and showing their tails. After I make peace with Great Yong, I will call back therge armies from the various states to the capital, and execute them all!¡± Emperor Yongxing looked towards the Minister of War: ¡°Is the Capital Garrison stable?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, be at ease! I entered the Capital Garrison alone, loudly criticized the Sun family for only knowing how to drink the blood of soldiers while ignoring Your Majesty¡¯s grace. I removed their powers on the spot. A few troublemaking military heads were beheaded, and no one else dares to oppose. The control over the Capital Garrison is entirely in hand,¡± he reported. Liang Dong spoke with pride, ¡°To prevent the Sun family¡¯s resurgence, the soldiers and officers of the Capital Garrison have been scattered, reassigned to other offices within Divine Capital. Now, there are absolutely no ws.¡± Emperor Yongxing praised, ¡°Minister Liang, you truly are a pir of the Imperial Court.¡± The Capital Garrison was Emperor Yongxing¡¯s only concern; no other spectres or demons, even if they rebelled, could breach the heavily guarded imperial pce of the forbidden army. Now that Emperor Yongxing had proimed to all under heaven, recognized by the counties and prefectures of Fengyang Country, any rebels who couldn¡¯t swiftly breach the imperial pce would be doomed to vanish like smoke in thin air when the loyalist armies arrived. At this moment. A voice entered the hall. ¡°Your Majesty, an assassin has been caught.¡± Emperor Yongxing snorted coldly, ¡°Bring him in.¡± What came in was a white-robed monk, with an aged face and a thin figure. The old monk carried a man dressed in night-traveling clothes, casually tossing him onto the ground. Without kneeling, he reported directly to Emperor Yongxing, ¡°This man goes by the nickname ¡®Touching the Sky¡¯ in the Jianghu, extremely adept at Qinggong. It¡¯s said that he was recently recruited by the household of the King of Chu.¡± Emperor Yongxing said, ¡°A mere bumpkin dares to be called ¡®Sky.¡¯ Take him to the imperial prison for interrogation. Search his Nine ns, and send him to the Northern Border to join the army!¡± ¡°By yourmand.¡± The monk snapped the man¡¯s limbs with crackling sounds, then vanished like a ghost, quick and unseen. Emperor Yongxing looked at Li Defu, who was kneeling, and approved, ¡°Well done with this matter. Although people from the Jianghu cannot appear on the stage, they can prevent petty thieves from prying into the pce.¡± Li Defu sighed in relief and ttered, ¡°Your Majesty, this old servant dares not take credit. Those experts of righteousness, upon hearing they¡¯d serve under Your Majesty, eagerly rushed to join the Jinyiwei.¡± Emperor Yongxing happily said, ¡°So it seems, the hearts of the people have indeed returned to Us!¡± The two Ministers smiled as they stroked their beards, while the surrounding senior officials pped their hands in praise. ¡°Your Majesty is heaven-sent, may you live a long and prosperous life!¡± Emperor Yongxing felt very secure. ¡°Then as nned, I will y the role of a decadent emperor for a few days. When those clowns jump out, I¡¯ll them all in one fell swoop.¡± ¡­ In the northwest corner of the imperial pce. In the deste and cold Nameless Pce. The pce eunuch on duty, seeing Zhang Zhengyang approaching, not only did not obstruct him but bowed in greeting instead. ¡°Chancellor Zhang, the Crown Prince has been waiting for you for a long time.¡± Only one candle was lit in the hall, casting dim and somber light. The deposed Crown Prince Zhao Xian paced back and forth, his expression quite anxious. Zhang Zhengyang entered and said, ¡°Your Highness, during crucial times, one must remain calm and collected!¡± ¡°Father-inw is unaware.¡± Zhao Xian said with a bitter expression, ¡°I¡¯ve heard from the pce eunuchs that my brother has won over the Minister of War and the Minister of Personnel. Withmand over the Capital Garrison and the power to appoint and dismiss officials, his hold on the throne has be even more secure.¡± Zhang Zhengyang said, ¡°Liang Dong, an armchair strategist, and Xie Wei, a weathercock, these two ipetents are not worth your concern.¡± Zhao Xian asked in confusion, ¡°Aren¡¯t these two men the capable ministers promoted by you, Father-inw?¡± Zhang Zhengyang, weakened by age, had knelt and cried at Shangyang Pce not long ago, expending much of his strength. He found a round stool to sit on. ¡°If I had truly promoted capable ministers, thete emperor would have reced me as Grand Secretary long ago. When you ascend the throne in the future, remember never to let there be only one voice in the court, even if it means having two wrong voices!¡± Zhao Xian bowed deeply, ¡°I will heed Father-inw¡¯s teachings.¡± ¡°If you had really listened to me, you would not have associated with the Li family, and you wouldn¡¯t have fallen to this state.¡± Zhang Zhengyang knew that this son-inw was of average talent,cking in capabilities and wisdom, yet always fancied tampering with things, turning a sure victory into a high treasonous predicament. Had it not been for his daughter¡¯s pleas and the birth of his grandson, Zhang Zhengyang would have followed thete emperor¡¯sst decree. After twenty years of holding the power of Grand Secretary and surviving numerous storms and struggles, Zhang Zhengyang was confident he could send the other three hereditary ministers to the imperial prison. Even the emperor¡¯s own mother would not be spared! Chapter 40: Assassinating Yongxing Chapter 40: Assassinating Yongxing Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°I know my mistake. In the future, everything will be up to you.¡± Zhao Xian looked ashamed. Since he was young, Emperor Hongchang hadmented that he was naturally stupid and useless. Aftering of age, Zhao Xian had always wanted to do things to prove himself. In the end, he ended up in the Cold Pce. ¡°My old bones won¡¯tst much longer. Once His Highness has secured his position, I¡¯ll asked to return home to retire.¡± Zhang Zhengyang had been calcting gains and losses all his life. He would always seek luck and avoid cmity to n for the long term. Before he died, he went against his heart when it came to his children. In his opinion, pushing Zhao Xian to the throne was not a good thing. The bad thing was that his eldest son was of the Zhang family¡¯s bloodline. No matter how generous an emperor in the world was, he could not tolerate an outsider taking charge of the country for two consecutive generations. At that time, it would be hard to say if the surname of the Fengyang Kingdom would be Zhao or Zhang. On the contrary, if they followed the will of the previous emperor, the Zhang family would still be a prominent family no matter how lonely they were. Once they participated in manipting the session of the throne, even if they won aplete victory, it would be a disaster for their future extermination. Zhao Xian noticed Zhang Zhengyang¡¯s changing expression and asked, ¡°Father-inw, when should we make a move? The longer we dy, the more stable my brother¡¯s throne will be.¡± ¡°This matter can¡¯t be rushed. Your Highness¡¯ greatest stain now is that thete emperor issued a decree to depose you. Thete emperor announced it in his posthumus. Who would dare to disobey him?¡± Zhang Zhengyang had to exin this matter to Zhao Xian in case he acted on his own again and ruined the n. ¡°So even if Your Highness overthrew Zhao Yuan and ascended the throne, it will be very difficult to obtain the recognition of the imperial family.¡± Zhao Xian said anxiously, ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Zhang Zhengyang said, ¡°We¡¯ll wait for Zhao Yuan to take action and destroy Prince Chu, Prince Han, and Prince Jing before overthrowing him.¡± Zhao Xian asked in confusion, ¡°Then the imperial family will acknowledge me?¡± ¡°At that time, His Highness will be the only son of thete emperor. Be it the imperial family or the imperial court, they will have to ept it.¡± Zhang Zhengyang said, ¡°As the ruler of the country, they have the eldest son of the first wife, but they allowed the coteral branch to ascend the throne. He will definitely bebeled as disloyal and unfilial in the history books!¡± Zhao Xian asked, ¡°Can Zhao Yuan be so ruthless?¡± ¡°Of the six sons of thete emperor, only Zhao Yuan was born suspicious and cold. He has always been vengeful. Otherwise, why would I choose him for no reason?¡± Zhang Zhengyang said, ¡°Of course, personality is only a prerequisite. There are still other ways to lure Zhao Yuan into killing the three princes.¡± Zhao Xian asked, ¡°Father-inw, please enlighten me.¡± ¡°A few days ago, rumors were raging in the capital. The various prefectures were recruiting experts from all over the world. I was the one behind the scenes¡­¡± Seeing Zhao Xian¡¯s confused expression, Zhang Zhengyang rubbed his forehead helplessly and could only continue exining. ¡°The purpose of this is to create an illusion. Firstly, there are few experts in the martial world and it¡¯s difficult to recruit them. Secondly, experts can determine small-scale wins and losses. the hidden meaning is that it¡¯s beneficial to fight for the throne.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Zhao Xian said, ¡°When I heard about this, I also sent people to recruit a few experts.¡± Zhang Zhengyang raised his eyebrows and said a few names. ¡°Hong Luo, Wang Yizhang, Monk Mercy, Old Qu¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhao Xian¡¯s face turned red. No matter how stupid he was, he knew that these were all Zhang Zhengyang¡¯s men. ¡°The others are also like His Highness, following the trend and recruiting experts everywhere. I heard that someone even promised a title!¡± Zhang Zhengyang said slowly, ¡°To dare to make such a promise, he must have great ambitions. When the pce saw this, they had no choice but to recruit them as well, lest the experts of the various prefectures enter and leave the pce wantonly and endanger Zhao Yuan.¡± Zhao Xian looked confused. What did this have to do with seizing the throne? ¡°Corrupt schrs like Liang and Xie have long be stupid from studying. They naturally won¡¯t bend down to meet the uncultured. Therefore, this task will definitely fall on Li Defu. Li Defu is only an inner eunuch. He doesn¡¯t evene out of his mansion often. How can he recognize any martial arts experts?¡± Zhang Zhengyang said, ¡°The experts under me have long been on good terms with Li Defu¡¯s rtives. They sessfully entered the pce without arousing any suspicion.¡± ¡°Hiss!¡± Zhao Xian gasped in shock and joy. He was shocked that the officials were so sinister, and he was happy that the most sinister person was one of his own. ¡°Not only that, my men have also be consecrators for the three princes.¡± Zhang Zhengyang said, ¡°In a few days, the experts of the Prince Chu¡¯s Mansion will infiltrate Shangyang Pce for assassination. Do you think Zhao Yuan will be ruthless to the three princes after he¡¯s injured?¡± Zhao Xian nodded repeatedly and said in surprise, ¡°Where did you recruit so many experts?¡± In the martial world, people were arrogant and difficult to tame. No one expected Zhang Zhengyang to be able to subdue so many experts as sacrificial warriors. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. When the Heavenly King was captured back then, the Uniform Guards were unable to interrogate him for his cultivation technique. Everyone thought that the inheritance was broken.¡± Zhang Zhengyang said, ¡°But I¡¯ve been secretly paying attention to this matter. I finally found the Cang family in Jiangnan. Then, under the cover of Buddhism and Daoism, I finally obtained the Heaven Devouring Demonic Technique!¡± Zhao Xian said in surprise, ¡°This cultivation technique can mass-produce experts?¡± ¡°What they¡¯ve learned is only a remnant. It won¡¯t only shorten their lifespan, but they also don¡¯t have the method to fuse inner Qi.¡± Zhang Zhengyang said, ¡°The entire cultivation technique will be handed over to Your Highness in the future. You can give it to your servants to cultivate. I guarantee that the imperial family¡¯s connate grandmasters will not die out for generations.¡± ¡°I will never forget your kindness!¡± Zhao Xian pointed to the sky and swore, ¡°In the future, the heir to the throne will definitely be the eldest son, Rong¡¯er. The Zhang family will enjoy glory for generations and rest with the country. If the Zhao family fails, the country will copse and the bloodline will be severed!¡± Zhang Zhengyang nodded slightly. ¡°There¡¯s no need to make such a solemn oath. It¡¯s good that you have this intention.¡± The imperial court was deep and he had long stopped believing in oaths. The foundation of promises and oaths was that the benefits were not great enough. Zhao Xian had heard of Zhang Zhengyang¡¯s n and felt that the throne was close at hand. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just assassinate Zhao Yuan and the others to death?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t hide what you¡¯re doing from the rest of the world. Evidence or no evidence, you¡¯ll end up with a reputation for murdering your brother to usurp the throne.¡± Zhang Zhengyang said, ¡°On the other hand, if you overthrow the tyrant, Zhao Yuan, it will clear up the root of the matter. If you ascend the throne under everyone¡¯s expectations, it will be very useful for you to rule the imperial court in the future!¡± Zhao Xian¡¯s eyes turned red when he heard this. It sounded like he was making arrangements. Zhang Zhengyang coughed twice and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can still hold on for two to three years. At the very least, I can find you a prime minister who can take charge of the overall situation.¡± Zhao Xian bowed almost to the ground, his eyes filled with tears. ¡°Thank you, Minister!¡± ¡­ Early July. Emperor Yongxing was assassinated and severely injured. The assassinmitted suicide by taking poison on the spot. After careful investigation by the Uniform Guards, he was consecrated by Prince Chu¡¯s Mansion. When the news spread, all the officials were in an uproar! The Ministry of War mobilized the Imperial Guards to surround Prince Chu¡¯s Mansion. The Uniform Guards searched carefully and found dragon robes and seals. Emperor Yongxing was furious and ordered the execution of Prince Chu¡¯s lineage. The Imperial n Court stepped forward to plead for leniency. They said that for hundreds of years, no prince had been sentenced to death in the country. In the end, they removed the title of prince and exiled him to the northern border as amoner. Sky Prison. Section B of the prison was filled with prisoners who were implicated in the Prince Chu¡¯s assassination. His rtives, distant rtives, officials, and so on were all imprisoned. Even the three families of the butler were arrested. This was enough to show Emperor Yongxing¡¯s anger. It was rumored that if the assassin¡¯s dagger was shifted by another two or three inches, today would be a national funeral! ¡°Old Zhou, fortunately, you refused that day!¡± Lieutenant Lu had a look of fear on his face. ¡°The person who asked me to rope you in is the butler of Prince Chu¡¯s Mansion, that old man from the seventh prison. I have to go and calm downter!¡± After failing to rope in Zhou Yi that day, Lieutenant Lu turned around and pondered carefully. He also rejected the butler¡¯s attempt to rope him in, which let him escape a cmity. Zhou Yi shrugged and whispered, ¡°Old Lu, we¡¯re going to be busy these days. This is just the beginning!¡± Chapter 41: The Three Kings Are All Dead Chapter 41: The Three Kings Are All Dead A prophecy fulfilled. At the end of July, we had barely seen off the family of the King of Chu when, in early August, news exploded of an assassination attempt by the King of Han. Emperor Yongxing, furious and in a rush, had the forbidden army surround the King of Han¡¯s mansion. Royalty from the Imperial n¡ªa cousin of Emperor Yongxing¡ªcouldn¡¯t even see the Emperor¡¯s face, as the Jinyiwei tightly guarded Shangyang Pce. Had the King of Han surrendered quietly, that would have been the end of it, but instead, he led his followers in resistance, ultimately dying at the hands of the encircling forbidden army. The officials of the Imperial Court, along with the nobles of noble birth, linked this incident to the case of the King of Chu, finding it hard not to suspect that Emperor Yongxing had orchestrated the whole affair to eradicate the three royal houses. But such suspicions were quickly dispelled when Emperor Yongxing severed two of his own fingers. In our National Dynasty, even the selection of officials favored those with good appearances, and any physical defect was uneptable, let alone for an Emperor! ¡°The family of the King of Han, put to death!¡± The officials remained silent. ¡­ The heavenly prison. Cries of injustice, sobs, curses, and wailing were incessant. The King of Han had led his followers into a fight with the forbidden army, solidifying his guilt of rebellion. Everyone even slightly associated with him had to do a stint in the heavenly prison. The methods used inside the prison to discipline the inmatespelled confessions of guilt, whether they were innocent or not! Colonel Lu interrogated people until thete hours of the night, nearly exhausted to the point of copse, and obtained arge stack of confessions. ¡°Old Zhou, you and your mouth should speak less in the future!¡± ¡°My lord, there must be something fishy about this matter!¡± Zhou Yi, who was well-versed in the Cultivation of the Spirit Theory, had be even more sensitive in his spiritual perception. He had just gone to see the Crown Prince of Han, whose grievances did not seem feigned. At that moment. A jailer hurried over, reporting in a low voice, ¡°News has juste in that not long after the team escorting the King of Chu left the capital, they were ambushed by bandits on the road, with only a few of the forbidden army¡¯s officers escaping back.¡± Colonel Lu asked, ¡°What about the brothers who apanied them?¡± The jailer replied in terror, ¡°All dead.¡± Colonel Lu muttered, ¡°Including those who escorted the Duke of the statest time, in just two short months, more than twenty jailers have died. Old Zhou, is this heavenly prison really not safe?¡± ¡°I only deliver meals, I don¡¯t go on the escort missions.¡± Zhou Yi shook his head slightly. Nowhere in the world was absolutely safe. Even delivering meals to the heavenly prison had its dangers. In the past, Li Wu used the King of the Azure Heaven as bait to lure and kill expert martial artists; those dead forbidden soldiers and jailers had no prior knowledge of the danger they were in. The ns of important figures never take into ount the lives and deaths of the little soldiers! Personal interests have to serve the greater good, after all, and you can¡¯t say too much more than that. ¡­ October. King Jing rebelled. An unequivocal rebellion, in broad daylight, he led his followers to attack the Imperial City East Gate. The forbidden army fired arrows like pouring rain; the rebel forces suffered heavy casualties and deaths. ¡°I am the son of Zhongzong. I would rather die in battle than sit and wait for ughter!¡± King Jing shouted loudly, still fighting resolutely until he was struck by numerous arrows and died. The event sent shockwaves throughout the capital! Privately, officials and nobles all said that the current Emperor was harsh andcking in generosity, his demeanor far from that of a benevolent ruler! ¡­ Neers were brought to the heavenly prison, including the chief steward of King Jing¡¯s household. A top-notch expert with two hundred years of Inner Strength, the master of Undefeated Monastery in Jiangnan, known by the Daoist name Xuan Ling. ¡°Undefeated Monastery, Xuan Ling, howe I¡¯ve never heard this name before?¡± After learning of this, Zhou Yi grew quite interested; mastery of the Marrow-Cleansing Realm or two hundred years of Inner Strength¡ªsuch credentials would be renowned in the Jianghu. Throughout the entire Fengyang Country, no more than a hundred people could im such distinction. Zhou Yi, after almost thirty years in the heavenly prison, had interacted with many captured experts from various regions. Zhou Yi, confined within his cell, thus knew the heroes from all corners of thend! Cell A2. Zhou Yi pushed the door open and entered to see an elder in tattered Daoist robes, who appeared to be over sixty years old at first nce. His hair was white and sparse, his face full of wrinkles. ¡°Greetings, Senior Xuan Ling.¡± Zhou Yi bowed with his hands sped, ¡°Your fame precedes you, and today I finally have the honor to meet you.¡± Xuan Ling looked up at the visitor, ¡°Who are you?¡± Zhou Yi replied, ¡°The Blood Prison Old Demon, Zhou Yi.¡± Xuan Ling said coldly, ¡°A nobody, never heard of you!¡± A glint shed in Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes, his interest in Xuan Ling grew; the other did not seem like a Jianghu expert. The name of the Blood Prison Old Demon was even more prominent than that of ordinary top experts. After all, more Jianghu experts had died at the hands of Zhou Yi than had been killed by the leader of the demonic sect. Even if Xuan Ling cultivated in seclusion and did not engage inbat, thus not being famous, how could one involved in the Jianghu not know of the Old Demon¡¯s name? ¡°You are not a person of the Jianghu!¡± As Zhou Yi spoke, he carefully observed Xuan Ling¡¯s reaction, which indeed revealed a sh of astonishment. ¡°So, you have intentionally infiltrated King Jing¡¯s residence¡­¡± A sudden insight struck Zhou Yi¡¯s mind, and he continued, ¡°Not only did you instigate King Jing to rebel, but the deaths of the King of Han and the King of Chu are also rted to you or the people behind you?¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Xuan Ling tly denied it and closed his eyes, no longer paying attention. ¡°I have been wondering recently, neither the King of Chu nor the King of Han are fools. Throughout history, how many emperors ascended the throne through assassination? Yet they tried again and again to do just that.¡± ¡°Thus the assassinations were not really their intention; it was your n to use the failed assassination to killing someone with a borrowed knife!¡± ¡°As for King Jing, he was incited by the annihtion of the two kings, thinking there was no way out, so he directly plotted rebellion!¡± ¡°All three royal houses became pawns, and your only target could only be that position!¡± ¡°Emperor Hongchang had six sons, and now four are dead, leaving only¡­ that deposed Crown Prince!¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s thoughts raced, and many doubts became clear. He looked up in the direction of the pce, ¡°Previously, the deposed Crown Prince did not understand the situation and conspired with the Li family in secret. Such a character definitelycks the capability to devise such a scheme!¡± ¡°The only one who could control the entire situation is¡­ Chancellor Zhang!¡± ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± Xuan Ling suddenly opened his eyes, a look of shock on his face as he stared at Zhou Yi. ¡°There is one more problem, where did Zhang get so many loyal deadly experts? Surely the Jianghu¡¯s riffraff would not be easilymanded.¡± Zhou Yi frowned slightly, flicked his finger, and mana entered Xuan Ling¡¯s body. The mana followed the meridian pathways and it became clear that Xuan Ling¡¯s organs were aged, and without the need for execution, his life was already near its end. ¡°I have also practiced Daoist cultivation techniques, my inner Qi is moderate and bnced, best at nurturing the meridians and organs, aging yet bing stronger. At very high levels, it can slow down aging, maintaining a youthful appearance despite old age.¡± ¡°Your organ decay is severe, it¡¯s more like¡­¡± Zhou Yi pried open Xuan Ling¡¯s mouth and checked his teeth, which were white as a young man¡¯s. ¡°The Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique!¡± Indeed, as Zhou Yi had suspected, Zhang was creating experts through the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique. ¡°The experts recruited by the three kings, most are Zhang¡¯s men, which is why they desperately tried to assassinate the emperor¡­ no, not right, the pce also recruited many Jianghu experts, could they also be Zhang¡¯s men?¡± ¡°A few months ago, the value of martial experts in the capital suddenly surged; could that too be manipted by Zhang?¡± Zhou Yi wouldn¡¯t consider himself smarter than people from the ancient times just because he traveled through time; when it came to schemes and plots, not even corrupt officials in prison couldpare. The only thing he was confident in surpassing was having a more scientific approach to logical thinking. Now that he had witnessed Zhang¡¯s tactics, starting with the most unnoticeable details to stir upmotions that shook the foundation of the nation, he slightly downgraded his pride in his logical thinking. Had it not been for the Longevity Dao Fruit, had Zhou Yi not steadfastly refused to take action, he would have unwittingly fallen into Zhang¡¯s trap! ¡°Such a character, if it were in the past, I would probably only be able toment on it in the trending searches.¡± Zhou Yi had no evidence to point that all the conspiracies came from Zhang¡¯s hand, but he had a conviction that whoever benefited the most from the oue was the perpetrator. ¡°This is just the situation in the capital; Zhang¡¯s ns will not stop there¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s been two months since Fengyang Country and Great Yong started peace negotiations, with no progress made at all. The armies stationed at the Northern Border from various provinces are not allowed to return to the capital, depriving Emperor Yongxing of hisst lifeline!¡± ¡°The so-called expert in warfare has no great achievements; it must be this kind of person!¡± ¡°Looks like I have to ask for leave to head out again¡­¡± Chapter 42 - 42 Mountain River Precious Cauldron Chapter 42 Mountain River Precious Cauldron Prison Tower. Watchtower. Whenever Zhou Yi felt troubled, he woulde here to gaze at a distance, with half the Imperial Cityid out before him. He realized the infiniteness of heaven and earth, and discerned the definite numbers in abundance and scarcity. Climbing high to look far, broadening his mind. ¡°Oh? Warden Liu is also here!¡± As Zhou Yi ascended to the tower¡¯s peak, he saw Warden Liu, dressed in a teal official robe, standing with his hands sped behind his back, his face shaded with worry. Warden Liu sighed, ¡°These days, the situation in the Capital has been turbulent, unpredictable as the wind and clouds; troubled in mind, I came up here to enjoy the view.¡± ¡°In a ce like Divine Capital, which gathers the essence of Fengyang Country, there has never been peace.¡± Gazing towards the Imperial City East Gate in the setting sun, which cast a golden glow on the vermilion walls and green tiles, Zhou Yi reminisced, ¡°Back then, I was right here with the then warden, Lord Lei¡­ no, it was the warden before that one, and watched with my own eyes as the Duke of the Nation defeated Long Ni.¡± Warden Liu suddenly realized, ¡°Lord Lei? So the young man with the surname Lei the other day was a descendant of the Lei family?¡± ¡°Thank you very much for consenting to that affair.¡± Zhou Yi shrugged, ¡°Having spent so much time in the Prison Tower, I¡¯ve met many people, and there are all sorts of rtionships to consider.¡± ¡°Old Zhou, you truly are a treasure of the Prison Tower!¡± Warden Liu envied Zhou Yi deeply. Recently, many distinguished individuals regarded Zhou Yi as an honored guest. Compared to himself, he had studied hard for ten years, only to be an insignificantly ranked official, even in the face of death. Zhou Yi chuckled, ¡°You tter me, Warden Liu. You are the calming needle of the Prison Tower.¡± These words were not meant to tter; Warden Liu rarely managed affairs, merely drinking tea and chatting when he was on duty, and it was always the two colonels bustling about, seemingly disinterested in power. However, Warden Liu hadn¡¯t missed a single penny of the benefits inside the Prison Tower, something even the lower-ranked jailers knew all too well. Such management wisdom made Zhou Yi realize even more that he had underestimated the ancients! Warden Liu asked, ¡°Old Zhou, did youe here because you also have worries on your mind?¡± Zhou Yi nodded, ¡°I¡¯ve suddenly realized there are too many smart people in this world, and I¡¯ve taken quite a hit.¡± After advancing to an Innate Grandmaster, his strength had greatly increased, and he was often praised and envied by his peers, which inevitably led to a bit of arrogance and indiscretion in his actions. Chancellor Zhang¡¯s ns were as resounding as morning bells and evening drums, awakening the senses, a reminder to earnestly reflect on oneself. Curious, Warden Liu asked, ¡°Just how clever are they to make an old fox like you feel so disheartened?¡± ¡°Seemingly incidental intion suddenly affecting the fate of our country!¡± Zhou Yi sighed, ¡°Troubles start from the smallest ripples; these are the true grandmasters. Now that I¡¯ve learned from this, one day I will also use the same tactics.¡± ¡°Realizing early on that one is amoner isn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing.¡± Warden Liu¡¯s gaze sharpened momentarily, casually ncing at the pce with a hint of resignation, ¡°The tide belongs to them; we¡¯re just spectators. What else can we do?¡± ¡°Deep affection doesn¡¯tst, extreme wisdom brings hurt!¡± Zhou Yi said carefreely, ¡°If we can¡¯t beat them in wisdom, schemes, or cunning¡­ then let¡¯s remain unchanged against a myriad of changes, ignore them, and if we oust them, we win!¡± ¡°Haha, no wonder they say behind your back that you¡¯re an old turtle.¡± pping his hands in admiration, Warden Liu changed his tone, ¡°Old Zhou, do you truly not have the slightest desire for power?¡± ¡°Of course! Who doesn¡¯t want to wield authority and embrace beauties?¡± Zhou Yi said with augh, ¡°I almost forgot, I¡¯ve already achieved thetter half.¡± With an admiring expression, Warden Liu bowed, ¡°A regr of thirty years at Spring Breeze Building, I¡¯ve long heard of it, much respect!¡± ¡°Just average, the future still holds much!¡± Zhou Yi replied, ¡°Therefore, having obtained wealth and rank, why bother risking my life now? In such chaos, who can see who will emerge victorious in the end?¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s quite clear. Tend to the neglected matters, win or lose, it won¡¯t be too bad in the end!¡± Murmuring to himself, Warden Liu seemed to be speaking to Zhou Yi and yet also to himself. Zhou Yi said, ¡°Better not to bother with it. Manor houses have already been annihted; I will take some time off, leave, and return to my dutyter.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Warden Liu nodded in consent, then after a short pause, added, ¡°Should the descendants of the Liu family ever fall on hard times ande to the Prison Tower, I hope Old Zhou can find them a position too.¡± ¡°It should be so!¡± ¡°` ¡­ December 27th, in the twelfth lunar month. It was supposed to be a national celebration, joyfully weing the New Year. Due to Minister of War Liang Dong¡¯s harsh treatment of the soldiers and withholding their pay, the Capital Garrison mutinied. ¡°Purge the emperor¡¯s side!¡± Former Capital Garrison Governor Sun Xiangming took to the heights and called to his former troops, leading an army through the Divine Capital¡¯s North Gate. The gatekeeper of the Divine Capital¡¯s North Gate had once been a roaming officer of the Capital Garrison. During Liang Dong¡¯s harsh crackdown on Capital Garrison officers, he, having given less Silver, was demoted to guard the gates. That night. Sun Xiangming led the Capital Garrison¡¯s army to siege the Imperial City, while the various government offices and mansions in the Divine Capital looked on from afar, neither aiding the rebels nor going to relieve Emperor Yongxing. The Imperial Guards were less than one eleventh the number of the Capital Garrison, and with the enemy possessing siege equipment, they quickly suffered heavy casualties. Emperor Yongxing ordered the Jinyiwei and pce eunuchs to man the city walls and resist the enemy, insisting they withstand the assault of the rebels. The initial vigor wanes at the second drumbeat and exhausts entirely by the third, only needing to resist until daybreak. If the Imperial City still stands, the rebels would naturally copse and retreat. ¡­ The Ancestral Temple, a witness to the rise and fall of dynasties. With the temple standing, the dynasty endures; with the temple fallen, the dynasty is lost. At midnight. The Ancestral Temple of Fengyang Country was eerily empty, silent. The officials who were supposed to be on duty, upon hearing that the Capital Garrison¡¯s army had encircled the Imperial City, had all run back to their homes to lock doors and shutter windows. Regardless of whether the Capital Garrison could breach the Imperial City or not, there would surely be thieves taking advantage of the chaos in Divine Capital to murder, set fires, and loot; all of which could be med on the rebels the next day. A shadow, utilizing the cover of night, moved swiftly through the air, finallynding in the central hall of the Ancestral Temple. Outside the central hall stood a bronze cauldron nearly as tall as a person, with three legs and two handles. The mountains and rivers engraved on the cauldron corresponded one-to-one with the map of the prefectures of Fengyang Country. The Mountain and River Cauldron, cast by the founder of Fengyang after the establishment of the nation. During national sacrificial ceremonies, officials would kneel before the cauldron while the reigning emperor offered incense. The shadow circled the Mountain and River Cauldron, attempting various detection methods, and confirmed it was a solid bronze cauldron with no warning or anti-theft mechanisms in ce. Weighing several tons, the Mountain and River Cauldron was extremely difficult to steal, not to mention the impossibility of passing through officials¡¯ inspections while exiting the city. Furthermore, although the Mountain and River Cauldron was one of the three treasures of Fengyang Country, its symbolic significance outweighed its practical value. A thief who exhausted a great deal of energy stealing the cauldron could at most disgrace the Zhao Imperial Family; the most they could do was melt it down to sell the bronze, barely making the money one would from selling cabbages, all while risking the punishment of exterminating their Nine ns. For this reason, the officials of the Ancestral Temple could never imagine that someone would steal the cauldron; not even if it meant scraping off the gold paint from the cauldrons of the past emperors! ¡°I had thought I would have to wait for the fall of Fengyang Country when this Ancestral Temple was half-abandoned toe here. Who would have expected such a heaven-sent opportunity? The North City Gate wide open, the Ancestral Temple unguarded, and everyone¡¯s eyes on the Imperial Pce.¡± ¡°This treasure must be fated to be mine!¡± Zhou Yi dissipated his Shadow Talisman and revealed his appearance as an elderly man with white hair, unrecognizable even if he encountered an acquaintance. He stooped low, crawled under the cauldron, and embraced its feet. ¡°Rise!¡± With a low shout from Zhou Yi, rumbling sounds filled the air as the Mountain and River Cauldron, which hadn¡¯t moved for over three hundred years, lifted from the ground. Channeling his Mana, he cast the Shadow Talisman again, enveloping the Mountain and River Cauldron in a cloud of ck mist. Making use of the night¡¯s darkness, Zhou Yi dashed toward the North City Gate. The sheer weight of the bronze cauldron meant that not only was flying with Qinggong out of the question, but even running made a resounding thump with each step. Fortuitously, chaos reigned along the way; some thieves were robbing homes, while some patrolling soldiers took the opportunity to wreak havoc. With Gold and Silver and precious gems at hand, no one paid attention to such a noise. At that moment, the North City Gate was wide open with only a handful of soldiers standing guard. Thump, thump, thump! Arge dark mist charged forward, exploding with force like a maddened wild ox. ¡°Ghosts!¡± The soldiers on guard didn¡¯t think to block the way, but instead, threw down their weapons in a panic and scattered in all directions. Zhou Yi carried the Mountain and River Cauldron out of Divine Capital City, ced it on a prepared cart, and headed north, whipping the horses along the way. Chapter 43 - 43 Half a Year as the Son of Heaven Chapter 43 Half a Year as the Son of Heaven The eighteenth year of Hongchang. Also the first year of Yongxing. Emperor Yongxing employed treacherous officials and embezzled military provisions, which incited a mutiny that surrounded the imperial city. The deposed Crown Prince Zhao Xian, who was confined to the Cold Pce, joined forces with men of honor and entered Shangyang Pce to request an audience. Zhang Zhengyang spoke earnestly, ¡°Your Majesty, for the stability of the National Dynasty, this old minister takes the liberty to ask Your Majesty to abdicate in favor of the eldest legitimate son of Zhongzong!¡± Emperor Yongxing, overwhelmed with anger, suddenly died! Since Emperor Yongxing only served as emperor for half a year, ascending the throne in May and passing away in December, history books referred to him as the ¡°Half-Year Emperor.¡± Thus, the first half of that year was the eighteenth year of Hongchang, and thetter half was the first year of Yongxing. After Zhao Xian ascended the throne, he dered a general amnesty for the crimes of assassination and rebellion against the Three Wangs¡¯ mansions. s, the Three Wangs¡¯ families had been wiped out, so coteral members of the royal family had to be adopted to continue the line of descent. All officials, military and civil, and nobility from the royal family, praised His Majesty for his benevolence! Three days after his ascension to the throne, it was the first day of the Lunar New Year. Zhao Xian announced the new reign title as Jinglong and, apanied by all officials, paid tribute at the Ancestral Temple to announce to the ancestors. At this time. The temple officials realized that the Mountain and River Cauldron had vanished without a trace. The Court was in an uproar. Emperor Jinglong ordered the Jinyiwei to investigate rigorously and soon learned that on the night of the rebellion, many had heard thunderous booms. The soldiers on duty imed that they personally saw a mass of purple Qi flying directly toward the Northern Border! Emperor Jinglong had only been on the throne for a few days and dared not rashly transfer troops from the Capital Garrison or the Imperial Guards, so the matter ended without resolution. The Ministry of Works recast the sacrificial cauldron, making it more than ten times heavier. It was inscribed with a map of Fengyang Country using gold wire and silver threads, and also iid with jade and precious gems, a luxury surpassing the Mountain and River Cauldron by a hundredfold. Emperor Jinglong was extremely satisfied and named it ¡°Jinglong Cauldron.¡± The loss of the Mountain and River Cauldron gave rise to various rumors among the people, saying that just as Emperor Yongxing had executed his own brother, Emperor Jinglong did the same, angering the ancestors of Fengyang Country. Latter unofficial histories recorded: The cauldron fell in the Northern Border; such was the decree of Heaven! ¡­ The political stage of the Imperial Court changed, one after another taking their turn. All unrted to Zhou Yi. The carriage traveled day and night non-stop, killing several horses along the way. Three dayster. The first day of the Lunar New Year. Zhou Yi had already left the boundaries of Jingji and arrived in central Xuanzhou. Of the six states in the north, only Xuanzhou did not belong to the Northern Border. Because it was protected by the natural barrier of Serpentine Mountain to its north and had not seen war in over a hundred years, the cities within it were quite prosperous. Pengshan County. To the west of the city was a range of low hills, known as Pengshan, which gave the county its name. At this time. Outside the city gate, porridge shelters were erected. Scores of ragged refugees, holding pots and pans, queued to receive porridge. Zhou Yi reined his horse and asked, ¡°Old man, did a disaster strike somewhere in Xuanzhou?¡± ¡°We¡¯re refugees from the Northern Border; war has broken out there again,¡± said the elderly man with a sallowplexion, indiscernible in age, feeding an infant in his arms with a finger dipped in porridge soup. Zhou Yi wondered, ¡°Isn¡¯t the Imperial Court always in negotiations for peace?¡± Great Yong took advantage of the power transition in Fengyang Country and the dispirited Northern Border army to recapture some lost territory. After Emperor Yongxing ascended the throne, he summoned troops from various prefectures to head north and confront the Great Yong army. Emperor Yongxing had the reserves his father had saved up; if it really came to a fight, it wasn¡¯t certain that Fengyang would lose to Great Yong. The Great Yong Emperor didn¡¯t get greedy either, demanding territory and indemnities from Fengyang Country as well as the return of the prince and marshal¡¯s corpses from the Ancestral Temple. The envoys of both countries haggled for a long time without finalizing specific agreements, so how could the war have restarted? The old man shook his head, ¡°What does an old man like me know about war matters.¡± A younger refugee nearby said, ¡°They say that from our side, some general refused to surrender,unched a surprise attack on the Great Yong army, and set fire to their camp, killing tens of thousands!¡± ¡°They had their fill of killing, and we¡¯re the ones who suffer for it.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t say that, winning is still a good thing, just afraid we might lose again!¡± ¡°Do you know who burned down Great Yong¡¯s military camp? The second dog who escaped said it was a young general barely in his teens. He¡¯s surnamed Zhou or Zou, didn¡¯t quite catch it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impressive, no less than the State Duke.¡± ¡°If the State Duke were still alive, those Great Yong bastards, how would they dare to wage war?¡± ¡°¡­¡± The news the refugees knew was mostly hearsay, true and false yet to be determined, but the general direction should not be wrong. ¡°Fengyang waged war without deration! When schrs get ruthless, soldiers really can¡¯tpare ¡­¡± Zhou Yi sighed. During the time of great defeat and negotiation for peace, who would dare to start a war without the heart of the Imperial Court¡¯s will? Chancellor Zhang, topletely cut off Emperor Yongxing¡¯s chances of survival, did not hesitate to wage a great battle at the Northern Border, to prevent the mobilization of the garrison troops back to Divine Capital for protection. ¡°With the arrangement in Divine Capital, seizing the throne is already almost certain, so why let so many more people die?¡± Zhou Yi could not understand the thoughts of great figures, therefore he was ultimately not capable of great undertakings, but could only strive to live his own life well. The soldiers were inspecting people entering the city, and the refugees could only sleep outside the city. Zhou Yi gave two taels of silver, and the soldiers grinned and waved him through, indeed it was not the Imperial Edict but silver that could pass unobstructed throughout thend. He replenished several bags of rice and flour in the city, then left the city heading towards Pengshan. Pengshan was insignificant in Fengyang Country, with neither strategic strongholds nor picturesque scenery. asionally hunters would enter and leave the mountains, no other disturbances, which suited seclusion for cultivation. Those who secluded themselves on famous mountains sought a shortcut! Upon a Nameless Peak, Zhou Yi found a bear den and made bear meat porridge. His mana turned rock into mud, transforming it into a neatly squared and tidy stone chamber. He blocked the entrance with a huge rock; should anyone truly pry it open, he would know in advance. ¡°Cold, deste, silent ¡­¡± Zhou Yi murmured, ¡°Compared to secluding oneself from the mundane world, there¡¯s not a hint of human touch, yet it¡¯s a different kind of enjoyment.¡± The Mountain and River Cauldron stood erect in the center of the stone chamber, and Zhou Yi followed the Blood Refinement of Spiritual Weapons spell, forcing out drop by drop of essence blood from within his body, and using mana to force it into the bronze interior. ¡°The first step is blood refinement; this Mountain and River Cauldron ¡­ is quiterge!¡± Zhou Yi thought to himself, there was no one else in the world who wasted essence blood like he did. The Blood Refinement of Spiritual Weapons required the soaking of all parts of Spiritual Objects with essence blood, with the size and weight of the Mountain and River Cauldron directly draining the essence blood of hundreds of people. Essence blood is not ordinary fresh blood,ing from the heart, it is the essence of one¡¯s Qi-Blood! After consuming more than ten drops of essence blood to refine treasures, Zhou Yi needed more than ten days of cultivation to recover. ¡°No wonder Li Ye suggested refining the Jade Seal, no ordinary Innate grandmasters would be willing to refine the Mountain and River Cauldron; after finally refining it, there wouldn¡¯t be many years left to live!¡± The Spiritual Energy in the mountains was slightly richer than in Divine Capital, by about thirty to fifty percent. Apart from blood refining the Mountain and River Cauldron, Zhou Yi dedicated himself to cultivating the Guiyuan Technique, and finally broke through on the third year. Mana emanated from his body and turned into Sword Qi, which was several times more concentrated than before and expanded from a range of two or three zhang to five or six zhang, greatly increasing its lethality. ¡°Is this probably from the first level of Qi Refinement to the second level?¡± ¡°Indeed a bit slow ¡­ but for me, as long as there is growth, it¡¯s fine. Speed doesn¡¯t matter; safetyes first!¡± Zhou Yi made a breakthrough in his mana realm, his state of mind remained without ripples, continuing the blood refinement of the Mountain and River Cauldron. The immersion of essence blood was nearingpletion, the next step was tomunicate with the spirit of the cauldron, and then to refine the spirit of the cauldron ¡­ The sun rose and the moon set, time flew like a shuttle. Before you knew it, ten years had passed. People age and die, while grass and trees flourish and wither. Only Zhou Yi, who secluded himself for cultivation, retained his youthful appearance, time and the years leaving no trace on his countenance. On this day. Zhou Yi formed a spell with his hands and shouted loudly. ¡°Quick!¡± The Mountain and River Cauldron standing in the stone chamber flew up and started spinning rapidly, shrinking to the size of a grain of rice. Zhou Yi opened his mouth and swallowed the tiny cauldron into his stomach, patted his belly, and revealed a smile. ¡°Finally, it has been refined!¡± Chapter 44: A Decade in the World Chapter 44: A Decade in the World Stone chamber. Zhou Yi activated his mana, making the Mountain and River Cauldron materialize in his hand out of thin air. With a gentle toss, it swelled to the height of a person in the wind and mmed fiercely against the stone wall. Boom! The ground shook, and rocks burst into flight. Arge hole appeared in the cave¡¯s stone wall, surrounded by spiderweb-like cracks that extended two to three zhang outwards. ¡°With just an initial refinement, it possesses such power. Indeed, a cultivator cannot be without a magic artifact. The difference is like a martial arts expert armed with heavy firearms!¡± Zhou Yi, having refined the Mountain and River Cauldron with his own blood, couldmand it as easily as his own limbs, controlling its size and direction with his thoughts and will. ¡°However, the consumption of mana is somewhat great!¡± After just over a dozen breaths, the mana inside Zhou Yi¡¯s body was nearly depleted. As he was about to retract the treasured cauldron, suddenly, a sh of inspiration crossed his mind. He leaped, soaring into the Mountain and River Cauldron. In this way. The Mountain and River Cauldron danced in the air, and with it, Zhou Yi flew, not as fast as qinggong, but truly detached from the ground! ¡°Pity it¡¯s not a magic tool for flight, it can only be considered a ride.¡± Zhou Yi retracted the Mountain and River Cauldron into his belly before his mana waspletely exhausted, to nourish it internally. The constant nurturing of the magic artifact with mana over time would slowly strengthen the power of the Blood Refinement of Spiritual Weapons, binding it closely to the master¡¯s flesh and blood, and decrease the consumption of mana when activated. ¡°Even if the spiritual weapon¡¯s growth is slow, one day, it will transform into a true Mountain and River Cauldron.¡± ¡°One cauldron to dominate the mountains and rivers, the sun and moon, heaven and earth!¡± Zhou Yi had high hopes for the Mountain and River Cauldron, nning to refine it further with spiritual materials and objects in the future, even if it took thousands, tens of thousands of years, to ultimately transform it into the strongest supreme treasure between heaven and earth. ¡°Now that I have a magic artifact, not even an Innate Grandmaster can withstand a blow from the cauldron. Is it time to indulge a bit?¡± ¡°No! I¡¯m only at the secondyer of Qi Refinement, like an ant in the Cultivation World.¡± Zhou Yi quickly suppressed this dangerous thought and repeatedly admonished himself that staying low-key was the way to survival, and caution was the path to longevity! He pushed the massive rock that blocked the cave entrance aside. Amid the mountain¡¯s mist and the howling cold wind, his daoist robe rustled loudly. Zhou Yi used his qinggong to leap and fly down the mountain, following the forest path. In the ten years that had passed, he¡¯d never ventured into the secr world. When thirsty, he drank mountain spring water, when hungry, he roasted wild game¡ªa true ascetic detached from the world. Pengshan County wasn¡¯t far away; using qinggong, the round trip only took an hour or two. However, Zhou Yi deliberately used this to temper his mind. ¡°The path of the master is lonely! Only by enduring boredom and solitude can one truly achieve the great Dao of longevity!¡± While Zhou Yi practiced in the mundane world, he would not let himself sink into it. With a detached perspective, he observed the changes of the imperial court and the transformations of the world. This detachment from the secr world provided him with many insights when contrasted with his secr experiences. Wandering the mundane life could preserve his humanity and prevent him from bing a cold stone. Istion in seclusion was to stabilize the Dao heart, to protect the Longevity Dao Fruit. An hourter, the official road was visible ahead. The constant chatter of travelers, the turning sound of wheels, gradually reached Zhou Yi¡¯s ears, like a soundproof ss shattering suddenly, the silent picture became real in an instant. At this time. Zhou Yi should haveposed a poem to express his insights, to exude an air of immortal charm. However, the man had no cultural refinement; struggling all the way from the mountaintop to the foot, he managed only the disjointed phrase ¡°once returned to nature,¡± and could not fathom anything more. So, he let out a loud, long cry. ¡°I, Zhou the Old Demon, am back!¡± Startled a forest full of birds! ¡­ The tenth year of Jing Long. Laba Festival. Bai Residence. Curved corridors and pavilions, rockeries and strange stones¡ªa residence in the Divine Capital worthy of being called grand. In recent years, Emperor Jinglong had relied more on the Imperial n. Many from the Imperial n held important positions. Prince Anhua, who headed the Capital Garrison, held a position of high authority, and by extension, his only legitimate daughter also gained much splendor. As for the formermander, Sun Xiangming, who was executed for embezzling a hundred thousand taels of military provisions. His entire family was exiled to the Northern Border to serve in the military. After all, having once rebelled and been spared the execution of the Nine ns, it was already the emperor¡¯s mercy! Emperor Jinglong followed thest words of Chancellor Zhang, employing his kinsmen and eminent nobles, topete with the Officials. The emperor mediated from the center, allowing neither the eastern wind to overpower the western wind, nor the western wind to overpower the eastern wind. His throne was as stable as Mount Tai. Dawn was breaking. Chen Jinyu had gone early to Rongning Hall to greet her adoptive parents and chat with Princess Rongchang for a while before returning to her own courtyard. The plum blossoms in the courtyard had bloomed. The flowers were white with a hint of red, and the petals were moist and translucent. Perhaps because the soil where the plum tree grew was so fertile, one could smell a delicate fragrance from a distance, a scent that prated the heart and spleen. Chen Jinyu sat on a stool by the window, watching the plum blossoms in the courtyard, and closed the ¡°Military System¡± she held in her hands. ¡°Miss, there is a breeze, put on a cloak!¡± Lu Zhu, the maid, came over with a satin cloak. The standard apaniment for the young masters and misses of the Bai family included a wet nurse from infancy, four mamas to guide and teach, two personal maids, and five or six servant girls to sweep and clean the rooms. Chen Jinyu was only staying with the Bai family, but she was extremely cherished by her adoptive parents and thus received the same treatment. At that moment. Voices of response came from the doorway. ¡°Good day, Mama!¡± ¡°Qingmei, is the miss here?¡± ¡°She is!¡± Shortly after, an old woman came in furiously. She was Chen Jinyu¡¯s nurse. In her forties, dressed in a blue cotton shirt, her wrinkled face resembled tree bark. ¡°Miss, those harlots in the kitchen are outrageous. I went to ask for a bowl of Laba porridge, and they said there was none left. When the second master¡¯s maid went to ask, they immediately served her with a food box. I¡¯m living without dignity¡­¡± The old woman cried out in frustration, but seeing Chen Jinyu¡¯s indifferent expression, her voice gradually lowered. After letting her finish, Chen Jinyu waved and said, ¡°Mama Hu, go take my portion of Laba porridge and leave.¡± ¡°Ah? Miss, I¡­¡± Hearing this, Mama Hu¡¯s face twitched, unsure of what to say. A cold sh crossed Chen Jinyu¡¯s eyes, and Mama Hu felt the temperature in the room drop suddenly, shivering as she quickly retreated. ¡°What a gluttonous old thing.¡± Lu Zhu pursed her lips, unable to resist mumbling, her voice just loud enough for Chen Jinyu to hear. ¡°You may leave as well.¡± Chen Jinyu shook her head slightly. Thanks to the extra care from her adoptive parents, such as staying the longest in the Rong¡¯an Hall and receiving treats whenever her adoptive father went out. Perhaps the value was notparable to a meal in the mansion, but the significance behind it fueled envy among the legitimate young masters and misses. Envy, when excessive, bes jealousy! ¡°If only I were born a son!¡± Chen Jinyu continued to read the ¡°Military System,¡± a treatise on Fengyang Country¡¯s military structure that she had earnestly requested her adoptive father to find for her¡ªa volume of military secrets not even seen by the top families in Divine Capital. Immersed in the book¡¯s strategies ofmanding troops, as forpeting with the young masters and misses in the house? Utterly boring! Chen Jinyu knew she was a guest and would have to leave the Bai family sooner orter. Why bother making things difficult for her adoptive parents. ¡­ Night fell. The north wind swept across thend. Outside the window, the branches swayed, casting shadows on the paper like specters. Squeak! A faint sound was heard, and the sleeping Chen Jinyu suddenly awoke, her eyes shining brightly in the dark. ¡°Since you¡¯vee, why act like a gentleman on the beams!¡± While speaking, several streaks of light flew out, thunking into the wood. ¡°Quite capable for a young girl, but your hand is too cruel.¡± A figure dropped from the rafters, with white hair but a childlike ruddyplexion, wearing a cyan Daoist robe worn white from use, as if it hadn¡¯t been changed in many years. ¡°Breaking into ady¡¯s boudoir without permission is a crime punishable by death without trial!¡± Chen Jinyu swung her arm, and three more streaks of light shot out; only then did she see clearly that the concealed weapons were silver needles as thin as cow hair. ¡°Your technique isn¡¯t bad, but unfortunately¡­¡± The old Daoist spoke calmly and unhurriedly, not dodging or moving as the silver needles targeted the vital points of the philtrum, heart, and groin. ¡°¡­strangeness does not ovee orthodoxy, a waste of such a fine talent!¡± As his words ended, the three silver needles could no longer advance by even a hair¡¯s breadth, stiffly suspending in midair as if held by an invisible force. Chen Jinyu¡¯splexion turned slightly pale, and she couldn¡¯t help but cry out. ¡°An Innate Grandmaster!¡± Chapter 45: The Cauldron Suppresses the Fierce Ghosts Chapter 45: The Cauldron Suppresses the Fierce Ghosts ¡°Stop shouting, girl!¡± ¡°I have sealed a radius of thirty feet around us, even if you shout yourself hoarse, no one wille.¡± The old Taoist waved his hand and drew a chair toward himself, casually sitting down and crossing his legs as he sized up Chen Jinyu. A girl of twelve or thirteen, with a rather upright physique; judging from the way she wielded her hidden weapons, she could easily twist off a man¡¯s heavenly lid. Hers was an utterly ordinary appearance, yet she exuded a sharp demeanor! Chen Jinyu frowned slightly, then her face rxed as she bowed in greeting, ¡°Chen Ya¡¯er pays respects to her benefactor!¡± ¡°Has Old Bai told you everything?¡± The old Taoist was none other than Zhou Yi. After returning to Divine Capital, his first act was to visit Chen Ya¡¯er. ¡°My foster father once told Jin Yu that a benefactor woulde to instruct me in martial arts, so he did not impart Inner Strength.¡± Chen Jinyu answered, ¡°But so many years have passed, I had almost forgotten, and just now I didn¡¯t remember¡­¡± ¡°Yes, you wouldn¡¯t understand. I wanted to leave you with aplete childhood,¡± Zhou Yi found an excuse on the spot, definitely not because he had forgotten this matter in his quest for treasures, ¡°How have you been these years?¡± ¡°In peace and joy,¡± Chen Jinyu said. ¡°My foster parents care for and teach me without the slightestck, treating Jin Yu as their own daughter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Old Bai is still somewhat reliable in his affairs.¡± Zhou Yi suddenly didn¡¯t know what to say. Thest time he saw her, she was just a baby as big as a winter melon, and now she had grown into a person. The two indeed did not share any deep emotions, and Zhou Yi was not of a warm temperament. After a long silence, he asked, ¡°That hidden-weapon technique of yours is quite ruthless. Old Bai¡¯s martial arts tend to be more about looking cool and breezy. Did someone else teach you?¡± ¡°The technique is called ¡®Lethal Needles,¡¯ passed down to me by Auntie Hua from the household,¡± Chen Jinyu exined. ¡°There are rumors that Auntie Hua was a sacred maiden of the martial fraternity who betrayed her sect for my foster father and married him five years ago. Please do not misunderstand Auntie Hua, Benefactor. She treats Jin Yu very well. The hidden-weapon technique was something I begged her to teach me.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s expression stiffened: ¡°Old Bai is unfilial, marrying a Commandery Princess, yet he hasn¡¯t forgotten his old lover!¡± Chen Jinyu bowed her head and dared not speak, knowing the old Taoist before her resembled the otherworldly experts and entrics who wandered the earth in legend, rumored to be whimsical and reckless in their ways. ¡°I originally came to look in on you, and seeing that you are living in peace and happiness, was ready to fulfill a promise I once made.¡± Zhou Yi continued, ¡°But seeing your behavior during the day, I realize you are not a carefree child; you move and speak with quite some method¡­¡± Chen Jinyu, sensing a fortuitous moment, knelt on the ground and bowed her head deeply. ¡°Please take me as your disciple, and after I have learned, let me avenge my people!¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°Those deserters who ughtered the Chen family ravine are already dead by my hand. Whom do you seek to avenge?¡± ¡°First, the man who led those troops. Second, the Fengyang Royal Family!¡± Chen Jinyu gritted her teeth, ¡°Jin Yu has examined many documents and learned that Zhongzong¡¯s jealousy towards the Duke of the Nation led to the defeat at the Northern Border, causing the Chen family to be unjustly decimated.¡± ¡°There¡¯s some truth in that.¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s tone shifted, ¡°Such vengeance may result in the deaths of many innocent people, especially given your capabilities.¡± ¡°Then let those innocents seek vengeance against me!¡± Chen Jinyu¡¯s voice was icy cold. ¡°Jin Yu is but a weak girl, with no concept of the greater world; all I know is that if my father was not condemned, then it¡¯s only right for the child to seek revenge.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Zhou Yi pped in approval, ¡°I¡¯ve seen one who was concerned with the bigger picture. He saw his whole family perish, yet he was still unable to prevent the carnage.¡± Li Wu gave his life for the stability of the National Dynasty; Zhou Yi naturally had the utmost respect for him, but to ask him to learn and imitate that path was absolutely impossible! If Li Wu had been ruthless, had he betrayed Emperor Chongming¡¯s gracious upbringing and led an army to seize Fengyang Country, perhaps there would have been no chaos in the Northern Border, and fewer might have died as a result. Of course, that¡¯s with the benefit of hindsight! Zhou Yi said, ¡°When I saved you back then, I already used mana to test your aptitude. Today I will impart to you a Cultivation Technique.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master¡­¡± Chen Jinyu felt an overwhelming force sealing herpletely, she couldn¡¯t utter thest word no matter how much she tried. ¡°I do not take disciples,¡± Zhou Yi saved Chen Jinyu purely out of a desire to protect a human child; it had nothing to do with disdain for the Fengyang Royal Family, nor withmenting the hardships of the world, nor any other reason whatsoever! Only by not imposing causality can one move towards immortality! Therefore, there could be no master-disciple title. ¡°This cultivation technique is called the Guiyuan Technique¡­¡± Zhou Yi recited the Guiyuan Technique once, and Chen Jinyu had already memorized it without missing a single word. Chen Jinyu bowed deeply and said, ¡°I will eternally remember the kindness of transmitting the technique to me!¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°Cultivate diligently before you turn twenty. I will protect you in Divine Capital. After that, our karma isplete, and even if you die on the path of revenge, do not think to seek me for rescue!¡± Chen Jinyu bowed again, ¡°For such a great kindness, I dare not ask for more. In the future, should my benefactor require anything, I will not hesitate even if it means death!¡± Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow, ¡°That sounds somewhat familiar¡­¡± The voice was ethereal and elusive, and when Chen Jinyu looked up, there was no one in the room. Just as she was about to stand up, she heard a voice beside her ear. ¡°Little girl, the plum blossoms in your courtyard are so thriving because there are many corpses buried beneath the trees. Such methods are to my taste, I shall give you another piece of advice!¡± ¡°Go to Deste City, seek General Zhou!¡± ¡­ The courtyard. Ten years since hisst visit, the door lock was rusted. Zhou Yi casually snapped the iron lock and pushed the door open, only to find a skeleton lying in the courtyard. With its homespun clothes and delicate bones, its dress did not appear like that of a burr, and there were no signs of a martial artist¡¯s physique developed in life. ¡°Is this amoner?¡± Zhou Yi frowned slightly; he had purposely removed the traps in the courtyard before leaving, to avoid harming innocent civilians. The mechanisms and traps set up in the courtyard came from a master in the heavenly prison, with des and sword edges smeared with deadly poison; ordinary martial arts masters entering would also be doomed. Civilians who coveted the empty house and sumbed to greed deserved punishment for theft, but they didn¡¯t deserve death. Zhou Yi enveloped his hand with mana and turned the corpse over to examine it; there were no wounds and no traces of poison. ¡°Normally, even after dying for ten years and being dried by the wind, one wouldn¡¯t be reduced to mere bones!¡± Zhou Yi suddenly revealed a cold smile, took out the Peaceful Home Talisman from his chest and used it to sweep the courtyard with an air of repelling evil spirits and securing a house. Woo woo woo¡ª A mournful wind howled, and a fierce ghost materialized out of thin air, squatting on the branch of a jujube tree, staring at Zhou Yi. This ghost was different from those seen before, ghastly and deformed beyond recognition as human; it had seven or eight red eyes randomly ced on its face, and its mouth was filled with serrated sharp teeth. It had four arms grasping the jujube branches, while its lower half resembled a bulging spider abdomen, which also bore several eerie human faces. ¡°Hiss Hiss Hiss!¡± The ghost¡¯s tongue was forked, flickering in and out like a venomous snake¡¯s. Zhou Yi sensed the ghost¡¯s energy, which was even lower than that of the first Qi Refinement stage, and spoke arrogantly, ¡°A mere stray soul and wild ghost dares to cause harm; it must be executed!¡± Enraged by these words, the ghost leaped from the tree to pounce on him, spewing a stench of ck fog from its spider-like abdomen. Hum! A bronze cauldron suddenly appeared out of nowhere, emitting a sound like the ringing of bells and drumming in the evening, almost shattering the ghost¡¯s spirit, followed by oberwhelming suppression from above. Boom! The loud crash could be heard from miles away, and in an instant, the ghost was reduced to ash. Zhou Yi summoned back the Mountain and River Cauldron, looking at the earth of the courtyard, beneath whichy numerous white bones. ¡°If any thievese in again, they should be cremated to prevent the disturbance of this house,¡± he muttered. Chapter 46 - 46 Understanding Fate at 50 Chapter 46 Understanding Fate at 50 ¡°From whence do these malevolent spirits arise?¡± Zhou Yi retracted the treasured cauldron, and circled the courtyard twice. There are many ces in the world where the dead are numerous, such as the Mass Burial Mound outside Divine Capital City, heaped with countless corpses of refugees. It¡¯s said that the wild dogs nearby have eyeballs red as ghastly ghosts. The prison often sees death, and there¡¯s a designated spot for handling corpses. Over the years, it¡¯s turned into a massive burial pit. With twenty or thirty corpses buried in the courtyard, it still pales inparison to those two ces; yet, oddly enough, this ce has fostered the transformation of souls into malevolent spirits. ¡°The only difference between those ces, shrouded in shades and seldom trodden by humans, and this courtyard¡­ could it be my presence?¡± Zhou Yi, modest and cautious, was not foolishly unaware. The Guiyuan Technique was a cultivation technique that drew spiritual energy from the surroundings into the body, potentially causing profound changes. ¡°I should buy another courtyard for cultivation. This ce could be shown to outsiders, also serving to conceal my identity.¡± This malevolent spirit had already dissipated into ash, but who¡¯s to say it wouldn¡¯t condense again? If by chance it attacked quietly and possessed me while I was deep in my cultivation, it would be most unfortunate. One must always be cautious, avoiding a few years at the Spring Breeze Building, and hence saving the silver needed to purchase a courtyard! At this moment. The sound of someone using qinggong to travel through the air approached; a middle-aged man in a white robe floated into the courtyard upon the moonlight, with his clothes billowing in the breeze, holding two jars of wine in one hand and fanning himself with a white paper fan in the other. The winter wind was bitingly cold. Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow, ¡°You¡¯ve arrived quite swiftly, you rascal!¡± ¡°Jin Yu came looking for me, saying an old Taoist had arrived.¡± ¡°After all these years, and you cultivating that nefarious technique, I thought you might have died somewhere,¡± said Lao Bai. ¡°The time spent in seclusion was for altering one¡¯s foundation, to slightly recover some lifespan.¡± Zhou Yi gave a half-true reason, ¡°Chen Ya¡¯er isn¡¯t bad, but if she had believed my words upon just one meeting, then she shouldn¡¯t try her luck in the Jianghu, lest she casually loses her life outside.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Jin Yu, which signifies the beauty of jade! I specially sought a schr from the Imperial Academy to choose the name,¡± said Lao Bai as he poured two bowls of wine. ¡°Ever since you left Divine Capital, I couldn¡¯t find another soul to drink merrily with!¡± Zhou Yiughed, ¡°The legendary Thief Saint, known for having friends all over the world, able to summon countless upon a single call in the Jianghu.¡± ¡°It¡¯s different now; having left the Jianghu, I mustn¡¯t associate with it too closely.¡± Lao Bai shook his head and sighed, harboring nostalgia for the carefree past, but even more so, relief and contentment. ¡°Then I shall drink with you until we¡¯re old!¡± Zhou Yi and Lao Bai had met in prison, and in the blink of an eye, more than twenty years had passed. He had long realized that this rascal was much like him. Lao Bai seemed reckless and audacious, having stolen many treasures, but in reality, he was meticulous in petty affairs, fundamentally sharing Zhou Yi¡¯s cautious nature. There were countless qinggong experts in the Jianghu, and many were known for their sleight of hand, but only Lao Bai earned the illustrious title of Thief Saint. It was because the others were not meticulous and cautious, eventually meeting their downfall. The only mishap for Lao Bai arose when he raided a Commandery Prince¡¯s manor and ended up caught, imprisoned for life. Lao Bai shook his head, waved his hand to remove the disguise from his face, revealing crow¡¯s feet at the corners of his eyes, and hisplexion was no longer as handsome, reced by a breath of weathered hardship. ¡°We have aged!¡± At fifty, one recognizes their heavenly fate, relishing life free of worries and viewing honor and disgrace with detachment. In that era, they were considered old! Lao Bai was two years older than Zhou Yi, now nearing sixty, on the verge of ¡®hua ji¡¯ (turning 60 years old). Zhou Yi, lost in thought, watched as his few remaining friends aged, and drained the bowl of wine in one gulp. ¡°Young warriors of the Jianghu be elderly too!¡± ¡°Old Zhou, where did you learn such mncholic poetry? Even at this age, I am the heartthrob of thousands, with many female heroes admiring me,ing specially to Divine Capital City to pay respects,¡± Lao Bai boasted nonchntly. ¡°The truth is that you, old man, will never find a wife!¡± ¡°Admiration? I think it¡¯s more like paying homage!¡± Zhou Yi sneered, ¡°With your phndering ways, you¡¯ve even brought home the demoness from the Devil¡¯s Sect; how can the Commandery Princess tolerate it?¡± Lao Bai, with an impish grin, replied, ¡°Heh heh! It wasn¡¯t my doing; it was Rong Chang who initiated the proposal.¡± ¡°Keep blowing that trumpet!¡± Zhou Yi retorted, ¡°With all your prowess, why haven¡¯t we seen that great sword sect elder sister of yours?¡± ¡°Shu Wan is shy; she doesn¡¯t likeing to the Capital.¡± Lao Bai said helplessly, ¡°I can only visit Boundless Mountain once a year, for a couple of months. After all, she is a Sect Leader of a reputable and righteous sect; I can¡¯t let her be a concubine in my house.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Yi stifled the urge to smash Old Bai to death with a cauldron; every time they discussed women, he would end up utterly crushed. No matter how enchanting the oiran of Spring Breeze Building were, they couldn¡¯tpare to the female sect leader of the sword school, the holy maiden of the demon sect, or the nobledies from prominent families¡­ Although their appearances might be on par, the sense of conquest brought about by their status was as different as clouds are from mud! ¡°How have the Imperial Court affairs changed over the years? Is Chancellor Zhang dead yet?¡± Zhou Yi awkwardly changed the subject,forting himself that when Old Bai was too old to move, he would then seek him out to talk about the beauties of the world. ¡°During the third year of Emperor Jinglong¡¯s reign, Chancellor Zhang died in office, posthumously titled Wenzhong. His Majesty paid his respects by following the cortege.¡± Old Bai said, ¡°As for the rest, nothing much has happened over the years. His Majesty is young and strong, and his temperament is mild, so the officials all say that he has the makings of Emperor Zhongzong.¡± ¡°Mild? You mean weak, don¡¯t you!¡± After emerging from his retreat, Zhou Yi had already learned the oue of the peace negotiations at the Northern Border. Not only did they cede territory and pay indemnities, but Emperor Jinglong actually set aside his pride and personally escorted the remains of the enemy prince from the ancestral temple. It was precisely because of this that Chancellor Zhang was able to quickly draft the peace agreement! Old Bai said, ¡°Weakness isn¡¯t so bad, His Majesty has been on the throne for ten years and has yet to execute any member of the Nine ns, everyone¡¯s living quite well.¡± ¡°Fengyang Country has produced two outstanding figures consecutively, Wu Zhong and Wen Zhong, who have turned the tide of degeneracy. It seems the National Dynasty won¡¯t copse anytime soon.¡± Zhou Yi bore no resentment towards Fengyang Country, simplymenting as an onlooker. Even if heaven and earth were to change, it would just mean a different set of people bing emperor. As that person said back then, the schrs are so corrupt that no one can govern them, and there wouldn¡¯t be any less corruption or injustice. The two old men, reuniting after ten years, had an endless stream of conversations fueled by alcohol. When they got to the topic of the corpse in the courtyard, a sly look appeared on Old Bai¡¯s face. ¡°Old Zhou, do you know who this person is?¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re enjoying my misfortune, it can¡¯t be a petty thief taking a shortcut, could it be¡­¡± Zhou Yi realized, ¡°A member of the Zhou family?¡± ¡°You¡¯re too cunning, how boring!¡± Old Bai said, ¡°Two years after you left, this courtyard became known as a haunted house. Strange screams would be heard at night, and most of the neighbors were scared away.¡± Zhou Yi nodded, ¡°Indeed, there was a vicious ghost, which I just pped to death!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Old Bai was speechless for a moment and couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°Old Zhou, just how high is your martial skill?¡± Zhou Yi shrugged, ¡°About as high as three or four stories!¡± Old Bai asked again, ¡°So, what floor am I on?¡± Considering the gap between them, Zhou Yi replied truthfully, ¡°You¡¯re probably three or four floors underground.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s continue talking about the haunted house¡­¡± Old Bai had little interest in pursuing martial arts when he was young, practicing qinggong was firstly for looking dashing and secondly for fleeing to save his life; at this age, hispetitive spirit has dwindled even further. ¡°Five years ago, the Zhou family got wind that you had died outside, so they came to the Capital to take over the house. They ended up harmed by the fierce ghost. That person was your cousin once removed, I think his name was Zhou Fang.¡± ¡°They got what they deserved.¡± Zhou Yi had long since divided the family assets, and legally, the Zhou family had no right to inherit his property. ¡°I¡¯ve already had it taken care of.¡± Old Bai said, ¡°Don¡¯t stay in seclusion too long next time, lest you can only talk to me by burning paper offerings.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Zhou Yi nodded slightly. Afterward, the conversation spanned from the imperial court to the martial world, from the southernmost tip to the far north, only ending when the cock crowed thrice signifying theing of dawn. ¡°How many times in life can one experience such unrestrained joy!¡± Old Bai stood up to leave, never using the main entrance but instead leaping up and flying away from the top of the wall. Zhou Yi stood in the courtyard for a long while, sighing deeply. ¡°A single day in the mountains, a thousand years in the world!¡± Now merely at the threshold of the path to immortality, closing off to the world for decades at a time, and if his cultivation were to go deeper, one session of seclusion could span several generations of life and death in the mortal realm. Waving his hand, mana ground the skeleton to dust, scattering it under the jujube tree to serve as fertilizer. Chapter 47 - 47 I am Xiao Zhou Chapter 47 I am Xiao Zhou The sky was just beginning to brighten. There were already quite a few breakfast stalls on the streets. Zhou Yi, starting from one end and working his way to the other, ate his fill as the food in his stomach was refined into nothingness by his circting mana. ¡°This salty tofu pudding is great, another bowl please!¡± Along the way, he met neighbors and greeted them with a smile, young ones as ¡®auntie¡¯ and the elderly as ¡®olddy¡¯¡ªhe couldn¡¯t go wrong. A neighbor asked in confusion, ¡°Who is this handsome young man?¡± ¡°My master was Zhou Yi. He asked me to seek my fortune in the Capital before he passed away.¡± At this moment, Zhou Yi, appearing to be in his twenties, closely resembled his true appearance, and being nourished by the spiritual energy over the years, his appearance had be quite remarkable in the eyes of ordinary people. Compared to Old Bai, Zhou Yi consoled himself by valuing temperament over appearance. ¡°The disciple of Master Zhou!¡± The neighbor was half-convinced, ¡°You stayed in that courtyardst night?¡± In the eyes of those nearby, Zhou Yi was seen as a capable individual. He spoke with gentle warmth, and whenever neighbors encountered any troubles, a single word to the officials would resolve them. He was highly respected. ¡°Yes, my master set up mechanisms in the yard, and ordinary people who enter would end up¡­¡± Zhou Yi gestured a throat-slitting motion, ¡°I made some noise dismantling the mechanismsst night, I¡¯m afraid I may have disturbed you, sir.¡± ¡°Ah, I see, no harm done.¡± The old man chuckled, ¡°I was wondering how such a capable person as Master Zhou could have a haunted house!¡± The others rejoiced in agreement. Ever since the ghost rumors began, those who had yet to move out were mostly the ones whocked the means. Now that the rumors were dispelled, not only could they be at ease, but the fallen house prices might even rise again. It was nearing midday. Zhou Yi arrived at the prison. The guards on duty didn¡¯t recognize him, but everyone recognized silver. ¡°Warden Liu?¡± The guard recalled, ¡°Lord Liu has been promoted. He is now the Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Punishments. If you need him, you should go to the Ministry of Punishments.¡± At that moment. An old guard came out of the prison, escorting a prisoner in uniform. Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes lit up as he approached and called out, ¡°Could you be Warden Feng?¡± Feng Qiao had been a jailer for most of his life. It was the first time someone had addressed him with such respect, and he cheerfully spoke with a nasal tone just like the head jailer. ¡°Hmm, who are you? What are you doing in the prison?¡± ¡°Warden Feng, before my master passed away, he pointed me to the prison to seek work. He told me about you, said that you¡¯re imposing and have a mole of fortune on your forehead.¡± Zhou Yi took out a letter of rmendation from his chest, penned by himself, the handwriting naturally unmistakable. ¡°Old Zhou¡¯s¡­ disciple?¡± Feng Qiao scrutinized him carefully,paring him to his memory, and found a resemnce of four or five points, ¡°Old Zhou was a carefree man, the Spring Breeze Building was like his home. Surely you aren¡¯t his son, are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m from Yizhou, my hometown. During the war, I became a disced person.¡± Zhou Yi exined, ¡°I almost starved to death in Xuanzhou, but fortunately, I met my master who said I had a talent for martial arts and took me as his disciple.¡± No one could verify this background. Yizhou had only be part of Fengyang Country five or six years ago, and they hadn¡¯tpletely sorted out the governance of the people before Great Yong took it back. ¡°Really, you¡¯re not?¡± Feng Qiao looked skeptical but didn¡¯t make it difficult, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to Colonel Lu. He was very good friends with your master; he should be able to arrange a job for you.¡± A short whileter. Colonel Lu asked, ¡°Are you really not Old Zhou¡¯s son?¡± Zhou Yi, helplessly, repeated his denials. ¡°How did Old Zhou pass away?¡± Colonel Lu asked, ¡°Back in the day, his strength was said to be top-notch in the Capital. Aren¡¯t martial arts masters supposed to live long lives?¡± Zhou Yi looked sad, ¡°My master attempted to cleanse his marrow forcefully five years ago. It failed, and he injured his marrow. He struggled for four years but ultimately didn¡¯t make it.¡± Martial arts body cultivation starts with shaping the skin membrane, tendons, bones, and refining the viscera, requiring relentless polishing day after day. Those with natural talent in cultivation techniques and medicinal decoctions, without a shortage of either, generally face no major bottlenecks. Only the marrow cleansing is different. Blood and qi seep into the depths of the bones, cleansing the marrow which is ten times more delicate than the viscera¡ªa slight mishap can result in severe injury. Those seniors in the jianghu who have fully refined their viscera are not ignorant of the methods of marrow cleansing. Most simply dare not take a step further. Having already acquired wealth and status at the stage of refining the viscera, they no longer possess the courage of their earlier days when they were willing to stake their lives! ¡°A y pot kept near the well inevitably breaks. How could Old Zhou, a man of such wisdom who has been cautious all his life, be reckless in his old age?¡± Colonel Lu sighed, examined the rmendation letter, and nodded, ¡°Since you are Old Zhou¡¯s disciple, you should indeed be given a job. What do you have in mind?¡± ¡°Delivering meals.¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°My master told me that those who deliver meals live longer.¡± ¡°Ha ha!¡± Colonel Lu chuckled and pped his hands, ¡°Those words must indeed be Old Zhou¡¯s. Zhou Li, um, from now on I¡¯ll call you Little Zhou. You will be in charge of delivering meals during the day.¡± ¡°Thank you, Colonel Lu.¡± Zhou Yi knew that winning trust in a short time was difficult, as spies often infiltrated the prison, attempting to secretly rescue certain prisoners. This issue wasn¡¯t hard to solve. Just stay in prison for a decade or two, and by then, no one would be suspicious. Time would smooth everything over! Colonel Lu asked, ¡°How much of your master¡¯s skills in interrogating prisoners have you learned?¡± ¡°My master praised me, saying that ¡®the student surpasses the teacher.¡¯¡± Zhou Yi confidently said, ¡°Does Colonel Lu have a difficult prisoner to interrogate? Just hand them over to me, and at most in a day¡¯s time, even a man of iron will notst.¡± ¡°Indeed, there is one.¡± Colonel Lu said, ¡°We caught a bandit a few days ago and have been interrogating for days without finding out where theirir is.¡± Zhou Yi feigned a bewildered expression just in time, ¡°There are bandits near Divine Capital?¡± The more one lives, the more one experiences, and naturally, the better one bes at acting. It was easy to y the role of a young, green, and naive youth. ¡°Wherever there are people who cannot get a meal, there are bandits.¡± Seeing his demeanor, Colonel Lu¡¯s doubts diminished a bit, ¡°It¡¯s just that they are blind, robbing ordinary merchants is one thing, but a few days ago, they actually hijacked the goods of the Assistant Minister of Rites. The orders from above are strict¡ªthat they must be eradicated!¡± ¡°Merely a group of bandits, they should be easy to interrogate!¡± An hourter. Zhou Yi pried open the bandit¡¯s mouth; the bandit stronghold turned out to be on the southern foot of Mountain of Eternal Life. The bandits had secretly colluded with the soldiers stationed at Mountain of Eternal Life. Whenever officers came to investigate, the soldiers would cover for the bandits, which is why they could never be wiped out. The bandits were responsible for raiding the goods, while the soldiers handled the disposal of the loot and divided the silver! ¡°Little Zhou, well done!¡± Colonel Lu¡¯s eyes shone, ¡°This is a great achievement. We can even make an appearance before His Majesty!¡± The bandits, the imperial guards, the Assistant Minister of Rites¡ªall paled inparison to the southern foothills of Mountain of Eternal Life. The site of the Imperial Mausoleum of Fengyang Country had be a hiding ce for bandits, and to put it more bluntly, was it taking advantage of the Zhao family¡¯s dragon energy? ¡°Congrattions, Colonel Lu.¡± Zhou Yi showed some shock on the surface, but his heart remained calm. He had been in the imperial prison for nearly forty years and had seen even more bizarre cases. He had also seen the imperial mausoleum guards a couple of times¡ªthey could be described as a group of paupers forgotten by the world. Only during the emperor¡¯s burial would they feast on meat and vegetables; on normal days, they lived by farming on the mountain. Now that they could not get a meal, contemting a side business to make some money was understandable! ¡°When did I be so cold-blooded?¡± Zhou Yi touched his own face, shook his head slightly, and then smiled again, congratting Colonel Lu. As for what followed, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of War would handle the case and catch the thieves. Zhou Yi had just entered the prison and already made a great contribution. It was easy for him to establish a foothold. The jailers treated ¡°Zhou Li¡± quite well, after all, they had been greatly favored by his master in the past. For instance, at the Spring Breeze Building, Zhou Yi would always handle the bill. Chapter 48 - 48 Old Acquaintance from the Brothel Chapter 48 Old Acquaintance from the Brothel A month had passed in the blink of an eye. Zhou Yi had interrogated a few more prisoners, his execution methods bing increasingly adept, with fewsting even an hour. At this time. Whether ¡°Zhou Li¡± was truly Zhou Yi¡¯s pupil no longer mattered. Colonel Lu received a reward from the Imperial Court, and had taken a liking to this junior, even giving him an extra twenty pieces of silver at the end of the month. ¡°It won¡¯t be long before the name ¡®old Zhou¡¯s Bloody Demon¡¯ is passed onto you!¡± ¡°How could the disciple dare to exceed his ce, if anything, I would only be a ¡®little demon.¡¯¡± Zhou Yi said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve often heard the master mentioning the Spring Breeze Building. Now that I¡¯ve received my silver, I invite you to grace us with your presence tonight.¡± ¡°Of course, of course!¡± Colonel Lu nodded in satisfaction; elders always enjoyed the respect of the young. Zhou Yi also invited the other jailers, and his colleagues agreed one after another. Initially, they catered to him as a young newbie out of respect for an old friend, but now treated him as an equal. To enter, one relies on connections, but to stand firm one needs true skill! It has been so since ancient times. At dusk. Spring Breeze Building. The business was still booming, with the scent of makeup detectable from afar, as the girls dressed scantily to wee their guests. ¡°Sir,e and have fun!¡± Guests wereing and going, having a splendid time. Colonel Lu led a group of jailers inside, just as the Oiran was dancing. A hazy veil of red gauze, half-concealing and half-revealing, suggested more than it showed. Every time she stretched her waist, it drew cheers from the patrons. ¡°This year¡¯s Oiran, Susu, is known as the best waist in the Divine Capital!¡± ¡°That Susu, she revived the Spring Breeze Building when it was nearly outshone by Bright Moon Pavilion opened in Xiude District,¡± Colonel Lu remarked in admiration. ¡°As soon as she took the stage, none could rival her for the title of Oiran.¡± Feng Qiao was astonished, ¡°Xiude District? Isn¡¯t that where the Ministry of Rites and the state academy are located? They can run a brothel there?¡± ¡°I heard the owner is a bigwig from the Ministry of Rites!¡± Colonel Lu said, ¡°Liu Shng and I have been there once; how should I put it¡ªthe girls are indeed beautiful but quite reserved, reportedly recruited from The Bureau of Music.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the fun if they cannot let loose.¡± The colleagues expressed their disdain. The prison guards from the dungeon were a rough bunch, finding it hard to appreciate the beauty of fragility and delicacy. ¡°You just don¡¯t understand, the ones who truly know how to enjoy are the schrs!¡± Zhou Yi clicked his tongue and said, ¡°The girls from The Bureau of Music are the family members of convicted officials; to us, they¡¯re no different from those at the Spring Breeze Building, but to the gentry, they see the wives and daughters of their former colleagues.¡± ¡°Eh¡ª¡± The colleagues dragged out a long note, expressing their disdain and disgust. ¡°Now that Zhou mentions it, no wonder the officials from the Imperial Court prefer Bright Moon Pavilion¡­¡± Colonel Lu¡¯s eyes flickered, clearly intrigued. In the middle of the conversation. The old madam had alreadye waddling over. Before she even reached them, she bowed in apology, ¡°Colonel Lu, there are too many guests today, and we really can¡¯t spare a private room. I¡¯m afraid I must ask you to sit in the main hall.¡± ¡°Lead the way ahead.¡± Colonel Lu nodded slightly, indifferent to whether her excuse was true or false. In the dungeon, only Warden Liu and old Zhou had the privilege to have a private room in the Spring Breeze Building at any time; no one else could manage it. ¡°Are you Yun Niang?¡± Zhou Yi ventured to ask. ¡°Oh, this young master seems a bit unfamiliar, but you surely have a handsome face!¡± The old madam covered her mouth with her handkerchief, looking quite pleased with herself. ¡°It¡¯s been many years since anyone has called me Yun Niang. Where did you hear this name, young master?¡± Yun Niang. That name was from the old madam¡¯s most glorious days, likely the pinnacle of her life, when the entire Divine Capital City bustled because of her. Charming and seductive, a single melody on the pipa stirred the Capital! Sixteen years had psed since then, and now she had fallen into obscurity. ¡°My master once told me that in Divine Capital City, the number one pipa yer is Yun Niang,¡± Zhou Yiughed and said, ¡°Other Oirans might y the zither or blow the flute just to put on a show for the guests, to prove they are more than just pretty faces and enhance their worth, but only Yun Niang damaged her fingers ying the pipa out of her desire to learn.¡± Yun Niang subconsciously hid her right hand and said somberly, ¡°Your master is Old Zhou?¡± Zhou Yi expressed his surprise, ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°In Divine Capital City, with its million people, everyone says I am charming, but only Old Zhou praises my pipa ying,¡± Yun Niang asked, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him for many years, how is he now?¡± ¡°My master passed awayst year.¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s words contained a hint of regret, recalling the joyful conversations he once had with Yun Niang who was indeed obsessed with melodies; but it was as if she was born in the wrong world, otherwise her beautybined with her skills would surely make her a popr goddess. The two shared a profound connection, and Yun Niang, fueled by the intoxication of wine, even considered the idea of buying her freedom. Perhaps Zhou Yi was on guard, or perhaps he did not trust the women of the brothel, for he never sought out Yun Niang again. ¡°That old bastard was heartless, it¡¯s good that he¡¯s dead. I and some of the sisters have said before, surely, we would all p our hands in delight.¡± Yun Niang¡¯s voice carried a hint of coy annoyance, slightly subdued, ¡°Come with me upstairs, we still have a private room set aside for old guests, lest your master visits you in your dreams tonight,ining that I didn¡¯t take care of you!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Yi immediately felt a sense of regret, believing that if there really was a deep affection between them, it was nothing but a lie told to children. Having mingled in Spring Breeze Building for over thirty years, he had met several sentimental women. Perhaps it was because few women of the dust could truly connect with someone; Zhou Yi was generous and spoke pleasantly, and he never looked down on them, which might be why they felt a slight touch of fondness and joy. If one truly bought their freedom and started a family, dealing with the daily grind, Zhou Yi was cautious; it was doubtful whether the rtionship couldst long. ¡°Old Zhou, though you¡¯re gone, your legend remains in Spring Breeze Building!¡± Colonel Lu murmured to himself, thinking of the two men he admired the most in his life. One was the former warden, now Liu Shng, whose machinations and instincts in the officialdom had reached a state of perfection. The other was Zhou Yi, a simple prison guard who could leave an Oiran yearning. They settled in the private room upstairs. Zhou Yi, feeling modest, took thest seat, served dishes and poured wine for everyone, and told some witty jokes as well. Colonel Lu inwardly praised him, befitting of a disciple taught by Old Zhou, for ordinary people, after experiencing what had just passed, would inevitably be a bit smug, but few could maintain theirposure. The guards of the heavenly prison were all shrewd, certainly sensing the subtleties of the situation. In an instant, rtionships grew much closer, and the atmosphere became lively. His colleagues began sharing the essentials of the heavenly prison with Zhou Yi, openly and covertly, the unspoken rules, now fully treating Zhou Yi as one of their own. ¡°Howe it¡¯s ¡®again¡¯?¡± Zhou Yi looked at the guestsughing below, the Oirans¡¯ graceful dancing, feeling a decade of emptiness instantly filled. The earthly atmosphere, best atforting people¡¯s hearts. As the wine took effect. Colonel Lu put his arm around Zhou Yi¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Little Zhou ah, I have high hopes for you! If you have any troubles in the Capital, just say the word, don¡¯t let trivial matters dy your duties.¡± ¡°Colonel Lu, there actually is something bothering me quite a bit,¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°A few days ago, my master¡¯s family came to Divine Capital City, asking me to give back the house, to leave it for the younger generation of the Zhou family to inherit.¡± Colonel Lu¡¯s brows slightly furrowed, ¡°Old Zhou had family? Howe he never mentioned it?¡± If it really was an internal matter of the Zhou family, Colonel Lu wouldn¡¯t want to get involved, not mentioning that Fengyang Country governed by filial piety, family and nws took precedence in inheritance matters, even before the National Dynasty¡¯s legal system. This was precisely how inheritance was cut off! Feng Qiao said, ¡°I know a bit, Old Zhou¡¯s father had already split the family.¡± ¡°Split the family!¡± With that, Colonel Lu found his confidence, ¡°Once they¡¯ve split, the familyws don¡¯t apply, especially after two generations. If they could take it back with that, then might as well let every Zhou in the world collect it.¡± Hearing this, everyone burst intoughter. ¡°Little Zhou, don¡¯t be afraid to stir things up, with your skills, if anyone elsees knocking, just bring them to the heavenly prison for questioning.¡± ¡°Thank you, Colonel Lu.¡± Zhou Yi entrusted Colonel Lu with the matter, already tasting the consequences of his past actions. If he still didn¡¯t get the hint, the next year¡¯s jujubes and grapes might bear even more fruit. Chapter 49: The Brocade-Clad Rule the State Chapter 49: The Brocade-d Rule the State Spring Breeze Building was a top-tier Golden Cavern in Divine Capital. The guests who came here, whether they were educated or not, all pretended to know more than they did. Even those with the fieriest tempers had to feign an air of elegance in front of the fair-skinned and beautifuldies. Colonel Lu, whoshed prisoners with frightening force, now spoke to thedies in a gentle and soft manner. Zhou Yi was reading youngdy Rou Rou¡¯s palm at the moment. Having studied the Taoist and Buddhist scriptures for two or three decades, he had long surpassed most of the ordinary fortune-tellers, and his words carried authority. ¡°This career line is somewhat t¡­ No, that¡¯s not right, it¡¯s small, spit spit, it¡¯s short, you should drink more milk on regr days¡­¡± Suddenly. A loud bang, louder than theughter of the guests, silenced Spring Breeze Building in an instant. Zhou Yi looked toward the source of the noise, and saw four middle-aged men in the main hall on the ground floor overturning the dining tables. The madam rushed forward, bowed, and apologized, ¡°Gentlemen, Susu has been dancing all night, let¡¯s have someone else take over¡­¡± ¡°We came here to see her!¡± One of the men said, ¡°Today Chancellor Chen is present; even if one¡¯s leg is broken, she must dance!¡± Another joined in, ¡°What¡¯s with this lowly woman, bing so arrogant after a fewpliments about having the ¡®number one waist¡¯?¡± The madam¡¯s face changed slightly, recognizing the ent as that of Divine Capital, which meant they weren¡¯t to be trifled with. For one thing, Divine Capital was home to many powerful individuals, and you never knew if one was the son of a Marquis or an Earl¡¯s estate. Secondly, people from Divine Capital would know that Spring Breeze Building had powerful backing, and their brazen behavior meant they had strong support. A beautifully dressed guest sitting nearby, who seemed to be an admirer of Susu, found the men¡¯s arrogance intolerable. ¡°Miss Susu is already tired. Forcing a delicate woman to perform is hardly¡­¡± Before he could finish his statement, a figure shed by, grabbed the guest¡¯s arm, and swiftly drew a dagger from his waist. Ah! A scream filled the air as the dagger pierced through the guest¡¯s palm, nailing it firmly to the table. Thest person still sitting calmly took a token out of his robe and threw it into the madam¡¯s bosom. ¡°Continue singing!¡± ¡°Jinyiwei!¡± The madam recognized the token depicting ¡°Jinyiwei Hundred Household Chen Yang¡± and began to tremble with fear. After a moment. The sound of music rose again, and Susu returned to the stage to dance, twisting her waist with even more effort than before. Chen Yang nced at the injured guest and asked kindly, ¡°Where are you from?¡± ¡°Dai State.¡± The guest¡¯s palm was still bleeding, yet he dared not make a sound, looking to his friends for help, who didn¡¯t dare utter a word either. ¡°A good ce known for its salt production!¡± Chen Yang smiled, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that there are pirates causing trouble there, colluding with many salt merchants in secret. Are you involved in any of this?¡± ¡°Not at all, absolutely not.¡± The guest forcibly pulled his palm off the table, ripping the dagger in half, and fell to his knees knocking his head on the floor, ¡°Please spare my life, my lord, I am rted by marriage to Secretary Lu from the Ministry of Revenue¡­¡± Chen Yang¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he leisurely sipped his wine. The guest gritted his teeth, ¡°My lord, I am willing to give thirty percent of my silver coins to bring to your residence.¡± ¡°Seventy percent!¡± Chen Yang said slowly, ¡°In the future, you won¡¯t need to give anything to the Lu family. In a few days, he won¡¯t be an official anymore.¡± The guest was shocked, ignoring the blood on the floor, and nodded his head in agreement. After resolving the matter. The madam only dared to have people carry away the injured and clean the floor, and then arranged for the bestdies in the building to wait on them. This disturbance subdued the cheerful atmosphere of Spring Breeze Building, and some cautious guests quietly left to avoid involving themselves with the Imperial Court¡¯s ws. In the second-floor private room. Zhou Yi witnessed the whole affair and was rather surprised at the power of the Jinyiwei. ¡°Colonel Lu, why are the Jinyiwei so formidable?¡± The Jinyiwei were established by the great ancestor of Fengyang Country and initially recruited nobles and even side branches of the Imperial n. These people¡¯s loyalty was certainly not in question; at that time, the nobility fought on the battlefield, brandishing swords and spears, so naturally, theirbat power was notcking. Back then, the Jinyiwei had independent powers of arrest and jurisdiction over criminal punishment; the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court had no authority to intervene, which could be described as a reign of overwhelming power. Now, more than three hundred yearster, after numerous dynasties had whittled away the Jinyiwei¡¯s authority, reiming their powers of arrest and oversight, their influence was no longer what it had been. Only the destitute among the nobility or the overlooked illegitimate children would go to this nominally notorious but actually powerless government office to eke out a living. ¡°Xiao Zhou, there are two powers in the Divine Capital now that one must not provoke,¡± Colonel Lu said, ¡°The first is the Jinyiwei which, favored by contemporary nobles, has regained the power to oversee the Officials, and their influence is on the rise. The second is the Zhang family. The current Empress is the legitimate daughter of Chancellor Zhang, and the Crown Prince is her grandson!¡± Zhou Yi asked in confusion, ¡°I haven¡¯t been in the capital for long, but haven¡¯t many people said that His Majesty is benevolent?¡± ¡°Old Zhou only passed on his skills to you but didn¡¯t teach you about worldly affairs.¡± Feng Qiao, drunk, joined in, ¡°The Emperor¡¯s benevolence is towards the Officials, the nobility, the Imperial n; what use is this benevolence to themon people!¡± A colleague suggested, ¡°Right now, the Jinyiwei are rapidly expanding, hiring all over for their prisons; Old Feng could give it a try.¡± ¡°Cough, cough, cough! Don¡¯t talk nonsense, what¡¯s wrong with the heavenly prison!¡± Colonel Lu, fearing Zhou Yi might have other ideas, since the Jinyiwei¡¯s position was imposingly attractivepared to the rxed post at the heavenly prison, quickly changed the subject. ¡°What¡¯s the point in joining the Jinyiwei? Chasing down thieves is a deadly job, better to curry favor directly with the Zhang family.¡± The colleague nodded, ¡°Colonel Lu is right; the Zhang family is truly formidable. In a few decades, they could control half of the National Dynasty. At the very least, they¡¯ll be wealthy for a hundred years!¡± ¡°Chancellor Liu rose through the ranks in just ten years because he supported the Zhang family when Chancellor Zhang was at his lowest, throwing charcoal amid the snow.¡± ¡°Now, to add icing to the cake, one has to at least be a senior official in a provincial government; otherwise, you can¡¯t even enter their doors!¡± ¡°That makes sense!¡± ¡°If I could turn back the clock ten years, I would definitely hitch my wagon to the Zhang family.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Yi, listening to his colleagues¡¯ idle talk, felt even more skeptical about the future of the Zhang family. An average person, no matter how good their rtionships are, who could split half their property, especially when ites to such a vast territory? In such cases, even the greatest merit and kinship grind to dust. Having lived through four dynasties, Zhou Yi heard and saw much and had some insights. Sometimes, rebelling or not rebelling isn¡¯t something one can control; when the tide of destiny arrives, only by striking with the spear does one have hope to live. ¡°Such trifling matters have nothing to do with me, what could be more interesting than divining fortunes with a youngdy!¡± Zhou Yi whispered to the gentledy, Susu. ¡°If palm-reading is not urate, I still have the secret technique of bone-touching; let¡¯s go upstairs and have a deeper exchange of ideas.¡± ¡­ The next day. Refreshed and clear-headed. Zhou Yi carried a wooden bucket, expertly making his usual rounds delivering meals. With a light shake of his hand, the thin porridge was left with just broth, not a single grain of rice. ¡°My skills in serving meals haven¡¯t gotten rusty!¡± Cell number Yi 6. The prisoner who had been brought in the previous night was not in prison clothes, but rather in an official robe. A deep green color, embroidered with egrets. Zhou Yi scooped to the bottom, filling the bowl with thick porridge: ¡°My lord, it¡¯s time to eat.¡± After serving the meal. Zhou Yi watched the jailer shuffle cards and casually inquired about the prisoner¡¯s background, turning out to be quite renowned. Yu Su, the zhuangyuan (top schr) from Emperor Jinglong¡¯s first imperial examination after his ession. ¡°Xiao Zhou, you must take good care of this man,¡± While Colonel Lu carelessly discarded a bad hand of cards, not following the bet, he mentioned, ¡°This morning Colonel Ma told me thatst night an eunuch from the pce gave orders not to neglect Yu Su, the editor; it¡¯s very likely a hint from His Majesty.¡± Zhou Yi asked in surprise, ¡°How did His Majesty¡¯s favored student end up in the heavenly prison?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know; perhaps he said something wrong.¡± The heavenly prison had confined many officials for their words or writings. There was once a schr who wrote poetry without regard for the taboo of mentioning a sovereign¡¯s personal name, inadvertently using Emperor Zhongzong¡¯s given name. After hearing about it, the Jinyiwei, having found no evidence of rebellion from the schr, threw him into the heavenly prison for incarceration. Chapter 50 - 50 Waiting for the Right Time Chapter 50 Waiting for the Right Time Days returned to how they had been before. Home, the sky prison, Spring Breeze Building. A year passed in a trance, and no one doubted Zhou Yi¡¯s origins any longer; the man was as carefree and at ease as his master had been. Indifferent to everything, he wouldn¡¯t lift a finger unless asked. Prisoners came and went, reincarnating or soaring to great heights, yet cell number Yi-6 remained unchanged. As time went by. Zhou Yi grew quite familiar with it and also learned the reason behind Yu Su¡¯s imprisonment: he presented a memorial advising Emperor Jinglong to reform the bureaucracy and establish the rule ofw. His words were slightly intense, and some said they reflected upon the Zhang family and the Jinyiwei. Fengyang Country didn¡¯t dare to take action lightly; even Yu Su, favored by the emperor, had to take a turn in the sky prison. The Jinyiwei investigated for a long time, yet they could not find any evidence of Yu Su¡¯s crimes; he hadn¡¯t embezzled even a shred of silver. In desperation, an Imperial Censor from the Imperial Court presented a charge, using him of disrespecting his elders. Upon learning the causes and consequences, Zhou Yi started by providing thicker porridge, thenter brought meat, and now he brought a jug of wine every day. ¡°I heard the wine and meat in the sky prison are priced higher than gold. I have no money to give you, and I won¡¯t have any in the future either,¡± Yu Su said with an air of assertive integrity after polishing off his meal. ¡°No need to pay.¡± Zhou Yi said with a smile, ¡°Many honest officials have been imprisoned here, yet I¡¯ve never seen anyone quite like you, old Yu.¡± Yu Su raised an eyebrow. ¡°What about me?¡± Yu Su passed the imperial examinations at thirty-two, spent ten years in the Hanlin Academy and as an Imperial Censor, and one year in the sky prison; he was now forty-three, indeed an old man in front of Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi said, ¡°You are upright yet not rigid, otherwise you would not ept wine and meat from clerks.¡± ¡°Those are merely stubborn old fools.¡± Yu Su said, ¡°Reading should enlighten one¡¯s understanding, not to adhere blindly to stale rules and customs. I still have important things to aplish; I must eat meat to maintain a strong body, so I can seize the opportunity when ites.¡± True to his word, after eating his fill, he started to strengthen his body. Afterpleting two sets of radio calisthenics, Yu Su felt his muscles and joints rx, and then he practiced several sets of Taijiquan. Yu Su praised him, ¡°Young Zhou, this method you taught is excellent. After squatting for a year in prison, my body is even tougher than when I was studying.¡± ¡°Old Yu, there are quite a few rumors outside iming you¡¯re a hypocrite, a corrupt official in disguise, who even killed someone in secret, and that your sess in the imperial examinations was due to bribing the chief examiner¡­¡± Zhou Yi ryed the street rumors he had heard, clearly indicating that neither the Zhang family nor the Jinyiwei nned to let Yu Su off the hook. By smearing his name, then charging him with fabricated crimes, they nned to drag him directly to the execution grounds without dy. Instead of fear, Yu Su responded with delight, ¡°This just proves they can¡¯t do anything to me and can only nder my name. Otherwise, how many upright officials have died within the imperial prisons?¡± ¡°Seems like there¡¯s some truth to that.¡± Zhou Yi said with doubt, ¡°And yet, imprisoned in the sky prison, unable to voice any objection, how can you ovee them?¡± Yu Su nodded slightly, ¡°Petty reputation matters are not worth fighting over. Life is short, and just a few key moments can determine one¡¯s fate.¡± ¡°How does one seize these key moments?¡± ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°Wait?¡± ¡°He who aspires to achieve great things must quietly await the right opportunity!¡± ¡­ In the blink of an eye, another year had passed. Zhou Yi¡¯s status in the sky prison had almost returned to what it used to be, with some of the jailers referring to him as ¡°Lord Zhou¡± again. His influence was not just based on interrogation techniques, but also on the timely disy of his martial arts expertise. A bone-hardening expert in his twenties; he was bound to be promoted to internal organ refining. Ultimately, it was martial prowess thatmanded respect! Prisoners came and went, yet Yu Su alone continued to eat well and drink well, having even gained a good ten pounds. The Imperial Court and Emperor Jinglong seemed to have forgotten about him; he was neither sentenced ording to thew nor released from the sky prison. Zhou Yi couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Old Yu, can you still wait for the right opportunity?¡± ¡°The right time cannot be forced, nor can matters bepelled.¡± Yu Su said indifferently, ¡°The time has note, don¡¯t act rashly and waste energy for nothing, and even torment yourself. Some things cannot be rushed, human effort cannot contend with fate, but one can wait for the right moment when heaven and earth lend their power!¡± Zhou Yi heard these words and frowned slightly. This time returning to the heavenly prison as a jailer was not just for safety and familiarity; there were also other schemes involved. Having waited for two years and still not finding the right opportunity, Zhou Yi began to ponder whether he should take the initiative to create that opportunity. Yu Su¡¯s words led him to an epiphany. The wise whoy ns are good at waiting quietly for the right moment; with the help of fortune, everything is possible! And the most difficult game to break is the idle y, the move made without intention is the least detectable. Seeing him lost in thought, Yu Su thought Zhou Yi didn¡¯t understand and said proudly, ¡°This principle is too profound; you¡¯ll probably understand it when you¡¯re sixty!¡± ¡°What if I still don¡¯t understand by then?¡± Zhou Yi is fifty-eight this year; the year after next, he¡¯ll reach the age of sixty. Yu Su curled his lip, ¡°Then you¡¯re just too dull.¡± This fellow actually didn¡¯t take the bait! Zhou Yi couldn¡¯t subtly gain an advantage and asked curiously, ¡°Old Yu, I¡¯ve always wondered, why did they falsely use you of being unfilial?¡± ¡°That matter¡­ was actually not a false usation¡­¡± Yu Su reminisced, ¡°When I just came of age, I met an old Taoist who divined for me, iming that my n would bring great harm to me. At that time, engrossed in the study of Taoist mysticism and with a fiery temperament, I immediately severed family ties and even moved my ancestors¡¯ graves.¡± Severing ties with one¡¯s n, if taken seriously, is an act of unfilial conduct. In those times, it was an extremely serious offence. Zhou Yi mocked, ¡°Old Yu, to think you were duped by a Taoist, and you still had the face to boast about your intelligence when you were young.¡± ¡°The old Taoist wasn¡¯t entirely wrong; my style name, ¡®Guarding Clumsiness¡¯, came from him,¡± Yu Su said, ¡°Embrace simplicity, be swift to hear and ept instruction. The old Taoist said I would be prone to offenses of the tongue and must always remember to speak less.¡± ¡°That old Taoist seems like a learned man, why would he advise you to separate from your family and move your ancestors¡¯ graves?¡± ¡°Perhaps he miscalcted!¡± ¡­ The fourteenth year of Emperor Jinglong¡¯s reign. The Jinyiwei became more rampant, with the Commander Feng Zhong being tacitly known as the ¡®Inner Chancellor¡¯. The Mounted Scouts and spies monitored the whole country; many were incriminated for their words, some lightly imprisoned in the heavenly prison for reflection, others walked through the ordeal of imperial sentencing. Themon folk witnessed and no one dared to discuss state affairs. Emperor Jinglong remained benevolent and merciful, and officials acimed his rule as that of a sage emperor, under whose effortless governance the world was in great order. The current Grand Secretary had the surname Du, not Zhang, yet he was a direct disciple of Chancellor Zhang; the majority of the heads of the six departments and Heavenly Officials had ties with the Zhang family, and after court, they would go to the Zhang residence to discuss state affairs. The influence of the Zhang family subtly surpassed that of the former Chancellor Long, and strangely, Divine Capital seemed tranquil as if no one noticed. Zhou Yi harbored doubts in his heart and asked Yu Su about this matter. ¡°Behind the Zhang family, there¡¯s a high-level strategist directing them!¡± Yu Su exined, ¡°The Zhang family will not plot a rebellion now, nor in the future, but they will hollow out power from both inside and outside the Imperial Court, pushing forward the Crown Prince to ascend the throne. Precisely because they won¡¯t rebel, they can gain the support of officials and nobles, and even the Imperial n won¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°After the Crown Prince ascends the throne, the Zhang family will gradually return power and smoothly bypass the disaster of extermination!¡± Yu Su eximed in admiration, ¡°Such an effortless handling of a heavy task can only be managed by the honorable Zhang Wenzhong; I could never achieve such a feat in my lifetime.¡± Zhou Yi scornfully said, ¡°No matter how clever Zhang Wenzhong¡¯s tactics are, he is still a corrupt official, a traitor to the country!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I don¡¯t learn from him!¡± Yu Su usually held Chancellor Zhang in contempt as well, saying, ¡°Zhang Wenzhong¡¯s arrangements are not bad, but once power is in one¡¯s hands, who would be willing to give it up, especially with the precedent of the Duke of Zhen.¡± Li Wu voluntarily gave up military power and evenmitted suicide by poison in prison, only to result in the annihtion of his family. The credibility of the Zhao Imperial Family was already ruined! Even if the Crown Prince had blood ties with the Zhang family, once he assumed that position, the word ¡®kinship¡¯ would no longer be in his heart. Zhou Yi asked doubtfully, ¡°Old Yu, seeing as you understand the situation so clearly, why do you still oppose the Zhang family?¡± Yu Su shook his head and sighed. ¡°Zhongzong had intentions of being lenient in hister years, and administrative and military preparedness have reached a critical point where changes must be made. If things continue to deteriorate like this, I fear a catastrophe will arise!¡± Chapter 51: Hidden Chess Move in Leisure Chapter 51: Hidden Chess Move in Leisure ¡°` The moon shone brightly, sparse stars twinkling in the sky. In the courtyard. Today marked Zhou Yi¡¯s sixtieth birthday celebration, for which he had invited Old Bai to join him for a drink. A bowl of noodles. Four cold dishes and four hot dishes. Made by Chef Liu of the servant quarters, the young assistant who could only follow his father around, chopping vegetables. Now, he has surpassed his teacher in skill, his culinary expertise even greater than his father¡¯s. Chef Liu, whose name was known throughout Divine Capital, crafted dishes beyond the reach of ordinary wealthy merchants and nobility, yet he never missed his duties in the prison. The rules were numerous, the silver scarce. Zhou Yi, curious, asked him why he couldn¡¯t give up this job? ¡°Master Zhou, you were fortunate to have a good master to teach you, bing sessful in martial arts, so how would you know the taste of worries? Wemoners have tough lives, and we always need to leave ourselves a backup n.¡± Chef Liu said, ¡°When I was younger, I sought refuge in the prison twice. The first time wasn¡¯t so bad, I just felt stifled. The second time I returned to the shop, the shopkeeper and the other workers¡­ their bodies had started to decay¡­¡± ¡°Now, looking back, I sleep with one eye open at night, checking the door several times!¡± Zhou Yi did not tell him that a door bolt could only stop a gentleman, but was of no use against highly skilled martial thieves. At that moment. The sound of the door being pushed open was heard, as Old Bai arrived carrying wine. ¡°To think a Martial Arts Grandmaster, celebrating his sixtieth birthday, is this modestly situated. Who would believe it if it were told?¡± ¡°After so many years, you¡¯re finally using the front door.¡± Zhou Yi, with his keen senses, frowned and said, ¡°How did you get injured?¡± Old Bai, still indignant, replied, ¡°I crossed hands with Hei Gouzi. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve grown older, so the victory wasn¡¯t as clean. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to touch my back heel.¡± Zhou Yi nodded and said, ¡°Does that mean the crisis of the Boundless Sword Sect has been resolved?¡± Old Bai nodded and said, ¡°At least their lives have been spared. However, the sect must be disbanded and fall under themand of Jinyiwei Chen Qianhu, on standby for duties.¡± Last July, Du Xiang presented a memorial stating ¡°heroes using martial arts to break thew¡±, iming that those of the martialmunity who broke thew were also subject to the nation¡¯sws! Using this as a pretext, Jinyiwei began to aggressively hunt down criminals and sweep across martial arts sects. Both righteous and demonic sects had a choice: either submit to Jinyiwei¡¯smand or be arrested under charges of brawling, murder, or conspiring to rebel. Jinyiwei was filled with great masters, especially the ¡°ck Guards¡± under themand of Feng Zhong, whose strength was unfathomable; the martialmunity referred to him as Hei Gouzi. At first, they only extinguished small factions, and the long-established major sects watched from the sidelines. Now it¡¯s their turn, and they are helpless to resist. The leader of the Boundless Sword Sect was a dear friend of Old Bai. The sect had a history of over four hundred years, even longer than the history of Fengyang Country. Without an official deed for Boundless Mountain, the local government mobilized troops to surround the mountain, while Jinyiwei arrived to capture murderers. The sect was considered righteous, with strict rules. However, its disciples often engaged in chivalrous acts, inevitably leading to killings. The implicit rules between government and the martialmunity had always been to divide and govern; now that was no longer the case! Unable to withstand the pressure from the Imperial Court, the sect went to Divine Capital for help, seeking out Old Bai. Zhou Yiughed and said, ¡°Old Bai, after this event, you can feel proud. Aren¡¯t those elders of Boundless Sword Sect going to treat you like royalty?¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Old Bai spat and said in a cold voice, ¡°Those old fools think that because I didn¡¯t ask the Dongyang Prince for help, I didn¡¯t make enough effort. They believe I deliberately let the sect disband, just so I could marry Shu Wan back into my household.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only human nature.¡± Zhou Yi tried tofort him with a few words, and Old Bai¡¯s resentment began to fade. Because Jinyiwei arrested so many criminals in their sweep across the martialmunity, the imperial prison was full, and those who had yet to be interrogated were temporarily held in the heavenly prison. These heroes, who didn¡¯t dare to openly defy Jinyiwei or the Imperial Court, instead med the catastrophe on some renowned martial heroes, grumbling and cursing them for their inaction. Old Bai looked troubled as he said, ¡°Old Zhou, what do you think of this?¡± ¡°It seems the crimes of those martial experts aren¡¯t misced.¡± Zhou Yi, having seen many viins in prison who took advantage of their martial strength to tyrannize others, believed that Jinyiwei¡¯s purge was neither good nor bad. The benefit was the Imperial Court¡¯s strict control over martial artists, sparingmon people from oppression and extortion. The downside was that without the martial factions, new exploiters immediately arose. Power never leaves a vacuum, and sometimes the neers, without long-term vision, drained resourcespletely dry! Old Bai sighed and said, ¡°But with this, the martialmunity of Fengyang Country has declined.¡± ¡°` Zhou Yi consoled, ¡°You are already sixty-two years old, with old arms and old legs, and you still have the heart to care about the martial world?¡± Old Bai shook his head, ¡°Those people from the martial world are naturally unruly. After joining the Jinyiwei and gaining power, it¡¯s hard to say whether that¡¯s good or bad!¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s thoughts raced, and as he looked up, he saw the moon at its pinnacle, shining in full glory. Perhaps, the opportune time hade! ¡°We can give it a try first. If it doesn¡¯t work out, treat it as a spare piece; with no desires, naturally, there will be no defeats.¡± Before this, who was the most patient hunter in nature? Wolves, crocodiles, lizards, or perhaps another, there was no clear consensus. Now there was an answer: it was Zhou Yi! The endless span of life allowed Zhou Yi to lie in wait indefinitely, then to erode slowly but surely, and one day he would have the Jinyiwei under his control. The Jinyiwei had aplete and tight structure, a continuous supply of new talent, and were supported by therge sums of silver from the Imperial Court, which was much more reliable than any organization he could build on his own. ¡°Eventually, I must go to the Cultivation World. I must scout the path well, for to brazenly barge in is tantamount to gambling with life!¡± Zhou Yi was never fond of gambling; he just needed to outwait both the bank and the idle yers, and victory would naturally be his. ¡­ The following day. The imperial prison. Prison Cell Jia was bustling, never before had it been so crowded. People from the martial world were no strangers to making enemies, and now, with foes locked in the same cell, cursing each other often escted to fighting and killing. The prisoners stepped back, forming a circle, allowing them to fight, cheering at the impressive moves. The guard was used to it, standing on the outside looking on for entertainment. The prisoners were only temporarily held in the imperial prison. In a few days, they would be rotated into the sentencing prison, where most would choose to be co-opted, transformed into Jinyiwei. At that point, the guards would be strict, and they woulde looking for trouble! Zhou Yi observed carefully when delivering meals; most prisoners did not harbor hatred in their eyes, or rather, they dared not resent the Jinyiwei. Only a few tucked into corners had eyes filled with loathing. Eliminating the aged ones from consideration, the rest were Zhou Yi¡¯s ¡°spare pieces¡±! He finally arrived at Prison Cell Yi Six. Yu Su had been in the imperial prison for four years, showing no sign of despair. On the contrary, he asked Zhou Yi for advice on martial arts, iming it might save him from being assassinated in the future. Zhou Yi took out a package wrapped in oil paper, ¡°Old Yu, your favorite, Zhang¡¯s braised pig¡¯s trotters.¡± ¡°You are a goodd.¡± As Yu Su nibbled on the trotters, he said, ¡°My opportune moment is nearing; if somethinges upter, seek me in the Ministry of War, and I will take care of anything for you as long as it doesn¡¯t break thew.¡± ¡°How can Old Yu be so sure it will be the Ministry of War? Wouldn¡¯t the Ministry of Personnel or the Ministry of Revenue be better, with the emperor¡¯s generous grace?¡± Zhou Yi had his suspicions about the reason behind Yu Su¡¯s restoration; Emperor Jinglong needed a trustworthy person. After finishing the trotters, Yu Su licked his fingers, seemingly unsatisfied, ¡°The Ministry of Personnel is noble, and the Ministry of Revenue is wealthy, but all honor and wealth are built upon the Ministry of War.¡± ¡°I wish Old Yu bon voyage in advance.¡± Zhou Yi cupped his fist in farewell, yet, deep down, he doubted that Yu Su would be able to fulfill his ambition. Fengyang Country¡¯s hundreds of years of umting conflicts had brought it to the end of its dynasty; no human effort could avert a copsing heaven, only by truly breaking the old order could new vitality be brought forth. The mdies were evident not only to Yu Su¡ªthe nobles and royals were also aware of the problems, yet whether they were willing to solve them was another matter!p> Midnight. The imperial prison was filled with the sound of snoring, rising and falling, while the on-duty guard had dozed off. A shadow slipped into the prison, following the darkness to Prison Cell Jia Seven, finding a blind spot to begin whispering. ¡°Wake up, young one!¡± Crisp calls in his ear startled Yan Wu awake from a deep sleep, but upon looking around, he saw no one. At that moment, an aged and profound voice came again. ¡°Don¡¯t bother looking for me. The only question is, do you want revenge?¡± Chapter 52 - 52 Enduring Solitude Chapter 52 Enduring Solitude ¡°What price must I pay?¡± Yan Wu¡¯s voice was extremely low, ensuring that the old monster in the dark could hear him. Once the young master of Divine Fist Manor, he had encountered martial artists at the pinnacle of their prowess, capable of hearing the buzzing of mosquitoes and flies within ten zhang. ¡°You¡¯re quite good, there¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch in this world.¡± Zhou Yi secretly raised his assessment of Yan Wu by a notch and spoke slowly, ¡°This old man needs you to join the Jinyiwei, climb your way up by any means possible, and be an officer managing a thousand households!¡± An officer of the Jinyiwei managing a thousand households held the intelligence of an entire prefecture, and while the official rank was lower than that of an inspector, the power was not much less. ¡°Senior wishes to control the Imperial Court?¡± Yan Wu spected on the old monster¡¯s intentions, to keep his life and gain more benefits. His father had taught him martial arts and told him many strange tales of the jianghu. Most importantly, he said that old monsters were entric and fractious. One must be extremely careful when dealing with them. ¡°The mere Imperial Court, what¡¯s there for this old man to covet? The throne might be a treasure in others¡¯ eyes, but in my view, it¡¯s as worthless as dog fart!¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s voice carried a hint of madness, ¡°The only thing in this world worth pursuing for this old man is immortal cultivation and evesting life!¡± Upon hearing this, Yan Wu¡¯s thoughts raced as hebed through each sentence, each word, trying to paint a mental picture of the old monster lurking in the shadows. Powerful, arrogant, disinterested in worldly power, life hanging by a thread, all hopes pinned on the elusive path of immortality¡­ ¡°Simr to the emperors in their twilight years, as recorded in history books!¡± Yan Wu steadied his mind, believing he had grasped the old monster¡¯s state of mind, and inquired, ¡°I am willing to follow Senior¡¯smand, but what may I obtain in return?¡± As his words fell, his head was struck by a heavy blow, and he lost consciousness instantly. A shadow fell into the cell, and Zhou Yi¡¯s palm rested on Yan Wu¡¯s back, mana seeping through his body, flowing along his meridians and bones. A momentter. Yan Wu slowly came to, smelling a foul odor and finding his body covered in greasy, sticky filth. His limbs were strong, his meridians clear. ¡°Cleansing the marrow and refining the essence!¡± Yan Wu immediately started running his family¡¯s inner strength technique, finding it about twenty to thirty percent more efficient than in previous days. This improvement was not to be underestimated, as it was enough to bridge the chasm between ordinary people and geniuses. Divine Fist Manor¡¯s lineage had persisted for over a century, with five generations¡¯ worth of Marrow Cleansing Soup Medicine and secret techniques. Yan Wu had used them since childhood, and yet none of those experiences had been as effective as this time. ¡°I will join the Jinyiwei as soon as possible.¡± Yan Wu suppressed his initial cautious thoughts. The hidden old monster¡¯s strength was so fearsome as to be unfathomable, and he might very well be one of the legendary innate Grandmasters. ¡°Good! Once you be an officer of the Jinyiwei, begin investigating the local oddities, extraordinary people, and peculiar ces. Compile them into a record, and I wille to collect it myself.¡± Zhou Yi enticed, ¡°As long as it¡¯s truly rted to the path of immortality, you can obtain divine skills and secret techniques from me. Even bing an innate Grandmaster is not impossible!¡± ¡°I will give it my all!¡± Yan Wu cautiously asked, ¡°May I know Senior¡¯s name?¡± Zhou Yi remained silent for a moment, then slowly said. ¡°King of Samsara!¡± No one would have thought the King of Samsara would be a eunuch, let alone a jailer delivering meals! Yan Wu respectfully replied, ¡°Junior Yan Wu of Divine Fist Manor, my parents and kin killed by the ck Cavalry, if I can avenge this great enmity, my life will be at your disposal.¡± ¡°Heh heh heh heh¡­¡± His deration of loyalty did not earn him any praise; instead, it provoked a series of strange chuckles. ¡°This old man has seen much loyalty and betrayal, hence I never believe in lives sworn in allegiance; only consistent interests are eternal. If one day you deem yourself strong enough, you may try to cross hands with me, but be warned, loss means death!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Yan Wu¡¯s heart tightened, daring not to probe any further. ¡­ Cell 12 of the Armor. The young Ye Xiong curled up in a corner of the cell, his face bruised and battered, his body a patchwork of purples and blues. In the cell where thew of the jungle ruled, the weak were bullied and forced to sleep beside the toilet, especially since Ye Xiong¡¯s gang was at odds with the strongest person in the cell. ¡°Cough cough cough¡­¡± A suppressed cough echoed a few times, and as his lungs had taken a heavy blow, several drops of bloody foam were expelled. At that moment. A voice indistinguishable between yin and yang arose beside Ye Xiong¡¯s ear. ¡°Do you want revenge?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Ye Xiong answered without hesitation, knowing that if his enemies kept beating him for a few more days, he might die in prison. ¡°What are you willing to give up?¡± ¡°Everything!¡± ¡°Heh heh heh, very good¡­¡± A series of mnemonics entered his ears, the martial essence within them far more exquisite than anything the cultivation technique of Ye Xiong¡¯s gang couldpare to. ¡°From now on, your life belongs to me, King of Samsara!¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s voice was elusive, hard to pinpoint in location: ¡°Little fellow, that man¡¯s acupoints have been sealed, you can try the wonders of the Swallowing Heaven Divine Skill.¡± Ye Xiong turned his gaze towards the only straw mat in the cell, where the brawny man, who used to snore like thunder,y as silent as the dead. ¡°I thank you, King of Samsara!¡± ¡­ ¡°Do you desire power?¡± ¡°Do you wish to dictate terms to the wind and rain, to be invincible in all directions?¡± ¡°Do you want to understand the meaning of life? Do you truly want¡­ to live?¡± ¡°Yes, or no!¡± The tempting voice, like a ghost, echoed throughout the prison. Those from the martial world desire more than themon folk, practicing martial arts not for strengthening the body, but in pursuit of wine, women, wealth, or the lure of fame and power. Faced with a fortuitous opportunity, no one would refuse, even if it meant dealing with devils from hell! ¡­ The casual cement of a chess piece. Zhou Yi wouldn¡¯t bother with the aftermath, only providing the capital to get started and not eager to be a nanny. After all, if there was one thing the prison wasn¡¯t short of, it was people filled with deep-seated hatred. If one batch died off, another would be recruited. Pick out three or five pleasing ones with decent talent each year, for Marrow Cleansing Soup Medicine, while the lesser gifted would be taught demonic techniques¡ªthere would never be a shortage of pawns. ¡°Cast a wide and gather more fish. Even if ny-nine percent of the pieces die young, snagging one yields a hundredfold return.¡± Zhou Yi let the pieces develop on their own. After ten or twenty years in the Jinyiwei, who would suspect they were spies for someone else? Once their martial prowess increased, at the very least they¡¯d be local leaders, with troopers distributed throughout the provinces and counties, nothing unusual could escape their surveince. ¡°This strategy might seem rudimentary, but stretched over a timeline, I stand on invincible ground.¡± Zhou Yi understood that his greatest enemy wasn¡¯t any celestial gods or demonic beings, but the endless, profound loneliness. Celestial gods and demons could eventually be transcended, but loneliness, with passage of time, would be increasingly difficult to contain. Such as in the mundane world where spiritual energy is scarce, mana growth as slow as a snail¡ªmaking no progress after ten or twenty years, one would invariably long to enter the Cultivation World, yet rushing in recklessly is tantamount to courting death. And this is just the Qi Refinement stage, where you could reach the peak within a few hundred years. Once you break through to higher realms, and you spend hundreds or thousands of years unable to ovee a bottleneck, would you take the risk to fight for opportunities? ¡°Taking risks is impossible, I will never take risks in this lifetime, but instead use time to grind through bottlenecks.¡± What Zhou Yi had in abundance was time, and time was also his greatest enemy. He must endure the extensive loneliness that time brings, endure the tedium of sluggish advancement in strength, he who does notpete will not lose! ¡°As for oveing loneliness¡­ I can only reference those oddities from the books of my previous life, the one most simr to me is the Celestial God! ¡°Equally endless lifespan, equally inferior talents; thus, I must take the Celestial God as a warning. Avoid disputes of passion, do not vie for the title of the strongest in the world, stay low-key and prudent in conduct.¡± ¡°Even if there exist great enemies in this era, let them die of old age then dance on their graves!¡± Zhou Yi learned from the mortality lessons of the eternals, reflecting on his actions thrice daily, repeatedly admonishing himself to stay steady and not to act rashly. Chapter 53: The Advantage Lies with Me Chapter 53: The Advantage Lies with Me The fifteenth year of Emperor Jinglong. Yu Su was restored to his position as the Minister of War and appointed to inspect the Capital Garrison on behalf of the emperor. One monthter, themander of the Capital Garrison, the Dongyang Prince, requested to resign, making Minister Yu unmatched in influence for that time. Zhou Yi quietly delivered meals in the prison, and after not visiting for several years, the friendship had faded. The world does not revolve around anyone, and time does not stand still for anyone. Everybody was busy. Ten years passed in a sh. Zhou Yi¡¯s chess pieces each had their own fates. Yan Wu died doing his duty three years ago. One of Zhou Yi¡¯s chess pieces, in whom he ced great hope, was ambushed during a mission, dying before he could even avenge his great enemy. Zhou Yi could not be bothered to investigate whether it was truly an ambush or not. All he heard was that Yan Wu was exceptionally talented and advanced rapidly, which made his superior jealous, and he was sent to scout military intelligence in Great Yong. Ye Xiong sessfully avenged his parents, eliminating the Jinyiwei captain responsible after which, valuing his life, he dared not cultivate the demonic technique anymore and gradually became just another face in the crowd. Zhou Yi exerted no pressure, to avoid the possibility of a repeat of thirty years previous. Out of more than thirty chess pieces, only four achieved the rank of captain, and a single one rose to be a thousand householdsmander. Yuan Shun, of average talent and a smooth character, was originally the heir to a small gang in Xuzhou. When Zhou Yi taught the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique, this guy was the only one who shamelessly kowtowed loudly in public, causing the other inmates to think he had gone mad. Over eight years, Yuan Shun never had an external assignment and was solely focused on making money, somehow recognizing Feng Zhong as his godfather. He was promoted to be themander of a thousand households in Xuzhou two years ago, and soon after his appointment, he arrested more than a dozen corrupt officials, striking fear into the hearts of the local officers. The other four captains need not be mentioned in detail, as they all dutifully and diligently served, sustaining many injuries, achieving many merits, and, with a bit of luck, were assigned to remote counties to be captains. These were the normal chess pieces! In life and death, Zhou Yi did not actually care much; asionally he would visit and inquire but never forced them to do anything. However, with so many chess pieces, there always happened to be someone with ill intentions. For instance, the former deputymander, Zhu Yue, chose to report the ¡°King of Samsara¡± to the Jinyiwei in order to step over thatst crucial hurdle. Luckily, Zhou Yi always contacted each chess piece individually, never at a fixed time or ce. The Jinyiwei were thrown into chaos internally, and the Heavenly Prison was turned upside down with no hint of the so-called hidden old freak. Inside the Heavenly Prison, Zhu Yue swore to the heavens, constantly assuring Zhong Tongzhi, vowing to capture the ¡°King of Samsara.¡± Zhou Yi was there at the time, holding a bucket to deliver food. ¡°Human hearts are even moreplicated than cultivating immortality!¡± ¡­ The twenty-fourth year of Emperor Jinglong, autumn. At midnight. Zhou Yi retrieved a scroll from the Spring Breeze Building. ¡°Curious Affairs and Strange Happenings in Xuzhou.¡± ¡°Ten years of hard work were not in vain; finally, there is some gain. If there really are objects from the Cultivation World, I can pass on the method to breakthrough to the Innate realm to little Yuan.¡± Zhou Yi bathed, burned incense, washed his hands, and opened the first page. ¡ªTo the southwest of Xuzhou, a century-old peach tree struck by lightning sprouted anew. The following year, it bore a solitary peach, weighing three pounds and seven ounces, which reportedly cured a consumptive person who ate it. ¡°Little Yuan is doing well, recognizing what is truly a curious affair. That fellow clearingnd in the Northwest told me about a mythical beast appearing, only for it to turn out to be a gold-painted pig!¡± Over the ten years, he had collected many strange tales, excluding the perilous ces that were hard to verify and the extraordinary individuals whose traces could not be found, none of which had anything to do with immortals. Either they were man-made fabrications or natural phenomena. Zhou Yi once doubted whether there were immortals in the world at all! ¡°To the northeast of Xuzhou, in Wu County, there is a strong liquor produced. During the fourteenth year of Emperor Jinglong, a remarkable person purchased liquor¡­¡± Zhou Yi turned to the second page, which even had a picture beside it¡ªa palm-sized wine pot with an ancient design, its patterns unlike any from Fengyang Country. ¡°Little Yuan is still diligently working!¡± He continued to flip through; most of the strange tales sounded rather usible. Yuan Shun may not have believed in immortality and cultivation; he probably thought the ¡°King of Samsara¡± was old and delusional, which was the opinion of most chess pieces, but that did not mean they were careless in their duties. Of course, the authenticity still required investigation. ¡ª¡ª Within the borders of Xuzhou, the east foothills of Cloud Mountain are shrouded in mist all year round. Dispatched patrols investigate, but when night falls, inexplicable urrences rise. ¡°Cloud Mountain again!¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s gaze sharpened slightly, numerous bizarre tales rted to Cloud Mountain had already emerged over the past ten years. Such as local vigers seeing rainbow lights descending into the mountain, encounters with strangely dressed individuals asking for directions, and the frequent roars of mysterious beasts at night, among others. ¡°If there are cultivators in Cloud Mountain, could such conspicuous traces really escape Emperor Chongming¡¯s investigation?¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s first thought wasn¡¯t to investigate but to doubt the validity of the news from Cloud Mountain, as all these tales were hearsay, and their truth was unclear. ¡°There must be something more to this!¡± Within the boundaries of Fengyang Country, Zhou Yi had already identified seven such inessible ces shrouded in mystery. All of them were deep in the mountains and forests, whether they were blessednds of immortals or naturally dangerous ces, no one had yet determined. Continue reading further. ¡ª¡ª In the twelfth year of Emperor Jinglong¡¯s reign, a river demon was reported downstream of Bai River, rumored to be a five-zhang long green serpent requiring the sacrifice of boys and girls. Later, an immortal arrived riding a rainbow, slew the river demon, and the locals erected a shrine to worship him! ¡°This is worth checking out!¡± Zhou Yi folded the page, pondered it carefully, then smoothed it back out. ¡°Immortals, better to keep a respectful distance.¡± Last page of the booklet. ¡ª¡ª This January, a white deer appeared west of Xuzhou. The Jinyiwei scoured the mountains for it, and by May, it was presented to Divine Capital. His Majesty was overjoyed, and promoted the lowly one to the post of Provincial Commander of the Jinyiwei, overseeing affairs in the southwestern provinces. ¡°Little Yuan Shun has climbed the ranks again!¡± Zhou Yi clicked his tongue in amazement. To rise from amoner to a fourth-rank official in ten years, only the emperor¡¯s own troops could ascend so swiftly. ¡­ Shangyang Pce. Soft deer calls. An elegant white deer strutted around, followed by a dozen eunuchs who fretted over its wellbeing, fearing it might stumble and get hurt. After Emperor Jinglong aged, instead of obsessing over cultivation or alchemy, he became engrossed with auspicious omens. Local governments catered to his interests, offering up white sparrows, white swallows, white fish, and many would get promoted as a result. The most prized of them all was this white deer. A few days ago, an eunuch failed to take proper care of it and was immediately dragged out and executed by beating. Emperor Jinglong sat upon his throne, watching the white deer call out joyfully, and smiled, ¡°Minister Yu, the appearance of the white deer signifies the prosperity of our National Dynasty!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I was speaking about the Northern Border¡­¡± Yu Su had just finished reporting upon his return from a patrol of the Northern Border, where he found local military leaders emerging, fearing the potential disaster of warlordism if left unchecked. ¡°Minister Yu, the Northern Border is barren, we must rely on the Ministry of Revenue to support the troops. Even if it were to fall into chaos, it would be but a trivial ailment, quickly subdued once their provisions and pay are cut off.¡± Emperor Jinglong dered gravely, ¡°The concerns of our National Dynasty lie within this imperial city!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, please do not act rashly!¡± Yu Su advised, ¡°We¡¯ve only just secured control over the military. With the imperial bureaucracy yet to be purged, only by clipping these two wings can we ensure absolute security.¡± Yu Su had predicted that Emperor Jinglong would reappoint a Crown Prince, nning to use this opportunity to reform the military and revitalize administration. After ten years of hard work, Fengyang Country¡¯s military had seen aplete overhaul, especially gaining full control over the Capital Garrison. The Capital Garrison¡¯s troops enveloped the imperial city, allowing Emperor Jinglong to bide his time, never hinting at his intention to appoint a new Crown Prince in the imperial court. ¡°Minister Yu understands military and governance, but not the affairs of pce intrigue,¡± said Emperor Jinglong, pping his hands, ¡°Come out everyone, let Minister Yu see, I am not an incapable ruler!¡± Several aged figures appeared in the hall, swiftly moving like specters, each exuding a presence as deep and majestic as oceans and mountains. ¡°These individuals¡­¡± Yu Su, having seen top-notch experts before, was far from matching these elders and couldn¡¯t help but exim in shock, ¡°Could they be Martial Arts Grandmasters?¡± Martial Arts Grandmasters were exceedingly rare, and the sudden appearance of eight was indeed unbelievable. ¡°Haha!¡± Emperor Jinglong revealed a pleased expression upon seeing Yu Su¡¯s astonishment, ¡°I had the Jinyiwei vigorously capture people from the martial world to train them, but unfortunately, that cultivation technique is too bizarre, with few capable of mastering it.¡± ¡°Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t just be eight, but over eighty!¡± ¡°With ten thousand troops suppressing Divine Capital from the outside, and eight Grandmasters defending from within, the Zhang family only has six!¡± ¡°With our eight against their six, the advantage lies with me!¡± Chapter 54: The Empress Dowager Rules Behind the Curtain Chapter 54: The Empress Dowager Rules Behind the Curtain Autumn wind, autumn rain. Su Water. The river¡¯s surface was shrouded in mist, as the ck-canopied boat swiftly headed towards the shore. Zhou Yi stood at the bow, gently pushing with the long pole, unable to hide the look of disappointment on his face. Some days ago, he had received word from the Jinyiwei that a white jade turtle had appeared along the shores of Su Water¡ªa legendary auspicious beast not far from Divine Capital. Zhou Yi had taken leave to investigate. Having finally caught the white jade turtle, he discovered that it was a man-made auspicious sign! ¡°Who knows whose brilliant idea it was to iy thin slices of white jade on the turtle¡¯s shell and even intentionally carve the Eight Trigrams into it?¡± Zhou Yi admitted the craftsman¡¯s skill was remarkable, as the jade stone and turtle shell seemed inseparable; ordinary people couldn¡¯t tell the difference at all. Whoever fabricated the auspicious turtle had also been spreading rumors to hype up its discovery. Now that Zhou Yi had intercepted and stewed the creature ahead of time, he wondered if they would create another one. Su Water Dock. The rainy weather had silenced the usual hustle and bustle. Zhou Yi brought the boat to shore and saw robust soldiers in full armor carefully inspecting all the boatsing and going. ¡°The Imperial Guard! What kind of incident has urred in Divine Capital?¡± The Imperial Guard, unlike the Capital Garrison or the local military, was directly under the emperor¡¯smand and generally would not be tasked with suchbor-intensive activity. Zhou Yi showed his Heavenly Prison Waist Token. His reputation as Young Master Zhou was well-known in Divine Capital City, and he did not encounter any trouble with the Imperial Guard. At the gates of Divine Capital City, he was stopped again for inspection by the Imperial Guard. The city¡¯s shops had their doors and windows shut tight, and military patrols could be seen on the streets from time to time, questioning any suspicious passerby thoroughly. ¡°I can smell a familiar scent!¡± Zhou Yi had lived through four dynasties, and only when there was a major upheaval at the Imperial Court was the air filled with such tension. ¡­ Heavenly Prison. It was chaotic and filled with the never-ending shouts of the inmates pleading their innocence. Colonel Lu, with his grizzled beard, directed the prison guards to segregate the incarcerated officials. Some were from influential families, others from poor families, some had rtives who might be reinstated into positions of power, or families with a significant amount of silver¡­ Zhou Yi asked in a low voice, ¡°Old Lu, what happened at the Imperial Court?¡± ¡°You lucky rascal, you weren¡¯t in Divine Capital these past few days. For specifics, ask them.¡± Colonel Lu was getting on in years, close to retiring, and his speech was increasingly cautious and guarded. ¡°Lucky? I went through all that trouble for nothing more than a pot of turtle soup!¡± Zhou Yi picked up a bucket from the kitchen and served ording to the numbering of the prison cells, with preferential treatment in mind. In front of the first ten cells in Wing Yi, were the officials with strong backgrounds and connections¡ªtheir porridge was thicker and in greater quantity. The next ten cells housed the officials with silver, though not all of them bought extra food. Zhou Yi followed the covert markings left by the prison guards, giving those who had sent silver an extradle of thin porridge, whereas those who hadn¡¯t received only the watery broth. With different treatments within the same cell, the starving officials naturally knew what needed to be done. Unwritten rules couldn¡¯t be stated openly, for that would be considered solicitation of bribes. It was something that people had to figure out for themselves through hints and subtleties! At the very end. Yi twenty, the cell number. There was a solitary old man locked inside. Zhou Yi felt the figure looked familiar and as he approached, recognition dawned upon him. ¡°Yo, Old Yu, you¡¯vended here again!¡± A flicker of embarrassment passed over Yu Su¡¯s face, quickly reced by delight, ¡°Ah, Brother Li is finally back! Warm up a jug of wine for me and bring two of Zhang¡¯s pig trotters.¡± Zhou Yiughed, ¡°I get it, Old Yu is just biding his time for the right opportunity, eh?¡± ¡°How can you mock me like this¡­¡± Yu Su¡¯s face turned red as he retorted, ¡°You¡¯ve also said that failure is the mother of sess. How can my momentary failure be considered a loss?¡± ¡°Well now you have two mothers.¡± Zhou Yi teased a few more times, but seeing Yu Su¡¯s face darken, he went to the kitchen to find wine and meat. Yu Su looked like he hadn¡¯t eaten well for three or five days, wolfing down the food with his head buried in his te, gulping down the meat and wine without a trace of the petent official for governing the country¡± he was known to be in Fengyang. A short whileter. ¡°Burp.¡± Yu Su let out a satisfied belch, his spirits considerably restored, then suddenly said dejectedly, ¡°Laugh if you wish, on ount of this meal, I am no match for Chancellor Zhang¡¯s deep strategies.¡± ¡°What exactly happened?¡± Zhou Yi could vaguely guess that a coup had taken ce in the pce, and it seemed that the Zhang family had won. Yu Su said, ¡°In a few days, His Majesty will announce that due to poor health, he will rest and recuperate in Shangyang Pce, and abdicate to the Crown Prince¡­¡± Zhou Yi nodded slightly, ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound too bad, Old Yu, aren¡¯t you the one who always insisted on the session of the eldest legitimate son?¡± ¡°I do not care who ascends the throne, I was simply seizing the opportunity to garner His Majesty¡¯s support for military and administrative reform. Moreover, since the Chongming dynasty, for three sessive generations the eldest legitimate son did not inherit the throne, which greatly harmed the foundation of our state. The session of the Crown Prince is indeed a good thing.¡± Yu Su slowly said, ¡°However, Empress Zhang imed that His Majesty is too young and would rule from behind a curtain!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Yi calcted the Crown Prince¡¯s age, he was either forty-three or forty-four, so the im of youthfulness was downright nonsensical. ¡°By doing this, isn¡¯t the Zhang family pushing itself into a dead end?¡± ¡°Hmph! Chancellor Zhang had anticipated His Majesty¡¯s thoughts and prearranged his tactics, leading His Majesty to initiate a pce coup with military force.¡± Yu Su said, ¡°He just miscalcted the Zhang faction¡¯s loyalty, or perhaps couldn¡¯t help it, forcing Empress Zhang to have no choice but to govern from behind a curtain!¡± ¡°The Zhang faction!¡± Zhou Yi muttered to himself, understanding what Yu Su meant; Empress Zhang was carried away by the overwhelming situation. The Zhang family was no longer just one family or surname, but a bond of interests for countless people, which once broken would be difficult to maintain. Chancellor Zhang nned for his grandson, the Crown Prince, to ascend the throne, with the Zhang family gradually relinquishing power afterward. The new emperor, either out of blood ties or the acquisition of power, would likely not purge and annihte the Zhang familypletely. Now with Empress Zhang governing from behind a curtain, she was sustaining the interests of the ¡°Zhang faction¡± within the Imperial Court, leaving the Zhang family with nothing but rebellion as their only path! Zhou Yi curiously asked, ¡°Old Yu, Chancellor Zhang has been dead for twenty-one years, how did he calcte the Emperor¡¯s moves?¡± ¡°In my view, it wasn¡¯t Chancellor Zhang¡¯s calction, but the Emperor walking right into the trap!¡± Yu Su said, ¡°Chancellor Zhang obtained a scroll of a demonic Cultivation Technique before his death, which could devour others¡¯ Inner Qi, rapidly producing Innate Grandmasters inrge numbers. He bequeathed it to His Majesty on his deathbed, repeatedly admonishing that with this demonic technique, one could consolidate one¡¯s position beyond their rank, with no one daring to rebel and cause chaos.¡± ¡°That seems to make some sense.¡± Zhou Yi was aware of a Grandmaster¡¯s strength; although they couldn¡¯t confront an entire army, they could easily make a thousand-mile dash to take the enemy general¡¯s head. ¡°If the technique wereplete, that would be the case.¡± Yu Su said coldly, ¡°Chancellor Zhang had long predicted the Emperor¡¯s personality, the technique given had a major w. When facing someone who cultivated theplete technique, all of one¡¯s own cultivation could be devoured.¡± Zhou Yi said in surprise, ¡°Chancellor Zhang could foresee the Emperor eliminating the Zhang family, but how did he determine that the Emperor would rely on Innate Grandmasters?¡± ¡°Before his death, Chancellor Zhang also left a scroll of Memorials for Governing the Country, ny-nine percent of which indeed contained sound strategies for ruling the country.¡± Yu Su exined, ¡°Over these years, His Majesty implemented the memorials, reestablishing the Jinyiwei, supporting the nobility and ns, securing his position on the throne, believing that he had fully grasped the content of the memorials.¡± Zhou Yi clicked his tongue, ¡°And the remaining one percent is what?¡± ¡°The memorials repeatedly mentioned that whoever possessed an Innate Grandmaster would have the world, and only an Innate Grandmaster could act with impunity and so on,¡± said Yu Su. Yu Su went on, ¡°Having governed for more than twenty years, His Majesty had unshakable faith in the memorials, so in this pce change, his confidence was in the eight Innate Grandmasters, and the oue is self-evident.¡± Zhou Yi said puzzledly, ¡°Didn¡¯t Chancellor Zhang fear the Emperor might think of some other way?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for His Majesty to think; I have long had the means to unravel and expose them. The Zhang family will certainly have no power to resist!¡± said Yu Su, pointing at himself, then he sighed, ¡°s, His Majesty relied on Zhongzong when he was young, and on Chancellor Zhang during his middle years, garnering much criticism for mediocrity and dullness, so he always wanted to prove himself.¡± Emperor Jinglong might have known that overthrowing the Zhang family through Yu Su would be a more secure approach, but he wanted to prove himself. Ironically, the method Emperor Jinglong chose to prove himself was learned from Chancellor Zhang¡¯s memorials, and the result had essentially been determined from the start! ¡°Chancellor Zhang was truly¡­ formidable!¡± Zhou Yi couldn¡¯t find the right words for a moment. Crafty and cunning, scheming and calcting, full of tricks ¨C none of these terms seemed to fully describe him. After all, if Emperor Jinglong hadn¡¯t let the Zhang family down, allowing the Crown Prince to ascend the throne smoothly, there wouldn¡¯t have been such dramatic changes. The respectful title of Wen Zhonggong would have been passed down through history. Zhou Yi asked again, ¡°Over the years, the Officials and nobility have been praising His Majesty day in and day out, how could they readily ept the abdication and regency so easily?¡± Yu Su shook his head, ¡°The Officials praised His Majesty because he met their needs, and now, the new Sovereign suits them even better!¡± Zhou Yi suddenly understood, feeling quite sorry for Emperor Jinglong. When the Officials needed him, theyuded Emperor Jinglong as a reincarnation of an ancient sage; now that he was no longer needed, they couldn¡¯t wait for him to be reincarnated even sooner. Chapter 55 - 55 Secrets of the Immortal Path Chapter 55 Secrets of the Immortal Path Emperor Jinglong¡¯s Pce incident failed, and Empress Zhang took charge of state affairs behind the veil. Whether she bes Empress Dowager Cixi, transforms into Empress L¨¹, or bursts forth as Empress Wu, it has little to do with Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi was initially intrigued by such matters, but after seeing enough, it all became the same to him. One day someone rises to power, the next day someone else falls. He or they, there¡¯s only one oue. They all have to die! ¡°It seems I¡¯m bing more and more indifferent.¡± Zhou Yi shook his head slightly, putting worldly matters aside, and continued to ponder over encroaching into the Jinyiwei. A mere decade is but a moment, and he has achieved notable results. Now with a foundation established, it will be much easier to nt more people inside. The talents of most people are mediocre, promoting either A or B makes no difference. At this time, it¡¯s necessary to have someone give a helping hand. The power of the Jinyiwei Suppressor is enough to influence promotions. ¡°I¡¯ll need to rely on little Yuan more in the future. Perhaps I should make time to go see him?¡± After Zhou Yi set his pieces in ce, he¡¯s always been in touch downwards. However, this morning Yuan Shun came to the heavenly prison. Yuan Shun presented the auspicious white deer and, aided by his godfather¡¯s maneuvers, sessfully rose to the rank of a fourth-grade Jinyiwei Suppressor, holding surveince authority over several southeastern prefectures, a position high in status and power. This time Yuan Shun returned to the Divine Capital to escort a prisoner since the criminal was a second-grade prefecture governor, it was justifiable for the Suppressor to escort him personally. Afterward, Yuan Shun brought the prisoner¡¯s family to the heavenly prison, but such a minor matter could¡¯ve been handled by someone else, there was no need for the Suppressor himself to take the trouble. Wu Siyu and Colonel Lu carefully attended to Yuan Shun, apanying him as he toured the heavenly prison, staying for two to three hours before leaving. Zhou Yi watched clearly from the sidelines, Yuan Shun¡¯s purpose in returning to the capital was to meet with him. ¡°Could this be a trap?¡± For ten years,munication was maintained through a single line, the pieces did not know whether Zhou Yi was male or female, nor his real name, and they didn¡¯t know how to contact him. Thus, if a piece turned traitor, the Jinyiwei had no way to start an investigation. Yuan Shun¡¯s actions have already broken a taboo! ¡°It is impossible for arge army to be deployed within the Divine Capital, the strongest force of the Imperial Court consists of six or maybe more Innate Grandmasters. Even a collective attack would merely add a few more cauldrons¡­¡± Zhou Yi was prudent and cautious, unwilling to fight recklessly, yet had a clear understanding of his own strength. Overestimating oneself is suicidal, but underestimating oneself is also apse in vignce! ¡°Little Yuan has been diligent over the years, his promotion to Jinyiwei Suppressor has given him the qualifications to transform from a pawn into a yer.¡± Zhou Yi judged that it was nine times out of ten not a trap, but as a matter of habit, it¡¯s best to wait a while longer. If Yuan Shun leaves the Divine Capital, that one-in-ten risk will vanish. Waiting can dispel all traps! ¡­ Three hundred li to the east of the Divine Capital. The terrain is t and stretches as far as the eye can see. Over three hundred soldiers march on the official road, with a g bearing the character ¡°Yuan¡± ahead. In the midst of them, a carriage. Yuan Shun is resting with his eyes closed, different from his usual sycophantic and greasy demeanor; his plump face with a stern expression seems somewhat incongruous. Only when he is alone does Yuan Shun appear this way. Once a gang¡¯s young leader, he was a slender and handsome youth. Because his godfather Feng Zhong favored ¡°chubby fools¡±, his weight doubled within just half a year. Yuan Shun relied on more than just silver to rise to the rank of Suppressor! Suddenly. A voice arose beside Yuan Shun¡¯s ear: ¡°What seek you from old me?¡± Yuan Shun abruptly opened his eyes to find an old Taoist had appeared in the carriage, with hair white as a crane and theplexion of a youth, wearing a dark blue Taoist robe that had faded to almost white. ¡°Who are you?¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°The white jade pce in the sky.¡± ¡°Five Floors, Twelve Cities.¡± Yuan Shun¡¯s face lit up with joy, and he quickly bowed: ¡°Your Majesty, I pay my respects!¡± Ever since a piece had betrayed them, Zhou Yi had made each person memorize a unique code to prevent anyone from impersonating the King of Samsara. Zhou Yi smiled and said, ¡°How many times have I told you, we are partners, there is no need for titles such as ¡®Your Majesty¡¯.¡± ¡°Your Majesty has helped me exact revenge; I dare not presume too much.¡± Yuan Shun had been in Jinyiwei for ten years and was thoroughly familiar with the unwritten rules of the bureaucracy. When a superior or patron speaks of mutual cooperation and equal rtions, it signifies great esteem for you. Should one truly becent and ce oneself on an equal footing, doom was certain! Zhou Yi nodded slightly, ¡°Enough of that. What brings you to this old man?¡± ¡°There is no longer a matter.¡± Yuan Shun exined: ¡°Jinyiwei¡¯s Zhong Tongzhi is a man of the Retired Emperor, and he has been removed from his post and his property confiscated due to corruption and bribery. I have returned to the Divine Capital hoping to vie for the position.¡± Zhou Yi asked, ¡°So you have failed now?¡± The position of Jinyiwei Tongzhi is ranked as a fourth-grade official, equal to that of a Zhenfushi. However, a Tongzhi stationed in the capital¡¯s yamen often receives summons for inquiries from His Majesty and is merely a step away from bing a Commander. Should Yuan Shun rise to the position of Tongzhi, Zhou Yi¡¯s chess pieces would find it easier to get promoted within the Jinyiwei system. Although this move would expose the identity of the chess piece, Yuan Shun would not and dare not refuse. By rallying a group of like-minded subordinates and distributing them in local prefectures, it would be of great use in the struggle for the position of Commander. Moreover, the miserable death of Zhu Yue remained vivid in memory! Yuan Shun sighed: ¡°Mypetitor is Marquis Qi¡¯s grandson, Chen Yang. My godfather cannot show too much favoritism, and in the end, it was Chen Yang¡¯s greater merit that won him the position of Tongzhi.¡± ¡°Marquis Qi, Chen Yang.¡± Zhou Yi recalled for a moment and said, ¡°The reason for your defeat is not ack of merit. If promotions were based on merit, you wouldn¡¯t even qualify for the rank of a hundred households.¡± Yuan Shun asked in confusion, ¡°I implore Your Majesty for guidance.¡± ¡°When Marquis Chen was still a Duke, his niece¡ªthat is, Chen Yang¡¯s aunt¡ªmarried the then Crown Prince as a concubine, and waster honored as a Virtuous Consort by the Retired Emperor when he ascended the throne.¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°Chen Yang is distantly rted to the current Emperor.¡± The Retired Emperor is Emperor Jinglong; the current monarch inaugurated the Orthodox era, and in two months it would be the Orthodox first year. Yuan Shun realized: ¡°So Chen Yang went through His Majesty¡¯s connection. No wonder I lost.¡± ¡°Foolish!¡± Zhou Yi shook his head: ¡°It¡¯s not that Chen Yang used the Emperor¡¯s connection, but that the Emperor is intentionally courting the old followers of the Retired Emperor in order to contend with the Empress Dowager ruling from behind the curtain, and to ultimately secure his session to the throne!¡± ¡°The Emperor, the Empress Dowager¡­¡± Yuan Shun, upon hearing this, wore a look of shock, viewing Zhou Yi as if he were a monster, then he remembered this was indeed an old monster who had lived for an unknowable length of time. Theplexity of the Imperial Court¡¯s situation was nothing but a simple affair in the eyes of this weathered old monster. Yuan Shun said helplessly: ¡°Your Majesty, I am certain to be out of favor with His Majesty in the future, making it difficult to seek promotion.¡± Feng Zhong, after the Renyin upheaval, was promoted by Chancellor Zhang, and currently belonged to the steadfast Empress Dowager¡¯s faction. As his godson, Yuan Shun wasbeled likewise. The Orthodox Emperor was, after all, the widely recognized Emperor. Plus, with Chen Yang belonging to a line of military nobles, his promotion to Jinyiwei Tongzhi was a clear elevation of a confidant, but something the Empress Dowager couldn¡¯t overly obstruct. Zhou Yi said somberly, ¡°So, you havee to this old man to seek the death of Chen Yang?¡± ¡°I have no other choice.¡± Yuan Shun, sensing the cold murderous intent, hurriedly exined: ¡°It¡¯s also in order to get promoted quicker so I can better serve Your Majesty. Many secrets of the National Dynasty can only be found in the records of the Divine Capital¡¯s yamen.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Zhou Yi snorted softly, ¡°To kill a man, there¡¯s no need to do it yourself. Sometimes, by stepping back, you can ascend even higher.¡± Yuan Shun fell to his knees in the carriage,cking all dignity of a Jinyiwei Zhenfushi, and prostrated himself. ¡°I beg Your Majesty for instruction.¡± ¡°In casual conversation with my godfather Feng Zhong, I learned some secrets about Emperor Chongming, rted to the legendary cultivators¡­¡± Chapter 56 - 56 Imperial Prison Inmates Chapter 56 Imperial Prison Inmates ¡°Cultivator.¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s gaze fell low as he stared at Yuan Shun for a long while. Yuan Shun only felt an immense pressure descending upon him; his Inner Strength, honed over a hundred years, was considered top-notch in Jiangnan, yet he didn¡¯t even dare to entertain the thought of resistance at this moment. An extraordinary, peerless freak! When the new emperor ascended the throne, Yuan Shun had also seen those several court experts, not one of thempared to the King of Samsara. Zhou Yi had diligently cultivated the Soul Nurturing Art for nearly thirty years, his spirit vigorous at the start, but now sensing the existence of his soul, his progress had surpassed that of the Guiyuan Technique by quite a bit. Now, as he tried to oppress Yuan Shun¡¯s soul, the results were quite satisfying. ¡°Little Yuan, if I hadn¡¯t made a move, would you have intended to keep this matter hidden?¡± Yuan Shun replied in extreme fear, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care whether you dare or not. If the news is true, then let bygones be bygones. But if it¡¯s false¡­¡± Zhou Yi didn¡¯t continue speaking. A pawn, no matter how well it performs, is still just a pawn. If crushed by hand, it could be fostered again in ten years, so there was nothing to be reluctant about. ¡°I understand, I have been covertly investigating this matter for a long while, and there is an eighty to ny percent chance that it is true!¡± Yuan Shun breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. As expected, he had bet correctly. The King of Samsara, obsessed with the path of immortality, would suppress his tremendous anger upon hearing this news. Having learned of this messagest year, Yuan Shun had been hiding it in his heart, considering it either a lifeline or a stepping stone for promotion. ¡°The Chen family, I don¡¯t know much about them.¡± Zhou Yi reminisced, ¡°I remember that Marquis Chen had a granddaughter named Chen Qing, famous in the capital for her stunning beauty, with a character both arrogant and overbearing. Once, out of jealousy over Censor Cui¡¯s daughter¡¯s looks, she even shed her face with a de, and thus was guilty and imprisoned.¡± This incident caused quite a stir in Divine Capital. The Imperial Censor might not have been of high rank, but he was not someone just anyone could provoke. Not to mention Marquis Chen personally going to apologize, he also had the Empress Dowager plead on his behalf to Emperor Jinglong, finally obtaining Censor Cui¡¯s forgiveness and release from the Heavenly Prison. Yuan Shun nodded, ¡°I have some impression of that.¡± ¡°That Censor Cui is from the Cui family in Jiangnan, far from an ordinary Imperial Censor, even cab ministers hold him in certain esteem.¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°So, that Chen Qing is not only jealous and overbearing, but also brainless.¡± Yuan Shun nodded, ¡°Does your majesty mean to let Chen Qing cause trouble again, to implicate Chen Yang?¡± ¡°Ordinary affairs won¡¯t implicate him.¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°ording to the ancestral system of Fengyang Country, when a new emperor ascends the throne and establishes a new reign, a selection of consorts will necessarily ur. You will use Feng Zhong¡¯s connections to choose Chen Qing to enter the pce, bypassing the female historians and giving her a consort¡¯s position.¡± Feng Zhong, serving as themander of Jinyiwei, and chiefly as the pce eunuch bearing the imperial seal, could easily arrange for Chen Qing to enter the pce as a consort. At the same time, the Orthodox Emperor, seeking to win over the nobility, was also willing to facilitate this matter. Yuan Shun expressed confusion, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t Chen Yang be even more proud andcent in Jinyiwei as a royal inw?¡± ¡°The imperial pce is just a ce where one cannot be seen. The Inner Pce, however, is a ruthless and bloody battlefield. With Chen Qing¡¯s overbearing and foolish nature, she won¡¯tst long before shemits a capital offense.¡± Zhou Yi spoke slowly, ¡°Not to mention Chen Yang losing his position, Marquis Chen will have his rank reduced once more!¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, for the guidance!¡± Yuan Shun pondered carefully. The n seemed quite feasible. With godfather Feng Zhong¡¯s authority in the pce, it would be difficult for Chen Qing not tomit a heinous crime. Zhou Yi snorted coldly, ¡°Speak, what news have you learned?¡± ¡°My lord, ording to Feng Zhong, the imperial prison does not only have cells on the surface but also has ayer underground, built during Emperor Chongming¡¯s reign,¡± Yuan Shun reported. Yuan Shun continued, ¡°At first, I thought it was just a special cell to confine some unspeakable criminals. However, ording to Feng Zhong, that underground cell holds only one person.¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s mind stirred with a vague spection. ¡°It¡¯s said that person is an immortal being who was captured by Emperor Chongming¡¯s scheme while visiting the mortal realm to see family,¡± Yuan Shun went on. Yuan Shun added, ¡°Initially, I didn¡¯t believe it since Emperor Chongming was obsessed with the path to immortality, almost to the point of madness. But after reviewing the Jinyiwei archives, it was unusual to find that the underground prison started construction the very year that person was imprisoned.¡± ¡°Is that person still alive?¡± Zhou Yi, having lived from Emperor Chongming¡¯s era until now, knew the Dog Emperor hadn¡¯t always been obsessed with the path of immortality. Initially ruling for ten years, he had been diligent, though not a sagacious and sage ruler. The tenth year suddenly stopped attending court, and he handed all matters over to the Grand Secretary, only responsible for marking memorials with circles or crosses. The Dog Emperor hid in Shangyang Pce to practice Daoist cultivation, ordering the Jinyiwei to conduct a thorough search under the pretext of collecting birthday tribute. Any renowned and peculiar treasures had to be contributed to the pce. ¡°He should be alive.¡± Yuan Shun said, ¡°Your humble servant has ordered people to pay attention and investigate. There are about a dozen old guards in the Jinyiwei who would specifically prepare meals and deliver them to the underground prison.¡± ¡°Hmm, you will be credited for this matter.¡± When Zhou Yi spoke, his figure had already disappeared from the carriage, but his voice was still echoing, ¡°If you dare to conceal anything in the future, the punishment I¡¯m proficient in will be a hundred times more severe than the Jinyiwei¡¯s!¡± ¡°Your humble servant understands.¡± Yuan Shun knelt for a long time before he dared to raise his head. ¡°Luckily, I¡¯m not a traitor. Otherwise, with this old freak¡¯s cunning, even the emperor wouldn¡¯t be able to protect me!¡± Yuan Shun breathed a sigh of relief and afterposing himself, he wrote a letter, ordering his subordinates to deliver it to his godfather Feng Zhong¡¯s residence. ¡­ The Heavenly Prison. Dim yet not cold and bleak. Every ten days or half a month, Zhou Yi would cast the Peaceful Home Talisman to cleanse the resentful spirits of the wrongly dead or miserably dead prisoners. As a result, the guards and prisoners in the jail lived longer. Zhou Yi continued delivering meals unhurriedly, and although he was aware of the presence of cultivators in the imperial prison, he did not rush to investigate. The Martial Arts Grandmaster had few equals in the mundane world, and there were few dangerous ces in Fengyang Country, but the imperial prison was one of them. Aside from various mechanisms and traps, the cells holding cultivators were underground, and blocking the entrance made escape difficult. Furthermore, the fact that cultivators could not escape was enough to prove its peril! ¡°The news about the cultivator isn¡¯t important. What is important is that the Dog Emperor can find immortals, which means that eating away at the Jinyiwei¡¯s monitoring of the world is the right approach!¡± ¡°Immortals originate from the mundane. Whether it is visiting rtives or returning to their roots, there is never just one.¡± ¡°Wait a bit longer, once the Jinyiwei ispletely under control, we will definitely be able to trace the whereabouts of those seeking immortality.¡± Zhou Yi, having experienced many dynasties and watched changes in the political arena, had long since tempered his will as tough as iron and stone. Let alone a mere cultivator, even if an Immortal Artifact fell from the sky, Zhou Yi¡¯s first thought would be to flee Fengyang Country, lest the battle between mighty powers destroys a thousand miles. There was nearly no change in the Heavenly Prison, except that Yu Su had resumed physical training. Zhou Yi greatly admired Yu Su, firstly for his integrity. It is said that the Jinyiwei tried to frame Yu Su, but upon seeing the simplicity of the dwelling of the first-grade official, and that there was only a deaf and mute old servant at home, even the Commander Feng Zhong shook his head, whether in admiration or helplessness, and to this day, a definite conviction has not been made. Secondly, Yu Su¡¯s tenacity and unyielding spirit, despite being imprisoned twice and demoted twice, he still held hope for future reforms in the administration. By observing others, one can learn what to embrace and what to avoid. That day. Zhou Yi brought wine, meat, and meals, casually discussing matters of the Divine Capital. Upon hearing this, Yu Su eximed in surprise and delight, ¡°Younger brother Li, are you saying that after the death of the Duke of Cheng, the emperor posthumously honored him as the Qi City King, with the title ¡®Martially Resolute¡¯, and enshrined him in the Grand Ancestral Temple?¡± Ever since the Duke of Cheng was posthumously titled ¡®Martially Loyal,¡¯ and Chancellor Zhang ¡®Culturally Loyal,¡¯ the conferral of posthumous titles in Fengyang Country suddenly lost their value. Regardless of whether one had achieved anything in life, as long as they had good rtions with the emperor and the officials before death, they could always mix in a high-grade posthumous title. After all, even Chancellor Zhang received ¡®Culturally Loyal.¡¯ Anyone who did not rebel ormit regicide was considered a great loyalist! Zhou Yi congratted with a smile, ¡°Old Yu, you¡¯ve got another chance!¡± ¡°Right!¡± Yu Su waved his fist, ¡°This time, I must seed!¡± Zhou Yi looked at Yu Su brimming with high aspirations and suddenly lost the mood for joking. Thinking of reforms in this world is like trying to right the heavens, doomed to fail! Chapter 57 - 57 The Passing of an Old Friend Chapter 57: Chapter 57 The Passing of an Old Friend The moon was high in the sky. The gates of Divine Capital City were tightly closed. The sound of horse hooves approaching from afar, kicking up a trail of dust, awoke the drowsy soldiers. ¡°Who goes there? Stop! Stop¡­ Loose arrows!¡± The gate official shouted severalmands, ordering the archers to attack, as countless feathered arrows shot towards the approaching figure. Swish, swish, swish! In an instant, the horse was turned into a porcupine, charging a few yards forward before copsing to the ground, motionless. The rider¡¯s silhouette leaped up from the horseback, soaring five or six zhang into the air. Seeing this, the gate official¡¯s face rxed, for the walls of Divine Capital City were nine zhang high. Just as he was about to order another volley, he vaguely saw an additional shadow in the air, the figure stepping on it to gain further leverage. Soaring over ten zhang, hended with a thunderous crash on the city wall, scattering debris all around. ¡°Don¡¯te any closer¡­¡± The gate official turned pale with fright, involuntarily stepping back. Even the renowned cultivators of the martial world, who have mastered the art of bodily purification, were not as terrifying as this. The shadow was none other than Zhou Yi, who nced at the gate official and agilely dashed towards Yongchang ce. Earlier that month. The Jinyiwei had reported a bizarre tomb that seemed to trap those who neared it in an endless loop, a phenomenon causing the locals to shun the ce. After consulting local records, it was discovered that the tomb¡¯s owner was a hermit Taoist who had lived for a staggering one hundred and forty years. As the grave¡¯s upant was likely a cultivator, Zhou Yi left the Divine Capital to investigate and spent silver to hire hundreds of men to tten the small hill. Zhou Yi watched from a distance, not daring to get too close. Not until the grave goods were emptied out and each item examined with mana did he indeed find something worthwhile. On the return journey. Zhou Yi leisurely absorbed the contents of the scrolls he had acquired, the scenery of Jiangnan along the way starkly contrasting with that of the Northern Border. Not until three days earlier had Zhou Yi overheard a few jianghu itinerants chatting. A once-famed tomb raider, known across thends and now on his deathbed, stirred a mix of nostalgia for the passing of an older generation and envy for his quiet end. After confirming multiple times that the tomb raider was indeed Lao Bai, Zhou Yi immediately hurried back to Divine Capital. Enhanced by Qinggong and a Featherweight Talisman, he moved even faster than a galloping horse. Once his mana was exhausted, he ran to death four or five more horses, but he ultimately covered three thousand li day and night to return to Divine Capital. Yongchang ce. Bai Residence. Zhou Yi saw that there were no whitenterns hanging at the entrance nor any ashes on the ground, which slightly eased his mind. ¡°Good, I¡¯m not toote!¡± Lao Bai could be considered his only true friend. If he were not able to be there at his friend¡¯s life¡¯s end, it would remain a regret for the long years toe. He leapt into the courtyard and made his way to the back house where Lao Bai resided which still had lights burning despite it being past midnight. Voices wereing from inside the residence, both male and female, seemingly arguing about something. Zhou Yi pushed open the door and saw several of Lao Bai¡¯s children gathered around the bed, talking. Someone heard the door open and turned to see a figure in blue robes enter. Zhou Yi¡¯s gaze swept past the few people, looking towards the bed where the old many: ¡°Lao Bai, not dead yet, are you?¡± Upon hearing the voice, Lao Bai slowly opened his clouded eyes, turning his neck with difficulty. ¡°Cough, cough, cough! Couldn¡¯t die without seeing you,¡± he gasped. His breath was faint, clearly near death. The men and women in the room exchanged nces and stepped back a few paces, knowing of their father¡¯s exploits in the jianghu and his significant reputation¡ªit must be an old acquaintance from the jianghue to visit. Zhou Yi stood by the bed, looking at Lao Bai¡¯s wrinkled face, a sharp contrast to his former handsomeness. ¡°Lao Bai, I¡¯ve finally beaten you in one regard¡ªI can still go to Spring Breeze Building.¡± Unwilling to show weakness, Lao Bai retorted, ¡°I¡¯ve been handsome all my life; with your looks, you won¡¯t understand it, not in a hundred years,¡± The two men locked eyes and suddenly burst into heartyughter. Old Bai, weakened and frail, convulsed a few times amidstughter, almost unable to catch his breath. The eldest son at his side spoke with concern, ¡°Father, the imperial physicians have warned that you must not sumb to sorrow or joy!¡± ¡°You all go out, I want to have a talk with my old friend.¡± Old Bai waved his children away and then sighed, ¡°You¡¯ve seen the sorry spectacle, these kids are disappointing.¡± Themotion in the room a moment ago was about dividing the family estate. In Old Bai¡¯s presence, the two sons of Commandery Princess Rongchang expressed contempt for their other siblings, suggesting that they should go back to mixing with the Jianghu. ¡°What does it matter?¡± Zhou Yi shrugged and said, ¡°At least they didn¡¯t fight to the death. Last year, the Retired Emperor passed away, supposedly dying of ¡®excessive indulgence¡¯ after visiting nine women in one night, not even bothering to find a decent reason.¡± Old Bai asked, ¡°What exactly happened?¡± The Retired Emperor Jinglong died in the early part of the second year of the Orthodox reign at Shangyang Pce, posthumously honored with the temple name ¡®Si¡¯. ¡°The Retired Emperor, unwilling to be confined in Shangyang Pce, somehow made contact with the Marquis of Chen and even poisoned the food in the Imperial Kitchen, attempting to kill the Empress Dowager and His Majesty to seize back the throne.¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°Unfortunately, things didn¡¯t go as he wished, and only a few eunuchs who sneaked tastes of the food died. Afterward, His Majesty entered Shangyang Pce with a sword in hand, and the Retired Emperor met his end!¡± Emperor Jinglong failed once again in his pce coup and was killed by his own son, having, strictly speaking, some connection with Zhou Yi. In the first year of the Orthodox reign, during the selection of consorts, Chen Qing sessfully entered the pce as a concubine, greatly favored by His Majesty, and for a time, the Chen family¡¯s influence was unmatched. Yet, the Inner Pce was Empress Dowager Zhang¡¯s domain, and even the Orthodox Emperor was not free to act as he wished, let alone a mere concubine. Chen Qing was arrogant and overbearing in her conduct, repeatedly viting pce regtions and often punished by Empress Dowager Zhang. Jealousy, foolishness, hatred¡­ Chen Qing¡¯s temperament could not endure such treatment, and with the powerless Orthodox Emperor unwilling to act, she ended up colluding with the Retired Emperor in Shangyang Pce. The Retired Emperor informed the Marquis of Chen of this affair, and facing such a scandal in the Royal Family, the Marquis had no choice but to get involved, and as a result, he was stripped of his title, his property confiscated, and he was sent into exile for his suspected treasonous plotting. Yuan Shun seized this opportunity to be promoted to the comander of the Jinyiwei. In the past two years, the chess pieces arranged by Zhou Yi, backed by Yuan Shun¡¯s power, mostly advanced sessfully. The chess pieces gained both a Cultivation Technique and a backing, Yuan Shun received an elite support force, and Zhou Yi obtained many secret reports rted to the path of immortality. These three parties supported each other, sharing amon interest, and what was once a loose association became increasingly solid! Upon hearing the secrets of a father poisoning his son and a son murdering his father, Old Bai¡¯s expression turned strange as he said, ¡°By that ount, my children are merely mischievous.¡± With decades of experience in Jianghu, Old Bai vaguely felt that Zhou Yi was somehow involved, but friends naturally have their secrets, which need not be probed too deeply. Zhou Yi nodded slightly, ¡°Children and grandchildren have their own fortunes, let them be. You should just focus on taking care of your health, maybe you can live a few more years.¡± ¡°Ever since the three of them passed away one after another, I¡¯ve been as good as dead. I only hope to go to the underworld soon to continue being husband and wife with them there.¡± Old Bai murmured, ¡°Old Zhou, I¡¯ve held on until now just to wait for you toe, hoping to ask you for a favor!¡± Zhou Yi recalled briefly, ¡°In our forty years of acquaintance, it seems this is the first time you¡¯ve said such a thing.¡± ¡°If I ask you for a favor, owing you a debt of gratitude, would we still be able to be friends?¡± Old Bai rested for a moment, then continued, ¡°Now that I don¡¯t have many days left, our friendship wille to an end, so I can shamelessly ask you for this favor.¡± ¡°Out with it, what is it?¡± Zhou Yi had a suspicion, most likely a request to protect and provide for his descendants. Old Bai was not the first, nor would he be thest, to make such a request. After all, living long enough, one inevitably sees one friend after another depart this world! ¡°As for my children, the eldest appears to be honest but is actually mean-spirited, and he wrongly believes he acts convincingly. The second son is a haughty wastrel, surely not someone you would approve of. The third child, like her mother, is cruel and ruthless butcks discretion and will surely invite disaster.¡± ¡°Only the youngest son is clever and adaptable, with the potential to achieve something in the future.¡± ¡°Now, with the outsiders holding power, the National Dynasty is unstable; there will inevitably be turmoil ahead.¡± Old Bai implored, ¡°My father-inw is part of the Empress Dowager¡¯s faction, and now my elder brother-inw is as well. The Bai house might be implicated in the future. If something unbearable were to happen, Old Zhou, I ask you to help protect my youngest child and his lineage so they can safely leave Divine Capital.¡± Zhou Yi wondered, ¡°Old Bai, are you so certain that the Empress Dowager¡¯s line will be purged in the future?¡± Old Bai nodded firmly and affirmed. ¡°The dominance of outsiders is never longsting; even if His Majesty cannot rebel now, his children will seek revenge in the future. The longer they control the court, the deeper the resentment of the Imperial n, and the bacsh will be the eradication of their family lines!¡± Chapter 58 - 58 Introduction to Array Paths Chapter 58: Chapter 58 Introduction to Array Paths Zhou Yi pondered for a moment and then nodded in agreement. The matter Old Bai requested was not difficult, and even if implicated by the Dongyang Prince, it wouldn¡¯t lead to the extermination of his son-inw¡¯s family. Within the nobility of Fengyang Country, each generation intermarried, to carry on such ughter would leave very few remaining. ¡°Old Zhou, I¡¯m deeply grateful; the people of Jiangnan say I have eight hundred friends, but you¡¯re the only one I truly trust.¡± As Old Bai spoke, his pupils gradually dted: ¡°This farewell¡­ I fear we shall not meet again in this life. It¡¯s a pity I can¡¯t drink and sing with you till myst breath, such a pity!¡± ¡°When we meet again in the next life¡­¡± Zhou Yi slowly said, ¡°Tell me that the pear blossoms are white, and I¡¯ll know it¡¯s your reincarnation, and I¡¯ll surely join you for a good drink once more.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great, that¡¯s great!¡± Old Bai¡¯s voice became fainter: ¡°So let¡¯s make that our promise, just say the pear blossoms are white, hahaha, how delightful¡­¡± Zhou Yi remained silent for a moment, then with a hand, he helped Old Bai close his eyes. Suddenly, he remembered something. He took out a bronze mirror from his chest, activated it with mana, and a spiritual light shed out, but found no ghostly presence. He sighed and turned to leave the room. Outside in the courtyard. Zhou Yi said to the men and women standing silently, ¡°Old Bai is gone. Prepare for the funeral.¡± After a long silence, sobbing sounds rose and fell. They knelt and kowtowed to bid farewell. He then called the servants and maids to arrange the pre-prepared funeral items, and sent people to send funeral notices to every household in the Divine Capital. Zhou Yi coldly watched all this, feeling neither good nor bad about it. Some of his children were slightly saddened, while the grandchildren, upon hearing the news, burst into loud weeping, struck by inconsble grief. That¡¯s just how people are; as they age, they only care about self-interest, with emotions growing colder! Zhou Yi found Old Bai¡¯s youngest son and whispered into his ear, ¡°When the family divides the assets, remember to take the Blood Jade Token. I promised your father I¡¯d protect your life if anything happened.¡± The youngest son, Bai Siyuan, was born to the former leader of the Immeasurable Sword Sect. A look of joy shed across Bai Siyuan¡¯s face, uncertain if it was the assurance of his safety or the fact that he was most favored. ¡°No more concerns.¡± Zhou Yi stood in the courtyard and looked up at the cold moon in the sky. The noisy mor around him faded away, and he seemed to stand alone, removed from this world, as if about to be immortal and ascend to the heavens. ¡°My respects to you, my benefactor.¡± A voice, both familiar and strange, rang out, bringing Zhou Yi back from his solitary state to the present world. Zhou Yi responded, ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you, girl. I thought you might not be able to return.¡± ¡°My foster father has shown me kindness heavier than mountains. As soon as I learned of his illness, I left my military duties behind and rushed back day and night.¡± Chen Jinyu was d in dark armor, carrying a ck iron long spear on her back, her appearance bold and valiant, with a fierce aura exuding from her. Zhou Yi slightly nodded, not doubting Chen Jinyu¡¯s filial piety, and looked down at the boy she was holding by the hand, about seven or eight years old, and asked, ¡°Is this Li Yi?¡± Before he passed, Old Bai had told Zhou Yi the story of Chen Jinyu disguising as a man to join the army on the Northern Border, umting military exploits to be a captain. Li Hong, having discovered this, not only spared her from punishment but promoted her to be one of his generals. Chen Jinyu confessed that it was Zhou Yi who had guided her to the Northern Border to join Li Hong¡¯smand. Both had cultivated the Guiyuan Technique, often discussed the Dao together, and over time, developed affections for each other, eventually bing Daopanions and having a son they named Yi. Old Bai hadmented over this matter several times; he had tried to matchmake his son with Chen Jinyu, but one after another, they fell short, not even matching up to a ten-year-old, ultimately letting an outsider seize the opportunity. ¡°For now, he can only bear the surname Zhou. My husband said it¡¯s to honor you, and if one dayes¡­ it must be Yi who seeds.¡± Chen Jinyi gently patted Li Yi¡¯s head: ¡°Quickly, call him grandfather.¡± ¡°Grandfather.¡± Li Yi¡¯s voice was soft, unlike his mother¡¯s sharpness. Zhou Yi paused upon hearing this; he had never been a father, and yet he was already being called grandfather. He chuckled and went along with it. ¡°Hmm. How old is Yi now? What grade is he in? Does he have a lot of homework? Grandfather has prepared a hundred sets of papers for you!¡± ¡°?¡± Li Yi¡¯s eyes were filled with bewilderment; he couldn¡¯t understand what Zhou Yi was saying and only felt a great terror within, so he hid behind Chen Jinyu, not daring to show himself. Chen Jinyu also couldn¡¯t grasp the meaning behind the words, but it seemed normal for a revered and entric expert like Zhou Yi to have peculiar ways of speaking. ¡°Loneliness, s!¡± Zhou Yi clicked his tongue a few times, and the sadness from old Bai¡¯s passing faded somewhat. Having seen many dead over the years, Zhou Yi had grown ustomed to it, bidding farewell to the dying without letting it unduly sadden him. Chen Jinyu sent a telepathic message, ¡°Revered sir, are you using the Jinyiwei to look for clues about the path to immortality?¡± ¡°How do you know?¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s voice was indifferent, tinged with a hint of coldness. Harboring great secrets, he would show no mercy to those who dared to pry into his privacy. ¡°I beg your reverence¡¯s forgiveness; it was not my intention to probe,¡± Chen Jinyu hurriedly exined, ¡°My husband has spies nted within the Jinyiwei. We only learned of it recently and suspected it might be rted to your reverence.¡± Zhou Yi did not conceal the truth and nodded in admission, ¡°Indeed, it was I.¡± With great solemnity, Chen Jinyu said, ¡°My husband and I will certainly do our utmost to assist you, revered sir, in finding the path to immortality and wish that your reverence may enjoy eternal blessings and live as long as the heavens!¡± Zhou Yi expressed surprise, ¡°From your words, it seems you both do not wish to pursue immortality?¡± Chen Jinyu replied, ¡°My husband and I are determined to avenge our nsmen and are busy managing military affairs. Our time for cultivation grows ever shorter, and we are destined to have no hope of advancing on the immortal path.¡± Zhou Yi did not express agreement or disagreement. Given Li Hong¡¯s talent, he could seek revenge while wholeheartedly pursuing immortality, but it was a personal choice and not for others to persuade. ¡°What is the situation on the Northern Border these days?¡± ¡°In recent years, the Zhao family has been too busy with their internal strife to manage the armies at the Northern Border, and several Great Generals have already be like warlords.¡± Chen Jinyu confidently stated, ¡°However, the Mysterious Armor Army under my husband¡¯s and mymand is the greatest of these warlords!¡± Zhou Yi advised, ¡°Don¡¯t be obsessed with expanding your troops; you cannot vie for supremacy over the world with just that.¡± ¡°What your reverence says is very true,¡± Chen Jinyu agreed. Chen Jinyu continued, ¡°Currently, the Northern Bordercks individuals capable of governing people and the country. This time, upon my return to the Divine Capital, I also intend to draw in some talented individuals.¡± Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi thought of Yu Su, imprisoned in the cell, ¡°I can rmend someone to you, someone with the talent to govern a nation.¡± Chen Jinyu said excitedly, ¡°Anyone who catches your reverence¡¯s eye must be highly talented. May I know their surname and name?¡± ¡°Yu Su, Yu Shouzhuo!¡± ¡°Oh, Yu Qingtian. I have also heard of him in the Northern Border.¡± ¡°You may initiate contact with him beforehand, but if you want to draw him to the Northern Border, you must wait for his third rise and fall, after another defeat.¡± ¡°Yu Qingtian has risen and fallen twice, amassing great fame. If he rises again, how could he face another defeat?¡± ¡°What he seeks is destined to end in failure.¡± Zhou Yi and Chen Jinyu talked for a long time, setting up a future method ofmunication. After ensuring they could exchange information, Zhou Yi left the Bai household. ¡­ Having returned to the courtyard. Zhou Yi savored a few cups of tea to calm his emotions and then took out a jade slip from his bosom. The jade slip originated from a tomb in Jiangnan. Other apanying gold and silver relics had no spiritual nature, but this jade slip, once activated with mana, allowed the soul to read its content. Inside, it contained a scroll of the Qingmu Technique, an Introduction to Array Paths, and the travel notes of Daoist Lingyun. The Qingmu Technique, simr to the Guiyuan Technique but moreplete in content, spanned from the first to the thirteenthyer of Qi Cultivation. The very beginning rified that one required a Wood Spirit Root to practice it. Only then did Zhou Yi confirm that the pursuit of immortality indeed required a Spirit Root, which hecked. ¡°Heaven evolves with forty-nine cycles, man escapes one. In all matters and all things, there is a slim chance of survival; even without a Spirit Root, it doesn¡¯t mean one can¡¯t cultivate. For instance, breaking through to Innate in martial arts can attract the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth.¡± ¡°However, how many in this world can achieve Innate through the martial path?¡± Zhou Yi revisited the Introduction to Array Paths, recognizing each term individually, but when they came together, it all turned bewildering. ¡°Repeating and pondering it along the way, I¡¯ve only grasped a mere thousandth or two. It requires slow and careful contemtion.¡± ¡°Back then, I acquired lecture notes from Yu Jie. Looking back, it was a windfall. I actually got an introductory primer on talismans and runes, which may take who knows how many years to master.¡± Chapter 59: The Ruthless School Officer Chapter 59: Chapter 59: The Ruthless School Officer The master leads you to the door, but cultivation is a personal journey. Thetter is about self-struggle, while the former is about following the right person and knocking on the door. There are many people with great talent in the world who, without guidance, find the door but cannot enter, and ultimately waste their lives away. ¡°Introduction to Array Paths¡± is simr to this, the content is not profound, yet Zhou Yi doesn¡¯t understand restrictions or inscriptions and directly delves into studying the Mystifying Array, the Gathering Spirit Array, and the Minor Five Elements Array. The process was indeed difficult, Zhou Yi chanted all night and made many notes, yet didn¡¯t make much progress. At this rate, thoroughly studying it would take at least a decade. ¡°Hmm, not bad!¡± Zhou Yi was not afraid to waste years and was not in a hurry to study thoroughly, having something to do in his long life prevented it from being dull and empty. ¡°Now that I cultivate essence, energy, and spirit together, progress may be slow but the foundation is solid. In the future, I¡¯ll learn all skills such as talisman array method, alchemy, and artifact refining, spending thousands or tens of thousands of years to be an all-powerful immortal!¡± Zhou Yi put away the jade slip, as for the third part of the travel journal, he had already read it many times. Lingyun Daoren and Wei Chang had simr experiences, luckily obtaining a cultivation technique and just so happened to have a wooden Spirit Root, thus devotedly cultivating in the Daoist temple. Until after reaching the third level of Qi Refinement, his mana stopped increasing. Lingyun couldn¡¯t rely on time like Zhou Yi to grind through, so he began wandering all around, seeking immortals and asking about the Dao, hoping to find the legendary Immortal Mountain Blessed Land. ¡°It¡¯s probably because the spiritual energy of the mundane world is too sparse, making it difficult for cultivation to exceed the third level of Qi Refinement.¡± Zhou Yi spected in his heart, for after breaking through to the second level of Qi Refinement, the growth of mana had already slowed down significantly. Lingyun spent decades traveling, setting foot all over Fengyang, the northern Great Yong, and the southern Great Li, but ultimately failed to find the legendary Immortal Mountain Blessed Land, During this time, he met several Loose Cultivators. ¡°Introduction to Array Paths¡± was exchanged from a leper monk in Great Yong. A monk and a Taoist traveled around Great Yong together for more than a decade, leaving behind many folk legends. At the end of his travel journal, Lingyun sighed, although he did not enter the gates of immortality in his lifetime, it might not be a bad thing. To have two or three friends, wander the world for a hundred and forty years, how fortunate indeed! ¡°When Lingyun was exploring Fengyang, he investigated several strange and dangerous ces, which the Jinyiwei had already reported on before, and looking at it now, it seems that they aren¡¯t ces for cultivators.¡± ¡°However, it¡¯s not that there were no discoveries at all. Lingyun suspected that the Jiangnan Eight Great Families, being able to pass on for a thousand years, are very likely connected to cultivators. It¡¯s a pity he realized this toote, as his life wasing to an end and had no more intention of verifying it.¡± ¡°This matter can be left to Yuan Shun, to dispatch the Jinyiwei to closely monitor.¡± Zhou Yi was not afraid of the ns, if Li Wu could suppress them back in the day, it shows that they are not really people of the immortal path, and are more likely connected by some blood rtions. Moreover, it was Jinyiwei¡¯s normal duty to monitor the ns. Previously it was to watch if they were plotting rebellion, now the direction has changed, to investigate whether there are extraordinary beings around. ¡­ Many things or people in the world are truly not worth mentioning. The next morning. Zhou Yi went to the Heavenly Prison to report, and saw all the jailers standing at the entrance. Standing straight, the ranks neat and orderly, as if they were troops waiting for inspection. Zhou Yi asked in confusion, ¡°Old Lei, what¡¯s going on?¡± Old Lei is a descendant of the former Lei Suyu, who toiled as a jailer in the Heavenly Prison for nearly thirty years and was promoted a few years ago. ¡°Old Zhou, this is what Officer Yang requested; we must wait for him to inspect before we can serve in the prison. You haven¡¯t been here for some days, and he¡¯s lost his temper a few times, saying that he would settle it with you once you¡¯re back!¡± ¡°Who is Officer Yang? Didn¡¯t Old Lu say he was supposed to stay for another half a year?¡± Zhou Yi looked puzzled, he had drunk with Colonel Lu before leaving the capital, who mentioned that his sessor would be surnamed Luo. ¡°Colonel Lu was implicated in epting bribes and selling his position to the Luo family, he has been exiled a few days ago.¡± Old Lei answered, ¡°Officer Yang is not simple, it¡¯s said that he¡¯s from the side branches of the Yang family among the Jiangnan Eight Great Families, rted to the Minister Yang from the Ministry of War.¡± ¡°What a pity, I couldn¡¯t bid farewell to Old Lu. Officer Yang¡­ such means of handling things¡­¡± Zhou Yi felt considerable sympathy, of course Colonel Lu was not a good man, his crime was definitely substantiated, after all officials in the prison could find a heap of charges on anyone. Colonel Lu had spent his life toiling in the prison without major mistakes, only half a year away from a peaceful retirement. Only because Officer Yang was in a hurry to take office, he relied on his family¡¯s influence to have him exiled. It was not just breaking the rules of officialdom, his methods were also exceedingly ruthless. At that time. A man dressed in the uniform of the Jinyiwei approached, his hand on the hilt of his waist knife, striding boldly forward, his neck slightly raised, his gaze lowered, always looking down on people with a disdainful attitude. His gaze swept over the prison guards before finally settling on Zhou Yi. ¡°Are you Lord Zhou?¡± ¡°Greetings to the esteemed officer.¡± Zhou Yi bowed respectfully, ¡°How dare I im to be a lord? It¡¯s just a joke between colleagues. If you dislike it, from now on it will be Little Zhou.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Officer Yang¡¯s gaze narrowed slightly as he looked more directly at Zhou Yi. ¡°It¡¯s good you understand! You have been absent without leave for half a month, by thew you should be expelled from the prison, however, considering your previous merits, I will only deduct a year¡¯s sry!¡± ¡°Thank you for your generosity, sir.¡± Zhou Yi smiled, unconcerned about the penalty to his sry, since his main ie was not from the prison anyway. Officer Yang was surprised at Zhou Yi¡¯s flexibility, having assumed that a capable person would have a big temper, providing an opportunity for him to assert his authority. Then he lectured them for a while, the gist being that taking silver from prisoners in the future was forbidden, and any guard who dares to ept bribes privately would be strictly investigated. ¡°This is a matter the officer has emphasized repeatedly, and yet there were still those who dared tomit such acts yesterday!¡± Officer Yang continued, ¡°Bai San¡¯er, who was on dutyst night, took silver from the prisoner of Cell Nine, and this morning he has already been sent to the capital¡¯s prison: flogged a hundred times, to be jailed for three years!¡± Whoosh! The prison guards were shocked. As minor officials in the prison, how could they not fear the terror of receiving a hundredshes? Such heavy punishment could easily leave a person mutted or incapacitated. Officer Yang said coldly, ¡°Pay close attention. Regardless of the past, from now on, you must follow these rules!¡± After Officer Yang left, the prison guards buzzed with discussion. But with Officer Yang¡¯s deep connections, even Warden Wu did not dare to show his face¡ªwhat could a group of low-level officials do? A resentful prison guard said, ¡°Lord Zhou, that Yang is deliberately using you to set an example. Are you going to tolerate it?¡± Zhou Yi shook his head with a smile, ¡°What can we do if we can¡¯t tolerate it? He¡¯s a son of a noble family; we can¡¯t afford to provoke him!¡± Old Lei was puzzled, ¡°By doing this, Officer Yang is antagonizing us, does he not fear the prisoners causing trouble?¡± ¡°Officer Yang is likely here in the prison to pad his resume. Once he gets some results, he¡¯ll be promoted. He doesn¡¯t care about what the prisoners think. After all, prisoners are just prisoners. Could they really overturn the heavens?¡± Zhou Yi advised, ¡°Just endure it for a while, suffer through a few hard years!¡± Hearing this, the guards, knowing that even Zhou Yi, who cultivated martial arts, was intimidated, felt they had lost their backbone and had no choice but toply with Officer Yang¡¯s rules. Afterward. Officer Yang, after hearing reports from his confidants about all the actions of the guards following his departure, had a slightly changed view of Zhou Yi. ¡°This man has punitive abilities, knows when to keep a low profile, and can see the bigger picture¡ªindeed a useful talent. Once I¡¯ve reformed the prison, I will promote him and bring him along to serve in the army!¡± ¡°What kind of future is there in spending a lifetime cooped up in the prison!¡± Zhou Yi was unaware of Officer Yang¡¯s assessment and would not care even if he did know. The actions of Officer Yang, which had led the prison guards to curse him behind his back, failed to recognize that they were used to all sorts of unspoken rules. When someone who abided by thew arrived, they perceived him as cold and heartless. People may get used to and even sink into unspoken rules, but they cannot truly lose sight of right and wrong! Zhou Yi, habitually blending in with the masses, considered himself unable to stay out of the dirt, yet would not act to obstruct Officer Yang from doing his job. Chapter 60: The Form of a Hero Chapter 60: Chapter 60: The Form of a Hero Prison Cell Six. Yu Su was in a horse stance, practicing his boxing. His movements flowed with ease between force and gentleness, mastery of Taijiquan¡¯s profound essence. After a long while. Yu Su gradually finished his routine and said to Zhou Yi, who was standing outside the railing. ¡°Old Zhou, your boxing technique is extraordinary, not only cultivating the body and spirit but also embodying the ultimate principles of heaven and earth!¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®ultimate principles of heaven and earth¡¯?¡± Zhou Yi was shocked inside. He, a cultivator, could not sense the profound mysteries, could it be that Yu Su, with his prodigious talent, understood the Dao of Taijiquan and ascended to highness like in the tales? ¡°The affairs of the world are like Taijiquan, not contending yet leaving no room for contention, acting without action!¡± Yu Su sighed, ¡°In the past, I was too hasty in dealing with matters, reforming the Imperial Court can¡¯t be achieved overnight, hence the two failures.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s emotions settled after a long time, he finally responded stiffly, ¡°You have a point!¡± Yu Su¡¯s solemn face suddenly changed as he said with a cheeky grin, ¡°Brother Zhou Li, quickly bring out the pig trotters, these days without you, I¡¯ve almost tasted birds from the ndness in my mouth!¡± Yu Su was a genuine pauper, when Zhou Yi wasn¡¯t around, though the jailers might not dare to bully him, they certainly wouldn¡¯t dig into their own pockets to bring him meat and wine. Zhou Yi handed in the pig trotters and wine, ¡°Old Yu, are all officials as thick-skinned as you? With trotters, I am ¡®Brother Zhou Li,¡¯ without trotters, just ¡®Old Zhou¡¯?¡± ¡°If I had a thinner skin, I would have died who knows how many times by now!¡± Yu Su never mentioned how dangerous reforming the officialdom was, Emperor Jinglong had indirectly lost his life, Yu Su¡¯s survival thus far was truly not easy, ¡°Old Zhou, do you know why I like chewing pig trotters?¡± Zhou Yi curled his lips, ¡°I guess you suffered from hunger before? Such a deep memory, someone close to you left you a pig trotter before dying?¡± Yu Su snorted, ¡°Boring! Boring! It¡¯s so boring to talk with a clever person!¡± ¡°I¡¯m certainly no clever person.¡± Zhou Yi shook his head, ¡°Just that I¡¯ve heard and seen too much in jail. At first, I could feel pity, but now it¡¯s like watching a tale, just feeling sad momentarily and then it passes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s precisely because there¡¯s so much of it that I want to enact reforms!¡± Yu Su sighed, ¡°When I was young, my family was still wealthy. After encountering a drastic change, I lived the life of themon people, then I understood what reading books was truly for.¡± Zhou Yi looked at Yu Su, whose eyes were shining, and couldn¡¯t help but remind him. ¡°Old Yu, I don¡¯t think you can win!¡± ¡°Even you can see that, don¡¯t you think I know?¡± Yu Su took a sip of wine, either choked or the liquor was too strong, he began tearing up. ¡°Yet, some things must be done even if failure and death are certain! Just a slight change in the Imperial Court could benefit thousands upon thousands of people, so how can we only talk about winning and losing?¡± ¡°Old Yu, you are truly a brave man!¡± Zhou Yi gave a thumbs-up and then suddenly asked, ¡°Do you have children?¡± Yu Su looked puzzled, ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Zhou Yi smiled, ¡°I¡¯m often entrusted by others to look after their descendants. A man like you should not have his lineage or will extinguished!¡± ¡°The things I do are far too dangerous, I¡¯d hate to bring harm to others, so I¡¯ve never even married.¡± Yu Su nced at Zhou Yi and said in a low voice, ¡°Old Zhou, you are a remarkable person, but some matters still require caution.¡± Zhou Yi said with interest, ¡°What do you mean by that, Old Yu?¡± ¡°When I inspected the Northern Border, I found the military leaders to be too autonomous, showing tendencies of warlords.¡± Yu Su continued, ¡°Such a cmity to the National Dynasty cannot be ignored, so I attempted to create alliances and divisions among them, at least to ensure the military leaders are not united, waiting for the chance to eradicate thempletely.¡± Zhou Yi frowned slightly, he vaguely understood what Yu Su was saying. ¡°The other military leaders are manageable, being arrogant and uncouth, easily dealt with a bit of scheming.¡± Yu Su went on, ¡°But there was one group with exceptionally strong cohesion, which could not be swayed by threats or bribes. On closer investigation of these generals, they turned out to be former subordinates of a Duke who had served the nation!¡± ¡°What does this have to do with me?¡± Zhou Yi shrugged his shoulders. Li Hong had taken root in the Northern Border, and it was certainly to summon the old subordinates of the Marquis of Zhen Guo. Interested parties could easily investigate this matter. ¡°I originally thought it had nothing to do with me. After all, the Marquis of Zhen Guo is already dead, and it¡¯s normal for his former followers to look out for one another.¡± Yu Su said in a deep voice, ¡°It was only after you, Old Zhou, mentioned entrusting his offspring, that I suddenly saw the light¡­¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s brows slightly furrowed as a thread of mana within his sleeve coalesced into sword qi, ready to be unleashed at any moment. ¡°Old Yu, are you actually investigating me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be angry, Old Zhou. It¡¯s just habit, merely habit!¡± Yu Su felt Zhou Yi¡¯s genuine anger and hastily sped his hands in apology, exining, ¡°I have fallen into too many traps in the past and have be ustomed to investigating everyone around me, and besides, you¡¯re not the first such remarkable person I¡¯vee across.¡± ¡°Oh? You¡¯ve met others?¡± Zhou Yi did not deny it. ¡°Zhou Li¡¯s¡± identity was indeed not worth scrutinizing. After all, there were no signs of activity in Xuanzhou; it was just that no one had bothered to investigate a mere prison guard before. Of course, the real reason for admitting his identity was that Zhou Yi was now only seventy-two years old. If he had been one hundred seventy-two, Yu Su would have been dead by now! Zhou Yi would have arranged a grand funeral for him, inscribing on his tombstone: Curiosity killed the cat. Yu Su nodded, ¡°The old Daoist who divined my fortune was surnamed Yang.¡± Zhou Yi asked in surprise, ¡°The Yang family from Jiangnan?¡± ¡°Hmm, Old Grandfather Yang of the Yang family!¡± Yu Su said, ¡°The newly arrived Yang Zheng is the esteemed illegitimate great-grandson of Old Grandfather Yang.¡± Zhou Yi took note of the Yang family and said, ¡°This Officer Yang is not to be taken lightly!¡± ¡°He has the look of a formidable leader!¡± Yu Su spoke with considerable gravity, ¡°On his first day here, he sought me out for a chat. His goal was to gain the support of my former colleagues from the Ministry of War.¡± During his tenure as Minister of War, Yu Su thoroughly inspected the Capital Garrison, patrolled the Northern Border, and reformed the military personnel of the state governments. Even now, while imprisoned, there were still many of his former colleagues in the Ministry of War. Empress Dowager Zhang and her faction had imprisoned Yu Su, merely wishing to control the Imperial Court, but without intending to topple everyone who got things done. There had to be those in the Imperial Court who would warm their seats without aplishing anything, but also those who genuinely got work done. Zhou Yi wondered, ¡°The current Minister of War is from the Yang family, so why did hee looking for you?¡± ¡°There are too many people from the Yang family of Hongzhou. How could he, a mere coteral member of the family, take over the power of the main branch?¡± Yu Su said, ¡°With my support, it would be different. The Yang family would see him striving hard and would also give him strong support. Withbined forces, it wouldn¡¯t take many years for him to obtain a position of high power and influence in the military!¡± ¡°What a scheme!¡± Zhou Yi praised, ¡°The guards outside are under the jurisdiction of the Heavenly Prison. In theory, Officer Yang could be appointed as amander of the garrison, which means stepping into the military system. Give him a few more years to take charge of the Imperial City¡¯s guards, and he will be a close associate of the Emperor.¡± ¡°Old Yu, since you see his intentions, why did you agree to help him?¡± ¡°Firstly, Yang Zheng indeed has the ability and talent; secondly, a formidable leader does things by any means necessary and specializes in conquering viins.¡± Yu Su said, ¡°Yang Zheng wants to use me, but am I not also using him?¡± ¡°Then Old Yu had better hurry.¡± Zhou Yi reminded, ¡°A few days ago, Jiang Chao, the deputymander of the Capital Garrison, was imprisoned for embezzlement of military funds.¡± Jiang Chao was Yu Su¡¯s student and had strongly supported his teacher in reforming the military, considered a central figure of the ¡°Yu faction.¡± ¡°Given Jiang Chao¡¯s fickle nature, without me above to keep him in check, the crime of embezzlement is likely true. A trip to the imperial prison is not unjust!¡± A cold gleam shed in Yu Su¡¯s eyes, ¡°Soon! Very soon! In no more than three years, I will regain everything I¡¯ve lost!¡± Zhou Yi tidied up the bowls and chopsticks and walked away. After a few steps, he suddenly turned back and asked. ¡°Old Yu, what do you think about the Northern Border?¡± ¡°My loyalty is not to Fengyang!¡± Zhou Yi nodded slightly; the old man had narrowly escaped death yet again. Chapter 61: The Legend of Cloud Mountain Chapter 61: Chapter 61: The Legend of Cloud Mountain ¡°This old geezer is even craftier than a corrupt official!¡± Zhou Yi never considered himself to be an elite, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been a 996 workhorse in his previous life. The Longevity Dao Fruit only granted endless lifespan, not extraordinary wisdom. People like Yu Su, who neither practiced martial arts nor cultivated immortality, spent their entire lives in struggle and scheming, ying mind games far beyond Zhou Yi¡¯s reach. Perhaps after a few hundred years, having experienced a myriad of things, Zhou Yi could reach such a realm where deep calction and devious nning woulde as naturally as breathing. ¡°Too troublesome, all these conspiracies and tricks, these beauties with deceptive appearances, just endure them all until they die off!¡± Zhou Yi ignored the prisoners¡¯ wailing. A few more days of drinking slop and one would get used to it. He carried the bucket to the sky prison¡¯s service room. He had intended to pass the time by watching his colleagues y cards. The jailers all sat upright, chatting idly. Zhou Yi asked about it and learned that Officer Yang had issued an order strictly forbidding drinking and gambling in the sky prison. It was with great difficulty that he made it to the end of his shift. Zhou Yi returned to the courtyard and pondered over the formation for two hours before beginning his cultivation of the Guiyuan Technique. The path of Qi Refinement values consistency and dedication. At midnight. Zhou Yi slowly ended his practice and with a wave of his hand over his face, he transformed into the aged visage of the King of Samsara. After decades of practicing the Art of Disguise, he had reached a state of perfection. Then, using the Shadow Talisman for cover, he moved through the Divine Capital in the veil of night. Tongfu District. Yuan¡¯s residence. Pavilions and pagodas by the water, bizarre rocks and artificial hills. It once belonged to a certain wealthy merchant in the capital, who was suspected of trading with Great Yong and exiled with his entire family, selling the residence to the Jinyiwei Colonel for a high price of one hundred silver taels. At the entrance, guards dressed in ck were on duty, with both visible and hidden sentries all around, securing the entire mansion like an iron barrel. Zhou Yi, like a gust of ck wind, easily breezed through the halls and into the inner house. Inside the room. Yuan Shun was embracing one of his eighteen concubines asleep when he suddenly awoke, hearing a noise from the main hall. His first reaction was to reach under his pillow for the concealed crossbow with a deadly poisoned bolt. ¡°Come out and see this old man.¡± Zhou Yi poured himself a cup of tea and took a sip, definitely royal tribute tea. Yuan Shun casually threw on some clothes and came out, respectfully saying, ¡°Your Highness, what are your orders?¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°Send a few skilled men to Jiangnan, keep a close watch on the eight great families, especially the Yang family of Hongzhou. Even if a dog from their house causes a stir, it should be carefully recorded.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness, I shall arrange it first thing tomorrow.¡± Yuan Shun ventured a guess, ¡°The eight great families of Jiangnan, could they be rted to the Immortal Dao?¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± Zhou Yi fell silent for a moment, then changed the subject, ¡°What exactly was going on with the reports you filed about Cloud Mountain in the past?¡± His voice was very soft, but when it fell on Yuan Shun¡¯s ears, it was like thunder exploding, causing his legs to buckle, and he knelt on the floor. ¡°Your Highness, please spare me, I had no choice,¡± he pleaded. ¡°So, Cloud Mountain was indeed a fabrication?¡± A fierce light shed in Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes as Sword Qi circled Yuan Shun¡¯s neck, drawing out beads of bright red blood. ¡°Your Highness, after I took office in Xuzhou to seek revenge, I arrested several officials and imprisoned them, which aroused the suspicion of the Jinyiwei,¡± Yuan Shun hurriedly exined. ¡°As you know, the Jinyiwei always act without requiring evidence. They pressured me to pass on false information to Your Highness and even requested a royal priest to lie in ambush at Cloud Mountain.¡± ¡°Under close surveince, I dared not speak clearly and could only describe Cloud Mountain as though it was an Immortal Realm, utterly unlike the mortal world, hoping Your Highness would be on guard.¡± Zhou Yi snorted coldly, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for that, you would have died long ago!¡± ¡°Thank you for Your Highness¡¯s mercy.¡± Yuan Shun kept kowtowing, sweat pooling on the floor. Zhou Yi asked, ¡°Why did you choose me?¡± Back then, Yuan Shun repeatedly reported the splendor of Cloud Mountain, things like rainbows descending frequently, gathering of extraordinary hermits, and white mists enveloping the mountain, making it difficult for mortals to ascend to the peak. Cloud Mountain had a significant reputation in Jiangnan, with many schrs retiring there. If it was truly so wondrous, Cloud Mountain would have caused a sensation in Fengyang Country, and the Dog Emperor would not have been left seeking in vain. Zhou Yi had long suspected that there was something fishy about the Cloud Mountain news. ¡°Your Highness is dedicated to seeking the Immortal Dao. Although it seemed far-fetched, partnering with you was better than dealing with those high-ranking figures,¡± Yuan Shun respectfully said. ¡°In their eyes, there¡¯s only silver and power, and the moment I be useless, they¡¯d sell me to make money.¡± ¡°At least you¡¯re clever.¡± Zhou Yi said coldly, ¡°Who instructed you to bait me out?¡± ¡°Feng Zhong,¡± Yuan Shun replied. ¡°There were also others who had their identities exposed, and because they didn¡¯t bribe enough, they were all secretly executed.¡± ¡°Someone will take care of this matter!¡± Zhou Yi stared at Yuan Shun for a long while before speaking slowly, ¡°Remember to seize the opportunity. After Feng Zhong dies, you should at least be promoted to Deputy Commander!¡± ¡°Thank you, My Lord.¡± As Yuan Shun spoke, he suddenly felt a pellet in his mouth that melted as soon as he popped it in. Tiny Gu insects burrowed into his body and finally settled in the position of his heart. Shock filled his heart, and by the time he looked up again, the figure of the King of Samsara was nowhere to be seen. Hiss, hiss, hiss! Agonizing pain ripped through him, and Yuan Shun rolled back and forth on the ground, awakening his sleeping concubine. Out of panic, the concubine wanted to scream for a doctor, but Yuan Shun hastily stopped her. After a long time, the severe pain slowly subsided, and Yuan Shuny on the ground, silently making calctions. ¡°How much silver is needed to bribe my way to Deputy Commander? There are several merchants in the Capital I have been eyeing for half a year; it¡¯s time to round them up and confiscate their property!¡± ¡­ Time flowed like running water. The fourth year of the Orthodox era. Spring. Zhou Yi carried a bucket to deliver food, observing that the prisoners had all be significantly thinner. ¡°Little brother, give me two more scoops; I¡¯m starving to death!¡± ¡°I have lots of silver; a hundred taels for a bowl of thick gruel!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Driven by extreme hunger, the prisoners used all kinds of tactics to get a bit more to eat, using threats and bribes to try for an extra bowl of thin porridge. Zhou Yi silently delivered the food, noting that a good half of the prison guards had been reced in recent months, leaving only those who could resist the temptation of the prisoners and not reach for the silver. Anywardens who couldn¡¯t help themselves and were blinded by silver were all thrown into prison by Officer Yang. Behind bars, they watched their former colleagues. The remaining wardens trembled with fear and dared not disobey, strictly adhering to the rules. As a result, the price of food in prison skyrocketed, with a bowl of thick gruel selling for a hundred taels of silver. On this day. After finishing his meal delivery, Zhou Yi was looking for a ce to ck off and cultivate. Old Lei came running up and said, ¡°Old Zhou, an unyielding character has arrived in the A2 Prison. Officer Yang summons you for interrogation.¡± Zhou Yi asked, ¡°What¡¯s his background?¡± ¡°A river pirate from the Jiangnan region, the chief of the seventy-two Chain Fortresses, called River Dragon.¡± Old Lei whispered, ¡°I heard from Colonel Ma, who interrogated himst night, that this man has dominated the Jiangnan Waterway for more than a decade, making an untold sum of silver. The Imperial Court¡¯s army conquered the Chain Fortresses, but the silver vanished without a trace.¡± ¡°Do we still need to interrogate for that?¡± Zhou Yi pursed his lips; it was probably anotherckey for the Jiangnan gentry. When the dog gets fattened, they use the excuse of exterminating bandits by the Imperial Court to swallow it whole. Being a wise man himself, Old Lei chuckled, ¡°We still have to go through the motions, right?¡± A2 Prison. When Zhou Yi entered, he saw Officer Yang administering punishment. The red-hot iron pressed against River Dragon¡¯s face, sizzling as the smell of charred flesh rose. River Dragon, over three meters tall with arms and legs as thick as punishment pirs, endured Officer Yang¡¯s torture without making a sound. Hisrge, bronze bell-like eyes red at everyone in the cell, sending out a ferocious aura that scared the wardens from getting too close. After torturing for a long time, filled with frustration, Yang tossed the branding iron back into the furnace: ¡°Old Zhou, your turn!¡± ¡°Yes, Officer Yang.¡± Zhou Yi stepped forward and pressed on several acupoints, his fingertips against the mid-sternum, channeling Inner Qi up through the Jade Hall acupoint. After decades of refinement, Zhou Yi¡¯s skills in extracting confessions reached a high level. His Inner Qi repeatedly stimted the prisoner¡¯s vital points, causing extreme pain while ensuring the victim¡¯s life remained intact. ¡°Uuuuu¡­¡± Unable to bear the pain any longer, River Dragon howled, but upon opening his mouth, it became evident that he had no tongue, and even his vocal cords had been shredded. tter! River Dragon¡¯s body suddenly swelled by ten inches, and the already taut chains broke apart with a series of snaps. ¡°Roar!¡± With a roar of rage, River Dragon¡¯s massive fists smashed towards Zhou Yi¡¯s head. Without waiting to see the result, or perhaps confident that he could kill with the blow, he leaped towards Officer Yang. Zhou Yimoved nimbly, transforming into several shadowy figures and easily dodging the punch. ¡°Explode!¡± At themand, several popping sounds came from inside River Dragon¡¯s body. He appeared unscathed on the outside, but the towering brute crashed to the ground, lifeless. Chapter 62: Combining Kindness with Authority Chapter 62: Chapter 62: Combining Kindness with Authority River Dragon rose up violently and met his demise. In the blink of an eye, the prey rises and the hawk falls, all in a mere moment. Officer Yang heaved a sigh of relief, his right hand unnoticeably extended from his sleeve, and with a smile, he sped his hands in respect. ¡°Zhou, you¡¯re truly remarkable. I¡¯ll remember the life-saving grace!¡± ¡°It¡¯s my duty,¡± was the reply. A gleam shed in Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes as he had just sensed a fluctuation of spiritual energying from Officer Yang¡¯s sleeve. A talisman or a magic artifact? Only then did the jailers snap out of their shock. They rushed forward to surround River Dragon, shackling him with several chains, but upon checking, they found he had already stopped breathing and his pulse was gone. Zhou Yi spoke, ¡°Officer Yang, such an incident must be an ident. Please do not let it influence your anger.¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s an ident, I have faith in all of you,¡± Officer Yang confidently knew that all the jailers had submitted to his authority. The incident of River Dragon breaking free of his chains was surely the work of Colonel Ma, who was on duty that night, as Wu Siyu had already joined their ranks. ¡°Zhou, are you interested in taking a position as an officer?¡± Zhou Yi sped his hands in gratitude: ¡°Thank you for the generous offer, sir. I¡¯m used to living freely and wouldn¡¯t suit an official¡¯s life.¡± ¡°No matter.¡± Officer Yang pointed at Old Lei, ¡°Lei Chabiao, how about you?¡± Caught off guard, Old Lei¡¯s face went through several changes. Bowing deeply, he said, ¡°If youmand it, sir, I dare not disobey!¡± ¡°Good!¡± Officer Yang apuded, ¡°Tonight, call all the brothers together and we¡¯ll go to Kuaihuo Forest for a drink.¡± The jailers looked at each other, unsure of what Officer Yang meant by this. ¡­ Kuaihuo Forest. A brothel in Divine Capital that had been in business for less than a month. A splendid building of six stories, it¡¯s considered tall in Divine Capital¡ªa stark contrast to the Spring Breeze Building nearby which suddenly seemed much shorter. Moreover, the oiran chosen by the Spring Breeze Building at the end ofst year had now be the top card of Kuaihuo Forest. The premier brothel in Divine Capital is none other than Kuaihuo Forest. After their shift. Officer Yang led the jailers to have a drink. Before the sun set, the street outside Kuaihuo Forest was bustling with carriages and horses, while inside it was filled with guests. The brothel madam, upon seeing Officer Yang enter, hurried over with a swaying gait. ¡°Owner, Mr. Lu arrived early and has been waiting for you on the sixth floor.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Officer Yang waved his hand and led his group to the Luxurious Hall on the second floor. Along the way, many patrons greeted them, referring to him variously as Boss Yang, Officer Yang, Young Master Yang, and the like. Luxurious Hall. Officer Yang sat at the head of the table, with Zhou Yi and Old Lei on his left and right. The rest of the jailers took their seats as well. Afterward, two rows of beautiful women entered, one standing behind each jailer, pouring wine andying out dishes with meticulous care. ¡°In recent days, the brothers have suffered,¡± Officer Yang said, lifting his wine cup. ¡°My actions were for the future of you all. Relying on extorting money from prisoners, taking bribes, and embezzlement is not sustainable. Whatever you scrape together, you¡¯ll eventually have to spit back out.¡± The jailers did not understand the direction of his words and waited silently for more. ¡°Instead of ending up with your properties confiscated and being exiled, it¡¯s better to keep your hands clean and carry out your duties with peace of mind.¡± Officer Yang continued, ¡°I understand how hard it is to live in Divine Capital, so I opened this Kuaihuo Forest. The silver earned here includes shares for all of you. The profits will be more generous than before!¡± ¡°This¡­¡± The jailers showed puzzlement. They were greedy but not foolish¡ªwhat business does a petty official have sharing the silver? ¡°This silver is also rted to you all.¡± Officer Yang exined, ¡°Originally, if prisoners wanted to eat and live well, they had to pay with silver, an act against thew. Now they just need toe to the second floor of Kuaihuo Forest, buy some designated refreshments, and they can ensure their imprisoned rtives and acquaintances are well cared for.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± The jailers calcted in their minds. Compared to before, things were admittedly less favorable, but after enduring several months of hardship, this arrangement now seemed like an incredibly good deal. Officer Yang was right; taking bribes privately was never secure. Now with Kuaihuo Forest as a front, the silver wasundered, and even if an imperial envoy or the Imperial Censor came, they wouldn¡¯t be able to find any evidence of wrongdoing! The jailers said in unison, ¡°Officer Yang¡¯s considerations areprehensive. We will faithfully follow your orders!¡± ¡°Good! Let¡¯s toast to that!¡± Officer Yang, deviating from his usual stern demeanor, spoke warmly and naturally. In a short period, he had moved the jailers to gratitude, and they almost felt like swearing their utmost loyalty to him. Zhou Yi watched with a cold eye, feeling a faint sense of disappointment while also harboring a trace of wariness towards Officer Yang. Zhou had initially thought nothing of Yu Su¡¯s description of Officer Yang as a cunning leader. He had considered him simply a harsh and stingy man, unlikely to be a true leader, doomed to be nothing more than a forgotten skeleton in a tomb. But a cunning leader is not just ruthless; they must also know how to bestow favors. ¡°It seems that Old Yu really knows how to judge a person,¡± Zhou Yi sighed ruefully in his heart, yet his face was all smiles as he exchanged toasts energetically with his colleagues. In these trying times, who doesn¡¯t wear several masks? ¡°Brothers, keep eating and drinking, no need to pay the bill.¡± Officer Yang stood up and said, ¡°The second son of the Lu family from Luyang Prefecture has matters to discuss with me, so I must take my leave. In the future, when youe out for drinks, just go directly to Kuaihuo Forest and put it on my tab!¡± ¡°Go ahead with your business, Officer Yang.¡± ¡°We will follow your lead unquestioningly.¡± The jailers respectfully saw him off and then returned to continue drinking, the atmosphere bing even more lively. The prospects Officer Yang described were too vast, with ways to make money not limited to misceneous fees and silver, the prisoners in the Heavenly Prison were clearly priced, and with him as an intermediary, they were sure to fetch top dor. Zhou Yi admired Officer Yang¡¯s tactics; first he imposed authority and then magnified his benevolence, a man who first offered benevolence would lose all authority. It¡¯smonly said, give a p then a sweet date. Although this approach seems clich¨¦, it urately maniptes the human heart and never fails when employed. Old Lei had been promised a promotion, and after slogging away for another decade or passing the position to his son, it might not be impossible for him to restore his ancestors¡¯ glory. ¡°Old Zhou, why did Officer Yang arrest so many of our colleagues first?¡± ¡°Those who couldn¡¯t resist temptation are easily troubled, and probably aren¡¯t worth Officer Yang¡¯s friendship,¡± Zhou Yi replied with a smile, careful not to imply that he was weeding out dissenters. ¡°I see.¡± Old Leiughed heartily, ¡°Luckily, I held back and gained Officer Yang¡¯s recognition. Now I can truly enjoy life here in Kuaihuo Forest!¡± The jailers chimed in one after another, ¡°Officer Lei speaks sense.¡± ¡°But I still prefer the Spring Breeze Building!¡± Zhou Yi¡¯sment fell like a stone in a pond, making the room go quiet before the lively chatter resumed. Yet, this statement would certainly reach Officer Yang¡¯s ears, ensuring that Zhou Yi was thoroughly excluded from the circle. ¡­ The following day. Zhou Yi reported for duty. Feng Chabiao handed him a scroll with prisoners¡¯ names listed. Marked with circles, crosses, and ticks, they indicated whether the prisoners would receive porridge, meat, or wine; all determined by the spending of their old acquaintances and rtives in Kuaihuo Forest. Zhou Yi had learnt the day before that a dish of aniseed beans and a bowl of wine were priced at a hundred taels. Feng Chabiao said in a low voice, ¡°Old Zhou, with your skills and following Officer Yang, wealth and honor are easily within your reach. Why be so stubborn?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhou Yi raised his eyebrow, noting that from yesterday onwards, Lord Zhou had be Old Zhou. Yi Liuchan Prison. Zhou Yi squatted outside the cell, handing pig¡¯s feet and wine to Yu Su. Yu Su took a sip and said in surprise, ¡°This pear blossom white, at least fifty years old. What¡¯s the asion?¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°Old Yu, I¡¯m leaving.¡± Yu Su looked startled for a moment, no attempt to persuade him to stay; such extraordinary people were all resolute. ¡°Why?¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°I came to the Heavenly Prison for some peace, but now it¡¯s bing as bustling as a marketce. How can I not run far away?¡± Yu Su said, ¡°Why don¡¯t I have a word with Yang Zheng, tell him not to bother you anymore?¡± Zhou Yi declined, ¡°For a mere jailer like me to make you, Yu Qingtian speak up, wouldn¡¯t that make Yang Zheng investigate my background?¡± ¡°True.¡± Yu Su frowned andmented, ¡°What a pity, I won¡¯t have pig¡¯s feet to eat anymore.¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°What do you want to eat that Yang Zheng wouldn¡¯t hurry to bring you?¡± ¡°I enjoy the ones you bring.¡± Yu Su said, ¡°Others¡¯ offerings¡­ tsk tsk, not delicious!¡± Zhou Yiughed, ¡°Then don¡¯t eat, you¡¯re getting old and should eat less greasy food. Don¡¯t you always say you need to keep yourself useful?¡± Yu Su grumbled impatiently, ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t eat, why do you nag so much!¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± Zhou Yi turned and left briskly, without a hint of nostalgia. Momentster, Yu Su¡¯s voice called out from behind. ¡°Old Zhou, I have neither children nor family. Remember to burn me more paper money, I can¡¯t be a poor ghost even in the underworld!¡± Without turning back, Zhou Yi waved his hand to show he heard. ¡°Got it!¡± Chapter 63 - 63 Mortal Immortal Traces Chapter 63: Chapter 63 Mortal Immortal Traces Courtyard. The night was like water. Zhou Yi stood in the courtyard, his eyes filled with reluctance to part. ¡°I can no longer use this identity for the time being. Many people in the Capital and the Northern Border are aware of it, which poses some danger.¡± Li Hong, Chen Jinyu, and people from the Wei family seem trustworthy, but Zhou Yi, having spent years in the Heavenly Prison, had seen too much of the fickleness of human nature to measure. One moment they were the best of friends, the next they were irreconcble enemies. ¡°Thest time I switched identities, I only thought about making it quick and easy, but I left a huge loophole.¡± ¡°This time, I¡¯ve learned my lesson. I¡¯ll transform into someone entirely unrted to Zhou Yi; no one will suspect any connection between the two. Besides, it¡¯s not like Zhou Yi is dead¡ªhe can still show up when necessary.¡± Zhou Yi had made up his mind; he would never return to the Heavenly Prison, where there were too many familiar faces. During the day, Zhou Yi had asked to resign, and Officer Yang did not make things difficult for him, though his face was somewhat gloomy. Retaliation was unlikely; after all, Zhou Yi was just a jailer skilled in martial arts, not worth the envy and hatred of a hero. ¡°Living too long is also troublesome; every few decades, I have to switch identities!¡± Zhou Yi feigned a sigh and took out a rolled-up blue-covered booklet from his chest. It recorded, in Pinyin, the individuals and locations within Fengyang Country that were most likely rted to the Cultivation World. Next to each location and person were many annotated analyses, verified through repeated investigations by the Jinyiwei from various prefectures. Zhou Yi would choose the secure and eliminate the risky, and he already had a n for how to safely blend into the Cultivation World. He was currently fleshing out his strategy. ¡°Let¡¯s put aside these dangerous ces for now. Even if they¡¯re rted to the Cultivation World, without knowing their righteousness or danger, I mustn¡¯t touch them recklessly.¡± ¡°Therefore, there aren¡¯t many options left¡ªthose households that became rich overnight, and the cultivators imprisoned underground in the imperial dungeons!¡± Zhou Yi had his Jinyiwei subordinates investigate extraordinary individuals while also keeping an eye on those households that had be rich without reason, rifying the sources of their wealth. If it rted to immortals, they would be under continuous observation. Cultivators are human too, especially those who are just beginning their path. They haven¡¯t been cultivating for long and still have familial ties to the mundane world; they often leave Gold and Silver for their families. Upon investigating the rich households of Fengyang Country over the years, the Jinyiwei found that ny-nine percent of the reasons for their sudden wealth were rooted in legal trickery¡ªdeception, grave robbing, and a myriad of other tactics. After all, the degree of ss solidification in Fengyang Country far exceeded that of Zhou Yi¡¯s previous life. ¡°After meticulous screening, these three households are the most suspicious. Using covert operatives and mounted scouts from the Jinyiwei to trap them into conversation, they all imed to have a family member who had be an itinerant Daoist.¡± Zhou Yi pondered for a long time, flipping through the information on the three households, but continued to have the mounted scouts keep an eye on them. ¡°Based on the information tricked out by the mounted scouts, those three potential cultivators are still young and could live for another hundred and eighty years at least. I haven¡¯t yet seen a cultivator¡¯s powers, and it¡¯s not certain if they have means of investigation; it¡¯s not advisable to wait passively.¡± The three young cultivators, who might one day return home aplished and use detection and sensing Spells. What Zhou Yi might be facing wouldn¡¯t be a chance at immortality, but rather a huge fireball the size of a millstone. ¡°After repeatedly checking and screening, the safest seems to be the imperial dungeon underground.¡± ¡°That cultivator caught by the Dog Emperor, who has been imprisoned in a mundane jail for decades, must be of low strength with no lethal Spells.¡± Zhou Yi pondered for a long time and shook his head slightly. ¡°For now, I¡¯ll seclude myself in the mountains for two or three years, waiting for the investigation results from the Jiangnan aristocratic families before making further ns.¡± ¡°However, the hope for this is slim. The Dog Emperor was so obsessed with the path of immortality back then, yet he didn¡¯t touch the Jiangnan aristocratic families; surely he must have his reservations.¡± ¡­ The seventh year of the Orthodox era. The Yuan residence. Rear Residence. Yuan Shun bowed respectfully and presented the red sandalwood box with both hands. ¡°Your Honor, this is this year¡¯s royal tribute tea. I chose each and every leaf, ensuring they are equal in size and uniform in color.¡± ¡°Little Yuanzi has put a lot of thought into this.¡± Zhou Yi put the tea box into his sleeve, ¡°How is the position of Deputy Commander treating you?¡± ¡°With Your Honor¡¯s support, I am now well-established in it.¡± Yuan Shun bent even lower, reflecting on the previous year when Feng Zhong died within the pce¡ªan incident that had caused a great uproar. Feng Zhong, a respected eunuch in charge of the Jinyiwei with the epithet of Inner Minister, had been killed within the pce. It waster investigated and discovered that on the day of the incident, two Innate Grandmasters had made their move. One had drawn away the pce protector tasked with safeguarding Feng Zhong, while the other had assassinated him. Zhou Yi asked, ¡°Do you have any thoughts on the position of Commander?¡± ¡°I was just about to report to Your Honor, the emperor summoned me to the pce a few days ago for questioning.¡± Yuan Shun said, ¡°Now that Empress Dowager Zhang has aged, Feng Zhong is dead, and His Majesty has started to use Yu Qingtian as the secondary advisor, I feel that the Zhang family¡¯s ship has reached its end, so I agreed to align with His Majesty¡¯s overtures.¡± ¡°As long as you do not hinder this old man¡¯s affairs, you are free to do as you please.¡± Zhou Yi nodded slightly, confident in Yuan Shun¡¯s vision and capabilities to have reached his position today. After Feng Zhong was assassinated by Chen and Wei from the Northern Border, seven or eight people vied for the Deputy Commander position. Yuan Shun didn¡¯t seek Zhou Yi¡¯s help, but managed to secure the position on his own merits. The assassination of Feng Zhong by Chen and Wei was not only at Zhou Yi¡¯smand, but also a chance for the Orthodox Emperor to resist. With the Divine Capital in chaos, the Imperial Court naturally had no energy to pay attention to the Northern Border! ¡°Rest assured, Your Honor, the vital positions within the Jinyiwei are now under my control. The newly appointed Duke Wei has only the name of Commander but cannot mobilize anyone.¡± Yuan Shun took out a thick volume of documents, ¡°This is the record of the direct and coteral family members from the eight great families of Jiangnan.¡± Zhou Yi flipped through it. Each page was filled with detailed information, and the entire volume easily contained tens of thousands of words. ¡°I trust your work, talk to me about the key information.¡± ¡°Upon investigation, I found that each of the eight great families has three to five remarkable individuals. They usually stay hidden within the family, only revealing their extraordinary skills on the rare asions they venture out.¡± ¡°The identities of these individuals are specially marked in the records,¡± Yuan Shun said, with a sh of envy in his eyes. By now he no longer doubted the existence of Cultivation World, ¡°They are extremely cautious when traveling outside. If our secret agents show even the slightest slip, they either lose the trail or wind up dead.¡± ¡°The truly useful information we¡¯ve gathered is not much and is fully recorded at the end of the volume.¡± Zhou Yi turned to the end of the volume, where there were only a few dozen lines of text, presumably overheard by the Jinyiwei operatives in secret. ¡°Xiaodan Mountain, Qi Yun Peak, Dan Ding Sect¡­¡± These three names shed quickly through his mind. The previous strange and dangerous locations marked by the Jinyiwei did not match any, either the investigation was wrong or the names in the Cultivation World were different from the mundane world. Zhou Yi closed the volume, nning to scrutinize each individual¡¯s details upon his return, ¡°What major events have urred in the Capital these past few years?¡± ¡°Feng Zhong is dead and Yu Qingtian has been restored; Your Honor is already aware of this.¡± After a moment of reflection, Yuan Shun said, ¡°The only other thing that can be considered a major event is a rtive of the Yang family, Yang Zheng, being promoted tomander of the imperial guards. He has quite a reputation among the young generals.¡± The position ofmander of the imperial guards was a fifth-grade official title and carried real military power in the Divine Capital. Yet in Yuan Shun¡¯s eyes, it was still a junior post, both in terms of authority and influence. Zhou Yi quickly flipped through the volume to the page about Yang Zheng, recording in detail his actions in the Capital. In three years¡¯ time, Yang Zheng used Kuaihuo Forest as his base and continued expanding. He nearly monopolized the Divine Capital¡¯s gangs, brothels, and gambling houses, and recently, he had even interfered with the Sushui Canal Transport. On the surface, he was themander of the imperial guards, but behind the scenes, he was the underground king of the Divine Capital. ¡°Yang Zheng seeks more than just high rank and wealth!¡± Chapter 64: The Deaf and Mute Old Man Chapter 64: Chapter 64: The Deaf and Mute Old Man ¡°` ¡°When you encounter this man in the future, you must be careful not to stumble.¡± Zhou Yi had a vague premonition that Yang Zheng was ambitious, possibly harboring desires akin to those for the Northern Border. In the Divine Capital, the major figures were all focused on the struggle between the Orthodox Emperor and Empress Dowager Zhang in the pce, with no one caring for the middling and lower ranking officials, or the trivial gangs, brothels, and gambling dens. One day, should there be cataclysmic changes in the Divine Capital, Yang Zheng would have too much he could do. ¡°Your Majesty, Yang Zheng¡¯s mother was but a servant girl, not even a concubine, her status in the Yang family exceedingly low,¡± Yuan Shun said, his brow slightly furrowed and his voice grave. ¡°Great families pass down literature andws, with strict rules; they abhor subordinates overstepping superiors the most. How could they allow him to overpower the legitimate sons?¡± ¡°The so-called hierarchy of elder and younger, legitimate and illegitimate, superior and inferior, are techniques to rule over the ns and fool the ignorant. They should be adhered to but not be confined by them,¡± Zhou Yi shook his head and said. ¡°These great families are most pragmatic; as long as Yang Zheng keeps winning and growing stronger, bringing benefits to the family, the Yangs will continue to support him,¡± exined Zhou Yi. Starting with the heavenly prison, Yang Zheng gathered arge group of middling and lower ranking officials through unending mutual benefits. This process was like rolling a snowball¡ªsticking together through various benefits, growingrger as it rolled. Within the rolling snowball, the early joiners, having reaped the benefits, are unwilling, unable, and also afraid to get off. Those whoeter, envious of the early joiners, also wish for the snowball to keep rolling on. In the end, it would either trigger an avnche or umte into a mountain. Zhou Yi waved his hand to stop Yuan Shun from asking further, no longer discussing Yang Zheng. Whether he seeded or failed, he was merely a fleeting cloud of a mere century. ¡°What about the investigation into the prisoners underneath the imperial prison?¡± Bowing, Yuan Shun said, ¡°Your Majesty, the dungeons are controlled by the sessive Commanders. Those who deliver food are illiterate and deaf-mutes. After extensive investigation, we only know that the person inside is still alive, aged roughly between eighty and ny.¡± Zhou Yi then asked, ¡°Does the Imperial n pay any attention to this person?¡± ¡°Decades have passed, they likely no longer care. In hister years, Emperor Chongming became obsessed with seeking immortality and locked away many monks and sorcerers in the imperial prison,¡± Yuan Shun answered. ¡°ording to the Jinyiwei archives I¡¯ve researched, Emperor Chongming left a will iming that this personmitted heinous crimes and must be imprisoned until death. Now, the Commander oversees the prisoner only following the old precedent,¡± Yuan Shun exined. ¡°Interesting,¡± said Zhou Yi, a glint of light shing in his eyes as he vanished from Yuan¡¯s mansion. ¡­ The sixteenth year of the Orthodox reign. September. The execution ground at Caishikou. Thousands of prisoners kneeled in neat rows, their wailing, cries of injustice, and pleas for mercy drowning out the chatter of the spectators. The once haughty and aloof elites now knelt dirty and disheveled, weeping bitterly. The young, not understanding the situation, felt the outside was warmer than the heavenly prison, lively with many people, innocently calling out for their parents in confusion. Zhou Yi, with his hands tucked in his sleeves, stood amidst the crowd, his expression indifferent. A man in flying fish attire beside him, bearing an embroidered spring knife, nudged Zhou Yi. ¡°Old Zheng, you haven¡¯t enjoyed a woman in your life. Tomorrow I¡¯ll take you to The Bureau of Music. The Zhang family, with thousands in their household, surely had plenty of beauties. In the past, we didn¡¯t even have the chance to look at them!¡± ¡°Oooo?¡± Zhou Yi turned his head, puzzled, humming through his closed lips, and pointed to his ears. ¡°Old Yu, what are you saying to Old Zheng? At his age, deaf and dumb, he probably doesn¡¯t even know the difference between men and women!¡± The words of this Jinyiwei colleague provoked a burst ofughter from his peers. Meanwhile. The third quarter of the hour had arrived. The supervising execution officer, Yang Zheng, loudly read out the twelve major crimes of the Zhang family, such as plotting rebellion, immorality, disrespect, and internal chaos, tossing down the execution order. ¡°Carry out the execution!¡± Crack! Crack! Crack¡­ The beheading of thousands¡ªthere weren¡¯t enough executioners in the Divine Capital for the task, with each having to cut over a dozen heads. As a result, blood spurted continuously on the execution ground, like fireworks. Anytime a spurt reached a great distance, it would cause the crowd to cheer. The people didn¡¯t care what crimes the Zhang family hadmitted. As long as it was the beheading of a high official¡¯s head, it was certainly cause for joy! When the execution ended, the entire Caishikou was stained red, with nowhere left to step without blood sticking to the soles of shoes. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to Spring Breeze Building for a drink!¡± ¡°` Old Yu waved his hand, and a dozen or so men strode away in formation. On the road, whether it wasmon folks or officials, they all hurriedly stepped aside upon encountering them; with the reliance of two generations of emperors, the power of the Jinyiwei was stronger than during the Taizu¡¯s time, rather than weaker. In the Divine Capital, the leading brothel was the Kuaihuo Forest. The Spring Breeze Building was no longer the bustling scene of yesteryears, with sparse guests whose attire did not suggest wealth. It had been three consecutive years now since thest Oiran election had taken ce. The Kuaihuo Forest controlled the trade of the ¡°teeth row,¡± cutting off the source of girls with superior qualifications, making an Oiran selection at the Spring Breeze Building a subject for ridicule. Old Yu brought his colleagues to the Spring Breeze Building because themander of the Jinyiwei, Yuan Shun, explicitly expressed his dislike for the Kuaihuo Forest. As with the head, so with the tail; the men of the Jinyiwei only frequented the Spring Breeze Building. Inside the private room. Zhou Yi took the lowest seat, buried his head in eating and drinking, and did not engage in conversation with his coworkers. The others didn¡¯t mind; ¡°Old Zheng¡¯s¡± head was both deaf and mute,munication was difficult, but as he was directly under themander¡¯s jurisdiction, they couldn¡¯t treat him poorly. As the meal went through five vors, and the wine half-intoxicated them, the group slowly loosened their tongues. Old Yu clicked his tongue and said, ¡°Today was really an eye-opener, Empress Dowager Zhang passed away just a year ago, and her maternal n¡¯s bloodline was sopletely severed.¡± The Orthodox Emperor¡¯s order to execute the Zhang family shocked the court and bureaucracy with many of the former emperor¡¯s old ministers kneeling to beg for mercy. The Grand Secretary, Yu Su, also submitted a memorial advising against the execution of his own mother¡¯s n, saying such an act would impair His Majesty¡¯s sage reputation. The result, as seen today, was that the Orthodox Emperor disregarded public opinion, assigning Yang Zheng, who had earned great merits in cleansing the ¡°Zhang Party,¡± as the execution supervisor, with all male members of the Zhang family and their followers executed, and the females consigned to The Bureau of Music. The once glorious Zhang family, flourishing across four dynasties, was now dissipated like smoke and clouds. ¡°Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has suffered for fifteen years, who wouldn¡¯t act ruthlessly in his ce?¡± A member of the Jinyiwei beside spoke, ¡°The Zhang n has been powerful for too long, acting too arrogantly. Reportedly, not long after Empress Dowager Zhang died, Zhang Heng sent people to ry a message to His Majesty, insisting that any appointment or removal of court officials must be discussed with him first.¡± A colleague eximed in shock, ¡°This happened?¡± Zhang Heng was the patriarch of the Zhang n, Empress Dowager Zhang¡¯s own brother, and the Orthodox Emperor¡¯s maternal uncle. ¡°Do you know why Zhang Heng wasn¡¯t executed today?¡± The Jinyiwei replied, ¡°Commander Yuan asked for the services of the old Physician Ge, who used ginseng and gold needles to prolong his life for the asion, while Old Liu the Knife personally performed the slow slicing. A full ten thousand cuts, a death known as ¡®death by a thousand slices and ten thousand cuts!¡¯¡± ¡°Hiss!¡± Everyone sucked in a breath of cold air, then one after another praised the emperor¡¯s wisdom, agreeing that the treacherous Zhang Party deserved its fate. The Jinyiwei were the emperor¡¯s personal guards, and the currentmander, Yuan Shun, was an iron supporter of the Orthodox Emperor, with no love lost for the Zhang Party. The banquet concluded. Old Yu and the others, leading girls upstairs, watched Zhou Yi wave goodbye with a mournful sound. All the way home. In the solitary house with an exclusive entrance in the Dehuai District, a few trees nted askew at the entrance thoroughly shaded the courtyard. Zhou Yi, who had spent more than a decade studying the Array Dao, hade to grasp some of its principles. Objects could be arranged ording to special patterns to either cause disorientation, conceal views, or even enhance the airflow within a room, boosting the efficiency of one¡¯s cultivation slightly. The following day. Zhou Yi arrived early at the imperial prison to collect his food box from the mess hall. The imperial prison was dull and oppressive, filled with a gloomy chill. Even on a scorching summer day, standing inside one could feel a bone-deep coldness. If the harshness of a normal prison was at a level one, the imperial prison would be at least ten, with countless lost souls and spirits drifting in all directions. Zhou Yi, carrying the food box, greeted anyone he met with a mournful sound. Seeing the Jinyiwei interrogating prisoners, he showed not the slightest interest and went straight to the deepest part of the prison. The Jinyiwei on duty, seeing Zhou Yie over, silently unlocked the chains, and four men lifted the heavy steel cover together, revealing a dark passage leading downwards. Zhou Yi, familiar with the route, slipped in, stepping down the stone staircase to reach the second level beneath the imperial prison. All the way to the bottom of the tunnel, he saw arge iron cage made of refined steel. With animal-head bronzemps hanging on the four walls, the faint light allowed one to barely make out the figure sitting cross-legged in the cage. With white hair and a three-foot-long beard, the figure wore a Taoist robe that was mostly tattered. Chapter 65 - 65 The Crazy Taoist Priest Chapter 65: Chapter 65 The Crazy Taoist Priest When the old Daoist sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, he was as still as a maiden, disying an aura of an immortal. Upon hearing Zhou Yi¡¯s approaching footsteps, the old Daoist slowly opened his eyes, which turned a green hue while the pupils were blood red. Under the flickering light of the fire, they shone brightly, making him seem like a malevolent ghost. His eyeballs followed Zhou Yi as he moved, and when he came close, the Daoist suddenly lunged forward like a rabid dog, his arms reaching through the steel bars, scrambling with fingers dark as ink and as withered as chicken ws. Aoo¡ª wuu¡ª Unintentionally, the old Daoist howled, his dark yellow teeth sharp and sparse, each as keen as a knife. Biting fiercely into the fine steel, he left behind a trail of tooth marks. Zhou Yi had anticipated this, his steps stopping urately at the fourth step from the bottom. The frenzysted for a moment, as if he were exhausted. Gradually regaining hisposure, the Daoist resumed his cross-legged position in the cage, wearing a kind smile, ¡°I am Ji Sheng, and I have seen this fellow Daoist. I know not what year it is tonight?¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes were vacant, as if he couldn¡¯t hear the old Daoist speaking. ¡°Thirty years of seclusion, or was it forty¡­ seventy or eighty? I do not know how many years it has been; they¡¯ve all passed in a blur¡­¡± ¡°Seeing a fellow Daoist today, I feel an unusual kinship.¡± ¡°After five hundred years of arduous cultivation in seclusion, today I finally ascend to immortality, enjoying boundless freedom and supreme ease!¡± The Daoist¡¯s voice fluctuated, at times muttering to himself, at times shouting loudly. His sense of time was muddled, bouncing from thirty years back to centuries in seclusion. ¡°Today, as I ascend to immortality, I will take this fellow Daoist to wander the Immortal Realm with me!¡± ¡°That world is vast with clouds and mist, where fairy maidens dance, and celestial generals wield spears¡­¡± ¡°Pearls and jade trees, gatherings of phoenixes and dragons¡­¡± ¡°Adorned in crimson gossamer garments studded with stars, riding the clouds,manding a flying dragon, I roam across the thirty-three heavenly pces¡­ to the Qiongtai Orchid Pavilion, where golden bells ring in unison, Heavenly Drums sound together, congratting my ascension!¡± ¡°On the day I delivered my teachings, wondrous flowers descended from the sky, golden lotuses sprouted from the earth, jade rabbits offered their worship, and the Golden Crow bowed its head¡­¡± In the end, the old Daoist¡¯s speech became frenzied and scattered, his eyes aze like fire, his arms iling wildly, totally lost in a delusion like a madman. Zhou Yi listened silently, understanding the old Daoist¡¯s bizarre behavior quite well. Anyone held captive in a narrow, dark cell for over eighty years, with only the deaf and mute bringing food, might well have a mental breakdown. The Daoist is provisionally referred to as Ji Sheng, though each time he speaks his name differently, with ¡°Ji Sheng¡± urring most frequently. Ji Sheng rambled on for a long while, his voice shifting from high-spirited to deste, until finally, he slumped down in the cage with a lost look in his eyes. He looked down at his hands, and suddenly, tears filled his eyes. ¡°Wuu, wuu, wuu¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t until this moment that Zhou Yi dared to make a noise, cing the food box on the third step. Wiping away his tears, Ji Sheng gathered his disheveled white hair, rubbed his twisted and stiff face, regaining some semnce of life, and gave Zhou Yi a grateful nod. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ji Sheng then carefully arranged the few dishes from the food box in front of the iron cage, even pouring himself a cup of wine. His movements were steady and graceful, like a noble fallen on hard times. After eating, Ji Sheng returned the food box to the third step and resumed his position in the center of the cage to sit cross-legged. ¡°With a heart as clear as ice, not shaken by the falling sky. Through all changes, my spirit remains still, my energy tranquil¡­¡± He recited the Daoist mantra for purifying the heart, trying to drive away his inner demons and maintain his true self at all times. Zhou Yi carefully retrieved the food box, understanding that just because Ji Sheng seemed normal, it didn¡¯t mean he could venture down to the lower steps. This was a lesson the Jinyiwei had learned at the cost of many lives; despite appearing frail, Ji Sheng was immensely strong and once he had someone in his grasp, he would tear them to shreds alive. Zhou Yi returned to the entrance and knocked on the iron cover. After a moment, he cracked it open only just enough to see it was Old Zheng, before fully lifting the cover. Zhou Yi exchanged silent greetings with his colleague, then left with the food box, silently calcting the duration of Ji Sheng¡¯s frenzied states. ¡°The exhaustiones more swiftly each time; he is already burnt out, unlikely to live for more than a few years!¡± Whether Ji Sheng would leave any inheritance after death was uncertain to Zhou Yi, and not something he would aggressively seek. He never even considered things like negotiating terms with Ji Sheng. After all, it¡¯s only about ten to twenty years at most! ¡­ Four years had shed by. Last year, ¡°Old Zheng¡± became frail with age, fell ill with a chill, and never recovered. The Jinyiwei bought a deaf-mute strongman named Li Shun from the dental workers to be responsible for delivering meals underground. Zhou Yi transformed in an instant and became Little Shunzi. Being both deaf and mute had its advantages; Zhou Yi was seldom noticed on a daily basis, there was no worry about any slip-ups. That day. Zhou Yi, carrying a food container, walked toward the deep recesses of the imperial prison, passing by a cell where he saw a familiar figure practicing Taijiquan. Without the need for recognition, it was Yu Su. His figure paused briefly and then continued on, without using secret sound transmission to inquire. Entering underground. Ji Sheng, seeing a living person walk by, went mad and bit for a while, which was much shorterpared to four years ago. Until gasping for breath from exhaustion, his bloodshot eyes slowly faded away, and surprisingly, he did not fall into his usual delusional fantasies. Ji Sheng¡¯s delusions were numerous: sometimes he ascended to be an immortal, sometimes he imed ancestry, and even fantasized about having three thousand Daopanions, basically indulging in all the grand desires of cultivators. ¡°Dog Emperor, even in death, Ji will have your entire n executed!¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes were vacant, his expression without a ripple. ¡­ Tongfu District. The Yuan mansion had expanded more than tenfoldpared to a few years ago. The surrounding residents said that their fortunes shed with the mansion, greatly affecting their career and business, and they all sought Commander Yuan to relieve their worries. Yuan Shun bought the properties at a low price and extravagantly built artificial mountains and waters, matching each one to famous mountains and rivers back in his hometown of Xuzhou. In such avish and unrestrained manner, it was unrivaled in the Divine Capital. The Imperial Censors of the Imperial Court repeatedly submitted petitions criticizing Yuan Shun, listing his ten gravest sins and begging the Orthodox Emperor to execute the Nine ns of the Yuan family to uphold the nationalw. The Orthodox Emperor, citing insufficient evidence, repeatedly shielded Yuan Shun, causing the Jinyiwei¡¯s arrogance to grow even more unchecked. The study. Yuan Shun was practicing calligraphy, his brush strokes as forceful as dragons and snakes, demonstrating the air of a master. An abrupt voice rang out, ¡°Not bad handwriting.¡± Yuan Shun looked up to see an elder with white hair dressed in an azure Taoist robe that seemed to have been worn for many years, and he quickly bowed respectfully. ¡°Greeting Your Majesty.¡± ¡°After so many years, you still bother with such empty formalities.¡± Zhou Yi casually sat on a chair, scrutinized Yuan Shun for a moment, and said, ¡°Think less on a daily basis, eat more tonic medicine, maybe you will live a few more years.¡± Yuan Shun at this time was over fifty years old, an age when he should have been making broad strokes in the official arena. However, because of practicing the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique in his early years, he had squandered over twenty years of his lifespan, now appearing aged with grey hair and wrinkled skin, looking much older than his actual age. Yuan Shun respectfully said, ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern. This subject has already arranged a sessor and will not cause any dy.¡± ¡°Remember to split a branch of the Yuan family to the Northern Border, I don¡¯t have time to take care of too much.¡± Zhou Yi advised a few words and then inquired, ¡°That old man Yu Su, why has he been put in prison again?¡± ¡°At yesterday¡¯s morning court, Minister of Revenue Liu and Minister of Personnel Dong, along with more than ten Imperial Censors, impeached Mister Yu simultaneously. They used the Yu family members of abusing Mister Yu¡¯s status, wantonly selling titles and engaging in corruption.¡± Yuan Shun stated, ¡°At the same time, the prefect of Hongzhou reported that Yu family members had encroached onndholdings, causing numerous deaths. Since they imed Mister Yu¡¯s name, the local officials did not dare to intervene.¡± ¡°Yu family members?¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s brows lifted: ¡°I heard that Yu Su had broken ties with his n years ago and even moved his ancestors¡¯ graves, didn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Your Majesty might not be aware, but at the critical moment of Mister Yu¡¯s struggle with the Zhang party, many Imperial Censors impeached Mister Yu for being unfilial, unable to set an example for schrs, much less assume the position of Grand Secretary.¡± Yuan Shun replied, ¡°Mister Yu then returned to his hometown, moved the ancestral graves back to his n, and had his name inscribed in the family register toplete his filial duty.¡± Zhou Yi pondered for a moment and continued to ask. ¡°n troubles wouldn¡¯t warrant the Grand Secretary¡¯s imprisonment, what¡¯s the real reason?¡± Chapter 66: The Return of the Flying Sword Chapter 66: Chapter 66: The Return of the Flying Sword Yu Su was not just an individual, but the leader of a faction at the Imperial Court. The Zhang family¡¯s strength was immense, yet Yu Su managed to ovee them, demonstrating his own considerable power and influence. Even though he might not possess the earth-shattering capabilities of the likes of Dragon Chancellor or Chancellor Zhang, he shouldn¡¯t have been imprisoned simply due to his rtives¡¯ crimes. Zhou Yi concluded that the Imperial Court was covering up the truth. Yuan Shun, as themander of the Jinyiwei overseeing the Officials, was privy to the affairs of the Imperial Court and said, ¡°The real reason for Lord Yu¡¯s imprisonment was his attempt to persuade His Majesty to change the taxws.¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s gaze sharpened, and he said in a deep voice, ¡°Yu Su wanted to tax the literati?¡± ¡°His Majesty is wise! With Great Yong watching us like a tiger, the Imperial Court sends the majority of our tax revenue to support the army at the Northern Border to prevent another rebellion like the one in the Year of Renyin.¡± Yuan Shun continued, ¡°In addition, with the recent continuous natural disasters, local governments urgently need disaster relief silver. The Department of Revenue has long been running deficits. Lord Yu seized the opportunity to rmend a tax reform, abolishing the tax exemptionws for officials and the gentry.¡± ¡°No wonder they abandoned him.¡± Zhou Yi suddenly understood, then asked, ¡°What does the Emperor think about this?¡± ¡°ording to the eunuchs from Shangyang Pce, initially, Lord Yu managed to persuade His Majesty to start the tax experiment in one province. Butter, Qin Ci Fu privately met with His Majesty and painted Lord Yu as another Dragon Chancellor or Zhang Chancellor, nting doubts in His Majesty¡¯s mind,¡± said Yuan Shun. Yuan Shun said, ¡°Qin Ci Fu also told His Majesty that he rules the empire with the schrs, not themoners, and if there¡¯s a shortage of money in the Imperial Court, it¡¯s alright to raise taxes, but never shake the foundation of the Imperial Court.¡± ¡°What a ¡®foundation of the Imperial Court!¡¯ Little Yuan, I want you to do something for me,¡± said Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi did not believe Yu Su could carry out tax reforms because even without Qin Ci Fu, there would be others who would speak against it to the Emperor. No matter how much the Orthodox Emperor supported him, he could not stand the continuous badmouthing by the officials and nobility. Yu Su¡¯s imprisonment was just a matter of time. Yuan Shun bowed and said, ¡°Please give your orders, Your Majesty.¡± Zhou Yi instructed, ¡°Use the traditional skills of the Jinyiwei and nt a dragon robe in Yu Su¡¯s house, then send someone to report it to the Imperial Censor.¡± Yuan Shun expressed doubt, ¡°Your Majesty, no one will believe that Lord Yu would make a dragon robe.¡± ¡°Everyone knows it¡¯s false evidence, but it doesn¡¯t affect the conviction!¡± Zhou Yi was not sure of Yu Su¡¯s motivations, but he decided to go with the flow and push him to the brink. ¡­ In the twentieth year of the Orthodox Era. Autumn. Yu Su was executed for hiding a dragon robe, convicted of the crime of rebellion. His family members, with numerous offenses, were either exiled or beheaded depending on the severity of their crimes. ¡­ At the vegetable market. Yu Su, d in prisoner¡¯s attire, knelt on the ground. Thousands of citizens converged here, witnessing the solitary figure of the old man on the execution ground. Over the years, Yu Qingtian¡¯s reputation had spread throughout Fengyang Country, especially his reforms in government administration, which had a direct impact on every citizen. Now, Qing Tian was about to die! The imperial guards stationed at the execution ground shouted loudly, but they could not quell the surging sentiments of the crowd. The execution official looked up at the sun, fearing a dy might spark a riot, drew the execution card, and was about to proceed with the execution. A feathered arrow whistled through the air, piercing the executioner¡¯s chest. Dozens of figures leapt out from the crowd, rushing toward Yu Su on the execution ground. ¡°Someone is breaking the execution ground!¡± The execution official¡¯s face turned pale as he hurriedly called for the imperial guards to encircle and suppress them, knowing that if Yu Su does not die, his own life would be at stake. However, these men were all martial arts experts with impable coordination, and after rescuing Yu Su, they easily broke through the imperial guards¡¯ encirclement and blended into the surging crowd, dashing toward the North City Gate. ¡°Hmph! Yu Su, he truly harbors ulterior motives!¡± His voice boomed like thunder and moved with ghostly swiftness. An aged figure soared through the sky, traversing the crowd in a few bounds, and with his Innate True Qi, he sent a palm print toward the man carrying Yu Su away. ¡°Old fool, go back!¡± A mystic iron long spear tore through the air, aiming straight at the elder. Boom! A loud noise echoed as the elder was sent flying back, spitting out blood. Chen Jinyu, holding the Mystic Iron Spear, pointed it at the elder while he hovered in the air, his chilly and fierce battle aura almost tangible. ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± The elder¡¯s gaze hardened, recalling the death of Feng Zhong that had shocked the Imperial Court and government, where one of the assassins wielded a long spear. At this moment. ¡°` Two more elderly figuresnded on the execution ground, forming an angle as they surrounded Chen Jinyu in the middle. The old man wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, ¡°Kid, the Jinyiwei got the message long ago that someone would try to rescue the convict. The three of us together are unmatched in this world, and today is your day to die!¡± Seeing that Yu Su had already gone far, Chen Jinyu lightly tapped the ground with his foot, and rapidly retreated backwards. The elder leaped forward in pursuit, a voice reaching his ears as he did. ¡°Your opponent is me!¡± ¡°Who?¡± Just as the elder was about to turn his head to look, he felt the hairs on his back stand up and involuntarily shifted half a zhang to the side in midair. Swoosh! A green long sword swept past, easily piercing the protective True Qi, severing the elder¡¯s shoulder cleanly. The elder let out a painful scream, his movement turning ghostly as he split into three or four shadows. However, no man was as nimble, convenient, or swift as a flying sword. The long sword made a turn in the air, shing all the shadows at the waist. The shadows dissipated, revealing the elder cut in two. Despite being bisected, the Innate Grandmaster¡¯s life force was strong, and he hadn¡¯t lost his breath yet. Looking at the sword spirit returning to the hands of the middle-aged man in Jinyiwei robes, he said in shock, ¡°Are you the descendant of the Duke of Zhen Guo?¡± In the several hundred years of Fengyang Country¡¯s history, the only Martial Arts Grandmaster recorded to have the secret technique of flying swords was the Duke of Zhen Guo. ¡°I am the very son of the Duke of Zhen Guo!¡± Li Hong, holding the long sword, swept his gaze over the remaining two grandmasters. Since the distance was more than ten zhang, the flying sword couldn¡¯t continue to y in pursuit. The two grandmasters exchanged a nce, a fear kindling in their hearts, and in a sh, they disappeared from the execution ground. ¡­ Shangyang Pce. ¡°Trash! All of you are trash!¡± The Orthodox Emperor cursed angrily after hearing the report from the Imperial Guards; he almost fainted on the spot. Newly appointed Qin Grand Secretary, the six department ministers, and themander of the Imperial Guards, Yang Zheng, and other officials kneeled on the ground, quietly enduring the Orthodox Emperor¡¯s scolding, equally shocked that Yu Su had been allowed to be rescued. This was no simple rescue from the execution ground! With Yu Su¡¯s reputation for honesty and integrity, he would never voluntarily associate with the powerful and rich. They must have needed him. An old man who can neither shoulder burdens nor carry weights, his only capability was governance and managing state affairs. Moreover, the one who took him away was the remnant of the Duke of Zhen Guo! After venting his anger, the Orthodox Emperor coldly said, ¡°Why are you all so silent?¡± Qin Grand Secretary, sensing the Orthodox Emperor¡¯s gaze on him, knew he had to speak. ¡°Your Majesty, since a member of the Li family had the audacity to show his face, he must have been well-prepared. They may very well cause trouble soon. The Imperial Court must be alert. We can call the Capital Garrison to protect the Divine Capital and order the Jinyiwei to thoroughly investigate Li Ni¡¯s whereabouts!¡± The Orthodox Emperor pondered for a moment, then nodded, ¡°That is eptable.¡± Yuan Shun, themander of the Jinyiwei, was the only official who was standing in the pce, immediately knelt upon hearing this. ¡°Your Majesty, I am guilty! Over the years, the Jinyiwei did detect traces of Li Ni and thought only of capturing him before reporting to Your Majesty, never imagining this huge upheaval.¡± ¡°Yuan Aiqing, there¡¯s no need for self-reproach. Your prior warning was already a merit; it¡¯s only the Imperial Guard¡¯s failure to protect him that¡¯s to me.¡± The Orthodox Emperor¡¯s expression softened slightly before he asked, ¡°Where did the Jinyiwei discover him, and do you know the size of his power?¡± ¡°Reporting to Your Majesty, in recent years, Li Ni has been active in the Jiangnan region.¡± Yuan Shun wore an expression of helplessness, ¡°It¡¯s just that the Jinyiwei¡¯s jurisdiction in Jiangnan was too restricted by local governance. Despite years of investigation, we¡¯ve only managed to vaguely detect his trail, without knowing his exact whereabouts.¡± Hearing this, all the officials in the pce turned to look at Yang Zheng. Jiangnan was under the control of the powerful families; even the emperor¡¯s authority might not have been effective there in the past, and only they were capable of providing protection to Li Ni. Feigning a shocked expression, Yang Zheng said, ¡°Your Majesty, the Yang family is loyal to the Imperial Court, it¡¯s impossible for us to collude with Li Ni!¡± The Orthodox Emperor¡¯s face darkened, realizing that even Yang Zheng could only vouch for his family, having no confidence in the other seven interconnected noble families. If Li Ni secured the support of the Jiangnan aristocracy, it would be easy for him to rally an army of a hundred or two hundred thousand men, just like during the turmoil of the Cang Huang Rebellion, undoubtedly a cmity that could shake the foundation of the National Dynasty. ¡°Your Majesty, we must be vignt in this matter!¡± Qin Grand Secretary said, ¡°The Duke of Zhen Guo once swept across the world. His descendent may have inherited the military strategies, and relying solely on the Capital Garrison isn¡¯t secure enough.¡± The Orthodox Emperor nodded slightly, having thoroughly read the history of the National Dynasty, aware of the Duke of Zhen Guo¡¯s divine might. The Capital Garrison, having been reorganized by Yu Su, was at full strength and also diligent in regr training, yet seldom tested in battle, making theirbat effectiveness uncertain. Yan Shangshu, the Minister of War, feeling the Emperor¡¯s gaze, said with a forced demeanor, ¡°Your Majesty, the Northern Border army is battle-hardened and the elite of the National Dynasty. We can summon a hundred thousand troops to secure the Divine Capital with absolute certainty.¡± The Orthodox Emperor pondered for a moment, perhaps out of fear of the Duke of Zhen Guo¡¯s reputation or considering taking control of the military power of the Northern Border, and said. ¡°Granted!¡± Chapter 67: The Cycle of History Chapter 67: Chapter 67: The Cycle of History Orthodox twenty-first year. Spring. East gate of Divine Capital City. A sea of people, bustling and lively. After deliberate propaganda by the Imperial Court, themon folks had already forgotten Yu Qingtian; their attention converged upon the renowned border general ¡°Zhou Hong¡±. At fourteen, he was appointed as a skirmisher, during the year of the Renyin Disturbance, when the Northern Border suffered a major defeat that shook the National Dynasty. ¡°Zhou Hong¡± led three thousand cavalry in a night raid on Great Yong soldiers, setting their camps aze, and made a name for himself in that battle. Thanks to his exploits, he was promoted to deputy general, stationed at Deste City, and repelled the Great Yong army¡¯s attacks several times. After peace talks between the two nations, he was promoted to regionalmander and took charge of military affairs in a state of the Northern Border. Over the next forty-plus years, through two dynasties, he advanced to lead the troops in perennial warfare against Great Yong, winning more often than losing, truly a pir of the National Dynasty. Themon folks naturally admired heroes, let alone a Great General who secured the nation¡¯s safety, so they gathered at the east gate early in the morning to wait for ¡°Zhou Hong¡± to lead his troops into the capital for inspection by the Orthodox Emperor. Approaching noon. The sound of horse hooves thundered; from afar, ¡°Zhou Hong¡± was seen at the forefront, leading the way. Closely following him were four columns of cavalrymen, all d in mysterious ck armor, appearing like rolling dark clouds that silenced the noisy crowd in an instant. It was uncertain whether it was intentional or not, but the mysterious armored soldiers all cast a nce at the Capital Garrison troops maintaining order. Their fierce and murderous aura caused the Capital Garrison soldiers to shudder, with the more faint-hearted copsing to the ground, their legs having given way. Hahaha! After their initial shock, themoners saw the usually arrogant Capital Garrison taken down a peg and burst into a thunderous gale ofughter. As ¡°Zhou Hong¡± drew closer, themoners could finally see his appearance clearly, an old general with a full head of white hair and beard. Broad-shouldered and stout, with a back like a tiger and a waist like a bear, his armor was covered in marks of swords and knives. This sight made themoners feel even more reassured; as the saying goes in folk wisdom: ¡°Old but vigorous,¡± ¡°Having an elder at home is like having a treasure,¡± and ¡°Ginger gets spicier as it ages.¡± In the crowd, there were dissenting views, with an old man with white hair sighing. ¡°Such an appearance, s, is still no match for the Marquis of Zhengu. I, too, was in my teens, watching by this east gate as the Marquis came back to the capital. His demeanor was impressive indeed!¡± ¡°The Marquis of Zhengu? Which Marquis of Zhengu, was he fierce?¡± ¡°The one talked about in the ys, all made-up stories; no one is that aplished at such a young age with military campaigns both south and north.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even understand, ever heard of hyperbole?¡± Several young people, who believed themselves well-informed, argued noisily over who was more formidable between the Marquis of Zhengu and ¡°Zhou Hong¡±. The old man opened his mouth but didn¡¯t know how to exin. He remembered the year the Marquis returned victorious; the old man was just a youth then, tearing up at the inspiring sight that made asting impression on him, unforgettable to this day; it was also why he enlisted to serve his country. In a daze, decades passed, and the legendary heroes of yore had faded from the memories of the popce. At the street-side tavern. Two elders sat by a window. A few tes of vegetarian dishes, a pot of clear wine¡ªall while overseeing the grand scene on the street. Yuan Shun picked up a piece of tender tofu,ughing, ¡°Your Majesty, I thought such a personage as yourself, immersed in seeking immortality, would have no concern for these mundane worldly affairs.¡± Zhou Yi shook his head, ¡°It was a casual effort, sess or failure matters not; if I truly managed affairs, I¡¯d probably end up a Dog Emperor.¡± Envy shed in Yuan Shun¡¯s eyes; only those truly powerful could afford to disregard riches and power so casually because they could easily obtain them. ¡°Your Majesty, the Jinyiwei finally uncovered the truth about Yan Shangshu, just as you predicted, indeed one of Yu Su¡¯s men.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t difficult to deduce.¡± Zhou Yi drank his cup of wine: ¡°Yu Su revived his fortunes three times, took down the Zhang family; how could he not have a few loyal supporters? His earlier surrender to the imperial prison was merely because he was graced by two dynasties, not wishing to publicly break with the emperor!¡± Yuan Shun clicked his tongue in admiration: ¡°Yan Shangshu is truly extraordinary; I have never interacted with him before, and Yu Su had sent no word from prison, yet he was able to guess the Northern Border and go with the flow.¡± ¡°Fengyang Country has produced several exceptional figures over generations only to end up in its present state; trulymentable!¡± Zhou Yi sighed: ¡°Before ascending the throne, every emperor reads stacks of history books, learns a multitude of principles on governance, yet no one can solve the cycle of dynasties.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, then when will¡­¡± Yuan Shun¡¯s eyes zed with fervor as he gestured towards the sky. ¡°This world is not simple, umte grain slowly, im kingship leisurely!¡± ¡­ Several monthster. The imperial prison. Zhou Yi, as usual, carrying a food container, squeezed into the underground. At the end of the corridor, where Ji Sheng should have been sitting cross-legged in the iron cage, he had unexpectedly disappeared. Zhou Yi was suddenly startled, the Mountain and River Cauldron appeared at the mouth of his sleeve, ready to st its way out at any moment. Only upon drawing closer did he see clearly; enwrapped in the tattered Daoist robe was a small, dried-up skeleton, its muscles clinging to its bones as if all moisture had been dried out of a corpse. ¡°Finally dead?¡± Zhou Yi carefully examined the skeleton¡¯s sparse and uneven teeth like the teeth of a saw, and the fingers were ck as ink, unmistakably Ji Sheng¡¯s appearance. Pulling out the Peaceful Home Talisman from his chest, he cast it, but detected no anomaly. He then took out the Soul-Settling Mirror, propelling mana to scan every corner of the dungeon, ensuring no ghostly spirits lingered. Zhou Yi sat down on the steps, took out a wine sk from the food container, and sprinkled it in front of the iron cage. This man had a tough fate, having stepped onto the path of the immortals at a young age, only to fall into the Dog Emperor¡¯s schemes and remain imprisoned for life! Putting oneself in another¡¯s shoes. Zhou Yi could imagine what would happen should his Longevity Dao Fruit be exposed; it could directly trigger a great war in the Cultivation World. Thrice daily, one must examine oneself; be careful, be cautious! ¡­ Late into the night. It was the time when the prison guards were most weary, and a shadow slipped into the imperial prison. Zhou Yi snapped the iron lock of the cell and pulled out a dead prisoner, heading towards the second underground level. Wisps of strange fragrance drifted, putting the Jinyiwei guards at the entrance to the hole soundly asleep. Familiar with the route, he entered the underground area and pped the prisoner at the outside of the iron cage. The prisoner groggily came to his senses, and seeing the shadowy figure that seemed ghostly, was frightened and about to shout loudly. ¡°Quietly listen to what I say, and you will benefit. Otherwise, you¡¯ll die!¡± The prisoner¡¯s fear turned to joy, ¡°Just give your orders, sir, and I¡¯ll follow them to the letter.¡± Zhou Yi pointed at the iron cage: ¡°Go inside and rummage around to see if he left behind any relics.¡± The prisoner gestured at the gaps in the iron bars, about to say he couldn¡¯t fit, when he saw a palm-sized bronze cauldron rapidly expand between two iron bars. Creak! Creak¡­ The steel bars bent outward, opening a gap wide enough for a person¡¯s head. The prisoner was astounded, daring not to disobey any further, and quickly crawled inside to search through Ji Sheng¡¯s remains. Although Ji Sheng originally was five to six feet tall, his skeleton had shrunk as if dehydrated, now only three to four feet. The prisoner wasn¡¯t afraid and groped inside and out of the skeleton, indeed finding something unusual. ¡°Sir, there¡¯s something odd about this rib bone!¡± The prisoner pulled out the rib, which was purplish-red and translucent like jade stone. Zhou Yi, noticing the change in the prisoner¡¯s expression, said coldly, ¡°Is there any message inside it?¡± ¡°Sir, I hear someone speaking.¡± Feeling the chilling intent to kill, the prisoner did not hesitate: ¡°He says he¡¯s an Inner Chamber Disciple of the Dan Ding Sect, who cultivated under Master Xuan Yue of Xiao Dan Mountain, and that one can take this jade bone to Xiao Dan Mountain, to report the crimes of Emperor Chongming.¡± ¡°With this merit, those with a Spirit Root can join the Dan Ding Sect, and those without can establish their own kingdom and im sovereignty in the secr world.¡± The prisoner¡¯s eyes flickered, and he couldn¡¯t help but tighten his grip on the jade bone. Initially skeptical of the ethereal way of immortals, but with the shadowy figure before him and the magical bronze cauldron, he was forced to believe. Zhou Yi asked, ¡°Where is Xiao Dan Mountain?¡± The prisoner responded, ¡°Middle part of Yunshan in Xuzhou, enter the mountain from the east and travel seven hundred li, where you see Eight Peaks surrounding; that is where Xiao Dan Mountain lies.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhou Yi fell silent for a moment, then said in a sinister tone, ¡°Don¡¯t you think about lying, for I can have others try.¡± The prisoner quickly assured, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare!¡± ¡°Good! I will send you on your way to the next life, to be reincarnated sooner so that you do not continue to suffer in this imperial prison.¡± Zhou Yi, indifferent to the prisoner¡¯s look of shock, waved his hand and struck him dead. Chapter 68: 30 Years Later Chapter 68: Chapter 68: 30 Years Later Zhou Yi still didn¡¯t feel at ease, so he grabbed a few more death-row prisoners and tried touching the bone jade with them, the content they spoke of was all the same. Except for one particrly good liar, who actually concocted a story in no time. Seventy percent truth mixed with thirty percent fiction, if one were not careful and vignt, they might have been deceived by this fellow. Zhou Yi, out of curiosity, asked, ¡°What crime have youmitted to be sent to the imperial prison?¡± ¡°Reporting to the lord, I was originally aw-transmitting envoy of the White Lotus Sect,¡± the prisoner replied. With both hands, the prisoner offered the bone jade: ¡°Not anymore, now I wish to join the lord to ascend the Minor Dan Mountain, cultivate the Immortal Law, and establish a new Divine Lotus Sect¡­¡± Bang! The Mountain and River Cauldron smashed the prisoner into a pulp, retrieving the bone jade within it. Zhou Yi brought several barrels of oil into the dungeon and ignited them, the billowing ck smoke woke the prison guards on duty. After some efforts to extinguish the fire, it died down, and the dungeon was left with ashes where corpses onceid. The prison guards reported to the Jinyiwei authorities, and in the end, the matter was left unsettled. The courtyard. Since being sent to prison, it had been abandoned for four or five years now. The date trees grew tall and strong, grapevines covered the courtyard, clearly, the soil was very fertile. Zhou Yi took the gold bars and silver ingots that had been prepared earlier, initially nning to ce the bone jade in the courtyard. After more careful thought, he found it improper, so he randomly chose a dried-up well in Divine Capital City and hid it there. Before leaving. He looked back at Divine Capital City. Dawn was breaking. Zhou Yi had a vague premonition that he wouldn¡¯t know in which year or month he would return¡ªif the dynasty hadn¡¯t changed by then, or if the city itself might even be gone. With this thought in mind, Zhou Yi went to Old Bai¡¯s grave and burned arge pile of joss paper. ¡°I¡¯m off!¡± ¡­ Xuzhou is one of only two coastal provinces among the sixteen provinces of Fengyang Country, with Dai State to its north, famous for its production of sea salt. The territory is mountainous and watery with few ins, and the people mostly live by hunting and fishing. Cloud Mountain originates in the western part of Qi Zhou, cuts through the middle of Xuzhou, dividing it in two, with the end of the mountain range approaching the Eastern Sea. Zhou Yi set out from Divine Capital City, traveling thousands of miles on foot without taking any carriage or horse. During his journey, he changed his appearance several times, now a robust man, then an old man, and even shrinking his bones to take on the appearance of a teenager. Trekking to the Eastern Sea, he saw the endless waves. Zhou Yi rented a fishing boat and spent several months ying on the sea, fulfilling his long-held wish from a previous life. As winter approached. Traveling from the eastern foothills of Cloud Mountain and crossing mountains and ridges for seven hundred miles, he finally saw a ce surrounded by Eight Peaks. Shrouded in clouds and mist, the true face within was indistinct and unclear. ¡°Let¡¯s observe for a while,¡± Zhou Yi decided. He found a cave dozens of miles away and began closed-door cultivation of the Guiyuan Technique. Every morning, he would look towards the mountain peaks, and after a year, he changed location and continued his silent observation. In the third year, he saw two rainbows fly from the sky and disappear into the clouds. Every few years after that, he could detect the presence of cultivatorsing and going, with rainbows of different colors. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s a gathering ce for cultivators,¡± Zhou Yi confirmed the location of Minor Dan Mountain and continued to retreat to the cave, where he could still practice the Guiyuan Technique. In the blink of an eye, ten years went by. Zhou Yi left Cloud Mountain and headed straight for Heng City, the capital of Xuzhou. ¡°A centennial celebration is indeed in order,¡± he mused. After finding out about the top brothel in the city, hevishly spent half a month there, using up all his gold and silver. Leaving the Hundred Flowers Pavilion with nothing left, not even a single silver ingot or gold bar. Zhou Yi clicked his tongue and said, ¡°After all, it¡¯s a small ce, nowhere near as good as the Spring Breeze Building.¡± Brothels and inns were where the diverse sses and all sorts of true and false news converged, and with some inquiries, Zhou Yi soon learned the current year and month. The third year of the Guangde era. Three years ago, the Orthodox Emperor had died of old age, and the throne was passed to his eldest legitimate son. The Fengyang National Dynasty¡¯s court was split into two factions, with the Northern Border and Jiangnan each controlling half the territory. In such dire circumstances, the smooth transition of the throne was indeed cause for reflection. ¡°Old Yu, Yuan Shun, they¡¯re already gone¡­¡± Zhou Yi wasn¡¯t too sentimental; he had seen off many people before, and he would see off even more in the future. He carefully pondered how to determine whether Minor Dan Mountain was safe or not. Under normal circumstances, following Ji Sheng¡¯s death, the Jinyiwei would have reported the incident, and the bone jade could have possibly ended up in the hands of the Zhao Imperial Family. Given Ji Sheng¡¯s deep-seated hate for Emperor Chongming, it was not impossible that he set a trap, using the lure of cultivating the Immortal Law to draw the Zhao family into a domain of evil cultivation. ¡°The likelihood of this is not high, seeing as the Imperial n has many members, sending a few dozen to test the waters wouldn¡¯t cause any significant damage, but still, precautions must be taken.¡± Zhou Yi pondered for a moment and had already decided on a n. Nighttime. Zhou Yi, disguised as a blue-robed old Taoist, took away news from the Northern Border from an inconspicuous inn in the city and retrieved a secret report from the Jinyiwei from another ordinary residence. This is the advantage of power, without needing to ask in person in Divine Capital; information was reserved in all sixteen provincial capitals. The news from the Northern Border tended to be casual and daily, with Li Hong and Chen Jinyu leaving several invitations, asking Zhou Yi to return to the Capital for a reunion. ¡°Neither rtives nor friends, what is there to reunite for?¡± Zhou Yi shook his head and turned to thest piece of news, noting something unusual. ¡°The prominent families of Jiangnan intend to support Yang Zheng¡¯s rise to power, iming they have an immortal as their support, and that Li Hong would undoubtedly die if he dares to ascend the throne.¡± A glint shed in Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes as he turned to review the secret report from the Jinyiwei, which was much more formal than the news from the Northern Border. The first few pages of the secret report were organized and must have been left by Yuan Shun, while thetter pages were misceneous, likely because themander of the Jinyiwei had changed. Zhou Yi was not interested in the changes in the court, and he skimmed past matters such as promotions, dismissals, and the extermination of the Nine ns, and directly looked for news rted to Li Hong. ¡°There are extraordinary individuals in the Capital attempting to assassinate the Great General, all failed, either perishing in military formation or by flying swords and the Imperial Seal.¡± Corroborating both pieces of information, he confirmed they were urate. ¡°The prominent families of Jiangnan indeed have ties to the Cultivation World, but it¡¯s nothing more than ipetent dogs barking! The Cultivation World likely pays no heed to the mortal realm; otherwise, why would Fengyang Country bear the surname Zhao?¡± Zhou Yi casually carved a wooden tag, inscribing ¡®Northern Border Personally Initiated¡¯ on the surface, and used the Telepathic Secret Technique inside to record the location where the bone jade was buried. He left a message at the end. ¡°¡­Record the situation inside the minor Dan Mountain carefully, and inform this old man through the message!¡± Zhou Yi ced the wooden tag in the tavern and continued to return to Cloud Mountain for cultivation. After over forty years of arduous cultivation, the Guiyuan Technique was about to break through to the thirdyer, and every increment in strength reduced the danger by a fraction. With the Immortal Mountain in sight, Zhou Yi was not at all anxious. ¡­ Noon. The sun zed fiercely. The tavern¡¯s waiter was dozing off when a figure appeared before him, and he quickly perked up. ¡°Esteemed guest¡­ Taoist priest, would you like to buy some wine?¡± The clothes of the old Taoist before him were too tattered, barely sufficing to cover his body and preserve modesty. His hair freely cascaded down, and his beard was tangled and unkempt, as if he were a wild man who had run out of the mountains. Zhou Yi shook his head, ¡°What year is it now? Who is the emperor?¡± The waiter answered, ¡°It¡¯s the fourteenth year of the Kaiqian era, of course, the Da Qian Sacred Emperor reigns!¡± Zhou Yi smiled, ¡°Da Qian Sacred Emperor¡­ Is the emperor named Li Hong?¡± ¡°You must not directly call the Sacred Emperor by his name!¡± The waiter felt this person was somewhat insane and was about to wave him away when he found the old Taoist had already vanished. ¡­ Zhou Yi changed into a brocade robe, removed the disguise of beard and hair, and transformed into a handsome young master. ¡°Closing off for twenty years, the world has changed its dynasty!¡± ¡°Since Li Hong has be the emperor, Minor Dan Mountain should be safe; it¡¯s time to take this step.¡± Zhou Yi had already reached the third level of Qi Refinement ten years ago, with almost no progress in mana. Through years of arduous cultivation, he found that the umted mana would slowly dissipate back to the third level of Qi Refinement. The more mana he stored, the quicker it dissipated. ¡°Perhaps this is why those who cultivate immortality seldom deal with the mundane world.¡± With mana growth difficult, Zhou Yi focused on understanding formations, and now he was capable ofying the most basic Mystifying Array. Nightfall. Zhou Yi went to the inn to get the news left from the Northern Border; as for the secret outpost of the Jinyiwei, it had been abandoned and was unattended. The innkeeper had also changed, and there might have been several switches, but fortunately, the messages from the Northern Border were still there. ¡°Oh, it should be called Da Qian now!¡± Zhou Yi opened the booklet of messages, which roughly recorded the history of Li Hong¡¯s ascension and the founding of the nation. In the third year of Guangde, Li Hong and Chen Jinyu ascended Minor Dan Mountain together, bing registered disciples of Dan Ding Sect. The manager of Minor Dan Mountain reprimanded the prominent families of Jiangnan, strictly forbidding cultivators from disturbing the mortal world, and stated that any offenses would be met with the enforcement of sect regtions! Extraordinary individuals hidden among the mortals of the prominent families of Jiangnan dared not linger and returned to Minor Dan Mountain for cultivation. In the sixth year of Guangde. Li Hongunched a military coup, abolished the Zhao Imperial Family, and changed the country¡¯s name to Da Qian. In the third year of Kaiqian. Li Hong pacified Jiangnan, the rebel king Yang Zheng was defeated and perished, and Da Qian unified the oldnds of Fengyang Country. Zhou Yi flipped to the end and saw the information about Minor Dan Mountain. ¡°Minor Dan Mountain became a marketce established by Dan Ding Sect, open to orthodox Loose Cultivators¡­¡± Chapter 69 - 69 Dan Mountain Marketplace Chapter 69: Chapter 69 Dan Mountain Marketce ¡°Loose Cultivator? Loose Cultivators are great, really great!¡± Zhou Yi nodded in satisfaction, not interested in anything but Loose Cultivators; he would rather look elsewhere. If it were a sect¡¯s spiritualnd, the entrance examination would include a magic artifact to test bone age, instantly revealing one¡¯s age. Being dissected for research wouldn¡¯t be the worst-case scenario ¨C bing a cultivation furnace for some bigshot in the Cultivation World was a real possibility. He continued reading, and the material roughly described the origins of the marketce. About six or seven hundred years ago, the Dan Ding Sect discovered the Spirit Vein at Qi Yun Peak, rich in Ziling Copper ¨C a superior spiritual material for making Pill Furnaces. So, they established the marketce on the foundation of the Spirit Vein and named it Little Dan Mountain. ¡°The Dan Ding Sect established the marketce to provide Loose Cultivators in Fengyang Country with a ce to live, where they could farm spiritual fields or mine spiritual ores, to prevent them from causing harm to mortals in the secr world¡­¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s face showed confusion as he continued to read, his expression gradually turning rigid. The Dan Ding Sect used arge Spirit Gathering Array to enclose the Spirit Vein within the marketce¡¯s borders, where the concentration of Spiritual Energy was ten to twenty times higher than the outside world, truly a blessednd for immortal cultivation. Loose Cultivators could enter the marketce and apply for a cultivation dwelling for free, but it wasn¡¯t truly without cost. Even for the lowest-tier dwelling, the price in Spirit Stones was astronomical. After a Loose Cultivator moved in for free, they needed to help the Dan Ding Sect tend to the spiritual fields or mine ores at Qi Yun Peak to repay their debt. ¡°Spirit Stones are easy to understand; they must be the currency unit in the Cultivation World.¡± ¡°But this mining, farming, zero down payment, long-term debt repayment¡­¡± Zhou Yi recalled some unpleasant memories, felt a throbbing headache, and forcefully continued reading. There was a trading area in the marketce where cultivators could set up stalls for free, share knowledge on spells and cultivation, or rent a shop from the Dan Ding Sect at around a hundred Spirit Stones per year. ¡°Why does this model feel so familiar?¡± Zhou Yi suddenly felt less willing to venture into the Cultivation World. If other cultivationndscapes also exploited like Little Dan Mountain, there¡¯d be nowhere as free and easy as in the Mortal World. After all, other cultivators struggled hard for that one in a trillion chance of bing immortal, but Zhou Yi had already obtained the Longevity Dao Fruit. Continuing such arduous efforts seemed somewhat reluctant! ¡°Due to Ji Sheng¡¯s death by a plot of Emperor Chongming, which angered the overseeing officer, not only was the Zhao family line destroyed, but an official mission was also issued to sweep away cultivators hiding in the Mortal World¡­¡± Upon reading this, Zhou Yi felt the Dan Ding Sect was even darker than real estate developers; at least in his previous life, one could build their own house in the countryside and lie t. Now, even lying t had be a serious crime! Zhou Yi highly suspected that the Dan Ding Sect¡¯s so-called ¡°protecting mortals from harm by Loose Cultivators¡± and ¡°providing Loose Cultivators with a ce to live¡± was purely because they coveted cheapbor. ¡°However, this also proves that the status of an official disciple of the Dan Ding Sect is much higher than I expected!¡± ording to the booklet, almost all of Little Dan Mountain¡¯s inhabitants were Loose Cultivators, with only one true-transmission disciple of the Dan Ding Sect as the warden and a handful of official disciples at critical positions. Just below them were no more than a hundred recorded disciples, most of whom were descendants of deceased true-transmission disciples. That families like the Jiangnan nobility could continue their lineage was only because theypleted many official missions, ensuring that generation after generation had disciples associated with the sect. ¡°No wonder Ji Sheng went mad with frustration; an emperor was like an ant to him, yet he was capsized in a drain!¡± Zhou Yi grew curious how Ji Sheng, with such a high status, could have been missing for decades without anyone looking for him. This thought was fleeting, and he couldn¡¯t be bothered to ponder it further. ¡°Since it¡¯s confirmed to be safe, it¡¯s time to experience the Cultivation World for myself¡ªwho could resist the dashing and handsome Sword Control?¡± After Zhou Yi broke through to the third level of Qi Refinement, flying with the Mountain and River Cauldron allowed him to travel one or two miles. Originally, the cauldron was used for cooking food, sitting inside felt like being stewed in a pot. The image was not too ttering! ¡­ Spring left and autumn arrived. In the blink of an eye, three years had passed. Zhou Yi sat cross-legged atop a mountain peak, waiting for a suitable passing cultivator. Over the span of three years, several rainbow lights flew by, but their aura was strong and domineering, so he dared not call out to disturb them. ¡°Waiting is the most prudent strategy!¡± Zhou Yi had long understood that to befriend time, even if today marked another drop to the limit. That day. A figure flew over Zhou Yi¡¯s head, riding on a wide-ded flying sword without even a protective aura, its flying speed was barely faster than a galloping horse. ¡°His aura is much weaker than mine, and he looks about in his teens, you¡¯ll do!¡± Zhou Yi leapt into the Mountain and River Cauldron, soared into the sky, and called out to the youth¡¯s retreating figure. ¡°Fellow Daoist, please wait!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The white-d youth was startled to hear someone calling him, got slightly distracted, and his flying sword tilted, almost causing him to fall from the sky. Zhou Yi rode the cauldron and stopped twenty zhang away from the youth, after years of testing, he knew that at the thirdyer of Qi Refinement, his mana could extend fifteen or sixteen zhang at most. ¡°Could this fellow Daoist be heading to little Dan Mountain? I am Zhu Gang from Cloud Stack Cave of Fu Ling Mountain, how about we go to the marketce together?¡± ¡°Xu Yi of the Xu family from Jing State, I¡¯ve seen Fellow Daoist Zhu,¡± said the white-clothed youth as he stabilized his flying sword and greeted Zhu Gang with a fist and palm salute: ¡°The little Dan Mountain is up ahead, not more than twenty or thirty li away, so there is no need to travel together.¡± Before he finished speaking, the flying sword was already heading towards the Eight Peaks. Zhou Yi didn¡¯t insist, the Mountain and River Cauldronnded on the ground, and he used Qinggong to move through the forest, which made him even faster than Xu Yi who flew above. ¡°He can control the flying sword without exhausting his energy, he must have a Sword Control Spell or simr, not merely relying on pure mana support!¡± About a quarter of an hourter. Zhou Yi was the first to appear at the foot of the Eight Peaks, only a dozen zhang away from the surging, tumbling dense fog. Young Xu Yinded outside the cloud mist, puzzled why Zhou Yi had stopped, but he remembered teachings from the elders of his n not to speak with unfamiliar cultivators to avoid falling into traps. Touching the dense fog with his hand, it dissipated on its own, and Xu Yi hurriedly proceeded into it. ¡°Just as expected.¡± Zhou Yi, following what was recorded in the booklets, used his mana to touch the enchanted mist and a path leading into the mountain appeared before his eyes. He walked along the mountain path for a long time, the fog gradually thinned from dense to light until the way ahead suddenly became bright and clear. The first thing that caught his eye was a vast expanse of farnd, popted with cultivators who were tending it, mainly nting rice, the stalks as thick as thumbs, the ears bearing rice grains the size of pearls. There were also various spiritual medicines being grown, colorful, bizarre, and strange; Zhou Yi couldn¡¯t recognize the species. ¡°The spiritual energy at the edge of the marketce already exceeds the outside world by three to five times. It¡¯s said that the closer you get to the central Qi Yun Peak, the more concentrated the spiritual energy bes, reaching over three to forty times in the core area!¡± Zhou Yi followed the road forward, with the silhouettes of buildings looming in the distance. A momentter. The Dan Mountain Marketce was right in front of him, spanning roughly four to five li in diameter, with streetsid out in three horizontal and three vertical rows. On both sides of the streets were uniformly arranged shops with signboards hanging at the entrance while the pedestrians on the streets were all cultivators. ¡°Most of the cultivators are wearing monk¡¯s robes or Daoist robes; odd and exotic attire is quite rare, so it seems that Buddhism and Daoism are still the most powerful in this world.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to urately judge the levels of Qi Refinement, but just from the strength of the aura, does the thirdyer seem neither high nor low?¡± Zhou Yi had thought he was a neer at the bottom of the Cultivation World, but now it seemed that his hundred years of hard work in the mortal world were not in vain. After visiting all the shops and asking about prices, he gained an understanding of the basic pricing in the Cultivation World. ¡°A single inferior-grade magic artifact costs over a hundred spirit stones, and the cheapest elixirs that increase cultivation require at least ten spirit stones each, and I¡­ don¡¯t even have one spirit stone¡­¡± Since arriving in this new world, Zhou Yi felt the sting of poverty for the first time. ¡°Do I really have to take on a job?¡± Chapter 70: The Spiritual Fields of the Cave Abode Chapter 70: Chapter 70: The Spiritual Fields of the Cave Abode ¡°` ¡°Working for others is out of the question¡­ Actually, farming doesn¡¯t sound bad!¡± Zhou Yi had long made ns, to farm for a few years and familiarize himself with the marketce before contemting other pursuits. As a neer without any background or connections, there was no need to stand out for the sake of minor conveniences. Should he inadvertently vite any taboos or unspoken rules, it would only bring needless resentment and trouble. ¡°The Cultivation World is fraught with danger, far less safe than the ordinary world. One must tread on thin ice, with utmost caution!¡± ¡°First, I¡¯ll im a cave dwelling, and I can even get the Spiritual Rain Technique for free by farming.¡± Zhou Yi had been cultivating for decades and only mastered the simple art of Mana Condensation, and he had long envied the spells of the immortals. ¡­ The buildings of the small Dan Mountain Market were all identical, except for a six-story building in the center, with the que of Dan Ding Sect hanging at its entrance. Cultivators entering and exiting were all extremely cautious. This was the official office of small Dan Mountain! On the first floor. Zhou Yi arrived at one of the counters, and with a smile and respect, he said. ¡°Fellow Daoist, can a Loose Cultivator register their name here?¡± ¡°Are you new?¡± The young Daoist, dressed in a sky-blue robe with a golden cauldron emblem on his chest, did not even lift his eyes as he spoke, taking out a jade slip: ¡°Write down your name, age, origin, skills.¡± Zhou Yi pressed the jade slip to his forehead, circting his mana, and inscribed the information he had prepared long ago. ¡ª¡ªZhu Gang, fifty-two, Loose Cultivator from Xuzhou, no skills. Dan Ding Sect wasn¡¯t strict in their management of Loose Cultivators; registering names wasn¡¯t intended to probe their backgrounds but to facilitate subsequent management. After checking the information on the jade slip, finding nothing out of the ordinary, the Daoist took out a palm-sized bronze token, engraved the name ¡°Zhu Gang¡± on its surface, and then handed the token over. ¡°Be careful not to lose it; it costs one Spirit Stone to rece.¡± Zhou Yi received it with both hands and said with a smile, ¡°Got it, thank you for your trouble.¡± The Bronze Token was equivalent to Zhou Yi¡¯s identity in the marketce. Inside, it contained a special inscription from the Dan Ding Sect, which was hard to counterfeit by ordinary people. In theory, it could be reced for free if lost or damaged, but to avoid troubling the Daoists, one Spirit Stone was required as a fee for their effort. The Daoist, quite pleased with Zhou Yi¡¯s respectful demeanor, casually asked, ¡°Do you want to farm or mine?¡± Zhou Yi answered, ¡°To farm.¡± The Daoist off-handedly reminded, ¡°Hmm, go to the second floor and look for Brother Liu; he¡¯s affable, and you can ask him for lots of advice.¡± ¡°Thank you very much!¡± Zhou Yi bowed and thanked him. Perhaps what the Daoist mentioned was just a trivial matter, but it was very useful guidance for Loose Cultivators new to the marketce. As for face, Zhou Yi always considered it a byproduct of strength and ability. When it was time, it would naturallye; no need to insist, no need to care! On the second floor. It was quite lively, with about three or four dozen cultivators whispering quietly among themselves. Although small Dan Mountain had no rules against noise, whether on the streets outside or inside the shops and offices, cultivators either spoke quietly or used sound transmission spells tomunicate. Zhou Yi had inquired about Brother Liu¡¯s location and headed straight for the counter, presenting his Identity que. ¡°Brother Liu, I¡¯m a new Loose Cultivator here to im my cave dwelling and spirit fields.¡± Brother Liu appeared to be in his seventies or eighties, which was quite old among cultivators, and his face bore a kindly smile: ¡°Have you ever cultivated the Spiritual Rain Technique, or grown Spiritual Medicine before?¡± Zhou Yi shook his head, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then you can only nt Spirit Rice.¡± Brother Liu took out a map and pointed to a green area: ¡°Choose any spot you like; there¡¯s a rent of six dou per mu of spirit field.¡± The areas for nting Spirit Rice were mostly around small Dan Mountain, while the spirit fields closer to the central Qi Yun Peak were used for cultivating Spiritual Medicine. Zhou Yi respectfully asked, ¡°May I ask senior, how much does the Spiritual Rain Technique and nting experience affect the yield of Spirit Rice?¡± ¡°It can differ by as much as fifty or sixty percent.¡± Brother Liu spoke with pride: ¡°Poor Dao once specialized in cultivating the Spiritual Rain Technique for over a decade. Each mu ofnd could yield an extra two or three dou.¡± Spirit Rice, unlike ordinary rice or wheat, was nted one nt per zhang; an average mu of spirit field roughly produced one shi, so Brother Liu¡¯s extra two or three dou were quite impressive. Zhou Yi carefully examined the areas designated for Spirit Rice and chose a spot on the east side. By small Dan Mountain¡¯s east was the endless sea, in case of any emergencies, fleeing into the sea could save one¡¯s life. ¡°Let¡¯s rent three mu for now.¡± ¡°` ¡°Certainly.¡± Senior Brother Liu entered the information about the spiritual farm into the identity token and then asked, ¡°Which grade of cave dwelling would you like to choose?¡± ¡°The lowest grade!¡± Zhou Yi replied without hesitation. The lowest grade cave dwelling was worth three thousand spirit stones, and it was located close to the spirit rice area. Living close to the spiritual farm saved him the trouble of traveling far to reach the fields. It definitely wasn¡¯t because he couldn¡¯t afford a higher-grade cave dwelling! ¡°Just right, cave dwelling number 306 is vacant. Each year you¡¯ll need to repay thirty spirit stones.¡± Senior Brother Liu entered the cave dwelling information, handed over the identity token, spell jade slip, and a packet of spirit rice seeds to Zhou Yi, and cautioned, ¡°Remember not to bezy. Many who rent or borrow are overdue and can only turn to mining to repay their debts.¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior Brother.¡± After inspecting the token and jade slip, Zhou Yi, with a thick face, said, ¡°Senior Brother, this is the first time for me to cultivate the Spiritual Rain Technique. I humbly request some guidance. When I harvest the spirit rice next year, I¡¯ll repay you doubly.¡± ¡°Interesting, interesting! It has been some years since I¡¯ve seen such a thick face,¡± said Senior Brother Liu with amusement. Taking out another jade slip, he said with a smile, ¡°These are some of my cultivation insights. There¡¯s no need for you to repay me doubly. When you¡¯re more financiallyfortable, just treat me to a meal at the Phoenix Cry Pavilion.¡± ¡°Definitely! Definitely!¡± Zhou Yi suppressed his joy and bowed deeply in thanks. He left the office. Following the map in the identity token, he flew around the central area for well over an hour, finally finding cave dwelling number 306. It had a private entrance and courtyard, measuring two zhang square. Three main rooms with east and west wings, theyout was simr to those in Divine Capital, but the difference was that the other cave dwellings were separated by dozens of zhang, emphasizing the privacy of cultivation. Zhou Yi purposely took a look around and noticed that the neighboring dwellings were all vacant and uninhabited. ¡°The Dan Mountain Market extends for a hundred li or so, only the trading area is crowded. The poption is sparse elsewhere. For me, this couldn¡¯t be more perfect, as it prevents others from noticing anything unusual.¡± ¡°First, I¡¯ll put the cave dwelling in order. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll check the fields.¡± Zhou Yi cast a Cleaning Spell and tidied up the rooms. The main bedroom was traditionally not used for cultivation. He installed a few mechanisms, not to injure cultivators, but to serve as an early warning system. Night fell. In the western wing, Zhou Yi sat cross-legged and began his first night of cultivation in the marketce. The Guiyuan Technique operated, attracting spiritual energy at a rate three to four times that of the outside world, circting and refining it through his meridians, storing mana in his dantian. An unprecedented efficiency in cultivation caused ripples in Zhou Yi¡¯s usually tranquil heart. ¡°With such a rate, breaking through to the fourth level of Qi refinement will be even quicker than the third!¡± ¡°This is just the spiritual energy of the heavens and earth. Combined with spirit rice and spiritual medicine, wouldn¡¯t I just take off¡­ No, I still need to pay rent and repay my debts!¡± At this thought, Zhou Yi¡¯s good mood abruptly dampened. The next day. Zhou Yi went to inspect the spiritual farm. It was a rectangle ten zhang in width and a little over ten zhang in length, quite tidy. After clearing the weeds and tilling thend, Zhou Yi didn¡¯t rush to nt the spirit rice. Instead, he schmoozed with neighboring cultivators. A few tteringpliments and kind words earned him several small tips on cultivating spirit rice. These were not exclusive secrets butmon knowledge among the old folks of the marketce. Even without anyone telling him, he would have figured it out after a few years of personal experience. A monthter. Zhou Yi mastered the Spiritual Rain Technique, which, when cast, could create spiritual rain in a three zhang radius. This was indeed one of the most basic spells, transforming mana into spiritual rain to nourish the spiritual fields and boost the yield of the spirit rice. ¡°Time to start farming!¡± Hoisting a hoe, Zhou Yi nted a grain of spirit rice every three chi. This was one of the small tricks: the germination rate of spirit rice was about sixty percent, with a seedling rate of fifty percent. Therefore, approximately one out of every three seeds would survive to be a seedling. Naturally, after bing seedlings, some thinning out was necessary¡ªthat¡¯s where cultivators would need to transnt them. A year passed in the blink of an eye. From three mu of spiritual farnd, Zhou Yi harvested two dan and four dou, paid one dan and eight dou for the rent, and was left with six dou of spirit rice. Zhou Yi sold the spirit rice directly to the Dan Ding Sect, earning thirty spirit stones, and then the rent for the cave dwelling was due. ¡°So, a year¡¯s work for nothing?¡± Chapter 71: Courtesy Calls for Reciprocity Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Courtesy Calls for Reciprocity ¡°Not spending a single spirit stone and living for free for a whole year, that¡¯s a score!¡± Zhou Yiforted himself as much as he could to prevent any inner demons from arising. ording to the thoughts of an ordinary cultivator, the next step would naturally be to nt more fields. If nothing came of three acres, then nt ten or thirty acres, and the spirit stones would naturallye. In reality, it was not so. A Qi Refinement thirdyer cultivator casting the Spiritual Rain Technique three times would need to meditate and recover their mana. Watering three acres ofnd took half a day toplete, and the spirit fields needed to be irrigated morning and evening to ensure the yield of the spirit rice. ¡°So, the price of the cave abode was already well calcted by Xiao Dan Mountain. Those cultivators who do not strive hard can only manage to avoid starving to death.¡± ¡°Cultivators can meditate in lieu of sleep, achieving a 00365 schedule, and in theory, they could cultivate an additional three acres.¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s neighbor did just that, working day and night in the dark to cast spells and farm. As a Qi Refinement thirdyer cultivator, they could earn thirty to fifty spirit stones a year. ¡°With the dangling carrot of a cave abode, cultivators arepelled to improve their cultivation level and proficiency in the Spiritual Rain Technique, then nt more spirit fields for Xiao Dan Mountain. Coupled with the sect rules, cultivators have little time left to live carefree among themon folk, restrained by both economy and sect regtions!¡± ¡°The Dan Ding Sect has some truly astute individuals!¡± In simple terms, if you don¡¯t nt more, how can the disciples of the Dan Ding Sect cultivate into immortals?¡± Zhou Yi had figured out the finances involved and only two pathsy before him. The first was to nt three acres and use the extra time to improve his cultivation. The efficiency of his farming would correspondingly increase, which was a n for the long haul. The second was to nt more and produce more, saving up spirit stones to buy cultivation techniques, magic artifacts, elixirs, etc., quickly enhancing one¡¯s overall strength in a short time. ¡°Struggling goes against my initial intentions, so I¡¯ll put aside the second option for now.¡± Zhou Yi thought of the art of talisman crafting: ¡°Actually, the easiest way to earn spirit stones is to master the four arts of formation, pill, tool, and talisman, which belong to industries with high barriers to entry and core technologies.¡± That year, Zhou Yi often visited the trading area to inquire about the four arts of cultivation. They say alchemy impoverishes three generations, and formations ruin a lifetime; only the art of talisman crafting is suitable for loose cultivators. The materials for making talismans are cheap; what¡¯scking is the heritage! ¡°Unfortunately, talismans like the Shadow Talisman and Godspeed Talisman can hardly be sold; most cultivators know how to draw them. Theplete talisman heritage from the King of Yellow Heaven was more valuable than I had imagined. If I had known, I would have sought to find it.¡± Zhou Yi felt a slight regret but no remorse. Looking back, it seemed quite likely that the Jiangnan noble families had supported the King of Yellow Heaven, perhaps aiming for his talisman heritage. The world of cultivation and the mundane world seem separate, but in many great trends, they are subtly connected. ¡°As long as I¡¯m poor enough, no one wille to calcte against me!¡± ¡°For now, I¡¯ll just lie low for a few years, be a familiar face in the marketce, and if I still can¡¯t earn spirit stones, then I¡¯ll cultivate a few more acres of spirit fields.¡± ¡­ The second year. It went by in a sh. Zhou Yi harvested an extra three dou, with the yield per acre only one dou short of the average. By meticulously studying the spell insights from Brother Liu, his proficiency with the Spiritual Rain Technique improved rapidly, enabling such an increase in yield so quickly. ¡°One must know gratitude when receiving help from others!¡± Zhou Yi sold the remaining spirit rice and spent thirteen spirit stones to reserve a feast at Phoenix Cry Pavilion. A variety of spiritual dishes, with appetizing aromas wafting through the air. On Xingxian Street, there were cultivators skilled in culinary arts. Over countless years, this had gradually evolved into the art of spiritual cooking, a branch of alchemy simr to brewing and scent mixing. Spiritual chefs primarily used monster beast flesh as the main ingredient,bining it with spiritual medicines ording to secret recipes, and cooking it with spiritual fire to create spiritual dishes. The taste was exquisitely delicious, and it also increased mana. Brother Liu arrived as invited and looked at the table full of dishes: ¡°You really are generous.¡± ¡°I also have to thank Brother for the guidance, otherwise, I would have been in debt instead of having a surplus. So, in fact, it is Brother who is treating his junior to a feast.¡± Zhou Yiughed, ¡°I¡¯ve even reserved a private room for Brother upstairs in Blooming Pavilion. After eating and drinking, we can go upstairs to appreciate jade and enjoy flute music.¡± Just this table of dishes was not expensive, with a pot of Spiritual Wine, it totaled only three Spirit Stones. Spirit Stones are a continuously consumed resource, and in the Cultivation World, they are almost universally versatile, whether for improving cultivation or practicing the four arts; their purchasing power has always been very robust. Another ten Spirit Stones were spent on special services at Phoenix Cry Pavilion. The gist of it was like washing, trimming for thirty-eight, or washing, trimming, and blow-drying for three eighty-eight. ¡°Brother Zhu, how refined!¡± Upon hearing this, Brother Liu immediately became much more enthusiastic. In the midst of toasting and swapping cups with Zhou Yi, they had already started addressing each other as brothers. As gifts were exchanged, thework of interpersonal rtionships was thus established. ¡°Little brother, just nting fields will never earn you Spirit Stones,¡± Brother Liu said in a low voice. ¡°Even if you toil day and night, with little to show for it, how many years will it take to buy a Magic Artifact, and when will there be an end?¡± ¡°Brother has a point, unfortunately, I don¡¯t know how to do anything else,¡± Zhou Yi replied. From the first day of farming, Zhou Yi understood that such a low-technical-threshold industry would cause the price of Spirit Rice to indefinitely approach the cost of production. One could only earn hard money by spending physical strength and time; dreaming of wealth was practically a daydream. ¡°You have to learn to mix with the right circles!¡± Brother Liu said proudly, ¡°I got the job at the office because I have a good rtionship with Brother Xiang. Not to mention the prestige, I earn much more Spirit Stones than I would farming.¡± ¡°I appreciate the advice.¡± Zhou Yi appeared to have an epiphany. Naturally, he understood this method but would not act in such a manner. Mingling in circles was akin to choosing sides and factions. Taking advantage of others could potentially create enemies, which was not in ord with Zhou Yi¡¯s cautious approach. Moreover, circles are ultimately superficial; Zhou Yi was more inclined to gain status through strength. Without breaking convention or seeking undue elevation, one naturally would not create karma! If he truly had no way to earn Spirit Stones, Zhou Yi would not bother withworks but would rather silently farm for a thousand years. With that, he could afford a superior cave dwelling! In the end, he had his principles, which allowed him to handle matters with detachment. Zhou Yi asked, ¡°Brother, do you know of a bookstore around here where I can buy some historical records of the Cultivation World?¡± ¡°Historical records?¡± Brother Liu asked in confusion, ¡°What¡¯s the use of reading those? Better to save up Spirit Stones and try a medicinal pill.¡± Zhou Yiughed, ¡°Ie from a small ce, I can¡¯tpare to Brother Liu, who¡¯s been immersed in it since childhood. I¡¯mpletely in the dark about the Cultivation World and intend to read some records to broaden my horizons.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say much for other things, but for this matter, I indeed know something.¡± Brother Liu chuckled and said, ¡°There¡¯s a Jing Xu¡¯s Abode on the southeast corner. Mention my name when you go, bring along a pot of Spiritual Wine and you¡¯ll be able to borrow quite a few books. Of course, only the ordinary ones, you can¡¯t borrow the unique and secret ones.¡± ¡°Thank you for the guidance, Brother!¡± Zhou Yi thanked him sincerely; those few words of advice were well worth the ten Spirit Stones. ¡­ The third year. He harvested three more dou. Zhou Yi hosted Brother Liu at Phoenix Cry Pavilion again, and through introductions, he met a few fellow practitioners. They were on terms that merited a nod of the head and a greeting upon meeting. At the same time. By borrowing books, the vast and magnificent Cultivation World had slightly lifted its veil for Zhou Yi. Not only does the Dan Ding Sect govern Fengyang Country, but it also oversees about twenty nations within the territory of Cloud Continent. Little Dan Mountain, located at the far east of Cloud Continent, is quite famous for its abundant production of Purple Spirit Copper. To the north of Cloud Continent lies Ji Continent, rumored to be ruled by the Demonic Path. To the west is Qiong Continent, and to the south lie the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Due to the vast, obstructing mountain range at the border area, few low-level cultivators possess knowledge of these regions. ¡°The Cultivation World is muchrger thanmoners perceive. Qi Refinement cultivators, even if they travel ceaselessly day and night without sleep, would spend their entire lives without being able to traverse Cloud Continent.¡± ¡°Above Qi Refinement, there are Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, and Nascent Soul stages. The long road of cultivation is impeded and lengthy, and I am still but a newbie!¡± Chapter 72 - 72 Spiritual Energy Analysis Chapter 72: Chapter 72 Spiritual Energy Analysis ¡°` The scorching sun zed overhead. In the field, a cool shelter had been erected, where Zhou Yiy on a soft chair. He sipped some chilled sour plum soup and casually flipped through a storybook called ¡°Legend of the Three Heroes.¡± ¡°Chapter three hundred and nine, love turns sour, and who shall endure the cruel torture¡­ well written, huh? Why is there nothing more!¡± Zhou Yi sprang up from the chair, and after checking repeatedly, realized the author had left the story unfinished. Perhaps the writer had earned enough Spirit Stones or had passed away due to old age; it was quite regrettable not to see the ending. The owner of Jing Xu¡¯s Abode had a varied collection of books, and Zhou Yi was not picky, borrowing all kinds of books to read. Including notes and essays, biographies, strange tales, and even storybooks from the Cultivation World, as well as critically reading some Spring and Autumn Annals. This volume of ¡°Legend of the Three Heroes¡± was among the gems of storybooks, depicting battles and spell fights with gripping rity. Of course, the heroes in the books were all formidable figures, while the real Cultivation World was close at hand. Not far away, Gu Chen from the neighboringnd, having depleted his mana,fortably made his way over for a cold drink. There were two lounge chairs under the cool shelter, one of which was reserved for Gu Chen. ¡°Comfortable.¡± Gu Chen gulped down threerge cups, exhaling a long breath. Cultivators were not affected by the cold or heat of the seasons, but the taste of something sweet, sour, and ice-cold was still appreciated; otherwise, they might as well have turned into stones. Then he nced at the storybook on the table and shook his head: ¡°Such idle books are of no use, no matter how many you read. The author must be a cultivator, but he¡¯s probably gone mad.¡± Zhou Yiughed and said, ¡°Brother Gu, if you divide everything into what¡¯s useful and what¡¯s not, don¡¯t you find life too exhausting?¡± Gu Chen fell silent for a while before slowly speaking. ¡°You are still young. When you reach my age, you will realize that life is short and there are too many things to do. You would wish each day could be stretched into two.¡± ¡°That¡¯s called living with a purpose.¡± Zhou Yi didn¡¯t quite know how tofort him. The two had known each other for four years, meeting almost every day in the fields, and had be quite familiar with each other¡¯s past. Gu Chen¡¯s cultivation was based on a family legacy technique. He was over thirty when he entered Xiao Dan Mountain and was now over eighty but was still stuck at the third level of Qi Refinement, with almost no hope of advancing further on the path. The fourth level was the middle stage of Qi Refinement, representing a bottleneck that was not really a bottleneck. For cultivators with a Three Spirit Root or even better innate abilities, this stage was crossed without much trouble, yet it had troubled Gu Chen for more than twenty years. Of course, this was alsorgely due to Gu Chen¡¯s years of tirelessly farming, leaving him almost no time to dedicate to arduous cultivation. ¡°A purpose? Hah, a cultivator¡¯s destiny is set by their Spirit Root!¡± Gu Chen¡¯sugh was bitter, his voice tinged with sorrow: ¡°Am I not aware that reading is good? But even borrowing books costs Spirit Stones. It¡¯s better to save them, pay off the debts of the cave dwelling sooner, and once I have the deed, it bes a family heirloom.¡± If a cultivator in Xiao Dan Mountain paid off their cave dwelling debt before death, the deed could be passed on to a descendant or disciple with a Spirit Root. Spirit Roots are rare, one in ten thousand among themon folk. Gu Chen had married many wives in the secr world, and it was only a few years ago that he had a grandson with a Four Spirit Root, which led him to start farming desperately to earn Spirit Stones. Xiao Dan Mountain¡¯s cave dwellings did not forbid cohabitation of cultivation partners, but they did not allow family ns to live together. This policy boosted cave dwelling sales while effectively preventing family powers from influencing the disciples of the Dan Ding Sect. Once Gu Chen had paid off the debt on his dwelling, he could move to another cave dwelling to continue his cultivation, and his grandson would not be burdened with debts. ¡°We¡¯ve been exploited by this cave dwelling for most of our lives; we can¡¯t let our grandson suffer the same fate.¡± ¡°Brother Gu makes a good point.¡± Zhou Yi nodded: ¡°Family legacies passed down through generations, maybe someday a Two Spirit Root or even a Heavenly Spiritual Root will appear, directly join Dan Ding Sect, and be the master of Xiao Dan Mountain.¡± Gu Chenughed: ¡°Like the Ling family?¡± The Ling family was simr to Gu Chen¡¯s situation; they had two cultivators in Xiao Dan Mountain working the fields when a granddaughter with Dual Spirit Roots was born, bing an official disciple of the Dan Ding Sect. Her uncle and grandfather, riding on the granddaughter¡¯s coattails, no longer needed to farm, having secured jobs at the administration office. ¡°Things change; nobody can say for sure.¡± Zhou Yi spoke thoughtfully: ¡°Isn¡¯t this mysterious unpredictability the charm of the Cultivation World?¡± ¡°Haha! I have cultivated for nearly a century, and yet I am not as insightful as you, the younger generation.¡± As Gu Chen chatted, he didn¡¯t forget to operate his Cultivation Technique, restoring some of his mana, then stood up to water the Spirit Rice fields. Zhou Yi drank another cup of sour plum soup, leaving the rest of therge pot behind, and, taking the storybook with him, he left. ¡­ The trading area. ¡°` Zhou Yi strolled with his hands tucked away, wandering the streets and alleys for a while. When he encountered monks he knew, he nodded with a smile and exchanged some small talk, mostly the usual banalities like ¡°How are you doing recently?¡± or ¡°Just getting by¡±. He looked around the various shops, inquiring about prices, urately gauging market dynamics. The items disyed on the street stalls were secondhand, and the prices were about twenty to thirty percent lower than those in the shops, but the quality and authenticity were mixed, and without a keen eye, one was just asking to be duped. Now and then there would be rumors that some cultivator had found a great bargain at a street stall, turning a few Spirit Stones into hundreds or even thousands. Zhou Yi just listened andughed about these stories for fun¡ªanyone who believed them was a real fool! Eventually, he came upon a Daoist hawker selling wine, his hair tinged with white and his robe emitting a strong smell of wine lees, with two big front teeth showing when he spoke. There were about twenty jars of wine on disy, sealed with red mud andbeled with numbers ranging from one to twenty. Regr customers knew that the Daoist only brewed one kind of Spiritual Wine, ¡°Crimson Rainbow.¡± When poured into a cup, the wine looked just like a crimson rainbow hanging in the sky, shining with flowing radiance, hence the name! Zhou Yi squatted in front of the stall and asked, ¡°Old Hu, howe you¡¯re willing to sell twenty-year-old Spiritual Wine today?¡± Old Hu grinned and said, ¡°Heh heh! I¡¯m just happy, but I¡¯m not telling you why!¡± ¡°Fine! Sell me this jar of twenty-year-old Spiritual Wine for five Spirit Stones.¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s offer wasn¡¯t low at all; it practically emptied his entire savings. Fortunately, he had an unlimited lifespan and had no need to use Spirit Stones or Spirit Pills to advance his cultivation. Old Hu hesitated for a moment but, out of respect for a regr customer, said, ¡°Sold.¡± Zhou Yi paid with Spirit Stones and left with the jar of wine. He made his way to the southeast corner of the trading area. Jing Xu¡¯s Abode. Zhou Yi entered and saw two cultivators haggling over a price. What was sold here were Cultivation Techniques and Spell jade slips; the collection of books was merely the hobby of the owner of Jing Xu¡¯s Abode. The owner, going by the Taoist name Jing Xu, was one hundred and one years old but still had a full head of ck hair, no different from someone in their thirties or forties. It was said that in his youth, he took Youth-Retaining Pills that allowed him to maintain this appearance until the end of his life. Only after the cultivators had paid with Spirit Stones did they leave the shop together. Zhou Yi approached the counter with his wine, cing it beside the ¡°Legend of the Three Heroes.¡± ¡°Senior, is there a second half to this book? It¡¯s itching my heart not to know.¡± ¡°Is it really that good?¡± Jing Xu said, ¡°Instead of reading those absurd stories in the book, it would be more useful to read a few farming notes. You might even harvest a few more liters of Spirit Rice.¡± ¡°Now, that would be truly dull!¡± Zhou Yiughed and said, ¡°With my personality and talents, I¡¯m probably fated not to be like the characters in the book, but can¡¯t I at least dream a little?¡± ¡°Hahaha, you¡¯re right!¡± Jing Xu immediately burst into cheerfulughter, he lifted the seal from the wine jar and, after taking a sniff, began to guzzle directly from it. Glug glug glug! After half a jar was downed, Jing Xu wiped his mouth and passed the remaining wine to Zhou Yi. ¡°That fellow Hu Dao is not so good by nature, but when ites to brewing Spiritual Wine, each batch grows increasingly intense and mellow!¡± ¡°Naturally, otherwise Old Hu wouldn¡¯t be so carefree!¡± Zhou Yi drank the rest of the half jar in big gulps. The Spiritual Wine flowed into his limbs and bones, circting the Guiyuan Technique, refining it into Mana,parable to the result of more than ten days in seclusion. ¡°Exhrating!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a funny guy, using a whole year of farming just for that exhrating moment.¡± Jing Xu took a book from under the counter, ¡°The author of that storybook hasn¡¯t written the rest yet, but I¡¯ll personally go push him. Take this book back and read it yourself, just don¡¯t share it with others.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s expression became slightly focused. He had borrowed hundreds of books from old Jing Xu, but this was the first time he had been expressly cautioned. He took the book with both hands and saw the name on the cover. ¡°Pure True Monarch¡¯s Casual Notes on Spiritual Energy Analysis.¡± Chapter 73 - 73 Golden Elixir True Monarch Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Golden Elixir True Monarch True Monarch! Zhou Yi had stayed in the Marketce for four years and was no longer a novice who had just entered the Cultivation World. Those at the Foundation Establishment level are revered as True Persons. The current steward of Little Dan Mountain is none other than Xuan Lin True Person. With but a word, he could determine the rise and fall of the National Dynasty! Such might, in front of a Golden Core True Monarch, was still considered that of a junior with much to learn. A Golden Core True Monarch who could fly through the heavens and burrow through the earth, with a lifespan of five hundred years. When his magic treasures descended, mountains would crumble, and the earth would split. He had essentially transcended the category of ¡°human,¡± and to call him an immortal was by no means an exaggeration. Zhou Yi held the notebook with both hands, resisting the urge to flip through it. ¡°Senior, this book is too precious, I feel unworthy to ept it!¡± Jing Xu waved his hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s not as if a True Monarch is preaching, it¡¯s just a mere volume of notes, without even leaving behind any spells.¡± ¡°Then¡­ I shall be so bold as to borrow and read it!¡± Zhou Yi knew Jing Xu¡¯s character. Having inherited his family¡¯s shop, he didn¡¯t need to pay rent to the Marketce, and with minimal management, he could earn several hundred Spirit Stones a year, presenting quite an imposing and wealthy figure. Of course, his cultivation at the ninthyer of Qi Refinement was also the foundation of Jing Xu¡¯s confidence. Zhou Yi carefully stored away the notes of a True Monarch, then conversed with Jing Xu for two to three hours before taking his leave, mostly discussing stories from the book. In his previous life, Zhou Yi enjoyed reading fantasy novels about immortals and knights-errant. He did not dare im his imagination could surpass that of the Cultivation World, but he had his unique insights. asionally he would share a few plot lines, which would elicit Jing Xu¡¯s admiration and praise, dering he would have them written down. Such purely recreational books had no ce in the Cultivation World where they couldn¡¯t be sold for Spirit Stones. They were often the fantasies and dreams of frustrated cultivators, who if lucky, might encounter a patron who would reward them with three to five Spirit Stones. By that time, the author might have already passed away! Leaving Jing Xu¡¯s Abode. Zhou Yi did not linger in the trading area but hurried back to his cave dwelling and secured the door. After bathing, burning incense, and washing his hands, he opened the first page of the True Monarch¡¯s notes. ¡°In my youth, I was unaware of the importance of progress, cultivating without seeking the origin or resolving doubts, until I formed my Golden Core and had no worries about my lifespan, that I began to contemte¡­¡± Zhou Yi was momentarily left speechless. The opening was an overwhelming bout of bragging from a great figure, implying he had formed his Golden Core while idly wandering and confused. This year, Zhou Yi was one hundred twenty-six years old. Still in the mid-stage of Qi Refinement, he had not yet achieved sess, while a normal Foundation Establishment cultivator would only live to around two hundred. By that age, there was no guarantee of advancing to theter stages of Qi Refinement. Continuing to read on, the Pure True Monarch lived for four hundred years before beginning to research the puzzles of his youth. Where does Spiritual Energye from? What are the characteristics of Spiritual Energy? The first question was quickly answered, not by the True Monarch¡¯s experiments or research but from what he learned after consulting his mentor. ¡°The great ancestral veins differentiate into countless Spirit Veins, which naturally emit Spiritual Energy, ssified into the four grades of heaven, earth, mystery, and yellow depending on their length and size. Beneath the Spirit Veins lie Spirit Lands, which are natural convergences of Spiritual Energy but do not produce new Spiritual Energy.¡± As Zhou Yi read this, a picture formed in his mind. The entirety was like a great tree, the ancestral veins were its roots, and the Spirit Veins were its branches and leaves, producing Spiritual Energy for this world. Spirit Lands, on the other hand, were not part of the great tree, formed by various causes, perhaps innate Spirit Gathering Arrays, possibly by some Spiritual Objects, or even by the tombs of high-level cultivators, transforming into a small area for gathering spirit. He had long heard of cultivators upying Spirit Lands, creating settlements connected by bloodline, referred to by outsiders as cultivating families. ¡°So, if the ancestral veins were to break or perish, would that herald the end of the era of magic?¡± Zhou Yi killed the dangerous thought; not to mention how difficult it was to sever ancestral veins, such a person would surely be themon enemy of all cultivators, including demon races. Having learned the source of Spiritual Energy, the Pure True Monarch then sought his master¡¯s insight on the characteristics of Spiritual Energy. However, even his master was not very clear, sharing only personal epiphanies, and not a coherent system. For example, a higher-level cultivator entering the mundane world would rapidly lose cultivation as they themselves became a source of Spiritual Energy, potentially turning the nearby mountains, stones, and trees into Spirits and Monsters. For example, if a magic treasure was left in the mundane world for too long, it would lead to the dispersal of its spiritual nature, eventually turning it into scrap metal. ¡°Hmm? The True Monarch¡¯s master says, any treasure that retains spirit after a hundred years in the mundane world must have an extraordinary origin¡­¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s heart stirred, and he took out the bronze mirror from within his cloth. The bronze mirror was capable of releasing spiritual light that could immobilize ghostly entities, hence it was named the Spirit-Calming Mirror. ¡°This mirrores from Xuan Qing Daoist and was bestowed upon his disciple Yulingzi, who has been gone for over three hundred years!¡± Zhou Yi flipped the Spirit-Calming Mirror over and over, inspecting it. After activating it with his mana, the emitted white light seemed to have strengthened. ¡°So, this mirror is the real treasure. Thankfully I didn¡¯t trade it for spirit stones, or who knows which main character would have scored a deal. Unfortunately, it¡¯s easy for its spiritual nature to dissipate but hard to restore!¡± ¡°I wonder how many years it will take to regain its original power.¡± ¡°No matter, if there¡¯s anything I can say, it¡¯s that I have the patience to wait!¡± Zhou Yi tucked the Spirit-Calming Mirror back into his clothes, nning to find a refining method in the future, to swallow and nurture it within his body for safety. Continuing through the notes, Pure True Monarch started to delve deeply into the characteristics of the spiritual energy, based on phenomena described by his master. This topic wasn¡¯t abstruse and didn¡¯t take many years for Pure True Monarch to reach a conclusion. ¡°Spiritual energy dissipates from areas of high concentration to low concentration!¡± Zhou Yi pondered carefully, and indeed his past experiences confirmed as much. ¡°Pure True Monarch crafted magical artifacts, captured demonic beasts, and even spent a few years in the mundane world, only to discover that the Golden Cores of cultivators, the inner cores of demonic beasts, and magical artifacts all contained high concentrations of spiritual energy.¡± ¡°Once they appear in the mundane world, they uncontrobly dissipate!¡± Zhou Yi held great respect for Pure True Monarch¡¯s dedicated spirit; risking core-fragmentation was a very real possibility. ¡°Pure True Monarch extensively studied the Spirit Gathering Array trying to bind and confine spiritual energy, yet the foundation of an array is also spiritual energy. Elements like array tes, formation gs, and inscriptions are all rted to spiritual energy, and in the end, he could only slow the dissipation, not stop it entirely.¡± ¡°Other things like spirit pills, spirit stones, and talismans¡ªall spiritual objects¡ªbe mundane over time if left in the mortal world.¡± Zhou Yi read up to this point, musing deeply, and then slowly turned to thest page. Sure enough. Pure True Monarch concluded that spiritual energy is the foundation of the Immortal Path, and Spirit Veins are the foundation of spiritual energy. If the ancestral veins were damaged, the Cultivation World would face a great catastrophe! The entire collection of essays amounted to no more than ten thousand words, roughly equivalent to a thesis, and indeed it was. Through repeated experiments and exploring the sources and characteristics of spiritual energy, Pure True Monarch adopted a scientific method of research. Science isn¡¯t just physics and chemistry; it¡¯s a tool for exploring the truth. ¡°This set of notes has really opened my eyes, it¡¯s worth hundreds, even thousands of times more than the wine money. With a solid theoretical foundation to rely on, I can now see through the fog and target the core when looking at and handling matters.¡± ¡°No wonder the senior didn¡¯t want it disseminated. If someone with ill intentions learned about it, it could lead to a disaster!¡± Zhou Yi, who wasn¡¯t short of malicious suspicions, knew that with so many people in the Cultivation World, there was no shortage of those who didn¡¯t want to live and thus would drag everyone else down with them. Although the ancestral veins are difficult to destroy, even a dike of a thousand miles can be ruined by an ant hole. With the constant assault from cultivators, a disaster would eventually arise. Zhou Yi recited the ¡°Cultivation of the Spirit Theory¡± by Qing Wei Zhenren, focusing his mind and calming his emotional fluctuations. The exploration of the origin of the Cultivation World by Golden Elixir True Monarch was truly awe-inspiring, but It was far too distant from Zhou Yi, who at the moment needed to focus on tending to his fields and practicing his skills to break through the fourthyer of Qi Refinement. Moreover, if the true ancestral veins were severed and the age of decline descended, immortals would die, and demons would perish. Zhou Yi would still be living in the world, possibly even bing one of the strongest through the martial path! ¡°This seems like a shortcut, without having to spend thousands or tens of thousands of years cultivating, to achieve¡­ Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One! I¡¯ve always beenpassionate. How could such wicked thoughts arise in me? Good indeed, good indeed!¡± Zhou Yi cultivated for the night, making slight progress in his mana. The next day. He arrived at the entrance of Jing Xu¡¯s Abode and discovered the door was tightly shut, with a note attached. ¡°Gone on a journey amongst the clouds, return date indefinite!¡± ¡°Tsks tsks tsks, truly deserving of a wealthy owner with shops, tossing away tens or hundreds of spirit stones each month, affording plenty of visits to Phoenix Cry Pavilion!¡± Zhou Yi had toiled for four years and had yet to experience the vor of a female cultivator, only hearing about their proficiency in Dual Cultivation. The joyful enhancement of one¡¯s cultivation level was truly indescribable! Chapter 74: Heretical Demons and Evil Paths Chapter 74: Chapter 74: Heretical Demons and Evil Paths The old book has yet to be returned, and the new one has yet to be borrowed. Zhou Yi strolled through the trading area and felt reassured seeing that the prices were stable. He came across a few naive neers who had spent Spirit Stones to buy Spiritual Objects madest week and were still delighted thinking they had made a great profit. Neers to the Marketce, perhaps having been important in the mortal world for too long, or genuinely believing themselves to be exceptional, always considered themselves the protagonists of stories, encountering fortuitous opportunities and stumbling upon great deals in the Marketce. Standing by, Zhou Yi of course wouldn¡¯t remind them. Those in the Marketce who dared to openly sell fake goods or peddle outdated Spiritual Objects all had connections and backers. Brother Liu had privately warned Zhou Yi not to think about breaking the rules; those who could exploit loopholes at the Dan Mountain Market had at least a formal disciple backing them, otherwise they would have been killed as deviants long ago. The buyers left with high spirits, while the sellers packed up and left. ¡°When you covet extra profit, others are eyeing your principal!¡± Zhou Yi took it as a lesson to always be vignt and avoid falling into the trap of desire in the future. The swindlers of the Cultivation World were not just smooth talkers; for instance, the female cultivator not far away, whose mana fluctuated while introducing Spiritual Objects, left buyers dazed and unwittingly handing over their Spirit Stones. At dusk. Zhou Yi went to his own Spirit Farm to cast the Spiritual Rain Technique; the neighboringnd was deserted with ripe Spirit Rice unattended. ¡°Why isn¡¯t Brother Gu here?¡± Gu Chen had been tirelessly farming day and night for years, willing to sacrifice his cultivation time just for the sake of his grandson¡¯s future. Regardless of his use in cultivation, his parental affection was admirable. The Spirit Rice was about to ripen, so Gu Chen¡¯s absence surely meant that something serious had happened. ¡°I hope all is well!¡± Zhou Yi, while practicing in the Marketce, had not yet encountered incidents like murder for loot, but he wasn¡¯t naive enough to think they didn¡¯t ur. Human nature iszy by default, and cultivators are no different, with an even stronger desire for resources. How could farming for a year to save a few Spirit Stonespare to the quick gains from looting? Thus, even though Gu Chen and Zhou Yi had known each other for years, they had kept the locations of their hometowns secret from one another. Back to the cave dwelling. He meditated and practiced Qi cultivation until dawn. ¡°The bottleneck of mid-stage Qi refinement is much harder than expected. Even with Gu Chen¡¯s inferior talents, he at least has a Spirit Root; I don¡¯t even have the lowest rank of the Five Spirit Roots!¡± Zhou Yi estimated it would take another ten or eight years to advance to the fourth level of Qi Refinement. ¡°This is a good time to save up some Spirit Stones and buy a Water Escape Technique to learn, ensuring a safe getaway into the ocean when fleeing!¡± Zhou Yi was well aware of the prices in the Marketce. There were about a dozen varieties of Water Escape Techniques, with the highest grade being Jade Law Pavilion¡¯s Water Yuan Escape selling for fifty Spirit Stones. ¡°That¡¯s just five years of farming Spirit Rice, and the time will fly by!¡± ¡­ The following morning. Zhou Yi did not go straight to the fields but first checked on the remaining three Ling Yuan flowers in his courtyard. Ling Yuan flowers are the main ingredient for concocting Foundation Building Pills; they can be harvested after ten years of growth, and one nt sells for one Spirit Stone. He loosened the soil, summoned the Spiritual Rain, and took meticulous care of them. ¡°The survival rate of these seedlings is incredibly low; ny percent die after sprouting!¡± Zhou Yi took out some medicinal seeds to fill the vacant spots in the medicine field. A cultivator¡¯s cave dwelling courtyard spans about two to three Zhang, keeping a path for entry and exit, which allows for the cultivation of two medicine fields for nting easy-to-survive and saleable Spiritual Medicine. While expensive, the cave dwellings in the Dan Mountain Market were not overseen in their use after being sold to cultivators. Indeed, no one cared even if it seemed shabby to dismantle the eastern side rooms orteral chambers to convert them into medicine fields. In fact, many cultivators did just that, reducing their dwellings to nothing but walls and a bed. With the Mountain Protection Array epassing the Marketce, there was no need to worry about rain, snow, or hail. Perhaps practicing in the open air would even yield better results! However, the survival rate of Spiritual Medicine was extremely low and took a long time to grow, leaving few who actually profited from selling Spirit Stones. Zhou Yi had purchased quite a few Foundation Building flower seeds, not expecting to get rich quickly by nting medicine, but instead, was slowly learning from experience. After learning for a hundred and eighty years or so, he would basically be one of the top farmers in the Marketce, since those more skilled than Zhou Yi would have already sumbed to time. The central and core areas of the Marketce were all medicine fields; after all, the Dan Ding Sect¡¯s expertisey in Alchemy, which had an enormous demand for Spiritual Medicine. By renting a few acres of medicine fields, he would earn much more than by farming Spirit Rice! Additionally, nting a few top-grade Spiritual Medicines with extremely long medicinal ages, and waiting hundreds to thousands of years for them to mature, would allow for breakthroughs in cultivation by directly consuming and refining them without the need for Alchemy. Selling them was out of the question, lest it attracted deviant cultivators seeking to kill for loot! ¡°The seeds of top-grade Spiritual Medicine are too expensive, and the survival rate is even lower. They must be constantly tended to, or alternatively, find a hidden realm and scatter the seeds, reaping the harvest after a few hundred years.¡± Zhou Yi had once considered purchasing a manual on the intricacies of growing Spiritual Medicine. Fellow Daoists, usually merry and drinking, would deflect the subject when it came to techniques for cultivating Spiritual Medicine. ¡°Just the experience of nting is held so closely guarded, not to mention the inheritance of the four great arts of true cultivation, which ordinary cultivators cannot even ess!¡± Coming to the Spirit Farm, he still saw no sign of his neighbor Gu Chen. Zhou Yi didn¡¯t pay much attention, now that he¡¯d used the Spiritual Rain Technique, he was much more proficient than before. This year, he hoped to break through a yield of one stone per mu which would make him a fairlypetent farmer. In the future, he might reach the level of Elder Brother Liu, able to save a hundred or more spirit stones every year. Time passed quickly. Half a year had gone by in the blink of an eye. The neighboring field¡¯s spirit rice was ripe, harvested by the enforcement team and recorded ordingly. If Gu Chen were still alive, the marketce would return this batch of spirit rice ording to the rules. This was not unusual, many cultivators left to gain experiences and never returned. The tragedy and cruelty of the mortal world were often expressed through the wails of the wronged, seen and heard by many, while the Cultivation World was silent and unknown, with souls scattering silently to their doom. That day. Zhou Yi came to the fields, suddenly spotting a familiar figure squatting at the end of the field, staring nkly at the spirit fields. ¡°Brother Gu¡­¡± Zhou Yi approached to greet him and caught sight of Gu Chen¡¯s empty left sleeve, asking in confusion, ¡°What happened to your arm?¡± ¡°Cough cough cough!¡± Gu Chen coughed violently a few times, hisplexion pale: ¡°I fought a depraved cultivator, lost an arm in the fight, but sent him to hell.¡± Zhou Yi was quite surprised, the usually honest and simple Gu Chen, no different from the old farmers in the field, had actually managed to kill a depraved cultivator. Depraved cultivators were not only those who practiced evil and demonic arts. Cultivators who lived by killing and robbing others also belonged to the heretical and demonic paths; they did not engage in production, and their cultivation resources came from looting. Once sessful, they would change their appearances and cultivate in the marketce, and return to robbing when resources dwindled. Such cultivators were ruthless and skilled inbat, with few equals among their peers. Gu Chen¡¯s expression turned gloomy as he asked, ¡°How can those depraved cultivators bring themselves to harm the elderly and children?¡± ¡°Depraved cultivators are no longer human!¡± Zhou Yi had a guess in his mind, probably about some cmity that destroyed a family, and said, ¡°They climb over corpses to cultivate, and one day they too be the bones under someone else¡¯s feet. There¡¯s no other end for them.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about their life or death, I just want my dear grandson toe back to life.¡± Gu Chen murmured, ¡°To redeem my grandson, I¡¯ve sold everything I owned, I was almost reduced to bing a test subject for alchemy. Finally, when I mustered enough spirit stones, that depraved cultivator showed no mercy.¡± Zhou Yi consoled him, ¡°At least you avenged him.¡± Gu Chen¡¯s voice carried a hint of despair, ¡°It¡¯s really hard to be a good person!¡± Zhou Yi didn¡¯t know what to say, as he couldn¡¯t simply say it was too hard for the weak, a fact Gu Chen surely understood. Cultivators like Gu Chen, aware of the severe exploitation in the marketce, still worked tirelessly on their fields. After all, Dan Mountain had its rules and left a glimmer of hope. Those heretical and demonic paths that didn¡¯t follow the rules, iming to be free and resisting oppression whilemitting murder and robbery, were essentially bandits and ouws. Zhou Yi often mocked Dan Mountain¡¯s cold-heartedness but was willing to follow the marketce¡¯s rules because a stable environment was more important! This had nothing to do with docility or a vish mentality, but with establishing rules that everyone followed to ensure safety. If one truly found Dan Mountain uneptable, they were free to find another marketce; no one would stop them. ¡°Brother Zhu, when I die one day, please bury my bones in this spirit field!¡± Gu Chen managed to stand up with difficulty after saying this, clearly having been seriously injured in his battle with the depraved cultivator, and staggered back to his cave. Zhou Yi watched Gu Chen¡¯s lonely figure with a sigh, then cast the Spiritual Rain Technique to irrigate the spirit fields. A person who lives without purpose, drifting aimlessly, might as well be dead! ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The solutions to the questions raised in thest chapter at the end of this chapter. First: Spiritual Energy in the Mortal World Sects used formations to restrict and confine the spiritual energy produced by the spirit veins, increasing the concentration within the marketce. The sparse spiritual energy in the mortal world is due to the fact that it can¡¯t bepletely confined and escapes. If there were no confining formations, the spiritual energy in the world would be roughly equal, except slightly higher within the spirit veins. Implication: ¡°As long as there are sages, the great thieves will not cease.¡± Second: High-Level Cultivators I saw some readers questioning the chase between a Nascent Soul Daoist and a Qi Refinement cultivator in the Cultivation World. Even in the mortal world, a Nascent Soul Daoist wouldn¡¯t lose his realm in just ten or eight years. In the previous chapter, an example was given about magical treasures. Even without sealing techniques, they would retain their spirit for hundreds of years if left to dissipate on their own. Cultivators would actively suppress the diffusion of spiritual energy, whether through formations, magical treasures, divine skills, or other means, making the diffusion extremely slow. It would take decades, hundreds of years, or even a thousand years to drop in realm. Therefore, there is no situation where a Nascent Soul Daoist dares not chase after a Qi Refinement cultivator! In the current world of cultivation, dispersion has no effect on battles and duels because it is too slow; unless two people fight for hundreds of years. When the end times of thewe, those who survivest will also be those old immortals who sealed their spiritual energy. It¡¯s a matter of who can endure until the end. Surviving right before spiritual energy rejuvenates one¡¯s life. Spiritual energy is the basic setting of this book, the fundamental framework that affects the entire plot of the story. If readers have anything unclear, just leave ament, the author lives in thement section (and it¡¯s not just to read reviews, haha)! Chapter 75 - 75 Gu Chen’s Will Chapter 75: Chapter 75 Gu Chen¡¯s Will Gu Chen died. When he was found, it was already the second year. The first to see him were thew enforcement team, who came to his door to collect spirit stones and only then realized that Gu Chen had died silently in his cave dwelling. Such incidents weremon in the marketce; cave dwellings were private territory, and none but close friends would intrude rashly. Zhou Yi was in the midst of performing the Spirit Rain Technique when Brother Zhang from thew enforcement team came looking for him. ¡°Zhu junior brother, Gu Chen left you a letter before he died.¡± Brother Zhang was an acquaintance, having shared a few drinks together at the Phoenix Cry Pavilion, and he was quite forthright in character. Thew enforcement team was a violent agency under the control of the marketce,posed of over a hundred Qi Refinement mid andte stage cultivators. It was led by official disciples of the Dan Ding Sect, but the actual management was in the hands of several recognized disciples. Joining thew enforcement team came with a monthly spirit stone stipend, which wasparable to what Zhou Yi could earn from a year¡¯s worth of cultivating spirit fields. However, being in charge of maintaining stability in the marketce meant inevitably shing with evil cultivators and heretics, and it wasmon to hear of colleagues dying or disappearing. ¡°Brother Zhang, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Zhou Yi did not avoid the matter and opened the envelope directly. Gu Chen¡¯s letter didn¡¯t contain any secrets; firstly, it detailed the cmity that had befallen his family, which was somewhat different from what Zhou Yi had thought. It was not an evil cultivator that plotted against Gu Chen¡¯s family, but his close and trusted friend. The friend also had a descendant with a Spirit Root, originally nning to apprentice under Gu Chen to inherit his cave dwelling in the future. But a few years prior, a descendant with a Spirit Root appeared in Gu Chen¡¯s own family as well. Jealous and resentful, the friend transformed into an evil cultivator, exterminated Gu Chen¡¯s family, and kidnapped Gu Chen¡¯s grandson to extort spirit stones. Who would have thought that the ordinarily honest and straightforward farmer could counter-kill the evil cultivator during a fight, yet he himself was also critically injured and at death¡¯s door. ¡°Farmers are not devoid of courage!¡± Zhou Yi continued reading. Before returning to his little Dan Mountain, Gu Chen had also eradicated the family of his friend. At the end of the letter, Gu Chen confessed his identity, revealing that his original surname was Liu and he hailed from Lingzhou in Great Yong. He hoped that ¡°Zhu¡± Daoist friend would look after any Lingzhou cultivators with the surname Liu he might encounter in the future. The evil cultivator had killed Gu Chen¡¯s immediate family, but many of Liu family¡¯s extended members were still alive. Gu Chen had passed his cultivation technique on to his n members. Aspensation, Gu Chen¡¯s inheritance of three hundred spirit stones was gifted to Zhou Yi. At the end of the letter, Gu Chen repeatedly warned that in the Cultivation World, no one could be trusted, should not be trusted, dared not be trusted, even friends of decades had to be kept at arm¡¯s length! ¡°Hmm, I never trusted anyone to begin with!¡± Zhou Yi sighed inwardly and handed the letter to Brother Zhang, ¡°Brother, does this will in the letter count?¡± Brother Zhang said, ¡°Formon people, it would not count, but given our rtionship, of course it¡¯s proper.¡± Zhou Yi bowed and said, ¡°Thank you for your trouble, Brother Zhang. Let¡¯s go to the Phoenix Cry Pavilion for a drink in a few days. I heard there¡¯s a new arrival who is proficient in the Overturning Phoenix Technique, which is rumored to be beneficial for breaking through cultivation bottlenecks¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Brother Zhang readily agreed, secretly surprised by Zhou Yi¡¯s generosity. Cultivators generally held tight to their spirit stones, and for female cultivators with unique cultivation techniques like the one mentioned, the expense would be at least twenty to thirty spirit stones. Zhou Yi said, ¡°There¡¯s one more thing. Before his death, Gu Daoist entrusted me to bury his corpse in this spirit field as a return to dust.¡± For solitary cultivators like Gu Chen, it wasmon to be buried in central area medicine fields, where certain special spiritual medicines would consume bones imbued with spiritual energy to elerate their growth. Brother Zhang immediately agreed, ¡°It¡¯s a trivial matter.¡± Over the years, the connections Zhou Yi had cultivated may not be helpful in significant matters, but they ensured that he would not be hindered or sabotaged in small affairs. Without Brother Zhang¡¯s guarantee, how much, if any, of Gu Chen¡¯s relics would remain, or whether Zhou Yi would instead be framed with a motive for murder, was all possible. That very day. Gu Chen¡¯s corpse was buried in the spirit field without a special tombstone. The now-empty cave dwelling reverted to the marketce, waiting for its next owner. Zhou Yi no longer had his neighbor, and there was no one left to chat with in the fields and at thend¡¯s edge. He just focused on cultivating, tending to the medicine and spirit fields, and asionally inviting fellow practitioners to the Phoenix Cry Pavilion for a drink. In the sixth year, after harvesting a few more dou of spirit rice, Zhou Yi finally experienced the vor of dual cultivation for the first time. Graceful and intricate, too marvelous for words, beyond thepare of ordinary mortal women! ¡°I¡¯ve been aiming to break through the bottleneck in my cultivation level!¡± The seventh year. Zhou Yi, while strolling through the trading district, unexpectedly encountered an old acquaintance from the mundane world. The founding emperor of Great Yong, Li Hong, along with Empress Chen Jinyu, was seen walking out of the Dan Ding Pavilion, discussing in low voices the proper way to consume elixirs and the most effectivebinations to use. They were haggling over every penny,pletely devoid of their imperial dignity. Zhou Yi stood at a distance with his hands in his sleeves, watching until their figures were out of sight, then turned and walked towards the Phoenix Cry Pavilion. ¡°To see old friends today, safe and well, is indeed a cause for celebration!¡± Time flies, and in a blink, Zhou Yi had been practicing in the small Dan Mountain for fourteen years. Having crossed into this world exactly sixty years, Zhou Yi felt it was a cause for celebration, so he went to the Phoenix Cry Pavilion for Dual Cultivation. Another six years passed. Zhou Yi finally broke through to the fourth level of Qi Refinement. The breakthrough came naturally and quietly, just as a new female Daoist had arrived at the Phoenix Cry Pavilion. ¡°A cause for celebration indeed!¡± Engaging in lively philosophical discussion while practicing, it was exceedingly delightful. ¡­ That day. Zhou Yi, as usual, was leisurely wandering the trading district and noticed a significant price surge in protective talismans, such as the Vajra Talisman and Purifying Heart Talisman, by thirty to forty percent. ¡°Something must have happened!¡± ¡°First ascertain the facts and then decide whether I need to flee into the Eastern Sea.¡± Over the years, Zhou Yi had mastered three spells: Water Escape Technique for fleeing, Golden Light Spell for protection, and Cloud Smoke Spell for obscuring vision and aura. While he may not excel in magical duels, in terms of survival skills, hardly any of his peers couldpare! Phoenix Cry Pavilion. Zhou Yi found a seat near a window and ordered some spiritual delicacies, all the while listening attentively to other patrons¡¯ discussions. After a short while, he had a general understanding of what had happened. The previous day, a thief using a peculiar stupefying incense had rendered numerous cultivators unconscious and robbed them of all their spirit stones and spiritual objects. One of the unfortunate victims happened to be paying off his dwelling debt and, left with no choice, had to go mine on Qi Yun Peak. Mining is not like farming, which is tedious but safe; mining can actually be fatal. Spirit Mines are associated materials found close to Spirit Veins. Deep within the mining veins, near the heart of the Spirit Vein, minerals such as gold, jade, iron, and stone, nurtured by rich spiritual energy over a long time, turn into spirits and monsters. These spirits and monsters are born at the Qi Refinement Realm with a natural talent for Spells of Burrowing. If a cultivator encounters them in the mines, a moment of carelessness can lead to instant death on the spot. It is said that when the Ziling ore vein on small Dan Mountain was first discovered, a Golden Core Stage spirit and monster upied it. It took several true masters from the Dan Ding Sect to kill it. Its original form was a mass of Ziling copper, renowned for its astonishing defensive power and taking advantage of its home ground, which ultimately fell to the collective might of these true masters. The true masters cleared out the Foundation Establishment level spirits and monsters, but the numerous and scattered Qi Refinement level ones were left for sessive resident true masters to slowly eliminate. Centuries have since passed, and the number of spirits and monsters in the mines has dwindled, yet a certain degree of life-threatening risk remains. However, there are benefits to mining too. Because the mines are extremely close to Spirit Veins, they are filled with supremely pure spiritual energy, enabling cultivators to practice in their spare time while mining. Late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators in the Dan Mountain Marketce, in need of arge number of spirit stones to purchase Foundation Establishment Pills, are not afraid of encountering spirits and monsters, so they mine on Qi Yun Peak all year round. ¡°The thief must already have fled the marketce with a huge amount of spirit stones, making it difficult for thew enforcement team to trace them!¡± Zhou Yi breathed a sigh of relief internally. As long as it wasn¡¯t arge-scale war, it was fine; the thief who stole spirit stones didn¡¯t harm any lives, thus the marketce was still safe. Moreover, Zhou Yi had been waiting for such a day, when an element of insecurity would emerge in the marketce¡¯s dwellings. ¡°After waiting quietly for more than a decade, the opportunity to make my fortune has finally arrived. Now, I must carefully contemte my next move¡­¡± Chapter 76 - 76 Mystifying Array Formation Chapter 76: Chapter 76 Mystifying Array Formation The Dan Mountain Market imposed heavy taxes, yet loose cultivators were not willing to leave for two reasons. The first was spiritual energy, and the second was safety. Now that theft had urred, it certainly made the hearts of the marketce¡¯s loose cultivators tremble with fear, worried that the spirit stones they had painstakingly saved might vanish in an instant. Those in the Qi Refinement Realm had lifespans of at most one hundred and fifty years, and most only lived to be around a hundred and twenty or thirty. Suffering such a great loss could lightly affect ten years of cultivation or, at worst, directly sever their path of cultivation. ¡°Sell shovels to those looking to strike gold, and anti-theft doors to those subject to theft. So, everyone should be willing to spend spirit stones on a protective formation, right?¡± ¡°After all, Purifying Heart Talisman, Diamond Talisman can only counteract, while Mystifying Array can prevent!¡± In Zhou Yi¡¯s usual cultivation room, a Mystifying Array had been set up inside. It was a pity that the thief did note, thinking him too poor, or else he would have earned a substantial amount of spirit stones for nothing. To make the core of the Mystifying Array, only a single Formation g needed to be drawn, with the rest of the formation¡¯s inscription needing to be set up on-site; the total cost would not exceed one spirit stone. Once the formation was activated, it could confuse the direction and vision of anyone who entered, making cultivators who did not know how to break the array wander aimlessly. This formation did not have a very strong protective effect, but it was more than sufficient for warning against intruders. ¡°Simply selling Formation gs wouldn¡¯t bring in many spirit stones, it¡¯s time to meet with Elder Brother Liu and Elder Brother Zhang at the Phoenix Cry Pavilion!¡± ¡­ Phoenix Cry Pavilion. Upon hearing that there was a method to make spirit stones, Elder Brother Liu and Elder Brother Zhang arrived at the appointed time. In the blink of an eye, twenty years had passed, and Elder Brother Liu was over a hundred years old, his white hair turningpletely snow-white, giving off a feeling of twilight. Before discussing official business, it was important to eat and drink well, true for both immortals and mortals alike. After three rounds of drinks. Zhou Yi took out a Mystifying Array g and said, ¡°Elder Brothers, this is the way to make money. Just set up the Mystifying Array, and your abode need not fear the great spirit stone thief.¡± Since the thief only stole spiritual objects and spirit stones, a nickname of the great spirit stone thief emerged in the market. Elder Brother Zhang was surprised that Zhou Yi understood formations, but since cultivators each had their secrets, it was taboo to inquire too deeply into one¡¯s inheritance. ¡°Brother Zhu, all we know is how to fight and kill, but we don¡¯t understand the way of formations. If youe across someone who is blind to their own good while selling Formation gs, juste find me, and I will make sure they learn the rules.¡± Elder Brother Liu¡¯s eyes slightly narrowed as he slowly said, ¡°Brother Zhu, are you nning to have me sell the Formation gs?¡± ¡°If I were to sell them myself, let alone all the hassle, cultivators will surely try all kinds of ways to haggle the price down.¡± Zhou Yi said, ¡°Elder Brother Liu could set up a sign at the office, and Elder Brother Zhang, while patrolling, could inform the cultivators of each dwelling. Just set a firm price for the Mystifying Array, and the deal is done!¡± Elder Brother Zhang caught on immediately; making spirit stones would be easy, and heughed, ¡°Brother Zhu, how much can we earn from this business?¡± Zhou Yi replied, ¡°I will sell the Mystifying Array for ten spirit stones, and Elder Brothers can charge as much as you like.¡± Elder Brother Zhang quietly did some calctions and said to Elder Brother Liu, ¡°The way of formations is mysterious and profound, and moreover, it rtes to the safety of one¡¯s life, so selling for fifteen or twenty wouldn¡¯t be too expensive, right?¡± ¡°Fifty!¡± Elder Brother Liu¡¯s voice was old and slow, ¡°Opportunity knocks but once, a defensive formation for a dwelling is a one-time purchase, we might as well make a big profit.¡± Zhou Yi furrowed his brows and exchanged a nce with Elder Brother Zhang, puzzled by the Elder Brother Liu, who was usually kind and generous, turning so greedy all of a sudden. Fifty spirit stones equaled the annual ie of an ordinary cultivator. Given the threat of the great spirit stone thief, many would grit their teeth and pay up, but resentment would surely follow afterward. Had Elder Brother Liu be senile as his lifespan neared its end? Elder Brother Liu said, ¡°Elder Brother Zhang has good rtions with Commander Li of the enforcement team, and I have close ties with the Ling family. Using the authority of two official disciples, we can handle this matter in the name of the marketce.¡± Zhou Yi suddenly understood¡ªthis was like a private workshop transforming overnight into an official order! Outside the Dan Mountain Market were four to five thousand dwellings, with an upancy rate of about twenty to thirty percent. Although there were fewer dwellings in the central area, with high upancy rates, the number of cultivators was not much different than the outer ring. The inner area is protected by the Dan Ding Sect¡¯s formations, let alone a spirit stone thief, even Foundation Establishment cultivators can¡¯t break through! Even with a rough estimate, this is a huge deal, involving about one hundred thousand spirit stones worth of fluid trade. The official disciples of the Dan Ding Sect are also cultivators in the Qi Refinement Realm. After Brother Liu mediates, they absolutely can¡¯t refuse such a number of spirit stones. ¡°No wonder everyone likes to take official orders¡­¡± Zhou Yi¡¯s thoughts raced, knowing that he absolutely shouldn¡¯t stand out in this matter, just quietly making a fortune would suffice, so he took the initiative to lower the price, ¡°Brothers, I am willing to supply formation gs for five spirit stones each.¡± ¡°Brother Zhu is very reasonable!¡± Brother Liu praised, ¡°I suffered quite a few losses back in the day before I understood the logic of stepping back to see the vast ocean and sky.¡± ¡°Ah, one should eat as much as their bowl can hold.¡± Zhou Yi asked curiously, ¡°Brother Liu isn¡¯t short of spirit stones, why so eager today?¡± Brother Zhang raised an eyebrow and waited for Brother Liu to exin. Exploiting all the loose cultivators¡¯ spirit stones in the name of formations would inevitably invite resentment, and even with the marketce bearing most of the grudges, one couldn¡¯t escape being resented. ¡°I¡¯m getting on in years, and my life wille to an end in just a decade or so. I need to arrange for matters after my passing sooner rather thanter to avoid being forgotten once I¡¯m gone.¡± Brother Liu exined, ¡°There¡¯s a junior in my n with the talent of a three-spirit root, and I don¡¯t want him to dy his path like me, so I n to directly buy merits to exchange for a recorded disciple spot!¡± Merits are credentials granted by Dan Mountain to cultivators who have contributed to the sect, and umting enough can lead to enrollment into the sect¡¯s walls as a recorded disciple of the Dan Ding Sect. The Dan Ding Sect does not supply cultivation resources to recorded disciples, nor do they receive teachings from immortals or true masters, but they can still exchange merits to inherit cultivation techniques and the four arts. The source of merits is mainly marketce tasks, such as pursuing demonic cultivators and eradicating disruptive demons, and so forth. The amount of merits required to be a recorded disciple is astronomical for ordinary cultivators, naturally giving rise to a ck market for the trading of merits. Although the value of merits cannot be transferred, the heads of evil cultivators can be bought and sold, with the buyer simply submitting the tasks to im the rewards. Dan Mountain turns a blind eye to this, as those who have a lot of spirit stones to purchase merits are either from cultivator families or possess unique skills. The Dan Ding Sect only provided an opportunity that costs nothing, so it can¡¯t lose out no matter what. Upon hearing this, Brother Zhang showed envy. With the same three-spirit root talent, someone else directly became a recorded disciple, holding hope for future Foundation Establishment. ¡°Hmm.¡± Brother Liu assured, ¡°I shall handle all the arrangements and operations for this matter. When my life ends and I pass away, all consequences will naturally dissipate. In the future, if you brothers meet someone from my n, I ask that you look after them a bit.¡± ¡°Haha, sure, no problem!¡± ¡°Once admitted to the Dan Ding Sect, I will have to address you as senior brother!¡± Zhou Yi and Brother Zhang nodded in agreement, as having someone willing to take the lead was something they couldn¡¯t ask for more. They then discussed the details, such as the two official disciples naturally taking the lion¡¯s share, the specific proportions they would receive, how much of the profit needed to be shared with other recorded disciples involved in the matter, and urging Zhou Yi to speed up the creation of the formation gs. Array Masters are the rarest among the four arts of immortal cultivation, but there are also a few in the marketce. Since others are selling Mystifying Array gs at low prices, Dan Mountain can¡¯t well interfere. Zhou Yi promised, ¡°I already have a n for this matter.¡± After much pondering and finalizing the details, seeing that they were going to earn arge number of spirit stones, they naturally had reason to celebrate. Brother Liu, having someone to seed him, generously dered that he would settle the bill this time. His white hair didn¡¯t prevent him from being vigorous in his old age; mere mortals can still be radiant like pear blossoms outshining begonias, much less those who pursue the path of cultivation! Zhou Yi, after his dual cultivation, had slightly improved in mana, but he didn¡¯t forget the important matters, personally visiting to invite the four loose cultivator Array Masters avable in Dan Mountain Marketce. Among the four arts¡ªArray, Artifact, Alchemy, Talisman¡ªTalisman techniques are most prevalent, Alchemy and Artifact Refining are the most lucrative, and Array is the most difficult! Without a master¡¯s guidance, an Array Master would need to study for decades to barely grasp the basics. They can¡¯t see results as quickly as with Talisman Scripting, and they don¡¯t earn spirit stones as efficiently as Alchemy or Artifact Refining, only bearing a prestigious reputation. The four Array Masters, upon hearing that they could earn a significant amount of spirit stones, neither believing nor doubting, did not refuse the invitation to gather. Chapter 77: 77: Swearing to Heaven The next day. Phoenix Cry Pavilion. Zhou Yi had specially booked a private room. The four Loose Cultivator Array Masters arrived one after another, the youngest being around ny, while the oldest were over a hundred. "The reason I''ve invited everyone here today is to jointly make Spirit Stones!" Zhou Yi didn''t beat around the bush and directly exined the Mystifying Array and the marketce orders. The elder Array Master fell silent for a moment before saying, "This method isn''tplicated. I too have familiar friends. Aren''t you afraid of having our business undercut?" "Joining forces benefits both parties!" Zhou Yiughed, "If we startpeting with each other, it will only drive down the prices of the Formation gs. They''re all from the same sect, brothers of the same discipline. They won''t tear each other''s faces apart for a mere few Spirit Stones. In the end, it''s us who do the work that suffer the most!" Another Array Master asked, "At what price do you buy Formation gs?" Zhou Yi responded, "Five Spirit Stones. I also sell them to the Marketce at this price, but I''ll need you all to trouble yourselves with the instation." The elder Array Master curiously asked, "Why don''t you take the opportunity to make a margin?" "Making a margin would be doing business. As a junior, I''m not well-versed in our ways and would like to make friends with my elders!" Zhou Yi bowed in a circle, showing respect. Earning Spirit Stones was merely convenient; the key was to use this opportunity to build connections with Array Masters. Having cultivated for over twenty years in Xiao Dan Mountain, Zhou Yi had long realized that whether it was a sect, family, or individual, the inheritance of the four arts of cultivation was regarded as more precious than life itself, kept hidden and only taught to disciples and blood rtives. Zhou Yi expressed his understanding that a craft, the livelihood of generations, is not something that can be disclosed lightly. After a moment of silence in the private room, the elder Array Master bowed and said. "Master Zhu, I am Pang Hai. Please enlighten me further." "I am Wang Yue. I will visit tomorrow." "I am Liu Lai..." Whether tempted by a hefty amount of Spirit Stones or wishing to form a small circle of Array Masters, everyone shared their names and agreed to exchange knowledge of formations periodically in the future. "There is another matter¡ªwe need to agree on amon stance." Zhou Yi, having achieved his goal, smiled and said, "We can consider this work for the public''s benefit. When setting up each array, we must collect the full amount of Spirit Stones. Regardless of the excuse, we can''t dy or owe any amount!" "It should be so!" Instantly realizing the implication, if Xiao Dan Mountain dyed the settlement of Spirit Stones and something unpredictable happened to one''s life, the debt would vanish. Loose Cultivators were not naive enough to believe that upright sects were always principled! ... A monthter. The enforcement team imed to have not caught the Spirit Stone thief, issuing a merit-based task while reminding cultivators to keep one eye open during meditation. Loose Cultivators were immediately uproarious. The office opportunistically introduced an upgraded cave dwelling package. For the cost of eighty-eight Spirit Stones, one could gain the protection of the Mystifying Array, professionally and efficiently installed by a Marketce-certified Array Master at your doorstep! Upon hearing of this price, Zhou Yi suddenly felt a twinge of guilt. "Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One! I must meditate and discuss the path to rid myself of these inner demons!" ... In the western part of Xiao Dan Mountain, cave dwelling number 902. Zhou Yi donned a temporarily borrowed teal robe and knocked on the door, calling out loudly. "Is Master Xu at home? I am Zhu Gang, here to set up the Mystifying Array for you." A small hole opened on the door, and the cultivator with the surname Xu checked left and right for the absence of others before finally opening the door. "Master Zhu, pleasee in." Upon entering, Zhou Yi saw that the left and right wings of the house had already been torn down, and the courtyard was divided into four small fields, where Soul Condensation Flowers bloomed profusely. "No wonder you urged for the array to be set up so promptly. The Soul Condensation Flowers in this courtyard alone are worth at least three to four hundred Spirit Stones." Zhou Yi realized he had underestimated just how wealthy Loose Cultivators were. They appeared poor and destitute, hardly visiting Phoenix Cry Pavilion once in ten years, but in reality, each had a sizeable nest egg. After all, the slowest way to earn Spirit Stones was through farming, yet they could still save up a few dozen a year. With the Marketce seldom witnessingbat, saving for two to three decades could yield a fortune of over a thousand. Only Zhou Yi was truly poor! Having installed hundreds of formations already, Zhou Yi quickly inscribed the formation throughout the cave dwelling and activated the Mystifying Array with the Formation gs atst. The initially bright cave dwelling was now shrouded with wisps of mist, appearing indistinct from the outside. "Keep these Formation gs safe; they can only activate the Mystifying Array within the cave dwelling range." The Formation g was not a Magic Artifact or a Treasure Bead; it was closer to a spell charm but moreplex in design. To create the Mystifying Array g, Mystic Iron was used for the pole, Demon Beast Skin for the canvas, and dozens of formation inscriptions were engraved. The Xu-named cultivator had refined the Formation g with his mana, switching the formation on and off several times before nodding with satisfaction, "This formation is quite good." "If the formation sustains any damage, you can report it to the office for repairs, which will cost one Spirit Stone." Zhou Yi reminded him of the matters to pay attention to and was about to turn around and leave. Suddenly, the Xu-named cultivator spoke in a low voice, "Does this Mystifying Array have any vulnerabilities?" Zhou Yi shook his head, "You worry too much!" The Xu-named cultivator flicked his sleeve, and a Spirit Stone fell out, "Are you sure there are none?" "I swear on my Daoist heart, absolutely none!" Zhou Yi silently took the Spirit Stone and swore to the heavens. From then on. Zhou Yi was busy setting up formations every day, as many as seven or eight sets, and at least three to five sets. With additional ie, he averaged thirty Spirit Stones a day, roughly equivalent to a year''s ie from his spirit field. "Indeed, technology and monopoly are the ways to wealth!" After over two months of busy work, Zhou Yi had almost installed formations in all the caves. Initially, some Loose Cultivators resisted, but as their peers were all protected by formations and their own caves seemed overly simple inparison, they cursed the marketce for its greed while also grudgingly paying the Spirit Stones. After deducting costs, the profit was two thousand two hundred Spirit Stones. "Time to celebrate!" ... Phoenix Cry Pavilion. After the Dao discussions had ended, Zhou Yiy down on a soft couch to rest. Daopanion Ye Yuer hugged him from behind, her voice dreamy, whispering softly. "Master Zhu, let''s be Daopanions." Zhou Yi was so startled his eyes bulged; he subtly removed her hands, turned around, and asked. "Why bring this up all of a sudden?" "I heard recently that Master Zhu has made a few thousand Spirit Stones and could outright buy the cave," she said gently. Ye Yuer continued tenderly, "The Yin Yang Art that I cultivate can not only increase mana, but, once mastered, has remarkable effects in breaking through bottlenecks..." "Don''t talk like that!" Zhou Yi suddenly stood up from the bed, quickly put on his clothes, and sternly refused. "I can''t be selfish and dy the immortal path of other Daoists!" Having said that, his figure flickered and he directly jumped out the window, vanishing in the blink of an eye. Back in his courtyard. The amalgamation of yin and yang had not only failed tofort Zhou Yi but had instead made him irritable. "The news of possessing arge amount of Spirit Stones has spread throughout Xiaodan Mountain. Even the Daoists at Phoenix Cry Pavilion have strange ideas, not to mention the evil cultivators lurking in the dark. I must resolve this hidden threat!" After some contemtion, Zhou Yi had a n. ... Heavenly Craft Pavilion. The proprietor of this store knew a special Refining Tool Technique that could collect natural elements such as Heavenly Thunder and Earth Fire and condense them into Treasure Beads using a Secret Technique, hence the name Heavenly Craft. Once activated by mana, the sound of Heavenly Thunder would rumble, and its power was fearsome. Zhou Yi walked in boldly and directly asked the clerk. "How many Heavenly Thunder Pearls do you have now?" The clerk recognized Zhou Yi and respectfully said, "Master Zhu, we only have five at the moment. If you want more, you will have to wait for the owner to refine them." "I''ll take them all!" Zhou Yi took out five hundred Spirit Stones from his storage bag and exchanged them for five round, punch-sized, red and ck iron beads. The surface of the iron beads was inscribed with purple patterns, shing like thunder in the sky; holding them felt slightly ticklish, leaving one unsure if it was an electrical leak or just their nature. A low-grade Magic Artifact was roughly worth a hundred Spirit Stones, which in value wasparable to the single-use Heavenly Thunder Pearl, proving the pearl''s formidable power. Zhou Yi put three pearls into his storage bag and, holding two in his hand, spun them as if he were ying with iron balls between his fingers. He wandered through the trading area, greeting acquaintances he encountered. "How''s the business today, Daoist Sun?" Chapter 78: 78 Old Friends Visit With a worth of two thousand spirit stones, the Heavenly Thunder Pearl was enough for protection. Evil cultivators are not brainless plunderers; on the contrary, they are even more cautious than ordinary people, after all, one only has one life. They would rather kill a few more weak ones than fight to the death with those of the same level. Zhou Yi still felt it was not safe enough, visible deterrents must be in ce, but he also needed to prepare secret measures! A few dayster. Jade Law Pavilion. A sallow-faced man entered, towering at eight feet tall and walking with a strong gust. The shop assistant sensed the mana pressure, at least a mid-Qi Refinement realm cultivator, and hurriedly went up to greet him. "What does the guest need?" "Theplete set of Guiyuan Technique, Hundred Treasures Technique, Five Thunder Technique!" Zhou Yi stated his purpose directly, having frequented the marketce daily, he had already be familiar with the prices of cultivation techniques and took out the spirit stones from his bosom without hesitation. "Please wait a moment." The assistant rarely saw someone so generous, as most cultivators would haggle over every spirit stone. Once Zhou Yi received the spell jade slips and verified they wereplete and undamaged, he found a quiet ce to once again use the Art of Transformation. In the blink of an eye, he changed from a tall sallow-faced man into a short, plump, and simple-looking middle-aged man. The Art of Transformation only altered the appearance; mana and breath remained unchanged, so it could only be used to deceive strangers. Acquaintances would grow suspicious if they paid close attention. Of course, in the marketce, hardly anyone used their real name or appearance, so the familiar face known to acquaintances might not be the actual one. The Cultivation World is a dark forest where everyone lives with extreme caution! A momentter. The plump middle-aged man went to Hundred Refinements Workshop, buying two protective magic artifacts. An inferior defensive magic artifact, the Turtle Shell Shield, and the Mystic Iron Inner Armor, one for external and one for internal defense. The next morning, Zhou Yi transformed into a withered monk, holding iron prayer beads, and bought two magic artifacts. An inferior offensive magic artifact, the Gathering Heart Nail, fast and small, specialized in breaking through protective spells. A mid-grade auxiliary magic artifact, the Water Elemental Pearl, which upon activation, could rain down a clear spiritual water curtain, slightly increasing defense, effectively isting poison gas and evil miasma, and substantially improving Water Escape speed. In the evening, he finally acquired his first flying sword, a mid-grade magic artifact, the Five Elements Sword! All five magic artifacts were fine examples of their kind; Zhou Yi nitpicked to bargain, and just barely had thirty spirit stones left in his pocket. "Spirit stones really don''tst, I''ve be broke in the blink of an eye, but armed with these, I now have the means to protect myself in a spell fight!" Returning to his cave dwelling. Zhou Yi first memorized the Guiyuan Technique, a total of thirteenyers, which could be cultivated to the Great Perfection of Qi Refinement. At the ninthyer of Qi Refinement, one could attempt to break through to Foundation Establishment, but without the aid of Foundation Establishment Pills, the chance of sess was merely one in a hundred by forcing it. Failure meant the meridians werepletely severed, and the dantian shattered, with each additionalyer increasing the odds of sess. "Thirteenthyer of Qi Refinement, a four percent sess rate..." Zhou Yi shook his head, dismissing not just the mere four percent, even with a ny-nine percent sess rate, he would not gamble. He would rather spend hundreds of years topensate for the final one in a hundred. Hundred Treasures Technique, a spell for refining and controlling magic artifacts, upon mastery, allowed multiple artifacts to be controlled simultaneously. As the cultivator''s spirit grew, so did the number of artifacts they could control. "Day and night, I recited Master Qingwei''s Cultivation of the Spirit Theory; it has been over a hundred years. I wonder how much stronger my spirit ispared to my peers." Zhou Yi learned from Jade Law Pavilion that it was very rare for a loose Qi Refinement stage cultivator to control more than three magic artifacts at the same time with the Hundred Treasures Technique. Starting with the Turtle Shell Shield, he consecutively refined each magic artifact, finally refining the soul-fixing mirror. "Control!" Zhou Yi pped his storage bag, and five treasures burst out in a ze of glory. The fastest was the Gathering Heart Nail, silently piercing through the wall. The Five Elements Sword followed closely behind, unable to match the speed and stealth of the Gathering Heart Nail, releasing over a zhang of Sword Qi. The Turtle Shell Shield expanded to the size of a millstone, floating in front of Zhou Yi. The Mystic Iron Inner Armor, worn close to the body, shone with a protective golden light. The Water Elemental Pearl hung overhead, casting down a deep blue water curtain. "Fast!" Zhou Yi exhaled, releasing the Mountain and River Cauldron which swelled to over one man tall in the wind. Over the years, due to the incorporation of vast amounts of Mystic Iron and Purple Copper, its surface took on a purple and ck hue, conveying a deep and steady presence. The Soul-Settling Mirror flew out from the Mountain and River Cauldron, casting a dazzling beam of light. "With seven magic artifacts, even without counting the Mountain and River Cauldron, I can simultaneously control six. Cultivation of the Spirit Theory is stronger than I expected, of course, a hundred years of cultivation is even more important!" Zhou Yi''s face showed delight as he waved his hand, the Soul-Setting Mirror fell back into the Mountain and River Cauldron, both settling in the Dantian to be nourished. The Five Elements Sword and other artifacts flew back into his storage bag, the Mystic Iron Inner Armor was worn on his body, and the Gathering Heart Nail burrowed into his sleeve. For a cultivator, having a magic artifact is like amon person being equipped with firearms, acting quickly and striking powerfully. Spells were hard topare with, as their casting had a lead time and their power fell short, with the only benefit being their affordability! "However, I cannot give up on spells. With endless time at my disposal, perhaps it is possible to cultivate spells to instant use." "To spread dozens or hundreds of spells with a wave of my hand, that scene must be quite a sight!" Zhou Yi took out the Five Thunder Technique and started toprehend it from the beginning. The Lightning Method is extremely masculine and rigid, dealing massive damage to evil demons and heretics, and is the preferred method of confrontation for orthodox cultivators. ... Several monthster. Themotion of the spirit stone theft had long since dissipated. Perhaps hiding away to cultivate, or having left for other marketces, Cultivation World is vast and boundless, and Xiaodan Mountain is just an inconspicuous spot. That day. Zhou Yi had strolled around the trading district twice and was getting ready to return to his spell practice. A familiar voice called from behind him, "Zhu, fellow daoist, please stay your steps!" "..." Zhou Yi pretended not to hear, his feet slick as he executed Qinggong, his figure flickering and disappearing without a trace. It was said that there are three phrases in this world that one should never agree to, with "fellow daoist, please stay your steps" ranking at the very top. The consequences are grave, instilling fear upon hearing them. Just when he thought he had returned to his abode, calls came from outside again. "Zhu, fellow daoist, it is I, Old Hu!" Zhou Yi looked through the Mystifying Array and recognized the visitor''s appearance; it was Daoist Hu, whom he hadn''t seen in more than a decade. Daoist Hu was dressed in a clean and neat, brand new dark blue Daoist robe with a purple-red gourd embroidered on the chest, his only unchanged feature being his tworge front teeth. "Old Hu, long time no see. What brings you to me?" Daoist Hu said, "Hu has arranged a banquet at Phoenix Cry Pavilion. How about we eat and chat?" Zhou Yi hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement. Since Ye Yuer had spoken some crazed words about bing daoistpanions, which frightened him enough to never visit again, hearing of it now made him quite miss the delicious spiritual delicacies of the pavilion. As long as I avoid anything to do with Dual Cultivation, all will be well! ... Phoenix Cry Pavilion. Daoist Hu ordered a full table of dishes and took out a bottle of Red Rainbow Spirit Wine from his storage bag. Zhou Yi''s nose twitched slightly, and he smiled and said, "No less than a fifty-year vintage, giving such a gift muste with a request. Old Hu, state your business first!" Spiritual Wine is different from ordinary fine wines; older vintages only taste better without much difference in mana enhancementpared to new wines. In fact, few vintages exceed a hundred years. "It''s a long story, and I''ve been fortunate¡­" Daoist Hu unexpectedly discovered a spiritualnd more than a decade ago. Spanning five to six acres, the concentration of Spiritual Energy wasparable to that on the outskirts of the marketce. So, he sold batches of Spiritual Wine and purchased arge amount of Spirit Rice and seeds for Spiritual Medicine, moving some of his n''s people into the spiritualnd to live, establishing a cultivator n. Zhou Yi congratted with sped hands, "Congrattions, congrattions, from now on I must address you as n Leader Hu!" "The n only has two or three cultivators; I''m hardly a n leader." Although Daoist Hu said this, his face betrayed his pride. "These years of cultivating Spirit Rice and Spiritual Medicine have earned quite a few Spirit Stones. I''ve started thinking about extending the n''s legacy." "First and foremost, we need a protective Formation to prevent attacks from malevolent cultivators in the future. That''s why I thought of asking you toy down a Formation, and there will be ample reward!" Zhou Yi understood Daoist Hu''s intention and firmly declined, "If my fellow daoist asks me to leave Xiaodan Mountain, such a thing is absolutely impossible." Who knows the truth in Daoist Hu''s words? They only had some business dealings, and if it was a trick to lure him out, where seven or eight burly men wielding flying swords could jump out and ambush him, wouldn''t that be walking into a trap? Even if Daoist Hu wasn''t lying, and Zhou Yi went to set up the formation, knowing the location of the spiritualnd, would he be able toe back alive? Zhou Yi had long made up his mind that unless a major crisis arose, he would not leave Xiaodan Mountain for hundreds or even thousands of years. Chapter 79: 79 Discussing the Tao While Sitting "I must admit to you, I''ve sought the aid of several other array masters, but to no avail," said Hu Daoren with a bitter expression. The Hu family''s business was of significant repute, and now the safety of their spiritualnd was the top priority. Spiritualnd is the foundation of a family; without a formation to conceal and protect it, the consequences would be dire should malevolent cultivators discover it. Zhou Yi''s mind stirred, and he said, "I do have a method, but it depends on whether you are willing to part with something." Hu Daoren quickly asked, "Please, fellow Daoist, do tell." Zhou Yi said, "I propose to exchange my formation heritage for your recipe of Red Rainbow Wine¡ªhow about it?" The "Introduction to Array Paths" is part of aplete transmission of the four arts, and ites with three formations. Its theoretical value far exceeds that of the spiritual wine recipe. However, spiritual wine has a wide range of uses, can increase cultivation, and can continuously earn spirit stones, making its practical value much higher. Considering both sides, Zhou Yi still stands to lose out on this deal. Hu Daoren understood the implications and, feeling tempted, asked, "Fellow Daoist Zhu, how many formations does your transmission contain?" "Two. You''re already familiar with the Mystifying Array, and there''s also a Minor Five Elements Array. Once set, the five elements circte, and any Qi Refinement cultivator trapped within it is doomed!" Ever since Zhou Yi had read the True Monarch''s notes, he kept the topic of Spirit Gathering Arrays to himself, pondering over it in private. "It''s a deal!" Hu Daoren quickly agreed, bowing deeply as he said, "Fellow Daoist Zhu''s generosity will not be forgotten by Hu. I will surely repay this kindness in the future." "We each get what we need." Zhou Yi had seen too many promises in the heavenly prison, with few willing to keep their word, automatically treating such statements as mere formalities. Both took out their inheritance jade slips, swearing with their Dao hearts that the transmission wasplete and would never be shared with a third party. With the transactionplete, both parties were pleased. ... Zhou Yi purchased a batch of ingredients ording to the spiritual wine recipe. Items such as Spiritual Spring water, distiller''s grains, and jade wine jars weremon necessities for most spiritual wines, hence reasonable in price. The core ingredient, Fire Spirit Ganoderma, required a minimum of ten years'' worth and cost two spirit stones for enough to brew five jars of wine. "A jar of Red Rainbow costs about half a spirit stone to make, while Old Hu sells his new wine for two spirit stones. Even with a fifty percent loss, the profit margin is quite staggering. Perhaps I didn''t lose out as much in this deal as I thought?" Zhou Yi only managed to find one piece of Fire Spirit Ganoderma in the trading area, despite going through it twice. "Fire Spirit Ganoderma isn''t like Spiritual Medicine such as the Cultivation-boosting Herb that can be grown in any spiritualnd. It requires rich fire spirit energy, which is why it''s scarce in the market, indirectly restricting the production of Red Rainbow Spirit Wine!" Zhou Yi wasn''t bothered by this, as obtaining more cultivation inheritances was far more valuable than an immediate gain in spirit stones. Centuriester, the Hu family might no longer exist, yet the Red Rainbow Spirit Wine would still be earning spirit stones for Zhou Yi. Returning to his cave abode. Zhou Yi followed the spiritual wine recipe, putting the various spiritual objects into the jade wine jar, pulverizing and mixing them with his mana. He buried the mix three zhang underground, and it would be ready to drink after fermenting for a month. "ording to Old Hu, brewing spiritual wine is much simpler than alchemy. Even a novice can sessfully brew two or three jugs out of ten; the difference with a seasoned brewer lies in the taste," he thought. Zhou Yi wasn''t in a rush, nning to refine the vor over time. Even if all attempts failed, he would only lose two or three spirit stones at most. The spirit stones he had saved up recently were enough for over a dozen more brewing sessions. The days that followed became routine. He tended to the spiritual medicines, irrigated the spiritual fields, mastered the magic artifact, contemted the Thunder Arts, and sat in meditation for Qi Cultivation... His days were very fulfilling! At the end of each ten-day period, he gathered with other array masters to exchange experiences. In the beginning, the four array masters were reserved, keeping the finer points of the Array Dao they hadprehended to themselves. Zhou Yi led by sharing his insights from over a hundred years of studying "Introduction to Array Paths," revealing much exclusive knowledge. The four array masters had revtions after listening and began to discuss based on Zhou Yi''s array insights. This discussion was genuine: they sifted out what was useful, discarded falsehoods, embraced truths, and simplifiedplexities... Naturally, there were arguments¡ªwith each side asserting they were correct. They started setting up formations to verify their ideas, resulting in rity through debate. In just three years, Zhou Yi and his fellow Daoists made more progress in their array experience than he had in thirty years of solitary study. Now, without Zhou Yi''s invitation, everyone eagerly gathered at the end of each ten-day period to share their knowledge of array mastery. When discussions became spirited, they''d go on for three days and nights without rest. On such asions, Zhou Yi would bring out the Red Rainbow Wine and, toozy to pour it into bowls, everyone would just tilt their jars and guzzle it down. "Exhrating! Only in such a manner does one truly seek the path of immortality," he eximed. "Fellow Daoist Zhu''s magnanimity is beyond me," confessed the old array master Pang Hai. Hearing this, Pang Hai eximed, "I''ve painstakingly studied the Array Dao for over seventy years, always hoarding it like a treasure, fearful that others might learn and steal my secrets, doing everything I could to keep it hidden!" "Indeed, indeed!" Wang Yue and others nodded in agreement, full of admiration for Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi couldn''t help feeling ashamed, as he was not a person of broad-mindedness, but rather somewhat vengeful. This approach was just to scheme for the inheritance of an Array Master. Unlike the urgency of ordinary cultivators, Zhou Yi could afford to spend ten years or even decades to be close friends with a few individuals. During the process of exchanging and discussing the Dao, he would naturally achieve his goal. The means were not very clever, merely extending the time invested. In a few years after sending those few people away, having been good friends for a lifetime, perhaps it would no longer count as scheming and deception. "If it''s within my power in the future, I''ll take care of... huh?" Zhou Yi silently prayed to the Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One and immediately suppressed the dangerous thought. With an endless lifespan, today someone asks for care, tomorrow another, theoretically there would be countless people in need of care! ... The central region. Dwelling Number 475. Zhou Yi had repaired the Mystifying Array and repeatedly cautioned the old man. "Senior, when practicing spells, it''s best to find a spacious ce. The damage this time was somewhat severe." "I will remember, I''ll be more careful next time." The elder was well-versed in the ways of the world, not arrogant despite being in theter stages of Qi Cultivation, and after paying the Spirit Stones for repairs, he said while holding a basket of spirit peaches. "These spirit peaches are a rare variety and taste exceptionally fresh. Junior Zhu, you should try them." Upon entering, Zhou Yi noticed the robust peach tree in the courtyard, whose lush canopy shaded an area of more than ten zhang. "I would be rude to refuse!" Zhou Yi took the spirit peaches and left, not bothering to investigate the cause of the array''s damage. Perhaps it was indeed a careless mistake in spell practice, or maybe an exploration of the array''s principles¡ªit didn''t concern him much. After all, the more it broke, the more Zhou Yi earned. The entire Mystifying Array cost no more than one Spirit Stone to construct, most of that cost concentrated on the Formation gs, while the damaged patterns had almost no cost. During the repairs, Zhou Yi deliberately took an extra hour or two, making it seem both time-consuming andborious, to avoid creating resentment. Since the limited number of Loose Cultivator Array Masters in Little Dan Mountain formed a group, even if someone suspected overcharging, first, there was no way to verify it, and second, even if verified, there was no way to change it. Mere discussion wouldn''t foster close bonds in just three years. It was the joint monopoly over the maintenance of thousands of formations by the five that was the true core of interest. Zhou Yi was no longer the youth he once was¡ªhis blood still ran warm, but his actions had be increasingly subtle and shrewd. "I''m still that same..." Humming a strange tune, he returned to the office and reportedpletion of the task. Zhou Yi was now a temporary worker at the Dan Mountain Market, without a background or official position. Someone woulde to the office to report damage to the Mystifying Array, and he would go to repair it. Just as he was about to return to his dwelling for cultivation, he heard Brother Liu calling out to him. "Junior Brother Zhu, I was just about to look for you." "Brother Liu, what advice do you have for me?" Zhou Yi noticed a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy in white standing behind Brother Liu. Brother Liu introduced him, saying, "This is a young rtive from my n, named Liu Heng, who hase to meet you, Uncle Zhu." Liu Heng bowed deeply and said, "Junior Liu Heng pays respect to Uncle Zhu." "No need for such formalities." Zhou Yi said in a low voice, "Brother Liu, you seem to be in high spirits. Has that matter been settled?" "I can''t hide anything from Junior Brother Zhu." Brother Liu nodded and said, "The spot has been secured, just waiting to receive the disciple''s robe and to be recorded in the sect''s register." "Congrattions, congrattions!" Not knowing the temperament of Liu Heng, Zhou Yi spoke with a smile, "We will each speak of our own matters, in ordance with the rules of the Market, so as not to invite idle talk." "Uncle, you''re too kind." Liu Heng said respectfully, "I have long admired Uncle Zhu''s reputation as an array master, and I hope to visit and learn from you in the future, Uncle, if you would be willing to offer guidance." "You''re wee, you''re wee." Zhou Yi''s eyes shed with surprise, seeing the young man''sck ofpetitive spirit at such a young age¡ªhe had the temperament to live a long life. "I was just saying, your Uncle Zhu won''t be stingy with his knowledge. Don''t miss the chance to learn, but also don''t let the study of formations dy your Qi Cultivation." Brother Liu had tutored the younger generation before and continued to say, "Junior Brother, there''s another matter that I need to trouble you with. I''m getting on in years and nning to return to the secr world to await my final days. I''ll need you to take over the duties of the office." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, agreeing to the request. It was a mutually beneficial exchange, but framed more tactfully given their rtionship of more than twenty years. "So, does this mean I''m back on staff?" Chapter 80: 80: Ancient Cultivation Technique The position at the Dan Mountain Market Office was seen by those at the lowest rungs of loose cultivators as a dream far out of reach. Of course, those loose cultivators who had hope of making it to the Foundation Establishment wouldn''t waste their lifespans on tedious official duties. "All the better, so as not topete with cultivators in thetter stages of Qi Refinement!" Zhou Yi had "unintentionally" revealed to Brother Liu that he had a five-spirit root talent and that he was over seventy years old. Brother Liu suddenly realized why Junior Brother Zhu favored the Phoenix Cry Pavilion, evidently seeing that his path to advancement was blocked, he had decided to indulge in pleasure after adopting a more carefree outlook. The handover of work was swift and simple. In the past two years, Zhou Yi had been responsible for maintaining formations and had earned a substantial amount of spirit stones; he frequently treated others to meals and drinks, and he was already well acquainted with the office staff, so there was no one making things difficult now that he was a colleague. A counter, a chair, sitting down meant a whole day passed. The turnover of personnel in the Cultivation World was low, and it wasn''t unusual to see no onee to collect their cave dwelling or spirit field for three to five days, not to mention there were four other colleagues at the counters. Zhou Yi shared and ate the spirit peaches with his colleagues, enjoying their sweet, crisp vor and the strands of refreshing spiritual energy within the fruit flesh. It was only after some casual conversation that he learned why there were so many people in reception. When the Dan Mountain Market was first established, many loose cultivators visited daily, which led to the arrangement of five counter positions; this tradition had continued to this day, with no one proposing its abolition. Would they expect the bigshots'' trusted confidants or family members to toil away, maintaining formations? His shift ended. Zhou Yi smiled and said, "As a neer, I have arranged for wine at Phoenix Cry Pavilion, let''s go together to celebrate." "Junior Brother Zhu can hardly be considered a neer." "Let''s go, let''s go!" ¡­ The end of the month arrived in the blink of an eye. Bored, Zhou Yi sat behind the counter, flipping through a newly borrowed cultivator''s storybook. "Tsk, tsk! The protagonist of this storybook is interesting, with terrible talent and luck, yet he actually manages to ascend to immortality by relying on the method of dual cultivation and connecting with three thousand partners¡ªa real climb from rock bottom!" "The cultivator who wrote this must have gone to quite some lengths to collect such detailed descriptions¡­" Zhou Yi was pondering whether to try out the protagonist''s method from the storybook; perhaps it could rapidly enhance his mana. At that moment, A voice reached his ears: "Senior, is this where one collects cave dwellings and spirit fields?" Zhou Yi looked up and saw a simple-looking youth standing before him, dressed in coarse linen, his skin dark and cracked. He tried to lower his voice when speaking, but could not conceal its roughness. Was this chap really a cultivator? The most destitute cultivator Zhou Yi had ever met lived in luxurypared tomoners; suppressing his suspicions, he smiled and asked. "Hand me your identity que. Do you know how to carry out the Spiritual Rain Technique, or cultivate spiritual medicine?" The youth respectfully handed over the que: "I don''t know any spells, I only know how to farm." Zhou Yi checked the identity que; the name was Xiao Tiezhu, though he was somewhat skeptical whether it was the youth''s real name. He took out a map and pointed to a green area. "Six pecks of rent per mu, how many mu do you n to rent?" "I''ll rent three mu to start." Xiao Tiezhu didn''t dare to be picky and just pointed to somend on the east side. "That''s fine, cave dwelling number 307." Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow but did not make things difficult for the youth by insisting he change cave dwellings; he entered the information into the token and handed it over with the jade slip for the Spiritual Rain Technique. "Thank you, senior!" Xiao Tiezhu bowed repeatedly in thanks, leaving the office gleefully. Zhou Yi continued to peruse the storybook, contemting his grand n to ascend to immortality. Before his shift ended, The office distributed the sry¡ªa total of ten spirit stones, which equated to a yearly sry of one hundred and twenty. Zhou Yi was about to return to his cave dwelling when his colleague Luo Xun called out to him. "Zhu Daoist Brother, there''s a gathering on the upper floor today. If there''s nothing else, shall we go take a look?" It was only after his colleague''s exnation that Zhou Yi understood why only the bottom two floors of the six-storey office were open. Originally, the marketce had only built four floors; after consulting with the Commander, two more were added. The sixth floor was Commander Ling''s domain at the office, a ce one might not see once in three or five years. The fifth floor had a few named disciples who actually managed the office, and even they were often gone for months at a time. After all, in the Cultivation World, strength was the true path. Anyone who had the chance to break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage wouldn''t want to be mired in mundane management. The third and fourth floors were used for colleagues to trade with each other, with the third floor hosting a monthly gathering and the fourth floor hosting an annual one. "Indeed, the benefits of joining an organization aren''t just improving status and making money, but also expanding one''s social circle!" Zhou Yi vaguely remembered his senior Brother Liu mentioning this, but his identity had always been restricted; Loose Cultivators could not enter. To put it bluntly, it was hard to trust a Loose Cultivator who had no attachments and even had a fake name and appearance. Now that Zhou Yi had a position in the office, he had a bit of Dan Mountain backing him¡ªat least he wouldn''t turn into an evil cultivator who killed for a few hundred Spirit Stones! He ascended to the third floor. At the entrance, there were Formation and Prohibition, and Zhou Yi could only enter after swiping his Identity que. The inside was not veryrge,parable to the second floor office, with most cultivators casually setting up stalls to sell things or putting up wooden signs to buy goods. The number of people was notrge, and it was very quiet, with those haggling pricesmunicating through transmitting messages to each other. Zhou Yi walked around slowly, and after two rounds, he found that the quality of the Spiritual Objects was much better than that of the store goods, and there were no counterfeit stall goods. The cultivators conducting transactions here were all serving minor Dan Mountain duties, and it would be terribly face-losing to be caught peddling fake goods for a few dozen Spirit Stones! Luo Xun said, "Zhu Daoist Brother, how do you feel about it?" "Very good," Zhou Yi replied. Zhou Yi pointed to an old man in the southeast corner and asked through transmitted message, "Who is that Daoist Brother, and is that ancient Cultivation Technique he speaks of real?" "Haha, indeed, everyone whoes here will ask about that." Luo Xunughed and exined, "The ancient Cultivation Technique is indeed real, but as Zhu Daoist Brother should also know, not everything from ancient times is necessarily good. Times change, and that Cultivation Technique is but a mere trifle." Interest piqued, Zhou Yi asked, "How so?" In ancient texts, the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth was recorded as being extremely dense, so dense that it could even condense into Spirit Crystals out of thin air, something that the Spirit Stones nurtured in the Spirit Veins couldn''tpare to. Such a superior environment for cultivating immortals resulted in the world being full of powerful beings, aptly described as Divinity Transformation everywhere and Nascent Souls being asmon as dogs. Therefore, treasures and Divine Skills passed down from ancient times are famous for their power, and any appearance of ancient inheritances would incite countless cultivators to fight to the death over them. "Firstly, that particr Cultivation Technique is an iplete text; at most it could be cultivated until one reaches Qi Refinement Realm perfection," Luo Xun exined. "Secondly, that Cultivation Technique is a time-consuming and effort-intensive Body Cultivation method. Although once fully mastered, the practitioner will be quite powerful, the time required is extremely long, and the resources needed are immense¡ªit''s quite the trifle, isn''t it?" Zhou Yi''s eyes brightened, tactically ignoring the aspect of time, and he hastily inquired. "How many Spirit Stones is it being sold for?" Luo Xun wasn''t surprised by the question. Many cultivators, upon hearing about an ancient Cultivation Technique, couldn''t help but want to try it even if they knew it was hardly worth it. "A hundred Spirit Stones. Senior Brother Li is close to gathering enough for a Foundation Establishment Pill by selling this thing!" "..." Zhou Yi understood Luo Xun''s reminder, but a hundred Spirit Stones was truly cheap. If he lost out, then so be it. Other cultivators who bought the ancient Cultivation Technique likely thought the same, with few truly believing they were chosen by destiny! After exchanging a few messages with Li, the stall-keeping Senior Brother, making an oath with his Daoist heart not to spread the technique, and paying the Spirit Stones, Zhou Yi obtained the jade slip. Not interested in the other stalls, Zhou Yi bid farewell to Luo Xun, nning to set up a sign next time to buy Fire Spirit Ganoderma. His shift ended. Zhou Yi first went to water the spirit fields and saw Xiao Tiezhu weeding and tilling the soil; he paid him no mind and returned to his cave dwelling. He examined the jade slip and at the beginning was the name of the ancient Cultivation Technique. Divine Bull Transformation! Chapter 81: 81 Deep Affection Between Spouses "The ancient Cultivation Technique is indeed different from the current paths!" Zhou Yi had thoroughly read the whole Cultivation Technique and had a clear understanding of the Divine Bull Transformation. This fragment of an unnamed ancient Cultivation Technique, ording to Brother Li''s research and verification,es from at least a hundred thousand years ago. Once it is cultivated to its full potential, one can disy their bloodline talent, transforming into a giant strength divine bull, hence it was named Divine Bull Transformation. "Bloodline talent, turning into a divine bull, why does it sound somewhat demonic?" Zhou Yi reviewed the notes following it, perhaps out of a guilty conscience, Brother Li had freely shared decades of cultivation experience. "The innate Spell can be controlled at will, its power much greater than ordinary mana, and in theter stages of Qi Refinement, one can escape from the hands of a Foundation Establishment cultivator... Thank goodness it''s not about defeating opponents above one''s level, otherwise, I''d have toin about being scammed!" "It''s not a transformation from human to demon, it won''t affect the mana in the Dantian, it''s more like the legendary physical Divine Skills!" Zhou Yi pondered for a moment and decided to start cultivating it to see. There were quite a few in Little Dan Mountain who practiced the Divine Bull Transformation without any issues, the only problem was that it took too long to fully master it, including Brother Li, everyone gave up halfway. The next day. Zhou Yi set up a wooden sign on the counter. ¡ª¡ª Will pay a high price for Qi Refinement Realm bull demon''s essence blood! This was an essential item for cultivating the Divine Bull Transformation, integrating the bull demon''s essence blood within one''s body, and refining it continuously until full mastery of the technique. "The ancient Cultivation Technique is quite crude, not nearly as finely divided into realms as contemporary practices, without the likes of minor bottlenecks, perfectly suited for my cultivation!" After Zhou Yi broke through to the fourthyer of the Qi Refinement Realm, the growth of his mana became very slow, he silently calcted the time required to reach theter stages of Qi Refinement, it was likely to oust generations of cultivators in the marketce. As for ousting Little Dan Mountain, that''s also uncertain! Colleagues who saw Zhou Yi''s sign immediately found amon topic, beginning to discuss who in the marketce was cultivating the Divine Bull Transformation. Among them were official disciples with dual Spirit Roots, offsprings of wealthy and powerful cultivators, and those who fancied themselves as lucky, chosen by fate, the results naturally ended in failure and oblivion. Not to speak of the wasted Spirit Stones, squandering over a dozen years of lifespan had a profound impact on a cultivator''s path. "I''m not aiming to be a true immortal, a little cultivation will significantly improve my physique, and I might live a few more years in the future." Zhou Yi found a casual excuse, and to his surprise, his colleagues believed him, taking out their dusty Divine Bull Transformation techniques from the bottom of their chests, trying to continue cultivating it. "No wonder Brother Li could afford a Foundation Establishment Pill, turns out they all bought it!" A day of leisure. After finishing his shift, Zhou Yi went to the Spirit Fields, casting the Spiritual Rain Technique. After breaking through the fourthyer of Qi Refinement, the range of the Spiritual Rain vastly increased, and the mana within his body was enough to support casting it more than ten times. The three mu of Spirit Fields were quickly irrigated, just then he happened to see the neighbor''s family sowing seeds. Xiao Tiezhu had observed Zhou Yi''s Spirit Fields carefully, nting one every zhang, growing very vigorously; thus, he also sowed at a simr distance. "Kid, only thirty percent of your Spirit Rice seeds will sprout." A voice reached Xiao Tiezhu''s ears, and when he looked up, he saw Zhou Yi already walking away. "Thank you, senior, for the guidance." ¡­ Spring went and autumn came, time flew by like an arrow. That day. Zhou Yi epted a job to repair a Formation and made his way to the central region. The location was rather remote, situated on the shady side of a small hillock. Spirit Rice, having a wood attribute, thrives in sunlight, with few cultivators nting on the shaded side of hills. Zhou Yi arrived outside the 702 cave dwelling, clearly sensing the Yin Sha, and subconsciously activated his Mysterious Armor Shield, his right hand primed on the Heavenly Thunder Pearl, while the Gathering Heart Nail in his sleeve was ready to beunched. "Brother Leng, are you there? This poor Daoist hase to repair the Formation." Creak! The door of the cave dwelling opened, and a wave of chilling Yin Sha hit him in the face. Zhou Yi raised the Water Elemental Pearl above his head, causing a deep blue waterfall to fall, blocking the Yin Sha outside, while the boots on his feet glinted with light, propelling him back more than twenty zhang. A grey-robed Taoist came out from the door, slightly startled at the scene, he sped his hands and said. "I am Leng Yun, my wife identally destroyed the Mystifying Array, I must trouble my fellow Daoist to repair it." Zhou Yi pretended to check his storage bag and said helplessly, "I have run out of materials to set up the formation. I''ll have to go back to get more. Leng Daoist can just wait at home." Before he had finished speaking, he was already a hundred yards away. Leng Yun''s breath was strong and far surpassed the severalte-stage Qi Refinement cultivators Zhou Yi had met. He did not want to bet on whether Leng Yun was a good person! ... Back at the office. Zhou Yi let down his guard slightly and inquired about Leng Yun''s background with Luo Xun. Luo Xun said, "Brother Leng is proficient in refining corpses. It''s normal for him to emit some Yin energy because of the influence of the Yin Sha from refining corpses." Zhou Yi frowned slightly, "Can such heretical practices also take ce in Dan Mountain Market?" If Dan Mountain Market condones corpse-refining evil cultivators, it''s time to consider finding another ce for cultivation. Now Zhou Yi was no longer a novice in the Cultivation World; he knew the locations of several Dan Cauldron Sect marketces on Cloud Continent. Things like inheritance, organization, and connections were, in Zhou Yi''s eyes, less important than safety. "Brother Leng only has one corpse that he refined, and he never uses it to fight or kill." Luo Xun knew quite a bit about Leng Yun and continued, "That corpse is his mortal wife, who was killed by his enemies as revenge. Brother Leng refined her into a zombie in hopes that she could regain consciousness someday." "This..." Zhou Yi frowned slightly: "If a zombie gains consciousness, isn''t it a different person then?" Luo Xun shrugged his shoulders: "Who knows? That zombie is indeed mysterious. It bes calm when it sees Brother Leng. If not for the death energy, it would be like a quiet living person." Zhou Yi had read many books, but he had nevere across such records. He wondered, "Can the executive immortals really allow this?" Luo Xun spoke softly, "Xuan Lin, the True Person, said that with such deep feelings between husband and wife, who would object?" "So that''s how it is." Zhou Yi suddenly understood; living reclusively with the protection of a True Person, Leng Yun''s nurturing of a refined corpse would not be an issue. Luo Xun added, "I also approve of this matter. Brother Leng has concerns, which makes him more worthy of deep interaction. A person with no attachments can also be heartless and ruthless!" "Makes sense." Zhou Yi could tell that Luo Xun was hinting at him, not criticizing or using. Unfortunately, Zhou Yi was destined to be without attachments, but that didn''t mean he was heartless or ruthless. He was eager to act chivalrously when encountering things he couldn''t ignore, as long as it didn''t affect his own safety. Afterpleting his shift. Zhou Yi went to the spirit fields and found Xiao Tiezhu waiting there. Xiao Tiezhu said respectfully, "Thank you, senior, for your guidance. I can''t repay you, so I offer these Five Dou of Spiritual Rice." Zhou Yi smiled and said, "With your output, you could at best have two or three dou left over. Giving me five dou, wouldn''t you be unable to pay your residence''s debt?" "How can I not repay you for teaching me how to farm?" Xiao Tiezhu insisted on offering the Spirit Rice, adding, "I''ve registered to go up the mountain to mine, and incidentally, I can use the Spiritual Energy to improve my cultivation." Zhou Yi became interested upon hearing this and put the Spirit Rice into his storage bag while chatting casually with Xiao Tiezhu in the field. "How did you embark on the path of cultivation?" Xiao Tiezhu was a forthright person, not yet exposed to the treacherous world of cultivation, and he felt that Zhou Yi had treated him well, so he spoke frankly about his own origins. "I''m from Lean Mountain Vige..." Lean Mountain Vige was at the edge of Cloud Mountain. Xiao Tiezhu had lost his parents at a young age and survived by begging from different households. As an adult, he opened up wastnd to farm and barely managed to keep himself fed. Ten years ago. Xiao Tiezhu was chopping wood on the mountain and stumbled upon a severely injured Taoist on the verge of death. The Taoist, knowing his life was about to end, found that Xiao Tiezhu had a Spirit Root, thus passed on an Immortal Technique to him. He told him toe to Dan Mountain Market after reaching the second level of Qi Refinement. "This experience, it seems like I''ve seen it a few days ago!" Zhou Yi thought back to the characters in the storybook, which more or less matched Xiao Tiezhu''s experiences. Chapter 82: 82 The Origin of Devouring Heaven "The vast expanse of Cloud Continent, with a poption in the hundreds of millions, having one or two simr individuals is quite normal." Zhou Yi consoled himself with this thought. ording to the routines in storybooks, the peaceful and serene Cultivation World would be chaotic with the emergence of the main character. After over twenty years of managing Little Dan Mountain, Zhou Yi could now be said to be safe and worry-free, with wealth, cultivation technique, andnd all at hand; he simply needed to bide his time to improve his cultivation. Change identities every hundred to ten years, and after three to five iterations, he was sure to achieve the perfection of Qi Refinement. With that in mind, Zhou Yi put back the Spirit Rice and earnestly advised, "Your cultivation is too low; you shouldn''t mine for now. At least wait until theter stages of Qi Refinement." "I''ll never forget this great kindness, senior!" Xiao Tiezhu, with tear-filled eyes, felt that there were truly many good people in the Cultivation World, contrary to the harrowing and dangerous world his master had described. Zhou Yi repeatedly reminded Xiao Tiezhu to patiently cultivate. Seeing him nod in agreement time after time, Zhou Yi finally set his mind at ease. He returned to his cave dwelling. There was a figure standing at the entrance, none other than Liu Heng, who hade to seek instruction in the Array Dao. "Greetings, Master Zhu!" "I''ve said before, do not be so formal. We can either address each other as fellow disciples or as uncle and nephew." Zhou Yi smiled and waved his hand, forming a spell to open the cave dwelling''s formation. The medicinal herbs inside the cave dwelling were thriving. While Zhou Yi tended to the herb garden, he exined the ways of formation to Liu Heng. About two hourster. Having listened to the lesson beside the herb garden, Liu Heng couldn''t help but ask, "Uncle Master, with your profound understanding of the Array Dao, you should be focused on studying it. Why do you still take such pleasure in farming?" "It''s to remind myself never to forget my original aspiration." Zhou Yi believed that farming was no less important than the four arts of cultivation, a heritage tracing back to ancient times, one that would not vanish in thousands or even tens of thousands of years toe. Even if the world underwent drastic changes, farming would remain unchanged, only the seeds might be different. ... The next day. Zhou Yi was on duty at the office when he noticed someone waiting at the counter. Devoted to corpse refining, Leng Yun! "Greetings, Senior Brother Leng." Zhou Yi wore an indifferent expression, unwilling to have much interaction with Leng Yun. Although Leng Yun''s deep affection for his wife was admirable, strange and entric individuals often spelled trouble, which did not align with Zhou Yi''s desire for stability. Leng Yun did not leverage his strength to be domineering, instead, he bowed deeply and said, "I apologize for startling Master Zhu yesterday, Leng hase to apologize first." Zhou Yi turned to the side and said, "Those who give courtesy to others often have a request in mind. Senior Brother Leng, just speak directly." Leng Yun said, "I heard from Daoist Pang that Master Zhu can set up a Minor Five Elements Formation, whose defensive power is astounding both inside and out?" "That is indeed the case." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, "I''ve only thoroughlyprehended it, but due to the expensive materials needed for the formation, I have not yet set one up." Leng Yun said, "I will purchase the materials for the formation. Could I prepare three sets and request Master Zhu to take action?" Zhou Yi silently calcted; three sets of materials should be manageable, and even if all failed, he couldpensate with Spirit Stones, and obtaining the experience in setting up formations would be worthwhile. "It is possible, with an additional fee of five hundred Spirit Stones!" Leng Yun hesitated for a moment and then said, "Recently, my wife has advanced to the stage of Copper Corpse, requiring arge purchase of Monster Beast Flesh. Buying materials for the formation has left me short on Spirit Stones. Could I use a spell to cover the debt?" "Let''s have a look first." Zhou Yi was quite curious; what level of spell could be worth five hundred Spirit Stones. Leng Yun said, "The Xuanyin Corpse Refinement Technique, as well as my insights into refining corpses." "..." Zhou Yi was momentarily speechless, shaking his head repeatedly in refusal, "I am wholeheartedlymitted to righteousness and will never cultivate demonic techniques. Not to mention refining corpses, when I see the corpses of fellow practitioners, I always perform rites to liberate them!" Leng Yun''s practice of the Corpse Refining Technique was understandable, and moreover, he was not afraid of death. Zhou Yi cherished life very much; within the territories ruled by the orthodox sects, he would never dabble in any demonic or heretical paths. The orthodox sects were notcking in cultivators who despised evil and vowed to eradicate all demonic heretics; upon encountering someone practicing the Corpse Refining Technique, they would send them into reincarnation without listening to any exnations to cleanse their sins! Upon hearing this, Leng Yun''s expression darkened as he said, "After my wife advanced to a bronze corpse, she developed quite a fierce nature. I dare not leave the cave dwelling; it''s impossible to gather five hundred Spirit Stones in a short time." Zhou Yi asked in confusion, "Why don''t you keep it by your side?" "That True Person Xuan Lin could tolerate my practice of refining corpses is already a great kindness." Leng Yun exined, "To avoid tarnishing the reputation of Little Dan Mountain, I cannot leave the range of the cave dwelling until my wife develops consciousness." Zhou Yi, seeing his bitter expression, couldn''t help but feel admiration. Rumors had it that Leng Yun possessed an excellent Innate Spirit Root and, having cultivated for over twenty years, had already achieved Qi Refinementpletion. If not for his practice of the Corpse Refining Technique, he could have directly joined the Dan Ding Sect. He was willing to give up a bright future to revive his deceased wife and, furthermore, he abided by rules, never forcing Zhou Yi to set up a formation from the start. Such factors made it difficult not to feel a sense of fondness towards him. Zhou Yi asked, "Brother Leng, do you have any other spells?" Leng Yun replied helplessly, "Over the years, I have relied solely on meditation for cultivation. The Spirit Stones earned from farming near the cave dwelling have all been invested in my wife. This Xuanyin Corpse Refinement Technique scroll is already the most precious thing I have." Zhou Yi was momentarily unsure whether Leng Yun was mocking him or not. Having cultivated from innate martial skill to the present, it took him nearly a hundred and ten years of arduous cultivation to reach merely the fourth level of Qi Refinement. "Where did the Xuanyin Corpse Refinement Techniquee from?" "It was searched from a true disciple of the Xuanyin Sect." Leng Yun took out four jade slips from his storage bag, saying, "The person left behind mostly Spiritual Objects for refining corpses, which have already been used on my wife, and the remaining few spells are not of much use." Zhou Yi epted the jade slips and checked them one by one. The fee of five hundred Spirit Stones for setting up the formation could be settledter; with Leng Yun''s abilities and temperament, he likely wouldn''t renege on the debt. "To think that at nearly one hundred and fifty years old, I could still be moved. This time only, after which I shall be strangers with Leng Yun." With thoughts racing, Zhou Yi had already reviewed the jade slips. They were respectively the Yin Wind Curse, Blood Spirit Net, Soldier Refining Art, Jade Dew Art... The first two, judging by their names, were passed over immediately. Practicing demonic cultivation techniques isn''t something you can just hide and get away with. Like Leng Yun, who has practiced the Corpse Refining Technique for so long that he is imbued with yin energy, it''s impossible to hide no matter how much one tries to disguise themselves. Upon seeing the third technique, the Soldier Refining Art, Zhou Yi''s expression changed slightly. "Isn''t this the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique?" The opening content of the Soldier Refining Art was extremely simr to the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique or, to be more precise, aplete version because it could absorb more than just Inner Qi. Zhou Yi continued reading, suppressing his shock. It turned out that the Soldier Refining Art was a secret technique for sacrificially refining magical weapons, allowing ordinary people to devour various acquired energies like Inner Qi, evil Qi, Yin Qi, and more. After umting a certain amount, one could forcibly draw in Spiritual Energy into the body, breaking through the first level of Qi Refinement. Many demonic secret techniques and Magic Artifacts required the essence, energy, and spirit of cultivators to be refined, hence the creation of the Soldier Refining Art. What came next wasn''t hard to surmise. After the Soldier Refining Art spread to themon world, whether it was due to gradual loss in session orpiled by martial geniuses, it slowly transformed into the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique. "The Cultivation World may seem to be disconnected from the mundane, but its influence is profound; the spread of just one Cultivation Technique can affect the rise and fall of dynasties." Zhou Yi looked at the final jade slip, unable to discern from its name whether it was righteous or evil. The Jade Dew Art, which, upon execution, would consume Mana and lifespan to condense Creation Dew, had a miraculous effect on elerating the growth of wood attribute Spiritual Medicine. "elerate! Could it be..." Zhou Yi kept aposed face, but a tidal wave surged in his heart as he hurriedly reviewed the subsequent content. Indeed, as suspected, the so-called eleration was the hastening of Spiritual Medicine growth. For the lifespan consumed by performing the Jade Dew Art, the Spiritual Medicine could roughly transform ten years for every hundred years of lifespan. "A hundred years of lifespan converted into ten years of medicinal age?" "This spell is just... amazing!" Chapter 83: 83 Creation Dew "These spells aren''t the proper way!" Zhou Yi shook his head and sighed, returning the jade slip with an air of indifference. Leng Yun helplessly said, "How can there be orthodox spells from demonic sects?" "After all, it''s the true transmission of the demonic sect, and it''s worth collecting." Zhou Yi''s tone changed, "Theplete versions of these four techniques can be exchanged for five hundred Spirit Stones." Leng Yun was only mild-mannered by nature, but he was actually very astute. He immediately guessed there might be hidden issues with the four techniques, but after a moment''s thought, he still nodded in agreement. "Okay." "Brother Leng, go prepare the materials for the Formation, and I can set it up any time!" Zhou Yi took theplete jade slips for the techniques and memorized them one by one, following the order in which he had read them. "Good." Leng Yun immediately left. The Zombie Lady could go mad at any moment; if she broke through the Mystifying Array and harmed people, he would truly fall into the demonic path. Meanwhile, Leng Yun also thought carefully. Of the four techniques, the Jade Dew Art was the most useless, the Yin Wind Curse and Blood Spirit Net reeked of malevolence after cultivation, leaving only the Soldier Refining Art somewhat useful. "The Soldier Refining Art allows mortals to break through to Innate, but with a lifespan of at most forty or fifty years, what''s the use?" Leng Yun pondered repeatedly but couldn''t grasp the key point, and eventually his curiosity faded. In Leng Yun''s life, nothing in the world mattered more than his wife''s recovery of her spiritual intelligence! ... Office. Zhou Yi''s expression was unchanged as he worked, chatting with colleagues about recent interesting events. A few days ago, a cultivator had been greedy for a female cultivator''s beauty, fell into a trap, and ended up stripped bare, yet, incredibly, he didn''t die. "It''s called an unbroken cycle!" Pang Xunughed, "Sex is natural. He was greedy for beauty once, and as soon as he earns more Spirit Stones, he''ll fall for the same trap again, and we can harvest a second time!" Another colleague said, "That''s not quite right. Brother Zhu has long been known for his lechery; howe he hasn''t been caught in a romantic entanglement?" Zhou Yi pretended to be disheartened, "When you have seen as much as I have, these things are no longer important." This instantly caused an uproar, but no one noticed Zhou Yi''s distraction. Shift ended. Zhou Yi applied his mana to irrigate the Spirit Fields, only to find that his neighbor wasn''t there. Returning to his cave dwelling, he found a letter on the ground. ¡ª¡ª Benefactor, I was duped in the Marketce, my Spirit Stones swindled away. I''m too ashamed to see you again and can only go to Qi Yun Peak to mine. Signed: Xiao Tiezhu. "What''s this all about?" Zhou Yi put the letter into his storage bag. After returning to his cave dwelling, he did not practice the Jade Dew Art but cultivated as usual. In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed. Leng Yun arrived at the office with three sets of materials for forming Arrays. "Brother Zhu, please make it quick. Yesterday when I returned from hunting demonic cultivators, she almost left the cave dwelling''s perimeter." "I''ll go now." Zhou Yi noticed that Leng Yun''s breath was intermittently strong and weak, evidently injured and unable to perfectly control his mana. ... On the shaded side of a hill, cave dwelling number 702. Roar! A bestial roar erupted from inside the dwelling. Leng Yun''s expression shifted slightly, and he transformed into a deep blue streak of escape light, entering the dwelling, causing the roaring to cease immediately. "What ingenious Escape Technique!" Zhou Yi admired aloud as he began inscribing the Mystifying Array script on the Formation gs. However, his mana fluctuated slightly, and the Formation gs snapped into several pieces. Theplexity of the small Five Elements Banner was more than ten times that of the Mystifying Array. Even with a thorough understanding, it was troublesome to draw. After damaging over a dozen Formation gs, he sessfully inscribed one Fire Element Banner, followed by the Gold, Wood, Water, and Earth Banners, damaging over seventy Formation gs in the process. "The sess rate is quite a bit higher than expected." With some thought, Zhou Yi guessed the reason: it was due to practice making perfect and a strong soul. "The hardest part is still the Array te, which is the core of the small Five Elements Array." Theplexity of an Array te far surpassed that of the Formation gs; thetter was inclined towards inscribing symbols, whereas the former was close to Artifact Refining. Fortunately, the Marketce had prefabricated array instrument embryos. Mana transformed into a de, inscribing patterns on the Array te. Just as he was about toplete it, instability in his mana caused it to shatter. "The second one." Zhou Yi calmed his emotions and continued inscribing. A momentter. Thest stroke of inscription fell, and hundreds of mysterious patterns connected into a formation, subtly drawing a connection with the Five Elements Banner. "It''s done!" A smile appeared on Zhou Yi''s face, and after that, setting up the formation became much easier¡ªif there were errors, he could simply start over. After about two to three hours, he had arranged both the Formation gs and the inscriptions. After Leng Yun infused mana into the Array te and activated the Minor Five Elements Formation, five-colored brilliance sparkled, enveloping the cave dwelling within. The zombie bride, unable to see her husband, went mad inside the cave dwelling; yet, no matter how she tore at it, she couldn''t break through the Minor Five Elements Formation. Leng Yun''s expression slightly rxed as he said, "Many thanks, Fellow Daoist Zhu!" "Fair trade," Zhou Yi reminded. "Copper corpses may be stopped, but once they advance to Golden Corpses and develop innate divine abilities, even the usual n protection formations will hardly keep them at bay. You should prepare early." Leng Yun nodded slightly, "By then, I will have achieved Foundation Establishment." Suddenly, Zhou Yi asked, "Do you have no regrets for the sake of such an elusive possibility?" "Never any regrets, only debts," Leng Yun sighed. "My wife and I were childhood sweethearts, married at fifteen. At twenty, I obtained a Cultivation Technique and became obsessed with the pursuit of immortality. I made enemies outside, and they came seeking revenge. I was one step toote when I returned home!" Zhou Yi nodded, "I see. I understand." Leng Yun cast a nce at Zhou Yi, "You don''t understand!" "Hmm?" Zhou Yi looked puzzled, not understanding. Leng Yun said with a smile, "I''ve long heard the marketce rumors that a remarkable person arrived at Little Dan Mountain; one who farms for a year to enjoy a drink, farms for three to visit Phoenix Cry Pavilion. He does not cultivate, nor meditate, treating Phoenix Cry Pavilion as his own cave dwelling, truly carefree and at ease!" "nder, that''s nder!" Zhou Yi said with a serious face, "My aptitude is too low, it''s only through Dual Cultivation that I can barely improve my cultivation!" "I believe you!" Leng Yun nodded very seriously. ... Half a monthter. In the cave dwelling. Masses of five-colored mist concealed the ce, obscuring the true from the false. "There is a Mystifying Array inside and a Minor Five Elements Formation outside, and I only cast spells within the house; even a Foundation Establishment Sage wouldn''t detect it." The floor tiles in front of Zhou Yi were lifted, and in the earth, he had nted a wood attribute Spiritual Medicine. Spirit Ginseng. The most basic wood attribute Spiritual Medicine, growing an inch every ten years, surpassing a foot after a hundred, gaining intelligence at a thousand years, also one of the rare medicines capable of living a thousand years. Zhou Yi performed a spell with his hands, and mana in his body circted in aplex order, ultimately converging at his fingertips. Strands of vitality were drawn from within him, merging into his mana, transitioning gradually from intangible substance into verdant green, condensing into a rich essence. Creation Dew! "That''s about ten years of longevity consumed¡­ Not enough!" Zhou Yi continued to use the Jade Dew Art, drawing away strands of vitality; hisplexion suddenly turned pale, while his internal organs rapidly aged. Hum! The long dormant Longevity Dao Fruit vibrated slightly and instantly rejuvenated. "A hundred years of longevity!" Zhou Yi, observing the Creation Dew turn ink-green, stopped consuming his lifespan and carefully dropped it onto the Spirit Ginseng sapling. The Spirit Ginseng, which was originally just a sapling, grew rapidly before his eyes. After waiting a day and a night. The former sapling of Spirit Ginseng had grown to ten inches in length, indistinguishable from a ten-year-old Spirit Ginseng. "Again!" Zhou Yi used the Jade Dew Art once more, expending a hundred years of longevity to quicken the maturation of the Spirit Ginseng. Half a monthter. The Spirit Ginseng had grown beyond a foot, bing a valuable hundred-year-old Spiritual Medicine. Chapter 84: 84 Terror Descends A century-old Spirit Ginseng. Worth three to four hundred Spirit Stones, marketce shops buy them all year round. Zhou Yi observed it for a moment, then opened his mouth and crunched down, swallowing it like a white radish. Inside his body, the Spirit Ginseng transformed into surging Spiritual Energy, which he immediately circted through the Guiyuan Technique to refine into Mana. A momentter. Zhou Yi slowly concluded his cultivation, carefully sensing the changes before and after, "A century-old Spirit Ginseng is as effective as three or four Peiyuan Pills, yet its value is thirty to forty times that of them!" "Selling it is out of the question. In the future, I''ll just eat Spiritual Medicine as my meals." If Zhou Yi had been new to the Cultivation World, he might have sold a few to start his funds, but now that he had a sufficient amount of legitimately gained Spirit Stones for expenditures, there was absolutely no need to risk selling century-old Spiritual Medicines. ¡­ After closing off from the world for half a month. Zhou Yi arrived at the trading area of the marketce and noticed that there were many more cultivators on the street. The appearance of many unfamiliar faces made Zhou Yi wary. He inquired about the prices of Magic Artifacts, pills, and talismans, which hadn''t risen noticeably, then headed toward the office. At the cave dwelling registration office, it was rare to see seven or eight people. Zhou Yi frowned slightly, didn''t go behind the counter to take his shift, but asked Pang Hai what had happened. "Zhu Daoist friend doesn''t know?" Pang Hai said in surprise, "It seems you were indeed in seclusion, not even aware of such a big event. A few days ago, someone in the mining field dug up a Sky Star Stone, which has already spread throughout the marketce." "Sky Star Stone!" Zhou Yi''s gaze became focused, "How could such a Spiritual Object appear in Little Dan Mountain?" Pang Xun shrugged and said, "That you''ll have to ask the heavens. The Sky Star Stone was found at the core of a Spirit Vein, and subsequently, seven or eight people dug up more." Zhou Yi eximed, "Could it be a Sky Star Stone vein?" "Xuan Lin True Person said it is a vein." Pang Xun said, "It is said the first cultivator who dug up the Sky Star Stone was granted a promotion to official disciple for his great merit, truly a leap to the skies." The colleagues nearby, as well as the Loose Cultivators handling their affairs, showed looks of envy upon hearing this. Zhou Yi''s mind stirred slightly, "Does Pang Daoist friend know who that person is?" "I''m not clear on the specific name." Pang Xun said, "It''s said to be a young man who hasn''t been in Little Dan Mountain for long and has already followed Xuan Lin True Person back to the sect, indeed a step to the heavens." "A young man, back to the sect?" Zhou Yi gasped in shock and turned to leave. "Pang Daoist friend, please apply for a year''s leave on my behalf!" ¡­ Hurrying toward the south, He did not even return to his dwelling, carrying all his Spirit Rice and Spirit Stones in his storage bag. After half an hour, Zhou Yi emerged from the thick fog, nced back at Little Dan Mountain, and used the Light Body Skill to enter the forest. The sudden thinness of Spiritual Energy made Zhou Yi quite ufortable, knowing that Mana was escaping on its own. Sadly, not knowing the technique to lock Spirit Energy, he could only conserve Mana and hasten his journey. As evening approached, Zhou Yi saw the ins from afar, knowing he was about to leave the range of Cloud Mountain, and three hundred li aheady Heng City, the capital of Xuzhou. Suddenly, One green and one golden sword light shot out, followed closely by two fireballs, directly bombarding Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi''s expression remained unchanged, his body radiated a protective golden light, and the Turtle Shell Shield blocked in front of him. With each hand grasping a Heavenly Thunder Pearl, Mana surged forth, turning into Heavenly Thunder and striking back at the source of the sword lights. "Ah!" Two cries of agony arose almost simultaneously as the sword lights and fireballs hit the Turtle Shell Shield, not even leaving a mark. Zhou Yi did not put away his protective Magic Artifact but let the Gathering Heart Nail fly out from his sleeve, darting back and forth at the source of the voices, intending to pepper the corpses with holes. "You ruthless old coot!" A voice full of curses came through as a verdant figure leapt from the woods, dashing towards the mountain at great speed. "Want to run?" A third Heavenly Thunder Pearl was already primed, and a streak of purple lightning shot out, striking the verdant figure''s back in an instant, turning it into a charred lump. Zhou Yi confirmed that the two were thoroughly dead and collected the spoils of his first magical duel. "Two low-grade flying swords, several spirit talismans, about ten jin of spirit rice, nine spirit stones... Can these paupers even be called evil cultivators?" "All together, they are worth roughly two hundred and sixty-seven spirit stones, not even enough to buy back three Heavenly Thunder Pearls." "I''ve only heard of ying for treasure to strike it rich, so howe I end up at a loss?" ... Heng City. Zhou Yi transformed into an old white-haired Taoist and bought a secluded courtyard. Half a monthter. After Zhou Yi had set up the Spirit Gathering Array, he scattered over a dozen spirit stones around the courtyard, releasing a rich spiritual energy. The Spirit Gathering Array gathered the spiritual energy, confining it within the courtyard; Zhou Yi tried to operate the Guiyuan Technique, and his mana improved slightly. "At the fourth level of Qi Refinement, the required density of spiritual energy is not high. With a reserve of over two hundred spirit stones, I''m not afraid of running out. However, the Spirit Gathering Array itself is also dissipating energy. At most, in four years, the formation gs will need to be reced." Zhou Yi looked towards Cloud Mountain to the north, pondering and mulling over his thoughts. "The message from Xuanlin the True One of the Dan Ding Sect suggests that, theoretically, he could return in a year or two." "If there''s no news after three to five years, then I''ll head to the southern Chu State''s Tianyang Abyss, which also belongs to the marketce under the Dan Ding Sect''smand." ... Half a year passed in the blink of an eye. In the cold winter months, snowkes fluttered down. The residents of Green Willow Lane found that the willow trees in the alley remained verdantly lush. Such a sight could be regarded as auspicious. The Prefect of Xuzhou came with schrs to see, and theyposed many poems about it, preparing to present them to the Emperor of the Yuan Zhou Dynasty to demonstrate the clear governance of the local officials. The Emperor of the Yuan Zhou Dynasty was the legitimate son of the Sage Emperor and had ascended to the throne five years ago. Rumors had it that the Sage Emperor and Sage Empress had abdicated voluntarily; otherwise, it''s uncertain whether the Emperor of the Yuan Zhou Dynasty would have met with an untimely demise first. Night fell. The chilly winds were biting. Zhou Yi sat cross-legged in the small courtyard, deeply engrossed in cultivation when suddenly, a tremor surged through his heart, causing his cultivation technique to stall. "What''s going on?" Suddenly, he soared dozens of feet into the air and looked towards the north. A zing sun abruptly rose into the deep blue firmament, followed by the fall of the Golden Crow, causing the earth to shake. Hum! The people of Heng City were joltedly awakened from their sleep, and a continuous rise and fall of dogs barking and roosters crowing ensued, turning the silent city instantly into a noisy chaos. "This ce is, I fear, a thousand miles away from Cloud Mountain, and yet there is still a reaction." Zhou Yi did not know who had intervened, but it was likely not just a Golden Elixir True Monarch, it could be one of the legendary Nascent Soul ancestors, or even someone stronger. "Such a terrifying attack, even Little Dan Mountain would likely crumble, merely over the refinement of a precious spirit mine!" "The cold-heartedness of the Cultivation World I have witnessed today. Should a war break out between the righteous and demonic in the future, the top powerhouses could annihte a hundred miles with a single strike, and the low-level cultivators would only be cannon fodder!" "This is the second time I''ve narrowly escaped death; thest time was when Li Wu set a trap in the heavenly prison." "Even with the Longevity Dao Fruit, without the Dao Protection Art, sooner orter, one would die in the aftermath of shes between the powerful..." ... The incident at Cloud Mountain did not have much impact on the people of Heng City. The next day, when everyone chatted leisurely, they realized they had all been startled awake the night before, not knowing the cause, and assumed it was the Night Wandering Deity or the spirits of soldiers passing through. It was only after another fortnight that this topic faded into obscurity, and the real influence began to emerge. Early morning. Zhou Yi came out of the courtyard, carefully sensing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. "It''s richer than yesterday. Now, without the need for the Spirit Gathering Array, the mundane world can maintain the fourth level of Qi Refinement." At this moment. A few government officials hurried into Green Willow Lane, their expressions solemn; the leader, a capture officer, moved swiftly, his palms thick, obviously skilled in wielding a de. Zhou Yi''s eyes twinkled with insight as he followed the direction the officials were heading. Not far away, a courtyard was shrouded with dense Yin Sha energy, and faint wails of malevolent spirits could be vaguely heard. "The spirit veins being constrained by the Cultivation World could arguably be a good thing for themon folk; after all, the chance of ordinary people having a spirit root is one in a ten thousand, and the rest must endure the harm of monsters and ghosts!" Chapter 85: 85: Subduing Demons and Evil Spirits Zhang Family. The sky was bright and clear, yet gusts of chilly wind swept through relentlessly. ng, ng, ng! Head Constable Yuan Heng knocked on the door knocker several times, but there was silence within the courtyard. "Constable Yuan, should we wait for the City Patrol Camp to arrive?" The speaking constable felt a chill down his spine. This was already the third case in the city. A few days ago, the entire family of Master Li had hung themselves, except the newly taken concubine who was nowhere to be seen. No matter how the coroner examined the bodies, they concluded it was suicide. The day before yesterday, in the South City, arge fat pig went mad, charging and ramming, biting and injuring more than a dozen people. Just this morning, someone heard screams of agonying from the Zhang family courtyard, prompting the neighbors to rush to the government office to report the incident. "If we wait any longer, everyone in this family will be dead!" Yuan Heng had a significant background and had received much news from his n. In just the span of half a month, Xuzhou had be chaotic, with strange cases urring frequently and entire families being wiped out. Domestic animals, usually docile, suddenly became incredibly strong and wildly attacked their masters. The Imperial Court''s army had not yet arrived, and to stabilize the public sentiment, local authorities attributed all the cases to the evil deeds of demonic creatures from the martial world. Having said that, Yuan Heng churned his inner Qi and sted the gate open with a palm strike. The standalone courtyard was notrge, allowing one to take it all in at a nce. It was deadly silent, icy cold, as if it had been uninhabited for a long time,pletely lifeless! Yuan Heng rested his hand on his waist de. The message from his n had informed him that a martial artist''s inner Qi was quite lethal to demons and evil spirits. The constables hesitated for a moment, then stepped forward and followed him inside. "No one is in the side room." "All the chickens in the cage are dead." Only the main room remained with its doors tightly shut. Yuan Heng was not a rash man; he looked for a pole in the courtyard and, from a distance, poked the room''s door open. As sunlight poured into the main room, what caught everyone''s eyes were three cocoon-like entities, pale as snow. The cocoons, three to four feet long, wrapped the corpses within, leaving only dry, withered heads exposed outside. Each head had a fist-sized hole atop it, as if some demonic creature had sucked the people dry through their skulls. The horrific scene terrified the constables, making them retreat hastily. "This is... a spider''s web!" Yuan Heng''s eyes drooped as he tried to step into the room, but before his foot touched the ground, a mound suddenly rose from the floor, and a shadow burst forth, lunging straight for Yuan Heng''s face. "I''ve been waiting for you!" A sh of de light whizzed by, and with a piercing scream, the shadow fell to the ground, revealing its true form. It was a ck spider asrge as a human head, with a bloated abdomen patterned with crimson, pulsing in and out like a ghastly human face. The spider demon had its front leg severed, oozing dark green liquid, and it emitted a repulsive stench. "No good, it''s poisonous..." Yuan Heng felt dizzy and soon activated his inner Qi to resist, swiftly retreating with a gust of wind beneath his feet. The spider demon spat out more than a dozen strands of white silk, weaving a web that descended over him. Yuan Heng shed at it several times, but the web was incredibly tough, forcing him to watch helplessly as he became ensnared. As for the other constables, seeing the ferocious form of the spider demon, they turned tail and ran without a trace. Hiss, hiss, hiss! The spider demon let out a joyful hiss, dragging the web, intent on pulling Yuan Heng to itsir to feed. At that moment, a streak of sword qi pierced through the roof, slicing the spider demon in two. The taut web immediately ckened, and Yuan Heng burst free, bowing deeply toward the direction of the sword qi. "Yuan Heng gives thanks for the elder''s life-saving grace!" An elderly voice came through, "You''re a Yuan? Do you know of the Yuan Family of Teng City?" Yuan Heng replied, "I am indeed a scion of the Yuan Family from Teng City, elder." Zhou Yi paused before asking, "Has the Yuan Family really fallen to such a state in just a few decades?" The Yuan Family had the honor of being dragons among men at the founding of the nation, and Li Hong, upon ascending the throne, posthumously awarded the title of Marquess to Yuan Shun. Even if their n members fell on hard times, they should not have ended up as despised clerks in the government office. "Since the Sage Emperor abdicated and His Majesty ascended to the throne, the family leader honored Great Grandfather''sst words and retracted the Yuan family''s influence in Xuzhou, only managing our ancestral home in Teng City." Yuan Heng said, "As a coteral branch descendant, the fact that I could achieve martial arts cultivation is already due to the family''s support." "I see, not bad, not bad." After asking about Yuan Shun''s descendants, Zhou Yi drifted away. Yuan Heng waited for a long time, only confirming that the senior had truly left after the City Patrol Camp surrounded the courtyard. "How is this different from the stories?" ¡­ The concentration of spiritual energy within the bounds of Xuzhou continued to rise, with Cloud Mountain at the center, the closer the distance, the denser the spiritual energy. Heng City was the town closest to Cloud Mountain to the south, which bred many monsters and demons. The citizens of the city lived in a constant state of fear, and when they learned that other regions were unaffected, they packed up and fled Xuzhou with their families. The newly born monsters and demons were not strong, so the City Patrol Camp''s troops could easily encircle and kill them. However, opportunists took advantage of the situation to instigate chaos among the people. The Li family has lost its virtue, and heaven has sent disasters! The Fengyang Country has a four-hundred-year legacy, whereas Da Qian was founded less than forty years ago and still had many loyalists from the former dynasty. In fear and helplessness, it was easy for ordinary people to be swayed by rumors and, without realizing it, they became rebels. In just a few months, five or six rebel forces emerged in Xuzhou, with some even seizing county towns and dering themselves kings. At the end of the year. The Imperial Court dispatched an army of five hundred thousand to station in Xuzhou, suppress the rebels, and clear out the monsters and demons. ¡­ One yearter. In the courtyard. Zhou Yi dismantled the formation to avoid attracting the attention of the Imperial Court. The concentration of spiritual energy within Heng City was now sufficient for those in the Qi Refinement Realm to stay without worrying about mana dissipation. Fifty thousand elite soldiers were stationed in the city, patrolling day and night, ready to besiege any monster or demon they found. They evacuated the civilians first, then drenched the area with oil and set it ame, turning the nests of the ghouls to ashes. Few monsters could withstand the fierce fire, and even if they barely survived, there were martial arts experts in the military ready to cut them down. As long as the people did not venture far from towns into the deep mountains and forests to seek death, their lives were generally safe. The scattered viges throughout Xuzhou''s corners, either moved into the city or left to fate, could not be cared for by the Imperial Court''s army. "In just one year, the Imperial Court stabilized the situation in Xuzhou. I underestimated the adaptive capabilities of mortals." Zhou Yi secluded himself in Heng City to cultivate, observing the soldiers exterminating monsters and demons several times from a distance. Only once did he encounter a hundred-year-old corpse and suffered slight injuries; the rest were effortlessly killed. That century-old corpse was already buried innd replete with Yin Sha and emerged as an iron corpse after being nourished by spiritual energy, its strengthparable to the mid-stage of Qi Refinement. Vajra Indestructibility, with immense strength, it tore through the military formation, causing a bloodbath. Just as Zhou Yi was about to take action to vanquish the demon, an expert in the military activated a Thunder Talisman that sted the old corpse to ashes. "A superior grade Thunder Talisman, I wonder if they have recruited a Loose Cultivator or established contact with the Dan Ding Sect." Zhou Yi did not investigate further, instead, he created a small medicinal garden in the courtyard and focused on farming and cultivation. The garden''s dimensions were modest, spanning only about three meters, within which he nted about a dozen spirit ginseng nts, the youngest being decades old, and the oldest having already reached over three hundred years. After a year of experimentation, Zhou Yi gained a deeper understanding of the Jade Dew Art. "The so-called transformation of lifespan at eleven turns is only applicable to spirit medicines younger than a hundred years; beyond that, the conversion rate decreases significantly." Zhou Yi was originally keen on cultivating millennia-old spiritual medicine for personal use, but the results were disappointing. In one year, he only cultivated a three-hundred-year-old spirit ginseng. "This matter affects me only for the duration of the Qi Refinement Realm; at Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, spending a few hundred years of lifespan to perform the Jade Dew Art¡ªeven if the conversion is low, I can still achieve growth of a few years." "Secondly, the limit is also on the amount of mana. The more lifespan infused into Creation Dew, the more mana it consumes." Through repeated experiments, Zhou Yi found that spirit ginseng absorbed more than just lifespan, but also used mana as a substitute for the growth of spiritual energy, bing part of the medicine''s age. "However, these limitations are not an issue for me. Even if I only cast the spell once a day, it''s only a matter of waiting a few more years. As long as the medicine''s age continues to increase, even at a hundred-to-one or thousand-to-one conversion rate, I can ept it!" Thinking so, Zhou Yi pulled out a hundred-year-old spirit ginseng from the garden, sliced it thinly, threaded it, and grilled it over fire. The adaptability of humans is truly remarkable. In just one year, Zhou Yi had figured out seven to eight ways to consume spirit ginseng, such as the currently grilling cumin-seasoned ginseng slices. "Alchemy must be made a priority now. No matter how many different ways Ie up with, who could handle eating radishes for decades!" Chapter 86: 86: 30 Years Later Early morning. The fog was thick and hazy. Zhou Yi woke up from his sleep, got dressed, washed his face, and chose vegetables without using any spells. About half an hourter, the fragrance of the Spirit Ginseng meat porridge wafted through the air. "No cooking in the morning, just some thinly sliced Spirit Ginseng mixed with Fishwort, and the Ginseng that was pickled a few days ago should be almost ready." Zhou Yi, like a solitary old man with no family, ate his porridge with pickled vegetables, the food transforming into a rich Spiritual Energy as he swallowed. After cultivating the Guiyuan Technique for two sixty-year cycles, he was even more familiar with it than its founder, cultivating while eating, his Mana from the Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement steadily increasing. "Another twenty years and I should be able to reach Qi Refinement Great Perfection!" Resisting the urge to vomit after finishing his meal, Zhou Yi carefully sniffed his clothes, detecting a faint aroma of Spirit Ginseng. "If I keep eating like this, will I one day turn into a Spirit Ginseng essence?" In the center of the little herb field. A ginseng as thick as a thigh already took the shape of a child, its skin golden, with a spiritual charm flowing throughout. He had been hastening its maturity for twenty years; its age approached eight hundred years. Zhou Yi always hesitated to consume it, wanting to taste whether a thousand-year-old Spiritual Medicine would taste any better. With a long and boundless lifespan, he could only seek amusement in such time-consuming pleasures! Noontime. Zhou Yi walked out with his hands sped behind his back, greeting acquaintances he met along the way, exchanging pleasantries. He moved neither hurriedly nor slowly, at an even pace. He eventually arrived at Xianwei Zhai. From afar, he could hear the boisterous and lively noises, many well-dressed young masters and gentlemen constantly urging the servers to bring the dishes promptly. Once Zhou Yi entered, he found a corner seat and opened the menu for the day. "ck Tiger Root, three hundred silver per slice! Tsk tsk, it''s the tiger''s heart that truly strengthens the body and bones, none of them know their goods. Let''s start with ten slices to taste!" He ordered five dishes in a row, totaling over five thousand silver, repeatedly reminding the server not to add any ginseng. Silver had not inted in the mortal world mainly because Xianwei Zhai''s dishes were all made with Monster Beast Flesh. Add some Ginseng, Lingzhi, Fleeceflower Root, and Angelica; selling it for a few hundred silver a te was not considered expensive. Ever since rumors spread that Monster Beast Flesh could solidify one''s foundation and cultivate their Origin, its price had skyrocketed to over a thousand silver per pound. Where once Monster Beasts descended from the mountains to devour humans, now martial artists would group together, enter the mountains to hunt monsters, and skinning them yielded a price that surpassed that of gold. Twenty years passed in the blink of an eye. The fracturing of the Spirit Vein in Little Dan Mountain had by now affected themon people of Heng City on a societal level, with many tales of immortals circting in the marketce. The once separate realms of immortals and mortals began to blend in Xuzhou. After tasting the Tiger Root, Zhou Yi nned to visit the Hundred Flowers Pavilion to listen to music. At that moment. An old farmer led a bull to the entrance of Xianwei Zhai, gesturing to a server. "Young man, do you buy bulls here?" The server looked at the emaciated yellow bull and shook his head, "We only take Monster Beasts, not ordinary cows." "But this here is a Monster Beast," the old farmer replied, patting the yellow bull on its neck, saying, "Old Yellow, there''s really no silver left at home, and the child''s mother is sick again. I truly have no other choice." Moo! The yellow bull, upon hearing the talk, nuzzled the old farmer and knelt down to kowtow three times. Then it broke free from its harness and strode into Xianwei Zhai by itself. The affluent patrons who were in the midst of toasting and feasting watched the scene unfold, and the room fell suddenly quiet. The server was the first to react, bowing and saying, "Esteemed sir, pleasee this way!" The old farmer hurriedly followed the yellow bull, his dark face flushing with shame as he continuously fidgeted and twisted the hem of his clothes. Before they even reached the kitchen, a patron stood up to stop the old farmer, saying, "Old brother, this bull understands human nature. It''s a pity to kill and eat it. I offer ten thousand silver to buy it!" Before he was finished, several other patrons spoke up. "Old Hu, your heart is too dark. I''ll give fifty thousand silver!" "A hundred thousand silver, let''s give the Xiang Family some face!" ``` "..." Bids echoed, quickly soaring to two hundred thousand taels. The old farmer only knew his old yellow cow was valuable, but since he had never thought about selling it before, he hadn''t inquired about the price. Now hearing the bids of one hundred thousand, two hundred thousand, his heart swelled with both joy and worry. Zhou Yi came up to the yellow cow, observed it carefully for a moment, and asked the old farmer. "This cow is not young anymore, is it?" The old man nodded and said, "It''s been passed down through four generations, raised by my great-grandfather when he was a child." Four generations, over a hundred years! Zhou Yi''s gaze became focused. The records of the true sages noted that monsters are naturally nurtured by the earth and have a deeper dependency on spiritual energy than cultivators. In the mundane world, where spiritual energy is scarce, if a monster can develop intelligence, it must possess a heterogeneous bloodline. "I''ll take this cow at the highest bid, and I will also heal your family''s illnesses." Zhou Yi nced at some wealthy merchants who seemed displeased. With a wave of his hand, he sent a burst of sword qi slicing off a table corner, instantly turning everyone into a picture of respect. Innate Grandmaster! In Xuzhou, the rich spiritual energy of heaven and earth made it easier for martial artists to break through, yet the Innate Realm was still the realm of the unrivaled. The old farmer pleaded cautiously, "Could I ask you for a favor?" Zhou Yi nodded slightly, "Speak." The old man said, "Could you not kill Old Yellow? It''s very obedient and doesn''t eat much. It saved my life from a pack of wolves when I was a kid herding cattle." Zhou Yi promised, "Don''t worry, I will not only not kill it but also feed it well." Only if it''s well-fed and plump can more essence blood be extracted, to sooner cultivate the ancient Guiyuan Technique of the Divine Bull Transformation. The old farmer''s family lived in the slums of South City, having fled there about twenty years ago. Due to theck of farnd around Heng City, the family scraped by on odd jobs, like many other citizens. Rich gentlemen, because of the appearance of monster beasts, were bing increasingly healthy and long-lived. The poor lost theirnds and dared not even leave the city, fearing monsters would harm them. Zhou Yi had lived in the rapidly changing Heng City for twenty years, only witnessing the strong get stronger and the weak get weaker, just like the celestial being who had heartlessly destroyed Little Dan Mountain for material to refine artifacts. The old farmer''s wife had caught a chill that had dragged on for a long time and had taken to her bed, critically ill. Zhou Yi cleansed the old woman''s viscera with mana, easily curing her serious illness and strengthening her body for longevity. Before leaving. The yellow cow looked at the old farmer''s family, tears streaming from its eyes. "Truly reluctant to part, but I won''t force it, let''s do a good deed today." Zhou Yi said, "Once you are with me, it won''t be as free as here. You''ll need to recognize a master and establish both soul and blood covenants to prevent betrayal in the future." After signing the soul covenant, Zhou Yi could sense the yellow cow''s thoughts. If it harbored any unusual thoughts, he could shatter its soul in an instant. The blood covenant, also known as servitude mark, bound the yellow cow to Zhou Yi as a subordinate. It would not only be incapable of defying orders but would also perish should its master die. Moo! The yellow cow turned resolutely and left the old farmer''s household without looking back. ... Time flows like water, days and months fly by like a shuttle. In the blink of an eye, ten years passed. After revealing his Innate strength, Zhou Yi soon changed his identity and residence, dyed the yellow cow green, and disappeared once again. On this clear morning. "Niu''er, eat quickly, it''s time to draw blood again today!" Zhou Yi plucked a hundred-year-old spirit ginseng from the medicinal field and fed it to the yellow cow. The yellow cow had grown several sizes fatter than ten years ago, its body strong and muscles bulging, quite imposing. However, upon hearing Zhou Yi''s words, the cow''s face twisted into a "bitter" expression, reluctantly swallowing the spirit ginseng. Moo! Zhou Yi consoled, "Don''t dislike the taste of the spirit ginseng; I''ve been eating it for more than thirty years and am about to turn into a spirit ginseng child!" Just then. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth suddenly began flowing towards the north. Due to the high speed, it created a howling wind sound. Zhou Yi looked towards Cloud Mountain and muttered to himself, "Little Dan Mountain''s Spirit Gathering Array is activating again, is this cmity and opportunity for the people of Xuzhou finallying to an end?" ``` Chapter 87: 87: Return to the Marketplace The decline of Spiritual Energy was even faster than Zhou Yi had anticipated. "For thousands of years, the Alchemy Sect has ruled over Cloud Continent, and with each generation of Array Masters'' exploration, the confinement of Spiritual Energy has reached its peak." For nearly thirty years, Zhou Yi had been diligently studying the Spirit Gathering Array, hoping to strengthen the gathering and reduce the dissipation. Those seeking Evesting Immortality must always consider the long-term, in case the ancestral line is damaged, or even copses someday, the Spirit Veins that depend on it will also dry up, and every bit of Spiritual Energy will be precious when the era of decline arrives. "The Alchemy Sect is known for its Alchemy Technique, which perfectlyplements the Jade Dew Art, and there is also the inheritance of this formation... Zhou Yi only wanted to be a Loose Cultivator. Not to mention the numerous rules of the sect, entry required testing one''s qualifications, recording one''s Mana into the roster, and official disciples had to leave behind a soul jade slip. "Let''s take one step at a time; it would be nice to obtain the inheritance of a Loose Cultivator." Over thousands of years, a Loose Cultivator could also reach a master level in all four arts of cultivation, but the incident at Little Dan Mountain gave Zhou Yi a slight sense of urgency. I wonder how many of my cheerful colleagues from yesterday are still alive. Liu Heng, the nephew of Brother Liu, whom he had great hopes for, was humble and mild-mannered, eager to learn; Zhou Yi saw great promise in his path of cultivation. Zhou Yi sighed. Now that Brother Liu''s life hade to an end, he must have found it hard to close his eyes in death. "Life is unpredictable, and death is impermanent, hence the Dao Protection Art must not be neglected." "I do notmit evil deeds, but I must have the strength to resist those who do!" Half a monthter. The environment inside Xuzhou returned to its original concentration. Ordinary people did not feel much, only that the air quality had worsened, and they heard of fewer exterminations in thest few days. Zhou Yi ced the Spirit Ginseng into his storage bag, mounted his ox, and headed straight for Cloud Mountain. ... Deep within Cloud Mountain. The dense white mist rose again around Little Dan Mountain, and asionally there were streaks of lighting and going. With the dissipation of Spiritual Energy in Xuzhou, Loose Cultivators had no choice but to obediently go to Little Dan Mountain or stay in the mortal world, helplessly watching their cultivation levels drop. Moreover, the Alchemy Sect had established rules, forbidding Loose Cultivators from disrupting the mortal world. Some Loose Cultivators protested, why should they farm on the mountain and be exploited by you? The Da Qian Sacred Emperor and the Sage Empress were also cultivators, enjoying all the glory and wealth while I refuse to submit! All exnation rights belong to the Alchemy Sect! Li Hong and his wife were stationed in Da Qian, which was a sacrifice of their path to cultivation to protect ordinary people, belonging to a fearless and great sacrifice. Other Loose Cultivators mingling in the mortal world were defying the rules of the Alchemy Sect, belonging to heretics that everyone wanted to eliminate. Zhou Yi observed from the outside for several months, intercepted a few Loose Cultivators, and theter-stage Qi Refinement pressure revealed prompted them to disclose the inner situation obediently. "No wonder after waiting thirty years, it was the high-level Array Masters of the Alchemy Sect who arranged the prohibitions, barely managing to preserve the Spirit Veins. Even so, the Spiritual Energy has dropped severely, with the density only about forty to fifty percent of the original." "The price of cave dwellings has been cut in half, the mines of Qi Yun Peak are gone, and from now on Little Dan Mountain can only be farmed." "The only good news is that True Monarchs are stationed here, making it safer!" Zhou Yi, having assessed the safety, transformed into a middle-aged Daoist, leading the ox back into Little Dan Mountain. The first thing he saw was still the spirit fields, with the Spirit Rice not yet mature; a light breeze passed over the seedlings, rippling like wrinkled spring water. He made his way to the Marketce. Built from the remnants of the original ruins, a careful observation of the shops that were fortunate enough to survive revealed charred cracks. Zhou Yi inquired about the prices of Spiritual Objects in various shops. The prices of lower-grade Spirit Pills and Magic Artifacts had dropped slightly since Spiritual Energy had spread throughout Xuzhou, nurturing quite a few low-level Spiritual Medicines over thirty years. Previously, Loose Cultivators organized gatherings in the mortal world to trade cultivation Spiritual Objects. Zhou Yi had heard about this but never attended. Even if they were not fraudulent shops, without the protection of Foundation Establishment True Monarchs, they would eventually fall prey to evil cultivators. "This is just a temporary low; after the concentration of Spiritual Energy decreases, the yields of medicinal fields are bound to drop in the future, and without the spirit mines, the prices of Spirit Pills and Magic Artifacts can at least double in a few decades." If Zhou Yi did not possess the Jade Dew Art, he would certainly buy a batch of Spiritual Objects, which could turn a big profit in a few decades. Value investing, befriend time! Zhou Yi now focused more on the four arts of cultivation, and although the technique of Alchemy was hard toe by, he at least strived to be a Spirit Chef first. "Many loose cultivators are setting up stalls to sell spells and secret techniques. It seems that the recent shattering of Little Dan Mountain has scattered numerous inheritances." Hearing the chatter of the monks, Zhou Yi decided that after leasing a spirit field, he must sift through the soil thoroughly, for he might find relics left by predecessors, including but not limited to cultivation techniques and spirit stones. The Dan Ding Sect used this as a gimmick, and the marketce quickly regained its prosperity. Passing by the office, Zhou Yi saw a notice board at the entrance, which detailed exnations of the recent catastrophe and the sect''s subsequent handling, ultimately promising that such an incident would not happen again. "Zhen Yang Demon Venerate! Supreme Elder of the Heavenly Demon Pce on Ji Continent..." Zhou Yi noted the name, thinking that when his life ended and he was entombed, he would celebrate by dancing on his grave. Actively seeking retribution was absolutely out of the question, even if his cultivation surpassed Zhen Yang Demon Venerate''s. After defeating the lesser, there would still be stronger ones, and there was no point in gratuitously making enemies with the Heavenly Demon Pce. "It''s still not disclosed which True Monarch is in charge." Zhou Yi frowned slightly. Honestly, he didn''t want to be anywhere near a True Monarch. The deceptive arts might fool ordinary cultivators, but they couldn''t fool the Divine Sense of a True Monarch. However, as a mere Qi Refinement Realm cultivator, unless one wandered around Little Dan Mountain for two or three hundred years, a dignified True Monarch wouldn''t bother paying any attention. Zhou Yi arrived at the southeast corner and saw a bookstore opening its doors. Customers came and went, inquiring about the prices of cultivation techniques and haggling with the owner, Jing Xu, keeping the business quite lively. "Jing Xu, my fellow Daoist who has returned from his travels, I was just about to return the notes of a True Monarch... No, that''s not right!" Zhou Yi knitted his brows. When he had borrowed books from Jing Xu years ago, thetter had mentioned he was already over a hundred years old. Fifty years had passed since then. If he hadn''t achieved the Foundation Establishment, he should have perished long ago, yet the Jing Xu nearby still had jet-ck hair without a trace of aging. "Qing Jing, Jing Xu, notes of a True Monarch, True Monarch stationed!" Zhou Yi vaguely guessed that Jing Xu might be the incognito Pure True Monarch. "Even with a one in a hundred chance, I can''t take the risk. Ordinary Qi Refinement cultivators befriending a True Monarch is an enormous opportunity, but for me, it could be a deadly cmity!" "In this world, there''s always a bnce between gains and losses. Having the advantage of evesting immortality also means certain losses are inevitable, such as love or friendship..." Upon these thoughts, Zhou Yi turned away from the trading area, changing his appearance once again. ... Little Dan Pavilion. The shopkeeper was introducing spirit pills to a cultivator when a portly man entered. He apologized to the customer and quickly went to greet the neer. "Elder, may I help you with something?" "Do you buy Spiritual Medicine here?" Zhou Yi revealed histe-stage Qi Refinement cultivation, taking out two strands of Spirit Ginseng roughly seventy to eighty years old. Spirit Ginseng, being a versatile spiritual medicine, prompted the shopkeeper to willingly raise the price a bit, and the transaction waspleted quickly. There were two types of cultivators in the marketce most difficult to provoke: those whose lifespans were nearing their end came first, followed byte-stage Qi Refinement cultivators. Zhou Yi purchased several kinds of wood attribute Spiritual Medicine seeds. Compared to Spirit Ginseng, they weren''t nearly as cost-effective, being either too expensive or having limited medicinal age, but they could be used for seasoning. He then visited several other shops, selling Spirit Ginseng and buying spells. Not nning to return to Little Dan Mountain anytime soon, Zhou Yi was a bit bolder; by the time he returned, the grandchildren of these people would have died. Zhou Yi inquired in several shops if they sold cultivation skills, but the shopkeepers all shook their heads and refused. Late-stage Qi Refinement cultivation was enough to earn their respect but not enough to truly frighten them. "The business philosophy of these shops has not changed since before the catastrophe; they all tightly control the outflow of the four arts of cultivation." "The covert operators haven''t changed either; they''re still those cultivation ns. Having survived for hundreds of years, they''ve long understood the principle of spreading risk, perhaps having legacies in the mundane world or branches in other marketces." "The inheritances scattered from the cmity on Little Dan Mountain are hoarded by these cultivation families, never for sale, further solidifying their family foundations." "As for single, independent loose cultivators, aside from those with extraordinary talents, how can theypete with families that have umted over many generations!" Chapter 88: 88: Abyss of Sky Sun Dan Ding Sect upied the Spirit Veins of Cloud Continent, likened to a giant monopoly group, while the cultivation families were like smallpanies attached to the conglomerate. Layer byyer, they controlled the production technology, leaving the Loose Cultivators with no choice but to suffer their exploitation. The beauty of the Cultivation World was rtive to that of themon mortals, as cultivators nevercked Gold or Silver for food and drink and could easily live beyond a hundred years. Simrly, the ss structure within the Cultivation World was a hundred times, even a thousand times more solid than in the Mortal World! The only fairness, paradoxically,y in the most unfair Spirit Root. Zhou Yi searched many ancient texts but never heard of a method to increase the chances of offspring inheriting a Spirit Root; perhaps high-level cultivators could achieve it, but the cost was not something a cultivation family could afford. Therefore, in the Mortal World, cultivation families widely married and had many children to ensure their descendants would have gifts of Spirit Roots. Take the eight great families of Jiangnan in Da Qian, for example¡ªeach with tens of thousands of n members. At the same time, the eight great families intermarried and formed alliances so that even with the worst luck, where two or three generations bore no member with a Spirit Root, they could still survive crises with the help of their allies. "The transformations of Mortal Dynasties are measured in three to five hundred years; the Sects of the Cultivation World often rule for thousands of years!" Once Zhou Yi understood the reasoning, he stopped inquiring at the remaining shops, knowing there would be no difference, and began browsing the market stalls. The Spiritual Objects sold by Loose Cultivators, beyond the deceptive fakes, couldn''tpare to those of the same type avable in shops. "It seems that the cmity at Little Dan Mountain did indeed disperse quite a few good items¡ªof much higher quality than before." Zhou Yi didn''t bother with Spiritual Objects but focused on inquiring about Spells and jade slips, swiftly acquiring a satisfactory inheritance. Spiritual Medicine nting Notes, fifty Spirit Stones. The work contained tens of thousands of words, detailing the key aspects of cultivating over a dozen types of Spiritual Medicines, including some generalized experiences. The author was a cultivator named Xu Chuan, with whom Zhou Yi was quite impressed; his yard was nted with many Spiritual Medicines. He once offered to spend Spirit Stones to seek advice from Xu Chuan over drinks in the Phoenix Cry Pavilion, only for the man to stand him up. The Dual Cultivation business of the Phoenix Cry Pavilion was scorned by many cultivators, who believed that the pursuit of immortality should be pure and resolute. "So, he amassed all those Spirit Stones, only to suddenly lose his soul?" Zhou Yi didn''t think Xu Chuan was wrong, but this only made him more resolute in his own path, wondering if Facing the Abyss had a branch of Phoenix Cry Pavilion. After browsing all the stalls, he gained several iplete inheritances, most of which were cultivation notes. The real inheritance jade slips were carried by those few fortunate cultivators who survived in the marketce or by the Dan Ding Sect disciples clearing the corpses and would not be left forters to pick up cheaply. Others couldn''t recognize the authenticity of the inheritances, but Zhou Yi, responsible for maintaining Formations, had basically met each one. "These Loose Cultivators are quite shrewd, only selling their experiential notes and deliberately concealing the forms and talismans." Zhou Yi understood this was the smart approach, selling the knowledge to exchange for initial Spirit Stones, then buying materials to cultivate based on the forms; in time, they would have a continuous trade for earning Spirit Stones. In the past, the Daoist Hu supported himself by selling Spiritual Wine, nevercking in Spirit Stones, andter, by chance, discovered a Spiritual Site and established a cultivation family. If they could preserve their lineage for ten or more generations, the Hu family could also be regarded as a noble house. "Notes aren''t bad either¡ªafter obtaining the full forms and inheritances, one can quickly grasp the essentials, avoiding the hardships like those in practicing Array Dao." After visiting all the stalls, Zhou Yi also bought some pills to restore Mana and left Little Dan Mountain leading his ox. ... Moon set and sun rose, sun set and moon rose. He travelled south for tens of thousands of miles, and because Zhou Yi was not in a hurry, stopping along the way to admire the scenery, it took over a year before he finally reached Linyuan City in the southeast of Chu State. The city was less than a hundred miles from Tianyang Abyss and was thus named for it. "In life''s journey, it''s the scenery along the way that is the most enchanting!" Zhou Yi came out of Yihong Courtyard, mounted his ox, and continued heading south. Tianyang Abyss was located in the southeastern part of Chu State¡ªa great rift valley that stretched a thousand miles, connecting mountains in the west to the sea in the east, with its depths shrouded in fog, unfathomable and perennially veiled in mist. Cliffs hung over an abyss that was so deep it seemed bottomless. Commoners often saw a rainbow light flying out and believed it was the dwelling of gods. In the Jianghu, there were no shortage of bold martial artists who would climb down along the cliff face, only to never return, and over time, it became known as a fatally dangerous ce. This was precisely Zhou Yi''s goal, under the jurisdiction of the Tianyang Market of the Dan Ding Sect. The Tianyang Market had been established for over two thousand years, one of the earliest spirit veins upied by the Dan Ding Sect, also of the yellow rank, but with a far deeper heritage than that of Little Dan Mountain. Zhou Yi chose this ce for a simple reason, guarded by cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage, there hadn''t been a major incident in a thousand years. "In the eyes of others, the Tianyang Market is nothing special, neither producing unique spiritual objects nor mineral veins. However, in my eyes, being ordinary and stable is the greatest advantage!" After circling the periphery for several months, he steered the Mountain and River Cauldron and flew deep into the abyss, descending hundreds of feet before finally touching upon clouds and mist. Mana was circted, and the clouds and mist opened a path on their own. Zhou Yi passed throughyers of dense mist, and the view below suddenly cleared up, revealing city buildings in the distance and other territories bordered by endless spiritual fields. "First, I must register my name!" ... Tianyang City. Its size wasparable to that of a mortal county city; unlike the quiet Little Dan Mountain, the streets were bustling with people. This was because the pedestrians were few cultivators and mostly mortals practicing martial arts, who in the outside world might be masters but could only be the lowest ss in Tianyang City. Zhou Yi toured the city and witnessed the extraordinary sight of immortals and mortals living together. "Indeed, as the rumors say, when the Tianyang Abyss was established, the Dan Ding Sect had not yet enacted the rule prohibiting cultivators and mortals from cohabiting. After disciples established themselves in the sect, they would often bring their families to the marketce for convenience and trustworthy assistance." "As the marketce''s poption grew, the trading area gradually transformed into a city." Even the powerful Dan Ding Sect could not forcibly expel the mortals from the city, many of whom were descendants of true immortals and celestial nobles. Even if their family ancestors had passed away, evicting their descendants would inevitably discourage the living disciples. Zhou Yi could vaguely guess that the new rule added by the Dan Ding Sect was likely rted to the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. A thousand years ago, the minimum requirement for epting disciples was having three spirit roots, which qualified one to be an official disciple. Now, the standard had been raised to dual spirit roots. Perhaps in a few hundred years, only those with Heavenly Spiritual Roots would be epted into the sect, while the others would merely be nominal disciples. "Changes in heaven and earth don''t concern me much; being merely at the tenth level of Qi Refinement, I can only meekly endure. In another twenty or thirty years, I will have reached the limit of ascension." "What''s most important now are the Foundation Establishment Pill and the inheritance of the four arts of cultivating immortality." "There are quite a few descendants of true immortals in the city who have lost their previous glory. With more peoplees scattered intentions, which means more opportunities to obtain inheritance!" Zhou Yi arrived at the city center''s administrative office and subtly revealed hisplete Qi Refinement cultivation level, and easily registered his name. Sun Xing, from the Chu State. The identity token was simr to that of Little Dan Mountain, with different engraved patterns along the edge, perhaps to distinguish between different marketces. Second floor. The cultivator in charge of distributing caves and spiritual fields respectfully said, "Senior, there are currently no avable spiritual fields, but you can choose among these orange areas which are currently cultivated by mortals." Zhou Yi asked in surprise, "Can mortals also perform the Spiritual Rain Technique?" The cultivator exined, "They choose to nt spiritual medicines that take years to mature, and after meticulous care, they can yield some harvest." Zhou Yi inquired further, "If I take over this spiritual field, where will they go?" The cultivator responded, "ording to the sect''s rules, cultivators have the priority right to lease. If there are no avable spiritual fields in the marketce, one can either wait in line or choose to leave the Tianyang Abyss." "Understood, I just want a cave dwelling." Zhou Yi suddenly realized, the Dan Ding Sect couldn''t explicitly expel the descendants of disciples, so they restricted them through the rules. Mortals held much lower status than cultivators in the marketce, and after enduring various forms of discrimination, it''s likely many would choose to leave the Cultivation World and, relying on their martial prowess, live a carefree and prosperous life in the mortal world. The cost and benefits were theirs to weigh! Chapter 89: 89: Ancestors Were Once Wealthy ``` Dwelling No. 1024. The gate was tightly closed. A yellow oxy leisurely at the corner of the wall, asionally snorting loudly. A dozen or so yards away. The youth Chen Yang and his sister Chen Ying were tending to the magicalnd. His previously oppressive mood became bright and cheerful with the arrival of the dwelling''s owner. "Yingzi, I will definitely break through to the Innate realm and be a disciple under Senior Sun!" A month ago, a Loose Cultivator came from outside, wanting to nt on this plot of magicalnd. Truly bing a wanderer without a source of Spirit Stones, the hardships of bing a cultivator were insurmountable. Chen Yang tried everything to dy, but still couldn''t stop the sect''s rules, and he was about to lose thend on which he survived. A few days ago, Senior Sun moved into the dwelling and told the Marketce he did not wish to be disturbed. The Loose Cultivator was very understanding and went to rent other magicalnd, solving Chen Yang''s problem efficiently. Upon hearing these words, Chen Ying''s brow furrowed slightly, "Our family has suffered consecutive illnesses and deaths, surely someone is doing us harm. Now that it''s just you and me, why don''t we leave the Marketce?" Chen Yang slowly shook his head, and said firmly. "I won''t leave. I must restore our ancestor''s glory!" The time of the striving always passes swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, a whole sixty years went by. That day. An elderly Chen Yang with grizzled hair was tending to the magicalnd with his children and grandchildren, always bursting into heartyughter whenever he looked at his grandson. After thirty years of arduous cultivation of martial arts, he still had not broken through to the Innate realm. Fortunately, Chen Yang had the magicalnd to rent out, which easily led to marriage with his mortal wife. He fathered four sons and three daughters in session, all of whom had no Spirit Root. Chen Yang''s fervor of his earlier years had been spent, and he only prayed for "Senior Sun" to live a long life, so that these two acres of magicalnd could be passed on for more generations. Who would have thought that fortune would fall from the sky, and the eldest grandson actually possessed a Spirit Root? Even with a Four Spirit Root, it could ensure the prosperity of the Chen family for a hundred years. "You must thank Senior Sun, he is our family''s great benefactor." "What does Senior Sun actually look like?" As his son spoke, he looked toward the dwelling not far away, which had been closed since he could remember, including the yellow ox at the gate, unchanged for more than thirty years. "This... I can''t quite remember," said Chen Yang. Chen Yang was certain he had seen Senior Sun, but it had been too long, and he vaguely remembered that Senior Sun looked quite young. Marketce rumors said. Daoist Master Sun was in his forties or fifties, his cultivation had reached theter stages of Qi Refinement, certainly a person of exceptional talent, and there was hope for Foundation Establishment in the future. The family was talking. Suddenly, they heard a creaking noise; turning their heads, they saw the dwelling''s gate open, and out walked a blue-robed old Daoist. Zhou Yi also noticed the dozen or so members of the Chen family and nodded with a smile, then leapt onto the back of the yellow ox. "Old bull, let''s go." Clouds and smoke appeared under the hooves of the yellow ox, and it soared into the sky, flying towards Tianyang City. Seeing his benefactor finally leaving the dwelling, Chen Yang pulled his grandson along to give thanks, but all he saw was a figure riding away on the back of the ox. Stunned for a long time, he lowered his head and said to his grandson. "Did you remember his appearance? If you see Senior Sun in the future, be sure to repay his kindness!" ... Riding on the back of the yellow ox, Zhou Yi began to ponder how to continue his cultivation. Thirty years ago, by eating a century-old Spiritual Medicine as meals, he had forcefully pushed the Guiyuan Technique to the thirteenthyer. Qi Cultivation Great Perfection, with no further progress possible. No matter how he ran the Cultivation Technique, he couldn''t increase his Mana by a bit, not even if he bit into a millennium-aged Spirit Ginseng, it was of no help. Zhou Yi had not ended his seclusion, instead, he turned to cultivating the Divine Bull Transformation. Perhaps it was because the bloodline of the yellow ox was extraordinary, or perhaps because Zhou Yi''s body had umted too many Spiritual Medicines, the efficiency of Body Refinement far surpassed Qi Cultivation. It only took seventy years to cultivate to Great Perfection, and after testing its power, he finally emerged from his seclusion, satisfied. "With my talent, even if I reached Qi Cultivation Great Perfection, three to five Foundation Establishment Pills might not be enough." ``` "Moreover, each time a Foundation Establishment Pill appears, not to mention selling for a sky-high price, it also triggers a bloody struggle. Those Qi Refiners whose lifespans are about to end would fight with all they have, and who knows, they might actually break through the defenses of the Divine Bull Transformation." "In the end, one must rely on refining it themselves!" Over the years, Zhou Yi had taken on various disguises and inquired about the origins of the Foundation Establishment Pill everywhere, with all clues pointing to the Dan Ding Sect. asionally, Foundation Establishment Pills would circte in the marketce, but they were never from legitimate sources. Some said they were illicit goods obtained through murder and plunder, while others imed they were bait used by the sects to string along loose cultivators. The implication was clear: with the Dan Ding Sect monopolizing Foundation Establishment Pills, cultivators in Cloud Continent had to rely on others for their advancement. "First, I''ll try to find a recipe for the Foundation Establishment Pill. If that''s truly impossible, I can exchange merits for the status of a registered disciple. As for time, let''s set fifty years. By then, this identity would have lived out its lifespan!" As Zhou Yi contemted, the ox had already flown above Tianyang City. ... Half a yearter. In the southeast corner of Tianyang City, a street-facing shop hung up a new sign. There Is a Tavern. Behind the solid wood counter, Zhou Yi was reading a storybook with relish, not even looking up when a customer arrived. "Shopkeeper, what kind of wine do you sell here?" The speaker was a middle-aged man with a strong build and hands as big as fan leaves, evidently a rare master of External Martial Arts. In Tianyang City, mortals aspired for innate martial prowess, and so those who practiced Inner Strength made up ny-nine percent of the poption. After all, with the rules of the Dan Ding Sect in ce, there was no threat to life on the surface. "Crimson me Wine, for dine-in only," Zhou Yi said, pointing to the sign behind him that listed the years and prices. Crimson me Wine originated from the Chihong lineage. After decades of research and form refinement, spirit ginseng aged a hundred years had been sessfully incorporated into the brew. The wine was fiercer, poured into a bowl as red as me, hence the name Crimson me Wine. The man was startled by the expensive price: "For a ten-year vintage, it costs one spirit stone per catty, that''s too expensive!" Zhou Yi smiled and said, "You could trade something for it." As he spoke, Zhou Yi picked up a brush and added a sentence beneath the prices: We ept all kinds of goods! "I don''t have anything!" The man''s gaze grew sharp, he shook his head repeatedly, and left the tavern as if fleeing. The residents of Tianyang City, whose ancestors had once been wealthy for generations, if they were still struggling in the marketce, it meant that their family still possessed some inheritance. Many shops in the city, like Zhou Yi''s, epted barter transactions. Each year there were rumors of someone selling relics from their ancestors, either in the hope of breaking through to Innate level, or just to enjoy worldly pleasures. Even if the former failed, they would still be respected, while thetter were despised as prodigal sons. But Zhou Yi didn''t see it that way. Innate was only the first step on the path to immortality. Whaty ahead was a thousand tribtions and a hundred hardships, and there was no guarantee that a family would oust mundane inheritances. "Next, it''s just a matter of waiting!" The tavern opened without ceremony, and though nothing much happened in Tianyang City, the news quickly spread. Half a monthter. Someone came to the tavern offering to sell an ancestral spiritual object¡ªa jade stone bottle exquisitely crafted with mysterious patterns engraved on its surface, which would burst into dazzling spiritual light when infused with mana. "Our ancestors once livedvishly, having produced two Foundation Establishment real persons. This is a treasure one of them left behind. Before passing, our ancestor''sst words were that his lifetime of knowledge was hidden within the bottle, and heirs with the talent could inherit it!" The man spoke with genuine emotion, sighing as he said, "Unfortunately, theter generations are ipetent and cannot perceive the mysteries within the bottle. Fellow Daoist, how many spirit stones will you offer for it?" Zhou Yiughed as he received the jade bottle, observed it carefully, and then shook his head and said. "I apologize, but my limited vision doesn''t see its worth. You should try another shop." The man argued for a while longer, but seeing Zhou Yi continually shaking his head with a smile, he uttered some strange words and left with the bottle. It wasn''t many dayster. The man mysteriously suffered a robbery, his limbs all broken, and the family heirloom bottle smashed to pieces. Subsequently, several swindlers who had visited the tavern all encountered mysterious disasters. The enforcement team conducted a cursory investigation but was unable to find the perpetrator and thus let the matter rest. Zhou Yi''s tavern suddenly became much quieter. "The methods of forging and counterfeiting in Tianyang Market are far inferior to those of the Little Dan Mountain, too crude!" Chapter 90: 90 Sect-Protecting Spiritual Treasure After several tests, it was confirmed that Zhou Yi knew his goods. With full-strength Qi Refinement, unable to resort to foul y, he could only send someone to discuss the rules. Generally, those who wished to sell an inherited legacy had to share information with one another, unifying prices to avoid undercutting fellow tradesmen. "It''s possible," Zhou Yi nodded in agreement; after all, it was a harmless matter, and there was no need to make enemies within the trade. Safety was, of course, the primary concern; the shops in Zhengyang City all had their backers, most of which were disciples of the Dan Ding Sect, tracing back to the stationed real person. The Dan Ding Sect''s main headquarters was rumored to be located on an Earth-ranked Spirit Vein, with spiritual energy in the sect condensing into rain, making it among the most superior cultivation havens in the world. A Foundation Establishment True Monarch would not leave a good sect without reason, traveling thousands of miles to the remote Zhengyang City; it was obviously for the purpose of scooping up Spirit Stones. Then there was the verbal agreement among tradesmen. Ordinary Spiritual Objects were a win-win, but upon encountering a precious legacy, it was every man for himself. "In the blink of an eye, I too have be part of the ss that exploits Loose Cultivators," Zhou Yi shook his head slightly; he was not a saintly character, nor had he ever thought about turning the heavens or creating the universe, and most of the time he was just going with the flow. Time slowly passed. The business in the tavern gradually picked up. The Crimson me Wine contained a hundred-year-old Spirit Ginseng, and the quality was a bit better than other drinks in the same price range. With decades of brewing experience, Zhou Yi''s vors were also exceptionally superior, slowly attracting a lot of returning customers. That day, Someone finally came to sell an ancestral Spiritual Object. Zhou Yi had already received the message from his peers; notes on a Foundation Establishment spell, with a buying price of five hundred Spirit Stones. "This price is quite a bit higher than setting up a stall outside," The seller hesitated momentarily before leaving, and soon after, Zhou Yi received word that the Jade Law Pavilion had acquired the notes, flipping them for at least three to five times the price to other Marketces'' Foundation Establishment True Monarchs. Moreover, cultivation notes were a steady business, not just a one-time sale. "These cultivator families, setting up shops in various Marketces, are earning more Spirit Stones than I had anticipated." "Even so, it''s rare for a Foundation Establishment True Monarch to be present, which goes to show the extent of the Dan Ding Sect''s control over the Foundation Establishment Pills... it''s reached an extremely stringent level..." Zhou Yi waited for thest customer to leave, instructing the hired help to watch the house as he flew eastward with Sword Control. ... Cave residence 702. Zhou Yinded at the entrance, whereupon a young attendant immediately went inside to report, and after a moment, Daoist Xuan Qing came out to greet him. "Fellow Daoist Sun, pleasee in," Xuan Qing had graying hair and appeared to be in his sixties or seventies, with a cultivation base in the mid-stage of Qi Refinement. Zhou Yi smiled as he sped his hands in greeting, "No need for formalities." Xuan Qing was one of the few Loose Cultivator Pill Masters in Tianyang Market, and although he only concocted Nourishing Essence Pills, the quality was even better than that of the shops, and one bottle of medicine could be three to five Spirit Stones cheaper. With the trust gained from selling pills, Xuan Qing started holding a gathering where cultivators met at the end of each ten-day period to exchange cultivation insights. Currently, twelve Loose Cultivators had joined, and Zhou Yi was among them. Zhou Yi''s purpose in attending the gatherings was straightforward; desiring Xuan Qing''s Pill Technique inheritance, he often used the meetings to ask questions about Alchemy. In the courtyard. The other Daoists had already arrived before him, and upon seeing Zhou Yi, they stood up to greet him. "Greetings to Fellow Daoist Sun." "At the previous gathering, when Fellow Daoist Sun discussed the Lightning Method, I pondered over it afterward and found it increasingly profound." "I have some doubts about it and will need to consult once more." With everyone''s words, Zhou Yi was highly praised. "That''s all good," Zhou Yi had studied the Five Thunder Technique for over a hundred years, almost the lifespan of an ordinary cultivator, with control over the Lightning Method far surpassing his peers. Merely sharing something new could enlighten others. After the pleasantries, everyone took their seats. ording to the usual order, Xuan Qing would discuss the Pill Technique first, then Zhou Yi would talk about the Lightning Method, and the other cultivators each had their specializations. "Fellow Daoists, today besides discussing techniques, I have another matter to propose," Xuan Qing took out a Formation g and waved it, causing fog to rise around them, "Some days ago, during my travels, I unexpectedly discovered a spiritual ce. It seems to be the burial site arranged by some predecessor." A spiritual ce, an ancient tomb! Zhou Yi and the others furrowed their brows slightly, listening quietly to what came next. "Originally, I intended to explore on my own, but I discovered that the tomb''s formation wasplex, requiring the cooperation of at least ten people to break through." Xuan Qing said, "I have invited you all to join me, with any relics obtained within the tomb to be converted to spirit stones and divided equally, while the spiritnd will belong solely to me." "This..." The crowd was quite tempted but reluctant to leave the marketce for an adventure. Zhou Yi, however, decisively refused, "The shop is too busy, I can''t be spared. It''s better for Daoist Xuan Qing to find someone else." "Daoist Sun, with my low aptitude, after decades of cultivation I''ve only reached the mid-stage of qi refinement with no hope of foundation establishment." Xuan Qing bowed in request, "This time, I only wish to open up a spiritnd for my n that can be passed down for generations. As long as you lend a hand, I am willing to offer the pill technique for the Nurture Yuan Pill as a reward!" Zhou Yi remained unmoved, shaking his head firmly. The rest of the cultivators had a flicker in their eyes, unsure if they were tempted by Xuan Qing''s mid-stage qi refinement or by the art of alchemy. "Since there''s no talk of spellcasting today, I will take my leave first." Zhou Yi went to the edge of the formation, his footwork mysterious as he walked straight through the mist and out of the cave. Xuan Qing was considering asking Zhou Yi toe back when he saw this scene; his gaze grew sharper, but he remained silent. ... After that day, Zhou Yi never again attended the gatherings. Half a yearter, rumors spread through the marketce¡ªXuan Qing and his party never returned from their expedition. "Greed is the easiest to see through, yet also the easiest trap to fall into!" Zhou Yi soon put the matter behind him because, after three years of business, he finally received his first inheritance. The seller was named Wang Gui, who imed that an ancestor was a Golden Elixir True Monarch, and such a legacy was worth at least eight thousand spirit stones. In Zhengyang City, there indeed was a family descended from a True Monarch, traceable back to the establishment of the marketce. Having declined to just over a dozen members, they had recently decided to leave the marketce and return to mundane life, before suddenly contracting a strange illness. Within three to five days, the entire family perished. When Zhou Yi heard of this, he fell silent for a long while, reflecting that the beauty and cruelty of the Cultivation World were even greater than in the secr world. With the extinction of the True Monarch''s family, no matter who had secretly acted, the scattered legacy was enough to incite a frenzy among the marketce''s peers. From this perspective, Zhou Yi was sure that it wasn''t the work of a cultivating family. Although they coveted the True Monarch''s legacy, they were more concerned about their family''s safety, fearing any contingency from the True Monarch that might bring about their n''s doom. Passing loose cultivators, on the other hand, are brazen, willing to do anything as their life''s path approaches its end. "These cultivating families'' means of survival are somewhat simr to mine, extending their lineage through blood for hundreds, even thousands of years, discreetly umting their family''s foundation. It appears to be another form of longevity." Zhou Yi''s mind raced, and a smile filled his face, "First, let''s see the legacy before discussing the price." Upon hearing the voice, Wang Gui immediately took out the jade slip. The "Spiritual Treasure Technique". The opening was grand, iming that this method could refine spiritual treasures. First, find a spirit-aware object and refine it into a personal magic weapon using the Blood Sacrifice Method... "This technique looks somewhat familiar." After reading a few more lines, Zhou Yi confirmed that it was the Blood Refinement of Spiritual Weapons, although blood refinement was just the first step; there was much more to it. "After the blood sacrifice, there are nurturing, smelting techniques that can continuously enhance the power of the magic artifact. As time grows longer, the artifact will transform into a magic treasure, spiritual treasure, and even the legendary Sect-Protecting Supreme Treasure!" Zhou Yi, after consulting many ancient books, knew that the Dan Ding Sect had ruled Cloud Continent for thousands of years. Even though there had been times when the lineage nearly ended, with the Sect-Protecting Divine Fire Fan, no one dared to challenge its majesty. "This spell... seems a bit useless!" Zhou Yi shook his head, handed the jade slip back to Wang Gui, and spoke helplessly, "Even the legendary Nascent Soul ancestors lived only for a thousand years; this ''longevity'' must span well over ten thousand years, right?" Wang Gui waited silently for a moment, then said, "How about a lower price, five thousand spirit stones?" "A thousand." Zhou Yi shrugged and said, "Having not opened for three years, acquiring an inheritance from a True Monarch, even if it''s useless, it''s just for a bit of good fortune." After hearing the transmitted message, Wang Gui took out the original technique. The other shops were willing to offer even less, only three to five hundred spirit stones. Of course, selling to Zhou Yi wouldn''t prevent them from reselling it to someone else. Zhou Yi''s gaze intensified, reflecting on the True Monarch''s legacy being sold so hastily. Probably, the culprit''s lifespan was nearing its end, desperate to exchange arge number of spirit stones for Foundation Establishment Pills. "A dying person can be the most terrifying, the most insane!" "In Zhengyang Marketce, the number of loose cultivators meeting this criterion, both in the open and in secret, certainly does not exceed ten." "In some time, after watching themotion, it should be clear who it is." Chapter 91: 91: Willow Trees Planted Unintentionally Zhou Yi spent sixty years in seclusion, during which three Foundation Establishment Pills appeared in the marketce. About every fourteen or fifteen years, one would appear, as if the Foundation Establishment Pills had a maturity period. It was hard not to arouse suspicion among Loose Cultivators, thinking that Dan Ding Sect was casting bait. Even so, even the most hidden Loose Cultivator could not resist revealing themselves. For instance, the Foundation Establishment Pill from thirteen years ago eventually ended up in the hands of the Chu State Imperial n, and an aged master hidden within a spiritualnd sessfully ascended to a true Foundation Establishment cultivator. Afterward, he was taken in by Dan Ding Sect and became a formal disciple, and it seemed like no one was at a loss. "Common Imperial ns control armies and secret agents. It''s much easier for them to search for spiritualnds within their territories than it is for Loose Cultivators," he said. Zhou Yi took out the Great Dry Map, covered in a century''s worth of dust, marked with all the abnormal and dangerous ces within the territory, one of which might just be a natural spiritualnd. "After achieving Foundation Establishment, I''ll investigate them one by one, just to have a contingency n." Dan Ding Sect has stood for thousands of years, seemingly like a towering tree, yet Zhou Yi habitually extends the timeline. Over tens of thousands of years, the rulers of Cloud Continent have changed several times, so it doesn''t seem all that stable. Moo! The cow''s mooing at the door reminded Zhou Yi that a Qi Refinementte-stage cultivator had entered the store. Zhou Yi put the map into his storage bag, put on a professional fake smile, and greeted the visitor with a bow, "What brings Brother Zhao here today?" "What else could it be?" Zhao Zhi walked up to the counter, poured himself a drink without invitation, and said, "I just received news that a Foundation Establishment Pill will appear at this year''s auction." Zhou Yi initially attended the Zhengyang City auctions with great interest but seldom went after a few times. Real treasures, once consigned to the auction house, their news spreads outside. Several wealthy and powerful families hold a secret auction, where spiritual objects and inheritances don''t even make it to the public listing. Only the Foundation Establishment Pill, appearing once every decade or so, cannot be manipted behind closed doors at auctions, and these families also dare not cut in line. "Are you interested?" he asked. Zhou Yi cautioned, "Those are fought over by the rich and powerful. We Loose Cultivators, fighting alone, would just be throwing our lives away by going. Better to live freely for a few more years." Over the years, Zhou Yi had made some acquaintances while running his tavern, and Zhao Zhi was one of them. "Brother Zhao, you''re already over a hundred years old. How much longer can you be carefree?" Zhao Zhi''s lips moved slightly, his words turned into a transmitted message, "Over these years, I''ve managed to gather quite a few secret agents. By chance, I learned that the East City Li family, although they only have an initial-stage Qi Refinement cultivator, their ancestor was quite a renowned Alchemist..." "Brother Zhao, there''s no need to continue," Zhou Yi interrupted, now formally addressing him by his surname and shaking his head, "Persecuting cultivators in the marketce equates to the practice of demonic and evil paths. Dan Ding Sect, when exterminating demons, shows no mercy." Zhao Zhi said, "There''s no need for us to take action; someone has already set their sights on the Li family. We''re just waiting to reap the benefits." "As you please," Zhou Yi retorted, not believing in such opportunism, which was only convincing to children. Either it was a show put on by Zhao Zhi himself, or perhaps it entailed changing identities altogether. Though Alchemist inheritance is valuable, it could not break through the principle Zhou Yi held in life. Do no evil, be vignt in solitude! With a potentially endless life span, if one does not put restrictions on oneself, Zhou Yi feared he might turn into a monster he himself could no longer recognize. "Brother Zhao''s integrity is admirable," Zhou Yi praised sincerely. Zhao Zhi bowed in respect, "I do not seek yourplicity, brother. Once I acquire the Foundation Establishment Pill, I ask that you help me stop someone. In return, I am willing to share a portion of the Alchemist heritage." Zhou Yi understood at once ¨C this was Zhao Zhi''s real intention. To achieve a part, aim for the whole. Zhou Yi neither agreed nor declined but asked, "You''re acting so urgently, putting all your eggs in one basket. Is there some other change in the marketce?" "Can''t hide anything from you," Zhao Zhi admitted after a pause, and his transmitted voice followed, "Recently, Xuan Yu the real person identally revealed that in the future, the appearance of Foundation Establishment Pills could be dyed." "No wonder," Zhou Yi muttered to himself. Zhou Yi apologized, "I am not skilled in magicalbat, my friend. You should seek someone else''s help." In his time of cultivation, the number of times Zhou Yi had engaged inbat could be counted on one hand. Whenever possible, he avoided conflicts. Frequently engaging inbat meant potentially encountering cultivators who, despite being outssed, could have sudden breakthroughs, carry supreme treasures for protection, or have mighty elders safeguarding their lives. Zhao Zhi offered several rewards, but seeing Zhou Yi''s resolute attitude, he had no choice but to leave, disappointed. ... The cave abode. Zhou Yi executed the Jade Dew Art to promote the growth of spiritual medicine. The medicinal field, spanning two zhang in radius, contained over a dozen nts of wood-element spiritual medicine, the youngest of which were a hundred years old. The Spirit Ginseng in the middle was over fifteen hundred years old, its green leaves transformed into soft, green hair. As Creation Dew Drops fell, the Spirit Ginseng''s surface formed eyes, mouth, nose, and ears, emitting afortable moan. Ah¡ª¡ª Zhou Yi flicked his own forehead, "How many times have I warned you not to make such strange noises!" The Spirit Ginseng looked aggrieved, "I was just trying to please the Immortal Master. That Bodhisattva from Phoenix Cry Pavilion the day before yesterday..." "Out! I was studying the secret Buddhist Law," Zhou Yi said sternly. Zhou Yi kicked the Spirit Ginseng away, wondering if he had been a bad influence on the child. A thousand-year-old spiritual medicine could potentially develop some spiritual intelligence. Once sentient, its value would skyrocket. The Spirit Ginseng had wisdomparable to a teenager, which was why Zhou Yi couldn''t bring himself to consume it entirely. In the future, adding a few drops of the Spirit Ginseng''s essence blood into the pills during alchemy could significantly enhance their efficacy. Zhou Yi meditated to recover his energy. After two to three hours, he took out the "Spiritual Treasure Art" and pondered over it, word by word. "Nurturing, offering mana daily to refine and boost the spirit of the magic artifact... hmm, another way to consume mana. Melting, extracting the Essence of Five Metals to infuse into the magic artifact¡ªthis part of the spell seems iplete," he reflected. Zhou Yi, with his increasing knowledge, quickly noticed that there was something amiss with thetter part of the Spiritual Treasure Art. In theory, the art of melting spiritual treasures could incorporate all things to increase the power of a magic artifact. However,ter on, it only detailed how to integrate the Essence of Five Metals, transforming the magic artifact into a paramount treasure. "It seems to be a recipe for refining treasures? Could it be that different forms for the Spiritual Treasure Art can produce different supreme treasures?" Zhou Yi wondered. Zhou Yi spat out the Mountain and River Cauldron and then took out Mystic Iron, Purple Spirit Copper, and other spiritual ores of the Five Metals to use the melting method of the Spiritual Treasure Art. Streams of Five Metals Essence were drawn out from the ore, merging into the Mountain and River Cauldron. This process differed fundamentally from when Zhou Yi had previously refined and weighted Mystic Iron for his own use. The Five Metals Essence was slowly transforming the very foundation of the Mountain and River Cauldron. Half a monthter. All the spiritual ores had been used up, and Zhou Yi sensed the power of the Mountain and River Cauldron. "Its weight has increased slightly, but it''s still a mid-grade magic artifact?" "Those spiritual ores alone were worth two to three thousand Spirit Stones, enough to buy a high-grade magic artifact. With the Spiritual Treasure Art being such a rip-off, no wonder my peersugh at me!" Zhou Yimented with a slight shake of his head, then he stored the Mountain and River Cauldron in his Dantian for nurturing. ... The tavern. The doors opened again. Zhou Yi was chatting with several regr customers who enjoyed good wine about how to improve the taste of Spiritual Wine when an old man with white hair entered. "Benefactor!" The visitor was none other than Chen Yang, his face etched with sorrow. He knelt down with a thump as soon as he stepped inside. The regr customers, being tactful, excused themselves upon witnessing such a scene, leaving Zhou Yi with greetings. Zhou Yi had some recollection of Chen Yang. asionally, when he would leave his reclusion, he had seen a young man full of ambition turn into an old man ying with his grandchildren, prompting him to reflect on the changes of life. Chen Yang took out a round jade pendant from his chest, holding it carefully with both hands and lifting it above his head. "Benefactor, this is a relic from my ancestors. I only ask that you take action and avenge my grandson!" Chapter 92: 92: Thunderous Echoes Zhou Yi ced the jade pendant on his forehead and upon opening it, saw the four characters "Mysterious Sun Pill Scripture." He resisted the greed and did not look further. "This item is too precious, you tell me first what happened?" "Benefactor, some days ago there was a loose cultivator, who took advantage of my grandson''s cultivation andunched a sneak attack." Chen Yang said with grief, "My grandson was only at the second level of Qi Refinement, and he had not even purchased any protective magic artifacts. He was killed on the spot and his path ended there." Zhou Yi asked, "Such a serious incident urred in the marketce, did thew enforcement team not take care of it?" In Zhengyang City, there are clearly two types of people, mortals and cultivators. For the former, thew enforcement team deals with issues perfunctorily; for thetter, if they are attacked, a thorough investigation is carried out for deviant demons and outsiders. However, aftermitting a crime, evil cultivators usually move to another marketce to cultivate, and it''s rare to catch and bring them to justice. It was for this reason that there were basically norades among loose cultivators. Loose cultivators practicing orthodox cultivation techniques are even more dangerous than demonic cultivators, who are gloomy with a demonic aura and roiling demonic clouds. "Of course they did, and they quickly identified the murderer, who was promptly executed." Chen Yang sighed, "Cultivators vie with heaven for fate; my grandson''s lifespan was short, and so be it. But the day before yesterday, someone sent a message demanding the relics of my ancestors or threatened to cut off my lineage. Only then did I understand it was a plot for wealth and murder!" Zhou Yi had already guessed the reason and asked, "What do you n to do?" "With the family legacy exposed, I might avoid today, but not tomorrow. I n to leave the marketce with my whole family." Chen Yang said bitterly, "But my grandson should not die in vain. I am willing to offer our family''s legacy as a reward, pleading for your help in avenging my poor grandson." Zhou Yi pondered for a long time and then returned the jade slip. "Keep the family legacy for yourself for now. Once you leave Tianyang Abyss, there will likely be people who take action to kill you. I need to assess the strength of the murderer before making further ns. If there''s an opponent we cannot defeat..." "Then offer up the legacy, and perhaps there will be a chance to survive." "How righteous of you, Benefactor!" Chen Yang did not take the jade slip back and said resolutely, "My ancestor was a true disciple of the Pill Ding Sect. No matter how declined and ipetent our descendants have be, we would never stoop to begging our enemies for life. If the enemy is too powerful, I ask the benefactor to remember and seek revenge for the Chen family in the future!" Zhou Yi weighed the matter carefully, seeing the benefits without harm, and nodded in agreement. "That will do." ... Heavenly Craft Pavilion. Zhou Yi, disguised as a monk in yellow robes, bought ten Earth Fire Pearls. Thousand Talisman Hall. The Taoist priest in purple robes exchanged two hundred years'' worth of poria for ten Clone Talismans and fifty Thunder Talismans. Hundred Treasures Tower. Zhou Yi spent a lot of money to purchase a superior magic artifact made of Earth Spirit Pearls, which not only offered strong protection for the body but also came with the technique of moving through the earth. For a Qi Refinement Realm cultivator fleeing from a real person''s pursuit, the safest ce is underground, followed by water, while being in the sky is akin to being a living target. If one encounters a Golden Elixir True Monarch, it''s best to directly kneel and beg for mercy, which is more likely to spare one''s life. "There are three Heavenly Thunder Pearls left, to be used for sniping fleeing cultivators." "With such firepower, it''s enough to kill a dozente-stage Qi Refinement cultivators, or to even dy a Foundation Establishment real person for a moment or two." "Unfortunately, Tianyang Market does not have any top-tier magic artifacts or the legendary talisman treasures!" ... Three dayster. The office approved Chen Yang''s application, permitting him to leave Tianyang Market. The Chen family, consisting of more than twenty members, boarded the marketce''s flying boat andnded on the southeastern edge of Tianyang Abyss. Chen Yang gazed at the abyss, where clouds and mist churned, and suddenly old tears streamed down his face as he knelt and kowtowed three times. "I, an unworthy descendant, have failed our ancestors!" Chen Yang''s eldest son helped him up andforted him, "Father, do not lose heart. With our family''s capabilities, it will be easy to establish a foundation in the mundane world. Our family''s cultivation techniques are not lost; in a few generations, someone will surely return to the marketce!" The other children and grandchildren all nodded their heads, not feeling disappointed or sorrowful but instead full of hope for the future. "How many of those families who left the marketce have returned? Ordinary families can''t stay wealthy for more than three generations, and after five generations, they will probably forget even the concept of cultivating immortality." Chen Yang muttered to himself, "After my death, scatter my ashes into Tianyang Abyss." Wiping away tears, they turned around and left. The twenty or so members of the Chen family were all martial arts experts, disying qinggong as swift as galloping horses, and quickly traveled over thirty miles. The youngest son gasped and said, "Father, I''m running out of Inner Qi, shall we rest for a bit?" Chen Yang said solemnly, "Don''t skimp on the Breath Restoration Pills, we''re only a dozen miles away from Linyuan City, and it will be safe when we get there." "In this mortal territory, I''m not even afraid of fierce tigers and wolves, but Breath Restoration Pills are quite worth some Gold and Silver." Seeing his father''s ring eyes, the youngest son no longer dared to talk back and quickly took out a Breath Restoration Pill. Breath Restoration Pills were not cultivation Spirit Pills, but rather simr to themon Great Restorative Pill and Bone Tempering Pill in the martial world, capable of quickly restoring Inner Qi. In Tianyang Abyss, it cost just a few dozen Silver pieces per pill, but in the secr world, it was considered a rare treasure, worth a fortune. Just as the youngest son was about to take the pill, a sword light descended from the sky, splitting him open from above. Before even a scream could be emitted, blood sttered everywhere. Chen Yang stood there in shock, feeling the heat on his face, and when he wiped it with his hand, it was covered in his youngest son''s blood. A figure in a ck robe slowly descended from the sky, a dark flying sword swirling around, his face obscured by mist, and a sharp and cold voice rang out. "Thinking of escaping? Since I said I would kill your whole family, I mean what I say!" Chen Yang''s eyes were about to burst with fury, knowing now was not the time for grief, he shouted to his family. "Split up and run!" At his words, the Chen family members snapped back to reality and scattered in all directions. The ck-robed cultivator stood still, letting out a sharp and long whistle, and soon responses came from afar. A momentter. The members of the Chen family who had fled in all directions were gathered together again, surrounded in the center by no less than eight ck-robed cultivators. "Old man Chen, hand over the Pill Master inheritance, and you can have a quick death!" The leading ck-robed cultivator took out a ck bowl, inside of which was drawn a ferocious ghost face, its blood-red eyes almost seeming alive: "Once trapped in this malevolent ghost bowl of mine, your soul will be drawn and essence refined, and even death will be hard toe by..." Before he could finish speaking, a roar of thunder sounded in the sky. Boom! Boom! Boom! Confusion crossed the face of the ck-robed cultivator as he looked up and was so scared that the dark mist on his face dissipated, revealing an aged face. Thunder after thunder roared incessantly in the broad daylight, as numerous bolts of lightning descended from the sky. "Ah!" Continuous screams ensued, and instantly six people were turned into charred corpses, the remaining two relying on their protective Magic Artifacts to narrowly escape the cmity. "Escape!" The two were seasoned evil cultivators who did not need to discuss before fleeing in different directions. "Toote." A deep voice came from above, and a stalwart figure two meters tall appeared, wearing a silver helmet, ck armor, and cloud-stepping boots, looking more like a battle-hardened general than a cultivator. As he spoke, he activated the Heavenly Thunder Pearl and Earth Fire Pearl, two streaks of purple and red divine light intertwined, catching up to the two in an instant. Boom! The two figures, smoking, fell to the ground, their fates unknown. Zhou Yi, naturally knowing the principle of delivering the finishing blow, was ten meters away, using his flying sword to chop all the corpses into pieces. Whether they were feigning death or not, they were thoroughly dead now, and only then did he begin to gather the spoils of war. "A pile of junk metal; can''t even recoup the Spirit Stones spent on the thunder charms. Let''s go back and take another look at the jade slip; I hope to break even!" Zhou Yi had fulfilled his promise and didn''t bother with Chen Yang as he prepared to ride his Magic Artifact away when a tremendous wave of mana rapidly approached. "Fellow Daoist, please wait!" The voice was crisp and pleasant to the ear; theer was beautiful as a flower, but in Zhou Yi''s eyes, it was like a life-threatening evil spirit. Xuan Yu the Truthseeker! Waving his hand, Zhou Yi scattered a handful of duplicating talismans, sending ten figures running in all directions, while his true self activated the Earth Traveling Pearl to burrow underground. Chapter 93: 93 Mysterious Sun Pill Scripture "How dare you!" Xuan Yu snorted coldly and waved her hand, casting dozens of fireballs. The clone talisman was simr to an illusion technique, which couldn''t withstand a real person''s spell. In an instant, they were all sted to pieces. "All fakes?" Xuan Yu''s brows furrowed slightly as her divine sense swept across a hundred zhang radius in an instant. From her sleeve flew a golden light which, upon meeting the wind, turned into a golden and enveloped the ground forty or fifty zhang to the east. The golden seemed formless and insubstantial as it vanished into the ground in a blink and wrapped around a figure in ck armor, pulling it up from beneath the surface. "Senior, spare my life." Zhou Yi''s face was pale, and his legs shook like chaff. Xuan Yu''s face was cold as ice as she waved her hand and summoned the magic artifact, the Golden Spirit Net, back, reprimanding him. "I kindly called out to you, yet you dared to defy..." Boom, boom, boom, boom! A series of explosions sounded, and the Golden Spirit Net instantly tore open, spewing forth underground fire that surged toward Xuan Yu. "An insect''s trick!" Xuan Yu''s expression remained calm, as she had anticipated this. She was not some ''good girl'' cultivated in a sect, during the years she had been in Tianyang Abyss, she had killed so many Chu State''s evil cultivators that their heads rolled. The Daoist crown on her head sent down protective divine light, and the golden hairpin in her hair turned into a flying sword, shing towards Zhou Yi. Moo! Zhou Yi''s eyes turned blood-red as he howled to the sky. His already robust figure swelled rapidly, growing over three zhang tall. Two giant golden horns grew on his head, and his thick arms, like pir courts, reached for the flying sword in one hand and threw a punch directly at Xuan Yu''s face with the other. With a loud crash The protective divine light shattered instantly, and the divine power of ten thousand jin struck Xuan Yu''s head, sending her tumbling to the ground like a broken kite. Zhou Yi showed no sign of joy on his face. Amon real person suffering such a sneak attack might have been seriously injured, but Xuan Yu was a direct disciple of the Pill Cauldron Sect, with who knows how many protective treasures. He sprinted for several hundred zhang, activated the Earth-Traveler Pearl, and burrowed his way underground towards Linyuan City. A few breathster. Xuan Yu rose into the air from the ground, her hair disheveled, her eyebrows inverted, and a purple-red fist mark on her left cheek. "You demon dare to do this!" She steered her flying light around for inspection, her divine sense scanning in all directions, but she couldn''t find Zhou Yi''s trace. Xuan Yu flew back to the original spot andnded in front of the Chen family, questioning Chen Yang. "Do you know the identity of that demon?" "Replying to the real person, I know, but I won''t say!" Chen Yang red to stop his descendants from speaking and stood stiffly in front of the Foundation Establishment real person, with no attempt to hide the stubbornness in his tone. Xuan Yu coldly said, "Communicating with demon races, harming human cultivators, I can force a soul search!" "Chen family''s ancestors were known as Xuan Yang, and not even his corpse was returned after his death, only saying he perished together with a great demon." Chen Yang stepped forward two paces and said, "Today, the real person can search our souls and see if this old man has had any dealings with the demon race. It''s better to search everyone to ensure today''s events don''t spread!" "You suspect me of colluding with evil cultivators?" Xuan Yu said, "Senior Xuan Yang died for the sect in battle and is deserving of admiration. The pill scriptures he left behind are valuable, but not tempting enough for me to covet." "Since that''s the case." Chen Yang''s eyes gleamed cunningly, and his upright figure bent slightly as he respectfully said, "Replying to the real person, this old man had long suspected an attack by evil cultivators, and Senior Niu was the helper we invited." "There''s no need for such pretense. I may be angry, but I wouldn''t take it out on the descendants of the loyal and good." Xuan Yu saw through Chen Yang''s ruse, but she could not exin to Chen Yang that the secretive messages from the sect elder were seeking to recover the scattered legacies, especially those rted to the Foundation Establishment Pill forms. If this news got out, the Loose Cultivators of Cloud Continent would be thrown into chaos! Xuan Yu was indifferent to her sect''s methods, taking it as a mission failed, and flicked her wrist to release a Jade Stone Token. "Should the family face a tribtion in the future, you may seek aid at the Righteous Sun Abyss!" The lingering voice faded away as he turned into a streak of fleeing light and departed. Chen Yang let out a long sigh of relief, slumped to the ground, and muttered, "Having survived this ordeal, our Chen family can be considered to havee back to life." The eldest son said, "Father, that true immortal was truly benevolent to leave behind a messaging jade token." Chen Yang nced at his eldest son, admonishing him. "Remember, our family has only one benefactor, and that is Senior Niu. The rest didn''t even treat us as humans!" ... Linyuan City. Zhou Yi hid underground for several days, seeing no pursuers, he immediately escaped to the north. Not daring to show his head, let alone fly, he relied on the technique of subterranean travel to make haste. Several monthster, after crossing the border of Chu State, Zhou Yi finally surfaced from the ground and disguised himself as a young nobleman to blend into the city life of Great Qi''s Southern Frontier. "Thank goodness I had always considered Foundation Establishment cultivators as hypothetical enemies, otherwise I would have been in danger this time!" Zhou Yi found a ce of pleasures to rx his tense nerves and began to sort out his spoils of war. "Magic artifacts are all damaged. If I find a marketce and sell them, I can exchange them for three to four thousand spirit stones. Superior thunder charms, Heavenly Thunder Pearls, Earth Fire Pearls, clone charms -- this battle has cost me at least four to five thousand spirit stones!" "If it weren''t for the Jade Dew Art, it would have been a bankrupting fight!" Zhou Yi picked out two protective magic artifacts, refined them for his own use, and kept the rest in his storage bag. He then began inspecting the jade slips. The first one. "A cultivation diary? Who in their right mind keeps a diary... Hmm? It seems I have written one too, no harm, no harm!" He continued reading. "Tsk tsk! This Daoist friend even wrote a novel, with the female protagonist being... True Immortal Xuan Yu, a tribute to the seniors!" To cultivators, jade slips were simr to convenient and quick ess books, used to record insights or experiences for easy review and reflection atter times. After inspecting each one, he destroyed those of a personal or private nature, while carefully preserving those containing insights and experiences. "Soul Soothing Intoxication, a spiritual wine form!" Zhou Yi frowned slightly; this wine was quite renowned in Tianyang City, being one of the very few spiritual objects that could enhance the soul. The only person in the marketce capable of brewing such wine was Zhao Zhi, who was well-acquainted with Zhou Yi! "So, when Zhao Daoist friend mentioned the Li family in the East City, he was actually referring to the Chen family in the South City. Perhaps it was an intentional concealment, maybe he unwittingly fooled me as well, and ultimately, fate is unpredictable, he died by my hand!" Zhou Yi closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, then put Zhao Zhi out of his mind. The form for Soul Soothing Intoxication was invaluable, finally giving Zhou Yi a taste of the exhrating feeling of sudden wealth through killing and plundering. "However, all thesebined do notpare to even a tenth of the Mysterious Sun Pill Scripture!" Zhou Yi took out the jade slip, pondered over every sentence of the Pill Scripture, and because he had read quite a few notes from Pill Masters, it was not as difficult to understand as the Introduction to Array Paths. The "Mysterious Sun Pill Scripture" included refining spiritual medicine, the Art of Fire Control, and Pill Concoction Techniques, constituting a veryplete lineage of pill cultivation. The truly valuable part was thest dozen or so pill forms, which included not onlymonly seen pills like the Nurturing Origin Pill and the Yellow Dragon Pill in the market, but also at the end, the recipe for the Foundation Establishment Pill. "The Pill Cauldron Sect has a tight grip on the Foundation Establishment Pill, and I''ve never heard of the form being leaked. Could this be why True Immortal Xuan Yu intervened?" Zhou Yi then shook his head. How could the Pill Cauldron Sect''s true legacyck pill recipes? And even with the recipes circting, few could sessfully concoct a Foundation Establishment Pill. The main ingredient, thousand-year-old Spirit Ginseng! The Foundation Establishment Pill ensures that even if one fails to break through the realm, the meridians and the Dantian are not damaged, thanks to the protective properties of the thousand-year-old Spirit Ginseng. Zhou Yi patted his chest, "You little guy, you have such divine effects?" Huu huu huu¡ª The Spirit Ginseng child shrank to half a foot in size andy sleeping in Zhou Yi''s arms. He ignored the call, twisted his body, and continued his deep slumber. This method slowed the dissipation of spiritual energy and could survive in the mundane world for over a hundred years. If too much time passed and the spiritual energy within suffered significant loss, the intelligence-granting spirit would also fade. Even if he could return to the Cultivation World and regather the spiritter, it would no longer be the same Spirit Ginseng child. Chapter 94: 94 Revisiting the Old Place "The recipe for the Foundation Establishment Pill is already in my hands, and I''m notcking the main ingredient. The auxiliary spiritual medicines can be collected in the marketce." "What I need to do now is to find a safe spiritnd to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill!" Zhou Yi had reached the Great Perfection of Qi Refinement for more than thirty years. He had read many records of cultivators'' Foundation Establishment process and knew that it required an environment rich in spiritual energy. Hiding in the mortal world, it would be difficult toplete the Foundation Establishment. "Marketce? Spiritnd?" The marketce under Dan Ding Sect has the richest spiritual energy, yet breaking through a major boundary would produce an anomaly, difficult to conceal from the stationed True Ones. Having just escaped Xuan Yu''s pursuit, Zhou Yi did not dare to return to the marketce under the Dan Ding Sect''s jurisdiction for the time being. If there were any spells to intercept and retain his aura, wouldn''t that be like throwing oneself into the? "Even if the chances of breakthrough are higher in the marketce, I cannot take the risk, no matter how small the possibility might be." All actions taken by Zhou Yi were for the sake of survival, preferring to match wits and bravery with the air itself. "It''s better to find a spiritnd. There, no one is my opponent, and it''s just a matter of taking a few more Foundation Establishment Pills. After cultivating in the spiritnd to the limit, it will take at least several decades. By then, no spell to detect aura would be effective!" "Spiritnds are hard to find. Currently, the ones with clues are the Jiangnan families, the Hu family, and the Chu State Imperial n..." The Jiangnan families have many members, and even if they own a small spiritnd, they wouldn''t allow non-family members to enter. The Hu family belongs to an emerging cultivator n and could be one of the options. Zhou Yi once inquired about a Hu cultivator. It was said that he had an ent from the Northwest of Da Qian. Following this clue, by investigating the well-known Hu families in the Northwest, it wouldn''t take more than a decade to find the Hu family''s descendants, and from there, find the cultivating spiritnd they upy. "This is more reliable than the Jiangnan families. The Hu family has only a few decades of foundation, and they pose no threat to me." As Zhou Yi contemtes thest option, the Chu State Royal Family has always recruited loose cultivators, allowing them to cultivate in the Royal Family''s spiritnd and offering spirit stones each year. Of course, it''s not just about taking money without doing anything. Chu State''s legacy hassted for six to seven hundred years, having endured several crises of state destruction. Their survival can be attributed to the Immortal Pensions Office''s covert assistance. Throughout the generations, the Chu State Royal Family has had exchangeable disciples, so the operations of the Immortal Pensions Office are not overly secretive. The Dan Ding Sect conveniently turns a blind eye. "In the past years, it was all right, but now that the Chu State Royal Family has a Foundation Establishment True One, their actions have be somewhat arrogant ande with risks!" Zhou Yi''s eyes suddenly brightened: "If the Chu State Royal Family can find a spiritnd, Da Qian naturally can as well, unless there''s no spiritnd within its territory! Even if so, scouring the mountains and ins, the Hu family''s spiritnd won''t be able to remain hidden." "Utilizing the power of the Imperial Court is both quick and safe!" At this thought, Zhou Yi suddenly felt nostalgic for Da Qian. Even if he couldn''t find a spiritnd, it would be good to return for a look. "And to burn some incense for an old friend, and visit his grave!" ... Qian Capital. A hundred years ago, it was known as Divine Capital, but its name was changed after the founding of Da Qian. East City, ten miles away, lies a Bai family estate covering a hundred acres - the site of the Bai family''s ancestral graves. Midnight. Old Bai, who was responsible for guarding the ancestral graves, carried antern and finished his patrol. He was about to return to his room to sleep when he caught sight of a ck shadow emerging from the ground near a grave mound not far away. Ghosts! Old Bai threw down hisntern and ran for his life. In front of Old Bai''s grave. Zhou Yi took out a hundred-year-old bottle of Pear Blossom White, poured a bowl for his deceased friend, and squatted in front of the grave, drinking by himself. The tombstone, weathered by a hundred years, had turned from white to a mossy green, exuding an ancient charm. "Old Bai, it''s been a blink of an eye, and you''ve been dead for one hundred and fifty or sixty years. If there is reincarnation in this world, you''ve likely been reborn by now. I wonder whether you''re male or female?" "I''ve been wandering in the Cultivation World for over a century, and still haven''t made much of a name for myself!" "The social hierarchy in the Cultivation World is even more rigid than in the mortal world. Those big shots have all sorts of means and methods to keep loose cultivators on their toes... Oh, you don''t understand what ''social hierarchy'' means." "Forget it! Let''s change to a more cheerful topic. The female cultivators in the Cultivation World are by no meansparable to mortal women." "That vor, tsk tsk, this round I won against you..." Zhou Yi rambled on, talking about every which thing, from east to west, from south to north, sometimes reminiscing the past when the two of them used to drink under the moon, sometimes telling interesting stories from the Cultivation World. After finishing a jar of wine, the moon was already setting behind the Western Mountains. "Old Bai, I''m leaving again!" "The next time Ie back, I hope your tombstone is still standing here, so I can talk to you again." Zhou Yi stood up, feeling refreshed in both body and spirit. The depressive emotions umted over the years had dissipated. "Sometimes I envied you, lying there carefree and at ease, without a single worry." ¡­ The Imperial City. The main gate is called Dingqian, with the imperial decree posted beside it. The issuer of the decree was the founding Sage Emperor of Da Qian; the text of the decree contained not a single character and had withstood decades of wind and rain without damage. Folk rumors held that whoever could understand the contents of the imperial decree could be a national temple steward. Zhou Yi looked at the imperial decree from afar, his eyes flickering with spiritual light, "Using this method to recruit Loose Cultivators, promising Spirit Stones and spiritualnds, it seems the Li family is also developing toward the Imperial n of Chu State." Times change. It had been eighty years since he left Da Qian, and Zhou Yi was unaware of any changes that had urred in that time. "For now, I shall observe for a while." After contemting for a moment, Zhou Yi decided to first return home for a look. ¡­ Ningde Fang. A hundred years had passed, and everything had changed. Zhou Yi arrived at his family home to find the seal on it half fallen off. He pushed the door open and saw the ground covered with a thickyer of dust, with a few footprints; he was unsure whether they were from thieves or something else. Mana swept across, cleaning up the dust in an instant." "The jujube tree and grapevine, you two are still alive?" Zhou Yi spoke to the two trees as if he were catching up with old friends, burying a few Spirit Stones under them. In the mortal world, with its thin Spiritual Energy, it was impossible for the trees to be spirits, but the Spiritual Energy seeping from the Spirit Stones could nourish and rejuvenate them, allowing the age-old trees to sprout anew. The main room. There was a wooden tablet on the table that looked somewhat familiar. "Is this the one for sending messages from back then?" Zhou Yi picked up the wooden tablet, his Mana probing inside to find a jade slip contained within. In the martial world, information was stored using Secret Techniques that transmitted sound, which would typically dissipate after thirty to fifty years, whereas a jade slip could preserve information for hundreds of years. A few momentster. Zhou Yi ced the jade slip into his storage bag; it recorded thest words of Li Hong and Chen Jinyu. After Li Hong abdicated, he and Chen Jinyu devoted themselves to cultivation and never stopped searching for Zhou Yi. Even on their deathbeds, they were still preupied with him, sending someone to leave a jade slip in the courtyard. If a descendant of the Zhou family took the jade slip, as long as the Li Imperial n still existed, they would repay this kindness. "A descendant of the Zhou family... Hmm? That''s not entirely out of the question!" Zhou Yi already had a n in mind. ¡­ Several months passed in the blink of an eye. Zhou Yi had been observing outside the Pce, finally waiting for a cultivator to appear. He slightly revealed his aura, and whatever he asked, the other would answer. During their travels in cultivation, Li Hong and Chen Jinyu, who had been named disciples of the Pill Cauldron Sect, made the acquaintance of a fellow sect brother from Chu State, and learning from the way of the Royal Family, they established the Immortal Pensions Office to recruit Loose Cultivators. As for the origins of the spiritualnds, the man was not very clear, but there were rumors linking them to the former dynasty. Currently, among the spiritualnds upied by the Da Qian Imperial n, the one with the highest cultivation was an old Lord Li, who was said to be at the sixthyer of Qi Refinement and on the verge of breaking through to theter stages at any time. "That is very good!" Zhou Yi waited a few more months and caught another cultivator; the information matched what he had heard previously. A few dayster. A young man named Zhou Shen came to the Pce Gate and struck the gong to request an audience with His Majesty. Chapter 95: 95: The Da Qian Imperial Clan The twenty-third year of Emperor Chenglu''s reign. As the year''s end drew near, there were no pressing matters in the Imperial Court; anything unresolved was postponed to the next year. The Officials, either bored to death or busy ingratiating themselves with superiors, were startled by the sound of theint drum, which echoed throughout much of Da Qian''s capital. There was no new gossip in the pce, so the news quickly spread. The descendant of Mr. Zhou, who had once saved the Sage Emperor''s life and imparted a Cultivation Technique, arrived with a token to seek refuge with the Li Imperial n. The history of the Sage Emperor''s rise was well known among the long-established families, especially since many historians thoroughly researched it after the Sage Emperor''s death. Among the unresolved mysteries revealed only at the Sage Emperor''s deathbed, was how the Li family, when exiled in its entirety, survived an encirclement by bandits and then how they assumed the name Zhou Hong to establish a foothold in Deste City. The historians who investigated the officials of Deste City seemed to confirm that a young man surnamed Zhou had rescued the Sage Emperor and taught him a Cultivation Technique. Only on his deathbed did Li Hong finallypletely unveil the answer to the riddle. A hundred yearster, the descendants of the Zhou family came knocking, and the Officials watched eagerly from the sidelines. This matter was purely an internal affair of the royal family, not something anyone else could appropriately meddle in. Whether they were dismissed as impostors or granted a peaceful and esteemed title, it would not significantly impact the Imperial Court. At this moment, in Qianyang Pce, Emperor Chenglu summoned the elders of the imperial kin to discuss the matter. "We have temporarily invited the individual into Changhe Hall to bathe and change clothes. I have hastily summoned all my uncles here because this matter cannot be dyed. Everyone in and out of the court is watching this; if handled improperly, it can be a stain on the legacy of the Sage Emperor!" The elders of the imperial kin took their positions on either side, nodding in agreement and whispering amongst themselves. An old Uncle Wang asked, "Your Majesty, can we be certain of the visitor''s authenticity?" Emperor Chenglu shook his head, "We have yet to confirm their identity. I have already ordered the Imperial Kitchen to prepare a banquet, and to show our sincerity as royals, I will personally inquire about this matter." "For such a great kindness, elevating to royal status is also an option, befitting the virtue of the Imperial n!" "We could have an Immortal Law master from the Immortal Pensions Office secretly investigate, then the truth wille to light!" The discussions among the elders were numerous but generally supportive of repaying the kindness. This act was beneficial and cost nothing; repaying the kindness even after three generations would greatly enhance the prestige of the Li Imperial n. To deny or expel the person would be to p one''s own face. In Da Qian''s capital, every high-ranking family had poor rtives who, upon visiting, must be properly entertained. Another Uncle Wang frowned slightly, sighing, "I am afraid that they may not be interested in wealth and honor." Emperor Chenglu asked, "Does Uncle Zhong Wang know something?" "Your Majesty, I have managed the royal family''s archives, and I am quite familiar with Mr. Zhou. ording to the records, Mr. Zhou secretly controlled the Jinyiwei, indifferent to power and splendor, his heart set on seeking immortality and the mystic arts." Uncle Zhong Wang said, "With the martial arts and Immortal Law inheritance of Mr. Zhou, his descendants won''tck for wealth and power. The only thing that might catch their eye from the royal family would probably be that piece ofnd in the east." Emperor Chenglu nodded, "Uncle Zhong Wang speaks sensibly." Uncle Zhong Wang''s expression turned rather somber. Nowadays, every member of the Da Qian Imperial n was aware of the cultivation methods, yet the issue of possessing a Spirit Root was causing despair. "Your Majesty, granting Spirit Land and Spirit Stones is also reasonable. With the deep connection and kindness of the Zhou family, if they achieve sess in their cultivation in the future, they will be much more reliable than those Loose Cultivators. But does he possess a Spirit Root?" "It''s very likely he does not." Emperor Chenglu said, "When the Sage Emperor became a disciple of an Immortal Sect, it was with guidance from Mr. Zhou. If there were a Spirit Root, he would have gone directly to Little Dan Mountain." The other elders, listening to the conversation between the monarch and his kin, quickly grasped the crux of the issue. With an inheritance but no Spirit Root, what the Da Qian Imperial n could offer was Spirit Land and Spirit Stones, piling resources to promote advancement to Innate martial artists, forcing a path into the way of cultivation. Immediately, someone questioned, "Isn''t this... somewhat wasteful?" A Spirit Root, one in ten thousand, yet fate had notpletely sealed the path. The difficulty of attaining Innate status in martial arts was even greater than acquiring a Spirit Root. For example, among themon people in the Righteous Sun Abyss, only asionally did someone be a cultivator. The Da Qian Imperial n could maintain a session of cultivators in a manner simr to the Jiangnan gentry, by marrying many and producing many offspring. Even if a generation or twocked a Spirit Root, the Imperial n still possessed the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique to ensure a steady presence of Qi Refinement stage cultivators. "In recent years, the cultivators recruited by the Immortal Pensions Office have mostly been deste and unsessful individuals. Any Loose Cultivator with a modicum of skill prefers to live a humble life in Little Dan Mountain." Emperor Chenglu pondered for a long time and said, "The reason is not inheritance or the like, but a matter of trust!" "Indeed, it is so." The Immortal Pensions Office ensured the continuity of the Da Qian dynasty''s inheritance, which is fundamental to the evesting wealth and honor of the descendants of the n elders. Therefore, its development was taken very seriously. "If Da Qian wants to be like the great Chu, it must maintain credibility for at least three to four hundred years. Only then will those skillful Loose Cultivatorse to seek refuge and enjoy the secr glories in peace." Emperor Chenglu said, "The matter at hand is an opportunity, to generously nurture the descendants of the Zhou family, and that can be considered establishing trust!" "Your Majesty is wise!" "Mr. Zhou is a regret of the Sage Emperor, and this would make itplete." "Your Majesty has given deep consideration, and it will be much more convenient to recruit Loose Cultivators in the future. If the descendants of a benefactor from a hundred years ago can be well-treated by the Imperial n, what more of others?" The n elders praised him repeatedly. Emperor Chenglu clearly had a n in mind, and calling upon the n''s residence for discussion was a gracious gesture, which should be appreciated. ... The Hall of Heavenly Session. All sorts of exquisite delicacies need no mention. Zhou Yi stood outside with the eunuch for quite a while, finally waiting for His Majesty to grant an audience. Emperor Chenglu, appearing to be in his thirties or forties with a robust physique, saw Zhou Yi enter and smiled, gesturing for him to dispense with formalities. "The Zhou and Li families can be considered old friends. I am elder than you by some years, so hereafter, let''s refer to each other as uncle and nephew." "Thank you, Your Majesty." Zhou Yi had transformed into a young man with an honest face, and even in different clothes, he could not hide his rustic aura. Emperor Chenglu got straight to the point and asked, "Honored nephew, you im to be a descendant of Mr. Zhou. Besides the wooden token, do you have any other evidence?" "Other..." Zhou Yi was about to speak when he sensed a discreet fluctuation of mana and immediately pretended to be dazed, his speech dreamy, "My great-grandfather always used to curse the Dog Emperor; would that count?" "Dog Emperor?" A look of embarrassment shed across Emperor Chenglu''s face, but he then remembered a record in the Sage Emperor''s chronicles and asked, "If the Li family does not recognize you, what do you n to do?" Zhou Yi said, "Go back home and farm." Emperor Chenglu nced behind him where Loose Cultivators were hidden behind a folding screen, having already cast the Soul Bewitching Art. "Honored nephew, do you have any other skills?" Zhou Yi honestly answered, "I only know how to farm and brew wine." Emperor Chenglu continued to inquire, "How old are you this year?" "Eighteen." Zhou Yi was indeed a full cycle of sixty years old, which was somewhat embarrassing to admit. A Golden Elixir True Monarch had already lived half of his lifespan, while he had not even reached Foundation Establishment. Emperor Chenglu asked a few more questions, such as the presence of a Spirit Root and martial prowess, and then indicated for the Soul Bewitching Art to be removed. Zhou Yi gradually came to his senses and said with simple honesty, "Did I say something wrong? Does the royal family still recognize my great-grandfather?" "The Sage Emperor''s greatest regret in life was that he could not repay Mr. Zhou''s kindness. Now that the honored nephew hase, it also fulfills an ancestral wish of mine. Should you desire anything, feel free to ask. I shall grant it!" Emperor Chenglu still addressed him as ''honored nephew'' and maintained a warm smile, yet his tone had be more official and distant. Lacking a Spirit Root, with low martial aptitude, even if the Imperial n heavily invested in cultivation, it would be difficult for him to achieve Innate status. Emperor Chenglu had originally thought about recruiting him as a son-inw. Since he had given up on that idea, the resources invested would not seep out of royal control. "Your Majesty, my great-grandfather''s greatest regret in life was seeking the way of the immortals," said Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi said, "There are rumors that the royal family possesses spiritualnds. I hope to borrow suchnds for cultivation. If there could be some support with Spirit Stones as well, that would be even better." "I grant your request." Although Emperor Chenglu was disappointed, since he had promised to uphold trust, he would not be stingy with Spirit Stones. "In a few days, the honored nephew will proceed to the Imperial n''s spiritualnds for cultivation, with an annual provision of one hundred Spirit Stones to purchase medicinal pills." Chapter 96: 96: The Cold Pool Stone Cave Following few days. Zhou Yi strolled leisurely through the Capital, savoring the mundane joys of life. Perhaps influenced by nostalgia, the various cakes and snacks were far from as delicious as in the old days, with the only exception being the Spring Breeze Building. "So many nobles have perished over the past century, yet you stand tall and unyielding. Indeed, you are deeply rooted!" The end of the year came, and it was time to select the Oiran, causing Zhou Yi to linger and forget to leave. The spies who secretly followed him reported back that the prominent families in the Capital were no longer interested in Zhou Yi, writing him off as a wastrel cloaked in his ancestors'' glory, unlikely to amount to anything in the future. Rumor had it that Mr. Zhou was a regr patron of the Spring Breeze Building; thus, it must be his descendants. The Wei Jun lineage of the Northern Border, part of the Da Qian Wei Ducal House, paid the closest attention. Upon learning of Zhou Yi''s actions, the current Old Duke remained silent for a long while. With a sigh, he lost the desire to meet Zhou Yi and ordered out of respect for his ancestors'' kindness, "Remember to send a master to guard him; don''t let anyone bully him!" The Wei Ducal House was the top household in Da Qian and the only family in the Capital with a lineage of Immortal Dao. Merely hinting at their involvementpletely quelled certain individuals'' ambitions. Struggles in the dark, silent and breathless. Zhou Yi paid no mind to these worldly matters, intentionally acting like aplete good-for-nothing to avoid others seeking hispany, thus sparing himself from various troubles. Having seen five emperors, he had witnessed enough of the Imperial Court''s sordid affairs to have no interest in dealing with them. Leaving the Spring Breeze Building, he looked up at the sun and faintly felt he had forgotten something. "The Spirit Ginseng baby is not lost, the Foundation Establishment Pill recipe is still there, the Mountain and River Cauldron, the Bronze Mirror, the Jade Dew Art, the Spiritual Treasure Art... It seems I''m not missing anything?" He carefully checked his storage bag; all magic artifacts and spells were ounted for. It wasn''t until he saw an ox cart in the street, an old farmer leading a yellow ox and selling a cartload of firewood, "Where''s my ox!" Suddenly realizing, Zhou Yi immediately channeled his Mana to sense the Blood Covenant, confirming that the yellow ox was still alive, and then remarked that the Soul Covenant was normal. "As long as it''s alive, I''ll bring it back after Foundation Establishment." Demons generally live to great ages, and even oxen, not renowned for their longevity, can live two to three hundred years once they''ve reached the Qi Refinement Realm. ... The twenty-fourth year of Emperor Chenglu. Mid-January. An eunuch from the Imperial Pensions Office came to the Spring Breeze Building, informing Zhou Yi to visit the pce. "Finally, it hase." Zhou Yi, ignoring the contemptuous look from the eunuch, followed him to the Imperial Pce, paid his respects to Emperor Chenglu, and boarded the carriage to the Imperial n''s sacred grounds. The guide was an old man in a blue robe with the Taoist name of Gu Yun, who seemed to be at the third level of Qi Refinement. Additionally, there were more than ten guards and coachmen, all of whom were martial experts with significant achievements. One carriage per person, apart from Zhou Yi, the rest were all children of the Imperial n. The sacred grounds were an important foundation of the Imperial n. No matter who would ascend the throne and wield power in the future, they needed to have a good rtionship with the Immortal Pensions Office, or rather, whoever gained its recognition greatly increased their chances of inheriting the throne. Due to the randomness of the Spirit Root, Emperor Li Hong and his consort established a rule: those from the Royal Family with Spirit Roots would be considered genuine sessors. The practice was the same in the Great Chu Royal Family; that nation''s Foundation Establishment cultivator, who had originally been a distant rtive of the Chu family, became revered only because of his Spirit Root. The emergence of the way of the Immortals would inevitably break the traditional distinction between legitimate and illegitimate lineage. These children of the Royal Family certainlycked Spirit Roots, for if they possessed them, they would have been sent for cultivation in the sacred grounds long ago. This journey was for them to train in martial arts, assisted by elixirs, to advance far beyond the ordinary, in hopes of breaking through to the Innate realm. For instance, Emperor Chenglu appeared to be in his thirties, but in reality, he was over fifty, a result of his martial sesses when he was younger and his regr consumption of Spirit Pills after his ascension. "The longer the Da Qian dynasty stands, the more stable the Li Imperial n bes, and even if a few tyrants take the throne in session, it would be hard for the popce to overthrow..." As Zhou Yi looked at the scenery outside the window, his thoughts drifted. Evening. The guards set up camp and started cooking. The children of the Royal Family ate from themunal pot with not a hint of arrogance or pride; they got along well with the guards and mingled freely. Perhaps advised by their families, they especially came over to greet Zhou Yi, their demeanor kind and as refreshing as a spring breeze. Zhou Yi never frowned upon hypocrisy; it was far morefortable than arrogance or mockery. Night had fallen. Zhou Yi meditated in the carriage, sipping on Crimson me Wine from time to time to restore the mana within his body. At the Qi Refinement Realm''s thirteenthyer, he was out of sync with the mundane world. Relying on his own to maintain it, his mana had dissipated quite a bit over the past year. "At this rate, in about seven or eight years, I''ll fall to the twelfthyer. After reaching Foundation Establishment, I must find a secret technique to lock in my Spirit Root. If there''s danger, hide among themon folks for decades!" "Endure until the crisis passes, the enemies are dead, and then I can return to continue my cultivation!" As Zhou Yi pondered, a voice suddenly came from outside the carriage. "Brother Shen, are you there?" "I''m not!" Zhou Yi recognized the voice; it was the ninth son of Emperor Chenglu, named Li Xun. "Hahaha!" Li Xun, easily amused, let out a string ofughter. He cheekily poked his head through the carriage window, "You''re clearly here... Indeed drinking, can you spare your little brother a cup?" Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow, "A prince of high stature, stooping so low for a drink?" "In this world, only beauties and fine wine should never be let down!" Li Xun stretched his arm through the window already holding a vessel, a rough porcin bowl used by the guards for eating, which could hold at least half a jin. Zhou Yi shifted slightly, and the Crimson me Wine turned into a hundred-year-old Pear Blossom White, with which he filled a bowl for Li Xun. "Thank you, Brother Shen!" Perhaps fearing spilling the wine or perhaps longing to drink with someone, Li Xun clung to the carriage window and drank an entire jar with Zhou Yi. The rtions between people can sometimes be quite odd. Zhou Yi found this fellow quite agreeable, and Li Xun, thinking to mooch off some wine, had rapidly advanced their rtionship in just three or four days'' time. With the Royal Family''s spiritnd drawing near, some matters no longer needed to be concealed. Li Xun revealed the origin of the spiritnd, which was not rted to the former dynasty as rumored, but discovered by the Sage Emperor and Sage Empress as they pursued the trace of a female ghost, arriving at her ce of cultivation, which turned out to be a rare natural spiritnd. "A female ghost!" Zhou Yi''s thoughts stirred and he asked, "Then how did the rumor about the former dynastye about?" Li Xun replied, "People had explored the spiritnd before and found ceremonial dragon robes and thrones from the previous dynasty, as well as other royal articles, hence the rumor." "That might not necessarily be a rumor!" Zhou Yi spected that the female ghost was likely Huang Yuniang. "The priority is to establish the foundation first. Afterwards, I can investigate the Imperial Mausoleum on Mountain of Eternal Life. Even if there arerge mechanisms inside, they shouldn''t harm a genuine Foundation Establishment cultivator!" Four dayster. The caravan traveled over three hundred li southeast from the Da Qian Capital, finally reaching the destination at the edge of a cold pond. Zhou Yi got off the carriage, his eyes sparking with spirit as he surveyed the terrain. The cold pond was about four or five acres in size, surrounded by three peaks, windless andcking water outlets¡ªby feng shui it was considered a sinister ce of Yin Sha. Now, three nearby peaks had been converted into military camps, hosting tens of thousands of elite soldiers, guarded even more tightly than the Imperial Mausoleum. Gu Yun handed out a talisman to each person, "This is a water-avoidance charm, it allows you to walk underwater," The Imperial n''s children turned the charm over in their hands, smiling and asking Gu Yun how to use it, obviously looking forward to the trip to the spiritnd. Zhou Yi circted his mana and checked the water-avoidance charm for any anomalies, also feigning curiosity. "Just activate it with Inner Qi." Gu Yun was the first to use the water-avoidance charm, wrapping himself in a faint blue glow, he stepped into the cold pond. The clothes did not wet upon touching water, and they did not sink into the mud at the bottom. The water slowly submerged his head. With the Royal Family''s children following Gu Yun''s example, they walked on the bottom of the cold pond, with Zhou Yi trailing at the back, they proceeded for roughly half an hour. A trench appeared ahead, Gu Yun led everyone to jump in, arriving in front of a stone wall. Gu Yun formed a spell with his hands, rays of light fell down, and then he directly collided with the stone wall, disappearing into it. "Quite a cunning Illusion Array, if there''s no method to break it, this would just be a solid stone wall." Zhou Yi approached the stone wall, which felt like passing through ayer of water curtain. The view changed from clear pond water to a dim stone cavern, and he immediately sensed the rich Water Spirit Qi. "Nature''s miraculous workmanship beyond imagination, who could have anticipated that beneath this cold pond lies a hidden natural spiritnd!" Chapter 97: 97 Foundation Establishment Pill Completion The cave was narrow and long, spanning over ten mu, which already ranked it among the top within the spiritnd. Zhou Yi followed the team deeper into the cave, where along the way he saw field after field of spiritual medicine with a water attribute. They encountered four cultivators on the journey, all using the Spirit Rain Technique with their cultivation at the early stages of Qi Refinement. The cultivators'' cave dwellings were different from the marketce; they carved out living spaces with three rooms and a hall directly into the cave walls, turning every inch ofnd into spirit fields without destroying the natural formation of the spiritnd. At the bottom of the cave, there was a shrine. Standing at the entrance was an elder in purple robes, hands sped behind his back, his face exuding authority, his gaze swept across the descendants of the Imperial n, finally pausing on Zhou Yi. Gu Yun said respectfully, "Your Highness, there are a total of twelve individuals rotating into the spiritual practice this time." "Thank you for your hard work, Daoist Gu Yun." Li Yu, the old prince, spoke, "Cultivation in the spiritnd, if one cannot reach twenty years'' worth of inner qi in one year, or a hundred years'' worth in five, then return to the mundane world to live as a wealthy idler. Understand?" All the children of the Imperial n had serious expressions as they agreed in unison. Li Yu looked at Zhou Yi, his tone much gentler, "My great-grandfather often spoke of Master Zhou''s kindness. Since Brother Chen is a descendant of Master Zhou, if you have any doubts in your future cultivation, feel free to ask me." Zhou Yi bowed and said, "Thank you, senior." The children of the Imperial n had a flicker in their eyes as they regarded Zhou Yi differently. Li Hong had been dead for more than seventy years, and with two or three generations having passed in the mundane world, although they spoke of revering the Sage Emperor, in truth, he was regarded more as a historical figure. Li Yu, who had often been by Li Hong''s side in his youth, was naturally influenced and held a special regard for the descendants of Master Zhou. "Follow this king to worship our ancestors." Li Yu led everyone into the shrine, where the portraits of the Li family''s illustrious ancestors were enshrined. The n members of the Li family kneed and kowtowed three times, taking turns to offer incense. Zhou Yi stood at the back, perusing all the portraits; the first few were familiar faces, Li Wu, Li Ye, Li Hong, Chen Jinyu, and others, skillfully captured by the artist to resemble their original appearances by seventy to eighty percent. As for the portraits further back, he could scarcely identify one. Emperor Zhou of Yuan, Li Yi, styled Martial. "Things change; peoplee and go." Zhou Yi sighed silently to himself; he had only seen the boy once, recalling his somewhat shy nature, hiding behind Chen Jinyu, not daring to show his face. Who would have thought that after bing the emperor, he would personally lead campaigns to sweep through Great Yong, expanding the territory of Da Qian by more than thirty percent. After the worship, Li Yu distributed cultivation resources. A bottle of stone milk. A scroll of top-tier inner qi cultivation technique. "This spiritnd even has apanying spiritual objects; the Li family really struck it lucky." Zhou Yi browsed the inner qi cultivation technique and asked Li Yu several questions about cultivation, then chose a secluded cave dwelling. Once inside, he triggered the mechanism of the stone chamber, lowering the massive stone door,id out an array te to arrange a Minor Five Elements Array, nted the thousand-year-old ginseng, and began to ponder over the Mystical Pill Scripture. ... Days passed, one after another. Zhou Yi pondered over the pill technique for more than half a year, during which he left a few times on the pretext of buying wine or celebrating. However, in reality, he went to purchase spiritual medicine from the Small Pill Mountain. Disguised as an old Daoist with white hair, he entered the marketce with great caution. "Indeed, as long as one doesn''t cause amotion, if a demonic cultivator cane here, so can I!" Zhou Yi roamed the marketce and discovered that Jing Xu''s Abode had changed its sign to Spirit Talisman Hall. It was only after inquiring that he learned, over a decade ago, Jing Xu the Daoist had exhausted his lifespan and, with no designated heir to the shop, the marketce had leased it out again. "I still haven''t managed to return the notes." Zhou Yi silently noted this act of kindness, resolving that if he ever encountered descendants of Jing Xu or Qing Jing, he would lend a helping hand. After acquiring the spiritual medicine, he immediately returned to the spiritnd and started to concoct the simplest of pills, the Qi Nurturing Pill, with its main ingredient being Qi Nurturing Grass and several othermon auxiliary spiritual medicines. The pill furnace he used was the Mountain and River Cauldron, which was originally meant for cooking but could make do for alchemy as well. The me was the most ordinary mana me, iparable to the true fire one would have after Foundation Establishment, or to the fire from earth veins, with no additional sess rate bonuses. The first cauldron. He produced balls of charred ash, and just as Li Xun showed up to mooch a drink, he casually mixed some of the powder into the alcohol. As a result, Li Xun was unseen for several days. Upon making some inquiries, Zhou Yi learned that Li Xun had been vomiting and had severe diarrhea, looking pale and three shades lighter. After more than a dozen cauldrons, he grasped some of the knack for it and finally seeded in making pills. "The color and shape are correct, but should I find someone to test the pill?" Zhou Yi was only sure that the pill wouldn''t kill anyone, since there were no highly poisonous ingredients in the material; whether it had any effect on increasing mana, he had no idea. Unfortunately, Li Xun turned up at his door, face shamelessly eager, "Brother Chen, considering my pitiful state these past few days, spare me a drink!" Zhou Yi looked at Li Xun with a strange gaze, feeling that this pill was fated for him. Li Xun was quite lucky, the Primordial Pill was used by cultivators in Qi Refinement, and it was more than sufficient for refining Inner Qi. One yearter. Only four of the Imperial n''s disciples were left in the spiritnd, one of them being Li Xun. Li Xun was also puzzled¡ªhe was not diligent on a daily basis, would drink and chat, and wanted to be nothing more than a wealthy idler, yet his Inner Qi always surged inexplicably. "Could it be that I truly possess an exceptional talent?" Two years had passed in the blink of an eye. Zhou Yi did not rush to concoct other pills. Instead, he repeatedly refined Primordial Pills until he could produce ten pills in a single batch. If only considering the number of pills produced, his proficiency in Primordial Pills had reached perfection. Zhou Yi scattered the dregs from two whole storage bags into the cold pond, quite pleased with his alchemy talent. "Alchemy is pretty simple. Practice makes perfect!" He then flew towards Little Dan Mountain on his Magic Artifact, to purchase materials for Yellow Dragon Pills. Another three years went by. The experience in refining Primordial Pills could be transferred to other pills; low-level pills like Yellow Dragon Pills, Water Softening Pills, and Spirit Stabilizing Pills reached full proficiency in just two years. "How many Spirit Stones have I spent? Countless! Thanks to the Jade Dew Art, no, gratitude to the Longevity Dao Fruit!" Zhou Yi was only jesting about the simplicity of alchemy, yet his tally of consumed Spiritual Medicines would make any Foundation Establishment true person turn green with envy. On this day. Zhou Yi failed in making Green Sun Pills. The refinement of the medicinal herbs required for mid-grade pills exceeded twenty varieties, making the difficulty of concocting pills increase by more than tenfold. Continuous failure did not discourage Zhou Yi, who took out more Spiritual Medicine from his storage bag and continued his work. Thump, thump, thump! Sounds came from the door of his cave, Zhou Yi put away his Pill Furnace and Array te and opened the stone door¡ªit was indeed Li Xun. "Brother Zhou, I am leaving tomorrow. Before parting, let''s not return until we are drunk!" Li Xun was an emotional creature, and as he spoke, tears welled up in his eyes, and he opened his arms wide, ready to hug. "Scram!" Zhou Yi brushed off Li Xun, confused, "Haven''t you reached a hundred years of Inner Qi? And the date hasn''t arrived, has it?" "Brother, it is my innate talent after all!" Li Xun raised his eyebrows proudly, then sighed, "It''s too dull here. If I stay any longer, I''ll suffocate. I just wanted to be a wealthy idler, and a hundred years of Inner Qi is more than enough to roam the world!" Zhou Yi whispered, "Aren''t you interested in that position above?" "With my temperament, if I took that seat, I''d be nothing but a disastrous emperor. Better not to harm others or myself." Li Xun urged, "Don''t talk about such disheartening things. Hurry, bring out the wine. Let''s not return until we are drunk." Zhou Yi looked at Li Xun''s youthful face, realizing that upon their next meeting, he might already be an old man with white hair, feeling a stir in his heart. He took out a newly brewed batch of Spiritual Wine titled Soul Soothing Intoxication. "Let''s drink something good today!" After getting drunk, they went their separate ways. Li Xun went to pursue his dream of roaming thends, while Zhou Yi continued his alchemy. Time flies. Years pass like a shuttle. Twenty-five years passed in the blink of an eye. In the stone chamber. Zhou Yi grabbed the Spirit Ginseng baby, indifferent to its rolling white eyes, pouting mouth, stretching legs, ring, and mumbling. He mercilessly sliced off a piece of thousand-year Spirit Ginseng and dropped it into the Mountain and River Cauldron. In thirty years, the Mountain and River Cauldron had refined countless Spiritual Medicines and was emitting a fragrant aroma both inside and out. A few dayster. "Merge!" Zhou Yi pinched a spell and controlled the liquid in the cauldron to condense into Foundation Establishment Pills. Momentster, a puff of ck smoke burst out of the Mountain and River Cauldron. Zhou Yi was not shocked but overjoyed. He hurriedly flipped through the scalding hot remains and saw two golden, round pills lying quietly in the ck ashes. "After a full twenty batches, I have finally seeded!" Chapter 98: 98: Ending Earthly Ties "Foundation Establishment is within reach, it should be celebrated!" Zhou Yi suppressed the joy in his heart, deciding that celebration could wait until after the breakthrough. "With my aptitude, just two Foundation Establishment Pills are likely not enough to break through..." With that thought, he nced at the Spirit Ginseng baby next to him, sighing in distress. The millennium-old Spirit Ginseng, which was originally more than two feet long, now had only one foot left. Seeing Zhou Yi looking over, ity on the ground crying and wailing, throwing a tantrum. "Mercy, Immortal! Mercy, Immortal! If you cut anymore, I will die!" Zhou Yi said somberly, "Rest assured, another Spirit Ginseng is about to reach a millennium milestone, so we won''t need you after that." "Hm?" The Spirit Ginseng nced at the only nt in the medicinal field within the stone chamber, a nine-hundred-year-old specimen, and feeling a chill on one of its leaves, it rolled over to Zhou Yi''s feet from the ground. "I''ve bled for you, Immortal, I''ve contributed, you can''t abandon me!" "That will depend on your performance." Zhou Yi no longer paid attention to the conflicted Spirit Ginseng, sitting down cross-legged and silently reciting the purification spell. Several dayster. Mana reached its peak state, and Zhou Yi swallowed a Foundation Establishment Pill. As the Spirit Pill dissolved upon entering his mouth, an overwhelming surge of Spiritual Energy filled his meridians. The Guiyuan Technique operated on its own, refining the Spiritual Energy while attempting to break through the Foundation Establishment boundary. The mana in the Dantian, which had been stagnant for over a decade, began to grow again. Due to the limited capacity of the Dantian, the originally gaseous mana began to condense into a liquid state. Just as a wisp of liquid mana formed, the collision between the two different states of mana caused violent agitation, like boiling water, and some fine cracks appeared in the Dantian. At this moment, the Foundation Establishment Pill started to exert its medicinal effects, rapidly repairing the cracks in the Dantian. Zhou Yi''s eyebrows slightly furrowed; he stopped the flow of mana and waited until the effects of the Foundation Establishment Pill had been fully realized. "If the breakthrough fails and the medicinal effects of the Foundation Establishment Pill are exhausted without fully repairing the Dantian, will it leave behind cracks?" This question was not recorded in any text; perhaps someone in the Alchemy Sect knew the answer. A normal Loose Cultivator would be lucky to get one Foundation Establishment Pill in a lifetime; how could they afford to spare any of its potency? Besides, even if the Dantian was slightly damaged, one could still seek a way to repair it after eventually breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Stage. "During the breakthrough, one must retain three... no, five parts of the Pill''s power. If it fails, just take another one!" Having no knowledge in this area, Zhou Yi chose the safest method and continued to take Foundation Establishment Pills. The mana in the Dantian began to condense again, faster than before, and the Dantian itself felt more robust. Five parts of the Pill''s power managed to condense a tenth of it into liquid. "Continue the Alchemy!" ... Three months passed. Over the past twenty-odd years, even when Zhou Yi secluded himself for alchemy, he would emerge every half a month. Sometimes he''d listen to Loose Cultivators tell tales of the Cultivation World, or seek advice from Li Yu on cultivation techniques, meticulous and discreet. Everyone in the spiritualnd considered him patient with tedium, diligent, and studious, a model youth or middle-aged man. What a pity that his talent was limited; spending two to three thousand Spirit Stones hadn''t helped him break through to the Innate level. At the critical moment of his breakthrough, for the first time, he didn''t leave his chambers for three consecutive months. The elderly Lord Li Yu, who was over a hundred years old, paused outside the cave dwelling but refrained from knocking. "There shouldn''t be a problem." Before long, half a year had passed. Li Yu finally couldn''t restrain himself. Even if there were food reserves in the dwelling, they should be nearly depleted. Over the years, his rtionship with Zhou Yi had grown to be even closer than those fleeting ties with the members of the Imperial n. The bonds of kinship thinned through five or six generations already felt distant. Thump, thump, thump! No response came, and Li Yu''s expression changed slightly, as he activated his flying sword to cut open the stone door. Inside the cave dwelling, it was empty; no one was to be seen. Li Yu saw a jade slip lying on the central stone table and hurriedly picked it up to check. Inside, it detailed the procedures for concocting the Primordial Pill. At the end of the piece, there is a message left. "I borrowed this ce and returned a volume of scriptures. From this moment on, our predestined rtionship is severed!" Li Yu looked at the meditation cushion inside the cave dwelling¡ªit still held a bit of warmth¡ªand felt a sense of loss, as if he had just missed a great opportunity. ... At this moment, Zhou Yi was flying in the sky. Without the need to control any magic artifact, his body wrapped in an escaping light as he crossed the firmament, leaving behind a trail of rainbow light. "At the early stages of Foundation Establishment, traveling three thousand miles a day is but a trivial matter. Roaming towards the North Sea at dawn and to the Cangwu in the evening, now I somewhat resemble a carefree immortal!" More than a month ago, Zhou Yi had taken a total of twelve Foundation Establishment Pills and finally made a breakthrough in his realm, turning the mana in his Dantianpletely liquid. "The power of my spells has increased three to four timespared to the Qi Refinement Realm. The step between Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment seems like a small one, but the difference in strength is as vast as the heavens and the earth! The Five Thunder Technique can almost be cast instantly, with several bolts of thunder being released with a wave of the hand, their power surpassing that ofmon magic artifacts." "The dozen or so protective magic artifacts that I had are now useless in the duels of the Foundation Establishment Stage. It seems they have scarcely been used twice?" Zhou Yi did not grieve over the spirit stones; unused protective artifacts meant that he had never encountered danger. Among the various spells, what truly amazed Zhou Yi was the Divine Bull Transformation, which, after advancing to the Foundation Establishment realm, had caused yet another surge in his physical strength. By using his innate spell, he could transform into a golden-horned green bull three to four zhang tall, with a hide that even the Five Thunder Technique couldn''t prate. "What a pity, thetter part is missing." The Guiyuan Technique, which Zhou Yi primarily practiced, alsocked subsequent chapters after the breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Stage. The spiritual energy in the cold pond cave was slightly scarce and could no longer supply Zhou Yi to continue his cultivation. Even if he set up a Spirit Gathering Array, it would only prevent his mana from scattering. After experiencing the exhration of unrestrained flight, Zhou Yi reigned in his pride,nded on the ground, and concealed his aura, appearing as ordinary as any mortal. "It is only the Foundation Establishment Stage, the second realm on the path of immortality. Compared to the Zhen Yang Demon Venerate''s mountain-shattering blow, I''m still tens of thousands of miles away." "Low-key, cautious!" ... Midnight. Qianjing City was ensconced in silence. More than twenty years had passed, and except for a change of emperor, nothing else had changed. The sons of officials became officials, and the sons of the wealthy remained rich, while the poormoners still prayed for blessings in the next life. The Bai family estate. In the backyard shrine, the candles burned bright, and the incense was plentiful. The guards on duty suddenly felt dizzy and all fell into a deep sleep. Zhou Yi entered the shrine and his gaze swept over each spirit tablet¡ªsome he had heard of, and some he had not. He paused at the name of the elder Bai, then turned his attention to an item offered on the altar. A jade pendant stained with blood. In a moment of remembrance, he recalled the bustling wedding of old Bai, with guests filling the house, full of cheer and splendor. "Two hundred years of cultivation sh by in a moment; in the mortal world, eight or nine generations have passed. Perhaps they have already forgotten the promise made back then, merely regarding it as an heirloom of the ancestors." Zhou Yi picked up the jade pendant and caressed it for a moment, murmuring, "Old Bai, I met an interesting fellow a few years ago, with a temperament like yours, just not as handsome. I thought of making friends with him, but in a blink of an eye, more than twenty years have passed. I''ve heard from his kin that he''s married and has children now." "Given the circumstances, I shouldn''t bother him with a visit!" The divide between immortals and mortals is not just one of strength. One period of seclusion amounts to a lifetime for a mortal; even the most amiable cultivator does not wish to affiliate with mortals, to avoid the pain of inevitable loss. Zhou Yi dropped his blood essence into the jade, with the intention that should the Bai family face disaster, a sense of it would emerge if he reached advancement in Divination and Deduction Techniques in the future. After standing quietly for a moment, he drifted away. Chapter 99: 99 The Tomb of Chongming Mountain of Eternal Life. The location of the imperial mausoleum of the previous dynasty, untended for a hundred years and now overgrown with weeds. Zhou Yi arrived in front of Emperor Chongming''s tomb, only to find scratches on the stele erasing all the words of praise, leaving only the Emperor''s name and posthumous title. At the bottom, written with powerful finger strength, were three characters: Dog Emperor! "How fascinating, no matter how much one tries to embellish one''s achievements, history will always give an objective assessment." Zhou Yi activated the Earth Traveling Bead, and his figure directly entered the main burial chamber. The chamber was constructed of massive rectangr stones, which, after more than two hundred years, were still stable. Around it were ced hundreds of opulent ritual vessels, and in the midst stood Emperor Chongming''s stone coffin. The lid of the coffin was already pried open, and a skeleton wearing an imperial robe was carelessly thrown on the ground. "The tomb of the Dog Emperor was robbed?" Zhou Yi stepped forward to examine and discovered that inside the stone coffin there was only a jade hairpin, which appeared to be the very object entrusted by Huang Yuniang. He took the jade hairpin, and his divine sense probed into it. Huang Yuniang''s soul had long since vanished, leaving behind a series of residual messages recounting the secrets of Emperor Chongming. "So the Dog Emperor, ignoring the turmoil of the National Dynasty, greedily pursued the path of immortality, indeed he knew of the Cultivation World!" In those days, Emperor Chongming ruled the world for over a decade and could barely be considered a qualified Emperor, until he encountered Ji Sheng, a disciple of the Dan Ding Sect on a visit home. The visit home was just an excuse to leave the mountain. After Ji Sheng arrived in the mortal realm, he tempted Emperor Chongming with life-extending elixirs. The purpose was to use Emperor Chongming''s construction of a mausoleum as an opportunity to sacrifice a hundred thousand craftsmen andborers in a Blood Refinement of Spiritual Weapons, creating an incarnation of the Ghost King. "A formal disciple of the Dan Ding Sect turned out to be a secret agent of the Ghost King Sect?" Zhou Yi didn''t know whether to worry or rejoice, worried that the Dan Ding Sect was not that safe, and pleased that the sect''s scrutiny of its disciples was not strict. Otherwise, if techniques like Soul Search and the Art of Self-Reflection were used, he, a mere Qi Refinement Realm cultivator, would definitely not escape detection. After Emperor Chongming learned of the way of immortality, he was not content with just extending his life by several decades, but without a Spirit Root, he could not cultivate towards immortality. Ji Sheng merely saw Emperor Chongming as a pawn and had no real intention of helping him. He nned to kill him with a spell after using him, to prevent leaking the secret of the Blood Sacrifice. However, Emperor Chongming was no benevolent person. After learning that he had no hope of cultivating immortality, he surprisingly ordered his elite Jinyiwei to ambush and kill Ji Sheng. With only a mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivation, and caught off guard by Emperor Chongming''s surprise attack, Ji Sheng was ambushed. After a brutal interrogation by Emperor Chongming, he intended to secretly execute Ji Sheng but, fearing the revenge of the Immortal Sects upon hearing of the soul jade slip, decided otherwise. Therefore, Emperor Chongming established a secret prison in the catbs, intending to keep Ji Sheng locked up until death. "If Emperor Chongming was a good person, would we have praised him for opposing immortals with his mortal ways?" Zhou Yi continued reading. Emperor Chongming obtained Ji Sheng''s relics, which included elixirs, magic artifacts, Blood Refinement of Spiritual Weapons, and incarnations of the Ghost King along with other Spiritual Objects and Spells. Using these relics, Emperor Chongming trained his confidant, Li Wu, to be an Innate Grandmaster, ensuring that the Dragon Position would not be taken away from the Zhao imperial lineage. Then he drafted a hundred thousandborers to grandly renovate the Imperial Mausoleum and, under the flimsy excuse of amoner uprising, killed all theborers. The Blood Sacrifice ritual was activated, and Emperor Chongming was buried in the tomb, attempting to cultivate thew of the Heavenly Ghost in human form. ..... Zhou Yi for a moment did not know how to judge the Dog Emperor; had he truly seeded in gathering the body of a Heavenly Ghost, with his wit and political savvy, he might have be a ruler in the Cultivation World. But human effort cannot ovee fate! Emperor Chongming did too many evil deeds in his lifetime, and even the heavens could not turn a blind eye. Huang Yuniang, after entering the tomb, followed Zhou Yi''s advice, scattered Emperor Chongming''s remains, and upon entering the stone coffin, she saw the soul undergoing transformation. One was the lingering soul of a mortal, the other was the soul of a cultivator practicing the Soul Nurturing Art, capable of materializing and manifesting as a ghost. The gap between the two souls was vast, and in despair and confusion, Emperor Chongming''s soulpletely dissipated. After Huang Yuniang devoured the lingering soul, she understood the whole story and took over the core of the Blood Sacrifice Formation, nurturing the body of the Heavenly Ghost within. "How interesting!" Zhou Yi tsk-tsked in amazement, his own simple advice had actually ruined the Dog Emperor''s schemes. Huang Yuniang had been nurtured in the Blood Sacrifice Array for a hundred years, finally condensing the body of a Heavenly Ghost, spontaneously attracting yin spiritual energy into her body and bing a Qi Refinement Realm ghost cultivator. Heavenly Ghosts, ording to Ji Sheng''s description, had talentsparable to a Heavenly Spiritual Root, an exceedingly rare urrence even within the Ghost King Sect. Even without the orthodox methods of ghost cultivation, Huang Yuniang relied on her innate talent, and within a decade, she advanced to the thirdyer of Qi Refinement, reaching the mortal world''s limit. From the residual memories of Emperor Chongming''s soul, she learned the location of the Cold Pool and then went to cultivate at the spiritnd. "Emperor Chongming, in his lifetime, built a summer pce near the Cold Pool. After learning about the path to immortality, he sent people to explore the mysteries of the pool''s cold qi and identally discovered the underground spiritnd... If the Dog Emperor had not died, he could have been called the Son of Destiny!" "Counting the time, it was precisely when Mt. Small Pill was destroyed, and numerous loose cultivators entered the mortal world¡­" "Compared to the Dog Emperor, Huang Yuniang''s luck was much worse." Zhou Yi looked further and, as he had guessed, Huang Yuniang didn''t know the art of concealment, which allowed the husband and wife duo, Li and Chen, to discover traces of ghost qi. The incident at Mt. Small Pill threw Xuzhou into chaos. Li and Chen, believing that a fierce ghost hade to the capital to wreak havoc, conducted a careful investigation and eventually discovered Huang Yuniang, who was cultivating beneath the Cold Pool. Having joined the Dan Ding Sect, Li and Chen''s spells and magic artifacts were all first-rate; a ghost cultivator in the early stages of Qi Refinement was no match at all. Huang Yuniang relied on the ghost''s natural intangibility to barely escape with her life, hiding in the chamber of Emperor Chongming''s tomb to recover from her injuries. To avoid being hunted again by orthodox cultivators, Huang Yuniang decided to leave Cloud Continent and travel to Qiong Continent to join the Ghost King Sect for cultivation. Before leaving, she scattered the Dog Emperor''s corpse and left the jade hairpin in the tomb. ¡ª¡ªThis hairpin is linked to my life. I ask you, sir, to keep it safe. Should I fall into the demonic path, please, sir, destroy the hairpin to prevent disaster to living beings! Huang Yuniang''s final message brought Zhou Yi considerablefort. "Huang Yuniang was not a vengeful ghost in life; her spirit was solidified using the orthodox Soul Nurturing Art, her mind clear and her memories intact." "Her father was upright and strictly taught her morals of life. After his death, he was willing to let his soul scatter for his daughter, leading to this result!" "The way of Heaven is clear, cause and effect cycle. The Dog Emperor''s meticulous ns came to nothing, as the Heavenly Ghost body and the Cold Pool spiritnd fell into the hands of others. From this, it seems there really is karma for good and evil deeds in this world. I should take heed in my future actions," "To do good deeds, to umte merit!" Zhou Yi was more delighted to see the Dog Emperor receive his karmic retribution than he was to ascend to the Foundation Establishment realm. "This calls for celebration!" ¡­ A monthter. Zhou Yi left the capital and flew toward Mt. Small Pill. He had two objectives: one was the cultivation technique after Foundation Establishment, and the other was to covertly cultivate in seclusion at Mt. Small Pill. "With Mt. Small Pill''s spiritual energy,bined with the Jade Dew Art, at most two to three hundred years would be needed to cultivate to thete stage of Foundation Establishment, and then I cane out of seclusion and n for the Solidifying Pill method." Zhou Yi nned to blend in among the Qi Refinement realm cultivators, without any desire to show off or p faces, purely seeking stability. The cmities faced by Qi Refinement realm cultivators could be easily resolved by a Foundation Establishment true person. Once the Golden Core was solidified, he could then blend in among Foundation Establishment cultivators. By progressing in this way, wouldn''t he be able to steadily increase his cultivation level? "I really am a genius!" Zhou Yi praised himself, wandered outside Mt. Small Pill for a few days, found several loose cultivators, and asked if there were any major changes. Transforming into the appearance of a middle-aged Taoist, Zhou Yi touched the mist with his mana, and just as he stepped into Mt. Small Pill, a voice reached his ears. "I am Xuan Kong, I greet this fellow Daoist..." Chapter 100: 100: True Person Xuan Kong "..." Zhou Yi looked up at the sky, as a streak of escaping light rapidly approached. He suppressed the urge to turn and run, ready to use the Divine Bull Transformation at any moment, and with cupped hands and a smile, he said, "Poor Daoist Tang Xuan, greets the venerable Xuan Kong." "So it is Tang the Daoist Master, may I ask where you hail from?" The escaping lightnded and transformed into a daoist in a green robe, who appeared to be no more than twenty years old, with a face like a handsome jade and an ethereal aura, like a peerless noble son from beyond this mortal world. "Poor Daoistes from the easternnds... across the sea." Zhou Yi said with a smile, "As an overseas Loose Cultivator new to this esteemednd, do I need to report my name and origins first?" "No need." Xuan Kong was indifferent to whether Zhou Yi''s origins were true or false, most likely because they were false, and exined, "The Marketce of the Dan Ding Sect is provided for Qi Refinement Loose Cultivators to cultivate; those above the Foundation Establishment stage maye and go as they please, but cannot reside permanently." "So that''s how it is." Zhou Yi suddenly understood, immediately grasping the reason behind the Dan Ding Sect''s approach. Spirit Veins are the core of Dan Ding Sect''s rule over Cloud Continent, and the guarding officers are True Disciples in Foundation Establishment; if outsiders were to cultivate here, and generations passed, essentially the Spirit Veins would change ownership. Lose one Spirit Vein today, another tomorrow, and the Dan Ding Sect would no longer hold the dominant position in Cloud Continent. "Tang Daoist Friend, please, I have recently acquired some Spiritual Tea. Why not taste it together?" Seeing Zhou Yi''s hesitant expression, Xuan Kong casually pointed to a nearby uninhabited cave dwelling, "What about that cave dwelling ahead? There are absolutely no formations or prohibitions, and the Dan Ding Sect wees Loose Cultivators to join. By aiding, I also earn considerable merits." Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense swept through the two adjacent cave dwellings, both empty and uninhabited, and then pointed to the one beside. "I think that one over there looks better, with seemingly better Feng Shui." "Please." Admiration shed in Xuan Kong''s eyes; truly, as said within the sect, among the hardships faced by Loose Cultivators, those who could break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage all have something extraordinary about them. For example, the one before him, cautious and unashamed! ... Inside the cave dwelling, host and guest took their seats. Xuan Kong took out tables, chairs, and tea sets from his storage bag, then took out two tea leaves with great care. Capturing Zhou Yi''s curious nce, he reluctantly took out two more. "Don''t take offense, Daoist Friend, this tea is cultivated by a senior within the sect and is quite valuable and costly." Zhou Yi wondered, "As a Sect-Defending Officer who controls the Spirit Vein''s authority and manages hundreds of miles of spirit fields, would you stillck for Spirit Stones?" Xuan Kong shook his head and said, "Spirit Stones cannot buy all Spiritual Objects, like this Spiritual Tea that can enhance the soul; it only matures once every ten years, and many eyes in the sect are watching it." "One should not ept rewards without merit, what is your purpose, Daoist Friend?" Zhou Yi couldn''t figure out Xuan Kong''s true intentions, and even if it was a world-ss Spiritual Object, he wouldn''t dare to consume it for fear of some strange curse. "Then I won''t hide it from Daoist Friend Tang," Xuan Kong said, "The sect has a standing mission to recruit Loose Cultivator Real People and True Monarchs, with generous merit rewards. Thend within Da Qian is quite barren, and having guarded it for thirty-four years, Daoist Friend is the first I''ve seen." Zhou Yi asked, "Merits! Even the True Disciples of the Dan Ding Sect need merits?" "A thousand years ago, it wasn''t necessary." Xuan Kong exined, "Nowadays, except for gifts and teachings from the master, every other Cultivation Technique and Spiritual Object within the sect requires merits to exchange, True Disciples only have some discounts. These matters will be exined to you after you join." Zhou Yi''s gaze was deep, pretending to taste the tea leaf, but in reality, he was pouring it into the Mountain and River Cauldron. A thousand years ago, the Dan Ding Sect raised the qualifications for epting disciples and changed the sect''s rules; perhaps there was a connection between the two. "Ie from unknown origins, aren''t you afraid that I''m a spy from the devil''s path?" "Daoist Friend''s aura is upright and pure, surely from a right path Cultivation Technique; how could you possibly be from the evil deviant ways? As for your experiences during the Qi Refinement Realm... The path of immortality ispetitive, and sometimes actions must be ruthless. The sect will not mind." The meaning of Xuan Kong was clear, Dan Ding Sect would not dwell on the past and judged good from evil based on one''s cultivation technique. "Of course, upon first entering, one will note into contact with the core of the sect. Even if there are demonic spies, it would be difficult for them to achieve much." "Thank you, Daoist friend, for your frankness." Zhou Yi pondered for a moment, then asked, "Why did you know immediately when I entered the marketce?" "The marketce''s Mountain Protection Array can detect one''s cultivation level." Xuan Kong chuckled, "Previously, some true immortals lurked in the marketce to cultivate, causing quite a bit of chaos, so we had to add the formation." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, as Dan Ding Sect had nearly cut off the path forward for loose cultivators, making it difficult to improve one''s cultivation without joining a sect. "I am quite familiar with True Immortal of Chu, do you know if he has joined Dan Ding Sect?" "Daoist Chu is old, and even if he were to join a sect, it would be hard for him to make much progress, so he chose to teach his descendants on his family''s spiritnd." When Xuan Kong spoke of the True Immortal of the Imperial n of Chu State, his tone was t and undisturbed, with an undertone of disdain and contempt. "What should one be aware of when joining your esteemed sect?" Zhou Yi inquired, "For instance, will things like lineage of cultivation techniques and one''s age and talent be scrutinized?" "No, one only needs to leave a wisp of mana, to prevent being impersonated by evil demons." Xuan Kong exined, "If in the future, you amass enough merit, to be a True Disciple, you will have to leave behind a strand of your divine soul. If you encounter disaster outside, the elders in the sect will eithere to your rescue or avenge you." Zhou Yi recalled Ji Sheng, "Official disciples don''t need to?" Xuan Kong shook his head, "Official disciples are just ordinary disciples, they do not touch the Sect-Defending legacy, and the management is quitex. After joining the sect, you should still diligently rue merit, to be promoted to True Disciple as soon as possible." "Thank you for the advice, Daoist friend." Zhou Yi neither agreed nor declined. As for loose cultivators or, to say, cultivators of Cloud Continent, Dan Ding Sect''s control exceeded expectations, exploiting and oppressing from the Qi Refinement Realm, causing cultivators to exhaust themselves daily in gathering spirit stones to pay rent and debts, naturally falling behind in cultivation. Those lucky enough to cultivate to theter stages of Qi Refinement found Dan Ding Sect controlling Foundation Establishment Pills, easily monitoring the increase and decrease of Foundation Establishment true immortals. Other Foundation Establishment true immortals with unknown origins, who either identally obtained Foundation Establishment Pills or came from other continents, or even hit the jackpot with a one-in-a-hundred chance, would also face the issue of spirit veins. To choose hiding outside of Dan Ding Sect''s control meant that it would be difficult to improve one''s cultivation, and with ack of various legacies, the power gap with sect true immortals would be vast, ultimately leading to a quiet death from old age. To choose to join Dan Ding Sect meant transforming into one of the exploiters of the same camp and thus being brought under the control of Dan Ding Sect. The ultimate goal of Dan Ding Sect''s actions was to prevent the emergence of wild True Monarchs in Cloud Continent! "Dan Ding Sect has controlled Cloud Continent for thousands of years, birthing countless dazzling geniuses, yet with these three thresholds, even after a few thousand more years, no one would be able to shake its ruling position." Zhou Yi understood the reasoning behind their actions, yet he had no intentions of toppling such a colossal entity. Even if he found it unpleasant, he would choose to go to other continents and wait tens of thousands of years, watching as Dan Ding Sect is eventually overthrown by a Son of Destiny. There is no eternal dynasty in the world, and the same goes for cultivation sects! Zhou Yi recalled an old acquaintance, saying, "While I was cultivating overseas, I identally obtained notes from Pure True Monarch, which were of great help to my Qi Refinement cultivation. I wonder if he was a predecessor of your sect?" "Daoist friend truly has a destiny with our sect!" Xuan Kong sighed, "Pure True Monarch has already passed away for decades, buried at Divine Fire Peak. In the future, Daoist friend can go there to offer your respects." "It''s a pity that I cannot thank him in person." Zhou Yi was now certain that Jing Xu was indeed the disguised True Monarch, fortunate that he didn''t stay at Xiaodan Mountain. At first, borrowing books and drinking wine could be excused by his youthful appearance, or perhaps the use of Youth-Retaining Pills. Many loose cultivators in the marketce cultivated under false facades. Meeting again and letting the True Monarch see through his face might hold the risk of death. "It seems that living a long life and hiding among themon folk is also not safe..." "Who knows if the old man next door might be some Nascent Soul old monster!" Chapter 101: 101: Déjà Vu "Brother Xuan Kong, can one be a Spirit Vein Steward after joining the sect?" Zhou Yi had decided to join the Dan Ding Sect, a righteous sect with a heritage spanning thousands of years, which was definitely better than associating with demonic heretical paths. Golden Core and Nascent Soul present formidable thresholds, unable to be overthrown without a major catastrophe. By the time a major catastrophe arrives, Zhou Yi would have long since fled, unwilling to perish with the sect. If he could help the sect preserve some ssics to ensure the continuity of its teachings, that would be terrific! "Junior Brother Tang is unaware that the position of Spirit Vein Steward is of great importance; only True Disciples may assume it." Xuan Kong admired the other''s thick skin, but considering the significant achievements, treated him cordially as a brother. Zhou Yi felt rather disappointed upon hearing this but understood the practice of the Dan Ding Sect. The Spirit Vein Steward gains a considerable amount of Spirit Stones, which greatly assists in advancing to a True Lord. Such a desirable post would not easily be given to an outsider. "Brother Xuan Kong, I still have some worldly matters to attend to, may I stay for a while longer?" Xuan Kong nodded in agreement, "That''s fine, you may stay in the marketce for a year, and this cave residence shall be yours temporarily." "Many thanks, brother!" Zhou Yi''s eyes glinted with spection, seeing that the reward for recruiting Loose Cultivators wasn''t small, to merit such attention from Xuan Kong. ¡­ The trading area. After parting ways with Xuan Kong, Zhou Yi concealed his aura and inquired about prices everywhere, just as he had done in the past. To discern the authenticity of the Spiritual Objects on the stalls, one need only to sweep them with Divine Sense, immediately revealing their true nature, much faster than probing each one with mana. "As expected, the prices of Spirit Pills and Magic Artifacts have gone up quite a bit." Zhou Yi sold a good number of Foundation Establishment Pills and Yellow Dragon Pills to a small pill pavilion, exchanging them for arge batch of wood-attribute Spiritual Medicine seeds. Unfortunately, there were no rare varieties or special Spiritual Medicine seeds for sale to the public. The shopkeeper, aware that Zhou Yi was an Alchemist, made various promises to win him over, undeterred even when the attempts were unsessful. Upon learning that Zhou Yi was looking for wood-attribute Spiritual Medicine seeds, he took the initiative to direct him to the Seeking Fate Pavilion in the southwest corner, where they had recently acquired a special Spiritual Medicine. "Thank you. I''lle back here to sell pills in the future." Zhou Yi wasn''t lying or deceiving, it''s just that "in the future" could be quite a long time, perhaps even after the shopkeeper''s grandson was dead. Seeking Fate Pavilion. With a name that didn''t reveal its business, the shop was quite deserted, save for a drowsy old Daoist slumped over the counter. Having practiced the Soul Nurturing Art for more than two hundred years, Zhou Yi''s perception was extremely keen. After advancing to the Foundation Establishment Stage, his Divine Sense had be even more sensitive, making him vaguely feel that the old Daoist was familiar, yet he was certain they had never met. Perhaps it was a fellow Daoist from the past who had changed his appearance and opened a shop on Little Dan Mountain. "Fellow Daoist, I heard you have a special wood-attribute Spiritual Medicine here?" The old Daoist sized up Zhou Yi for a moment, his face breaking into a benevolent smile as he took out a blood-red wooden strip from his storage bag. "Do you know of the Blood Vine Demon?" "Of course." Joy flickered in Zhou Yi''s eyes; though the Blood Vine Demon was named after a demon, it was actually a Spiritual Medicine, growing by devouring the essences of demon beasts'' blood, and its Blood Spirit Fruits could enhance vitality and strengthen the body. In the past, the yellow bull bled for over thirty years, and using Spirit Ginseng to replenish it was very slow. If he had the Blood Vine Demon, the time could be drastically shortened. "How much do you want for this piece of Blood Vine Demon?" "The old Daoist isn''t in need of thirty or fifty Spirit Stones." The old Daoist changed his tone and asked, "Are you an Alchemist, friend?" Zhou Yi nodded, "I was fortunate to receive some teachings; I can only refine Foundation Establishment Pills and Yellow Dragon Pills." "I, Ling Xu, also know a few things about Alchemy." Ling Xu said, "I organized a small gathering where we exchange experiences in cultivation and Alchemy, if friend agrees to join, I will gift you this piece of Blood Vine Demon." Zhou Yi looked hesitant, "Where is the gathering held?" "Right here in the marketce." Seeing Zhou Yi''s expression, Ling Xu''s smile grew even more warm and radiant, "It''s not a ploy to lure you to cultivators on the outside. You can ask around, I hold some renown in the marketce." "If that''s the case, then alright." Zhou Yi sighed as if a great burden had been lifted off his shoulders, "I''ve always been groping around by myself and also thought of exchanging knowledge with other alchemy fellows." "Good, good," came the response. Ling Xu handed over the blood vine demon, "Remember, the gathering is at the end of every ten-day cycle, the location is at cave dwelling three-two-five." "I remember." Zhou Yi''s gaze dropped, and an odd smile appeared on his face. ... Leaving the Seeking Fate Pavilion. Zhou Yi scanned with his Divine Sense to confirm no one was following. He didn''t return to his dwelling but left Little Dan Mountain directly. After traveling more than two hundred li, he randomly chose a mountain peak to descend upon. "It is not yet certain what Xuan Kong said; it is still best to be cautious and careful." Zhou Yi might have addressed him warmly as elder brother, but he was actually half in doubt about the Dan Ding Sect. He still needed to confirm at another marketce, all the while testing the True Master Xuan Yu. After all, he hadnded a heavy punch years ago; he wondered if they still remembered it. "Originally, I nned to slip away, as if I had just enjoyed Xuan Kong''s tea for free, but who would have thought that someone would deliver themselves to my door? It seems as though there''s karmic retribution, or one might say that if you walk the night long enough, you''re bound to encounter ghosts!" Zhou Yi sighed and shook his head, then took out the formation te and formation gs, setting up the Minor Five Elements Array and the Spirit Gathering Array. With a wave of his hand, he scattered dozens of Spirit Stones. Within a three-to-four-zhang radius, the Spiritual Energy rose rapidly,parable to that of the Cold Pool Spirit Land. The millennium Spirit Ginseng jumped out from his bosom and embraced a Spirit Stone, breathing deeply. Originally long and shaped like a white radish, it had been cut so many times that it had be round. Zhou Yi took out the blood vine demon and ced it on the ground, starting to perform the Jade Dew Art. The blood vine demon was different from ordinary spiritual medicines; it had no roots and didn''t need to be nted in a spiritual field. As long as it was ced in a ce rich in Spiritual Energy and continually fed with Demon Beast Essence Blood, it would grow and bear fruit. Mana from the Foundation Establishment Stage condensed at his fingertips, spooling strands of life essence into it. Only after infusing two hundred years of his lifespan did Zhou Yi feel signs of aging in his internal organs, and the Creation Dew had turned ck-green in color. The Dao Fruit trembled slightly, then instantly returned to its youthful state. "Breaking through the realm, I cannot feel any lifespan increase at all; if not for using the Jade Dew Art, I would have thought it was a fake Foundation Establishment." Zhou Yi spected that because the lifespan was too protracted, the two hundred years of lifespan at the Foundation Establishment Stage were too minuscule to be detected. The millennium Ginseng saw the Creation Dew and eagerly watched, its eyes filled with anticipation and longing. Yet, it didn''t dare to disturb Zhou Yi''s spellcasting, fearing it would be cut again. The Creation Dew Drops fell on the blood vine demon, and the once half-foot-tall vine grew at a speed visible to the naked eye until it reached four to five zhang in length and as thick as an arm. Instead of sprouting branches or leaves, a round ball the size of a fist bulged out in the middle. After the round ball ripened, it would be a Blood Spirit Fruit. "It''s good that the Jade Dew Art is effective." Zhou Yi stored the blood vine demon into a storage bag, thinking that once he found the continuation of the Divine Bull Transformation technique, his cultivation speed would increase by a lot. More than ten days passed in the blink of an eye. At the end of the ten-day cycle. Zhou Yi returned to Little Dan Mountain and concealed his aura to reach cave dwelling three-two-five. Eight cultivators were already in the courtyard, all in thete stages of Qi Cultivation. The old Taoist Ling Xu, upon seeing Zhou Yi enter, hurried forward to meet him. "Fellow Daoists, this is our new friend to the gathering," he announced. Ling Xu introduced, "Tang Daoist is also an Alchemist, and in the future, you can save quite a few Spirit Stones when purchasing Spirit Pills from him." "Greetings, fellow Daoists," Zhou Yi greeted with sped hands, as the others, hearing of an Alchemist, responded enthusiastically. After getting to know each other, they began to discuss Dao. Ling Xu was the first to speak, taking out a Nourishing Origin Pill and teaching how to distinguish the quality of the same kind of pills. "This old Daoist can only concoct Nourishing Origin Pills, but I guarantee every one is of fine quality..." Zhou Yi looked at the familiar high-quality Nourishing Origin Pill and was almost certain that the old man before him was Xuan Qing from years past. "This Art of Transformation is quite mystifying, with changes in appearance, Mana, and aura. If it weren''t for my keen soul and having ascended a great realm higher, I would not have spotted any ws!" Chapter 102: 102 Returning to the Mountains to Graze Cattle "If you covet my Pill Technique, then don''t me me for eyeing your spell," Zhou Yi thought quickly, yet his face remained filled with smiles. When it was his turn to speak about spells, he slowly said. "I am not as adept in Alchemy Technique as Ling Xu, my fellow Daoist, so let me talk about the Lightning Method..." The Lightning Method! Ling Xu''s brows slightly furrowed, but as he continued listening, he found the method to bepletely different from what he had learned before. Confident in the subtlety of his Art of Transformation, he let go of his suspicions. Zhou Yi, having meditated on the Five Thunder Technique for over a hundred years since his Foundation Establishment, had new insights about the spell that he recounted effortlessly. The listeners were so engrossed that even long after Zhou Yi finished speaking, they remained lost in thought, contemting his words. The gathering ended sessfully, and Zhou Yi bid goodbye to his fellow Daoists. After distancing himself, he transformed into an unfamiliar white-haired elder and covertly observed Ling Xu''s movements. Ling Xu went about his usual routine of meditating, Qi Cultivation, and chanting the Pill Technique, continuing like this for several days. "Could it be that there are such simr people in the world?" Just as Zhou Yi was pondering how to test him, Ling Xu made a new move. Ling Xu left his cave abode, flew out of the Little Dan Mountain from the north side, and after traveling over a hundred miles with a Magic Artifact, he entered a nameless cave. Zhou Yi didn''t follow him inside but chose a different direction and activated the Earth Traveling Bead to enter the mountain''s body. Guessing he was close to the cave, his Divine Sense swept over and indeed found Ling Xu setting up Formation gs. Around the Formation gs stood an ancient and decrepit tombstone, as well as objects like Tomb Guarding Beasts and tomb doors. "Is he forging a cultivator''s tomb? It must be Xuan Qing, that scoundrel!" Zhou Yi didn''t attack immediately but copied the technique and set up a minor Five Elements Formation at the entrance of the cave, hiding nearby ready to ambush. Even when hunting rabbits, a lion uses all its strength! Xuan Qing or Ling Xu, whoever it was, had likely trapped and killed many cultivators, and it was possible that they obtained several terrifying trump cards that could even kill a Foundation Establishment cultivator. About two or three hours passed. Ling Xu finished setting up the Formation, which seemed only partiallyplete, and would likely need more time before he could start to deceive and trap victims. As he walked to the mouth of the cave, ready to ride his Magic Artifact into the sky, suddenly his vision was filled with vast expanses of multicolored clouds. "A Formation? Someone has followed me!" Ling Xu channeled his mana, reaching to pull talismans from his storage bag when a dozen bolts of lightning came crashing down. Hum, hum, hum! A series of glowing lights shed as five or six protective Magic Artifacts automatically activated, managing to block all the lightning bolts, but Zhou Yi gave Ling Xu no chance to react and immediately sent down three or four more waves of lightning. Boom, boom, boom! Confused and unresponsive, Ling Xu turned into a charred corpse, then a flying sword shed over, chopping the body into seven or eight pieces. Zhou Yi emerged from underground, took the storage bag from Ling Xu, waved his hand to call down a few more bolts of lightning, turning all the corpse fragments into ashes, leaving nothing behind, not even a vengeful ghost or a zombie. "The feeling of overpowering through higher realms is indeed quite delightful!" ... He casually found an unnamed cave. Zhou Yi turned his mana into a hand, grabbed the storage bag from Ling Xu, and from several yards away opened it. Clink, clink, clink! A few hundred items of all sorts fell out, Magic Artifacts, books, jade slips, and so on, piling up into a small hill. "How many cultivators has this scoundrel killed?" Remembering Ling Xu''s cautious style, Zhou Yi noted he had purchased five or six protective Magic Artifacts, so he went into the mountains to catch a few wild rabbits and threw them onto the pile of items. The rabbits convulsed, cried out pitifully, and turned into pus. "He killed about a dozen people single-handedly, even with the help of Formations, couldn''t he anticipate idents, hence he prepared for the eventuality of dying and his Dao disappearing?" Zhou Yi used the Spiritual Rain Technique to repeatedly wash the items. After a thorough cleansing, he tested them with wild rabbits again, and the deadly poison was nowhere to be found. "In the future, when I gain spoils of war from duels, I must test them with living creatures to prevent encounters with such treacherous items... Hm, I should also find some extreme poisons that could turn a Foundation Establishment cultivator, so if I can''t win a fight, I''ll throw my storage bag and escape!" In the Cultivation World, there were indeed extreme poisons, and some Cultivation Techniques specifically focused on poison. Among the more famous ones were Corpse Poison and Gu Poison. Zhou Yi flipped through Ling Xu''s relics one by one, most of which were mid to low-grade magic artifacts. Some books were quite useful and he sorted and stored them ordingly. He examined each jade slip, finding many notes on alchemy, detailing how to ensure each pellet of Yuan-enrichment pills was of top quality, mentioning the refinement of spiritual medicines, control of the me, and pill condensation techniques. "With such skills in crafting, one could make a living earning spirit stones, yet choosing to kill and set fires instead!" Zhou Yi continued to search for his objective and finally found the Art of Transformation in one of the jade slips. The "Shape-Shifting Technique" The creator of this technique had observed the transformation of demon races,pletely changing form and aura, thereby gaining insight and ultimately creating this transformation method. When a cultivator used it, even those close to him could hardly spot any w due to the drastic change in aura. Half a monthter. Zhou Yi performed hand seals, mana circting, as he slowly transformed from a youth to a simple-looking middle-aged man. "This technique is marvelous!" "Perfect for going to Tianyang Abyss to visit Xuan Yu. If she doesn''t recognize me, I''ll seek mentorship from the Pill Cauldron Sect. If she sees through my disguise, with my current strength, I could easily escape!" "Thetter isn''t a problem either, just wait several decades or centuries, and outlive Xuan Yu!" ... To the southeast of Chu State. On the edge of Tianyang Abyss. As Zhou Yi passed through the center of Chu State, he clearly sensed the whereabouts of the yellow bull, just a hundred li away. "After seeing Xuan Yu, I''ll take the yellow bull with me. If I join the Pill Cauldron Sect, the yellow bull would be a significant w and would need to be dealt with!" He leaped into the abyss, and as he neared the marketce''s formation, stood suspended in the air and gently touched it with his mana. A momentter. Xuan Yu flew out from the mist; decades had passed, her appearance unchanged, but her expression was even colder. Zhou Yi smiled and greeted her, "I''ve had the pleasure of meeting the real person Xuan Yu. I am Sha Wu, a loose cultivator from Chu State, and have luckily achieved Foundation Establishment. I''vee especially to ask about joining the Pill Cauldron Sect!" "So it is Friend Sha!" Xuan Yu, aware of his intentions, showed a hint of a smile, "There''s no need for other troubles; my rmendation is sufficient. After entering the sect, my master will assign duties to you." "That sounds wonderful." Zhou Yi got closer and deliberately stared at Xuan Yu''s face, teasingly asking, "I wonder, how many in the sect share a simr beauty with you?" "Seeking death!" Xuan Yu''s brows furrowed sharply, and she sent dozens of fireballs hurling towards him with a wave of her hand. Zhou Yi had anticipated this and turned into a streak of escape light, flying out of Tianyang Abyss and burrowing northward beneath the ground to flee. "Given Xuan Yu''s temper, she would have unleashed an attack had she recognized me." "We only fought for a few moments back then, and even if she retained a trace of aura, it would hardlyst for decades. Besides, now that I''ve used the Shape-Shifting Technique, even my mana aura has changed!" "With this, I can join the Pill Cauldron Sect with ease!" Zhou Yi, following the blood covenant sensing, arrived amidst surrounding mountains. The ce was only twenty or thirty li from the yellow bull''s location. Zhou Yi emerged from underground, activated the soul pact, and called the yellow bull out. About half an hourter. The yellow bull, stepping on clouds, flew out from the mountains, falling beside Zhou Yi and affectionately nudging him with its head. Moo! From the sound of the yellow bull''s moo, Zhou Yi learned that it had run towards Da Qian right before Xuan Yu returned to the marketce years ago. Along the way, it met a cultivator from Chu who subdued it with his spells, pampering the bull daily in hopes of making it recognize him as its master and then protecting Chu State for two or three hundred years. "Fortunately, I fattened up the bull, or else... once the real person of Chu''s lifespan wanes, I''ll im the spiritualnds of Chu State and seize the family inheritance!" Moo! The yellow bull, well aware of its master''s temperament and not counting on revenge, nodded in agreement. "Bull, in some days, you will have to join the Pill Cauldron Sect." "Go and cultivate in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, take over a territory to manage. If the Pill Cauldron Sect ever faces a crisis, and all of Cloud Continent bes unsafe, I wille to the mountains to seek refuge with you!" Chapter 103: 103: Disciple of the Dan Ding Sect "Niu''er, once you go into the demon race''s territory, remember to be cautious and careful!" "Master, why was I able to establish my Foundation peacefully and without much danger? Actually, it''s very simple... it''s to run!" "At the slightest sign of trouble, running is the best option. Only return after the dust has settled, or perhaps simply find a new region to cultivate in. The Cultivation World is vast and boundless, don''t hang yourself on one tree!" Zhou Yi took out a jade slip, "Niu''er, I''m leaving this jade slip with you. Inside, there are the insights into Escape Skills that I''ve gathered over the years." Moo moo moo! The ox swallowed the jade slip into its stomach and mooed a few times to show it had remembered. "Niu Niu, you are kind-hearted and gentle by nature, which makes it very difficult to survive in the Cultivation World. Remember, when you encounter demons too powerful to fight, it''s best to yield. Wait until your power surpasses them, or they meet with misfortune, then strike the final blow and trample them to death..." "In your spare time, go celebrate and find yourself a few female demons. It is said that fox demons, snake demons, tsk tsk..." Zhou Yi earnestly instructed for a long time. Having lived with the yellow ox for decades, they had already be like old friends. Zhou Yi still vividly remembered how the yellow ox had sacrificed itself to repay the kindness of an old farmer, and he knew that demons with a sense of gratitude were far more trustworthy than those with tricky minds and ghostly guile! Moo! The yellow ox walked around Zhou Yi a few times, then knelt on its front hooves with a thud, tears streaming down from the corners of its eyes. Zhou Yi stroked its horns, "Don''t be like this. If I can''t get by one day, I''lle and seek refuge with you." The thousand-year-old Spirit Ginseng wriggled out of his embrace, sighing and hesitating before painfully spitting out a mouthful of its essence. Round and gleaming like a dewdrop, as soon as it appeared, it started diffusing thick spiritual energy, causing the grass and trees around to grow at a visibly rapid rate. The essence of the dewdrop fell onto the yellow ox''s forehead, quickly seeping in, and transforming into vigorous vitality. Zhou Yi nced at the Spirit Ginseng, "You sly thing, hiding tricks up your sleeve! If you had used this earlier, why would I have to trim you down to a sphere?" "Venerable Immortal, I am so sleepy!" The thousand-year-old Spirit Ginseng, unsure of how to justify itself, simply closed its eyes and nestled back into Zhou Yi''s embrace, pretending to be fast asleep. Just as the atmosphere reached this level and Zhou Yi was about to say a few moving words, a furious shout came from afar. "Who is this little thief who dares to steal this True Monarch''s ox!" A streak of escaping light came flying angrily from more than twenty li away, cursing as it approached. When it got closer, it turned out to be an elderly Taoist in a purple robe. The old Taoist was about to activate his magic artifact to teach the ox thief a lesson, but on seeing the figure standing next to the yellow ox, who was actually a giant three to four Zhang tall. With horns of gold on his head and arms strong as beams, legs like pirs, and a fierce aura rushing forth. The escaping light halted briefly, then zoomed forward even faster, all the while continuing to rant. "You, the ox thief, think you can run! If you don''t stop now... This True Monarch is going to get serious!" On the ground. Zhou Yi watched as the True Monarch from Da Qian clumsily passed overhead, and the heartfelt moment was ruined. "Niu''er, for now, we part ways." "May the mountains rise high and the streams run long, until we meet again!" With that said, he reverted to human form and steered his escaping light in the direction of the northwest. In the north of Da Qiany Qing Kingdom, and in the northwest, there was a marketce built amidst a thousand-mile marsh that was a poisonous and deadly ce, owned by the Pill Cauldron Sect. Zhou Yi, hailing from Da Qian, chose not to use Xuan Kong''s rmendation and also held a grudge against Xuan Yu, so he sought a new unfamiliar ce where no one could track his past, believing it to be safer. ... Three thousand li to the east of Cloud Continent. Thousands of mountainspeted in greenery, and tens of thousands of peaks stacked upon one another, with many rare and strange beasts living within the mountains. On this day. Two streaks of escaping light flew from the east, cutting across the sky and disappearing into the mountains. "Junior Brother Zhu, the main division of our sect is not far ahead." Xuan Yun served as the marketce overseer at Daze Marketce. A year ago, a Foundation Establishment cultivator by the name of Zhu Gang sought entry into the Dan Ding Sect, his request granted amidst greatmendation, filling him with joy. Zhou Yi''s eyes flickered with a keen light as he gazed from the heavens toward the distance of several dozens of miles ahead, only to see ordinary mountain peaks and deep valleys, without a trace of Formation and Prohibition. "Brother Xuan Yun, my understanding is limited¡ªcould it be that our sect is hidden within a blessednd within a cave heaven?" Three years prior, Zhou Yi had hurried to the Qing Kingdom and lingered outside the Daze Marketce, having learned that Xuan Yun was mild-mannered and known within the Dan Ding Sect as a thoroughly good fellow, which put him at ease to ask for Xuan Yun''s introduction. "The concept of blessednds within cave heavenses from ancient texts, never having been truly seen by anyone¡ªperhaps it''s nothing more than fanciful words." Having been born in the Dan Ding Sect, Xuan Yun spoke of this topic with pride: "However, after thousands of years of arrangement by the sect''s headquarters, although it is not a cave heaven, it surpasses one!" Having said this, Xuan Yun stood aloft in the sky and retrieved a golden True Disciple token from his storage bag. Mana poured into it, and the token radiated luminous spiritual light. Not far in front of them, ripples appeared in the void, and momentster, a portal opened, through which the scenery inside could be seen. "Brother Zhu, please." Xuan Yun stepped through first, and after a moment of hesitation, Zhou Yi followed close behind. As soon as he entered the cave heaven, Zhou Yi felt the thick spiritual energy hitting his face and looked up to see the zing sun hanging high, with the time outside appearing the same. In the distance, a thousand-zhang-tall peak shot up into the sea of clouds, while the mountain ridges stretching east and west resembled an Azure Dragon sprawled out. The sea of clouds was boundless, and mountain shadows loomed. "The founding master arranged the supreme Formation and Prohibition, condensing the three-thousand-li spirit vein into a speck of dust, akin to a cave heaven¡­" Xuan Yun excitedly exined that the first towering peak hidden among the clouds was Divine Fire Peak, also the core area of the Dan Ding Sect. The mountain ridges nking Divine Fire Peak undted with varying heights, each with its own name. Within the several hundred li of the realmid ins,kes, towering peaks, and rivers. Zhou Yi observed the nearby grounds¡ªa clear mountain and beautiful waters¡ªwith numerous Daoist temples and pces built upon it, while from time to time, lights of cultivators using Escape Skills flew past. "May I ask Brother, is the three-thousand-li spirit vein a Heavenly Grade?" "There is only one Heavenly Grade spirit vein in the world, and that is the Ancestral Vein; the sect''s spirit vein is but below it. Brother, follow me quickly to descend; although the sect doesn''t explicitly enforce rules, few people look down from high above." "Should we draw the attention of the old ancestors from Divine Fire Peak and they remember our appearance when Divine Sense sweeps by, a casual remark from them will make life difficult in the future." Xuan Yun descended to the ground three or four zhang high in a trail of light, leading the way. After flying for more than a hundred li, there was a three-storied pce not far ahead. The card on the pce bore the words Qing Ning. "Disciples here register themselves, including assignments for missions, merit exchange, and other misceneous duties¡ªall handled here,monly referred to as External Affairs Hall." There were many cultivators at the entrance of External Affairs Hall, gathered in groups of threes and twos, some whispering softly, others transmitting sounds with mana. Zhou Yi did not carelessly probe with Divine Sense but instead judged from the aura that the majority were cultivators in the Qi Refinement Realm, with less than one in ten being Foundation Establishment cultivators. Upon entering External Affairs Hall, it was surprisingly simr inyout to the marketce''s service area; the connection was apparent. True Disciple Xuan Yun had a significant reputation within the sect. When the disciple currently attending the counter saw him, they hurriedly stood up to greet him. "Greetings to Uncle-Master Xuan Yun. May I know what business brings you here?" Xuan Yun introduced him: "This is Real Person Zhu Gang, a Loose Cultivator Foundation Establishment, who admires our sect and seeks to join." "Greetings to Uncle-Master Zhu." The disciple said respectfully: "Within the sect, elders from the various peaks ept disciples without requiring teaching. The ones thate to mind are the Ming Zhu Peak and Yun Dragon Peak. May I inquire which True Monarch Uncle-Master Zhu is nning to take as a mentor?" When Zhou Yi arrived, he already knew that the peaks on either side of Divine Fire Peak were overseen by Golden Elixir True Monarchs. Disciples without a Heavenly Spiritual Root could choose a mentor after breaking through to Foundation Establishment. Depending on the preference of the True Monarks, the requirements varied. After taking a mentor, one could receive the teaching of the Dao from the True Monarch. If one was lucky, had good aptitude, or pleased the mentor sufficiently, one could acquire precious cultivation techniques and spiritual objects without expending any merits. Zhou Yi pondered for a moment before shaking his head and saying, "Let''s talk about this matterter; for now, I shall cultivate alone." There was no shortage of solitary cultivating disciples in the Dan Ding Sect, who after ruing enough merit could exchange it for a True Disciple spot. The cultivation techniques and Divine Skills they learned were no different from those taught by mentors. The only distinctions were the True Monarch''s teaching, support, and unique secret transmissions. Zhou Yi knew that he could not possibly ascend even as a True Disciple, for fear that the soul jade slip he left behind would endure for hundreds or thousands of years. To take a mentor was even less likely, for constantly being under the observation of True Monarchs, who''s to say his secret of age wouldn''t be revealed someday. Chapter 104: 104 The True Scripture of the Five Spirits Zhou Yi became a disciple of the Dan Ding Sect with only two goals in mind. Spiritual Energy, inheritance. As for the rest, if he could avoid them, he would; he aimed to draw little attention and be an inconspicuous member of the sect. It wasn''t unusual for disciples to be received without being assigned a mentor; over half of the sect''s Foundation Establishment true people had not taken a real master. There were many reasons for this, with most solely dedicated to diligent cultivation, unwilling to get involved in the sect''s tangled power dynamics. Others were confident of their future ability to Solidify Pill, and some had secrets they couldn''t allow others to see. "Uncle Master Zhu, here are two Identity Tokens. Please infuse a stream of mana into each of them." The Dan Ding Sect had three types of disciple tokens ¡ª gold, silver, and copper corresponding to true disciple, formal disciple, and nominal disciple, respectively. The formations and prohibitions inside varied, and so did the ess privileges they granted. Zhou Yi took the tokens and transferred his mana into them, sensing theplex prohibitions within. Once the mana and prohibitions merged, if an outsider found or stole the token, they would not be able to use it to open the Dan Ding Sect entrance or ess the deeds recorded within due to the mismatch of mana signatures. ¡ª¡ªZhu Gang, from Qingguo Tanzhou. After Zhou Yi obtained his Identity Token, the other one was sealed by the sect. Apanied by Xuan Yun, he headed to the second floor to receive his cave dwelling. "Senior brother, the sect''s cave dwellings don''t require Spirit Stones, do they?" The experience of tending to fields on Little Dan Mountain was still fresh in his mind; busy from the beginning to the end of the year, only to realize that the harvest was equivalent to working for nothing. "Junior brother must be joking. Those are sold to outsiders; why would we charge sect disciples Spirit Stones?" Xuan Yun''s tone shifted: "However, once every ten years, you need toplete an External Affairs task. It''s not excruciating unpaidbor; based on the difficulty, you''ll be rewarded with merit points." "What kind of tasks are usually assigned?" Zhou Yi had a feeling in his heart, guessing that in Yunzhou, where the Dan Ding Sect ran things as tight as a drum, beyond the Spirit Veins, there were only a sparse handful of Foundation Establishment practitioners. Tasks deemed External Affairs would most likely rte to the demonic path. "To the north of the sect lies the Jizhou Heavenly Demon Sect, to the west, the Qiongzhou Ghost King Sect, and to the south, the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains. Add in the Eastern Sea demon race, and one could say it''s a battleground on four fronts!" Xuan Yun gravely stated, "The evil demons and outsiders harbor undying intentions to annihte our sect. We disciples must y demons and eradicate evil!" "That is indeed our duty." Zhou Yi outwardly supported this sentiment with grace, all the while calcting how to safely get through these demon-ying External Affairs. Engaging in spell battles and killings was out of the question. If pushed to the extreme, he''d hide among mortals, discard his cultivation and start anew, cultivate another Cultivation Technique to the Foundation Establishment Stage, and re-enter the Dan Ding Sect. It was regrettable that the Transforming Shape Form only altered his external aura. If the Guiyuan Technique had changed the essence of his mana, he could have avoided much trouble. The disciple in charge of distributing cave dwellings on the second floor respectfully took out a map of the Dan Ding Sect. The territory was narrow from east to west; the Divine Fire Peak mountain range bisected it into a northern and a southern half. The sunny side hadrge areas and numerous cave dwellings, while the shady side was the opposite. Zhou Yi didn''t choose anything out of the ordinary and picked an unupied cave dwelling on the southern side, more than four hundred li from Divine Fire Peak. The cave dwelling was located at the top of Little Spring Mountain, so named because of a spiritual spring halfway up the mountain. Due to its secluded location, the four cave dwellings developed there were all vacant, equivalent to Zhou Yi having a small hill to himself. "Next, we''ll go to the third floor to exchange for an introductory Cultivation Technique." Xuan Yun reminded him, "Junior Brother Zhu, be sure to choose carefully, as only the first part of the introductory technique is free to im. Should you wish to practice another lineage in the future, it will require the expenditure of merit points to exchange." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, his mind already set on his exchange target. Having cultivated in the marketce for over a hundred years, he had inquired about Foundation Establishment stage Cultivation Techniques. Either the prices were outrageously high, or the quality of the technique was poor, with the slightly better ones being family heirlooms never to be sold. Thus, the free introductory exchange could only be for a Foundation Establishment stage Cultivation Technique. On the third floor, three Foundation Establishment true people were responsible for reception, introduced one by one by Xuan Yun, overseeing merit point exchange, sect tasks, and demon eradication External Affairs, respectively. Zhou Yi''s gaze became sharp; these three held modest positions but wielded significant influence. The merit point exchange seemingly was but a straightforward catalog management, yet undoubtedly they were fully aware of the strengths and weaknesses of the Cultivation techniques and secret arts. A casual tip from them could be immensely beneficial. Sect tasks varied in nature, and without being in the inner circle, one wouldn''t be informed of which tasks were pits or perks. Thetter required tackling spell battles and contentions, and knowing of an easy External Affair task in advance could save one from taking a risk. Xuan Yun also understood this matter and greeted each with a smile. Zhou Yi also noted the three people''s Taoist names. Xuan Yi, Li Mu, Xiao Yuan. The one responsible for merit exchange was Xuan Yi, white-haired and with a deathly pale face, looking as if his lifespan was not much longer. Xuan Kong said, "Brother Xuan Yi, this is Junior Brother Zhu, who has just entered the sect and hase to exchange for his first cultivation technique." Zhou Yi hurriedly followed with a bow, "I''ve met Brother Xuan Yi." Xuan Yi didn''t respond but casually took out a jade slip, "Look for yourself." Zhou Yi''s divine sense swept over it and saw that in the jade slip were cultivation techniques and secret arts, with each name followed by a brief introduction. "Heavenly Wood Jue, Azure me Xuan Gong, Entangling Heart Technique, Violent Thunder Curse..." There were about a hundred varieties, not counting those that weren''t cultivation techniques, leaving over thirty choices. Zhou Yi pondered for a moment and made his decision. "Brother Xuan Yi, I choose the Five Spirits True Scripture." Among the various cultivation techniques, it was the only one that epassed all five elements, and uponpletion, it came with a spell of the Five Elements Escape, iming that within the five elements, nothing could not be escaped. At the same time, because it epassed all five elements, it slightly increased the probability of condensing the Golden Core. Xuan Yi took out an exchange token and infused a few spells into it. "Take this token to the Technique Hall to collect it." Having said that, he closed his eyes slightly, looking drowsy. Zhou Yi bowed in thanks and left the External Affairs Hall with Xuan Yun. Xuan Yun transmitted his voice, "These three individuals all have impressive backgrounds. Be respectful in the future. Brother Xuan Yi may seem difficult to speak with, but he is actually the fairest person." "Thank you for the guidance, Brother." Zhou Yi asked with some confusion, "Brother Xuan Yi looks somewhat..." "His Core Solidification failed, barely preserving his life. His mana can no longer advance by an inch, and all he can do is watch as his lifespan depletes." Xuan Yun sighed, "Even with a Heavenly Spiritual Root, it is like this. For people like us with such talents, when ites to Core Formation in the future, it is very likely that we will die under the minor forty-nine tribtions." "The path of immortality is hard-fought; that''s all we can do!" Zhou Yi''s brows slightly furrowed. Even in the early stage of Foundation Establishment, he should start considering the difficulty of Core Formation earlier. The difficulty of Core Formation is ten times harder than Foundation Establishment, and it''s not like Foundation Establishment where you can attempt multiple times. Essentially, if you fail in a breakthrough attempt, if you''re lucky to survive the heavenly tribtions, the path forward is still severed. "Junior Brother Zhu has emerged from countless loose cultivators, with a determination of the Dao heart far surpassing that of sect disciples!" Xuan Yun eximed in admiration and said, "Once Junior Brother has obtained the cultivation technique, you can go to your cave dwelling to cultivate. Remember toe to the External Affairs Hall within a month to receive a sect mission. After that, it''s all about hard cultivation." Zhou Yi nodded, "Thank you for the introduction, Brother. I will repay this kindness in the future." "I am also doing it for merits. I''ve been coveting a secret art for a long time, hoping to exchange for it a few years earlier." Xuan Yun bowed, "I have many things to attend to in the marketce, so I''ll take my leave. We''ll have an opportunity to discuss the profound Dao in the future." Having said that, he transformed into a streak of light and departed. Zhou Yi shook his head slightly; he hadn''t even left behind a messaging jade talisman, clearly not trusting in his background. To the innate disciples of the sect, loose cultivators in the outside world are like rabid dogs, fighting to the death over a few Spirit Stones,mitting murder and plundering treasures for mere pills,pletely unreasonable. Little do they know that it is these very bottom-tier loose cultivators who support their quiet cultivation. "Forget it. Being scorned like a dog isn''t too bad; it saves me a lot of trouble." Zhou Yi mocked himself, collected the Five Spirits True Scripture from the Technique Hall, and transformed into a streak of light flying towards Little Spring Mountain. Chapter 105: 105 Black Wind Poisonous Fire Little Spring Mountain. The Daoist temple at the peak. Enshrouded in five-colored mists, its interior impossible to see through. The Daoist temple covered an area of over ten zhang in diameter,prising front and backpounds, and there was room for expansion if necessary. In the Cultivation World, the hierarchy was distinct; as cultivators ascended one realm after another, they naturally shed many restrictions, until finally they could do as they pleased, free and unfettered. The front courtyard was for receiving guests, while the back courtyard had a cultivation room, alchemy room, medicinal fields, and so on. The Bloodvine Demon twisted and winded in the medicinal field like red serpents, while the thousand-year-old Spirit Ginseng tumbled and rolled, emitting joyfulughter. The Earth-grade Spirit Vein gathered the essence of an entire continent. Even at its fringe, the Spiritual Energy was several times that of Little Dan Mountain. Zhou Yi sat cross-legged in the cultivation room, his Guiyuan Technique mana hadpletely transformed, turning from pale blue to a mix of five shining colors. Having no Spirit Root and after more than two hundred years of Qi Refinement with all five elementsplete, he had quickly mastered the Five Spirits Scripture. "Let''s try the Five Elements Escape Technique!" Zhou Yi formed a spell with his hands and stirred the muddy-yellow mana in his dantian, his figure slowly sinking into the ground. "The speed of movement is slower than that of the Earth Traveling Bead, but with practice and advancement in realm, I''ll surpass it sooner orter. Plus, with the Five Elements in rotation, there''s no need to detour around metal, iron or hidden rivers." After experiencing each of the Five Elements Escape Techniques one by one, Zhou Yi slowly ended his practice. From now on, it would be a steady grind. Only when the Five Elements mana changed at will, as easy to control as the limbs of a body, could he truly escape through anything within the Five Elements. "In the blink of an eye, more than half a month has passed. It''s time to take on a sect duty." Sect duties were the only stable way to gain merit, whereas other ad-hoc tasks were either difficult or fought over by many. Zhou Yi was set on not joining the fray, though he might ept a task should one be posted. Zhou Yi used the Earth Escape Technique and made his way to the External Affairs Hall. On the first floor, dozens upon dozens of Qi Refinement Realm disciples in green robes were waiting for new ad-hoc tasks, hoping to snag an easy one with a good reward. For example, true immortals or true monarchs entering seclusion often needed someone to care for the medicinal gardens¡ªsuch tasks were not only easy, but also provided opportunities to build rtionships with elders. All were surprised when they suddenly saw someone emerge from the ground, their expressions filled with shock at such an image-unconscious cultivator. Upon seeing the clear blue Daoist robes, they quickly bowed and paid their respects. "Greetings, Uncle-Master." "Hmm." Zhou Yi paused, then responded with a smile. After nearly three hundred years of cultivating, this was the first time he had been saluted by so many cultivators¡ªit was a rather pleasant feeling. He headed straight to the third floor of the External Affairs Hall, exchanged pleasantries with three fellow Daoists, then addressed Li Mu. "Brother Li, I''vee to undertake a sect duty." "Sure, sure." Li Mu, with a smile, took out a jade slip and said, "All the avable tasks in need of people are in here. Junior Brother, feel free to choose whichever you like." "Thanks, Brother Li." Zhou Yi, uncertain of the three''s dispositions, didn''t bother to ingratiate himself with gifts. His Divine Sense swept over the jade slip. The Dan Ding Sect''s headquarters covered a thousand li, an areaparable to more than a dozen imperial capitals of his former world. Even though most of thend consisted of mountains, rivers, andkes requiring people to oversee and manage, there were still plenty of positions avable. Among the tasks, the superior ones like guarding pces, managing medicinal fields, alchemy, and artifact refining were all marked as full. The mid-level tasks included public preaching, dispute mediation, and menial task distribution. Some of these had openings, but they took a lot of time, and mishandling them could lead to ongoing trouble. The lower-level tasks were almost always short of people, or they were roles that one would soon seek to upgrade to a better position. Zhou Yi looked over each task, eliminating those that took too long, involved too much interaction with others, and those managed alongside several true immortals. Adding together these three conditions, nearly ny-nine percent of the tasks were ruled out, leaving very few options for Zhou Yi to choose from. As a new Foundation Establishment true immortal, the Dan Ding Sect offered a free choice of Cultivation Technique, giving Zhou Yi an opportunity to benefit. Therefore, it was essential to interact less with others, to avoid arousing suspicion among acquaintances. Zhou Yi''s gaze swept over the remaining tasks, finally settling on one. "Repentance Cliff, ck Wind Cave..." Repentance Cliff was situated on the shady side of Divine Fire Peak, featuring a several hundred zhang tall sheer cliff rising vertically as if carved by an axe. In the middle of the sheer cliff was a peculiar cave that led to the depths of the earth''s veins, spewing ck winds and poisonous fire year-round. Aside from being useful for refining wind and fire magic artifacts, it had no other purpose. With its many members in the Dan Ding Sect, there were not a few who vited the sect rules. For minor offenses, merits were deducted; for more serious ones, the punishment was to endure the wind in the cave at Repentance Cliff; and for the gravest crimes of betraying the sect and ancestors, one was executed, their soul dispersed. "To guard the ck Wind Cave at Repentance Cliff, one must watch over punished disciples, ensuring that the ck wind and poisonous fire do not enter their bodies and kill them before they can be saved, cutting short their cultivation path." "Affected by the ck wind and poisonous fire, spiritual energy bes chaotic and polluted. While on duty in ck Wind Cave, it''s impossible to idly cultivate, and even with the sect repeatedly increasing merit rewards, few are willing to take up the post!" Zhou Yi stared at the duty assignment for a long while, feeling quite satisfied with all aspects, then returned the jade slip. "Brother Li, I''ve decided to take a turn on duty at Repentance Cliff." "Good, huh?" Li Mu said in surprise, "You can''t cultivate in ck Wind Cave, are you sure?" In the Cultivation World, the primary objective was cultivation; as one''s cultivation realm rose, merits naturally wouldn''t be in short supply. The Golden Elixir True Monarchs in the sect could earn a hefty amount of merits just by speaking on the Dao or performing alchemy. "I''m sure." Zhou Yi sighed, finding an excuse, "With a four-type Spirit Root, it was already a stroke of luck to break through to Foundation Establishment. If I hope to have a sliver of a chance at Core Formation, mere hard cultivation won''t suffice." "So that''s how it is." Li Mu nodded in agreement and logged the sect duty into the Identity Token. Formations and prohibitions were set up at the entrance to ck Wind Cave. Without the token for the assigned duty, one couldn''t open it or enter, and other tasks had simr restrictions. "Thank you, Brother." Zhou Yi suppressed the joy in his heart, realizing that with less contact with others in ck Wind Cave, he could easily switch identities and obtain several body-protection secret techniques for free. "Brother Xiao, can I take a look at the external demon-ying duties now?" "You can check it anytime." Xiao Yuan said as he handed over a jade slip. Zhou Yi scanned the jade slip with his divine sense and couldn''t help but shake his head slightly; the current demon-ying duties he could ept were picked over by others and quite dangerous. The difficulty of demon-ying tasks varied greatly, and the sect only required one to bepleted every ten years. Thus, simple tasks were snapped up quickly, while difficult ones remained untouched, which was why Xiao Yuan, who had advanced notice of the tasks, held such astonishing power. "Thank you, Brother, I will focus on cultivating for some time." Zhou Yi returned the jade slip and then approached Xuan Yi, speaking respectfully, "Brother, could you give me aprehensive list of cultivation techniques so that I can study them in detail and exchange them for merits as soon as I have enough?" Xuan Yi''s eyes were half-opened and half-closed, not saying a word but simply tossing a jade slip over. Zhou Yi scanned it with his divine sense, revealing a hint of delight, and thanked him with sped hands, "Thank you for the guidance, Brother, I won''t disturb your rest any longer!" After Zhou Yi had walked away. Li Mu clicked his tongue in wonder, "How did this fellow achieve Foundation Establishment without even understanding the proper way to express gratitude in personal affairs?" "Haven''t you noticed over the years? Loose Cultivators from outside generallye in two types," Xiao Yuan said. "Either they are arrogant, believing themselves ordained by heaven after emerging from countless other Loose Cultivators, or they are cautious and meticulous, taking care of every aspect of their actions, fearing others might disdain them." At that moment, Xuan Yi, who had been half-asleep, suddenly interjected, "Neither of these is desirable; one must aim for a bnce." Li and Xiao both readily agreed. "What the elder Brother says is very true." Even though his path of cultivation was severed, Xuan Yi was a powerful False Core Realm expert, his strength and status second only to the Golden Elixir True Monarchs. Xuan Yi gave the two a sidelong nce, reminding them on ount of their years of camaraderie. "Speak less of these matters in the future, as there are seven Loose Cultivator elders among the sixteen peaks, and it wouldn''t be good for them to hear such talk!" Chapter 106: 106 True Dragon Nine Transformations ``` Little Spring Mountain Cave Abode. Zhou Yi returned and immediately checked the cultivation technique jade slip. "Dan Ding Sect truly is the overlord of Cloud Continent, even the ordinary disciples'' exchange catalog has more than ten thousand entries," he said. He skimmed through the catalog in the jade slip and found that there were not only cultivation techniques but also ancient techniques, the Four Arts of Cultivation, secret techniques, and divine skills. It could be said that as long as one had enough merit points, it would be enough to keep an ordinary disciple learning for a lifetime. "But these merit point prices..." Looking at the figures behind the catalog, where it was not umon to see values in the tens of thousands, he noted that guarding the Cliff of Remorse for one year only earned eighty merit points. "If there were no external duties to exorcise demons, guarding the Cliff of Remorse for a thousand years would be no issue, however, it is not worth risking my life for merit points," he reflected. Undoubtedly, the Dan Ding Sect must have other methods to earn merit points. Otherwise, relying solely on chores and demon exorcism would dy cultivation progress too much, which would not benefit the sect in the long run. Being new to the sect, Zhou Yi nned to first observe the situation and wait until he was more familiar with the sect before making further ns. "First, I need to choose a target for exchange," he decided. He pondered for a moment and still filtered ording to the criteria. The first criterion was a practice time of over a hundred years, which immediately eliminated ny percent of the catalog. After checking each one, he quickly selected his exchange target, with the top spot being an art of spirit refinement. "The Nine Revolutions Spirit Refinement Art, priced at five thousand merit points, is rtively cheap. Each revolutionpleted can condense one-tenth of mana quality, increasing the power of spells. With all nine revolutions achieved, mana bes nearly solidified, and spell power doubles!" "Additionally,pleting one revolution increases the probability of Core Formation by eleven percent, and all nine revolutions can increase it by ten percent." "This secret technique is like a passive state; after major aplishments, spells like the Escape Technique, Lightning Method, and others will increase significantly in power," he deduced. Zhou Yi nodded, satisfied. Other than the long cultivation time, it was almost a perfect secret technique. ording to the description in the catalog, this technique was unrted to one''s Spirit Root aptitude and belonged to the type of skill that improved gradually over time, with the potential toplete one revolution in about fifty to sixty years. Not a few disciples of the Dan Ding Sect had exchanged for this technique, but very few had achieved the art to its highest level of nine revolutions; most onlypleted one or two to enhance their mana, which was why its exchange price was low. "Another long-time cultivation technique is an ancient technique, the iplete ''True Dragon Nine Transformations''!" "Within the iplete text are two secret techniques: an escape technique that is cultivated using eagle demon essence blood, and a killing method cultivated using tiger demon essence blood. Upon major aplishment, one can transform into the shape of an eagle or tiger." Zhou Yi looked at the introduction of this technique, his eyes gleaming. This technique seemed to be a continuation of the Divine Bull Transformation or, rather, the True Dragon Nine Transformations had no precedent sequence." "With ''True Dragon'' in its name, theplete technique must also include transformations like deer, rabbit, snake, and others, right?" The Divine Bull Transformation was currently Zhou Yi''s most powerful offensive and defensive technique, leaning towards body cultivation. Therefore, the eagle and tiger transformations were definitely not to be missed. "The price... thirty thousand merit points!" "In the past, I thought Senior Brother Li was just swindling people, but now it seems he was genuinely handing out opportunities by the bunch!" Zhou Yi contemted carefully; the steep price was probably due to the inclusion of the words ''ancient'' and ''true dragon.'' In reality, ordinary cultivators would find it difficult to achieve the art, including even True Beings at the Foundation Establishment level. Acquiringrge amounts of eagle and tiger demon essence blood was not only a matter of spending an ocean of spirit stones, but it was also exceedingly time-consuming andplicated. Raising demon beasts was even less reliable. After extracting their essence blood, it would take a long time to recover, and who would willingly feed them spiritual medicine that took a hundred years to grow? "This technique is suitable for my cultivation," he affirmed. "''Nine Revolutions Spirit Refinement Art'' is the technique for mana, ''True Dragon Nine Transformations'' is for the physical body, and I''m still missing a secret technique for soul cultivation," he mused. After Zhou Yi broke through Foundation Establishment, the Soul Nurturing Art became almost negligible in its effectiveness, possibly because two hundred years of practice had already brought the technique to its peak. After carefulparison, he chose another technique named ''Spirit Condensation Art,'' simr to an advanced version of the Soul Nurturing Art. Oncepleted, it had no special spells, but its advantagey in its simplicity and cheap price. "Steady and firm, slow yet profound, practicing the ''Spirit Condensation Art'' for hundreds of years far surpasses those obscure and quick soul refinement techniques." Zhou Yi then changed the search parameters in the catalog, selecting techniques and secret arts that consumed one''s lifespan. The path of immortality values life, and techniques that consume lifespan are usually practiced by heretics, characterized by their great power and strange efficacy. "There are only a few techniques, it seems that even the deviant paths cherish lifespan and don''t create such techniques unless absolutely necessary," he noted. ``` Zhou Yi examined each one, discarding those that harmed the foundation, those that required the sacrifice of living creatures, and those that needed special Spiritual Objects. After careful selection, only one spell caught his eye. Blood Ignition Escape Technique. It burns Qi-Blood to boost the Escape Skill, instantly doubling the speed. If one burns Essence Blood, the escape speed triples. The downside is that while burning Qi-Blood, it also consumes lifespan, with a light usage taking away eight to ten years and heavy usage costing a hundred years or more! "Ten years? A hundred years?" Zhou Yi shook his head slightly. On any given day, he wouldn''t consume a hundred years of longevity, and after Foundation Establishment, the consumption had doubled. "Burning Essence Blood is a bit troublesome, as excessive consumption requires a long time to recover... There seems to be a solution, such as consuming Blood Spirit Fruit!" The Spirit Fruit condensed by the Blood Vine Demon, a pure essence of Qi-Blood, can quickly restore Essence Blood when consumed. "So with Blood Spirit Fruitbined with the Blood Ignition Escape Technique, there''s hardly any consumption?" Zhou Yi pped his hands and smiled, immediately prioritizing the Blood Ignition Escape Technique over others like the Spirit Refinement Art and the True Dragon''s Nine Transformations because none couldpare with tripling the escape speed. "Joining the Dan Ding Sect was the right choice indeed, a dominating sect for thousands of years with countless cultivation techniques and secret arts, any few of which could be greatly beneficial." Having set his exchange target, he roughly calcted the required contribution points. Sixty-four thousand! Eighty a year at Si Guo Cliff, it would take about eight hundred years! "..." Zhou Yi retracted his fondness for the Dan Ding Sect. These Cultivation techniques and secret arts were carrots dangled in front, visible but out of reach, even a Foundation Establishment True Person could not exchange for two or three in a lifetime of service for the sect. "I''lly low for a few years, get to know the sect details, then strategize for contribution points!" ... The next day. Zhou Yi used the Earth Movement Skill to head towards Si Guo Cliff. Since his cave dwelling was on the Shanyang side, and Si Guo Cliff on the shady side, he needed to cross the central mountain range''s core area. The Dan Ding Sect had anticipated this, and between Ming Zhu Peak and Golden Bell Peak, a passage was opened¡ªone just had to present the Identity Token to fly across. Upon learning that Zhou Yi was going to Si Guo Cliff for duty, the True Person in charge of checking the Token showed a strange, astonished expression. Zhou Yi flew through the passage, entering the mountain range on the shady side. The climate temperature plummeted by tens of degrees almost instantly, and ice could be faintly seen condensing on the rocks, with vegetation growing from the ground vastly different from that in South Mountain. A gust of cold wind blew by, and snowkes began to fall from the sky. "The disparity between South Mountain and North Mountain is so vast, it''s as if one has switched to an entirely different world!" Zhou Yi spected it was not just rted to the Spirit Veins and mountains, but very likely, the sect''s high-ranking individuals hadid out Formation and Prohibition, given that many Spiritual Medicines and Cultivation techniques required a cold environment. Following the Token''s guidance, he quickly found Si Guo Cliff. Cliffs and jagged rocks,pletely barren without any vegetation growth. Zhou Yi''s flying light brought him to the middle of Si Guo Cliff, where he saw the ck Wind Cave. Piercing howls came from the cave, and despite the Formation seal, thin strands of ck wind seeped out, leaving marks on Si Guo Cliff as if it had been sliced by knives and swords. Mana infused into the Identity Token, activating the sect''s menial task restrictions, with a spirit light falling on the Formation of ck Wind Cave and slowly opening a portal. Zhou Yi entered the cave, and the portal quickly closed behind him, revealing an interior bright as day. At the cave entrance, there was a stone table and stools, and an unfinished game of Go, presumably left by the predecessor on duty. Walking ten yards into the cave revealed anotheryer of Formation and Prohibition, behind which was the area for holding disciples. "Not a soul in sight, but indeed, punishment in ck Wind Cave is no light matter; hardly any disciplese in on regr days!" Zhou Yi cleaned the stone table and stools, ced the Go pieces into his storage bag, and took out a text to read earnestly. Cliffs, fierce winds, reading ''Spring and Autumn'', utterly alone, his mood was one of excitement and pleasure! Chapter 107: 107 of the Lower Volume of the Collected Stories In the blink of an eye, half a year had passed, and the cliff for reflection imprisonment held no disciples. Little Spring Mountain, ck Wind Cave. Zhou Yi led a life that was as straight as a line, very regr. In half a year, Zhou Yi had begun to integrate into the sect, and he had a vague n for obtaining merits. Within the Dan-ding Sect, it could be said there were two types of trading currencies, merits and spirit stones; the former was for transactions with the sect, and thetter was for private trading among disciples. To exchange merits for sect cultivation techniques, one must swear a grand oath to the inner demons never to divulge them. Before dying, one could pass on some unimportant ones to the next generation, who would also cultivate them secretly, never daring to take them out for trade, so the target technique Zhou Yi aimed for could only be exchanged for with merits. Zhou Yi had visited the External Affairs Hall several times and, amidst calls of "Junior Uncle" from Qi Refinement disciples, he found a suitable mission for umting merits. The Dan-ding Sect was known for alchemy, and the External Affairs Hall often issued alchemy tasks. The more difficult the pills were to concoct, the more merits one could ultimately receive. For low-level pills like Nurturing Yuan Pill and Yellow Dragon Pill, even concocting several batches would only yield one or two merit points. Failure toplete the task due to too many failures meant having topensate by providing one''s own spiritual medicine for the concoction. Among these, there was one type of pill that offered a lot of merits and had a long-standing task duration. "Boundary-breaking pill, Foundation Establishment Pill!" Zhou Yi inquired with the disciples of the External Affairs Hall and learned the details. With other types of cultivation pills, given the disciples'' aptitudes and the environment of the Spirit Vein, it was possible to achieve Qi Refinementpletion without taking any, merely requiring ten to twenty more years of hard work. However, the Foundation Establishment Pill was an essential must-take! The Dan-ding Sect grew many millennium Spirit Ginseng nts, yet there were even more disciples, and the consumption of resources far exceeded the production. Moreover, many high-level pills also required millennium Spirit Ginseng to concoct, so there was always a high demand for Foundation Establishment Pills. "Concoct with one''s own spiritual medicine. Handing in one Foundation Establishment Pill fetches a thousand merits." Zhou Yi noted this task down, seeking an opportunity to cultivate millennium Spirit Ginseng. A single nt could make more than a dozen. The Ginseng Child could temporarily be spared from exploitation; with such high spiritual intelligence, it was an anomaly among Spirit Ginseng, and in the future, it might even grow into a ten-thousand-year spiritual medicine. Who knows if the taste would get any better. Early that day. Zhou Yi arrived at the cliff for reflection and entered the ck Wind Cave to find someone inside. A teenager, chubby and meditating within the formation and prohibition, was striving to operate his mana to resist the ck Wind Poisonous Fire. "An unexpected guest!" Zhou Yi saw a jade slip left on the stone table, and after scanning it with his divine sense, he learned that the chubby one was called Lin Yushu. "This surname isn''t ordinary, but the name doesn''t quite match the appearance. Short and chubby, he''s almost round." Lin Yushu was suspected of attacking a fellow sect brother, but fortunately, the victim had a protective magic artifact and only sustained minor injuries. After the investigation by the Law Enforcement Hall, considering the extenuating circumstances and the minor consequences, they sentenced him to one month of imprisonment at the cliff for reflection. "Extenuating circumstances?" Zhou Yi shook his head slightly, ignoring the chubby one, and sat at the stone table to read a book of stories. Inside the ck Wind Cave, unlike the entrance, there was a formation and prohibition blocking the way, but the spiritual energy was too turbid for cultivation. The position where imprisoned disciples were held was asionally eroded by ck winds and poisonous fire, requiring constant operation of mana to defend against it. The formation and prohibition adjusted the power of the ck wind and poisonous fire ording to the cultivator''s power of the one being imprisoned, so that it wouldn''t damage the foundation of those being punished, yet kept them in agonizing pain. The elders of the Dan-ding Sect truly took great pains for their disciples. It was midday. Lin Yushu shouted loudly, "Junior Uncle, I can''t take it anymore, save me!" Zhou Yi nced over, knowing that the chubby one was faking it, but he still activated the identity token. A sh of spiritual light passed, the formation and prohibition strengthened once more, thoroughly isting the ck Wind Poisonous Fire. Lin Yushuy on the ground, panting. "You have only one hour." Zhou Yi reminded him; this was also considered as exercising his only authority, being able to turn off the punishment for one hour each day. "Thank you, Junior Uncle!" Lin Yushu got up from the ground and, ncing at the content of the book, his face suddenly turned a bit red. He hesitantly said, "Junior Uncle, where did you get this book? I''ve never seen it before." "The collector''s illustrated edition!" Zhou Yi''s expression remained unchanged as he closed the "Spring and Autumn" and took out the "Five Spirits Scripture" to ponder over. After all, as an elder, one must keep up appearances to avoid any unsavory rumors from spreading. Losing reputation is a minor issue, but if the female elders knew and started talking about moral corruption, it would be difficult to move an inch within the sect thereafter. Zhou Yi suddenly thought that perhaps being restricted in movement wasn''t such a bad thing. Once he changed his identity, he could easily adopt a new persona; who would suspect they were the same person? "Uncle Master, I also like storybooks; can we exchange and read them?" Lin Yushu took out a blue-covered booklet from his storage bag: "I don''t have the collector''s illustrated edition, but this second volume of ''Legend of the Three Heroes'' is rumored to have been written by a true immortal. It took me a lot of effort to find theplete version." "Legend of the Three Heroes?" Zhou Yi activated the Formation and Prohibition to draw the storybook over and flipped through it, confirming it was indeed the second volume. "Not bad, let''s exchange." "Thank you, Uncle Master." Lin Yushu''s eyes danced with excitement as he eagerly took the collector''s illustrated edition and began reading it right away, turning away from Zhou Yi after a short while to immerse himself in the storybook. Zhou Yi flipped through the "Legend of the Three Heroes," which indeed picked up where thest volume left off. A Foundation Establishment real person reads very quickly; in just a moment, he had gone through most of the book. Thetter half of the story was entirely different from the first half, exactly the same as Zhou Yi had previously told Jing Xu. "A Nascent Soul Daoist disguises as amoner and bes a son-inw; with a shout of ''Sworde,'' a hundred thousand Qi Refinement disciples plead for the ancestor''s return..." Authors of storybooks in the Cultivation World are mostly cultivators, with plots and magical battles tending towards realism, rarely concocted purely for the sake of showing off. Zhou Yi suddenly asked, "Nephew Lin, is this storybook popr among readers?" Lin Yushu shuddered at the question and let out a sigh of relief before answering with his back still turned. "Uncle Master, as soon as this storybook came out, it immediately swept through the sect. There''s even a rumor that the old wine ancestor from Divine Fire Peak wants to personally go to the Mortal World to be a live-in son-inw; the Sect Leader had to kneel with the sect rules for three days straight to dissuade him!" "Interesting." Zhou Yi continued reading until he reached the conclusion of "Legend of the Three Heroes," where two of the heroes ascended to the heavens, leaving the other to choose to stay in the lower realm. The reason this hero did not ascend was: Back then, I met an interesting young friend fond of fine wine, beautiful women, and good storybooks¡ªtruly a bosom friend. s, he perished at the hands of a demonic cultist. I stay in the Mortal World to cleanse it of all evil demons! The book concluded with a postscript at the end. ¡ªThe first half of this storybook was solelyposed by me as a constion. Thetter half was co-authored with a young friend named Zhu Gang, who fell at the hands of a Demon Lord. Through this book''s cirction in the world, those who recite it should remember his name. "So it turns out ''Legend of the Three Heroes'' was authored by Jing Xu, no wonder he likes collecting storybooks and records." Zhou Yi shook his head slightly and closed the storybook. Life is but a dream, and the affairs of the world are as fluid as water; even Golden Elixir True Monarchs who once dominated an era are merely dust in history. "Uncle Master..." Lin Yushu''s voice interrupted Zhou Yi''s reminiscing, as he said, "Do you have any other collector''s edition storybooks?" "Reading too much isn''t good for your health." Zhou Yi gave the fellow a sidelong nce and asked curiously, "You''re not exactly characterized by bravery andbativeness, so why would you attack your sectmate?" Lin Yushu replied indignantly, "Hmph! Sister Apprentice Zi Qiong is my betrothed, but she''s been bewitched by someone surnamed Zhang and now wants to annul our engagement..." Zhou Yi''s gaze became sharp, "There are rules within the sect against enticing a fellow disciple''s wife. Reporting this to the Law Enforcement Hall would mean at least a year of reflection here!" Lin Yushu''s face copsed instantly, as he slumped to the ground and said. "Sister Apprentice Zi Qiong is my betrothed for the future. I give her Spirit Stones and Spiritual Medicine for her cultivation every day; once she realizes my true heart, I''ll then discuss with her the timing to be Daoist partners." Zhou Yi''s tension eased as he said with disdain. "So you''re just a loyal dog; no wonder you deserve to suffer!" Chapter 108: 108: The Two Factions ``` "A bootlicker? What sort of monster is that?" Lin Yushu faintly felt it was not apliment, yet had never heard of it before. "You can''t nder monsters like that..." Zhou Yi carefully exined the meaning of bootlicker. Reflecting on his past actions, Lin Yushu realized he had been nothing short of an upgraded bootlicker, giving all the medicinal pills provided by his n for cultivation to his junior sister, earning only a few ''Thank you, Brother Lin'' in return. Though his face turned red and his forehead bulged with restrained frustration, Lin Yushu still argued for himself. "Can the affairs between a man and a woman really be considered bootlicking... Uncle Master surely has no partner and doesn''t know the taste of it, otherwise, he would understand me," he said. "Hmm! How many Dual Cultivation techniques do you know? The Overturning Phoenix Technique, Phoenix Cry Art, Jade Path Technique, Charming Woman Scripture, Harmonious Union Technique, Yin Yang Art, Joyous Sect..." Upon hearing someone question his expertise, Zhou Yi listed over twenty different Dual Cultivation techniques in session. Lin Yushu was stunned, feeling as though he had opened a door to a world he had never known, despite being a direct disciple of the sect. "Uncle Master, where did you hear about these techniques?" "Why would I need to hear about them, when I have practiced each one myself," replied Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi went on, "These techniques each have their own focus, for instance, the Overturning Phoenix Technique and the Yin Yang Art are inclined towards breaking through realms, the Charming Woman Scripture and the Harmonious Union Technique aim to increase cultivation power, and the Jade Path Technique is purely for enjoyment." "Hiss!" Lin Yushu''s eyes changed, and he had many questions he was too embarrassed to ask, such as where one could go to practice Dual Cultivation. The Dan Ding Sect was a prestigious and orthodox sect with strict rules, and certainly wouldn''t allow disciples to engage in reckless behavior, risking tainting the sect''s reputation. "Uncle Master, I will definitely stop being a bootlicker from now on," Lin Yushu vowed. Zhou Yi merely grunted, unconvinced that a bootlicker could change, since such behavior either urs never or countless times. Lin Yushu, sensing the mistrust, thought about the numerous Dual Cultivation techniques, and swore to the heavens, "At this year''s end at the sect''s juniorpetition, I will definitely rank in the top ten to win the Foundation Establishment Pill and ascend to a true cultivator!" "What does being a bootlicker have to do with this?" Zhou Yi asked, puzzled. The Dan Ding Sect had junior and seniorpetitions, Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment, respectively; the former took ce at the end of each year, thetter once every ten years. The reward for the top ten was pills and Spiritual Objects that could break through realms. Participation was voluntary, and these pills and Spiritual Objects could be exchanged for merit points, but at a very high price. Zhou Yi had inquired about the exchange price for the Foundation Establishment Pill¡ªit was a whopping five thousand merit points, which meant that the sect was making a fivefold profit! Originally, Zhou Yi had contemted earning merit points, such as finding a disciple in need of a Foundation Establishment Pill and having them set up a very difficult task, rewarding only three to four thousand merit points¡ªa task most disciples wouldn''t take on. After epting the task and easilypleting it to earn merit points, Zhou Yi then nned to exchange them for the Foundation Establishment Pill in private. However, after an indirect inquiry at the External Affairs Hall, he learned that mission assignments required the review of a true immortal, who strictly cracked down on trading merit points. Any discovered infractions would carry severe consequences! This instantly extinguished his thoughts of taking shortcuts, and Zhou Yi certainly wouldn''t risk thousands of merit points for breaking sect rules and angering a true immortal. "Uncle Master, once I break through to the Foundation Establishment realm, I''ll be able to go on external assignments and travel outside the sect," Lin Yushu said with a chuckle. He continued, "At that time, I''ll still need Uncle Master''s guidance on where to learn Dual Cultivation techniques, and to thoroughly examine it myself to see if it''s as mystical as Uncle Master says!" "Talk about that after you''ve achieved Foundation Establishment," Zhou Yi replied. Zhou Yi felt there was still hope for Lin Yushu and casually asked, "From your words, have you never left the sect?" Lin Yushu nodded, "Since my double Spirit Roots were discovered at a young age, my n sent me to the Dan Ding Sect to cultivate, and I have not once gone out in eighteen years." "Same world, different fates," Zhou Yi remarked. For the pursuit of Immortal Traces, he had expended so much effort and had suffered exploitation in the Marketce, only to be epted into the sect after more than two hundred years of hard cultivation. "So Uncle Master, you were a Loose Cultivator?" Lin Yushu inquired. ``` Lin Yushu hesitated and said, "That scoundrel surnamed Zhang is a Loose Cultivator, who has gathered a bunch of disciples, relying on his strongbat spells, his arrogance is extremely rampant." "Does the Law Enforcement Hall not care?" Zhou Yi had spent half a year at the Dan Ding Sect and had figured out the general power divisions, which simply put, were the Direct Disciples faction and the Loose Cultivators faction. To delve into the specific conflicts amongst the Eighteen Peaks and the disputes between the various True Masters, that was not something one could understand in a short time. Of course, this was limited only to those below the True Masters; it''s likely that the Nascent Soul Ancestors who were in secluded cultivation at Divine Fire Peak just watched for amusement. The Direct Disciples faction consisted of those who had been cultivating in the sect since childhood, enjoying superior Spirit Veins, pills, and all the Cultivation Techniques passed down from the Dan Ding Sect. The Loose Cultivators faction included those like Zhou Yi, who struggled in the mundane world or the Marketce, either due to exceptional aptitude or by performing notable feats, with various reasons to enter the Sect for cultivation. The former had a more solid foundation, while thetter were more ruthless in their methods; in terms of cultivation level, Direct Disciples had the advantage, but when it came tobat, Loose Cultivators were slightly better. Overall, the Direct Disciples faction was dominant, with the majority of the Eighteen Peaks'' leaders being Direct Disciples. Lin Yushu said with a bitter face, "That scoundrel surnamed Zhang is well-versed in the sect''s rules; even when he bullies others, he always has a pretext. When the Law Enforcement Hall investigates, they can never find any wrongdoing." "That''s the advantage of understanding thew," said Zhou Yi, who had anticipated this. Even the best of rules have loopholes, not to mention that the high and mighty Ancestors also wish for the two factions to fight. A stagnant sect had no future; as long as the factional struggles were kept within a certain range, it was more beneficial than harmful for the Dan Ding Sect. "I just didn''t join any gang, otherwise I wouldn''t be bullied by others." Lin Yushu hummed, "Fighting all day long, where''s the fun in cultivating¡­ But if it were Dual Cultivation, that would be even more interesting!" "Your Dao heart ismendable," Zhou Yi nodded in agreement. There were not a few disciples in the Dan Ding Sect with such thoughts, from True Masters to Qi Refinement; many stayed out of the two factions and devoted themselves to arduous cultivation. After today''s interaction, the two became quite familiar with each other, and since Zhou Yi didn''t put on airs as an uncle master, Lin Yushu also spoke more freely. Lin Yushu, who had lived in the Dan Ding Sect since childhood, had heard and seen many interesting stories and talked about them endlessly. "Moon Viewing Peak only epts female disciples because there''s a Moonlight Heavenly Pond at the peak of the mountain, where many female disciples go to bathe whenever the moon is full¡­" "Elder Jiuxiao loves fine wine, often transforming into an ordinary disciple looking for a drink, rewarding those who please him." "It is rumored that the Sect Leader, when he was young, had fervently pursued a female disciple, and after being rejected, he closed himself off for bitter cultivation, broke through the Foundation Establishment and Golden Core in session, and defeated eighteen Peak Masters to rise to the position of Sect Leader!" "In the northeast corner of the Sect, there is a ce where extreme yin generates yang, often visited by a scruffy odd fellow for cultivation¡­" Listening with keen interest, Zhou Yi knew the Dan Ding Sect had a deep foundation, and nothing short of a catastrophic disaster could topple it, bing even more satisfied with his current life. Hiding and cultivating in secluded Reflection Cliff for a thousand years, even the least gifted could achieve the pinnacle of Foundation Establishment. Before long, a month had passed. Lin Yushu''s punishment came to an end, and when he left the ck Wind Cave, his farewell was lingering as if he had a thousand words to say. Zhou Yi said, "This book has been given to you, take care of yourself, and don''t damage your foundation." "Thank you, Uncle Master!" Lin Yushu was immediately overjoyed. The book that had apanied him for thirty nights now held a ce in his heart above that of Junior Sister Zi Qiong; he was determined to take it with him to his grave when his life ended. "When practicing Secret Techniques, don''t blindly pursue power." Zhou Yi, having learned that Lin Yushu had be round from practicing a certain Body Cultivation Secret Technique, reminded him. "My uncle master once had a friend whose strength was not as good as yours, yet countless stunning beauties threw themselves at him simply because he was handsome!" Lin Yushu fell silent for a long while and seemed to understand. Chapter 109: 109: Life Nearing Its End Little Spring Mountain. Zhou Yi took out a bottle of Green Sun Pill and poured them all into his mouth. The pills transformed into surging spiritual energy and, under the refining of the Five Spirits Scripture, turned into strands of mana. The Green Sun Pill was a mid-grade spiritual medicine, slightly low in quality for a Foundation Establishment true person, but by consuming an entire bottle at a time, Zhou Yi''s mana steadily increased every day. "Cultivation is the foundation of everything. As long as there are enough pills, one can advance to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment within thirty to fifty years." Zhou Yi slowly ended his practice session and instantly submerged twenty-odd zhang beneath the ground, diligently practiced the Five Elements Escape Technique, now able to activate it as he wished, though the rotation of the five elements still presented some hindrances. Little Spring Mountain rose over forty zhang high, and Zhou Yi was approximately in the middle of the peak. Severalyers of minor Five Elements Formations ovepped to conceal, only the top Formation Masters could break through these prohibitions in a short time. Within the Formation was a two-zhang-high and about forty to fifty zhang wide medicinal field with all kinds of wood-based spiritual medicines nted in it. Zhou Yi, as usual, cast the Jade Dew Art, condensing Creation Dew to ripen them; in the field, there were already quite a few with ages over two hundred that could increase mana whether consumed raw or used in alchemy. "There is a recipe for True Origin Pill in the jade slip, suitable for those at the Foundation Establishment stage, but the four arts of cultivating immortality are even more precious than cultivation techniques. Without handing over Foundation Establishment Pills, don''t even think about it in the short term, but I could directly exchange for True Origin Pills to consume." The Pill Cauldron Sect calcted merit points meticulously, and disciples like Zhou Yi, who skated by doing the minimum, found it very hard to obtain any precious heritages. Back on the surface. Zhou Yi opened his mouth and spat out the Mountain and River Cauldron, taking out the Soul Soothing Mirror from it. The once dull and lusterless bronze mirror, nurtured by mana for over a hundred years, was now mottled withrge patches of silvery white, and its power had reached that of a mid-grade magic artifact. "Once it fully bes a silver mirror, its power will be at least of a high-grade level. And as a special artifact targeting the soul, it will undoubtedly be indispensable in the future!" Zhou Yi had refined the Mountain and River Cauldron for over thirty years, incorporating untold amounts of Five Metals Essence, yet its advancement was still slower than that of the treasure mirror. Indeed, as the Spiritual Treasure Scripture states, the growth of a spiritual treasure takes a long time and is not achieved overnight. Golden Elixir True Monarchs choose to forge magic artifacts instead of refining spiritual treasures, which speaks volumes about the difficulty involved. Having refined two magic artifacts, Zhou Yi then studied the Alchemy Scripture for two more hours. By the time he was done, the sky outside was already dawning light. Cultivating, nting medicines, refining treasures, reciting scriptures, day in and day out in a cycle, the path of immortality is tedious and lonely, and that''s all there is to it! ... Reflection Cliff. Zhou Yi entered his duty at ck Wind Cave, thinking it would be another dull day. However, in the evening, the Law Enforcement Hall sent someone over¡ªnot exactly a prisoner, since after some time, he would still be a fellow sect brother. The punished was a Foundation Establishment true person surnamed Jiang Kang, with an aged face and white hair. Cultivators maintain their appearance once they break through the Foundation Establishment stage, aging rapidly only when close to death; Jiang Kang was in such a state. His aura was withered, surrounded by the aura of death, looking like his lifespan was nearing its end. Zhou Yi, when facing such cultivators, always maintained a respectful distance. The longer someone lived, the crazier their actions as death approached, especially since Jiang Kang''s cultivation had reached thete stage of Foundation Establishment. "Junior brother, do you have any Spiritual Wine? This fire is making this old Daoist''s throat dry." During Jiang Kang''s punishment, the Formation and Prohibition were reduced to their limits, with fierce ck Wind and surging Poisonous Fire filling the cave, continuously eroding and burning without end. Zhou Yi, separated by ayer of Formation and Prohibition, could still feel the power of the wind and fire. A Foundation Establishment initial stage cultivator would probably get hurt just by touching it. Hearing the request, he immediately took out some Red Rainbow Wine. "This is Spiritual Wine brewed by my own hand, please have a taste, senior brother." Red Rainbow, though made from average ingredients, included a hundred-year-old Spirit Ginseng. Soul Soothing Intoxication could nourish the soul; however, Zhou Yi dared not bring out thetter two. The sect rules of Dan Ding Sect and how much they restrict Jiang Kang is hard to say! Jiang Kang gulped down a jar and wiped his mouth with a smile, "Not bad, not bad. The quality of this wine is ordinary, but it is over a hundred years old. Being able to drink it before death, I suppose it''s good luck for an old cultivator like me." "If senior brother likes it, there are a few more jars here." Zhou Yi took out several more jars and ced them into the formation and prohibition. The recipe for the Red Rainbow Wine was obtained the earliest, and it has been 130 years to date. Every time it was brewed, a few jars were kept in storage. There are quite a few hundred-year fine vintages by now. "Junior brother need not be so, having the advantage of one jar is already shameless enough for an old cultivator like me." Jiang Kang said this, yet the bobbing of his Adam''s apple obviously revealed some insincerity. "It''s just spiritual wine. After senior brother has drunk, I''ll give junior brother some spirit stones when I get out." Zhou Yi said with a smile, "Three hundred spirit stones for a jar, the price has increased tenfold, but senior brother must not me junior brother for taking advantage." Being punished at the Cliff of Reflection, disciples are forbidden from carrying storage bags. Aside from their lifebound magic artifacts, they aren''t allowed to bring anything else in, to prevent someone from relying on a magic artifact to resist the ck Wind Poisonous Fire. "Junior brother is a clever man, if only I were ten years younger, I''d definitely be able to be good friends with you." Jiang Kang is not a person to y coy, he picked up another jar of wine to drink, but this time he sipped slowly. Zhou Yi checked the jade slip left by the Law Enforcement Hall only after seeing that Jiang Kang seemed stable and did not appear to have a violent disposition. Jiang Kang, dueled with True Monarch Yang Hua on the dueling tform, disregarded the fellowship of sect members, and dealt a lethal blow, causing a fellow sect member''s death, with extremely bad influence. He is sentenced to ten years of confinement at the Cliff of Reflection. "Ten years!" Zhou Yi was surprised by both the sect rules Jiang Kang broke and the severity of the punishment. The dueling tform mentioned in the jade slip is where the Dan Ding Sect resolves private disputes among sect members. Ites down to two people with a major grudge, agreeing to fight to the death. During the duel, both sides are bound to fight fiercely, only Yang Hua lost by a margin and lost his life. This kind of incident is notmon in Dan Ding Sect, but it also isn''t unheard of. Since both parties agreed to duel, ording to convention, they are usually imprisoned for two or three years. Ten years of enduring the ck Wind Poisonous Fire day and night; even if one defends with spells, they can hardly avoid erosion, and cumtively, it ruins one''s foundation. "The Law Enforcement Hall is personally overseen by Ancestor Fu Yao. Even True Monarchs can''t interfere, and the sentencing is the most impartial." Jiang Kang, as if guessing what Zhou Yi was thinking, exined, "I was given such a heavy sentence because of two reasons. To begin with, my lifespan is nearing its end, and there is no difference between three or ten years. Might as well have a heavy sentence to warn other disciples." Zhou Yi suddenly understood, "So that''s the case." "Secondly, when I dueled this time, it wasn''t due to any deep-seated hatred." Jiang Kang said somberly, "That Yang Hua, a direct disciple of the sect, has a contrary nature, and he especially looks down on loose cultivator sect members. Taking advantage of his some power, he deliberately assigns tough and tedious chores to loose cultivator disciples, dying their cultivation." Zhou Yi silently pondered, not making any judgment on the right or wrong of the situation. Since the Law Enforcement Hall governs the sect''s regtions, and Yang Hua wasn''t punished, it means his actions were detestable but did not vite the sect rules. Just like the Zhang surnamed loose cultivator who bullied Lin Yushu, after several investigations by the Law Enforcement Hall, he was also not sentenced for wrongdoing. "I came from a loose cultivator background and struggled in the marketce for dozens of years before fortunately being epted into the Dan Ding Sect. After Foundation Establishment, I dedicated myself to the sect for a hundred years and slew over twenty Foundation Establishment Stage Demon Heads, believing myself to be without guilt!" Jiang Kang was either filled with resentment or simply wanted to speak before the end. "That Yang Hua was as cowardly as a mouse - he never dared leave Cloud Continent for exterminating demons, even spent spirit stones to hire others for help, and yet had the audacity to loudly proim loose cultivators as inferior to direct disciples!" "I''ve found him unpleasant for a long time, and as my lifespan was nearing its end, and Solidifying Pill was out of reach, I decided to have a go with him on the dueling tform." "Had Yang Hua truly possessed half of my strength, out of respect for the sect, I would have spared his life. Who knew he was just a pillow of embroidery; he didn''t even withstand three rounds of my Lightning Method and was reduced to ashes!" Zhou Yi twitched at the corners of his mouth, realizing that the old man before him was indeed a killing star, but some of what Jiang Kang said sparked his interest. One can hire fellow sect members for demon extermination tasks? Chapter 110: 110: Evil Dao Should Be Punished "Brother Jiang, has the factional strife within the Sect already involved life and death?" Zhou Yi pondered for a moment before asking this question. "It''s not that serious. It''s just that the old Daoist''s lifespan ising to an end, and I can''t stand to see Yang Hua so gleeful. That guy has been treating the disciples and loose cultivators differently for a long time. When I previously had hopes for the Golden Core, it would have merely resulted in some scolding." Jiang Kang shook his head and said, "The Nascent Soul ancestors of our sect don''t take sides in the factions, it''s just a rivalry of pride among the junior disciples." Zhou Yi gave a slight nod, somewhat reassured, and then asked, "What are the requirements to duel on the tform of Magical Duel? Is it a challenge by one party, or can you go up as long as both parties agree?" If it was a challenge by one party, it would naturally breed bullying of the weak by the strong. Zhou Yi had to consider making a clean escape. Even if it required both parties'' consent, it was actually unfair, as the more powerful side had plenty of ways to force the weaker side onto the stage for a magical duel. "The tform of Magical Duel is a ce for Sectpetition, how could it allow disciples to fight each other at will?" Jiang Kang took a drink and said, "I challenged Yang Hua to a magical duel. Once he agreed, I spent ten thousand merit points to apply. The Law Enforcement Hall, seeing that we had a long-standing grudge and our cultivation levels were not much different, agreed to it." The Law Enforcement Hall probably hadn''t expected Jiang Kang to dare to make a lethal move, nor had they foreseen Yang Hua being so weak, as the onlookers at the duel were not quick enough to intervene. Only then did Zhou Yi truly rx. A full ten-thousand merit points, with no refunds if the application was rejected, meant that the cost of dueling was too high for ordinary people to afford. After all, as a righteous Sect, if the disciples within the Dan Ding Sect were to kill each other easily, what difference would there be from the demonic and heretical paths? Zhou Yi ttered, "Brother, your magical arts are profound and powerful, unmatched among equals. A true man at the same level is no match for you in a single round!" "Humph! You kill a few more Demon Heads, and you''ll have my kind of strength, too," Jiang Kang replied with a wistful tone. "It''s a pity, in the end, I was unable to achieve Core Formation, otherwise I would definitely find an opportunity to kill a Golden Core old demon!" The way he spoke was in and indifferent as if he were muttering to himself, yet the intense killing intent was palpable. Zhou Yi silently thought Yang Hua''s death was not unjust; the path of demonic cultivation was far crueller than the righteous path. Jiang Kang killed him as easily as ughtering a chicken, which was enough to show that his talent in dueling had reached the pinnacle. "Brother, you often deal with dealings between the righteous and demonic realms for outside duties; tell me about the demonic cultivators. That way, when the younger brother takes on external duties in the future, I can be on guard to avoid being ambushed on my first assignment." "Once you take on external duties, the Sect will provide detailed jade slips, which contain the experiences and conclusions of eliminating demons by previous generations of our Sect. If you learn andprehend them well, it''s not that difficult!" Jiang Kang said. Jiang Kang continued, "As for the demonic territories... I''ve been to the Ji Continent eight times in just over a hundred years, and the dynasties have changed three times. Those Demon Heads don''t care about the mortals or immortals; for the sake of their demonic cultivation and refinement of demonic treasures, they would even wish to blood sacrifice all creatures!" Zhou Yi questioned, "The souls and Qi-Blood of mortals are weak and frail, somewhat useful in the Qi Refinement Realm but not very useful once reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage." "You''ve stayed in the Cloud Continent for too long, probably only encountering a few petty thieves on the road, thus you think that evil cultivators are nothing much. But you have no idea how brutal the real Demon Heads can be," Jiang Kang said with a sigh. "To make mortals useful, those Demon Heads have specially created a demonic art called the Soldier Refining Art. They force mortals to absorb all kinds of Yin Sha and evil energies, turning living people into half-corpses teeming with yin energy. Once they''ve absorbed enough yin energy, they can break into the first level of Qi Refinement!" "Such vicious and cruel methods are just to refine batches of cultivation materials!" Zhou Yi posed another question, "With such depletion, wouldn''t the demonic territories run out of mortals? And without younger disciples, wouldn''t that sever the Sect''s lineage?" "The Soldier Refining Art goes against Heaven''s will, so demonic Sects also establish rules to forbidrge-scale sacrifices within their domain," Jiang Kang replied. Zhou Yi grasped the important information, "Within their domain? Large-scale?" "In the end, the demonic way is still the demonic way. If they couldn''t rapidly increase their mana by ughtering creatures, wouldn''t all the disciples turn to the righteous path?" Jiang Kang exined, "Those Sect rules are worthless like dog farts. As long as the Demon Heads kill off everyone and no one reports it, it''s as if no one died. Moreover, the demonic way encourages its disciples and sets up Sect rewards for going to other continents and using mortals for cultivation training!" "Demon Heads should be killed!" Zhou Yi spoke from the heart, feeling fortunate to be living under the governance of the Dan Ding Sect. Otherwise, no matter how cautious he was, he wouldn''t be able to fend off the Demon Heads who abducted mortals inrge numbers for their cultivation. The prerequisite for escaping was a small power gap. As an Innate Grandmaster facing a Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator, no matter how much one resisted, it was only for the amusement of the Demon Head. "Indeed, they must be executed, especially those old demons, who deserve to have their souls scattered by the Heavenly Tribtion!" Jiang Kang said, "The old Taoist knows of an evil technique named Jade Dew Art, created by a Demon Lord whose lifespan was reaching its end. The Jade Dew Art can extract cultivators'' lifespans and hasten the maturation of life-extending spiritual medicines, though it only converts medicines with a low age." "Consequently, that Demon Lord used the Soldier Refining Art to mass-produce cultivators and then exhaust their vitality, ultimately extending his life by only three to five years." "Such behavior isn''t just harmful to the heavens and beyond description, it''s utterly insane!" Zhou Yi felt quite awkward upon hearing this, as life-extending spiritual medicines are mostly of the wood attribute, containing the essence of vitality and creation. However, upon reflection, he felt justified again. Taking the lifespan of others is indeed a sin, but who says one can''t take their own? "Elder Brother, the cruelty of demon heads is terrifying. What should I do if I encounter one in the future?" "While your mana is pure, it is far too weak and mild, and youck the aura of evil, which surely means you have rarely experienced battles." Jiang Kang took a nce at Zhou Yi, and, considering the hundred-year spiritual wine, offered some advice, "The only way to survive the task of demon elimination in the External Affairs is to spend spirit stones to hire people. If three or four sect members gang up on one, there are few demon heads that can withstand it." Zhou Yi said helplessly, "Doesn''t that just invite scorn?" "Staying alive isn''t shameful at all!" Jiang Kang said, "However, hiring fellow sect members is costly, and the merit you earn and convert to spirit stones will end up costing you more in the end." "Thank you for the guidance, Elder Brother." Zhou Yi had inquired with disciples of the External Affairs Hall; the sect maintained a stable ratio of spirit stone to merit value at ten to one. It could only be exchanged one way, meaning merits could be exchanged for spirit stones, but spirit stones could not be exchanged for merits. For example, if you submitted a Foundation Establishment Pill, you would get a thousand merits, which is equivalent to selling it for ten thousand spirit stones. The reason the sect''s exchange price is fivefold is that barrier-breaking pills are rare and indispensable, unlike ordinary pills such as Root Consolidation Pills or Green Sun Pills. In the external marketces, the auction price for a Foundation Establishment Pill is around ten thousand spirit stones, making it seem like the sect disciples are at a loss. But that''s not the case when you consider the hidden costs. Firstly, outside, you must wait for a Foundation Establishment Pill¡ªonce every decade or even longer. Secondly, you have to fight for it; every auction of a Foundation Establishment Pill causes a bloodbath, with countless people dying both openly and secretly. Furthermore, the purpose of a Foundation Establishment Pill from the outside world is not just for Foundation Establishment. Moreover, the Dan Ding Sect forbids True Ones from meddling in such affairs, but it does not prohibit Qi Refinement Realm disciples frompeting for them, as long as you dare to risk your life against loose cultivators blinded by greed. Therefore, the word ''safety'' is worth the quintuple price! Zhou Yi had checked the merit ratios formon pills, which were nearly equal to the market prices, meaning the exchange for merits was close to purchasing with spirit stones. "Elder Brother, why doesn''t the sect allow two-way exchanges?" "When the merit system was first implemented, one could pay spirit stones to increase merits, as the sect has many uses for spirit stones," Jiang Kang said. "However, the Nascent Soul ancestorster realized that this approach only favored the direct disciples and indirectly suppressed loose cultivators. Therefore, they prohibited the exchange channels. Now one must serve the sect, y demons, and eliminate evil to obtain Sect-Defending inheritances!" "The ancestors are far-sighted and strategic!" Only then did Zhou Yi fully believe that the Nascent Soul ancestors made no distinction between factions. After the exchange of spirit stones for merits was stopped, the merits earned from demon elimination in the External Affairs were the highest, ranging from a few thousand to tens of thousands, which was even more rewarding than the four arts of cultivation. This was good news for loose cultivators adept at fighting and killing. The intention of the sect''s ancestors was clear: to obtain Sect-Defending inheritances, one must undergo more trials and tribtions, or else they wouldn''t gather enough merits even if they endured until death. Though the Dan Ding Sect is of the orthodox path and known for its alchemy techniques, its ancestors were keenly aware that in the Cultivation World, might is right. Otherwise, no matter how many miraculous pills and exotic medicines you have, you''re just making wedding clothes for someone else! Chapter 111: 111 Sects Minor Competition The night fell. Snowkes began to drift down in Shanyin again. Mountain winds howled, the snowkes spiraling in the wind, twinkling like strands of silver light against the ink-dark night. Zhou Yi moved a stone table to the entrance of the cave, boiled a kettle of water, and brewed somemon Dragon Well tea. Enjoying tea, admiring the snow! Outside the cave, the snowstorm raged; inside, warmth filled the air. In this vast and silent world, where everything seemed still, there remained only the sounds of the wind, the snow, the crackling mes, the boiling water, and the old man''s drinking. Zhou Yi murmured, "If it could always be like this, what use would there be in worrying about cultivation?" Jiang Kang lifted his eyelids slightly, his eyes shing with approval. Cultivators often wear themselves out with constant striving, and few could possess such a state of mind. It was a shame that the aptitude was trulycking; it''s not to even mention condensing a Golden Core, reaching theter stages of Foundation Establishment before one''s life ends would be difficult. "The old daoist has made a mistake, feeling sorry for implicating you, Junior Brother, to keep watch during the night." "It''s the duty of a junior brother. There are no merits to be gained without effort; besides, the guidance my senior brother provides during the day has been very beneficial." Zhou Yi took on the task at the Cliff of Reflection, where he must ensure the punished disciples do not die to the ck Wind Poisonous Fire. Now that there is somebody being punished within the cave, he must be on duty at all times. An ident could result in a penalty, severity depending on the consequences. This was the reason why no one was willing toe to the Cliff of Reflection; it was difficult to find time to cultivate oneself properly, and it felt akin to serving a prison sentence alongside the punished. Normally, there should be two True Immortals on duty, but since the other could not be summoned, Zhou Yi had to work day and night shifts alone. He nned to report to the External Affairs Hall at the end of the year to ask for at least a fifty percent increase in overtime pay! One person doing the work of two deserved one and a half times the pay¡ªit was only fair! "Those things I mentioned, you wille to understand naturally after you''ve spent a decade or two in the sect." Jiang Kang said, "The old daoist was not indebted to anyone while alive, much less after death. Junior Brother, what is it that you desire? Speak." Zhou Yi pondered for a moment. A mere few jars of Spiritual Wine aren''t worth dreaming of obtaining true scriptures. The old daoist before him seemed benign, but let''s not forget he''s a ruthless killer of Demon Heads; if provoked, a few bolts of Lightning Methods coulde thundering over. "Senior Brother, are there many Cultivation Techniques within the demonic path that consume one''s lifespan?" "How could that be possible!" Jiang Kang shook his head, "Demonic cultivators also seek longevity, only with beliefs that sh with the orthodox path. Moreover, lifespan is mysterious; it''s not something that can be spent or transformed at will. The likes of Soldier Refining Art and Jade Dew Art have extraordinary origins." Zhou Yi asked with interest, "Please enlighten me, Senior Brother." "Let''s talk about the Soldier Refining Art first. It is now prevalent within demonic sects, but its source lies in the Heavenly Demon Pce. It is derived from the Sect-Protecting Technique, Swallowing Heaven Scripture, famed for its ability to devour all things under heaven. A Demon Lord extracted the concept of devouring from the scripture, and by integrating other Arts, he created the Soldier Refining Art." Jiang Kang continued, "And the origin of Jade Dew Art is even more extraordinary; it''s a legacy of the ancient holynd, Severing Heaven Sect. Sadly, only scattered fragments remain. After several modifications, it became a heretical Art." "That''s truly a pity." Zhou Yi was not concerned about the discontinuation of Severing Heaven Sect''s heritage, but regretted that lifespan-consuming techniques were so rare. "Junior brother, if you''re interested in techniques that expend lifespan, there''s no need to look towards demonic paths; our sect possesses one such method..." Jiang Kang seemed to have just remembered, "It''s called the Minor Severing Heaven Technique, a top-notch divination and deduction secret technique that can consume lifespan to predict the heavenly secrets. Regrettably, it''s severely iplete; not only does it consume a vast amount of lifespan, but it can only sense fortunes and misfortunes." "Minor Severing Heaven Technique!" Zhou Yi eximed, "Isn''t sensing fortunes and misfortunes good? Seeking fortune and avoiding disaster is truly a Supreme Wonderful Method." Jiang Kang sighed, "The pursuit in the path of immortality is fierce, longevity is too far away; as long as one aims to advance one''s realm, most of the time, despite knowing the dangers, they still risk their lives..." "You make a good point." Zhou Yi''s eyes twinkled, instantly cing the Minor Severing Heaven Technique at the top of his merits exchange list. What in the world could be more important than safety? If he divined ominous signs, he could simply retreat to the mundane world for a few years. At worst, dissolve his cultivation and rebuild to returnter. "Senior brother, is the Minor Severing Heaven Technique only teachable through true transmission?" "Of course. The cultivation techniquesmon disciplese across can only be considered second-rate. It''s not that the power of the spells is insufficient, but theye with various ws¡ªit''s either slow progress, difficult to master, or the cost is too great." Jiang Kang said, "The Minor Severing Heaven Technique is the secret legacy of Severing Heaven Holy Land. Even with its severe omissions, it''s very convenient to use when eliminating demons." True Transmission! Zhou Yi immediately quelled the thought. The soul jade slip had too many ws, and he had to find another way to obtain it. "Senior brother, how much do you know about Severing Heaven Sect and the Heavenly Demon Pce?" "I''ve only heard their names. There are some rumors within the sect that suggest a connection with Severing Heaven Sect." Jiang Kang shook his head, "The old ancestors in the sect are highly secretive about it. Perhaps only upon advancing to Golden Elixir True Monarch could one know the details within." Zhou Yi didn''t care; throughout history, countless sacrednds had disappeared, and time was truly the supreme force. "Thank you, Senior Brother, exchanging a few jars of Spiritual Wine for such secret news, today has been quite profitable." "Hahaha! I can''t let you profit for nothing, you must bring more jars next time!" Reflecting on the past hundred years, Jiang Kang struggled, cultivated ardently, and contended in magic battles, only to end up dead and his path extinguished, nowhere near as carefree as his junior brother was living. "Don''t worry, Senior Brother, there''ll be plenty of wine." Zhou Yi took out more than a dozen jars at once, stacking them within the Formation and Prohibition. Today''s gains were substantial, with the Severing Heaven Technique ranking first, a technique he must acquire by any means in the future. Secondly, he learned that in addition to demon extermination tasks, he could hire fellow disciples with Spirit Stones. This revealed a more reliable method to earn merit points! Since Yang Hua had hired fellow disciples more than once, it was apparent that the sect tacitly consented to this practice, which reduced the death and injury of disciples and allowed those proficient in magic battles to earn Spirit Stones. Therefore, the original n to exchange Foundation Establishment Pills for merit points seemed somewhat unwise. Zhou Yi nned to seize an opportunity to sell the Foundation Establishment Pills to fellow disciples, potentially getting forty to fifty thousand Spirit Stones. He could then use these to hire disciples for demon extermination, legally and rightfully earning three to four thousand merit points even with a discount. While this extended the timeline, it made the process much more secure. Moreover, since the minimum requirement for demon extermination tasks was once every ten years, and they could be taken consecutively, one could umte tasks for several decades without needing toplete them immediately. Worldly affairs are like a game of chess, with each move bringing a new situation. The core of Zhou Yi''s actions was stability; everything else could be adapted to as necessary. "Senior Brother, why don''t you talk about past demon extermination exploits in Ji Continent? Allow your junior to admire your experiences." "What''s there to tell about those..." Jiang Kang took a big swig of wine, chuckling with a grin, "Eighty years ago, there was this Demon Head with the surname Li who caused trouble in the Cloud Continent. This Demon Head had some tricks up his sleeve, defeated three Sessors, and escaped back to Ji Continent..." One of these Sessors happened to be a good friend of Jiang Kang, who immediately used Thunder Flight Escape upon hearing the news. Chasing across two continents for thirty thousand miles, he summoned a Heavenly Thunder Strike and sted the Demon Head to ashes. "In my whole life, I''ve devoted myself to the Lightning Method, and my Thunder Escape is known for its extreme speed, which earned me the nickname of Flying Thunder Immortal after that incident..." Since Jiang Kang himself was involved in the matter and knew the details clearly, and had a knack for storytelling, the narrative he provided was fascinating. Zhou Yi listened with admiration and understood why the Law Enforcement Hall allowed Jiang Kang to live out his days; after all, he had rendered great services to the sect. "Even if Senior Brother''s lifees to an end, the name of Flying Thunder Immortal will be passed down for hundreds of years, making the little demons of Ji Continent flee in terror at its mention!" "Hahaha!" Jiang Kang found his junior brother more and more amusing, as he always seemed to tter in a way that struck the right chord. Until dawn came. Zhou Yi listened to tales of past memories for half the night and thought Jiang Kang was like a character from a storybook, adept in the Wonderful Lightning Technique, exorcising demons, and living a free and easy life. Suddenly. ng! ng! ng! Three sessive bell tolls echoed throughout the realms. Zhou Yi was briefly startled, calcted the date, and chuckled, "It turns out it''s the end of the year already, today is the day of the sect''s minorpetition." "Aren''t you going to see it? Don''t worry about this ce, even if ck Wind Poisonous Fire were ten times fiercer, it wouldn''t harm this old Taoist." As Jiang Kang reminisced to Zhou Yi, he was also recounting for himself. At this moment, confirming two hundred years of experiences, he felt he had done justice to the sect and his path, and would have no regrets even if his life ended right there. Zhou Yi shook his head, "What''s so interesting about a bunch of kids in the Qi Refinement Realm fighting each other with magic?" "You''re mistaken about that, back in the day the old Taoist meticulously recorded every battle..." Jiang Kang chuckled mischievously, akin to a fox that got away with stealing a chicken, and continued speaking. "I meticulously noted all the disciples'' Cultivation Techniques, secret techniques, andbat habits, especially the top ten, even their personalities. When you confront them in the sect''s majorpetition in the future, if you know both your opponent and yourself, you have a threefold likelihood of victory before the fight even begins!" "..." Zhou Yi was shocked for a moment, as he closely observed Jiang Kang, was this the same domineering and awe-inspiring Flying Thunder Immortal? Chapter 112: 112: The Battle Between Righteousness and Evil "The path of immortality is one of strife, not merely shouting slogans at the heavens, but truly fighting andpeting for it!" "Do not underestimate the intra-sectpetition, for those who win it have excelled among tens of thousands of fellow disciples. As long as they do not fall midway, they are bound to be among the strongest in the Foundation Establishment stage." "In spell duels, having even a ten percent greater chance of victory, not to mention thirty percent, is already equivalent to mastering several secret techniques." Jiang Kang nced at Zhou Yi and said, "You have only heard about Taoists ying demons and indulging in unrestrained pleasure, yet you are unaware of the blood, sweat, and tears behind it all!" This was a heartfelt sentiment, as shocking as thunder and as awakening as a deafening bell. Zhou Yi''s expression became solemn, and he quickly stood up to pay his respects, saying, "Thank you for the lesson, senior brother!" "Don''t lose your determination to cultivate just because you have an inferior Spirit Root. Strive for every bit, every ounce, and over time, the gap can be bridged." Jiang Kang said, "My own talents are but slightly better than yours with my Triple Spirit Roots. During the fight for the Foundation Establishment Pill, I observed ten intra-sectpetitions. I almost knew every opponent''s hand, and by luck, I managed to ce tenth!" Zhou Yi, surprised, said, "Senior brother is so strong, yet you only ced tenth in thepetition?" "That was a long time ago. After Foundation Establishment, my cultivation technique and resources quickly closed the gap with direct disciples, and now there are few who canpete with me." Jiang Kang said, "In the main sect, there are nearly ten thousand disciples in the Qi Refinement stage. Excluding the inheritance by ancestors, those affiliated in name only, and those who peacefully umte merits, there are two to three thousand who aspire topete in the intra-sectpetition, roughly divided into loose cultivators and direct disciples at a ratio of four to six." "They are the cream of the crop of the entire continent. In the future, it is not impossible for one or two of them to be True Monarchs, or even achieve the Nascent Soul ancestorship!" Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi suddenly recalled something, "Senior brother, isn''t the number of disciples, just over ten thousand in such a vast Spirit Vein, too few?" Visible to all, the Dan Ding Sect had six Nascent Soul ancestors, eighteen Golden Core True Monarchs, and roughly over a thousand Foundation Establishment real people, with only two to three thousand Qi Refinement disciples avable for use! Jiang Kang shook his head and said, "I have also wondered about this, and it is said that a thousand years ago, our sect did not hide from the world. One of the external merits,parable to demon elimination, was descending the mountain to travel and recruit disciples." Zhou Yi nodded slightly. Recruiting disciples while traveling, granting merits based on the quality of the disciples'' Spirit Roots, the long-term benefits of which are no less than demon elimination. "Later, something happened. The travel missions were canceled, and the criteria for recruiting disciples were raised, leading to a steep decline in the number of Qi Refinement disciples." Jiang Kang said, "I have consulted with Elder Ku Rong about this matter. However, the True Monarch was vague, only saying that it is better to have fewer but better disciples. After researching the records, it seems to be rted to the right and wrong of the major conflicts with the demonic path, though I am not clear on the specifics." "The right and wrong of the major conflicts!" Zhou Yi''s brow furrowed. This term was not unfamiliar to him, often mentioned in records and storybooks. From the very beginning, the differences in cultivation philosophies between the orthodox and demonic paths were like fire and water, irreconcble. Every so often, their contradictions would be so intensified that a major conflict that engulfed the Nine Continents would erupt. The records mention that these periods could be as short as a thousand or two thousand years, or as long as three to four thousand years. During these conflicts, high-tier cultivators, with no other concerns, would often ughter the lower-tier cultivators in droves, many of whom would die without ever seeing the enemy. Nascent Soul ancestors with exotic treasures and magical abilities could destroy hundreds of miles in a single strike. Even if Zhou Yi saw destructioning, he would be unable to hide or escape. It was after reading such descriptions in the records that Zhou Yi decided to join the Dan Ding Sect, knowing that even if he were to hide in the mundane world and eke out a living, should the Demon Path ancestors sweep their Divine Senses or be caught in the crossfire of their battles, he would be reduced to ash without a reason. On ordinary days, the Nascent Soul ancestors might care about their reputation, or consider the Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment cultivators too insignificant to bother with. During the battles between the orthodox and demonic paths, True Monarchs, and ancestors of both sides were unrestrained, desperate to eliminate as much of the enemy''s living force as possible, umting advantages for the great decisive battle! Seeing Zhou Yi looking anxious, Jiang Kang reassured him, "Don''t worry about the battles between the orthodox and demonic paths. As long as the ancestors and the Sect''s Supreme Treasure are here, the Cloud Continent won''t change. Moreover, the start of these battles is not something that happens overnight. If you see the situation is turning bad..." Hearing this, Zhou Yi said with a smile, "Senior brother, are you suggesting we also take flight at the sign of trouble?" "When ites to saving one''s life, how can you call it fleeing? It''s seeking good fortune and avoiding disaster!" Jiang Kang said, "When I was young, I would flee every three days, take to my heels every five. Later, my ability to travel unchallenged through the Foundation Establishment stage was also thanks to running away. If not, I would have died at the hands of the Demon Path True Monarchs long ago." "An Escape Technique is something every cultivator must refine, otherwise, you won''t survive long!" "Heroes often see eye to eye!" Zhou Yi resonated as if finding a kindred spirit. It was no wonder that Jiang Kang, who had fought against demon heads for years, could still live until the end of his natural lifespan. The "Flying" in the title Flying Thunder Immortal indicated that his escape technique was evidently more exquisite than his lightning method. "Let''s go and have a look, thebat between Qi Refinement cultivators can be quite interesting. I need to catch some sleep; getting on in years really takes a toll on the spirit." As Jiang Kang spoke, hey down within the protective enchantments and soon began to snore, while ck Wind Poisonous Fire surged towards him, and purple lightning spontaneously formed around him as a protectiveyer. After observing for a moment and ensuring Jiang Kang was in no danger, Zhou Yi sighed inwardly and guided his escape light toward thebat tform. "A peerless hero in life turns into nothing more than a sleepy old man when his timees to an end." ... Combat tform. Constructed directly in front of Divine Fire Peak, about a hundred miles away. Legend had it that some ancient ancestor levitated a boulder as big as a mountain, hollowed it out in the center, and carved out tens of thousands of seats around it. At the center, nine hundred-foot-wide tforms were stacked three or four stories high, all made ofpiszuli. Empowered by enchantment inscriptions, even a full-strength hit from a Foundation Establishment true cultivator would only leave a few traces. Overall, it looked simr to a sports stadium from his previous life, with cultivators sitting around watching thebat on the central high tform. Zhou Yi emerged from underground and saw that there were already quite a few cultivators in the arena. Sitting in groups of threes and twos, disciples familiar with each other gathered together, waiting for thebat to begin. Among them, someone carried a great number of jade slips, distributing them seat by seat while murmuring a few words, seemingly engaged in some activity. Zhou Yi found an unupied spot high up where he could overlook the whole venue. Before even witnessing thebat, a shifty-eyed fellow in blue robes from his own sect approached. Cultivators refined their bodies with spiritual energy, and with each ascension in realm, they were constantly morphing towards perfection. Thus, there were few cultivators with unattractive appearances. This person had regr features and an okay face shape, but put together, they seemed awkward. "Fellow Daoist appears to be new here, could it be that you have just joined the sect?" When greeted by a fellow sect member, Zhou Yi could not be rude and replied with a cupped fist salute, "I am Zhu Gang, joined the sectst year." The cultivator seemed very familiar as he said, "So it''s Junior Brother Zhu. I am Brother Shu. Let''s not dwell on my original name; now I go by ''Buliao.''" Zhou Yi asked, "Have I met Brother Shu before? What brings you here?" "What else would you do at a sectpetition but ce bets?" Shu Buliao took out a jade slip, "Inside here, you''ll find this year''s popr selections and their rough profiles. Junior Brother can bet on the top ten, top five, ranking, victory or defeat; if you bet right, you win Spirit Stones based on the odds." Zhou Yi scanned the jade slip with his divine sense and shook his head, "I have just joined the sect and don''t have many Spirit Stones; it''s not convenient for me to participate." "No problem, no problem, it''s good for Junior Brother to have doubts." Shu Buliao said, "Keep this transmission jade slip on you, and remember toe to us if you ever feel like betting." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, not expecting that the first person to give him a transmission jade slip would be a salesman. He pointed to another person not far away. "Brother Shu, is that Daoist friend there also with you?" "Everyone ys their own game, and we don''t interfere with each other." Shu Buliao shook his head, "If Junior Brother wishes to ce a bet, just remember to go with Ziyun Association. They can afford to cover any winnings. Those small groups, if they lose arge amount of Spirit Stones, can''t afford to pay up without dy and would have to pay back slowly over time." The Dan Ding Sect had no rules forbidding betting on the sectpetition, so the Law Enforcement Hall wouldn''t stop it, however, owing Spirit Stones to a sect member and not paying back could lead to enforcement from the Law Enforcement Hall. The methods of collecting debts in the Cultivation World are such that any deadbeat would swiftly find themselves having to toil away to repay their Spirit Stones! Chapter 113: 113: The Gathering of Purple Clouds Zhou Yi kept a respectful distance from gambling. "How could you possibly win if the house lets you ce your bets first, but you have to wait half an hour for the results?" Thepetition seemed fair, but it wasn''t impossible to cheat. After all, registration was voluntary, surrender was allowed, and even the sect didn''t prohibit fixed matches. Instead, another matter mentioned by Shu Buliao piqued Zhou Yi''s interest. "The Ziyun Association has strong financial resources?" Loose Cultivators in the Marketce had their small gatherings, and the sect was no different. Zhou Yi initially nned to leave after ten years but now changed his mind, nning to im an inheritance before departing. Abandoning his cultivation anding back to start over, freeload a technique and exchange for another, in a hundred or one hundred eighty years, Zhou Yi would have obtained all the secret techniques he valued. This approach wouldn''t draw the attention of fellow disciples to avoid having the same identity exchanging for various secret techniques as wealth moved hearts, and it was uncertain if any covetous thoughts might arise among them. If orthodox cultivators were truly kind and harmless, there would be no need for the sect to have so many rules, nor would it be necessary for a Nascent Soul ancestor to preside over the Law Enforcement Hall. The n required finding a gathering with a good reputation and significant influence to have enough Foundation Establishment Pill buyers, who could also afford a good price. Shu Buliao looked slightly startled as if surprised, and then said with a smile. "Junior Brother Zhu must have not been here long, not even having heard of the Ziyun Association. Let me put it this way for you, even if you won millions of Spirit Stones, we could pay out immediately!" "Millions of Spirit Stones!" Zhou Yi''s expression revealed surprise, even those of Golden Core lineage wouldn''t dare speak so boldly. "Junior Brother, the founder of the Ziyun Association, Brother Fang Chengfeng, is the offspring of the ancestor Jian Chen," Shu Buliao emphasized. He deliberately stressed, "It''s not a lineage that has been diluted over hundreds of years. After five generations, what inheritance could there be? Brother Fang is the ancestor''s only offspring, his identity within the entire sect is truly unique!" The higher a cultivator''s realm, the more difficult it is to have offspring. Perhaps cultivators are no longer like humans, having developed reproductive istion, or maybe it''s a rule set by the heavens, simr to those ancient and powerful monster races, who also struggle to produce offspring. Except for dragonkind! Dragons, by naturescivious, could create offspring with any hole on the ground. Zhou Yi carefully considered whether to participate in the Ziyun Association. With Brother Fang''s status, being among the top second-generation members of the sect, he was most likely to find high-quality inheritances. However, it was also this very status that gave Zhou Yi reservations because the reputation of the second-generation was notoriously poor! Guessing Zhou Yi''s thoughts, Shu Buliao took out a purple jade token with cloud patterns and said, "Junior Brother Zhu, feel free to visit the Ziyun Association. At the gathering of over a hundred disciples, there are always plenty of good items." "Besides, Brother Fang''s reputation is solid, you can inquire about it. There hasn''t been a mishap in decades!" Zhou Yi epted the jade token and asked, "When is the gathering usually held? Which cave? Are there any rules I should be aware of?" "At the end of each month at the peak of Ziyun Peak. Just don''t make noise when you get there, and there''s free Spiritual Wine and fine food to taste," exined Shu Buliao. "That ce was originally the Golden Core pce of ancestor Jian Chen. Brother Fang felt the high walls andrge courtyards, the pces and pavilions, were too ostentatious and had them ttened. Now, only an open-air pavilion remains." Zhou Yi nodded in agreement, "Good, I''ll go and take a look when the timees." Shu Buliao''s face lit up with joy for recruiting a new True Person for the Ziyun Association, which would earn him a significant reward of Spirit Stones. To ensure Zhou Yi wouldn''t stand him up, he talked up the benefits of the Ziyun Association, mentioning that each gathering saw the sale of numerous high-quality Cultivation techniques and secret arts, pills, and Magic Artifacts. Not until Zhou Yi repeatedly assured him did Shu Buliao finally take his leave, then went to nearby disciples to peddle the betting jade slips. "Allowing Foundation Establishment True Persons to be preupied with mundane tasks shows the strength of the Ziyun Association," Zhou Yi thought. Zhou Yi didn''t look down on Shu Buliao. Given enough Spirit Stones or Spiritual Objects, even a Golden Elixir True Monarch would do sales on the side, with the effects exaggerated like a blooming lotus out of nowhere. Gathering his thoughts, Zhou Yi''s gaze shifted back to thepetition stage. At this moment, each stage had two Foundation Establishment True Persons responsible for ensuring the disciples'' safety. The disciples participating in the minorpetition were drawing lots, and around noon, the first round of magicalbatmenced, with eighteen disciples pairing off to duel. Zhou Yi paid close attention to all ninebat stages, quickly noting down the names announced by the referee onto his jade slip. He then recorded the entire process of the duel between the twobatants in detail, including every move, facial expression changes, and the use of magic artifacts and secret techniques. If there were any secret techniques he did not recognize, he nned to consult with his senior brother Jiangter. "As expected of the Golden Core Sect, the average strength of the Qi Refinement Realm disciples far surpasses that of Loose Cultivators in the outside world. However, the minorpetition is a fair fight, and if they were to mingle in the outside world, they may not necessarily be a match for Loose Cultivators." Zhou Yi''s gaze swept past eightbat stages, with most of his attentionnding on the one at the northeast corner, where two disciples at the Great Perfection stage of Qi Refinement disyed strength far beyond their peers. "Listening to the referee announce the names, it seems they are the popr candidates noted in Brother Shu''s jade slip, and they have met in the first round." ording to the rules of the minorpetition, the first round is an elimination round, and those who fail would have to wait until next year. Among the more than two thousand people drawing lots, just a small but formidable few happened to meet. One could say it was a matter of timing and fate, beyond human control. The intense duel between these two also attracted the attention of most spectators. Some who had ced bets even stood up and yelled, their continuous raucous voices gradually stirring the audience into excitement. Cultivators are often cool and aloof, not by nature, but because of spending months or years in seclusion, seldom speaking with others. Over time, they be reticent and taciturn. The sect''s minorpetition, which gathers thousands of fellow disciples and features intense and thrillingbat, generates an atmosphere that livens up the typically aloof cultivators. Zhou Yi, from hismanding viewpoint, surveyed the whole scene and gleaned some understanding. "The sect''s minorpetition is not just about promotingpetition and rewarding disciples; it''s also arge gathering that can effectively enhance cohesion and loyalty." A quarter of an hourter. A disciple named Li Qing used an Escape Technique to dodge a zing fire spell and unleashed several thunder strikes to break through his opponent''s protective golden light, knocking him off thebat stage and securing victory. "The strengths were nearly equal, but the disciple skilled in Fire Technique exhausted his mana first. It seemed that Li Qing won easily and effortlessly, probably still having some secret techniques he hadn''t used yet!" Zhou Yi made a special note of Li Qing, intending to observe him more closelyter on. The minorpetition went on for half a day, finally pausing as the sun set. Apart from Li Qing, many other disciples also made remarkable performances. For instance, a disciple surnamed Gu, who was usually inconspicuous, surprisingly defeated a ranked opponent. He was proficient in a body-forging secret technique that allowed him to grow two yards tall after activation, with his strength and defense greatly increased, rendering him immune to low-level spells. His weapon, a Mystic Iron Staff, swung with an impressive momentum, ultimately knocking his opponent off thebat stage. "This Divine Skill looks somewhat familiar!" Having mastered the Divine Bull Transformation to a great degree, Zhou Yi was certainly aware of its variations. At the minorpletion stage, only the size of the body would increase, without the growth of bull horns. The dueling ended. Zhou Yi used an Escape Technique to return to the Cliff of Reflection, where he saw that Jiang Kang had woken up and was drinking while reading a storybook. "There are mountains beyond mountains; it seems I''ve been too narrow-minded." Jiang Kang offered words offort: "Don''t belittle yourself, Junior Brother. Having achieved Foundation Establishment among Loose Cultivators, perhaps while your Spirit Root aptitude may not be up to par, you certainly have other exceptional qualities." Zhou Yi handed over the jade slip with thebat records to Jiang Kang to review, saying, "Today, I saw a disciple skilled in Lightning Method and Escape Technique effortlessly defeating an opponent of the same realm, and it seemed he still had strength to spare." "Hmm? That sounds even more formidable than I was back in the day." Jiang Kang talked about the outstanding disciples he had seen over the years, and after makingparisons, he found that the recentpetitions seemed to be growing stronger year by year, leading him to marvel that the present might not be inferior to the past. Zhou Yi listened attentively on the side, very much aware of his own limitations when ites to magicalbat. The only two times he had dueled with cultivators, he had easily overpowered them using talismans and thunder pearls; it could hardly be called a fair fight! Zhou Yi remembered something and asked, "Senior Brother, do you know about the Ziyun Association? What''s the general opinion of it?" "The gathering organized by the son of Patriarch Jian Chen? I''ve heard of it but never attended. It''s mostly attended by Direct Disciples, not really my crowd." After reflecting briefly, Jiang Kang added anotherment, "I''ve met Fang Chengfeng a few times; he''s quite an interesting fellow. You might want to check it out when you have time, Junior Brother." Chapter 114: 114 The Ancestors Son The Golden Core Sect''s direct disciples and loose cultivators often didn''t see eye to eye, taking shots at each other from time to time. Fang Chengfeng was decidedly a direct disciple, even one of the representative figures. That Jiang Kang found the situation interesting was quite an achievement for someone of Zhou Yi''s status, but he didn''t immediately go to the Ziyun Association, preferring to wait as usual. With time, anyone''s true nature would be revealed. That Senior Brother Fang was already one hundred and thirty years old, with at least seventy years of life remaining, not to mention the life-extending spiritual medicine granted by the elders, which could add another thirty or forty years. Zhou Yi wasn''t in a hurry to make contact and stayed hidden on the side to observe, assessing whether it was safe to sell elixirs and earn merit. The sect''s minorpetition was in full swing, bringing forth numerous disciples of formidable strength. Zhou Yi witnessed first-hand many spirit bodies and exotic spirit roots previously mentioned only in records, taking note of theirbat habits, which would allow him to anticipate their moves if they were to cross paths in the future. Spirit bodies were physical transformations influenced by one''s spirit root, taking on mystical properties, such as Dai Zhi with the top ten popr fire spiritual body, who, when fighting, was engulfed in raging mes, appearing like a fire deity. Exotic spirit roots referred to those beyond the five elements, with a representative figure being Li Qing, who could effortlessly wield various lightning methods. "Spirit roots, one in ten thousand, not to mention spirit bodies and exotic types, are even rarer. To think that a dozen of them appeared just in this minorpetition? Well, that''s possible if they''ve participated in several events. Otherwise, the Golden Core Sect must be overwhelmingly powerful!" In the blink of an eye, a month passed. On the day of the final round of the sect''s minorpetition, over five thousand cultivators were present to witness the event. Rumors had it that the Elders of the Eighteen Peaks were paying attention through their divine sense. In previouspetitions, disciples would catch the eye of true monarchs and in one fell swoop be epted as their direct disciples. Zhou Yi noticed that Brother Shu, who had been darting around, was nowhere to be found; he had seen him eagerly promoting the betting jade slips a few days earlier, smiling brightly, undoubtedly having won a fair amount of spirit stones. "The finals are when the action gets heated, and the betting is at its peak. How could that guy resist getting involved?" Three days went by. The final round of thepetition slowly came to an end, and to Zhou Yi''s surprise, the victor wasn''t Li Qing, whom he had favored, but a disciple with a mundane dual spirit root. Chu Feng. Without a spirit body or an exotic spirit root, he was adept in the art of charms and formations, creating a situation with a dozen or so charms. His opponents would dash frantically within it while he stood afar, controlling the formation gs and replenishing any damaged charms until the opponent was drained of mana. The use of high-quality or top-notch magic artifacts was prohibited in the sect''s minorpetition. However, charms and formations were allowed, provided it could be proven that they were self-made. "Using charms to set up formations, a dozen charms could trap a top Qi Refinement cultivator, and over a hundred could likely trap a prominent Foundation Establishment cultivator! If one could activate tens of thousands of charms to form a formation, could it trap a Golden Elixir True Monarch?" "Perhaps it could, but it''s too difficult to achieve. First, one must be capable of activating tens of thousands of charms, and secondly, there aren''t many formations capable of trapping a true monarch!" Zhou Yi marked this disciple for future reference, nning to seek advice from him once he achieved Foundation Establishment. ... Reflection Cliff. Zhou Yi carried two jugs of spiritual wine named Danxia Drunkenness, which he bought from a fellow sect member as directed by Brother Jiang. One jug cost fifty spirit stones, and its price and potency were far superior to that of the Red Rainbow, capable of enhancing the mana of Foundation Establishment cultivators. Before the final round of the sect''s minorpetition, the two had bet on whether the eventual champion would have an exotic spirit root or amon one. Naturally, Zhou Yi lost. Zhou Yi entered the ck Wind Cave and discovered an additional person within the barrier, struggling to resist the onught of the ck Wind Poisonous Fire. Their aura of mana was almost akin to Jiang Kang''s, also in thete phase of Foundation Establishment, one calm andposed, the other gritting teeth and grimacing. "Brother Jiang, I''ve brought the spiritual wine I lost to you." Zhou Yi maintained an indifferent expression in front of the others, showing no sign of familiarity with Jiang Kang. Jiang Kang opened the jug and took a deep whiff, proudly saying, "This old Daoist has never missed a minor or majorpetition over the years, and in a hundred years, over seventy percent of the champions I''ve seen were regr spirit root disciples." Out of curiosity, Zhou Yi asked, "Why is that?" Jiang Kang replied, "Spirit roots excel in cultivation, butbat is a different kind of talent. Go fight a few hundred bouts, and you''ll understand the mysteries within." Zhou Yi shrugged his shoulders, it seemed impossible within ten thousand years, and then picked up the jade slip on the stone table to check the background of the neer. Fang Chengfeng, for assaulting a fellow disciple causing minor injuries, considering there was a reason behind the act, was sentenced to a month of reflection. "The Ancestor''s own son!" Zhou Yi''s eyes showed surprise, and his gaze swept over Fang Chengfeng unnoticeably. He looked quite ordinary, struggling hard to withstand the punishment andcking the pride typical of top sect scions. At that moment. Seemingly exhausted, Fang Chengfeng shouted without regard for his image, "Zhu Junior Brother, please stop the punishment for a moment." Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi took out his Identity Token and turned off the punishment, puzzled, he asked, "Brother Fang, how do you know my surname is Zhu?" "That Old Shu guy, he said he recruited a new member for Ziyun Association and had someone look into it a bit." Fang Chengfeng said, "Junior Brother Zhu, your name is interesting, it''s exactly the same as that character in the novel co-authored by Pure True Monarch." "Just a coincidence." Zhou Yi kept his expression unchanged and changed the subject, "We haven''t seen Brother Shu these past few days, have we?" "That guy was cheated out of more than five hundred thousand Spirit Stones, fearing my rage, he took off on an extermination mission the same night." While speaking, Fang Chengfeng did not forget to run his Cultivation Technique to recover his Mana, saying, "Winning and losing ismon, even if it was an unexpected loss, it''s not a big deal. It''s just that someone conspired to trap me, betting arge sum of fifty thousand Spirit Stones at ten times the odds, and then his opponent conceded!" Zhou Yi expressed his amazement, "With Brother Fang''s status, who would dare to y foul around you? Even if they won the Spirit Stones, they wouldn''t be able to keep them, right?" "A mere five hundred thousand Spirit Stones, I paid it off right on the spot." Fang Chengfeng said resentfully, "And yet I couldn''t swallow my anger, I couldn''t hold back my temper and ended up giving that person a beating, that''s how I ended up here at Reflection Cliff!" Zhou Yi found the story interesting,rgely due to some schadenfreude at seeing a wealthy second-generation disciple being humbled. "Brother Shu doesn''t suit this line of work with that surname." Fang Chengfeng said helplessly, "Old Shu is a gambling man, he''s always been in charge of these matters. Since he usually lost more than he won, I made him change his name, and who knew he would lose big time!" Five hundred thousand Spirit Stones, Fang Chengfeng mentioned it lightly, but the tone of his voice showed he was quite upset about the loss. Suddenly, Jiang Kang on the side said, "Instead of hustling every day,working here, and courting there, it would be better to seclude oneself for hard cultivation, to reach the False Core realm sooner and increase the chances of condensing a Golden Core." "Brother Kang, you think too highly of me, in the few thousand years of our sect, there has never been a precedent of someone with a Five Element Spirit Root achieving Core Formation." Fang Chengfeng said with a bitter face, "And you know what my old man is like, you''ve heard of his temperament. He wouldn''t even give me Spiritual Objects for Core Formation, not to mention a Foundation Establishment Pill, I had to buy it myself with Spirit Stones, surely there''s no hope for me to reach Core Formation." Noticing Zhou Yi''s puzzled look, Jiang Kang exined, "Ancestor Jian Chen cultivates the Heartless Sword Art, which requires letting go of all emotions and desires... He doesn''t pay much attention to this son." Zhou Yi suddenly understood why Fang Chengfeng could be taken advantage of, and it was rted to Ancestor Jian Chen. Nascent Soul Ancestors have lifespans of a thousand years, and through the use of Life-Extending Spiritual Medicine and secret techniques, they could reach one thousand five hundred years. Their temperaments were beyond ordinary people''sprehension; some were extremely overprotective, while others, like Jian Chen, were indifferent to family bonds. Fang Chengfeng said, "That''s exactly why I need to rally a faction! Otherwise, when the old man passes, wouldn''t my few millions of Spirit Stones be a target for others?" Jiang Kang said somberly, "Don''t worry, most likely it will be Ancestor Jian Chen who ends up grieving." "..." Fang Chengfeng, flushed and holding back, said to Zhou Yi, "Junior Brother Zhu, I''ve already recovered my Mana, please open the restriction." Zhou Yi hurriedlyplied. Jiang Kang, with his formidable strength and outstanding merits, could freely joke and tease, but Zhou Yi himself was certainly not in a position to do the same with Fang Chengfeng. "Brother Fang, your energy is robust and pure, why is it so hard for you to withstand the punishment?" "Ordinary disciples resist the ck Wind Poisonous Fire by simply not letting it harm their bodies, seeming to face their punishment with ease, but they are still subject to subtle erosion. After they leave, they need to refine their Mana to expel the wind and fire from their bodies, which takes at least three to five months." Jiang Kang looked towards Fang Chengfeng, who was struggling to resist the wind and fire, and a look of admiration shed in his eyes. "This guy is fully exerting his cultivation to resist; it seems tough now, but he''s actually saving his lifespan!" Chapter 115: 115 Spell to Communicate with Gods ``` This is a contention for crossing! Zhou Yi nodded slightly, as Fang Chengfeng seemed much better off with his senses. However, Fang Chengfeng''s arrival made ck Wind Cave feel somewhat oppressive, and the three people inside and outside fell to silence, only the howling of the ck wind could be heard. Jiang Kang was toozy to bother, while Zhou Yi was reluctant to make contact. The son of an ancestor, no matter the nature of his talent or cultivation level, was always the center of trouble. Fang Chengfeng, however, was of a lively disposition; not daring to provoke the sinister Jiang Kang, he kept trying to strike up a conversation with Zhou Yi. It ended up as though he was talking to a slippery loach, all hmm and hahs which seemed like agreement, but were actually hollow words without any substance. Zhou Yi''s professional smile, honed in the Sky Prison, was impable, leaving no room for fault-finding, yet it felt distant. Fang Chengfeng felt quite stifled, possibly troubled by the ck Wind Poisonous Fire, or perhaps because he was often snubbed in normal times. "I nevermit evils for others, nor do I have any sect privileges; just because my father is a Nascent Soul ancestor, why do so many people dislike me? It''s utterly suffocating!" A month quickly passed by, and Fang Chengfeng left safely. Zhou Yi finally breathed a sigh of relief, stopped the formation and prohibition, and turned into an escape light flying back to Xiaoquan Peak. The cave dwelling''s formation remained intact, and he checked the spiritual medicines underground. He used the Jade Dew Art to hasten their ripening and then set up several warning prohibitions. After that, Si Guo Cliff returned to its usual tranquility. Whenever Zhou Yi encountered doubts in his cultivation, he would buy a jar of Danxia Drunkenness to consult with Jiang Kang, often obtaining enlightenment. Especially in the aspect of the Lightning Method, Zhou Yi had been devoted to the Five Thunder Technique for a hundred and thirty years. Since reaching nearly instantaneous casting, he had seen no further progress, but with pointers from Jiang Kang, he learned the direction for further in-depth study. "Casting a spell instantly signifies mastery and is something quite a few have aplished," Jiang Kang said after seeing Zhou Yi instantly cast several thunders, praising him, "In terms of talent for the Lightning Method, you have surpassed ny percent of people!" "Just average, average." Zhou Yi looked embarrassed, as just about any cultivator could reach mastery in a spell after a hundred years. "Beyond mastery lies embodiment, which is also called control by some; it''s all the same despite different names. Take this Five Thunder Technique, for example..." In Jiang Kang''s hand appeared over ten thunders, coalescing but not releasing, changing forms in his hand, now forming a, now turning into knives and swords, and finally weaving back and forth into a human face. "When a spell embodies, it''s no longer confined to its original form and can change at will. The power of individual thunders doesn''t increase much, but whenbined, such as a thunder casting down over one''s head, it''s especially effective against enemies with elusive escape skills!" "Thank you for the guidance, Senior Brother," Zhou Yi said with a bow, asking, "Beyond embodiment, is there a higher realm?" "Certainly," Jiang Kang nodded and said, "When I cultivated the Five Thunder Technique, it took me ten years to reach mastery, ten years for embodiment, and another ten years to step into the divine understanding realm. When a spell reaches divine understanding, it''s mysterious beyond mysterious, as innate as the talents of the demon races!" "..." Zhou Yi always felt that Jiang Kang was a ''Versailles'' master, always able to belittle others unintentionally. Comments about casually using the Lightning Method three times or killing a few more Demon Heads really drove home how great the natural talent gap could be between people. Zhou Yi tried to change the form of the Five Thunder Technique, but the thunders simply wouldn''t cooperate, dissipating into the wind with the slightest twist. "Luckily I have time, I''ll take it slow!" Time flowed like water, and half a year passed in the blink of an eye. Shanyin was cold like winter in its middle age, while Shanyang was hot with zing sun; outside ck Wind Cave, goose feather-like snow fell, covering thousands of peaks and valleys. During this period, two Qi Refinement disciples were punished for quarreling. They harbored resentments in their daily interactions and recklessly engaged in a fight using spells. Disciples from the Law Enforcement Hall arrived in time, subdued them on the spot, and took them to Si Guo Cliff to be punished for a month. These two individuals were also considerable figures among Qi Refinement disciples, each having gathered a circle of friends. But once they arrived at ck Wind Cave and heard that the old Daoist next door was named Jiang Kang, they wilted like frostbitten eggnts. A Foundation Establishment true person dying at the hands of a peer caused quite a stir, especially since Yang Hua''s cultivation had reached thete Foundation Establishment stage, holding a glimmer of hope for condensing the inner core. Deaths in sect conflicts are inevitable, but they usually happened between equals, identally killing an opponent when unable to hold back. However, someone like Jiang Kang, who could summon thunder from a clear sky and turn his peers to ash with a wave of his hand, was unheard of in decades. As Jiang Kang''s ferocious reputation spread, at some point, rumors began to circte about him "falling into demonhood." ``` These two disciples were also influenced by the rumors, believing that Jiang Kang killed excessively and was eroded by demonic energy, turning into a blood-handed butcher, which terrified them into silence. When the punishment ended, the two of them felt as if they had been reborn and fled from the Cliff of Reflection as if they were flying. Seeing Jiang Kang still leisurely drinking wine, Zhou Yi asked in confusion, "Senior brother, aren''t you concerned about the rumors outside?" "There are quite a few little demons mixed in our sect, it must be one of them spreading the rumors." Jiang Kang changed to afortable position to lie down and said, "The old Dao won''t live another two or three years, so instead of worrying about these things, I might as well read some tales... Where did you get this tale book with illustrations?" The whispers within the sect grew louder, and Zhou Yi felt that someone was fanning the mes. ... At the end of July. Zhou Yi had observed for over half a year and inquired about a lot of information concerning the Ziyun Association. The Ziyun Association had a history of more than sixty years and had attracted attention since its establishment, with countless eyes watching over it in the open and in secret, and no bad rumors had ever arisen. Instead, many amusing stories circted, such as the debacle of Fang Chengfeng being tricked by his fellow disciples inst year''spetition. "Even if there is the suspicion of buying a horse''s bones for its thousand gold price, it is very effective and demonstrates the Ziyun Association''s financial strength and reputation." Today, Zhou Yi decided to go and take a look, selling his Foundation Establishment Pills for Spirit Stones and then quickly earning merits. Meritorious Jiang Kang was defamed as a demon-possession case, giving Zhou Yi a sense of unease. "Exchange for the Blood Burning Escape Technique first!" This technique is simple to cultivate, most suitable for saving one''s life. Early in the morning. Zhou Yi used the Shape-Shifting Technique to turn into a white-haired old Daoist and rode a beam of escaping light to Ziyun Peak. The mountain''s peak was shrouded in clouds and fog, concealing the details within. He took out a purple Jade Token and urged it with mana, and a beam of spiritual light descended, parting the clouds and fog to reveal a path. Zhou Yi flew into the Formation, immediately sensing that the density of Spiritual Energy far exceeded the outside. His gaze swept over the methodically arranged Jade Stone pavilions and terraces, constructed simrly to the positions of the Spirit Gathering Array gs. The pavilions and terraces were connected by corridors, and upon closer inspection, the bases of the pavilions and corridors were inscribed with Formation and Prohibition symbols. Arge Spirit Gathering Array drew the nearby Spiritual Energy, which was already extremely dense, and gathered it together. It condensed into clusters of white mist, falling on both sides of the pavilions and corridors, making the entire peak seem like an Immortal Realm. "What a grand scale!" Zhou Yinded his escaping light and had just sat down at an unupied pavilion. A procession of pce-dressed maids, carrying Jade trays, approached and bowed slightly. They ced Spiritual Wine and Spirit Fruits on the table before respectfully departing. By now, there were thirty to forty people on the peak, mostly Foundation Establishment cultivators, and a few in purple robes who were true inheritors. When Zhou Yi arrived, many cast curious nces at him. Stay updated with m-v le-mpyr Zhou Yi tasted the Spiritual Wine and quietly waited for the host to arrive. By noon, nearly a hundred disciples had gathered at Ziyun Peak, and Fang Chengfeng finally made an appearance. "Yesterday, the old man summoned me for a scolding and I returnedte, I''ve just finished my cultivation and made you all wait for a long time..." After saying a few polite words, Fang Chengfeng went straight to the point, "Zhi Mo, please preside." With that, he found a pavilion to sit down. The maid named Zhi Mo, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, activated a scroll Magic Artifact. The scroll swelled in the wind. Its surface sparkled with spiritual light revealing lines of text. "Buying top-grade Magic Artifacts, Gold Attribute, no specific category required..." "One thousand Spirit Stones for buying a Demon Beast inner core, fire and lightning attributes preferred..." "Buyingrge quantities of Yellow Dragon Pills, nine Spirit Stones each..." "Forging high-grade Magic Artifacts, customizable type, no attribute restrictions..." "Selling Pure Yang Pills..." Zhou Yi quickly scanned through and noticed that the prices for low-tier pills and Spiritual Objects were slightly lower than the general marketces''. The advantage was the unlimited buying quantity, suitable for cultivators in a hurry to exchange for Spirit Stones. Among them, there were several offers to buy Foundation Establishment Pills, the prices ranging between sixty to seventy thousand Spirit Stones, which were quite a bit higher than expected. Chapter 116: 116 Qián Yáng Lí HuÇ’ Zhou Yi carefully pondered and then understood the reason behind it. Among the many elixirs, only with the Foundation Establishment Pill did the submission and exchange not follow market fluctuations; this was, in fact, a loophole intentionally left by the sect. Take Fang Chengfeng, for instance, who was chatting leisurely with fellow disciples not far away. He was the Nascent Soul Patriarch''s biological son, with low-grade spirit roots and not adept atbat. Unless Elder Jian Chen intervened, Fang Chengfeng would never be able to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill from the sectpetition in his lifetime. Should he just be left unable to find a Foundation Establishment Pill, stuck in the Qi Refinement stage, only to die at over a hundred years old? Therefore, the low contribution required for submitting Foundation Establishment Pills allowed those with surplus medicinal pills to opt to sell them for spirit stones. Fang Chengfeng had plenty of spirit stones and could thus buy Foundation Establishment Pills to break through his cultivation realm. Of course, Elder Jian Chen did notck elixirs, but some wealthy direct descendants were in urgent need of Foundation Establishment Pills and were willing to pay a high price. Meanwhile, due to the scarcity of thousand-year-old Spirit Ginseng, the number of Foundation Establishment Pills that ended up outside the sect was limited, preventing significant effects on loose cultivator factions and notpletely blocking the direct descendants'' path. The way of bnce cannot be absolute; both sides must be weighed! "The Cultivation World, too, is a society based on personal rtionships!" Zhou Yi sighed inwardly and then asked the maid beside him, "Can I post a purchase request now?" "Senior, you may post it at any time." The maid spoke softly, exining the trading rules - a clear price must be offered rather than negotiable terms, and after agreeing to trade, the spirit stones and items would be given to the Ziyun Association and could be collected from Fang Chengfeng afterwards. "Good." Zhou Yi thought for a moment and said, "I would like to purchase arge number of Thunder Beads and Fire Beads; the power must beparable to thete stages of Foundation Establishment. The price is tentatively set at two thousand spirit stones each." The price of a Thunder Bead in thete stage of Qi Refinement was five hundred spirit stones, so two thousand for those suitable for thete stage of Foundation Establishment was already not low. The maid bowed to take the order and immediately used a spell to transmit the message. A momentter. Zhi Mo executed a spell and new purchase entries appeared on the painting scroll. Among the many items up for purchase or sale, Thunder Beads and Fire Beads were unique; these one-time-use magic artifacts were mightily powerful but also had their ws. Firstly, theyck flexibility; they can be quite useful for Qi Refinement cultivators who move slowly. Foundation Establishment cultivators, who specialize in Escape Techniques, can instantly move dozens of feet away, reducing the hit rate to less than one in ten. Secondly, the price is expensive; it is usually better to save more spirit stones and wait for a chance to buy top-grade magic artifacts. Top-grade magic artifacts already possess a trace of magic weapon spirit and far exceed high-quality magic artifacts in power, enabling one to dominate their peers with a single piece. Zhou Yi did not care about others'' gazes; top-grade magic artifacts were not so easy toe by, as seen in the many listings that had been seeking for a long time. Instead of waiting, it''s better tovish plenty of Thunder Beads. If the hit rate isn''t enough, quantity will make up for it. Moreover, Zhou Yi would not chase enemies deep into their territory and would only risk being hunted by cultivators; Thunder and Fire Treasure Beads were perfect for blocking enemies. Zhou Yi listened to discussions around various pavilions and, in less than half an hour, he had alreadypleted more than a dozen trades, acquiring a variety of items including elixirs, spirit mines, and magic artifacts. "Senior, someone has offered Fire Beads, named the Qianyang Li Fire Beads." The maid transmitted a message, "The seller ims that one bead can cause serious injury to a cultivator at thete stage of Foundation Establishment but requires three thousand spirit stones each, with a total of ten beads avable." "Proceed with the trade." Zhou Yi nodded in agreement and added, "Send a message for me. If this fellow Daoist is willing to sell the form for making them, name any price." Aftermunicating for a moment, the maid looked apologetic, "That senior does not wish to sell the method of concoction." Zhou Yi had anticipated this and took out two Jade Bottles from his storage bag, "Here are two Foundation Establishment Pills, select the highest-priced trades." The maid bowed and epted the pills, envy shing in her eyes; with her aptitude and status, she could never afford even one in her lifetime. An hourter. Zhi Mo put away the painting scroll magic artifact and said softly, "This month''s trade session has ended, fellow Daoists may go to Brother Fang to collect spirit stones and items." After speaking, he slowly departed, and the assembly moved to the next phase: free trade and casual discussions. Zhou Yi had nned to take the spirit stones and leave, but upon hearing that someone was selling formation inheritances, he got up and moved closer to find out more. The seller was a middle-aged Daoist who imed to be Zhong Xing, whether it was his true appearance or not was unknown, but seeing how familiar he was with over a dozen fellow disciples, his identity likely was genuine. It''s rare for someone to sell inheritances of the four arts of cultivation, and even for formations, which are hard to learn and master, there was significant interest. Even if one doesn''t have time to practice, buying it for a family inheritance could eventually lead to a formation master emerging. Zhong Xing spoke with determination, "I do not need Spirit Stones, four intermediate Formation methods, one advanced Formation method, along with my ancestral insights on setting up the Formations, in exchange for two Foundation Establishment Pills!" Zhou Yi listened for a moment and understood the reason behind it. Zhong Xing''s life was drawing to a close. He had exhausted all his merits to exchange for three Foundation Establishment Pills, yet none of his n members had achieved a breakthrough. Seeing that his family had no sessors, he had no choice but to sell his inheritance of Formation knowledge, hoping to forcefully produce a cultivator who had reached the Foundation Establishment stage. "Foundation Establishment Pills are scarcer than expected; these cultivation ns upy the benefits, willing to exhaust all their wealth just to ensure they have the blessing of a true Immortal for generations!" Zhou Yi''s face showed delight as he transmitted his voice, "Fellow Daoist Zhong, let''s make the exchange ten li to the north of the Fire God Peak." Stay updated with m-v le-mpyr Zhong Xing''s expression remained calm, and without searching for the source of the transmitted voice, he gave a slight nod to indicate he understood. As evening approached. Zhou Yi hadn''t encountered a suitable Cultivation Technique and with a sh, he dived underground, arriving at the rear mountain pce behind Ziyun Peak. Fang Chengfeng bid farewell to a fellow Daoist and looked up to see a white-haired elder, expressing confusion, "This fellow Daoist looks unfamiliar?" "Brother Fang, it''s me." Zhou Yi thought for a moment, transformed into "Zhu Gang," as for his real appearance, it had never been revealed in the Cultivation World. Fang Chengfeng said with surprise, "So it''s Junior Brother Zhu, this technique of transformation is truly mysterious, even deceiving the Seven Emotions Sensing." "Brother Fang tters me." Zhou Yi took out a token made of a jade slip, "Junior Brother has bought ten Qianyang Lihuo Beads and sold two Foundation Establishment Pills, I havee to collect the Spirit Stones and Magic Artifacts." "So it''s Junior Brother Zhu." Fang Chengfeng checked the jade slip and handed over a storage bag, "Here are one hundred and thirty thousand Spirit Stones and the Lihuo Beads. I have taken care of the two Foundation Establishment Pills." Zhou Yi bowed his hands in thanks, "Many thanks to Brother Fang for your care." Fang Chengfeng said with a smile, "If you get more Foundation Establishment Pills in the future, you can sell them directly to me, guaranteeing the highest price of the sect!" "Agreed." Zhou Yi nodded in agreement, his Divine Sense sweeping over the storage bag, finding rows of clear, transparent Spirit Stones, with the ten Qianyang Lihuo Beads sealed separately in a Jade Box. ... Divine Fire Peak. Ten li to the north. Zhong Xing stood suspended in the air, having waited for three to four hours. The night was deep, and he saw no sign of the personing, gradually growing impatient. At that moment. A streak of Escape Light came speeding through the sky, Zhou Yi had transformed into a handsome young man, taking out two Foundation Establishment Pills. "It was quite difficult to acquire these two pills, so I''m a bitte, making Brother Zhong wait." "It''s fine." Zhong Xing showed delight, taking out the inheritance jade slip, "You may verify it first." Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense swept over the jade slip, he tossed the Foundation Establishment Pills over with a smile, "Brother Zhong is indeed a trustworthy man!" After saying this, he rode the Escape Light away, his hurried departure left Zhong Xing stunned in ce. "Such a casual transaction for tens of thousands of Spirit Stones? I wonder which ancient progenitor''s descendant that was, and that fleeting moment of life-and-death crisis, was it due to operating some sort of supreme Magic Artifact!" ... Regret Cliff. Zhou Yi discontinued his Escape Light and carefully thought about potential ws from the day''s activities. The only one who knew the seller''s identity was Fang Chengfeng, and with his influence in the sect, the subsequent transaction with Zhong Xing was also likely hard to conceal. "One hundred and sixty thousand Spirit Stones should be enough to earn ten thousand merits, enough to exchange for inheritance and get away smoothly." Zhou Yi steadied his heart and entered the ck Wind Cave. Jiang Kang was sitting in meditation amidst the ck Wind Poisonous Fire and upon hearing footsteps, he slowly opened his eyes. "Junior Brother Zhu, I''m going to Ji Continent, and I''m afraid I''m noting back." Chapter 117: 117: The Luo River Serpent Demon Zhou Yi heard this and a guess formed secretly in his heart. "Is it that the sect wants Elder Brother to go to Ji Continent and eradicate demons?" "More or less." Jiang Kang chuckled, "It would be a fitting end for an old Taoist like me to drag down an old demon to die with me; my life would beplete!" Zhou Yi was silent for a long while before saying, "Elder Brother, being a loose cultivator, why do you need to go to such lengths, even enduring nder from those direct disciples?" Jiang Kang spoke lightly, but even if he could lure a True Monarch from the demonic path into an ambush set up by the Dan Ding Sect, it would hardly be possible to eliminate them; there might not even be a one or two percent chance of sess. If it failed, and the old demon captured Jiang Kang to refine him into a demonic treasure, he would endure the torment of soul burning for a hundred or a thousand years. "I am a loose cultivator of the sect!" "In the worst case, I can still detonate my divine soul; Elder Brother still has this ability!" Jiang Kang said, "I should have already left, but I specifically waited for you to return. We have been acquainted for over half a year, and you, younger brother, with your gentle and indifferent nature, are truly a good person." Zhou Yi sighed, "Elder Brother praises me too highly, I merely know to refrain from certain actions." "Knowing what not to do, I have not misjudged you!" Jiang Kang, who had cultivated for nearly two hundred years, had seen all kinds of cultivators. There were only those with lesser desires and those with greater desires; few could remain unmoved in the face of a supreme treasure. "Younger brother, before I leave, I have a favor to ask." Zhou Yi''s eyes showed surprise, the talent for entrusting one''s legacy was indeed activated! "The guidance of Elder Brother Jiang will never be forgotten. Although I am insignificant and my words carry little weight, I can still protect Elder Brother''s n to some extent!" "What n do I even have left?" Jiang Kang sighed, "The Heavenly Demon Sect cannot wait to skin me alive and y my bones. They used the divination technique decades ago to find traces of my n and then exterminated my nine ns with their bloodline curse technique." Zhou Yi then realized, Jiang Kang''s enmity with the demonic path was not just a matter of righteousness against evil, but a vendetta that couldn''t be resolved under the same sky. "Then what would Elder Brother entrust to me?" "Before this happened, I intended to enter into a Daoist marriage with Shen Daoist friend." Jiang Kang took out a jade pendant from his chest: "After that, fearing revenge from the Heavenly Demon Sect, I made up a reason for an irreconcble break, leaving behind only this love-confirming jade pendant as a small constion." Zhou Yi said, "Elder Brother has lived for nearly two hundred years, already considered long-lived among Daoist immortals. That Shen Daoist friend..." Jiang Kang said, "She is over eighty years younger than me. I''ve heard she seeded in Foundation Establishment, and she should still be alive." "Eighty years?" Zhou Yi couldn''t help but size up Jiang Kang, amazed by such traits in Elder Brother Jiang! "What''s so surprising about that? Haven''t you heard about the grand lineage of immortals?" Jiang Kang caressed the jade pendant, somewhat annoyed and embarrassed: "Back when I had just achieved Foundation Establishment, she was only at the fourth level of Qi Refinement. I met her while exterminating demons..." "So it was a case of a hero saving the beauty, what happened after that?" Zhou Yi, full of curiosity, had only heard of Jiang Kang battling demon heads and could hardly imagine the demon-ying hero also had such tender emotions. "After that¡­ You''re too nosy!" Jiang Kang snapped out of his reminiscence and handed over the jade pendant: "Return this item to Shen Daoist friend for me. Her family is in the Bright Moon Gorge of Qing Kingdom. She is quite well-known in the world of loose cultivators, and you will find out about her if you inquire a little." Zhou Yi took the jade pendant: "Does Elder Brother need me to pass on a message?" "The affinity ends here, what else is there to be said." As Jiang Kang''s words fell, his entire being transformed into purple thunder, burst through the formation and prohibition, and vanished into the sky in an instant. "Is this the escape speedparable to that of a true immortal?" Zhou Yi put away the jade pendant and found a jade slip on the stone table. His divine sense swept over it; the jade slip was left by Jiang Kang. ¡ª¡ªZhu Junior Brother, those evil techniques that consume one''s lifespan are not as noble as the Lightning Method proper. Reflect deeply on this ''Essence of Lightning Method'' I''ve left you, and you will surely reach the Thunder Dharma Condensation. Advancing to a true disciple will not be difficult! "Elder Brother Jiang, have a safe journey!" Zhou Yi faced the north and bowed deeply in farewell. ... After Jiang Kang left, the cliff of Reflection returned to its deste silence. Afterward, whenever someone was punished, Zhou Yi nced at the reason and couldn''t be bothered to pay it any mind. Having seen individuals like Jiang Kang, he found the ordinary fellow disciples somewhat insignificant, and also because the meditation cliffs were mainly for Qi Refinement disciples, with very few Foundation Establishment cultivators breaking the sect rules. After all, those with a Heavenly Spiritual Root at Foundation Establishment were already in their forties or fifties, and others who had reached Foundation Establishment were already much older, having long grown indifferent to mundane disputes. Zhou Yi no longer participated in the Ziyun Association, intentionally keeping a low profile, and was quickly forgotten in the eyes of his fellow disciples. He spent his days cultivating,prehending formations and the Lightning Method, and tending to the medicinal fields. Time flew by in the blink of an eye, and before he knew it, he had been in the Golden Core Sect for nine years. The meditation cliffs. Zhou Yi watched as snowkes drifted down from the heavens. "It''s been so long since I''ve been back, it''s time to go and deliver the message." ... The External Affairs Hall. It was no different from eight years ago; many Qi Refinement disciples were waiting for merit tasks, and among them were quite a few Foundation Establishment cultivators. This was the proper sect life, constantly performing tasks to earn merits, and exchanging them for pills or inheritances. Once one''s strength was great, they would focus mainly on exterminating demons for external affairs, rapidly umting more merits. If they didn''t die at the hands of demons, they would advance to the true transmission with merits and gain the sect-defending inheritance. Find adventures on m,v lem|p,yr Before their lifespan ended, they would cultivate to the Solidifying Pill realm, either through merits exchange or participation in bigpetitions, to obtain a piece of a Solidifying Pill spiritual object, and gamble their life on transcending tribtion. "Having joined the sect for eight years, like myself, those with fewer than a thousand merits could be considered one of a kind!" After Jiang Kang left, Zhou Yi strongly demanded a raise at the External Affairs Hall, and got an extra forty merits each year. In eight years, he had umted a total of nine hundred and sixty merits, which could be called theziest disciple in history. The third floor. The person responsible for issuing tasks hadn''t changed, but Xuan Yi, who had been in charge of merit exchanges the previous few years, died, and was reced by a True Person named Chen Yu. Zhou Yi already knew the backgrounds of the three people; all were descendants of Divine Skills bloodlines, and it was difficult for anyone else to be entrusted with great power. "Elder Brother Xiao, I''vee to undertake demon-exterminating external affairs." Xiao Yun clearly remembered Zhou Yi, the historically topzy disciple and the only one to have asked for a sry raise, and said with a smile, "Junior Brother Zhu, you finally showed up. I was just about to send someone to notify you, so as not to forget about external affairs while cultivating in seclusion." "I have been preparing all along, always mindful of eliminating demons and eradicating evil." Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense swept over the external affairs jade slip, although he already had a n in mind, and said, "Elder Brother Xiao, I will take on the task of ying the Luo River Snake Demon." ¡ª¡ªWithin the bounds of Qing Kingdom, a snake demon in Luo River has dered itself the River God, coercing the local people on both banks to offer sacrifices of boys and girls. It has the strengthparable to theter stage of Foundation Establishment when in water, and is adept at Water Escape and concealment, having evaded capture seven times. Merit reward: Six thousand. This task had been hanging for four years because the snake demon was within the territory of Cloud Continent, and initially many disciples took the task, but no one was able to y the snake demon. The abilities of the True People of Dan Ding Sect were naturally not weak, but the snake demon was extremely good at hiding, and also had a Water Escape divine ability, making it quite tricky in the water. The Luo River meandered for three to four thousand miles; the snake demon coulde and go without a trace, and after several failed attempts, no other disciples were willing to waste their time. "Junior Brother Zhu, are you sure you want to take on this task?" Xiao Yun cautioned, "The snake demon is not very strong, but it''s slippery and difficult to handle. Previously, a true transmission spent half a year in pursuit and never even found a trace." Zhou Yi, puzzled, asked, "Elder Brother Xiao, if true transmission has already failed, why haven''t the True Monarchs of the sect descended to capture the demon?" A Golden Core Stage Divine Sense can cover a thousand zhang, and no matter how skillful the snake demon''s concealment, it cannot escape the scrutiny of a True Monarch. Xiao Yun shook his head, "A True Monarch can y a great demon, just as a Demon King can ughter Foundation Establishment cultivators; under normal circumstances, both human and demon high ranks maintain an understanding." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, which was not much different from what he had suspected; under ordinary circumstances, it would mean a great war between the two races. "Elder Brother Xiao, I am sure I want to take on the snake demon task." "I wish Junior Brother good luck." Xiao Yun marked the task and recorded it into the Identity Token. Zhou Yi then said to Chen Yu, who was in charge of merit exchange, "Elder Brother Chen, could you see if a new entry-level disciple can exchange for the cultivation technique catalog?" "Of course, you can." Chen Yu did not understand why but nheless nodded and agreed. Once one''s cultivation level reached Foundation Establishment, unless there was a longstanding grievance, few would deliberately make things difficult for a fellow sect member. Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense swept over it, confirming that the target inheritance was still in the catalog and had not been removed, and then he was at ease. Chapter 118: 118: The Monk Provides Disaster Relief External Affairs Hall. Zhou Yi erected a sign at the entrance. ¡ª¡ªInviting eight fellow sect members to subdue the Luoshui Serpent Demon, with a three-month deadline, the reward being five thousand spirit stones. The requirements are that the cultivators are at the Foundation Establishment Stage, obedient tomands, and well-versed in the ways of formation. With short time, high remuneration, and no risk to safety, several true immortals soon stepped forward to inquire. Zhou Yi took out a formation g and had them try to activate it, quickly selecting two qualified individuals. The Danding Sect was full of talented people, and in just half a day, Zhou Yi found eight Foundation Establishment true immortals skilled in formation. After making a great oath of heart demons, Zhou Yi distributed a formation g to each person and said, "This formation is called the Eight Gates Golden Lock, capable of trapping a false Core Formation cultivator. Once the serpent demon falls into it, no matter how exquisite its escape technique, it won''t be able to flee." "Junior Brother Zhu, the serpent demon is not strong; the difficult part is luring it into the formation." A fellow sect member asked, "The Luoshui River meanders for three to four thousand miles, and the serpent demon moves unpredictably and is good at hiding. In three months, we probably won''t even find its trace." "A few days ago, I heard from a friend who returned from Qing Kingdom that Tanzhou is suffering from a drought, with thousands of miles of barrennd." Zhou Yi said, "The Luoshui River flows through Tanzhou, and during a drought, they are sure to hold a River God sacrifice, which is an excellent opportunity to y the serpent demon." The eight fellow sect members suddenly realized and found the n somewhat usible, but they expected sess without anticipating failure. "Junior Brother Zhu, if we don''t find the serpent demon within three months, the spirit stones cannot be less." "Of course." Zhou Yi had been scheming ever since he learned that no one hadpleted the serpent demon task. First, he spent more than a year refining the formation gs, then he consulted the county annals along the Luoshui River, collecting various rumors about the River God''s appearances, and waited three more years for the drought. The time was ripe, it was time to y the demon! ... Daqing. The thirty-second year of Taihe. Tanzhou is stricken with a severe drought; disaster victims are everywhere. The Emperor dispatched Imperial Censor Zhao Heng to provide relief, digging wells and canals, which proved very effective. ... Tanzhou. Nine escape lights flew across the sky, and as they approached the Luoshui River, they each used concealment spells. Zhou Yi said, "That serpent demon has escaped several hunts; certainly, there must be its spies among themon people along the banks. Having spotted several escape lights passing through the sky, they would surely report to the serpent demon!" Fellow sect member He asked, "The part of the Luoshui River in Tanzhou spans for hundreds of miles, how can you be sure where the serpent demon will appear, Junior Brother Zhu?" Zhou Yi pointed down. "Look at them." On the ground. A group of ragged, emaciated, and weak vigers were being supervised by government officers to dig canals. In the year of a severe drought, the water level of the Luoshui River had greatly dropped, and the original canals were ineffective, necessitating they be deepened and lengthened. Imperial Censor Zhao Heng, around fifty or sixty years old with a clear and stern face, led the government officers to inspect the progress of the canal digging. "The methods tobat the drought are nothing more than distributing life-saving food to the people, strictly preventing corruption among the officers, and organizing strong men to dig canals and wells! You who live on the royal stipend, must work together with all your might to help with the drought and save the disaster victims..." While speaking, he made a few ceremonial digs himself, prompting many government officers to imitate him, praising Imperial Censor Zhao Heng for sharing the hardships with the people. One of the officials skilled in poetry made several ttering poems in a row, ordering them to be carved into a stele and erected on the Luoshui Riverbank forter generations to admire. In the sky. Zhou Yi and the others hid among the clouds, watching from above the government officers'' actions, discussing amongst themselves. "This canal''s length, even digging for three to five months might not bring the water, and by then it will be autumn and winter when irrigation isn''t even needed." "Not only that, but along the way here, many wells were dug with none showing water, yet the government officers are still urging people to dig!" "This man looks like an honest official by appearance, so why waste so much manpower and resources?" "..." Elder Brother He said somberly, "Aren''t they constantly providing disaster relief?" "Elder Brother He sees the bigger picture!" Zhou Yi nodded and said, "The government officers mustbat the disaster, so they cannot stop digging wells and canals, regardless of whether the people are saved or not. As long as they are fighting the disaster¡­ they are the Imperial Court''s capable administrators!" While speaking, he waved his hand to urge on a sword light, descending into a dry well. ``` The Mystic Sword rotated as it pierced through more than twenty Zhang of soil, prated rock, and underground water burst forth. The nearby vigers who were drilling wells and digging channels couldn''t help cheering as they saw streams of clear water erupting from the well. "Water ising out! Water ising out!" "Such sweet water!" "It must be the blessing of the River God. Er Gouzi, do you still dare to curse the River God for not bringing rain?" "I wouldn''t dare anymore, I''m going to offer incense to the River God right now!" "..." The appearance of water in a dried well was like a miracle. With tales of the River God along the banks of Luoshui River, themon folks naturally attributed it to the deity''s blessing. Up in the heavens. Brother He fell into a moment of contemtion before realizing, "Does Brother Zhu n to provide disaster relief?" "I was originally nning to find a suitable section of the river where disaster relief was ineffective and wait for the River God''s offering ceremony, but now it seems we need to take the initiative!" Zhou Yi said, "Human blood and flesh are of no use to a great demon''s cultivation anymore. It''s either a matter of taste or for intimidating themon people. If there were only one ce along both banks of Tanzhou where the River God is worshipped, the Serpent Demon might show up to maintain its authority." "An ingenious method indeed." His fellow disciples nodded in admiration. Once the Serpent Demon entered the Formation, it would have no chance of escape. Brother He reminded, "If all the wells have water except for one that remains dry, that might arouse the Serpent Demon''s suspicion and all our efforts would be wasted." "Man proposes, Heaven disposes!" Zhou Yi''s gaze swept across themon folk on the ground, "At the very least, we have relieved the people of Tanzhou. Even if the mission fails, we will have rued some good karma." One of his fellow disciplesmented, "That good karma doesn''te cheap. Forty thousand Spirit Stones could be enough for Qing Kingdom to change a few emperors." Zhou Yi said with disdain, "What do I need that for? Toiling and moiling without the freedom to enjoy life?" "How interesting!" His fellow disciples looked at Zhou Yi with eyes that had shifted from seeing a mere transaction to a mix of admiration and appreciation, as to whether they secretly cursed him for being foolishly orthodox, that remained unknown. They subsequently split into eight streaks of escaping lights, flying in all directions, casting spells to pierce the soilyers wherever they found a dried well. Being at the Foundation Establishment Stage might not mean much within the Qi Refining sect but ced in the secr world, these cultivators are akin to true sovereigns of the state. This was probably the first time in the history of Qing Kingdom that Foundation Establishment cultivators had taken part in disaster relief. ... In Yanhe Vige. In a humble civilian courtyard. Niu Dazhu''s face beamed with joy as he locked the front gate and approached the shrine of the River God in the main hall. He lit the Soul-igniting Incense and formed a spell with his hands. "Reporting to our God, in three days, the vigers n to offer you a sacrifice of boys and girls..." Niu Dazhu was a mere mortal with a Spirit Root talent, meticulously selected by the Serpent Demon and taught a rudimentary cultivation technique. The prayer followed the rising smoke of the incense, merging into the y River God statue which gradually came to life, its lips moving as if speaking. "If you devote yourselves faithfully, I shall indeed bring rain!" "We bid our God farewell!" Niu Dazhu bowed three times and kowtowed nine times, only rising to his feet once the incense had burned out. At this moment, an unfamiliar voice reached Niu Dazhu''s ears. "Are you still human?" Niu Dazhu instinctively tried to harness his mana, but several rays of spiritual light flew towards him, sealing his meridians and Dantian. Two figures appeared out of thin air, Zhou Yi and Brother He. Brother He said, "Brother Zhu''s spection is correct. The Qi Refining cultivator hidden near Luoshui River is indeed an underling of the Serpent Demon." After more than half a month of relief efforts, the drought situation in Tanzhou had significantly improved with only the area around Yanhe Vige still not seeing a drop. Zhou Yi and his fellow disciples divided the regions, their Divine Sense sweeping over everyone. These cultivators with their rudimentary techniques and shallow mana couldn''t hide from detection. Niu Dazhu''s expression shifted as he asked, "Are you the immortals from the legends?" Zhou Yi replied, "We are not immortals, just cultivators here to subdue demons." "Subdue demons? There are no demons here, only the River God of Luoshui!" The fear in Niu Dazhu''s expression vanished, and he questioned with a raised voice, "The River God has protected the Luoshui River banks for dozens of years, bringing rain to relieve droughts and saving countless lives. You cultivators, always so high and mighty, I have never seen anyone of you cast spells to help!" Zhou Yi fell silent and slowly spoke. "That is no reason to sacrifice boys and girls!" ``` Chapter 119: 119 River God Sacrifice ording to the county records. Along the Luoshui River''s banks, there had been legends of the River God for dozens of year, at that time, there was no need for a living sacrifice, as offering incense was often enough to bring rain and alleviate drought. Starting from a decade ago, the sacrifice of boys and girls became necessary for the River God to perform magic to bring rain. The Blood Sacrifice drew the attention of wandering Loose Cultivators, and it was reported to the Great Marsh Marketce within the Qing Kingdom, bing one of the demon-hunting external affairs of the Pill Cauldron Sect. "When the droughtes, the earth turns red for thousands of miles, and many boys and girls have died, but no immortals took notice. The River God eats a few, performs magic to bring rain and save people, then the immortalse to hunt demons and vanquish evil!" Niu Dazhu''s eyes were bloodshot, "Who in the end is the demon, who is the devil?" Zhou Yi said coldly, "To do good is to do good, to do evil is to do evil, they should not be confused. If rain can be brought without eating humans, why continue the sacrifice?" "It''s because the ignorant people don''t know gratitude!" Niu Dazhu said mockingly, "Originally, the River God only needed offerings of incense to bring rain and relieve drought, but when the ignorant people benefited, they neglected the River God Temple. Once the River God started demanding blood sacrifices, the incense became abundant and never ceased!" "So it''s not about good or evil, it''s just a transaction after all." Zhou Yi said slowly, "If the River God is not in today, other cultivators wille tomorrow, and eventually, someone will kill the troublemaking demon." "If you kill the River God, will you bring the rain?" Niu Dazhu''s eyes were bloodshot, his demeanor crazed, "I''ve heard immortals value causality and retribution. In the future, when another droughtes and the earth turns red for thousands of miles, those who die miserably will be your doing!" "I thought you were a viin, but it turns out you''re just a fool." Zhou Yi shrugged his shoulders, "Senior Brother He''s cultivation is simr to that of the snake demon. Can he manage to bring clouds and rain to relieve a thousand miles of drought?" "Digging a few wells is manageable, but to bring rain across a thousand miles... Perhaps the old ancestors of the sect could do it." Senior Brother He looked up at the sky, his eyes sparkling with intelligence, "Observing the celestial signs, there should be rain in about seven or eight days. So, Junior Brother Zhu, you even calcted the snake demon''s and the ignorant people''s tactics?" "I had done some investigation beforehand." Zhou Yi was extremely cautious with sect external affairs, daring not to act without thorough investigation. He sighed, "If it truly was the snake demon causing the rain, I would not have intervened in this matter to avoid a difficult decision." Niu Dazhu understood their conversation, his rage turning to astonishment, then he started to question. "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" "There''s another matter..." Thank you for reading on m v le_mpyr Zhou Yi said, "That snake demon doesn''t have the power to bring rain, but dispersing the original rain clouds isn''t all that difficult." Niu Dazhu copsed with a thud, falling to the ground. "Shuang''er, your father has wronged you..." ... Three dayster. Noontime. The sun zed like a fiery inferno. The dock at Yanhe Vige. Two or three thousand vigers from the surrounding viges gathered here. Faces that were gaunt and darkened, stared woodenly and hopelessly at the makeshift altar constructed on the riverbank. Niu Dazhu, dressed in a Daoist robe, was performing a shamanistic dance on the altar, chanting under his breath. "Offer sacrifice!" As his voice fell, eight men carried the offering table to the river edge, with the table''s sacrifices including dried fruits and the three domestic animals, as well as two pairs of boys and girls. Adorable in appearance, around three to four years old, they wore bright red and green tunics,ughing and frolicking with each other. Among the crowd were the children''s parents. Witnessing this scene, they could no longer hold back their sobs and cries, immediately, family members dragged them away, stuffing their mouths and binding their limbs to prevent them from disturbing the River God and necessitating another sacrifice. Niu Dazhu shouted, "Light incense, kneel... rise... bow again!" A huge crowd knelt down with a whoosh, their heads hitting the ground in unison following Niu Dazhu''smand. After the ceremony of three bows and nine kowtows, the eight men carried the offering table to the river''s edge and with one voice shouted and threw the offerings into the river. Theughter of the four children froze, and before they could cry out, they were engulfed by the Luoshui River. "We invite the River God!" "We invite the River God..." The call traveled for miles, echoing nine times. The Luoshui River''s currents became increasingly fierce, bubbling like boiling water, and a voice clearly reached everyone''s ears. "I am the Luoshui River God!" The profound and gigantic snake rose from the river, its enormous body several zhang high, with twin green lights flickering in its eyes and tworge fleshy lumps protruding from its head. Hum! Eight golden lights rose from the water simultaneously, like pirs of gold, leading the vigers on the banks to believe they were witnessing the river god''s pce and they felt even more awed. "A Formation?" The serpent demon shrieked in fright, its massive body dissolving into water and blending into the river, disappearing without a trace. "Such a clever Water Escape, no wonder it has escaped capture so many times!" Zhou Yi, a hundred zhang away, was in charge of the Array te, pouring his mana into it, gradually shrinking the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation. The serpent demon panicked, trying to break through by charging left and right, but the formation that could trap a false core was not something it could shake. Senior Brother He and the others, holding Formation gs, directed beams of golden light into the water. They did not see the serpent demon''s form, but the water''s surface turned blood red, dotted with chunks of flesh and scales. Roar! A dragon-like, serpent-like wail erupted as the serpent demon manifested once more, its colossal body soaring into the air. "Change the formation!" Zhou Yi''s voice reached his fellow sect members'' ears as the Formation gs swiftly changed positions. All around, above and below, everything was enveloped in golden light. From the outside, it looked like a sealed octahedral prism,pletely isting the serpent demon from the river. "Now I will trouble you, Senior Brothers, to subdue the demon!" "It is only right to do so." Senior Brother He and the others nodded slightly. Five thousand Spirit Stones were not just for handling Formation gs. From their storage bags flew one Magic Artifact after another, dazzling with spiritual light. Hiss! Hiss! Wounds appeared on the serpent demon''s body, and despite its struggles and spitting poisonous water, it could not break the Eight Gates Formation nor could it evade the onught of the Magic Artifacts. Roar! Another angry roar burst forth as two fleshy lumps burst on the serpent demon''s head, releasing two streaks of purple light toward two different sect members. "Be careful!" Senior Brother He''s eyes narrowed, knowing this was the serpent demon''sst resort. He exhaled a mouthful of Xuanhuang smoke. The smoke, seemingly intangible and ethereal, wrapped around the purple light and swiftly solidified into a semi-transparent substance. It was then clear that the purple light was actually a deer antler, about half a foot long. "Dragon horns!" Senior Brother He''s face showed delight as he swallowed the yellow smoke back into his stomach, clearly not intending to bring it out again. The other streak of purple light was also intercepted by a fellow sect member, who captured the antler in a golden and imed it for himself. Roar! The serpent demon cried out in anguish as purple and green demonic auras entwined, rapidly expanding. "This serpent demon is on the verge of transforming into a flood dragon, it''s a treasure all over; don''t let it self-destruct!" Senior Brother He sent out a streak of golden light from his wrist, which, upon meeting the wind, expanded into a cor two to three zhang long and ced it around the serpent demon''s neck to restrain its demonic aura. Upon hearing this, the other sect members didn''t hold back and unleashed several secret techniques. After a moment. The serpent demon''s presence dwindled, and it fell within the formation, convulsing a few times before lying still. Senior Brother He, experienced in the elimination of demons on external missions, knew how to totally eradicate them. He pinched the Soul Capturing Technique, pulled the remnant soul from the corpse, and then used the Lightning Method to turn it into ash. "Done." Zhou Yi, who had been watching from a distance, saw the serpent demon''s soul scattered to the winds and flew over on his escaping light. "Thank you, Senior Brothers. How about we divide the remains of the serpent demon into Spirit Stones equally?" "Junior Brother Zhu is generous." Senior Brother He and the others praised him as they stripped the remains of the serpent demon. The Demon Core, Scale Armor, and skeleton could be used to refine high-quality Magic Artifacts; the serpent demon''s stomach contained numerous Spirit Stones and Spiritual Objects. They were collectively valued at six thousand Spirit Stones and sold to one of the sect members skilled in Artifact Refining. Zhou Yi nced at the stunned vigers and, together with the other sect members, transformed into escaping lights, heading towards the Dan Ding Sect. "The serpent demon was able to remain near the Luoshui River for so long without regressing in strength, it must have found a spiritualnd. It''s perfect timing as I was nning to dismiss my Qi and rebuild my cultivation in a few days. Once I find the spiritualnd, I will have a ce to retreat to in the future!" Chapter 120: 120: Tiezhu Repays a Favor Dan Ding Sect. External Affairs Hall. Zhou Yi turned in the sect mission, and his merit points were nearly nine thousand. "Now I can immediately exchange for the Nine Revolutions Spirit Refinement Art, the Blood Burning Escape Technique needs sixteen thousand merit points. I mustplete another mission. Or I could dissolve my cultivation and re-cultivate to get the Technique for free and then earn merit points to buy the Spirit Condensation Art!" "The second time I dissolve my cultivation and take a master, I''ll exchange it for the True Dragon Nine Transformations." "A whopping thirty thousand merit points, at least four or five demon removal tasks. If any ident were to ur, free is better!" Zhou Yi had no choice but to dissolve his cultivation, choosing free Cultivation Techniques and avoiding demon extermination missions were just additional benefits. Due to his cultivation aptitude issues, Zhou Yi, who neither ate nor drank, nor slept, and cultivated non-stop every day in seclusion, estimated that it would take four to five hundred years to reach thete Foundation Establishment stage. Not to mention the potential bottlenecks along the way, as well as the time needed for internal sect affairs and demon extermination missions, with Foundation Establishment cultivators only having a lifespan of two hundred years, it was impossible for Zhou Yi to continue his secluded cultivation in the Dan Ding Sect. Before the age of two hundred, he must leave the sect, either by dissolving his cultivation and starting over at Dan Ding Sect or traversing the Heavenly Demon Sect and Ghost King Sect to take a master in an external sect. "Thetter only solves the short-term problem; even if you avoid the monsters, demons, and ghosts to reach the outside realm, the sects there might not bexer than Dan Ding Sect in managing their territories. Moreover, apletely unfamiliar continent, not knowing the rules, is far less safe than Dan Ding Sect." "A great sect that hassted for thousands of years relies on half its Sect-Defending powerhouses and half its rules and regtions." "Loose Cultivators can''t possibly exploit any loopholes!" Zhou Yi couldn''t help but sigh, realizing why Dan Ding Sect recruited Foundation Establishment True Men without examining their identities or origins. "So they''ve recruited a bunch of free, usefulbor! Even if theborers turn over and be true inheritors, such as the famous Elder Brother Jiang, he has developed profound feelings for the sect over a hundred years and would, in turn, actively defend Dan Ding Sect''s rule." "Elder Brother Jiang''s phrase: ''I am a Loose Cultivator of the sect...''" "Truly unsolvable!" Zhou Yi carefully pondered and found that Dan Ding Sect''s control over Cloud Continent was as tight and wless as a seamless heavenly robe. The only choice is to cultivate the spirit, qi, and body to their extremes in the Foundation Establishment Stage, then use that to feed back into one''s cultivation level and ovee the talent issue within two hundred years to reach the False Golden Core realm. "During this period of at least several hundred years, the Mountain and River Cauldron and the Soul-Stabilizing Mirror should be enough to reach the level of top-tier Magic Artifacts!" "So, time is still on my side!" ... Little Spring Peak. Zhou Yi first went to check the medicine field, and the Formation''s prohibitions hadn''t been touched by anyone. The formations around the field had already been changed; the outeryer was the Four Images Vastu Formation, and inside was the Great Sun Divine Fire Formation. The Vastu Formation could block Divine Sense, and even a Golden Elixir True Monarch could not see what was nted inside. The Divine Fire Formation, however, was not targeted at outside enemies; if anyone tried to forcefully break the Formation, it would self-destruct, obliterating all traces. He returned to his cave dwelling. The thousand-year-old Spirit Ginseng jumped out from his chest and went to the courtyard to y with the Blood Vine Demon. Having recovered over eight years, it had already grown to more than half a foot in length, nearly enough to refine several batches of Foundation Establishment Pills. "This external mission was easy and enjoyable, I didn''t even need to make a move!" Zhou Yi recalled the process of killing the snake demon; other than taking action with his sect members to deal with the drought, everything else was as nned. "Indeed, the method of spending money is the best, whether in battles of magic or demon removal, so specializing in the four arts of cultivation can also indirectly enhance strength!" "The problem is, internal and external affairs missions within Cloud Continent are very rare, and most are snatched up by fellow sect members before they are even announced." "Let''s wait and see!" Zhou Yi did not exchange for the Spirit Refinement Art, and afterpleting the demon extermination mission, he could quietly cultivate for more than a decade. If there was a suitable external mission during that period, he would take it to earn more merit points, enough to afford the Blood Burning Escape Technique. The Five Elements Escape Technique can elude anything, and after tripling in speed, it even surpasses the Thunder Escape; as long as one doesn''t fall into a Formation''s restrictions, few in the Foundation Establishment Stage can catch up. ... Two months went by in the blink of an eye. Zhou Yi''s leave for outward demon-exterminating duties had ended, and he rode the escaping light to the Cliff of Penance to take his turn on duty. Descending into the ck Wind Cave, he discovered someone was being punished within. "This figure looks somewhat familiar?" A simple and honest face, dark skin,pared to the memory, there was an addition of maturity and sternness. "Judging by the time, it''s been around one hundred and thirty or forty years, could it be such bad luck to run into that guy again?" Zhou Yi''s expression fluctuated uncertainly as he quickly picked up the jade slip on the table and swept his Divine Sense across it. Xuan Xiao, rashly causing trouble, sentenced to reflect for ten years. Zhou Yi immediately let out a sigh of relief, and told himself he was worrying too much. There were many people in the world who looked alike; how could he possibly bump into that ticking bomb again. At that moment. Xuan Xiao was also observing Zhou Yi, his naturally superior spiritual perception faintly feeling a friendly and close presence, he took the initiative to speak. "I am Xuan Xiao, junior brother seems a little unfamiliar to me?" "I''ve seen Brother Xuan Xiao, I''ve only joined the sect eight years ago and have been on duty at the Cliff of Penance all this time." Zhou Yi, still uneasy at heart, recalled the catastrophe that befell Little Dan Mountain which was too horrific; divine tribtions had descended and three to four thousand Loose Cultivators died. He feigned concern and asked. "May I ask what offense Brother hasmitted, to be sentenced for such a long term?" "It''s not anything major." Xuan Xiao spoke in quite a rxed tone, "I avenged my benefactor by killing the Closed-door Disciple of the Zhen Yang Demon Venerate, his sole bloodline, too. It was sheer luck that I managed to escape back from Ji Continent, which irritated our Sect Leader, and thus I was sent to the ck Wind Cave to cool off." "Zhen Yang Demon Venerate..." Zhou Yi felt an even stronger unease within him, and he said with admiration, "Such determination from Brother must stem from an extraordinary kindness received!" "You might not believe it if I tell you." Xuan Xiao shook his head and said, "The favor my benefactor granted me was merely five liters of Spirit Rice, urging me to cultivate diligently. Sadly, his words still ring in my ears as he is no longer with us!" "Cough cough cough¡ª" Zhou Yi hurriedly took out some Spiritual Wine to calm his shock, trying to steady his emotions as he said, "Such minor favors, given without a second thought, might not have been kept in the benefactor''s heart?" "How can one measure the scale of repaying a favor!" Xuan Xiao''s expression was resolute, his eyes showing a fierce light, "Moreover, my benefactor''s death was greatly rted to me. If I couldn''t kill Zhen Yang to avenge him, what''s the point in cultivating for immortality and seeking eternal life?" "Brother''s noble act is far more than what I could achieve!" Zhou Yi had now confirmed that Xuan Xiao was very likely Xiao Tiezhu¡ª it must be the Daoist name he took after advancing to receive the true transmission. Considering Xiao Tiezhu''s background, there might have been a slight chance for him to kill Zhen Yang. After which, the Heavenly Demon Pce would inevitably seek vengeance for the Demon Lord, and what would follow would be a major battle between the forces of good and evil. So, it was five liters of Spirit Rice that sparked the battle between righteous and demonic paths! Zhou Yi felt a headacheing on. If he hadn''t given credit to Xiao Tiezhu for the Spirit Rice, could it have dyed the battle between righteous and demonic paths, and how many fates would have been changed? "I merely sought to repay a kindness; in dealing with people, I''m far from my benefactor''s equal." Xuan Xiao murmured in recollection, "When I first embarked on the cultivation path, I was repeatedly guided by my benefactor. I thought there were many good people in the Cultivation World." "Who knew that after that, I would only meet such a good person once more, and all the rest amounted to nothing more than petty and vile characters!" "Well said." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, his view of Xiao Tiezhu growing considerably more favorable, and with sincere concern he advised, "One can''t stay long in the ck Wind Cave. Brother should leave sooner rather thanter to avoid the ck Wind Earth Fire eroding away at you every day, which would damage your cultivation path." "No worries, this is actually a treasured ce for cultivation!" A strange light shed in Xuan Xiao''s eyes, but he didn''t continue speaking. Zhou Yi''s gaze became more focused upon hearing this, feeling that Xiao Tiezhu''s visit to the Cliff of Penance was no good thing, as the incident at Little Dan Mountain served as a grave warning. The Purple Spirit Copper vein of Qi Yun Peak had been mined for hundreds of years without ever uncovering a Sky Star Stone, yet Xiao Tiezhu hadn''t been mining long before he joined the Dan Ding Sect, which was bound to be no ordinary matter. "I could have waited and seen, but now someone has made the choice for me!" Chapter 121: 121: Unclaimed Spirit Land External Affairs Hall, third floor. Merely two months had passed, and Zhou Yi came again to ept a demon-ying task. "In recent years, I''ve be somewhatzy," he mused with sudden regret, "I must be more diligent." "That''s the right attitude!" Xiao Yuan smiled, full of admiration for the sect''s system, sessfully transforming a top-level idler into a hard worker, "Which task does Junior Brother Zhu n to take on?" Zhou Yi scanned through the avable tasks with his Divine Sense and picked one suitable for his own cultivation level¡ªit was a demon head. ¡ª¡ªThe ck Skull Demon Head from the Qiongzhou Ghost King Sect, with early-stage Foundation Establishment strength. Seventy years ago, itmitted a bloodbath in Cloud Continent. Because it cultivated the White Bone Devil Technique, which was unfathomably strange, it escaped from the encirclement of the Dan Ding Sect for thirteen times. Xiao Yuan cautioned, "The ck Skull Demon Head? If it hasn''t died at the hands of demons, its strength is probably beyond the early-stage of Foundation Establishment by now." Zhou Yi took out a fiery red treasure bead, decorated with strands of golden patterns, "To deal with devils and heretics, why need a fair fight? I have specially gathered a few Qianyang Li Fire Beads!" "I wish Junior Brother good luck." Xiao Yuan saw no reason to doubt him and marked the task as epted. Zhou Yi spent his merit points to exchange for the Nine Revolutions Spirit Refinement Art and then went to the Technique Hall to get the legacy. With the nearly two thousand remaining merit points, he exchanged for arge quantity of life-saving and healing pills, making it seem as if he really was going out to execute demons. ... Qing Kingdom. Bright Moon Gorge. Whenever the full moon appeared, standing in the gorge, one could see wisps of moonlight drifting down. This mysterious spectacle once attracted many mortals to watch until the Shen family upied this spiritnd for cultivation. They set upyers uponyers of formations within the gorge, which was enveloped in thick fog all year round, no longer allowing anyone to witness the moonlight wonder. After hundreds of years, the miracle became a legend, mentioned only briefly in strange tales. At night. A five-colored escape lightnded at the edge of the gorge. "The territories of ordinary cultivation families, they hide and protect them, fearing outsiders will know about it. The Shen family relies on the sect''s resources, and it took three sessive generations at the Foundation Establishment stage before they dared to upy the entire gorge so brazenly!" Zhou Yi didn''t enter the formation, but waited outside the gorge instead. Several dayster. A Shen family disciple emerged from the fog. Before he could even ride his flying sword, he heard someone speaking. "Fellow Daoist, please wait." Zhou Yi exuded the aura of a Foundation Establishment true person and said with a smile, "Ie from the Dan Ding Sect, entrusted by my senior brother to deliver a relic to Shen Yun, the fellow Daoist of the Shen family." "Please wait a moment, senior. I''ll inform the old ancestor Shen." It wasn''t long before the Shen family disciple returned, and the foggy formation slowly opened to let out a mature, pce-dresseddy. Zhou Yi took out a jade pendant, "I have been entrusted by Senior Brother Jiang to return this item to Shen Daoist." Shen Yun took the jade pendant, caressed it for a moment, her eyes filled with tears, "How is Jiang Lang doing now?" Zhou Yi replied truthfully, "Senior brother has gone far to Ji Continent to y demons, and his life and death are currently unknown." If Jiang Kang hadn''t made a breakthrough to the Golden Core, he certainly would have passed away given that his lifespan was nearly exhausted. Shen Yun wiped away her tears and nodded, "You''ve seen my disgrace." "It''s no trouble, I also have urgent matters from the sect, so I will take my leave now." Zhou Yi, not willing to enter Bright Moon Gorge and without being invited, excused himself and transformed into a streak of light as he left. ... Luo River. Starting from the mountains at the border of Cloud and Qiong, extending to the Great Marsh of Qing Kingdom. Snaking thousands of miles, it traversed across the territories of two states. Zhou Yinded outside Daze Marketce and vanished into the depths of Luoshui River. "Thisst stretch of riverbed is over twenty or thirty miles wide, and there are over a dozen big and smallkes in the middle of Luo River. Truly, this is no small feat!" After leaving Bright Moon Gorge, Zhou Yi arrived at the Luoshui River and swept his Divine Sense from east to west across every inch of soil. Whether the Dan Ding Sect, Marketce, or the Cold Pool Spirit Land, they were ultimately the territories of others. Now over two hundred and eighty years old, Zhou Yi''s only private domain was probably the small courtyard in Qianjing. Simrly, he was slowly dissipating his Cultivation Technique. Merely dispersing mana was easier, but after Foundation Establishment, the "Dao Foundation" in the Dantian had already be a part of the cultivator''s body. Forcibly breaking it would cause irreversible damage to the Dantian. Cultivators who choose to seek a new path would dissolve their powers and start over during the Qi Refinement Realm, but doing so during or after the Foundation Establishment Stage would more or less impact their future path. The higher one went, the more difficult it became to dissolve their powers. Forcibly shattering one''s Golden Core or nascent soul was no different frommitting suicide. The method Zhou Yi chose was different from others who forcibly dissolved their powers; he stayed in the mundane world for a long time, allowing his mana to naturally dissipate. Only when the Dao Foundation copsed on its own, which is when he would fall back to the Qi Refinement Realm, was the process slow and time-consuming, yet it wouldn''t damage his Dantian. "This period is just right for searching for spiritualnds. And when Old Yellow Bull returns from the vast mountain range, how could I not have a guard when I dissipate my powers and start anew? The disbanded masters in the stories, no matter how secluded their hiding, always have the protagonist drop from the sky!" Zhou Yi also needed to find out whether Old Yellow Bull had imed any territory so that he could possibly seek refuge with him in the future. The reappearance of Xiao Tiezhu had made the Dan Ding Sect enigmatic and unpredictable, leaving uncertainty about what might happen. "There''s an iron chest under the water." Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense prated two to three Zhang below the water, his mana pierced through the soil, and he extracted an iron chest about the size of a human head from within. Crushing the iron lock as easily as Hideyoshi, he opened the chest to find inside silver notes that had already rotted away, twenty to thirty Gold Bars, and various pieces of jewelry. "Searching for spiritualnds has been too monotonous, now I''ve got some spending money. When I have time, I''ll go to both banks to celebrate!" The first time he dredged up Gold and Silver was somewhat satisfying, but as the search along the river progressed, he became somewhat numb to the various treasures, jade antiques, and Gold and Silver. The bottom of the Luoshui River contained all sorts of messy things, second only to gold and jade were the bones, those with stones tied to them, those with sacks over their heads, those with chains bound to their limbs; anyway, he had never seen anyone who leaped into the river willingly. Next in line were sunken ships and stone carvings that could date back thousands of years. "There are words on this stone statue: ''When the Luo River runs dry, rebellion will rise.''" Zhou Yi clicked his tongue in amazement and left four characters behind the stone figure: Been here, call me at 199****. The characters were in themon script of Cloud Continent; let the historians discover it in a few thousand or tens of thousands of years and perhaps they could write dozens of papers about it, or it might be yet another unsolved mystery. "This stone figure is of fine quality; I wonder if it could oust those old immortals of the Cultivation World?" "If it can, doesn''t that mean they are less enduring than a stone? That''s about right, in the face of the mighty force of time, they are indeed no different from a stone¡­" ... Three years went by in the blink of an eye. More than half of the 4,000-li long Luoshui River had been searched, and no trace of any spiritualnd had been found. Originally, it was estimated that the riverbed could be searched in three years, and then the search would extend to the surrounding mountains andkes. However, the myriad Peach Blossom Sources along the banks were too delightful, causing Zhou Yi to linger and dy the process. "The notes of a true master wouldn''t be wrong. Could it be that the snake demon also understands Formation and Prohibition?" Zhou Yi felt the mana within his body, and signs of his Dao Foundation copsing had already appeared. Thanks to his unrestrained spellcasting, and never using Healing Pills or Spirit Stones, the copsing speed was dozens of times faster than under normal circumstances. "Foundation Establishment is this slow. If I want to start over after reaching Solidifying Pill, won''t I have to wait a hundred years?" "Let''s take one step at a time, maybe by then there will be a method, a Secret Technique to avoid mana and Divine Sense detection, exempt from the jade slip¡­" As Zhou Yi pondered, a bellowing moo echoed, resounding on both banks of the Luoshui River. "Old Yellow is back!" With a wave of his hand, he left a mana imprint, turned into a flight of light, and flew out of the water, indeed seeing Old Yellow Bull standing on the bank. Steam rose from Old Yellow Bull''s hooves as he flew to Zhou Yi''s side and gently nuzzled his chest. Moo! "You''ve be a great demon?" "Have you taken over a mountain peak, towering into the clouds, and named it Mo Cloud Cave?" "Was there originally a n of vixen spirits on the mountain, each one beautiful, and now they''ve all be your maids?" "..." Listening to Old Yellow Bull recount his experiences over the years, Zhou Yi couldn''t help but shed tears of envy. Compared to the monotony and caution of the Dan Ding Sect, it was truly a world of difference. Chapter 122: Chapter 122 River Patrolling Turtle Demon Zhou Yi''s understanding of the vast expanse of the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains came from various ssics, described in vague and broad terms. After hearing the ox''s ount, he got to know the specific details. The Hundred Thousand Great Mountains are as vast as Cloud Continent, filled with mountains, deep valleys, great rivers, andkes, wherein demons, ghosts, and monsters either cultivate in solitude or gather and dere themselves kings. It could be said to be a ce of chaos and disorder. Normally, there were battles and killings between the mountain tops, but when opposing the cultivators of the Cloud Continent and Qiong Continent, the four great Imperial ns would temporarily unite to form a grand army of monsters. The position of the Imperial ns was akin to that of the Alchemy Ding Sect. However, monster lineage was based on blood, without any concept of sects, so there was little governance over the myriad of subordinate monsters. "This sounds more suited for me!" Zhou Yi only needed to upy a Spirit Vein, be it of the Profound Level or Yellow Level; the difference was merely the timing of Core Formation. Moo! The ox showed a pleased expression, urging Zhou Yi to set out for the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains sooner, as there were many humans there as well. The intelligence of lower-ranked monsters was simple; they were adequate for charging into battle and fighting with spells, but managing mountain strongholds and caves proved difficult, let alone ounting, cooking, brewing, and the like, thus Demon Kings would keep many human ves to order around. Because of the deep-seated animosity between the two races, humans held a low status in the mountains, and any carelessness could turn them into a meal. Zhou Yi''s brow furrowed slightly, and after pondering for a moment, he said, "Ox, I have no right or ability to manage other Demon Kings, but I absolutely will not allow the consumption of humans among the monsters under Mo Cloud Cave." Moo! The ox nodded vigorously, mentioning that it had taken in hundreds of humans, who had clearednd and started farming near Mo Cloud Cave, forming a vige. "Haha! Well done!" Zhou Yi leaped onto the ox''s back, gently patted its horns, and slowly sank into the Luoshui River. ... Three yearster. The search along Luoshui River ended, and Zhou Yi retraced the source, checking the mountains, rivers, andkes along both banks, riding the ox eastward, feeling quite at ease. In a blink, another ten years passed. Early morning. Zhou Yi woke from his sleep, only to feel weak, his Divine Sense sweeping across. "The foundation has dissipated, returning to the thirteenth level of Qi Refinement!" Recalling the sixteen years spent running along the river, searching as if scanning, he still couldn''t find traces of a spiritualnd. "No wonder the ssics state that spiritualnds are encountered by chance, not by seeking. The naturally formed Spirit Gathering Arrays, without any traces of Formation and Prohibition, are naturally even more mysterious than any Formation master!" "Enough is enough! Ox, let''s go to Da Qian!" ... So many things in this world turn out contrary to one''s wishes. Zhou Yi didn''t mind; riding the ox along the bottom of the Luoshui River, he escaped towards Da Qian. That day. The ox''s nose twitched, detecting a whiff of an unusual scent and gave a signal. Moo! "Monster aura?" Zhou Yi''s eyebrows lifted; he jumped off the ox''s back and performed the Divine Bull Transformation to be half-man, half-bull. The monsters of Cloud Continent were not formidable; great monsters of the Foundation Establishment level were already a rarity, but it''s hard to guarantee that no Demon King hade on a journey. The ox got the message instantly and followed the monster aura to track it down, returning shortly after with a millstonerge turtle shell in its mouth. "A Qi Refinement Realm Turtle Demon." Zhou Yi beckoned to the Turtle Demon with a wave of his hand, sending a bolt of lightning into the shell, followed promptly by a harrowing scream. A dark green turtle head poked out of the shell, already transformed into a human figure, repeatedly pleading for mercy, "Immortal, spare my life, spare my life. I was just out looking for something to eat; I''ve never harmed anyone!" "What rtion do you have with that snake demon?" Zhou Yi watched the Turtle Demon extend and retract its head, its mung-bean-sized eyes darting around, as two tufts of whiskers moved up and down while it spoke, identical to the image of the Turtle Prime Minister in his mind. Suddenly feeling a chill around its neck, the Turtle Demon hurriedly confessed, "Your humble one was originally a River God, no, a patrolling river envoy under the Snake Demon, and stayed in the cave for over a decade, unable to endure the hunger, I came out in search of some food." Zhou Yi''s face lit up with joy and asked further, "You lowly creature, how can you transform into human form with such weak mana?" The Turtle Demon replied, "To report to the immortal, your humble one was originally an ordinary river turtle that identally swallowed a Spirit Grass and gained intelligence, but halfway through the transformation, I ran out of mana and ended up with this appearance." Zhou Yi formed a spell with his hands, conjuring a Blood Covenant prohibition. "Swear fealty to me obediently, or I''ll stew you into soup tonight!" The Turtle Demon, with a bitter expression, dared not defy him and let the Blood and Soul Covenants merge into its bloodline and soul obediently. "Don''t be disheartened, from now on you''ll be called Turtle Prime Minister, following me, you''ll get to eat and drink the finest." Zhou Yi, well-versed in the carrot-and-stick approach, took out a century-old Spirit Ginseng from his storage bag and handed it to the Turtle Prime Minister, "From now on, you''ll eat this every day, quickly increasing your mana. One day, you''ll be able topletely transform into human form." "Eat a century-old Spirit Ginseng every day?" The Turtle Prime Minister''s mung-bean-sized eyes widened in disbelief, devouring the Spirit Ginseng quickly, fearing Zhou Yi might change his mind and take it back. Zhou Yi nodded and said, "As long as you don''t tire of it, it''s fine." "I wouldn''t tire of it for a lifetime!" The Turtle Prime Minister, short-limbed and standing at one meter forty-five, extended and retracted its head ingratiatingly, "Immortal, let me lead the way for you. That Snake Demon has stolen your cave abode; it deserves to be in by a cultivator." "That has always been my intention." Zhou Yi nced at the Turtle Prime Minister, "Have you eaten any young boys or girls?" "Absolutely not!" The Turtle Prime Minister assured him over and over, "Before the Snake Demon came, I often rescued people from drowning and had a somewhat good reputation on the shores of the Luoshui River." "That''s good then." Zhou Yi followed the Turtle Prime Minister for two or three miles and came to an ordinary riverbed, which he had searched thoroughly in previous years. "Immortal, the entrance to this spirit ce has some mysteries." The Turtle Prime Minister used its innate water techniques to create a water tornado on the riverbed, enshrouding itself within it. The water tornado stirred up arge amount of sediment revealing an entrance to a cave, which the Turtle Prime Minister entered, disappearing from view. After the riverbed was washed by the flowing water, it returned to its calm state as before. "Interesting, interesting!" With a concrete goal in mind, Zhou Yi observed more carefully and indeed spotted some anomalies. There were several thin spirit veins naturally crisscrossing at the riverbed, forming a separation prohibition. As there were no signs of formation patterns or Formation gs, his Divine Sense swept over these water veins without discerning any difference from those in other territories. Zhou Yi didn''t alter the arrangement of the spirit veins; a barrier that could deceive the sweep of Divine Sense was too precious to destroy. "Niu''er, go inside and have a look." The yellow ox followed the method of the Turtle Prime Minister, stirring the water flow to form a tornado, changing the arrangement of the spirit veins, and then entering the underwater spiritnd. The spiritnd was approximately ten acres in size and seemed to be a naturally formed cave. Embedded were Moonlight Stones on the stone walls all around and the ceiling, shining as bright as daylight. In the middle was the Snake Demon''sir, made of piled-up green stones with a mattress of woven Spirit Grass, upon which rested a snake egg the size of a human head. Their also contained many tributes from mortals, as well as the desated, ghostly white skulls of children spat out by the Snake Demon. "Could it be a mother snake?" Zhou Yi sensed the snake egg with his mana; finding no signs of life, he put it into his storage bag to make into a soupter. Over the following days, he was busy constructing his cave abode. First, he cleared the Snake Demon''s relics, then opened six to seven acres of spirit fields, nting various types of Spiritual Medicine seeds, not just those with wood attributes. "A thousand years from now, arge crop of top-tier Spiritual Medicines will be harvested!" Zhou Yi brought enormous boulders from the mountains outside, cut them into bs with his flying sword, and stacked them to construct two crude stone chambers for cultivation and alchemy. Afterward, came the most crucial part¡ªthe Formation and Prohibition. The Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation enveloped the entire cave abode. Using this high-level formation as a base, and embedding it with the Four Phases Mount Meru Array and the Great Sun Divine Fire Formation, the tripleyers of formations activated were sufficient to fend off several False Core cultivators. Zhou Yi didn''t seek to use the formations to kill enemies; he just needed to hold them off for a moment to use an Escape Technique and flee away. Chapter 123 Return to the Sect Hermit Cave. Zhou Yi had named the cave abode, cing within it the hopes of his heart. He took out the Jade Dew Art from his storage bag, a spell he had obtained from the tomb of a cultivator. It was one of the most fundamental Wood-attribute Cultivation Techniques. "Jade Dew Art nurtures Wood-attribute Spiritual Medicine. Recultivating the Jade Dew Art will be much fasterpared to other attributes," he reflected. Since he had already nned, Zhou Yi didn''t hesitate. With an unending lifespan, even making a mistake wouldn''t matter. His Mana as a Qi Refinement Great Perfection swiftly declined, and after a moment, it dropped by twelveyers. As the Mana dissipated, his body seemed to age slightly, but the tremor of the Longevity Dao Fruit quickly reversed it back to youth. "Just as I thought, if a Nascent Soul ancestor wants to recultivate, they must..." Devise a Nascent Soul before the age of one hundred fifty!" Half a dayter. Having dispersed thest trace of his Mana, Zhou Yi once again became an ordinary mortal. "My Divine Sense is still usable. The Mountain and River Cauldron requires Mana to activate, but the strength of my flesh is rather terrifying now; even an inferior flying sword could be snapped!" Back in the day, Zhou Yi devoted himself to practicing the Outer Sect Body Tempering Technique and reached the Marrow Cleansing realm, which allowed him to squeeze mundane steel. "So, does the Art of Body Refinement not get affected by Spiritual Energy? Maybe only I can do this. After all, without a Spirit Root or a Golden Core, those old monsters would just explode if they dispersed their powers!" "Sss, another reason not to sever the ancestral lineage." "Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One!" Zhou Yi chanted the calming scriptures repeatedly, suppressing the desires within his heart since without Spiritual Energy, further progress in Body Cultivation was impossible. "Let everything be as it is, no matter the external winds and rains, the unpredictability of the world. I just need to follow my own path steadfastly, step by step, and one day I''ll reach the highest peak in the world!" "Begin cultivating the Jade Dew Art." Zhou Yi took out a Spirit Wood Pill, transforming it into rich Wood Spiritual Energy, circting it through his meridians. ... Dew turns to frost, time flies swiftly. In cultivation, there are no years. Besides cultivating the Jade Dew Art and the Spirit Refinement Art daily, Zhou Yi also pondered over the Lightning Method, Formation arts, and incidentally ripened Spiritual Medicine. The gentle nature of the Ox, the slick Tortoise Prime Minister, and the Spirit Ginseng Child, clever and bizarre spirits, three demons with vastly different personalities, managed toe together in conversation, especially after learning to y Fight the Landlord, filling the cave with a jovial atmosphere. With an unlimited supply of Wood-attribute Spiritual Medicine, Zhou Yi''s Qi Cultivation speed was incredibly fast. Six yearster. Having reached the thirdyer of Qi Cultivation, Zhou Yi could now control the cave''s Formation,manding the Ox to return to the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Hundreds of people lived outside Mo Cloud Cave. Though the creatures inside the cave dared not harm humans because of the Ox''s rules, demons from other mountains harbored no such reservations. Another twenty-two years passed. Reaching the eighthyer of Qi Cultivation, Zhou arrived at his three hundredth birthday; he celebrated outside for half a year, then returned to the cave to continue his arduous closed-door cultivation. Three yearster. He was promoted back to the ninthyer of Qi Refinement. After consecutively consuming nine Foundation Establishment Pills, he broke through to Qi Refinement Great Perfection, and with the tenth pill, he sessfully ascended to the Foundation Establishment Stage. "The speed of this cultivation is much faster than anticipated!" "Only thirty years, the Nine Revolutions Spirit Refinement Art hasn''t evenpleted the first revolution, and the Lightning Method hasn''t taken shape¡­" Zhou Yi carefully analyzed the reasons for this, his powerful Divine Sense, resilient meridians, and the experience he had from his Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation, all of which could shorten the time needed to recultivate. Read thetest fiction on M-VL-em|p,yr If a Nascent Soul ancestor were demoted and didn''t die of old age, they could probably return to the Foundation Establishment within a year or two. "First, I''ll take a trip to Dan Ding Sect to get a hold of the Blood Burning Escape Technique. Even if I meet with a True Lord seeking my life, I''ll have a chance to survive." ... Daze Marketce. The enforcer stationed there had changed to Real Person Xuan Chi, but Zhou Yi proactively visited, and who would refuse free merit? "Congrattions to fellow Daoist on achieving Foundation Establishment. May I ask where you cultivated?" "Zhou Shen, a Loose Cultivator from overseas." What followed was the familiar process of returning to Dan Ding Sect and obtaining the Identity Token. Zhou Yi input the Jade Dew Art Mana into the Token, and seeing it sessfully activate his identity, a sigh of relief escaped him. Due to someone else upying the cave on Small Spring Peak, he chose a ce called Hundred Flowers Valley. There were more than ten cave abodes in the valley, and currently, only one was upied. The third floor also had familiar faces. Pretending to have just met them, Zhou Yi greeted each one in turn, and from the starter spells, he chose the Blood Burning Escape Technique. Chen Yu was puzzled. "Junior Brother Zhou, you''re not choosing a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivation Technique?" "I was once fortunate enough to receive the Inheritance from a senior, and I have already obtained the Foundation Establishment Technique." When Zhou Yi took on the internal affairs of the sect, an ident urred. He originally nned to spend a year reflecting at the Cliff of Regret and then return to the Hermit Cave to dissipate his cultivation and start over; however, this option was no longer avable. Since he was pretending to be a novice in the sect, he couldn''t directly ask questions. After pondering for a moment, he chose the task of teaching scriptures to disciples. "It must have been a drastic change at the Cliff of Regret!" ... Hundred Flowers Valley. True to its name, the valley was adorned with dazzling purples and bright reds, a sea of flowers in full bloom. Zhou Yi guided his flying light into the valley and saw from afar a figure in a purple robe, gardening with a hoe. The aura was contained without being disyed, and not a spell was cast¡ªjust the strength of their body swinging the hoe. As he drew nearer, Zhou Yi had a peculiar expression; it was someone he had almost forgotten. Real Person Xuan Yu. Zhou Yi descended from his flying light and greeted with a sped fist, "Taoist Zhou Shen, greets Sister Xuan Yu." Xuan Yu put down her hoe, stood up, and looked over, her cold demeanor unchanged from more than forty years ago. "Do I seem unfamiliar to Brother Zhou?" Zhou Yi said, "I''ve just joined the Dan Ding Sect." Xuan Yu asked in confusion, "Then how do you know who I am?" Zhou Yi exined, "Sixty years ago, I bought alchemical pills at the Tianyang Abyss when Real Person Xuan Yu was in charge of the Marketce. I caught a glimpse of you from afar." "Just like that, sixty years have flown by." Xuan Yu sighed and, carrying her hoe, walked away. Soon after, her voice drifted back, "Brother, while practicing your spells, please be careful not to harm the flowers in the valley; it took me more than twenty years to cultivate this scene." "Understood." Zhou Yi watched Xuan Yu''s figure, sensing her loneliness, decline, and istion. His n to overpower Xuan Yu with his Divine Skills suddenly seemed less appealing. ... A monthter. Zhou Yi''s mana transformed into the Five Spirits True Sutra as he guided his flying light toward the Scripture Hall. The Dan Ding Sect had three Scripture Halls located on Reflecting Sun Peak, Enlightening Dao Peak, and Divine Fire Peak. The speakers there were Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul respectively, but Zhou Yi had never attended their lectures. Listening to lectures did not require contributions, but he was afraid that the True Lords giving the lectures had secret techniques to discern identity. Reflecting Sun Peak. The Scripture Hall was already filled with disciples seated on meditation cushions, waiting respectfully for the arrival of the True Lord to lecture. Those who arrivedte could only listen from the outside square, but fortunately, cultivators have keen senses, so they didn''t worry about missing out. Zhou Yi stopped his flying light in the air to look around and noticed that the fellow disciples were focused, without any whispering or chatting. The asional impatient disciple, restless for the True Lord to begin lecturing, fidgeted in their seats. Smack! A glimmer of spiritual light fell, striking precisely on a disciple''s arm, causing heart-piercing pain without leaving a scar. The voice of the Enforcement Real Person sounded, "Quiet down!" "If the students are this disciplined, then I will dly teach for a year." Zhou Yi nodded to himself and flew his light into the Scripture Hall,nding on a jade dais at the front. "Today, I will discuss the Lightning Method..." He started from the Five Thunder Technique, going from simple toplex, from conserving mana to speeding up spellcasting, and casually shared a few tips that enchanted the disciples. The Enforcement Real Person initially meditated with closed eyes, but as he listened, his eyes widened with interest, contemting questions to ask on the spot. "Incredibly exquisite Lightning Method!" An hour passed in the blink of an eye. Zhou Yi stopped lecturing and closed his eyes to meditate, discovering new insights into the "Essence of Lightning Method" while teaching the disciples. "Perhaps this is an opportunity to sessfully form a shape!" Just three to five days of lecturing, and Zhou Yi''s reputation spread. Disciples in the Qi Refinement Realm all heard that a new Real Person, Zhou, hade to the Scripture Hall, skilled in the profound Lightning Method, and he did not hold back any secrets. Some of the tips he casually mentioned were not even recorded in the sect''s scriptures. Half a monthter. Zhou Yi looked at the thousands of disciples inside and outside, feeling a slight sense of pride. "Today, we continue with the Lightning Method. Yesterday, a disciple asked if those without a Thunder-property Spirit Root or Spiritual Body in the Qi Refinement Realm could instantaneously cast Lightning Spells. Of course, it''s possible, just need to grasp these few points..." Chapter 124 Old Friends Change Easily ``` In the blink of an eye, half a year had passed. Zhou Yi had be wildly popr in the Scripture Hall, bonding with the disciples. After all, who would reject a person who lectured profoundly, had a gentle disposition, and also owned a collection of rare editions of storybooks? On this particr day, the lecture had ended. The disciples in the hall bowed in thanks, quietly waiting for the master to leave before dispersing. Zhou Yi didn''t return to the Hundred Flowers Valley but instead turned to a side hall. Before long, more than ten disciples had gathered one after another. "Greetings, Master Zhou." "Dispense with the formalities." Zhou Yi waved his hand to have everyone be seated and brought out a century-old Soul Soothing Intoxication. "Xiaod, why so serious? Come and pour the drinks." Yan An rose helplessly to his feet. Given that he was the youngest and thest to be admitted, after pouring wine for his senior brothers, he deliberately filled his own cup to the brim. Zhou Yi asked, "Were there any doubts about the Lightning Method today?" These disciples were all keen on the Lightning Method and rather talented; originally, they had sought guidance after ss. To avoid the hassle, Zhou Yi decided to start a small ss. The ss didn''t have many strict requirements¡ªanyone willing to dedicate the time could attend as an observer. The disciples took turns asking questions, and Zhou Yi untangled their doubts one by one, while the other listeners also gained some insight. After about half an hour, the small ss ended, but as usual, the disciples stayed behind to chat about interesting events and tales. Read thetest tale on M-VL-em|p,yr The Dan Ding Sect''s headquarters stretched over a thousand miles, with many mystical and spiritual ces within its borders¡ªsuch as the Spiritual Spring on Xiaoquan Peak and the exotic flowers and herbs of the Hundred Flowers Valley. Then there was the Heavenly Pond under the moonlight, which many disciples purposely flew over when passing Moon Viewing Peak. Unfortunately, clouds and fog often veiled the view, hiding the sight of any celestial maiden taking a bath. As if in passing, Zhou Yi inquired, "I heard from a fellow daoist the other day that the sect once had a Punishment Cliff, an excellent ce for enjoying the snow. Why can''t I find it on the map?" "Master Zhou, I know some insider information about this." The disciple who spoke was called Qin Yu, whose family had cultivated in the Dan Ding Sect for several generations, and thus had a widework, "A few years ago, Uncle Master Xuan Xiao caused trouble outside the sect and was sentenced to Punishment Cliff. To everyone''s surprise, he discovered the inheritance of a deceased Nascent Soul ancestor within the ck Wind Cave..." Hiss! The other disciples were also hearing this for the first time. Such experiences were incredibly mysterious and aroused longing and anticipation. Zhou Yi''s hand trembled slightly as he held his wine cup, asking, "And what happened after that?" Qin Yu continued, "With the aid of the ancestor''s inheritance, Uncle Master Xuan Xiao advanced forcefully into a false core realm. He is currently in seclusion and cultivating at Divine Fire Peak, and it''s rumored that the five ancestors have agreed to a special granting." Once these words were spoken, the sense of longing was now mixed with envy and jealousy. A Solidifying Pill was different from a Foundation Establishment Pill; even within the Dan Ding Sect, it was an extremely rare item. There were three known ways to attain it, exchanging for merit, the sect''s grandpetition, and special granting by the ancestors. The first option was priced so high it was staggering¡ªordinary disciples would need to umte merit over four or five generations to afford it. The second option, while fiercelypetitive, was the most feasible. The third option required unanimous consent from all five Nascent Soul ancestors. Thest disciple of the Dan Ding Sect to meet the third criterion lived hundreds of years ago. Records show that they had crafted a magic artifact during the Foundation Establishment Stage, a rare talent in artifact refining scarcely seen in the world. After some more casual conversation and finishing a pot of wine, the disciples said their goodbyes to Zhou Yi. In the side hall. Zhou Yi pondered for a long time, suspecting that there was more to the story. Given Xiao Tiezhu''s ability to court disaster, there was a good chance that he hade upon more than just a Nascent Soul inheritance. "With at least five living Nascent Souls in the Dan Ding Sect, why would they ce such importance on a deceased ancestor?" "Could it be a Divinity Transformation inheritance? Or perhaps some Supreme Treasure..." "That guy is too good at causing trouble. In the Qi Refinement Realm, he brought cmity to the Little Dan Mountain. If in the future he advances to Golden Core, will the Dan Ding Sect be able to withstand it?" "He''s practically a walking nuclear bomb!" Zhou Yi''s thoughts raced, feeling both convinced by the profound foundation of the Dan Ding Sect and fearing some drastic cmity. He couldn''t take the risk. ... Upon returning to the Hundred Flowers Valley. The valley was evergreen, with no sign of autumn or winter. ``` Xuan Yu was still leisurely nting flowers; each day in the vast valley, quite a few flowers would wither. She took her flower hoe and one by one, replenished them. Day after day, she was totally unlike a real Golden Core realm cultivator, but rather a mundane flower farmer. Zhou Yi descended from his escape light and greeted with sped hands, "I''ve seen Senior Sister." "Junior Brother Zhou is back." Xuan Yu carefully arranged the soil and said, "Is Junior Brother teaching a small ss today? How did my nsman perform?" Zhou Yi praised, "Nephew Yan has grasped a third of the subtlety of the Lightning Method. Within ten years, he may well seed and vie for the top ten in the minorpetition." "It''s because Junior Brother teaches well." Xuan Yu smiled faintly but soon returned to her usual cool demeanor and asked, "Junior Brother has deep insight into the Lightning Method and has few rivals at the same level, so why not sign up for this year''s sectpetition?" Zhou Yi shook his head and said, "Thepetition is too fierce; I would just be part of the backdrop if I went up." This year coincided with the Golden Core Sect''s decadepetition and as the end of the year approached, the atmosphere in the sect grew increasingly tense. Some Foundation Establishment true cultivators who usually secluded themselves for cultivation began appearing frequently, forming alliances and maniptions; thepetition had already started off the fighting tform. Xuan Yu said, "Since the establishment of the sectpetition, there has never been anyone who made it into the top ten on their first try. It''s through repeated failures to gain experience, coupled with a bit of luck, that one can obtain the Spiritual Objects needed for Core Formation." Zhou Yi pondered and asked, "Senior Sister, could you talk about how to form a core?" Xuan Yu was the ninth in the sectpetition ten years ago and obtained a millennium mushroom-horse, but unfortunately, she failed in Core Formation. The grand formation of the Golden Core Sect blocked the minor forty-nine heavenly tribtion, and Xuan Yu, having previously exchanged for Spirit Pills, barely held onto her life, but her Dantian was damaged and her path of cultivation cut short. "Such texts are considered top-secret within the sect. Even true disciples are only allowed to view them when they are close to Core Formation." Xuan Yu pondered for a moment, thinking that Zhou Yi was the teacher her nsman admired the most. She said, "However, I can talk to you about the process of failure..." Zhou Yi''s face lit up with joy and he sped his hands, saying, "Thank you, Senior Sister. I have organized the essence of the Five Thunder Technique in volume five, and I will pass it on to Nephew Yan tomorrow." "Golden Core formation is generally divided into three steps: false core, true core, and tribtion. I failed at the second step!" As someone who had experienced it first-hand, Xuan Yu was very familiar with the process of Core Formation: where she hadn''t been perfect, where she had barely seeded, and the reasons for her ultimate failure. "After all, my cultivation had been too smooth, without taking risks to seek opportunities, leading to insufficient umtion. The Golden Core is the condensation of essence, mana, and spirit into a Hun Yuan unity. I had enough mana, my soul was barely passable, but my Qi-Blood was far toocking!" "Thank you for your guidance, Senior Sister." Zhou Yi now knew the direction to put his efforts, and he could avoid many detours. ... The New Year began. The sectpetitionmenced. The Foundation Establishment true cultivators in the audience seats paid no attention to their image and activated Magic Artifacts for recording to document the fighting processes. Returning to their caves, they carefully contemted and sought insights, devising counters for future encounters. Zhou Yi also bought many Magic Artifacts for recording, meticulously documenting all thebat matches, with some of the top ten favorites recorded from multiple angles. "I''m not studying the fighting techniques but observing the art of dodging and fleeing!" Thepetition revealed many familiar names of cultivators, such as Li Qing, Chu Feng, and so on, butpared to the veteran Foundation Establishment real persons, they were out of their league, and very few made it past three rounds. That day. Like usual, Zhou Yi was watching the battles unfold when he suddenly heard a familiar name. "This match, Lin Yushu against Xuan Jing." Afterward, two streaks of lightnded on the stage, one a gentleman in white with a folding fan, and the other a Purple Daoist robe and a true disciple. "Is this Lin Yushu?" Zhou Yi looked at the handsome and dashing young master with a tall figure, his face showing confusion, as he couldn''t reconcile this image with the short and plump one from his memory. "It must be a coincidence of names!" The fight began. Lin Yushu activated his folding fan Magic Artifact, from which two twenty-more zhang long dragons emerged, shing fiercely with True Person Xuan Jing. After a short moment, Xuan Jing was overwhelmed by the dragons, let out a scream, and was knocked off the stage. Chapter 125: Chapter 125 A Moment of a Hundred Years "Foundation Establishment Stage can alsopete in rigged matches?" Zhou Yi looked on in confusion. A few days ago, there was a match between Xuan Jing and another true disciple, where their spellcasting was so breathtaking and their strength so formidable that the recording magic artifact was widely circted within the sect. Today, facing Lin Yushu, the spells were weak and floppy, and he didn''t use any magic artifacts, not even disying a third of his strength. Although the Jiaolong Fan is a top-grade magic artifact, the user Lin Yushu is too weak to be a match for Xuan Jing. At this moment. Nearby conversations reached Zhou Yi''s ears, many discussing Lin Yushu with words tinged with envy and jealousy. "Uncle-Master Xuan Jing is so unlucky, to encounter the Freeloader Real Person." "Even Patriarch Hongyu has spoken out, who would dare to win against him, dare to disregard the patriarch''s face?" "How I envy him!" "Uncle-Master Lin is a role model for us all. If you can''t catch Patriarch Hongyu''s eye, you can still rise to Moon Viewing Peak or Miaole Peak!" "The other patriarchs are not too shabby either. Do you know of the Dragon Yang method?" "..." With these words, the chatter ceased instantly, and the fellow disciples around that person scattered, fleeing in all directions. "???" Zhou Yi was full of question marks, now quite certain that Lin Yushu was one person, and it seemed he had practiced some kind of Body Refining Technique, transforming from short, fat, and ugly to his current appearance. Patriarch Hongyu is the only female among the five Nascent Souls of the Dan Ding Sect, and somehow she took a liking to Lin Yushu,ter officially announcing to be Daopanions. Since then, Lin Yushu earned the nickname of the Freeloader Real Person, making many fellow disciples envious and jealous. "Can one also cultivate in this manner?" Zhou Yi vaguely realized, all roads lead to the path of immortality. ... During thetter half of the sectpetition. Several Golden Elixir True Monarchs arrived, to prevent disciples from getting carried away during the spell battle and causing casualties. Zhou Yi nced from afar and turned into a flying light that headed straight for the third floor of the External Affairs Hall. Xiao Yuan asked, baffled, "Brother Zhou, won''t you wait for thepetition to end before taking on another demon extermination task?" "Indeed, it was watching thepetition that made me realize how far behind I am from my fellow disciples." Zhou Yi responded with a smile, "Only by ceaseless effort, day and night, can I hold onto a sliver of hope to win the prize of a Core Formation Spiritual Object." "That''s the right attitude, Junior Brother!" Xiao Yuan took out an External Affairs jade slip and said, "Years ago, there was a disciple with the surname Zhu who also joined as a Loose Cultivator. He intended to ck off at the Cliff of Reflection without any ambition and ended up dying at the hands of the Demon Head!" Zhou Yi suppressed a smile as his Divine Sense swept over the jade slip, noticing that the merit reward for the ck Skull Demon Head had increased to 15,000. "Brother Xiao, this Demon Head doesn''t seem strong. Why is the merit reward so high?" Xiao Yuan exined, "The ck Skull hasn''t appeared in nearly a hundred years, and its life or death is uncertain, making its whereabouts difficult to track. In recent years, this Demon Head has also killed fellow disciples, hence the increase in merit!" "Then I''ll choose the ck Skull." Zhou Yi epted the mission and turned into a flying light, leaving the Dan Ding Sect. Only on m v|le|mp|yr ... Ten yearster. After sessfullypleting the first cycle of the Spirit Refinement Art, Zhou Yi once again dissolved his Dao foundation. Twenty yearster. Zhou Yi cultivated the Water Spirit Art, rebuilt his foundation three times, and joined the Dan Ding Sect to receive the Spirit Condensation Art. Half a yearter, he took on a demon extermination task and left the sect to pursue and kill the ck Skull Demon Head. Another fifteen years passed. Upon his third re-cultivation, Zhou Yi found his Dao foundation growing even more solid, and despite expending mana to elerate its dispersal, the time it took to disperse his power was getting longer. ... Hermit Cave. Zhou Yi took the fourth Foundation Establishment Pill and sessfully broke through to the Foundation Establishment realm, calcting the years that had passed. "Thirty years have gone by in the blink of an eye, and due to the scarcity of metal-attribute medicine, the speed of recultivating the Golden Light Technique is far slower than that of the Qingmu and Water Spirit Cultivation Techniques." "It''s been nearly a hundred years since I first began recultivation!" "Having joined the Dan Ding Sect this time, I can obtain the Dragon Nine Changes and buy an eagle and a tiger from the sect beast garden to cultivate with." After a hundred years of arduous cultivation, Zhou Yi''s gaze held a distant and aged look as he rose and walked out of the meditation chamber. The spiritual fields were filled with hundred-year-old Spiritual Medicines, among which five millennium-old Spirit Ginsengs were thriving under the care of the Ginseng Dolls. The Blood Vine Demon upied an acre ofnd, constantly spurred by the Creation Dew, growing several hundred zhang long, twisting and coiling within the fields, bearing many blood-red translucent Spirit Fruits. The Turtle Prime Minister showed no sign of aging, his limbs fully transformed into human hands and legs after being forcefully fed hundred-year Spirit Ginsengs, bing an old man with a giant turtle shell on his back. "Immortal Master, you have concluded your retreat. Shall we eat something good today?" Zhou Yi gave him a nce and spat out the Mountain and River Cauldron, which spun and grew to the size of a grinding disc. After a century of refinement, the Mountain and River Cauldron, having devoured countless essences of the Five Metals, had finally advanced to an upper-grade Magic Artifact, regrettably with little impact on his strength. "After reaching upper-grade, progress bes increasingly difficult. The Spiritual Treasure Art is not suitable for individuals to refine treasures, it should be used by sects and families to refine Sect-Defending Spiritual Treasures that are passed down for thousands of years." Zhou Yi instructed, "Go catch a few big fish and bring them back. Tonight, we''ll eat fish stewed in an iron pot!" "Immortal Master, I''ll go now." The Turtle Prime Minister immediately beamed with joy, his whiskers trembling, finally able to change his taste. During Zhou Yi''s period of seclusion for recultivation, all formations and prohibitions in the cave were activated, preventing the Turtle Prime Minister froming and going¡ªhe would only munch on Spirit Ginseng when desperately hungry. Decades without a taste of meat had left him terribly craving it! ... On the surface of the Luoshui River, a building ship sailed slowly. At the bow stood five blue-robed Daoists, the leader being a white-haired old man with the deepest Mana, who had already reached thete Qi Refinement stage. There were also many richly dressed mortals on the deck, respectfully standing behind the five men, their deference tinged with obsequiousness. "Uncle Dong, are you sure the notes from the old ancestor are correct?" The young man named He Zheng, whose cultivation was barely at the secondyer of Qi Refinement, spoke. "A hundred years ago, after the old ancestor slew demons on the Luoshui, he spent over a decade unable to locate the spiritualnd. He then recorded the matter. Someone of the old ancestor''s caliber, nearly at Core Formation, if he had determined that there was a spiritualnd in Luoshui, then it surely wasn''t wrong!" The white-haired Daoist He Dong said, "Now that our ancestralnd has been destroyed by the Demon Head, only by finding a new spiritualnd can the He family continue to prosper." The young He Zheng asked with confusion, "Why don''t we go to Daze Marketce? The Spiritual Energy there is abundant; cultivation speed is faster. Perhaps in the future, one could break through to Foundation Establishment and y the Demon Head to avenge!" "Humph! Is the marketce of the Dan Ding Sect free?" He Dong said coldly, "It''s just exploitative on a normal day, but now that the two major sects are waging war against each other, heading to the marketce is just delivering one''s life on a silver tter!" "Uncle Dong is right!" Another cultivator of the He family, He Li, said, "Little Zheng has been cultivating for a short time and is yet to witness the true nature of the Dan Ding Sect. They are possibly even more ruthless and vicious than the Heavenly Demon Sect, but they don''tg behind in squeezing Loose Cultivators." "Without Loose Cultivatorsboring in farming, how could the disciples of the sects live so leisurely and carefree?" He Dong spoke solemnly, "If Loose Cultivator families want to continue to prosper, they must find a piece of spiritualnd. Have you ever heard or seen any family powers appearing in the marketce?" He Li nodded, "The marketce is extremely vignt against Loose Cultivators, fearing that one day a genius would emerge, ascending all the way to Golden Core and Nascent Soul, breaking Dan Ding Sect''s absolute rule over Cloud Continent." After listening to his uncles'' discussions, He Zheng lost any remaining good impressions of the Dan Ding Sect. Furthermore, with the copse of his family''s spiritualnd, it all ultimately traced back to the Dan Ding Sect''s initial provocation, leading to the Heavenly Demon Sect invading from the south, with the He family suffering from the fallout of the battle between the two great sects. The mortals on the ship, upon hearing the cultivators speak of spiritualnds and sects, Golden Cores and Nascent Souls, all showed an envious look, resenting that they did not possess Spirit Roots themselves. These individuals were the mortal members of the He family, who had enjoyed glory and wealth for hundreds of years because their family had continuously produced cultivators for generations. Another four or five hundred years would have allowed them to be called a millennium-old noble family. At that moment. A figure flew out from the water andnded at the bow, saying, "Uncle Dong, there are Mana fluctuations beneath the water nearby, seemingly the aura of aquatic demons, we should not be far off!" He Zheng, overjoyed upon hearing this, took out the Deep Blue Banner, which had a single-horned ck dragon embroidered on it. "Heaven has not forsaken the He family, that water demon surely knows the location of the spiritualnd. Let us follow it into the water together. With the talismans and Magic Artifacts left by the old ancestor, even aquatic demons in thete Qi Refinement stage can be easily in!" Chapter 126 : 126: Heavenly Demon Invasion Luoshui River bottom. The Turtle Prime Minister didn''t wander far before he saw a carp half a Zhang long. "Today, it''s your turn!" Whoosh! The carp, not knowing how many years it had lived, had developed a rudimentary intelligence and quickly sensed the danger, fleeing at high speed. The Turtle Prime Minister, not having emerged for dozens of years and feeling suffocated in his cave dwelling, didn''t use any binding spells but followed the carp like a cat stalking a mouse. "Run! Keep running!" In a moment, after chasing four or five li under the water, the Turtle Prime Minister was about to cast a spell, when his mung bean eyes bulged¡ªsix human silhouettes appeared not far ahead. "Demon! Prepare to die!" He Dong, shaking the Deep Blue Banner, summoned a solitary horned ck dragon a Zhang long, which came shing with its teeth and ws. "Mercy, Daoist lord!" The Turtle Prime Minister panicked, covered his head with his hands, and turned to flee. Fortunately, his turtle shell''s defensive capabilities were robust and blocked the ck dragon''s attack. Seeing the Turtle Demon flee, He Dong''s face showed delight. He chased after him with his magic artifact, asionally casting spells to bombard him with attacks. The Turtle Prime Minister had lived for several hundred years and was no longer of average demon intelligence; he knew the intentions of the pursuing cultivators. On the surface, he appeared to be in a panic and afraid, but inwardly, he was snickering. "Wait until we get into the hermit cave. Then you''ll see, immortals!" With both human and demon harboring their own schemes, they quickly arrived at the entrance to the spiritualnd. A water tornado rose, revealing the cave dwelling. With a sneer, the Turtle Prime Minister dived in. ... Hermit Cave. Zhou Yi was picking Blood Spirit Fruits. Perhaps nourished by the Creation Dew, the Blood Vines that originally only had instincts were quite friendly towards him. Not only did they not struggle or interfere, they even exposed the Blood Spirit Fruits willingly, like a child seeking praise. The Turtle Prime Minister burst in, shouting, "Immortal master, it''s terrible! A group of cultivators hase outside, shouting and moring to attack!" "What level of cultivation do they have?" Zhou Yi took out the hermit cave''s Array te, running the Formation and Prohibition to the limit. Feeling it was still not safe, he spat out the Soul Fixing Mirror. The Soul Fixing Mirror, after being nurtured for over two hundred years, waspletely silver-white without a trace of bronze rust. At that point, its power wasparable to top-level magic artifacts, and the silver-white divine light it emitted could not only immobilize wronged souls and fierce ghosts but also extract the souls of the living. "Qi Refinement? Or Foundation Establishment? I didn''t dare to look." The Turtle Prime Minister was pondering how to tattletale when a noise came from above. "They''re already here!" Zhou Yi''s divine sense swept over and clearly detected six cultivators tunneling through the water veins into the cave dwelling. "All in the Qi Refinement Realm? Can''t be too careful; there might be dangerous Spirit Talismans or magic artifacts. Let''s wear them down with the formation first!" Meanwhile. He Dong and the others sensed the rich Water Spirit Qi, even denser than in their family''s spiritualnd, and joy appeared on their faces. "We''ve finally found it, the spiritualnd noted in the ancestor''s journal!" "That Turtle Demon''s defenses are strong, quite a nuisance." "No matter, with the Talisman Technique left by the ancestor, it''ll acknowledge us as masters if it doesn''t want to die." "The Turtle Demon has a long lifespan; upon advancing to a great demon, it could protect our n for hundreds of years!" The six people saw the spiritualnd in their eyes, but there were no spiritual fields or stone huts, just an empty cave. As theynded on the ground, they suddenly found the ground beneath their feet soft and not like soil or rock. Before they had time to question it, the scenery all around them changed dramatically. The ground turned into surging waves, and eight golden pirs rose from the water, with a burning sun condensing above. The tumultuous waves rushed in, engulfing He Zheng, the weakest in cultivation, washing him away to an unknown ce. "An illusion array? This spiritualnd has a master!" He Dong reacted the quickest, scattering several thunder beads with a wave of his hand, bombing the surroundings. The thunder beads were powerful and ferocious, though their uracy was low, making them most suitable for breaking through immovable formations. Boom! Boom! Boom! A series of roaring sounds echoed, yet the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation didn''t even tremble; instead, from above, a burst of mes surged, the powerparable to a Foundation Establishment Stage spell. He Dong and the others hurriedly activated their protective magic artifacts, but the Divine Fire mes could melt gold and iron, destroying low-grade magic artifacts upon contact. "Senior, please spare our lives!" "We had no intention of intruding and are willing to offer our ancestral teachings!" He Dong, spurting several mouthfuls of his essence blood to energize it, drove the Deep Blue Banner to its limit, a one-horned ck dragon circling above their heads and blocking the Great Sun Divine Fire. ... Outside the formation. He Zheng awoke in a daze and opened his eyes to see a pair of mung bean eyes, spinning around. The Turtle Demonmanded in a stern voice, "The Immortal asks you, where do youe from, what''s your surname, your name?" He Zheng noticed the old Taoist behind the Turtle Demon, with white hair and beard, holding a silver mirror, and sensing a terrifying aura of mana, so he hastily responded. "The junior''s name is He Zheng, originally cultivating on Qingfeng Mountain in Jing Kingdom." "The He family of Qingfeng Mountain?" Zhou Yi thought for a moment and then asked, "Did your ancestors have a master named He Sheng?" "Indeed, Elder Ancestor He is my great-grandfather," replied He Zheng, his face showing delight as he promptly exined, "Now Qingfeng Mountain has been destroyed by the Heavenly Demon Sect; we were lucky to escape with our lives and are only seeking shelter in a spiritualnd to avoid the great disaster. We had no intention of disturbing the senior!" "Heavenly Demon Sect! Great disaster!" Zhou Yi''s brows slightly furrowed, a bad premonition forming as his eyes flickered with spiritual light, "I have been in seclusion for many years, tell me, what changes have urred in the outside world in recent years?" The Soul Bewitching Art! An entry-level Divine Soul spell, Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense enveloped a fifty-yard radius, already on par with the midpoint of Foundation Establishment. Without so much as a struggle, He Zheng fell into confusion and began to reveal everything he knew: "Around twenty years ago, disciples of the Heavenly Demon Sect moved southward inrge numbers, causing chaos in Cloud Continent, supporting various Loose Cultivators to resist the Dan Ding Sect..." The Dan Ding Sect''s restrictions on the Loose Cultivators of Cloud Continent could be described as oppressive and severe. Previously, without the strength to resist, they could only abide by the rules set by Dan Ding Sect, struggling to survive. Seeing an opportunity, the Heavenly Demon Sect enticed them with cultivation techniques and spiritual medicines, especially several demonic secret techniques that forced Foundation Establishment, quickly gathering many Loose Cultivators whose lifespans were reaching their limits. There''s never been a shortage of ambitious individuals in the world, let alone cultivators facing the end of their lifespans. Nowadays, the spiritualnds and marketces in various ces on Cloud Continent are shrouded in darkness and poison. The He family of Qingfeng Mountain was a victim, having Foundation Establishment level masters to guard it, they thought themselves strong and recruited some Loose Cultivators to manage their spiritualnd. In the end, one Qi Refinement Realm cultivator, who had worked thends of Qingfeng Mountain for over a hundred years and was no longer regarded with any suspicion by the He family, secretly joined the Heavenly Demon Sect, turned to demonic cultivation, and performed a Blood Sacrifice on all living beings in the spiritualnd, forcibly breaking into Foundation Establishment Stage to extend his lifespan. Qingfeng Mountain was transformed into the Yin Sha Forbidden Land, the He family suffered heavy casualties, with only five individuals escaping. The five survivors took refuge in the mortal branch of the He family, and during that time, they discovered that He Zheng possessed a Spirit Root, passed on the cultivation technique to him, and led him onto the path of cultivation. "With the Heavenly Demon Sect''s invasion limited to the Foundation Establishment Stage, we must acquire the ''Minor Heavenly Technique'' before war esctes!" Zhou Yi pondered for a moment, manipted the Array te to stop the Great Sun Divine Fire Formation, and said, "When I was in the Qi Refinement Realm, I had received guidance from Master He, so there is some gratitude. Since you are a descendant of the He family, it is proper for me to care for you..." He Zheng, hearing these words as if blessed with great fortune, knelt down immediately and repeatedly kowtowed with thuds. "I ask the senior to take me in; I am willing to worship morning and night, offer daily service, and be at your disposal!" "Good," said Zhou Yi as he opened a portal in the formation, "Go tell those few, if they do not wish to stay in the spiritualnd, I will not force them." He Zheng, sensing the undisguised killing intent, knew that the real Immortal before him was no simple character and hurriedly went to persuade his n members. Meanwhile, Zhou Yi took the opportunity toy severalyers of formations around the stone cottage,pletely separating the entire spiritualnd cave from the outside. All the century-old spiritual medicines were transnted into the formation; from now on, the He family members could only cultivate outside and without permission, anyone daring to step into Zhou Yi''s secluded cultivation spot could only be fertilizer for the spiritual medicines. The situation was stronger than the people, and He Zheng and the others were very reasonable, willing to join Zhou Yi''s ranks. As the Cultivation World''s unrest began to show, having a spiritualnd for secluded cultivation and the protection of a real Immortal, in exchange for a trivial offering of loyalty, seemed like a good deal in any view. Chapter 127 : 127: Evil Cultivator Causes Chaos Hermit Cave. Zhou Yi stood with his hands behind his back, his expression profound and unfathomable. Prime Minister Turtle stood to one side, craning his neck nervously, as if hatching some mischievous n. He Dong and the others emerged from the formation, their bodies covered in scorch marks, their breath weak, their mana almostpletely drained. "We pay our respects to Senior Tang." "Mm." Zhou Yi''s gaze swept over them and he said, "On ount of Real Person He''s face, I will allow you to cultivate in the cave for the time being. The four or five acres of spirit fields outside, I leave to you to nt. How much you harvest is entirely up to your ability." "We thank Senior for your great kindness." He Dong knew that there were no free benefits in the Cultivation World and bowed deeply, "If there is anything Senior requires, justmand us, and we shall give it our all." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, it was simple to speak with smart people. "Firstly, you must diligently gather information about the outside world, this is also to ensure the safety of this dwelling. Secondly, this precious cauldron of mine needs to be infused with the essence of the Five Metals, arrange for one person to cast spells and refine it daily." "As youmand." He Dong let out a sigh of relief; the conditions were more lenient than he had expected. It seemed that his ancestors'' inheritance was indeed a real thing. ... A monthter. He Dong, who had gone out to gather information, returned to the Hermit Cave. "Senior Tang, the situation outside is quite tense; the demonic cultivators have begun to cause overt disruptions among the mortals." He Dong reported, "The Royal Family of Qing Kingdom has enlisted a Taoist from who knows where, honoring him as the national teacher. They are collecting girls born on Yin years, Yin months, and Yin days iming to refine a pill that reverses aging." Zhou Yi frowned slightly, "Isn''t the Qing Kingdom''s Royal Family a family of cultivators?" The Qing Kingdom''s Royal Family had nearly a thousand years of heritage, much deeper than that of Chu State, and within its borders were two famous spiritual ces, Bright Moon Gorge and Little Plum Peak, each guarded by Foundation Establishment True People. Their overall strength was among the top twenty plus kingdoms in Cloud Continent. "The secr influences of the He family are mainly in Jing Kingdom; it will take some time to investigate the specifics." He Dong sighed, "As far as I can guess, either the Imperial n''s cultivators are all dead, or the Royal Family has fallen to the demonic path. The cultivators of Heavenly Demon Sect are far from what the mortals can contend with." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, very likely so, then continued to ask. "Any changes in Daze Marketce?" "The true person who guards the marketce has been reced with ten others. It''s said that when they join forces, they can activate a formation that can withstand a Golden Elixir True Monarch. Meanwhile, the marketce is recruiting Loose Cultivators to eradicate demons and protect the Tao. Killing any demon or monster allows you to exchange their heads for merits, attracting quite a few Loose Cultivators." He Dong took out a jade slip and presented it respectfully, "I''ve copied the exchange catalog for Senior Tang to see if there''s anything you may need." Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense swept through it. The most prominent item in the catalog was the Foundation Establishment Pill, followed by the Four Arts of Cultivation, superior pills, and so on - many of which were previously strictly guarded and forbidden to be spread by the Pill Cauldron Sect. "It seems that the Pill Cauldron Sect is also starting to get anxious." "After all, the secr world is the foundation of the sect. The Pill Cauldron Sect prides itself on being the orthodox path and cannot sit by and do nothing!" He Dong spoke about various observations from the marketce and the myriad pieces of information gathered from Loose Cultivators. The basic understanding was that the Pill Cauldron Sect and the Heavenly Demon Sect were maintaining restraint, showing no intention of escting their fighting and ughtering. It''s hard to fend off wolves when ying the pole''s two ends; neither sect wished the conflict to escte into a full-fledged battle between the orthodox and demonic paths! "It would have been fine if it were just a past conflict, dissipating after a century or so. But now there''s someone setting off bombs everywhere..." Zhou Yi''s gaze was deep, "There is bound to be a fight between the righteous and the demonic!" He Dong of course didn''t know what Zhou Yi was thinking. In his view, when two major sects shed, low-level cultivators had no standing to choose sides. The only thing he could do was to take this opportunity to strengthen himself. "I n to eradicate demons and protect the Tao to umte merits and exchange them for Foundation Establishment Pills. I ask for Senior Tang''s permission." "Go, then." Zhou Yi did not stop him; whether He Dong''s purpose in eradicating demons was for personal gain, he would ultimately save many mortals in the process. Cloud Continent''s mortal realm was suffering the most from Heavenly Demon Sect''s invasion, not the Pill Cauldron Sect or the Loose Cultivators, but the ignorantmon people who knew not from whence the disaster struck. ... A yearter. The cultivators of the He family had entered the right track, attending to the spirit fields, and refining the Mountain and River Cauldron in addition to their daily cultivation. Nearly half of the He family members from Jing Kingdom moved to Qing Kingdom. With the covert support of cultivators, they gained a foothold in several nearby cities, keeping an ear to the ground for news among the mortals. This day. Zhou Yi handed over the forbidden array te to the Sea Turtle Chancellor, with instructions to activate the Great Sun Divine Fire Formation and annihte the He family members should they act out of line. "You have such petty schemes; troubling them on normal days is one thing, but if you kill out of a personal vendetta, I''ll y you and make a soup!" "Rest assured, Immortal, our family knows the severity of matters." The Sea Turtle Chancellor nodded repeatedly, promising to avoid conflict with the cultivators of the He family. Disguised as a middle-aged man, Zhou Yi controlled his flying light and left the hermit cave, heading straight for the Daze Marketce. ... A monthter. Hundred Flowers Valley. The flowers bloomed like brocade, vying for beauty. Zhou Yi''s flying light descended among the flowers, looking at the mound and tombstone before him, he remained silent for a long time. "Yan Yuning, only now do I know your real name!" "At age fifteen, you joined the Dan Ding Sect, became a Foundation Establishment True Inheritor at sixty, reigned over the Tianyang Abyss for more than sixty years, traveled to the Ji Continent to y several demon heads. Such experiences are already like legends." "s, your Solidifying Pill failed, and in yourter years, you spent thirty years quietly growing flowers until your lifespan ended without fanfare." Zhou Yi burned a piece of yellow paper and spilled a cup of Spiritual Wine, then turned and left. Now, disguised as Sun Xing and having joined the Dan Ding Sect, he had obtained the iplete True Dragon Nine Transformations and still needed to earn Merit Points to exchange for two demon beasts at the Beast Garden. ... External Affairs Hall. The ce was bustling with excitement. Hundreds of Qi Refinement Realm disciples gathered together, forming teams in twos and threes, either receiving missions to eliminate demons or submitting the heads of evil cultivators. In previous years, the task of eliminating demons mostly involved journeys far to the Ji Continent. Only Foundation Establishment demon heads who dared to create chaos in the Cloud Continent would be fought. Qi Refinement Realm disciples could only do misceneous tasks within the sect, not earning enough Merit Points even if they worked without food or drink for ten or twenty years. Now, with the Heavenly Demon Sect disciples causing trouble in the mortal world and bringing along arge number of Loose Cultivator servants, the Qi Refinement disciples also had the chance to rapidly umte Merit Points. The Cloud Continent, stagnant for thousands of years, finally began to stir. At noon. Song Chu and three other disciples arrived at the External Affairs Hall with joyful faces, ready to submit the heads of evil cultivators. "Fellow Daoist, please wait." A voice called out, stopping Song Chu and the others as Zhou Yi approached with a smile, "Have the junior disciples returned from demon hunting?" "Greetings to Uncle-Master." Song Chu hurriedly bowed in greeting and said, "There were evil cultivators causing chaos in Great Qian Xuanzhou, ughtering mortals to refine demonic pills; we joined forces and slew them." "Xuanzhou, I''ve been there too, there''s a ce called Manchun Court there..." Zhou Yi coughed twice, then changed the subject, "What was the cultivation level of that evil cultivator?" Song Chu looked puzzled but wasn''t afraid of losing credit to his peers withw enforcement disciples around. He answered, "Originally, he was at the third level of Qi Refinement. After sacrificing for the demonic pill, he broke through to the fourth level." Zhou Yi said, "Then count it as the fourth level of Qi Refinement, submit forty Merit Points. Uncle-Master here has two thousand Spirit Stones, would you like to sell?" Upon hearing this, Song Chu was immediately tempted. After discussing with his teammates, they agreed to the deal, but they were still somewhat worried. "Uncle-Master, won''t the Law Enforcement Hall investigate?" "Where is it written in our rules that we cannot trade the heads of evil cultivators? What is not forbidden is permitted!" Zhou Yi exchanged Spirit Stones with one hand and collected the heads with the other, submitted them to the External Affairs Hall, and his identity token rued an additional forty Merit Points. He then continued observing at the doorway, approaching those who seemed ted with sess, while those who were downcast likely returned empty-handed, and there were even disciples who died at the hands of evil cultivators. The disciples of the Dan Ding Sect had spells and magic artifacts far superior to those of the Loose Cultivators, but life and deathbat wasn''t about taking turns. Instead, it was filled with constant ambushes, poison, and both overt and covert attacks, without ever engaging in straightforwardbat. When Zhou Yi collected the heads of evil cultivators, the mostmon story was of evil cultivators sacrificing a multitude of mortal lives to lure righteous disciples into traps. "When immortals fight, the mortals suffer!" Chapter 128 Garrison Duty ``` Six monthster. Zhou Yi, diligent and unrelenting in his acquisition of demonic cultivator heads, finally amassed three thousand merits. The number of evil cultivators killed by the Dan Ding Sect naturally exceeded this number, but most of the fellow disciples weren''tcking spirit stones or pills and were saving for Foundation Establishment Pills. Zhou Yi wouldn''t deliberately drive up the prices. Nor was Zhou Yi the only one earning merits. Everyone had privately agreed to keep the exchange rate of spirit stones to merits under fifty. Zhou Yi spent his merits to exchange for two Beast Tablets and rode the light to Wanshou Peak. Beast Garden. The ce where the Dan Ding Sect reared Spiritual Beasts, epassing Wanshou Peak and the three nearby peaks. Common types of Spiritual Beasts were tamed there. There is no difference between a Spiritual Beast and a Demon Beast: the organized are called ''Spiritual'', the unorganized are called ''Demon''! Zhou Yi descended from his light, exined his purpose, and the disciple on duty handed over the catalogue of ownerless Spiritual Beasts. "Eagles, Green Cloud Eagles, Skyscraper Hawks, Wind Spirit Eagles..." Eagle-type Spiritual Beasts were widely used in the Cultivation World, especially by Qi Refinement Realm disciples. Taming a hawk demon for travel saved not only mana but also was much faster than flying with their own tools. "It doesn''t look like there are any special Spiritual Beasts." Zhou Yi finished flipping through the catalogue and asked, "Are there any heterogeneous or bloodline-containing varieties among the hundred or more eagle-type Spiritual Beasts?" "Junior uncle, I''m only responsible for recording the names of the Spiritual Beasts; I''m not sure..." The disciple''s words were cut short by the appearance of a bottle of Green Sun Pill, which he quickly pocketed with practiced ease, "Junior uncle, the Green Cloud Eagle numbered twenty-seven among the Eagle-type Spiritual Beasts had ordinary blue feathers. Last year, its neck and tail feathers turned golden." "Not bad, this eagle is destined with this poor Daoist." Zhou Yi then browsed the tiger-type demon beasts. Before he could even ask, the disciple on duty took the initiative to remind him. "Junior uncle, tiger-type number one hundred and nine, the Iron Tail Tiger, underwent an aberration; amidst its golden fur, ck hairs started to intersperse, perhaps containing some Exotic Blood." "You will aplish great things!" Zhou Yi handed over the two Beast Tablets, along with a bottle of Green Sun Pill. "Many thanks for junior uncle''s generous gift." The disciple thanked him repeatedly and went to the back hall to retrieve the beast soul tablets. He said, "Junior uncle, these soul tablets are simr to soul contracts and can be used to summon Spiritual Beasts. They can also be passed down to future generations for use as a n-defending treasure." Advancing a Spiritual Beast was difficult, consuming far more Spiritual Objects than a cultivator. Encountering those with poor aptitude, like Minister Tortoise, who ate Spirit Ginseng for hundreds of years, remained a minor Qi Refinement Realm demon. However, Spiritual Beasts had long lifespans. A Cultivation family with a Foundation Establishment Spiritual Beast could prosper for centuries. Zhou Yi nodded slightly, intending to still perform soul and Blood Covenantster, just in case the soul tablet was lost. "Exchange for another two... ten Spiritual Beast Bags!" Spiritual Beast Bags were simr to storage bags, but their crafting was moreplicated. If filled with enough Spirit Stones and food, a Spiritual Beast could survive inside for years. A cultivator could also live inside as long as they didn''t fear the defensive formations breaking and being destroyed along with the internal space. A momentter. Screech! An eagle''s cry sounded as a gold and green mixed-colored male eagle, with a wingspan over a meter, descended from the sky. It rapidly shrunk and dove into the Spiritual Beast Bag. Roar! A yellow-furred tiger with ck stripes, drooping eyes, and a white forehead galloped down the mountain, dashing up to Zhou Yi and affectionately rubbed its head against him. "Interesting." Zhou Yi leaped onto the tiger''s back, bounding forward over ten meters, heading towards Hundred Flowers Valley. ... A yearter. Zhou Yi, after inquiring from many sources, finally learned the reason behind the Heavenly Demon invasion. Xuan Xiao had not long after his Core Formation journeyed to Ji Continent, where he slew the only Golden Core disciple of the Zhen Yang Demon Venerate! The Zhen Yang Demon Venerate pursued Xuan Xiao to the border between two continents and encountered the old Wine Ancestoring for support. After losing in a fought of magic, he fled back to the Heavenly Demon Pce. Humiliated by a junior, how could a Demon Venerate endure such an insult? Hence, there was the Heavenly Demon invasion. "To be able to kill a Nascent Soul true disciple at the early stage of Core Formation, truly a son of the era!" "With Xiao Tiezhu''s fate at stake and the Zhen Yang Demon Venerate a giant of the age, neither is likely to perish easily, so the friction between the two sects will eventually turn into a great war..." Zhou Yi pondered for a long time and decided to wait in the Dan Ding Sect for ten more years. ``` Within ten years, there is no need to undertake any demonic extermination tasks outside of the sect, you''ll be naturally safe staying here, meanwhile, look for the opportunity to cultivate the Minor Cutting Heaven technique. A secret technique that consumes one''s lifespan to divine fortune and misfortune is tailor-made for Zhou Yi and worth waiting ten years for. Of course, should the opportunity still be absent after ten years, Zhou Yi ns to leave Dan Ding Sect to cultivate in seclusion until the end of the great war, then emerge again. "Participating in battle is out of the question; during a sect war, those at the Foundation Establishment are just cannon fodder, Golden Core disciples have some use, but what decides the oue is the Nascent Soul ancestors!" In the Cultivation World, mighty power belongs to the individual; the scheming and plotting of low-level cultivators are but a joke in front of the elders. In a blink of an eye, three years have passed. The number of Dan Ding Sect disciples killed by demon cultivators is increasing, and the atmosphere within the sect is bing more intense and grim, eventually breeding a sense of shared hatred against the enemy. Disciples who originally focused on quiet cultivation are now, whether influenced by the atmosphere or invited by friends, or having family killed by demonic cultivators, increasingly leaving seclusion to go out and defend the way by exterminating demons. "Is this perhaps the aura of cmity?" Zhou Yi, with the rity of an observer, understands that cultivators, though not immortals, are still human and get swept up in the general tide just the same. On this day. Scripture Hall. Zhou Yi, as usual, talks about the Lightning Method, and just as he is about to leave after finishing. Suddenly someone asks, "Teacher Sun, your mastery of the Lightning Method is unparalleled, and you often say that the Lightning Method is the utmost in rigidity and yang, the greatest bane of evil demons, why not go outside to defend the way by exterminating demons?" Upon hearing this, the disciples in the hall voice their support, curious to see how Zhou Yi will respond. Zhou Yi nces over everyone and says, "This poor Daoist does not excel in magicalbat!" Having said this, he flies out of the Dharma Lecture Hall, and a momentter returns. "This scroll contains the essence of the Lightning Method, co-authored by this poor Daoist and a good friend. The first half covers basics to proficiency, while the second half delves into depth and ultimate achievement, pointing directly to a divine realm within the Lightning Method!" Zhou Yi ces the jade slip on the lectern and disappears in a sh of light. ... "Dan Ding Sect is no longer a ce to stay, I''lle back for the Minor Cutting Heaven technique after the great war ends!" Zhou Yi goes back to Hundred Flowers Valley to pack his travel bag, then rides a beam of escaping light to the External Affairs Hall. At the entrance. Bustling and noisy, uproariously lively¡ªnot a trace remains of the usual tranquility. One person boasts about how many Demon Heads they''ve killed, another curses the evil cultivators for killing their sect brothers, brimming with righteous indignation they call on friends and march out robustly to defend the way by exterminating demons. Zhou Yi ascends to the third floor and speaks to the true person in charge of handing out tasks. "Wu brother, I''d like to undertake a demonic extermination task." "Just in time, a recently issued task has rewards far beyond the usual." Brother Wu, having receivedmands from the higher-ups, suggests, "A true person of Foundation Establishment stationed in the Marketce for ten years can exchange for one True Transmission Secret Technique. Would Brother Sun consider it?" Zhou Yi''s eyebrows rise slightly, "Any True Transmission Secret Technique?" "Of course!" Brother Wu says, "Here is a catalog jade slip; except for several sect-defending inheritances, it''s no different from what True Disciples learn." Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense sweeps over the catalog, spotting the Minor Cutting Heaven technique among the listed items. He doesn''t agree right away but looks at other demonic extermination tasks. The bounty on the ck Skull Demon Head has risen to seventy thousand merits. ording to the description, this demon has consecutively killed seven true persons from various sects, ferocious and brutal, his cultivation very likely already progressed to the realm of False Core. "A False Core cultivator can''t live past two hundred years, ck Skull is about to exceed three hundred at any time... these guys, they couldn''t all have run off, could they?" Zhou Yi looks at other Demon Heads¡ªeach has killed a significant number of true people from the sects, as if in an instant, the strength of the demonic cultivators soared, effortlessly ying cultivators of the same level. "The monkeys scatter before the tree falls!" True persons of Foundation Establishment would rather die out there than get entangled in the great sect war. And yet, Dan Ding Sect cannot coerce or block them, for aside from True Disciples, the rtionship between sect members is like that of workers and bosses¡ªunless great benefits are offered, no one is willing toy down their life. Zhou Yi ponders for a moment, then agrees, "This poor Daoist is willing to guard Daze Marketce for ten years." Brother Wu enters the task into the Identity Token, advising, "Currently, Daze Marketce is under themand of Brother Xuan Zhou, all affairs are to regard him with utmost respect." Zhou Yi''s gaze sharpens slightly, Dan Ding Sect actually granted such great authority to the Marketce for its defense. Chapter 129: Chapter 129 Cause and Effect Resolution Hermit Cave. The outer half had already changed dramatically, transformed into a pce that spread over several acres by the craftsmen of the He family. Inside the pce walls, spirit fields were neatly divided into small flower beds, nted with various exotic spiritual medicines,plemented by delicate stone pavilions and jade tforms; gone was the hardship of farming, resembling a court noble leisurely tending to flowers and nts. "They n to stay for good!" Zhou Yi gently shook his head, his escape light descending into the inner formation. Upon seeing the visitor, the Turtle Prime Minister flipped over its shell with a carp''s leap, wearing a look of worry and said, "Immortal Senior, you''ve finally returned!" "What''s happened?" Zhou Yi pped his beast-controlling bag, releasing an eagle and a tiger, both mythical beasts. Squawk! Roar! The eagle''s eyes were sharp, and the tiger''s eyes were ferocious, both looking intently at the Turtle Prime Minister, who was only about four to five feet tall. "Fellow Daoists..." The Turtle Prime Minister had a quick thought and pulled out two hundred-year spirit ginsengs, "Taste this, its vor is quite mysterious!" It wasn''t easy to cate the two mythical beasts, but once done, the Turtle Prime Minister continued to report in a low voice. "The He family''s cultivators have bullied me too much. I advised not to cause major disruptions to avoid attracting the attention of demonic cultivators. Yet, as Immortal Senior can see, they have turned the exterior into their own home, utterly forgetting that the spiritnd belongs to Immortal Senior." "It doesn''t matter. Thend of this world never truly belongs to anyone forever!" Zhou Yi didn''t care to pay attention, and instead gave an order. "I am to guard the Daze Marketce. You are in charge of taking care of the eagle and tiger beasts, extracting their essence blood daily to store, and feed them hundred-year spirit ginseng to recover their Qi-Blood!" Blood Spirit Fruit would recover Qi-Blood more quickly, but with the impending chaos in the Cultivation World, he decided to save the Blood Spirit Fruit for using the Blood Ignition Escape Technique. Currently, Dan Ding Sect Marketce was guarded with stringent surveince, resembling military control, and the Sect Protection Array likely monitored the cultivators'' caves. Zhou Yi had too many secrets and only nned to focus on cultivating his techniques in seclusion. "As youmand." The Turtle Prime Minister looked at the fierce eagle and tiger, hoping they would get ustomed to the taste. Forcing it and botching the feeding might lead to a violent bacsh. ¡­ Don''t miss out on m-vl-em-pyr He family''s pce. Zhou Yi appeared silently and watched He Dong cultivate quietly. After a while, He Dong felt a sudden panic, and hurriedly stopped the flow of his mana, opening his eyes to see someone standing close by. "Who''s there..." Realizing who it was, He Dong quickly stood up to pay his respects, "Old Master Tang, I greet you." Zhou Yi nodded, "Not bad, Qi Refinement isplete. It seems you haven''t been idle these past few years, ying demons and exorcising evil." He Dong''s heart skipped a beat, unsure of Zhou Yi''s intentions, and said vaguely, "How could I, a junior, have such abilities? The entire He family pursued evil cultivators, and the merit was exchanged for elixirs to nourish me." "Do not worry, I will not stop you from establishing your foundation." Zhou Yi said, "The tension outside is mounting; I n to go into closed-door cultivation. Remember to keep an eye on the marketce and the mortal world, and must report any news immediately!" He Dong breathed a sigh of relief and said, "I have made many friends in the market, and the He family has established roots in Daqing. Should there be any hint of trouble, we will be the first to know." Zhou Yi instructed, "Do your job well, and in twenty years, I will give you a Foundation Establishment Pill." In light and shadow, high and low, yet He Dong was unaware of Zhou Yi''s identity in the marketce. Cross-referencing information from both sides, any discrepancies would surely indicate a conspiracy. "Thank you, Old Master Tang!" Regardless of whether the promise was true or not, He Dong expressed his gratitude tearfully. Zhou Yi looked at him deeply, then returned to the formation, escaping underground and leaving the spiritnd. ¡­ Great Marsh. Qing Kingdom''s forbiddennd. Filled with poisonous miasma, a thousand miles of swamp, no ce for mortals. "Cackle cackle cackle!" A series of strangeughs echoed as a white-haired Taoist wielding a ck g was chasing a young woman. "Little niece, obediently dual cultivate with this seat and I will spare your life, or else I will make you wish you could neither live nor die!" Liu Linger clenched her silver teeth, knowing if she could persist for a few more miles, she would reach the marketce and escape this evil cultivator. "Refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!" The old Daoist clearly knew the location of Daze Marketce, as he used to farm there years ago. With his mana circting, a one-eyed, fanged ghoul leapt out of the ck banner. "Swallow her!" The ghoul, towering at over three meters tall yet light as a swallow, stepped on ck smoke and rapidly closed in on Liu Linger, its sharp ws aimed straight at her heart. Feeling a chill on her back, Liu Linger circted thest vestige of her mana, her petite body suddenly swelling by half a foot. She stopped abruptly, her fiery and vigorous qi-blood bursting forth, and spun to throw a punch at the ghoul''s skull. Roar! The ghoul let out a piercing scream as half its head turned into ck smoke and quickly fled back into the ck banner. "Useless in life, still useless as a ghost after refinement." The old Daoist cursed, yet his goal had been achieved. The Gathering Heart Nail, under the cover of the ghoul, was about to prate Liu Linger''s skull. "Heh heh heh! Such a formidable physique, she could at least be refined into an iron corpse!" After the invasion of the Heavenly Demon Sect, many heretical methods of soul extraction and corpse refining were spread, enabling rapid strength increase through ughter and blood sacrifice, much easier and quicker than honestly farming by tenfold, a hundredfold. "Eh?" A surprised voice sounded from the air, followed by a sh of spiritual light that knocked the Gathering Heart Nail away. Liu Linger, recovering from the brink of terror, looked up to see a middle-aged Daoist standing in the air without any magic artifact, and quickly bowed in salute. "Thank you, Immortal, for saving my life!" "Mm." Zhou Yi nodded slightly and looked at the white-haired elder, "Less than ten miles from the marketce, and you dare to capture people for corpse refinement. Have evil cultivators be so audacious nowadays?" "Spare my life, Immortal, I am not an evil cultivator." While speaking of mercy, the old Daoist waved his hands and released a dozen talismans that turned into a skyful of Yin Sha mist, using it as a cover to flee into the distance. Zhou Yi flicked his finger, and a sh of lightning followed. The old Daoist immediately fell to the ground. He reached out to pull over the half-dead old Daoist, ced his palm on thetter''s head, and executed the Soul Searching Technique. Having practiced the Soul Nurturing Art for two hundred years and the Spirit Condensation Art for more than thirty years, Zhou Yi''s divine sense far exceeded that of the early Foundation Establishment stage. Judging by the reach of his divine sense, seventy-odd zhang was alreadyparable to thete Foundation Establishment stage, and forcefully searching the soul of a Qi Refinement Realm cultivator was effortless. "Having been a spirit farmer for over thirty years, unwilling to be oppressed by the marketce, he ughtered his friends and his entire family to refine a soul banner and became a demonic cultivator... Humph!" The old Daoist''s soul shattered, his body convulsed a few times, and then he was silent. Liu Linger stood with her body bent, not daring to speak. A true person of the Foundation Establishment stage''s temperament was unpredictable, and any word that displeased him could easily p her to death. "What is your name? Where did you learn the Divine Bull Transformation?" After leaving Luo Water Spirit Land, Zhou Yi was flying with his escape technique, witnessing several battles between cultivators but never intervening. His action in eliminating the old Daoist was prompted first by the man''s practice of demonic arts and secondly by the girl''s practice of the Divine Bull Transformation. Liu Linger answered honestly, "In response to the elder, my name is Liu Linger. The Divine Bull Transformation is a familial cultivation technique." "A family... " Zhou Yi thought for a long time and then asked, "Tell me about your ancestors." "My ancestors were not from Qing Kingdom but from Great Yong Mausoleum Continent. A member of my n offended a powerful enemy, and we barely escaped with our lives to settle in Qing Kingdom." Liu Linger did not dare hide anything, "By relying on the familial Immortal Technique, we gradually gained a foothold in Qing Kingdom. My great-grandfather even joined the Danding Sect for cultivation. Not long ago, my uncle misassociated with a demonic cultivator, and only I escaped with my life from the massacre of hundreds in the Liu family." "That''s about right." Zhou Yi took out a bundle from his storage bag and tossed it onto the ground, "This poor Daoist shares some old ties with your family; this is what your ancestors left behind, return to rightful owner." Liu Linger opened the bundle, inside of which shone two to three hundred spirit stones. "The cause and effect have concluded." Zhou Yi sighed, driving his escape light towards Daze Marketce. From the memories of the demonic cultivator''s soul, he knew Qing Kingdom was now inplete disarray, its Royal Family controlling only a few hundred miles around the capital. The rest of the territories were rampant with rebellion. Groups of three to five Loose Cultivators could raise a g, imnd, and rebel. It wasn''t necessarily about cultivating demonic arts; most were simply hopeless in their own cultivation path and chose instead to enjoy worldly power and riches. Danding Sect treated the rebels differently, exterminating Loose Cultivators leading demons and cating those on the righteous path. Once the Heavenly Demon Sect was repelled, it would be time to settle ounts with each! Chapter 130 Changes in the Marketplace Deep within the Great Marsh. Zhou Yi activated his Identity Token outside the Marketce. A short whileter. The Formation''s mist dispersed, and two streaks of escaping light flew towards them, transforming into two Daoists, one d in purple and the other in blue. The one in the lead was a handsome young man, followed half a step behind by an elder with white hair. "Wee, Junior Brother Sun," said Xuan Zhou, "This is Huang Xu, Junior Brother Huang. A few days ago, we received a message from the sect that a Daoist friend skilled in the Lightning Method would be arriving. We have been looking forward to this moment for a long time." "Older brother is too polite. While I have devoted myself to studying the Lightning Method, I seldom engage in magical duels," Zhou Yi said, handing over his Identity Token and cupping his hands towards the elder, "I am honored to meet you, Brother Huang." Huang Xu smiled and said, "I too am somewhat proficient in the Lightning Method. I must visit you to learn from you when time permits." After exchanging a few pleasantries, Xuan Zhou verified the authenticity of the Token, opened the protective Formation, and they entered the Marketce together. Three streaks of light flew over the spiritual fields and the trading district, directly descending in the center of the Marketce. Cave Dwelling Number One. At first nce, it covered at least ten acres ofnd, situated at the very core of the Spirit Vein. There was no need for a Spirit Gathering Array; the dense Spiritual Energy naturally condensed into a mist. The spiritual mist swirled among the pavilions, towers, galleries, and kiosks, a white expanse merging into obscurity, as if an illusion. The escaping light descended in front of the main hall. As the door opened wide, inside sat six fellow Daoists. Positioned to the left and right, all were Foundation Establishment Cultivators. The people in the hall nodded to Xuan Zhou and then scrutinized Zhou Yi. The bearded Daoist on the leftughed, "I had heard from the youngsters in the n that Lecturer Sun from the Scripture Hall was unparalleled in the Lightning Method. Today, I finally have the pleasure of meeting you." Zhou Yi sped his hands together, "It is my responsibility. May I inquire about the name of this friend?" The bearded man replied, "I am but a Loose Cultivator, Mo Qu." Zhou Yi smiled, "Senior Mo Qu, I am well aware of Mo Xiaoyu, a promising disciple in the Lightning Method. My congrattions in advance, for one day, your n will have another true expert!" Even though they knew it was just a courteous remark, no one disliked hearing it, and Mo Qu''s gaze towards Zhou Yi instantly became friendlier. Zhou Yi spoke while also taking the measure of everyone in the hall; besides Mo Qu, whose aura was a notch higher, signaling a mid-stage Foundation Establishment, the rest were in the early stage. "Please take a seat, Fellow Daoist Sun." Xuan Zhou upied the chief seat. To his right was the powerful Mo Qu, and to his left was Huang Xu, clearly treating him as a confidant. Zhou Yi chose a seat at the end of the left side, next to a female Cultivator. After being introduced by Xuan Zhou, he learned that she was known as Hua Yue, a true cultivator. "Today''s gathering is to wee Junior Brother Sun," Xuan Zhou pped his hands and immediately rows of beautiful maids emerged from behind the hall, carrying jade trays, and setting out Spiritual Wine and Spirit Fruits for everyone. Zhou Yi''s gaze swept across the hall, taking in the ornate carvings and splendid grandeur: sandalwood ceilings, crystalmps, golden pirs, jade cases, emerald tes, luminous cups... Any single item ced in the mundane world would be a treasure of incalcble value. "This brother is rather extraordinary!" Zhou Yi thought to himself, casting his eyes down and cing Xuan Zhou on his list of people to be wary of. Those with extraordinary desires do extraordinary things! "For the next ten years, or perhaps even longer, we shall fight side by side to defend against the demonic forces," Xuan Zhou raised his cup and dered, "I won''t speak empty words. Here I swear to the heavens that unless my soul is scattered and destroyed, Daze Marketce shall not fall to the demonic path!" The atmosphere in the hall became slightly tense. Cultivators take care not to swear carelessly, especially such grave oaths. Everyone stationed in the Marketce is either protecting their family or their heritage, none wanting to fight to the death against the demons. If Daze Marketce falls, they would simply move on to another, and if that one falls, move on again. If the Heavenly Demon Sect truly takes over thirteen spiritualnds of Cloud Continent, one might as well join the demonic path and still live freely. Huang Xu was the first to concur, "I, Huang, am of the same mind." The rest of the true cultivators, under Xuan Zhou''s gaze, swiftly took oaths to share life and death with the Marketce, and soon it was Zhou Yi''s turn. Zhou Yi pointed to the heavens and swore, "I swear, should I dare to abandon the Marketce, may I lose two hundred years of life on the spot!" Xuan Zhou felt there was something odd but couldn''t pinpoint any fault and praised, "Junior Brother Sun is truly unique. Even when taking oaths, he''s different from ordinary people. Interesting indeed!" The atmosphere suddenly rxed as these words were spoken. Zhou Yi gained a clearer understanding of Xuan Zhou''s strength, roughly capable of taking on everyone in the hall by himself. The true transmission of the Dan Ding Sect had reached the pinnacles of Foundation Establishment. Loose Cultivators of Foundation Establishment level such as Mo Qu and Hua Yue would be defeated within three to five exchanges before him. "In the Cultivation World, it is ultimately martial strength... and the survivors are king!" While Xuan Zhou''s oath made the scene somewhat awkward, the atmosphere of the banquet warmed up again afterward, especially when a procession of dancing girls, who were all female cultivators, arrived shortly after. The red sleeves fluttered as they danced lightly veiled, appearing in the center of the hall to dance gracefully. "Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!" "Such enjoyment, Brother, makes the rest of us feel embarrassed." "Drink up, drink up!" "The dancers look familiar, aren''t they invited from the Phoenix Cry Pavilion?" "Let''s go together tomorrow!" "..." Cups clinked, and after the drunkenness dispersed, everyone went their separate ways! The cave dwelling assigned to Zhou Yi was number nine, itsnd and Spiritual Energy were no less than that of number one, and the interior decorations were simple and rustic. ... The next day. Zhou Yi concealed his aura and headed to the Marketce''s trading area. "Prices for talisman-scripted Magic Artifacts and life-saving pills have skyrocketed. The prices for cultivation resources have dropped quite a bit; after all, with the demonic cultivators'' aggressive approach, who has the time to cultivate in seclusion and practice their spells?" To Zhou Yi''s surprise, not a few stalls or even shops were selling the four arts of cultivation. Although the inheritances were more basic, Zhou Yi was not picky and bought them all as he encountered them. "Six basic pill recipes, they haven''t sold control fire or Golden Core Technique spells, still holding back some tricks!" "The ''Comprehensive Artifact Refining'', starting to make a name for itself but it''s really just a beginner''s inheritance,es with several designs for low-grade Magic Artifacts restrictions. Gathering a few more volumes of artifact refining insights might improve my Mountain and River Cauldron, advancing it to a top-tier Magic Artifact sooner!" "The Complete Collection of Intermediate Talisman Scripts, a whole five thousand Spirit Stones, bought it!" Ordinary cultivators often focus on one or two pieces ofpatible inheritance and concentrate on studying them, after all, their lifespan is limited, and a jack-of-all-trades typically masters none. Zhou Yi aspired to be a hexagon-shaped cultivator, so for him, the more arts of cultivation he learned, the better, as Spirit Stones could always be earned slowly, but inheritances, once missed, are hard toe by again. Spending Spirit Stones so freely, it wasn''t long before six or seven ordinary-looking cultivators took turns following behind him. "Finally, they bite. I was afraid you wouldn''t take the bait." Zhou Yi purchased a few bottles of Qi Nurturing Pills, suitable for early and mid-stage Qi Refinement, as well as two mid-grade Magic Artifacts. Using his newly purchased Magic Artifact, he left the Daze Marketce. An hourter. Zhou Yi came back with a solemn expression; the news he had gleaned from a Soul Search was worse than he had anticipated. Many of the Loose Cultivators in the marketce had joined the demonic path, and out of the eight tails that followed him, three were spies from the Heavenly Demon Pce. "Good thing I have the Blood Burning Escape Technique, otherwise it would be time to make a quick getaway!" In the blink of an eye. Half a year passed without any significant incidents. The Loose Cultivators in the marketce, lured by pills and inheritances, split into two factions that were at each other''s throats, either ughtering to refine demonic practices or killing Demon Heads for rewards. Zhou Yi practiced daily, pondering over the four arts of cultivation. As he delved deeper into the study of Formation, Talisman, Dan, and Weapons, he discoveredmonalities between them, which were the restriction patterns. "ording to the ssics, restriction patterns were derived by ancient powerhouses who pondered the heavenly truths, hence their usefulness in channeling Spiritual Energy between heaven and earth. The four arts of cultivation seem different, but actually, they all rte to restrictions; pill patterns, formation patterns, Magic Artifact restrictions, and even talismans are primarilyposed of restrictions!" "Once you master one art deeply, you''ll find parallels in learning the others!" Steeped in the mostplex of these arts, Formations, Zhou Yi then returned to study the other three, experiencing the sensation of solving middle school math problems with a high schooler''s knowledge. Chapter 131: Chapter 131 Black Skull Demon Head Days passed by. "A new pill was refined today, which calls for celebration." The next day. Zhou Yi left the Phoenix Cry Pavilion feeling listless, determined to purify his mind and abstain from desires. Several dayster, he sessfully forged a lower-grade flying sword and went to the Phoenix Cry Pavilion to celebrate. "Upon self-examination, my first day of abstinence from lust has passed!" Half a monthter. He had another breakthrough in the way of formations, adding the Earth Cleaving Formation to the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation after the Four Symbols Sumeru and the Great Sun Divine Fire. "With four ovepping formations, it warrants celebration!" Half a yearter. "Starting from today, I can''t go on like this anymore!" ... That day, the weather was mild and the sun was pleasant. Zhou Yi''s sess rate with medium-grade talismans increased slightly as he strolled aimlessly through the trading area with his hands sped behind his back. Whether cursed by some nemesis or driven by fate, he found himself at the Phoenix Cry Pavilion without realizing it. With the world in disarray, the business at Phoenix Cry Pavilion was also suffering. Upon seeing Zhou Yi enter, the manager approached with a face full of respectful ttery, "Master Zhu, just yesterday Miss Miaomiao was saying that it has been three days since youst visited!" "Has it been three days already? It seems my resolve has indeed improved significantly!" Zhou Yi hurriedly made his way to the second floor, to his exclusive private room, pushed the door open, and found that it was not his friend Shui Duo waiting inside. d in red gauze, the real person Hua Yue was drinking wine, reclining on a soft couch with her skin smooth asrd, her voice faint and distant, "Had I not identally stumbled upon this, who would have known that the ascetically renowned Brother Sun had such tastes?" In the marketce, Zhou Yi was not employing the Transforming Shape Form but rather amon Art of Transformation, which could only deceive cultivators at the Qi Refinement Realm, not those with Divine Sense. "The way of cultivation requires a bnce between rxation and tension!" "Hehehe." Hua Yue covered her mouth with a lightugh, slowly stood up revealing her ample bosom without reservation, "I have run the Phoenix Cry Pavilion for quite a while but have never before encountered such an interesting cultivator. Would you care to sit down and discuss the Dao?" Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense was sharp, sensing the subtle fluctuations of spells and slightly lowered his eyes. "Too old! I prefer the younger ones¡­" "What?" Hua Yue''s eyebrows shot up in indignation, and even a woman over a hundred and fifty years old, no matter how profound her state of mind, couldn''t bear to hear the word ''old''. "I bid you farewell." Zhou Yi wasn''t truly put off by Hua Yue''s age ¨C such a woman would surely cause a disaster with her beauty in the mortal world ¨C but he dared not indulge in free games where the real pitfall was in the added charges without limit. Before his words had ended, he had already transformed into a streak of escaping light. "Since starting my cultivation journey, I have fled no more than a handful of times, and among them, two were from the Phoenix Cry Pavilion!" ... Hua Yue''s angry expression quickly vanished, and she flickered into a red mist that dissipated. On the third floor of Phoenix Cry Pavilion, there was a secret room filled with prohibitions. Six Foundation Establishment cultivators gathered together, including Xuan Zhou''s confidant Huang Xu, all waiting with their eyes closed. A wisp of pink mist drifted in, coalescing into the form of Hua Yue, who said coldly, "The attempt to win him over failed, the one named Sun was unmoved." "Could he report this to Xuan Zhou?" Huang Xu voiced his worry, "Xuan Zhou is suspicious and ruthless by nature. Once he suspects us, he might not confront us directly, but he would surely secretly capture one of us for a Soul Search." Hua Yue replied, "Xuan Zhou knows that I primarily practice the Dual Cultivation method and have done it with him a few times. He should not suspect anything." A hint of jealousy shed in Huang Xu''s eyes, and he said, "Since he is not amenable to reason, shall we get rid of this thorn first?" Mo Qu frowned slightly, "The man is like a tortoise, never leaving the marketce by half a step and always changing his appearance for Dual Cultivation. If it wasn''t for Daoist Hua Yue taking over Phoenix Cry Pavilion and discovering this by chance, we wouldn''t even know about this weakness!" Another cultivator added, "Having one more of him around doesn''t make a difference. When the timees, Daoist Luo and I can join forces to eliminate him." "That would be for the best." "I''ve inquired with the Dan Ding Sect, and those who are merely four or five years into their Foundation Establishment don''t even own a top-grade Magic Artifact," he said. "So what if his Lightning Method is exquisite, abined sneak attack will either kill him or leave him seriously injured!" The seven of them discussed the details further, executed the Art of Transformation, concealed their auras, and blended into the marketce to leave. ... The following day. Xuan Zhou called together all the Foundation Establishment cultivators to the first cave dwelling for a meeting. "I received news a few days ago that the Heavenly Demon Pce''s demons are hiding in the imperial pce, nning to perform a Blood Sacrifice on the citizens of the capital city to refine a demonic treasure!" Zhou Yi furrowed his brows slightly and nced at Hua Yue. Hua Yue''s face showed a horrified expression as she said, "Senior Brother, such brutal acts must be reported for assistance without dy. We cannot let the demons seed, or else it''ll be a significant loss of face for our sect, and both the Loose Cultivators and mortals will be panic-stricken." "I have already reported it to headquarters, but it was discovered toote to provide support!" Xuan Zhou shook his head and said, "Daqing Capital City has a poption of a million, and we, as righteous cultivators, cannot just watch them fall into the hands of the Demon Head!" The real persons in the hall looked at each other, some gazing down at their wine cups, others looking up at the beams, none willing tomit. This was an overt scheme. If the Great Marsh Marketce doesn''t go to help, the Dan Ding Sect will lose face. To help is to walk into a trap where they''ll be locked in with a ''close the door and beat the dog'' Formation and Prohibition. Zhou Yi''s eyes were lowered, resolute in not taking the risk, preferring to escape midway and forsake a piece of the heavenly arts. Xuan Zhou said, "Fellow Daoists, I have already asked our sect, and the reward for this act of saving the capital city from peril is substantial enough to exchange for a spot as a True Disciple!" Zhou Yi''s eyebrows rose, recognizing that such a reward was indeed generous. Being a True Disciple allowed one not only to practice the Sect-Defending inheritances, but their progeny for three generations could also enter the Dan Ding Sect to cultivate¡ªa legacy from their ancestors. Huang Xu was old and was tempted upon hearing this, saying, "I am willing to assist Senior Brother in exterminating demons." Xuan Zhou nodded slightly, approvingly toward Huang Xu. Once someone took the lead in agreeing, the rest, Zhou Yi included, gradually nodded in assent. "Good! There''s no time to lose, let us head to the capital city now to exorcise the demons." Having said that, Xuan Zhou transformed into a streak of escape light and flew towards the north. Hua Yue, Mo Qu, and others exchanged covert looks, gleams of joy flickering in their eyes, before they turned into escape light and chased after Xuan Zhou. Zhou Yi felt something was amiss about the whole affair, but, having already decided to leave, he followed at a leisurely pace without rush or dy. ... Daqing''s Capital Cityy north of the marketce. Nine streaks of escape light soared across the sky; Zhou Yi pretended to be unskilled in the Escape Skill, allowing the distance between him and those ahead to slowly increase by a hundred zhang. Having flown a hundred li beyond the marketce, and judging that the time seemed right, Zhou Yi was about to change directions to escape. Boom! A p of thunder rang out as dark clouds converged overhead, bringing gusts of cold winds. Seven Long Banners appeared out of nowhere, utterly ck, their surfaces embroidered with countless fierce and vicious specters, their tails fluttering in the wind. "A Formation? The demonic cultivators really don''t y by the rules!" Zhou Yi cursed under his breath, spat out essence blood, and his entire being turned into a faint blood shadow, instantly darting three to four hundred zhang away, nearly escaping the Formation''s confines. "Hehehe... Hm? How dare you!" The startled Demon Head, initially ready with vicious remarks, abruptly stopped, clutched a spell in his hand, and billowing ck smoke rose up to narrowly block the path of the blood shadow. The Long Banners shifted their positions, as boundless demonic Qi descended from the sky and enveloped everything above and below the earth, isting the inside of the Formation from the outside. The Demon Head let out a couple of strangeughs, his eyes were actually formed of green mes. "Just a mere early-stage Foundation Establishment, and you think you can escape my grand Formation? Submit to the demonic souls quietly, and you might suffer less pain!" Zhou Yi''s breath was weak, hisplexion pale as if severely depleted of Qi-Blood, sweeping his gaze over the people within the Formation and flickering tond beside Xuan Zhou. Xuan Zhou scrutinized the ck banner momentarily, then coldly said, "Xuanyin Soul Gathering Banner! Are you a demon from the Ghost King Sect?" "Not bad, you''ve got some insight!" The ck Skull materialized from the demonic clouds, the upper half of his body taking a humanoid form, while the lower half remained as a void of ck mist: "I am ck Skull, a True Disciple of the Ghost King Sect. Today, I will y a True Disciple of the Dan Ding Sect and raise the renown of our demons!" The Yin Sha demonic Qi surged violently, even stronger than Xuan Zhou''s presence, clearly a Pseudo-Pill Realm Demon Head, only a step away from bing a True Monarch. "Half-man, half-ghost, you''re nothing but an outcast whose path is severed!" Xuan Zhou spat out a golden pagoda, which hung above his head, emitting divine light that barred the demonic wind and Qi from entering. "You cunning scoundrel, you pretend to walk into a trap, but in reality, you signal your sect members to gather in the capital, hoping to outnumber and ambush me." ck Skull let out a sly, gloatingugh, a glint of triumph sparkling in his soul-fire eyes. "Little did you know, I''m a step ahead, havingid down a Formation en route, just waiting for you to walk into my trap!" Chapter 132 Blood Burning Escape Technique Hua Yue and the others, upon hearing the words, had their expressions dramatically change, realizing they had already been exposed, and transformed into escape lights scattering in all directions to flee. "Hmph! A bunch of trash, daring to betray the sect." Xuan Zhou''s escape technique was even faster, catching up with Hua Yue in an instant, waving his hand to cast over a dozen golden light long spears. "Zhou Lang, spare my life, this concubine had no choice." Hua Yue begged for mercy repeatedly, her body shing with spiritual light, activating several protective magic artifacts. As both were Foundation Establishment true cultivators, in a battle of spells, she could notpete with Xuan Zhou, but she was somewhat confident she could hold her defenses for a short while. Xuan Zhou formed a spell with his hands, his voice cold and cruel, "Explode!" Hua Yue felt her mana within be chaotic, and for a moment, her protective spells and the spiritual light of her magic artifacts dimmed, watching helplessly as the golden spears tore her flesh to pieces. A semi-ethereal, semi-solid soul emerged from the corpse, bitterly questioning, "When did you ce the prohibition on me!" "During our Dual Cultivation!" Xuan Zhou waved his hand, a golden light threatening to tear the soul apart. "Such an unromantic fellow!" Hei Ku chuckled, "Such a beautiful face deserves to be refined into the Xuanyin Banner, to be yed with at any time in the future." The Xuanyin Banner swayed slightly, emitting a terrifying suction, Hua Yue''s soul unable to resist as it fell into the banner, and within moments, turned into a pattern of a voluptuous and enchanting female ghost. In the time it had taken Xuan Zhou to kill Hua Yue, the other six people had already run far, each falling under a pole of the Xuanyin Banner. "Kill!" Hei Ku, holding the main banner, stimted the formation and prohibition, summoning from the banner a fierce and terrible ghost soul, its strength on par with theter stages of Foundation Establishment. Mo Qu and the others, hearing the order, infused mana into the Xuanyin Banners, with each banner condensing a fierce ghost soul. As Xuan Zhou faced the seven ghost souls of theter stages of Foundation Establishment, he casually cast various metal spells, symbols stacking upon each other as they were thrown out, and his protective spiritual light flickered ceaselessly. In a few breaths'' time, two of the ghost souls were sted to pieces, turning into wisps of ck smoke that dissipated and entered their respective Xuanyin Banners. In the blink of an eye, they leaped out from the banners, revived as vigorous as ever, ferociously lunging at him again. Zhou Yi dodged left and right, always narrowly avoiding the assaults of the ghost souls, looking like he was struggling at death''s door. Perhaps because he was on hisst breath, or maybe because his strength was too low, after several unsessful attacks by the ghost souls, they were directed by the formation to kill Xuan Zhou. Having observed for a long time, Zhou Yi finally found the weakest point of the Xuanyin Formation and immediately sent a voice transmission. "Senior Brother, save your strength! These ghost souls are not true ghostly entities, they are condensed by the formation and prohibition; as long as the person at the main formation has unending mana, they are immortal. The weak point of the formation is at the southeast corner, let''s break through it together!" "We strike together after three breaths!" Even as a True Disciple, Xuan Zhou, having killed forty to fifty Foundation ghost souls and showing signs of weariness, agreed immediately upon hearing the transmission. He went all out to activate the top-tier magic artifact, the Nine-Layered Golden Stupa, which blown by the wind, grew over a dozen zhang in height, mming into the northeast corner of the formation. "Break!" At the same time. Zhou Yi scattered five Qianyang Lifire Beads, bombarding the northwest corner of the formation, the supreme Lifire burning away all the yin and demonic qi. Bang! A massive sound urred almost at the same time, the Xuanyin Soul Gathering Formation cracked open in two ces, and Zhou Yi and Xuan Zhou turned into streaks of light. "Excellent magic artifact! What a cunning mind!" Hei Ku had anticipated this, and from his storage bag, a red gourd flew out, spewing out a mass of blood water in front of Xuan Zhou. Xuan Zhou''s escape light touched the blood water, the fishy and viscous liquid clinging on like incurable mange, and he watched as the formation gap closed in an instant, helpless as he was once again enveloped in the ughter of the ghost souls. Meanwhile, Zhou Yi took the opportunity to escape the Xuanyin Soul Gathering Formation, turning into a line of blood that disappeared into the sky. "A mere Foundation Establishment early stage, if I let you escape, wouldn''t I be theughing stock?" Hei Ku passed the Blood River Gourd to Mo Qu to operate, instructing, "I shall return shortly. Once we drain that fellow of his mana, don''t forget to devour his soul and refine his spirit to enhance the power of the Xuanyin Banner!" "As youmand." Mo Qu stood ready, prepared to activate the gourd at any time to block Xuan Zhou. ... Ten or so miles away. Zhou Yi stopped his escape light with a somber expression, his Divine Sense scanning his dantian, where strands of ghost qi were winding around. Ordinarily, mana washing repeatedly over several months would be able to dissipate the ghostly qipletely, but the ckbone was tracking him using that ghostly qi, Zhou Yi simply didn''t have the time to erase the mark. "Can''t return to Daze Marketce, it''s been taken over, nine times out of ten. Relying solely on the Blood Burning Escape Technique, even if I take the Blood Spirit Fruit to replenish, I still can''t make it to the nearest marketce!" "If I keep running, I''ll surely die of blood depletion!" A fierce light shed through Zhou Yi''s eyes. He decided to save the Blood Spirit Fruit for now, if a strike failed, he would then escape back to the Luo Water Spirit Land, using the Formation and Prohibition to save his life. The extreme speed of the Blood Burning Escape Technique allowed Zhou Yi to move freely. Before exhausting the Blood Spirit Fruit, he was not afraid of the ckbone. After escaping another dozen miles, the bloody escape light suddenly stalled, and Zhou Yi fell to the ground, crumbling like a kite with its string cut. A momentter. The ckbone caught up, the gloomy cloud hung mid-air and condensed into a humanoid shape, its gaze sweeping over the near-death Zhou Yi. "You actually have the nerve to burn your own essence blood and lifespan, fortunately, I was prepared. You can be so cruel to yourself, I can''t leave you alive!" "Senior, spare my life, I can practice alchemy!" Zhou Yi took out a pill bottle from his storage bag, and due to burning too much qi-blood, his arm shakily dropped the pill bottle, spilling five or six Foundation Establishment Pills out. The ckbone''s face lit up with pleasure, waving his hand to capture the Foundation Establishment Pills. At this moment. Zhou Yi spat out a treasure mirror, with Blood Spirit Fruit transforming into surging qi-blood, heunched the Blood Burning Escape Technique at the ckbone. "ying tricks in front of me, the audacity..." The ckbone sneered mockingly, as if he had anticipated this, about to mobilize his yin qi to cast a spell. The Soul-Calming Mirror emitted a silver-white divine light, momentarily freezing the half-human, half-ghostly Soul Body in mid-air. At the same time, Zhou Yi closed in on the ckbone using the blood escape, stuffing five Qianyang Fire Beads into his mouth. Boom! mes soared into the sky, like a huge firework, the ckbone''s scream didn''t even have a chance to escape before it was utterly annihted. A real man never looks back at the explosion, Zhou Yi had already flown scores of feet away with the escape light. ... Half a monthter. The Dan Ding Sect. External Affairs Hall. Brother Wu''s eyes bulged when he saw Zhou Yi: "Junior Brother Sun, you didn''t perish along with the ckbone?" Zhou Yi replied, "By luck, I managed to cling to life." The oue of the battle for Qing Kingdom had reached them first. The disciples lying in ambush in the capital waited in vain, the True Disciple Xuan Zhou died inbat, Sun Xing and the ckbone perished together, and the Ghost King Sect took over Daze Marketce. The Ghost King Sect had nted spies in the Dan Ding Sect; clearly, the Dan Ding Sect also had agents infiltrated in the Ghost King Sect. "Junior Brother Sun is truly formidable!" Wu Shuo stood up and handed over a jade slip, saying, "Please, brother, record the process. It will bepiled into a dossier in the future, so our fellow sect members can learn from it when encountering simr situations." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, describing the process with seven parts truth and three parts fabrication, attributing the killing of the ckbone entirely to luck. Wu Shuo said, "Brother, because the ckbone killed a True Disciple and breached the marketce, the current bounty is as high as 330,000 merits, which has been deposited into your token and is avable for use at any time." Zhou Yi asked, "Does that mean the garrison mission is consideredplete?" "Please wait, brother, I will ask the Sect Leader''s permission." Wu Shuo did not dare decide on his own, the mission was a failure due to the marketce''s fall, but Zhou Yi''s killing of the ckbone might win him the sect''s favor. The messaging jade slip flew out and quickly returned. After checking its contents, Wu Shuo thought, as expected. "The Sect Leader praises your bravery and wisdom and has granted you the choice of one True Transmission Secret Technique." Zhou Yi immediately said, "I choose the Minor Severs the Heavens Technique." He had been caught unawares by the formations set up by the ckbone this time, and practicing the Minor Severs the Heavens Technique for the future would enable him to divine auspices before leaving home, ensuring he wouldn''t fall into traps again. Zhou Yi went to exchange for more Cultivation Techniques, a full 320,000 merits, which could select dozens of inheritances. Responsible for this matter, Zhuang Zhenren reminded, "Brother, you can consider an upgrade to True Disciple status first, then exchange for the official disciple''s Cultivation Techniques, receiving a fifty percent discount." Zhou Yi shook his head slightly, his Divine Sense swiftly scanning the catalogue, he redeemed all of the Foundation Establishment Stage Lightning Methods. Chapter 133: Chapter 133 Minor Sky-Severing Technique Several monthster. Read further on m_vl em,pyr Hundred Flowers Valley. After repeated efforts to wear it down, the Ghost Qi Mark finally dissipated, If a disciple of the Dan Ding Sect received a simr tracking mark, they could request a True Monarch to remove it¡ªsafe, quick, and risk-free; however, the infusion of mana could likely detect the abnormalities in Zhou Yi''s body. Despite being nearly four hundred years old, his vitality was indistinguishable from that of an eighteen-year-old! And without a Spirit Root, his cultivation had reached the Foundation Establishment Stage! "A True Monarch might casually remove the mark, but it''s still too risky," Zhou Yi took out a Cultivation Technique jade slip that contained various Lightning Methods. There were ten variations of the Five Elements Thunder Art; beyond the Five Elements were three, and four variations of Side-Branch Thunder Art, costing a total of 270,000 merit points. "If it weren''t for the ck Skull Demon Head, just to inherit these Lightning Methods would have taken who knows how long to umte. Yet I must not take any more risks; in the turmoil of war, luck will not always be on my side for a counter kill!" Zhou Yi pinched out a spell with his hands, and a stream of Yin Thunder from the Water Thunder Technique sted forward. As it neared the wall, it sharply turned, zipped out of the room, and fell in the Hundred Flowers Valley. "After the second turn of the Spirit Refining Technique, my mana is one-tenth richer; I can now control the direction of Thunder Art, another step closer to coalescing and mastering it! The gap in talent between people is truly vast. Brother Jiang controlled it in ten years, but it took me a hundred years just to be able to change its direction!" "Fortunately, no spell can withstand the test of time!" Creating a new Cultivation Technique might require inspiration or an epiphany, while practicing is a step-by-step process. Even if growth slows down the further one progresses, there will ultimately be a day when one reaches the summit and attains the realm where spells be divine. "At that time, will I also be able to kill a cultivator in thete Foundation Establishment stage with three to five rounds of Thunder Art?" Zhou Yi, satisfied, put away the Lightning Method jade slip and took out another jade slip, which contained the Minor Divination Technique. "The workings of heaven involve the five phases and six energies, the principles of all things... The sages align with the earth and serve the heavens, observe the times to use talismans, and respond to circumstances to handle affairs, thus theymand life and death, secure sess in their endeavors... They see the paths to sess and failure, understand the mechanisms of life and death..." Over the past several months, Zhou Yi had read the Minor Divination Technique daily and had be extremely familiar with it. "Using talismans to divine, to see into the workings of heaven, grasping a thread of vitality!" Talismans here do not solely refer to magical charms; tortoise shells, the Zhou Yi,passes, straw divination tubes, and more can all be used for divination. Using the Minor Divination Technique, depending on the proximity of the matter divined, will consume his own lifespan, ultimately peering into the workings of heaven to seek auspiciousness and avoid misfortune, thus spared from cmity. "To divine for one day consumes one year of life, for ten days ten years, for a hundred days a hundred years... No wonder they say this spell is of little value; even if one masters it, they would only use it to divine auspiciousness and misfortune when necessary!" "Such a life-shortening method, nobody can afford to use it unless it''s a matter of life and death!" "Looking at it from another perspective, the Minor Divination Technique seems like an equivalent sacrifice, trading lifespan to grasp the workings of heaven, seeking auspiciousness and avoiding misfortune to prolong life..." "Gain and loss, one sip and one peck, it seems in the end there''s no real benefit?" Zhou Yi clicked his tongue in amazement, unsure of the creator''s purpose behind the Minor Divination Technique, or perhaps the spell was so iplete that it required consuming so much lifespan. "Let''s try a divination!" He took a divination straw tube from his storage bag, made of ordinary sandalwood, containing eighty-one jade divination sticks. Gently shaking it, he channeled his mana ording to the Minor Divination Technique, infusing a year of lifespan into the tube. Rustle rustle! Rustle rustle... The divination sticks ttered. After a moment, one fell to the ground, stable and unchanging. "An even draw¡ªa day of peace and safety!" Zhou Yi''s face showed a hint of joy; not seeking a surge in fortune, stability and peace were best for him. "Let''s ask for ten days." Spending ten years of lifespan, the divination sticks fell to the ground again unchanged. "Fortune within a hundred days." Zhou Yi cast the spell for the third time, his body aged slightly but then returned to its original state. A divination stick fell to the ground and, with a snap, broke into three pieces. "A lower-degree draw? Is this a sign of impending bloodshed!" All divination sticks were nk and without words; their fortune was determined by how theynded when thrown. The best omen was indicated by the emergence of mysterious spirit patterns on the stick, a good omen meant everything was favorable, an average omen showed no change, a poor omen meant the stick was broken in two, and the worst omen, signifying a great disaster¡ªan omen of bloodshed¡ªwas when the stick broke into three pieces. A sign of great misfortune, a disaster of bloodshed! "Within a hundred days there will be a deadly tribtion. ording to my original n, I should be in seclusion at Dan Ding Sect, quietly cultivating for a decade or more..." "Dan Ding Sect has the treasure that is the backbone of their power, the Divine Fire Fan, under which all things perish. Evil demons and heterodox paths will not be able to breach the Sect in a short time. Therefore, the danger muste from within; perhaps a Golden Elixir True Monarch? Or a Nascent Soul Ancestor?" "I have been low-key and cautious within the sect, not fighting for power orpeting for credit. The only thing worth noting is killing the ck Skull Demon Head." "Perhaps it was this matter that caught a True Monarch''s attention and led to the discovery of something unusual about me?" "Of course, it''s also possible that a meteor fell from the sky, wiping out the Dan Ding Sect..." Zhou Yi pondered for a moment, then transformed into a beam of light and flew towards the External Affairs Hall. Divination shows that the situation will be stable for the next ten days, but Zhou Yi is unwilling to just wait passively, lest some other idents ur. The Minor Divination Technique is not omnipotent; it is inherently a way to glimpse the vague designs of fate, susceptible to influence by the power behind the tribtion. The oue bes increasingly unclear, even leading to chaos in the divine will and erroneous divinations. Those who cultivate are going with or against the heavenly path; a whim or a fleeting thought from a Nascent Soul Ancestor can align with or disrupt the divine will. "The Cultivation World is truly fraught with peril; without sufficient strength, one is destined to meet an untimely demise!" Zhou Yi''s cultivation had barely spanned over three hundred years, and during that time, he had faced death threats three times overtly, not to mention the countless ones he had eluded in secret. Stretching time to a thousand, even ten thousand years, the journey could only be described as thorny and filled with crises at every turn. ... One monthter. The Sect Leader of Dan Ding Sect, Dan Yangzi, emerged from his closed-door cultivation, having made strides in his mana. "I heard a few days ago that a disciple in the early stage of Foundation Establishment killed a pseudo-Golden Core, showing quite the spirit I had back in the days. I will take a look at his aptitude, and if it''s decent, I will ept him as an Inner Chamber Disciple!" Dan Yangzi took out a scroll of yellow silk, his thoughts stirring slightly. The name Sun Xing appeared on the surface of the yellow silk, followed by rows of text detailing his cultivation history and contribution to the sect. "Calm in the face of a great catastrophe, not angered by a disciple''s questioning, instead leaving behind a scripture of the essence of Lightning Method to aid the disciple in eliminating demons and defending the path!" "Interesting, very interesting!" "With such a temperament, even with a Quad Spirit Root, there is still the possibility of Core Formation. He should rightfully be my disciple!" Dan Yangzi became increasingly interested in Sun Xing, his steps generating clouds, as he ascended into the sky. The flying technique of a True Monarch was profound and exceptional, instantly traversing hundreds of miles, with clouds descending into Hundred Flowers Valley. Dan Yangzi swept the area with his Divine Sense and found the cave dwelling empty. "Out and not at home?" After waiting for most of the day and as night fell, there was still no sign of Sun Xing''s return. Dan Yangzi''s brows furrowed slightly, and a message via a jade slip flew into the External Affairs Hall, inquiring whether Wu Shuo knew of Sun Xing''s whereabouts. A few momentster. The jade slip replied: Sun Xing had taken on a mission to exterminate demons and had left over a month ago. Due to theziness and slothfulness of the disciples in the External Affairs Hall, this matter had not been recorded in the sect''s archives. "I will wait for his return before taking him as a disciple." Dan Yangzi flew away on his cloud, never imagining that he would not see him again even when his lifespan came to an end. ... Meanwhile. Zhou Yi had also taken on a mission to exterminate demons and was returning to Luo Shui on his flying light. After casting the Minor Divination Technique again, he saw that the hundred days ahead would be smooth and stable, indicating that he had already passed the disaster of bloodshed. "It really dide from inside the Dan Ding Sect." Zhou Yi entered the spiritual cave and secretly observed the He family cultivators for several days, but did not detect anything unusual. The Qing Kingdom in Cloud Continent had be a stronghold for the Ghost King Sect, continuously shing with the disciples of the Dan Ding Sect. With the main force of the fighting no longer the Loose Cultivators, the He family cultivators hid in the spiritual cave, afraid to go out lest they be cannon fodder for both sides. Chapter 134 Relying on Others Power Like a Turtle Inner Formation. Two simple stone cottages, a medicinal field spanning four to five acres, all in and unadorned. In the small square in front of the stone cottages, Chancellor Turtle was imploring the eagle and tiger beasts to eat more century-old Spirit Ginseng so as not tock in vital essence replenishment. "Golden Lord, just take a bite!" "ck Lord, let''s stew the Spirit Ginseng in meat porridge, give it a taste!" The body of the eagle demon was mostly golden yellow, and it nced at Chancellor Turtle with cold eyes, finding it extremely noisy; with a sweep of its wings, it knocked the turtle to the ground. The tiger demon''s body was pitch ck without a single other color. Seeing Chancellor Turtle upside down, it yfully flicked him. The turtle shell spun rapidly and only after a long while did it slowlye to a stop. Chancellor Turtle''s mung bean eyes were still spinning, and his consciousness was on the verge of copse. "You are such a waste, having eaten century-old Spirit Ginseng for so long, and now your cultivation is about to be surpassed by the eagle and the tiger." Zhou Yi manifested his form and kicked Chancellor Turtle back up right. "Immortal, you''re finally back. They..." Chancellor Turtle was about to tattle, but sensing the murderous intent, he quickly changed his tune, "My talent may becking, but I have a long life span. I can easily live for a thousand to eight hundred years. In the future, I will surely be a Demon King!" "Not bad." Zhou Yi nodded in approval. When he first took in Chancellor Turtle, it was because he saw potential in it. Beings like the yellow ox, golden eagle, and ck tiger all possessed heterogeneous bloodlines. As their bloodlines manifested and transformed, their strength grew far beyond ordinary demonic races, simr to human cultivators with Heavenly Spiritual Roots or Exotic Spirit Roots. Chancellor Turtle, on the other hand, was the mostmon of demonic beasts, who by sheer luck, consumed Spirit Grass and gained intelligence. Cultivation was difficult and slow. Previously dominated by the snake demon and now oppressed by the eagle and tiger, it was like a wild grass among Loose Cultivators. Zhou Yi looked at the eagle and tiger demons: "While I am in secluded cultivation, vital essence must not be interrupted, or else I will drain you dry and rece you with another spiritual beast." Squawk! Roar! The golden eagle nodded repeatedly, while the ck tigery on the ground, with itsrge feline head trying to squeeze out a smile. Subsequently. Zhou Yi collected the stored vital essence and descended a hundred zhang below the surface of the Spirit Land to carve out a stone chamber for secluded cultivation. "Cultivating the Eagle Transformation while dispersing my Mana, I''ll further increase my escape speed. Coupled with the Blood Burning Escape Technique, even a Golden Elixir True Monarch won''t be able to do anything!" For Zhou Yi''s first Foundation Establishment, he used twelve Foundation Establishment Pills. After that, he used ten, then seven, and then four for subsequent Foundation Establishments. This was due to the Spirit Refinement Art, Spirit Condensation Art, and cultivation experience, but more so it was the transformation of Mana. After rebuilding his cultivation, his Mana became more condensed, making it easier to transform Qi into liquid, naturally facilitating Foundation Establishment. "The annals state that those with Heavenly Spiritual Roots have no bottleneck before Core Formation, with Qi Refinementpletion naturally coalescing a Dao foundation. During Core Formation, they also have a thirty percent higher chancepared to others, which is why they are valued by sects!" A Golden Elixir True Monarch is a pir of the sect, not to bepared with a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator. It is rumored that the Dan Ding Sect has more than ten disciples with Heavenly Spiritual Roots, who have always been in secluded cultivation at Divine Fire Peak, taught and enlightened by the old ancestor, never participating in minor or majorpetitions. "Core Formation is difficult. A self-established foundation adds a thirty percent chance¡ªI must not miss it." If Zhou Yi wasn''t one hundred percent sure of Core Formation, he would rather be trapped in the Foundation Establishment Stage forever, thus every added possibility was incredibly precious to him. The first thing to do in seclusion. Sacrifice a hundred years of lifespan, divine the fortunes for a hundred days, all steady and stable. ... Find the next installment on m-vl-em|p-yr Twenty yearster. The foundations of the Dao finally dissipated naturally, and Zhou Yi dispersed his Mana, returning to the cultivation of the Earth Element Art in the Spirit Land. ... In the blink of an eye, thirty years had passed. The He family pce. He Dong was very old, sitting on a Taishi Chair sipping tea. In the hall, ten cultivators sat to the left and right. The He family had been extremely fortunate over the years, with seven individuals with Spirit Roots appearing in the worldly realm. "Uncle Dong, it has been forty years already. Do we continue to wait?" He Zheng had be a middle-aged uncle; after decades of secluded cultivation, he was one of the only two Qi Refinementte-stage masters in the n. "How long has it been? Not even forty years yet." He Dong''s movements were smooth and natural. In the mundane world, he could be considered a master of tea ceremony: "With a lifespan of two hundred years at the Foundation Establishment Stage, it''s not easy to exhaust it; one must be patient." "The very fact that he did not join the Dan Ding Sect suggests that he had mediocre qualifications and only broke through to Foundation Establishment by fluke." He Zheng analyzed, "Therefore, we can infer that his Spirit Root might be of third or fourth grade. Considering his aged appearance, it must have taken him three to four hundred years to establish his foundation. Having been missing for thirty years, it''s very likely that he has passed away." "That''s just a possibility! Besides, the so-called inferior Spirit Root is nothing but spection." He Dong said gravely, "Old Tang has allowed us to reside in the spiritnd, which is an immense favor. You should be well aware of the hardships Loose Cultivators outside are going through, right?" The Dan Ding Sect alone faced both the Heavenly Demon Sect and the Ghost King Sect, and after thirty years, the conflict had be intense. With arge number of Foundation Establishment real people entering the battle, disciples in the Qi Refinement Realm followed the path of Loose Cultivators, bing cannon fodder in magical duels and fights. Every so often, True Disciples would fall. Loose Cultivators hiding in the mundane world, no matter how well they concealed their auras, were as conspicuous as lights in the dark night when Divine Sense swept over¡ªmana and Spiritual Energy fluctuations gave them away. The Demon path cultists captured Loose Cultivators to sacrifice them in secret techniques for their treasures, while the Righteous path cultivators used the excuse of disturbing the mundane world and Demon path spies to take action. The real swordfight had not yet started, and both sides tacitly eliminated hidden dangers. That the He family had managed to maintain and increase the number of cultivators in the n in such an environment could only be attributed to how well-hidden the Luo Water Spirit Land was. "Uncle Dong''s lesson is well taken." He Zheng said helplessly, "Now that there are more cultivators in the n, we need more Spirit Rice and Spiritual Medicine. Old Tang upies most of the spiritnd and can''t use it all up. We''re willing to pay rent at the Dan Ding Sect''s rate, wouldn''t that be beneficial for both parties?" "You make a good point." After mulling it over for a moment, He Dong said, "Go ask Senior Turtle if we can rent two acres of spirit farnd. If he doesn''t allow it, let it be, and remember to be courteous." He Zheng took the order with a bow; he was not foolish and would not dare to offend a Foundation Establishment real person. "Don''t worry, Uncle Dong." ... Outside the Formation. He Zheng sent out a message via jade slip and waited for a full hour, nearly losing his patience. Only then did Senior Turtle emerge from the Formation, his face dark as thunder, his brows furrowed with anger, his shell even marked with gridlines of nine vertical and ten horizontal lines, he angrily asked. "What is it?" He Zheng, puzzled, still said with a smile, "Junior hase to discuss with Senior Turtle the possibility of renting two acres of spirit farnd?" "No!" Senior Turtle refused outright and turned to leave. He Zheng hurriedly intervened, saying, "The He family is willing to pay the rent at the Dan Ding Sect''s rates. Wouldn''t Old Tang earn Spirit Stones for nothing then?" "For nothing?" Senior Turtle gave him a sidelong nce, "The spirit farnd out here all belongs to the Immortal Master. If you want to rent again, pay the back rent first." "Senior Turtle''s reprimand is noted." He Zheng quickly apologized with a smile and dared not block the way any longer. ... Back at the pce. He Zheng returned with a grim expression and reported the incident to He Dong. He did not embellish the report, detailing it word for word. When they heard "pay the back rent," the cultivators of the He family instantly erupted. "That damn turtle is really something, how could he do that?" "I heard he''s been cultivating for over two hundred years and is still in the Qi Refinement Realm, even a pig would have turned into a great demon by now." "That turtle is abusing his power!" "We have been tending these spirit fields for two generations now!" "..." After the Ghost King Sect seized the Daze Marketce, ny percent of the spiritual objects for the He family cultivators came from the spirit fields. Even so, it was barely enough to support eleven cultivators; they couldn''t afford to pay the rent if they wanted to have enough for cultivation! When ites to the path of cultivation, Senior Turtle became the damned turtle! "Cough, cough!" He Dong coughed twice, leisurely savoring his tea. "What''s the rush, everyone? Old Tang has no n members out there, nor has he taken on any disciples. After a hundred years, won''t this spiritnd be ours anyway?" Chapter 135 Self Foundation Establishment He Dong was now one hundred and twenty years old, having witnessed the vicissitudes of life. As a youth, his ancestor He Laozu was still alive, and Qingfeng Mountain''s formidable reputation was such that even the Royal Family of Jing Kingdom had to respectfully address He Zheng as an immortal master. In his middle age, the family''s fortune declined, their ancestralnd was destroyed, and he wandered in foreignnds, experiencing hardship. Now, the He family was gradually prospering, rising against the current in these troubled times. "Reflecting on these past hundred years, I''vee to understand the mighty force of time, capable of erasing all disparities. I''ve seen many talented individuals in my youth whom I couldn''tpare with; now, there are hardly any of them left alive." He Dong said, "Just like this cave residence, we can''t provoke Tang Lao, but we can afford to wait slowly!" He Zheng reminded him, "Uncle Dong, you don''t have much time left." "What does it matter if I die?" He Dong said, "A true man''s lifespan is long but cannot bepared to a family. The next generation has you, and the following generation will have them. Our lineage will continue, generation after generation. Compared to the finite life of a real person, what''s there to fear about not being able to wait?" He Zheng wanted to speak, but He Dong waved his hand to stop him. "Tang Lao managed to reach Foundation Establishment as a loose cultivator, which certainly means he has some extraordinary capabilities!" He Dong reminded, "For example, could he be adept at prolonging life? Or does he possess life-extending spiritual objects? Or perhaps what we see is not his true appearance? Instead of risking a gamble, it''s better to wait two hundred years, when we can be sure of victory!" The members of the He family nodded in agreement upon hearing this. ... Ten yearster. In the He family pce. He Dongy weak on his bed, most of his hair already gone, his body exuding a strong scent of death. The He family cultivators stood by his bedside, bowing respectfully. The leading He Zheng''s temples were already slightly graying. "I''ve called you all here because there are a few words I need to impart." He Dong''s breath was faint, his voice no louder than the buzz of a mosquito: "I have lived for a hundred and thirty years, longer than many real people, and have long since had no regrets. The only thing I can''t let go of is our family¡­" Cultivators have meticulous control over their bodies. Knowing his lifespan wasing to an end, He Dong epted this naturalw, which no elixir could cure. "He Zheng is impatient and has never faced setbacks in his life. He likes to contend over matters and is not suited for bearing the heavy responsibility of the family''s continuation." Upon hearing this, He Zheng''s face showed unwillingness, but he dared not speak out against it. He Dong had led the family for fifty to sixty years, and no one could match his prestige and achievements. "He Si,e here." He Dong called over a young man: "After my death, you will inherit the position of family leader. Remember to be cautious and prudent, and do not seek quick sess and immediate benefits." "Great-grandfather, rest assured, I will keep this in mind," said He Si. He Si was already over thirty years old, but his cultivation in the way of immortality made him appear young. "When the He family reims spiritualnd, remember to offer incense... for your great-grandfather¡­" He Dong''s voice grew weaker and his breath slowly faded, eventually passing away peacefully. ... Time flies, and neen years passed in the blink of an eye. Inside the formation. Zhou Yi utilized Earth Escape to leave the dissipation chamber underground and returned to the cultivation stone chamber within the spiritnd. The fifth dissolution of his cultivation had taken a full twenty-eight years, and that was with the experience from previous elerated dissolutions. Otherwise, with the firm and resilient foundation he had built, it might have taken several decades more. One year after dissolving his cultivation, the Crimson me Technique had already reached the thirdyer of Qi Cultivation, with his progress in cultivation as fast as lightning. "Last time, I just used one Foundation Establishment Pill. This time, I should be able to establish it on my own. However, I should still take the Foundation Establishment Pill in advance to protect the Dantian, lest any idents ur." Zhou Yi''s divine sense swept across and enveloped everything within a hundred paces, leaving no detail of the outside unobserved. The Spirit Ginseng baby was soundly asleep, having fully recovered to a three-foot human form. The Turtle Prime Minister was cooking, a pure Water Attribute demon species. Under the coercion of eating and the oppression from the eagle and tiger, he had be proficient at using the Fire Technique. The Golden Eagle had established a nest high up in the cave, upying amanding position with a superior gaze over everyone else. The ck Tiger yed joyfully in the medicinal field, with paws striking left and right, attempting to pin down the head of the Blood Vine Demon. "The Blood Vine Demon is bing smarter and might soon develop consciousness. The ck Tiger, on the other hand, is growing more foolish by the day. It''s not evenparable to the Golden Eagle, much less able to outsmart a nt." Zhou Yi hesitated, wondering if he should allow ck Tiger to practice the True Dragon Nine Transformations. After more than sixty years of hard work and consuming countless vials of Golden Eagle blood essence, he finally mastered the Eagle Transformation. The next step would be the Tiger Transformation. "Theoretically, I won''t be affected by this fellow, but what if? Foolishness is more dangerous than weakness!" As Zhou Yi''s divine sense swept over and saw the ck Tiger gleefully pinning down the Blood Vine Demon, he immediately made a decision, not to cultivate the Tiger Transformation just yet. "The Ox Transformation increases strength, the Eagle Transformation increases speed, the Tiger Transformation increases lethality, and I''m not dueling with anyone anyway. I''ll seek out a clever Tiger Demon to cultivate withter. Right now, the priority is to recover my cultivation level and attempt Foundation Establishment on my own!" He habitually took out his divination container and shook it a few times. The spirit stick fell to the ground steadily. "Safe and sound!" ... Nine yearster. Zhou Yi reached the perfection of Qi Refinement, with mana in his dantian thick and fluid-like. "Even without Fire-attribute pills, the Luo Water Spirit Land is still of the Water Attribute, allowing me to reach the Nine Layers of Qi Cultivation in merely ten years. Such speed, I fear, is onlyparable to that of one with a Heavenly Spiritual Root!" "Five restarts in cultivation, umting one hundred and fifty years, only then have I reached today!" Zhou Yi cast his gaze downward, his eyes narrowed, as he realized that no extraordinary talent couldpare with umtion and depth of foundation. He took out a Foundation Establishment Pill and ingested it, which melted as soon as it entered his mouth, its medicinal power enveloping his dantian, ready to repair any cracks at any time. The thick mana in his dantian began to condense into liquid under Zhou Yi''s guidance, and the process went smoothly. His dantian suffered no damage at all and naturally broke through to the Foundation Establishment Stage. Zhou Yi did not emerge from seclusion but instead switched to cultivating the Five Spirits True Scripture. Half a monthter. Once the mana conversion was sessful, Zhou Yi tried to cultivate and felt the spiritual energy of heaven and earth surging toward him. "Such a speed of cultivation, more than twice as fast as before!" ... Stay connected with m v l e mpyr Meanwhile. Outside the formation. Chancellor Turtle crossed its arms, looking up at the He family members with disdain. "Without the permission of the Immortals, nobody is allowed to enter!" "My life ising to an end, and I just wanted to bid farewell to Tang before I depart," said He Zheng with white hair and a cultivation at the peak of Qi Refinement, slightly stronger than the Turtle Demon. "Senior Turtle, I address you respectfully as my elder, do not be ignorant of good fortune!" "What, nning to force your way in?" Chancellor Turtle said coldly, "I am in charge of the spiritnd''s formation. Anyone who dares to vite the rules will be turned to ashes and smoke!" For the past decades, the He family cultivators have alwayse up with various reasons to try to see Zhou Yi, to confirm whether he was alive or dead. Chancellor Turtle couldn''t be bothered to entangle with them and would make them retreat obediently by threatening with the Array te. But this time was different. He Zheng''s face showed a hint of conviction as he spoke condescendingly. "Senior Turtle, you''re wee to try!" Chancellor Turtle raised its eyebrows, having no intention of indulging the He family''s cultivators, and instantly activated the Array te. Eight golden pirs rose from the ground, and the divine fire of the great sun slowly condensed. It looked as though it would fall at any moment, but then it dissipated as quickly as it appeared. "Eh? What''s going on?" Chancellor Turtle was not frightened, as it regarded the He family as nothing more than clowns. He Zheng pointed to an elderly man behind him and introduced him, "This is Elder Zhong, a Guest Elder of the He family. He happens to be an expert in the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation and spent over a decade breaking through the formation." Elder Zhong said, "This formation is a legacy of my ancestors, and I am curious as to where Tang the Immortal acquired it from?" As Chancellor Turtle was about to mock them, Zhou Yi''s voice reached its ears. "Let them in!" A voice reached Chancellor Turtle''s ears, calm and indifferent, seemingly without any anger. Chancellor Turtle, an interesting one itself, was taken aback instead of pleased, cast a fearful nce at He Zheng, and scurried back into the formation. Seeing this, He Zheng couldn''t help but feel joy rising to his brows. "Thank you, Elder Zhong, for breaking the formation. Let us go pay our respects to Immortal Tang!" Having not seen Zhou Yi for over sixty years, He Zheng had long assumed that Zhou Yi had died and that the Luo Water Spirit Land should rightfully belong to the He family. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 136 Cloud Continent Border Zhou Yi sensed the activation of the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation and immediately ended his closed-door cultivation. His Divine Sense swept outside the Formation, and the sight of He Zheng''s aggressive demeanor caught his eye, prompting him to take out the divination tube. "Cast a lot to decide your fate!" The spirit lot fell steadily to the ground. An average lot. Zhou Yi used the Transforming Shape Form, turning into a withered old man with white hair and wrinkled skin, his figure emaciated, his eyes cloudy as if he would pass away at any moment. About an hourter. Elder Zhong broke through the inneryer of the Formation, and six cultivators led by He Zheng entered one after another. He Zheng eximed in surprise, "The Spiritual Energy is so rich?" Elder Zhong, quite knowledgeable, said, "This is the effect of the Spirit Gathering Array, which gathers more than seventy percent of the Spiritual Energy within the spiritnd right here." "Hmph!" He Zheng snorted coldly, "What did Tang the Immortal say back then, offering half the spiritnd to the He family? Yet he himself monopolized seventy percent of the Spiritual Energy..." Before the words were finished, an old and melodious voice came through. "When did I ever say such a thing?" He Zheng''s expression changed dramatically as he looked up ahead to see an old man dressed in azure-blue Daoist robes sitting there. "Immortal Tang..." Elder Zhong and the others realized what was happening and, frightened, started to back away hastily, but then a tiger''s roar came from behind them. Roar! Deafening, a ck tiger stepped out of the shadows, its eyes cold and fierce, licking its lips as it eyed the He family cultivators. "Great demon... Immortal Tang, spare my life." He Zheng trembled and fell to his knees, kowtowing vigorously and saying, "It has been decades since Ist saw Immortal Tang. I feared something had happened to you and came to check on my own ord." Zhou Yi, not wanting to get angry over such trivial matters, waved his hand and numerous bolts of lightning struck down, turning the He family cultivators to ash. Only He Zheng was left; Zhou Yi waved him over and forcibly perused his memories with the Soul Searching Technique. "Thirty years ago, two Golden Cores fought near Daze Marketce, one righteous and one wicked, ending in a draw..." "Thereafter, battles between Golden Cores happened frequently, often resulting in the extermination of all living things within a hundred miles..." "Rumor has it, the Ghost King Sect was ambushed by the Spirit Sword Sect of Green State, trapped between the Dan Ding Sect, surrounded by enemies on all sides..." He Zheng''s memories were fragmented due to his fear of frequently going out to probe for news, and thus he was not especially clear on the situation in Cloud Continent. These three pieces of information were obtained by the He family through multiple inquiries, so their reliability should be reasonably good. "I can''t stay in Cloud Continent any longer!" Zhou Yi looked at the trembling Elder Zhong and asked, "Where did you learn your art of Formation?" Elder Zhong hurriedly took out a jade slip, praying, "Junior Zhong Xing, the Formation knowledge passed down through more than a dozen generations in my family, all the essence is in here. I beg the Immortal to spare my life, for I was deceived by vile people!" Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense scanned the jade slip, and it contained dense insights into Formations, with each segment followed by a name. It traced back to a cultivator called Zhong Cheng, including a brief connection with Zhong Xing, and at the end was Zhong Xing himself. "Not bad, not bad!" "If predecessor likes it, then..." Zhong Xing''s face showed delight at hearing this, thinking he might survive, but then a bolt of lightning struck him down. Zhou Yi put away the jade slip and took out a huge map from his storage bag. It was a roughly drawn map of the world based on records from various sources. The continent was rectangr, surrounded by seas on all sides, and marked with ces like Qiong, Qing, You, among other states. Cloud Continent was located towards the extreme southeast of the map. "The Great Ten Thousand Mountain Range is also considered one state, which adds up to Nine Continents, with half of the human n''s Sects already involved in the war, two from each side of righteous and wicked." "The battle between righteousness and wickedness is inevitable!" Zhou Yi pondered for a moment before instructing Chancellor Turtle to clean up everything. "With the ck skeletons serving as a lesson from the past, it''s much safer to leave as soon as we get wind of trouble rather than escaping after the battle has erupted!" ¡­ In the far south of Cloud Continent. Yue Country. Hundred Springs City. Zhou Yi emerged from underground, and before himy the most remote city on the edge of Cloud Continent, with only sparse viges further ahead. "An auspicious divination, could there be good fortune within the city?" Traveling south from Qing Kingdom in the northwest of Cloud Continent and crossing several countries, he had not tread on the surface, relying solely on the Five Elements Escape Technique to travel a hundred yards underground. The divination of the day had, unusually, produced an auspicious sign. "Whether it''s an auspicious sign or not doesn''t matter. I''m about to leave the human territories. I won''t return until after the struggle between good and evil at the sword-fighting event is over, and who knows how many years that will be... Let''s celebrate for a bit before continuing on my way!" Zhou Yi transformed into a middle-aged martial artist with a dusty and weary look, and headed towards Hundred Springs City. Once he entered the city, it was a small but bustling ce, being a remote area under the rule of the Imperial Court. Zhou Yi asked around and quickly found his destination, the most famous establishment in the city: Hundred Beauty Pavilion, a name that soundedmon, suggesting its interior would be even more so. Halfway there, he saw dozens of people blocking the street and forming a circle, with exmations being heard from time to time. Zhou Yi walked towards the center, and the crowd naturally parted to make way. He saw an old Taoist in a grey robe watering a sapling. With each watering, the sapling grew a foot, and in a moment, it became a pear tree that bloomed and bore fruit at a visible rate. "Fellow vigers, would you like to taste these fragrant pears?" The old Taoist picked a basket of pears from the tree and distributed them with a smile for the people to taste. Zhou Yi twitched his nose, smelling a greasy, fishy scent. As he circted his mana and looked at the basket, he saw no fragrant pears, but inch-long parasitic insects instead. "Dare to harm people with sorcery in broad daylight!" With that thought, a thunderous noise reverberated from the skies. Boom! A thunderbolt struck from the clear skies, reducing the old Taoist and the pear tree to charred remains, and the pears in the basket revealed their true form, turning into charred, strange insects. Ugh, ugh, ugh! The vigers who were eating the pears witnessed this and started retching incessantly. Zhou Yi pulled the storage bag off the old Taoist''s body. It was filled with assorted bottles and jars, but contained only one scroll with a blue cover. "''Insect Scripture,'' ancient peculiar insects, Insect Control Technique..." After scanning the contents of the scroll with his divine sense, Zhou Yi learned that the insects the old Taoist had been cultivating were known as Heart Devourers. Despite their formidable-sounding name, they were entry-level parasitic insects. After consuming the fragrant pears, the Heart Devourers would enter the body and devour the heart to mature, developing sharp teeth and a hard shell. The old Taoist would then collect the mature insects back into the bug pouch and release them to bite people during magical fights. The old Taoist cultivated the parasites, and to avoid being backfired upon, he would firsty down a Blood Covenant-like method. With the old Taoist''s death, the parasites suddenly lost their vitality, saving Zhou Yi the trouble of dispelling the parasites one by one. Zhou Yi tucked away the Insect Scripture. Inside, it not only recorded raising andmanding insects but also methods to counteract them, which could prove useful in the future. "Could this be the benefit of the auspicious sign? Something akin to fate?" The way of divination involved the secrets of heaven and fate, mysterious and unpredictable. To validate his thoughts, Zhou Yi decided not to visit the youngdy for the time being and instead let his divine sense cover a hundred paces as he strolled leisurely through the city. East City. In the Abandoned Temple, a group of beggars proficient in sorcery was in the midst of transforming a person into a sheep. South City. Rich families gathered, and above the Zhang family residence, a dark shadow loomed as malevolent spirits sucked away yang energy. A ghost-refining evil monk disguised as a high monk demanded a thousand taels of silver, threatening the extinction of the family otherwise. West Marketce. The butcher Zheng Butcher was long since reced, and an evil cultivator wearing another''s skin used a curse on the meat he sold. Boom, boom! Thunderbolts fell periodically from the clear skies over Hundred Springs City, turning the evildoers into ashes. "This small border city is so full of dark and evil energy!" Zhou Yi no longer felt any urge to celebrate. He transformed into a beam of light and soared into the sky, casting onest nce back at the shrinking city. Readtest chapters at m_v-l''e-NovelFire "The Spirit Sword Sect is embroiled in a great n war and can no longer care for the mundane world. All kinds of heretical paths have emerged to harm people. If the ancestral veins were to truly copse and the world were to be devoid of spiritual energy, perhaps mortals would live a bit better?" "When I achieve the Dao... never mind, such grand oaths should not be made recklessly, nor can I be like the Buddha who makes promises without fulfilling them!" Chapter 137 The Hundred Thousand Mountains From north to south, he left the bounds of Cloud Continent. The ins became less frequent, the mountains and rivers more plentiful. Until amidst the myriad of mountains with theiryered ridges and peaks, deep forests and secluded valleys, not a trace of human poption could be seen. The sun zed fiercely in the sky. Screech! A piercing eagle cry echoed through the mountains, its wings spread wide, four to five zhang across, the bright yellow feathers reflecting the sunlight, seeming as if they were coated with pure gold. The eagle''s talons gripped a wild boar, circling twice in the air before descending into the canyon. At the bottom of the valley, the river water surged fiercely, the waves roared angrily, within it a single t-bottomed boat. The Golden Eagle tossed the wild boar onto it, the three to four hundred catties weightnded firmly without causing any shake to the small boat. The one steering the boat was an old man, carrying a dark green turtle shell on his back. He appeared short and frail, but with a gentle push of his long pole, the boat moved upstream against the current. A young man in green robes stood at the bow, his figure tall and straight, his looks handsome, yet bizarrely, he bore a pair of golden feathered wings on his back. A ck cat crouched at his feet, staring intently at the river surface below, reaching out its paws to y with any fish that passed by. "Such beautiful scenery, it''s a pity I can''tpose poetry!" The youth was none other than Zhou Yi, who had transformed into this form upon entering the vast mountains. When in Rome, do as the Romans do; with an extra pair of wings, no one would consider Zhou Yi as of the human race. The demon race, seldom seen by themon folk of Cloud Continent, could be found everywhere in the vast mountains, but that did not mean the ce was particrly conducive to their growth. The core reason was theck of human sects, which meant that the Spirit Veins in the mountains were not restrained, and the continuously seeping Spiritual Energy nurtured the demon race. Secondly, human power was weak, and the status of demons was revered, so there was no one to y demons and exorcise evil spirits. "As we go deeper into the mountains, nearing the area of the Spirit Veins, the Spiritual Energy bes increasingly rich." Zhou Yi did not choose to fly using his light-riding abilities but opted to navigate through the mountains in a t-bottomed boat, rushing along the path indicated by the Blood Covenant. Now, he was only three to four hundred miles away from Mo Cloud Cave. "Without the exploitation and constraints of sects, the mountains nurture strange flowers and exotic herbs, rare birds and beasts¡ªit''s simply a paradise for cultivators..." Before he could finish his sentence. Ssh! A strange fish a zhang long burst out of the water,rge-headed and slim-tailed, with a gaping mouth full of sharp teeth, it targeted Zhou Yi''s head. Before Zhou Yi could react, the ck cat at his feet leapt into action first, growing in the wind into a ck tiger three to four zhang long, its huge paddy-sized paws shattered the strange fish''s head with a p. The ck tiger, holding the fish in its mouth,nded back on the boat, wagging its tail for praise. Zhou Yi was already well ustomed to such sights. Whether crossing hills in the forest or traveling by boat on the river, he would always encounter unintelligent demon beasts that were all too eager to be a delicious meal. "Eh? This fish is a bit unusual!" He saw that a metal chain was attached to the tail of the strange fish, with a palm-sized golden que hanging from it, inscribed with two lines of demonic script. ¡ª¡ªUnderling of Yanjiang Dragon King, Ninth Division, Number Two. "This fish is actually a demonic soldier; I must consult the oracle!" Zhou Yi took out the divination tube and shook it, only to see the divination sticks fall to the ground, shing a few times with golden light. A positive divination! "Can it be that some good fortune is at hand? Since there''s no danger, this so-called Yanjiang Dragon King is probably just a straw boss." In Cloud Continent, "Demon King" refers to those in the Golden Core Realm, also known as those who have withstood the Minor Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribtion and can truly transform into human form, also known as the Transformed stage. Those below, like greater demons and lesser demons, need either to consume strange flowers and exotic herbs or possess the innate talent for change through Illusion Techniques to transform into human form. However, the vast mountains were different. Due to the abundance of mountains and demons, great demons that upied mountain peaks or controlled rivers took the title of Demon King for themselves. They were like Well Dragon Kings as told in storybooks, strong in title but weak in actual power. At that moment. The water stirred once more, creating ripples that spread outwards, as a blue-scaled python emerged, speaking in human tongue. "What mountain does this fellow daoist cultivate on?" Zhou Yi sped his hands together in greeting, "This daoist goes by Jin Yi, a mere loose demon of the mountain wilds." The python''s eyes shed with intelligence, and with a smile, it said, "I am Ao Dian, the Yan River Dragon King. Today is my two-hundredth birthday feast. How about it, Daoist Jin Yi? Would you do me the honor of joining in the celebrations?" Zhou Yi declined, "This daoist has urgent matters to attend to, and would not dare to trouble the Dragon King." A small measure of divination had not foreseen any danger, but that didn''t mean there was none. One could use divination to avoid disasters, but one must never be reliant on it! Merely a possibility of "fortuitous opportunity," attending an unknown banquet of demons, unless Zhou Yi had lost his senses. Ao Dian looked up at the circling Golden Eagle, then at the ck tiger on the boat, and said with understanding, "No worries, no worries, when Golden Core has some free time in the future,e to the Dragon Pce for a chat." After speaking, he didn''t ask for the return of the Demon Soldier corpses and disappeared into the river waters. "Who says the demon race is simple-minded? Live long enough, and you''ll understand human sentiments and the ways of the world just the same." Zhou Yi patted the Beast Controlling Bag, and the turtle and tiger demons burrowed into it, then he leaped onto the back of the Golden Eagle. "After killing their Demon Soldiers, to go for hot pot and singing would be somewhat improper; better to go see Niu Er sooner!" Screech! The Golden Eagle''s wings pped vigorously, fast as lightning, flying toward Mo Cloud Cave. ... Mo Cloud Cave. Located in the northern section of Flying Cloud Ridge, its peak reached high into the clouds. Afternoon. Outside Mo Cloud Cave, more than two hundred people gathered, both men and women, who under the vige chief''s leadership were practicing martial arts. The adults, realizing how difficult survival was, had a serious and solemn expression, and the children, influenced by this, also reined in their yfulness and mischief. The vige chief was not an old grandfather, but a man wrapped in beast skin, with muscles and sinews exposed, which under the sunlight shone with a pale golden hue. If a human martial arts expert had seen this, they would have eximed in surprise, as his physical cultivation had reached the limit. After one hour, the martial practice concluded. The vige chief led everyone to bow three times and kowtow nine times in front of Mo Cloud Cave, their expressions serious and even somewhat fanatical. At that moment. An eagle''s cry came from the sky, and the Golden Eagle slowly descended. Zhou Yi appeared in front of the vige chief in a sh, took a careful look, and eximed in admiration, "What a strong man, these muscles and bones are no worse than a demon beast''s!" "This... Demon King, sir." The vige chief stood at the entrance of Mo Cloud Cave and asked, "May I ask what brings you to Mo Cloud Peak?" "Interesting, interesting!" Zhou Yi prevented the Yellow Ox froming out to greet him through their soul contract and with a hint of coldness in his voice, directed a wisp of mana onto the vige chief. "ording to the rules of the Great Thousand Mountains, the human race must submit to the great demons. Not to mention questioning, even speaking requires permission, or else it is considered disrespectful!" The term ''great demons'' referred to Foundation Establishment demon race, and below them were smaller demons, whose intelligence was dim, and very few could actually understand speech. "Please forgive me, great one!" The vige chief''s muscles and veins bulged with blue veins. While asking for forgiveness and bowing politely, his right hand was pressing on the hilt of a knife at his waist. Surrounding vigers silently watched Zhou Yi, and the children, even those around ten years old, were also clutching ck iron daggers. Zhou Yi withdrew his mana and asked, "You''re quite something, what''s your name?" The vige chief replied, "Niu Yong." Zhou Yi asked, "Your surname is Niu? Or do you all take the surname Niu?" Niu Yong answered, "We originally didn''t have surnames, or we''d pick one at random, but now, under the protection of the Bull God, we finally live like humans, so we all changed our surnames to Niu." "My surname is Jin, remember that." Zhou Yi patted Niu Yong''s shoulder and entered Mo Cloud Cave with the Golden Eagle. Niu Yong stood bewildered for a moment, then as realization dawned, his face brightened with joy as he shouted. Explore more adventures at m,v l''e-NovelFire "Sir, I will definitely remember!" ... Mo Cloud Cave. Initially, it was just a cave about thirty or forty feet deep, inhabited by a group of fox spirits. After Yellow Ox took over, he dug two additionalyers on this basis: the secondyer for cultivating Spiritual Medicine, and the third for cultivation. The cave was not a straight simple shape, almost turning the entire Mo Cloud Peak into a honeb structure. Even if a Transformed Demon King came to attack, as long as Divine Sense didn''t lock on to them, they could use theplex cavework to escape with their lives. "Such caution, nning for defeat before battle, my earnest teachings were not in vain!" Zhou Yi followed the Blood Covenant connection with the Yellow Ox, wandering through the caves until he finally arrived at a spacious hall. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 138 The Attack of the Monster Horde The hall spanned a hundred zhang in all directions, its walls embedded with Sunlight Stones, shining as bright as daytime. At a nce, to the left and right stood forty to fifty monster soldiers, each donning armor and wielding sharp weapons, their postures tall and straight. With the heads of tigers and the bodies of humans, some half-human, half-wolf, one with an extra hand, anothercking a leg - they barely resembled humanoid figures. These Qi Refinement little monsters had limited intelligence; grasping the Art of Transformation was already an achievement, there was no insistence on perfectly resembling humans. Directly ahead, a stone chair was ced. Moo! The yellow ox mooed, inviting Zhou Yi to take a seat. "Good ox, quite imposing," Zhou Yi didn''t refuse, and sat down grandly, with the yellow ox on his right and the Golden Eagle on his left. Two monster creatures from the Beast Controlling Bag flew out, one bowing and standing at Zhou Yi''s side to serve, the other transforming into a twelve-foot ck tiger lying at his feet. Roar! Howl! Hiss... Seeing this scene, the monster soldiers all cried out loudly, willing to honor Zhou Yi as king. The hierarchical society of the monster n respected strength, and subduing these monster soldiers, with intelligenceparable to elementary school children, was much easier than subduing humans. Zhou Yi waved his hand, and the monster soldiers exited the hall. "Ox, it''s been decades since we''ve seen each other. How has Cloud Piercing Ridge developed?" Moo! The yellow ox mooed several times, recounting the changes over the years. Firstly, the monster soldiers were the main force stationed at Cloud Piercing Peak; those just seen were all minor leaders, eachmanding over ten monster beasts. Secondly was the construction of the human settlements, with the permanent poption breaking a thousand, also the mountain peak with the highest poption within Flying Cloud Ridge. Moo! The yellow ox nudged Zhou Yi, its tone and expression very dejected. The poption of the settlements hasn''t changed in thirty to forty years, mainly for two reasons. One is the Demon Kings of nearby peaks have begun to strictly guard their human subjects, and the second is the shortage of food and grain, severely restricting poption growth. "The trend is such, it''s not something you can control." Zhou Yi gently stroked the ox''s horns, "I see that the youth in the vige have achieved quite a bit in martial arts body training, what''s the detail??" The human tribes in the Great Thousand Mountains are not few in number, and for countless years have been repressed by the monster n; the core reason is the prohibition against the human tribes in the mountains from cultivating the way of immortality. The rationale is that cultivators recklessly ughter the monster n, and the two hold deep-seated hatred for each other that cannot coexist under the heavens; those daring to cultivate immortality will be hunted down by the monsters. Upon learning of this, Zhou Yi instructed the yellow ox to teach the art of martial body training. In the Cultivation World, there''s Body Cultivation, whose core is to temper the body with Spiritual Energy, which would contravene the rules set by the monster n. However, martial arts body training is about hammering Qi-Blood and the flesh, purely strengthening muscles and bones, having nothing to do with Spiritual Energy, it definitely does not fall under cultivation. Moo! The yellow ox spat out a jade slip, and Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense swept across it, the records inside concerning body training martial arts. It included the Five-Tiger Great Strength Fist, medicinal decoctions, Qinggong, saber techniques, amongst others - Zhou Yi had personallypiled and entered them, covering almost every aspect of martial arts. "No, it''s very different from the original version!" "By undergoing a blood baptism with beast blood, one can stimte the body''s potential and forge the flesh to beparable to monster beasts. Such methods are crude and savage, containing the vitality of fighting against destiny, only the humans of the Great Thousand Mountains could have created it!" Zhou Yi praised repeatedly, originally intending just to increase the survival rate of the mortals, hoping they could run faster when encountering monster beasts. Who could have thought the humans'' creative power would be this astonishing, zing a trail in mere decades. Even though the baptism method was still rough, it represented a possibility. Now the way of immortality dominates amongst humans, but it was not achieved overnight; it went through a lengthy process of perfection and evolution. "Really, if one day martial arts canpare with Foundation Establishment and Golden Core, that would be interesting. Without the need for a Spirit Root, just this aspect alone, would draw people like ducks to water!" Zhou Yi put away the jade slip, deciding to further support the exploration of the new martial arts, which might lead to even greater surprises. At this moment. A voice came from outside. "Great great great King, it''s terrible!" The panic-stricken monster soldier tumbled and scrambled while shouting, "A number of Demon Kings havee down from the mountain, they''re about to break into the cave!" "Speak slowly." Zhou Yi took out a divination container, shook it, and out fell a spirit stick, still shining with divine light¡ªit was an auspicious sign. The demon soldier said, "Leading them is the Yanjiang Dragon King, and there''s also the ck Wolf King from the east, Great Tiger King from the west, and the Wild Boar King from the south... With over a thousand demon soldiers, they say they want to tear our king into ten thousand pieces." "Who gets torn apart is not yet certain." Zhou Yi instructed, "Golden Eagle, go and find out exactly how many Demon Kings and demon soldiers there are." The Golden Eagle pped its wings and vanished in the blink of an eye. "Niu''er, go call back the demon soldiers, hide inside Mo Cloud Cave." Zhou Yi took out one array te after another, along with formation gs: "With this move, won''t we solve the problems of poption and territory all at once?" Moo! The yellow ox took themand and left. It needed to show itself and lure the horde of demons into the formation. ... "Kill them!" "Charge!" "Roar! Howl..." Shouts and beast roars mixed together into a tumult. Hundreds upon thousands of demon soldiers¡ªpigs, dogs, oxen, sheep, jackals, wolves, tigers, leopards¡ªunder the lead of the Demon Kings, charged up Cloud Piercing Peak. "The yellow ox bastard has retreated?" Ao Dian flicked his serpent tongue, "He ns to defend inside the cave by taking advantage of the terrain, fighting a prolonged battle with us." ck Wolf King said, "I''ve been to Mo Cloud Cave once, it''s all twists and turns, I almost got dizzy. Once really trapped inside, dispersed in all directions, even if we win, the losses would be substantial!" Great Tiger King nodded and said, "Inside it''s like a maze, even if we manage to break in, we might not be able to find the yellow ox." "Our goal is to drive the yellow ox out of Mo Cloud Cave, to go and cause trouble elsewhere." Ao Dian said, "It would be best if we could kill him. If we can''t, it doesn''t matter, as long as he stops poaching my poption." ck Wolf King and the other great demons deeply agreed. Ever since the yellow ox established Mo Cloud Cave, as the news spread of its harboring the human race, humans from all mountains tried every means to escape. Those humans would rather die falling off cliffs, drowning in rivers, or be eaten by demons and beasts, than rely on their legs to traverse mountains and ridges to reach Cloud Piercing Peak. Poption was an important asset to the great demons, and now it all belonged to the yellow ox. It was hard not to harbor resentment. Today, Ao Dian took the opportunity of his birthday banquet to invite nearby mountain Demon Kings to form the "Remove the Ox" alliance. Great Tiger King asked in confusion, "Does anyone know why the yellow ox is so close to the humans?" The eldest among them, the Wild Boar King, said, "I know something about this. The yellow ox is a demon from beyond the mountains; it was raised by humans since it was young, and even after it turned into a demon, its habits remained unchanged, hence its closeness to humans!" At this moment. Demons had already attacked Mo Cloud Cave and were waiting at the entrance for the Demon Kings'' orders. Ao Dian ordered a few minor demons to go inside for reconnaissance, but like mud cows entering the sea, there was no response. After pondering for a moment, he said. "We''ll stick together inside the cave, no matter what kind of maze it is, we''ll destroy and tten everything!" "What a brilliant idea!" ck Wolf King and the other demons nodded in agreement, thinking that no matter how familiar the yellow ox was with the terrain, it couldn''t possibly withstand the united front of six Demon Kings. "Attack." With Ao Dian''s order, hundreds of demons surged into Mo Cloud Cave, followed closely by several Demon Kings, Boom! Boom! Boom! The cave kept copsing, quickly ttening the firstyer, and the horde of demons entered the secondyer to continue the destruction. "The yellow ox is nothing but..." Before Ao Dian could finish speaking, eight golden pirs rose from the ground, trapping all the Demon Kings within. "A formation? How could the yellow ox know about formations?" The Wild Boar King panicked, transformed into a giant boar with tusks three to four zhang long, and charged at one of the golden pirs. Deadly gate! A beam of divine light swept by, leaving the Wild Boar King covered in gashes, and while the injuries were unidentifiable, they looked terrifying. Ao Dian suppressed his fear and shouted repeatedly. "Don''t panic, everyone. If we attack one spot together, we will be able to break through the formation!" Chapter 139: Chapter 139 Fierce Lightning Method Ao Dian revealed his true form while speaking, a giant python tens of zhang long and as thick as a water tank, opening its mouth to spit out shining blue venom. Roar! Great Tiger King let out a long howl to the sky, transforming into a hanging-eyed white-forehead giant tiger. The other Demon Kings each underwent changes, a ck-furred giant wolf several zhang tall, a leopard with spotted skin, and a pheasant spirit fanning out a wild wind with its colorful tail feathers. Outside the formation. "Demons don''t understand formations and don''t have magic artifacts, but relying on their strong demon bodies and strength, it''s not certain whether the six demons can break through the formation. However, my formation is not just oneyer..." Zhou Yi urged the Array te, and within the formation, a zing sun appeared, spewing out surging Divine Fire. Wherever the Demon Kings passed, the ground either cracked open or sharp spikes emerged. Howl! Screech! Two agonizing screams came out, the ck Wolf King''s abdomen was pierced with a bloody hole, and the pheasant spirit collided into the zing sun''s Divine Fire as it soared into the sky. The remaining three demons were agile and quick, enduring the attacks from the Golden Lock Formation, and violently crashed towards the Formation gs. They felt their strength dissipate into nothing as the golden pirs twisted and vanished, only to reappear not far away. Ao Dian, having seen much of the world, eximed in shock, "Fake? An Illusion Array!" The Four Symbols Sumeru Formation specializes in defense, misdirection, and transformation! Divine Fire and earth tearing apart, there was nowhere to hide above or below the heavens. In just a moment, each of the six Demon Kings was severely injured. At this moment. A voice entered the formation, "Swear allegiance to me, make a Blood Covenant and Soul Covenant, and your life shall be spared!" "Dream on!" Great Tiger King, with skin split and flesh open, losing half of his tail, knew he couldn''t escape and thus invoked his wild nature, spitting out a bright yellow Demon Core. Boom! The Demon Core self-destructed, its power reaching the limit of Foundation Establishment, causing the Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation to break open a gap. Great Tiger King suddenly self-detonated, and the first to react was actually the Great Pig King, who had been lying on the ground grunting and groaning, rolled over and became a gigantic wild boar. Its ck hair sharp as thorns and spewing out two long tusks from its mouth, it ran wildly on its four short legs like a small mountain, charging out. "What wild nature! What scheming!" Zhou Yi eximed in admiration and waved his hand to halt the blockage, opening his mouth to spew out the Mountain and River Cauldron. It swelled in the wind to more than twenty zhang, appearing like a five-colored hill outside the formation. The Great Pig King could not dodge in time and collided head-on with the Mountain and River Cauldron, thetter remaining unmoved while the former screamed as half of its body turned into a bloody pulp. "Not in vain I refined it for three hundred years!" Zhou Yi beckoned the Mountain and River Cauldron back, which, after three generations of the He family''s diligent refinement, had finally advanced to a top-tier Magic Artifact. "Submit, or die!" The voice permeated the formation, and the remaining four demons showed varying expressions. Ao Dian and the pheasant spirit hesitated. "I would rather die!" "Attack!" ck Wolf and the leopard demon were driven by their ferocity, enduring the burn of the great sun''s Divine Fire as they rode the demon wind toward the source of the voice. "After testing the magic artifacts, let''s try the Lightning Method." Zhou Yi''s fingers danced rapidly, and dozens of thunderbolts rained down like a downpour, the rumbling sound incessant, weaving a of lightning that enveloped the two demons. But this was only the beginning; what followed were thunder spears, thunder swords, thunder knives, and even a great seal condensed from thunder, bombarding them continuously for a whole quarter hour before it stopped. Two demon bodiesy in the formation, charred all over, devoid of life. "Too weak! After four hundred years of cultivation, am I considered unrivaled among my peers?" Zhou Yi was quite satisfied with the Lightning Method he hadprehended the essence of for one hundred and fifty years and had finally mastered its form and control. The pheasant spirit, looking at the two charred corpses, was the first to kneel and beg for mercy, "Great King! Please spare my life! My life, please!" A red and a ck Blood Covenant and prohibition fell into the body of the pheasant spirit. A gap opened in the formation, and the pheasant spirit continuously pped its wings, hurriedly fleeing out. Seeing this, Ao Dian also lowered his snake head, "Great King, please spare my life, I am willing to serve." The covenant was set, and the formation dissipated. Zhou Yi said with a smile, "Dragon King, I didn''t expect to see you so soon." "Golden friend?" Ao Dian looked toward the bowing ox and suddenly realized, "So it turns out that His Majesty is indeed the Master of Mo Cloud Cave." With four Demon Kings dead and two having submitted, the minor demons lost their will to fight. After ying a few stubborn demons, the remaining seven hundred were all incorporated into the forces; the count of demon soldiers in the Mo Cloud Cave then surpassed one thousand. In the third-floor hall. Zhou Yi sat upon a stone chair, setting down rules for Mo Cloud Cave. "In my domain, cannibalism is forbidden. If anyone dares to break this ban in secret, they will be turned to ash under the Lightning Method!" These words were naturally directed at the snake demon Ao Dian and the wild chicken spirit Hu Xi, who had long been aware of the ox''s deeds. They took it as Zhou Yi setting the boundaries and hurriedly nodded in agreement. "We shall heed the Great King''smand!" With soul and blood covenants established, they were now dependent on Zhou Yi and dared not rebel. "Everything else is to remain as usual. Remember to have the demon soldiers mine more in the mountains. I shall refine some des and Magic Artifacts to increase the strength of the demon soldiers." Zhou Yi had seen the demon soldiers inbat; aside from using their innate magical abilities, they relied on ws and teeth to fight, and couldn''tpare to Qi Refinement cultivators of the same rank. Merely equipping them with lower-grade Magic Artifacts could significantly boost their strength. "This humble snake, I thank the Great King for his gracious gift." Ao Dian asked, "There is another matter. The death of the four mountain demons will surely prompt the Jade Fang Cave to send envoys to inquire. We need the Great King to decide how to handle it." "What do you know about the Jade Fang Demon King?" Zhou Yi had heard from the ox that Flying Cloud Ridge was part of the Jade Fang Demon King''s territory; theoretically, every great and minor demon of each mountain peak was under its jurisdiction. The Jade Fang Demon King was not a mere upstart monarch but a genuine transformed demon of the shape-shifting kind. Since the ox had followed Zhou Yi''s advice to act humbly and cautiously, it seldom went out to explore, and its knowledge of the Hundred Thousand Mountains was limited to the vicinity of Mo Cloud Cave. Ao Dian replied, "The Jade Fang Demon King''s true form is a rare kind of divine elephant. He is naturally somnolent and seldom inquires into the affairs of his subordinates. However, his envoy is a cunning and greedy toad spirit." Zhou Yi did not fear others'' greed, but rather their righteousness and integrity, "Normally, how do you deal with that envoy?" Ao Dian said, "The death of the four mountain demons will surely make that toad spirit demand a high price, asking for a hundred-year-old Spiritual Medicine." Zhou Yi waved his hand and threw out two hundred-year Spirit Ginsengs: "You take care of sending him away. The remaining one is your reward." Ao Dian''s face lit up with surprise, and he bowed repeatedly, "This humble snake will take care of the matter, and the Great King can be at ease!" "Hm." Zhou Yi inquired, "From your appearance, it seems you know quite a lot about the Hundred Thousand Mountains?" "Great King, this humble snake has some dragon blood in my ancestry and has also mingled at several Green Wave Lake Dragon Pce feasts. I''ve heard many stories from demon kings." Ao Dian said, "The Hundred Thousand Mountains are vast and extensive. Although the thousands of mountains and rivers seem chaotic, each mountain and peak has its own order. For example, the demon group of Flying Cloud Ridge is under the Jade Fang Demon King, and beyond that is the Green Wave Lake Dragon Pce." Green Wave Lake is one of the four great Imperial ns, with a Nascent Soul Stage Dragon Emperor residing within. It had engaged in several major battles with the Dan Ding Sect. Zhou Yi asked, "How many Demon Kings are there in the mountains?" Ao Dian replied, "There are thirty-six officially acknowledged by the four great Imperial ns, corresponding to the thirty-six major and minor Spirit Veins in the mountains. There are rumors of many other Loose Cultivator Demon Kings who are either reclusive orzy, upying mountains for secluded practice, not under the jurisdiction of the Imperial ns." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, noting that the Hundred Thousand Mountains was almost the same size as the Cloud Continent but had spawned far more Golden Core experts. The Dan Ding Sect ruled Cloud Continent with an iron fist, treating the Spirit Veins as private property and harshly exploiting Loose Cultivators, dying who knows how many would-be Golden Core cultivators. Moreover, demon ns pass down through bloodlines without worry for cultivation methods, and with their lengthy lifespans, it''s easier for them to umte strength and reach the peak of great demons. With an abundance of Spiritual Energy and Cultivation Techniques, naturally there were more demon kings who sessfully transcended tribtions and transformed. "Even though genuine immortals are at a clear disadvantage, the Dan Ding Sect has always been able to suppress the Hundred Thousand Mountains. At the same rank, demons likely cannot match cultivators!" After some contemtion, Zhou Yi realized that the pride he felt for effortlessly winning a six-to-one battle had significantly diminished. Human cultivators possess countless Wonderful Techniques, aided by Magic Artifacts, pills, and talismans, far beyond what demons could match with mere demon bodies and innate magical abilities. "These thoughts are too remote. Mo Cloud Cave is rich in Spiritual Energy, enough for cultivation up to the peak of Foundation Establishment. For now, I shall seclude myself for quiet cultivation, while also searching for Solidifying Pill Spiritual Objects to ensure a one hundred percent sess rate!" With these thoughts in mind, Zhou Yi gave orders to the six demons by his side. "While I am in seclusion, the five mountains and one river around Mo Cloud Cave will be your domains. Any outside great demon must be carefully scrutinized." "Yourmand shall be followed!" The ox and the other demons bowed to ept the order, with the turtle chancellor being the most delighted, finally able tomand a mountain all to himself. Zhou Yi nced over, then continued speaking. "Leopard Head Peak and Wolf Mountain are connected, so only one needs to be guarded. Turtle Chancellor, your strength is too weak. Remain in the cave and await my orders." The turtle chancellor dared not refuse, sadly epting themand before having a thought. "I''m now the Great King''s close minister. Besidesing and going, I am Mo Cloud Cave''s envoy. Won''t they all have to respectfully bring me tributes?" Chapter 140 : 140 Great Auspiciousness Several monthster. Just as Ao Dian had said, a toad spirit came to Cloud Piercing Peak. The toad spirit transformed into a humanoid shape but was barely over three feet tall, even shorter than the Turtle Chancellor. Dressed in an earthy yellow Taoist robe, its limbs remained webbed due to its crude Art of Transformation. Yet it walked with an imposing air. Upon arriving outside the cave, it dered that it was following the orders of the Jade Fang Demon King to inquire about the causes of death of the four great demons. Ao Dian had been waiting for some time and, using infighting as an excuse, stuffed a hundred-year-old Spirit Ginseng into the hands of the toad spirit. The once haughty toad spirit immediately smiled so widely that its eyes could no longer be seen, repeatedly praising Ao Dian for his sensibility. From then on, Mo Cloud Cave and the surrounding four peaks, as well as the Yan River in the mountains, all became Zhou Yi''s territory. Zhou Yi focused on cultivating in the cave, studying formations, the Lightning Method, and refining medicinal pills and Magic Artifacts. In the blink of an eye. Ten years had passed. ... Early in the morning. The dew had not yet dissipated. Located on the mountainside, Cloud-Rubbing Stockade had expanded several times and now housed thousands of families. Wooden houses and bamboo huts, simple yet sufficient to shelter from the wind and rain. Stone walls built from nearby rocks enclosed the area, with only one gate for entrance and exit; young and strong vigers patrolled the walls to prevent beasts from causing chaos. The lower intellect of the beasts meant they acted on instinct and did not follow the Demon King''s rules. Humph! Ha! Humph! Ha... The rhythmic chanting emerged from within the stockade, deep and powerful, both coordinating with breathing techniques to temper their strength and to keep nearby beasts at bay. After morning exercises. Niu Yong and the strong young men of the vige took up their weapons and bows, leaving the stockade and entering the jungle to begin their daily hunting and gathering. The boundless mountains not onlycked ins, but they were also strewn with rocks. Initially, the human vigers'' food consisted of wild fruits but as their martial arts cultivation progressed, particrly after conditioning their sinews and bones with Beast Blood, their diet gradually shifted to wild and demonic beasts. While the strong men went out to hunt, the women and children in the vige also had their tasks, weaving huntings and sharpening weapons; everything was geared towards better hunting. Even with their bodies tempered, those who ventured out to hunt often fell prey to beasts. Children under ten practised with wooden swords and spears, imitating moves and forms convincingly. Only young Jin Ang, after consuming some dried meat in the morning and saying a word to his mother, ran up the mountain trail towards the peak. The peak soared a thousand zhang high, with a rugged mountain path. Jin Ang leaped nimbly through the mountains without a hint of fatigue; he had zed this mountain trail over three years. An hourter. Finally reaching the top of Cloud Piercing Peak, Jin Ang saw the Golden Eagle Demon King and his face lit with joy, as he stepped forward and bowed respectfully. "My respects, Lord Demon King." "You are fifteen minutes early today." Zhou Yi was sitting cross-legged on the edge of the cliff, with a vast expanse of clouds before him as a great sun emerged from their midst. Ever since he beheld the sunrise over the sea of clouds five years ago, Zhou Yi would ascend each morning to rest for a moment, rx his mind, and meditate on the ways of heaven. "Unfortunately, I haven''t realized anything!" Zhou Yi didn''t force his enlightenment; his current peaceful and leisurely cultivation life already left him extremely satisfied. Jin Ang spoke respectfully, "Sir, I was lucky yesterday during practice, and my Qi-Blood entered my bones making my Qinggong a bit faster." "Not bad." Zhou Yi smiled and nodded. He had encountered Jin Chen three years ago and immediately noticed his exceptional talent. Ordinary people don''t reach the skin-membrane realm until ten years old, as their bones are not yet fully formed, and forcing martial training can result in hidden injuries. Yet Jin Ang secretly practiced and, within a few months, stepped into the skin-membrane realm, sessfully strengthened his sinews within a year, and had now begun Bone Tempering. "This is a Bone Tempering Pill, much more effective than the usual Medicinal Decoction. Take one pill a day, and when you''ve finished,e look for this king again." "Thank you, Sir." Jin Ang bowed and epted the pills, then took out a Beast Skin Bag from his embrace, looking somewhat shy. "Sir, this is dried meat my mother prepared, to thank you for your guidance." Zhou Yi waved his hand, drawing the Beast Skin Bag over, took out the dark meat, and tossed it into his mouth to chew. "It''s a bit salty, tell your mother to use less salt next time you bring some." "Hehe, got it." Jin Ang''s face brightened with a smile, and he sat cross-legged like Zhou Yi on the edge of the cliff, starting to recount the happenings in the vige. There are good and bad, life and death; the struggles of humanity within the Great Mountain Range meant that death seemed more like an inevitability. The living wouldn''t linger on sorrow, but would instead continue to fight vigorously with swords and knives in hand. Zhou Yi listened very attentively,menting from time to time. Having experienced an information explosion in his previous life and the changes of the National Dynasty, then living for three hundred years in the Cultivation World, his every word struck to the core. Jin Ang meticulously recorded every word, knowing that upon returning to the vige, he would need to ponder repeatedly to fully understand the meanings. Noon-time. The mountain top was left with only Zhou Yi, who, after a moment of silence, took out the divination sticks. Zhou Yi, after centuries, could not fail to see that Jin Ang was extraordinary; perhaps he was a convergence of the destiny of humanity in the Great Mountain Range. Although not as formidable as Xiao Zhadan, he would still stir up no smallmotion. The divination sticknded steadily without change. "A moderate fortune, not bad!" Zhou Yi was satisfied as he retrieved the divining sticks, knowing that providing some protection was the utmost he could do, and that it was necessary to avoid trouble if it truly arose. Returning to Mo Cloud Cave. The Tortoise Prime Minister, knowing that Zhou Yi had left seclusion, hurriedly reported the recent changes in the mountains. "A green fish demon hase to the Yan River; Ao Dian followed the Demon King''s order and yielded the downstream section of the river to it..." "The Golden Eagle patrols the nearby thousand miles; there have been norge-scale battles recently..." The upper echelons of the demon tribes werex in their territorial governance, continuous skirmishes broke out below¡ªone either fought for territory or Spiritual Medicine, or simply because of mutual animosity. In the past few years, a bear demon from the south, seeing that the ck tiger was the same color as itself, led its demon soldiers in an attack. The result was that the bear demon was captured after its defeat. Not to mention the ck tiger''s strength was overwhelming due to its Heterogeneous Bloodline, its troops were equipped with Magic Artifacts and weapons, which created a one-sided battle from the start. The ck tiger brought the captured bear demon to Mo Cloud Cave to ask for instructions on how to deal with it. "Before advancing to Golden Core, one must act cautiously. Gathering too many great demons under yourmand will surely draw the attention of the Jade Fang Demon King." Zhou Yi, intent only on quietly cultivating, had no interest in territorial disputes, so he made a pot of bear soup. The fall of the bear demon deterred its neighbors;ter frictions among the demon soldiers were restrained by the local great demons. The Tortoise Prime Minister presented a cloud-patterned Jade Token and said, "My Lord, this is an invitation from Ao Dian. You''re invited to attend the birthday banquet of the Dragon Lord at Greenwave Pond. What do you wish to do?" Zhou Yi pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "I won''t go." "This subordinate shall take his leave then." The Tortoise Prime Minister had anticipated this, which is why he reported itst. Other demon tribes would take pride in such an invitation, but their wise Immortal Lord was extremely cautious, not even attending the banquet despite the Jadescent Nectar. Zhou Yi transformed into a beam of light and sank a hundred zhang into the ground. "Continue in secluded cultivation." ... In the blink of an eye, twenty years passed. Zhou Yi broke through the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, naturally and effortlessly oveing the minor bottleneck. "With this progress, it will only take a little over a hundred years to reach the peak of Foundation Establishment! After five resets and re-cultivations, what I originally thought was a waste of two hundred years now appears to be umted potential released in a burst, making up for the slow progress in the beginning." There might be people in the world aware of such a method of cultivation, but only Zhou Yi could put it into practice. "Continue the cultivation." That day. Zhou Yi awoke from his cultivation, and as routine, he cast a minor divination spell. Spending a year''s duration, he got a moderate fortune. Spending ten years'' duration, he got a moderate fortune. Spending a hundred years of lifespan, the divination stick fell from the cylinder, shining light that revealed two characters. ¡ª¡ªFive Poisons. "An extremely auspicious fortune!" Zhou Yi was not pleased but rather rmed, frowning for a moment before summoning the Tortoise Prime Minister. "Are there any ces in the nearby mountains rted to ''Five Poisons''?" "Five Poisons... There is one ce." The Tortoise Prime Minister produced a jade slip, which contained intelligence gathered by Zhou Yi''s subordinates over the past thirty years about the surrounding areas. "My Lord, a thousand miles to the west there is a ce called White Bone Cave, inhabited by a brood of Five Poison Spiders. The leading old spider has not long ascended to great demon status, but it has under itsmand tens of thousands of small spiders, each incredibly venomous and aggressively fearless, giving them formidable strength!" "So it''s an insect demon." Zhou Yi thought for a moment, realizing that the extremely auspicious fortune of the divination must refer to the White Bone Cave. Chapter 141 : 141: Refining Orifices with Blood Qi Demon races rarely encounter the Bug race; after all, insects have short lifespans and low intelligence. Yet the difficulty in dealing with the Bug Demons ranks high, with even those of extraordinary bloodlines, reluctant to provoke them. The first reason is poison, and the second is their numbers. "Casting divination for a hundred years, this is the first time I''ve received the highest auspice. It must be no small opportunity..." Zhou Yi pondered for a moment, waved his hand to let the Turtle Chancellor leave, and chose not to pay attention to this matter. Opportunity and risk coexist, and even with a potential danger, Zhou Yi would rather miss the chance. "Let''s just make a note of this for now. In the future, after I condense my Golden Core, it''ll be much safer to bully those at the Foundation Establishment who are great demons!" ... Dawn. Atop Cloud Piercing Peak. Due to over thirty years of sitting cross-legged, the green stone at the edge of the cliff shone brightly. Zhou Yi took out a stone table from his storage bag, methodically heated water, and brewed tea, waiting for the sunrise as he had done for decades. A sea of clouds stretched endlessly, and a great sun was on the verge of rising. At this moment. Footsteps approached, Jin Angnded on the peak and bowed in respect. "I pay my respects to the Demon King, my lord." "There''s no need for such formalities." Zhou Yi gestured for Jin Ang to sit opposite him, and said, "In all these years, this is the first time you''vee up the mountain before sunrise." Jin Ang, nearly fifty but appearing only in his thirties, spoke with a hint of bitterness in his voice. "Yesterday, I hunted a Qi Refinement stage Bear Demon. I used its heart blood to purify my body, but my strength still saw no increase." Zhou Yi expressed his surprise, "With pure physical strength, hunting a Qi Refinement stage Demon Beast, what more do you want?" "My lord, if I may speak frankly." Jin Ang said in a deep voice, "My life''s dream is to fight and triumph over great demons!" "That''s ambitious." Zhou Yi admired the sentiment, but cautioned, "Having great aspirations is good, but you must n effectively to realize them, or else they''re nothing but daydreams and wild fantasies." "I have some vague ideas, but I''m not sure if they''re right or wrong." Jin Ang stood up, his body tense with power. A faint reddish aura emerged from his body, like a halo of mes. "Since my body was purified to its peak, blood qi has begun to take shape within it. When I imbue it into my de, it can cut through Demon Beast Skin, and when I hold it in front of my chest, it can block beast ws. But a person''s blood qi is limited, I can only use it a few times before I''m drained, so it has to be saved for crucial moments." "So what are your thoughts?" Zhou Yi was already aware of the manifestation of blood qi and had studied it in detail, arising from a mix of pure qi-blood and strength. Not only was there a small amount of blood qi, but it alsocked the flexibility and purity of mana. Its only advantage was that it did not require Spiritual Energy, albeit it necessitated the baptism of Demon Beasts which did. Jin Ang said, "You''ve taught me much about cultivation, and I want to emte cultivators by condensing blood qi and storing it in my Dantian to use continuously in battle." "The Dantian is a vital part of the human body; I advise you not to try this rashly." Zhou Yi pondered for a moment before saying, "The human body has 365 acupoints, many of which can heal from injury and won''t prove fatal even when severely damaged. You can start by condensing blood qi in the acupoints. Once the Cultivation Technique is fully deduced, then you can consider gathering it in the Dantian." Jin Ang listened intently, pondered carefully, and felt increasingly that it was a feasible and profound idea. A man over fifty years old, like a child, stood at the edge of a cliff, howling into the sea of clouds. Roar... As if responding to the howl, the red sun leaped up, suspended above the sea of clouds. ... In the mountains, time does not pass. In the blink of an eye, another thirteen years went by. "Five hundred years old!" Zhou Yi smiled proudly, knowing that even among Golden Elixir True Monarchs, few lived to see five hundred, let alone those who faced good and evil in swordbat. "Such great longevity ought to be celebrated." With this thought, he took out divining sticks to predict ten days of fortune and misfortune. "Nothing happened!" Zhou Yi pped his wings, turning into a purple, gold, and red long rainbow, flying north. With Thunder Escape, an eagle transformation, and the Blood Burning Escape Technique augmenting his speed, he was no slower than a Golden Elixir True Monarch. Flying Cloud Ridge was located at the northernmost part of the vast mountains, merely ten thousand li from Cloud Continent. A half-dayter. Outside Hundred Springs City. Zhou Yi emerged from underground, having switched to Earth Escape upon entering Cloud Continent to avoid encounters with cultivators. "I missed out on Hundred Beauty Pavilion back then; this time at my grand age, I must make up for it!" However, upon entering the city and inquiring, he found out that Hundred Beauty Pavilion no longer existed, reced by Xiao Xiang Pavilion. "Such a pity. In the blink of an eye, I''ve missed out on so many predestined rtionships." Zhou Yi shook his head and sighed, transforming into a middle-aged uncle as he stepped into Xiao Xiang Pavilion. On the second floor of the private box. Embraced by a girl on each side, one feeding him wine, the other grapes. Zhou Yi reclined on the soft couch, seemingly watching the dance below, but in reality, his divine sense was locked onto two handsome, dashing young masters. Qi Cultivation fifth level, Qi Cultivation fourth level. "The mana pure, the aura as sharp as a sword, must be sword cultivators, the inner corner of their clothes has sword inscriptions, could they be disciples of the Spirit Sword Sect?" Zhou Yi pondered for a moment, handed a token to the girl, and whispered a few instructions. ... Downstairs. Ding Zhi and Lu An had called for arge group of girls to drink with, looking quite carefree and merry. "Brother Lu, how about what I said?" Ding Zhi said proudly, "This is the true joy of freedom, practicing swordsmanship all day on the mountain, I''d almost be a sword myself." "Truly merging man and sword, you would be a treasure, disciple, and have no chance toe down the mountain." Lu An made a not-so-funny joke; if not for despairing at the Dao, who would want to indulge in the mortal world, "No wonder junior brother you always rush to go down the mountain, especially to cross over to Cloud Continent. It seems tiring and dangerous, but it''s actually delightful to the extreme!" "Heh heh, where is there no danger in this day and age?" Ding Zhi said, "Rather than getting involved in fights with those big shots, it''s better to inspect the mortal world. These mortal women may look mediocre, but they win with gentleness and obedience. The female disciples in the sect may be beautiful, but they are cold as stone." The two were just ordinary disciples, relying on the inheritance of their ancestors and belonging to the lowest level of cultivators within the sect. Now, tasked with a mission in the mortal world, they transformed into high and mighty immortal masters, their words capable of determining life and death. Even if they encountered other cultivators, wearing the robe of the Spirit Sword Sect, not even a Foundation Establishment True Person would want to provoke them. Sword cultivators are known to be foremost in killing intent, even sharper than the Lightning Method, and the Spirit Sword Sect is famously protective of its own! In his heart, Lu An was still somewhat worried, "The sect asked us to investigate Hundred Springs City''s evil cultivators, and we spend every day eating and drinking in pleasure, how will we exin ourselves when we return?" "That''s easy to handle." Ding Zhi had already figured out an excuse, "Evil cultivators wage war against each other; today they live, tomorrow they perish. We just need to wait one or two months, and the demon who captures people to refine them into corpses will likely die in a magical battle." Lu An asked, "What if he doesn''t die?" Ding Zhi replied, "If wee across an evil cultivator who is cautious and careful, they won''t stay put in one ce. Just give it some more time, and he will move on to another ce to practice his cultivation." Lu An found this amusing and pressed further with a chuckle, "What if the evil cultivator just doesn''t leave?" "There''s still a way. Intentionally cultivate the wrong meridians during your night practice, but remember to take a pulse-protecting medicinal pill in advance." Ding Zhi said, "By doing so, the injuries and the rush of evil energy will be simr. If we return with such injuries, we can just say the evil cultivator was formidable. Certainly, others will be sent to eradicate the demon." "Brilliant! Truly brilliant!" Lu An raised his cup, "No wonder junior brother you have been out on over a dozen missions and always return safely. I toast to you, senior brother." At that moment, a girl bowed and offered the token in her hands. "Two gentlemen, a guest upstairs invites you." Ding Zhi and Lu An looked at each other, their eyes reflecting a mix of embarrassment and panic, having encountered a righteous senior while indulging in debauchery. ... On the second floor. Zhou Yi asked the girls to leave the private box, waved a hand to lower the curtains, and watched the two men with interest. Lu An, with a thin skin, blushed furiously. Ding Zhi, a veteran in such situations, thick-facedly said, "We pay our respects to the True Person, we heard that Xiao Xiang Pavilion was troubled by a demon that absorbed people''s yang energy for cultivation, and especially came with my senior brother to eradicate the demon and protect the Dao!" Zhou Yi smiled, "Howe I haven''t discovered any demons?" Ding Zhi ttered, "It must be because the True Person''s mana is so strong and his reputation so formidable that he scared away the demon." "Interesting, interesting!" Zhou Yi''s tone shifted as he asked, "What is the current situation in Green State now?" Ding Zhi breathed a sigh of relief, knowing he had passed this ordeal. Truly reporting back to Spirit Sword Sect, he was likely to be expelled, and he would have to change cities for the next mission. "Reporting back to the True Person, the situation is not optimistic. The Heavenly Corpse Sect from Ghost State has invaded southwards, and our sect''s True Monarchs have already fought several battles with victories and losses on both sides!" "A difficult situation indeed!" Zhou Yi''s eyes flickered with spiritual light, silently casting the Soul Bewitching Art, "Has the Supreme of the Spirit Sword Sect made a move?" "No." Ding Zhi said vaguely, "The old ancestors of the right and demon paths have agreed to settle their disputes with a battle between True Monarchs!" "Eh?" Zhou Yi''s brows furrowed slightly but didn''t continue questioning, to avoid arousing suspicion among the disciples next to him, and waved his hand. "Alright, you can go now. I still want to read the girls'' palms." Ding Zhi and the other disciple bowed and left the Xiao Xiang Pavilion as if they were escaping. "ording to the records, past battles between the righteous and demon paths were always decided by the old ancestors, with Golden Elixir True Monarchs perishing like rain. Why has it changed this time?" Zhou Yi pondered for a long time, then transformed into a streak of light and flew back to the vast mountains. In the mountains, cultivating in seclusion was safe and risk-free. Regardless of whether the battles between righteous and demonic paths were fierce or had concluded, he had no desire to return. Chapter 142 Seven-Colored Lotus Seeds More than a decadeter. Cloud Piercing Peak. At the summit. Thunderous booms echoed through the air as the ground cracked open and rocks shattered. Jin Ang''s figure moved swiftly, leaving trails of afterimages in the sky as his fists and feet hammered on a turtle shell. The Turtle Prime Minister manifested his true form, dragging a shell four or five zhang in diameter, his movement not at all impeded. He withstood Jin Ang''s punches and kicks, and while Jin Ang was powerless in mid-air, the Turtle Prime Minister opened his mouth and spewed out several icences. "Ha!" Jin Ang exhaled deeply, his body enveloped by a faint red blood energy, withstanding the piercing icences and using the resulting force tond on the ground. The Turtle Prime Minister''s eyes showed smugness as his ws wielded mana, softening the bluestone into a mire. Jin Ang tried to leap out, but the mire shifted back into bluestone, trapping his feet within the stone. Seizing his advantage, the Turtle Prime Minister didn''t let up, opening his mouth and spraying a water jet over Jin Ang, drenching him thoroughly. "That''s enough, Little Gold has lost again." Zhou Yi waved his hand to stop Jin Ang from continuing to fight and exined, "What the Turtle Prime Minister spewed was a water jet, he could also spew poison water, and by now you would have turned into corpse water." "Thank you, my lord, thank you, Turtle Prime Minister." Jin Ang''s feet glowed red, shattering the bluestone, and said helplessly, "The Turtle Prime Minister''s defense is too strong, my blood energy strikes him without leaving a mark." "This fellow is already the weakest of the great demons." Zhou Yi could ughter great demons as if they were chickens but he didn''t really think the demon race was weak; were it ck Bear or Golden Eagle, they would tear Jin Ang to shreds in just a couple of rounds. Jin Ang''s expression turned slightly somber as he bowed deeply to Zhou Yi and said. "My lord, there''s something else today; I havee to bid farewell." Zhou Yi asked in confusion, "You''ve just solidified a meridian, naturally you can''t ovee a great demon, why not continue to solidify? Once the meridians in your body are refined, blood energy will flow freely, and fighting great demons won''t be difficult!" "My lord, do you remember the first time I saw you..." Jin Ang reminisced, "I think I was seven years old when my father died on a hunt, and in despair, I climbed to the summit in the middle of the night" Zhou Yi nodded, "You climbed all night with injuries all over; fortunately, that day I went to watch the sunrise." "I will never forget the life-saving grace of my lord." Jin Ang stroked his somewhat gray hair and said, "In the blink of an eye, I am already over seventy years old. Even if I solidify my meridians, I cannot stop the decline of my qi-blood. I n to travel the world and pass on the body refining method to the human race that I encounter." Zhou Yi did not try to retain him or stop him. Everyone has their aspirations, and with Jin Ang''s strength, as long as he doesn''t provoke the Demon King, his life should be secure. "Take these bottles of spiritual medicine, they can save your life." "Thank you, my lord." Jin Ang didn''t stand on ceremony, after decades of acquaintance, he already knew Zhou Yi''s disposition well. "This Qi-blood Divine Weapon..." Zhou Yi took out a dark long spear from his storage bag: "This spear was crafted over the years ording to the properties of qi-blood. Unfortunately, it isn''t yet aplete sess; more than half of the blood energy is lost during transmission. It''s fortunate that it''s still sharp, enough to pierce through a great demon, use it for self-defense." "Thank you, my lord, for your generosity." Jin Ang slung the spear, which was one zhang and two chi long, onto his back, gave Zhou Yi three bows and nine kowtows, then turned to descend the mountain and leave. Zhou Yi looked out at the vast sea of clouds, lost in thought for a long time. "Turtle Prime Minister, don''t you ever feel that living too long is also tiring?" "My lord, isn''t living a long life a good thing?" The Turtle Prime Minister had only recently broken through to be a great demon and these days was full of joy; he even found century-old Spirit Ginseng quite ptable. Zhou Yi murmured, "The familiar ones have all left, one by one; perhaps a single turn, one goodbye, is forever." "My lord, think about it from another angle." Perhaps slightly too pleased with himself, the Turtle Prime Minister let slip, "That ck Bear and Golden Eagle often bully us, we can''t beat them nor escape from them, but by clinging to life, we can wear them down to death. Later, we''ll just hop on their graves!" "Alright, I''ll be sure to tell ck Bear and Golden Eagle that," Zhou Yi said. Zhou Yi''s mncholy was fleeting, after all, he had sent off many people; it was just that his time with Jin Ang had been longer. From seven to seventy years old, it felt like an instant! "My lord, spare my life!" ¡­ The days and months cycled by. In the blink of an eye, another fifty years passed. Zhou Yi hadn''t left Mo Cloud Cave, ignoring all invitations to the Demon King''s feast, solely focused on the arduous Qi Refinement. Through the umtion of time, he had thoroughly understood all of the inheritances of the four arts of cultivation, not bothering to carry on with further intensive study. Amidst the abundant Spiritual Energy, centuries-old Spiritual Medicine, and asional sampling of two-thousand-year-old Spirit Ginseng, his cultivation speed was faster than Zhou Yi had predicted. The bottleneck at thete stage of Foundation Establishment, which he expected to grind through for three to five years, was broken in less time. At thete stage of Foundation Establishment, he continued to umte mana and spent thirty years reachingpletion. "Mana is no longer growing; the next step is to congeal the false pill." Zhou Yi''s mana in his Dantian was as thick as paste, showing a tendency to solidify into a physical form, yet Core Formation was too dangerous, even for a false pill, caution was necessary. "Lacking both tradition and experience, and without Spiritual Medicine for protection, I must not rush into Core Formation!" "I''ll consult the oracle for a top omen, then n ordingly!" ¡­ Ten yearster. Consulting the oracle thrice daily, ny-nine percent were middle omens, with the rare top omen. During this period, there were two incidences of bottom omens; Zhou Yi fled back to Cloud Continent on a light escape, celebrated for half a year before daring to return. "I''ll just wait it out!" Zhou Yi was not the least bit impatient, shaking the divination canister as usual, as the spiritual lotus fell to the ground. The light shone brilliantly, slowly condensing into two characters. "Again, Five Poisons?" Zhou Yi pondered for a moment, then used the Blood Covenant to summon a horde of demons. ... White Bone Peak. As the name suggested, the peak was covered with skeletons. Layers uponyers of human and animal bones, ck and mottled, must have been poisoned to death before. Between the crevices of the skeletons, various spiders crawled about, some as big as fists, others asrge as washbasins, with fluffy bodies and strange patterns. In the middle of the mountain, there was a deep cave from which green smoke billowed even during the bright daylight; it was called White Bone Cave. The cave was filled with white silk, stackedyers thick, several feet high, walking on it felt like treading on cotton. Wrapped in the white silk were cocoons of varying sizes, therge ones over a zhang, the small ones three to four feet. The cocoons were pointed at one end and opened at the other, revealing shriveled, emaciated skulls of both humans and beasts. The master of the cave was a spider spirit, who, after bing a great demon, called himself the Poison Gentleman. That day. The Poison Gentleman finished his cultivation, somewhat craving flesh, and moved across the white silk with his eight spider legs, approaching a new cocoon. Encased within the cocoon was a ck Bear demon beast, which had turned red from hunger after days without food or drink. Upon seeing the half-human, half-spider Poison Gentleman, it desperately struggled and tore with madness. However, the white silk the cocoon was made of was too tough; despite the bear demon''s great efforts, it could not break free. "Hehe! The more it struggles, the more the Qi-Blood circtes, and the tastier it bes!" The Poison Gentleman spat out a sharp spike from his mouth, easily piercing through the bear demon''s skull. In a short moment, the bear demon was dried up into a mummified corpse. After enjoying the delicacy, the Poison Gentleman was about to turn back when he suddenly caught sight of a little creature over two feet tall. Fat and white, with short limbs and a few green leaves growing on its head. "This is..." The Poison Gentleman''s ugly hum face kept changing, as he said in disbelief, "The legendary millennial Spirit Ginseng doll!" The Spirit Ginseng doll nced at the Poison Gentleman and dove into the ground, disappearing without a trace using the Earth Escape Technique. Ah! Sharpe, terrifying screams echoed from within the cave as the Poison Gentleman''s face was filled with regret. He had been too shocked by the spiritual object just now to even attempt to bind it. "There will definitely be another chance!" The Poison Gentleman used his innate Spell to control all the spiders on the mountain. Soon, a ground-dwelling spider provided feedback on the direction the Spirit Ginseng doll had taken. "Hehehe!" The Poison Gentleman followed the guidance of the ground spider, his eight legs running swiftly as he pursued the Spirit Ginseng doll. ... A hundred miles away. Nameless Valley. Boom boom boom! The sound of crashing and smashing was continuous as a giant spider, two to three zhang in size, sprinted forward and burrowed into the valley. "Fellow Daoist, stop running, let this king eat you up!" The Poison Gentleman, with a look of ecstasy, was only about a dozen zhang from the millennial Spirit Ginseng. His Divine Sense locked on tightly,pletely unaware of the valley''s abnormality. There were no bird calls, no insect sounds, just utter silence. Lurking to the left and right of the valley were two thousand demon soldiers, six great demons, and Zhou Yi hovering in the air. "To kill an enemy, you don''t necessarily have to go knocking on their door." Zhou Yi fluttered his wings, watching the Poison Gentleman fall into the trap, "Luring them out to kill is a hundred times safer." While speaking, he activated the Array te, and eight golden pirs rose from within the valley. The Poison Gentleman suddenly woke from his ecstasy, his eight eyes looking around as he said in a cold voice, "Which fellow Daoist is here?" Moo! The Yellow Ox charged out first, with the ck Tiger and other great demons following closely. Two thousand demon soldiers howled strangely, wielding their weapons and charging down the valley, "???" The Poison Gentleman, full of confusion, faced an overwhelming onught. He had not fully recovered from the shock before he was trampled into mincemeat. Capture the Soul! Zhou Yi used a spell to capture the demon''s soul, and after forcibly searching it, he learned the secret of the Poison Gentleman''s ascension. "Beneath White Bone Peak lies a Seven-Colored Lotus!" The lotus bloomed in seven colors, and after withering, it produced seven-colored lotus seeds. When cultivators used them during the Solidifying Pill phase, it increased their sess rate by ten percent. There were a handful of spiritual medicines like this that aided Core Formation, over a dozen of which were recorded in the Dan Cauldron Sect, such as the millennium mushroom-horse, Dragon Blood grass, and so on. "Is this the benefit of a very auspicious fortune?" Zhou Yi learned from the memory of the Poison Gentleman that it had consumed the lotus seed three hundred years ago, and the next flowering and fruiting would not happen for another two hundred years. "The wait isn''t too long, I can afford to wait!" ... Half a monthter. The Yellow Ox and other demons had finally cleaned up White Bone Peak, though without the control of the Poison Gentleman over three hundred demon soldiers still died from poison. The White Bone Cave was even more toxic, and they couldn''t level the mountain lest they harm the Seven-Colored Lotus. The six demons took turns employing their spells, cleansing with wind and washing with water, and it took over a month to clear the poison fog. On Zhou Yi''s orders, Hu Xi, unwillingly, entered the bottom of the cave to search, and quickly found the Seven-Colored Lotus. "Even when the lotus seeds are mature, there''s only a forty percent chance of Core Formation. We''ll need to slowly collect more Core Formation spiritual objects!" Chapter 143: Chapter 143 Achievement 99 (Part 1) Mo Cloud Cave. A hundred feet underground. Zhou Yi cast a spell to break open a tunnel, diverting the waters of the Yan River in reverse, then setting up Formation and Prohibition to create an artificial subterranean river andke. Rainbow lotuses with their leaves and roots transnted into theke, he arranged the Spirit Gathering Array and other formations, and all that was left was to wait for the flowers to bloom and bear fruit. "What a pity the rainbow lotus is of a watery nature, otherwise I could keep ripening it to eat as candy beans." "Two hundred years is just enough time to perfect the Nine Revolutions Spirit Refinement Art and the Spirit Condensation Art, and then harvest the tiger demons'' essence blood from the mountain to cultivate my transformation into a tiger!" It has been nearly three hundred years since Zhou Yi obtained the Spirit Refinement Art, and he had only justpleted the sixth revolution. The Spiritual Energy in his body was sixty percent more solid than the ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators, which is why it could be viscous like paste. "Once the Spirit Refinement Art and Spirit Condensation Art are perfected, each will increase by ten percent. With the Dragon Nine Transformations Body Refinement and Five Spirits True Script gathering all five elements, there will be at least another twenty percent growth, bringing my Core Formation sess rate up to a cumtive eighty percent!" "Other cultivators would surely choose to form their Golden Core with great joy. I, however, am not in a hurry, for there are still ways to further my growth, such as seeking another Core Formation Spiritual Object, and setting up formations to defend against the tribtion!" Zhou Yi carefully calcted that there were still many things he could do, so he continued his retreat for intensive cultivation. ... Time flies, and the years wait for no one. Zhou Yi focused on cultivating the Spirit Refinement Art, and every so often, he ordered his tiger demon troops to present their essence blood. The number of demon soldiers under themand of the Five Mountains and One Water continued to grow, mainly consisting of jackals, wolves, tigers, and leopards, cycling through blood donations without much impact. One clever tiger demon, seizing the opportunity, made frequent blood offerings to see the great king in the cave. It offered a few sly, thoughtful remarks, ttering the great king. "Great King, you''re the handsomest under heaven and above earth!" "No, no, no, this king can only be second best. The first is the dear reader!" Zhou Yi was not one to indulge in ttery, but seeing the tiger demon''s sincerity and diligence, bestowed upon it Spiritual Medicine and Magic Artifacts. What happened once could happen again. The intellect of the demon soldiers was generally not high, and they had no shame, so they immediately copied the ttery. Those with quicker minds, knowing the wit of the human race, went to the viges to learn how to curry favor slickly. These were the amusements of leisure time; ny-nine percent of the time was spent in arduous cultivation. In addition to practicing his Cultivation Technique daily, he also habitually consumed his lifespan to divine fortunes, ripen Spiritual Medicine, and arrange multyered formations to prepare for the minor forty-nine Heavenly Tribtions. Twenty years passed in a sh. The Spirit Refinement Art had not yet reached the seventh revolution, but the Spirit Condensation Art had already reachedpletion first. Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense spread over an area more than two hundred yards in radius. "Is this the limit of Divine Sense for the Foundation Establishment Stage? In this way, it severs the path to surpassing the Divine Sense of Golden Core and Nascent Soul." Zhou Yi had once thought about umting Divine Sense over thousands of years to reach the level of Nascent Soul or even Divinity Transformation and then practice soul-attacking secret techniques to possess part of the high-levelbat strength. The only aim of cultivating immortality was to protect the Dao, so improvingbat strength and realm had no difference. Now that his Divine Sense had reached the peak of his realm, with no growth for a number of years, a realization dawned faintly on Zhou Yi. "The advancement of realms, like Qi Refinement progressing to Foundation Establishment, isn''t just about Mana condensing into liquid; it also produces Divine Sense under the influence of the Dao foundation. Thus, without forming the Golden Core, the Divine Sense can only cover two hundred yards, any higher and it surpasses the carrying limit of the Dao foundation." "Cultivators are like containers forged of essence, energy, and spirit; Divine Sense is the water. To grow further, the container must be expanded!" "Since its inception, the path to immortality has gone through innumerable years of evolution, bing an extremely tight system, not something one person can break." Zhou Yi would rather slowly grind at the bottleneck of the immortal path than search for a new path of cultivation. The archives record that just in inviting Spiritual Energy into the body, the human race has tried tens of thousands of approaches, costing numerous predecessors their lives, and after generations of cultivators'' improvements, we have today''s basic Cultivation Techniques. Later generations, standing on the shoulders of their predecessors, can see higher and farther, and are prone to unwarranted confidence¡ªit really shouldn''t be so! ... Moyun City. Since the takeover by the buffalo over three hundred years ago, it has been expanding unceasingly and now upies most of the mountainside. The outer defenses of the fortress were no longer low stone walls; after three or four generations of effort, they had finally built walls twelve feet high. Beyond the walls, they had dug moats two or three zhang wide and filled the bottoms with spikes, leaving only a wooden bridge to the city gate. The attacking beastly creatures could neither climb the walls nor survive the traps and arrows, often bing an extra meal for the human tribe within the city. The sun zed fiercely. Warriors d in Mystic Iron Armor stood ready atop the walls, not daring to rx their vignce in the slightest. At that moment, a figure slowly approached from a distance, revealing itself to be a white-furred giant wolf some thirty or forty feet in length. The warriors sounded the rm, and immediately, dozens of soldiers gathered, with others rushing to warn the women and children in the city to be on their guard. Only when the figure drew closer could they see clearly that there was a person beneath the giant wolf, a young man in his twenties. His ck hair, wild as a lion''s mane, flowed freely; his beast skin clothes were torn and tattered. He carried a wolf corpse over his right shoulder and held a long spear in his left hand. The warrior captain drew his bow and nocked an arrow, sending a Mystery Iron Arrow as a ck streak that embedded itself precisely three steps from the young man. "Who goes there?" Some demon tribes were skilled in the Art of Transformation, such as snake demons and flower demons, who could take human form and infiltrate the city to harm people. Three years ago, a powerful fox demon from the demon tribe sneaked into the city and drained people''s yang energy, leading to several deaths before it was discovered. After tearing off its disguise, the fox demon killed dozens in the city before making an escape. This incident served as a stark reminder for the human tribe, which had been peaceful and slightlyx, revitalizing their sense of crisis and always remembering they were in the heart of the Hundred Thousand Mountains. "Jin Jiu." The young man replied, "My master is Jin Ang." As he spoke, he circted his Qi-Blood, and ayer of crimson emerged on the surface of his body, gradually transforming into the shape of armor. "Jin the Master''s technique of Qi-Blood, he''s definitely one of the human tribe." The captain leaped from the city wall and, after confirming up close, ordered the city gate to be opened. "Brother Jin, you''ve traveled a thousand li, why are you still carrying a wolf?" "This Wolf Demon blocked my way; I had no choice but to stab it dead with a spear!" Under the captain''s guidance, Jin Jiu registered his name in the city, left the Wolf Demon carcass in the city''s public warehouse, and then set out for Mo Cloud Cave to seek an audience with the Demon King. ... Matters inside the cave were usually handled by Chancellor Turtle. When he heard it involved Jin Ang and the legacy of the martial breakthrough in the Divine Aperture, Chancellor Turtle didn''t dare to decide on his own and took Jin Jiu to the third level of the cave dwelling to meet with Zhou Yi, who was in secluded cultivation. Zhou Yi looked at Jin Jiu for a moment and asked, "Calcting his age, Jin Ang must be nearly one hundred and fifty, how is his health?" "Reporting to the Demon King, my master was already old and frail when I left. The steep mountains barred him froming personally to bid you farewell." Jin Jiu''s gaze reddened slightly as he spoke. He took out a volume bound in tanned beast skin from his bosom and presented it respectfully, "My lord, recorded here are the methods for breaking through the Condensation Stage. My master asks if you would bestow a name upon it?" "Let me see." After perusing the pages, Zhou Yi couldn''t help but exim, "With this method revealed, in terms ofbat alone, it could rival a True Person at the Foundation Establishment Stage." As the beast skin volume states, after storing Qi-Blood in the acupoints and continuously umting andpressing it, it eventually transforms into a Blood Pill. Theoretically, each acupoint could condense a Blood Pill, but due to Jin Ang''s lifespan and the influence of the immortal cultivation method, he had only been sessful in solidifying one in his Dantian. Inbat, calling upon the Qi-Blood from the Blood Pill not only made it more robust and resilient but also allowed it to leave the body for several zhang, taking on any form at will. "My master said that it''s sufficient for closebat with powerful demons, but against True Persons in battle, one would surely die by Magic Artifact or talisman." Jin Jiu sighed, "Especially since lifespan has not increased; after condensing the Blood Pill, one could at best achieve the lifespan limit of an ordinary person, a hundred and fifty years." "A mere hundred-plus years, and a new cultivation method emerging from nothing to something that can bepared to Foundation Establishment is already incredible. Ifter generations continue to supplement and perfect it, who''s to say they won''t eventually increase lifespan!" Zhou Yi pondered for a long while before slowly saying, "As for the name of this stage¡­ let''s call it ''Cradle the Pill''." Chapter 144 99% of the Work is Done "Where has Little Gold been these past years?" Zhou Yi put away the Beast Skin Booklet, inquiring about Jin Ang''s experiences over the years. "Master traveled from north to south, settling wherever he found peace, teaching the Qi-Blood method whenever he encountered humans..." "During that time, he took on a few personal disciples, and I was the ninth, hence I was named Jin Jiu. After Master turned 130, he secluded himself in Thorn Ridge, a ce where humans and demons cohabit." Jin Jiu roughly recounted Jin Ang''s eight decades of experiences, "Afterwards, hemanded me and my fellow brothers to spread the teachings, just as he had done." "Not bad." Zhou Yi nodded in approval, considering the transmission of knowledge to be of greater importance than the martial path. "You go and spread the Dan-Embracing Method to Moyun City. I will order a statue of Jin Ang to be erected tomemorate his deeds for posterity to admire." "Thank you, my lord." Jin Jiu now understood why his master often said that King Jinyi Yao was truly different from other demons, treating humans as equals. ... Zhou Yi had been in charge of Cloud Piercing Peak for a hundred and fifty years, spanning six to seven generations of people, and was already regarded like a deity in the city. Every family worshipped his statue, offering incense and prayers morning and evening, and holdingrge-scale sacrifices during festive periods. Once the Chancellor Turtle spread the word that Zhou Yi appreciated fine wine, the city''s people became keen on brewing fruit wines. After a century of development, there were quite a few exquisite tasting liquors. Now, with a singlemand, the stone sculpture of Jin Ang was made overnight and erected in the city center. After Jin Jiu disseminated the Qi-Blood Cradle the Pill method, the stagnant Cultivation Technique situation in the city was broken; soon, some martial artists had sessfully advanced, their powers leaping and soaring. The emergence of the Cradle the Pill realm brought about a tremendous change in Moyun City. Withbat prowessparable to that of true humans and great demons, being a master no matter where they stood, they couldmand the force of thunder, split mountains and rocks, propelling Moyun City into a new phase of development. At the same time, a ss hierarchy also emerged. "A poption explosion, differences in strength, it''s inevitable!" Zhou Yi did not intervene in the changes within the city, observing with detachment as if he was watching a civilization rise in a sandbox game. "Those who seek longevity must learn to be the observers of history, witnessing the changes of the Imperial Court, the rise and fall of civilizations, the transition of epochs¡­ Meeting interesting people and apanying them a while, in the end, a demon walks alone." "Even if one wants to change history, there''s no need to get too involved; just nt the seeds at critical junctions and leave the rest to time!" Zhou Yi had an epiphany, his restlessness from long periods of seclusion slowly turning into serenity. ... That day. Cloud Piercing Peak. Little Whirlwind sat aloft, cing a g behind his head to flutter in the wind, bragging to his demon soldiers. "Our ce here is nothing like those deste mountains and treacherous waters. Those so-called Demon Kings im to have intelligence, but they still live like savages, no different from wild beasts." Humph! The pig demon snorted twice in response, rustling a banana leaf as a makeshift fan to cool himself. A new demon who, whether interested or not, nodded along in agreement with their leader. "Don''t take it lightly, do you know how I became the mountain patrol leader?" Little Whirlwind said, "Twenty years ago, an unusual snake demon in the east, with a bit of strength, fancied taking over Bull God''s territory. I was patrolling the mountains with the leader at the time, and we just so happened to witness the sh. Bull God transformed into the size of a small hill with a shake, and with one stomp turned that snake demon into flesh mud." The little demons were immediately puzzled, "What does this have to do with bing the leader?" Before Little Whirlwind could boast, the pig demon snorted and exposed the truth: "This guy was so scared he couldn''t tell east from west, ran into enemy territory by ident, and just as the snake demon died, he inadvertently imed the credit for a charge." "Nonsense!" Just as Little Whirlwind was about to argue, the skies suddenly darkened, and he looked up to find clouds gathering. "This weather sure changes fast..." Before his voice had even faded, there was the sound of thunder rolling in, bringing with it a chilling, destructive aura that struck directly at the soul. The fear that arose from the depths of his bloodline made Xiao Zuanfeng let out a strange cry and immediately slip into a crack in the stone, leaving only his tail swishing outside. The other little demons reacted simrly, trembling with an innate fear of the thunderclouds in the sky. Boom! Boom! Boom! A vast expanse of dark clouds enveloped Cloud Piercing Peak; strangely, it was only within a ten-mile radius of the peak''s summit, while the surroundings remained clear. In Moyun City, six martial artists who were practicing the Cradle the Pill method stood atop a building, gazing at the dark thunderclouds in the distance. The thunder rumbled back and forth within the clouds, oddly loud yet not striking, with hundreds and thousands of bolts gradually merging into one. "Could this be..." "Heavenly Tribtion! It must be the legendary Transformation Tribtion!" "I wonder which of the Seven Sages it is¡ªhopefully, it''s the Golden God or the Bull God. With a Demon King to preside, we might just be able to establish a nation." Having ventured out and even traveled around Cloud Continent after practicing the Cradle the Pill method, the few were quite experienced and knowledgeable. At the sight of the Transformation Tribtion, their eyes gleamed with hope, blessings, and envy. After all, their path forward had been cut off once they reached the stage of Cradle the Pill. Even those with exceptional talents had no chance to transcend the tribtion. ... Deep within the Jade Fang Cave, The Demon King was in deep slumber, breathing in and out vast amounts of spiritual energy, his mana unknowingly bing more formidable. Creatures like the Jade Fang white elephant, ancient and umon, did not need cultivation techniques to practice. Their strength grew in everything they did; they fought not with divine skills but with brute force. A collision from their twenty to thirty-zhang tall demon bodies could shatter a small mountain. Suddenly, The spirit vein of Flying Cloud Ridge gave a slight tremor, as if drawn by some force, with wisps of pure spiritual energy flowing northwards. This subtle change would go unnoticed by ordinary demon kings, but not the Jade Fang Demon King who had been cultivating in the heart of the spirit vein for hundreds of years. Even a whisper of movement was enough to rouse him from his sleep. "Is this... a great demon undergoing tribtion?" After pondering for a moment, the Jade Fang Demon King''s body quickly shrank, transforming into a giant of sixteen feet tall with the head of an elephant and the body of a human. He summoned his subordinate demons. "Prepare a generous gift and summon the Five Demon Soldiers; I will personally go to watch the fellow daoist''s tribtion." A demon cautioned, "My lord, shall we send a message to Greenwave Pond?" "The Dragon Lord has spies everywhere; it wouldn''t take more than a few days for the news to reach him..." The tone of the Jade Fang Demon King changed, "Still, better to send word now and avoid another reprimand forck of vignce." Shortly thereafter, A monstrous cloud carried by the demons rose into the sky, with the elephant-headed giant standing at its fore, d in armor and brandishing a trident. To his left and right stood dozens of great demons, with thousands of demon soldiers trailing behind, their presence formidable and majestic. The journey of several hundred miles was traversed by the demonic cloud in a mere moment. From afar, they could see the mountain peak shrouded in thunderclouds, the sound of thunder rolling continuously, with thick bolts of purple lightning striking down. Layers uponyers of formations and prohibitions cloaked the mountain summit. A single bolt of lightning shattered a dozen formations, only to trigger the activation of over twenty more. Despite the relentless barrage, the defense seemed precarious but remained as unharmed as a rock in the ocean. Within the formation stood a yellow ox, with golden horns and towering at over thirty feet tall. As the Heavenly Tribtion struck down, the aura of the ox exploded in power, and its earthy yellow hide progressively transformed into a golden hue, appearing as if it was cast from pure gold. "What a marvelous formation!" The Jade Fang Demon King stood atop the cloud, eyes filled with envy, recollecting his own tribtion that he faced with nothing but his physical might. Even as an ancient and unique species, with his demon body far surpassing other great demons of the same level, he had nearly perished in the tribtion. The Heavenly Tribtion thundered on for half an hour, with the thunderclouds shrinking until they had exhausted all their energy. The sky cleared, and a golden divine light descended easily piercing through the formation''s barrier, enveloping the ox. Moo! The ox stood up on its hind legs, with its front hooves turning into human hands and its hind hooves into human legs, and its body shifted into human shape, with a cow''s tail swaying left and right behind it. The Transformation golden light vanished in an instant, leaving behind a colossal, golden-bright, thirty-foot-tall bull-headed giant in its ce. Chapter 145: Chapter 145 Achievements 99 (Part 2) The ox''s form flickered and shrank to a size of about three meters, just as it was about to demonstrate its achievement to Zhou Yi when a rough voice came from the sky. "I am Yu Ya, congrattions to fellow Daoist on your sessful transformation!" The Jade Fang Demon King stood upon the clouds as he spoke, followed by thousands of demon soldiers, looking down like a dark cloud looming over the city. At that moment. Six streaks of light flew out from Mo Cloud Cave andnded beside the ox. Thousands more demon soldiers converged at the mountaintop, each wielding magic artifacts and des, arranged in tactical formations behind the ox, their presence every bit as imposing. Yu Ya couldn''t help but feel surprised, wondering when such a force had emerged on Flying Cloud Ridge. "This ox demon appears extraordinary, its aura is exceptional and it must possess a heterogeneous bloodline, making it a tough opponent in battle. Among its ranks are several great demons that are far from ordinary, especially that young man who even makes me sense danger!" "Although these demon soldiers might be weaker, they are well-trained, each armored and armed, and will not be easy to face." With these thoughts, the Jade Fang Demon Kingpletely abandoned the idea of subduing the ox, ordering his soldiers to retreat ten miles and descending from the clouds alone, his heartyughter easing the tense atmosphere. "Hahaha, I have specially brought a congrattory gift." Upon saying this, he produced a jade box containing a Five-Hundred-Year-Old Ginseng, of exceptionally high quality. Such Spiritual Medicine was extremely precious even in the eyes of a Demon King; originally, he had prepared a two-hundred-year-old medicinal herb, but Yu Ya had switched the gift at thest moment. "Thank you, fellow Daoist." The ox suppressed its displeasure, epted the century-old ginseng, and listened as Zhou Yi said through a voice transmission, "I am just fortunate to have borrowed this sacred ce for secluded cultivation and to have luckily weathered the Heavenly Tribtion. I am indebted to you, fellow Daoist." "No trouble at all, Flying Cloud Ridge is not mine to im. If anyone is to be called the owner, it should rightly be the Dragon Lord." Yu Ya reminded him, "Now that fellow Daoist has seeded in transformation, within a few days messengers from the dragon pce will surelye, asking if you wish to join Greenwave Pond, you should consider your decision beforehand." "What are the differences between joining and not joining?" the ox asked, puzzled. "The Dragon Lordmands the northern part of the hundred thousand mountains. After joining the dragon pce, you can choose a Spirit Vein to rule over, with a domain spanning thousands of miles, and receive various Spiritual Objects as rewards." Yu Ya exined, "Choosing to be a Loose Cultivator Demon King means living in seclusion and facing hardships whenever wars between the two factions break out..." The ox then nodded in understanding, bowing and saying, "I am willing to join the Dragon Lord''s subordinates." "Haha, then in the future we shall be colleagues, and we must get along well." Yu Ya looked at Zhou Yi and said, "These few appear extraordinary. May I ask how they are rted to fellow Daoist?" "We seven demons often feast together to celebrate, finding great joy andpatibility in each other''spany, so we have sworn brotherhood. This is my eldest brother, Jin Yi, and my third brother, Golden Eagle..." "I see." Yu Ya''s gaze sharpened slightly, his esteem for the ox increasing as he spoke, "Once you return from the dragon pce, we will celebrate your ascension as a Demon King, and I will surelye to offer my congrattions." "That''s kind of you." The ox proceeded to enquire about what to pay attention to when visiting the dragon pce, and Yu Ya answered every question before finally leaving behind a jade slip formunication and departing on a cloud of demons. "Seventh sister, this Spirit Ginseng is for you. Remember to eat plenty and nourish yourself; you might be able to transform in the future!" "Thank you, brother ox." The Chicken Demon Hu Xi showed a delighted expression. She and Ao Dian had surrendered in the midst of battle, so naturally, their treatment was not the same as that of the ox and the other four demons. Although they had received quite a few rewards on regr days, it was still far from enough to eat Spirit Ginseng until they were full. Zhou Yi nced at the ox and thought to himself that this creature, seemingly honest and straightforward, was actually quite cunning. It was already quite something to raise a group of fox spirits on the mountain, and to be involved with several snake spirits was another matter, not to mention somehow getting entangled with a chicken demon. The ox asked, "Immortal, do you have any instructions for my trip to the dragon pce? Which territory should I choose to rule?" "Just eat and drink what you''re offered when you''re there, seize any good opportunities thate your way, and when asked tomit to something, give a nomittal answer. The demon race is not like the sects; they don''t strictly control their Demon Kings, except in times of major battles between the two factions." Zhou Yi pointed with his finger, and Mana condensed into a light screen in the air, disying a map of the hundred thousand mountains. He pointed to a section of a mountain range and said, "Choose the northeast part of Thorn Ridge as your domain. Although the Spiritual Energy is somewhatcking, it is close to Cloud Continent and the Eastern Sea, which will allow for an easy retreat or advance!" ... Several monthster. Returning from the banquet at the dragon pce, the ox wore a suit of golden chainmail and held a purple-gold iron rod in its hand. The regalia gifted by the Bibo Dragon Lord were not as powerful as magic artifacts, but they were exceptionally sturdy and heavy, suitable for the demon race''s style of closebat. He also received a seal, carved from top-quality Spirit Jade, with a coiled dragon on the knob and six demon characters inscribed on the base: "King of the Northern Defense of Thorn Ridge." "Let''s start moving." Zhou Yi instructed, and not a single person of the human race in Moyun City opposed. They were well aware that without the Demon King''s protection, they could not establish a foothold in the vast mountains. Besides, the northern part of Thorn Ridge stretched for thousands of miles, and the mountains on both sides were under the control of the Yellow Ox. There, they had better prospects for development and might even establish a nation where humans and demons coexisted, with the support of the Demon King. ¡­ In the southern part of Thorn Ridge, a Demon King was in charge, whose original form was that of a thousand-year-old pine tree, known as the Green Pine Demon King. This tree spirit was gentle by nature, friendly towards living beings, and not fond of fighting or killing. Evenzier than the Jade Fang Demon King, this was a significant reason Zhou Yi chose this location. Having good neighbors meant fewer disputes. Several yearster. The Yellow Ox held a Demon King feast, the Dragon Lord sent envoys to congratte, and more than ten Demon Kings from the same Greenwave Pond came to join in the fun. Exquisite food, spirit fruit, and spiritual wine, the demons feasted for days until they were joyfully sated before dispersing. Peaceful days resumed afterwards. Fifty yearster, Zhou Yi finally mastered the Tiger Transformation. Roar! With the full force of the Ox, Eagle, and Tiger Transformations, Zhou Yi grew into a twelve-zhang giant, with golden horns on his head, double wings on his back, and his palms turned into sharp tiger ws, his thoughts extending des a zhang long. "Child of the Ox,e test your strength!" Zhou Yi felt the boundless surge of power inside him, as if he could lift mountains and leap over seas, and couldn''t help but want to wrestle with the Yellow Ox. Momentster. A thunderous boom echoed across the sky, rolling without end, the sound spreading for dozens of miles. Boom! A figure plummeted, crashing down into the mountain for dozens of zhang before stopping, copsing half the mountain peak. "You really don''t understand tact, my friend. When sparring, one should pretend to exert all their effort, only to narrowly emerge victorious." Zhou Yi leaped up from the ground, unable to suppress his excitement. In terms of physical strength alone, he should be no weaker than a true human lord, yet there was still a significant gappared to the Demon King. "Just short of the Spirit Refinement Art, my essence, energy, and spirit have reached the limit for Foundation Establishment, and my formations and prohibitions have been tested by the Transformation Tribtion. Once the lotus seeds mature, I should have at least a ny percent chance of sessful Core Formation!" ¡­ Another thirty-four years passed. Zhou Yi awoke from his cultivation retreat, calcted with his fingers, and realized he was now seven hundred years old. "I hope everything goes smoothly, I''d rather not embarrass myself by exhausting a Nascent Soul ancestor before solidifying the pill!" ¡­ Today. It had been two hundred years since he obtained the seven-colored lotus from White Bone Cave. Beneath Thorn Ridge, in an undergroundke. Layer uponyer of formations, a multitude of prohibitions. In the center, the petals of a seven-colored lotus wilted one by one, leaving only the green lotus seed in the middle, emitting a refreshing fragrance. "It''s finally matured!" "Since perfecting the Spirit Refinement Art, I have sat withering underground. I''ve waited for fifty years; in the secr world, two generations have lived and died¡ªa blink of an eye to me, no more than a flower blooming and wilting!" Zhou Yi slowly grasped why immortals were indifferent. Washed by the currents of time, all emotions and conflicts were but fleeting smoke. "Let''s cast a divination for the chance of Core Formation, I must pick the best sign!" So saying, he slowly shook the divination cylinder, and a spirit sign fell to the ground, gradually coalescing into two characters. Ny-nine! Zhou Yi frowned deeply, pondered for a long while, with his self-built foundation, his essence, energy, and spirit were at Great Perfection, and he had every necessary spiritual object for Core Formation¡ªbut something was still amiss. "Where exactly am Icking this one part..." Chapter 146 Humans and Monsters Living Together "The Great Dao epasses fifty, heaven develops forty-nine, leaving one line of vitality, yet also a single line of imperfection!" "Even the heavens and earth are not perfect, let alone a person''s Golden Core?" Zhou Yi faintly grasped an understanding, for after all, having chanted Daoist and Buddhist scriptures for hundreds of years, though the scriptures did not augment mana, they contained the ancient sages'' understanding of the heavens, earth, and the Great Dao. Storing the colorful lotus seeds in the Jade Box and sealing it, Zhou Yi''s figure shed, and he appeared in Mo Cloud Cave. With the ox promoted to Demon King, the newly established Mo Cloud Cave was no longer just a cave but had transformed the mountain peak into a splendid pce, resembling an ox''s head when viewed from afar: the lower half mountain, the upper half pce. Main Hall. As soon as Zhou Yi took his seat at the main position, the voice of the Tortoise Prime Minister echoed beside him. "Your Majesty, you have finally left seclusion!" "Is there anything urgent?" Zhou Yi nced over; in the more than three hundred years in the Ten Thousand Mountains, the only thing that hadn''t changed was this fellow, still short-limbed and carrying arge tortoise shell. "Hu Xi and Ao Dian''s lifespans have ended..." The Tortoise Prime Minister spoke cautiously, and seeing that Zhou Yi remainedposed, he continued, "They were buried in the cemetery to the west of Moyun City, with steles erected and biographies written, and there are humans offering incense all year round." "Understood." Zhou Yi was well aware of this; as the two demons died and their Dao vanished, the Blood Covenant and soul contracts dissipated one after another. The Tortoise Prime Minister''s gaze dimmed, and he continued to report, "Under the Mo Cloud Cave''smand are twenty-three great demons and thirteen thousand demon soldiers, with three thousand skilled in transformation techniques residing in Moyun City, and the rest stationed in the surrounding mountains and rivers." Zhou Yi asked, "How many people are there in the city now?" "Lord Ox chose a riverside location and leveled three mountain peaks; after humans settled in the city, they multiplied quickly, exceeding fifty thousand in poption." The Tortoise Prime Minister remembered something and said, "Your Majesty, due to Thorn Ridge being close to Cloud Continent and not discriminating against humans, Lord Ox discovered hidden cultivators while inspecting the city, among them were over ten Foundation Establishment True People." Zhou Yi''s brow furrowed slightly, "If even those at the Foundation Establishment Stage have fled to the outskirts to avoid disaster, has something big happened in the Cloud Continent?" The Tortoise Prime Minister said, "Rumor has it that Yun Long, the Sect Leader of the Dan Ding Sect, fell into the Formation and Prohibition of the Heavenly Demon Sect and perished along with his Dao." Zhou Yi questioned, "Wasn''t the Sect Leader of the Dan Ding Sect Dan Yangzi?" "That was two hundred years ago." The Tortoise Prime Minister exined, "After the previous Sect Leader passed away, Kun Rong Zhenjun seeded the position, and after his passing, it was Yun Long Zhenjun; by now, there surely must be another Sect Leader." "..." Zhou Yi felt a reaction in his heart as if a significant karmic retribution had dissipated into smoke. He sighed and said, "A single day in the mountains, a thousand years in the world. The prestige of a Golden Elixir True Monarch, illustrious for hundreds of years, also turns into a handful of yellow earth after a few hundred years!" "They were merely proud for a moment, how could theypare to Your Majesty!" The Tortoise Prime Minister ttered and continued, "After the Sect Leader met with cmity, it''s said that Nascent Soul old ancestors shed, copsing thousand li of earth''s veins; and only after various sects mediated, the battle between orthodox and demonic paths was postponed." Zhou Yi raised his eyebrows, "A mediation? Postponed?" Battles are the culmination of a millennium of grievances between the orthodox and demonic paths, and ording to the records, each time they ur, Nascent Soul old ancestors fall, with even entire sects being annihted. There had never been a situation of agreeing to fight another day. "Only a matter of greater urgency could cause the orthodox and demonic paths to set aside their grudges!" Zhou Yi''s gaze sharpened as he instructed, "Send someone to inquire... never mind, let the Ox handle it." A momentter. The ox appeared in Mo Cloud Cave, bowing, "Congrattions to Your Majesty on leaving seclusion." Zhou Yi nodded slightly and said, "You go inquire with other Demon Kings and the Bibo Pool Dragon Pce, over the past five hundred years, have there been any new Nascent Soul humans." Nascent Soul old ancestors are decisive forces; the emergence of each one shakes the Nine Continents, and it''s impossible for the demon races to be disinterested. "As youmand." The Ox-Headed being took the order and departed. "Even if a Nascent Soul Elder consumes Lifespan Extension Pills and practices Life-extending Secret Techniques, he will at most gain another two to three hundred years of life, which isn''t even enough to surpass the time spent in Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivation," "So in five hundred years, or even less, there will be no more new Nascent Souls in the world, and the top cultivators will all be Golden Cores?" "Approximately, do I need to do nothing, and just by living, I''ll be invincible?" Zhou Yi reflected deeply in the great hall for a long time, then his figure shed and disappeared. ... Moyun City. A city of fifty thousand inhabitants,mon throughout Cloud Continent, but among the Hundred Thousand Mountains, it''s a premier hub of bustling activity. The streets were teeming with humans and demons, bustling with noise and excitement. Martial Artists d in beast skins, carrying freshly hunted monster beasts. Demonic creatures with wolf heads bartering ores and herbs for alcohol with old men selling liquor. "Lamb, freshmb!" A sheep demon with a goat''s beard and horns unfolded his beast skin wrap, revealing monster beast flesh that emanated Spiritual Energy. Having just opened up, he soon attracted numerous human Martial Artists. With the spread of Qi-Blood forging techniques, there was never enough monster beast flesh. "Trade for liquor, only for liquor!" Petting his beard, the sheep demon said, "My king decreed, one jug of liquor for one jin of meat, no bargaining allowed." The price may have been high, which prompted some discussion, but the sheep demon''s business was good, and he quickly sold several dozen jins. But as the size of the liquor jugs varied and the pottery had varying thickness, it was uncertain whether he would be punished upon returning. Barter trade often led to unsessful negotiations, and with the demons'' vtile tempers, a dispute could escte to forcibly taking what they wanted. Everyone loves a good spectacle, regardless of race; a crowd of human heads, snake heads, tiger heads, ox heads¡ªall kinds of humans and demons¡ªquickly surrounded the scene,ughing and jeering. The vendor was in no hurry, and in no time, a powerful demon patrolling the streets had apprehended the troublemaking demon. "How interesting, how interesting." Zhou Yi, having transformed into a middle-aged Daoist, strolled down the street, marveling at this strange yet harmonious sight. "Fellow Daoist..." An elegantly aging woman suddenly approached him, whispering, "Interested in Dual Cultivation?" Enjoy more content from m-v l''e|-NovelBin "Hm? What method of Dual Cultivation?" Zhou Yi looked at her with a peculiar gaze, his Divine Sense scanning the woman, whose true form was a white-furred fox spirit. Fox spirits, adept at Illusion Techniques and naturally bewitching, able to shape-shift even as lesser demons, were a favorite pet among many cultivators and powerful demons. "Fellow Daoist, please follow me." The fox spirit led Zhou Yi through the streets and alleys, arriving at a small side street, where she said, "Step inside and see for yourself. Outside each house is a price tag. This ce is not like those shady establishments. We cultivate the Orthodox Daoist techniques of Yin and Yang!" Zhou Yi stepped in, the narrowne visible in a single nce, with about twenty stone houses on either side. To the left, the first house was closed shut, its price tag turned around¡ªmost likely engaged in arduous cultivation. On the right, the door was ajar, the tag read: Hu Yaoyao, cultivating the Spring Wind Rain Dew Technique, ten Spirit Stones. "These prices are outrageous!" Zhou Yi stopped, the crude sound istion prohibition unable to block his Divine Sense. Inside the housey a woman, her delicate and enchanting face partially covered by light pink silk, fluffy fox ears, and a thick tail resting on her body that she flicked from time to time. "Ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous!" Zhou Yi continued deeper into the alley, memorizing every doorte, vowing to sternly criticize each one in the future. At the end of the alley was a standalone courtyard, different from the rough and rustic stone houses of the city, constructed with finesse, with architectural details resembling those found in Da Qian. Chapter 147: Chapter 147 Golden Core Ingested Thump, thump, thump! The courtyard door opened, revealing a hunched old Daoist, his aura at the early stage of Foundation Establishment. His divine sense swept over Zhou Yi, ascertained he was a member of the human race, then retracted the magic artifact concealed in his sleeve and asked, "This fellow Daoist seems unfamiliar?" Zhou Yi replied, "I am Tang Xuan, just arrived from Cloud Continent and have rudely disturbed you." The old Daoist chuckled, "I am Lu Lin, having only been here for ten years myself. In a foreign region, we should look after each other, my friend. Pleasee in and sit." Lu Lin''s courtyard was notrge; at its center stood a ginkgo tree, under which there was a stone table and stone benches. The tabletop was carved with vertical and horizontal squares, with ck and white Go pieces tangled on it, revealing that a game was half-finished. "Yesterday, my match left half-undone when Xu Daoist received a message from his disciple and hurried back to tend to his Pill Furnace, agreeing to resume in a few days." As Lu Lin spoke, he pinched a spell and applied his mana to seal the Go pieces, covering them with another stoneyer, then took out Spiritual Wine and Spirit Fruits from his storage bag. "There''s no need for trouble." Enjoy more content from m-v l''e|-NovelBin Zhou Yi pointed towards the eaves and said, "When I was cultivating on Little Dan Mountain, I became quite familiar with the architecture there. It has been over a hundred years since myst visit; I wonder how it is now?" "My friend is also from Da Qian!" Lu Lin''s face showed joy, as human cultivators from the Demon Nation of a foreign region were rare, let alone meeting a fellow countryman: "Nowadays, Da Qian is extraordinary. It has swallowed up Great Yong to the north and incorporated Great Chu to the south. Before I left, they were attacking Jin State. With such mighty military force, Jin State''s downfall is only a matter of time." Zhou Yi''s brows slightly frowned, "The Dan Ding Sect is just watching this?" "The sect must have given tacit consent. The Chu State hassted for a thousand years, and the Royal Family is a top-notch cultivating n; its depth and resources are profound indeed." Lu Lin clicked his tongue and continued, "And yet, while the front lines were still at war, a national guardian Real Personmanded Chu State''s Imperial n to turn their coats and consent to serve as kings of another surname under Da Qian!" Zhou Yi nodded slightly, then asked, "Why did the Dan Ding Sect choose Da Qian?" "Rumor has it that the Imperial n produced someone with a Heavenly Spiritual Root who, after Foundation Establishment in their familial spiritualnd, became a disciple of the True Sovereign Xuan Yuan. Now that Xuan Yuan has be the Sect Leader, being his direct disciple naturally elevates one''s status." Lu Lin said with envy, "The Li family has such a destiny; truly iparable. Who could have thought that in just a few hundred years, a martial family founded by a mortal warrior could have the prospect of unifying the Cloud Continent!" At these words, Zhou Yi''s gaze flickered as he said, "When I was cultivating in Da Qian, I heard of the eight great cultivating families of Jiangnan, among them..." "I am indeed the family head of the Lu family." Lu Lin readily admitted, "Our ancestors had quite the grudge with the Li family. Even if they invited us, we would not dare to ept. It was just when Yun Dragon True Sovereign perished, fearing the Nascent Soul elders'' infighting, I promptly fled to the vast mountains to evade the catastrophe." Zhou Yi inquired, "Now that the right and the demonic factions have negotiated peace, why not return to have a look?" "Negotiated peace? Haha!" Lu Lin shook his head and said, "I don''t know why the elder ancestor of the Dan Ding Sect can swallow this grievance, but I do know that the more you suppress hatred, the deeper it grows; it just needs a spark, and the whole Cloud Continent will explode!" "I''m afraid it won''t be just a spark." Zhou Yi calcted the lifespan of a certain bomb, which was already over five hundred fifty years. Either he was dead or he had shattered his Golden Core to form a Nascent Soul. Other True Sovereigns may be trapped by Heaven and Earth, perpetually stuck in the Golden Core Stage, but someone with such great destiny would not y by the rules. Having been quiet for hundreds of years, he either changed his name and kept a low profile, or he cultivated in a desperate situation; should he reappear, it would be momentous news. Before he finished speaking, a jade slip suddenly flew in andnded in Zhou Yi''s hands. Zhou Yi''s divine sense swept over it, his expression turned bizarre, suspecting that he cultivated not the eagle transformation, but the crow''s. ¡ªMessage from Greenwave Pond: The Supreme Pure Yang Demon Venerate of the Heavenly Demon Pce has been assassinated, killed by Daojun Xuan Xiao of the Dan Ding Sect. All Demon Kings must strictly order their subordinates not to sh with the human race. "A Demon Venerate, in the end, couldn''t live out his lifespan!" Zhou Yi felt no ripple in his heart; as longevity increased, everything faded into indifference. Reflecting on people and events from the past seemed like something very distant. With the death of Zhen Yang, the ord between righteous and demonic factions became worthless paper. What follows is the true battle between righteous and demonic forces. "If that fellow truly is the Son of Destiny, whether it is due to his temperament or the inevitable trend of times, his actions must align with a certain development of the Heavenly Dao!" "The Nascent Soul ancestors wished to end the war, yet the heavens wouldn''t allow it..." Driven by the qi of Heaven and Earth, Zhou Yi''s heart surged, and on a whim, he took out a divination cylinder. He gently shook it; the divination slip on the stone table glowed and materialized into words. Heavenly Timing! Zhou Yi showed a pleased expression and gave a cupped fist salute, "I have urgent matters to attend to; we shall talk more in a few days." Having said that, he turned into a tri-colored streak of light and vanished in an instant. Lu Lin, sensing the incredible speed of the fleeing light, couldn''t help but be astounded. Such speed possibly exceeded that of a true immortal, and he couldn''t help but wonder to himself. "Could it be that some senior hase to the mountains to avoid their tribtion?" A momentter. A terrifying breath descended from the heavens. Billowing dark clouds materialized out of thin air, and the thunderous roar was unceasing. Lu Lin soared into the sky, his eyes widened in shock as he looked toward Cloud Piercing Peak. "Heavenly Tribtion!" At the same time. In the city, dozens of lights rose, whether they were real people riding fleeing lights, or great demons riding demonic winds. Usually, everyone cultivated in seclusion within the city, enjoying themselves, but now they finally couldn''t help but reveal their forms. "I wonder which one of the Five Saints it could be?" A great demon of the tiger tribe said, "If it''s the ck Tiger Demon King, then I will join his forces and be a patrolling general." Not far away, a Foundation Establishment real person, skillful in casting secret techniques, observed the thunderclouds and shook his head. "The Tiger King corresponds to water, but the thunderclouds above are of five colors, indicating it must be a demon king withplete mastery over the five elements." The tiger demon eximed in surprise, "You, a Daoist, seem to know a great deal. Come to my door tomorrow, and we shall have a good discussion." The Daoist didn''t refuse, instead, he took out a wine gourd. As soon as he opened it, the fragrance spilled forth, making the tiger demon drool with desire. "Aren''t you, Tiger friend, concerned about impropriety?" "It''s toote to worry about impropriety now. I''ve grown ustomed to wine and meat; to go back to my cave and subsist on blood and raw flesh would be suffering more miserable than death itself!" The tiger demon looked up at the thunderclouds and muttered, "I truly hope this one seeds in their tribtion. With two demon kings in the Heavenly Demon Pce, even Greenwave Pond wouldn''t dare to put up too much of a struggle." "Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One" Real people and great demons in the sky all nodded, their eyes filled with anticipation. ... Boom! Boom! Boom! The tribtion clouds gathered for a moment, storing up enough power before a bolt of lightning as thick as a bucket struck down with a thunderous roar. The Formation and Prohibition at the top of Cloud Piercing Peak shone, as dozens of Formation gs formed into apound formation, continuously dissipating the power of the Heavenly Tribtion. Zhou Yi sat cross-legged at the center of the formation. With the experience of the Yellow Ox''s tribtion ahead of him, he was not worried about the Heavenly Tribtion breaking through the formation. He devoted one part of his spirit to replenishing the Formation gs and the remaining nine parts to condensing the mana within his Dantian. The mana continued topress, gradually changing from a viscous liquid state, slowly solidifying. "Pseudo-Core realm!" Zhou Yi had anticipated this stage, as seven hundred years of cultivation foundation made the condensing of the Pseudo-Core a simple task. His Divine Sense controlled the Pseudo-Core to continue solidifying, slowly transforming towards the True Core. During this process, the Pseudo-Core repeatedly expanded and pushed back. Every expansion not only struck against his Divine Sense but also ced enormous strain on his physical body. If his Divine Sense lost control, or his body couldn''t withstand it, the result would be the explosion of the core and death. Zhou Yi''s expression was calm, his Divine Sense easily suppressed the expansion and rebound of the Pseudo-Core, while his body, as formidable as a Demon King''s, didn''t even tremble. At the same time. The Lesser Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribtion continued to descend, the thunder resounding for nearly half an hour, shattering hundreds ofyers of formations before finally beginning to dissipate. A ray of five-colored divine light passed through the prohibition, enveloping Zhou Yi within. "Gift of Heaven and Earth!" Zhou Yi offered no resistance. The originally extremely condensed Pseudo-Core, under the divine light''s cleansing, turned into gold. Heaven and Earth''s Spiritual Energy poured into the Golden Core, his mana growing rapidly, and a terrifying aura enveloped the entire peak. After a long while. Zhou Yi finally contained his aura, reverted to the image of a youth with golden wings on his back, and let out a triumphant howl as he felt the mighty mana within his body. From the south came two voices. Looking up, he saw the Yellow Ox and Qing Song standing on the clouds, congratting him from a distance with a bow. "Congrattions, Daoist friend, on sessfully transcending the tribtion!" Chapter 148: Chapter 149: Attending the Banquet at the Dragon Palace Meanwhile, From Cloud Piercing Peak and Moyun City came roaring and overwhelming congrattions. "Congrattions to the Great Saint on sessfully transcending the tribtion!" "May the Golden God''s longevity equal the heavens!" "Congrattions to the Golden True Lord!" "..." In the city, humans and demons lived together; mortal cultivators and monsters each had their different ways of addressing others, but all the congrattions came from the heart. "I''ve seen Taoist friend Qing Song." Zhou Yi instructed the clouds at his feet to rise into the sky and, with a sped-hand salute, said, "I''ve been in seclusion in recent years and have not been able to visit to apologize; I hope the Demon King will be forgiving." "There''s no harm, no harm at all." The Green Pine Demon King, who was no different in appearance from a human except for having jade-green skin, said, "I, being of azy nature, have never managed Thorn Ridge, letting it descend into chaos and turmoil. But since you arrived and built the city and established its rules, things have be much cleaner." "Pleasee to my residence for a chat." Zhou Yi did not probe whether what Qing Song said was genuine or pretense and smiled, "It just so happens that the Spiritual Wine I brewed has aged three hundred years. Let us taste and appreciate it together." "Excellent!" As the Green Pine Demon King descended from the clouds, he said, "To tell you the truth and not to make youugh, I''ve often disguised myself to enjoy a good drink in Moyun City, and I only return after getting utterly drunk." Zhou Yi''s thoughts shifted slightly, understanding that the Green Pine Demon King was making an overture of friendship, he asked smoothly. "When I and the ox demon were not yet transformed, we were saved and raised by the human race, which is why I built this city. What do you think of that, Taoist friend?" "Before today, Greenwave Pond had some objections and often sent me to supervise." The Green Pine Demon King frankly admitted, "After today, however, it will probably let things take their course, even perhaps support in secret, to avoid provoking the Nascent Soul ancestors." On the Nine Continents, the path of humans flourished, while demonkind dwelled in the corner of the Four Seas, always at a disadvantage in the wars between the two races. On normal days, while humans were busy fighting between the righteous and the demonic, they were evenly matched with the demons. But once a victor emerged from a sword fight, either the righteous or the demonic would lead the humans. The victor would find an excuse, joining with the eight schools to start a war between the two races, facing a sky-covering wave of cultivators, which was a disaster for the demon race. "I will report this matter to the Dragon Lord," Zhou Yi''s eyes flickered; the sword fight was a chance for Moyun City, which, after hundreds of years of discreet development, had be deeply involved with both demons and humans, making both sides hesitant to attack. Such a course of action was not because Zhou Yi wanted to create a power and contend for dominance over the world. This did not match Zhou Yi''s interests or temperament. Dealing with a power''s karma was too profound; in the future, it was bound to rebound on him. For example, being influenced by subordinates could cloud his judgment, missing the chance to escape when necessary, potentially leading to his power''splete demise. Many Nascent Soul ancestors did not die a natural death, but were trapped in power struggles, something that must be a lesson! Zhou Yi''s initial intention for establishing Moyun City was merely to protect the human race in the mountain, nothing more. If one day the humans in the city provoked a Demon Emperor or Dao Jun, leading them toe for a kill, Zhou Yi would not hesitate to move to a different region for cultivation. Based onpassion and ability, he offered blessings without seeking anything in return, thus having no attachments! Reflecting upon this, Zhou Yi couldn''t help but feel grateful; even after more than 760 years since his transmigration, his nature had not changed due to the trials of time. Seated in Moyun Hall, Fox demon maids brought forth Spirit Fruit, and tiger-headed strongmen carried in vats of wine; the various delicacies need no mention. There were also the Golden Eagle, ck Tiger, and Turtle Prime Minister to apany the feast; they talked and drank for a long time. The Green Pine Demon King stood up to take his leave: "When it''s time for Taoist friend''s grand celebration, I will visit again to bother you. Under the Dragon Lord''smand, the various demon kings, only two are closest to me, plus three exceptionally talented brothers, who will surely attract all the cave demon kings toe and congratte!" At that moment, Little Whirlwind rushed in to report, "Great King, the Jade Fang Demon King has arrived." "Please invite him in quickly." Zhou Yi was about to stand up when he heard the familiar heartyugh. "Hahaha, uninvited Ie, how could I let Taoist friende out to meet me." The Jade Fang Demon King swung his long nose as heughed, "No wonder Qing Song came eagerly, the fine wines of Mo Cloud Cave are famous among the mountains, truly living up to their reputation." The Demon Kings under Greenwave Pond were not particrly close friends, but they had at least met and shared drinks at the Dragon Lord''s banquet. Green Pine Demon King simply sat down again for another round of banquet drinking. A few dayster, the emissary from the Dragon Lord arrived, and only then did they reluctantly and affectionately part ways. The emissary was a blue-scaled fish demon, respectfully presenting an invitation, requesting Zhou Yi''s presence at a banquet in the Dragon Pce. Back in the day, Huang Niu received invitations from the four Imperial ns. Perhaps due to the brotherhood, the other three ns did not send invitations, which could be seen as an implicit gesture of goodwill. Zhou Yi opened the invitation, which was made of jade iid with golden lettering. ¡ªOn the ninth day of the ninth month, you are cordially invited to a banquet at Greenwave Pond. The signature at the end was: Ao Cang. Zhou Yi casually rewarded the messenger with a hundred-year-old Spirit Ginseng, "Please tell the Dragon Lord that this king will surely attend the banquet on time." "Thank you for the Demon King''s generous gift." The fish demon emissary quickly stuffed the Spirit Ginseng into his chest, eyes rolling around, "On my way here, I heard something. The Dragon Lord seems to be opening the Greenwave Treasure Vault, allowing you to choose a congrattory gift." A thought struck Zhou Yi. When Huang Niu attended the banquet, he was only given armor and divine weapons; he wasn''t allowed to enter the treasure vault. Zhou Yi handed over another two-hundred-year-old Spirit Ginseng. "What is said about the Greenwave Treasure Vault?" "The vault was built by the first Dragon Lord, and it contains many divine weapons and treasures, as well as collections from sessive Dragon Lords." The fish demon emissary was the type to spill the beans once paid. He blurted out everything he knew, "Ny percent of it is rare but useless Spiritual Objects; the king must prepare in advance. I heard the General of the Vault boasting that inside there are the seventh Dragon Lord''s reverse scale, the twelfth Dragon Lord''s shed horn..." "Thank you for the tip, emissary!" Hearing all this, Zhou Yi understood that the so-called treasure vault was more like an antique collection room, filled with rare but mostly useless Spiritual Objects. Among them, the Dragon Lord''s reverse scales and shed horns were true treasures, materials suitable for crafting Magic Artifacts. The Dragon Lord Ao Cang''s intention to ingratiate was obvious, which is why he didn''t gift armor or weapons as usual but allowed Zhou Yi to pick his own treasures. If Zhou Yi chose a Superior Spiritual Object, he would naturally grow closer to Greenwave Pond. If he chose a useless trinket by bad luck, Ao Cang would have a reason to give a bonus gift. After sending off the Dragon Pce emissary, Zhou Yi began to retreat to organize his Mana. "Even as a Golden Elixir True Monarch, one cannot rest easy and must always remain vignt!" He recited the Heart Sutra a hundred times, the tion of forming the Golden Core gradually faded, and his mind returned to tranquility. "The priority now is to find a Cultivation Technique suited for post-Golden Core, which cannot be asked from the Dragon Lord as demon ns have their bloodline inheritance. The next would be a Magic Artifact. The Spirit-Calming Mirror has fully restored its power, but there are still three types to refine: for escaping, self-defense, andbat." "The Mountain and River Cauldron must not be neglected in refinement, either. A Life-bound Magic Treasure is more powerful when summoned at will!" The method of refining Magic Artifacts is a hundred times more valuable than ordinary Magic Devices, especially iconic treasures like the Divine Fire Fan from the Spirit Sword Sect and the Light Dividing Sword. They possess might greater than ordinary treasures. The Spiritual Objects required for their forging, the methods of refinement, and the inscription of the prohibitions are closely guarded secrets of major sects. "I''m in no rush for techniques. Continue to improve the Lightning Method to reach Divine Skills level, and for closebat, rely on the True Dragon''s Nine Transformations." "The Five Elements Escape Technique is somewhat outdated. Life-and-death techniques must be addressed soon, in search of a higher-level Escape Skill!" Zhou Yi quickly set post-Golden Core goals: to search for Cultivation Techniques, Magic Artifacts, and Escape Techniques suitable for the Golden Core Stage, then began to stabilize the Mana within his Dantian. With two months until the Double Ninth Festival, the Dragon Lord clearly had this in mind. ... Time flew by in an instant. Early in the morning. Zhou Yi hadpletely stabilized his realm. On the day of the Double Ninth Festival, he took out his divination sticks to prophesy. His life span had been rapidly depleting; his hair momentarily turned bluish-grey but then returned to normal. "The heritage of ancient great teachings is indeed profound and mysterious. Investing five hundred years of lifespan into the minor Heaven Technique, I still managed without strain or reachingpletion." The divination stick fell to the ground. An average draw. in and unremarkable, all affairs remain tranquil. Zhou Yi nodded in satisfaction, increasingly aware of how precious peace is with age. "So be it, it''s good. If indeed there are any hidden treasures in the vault, it would resolve some karmic debts to take them; it''s distressing to miss out if I don''t!" Chapter 149 Chapter 150 The Last Daolord Chapter 149 Chapter 150 The Last Daolord Zhou Yi summoned the Turtle Chancellor to make meticulous preparations for the Demon King Feast. Clouds formed beneath his feet, and he flew towards Greenwave Pond, standing on the clouds, he looked down at the myriad mountains and ravines. "After condensing the Golden Core, in the Cultivation World, one could be considered a famed and named expert; otherwise, given my original temperament, I would probably be using Earth Escape to hasten my journey!" It was nearly midday. He could see in the distance where three rivers converged, sparkling with thousands of hectares of rippling waves. Zhou Yi had just entered within ten miles of the perimeter when a beam of spiritual light flew up from theke, transforming into a general wearing a helmet and beat-up armor. A single horn grew from his forehead, his face was pitch ck like ink, three-foot-long fish whiskers fluttering in the wind; when he spoke, he opened a blood basin-sized mouth, which was quite frightening. "Is the visitor perhaps Golden Daoist Friend?" "It is I, poor Daoist. I pay my respects to General Wu." Zhou Yi had heard from the old yellow bull that in Greenwave Pond, among the esteemed generals, the one in front of him, General Wu, was originally a half-dragon catfish spirit. "The Dragon Lord has already prepared the wine feast and has been waiting for a while, please!" General Wu performed a spell, and Green Wave Lake parted in the middle, revealing a jade stone path leading to the bottom of the water. At the end was a flowing water curtain that looked like an upside-down giant bowl, hazy and indistinct, making it hard to see the details inside. Zhou Yi followed behind General Wu, passing through the water curtain barrier to suddenly find himself in an expansive clearing. A continuous array of pce pavilions, majestic and magnificent, glittering in gold and jade, casually looked to be at least a few hundred miles in circumference, clearly enhanced with formations and prohibitions that capture the vast wilderness in a grain of dust. General Wu said proudly, "This is the Bibo Pool Dragon Pce, which has been here for more than thirty thousand years since the time of the first Dragon Lord." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, not surprised by this. Firstly, monster races had long lifespans, and among them, the dragon lineage was even more distinguished. Thirty thousand years was not evenparable to the ten thousand years of dynastic changes of the human race. Secondly, in monster races, bloodline is held in high esteem; the Dragon Pce seemed not to impose constraints on the monsters under its rule, but in reality, the ss structure was even more solid. He continued flying towards the center of the Dragon Pce. He saw squadrons of shrimp soldiers and crab generals patrolling, with all the leaders being big monsters, their scales and horns indicating a lineage of dragon blood. General Wu had quite a reputation within the Dragon Pce; the water demons they encountered bowed and paid respects to him as "River-Patrolling Great General." After a moment. Zhou Yi''s cloudnded in front of a pce, where the que read ''Bibo Pce.'' He ascended the steps. The pce doors opened automatically, and following General Wu, he entered the main hall, where two rows of jade pirs on the left and right entwined with striding flood dragons, looking lively and ferocious. Looking up towards the front, there sat Ao Cang in gold and purple court attire, with the head of a dragon and the body of a human, looking dignified. "I pay my respect to the Dragon Lord." General Wu reported, "This is the newly risen Demon King, Jin Yi." Zhou Yi followed with a bow and said, "I pay my respects to the Dragon Lord." "No need for such formalities, I am merely carrying on the inheritance from my ancestors, taking the title of Dragon Lord." Ao Cang''s expression was gentle, he chuckled and said, "Since it is a banquet, let us address each other as fellow Daoists." "Thank you, Dragon Lord." Zhou Yi swept his gaze across the two sides, seeing four jade stone tables and chairs on each side, with only the seat of honor empty. General Wu took a seat at the head on the left, and seeing Ao Cang signaling, Zhou Yi took his ce at the head on the right. A turtle demon in service in the hall shouted out loud. "Commence the feast!" The sound of strings and woodwind rose, and the charming and alluring m Ladies and Merfolk, wearing but a few shells, carried Spiritual Wine and fine dishes to serve the Demon Kings. Ao Cang introduced Zhou Yi to the group of demons in the hall, the three on the right side were from the Dragon Pce. It had to be said that the Dragon n''s bloodline was formidable, as they had already transcended tribtion and transformed. Zhou Yi dared not neglect them and gave a respectful bow to each in turn. After Ao Cang abdicated, it was highly likely that one of the three Highnesses would be the next Dragon Lord. Due to the Dragon n''s lengthy lifespan, many a Dragon Child had spent centuries as Crown Prince, only to die without ever ascending the throne. Yet helplessly unable to rebel, the frustration and resignation they felt were far beyond what any royal prince could understand. The four major demons on the right, including General Wu, were descendants of the Dragon n. Closely rted by blood, they chose to stay and serve in the Dragon Pce after transcending tribtion. The feast was fully underway as cups were pushed and changed. Demon Kings had lived for at least a few hundred years, and their spiritual intelligence was no weaker than that of humans. Perhaps they had reservations about Zhou Yi taking the seat of honor, but they could all see Dragon Lord''s intention to curry favor, and would not choose this moment to make a scene. After a few cups of Spiritual Wine, the conversation flowed, and the atmosphere gradually warmed. The topic couldn''t avoid touching upon Zhen Yang Demon Venerate, the current hot subject of the Cultivation World; it was impossible not to discuss at any gathering or banquet. Nascent Soul elders, even if Dragon Lord Ao Cang met them, would have to bow, regardless of whether they were righteous or evil. The third Highness sighed, "I once traveled through Li Ji Continent, where the Demon Lord''s name struck fear in those who heard it and trembling in those who spoke it. It is said that many cultivators have been frightened out of their wits at the very sight of the Demon Lord''s descent." "How many demonic cultivators have died a natural death?" The voice of the third Highness was cold, "The Zhen Yang Demon Venerate has in enough to fill fields; his enemies number more than ten thousand. Meeting a violent death was inevitable." Zhou Yi nced at the third Highness with surprise, sensing a grudge in his voice towards the demonic path. He was curious, "Why did the recently advanced Xuan Xiao Daojun take such a risk to assassinate the Demon Lord?" The demons in the hall looked towards Ao Cang, such secrets were known to few, and not even the slightest rumors were in the air. Those who dared spread rumors about a Nascent Soul elder needed no capture; listeners would contemte reporting them on their own. "This is a long story. Xuan Xiao Daojun and Zhen Yang Demon Venerate have held a grudge for centuries..." Ao Cang spoke slowly, "Back then, for a Sky Star Stone, the Demon Lord destroyed Spirit Veins in Little Dan Mountain, annihting thousands of Loose Cultivators in the process, among whom was Xuan Xiao''s benefactor. Xuan Xiao avenged his benefactor by killing the Demon Lord''s only blood rtive and closed-door disciple." "That was also the cause of the Heavenly Demon Pce''s southward invasion, andter, when Zhen Yang Demon Venerate repeatedly failed to find Xuan Xiao, heid a trap to kill the Sect Leader of the Dan Ding Sect." "The Azure Dragon Real Man was Xuan Xiao''s junior brother, rumored to have taken a disciple on his behalf and instructed him with great care, extremely close. The hatred between the two parties started from Little Dan Mountain, escting until it was a fight to the death!" General Wu eximed with surprise, "Did all this really start with a Qi Refinement Realm Loose Cultivator? The entanglement of karma is truly terrifying!" The Crab General next to him said with fear, "Humans are this vengeful? We must restrain ourselves in the future to avoid being sought out for inexplicable revenge!" Ao Cang actually nodded slightly and turned to Zhou Yi, saying, "The way you have built Moyun City ismendable; treating humans and demons equally has led to its prosperity and flourishing." "Dragon Lord tters me, I was once nurtured by humans, and thoughts of repaying that kindnesspelled me," Zhou Yi responded. Zhou Yi positioned himself as one indebted to kindness, and none of the demon kings could voice objection, especially since Xuan Xiao Daojun''s act of repaying a favor was known to all. The subject changed. "I heard that the human race has not seen a Nascent Soul for five hundred years?" "Not just five hundred years; it has been six hundred and fifty years since anyone from the Nine Continents and the Four Seas has risen to Nascent Soul or be a Demon Emperor. In recent centuries, the number of demons who have transcended tribtion and transformed has greatly diminishedpared to before." Ao Cang sighed, "The reason for this has not been made clear by the elders; perhaps it is rted to changes between heaven and earth." The ancestor of Greenwave Pond is the only remaining Dragon Emperor; indeed, it is because there is a Nascent Soul Demon Emperor presiding that they can stand on equal footing with the other three great Imperial ns. Without Zhou Yi asking further, the Highness said, "How did Xuan Xiao Daojun break through the boundary?" Ao Cang said, "The Elder Xuan Xiao is blessed with great fortune. It is said that he stumbled upon the ruins of a sect devoted to patching the sky and acquired an Ancient Divine Pill. With that single stroke of luck, he shattered his Golden Core and formed a Nascent Soul. Such fate is beyond the reach of ordinary people, isn''t it?" "With this in mind, it seems the old ancestors of the various sects certainly won''t outlive Xuan Xiao. Once their lifespans end, there will be only one Daojun left in the world..." Zhou Yi''s voice took on a solemn tone, and his expression bore a hint of sorrow. "If the human race can unite the righteous and the demonic, will there still be a ce for the demon race to survive in this world?" Chapter 150: Chapter 151: Ancient Tortoise Shell The group of demons, upon hearing this, pondered carefully, sensing that there indeed might be such a possibility, as the buzz of discussion filled the air. "This matter has already been reported to the Ancestor, and we have been instructed not to worry." Ao Cang said, "Those human sects have a profound foundation, it is very likely that there are still Divinity Transformation experts alive, and they are protected by Sect-Protecting Spiritual Treasures. Even though Dan Ding Sect might im to be the foremost sect, uniting the human race would be fraught with insurmountable dangers." "A Living Heavenly Lord?" Zhou Yi and the group of demons looked at each other in dismay, their eyes filled with shock¡ªsuch existences were only recorded in ancient texts. "Perhaps they are alive or perhaps dead, but we need not worry about such beings. Either they have sealed themselves away and dare not emerge, or they are using heretical methods to extend their lives and will not appear unless their sects face existential cmities." Ao Cang said, "I''m not sure about other sects, but the Divinity Transformation expert of Dan Ding Sect must have perished, otherwise the Demon Lord would not have dared to brazenly annihte Little Dan Mountain." Zhou Yi curiously asked, "May I inquire of the Dragon Lord whether there are still any Demon Gods alive in our demon race?" Ao Cang shook his head, looking dispirited, and said, "The decline of the demon race began with the passing of the Demon Gods. The Hundred Thousand Mountains are now ourst stronghold; if we retreat further, we will have no choice but to leave the Nine Continents and seek Spirit Veins in the Four Seas to cultivate!" As his words fell, the hall erupted with the indignation of the demons, cursing and rebuking the human cultivators. Ever since Spiritual Energy came into existence in the world, the demon race had been present, starting their cultivation history countless years before humans. Some ancient texts even recorded that when the human forebears channeled Spiritual Energy into their bodies and refined Mana, they referred to the cultivation methods of the demon race. Now that the human race is powerful, they continuously encroach upon the cultivation territories of the demon race. Zhou Yi''s gaze flickered as thoughts raced through his mind¡ªAo Cang seemed to be intentionally guiding them, as struggles for the continuation of a race and the contention for living space can best unite enemies in shared hatred. "The Dragon race has a longevity, the Golden Core can live for nearly a thousand years, and the Dragon Emperor''s lifespan is double that at the very least, over two thousand years. He probably could outlive Xuan Xiao, so what exactly is Ao Cangying the groundwork for¡­" After the mor, Ao Cang motioned for the demons to quiet down. "Let''s not speak of these disheartening matters anymore. Today''s banquet is to celebrate fellow Golden''s sessful tribtion." As the banquet passed halfway, they finally came to the main topic. Ao Cang smiled and said, "Would you be willing to join Greenwave Pond, fellow? Only by uniting our hearts and strength can we survive a great cmity when it truly arrives!" "That is indeed my wish." Zhou Yi stood up and bowed deeply, his expression solemn, "I am willing to be dispatched by the Dragon Lord, to guard the Hundred Thousand Mountains and protect the demon race''s cultivation territory. Born into an ordinary eagle n with low innate talent, I am all the more aware of the demon race''s difficulties and shall not allow the human race to encroach!" Not to mention startling everyone present, Zhou Yi then drew a pattern in the air with his own blood essence and swore to the heavens. "If I vite this oath, may my lifespan be shortened by five hundred years!" Such resounding oaths left the group of demons speechless; they had only followed the Dragon Lord''s lead in cursing a few times, but now, all of a sudden, it had be serious! "Excellent, excellent, excellent!" Ao Cang eximed in admiration, "Fellow, you truly are the backbone of our demon race. If every member of our race were like you, why would we worry about not being able to revive our glory?" Zhou Yi kept waving his hands, saying, "The Dragon Lord tters me. I am only contributing what little I can. Only by following the Dragon Pce and serving under the Dragon Lord do I have some meager opportunity to exert my martial skills." "Hahaha! My friends, drink heartily!" Ao Cang raised his ss and said, "I have visited Soup Valley, Qing Qiu, and White Tiger Ridge and learned that the four Ancestors all have lifespans exceeding a thousand years. Once the human Nascent Souls all wither away, we will have an advantage of four to one!" "Drink heartily!" The group of demons suddenly understood, no wonder Zhou Yi made such a solemn vow¡ªthey guessed the Dragon Lord''s intentions. This was not some cunning strategy, but an open and honest n¡ªwithout contention or struggle, they would wear down the human Nascent Souls with the longevity of their lives. Even if the humans were forewarned, they would be powerless to stop this tide of events. With the Demon Emperor focused solely on hiding and fleeing, the Nascent Soul ancestors could do nothing. "Another round!" "Drink, drink, drink!" "The revival of our demon race is imminent." "It''s only five or six hundred years, I too can wait until that day." "¡­" As they passed around the wine cups and congratted each other, they had the Jiaoren and m Lady bring around four or five rounds of exquisite delicacies. As the end of the banquet approached. Ao Cang said, "Now that you are part of Greenwave Pond, it''s only right that you have a ce to stay. Knowing the deep bond you have with your brothers, I''ll simply give you the southern part of Thorn Ridge, and Green Pine Demon King will move to a new territory." "There is no need for that. Green Pine has a long lifespan and is destined to be a pir of our demon race in the future. The Dragon Lord must take good care of him!" Zhou Yi spoke earnestly, "I wish to guard the northern part of Thorn Ridge with the Buffalo Demon, monitoring the movements of the human race, training our demon soldiers to wait for the opportune time for our demon race''s revival!" "Excellent, excellent, excellent!" Ao Cang felt as if he saw a fearless holy light emanating from Zhou Yi and said, "Since we are celebrating, how can we not have celebratory gifts? I will open the Dragon Pce Treasure Vault, and you may take one¡­ two items, to celebrate for our demon race!" Zhou Yi was moved to tears, "Thank you, Dragon Lord." "Gentlemen, continue your feast, Fellow Taoist, follow me." Ao Cang said as he stepped on a cloud, leading Zhou Yi deep into the Dragon Pce. A momentter. Theynded outside a pce hall with tightly closed doors, on which hung a que that read: Treasure Gathering Pavilion. Ao Cang opened his mouth to exhale a dragon ball, waved it in front of the door, and the restrictive spiritual glow shone brightly as the door opened on its own. Zhou Yi followed him into the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, where he saw shelves that stretched as far as the eye could see, piled with all manner of items. "The treasures collected by generations of Dragon Lords are all here, Fellow Taoist may freely choose two pieces." Ao Cang said with a smile, "Each generation''s Dragon Lord has different tastes, some favor the crystal clear, others the antiquity, which has led to the collection of many overpriced and useless items ¨C truly a test of the Fellow Taoist''s discernment." Zhou Yi''s divine sense swept across the room, noticing that the objects on the shelves were arranged by category, eachbeled ordingly. Metallic spirit ores, remains of magical beasts, wood attribute curios, thunder-affected spiritual objects... "Dragon Lord, I too have a fondness for ancient spiritual objects, may I know in which area they might be?" Ao Cang pointed to a corner, "Southwest corner." The Treasure Gathering Pavilion was vast, covering at least a dozen acres. Zhou Yi used his escape skill tond in the ancient relics area, examining the spiritual objects on each shelf one by one. "Ancient Tiger Demon fangs, old jade, broken ancient artifacts, ancient tomb coffins..." The collectors'' tastes were indeed peculiar ¨C even a stone coffin had been sealed and collected in a storage container; whether dug up personally or presented by a vassal demon lord, who could say? Zhou Yi had no expectation of uncovering secrets among the antiques, for after countless selections by Dragon Lords, any mystery indecipherable had long been removed from the Treasure Gathering Pavilion. ¡ª¡ªAn Ancient Tortoise Shell with the Eight Trigrams pattern, from an ancient ruin. The simple grey tortoise shell was roughly the size of an adult''s palm with natural Eight Trigram markings formed on its back. Zhou Yi showed a look of joy and yed with the tortoise shell in his hands for a moment. "This item is fated for me. Using it to perform the Minor Heaven Severing Art will surely divine more information!" After browsing for a while longer, he took another ancient treasure fragment, named the Emerald Peak Seal. Its shape resembled a small mountain peak, emerald green throughout, but broken in half. When mana was applied, it could weigh a thousand catties. This object had been in the Treasure Gathering Pavilion for a very long time, with annotations from several Dragon Lords beside it, verified to be part of an ancient hefty treasure. Having selected his items, Zhou Yi bowed and said, "I am grateful for the Dragon Lord''s gracious gifting." Ao Cang was in charge of the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, and a restriction would alert him whenever an item left its ce. Seeing the two worthless antiques in Zhou Yi''s hands, he shook his head with a smile. "Fellow Taoist''s loyalty ismendable, though a bit too modest with your choices. These two ancient pieces, while mystical, are only suitable for idle amusement!" Ao Cang summoned a turtle demon servant and ordered it to fetch divine weapons and armor from the armory, bestowing further generosity. "Many thanks, Dragon Lord." Zhou Yi donned the chainmail, and his weapon was a pair of pure gold Dragan clubs, each weighing thousands of pounds. The demon races rarely refine magical treasures, instead constantly sacrificing their physical bodies until they be as durable as treasures. Divine weapons, simr to treasured items of human cultivators, coupled with the formidable strength of demons, could devastate mountains and split the earth, and even a Golden Elixir True Monarch would not dare resist head-on. The feast at the Dragon Pce was not for just one day. Having determined that Zhou Yi was joining the ranks of Greenwave Pond, the Dragon Lord sent messages to the underling Demon Kings for them toe and get acquainted. Days of eating, drinking, and merrymaking flew by. And then, two months had passed. Zhou Yi''s escape light descended into Mo Cloud Cave, where he set upyers of formations for concealment and took out a fortune-telling cylinder to divine fortune or misfortune. The fortune stick steadilynded on the ground. An ordinary draw. "How can it be so unremarkable?" Zhou Yi''s brow furrowed slightly as he took the Ancient Tortoise Shell out of his storage bag. Since acquiring the two ancient items from the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, he had studied them for a long time in the Dragon Pce. From the Emerald Peak Seal, he glimpsed a few of its restrictive patterns, and with long-term study, it might be possible to discover the iplete art of treasure refinement. An ident urred during the divination of the heavenly secrets with the Ancient Tortoise Shell ¨C the lifespan consumed by the Minor Heaven Severing Art waspletely devoured by the tortoise shell, not divining even a hint of fortune for the day. After consuming the lifespan, the Eight Trigrams pattern on the back of the tortoise shell became a trace clearer. Zhou Yi, noticing the abnormal change in the tortoise shell, dared not continue his research in the Dragon Pce, waiting until he returned to Mo Cloud Cave. "I shall see just how much lifespan this item can devour!" Chapter 151 Black Tortoise Carapace Chapter 151 ck Tortoise Carapace Zhou Yi continued to use the tortoise shell divination, letting it devour his lifespan. The other two secret techniques that consume lifespan, the Jade Dew Art required the infusion of arge amount of mana, while the Blood Burning Escape Technique consumed an enormous amount of Qi-Blood. Only the Minor Cutting Heaven Art allowed a glimpse into the heavenly secrets by sacrificing lifespan, with a minor consumption of mana. "It''s only because poor Daoist formed the Golden Core that I''ve gotten a bit bolder. Back in the days in the heavenly prison, I would divine before even going to thetrine!" After casting the Minor Cutting Heaven Art continuously, Zhou Yi only felt numbers floating above his head. -500. -500. -500¡­ The eight trigram patterns on the tortoise shell became more and more distinct; however, there were no other changes besides this. For a time, Zhou Yi doubted whether the tortoise shell was just a pitfall, perhaps a Dragon Lord had lost a great deal of lifespan without gaining anything, and that was why it ended up in the Treasure Gathering Pavilion. "Fortunately, my lifespan isn''t as valuable as spirit stones, idle as it is¡­" A yearter. The Turtle Prime Minister sent a message that the Demon King''s banquet was ready. Zhou Yi stopped pondering the Lightning Method and examined the Ancient Tortoise Shell carefully; it was originally as dull as fossilized bones, but after being nourished by countless lifespan, it had be emerald green. "Could it be bringing some ancient exotic beast back to life?" Having confirmed over and over again that the tortoise shell had no signs of life, Zhou Yi still felt uneasy and decided to use the Blood Sacrifice Method while casting the Minor Cutting Heaven Art in the future, repeatedly refining and acknowledging the shell as his own. "Cultivation Technique for the Core Formation stage must be put on the schedule now. Relying solely on the Foundation Establishment volume of the Five Spirits True Scripture, there has been basically no change in mana over the course of a year." There weren''t many options for Zhou Yi to choose from; he immediately ruled out demonic sects and put aside Buddhist sects for the time being, leaving only three choices: the Pill Cauldron Sect of Cloud Continent, the Spirit Sword Sect of Green State, and the One Qi Sect of Yu Continent. The Pill Cauldron Sect was still the first choice; better the devil you know, hundreds of years had passed and everyone he once knew was long gone. The One Qi Sect was the second choice; it was rumored that this sect valued thew over instruments, rumored to be a branch of the ancient Great Profound Sect, with extremely profound and thick mana, iming that one qi could break ten thousandws. The Spirit Sword Sect was thest choice; it guided Sword Cultivators with techniques of offense and was famous for advocating the unity of person and sword, charging forward without looking back, and preferring to break rather than to bend, which did not fit Zhou Yi''s nature of temporarily avoiding the limelight. The Spirit Sword Sect was thest choice; it guided Sword Cultivators with techniques of offense and was famous for advocating the unity of person and sword, charging forward without looking back, and preferring to break rather than to bend, which did not fit Zhou Yi''s nature of temporarily avoiding the limelight. "I wonder who would break who if the Spirit Sword Sect encounters the One Qi Sect." Zhou Yi transformed into a streak of fleeing light andnded in Mo Cloud Cave, which was already bedecked with lights and full of exquisite foods. "Big brother, sixteen Demon Kings havee, among them..." the buffalo hurried over to inform Zhou Yi of the important guests one by one. Among the Dragon Lord''s subordinates were ten Demon Kings, the Dragon Lord''s Great Crown Prince Ao Jing, General Wu, as well as four Loose Cultivator Demon Kings; indeed, it was an assembly of esteemed guests. Thest time the buffalo held a Demon King banquet, only five hade, which was enough to show the difference. Zhou Yi''s performance at the Dragon Pce banquet had already been heard by the various Demon Kings; he had to give face to the Dragon Lord. "Which Demon King did note?" Under the jurisdiction of Green Wave Lake, there were elevenrge and small Spirit Veins, each guarded by a Demon King. Today, only ten had arrived. Zhou Yi was not looking to hold grudges but rather pondered if there was a gap. The buffalo transmitted a message, "It is said that the Flying Bear Demon King loves to eat humans, harbors extreme hatred towards the human race, and had advised the Dragon Lord several times in past years to dismantle Moyun City¡­" "So that''s how it is." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, making a mental note of the Flying Bear Demon King. Shortly after. The guests took their seats one after another, greeting Zhou Yi with titudes and congrattory words. The banquet began, music from strings and woodwinds yed in waves, and a procession of fox demons took the stage to dance. Fox demons are inherently charming, with light gauze half-shrouding their delicate bodies, swaying hypnotically and captivating the mind. The Demon Kings, used to drinking and feasting, had seen plenty of beautiful demons, but none as entrancing as tonight. The demon soldiers responsible for pouring wine stared nkly, not even noticing as the wine spilled. After the dance concluded, the Demon Kings and little demons shouted together, escting the fervent and boiling atmosphere. "Not bad at all." Zhou Yi praised again and again; the dance was very familiar to him and reminded him of many past events. Ghost-be-immortal said obsequiously, "I often hear Your Majesty mentioning that a dance at the Spring Breeze Building is always a delight to watch, so I made a special request to Master Lu. He spent more than twenty years lurking around the Spring Breeze Building while researching Dual Cultivation Technique, iming that he could rank second!" "Indeed, a fascinating person." Zhou Yi spoke as if it were an offhandment, "I heard he''s in Moyun City, teaching many female demons Dual Cultivation Technique, earning quite a few spirit stones?" The Turtle Prime Minister nodded and said, "Indeed, that is the case." The Demon Kings listened with pricked ears, inwardly cursing the cultivator for hisck of shame, employing such despicable means to earn Spirit Stones. They resolved to fiercely criticize him when they had the chance. Zhou Yi smiled and said, "You go and tell True Person Lu to pick out those with the highest aptitude, who must be proficient in all manner of Dual Cultivation techniques, and send them to our fellow Daoists to take back to their caves." "As you wish." The Turtle Prime Minister immediately understood; the hardest to guard against is the one beside you. There was no need for explicit reminders, the amount of information that could be unintentionally overheard was already plenty. "Golden Core fellow Daoist is indeed generous." "This is the first time I have heard that the Demon race can also practice human cultivation methods." "Perhaps the Dual Cultivation arts are different, or maybe that Daoist has thoroughly researched them!" "Hehe, there are important matters in my cave, I must return early." "You are too impatient!" "..." Upon hearing this, the Demon Kings made the scene lively. Zhou Yi noticed that the Great Crown Prince Ao Jing maintained a calm expression, slowly savoring his drink, and did not discuss the mysteries of Dual Cultivation with the other Demon Kings. Zhou Yi secretly sent a message. "I have specifically instructed to leave the most beautiful ones for Your Highness, ready to be taken at any time." The Great Crown Prince coughed lightly, remaining unhurried, but quickly replied through a voice transmission. "It is not suitable for this prince to show his face, send them directly to the Golden Scale Pce; I''m in need of a couple of maidens to sprinkle water and sweep." "..." Zhou Yi remembered the three sons of the Dragon Lord; their cultivation was not vastly different, but their temperaments were indeed unique. With the Demon Emperor absent, the Dragon Lord rules the Demon race, possessing high status and power; surely, there would be much excitement to watch in the future. The struggle for power is not limited to the mundane; even immortals, demons, gods, and Buddhas vie for face, and Nascent Soul ancestors are not free from desires and passions. All the more for Demon races that do not cultivate virtue and admire strength. The feast continued for several days, and the Demon Kings took their leave one after another, each inviting Zhou Yi to visit their caves as a guest. Zhou Yi agreed to each invitation, vowing to visit them in the future. Yearster. Under the nourishment of endless longevity, the Ancient Tortoise Shell became ever more verdant, feeling moist to the touch as if it had been recently peeled from the Turtle Demon. In his spare time, Zhou Yi visited the caves of the various Demon Kings, drinking and enjoying merry banquets. Before long, he became familiar with the group of Demons. On this day. Zhou Yi pondered over the Lightning Method and studied the Emerald Peak Seal for several hours before continuing to perform the Minor Heaven Technique. -500. -500... After over twenty attempts and just as he was about to stop, the tortoise shell suddenly ceased consuming longevity, and the trigram patterns on its back shone with a dazzling light. "Is this... finally sated?" Zhou Yi''s face lit up with joy. As he waited for the tortoise shell to transform, he took out a divining cylinder to prognosticate good or ill fortune. The divination sticksnded steadily. A neutral result. "Either the tortoise shell is useless, or its rank is too high, beyond the scope of the technique..." Zhou Yi waited quietly. The palm-sized tortoise shell rapidly inted, swelling to the size of a grindstone. The trigram patterns twisted and changed, eventually forming a map. The map was an inverted triangle, with an upper gateway as the entrance, a path winding its way into the center, while the other two sides were blurred and seemingly iplete. A stream of information entered his mind, and Zhou Yi immediately knew the origin of the tortoise shell. "ck Tortoise Divine Beast''s molt!" "The key to the Four Spirits'' Sacred Halls, one must perform a Blood Sacrifice of a million living creatures to unlock it..." Chapter 152: Chapter 152 The Four Spirits Holy Temple In the depths of the vast mountains. Thunderp Peak. Where gale force winds and thunderstorms descend all year round, devoid of life, hence the name. The twilight was vast and obscure. A Thunderhawk demon circled the mountaintop, eying the Lightning Stone on the mountain, and swooped down at great speed to swallow it. The demon''s aura crushed the Lightning Stone, and its body flickered with crackling electricity, bing even more formidable. Screech! The Thunderhawk spotted another Lightning Stone and let out a delighted cry. However, halfway through its dive, the ground rumbled and split open. It started a few yards wide but quickly spread to the entire Thunderp Peak, then on to a dozen surrounding mountains. From the crack appeared a majestic pce, built entirely of azure jade stone. From high above, the Thunderhawk saw it resembling a giant tortoise spanning over a hundred miles, lying on the ground. "A relic? Inheritance!" Without a second thought, the Thunderhawk dove toward the tortoise-like pce. As it approached within a hundred yards, a water barrier manifested out of thin air, blocking the Thunderhawk from entering. With the opportunity at hand, the Thunderhawk was unwilling to miss out. It pped its wings, sending down dozens of lightning strikes, yet not even a ripple appeared on the water screen. At this moment. Several other bird demons flew over, either casting spells to strike the water barrier or turning to fly away, to report to the Demon King for a reward. Find more chapters on m_v l|e-NovelBin Seeing this, the Thunderhawk sighed in resignation and transformed into lightning, flying towards the Broken Sky Ravine. In less than half an hour. Roar! A tiger''s roar that shocked all directions stirred up a sudden gust of wind, toppling those demons who still refused to give up on the water barrier. A terrifying presence descended; both great and lesser demons prostrated on the ground, quivering. "Giggle! Little tiger, you still love to show off," came a crispughter, like a spring breeze turning into rain, dispelling the tiger''s menace. A charming silhouette materialized in mid-air, wearing a pure white pce dress, enveloped by ayer of pink gauze. Before her voice faded, a burly man with a tiger''s head and a human body flew over from a distance, ck and white patterned wings on his back, his fierce tiger eyes sweeping over the woman. "Hmph! Old fox, what are you doing in White Tiger Ridge''s territory?" "Thisdy was just returning to Moyun City with some wine when I happened upon the news of a relic appearing, so I came to have a look," said Hu JiuZhi, taking out arge wine gourd and taking several hearty gulps, not minding the glistening wine drenching her clothes, revealing her creamy skin underneath. Tiger Xiong nced at her then quickly gathered hisposure, knowing better than to mess with this fox demon. "Hu DaoFriend, why don''t we join forces and try to break the Formation and Prohibition? Whoever gets in first can seize the advantage," he suggested. "Don''t even dream about it!" Hu JiuZhi spoke, "Little tiger, instead of frequenting Moyun City for Dual Cultivation, you should read more about our demon heritage. Do you have any idea what this relic is?" Tiger Xiong scrutinized the tortoise-shaped structure, pondering for a moment before saying, "With such amotion, it can only be the legendary Xuanwu!" "You''ve got some insight," Hu JiuZhi replied. Putting away her frivolous demeanor, she solemnly said, "If I''m not mistaken, this is the legendary Four Spirits Holy Hall, built by thebined efforts of the four Ancient Demon Saints, a ce for the bloodline heritage of our kind!" "Demon Saint!" Tiger Xiong''s eyes widened, filled with both greed and fear. Such an inheritance was something worth fighting to the death for. Let alone the thought of offering it to the elders in his n, even if his own father stood before him, Tiger Xiong would still dispute it over life and death. Hu JiuZhi stated, "This Demon Saint relic cannot be broken by the likes of us. Let''s wait for the elders from the n to arrive, then discuss how to open a way in." As they spoke. Two more figures with wings flew in, both winged tigers. The two demons greeted Hu JiuZhi and, after hearing about the relic from Tiger Xiong, waited in the air. ... Mo Cloud Cave. "So, by myself, I have sacrificed the lifespan of a million creatures?" Zhou Yi hurriedly checked the Longevity Dao Fruit, only to find no changes whatsoever, calm and steady as an ancient well, unaltered through the ages. "Just a ck Tortoise, nothing more than that!" Feeling reassured, Zhou Yi walked around the ck Tortoise shell twice, feeling a blood connection, presumably from the effect of the Blood Sacrifice transforming from destion to revival. "Let''s test its defensive capabilities first!" He took out the Overlord''s Mace and struck the shell dozens of times with a nging sound, but the shell showed no changes. Then he cast various Lightning Methods, and even tried flooding and burning it with all kinds of methods, yet it was still impossible to leave even the slightest mark. "Indeed, a fine treasure; if I refine it into a defensive magical item, wouldn''t I be invincible?" Zhou Yi pointed at the shell and said, "Shrink, shrink, shrink..." The millstone-sized ck Tortoise Shell quickly diminished to a size of three feet in diameter, appearing like a dark green upside-down iron pot. Zhou Yi''s form shifted, and he slid into the shell, which fit perfectly. At that moment. The Turtle Prime Minister came rushing in, about to speak, and saw Zhou Yi carrying arge turtle shell on his back. "My lord, howe you look just like us?" "Daring to intrude without announcement, do you wish to partake of the Spirit Ginseng?" Zhou Yi stored the ck Tortoise Shell into his storage bag; though it looked inelegant, it was not at all diminishing when it came to saving one''s life. Once he found a method to refine a body-protection magical item, he would be able to craft a Supreme Treasure that he could deploy or withdraw at will. The Turtle Prime Minister hurriedly exined, "My lord, we''ve just received a message from the Dragon Pce; all Demon Kings must head to Greenwave Pond within a day." "Discovered so quickly, it seems the Four Spirits Sanctuary is located in the Hundred Thousand Mountains!" Zhou Yi had long been aware that the sanctuary had opened but did not know its exact location; it could be anywhere in the Nine Continents and Four Seas. He had never had an interest in adventures like treasure hunting, so he did not pay much attention to the Four Spirits Sanctuary, especially since it was a heritage site for the demon race. "Hand this map over to Golden Eagle and ck Tiger. Memorize it thoroughly and remember to destroy it after. I''ll go take a stroll in the Dragon Pce with the Ox." After entrusting the partial map of the sanctuary to the Turtle Prime Minister, Zhou Yi transformed into a streak of light together with the Ox, heading toward Greenwave Pond. ... Greenwave Pond. The surface of theke split open, and from time to time, a streak of light fell through, heading straight for Bibo Pce after entering the Dragon Pce. Inside the hall, there were already ten figures present, with the foremost seat empty, as Dragon Lord Ao Cang had yet to arrive. The Demon Kings whispered among themselves, discussing and specting about the reason for the summons. Zhou Yi and the Oxnded in the pce and found adjacent seats on the left side to sit down, right next to the Jade Fang Demon King. "Fellow Daoist Yu Ya, do you know why Dragon Lord has summoned us?" Zhou Yi did not wait for the other party to speak before asking first. "I''m not sure, I haven''t heard of any urgent matters recently." Yu Ya wrapped his nose around, swallowing the Spirit Fruit from the table into his mouth before chewing and saying, "It''s either to do with the humans or some relics. The current strife between righteousness and evil is in full swing, so it must that some inheritance has been discovered." Zhou Yi asked in confusion, "Are inheritances that often discovered?" "What''s the use even if they are discovered often, nine out of ten are of no use to us." Yu Ya urged the m Lady to pour the wine, saying, "I''ve studied closely; these relics are not the legendary paradises but are ultimately hidden by Formations. Over time, the Formation and Prohibition weaken, naturally exposing their location." "My friend Golden, think about it¡ªif even the Formation and Prohibition are worn out, the Spiritual Objects and Spiritual Medicine inside would have long turned to waste!" "I see." Zhou Yi looked at Yu Ya in surprise; this robust and simple-looking fellow, prone to sleepiness andziness, was actually quite meticulous. "Haha! Yu Ya, you''ve spoken wrongly this time." Ao Cang walked into the hall from outside, followed by three of his princes, smiling as he said, "The incident this time is not about relics, but an actual inheritance, originating from an Ancient Demon Saint..." The words "Demon Saint" instantly silenced the hall. Ao Cang sat on the dragon throne and continued. "To the northeast of White Tiger Ridge lies Thunderstrike Peak. Not long ago, when the mountain cracked open, the legendary Four Spirits Sanctuary appeared from within. After a discussion, the four ancient ancestors will not interfere with this inheritance; it is for us to explore for ourselves!" Chapter 153 Scrambling to be the First The Four Sacred Beasts enjoy illustrious reputations among the demon ns, known to all without exception. Their descendants are widespread, with lineages such as the Bibo Pool Dragon Pce and the winged tigers of White Tiger Ridge having blood of the Azure Dragon and White Tiger in their ancestry. While it may just be a boast for the winged tigers, it could very well be true for the Dragon Pce, given that dragon family trees tend to be quite extensive. "The divine skills of the Ancient Demon Saints are profound and mysterious, with formations and prohibitions outside the Saint Hall that are difficult to break through. Even the joint effort of the four ancestors can only open a small entrance," Ao Cang continued, "Therefore, for the spiritual objects obtained within, each ancestor will first take one item. What do you all think of this arrangement?" "It should be so." The crowd of demons agreed thunderously, as the most precious treasure within the Saint Hall was the inheritance of the bloodlines of the Four Sacred Beasts, with the value of spiritual objects being secondary. Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi''s brows furrowed slightly. The Demon Emperor could resist the temptation of the Four Sacred Beasts'' inheritance; the danger inside was one thing, but it was more likely that he knew it was impossible to surpass the Demon Gods, with only life-extending spiritual objects being of any use. The level of a Demon God was equivalent to the Divinity Transformation Realm. As long as Zhou Yi could live a stable life, he would one day face this bottleneck. "There is also another matter; no one knows what dangers lie within the Saint Hall, nor how long it will take to refine the ability to enter and exit the prohibitions." Ao Cang spoke again, "To prevent the human race from taking advantage of this opportunity to invade the Hundred Thousand Mountains, after deliberation among the four ancestors, it is necessary to leave half of the Demon Kings to guard the Spirit Vein. If, after ten years, no demon has inherited the Saint Hall, the ancestors will once again join forces to open the formation, and the Demon Kings inside and outside will rotate." The group of demons fell silent. Since the Saint Hall was a ce of inheritance for the bloodlines of the forebears, even if there were dangers, they were meant to test one''s aptitude and understanding, and it was absolutely impossible for it to deliberately trouble future generations. In this way, the Demon Kings who went in first would scoop up all the benefits, while those guarding outside could only dryly look on. Ao Cang''s gaze swept over the crowd, seeing the demons'' indescribable expressions, and continued, "This king also understands the disparity. However, it is vital for the stability of our race and must not be neglected. If it weren''t for the Righteous and Demon Sword Duel currently preupying the humans, not even half would be permitted!" "The poor Daoist supports the ancestor''s decision. I am willing to guard the Spirit Vein, monitoring the movements of the human race day and night." Zhou Yi was the first to dere his stance, standing up and saying loudly, "Dragon Lord has exhausted his mind for the rise of our demon race. The Saint Hall of the Four Sacred Beasts is a godsend opportunity. If a demon must sacrifice their interests, let it start with the poor Daoist!" "..." Jade Fang Demon King''s eyes bulged, looking at Zhou Yi in disbelief. Usually sly as a ghost, this fellow was able to utter such bold and powerful words, stirring a trace of blood hotness in the weary-of-centuries Jade Fang Demon King. Of course, giving up the opportunity was absolutely impossible! "He who knows me, Jin Yi does!" As if finding a kindred spirit, Ao Cang said, "The demon race will not mistreat its meritorious subjects. Those who choose to guard the Spirit Vein may send their formidable demons under theirmand into the Saint Hall to explore." The concept of n and kinship is nebulous among demons, yet this does not mean theyck bloodline descendants. For example, under themand of Jade Fang Demon King are over a dozen elephant demons of the same lineage, although they have not awakened their unique ancestral bloodlines. As these words were spoken, two more Demon Kings expressed willingness to guard the area. Among their n members were top-tier demons that might, with the help of the Saint Hall, transcend tribtions and transform their shape. The remaining ten Demon Kings like the ox demon remained confidently seated, waiting for Ao Cang to arrange a solution. In their eyes, the inheritance of the Four Sacred Beasts was thousands of times more important than the greater good of the demon race or kinship. Besides, what chance would the great demons have inpeting for spiritual objects and inheritance in the Saint Hall? To emerge alive would already be considered lucky. Ao Cang had already anticipated this and took out a golden bottle magic artifact, which contained ten jade tokens. "Then let fate decide. Who will go first?" The Demon Kings scanned with their divine senses, secretly casting deduction spells, but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn''t see through the golden bottle, so they took turns drawing spirit tokens. The ox demon''s spirit token had a golden mark on the other end, and he joyfully said, "Big Brother, why don''t I give my chance to you?" "You go ahead and scout the path. It won''t matter if I enter after ten years." Zhou Yi had expected this oue and cautioned, "Your third, fourth, and fifth brothers will apany you. Remember, safetyes first, inheritance second. Do not forcefully contend for spiritual objects." Of course, these words were an excuse. Demons like the ox with a map guide were bound to be the fastest in reaching the core area of the Saint Hall and obtain the Four Sacred Beasts'' inheritance. After ten years, Zhou Yi had no intention of visiting the Four Sacred Beasts'' Hall. If he couldn''t find a suitable excuse, he would prefer to fake his own death and assume a new identity. Setting aside whether the Saint Hall would reject the presence of humans, the demons who entered to search for spiritual objects would inevitably fight and scheme against each other. Spiritual objects belong to the strong! Having heard Zhou Yi''s concerned words, Ao Cang nodded in satisfaction. A subordinate who valued rtionships and righteousness would never disappoint, and he must be heavily relied upon in the future. He then turned to look at the three Dragon Children, pondering for a moment before speaking. "Elder Brother, Third Brother, for the time being, stay in the pce and guard it. I''ll take General Wu, General Jin, and explore ahead!" "Everything shall be as Father Kingmands," The Great Crown Prince and the third Crown Prince dared not have any objections. Even though they were both Transformed Demon Kings, the Dragon Lordmanded the respect of both a sovereign and a father. Anyck of reverence now would ensure they had no chance of inheriting the threr. If one could not respect their sovereign father, how could the ancestors rest assured in entrusting the Dragon Pce to such a person? Observing this scene, Zhou Yi lowered his eyes and smirked. Previously, seeing the True Monarchs and ancestors appearing detached and like carefree immortals, now, with the emergence of the Four Spirit Sanctuary, their mortal nature was exposed. "After all, they are not immortals!" ... Several dayster. Near the Four Sacred Halls. Three swaths of demonic clouds¡ªazure, white, and ck¡ªfloated in the sky, positioned in a triangr standoff, their chilling murderous intent undisguised. The myriad mountain demons were united against outside forces, but internally they were engaged in open rivalry and secret struggles. Unlike humans, who sharedmon ancestry, many demon ns were natural hunters and prey to one another. For instance, sheep demons, whose parents were killed by wolf demons, how could there be no enmity recalling the past despite both being Demon Kings? Fortunately, demon ns did not ce much importance on bloodline, otherwise, there would be no need for human invasion; they would have settled matters of life and death amongst themselves long ago. On normal days, constrained by the ancestor''s repression, they had to suppress their conflicts, but now that the opportunity had arisen, they would settle their debts once inside the Formation. In the distance, various figures were hidden among the mountains, Loose Cultivator Demon Kings, who usually stayed out of worldly affairs, couldn''t help but covet the Four Spirit Sanctuary. "Why hasn''t that old worm arrived yet?" the Tiger King stood high on the clouds, his cold gaze sweeping over the fox den atop the azure cloud, cursing the shamelessness of frolicking with favored male consorts in broad daylight right in front of the Sanctuary. "That fellow has always been troublesome, with ambition bigger than talent!" The speaker was Wu Tianxiu, the Lord of Soup Valley, with a crow''s head around his neck and bird ws for hands, and a pair of pitch-ck wings on his back. At that moment, a heartyugh rang out. "Haha, I was handling some n matters, I apologize for making my three esteemed brothers wait," Ao Cang said, arriving in a dragon chariot, nked by over a dozen Demon Kings riding demonic clouds, followed by a hundred greater demons carrying banners, canopies, and other regalia. "There''s no need for such fuss, just hurry up and open the Sanctuary''s prohibitions!" Wu Tianxiu urged in a cold tone. The Golden Crows viewed dragons as food, and naturally opposed each other in water and fire attributes, with deep-seated enmity between the two ns from ancient times. "Let''s do it together." Ao Cang agreed generously, opening his mouth to release a Jade Ruyi. Without the need for casting spells, the Ruyi took to the air on its own; vaguely, the shadow of a dragon could be seen moving around it. The Lord of Qingqiu, Hu Jiuhan, took out two treasure beads, one green and one red, while the Tiger King summoned a Mysterious ck Seal, and a golden bell flew out from Wu Tianxiu''s hand. The four Supreme Treasures radiated dazzling divine light, and the terrifying aura was vast and immense, silencing the myriad sounds between heaven and earth, forcing all demons to descend from the clouds to look up. Divine lights intertwined and slowly converged into a single ray, striking the water curtain Formation like a falling star. Hum! A sound like the faintest murmur broke out, pulverizing the flora, rocks, and stone within dozens of miles. Ripples spread across the water curtain, eventually cracking open a slit three to four feet wide. "Now is the time!" Ao Cang was the first to transform into a ray of light, slipping through the crack in the Formation, with the Tiger King and Wu Tianxiu following closely behind. Only Hu Jiuhan remained on the clouds, his nsmen, and Demon Kings, not daring to procrastinate, rushing into the Four Spirits Sanctuary before the Formation closed up. The four Supreme Treasures, havingpleted their task, flew towards the heavens and disappeared from sight. As the formidable presence gradually dissipated, Zhou Yi finally exhaled a sigh of relief, experiencing the Nascent Soul ancestors'' power at close range for the first time. "No wonder there''s never been a record of a Golden Core going against a Nascent Soul. Even Xiao Tiezhu had to form his Nascent Soul before he could y the Zhen Yang Demon Venerate. In the realm of immortals, each step is as different as earth and heaven, a chasm that can''t be measured in mere miles!" Chapter 154 The Underground Temple Spiritual light sparkled. A crack opened in the void, and a bull-headed strongman squeezed through. "This is..." The ox rose into the air and surveyed the surrounding terrain, an endless forest, with five mountain peaks connected at their bases like a palm in the distance. Recalling the ck Tortoise Remnant Map andparing it, he immediately knew his orientation; the route to the core area was to the east. "After entering the sacred temple, try Earth Escape first, traveling underground is both fast and less dangerous!" Following Zhou Yi''s advice, the oxnded on the forest floor and attempted to use Earth Escape, but was repelled by the shing spiritual light of the formation''s prohibitions. "First step failed, next is to shrink size and conceal mana. Then transform into a bewitching fox demon, beautiful and delightful things tend to lower guards..." The ox, without any hesitation, directly used the Art of Transformation, its tall and burly form quickly shrinking, in a blink, it transformed into a coquettish and delicate fox demon. Walking with a customaryrge stride, trembling with each step, the fox''s tail swung continuously behind her. "ording to the sage, don''t explore other Spiritual Objects and head straight for the core area." "If everything goes smoothly, get the inheritance, then hide, don''t fight, and just wait for ten years to end. If the Spiritual Objects have tracking marks, abandon them immediately, only imprinting books and the like. If the inheritance has bloodline restrictions, prioritize Dragon Pce followed by Soup Valley..." "If blood sacrifice and ughter are required for the blood sacrifice, publicly disclose the inheritance..." "If there are guardian beasts, quietly wait for others to challenge them and then sneak attack..." "If..." The ox mumbled to himself, carefully remembering Zhou Yi''s advice. He had prepared choices for almost every possible scenario; there was no need to puzzle over decisions. Roar! A beast''s roar sounded, and a tiger demon sprang out of the woods, its aura stronger than an ordinary great demon, but it fearlessly pounced towards the ox. With a casual wave of her dainty fists, the ox exploded the tiger demon''s head, only to find that it hadn''t formed a Demon Core. "Qi-Refining Demon Beasts all have Demon Cores, this tiger demon is rather mysterious!" Following Zhou Yi''s advice, not to underestimate anything in the sacred temple and to collect anything unusual into his storage bag. The environment inside the temple was vastly different from today''s, and perhaps an inconspicuous tree or wild grass contained the secrets of ancient monks. The ox stuffed the remains of the tiger demon into his storage bag, ignoring the Spiritual Medicine it was guarding, and ran wildly to the east without any hesitation. "The sage repeatedly warned not to think that having the correct path would ensure getting the sacred temple inheritance. There are always a few special ones in the world, whose luck is even more outrageous than cheating, that is, man cannot contend with fate!" "Cheating? What does this mean?" The ox hurried on without stopping, casually ying anyrge demons that blocked her path, and when encountering beastsparable to the Demon King, she used Escape Skills to evade them. It seemed the demons within the sacred temple had their own territories, as the chasing beasts would return to theirirs after a short pursuit and continue guarding their Spiritual Objects and Spiritual Medicine. During this time, she heard the sounds ofbat, earth-shattering noises that suggested two Demon Kings were fighting. About half a dayter. The ox quickly found the mark of the correct path, an ancient tree reaching to the sky whose age was hard to determine. She broke a branch and sped towards the depths of the sacred temple along the path. "Indeed the right path, perfectly avoiding all demon beast territories, some of which have extremely strong auras, surpassing the realm of the Demon King. Charging into one would make even escape difficult!" The sacred temple appeared from the outside to only span a few mountain peaks,pletely visible at a nce, but it actually stretched over thousands of miles. Because she dared not expose her mana, lest it attract the attention of the beasts, the ox relied on her legs to run. The path was twisted and even led her to backtrack at times until she entered the core area after nearly half a month. The mountain peak was unremarkable, not more than a hundred zhang tall, and showed no anomalies from the outside. The ox did her utmost to conceal her mana, not daring any deviation from the path, as the prowling beasts on either side had auras that were deep and immeasurable. "Such terror, much stronger than the ancient ancestors who opened the formation. Yet, the invincible Demon Emperor couldn''t even transform, hunting for food like a wild beast!" "There were rumors that in ancient times, the demon race had beasts that did not transform, known as fierce beasts¡ªperhaps this was one of them!" Cautiously approaching the base of the mountain, the ox saw nothing unusual after observing for a long time, as if it were the most ordinary Nameless Peak. Trying to cast the Earth Escape spell, he whooshed into the interior of the mountain, and the scenery before him suddenly changed. A majestic temple, built of giant stones stacked up, stood with a simple and ancient design, devoid of any carved patterns. The ox ascended the steps and pushed open the stone door, only to see four divine beast statues enshrined within, arranged ording to their directional positions¡ªdragon, tiger, turtle, sparrow. The statues of the divine beasts towered dozens of feet tall, lowering their heads to look down upon the neer, with each one standing over an offering tableden with various sacrificial offerings. In the center of the temple, there were four ponds about a zhang in diameter, filled with thick, concentrated essence blood. The Blood Pool had existed for untold years but remained as fresh and red as if it had just been drawn from the bodies of the divine beasts. "This is the Four Spirits inheritance, much simpler than what the immortal master had predicted." The ox searched the sacred temple for a long time without finding any other spiritual objects, so he began to examine each offering table. "Spiritual objects offered to the Demon Saint must be extremely precious!" Beneath the ck Tortoise Statue on its offering table were a few stone beads that turned into rubble upon the ox''s touch. The offering table of the Vermilion Bird held a bizarre beast skull, terrifying in appearance, but it crumbled into ash upon being picked up. The offering table for the White Tiger had an oddly shaped iron sword lying on it, which broke into several pieces the moment the ox grasped its hilt. "The immortal master often says that under the mighty force of time, all strong beings and spiritual objects will turn to dust!" The ox moved to the Azure Dragon offering table, which held various kinds of spiritual medicine, indistinguishable from rotten wood and crumbling to sawdust at a touch. In the end, only a section of tree root remained, half a foot long, with a hint of yellow-green inside when split open. "Eh?" Delight appeared on the ox''s face as he quickly began to sense it carefully, and indeed the root still contained a faint spiritual energy. "At least it''s not a fruitless endeavor." The ox sealed the root inside a jade box, sprinkled it with plenty of spirit stone shards, but still not reassured, fearing the root wouldn''t live for another decade. He went over to the Blood Pool corresponding to the Azure Dragon, scooped half adle into the jade box to soak the root in. The ox put away the jade box and circled around the four Blood Pools several times, contemting how to take them out of the Four Spirits Sacred Temple. At that moment. There were footsteps outside, and soon after, Crown Prince Ao Qin, with the head of a dragon and the body of a man, entered the temple. "Brother Ox?" Ao Qin''s eyebrows knitted slightly as his gaze swept over the four intact Blood Pools, then quickly rxed as he smiled and said, "Brother Ox, you''ve arrived first. Have you found any spiritual objects?" "Nah, they''re all just scrap metal and rotten wood." The ox pointed to the debris on the ground and added, "It''s been too long; only these inheritance Blood Pools are still preserved." Ao Qin carefully examined the remains of the offerings and, without a trace, approached the Azure Dragon Blood Pool and said, "I, a poor Taoist, am a descendant of the Azure Dragon Demon Saint, and the other three spirits are notcking either. Please be so good as to oblige, Brother Ox!" The ox nodded slightly and stepped back, "Your Highness, please proceed as you wish." Ao Qin arranged the Formation and Prohibition around the Blood Pool and jumped in without hesitation. The seemingly shallow pool was deep enough to submerge his head. Soon after, rich turquoise divine light flickered, and the Blood Pool vanished into nothingness, leaving stone bs indistinguishable from any other realm. The ox stomped hard, the prohibition''s spiritual light shed, but the stone bs remained undamaged. "Is this the temple''s protection for its inheritors?" Chapter 155: Chapter 155 Bloodline Inheritance The ox searched in various ways, but couldn''t find any trace of Ao Qin. "Just as I surmised, the sanctity of the temple lies in its inheritance, it wouldn''t deliberately make things difficult for the younger generations of the demon race." "With such protection, this old ox can rest easy!" The ox transformed into a beam of escaping light and left the divine temple, reaching the top of a mountain after emerging from the ground. It concealed its aura and waited patiently. Several dayster. A tiger demon from the great demon race, chased by a mystical beast, fled in a panic and by mistake ascended to the Nameless Peak. "That was close!" The tiger demon took out a Spirit Medicine and swallowed it, quickly restoring its mana, and felt a terrifying presence around it that was subtle yet palpable. "With terrifying mystical beasts in all directions, what should I do?" "After all the difficulty in seizing this opportunity, am I just supposed to wait here helplessly for ten years?" After thinking for a moment, an idea shed in the tiger demon''s mind, and it quickly formed a spell with its hands, intending to use the Earth Escape Skill to leave the ce. A yellow light flickered. The tiger demon fell into the earth and upon opening its eyes, it saw an ancient and magnificent temple, unable to conceal the surprise in its expression. Continue your adventure with m|v-l''e -NovelBin "Could this be the Transmission of the Four Spirits... " Before it could finish speaking, a terrifying presence assaulted it from the corner, and its massive mana anchored the tiger demon in ce. Boom! The demon''s body flew out and embedded itself in the stone wall, with bones and organs shattered. The tiger demon still clung to a sliver of life, and upon seeing the approaching ox, it eximed in horror, "Demon King..." "Tsk tsk, the immortal was right, fighting with a realm suppression is indeed satisfying!" The ox followed Zhou Yi''s instructions, prioritizing sneak attacks inbat, and against the great demons of the Imperial n''s bloodline, aimed to leave them just half-dead to avoid leaving any marks of revenge. With a wave of its hand, the ox sealed the tiger demon, then grabbing it, the ox escaped to the surface and flung the demon several miles away. Before the tiger demon could hit the ground, a beast tens of meters tall leapt into the air and swallowed it whole. Half a monthter. The ox was growing somewhat anxious in its wait, having already lured away another Demon King mid-wait¡ªshould the other return to check, it would surely be suspicious. "Why haven''t my third and fourth brothers and fifth brother arrived yet?" Approaching noon. Three figures followed a safe route, hobbling towards the mountain peak, the ck tiger missing an ear, the Golden Eagle with a broken wing, and the tortoise chancellor in the worst shape. The tortoise shell had split into four sections from the center¡ªif the attack had been a bit stronger, its demon body would have been torn apart. "Finally, we''ve arrived! Once I obtain the inheritance of the Four Spirits, I''ll definitely stew that Flying Bear!" The tortoise chancellor cursed andined; it had followed Zhou Yi''s advice to sneak carefully and should have already been at this location, but it encountered the Flying Bear Demon King along the way. The Flying Bear Demon King had long harbored grievances against the Cloud-Rubbing Five Saints, and dared not provoke Zhou Yi or the ox outside. Now, upon running into the solitary tortoise chancellor, it immediately sought to take its life. Luckily, the Golden Eagle and the ck tiger passed by¡ªthe three demons relied on their familiarity with the map to contend with the Flying Bear, eventually luring it into an area where Spiritual Medicine grew, and while it fought with other mystical beasts, they finally managed to escape with their lives. Upon hearing themotion, the ox descended atop the mountain peak amidst a beam of escaping light and urged, "The vengeance against the Flying Bear can wait for another day, quickly go and ept the inheritance of the Four Spirits." "Boss Ox, have you already received the inheritance?" The tortoise chancellor asked with confusion, "There hasn''t been any change in aura, could the immortal have guessed wrong? Is it not a transformation of our bloodlines?" The ox shook its head and said, "There was a Dragon Whelp whose luck defied the heavens, now only three inheritances remain, just enough for the three of you." Roar! Screech! The ck tiger and the Golden Eagle shook their heads repeatedly, refusing the ox''s suggestion. The tortoise chancellor stated, "Our three bloodlines are ordinary; our aplishments in the future will be limited. Boss Ox, you''ve advanced to your current state starting from a mortal body¡ªperhaps epting the inheritance might lead to you obtaining the position of Demon Emperor." "Don''t dawdle; at any moment, other demon races might arrive, and it will turn into another conflict." The ox waved its hand, anchoring the three demons, then wrapped them with mana and entered deep into the earth, throwing each of them into the Blood Pool inside the divine temple after arriving. "If you call me second brother, it''s my responsibility to look after you all!" "Moreover, the immortal said that in this world, unless one has great fortune, it''s difficult for there to be any more Daoists or Demon Emperors." The ox watched as the three demons gradually submerged into the Blood Pool and said with a smile, "I''m just an old ox that tills thend. If the immortal had not rescued me, I would have long been a meal on the te. How can there be any talk of destiny!" Divine light shone brightly, and the three Blood Pools turned into bluestone, leaving no trace of inheritance. "Changing the bloodline''s foundation, I wonder how long it will take..." The ox muttered, "If it takes ten or a hundred years, we brothers can still drink to our heart''s content, and by then, the name of the Cloud-Rubbing Five Saints will spread throughout the Nine Continents. If it takes a thousand or ten thousand years, I, the old ox, can only watch from the heavens while you reunite with the immortal!" Having spoken, he transformed into a beam of light and left. ... Outside the Sacred Hall. A gathering of demons was reluctant to leave. Ten years is but a fleeting moment for the demon race; they would rather sit and wait on the spot. What if the Sacred Hall fully opened and any demon coulde and go? Hurrying back from the cave dwellings then would mean missing the opportunity. Since the other demons were not leaving, Zhou Yi didn''t make an exception either. He found a Nameless Peak to open a cave dwelling and wait. He divined fortune and misfortune every day. The Spiritual Divination was unremarkable, despite the grand Sacred Hall right before his eyes. "The Minor Cutting of Heaven spell isn''t truly invincible. It''s more urate during the Golden Core Stage, but bes blurry during the Nascent Soul Stage. As for matters involving Demon Gods and Demon Saints, even the secrets of heaven are inscrutable." Zhou Yi shook his head in resignation, knowing that it had to do with his own cultivation level. In the future, upon advancing to Nascent Soul Daoist, the range of heaven''s secrets he could divine with the Minor Cutting of Heaven spell would correspondingly increase a lot. Time flows like water. A year passed in the blink of an eye. The Four Spirits Sacred Hall remained quiet, but the gathered demons showed great patience. Some dozed off in meditation, some brought fine wine to start a feast, and some even called their beautiful wives and concubines from the cave dwellings to celebrate day and night. Zhou Yi felt the Blood Covenant quiver and did not know why, but he knew the ox had obtained an extraordinary treasure. "If it''s a longevity Spiritual Object, then it should be given to the Demon Emperor. Other rare Spiritual Objects will depend on the situation. However, given the ox''s prudent nature, it''s likely some sort of ancient Relic. If it attracts thepetition of the Demon Emperor..." Zhou Yi pondered for a long time, then went back to Moyun City to bring over the Formation and Prohibition. Set up inyers around the cave dwelling, hundreds of Formations intersected, each capable of withstanding at least one strike that had broken the prohibition that day. "Outside there are Formations and Prohibitions; inside, the Xuanwu Divine Armor. With the transformation into the Golden Eagle, the Thunder Escape, and the Blood Burning Escape Technique all stacked together, even a Nascent Soul elder could only eat dust. Even if there were any idents, throwing the Spiritual Object away and letting them fight over it to recoverter!" Zhou Yi easily decided on a strategy¡ªsurvival was the priority, and if he couldn''t get the Spiritual Object, he would throw it away. After that, he studied the Lightning Method daily, nurtured the Mountain and River Cauldron, and the Soul-Calming Mirror, and days flew by swiftly. ... The ten-year period had arrived. On this day. Zhou Yi sensed four subtle auras suspended high above in the sky. "Demon Emperors!" "Last time it was just a long-distance opening of the Formation, and now to pluck the fruits, you couldn''t resisting in person?" Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense was strong and far exceeded those of his peers. Only just now did he notice a wisp of aura, while other Demon Kings riding demon clouds waited outside the Four Spirits Sacred Hall. "This so-called im of ''taking one''s share,'' I wonder how credible it is?" Noon. The time hade. Four figures materialized out of thin air, the aura of the Demon Emperor descended thunderously, and the demons waiting below fell like raindrops. At the forefront was a purple-robed elder with a golden scale glinting on his forehead, nked by a burly man in tiger skin, a woman in pce attire, and a ck-haired youth¡ªthree figures resembling humans. Zhou Yi fell to the ground and, imitating the demons, paid homage to the figures in the sky. "Greetings, ancestors!" "No need for such courtesies. Fellow Daoists, let us begin." The voice of the Dragon Emperor was ancient and authoritative as he waved his hand, releasing purple divine light. The three other Demon Emperors acted simultaneously, their divine lights merged into one force, striking heavily upon the water curtain Formation. Chapter 156 Boldly Making a Move The water curtain split open, and figures escaped from the crack. Leading them was Dragon Lord Ao Cang, with more than half of his bronze armor shattered, his chest was bloody with several w marks, showing he was badly injured, yet his face brimmed with a smile. "Greetings to the ancestor!" After paying his respects, Ao Cang secretly transmitted a message to inform the Dragon Emperor of their gains this time. "Not bad." The Dragon Emperor praised with a nod, gesturing for Ao Cang to go heal his wounds, and then turned his attention to the rest of the demon crowd. The demons, more or less carrying injuries, approached ording to their respective affiliations, with demon kings like Qing Song and Yu Yaing forward to greet the Dragon Emperor. Zhou Yi and other demon ns formed a fan shape around them, craning their necks to see what treasures were inside the sanctuary. General Crow was the first to take out his storage bag, and with a tter, all the spiritual objects were poured out, shining with spiritual light and overflowing with the fragrance of medicine. "Purple Spirit Crystal, thousand-year-old Mystic Pearl Grass, Redme Iron, thousand-year-old Green Lotus..." More than a dozen types of top-grade spirit ores suitable for crafting magical treasures, spirit medicines with thousands of years of medicinal age¡ªalthough the Dragon Emperor had already learned from Ao Cang, seeing them with his own eyes still made him gasp in admiration. The Dragon Emperor scanned the items and, not finding the Life-Extending Spiritual Medicine, picked up a spirit ore and said with concern. "General Crow has worked hard." "Thank you, ancestor." General Crow showed a look of delight¡ªas precious as the Cold Marrow Pearl was, its value was far less than that of the spirit medicines that could enhance one''s cultivation. Clearly, the Dragon Emperor had shown mercy. The demons one by one presented the treasures they acquired from the sanctuary, and as the Dragon Emperor reviewed each, finding two Life-Extending Spiritual Medicines pleased him greatly. He waved his hand and granted those to the two demon kings. When it was the Ox''s turn, it opened its storage bag and dumped out a mess of items. Several sprigs of Five-Hundred-Year-Old Ginseng, a Jade Box filled with fresh blood, as well as beast corpses, various wild grasses, branches, roots, rocks, and soil... With a shameful expression, the Ox said, "I am unworthy of the ancestor. With my low strength, I did not dare to fight the exotic beasts and only got these spiritual objects." The surrounding demons burst intoughter, seeing the Dragon Emperor in a good mood, they asked out loud what use there was in breaking branches and digging up roots. The honest Ox scratched its head, "My elder brother said that the sanctuary inherits from the ancient era when the natural environment was different from now. Perhaps the beasts and nts nurtured then were also different, so he instructed me to take some and study." Zhou Yi nodded in agreement with a smile, unconsciously taking a few steps forward, ready to put the Ox inside his storage bag at any moment. The Dragon Emperor surveyed the scene, and when he saw the blood, his pupils contracted slightly. He waved his hand and the spiritual light fell upon the Jade Box, and said with a cid face, "Such a nature to investigate everything, no wonder he became a Formation master. The amount of spiritual objects is of no concern, in the future..." The voice had yet to fall when a charming voice came through. "Dao friend Ao, don''t bully the junior for having poor eyesight. In my view, this box of Azure Dragon''s essence blood is more precious than all other spiritual objects." As the Fox Emperor spoke, her mana took the form of a hand, brazenly reaching for the Jade Box. "The little fox is overstepping her bounds!" The Dragon Emperor was inwardly annoyed¡ªsuch a Supreme Treasure should have been sealed away, now that it was revealed, disputes were inevitable. He waved his hand and shed with the oing strike from Hu Qing. A casual attack from a Nascent Soul ancestor, the mana surged tremendously, sweeping in all directions. Moo! The Ox manifested its true form, a golden giant ox, and opened its mouth to swallow everything outside the Jade Box into its stomach. Just then the aftermath of the battle had arrived, flinging the Ox hundreds of yards away. Its forelegs were unnaturally twisted, and it was unclear how many were broken; of the two horns on its head, only one remained. The Jade Box, which was in the center of the battle, remained oddly undamaged due to the special care of the two ancestors. Upon hearing "demon saint''s essence blood," Tiger Emperor and Crow Emperor, without a second thought, joined the fray, using their skills around the Jade Box. Wisps of the battle''s aftermath hit the ground, sting continuous trenches for miles, and manyrge demons who couldn''t dodge in time were reduced to ash. Those lucky enough to survive the exotic beasts of the sanctuary ended up dying at the hands of their own ancestors¡ªsuch was their fate, and they could onlyment in vain! When the Ox was seriously injured, Zhou Yi had already gone over, carried it on his shoulder, and with a p of his wings turned into a streak of light, escaping. The remaining Demon Kings also reacted quickly, sensing the danger as the Fox Emperor made its move. With no desire for the demon saint''s essence blood, their only thought was to flee as far as possible. In the blink of an eye, they had fled dozens of miles away. Zhou Yi only stopped his fleeing light, turning back to look into the distance. The entire sky had turned into four different colors, twisting and entangling with one another, unyielding and relentless. The four Nascent Soul ancestors, over a box of essence blood, had torn off their pretenses and were battling fiercely, with booming sounds echoing continuously; sometimes dark clouds covered the sky, at other times infernos seemed to consume the world, and the roars of the Tiger Emperor could be heard trembling souls despite the great distance. "Niu''er, didn''t we agree? To simply consume such a hot potato within the sanctuary." Zhou Yi asked in confusion, "What about the Tortoise Prime Minister and the others?" "Gone back to Mo Cloud Cave." The Buffalo''s breath was disordered, having forcibly taken a hit from an ancestor, and even though it was just the aftermath, it had suffered serious injuries. Hearing this, Zhou Yi''s gaze sharpened, and without further questions, he immediately turned into a fleeing light and sped away. ... Thorn Ridge. Cloud Piercing Peak. After not returning for ten years, there was barely any change. But at the foot of the mountain, Moyun City was changing three times a day, now nearly home to a hundred thousand people, growing ever more prosperous and bustling. The fleeing light entered inside the mountain, with multipleyers of formations concealing it, amidst which ake floated seven-colored lotuses. The Spirit Ginseng baby sensed themotion, poking out its little head from the water, and upon seeing the visitor was Zhou Yi, it came over joyfully to greet him. A five-thousand-year-old Spirit Ginseng, not even seen in the Four Spiritual Sanctuaries; at this point, the Spirit Ginseng baby truly resembled a human child, white and tender, with fully-formed limbs, dressed in an emerald-green stomach band woven with lotus patterns. Only the nine green leaves atop its head, fluttering in the wind, betraying the Spirit Ginseng baby as more spirit than human. "As the saying goes, ''You nurture the ginseng for a thousand years, and use it for a day!''" Zhou Yi said, "Niu''er has sustained serious injuries; now it''s your turn to make an effort to help it recover quickly." The Spirit Ginseng baby wore a bitter look, yet dared not defy Zhou Yi''smand, and with puffed cheeks, it spat out a mouthful of aquamarine juice onto the Buffalo''s forehead, which turned into a surging vitality. The severed forelimbs visibly regrew at a rate perceivable to the naked eye; the cracked internal organs healed in an instant, but the missing horns only managed to grow back half an inch. The Buffalo spit out the corpse tree roots from its belly, exining, "At that time, all the demon energy was used to protect these, relying solely on my physical body to withstand the ancestor''s mana. This golden horn is a life-saving divine skill, and it can''t be regrown in a short time." "In the future, don''t risk your life for these trinkets!" Zhou Yi''s divine sense swept over them, and seeing nothing but ordinary branches and roots, he said, "Ancient demonic beasts and botanicals, though rare, are of little use, and besides, there are still quite a few in the sanctuary..." The Buffalo grinned and picked out a piece of tree root from the pile of twigs and exined its origins through telepathy. "Following the guidance of the Immortal, after entering the Ancestral Sanctuary..." "Niu''er, you''ve done splendidly; I am not as good as you!" Zhou Yi genuinely praised after learning about the cause and effect. While four ancestors were fighting over a box of demon saint''s essence blood, the Buffalo was willing to give up the Demon Saint''s legacy, leaving it to the Tortoise Prime Minister and the three demons. Zhou Yi asked himself, if he didn''t have the Longevity Dao Fruit, he would never let go of a bloodline inheritance to anyone. "I just felt that I''m quite capable and that I could be of some use by staying by the Immortal''s side," said the Buffalo honestly. "The three of them are weaker; after receiving the legacy, they at least will be able to condense their Golden Cores and in the future could also serve the Immortal." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, examining the root closely, which was already ny-nine percent dead. "If it has survived countless years of trials, where even ores and magical treasures have turned to ash, and yet a piece of tree root can retain a hint of life, it surely has an extraordinary origin." "Let''s first try the Jade Dew Art; if Creation Dew is effective, then it''s wood-element. If ineffective, we can only slowly cultivate it!" Chapter 157 The Bloodlight Disaster Zhou Yi performed the Jade Dew Art, as vitality and mana converged at his fingertips, forming a thick, viscous liquid. At first it was emerald and crystalline, but as his lifespan was spent, it turned to a dark green. With five hundred years of lifespan poured into it, the Creation Dew turned from dark to gold, strands of gold thread mixing within the liquid. Creation Dew Drops dripped onto the roots, and one saw the core''s tender green trembling slightly, instantly absorbing the liquidpletely. "It''s effective!" Zhou Yi''s face revealed a pleased expression. He took elixirs to restore his mana and swept over the roots with his Divine Sense to meticulously check the differences before and after. After the roots absorbed the Creation Dew, there was no growth or swelling, only a bit of vitality had sprouted, and the originally tender green area expanded slightly. "Any change is good, I have plenty of lifespan," he said. Zhou Yi instructed, "Niu''er, I''m going to go into seclusion to hasten the ripening of this object. You go outside and keep watch, and stay updated on the battle''s result with the elder ancestor." The ox bowed and took the order, his shape shing and disappearing from sight. The ginseng baby circled around the roots twice, a greedy look spreading across its face. After restraining itself for a long time, it finally could not help it and pounced towards the roots with mouth open. Zhou Yi grabbed hold of the ginseng baby by the green leaves on its head and said, "If you dare to eat recklessly again, I will stew and eat you!" "Oh immortal, spare my life, spare my life!" The ginseng baby pleaded, "This tree root has been enchanted with sorcery, constantly tempting me to eat it. It must be some kind of evil entity..." Zhou Yi nonchntly threw the ginseng baby into ake. Influenced by who knows what, the baby had a knack for ming others. After mana was restored, he continued to perform the Jade Dew Art. Time passed, day by day. After half a month. The vitality in the roots became increasingly evident. The core''s tender green had expanded several times, going from a thread to a patch. On this day. The ox arrived at the underground cavern to report on the result of the elder ancestors'' spellcasting duel. "Immortal, the four elder ancestors fought for over a dozen days, ultimately ending in a draw. They divided the box of Azure Dragon''s essence blood into four parts before stopping. Rumor has it that the Dragon Emperor and the Fox Emperor caught real fire, fought a pitched battle against each other, and both suffered significant injuries!" "I guessed as much," Zhou Yi said. "The demon saint''s essence blood is merely a life-extending Supreme Treasure to the other three, but for the Dragon Emperor, it could greatly enhance his strength. Perhaps that is why the other three did not give way, to prevent the Dragon n from growing too strong." The ox said, "The Dragon Pce has sent messages to all the Demon Kings, calling for a renegotiation regarding the sacred temple matter." "This trip to the Dragon Pce, I need a reasonable excuse to refuse entry..." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, habitually pulling out a divination cylinder and cast a small Heaven-Ascertaining spell to divine fortune and misfortune. The Jade Token fell to the ground. ck. It broke into three pieces! Zhou Yi stopped midsentence, his expression filled with shock, as the fortune divination from yesterday indicated stability. "Once more!" he demanded. The divination cylinder rattled. The Spirit Talisman fell to the ground and broke into three pieces, a most inauspicious sign, foretelling a bloody disaster! "Niu''er, pack up the important Spiritual Objects. We can''t stay in this ce any longer," Zhou Yi said. Zhou Yi first checked the storage bag at his waist, filled with Blood Spirit Fruits, allowing him to use the Blood Burning Escape Technique at will. Knowing the gravity of the situation, the ox opened its mouth to swallow the ginseng baby, the rainbow lotus, and the blood vine monster, then plucked all the underground spirits clean. "Immortal, there are many spiritual mines and medicines in the treasury of Moyun City," the ox said. In the more than five hundred years since the establishment of Mo Cloud Cave, especially after the ox advanced to Golden Core, they had umted quite a fortune. "Leave them, let''s go!" Zhou Yi had already chosen the Superior Spiritual Objects to carry with him, exactly for the purpose of making a quick getaway. Two beams of light soared into the sky, heading toward the Eastern Sea. Before the human and the beast could escape a hundred miles, a vast and mighty Divine Sense swept over them, and soon after, the aged and majestic voice of the Dragon Emperor followed. "Fellow Daoist, please halt!" "Elder ancestor, please return. Today I am going to the overseas to visit rtives and cannot entertain you," Zhou Yi said while waving his hand to release a skyful of talisman inscriptions. Hundreds of Spirit Talismans under the control of Divine Sense formed a Four Symbols Sumeru Array, creating dozens of illusory figures in midair. "Interesting, interesting! Even a fully transformed being would be dyed momentarily by such a Fu Array." The Dragon Emperor''s figure traversed from beyond sight to within ten miles in just a few breaths, without discerning the reality of the Illusion Array, and spat out a purple Divine Light that obliterated the Formation. He looked ahead. A tri-colored escape light of gold, purple, and red shifted from east to north, disappearing into the skyline in an instant. "To decisively burn one''s life force? It seems this little one has indeed encountered a great opportunity!" The Dragon Emperor, who had been nonchnt, suddenly became solemn, and spat out a Jade Ruyi, his speed boosted by the treasure, not a bit slower than Zhou Yi''s. After the confrontation with the three ancestors, the Dragon Emperor returned to the Dragon Pce intending to refine the Blood of the Demon Saint. On a whim, he remembered the simple look of the ox demon. A Transformed Demon King, resisting the aftermath of a spell sh for a pile of twigs and roots. He would rather sustain heavy injuries than protect those trinkets; the Dragon Emperor immediately sensed something off with the ox demon and went to investigate the Mo Cloud Cave. The Dragon Emperor, manipting his treasure, pursued relentlessly, and said in a cold voice. "I want to see just how much of your lifespan you can burn!" Zhou Yi stowed the ox demon into the Beast Controlling Bag, performed the Thunder Escape, his fastest escape skill, pushed faster by his eagle-transformed wings, and fortified by burning his Qi-Blood lifespan, managing to barely keep up with the escape speed of Nascent Soul ancestors. Looking back, the Dragon Emperor was doggedly tailing him. "Ancestor, I will give you the opportunity in exchange for sparing my life." Zhou Yi threw out a yellowish-green tree root, without any hesitation in his escape skill, and continued to flee northwards. "You know the score." The Dragon Emperor waved his hand and drew over the tree root. His Divine Sense swept over it and found nothing amiss, which immediately brought a surge of anger. "Brat, once I capture you, I will extract your soul and torture it for a thousand years!" In the time it took to inspect the tree root, the distance had widened by a few miles. "Ancestor, I picked the wrong item just now, but this time it surely is real." As Zhou Yi spoke, he took out a storage bag and opened it towards the rear, scattering a mess of Spiritual Objects like a shower of flowers in the sky. The Dragon Emperor''s escape light hesitated for a moment, but he ignored the items and continued his pursuit. "I would give up the opportunity just to y and dismember you!" The Spiritual Objects from the storage bag fell nearby, with the Dragon Emperor already having sent a message to the Dragon Pce to dispatch demon soldiers to seal off and search the area, ensuring no opportunities would be missed. Seeing that deception was futile, Zhou Yi continued to devour the Blood Spirit Fruit and flee. In a game of cat and mouse, they crossed thousands of miles from the Hundred Thousand Mountains all the way north to the edge of a range of mountains. The Dragon Emperor, looking at the escape light ahead, frowned slightly. "Even I would find it difficult to burn my Qi-Blood lifespan for so long; could he be some kind of ancient exotic species?" With this thought, the killing intent in the Dragon Emperor''s eyes grew fiercer. Seeing that he was about to enter the territory of Cloud Continent, he spat out essence blood that dyed his treasure, the Jade Ruyi, red. "I, too, know the Blood-Burning Technique." "The old dragon is actually willing to risk his life!" Zhou Yi felt the terrifying presence getting closer, and without guessing, he knew the Dragon Emperor had used a forbidden technique. He took out the ck Tortoise Shell from the storage bag and slipped it on; the Holy Beast''s Shed Shell far surpassed any defensive spell in protection. The Dragon Emperor burned several mouthfuls of essence blood, and when within just over ten miles of Zhou Yi, he waved his hand and sprayed out a purple Divine Light. Zhou Yi, sensing the mana approaching, swiftly changed direction to northwest, easily dodging the attack and once more putting several miles between him and the Dragon Emperor. "Damn it!" The Dragon Emperor hesitated but then gritted his teeth and spat out a few more mouthfuls of essence blood to boost his escape skill. "I have a thousand years of lifespan; sacrificing three to five decades to turn him into a pile of broken corpses is worth it!" After the blood-fortification, the Dragon Emperor''s escape light drastically increased in speed, and upon drawing close again, he spat out dozens of lightning bolts. Taking advantage of the lead he had during the chase, Zhou Yi saw the lightninging and immediately turned to dodge. The Dragon Emperor, repeatedly failing, simply stopped casting spells and once more desperately burned his essence blood and lifespan, until he was within a mile''s distance. Then, he spat out a heaven-obliterating Divine Light, leaving Zhou Yi''s escape light with nowhere to hide. Boom! Zhou Yi crashed dozens of meters into the ground, while the Dragon Emperor stood high in the sky, his Divine Sense sweeping across the ground in search of the corpse. "To have me waste over a hundred years of lifespan, dying so easily is just too..." Before he could finish, he saw a tri-colored escape light rise into the sky and vanish on the horizon. The Dragon Emperor, burning with rage, gave chase for a few hundred miles. By then, he had deeply entered the Cloud Continent territory and sensed many human cultivators. He ultimately couldn''t bear to continue burning his essence blood and circled back to the Hundred Thousand Mountains. "The disgrace of today, I will repay tenfold!" Chapter 158 Portable Spirit Vein "Finally got rid of that old dragon!" Zhou Yi felt the disappearance of its aura and let out a sigh of relief in his heart. His divine sense swept over his body, finding limbs shattered, internal organs damaged, and his Daoist robe soaked with fresh blood. Fortunately, the ck Tortoise Carapace had absorbed most of the damage, otherwise, even surviving by chance, it would be difficult to use any escape skill. Zhou Yi carefully inspected every part of his body and discovered two hidden marks, one bright and one dark, located at the dantian and on the back. "Sure enough, it''s not giving up, whether it''s for the chance or out of revenge." Zhou Yi fled thousands of miles away, and after ensuring his safety, he burrowed underground, concealing his aura as he flew towards the Dan Ding Sect. Several dayster. In a cave on a Nameless Peak hundreds of miles north of the Dan Ding Sect. Zhou Yi let out the ox to keep watch and then set up several hundredyers of formation and prohibition, using a minor divination technique to cast his lot. The result was auspicious. Safe and sound. "The art of divination cannot be fully trusted; sudden whims or changes in the thoughts of a Nascent Soul Ancestor can cause variations in the heavenly secrets." "After all, it is greed. Opportunity and risk coexist, each the cause of the other. Those who can only gain advantages without paying a price in this world are probably just the Sons of Destiny." Zhou Yi thought of this and took out the tree root to observe it repeatedly. "Even if this thing were given to the Dragon Emperor, he wouldn''t believe it to be a stroke of fate; when thrown on the ground, it doesn''t differ from an ordinary root at all!" As usual, he triggered the Jade Dew Art to catalyze it and then began to grind away the Dragon Emperor''s imprint. The hidden mark on the back was subtle yet superficial; he cleansed it after several months. However, the dragon shadow mark in the dantian proved to be tough and unyielding despite repeated assaults by mana. "I''ve always valued harmony and relied on my solid character and credibility to gain the trust of many fellow Daoists, who entrusted me with their legacy at the end of their lives. Roughly estimating, I''ve practiced for over seven hundred years and never made a deadly enemy with any fellow practitioner. The Dragon Emperor is the first!" After much thought, Zhou Yi set a goal that wasn''t exactly a goal, whose main purpose was to alleviate the tedium of immortality; revenge was secondary. "A thousand years, from the early stages of Core Formation to the Nascent Soul Realm, should be enough, right?" "If it truly bes impossible to break through, after boring the Dragon Emperor to death, then I''ll take revenge on his dragon children and grandchild..." ... As days passed by. The mark inside Zhou Yi''s dantian grew increasingly indistinct. Even the secret spells of a Nascent Soul Ancestor, without sustained mana, couldn''t resist the continuous weakening. During that time, numerous disciples from the Dan Ding Sect flew over the mountain, their momentum fierce as they headed north, and even the light of True Monarchs'' flights could be felt. No one ever discovered that on their path through the Nameless Barren Mountain, two Golden Cores were lurking. One day, three yearster. The mark in the dantian waspletely obliterated, without any trace left. "In the end, the old dragon didn''t have the guts to provoke the Dan Ding Sect during the battle between the righteous and the demonic!" Zhou Yi''s face showed joy, and then he looked towards the root nted in the ground. With continuous nourishment from Creation Dew, a delicate green the thickness of a finger appeared at the center of the root. As its vitality slowly returned, its mystical nature began to reveal itself. Wisps of extremely faint spiritual energy emanated from the root, almost imperceptible unless one''s divine sense was as keen as Zhou Yi''s. "Every spiritual object in this world, whether spiritual medicine or spiritual minerals, or even demons and ghosts, are formed after being imbued with spiritual energy. Hence, in ces where spiritual energy is scarce, ghosts don''t exist, and immortals as well as demons vanish." "ording to the notes from a True Monarch, the only source of spiritual energy is a Spirit Vein, which is also the foundation of the path of immortality!" "I''ve never heard of anything other than a Spirit Vein that could produce spiritual energy. It''s a pity that there''s too little literature about the ancient times, most of which have been edited and supplemented so much that they''re far from the original records." "Exploring the origin of the root isn''t important; what''s crucial is to test whether it generates spiritual energy out of nothing or if it has swapped something else!" Zhou Yi''s eyes twinkled; if the tree roots could produce spiritual energy from thin air, then with continuous ripening and growth, releasing more and more spiritual energy, it would be the same as having a movable Spirit Vein. No matter how the world changed, he would be assured of mana for protection. "Ripening the tree roots is a continuous and long-term matter. Right now, there are two urgent matters to address. One is the Golden Core Cultivation Technique, the other is the refinement diagram for a protective treasure." The importance of the Cultivation Technique went without saying. Now, I''m just crudely wearing the ck Tortoise Carapace over my body, hardly able to unleash even one-tenth of its defensive power. "Refining amon treasure would be too wasteful for the ck Tortoise Carapace. I must find a method to refine a protective Supreme Treasure. Even though it may not be as powerful as the Sect-Defending Supreme Treasures like the Divine Fire Fan or the Light Dividing Sword, with the quality of the ck Tortoise Carapace, it should be enough to withstand attacks from Nascent Soul old ancestors!" After much thought, Zhou Yi first needed to ascertain the current situation of the ongoing battle between good and evil. He put away the Array te and cleaned up any traces, then summoned the ox and fled towards the southwest. ... Heng City. The capital of Xuzhou. In this era where immortals and demons have emerged in the world, the city grew increasingly prosperous and lively, due to its proximity to the Dan Mountain Marketce. Returning to familiar grounds, where the roads remained unchanged, Zhou Yi first visited the Hundred Flowers Pavilion to celebrate for half a year. "Six hundred years have passed, the world has changed, and even Golden Elixir True Monarchs have perished, yet the ancient Hundred Flowers Pavilion still remains... Truly worthy of being one of the oldest professions, enduring for thousands of years and always renewing!" Zhou Yi mingled in the inns and taverns and learned about the changes in Cloud Continent among themon people. Experience new tales on m v|l e''-NovelBin ording to themon people, the fortunes of the Great Qian Kingdom were flourishing, with "Immortals" descending to aid them. The Imperial Court''s armies were still waging wars on all fronts. With over twenty countries under the rule of the Dan Ding Sect, Great Qian had already annexed most of them. The remaining few were merely holding out, and the momentum to unify Cloud Continent was already there. "The mundane realm is a reflection of the Cultivation World. Judging by this, the Dan Ding Sect is likely to be in the ascendency!" After rxing his body and mind, Zhou Yi began to attend to important affairs. During the celebration, he discovered about a dozen Qi Refinement stage cultivators in the city, along with a particrly formidable aura. He employed the Transforming Shape Form, turning into a robust man and riding a beam of light towards the southeastern part of the city. White Crane Temple. An obscure little Taoist temple with almost no incense offerings; there was only an old Taoist with white hair cultivating in seclusion. At that moment, while the old Taoist was practicing his cultivation, his soul suddenly trembled; he opened his eyes to see a strange man standing before him, his overwhelming mana oppressing him to the point of immobility. "Senior, junior Ling Chen from the Dan Ding Sect, may I know what guidance you have to offer?" Zhou Yi said, "Poor Daoist has been cultivating overseas for many years and has juste to Nine Continents to roam. There are some things I wish to ask you." Xuan Chen immediately rxed and respectfully said, "Senior may ask anything, and junior shall answer to the best of my knowledge." Zhou Yi asked, "What''s the current state of the battle between the righteous and the demonic?" "Reporting to Senior, twenty-seven years ago, Xuan Xiao, the old ancestor, slew Zhen Yang and has since consecutively defeated several Demon Lords. Now, the righteous forces are on the rise, not only reiming lost marketces but also starting to advance north and east to conquer Ji Continent." Xuan Chen paused, then continued, "The sect is actively recruiting Loose Cultivators of high stature, promising that after breaching the Heavenly Demon Sect''s marketces, Spirit Veins will be allocated to Loose Cultivators for establishing their own sects." "Senior''s cultivation is profound. If you could aid the righteous path in eradicating demons, you could very well be the ancestor of a sect." Xuan Chen''s expression was earnest and passionate, truly hoping to recruit a Golden Elixir True Monarch for the sect and earn a massive reward of merit, which might one day be exchanged for a Core Formation Spiritual Object. Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi''s gaze sharpened slightly. In the past, battles between righteousness and evil were always about ughter and victory. The current approach of the Dan Ding Sect was evidently a change in strategy, seeking topletely sever the demonic path''s retreat. By progressively fragmenting and dissolving Ji Continent and Qiong Continent into more than a dozen small sects, they would have no choice but to rely on the Dan Ding Sect to avoid being swallowed by the demonic path. Once the demonic path declined, even if the small sects joined forces to break free from the Dan Ding Sect''s control, it would be difficult for any new dominating sect to emerge. Once the righteous path seeded, the demonic path would not only fall but also decline for a millennium. With the changes in the world bing increasingly apparent, there would not be a thousand years for the demonic path to recover. It might well vanish in the currents of history. Chapter 159 Revisiting Old Places Zhou Yi pondered for a moment before continuing to inquire. "With your level of cultivation, why hide among themon folk?" "Demon cultists are cruel, frequently blood sacrificing mortals and disrupting the rear of the sects." Ling Chen said, "I originally hail from Xuzhou and harbor some sentiment for my homnd, so I took on the duty of guarding external affairs, protecting themoners of Heng City from the ughter of demon heads." Zhou Yi nodded in approval and asked again, "Do all cities have sect cultivators stationed in them?" "Elder should know, cultivators who stay too long among mortals see their cultivation stagnate or even regress, so few are willing to take on this task." Ling Chen exined, "Major city-states are assigned true men by the sects, who are given copious amounts of spirit stones, Spirit Gathering Arrays, and so on. Smaller cities are left to loose cultivators for defense. Those notorious true men and true monarchs of the demon path rarely cause chaos in Cloud Continent; those who invade are mostly insignificant demon heads." "It''s truly a full-scale war..." Zhou Yi''s eyes lowered, now was indeed an excellent opportunity to im an inheritance. The orthodox path intended to win a decisive battle, utterly annihting the demon path and were certainly willing to offer various rewards to recruit loose cultivators. After the downfall of the demon path, numerous inheritances would also be left behind, serving as the foundation for newly established small sects. "However, the demon path has countless years of inheritance; it won''t be easily eradicated. A fierce counterattack at the brink of death is inevitable, and it''s possible even a Divine Transformation Heavenly Monarch from the legends may take action. A Nascent Soul like myself could eradicate thousands of miles, but if I encountered a Heavenly Monarch inbat, I''d likely struggle to escape with my life!" Zhou Yi pondered carefully, restraining the impulse to get involved in the battle between the righteous and the demon paths. One would eventuallye across inheritances, but one only has a single life. Inescapable cmities must be faced, why then rush willingly into danger? Sticking to the core principle of being cautious and careful, instead of rushing to Ji Continent to fight against the demon path, it was better to watch from afar and wait. Wait for the battle between the righteous and the demon paths to end! Wait for the demon path''s heritage to be fully revealed and thoroughly defeated! Wait for the Cultivation World to regain stability once more! Only then should I emerge from seclusion to fight with the wind at my back or join a newly established sect as an elder and secure an inheritance peacefully. "In a small sect, a Golden Core is the pinnacle. Gradually wear down those who establish their sect, and wouldn''t I then hold great power? Their painstakingly built foundation and stolen inheritances would easily fall into my hands!" Zhou Yi''s thoughts raced, his future ns growing clearer by the moment, with time ultimately on his side. Seeing the elder remain silent, Ling Chen boldly inquired, "What does elder intend to do? In recent years, many renowned loose cultivators from overseas havee to the Nine Continents to eradicate demons; perhaps there are some familiar fellow Daoists among them." "Indeed, I was invited by a Daoist friend." Zhou Yi casually responded, his mind already settled on a n; just now, all his strategies were onlycking a ce to secretly cultivate. He dared not return to the vast mountains for the time being, the Nine Continents were rife with war, leaving overseas as the only option. ording to the records, spiritual veins are rare overseas, which means the various spiritual mines and spiritual medicines are not as abundant as in the Nine Continents. However, since there are people who have advanced to true monarchs, it indicates that at least there are enough spiritual veins to sustain the cultivation of someone at the Golden Core Stage. "My previous thoughts were too narrow. It''s clear that I can simply oust the old ancestors of the overseas sects and smoothly take over everything in their sects!" "What''scking overseas are the cultivation resources, not the cultivation techniques and inheritances." With this thought in mind, Zhou Yi waved his hand, leaving behind a bottle of spirit pills as he transformed into a beam of light and departed. Ling Chen looked at the spirit pills in his hand, puzzled. There are indeed such particr true monarchs in the world. ¡­ Da Qian Capital. With the expansion of Da Qian''s territory, the capital city had grown correspondinglyrger. The Li Imperial n, imed to be Cloud Continent''s foremost cultivation family,mands hundreds of loose cultivators, who used Earth Magic to level the existing city walls overnight and built a new ring of walls nine Zhang high fifty li away. Cultivators who master the Five Elements Magic can put aside their dignity to engage in infrastructure construction, achieving speeds even beyondrge machinery. For example, the Earth Splitting Technique would shatter obstructing hillocks, turning mud into stone to bypassying foundations, followed by the Earth Wall Technique to erect walls, which then turned mud into stone again to form city walls entirely built from blue stones. Such feats amazed themon people, followed by the emergence of legends about immortals descending to earth to aid in the expansion of Da Qian. On this morning, shrouded in a light mist, the soldiers guarding the western gate were checking each entering townsfolk, when they saw a young Taoist approaching on a yellow ox with a broken horn, queuing up at the back. The soldiers hurriedly ushered other citizens aside to clear the way,ing to Zhou Yi''s side and bowing to speak. "Taoist master, please go ahead!" "Hm? Why don''t I have to queue?" Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense swept over, confirming the soldier was not a cultivator, his face showing a puzzled expression. Hearing this, the soldier bent even lower, exining, "Taoist master, you''ve long been in the mountains, unaware of worldly affairs. Taoism has long be the state religion, revered by all. His Majesty has repeatedly decreed that Taoists must be treated with due respect, I dare not make you queue." "I see." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, patted the ox''s horn, and the animal walked into the city at an unhurried pace. The early morning. On the street over ten zhang wide, with hawkers, pedestrians, and porters bustling about, the crowd was dense and unceasing. Along the sides of the street stood shops, and in teahouses and taverns, groups of customers speaking distinctly different dialects, talked about recent amusing events. Zhou Yi strolled leisurely along the street, watching the bustling crowd around, and couldn''t help but feel as if he had returned to hundreds of years ago. Passing by a breakfast vendor, Zhou Yi bought a bowl of tofu and some dough sticks, eating atop the ox''s back. "Compared to harsh cultivation in the mountains, it seems the secr world has more pleasures!" Due to the experience at the city gate, Zhou Yi had cast a concealment spell, rendering the young Taoist invisible to the surrounding citizens. Moving amidst the dazzling world, yet standing apart from the secr. Approaching noontime. Finally, he arrived at his destination, a courtyard in Divine Capital, which surprisingly, had not been demolished. The vicinity was no longer a slum, but an area of wealth, with tall red walls and green tiles, leaving only the dpidated small courtyard, where the wooden door was so rotten it nearly fell apart. "Da Qian has expanded quite a bit, and this area has be the inner circle. Its value has gone up!" Zhou Yi reined in his odd thoughts, gently pushed the door, and with a creak, it broke off halfway. Meow meow! Chirp chirp! The noise frightened the yard''s denizens, as a ck and a white figure scrambled up onto the wall, and a dozen birds took flight. Zhou Yi took some spiritual wood out of his storage bag, carved a new door, and fitted it in ce, cast a spell to repair the walls, and with a wave of his hand, cleared away the fallen leaves. The furniture inside the house had decayed into rotten wood; he might as well clean up as he had no need to sleep anyway, just clearing away the dirt and cobwebs. In a short while, the small courtyard was renewed. He set out stone tables and stools,mon in the Cultivation World, under the grapevine, boiled water, and made a pot of Spiritual Tea. "In this Da Qian, probably only two people recognize me," Zhou Yi''s eyes sparkled as he looked towards the jujube tree and grapevine, with several branches still living after five or six hundred years. Clear Wind passed by, the branches swaying as if greeting in response. At this moment. A small head popped over the wall, topped with a hair bun, seemingly enticed by the aroma of the Spiritual Tea, unable to refrain from swallowing audibly. Zhou Yi smiled, holding up his cup and said, "Come over, I''ll treat you to a drink." The Child, clear-minded, sensed Zhou Yi was not malicious, climbed onto the wall, grasped an old jujube branch, slid down to the main trunk, and then deftly dropped into the courtyard. Being short, he could only kneel on the stone stool and, unable to wait, took a sip of the Spiritual Tea before asking, "Who are you? Where do youe from?" "From a very far, far away ce..." Chapter 160: Chapter 160 Historical Records "How far is ''very far''?" The child''s eyes sparkled with curiosity about the outside world. Zhou Yi countered with a question, "What''s the farthest ce you''ve ever been to?" After pondering for a while, the child replied, "It takes over ten days by horse carriage to visit my grandfather''s house." "It''s ten times further than that." On his return to Qianjing, Zhou Yi did not intentionally reveal his whereabouts, nor did he move about stealthily. A Golden Elixir True Monarch was formidable enough to traverse the Nine Continents, let alone achieve a speedparable to that of a Nascent Soul patriarch, allowing Zhou Yi to return home openly and aboveboard. Of course, beforeing, he cast a divination! He drew a top-tier divination sign. There may be a pleasant surprise on this journey. Zhou Yi was indifferent to the surprise, intending to rest in Qianjing for a while before setting off to look for his sect in the Eastern Sea. The child wrinkled his little face, trying to calcte how far ten times the distance would be with his fingers. There was movement atop the wall again, and a little girl''s head peeked over, her hair in pigtails. She visibly rxed upon seeing the child, then, upon noticing the changes in the courtyard, showed a look of shock and quickly descended thedder. Zhou Yi''s eyebrows furrowed slightly, then he gently shook his head. A momentter. A middle-aged voice came from outside the door: "Chen Jing pays his respects to the Taoist Priest." "Come in." Zhou Yi waved his hand, and the courtyard door opened by itself. Chen Jing entered solemnly, straightening his clothes; the little girl who had been on thedder followed behind him. After they entered the courtyard, he bowed and said. "If my ignorant young son has offended the Taoist Priest, please forgive us." "It''s nothing." Zhou Yi smiled and said, "Having been in seclusion for a long time, seeing a child has aroused my yful nature; I hope Mr. Chen won''t mind." Chen Jing replied, "It''s an honor for my son." Upon seeing his father, the child first showed a look of fear, but seeing his father''s respectful demeanor, he somehow grew bold, sipping tea in an imitation of Zhou Yi''s manner, and said. "It''s nothing, it''s nothing." "Hahaha!" At these words, Zhou Yi burst out in heartyughter and said, "With such intelligence and talent, don''t be too harsh on him in daily affairs. I see by his facial features..." Chen Jing tensed up, hoping for his son to have a bright future but also dreading any shocking statements from the Taoist. "Mediocre, destined to achieve nothing significant in this lifetime. It''s better to assign him fewer tasks and let him live without worries, enjoying wealth andfort." The child pped his hands in delight at these words, looking ever more fondly at the Taoist, wishing he could trade ces with his own father. "Thank you, Taoist Priest." Chen Jing''s voice couldn''t hide his bitterness, as anyone being told their child would amount to nothing would feel the same way. Meanwhile, the little girl beside him, rather indignant, said, "If a person''s lifetime achievement can be determined solely by their facial features, then what''s the use of studying or taking imperial exams? Everyone should just visit a face reader instead!" "That makes sense." Zhou Yi nodded in approval. For a girl in her early teens to have such insight was quite remarkable. The little girl had expected the Taoist to rebuke her, justifying face reading with some Taoist ssics, but his unexpected agreement left her feeling half ted and half suspended. Chen Jing, however, was taken aback. The exalted figures of the Immortal Pensions Office were all seemingly kind and gentle, but actually ruthless. He quickly bowed to apologize. "My daughter doesn''t know the rules, I beg the Taoist Priest''s pardon." "She is quite right; there''s no need for an apology." Zhou Yi said with a smile, "Mr. Chen, when you face difficult decisions in the future, it might be worthwhile to listen to your daughter''s opinions... Dragon eyes and a phoenix neck, she possesses an appearance too noble for words." Thetter half of the sentence was not spoken aloud but transmitted secretly, resounding only in Chen Jing''s ears. Chen Jing reacted with mixed feelings, uncertain how to respond, "The Taoist Priest may not know..." Zhou Yi pondered for a moment and said, "But the bloodline of the ancestors is extraordinary, thus, with such facial features, it is a catastrophe." "The Daoist master truly is a divine being!" Chen Jing, with no other choice, said, "The Chen family ancestors can be traced back to the founding period of the country. ording to the family records, after the Sage Empress''s family members died in the military disaster, the Sage Emperor changed his third son''s surname from Li to Chen to continue the family line." "To have such a profound origin!" Zhou Yi sighed. No wonder the little girl looked somewhat familiar. After pondering for a moment, he waved his hand and scattered a divine light. The divine light fell into the little girl''s body. Her previously charming appearance quickly retreated, the sharp and wise temperament dissipated, and she turned into an ordinary young girl. Chen Jing noticed the change in his daughter and deeply bowed in thanks, "This kindness of the Daoist master, Chen is eternally grateful." Even after hundreds of years, the Chen family, relying on the remaining blessings of their ancestors, was taken care of no matter who became the emperor, and they nevercked wealth and honor. In contrast, those who once thought the third prince was unlucky, their families had long since declined through generations of strife. Experience new stories on m v|l e''-NovelBin Zhou Yi said, "Please, Mr. Chen, find some historical books for me, from the time of the Sage Emperor... until now in Fengyang Country, the more detailed the records, the better." Chen Jing promptly agreed. The Chen family''s Scripture Pavilion had many official histories, and he also sent someone to borrow the rare editions from other well-connected families. After talking for a while longer, they finally took their leave and departed. Nighttime. Zhou Yi did not sit in meditation to practice, nor did he contemte the Lightning Method. After setting up a warning formation, hey on the bed fully clothed and slept. The next morning, the sun was three poles high. "Huff¡ª" "Feel wonderfully refreshed, as if my body has lightened somewhat." "How many years has it been since I''ve slept so purely? A hundred years, three hundred, or five hundred?" Zhou Yi took a deep breath, stretched his limbs, got up from the bed, and washed up just like an ordinary person, without using any spells. He opened the courtyard door. Outside stood many people, some holding, some shouldering, others carrying, all with stacks of books. Chen Jing had been waiting outside the door for a long time. Seeing the door open, he finally spoke, "Daoist master, we''ve been busy all night and have found several hundred historical books. Most are official histories, but there are also quite a few unofficial histories, which are more interesting to read than the official ones." "You have worked hard." Zhou Yi waved his hand, and all the books went into his storage bag. He then said, "I just finished cooking porridge. Would you like a bowl, Mr. Chen?" "It would be an honor." Chen Jing instructed the butler to ensure the servants didn''t let slip any rumors, and stepped carefully into the courtyard. "Mr. Chen, need not be so formal, I am just an ordinary cultivator." Zhou Yi served two bowls of porridge, and took out some century-old pickled ginseng, smiling as he spoke, "In this Qianjing City, there are many cultivators, especially in the direction of the imperial pce. Their aura is not concealed at all, Mr. Chen must have heard and seen quite a few of them." "Not hiding anything from the Daoist master, the Chen family also possesses the ancestral Guiyuan Skill." Chen Jing took a sip of the porridge and said, "It''s a pity that no one from thest two generations of our family has been capable, none with a Spirit Root..." He hadn''t finished speaking when two streams of fresh blood flowed from his nose. One sip of the porridge, made from the Five-Hundred-Year-Old Spirit Ginseng, had made Chen Jing''s Qi-Blood abundantly replenished. Chen Jing hurriedly set down his bowl and circted his Inner Strength to ease the Qi-Blood. Every cirction increased his Inner Qi a bit. Zhou Yi smiled and shook his head. In those days, the talk of the path of immortality was like an absolute secret. Some Loose Cultivators spent decades seeking entrance and weren''t sessful. Centuries passed, the world changed dramatically, and the talk of cultivators and Spirit Roots was no longer a secret in the eyes of the nobility; even ordinary people could tell a few tales of immortals. He randomly took out a volume of historical book from his storage bag, titled "Secret Records of the Sage Emperor." Just from the name, you could tell it was an unofficial history. After flipping through a few pages, it was indeed the case. The book chronicled the rags-to-riches story of the Sage Emperor Li Ye, from his exile at the Northern Border to his rise to emperor, with incredibly detailed descriptions, even recording many conversations, as if the author had witnessed them himself. The historical text read more like a storybook, attributing the reason for Sage Emperor Li Ye''s ascension to the throne entirely to the "Mountain and River Cauldron." The author infused the Mountain and River Cauldron, one of the Fengyang''s three treasures, with many mythical elements, threading it throughout the whole book, effectively making it the Sage Emperor''s golden touch. The book repeatedly mentioned a phrase, "The cauldron falls to the Northern Border, this is destiny," using it to corroborate the authenticity of the text and to critique the official histories for concealing the truth. Zhou Yi found it very engaging. As someone who had experienced it firsthand, it was quite amusing to read howter generations wrote about those bygone days. "How interesting, how interesting!" Chapter 161: Chapter 161 Descendants of the Bai Family Chen Jing finished his cultivation practice and noticed Zhou Yi engrossed in his book, so he decided not to disturb him. After taking a few steps away with his bowl of porridge, he turned back to secure a couple of pickled vegetables into his sleeve, bowed, and left the courtyard. From morning till evening, from dusk till dawn. Zhou Yi sat in the courtyard reading history books, repeatedly going over the records from the end of the Fengyang era to the beginning of the Great Qian Dynasty. When encountering some familiar names, a myriad of emotions surged in him instantly. Sometimes he reminisced, sometimes heughed, and sometimes he sighed abruptly. It wasn''t until he flipped through an unofficial history book, which surprisingly recorded the tales of Oirans in the Capital, numbering over a hundred, that his interest perked up. Most had experienced dramatic love affairs, left behind poems, or had interactions with certain celebrities. It seemed those who were merely the most beautiful for a brief period left hardly any trace at all. Zhou Yi read with great relish until thest page, where the postscript caused him to widen his eyes in shock. ¡ª¡ªThe author, surnamed Zhou and named Yi, was originally a jailer in the heavenly prison. He had frequented the Spring Breeze Building for over thirty years and was known as the first debauchee of the National Dynasty... "I have been cautious and vignt for hundreds of years, never using my real name outside. Even Nascent Soul ancestors couldn''t trace me, yet I was exposed by a mere bookseller!" Zhou Yi put away the book and vanished from the courtyard with a sh. Spring Breeze Building. With the prosperity of the Qian Capital, it was even livelier than in the past. Zhou Yi turned himself into a young and carefree noble, squandering moneyvishly, enjoying life thoroughly, until the end of the year when a tradition that had continued for hundreds of years approached. The selection of the Oiran! "In a few hundred years, the Spring Breeze Building will have a millennium-long heritage. Future generations might regard the selection of the Oiran as a traditional culture to be promoted and celebrated." Zhou Yi surveyed the several young women disying their talents and chose the most pleasing one to support as the Oiran. In the past, he was too prudent to draw attention to himself, but now, as a Golden Elixir True Monarch, shouldn''t he be the frontrunner of such an event! "Could this be my obsession?" Zhou Yi never considered whether this action might tarnish the dignity of a true monarch, and even when he advanced to Nascent Soul or Divinity Transformation, it would be the same. Power was always a means of protection and could not alter any of Zhou Yi''s thoughts! He took out a stack of silver notes from his storage bag and waved it around, ying the role of a prodigal son convincingly. After all, he had seen enough of them in the past and could easily imitate them perfectly. Suddenly. Zhou Yi''s eyebrows furrowed slightly, and he disappeared from the Spring Breeze Building. The girls cuddling up to him on each side, the noisy customers around, they all seemed to lose their bearings, with no recollection of the noble young man. On the rooftop. The cold wind howled, making his Taoist robe flutter and sound like thunder. "An impulse strikes, an important event must be about to ur." Zhou Yi took out a divination tube and gently shook it, casting a minor Heaven Divining Technique. The divination stick fell to the ground. A strand of information appeared in Zhou Yi''s mind¡ªit was an ordinary-looking jade pendant, but the blood-red mark in the center was quite eye-catching. "Blood Essence Jade Pendant, Bai Yan''s descendants are in trouble!" "I was wondering what kind of mundane opportunity would be worth a true monarch''s trouble. It seems it''s right here!" Zhou Yi carefully sensed a faint blood connectioning from the direction of South City and immediately turned into a beam of escaping light and vanished. ¡­ "Kill!" "Cut them down!" "This is Evil Wolf Gang territory!" "Tiger Gang''s brats!" The sounds of battle echoed, dozens of figures shed in the darkness, swords and sabers shed, each side with martial arts skills. "Ah!" A scream rang out as Bai Yan of the Tiger Gang was stabbed in the abdomen. The force prated his organs, and his life was rapidly slipping away. Blood soaked the jade pendant around his neck, faintly bringing forth a spiritual light that protected his heart meridian. Boom! Dazzling lightning struck down, turning all those inbat to ash, as the escaping light whisked Bai Yan away. A momentter. Five or six cultivators, young and old, arrived nearby to investigate, but all they heard was thunder without any signs of the strike. One of the older cultivators took out apass magic artifact and, after a long investigation, said, "The mana aura is unmistakable, a cultivator has deployed a Lightning Method!" An elderly man without a beard received a jade slip and announced, "The Immortal Pensions Office has just ascertained that this ce is at the junction between the Tiger and Starving Wolf gangs in the Capital, who agreed to brawl tonight." "It must have been some hidden Loose Cultivator who used Lightning Method to kill." The speaker was a man d in armor, looking more like a military officer than a cultivator. He said coldly, "ording to the sect rules, Loose Cultivators who kill without cause must report to the Immortal Pensions Office!" The old Daoist shook his head and said, "That Lightning Method was quite impressive, instantly annihting dozens of people, yet the ground was left without a trace. With such skill... General Wei, before you arrest anyone, it''s best to seek guidance from the Protector of the Nation True Man!" General Wei snorted coldly but said nothing more about pursuing the matter to the end. The power of the Great Qian Kingdom was like a raging fire fueled by oil, and with the support of the Dan Ding Sect, they might handle a Qi Refinement Loose Cultivator, yet they could not afford to provoke a Foundation Establishment True Person. After a long investigation without any useful clues and learning that the deceased were from the jianghu, they simply let the matter drop. ... In the courtyard. Bai Yan slowly regained consciousness and instinctively touched his abdomen, finding not even a scar. A voice came from beside him, "What''s your surname?" "Bai." Bai Yan instinctively answered and, following the voice, saw an elderly white-haired Daoist sitting not far away. He hurriedly got up to pay his respects. "I have seen the honorable Daoist, was it you who saved me?" "It was this that saved you." Zhou Yi pointed at a jade pendant on the table with a crack in it and said, "My Daoist sect has some old connections with your ancestors, using this jade pendant as a token. Once, the Bai family was also a renowned noble house. How did ite to be involved in the jianghu strife?" "I''m notpletely aware of the specifics, but ording to the family records, it seems that over a hundred years ago, there was a member of the Bai family who became the head of the Imperial Guards. Holding high authority and enjoying prosperity, he was implicated in a case of plotting rebellion against the Crown Prince." Bai Yan''s face showed bitterness as he said, "The Imperial Court sentenced the whole family to exile. That I could survive and return from the Northern Border is already the grace of heaven." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, disying neither a sigh nor helplessness. For the Bai family''s heritage to havested for hundreds of years of fortune and for descendants to still be alive today, they had already surpassed ny-nine percent of other families. Zhou Yi gently stroked the jade pendant, and in a moment, it was restored as before. He then inscribed several protective talisman patterns into it, leaving a wisp of a True Monarch''s aura. "Follow me in cultivation for three months, and you must not wander through the jianghu anymore. Marry and have children, and a life of wealth and honor will not be difficult for you." Bai Yan knelt on the ground with a thump and kept kowtowing. "Thank you, Daoist elder!" ... The next day. Zhou Yi finished preparing spirit ginseng and beast meat porridge and served a bowl for Bai Yan. "Eat and practice your cultivation technique at the same time." After taking a bite, Bai Yan felt spiritual energy and vigor flowing in his organs, and quickly started to practice his body-refining cultivation technique. An hourter. Bai Yan swung his fist, feeling its strength had significantly increased. He bowed and said, "I shall never forget the favor you''ve shown me, Daoist elder!" Zhou Yi said, "No need for thanks, continue eating. When you can eat a whole bowl in one breath, I shall teach you the true Way of martial arts." Find your next adventure on m_v l|e-NovelBin Bai Yan immediately understood Zhou Yi''s character, took a bite of his meal, and continued to practice body refining and absorb the essence. Outside the door. Chen Jing brought back some bowls and dishes and knocked on the door, but after a long while, there was no response. Having had a conversation half a year ago, Chen Jing determined that Zhou Yi was not a stickler for trivial manners, hence he dared to carry out the act of taking dishes without permission, believing it would not invite punishment and might even showcase his sincere nature. He waited a long time for the Daoist to return, not expecting to hit a wall when returning the dishes. Chen Jing sighed and, not daring to disturb any further, bowed and left. "The senior is truly unfathomable!" ... Two monthster. Bai Yan practiced martial arts and recited scriptures daily. His former roguish demeanor from the jianghu had faded, leaving his face with a more bright and vibrant look. In the morning, he respectfully took the bowl of porridge and managed to eat most of it in one go, then, struggling to hold back the surge of spiritual energy and vigor within him, he forcibly swallowed the remaining half-bowl. The organs bore the brunt of the vigor''s impact, showing signs of fissures, and even the skin swelled and filled out, with veins bulging visibly. Enduring the torture of body explosion, Bai Yan kept executing the body-refining technique until half a dayter when he finally dispersed the vigor. Blood oozed from his body, dyeing him crimson as if he had just emerged from a blood pool. Zhou Yi, from beginning to end, watched with indifference, reading history books, not lifting a finger to help even as Bai Yan nearly copsed several times. Once Bai Yan regained his strength, he bowed and said, "Daoist elder, I havepleted the test." "This was no test." Zhou Yi closed the book and said, "I had anticipated this, you only needed to follow normal martial arts training, and roughly in three months, you would meet the requirement." Bai Yan respectfully said, "I do not know what this porridge is made of, but I suppose it''s something I''ll never encounter again in my life. To learn the true martial way a day earlier allows me to cultivate with it and avoid future regret." "That you could think this way is indeed surprising to me." Zhou Yi pondered for a moment, then spoke. "Today I shall teach you the Beast Blood Baptism and Vital Energy Condensation technique. Once mastered, you will be no less than a Qi Refinement cultivator..." Chapter 162: Chapter 162 Overseas Loose Cultivator The habitual thinking shaped over hundreds of years through Zhou Yi had long since lost the concept of urgentpetition. Year after stable year, after such prolonged periods, the desired things would naturally be obtained. Therefore, given Bai Yan''s martial heritage, a time span of three months was predetermined, methodically progressing until he could reach the threshold for the Beast Blood baptism. Now, Bai Yan had forcefully swallowed the meat porridge and endured the agony of his body splitting and the danger to his life, achieving the goal a month early, essentially disrupting Zhou Yi''s arrangements. "This is not necessarily a bad thing, in fact, it might just give him an opportunity," Zhou Yi said. After exining the rituals of baptism and qi condensation, Zhou Yi waved his hand, and a water jar appeared on the ground, filled with Demon Beast Essence Blood. "This method is rather crude, and pain is unavoidable during the process. Try cultivating and see how it goes," Zhou Yi instructed. "I thank you, Master Zhou," Bai Yan replied. Bai Yan bowed deeply and stripped off his clothing to jump into the jar, refining his body ording to the baptism ritual. Streams of essence blood flowed through his muscles and bones, as if taking a needle and file to his marrow; after enduring for a short while, Bai Yan finally let out a scream as piercing as a pig being ughtered. Zhou Yimented, "This methodes from foreignnds where it is said they begin the baptism at the ages of seven or eight without anyone making such an outcry." Bai Yan''s face turned beet red from holding back; unwilling to be outdone by children, he continued to endure in silence. Explore more at m,v l''e-NovelBin "That''s more like it," Zhou Yi remarked with a slight nod, thinking how others would use Release Rare Beast Blood for baptism and since Bai Yan was determined to seize every moment, he should endure even greater pain. With the protection of a Golden Elixir True Monarch present, even if his soul left his body, he''d push it back in, and he couldn''t die no matter how much he struggled. Several dayster, the essence blood in the water jar diluted to the thinness of water. Lu Yan''s muscles rapidly expanded, and when he exerted his full strength, a faint trace of blood could be seen on the surface of his skin. "Not bad, continue," Zhou Yi said as he waved his hand to release another jar of essence blood, with a third of iting from a great demon, lending an even more pungent taste. Lu Yan had average martial talent and should not have achieved much, but he grasped firmly at the opportunity instead of floating along with the tide, embodying a slight sense of man''s determination can conquer fate. "Personal effort is still valuable!" Zhou Yi nodded in approval, then continued to lie low. A month passed in a blink of an eye, and Bai Yan''s transformation could be seen with the naked eye. His muscles took on a reddish-copper hue, his bones grew ever wider, and he towered over eight feet tall, exuding a subtle sense of savagery and ferocity when standing on the ground. Zhou Yi tidied up the affairs in the courtyard, advising, "Remember my words, make sure to marry well and have children." "I will, I''ll have dozens of sons and daughters to continue the Bai lineage," Bai Yan knew the only thing worthy of attention was the bloodline he carried. "Master Zhou, are you leaving? I wonder if I''ll have the honor in this lifetime to show my filial piety." "Connectionse and go; one gets used to it," said Zhou Yi, sighing at the history he had read recently with all the familiar names, which inevitably brought on some emotions. With that, he turned into a streak of light and departed. Bai Yan knelt on the ground and kowtowed towards the south, praying for the long life and fortune of the unknown Master Zhou. As he opened the courtyard door, before he could even lock it, a red-robed old man came up to talk. "I hear the master of this house has returned?" With a pale hairless face and a high-pitched voice, and viewing the pattern on his official robe, it was clear the man was an eunuch from the Imperial Household Department. Following Zhou Yi''s advice, Bai Yan disyed the ancestral Jade Pendant and said, "Master Zhou was a descendant of an old friend of the Bai family. He was passing through Qianjing to rest in the courtyard and to pay homage to our ancestors." The eunuch used his mana to touch the Jade Pendant slightly, and a vast, terrifying presence made him fall to the ground with his legs turned to jelly. Struggling to regain hisposure, the eunuch shakily stood up and asked, "Young brother, what''s your family name, and which of your ancestors had a connection with this ¡­ elder?" "My unworthy surname is Bai, and I''m not exactly sure which ancestor it was," Bai Yan replied after a moment of thought. "Only the names and generations are left in the family records; many narratives were lost after my ancestor Bai Guanghe." "Bai Guanghe, General Bai?" The eunuch, well-versed in the history of the National Dynasty, suddenly remembered this person''s background. Just then, he heard several urgent voices and quickly changed his tone, bowing respectfully, "So you are from the Sage Empress''s paternal family, my apologies for the disrespect!" Bai Yan shook his head repeatedly, "The Sage Empress''s royal favor has been retracted; I dare not im any affiliation." "Young brother might not be aware, but these past days, the Imperial Court has been revisiting the case of Crown Prince Huai''s conspiracy, finding that General Bai had no connection to the case," the eunuch said indignantly. "At that time, Commander Zhao, who was responsible for the case, failed to extort gold and silver from General Bai and hence framed him, causing a loyal and good man to be wronged!" "..." Watching the eunuch tantly lying through his teeth, with an appearance of righteous indignation as if his own ancestors had been wronged, Bai Yan was amused. The eunuch nced at the courtyard and asked, "Young brother, is that elder still in the Capital?" Bai Yan shook his head and said, "Master Zhou mentioned that after praying with my ancestors, he would return to the mountains to continue his cultivation." The eunuch seemed even more eager upon hearing this, saying, "His Majesty has decreed that General Bai''s case be resolved as soon as possible, the royal favors will be fully restored to the Bai family, and additional rewards will be provided aspensation for the years of injustice suffered by your family." "I thank His Majesty," Bai Yan gratefully bowed in the direction of the pce. ... South of Qianjing City. A nameless barren mountain. Since the expansion of the Capital, the Bai family''s graveyard had been moved here. Zhou Yi burned several stacks of joss paper, rambling on with many words. Having wandered for hundreds of years without a fixed abode, the courtyard and graveyard in Qianjing had be an anchoring point, bearing many sorrows both significant and trifling. "I''m leaving now, hope you''ll still be here in a few hundred years." Zhou Yiy on the back of a buffalo, its hooves creating clouds, as they flew eastward. Days passed. Beneath them unfolded the vast and expansive blue ocean, its waves magnificent and endless. Zhou Yi passed by the asional ind, scanning with his Divine Sense to detect the presence of other cultivators. Chapter 163: Chapter 162 Overseas Loose Cultivator_2 ``` The majority of inds were deste and uninhabited, with only a fewrger inds possessing viges and towns, their poptions paling inparison to those of the Nine Continents. "Any ind that has a vige or a town will have at least one cultivator at the Qi Refinement Realm. It''s not just Loose Cultivators; it seems they serve a protective, guardian role." Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense swept over the ind, and the cultivators there were none the wiser. The flight of a Qi Refinement Stage cultivator was slow, unable to cross the vast sea, providing little useful information. Half a monthter. The Yellow Bull skimmed across the sea for many miles before finally, on a certain ind, a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator was discovered. The ind wasn''trge, shaped like a crescent moon, with a Daoist temple built in the center. Zhou Yi stored the Yellow Bull in his storage bag and, with a flicker, transformed into a young Daoist. His light descended outside the Daoist temple on the ind as he announced in a clear voice. "I am Tang Xuan, here to pay a visit." The presence of a Golden Core realm cultivator was not concealed, enveloping the entire Xiaoyue Temple. Amotion could be heard from within as the front doors opened wide, and about a dozen Daoists respectfully greeted him, led by the head of the temple. "I am Xiao Yue, greeting Senior Tang. Pleasee inside, True Monarch!" "Much obliged." Zhou Yi made no fuss and walked straight into the temple. The temple was brimming with Spiritual Energy, with five or six mu of Spiritual Fields cultivated, a piece of Spiritual Land situated on the surface. His Divine Sense swept over the Spirit Gathering Array Patterns, which were no different from those in the Nine Continents. The head of the temple, Real Person Xiao Yue, led the way beside him, guiding the True Monarch to take the main seat in the hall, followed by rituals of respect from his disciples. "Our respects to the True Monarch!" "No need for such formalities. I''ll leave after inquiring about a few matters," Zhou Yi said. "This is my first visit to the Eastern Sea, and I am unaware of the power divisions here. Please enlighten me in detail." A Foundation Establishment Real Person would be considered mid-tier in the Nine Continents and an even more significant figure overseas, just below the elders, surely knowledgeable about the specifics in the Eastern Sea. "Responding to the True Monarch, I traveled around the Eastern Sea in my youth and visited many ces," said Xiao Yue. Xiao Yue took out a jade slip and added, "Everything I have heard and seen has been recorded in here, including sects from various locations in the Eastern Sea, as well as some legends that may be true or false." Zhou Yi drew the jade slip towards himself and scanned it with his Divine Sense. "The Eastern Sea actually has so many sects, much more extensive than I imagined!" ording to the records in the jade slip, Xiao Yue had heard of and seen more than twenty sects, each sheltered by at least one Golden Core elder. Taken individually, they might notpare to the Dan Ding Sect, but allbined they consisted of no less than thirty True Monarchs, a powerful ally in the righting of wrongs between the righteous and the devilish. What''s more, Xiao Yue had not traveled across the entire Eastern Sea, so what he had heard and seen were not necessarily all the sects. There were also records about the customs and social conditions of the Eastern Sea. It turns out the Qi Refining cultivators Zhou Yi had seen on several inds were indeed tasked with guarding the inds. Nearby sects would regrly inspect inds with human settlements, bringing back those with good Spirit Root aptitudes and gifting cultivation techniques to those with poor capabilities for self-cultivation. Real Person Xiao Yue himself was such a Loose Cultivator, with Spirit Root aptitudes too poor to join a sect. Based on his own efforts and opportunities, he managed to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. Fortuitously finding an ownerless piece of Spiritual Land, he established the Daoist temple and epted a few disciples. Having perused the jade slip, Zhou Yi now had a general understanding of the Eastern Sea. He memorized the various sects and specially marked three famous for Artifact Refining to prioritize for infiltration and cultivation. He then asked, "Red Cloud Ind, as recorded in the jade slip, can any cultivator really go to the ind to cultivate?" Red Cloud Ind was extensively detailed in the jade slip and famed in the Eastern Sea as a trading location for cultivators, operated simrly to the marketce under the Dan Ding Sect, though with looser management. "In my younger days, I cultivated on Red Cloud Ind for several years, renting a high-grade cave dwelling by spending Spirit Stones, achieving Qi Refinement perfection just before the end of my lifespan," said Xiao Yue. Xiao Yue continued, "The Master of that ind, True Lord Wan Bao, is rumored to have reached the peak of the Golden Core stage, ranking among the most powerful in the Eastern Sea." "Thank you," said Zhou Yi as he casually tossed a bottle of elixir and disappeared into a sh of light. He followed the sea chart in the jade slip and flew towards Red Cloud Ind. ¡­ Red Cloud Ind. In the evening, when the sun sets, it emits a red glow that forms clouds resembling an Immortal Realm, which is how it gained its name. Zhou Yi spent a month patrolling the outer perimeter, casually catching a few cultivators to inquire about the details of the inside of the ind, which turned out to be generally the same as described in the jade slip. On this day. He divined with the jade slip. ``` Fortune smiles. "Indeed." Zhou Yi''s escape light passed through the Ind Protecting Maze Array, ready to descend to the ground and rent a cave dwelling as the cultivator had mentioned. An elderly voice transmitted, "This Daoist friend appears unfamiliar?" Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin Indeed, the so-called freedom of entry without recording names and thex management applied only rtive to cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Stage and below. There were sensory response prohibitions within the formation; once a Golden Core True Monarch arrived, the ind master would be alerted. Zhou Yi looked toward the white-haired elder Daoist to the east and cupped his fists, "This poor Daoist is Tang Xuan, a Loose Cultivator from the Nine Continents, and now, with the fierce danger of the righteous and demonic swords shing, I havee to the Eastern Sea to secretly cultivate and seek refuge." "I see." The elder Daoist was none other than True Lord Wan Bao, true to his name, from the crown on his head to the boots on his feet, nothing was without a dazzling treasure glow, his whole person enshrouded in a kaleidoscope of light. Zhou Yi said with a smile, "If it''s inconvenient for my friend here, I will seek elsewhere." Wan Bao pondered for a moment and said, "No worries, since it is a public marketce, there is no reason to drive away a guest." Then the two of them descended from their escape light. Red Cloud Ind spans a hundred miles, ranking as arge ind in the Eastern Sea. Two mountain peaks stand tall in the center of the ind, the east is where Wan Bao and his disciples cultivate, while the west is designated for renting cave dwellings, and the surrounding ins are cultivated into spiritual fields. Zhou Yi swept his Divine Sense over the area, seeing numerous cultivators in the spiritual fields, casting the Spirit Rain Technique. "Has the Daoist friend ever been to Cloud Continent?" "This poor Daoist once went to Cloud Continent to learn Alchemical Techniques and saw their marketce was well-managed, so I took some lessons." Wan Bao felt no shame in exploiting Loose Cultivators, instead, he said, "In this way, not only is the ind prospering, but it also gives Loose Cultivators opportunities, and the disciples of the sect can concentrate on cultivating ¨C triple benefits in one stroke." Zhou Yi made noment, vividly remembering his old unpaid experiences. "How many Spirit Stones for renting a top-tier cave dwelling for one year?" "For a Daoist friend to cultivate on the ind is already an honor, how could we take Spirit Stones." Wan Bao brought Zhou Yi to the top of the western mountain peak, took out a golden token, and said, "This is the credential for entering and leaving the cave dwelling; if the Daoist friend wishes to stay for as long as he wants to, nobody wille to disturb you." "Thank you." Zhou Yi epted the token, activated it with mana, and one of the ten cave dwellings on the mountaintop shone with spiritual light. The cave dwelling was a three-section small Daoist temple with no name on the que at the entrance. The first section had artificial mountains and strange rocks built along the shape of the mountain. The second section had a fountain constructed from the local water vein, and the overallyout was quite exquisite. Wan Bao cupped his fists and said, "Daoist friend is new to the Eastern Sea and busy with various matters. I wille and consult with you another day." After speaking, he transformed into an escape light and left. Zhou Yi carefully examined the interior and exterior, encountering just a single Mystifying Array. He then took out hundreds of Array tes and set them all up inside the cave dwelling. "Let alone a Golden Core True Monarch, even if a Nascent Soul ancestor were toe, they would be held off for a moment!" The Dragon Emperor''s chase across ten thousand miles let Zhou Yi experience the might of a Nascent Soul ancestor''s techniques, so now when setting up formation and prohibition, he had a reference and was not merely guessing. Zhou Yi set up the outeryer formation, then ced multiple concealment formations in the three-section courtyard, blocking Divine Sense probing. The Spirit Ginseng child couldn''t wait, jumping out from his bosom, carrying a one-foot-long Medicinal Hoe, huffing and puffing as he cultivated the spiritual field to build his dwelling. Other spiritual medicines like the blood vine and so on were casually nted in the courtyard, left for the Spirit Ginseng child to manage. The ox transformed its appearance to conceal its aura, resembling an ordinary plowing ox, resting in the corner. An hourter. Zhou Yi finished arranging the cultivation items, his figure flickered and transformed into an ordinary-looking Daoist, using the Earth Escape Skill to leave the mountain peak. Between the two mountain peaks, several trading receptions were established, named Wanbao Marketce. The number of cultivators in the marketce was not high, much less than ces like Xiao Dan Mountain or Great Marsh, with most of the shops along the streets closed, probably not rented out. "There are few mortals, and they are scattered across various inds; the East Sea Cultivation World naturallycks them." Zhou Yi walked around the marketce twice, inquiring about the prices of spiritual medicines and magic artifacts;pared to the Nine Continents, they were expensive by thirty to forty percent. Pills that advanced cultivation were even fifty percent more expensive, and Foundation Establishment Pills were unheard of. In the midst of this, he performed the Confusion Technique while chatting with the shopkeepers and easily obtained the information he wanted. "Old man Wan Bao has a good reputation, at least on the surface, with no mishaps for two hundred years. Since that''s the case, I shall y the role of a Loose Cultivator here, build some reputation, and wait slowly for someone to invite me to join a sect!" Being too forward is not the way to do business. Zhou Yi wouldn''t be seen in a good light if he volunteered himself; better to wait to be invited. Chapter 164: Chapter 163: Reopen the Store Cave Abode. Zhou Yi routinely consulted the I Ching, cultivated the roots with the Jade Dew Art, and pondered over the Lightning Method. The spiritual fields were looked after by Spirit Ginseng babies, the Formation and Prohibition were managed by the oxen, and without any Golden Core Cultivation Technique to practice, he suddenly found himself with free time on his hands. "A mysterious Golden Elixir True Monarch appears in the Eastern Sea without concealing his tracks, and after more than two months, the news should have spread to the nearby sects. Yet apart from old man Wan Bao''s visit, I haven''t received a single invitation, as if I''m being deliberately ignored!" "After all, my origins are a mystery. If I were a cultivator from the Eastern Sea breaking through to the Golden Core Realm, well understood and established, I''d probably be overwhelmed with banquet invites and solicitations." Zhou Yi could understand the sects'' apprehensions, for if he were a demonic cultivator or with malicious intentions, once he became an elder with ess to core secrets, it could easily lead to the destruction of a sect. "Therefore, just waiting in my cave abode is too slow; I need to actively demonstrate my value!" "It doesn''t matter whether I earn Spirit Stones or not; I''ll slowly build my reputation, and naturally, people wille to establish connections with me." ... A few dayster. A new shop appeared in the Wanbao Market, called the Four Arts Hall. True to its name, it sold Spirit Pills, Magic Artifacts, Array tes, and talisman seals. While the grades weren''t high, they were rare fine pieces, priced about thirty to forty percent higher than simr items. Loose Cultivators were extremely sensitive to prices, wishing they could split a Spirit Stone in half. There were many inquiries, but not a single product was sold. Zhou Yi was unconcerned about this, leisurely reading storybooks behind the counter. Ever since cultivating the Jade Dew Art, he had nevercked Spirit Stones. While everyone else was exchanging their lives for Spirit Stones, he was just spending a bit more of his lifespan. "These Eastern Sea storybooks aren''t much different from those in the Nine Continents;nd battles turn into sea battles, stumbling upon ancient ruins bes finding Immortal Realm pces under the sea, and the elder martial sisters and younger martial sisters turn into Dragon Maidens and mermaids... Hm, thest part is well described!" Zhou Yi was enjoying the book when he heard a familiar voice. "Fellow Daoist, you didn''t even inform me about opening a shop; I would have arranged the best location for you." Wan Bao said as he entered, his gaze sweeping over the area where Array tes and Spirit Talismans were disyed. These two types of items had their spiritual patterns and prohibitions outwardly visible, enabling one to distinguish their quality without even touching them. From a distance, the more he looked, the more startled he became, sensing their Xuan Miao uniqueness¡ªany more would be redundant, any less would be insufficient. "Brilliant!" Wan Bao praised repeatedly, "Fellow Daoist, you possess such profound mastery over the four arts of cultivation; truly an extraordinary talent!" Zhou Yi smiled and said, "They''re just some low-level legacies. With enough time, one naturally bes proficient. It''s iparable to your renowned methods of Artifact Refining in the Eastern Sea." After some time gathering information, Zhou Yi had alsoe to know more about Wan Bao, who reportedly stumbled into a water abode in his youth and acquired numerous Artifact Refining legacies. After achieving sess in his practice, he refined many Magic Artifacts, and in fights, he was straightforward and brutal, hurling over a dozen treasures at once. Ordinary True Monarchs only had two or three Magic Artifacts at most, and those who focused on refining Magic Divine Abilities were even more cost-effective. In battle, faced with a sky filled with treasured light, their presence was diminished by a third. Over time, the name Wan Bao stuck, and his original Daoist name gradually became unknown. "Refining artifacts over time, I havee to realize that true skill lies in the details! Those Magic Artifacts crudely assembled with Spiritual Objects are simply an insult to the way of Artifact Refining." Wan Bao, unable to contain his excitement while looking at a few artifacts through the showcase, said, "May I purchase a few to take back and study closely?" What he called "study" meant disassembling the Magic Artifacts to examine theyout of prohibitions and conjecture the refining techniques to enhance and perfect his own Artifact Refining legacies. Generally speaking, this was considered taboo, at least not something to be proposed directly. "Of course you can," Zhou Yi replied, taking out two flying swords and a Mystic Iron Shield from the disy and said, "These three Magic Artifacts are the ones I''m most satisfied with regarding the inscription of their prohibitions; they''re low-grade but their power is not weaker than mid-grade. I gift them to you for your study." "Thank you very much!" Wan Bao beamed with delight and said, "Compared to this, my congrattory gift seems a bit modest, I''ll have to make it up to you tomorrow." "You are too kind, friend." Zhou Yi sped his hands and said, "Being new to the Eastern Sea and already having a cultivation cave abode has afforded me much convenience." "It''s nothing..." Wanbao simply stood in the shop, chatting and discussing the art of artifact refining without concealing his appearance or presence. The loose cultivators who entered the store afterward were first startled, then pretended to browse the top-grade items, listened to the True Monarch''s discourse for a while, and hurriedly left to boast to their friends. Discover hidden content at m,v l''e-NovelBin A Golden Core Realm master has opened a shop! Word-of-mouth spreads the fastest; in just half an hour, the entire marketce was abuzz with the news. In the Cultivation World, where strength reigns supreme, a Golden Core Realm master was akin to a top celebrity; every move could trend, while a Nascent Soul elder was a legendary figure. Outside the Four Arts Hall, many loose cultivators started to loiter about, sneaking nces inside the shop, with the braver ones posing as customers anding in to buy a stack of spirit talismans. Zhou Yi said with a smile, "That will be fifteen spirit stones." "Ah? Oh, oh yes, right!" This loose cultivator probably hadn''t heard the price clearly, fumbled a handful of spirit stones from his storage bag, ced them on the counter, and turned to leave. "Friend, you''ve given too much." Zhou Yi counted out fifteen spirit stones, called back to the customer, but the person hurried away, vanishing in the blink of an eye. Seeing someone taking the lead, the cultivators loitering outside followed suit and entered the shop. Regardless of the price, to speak a few words with a True Monarch and receive a "Thank you for your patronage" was considered a bragging right; it was as good as having discussed cultivation with a True Monarch! Wan Bao watched interestingly from the sidelines; since his promotion to the Golden Core, he couldn''t remember when he hadst paid such attention to loose cultivators. At this moment, watching Zhou Yi introduce magic artifacts with a smile, haggled over prices at an even pace, and counted spirit stones meticulously, he naturally transitioned from being a Golden Core Realm master to the shopkeeper, which made Wan Bao inwardly apud. "To let go of the True Monarch''s demeanor, to treat Qi-refinement loose cultivators with equality and a pleasant countenance, one''s character must not be bad!" Seeing Zhou Yi busy with calctions, Wan Bao decided not to disturb him further and vanished into a streak of light. Months passed. The business of the Four Arts Hall grew increasingly prosperous. Initially, it benefited from Wan Bao''s intentional and unintentional promotion, as well as Zhou Yi''s reputation as a Golden Core Realm master, butter it relied on the quality of the goods. The prices were thirty to forty percent higher than usual, but the power of the products increased by the same margin, making it a great deal in the end. For instance, among lesser magic artifacts, a mere one percent increase in power could result in an exponential increase in price, not a simple additive one. Red Cloud Ind was a famous marketce in the Eastern Sea, and the Four Arts Hall''s reputation spread quickly. Some disciples from various sects also came to purchase magic artifacts due to its fame. Zhou Yi once again entered the sight of the sects; the importance of a True Monarch proficient in the Four Arts of Cultivation to a sect was self-evident. Wan Bao had a widework of acquaintances and would asionally have True Monarchs seeking his help in refining treasures, and would drop by the Four Arts Hall during these times. They would chat with Zhou Yi, bing somewhat familiar and would leave with a batch of magic artifacts and spirit pills, with few sects purchasing spirit talismans and array tes. Spirit talismans weremonly inherited within sects due to their simplicity and ease of learning. Array tes, on the other hand, were avoided due to concerns about the refiner leaving behind backdoors, including but not limited to formation loopholes, monitoring, eavesdropping, countermeasures, and more. Through this opportunity, Zhou Yi got to know many fellow cultivators. It couldn''t be said that their rtionships were profound, but at least they would nod and exchange greetings upon meeting. Once one''s cultivation reached the Golden Core Realm, there were few things in the world that could provoke greed, so as long as the interaction did not touch upon matters of righteous vs. demonic or blood feuds, everyone maintained a good facade. Chapter 165: Chapter 164: Sect Heritage Two yearster. That day. Zhou Yi had just deactivated the shop''s prohibitive spells when a Foundation Establishment cultivator who had been waiting outside entered, bowed deeply, and handed over a golden invitation. "True Lord Tang, the old ancestor of our sect cordially invites you to attend his birthday banquet." Zhou Yi took the invitation, looked it over, and nodded in agreement, "Please convey to Feng Daoist Friend that I will definitely attend the banquet on time." The cultivator bowed and left the shop, turning into a streak of light and departing. "It''s finally here, quite a bit sooner than expected," Zhou Yi murmured, holding the invitation in his hand, which came from Feng Yang, the Supreme Elder of the Earth Fire Pce, who was celebrating his four hundredth birthday by inviting friends from all around to attend the banquet. Feng Yang had visited the Four Arts Hall several times, engaging in enjoyable discussions with Zhou Yi about the art of Artifact Refining. The Earth Fire Pce was indeed one of the sects Zhou Yi had marked, known for refining spirit ores with the essence of the earth''s vein fires, crafting Magic Artifacts that are sharp and durable. The most famous among their treasures was the Earth Element Armor. This treasure, refined with a secret technique using the force of the earth''s maic core, could counter the Five Elements Spells and greatly elerate Earth Escape by drawing on geomaism, making it a top-notch protective and escaping Magic Artifact. "Feng Daoist Friend is four hundred years old, how old is this poor Daoist again..." Zhou Yi carefully calcted and realized that in another six years, he would be eight hundred years old. ... Earth Fire Archipgo. Zhou Yi arrived through the clouds with Wan Bao, and below them, dozens of inds formed a chain, surrounding a central ind spewing fierce mes. The surging earth fire reddened the sky, and the malevolent aura of the earth''s core rose into the air, forming a haze visible even from tens of miles away. Zhou Yi swept his Divine Sense over the area, sensing the might of the fracturing earth veins and couldn''t help but sigh. "We cultivators strive against heaven for our fate, yet in the face of the natural world, we are truly no more than ants!" "It is indeed so," Wan Bao nodded and said, "A thousand years ago, this ce was known as the Mountain Sea Sect. Due to the fracturing earth veins and the overflow of malevolence, they had to relocate the entire sect. It is said that they invited a Nascent Soul elder to seal the earth veins. However, the sealsted only a dozen years before the earth fire broke through it." Zhou Yi, looking at the surrounding islets, remarked, "The Earth Fire Pce did take advantage of this situation. With earth fire everywhere, it suits their lineage perfectly." Wan Bao shook his head and exined, "There is a loss for every gain. The formation on the central islet that stabilizes the earth veins and filters the malevolence consumes a vast amount of Spirit Stones year-round. Hence, despite the Earth Fire Pce''s fame in Artifact Refining in the Eastern Sea, their cultivation resources are quite strained." As they spoke, the two of them descended from the clouds. The Earth Fire Pce wasn''t located on the central islet but on a nearby group of inds, its ptialplex constructed entirely of red rocks, a deeply impressive sight from afar. At the entrance, a continuous stream of names was being called, and the main hall was already filled with many guests, chatting in groups of twos and threes. Zhou Yi wasn''t well-known in the Eastern Sea, but Wan Bao''s arrival in the hall caused quite a stir, prompting the guests to bow in salute. The Foundation Establishment cultivator responsible for weing the guests hurried over to greet them, "Elders, pleasee inside. The old ancestor has been waiting for you in the inner hall for quite some time and has mentioned several times that he wishes to take this opportunity to exchange knowledge on the ways of Artifact Refining." The number of people in the inner hall was much smaller, just six Golden Core True Monarchs, apanied by more than a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators serving them. Feng Yang sat at the head of the table, conversing with a True Monarch to his left. Seeing Zhou Yi and Wan Bao enter the hall, he smiled and gestured for them toe over. "Wan Bao, Daoist Friend Tang, please take a seat. Today, at my birthday banquet, we must drink to our hearts'' content!" "Congrattions, congrattions," Zhou Yi handed over the prepared congrattory gift to the weing cultivator, a Five-Hundred-Year-Old Ginseng. Shortly after taking their seats, two more True Monarchs arrived, introduced by Wan Bao as the elders of Water Cloud Sect and Ziyang Sect. In the Eastern Sea, twenty to thirty sects jostle for scarce cultivation resources, inevitably leading to conflicts. Nowadays, they can generally be divided into three factions. Besides Zhou Yi, all the sects present to celebrate the birthday are aligned with Earth Fire Pce. Once all the guests had arrived, the birthday banquet began. Needless to say, there was a sumptuous feast apanied by music, spiritual wine, and fine dishes. After three rounds of wine and five courses of food, the birthday star Feng Yang heaved a sigh. "I am now four hundred years old. I watch as the heavens grant no extra years, yet Earth Fire Pce has no one to follow!" Thisment drew the attention of everyone, among them an elder from Ziyang Sect, who was even older than Feng Yang, spoke tofort him. "Do not dwell on this, Feng Daoist friend. I heard that the disciple you recently took in has a Fire Spiritual Body and will surely reach Core Formation within a hundred years." "Difficult, difficult, difficult!" Feng Yang said, "I cannot leave the legacy of our ancestors in the hands of a mere child. Should the future prove emptiness, I will have no face to meet the line of esteemed ancestors." The assembly within the hall shared a silent shake of heads. This problem was not unique to Earth Fire Pce; other sects had experienced it too. Sects in the Eastern Sea could notpare to Cloud Continent, where each generationcks not for disciples with astonishing talent. Rare as they are, even on Fire God Peak there are over a dozen disciples with a Heavenly Spiritual Root, and hundreds more with Exotic Spirit Roots and Spiritual Bodies. Only then can a sect like Dan Ding ensure its continuous standing for thousands of years, while sects in the Eastern Sea seldom have legacies thatst over two thousand years, due to the struggle to ensure that each generation has a True Monarch at its helm. Once a previous generation''s True Monarch passes away, and there is no sessor to uphold the sect, not to mention the internal chaos, the external predators will tear it apart and feast on it. For example, among the ten True Monarchs present in the hall, the two elders from Water Cloud Sect and Qing Yang Sect happen to be the founding members of their respective sects, established for barely a century. The resources they obtained for condensing their Golden Cores came from plundering the struggling Yun Yang Sect of those days. Should Feng Yang pass away and Earth Fire Pce be left without a Golden Core to preside over it, it is certain to follow in Yun Yang Sect''s footsteps, with possibly some of the True Monarchs present initiating the action. Zhou Yi perceived the gaze of many upon him and suddenly realized the invitation might include an element of recruitment, but he pretended not to understand and continued to leisurely savor the spiritual wine. The taste of Eastern Sea''s spiritual wine is unlike that of the Nine Continents, less fiery and rich, but with subtler and gentler notes. Feng Yang, seeing no other choice, took the initiative to speak to the seemingly blind man. "True Lord Tang, you have recentlye to the Eastern Sea, which is vastly different from the Nine Continents. Have you grown ustomed to it?" "Thank you, Wan Bao Daoist friend, for your hospitality. Red Cloud Ind is quite nice," Zhou Yi replied, setting down his wine cup. "I only hope that the struggle between righteousness and demons will soon end, so I can return home for cultivation. By then, I will often visit the Eastern Sea to see you all." Feng Yang choked on his words, seeing the other party reject the overture, he could only helplessly change the subject to the struggle between righteousness and demons. The Eastern Sea has always been rtively isted, yet over the years, news of the righteous path promising Spirit Veins to establish sects has still spread. Many True Monarchs are tempted by this; rather than slowly wither away guarding the barren Eastern Sea, why not relocate the entire sect to the Nine Continents? For example, Fengyang Country, once near the Spirit Veins of Small Dan Mountain, has a poption exceeding that of all the Eastern Sea, with a continuous stream of disciples bearing superior Spirit Roots. The legacy of a sect lies in its people, not its location. With enough outstanding disciples, lost Spirit Veins and resources can eventually be reimed! As the True Monarchs began discussing this matter, they grew excited, and someone even suggested forming an alliance. Perhaps they could upy one-fifth of the continent, and in the future, they would surely support the emergence of a Nascent Soul elder. The elder of Ziyang Sect, seemingly moved, looked towards Zhou Yi and asked, "True Lord Tang, since youe from the Nine Continents, could you tell us more about the current state of the struggle between righteousness and demons?" Zhou Yi replied, "The reason I fled to the Eastern Sea is that I heard of a Nascent Soul Daoist taking action. With a single strike like the fall of the great sun, he obliterated the Mountain Protection Array, the Spirit Vein, and even the mountain peaks, reducing everything to t ground!" "..." In an instant, the hall went silent, the True Monarchs looking at one another. Zhou Yi continued, "Facing such terrifying beings, if one were to involve themselves in the struggle between righteousness and demons while only at the Golden Core Realm, they could only pray day and night not to draw the attention of the Demon Lord, or else even escape would be difficult!" Stay connected with m-v l|e''-NovelBin Seeing the heavy atmosphere in the hall, Feng Yang forced augh and said, "As the saying goes among mortals, ''Children will have their own fortune.'' Let''s not be too forceful about session. Instead, let''s discuss Artifact Refining..." Chapter 166: Chapter 165 Waiting for a High Price Zhou Yi listened to the conversation in the hall, finding it amusing. They spoke of passing down the sect''s legacy with their words, but upon hearing about the danger of the righteous versus the demonic sword fight, they were unwilling to risk their lives for the sect. It seemed that one''s life and possessions were, in the end, more important than ancestral pride! "True Monarchs live for two hundred years, indifferent to kinship, Pure True Monarchs for five hundred, detached from the sect. Nascent Soul ancestors with a thousand years of life have long lost all concerns, their battles employing mana could obliterate thousands of miles, causing the death of tens of thousands in misfortune, as if ordinary people had poured boiling water into an ant''s nest!" Zhou Yi shook his head slightly, silently recited the Heart Sutra to calm his chaotic thoughts. Even if he became invincible in all of heaven and earth, he knew he must maintain a sense of reverence, or else he would meet his end due to indifference. The birthday celebrationsted three days, during which Zhou Yi mingled with his fellow cultivators, discussing everything under the sky at times, and at others, exchanging knowledge on the Four Arts of Cultivation, which marked his preliminary entry into the East Sea Cultivation World circle. Upon leaving the Earth Fire Pce, Feng Yang gifted Zhou Yi a scroll of the essence of Artifact Refining, in the name of exchange. "Since Daoist Tang is so engrossed in the way of Artifact Refining, you should visit the Earth Fire Pce more often to exchange insights," Feng Yang said. "It''s exactly what I wish for!" replied Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi did not refuse the gift, epting the scroll was also a way to respond to the overture. Afterward, he left with Wan Bao on a cloud, heading straight to the vicinity of Red Cloud Ind. Eventually, Wan Bao couldn''t help but ask, "Daoist friend, Feng Daoist has the intention, why then do you still refuse?" "Even mortals practice the courtesy of refusing thrice. If I were to hastily join the Earth Fire Pce, wouldn''t that seem suspect?" Zhou Yi answered. "Holding out for a better offer!" Wan Bao sighed. "I too had entertained the thought, inviting you to join Red Cloud Ind, to protect my disciples and their descendants in the future." Zhou Yi furrowed his brow and asked, "Does Daoist friend n to participate in the battle between righteousness and demons?" "I have reached the culmination of the Golden Core for more than fifty years and have yet to find the threshold of breaking through to Nascent Soul. If I dy any longer, I will lose all chance," Wan Bao said. "I have been paying attention to the news from the Nine Continents. Not long ago, the righteous sects agreed to share the Nascent Soul manuscripts with Loose Cultivators, requiring only the killing of a demonic Golden Core!" "I see," said Zhou Yi, his expression unchanged, yet he sighed internally. ording to what Dragon Lord had said, those without great destiny had already lost their path to Nascent Soul. The manuscripts on breaking through to Nascent Soul that Wan Bao could obtain were simr to teachings on how a Nascent Soul might achieve Divinity Transformation, not worthless, but of little use. Of course, this was not something he could say to Wan Bao¡ªit would be useless and might unnecessarily provoke resentment. ... The changing tides of the East Sea Cultivation World had no bearing on Zhou Yi. He pondered the Lightning Method at night, and during the day, he managed the Four Arts Hall; time flew by swiftly. Three yearster. Feng Yang invited Zhou Yi to observe treasure refining and taught him many secrets of creating magical artifacts. Zhou Yi reciprocated by taking out the Emerald Peak Seal for Feng Yang to study together; the ancient treasure''s rough crafting methods provided much inspiration. Both parties were willing, and their exchanges flourished! Another three years passed. For his eight hundredth birthday, Zhou Yi secretly returned to Cloud Continent, and after celebrating for several months, he finally came back. He also gathered information on the battle between righteousness and demons. With the righteous sidergely prevailing and having offered incredibly generous rewards, Loose Cultivators from the Four Seas joined in droves, forcing the demonic path into constant retreat. Five more years went by. After twelve years of effort, Zhou Yi had established firm roots in the East Sea. On regr days, he rode clouds and roamed the East Sea, visiting peers for wine and pleasure, sometimes engaging in philosophical discussions or sparring with spells, living a carefree life. Zhou Yi''s magical artifact, the Spirit-Settling Mirror, had gained no small reputation among True Monarchs. Its Spirit-Settling Light,bined with exquisite Lightning Method, allowed him to spar back and forth with veteran Golden Cores. Of course, sparring was different from life-and-death battles, with both sides keeping their trump cards hidden, not even disying a third of their full strength. At the same time, the Four Arts Hall''s reputation among Loose Cultivators rose day by day. Whening to purchase pills and talismans, they would casually seek advice on their cultivation troubles, and Zhou Yi''s offhand guidance would often lead to revtions. After all, Zhou Yi had cultivated in the Qi Refinement Realm for two hundred and seventy years, and in the Foundation Establishment Stage for a full five hundred years. His experience was unparalleled, having thoroughly understood these two realms, even more so than Nascent Soul elders. ``` That day. Zhou Yi was chatting with the Loose Cultivator Li Yu, discussing the plot of a storybook, just like the leisurely talks he once had with Pure True Monarch. Li Yu was good at writing storybooks and drawing pictures ofdies, and the marketce was filled with many of his excellent works. Hearing that the True Monarch enjoyed reading storybooks, he often came to exchange ideas, hoping if he could write a plot that satisfied Zhou Yi, he might get a pill to taste in return. At the moment, the two were debating how the female lead number twenty-two should reverse woo the protagonist and be taken into his inner pce. Li Yu retorted, "Senior Tang, if you write it the way you said, the character''s personality bes too... sudden..." Zhou Yi, unable to win the debate verbally, pulled a bottle of Green Sun Pill from his storage bag and ced it on the counter. Li Yu quickly stuffed the pill into his bosom and vowed, "...and suddenly it all got better! I''ll go back and change the plot right away, add twenty more character illustrations, and make sure you''re satisfied, Senior." "Tsk tsk! Schrs in the Cultivation World are all the same, spineless!" Zhou Yi reminded, "Make sure the illustrations are well-drawn. If I''m pleased, there''ll be an extra reward." Li Yu''s eyebrows danced with excitement, and he chuckled knowingly. At that moment. A beam of light descended into the shop, manifesting into the Sect Leader of the Earth Fire Pce, Yuan Qi in person. "Greetings to Senior Tang, my master invites you to visit. There is an urgent matter to discuss!" "Wait a moment." Zhou Yi took out a divination cylinder, performed a short divination, and a glowing spiritual sign fell to the ground. An auspicious sign! Zhou Yi raised his eyebrows, feeling certain about the forting trip, and asked, "Did something happen at the Earth Fire Pce?" Seeing Yuan Qi looking around, Li Yu knew to take his leave and quickly made an excuse to say goodbye. Yuan Qi waved his hand to set up a soundproof formation and spoke with a mournful look, "My master heard that a Yin-Yang Spiritual Pearl appeared in the Xian Kong Sea Area and took the risk to look for it. He was unfortunately caught in the chaos of the Nine Heavens Gang Winds and barely escaped with his life, but he was badly injured!" The Xian Kong Sea Area was a mysterious ce in the Eastern Sea, forever enveloped by the Nine Heavens Gang Winds, while the Yin-Yang Spiritual Pearl, a rare aid in pill solidification, was rarely seen in the world. "Let''s go and take a look," Zhou Yi said. Zhou Yi felt the matter was not so simple, wrapped Yuan Qi in his mana, and transformed into a beam of light flying toward the sky. ... The Earth Fire Pce. In the center of the ind. Feng Yang sat cross-legged within a formation, with surging earth fire constantly refining his body, wisps of ck smoke drifting from his body. The beam of light descended, revealing Zhou Yi, his divine sense swept over the ck qi, and his eyebrows furrowed. "Daoist Feng Yang, have you encountered the malicious beings from the Ghost King Sect?" Zhou Yi had seen simr ck smoke on the bodies of ck skeletons, a mix of vitality and ghostly, yin sha energies, just as Xuan Zhou had described¡ªhalf human and half ghost. Feng Yang shook his head and said, "This poor daoist doesn''t know which sect the demon is from; it seems they had predicted my movements and set traps and ambushes along my path. Luckily, I had arge number of Earth Fire Beads with me and managed to st open the formation by force." Zhou Yi asked, "How many people in the Earth Fire Pce knew about your trip to the Xian Kong Sea Area?" Feng Yang replied, "I spoke with the Sect Leader and the elders before leaving, asking them to be on their guard to avoid being taken advantage of by enemies." Zhou Yi continued, "Then who knew about the specific route and direction?" Feng Yang was silent for a long while, not answering. Zhou Yi said, "This person must hold considerable power within the Earth Fire Pce. Since they have already betrayed the sect, why are you still protecting them?" The Sect Leader Yuan Qi said anxiously, "If my master suspects someone, we can summon them and use the Question Heart Technique. It won''t cost them their lives!" Feng Yang sighed, "Go call your junior brother here." "Junior brother!" Yuan Qi was first shocked, then furious. The sect saw the junior brother as its hope, pouring resources into helping him condense his Golden Core. Who would have thought that not long after his Foundation Establishment, he would betray the senior of the sect! ``` Chapter 167: Chapter 166 An Elder of the Sect Yuan Qi quickly returned with an even uglier expression on his face. "Master, not long after you came back, my junior brother fled the sect. Before leaving, he deceived the sect''s treasure vault open and swept it clean!" "Pff!" Feng Yang, upon hearing the news, was so outraged that he could no longer suppress the ghostly energy within him. He spat out ck blood, and his raven-ck hair visibly turned to silvery strands at an rming rate. "Master, you must take good care of your health!" Yuan Qi, terrified, fell to his knees and repeatedly tried tofort and reassure him. "Heh! I was once just a fisherman, and by sheer luck, I caught the attention of my master and was taken in as a disciple. From Qi Refinement to Foundation Establishment, then to Golden Core, I have gone through countless battles and braved many storms in these four hundred years." Feng Yang''s voice was as cold as ice, "I never imagined I would capsize in such a small ditch and lose all my lifelong reputation in one fell swoop!" Yuan Qi trembled with fear, feeling that his master might be falling into demonhood. His master had always doted on his junior brother, who had been so filial. Now everything had turned into hatred. "Brother Tang, I was originally nning to invite you to join our sect when I was a few years older." Feng Yang said, "But now that I have encountered a misfortune, I have lost at least thirty to fifty years of my life expectancy and could pass away at any moment. At this critical and turbulent time, I won''t beat around the bush. What do you think, Brother Tang?" Zhou Yi frowned slightly, his face showing hesitation. Enjoy more content from m-v l''e|-NovelBin Perhaps the Ghost King Sect had left themselves a way out in advance, or maybe it was to retaliate against the overseas cultivators for meddling in the affairs of the Nine Continents. In any case, the Eastern Sea was no longer peaceful. "This time, the battle between good and evil is unprecedented in scale. Where in the world is there a safe haven?" It seemed that Feng Yang could see through Zhou Yi''s thoughts and tried to persuade him, "The Four Seas are on the edge of the world, and Nascent Soul ancestors wouldn''t bother with it. With your cultivation level, you should be more than capable of protecting yourself!" Zhou Yi didn''t immediately agree but instead asked, "Do you know if there is a limit to how far one can travel eastward in the Eastern Sea?" "???" Feng Yang looked utterly perplexed and even the nearby Yuan Qi showed a face of astonishment. They could hardly believe there was such a timid Golden Elixir True Monarch in the world! "I don''t know the extreme limits of the Eastern Sea; however, ording to the records, there was a Nascent Soul ancestor who once ventured deep into the Eastern Sea. The farther east, the scarcer thend became, and the spiritual energy became increasingly thin, until reaching an absolute Land of Absolute Spirit!" "I see." Zhou Yi knew that there was no escaping it. He immediately switched to an excited and eager look and agreed, "If Brother Feng sincerely invites me, how could I decline? I am willing to join the Earth Fire Pce!" It''s rare to see someone change their demeanor so quickly! Feng Yang was at a loss, not knowing whether it was right or wrong, but had no other choice. He ordered Yuan Qi. "Take Elder Tang to the Hall of Spiritual Fire, prepare for the sect''s celebration, and send out invitations throughout the Eastern Sea!" Yuan Qi bowed deeply, epted the order, and led Zhou Yi away from the restricted area. Shortly after. Yuan Qi returned to the central ind and reported back to Feng Yang. "Elder Tang is very satisfied with the Hall of Spiritual Fire and has inquired if he could look at the sect''s ssics, especially the Golden Core Stage Cultivation Techniques." "I had long noticed that Elder Tang recently formed his Core and has not yet switched to a Golden Core Cultivation Technique. From this, I specte he must be a Loose Cultivator who reached Core Formation, neither righteous nor demonic, which exactly fits the needs of the Earth Fire Pce." Feng Yang instructed, "If you expect someone to protect the sect, then don''t be stingy with the inheritance. Grant all the privileges of a Supreme Elder, not just the Golden Core Cultivation Techniques; even the Earth Fire Tempering Treasure Technique and the Earth Elemental Shield are allowed to be viewed." "It''s better to be generous and give them to Elder Tang now than to hide things, die, and let someone just take themter, uselessly creating resentment and estrangement." Upon hearing these words, Yuan Qi expressed his concern, "Master, with Elder Tang''s temperament, there''s a good chance he''ll be the first to flee if trouble arises." "How could I not see that Elder Tang has the nature of a turtle?" Feng Yang sighed, "s, with that traitor Huo Yan leaving the sect and my grave injuries, what other choice do I have? Instead of inviting a wolf into the house, it''s better to bring in a turtle to hold down the fort and properly cultivate the next generation of disciples." Yuan Qi then said, "After all, as a disciple who is only at the Foundation Establishment stage, it will be difficult to contend with Elder Tang for authority after Master passes away¡­" "Once I pass away, you should directly seek support from Elder Tang; with your status as a direct sessor of the sect and as the Sect Leader, you are certain to be put to good use," Feng Yang said, "Having Elder Tang take charge is not a bad thing; it will in fact bind him more tightly to the sect, and he will intervene to resolve dangers when they arise. You must remember, the continuation of the Earth Fire Pce''s inheritance is far more important than any great authority!" Yuan Qi bowed and said, "Disciple will heed your teachings." "Elder Tang is nearly two hundred years old, and he could protect the Earth Fire Pce for three hundred years. If he cultivates a True Monarch during his tenure, our inheritance could extend for several more centuries," Feng Yang said, "After he passes away, everything he has acquired in life, whether it be inheritance, authority, or even the teachings he brought from the Nine Continents, will all be returned to the Earth Fire Pce!" Yuan Qi pondered along these lines and soon realized what a ''bright stratagem'' was; even if Elder Tang noticed something, he would not willingly give up the great authority of the sect. "Master is brilliant!" ... The following day, Zhou Yi received themand of the Supreme Elder, a position second only to Feng Yang, even having the authority to summon Sect Leader Yuan Qi at will. "To keep me bound, you really are willing to spend generously!" "Sadly, even if you gave me a dozen Immortal Artifacts, I wouldn''t hesitate to leave when it''s time to slip away!" Power unused is power wasted! Zhou Yi immediately went to the Scripture Pavilion, selected his main cultivation technique, and still choosing the slow but steady path, he picked the Innate Pure Yang Scripture. This cultivation technique was upright and majestic, emphasizing firm foundations and profound depth. Practice was slow but rarely met bottlenecks, and the Pure Yang mana had a significant restraining effect on evil and heretical powers. The Earth Fire Tempering Treasure Technique, Earth Elemental Shield, and a secret technique called the Xuan Yuan Fire Control Technique from the opening of the sect were all recorded into the jade slip and brought back to the Hall of Spiritual Fire for contemtion. The Hall of Spiritual Fire was located in the core area of the Earth Fire Pce, spread over ten acres and nted with exotic flowers and nts; even the paving stones on the ground were made from Spirit Vein materials. The corridors and pavilions were engraved with the Spirit Gathering Array Patterns, arranged in an extravagantly luxurious manner. Ten miles away was the Mysterious Fire Hall, where Feng Yang usually resided. The two halls, one to the east and one to the west, stood equally without distinction, both guarding the sect in a cornered formation. Over the years, Zhou Yi hade to a detailed understanding of the Earth Fire Pce. The central Spirit Vein fractured ind was unsuitable for cultivation, but the inds built for pces were for the Supreme Elders and True Disciples to practice, with ordinary disciples practicing on dozens of nearby small inds. Not only were there disciples of the sect on the small inds, but also families of mortals associated with the sect, with a total poption exceeding one hundred thousand. Beyond, extending for three thousand miles of sea territory belonged to the Earth Fire Pce''s influence. Each year, disciples patrolled the subordinate inds to test the Spirit Root aptitudes of newborns. "The poption under the Earth Fire Pce''s rule adds up to no more than a million, which is nothingpared to Cloud Continent, not evenparable to Qian Jing; no wonder Eastern Sea Sect is always at risk of inheritance severance!" Zhou Yi shook his head slightly, put these thoughts aside, and closed himself off for secluded cultivation of the Pure Yang Scripture. ... Several monthster, Feng Yang hadpletely eradicated the ghostly energy, but there was no way to recover his diminished lifespan; he could only rely on consuming Life-Extending Elixirs in the future. At the same time, the celebration for joining the sect began. Unfortunately, only five True Monarchs were invited to the ceremony. It was not that someone bore ill will towards Zhou Yi, but rather, True Monarchs like Wan Bao were dispatched to the Nine Continents to eradicate demons. The price set by the orthodox sects was getting higher and higher, from Spirit Veins to scriptures, all the way to Core Formation or even Nascent Soul Spiritual Objects! Zhou Yi stood on the high tform, epting individual obeisances from True Disciples and a collective obeisance from ordinary disciples. "Greetings to the Supreme Elder!" "May Elder Tang enjoy endless blessings, safety in gold, and an evergreen path!" Facing the tsunami-like cheers, bing the hope of more than three thousand cultivators, Zhou Yi suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of mission and responsibility and quickly recited a heart-clearing spell to calm his excitement. "Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One!" "I am but a passerby who draws no karma and touches no causality!" Chapter 168: Chapter 167: Disciple Seeks Refuge Pce of Spiritual Fire. Hall of Spiritual Fire Refining Chamber. The earth fire surged mightily, melting the meteorite from outer space into a liquid state. Zhou Yi employed the Xuan Yuan Fire Control Technique, repeatedly tempering the meteorite to reduce its impurities to flying ash. An hourter, a hundred jin of meteorite from outer space had been reduced to the size of a fingertip''s worth of Essence of Stars, glowing brightly. "The Earth Fire Tempering Treasure Technique is indeed profound; ordinary cultivators using fire techniques to temper meteorites, not to mention consuming mana and time, are far from achieving the purity of that refined by the earth''s vein fire." "ording to ancient texts, there exist exotic fires born from heaven and earth, which, once refined and utilized by Pill Masters and Artifact Refiners, can temper spiritual medicines and spiritual ores better and faster. Even if earth fire cannotpare with such rare treasures, whenbined with the Tempering Treasure Technique, it performs with a simr marvelous effect!" Zhou Yi stored away the Essence of Stars and took out another hundred jin of meteorite iron from outer space to continue tempering with earth fire. This is the benefit of bing a member of the sect! As a Supreme Elder, whatever spiritual ores needed for refining treasures, one can just take from the sect''s treasury. If the treasurycks them, one can issue a sect task, promising merits based on the value, and naturally, disciples will hurry to mine and gather them. For example, the Essence of Stars, a rare spiritual object not produced by any vein, can only be obtained by tempering meteorites that fall from the sky. Any magic artifact or magical treasure that incorporates the Essence of Stars will be extremely sturdy and will also possess the profound power of the stars, not belonging to any of the five elements. It is precisely because it doesn''t fall within the five elements that it can be the core material of the Earth Element Shield. Only by refining the Essence of Stars into the ck Tortoise Carapace and turning it into a magical treasure''s restriction can it withstand the strength of the earth vein''s geomaic force. "It''s a pity that the Little Dan Mountain vein has been exhausted; otherwise, using the Sky Star Stone to refine the Earth Element Shield would multiply the power of geomaism!" The Sky Star Stone is the heart of a star that has fallen into the earth''s veins and, after a long period of evolution, has be an extremely rare spiritual ore, several grades higher than meteorite iron from outer space. Zhou Yi didn''t care too much about this, as with the quality of the ck Tortoise Carapace, the geomaic force was just a bonus. A Demon Saint, when converted to the human race''s ranking, means a realm of Returning to Virtuality. Nowadays, there are only a few surviving Divinity Transformations in the world; how could they possibly break the defense of the world-renowned ck Tortoise Shell? Several hourster. After all the meteorite iron from outer space was tempered, Zhou Yi did not rush to refine magical treasures; instead, he carefully studied the Earth Element Shield and simted refining with ordinary spiritual ores. Ores within the five elements found it difficult to withstand the geomaic force of earth veins, so only the preliminary steps were carried out, rehearsing repeatedly. As for the waste of half-finished products using spiritual ores, it was nothing but a mere sentence''s concern for a Supreme Elder. Zhou Yi had rendered more than a dozen Earth Element Shields useless before he began to practice the Pure Yang Scripture as usual, hastened the maturation of tree roots, and contemted the newly acquired formation and pill recipes. Enjoy exclusive chapters from m-v l''e|-NovelBin The Hall of Spiritual Fire in the Earth Fire Pce is renowned for its artifact refining art in the Eastern Sea but also has inheritances of four other arts. Having been established for more than seven hundred years, it even absorbed a sect called the Sect of Heavenly Yang along the way, gaining quite a few inheritances and ancient texts. The Innate Pure Yang Scripture was the Sect-Protecting Technique of the Sect of Heavenly Yang; such mutual absorptions among the sects of the Eastern Sea were fairlymon. Zhou Yi had been in seclusion in the Hall of Spiritual Fire for half a year, his mana of the five elements transforming into Pure Yang Mana, and had also discovered the wonders of the Pure Yang Scripture. "Abundant yang energy, not bad at all!" ¡­ The next morning. In the seclusion chamber. Zhou Yi, through his status as an elder, urged the servants of the External Affairs Hall. "Double the Contribution Value for the task of finding meteorite from outer space, and in addition, this elder will subsidize with pills. If someone delivers a thousand jin of meteorite, they will be rewarded with a Foundation Establishment Pill!" The Foundation Establishment Pill is extremely precious in the Nine Continents, even more so overseas. However, what Zhou Yi leastcked was the thousand-year-old Spirit Ginseng. By motivating the sect''s disciples with the Foundation Establishment Pill to find meteorite iron faster, he could also refine magical treasures sooner. The servant of External Affairs answered respectfully, swearing to find enough meteorite from outer space within two years, not daring to dy Elder Tang''s treasure refining. "No wonder everyone loves power; it tastes really good!" Zhou Yi was about to try refining the Earth Elemental Shield when he suddenly sensed the formation outside being triggered, and amunication jade slip was blocked outside. "Open." As his words fell, a gap opened in the formation, and themunication jade slip fell into Zhou Yi''s hands. His divine sense swept over it and immediately knew the content; it was not a visit from an acquaintance, but his disciple Shi Bin requesting an audience, waiting outside the hall. "An ordinary disciple from the outer inds..." Zhou Yi pondered for a moment, then his figure flickered and he appeared in the reception room, signaling Shi Bin toe in. A short timeter. Shi Bin entered the reception room and bowed deeply, "Disciple pays respect to the Supreme Elder." "There is no need for formalities." Zhou Yi guessed the reason for Shi Bin''s visit and said directly, "I have been quite busytely, state your business directly." "Disciple heard that Elder Tang is in urgent need of Meteorite Iron from Beyond the Heavens, and it so happens that my n has a considerable store, which I have brought immediately for the elder''s treasure refining." Shi Bin bowed and presented a storage bag and a jade slip, saying, "This is the essence of Artifact Refining left by the patriarch of my family. Elder Tang, in refining the Earth Elemental Shield, will surely find it useful." Zhou Yi drew the storage bag towards him, and his divine sense scanned it¡ªthere were at least two thousand pounds. He then carefully examined the jade slip. The first half of the jade slip contained the essence of Artifact Refining. After just a cursory read, he knew it came from a master of Artifact Refining from a past generation. The second half recorded the intricate details of refining the Earth Elemental Shield, which would save Zhou Yi a lot of time. After putting away the storage bag and jade slip, Zhou Yi scrutinized Shi Bin and asked. "Such detailed methods of refining the Earth Elemental Shield could onlye from a previous generation''s patriarch. What is your rtionship with him?" "Reporting back to Elder Tang, my ancestor was once the chief disciple of the founding patriarch..." Shi Bin''s expression was indescribable, and with a sigh, he said, "The events of that year are not for the younger generation toment on. Suffice to say, my ancestor failed to win the Core Formation Spiritual Objects and ultimately perished under the Heavenly Tribtion. This Meteorite Iron from Beyond the Heavens was left by my ancestor, and the jade slip was personally bestowed by the founding patriarch, showing great expectations." "I see." Zhou Yi nodded slightly and then asked, "Why entrust such an ancestral treasure to me?" Shi Bin suddenly fell to his knees and pleaded, "It''s because my family''s ancestors had a dispute with Elder Feng, and we have been repeatedly ostracized within the sect. Now we don''t even have a direct inheritance. Disciple begs Elder Tang to lend a helping hand, to take the disciple under your wing. In the future, the Shi family will follow your lead without question!" "I never take on disciples." Zhou Yi wouldn''t break his principle for a mere piece of Meteorite Iron from Beyond the Heavens. However, he added after a pause, "If you can deliver another five thousand pounds of Meteorite Iron from Beyond the Heavens within half a year, I will agree to protect the Shi family." The Sect Treasury had three thousand pounds already refined, and with the two thousand pounds from the storage bag, there were only five thousand pounds left needed to craft a magic treasure. Why do Golden Elixir True Monarchs only craft two or three magic treasures? It''s not that they don''t wish to learn from Wan Bao; it''s because the cost of crafting magic treasures is exorbitant, with Superior Spiritual Objects often measured by the tens of thousands of pounds. Shi Bin hesitated for a moment, then kowtowed three times with a resolute expression. "Disciple will not disappoint Elder Tang''s expectations!" "Very well, you may go and attend to your tasks." Zhou Yi didn''t care whether Shi Bin was sincere or pretending, or if Feng Yang had deliberately sent him. As long as the task was handled efficiently, he would take the opportunity to ept the offer, even if it came from a spy from the Demon Sect. From then on. Shi Bin would asionally deliver several hundred pounds of Meteorite Iron from Beyond the Heavens, and consult with Zhou Yi about his cultivation doubts, appearing quite close in their interactions. It wasn''t long before rumors spread in the Pce of Earth Fire that the Shi family had gained the support of Elder Tang, and because of their ancestor''s uniqueness, the disciples in the sect started to sense something subtle. Chapter 169: Chapter 168: Xuanwu Divine Armor Half a year flew by in the blink of an eye. Shi Bin did everything possible, stopping just short of pawning his n members, and finally managed to gather enough Meteorite from Outer Space. Zhou Yi always took care in handling matters and called for the Sect Leader Yuan Qi that very day. "I find Elder Shi Bin to be quite impressive, loyal to the sect with notable ancestral merits, well-suited for the position of External Affairs Executor!" "I will carefully follow Elder Tang''s edict." With a look of helplessness, Yuan Qi remembered the instructions of his mentor and nodded in agreement. The External Affairs Executor was responsible for distributing the sect''s missions, and not to mention the cut they took in between, just knowing the details of the missions and rewards in advance was enough to attract followers among the disciples. Shi Bin took office immediately, bing the first in the Earth Fire Pce''s history to hold an executive position without being a True Disciple or at the Foundation Establishment Stage! Unworthy of one''s position, inevitably this led to discussions among the peers, among whom the self-proimed wise began to interpret the deeper implications of Shi Bin''s promotion. "Elder Tang is meddling in the power dynamics of the Earth Fire Pce!" "Transitions between new and old Supreme Elders may stir up a storm!" "To side with someone, or to remain an observer, that is the question..." Such gossip was highly sought after within the sect; the less people dared to speak of it openly, the more fervently they discussed it in private gatherings. After all, ambition is the romance of men, but such romantic pursuits are generally unreliable! One of the interested parties, Zhou Yi. Since he had gathered ten thousand jin of Meteorite from Outer Space, he announced he would enter a closed-door retreat to refine treasures and also released a new sect mission. ¡ª¡ªAssist the Mountain and River Cauldron in smelting the Five Elements Essence, with Contribution Value given ording to the quantity, with no limit! The Soul-Stabilizing Mirror, nourished for hundreds of years, had finally regained its magical artifact might, yet for a True Monarch, the top-tier Magic Artifact Mountain and River Cauldron was somewhat insufficient. "Could this cause an overissue of Contribution Value? Oh well, it''s just a string of numbers anyway..." ... Fifteen yearster. The Mysterious Fire Hall Refining Chamber. Feng Yang waved his hand to draw forth the earth fire, refining thousands of jin of Mystic Iron Ore, extracting strands of the essence of Five Metals. A momentter. The Mystic Iron Ore turned from pitch ck to gray, its Spiritual Energypletely depleted, and shattered into a powder as it fell to the ground. He then took out thousands of jin of Purple Copper Ore, continuing to refine and extract the essence of Five Metals in this manner until the Spirit Ore in the storage bag was exhausted. The essence of Five Metals condensed into a mass,pressing into nearly substantial fist-sized solids under the power of a True Monarch''s mana. Without pausing, Feng Yang took out another storage bag of ore and continued to employ the Refining Technique to extract the essence of Five Metals. At that moment. The Elder''s Token trembled slightly, conveying a message that Disciple Yuan Qi was seeking an audience with his master. "Come in." Feng Yang waved his hand to open the Formation, and with a single hand, employed the Xuan Yuan Fire Control Technique as skillfully as ever, without any mistake. Yuan Qi entered, and seeing his master busy, he forwent formalities and reported directly. "Master, news hase from Red Cloud Ind. Wan Bao and five other True Monarchs have joined forces to im a Profound-Level Spirit Vein in Ji Continent and established the Five Spirits Sect. Now, half of our sect disciples have moved there, and they have selected many gifted individuals from the Nine Continents to send to the Eastern Sea for cultivation!" "Without the Nascent Soul emerging, Wan Bao is almost without an equal." Feng Yang showed a look of envy, "With the support of the Profound-Level Spirit Vein and gaining ess to the Nascent Soul scriptures, maybe that old man Wan Bao will truly achieve the status of a Dao Monarch." Yuan Qi expressed his concern, "Could this affect the situation in the Eastern Sea?" "Hmph, let''s see them survive the retaliation from the Heavenly Demon Sect first, then we can talk about their future." Feng Yang was not optimistic about the future of the Five Spirits Sect and asked, "What has Elder Tang been up to recently?" Yuan Qi answered, "Since announcing his retreat, Elder Tang has not left the Hall of Spiritual Fire for fifteen years. Just some days ago, there was a glow of treasure piercing the sky; it seems he has refined a Spiritual Treasure." Feng Yang asked again, "Has even Shi Bin been ignored?" "After Elder Tang pushed Shi Bin to be the Overseer of External Affairs, he never took the initiative to contact him again." Yuan Qi said, "Shi Bin has repeatedly sent messages, but the replies he got were always that the person was in seclusion and not to be disturbed, clearly indicating an unwillingness to deal with him. Sect Leader, should we stop such probing to avoid arousing Elder Tang''s suspicions?" "s, it''s not just probing that concerns me..." Feng Yang murmured, "That year, when the eldest senior brother let me have the Core Formation Spiritual Objects, I''ve always felt guilty. Unfortunately, the descendants of the Shi family have too poor a Spirit Root aptitude. Now it''s just right to use Elder Tang''s hand to vehemently push the Shi family upward, to repay the kindness!" With a look of helplessness, Yuan Qi said, "But looking at Elder Tang''s demeanor, he truly seems to be wholeheartedly devoted to cultivation, paying no heed to the power and influence within the sect." "If he cared about it a bit, it could be a hindrance." Feng Yang said, "You continue to arrange for disciples to side with Elder Tang, choose more who are sensible and astute, and ensure that someone bes his disciple. In this way, when I die, Elder Tang will be able to shelter Earth Fire Pce from the storms!" "I understand," the disciple said. Bowing to take his leave, Yuan Qi looked at Feng Yang, who was continuously drawing out metallic essence without stopping for a moment. He pondered," Elder Tang is using the disciple''s advantage to refine that precious cauldron. Why is Sect Leader also so concerned about it?" "Elder Tang gave me a scroll of Spiritual Treasure Techniques, and after careful study, I realized how exquisite the inheritance from the Nine Continents is." Feng Yang said with a smile, "That precious cauldron is no ordinary object. It may seem like just a top-level Magic Artifact, but as it absorbs the essence of the Five Metals, in the future, it could ascend to a Magic Treasure, or even the fabled Spiritual Treasure!" "Spiritual Treasure?" Yuan Qi showed a look of astonishment. As the name implied, a Supreme Treasure had developed its own spirituality. Unlike a Magic Treasure that needs a cultivator to activate, a Spiritual Treasure''s sentience allows it to autonomously gather Spiritual Energy and unleash vast might. "Even the lowest tier of Spiritual Treasure has a powerparable to that of a Golden Elixir True Monarch. Such things as the Sect-Defending Supreme Treasure of the Heavenly Demon Sect, once deployed, even a Nascent Soul Ancestor would have to retreat in fear; this is the foundation that has allowed them to stand for thousands of years!" Feng Yang grew more excited as he spoke, "Earth Fire Pce just needs to refine the precious cauldron into a Spiritual Treasure, and even if one generationcked a True Monarch to stabilize it, they wouldn''t face the catastrophe of sect annihtion!" "Therefore, we must keep Elder Tang within the sect, no matter how much he practices. It''s only a matter of three or four hundred years!" "Once Elder Tang has passed away, the Spiritual Artifact precious cauldron will be there to protect Earth Fire Pce every moment!" Yuan Qi suddenly understood and bowed deeply to pay respect. "Sect Leader''s foresight is admirable!" ... Hall of Spiritual Fire. The Training Chamber. Zhou Yi, of course, was unaware of Feng Yang''s machinations, and even if he knew, he would p his hands in praise. At the moment, he was testing a protective Supreme Treasure he tentatively named the Xuanwu Divine Armor. It was dark green all over, shing spectral starlight. "Quick!" With just a thought, the Divine Armor clothed him, as neatly as if it were a green vest. Zhou Yi looked at its appearance and frowned slightly; his fingers formed a spell, "Change!" The Divine Armor rapidly changed shape, at one moment taking the form of a Taoist robe, then transforming into a short jacket, and even bing the id shirt from his distant memories. "The color is a bit off, always inevitably dark green... Forget it, let''s test the defensive power!" Zhou Yi circted his mana. Hundreds of bolts of lightning fell from above, including familiar forces such as yin and yang and the Five Elements, each one over ten zhang in length. Boom! Boom! Boom! The thunderous roar was continuous, and at the distance of three feet from his head, a shield resembling a tortoise''s shell appeared, blocking all the lightning outside. No matter the spells Zhou Yi cast, the tortoise shell remained intact, not even trembling in the slightest. "Not bad at all!" Zhou Yi spat out the Spirit-Calming Mirror, as a soul-calming divine beam fell from above, attempting to pierce through the tortoise shell''s protection and strike directly at the soul. The result was that the tortoise shell shed a hazy light, dissipating all of the soul-calming divine lightpletely. No matter how the Spirit-Calming Mirror unremittingly emitted divine light, Zhou Yi''s soul detected no anomaly. "Not bad at all! With such defensive power, one could stand invincible in the Golden Core Stage!" Chapter 170: Chapter 169: Survival Comes First Zhou Yi executed numerous spells, such as cursing Yan Sheng, covert arrow attacks, and falling into traps, among others. No matter if it was aimed at the soul or the body, or even the heterodox methods of killing someone from afar, the Xuanwu Divine Armor could sense it and autonomously materialize to protect the wearer. "Next time I encounter the old dragon, I must surely wear it down and exhaust it of a few hundred years of its lifespan!" Zhou Yi stored the Xuanwu Divine Armor within his Dantian. The initial power of a Spiritual Treasure is affected by the material and the seals, but as it is nurtured with mana, its power continues to grow, and using it bes more effortless. "With the ck Tortoise Armor for protection, the Soul Stabilizing Mirror for control, what Ick now is an offensive Spiritual Treasure. Having been in secluded cultivation for fifteen years, I wonder if the Mountain and River Cauldron has advanced!" With that thought, Zhou Yi transformed into a streak of light and flew out of the Hall of Spiritual Fire. External Affairs Hall Square. In the center. Stood a six-zhang-tall multicolored cauldron, the body of the cauldron was engraved with mountains and rivers, and when its treasure light shone, one could faintly see the flow of water. Directly in front of the Mountain and River Cauldron, a line of dozens of people formed. The disciple at the front took out the Five Metals Essence and, following the Immortal Sect''s passed-down spells, refined it into the treasure cauldron. Zhou Yi cast a transformation spell, disguising himself as a teenager in his tens, andnded at the end of the line. Watching those working for him bustle about in front of him, as well as the Mountain and River Cauldron soon to be a Spiritual Treasure, he found the thought of having a group of disciples serving him quite pleasing. The disciple at the front of the line spotted Zhou Yi and, with nothing to do while queuing, struck up a conversation. "I am Yu Shou, this junior brother seems unfamiliar?" "I was just recently epted into the Immortal Sect." Zhou Yi, having assumed many different identities, easily concocted a history: "In earlier days, my parents were reluctant to let me go because they feared I couldn''t endure the hardships alone, so they implored our master to dy bringing me into the sect, which is why I''m somewhat older." Each year the Earth Fire Pce would send real people to patrol the inds under its control, bringing back those with Spirit Roots of grade four or above. The youngest among them would be but two or three years old, and the sect has specialized mortal wet nurses and servants to look after them. The mortals of the Eastern Sea mainly live off fishing and hunting, and the survival rate of those infants without Spirit Roots is less than thirty percent. Being epted into an Immortal Sect is a guarantee of survival, as major and minor illnesses are easily cured, so no matter how reluctant the parents are at heart, they can only let immortal practitioners take their children away for the sake of their lives. "I see, it is not your parents'' fault that your cultivation startedte, junior brother." Yu Shou''s eyes reddened slightly when speaking of parents: "I entered the sect at the age of three and have only faint memories of my parents. It wasn''t until I was twenty and had some sess in cultivation that I went back home to visit. My parents were so nervous that they didn''t even dare to acknowledge me, addressing me respectfully as an Immortal Master." "I stayed at home for three or five days, only to feel out of ce. I used spells to cure my parents and brother''s hidden illnesses, left some Gold and Silver, and then returned to the sect." "Now, more than a decade has passed, and the memory of my parents has be blurred. Late at night, when I''m alone, I often regret not being a filial son. This inborn Spirit Root can''t be considered a bad thing, but if I could have stayed at home for a few more years, it would have brought muchfort!" Zhou Yi nodded, "If you miss your parents, brother, you should visit them often. Otherwise, if you are separated by life and deathter, night and day will be filled with longing and could give rise to inner demons!" "Tsk tsk, junior brother, you speak just like the elders in the sect," Yu Shou said, gathering his thoughts with a smile. "With our cultivation level and aptitude, inner demons likely won''t bother with us. I only hope that I can luckily achieve Foundation Establishment one day and then bring my n to an ind of the sect to enjoy our days." Zhou Yi said, "That will require a lot of effort, indeed. A Foundation Establishment Pill costs one hundred thousand merit points. I don''t know how many years it will take to umte them." The production of Foundation Establishment Pills in the Earth Fire Pce was low: disciples with two Spirit Roots or above were entitled to one for free, while other disciples had to exchange merit points for them, and there were no other ways. This method not only appeared fair but also effectively ensured the continuity of the sect''s teachings. "I''m not skilled inbat, and my luck is also just ordinary. I wouldn''t have had a chance ordinarily. Fortunately, Elder Tang arrived; by spending time refining the treasure cauldron, it is possible to umte enough merit points in forty or fifty years," Yu Shou said with both worry and anticipation in his voice. "I only hope that the task of refining the treasure cauldron canst for several decades, or even a hundred years!" "I have inside information that this treasure cauldron is of great importance; it needs to be refined for several hundred years to reach maturity," Zhou Yi looked at the disciples lined up, refining continuously day and night, convinced that in five to six hundred years it would definitely advance to be a Spiritual Treasure. He then asked, "Those outer ind families with hundreds of years of umtion should have managed to gather enough merit points, shouldn''t they?" The Five Metals Essence was widely sourced; theoretically, evenmon copper and iron ores could be extracted, but spirit mines contained an abundant quantity and were considered extremely basic Artifact Refining materials. Outer ind families with a Foundation Establishment real person among their ancestors or currently living, have umted a significant number of spirit mines over the several hundred years of stability in the Earth Fire Pce. Yu Shou nodded, "It is said that several families have already exchanged one hundred thousand merit points. Whether or not they have obtained a Foundation Establishment Pill is beyond the knowledge of outsiders." The Foundation Establishment Pill was too precious, and even fellow disciples could not bepletely trusted. "Brother, you go ahead in the queue. I just remembered that I didn''t close the earth fire restrictions in my cave dwelling," Zhou Yi vanished in a flicker. Finding a quiet ce, he transformed into Elder Tang''s appearance and flew into the second floor of the External Affairs Hall. ... The first floor of the External Affairs Hall was responsible for distributing tasks and recording merit points, while the second floor was where the managerial staff like stewards resided. Shi Bin was leisurely enjoying his tea. The Spiritual Tea trees grown near the cracks of the earth veins produced leaves that sold for dozens of Spirit Stones each, which Foundation Establishment real people would only use to entertain guests. Many disciples were envious of him behind his back, calling Shi Bin a sycophant, which did nothing to hinder his high status and authority. A streak of light descended, and Zhou Yi said with a smile. "You''re enjoying your days, I see." "Greetings to Elder Tang!" Shi Bin reacted very swiftly, perhaps having practiced the motion many times. Bowing quickly to the point of nearly touching the floor, he invited Zhou Yi to the seat of honor. He then took out the finely prepared Spiritual Tea, which he always had ready, and adeptly brew it to serve with respect. Chapter 171: Chapter 169: Survival Comes First_2 "Elder, this is this year''s new tea for you to taste." "Good, good!" Zhou Yi took a sip, and strands of pure fire spirit energy flowed through his viscera and meridians, part of it tempering his physical body and part transforming into mana. In the Cultivation World, the disparity in resources is like heaven and earth. With the full support of a Nascent Soul ancestor, even a mortal can reach the peak of Foundation Establishment. However, forming a Golden Core is somewhat difficult; even with the strength of the Dan Ding Sect, it''s hard to gather ten types of spiritual objects for Core Formation. "I have just left seclusion and heard that quite a few people have earned enough merit points by refining the Treasure Cauldron?" "Indeed, that''s what happened. The Sect has already exchanged most of the Foundation Establishment Pills, with a portion still reserved for those with superior spirit roots." Shi Bin nodded in response, "Recently, this disciple has been pondering that we should temporarily close the exchange of Foundation Establishment Pills and at the same time reduce the Treasure Cauldron rewards to prevent merit points from bing too inted!" "The Treasure Cauldron is rted to the foundation of our sect, it must not be reduced!" Zhou Yi waved his hand, and more than twenty pill bottles fell: "Not only must the rewards not be lowered, but they should also be increased by fifty percent. Take all these Foundation Establishment Pills,e find this Elder when they are used up. You may take one pill for yourself as a reward from this Elder. Work hard in the future!" After refining the ck Tortoise Armor, there were few in the world who could injure Zhou Yi. He could be more open in his actions, and mere Foundation Establishment Pills would not attract the covetousness of Nascent Soul elders. Shi Bin simply refrained from bending down, directly kowtowing thrice and bowing nine times: "Thank you, Elder Tang. This disciple would go through fire and water and die without regrets!" "As for the intion of merit points, there''s no need to worry; these Spirit Ginseng can be exchanged for consumption¡­" Zhou Yi pondered for a moment, then poured out bundles of Spirit Ginseng from his storage bag, ranging from a hundred to five hundred years in medicinal age, with a rich medicinal fragrance spreading throughout the Dharma Lecture Hall. Spirit Ginseng is an extremelymon spiritual medicine, with many potency-increasing elixirs adding it to enhance their efficacy. Shi Bin''s eyes nearly popped out of his head at the sight of so much Spirit Ginseng. If taken as daily meals, even a pig could pile up to Foundation Establishment. "Elder Tang''s heartfelt generosity, this disciple celebrates for the sake of our fellow disciples'' Daoist paths and the Sect''s prosperity!" "Learn less ttery and focus more on your cultivation." Zhou Yi found it veryfortable to listen to and appreciated Shi Bin''s conscientious work, saying, "Since I joined the sect, I have been busy with seclusion and refining treasures and have not yet fulfilled my duties as an elder. Go inform the disciples that from now on, at the end of each month, I will teach and resolve doubts for a day in the Dharma Lecture Hall." Teaching and resolving doubts is an essential part of the sect''s inheritance. Many problems that take loose cultivators years to ponder can be rified by seniors of the sect in just a few words. To save time wandering on detours is to increase cultivation as much as possible and raise the chances of Foundation Establishment and Pill Solidifying! Shi Bin asked, "May I ask what cultivation level or how many merit points are required to qualify for Elder''s teachings?" "No conditions are required, as long as people cane," Zhou Yi replied. Zhou Yi didn''t have much attachment to the Earth Fire Pce, but he was not stingy with giving back some benefits. Moreover, by enhancing the cultivation of the workers, they could serve him better both mentally and physically. Mutually beneficial acts are not exploitation! Shi Bin was moved beyond words, feeling that Elder Tang was magnificent and was about to continue ttering when he looked up and realized that Elder Tang had already disappeared. "Elder Tang really keeps his word; everyone thought that the Foundation Establishment Pills were just empty talk!" After pondering for a moment, he conveyed everything that Elder Tang had said and done today to Feng Yang, and soon a jade slip with a message flew back. "Dedicate your heart and soul, no need for further contact!" ... Ten dayster. End of the month. Dharma Lecture Hall. In the dead of night, disciples sneak over, trying to upy front-row seats in the dark, regardless of whether they understand or not, one must observe a Golden Elixir True Monarch''s teachings up close. As a result, upon entering the hall, they found all the meditation cushions upied, with disciples sitting around every corner and edge. "Hiss! When did you get here, Brother Yu?" "After yesterday''s lecture by True Person Zhai ended, I didn''t leave. It''s just a night''s wait!" This disciple looked carefully around and saw every floor tile was taken, with many fellow disciples bringing their own cushions. Having no choice, he went outside and took the best position next to the entrance. "Next time Elder Tang teaches, I will reserve a seat two days in advance!" As time passed, the disciple became proud again, for superiorityes fromparison. Outside the Dharma Lecture Hall, the za was filled with disciples before dawn, some of whom, with ample wealth, spent Spirit Stones to try for better positions. Further away were the other pces, where disciples sat on rooftops, respectfully waiting for Elder Tang''s arrival. It was nearing noon. Seventy percent of the Earth Fire Pce''s disciples had arrived, the remaining thirty percent were either in seclusion, upied with duties, or not at the sect. A streak of Escape Skill light descended, and Zhou Yi sat cross-legged on the Dharma Lecture tform. Preceptor of Discipline was the first to stand and bowed deeply, "Greetings to Elder Tang!" "Greetings to Elder Tang!" Over two thousand disciples bowed in unison, their voices thunderous like a mountain roar and ocean waves, clearly admiring Elder Tang for his selfless teachings. "I shall start my lecture on the subjects of Qi Refinement at the first level¡­" Zhou Yi had lectured for several years at the Dan Ding Sect, during which he had focused on the essence of Lightning Method, greatly weed by the disciples. However, the situation in Earth Fire Pce was different, with the gap between the disciples being wider than that between top students and underachievers. To talk again about the essence of Lightning Method, it was estimated that eight or nine out of ten disciples would be confused and clouded, so he decided to start from the very basics. This also showed that Zhou Yi was serious: skyscrapers rise from the ground. The Qi Refinement disciples who listened had their foundations strengthened, and even those at the Foundation Establishment level could gain something from it. "Take the basic Five Element Cultivation Technique as an example. When Mana flows through the meridians, pay attention to the following checkpoints... When Mana converges into the Dantian, there are the following issues one must avoid in cultivation¡­" "These are just the basics, which can minimize the loss of Spiritual Energy and protect against the hazards of Mana surges and stagnations harming the Dantian and meridians¡­" Zhou Yi had just begun to speak about the first level of Qi Cultivation, and many disciples showed disappointment on their faces. However, as time passed, each of them was riveted, not daring to miss a single word. Among them were disciples with highprehension who started to adjust their cultivation paths following Zhou Yi''s teachings, enhancing their efficiency of Spiritual Energy refinement by more than ten percent. Do not underestimate a ten percent increase; over a hundred years of cultivation, that saves ten years. Moreover, faster progress at one stage leads to speedier advancements at subsequent stages. Foundation Establishment at the age of one hundred is not as promising as sess at eighty or ny. What Zhou Yi taught was not umon in Dan Ding Sect; disciples could grasp the subtleties of Mana cultivation just by browsing through the ssics left by their predecessors. However, in the impoverished Eastern Sea, where sects were frequently annihted and rebuilt, such teaching was an unprecedented inheritance. This was the depth of heritage of arge sect, already far surpassing the smaller sects and factions in seemingly inconsequential details! Meanwhile. Inside the Mysterious Fire Hall. Feng Yang deployed the aural light technique, which showed the Dharma Lecture Hall where Zhou Yi was divulging the subtle tricks to break through from the first to the second level of Qi Cultivation. "With such profound knowledge, Elder Tang is certainly not a Loose Cultivator. He is likely a true disciple of some major sect, hiding in the Eastern Sea out of fear from the battles between good and evil!" "Ah, oh, hmm!" Sect Leader Yuan Qi bowed and stood by, unconsciously responding to his master''s words, though his mind was mostly absorbed in listening to the lecture. Feng Yang shook his head slightly, refraining from rebuke, and used a spell to record everything Zhou Yi said into a jade slip, which would be part of Earth Fire Pce''s heritage. "Elder Tang is truly a blessing for Earth Fire Pce. That fellow Wan Bao was too proud; if he knew of today''s events, he would be green with regret. Dan Ding Sect would offer the Nascent Soul secret manual. However, this kind of inheritance, crucial for the disciples'' continuity, will not be easily revealed!" Through the aural light technique, Zhou Yi''s words continued to be heard. "¡­Today''s lecture on the cultivation from the first to the second level of Qi Cultivation ends here. You all go back and ponder it well." "Next, I will discuss the Light Body Skillbined with body talismans, and in concert with the Qinggong of ordinary people, suitable for early-stage Qi Cultivation disciples to escape when they cannot win a fight. As long as the opponent is not a Foundation Establishment True Monarch, even if faced with aplete Qi Refinement, there is a fifty to sixty percent chance of escaping with your life!" Zhou Yi had lived for eight hundred years, and the skill he had contemted the most was not the Lightning Method but escape spells. In the early and middle stages of Qi Cultivation, Mana is weak, and the speed of artifact flight is far lower than running wildly on the ground. In the Eastern Sea, it was even more suitable, and sticking on an water-avoidance talisman could also reduce the power of the pursuer''s spells. "The priority of the Immortal Way is survival, meaning one can only aspire to immortality by staying alive!" "Therefore, in my opinion, escaping is far more crucial than fighting. Mastering a superior escape spell is like a stairway to the Immortal Path¡­" Zhou Yi spoke at length, instilling in the disciples of Earth Fire Pce the idea of survival and self-preservation being paramount, radically different from the sect''s traditional emphasis on loyalty and sacrifice. Many disciples blushed as they listened, feeling that Elder Tang was too timid, yet also finding his words sound! Feng Yang appeared astonished, sighing helplessly. "Letting Elder Tang join the sect, I wonder if it''s a blessing or a curse!" Chapter 172: 170 As dusk approached, Zhou Yi finally finished lecturing on the four methods of drawing the Godspeed Talisman, the nine secrets of the Light Body Skill, and the top eighteen mundane Qinggong techniques. "Today''s lecture has concluded. Next time we will discuss the second level of Qi Refinement and the instant casting method of the low-level defensive spell, Golden Light Technique!" With that, he transformed into a streak of light and departed. In the hall, only a few disciples left; the majority either sat cross-legged to contemte or conversed with familiar sect members. The disciples listening from outside saw empty spots appear and immediately took the seats, sitting cross-legged and taking out their jade slips to carefully consider the content of today''s lecture. Yu Shou, who was about to leave, showed a puzzled expression upon seeing this. "Junior Brother, the lecture has already ended. Why don''t you leave and insteade in?" "In the future, this Dharma Lecture Hall will be our cave dwelling until Elder Tang has finished exining the Qi Refinement Realm. Only then will I go back to closed-door cultivation!" "I see." Yu Shou said, and sat back down at his original spot, much to the disappointment of the onlooking fellow sect members, who saluted, "Thank you for the reminder, Junior Brother. Once the content of Elder Tang''s lecture spreads, there will undoubtedly be more people next time. Perhaps I''ll have to hang from the wall to listen." "Elder Tang''s insights on Qi Refinement have given me a bit of confidence that one day I can achieve thepletion of Qi Refinement. I must not miss out on these lectures!" "Junior Brother, with your superior aptitude, you have the prospect of reaching the Foundation Establishment. I offer my early congrattions. On the other hand, I find those escape techniques most mysterious. Elder Tang is right; only by preserving one''s life can one discuss the path of cultivation!" "Indeed, indeed! Once I have made some achievements, I will exchange all my Spirit Stones for the essence of the Five Metals to forge a precious cauldron!" "What you say is very true, let''s go together!" After exchanging pleasantries, Yu Shou and his fellow disciple continued to share their insights. Spending a long time listening to lectures together, they soon felt a closer bond. This shameless behavior irked the disciples waiting outside; the matter of listening to lectures was vital to their path of cultivation and could not be so easily conceded. Those with mild temperament still spoke politely, while the hot-tempered ones were already moring to determine their order through a duel! Ding! "Silence!" The enforcer of thew, a True Person, struck the Jade Chime, and, disying the imposing manner of someone in the Foundation Establishment stage, quelled the tumult. Afterward, they closed their eyes and pondered, contemting the essence of the elder''s teachings. Even subtleties in mana operation at the Foundation Establishment stage were quite useful. As Zhou Yi''s teachings spread, they caused a huge stir in the Earth Fire Pce. The importance of the Qi Refinement techniques goes without saying, but the subsequently proimed principle, "the cultivation way values life," sparked considerable ripple effects. Most of the family disciples found this hard to ept. Their ancestors were born in the Earth Fire Pce, and for generations, they had served the sect. How could they talk of fleeing at the first sign of trouble? Of course, this didn''t stop them from learning the escape skills; after all, life is indeed very precious! Themon disciples supported this with both hands; not because they were disloyal to the sect, but simply because life in the Cultivation World is hard. The resources they obtained for cultivation were already scarce, let alone having extra Spirit Stones to spend on expensive magic artifacts and talismans. In a duel, if you p on a self-drawn Godspeed Talisman without spending any Spirit Stones, as long as you''re still alive, you haven''t lost! As debates grew more heated, Feng Yang issued a public statement. "The purpose of cultivation is not to fight and kill. Learning more life-preserving techniques is very beneficial for cultivation!" The final verdict. With Feng Yang having protected the Earth Fire Pce for nearly two hundred years, his authority was far beyond Zhou Yi''s, resulting in the square outside the Dharma Lecture Hall being packed with people. Looking down from above, Earth Fire Pce disciples were either immersed in contemtion or exchanging experiences, all in an atmosphere of striving and aspirations. "I still remember to this day when our master, before passing into nirvana, created a scene in the Earth Fire Pce of thriving vitality and exuberance. How simr it is now!" "Master, those words sound somewhat ominous." Sect Leader Yuan Qi floated in the air, standing behind Feng Yang, and hearing those words, he felt a chill down his neck. ... After the lecture had ended. The disciples of the Earth Fire Pce looked at Zhou Yi with even more reverence and respect, and they would bow when passing by the Hall of Spiritual Fire. One after another, the heads of the external ind families came to visit, willing to offer their services under hismand. "When the timees, even heaven and earth lend their strength. Am I really imbued with the aura of a king, with disciples bowing their heads in submission?" Zhou Yi did not turn anyone away and rewarded those who did good work. It seemed as though he epted them, yet he did not truly incorporate them, engaging in a purely fair trade. Such an attitude, on the contrary, gave Shi Bin a sense of crisis. He personally went to Red Cloud Ind to inquire in detail and, upon learning the intricacies of how Elder Tang managed the Four Arts Hall, he keenly spotted an opportunity. He meticulously gathered a good number of illustrated storybooks and selected more than a dozen beautiful female cultivators, each charming, enchanting, innocent or aloof in their own way. "Elder Tang, you have worked hard giving sermons. Please allow them to serve your daily needs and diet." "You have done well, leave the storybooks. The female disciples... go back and cultivate diligently!" Zhou Yi found it very difficult to refuse, but he had to maintain the dignity of an elder, not to mention that a rabbit does not eat the grass around its burrow. Having lived alone for eight hundred years, Zhou Yi not only felt ufortable and restrained when the array of slender beauty appeared in the Hall of Spiritual Fire, but he was also wary and cautious. The female disciples felt very saddened upon hearing this, as their Spirit Roots were of inferior quality, and serving a Golden Elixir True Monarch was a rare opportunity for their Foundation Establishment! Shi Bin could not understand Elder Tang''s unique tastes. Having been more attracted to the illustrations in the storybooks than the beautiful female cultivators, he surmised there must be profound secrets within them, perhaps helpful for cultivating mana. He nned to review andprehend them one by one. Days passed by, one after the other. The swordfights between the righteous and demonic in the Nine Continents became increasingly fierce, but the Eastern Sea was without war. Zhou Yi devoted himself to cultivation and gradually became ustomed to the identity of a supreme elder of the sect. More than twenty Foundation Establishment Pills were gradually exchanged, and the Earth Fire Pce gained three newly ascended real entities. Because the pills came from Zhou Yi, they naturally had a close rtionship with him. In the blink of an eye, three years had passed, and Zhou Yi had effectively taken control of the Earth Fire Pce, with Feng Yang in a semi-retired state. Time was the true majestic force that no one could resist should the seas turn wild. That day. In the meditation room. With a thought from Zhou Yi, the Xuanwu Divine Armor transformed into a semi-illusory, semi-realrge turtle shell, enveloping the entire room and isting any kind of spells or Divine Sense probing. With his hands forming a spell, the floor''s restrictive light flickered, revealing arge portion of a tree root buried underground. The tree root was lush and dripping with green, as if alive, with a half-inch sprout growing from its tip, emanating a surging and powerful life force. The Spirit Ginseng baby, smelling the scent, immediately used its Escape Skill to dart into the meditation room, taking big breaths, and unconsciously drooling clear saliva from its mouth. Zhou Yi gave the creature a nce and coldly snorted, "If I catch you coveting the Innate Spirit Root again, it won''t just be chopping half of you for soup; I''ll feed your entire self to the cattle!" "Immortal, please spare me!" The Spirit Ginseng baby sped its head in its hands and knelt to plead for mercy, still not forgetting to absorb the fragrance emitted by the Spirit Root. After more than thirty years of continuous efforts from Zhou Yi, which consumed who knows how much of his lifespan, the tree root finally regained its lush vitality and sprouted. As the sprout emerged, a stream of information entered Zhou Yi''s mind, and he finally learned the origin of the tree root. The Innate Spirit Root, Heaven-reaching Divine Wood! Zhou Yi, who had mingled in the Cultivation World for over eight hundred years, had never seen any records of the Heaven-reaching Divine Wood. Instead, he had vague recollections of it from the memories of his previous life. "In ancient times, there was a tree with green leaves, purple stems, mysterious blossoms, and yellow fruits, named the Heaven-reaching Divine Wood! Legend has it that the wood is a bridge connecting heaven, earth, and man with the gods. The gods could descend to earth along the wood, and mortals could climb it to reach the Heavenly Court..." "Such a supreme treasure, even the Azure Dragon Demon Saint cannotpare. It''s a wonder how it ended up in the Hall of the Four Spirit Sanctums." "Once the Heaven-reaching Divine Wood grows into the legendary Heaven-reaching Divine Wood described in legends, gradually restoring the images and memories once engraved within, perhaps more messages wille through, allowing the discovery of ancient secrets and even Divine Skills and spells!" Zhou Yi cast the Jade Dew Art to condense Creation Dew and watered the sprout. The Heaven-reaching Divine Wood shone with a faint light, emitting strands of pure Spiritual Energy, many times more than what it released slowly on its own. "The Heaven-reaching Divine Wood converts lifespan into Spiritual Energy. This is truly marvelous..." Chapter 173: Chapter 171 Coercion and Bribery Zhou Yi looked at the Creation Dew that had transformed from five hundred years of lifespan in front of the young tree, yet saw no changes in the sprouts. His divine sense swept over it, and it had grown just a tiny bit. At this rate, to grow into a Heaven-reaching Divine Wood, it would likely require the sacrifice of the entire poption of the Nine Continents, only the Longevity Dao Fruit could sustain such consumption. "There''s always this feeling of being schemed against by the heavens!" As Zhou Yi pondered, his expression subtly changed, and he took out an elder''s token from his storage bag, receiving a message from Feng Yang. ¡ªTang junior brother,e quickly to the main hall, Five Spirits Sect has returned from the Nine Continents, inviting the Eastern Sea True Monarchs to discuss important matters! "Five Spirits Sect!" Zhou Yi''s eyebrows raised slightly, the sect had assigned external affair disciples to monitor the news of the right and demon path swordfight across the Nine Continents. In recent years, the Five Spirits Sect had gained notoriety, and after taking over a Profound Level Spirit Vein, they hadn''t stopped their expansion, joining forces with the North Sea True Monarch to assassinate the Demon Path True Monarch, reportedly taking over several more Spirit Veins. Compared to the rtively barren Eastern Sea, it would be difficult to attract the attention of the Five Spirits Sect. After checking the message, Zhou Yi immediately turned into a streak of escape light and flew towards the main hall of the Earth Fire Pce, where he saw Feng Yang and all the real people of the sect. "Greetings to Elder Tang!" Sect Leader Yuan Qi and the rest of the real people quickly got up, bowed deeply, their faces showing unmistakable reverence. Zhou Yi gave a lecture on the dao every month, from the first level of Qi Refinement up to theter stages of Foundation Establishment, covering many cultivation insights and spell secrets, after which the real people of the sect became confident that their escape skill speed was far superior to cultivators of the same level. "No need for such courtesies. Feng elder brother, has the Five Spirits Sect returned to the Eastern Sea with a particr purpose in mind?" "The specifics are still unclear, they only left ordinary disciples in the Eastern Sea, hard to reach the core of the sect." Feng Yang, with a worried tone, said: "With the current might of the Five Spirits Sect, the cultivation resources of the Eastern Sea are not worthy of their attention, most likely the only thing they need are the Golden Elixir True Monarchs." Zhou Yi nodded slightly: "So the Five Spirits Sect is nning to drag the various sects of the Eastern Sea onto their chariot?" With the strength of the Dan Ding Sect, it takes decades to produce one true monarch, while the Five Spirits Sect has a shallow foundation, the disciples with Heavenly Spiritual Roots and Exotic Spirit Roots they recently recruited, would need over a hundred years to transcend tribtion and condense a Golden Core. "It''s very likely so." Feng Yang asked: "Junior brother, what do you think?" Zhou Yi shook his head and said: "The Demon Path is just weak, the Nascent Soul ancestors are still there, their foundation unharmed, going up now is just asking for death!" Feng Yang nodded and said: "I also think so, but the Five Spirits Sect is powerful, what if they threaten or entice us?" Zhou Yi pondered for a moment, then spoke. "Elder brother should mention our seniority to them, I believe no one would dare to be too aggressive, it''s better to wait some more years for the Demon Path to bepletely defeated, then turning our attention to the Nine Continents wouldn''t be toote." "This old bone of mine, does indeed have some use!" Feng Yang immediately realized, Earth Fire Pce having two real monarchs is not scary, but a dying real monarch is very scary! The other real people, including Yuan Qi, who were listening, showed worried expressions upon hearing this, indeed, no one dared to provoke the dying Feng Yang, but once he passed away in a few decades, the Five Spirits Sect would surely try to swallow the Earth Fire Pce. ... A monthter. Red Cloud Ind. Streaks of spiritual light shed, and the aura was at least that of Foundation Establishment real people. The Five Spirits Sect did not only invite the true monarchs from various sects, but Loose Cultivators at the level of Foundation Establishment also received invitations, and their purpose was clear. The banquet was divided into major and minor seats, Foundation Establishment real people were in the outer hall at smaller seats, with tablesden with Spiritual Fruits and Spiritual Wine that they usually couldn''t bear to consume, yet no one had the mind for it, all ears pricked up listening to the true monarchs talking in the inner hall. Inner hall. Zhou Yi and Feng Yang arrived thetest, they descended from their escape light and cupped their hands in greeting to Wan Bao before finding a vacant seat to sit down. Wan Bao, with a Heaven-reaching Crown on his head and wearing arge purple vestment robe embroidered with the Yin Yang Five Elements pattern, sat solemnly at the top position in the middle of the hall, his aura appeared much stronger than it was back in the day. "Tang Daoyou, in a blink of an eye, more than twenty years have passed, I trust you''ve been well." Zhou Yi nodded and said, "The Eastern Sea is peaceful, so it''s pretty good." "Having spent a long time in the Nine Continents, I only then understood what the Cultivation World is. It''s not just the resources that are scarce in the Eastern Sea." Wan Baoughed and said, "Now that Daoyou presides as the Supreme Elder in the sect, I wonder if you would return to your original sect after the demise of the Demon Path, and how the session of the Earth Fire Pce will be carried on?" Feng Yang''splexion changed slightly, he had thought about this issue before but with no alternative, he had always avoided discussing it. After all, the contributions Zhou Yi made after joining the Earth Fire Pce were clear for all to see. Zhou Yi countered with a question, "I wonder if the Sect Leader of the Five Spirits Sect has any insights?" "I can''t speak of insights, but I do have some ideas..." Wan Bao''s gaze swept across the more than twenty True Monarchs in the hall, nearly epassing the entire power structure of the Eastern Sea, and said, "The East Sea Cultivation World has a longstanding heritage from ancient times to the present, which is no worse than that of the Nine Continents. Why is there such a heaven and earth difference now?" All the True Monarchs lowered their eyebrows and eyes, everyone was smart and guessed Wan Bao''s purpose. The elder of the White Rainbow Sect, Xie Zhenjun, took the initiative to say, "The Eastern Sea has been in endless strife since ancient times, with numerous sects fragmented. Today, a sect is established, and tomorrow it may dissolve, naturally it can''tpare with the thousands of years of foundation of the Nine Continents sects!" "Daoyou Xie is right, that''s exactly why it can''t match the Nine Continents." Wan Bao''s expression became stern, "The Five Spirits Sect now has eight True Monarchs, possesses four Spirit Veins in the Nine Continents, and rules over one-third of the Ji Continent. With such resources, the Eastern Sea could have been dispensable, but after all, it is where my ancestors originated!" "The Five Spirits Sect is willing to share all cultivation resources, including the texts for breaking through the Golden Core to form a Nascent Soul, with everyone present here. We only hope that the East Sea Cultivation World can unite as one, so that our heritage can be passed on and endure!" Such statements left all the True Monarchs dumbfounded, the coercion and bribery intent on annexing various sects was dressed up so righteously. Xie Zhenjun was the first to respond, "With the Sect Leader''s earnest heart, how can I not support it? The White Rainbow Sect is willing to merge into the Five Spirits Sect." "Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One, Daoyou Xie''s act of righteousness is truly a role model for the Eastern Sea!" As Wan Bao said this, he looked at Zhou Yi with a smile that was not a smile, "If the Earth Fire Pce could join the Five Spirits Sect, when Daoyou Feng passes away, Daoyou Tang would not need to leave because ofck of resources. Wouldn''t that be the best of both worlds?" Feng Yang''s face grew dark, and he silently savored the Spiritual Wine, for the thoughts of a man nearing death are the hardest to calm. Zhou Yi shrugged his shoulders, it was time to make a heartfelt oath again, "If in the future I fail the Earth Fire Pce, may I lose five hundred years of my lifespan, this oath is witnessed by Heaven and Earth!" "Junior brother!" Feng Yang suddenly looked up, his voice trembling slightly, "Why must ite to this?" "I have been well treated at the Earth Fire Pce, having great power as a Supreme Elder is much morefortable than being managed by others back in the Nine Continents." Zhou Yi didn''t mention anything about gratitude, he simply made it clear that it was about interests, which would make Feng Yang trust him more. He then turned his head to look at the still smiling Wan Bao and spoke slowly. "Since Daoyou Wan Bao has the secret texts for forming the Nascent Soul, you should be seeking a ce for secluded cultivation, so why take on the role as the Sect Leader of the Five Spirits Sect? With the sect being newly established, there will be countless affairs to deal with, probably leaving you no time to cultivate!" The True Monarchs in the hall nodded one after another, looking at Wan Bao, waiting for his exnation. Wan Bao''s lifespan was only a few decades longer than Feng Yang''s. A gleam of sadness shed through Wan Bao''s eyes, but he forced augh, "I have already prepared the Spirit Objects for Nascent Soul formation, and after the final battle between the righteous and demonic paths, I will borrow the good fortune of united rightness epassing the Nine Continents to try breaking through the Golden Core to form the Nascent Soul!" This reason was barely enough to fool the True Monarchs, as cultivators took the concept of destiny very seriously. Zhou Yi could now confirm that Wan Bao had learned of the changes in the world, after all, it was no secret among the high ranks of the Nine Continents. He decided to expose it straightforwardly. "Back when I was cultivating in the sect, the elders said that in the past six hundred years, the Nine Continents have seen only one Xuan Xiao Daojun. Other True Monarchs, no matter how brilliant, have found it difficult to break through the Golden Core to form a Nascent Soul. Daoyou Wan Bao, with your exceptional talent and brilliance. "Perhaps you could defy fate and rival the esteemed Xuan Xiao ancestor?" Chapter 174: Chapter 172: Blood Moon Demon Monarch Whoosh! The hall erupted into amotion, filled with whispers and discussions. Some people even sought confirmation from Wan Bao. Even with his thick skin, Wan Bao couldn''t just assert an easily debunked lie, so he forced a smile and said, "Cultivating immortality is indeed a defiance of the heavens. If Ancestor Xuan Xiao could achieve Nascent Soul, it means the heavens have left us a sliver of hope, and we might not be without chances!" Everyone shook their heads, their interest in the Nine Continents greatly diminished. The Golden Elixir True Monarchs initially had high hopes for the Nine Continents, desiring to leverage the decline of the demonic path to snatch away heritage and resources. With luck, they might break through to Nascent Soul and extend their lifespan. Now that they knew the heavens and earth had changed, rendering the Nascent Soul scriptures obsolete, who would want to risk their lives against the demonic path? Wan Bao''s brows furrowed tightly as he cast a cold nce at Zhou Yi, "The Five Spirits Sect is now part of the Nine Continents'' righteous sect alliance. With such remarks, it''s obvious you don''t intend to exert effort in exterminating demons. Are you nning to join the heretical demonic path?" "Enough!" Feng Yang mmed the table over, scattering Spirit Fruits and Spiritual Wine all over the floor, his gaze fixed on Wan Bao with a faint intensity, "Old man doesn''t have many years left. You better think carefully before you speak." Wan Bao''s body shimmered with spiritual light, his presence far surpassing Feng Yang''s, yet faced with the opponent''s grey hair, he really didn''t dare to utter any harsh words. Zhou Yi stood up and sped his hands in a salute, "If our paths differ, we cannot conspire together. Master and I shall take our leave." After speaking, he and Feng Yang turned into streaks of light and left Red Cloud Ind. A momentter, more than a dozen streaks of light departed, leaving only a few True Monarchs in the hall who had long since joined the Five Spirits Sect. The True Masters in the outer hall saw this and scattered boisterously, their eating and drinking at an end. The Five Spirits Sect''s grand feast had not only failed to achieve its goal but had also lost much of its prestige. ... Earth Fire Pce. Mysterious Fire Hall. Feng Yang asked Zhou Yi to sit down and surprisingly bowed first to apologize. "Today, due to a few provocative words, I doubted my junior. I truly have be muddle-headed!" "Senior brother, there''s no need for this." Zhou Yi said, "This is human nature. Senior brother cares deeply about the sect''s inheritance, where is the fault in that?" Feng Yang sighed and said, "Today, I should not have conflicted with Wan Bao. The Five Spirits Sect obviously intends to unify the sects. In the future, they can advance to attack or retreat to defend. By threatening with my life, I can only withdraw for now, but once I am gone, they will surelye knocking at our door!" The vast Eastern Sea, with its countless inds, offers many hideaways from the pursuit of the demonic path. Zhou Yi said, "Resisting the Five Spirits Sect isn''t difficult. Without a Nascent Soul ancestor presiding, they do not dare to be too arrogant. The greatest threat to Earth Fire Pcees from the four demonic sects!" Feng Yang asked in confusion, "The four great demonic sects, how could they care for a mere Earth Fire Pce?" Zhou Yi said, "The current situation in the Nine Continents is clear; the demonic path is doomed to fail. The Demon Heads know this too; it''s just a matter of time. What does senior brother think they will do?" "They''ll make a desperate fight and look for a way out to ensure the transmission of their demonic inheritance!" Feng Yang came to a sudden realization, "The Four Seas are boundless, the demonic cultivators could simply find a ce to hide, or even establish an underwater abode beneath the sea. It would be difficult for the righteous path to eradicate them entirely." Zhou Yi nodded, "Hence, the demonic path will surely infiltrate the East Sea Sects to secure a way out." Feng Yang looked solemn. Compared with the four demonic sects, Five Spirits Sect was merely a nuisance, hopping around. He advised, "Junior brother, if in the future you face an invasion by the demonic path, then take Earth Fire Pce''s inheritance and elite disciples away to establish a new sect elsewhere." Zhou Yi nodded in agreement, and with a smile, he said, "Senior brother, rest assured, escaping at the first sign of trouble is what I do best!" Back in the Mysterious Fire Hall. Zhou Yi''s smile faded, and his expression turned to one of concern. The Five Spirits Sect indeed didn''t worry him, but the four demonic sects with their Nascent Soul Old Ancestors, Sect-Defending Supreme Treasures, and even the legendary Heavenly Monarchs¡ªif they invaded the Eastern Sea, it would be utterly impossible to resist. "After thirty years of stable cultivation, must I change realms again?" Zhou Yi took out the divination cylinder, shook it gently, and performed the Minor Celestial Secret Technique. The spiritual farnd descended. Divine light shone and coalesced into two characters: Blood Moon. "Great fortune!" Zhou Yi pondered carefully, wondering what the two words Blood Moon really meant. "It sounds like some sort of natural phenomenon, could it be that a blood moon anomaly will appear?" ... Meanwhile. On an ind just outside the Earth Fire Pce known as Fire Bamboo Ind. Since a vast expanse of fiery-red bamboo, which was a low-level fire elemental material, grew on the ind, it was thus named. Night fell. The cultivator responsible for guarding the ind stealthily opened the ind''s protective Formation, and two streaks of dark light followed the gap and flew in, transforming into two young men as they touched the ground. "I pay my respects to True Man Huo." The cultivator bowed respectfully, his gaze moving with curiosity towards the youth beside him. Huo Yan introduced with respect, "This is the Blood Moon Demon Monarch from the Ghost King Sect. You''ve done a good job in this matter, and in the future, you will surely be granted a secret technique to easily break through the Foundation Establishment." The cultivator''s face beamed with delight, and he hastily paid his respects to the Demon Monarch before leading both guests into the hidden depths of the Fire Bamboo Forest. Half a monthter. A pitch-ck altar now stood in the middle of the Fire Bamboo Forest, inscribed with intricate prohibition inscriptions and featuring a Ghost Deity Statue with four faces and eight arms. The altar radiated a thick ghostly aura that enshrouded dozens of yards around it, causing the fire-element bamboo to wither away. Entering the ghostly fog felt like plunging into the depths of night. The Blood Moon Demon Monarch formed a spell with his hands, and the pre-set Illusion Array took effect, making it indistinguishable from the surrounding bamboo forest from the outside. "The curse is ready, bring forth the items imbued with Feng Yang''s essence for the offering to the Ghost Deity!" Huo Yan hastily brought several cloths, which he ced onto the altar with utmost care. Suddenly, the Ghost Deity Statue sprang to life, its eight arms tearing the cloth to shreds as its four fierce faces let out silent roars, sucking the essence from the cloth into its belly. The Blood Moon Demon Monarch sat cross-legged before the altar, chanting incantations in an ancient, eerie tone, as strands of vitality were drawn from his body and fed into the Ghost Deity Statue. A momentter. The Blood Moon Demon Monarch stopped casting and said coldly, "Today, ten years of Feng Yang''s lifespan have been cut. He originally had only sixty or seventy years left, and since the time Iid him low, it''ll only take three to five more days for his life to extinguish." Huo Yan ttered, "Demon Monarch''s wonderful technique is peerless, silently bringing death upon a True Monarch through a curse!" "It''s just bullying the shallow inheritance of the East Sea cultivators. Such Dark Witch Curse techniques have long been outdated in the Nine Continents." The Blood Moon Demon Monarch said coldly, "If not for the ancestor''s instructions not to cause amotion and silently erode the East Sea to leave a path for the Ghost King Sect, I would personally engage in battle and easily ughter the likes of Feng Yang." Huo Yan expressed concern, "Feng Yang is manageable, but Tang Xuan seems to have many years left. Will the Demon Monarch also trade lifespan for lifespan?" As the Dark Witch Curse shortened Feng Yang''s lifespan, the Blood Moon Demon Monarch did note away unscathed. Strands of his vitality were sacrificed to the Ghost Deity, and he also lost an equal amount of his own lifespan. "I chose to turn into a ghost in my former years, barely surviving the Minor Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribtion, all because I coveted the longevity of Ghost Cultivators." The Blood Moon Demon Monarch bragged, "Ghost Cultivators facing tribtions are often reduced to ash, ten times more difficultpared to human cultivators, but once they ovee the tribtion, their lifespan rivals that of a Demon King. To curse Tang Xuan to death, losing two to three hundred years of my own lifespan is easy!" "Demon Monarch''s might is unrivaled, and I am willing to render tireless service!" Huo Yan showed a look of excitement. Once Feng Yang and Tang were dead, he would step in to take over the Earth Fire Pce. ording to the agreement among the Four Great Demon Sects, the Ghost King Sect was to covertly im the Eastern Sea. With such backing, he would surely unify the Eastern Sea! Chapter 175: Chapter 173 Ancient Witchcraft Three dayster. Dong! Dong! Dong... The sect''s golden bell rang nine times in session, awakening all disciples. Regardless of whether they were cultivating or performing alchemy and artifact refining, all emerged from seclusion and flew towards the main hall of the Earth Fire Pce. Qi Refinement Realm disciples held solemn expressions, while Foundation Establishment Real People entered the hall,ying eyes upon Elder Tang, seated at the uppermost position. "Greetings, Elder Tang!" Zhou Yi waved his hand and his gaze swept over the eight Foundation Establishment cultivators in the hall as he spoke slowly, "Not long ago, Brother Feng passed away." Continue your saga on mvl Upon hearing this, all Real People abruptly stood up, their expressions tense and somber, bowing in the direction of the Mysterious Fire Hall. "Farewell, Elder Feng!" "Brother Feng has cultivated his mind and character in recent years, never involving himself in conflicts or magical fights, his lifespan should have had three to four decades remaining." Zhou Yi didn''t specte on what they were thinking; it was nothing more than suspicions that Feng Yang''s silent death was very likely the handiwork of someone he trusted. He simply said, "Let''s go and investigate the cause of death together. If there is foul y, we must seek revenge for our brother!" A group of people exhibited their flying lights and arrived at the seclusion chamber of the Mysterious Fire Hall. Feng Yang had white hair, his eyes slightly closed, sitting quietly on a meditation cushion as if he were just an ordinary living person, if not for the aura of death surrounding him. Even if a Golden Elixir True Monarch had practiced for hundreds of years without cultivating Body Refining Techniques, the physical body, nourished by mana, would be as strong as refined metal, remaining incorruptible in a grave for a century. Sect Leader Yuan Qi knelt to one side. Hearing footsteps, he looked up at the neers, "Greetings, Elder Tang." "Condolences." Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense swept through the seclusion chamber''s formations and restrictions, finding no traces of violent destruction. He then examined Feng Yang''s corpse closely, which disyed apletely normal end of life''s journey. "The absence of a problem is the biggest problem! If Brother Feng had died a natural death, he would have surely sent a message to me and all of you before he passed to make arrangements for the sect''s affairs, not quietly passing away like this!" "Elder Tang''s words make sense." Hearing this, a few Foundation Establishment Real People breathed a sigh of relief deep down and started using their spells to investigate. As expected, there were no clues, andpared to the sect''s recorded annals, Feng Yang''s manner of death was no different from that of past elders. Zhou Yi asked, "Has the Sect Leader noticed anything unusual in thest few days?" Yuan Qi recalled carefully, "Reporting back to Elder Tang, I went to greet my master yesterday, and it seemed his hair had turned significantly whiter." Zhou Yi had a vague guess in his heart; the Cultivation World was full of various heretical paths, and a few curse techniques that could deplete life were not unusual. "Brother Feng must have been secretly harmed by some evil method. However, investigate this matter privately, do not publicize it, to prevent causing chaos in the sect and giving those demons an opportunity!" "We will strictly follow the Supreme decree!" With only one Supreme Elder remaining in the Earth Fire Pce, since he set the tone for this matter, no Real Person would disobey. Yuan Qi then announced the death to the sect, and all disciples were filled with sorrow; they had all been protected by Feng Yang since birth, which had allowed them to cultivate in peace until now. The news of his death was like the falling of the heavens for them. During the turmoil in the Eastern Sea, all funeral arrangements were kept simple, with only a few close friends from his lifetime being invited. ... The Fire Bamboo Forest. A mist of ghosts swirled, with bursts of chilly wind. The Blood Moon Demon Monarch kept consuming pills to refine and ease the bacsh of the curse as much as possible. Huo Yan''s expressions were abnormally excited; he had already started nning how to manage and grow the sect after gaining control, and whether or not changing the somewhat petty name of the Earth Fire Pce once he united the Eastern Sea. "If I''m not mistaken, Feng Yang was your master." The Blood Moon Demon Monarch slowly ended his cultivation and said in a ghostly voice, "Back then, Feng Yang prepared Core Formation Spiritual Objects for you, and fell into a formation, shortening his life by decades; now he has indirectly perished by your hand. Do you truly have no thoughts about this?" Feeling a chill down his spine upon hearing this, Huo Yan knew that demonic cultivators were always lenient with themselves but harsh with others. He quickly changed his expression to one of deep sorrow as he spoke. "I was devastated, but the grand wish of my master before his passing was the prosperity and strength of the Earth Fire Pce. Now with the support of the Ghost King Sect, we are on the verge of unifying the Eastern Sea. My master must be smiling from the underworld!" "Have you prepared the object containing Tang Xuan''s aura?" A murderous intent shed in the eyes of the Blood Moon Demon Monarch. As soon as Huo Yan became the Sect Leader of the Earth Fire Pce, he would turn him into a puppet, so as not to have himself smiling from the underworld in the future. Huo Yan took out a meditation cushion from his storage bag, "This is the Dharma Lecture Hall''s meditation cushion, which I had someone steal after Tang Xuan finished lecturing." "Good." The Blood Moon Demon Monarch drew the cushion toward himself, cing it on the altar and casting the Dark Witch Curse. The Ghost Deity Statue absorbed the cushion and also epted the sacrifice of lifespan. The sinister curse flowed along the aura and flew towards the Hall of Spiritual Fire. ... The Hall of Spiritual Fire. The cultivation chamber. The sinister fluctuations prated through the Formation and Prohibition, attempting to enter Zhou Yi''s body, but the Xuanwu Divine Armor suddenly flew out from Zhou''s Dantian, transforming into a turtle shell that enveloped him. "Hm? Someone wants to harm me!" Zhou Yi immediately stopped cultivating the Pure Yang Scripture, his hands forming spells to activateyers of formations, his daoist robe shining with dozens, hundreds of talismanic runes. After confirming thrice that there was no danger, he suppressed the urge to flee as a ray of light. His Divine Sense swept around and detected traces of faint, almost imperceptible dark energy lingering outside the Divine Armor. "Is this witchcraft or some type of demonic technique? Someone''s casting a spell to harm this poor daoist!" Zhou Yi scattered a few bolts of the Lightning Method, easily obliterating ny percent of the dark energy, leaving only a few strands remaining. His palm wrapped in purple lightning, he tried to grasp the lingering ck gas, but it vanished as soon as he touched it. "Hmm! I''ve lost some of my lifespan... about ten years?" As the ck gas dissipated, Zhou Yi felt the Longevity Dao Fruit tremble slightly. Due to his usual consumption and replenishment, he was particrly sensitive to changes in lifespan. "This curse is quite peculiar; it can prate formations and prohibitions to reduce lifespan, yet its power... is too weak." With that said, Zhou Yi performed the Jade Dew Art, consuming five hundred years of lifespan to irrigate the Jian Wood. ... The Fire Bamboo Forest. The Ghost Deity Statue revealed a ferocious smile, its eight eyes radiating demonic light, its arms waving as if celebrating the devouring of the lifespan. "It worked!" Seeing this, the Blood Moon Demon Monarch sneered, "This fool boasts about his orthodox lineage, surely he must be an insignificant disciple within his sect, otherwise, he wouldn''t have fallen for the curse so easily." Huo Yan''s face showed joy, knowing he was another step closer to taking control of the Earth Fire Pce. "Senior, since the Ghost King Sect has such an amazing technique, why not use it to kill all orthodox Golden Elixir cultivators? Afterwards, hide in the Eastern Sea until all their Nascent Souls are depleted. The Ghost King Sect could not only return to the Nine Continents but alsopletely eradicate the orthodox cultivators!" "This curse technique dates back to ancient times, a legendary witchcraft from antiquity." The Blood Moon Demon Monarch said, "When it first appeared, it prospered for a long time and our Sect''s Ghost Cultivators rose with the tide, scaring the Orthodox True Monarchs into hiding. However, there''s no curse that can''t be broken, and now there are too many countermeasures avable. Hence, it''s only useful for bullying the less experienced cultivators of the Eastern Sea." Huo Yan suddenly understood, "No wonder, senior, each time you cast the spell, it only consumes a small amount of lifespan." The Blood Moon Demon Monarch nodded, "Once it bacshes, the Ghost Deity will extract an equal amount of life and lifespan from the person casting the spell. One must be careful and test the waters!" Huo Yan said, "Now that the spell has been sessfully cast, and Tang Xuan is powerless to counteract the curse, should we not quickly put an end to him?" "What allowed me to form my Core in the demon sects was prudence and caution¡ªnot to be impatient for quick results!" The Blood Moon Demon Monarch lifted his head to look in the direction of the Earth Fire Pce, speaking in a cold voice. "What if Tang Xuan intentionally sumbed to the curse but has actually prepared a countermeasure, just waiting for me to take the bait? Or, what if Tang Xuan doesn''t have much lifespan left and I waste a hundred years in one go? That would be a needless loss." Chapter 176: Chapter 174: Im Not Willing to Accept This ``` The following day. Refining Chamber. Zhou Yi executed the Fire Control Technique, currently in the process of refining a flying sword magic artifact. Although the Earth Fire Pce in the Eastern Sea is famous for its Earth Origin Shield, it also possesses other magic artifact scrolls, one of which is the Pure Yang Sword. Once this sword is refined, its power is quite ordinary, and itcks any extraordinary divine abilities, however,bined with the Pure Yang Scripture, it is extremely effective against evil and heretical enemies. Suddenly. The Xuanwu Divine Armor activated on its own, shielding against wisps of strange ck qi. Zhou Yi contemted for a moment, lightly touched with his finger, and after some lifespan was consumed, the ck qi dissipated on its own. "I just don''t know if the cost of casting the spell is too great!" ... Three dayster. At dusk. Zhou Yi was meditating on the Lightning Method, feeling an affinity that indicated he was not far from the realm of Divine Skills. "Elder Brother Jiang achieved divine skills in ten years; it took me a whole five to six hundred years. Why is the gap between people sorge?" At the same time, the curse-induced ck qi appeared out of nowhere, shaving off ten years of his lifespan. ... Half a monthter. The moon was bright and the stars were sparse. Zhou Yi took out a jar of Spiritual Wine, aged for five hundred years, and sat on the pce roof to drink alone under the moon, going through memories of eight hundred years. "Loneliness, destion!" The curse-induced ck qi arrived just in time to interrupt Zhou Yi''smentations. "Again!" ... Fire Bamboo Forest. As the number of spell sacrifices increased, the ghostly qi almost solidified into shape. The Blood Moon Demon Monarch reinforced the formation and prohibition again, just enough to prevent exposure, and watched in raging fury as the demonic god jeered after devouring his lifespan. "Thirty days, a full thirty days!" "Each sessful spell casting strips away thirty years of my lifespan; why hasn''t that Tang Xuan died yet?" Huo Yan, suppressed by the immense demonic might, couldn''t lift himself off the ground. Seeing the imminent outbreak of the Blood Moon Demon Monarch''s rage, he feared he would be the first to be killed and frantically searched for a way to survive. "Senior, it''s certain that Tang Xuan is a True Monarch, and he has formed his Golden Core not long ago. Perhaps, he has not yet reached the age of a hundred years?" "Not yet a hundred years old!" The Blood Moon Demon Monarch''s pupils constricted, and he eximed in shock, "This scoundrel has formed a Golden Core before the age of a hundred, and is a peerless cultivation genius of the past few thousand years. His practice is certainly the orthodox Cultivation Technique and he must not be spared!" Huo Yan nodded repeatedly, "Once he grows up, he will surely be a major thorn in the side of the Demon Dao." "Such a genius must be killed!" The Blood Moon Demon Monarch formed a Dharma Seal with his hands, drawing out strands of life force from within as he sacrificially offered them to the demonic god to cast the curse. Huo Yan breathed a sigh of relief as the cold murderous intention faded, knowing he had dodged a deadly cmity. ... Ten dayster. The Blood Moon Demon Monarch caressed his long hair, which had gone from ck to speckled with white in just over a month. He was over three hundred years old when he came to the Eastern Sea, expended over thirty years to curse Feng Yang to death, and now he had consumed another four hundred years. Discover more content at mvl "How has Tang Xuan not died yet?" "My lord Demon Monarch, you are unaware of something." Huo Yan had already thought of an excuse, "That Tang Xuan is proficient in the four arts of cultivation, especially in the Alchemy Dao, he must have refined and consumed Life-Extending Elixirs." "Skilled in alchemy, could he be a disciple of the Alchemy Cauldron?" ``` The Blood Moon Demon Monarch hesitated for a moment before gritting his teeth and saying, "Danding Sect already has Xuan Xiao, they absolutely cannot produce another Tang Xuan. Even if I exhaust my lifespan and my cultivation dissipates, dragging a generation''s prodigy to death with me won''t be in vain!" "What a broad and unyielding spirit the Demon Monarch has!" Huo Yan pped continuously, but his gaze was filled with pity and mockery. As a bystander, it was clear: at this moment, the Blood Moon Demon Monarch was like a gambler who had lost his reason to rage. ... A few more days passed. The Blood Moon Demon Monarch''s breath was weak, his ghostly body had turned semi-transparent, and his phantom-like white hair floated with the wind. He had consumed a great amount of medicinal pills to consolidate his ghostly form and used the Profound Yin Treasure Bead to anchor his soul, then waved his hand to put away the Demonic God Altar. "I will report back to the sect immediately, there''s an anomaly in the East Sea Earth Fire Pce, and ask the elders to take action. That mere Golden Elixir True Monarch, no matter how talented or exceptional, could easily be crushed by an elder with a simple hand gesture!" Huo Yan expressed his concerns, "With your current state, it''s difficult to conceal your aura, you might not be a match for that Tang Xuan?" "Hehehe... My curse magic has mysteriously failed; I do not n to hide my aura any longer. It''s just the right opportunity to regain the upper hand with my escape skill!" Gasping violently for breath, the Blood Moon Demon Monarch spat out a few mouthfuls of ghostly essence and said, "My life is intermingled with the Profound Yin Treasure Bead in ghostly cultivation. My body can attach to the magic artifact, and my escape speed is rare in the world. Even if that Tang Xuan kid notices, what can he do?" "Demon Monarch''s methods are truly unparalleled!" Happiness showed on Huo Yan''s face. Once the Blood Moon Demon Monarch drew Tang Xuan away, he would be able to leave safely. Half an hourter. The formation and prohibition in the bamboo forest disappeared, ghostly qi rose like wolf smoke into the sky, and a pitch-ck escape light flew towards the Nine Continents. "Tang Xuan you whelp, I wille back again!" The escape light was incredibly fast and vanished from sight in an instant, leaving a long ck streak across the heavens¡ªclearly, it was a defiant provocation. Before the voice had dropped. Three-colored escape light rose from the Hall of Spiritual Fire, following the trail to give chase, moving several times faster than the Blood Moon Demon Monarch. "Ah! How dare he still burn his lifespan?" Theplexion of the Blood Moon Demon Monarch changed drastically, regret and despair rising in his heart. If he had known this, he should have saved more of his lifespan. In his despair, madness shed in the eyes of the Blood Moon Demon Monarch. When the escape light behind him drew near, he turned around resolutely, ready to strike with all he had left! Zhou Yi''s escape light got increasingly closer, his Divine Sense swept over the Profound Yin Treasure Bead, noticing the Blood Moon Demon Monarch''s weakening presence. He did not rush to kill but rather slowed his escape speed, leisurely following behind and using the Lightning Method to bombard from afar. Boom boom boom... The sound of thunder rolled continuously, and hundreds of lightning bolts wove into a, enveloping the Profound Yin Treasure Bead within it. "Damn it!" The Blood Moon Demon Monarch stared at the figure miles away, knowing even if he were to sacrifice himself in an attack, the other could easily dodge with his escape speed. "Is this ghost cultivator friend from the Ghost King Sect?" Zhou Yi asked aloud, "Some days ago, my fellow disciple died mysteriously of exhausted lifespan; was it fellow Daoist''s magic that secretly harmed him?" "So what if it was?" Threateningly, the Blood Moon Demon Monarch said, "I have spell imprints left by my sect. If you dare to kill me, then be ready for the ceaseless pursuit of a Nascent Soul elder!" "Resorting to such despicable means to live implies that fellow Daoist is indeed on hisst legs." Zhou Yi continued his Lightning Method without pause, bombarding the Profound Yin Treasure Bead relentlessly, with the soul of the Blood Moon Demon Monarch inside nearing disintegration. The Blood Moon Demon Monarch exhaled his primal ghostly essence as the Profound Yin Treasure Bead shone with aherworldly divine light, turning into a massive demon cloud spanning over ten acres, enveloping Zhou Yi. Whoosh! The three-colored escape light transformed, and in an instant, Zhou Yi appeared dozens of miles away, the rolling demon cloud unable to harm him in the slightest. "I refuse to ept this!" The Blood Moon Demon Monarch was already on the brink of death, and with the consecutive loss of his vital energy, his ghostly body copsed on its own. A stream of ghostly essence flew out from the Profound Yin Treasure Bead, attaching to the Xuanwu Divine Armor and transforming into a ghastly ghost face imprint. "Worthy of being a Demon Saint Relic, it can actually block the pursuit spells of a Nascent Soul elder." Zhou Yi washed away the ghost face imprint several times with mana, and it quickly faded, much easier to eradicate than when adhered to the body. He waved his hand to release a surge of Pure Yang Spiritual Fire, burning and refining the Profound Yin Treasure Bead for a long time until not a trace of ghostly essence remained. Divine Sense swept over the Profound Yin Treasure Bead, finding mountains of Spirit Stones and Spiritual Objects inside, hundreds of jade slips, and various Magic Artifacts and pill bottles. "Not all demon cultivators are bad, indeed. If a few more True Monarchs like this one could deliver themselves, perhaps I could gather enough resources to ascend to Nascent Soul. Why worry about the path not prospering?" Chapter 177: Chapter 175: Curse Killing the Demon King Earth Fire Pce. Main Hall. Zhou Yi descended, saw Yuan Qi and others waiting inside, and the Qi Refinement cultivator kneeling on the ground. Yuan Qi bowed and said, "Reporting to Elder Tang, this is Liu Yu who was stationed on Fire Bamboo Ind. He attempted to escape after the appearance of the Demon Head and was captured by True Person Zhai." "Supreme, spare my life!" Experience tales with mvl Liu Yu cried bitterly and pleaded, "The Demon Head... he used my family... " Before he could finish speaking, his body involuntarily flew up, and his headnded in the palm of Zhou Yi''s hand. Soul Search! In the Cultivation World, torture was never employed; Zhou Yi directly read his memories and raised an eyebrow upon learning the Demon Head''s name. "To think the most auspicious fortune has manifested here!" He tossed Liu Yu aside. ording to the sect rules, conspiring with the demonic path to harm one''s own sect meant death by being thrown into the Earth Fire, soul scattered to the winds. "I have already in the Blood Moon Demon Monarch, avenging Brother Feng," Zhou Yi said, "It''s just that the traitor Huo Yan has already fled; once he reports back to the Ghost King Sect, we will inevitably face trouble." Yuan Qi was first delighted then rmed, eximing, "What should we do?" In front of the Ghost King Sect, the Earth Fire Pce was nothing more than insignificant ants; a Nascent Soul elder from their sect need onlye to the Eastern Sea to reduce our sect to dust. "The righteous path intends topletely annihte the demonic path and is certainly keeping a close watch on all the Demon Lords. Even if the Ghost King Sect seeks revenge, they will probably only send a Golden Elixir True Monarch. I..." Zhou Yi paused thoughtfully: "For now, the Sect Leader should make arrangements for the elite disciples to seek shelter outside to avoid unpredictable events!" Every Golden Elixir True Monarch who has traversed heavenly tribtion is formidable; should they carry with them supreme treasures of ughter or cultivate some grand Divine Skills, Zhou Yi could not guarantee his own safety from their edge. Yuan Qi anticipated Elder Tang''s temperament and responded, "Elder, rest assured. I will make the arrangements immediately and have True Person Zhai escort them to the underwater spiritual grounds to cultivate for a time." Even a crafty rabbit has three burrows; the Earth Fire Pce knew of a few secret spiritual grounds, set with concealing formations, where enough Spirit Stones were stored in preparation for a cmity that could exterminate the sect, ensuring the survival of its elites. Zhou Yi gave some further instructions on matters such as monitoring by True Persons and allowing entry but not exit. Back to the Hall of Spiritual Fire. Activating dozens ofyers of formations and infusing the Xuanwu Divine Armor for protection, Zhou Yi took out the Profound Yin Treasure Bead to inspect the Spiritual Objects one by one. Spiritual Objects from demonic cultivators typically harbor dark, bloodthirsty attributes and are categorized in storage bags to be possibly utilized in the future. "There are no demonic Spiritual Objects in the world, only demonic cultivators!" Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense swept over them, his eyes lighting up at the sight of at least hundreds of thousands of Spirit Stones¡ªa fortune among True Monarchs. Inside the bead, Magic Artifacts like the ck Blood Nail, Weeping Blood de, and Soul g were many. Other than the Profound Yin Treasure Bead, another item was a pitch-ck Lotus tform, its exact uses still unknown. Magic Artifacts differ from Magic Artifacts; thetter have simple prohibitions that can be easily refined, while the former require the True Monarch''s soul and Mana to nurture, as well as special artifact-controlling spells. Acquired artifacts may thus be difficult to wield in a short time. Zhou Yi looked forward with anticipation at the jade slips within the bead. "Dark arts and forbidden techniques often shorten life, which fits well with the pursuit of the Longevity Dao Fruit. As a True Monarch of the Ghost King Sect, I hope to gain something valuable!" He casually took out a jade slip, which contained the essence of Ghost Cultivation. Zhou Yi found it fascinating, as it detailed numerous tips for nurturing the divine soul. The paths of the righteous, demons, ghosts, and monsters are all part of the Dao of Cultivation. By extensively collecting and integrating the strengths of all, one might glimpse immortality! "This principle is correct, but it seems there''s an issue!" After reviewing the Ghost Cultivation teachings, Zhou Yi retrieved another jade slip about the pitch-ck Lotus tform. The Mysterious Yin Lotus tform, an auxiliary cultivation Magic Artifact, can stabilize the divine soul, calm the mind, and gather Yin Sha and demonic qi for demon cultivators to absorb. "Pity there''s no apanying artifact-controlling spell. However, once the Ghost King Sect falls or even perishes, the corresponding legacy will surely emerge. I need only to color this lotus gold and alter some prohibitions, and it could be transformed into a treasure of Buddhist high monks!" Zhou Yi continued to examine the jade slips. Given the Blood Moon Demon Monarch''s lengthy lifespan, his knowledge was extensive. Cultivators divide between righteous and demonic, but the four arts of alchemy, artifact refinement, formation, and divine sense are universal¡ªthe insights into Alchemy and Artifact Refining absorbed Zhou Yi. "If even a Golden Elixir True Monarch is so impressive, how profound must the foundation of a Nascent Soul elder be? And the legacies of the Ghost King Sect, and the entire Cultivation World¡­" Zhou Yi silently invoked the Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One to suppress the greed in his heart and casually selected another jade slip. His Divine Sense scrutinized its contents, and his face brightened¡ªit was exactly the long-range, no-cost, lethal spell Zhou Yicked! The Netherworld Curse! "Sacrificing one''s lifespan to worship the Netherworld''s ghost deities, shortening the opponent''s lifespan, indeed demon path techniques suit me!" "Witchcraft, the Netherworld, ghost deities..." "In ancient times, there wasn''t just the Immortal Dao, but also the Divine Dao, witchcraft, and more; how they all fell into decline is still unknown." Zhou Yi carefully examined the jade slips, which included more than just curse techniques but also detailed annotations by the Blood Moon Demon Monarch and strategies for rapidly oveing the weakness brought on by declining lifespan. At the end, it highlighted the Netherworld Curse''s ws¡ªfor instance, righteous cultivators typically possess countermeasures. If the curse fails, the ghost deity would retaliate with equal lifespan loss. "I am not afraid of bacsh to my lifespan. asionally sending it to my enemies will keep them alert. They might be prepared on regr days, but in a life-and-death battle, who can afford to be distracted by casting a counter-spell!" "The spell requires the target''s aura, which is a bit troublesome. However, it also reminds me always to maintain Mana as protection, allowing no trace of my aura to escape!" Zhou Yi pondered over the Netherworld Curse for a while, then took out an altar refined by the Blood Moon Demon Monarch along with several strands of hair and ced them on it. The strands came from a Jade Bottlebeled "Huo Yan"; several other simr containers suggested they were the Blood Moon Demon Monarch''s contingency n. With hand seals cast, the spell wove and sacrificed strands of vital energy to the ghost deity. Zhou Yi used up two hundred years of lifespan, and the Ghost Deity Statue''s eight pupils red with red light, as if it had just crawled out from the Netherworld. Momentster, The Ghost Deity Statue issued a harsh, sinisterugh, its eight palmsing together in front of its body, forming a strange hand seal. "It worked!" Zhou Yi''s face revealed joy, the traitor Huo Yan had finally be a hidden danger for the Earth Fire Pce, and to silently curse him to death spared them much trouble. "A mere Foundation Establishment True Person cannot test the profoundness of the curse technique, at least a Golden Core Stage trial is needed to choose which lucky one will exchange lifespans with this poor Daoist..." After much thought, Zhou Yi made a decision and activated the Blood Covenant to summon the yellow ox. "Ox, sneak back to Moyun City, find out which Demon King is the most rampant, and bring back a few strands of its hair." "Your wish is mymand." The yellow ox bowed to ept the order and transformed into a beam of escaping light flying towards the southwest. Moyun City was located at the junction of Cloud Continent, the Great Hundred Thousand Mountains, and the Eastern Sea, no more than thirty thousand miles from the Earth Fire Pce¡ªa round trip taking no more than three to five days. Ten dayster, The yellow ox returned to the Earth Fire Pce and reported back to Zhou Yi everything seen and heard during its journey. "Immortal Master, the Dragon Emperor paid no attention to Moyun City. However, after our escape, the Flying Bear Demon King took the opportunity to justify the contention between right and demonic paths, volunteering to guard Thorn Ridge. Since then, he has been mercilessly ughtering and tormenting; without the protection of the Green Pine Demon King, Moyun City might have already fallen!" "Very good!" Zhou Yi''s expression was neither sad nor happy as he took the ck hair of the Flying Bear Demon King and threw it into the altar. He performed the Netherworld Curse Technique, spending two hundred years of his lifespan. Momentster, the Ghost Deity showed a fierce smile, indicating the sessful casting of the spell. "Senior Brother Feng has never heard of this curse, let alone the demon race knowing how to counteract it. However, demons have much longer lifespans than humans of the same stage; trading life for life is actually a profit!" ... Mo Cloud Cave. Demon King Hall. It was noisy and lively, with the mor and shouts of great and small demons incessantly filling the air. The Flying Bear Demon King, six feet tall with his body cloaked in ck fur, had a human-like torso, arms, and legs, but a bear face. He held a jar, guzzling down the wine with loud gulps. "This Moyun City does have its uses after all; their brewing skills are unparalleled!" "Humans and demons are natural enemies, with a deep-seated grudge as vast as the ocean; there''s no need for fair trade. Whatever we desire, we simply seize by force!" Sinceing to guard Thorn Ridge, the first order of the Flying Bear Demon King was to abolish the rules of equality between humans and demons, ordering that humans were vassals and servants to demons, no different from Spiritual Medicine and mineral resources. The wealth umted over hundreds of years by the human poption of Moyun City evaporated overnight, all falling into the possession of the Flying Bear Demon King. Any human who dared resist was met with the pretext of the Demon King''s displeasure, who would then mercilessly ughter the city''s human poption until all knelt and begged for mercy. Over thirty years had passed, and Moyun City was no longer prosperous or bustling, its poption reduced to half. "In a few days, I''ll go down to the city and snatch a few beauties..." Just as the Flying Bear Demon King thought of descending the mountain to plunder, he suddenly felt an intense pain in his chest as if it was being twisted. The luster of the ck, shiny fur on his body dimmed significantly but soon returned to normal. "What''s going on?" After scanning with his Divine Sense, the Flying Bear Demon King immediately realized that arge portion of his lifespan had vanished into thin air. The lifespan of a Golden Core Demon King varied greatly; the shorter ones, such as insect demons, were simr to human True Monarchs, while those like turtle demons could oust Nascent Soul ancestors. Flying Bear, with his ancient, heterogeneous bloodline and wings on his back, had a Golden Core stage lifespan of nearly a thousand years. Even with such an extended lifespan, the disappearance of two hundred years was a massive loss. "It must certainly be a vile technique that depletes lifespan. Who exactly wants to harm me?" Before his words were finished, he experienced the excruciating heart pain once again. His fur turned from glossy ck to ashen gray, and another two hundred years of his lifespan diminished. Roar! The Flying Bear Demon King let out a long roar, not bothering to instruct the multitude of demons in the hall as he pped his wings and flew towards Greenwave Pond. However, just as he flew out of Cloud Piercing Peak, his lifespan reduced once more, totalling a loss of six hundred years. In an instant, his ashen-gray fur turnedpletely white, his eyes dimmed, and dead energy surrounded the demon core within his body. "Who could it possibly be?" As the life force of the Flying Bear Demon King dissipated, his escaping light abruptly stopped and his demon body fell from the sky. It seemed as if by fate, hended right in the central square of Mo Yun City, creating a massive crater with a thunderous crash. The city''s human poption was shocked at first, but upon realizing that the Flying Bear Demon King was dead, they gathered around him. It was unclear who struck the first blow, but in mere moments, all that was left was a bloody skeleton. ... Hall of Spiritual Fire. Ghastly mist pervaded the air, with a chilly aura swirling around. Zhou Yi stopped casting the curse technique and carefully observed the Demonic God Altar. Seeing no changes, he finally felt at ease and put it away. "Ox, I must trouble you again. Spread the cause of the Flying Bear Demon King''s death, im that its wanton ughter of humans brought divine retribution." The yellow ox reminded him, "Immortal Master, I''m afraid no Demon King will believe that reason." "No matter. Should they not believe, they are wee to try." Zhou Yi had tested the Netherworld Curse and was very satisfied with its power. "I need only curse to death three or five more Demon Kings. Whether they believe it or not, they won''t dare to oppress humans so easily again!" Chapter 178: Chapter 177: The Envelope Jade Slip Red Cloud Ind. Five Spirits Sect branch. Wan Bao''s venture started disastrously; his deception led to being ostracized by the Eastern Sea sects both openly and covertly, and with the urgent crisis of the Righteous and Demon paths'' war, he had intended to return to the Nine Continents first. "After the destruction of the Demon path, the Eastern Sea sects will either submit or be annihted," he said. Following the news of Feng Yang''s death, Wan Bao stayed behind. Since learning that advancing to Nascent Soul was hopeless, Wan Bao hadmitted all of his thoughts to managing the sect so that the Five Spirits Sect''s legacy wouldst for thousands of years, and the reputation of its founding patriarch would be passed down as well. He summoned the real-persons of the Five Spirits Sect''s branch and ordered them to target the Earth Fire Pce, including but not limited topeting for disciples and resources. "First provoke minor frictions, and once resentment deepens, find an opportunity to have someone from the other side injure or kill our sect''s disciple, and we''ll have a righteous reason to mobilize against the Earth Fire Pce for revenge!", he instructed. Wan Bao was well aware of the importance of acting with a just cause, especially since the Five Spirits Sect did not have the absolute power to rule over the Eastern Sea, and must exercise both kindness and strictness. A real-person voiced concerns, "Sect Master, as it stands, we''re being shunned by our peers in the Eastern Sea. They turn a cold eye on us, not to mention having discussions or meals together. Would targeting the Earth Fire Pce not provoke a united front against us?" "No matter! They won''t bother with the Earth Fire Pce. They''d rather divide and devour it after Tang Xuan''s death," said Wan Bao, waving his hand dismissively. "Once we devour the tough bone that is the Earth Fire Pce, other sects will naturally submit out of fear. Cultivators... hmph, they understand best how to chase benefits and avoid harm!", he added with a cold voice. After centuries of cultivation, Wan Bao had long seen through the true nature of cultivators: Each one ims to be "human", but had long ced themselves in the realm of "immortals", selfish, cowardly cherishing life, boundlessly greedy ¨C nothing more than vile creatures that lord themselves above others! ... Monthster. Zhou Yi was in closed-door cultivation when he received a request for an audience from Yuan Qi. He waved his hand and deactivated the formation and prohibition. "Come in." "Greetings to Elder Tang." Experience new stories on mvl After bowing respectfully, Yuan Qi spoke with a solemn expression, "Yesterday, Real-person Wei was patrolling the inds under our jurisdiction and discovered cultivators practicing forbidden arts and blood sacrifices on themon people. Upon investigation, traces of ghostly energy were found, likely left by scouts of the Ghost King Sect." "So they have finallye!" Zhou Yi said, his brows slightly creasing, having expected that killing Huo Yan with the Netherworld Curse would only buy some time. With the Blood Moon Demon Monarch killed at the Earth Fire Pce, the Nascent Soul ancestors of the Ghost King Sect surely couldn''t be kept in the dark, and whether for infiltration or revenge, they were bound to send someone to the Eastern Sea. "Elder, it''s not just the Ghost King Sect," Yuan Qi reported. "In recent months, the Five Spirits Sect has been acting frequently in the nearby sea areas, deliberately targeting our disciples, leading to several conflicts. They ignored warnings, patrolled the inds under our jurisdiction, and took away many youths with Spirit Roots." Facing the Ghost King Sect''s retaliatory strikes and the Five Spirits Sect''s pressure, Yuan Qi felt the sect was in danger of being shaken to its foundation and possibly on the brink of copse. Zhou Yi asked, "Were there any casualties among the disciples?" Yuan Qi''s face twitched, and he spoke with a strange tone, "The disciples are all adept in the Art of Concealment and escape, so there have been no casualties. Instead, several disciples from the Five Spirits Sect have fallen into traps. Should the Elder decide whether to release or detain them?" "Detain them for a while," Zhou Yi decided. To Zhou Yi, the Five Spirits Sect was but a minor irritation. Now with the Netherworld Curse in hand, what are a mere hundred and eighty years of lifespan? One casting of the spell can send them to their deaths! "How shall we fundamentally resolve the issue with the Ghost King Sect?" he pondered. "The Ghost King Sect''s heritage is even more ancient than that of the Dan Ding Sect, possessing the Sect-Defending Supreme Treasure Hell Diagram as well as the backing of a legendary Heavenly Monarch. Not to mention someone with just a Golden Core like myself, even Nascent Soul ancestors would have to retreat three feet!" Yuan Qi replied. "A millennium-old sect''s foundation can only be countered by a child of destiny..." Zhou Yi mused, a thought stirring in his heart as he took a letter and a jade hairpin out of his storage bag. "Fortunately, there is a fellow daoist in this world, tough of fate, adept at causing trouble, and blessed by destiny!" "It''s time to ask Daoist Xiao to pay a visit to the Ghost King Sect. With his knack for blowing up wherever he goes, even if he can''t annihte thempletely, he will certainly upy the Ghost King Sect''s efforts, leaving them no strength to meddle in the Eastern Sea," Zhou Yi reflected, his mind set on a n. He instructed Yuan Qi, "I shall make a trip to the Nine Continents myself, call upon friends, and im outwardly that it''s for secluded cultivation!" "As youmand." Yuan Qi heaved a sigh of relief, given that Elder Tang hailed from a great sect, he surely could summon fellow Daoists to resist the Five Spirits Sect. ... Cloud Continent. Da Qian. The city of Qingyun Mansion. Decades ago, it was once the capital of Chu State, and back then, the Royal Family led the people to surrender and were conferred the title of King of Chu by Da Qian. The Qingyun Mansion and the surrounding counties were allnds granted to the King of Chu, and in the blink of an eye, one hundred and fifty years had passed. As Da Qian''s rule became increasingly secure, the Imperial Court repeatedly cut back the power of the regional kings and marquesses. Intimidated by the Da Qian Imperial n or the Dan Ding Sect, the King of Chu gradually degenerated into an ordinary cultivator family, with no chance of restoring the nation. Zhou Yi left the Drunken Dreams Tower, and looking at the bustling crowd on the streets that no longer spoke with the ent of Chu, they all spoke the officialnguage of Da Qian. "The winds and clouds change, fortunes rise and fall, who could have thought that a mere banished family could one day unite the Cloud Continent!" "After the celebration, it''s time to attend to serious matters." Not long after. In a bookstore named Top Schr Hall, Zhou Yi purchased two ancient texts from six hundred and seventy years ago at a high price and turned into a fleeing beam of light to another city. Over the course of a month, he traveled throughrge and small cities on the Cloud Continent and collected hundreds of ancient texts. The fleeing light settled on a deste mountain near the Dan Ding Sect, where he opened a cave residence and set up formations, then opened the envelope left by Xiao Tiezhu. ¡ª¡ªMy benefactor, I was cheated in the Marketce... Zhou Yi randomly pulled out an ancient book, his Divine Sense sweeping over it, and from the ninth page, he found the character "Benefactor." Mana permeated the paper, extracting the ink from it and then cing it onto nk paper of the same year. "Let alone distinguishing with just the eyes, even if carbon-14 dating were used, this would still be a letter from six hundred years ago!" Zhou Yi searched for the text, creating a letter with the same content, and then ced the Jade Hairpin into the envelope: "It doesn''t matter that the handwriting differs from Daoist Xiao''s, for the writingse from all over the Cloud Continent. As long as the breath is erased, even if the immortals were to descend, they couldn''t figure out who created it." Since the original letter had been carried on his person for hundreds of years, he feared that some secret technique of tracing causality might be at y, so in the future, he could only hide in the depths of the Eastern Sea. "Next is to quietly wait for the opportune moment!" As he spoke, he brought out a divination cup and cast a Minor Extent Heaven technique to divine. Auspicious sign! The next day was also an auspicious sign. And on the third day, it was still an auspicious sign. Zhou Yi waited calmly, the heart of a youth of over eight hundred years old already tranquil to the extreme. ... Dan Ding Sect. Divine Fire Peak. Xuan Xiao Dao Pce. Xiao Tiezhu had a deep frown, pondering over strategies to break the deadlock. The four orthodox sects joined forces to eradicate demons, waging spell battles and ughter for over a hundred years now, and while the four Demon Sects seemed to have suffered devastating losses, in reality, they only lost the Spirit Veins outside their headquarters. Now, the four Demon Sects, holed up in their headquarters and relying on the heritage umted over thousands of years, have resisted the orthodox alliance for decades, unable to be conquered. In contrast, now and then, old Demon Ancestors stealthily venture out, seeking opportunities to assassinate the Orthodox True Monarchs, and once their identity is exposed, they immediately hide back in their base. The Demon Sects'' n is simple, to wait until a few hundred yearster when all Nascent Souls in the world have perished, the four Demon Sects with their Sect-Defending Supreme Treasures will naturally no longer fear the orthodoxy. "Initial sess gives courage, thenes fatigue, and finally, exhaustion!" Xiao Tiezhu sighed, "If we drag on like this, without the Demon Path counterattacking, the orthodox alliance itself will fall apart and start to disband and divide the spoils." s, the main bases of the Demon Sects were heavily fortified with Formations, personally overseen by Nascent Soul Ancestors, and guarded by the powerful Sect-Defending Supreme Treasures, making it near impossible to breach from the outside. The orthodoxy tried to persuade and convert the Demon Path True Monarchs, but those were old demons with a long history of evil deeds, preferring death over believing in orthodox cultivators! Of course, what the orthodoxy really nned was to utilize them and then find an excuse to eliminate them. Some lesser demons, seeing the decline of the Demon Path, did think about defecting, but their low cultivation and insignificant power made the orthodoxy uninterested in them. Chapter 179: Chapter 178: Ancient Teleportation Array ``` Xiao Tiezhu racked his brain but could not find a way to break the deadlock. "Could it be that the fate of the Demon Path is not meant to end?" Just then, a message-bearing jade slip flew in, bringing a request for an urgent audience from his disciple, Li Long. "Come in." Xiao Tiezhu''s expression returned to its usual indifference, for no matter how troubled he was in private, in public he had to maintain the confidence that the Demon Path would inevitably be extinguished. "Greetings, Master." Li Long bowed deeply and presented an envelope with both hands, saying, "Disciple has just returned from executing an external task and encountered an unknown true immortal who imed to be a follower of Master''s old friend, and instructed me to return this item to you." "A follower of an old friend?" Xiao Tiezhu skimmed over it with his divine sense, letting out a light exmation, and gestured to bring the envelope over and open it. The contents of the letter stirred memories from a very long time ago. The Jade Hairpin''s design was ordinary, but it carried a message from a woman. "Heavenly Ghost, Huang Yuniang... Could it be the new Sect Leader of the Ghost King Sect, the Yellow Jade Demon Lord?" Xiao Tiezhu pondered for a moment, then motioned for his disciple to leave and his figure flickered into the seclusion chamber. He exhaled a red banana fan that twirled and grew in the wind, extending to about three meters in length above his head, and with a gentle swing, Divine Fire showered down to protect his whole body. It was indeed the Sect''s Supreme Treasure of the Dan Ding Sect, the Divine Fire Fan. Years ago, when Xiao Tiezhu was punished in the ck Wind Cave, he sensed a great opportunity. After exploring, he found the remains of a Heavenly Monarch and obtained the Divinity Transformation inheritance; at the same time, the Divine Fire Fan acknowledged him as its master. Xiao Tiezhu''s sess in killing the Zhen Yang Demon Venerate owed much to the Divine Fire Fan. "Since it''s the descendant of a benefactor..." After some thought, he crushed the envelope to dust with a spell and began to refine the Jade Hairpin with hand seals. One prohibition after another was imbued into the Jade Hairpin, following the invisible threads of causality, he began to perceive subtle fluctuations of consciousness, which became clearer as he continued the refinement. A vague woman''s voice emerged from the Jade Hairpin, "Who are you?" Xiao Tiezhu countered, "Might you be Huang Yuniang?" The woman replied, "Indeed, I am." "I am Xuan Xiao." Upon hearing this, Xiao Tiezhu''s face lit up with joy, openly revealing his identity, and considering Huang Yuniang''s lifespans, she must have advanced to the Golden Core Realm. In the hundreds of years of the Ghost King Sect''s new Golden Core advancements, there was only one Heavenly Ghost, and that was the Yellow Jade Demon Lord. Huang Yuniang said, "So it''s Xuan Xiao Daojun. I have long heard of your great renown. May I ask what brings you to seek me out?" Xiao Tiezhu inquired, "Do you still remember the vow you made back then?" Huang Yuniang replied, "Of course I remember. After joining the Ghost King Sect, I devoted myself to cultivation under the tutge of the Great Yin Ancestor and never went out tomit evil." "I naturally believe you," Xiao Tiezhu said. "The disciples of the Ghost King Sect have been rampaging across Qiong Continent, often ughtering and performing blood sacrifices to such an extent that the poption there is less than a tenth of that on Cloud Continent. The current situation presents an opportunity to annihte the Demon Path, and all it requires is for you to lend a hand!" Xiao Tiezhu dered. Huang Yuniang was silent for a long time before asking, "Aren''t you afraid that I might be setting a trap?" "The heart you showed in wandering into the demon''s den was towards righteousness; otherwise, how could you have upheld your true nature across hundreds of years!" Xiao Tiezhu showered her with praise, never disclosing that it was due to his own innate opportunity t hat foretold great victory upon their visit to the Ghost King Sect. Huang Yuniang asked, "What should I do?" Xiao Tiezhu was well prepared and said, "I have acquired a scroll in the ruins of the Sky Mending Sect, which contains the method of setting up an ancient teleportation array. All you need to do is deploy it at the core of the Ghost King Sect." ``` Huang Yuniang let out a sigh and responded to the message. "This transmission array requires arge amount of Void Stones, ording to the prohibitions..." Xiao Tiezhu carefully exined the details of the ancient transmission array. Not only was the arrangementplex, but the necessary resources were so vast that even amon true monarch would struggle to bear the cost. However, as the current Sect Leader of the Ghost King Sect, Huang Yuniang could easily draw from the Treasury Sect''s reserves to obtain the Spiritual Objects. Huang Yuniang silently calcted the time needed and said, "One month will be enough." "Daoist friend, remember to be careful and cautious. Better to be slower andter than topromise your own safety." Xiao Tiezhu gave a few reminders and discussed many details before finally ending themunication. Afterward, the Dan Ding Sect summoned the One Qi Sect, the Spirit Sword Sect, and the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple toe to Cloud Continent to discuss the grand affair of exterminating demons. Among them, Xiao Tiezhu was thest to achieve the Nascent Soul, but with the merit of ying the Demon Lord with formations, his cultivation had since surpassed the others, naturally establishing him as the head of the righteous path. Several dayster. Daoist Zhang Yunqing, Heavenly Sword Daoist, and Divine Monk Fa Ming arrived one after another at Dan Ding Sect, their lights of travel descending into the Xuan Xiao Dao Pce. Having cooperated to exterminate demons for over a hundred years, they were quite familiar with each other. After exchanging greetings, they sat cross-legged facing each other. Xiao Tiezhu opened the Formation and Prohibition, and also activated the Divine Fire Fan to conceal their presence, so as to avoid alerting the Demon Lord through a heartblood connection. Zhang Yunqing asked, "Friend, with such a setup, have you truly found a method to break the situation?" Hearing this, both Heavenly Sword and Fa Ming''s eyes flickered with mixed emotions, containing both joy and concern. The Demon Path''s invincibilityy in their sect''s protection arraysbined with the Sect''s Supreme Treasure, a heritage simr to that of the righteous sects. If today the Dan Ding Sect could break the Demon Sect''s Sect Protection Array, then once the current members passed away, Xuan Xiao would be on the verge of breaking the righteous sects'' defenses as well! "I do not possess such ability." Xiao Tiezhu first reassured his allies before exining, "A few days ago, an old friend visited me, and only then did I learn a secret ¡ª the current Sect Leader of the Ghost King Sect is actually the Heavenly Ghost which acknowledged him as master years ago!" Heavenly Sword wondered, "Could such a thing be true? Did that old undead of extreme yin not notice?" Explore new worlds at mvl The reputation of the extreme yin Demon Lord even surpassed that of the Zhen Yang Demon Venerate, and by the count of years, he had only one to two hundred years left, making him the eldest among the many Nascent Soul elders. "He has not noticed so far." Xiao Tiezhu half-truthfully replied. He needed to cover for his benefactor''s descendants while also concealing their innate sensing ability, and he added, "I have already made contact with the Yellow Jade Demon Lord, and we have discussed setting up a transmission array that goes directly to the core of the demons'' stronghold!" Fa Ming reminded, "Though the master-servant contract canmand life and death, it''s still uncertain whether the Heavenly Ghost has wholeheartedly submitted to the Ghost King Sect. What if they set traps for us to fall into?" "That''s why I''m summoning you all here, not only for the power of our four sects together but also to bring along our Sect''s Supreme Treasure!" Xiao Tiezhu said coldly, "Trap or no, as long as the transmission array works, once we enter the Ghost King Sect, the demons will no longer be able to avoid battle by hiding." "Sect''s Supreme Treasure..." Zhang Yunqing and the other two elders hesitated. Such a move would be akin to staking everything on a single throw of the dice. The Sect''s Supreme Treasures had sentient life and a lifespan almost eternal, and with powerparable to theter stages of the Nascent Soul, they were the fundamental basis for the four sects ruling over the Nine Continents once all the Nascent Soul elders'' lifespans had expired! Take, for instance, the Light Dividing Sword of the Spirit Sword Sect ¨C since advancing to treasure status, it had not left the sect for more than the time it takes to count to five. "You need not worry, I already have a foolproof strategy." Xiao Tiezhu understood their concerns¡ªthat the extermination of demons was of great righteous cause, but it did not outweigh the importance of the sect''s inheritance. "First, we willy a heavy onught on the demons, making sure those old fellows from the Heavenly Demon Sect, the Blood God Sect, and the Heavenly Corpse Sect still hold fast to their own sects. Then, via the transmission array, we will strike directly into the Heavenly Ghost Sect!" "With only extreme yin, Heavenly Annihtion, and Chang You, those three old coots in the Heavenly Ghost Sect, victory is surely within our grasp!" Zhang Yunqing and Fa Ming were moved by the proposition. With fourteen Nascent Soul elders from the four righteous sects, whatever traps the Ghost King Sect might set would inevitably fail. Heavenly Sword cautioned, "The Ghost King Sect might still have a half-dead ghost deity. If they truly fight for their lives, they might drag two or three Nascent Souls down with them." Xiao Tiezhu produced a Treasure Bead, which radiated dazzling divine light upon its appearance, and confidently said, "I traveled across Ji Continent in my earlier years and stumbled into an ancient relic, where I obtained this Great Sun Treasure Bead. If that old ghost happens to be alive, I''ll simply st his soul to scatter, ensuring he can''t even enter reincarnation!" Chapter 180: Chapter 178 The Fall of the Ghost King Ghost King Sect. The shady side of Fengdu Mountain. In the southeast territory, there was a pond, perennially extremely cold and dark, filled with countless ghostly entities, known as the Soul Devouring Pool. The body of the Heavenly Demon, Sect Leader of the Ghost King Sect, was well-suited for cultivation in the Soul Devouring Pool, hence, he designated the surrounding dozens of miles as the sect''s forbidden area. That day. The bottom of the Soul Devouring Pool twinkled with spiritual light as a dozen figures appeared within the transportation formation. Before the cultivators'' appearances were clear, four Sect''s Supreme Treasures¡ªthe Divine Fire Fan, the Light Dividing Sword, the Supreme rity Divine Talisman, and the Bodhi Treasure Wheel¡ªwere positioned around them, forming an intricate formation to counter any iing attacks. A female voice was heard, "This humble one greets the respected ancestors." Powerful divine senses swept through in every direction, confirming the absence of any hidden dangers, before the Supreme Treasures were put away. Xiao Tiezhuughed, "The poor Daoist always guessed that Fellow Daoist''s heart leaned towards the righteous path, how could you conspire with evil demons!" Huang Yuniang shook her head, "This humble one cannot say my heart leans towards the righteous path, but I manage to abstain from killing, and haven''t spared those duplicitous fellow sect members either." "Amitabha!" Fa Ming intoned the Buddha''s name and said, "Benefactor has the heart of a Buddha in the body of a demon; if one day there''s nowhere for you to go, you may join the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple for quiet cultivation." Huang Yuniang pressed her palms together, "I thank the Zen Master." Xiao Tiezhu sighed, "This alliance to destroy the Ghost King Sect and kill the Extreme Yin Demon Lord is indeed making it difficult for you, Fellow Daoist." Your adventure continues at §Þ?? "In the demonic path, there are no sentiments such as the grace of master and disciple; Extreme Yin only valued my talents, using me as a tool to rule the Ghost King Sect," said Huang Yuniang. "Maybe, when my master''s lifespan is not sufficient, he could use it to perform the Heavenly Demon''s reincarnation secret technique, borrowing this humble one''s body to extend his life by thirty to fifty years!" The righteous sects might exploit Loose Cultivators, but the demonic path follows the survival of the fittest; every Demon Head with some reputation has climbed to power over countless corpses, including those of parents, rtives, and fellow sect members. That many Demon Heads coulde together was also for Spirit Veins, inheritances, and to unite against the righteous path; otherwise, they would have scattered long ago, like birds and beasts. "The demonic path is brutal; it is to be destroyed!" Xiao Tiezhu looked at the nine elders, "As per our original n, I will seek out the old ghost, while the three venerable monks will join forces to cast the Ten Thousand Buddhas'' Divine Light. The other Daoist friends will deal with Extreme Yin and the other three Demon Lords. We must ensure that every demonic cultivator of the Ghost King Sect meets their end!" "Great virtue!" Ten figures scattered in different directions, leaving only Huang Yuniang behind. "I don''t know whether my fate is to live or to die." Huang Yuniang harbored no affection for the demonic path, but she wasn''t naive enough to believe that the righteous ancestors would show mercy. If one doesn''t count the ughter of mortals, just in terms of decisive killing, Daojuns are in no way inferior to Demon Lords. At that moment. A voice arose beside her, "Fellow Daoist can leave first via teleportation to avoid being affected by the fight. The disciples at Dan Ding Sect have been arranged to meet you; you can go to Da Qian and quietly cultivate to evade the disaster." Huang Yuniang was slightly startled, finding Daojun Xuan Xiao rather interesting, unlike other ancestors who seemed callous. "Da Qian... such a distant name, I wonder if my father''s grave still exists." The teleportation formation activated, Huang Yuniang''s figure gradually blurred, and just before vanishing, she seemed to hear earth-shattering booms, cries of pain, wails, roars¡­ ¡­ The year six hundred eighteen of the Da Qian era. Daojun Xuan Xiao of the Dan Ding Sect led nine Nascent Soul elders to infiltrate the inner ranks of the Ghost King Sect and execute the Extreme Yin and Heavenly Demon Demon Lords. Chang You Demon Venerable fought against two with the Supreme Treasure, the Hell Scroll, and after being defeated, opened the sect''s main array to flee, only to be trapped and attacked by three Nascent Soul elders. His body perished and his Dao was obliterated. The allied forces of the righteous path from the Four Sects of the Four Seasid siege to the Ghost King Sect with nearly ten thousand cultivators; the formations and prohibitions sealed off a thousand miles, and it took half a year to ughter everyone within. Daojun Xuan Xiao, together with the Nascent Soul elders, activated the Sect-Defending Supreme Treasure to bombard and break the Earth-level Spirit Vein of Fengdu Mountain into pieces. After the fall of the Ghost King Sect, many Nascent Soul elders proimed that they had found the means to unlock the Sect Protection Array. The morale of the righteous allied forces soared! The Heavenly Demon Sect, the Blood God Sect, and the Heavenly Corpse Sect were shaken thrice in a single day! ¡­ The Eastern Sea. The news of the Ghost King Sect''s destruction quickly reached the Earth Fire Pce, where Yuan Qi reported immediately. "Worthy of being called Xiao Zhadan, no, a nuclear bomb now!" Zhou Yi had anticipated trouble for the Ghost King Sect, but never imagined that a sect of ten thousand years would be destroyed in an instant. He was astounded by the destructive power of the Son of Destiny. "Now that the Ghost King Sect is no more, lift the sect''s restrictions and allow disciples toe and go freely," he said. "Elder, it is still not peaceful, and the Five Spirits Sect covetously eyes us," replied Yuan Qi. "It''s rumored that the Five Spirits Sect gained great advantages this time, seizing two Spirit Veins and bing the fifth sect of the righteous path overnight," Yuan Qi said. "No matter, the Five Spirits Sect is at a life-or-death juncture; they have no spare energy to manage the Eastern Sea," Zhou Yi instructed. "Since the Ghost King Sect''s primary site is destroyed, many hidden disciples remain, unable to stay in Nine Continents. They can only sneak into the sects of the Eastern Sea. For the next decade, Earth Fire Pce won''t ept new disciples, to prevent infiltration by the demonic path!" After the destruction of the Ghost King Sect, the remaining three demonic sects would surely seek fierce revenge. If they couldn''t take down Dan Ding Sect, were they not capable of dealing with the Five Spirits Sect!? Understanding the rationale, Yuan Qi asked, "Not even epting newborn children?" Zhou Yi nodded, "The Ghost Path Cultivation Method is particrly enigmatic and unpredictable. It wouldn''t be surprising if they possess secret techniques for body possession and reincarnation, so we must take precautions." In truth, Zhou had no real concern about the remnants of the Ghost King Sect mixing in; even if they ndestinely entered Earth Fire Pce for cultivation, they wouldn''t outlive Zhou Yi. However, their presence was bound to bring various troubles, like secretly banding together to corrupt fellow disciples or assassinate elders ¡ª an array of nuisances that Zhou Yi preferred to avoid. "I will heed the Elder''s decree," responded Yuan Qi. Chapter 181: Chapter 178: The Fall of the Ghost King_2 Yuan Qi bowed deeply to ept themand, not daring to have any opinion. Now, as the only surviving Supreme Elder of the Earth Fire Pce and deeply revered by the disciples, Zhou Yi held immense power, where a single word from him could decide anything. In the blink of an eye, several months passed. The Five Spirits Sect, just as Zhou Yi had predicted, focused all their efforts on shrinking their defenses at their headquarters, and they spent a huge price to set up dozens of Sect Protection Arrays, iming they could withstand the attack of a Nascent Soul ancestor. The Eastern Sea, without the Five Spirits Sect stirring up trouble, returned to its previous calm, a state that had persisted for thousands of years. Sect Leader Yuan Qi of the Earth Fire Pce ordered his disciples to secretly investigate and collect information on new disciples from various sects in the Eastern Sea, and thenpare it with the records of talented cultivators from the Eastern Sea documented over several hundred years. He couldn''t help but exim. "The number of talented disciples has increased several-fold. Each sect has taken in more or fewer, and there are even three with Heavenly Spiritual Roots appearing in the Eastern Sea!" "Golden Elixir True Monarchs who have weathered many storms may guess the strange origins of the disciples, perhaps harboring hopes of reforming them, or coveting the inheritances the disciples bring... Raising such tigers invites trouble, and in a hundred years, the Eastern Sea will surely experience great upheaval!" However. The most difficult thing to perceive in this world is the change of fortune; who could have predicted that the fluttering of a butterfly''s wings could also cause a hurricane disaster? Zhou Yi, who had lived for more than eight hundred years, was capable of seeking advantages and avoiding harm, which was already very impressive. At this moment. Deep beneath the Heavenly Demon Pce. A sacrificial altar, covered with inscribed prohibitive runes, was upied by a ck-robed Daoist sitting cross-legged. His white hair was spread out behind him at will, and his face was as gaunt as a skeleton. Suddenly, he opened his eyes, which were two burning purple-ck mes. A Bronze Mirror flew out from the sleeve, shimmering with demonic light, disying two faces on its surface. The left face had blood-red hair and pupils, and blood flowed down the face, as if it had just been fished out of a Blood Pool. The right face had a pale grayplexion with dead fish eyes, more white than ck, exuding a cold, deathly aura as if a corpse hade to life. The Daoist spoke in a low voice, "Blood friend, Gold friend, what business brings you to seek me out?" "Old Blind Man, no need to y ignorant." With a voice as cold as ice, Blood Devil Child said, "If we keep dragging this out, it won''t be long before the righteous path breaks through our formation, and then nothing will be left of the Heavenly Demon Sect!" Blind Daoist shook his head, "The Great Heavenly Demon Formation is far more ingenious and stable than the Ghost King Sect''s, and it''s been nearly half a year since any attack from the righteous path." "Old Blind Man, have you grown foolish as death nears, or do you not trust us and Blood friend?" Gold Daoist opened his mouth to reveal two sharp fangs, his voice sharp as metal, "Those old fools on the righteous path are deliberately dying, waiting for the Demonic Path to seek revenge, to use our hands to eliminate those small sects and factions, and then clean up the aftermath and unite the Nine Continents!" After the downfall of the Ghost King Sect, whether the righteous path''s touted formation-breaking methods were true or false, the bnce of power between the righteous and demonic paths waspletely disrupted, and the destruction of the Demonic Path was only a matter of time. "What can I do even if I''m aware of it?" Blind Daoist''s eyes flickered with purple fire as he said, "Xuan Xiao was born with the luck of the heaven and earth on his side, borrowing the forces of nature. We are but dry bones in ancient graves. Even if we exhaust our lifespan to hunt down the younger generation, it''s highly likely that we''ll be vainly sending ourselves to death!" Zhou Yi could see something was unusual about Xiao Tiezhu; how could the leaders of the righteous and demonic paths not know? That''s why they couldmand the various righteous sects through a junior. Unfortunately, by the time the Demonic Path realized it, Xiao Tiezhu had already grown powerful wings and it was already toote to turn the tide. With a cold voice, the Blood Devil Child said, "If that brat is borrowing the strength of heaven and earth, then let''s destroy this heaven and earth. Without the luck, he is nothing but a mere Nascent Soul!" Blind Daoist fell silent for a long while before saying, "The Heavenly Monarch only has a ''Heaven'' in his title, barely able tomand the power of heaven and earth. Compared to the vastness of heaven and earth, he''s nothing more than a strong ant. How could we talk about destroying heaven and earth?" "We obviously can''t destroy the entire heaven and earth, we only need to destroy some key aspects to cause a drastic change in the world," said Gold Daoist. "For example, the Spirit Veins!" Blind Daoist sighed, "I had already guessed your intentions. But the Spirit Veins are the source of Spiritual Energy; if they are destroyed, wouldn''t it ruin the foundation of the Cultivation World''s spirit veins across the Nine Continents and Four Seas?" "Humph! Old Blind Man, don''t put on a show of goodwill. What does it matter to you whether the Cultivation World is destroyed or not?" Blood Devil Child said, "Moreover, the Spirit Veins are governed by the rules of the heavenly order. Over time, they will recondense, and eventually, the Cultivation World will naturally recover and flourish." The blind daoist spoke, "The ancestral vein''s revival taking thousands to tens of thousands of years is unlikely. What benefits could I possibly reap from it? Either way, the sect faces destruction. If the ancestral vein remains unbroken, the Heavenly Demon Sect could still hide within the Four Seas and await an opportunity." "Heeheehee!" The golden daoistughed strangely, "Brother Blood has an ancient secret technique that can seal one''s lifespan, making a thousand years pass like a moment. In the future, when we take advantage of the Spirit Vein''s restoration, even if we can''t glimpse the stage of returning to nothingness, we can at least extend our lives by one lifetime!" Of the great eight sects of the Righteous and Demonic paths, only the Red Continent''s Blood God Sect truly inherited from an ancient grand sect and preserved many Divine Skills and secret techniques. "The cost required by this method is enormous!" The Blood Devil Child said, "Old blind man, make the decision yourself. Either face sect destruction and death, with your Dao dispersing, or risk your life on a bet, in wait for the right heavenly timing." "What price must be paid?" The blind daoist''s brows furrowed slightly, "Does it require the ughter of millions of living beings? Or a direct Blood Sacrifice of the beings of an entire continent? Now that the Righteous Path is flourishing, thetter would be a bit troublesome, but it''s still worth a try." "..." "..." The Blood Devil Child and the golden daoist were suddenly at a loss for words. It was no wonder that back in the day, he was known as the Heavenly Demon incarnate, with his demonic power shrouding the Nine Continents and Four Seas. The blind daoist shrugged and said, "Don''t make a big deal out of it. In this life, I have no grand ambitions; I simply want to extend my lifespan." The Blood Devil Child exined, "There''s no need for such a great cost. We only need to Blood Sacrifice the disciples of our sects,bined with Spiritual Objects and minerals to create sealing seals. The more cultivators sacrificed in the Blood Sacrifice, the longer the self-sealing time." "You call this a cost? Those little demons outside are destined to die by the Righteous and Demonic swords. Dying sooner orter makes no difference!" The blind daoist''s brow raised, reminding, "Blood friend, don''t try to deceive me. These Heavenly Demon eyes can see through the workings of fate. If I detect anything unusual, I will definitelye to have a word with you in the Blood Pool." "Ancestral veins revive slowly, taking thousands to tens of thousands of years." The Blood Devil Child said, "Even if we use this technique to self-seal, very few will actually survive the ordeal, perhaps one in ten. So there''s no need for me to deceive. Whoever lives to see through the great cmity, I hope they will aid and carry on the legacy for the other two sects." After talking, the Blood Devil Child carefully exined the technique of sealing lifespan to the blind daoist and the golden daoist. At its core was an ancient seal that couldpletely trap essence, energy, and spirit within stone, reducing the consumption of one''s lifespan to hundreds of times lower than outside. Heavenlyws are impartial¡ªthe actual consumption wouldn''t decrease but would be reced by the essence, energy, and spirit of other cultivators through the Sacrificial Method. Ordinary cultivators can rece the consumption of a Heavenly Monarch, and the difference in the cost is hundreds or thousands of times greater, which is why the more cultivators sacrificed, the longer the time of the seal. "Worthy of being an ancient grand sect, to possess such profound methods." Enjoy exclusive content from §Þ?? The blind daoist praised repeatedly, then his tone shifted as he said, "It''s said that the strongest among the ancient sects were the Sect of Severing Heaven and Sect of Repairing Heaven, akin to today''s Righteous and Demonic standoff; the Blood God Sect was merely considered an unconventional path. For such a grand sect, how could there not be a sealing technique? Is it possible that there are still inheritors alive in the world today?" "Perhaps there are, perhaps there aren''t; either way, it is irrelevant to us." The Blood Devil Child spoke, "Now, we have no other choice. Either we wait for Xuan Xiao toe knocking and be a stepping stone for the younger generation, or we flip this chessboard over!" The golden daoist spoke, "I have never followed Heaven''s arrangements. I prefer to ''flip the table'' when I''m doing anything. Old blind man, what do you think?" The blind daoist nodded, "How to destroy the ancestral vein, that''s something I''ll need guidance from Brother Blood on." "That''s easy; the three of us Heavenly Monarchs join forces at the core of the Spirit Vein to detonate the Sect''s Supreme Treasure. The power would surely beparable to a returning-to-nothingness strike. The ancestral vein is already extremely weak; otherwise, the Spiritual Energy wouldn''t continue to decline. A returning-to-nothingness strike would surely destroy it!" The Blood Devil Child said, "To avoid raising the suspicions of those on the Righteous Path, we must also instruct our minions to attack those smaller sects." The golden daoist said coldly, "I''ve long found the Five Spirits Sect irritating. It''s a good opportunity to let the little demons abduct them all. Serving them up as a Sacrifice can also extend our lifespans by some years." "That would work perfectly!" The blind daoist''s eyes shed with fire as he suddenly asked, "The One Qi Sect originates from the ancient Great Profound Sect; perhaps they also have a sealing technique. When the ancestral vein revives in the future, might we see old friends again?" "If that really happens, then we can greet each other as fellow daoists." The Blood Devil Child''s eerieughter apanied his words, as if he found the thought amusing. "The path of Heaven cannot be reversed; this self-sealing technique requires the sacrifice of other cultivators. Aftermitting such bloody deeds, how can they have the gall to call themselves the Righteous Path?" Chapter 182: Chapter 179 Ancestral Vein Severed ``` Eastern Sea. Earth Fire Pce. A streak of escaping light rose into the air, Zhou Yi looked around in all directions. The water and sky were one color, boundless at a nce. "Where does this sense of dreade from? Even the Minor Divination Technique can''t predict it, could it be that some Heavenly Monarch is coveting this poor Daoist?" Zhou Yi frowned deeply and patrolled around the Earth Fire Pce, finding nothing unusual. He controlled the escaping light and descended into the main hall, where Sect Leader Yuan Qi was discussing with several True Immortals how to deal with the changing situation in the Eastern Sea. Upon seeing Zhou Yi enter, he hurriedly performed a salutation. "Greetings, Elder." "No need for such formalities." Zhou Yi asked, "Has there been any movement from the Demon paths these past few days?" "The Nascent Soul Ancestors of the three Demon sects have been making raids and killings everywhere, mainly targeting the newly established minor sects and schools." Yuan Qi said, "Some days ago, news came that the three Demon Lords descended upon the Five Spirits Sect, brazenly breaking through the Sect Protection Array and abducting most of the disciples. Including Wan Bao, six True Immortals fell on the spot, and the rest scattered and fled." "Wan Bao is dead?" Zhou Yi paused for a moment, remembering that when he had first arrived at the Eastern Sea decades ago, it was Wan Bao who hosted him and gave him a ce to settle down. Wan Bao was not innately evil; back then, he joined the Jiuzhou Fumo for the chance to form his Nascent Soul, which was also considered umting merit. s, with the changes in heaven and earth, Wan Bao''s path to Nascent Soul was cut off, and his lifespan was not in his favor, so he shifted all his focus to managing the sect. The once-prominent Five Spirits Sect, known as the fifth star of righteousness, rose and fell within but a few decades¡ªa swift rise, an equally swift fall. "Elder, with Wan Bao dead, Red Cloud Ind has no True Immortal protection," Yuan Qi said. "The sects of the Eastern Sea are just waiting for the Five Spirits Sect to bepletely destroyed to divide up Red Cloud Ind; the most important is the artifact refining legacy. Elder, do you want to contend for it?" "No need!" Zhou Yi decisively refused. Wan Bao''s methods of refining and mastering artifacts were profound, but they couldn''tpare to one''s life and possessions. "Is there any other anomaly in the Eastern Sea, anything at all?" Yuan Qi said, "The True Sessor of the Ziyang Sect''s Heavenly Spiritual Root who went out traveling unexpectedly found a Core Formation Spiritual Object, and it''s quite bizarre." "Humph! The old man from Ziyang is on the brink of death and is desperately seeking a cure. Sooner orter, he will squander the ancestral wealth," Zhou Yi shook his head. "The little demon from the Ghost King Sect hasn''t been here long, he hasn''t evenpleted Foundation Establishment, he can''t stir up any significant trouble." Yuan Qi continued, "Rumor has it, Luo of the Heavenly Vault Sect has recently invited fellow Daoists, ostensibly to celebrate the refinement of the Lifespan Extension Pill, but in reality, it''s to covertly form an alliance and control the entire northwest territory of the Eastern Sea." While the Five Spirits Sect was present, the various sects of the Eastern Sea joined forces to resist encroachment, but now there were signs of a looming division. Zhou Yi scoffed, "They are but skeletons in the tomb; they will perish over a hundred and eighty years without a fight!" Yuan Qi felt helpless upon hearing this; true immortals from other sects were always impressive and powerful, while their own Supreme would speak casually of ousting this one or that one. "The rest are trivial matters, not worthy of the Elder''s attention." "It may not be cultivators, it could be something else." Zhou Yi asked, "For example, have there been any changes in the forbidden areas of the Eastern Sea, or has any anomaly appeared anywhere?" Enjoy exclusive adventures from §Þ?? After careful consideration, Yuan Qi shook his head, "The sect has disciples responsible for gathering information; we haven''t heard such rumors. Elder, you ask this way, has something big happened?" "It''s unclear." Zhou Yi couldn''t very well say that he was feeling baseless dread, so he took out a divination cylinder from his storage bag and cast the Minor Divination Technique again. The spiritual slip fell steadily to the ground. A neutral result. "What on earth is going on?" Zhou Yi left the main hall feeling bothered and intended to go back to the Hall of Spiritual Fire to pack up the Spiritual Objects and leave for the depths of the Eastern Sea to hide for a while. Suddenly. He looked up at the sky; the fierce sun was shining, but bizarrely, the sky was filled with stars, and another bright moon rose from the east. "The sun and moon in the sky, stars appearing during the day?" Zhou Yi felt an infinite murderous aura descending from the sky, his soul trembled, and illusions flooded his vision. He immediately sat cross-legged, reciting a mantra to cleanse his mind. "Elder!" Yuan Qi and the others''plexions changed drastically. If Elder Zhou were to encounter mishap, the Earth Fire Pce''s downfall was imminent. They hurried outside the pce walls, protecting Zhou Yi, and also witnessed the change in the sky. Looking at it even briefly caused their mana to reverse, and they spat out blood. "A celestial omen!" "The ancient texts record it: when the heavens send forth a killing intent, the constetions will shift!" ``` "What omen is this?" "It must be a matter concerning the entire Cultivation World..." As they spoke, a humming resonated between heaven and earth, the sound piercing directly into the soul. Hum¡ª¡ª The great sound was scarce, like the wailing and screaming of sorrow, prompting cultivators to feel an inexplicable sadness, as tears welled up in their eyes. Scenes flickered before their eyes, as if the heavens and earth were telling their tale. In the depths beneath the ground, three terribly imposing figures stood tall, like gods and demons in this world, followed by the eruption of ck, gray, and radiant treasure light... The ancestral vein shattered! The information was directly transmitted into the cultivators'' souls. Most people did not know what the ancestral vein was, and those who did wore fear and despair on their faces, with some even falling into devilish madness and perishing on the spot. "The old ancestors of the demonic path are truly mad to daremit such an act against the heavens!" Zhou Yi''splexion was pale as he stopped channeling mana, cutting himself off. He had only dared to contemte severing the ancestral vein, but others had gone ahead and acted on it. Yuan Qi, standing beside him, said in shock, "Elder, could the ancestral vein be the source of the Spirit Veins?" "Yes." Zhou Yi sighed and said, "All of the Spirit Veins under the heavens are branches of the ancestral vein. You should take a look and see if the Spirit Veins of our sect have changed." Yuan Qi immediately transformed into a streak of light and flew to the central ind to check. Momentster, he flew back, and uponnding, his legs went weak and he could barely stand. "Elder, the Spirit Veins are no longer producing Spiritual Energy... they have begun to dry up!" "From now on, every bit of Spiritual Energy in this world that we use is one less bit avable. Not to speak of breakthroughs to Golden Core and Nascent Soul, even just maintaining our current levels of cultivation is going to be an extravagant affair." Privately, Zhou Yi gave his secret approval to the strong work of Yellow Bull; thankfully, he had obtained the Innate Spirit Root of the Jian tree, otherwise, it would have been tough in the future. ... Ten Thousand Great Mountains. Greenwave Pond. Dragon Pce. The Dragon Lord Ao Cang was holding a wedding banquet to celebrate his marriage to his four hundred and fiftieth concubine, inviting subordinates and Demon Kings while secretly celebrating the internal chaos among the human cultivators. "Eat, eat, eat!" "Drink, drink, drink!" "Enjoy!" After downing a dozen jars of Spiritual Wine, the crowd of demons began to feel a bit tipsy and their speech grew more boisterous. "I heard there was a battle between righteousness and evil, and several Nascent Souls perished. Truly refreshing!" "Just wait a few hundred years. Once all the human Nascent Souls have perished, the Nine Continents will inevitably be ruled by the demon race." "Hehe, when the timees, this king will im a nation and take a seat on the throne as the Human Emperor." "Dragon Lord, blessed with great fortune, has obtained the Ten Thousand Years Spirit Medicine from the Four Spirits Hall. He is bound to advance to the rank of ancestor in the future." "It''s a pity that the holy pce appeared for only forty years before vanishing without a trace. Even with the divine skills and mana of the four ancient ancestors, they could not find the whereabouts of the holy pce, truly profound and extraordinary." "The Demon Saint''s mana reaches the heavens, not something we can casually discuss!" Ao Cang sat on the dragon throne, savoring wine, listening to the ttery of the demons, and couldn''t help but show a smug expression, letting his thoughts wander to a future where he reigned supreme over the Nine Continents, bing an emperor to be remembered for all eternity. "Although my realm is not that of a true Demon Emperor, to rule over the Nine Continents and the Four Seas is to be the Emperor of All ns..." Suddenly. Humming sounded through heaven and earth, sorrow emerged, and scenes began to appear before his eyes. Ao Cang''s eyes bulged in shock, and he felt his mana reversing, causing him to spit out a mouthful of purple blood. "The ancestral vein severed! How is this possible?" All ns and schemes were based on the existence of Spiritual Energy. Without it, the demon race would sooner orter devolve into beasts, bing food for ordinary humans. How could they aspire to be the Emperor of All ns then? In the face of the earth-shattering changes, every dream was rendered void, leaving only the struggle to survive! The demons in the pce also understood the importance of the ancestral vein and began to beat their chests and stamp their feet, looking up to the sky in despair, and wailing! Momentster. The figure of the Dragon Emperor appeared, his gaze sweeping over the assembly of demons as hemanded in a cold voice. "I give you one month''s time to scour the entire Ten Thousand Great Mountains for all Spiritual Objects and bring everything to Greenwave Pond." "Defiance will be met with death!" Chapter 183: Chapter 180: The Earth-Shaking Changes The Qi Sect of Yu Continent. The back mountain. After the earthshaking change in the heavens and earth, a terrifying presence enveloped a thousand miles around, and all disciples prostrated on the ground to worship, silently waiting for the Heavenly Monarch''s wrath to dissipate. "Blind Taoist! Blood Devil Child! Golden Corpse... you all deserve to die!" Rainbow light soared into the sky, sensing the location of the Supreme rity Divine Talisman and flew towards Ji Continent to the southwest. The Divine Transformation Heavenly Monarch had already been able to harness the power of heaven and earth; as the light streaked across the sky, the void slightly distorted, disappearing into the horizon as if it flickered and teleported. Several hourster. The light appeared outside the Heavenly Demon Sect, where the Sect Protection Array that once enveloped the Spirit Vein was now riddled with holes. The allied forces of the righteous path had breached the Heavenly Demon Sect but felt not an ounce of joy, either controlling Magic Artifacts or standing on the ground, their eyes lifeless and looking around nkly. The inside of the Heavenly Demon Sect waspletely empty, and thend for a thousand miles around was dead silent, without even the sound of insects or birds. Only the numerous white bones on the ground, which creaked and cracked underfoot, testified that this ce was a devil''sir. The iconic Heavenly Demon Pce in the center had no more Formation and Prohibition or, to put it differently, the formation patterns couldn''t function without the Spirit Stones to sustain them. The Heavenly Monarch swept his Divine Sense over the entire Heavenly Demon Sect and likewise found no sign of any living creature. "Amitabha!" A Buddha''s name rang out, and a yellow-clothed monk holding prayer beads and standing barefoot on a Dharma wheel appeared out of thin air. "Heavenly Monarch Yuan Ling has arrived ahead of us. Have you found any clues? How could those three old fellows suddenly go mad and join forces to destroy the sect''s lineage?" "I do not know." However, a mad glint shed in Heavenly Monarch Yuan Ling''s eyes. ording to the sect''s secret texts, those three old devils must have performed a Blood Sacrifice on their disciples to seal their own lifespan. The Qi Sect also had simr secret techniques, but they were too bloody and the survival rate was low; so far, nobody had used them. "I do so for the continuation of our ancestors'' legacy, in hopes that once the sect''s lineage is restored, the Qi Sect will be the Leader of the Orthodox Path!" A momentter. A streak of sword light broke through the sky and transformed into a white-robed Taoist. His Divine Sense swept over the Heavenly Demon Sect, his brows furrowing deeply. "Heavenly Monarch Yuan Ling, Monk Miao Shan, I hurried here from the Blood God Cult and the Heavenly Corpse Sect, and the situation there was exactly the same. Those three old ghosts are heartless and ruthless; they must have performed a Blood Sacrifice on their disciples and disciples. What''s their n?" Heavenly Monarch Yuan Ling shook his head slightly and said with sped hands. "With the sect''s lineage cut off, each whiff of Spiritual Energy in the future will be precious. I shall return and call back my disciples to seal the mountain gate, just hoping that the lineage of our sect will continue!" Having said that, he transformed into a light and departed. ... Qianjing. The residence of the Marquis of Valor. The back garden. Two servants were digging a hole under a tree; next to themy the corpse of a maid, who seemed to have died not long ago. "The Princely Heir is getting more and more depraved. How many has it been this month?" "Four or five? Why do you care so much? They were all bonded to death when they were sold into the manor¡ªit''s not against thew to beat them to death." "To think the Princely Heir is actually a eunuch by nature, tsk tsk!" "The Princely Heir''s consort is even more remarkable. I heard someone saw her at night, getting involved with the coachman on the carriage..." The two spoke in hushed tones, suddenly feeling a cold wind blow by, sending shivers down their necks. At this moment. The corpse that was lying on the ground suddenly grew long fangs from its mouth, its fingertips extended into half-a-foot long ck ws, white fluffy hair grew all over the body, and in an instant, its eyes snapped open. The zombie leapt to its feet, grabbed the servants by their necks, and with a jerk, pulled out their heads along with half of their spines. Gurgling... Then itid its face on the neck of a servant, instinctively sucking the essence and fresh blood, its white hair gradually turning blood-red. A momentter. Only two dry corpses remained on the ground, as the zombies'' noses twitched, sniffing out the scent of the living to begin their hunt within the marquis'' residence. With a poption of three to four million in Qianjing City, even with Emperor Guangming''s diligent governance and rtively clean administration, it was difficult to purify the various dark and hidden aspects of the underworld. The zombies in the Marquis of Valor''s residence were not an isted case; in certainrge estates, skeletal heads would fly out of dried wells to bite anyone they saw, and water ghosts would crawl out of sewage ponds to drag and gnaw on unsuspecting passersby. The Imperial Pce was no safer, with wronged spirits appearing in the Cold Pce and fierce ghosts climbing out of wells. Fortunately, there were celestial masters stationed there, who cast Lightning Methods to obliterate the ghostly entities, and the Li Imperial n narrowly escaped disaster. As the main vein of Spiritual Energy had dissipated, causing the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth to be overly concentrated, it gave rise to many fierce spirits and ghosts, leaving the Imperial n cultivators powerless to care for themon people, and they could only send out continuous calls for help. At this time. A terrifying Divine Sense swept across Qianjing City, followed by hundreds of Yin Thunders that struck down, reducing the rampaging wronged spirits and fierce ghosts to flying ash. ... The Eastern Sea. The Earth Fire Pce. Zhou Yi sat in the main seat,forting the Foundation Establishment cultivators below with sorrowful expressions. "After ying the Blood Moon Demon Monarch, we obtained arge amount of Spirit Stones, likely resources that the Ghost King Sect had eroded from the Eastern Sea. Even without the ancestral vein, as long as we conserve the use of Spirit Stones, at least... we canst until all our lifespans are exhausted!" Yuan Qi said with a bitter face, "My lifespan is not long, soon I won''t need Spirit Stones anymore, nor will I sit in meditation for Qi Refinement." Several elderly cultivators nodded in agreement, as they had no chance of forming a Golden Core anyway. As long as they maintained their Foundation Establishment cultivation and did not lose lifespan, the difference from before was not significant. The newly advanced three true cultivators also expressed their willingness to cut back on their Spirit Stone stipends, tightening their belts to endure the hard times. Zhou Yi pondered for a moment and then said, "With the ancestral veins severed, there will inevitably be surging Spiritual Energy that dissipates, bing thinner as it spreads from the center of the Nine Continents. By relocating our sect into the Nine Continents and relying on the Spirit Gathering Array for support, our sect can survive a bit longer." Yuan Qi voiced his concerns, "The Nine Continents are under the jurisdiction of both the righteous and demonic sects, might our actions anger them...?" "With the current rate of depletion of the Spirit Veins, in no more than three to five months, there will be no more Spirit Veins left in the world." Zhou Yi exined, "The cores of the Spirit Capturing Formations are gone; relying solely on setting up Spirit Gathering Arrays, we can affect at most a few hundred miles around. The Earth Fire Pce can choose a deste mountain to gather Spiritual Energy to establish a sect. What concern do the righteous and demonic paths have for us now?" Explore stories on §Þ?? "It''s up to manager Zhai to make a trip to Cloud Continent, find a suitable mountain, and after the Spirit Veins run dry, we''ll move there." "At yourmand." True Cultivator Zhai turned into a streak of light and flew towards Cloud Continent. Just at that moment, the rich Spiritual Energy spread from the Nine Continents to the Eastern Sea, even denser than the Spirit Veins of the Earth Fire Pce had been before. Yuan Qi and the others still wore expressions of sorrow; no matter how rich the Spiritual Energy, as it continued to be depleted day by day, it would notst long. In the future, they would have to rely on Spirit Stones and Spiritual Objects to sustain their sect. Zhou Yi continued to instruct on several matters, such as everyone working hard to refine Array tes for the Spirit Gathering Array, the sect''s subordinated Spiritual Object Veins being excavated destructively, and Spirit Stones as strategic materials no longer being exchanged for meritorious deeds, among other things. Yuan Qi asked, "Elder, should we dismiss some disciples with poor aptitude?" Zhou Yi pondered for a long while, then slightly shook his head. "Let''s take them all to the Nine Continents. Since the Cultivation World is destined to decline, there''s no need to further dishearten our disciples!" ... Hall of Spiritual Fire. The secluded cultivation room. Zhou Yi subconsciously activated the Formation and Prohibition, but remembering that the formation required the use of Spirit Stones, he only activated the Concealment Array. "I must get used to the hard times, for the days toe will be even harder!" He took out an Innate Spirit Root Jiamu from his storage bag; it was still a tender sprout, but it had grownrger by two rings than before. "Jiamu, Jiamu, when the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth eventually disappears, I will have to rely on you. Let''s help each other. I will provide you with lifespan, and you will provide me with Spiritual Energy!" Zhou Yi performed the Jade Dew Art, gathering Creation Dew to water the Jiamu, carefully sensing the dispersing Spiritual Energy. "The Spiritual Energy hasn''t decreased at all; in fact, due to the sprout growing bigger, even more Spiritual Energy has been converted." "I must ripen the Jiamu into a sapling before the Spiritual Energypletely vanishes. It should sustain my Golden Core Realm cultivation!" Chapter 184: Chapter 181: Amassing Spiritual Objects The Cultivation World had no novelties, and news about the ancestral vein could not be concealed. There was no need to discuss the origin or past of the ancestral vein, just the term "source of Spiritual Energy" alone drove countless cultivators to despair, giving rise to inner demons. The path of cultivation was severed, and the hope for eternal life was lost! The sects of the Eastern Sea originally intended to keep a lid on the matter, nning to exchange their inherited teachings and scriptures for Spirit Stones before the news spread, aiming to heavily exploit the Loose Cultivators. Seeing the news spreading, the value of Spirit Stones doubled, so they simply started robbing directly! Golden Elixir True Monarchs cast aside their pride, going on killing sprees to plunder Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivators, all to gather enough Spiritual Objects tost until their dying day. Whenever a cmity urred in the Cultivation World, Loose Cultivators were the first to suffer; after all, bullying ten weaklings was safer than fighting a cultivator of equal rank. Zhou Yi made noment on the situation, nor did he have the power to, merely instructing Yuan Qi to promulgate sect rules. "Those with unsteady Daoist hearts shall be expelled from the sect!" Without the shelter of a sect, these disciples were likembs to the ughter. Those with restless minds began to earnestly engage in self-preservation under the strict enforcement of rules. The core strategy was to amass Spiritual Objects¡ªevery Spiritual Mine, Spiritual Medicine, and Spiritual Material containing Spiritual Energy was to be sealed into the sect''s treasure vault. Spiritual Mines, nourished by the Spirit Vein, gave birth to various mystical attributes, their essence simr to Spirit Stones and capable of extracting internal Spiritual Energy for cultivation. Initially intended for Artifact Refining and Alchemy, they would increase in value manifold after usage, which is why few used them for cultivation! But now, they were all unearthed and reserved as substitutes for Spirit Stones. Next was to refine more Spirit Gathering Array tes, as each strand of Spiritual Energy emitted from the broken ancestral vein that could be captured saved one Spirit Stone. That day. Hall of Spiritual Fire. Zhou Yi was seated cross-legged, recovering his Mana. Since the ancestral vein shattered half a month ago, he had stopped practicing the Pure Yang Scripture. Every day he cast the divination technique six times, spending the rest of the time without eating, drinking, or sleeping, devoting all his energy to performing the Jade Dew Art and recovering Mana, striving to mature the Jian Wood. Thump thump thump! Knocking sounds transmitted. "Come in." To set an example, Zhou Yi had deactivated all the Formation and Prohibition in the pce, also abandoning the use of jade slips formunication. Sparing no effort to save Spirit Stones, their way of life seemed to have fallen from the Cultivation World to the mundane world. However, the sect''s True Monarchs and disciples readily epted the new rules withoutints. Reforms from the top down were more gentle and smooth. "Paying respects to the elder, disciples from Nanxi Ind suffered a sneak attack and three Qi Refinement disciples died." Yuan Qi pushed the door open and entered with a troubled expression: "ording to the disciples who escaped, the offenders were from the Starry Sky Sect, and the vein of fiery copper has fallen into their hands." Zhou Yi, puzzled, said, "Isn''t Li the old monster from the Starry Sky Sect busy chasing and killing Loose Cultivators everywhere?" "Elder, there are no more Loose Cultivators in the Eastern Sea." Yuan Qi''s expression was sorrowful: "It is rumored that True Monarch Li has reached thete phase of the Golden Core and is among the top five in strength in the Eastern Sea. Now that he has set his sights on the Earth Fire Pce, should we abandon the mine and move to the Nine Continents sooner?" "Li the old monster is fighting and killing everywhere. Go gather some objects tinged with his aura," Zhou Yi pondered for a moment and instructed. "Also, send a message to the disciples in the sect to prepare. After assimting the Starry Sky Sect, we''ll relocate the entire sect immediately!" "As youmand." Yuan Qi bowed to take his leave, transforming into a streak of light as he departed. "Nine Continents, be stable!" Zhou''s brows slightly furrowed. In theory, the deepest part of the Eastern Sea was currently the safest ce; devoid of any Spiritual Energy, one could hide for three to five hundred years until Xiao Tiezhu passed away, leaving no Nascent Soul Daoists in the world. It was possible that a few Golden Elixir True Monarchs would remain, but Zhou Yi wasn''t afraid. Only then would the Nine Continents truly be the safest ce. "However, as the Mana in the Nine Continents recovers quickly, it''s imperative to mature the Jian Wood early. Only after theplete cessation of Spiritual Energy can we ensure that the Golden Core cultivation level doesn''t fall. Yet falling in realm seems to be more stable than taking the risk to prematurely mature the Jian Wood?" "For now, let''s observe the situation in the Nine Continents. The moment I sense those old monsters going mad, I''ll immediately seek refuge in the deep parts of the Eastern Sea!" "With the Xuanwu Divine Armor protecting my body, even if I encounter a Nascent Soul ancestor, I''ll be able to save my life." Zhou Yi repeatedly deliberated on the follow-up matters, determined to safely get through this period, waiting for the time when Spiritual Energy emerged once again. Perhaps it would take thousands or even tens of thousands of years, and by that time, he would be the sole survivor in the world. "The path of immortality is lonely, one walks alone!" At that moment, a streak of escape light fell into the hall, transforming into a man with the head of a bull holding ten strands of hair. The Yellow Bull said, "Immortal Master, these are the hairs of Demon Kings from the One Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, with representatives from all four Imperial ns, specifically selected from those rich in Spiritual Objects." "This humble Daoist finds it difficult to plunder human cultivators for their skins. These man-eating demons, however, once they are killed, they are killed!" Zhou Yi took the hairs and arranged them ording to their aura, instructing, "Kill them in this order, one by one with curses. Bull, wait in the mountains. Every time this humble Daoist activates the Blood Covenant, it signifies a sessful curse kill, and you must immediately plunder the Demon King''s cave dwelling." In face of the great catastrophe, Zhou Yi did notmit evil, but he was not overly pedantic. The more Spiritual Objects gathered now, the longer they could be maintained in the future! "As youmand." Just as the Yellow Bull was about to transform into escape light and depart, he heard Zhou Yi ask, "Bull, the Four Spirits Holy Temple has hidden itself away. The Tortoise Prime Minister and the other two may evade the great catastrophe. It was you who first discovered the temple; yet a few hundred yearster, you could do nothing but watch as your lifespan ended and your Dao dissipated. This weighs heavily on the heart of this humble Daoist!" "For the Immortal Master to say so, I am already deeply grateful." The Yellow Bull, with a solemn expression, bowed and said, "If it weren''t for the Immortal Master''s rescue, I, old Bull, would have be someone''s meal. Living for a few hundred more years is already a great profit, and I could never repay your immense kindness, even if my body dies and my Dao vanishes!" "Go." Zhou Yi waved his hand and looked down at the Jianmu. The lush tender sprouts continuously emitted pure Spiritual Energy, growing stronger each day, starkly out of ce in this deste and decaying world. A few days passed in the blink of an eye. Zhou Yi, gauging that the Yellow Bull had reached the One Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, took out the Demonic God Altar. The first he chose was the Fire Lion Demon King under themand of the Qingqiu. "Fire Lion, fellow Daoist, rest in peace. Spiritual Objects cannot be brought with you at birth, nor taken with you in death. By giving them to this humble Daoist, you can umte some merit." "This humble Daoist will remember your kindness. There won''t be a shortage of paper offerings before your tomb!" After saying this, Zhou Yi threw the hair into the altar and began to cast the Netherworld Curse. The first attempt sessfully shortened his lifespan by two hundred years. After casting the spell three times in session, the eyes of the Ghost Deity Statue turned blood-red and its eight arms formed seals, indicating that the Fire Lion Demon King was dead. He triggered the Blood Covenant to inform the Yellow Bull and plunder the remaining Spiritual Objects of the Demon King. Half an hourter, Zhou Yi once again cast the curse to kill a Demon King, repeating this cycle until all ten Demon Kings had their lifespans and Dao extinguished. "Demon Kings are not as wealthy as True Monarchs, but the quantity is sufficient. Ten Demon Kings make for arge sum of Spiritual Objects. The Demonic Dao''s secret techniques truly suit this humble Daoist, no need for fighting or ughter, just a minor loss of seven to eight thousand years of lifespan!" A few dayster, the Yellow Bull returned from the One Hundred Thousand Great Mountains. After entering the Hall of Spiritual Fire, he spewed out hundreds of storage bags. Zhou Yi casually pulled one over, his Divine Sense scanning through it to find it filled with Spirit Stones, Spirit Ores, and Spiritual Medicine. He asked with curiosity, "Which Demon King was so wealthy?" "Immortal Master, I have inquired clearly," the Yellow Bull reported, "After the progenitor vein was severed, the four Demon Emperors ordered all Demon Kings to scavenge all the Spiritual Objects in the mountains, which is why there is such an abundance of umtions." "The Demon n, unlike the human cultivators, relies on bloodline inheritance and is privy to many ancient secret techniques." Zhou Yi spected, "Perhaps the four Demon Emperors have a method to avoid the catastrophe and require a massive amount of Spiritual Objects for the execution. This humble Daoist has unexpectedly intercepted twenty to thirty percent, which will surely anger the four Emperors. It is best to cast a divination first." He shook the divination container and the divining rods fell out smoothly onto the ground. A middle sign. "Cursing and killing from tens of thousands of miles away, it will not be easy for Demon Emperors to trace. Still, to be safe, it''s better to retreat to the Nine Continents sooner." As Zhou Yi contemted this, he was nning to summon Yuan Qi, when knocking sounds from outside the temple were heard. He waved his hand, storing the Yellow Bull in the Beast Controlling Bag. Yuan Qi entered, pushing the door open, and took out a meditation mat from his storage bag. "Elder, this is the meditation mat of True Monarch Li, which this humble Daoist bought from his grandson for five hundred Spirit Stones. It surely retains his aura!" Chapter 185: Chapter 182: Establishing a Sect Several dayster. Li the entric died suddenly and inexplicably. The Earth Fire Pce had plundered the Starry Sky Sect and then emerged victorious. ... In Da Qian. Seven hundred li southeast of the capital city, there was a stretch of continuous peaks. In the midst of these mountains stood a peak hundreds of zhang tall, surrounded by clouds at its waist, known as White Cloud Peak. On this day. The peak''s summit flickered with spiritual light, and over a thousand figures burst forth from the ground, led by none other than Zhou Yi. More than three thousand disciples of the Earth Fire Pce, many with families or nostalgic for their ancestralnd, were unwilling to relocate to the Nine Continents; the sect did not force them, instead leaving behind some spiritual objects for their cultivation. "The grand cmity hase, testing the hearts of us cultivators all the more. Meet others with warmth and confront challenges with openness!" Zhou Yi didn''t just preach by word but lead by example, and that was the true way to pacify his followers. Yuan Qi sensed that the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was much richer than that of the Eastern Sea and asked, "Elder, shall we establish and build our sect on this mountain?" "No!" Zhou Yi pointed to the ground, "Three hundred zhang below the surface, we will carve out our sect''s stronghold. On the surface, we will only build a minor Taoist temple to leave a true person posing as a loose cultivator." Yuan Qi silently put away the grand founding ceremony ns, puzzled: "Why three hundred zhang? Digging so deep might affect the concentration of spiritual energy." Zhou Yi exined, "This elder once consulted the texts, a Nascent Soul ancestor with a casual strike can prate two hundred zhang of the earth''s veins. Three hundred zhangbined with the Sect Protection Array is enough to repel any external enemies, providing ample time for escape!" "As youmand." Yuan Qi turned to instruct the disciples to enter the earth ording to the sect''s blueprints. The disciples were also surprised upon receiving the order; they had only heard of sect establishments being celebrated with grand feasts and inviting friends from all directions, but never of excavating a sect underground. And they got to work. The cultivators dug rapidly with their spells, and in just over ten days, they had formed the embryonic shape of the sect, with structures identical to those in the Eastern Sea as if the Earth Fire Pce had been moved underground. After the construction of the Earth Fire Pce waspleted, the grand founding ceremony invited no outsiders. In front of the main hall''s za. Over a hundredrge round tables were set up,den with spiritual wine and dishes, and a few spirit fruits. Zhou Yi and eight Foundation Establishment true persons shared a table, filled their cups with spiritual wine, and he toasted aloud. "This poor Daoist has cultivated for two hundred years and fortuitously condensed the Golden Core. I too once dreamed of breaking through to the Nascent Soul and achieving the status of an ageless ancestor. s, I encountered this drastic change in heaven and earth, the path of cultivation cut off. Now, I must dwell underground and quietly await the end of my life." "If you all wish to follow the sect and traveled across the vast ocean to the Nine Continents, then I make you a promise." Zhou Yi sighed, "In the future, I shall see each of you off one by one until only I am left in the sect. Before departing, I will burn incense and paper offerings in front of everyone''s grave!" The new Earth Fire Pce had specially opened a cemetery, where over a thousand stone steles stood, each disciple carving their own epitaph. When their lifespan was exhausted, someone would bury them there. Zhou Yi finished his spiritual wine in one gulp and said, "My friends, let us drink heartily!" "Drink heartily!" Over a thousand disciples roared their agreement, their reverence for Zhou Yi nowparable to that for a founding ancestor. With a sip of Soul Soothing Intoxication, it warmed their divine souls and stirred their mncholic thoughts. Some younger disciples couldn''t help but weep softly. Zhou Yi sighed and did not stop them; the drastic changes in heaven and earth were hardest on the young and talented cultivators. The older cultivators would survive until the end of their lifespans, having already had no chance of ascension, only that life would be tougher in the future. The talented cultivators had just stepped on the path of immortality, to witness their path cut off before their eyes! Suddenly, a disciple shouted out loud, "Elder Tang, when I die, can you pour me a jug of spiritual wine?" "Of course." Zhou Yi poured himself a full cup with a smile, raised it, and said, "First, drink with me. I''ll seal this jug with a restriction, and in the future, at your grave, we will share the drink: you inside and me outside." The disciple was taken aback, never expecting to receive such a promise from the elder, and nodded vigorously. "Thank you, Elder!" Another disciple mustered the courage to call out, "I want to burn more paper money so that when I enter the underworld, I can be better off." Zhou Yi raised his ss and said, "Is ten thousand pieces of spirit money enough?" "Enough, enough, let''s seal the deal." "Seal the deal!" "Meticulously!" "Hahaha..." The disciples found talking with Zhou Yi amusing, which instantly dissipated any gloom. After three to five cups of Spiritual Wine, their spirits were slightly tipsy, and the atmosphere heated up again. This past month, the sect had tightened all expenses; the supply of Spiritual Wine and exquisite spirit dishes had long been cut off, leaving them to fill their bellies with Spirit Rice. Today''s banquet celebrating the founding of the sect meant an unlimited supply of Spiritual Wine, a luxury they wouldn''t have for dozens of years toe¡ªthey had to savor it to the fullest! "Senior Brother, why do we call it Earth Fire Pce, yet now it''s be an ''earth pce''?" "Looking at this stone hall, the night pearls... I suddenly get a rather eerie feeling." "I''ve heard that all kinds of demons are running rampant in the Nine Continents these days. With the heavy yin energy here underground, we won''t start attracting ghosts and goblins, will we?" "It would be great if ghosts did show up! Free Soul Beads for us. If we run out of Spiritual Objects in the future, we can use them to cultivate Ghost Path methods." "Makes sense. Should we set up a Gathering Yin Formation?" "..." The banquetsted for a day and a night. After digesting the Spiritual Wine, the disciples began setting up the Sect Protection Array. The Supreme Elder emphasized repeatedly that the Nine Continents, unlike the barren Eastern Sea, couldn''t rely solely on a Golden Elixir True Monarch to safeguard the sect. Therefore, the Sect Protection Array needed to prioritize defense and concealment. On a regr day, not a wisp of aura leaked out, so no one knew there was a Golden Core Sect near Divine Capital. Even if a Nascent Soul elder attacked, they would have to hold out for a while, giving the disciples time to scatter and flee. Meanwhile. A small Taoist temple was established on the peak of White Cloud Mountain, named White Cloud Temple, with True Man Zhai in charge. There were more than a dozen disciples in the temple, both old and young, ranging from the early to thete stages of Qi Refinement, truly the spitting image of a Loose Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment. This was the Earth Fire Pce''s overt and covert intelligencework, responsible for making connections with cultivators near Divine Capital and gathering intelligence from the Cultivation World. True Man Zhai, with over a hundred years under his belt and only a decade or two left to live, coupled with his mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation being neither high nor low, was someone no one would deliberately guard against, a dying old Taoist priest. He also followed Zhou Yi''s advice to use high-grade Magic Artifacts in his daily life, deliberately worn and ragged to appear penniless. Inside his storage bag, he hid aplete set of top-quality protective and offensive Magic Artifacts, as well as a Earth Fire Bead and Spirit Talismans bestowed by Zhou Yi, so that even if he encountered a fake pill cultivator, he could put up a fight. ... Hall of Spiritual Fire. Zhou Yi took out a storage bag to inventory the relics left by Old Monster Li. "Over a million Spirit Stones; how many Loose Cultivators did this old fellow kill to loot such a hefty fortune?" "Hundreds of legacy jade slips; truly, crime does pay." "Starry Secret Record; harnessing the power of the stars, refining it into special mana. Once the technique is fully mastered, one can condense a Star Body!" A Body is a unique Divine Skill of the Golden Core Stage, much like how Foundation Establishment can condense Divine Sense, but it''s not something that every True Monarch can achieve. The most famous Body in the Nine Continents is the Blood God Body; once refined, one''s body transforms into a Blood God Child, nearly illusory andpletely under the caster''s control. In a fray, merely by merging with the opponent one can devour them clean, and during escape, even a tiny droplet of blood can reform the entire body. "Starry Secret Record can condense a Body, a top-tier Cultivation Technique of the Golden Core Realm, far surpassing the Pure Yang Scripture. I will gradually transition my mana to it over time!" Zhou Yi carefully memorized the Starry Secret Record and continued to examine the other jade slips. "Earth Fiend Refining Manual¡ªthere are evenments by True Lord Wan Bao. Did Old Monster Li also partake in the siege of Red Cloud Ind?" After their ancestral lineage broke, Red Cloud Ind was in an even sorrier state than Loose Cultivators; without the protection of a Golden Elixir True Monarch and after inheriting part of the Five Spirits Sect''s legacy, they were like a juicy morsel among the Eastern Sea''s sects. Zhou Yi studied the manual intently and found that the method of Earth Fiend Refining Manual differed from the current Cultivation World''s approach. Unlike the usual method of refining magic artifacts by following blueprints that fuse various Spiritual Objects with enchantments, it sought a core Spiritual Object and inscribed Earth Fiend enchantments onto it. "Depending on the material, a Spiritual Object can hold a varying number of Earth Fiend enchantments; engraving eighty-one inscriptions perfects the artifact." "The jade slip contains over one hundred and eighty different Earth Fiend enchantments, each representing different functions, capable of beingbined and refined into protective, offensive, and other types of artifacts." Zhou Yi immediately realized where Wan Bao got his multitude of artifacts. He did not need to search for various artifact blueprints; just finding top-tier Spiritual Objects was enough. "I will study this further in the future. With a flick of my wrists, detonating more than a dozen artifacts, even Nascent Soul elders would have to stay clear!" Chapter 186 - 183: Slaying Demons and Eliminating Evil Scripture Hall. "The Tao arises from nothingness, the divine coalesces from the void, from one Yin and one Yang, all things are nurtured." "The Tao is such that, making use of the Five Elements for its purpose, thus through transmutation and session, life begets life unceasingly¡­" Zhou Yi, wearing the Heavens-reaching Jade Crown and d in a Great Purple Taoist Robe, sat upright in a perilous position, his hands holding the scripture scroll as he read out loud eloquently. After the recitation of the ancient sages¡¯ scriptures concluded, he began to exin it word by word, sentence by sentence, Zhou Yi was now eight hundred and twenty-six years old. Since the very first Cultivation Technique from the heavenly prison was a Taoist martial art, and after moving from ce to ce, like Little Dan Mountain and the Righteous Sun Abyss, he had cultivated for over eight hundred years and had never ceased to recite andprehend the works of the ancients. Now, as he lectured, he cited the ssics with ease, his words flowing like a river,bining other Taoist scriptures and extending into the wonderful uses of immortal path techniques. The profound meaning hidden within brief words, reaching all the way to the essence of cultivation. s, among the thousand-plus disciples listening to the teachings below, few were able to focus with rapt attention. Some were restless and distracted, others had their minds wandering off, and some were even on the verge of falling asleep. Having finished one volume of "Master Fubo¡¯s Treatise on Resolving Doubts and Pointing Out Mysteries," Zhou Yi¡¯s mana had mostly recovered, and he was ready to leave to continue ripening the Jianmu. Then, a disciple below stood up and paid his respects. Yu Shou bowed deeply and said, "Elder, your disciple is troubled by doubts." "Speak." Zhou Yi descended from the flight light, his mana still circting non-stop, constantly absorbing spiritual energy. The spiritual energy in Nine Continents was far more abundant than in the Eastern Sea, allowing recovery of mana four or five times a day without using Spirit Stones or consuming elixirs. Seeing that the elder¡¯s tone was gentle and he was usually kind, Yu Shou plucked up the courage to say, "Disciple does not understand, with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth bing ever sparser and the way of the Dao severed, why does the elder still insist on lecturing on the scriptures?" The disciples whose minds had been wandering perked up their ears, and those who had been dozing off instantly awoke. Zhou Yi smiled and said, "I remember you, attached to your parents and family, never intending to follow the sect to the Nine Continents." "Thank you, elder, for your concern." Yu Shou¡¯s eyes reddened slightly. He knelt to the ground and kowtowed three times, "When the ancestral vein was severed, disciple left the sect to return home, only to find my parents had already passed away. After paying respects at their graves, there was nothing left to hold me in the Eastern Sea." Zhou Yi asked, "You are diligent in listening to the scriptures on regr days. Tell me, how do my current lectures differ from the original ones?" Yu Shou thought carefully and said, "Originally, the elder¡¯s lectures were practical, but in the past year, they have tended towards abstraction, discussing the great Dao, longevity, and attaining immortality!" "Very good." Zhou Yi¡¯s gaze swept across the disciples and said, "This elder, as well as the True Monarchs of our sect, are of course aware of your troubled minds. Clearly, there is no hope for the Dao, yet you are confined within the underground pce with no freedom." "The underground pce is cold; how can itpare to the delightful world above with its mundane glories and riches?" The disciples blushed with shame upon hearing this. Taoist cultivators who had recited scriptures since a young age and were taught from the beginning that cultivation must remain pure and natural, having no desire for worldly luxuries. Yet, after a year of secluded cultivation in the underground pce, many disciples were discussing in private, full of resentment about the sect¡¯s restriction against leaving the underground pce. "How easy is it to seek wealth and status? If you go out now, relying on your cultivation and spells, you can indeed live a wealthy and carefree life." Zhou Yi then asked, "However, as the spiritual energy of this world visibly thins, a time wille when cultivators are scarce until theypletely disappear. What will you do then, without spells?" Yu Shou pondered for a moment and said, "Does the elder mean to say that one can exchange the works of the ancients for wealth and status?" "A teachable child indeed." Zhou Yi nodded and said, "There are always people in this world seeking immortality, or at least those who dream of it. Such people hold wealth and power. Just by being versed in the scriptures of longevity, even without casting spells or practicing alchemy, one can earn wealth and status!" The disciples in the hall suddenly understood; the words of a Golden Elixir True Monarch would never be wrong, and their resentment dissolved in an instant. Yu Shou asked, "When shall we wait until?" Zhou Yi feigned calction with his fingers and answered, "Keep a peaceful mind; the opportune time wille!" ... Da Qian Capital. Spring Breeze Building. Even after decades, the business was still booming. Zhou Yi used the Transforming Shape Form to change into a young master, his cultivation level appearing as Qi Refinement thirdyer, as he swaggered in. Enjoy more content from NovelBin.C?m After Da Qian unified the Cloud Continent, there were already many Loose Cultivators in the capital. After the ancestral veins were severed, even more cultivators gathered here, indulging in the worldly glory and riches. Just as he stepped through the door, he breathed in the familiar scent of greasepaint. Before the madam coulde over to wee him, an old Taoist approached, with his long face, two tufts of beard, and two brows arching obliquely. "Fellow Daoist, are you looking for scriptures?" Zhou Yi swept over him with his Divine Sense. The old Taoist was at the seventhyer of Qi Refinement and inquired, "What kind of scriptures?" The old Taoist saw Zhou Yi¡¯s interest in buying and immediately brightened up, pulling him into a luxurious private room on the second floor. He shooed away more than a dozen girls and pulled out four jade slips from his storage bag. "I am Xu Ling, a master of the four arts of immortal cultivation, possessing items of extraordinary origin which certainly cannot bepared to those Wild Taoist Priests!" Zhou Yi casually picked up a jade slip, his Divine Sense sweeping through it, revealing more than ten types of Formation within. One among them, called the Speck of Dust Formation, was wondrously profound, said to be capable of shrinking thousands of miles ofnd into a single speck of dust. In the past, the Mountain Protection Array of both the righteous and demon paths of the Nine Continants incorporated elements of this Formation. "Indeed extraordinary. How did theye into your possession? If they were stolen, I dare not buy them." "Rest assured, fellow Daoist. I was originally a disciple of the Five Spirits Sect." Xu Ling, having found a fresh-faced cultivator, quickly said, "I followed a Nascent Soul elder in breaking into the Ghost King Sect, killed a few little demons, and looted these inheritances from their corpses." "I see." Zhou Yi was not concerned about its authenticity and asked, "What¡¯s the price?" "Five¡­" The old Daoist deliberately drew out the sound, but when he noticed Zhou Yi frowning slightly, he quickly changed his tune, "Ten Spirit Stones." The sect¡¯s top secrets, once invaluable and beyond measure by Spirit Stones, had now fallen to the point of being hawked to anyone they meet, all for the paltry sum of fifty Spirit Stones. Chapter 187 - 183: Slaying Demons and Eliminating Evil_2 The Sect Protection Array¡¯s consumption of Spirit Stones could be described as a vast ocean; without a Spirit Vein to support it, even the great sects had repeatedly reduced the scope of the Formation and lowered the consumption of Spirit Stones. There woulde a day when the Formation and Prohibition would end, and the path to immortality would likewise vanish. Therefore, inheritances like the Speck of Dust Formation suddenly plummeted in value, bing almost worthless. Perhaps the first time they were sold, they would still be expensive¡ªafter all, they were rare inheritances, but the old Taoist in front of me had no idea how many hands had passed it around, so I certainly didn¡¯t believe he could have killed a disciple of the Ghost King Sect. "Ten Spirit Stones." Zhou Yi took out Spirit Stones from his storage bag and said, "In the future, if there are simr inheritances, whether they are Cultivation Techniques or any of the four arts of cultivating immortality, this venerable one is willing to purchase them." While speaking, he slightly revealed his Foundation Establishment aura, which caused Xu Ling¡¯s forehead to sweat profusely as he nodded repeatedly. "Rest assured, this junior knows quite a few disciples of the Five Spirits Sect and will surely purchase their entire inheritance." Zhou Yi nodded slightly and transformed into a fleeing light to leave, nning to return another day to congratte them. ... Hall of Spiritual Fire. Zhou Yi was currently contemting the Speck of Dust Formation, trying to integrate it with the Illusion Array and the Spirit Gathering Array. In the future, when Spiritual Energy waspletely cut off, he nned to enclose three to five acres ofnd turned into a speck of dust, nt the foundation wood and hide from the world for secluded cultivation. Mr. Zhai knocked on the door and entered, bowing and reporting respectfully. "Elder, today I attended a cultivator gathering, and during a banquetpetition, I defeated an Imperial n¡¯s defending real person." Baiyun View had settled near the capital of Da Qian for a year and hadn¡¯t hidden its identity as a Foundation Establishment Real Person, deliberately making connections and quickly integrating into the circle of cultivators. He frequently participated in banquets and due to the profoundness of the Lightning Method, his reputation in the capital gradually increased. "Now that demons have arisen all over Cloud Continent, the Imperial Court is expanding the Immortal Pensions Office and recruiting cultivators far and wide to y demons and exorcise ghosts. By defeating the Imperial n¡¯s defending real person, with the emperor¡¯s temperament, he will certainly want to recruit you." Zhou Yi said, "With your strength, it¡¯ll be easy to take control of the Immortal Pensions Office and recruit sect disciples to join. The end of the Dharma is unstoppable, and the Earth Fire Pce¡¯s inheritance may well be here!" Mr. Zhai said in confusion, "Elder, doesn¡¯t this mean the sect is dependent on the Imperial Court? The mere Li Imperial n..." "Times change! Originally, a worldly court like ours should not have caught the eye of the sect, but as Spiritual Energy is increasingly thinning, the Earth Fire Pce hopes to pass on its heritage for a long time and must rely on the Imperial Court for ennoblement and recognition." Zhou Yi said, "Now we support the Great Qian in suppressing demons and ghosts all over thend, and in the future when the Spiritual Energy haspletely disappeared, and there are no more demons in the world, that will be the time for Great Qian to repay the Earth Fire Pce!" Mr. Zhai suddenly realized, "Elder makes sense." "The sect¡¯s inheritance is not necessarily about cultivating immortality; take for example the ssics written by those sages. Those people have long passed on, but their spirit and names are still passed down in the world, whereas those Nascent Soul ancestors who were once awe-inspiring have died quietly and namelessly." Zhou Yi said, "The Earth Fire Pce... no, Baiyun View might receive the support of the Great Qian Imperial Court in the future, and perhaps you will be regarded as a sage by posterity." "Hiss! The leading authority in the Taoistmunity! A sage!" Mr. Zhai¡¯s eyes shone brightly, astounded by Elder Tang¡¯s aspirations, and he whispered softly. "Elder, should we hollow out the Li Royal Family and then, like recing the old with the new, seize control of Great Qian?s power?" "The Li family is not simple; don¡¯t forget that they have backers." Zhou Yi reminded, "The Dan Ding Sect is just closing its gates for now, and there¡¯s a Li family Heavenly Spiritual Root Real Person quietly cultivating inside. With his master Xuan Xiao Daojun¡¯s capabilities, it¡¯s not impossible for him to ascend to be a Golden Elixir True Monarch before the end!" "Elder has considered everything thoroughly." Mr. Zhai felt a surge of great energy rejuvenating his old bones, his mind fixated on bing a noted figure in the Taoistmunity, and he already started pondering a majestic and resounding Taoist moniker. At this moment. Sect Leader Yuan Qi knocked and entered, holding a jade stone invitation in his hand. "Elder, the Minister of Rites from the Great Qian hase, and tomorrow at noon Emperor Guangming ising to Baiyun View to consult on the Tao." Zhou Yi took out the divination cylinder and cast the Minor Divination Technique, as the divination stick fell to the ground. The upper sign. Continue your story on NovelBin.C?m "The time is upon us!" ... The following day. Emperor Guangming rode the Magic Artifact Jade Pnquin and descended upon Baiyun View. Mr. Zhai led the disciples in forming lines to wee him, and they discussed the Tao within the View for several hours. The emperor was immensely impressed with the methods for health maintenance and prolonging life. Half a monthter. The Imperial Court decreed Zhai Kang to be the real person of Communication and Manifest Protection, in charge of the Immortal Pensions Office, tasked with suppressing the demons and ghosts of thirty-six prefectures. Zhai Kang did not disappoint the Imperial Court. He widely invited allied cultivators from all directions, such as the hermit Yuan Qi from Wuyou Mountain, the cave master Mr. Wei from Que Shi Mountain, and many Qi Refinement Realm cultivators from the Three Mountains and Five Peaks. The severance of the ancestral vein had only happened a year ago, and the posture of the high and mighty Foundation Establishment cultivators had not yet fallen, they were still rare figures in themon world. Three True Ones were recruited in session, with the Immortal Pensions Office bing strong in soldiers and horses, dispatching monks in all directions to y demons and evil spirits nourished by spiritual energy. The demons had not long been born and were weak in strength; even the fierce spirits formed from resentment¡¯s Qi needed time to grow, and they were quickly reduced to ash and smoke under the spells of orthodox cultivators. As the disciples of the Earth Fire Pce masqueraded as Loose Cultivators and deliberately spread the word, the reputation of the White Cloud View spread throughout Cloud Continent, bing in the eyes of themon people akin to the descending saviors who lift suffering. ... Hall of Spiritual Fire. Zhou Yi inscribed one array pattern after another onto the Array te. The dense lines converged into prohibitions, the Spirit Stones embedded and activated with mana, causing the array¡¯s spiritual light to flicker, and the pce of several dozen zhang in space disappeared from view. "One Spirit Stone can scale down ten zhang of space." Zhou Yi was still in the pce, his Divine Sense sweeping the outside world, barely perceiving a feeling of space twisting. "The Mountain Protection Array of the Dan Ding Sect shrinks a thousand li into a speck of dust, involving hundreds to thousands ofyered formations, hence from the outside, it presents not the slightest abnormality. Such actions consume too much, the Spiritual Energy emitted by the Jianmu is hardly enough to support it, at most only ayer of Illusion Array can be arranged." "It won¡¯t make much of an impact, in a thousand years there will be no one left in the world who understands formations!" Zhou Yi had to calcte precisely, maintaining the triple consumption of his cultivation level, formation, and spirit field, which exactly equaled the Spiritual Energy dispensed by the Jianmu. The Longevity Dao Fruit served as the core of a perpetual motion machine, ensuring that no matter how many hundreds, thousands or tens of thousands of years passed, Zhou Yi could maintain his cultivation level. As the Jianmu grew, it emitted more and more Spiritual Energy, and, as such, the range epassed by the formation also expanded. "The Earth Fire Pce has already arranged the inheritance, I have settled the cause and effect." "I heard that a disciple has joined the Immortal Pensions Office, ensuring peace and steadiness in one ce, already married to a mortal woman, and will be a local family in the future, I wonder if they will remember to bury in the underground pce." Having lived for so long, what Zhou Yi saw most was the changing human heart, and he had long since been able to not demand too much. To not demand is to be free of troubles! Zhou Yi prompted the Earth Fire Pce to join the Immortal Pensions Office, not only to resolve the sect¡¯s cause and effect but also to eradicate demons and evil spirits. After all, the ancestral vein had an indirect rtionship with Zhou Yi, and such an idental catastrophe that gave rise to rampant demons in the world should also be resolved within his capabilities. "Having concluded matters of the world, it is time to enter seclusion!" "There is an old acquaintance that I must meet before seclusion, so as not to emerge and find the worldpletely changed..." With this thought, Zhou Yi performed the Transforming Shape Form and transformed into an old Daoist with white hair, riding a light to fly southeast towards the capital of the Great Qian Dynasty. ... Mountain of Eternal Life. Emperor Chongming¡¯s Tomb. The Great Qian Dynasty was established six hundred years ago, which had already be orthodox. Grass was lush around the tombs of the former dynasty and asionally literati came toment. In his descent, Zhou Yi¡¯s Divine Sense scanned over the tombs, making no attempt to conceal his Golden Core aura. Huang Yuniang emerged from the tomb, her brows slightly furrowed, "For what matter does the Daoist friend unexpectedly visit without reason?" The Golden Core Ghost King, whose Soul Body had already condensed into substance. Zhou Yi looked at the woman in front of him, her appearance identical to that of hundreds of years ago, with a faint stirring of emotion. "I havee specially to apologize. It was rash of me to make you entrust your life to Xuan Xiao Daojun, not thinking it would lead to such a cmitous disaster." "So it¡¯s the descendant of my benefactor." Huang Yuniang beamed and said, "No need for such, the fellow Daoist¡¯s actions have saved my life once again. With Senior Xuan Xiao¡¯s means, it was only a matter of time before the destruction of the Ghost King Sect." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, agreeing with what Huang Yuniang said. Xiao Tiezhu was endowed with thick luck, perhaps obtaining the inheritance of ancient formations, or perhaps directly acquiring a Supreme Treasure that could break formations. In time, one of the four great demon sects would surely be annihted. "My lifespan is only another three to five decades, and there are no disciples under my name. I havee specially this time to bid farewell and settle the cause and effect from hundreds of years ago." "I have the secret techniques of the Ghost King Sect in my hand..." Sensing the aura of death on Zhou Yi¡¯s body and knowing his words were true, Huang Yuniang said, "Fellow Daoist can convert to practicing the Ghost Path, so even when Spiritual Energy is exhausted, one can rely on the Qi of resentment and Yin to live for more years." "What¡¯s the use in desperately clinging to life." "As cultivators who defy the heavens for our lives, we are not the kind who fear death and are greedy for life, when the great cmityes we should face it with equanimity!" Zhou Yi bid farewell with sped hands, transforming into a light and vanishing into the sky. Chapter 188: Chapter 184 Wanjuan Daozang After bidding farewell to Huang Yuniang, Zhou Yi returned to Earth Fire Pce to go into seclusion. Digging three hundred zhang deeper into the ground, his sense of security greatly increased and even a serious blow from a Nascent Soul Ancestor would hardly cause any damage. Zhou Yi took out the Array te and arranged the fine dust, Gathering Spirit, and Concealment threefold Formation, within a hundred zhang controble at his fingertips. "This poor Daoist is not greedy for life and fearing of death, simply wishing to leave a legacy for the Cultivation World!" He took out a volume of Jade Book from his storage bag, made with gold threads interwoven and sixteen jade slips, resembling the bamboo books in which ancient mortals recorded characters. The surface of each jade slip was engraved with Yin Script, and the first one on the right wasbeled "Cultivating Origin Pill." The jade slip contained detailed records of more than a dozen Cultivating Origin Pill forms,ing from different sects and Loose Cultivators, while also recording the essentials of alchemy, techniques, and tricks, which Zhou Yi had excerpted from various inheritances and ssics. For instance, one excerpt recorded how to improve the Cultivating Origin Pill, with a full three hundred and seventy words. At the end, the source was specifically mentioned: Sun Shizhen of Da Qian''s Qingyun Residence. This Jade Book recorded sixteen kinds of pill recipes, all suitable for the initial period of Qi Refinement, and itpiled the insights of hundreds of cultivators. Before the extinction of Spiritual Energy, pill recipes could be said to be priceless, now it could be bought for just three to five Spirit Stones. Ever since the great sects began to sell their inheritances, the scriptures that once were the top secrets of smaller sects and families suddenly becamemon as dirt. When cultivators gather to trade, if you are using your heritage in exchange for money, without exaggerating the origin and adding a few moving stories, you would not even be able to sell it for ten Spirit Stones. Zhou Yi, who initially thought he was buying at rock bottom, saw the price of array ssics plunge several times over in merely half a year. All of a sudden, the inheritance of the Immortal Dao became worthless! "A thousand years from now, perhaps only this poor Daoist''s Scripture Pavilion will still remember that here was once a group of people who explored the Immortal Dao, longing for eternal life." Zhou Yi waved his hand, casting a spell to condense the earth into stone, forming a two zhang high, square-patterned bookshelf, and ced the Jade Book recording the pill recipes into it. He then took out half a volume of jade slips, recording pills suitable for the middle stage of Qi Refinement, and began to excerpt andpile them one by one from the countless ssics and inheritances he had collected. This was aplex and vast project, and even with Divine Sense assisting, it would still take a long time. Tens of thousands of jade slips scattered on the ground, involving Cultivation techniques and secret arts, the four arts of cultivation, etc., needed to be inspected one by one and recorded ording to their categorization. Every few days thereafter, Yuan Qi would bring new inheritances, and even if he did not understand the Supreme Elder''s meaning, he would not refute it. It was only now that Yuan Qi realized how fortunate it was for his master to have invited Senior Tang to join the sect, which was a blessing for Earth Fire Pce! Even now, renamed White Cloud Observatory and seeing the inheritance carrying on unchanged and ever more prosperous, possibly even bing the Orthodox Dao after the end of thew, wasting some Spirit Stones seemed to be nothing. The price of inheritance ssics fell three times in a single day, no matter the price of acquisition today, it would only be lower tomorrow. People''s hearts were in chaos, the Cultivation World was nearing copse. Every time Yuan Qi came to deliver inheritance jade slips, he would report the situation outside to Zhou Yi, generally speaking, there were more and more cultivators who went insane. Sects like the Dan Ding Sect and the other three major righteous sects still cared for some dignity, restraining their disciples, and if there were any that went insane, they could take harsh measures to eradicate them. Only the disciples of the One Qi Sect were nowhere to be seen, as if they had disappeared from the world, and the Yu Continent where they were located had already descended into chaos, with the cultivating families and Loose Cultivators under their control running rampant over the mortals, their methods were not much different from those of the original four demonic sects. As for the Ji Continent, Qiong Continent, and other ces, which had been ruled by the demonic path for countless years, those cultivators who had originally surrendered to the righteous alliance turned around and became evil heretics once more. The way of the demons does not originate from cultivation techniques but from the heart! As long as the demons in the heart are not extinguished, the demonic path will not perish. Of course, the changing winds and clouds outside were irrelevant to Zhou Yi, who was in seclusion underground. After stopping his cultivation practice, he spent his days nurturing the building wood and restoring his mana in a cycle, all the while continuing to organize the Jade Books. ``` Day and night unknown, the years unrecognizable, the seasons indistinguishable... As water flows and flowers fall, spring departs¡ªthirty years in a daze. Jade books filled the shelves, row upon row, column upon column, the legacy of the Immortal Dao gathered within a hundred square feet. While organizing the legacy, Zhou Yi often encountered cultivators with whom he had once crossed paths, like the Array Master of Little Dan Mountain, the Daoist Hu''s brewing secrets, Zhu Yushu''s beauty methods of Body Cultivation, among numerous others, which inevitably provoked a sense of mncholy. "The longer the time, the more the memories." "It''s only been eight hundred years. What about after eight thousand or eighty thousand years? Will there be traces of old acquaintances everywhere I go?" "One cannot live in sorrow, so... one should celebrate!" In front of Zhou Yiy a dense array of jade slips, which, far from decreasing, seemed to multiply the more he organized them. Thirty years had passed, and thest surge of spiritual energy emitted by the ancestral vein, after being absorbed by all the cultivators, had been exhausted, perhaps with a few strands lingering in some remote corner. Now, the only source sustaining a cultivator''s mana were Spiritual Objects, to the extent that cultivation ssics began to be traded for Gold and Silver, allowing wealthy mortals to purchase a few cultivation techniques. The reputation of Baiyun Guan in Cloud Continent had almost be synonymous with immortals, with disciples gathering a myriad of legacies from all over. "The vastness of Cultivation ssics is like a sea of smoke; not to mention thirty years, even three hundred might not suffice to organize them all!" Zhou Yi was not in a hurry, as organizing these texts was in itself a form of cultivation, subtly enhancing his understanding of the Immortal Dao. Ancient texts recorded that a Nascent Soul Daoist who spent his twilight years in the Scripture Pavilion of a great sect, after hundreds of years organizing scriptures, had an epiphany and achieved his Primordial Spirit in one go! "The most important task at hand is the Jianmu." Zhou Yi''s gaze turned to the Innate Spirit Root Jianmu, which after thirty years of relentless nurturing, had sprouted a palm-sized seedling. Its roots buried in the earth, the sprout above ground; a light breeze passing by emitted wisps of pure Spiritual Energy. "The energy emitted by the sprout is barely enough to sustain the threefold Formation. My own cultivation still relies on Spirit Stones." "With the resources umted over the years, including the top ten Demon Kings and Old Monster Li, it shouldst three to four hundred years, but it''s uncertain how much the Jianmu will grow... " Zhou Yi''s brow furrowed slightly. Foundation Establishment and the Golden Core Realm were twopletely different stages, thetter no longer within human control, so even if a massive catastrophe were to strike, he could easily dodge it using his Escape Skill. "Remaining secluded in the Foundation Establishment Stage is somewhat unsafe. I must be meticulous and maintain the Golden Core Realm!" Just then. Zhai Kang''s voice came from outside, requesting an urgent audience. Zhou Yi''s fingers calcted, noting it was not yet the end-of-month set for meetings. His Divine Sense swept over and saw Zhai Kang alone. He sealed the Jianmu and concealed it, then waved his hand to open the Formation. "I pay respects to the elder." As Zhai Kang entered the micro-space, he sensed the rich Spiritual Energy, and couldn''t help but take several deep breaths, rejuvenating his old and withered body. With theplete exhaustion of Spiritual Energy in the outside world, even with Spirit Stones maintaining one''s cultivation, it was impossible to avoid regressing. Zhai Kang, supported by Baiyun Guan and the Imperial Court, had still fallen from thete stages of Foundation Establishment to the early phase, and with his lifespan, he would die on the spot if he dropped to Qi Refinement. "Reporting to the elder, not long ago the Dan Ding Sect''s gates were unsealed, and most disciples entered the secr world. How should Baiyun Guan respond?" "The world has copsed to such an extent that even Xuan Xiao Daojun cannot suppress it!" Zhou Yi pondered for a moment, then instructed. "Go see Emperor Guangming. Baiyun Guan wees the disciples of Dan Ding Sect to join us, promising manor lords to the real ones and patriarchs to the true immortals!" ``` Chapter 189: Chapter 185 Blood Sacrifice Method ``` "Rumors have it that three True Lords and dozens of true immortals have descended the mountain, with the number of Qi Refinement disciples reaching into the thousands." Zhai Kang had no objections to the Dan Ding Sect''s monks serving as the ancestors, strength was revered in the Cultivation World, and the other party was not just a little stronger. "Elder, I''m afraid they might set up a new establishment and rece Baiyun Guan!" "Times have changed! Anyone with clear eyes can see that the path of immortality is but the remaining glow of the setting sun, and the future will surely be controlled by the Imperial Court over Cloud Continent." Zhou Yi said, "Therefore, whether for power or the long-term continuation of the Imperial n, Emperor Guangming will definitely find ways to restrict the monks of Dan Ding Sect, and Baiyun Guan is a good chess piece to use." Zhai Kang expressed his concerns, "Currently, in the observatory, there is only one Golden Core being venerated, and he is the Ghost Path True Lord, not a match for Dan Ding Sect!" It was fifteen years ago when Baiyun Guan venerated Huang Yuniang as the old ancestor. The Imperial Court did not care whether it was a ghost or a human and immediately conferred upon her the title of Mysterious Dark Mystic Distant Revealed Blessing Primordial Lord, to serve the Immortal Pensions Office and widely proimed that the True Lord had descended the Lightning Method to protect the capital of Da Qian." Temples all over Baiyun Guan venerated her idol, and as Huang Yuniang repeatedly acted to annihte demons, ghosts, spirits, and relieve disasters, themon people of Da Qian affectionately called her Empress Huang." "As long as you lower your stance a bit, a fight will surely not break out." Zhou Yi pointed to the sky, saying, "Xuan Xiao Daojun is still above, suppressing Cloud Continent''s fate, monks dare not cause chaos among the ordinary people. Moreover, Dan Ding Sect is the established orthodox of Da Qian, with this just cause in ce, who could possibly privatize the National Dynasty for their own benefit?" Baiyun Guan had reputation, Dan Ding Sect had strength, by uniting these two, Cloud Continent''s Daoist orthodoxy was firmly established. As for the future ownership of Baiyun Guan between Dan Ding Sect and Earth Fire Pce, Zhou Yi could not be sure; with a great cmity before them, ensuring the lineage did not die out was already fortunate enough. "Thank you, Elder, for your guidance." Zhai Kang took a jade slip from his chest, saying, "These years in charge of the Immortal Pensions Office, I''ve been ying demons everywhere, and all experiences are recorded here. Elder has always liked stories, when you are bored and lonelyter, you can take this to read and relieve the ennui." Zhou Yi took the jade slip, but did not look at it right away, instead he asked, "How much longer do you have to live?" "At most, one month." Zhai Kang bowed deeply to bid farewell, his tone calm, "The affairs of the Immortal Pensions Office need detailed arrangements, and with the opening of Dan Ding Sect''s gates, positions also need to be arranged one by one. When my life ends, I may not have the opportunity to say goodbye to the Elder, please forgive me!" "I understand, future generations will remember your achievements." Zhou Yi sighed, waving Zhai Kang out through the Formation and Prohibition, remaining silent for a long while before looking at the jade slip. Even after countless farewells, each one was difficult to avoid feeling sad about! Divine Sense swept over the jade slip, the content showed Zhai Kang''s experiences in exterminating demons and ying evil after joining the Immortal Pensions Office. Narrated from Zhai Kang''s first-person perspective, thenguage was not delicate or touching, but what was valuable was its authenticity, with each demon-hunting expedition documented as a chapter or an episode, amounting to nearly four hundred in total. "I spent thirty years in the Immortal Pensions Office ying demons and banishing evil, looks good, quite suitable for passing the time!" ... After Zhai Kang''s departure, it was like tripping a chain reaction. Three yearster, Yuan Qi''s lifespan ended and his path as a Daoist vanished; the Imperial Court, considering his lifetime achievements, elevated and conferred upon him the title of Demon-Subduing True Lord. Seven yearster, the True Person Wei passed away, his body buried in the tomb of the Earth Pce, with his life''s experiences engraved on a stele. Thereafter, disciples of the Earth Fire Pce continually ended their lives; some wished to return to the sect''s ancestral tombs, while others had established families and were buried in n cemeteries. At this time, Baiyun Guan had already be the only Daoist temple in Cloud Continent. Compared to the Spring Breeze Turns into Rain during Zhai Kang''s term, the new observatory head was originally a Precept True Lord of Dan Ding Sect,beling other Daoist temples as heretical. Within just over a decade, they were all swept away, and the "Orthodox Daoist Canon" waspiled gathering the ssics of sages, bing the fundamental scriptures of Baiyun Guan. Fifty years passed. The Earth Fire Pce was empty. The vast pceplex was silent, the Qing stone buildingspressed and strengthened through Earth System Technique, rotting and fracturing very slowly, able tost for thousands of years. That day. Zhou Yi returned from celebrating in the capital, and as he tunneled underground, he passed by the pce and noticed it covered in ayer of dust. ``` "The bustling world dazzles the eyes, but how many disciples still remember the Sect?" "Others may disregard, but the one who has a sworn feud with me, even after his death, whether I have to dig graves or exhume tombs, I will have that cur buried here!" ¡­ Sword Tomb. Once the forbidden area of the Spirit Sword Sect, nowpletely exposed to the daylight, it looked no different from an ordinary hill. A streak of escaping light descended and drilled into the body of the mountain. The spiritual energy suddenly became extremely dense, as the entire mountain had been hollowed out and filled with densely packed spirit stones and ores, extracting spiritual energy with a Formation and Prohibition, concentrating it within a hundred paces. In the center, a white-robed Daoist sat cross-legged, breathing in the vast spiritual energy and transforming it into his own mana. The escaping lightnded and transformed into an old Daoist in blue robes, with an aura that was unmistakably that of a Nascent Soul Daoist, who bowed and offered up a jade slip. "Master, a few days ago in the southeast of Green State, an ancient relic manifested itself as its spiritual energy was depleted. After exploring it, I obtained a secret technique from within that seems to be rted to the disappearance of the Demon Path and the One Qi Sect." "Hmm?" Jian Xuan raised an eyebrow and waved his hand, drawing the jade slip towards him. Fifty years ago, the Orthodox forces shattered the Demon Path and discovered that the disciples of three sects had vanished without a trace; they ndered them, saying that the old demon had performed a Blood Sacrifice on his own sect members. Afterwards, Heavenly Monarch Yuanling announced the closing of the sect, and ten years ago, Jian Xuan grew suspicious, forcibly broke into the One Qi Sect only to find it empty! As Divine Sense swept over the jade slip, Jian Xuan''s face contorted with ferocity, and a terrifying aura surged to the heavens. "The Blood Sacrifice Method, no wonder, no wonder..." "Hehehe, I''ve been close friends with that Yuan Ling cur for nearly two thousand years, yet he chose a secret technique for evading disaster over our friendship!" Jian Xuan waved his hand, and the Sect-Defending Supreme Treasure Light Dividing Sword slowly rose from the ground, asking, "How many disciples are left in the Spirit Sword Sect?" The old Daoist had already seen the content of the jade slip, and of course, knew what the Patriarch intended to do, he replied helplessly. "The Spirit Sword Sect has long been scattered and separated, only Master and this disciple are left, the rest have gone their own ways to make a living. Currently, the various countries within Green State are divided, and behind the scenes, many are controlled by our own sect members, do we issue a Sword Command to summon them back?" Jian Xuan gently stroked the sword''s edge, his voice cold as ice. "That would be good, it would save me the trouble of running around." A few dayster. The Sword Command spread throughout the countries of Green State, and the surviving cultivators of the Spirit Sword Sect, half-doubting, came to the Sword Tomb upon hearing that the Patriarch was distributing the sect''s inheritance. The result was self-evident, all of them died within the Formation. Their essence, qi, and soul condensed into semi-solid and semi-ethereal prohibition patterns that imprinted on Jian Xuan''s forehead, as if branding him with a fresh red birthmark. "Far from enough!" Jian Xuan sensed the power of the prohibition, which was far from sufficient to survive the great cmity, and he would only die silently in his sleep, his gaze turning toward the old Daoist bowing in front of him. "Disciple, bids farewell to Master!" The old Daoist kowtowed thrice and bowed nine times, shattering his Nascent Soul into surging essence, qi, and soul, voluntarily merging into the imprint on Jian Xuan''s forehead. "Still not enough¡­" Jian Xuan muttered to himself, his white hair turning as red as blood, his aura changing from the grandeur of the Orthodox Path to something shadowy and sinister. "Mortals, always have to die, might as well die with some value!" "The Spirit Sword Sect has sheltered Green State for nearly ten thousand years, it''s time to collect some interest. After I evade this disaster and return, I will rebuild the Spirit Sword Sect to shelter Green State!" Having said this, he soared into the air, flying from the south to the north over the territories of Green State. Wherever he passed cities and viges, he would stop his escaping light, inhale, and consume the essence, qi, and soul of thousands, even tens of thousands of mortals. Chapter 190: Chapter 186: Dao Sovereign of the World ``` Yuan City. A small county town in the eastern part of Green State. Early morning. A mist shrouded the air. On the benches outside the breakfast stall, a number ofmoners were sitting. Sipping soy milk and dipping youtiao, they chatted with acquaintances about recent interesting news, while several children chased each other around the tables, theirughter ringing clear. Though the county magistrate could not boast of being as pure as the driven wind, he was not so corrupt as to scrape the ground for three feet, and the town''smoners lived fairly well. Suddenly. Boundless enlightenment clouds floated over from the sky, and the yet-to-brighten sky again turned gloomy and dark. "How can the weather change so abruptly?" The speaker was a stocky man, who hurriedly gulped down his soy milk, fished out a copper coin from his pocket, and raised his hand, about to call for the proprietress. Whoosh¡ª A chill wind blew by, instantly dissipating the warmth of the spring day, and a ghastly aura swept across the entire county town. The man ready to pay felt a stiffness in his lower body and looked down only to see frost spreading from his legs upward. Before he could even cry out in pain, he waspletely sealed by the freezing ice. Threads of life force, qi-blood, and primordial spirit scattered and converged into the dark clouds above. Living humans were turned into skeletons in the blink of an eye, still maintaining theirst action of giving money. It was the same with everyone around, including the ying children who fell to the ground, their skeletons unable to support the weight of their upper bodies, shattering upon impact. The boundless dark clouds, having devoured the souls of the entire city, continued to drift onwards. At this moment. A streak of fire flew in from the east, stopping tens of miles away from the dark clouds, revealing its form to be Xiao Tiezhu. "Senior Jian Xuan, you''ve sumbed to the demonic path!" "Is that you?" Jian Xuan''s voice emanated from the clouds, grand and mighty as if countless people were speaking in unison, "A mere junior, without the protection of the fortune of heaven and earth, dares to interfere with my affairs?" "So, has Senior reached a point of no return?" Xiao Tiezhu''s Divine Fire Fan unfolded in the wind, stretching to about three and two-thirds feet, and its fierce divine fire burned away the ghastly chill. "Junior, had you not instigated the great war between the righteous and the demonic, how would I have fallen to such a state? I had intended to spare your life, but since you''vee to me, it''s perfect for my blood sacrifice!" As Jian Chen spoke, he controlled the vast dark clouds to swoop down and attack. The gloomy fog covering several hundred miles seemed endless, and Xiao Tiezhu appeared tiny as an ant inparison. "Evil demon, you shall be purged!" Xiao Tiezhu''s expression was solemn as he swung the Divine Fire Fan repeatedly, sending hundreds of fire dragons roaring towards the dark clouds. A transparent sword light appeared behind Xiao Tiezhu, quietly piercing through his heart, shattering his internal organs, leaving a hole the size of a human head all the way through. His life force rapidly fading, Xiao Tiezhu incredulously nced at his chest before falling from the sky. "Hehehe! The world only knows of the Light Dividing Sword''s renown, the Sect-Defending Supreme Treasure of the Spirit Sword Sect, but they do not know that what I''ve refined is the Ancient Formless Sword!" Jian Xuan stood above the dark clouds, waving his hand to draw Xiao Tiezhu''s corpse towards him, "A mere Nascent Soul dares to challenge me. If it weren''t for the protection of fate back then, you would not have been in charge of the righteous path, and the Dan Cauldron Sect would have long been annihted." "Pity, a dead Nascent Soul, qi-blood and primordial spirit mostly depleted!" As he spoke, the mark on his forehead shone with divine light, enshrouding Xiao Tiezhu''s corpse, attempting to refine it. Suddenly, Xiao Tiezhu''s eyes snapped open, his life force reversing from death to life, and he spat out a Treasure Bead that eradicated demons, sting it at close range onto Jian Xuan''s head. Boom! Jian Xuan''s head instantly burst, and the overpowering force of the Treasure Bead sent Xiao Tiezhu flying for miles. "Ahh!" A shrill scream resounded as a three-foot-long primordial spirit escaped from Jian Xuan''s body and fled into the distance without regard for vengeance against Xiao Tiezhu. "Fellow Daoist, please halt!" Xiao Tiezhu''s body shed with blood light as he consumed his essence blood and lifespan, transforming into a red fleeing light in pursuit of the primordial spirit. Jian Xuan, already struggling to hang on, did not dare to burn his lifespan. Seeing the chasing light approaching from behind, he abandoned his pride and pleaded, "Fellow Daoist Xiao, spare my life! You and I have no deep hatred, and I am willing to impart to you the Disaster Avoidance Secret Art." "A mere blood sacrifice life-extending dark art!" ``` Xiao Tiezhu sneered, "I have three spells like this in my hand, including the secret techniques passed down by the Severing Heaven Sect. Why would I need anything you give?" While speaking, he waved his hand and cast several bolts of lightning, incessantly attacking the nascent soul, which became increasingly ethereal. Jian Xuan screamed in shock, "Fellow Daoist Xiao, heaven only wants to use you to sever the ancestral lineage. Now that your destiny has dissipated, and you see yourself halted at the Nascent Soul stage, why push yourself so desperately?" "I care not for the dissipation of destiny, nor will I resent heaven and earth..." Xiao Tiezhu''s escape speed increased yet again, "I merely believe that demons whomit evil must be executed!" The Divine Fire Fan swept down upon Jian Chen, the ferocious mes continuously engulfing the nascent soul, which screamed for a long time before finally being utterly extinguished. Spurt! Xiao Tiezhu could hold it no longer, his mouth spewing forth lifeblood, hisplexion as pale as frost, his vitality gging. "Fortunately, this scoundrel coveted my corpse. Had he truly enacted spells to destroy the body and obliterate traces, even the Substitute Talisman wouldn''t be able to save me. This goes to show that heaven still looks after us!" Wiping the fresh blood from the corner of his mouth, he transformed into a beam of light fleeing toward Cloud Continent. ... Over a hundred cities in Green State turned into ghost monsters, such a terrifying event could not be concealed. Pushed by the Dan Ding Sect, the truth spread quickly throughout the Nine Continents. Spirit Sword Sect''s Divine Transformation Heavenly Monarch Jian Xuan fell to the demonic path, blood sacrificed the human race of Green State for longevity, and ultimately died under the Divine Fire Fan of Xuan Xiao Daojun. At the same time, the Dan Ding Sect spread the words of Xuan Xiao Daojun throughout the Cultivation World, that he would not meddle in the killings and conflicts between cultivators, not even if they involved blood sacrifices and sect annihtion, but would show no mercy to those who bring havoc upon themon folk! The Nascent Soul ancestors with malicious intents, at this moment, fell silent. Seeing the disparity in strength with the Heavenly Monarchs, and recalling the gap in lifespan with Xuan Xiao, hearts turned to ash. Yizhou, Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple. The sounds of chanting sutras and the wooden fish drums resonated, with the dazzling Buddhist light visible from miles away. The rear mountain. A nondescript small temple with gray tiles and green bricks. "Master, that Xuan Xiao who defied the Heavens and cut down a Heavenly Monarch must have suffered grave injuries, this is a golden opportunity for Buddhism!" With a solemn expression and in a deep voice, Fa Ming said, "The demonic path and Yi Qi Sect have sealed themselves with secret techniques. If they survive the great disaster and rebuild their legacy, where will Buddhism stand?" "Amitabha Buddha!" Miao Shan chanted the Buddha''s name, with hands sped together and apassionate face, "If I do not enter hell, who will? Go and investigate thoroughly, ensure that Xuan Xiao has indeed suffered grave injuries, and this monk, along with thousands of Buddhist cultivators, will proceed to the Ultimate Bliss of the Western Paradise!" With the dispersal of Spiritual Energy to this day, the Cultivation World was no longer as prosperous as it once was, relying solely on Buddhist cultivators, who could not muster the numbers for a blood sacrifice. More than thirty years passed in a blink of an eye. Distressing news repeatedly emerged from the Dan Ding Sect that Xuan Xiao, gravely wounded, was dying, barely maintaining his life with the sect''s elixirs. When the Dharma Hearing God Monk''s lifespan was nearly exhausted, he used the pretext of the past joint campaign against the demonic path to visit and say farewell, finally seeing the barely breathing Xuan Xiao Daojun with his own eyes. Several yearster. Buddhism held a grand Water and Land Dharma Assembly, inviting millions of followers to gather at the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple. Before the Dharma Assembly even began, the skies filled with firelight and Buddhistic radiance covering Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple. The battle of spells between the two sidessted for dozens of days, with half of Miao Shan''s golden body falling. ... Earth Fire Pce. It was deste and chill, as if forgotten by the world. The changing winds and clouds of the outer world had nothing to do with Zhou Yi, who was wholly devoted to ripening the Jian Mu tree and organizing the Daoist scriptures. The Jian Mu had already grown three feet tall, its straight, purple stemcking branches, sprouting fresh buds. Zhou Yi used his lifespan to condense Creation Dew, dripping it over the Jian Mu tree, thereafter emanating a tumultuous surge of Spiritual Energy. A small part of it was used to maintain the Formations and Prohibitions, the majority was again transformed into Mana. "There are still plenty of Spiritual Objects in the storage bag, the Jian Mu could at least be urged to grow nine feet, ensuring Golden Core cultivation level in the future won''t be difficult!" Zhou Yi''s face showed delight; ny years of solitary seclusion had finally begun to show promise for the art of avoidance. He picked up a divination container by his side and cast the small Severing Heaven technique. The divining sticks fell to the ground. The luminance red and solidified into characters, a sign of great auspiciousness! Chapter 191: Chapter 187: Three Encounters with Xuan Xiao Xuan Xiao! "To think the very top draw is Xiao Tiezhu." Zhou Yi pondered briefly, then took the Seed Construction Wood into his mouth, determined to keep it on his person at all times. There is no shortage of people in this world whose fate defies the heavens, and should Zhou Yi carelessly wander abroad, it''s possible someone could sneak six hundred zhang beneath the ground, blunder into the Formation and Prohibition, and plunder everything clean. "If I lose the Innate Spirit Root that I elerated to maturity by sacrificing tens of millions of years of life span, it would be a colossal joke!" Zhou Yi waved toward the distant medicinal farm and called out, "Ox child, after being cooped up underground for decades, let''s go out and enjoy the freedom together." The ox rolled on the spot upon hearing this, transforming its demonic body into that of a single-horned qin ox. The ginseng child put away the medicinal hoe and with a thud climbed onto the ox''s head, looking like it donned a green grass hat, and said with a troubled little face, "Immortal, the Blood Vine Demon is nearly dead, please give it some spirit stones." The Blood Vine Demon had been steadily withering, now only a little over three zhang in length, with its red skin exhibiting patches of yellow dryness. Upon hearing the ginseng child speak, it was unclear whether it was its head or tail shaking vigorously, sending out a message of begging and desire. "Never before have the annals stated a Blood Vine Demon to be capable of spiritual intelligence. After raising you for five to six hundred years, you have only gained a slight bit more wit than natural instinct, with no telling how far away from transforming into a humanoid form." Zhou Yi sighed and shook his head, taking out ten spirit stones from his storage bag, then hesitatingly returned five of them and scattered the remaining five in the medicinal field. Feeling the surge of spiritual energy, the serpent-like vine slithered over and stopped near the spirit stones. With a crisp snap, it severed arge portion and threw it away, leaving only about three chi coiled around the spirit stones to absorb and refine. "All creaturespete for longevity amidst the frosty heavens!" "Even if it''s but a vine with mere instinct, it possesses the mettle to sacrifice its tail for survival. How can we cultivators be fearful?" Zhou Yi apuded in admiration, then took out another ten spirit stones and ced them beside the Blood Vine Demon. He leapt on the ox and, turning into a fleeing light, flew toward the Northwest. ¡­ Da Qian Capital. Qinghua Fang. Conveniently next to the Imperial Pce, this ce was originally inhabited by nobles from the Imperial Court. With the expansion of the Immortal Pensions Office and Baiyun Guan, the marketce was divided in two, and even the princes and feudal lords had no choice but to respectfully offer up their mansions. It was time for morning lessons, and the disciples in the observatory had solemn expressions as they recited the sacred texts in unison. Thin wisps of blue smoke curled upwards as the incense burned vigorously. As Daoism is the state religion of the Great Qian Kingdom, and Baiyun Guan stands as the head of Daoism, they wield a terrifying influence over both the Imperial Court and the Mortal World. The sound of reciting includes spells within, while the incense''s blue smoke, mixed with a hint of spiritual energy, forms a faint divine light. The believers whoe early in the morning to offer incense and worship are nourished by this divine light, leaving them feeling mentally refreshed and physically invigorated. After the cessation of spiritual energy in the Mortal World, demons and ghostly entities disappeared along with it, with only asional corners of mountains harbouring umted Yin Sha, giving rise to ghostly entities. Hearing such news, cultivators'' eyes turned red, racing towards ghostly entities, and the Soul Beads condensed after ying them could be used for cultivating divine sense and mana. Among the scattered inheritances of the major sects are certainly methods for Ghost Cultivators. The fear of Heavenly Tribtion is nowpletely nonexistent, leaving only the advantage of longevity. Any cultivator with the means has switched to bing a Ghost Cultivator, eking out a meagre existence, and even those who cannot make the switch practice a few Dark Curse Techniques. Using Soul Beads to cast spells reduces the consumption of spiritual energy. As a result, the Immortal Pensions Office quickly fell from the pinnacle of power, and the reputation of Baiyun Guan inevitably suffered as well. The popce is quite forgetful, especially after three or four generations, the image of Baiyun Guan disciples ying demons to save the world is mostly found within storybooks. Even the younger generation who have never seen demons and spirits believe that their elders were deceived by chatans! Belief is the foundational root of the Daoist tradition! The few remaining True Ones of Baiyun Guan, after deliberate consideration, cut off the supply of spirit stones for cultivation. The Body-Strengthening Technique and Soul-Settling Technique are mixed into the scriptures, which when recited with the help of spirit stones, blend into the incense to form a nourishing divine light for the body of the worshipers. Believers who gain such benefits while worshiping feel the mystique of Baiyun Guan and naturally grow more devout in their faith! "While the path of immortality gradually vanishes, Daoism, in fact, prospers; there are true masters within Baiyun Guan!" "I will first inquire about the situation in the Cultivation World and although I haven''t seen Xiao Daoist friend for hundreds of years, I do miss him somewhat." Zhou Yi, secluded for decades, had been forgotten by the world; perhaps a few of the remaining disciples of Earth Fire Pce had long since cast that Supreme Elder from their minds. In recent decades, the number of True Monarchs and Daojuns who have either exhausted their lifespan or fallen in cultivation has been somewhat high, so much so that reverence and fear for Golden Cores and Nascent Souls amongst cultivators is not what it used to be. As divine sense swept over Baiyun Guan, detecting the only Foundation Establishment aura, Zhou Yi''s fleeing light descended onto the ancestral hall of the observatory. With divine light flickering before his eyes, Xuan Ren saw a figure materialize and instinctively reached for the long sword at his waist, only to be overwhelmed by a terrifying mana, rendering him immobile. Zhou Yi looked over the Daoist''s appearance, with a face like a fine jade and no more than fifty years of age at most. "I am Tang Xuan, having emerged from prolonged seclusion to ask some questions and have no ill intentions." "Tang Xuan..." Xuan Ren, sensing the oppressive force dissipate, recalled the records in Baiyun Guan and eximed in shock, "Predecessor is the Supreme Elder Tang from Earth Fire Pce!" Zhou Yi nodded slightly and smiled, "Does the Daoist friend recognize my name?" "Greetings, Elder Tang." Xuan Ren stood up to bow and exined, "Our observatory''s ancient scrolls mention your name, and I have sent people to Earth Fire Pce to visit, but after failing to find you several times, we assumed Elder Tang had passed away." "I see." Zhou Yi did not mind this. It was inevitable that with thousands of Earth Fire Pce disciples joining Baiyun Guan, his own identity would be revealed. He further questioned, "Seeing that you are so young, could it be that you became a true one after the great disaster?" "I dare not conceal it from Elder Tang." Xuan Ren''s face showed a touch of bitterness, "Junior is not only a water-attributed fire spirit root, but also born with an innate Pure Yang constitution, luckily epted into Baiyun Guan, where I was cultivated by the entire sect and achieved a breakthrough to Foundation Establishment!" "What a pity, what a pity." Zhou Yi shook his head and sighed, such aptitude was rare even before the great cmity, almost certainly destined to be a Golden Core True Monarch, yet now could only barely maintain a Foundation Establishment cultivation level. "What''s the situation in the Cultivation World now?" "Since Xuan Xiao the elder cut down Jian Xuan and Miao Shan, two demonized Heavenly Monarchs, there hasn''t been a ripple in the Cultivation World." Xuan Ren, knowing Elder Tang had been in seclusion for a long time, detailed the events based on the information circted in the market, unavoidably expressing his reverence for Xuan Xiao Daojun. "To defy a Heavenly Monarch, and two at that!" Zhou Yi had already tried to overestimate Xiao Tiezhu, but he could never have imagined someone so fierce existed in this world. His younger brother organized the Wanjuan Daozang, read many books on divination, fortune-telling, and deduction among them, and thus, his understanding of the Minor Heavenly Technique grew even deeper, and he also gained some insights into the concepts of fate and luck. The ancestral vein had already declined to its limit; the severing of spiritual energy was an inevitable trend, Xiao Tiezhu was merely a pawn pushing the process forward. The three old demons joined forces to shatter the ancestral vein, thinking they were defying heaven but in actuality, they wereplying with the will of heaven. Therefore, after the shattering of the ancestral vein, the luck on Xiao Tiezhu naturally dissipated. To still dare to fight and contend with a Heavenly Monarch under such circumstances, he truly could be called a bold hero who regarded death as a return to home! "Fortunately, we have Fellow Daoist Xiao, had Jian Xuan and Miao Shan truly seeded, those surviving Nascent Souls would surely not wish their lives to end, then it would have been a real cmity for the human race!" Zhou Yi had originally no intention of meeting with Xiao Tiezhu, after all thetter was a Nascent Soul elder, also carrying an ancient legacy, there might be a way to break through the Xuanwu Divine Armor. Now having heard of his self-sacrificing act, it was only right to send him on the final leg of his journey. ¡­ Spring Breeze Building. It wasn''t even evening yet, but many customers wereing and going. The songs of orioles and swallows filled the air alongsideughter and chatter. The newly-promoted Oiran was ying the zither with her jade-like hands, her voice melodic and lingering¡ªlike the sound of nature. "Why is this year''s Oiran dressed so conservatively?" Zhou Yi, hands tucked in his sleeves, stood under the stage, gave the Oiran a few nces, and slightly shook his head. He still couldn''t understand the hobbies of the rich, who particrly liked to seek pure-hearted women in these pleasure quarters. After leaving Baiyun Guan, he came to Spring Breeze Building, leading an ox. He was there to celebrate Xuan Xiao Daojun''s peace-bringing presence in the world, a harmony in the mortal realm, and coincidentally, also to celebrate his nine-hundredth birthday. "Tsk tsk, the severing of the ancestral vein not only extinguished the path of immortality, but without the nourishment of spiritual energy, even the quality of girls here has declined." Zhou Yi casually strolled up to the second floor intending to call the madam for a private room to eat and sleep when he glimpsed a pale young man not far away, nked by women and watching the Oiran dance below. The young man had a simple and honest face with a somewhat darkerplexion, and his richly embroidered satin clothing could not hide his rusticity. Xiao Tiezhu? Zhou Yipared the youth to his memory, found a strong resemnce, yet the youngster seemed breathless and coughed violently from time to time as if his life would notst much longer. The young man seemed to sense something, turning his head to look over, dismissed thedies with a wave, and greeted with a smile. "This fellow Daoist looks unfamiliar, may I ask where youe from?" Zhou Yi''s divine sense, no matter how it swept past, couldn''t detect the youth''s cultivation. Hearing this question, he felt certain and stepped forward to give a respectful bow and reply. "Poor Daoist Tang Xuan, I have long heard of the fame of Xuan Xiao Daojun and am fortunate to meet you today!" "Which Golden Core from Earth Fire Pce are you?" Xiao Tiezhu gestured for Zhou Yi to sit beside him, "Fellow Daoist has a serene aura and stable mana, it seems you have umted many spiritual objects before the great cmity." "This humble Daoist is but an early-stage Golden Core practitioner. To receive the Daojun''s concern is indeed a great fortune in three lifetimes!" Zhou Yi had already secretly activated the Xuanwu Divine Armor. To outward appearances, Xiao Tiezhu might seem moribund, but who knew if it was a facade? Even a Divine Transformation Heavenly Monarch could be caught in a scheme. "This poor Daoist is not much into managing affairs, but I cannot pretend to be blind. Earth Fire Pce had a significant presence in the Mortal World, and I had to pay attention." Xiao Tiezhu said admiringly, "Fellow Daoist''s way of educating and guiding disciples is impressive. If all sects in this world were like Earth Fire Pce, eliminating demons, punishing the wicked and promoting goodness, I would not have ended up like this!" Zhou Yi''s gaze sharpened slightly, updating his past impression of a simple-hearted individual who was actually wise under the guise of foolishness. No wonder Earth Fire Pce once managed the Immortal Pensions Office and seeded in merging with the mountain-climbing cultivators of the Dan Ding Sect; everything went too smoothly, and it turns out Xiao Tiezhu was behind it all. "I traveled from the Eastern Sea to the Nine Continents, seeing demons wreaking havoc, and couldn''t stand by, so I sent disciples disguised as Baiyun Guan into the Mortal World." Zhou Yi sped his fist and said, "Now that I know of the Daojun''s broad-mindedness and character, my actions were unnecessary. Even without Earth Fire Pce, chaos wouldn''t have erupted in Cloud Continent!" "Hard to say, hard to say! When ites to admonishing disciples, this poor Daoist is far from your match." "After the ancestral vein was severed, many disciples from Dan Ding Sect turned to demonic ways and secretly descended the mountain to create chaos. I would kill anyone I saw doing so, no matter if a real Monarch turned to evil, and only by such drastic measures was I barely unable to cause disaster!" Xiao Tiezhu praised, "Fellow Daoist acted with the tide, turning potential cmity into a virtue. Your disciples not only live in wealth and honor but also leave their name in history, truly gaining both fame and fortune. This poor Daoist monitored for many years until Baiyun Guan was stable before allowing Dan Ding Sect disciples to descend from the mountain." Zhou Yi said, "With the vastness of Dan Ding Sect, your ability to prevent disaster is already impressive." To prevent disaster, the three words sound simple, but they are hard to achieve, especially when cultivators possess power that overwhelms mortals! Like the disciples of the Spirit Sword Sect in Green State, without the constraints of their sect''s rules, they ravaged the Mortal World with their spells. Not just through spellcasting harm or manipting the Imperial Court from the shadows, some even ascended the throne tomand troops and wage wars. Through killings, wars, blood and fire, they satisfied their desires to control everything and be above all! Once their Daoist hearts are shattered, they are no different from evil demons! Chapter 192: Chapter 188: The Legend of the God "Let''s not tter each other!" Xiao Tiezhuughed and shook his head, then sighed. "The Earth Fire Pce is but an empty shell now, and the Dan Ding Sect has only me left; bing solitary figures together is quite a fate." Zhou Yi asked with confusion, "The Dan Ding Sect has umted vast wealth, shouldn''t there be other elders and true lords?" The Dan Ding Sect ruled Cloud Continent, and massive amounts of Spirit Stones flowed into the sect''s treasury every year; even if they squandered their thousands of years of savings, it shouldst two or three hundred years. "My actions have always been rather stubborn, which makes it difficult not to be an annoyance. Even my fellow sect brothers harbor grievances against me." Xiao Tiezhu shrugged and said, "So, I might as well divide up the family possessions andpletely dissolve the Dan Ding Sect. Whatever they choose to do after descending the mountain, be it bing immortals or demons, as long as they don''t harm the mundane world." Zhou Yi fell silent for a long while; Xiao Tiezhu was indeed unlikely to be understood by cultivators. It was unimaginable that he would refuse to use the method to avoid catastrophe, even if tens of thousands or hundreds of millions of mortal lives could not outweigh the path of a Nascent Soul elder! "The rest is but dust; thousands or tens of thousands of yearster, the name of a Daoist will surely be passed down toter generations!" "I''m afraid it won''t be a good reputation." Xiao Tiezhuughed, "A while back on my travels through Yizhou''s Buddhistnds, I unexpectedly obtained a Buddhist scripture, the contents of which were quite interesting. It chronicled an enemy of Buddhism, known as the End-Time Heavenly Demon, the incarnation of the Poxun Demon Master, and said he had killed the Current World Buddha." Chapter Find: Zhou Yi frowned slightly, "Buddhism throws such dirt, and the Daoist doesn''t put them in their ce?" "They only spoke of a Buddhist enemy, without naming names; how could I possibly kill all the Buddhist believers?" Xiao Tiezhu snorted coldly, "There are a few old immortals still lingering in the world, but so long as I''m still alive, even if I''m down to myst breath, they would only dare use such despicable means!" Unable to win in a magical duel, unable to oust in lifespan, they were left extremely frustrated, waiting to die¡ªan image of those old immortals boiling with resentment. Zhou Yi reminded, "Isn''t the Daoist worried that in desperation, they might join forces in secret?" "Just a few Nascent Souls, none of them canpare to the might of Jian Xuan or Miao Shan." Xiao Tiezhu said, "When engaging in magical duels, I dare to risk my life; which of them dares? Which of them is willing?" "The Daoist''s might is profound!" Zhou Yi sped his hands in admiration; although the young man before him seemed gentle when speaking, he was in fact the ruthless individual who had in the Zhen Yang Demon Venerate, as well as the gods and demons Jian Xuan and Miao Shan in their Divine Transformation state. In such aparison, the Zhen Yang Demon Venerate suddenly seemed more noble! "You are far too timid, constantly ttering to the point of sycophancy; are you afraid that I might lose my temper?" Xiao Tiezhu said, "I''ve even endured the Buddhist sect; how could Iy hands on a junior like you!" Zhou Yi''s face showed a slight embarrassment; he still had not put away his Xuanwu Divine Armor, and quickly changed the subject, "I just never thought that someone of Daoist''s status would alsoe to a brothel to listen to songs." "I''ve cultivated the Dao for seven hundred years; can''t I enjoy myself?" Xiao Tiezhu revealed a proud look, seemingly more pleased with this than ying a Divine Transformation Heavenly Monarch, "Half a year ago, during the contest for the chief courtesan, I actually spent a hundred thousand silver notes to ensure that Miss Qingqing won the title!" "In terms of cultivation, I can''tpare to the Daoist, but as for the taste in women... you are somewhatcking..." Zhou Yi nonchntlymented, from some details he could tell that this Miss Qingqing, though seemingly pure, in actuality was maniptive, a pure product packaged by the brothel to deceive the unsophisticated. Xiao Tiezhu asked in astonishment, "You seem to know quite a lot about these things; could it be that you''re a regr at the Spring Breeze Building?" Zhou Yi shrugged, "Not too often, maybe loitering around for thirty or fifty years." "The reason why I favored this youngdy is because she resembles my senior sister from back then." Xiao Tiezhu reminisced, "Back then, I went to Moon Viewing Peak to report on my duties; it happened to be a full moon, and the beautiful scenery and beautiful woman are still unforgettable to this day!" Zhou Yi clicked his tongue, "In his youth, the Daoist actually peeped at his senior sister bathing. This must be noted down to be passed on toter generations!" Xiao Tiezhu''s face slightly reddened; he covered it up with a drink and expressed surprise, "How do you know about that?" "I sorted through the Daoist treasury, and read extensively." Zhou Yiughed and said, "Among them were misceneous collections about the geography of the Dan Ding Sect, which recorded various beautiful scenes; how could they omit the Moon Viewing Peak''s Heavenly Pond?" "Yes, the Heavenly Pond, but sadly it''s now dried up." Xiao Tiezhunguished for a long time, then took out a jade slip from his sleeve, "This contains the core heritage of the Dan Ding Sect; I trouble you to organize it into the Daoist treasury so that future generations who uncover it can also inherit the Dan Ding Sect''s legacy." Zhou Yi epted the jade slip, and a sweep of his Divine Sense revealed it was full of cultivation techniques and secret arts rted to Nascent Soul and Divinity Transformation. Even as the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth dried up, such texts became mere scraps of paper, yet very few people brought them out to sell. One reason being they wouldn''t fetch many Spirit Stones, and another was to preserve the memory that their ancestors had once been wealthy. "This heritage is too precious; I..." "It''s nothing, just a pile of old paper." Xiao Tiezhu said nonchntly, "It also contains some of the teachings of the Patch Heaven Cult, but I''ve removed the Blood Sacrifice Method. Such sorcery should never have existed in the world, and it''s for the best to end its lineage." After the copse of his ancestral line, Xiao Tiezhu could no longer sense opportunities or dangers, but his continuous use of the fate talent over hundreds of years had slowly developed into a subtle intuition. From the very first glimpse of Tang Xuan, Xiao Tiezhu felt a familiar warmth and, knowing his background and actions, he was willing to converse deeply, offering the heritage of the Dan Ding Sect and the Patch Heaven Cult. After fighting to the death against Jian Xuan and Miao Shan, sustaining heavy injuries, this act was also his way of entrusting his affairs to his talent. Zhou Yi, having repeatedly epted such trusts, understood the implications and respectfully said. "I shall not fail the Daoist''s trust." "Haha, you''re an interesting fellow." Xiao Tiezhu boasted, "At the least, I should live another two or three hundred years. By that time, you will have long since perished; our meeting today is fated. When I pass by your tomb in the future, I''ll make sure to burn some extra paper money for you!" "..." Zhou Yi was unable to argue and simply noted the matter down, nning to have a thorough chat by this fellow''s grave in the future. "I''m quite knowledgeable about music; a few days ago, Iposed a piece. Since the courtesan is proficient in music, why not let the Daoist appreciate a piece?" "Let''s hear it." Xiao Tiezhu nodded slightly and called over the madam to bring the chief courtesan over. About half an hourter. As the music began to y, Miss Qingqing sang. "Flowers bloom and wither, time flows like a long river..." "Leaving behind only the elegance of gods, the legends of divinity!" At first, Xiao Tiezhu found the tune strange, the singing method somewhat awkward, but as he listened to the lyrics, scenes began to unfold before his eyes. Strike down Foundation Establishment, strike down Golden Core, strike down Nascent Soul, strike down Divinity Transformation! Dominating beneath heaven, silencing gods and demons! Traversing the Nine Continents and Four Seas without a match, in the end, just a wave in the river of time, a tear shed! Xiao Tiezhu felt the song was profound, perfectly resonating with his experiences, and he waved his hand, casting down stacks of silver notes. "Reward!" ... Yearster. Zhou Yi returned below ground, his legs trembling slightly. "As expected of a Nascent Soul Daoist, to carry on celebrating all these years without a change of expression!" That very morning, Xiao Tiezhu had received an invitation. Thest great monk of Buddhism had passed into nirvana and had invited him to attend the ceremony. The two had just parted ways at the Spring Breeze Building. "Niu''er, pack up, it''s time to move." Zhou Yi packed his entire repository of Daoist texts into his storage bag and collected all the formation and prohibitions. Now that this ce had been revealed to Xiao Tiezhu, it would be problematic if he came to pay his respects two hundred yearster only to find him still alive. The Yellow Bull opened its mouth and swallowed the Spirit Ginseng doll, the Bloodvine Demon, and the Seven-colored Lotus, then neatly collected all the rare herbs from the spirit field and asked, "Immortal, where shall we go this time?" "Cloud Continent lies to the south of the Nine Continents, so let''s go north of Beihai!" Zhou Yi put the Yellow Bull into the Beast Controlling Bag, which was stored with plenty of spirit stones for its cultivation needs. Once all traces were cleaned up, he visited the sect''s cemetery to burn paper offerings and even manufactured a false grave. Using the Earth Escape technique, he headed north! Several dayster, after leaving Cloud Continent and entering Ji Continent, Zhou Yi emerged from underground, no longer hiding, and with a p of his wings, he transformed into thunder and flew away. Half a monthter. Zhou Yi arrived on the shores of Beihai, bought some sea maps in a nearby city, and continued flying north for hundreds of thousands of miles. "It truly seems boundless. When Spiritual Objects are abundant, I must explore the limits of this sea!" He cast Water Escape to enter the depths of the sea, then Earth Escape to sink hundreds of feet below, where he reestablished his formations and prohibitions, and let the Yellow Bull out of the Beast Controlling Bag. "Niu''er, for the next two... three hundred years, we can only hide here!" The remaining Nascent Soul old monsters of the Nine Continents would surely have shed with Xiao Tiezhu. Whether it was a direct confrontation or plots and traps, theirst desperate counterattacks posed the greatest danger and madness. There might even be sorcery that blood sacrifices the living beings of an entire continent; staying in Cloud Continent was truly somewhat unsafe! The Yellow Bull transformed into human form, arranged the Daoist text shelves neatly, and scratched his head honestly, "Immortal, with so many Daoist arts collected, meditating in seclusion will make two or three hundred years pass swiftly." "Indeed, Niu''er understands me the best!" Zhou Yi ejected the Jian tree, nting it at the center of the formation and watered it with the Jade Dew Art and Creation Dew. The Jian tree emitted pure and surging Spiritual Energy, attracting the Spirit Ginseng doll, who flew over and took deep breaths of its scent. Zhou Yi patted the green leaves on the head of the Spirit Ginseng doll, saying, "Take good care of the medicine field. Once the Jian tree growsrge, I will reward you with a tree branch." "Mmm mmm mmm!" The Spirit Ginseng smiled and hastily waved its hoe to cultivate the spirit field. With Spiritual Energy exhausted, seeds of Spiritual Medicine that required long periods to mature instantly became useless. Zhou Yi only used a small amount of spirit stones to purchase many rare Spiritual Medicine seeds, each requiring thousands or even tens of thousands of years to mature, ideally suited for nting at this time. From then on. Zhou Yi began his secluded meditation, hastening the growth of the Jian tree, and delving into the Daoist repository. Without the materials for Artifact Refining and Alchemy to practice, his progress in the four arts of cultivation was extremely slow, but with time, he still achieved many insights and understandings. When staying underground became dull, Zhou Yi would go to the sea surface to enjoy the breeze and fish, rxing his mind. The stars shifted in the sky; time passed quietly. Over a hundred years shed by. That day. The Yellow Bully quietly on the ground, emitting a thick aura of death. A typical Demon King has a lifespan of eight to nine hundred years, and the Yellow Bull had lived for more than nine hundred years; it was normal for its life to be drawing to a close. "Niu''er, you must think this through." Zhou Yi gently stroked the bull''s head, saying, "The Blood Sacrifice Method from the Ghost King Sect has never seen a demon soul reincarnate into a wood spirit, and even with the integration of the Art of Tool Spirit, the sess rate is extremely low. If it fails, your soul will be dissipated, unable to even enter the cycle of reincarnation!" "Immortal, don''t worry, I will do my best to maintain my original spirit and intelligence." The Yellow Bull said, "Let alone if the tales of reincarnation are mere illusions, even if I were to reincarnate and return, I wouldn''t truly be myself anymore. Better to take the risk, and if I fail, I''ll have no regrets!" "Hmm." Zhou Yi wasn''t the kind to be overly sentimental. He waved his hand and extracted the Yellow Bull''s soul, infusing it into the Innate Spirit Root of the Jian tree. The Jian tree, now over nine feet tall, glittered with ayer of green luminescence, resisting the attachment of the Yellow Bull''s divine soul. Zhou Yi was prepared and cast the Jade Dew Art, using his lifespan and Mana to form Creation Dew. He wrapped the Yellow Bull''s soul in droplets of dew and allowed them to fall. Sensing a familiar essence, the Jian tree gradually ceased its resistance, allowing the Yellow Bull''s soul to smoothly enter. Following the flow of the dew, the soul reached a mass of green qi, which seemed to faintly pulse with a weak intelligence. The Yellow Bull executed the soul transmigration technique, splitting its soul into countless fragments, which slowly merged into the green qi. Chapter 193: Chapter 189: The Annihilation of Immortals and Demons The scriptures of the eight Orthodox and Demonic Sects are mostplete within the Ghost King Sect and the Pill Cauldron Sect. The Ghost King Sect is renowned in the world for Ghost Cultivators and far surpasses other sects in exploring the Dao of Divine Soul. The Art of Reincarnation is an extremely secret scripture of the Ghost King Sect, which would have been nearly impossible for outsiders to see if the sect hadn''t been destroyed and the Dharma Decline hadn''t arrived. This technique ces one in a deathly situation only to be reborn afterward, using secret techniques to tear the Divine Soul into pieces while ensuring the self does not get lost, forcibly integrating into the soul of a newborn infant and, with vast memories and Soul Power, rewriting and transforming it into a new soul. "This involves the Dao of Samsara, and the soul is too mysterious; even a Nascent Soul ancestor would find it difficult to seed one in a hundred times," he said. Zhou Yi closed his eyes and felt carefully, sensing a faint connection with Jianmu and even perceiving a slight consciousness, such as a craving for Creation Dew. The source of the connection was the soul contract. When the Ox tore its own soul, it intentionally kept the soul contract intact, forcibly imprinting it into the nascent consciousness of Jianmu, which over time became an inseparable part of it. Ever since he sensed Jianmu''s sentient intelligence, Zhou Yi had been pondering how to wholly control it. An Innate Spirit Root that takes shape is not only extraordinarily powerful but also carries a heaven-defying fate that even the mighty dare not touch. Only after obtaining the lineage of the Heaven-Mending Sect from Xiao Tiezhu did Zhou Yi find an ancient Artifact Refining technique, which involved infusing the soul of a spirit beast into a Magic Artifact to create a Pseudo Spirit Tool with slight spiritual intelligence. Zhou Yi spent over a hundred yearsprehending the Art of Reincarnation and the method of the Artifact Spirit until he could finally merge and apply them. The mana moved and formed mysterious constraints, which he cast into Jianmu with a wave of his hand. This was the method of recognizing the master for a Spiritual Artifact, and it could also nurture and connect with the Ox''s consciousness. In this way, the likelihood of the Ox maintaining its self greatly increased, and it allowed for dual control over Jianmu. Several yearster. Zhou Yi finallypleted the spirit artifact''s refinement and found the contract scrolls from the Wanjuan Daozang, which recorded hundreds of methods of acknowledgment involving everything from the essence, Qi-Blood, and Divine Soul to the legendary Karma. He applied the methods of acknowledgment in session, and Jianmu shone with spiritual light, its entire structure from roots to trunk covered in inscribed constraints. "No matter the origin of Jianmu, I have expended countless years of my life to nurture it, so it has recognized me as its master. No one can take it away, not even the heavens themselves!" he eximed. ... Before he knew it, a hundred years had passed. Jianmu had grown to sixteen feet tall, with a trunk as thick as a grown man''s arm, standing in the center of the formation. Walking around Jianmu while carrying a hoe, the Ginseng Doll wore a puzzled look and asked, "Immortal Master, why hasn''t Jianmu developed branches yet?" "I do not know myself," he said. Using the Jade Dew Art to irrigate, Zhou Yi said with a smile, "Perhaps it just hasn''t grown up yet? At any rate, you''ll live a long time, no need to hurry, just keep waiting." The scriptures never recorded a limit to the lifespan of ginseng, but some have found ginseng with ten thousand years of medicinal age in ancient ruins. Sensing the familiar aura, Jianmu let fall a divine light of profound yellow, curling it like a tongue around the Creation Dew. Soon after, it emitted surging waves of Spiritual Energy which filled the space of a hundred yards underground, condensing into wisps of spiritual fog that ascended to the sky and eventually became droplets of spiritual rain that fell down. "Even without the Creation Dew, the spiritual energy it exudes daily is already enough to maintain cultivation levels." "Every burst of spiritual energy, once refined, can increase mana slightly. Although the amount is minimal, after a thousand years, it could break through the mid-stage of Golden Core!" he said. Zhou Yi invested all his Spiritual Objects into Jianmu, except for the Spiritual Medicine seeds and some rare spiritual ores. Now he was utterly impoverished. Fortunately, Jianmu did not disappoint, and as it matured, the spiritual energy it emitted grew exponentially. The Ginseng Doll stood fixed at one foot tall, its limbs plump and delicate in appearance like a porcin doll, staring intently at Jianmu, drooling uncontrobly. "I''m not in a hurry, I''m really not," it said. "Then get back to work; today we''ll cultivate another two acres of spirit fields!" Zhou Yi said as he kicked the Ginseng Doll, returning to his reclusive stone chamber and casually picking out scriptures to contemte. "The method to refine poison pills, whichbines Ten Thousand Years Corpse Poison with the filthy air from the earth''s core, appears identical to Qian Yuan Spirit Pills but can poison and kill a True Monarch... Tsk tsk, this alchemy genius, really fits my tastes!" he mused. ... That day. Zhou Yi took out the divination tube and gently shook it, casting a minor heaven-controlling spell. The divination sticks fell, indicating that all was well. "Three hundred years have passed; there should not exist a cultivator in this world that I cannot divine... perhaps, there are no cultivators left at all," he wondered. Zhou Yi walked out of his stone chamber, put away the Daozang bookshelves, and looked ahead. A region stretching over two hundred li had all been cultivated into spirit fields, where the Ginseng Doll was working hard with a hoe, followed by the Blood Vine Demon, wagging its tail as if to cheer it on. The spirit fields were full of exotic flowers and herbs. Most had grown only an inch tall seedlings, while some thousand-year-old mature nts were already a foot tall. "It''s time to resurface!" Zhou Yi announced. Approaching the grave of the Ox, he ced several Spirit Ginseng as an offering and burned a few stacks of joss paper. Nowadays, the most abundant item in his storage bag was joss paper, since increasingly more graves needed rituals. Zhou Yi then used the Treasure-Collecting Spell, and the two-yard Jianmu uprooted, rapidly shrinking to a few inches before he swallowed it to nurture within his body. The Ginseng Doll came over with a hoe and asked, "Immortal Master, why hasn''t Jianmu developed branches yet?" Zhou Yi patted the green leaves and cooed as if to a child. "Be good, Jianmu has yet to grow up, go and put away the spiritual medicine first!" ... Red Continent. Bordering the Beihai. Zhou Yi stood on air, gazing into the distance at the boundless desert. Looking far and wide, there was no sign of life. A fierce wind swept by, and the endless yellow sand surged like waves, creating a surreal yet magnificent scene with the adjacent azure waves of the Beihai. The scorching sun zed down, sending a chill running up from his spine. Zhou Yi followed the old sea chart back, and in just a short three hundred years, the bustling coastal cities of old had all turned into desert. "Did those old undying make theirst stand here, was Blood Sacrifice performed on the Red Continent?" Controlling his flying light, he raced across the desert sky for thousands of miles; the only change on the ground was the shifting shapes of the sand dunes until he saw the ruins of a Deste City. The yellow sand had buried most of the city, with only a few sections of the wall exposed, and the asional tower proving the past prosperity of the ce. Zhou Yinded on the ancient city wall, his Divine Sense sweeping in all directions, uncovering many gold, silver, and jade artifacts buried underground. "Every household has corpses and valuables; it''s clear they had no chance to escape and died instantly from an unstoppable natural disaster!" With a wave of his hand, he pulled an intact mummy from the sand to investigate the cause of death, which very much resembled the Blood Sacrifice Method documented in Daozang. Unfortunately, with the long passage of time, no trace of the spell remained. He sighed and continued flying southward. Several dayster. After flying over a thousand miles of mountain ranges, the ground turned from muddy yellow to greenery, and he finally saw signs of human life. Zhou Yi did not stop his flying light but continued southward until he saw the more familiarndscape of Cloud Continent. After a further two days, he saw prosperous cities on the ground. Great Qian Capital. Chongren District. Most of the capital''s bookshops were concentrated here. It was the year of the major examinations, and the streets were full of schrs buying brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones. Zhou Yi swept his Divine Sense over the capital and found no trace of cultivators. He transformed into a young schr and entered thergest shop. "Shopkeeper, where are the national history books?" "Right over here." The shopkeeper pointed to the right side and enthusiastically pitched, "We have Mr. Yang Ming''smentaries on the Five ssics. He''s this year''s chief examiner. It''s only twenty taels; would you like to buy a volume?" Zhou Yi shook his head and walked straight to the national history, his Divine Sense scanning each volume. "Two hundred years ago, the power of the Great Qian Kingdom started to wane, and wars broke out all over..." "After more than a dozen generations of emperors, whether diligent or ipetent, the territory shrank to only one-tenth of its original size, with constant wars on the borders, and states and prefectures asionally seized." Zhou Yi was not surprised by this. Without cultivators to assist, mere mortal armies could hardly rule a continent. The Great Qian had survived until now purely by living off its past glories; after all, it had been established for a millennium and the rule of the Imperial Court had long been deeply rooted in people''s hearts. "There is no mention of the White Cloud Temple in the books. I remember that three hundred years before the registration of ''The Chronicles of Great Qian,'' the original text definitely acknowledged the contributions of White Cloud Temple to the Imperial Court, praising several True Ones as beingparable to the nation''s pirs." "Now, it has all been edited out..." Zhou Yi shook his head slightly, his form faded into nothingness and disappeared. When he reappeared, he was in Qinghua Fang, and the White Cloud Temple, which upied four to five acres ofnd, was surrounded by the mansions of the nobility. Scripture Pavilion. The old Daoist responsible for cleaning felt his soul grow heavy, and he fell asleep against the bookshelf. Zhou Yi''s form materialized, his Divine Sense sweeping through all the books, quickly finding the ''Biography of the True Man Xuanren'' and indeed it contained descriptions of the Cultivation World. "In the year 932 of Great Qian, Xuan Xiao Daojun fought in the Red Continent for ten days and nights, eradicating all life on the continent..." Calcting with his fingers, it happened around two hundred years ago, and the records that followed were mostly of mundane affairs. Zhou Yi stayed in the Scripture Pavilion for three days and nights, going through all the books, leaving with a grim expression. He then searched for another temple; once upon a time, when Daoism was the state religion of Great Qian, there was yet a Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple in the capital upying over ten acres. Chapter Experience: After reading the Buddhist scriptures there, Zhou Yi''s expression grew even more somber. "Xiao Daoist friend suppressed the Nine Continents for three hundred years, until there were no more cultivators among men, a featmendable in the eyes of the human race!" "Yet now, his reputation ispletely tarnished,beled as the enemy of Buddhism, a great demon. I foresaw those bald monks slinging mud at Xiao Tiezhu even during his lifetime, and now even the Daoistmunity denounces him as a heretic!" "I couldn''t save Xiao Daoist friend''s life, but I won''t stand by and let his name be ndered!" Chapter 194: Chapter 191: Its Not the Height of the Mountain The Buddhist establishment ndered Xiao Tiezhu for a simple reason. Years ago, when the venerable Miao Shan attempted a blood sacrifice to avert cmity, he ended up losing the duel, perishing and extinguishing his Dao, effectively severing the Buddhist lineage. Initially, Buddhist monks wrote books that smeared his name, andter on, ordinary monks, not knowing the details, added their own interpretations when annotating scriptures, trulying to believe that Xiao Tiezhu was the enemy of Buddhism. Two hundred years have passed since Xiao Tiezhu''s death. After ten generations ofypeople under the influence of Buddhist scriptures, countless believers consider him the World-Ending Devil King. The Daoist sects cared a bit more about face, merely branding Xiao Tiezhu as a heretic and excluding him from the ranks of the revered sages, all because he had hindered too many cultivators in his lifetime. No one dared to speak out while he was alive, but once you''re dead, they freely besmirch your reputation! "How can we vindicate Daoist Brother Xiao?" "Eradicate the entire Buddhist order?" Zhou Yi immediately dismissed the idea, recognizing that all Buddhist disciples nowadays are mere mortals; indiscriminate killing would make one no different from wicked demons. Indulging in killing is a grave taboo for cultivators! "Or should I reveal my spells and divine skills to be a national master, then use such a position to rewrite the Daoist scriptures, venerating Daoist Brother Xiao as an ancestral master?" "That method seems feasible, but it''s too cumbersome and may take decades without guaranteed sess. The influence of Buddhism and Daoism over two hundred years, acknowledged by hundreds of millions of believers, cannot be reversed overnight!" Zhou Yi pondered for a moment, a faint idea forming in his mind. If Buddhism and Daoism took two hundred years to nder, it''s entirely possible to spend two thousand years cleansing the name, and there''s no need for personal involvement. "Time is on my side!" "Aside from my cultivation, by merely giving a few pointers to some destined individuals, I can use their hands to vindicate Daoist Brother Xiao." As Zhou Yi contemted this, most of his anger dissipated. After spending more than three hundred years in seclusion at the bottom of the sea, where there was ack of interaction and only thepany of a less-than-sharp-witted Spirit Ginseng child, Zhou Yi had be repressed. After leaving the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple and strolling down the streets, he felt like the Handsome Monkey King first entering the world of men, finding interest in everything he saw. Zhou Yi,ing across all sorts of food and trinkets, indulged himself by buying as much as he pleased, with everything consuming turning to nothingness in his stomach. He wandered and snacked through four or five streets before he felt a hint of fullness. "Seeking warmth and..." Zhou Yi, familiar with the area, headed to an old haunt, only to find that the Spring Breeze Building had turned into a pawnshop. After inquiring, he learned it had moved to Pleasant ce. "After one thousand two hundred years, things have finally changed. Otherwise, I would have suspected some old monster was manipting everything from behind the scenes!" Pleasant ce was located on the edge of the West Market, and as Zhou Yi arrived, he realized it was a whole street of brothels, the rich scent of perfumes wafting through the air, apanied by the clear calls of thedies. "Sir,e and have fun!" Amidst the bustling songs and dances, with red sleeves waving, the ce was a riot of colors, eternal spring. After wandering back and forth along the street a couple of times, Zhou Yi abandoned the idea of visiting his old haunt and chose a brothel named Fragrant Beauty Courtyard instead. The expensive ones usually aren''t bad. "It''s not that I don''t appreciate the old, but my standards are somewhat high!" Celebrating for half a month, he indulged himself in the rolling world of mortal pleasures. Zhou Yi, long secluded in cultivation, shed his air of coldness and solitude with the warm hospitality of thedies, embracing a mortal liveliness. Leaving the brothel, he made his way back to his old home in Da Qian. The courtyard was quiet and tidy, free of fallen leaves and dust, obviously, someone had been tending to it regrly. Two ancient trees that were a thousand years old stood in the courtyard, their lush greenery thriving, their fragrance filling the air on a hot summer day with purple-red grapes. "They''re actually still alive?" Zhou Yi was surprised and, after a close examination, discovered that both ancient trees had signs of bing demons. After trees turn into demons, their lifespans substantially increase, but they do not develop spiritual intelligence. They require a prolonged nurturing of spiritual energy before they can be true tree demons. The reason the jujube tree and grapevine survived such a long time was because of Zhou Yi''s care, and influenced by the dissipating spiritual energy from the copse of their ancestral veins, they began transforming into demons. Unfortunately, time was too short, and before they could develop spiritual intelligence, the spiritual energy was already depleted. "Ever since I came to this world, I''ve been apanied by you two, and a thousand yearster, it remains the same. Our fate is indeed deep!" Zhou Yi performed a spell and stored the thousand-year-old jujube tree and grapevine into his storage bag. After looking around the house and finding nothing more to linger for, he transformed into a streak of light and left. The Bai n''s ancestral graves. Zhou Yi stood in front of the old Bai''s grave, burning paper offerings while muttering to himself. "Old Bai, it''s good to have a long life. We''ve been dodging and hiding for over a thousand years, and just by staying alive, we''ve be invincible in the world!" "That''s not quite right, though. There are still a few old fellows in the world using wicked spells to try to survive the great catastrophes. I''ll dig them out one by one and let them bask in the sun, shattering their souls in their sweet dreams!" "Nothing much else. Mostly, I''ve just been interacting with a hundred and eighty or so Oirans..." "I''ll be off first, and when I''m more free, I''lle back to show off to you!" Zhou Yi transformed into a fleeing light, flying towards the Southwest White Cloud Peak of Da Qian. The Daoist temple on White Cloud Peak was left with only traces of bricks and tiles, but the underground pce three hundred zhang deep was intact, including the main hall, Hall of Spiritual Fire, Scripture Hall, and other ces¡ªhe toured them all, reminiscing about the past. Afterward, he burned paper offerings in front of each grave and poured out a cup of Spiritual Wine in tribute. Returning to the mountaintop. Zhou Yi set up Formation and Prohibition, shrinking a two hundred zhang territory to a speck of dust, and spat out a Jianmu tree to nt it at the center. Strands of Spiritual Energy wafted out, and an eager Ginseng Doll leaped out, taking deep breaths to replenish the escaping Mana. With the Spirit Stones and Spiritual Objects long exhausted, and the Beast Controlling Bag frighteningly empty, the time spent inside was far from pleasant. "A mountain need not be high; it''s famous for having immortals!" "This White Cloud Peak sounds too ordinary; it should be renamed something more striking¡­" Zhou Yi stroked his chin, feeling he could afford to be a little more arrogant, lest he wasted the title of being the number one under heaven that he had stumbled upon. "Moreover, changing the name can also conceal its real location, preventing people from constantly disturbing my cultivation." Being arrogant didn''t hinder his cautious nature! Building the Daoist temple, tilling the spiritual fields, divining fortunes daily, hastening the growth of the Jianmu tree, pondering the Daoist scriptures¡­ A day in the mountains, a decade in the world. The Jianmu tree was now over two zhang high, and even without the irrigation of Creation Dew, the Spiritual Energy it emitted was enough to support Zhou Yi''s cultivation, which made his progress slightly faster. On this day. Zhou Yi was meditating on the Starry Secrets, drawing in thin strands of starlight into his body, merging it with Spiritual Energy, then refining it into Mana, which finally flowed into the Golden Core. Plop! A noise came from outside, followed by a series of screams. "Finally, someone hase?" Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow, got up, and walked out of the Daoist temple, seeing a young man in brocade clothes dancing in the air. The Ginseng Doll was wielding a hoe and casting a spell. A crimson vine had bound the young man, yanking him up and down, left and right, causing him to scream in terror. "How dare you!" Zhou Yi scolded, "Bullying the weak because you''re strong, it seems I''ve given you too little work to do." The Ginseng Doll hurriedly put the young man down, shouldered the hoe, and dragged the Blood Vine Demon as it fled, burrowing into the ground, not daring to show its face. The young man was handsome, with his brocade clothes torn in several ces, still oozing blood. He tried to suppress the fear in his heart and bowed respectfully. "Greetings, Immortal!" "I am not worthy of being called Immortal." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, "Who are you, and how did you happen to enter my ce of cultivation?" "I am Prince Qin Zheng of Qing Kingdom, returning from a mission to Da Qian when I encountered assassins. While fleeing, I inadvertently entered the Immortal''s abode." Qin Zheng bowed again, "I have disturbed the Immortal, please forgive me!" "I see." Zhou Yi appreciated Qin Zheng''sposure and said, "Few outsiders can enter Kunlun Mountain, but it''s easy to leave¡ªjust stay for a full year." "Kunlun Mountain!" Qin Zheng eximed in shock, "Isn''t this near White Cloud Peak of Da Qian?" Zhou Yi shook his head slightly, exining. "Kunlun Mountain is located at the convergence of the Three Realms of Heaven, Earth, and Man, being both here and there. Perhaps an entrance appeared at the White Cloud Peak you mentioned." In a world where only I possess thew, no matter how Zhou Yi fabricated his story, there was no cultivator to expose him! Stay connected through M V L Chapter 195: Chapter 191: Where There Are Immortals, There Lies Fame Qin Zheng had never heard of the name Kunlun before and was still curious, but he did not continue to ask. Fortune granted by the immortals is hard toe by; every word one says must be contemted carefully. Buddhists and Taoists both speak of methods for cultivating immortality and the path to eternal life, but they have never shown any mystical abilities. When faced with an unreasonable martial artist, they often have to tuck tail and flee in disorder. Now that he had encountered a true immortal, it was clearly an indication of good fortune shining upon him, and Qin Zheng couldn''t help feeling excited. "Then I shall impose upon the immortal for a year, andter I will offer incense morning and evening to repay the kindness of saving my life." "It''s nothing." Zhou Yi flicked his fingers, and a sh of mystical light fell from his hands. Qin Zheng, entering an unfamiliar realm for the first time, remained vignt even in the presence of an immortal, his qi-blood circting in his legs ready to employ his qinggong. The spiritual light moved even faster,nding on Qin Zheng''s body. In the blink of an eye, his wounds healed as if they were never there. Even the lingering hidden injuries from martial arts practice disappeared. Qin Zheng felt his body light and healthy in a way he never had before, and he hurriedly bowed in thanks. "Many thanks, immortal." "I am merely a cultivator, and the path to bing an immortal is still out of reach. Do not call me an immortal again." Zhou Yi pondered for a moment and then said, "My family name is Zhou, and my Daoist name is Xuan Yi. You may directly use this Daoist name or call me Mr. Zhou." "Alright, Mr. Zhou." Upon hearing the word ''cultivator'', Qin Zheng couldn''t help but ask, "I have seen the term ''cultivator'' in secretive Buddhist and Taoist texts. Could it be the same as what is referred to as a seeker of the path of immortal cultivation?" "Indeed it is." Zhou Yi pointed to a pavilion not far away and said, "Let''s sit down and talk." The pavilion was built outside the Daoist temple, constructed with several bluestones as supports, and lush grapevines covered the top, providing natural shade from the sun. Qin Zheng half-sat on the stone chair, his gaze looking towards the date tree beside the pavilion. The branches were strangely shaped, and the tree trunk was half decayed and rotting, half smooth and new, ancient in appearance and somewhat odd. An immortal''s domain is only normal if it''s out of the ordinary! Zhou Yi ordered, "Child, pick some tea leaves ande here." A Spirit Ginseng child popped out of the ground, tucked the jade stone hoe into its nted storage bag, and then pulled out a jade box from inside it. It clumsily climbed up the Spiritual Tea tree and picked nine new buds. Seeing the strangely shaped Spirit Ginseng, Qin Zheng recalled his recent experience, and hisplexion turned slightly pale. Zhou Yi said, "This child has a naive mind and startled the gentleman. I will certainly reprimand it." "No harm done, no harm done. It was only my rash intrusion." Curious, Qin Zheng asked, "This little Daoist child, looking like this, could it be one of the legendary demon race?" "You could say that." Zhou Yi smiled as he exined, "Originally, it was just a Spirit Ginseng in the medicinal field, but as it grew over the years, it slowly developed a spirit. Out of kindness, I took it under my wing to serve as a Daoist acolyte." Qin Zheng thought Spirit Ginseng was like a hundred-year-old ginseng and said, "How long do ginsengs take to develop a spirit?" Zhou Yi calcted with his fingers and said, "The child''s age in the medicine field is probably over nine thousand years." Nine thousand years! A storm of shock surged in Qin Zheng''s heart as he tried to calcte the true age of the youthful-looking Daoist before him. If even his servant child was nine thousand years old, he must have been cultivating for at least ten thousand years! The Spirit Ginseng child flew in the air, holding the jade box above its head, its eyes filled with a plea for mercy. "Since Mr. Qin has said no harm was done, this time I will spare you. But if you dare to err again, expect no less than a hundred years ofbor." Zhou Yi was always lenient with his spiritual pets, rarely enforcing any hierarchical formalities, but he would not tolerate bullying. If they inadvertently provoked someone like Daoist Xiao, a killer star, even trivial matters could lead to a cataclysmic disaster. Being entangled in karma is thest thing anyone would want! These words fell upon Qin Zheng''s ears as if they were the sound of morning and evening temple bells. The true nature is revealed in the minutiae. Buddhists and Taoists observed strict hierarchies, even categorizing immortals into different ranks. To Qin Zheng, these seemed merely mechanisms to control the faithful, just as emperors control their subjects. Having now met an immortal who spoke with gentleness, was approachable, and regarded hierarchical rules as insignificant, he thought this was what true freedom and pleasure were! Zhou Yi brought out the tea set, waved his hand to draw in the Spiritual Fire and Spiritual Water, and his tea art reached its peak. "Try this Spiritual Tea I''ve made." "Many thanks, Mr. Zhou." Qin Zheng carefully lifted the teacup, took a gentle sip, and a rich fire spirit energy flowed down his throat to his belly, spreading throughout his organs, limbs, and bones. Using the secret Imperial n Inner Qi cultivation technique, he attempted to refine the spiritual energy within his body, only to see it rapidly dissipate. At that moment, Continue your journey at M V L A voice rang in his ear, piercing into his soul. "The heaven and earth are born of Yin and Yang, transforming all things..." Qin Zheng switched to practicing the Body Refining Art, and the Inner Qi in his Dantian quickly dissolved, with the spiritual energy traveling through his meridians, transforming into strands of mana. Zhou Yi leisurely savored his tea, waiting until Qin Zheng finished his first cultivation session. "Yourprehension is good." Qin Zheng rose to one knee, expressing his thanks, "The grace of the immortal, I will never forget for as long as I live!" "If you havee here, it is also by your own fortune." Zhou Yi gently waved his hand, lifting Qin Zheng to his feet and said, "I am busy with my cultivation every day. If you feel it''s too quiet, you can go and read some books in the Scripture Pavilion." Qin Zheng''s eyes lit up, filled with anticipation. Afterwards, they chatted over tea, with Zhou Yi giving pointers for practicing the Body Refining Art, and he also arranged a side room for Qin Zheng to stay in. The next day. The early morning sun was just beginning to rise. Zhou Yi sat cross-legged on top of the Daoist temple, facing eastward and practicing the Purple Sun Scripture, drawing strands of purple energy into his body. The Purple Sun Scripture, a legacy of the Heaven-Mending Sect''s Body Refining Techniques, harnesses the purple energy of the morning sun to nourish the body. When fully mastered, one can reach the described state of an "Innate True Person." The Ancient Cultivation World had different divisionspared to today, and whether it equaled the Golden Core or Nascent Soul stage, Zhou Yi was also unclear. The path of Body Refinement values transmission and persistence, the kind of effort that rues over time, and this matched well with Zhou Yi''s own cultivation. Qin Zheng was too excited to sleep the previous night and only managed to do so at dawn. When he saw Zhou Yi meditating and practicing, he stood by the entrance and waited patiently. "Mr. Qin, good morning." Zhou Yi slowly ended his cultivation practice, greeted him, and began to make a fire for cooking. Washing rice, adding water, lighting a fire¡­ Qin Zheng expressed his surprise, "It''s said that immortals dine on the wind and drink the dew, yet a true person like yourself also eats meals." "Eating is also a form of cultivation." Zhou Yi didn''t quite agree with these words at first, until he was tasked with organizing the Wanjuan Daozang. After reading numerous ssics of the sages over hundreds of years, heprehended a trace of their profundity. Every thread and every strand, every porridge and every rice, contains the ultimate principles of nature in them. In the inheritances and records of the Pill Cauldron Sect, concerning the legendary Divinity Transformation Realm, it''s repeatedly described that one shouldprehend heaven and earth, the natural order, to condense the Primordial Spirit. Zhou Yi knew his own aptitude was average, and his sole advantagey in his longevity. Thus, he started toprehend from the ordinary actions of walking, sitting, and lying down, nning to ponder the way of the Primordial Spirit after reaching the perfection of the Nascent Soul, amassing a wealth of experience for a future breakthrough. It''s always wise to be prepared before it rains, rather than digging a well when you''re thirsty. "Thank you for the guidance, True Person." Qin Zheng didn''t understand, but he felt that the words of an immortal couldn''t be wrong, so he ended up eating three big bowls of Spirit Rice. "The vor of the rice is unexpectedly sweet and fragrant!" As the Spiritual Energy circted within his body, Qin Zheng quickly operated his Body Refining Art, continuously tempering his physical body. Zhou Yi reminded him, "Once you leave here, there will be no Spiritual Energy to nourish you outside, and your Body Refining Art will no longer improve, so don''t forget to cultivate the martial arts as well." Upon hearing this, Qin Zheng''s face changed dramatically, hurriedly asking, "Does it mean that once I leave here, I can''t cultivate towards immortality?" "That''s generally the case," Zhou Yi nodded and said, "In this world, apart from Kunlun Mountain, there are no cultivators." Qin Zheng fell silent for a long while and sighed. Having practiced the Body Refining Art, he began to temper his Qi-Blood. The Body Refining Techniques of the Immortal Dao, after tempering with Spiritual Energy, yield a physical body with Qi-Blood far superior to that of ordinary people. Continuing to cultivate Qi-Blood martial arts yields twice the result with half the effort! Zhou Yi extended his Divine Sense and noticed that Qin Zheng''s Qi-Blood martial arts were weaker, but the upside was that his cultivation method became gentler. This fit the characteristic of transmutation within Cultivation Techniques; from rudimentary to subtle, the core principle was the constant shortage of resources, necessitating putting effort into the finer details. In the days that followed, Zhou Yi didn''t make a special effort to pay attention to Qin Zheng. asionally, he would give a pointer or two on the method of cultivation, imparting wisdom from a higher perspective, which Qin Zheng needed several days toprehend. Several days passed. Qin Zheng grew ustomed to the life of the Immortal Realm, eating and sleeping¡ª not much different frommon folks, except that there were many mysterious and strange things, like the Spirit Ginseng children diligently farming, and the blood vines that resembled children. And the Divine Tree that stood towering at the center, reaching straight into the heavens. The Spirit Ginseng child had never met outsiders since its birth, and quickly started ying along with Qin Zheng. "Big, big, big!" The meter-long hoe, upon facing the wind, erged to seven or eight meters, perfect for Qin Zheng''s use. The Spirit Ginseng child then took out another Jade Stone Hoe. With each adult and child, one human and one spirit, they made noises as they loosened the soil for the Spiritual Medicines. Qin Zheng looked at the Spiritual Medicines in the field, humbly asking, "Mr. Ginseng, what effects do these strange flowers and herbs have?" The Spirit Ginseng child, having gained a freeborer and rare words of praise, introduced them generously. "This is Mystic Pearl Grass, a treasure bead forms every millennium, suitable for Alchemy and Artifact Refining." "Yin and Yang Spirit Fruit, gathering the energies of yin and yang and condensing into a Spirit Fruit, consuming it can increase the odds of Solidifying Pills." "This is the Five-colored Auspicious Cloud Mushroom..." All of these Spiritual Medicines were exceedingly rare, nurtured only by major forces of the righteous and demonic paths. Small sects from the Eastern Sea couldn''t afford them; after all, with their thousands to tens of thousands of years required to mature, these sects might copse before the herbs even ripen. Qin Zheng listened carefully, noting their names and appearances, nning to create a chart once he left. No matter the effort needed, he would find one! "This Spiritual Medicine is interesting, called Longevity Bamboo. It sheds its skin every hundred years, and after a hundred cycles of decay and bloom, the shed skin besparable to a treasure bead, without the need for further refinement." The Spirit Ginseng child beckoned Qin Zheng over, saying, "It''s still three to five months until the next shedding. Take good care of it, and when it sheds skin, I''ll give you half of a piece." Qin Zheng suppressed the excitement in his heart, "Won''t this anger the True Person?" "What status does the Immortal have? Such things would hardly matter to him," the Spirit Ginseng child replied, "I''ve kept all the previously shed skins, and offered them to the divine tree." Qin Zheng, curious as a child, wanted to inquire about everything rted to immortals, "What''s the divine tree? And why does Mr. Ginseng offer tribute to it?" "That''s the divine tree; its background is extraordinary!" The Spirit Ginseng child boasted, "If I offer tribute often, hoping it will sprout branches sooner, the Immortal might break one off and grant it to me, then I could be an immortal myself!" Bing an immortal! Qin Zheng silently noted these words¡ª''divine tree'' and ''bing an immortal''; such top secrets were not even recorded in the confidential scriptures of Buddhism and Taoism. Half a day was spent organizing the field of Spiritual Medicines, and in the afternoon, Qin Zheng visited the Scripture Pavilion. Since hecked Divine Sense and couldn''t use jade slips, he could only browse through collected paper books¡ªa feeling of leaving empty-handed from a mountain of treasures. Qin Zheng returned the books he had finished reading to their original ce, his eyes scanning over the spine of each book, finally resting on one of them. "Chronicles of Xuan Xiao Daojun''s Life." "Xuan Xiao, this name, why does it feel as controversial as Buddha''s adversary?" After skimming through a few pages, Qin Zheng furrowed his brows. Xuan Xiao''s experiences seemed simr to Buddha''s adversary, only that their roles and statuses were reversed. The Buddha entered the demon path, while Xuan Xiao Daojun eradicated demons and upheld the dao! At dusk. While eating his meal, Qin Zheng couldn''t resist asking, "True Person, is Xuan Xiao Daojun a Demon King, or a savior?" The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 196: Chapter 192: Distorting Right and Wrong "Demon King?" Zhou Yi''s eyebrows raised slightly, pretending to be unaware, and he snorted coldly. "I had anticipated that the Buddhist and Taoist sects would not be content and were bound to nder my junior brother." Qin Zheng was slightly taken aback when he heard this, "Junior brother?" "Xuan Xiao Daojun is indeed my junior brother," Zhou Yi confirmed. Zhou Yi did not intend to take advantage of Xiao Tiezhu deliberately. Given his age, he had more than enough years to be called an elder brother. If there really was any objection, let them stand up and speak! Qin Zheng suddenly regretted asking; matters involving the dark secrets of immortals required that one always maintain a sense of reverence, no matter how amiable and close they might seem. The divide between immortals and mortals was even more profound than that between father and son, or sovereign and minister. However, now that things hade to this point, Qin Zheng had no choice but to steel himself and continue asking, "So, is everything recorded in the true man''s book real?" "Back then, I advised him not toe down from the mountain. There are so many cmities in the world, throughout the ages, how many have died from floods and droughts, not just tens of millions?" Zhou Yi sighed. "But my junior brother insisted that natural disasters and man-made atrocities are different, so he gave up the path to eternal life and fought to the death with those old ancestors from the Buddhist and Taoist sects. In the end, he perished and his reputation was ruined," Zhou Yi added with mncholy. "The Daojun sacrificed himself for others; he deserves to be revered and worshipped by future generations." Qin Zheng said solemnly, "When I return, I will vindicate the Daojun and burn all those fake scriptures of the Buddhist and Taoist sects!" "What use are the notions of true and false when the dead cannot be brought back to life?" Zhou Yi reminded. "Don''t assume that the Buddhist and Taoist sects are easy to bully. How could a lineage that has been handed down since ancient timesck a solid foundation?" "Does the true man mean the Buddhist and Taoist sects still possess Spiritual Medicine?" Qin Zheng''s heart stirred; far from being afraid, he felt a twinge of greed. Havingmunicated with the Spirit Ginseng child these past few days, he learned that the outside world was restrained by the heaven and earth and no longer possessed any Spiritual Energy. Knowing this, Qin Zheng had be somewhat disheartened, holding little hope of finding Spiritual Medicine, but now his confidence was reignited. "Perhaps they do," Zhou Yi was not baselessly specting or smearing others, at least those Sect''s Supreme Treasures would not degrade into ordinary objects in a mere three hundred years. "I must vindicate the Daojun!" Qin Zheng swore solemnly to the heavens, still harboring doubts, and asked, "ording to the records, the Daojun only entered nirvana for a little over two hundred years. How could the Buddhist and Taoist sects nder him so thoroughly?" "Mortals have no means of understanding the affairs of the Cultivation World. They only see the dead in one city after another, one continent turned into barrennd, without even knowing who the perpetrator is," Zhou Yi exined. "After my junior brother entered nirvana, those few surviving cultivators became the only exalted beings of the Buddhist and Taoist sects. The facts were then left to their discretion to write andpile into texts..." Xiao Tiezhu had suppressed the Nine Continents and Four Seas; not only the Buddhist and Taoist sects harbored resentment towards him, even his own sect, the Dan Ding, came to the point of splitting apart. Baiyun Temple, under the overwhelming onught of the Buddhist and Taoist sects, also struggled to preserve itself, and had no choice but to cast out Xuan Xiao as a heretic. Moreover, the cultivators of Baiyun Temple might not have been without their own grievances. In theory, the True Lord who managed the temple could influence the change of dynastic power, and might even rece the Imperial Court with the Taoist governance, turning the Great Qian into a Taoist nation simr to the Yi Continent Buddhist Nation. However, they were suppressed by Xiao Tiezhu and had to obey the Great Qian Dynasty. Once the True Lords and True Men of the temple entered nirvana, they no longer held the power to contend with the Imperial Court. The Great Qian Dynasty reduced Baiyun Temple''s prestige and allowed the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple to establish a temple in Qianjing to bnce the Buddhist and Taoist sects. As time passed, these final records of the cultivators became ssics of the sages. The disciples of the Buddhist and Taoist sects revered these texts as their inheritances, deeply convinced from the bottom of their hearts that Xiao Tiezhu was the World-Ending Devil King. Perhaps a few Buddhist and Taoist temples knew the true history, but speaking it out loud would convince no one. As for the general believers who hadn''t even heard of the Cultivation World, let alone discern the truth, the only teachings they could ess were the Buddhist and Taoist scriptures. History was left to the whims of those who recorded it; good and evil, immortal and demon, all turned upside down! Listening to Zhou Yi''s narration, Qin Zheng''s expression became even more solemn. He remained silent for a long while before bowing and speaking. "Thank you for your guidance, my lord, I will take this matter as a lesson! Those in high positions must have their own ways of bypassing their ministers'' channels of information, like an emperor who must establish the Jinyiwei or the Imperial Household Department, so as never to let the court officials twist right and wrong!" "The two indeed have some simrities." Zhou Yi couldn''t help but admire inwardly, being an emperor or a ruler is an innate talent. Ordinary people, when they hear a secret, might just express surprise or curse at the immorality of monks and Taoists, but Qin Zheng would draw inferences about the rtionship between sovereign and subjects from one case. Among emperors who were all born leaders, some could easily control the court affairs, while others lost the National Dynasty in a state of confusion. "Just keep practicing martial arts, to contend with monks and Taoists, you need to be strong yourself, otherwise, a single spell could change the dynasty." "A spell!" Qin Zheng, with his keen mind and understanding, could grasp the key information in every sentence. Upon learning about the spell-killing techniques of monks and Taoists, he immediately felt caution and intent to kill arise within him. ... Sunrise to rise, sunset to rest. Farming, eating, and practicing martial arts¡ªa life as simple as an old farmer''s almost made Qin Zheng forget he was in the realm of immortals. "It feels as if I''m back in my childhood, farming with my maternal grandfather. When I first started, I always broke the wheat seedlings and got whipped from time to time." After farming, Qin Zheng returned and stuck the hoe beside the pavilion, deftly opening the pot to serve rice. Zhou Yi asked with curiosity, "Even a noble prince has to farm?" "I dare not deceive you, Master, I did not know who my father was when I was young, and took my mother''s surname, Jin." Qin Zheng said with a somber expression, "My grandfather was the great elder of Moyun City. He spent his days farming and practicing martial arts. It was only after my father ascended the throne that he took me to Qing Kingdom, by which time... my mother had already passed away for ten years!" "So it was like that." Zhou Yi had not expected this connection and took out some pickled vegetables from his storage bag. "Let''s add a dish for today!" Since they did not raise spiritual beasts, they only had rice for meals. Ordinary vegetables tasted far worsepared to Spirit Rice; really, going to restaurants in the Mortal World to enjoy food and drink was to savor the worldly life. Qin Zheng picked up a strand of Spirit Ginseng and after carefully chewing it, said, "This vor is a bit strange." Zhou Yi said, "Maybe it''s been pickled for too long." Qin Zheng''s chopsticks paused slightly, "How many years has it been pickled?" Zhou Yi calcted with his fingers, "Not too long, just over a thousand years." Qin Zheng''splexion turned a bit pale, yet he couldn''t resist the abundant spiritual energy of the Spirit Ginseng, and ultimately closed his eyes to continue eating. Ugh! "Don''t worry, even if you''re poisoned, I can still save you!" Zhou Yi did not continue to ask about Qin Zheng''s past. Judging from the assassination attempt he experienced when being sent to the Great Qian, it was evident that he was not favored by the Imperial n or the emperor. The fact that Qin Zheng practiced the Qi-Blood martial arts from Moyun City was surprising to Zhou Yi. Jin Ang once widely disseminated martial arts, and his disciples continued his legacy, so the method of Qi-Blood cultivation was not a mystery. Given this, Cloud Continent, with itsrger poption and more abundant resources, theoretically could optimize Qi-Blood martial arts more easily, making it suitable for cultivation in the Dharma-Ending Age. Such refined cultivation techniques, kept secretive by each faction to maintain an advantage, gradually formed distinct schools. To hear that Qin Zheng, a prince of the Qing Kingdom, still practiced the cultivation technique passed down from his maternal grandfather showed that Moyun City had distinctive strengths in Qi-Blood body forging. "Maybe, the method of tempering Qi-Blood is inherently suited for the struggle against heaven in the great mountains." Zhou Yi didn''t need to ask deliberately; with a sweep of his Divine Sense, he saw through Qin Zheng''s cultivation techniquepletely, after all, he had watched the rise of the Qi-Blood martial arts from its inception and could barely be considered one of its original sources. Chapter 197: Chapter 193 Sleepwalking in the Immortal Realm When one is focused, time flies swiftly. Qin Zheng was very adept at seizing opportunities, and all the more so when it came to legendary chances for immortality. He didn''t want to waste a single moment. By day, he tilled the fields and practiced martial arts; by night, he read books and sought enlightenment. Ny percent of the Scripture Pavilion''s collection were jade slips, but even the remaining ten percent of beast skin booklets could be considered vast. Especially since many were ancient texts from hundreds of years ago, having now be rare editions, they greatly broadened Qin Zheng''s horizons. That evening, Qin Zheng finished reading "Annals of Hongchang Revival" and looked for the next historical record. Suddenly, he came across a booklet titled "Legend of the Three Heroes". "Could it be a narrative of the lives of three heroes?" Unable to resist his curiosity, he began to read and found that it was a cultivators'' tale, unlike mortal imaginations, written with extreme realism. Bing a disciple, obtaining treasures, dueling magic, vanquishing demons... Qin Zheng quickly fell into the fantastic world and read through the night, finishing the first volume of the tale in one breath. "Evil demons ought to be in! How exhrating!" He eximed in admiration and put the booklet back, but upon reflection, he felt somewhat t. He was supposed to read history that night, particrly why, just over fifty years after the Hongchang Revival, there was a change of dynasty. This event had urred a thousand years ago, and the Great Qian Dynasty''s official records were secretive about the details, merely proiming it the mandate of the Sage Emperor. "First, I shall tend to the Spirit Ginseng field. Tonight, I will return to my historical studies." Qin Zheng''s martial prowess grew stronger by the day, and even without sleep, he was full of vigor, carrying his hoe to go tter the Spirit Ginseng dolls. Compared to the unfathomable and capriciously tempered Zhou Yi, Qin Zheng preferred to interact with the innocent-spirited Spirit Ginseng dolls. It wasn''t that he wanted to unearth any secrets; rather, the casually spoken words were celestial secrets. Of course, what mattered more was the promised Spirit Bamboo! After a day of farming and martial training, Qin Zheng returned to the Scripture Pavilion in the evening. He picked up the "Annals of Yongxing" and read a few pages, but felt restless inside. "Maybe I should finish the second volume of ''Legend of the Three Heroes'' first?" Until dawn. Qin Zheng, still not satiated, returned the tale to its ce. "Qin Zheng, oh Qin Zheng, how can you be so decadent! Have you forgotten the aspirations you once set for yourself?" The next day. Qin Zheng spent another night immersed in the tales. A monthter. Even with Qin Zheng''s robust Qi-Blood, he couldn''t handle a month without sleep, and he actually fell asleep in the Scripture Pavilion while reading "Tales of Three Thousand Ascending Companions". At dawn, Qin Zheng slowly awakened, constantly reflecting and ming himself. "This cannot continue. Tonight, I must read history, or if I look at tales again tomorrow, may I go blind!" Another ten days passed. Qin Zheng realized the tales in the Scripture Pavilion were indeed fascinating, not only abundant in quantity but alsoplete in variety. After introspection, Qin Zheng truly changed. He no longer read tales throughout the night, stopping at the hour of Yin to meditate and practice, ensuring he remained energetic. Days turned to months. A year passed by, which to Zhou Yi seemed like just a few seclusions for martial practice. Dawn. Zhou Yi specially took out a pot of Immortal Brew to see Qin Zheng off. "As we part today, it''s quite likely we''ll never meet again, so let''s bid farewell over wine!" "I thank you deeply for your teachings," Qin Zheng bowed deeply in gratitude. "Being able to enter Kunlun Mountain is an honor I will never forget in this lifetime." He drained his cup of Immortal Brew in one gulp, feeling his soul refreshed and clear, evidently an extraordinary brew. Just as he was about to express his thanks again, he heard Zhou Yi say, "Once you leave Kunlun Mountain, you won''t be able to eat Spirit Rice again." Upon hearing this, Qin Zheng immediately began eating, devouring an entire pot of rice, his eyes slightly reddened. "The favor you''ve done for me is akin to being reborn. I will devoutly honor it, and so shall my descendants!" "No need for such trouble," Zhou Yi took out a Beast Skin Booklet from his storage bag and said, "This bookes from Moyun City. Keep it safe, and one day, return it on my behalf." Qin Zheng took the beast skin and flipped through several pages before his eyes widened in shock, he immediately checked thest page for the name of the author. Jin Ang. "The original of Martial Ancestor!" Qin Zheng eximed in astonishment, "Master, how did this booke to be in your possession?" Zhou Yi had already thought of an excuse, "It was about six or seven hundred years ago when a youngster strayed into Kunlun Mountain, iming to be from Moyun City, left this book behind before departing." "Master, this item is of great use to me, so I will not refuse it." Qin Zheng tore off a piece of his brocaded robe and carefully wrapped the book, his face showing a shade of embarrassment, "Master Shen, you gifted me a piece of Spirit Bamboo, and out of greed, I never mentioned this matter to you." "It doesn''t matter." Zhou Yi waved his hand, and a piece of Spirit Bamboo about three or four feet long flew over. Star spirit fire surged from his hands, melting the Spirit Bamboo into a turquoise liquid. Under Zhou Yi''s shaping, it gradually condensed into the form of a sword, and he waved his hand to infuse it with the prohibitions of sharpness, heaviness, and sturdiness. The Spirit Bamboo transformed into a precious sword, measuring three feet and three inches in length, its body as green as jade stone. "This sword is just right to give you for protection." "I thank you, Master!" Qin Zheng, holding the sword, knelt on both knees and kowtowed three times, "I vow to devote my entire life to fulfilling my oath!" The Spirit Ginseng doll stood by, its gaze tinged with a slight reluctance. After a long hesitation, it spat a stream of verdant qi towards Qin Zheng. The overwhelming vitality poured into his body, shattering the bottleneck that had troubled Qin Zheng for months. A cavity naturally condensed in his Dantian, and not stopping there, another six cavities formed before the energy was spent. "Master Shen..." Approaching the Spirit Ginseng doll because he found it innocent, Qin Zheng also got the chance to learn many secrets of the path of immortality. Now that he had received such a huge favor, he was overwhelmed with shame. "Boundless fortune and safety to you!" As the prohibitive spiritual lights flickered, Qin Zheng felt an irresistible force of repulsion, and then, with a sh of white light, he vanished from the spot. The Spirit Ginseng doll looked forlorn for a moment before reverting to its lively and mischievous self, jumping onto Zhou Yi''s shoulder and asked in confusion. "Immortal, why did you tell Qin Zheng about those Spiritual Medicines, and even didn''t hide the Jianmu from him?" "If you aren''t willing to scatter the bait, how will you get the fish to bite?" Zhou Yi said proudly, "Moreover, I am the first under the heavens!" Being the first under the heavens was naturally a jest; since Jianmu had already recognized its master, he could just swallow it and hide in the sea''s depths for a few thousand years. With the mobile Spirit Vein and Dao treasury, Zhou Yi no longer had to tread lightly in fear and trepidation. The Spirit Ginseng doll said, "What if he spills the beans?" Zhou Yi stroked the green leaf on its head and murmured. "People do not believe in the truth, they will only think he''s a lunatic who dreamed of the Immortal Realm, deluding himself with the fantasy of eternal life!" ... Qianjing City. Qin Zheng looked at the familiar yet strange city walls and the bustling crowds of the people, certain that he had returned to the Mortal World. The past year had been like a dream. "It was indeed the most real of dreams!" Qin Zheng felt the surging Qi-Blood within him and nced at the Immortal Sword that could slice through iron as if it were mud at his waist, and said with determined eyes, "Once I take control of Qing Kingdom, I will investigate the world, in search of the entrance to Kunlun Mountain." He then went to the office of Honglu Temple in the Great Qian Dynasty and got in touch with officials from the Ministry of Rites of Qing Kingdom. The official eximed with joy, "Your Highness, you''re still alive!" "I identally fell into a ravine and was fortunate enough to enter the abode of an immortal. I have been in secluded cultivation ever since, and only now have I ended my retreat." Qin Zheng asked in detail about the assassination attempt fromst year, and learned that the Great Qian Dynasty''s investigation concluded that it had been bandits, who had since been eradicated by a dispatched army. As for why the bandits had powerful bows and crossbows capable of defeating the Qing Kingdom''s imperial guards, that was unknown. The Qing Kingdom official''s face was filled with fear, everyone knew that there was something strange, and it was likely involving the power struggle among the Imperial Court''s princes, and he feared Qin Zheng would continue to inquire. "Do you have rice?" "What?" "I''m hungry, I want to eat steamed rice!" Qin Zheng repeated, having just left Kunlun Mountain, he was already missing the sweet fragrance of Spirit Rice. Chapter 198: Chapter 194: The Spiritual Sword Divides the Light After Qin Zheng left, only Zhou Yi and the Spirit Ginseng child remained in the spiritualnd. Day after day of contemting the Dao and Qi Cultivation, the hardships of long-term ascetic practice slowly became habitual. The vast inheritance of the Cultivation World contained within the Wanjuan Daozang always yielded new insights with constant recitation, akin to studying an endless science, ever closer to the truth of the world, never again feeling monotonous. Cultivation that aligns with the Dao brings joy to the cultivator, pure and heartfelt, reaching deep into the soul. Byparison, it is probably even more refreshing than celebrating a victory! "No wonder immortals meditate in seclusion for thousands of years, to cultivate constantly is to continuously enjoy." Zhou Yi also contemted Qin Zheng''s Qi-Blood martial arts in his spare time, discarding the original process of cleansing bones and muscles, and integrating the nourishing methods of martial Medicinal Decoctions, no longer limited to Demon Beast Essence Blood. Be it nourishing Medicinal Decoctions or eating ginseng and Lingzhi raw, both could strengthen and grow Qi-Blood, including eating meat and rice, which essentially liberated from the shackles of Spiritual Energy. Thanks to his daily diet of Spirit Rice and thousand-year-old ginseng pickles, Qin Zheng finally achieved his Qi orifice within a year. The w is that the power falls short of the original Cultivation Techniques, and after achieving the Qi orifice, the Qi is only equivalent to just entering the Innate stage, far from the realm of fighting with great demons. "However,pared to the original Body Tempering martial arts, the Qi-Blood martial arts has too many advantages." "No need to experience the various bottlenecks like tempering muscles and forging bones, just focus on umting Qi-Blood to achieve the Qi orifice, it''s practically a direct shot to the Innate!" Since Zhou Yi doesn''t have a Spirit Root and follows the path of warrior entering the Dao,paring the two, the ws of the Qi-Blood martial arts were evident. Resources! In the mortal world, spending a few hundred Silvers allows one to learn the art of Body Tempering from a martial arts school, while the resources needed to umte the first strand of Qi-Blood far exceed the former by tenfold, with even more required to continuously condense and temper the Qi-Blood. "Are themon folk ying with an old version, while the big spenders upgrade more swiftly?" Zhou Yi slightly shook his head, spending over ten years to once again optimize the Qi-Blood martial arts. After reciting the Wanjuan Daozang for hundreds of years, every Daoist Cultivation Technique talks about the Dantian, so Zhou Yi''s understanding of the Dantian is profound. From a high vantage point, the modified Qi-Blood martial arts made breaking through to the Qi orifice easier, requiring less umted Qi-Blood, and the power of the technique was reduced a level, which ordingly lessened the resource requirements. "Were the mighty ancient techniques gradually transformed into today''s techniques as Spiritual Energy waned and resources depleted?" Zhou Yi''s eyes dimmed with new insights into cultivation techniques, such as the Celestial Records'' "Return to the Origin," which could attempt to draw in vast amounts of starlight to swiftly cultivate a Star Body. "After nearly thirteen hundred years of contemting the Dao, I am finally able to optimize Cultivation techniques and secret arts!" "Could it be dangerous?" "For instance, the meridians could break, the Dantian might shatter, or the foundation of thew body could be unstable..." Zhou Yi thought over his options, nning to follow the steps of the sages and cultivate step by step. The difference was only three or four hundred years, insignificantpared to the consumption of morning divination, so why take the risk? With this thought, he took out the divination container and gently shook it, expending five hundred years of lifespan to use the Minor Subtraction Technique. The divining slipnded securely. An average fortune. All is safe. ... Fifty years passed in the blink of an eye for Zhou Yi. The mortal world had already experienced the change of two generations. Twenty years ago, a great change urred in Cloud Continent; the Great Qian Dynasty that stood for 1132 years had finally fallen. Emperor Tai Shi, the new ruler of Qing Kingdom, Qin Zheng, personally led his troops to conquer the capital of Da Qian and after thirty years of campaigning, became the leading dynasty of Cloud Continent. It wasn''t until the remaining twelve nations acknowledged Qing Kingdom as the sovereign that the expansion and conquest ceased! ... Early morning. Zhou Yi, as usual, drew in the purple qi of the morning sun, and after finishing his cultivation, took out the divination container to divine. Divining six times daily had be a habit, even as the foremost in the world, he never ckened. The divining slipnded. The light bloomed dazzlingly, slowly condensing into two words. Light Dividing! "Nearly four hundred years have passed, and now an excellent prophecy emerges. With the Wanjuan Daozang at my disposal, it''s certainly not the cultivation techniques and secret arts, the only thing rted is... the Sect''s Supreme Treasure, the Light Dividing Sword!" Zhou Yi''s face showed joy, the more he cultivated the Mountain and River Cauldron, the more he knew the difficulty of acquiring the Sect''s Supreme Treasure. For ten thousand years, righteous and demonic paths have ruled over the Nine Continents, with each sect openly possessing only one, which shows its preciousness. "I have waited for so long, and finally, today hase. Inheriting scriptures are free to be read, the Sect''s Supreme Treasure is just at hand to pick, and in a few hundred years'' time, graves are there to be dug... " Zhou Yi spat out the Xuanwu Divine Armor, which transformed into an ordinary looking tortoise shell, then cast another divination secret technique, known as the Minor Extension of Divine Calction. This technique originated from the Dan Ding Sect, using tortoise shell magic artifacts to divine the will of heaven, though far less effective than the Minor Calction of Heaven Technique, its power can be increased by the quality of the magic artifact. The ck Tortoise Carapace could be said to be the finest tortoise shell in the world! Zhou Yi invoked spells, with luminous rays falling upon the tortoise shell, and when his mana was nearly exhausted, his soul trembled slightly, conjuring several messages out of thin air. "Green State, Sword Casting Hall!" "Time for thed to work, pack up the belongings and change the territory." ... Green State. Hundreds of years have passed, and the cmity where Jian Xuan ughtered countless cities has been smoothed over by time. Zhou Yi disguised as a wandering Taoist, holding a fortune-telling long banner, and quickly inquired about the location of the Sword Casting Hall. Spirit Sword City. Famous and prestigious, with nearly three hundred years of inheritance, Green State''s undisputed number one martial faction. With branches in every state and province, it boasts over a hundred thousand swordsmen and a million disciples; the position of the sect leader isparable to that of the emperors of various countries. "Over two hundred years, indeed an interesting time." Zhou Yi cast an Invisibility Technique, floating in the air, looking down at the city below. Bustling and noisy, the street people all wore swords, clearly all martial practitioners of the pugilistic world. Countless ck smokestacks stood in the city, with unceasing nging sounds. All shops in the city were forging swords, filling the air with the choking scent of sparks. His Divine Sense swept back and forth across the city, finally detecting a nearly extinguished mana fluctuation in a shop at the southeastern corner. "Found it." Zhou Yi''s light evasion techniquended him at the entrance of the shop, and just as he was about to step inside, a young boy hurried over. "Uncle Li, I have gathered enough money." As he spoke, he dashed into the Li family''s smithy, paid five hundred coins, and from the pile of scrap metal in the corner, picked out a rusty iron sword. "Hehe." The boy''s face showed delight, wrapping the iron sword in a rag a few times before dashing off and disappearing into the crowd. No matter how the boy twists and turns, seeming to know some anti-surveince tricks, he can''t shake off Zhou Yi, who is following behind him. Until a standalone small courtyard house. The boy pushed the door open, cheerfully greeted his elder sister, and slipped into his own hall. Taking out the iron sword from his chest, before he could even admire it, a voice reached his ears. "Fellow Daoist, this item and I are predestined, might you be willing to part with it for me?" The boy turned to the source of the voice and saw a jade-faced Taoist appear out of thin air before him. "Ghost!" He shouted, employing his qinggong to flee outwards, only to hit an invisible yet solid transparent wall, bounced back with a bang, and fell to the ground with a thud. Zhou Yi waved his hand, pulling the iron sword towards him, channeling mana into it. The reddish brown rust ked off, instantly transforming into a brand new three-foot green de. "It still has some spirit left in it. If another hundred and eighty years passed, it would have fully degraded into an ordinary magic artifact!" "A treasure that once shocked the Nine Continents, has it really fallen into my hands so easily?" Chapter 199: Chapter 195: A Sword Splits the Mountain The Light Dividing Sword, the supreme treasure of the Spirit Sword Sect. ording to the records, once activated, the sword would multiply into thousands and its power would shake the Nine Continents without the slightest hindrance. Zhou Yi had been refining the Mountain and River Cauldron since the mortal world, and through thebined efforts of his family and sect, it had been nourished for over twelve hundred years. It had barely advanced to be a life-bound magic treasure, which was enough to show the preciousness of a spiritual treasure! "The Light Dividing Sword is even more a top-tier spiritual treasure, with its original power restored, the sword spirit''s strength isparable to that of a Nascent Soul ancestor!" "Even though it''s a broken sword, the karma bound to it is a bit too heavy..." Zhou Yi pondered for a long time, nced at the young boy squatting on the ground, and revealed a kind and friendly smile, waving his hand as a dozen treasures shimmered in the air. "Little fellow, you can choose from these cultivation techniques, divine abilities, and wondrous spirit pills. How about I exchange them with you for this rusty sword?" The boy, feeling that Zhou Yi was not a demon or ghost, boldly asked. "Are you an immortal?" "Why does everyone like to ask that?" Zhou Yi said with a smile, "I am not an immortal, but a Qi Refinement practitioner from Kunlun Mountain, Sun Xing." Relieved by his words, the boy stood up and said, "This sword canprehend swordsmanship. If you can teach me, then I''ll exchange it with you!" "Really?" Zhou Yi attentively sensed the Light Dividing Sword. The remaining spirit was not enough to transmit divine sense, otherwise it would not have been thrown into the scrap heap. "I have eighteen thousand sword techniques for you to choose from, little fellow; tell me more." Xiao Tiezhu killed Jian Xuan and obtained part of the Spirit Sword Sect''s inheritance. In the Wanjuan Daozang, he also collected countless mortal world sword arts and cultivator sword techniques, enough for the boy to practice for several lifetimes. "My name is Lin Fan, not ''little fellow''." Lin Fan said, "Half a month ago, I visited Uncle Li''s shop and watched him forging swords. I identally cut my finger, and blood dripped onto this sword. Strangely enough, I learned a set of the Ethereal Sword Technique." "I collected scrap metal for half a month and even borrowed a hundred wen from a friend to gather enough to buy this sword!" "Interesting! Interesting!" Zhou Yi praised repeatedly and, with his mana, he probed inside Lin Fan''s body, indeed finding an extremely rare sword physique. He faintly guessed the cause and effect. The Light Dividing Sword, at the brink of death, recognized Lin Fan as its master, and was willing to exhaust its remaining spirit to impart sword techniques, simply because it didn''t want to fade silently into oblivion. When the sword spirit eventually copsed, it was very likely to fuse all its spirit into Lin Fan''s body toy the foundation for his innate potential. "Originally, I had some doubts about whether the sword spirit, at the brink of death, used a spell to lure me out. Now it seems it was truly idental, but with my arrival, this incident can turn out perfect for both parties!" Zhou Yi incorporated the Light Dividing Sword into his dantian, constantly nourishing it with mana, and asked with a smile. "Which sword technique do you want to learn?" Lin Fan furrowed his brows and pondered for a long time, then with a troubled little face shook his head and said, "I don''t know." "Then I''ll teach you ording to my methods." Zhou Yi''s figure flickered, transforming from a young clergyman into a white-haired old Taoist. The fortune-telling long banner in his hand became a green treasure sword, and he stroked his beard, "This appearance is more fitting for teaching sword techniques." Lin Fan gaped in amazement and stammered, "Immortal!" "Stop dawdling, your sister is calling you." Zhou Yi waved his hand to lift the restriction, and calls from outside immediately entered the room; they were calling Lin Fan toe eat. "Coming!" After all, he was just a boy in his early teens, Lin Fan rushed outside eagerly; before he left, he turned back to ask. "Do immortals need to eat?" "Any wine?" "Sister brewed rice wine, it''s especially tasty!" "Lead the way." Zhou Yi, not the least bit courteous, followed to the main hall. Lin Fan muttered to his sister, introducing Daoist Master Sun as a peerless swordsman from all over the world who, seeing his extraordinary talent, came over to teach him sword techniques urgently. Seemingly aware that he couldn''t hide it from Zhou Yi, he asionally winked and gestured, pleading for him not to reveal the truth. The sister, named Lin Yu, looked at Zhou Yi with an extraordinary demeanor. Although she had doubts, she did not ask him directly. "Thank you, Daoist Master, please sit down and eat first." Four dishes, one soup, and homemade rice wine, a simple meal that couldn''tpare to a bowl of Spirit Rice, yet Zhou Yi relished it immensely. After dinner. In the courtyard. Zhou Yiy in the Taishi Chair, taking therge bowl of tea handed to him by Lin Yu, and sipped contentedly. "Would the youngdy like to learn as well?" "No need, I have to go to the Sword Workshop to work." After hesitating for a while, Lin Yu spoke softly, "Daoist Master, my parents died in a Jianghu sword fight, and I''ve never allowed Lin Fan to learn swordsmanship, fearing..." Zhou Yi gently stroked his beard and said, "Don''t worry, my path is different from other sects; my disciples all live especially long lives. After all, how can one reach the pinnacle of swordsmanship if they''re dead!" Lin Yu asked, "Has Lin Fan taken Daoist Master as his teacher? Should we prepare a bundle of gifts?" "There''s no need for that." Zhou Yi said, "I never take disciples; today, having received a favor from the youngy Buddhist, I shall teach him swordsmanship as thanks." Seeing her brother excitedly carving a wooden sword, Lin Yu found it hard to say anything more. Life''s paths must eventually be walked alone, and forcibly constraining someone might not always be a good thing. "I entrust Lin Fan to Daoist Master." A short whileter. Lin Fan finished carving the wooden sword, flourished a sword flower, and bowed deeply in respect. "Please, immortal, impart your swordsmanship!" "In my view, all sword techniques boil down to nothing but strength and speed," said Zhou Yi slowly. "With great strength, all techniques can be shattered; with swift speed, advances and retreats follow your heart. This morning I''ll teach you the methods to increase your strength, and in the afternoon, I''ll impart the methods for escape... the art of lightening your body." Lin Fan felt the reasoning was sound, yet strange; it seemed somewhat skewedpared to what he had anticipated. Spirit Sword City was known to the world for its "Sword," including sword forging, sword techniques, and so on, so even ten-year-old children had heard quite a bit about swords, but they had never heard such logic before. "Greater strength, faster running..." Full of doubts, Lin Fan stillplied with the immortal''s teachings. "The cultivation technique I have created has certainly not been in vain!" With visible joy, Zhou Yi taught Lin Fan the optimized Qi-Blood martial art, word by word. The Qi-Blood Condensation required Spirit Rice, and at dinner time, the fragrant aroma was heartening. If not for Zhou Yi using his mana to conceal it, the neighbors would probably have followed the scent over to freeload a meal. After eating a few mouthfuls of Spirit Rice, Lin Yu immediately realized that Zhou Yi was indeed extraordinary; all her worries dissipated. Months passed in the blink of an eye. Afternoon. The sunlight was just right, warming the small courtyard. Zhou Yiy in the rocking chair, sipping tea and flicking his fingers gently. Thud thud thud... The continuous sounds attacked from front, back, left, and right, and Lin Fan, with a serious expression, used his Qinggong to dodge and weave. Boom! Lin Fan only felt a severe pain in his back and, as his footwork faltered, he was struck by over a dozen bursts of Qi energy. "You''re dead again." "Only ten people were using hidden weapons simultaneously, and you still can''t dodge them after half a month of training," said Zhou Yi leisurely. "This is too hard!" The young Lin Fan''s earlier pride had vanished without a trace under Zhou Yi''s repeated criticism. All those stories of acquiring Fairy Swords and suddenly understanding the Ethereal Sword Technique were nothing but fable. ording to Daoist Master, without a few days in the Jianghu, he''d be killed by scams, traps, ambushes, or poison... "If you spent all the time you use to show off to friends on your training, would it still be hard?" Zhou Yi spoke harshly, but deep down, he was extremely satisfied. Lin Fan was exceptional in both talent andprehension; it was just unfortunate that he was born in the wrong era. "Heh, nothing escapes the immortal." Lin Fan respectfully poured tea and asked, "When can I go and experience the Jianghu after my training?" "Spirit Sword City is just a secluded ce, insignificant as ants in my eyes," mused Zhou Yi. "In the Nine Continents and the Four Seas, there are numerous mighty figures; if you want to roam the world freely and joyfully..." Zhou Yi thought for a moment and said, "Once you can split a mountain with a single sword stroke, you''ll be ready to venture out." "A single sword stroke that splits mountains, there are such powerful beings in the world!" Lin Fan had never left Spirit Sword City and rarely ventured from the marketce. Influenced by his parents and those around him, he yearned for the Jianghu and swordsmen, without a clear concept of their strengths and weaknesses. The words of an immortal could never be wrong! Chapter 200: Chapter 196: Thorough Search Across the World "I must work hard!" Lin Fan clenched his fist, his expression resolute, as he continued to practice Qinggong in the courtyard. "A teachable youth." Zhou Yi nodded slightly; the so-called ''a sword that can break mountains'' was of course impossible, its true purpose was to encourage Lin Fan to cultivate in earnest. The greatest w of a genius is that they achieve too easily, prone to arrogance and impatience! Now, setting a goal that seemed out of reach, to hold reverence in his heart and to be careful at all times, would not be a bad thing. As for how entertaining it would be to eventually find out that all the others in the martial world were mere minnows, Zhou Yi had a slight expectation in his heart. A volume of records materialized in his hand, chronicling the history of Spirit Sword City, from the forbidden area of the Scripture Pavilion in the Sword Casting Hall. Just by the name Spirit Sword City, one could guess its connection with the Spirit Sword Sect of the past. ording to the records in the volume, a great demon once arose in Green State, practicing demonic cultivation that devoured countless lives. The aged ancestor of the Spirit Sword Sect, despite his frailty, fought the demon to the death, and they both perished in the end. The founder of the Sword Casting Hall was a disciple of the Spirit Sword Sect, established to honor the ancestral merits, hence named Spirit Sword City! "Bullshit!" Zhou Yi crushed the volume into dust, a cold glint shing in his eyes; the first ancestor to fall into demonhood was Jian Xuan. Lin Fan stopped his steps, puzzled, "Immortal Master, who has angered you?" "It''s just that..." Zhou Yi cut his words midway, unwilling to entangle Lin Fan too deeply in this matter, and said in a deep tone, "It''s just that living too long, I find that wherever I go, there are vexatious matters!" Lin Fan asked curiously, "Immortal Master, where is Kunlun Mountain?" "Kunlun Mountain is everywhere and yet present in no particr domain." Zhou Yi looked in the southeastern direction, "A few years ago, it was in Cloud Continent, tens of thousands of li away from here." "Tens of thousands of li!" Lin Fan eximed, "What did an immortal travel so far for?" Zhou Yi sighed, "There''s an annoying fellow there, I prefer not to see him." In these years, Baiyun Peak had almost been dug through by soldiers; even though it didn''t affect the Speck of Dust Formation, the incessant nking was annoying. "Oh." Seeing the Daoist Master reluctant to say more, Lin Fan shifted the topic considerately, "Immortal, I''ve been practicing for so long, why haven''t you taught me any sword techniques?" Zhou Yi nced at Lin Fan and stroked his beard lightly, saying. "If one could break a mountain with a single sword, what need would there be for any techniques?" ... Xianjing. Originally the capital of Da Qian, renamed after being upied by Daqing. Emperor Tai Shi imed to have encountered an Immortal Fate at Kunlun Mountain and went into seclusion there, hence the change to ''Xian''. The historians and scribes of Qing Kingdom scoured the millennium-old archives of Da Qian, never finding the words "Kunlun Mountain". Fearing the emperor''s majesty, they had to forcibly extract an exnation from ancient texts. Those officials who knew the true situation would merely smile without speaking, while most officials, ignorant of the facts, believed that Kunlun Mountain really existed in the world. The Imperial Pce. Shangyang Pce. Emperor Tai Shi, Qin Zheng, cast his gaze over the ministers in the hall, his eyes stern. His innate power and the emperor''s dignified presence pressed down, causing the physically weaker schrs to tremble in their legs involuntarily. "General Zhang, have there been any traces of Kunlun found in recent days?" "Your Majesty," General Zhang stepped forward and bowed: "Your servant dispatched a hundred thousand cavalry, dividing them into two groups from the coast of the Eastern Sea, marching north and south along the coast, carefully searching every mountain, river, and stream. To date, we have scoured half of the Cloud Continent''s territory, yet Kunlun Mountain has not been found!" Emperor Tai Shi ordered, "Too slow, dispatch another hundred thousand troops and have the military forces of each state join in the effort, sweep through Cloud Continent within ten years!" "As decreed." General Zhang bowed and epted themand. Emperor Tai Shi, having conquered vast territories of the Qing Kingdom, was without equal in military prestige. Not to mention searching for the elusive Kunlun Mountain, even if an Immortal God were to appear, upon a singlemand from Emperor Tai Shi, the Daqing cavalry would brazenly charge! "Please reconsider, Your Majesty!" The Grand Secretary stepped forward, his face showing difficulty, "The National Dynasty has just been founded, and its foundations are not yet solid; we should focus on recuperation and regeneration. Suchrge-scale troop deployments are not only a strain on the national treasury, but also ce a heavy burden of forcedbor on the people." "Your Majesty, we received an urgent report from eight hundred li away yesterday," The Minister of Revenue stepped out and said, "Droughts have urred in ces like Ning''an Prefecture, Ming Prefecture, and Yangshan Prefecture, with no clouds seen for three months. Please prepare disaster relief rations now to prevent any civil unrest." Another minister stepped forward, advising, "The ims of immortals and eternal life have always been but empty talk since ancient times, Your Majesty is young and strong, please do not indulge in such fantasies and neglect the affairs of the National Dynasty." "I support the motion!" "Your Majesty, please think thrice!" One after another, more than a dozen ministers stepped out, asking Emperor Tai Shi to retract the military orders. "Enough! I am very much lucid now and have my own considerations," Emperor Tai Shi silenced the ministers, his gaze turning to themander of the Jinyiwei, "How goes the investigation into the counterfeit Buddhist and Taoist scriptures? "To report to Your Majesty, in the past half month, we have raided thirteen more temples and Taoist temples that recited the counterfeit scriptures, all of them have been sent to the military to toil." Liu Jin bowed and said, "I dare guarantee with a military order that within one year, counterfeit scriptures will disappear from our dynasty, and within three years, no one in the states of Cloud Continent will dare to recite counterfeit scriptures!" "Very good!" Emperor Tai Shi praised, "Liu Aiqing, go ahead with your ns. Anyone who nders Xuan Xiao Daojun is my enemy and can be charged with the crime of conspiring against the state, punished by the extermination of their Nine ns!" Emperor Tai Shi knew that Liu Jin was a treacherous scoundrel, but he also knew that to suppress Buddhism and Taoism, only a ruthless scoundrel could do the job. With the base of Buddhism and Taoism, no matter who took up the task, they could only treat the symptoms, not the root problem! Moreover, it was fitting for a treacherous official to suppress the nderous and deceptive teachings of Buddhism and Taoism! Emperor Tai Shi was aware that using soldiers to search for Kunlun Mountain was a remote hope, thus, he also sought to restore the good name of Xuan Xiao Daojun, elevating him as one of the Two Sages of Taoism, hoping to win the favor of the real person Xuan Yi. "Your servant obeys the order!" Liu Jin showed a triumphant look; with the emperor''s words, whoever dared to oppose the Jinyiwei would find a few counterfeit scriptures thrown into their homes. After the court session ended. Lunchtime. Emperor Tai Shi consumed more than a dozen bowls of rice, each grain carefully selected tribute rice, yet he always found it nd and tasteless. "Summon True Person Xu!" A momentter. The current master of Baiyun Temple, True Person Xu, appeared for an audience, bowing thrice and kowtowing nine times, loudly proiming long live the emperor. Emperor Tai Shi was very pleased. He recalled thirty-five years ago when he took the throne in Xianjing, the Buddhists and Taoists did not even kneel to the emperor, iming to be recluses beyond this world. Now, more than thirty yearster with seven Temple Masters dead, the Taoist priests finally came to their senses, bowing and kowtowing respectfully. After all, the monks next door from the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple were all dead with not even a chance to beg for mercy. "How goes the refining of the Lifespan Extension Pills?" "Your Majesty, the art of Alchemy has been lost for a long time; even after decades of diligent study, I''m not particrly adept at it." True Person Xu took out a Jade Box from his bosom and presented it with both hands: "Several furnaces have been ruined, consuming quite a lot of Spiritual Medicine, and we''ve managed to refine only a few defective pills." Baiyun Temple, inherited from the Dan Ding sect, despite many changes and amended scriptures, had preserved many pill forms. True Person Xu, with his profound study of Alchemy and a mix of three parts skill and seven parts loyalty, gained Emperor Tai Shi''s support and trust. An eunuch presented the Jade Box, carefully lifting the lid. Inside were three thumb-sized pills, deep red with golden cloud patterns, emitting an alluring medicinal fragrance. A sh of joy crossed Emperor Tai Shi''s eyes. He recalled what True Person Can had once described about various Spirit Pills ¨C this Lifespan Extension Pill looked exactly like one of them. He waved his hand to stop the eunuch from testing the pills and directly picked one up to swallow it. It melted upon entering his mouth, and the rich Spiritual Energy dispersed into his organs. For the first time in thirty-six years, he experienced the taste of Spiritual Energy again, like the sweet dew after a long drought. "Hahaha!" Emperor Tai Shiughed heartily, visions of familiar yet foreign scenes shing before his eyes as he muttered deliriously. "I wield the Taia Sword, ride the dragon carriage, and ascend Kunlun Mountain..." "There''s the thousand-year verdant date trees, the evergreen Red Tendril of ten thousand years, the Mystic Pearl Grass, and the Purple Ganoderma..." "Yin and Yang congeal into Immortal Fruits, and the five elements coalesce into Lingzhi mushrooms..." "And then to the very center of Kunlun, there''s the towering Jianmu, hundred feet without branches, green leaves and purple stems, reaching up to the ninth heaven and down to the Nine Netherworlds, where Immortal Gods ascend to the heavens..." Every word and action by Emperor Tai Shi were meticulously recorded by the court historians in the hall, scribbling away non-stop! Chapter 201: Chapter 197: The Foundation of Buddhism The most cruel thing in the world isn''t ignorance but knowing too much, yet being unable to obtain it. Desire without fulfillment drives one into madness, and only then do illusions appear! Everyone in the hall thought that Emperor Tai Shi had gone mad from consuming spirit pills, but only he knew he wasn''t insane. Everything he mumbled about was seen with his own eyes. Thousand-year-old date trees, blood vines, Mystic Pearl Grass, purple ginseng, Yin Yang Fruits, Five-colored Auspicious Cloud Mushrooms, Jian wood... After a long time had passed. Emperor Tai Shi''s visions shattered before his eyes, his murmuring voice gradually extinguished as he sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion. Leng You''s gaze swept across those in the hall, all bowing their heads emotionlessly. How could she not guess the thoughts of those below? They likely thought she was spouting nonsense. "Why hasn''t True Person Xu risen yet?" "Your servant is inexplicably moved and offers congrattions to Your Majesty!" True Person Xu knelt on the ground, shivering: Spiritual Medicine is indeed real,ing from the deep reserves of both Buddhist and Taoist teachings. However, alchemy also requires a Pill Furnace, spells, and Spiritual Fire, which for now can only be substituted withmon fire and a Bronze Cauldron. As a result, three furnaces were ruined in a row, wasting the already scarce Spiritual Medicine. Luckily, recent exploration of ancient Taoist scriptures led to the discovery of the method for creating an inner core with lead and mercury, andbining the two, he managed to concoct Spirit Pills. They looked simr to the ones in the scriptures. As for the efficacy, well, True Person Xu didn''t dare to try them. Based on his limited experience with alchemy, True Person Xu judged that consuming these pills was less effective than consuming raw Spiritual Medicine, but he dared not voice this thought. If His Majesty found out, he might have to rece another temple master. "Decree: True Person Xu has meritorious service in alchemy, be titled Huai Xuan Ji Miao Guang Ancestor True Lord, be bestowed with a purple robe, rewarded with ten thousand gold, and order Baiyun Temple to construct his statue for incense offerings!" Emperor Tai Shi spoke slowly: "True Person, continue with alchemy; I will have the imperial guards deliver Spiritual Medicine to you, with at least one sessful furnace each month!" Having cultivated martial arts to the stage of Qi-Blood consolidation, a meal required half a cow to satisfy hunger. Yet, ever since leaving Kunlun Mountain, even if he stuffed himself to the gills, there remained a hunger stemming from the soul. In his youth, he could endure it, dispersing the greed within his heart somewhat with the exhrating thrill of leading armies to conquer thends. Now, nearly eighty years old, Emperor Tai Shimanded the power of Qing Kingdom, intimidating the nations of Cloud Continent, and had reached the peak of worldly sess. Nothing in this world interested him anymore, except for the pursuit of immortality and eternal life! Today, after consuming the medicine, the fragrance of Spiritual Energy prated to the bone marrow! "I, after exhausting my life, will surely search for Kunlun Mountain!" Emperor Tai Shi drew out the Taia sword from his waist. It was azure as jade and pointed obliquely at the sky. "If I cannot obtain immortality, no matter how much power and luxury I have, a hundred yearster I will be nothing but a handful of yellow soil!" Upon saying this, the ministers and eunuchs in the hall immediately knelt down, kowtowed three times, and chanted nine times in high voices. "Long live the Emperor, may you live forever!" ¡­ After the changes in the heavens. Buddhist monks, to prevent a counterattack from secr royal power, seized the governance of Buddhist territories. Thus, before Spiritual Energypletely dissipated, the royal families of Yizhou countries were invited to the Land of Ultimate Bliss and it was renamed Buddhist Continent. Buddhist Continent was divided into twelve Buddhist realms, governed by twelve Supreme Monasteries, with the state divisions and administrations simr to that of the original Imperial Court, managed by Middle and Lower Monasteries. As monks needed time for chanting and practicing Buddhist Law, they had little time to manage local affairs. They appointedy disciples as officials, ranking them as second-ss citizens. Monks naturally belonged to the first ss, farmers, artisans, and merchants to the third, and criminals and ves and so on to the fourth. ssifying people into four levels, with fixed professions and ranks, made governance easier, structured from top to bottom like a pyramid. Furthermore, Buddhist scriptures such as karma, reincarnation, and so on were used to indoctrinate the subjugated people into enduring hardships in the belief that in the next life, they could be reborn as monks, thus tightly binding both their physical forms and souls. Over hundreds of years, not only was there norge-scale rebellion, but Buddhist rule became even more solid than stone. As for all scriptures outside of Buddhist teachings, such as the Four Books and Five ssics and historical records, anyone caught reading them wasmitting the grave sin of sphemy against Buddha. Their entire family would be demoted to the ranks of the fourth ss, enduring hardships for three lifetimes before being liberated. This was merely the overall structure; the monks had assigned ranks for clothing, food, housing, and travel. Walking within a Buddhist city, one could clearly discern the differences between the four sses based on people''s clothing materials, color, means of transportation, food, and house regtions. In the Land of Bodhi. Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple. Legend held that Buddhism originated here, the ancestral root of ten thousand Buddhas and the actual ruler of Buddhist Continent. In the Great Heroic Treasure Hall. A Buddha statue several tens of feet high, made of pure gold, with kind eyes and a gentle smile, watched over the congregation below. In the center stood an old monk with long eyebrows, tall and sturdy as if cast from red gold. Around him were more than ten monks, both old and young, with distant gazes, each adopting apassionate demeanor. The only speaking figure in the hall was a ragged monk covered in scars. He spoke of the adversities faced by the Buddhist monks in Cloud Continent. "...After the Great Historian Emperor destroyed the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple in Qianjing, he razed mountains and temples and set all Buddhist scriptures ame. Soldiers were dispatched along with Jinyiwei and the Internal Servants to hunt down monks, killing on sight any who resisted, even takingy disciples into custody." "The poor monk travelled west with hundreds of Martial Saints, crossing tens of thousands of miles across Ji Continent, arriving in Buddhist Continent with only one disciple left!" As he spoke, the monk revealed a scar on his chest, pierced by an arrow, narrowly missing instant death: "The disciple was fortunately saved and treated by believers, fortunate enough to survive and bring back the news from Cloud Continent." "Amitabha!" The old monk with long eyebrowsmanded: "The family of this believer has great merit. Allow his son to shave his head and be a monk, to enjoy the Ultimate Bliss of the Buddhist Law." A supervisory monk on the left rose to ept the instruction: "Your disciple obeys the Dharma Master''s decree!" The old monk asked those around him: "What do you think of the situation in Cloud Continent?" A monk replied: "Great Historian Emperor praises Buddhist Enemy Xuan Xiao and has again begun a campaign against Buddhism, he should be punished!" Another monk said: "Master, I wish to lead a hundred thousand monk warriors to Cloud Continent to spread Buddhist Law and overthrow the tyranny of the Fake Emperor of Qing Kingdom!" Chapter 202: Chapter 197: The Foundation of Buddhism _2 "The poor monk also wishes to go!" "..." "Amitabha!" The elder monk with long eyebrows chanted the Buddha''s name and said, "The Fake Emperor''s strength has reached the Innate level, the pinnacle of this world. As long as he lives, the Buddhist Law will struggle to cross over." The assembly of monks nodded slightly, outwardly showing disdain for Emperor Tai Shi, yet well aware that such a powerful person who could rule over Cloud Continent was not someone that ordinary monk soldiers could deal with. "What does the Master think we should do?" "Wait!" The elder monk with long eyebrows said, "The Fake Emperor is nearly mad in his obsession with the Immortal Path. Once he is abandoned by his allies and loses the hearts of the people, we can then summon the Buddha''s relic to y him, thereby deterring the countries of Cloud Continent and winning over the popce." Some monks expressed their doubts, "Master, Cloud Continent is tens of thousands of miles away, is it worth using the Buddha''s relic?" After ying Miao Shan, Xuan Xiao did not take the Sect''s Supreme Treasure of the Buddhist order. By using Spiritual Objects to seal it until now, it had fallen to the level of a treasure. Activating the Buddha''s relic would consume a great deal of Spiritual Energy, amounting to the depletion of the Buddhist foundation and shaking the basis of their rule. "Our Buddha has governed the Buddha Continent for three hundred years, where the people live and work in peace and contentment, with plenty of food and clothing, a hundred times better than the reign of any dynasty." The elder monk with long eyebrows spoke slowly, "The Fake Emperor, in his pursuit of the Immortal Path, has imposed heavybor and is cruel and tyrannical, resulting in the people barely scraping by. This aligns perfectly with the destined opportunity for the Buddhist Law to spread eastward. The light of our Buddha, shining upon thousands, is truly following the will of Heaven and the hearts of the people!" "Hundreds of millions of people across the Nine Continents should bask in Buddha''s grace and enjoy the Ultimate Bliss of Buddhism!" ... The story unfolds on two fronts. Spirit Sword City. Zhou Yi had been in Cloud Continent for ten years, lying each day in a rocking chair that had be polished and smooth from use. "Little Lin, you have already learned the Five Elements Instant sh Technique. There''s nothing more I can teach you," Zhou Yi said. The Instant sh Technique was a secret technique that Zhou Yi had deduced,bining the Escape Skill of the Five Elements with Qinggong, changing the consumption from Mana to Qi-Blood. Upon its activation, one''s speed could explosively increase, flying out a dozen yards in an instant and even prating objects of the Five Elements. This technique was no longer purely martial, with nuances simr to a spell, except the consumption of Qi-Blood was so vast that it could only be used as a trump card! "Immortal, are you leaving?" Lin Fan manifested his Qi-Blood, leaping to Zhou Yi''s side, his face showing a look of reluctance, "Why don''t you stay in the Mortal World, Master? I will definitely work hard to earn money to provide for your retirement." "Humph, thest guy who said that, I ended up visiting his grave three times!" Zhou Yi''s appearance shifted to a younger form, "Our fate ends here, no need for attachment. I must also return to Kunlun Mountain for cultivation." "Can I venture into the world of martial arts now?" Lin Fan''s expression was a mix of hesitation and expectation, having finally consolidated his Qi-Blood after ten years of secluded cultivation. What followed was a gradual umtion, transforming his vital acupoints into Blood Pills, but he was still far from the realm of splitting mountains with a single sword strike. With the speed of the Instant sh, a full-strength sword thrust could only shatter a boulder three to four yards in size. "Of course, you can." Zhou Yi''s expression was slightly eerie, forcing himself to suppress the urge to hide and watch the fun, and solemnly said, "As a Martial Artist who has reached the level of Qi-Blood Consolidation, I can p dead three or four thousand with a single palm. When you venture out into the martial world, remember to be careful and cautious!" Qi-Blood Martial Artists at the level of Qi-Blood Consolidation are equivalent to Innate Grandmasters, which is also the initial stage of Qi Refinement in the path of cultivation. It was unclear to Zhou Yi how many Innate Martial Artists there were in the Nine Continents, but likely not more than in the hundreds. While martial arts cultivation may seem independent of Spiritual Energy, without Immortal Path Elixirs to nourish them, their numbers pale inparison to before the extinction of Spiritual Energy, not to mention those hidden old immortals within the Buddhist and Daoist orders. "I''m off." Zhou Yi waved goodbye, ready to leave with grace. The ten years he spent with Lin Fan were indeed warm, but they were not a reason to stay. In this world, the only thing that could apany Zhou Yi was time! Seeing he could not make Zhou Yi stay, Lin Fan knelt down with a thud and kowtowed three times, making nine bows, "Immortal, I have had a doubt for these ten years, may I know the answer?" "Speak." Zhou Yi raised his eyebrows, guessing Lin Fan''s thoughts. "Back then, I was lucky to have the Immortal Sword recognize me as its master, but I was just a child with no knowledge of swordsmanship. With your power, Immortal, you could have easily taken the sword without a sound or a trace." Lin Fan said, "You could have exchanged it for sword techniques, or bestowed upon me a Spirit Pill, without the need to painstakingly teach me for ten years!" "First, I did not expend much effort; ten years for me was merely the opening and closing of my eyes," Zhou Yi exined. "Secondly, if I were to take the Light Dividing Sword, I would have topensate with something of equal value. How can I engage in deceit for a mere treasure? If I deceive you for the Immortal Sword today, tomorrow I might deceive someone else for their legacy. Over time, that would cause me to lose my true nature!" "I''ve lived long and am strong enough, but once the true nature is lost, it is only a matter of time before one falls into the abyss!" "Someday, if I habitually use Five Dou of Spirit Rice to deceive others and trouble myself with an adversary I should not have, it will serve as a lesson..." Zhou Yi did not care if Lin Fan understood; these words were also for himself, "That Immortal Sword has an extraordinary origin, yet it is only a damaged piece. At best, it could only aid you to reach the level of an Innate Grandmaster." "By obtaining the treasure, the Immortal Sword retains its Spiritual Sense, and you achieve Innate status; all is as it should be, with no debts owed to one another!" "So it is." Lin Fan vaguely understood and felt a bit disappointed. He hesitantly said, "Does that mean when I travel Jianghu, I cannot use the name of an immortal, and if I ever fall into trouble, no immortal wille to my rescue?" "You are teachable indeed!" Zhou Yi believed in cause and effect, yet he was not bound by it. If the price he had to pay was too high, he would simply abandon the Light Dividing Sword. To have it is my fortune, to lose it is not something I will insist upon. Without attachment, there are no cmities! "Remember to be cautious when traveling Jianghu. Do not die in the streets, lest I recall you in the future and have nowhere to offer my paper tributes..." The lingering words faded, and his figure was no longer seen. Lin Fan knocked his head on the ground several times. Even if it was a transaction, the grace of ten years of teaching cannot be feigned. "Immortal, rest assured, I will definitely not tarnish the name of Kunlun!" If the immortal does not allow him to use his name, he will use the name of the mountain instead and im to be a disciple of Kunlun when he travels Jianghu. "That''s what I''ll do!" Lin Fan stood up, slung the iron rod used for sword practice around his waist, and leaped towards his brother-inw''s home to bid farewell to his sister. Just as he stepped out the door. He saw a handsome young master in white, being carried in a gauze sedan chair by four strong men, with eight beautiful sword attendants following on both sides. The pedestrians in the street hurriedly gave way and spoke in low voices, praising the young master. It turned out to be Wu Kun, the young master of the Sword Casting Hall, rumored to have the stature of a Martial Emperor! "Martial Emperor! Such an imposing title for a king of martial arts." Lin Fan paid close attention and was unable to discern Wu Kun''s strength, which likely had reached a transformative state. Excited, he approached and asked for guidance, "As a junior in the martial arts, I seek instruction..." Before he got within ten feet, one of the apanying sword attendants frowned and, with a leap, drew his sword to stab fiercely! Lin Fan, who had been in secluded cultivation for ten years and had never truly battled others, could only extend his life a few more breaths under the immortal''s training, regardless of how much his strength had increased. Seeing the sharp swording at him, Lin Fan instinctively drew the iron rod from his waist and chopped down. His Qi-blood burst from his body, and he shouted loudly to bolster his courage. "Crush Stones!" Boom! A surge of sword Qi fell, and the attendant turned into a cloud of rain, slowly fluttering down and dyeing the street red. "..." Wu Kun wiped his face, his hands covered in red, and screamed in rm, "Assassin!" Lin Fan knew he had caused a great disaster and used the Instant sh Skill to dart through a few buildings, his figure disappearing from sight. At this moment. Zhou Yi changed into another face, stepping out from the Yellow Paper Shop, and saw the chaos in the streets. "I''ve taught this wretch for ten years, how many meritorious deeds have I saved!" With that, he turned into a light and flew towards Cloud Continent. ... White Cloud Peak. Zhou Yi stood in the air, looking down at the mountain peak which was now missing arge section, and shook his head helplessly. "I must find another mountain top!" He dived three hundred feet underground, thankful that Earth Fire Pce was buried deep, even if Emperor Tai Shi learned of it from the ssics in White Cloud Observatory, it would be difficult to dig a thousand meters deep. He burnt some yellow papers at each grave, including his own clothing mound. Afterwards, he spoke some words at Old Bai''s grave, realizing that a thousand years had passed and it was time for reincarnation. "It is rumored that the Buddhist Law has a secret technique about Nirvana and reincarnation, which can search for the reincarnated body of a high monk. It''s a pity that Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple avoided the great cmity, otherwise I would certainly fulfill our agreement." "But there''s no rush. I can wait patiently until the Buddhist heritage is exhausted and all their ssics are avable for me to peruse." After paying his respects, Zhou Yi turned into a light and flew southward, until he reached the vast wilderness of a hundred thousand mountains. Thorn Ridge. Moyun City. Zhou Yi stood aloft, observing the city which had expanded several times over, bustling and lively. "I will find a nearby mountain and continue my secluded cultivation andprehension of the Tao!" Chapter 203: Chapter 198: Became a Totem "First, we must celebrate. A closed-door cultivation isn''tplete without a celebration!" Zhou Yi''s escaping light descended into Moyun City, and with a flicker, he transformed into a handsome young master, inquiring of everyone he met. "Where can one enjoy thepany of courtesans and listen to music?" Passersby pointed in the direction of the southeast, "Hehuan Yuan!" "This name seems to have quite a history!" Zhou Yi had visited countless brothels over the past thousand years. None less than a hundred, with names like Spring Breeze, Xiaoxiang, Yihong, Full Moon, etc., were all named by learned schrs from the Four Books and Five ssics. After all, those attending these brothels were either schrs or those pretending to be schrs. Ordinary people simply couldn''t afford to spend several taels of silver just for tea. A straightforward name like Hehuan Yuan was indeed something he heard for the first time. "I must go and broaden my horizons." His escaping lightnded in the north of the city, but Zhou Yi was in no hurry. He strolled leisurely with his hands tucked in his sleeves. Times had changed, as had the scenery. The atmosphere of Moyun City had greatly changed from what it once was. The one hundred thousand mountains produced many precious herbs like wild ginseng, which attracted rich merchants from various nations of Cloud Continent who bustled in the streets, speaking loudly in different ents. The people on the streets were no longer wearing hemp robes and beast skins, nor were there demon-like creatures with ox, tiger, or wolf heads¡ªinstead, there were clothes of all colors and materials. The voices were loud, the streets lively. Zhou Yi walked at a leisurely pace, asionally entering shops or browsing stalls. From the townspeople''s idle chatter, he learned that the city lord''s mansion maintained the operation of Moyun City by taxing the wealthy merchants'' trade, which yielded a revenue far exceeding that of agricultural tax¡ªso long as the precious medicinal herbs from the one hundred thousand mountains didn''t run out. After all, Moyun City was surrounded by myriad valleys and ridges; even if you continued to cultivate thend for several hundred years, you would only get a little arablend around the city, barely enough to supply the city with food. There was another reason¡ªmost city residents practiced Qi-Blood martial arts, and agricultural tax simply couldn''t be levied! "Such wealth and happiness, it is indeed like a paradise on Earth." The closer Zhou Yi got to the center of the city, the more he noticed that the shops on both sides had slowly all turned into taverns, with a rich aroma of alcohol that was fragrant and enduring. Looking ahead, the entire street was filled with shops brewing and serving alcohol. Outside the taverns, numerous stools were filled with patrons in colorful attire¡ªthere were richly dressed young nobles, robustborers, some sitting upright in a restrained and elegant manner, others casually stretching their legs out in a rxed pose. The sounds of thumb-guessing games and the issuing of drinking orders intermingled continuously, and shouts of encouragement were asionally heard, surely from someone who just downed a whole jar of liquor in one go! While Zhou Yi made no distinctions of status or nobility among people, having lived a long time, he inevitably became influenced by the customs of this world, and seeing such a scene, he suddenly took an interest. He found an open seat, called over a waiter to serve some wine, rewarded the server with a silver bean, and asked, "Buddy, is this how everyone drinks wine here?" "Sir, you must be new to Moyun City and unfamiliar with our customs." The server skillfully pocketed the silver bean and exined with a smile, "Here we follow the belief that all are equal over wine; other ces may have hierarchies, but once you sit at the wine table, everyone is the same. This custom has been passed down for hundreds of years. Even the Great Elder can''t put on airs here." Zhou Yi found it amusing and asked, "Does this custom have an origin?" "Of course, it does. It is said that five hundred years ago, the mountains were filled with man-eating demons, and the Golden God took pity and established Moyun City to protect the people." The server, having exined this many times, spoke sinctly, "Since the Golden God loved fine wine and often transformed into amoner to taste wines everywhere, the city lord''s mansion decreed that taverns should treat all customers equally, lest they inadvertantly slight a deity." "This rule has been passed down for hundreds of years, and it became our custom here, just as people on Cloud Continent set off firecrackers for New Year." "Interesting, interesting!" Zhou Yi nodded with a smile, opened the jar and sniffed; the fragrance was more refined than it had been hundreds of years ago. He gulped down a jar of wine and then bought two more jars to put into his storage bag. Thereafter, at each tavern he stopped briefly; if the taste was good, he bought two jars. Until he reached the city center. From afar, he saw a bronze statue of a god nearly thirty feet high, with its entire body in a half-seated position, sitting not on a chair or Lotus tform but on a sturdy yellow ox with its horns gilded, glittering brilliantly in the sunlight. A ck tigery at its feet, a tortoise chancellor served by its side, a golden eagle perched on its shoulder, with wings spread as if poised to fly. In front of the statue were two rows of pirs engraved with mysterious patterns¡ªif examined closely, the patterns were disordered texts, chanting in ordance with some mysticalw, pitches soaring and lingering, like a murmur like a sutra. At this moment. A man and a woman were being instructed by the officiant to bow three times and kowtow nine times to the statue. After the ritual waspleted, they made an offering of incense. The officiant announced that under the witness of the Golden God, the man and woman were joined as husband and wife, and henceforth were to remain united in heart. Their families and onlookers nearby let out loud cheers, blessing the bride and groom, and it seemed like the groom''s mother offered incense, asking the officiant to let the Golden God know to bestow a blessing on the bride to bear a strong progeny. "The Golden God wishes to bless all people; we, however, should not be greedy and unbridled!" The officiant asked, "Do you choose a child as strong as an ox, as fierce as a tiger, as free as an eagle, or as long-lived as a tortoise?" Being a devout follower of the Golden God, the mother bowed to the officiant and said, "With the Golden God above, this old woman does not seek for my grandson to achieve greatness; all I ask for is peace and longevity, like that of the tortoise." The officiant nodded slightly and began to chant the soaring and lingering spell once again, finally indicating that the Golden God had received the prayer. "Hmm, indeed, I have received it." Zhou Yi was listening nearby; he flicked his finger, and a beam of spiritual light entered the couple, dispelling all their hidden illnesses and injuries, leaving them strong and healthy. After the bride and groom left, the officiant attended to a few more worshippers'' prayers. Most people asked the Golden God for safety and well-being, others sought to find precious herbs in the mountains, and some even directly prayed for sudden wealth and riches. In the eyes of the people of Moyun City, the Golden God was a deity who governed everything, and for any matter, they woulde to offer prayers. Chapter 204: Chapter 198 Became a Totem_2 Zhou Yi had queued for half an hour before it was finally his turn to step forward and insert the prepared incense into therge cauldron in front of the deity statue. The priest observed Zhou Yi''s clothing and attire and asked, "You are a foreigner?" Zhou Yi bowed to the deity statue and said with sped hands, "I am from Qingzhou, wandering the four corners of the world. This is the first time I have heard of the legend of the Golden God and felt reverence, so I came to worship." "Reverence..." The priest''s gaze slightly hardened as he said, "It appears then, fellow Daoist, that your lineage is long-standing, aware of events from hundreds of years ago?" Zhou Yi nodded and said, "I have heard a little, that the Demon race can protect the human race is indeed rare!" "Do not speak of this matter to others, or you will be beaten and driven out of the city." The priest said, "The Golden God is no longer of the Demon race but is now the totem of Moyun City, just like the Immortal Gods worshipped by the Daoist sects and the Bodhisattvas venerated by the Buddhist orders." Zhou Yi then asked, "May I ask why the name of the god is ''Gold''?" The priest said, "Gold is the god''s surname, and the name is Yi, which is the origin of everything in Moyun City." "Thank you for the enlightenment!" Zhou Yi did not ask further, as there were still many people behind him, queuing to worship. Leaving the city center. Looking back at the towering bronze deity statue, weathered with traces of wind, frost, rain, and snow, making it appear even more ancient and vicissitudinous, Zhou Yi could not help but feel emotional. "Poor me, actually bing a totem, prayed to and provided for by tens of thousands!" "This is indeed a cause for celebration!" Until reaching Hehuan Yuan. Zhou Yi arrived at the domain and observed for a moment, confirming that he had been here before. After the great battle between good and evil began, many cultivators came to Moyun City for refuge, among them a real person named Lu Lin, who taught the Dual Cultivation method to fox demons and snake demons, resulting in mutual benefit and earning a substantial number of Spirit Stones. Hundreds of years have passed since Lu the real person had long died, and his path waned, but his legacy did not cease. Moyun City had undergone several expansions and was no longer as it was originally. Zhou Yi initially did not notice it, but now that he saw some familiar traces, he knew the origin of Hehuan Yuan. "Living long enough, everywhere one finds the descendants of the old acquaintances!" The old madam saw Zhou Yi hesitating at the entrance to the alley, mistaking him for a bashful young master and walked over with a swaying waist. "Sir, pleasee inside!" The old madam, taking the initiative, hooked her arm around Zhou Yi''s, her bosom broad and soft, "Young master must be visiting Moyun City for the first time, right? Our girls are not the ordinary type; each is proficient in the art of Dual Cultivation. It not only does no harm to the body but also strengthens and invigorates it." Zhou Yi asked, "Is it a Daoist secret technique?" "You are not the ordinary person, young master, wide-traveled and well-informed." The old madam proudly said, "Our ce has a heritage of five to six hundred years, being both a brothel and a martial Daoist sect of Hehuan Sect. As long as the young master has enough Silver, after staying for a year or two, your Inner Strength is guaranteed to improve greatly." "Then I will stay for two years." Zhou Yi only felt that life was full of wonders; the art of Dual Cultivation passed down by the old Daoist Lu had evolved into a martial Daoist sect. ... There were many things in the world Zhou Yi could not overlook, some he would manage, some he would not, but there was only one he would call an enemy. The Dragon Emperor. "Poor me, so petty-minded!" Zhou Yi chose a peak north of Greenwave Pond as his ce of secluded cultivation, which originally had no name, but now it became known as Kunlun Mountain. After the ancestral veins were severed, the Dragon Emperor resorted to a Blood Sacrifice of his subordinate demon races, attempting to avoid the catastrophe of the ultimate decline of thew. The human race relies on books and scriptures for its heritage, while the demon race relies on the bloodline return to ancestry. As long as the bloodline traces back far enough, the heritage of the Ancient Demon Gods will naturally emerge. The Dragon Emperor and the other three great demon emperors had pure and ancient bloodlines, knowledgeable about ancient events. After the world dramatically changed, they immediately ordered their minions to gather resources. After congregating at Greenwave Pond, they sacrificed them all in a Blood Sacrifice and sealed themselves. Zhou Yi chose to cultivate in seclusion within the Great Thousand Mountains because he had the intention of grave robbing, digging the old dragon out of its self-seal. From Xiao Tiezhu, he learned that after self-sealing, all external and internal sensing is cut off, and even thoughts and consciousness do not exist, simr to cold hard stubborn rocks. Therefore, one cannot interrupt the spell themselves, and can only wait for the energy to be depleted for it to end naturally, which even the caster couldn''t determine how many years it would take. Xiao Tiezhu once used a Secret Technique to search for these self-sealed old freaks, but s, they were all without a trace, unknown which corner they hid, struggling on in existence. Zhou Yi arranged the Formation and prohibitions ording to the appearance of Baiyun Peak, then spat out the Jianmu in the center, emitting dense Spiritual Energy that began to nourish thend into a Spiritual Field. "I was suffocating in there." The Spirit Ginseng child jumped out of the Beast Controlling Bag and looking at the uneven terrain, pouted its mouth, "Looks like I have to continue reiming thend!" "Go nt the Spiritual Medicine quickly, don''t you want to be an immortal anymore?" After setting up the Daoist temple and the pavilion, Zhou Yi instructed the Spirit Ginseng child to work well, then turned into a light and flew toward Greenwave Pond. The old dragon had lived for over a thousand years, and with his cunning and depth of thought, it was very likely that he would not bury himself in Greenwave Pond. Nevertheless, to prevent any cunning moves in the dark, Zhou Yi decided to explore the old site of the Dragon Pce. Even if he didn''t find traces of the old dragon, he might find a few items rted to the old dragon and then use divination to deduce step by step. He dove into the depths of the water. Zhou Yi had previously visited the Dragon Pce and quickly spotted the ruins following the direction. Withstand hundreds of years of erosion by theke water, the magnificent pce was left with only a few columns; the copsed buildings were overgrown with algae, with fish and shrimp darting through the crevices. Walking under the water, he looked at the surviving walls, columns, pces, and so on. The banquet in the Dragon Pce seemed like yesterday, but in a blink, time had changed and the once-renowned Dragon Pce across the Nine Continents was now just ruins. "Regardless of how domineering one is in life, without attaining immortality, one ends up as a handful of yellow soil!" Zhou Yi witnessed firsthand the transformation of the Dragon Pce into ruins and deeply reflected upon this, constantly reminding himself to be careful and cautious. His Divine Sense covered a radius of dozens of miles, repeatedly searching the remnants of the Dragon Pce but did not discover any unusual items. He excavated many gold and jade treasures from the ruins, but they were merely decorations for the pce and difficult to use in divination for the Dragon Emperor. Chapter 205: Chapter 198: Became the Totem_3 The art of divination was influenced by one''s power, and Zhou Yi needed a Golden Core to search for the Nascent Soul, which required personal objects for a possibility. "All I have is time, a hundred years, a thousand years, eventually I will find where that old dragon buried itself!" After this, he went into secluded cultivation. He chanted scriptures and understood the Tao every day. After more than ten noisy years, Zhou Yi once again regained peace. The path of cultivation requires both tension and rxation, bncing them on one''s own to avoid either monotony orziness. Zhou Yi sometimes envied the Spirit Ginseng baby for its simplicity, it never knew the concept of worry and could be considered the purest Heart of a Newborn in cultivation. The Spirit Ginseng baby was circling around the Jian tree, murmuring words, with a bright red tail following behind. The Jian tree had already been elerated to grow three zhang tall, and Spirit Ginseng baby, craning its neck, could not see the top,menting that it grew straight up without any signs of budding or branching. "The Spiritual Energy is a few degrees denser than before, with this rate, there''s no need for a millennium to breakthrough to the middle phase." In the blink of an eye, several years passed. On this day. The sky was clear and bright. Zhou Yi ended his cultivation, feeling somewhat frustrated in his heart, so he didn''t ponder over the Taoist scriptures but transformed into a streak of light flying to the edge of Greenwave Pond. He took out a fishing rod from his storage bag and began to fish leisurely. The weather in the mountains was unpredictable, and in the blink of an eye, dark clouds covered the sky, a gust of wind blew by, and a drizzle began to fall gently. Zhou Yi sat by theke, admiring the vast and misty water. Wind and water are indeed exquisite symbols! At this moment. "Raise the sail... hang the colors... let the wind and water carry us..." A rugged song came through the mist, and a figure was seen, propelling a boat from afar. The voice was piercing andpelling, resounding with a long and powerful breath. Zhou Yi helplessly watched as the fish were frightened away, his eyes twinkling with a sharp light as he observed the person on the boat; it was an old man with white hair, wearing only short clothes in the storm, his muscr bronze limbs exposed. As the old man approached thekeshore, he struck the water with his punt pole, leaping into the air andnding steadily beside Zhou Yi. "Old man Jin Jing, greets the Daoist Friend." Zhou Yi wore a green Taoist robe, a model from hundreds of years ago that looked antiquated to others, untouched by wind and rain, a sure sign of a Daoist high master with great Inner Strength. "I am Zhu Gang, temporarily residing on thisnd; I hope Elder Jin can grant me permission." Zhou Yi had heard of Jin Jing''s name before, the great elder of Moyun City, ennobled by the Qing Kingdom as the King of the Southern Province. The Jin surname was the number one surname in Moyun City, wielding great power generation after generation, yet unexpectedly, the venerable great elder dressed like a poor fisherman. "These vast mountains don''t belong to anyone, Daoist Zhu doesn''t need to discuss it with this old man." Jin Jing squatted by the shore, looked towards the fishing hook in the water, with a grain of rice on its tip, andughed, "I''ve been fishing for a lifetime, and I''ve never seen a straight hook. Could it be Daoist Zhu is imitating some ancient sage?" "I am creating good karma, waiting for the fish toe and repay the favor." As Zhou Yi spoke, the fish that Jin Jing had just scared away couldn''t resist the temptation of the Spirit Rice and returned. It opened its mouth to swallow the Spirit Rice and with a flick of its tail, disappeared without a trace. Zhou Yi flicked his finger, threading another grain of Spirit Rice on the hook, and in no time, another fish swam over, swallowed the bait, and vanished. Jin Jing found it interesting and squatted by theke to watch him fish, casually asking, "Daoist Zhu, why do youe to these wild mountains to cultivate?" Zhou Yi replied, "I fancy ancient items and learned from the ssics that there was once a dragon pce here, so I came in search of traces of a real dragon." Jin Jing raised an eyebrow and hummed, "No real dragons here, only plenty of demons and ghosts." The people of Moyun City, being oppressed by demon kind, recorded much about this in the ancient books, having no affection for the dragon n of Greenwave Pond. Zhou Yi countered, "Why did Elder Jine to these wild mountains to fish?" "What''s so strange about that? It''s what this old man has learned since childhood." Jin Jing said helplessly, "Since my cousin ascended the throne, Moyun City has be increasingly prosperous. Everyone''s learning about silk, chess, tea ceremonies, and the ssics. This old man only enjoys farming and hunting. There''s no reason to stop them, so I might as well hide in the mountains." Zhou Yi asked, "Does Elder Jin Chano think this is bad?" "Neither good nor bad; we can''t force everyone to suffer." Jin Jing sighed, "It''s just that Moyun City''s independence in the world relied on the entire poption practicing martial arts. Once immersed in luxury, who would have the heart to hone their Qi-Blood!" Zhou Yi nodded slightly, no wonder this old man was able to condense his Qi-Blood; being naturally gifted was just one aspect. Jin Jing inherently disliked the earthly world, which coincided with the mystical principles of cultivation and was also an important reason for his progress. "The Qing Kingdom''s might shakes the Cloud Continent; with Emperor Tai Shi as a rtion, no one dares to provoke Moyun City." "This old man hasn''t read much and doesn''t understand those convoluted matters. Usually, when I hear the storytelling master talk about history, I just feel it''s better to rely on oneself than on others." Jin Jing spoke helplessly, "Moreover, my cousin has be somewhat... unclear-minded in recent years!" Zhou Yi nodded understandingly and added more Spirit Rice to the fishhook. "Yes, unclear-minded." Chapter 206: Chapter 199: The Human Kunlun Xianjing. Shangyang Pce. Early morning court session. Three shouts of "Long live the Emperor". Emperor Tai Shi''s eyes were bloodshot, and his gaze swept over the ministers in the hall, his presence erupting like a volcano. "More than thirty years have passed, yet Kunlun Mountain has not been found. What use do I have for you all?" "Your servants deserve death!" The officials knelt and did not rise, feeling as if a mountainous pressure was bearing down on them, trembling uncontrobly. Emperor Tai Shi had sought Spiritual Objects from Buddhism and Taoism to refine into Immortal Pills which he consumed, and his regr imperial meals consisted of soups brewed from century-old ginseng and fleeceflower roots, amassing the essence of Cloud Continent. It took him merely a decade to condense a Blood Pill. With a wave of his hand, the wind stirred, and his bellowing voice was like thunder. "Those who err my path to evesting life, even dying ten thousand times would not suffice!" Emperor Tai Shi''s eyes turned to one of the individuals, his expression easing slightly, "Liu Aiqing, how is theption of the cultivation novels progressing?" "I have gathered all colleagues from the Hanlin Academy to burn the midnight oil and write twelve new volumes, all of which are masterpieces. They will be sent to Kunlun Pce after court disperses." Hanlin Liu ttered, "The new volumes are the work of great effort. I guarantee their quality with my own head, Your Majesty will surely be satisfied!" "Very good." Upon hearing this, Emperor Tai Shi felt the intense me in his heart slightly extinguished, "All my loved officials, rise." The officials had barely stood up when an Imperial Censor stepped forward to speak. "Your Majesty, I have to report that Hanlin Liu Yi, in the course ofpiling novels, has embezzled and filled his own coffers with 137,000 taels of silver, the evidence of which has been substantiated." Liu Yi''s face turned pale. With little backing, he had been promoted solely due to his knack for writing novels and was puzzling over how to defend himself. "Such a matter exists, but I cannot listen and believe only one side. Let the Imperial Bodyguard thoroughly investigate this case." Emperor Tai Shi covered up the matter with a single statement and waved his hand to prevent the Imperial Censor from speaking further, his gaze turning to Daoist Xu, "Daoist Xu, have you made any progress in alchemy recently?" "Reporting to Your Majesty, the supply of Spiritual Medicine has been cut off for several months, and with no herb, it is difficult to make a stew!" Before Daoist Xu could finish speaking, he sensed an icy killing intent swirling around him and hastily recited his prepared defense, "I am agonized that I cannot refine pills for Your Majesty and burn with impatience. After scouring the ssics, I have finally found a clue." Emperor Tai Shi nodded slightly, "Speak." "From the annals, I have learned that there is an Immortal Ind in the sea." Daoist Xu stated, "I am willing to lead the naval forces and voyage into the deep sea. There are countless Immortal Inds in the Eastern Sea, and I am certain I can find Spiritual Medicine to refine life-extending Spirit Pills!" "Granted." Emperor Tai Shi did not trust Daoist Xu, but since he knew from Kunlun Mountain''s Scripture Pavilion that the former site of Greenwave Pond''s Earth Fire Pce originated from the Eastern Sea, he ordered, "Command the naval forces to build a hundredrge ships and take three divisions into the Eastern Sea to seek Spiritual Medicine!" The Minister of Revenue stepped forward to advise, "This will exhaust the people and drain the treasury, Your Majesty, please think thrice!" "I have been restless and have thought it over countless times, not just thrice," Emperor Tai Shi said somberly, "There truly is a Kunlun, and I am a disciple of Kunlun. I wish to cultivate immortality, I want evesting life!" When he left Kunlun Mountain, Emperor Tai Shi did not hesitate, believing that the power and dominance of the throne were more attractive. However, as he grew older and death loomed closer, nothing in the worldpared to the desire for the immortality of the Daoist path. The officials in the hall had varying expressions upon hearing this. Liu Yi and Daoist Xu, having just escaped death, quickly agreed, "Your Majesty has great fortune and is destined for evesting immortality!" The loyal subjects who remained knelt down and advised, "Your Majesty, the pursuit of immortality is but an illusion, please do not fall prey to sycophants!" The crown prince observing the proceedings bowed his head and dared not speak. He wanted to give counsel but feared to do so, with only one thought in his mind. My father has gone mad! This thought was shared by everyone, whether they were loyal officials or treacherous ones. All believed that Emperor Tai Shi''s obsession with eternal life had driven him to a state of madness. What Kunlun Mountain, what immortal cultivation¡ªwere they not all delusions of a maddened emperor? At that moment. Footsteps sounded from outside the hall. Liu Jin entered excitedly, tumbling and crawling without pausing for formalities he directly called out. "Your Majesty, someone iming to be a disciple of the Kunlun Sword Sect has defeated the masters in the Capital. I saw it with my own eyes; that swordsman can fly!" Emperor Tai Shi sprang up from his throne, unconcerned with Liu Jin''s breach of protocol, and demanded. "Where is that swordsman now?" "Your Majesty, I led a thousand Jinyiweis to surround and capture him, only to see the swordsman vanish into thin air with a whoosh and then appear atop the city wall." Liu Jin recounted vividly, "Seeing this, how could I not recognize that the swordsman had real skill? I promptly shouted that Your Majesty is a disciple of Kunlun, only then did I manage to detain the swordsman, who now awaits outside the pce for Your Majesty''s summon." "Summon him at once." After sitting down, Emperor Tai Shi stood again and said, "To Kunlun Pce!" Kunlun Pce Located at the southwestern corner of the imperial pce, the original ten or so pces were razed, leaving a space of more than three hundred zhang. Emperor Tai Shi, drawing from his memories of Kunlun Wondend, had painters create scrolls which were then brought to life with no expense spared, reconstructed to a perfect likeness. Within the Kunlun Pce stood a towering purple column adorned with jade leaves, beyond which stretched fields of Spiritual Medicine crafted from gold, silver, and precious stones, and further afieldy ancient woods, Taoist temples, and pavilions. Since itspletion, he took up permanent residence in Kunlun Pce. Emperor Tai Shi paced back and forth outside the Taoist temple, urging repeatedly until finally he was granted an audience with the swordsman. "Kunlun Sword Sect disciple, Lin Fan, greets the Emperor of Qing Country." Lin Fan bowed slightly in greeting. In Sword Forging City where he lived, there were no emperors or imperial n members. Besides bing bonded servants, there was never a custom of prostration. Emperor Tai Shi scrutinized Lin Fan, sensing a familiar origin in him, and smiled as he spoke, "Please, have a seat and let''s talk." The two sat under the grapevines, and immediately a eunuch brought over rice that shimmered like pearls and exuded a fragrant aroma. "Spirit Rice?" Lin Fan was first delighted, but upon closer inspection and sensing ack of Spiritual Energy in the grains, his face showed disappointment. The rice only resembled and tasted like Spirit Rice butcked any Spiritual Energy. "Haha, Brother Lin truly hails from Mount Kunlun," Emperor Tai Shi''s eyes lit up with joy. He had been seeking for many years to no avail, and now someone had delivered himself to his doorstep. Pointing to the surrounding scenery, he asked, "Do you recognize this scene, fellow Daoist?" Lin Fan looked around and shook his head. "I have never seen it before." Emperor Tai Shi frowned slightly. "How is it possible that you haven''t seen the beauty of Mount Kunlun when you cultivated there?" Lin Fan replied, "I never went to Mount Kunlun; the immortal who taught me swordsmanship was a Kunlun Qi Refiner. It is inconvenient to disclose the immortal''s name ¡ª after teaching me for ten years, he left without a trace." "I see," Emperor Tai Shi said. He envied Lin Fan, yet he also felt disappointed that he couldn''t find traces of Mount Kunlun through Lin Fan. Lin Fan, putting on a bold face, said, "My talents are ordinary; I was only an honorary disciple." "No wonder you didn''t get the chance to train at Mount Kunlun. I became a true disciple when I started my apprenticeship. ording to the rules, you should call me senior brother." Emperor Tai Shi, unwilling to consider himself inferior, concealed his envy and added ayer to his own identity. Lin Fan felt a surge of joy in his heart. Having not been able to be a disciple of Mount Kunlun, now acknowledging a true disciple as senior brother also granted him identity. He immediately saluted and said, "Greetings, senior brother!" "Very good, very good. Today, we shall not return until we are drunk!" Emperor Tai Shi ordered a royal banquet, then shared his experiences of Mount Kunlun with Lin Fan. He spoke the truth except about bing a disciple and added many fanciful dreams, making it seem even more lofty and ethereal. "So Mount Kunlun is indeed such an immortal realm," Lin Fan remarked with admiration, regretting that he could not see it with his own eyes. He then shared with Emperor Tai Shi the character and preferences of the immortal. This was precisely the part Emperor Tai Shi didn''t know. Back in the day, Zhou Yi was highly esteemed; even as a prince, he had to be extremely careful and dared not step out of line. The more the two talked, the more they hit it off,bining what they knew about Mount Kunlun and the immortal to gain a clearer understanding. It wasn''t until Emperor Tai Shi spoke about the Scripture Pavilion of Mount Kunlun and the life of Xuan Xiao did he learn that the two religions of Buddhism and Taoism ndered the Daojun. "I promised the immortal that I would clear the Daojun''s name. Now there is not a single false scripture left in Cloud Continent. Qing Kingdom just needs to continue prospering for another three to five hundred years, and the Daojun will be exonerated, bing a revered patriarch of the Way," he dered. "Xuan Xiao Daojun was actually ndered by the Demon Head..." Lin Fan was no longer a na¨ªve man of the jianghu. After leaving the mountains and attracting the attention of Sword Casting Hall, to protect his sister''s family from being bullied, he single-handedly defeated all the experts of Spirit Sword City with his sword. Now he realized that the formidable master of Sword Casting Hall was only at the realm of Condensed Aperture. How could an ordinary person at the realm of Condensed Aperturepare to Lin Fan? Naturally gifted with the physique for swordsmanship, strong in Qi-blood after consuming Spirit Rice, and having inherited celestial sword techniques, he defeated the master with just three strikes. After the misunderstandings were cleared up, Lin Fan became the Sword Saint of Spirit Sword City. Naturally, while perusing the books in Sword Casting Hall, he came across the story of Xuan Xiao. "Senior brother, I know what I need to do now!" Lin Fan said. "Hmm?" Emperor Tai Shi, with his lucid understanding, said, "Do you need my help? Qingzhou is a tiny state; ten thousand of Daqing''s cavalry could annihte it!" Lin Fan shook his head and replied, "Such ughter would be excessive. Qingzhou venerates the way of the sword, so I shall surpass everyone with my sword and then reveal the truth." Emperor Tai Shi pondered for a moment and earnestly advised, "Little brother, if the immortal seeks you out again, please say some kind words for your senior brother. When I re-enter Mount Kunlun and step onto the path of evesting immortality, I will not forget this great kindness." Lin Fan furrowed his brows. Ever since he arrived in Qing Kingdom, he kept hearing the people say that the emperor had gone mad. "Little brother, I''m not mad," Emperor Tai Shi said. He needed someone of his kind to understand him: "You know, there really is a Mount Kunlun!" Lin Fan, feeling helpless, nodded and agreed. "If fate allows me to see the immortal again, I will surely pass on the message for senior brother." ... Ten thousand mountains. Greenwave Pond. Zhou Yi held the Taoist scriptures in hand, leisurely fishing by thekeside. Suddenly, the old man from Jin Jingnded beside him. The two of them had been getting along quite well for half a year. One farming and fishing, the other fishing and reciting scriptures. "In a few days, it will be Golden God''s birthday. Moyun City is holding a totem worship celebration, and this old man has to go back and preside. Would Master Zhu be interested in attending the ceremony?" Jin Jing held great respect for Zhu Gang. He considered himself a top martial artist in the world and sought opportunities to test the waters, but the other party easily resolved them all, making it impossible to discern his depth. "The Golden God''s birthday?" Zhou Yi was slightly startled. He had nearly forgotten his own birthday, and a quick calction with his fingers revealed its origin¡ªlikely the day when he first arrived at Mo Cloud Cave. "Nothing better to do, and since I can''t find any trace of the true dragon, I might as well join the excitement," he said. "At this rate, who knows how many years or decades it will be?" Jin Jing said,ughing. "Those fish aren''t legendary fish monsters. They have a simple intelligence and don''t know how to repay kindness." "Well, that''s uncertain," said Zhou Yi, who had fished upon obtaining a favorable divination earlier that day, indicating good luck. Before the words faded, bubbles burst forth on the water surface, and arge, five- or six-foot-long blue fish emerged halfway from theke, spitting out a round dark shadow at Zhou Yi. Zhou Yi reached out his hand, drew the object toward him, and discovered it was a ck pearl the size of a pigeon''s egg, perfectly round and wless. To ordinary people, it was already worth a fortune. Jin Jing was stunned, scratching his head like a child, eager to ask about this mysterious animal training method. With just one grain of rice, he had induced the blue fish to spit out a pearl in gratitude. "What a pity, this is not what I sought after," Zhou Yi said, using his mana to meticulously investigate the pearl, which bore no traces of formations and had nothing to do with the Dragon Pce of old. "It''s been less than a year anyway. No hurry!" Chapter 207: Chapter 200: The Dragons Reverse Scale What does it feel like to watch a ritual celebration held to honor oneself? Zhou Yi only found it to be deeply mysterious, The esteemed Daoist cultivator invited by the city lord, of course, took a seat among the distinguished guests, watching his own divine statue being worshiped by tens of thousands. In the center of the city square, before the golden body statue. The senior elder Jin Jing, wearing a beast skin robe and with a solemn expression, offered incense, sacrificed the five domestic animals, knelt in prayer, and recited the sacrificial text... Behind him knelt thousands of Moyun City''s citizens, dressed in linen and hides, with feathers in their hair, looking like uncivilized wild people from the mountains. After Jin Jing finished reciting the sacrificial text, he circted the Qi and blood in his Dantian, his voice carrying long and far for several miles. "Golden God, protect us!" "Golden God, protect us¡ª" "Golden God, protect us¡ª" The voice thundered straight into the clouds, three prostrations and nine bows performed with uniformity. The sound of beast skin drums came from all directions, no rhythm required, simply hammered with force, deafening to the ears. The drumsticks, fashioned from some kind of beast bone polished over time, had worn smooth like jade. Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense swept over and recognized that both the drum faces and the drumsticks were made from the Thunder Demon, and although the Spiritual Energy had been exhausted, a hint of their former might lingered. As the ceremony in the square dispersed, ten or so figures wearing masks of tigers, leopards, jackals, and wolves descended, waving their weapons and howling wildly. The drums grew more fervent, and suddenly, a piercing horn sounded. Jin Jing had already changed his clothes, now donning a golden feathered cape shimmering as if descended from the heavens, he waved his hand casting a few gusts of wind that sent those dressed as demons flying. Then, several dozens of demon figures surrounded Jin Jing at the center. Just as the situation seemed dire, a water buffalo, a turtle chancellor, a Golden Eagle, and a ck tiger flew in from all directions, joining hands with the Golden God to vanquish the demons. The plot was simple, telling the story of the Golden God protecting humanity, continually defeating demons. There was lively fighting that captivated the heart, the thrilling sound of gongs and drums, and a festive atmosphere that made both the citizens of Moyun City and the visitors cheer. "I am bing a part of history, and at the same time, I am creating history!" Zhou Yi murmured to himself, suddenly feeling a deep loneliness as he remained an outsider amidst the overwhelming excitement, standing alone in the world. Before the Cultivation World was destroyed, loneliness was just loneliness, but now it became a deste solitude. "The loneliness of invincibility is worse than bitter cultivation! In this world, there is no longer anyone you can talk to, it''s like talking to ducks if you are a chicken, like ying the lute to cows, slowly, you just fall silent and no longer wish to speak." At this moment. Jin Jing had finished dancing and, wearing the beast skin robe once again, came over to the guest area with a cup in hand. "Daoist Zhu, I was upied with hosting the celebration and have neglected you." "It''s not a problem." Zhou Yi raised his cup and said, "This wine has to be several hundred years old, worth a thousand gold, but it seems I am the one to benefit." "This wine is no simple matter. Back when the Golden God often visited the mortal world, every household went to great lengths to brew alcohol." Jin Jingughed, "Therefore, the lord''s mansion holds a winepetition every year, selecting the top hundred jars of fine wine to be stored underground to this day, only to be brought out for distinguished guests to enjoy during the celebrations." "No wonder..." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, "It has a familiar taste." Hearing this, Jin Jing didn''t think much of it, assuming that with Zhu Gang''s status, it wasn''t strange for him to have ess to centuries-old fine wines. The two talked a bit more, making ns to go fishing in a few days. Jin Jing then proceeded to entertain other distinguished guests. The most important among them was the envoy from the Qing Kingdom, led by the third prince, who respectfully called Jin Jing "Uncle Seven." The previous senior elder was Qin Zheng''s maternal grandfather, which was also Jin Jing''s grandfather. The two families were closely rted within three generations. After the sacrifice ended, the banquet began. There weren''t many at the distinguished guests'' table, and Zhou Yi, a young Daoist, was quite eye-catching. However, those seated were no ordinary people, with either the strong-willed minds of Martial Artists or the deep schemes of officials, curiosity hidden behind smiling faces. Sitting on either side of Zhou Yi were two beast skin-d men, introduced by Jin Jing as chiefs from the tribes that sought protection under Moyun City. After the disappearance of the demon ns and the depletion of Spiritual Energy, humanity carried on with their Qi-Blood martial arts cultivation. The wild beasts of the great mountains were no match, and gradually, many tribes emerged. It was unknown whether it was intentional or not, but the two chiefs seated next to Zhou Yi were not merely uncivilized martial brutes; they were literate, valued schrship, and could converse with Zhou Yi about the Daoist scriptures. After a few rounds of wine, the atmosphere warmed, and the hosts and guests were all cheerful. The Crown Prince Qin Xiao came over, raising his cup he said, "I''ve seen Daoist Zhu, I am Qin Xiao, the younger generation. Uncle Seven mentioned your extraordinary way of taming beasts, and I''vee to seek guidance." Zhou Yi replied with a smile, "There''s no extraordinary magic to it, just an ancient beast taming spell which I slightly modified to be driven with Inner Qi." Nowadays, those practicing martial arts usually refer to the old Qi Refinement cultivation techniques as "ancient methods." Some of these have be obsolete with the times, while others have evolved and integrated into martial arts, like the Dual Cultivation techniques of the Hehuan Sect. Qin Xiao''s eyes brightened, many knew of the profound mystery of ancient methods, yet there were few who could reinvent them. "May I ask which Daoist temple Daoist Zhu cultivates at? I often listen to Master Xuan Su of Baiyun Temple preach, and I have many insights into Taoist scriptures." Zhou Yi replied, "I am not from the Nine Continents, the cultivation techniques passed down in my secte from the Eastern Sea. I have long heard of the reputation of Baiyun Temple, and I will surely visit to discuss the Dao in the future." "The Eastern Sea!" Qin Xiao''s face showed excitement, "Years ago, my father ordered the construction of a hundred massive ships. They were led by Master Xu to search for Immortal Inds in the Eastern Sea, I wonder if Daoist Zhu has a sea chart?" "Venturing across the Eastern Sea?" Upon hearing this news for the first time, Zhou Yi could not help but think of Qin Zheng, the rumored deranged tyrant, and sighed inwardly. "With just a gentle nudge, I''ve set off raging tides in the annals of history! In the future, I must act carefully and prudently, not allowing myself to act impulsively..." Every matter, no matter how circuitous, can be traced back to caution. This has be a habit over the centuries and will continue to be upheld. Zhou Yi asked in response, "ording to the records of my ancestors, Baiyun Temple originated from the Eastern Sea, and its heritage books should include sea charts?" "It''s impressive that the Daoist priest is aware of this. Indeed, the legacy runs deep." Qin Xiao exined, "Baiyun Temple colluded with the Buddhist sect topile false scriptures and denied the identity of Xuan Xiao Daojun as our founder. My father learned of this during his dream journey in Kunlun Wondend and destroyed all the false scriptures. In the process, many heritage books were burned, including the sea charts." "I see." Zhou Yi took out a piece of beast skin paper from his sleeve and said, "My ancestor held Xuan Xiao Daojun in high regard. Your Majesty is setting things right, so take this sea chart with you." "I will certainly report to my father and ask formendation on the Daoist priest''s behalf." Qin Xiao bowed to receive the beast skin paper, and without even looking at it, he directly handed it to an attendant by his side. Zhou Yi pondered for a moment and reminded, "The Eastern Sea is originally barren, there''s no spiritual medicine to be found now." A look of somber disappointment shed in Qin Xiao''s eyes as he shook his head slightly, choosing not toment. Emperor Tai Shi had conquered most of the Qing Kingdom''s territory, his personal martial prowess and prestige were as profound as mountains and oceans, and even if he had lost the hearts of the people in recent years, a prince should not specte recklessly! The banquet came to an end as evening approached. Most of the guests had already left when Zhou Yi got up to take his leave, but Jin Jing unexpectedly asked him to stay. "The Daoist priest often speaks of his fondness for ancient objects. Why not stay for the night? Tomorrow you can visit the Jin n treasure vault. If there''s anything that catches your eye, it shall be gifted to the Daoist priest," Jin Jing said. "Hmm?" With some thought, Zhou Yi understood the cause and effect, likely because of the sea chart. Thinking deeper, Qin Xiao''s presentation of the sea chart to Emperor Tai Shi would surely be rewarded. "You old man, you always tell me how you can''t be bothered with the mundane world, yet you get involved in such matters?" "The Daoist priest''s insight is prating, indeed nothing can be hidden." Jin Jing said helplessly, "No matter how tiresome it gets, I cannot sever my blood ties. As long as I bear the Jin surname, I cannot avoid it; my only choice is to choose someone to be close to." Zhou Yi had seen such matters many times and reminded, "The Jin family is already a king of another surname, and there''s no further progression, so they should remain independent." "We don''t get to decide on that. My cousin is no longer of the same status as before and does not need the support of Moyun City anymore," Jin Jing said with a sigh. "Despite his control over the most powerful state in Cloud Continent, my cousin still isn''t satisfied. Some time ago, he wrote to try incorporating Moyun City into Qing Kingdom, using it to rule over the hundred thousand mountains." Zhou Yi did not continue to inquire why he was supporting Qin Xiao, as it must have been a private deal, and wondered aloud. "I''ve heard that Moyun City lent its strong support so that His Majesty could ascend to the position of Crown Prince. Is there a reason for this?" "More than strong support - my grandfather fought a three-day and three-night duel with that old immortal of the Qing Kingdom, and they both perished from exhaustion!" Jin Jing said, "My cousin happened upon the original records of Martial Ancestor which detailed the emergence of Qi-Blood martial arts and the Golden God''s guidance to Martial Ancestor. It''s the supreme treasure of Moyun City!" Centuries have passed, and the Golden God has be the faith and legacy of Moyun City, the original records of Martial Ancestor akin to divine relics left in the human realm. "So that''s how it is." Zhou Yi felt somewhat embarrassed since he hadn''t known of the Golden God faith at the time and only intended to return the original records through Qin Zheng. ¡­ The next day. The treasure vault was located in the Jin family ancestral home. The grand hall, built from long bs of bluestone, had withstood the test of centuries, appearing somewhat time-worn. Jin Jing pushed open the door and after entering, saw rows upon rows of shelves and piles of iron chests in the back. "Daoist priest may not value mundane gold and silver, and I cannotpare in terms of heritage, so I can only offer these ancient objects as a token of gratitude," Jin Jing said. "Moyun City doesn''t have much history; these items were collected by our n members from the hundred thousand mountains, either for their unique designs or ancient origins, and have been stored here." "Then I shall not stand on ceremony," Zhou Yi said. He inspected each shelf in turn, though in reality, his divine sense swept across the hall, imprinting every ancient object in his mind. y pots with bizarre patterns, jade stones glimmering with faint light, bones of unknown origin, bronze vessels with an archaic design¡­ They were indeed ancient artifacts, but 99% of them were worthless. Zhou Yi quickly skimmed past them. It wasn''t until he noticed a palm-sized, dusty scale that Zhou Yi''s interest piqued. The scale surface was adorned with cloud patterns, neatly and symmetrically arranged, as if added byter hands. "Could it be...?" Zhou Yi mused. Seemingly wandering at random, he soon reached a corner shelf and picked up the scale for a closer look,paring it with the reverse scale he had seen in the Dragon Pce Treasure Vault. It was identical in shape and size butcked the dragon''s might. Zhou Yi pinched the scale lightly, but there was no change; its hardness surpassed that of gold and iron. "It must be a dragon''s reverse scale. What an unexpected find! All the dragons of the hundred thousand mountains trace their origins to Greenwave Pond. Even if this reverse scale is not from the Dragon Emperor, there''s a bloodline connection." "There are many bloodline curse techniques within the demonic paths, and even in the orthodox cultivation world, there exist techniques for seeking people by bloodline or divination. A bloodline source is as valuable as an object imbued with someone''s qi." "I have taken a great step towards achieving my revenge!" Zhou Yi tucked away the dragon scale and, having scanned the treasure vault with his divine sense finding no other useful objects, approached the door and addressed Jin Jing. "This object and I must share a destiny. To ept such generosity from you for a mere sea chart seems unfair," he said. As he rummaged through his sleeve, Zhou Yi produced a few grains of rice. "I grow rice in my spare times, and some of the nts underwent a change, producing seeds unlike the ordinary. Jin Dao You also enjoys farming, so ept these seeds as a token of my thanks. In the future, you can even grow grain in the mountains!" Chapter 208: Chapter 201 - Born at the Wrong Time Zhou Yi had nted Spirit Rice for over a thousand years, having never stopped since he first entered the Cultivation World. With therge quantity and long time, asionally, some of the Spirit Rice nts underwent mutations. Most mutations were positive, but a few were negative declines. In those days, such mutations were not considered strange in the Cultivation World. Simr phenomena urred with the cultivation of Spiritual Medicine and the domestication of exotic beasts. To the cultivators, more Spiritual Energy and stronger medicinal effects were good things; otherwise, it was considered a bad deal. Take, for example, the rice grain in Zhou Yi''s hands¡ªit was a typical case of decline. After maturing, it surprisingly did not contain any Spiritual Energy, fruitlessly wasting both the spiritual field and Mana. Ordinary cultivators would certainly discard it like chaff, but influenced by his past life, Zhou Yi paid considerable attention to the mutated Spirit Rice. After conducting trials, he found that the mutated grains contained no Spiritual Energy, so their growth process did not require it. Yet, they retained the advantages of Spirit Rice nts, such as adaptability to various terrains and vigorous life force, among others. The drawback was the low yield; the output was only about one stone per mu. "One stone!" Jin Jing couldn''t help raising his voice upon hearing Zhou Yi''s introduction, "Can this rice really be grown on the mountains with a yield of one stone per mu?" "This variety of rice, once nted, has a vitality even greater than wild grass. It can grow anywhere in the mountain crevices," Zhou Yi nodded and said, "The actual yield also depends on the mountain terrain. Too many rocks naturally mean it won''t produce a full stone. When I traveled around Cloud Continent, rice yields were three or four stones per mu or even more." "In our mountain hollow, how can we dare topare with the ins and rich fields?" Jin Jing sighed and said, "The fields around Moyun City, no matter how hard we toil, day and night, taking great care, the yield is barely over one stone. Master, this rice of yours makes us drool with envy, but even selling this old man wouldn''t bring it within reach!" "In my view, this fish scale holds greater value." Zhou Yi passed the rice grain to Jin Jing, speaking, "Yesterday, after observing Golden God''s celebration, I deeply understood the hardships of the human race in the Ten Thousand Mountains. It is only through the pioneers'' struggles and toil that we have today''s prosperity. This rice shall be named Yi Rice; one reason being that it is easy to cultivate, and the other is to say to outsiders that it is a gracious gift from the deity Jin Yi!" "Isn''t this selling you short, Master?" Jin Jing clutched the rice grain tightly and said, "With Master''s generosity, could it be that you fear others'' jealousy? Rest assured, anyone who dares to be your enemy is an enemy of Moyun City!" Moyun City may seem like just a city, but its citizens are all trained in martial arts; it is a case of a fully armed popce. The human tribes of the Ten Thousand Mountains also look up to Moyun City with respect, with a poption under theirmand in the tens of thousands. With onemand, they could gather a force of a hundred thousand elite soldiers, whose might is not inferior to any small country on Cloud Continent, and in terms of military capability, they are even more formidable. "These are all but empty titles. I am devoted to my ascetic cultivation, wishing not to be disturbed by anyone." Zhou Yi performed a ceremonial bow with his hands together and said, "No more courtesies, I thank you for your hospitality, and now I must take my leave." Jin Jing bowed deeply in thanks and said, "I won''t see you to the distance, Master. From now on, we must earnestly cultivate Yi Rice, and there''s no time for fishing at Greenwave Pond in the short term." "Then let''s make ns to meet again in a few years." Zhou Yi waved indifferently, and with a breeze under his feet, he vanished in an instant. ... Dawn. The mountains awaken, the morning clouds emerge from the ravines. The wind swept through the forest, the mist slowly dissipated, and suddenly, a burst of singing echoed through the mountains, breaking the natural calm. The mountain vigers followed the sound and saw a middle-aged Taoist walking down from the mountain. The Taoist had a wooden hairpin carelessly inserted into his hair, his face was gaunt, a green bamboo fishing pole draped over his shoulder, and he moved with steps that seemed slow but were actually fast. Lightly stepping on the tips of the grass and branches, he soared into the air, as if gliding across the sky. As the Taoist approached, the familiar farmers greeted him with a salute, "Master, are youing down the mountain to feed the fish again?" "Got tired of chanting scriptures, just out for a stroll to clear my mind." Zhou Yi responded with a smile, and within the span of their conversation, he had already walked dozens of yards, quickly reaching the foot of the mountain. Before them was a pond of clear water, reflecting the immense expanse of green waves under the spring sun. The shore was turned into orderly fields where farmers were weeding and irrigating, all greeting Zhou Yi respectfully as they saw him. "Master, this is a strange rock I found in the mountains." "Thanks to the medicine form Master provided, my boy''s illness has already cured." "Our boat is moored over at the bank; Master, please don''t ride in old man Niu Er''s, his leaky boat will take on water." "..." Zhou Yi returned their salutes one by one, very familiar with the vigers, appearing not as a lofty celestial being looking down from the heavens, but truly like a hermit Taoist living in the mountains. Zhou Yi never expected the mutated Spirit Rice he had given to Jin Jing to bring about such great changes. The poption of the Ten Thousand Mountains had exploded, and in just thirty years, several viges had formed around Greenwave Pond. Yi Rice could grow easily without being picky about soil, but additional irrigation could increase the yield, so rivers andkes in the mountains became gathering ces for viges. Greenwave Pond, being thergestke in the Ten Thousand Mountains and as extensive as an ind sea, was situated on the north side of the mountains and naturally became the prime choice. "The mountains are vast and the yield of grain is low, but without the harsh taxes and exploitation of officials, what''s left in hand is actually more than what the people of Cloud Continent have. I heard that many people from Qing Kingdom, unable to make a living at home, have burrowed into the mountains seeking survival." Over these years, Zhou Yi had not been in secluded meditation. Every now and then, he woulde down the mountain to fish and treat the vigers'' illnesses, so he was quite informed about the outside world. But the information was somewhat outdated, as the mountains were remote and information was confined, with news reaching him being two or three years old already. Sitting cross-legged by theke, he gently cast his fishing line into the water. No sooner had the hook sunk than fish approached eagerly, circling the fishhook in an attempt to swallow the Spirit Rice into their bellies. However, the fishhook seemed illusory, and no matter how they bit, they couldn''t get a hold of it. "A bunch ofzy good-for-nothings, still thinking of swindling food and drink off your Master!" Zhou Yi recognized these green fish; each one was sly andzy, having eaten the Spirit Rice without seeking to show gratitude, only thinking of staying put to continue enjoying the feast. Chapter 209: Chapter 201 - Born at the Wrong Time_2 A youth in hemp clothes came running over with a jar of wine in his arms, squatted next to Zhou Yi, and lifted the thick porcin bowl that covered the jar''s mouth, pouring a full bowl of sparkling white jade-like rice wine. "Dao Ye, this is a new brew from Mother, for you to taste." Zhou Yi took the thick porcin bowl, tilted his head back and drank it all in one go, nodding as he spoke. "The taste is good. Tell your mother when you return, Yi Rice has an extraordinary origin and is already a top-quality brewing material; adding other herbs would only lower its vor." Though Yi Rice was a product of the decline of Spirit Rice, as a fundamental ingredient for brewing Spiritual Wine, its intrinsic vor far surpassed ordinary materials. "Got it, I''ll tell my mother when I get back." The youth took out a book of Taoist scriptures from his bosom and presented it with both hands: "Dao Ye, I''ve memorized this scripture and have had some enlightenment, but no matter how I practice, I can''t feel the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth." "Little Jin Ye, bing an immortal is a lie, you should believe in the martial path!" Just then, theke water bubbled, and a three-foot-long green fish emerged, opening its mouth to spit out a sparkling, shiny Jade Stone, whichnded right in Zhou Yi''s hand. "My maternal grandfather said, Dao Ye is an immortal." Jin Ye was not surprised by this; he used to squat next to Zhou Yi to listen to the scriptures and had often witnessed such mysterious events. The vigers had also mostly seen it, and word spread, leading them all to believe that the fish in Greenwave Pond were spiritual, and killing them would bring retribution. Zhou Yi put away the Jade Stone, and with a flick of his finger, rewarded the green fish with a grain of Spirit Rice: "If I were an immortal, how could I grow old?" Jin Ye showed a look of distress: "If there are no immortals, what about the extraordinary things I see with my eyes? When my father died, he also saw ghosts, which scared me for many nights and kept me from sleeping." "Every person possesses Qi, such as the Qi of life, Qi of death, Qi of destiny, and so on; your innate Spirit Eyes can see them." Zhou Yi casually exined, "The soul is a condensation of thoughts. When a person dies, it''s like amp extinguished; the disintegration of thoughts manifests as the soul scattering." Jin Ye did not doubt Zhou Yi''s words, but somewhere deep down felt he had missed something, particrly when reading Taoist scriptures; the sense of loss grew stronger, and his body always felt a void. Zhou Yi shook his head slightly but did not help Jin Ye to resolve his confusion. A Heavenly Spiritual Root, naturally born Spirit Eyes, a rare talent for immortal cultivation in the world, it was a regret to be born in this era. At this moment. Arge ck fish swam over, its body stretching a full five to six feet long, scaring the nearbyzy fish that were scavenging for food into a frantic escape. The ck fish surfaced, with two long whiskers at the corners of its mouth like arms, holding a round Stone Bead. Zhou Yi didn''t wait for the ck fish to throw it and waved his hand to draw the Stone Bead into his grasp. After sensing it with his Divine Sense, he revealed a pleased expression: "I have waited over thirty years for this moment. Finally, I have another harvest. With the Dragon Ball and reverse scales, I have enough!" "Dragon Emperor, I''ll trante for you what a surprise is!" Having obtained a scale thirty years ago, Zhou Yi exhausted himself divining the whereabout, only to vaguely ascertain that the Dragon Emperor was not in the vast mountains. Now with the Dragon Ball, he would surely obtain more precise information; then it would just be a matter of slowly investigating and searching, even if it was buried hundreds of feet underground, he would dig it out! Seeing Zhou Yi''s happy smile, Jin Ye asked curiously, "Dao Ye, what treasure is this?" "A Dragon Ball¡ªit can grant wishes!" Zhou Yi put away the Dragon Ball and fished around in his sleeve for a moment before tossing out a vibrant lotus seed: "I never owe favors, and neither do the fish. I give you this rainbow lotus seed to eat." The ck fish opened its mouth and swallowed the lotus seed, then with a swift wag of its tail, it disappeared into the depths of the water. "The merit isplete." Zhou Yi spoke, "Little Jin Ye, I have stayed in the mountains for a long time and n to travel. Our meeting was fated, so I give you this ''Minor Expansion Divine Numbers'' scroll. Study it carefully in the future." Born with Spirit Eyes that could clearly see a person''s aura, such as luck, waning energy, purple aura, and so on, used inbination with some methods in the ''Minor Expansion Divine Numbers'', one could divine one''s future path. "Dao Ye is leaving?" Jin Ye took the scriptures, his face showing reluctance: "My mother is still waiting. She said once Dao Ye is done having fun, you''ll marry her and be my father." "What nonsense are you saying, child? I am chaste and pure, I stopped going to Hehuan Yuan long ago!" Zhou Yi red at Jin Ye; the girls in the mountains were too enthusiastic, and coupled with his handsome face and an aura of celestial refinement, in recent years he had received numerous confessions and marriage proposals, including from Jin Ye''s mother. In terms of status, Jin Ye''s maternal grandfather was the great elder of Moyun City, and Jin Ye''s mother was a famed beauty. Unfortunately for Zhou Yi, at the age of thirteen hundred, love was a bitte. Moreover, it would unfairly lower Jin Ye''s status by a generation. That old youngster would be insufferably arrogant! "I''m leaving, don''t pine for me." Zhou Yi packed up his fishing rod, leaped back up the mountain with swift steps, and, in high spirits, sang out loud. "True to the sun and moon, true to man, never deceive gods or the poor. When people ask me about the path of cultivation..." Despite having lived a thousand years, mastering music, chess, calligraphy, painting, wine tasting, and tea appraisal, he had made no progress in the art of poetry. Zhou Yi didn''t force it, instead choosing to recite a Taoist chant heard in a past life. Lu Zu''s poetry is much favored. Zhou Yi is cautious in his actions, like treading on thin ice, yet he also envies the spirited and bold Sword Immortal! The mountaintop. A Taoist temple with blue bricks and green tiles stands upright, at its entrance a little Taoist boy in blue clothes is dozing off and yawning, yet he opens his eyes when he hears singing. "Immortal Master, why are you back so early today?" "There is a happy asion." Zhou Yi pushed the door open and entered; the protective spiritual light shed, as if he was passing through the surface of the water, entering anotheryer of the world. The Spirit Fields spanning over a hundred yards were neatly tended, and the rich Spiritual Energy naturally condensed into rain, which was scattered into the Five Elements Spiritual Rain for irrigating the corresponding Spiritual Medicines under the effect of the Formation and Prohibition. "As the Jianmu tree keeps growing, my ce of secluded cultivation finally has some of the mysterious charm of a heavenly grotto!" Zhou Yi, without dying his cultivation, had set up more than a dozenyers of Formations and Prohibitions, each with its ingenious uses, such as this automatic irrigation Formation, no longer as poor and simple as in the earlier years. The little Taoist boy in blue followed him inside, rolled on the spot, and transformed into a Spirit Ginseng child with a red satin ribbon tied around his waist. "Immortal Master, are we moving again?" Zhou Yi replied in surprise, "How did you guess?" The Spirit Ginseng child said proudly, "Every time you go down the mountain for fishing, it''s at least for the whole day, and I can lie at home for a good sleep. Today, you''vee back early and mentioned a happy event, that must mean you''ve found traces of a treasure!" "I see." Zhou Yi didn''t know whether to consider the Spirit Ginseng child clever or foolish; spirits and monsters by nature are like innocent children; he kicked it. "When I''m not looking after you, youzy creature, you sneak off to nap. Now get to work!" The Spirit Ginseng child, holding his buttocks in pain, wailed and then realized he had slipped up, vanishing from sight in a whiff of smoke. Zhou Yi entered the Taoist temple, calmed his mind, and adjusted his breath to the optimal state. He first took out the divination cup and gently shook it. The divination stick fell to the ground. A sh of light solidified into characters: Bodhi. "Auspicious, most auspicious! Is the old Dragon hiding in Yizhou''s Buddhist domain?" Zhou Yi pondered for a moment, thinking this was highly probable. Among the four major orthodox sects, only the Buddhist sect has a less firm attitude towards the demon race, and it holds a deep-seated grudge against Xuan Xiao Daojun. After the Dragon Emperor sealed himself away and hid in Yizhou, even if the Buddhist sect identally discovered him, they would discreetly hide him away for worship. After the revival of Spiritual Energy, the Dragon Emperor owed such a debt of gratitude, he should be serving as a protector, a heavenly dragon safeguarding the Buddhist sect. The Little Cutting Heaven technique showed a very auspicious sign, making the trip to Yizhou imperative; Zhou Yi then took out the ck Tortoise Shell and performed the Little Extension of Divine Calction. Zhou Yi ced the dragon''s reverse scale and the Dragon Ball on the ck Tortoise Shell, using the divination technique to seek the Dragon Emperor''s whereabouts, and after a while, a thread of information emerged in his mind. Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple! ... Thend of Buddha. Located at the extreme west of the continent, bordering the Western Sea. The Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple sits in the middle of Bodhi Buddha Land, backed by mountains and spanning over ten thousand acres, with pavilions, terraces, and towers stretching endlessly. The upper half of the Bodhi Peak is carved into a hundred-yard tall great Buddha, visible from dozens of miles away. The surface of the Buddha statue is coated with gold powder, making the entire mountain look golden and radiant from afar. "It is said that the Buddha statue was built after the apocalypse; it took manpower in the millions. If the Imperial Court were to build it, it would have copsed the state!" Zhou Yi observed from the air for a moment, the ground teeming with countlessmoners in hemp or brocade, kneeling and walking towards the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple, as well as monks in gray or white robes. He descended from his flight. With a shake of his body, he transformed into a monk in a yellow robe, wearing a five-Buddha crown and a splendid Kasaya. In one hand, he held a nine-ringed tin staff, and in the other, a purple-gold begging bowl. "Amitabha Buddha!" Zhou Yi chanted the Buddha''s name aloud, his eyes showingpassion, and his Dharma appearance dignified. Having studied the Buddhist scriptures for a thousand years, no one in the world could match his depth of understanding in Buddhist Law, let alone pretending to be a disciple of the Buddhist sect. He could even pass as the abbot of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple. Chapter 210: Chapter 202 Ascending to Ultimate Bliss Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple. The forbidden area behind the mountain. Tens of thousands of Martial Monks strictly guarded the ce, any outsider approaching wouldmit the sin of spheming the Buddha. In thews of the Buddha Continent, sphemy was the gravest sin, with the principal offender being burned by fierce fire until their soul scattered, their rtives demoted to criminals, unable to turn over a new leaf for three generations. The status of a criminal in Buddha Continent was akin to pigs, dogs, cattle, and sheep, unprotected byw; other sses could humiliate them at will, their lives less valuable than a monk''s shoes, like rotting flesh in hell. Without even waiting for three generations to pass, these criminals would die amidst extreme agony, which was even worse than the punishment of the Nine ns. Under such terrifying oppression, nobody in the Buddha Continent dared not to revere the Buddha. The Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple was the manifestation of the Land of Ultimate Bliss on earth; even believers approaching had to crawl on their knees, let alone anyone daring to charge into the forbidden area. The Martial Monks were not guarding against civilians, but monks from other Buddhistnds, for what was sealed within the forbidden area was the Supreme Treasure of Buddhism, the Bodhi Treasure Wheel. If any other temple obtained it, the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple would lose its foundation to suppress all, no longer able to dominate the Buddha Continent! After all, the Buddhistmunity was not monolithic, with the Zen School, Vinaya School, Esoteric School, and so on. Before the decline of the Dharma, the old ancestors suppressed the other schools, who obedientlyplied. Now that everyone was a mortal, by what right did the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple consider itself superior? A few days ago. Many High Monks came to the temple, and before getting down to the main business, they held several debates on Buddhist doctrines. In Buddhist debates, there were verbal andbat debates; if one could not outtalk the other, they would settle it by hand, and whoever had the bigger fist was right! With the profound inheritance of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple, even if the monks from various temples secretly joined forces to encircle and suppress it, the temple still stood slightly superior. "A hundred years ago, the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple suppressed the heroes; fifty years ago, it upied the top position alone; now, it is barely considered first!" The High Monk with long eyebrows had a sorrowful face, the closer he was to the limit of his lifespan, the less he had of his past aspiration to spread Buddhist Law far and wide, only wishing for his temple''s status to remain stable. "The Buddha Continent is as solid as a rock; to prevent the Buddhist temples from internal consumption, we must spread our Buddha''s light further..." The division of the Nine Continents was not without reason, as mountain ranges and ravines separated them, making it difficult for even the closest Qiong Continent to wagerge-scale wars, but it was easier to transform a region into a Buddha nation through the dispatch of monk warriors and High Monks to spread the teachings. "Since the decline of the Dharma, Qiong Continent has suffered from obstructed rainfall, bing progressively cold and decaying, not suitable for habitation." "In contrast, Cloud Continent already has a foundation in Buddhist Law, with a thriving poption; it is rightful to be illuminated by the Buddha''s light!" This morning at dawn. The High Monk with long eyebrows, apanied by many High Monks, arrived at the forbidden area behind the mountain and passed numerous sentries and hidden guards to reach the Bodhi Cave. The Bodhi Cave was situated midway up the mountain, with a small temple made of blue bricks and gray tiles at the entrance, weathered by the elements and repaired several times; it was once the secluded retreat of the Zen Master Miao Shan centuries ago. Now it served as the dwelling for those monks who guarded the Bodhi Cave. The monk ncing at the High Monk with long eyebrows transmitted a voice from his belly without opening his mouth. "Ben Kong, why must we use the Supreme Treasure of Buddhism again?" "Reporting to my elder, Cloud Continent is gued by a tyrant; themon people suffer unspeakably," replied the long-eyebrowed monk named Ben Kong, bowing with his palms together, "Disciple wishes to wield the Supreme Treasure to y the tyrant and save the people from disaster, thus presenting an opportunity to shine our Buddha''s light over the Nine Continents." The old monk, wearing bright yellow monk robes and with arms long like an orangutan''s, silently grabbed onto a nearby iron chain after pausing for a long while. The iron chain as thick as an arm tensed, the other end connected to the Bodhi Cave''s iron gate; the heavy steel gate, two or three feet thick, slowly opened. Boom, boom, boom! The ground trembled slightly, gradually revealing a pitch-ck cave entrance, with cold wind and chill air gushing out; it did not resemble a holy ce storing Buddhist treasures, but rather giant jaws of evil opened wide. The old monk reminded, "Even with sustaining methods, the Supreme Treasure can now be used only a few more times!" "Thank you for the reminder, uncle; disciple will not fail the inheritance of the sages," Ben Kong said with a sorrowful expression, leading the High Monks from various temples into the Bodhi Cave, descending along the bluestone steps. Inside and outside the cave were worlds apart, as though stepping from the scorching heat of summer into an ice cer, the chill wind prating the monks'' robes, and even Ben Kong, who was ranked as a Martial Arts Grandmaster, could not help shivering. The cold reached into their bones; Yin Sha crept into their souls. Whale oilmps that burned continuously lined both sides of the corridor, and by the light''s brilliance, one could see slimy, dripping moss on the stone walls, droplets condensing at the ceiling falling onto the back of their necks, sending a shiver down their spines like being bitten by a venomous snake. "Amitabha!" The High Monk from the Vinaya School frowned and questioned, "How can the ce holding the Supreme Treasure of Buddhism be so gloomy and defiled? Has no one from the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple taken care of it?" Ben Kong replied quietly, "Would you like Master Pu Ji''s disciples to take care of it?" Pu Ji pursed his lips, changing his tone, "We could have those lowly people take care of it, seal them directly inside the cave, and at least maintain appearances. If people discover such conditions, wouldn''t they doubt our Buddha''s immortality?" "Doubt is better than idents happening." "The Supreme Treasure only has the intelligence of a three-to-five-year-old child. If those resentful lowly ones are allowed to coax it into recognizing them as its master and transform into a great demon, we don''t have a Daoist Lord to suppress it now!" Ben Kong added, as the monks around him nodded in agreement. Pu Ji lowered his gaze, eventually nodding along as well. Until they reached the bottom of the cave and saw an altar. The altar was one zhang and six chi high, its surface engraved with mysterious patterns, and its top resembled a blooming lotus. The Supreme Treasure, the Bodhi Treasure Wheel,y quietly at the center of the altar, not emanating any mystical aura. Stone figures of Buddhas with various postures were carved into the surrounding walls, each with their eyes wide open, staring at the central altar, roughly numbering in the thousands or tens of thousands. This was the origin of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple, and its protective Formation was the Ten Thousand Buddhas Facing the Ancestral Temple. Even now, without Spiritual Energy to sustain the prohibitions, the mere convergence of aura from tens of thousands of Buddha statues could generate a sense of awe and suppressive power! Chapter 211: Chapter 202: Ascending to Ultimate Bliss_2 The Bodhi Treasure Wheel responded to the arrival of Ben Kong and the others, its aura faintly revealing itself, emitting a ck and red spiritual light, exuding strands of longing, greed, and bloodthirsty desires. "Amitabha!" Ben Kong sped his hands together, devoutly chanted the Buddha''s name, and sat down cross-legged to begin reciting the Ten Thousand Buddhas Scripture. The other High Monks did the same, their voices undting and resonant, merging various Buddhist scriptures into the Bodhi Treasure Wheel. The bizarre ck and red light gradually extinguished, turning into a golden Buddha light, and solidifying into a half-ethereal, half-real Buddha statue sixteen feet tall. The Buddha statue looked kind and dignified, its posture solemn, its eyes full ofpassion as it gazed upon the world. Without the need to deliberately read scriptures or preach, one merely had to look at the Buddha statue, and the sounds of chanting, like the ringing of morning and evening bells, would arise by one''s ears, plunging a person into the Buddhist Law of Ultimate Bliss and Nirvana, making them wish fervently to transform into a Buddha. Ben Kong looked up and saw wisps of essence and spirit peeling away from his body and merging into the statue, so he quickly lowered his head. "In a few days, on the Buddha''s birthday, the Buddha relic will appear in this world, and it can be nurtured with the life force of the faithful for a strike!" An attackparable to that of a Golden Elixir True Monarch in this Dharma-Ending Age was something unstoppable by human effort; even if martial artists condensed Blood Pills, they would be mere ants in the face of such a catastrophe. "Our Buddha is merciful!" The group of monks showed joyful expressions. With the Buddha relic deterring the Cloud Continent, they could take the opportunity to spread the Buddhist Law eastward. Leaving the Bodhi Cave. The heavy iron gate thundered shut, instantly cutting off the cold, deathly aura. Once again feeling the warmth of Qing Tian''s daylight, it was as if they had walked through hell itself. Ben Kong said, "I appreciate the effort of my martial uncle in guarding this ce." "It is my duty," replied the monk. The senior monk with long arms spoke in a voice deep as thunder: "The Buddha relic has been subjected to Blood Sacrifices multiple times and has begun to show signs of turning into a vengeful spirit. You must be careful in using it to avoid any chaos." "Uncle, rest assured, this will be thest time. In the past, the Cloud Continent was uniquely blessed. When the great disaster came, it was protected by a lord of the Dao, and now it flourishes as the foremost of the Nine Continents. Once our Buddha converts the people here, the remaining continents will be merely a matter of time." Ben Kong spoke: "This time, we will reveal the Buddha relic toy the foundation for unifying the Nine Continents under the Buddhist Law and creating the Supreme Buddha Land!" "That is good," the senior monk replied with a slight nod, content that as long as the Buddha relic was not subjected to more Blood Sacrifices, its spirit and resentment would naturally dissipate over time. The Buddha light was still resplendent! ... The Little Tan Temple. In the Buddha Province, counties and districts were all named after temples; people had been passing down these names for generations until no one remembered their original names. Zhang Family Liquor Shop. The break of dawn brought a jubnt atmosphere. Neighbors on all sides brought gifts of congrattions, and patronsing for a drink received a fifty percent discount, while even beggars passing by received two loaves of wheat buns. As for why the Buddhand had liquor shops and beggars, no one had ever questioned, nor did anyone dare to question. The Lord Buddha drinks and eats meat, his teachings crossing through the brothels as the Happy Buddha enlightens within the opera, even murder and arson are means to sever karma and causation! The Zhang family''s celebration was because yesterday a monk from Little Tan Temple had delivered an invitation to the Buddha''s birthday ceremony, informing Zhang Shun that his eldest son was fated with Buddha. If he went to Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple to observe the ceremony, with sincere devotion to Buddha, he could ascend to Ultimate Bliss! The news spread, evoking envy from everyone. Some went home to harshly scold their children, believing their failure to be selected was due to not being diligent enough in their daily recitations. Zhang Shun sent the guests away and headed to his backyard, where he saw his son dressed in a gray Monk''s Robe. This Monk''s Robe, delivered yesterday by the monks, was a symbol of status in Buddha Province. Privately making one was a grave sin of sphemy. Wearing it was tantamount to stepping into first-ss status, even higher than that of a government official. "When Li Er was born, there was chanting outside, and I said he must be the reincarnation of a High Monk," said Zhang Shun proudly. "Now it''se true. The Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple''s Buddha''s birthday ceremony is not a ce ordinary people can attend. I specifically asked the master about it; this year''s ceremony will be even more extraordinary than before, and the invited guests might see the True Buddha!" Madam Zhang Li was helping her son tidy up the Monk''s Robe, carefully smoothing out the wrinkles, and as she thought of how she might not see him again, she couldn''t help but have reddened eyes. "Li Er has never been far from home, and I don''t know if he can stand it. You must prepare more funds for the journey," she said. "What does a woman know? With this robe, wherever Li Er goes, he can eat and drink freely. Should any trouble arise, anyone must lend a hand, or else it would be disrespectful to our Buddha," rebuked Zhang Shun, then turning to his son with a fawning expression: "Li Er, during the Buddha''s birthday, you must be devout. Don''t think about home; reuniting with the Buddha is what''s most important!" Zhang Li, who was normally mischievous, now bore a sense of dignity in his robe and spoke with a lowered voice. "Amitabha! This humble monk will undergo countless hardships and ascend to the Western Paradises of Ultimate Bliss. Then, I shall bestow the Buddha''s protective light upon you all!" Zhang Shun paused, almost unable to recognize his own son, but at this moment, participating in the Buddha''s birthday was the most important thing. He brought his hands together in a respectful salute. "My Buddha ispassionate, I only wish the master ascends to Ultimate Bliss!" Madam Zhang Li''s hands, busying with her clothes, shrank back as she quickly stood behind her husband, following him in paying respects. Since Zhang Li had entered the monastery, he had severed all emotional ties and desires, and from then on, he no longer needed to kneel before his parents, even if he met them face-to-face, it was only proper to greet them with palms together. Zhang Shun didn''t mind this, as in thend of Buddha, there was a saying, "When one person bes a monk, nine ns ascend to heaven." Now that Zhang Li could ascend to Ultimate Bliss, not only his parents but also his n could enjoy the grace of the Buddhistmunity. To be a monk was a merit and virtue umted over lifetimes! At this moment, A four-year-old girl emerged from the house, bleary-eyed. Seeing her brother in a monk''s robe, she giggled and darted forward for a hug. "No mischief now!" Zhang Shun stopped his daughter, his face stern as he admonished her: "From now on, he is no longer your brother, but your master." The young girl listened, puzzled, and pouted: "Does that mean brother won''t y with me anymore?" "That is indeed so." Zhang Shun knew well the many rules of the monasticmunity and that he must teach his children from a young age to avoid offending the master and sentencing the entire family to the lower sses. "The master ascends to Ultimate Bliss, having severed worldly ties, no longer my son, nor your brother, you must show respect and greet him properly when you see him!" The girl asked in confusion, "What''s different between a master and a brother?" "Now that our family has the protection of a master, we won''t have to worry about food and clothing in the future, we can wear silk and satin and enjoy wealth and glory." Zhang Shun, seeing his daughter''s puzzled look, tried a different approach: "You like to eat Frosting Sugar, from now on you can eat as much as you want, you may also have candy, which only the nobles are privileged to enjoy." Still not quite understanding, the girl''s face lit up at the mention of sweets, and she knelt down with her hands pressed together, full of reverence. "I pay respect to master brother!" "Amitabha." Zhang Li resisted the urge to y with his little sister, pressed his palm on her forehead, and said with gravity, "My Buddha ispassionate, I grant you peace and joy." "Peace and joy are good." Zhang Shun smiled, his eyes brightening, as the worries in his heart dissipated. There were many rumors in town that some high monks, once ordained, no longer concerned themselves with worldly matters and their ns did not benefit. Seeing that the master still felt for the Zhang family, things would be much easier in the future, and the resentment in his heart could be purged. "That Hu scoundrel, relying on his dog''s hide, frequentlyes to our shop to freeload, but now that we have the master''s protection..." Zhang Shun was speaking quietly while sneaking a nce at his son, and seeing no change in his expression, continued: "He must repay tenfold, otherwise, I will go to the little monastery toin and condemn his family to the eighteenthyer of hell!" Madam Zhang Li said with concern: "After all, Hu Yayi is a government official, involved in many matters, it would suffice to get back the money owed for wine." "What do you know, a woman''s concern, I have already made inquiries." Zhang Shun said: "ording to our Buddhistws, that scoundrel Hu is suspected of l¨¨se-majest¨¦ and is involved with the master''s kin, he must certainly be dealt with sternly." In thend of Buddha, thew was divided into four tiers, with the clergy above thew and the rest subject to differentws ording to their rank. Even a sinful monk, by virtue of his status, was exempt from legal punishment and would instead retreat to chant scriptures and expiate his karmic obstacles. While they were talking, A government official wearing a ck hat, holding a gift box, bowed at the second door''s threshold. "I pay respect to the master!" "Brother Zhang, today the government released sries, and I thought it was time to repay the debt for the wine." "I''ve rued such a debt for so long, dying Brother Zhang''s cash flow, I''m very sorry. If there''s anything on the street in the future, justmand it, and I''ll make sure it''s done!" ... The next day. In the early morning, Zhang Shun''s family and dozens of n members gathered at the city gates to see off the master. Zhang Li boarded the carriage headed for Bodhi''s realm, gradually moving away. Looking back at the blurred faces of his parents and rtives, a tinge of regret suddenly arose. "Amitabha." He chanted the Buddha''s name with his hands pressed together, then silently recited scriptures in his heart, forcibly reining in his tears, his eyes slowly turning serene and detached! Chapter 212: Chapter 203 The Supreme Treasure of Buddhism Buddha''s Birthday. Devotees randomly selected gathered at the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple to attend the ceremony. In front of the Great Heroic Treasure Hall, it was a sea of people, all in gray monk''s robes, standing in neat rows, silent as the grave. All around were long banners of bright yellow erected, adorned with twisting, bizarre patterns, the result of a fusion between Buddhist scripture and forbidden formation runes. Beneath the banners, high monks sat in meditation, chanting scriptures in unison, their droning voices like a demon''s incantation piercing through the ears. The youths attending the Buddha''s Birthday ceremony, who had never endured such torment, thought it a test of their Buddhist practice. The prospect of witnessing the Buddha ascending to Ultimate Bliss and their families enjoying wealth and honor made them grit their teeth and persevere. From dawn until midday, under the scorching sun, they were tormented until their vision blurred. The chant of "Amitabha Buddha," "Our Buddha is merciful," still droned in their ears, and hallucinations appeared before them: flowers raining from the sky, golden lotuses sprouting from the ground, as if ascending to the Land of Ultimate Bliss. Inside the hall. Ben Kong lightly stroked his long eyebrows, his face showing a benevolent countenance, as his gaze swept over the tens of thousands of devotees outside, all of whom were in a daze. "Light the Soul-igniting Incense, present the Buddha''s treasure!" Immediately, a monk lit the Soul-igniting Incense, and a faint spiritual energy wafted about; eight sturdy Martial Monks carried the altar to the outside of the hall, where the supreme treasured Bodhi Dharmachakra was enshrined. The Artifact Spirit, sensing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, like a parched person finding water, instantly manifested a sixteen-foot-tall Golden Buddha and began to absorb the energy desperately. The sparse spiritual energy was not enough to satiate the Buddha''s treasure. During its breaths of consumption, it also devoured the vital essence and spirit of the devotees. As spiritual objects in the world became increasingly scarce, the high monks of Buddhism, after meditating on the divine skills left behind by the sage Miao Shan and revising them, transformed them into a ritual that could make use of the essence and souls of themon people as a sacrificial substitute for some of the spiritual energy needed to nourish the Buddha''s treasure. The w was that the Buddha''s treasure was tainted by resentment, and the Artifact Spirit already showed signs of demonization. The utterly exhausted devotees outside the hall, in their delirium, saw the Golden Buddha descending to earth, feeling lighter and lighter, as if they were ascending to immortality. "Amitabha Buddha!" Ben Kong''s face showed an expression of reluctance, reciting a hundred and thirty years'' worth of Buddhist scriptures, always talking aboutpassion, yet he had be the executioner ughtering the Buddhist devotees. "They die for the prosperity of our Buddhist order. Remember to elevate their families to second-ss status, allowing them to enter the temple for three generations for cultivation." The other monks nodded slightly, praising Ben Kong for his greatpassion, saying that merely dying one''s offspring was already a great honor under the Buddha''s blessing. At this moment. The ceremony had reached its climax, and under the blessing of the Buddha''s treasure, the chanting spread from the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple down the mountain. From a distance, the mountain shone with a brilliant golden light, and the giant Buddha carved into the mountain peak came alive under the glow of the Buddha light, smiling while holding a flower! The monks andmoners who came to worship on their own, seeing such a spectacle, knelt on the ground, chanting devoutly. They envied the monks participating in the ceremony, and wished to take their ce. Zhou Yi transformed into a yellow-robed monk, using his mana to survey through his eyes. The light bursting from the mountain was not Buddha light but rather a cloud of resentment formed by the Yin Sha energy. "In this degenerate age, to condense such resentment, at least tens of thousands must have been blood sacrificed!" Within the cloud, countless souls of the wronged writhed and wandered, seeking to break free and torment the living, but they were suppressed by the Buddha''s treasure''s circumscribed spell, only able to emit pained wails. "If it''s capable of such might within the world, it could be none other than a supreme treasure of the Buddhist order. The virtuous elders who crafted this treasure, had they known their descendants would bloody sacrifice it to demonic beings, would they not leap out of their coffins in fury!" With this thought, Zhou Yi manifested Buddha light under his feet, conjuring golden lotus thrones. The treasure, which he obtained from the Blood Moon Demon Venerable, was surrounded by dualyers of illusion techniques; to the mortal eye, it appeared as shining Buddha light. Above the mountain was a True Demon, while Zhou Yi was a false Buddha! The monks andmoners beside him, chanting and kneeling, saw the golden lotus ascending into the sky. Initially shocked, frenzy soon took them; they hailed the descent of the True Buddha, heedless of the grave sin of sphemy, and madly rushed toward the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple. The golden lotus flew to the airspace above the Great Heroic Treasure Hall; Zhou Yi looked down and spotted the Buddha''s treasure devouring people''s vital essence. "Audacious demon, I recognized you as a Demon Head with one nce. Reveal your true form to me!" Emboldened by the Secret Technique, his voice thundered like a tempest, resounding for dozens of miles. Devotees immersed in the illusionary realm abruptly came to their senses, feeling weak and limp in their limbs as if they had been celebrating nonstop for half a month, and with a thud, they copsed to the ground. At the same time. Looking up, they saw a golden palm that shielded the sky, descending from the heavens and smashing the thirty-foot Golden Buddha into powder. Hiss! The Buddha treasure emitted a feral screech, no longer able to maintain the illusory Buddha light. The entangled ck and red Yin Sha energy erupted, mingling with countless wronged souls and fierce ghosts to form a ghastly and terrifying ghost''s face, trying to resist the golden palm. "Petty trickery, how dare you y the lute to a cow, Great Mighty Heavenly Dragon..." Zhou Yi sensed the power burst from the Buddha treasure and immediately felt relieved, barely equivalent to a casual blow from a Golden Elixir True Monarch; it couldn''t even break through his own defensive spell. The golden palm manipted the spell, morphing into a hundred-yard Golden Dragon, which opened its mouth and swallowed the terrifying ghost face into its belly. There was no explosion of a world-shaking battle; everyone breathed a sigh of relief as if the forces of Buddha and demon had been equally matched, the aftermath would have reduced everything to ashes. The mountain breeze blew away the evil aura; had it not been for the Golden Dragon spiraling in the sky, everything just then would seem like a dream! "We bow before our Buddha!" "Our Buddha is merciful!" "..." Not knowing who started it, the devotees knelt down one after another to worship, praying for the True Buddha''s blessing. The only silence was inside the Great Heroic Treasure Hall, where the monks, usually most devout to the Buddha, stood dumbfounded, utterly horrified. How could there be a Golden Elixir True Monarch in this world! The high monks of the various temples, whose authority rivaled emperors and who enjoyed all the glory and wealth of the world, had long ceased to believe in Buddha or karma and retribution, seeing them merely as means to enve the popce. Zhou Yinded his escaping light, step by step blooming lotuses beneath his feet, and entered the Great Heroic Treasure Hall, saying in a cold voice. "You have all turned into Demon Heads, using the Dharma assembly to perform a Blood Sacrifice on the disciples of the Buddhist sect. The Buddha knows of this matter and has sent this poor monk to cast you into the eighteen levels of hell!" "You are the demon, the incarnation of Bo Xun, who disturbs our Buddhist sect!" Ben Kong''s Qi-Blood exploded within his Dantian, and with a crackling sound like bursting firecrackers, his withered body inted like being pumped with air, expanding into a twelve-foot giant. "To defile the Buddha is to be executed!" With his gaze lowered, Zhou Yi recited the heavenlyws, and the impressive Ben Kong burst into mes all over his body. He did not even emit a scream before burning to ck ash. A remnant soul fell into Zhou Yi''s hand, and he immediately used the Soul Search technique, learning all the secrets of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple. Pu Ji was so frightened that his forehead sweated, no longer daring to question whether it was the True Buddha or not, and knelt on the ground, thumping his head in worship. "We bow before our Buddha." The rest of the high monks suddenly came to their senses and quickly prostrated themselves, swearing allegiance to Zhou Yi''smand. With such a powerful figure as a backer, the Buddhist sect would certainly be the master of the Nine Continents. Whether it was Buddha or demon did not matter at all. In this world, the strong are always revered! "You have defiled the Buddha; you shall be punished!" From the remnant souls, Zhou Yi learned that all the monks present in the hall supported the Blood Sacrifice and some had even presided over Blood Sacrifice rituals. "Senior, you need us to control..." Before Pu Ji could finish speaking, the Spiritual Fire ignited from his heart, first burning his internal organs, then his sinews and outer flesh, and his sins turned to ashes and scattered with the wind. Zhou Yi had no desire for the power of the Buddhist realm; he gathered the threads of remnant souls, and through the Soul Search, he learned the secrets of various temples and the monks involved in the Blood Sacrifice. "What monks of the Buddhist sect, not a single clean soul among you!" Chapter 213: Chapter 204: Death of the Dragon Emperor The Great Heroic Treasure Hall was empty of people, with only the Golden Buddha disying apassionate visage. Zhou Yi had long anticipated this, as the high monks in charge of Buddhism had fallen into demonic possession, others betrayed their faith, or ascended to Ultimate Bliss. When ites to eradicating heretics, government officials are far less ruthless than religion, after all, heretics are more hateful than followers of foreign religions. "This makes things convenient, now I can wipe out the Buddhist transmission in one fell swoop!" Zhou Yi''s mana operated, casting an Illusion Technique spell, manifesting a Buddha Dharma body tens of feet tall, with dazzling golden light and awe-inspiring divine presence. "Amitabha Buddha!" The Dharma body proimed the Buddha''s name loftily, its gazepassionate as it looked towards the congregation outside the hall, saying, "The Buddha taught that all beings are equal, and the mercy boat ferries everyone!" Monks from the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple, Vajra Temple, and Great Buddha Temple had bodies possessed by extraterrestrial Heavenly Demons and arbitrarily divided the Buddha''s followers into four sses!" "By Buddha''smand, I shall purge the demonic heretics and restore purity to Buddhism!" Since their birth, the congregation outside had been influenced by family and Buddhism to instinctively believe that people should be divided into four sses. Moreover, upon joining Buddhism, they belonged to the privileged first ss, and hearing about the equality of all beings for the first time, they felt innate rejection in their hearts. Fortunately, Zhou Yi borrowed the name of the True Buddha and controlled the interpretation of scriptures, otherwise the believers would have recklessly charged forth. Zealous religious followers are not afraid of death, but instead see it as liberation, a glorious ascent to Ultimate Bliss and return to the Buddha''s embrace! "Amitabha Buddha!" The gaze of Zhou Yi turned stern, his voice thunderous, "Are you also possessed by Heavenly Demons?" "We pay homage to our Buddha!" "The Buddha ispassionate, all beings are equal!" "¡­" The congregation hastily kneeled, their slogans inconsistent and no one daring to question the incarnate True Buddha. Among the monks in the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple who knew about the Cultivation World, none were left, and the rest were mostly true Buddhist followers. Monks knowing that "Buddha" had achieved immortality through cultivation could hardly maintain their reverence! Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense swept over them, easily discerning their true thoughts¨Cmost were hesitant while a minority of fanatics epted what the True Buddha said. "After ruling for hundreds of years, Buddhism''s ss distinctions have taken deep root in people''s hearts and cannot be changed overnight. Even if all the monks were killed, and the Imperial Court took over, wouldn''t the hierarchy persist?" At this thought, he suddenly felt disheartened. "Changing the hierarchy is not yet possible, but this can be used to vindicate Xuan Xiao!" Zhou Yi stepped and lotuses bloomed beneath his feet, lifting into the air while writing in the void with his finger as a pen. Simultaneously. The mountainous Buddha statues boomed loudly, revealing inscriptions on the chest area, starting with the words "All beings are equal, mercy ferries everyone" in eight characters. Then, speaking through the mouth of the Buddha, it exined the true story of Xuan Xiao ying Miao Shan. "With Buddhism''s upper echelons gone, even if equality among all beings is hard to achieve, those in power wanting a stable foundation will surely promote the words of the True Buddha. It serves both to remove dissidents and to dere the legitimacy of their rule!" Having lived for a thousand years, even without scheming intentions, Zhou Yi naturally learned from observation. The congregation inside and outside the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple recited the words of the True Buddha word by word, and after experiencing the shock of equality among all beings and realizing that Xuan Xiao was not a great Demon Head, they felt no ripples in their hearts. Whether Xuan Xiao was righteous or heretical did not matter to them, it was merely a matter of revising scriptures without any impact on actual interests. This was to seek a higher level by aspiring to something greater! The characters inscribed by Zhou Yi were each of immense size, Fang Yuan in dimensions, prating several feet deep into the rock, and would not be easily erased unless the Buddha statue was toppled and destroyed. As thest stroke waspleted, the golden lotus throne flew into the sky and disappeared from sight. After a long while. The congregation regained their senses from the sessive shocks, looking around in confusion. With the high monks in the monastery dead, they were at a loss as to what to do next. Zhang Li stood up, feeling strong and vigorous. The essence absorbed by the demonic forces seemed to have been restored to normal under the illumination of the True Buddha''s light. "The Buddha said, all beings are equal!" ¡­ Meanwhile. The True Buddha had not left, but had transformed into a gray-robed monk, making his way toward the treasure vault of the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple. From the memories of Ben Kong, it was known that all treasures offered by the faithful were stored here. Perhaps among them were items sealed by the Dragon Emperor. Zhou Yi walked with an air of satisfaction, quite pleased with himself. "After one thousand three hundred years, I''ve finally gotten the chance to act!" In his ears, it seemed as if a song was ying: "Waiting a thousand years for this return¡­" "Tsk tsk, I must say, the thrill of performing miracles before an audience is really quite pleasing!" While speaking, he arrived at the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple treasure vault, a nineyer tall pagoda with a base covering a Fang Yuan hundred zhang in size, standing majestically. "Huh! Why is the door open?" Zhou Yi stepped in and saw a portly monk stuffing a bag full of riches. Startled by the sound of footsteps, the portly monk turned his head to look, continuing to hastily snatch up gold and precious jewels, the hard currency, asking, "Which division''s disciple are you? The treasure vault is a restricted area, how can you just walk in?" "Isn''t the master inside as well?" Zhou Yi found this amusing and pulled out a Beast Skin Bag from his sleeve, one foot square in size. "I am in charge of the treasure vault, checking for any missing treasures!" The portly monk patted his slightly plump belly, seeing Zhou Yi take out the bag, he dropped the pretense and chuckled, "You are clever, but you have too thin a face, such a small bag can hold so much?" "Until it''s full." Zhou Yi activated his mana, and the Beast Skin Bag flew into the air, apanied by a whistling sound. All the items in the treasure vault were drawn to it, and even the storage racks were uprooted from the ground, all of them pouring into the Beast Skin Bag. "This this this¡­" The portly monk turned pale with fright, dropping the hemp bag he was holding. It scattered gold and jewels across the floor, including a translucent Treasure Bead. The Treasure Bead was a bright red, as if it were a crystal formed from blood. Zhou Yi waved his hand and the Blood Crystal flew to him. He scanned it repeatedly with his Divine Sense, finding it no different from an ordinary gem. As he held it up to the sun, the vague shadow of a dragon could be seen within. Chapter 214: Chapter 204: The Death of the Dragon Emperor_2 His palm slowly exerted force, but the Blood Crystal showed no change, remaining unaltered even when he used all his strength to knead it. "If this poor monk had been a step slower, I would have missed an old friend." Zhou Yi''s Body Refinement techniques had already reached the pinnacle, capable of crushing magical treasures with full force. Clearly, the Blood Crystal was left behind after the Dragon Emperor sealed himself. The Beast Skin Bag made a round through the Nineyered Pagoda, taking away all the treasures of Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple, now bulging in Zhou Yi''s hands as it seemed full. Zhou Yi nced at the fat monk and transformed into a streak of light, flying towards the Scripture Pavilion, intending to take away all the treasures of Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple. "Scared this monk to death." The fat monk wiped sweat from his brow, hoisted a half-sack of gold and jewels onto his shoulder, and ran madly towards the outside of the temple, circting his Qi-Blood. There were quite a few monks like him; even the True Buddha said that Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple was a den of demons, so looting amidst chaos became an act of justice! ... One monthter. The Maitreya Buddha Land. Located near the western coast, it was ruled by Vajra Temple. That day. The True Buddha descended to the mortal world, bringing down thunderous wrath, burning the Demon Head inside the temple to ash. And on the walls of Vajra Temple''s Ten Thousand Buddhas, he engraved Buddha''s words, cautioning the Buddhist faithful. "This is thest great temple." Zhou Yi moved across the Buddha Land as a streak of light, transforming into the True Buddha whenever he came across a temple ruling over a piece of Buddha Land, ughtering the Demon Heads and then thoroughly looting the scriptures and treasures. The Cultivation ssics recorded in these heritages contained secrets of the Cultivation World that could be traced back thousands of years, which naturally included Buddhist Secret Techniques. In an age where thew of the Buddha was fading and the heritage was lost, the impact wasn''t significant. However, when Spiritual Energy revived, the absence of Cultivation ssics would truly be a disaster for Buddhists. "One reaps what one sows! Don''t me this poor Daoist!" Zhou Yi''s gaze swept over the chaotic Vajra Temple, and a flicker of insight suddenly arose in his heart. Indiscriminately ughtering mortals already showed signs of valuing life lightly, and although there were reasons for his actions, he needed to guard against potential troubles. Disregarding life was not only against his initial resolve, but it would also attract crisis and cmity. A long life would turn the smallest possibility into inevitability! "Just so happens I have obtained scriptures, I should recite them when I return!" ... In the depths of the Western Sea. Zhou Yi rode the streaks of light for a million miles, finally descending on an unnamed small ind. He set upyered Formations, not daring to im it could trap a Nascent Soul ancestor, but at least a Golden Elixir True Monarch wouldn''t escape. He then threw the Blood Crystal onto the ind, beginning to deploy various Magic Divine Abilities in an attempt to break it open and release the sealed Dragon Emperor. Several monthster. The Blood Crystal seemed eternal, unweathered by time. "No wonder the old ones were at peace with sealing themselves. Such sturdy defenses are almost invincible in this world. One can only wait for time to pass and the seal to break naturally." "In Xuan Xiao''s notes, there is a way to deal with self-sealing objects; to throw them into the very depths of the Four Seas. There has never been Spiritual Energy there, not even the revival of the ancestral veins could affect it, leading to certain death in slumber!" Zhou Yi was not surprised by this, since the Blood Crystal was created by the Dragon Emperor who sacrificed countless demon tribes and condensed a massive amount of Spiritual Objects, its nature was already beyond ordinary. "In this way, won''t this poor Daoist be unable to exact revenge?" "Perhaps I could keep the Blood Crystal close at hand, slowly waiting for it to emerge... Not satisfying!" Zhou Yi frowned, taking out his storage bag to search through all the treasures, pondering which one could be used to exact revenge on the Dragon Emperor, until he saw the Demonic God Altar. "Netherworld Curse! The old dragon had immense strength in life, able to break free from curses with ease. Now that his Divine Sense is self-sealed, it''s no different from being dead, unaware of the outside world. Wouldn''t this consume his lifespan?" "Let''s test the effect first." Zhou Yi was never stingy with his lifespan and directly ced the Dragon Emperor''s Blood Crystal on the altar, forming a Dharma Seal with his hands and casting the curse. A consumption of five hundred years of lifespan. The Ghost Deity Statue let out a shrill, sinisterugh, absorbing the aura before spewing out a ck fog that enshrouded the Blood Crystal. In an instant. The curse took effect, and the eight arms of the Ghost Deity Statue solidified into a Dharma Seal. Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense was firmly locked onto the Blood Crystal, determined not to miss any change. After consuming five hundred years of his lifespan, the crimson color of the crystal seemed to have faded slightly. "It worked!" "But the effect seems minimal. I wonder how many times I must cast the spell to exhaust the seal of the Blood Crystal. A Divinity Transformation ancestor would be helpless against this. Unfortunately for the old dragon, he has offended this poor Daoist." In his time of cultivation, Zhou Yi could not even count how much lifespan he had used ¨C at least in the billions! Now that he had finally found a way to get revenge, he waved his hand, throwing the Blood Crystal back into the Formation and erected over a hundredyers of Prohibition, ensuring the Dragon Emperor would be killed in one strike upon awakening. From then on. Zhou Yi made a home for himself on the small ind deep in the Western Sea, divining, chanting scriptures, irrigating, cursing, every day consuming thousands of years of his lifespan. The color of the Blood Crystal grew thinner day by day, while the dragon shadow inside became ever more distinct. Sixteen years had passed in a blink. On this day. The sky was clear for thousands of miles. Zhou Yi ced the Blood Crystal in the center of the deste ind. By now, it could hardly be called a Blood Crystal, nearly pure and transparent, with only a few strands of blood swirling around the dragon shadow. "Old dragon, for the sake of revenge, I have sacrificed so much of my life span. Your death was worth it!" Having said that, he summoned the Spirit Ginseng doll to pack up the belongings. The ind was left with only the Formation and Prohibition, and all other items were moved away. A thousand miles away. Zhou Yi formed a spell with his hands, and a cotton thread screen floated up, disying the Dragon Emperor''s Blood Crystal within. He took out the Demonic God Altar from his storing bag. As more of his lifespan was consumed, the altar turned from pitch ck to crimson red, and then to deep purple. Looking at it was like gazing into an abyss without end. The Ghost Deity Statue likewise changed, with its four faces and eight arms meticulously detailed. Even the hairs on the skin''s surface could be seen when scanned by Divine Sense. Fortunately, it was still an inanimate object, showing no signs ofing to life. Instead, the power of the Netherworld Curse grew stronger. Otherwise, Zhou Yi would have long since chopped the altar up for firewood to fuel his Alchemy. "With the continuous sacrifice of lifespan, could this altar transform into a magical artifact?" Ancient witchcraft had been lost long ago. It was apletely different method of cultivation from the path of immortality, and Zhou Yi did not understand it well. He formed the spell with his hands, sacrificing lifespan. ... On the deste ind. As thest few strands of blood disappeared, no prohibition constrained the dragon shadow any longer. Gradually shifting from incorporeal to corporeal, the dragon shadow turned into a little over an inch long Golden Dragon, swimming in the transparent crystal. As Zhou Yi had not moved away long ago, the Formation and Prohibition still contained residual Spiritual Energy. Moreover, an Illusion Array had transformed the deste ind into a range of mountains and forests. "Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth! Has the ancestral vein recondensed?" Sensing the presence of Spiritual Energy, the Dragon Emperor''s face showed a look of delight. After confirming it repeatedly, he immediately drilled out of the crystal. "I have survived the great cmity of the decline of thew and lived again!" "First, I need to find a body to seize for cultivation. Then, I will look for the Innate Spiritual Objects spawned by the ancestral vein. With the revival of the Spiritual Energy of Heaven and Earth, I will certainly be a Demon God in the future, and possibly even a Demon Saint!" "Hahaha!" Upon thinking of this, the Dragon Emperor couldn''t help but let out a longugh towards the sky, only to see countless bolts of lightning descending upon him. "Heavenly Thunder? No, this is the Lightning Method!" "Could it be that some old monster has awakened before me and found my Blood Crystal?" The Dragon Emperor''s thoughts raced, never realizing that since the ancestral vein had shattered, it had been only a little over five hundred years. After all, he had sealed himself in the indestructible Blood Crystal, which could only be unsealed by the passing of time. The Nightmare Victory Curse Technique might have some effect, but after being weakened by the Blood Crystal, its power was reduced to less than one ten-thousandth of its original strength. Such techniques required sacrifice, but during the decline of thew, Spiritual Objects and cultivators were scarce, making it impossible for anyone in the world to break open the Blood Crystal! Roar! The Dragon Emperor opened his mouth to release his vital energy, forming a shield to fend off the lightning, and at the same time said, "Fellow Daoist, the little dragon is willing to acknowledge you as its master, capable of riding or pulling a cart, just spare my life!" He shouted for a long while without response, but the Formation intensified into a storm of mes and fierce winds that steadily depleted the Dragon Emperor''s vital energy. When self-sealing, the Dragon Emperor reduced consumption by severing his physical body and most of his Nascent Soul with a secret technique. His strength was reduced to less than one percent of what it had been, and after enduring the repeated devastation of the Netherworld Curse, he was extremely weak. After bombarding the formation for over an hour, only a third of the Dragon Emperor''s Nascent Soul remained, about the size of a fly. "Damn it! Who could it be? Can''t you let me die with a clear understanding?" ... A thousand miles away. "No!" Zhou Yi, watching the scene on the screen, knew the Dragon Emperor was bound to die, yet still chose not to show himself. "The weakness aftering out of self-seclusion is even more severe than I had anticipated. Long Huan merely experienced five hundred years of istion; his strength is onlyparable to an average Golden Core. Those old monsters who might survive after a few thousand years will only have remnants of their souls left!" After another half-hour, the Dragon Emperorpletely dissipated into nothingness amidst the thunder and mes. Zhou Yi was still uneasy, and took out a divining stalk to use the Minor Divination Technique to predict fortunes and misfortunes. The divine stalk fell to the ground, shining with spiritual light. An auspicious sign. "The great revenge is fulfilled. How satisfying!" Zhou Yi felt his spirit invigorated and couldn''t help feeling somewhat proud of himself. "In the Cultivation World, there is a vast difference in the power levels across the various realms, and there has never been a precedent for a Golden Core to reverse-y a Nascent Soul. I, at the Golden Core Early Stage, have in the Dragon Emperor. This shall be recorded in the annals of history!" Chapter 215: Chapter 205: Qin Zheng Entrusting His Orphan Where to celebrate? Of course, it''s the usual ce. Spring Breeze Building. The heart grows fonder with age! It doesn''t matter if the girls are less beautiful, what''s important is to reminisce about the past, to recall the atmosphere of old times. "With Old Dragon gone, there''s no kin or enemy left in this world for me, only solitude and loneliness, wandering alone. From the beginning to the end, the onlypanion by my side has been a pleasure house!" Zhou Yi let out a soft sigh and in an instant, more than sixty years had passed since hest returned to Qing Kingdom, a lifetime for mortals. From the High Monk''s Soul Search, he learned that Emperor Tai Shi was aging and his body weakening, growing more obsessed with seeking immortality and asking about the Tao. He was dissatisfied with the construction of Kunlun Pce and ording to the Taoist scriptures, he extravagantly built it in ordance with the thirty-six Celestial Layers. Corrupt officials were rampant, and refugees rose everywhere. This did not affect the liveliness of Spring Breeze Building. It was never a ce for themon folk, and it was already full of guests before nightfall. The second-floor private room. Zhou Yi reclinedfortably, his face and neck marked with several red lipstick prints, his Taoist robe exuding a strong scent of rouge and powder. After Emperor Tai Shi abolished Buddhism, the status of Taoists in the countries of Cloud Continent soared. As they weren''t forbidden from wine or marriage and were allowed to take wives, many schrs who had repeatedly failed their examinations spent silver to purchase a Taoist certificate. Donning a Taoist robe and writing a few pieces about immortality and alchemy, if one caught the emperor''s eye, they could soar to great heights! The girl on the left was called Yinyin, with her delicate features and ample bosom. Her voice was gentle and seductive. "Taoist master, you''ve been treating Spring Breeze Building as your home for half a month now, how can you still read scriptures andprehend the Tao?" "This is how I cultivate the Tao," responded Zhou Yi. "To give many congrattions, to maintain humanity!" The girl on the right giggled softly, feeding Zhou Yi grapes. Sheughed and said, "Then Taoist master should stay here a few years longer, carefully practicing Dual Cultivation. Who knows, you might even be an immortal." "Yuan Yuan, not bad, you even know about Dual Cultivation." Zhou Yi counted with his fingers and shook his head, saying, "The person I am waiting for will arrive soon. I shall see her tonight." Having said that, he beckoned to the madam of the house. "Taoist master, what can I do for you?" The madam sashayed over, eyes squinted with a smile. This Taoist master had been extremely generous, scattering several ten thousand taels of silver in just half a month. She made sure that the top courtesans took turns attending him, to guarantee hisplete satisfaction. "Today, change the song..." Zhou Yi instructed, "Does anyone know how to sing ''The Legend of the Gods''?" The madam looked puzzled. In her heyday, she was a celebrated Oiran, proficient in all kinds of music, yet this was the first time she heard this title. "Taoist master, here at our..." Zhou Yi took out a thick stack of silver notes from his sleeve and stuffed them into the madam''s bosom. "Tonight, the drinks for the whole house are on me!" "Certainly, there must be." The madam pinched the thickness of the silver notes, estimating at least twenty or thirty thousand taels, and nodded repeatedly, "Even if there isn''t a girl in the house who knows it, I am willing to swallow my pride and go outside to find someone to sing it!" In about half an hour. The person on stage changed, no longer the graceful courtesan, but an old musician with white hair and beard. The old musician sat cross-legged on the floor, resting the zither on his knees. Zheng zheng zheng! "...A single drop of bitter wine is a volume of history book!" The musician''s voice erupted like metal striking stone, long and deste, out of ce in this realm of revelry, directly pouring into the ears of the guests, who turned to look at the stage. Seeing Zhou Yi''s satisfied expression, the madam hurried over to take credit, "Taoist master, after sending people to more than a dozen marketces, we finally found someone who knows how to sing this song." Zhou Yi nodded slightly and asked, "Such profound Inner Strength, yet willing to lower themselves to sing for a living, do you know his origins?" The madam reverently replied, "I heard he''s a wanderer from the martial world, from the Xianyin Sect, famous for their musical skills!" "Xianyin, what a good name!" Zhou Yi took out a stack of silver notes, then put them back, and instead took out a small bottle of elixir. "A reward!" ... At midnight. Zhou Yi left Spring Breeze Building. Outside, the wind and snow were harsh, the ground covered in three to four inches of thick snow. Squeak squeak squeak¡ª His footprints crunched in the snow, leading straight towards the Imperial Pce. "Help me..." A feeble voice came from a dark corner of the street. Zhou Yi hesitated before waving his hand to send out a light, helping the person recover their health. Passing through streets and alleys, with each section walked, someone begged for help, or there were corpses lying on the ground. Zhou Yi''s gaze dropped. Initially, he would stop to express concern, but after witnessing it frequently, he only waved his hand to provide aid. During the hour of Yin. The doors of the Imperial City were tightly closed, the guards d in ck armor, standing upright amidst the wind and snow. Emperor Tai Shi established his country with military achievements, once led an unbeatable army, knowing well that the foundation of rulership was the military. So, even after piging Cloud Continent for decades, he never forgot to strengthen the Imperial Court''s military power. Zhou Yi strolled to the pce gates, where the standing guards acted as if he were invisible, allowing him to pass straight through the gates towards Kunlun Pce. The night was deep and silent. The pce was brightly lit, and figures could be seen moving behind paper windows, whispering secrets or hatching plots. "When was thest time I came to the pce? Oh, I have never been here before!" Zhou Yi held a respectful awe for the pce, considering that, ording to the tales, there could easily be an old monster hidden inside. Now, in the Dharma-ending age, Zhou Yi had be the oldest of old monsters. It was his first visit to the pce, and naturally, he was curious, wandering from hall to hall with his hands sped behind his back,paring it to the pces he had toured in his former life. At one point, he entered Shangyang Pce and sat on the Dragon Throne, a pity that there was no camera to take a photo for remembrance. After wandering around, he finally reached Kunlun Pce. Figures with strong Qi-Blood guarded everywhere, both in in sight and hidden, ensuring the defense was imprable. Zhou Yi applied the Invisibility Technique and floated six inches off the ground, nonchntly walking in, and what met his eyes was a Lingtian garden exquisitely carved from gold and jade. "Qin Zheng''s memory was not bad, but although the scenery remains the same, people have changed!" Passing by the Lingtian, the pavilion, and entering the Taoist temple, the old, weak voice of Qin Zheng came from within. "I''ve had a dream again!" Chapter 216: Chapter 205: Qin Zheng Entrusting His Legacy Part 2 Emperor Tai Shi, dressed in a Daoist robe,y on his jade bed, "Dreamed of Kunlun Mountain, immortals, Spirit Ginseng, Jia Mu..." Kneeling before the couch, Qin Xiao said with concern, "This son has heard that there is a True Buddha in the West, and emissaries have already been sent to seek him out. Father Emperor, please take good care of your health. If the Daoist path cannot grant longevity, perhaps the Buddhist path can?" "Cough, cough, cough!" Emperor Tai Shi coughed violently a few times, gasping for breath, hisplexion looked as if it was dusted with gold powder, glinting under the candlelight. "There''s no such thing as a True Buddha in the world, it must be a trick of the Buddhists. However, you may liaise with Buddhism if you wish, so that when you ascend the throne, your first task will be to promote Buddhism over Daoism. The Daoism in Qing Kingdom is too ingrained to eradicate!" "I will heed Father Emperor''s teachings." Qin Xiao said with worry, "The real immortals of Baiyun Guan have ingrained power. When this son tried to take control of the six ministries, they repeatedly set obstacles in secret. Could Father Emperor order..." Emperor Tai Shi immediately interrupted, "You need not speak of this, when I was in Kunlun Mountain, I promised the immortals I would promote Daoism!" Qin Xiao''s expression turned bitter, as the Grand Preceptor had said, Father Emperor had indeed gone mad, falling into demonic obstacles. Emperor Tai Shi had lived 120 years, battling with his princes, his father, Da Qian, and Buddhism¡ªmost of his life spent in struggle. Just by looking at his son''s expression, he knew what was in his heart. "Everyone in the world thinks I have gone mad." "However, the truth is that I alone am lucid. There really is a Kunlun Mountain in this world, and there really are immortals!" Emperor Tai Shi''s voice became increasingly weak. As he tried to use the Qi-Blood in his Dantian to stimte his potential, what emerged was a deadly mixture of gold, silver, lead, and mercury. In an instant, his breath became faint, as though he was on the verge of death. "Father Emperor, your son believes!" Seeing this, Qin Xiao quickly responded in rm. "When your son ascends the throne, I will not give up the search for Kunlun. Generation after generation, until we find a True Immortal!" "Good." Emperor Tai Shi did not care if his son was sincere or not, in his current state he couldn''t manage future affairs, the only thing he was good for was to suppress the imperial court and buy time for Qin Xiao to seize control. As long as there was a breath left in him, as long as Emperor Tai Shi was alive, Qing Kingdom''s court would not fall into chaos. His Qi-Blood gradually stabilized, and the Blood Pill within his organs condensed and suppressed the toxin, preventing further erosion of Emperor Tai Shi''s vitality. "You may leave, I need to rest now!" "Your son takes his leave." Qin Xiao left the room, instructing the attending eunuchs to keep an eye on His Majesty''s health at all times. Should anything actually go wrong, they were not to cause amotion, but to secretly send a message to the Forbidden Army to seal the pce without dering mourning. Inside the room. Emperor Tai Shi''s eyes were slightly closed, visions of his past experiences practicing in Kunlun Mountain appeared before him. Among them, the image of Zhou Yi became clearer, as if standing right before him. Despite his old age and decay, his instincts as a martial expert instantly put Emperor Tai Shi on alert. "Who is it?" Zhou Yi looked at the aged Qin Zheng, and without casting a healing spell, slowly said. "After not seeing you for a hundred years, has Mr. Qin forgotten about me?" "True Lord!" Emperor Tai Shi finally saw clearly, standing before the bed was none other than Zhou Yi. He struggled to get up and pay his respects, but his limbs were weak and powerless, leaving him gasping for breath with even a small attempt to move. Zhou Yi said, "Mr. Qin, your lifespan is short. Do not continue to deplete it in vain." Emperor Tai Shi, upon hearing this, stopped moving. Seeing that Zhou Yi''s appearance had not changed at all, a glimmer of hope shed in his eyes, "Did True Lorde to take his disciple to practice in Kunlun Mountain?" "No!" Zhou Yi shook his head, "I should have long forgotten about you, but upon exiting my seclusion and hearing of your deeds, I felt guilt and came to see you onest time." Emperor Tai Shi said in dismay, "Why does True Lord feel guilt?" "When you mistakenly entered Kunlun, I should not have taught you martial arts," Zhou Yi sighed. "I wanted to clear my junior brother''s name conveniently through you; I never thought it would lead you to be obsessed with the Daoist path, even to the detriment of the masses." "True Lord is right, but I couldn''t control myself," Emperor Tai Shi said. "The words ''eternal life'' are like a demon in my heart, controlling my body and soul. Every deep night, I repent for the evil I have done, yet in the daytime, I cannot help but act wildly!" Zhou Yi nodded slightly, saying, "After today, the heart demon will disappear." "Am I going to die now?" Emperor Tai Shi coughed violently and asked, "Havingmitted all these evils, I should enter the eighteenyers of hell upon death. As I''m on my deathbed, may I request one thing from True Lord?" Zhou Yi''s brows slightly frowned, "Speak." "I am well aware of my sins, hence I will pass the throne to my third son, Qin Xiao, because he is of a gentle nature and will surely be a benevolent ruler," Emperor Tai Shi said. "But too many treacherous officials and demonic alliances exist in the court. After my death, chaos will surely arise. Qin Xiao is too upright to deal with the cunning of ghost monsters, so I ask that True Lord protect him a little." Zhou Yi pondered for a moment without giving a direct answer. "I will observe secretly for some time." "Thank you, True Lord." Emperor Tai Shi''s face showed joy, his spirits rxed, but his Blood Pill could no longer suppress the deadly poison, which traveled through his qi-blood and spread throughout his body. "I wield Tai A, ride the Dragon Chariot, ascend Kunlun..." A few breathster, he passed away. Zhou Yi gently touched Qin Zheng''s eyelids, helping him close his eyes. "I must take this as a warning. With enough strength to intimidate the world, one must be more careful and cautious in their actions. A moment of caprice could lead to a century of suffering in the Mortal World..." ... The ny-seventh year of the Tai Shi era. The Emperor passed away in the Kunlun Pce, and the Crown Prince Qin Xiao ascended to the throne. During the mourning period for the nation, a bloody cloud omen appeared over the skies of Xianjing, followed by an upheaval of the earth dragon that killed or injured thousands of citizens. The real person from White Cloud Monastery, after divination, knew this was a warning from the heavens. Crown Prince Qin Xiao was a reincarnated cmitous dragon that shed with the fate of the nation! Using this as a pretext, the officials at court pressured Qin Xiao to abdicate in favor of his younger royal brother, the previous emperor''s son, to ensure the continuity of Qing Kingdom. One monthter. Thousands of soldiers stormed the imperial prohibitions, infiltrated Shangyang Pce both from within and without, only to be utterly annihted by lightning from the heavens. The following day. The real person from White Cloud Monastery ascended to immortality, taking the court''s allies with him. The opposition lost its lead and could no longer pressure Qin Xiao to abdicate. After the new year, the era was renamed to Jiading. ... The Northern Border. Serpentine Mountain. Six months ago, Zhou Yi arrived by fleeing light and randomly picked a Nameless Peak to set up Formation and Prohibition for secluded cultivation. The Spirit Ginseng child hauled a hoe, pouting as he said, "Immortal, can we stop moving all the time?" Each time they changed locations, they had to break new ground for the spiritual fields and transnt Spiritual Medicine, which meant at least two or three years of exhausting work for the little arms and legs of the Spirit Ginseng child. "We won''t move anymore." Zhou Yi promised, "This ce is deste and uninhabited, with the nearest city at least a thousand miles away. No one will disturb our quiet cultivation. In the future, I will visit the celebrations less... every fifty, no, twenty... every twenty-five years!" "Heh heh." The Spirit Ginseng child rolled his little eyes, clearly unconvinced. Zhou Yi felt somewhat guilty and scolded with a fierce exterior but weak interior, "You''ve grown bolder by the day, haven''t you? Now get moving and tend to the fields!" After sending off the Spirit Ginseng child, Zhou Yi circled around the Jianmu tree a few times, his Divine Sense probing into the tree''s interior. A confused consciousness was touched, sending back a thread of joyful emotions, somewhat familiar yet somewhat strange. "Do not worry, Bull God. I will hasten the growth of the Jianmu tree so that you can have aplete consciousness." The growth of the Jianmu tree was exceedingly slow. It was not yet three zhang tall and still in an embryonic state, far from nurturing a spiritual intelligence. The soul of the Yellow Bull God was reduced to a weak consciousness because of this influence. This was also the opportunity for the Yellow Bull God, using this chance to merge into the Jianmu''s weak spiritual consciousness, the soul would revive as the tree grew. An adult Jianmu tree, even the Demon Saint would struggle to take it over, let alone the soul of the Yellow Bull God! "I wonder how the three offspring of the Turtle Chancellor are faring." When Zhou Yi was cultivating in seclusion near Greenwave Pond, he often checked for traces of the Four Spirits Sanctuary, but found nothing. The vast ancient relic vanished without a trace as if it existed in a different space from the Nine Continents. "This might actually be a good thing. Utilizing the inheritance of the Sanctuary to avoid the waning days of magic might spare me from being trapped on Kunlun Mountain, unable to break through for hundreds of years, slowly waiting to die!" The disappearance of the Four Spirits Sanctuary filled Zhou Yi with suspicion. "It is said that the Four Spirits Sanctuary was built by the Demon Saint, equivalent to the Returning Void of the human race. By inference, perhaps there truly is an ancient monstrous being from the human race, sealed within a certain relic!" "I must be careful when I leave in the future, especially during times when magic dwindles, to avoid disyingrge-scale spells, as the aura is too conspicuous!" ... The Taoist temple. The closed-door meditation room. Zhou Yi sat cross-legged, taking out from his storage bag a relic of the Dragon Emperor, a transparent Treasure Bead. After ying the Dragon Emperor in the depths of the western sea, he purposefully left behind a stone stele engraved with the words "True Lord Xuan Yi yed the dragon here", and beneath the stele, he left a scroll of a Cultivation Technique. In the future, when Spiritual Energy revives and cultivators pass by the deserted ind, they would be able to obtain the inheritance of the technique. "Perhaps by that time, the Cultivation World will be referred to as ancient, and what I left behind will also be an ancient Cultivation Technique!" Zhou Yi, having indulged in his wicked sense of humor, examined the Treasure Bead with his Spiritual Sense. It was whole and indestructible. "After pondering the Earth-Shattering Prohibitions for centuries, I have yet to find a suitable Spiritual Object for refining. This Treasure Bead is destined to be mine!" Chapter 216 - 205: Qin Zheng Entrusting His Legacy Part 2 Emperor Tai Shi, dressed in a Daoist robe,y on his jade bed, "Dreamed of Kunlun Mountain, immortals, Spirit Ginseng, Jia Mu..." Kneeling before the couch, Qin Xiao said with concern, "This son has heard that there is a True Buddha in the West, and emissaries have already been sent to seek him out. Father Emperor, please take good care of your health. If the Daoist path cannot grant longevity, perhaps the Buddhist path can?" "Cough, cough, cough!" Emperor Tai Shi coughed violently a few times, gasping for breath, hisplexion looked as if it was dusted with gold powder, glinting under the candlelight. "There''s no such thing as a True Buddha in the world, it must be a trick of the Buddhists. However, you may liaise with Buddhism if you wish, so that when you ascend the throne, your first task will be to promote Buddhism over Daoism. The Daoism in Qing Kingdom is too ingrained to eradicate!" "I will heed Father Emperor''s teachings." Qin Xiao said with worry, "The real immortals of Baiyun Guan have ingrained power. When this son tried to take control of the six ministries, they repeatedly set obstacles in secret. Could Father Emperor order..." Emperor Tai Shi immediately interrupted, "You need not speak of this, when I was in Kunlun Mountain, I promised the immortals I would promote Daoism!" Qin Xiao''s expression turned bitter, as the Grand Preceptor had said, Father Emperor had indeed gone mad, falling into demonic obstacles. Emperor Tai Shi had lived 120 years, battling with his princes, his father, Da Qian, and Buddhism¡ªmost of his life spent in struggle. Just by looking at his son''s expression, he knew what was in his heart. "Everyone in the world thinks I have gone mad." "However, the truth is that I alone am lucid. There really is a Kunlun Mountain in this world, and there really are immortals!" Emperor Tai Shi''s voice became increasingly weak. As he tried to use the Qi-Blood in his Dantian to stimte his potential, what emerged was a deadly mixture of gold, silver, lead, and mercury. In an instant, his breath became faint, as though he was on the verge of death. "Father Emperor, your son believes!" Seeing this, Qin Xiao quickly responded in rm. "When your son ascends the throne, I will not give up the search for Kunlun. Generation after generation, until we find a True Immortal!" "Good." Emperor Tai Shi did not care if his son was sincere or not, in his current state he couldn''t manage future affairs, the only thing he was good for was to suppress the imperial court and buy time for Qin Xiao to seize control. As long as there was a breath left in him, as long as Emperor Tai Shi was alive, Qing Kingdom''s court would not fall into chaos. His Qi-Blood gradually stabilized, and the Blood Pill within his organs condensed and suppressed the toxin, preventing further erosion of Emperor Tai Shi''s vitality. "You may leave, I need to rest now!" "Your son takes his leave." Qin Xiao left the room, instructing the attending eunuchs to keep an eye on His Majesty''s health at all times. Should anything actually go wrong, they were not to cause amotion, but to secretly send a message to the Forbidden Army to seal the pce without dering mourning. Inside the room. Emperor Tai Shi''s eyes were slightly closed, visions of his past experiences practicing in Kunlun Mountain appeared before him. Among them, the image of Zhou Yi became clearer, as if standing right before him. Despite his old age and decay, his instincts as a martial expert instantly put Emperor Tai Shi on alert. "Who is it?" Zhou Yi looked at the aged Qin Zheng, and without casting a healing spell, slowly said. "After not seeing you for a hundred years, has Mr. Qin forgotten about me?" "True Lord!" Emperor Tai Shi finally saw clearly, standing before the bed was none other than Zhou Yi. He struggled to get up and pay his respects, but his limbs were weak and powerless, leaving him gasping for breath with even a small attempt to move. Zhou Yi said, "Mr. Qin, your lifespan is short. Do not continue to deplete it in vain." Emperor Tai Shi, upon hearing this, stopped moving. Seeing that Zhou Yi''s appearance had not changed at all, a glimmer of hope shed in his eyes, "Did True Lorde to take his disciple to practice in Kunlun Mountain?" "No!" Zhou Yi shook his head, "I should have long forgotten about you, but upon exiting my seclusion and hearing of your deeds, I felt guilt and came to see you onest time." Emperor Tai Shi said in dismay, "Why does True Lord feel guilt?" "When you mistakenly entered Kunlun, I should not have taught you martial arts," Zhou Yi sighed. "I wanted to clear my junior brother''s name conveniently through you; I never thought it would lead you to be obsessed with the Daoist path, even to the detriment of the masses." "True Lord is right, but I couldn''t control myself," Emperor Tai Shi said. "The words ''eternal life'' are like a demon in my heart, controlling my body and soul. Every deep night, I repent for the evil I have done, yet in the daytime, I cannot help but act wildly!" Zhou Yi nodded slightly, saying, "After today, the heart demon will disappear." "Am I going to die now?" Emperor Tai Shi coughed violently and asked, "Havingmitted all these evils, I should enter the eighteenyers of hell upon death. As I''m on my deathbed, may I request one thing from True Lord?" Zhou Yi''s brows slightly frowned, "Speak." "I am well aware of my sins, hence I will pass the throne to my third son, Qin Xiao, because he is of a gentle nature and will surely be a benevolent ruler," Emperor Tai Shi said. "But too many treacherous officials and demonic alliances exist in the court. After my death, chaos will surely arise. Qin Xiao is too upright to deal with the cunning of ghost monsters, so I ask that True Lord protect him a little." Zhou Yi pondered for a moment without giving a direct answer. "I will observe secretly for some time." "Thank you, True Lord." Emperor Tai Shi''s face showed joy, his spirits rxed, but his Blood Pill could no longer suppress the deadly poison, which traveled through his qi-blood and spread throughout his body. "I wield Tai A, ride the Dragon Chariot, ascend Kunlun..." A few breathster, he passed away. Zhou Yi gently touched Qin Zheng''s eyelids, helping him close his eyes. "I must take this as a warning. With enough strength to intimidate the world, one must be more careful and cautious in their actions. A moment of caprice could lead to a century of suffering in the Mortal World..." ... The ny-seventh year of the Tai Shi era. The Emperor passed away in the Kunlun Pce, and the Crown Prince Qin Xiao ascended to the throne. During the mourning period for the nation, a bloody cloud omen appeared over the skies of Xianjing, followed by an upheaval of the earth dragon that killed or injured thousands of citizens. The real person from White Cloud Monastery, after divination, knew this was a warning from the heavens. Crown Prince Qin Xiao was a reincarnated cmitous dragon that shed with the fate of the nation! Using this as a pretext, the officials at court pressured Qin Xiao to abdicate in favor of his younger royal brother, the previous emperor''s son, to ensure the continuity of Qing Kingdom. One monthter. Thousands of soldiers stormed the imperial prohibitions, infiltrated Shangyang Pce both from within and without, only to be utterly annihted by lightning from the heavens. The following day. The real person from White Cloud Monastery ascended to immortality, taking the court''s allies with him. The opposition lost its lead and could no longer pressure Qin Xiao to abdicate. After the new year, the era was renamed to Jiading. ... The Northern Border. Serpentine Mountain. Six months ago, Zhou Yi arrived by fleeing light and randomly picked a Nameless Peak to set up Formation and Prohibition for secluded cultivation. The Spirit Ginseng child hauled a hoe, pouting as he said, "Immortal, can we stop moving all the time?" Each time they changed locations, they had to break new ground for the spiritual fields and transnt Spiritual Medicine, which meant at least two or three years of exhausting work for the little arms and legs of the Spirit Ginseng child. "We won''t move anymore." Zhou Yi promised, "This ce is deste and uninhabited, with the nearest city at least a thousand miles away. No one will disturb our quiet cultivation. In the future, I will visit the celebrations less... every fifty, no, twenty... every twenty-five years!" "Heh heh." The Spirit Ginseng child rolled his little eyes, clearly unconvinced. Zhou Yi felt somewhat guilty and scolded with a fierce exterior but weak interior, "You''ve grown bolder by the day, haven''t you? Now get moving and tend to the fields!" After sending off the Spirit Ginseng child, Zhou Yi circled around the Jianmu tree a few times, his Divine Sense probing into the tree''s interior. A confused consciousness was touched, sending back a thread of joyful emotions, somewhat familiar yet somewhat strange. "Do not worry, Bull God. I will hasten the growth of the Jianmu tree so that you can have aplete consciousness." The growth of the Jianmu tree was exceedingly slow. It was not yet three zhang tall and still in an embryonic state, far from nurturing a spiritual intelligence. The soul of the Yellow Bull God was reduced to a weak consciousness because of this influence. This was also the opportunity for the Yellow Bull God, using this chance to merge into the Jianmu''s weak spiritual consciousness, the soul would revive as the tree grew. An adult Jianmu tree, even the Demon Saint would struggle to take it over, let alone the soul of the Yellow Bull God! "I wonder how the three offspring of the Turtle Chancellor are faring." When Zhou Yi was cultivating in seclusion near Greenwave Pond, he often checked for traces of the Four Spirits Sanctuary, but found nothing. The vast ancient relic vanished without a trace as if it existed in a different space from the Nine Continents. "This might actually be a good thing. Utilizing the inheritance of the Sanctuary to avoid the waning days of magic might spare me from being trapped on Kunlun Mountain, unable to break through for hundreds of years, slowly waiting to die!" The disappearance of the Four Spirits Sanctuary filled Zhou Yi with suspicion. "It is said that the Four Spirits Sanctuary was built by the Demon Saint, equivalent to the Returning Void of the human race. By inference, perhaps there truly is an ancient monstrous being from the human race, sealed within a certain relic!" "I must be careful when I leave in the future, especially during times when magic dwindles, to avoid disyingrge-scale spells, as the aura is too conspicuous!" ... The Taoist temple. The closed-door meditation room. Zhou Yi sat cross-legged, taking out from his storage bag a relic of the Dragon Emperor, a transparent Treasure Bead. After ying the Dragon Emperor in the depths of the western sea, he purposefully left behind a stone stele engraved with the words "True Lord Xuan Yi yed the dragon here", and beneath the stele, he left a scroll of a Cultivation Technique. In the future, when Spiritual Energy revives and cultivators pass by the deserted ind, they would be able to obtain the inheritance of the technique. "Perhaps by that time, the Cultivation World will be referred to as ancient, and what I left behind will also be an ancient Cultivation Technique!" Zhou Yi, having indulged in his wicked sense of humor, examined the Treasure Bead with his Spiritual Sense. It was whole and indestructible. "After pondering the Earth-Shattering Prohibitions for centuries, I have yet to find a suitable Spiritual Object for refining. This Treasure Bead is destined to be mine!" Chapter 217: Chapter 206 Treasure Bead Space Zhou Yi currently possesses the ck Tortoise Armor for defense, the Bodhi Treasure Wheel for assistance, and the Light Dividing Sword for offensive capabilities. The power of the Mountain and River Cauldron and the Soul-Calming Mirror has been increasing day by day as they are nurtured with mana. Although their number does not surpass that of True Lord Wan Bao, their quality far exceeds his treasures. "What kind of treasure is suitable to refine with the Dragon Emperor Treasure Bead?" After a moment of thought, Zhou Yi made up his mind. Since the bead was indestructible, it was best to refine it into a treasure for personal protection. With eternal life already attained, all that was needed was to focus on stacking armor and magic resistance! Havingprehended the Earthly Fiend Restriction for more than five hundred years and practiced engraving on ordinary spiritual objects, he had mastered the technique. Engravings, such as the Bamboo Sword of Qin Zheng, could bepleted with a wave of his hand. This method did not require auxiliary items, and in this era of scarce spiritual materials, it was far more useful than forms of magic artifacts. Spiritual light sparkled at Zhou Yi''s fingertips as itnded on the surface of the bead, beginning to engrave the first Earthly Fiend Restriction. Solidness! After more than half an hour, arge amount of mana had been consumed, but the surface of the spiritual pearl remained as smooth and shiny as ever. "Is it really that hard?" Zhou Yi''s brows furrowed slightly, and a bad feeling arose in his heart. He then spat out the Mountain River Precious Cauldron. The cauldron contained the nurturing sword, wheel, and mirror, emitting sparkling baoguang radiance that reflected each other. The Light Dividing Sword had been severely damaged, but its essence remained intact; it could be restored with prolonged nurturing. However, the Bodhi Treasure Wheel was unexpectedly troublesome. The spirit within was affected by the malice of the Blood Sacrifice and had turned into a wicked demon, devouring the Qi-Blood and souls of living beings upon activation. Now with no other options, Zhou Yi could only slowly purify it with mana until the malicious spirits werepletely eradicated. Fortunately, the spirit of an artifact differed from the divine soul of a cultivator; it would not be damaged after being purified but, instead, would be easier to refine and recognize a new master. Zhou Yi, holding the Light Dividing Sword, attempted to engrave the Earthly Fiend Restriction on the bead, but the result was the same as before. He then tried dozens of different spells and magic artifacts, yet none could leave the slightest mark. "Could this thing only serve as a hard ss ball?" "This object, having consumed the umted essence of Greenwave Pond over ten thousand years and the sacrificed essence, Qi, and souls of countless demon tribes, is rare in this world and too extravagant to be used merely as a ything!" "After the dissipation of the restriction within the Blood Crystal, the old dragon regained its senses and wandered within the bead for a long time..." At this point in his thoughts, Zhou Yi thoroughly explored the inside of the bead, which proved to be solid and stable, perfectly unified like the primeval chaos. Pondering for a moment, he used the Soul Division Secret Technique to peel off a wisp of his Divine Sense, condensing it into an ethereal silhouette. Zhou Yi practiced the cultivation technique for nurturing the soul during the Qi Refinement Realm, the Nine Revolutions for refining the soul in the Foundation Establishment Stage, and had now shifted to studying the Buddhist Nirvana Sutra. The cultivation of the soul and body was not limited by the Spirit Root and grew slowly but steadily, and Zhou Yi''s soul had be substantial. This Soul Division Secret Technique was an inheritance of the Ghost King Sect. Upon mastery, one could divide their soul and reside within another''s body, subtly influencing the cultivator''s thoughts and actions. ording to records, the technique was derived by predecessors who referenced inner demons. Under Zhou Yi''s control, the divided soul used an Escape Technique and lunged at the bead. It passed through as if moving through a curtain of water or crossing a barrier, and the divided soul entered a wide expanse of white space in all directions. The divided soul''s Divine Sense swept across the area, which was three hundred feet in size and spherical in shape. Zhou Yi guided his divided soul to wander within this space, and when it touched the crystal-clear edges, he tried to engrave the Earthly Fiend Restriction. On the outside, the bead was indestructible, but inside it was as soft as water, so even the weakened divided soul could leave marks. "Interesting! This truly is a fine treasure!" Zhou Yi repeatedly expressed his admiration, realizing the vast potential uses of the space inside the bead. The first thing that came to mind was to refine it into a protective treasure that could be used as a refuge during a deadly cmity from the heavens, able to withstand even the attacks of a Divine Transformation Heavenly Monarch. The second idea was to refine it into a Cave Heaven treasure, in which to ce his seclusion space, making relocation much more convenient. As time passed, with the continuous expansion of the Cave Heaven, reaching miles in all directions, it could be used to establish a sect or even create an entire world. Zhou Yi let his mind wander, dreaming of bing the master of a world, when the divided soul within the bead slowly twisted and dissipated, vanishing into nothing shortly after. "Can the bead not support living things, or is there some other reason?" "It seems I was thinking too simply. If creating a Cave Heaven were this easy, then the Sacrificial Method should be renamed the Sky-Opening Method! Still, there are ways to resolve this, like the difference between the Beast Controlling Bag and the storage bag¡ªthe former retains an opening connected to the outside world." "Perhaps piercing through the bead''s barrier and uniting it with the outside world could make it possible to support living things?" Zhou Yi acted upon his decision and once again used the Soul Division Secret Technique. His divided soul carried the Light Dividing Sword and deployed an Escape Technique, only to be blocked outside the Treasure Bead. "It seems that only the soul can enter!" The divided soul escaped into the Treasure Bead, flew to the spot where he had just engraved the restriction, transformed into the shape of an electric drill, and began to rotate and bore a hole. Zhou Yi estimated the time¡ªbefore his divided soul copsed and dissipated, he used an Escape Technique to fly out of the Treasure Bead''s space and reintegrated with his divine soul, immediately noticing a slight sense of fatigue. "The speed of prating the barrier is somewhat slow, but what I have the most is time!" Zhou Yi didn''t care if the Treasure Bead would lose its indestructible properties after being damaged. If it couldn''t truly be refined into a magic artifact, it would be nothing but a ss bead. ... The mountain originally had no name, from now on it shall be known as Kunlun. From there, Zhou Yi resumed his daily cultivation practice, adding Soul Power to his usual consumption of mana and lifespan. "Thinking it over, how do I not resemble a health potion and mana potion?" Apart from cultivating, he recited and studied Buddhist and Taoist scriptures,prehending the teachings of the sages. The heritage books plundered from the Buddhist sect had beenpletely arranged and recorded in the Taoist canon during his sixteen years in the Western Sea. "In thest five hundred years of the Dharma, even though the high monks strive to preserve it, it''s been continuously lost and reduced through generations. Many Buddhist secret techniques are already iplete, fortunately, a few sect-defending cultivation techniques remain intact." One of them is the Nirvana Sutra! The Buddhist sect focuses on the path of the soul, and unlike the Ghost King Sect which specializes in ghost cultivation and soul division, Buddhism is particrly adept at refining the soul, with the ultimate goal being to transform the illusory into the real and concoct Shariputra. The Nirvana Sutra is the Buddhist sect''s supreme technique for soul concentration, which not only far exceeds the soul refinement lineage of the Dan Ding Sect but also has two marvelous uses when fully cultivated. Annihtion and Nirvana. Once the Annihtion Secret Technique is deployed, the divine soul bes withered and lifeless, making it undetectable even to the face of a Nascent Soul ancestor. The Nirvana Secret Technique, on the other hand, deals with the path of reincarnation and can explore the rebodied souls through the relics of the deceased. "Could there really be reincarnation in this world? All Buddhist scriptures mention it, perhaps it''s not without basis! The matter of reincarnation is significant; there''s no need to rush into exploring it. Once I''ve fully cultivated the Nirvana Sutra, I''ll try to seek out my old acquaintances to see the truth." Inside, Zhou Yi refined the Ster Secret Record, and externally, he cultivated the Ancient Purple Sun Scripture, while also possessing the Buddhist sect''s secret transmission for the soul. "Having reached the pinnacle of spirit, Qi, and essence in the teachings of both Buddhism and Taoism, and having obtained the sect''s supreme treasure, this end of the Dharma truly is a great opportunity for me!" Time flies. The sun and the moon reced each other, and the seasons revolved. Years passed in the blink of an eye during secluded cultivation, and a hundred years had already flown by. On this day. Celestial phenomena appeared near Serpentine Mountain, with stars manifesting in the daylit sky as countless beams of starlight descended. Inside the Taoist temple of Kunlun Mountain. The power of the stars continuously tempered Zhou Yi''s body; his inner organs, meridians, and muscles shone with specks of starlight, eventually forming a diamond-shaped mark on his forehead. After five hundred years of cultivation, he finally refined the Ster Body. "The power of my spells has greatly increased. I can condense a vestment robe of starlight to protect myself during battles and draw upon the power of the stars to restore mana... Unfortunately, who else in this world can contend with me in a spell duel?" Zhou Yi''s eyes were clear and cold, without sadness or joy. Over the century, he immersed himself in reading andprehending Buddhist scriptures, his mind bing increasingly still and waveless, to the point where he hadn''t even gone out to celebrate once. Such a state of mind was precisely suitable for the cultivation of the Nirvana Sutra. The growth of his divine soul had increased by more than fifty percent, which correspondingly greatly elerated the speed at which he was prating the barrier of the Treasure Bead. "In another hundred and eighty years, I will be able to refine a mobile cave abode, no longer confined to the deste wilderness!" "I wonder if the house in the capital still exists. When the timees, I can move back in..." Chapter 218: Chapter 207: The Last Years of the Dynasty Winter passed and spring came again. Serpentine Mountain was covered in snow that was on the verge of melting. Thousands of able-bodiedmoners, driven by soldiers, searched each peak for any possible auspicious signs. Zhu Kang, wearing straw sandals, tread unevenly through the snow, earnestly sweeping around with a wooden stick in search of something. If he failed to find an auspicious sign to report, he would likely freeze to death on the mountain, and his family line would end. "Thend of my family was taken by Master Sun, and if not this generation, the next one will surely end! Either way, we''re headed for extinction, so why suffer this torment? Better to risk it all for once..." These thoughts were only in his mind, as Zhu Kang nced at the soldiers at the foot of the mountain and themoners who were shot dead attempting to escape. He could only curse quietly in his heart. "Dog Emperor!" The cold wind howled, his clothes offered little warmth. Zhu Kang''s face turned purple from the cold as he leaned on his wooden stick to catch his breath and grabbed handfuls of snow to stave off hunger, continuing to lift and set his feet mechanically. Perhaps because he had been hungry for too long, a surreal glow appeared before his eyes. Then, the world seemed to spin as if he were falling into a dream, and he seemed to step on something soft, white, and plump. "Ouch!" A child''s cry of pain rang out, and Zhu Kang felt himself being lifted, turned upside down in the air. Zhu Kang shook his head vigorously to clear the dizziness and regain his senses. When he opened his eyes, he saw a three-foot-long white radish. There was a muddy footprint on the radish''s face, and it grimaced angrily, waving a hoe around. "Child, don''t be mischievous." A gentle voice, as warm as a spring breeze, floated over. The Red Blood Vine binding his feet loosened, and he fell to the ground flutteringly. Zhu Kang followed the voice and saw a Taoist in a green robe sitting in a pavilion nearby, holding a scripture and greeting him with a smile. "I am Xuan Yi. May I ask where youe from, sir?" "I''m Zhu Kang from Depend-on-Mountain Hamlet." Zhu Kang, having regained his rity from the confusion, saw the ginseng-shaped like a child and thought he had encountered a demon. He spilled everything like a bamboo tube pouring out beans: "I''m the eighth in my n, with no money ornd at home, not even a wife." "I usually eat leftovers, live in a cattle shed, and smell bad all over¡­" "I certainly don''t eat humans." With a flick of his fingers, Zhou Yi cleansed Zhu Kang''s body with mana, healing his hidden wounds and frostbite. "This is Kunlun Mountain. It is rare for outsiders toe here. You may stay for a while, or you can choose to leave immediately." Having spent a year cultivating in Kunlun Mountain, Qin Zheng made a greatmotion upon leaving, fulfilling his promise to right the name of Xuan Xiao, but he also created significant karmic obstacles. Thus, Zhou Yi lost interest in enlightening mortals. "Kunlun?" Zhu Kang was astonished and murmured, "There really is a Kunlun Mountain in this world? I thought it was a fabrication by the storytellers." Zhou Yi invited Zhu Kang to sit down and smiled, "Could you tell me, sir, how do theypile stories about Kunlun?" "The storytellers..." Just as Zhu Kang began to speak, his stomach growled thunderously. "It is my fault for not offering food. Eat while you talk." With a wave of his hand, Zhou Yi filled the stone table with dishes, all rare delicacies in the mortal world. "Thank you, Taoist priest, thank you, immortal!" Zhu Kang, already famished, disregarded any reverence for an immortal and dug into the food. Once his stomach was soothed, he said, "The stories told by the storytellers usually start with a hero returning from learning arts on Kunlun Mountain..." As his family owned no farnd, Zhu Kang could eat his fill during busy farming seasons, but resorted to working in the town during quieter times. More often than not, unable to find work, he would squat at the entrance of inns and taverns begging for food, where he heard numerous stories. "So Kunlun Mountain has be the origin story for the heroes in these tales." Zhou Yi found it interesting and further asked, "Having been in seclusion for a long time, I am unaware of the current date. What year and month is it now?" "It''s the twelfth year of Emperor Yongyan''s reign." Zhu Kang put down his rice bowl, knelt on the ground with a thud, and begged, "Immortal, may I stay here forever? I can serve tea, fetch water, farm thend¡ªanything. All I ask for is a meal to eat!" "You may only stay for a year at most." Zhou Yi said, "When you leave, I will give you some gold and silver, so you won''t have to worry about food and drink." Zhu Kang shook his head, "I dare not ept it. Someone from the neighboring vige dug up some gold, and the very next day, bandits killed his entire family!" Zhou Yi frowned slightly, "Is it very chaotic outside now?" "The Imperial Court says there''s peace everywhere, but I''ve heard many ces are suffering from war and no one has it easy." Zhu Kang was a truemoner, who couldn''t recognize many characters and judged the emperor and the Imperial Court simply by whether life was easy or hard to bear. He couldn''t specifically say what wrong the emperor or the Imperial Court had done; the only corruption he''d encountered was from greedy officials. Zhou Yi did not continue to question him. He ced his palm on Zhu Kang''s forehead and directly read his soul. From corners of his memory that Zhu Kang himself couldn''t recall, he glimpsed snatches of conversation from travelers, gathering a general understanding of the changes that had befallen the Qing Kingdom over thest century. Emperor Jiading was diligent in his rule, but Emperor Tai Shi lived so long that the damage he caused was profound, and the dynasty faltered before it could fully recover. After him, two mediocre emperors seeded one another, and now Emperor Yongyan imed to emte his ancestors. Sadly, he had not learned the martial arts or how to strengthen the military; he was solely focused on seeking immortality, bestowing titles upon seven or eight Buddhist and Daoist masters as national preceptors. "Two hundred years since the Qing Kingdom was established, the underlying issues caused by Qin Zheng can no longer be contained. It seems we are in the dynasty''s final days!" Zhou Yi sighed softly, having grown ustomed to this. Since the time of Fengyang Country, he had seen through the rise and fall of the National Dynasty over three generations. When the Soul Searching Technique ended, he left a few strands of soul power within Zhu Kang''s soul. Zhu Kang felt his soul be more perceptive and clear. His life experiences of the past twenty years were visible in every detail, and the characters he''d learned and forgotten were now etched in his memory at the slightest recall. "I thank you, Immortal!" "For the next year, you will take care of the spirit fields with the children, and you may visit the Scripture Pavilion to read in your spare time." Zhou Yi pondered for a moment before saying, "I can''t keep you here long, nor can I pass on the Immortal Law to you, but I can teach you a skill that will keep you from starving once you leave." Zhu Kang repeatedly kowtowed in gratitude, "For the guidance of the Immortal, the Zhu family shall be in your debt for generations toe." Zhou Yi nodded slightly and pointed to the Scripture Pavilion as he spoke. "The method is stored in the neenth book on the third shelf of the seventh row. I only have some theories about it; you will need toprehend how to create it." "I will not disappoint you, Immortal!" Zhu Kang didn''t know what he would learn. Based on the development of stories, it should be a long-lost secret form of the immortals. With it, he might make a fortune once he left the mountains. After being well-fed and watered, he went to bed. The next day. Zhu Kang spent half the day hoeing the ground, and upon learning that therge white radish was in fact a Myriad-Year Spirit Ginsenge to life, he knocked his head on the ground in respect several more times. In the afternoon, he went to the Scripture Pavilion. As instructed by the Immortal, he fetched a book from the shelf, whose cover bore no words but an odd illustration instead. "It looks like a spinning wheel? It''s somewhat different from what I''ve seen in workshops." While working in the county town, Zhu Kang had seen spinning wheels that were mostly simr to each other wherever there was a need forbor. Upon opening the book, each page showed a drawing with annotations beside it. Thanks to the enhancement of his soul by the Immortal the previous day, he recognized most of the characters. "The Immortal wants me to build this; there must be a significant reason!" About two monthster. Zhu Kang discovered that his memory was unusually strong and that he had a natural gift for craftsmanship, enabling him to quickly build a new type of spinning wheel. After testing, the new spinning wheel''s efficiency had increased tenfold. Zhou Yi nodded in satisfaction, "Those who are destined to enter Kunlun do indeed possess extraordinary qualities." Zhu Kang received further guidance from the Immortal and fetched another book from the Scripture Pavilion with an even stranger cover illustration. A boiling teapot! Chapter 219: Chapter 208: Kunlun Cave Heaven One yearter. Zhu Kang bowed thrice and kowtowed nine times, the spiritual light shing as it expelled him from the formation. "Why doesn''t the immortal teach him martial arts and history?" The Spirit Ginseng doll showed puzzlement and said, "I see that he is innately rebellious and has great destiny upon him. Even withouting to Kunlun Mountain, he would still incite a major rebellion and cause a huge turmoil." "What difference does it make to pass on the martial arts? Centuriester, it will still be the end of a dynasty, with the rise, people suffer; with the fall, people suffer!" Zhou Yi said, "What''s more, the hearts of people in the world are the hardest to grasp. Zhu Kang may seem to have a good nature now, but who knows if he will turn into the next Qin Zheng once he has power in his hands?" Truly tracing back to the source, the sins Qin Zhengmitted inevitably bore some of Zhou Yi''s karma. However, having read Buddhist and Daoist scriptures for a thousand years, he had long seen through the doctrine of karma. Zhou Yi used it only to maintain his own moral baseline, without any substantial binding force. To be untainted by karma is, to be precise, to maintain humanity and notmit evil! Zhou Yi gave the Spirit Ginseng doll a nce, "Since when did you learn to read faces?" "I was naturally born with the innate Earth Escape Divine Skill; few formations and prohibitions in the world can trap me. ording to the Life-Saving Scripture written by the immortal, what Ick is the divination technique to predict danger." The Spirit Ginseng doll chuckled, "I just visit the Scripture Pavilion to recite scriptures in my spare time from farming, and naturally picked up a bit over time." "Not bad, you haven''t disappointed this Daoist''s teachings." Zhou Yi nodded in satisfaction and exined, "It''s precisely because Zhu Kang is rebellious and has destiny on his side that teaching him martial arts would merely be gilding the lily, and hastening his fate might not be a good thing!" As they talked, one man and one ginseng returned to the Daoist temple. In the courtyard, there was a massive new presence, made of dark and dull steel gears, pistons, and bearings, fixed in ce with rivets. Following Zhou Yi''s instructions, the Spirit Ginseng doll put on a ck iron helmet, and its hoe transformed into an iron shovel as it filled the firebox with coal. Zhou Yi flicked his finger, igniting the coal with spiritual fire, causing the water in the boiler to begin boiling. Steam exerted strong pressure on the pistons, starting to drive the wheels to turn. At the same time, ck smoke billowed out from the chimney atop the machine. "The familiar scent!" Zhou Yi''s eyes closed slightly as he took a deep breath in, savoring the acrid, pungent smell of ipletely burned coal. "Cough cough cough cough..." Standing too close to the chimney, the Spirit Ginseng doll got a face full of ck soot, which immediately lowered its impression of the steel machine to rock bottom. "Immortal, what use is this hulking piece of iron?" "To me, this thing indeed doesn''t offer much benefit, and may even have some downsides, since the collective wisdom of humanity is too strong. At the end of this degenerate era, maybe in a thousand years, they will be able to create weapons with powerparable to a true immortal!" Zhou Yi waved his hand to extinguish the coal, then engraved formation patterns in the firebox, casting a spell to condense spiritual energy into crystals, which he ced in the center of the formation. The spirit crystal drove the formation and prohibition to generate mes, heating the boiler to boiling. The power increased by more than tenfold, and no ck smoke emerged. "The formation''s patterns couldpletely discard the machine''s body and be directly engraved onto the wheel, consuming spiritual energy to generate kic energy with no loss in between." "The Daoist prohibitions'' understanding of the cosmos has reached a certain pinnacle!" Zhou Yi did not continue to modify the machine, as his skills in Array Dao and artifact refining could easily create spirit-powered robots, which, when infused with animal souls, could possess partial intelligence to perform routine tasks. This wasn''t Zhou Yi''s own innovation; during the ancient times, the Sky Mending Sect had already created such a heritage. The Dao is immense, pointing directly to the Great Way! The Spirit Ginseng doll wiped the soot from its face, resembling a painted-face character in Peking opera, and holding the shovel, it asked in confusion. "If it isn''t of much benefit, why would the immortal still want to spread it?" "Originally, I had no great ambitions and always lived freely andfortably; I should not have concerned myself with the mortal world." Zhou Yi sighed, "Over a thousand years, I''ve witnessed the rise and fall of dynasties, gs changing over city walls, while themon people are like grass, going through cycle after cycle of suffering in both prosperity and decline." "I''ve long seen that the immortal ispassionate, not indifferent like other immortals." The Spirit Ginseng doll looked up at the lump of metal, "Can this clunky thing really change the world?" "Perhaps I can, perhaps I cannot," said the Taoist priest, who never insisted upon matters. Zhou Yi gently touched the bearings and gears, feeling the familiar yet strange texture, and said, "Time is the greatest innovator in the world. The only thing I can do is to push forward; it is extremely difficult to halt..." The age of decliningw is long and distant, and even without Zhou Yi''s dissemination, such things would emerge thousands of yearster. Humans'' thirst for power and wealth never ceases. Qi-Blood and Inner Qi martial arts, in the end, are the strengths of a few, and they tend to reinforce ss barriers¡ªcorrespondingly, martial experts will detest machines! The Spirit Ginseng doll racked its brain, its eyes turning into spiral shapes, still failing to understand the use of this lump of metal. "Immortal Master, what are the drawbacks of this object?" "The drawback is, the Spring Breeze Building might disappear, and I will no longer be able to celebrate!" ... On this day. The Soul Splitting Technique infiltrated the Treasure Bead, finally piercing through thestyer of barrier and directly emerged from it. Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense locked on tightly, and as the soul split from the Treasure Bead, a faint spatial distortion appeared at the breach. The white vastness within the Treasure Bead churned tumultuously, undergoing mysterious changes. The split soul re-entered, and after a long while, it did not disperse. "Let''s test the hardness again." Zhou Yi spat out the Light Dividing Sword, which had recuperated for four hundred years and had been restored to a magic artifact. Sword Qi sliced across the surface of the Treasure Bead, still leaving no mark. However, the Light Dividing Sword, destroying from inside to outside through the opening, was much more efficient than the soul split. "The breach is nearly imperceptible. If I set up a Formation for defense inside, it is indeed a Protective amulet. Moreover, the most wonderful use of this object is to move Kunlun Mountain inside it, then I will have a portable cave dwelling!" Zhou Yi inscribed a few prohibitions inside the Treasure Bead, temporarily refining it into a magic artifact simr to a storage bag. It took the shape of a fleeing light and circled for a moment before finding a deste mountain. The opening of the Treasure Bead faced Nameless Peak, and as Mana was exerted, the Scripture of Collection was cast, immediately drawing soil and stones into it. A momentter. After consecutively capturing two mountain peaks, the Treasure Bead was filled to half capacity. Back to the Taoist temple. Zhou Yi pondered for a moment, then called the Spirit Ginseng doll with a smile. "After spending two hundred years, I have finally refined the Kunlun Cave Heaven. Would you like to try living inside for a few days?" "There''s no danger, right?" The Spirit Ginseng doll confirmed its safety multiple times, then turned into a green fleeing light and entered the Treasure Bead, standing on the ground and dancing with joy. A transparent sky disyed a huge eye, as if a god were overlooking the world; it was Zhou Yi observing from the outside. One had to look closely to see the tiny, dust-like Spirit Ginseng doll. Half a month observation. The Ginseng doll toiled away inside the Treasure Bead, casting spells to level thend and pre-arrange the spiritual fields. Zhou Yi, noticing sufficient space inside the Treasure Bead, took water from the outside world, creating ake that was thirty feet square. "It seems there are no problems with living and cultivating?" One monthter. The Taoist temple, ancient trees, and Spiritual Medicine were all moved into the Treasure Bead. Only Zhou Yi and the Jumu tree remained outside, beginning to observe the growth of the Spiritual Medicine in the space. Yearster. The growth of the Spiritual Medicine was normal. Zhou Yi brought the Jumu tree into the Dantian, turning into fleeing light and entering the space of the Treasure Bead. Zhou Yi''s physical body entered for the first time; his soul split had already been there for two hundred years, so there was no feeling of unfamiliarity. He nted the Jumu tree in the center of the space, consumed lifespan to cast the Jade Dew Art, and emitted a rich and surging Spiritual Energy. "From now on, I shall cultivate in this Kunlun Cave Heaven!" Chapter 220: Chapter 209 Great Ancestor of the Great Zhou Kunlun Cave Heaven. Zhou Yi took out an Array te from his storage bag, the Illusion Array, Trapping Array, Defense Array, and Attack Array, umting thousands of them. Half were arranged at the entrance, first ensuring the safety of the space. The rest were ced above and below, many of which prevented divine soul exploration, making it difficult for even a split soul to enter the interior of the Treasure Bead from then on. After the Illusion Array was activated, the sky appeared with the sun and clouds, and the distance turned into a vast horizon. In this way, it was just like a real world. Zhou Yi took out his bottom-of-the-box spiritual objects and, using all of his Artifact Refining heritage, refined the Cave Heaven into a protective Supreme Treasure for himself. "This is only the beginning, the subsequent continuous fortification will carry on, until it bes an impregnable world of Cave Heaven. Even if heaven and earth were to shatter, it would preserve itself and roam in the chaos beyond the sky¡­" As his cultivation level improved, there were fewer and fewer people in the world who could pose a threat to Zhou Yi. Thousands of yearster, the only thing that could eventually kill him would be the copse of heaven and earth. The likelihood of the apocalypse was minuscule, yet in the face of endless time, even the smallest possibility would be inevitable. Zhou Yi didn''t want to wait until the copse of heaven and earth to have nowhere to hide; he had long nned to build a refuge, and the Dragon Emperor Treasure Bead was just the opportunity! Another fifty years passed. Kunlun Cave Heaven was finally initially refined. Zhou Yi sat cross-legged by theke fishing, even though there were no fish in the water. The Spirit Ginseng doll squatted beside him, looking at the clouds changing in the sky and asked, "Immortal, when will the Jianmu tree begin to branch?" Zhou Yi closed the scripture and answered very seriously, "Wait until Kunlun Cave Heaven transforms into a world. With the sky reaching nineyers and thend spreading over eight wildernesses, Jianmu will naturally sprout branches." The Spirit Ginseng doll counted on its fingers for a long time but couldn''t make sense of it and asked again, "How should the Cave Heaven be erged?" "I''m not clear on the specifics," Zhou Yi responded, "but the most likely way is to refine simr spiritual objects to the Dragon Emperor Treasure Bead into it." Zhou Yi tried to set up the Micro Dust Formation, to shrink the externalnd and put it into the Cave Heaven, but it didn''t fit at all, losing the idea of stacking boxes infinitely. To shrink the thousand mountains into a speck of dust, in truth, the thousand mountains are still present. The Spirit Ginseng doll, who happily enjoyed the great drama without worrying about its intensity, said with shining eyes, "Does the Immortal n to dig up those old monsters?" "It''s not that easy," Zhou Yi said. "I have a deep karmic rtionship with the Dragon Emperor. It took so much effort, and only by a stroke of luck did I find the Blood Crystal. Other self-sealing old monsters havepletely hidden their tracks, their self-sealing objects may be stones or dead wood, and it''s difficult to detect them even when facing them!" The Spirit Ginseng doll listened while lying on the ground, rolling several times. After spreading its limbs, it lost hope in bing an immortal. "Because I cannot find them, doesn''t mean no one in the world can," Zhou Yi said. "Those old monsters of the demonic path, each has an immeasurable amount of blood on their hands; perhaps one day, they will let a mortal dig them out from some corner and study them as an unsolved mystery." The Spirit Ginseng doll didn''t quite understand but felt hopeful about bing an immortal again and immediately revived its energy. Zhou Yi didn''t continue exining and packed up the fishing rod and said: "I''ve been in closed-door cultivation for more than two hundred and sixty years. Now that my portable abode ispleted, it''s time to experience the bustling mortal world." ¡­ Northern Border. Dragon Coiled Mountain. The ce where the Founding Great Ancestor of the Great Zhou Dragon rose to power, he changed Serpentine Mountain to Dragon Coiled Mountain and held several grand sealing and enfeoffment ceremonies. Ancestor Zhou did not offer sacrifices to the vast sky and the fertile earth when climbing the mountain, but to the legendary Kunlun Fairy Mountain, reporting his achievements to the immortals, showing that he had fulfilled his mission. Later historiographies would define Ancestor Zhou''s consecration of Dragon Coiled Mountain as leveraging the fame of Kunlun Fairy Mountain, dividing and attacking the stubborn faction of the Imperial Court, while simultaneously reinforcing the correctness of his own rule. Subsequently,rge amounts of coal were discovered on Dragon Coiled Mountain, and the vicinity of Ancestor Zhou''s hometown, Depend-on-Mountain City, became increasingly prosperous and eventually grew into a key town of the Northern Border. On this day, It was the depths of winter, and the north wind was biting and cold. It had been snowing for three days straight, and thendscape of mountains and cities was a vast expanse of white. Dressed in a dark cyan Taoist robe, Zhou Yi performed qinggong to leap and glide, gazing at the dark and hazy smog in the sky, his expression was somewhat odd. By the time he reached the city gate, there was no guard on duty, allowing carts, horses, and pedestrians toe and go as they pleased. "Carts with bearings, tight and finely woven fabrics, it seems the world has undergone many changes," he noted. Once Zhou Yi entered the city, he found it bustling and lively, rivaling even the capital. He went about his usual routine and found a bookstore, where he opened a volume of the Annals of Ancestor Zhou and noticed the paper and ink disyed significant standardization; the handwriting was uniformly sized and the angles were consistent, oddlycking some artistic vor. "Zhu Kang really did it!" Zhou Yi eximed in surprise. Truth be told, when he had passed on the machinery to Zhu Kang, he hadn''t had much hope. The adoption of machines required more than just technology; it also needed ideological liberation and cultural umtion, neither of which were present in Cloud Continent. The Cultivation World had existed for countless years, traceable back to ancient times, and Cloud Continent had not changed since those times. While cultivators could easily create machines, there was simply no need to¡ªmortals'' valuey in providing offspring with Spirit Roots! Dynastic changes, wars, gues, natural disasters, and cmities, no matter how many mortals died, none of these moved the Cultivation World to pity. There might have been some budding rebellions during these times, which in the eyes of the cultivators were unstable and seditious, easily crushed to dust by a flick of the hand, and the mundane world continued to be passed down and perpetuated through ancient systems. When Zhou Yi imparted the technology to Zhou Kang, he merely intended to nt a seed without expecting it to take root and sprout. Scanning the book with his divine sense, he quickly grasped Zhu Kang''s exploits after leaving Kunlun. Of course, the annals made no mention of Kunlun, instead, they described how Ancestor Zhou was bestowed with secret techniques by a Mo family descendant. Using the spinning wheel, Zhu Kang rapidly amassed a great fortune, forged connections, and established the Kunlun Firm. The Kunlun Firm''s cloths were high-quality and cheap, sold throughout all the countries of Cloud Continent, which aroused the envy of the Qing Kingdom''s officials. Initially, Zhu Kang only thought of earning silver and repeatedly gifted the Imperial Court officials, but this only led to increasing greed. Left with no choice, he embarked on a path of rebellion. He fought battles in the south and the north, and established the Great Zhou. The territory of Great Zhou was smaller than that of Qing Kingdom, and neighboring countries also upied part of Qing''s territory, with an areaparable to that of the millennia-old Fengyang Country. After ascending the throne, Zhu Kang, using the powers of the founding emperor, tried to implement machinery nationwide, but met fierce resistance from conservative,nd-owning nobles. Those who hit the columns of the court in failed persuasions, and even conspired with princes to rebel! The Founding Great Ancestor, who had risen through fire and blood, was no ordinary mortal! On one hand, Zhu Kang used the excuse of wars on the southern and northern borders, and on the other, he sought the assistance of a descendent of the Mo family, employing both strategies to promote machinery. "Appeal to war, borrowing the prestige of the Mo family''s sages!" Zhou Yi said with a slight nod, feeling somewhat as though he had underestimated the world. It was unfortunate that he had been focused on refining treasures at the time, otherwise, had he demonstrated his spells a few times, Zhu Kang could have borrowed the mandate of heaven and the implementation would have been even smoother. In the thirty years following Zhu Kang''s ascent to the throne, he was constantly struggling against the conservatives. Thebination of imperial power and machinery was not something the pedantic Confucians could resist. As the lives of themon people improved day by day, even the conservative factions began to divide. The benefits brought by machinery were too many to count, far beyond anything agriculture couldpare with! Advanced productive forces, like an unstoppable wave, could not be held back! Chapter 221 Chapter 210 The Changing Times After Zhou Yi entered, the bookshopkeeper had been observing him closely. The dark cyan Taoist robe''s material could not be discerned, with its stitches fine and even as if woven by a machine, yet it looked natural andfortable,cking the rigidity of mass production. "Such exquisite craftsmanship, a foot of this would cost several taels of silver at least!" The shopkeeper, being well-experienced, had apanied his employer to Xianjing to purchase new printing machinery and knew that the scions of noble families and true Taoist practitioners d themselves in crafts from a century ago. Poor people are the ones who wear machine-woven fabrics! Upon further observation of the jade hairpin on his head and cloud shoes on his feet, the traces of his profound background were evident. The shopkeeper''s eyes twinkled as he leaned over and bowed, "Taoist master, do you need any Taoist scriptures? A hand-copied version by the true person Zhang Huaiyun from a hundred years ago!" "Bring them to me." Zhou Yi''s divine sense had swept through all the historical records, broadly understanding the changes of the past 160 years, but the general ounts in history books required personal experience to fullyprehend. The shopkeeper took out an exquisitely crafted wooden box from under the counter, and after opening it, revealed a thread-bound book, "Zhang Huaiyun''s Alchemy Annotations." Discover exclusive tales on empire "Alchemy?" Zhou Yi was quite surprised and began to flip through the book, his expression growing darker with each page turned. The shopkeeper, unsure of the reason, tentatively asked, "Taoist master, could there be a problem with this book?" "There''s no problem with the book, its contents, though... Humph!" Zhou Yi had ascertained upon handling it that the paper and ink indeed bore the age of a century, confirming it as a genuine antique. The scripture detailed not the Taoist canons, nor techniques of alchemy or artifact refining, but instead expounded on theposition of all things in the world by the Yin and Yang and Five Elements, and their interaction that led to the creation of gunpowder, ss, lime, etc. On thest page of the book, the true person Zhang Huaiyun indicated that most of the artifact refining and alchemy methods in Taoist scriptures were merely the vain hopes of ancient Taoist sages for eternal life. He also admonished the future generations of disciples not to be obstinate and conservative but to prosper Taoism by recognizing errors and making changes! "Vile wretch, this man has thrown away all the dignity of our ancestors!" With a dark face, Zhou Yi asked, "What is Zhang Huaiyun''s status in the Taoist hierarchy?" The shopkeeper exined, "True person Zhang is recognized as the only Taoist sage since the establishment of the Great Zhou dynasty, and after his ascension, the Imperial Court granted him the title Venerable Mysterious Taoist of Widespread Teaching and Civilization, receiving incense offerings from Taoist temples everywhere!" Zhou Yi could only sigh helplessly, not having anticipated the profound impact the poprization of machinery would have. "How much for this book?" "This book is a treasured collection of my employer, and it should not be sold." The shopkeeper said with a smile, "But since the Taoist master likes it, it''s only fitting to return it to its rightful Taoist owner for 500 taels." Zhou Yi fished into his sleeve and pulled out a fist-sized gold ingot for the payment. The shopkeeper''s eyes widened, taken aback by the handcrafted clothes, gold ingot, and the strength with which it was handled. He didn''t dare to utter a word about testing its purity or weight. This kind of person, adhering to ancient rites a century old, waspletely out of ce in today''s times; a mild disapproval could lead to minor disputes, while serious disagreements might result in a brawl! Zhou Yi pocketed the book and stepped out of the bookshop, looking up at the sky once again, who could have imagined that the mere mortal world would have changed so much in just a hundred years. The ck smoke was only superficial, the real essence was the change in people''s hearts! "Luckily, I have perfected the Kunlun Cave Heaven and can cultivate in the mortal world, otherwise, after a few hundred years of seclusion, I would truly be an ignorant ancient person!" ... Xianjing. Emperor Tai Shi named the capital after Kunlun Wondend. Zhu Kang, iming to be the younger martial brother of Emperor Tai Shi and having cultivated on Kunlun Mountain, had retained the old name after establishing the nation. Before Zhou Yi had even entered the city, he saw severalrge chimneys spouting ck smoke continuously. The mottled blue-gray city walls, built by Da Qian hundreds of years ago, had been cut from mountain stones and reinforced with spells by cultivators of that time, and to this day, they still served as the city''s most critical protection. ck, shiny iron cannons extended from the battlements, with soldiers on guard wearing iron armor, and carrying steel swords and fire guns at their waists. Entering through the city gates. The wide street stretched over thirty feet, with shops lined up neatly on both sides, and the flow of carriages and pedestrians was incessant. Zhou Yi, with his exceptional vision, saw from afar the enormous pendulum standing at the end of the street, glistening with a steely luster under the sunlight. "Taoist Master, please show your travel permit." The speaking middle-aged man was wrapped in dark blue short-tunic attire, ck trousers, and wore a soap-colored official''s scarf on his head. "Where do I purchase a house?" Zhou Yi spread his hands open, nothing within them, yet a travel permit emerged in the man''s vision as he recalled it. Adjusting his sses, the man looked closely at the seal of the True Person from White Cloud Monastery and became even more respectful, "The tooth office is at No. 12, Kunlun Street." Zhou Yi declined the man''s offer to lead the way and, after asking for directions, strolled leisurely down the street. The capital was the center of transformation, far more advanced than cities in the Northern Border, as evidenced by thoserger and more numerous chimneys, along with the ashden smoke drifting through the air like fog. Chimneys, pendulums, clerks, tooth offices... A strange yet harmonious amalgamation within one scene. Zhou Yi entered a shop marked with a copper coin, encountering a counter half a person tall. Without any seats, he had to stoop as some exchanged Silver Yuan and gold for paper bills and vice versa. After observing for a moment, he withdrew, took out a silver ingot, and tenderly kneaded it into a shiny, standard silver coin. The face of the silver coin was engraved not with the Emperor but with a Taoist sitting in meditation. The reverse bore majestic mountains and swirling clouds: a design of exquisite craftsmanship. Kunlun Street. The main thoroughfare prating the capital all the way to the Imperial Pce, its width over sixty feet, perfectly embodying the belief that bigger is beautiful, more is better. No. 13. The tooth office had not changed much over the years, perhaps still adhering to some traditional practices passed down. But with the incessant ticking of the office clock, one wondered how long the industry''s legacy couldst. As soon as Zhou Li entered, the middle-aged toothman noticed his attire and immediately handed off the client he was serving to an apprentice, respectfullying over to inquire. "May I ask what the Taoist Master needs to purchase?" Zhou Li replied, "A shop." "Taoist Master, pleasee to the private room to discuss in detail." The toothman, bending his body, led the way. Since the Great Ancestor''s time, Da Qian has revered Taoists, and given their often considerable wealth, they were deemed worthy of respect in the eyes of ordinary people. The private room was decorated in an ancient and fragrant style, with rosewood tables and chairs,ndscape paintings, and wisps of sandalwood incense smoke. After both were seated, the toothman asked, "Taoist Master, may I ask what price range of property you are looking for?" "In Ningde Fang, the price does not matter," Zhou Li said. Zhou Li''s storage bag was filled with an abundance of gold and jewels, any of which taken out would be ancient antiques worth hundreds to thousands of years. If one lived long enough, an object worth a few copper coins from the past could now be worth more than gold. Taking the catalog the toothman passed over, he checked each property and chose one that was closer to his old residence, priced at twenty-five thousand taels. An hourter. The yamen had drawn up the documents; the name of the house owner was changed, and the transaction waspleted. Zhou Li discovered that his identity as a Taoist from White Cloud Monastery was quite convenient in Da Qian, avoiding nuisances like queuing up. Thus, he forged a real-looking travel permit, taking on the identity of a disciple who had practiced in the mountains for a long time and had just entered the mortal world for some worldly experience. He then cast an Illusion Technique and received the household registration from the yamen. Ningde Fang. The courtyard. Zhou Li broke the lock, rusted and fused as one, pushed open the door, and saw dust and fallen leaves everywhere, peeling wall paint, the main house and eastern wing room already copsed. "This thousand-year-old abode of mine has endured through four dynasties, yet surprisingly, has not been imed by others." "It seems that some secr acquaintances still carry on the legacy!" Chapter 222 Chapter 211 There Is a Tavern ``` ng! ng! ng... The long tolling of the bell echoed, awakening the slumbering capital city. The old schr who had spent the night in Spring Breeze Building ran out half-wrapped in a long robe, knowing that staying outter would cost him more money. He saw themoners hurrying to work and spat in disgust, cursing under his breath. "You mud-legged fools deserve to tire yourselves to death!" Aimlessly wandering the streets, he came across some acquaintances. They gathered to chat and catch up. Frustrated with unfulfilled ambitions, he felt an indignant anger stirring within. They inevitablymented the loss of ancient virtues and the endless cmities brought by machinery. They reminisced about the early days when schrs ruled the world, and in heated moments, they were almost ready to crash against the pce gates to offer their dying remonstrations. Then they noticed the patrolling bailiffs approaching. They immediately covered their faces and fled, not forgetting to call back over their shoulders. "I greatly enjoyed our conversation, brother! Let us reconvene tonight at Spring Breeze Building!" Meanwhile. In Ningde Fang. Zhou Yi awoke from his sleep, and with a flick of his sleeves, a crystal-clear Treasure Bead rolled out. His Divine Sense swept over Kunlun Cave Heaven. The Spirit Ginseng baby had already begun tending to the Spiritual Medicine, and he nodded in satisfaction. Such dutiful workers were hard toe by in the world. "Two hundred years of arduous cultivation, now taking a break in the mundane world to rx the mind." Zhou Yi stepped into the courtyard, which had been tidied up the day before. He nted segments of millennium-old date wood and grapevine, knowing they would return to their ancient splendor in a few years. He made a fire, cooked a meal, and recited scriptures from both Buddhism and Daoism. Before leaving the house, he nced at his Daoist robe and waved his hand to change it into a brocaded gown. Humming a tune forbidden for young men and women, he made his way to the shop he had purchased yesterday. It faced the street, with two floors and a small courtyard at the back. It used to be a money exchange, but with the Kunlun merchant group taking over the minting of coins and expanding exchange services, many small money changers went out of business in droves. The previous owner was nostalgic, unwilling to alter the century-old look of the shop and insisted on preserving the family business amidst the surging tides of change. In the end, he lost everything! The shop was empty, counters had been moved out to settle debts, which saved the trouble of cleaning up. Zhou Yi sketched some designs from memory and searched for a carpenter in the street tomission a set of tables and chairs. The second floor, which formerly served as the VIP rooms for the money exchange, had been remodeled by a mason into about a dozen guest rooms. Half a monthter. Continue reading at empire After a thousand years, "There Is a Tavern" reopened its doors. The first floor had eight square tables, and the establishment only sold alcohol. Patrons were expected to bring their own side dishes. Zhou Yi stood behind the counter, looking down at a Daoist scripture, contemting its teachings. Whenever a customer entered, he would call out a greeting. "Pear Blossom White, one Silver Yuan per pot!" Ningde Fang was located between the second and third rings of the capital city, just two Marketces away from the pce, and surrounded by wealthy households. Yet, this newly opened Nameless tavern, despite the wealth, no one was willing to be taken for a fool. Approaching noon. Zhou Yi, feeling drowsy, contemted closing early to go home for a nap when a voice called out. "Sir, a pot of Pear Blossom White, please." Looking towards the source of the voice, he saw an old man in a long robe with neatlybed white hair, wearing a square cap, and leaning on a dragon-headed cane in his left hand. "Please, take a seat." Zhou Yi fetched a pre-ordered porcin bottle, opened the wine jar, and perfectly filled the bottle with two scoops, cing it respectfully on the old man''s table. The old man bowed and said, "I am Chen Chengye. May I inquire the surname of the sir?" Adhering to the principle that in the world one must always keep oneself covered, Zhou Yi replied, "No need for formality. My surname is Sun, given name W¨´. No need to address me as ''sir''; ''Shopkeeper Sun'' will do." "So, you are Shopkeeper Sun." A flicker of disappointment passed through Chen Chengye''s eyes as he smiled and said, "Shopkeeper Sun, do not be so modest. I''ve lived for over a hundred years and never have I seen anyone quite like you." Zhou Yi asked in astonishment, "In what way?" "Shopkeeper Sun, you do not seem like amon man, but rather like a deity who might be worshipped in a temple." ``` Chen Chengye helped himself to another drink, savoring the rich fragrance of the Pear Blossom White as it entered his mouth, not harsh despite the fiery sensation in his belly, and he praised it after a long aftertaste. "What a fine liquor!" "d to hear the guest is pleased." After returning to the counter, Zhou Yi thought carefully about Chen Chengye''s words and realized that his aura of seclusion had be more evident. "If one enters the mortal world, one must blend in with themon dust!" His aura quickly quieted down, mana sealed within his dantian, leaving only a cold demeanor that would require some time in the mortal world topletely dissipate. "It''s time to change my reading material as well." Zhou Yi put away the Buddhist and Taoist scriptures and picked up an illustrated storybook, engrossed in reading it. After finishing his drink, Chen Chengye came to the counter to settle the bill and, seeing the storybook, his eyes lit up and he said, "Shopkeeper Sun, may I take a look at this book?" "Of course." Zhou Yi took the silver yuan and passed the storybook over. Chen Chengye examined it with care, determining it had at least fifteen hundred years of history, dating back to the mid-Da Qian era, and what was rarer was that it was well-preserved¡ªa genuine antique seldom found in the world. "Shopkeeper Sun, where does this storybooke from?" "It has been passed down in my family." Zhou Yi said, "If the guest likes it, make an offer and it''s yours." Chen Chengye was momentarily taken aback, his instinct assuming it was a scam, but after confirming there were no issues page by page, he cautiously made an offer. "How about five thousand liang?" "That will do, but on one condition," Zhou Yi said. "I would ask the guest to purchase a batch of storybooks, it''s not necessary for them to be ancient texts or unique editions, as long as their stories are interesting." "It''s a deal!" From the moment he walked in, Chen Chengye felt that Zhou Yi was not an ordinary person, and now seeing it was indeed the case, cherished good books over gold and silver which truly had the air of the ancients. "This Pear Blossom White can definitely be considered a rare gem. Next time, I''ll bring friends to taste it. It''s just, with liquor but no meat, it rather loses its appeal, so hurry up and hire a chef, Shopkeeper Sun." Zhou Yi smiled and said, "The right person wille along if it''s meant to be." "The shopkeeper really is a remarkable person, even hiring a chef can be so intriguing," Chen Chengyemented and, taking out a five-thousand-liang exchange draft, he asked Zhou Yi for a wooden box, then left with the book hugged excitedly to his chest. Zhou Yi took a storybook from his sleeve and continued reading. Reading these stories again after a thousand years evoked a certain mncholic sentiment. "I knew this author, back in the day, I even used spiritual medicine to encourage his writing, and now the grass over his grave must be three zhang high!" ... The next day. Aftering out from Kunlun Cave Heaven, Zhou Yi found it was well into the morning and he wandered the streets, picking up some food. He took the opportunity to greet his neighbors, and in the next several decades to a hundred years, he would likely attend their funerals as well as those of their descendants. Approaching noon, he arrived at the tavern and noticed four horse carriages parked outside, with several old men in long robes standing nearby. The one leading them was none other than Chen Chengye, with others dressed simrly in square caps, round-cor long robes, walking canes. Among them, an old man in a green robe showed signs of impatience, pulling out a gold pocket watch and flipping it open to check the time with a snap. "Shopkeeper Sun has finally arrived." "Sorry to keep you waiting." Zhou Yi hurried to open the tavern doors and invited the elders to take their seats. Chen Chengye introduced them one by one¡ªimposing titles such as honorary president of Zhaowen Academy, sponsor of a poetry society, and leader of a literary gathering. Zhou Yi instantly understood what kind of people these elderly men were¡ªmost likely unable to keep up with the times or unwilling to change, but with deep ancestral roots, possessing vast amounts of gold, silver, andnd. Lu Bo, who enjoyed clicking his gold pocket watch open and shut, stood up again after sitting down, closely examining the tables and chairs, and repeatedly expressed his admiration. "Shopkeeper Sun''s family has a deep legacy, these tables and chairs have quite an ancient aura. If Lu isn''t mistaken, they should be in the style of a thousand years ago from the Da Qian era!" Chapter 223 Chapter 212 There are Immortals in the World Birds of a feather flock together; people are sorted into groups. This group of wealthy elders could y together because they certainly had simr hobbies. Chen Chengye had a fondness for ancient books, while Lu Bo liked antique furniture; the other few elders were much the same, all fond of collecting antiques. When they spoke, they referenced antiquity, and even in making friends, they''d count back eight generations, with no one less than those from a prominent family making it into their circle. This was more than just a hobby; it was also a form of nostalgia! Zhou Yi cupped his hands and said, "This was recorded in the fragmented scrolls passed down by my ancestors; it looked pleasing, so I had someone make it." "Excellent, very excellent!" Lu Bo praised continuously, feeling that Zhou Yi''s family had deep knowledge and was qualified to be his friend. Chen Chengye showed a look of pleasure, thinking that in today''s crappy world where people no longer cherished the old values, finding an intriguing person amidst the pitch-ck dust and smoke was truly satisfying. "Shopkeeper Sun, bring out the wine, tonight we shall not return until we''re drunk!" Saying so, he waved his hand to the servants outside, and promptly picked up the box of food and arranged the dishes ording to his ancestors'' tradition; a modest gathering required no less than sixteen dishes. After the wine had made three rounds. "It truly is pear blossom white wine brewed by the ancient method, rumored to have gained fame before the Da Qian era; such a rich vor is iparable to today''s!" An elder named Yang Chong said, "But to only charge one silver coin for a pot is too cheap, it rather undermines our status." The old financiers, hit by the tides of the time, saw severe losses to their ancestral fortunes, but the family wealth umted by their forebears was too great. Land and mining rights aside, with all the gold gourds and silver balls buried in the cers, they could spend ten lifetimes without running out as long as they did not engage in business. Meanwhile, they faced exclusion by the rising business families and looked down upon the new industries, so the only thing left for them to do in their lives was to maintain the dignity of their heritage. Zhou Yiughed and said, "If Elder Yang finds it cheap, we could set aside a special vat for brewing ording to your taste, so that others would not be able to drink it, no matter how much money they offer!" "Is that possible?" After a moment''s thought, Yang Chong considered the vor of pear blossom white; with its potential to make the tavern famous, having a dedicated vat would symbolize status. He immediately took out a silver note of a thousand taels. "Please trouble Shopkeeper Sun!" Others, like Chen Chengye, were not as fond of the wine as Yang Chong was, but they found the idea entertaining and began to take out their own silver notes to book a vat each. In recent years, Zhou Yi had almost been in hermetic meditation, influenced by scriptures and cultivation techniques, moving closer to the Immortal God and further from humanity. Hising out of seclusion was precisely for experiencing the secr world and to restore his humanity, naturally relinquishing his attitude of being the foremost in the world. Since he was running a tavern, he ought to put his heart into it, rather than just acting as a figurehead from above. He noted down everyone''s preferences in detail, promising that they could taste their personalized brews in a month''s time. At this moment. A voice called into the tavern, "Newspapers for sale! Newspapers for sale! The Mohist master has created a mechanical carriage that moves without horses..." Zhou Yi heard this, momentarily stunned, then gestured to call over the newsboy. "Buy a newspaper." The newsboy looked about ten years old, yellow-faced and skinny, in tattered clothing; he took a newspaper from hisrge, slung-over bag. "Only five coins." Zhou Yi saw the newspaper, with its dark images, and took out a silver coin, "Give me twenty copies." The newsboy''s face lit up with joy as he gave numerous bows, "Thank you, Shopkeeper! You will surely make a fortune!" "Interesting." Zhou Yi pointed to the doorway and said, "I''ll erect a newspaper box here tomorrow; deliver twenty copies every day." The newsboy, excited to the point of wanting to kneel and kowtow, was quickly helped up by Zhou Yi, who prepaid for the next day''s newspapers. He returned to the tavern. Chen Chengye said, "Shopkeeper, give me one. Let''s see if there truly can be a carriage that doesn''t require a horse to pull it!" Zhou Yi smiled and did not exin. There would be vehicles flying in the sky and running underground in the future. He handed out four sections of the newspaper. Upon ncing at the front page headline, Chen Jiye focused on the blurry image ¨C only whenpared with the context above and below did he realize it was a lotive, which moved automatically by burning coal without the need for animals to drag it. "Steam engines again! And coal burning!" He pped the newspaper fiercely onto the table, and after downing two cups of wine in frustration and regret, he managed to suppress the anger boiling in his heart. Those present knew the reason. The Chen family had owned several easily mined, high-quality coal mines near the capital, but they had traded them with the Imperial Court for thousands of acres of fertilend! Lu Bo had simrly been fooled before and snorted coldly, "There''s no such thing as the Mo family. The founder just made up that title to promote machinery, and even hired a few carpenters to pretend to be descendants of the Mo family!" To this, Chen Jiye disagreed, retorting, "If there isn''t a Mo family, is it really the immortals of Kunlun Mountain who are passing down the knowledge?" "Hmph! The founder ims to be a disciple of Kunlun, a younger martial brother of Emperor Tai Shi from the previous dynasty, but isn''t it just a ploy to rally the remnants of Qing Kingdom?" Lu Bo said, "The talk of Immortal Gods is pure nonsense. Emperor Tai Shi was a tyrant, and even with his pursuit of immortals and Tao, he did not achieve immortality. Nowadays, even Buddhism and Daoism have begun to modify their scriptures, focusing on ethics and de-emphasizing Immortal Gods." Chen Jiye insisted, "There are immortals in this world!" "Are you going to mention your ancestors, the bowls and dishes that were ''stolen'' from an immortal?" Lu Boughed mockingly, "My Lu family has a lineage of three to four thousand years, dating back before Da Qian; we were a noble family. Our ancient family records even im that we had immortal ancestors!" "What do you mean ''stolen''? Those were gifts from the immortals." Chen Jiye became so angry that his veins bulged, and his Qi-Blood circted, causing his body to swell half a foot in size, "Your Lu family is just a bunch of greedyndlords; what kind of immortal could possiblye from you!" Lu Bo was not the sort to back down easily. With his family''s deeply refined Qi-Blood martial arts, he rolled up his sleeves, ready to settle things with Chen Jiye then and there. "Gentlemen, please calm down." Seeing this, Zhou Yi quickly stepped forward to intervene, gently pressing on their shoulders, "Whether or not there are Immortal Gods in the world is not important. This ''train,'' let''s call it that for now, will cause a tremendous upheaval in thend." Chen and Lu felt an overwhelming force pressing down on them, forcing them to sit obediently, and they couldn''t help but feel a shock of rm. Yang Chong asked, "Shopkeeper Sun, what is your opinion?" Zhou Yi said, "Trains never tire, and as long as coal is burned, they can run day and night, iparably more efficient than oxen and horses. Moreover, the tremendous power of the steam engine grants it a carrying capacity a hundred times that of carts pulled by animals..." Chen Jiye couldn''t contain his shock and asked, "Does that mean horse farms will lose their value?" The dividends of a changing era were too immense; even the wealthy who only scraped a bit off the sides still made a fortune. For example, the ancestral horse farm of the Chen family, whose business flourished with the increasing demand for transport, became a significant source of ie for them. Zhou Yi shook his head and said, "It won''t be entirely worthless, but its value will decrease substantially." "You make a good point!" Chen Jiye stood up abruptly, sped his hand in a salute and said, "Thank you for the guidance, shopkeeper. I have matters to attend to at home and will visit again in a few days." Lu Bo and the others also stood to leave, and although they did not own horse farms, they could use this opportunity to severely profit off the families that were slow to react. Zhou Yi cleaned up the wine cups and dishes, and while no one else was around, he used the Qingchen Technique, immediately making everything as clean as new. "Nowadays, I can still manage with the few customers, but in the future, I''ll definitely need to hire help, not just cooks but also wait staff!" ... Half a month passed. The Li Hua Bai tavern had gained a local reputation. Since the tavern did not serve meals, many customers bought wine and ate their food elsewhere. On this day. Zhou Yi arrived at the tavern early in the morning, and first took the newspaper out of the box, only to find a familiar name on the front page headline. ¡ª¡ªDirector Lu of Zhaowen Academy publicly dered that "trains" would rece livestock, and horse farms would be worthless! "These old wealthy folks may look conservative, but they''re actually more adaptable to fresh ideas than most, sharp as monkeys. The Imperial Court hasn''t even sold the trains to the public yet, but they''ve preemptively ced their bets against the horse farms..." Chapter 224 Chapter 213 Waiter Surnamed Bai 1 Clip-clop, clip-clop! The carriage halted at the tavern''s entrance, and the servant hastily knelt on the ground. Chen Chengye stepped down on his back, a spring breeze of a smile on his face, and greeted Zhou Yi, who was opening the door. "Shopkeeper Sun, long time no see!" "Long time no see." Zhou Yi smiled and, with a bow, drew a pot of wine from a jar bearing the Chen mark: "Master Chen favors the subtle. We added osmanthus when brewing, lessening the spiciness and adding a sweet aftertaste!" After taking a taste, Chen Jiye showered it with praise and pulled out a stack of exchange drafts from his sleeve. "Thanks to the shopkeeper''s reminder some time ago, not only did the Chen family avoid losses, but we also took the opportunity to make a fortune. This small token of appreciation cannot express my gratitude!" Zhou Yi waved his hand, declining: "Master Chen, you''re too kind. Do you think weck silver here?" "That''s true." Chen Jiyeughingly said: "Shopkeeper''s every action and detail of daily life betray a profound family heritage. Especially rare is your deep expertise in martial arts, which quite startled old Lu and me." The continuation of the Chen and Lu families relied not only on their profound ancestral heritage but more importantly, on their unceasing dedication to martial arts. Martial strength was the foundation that protected the wealth of the old families; without it, they would have long been carved up by emerging ns. No matter how powerful the machinery''s productivity, it couldn''tpare to direct acquisition through force. "I practice the family martial arts when I have some spare time." Zhou Yi said, "I also have to thank Master Chen for the collection of storybooks you sent over¡ªover two thousand volumes, enough tost a lifetime." Chen Jiye nodded slightly, understanding Zhou Yi''s change of subject, and tactfully refrained from further inquiring about the origins of his martial arts. He had long since investigated Zhou Yi thoroughly. One identity was that of a Taoist from the Baiyun Monastery; though he couldn''t pin down the exact monastery, it was probably an affiliation bought with incense money. The other was Sun Wu, registered in the capital''s household registry. Chen Jiye had never heard of a Sun family among the noble ns, so they were likely a minor household that had fortuitously inherited relics from the previous dynasty. The previous dynasty was established through martial prowess, with Emperor Tai Shi himself suppressing the Cloud Continent for a century through his power alone. After the fall of Qing Kingdom, their legacy scattered to the winds. Including the rapid rise of today''s emerging families, their strength rests not only on Ancestor Zhou and machinery, but also on the inheritance of Qi-Blood martial arts. The old rich always talk of benevolence, righteousness, and the ways of the past, but if they could overpower emerging ns with martial might, they surely wouldn''t show mercy. These two identities did not mean much in the eyes of Chen Jiye; the Chen family also had many branches that had changed their names. What was critical, though, was that Sun Wu lived in the former residence of an Immortal at Ningde Fang! This was precisely why Chen Jiye visited the tavern. The Chen residence was located in Yongchang ce in East City, a ce of status that normally did not visit such second-rate areas. However, after hearing from servants that someone had moved into the Immortal''s former residence, he made a special trip to the tavern to investigate. Watching Shopkeeper Sun greet the customers, Chen Jiye shook his head slightly and sighed. "Such a pity he''s not a Zhou." Within the Chen n, it was known that their ancestors could be traced back to the Da Qian Sacred Emperor, with several encounters with Immortals through the ages. Nowadays, his obsession with collecting ancient books fundamentally stemmed from his fear of death and pursuit of immortality. Over the decades, Chen Jiye had collected many texts on the Great Qian Dynasty, and through traces and conjectures, he believed he had uncovered historical truths. The Da Qian Sacred Emperor''s rise to power and founding of a nation relied on the support of Immortals! This conclusion differed from contemporary historical records and was not recognized by historians since Chen Jiye''s sources were unofficial histories. "The greatest sorrow in life is wanting what you cannot have." Chen Jiye''s gaze grewplex: "Perhaps that Immortal''s former residence was simply where an ancestor climbed over the wall to y and encountered a storyteller Taoist. After all, are there really Immortals in this world?" The new era rolled in with the roar of machinery, and Chen Jiye had ceased to believe in extraordinary tales. After all, even the Buddhist and Taoist doctrines were changing. Believers worship doctrines, not Immortal Gods! Zhou Yi could not guess at Chen Jiye''splex thoughts and would not use magic to probe the minds of others. Like a true tavern keeper, he weed his guests. "Mr. Zhu has arrived, please have a seat." "Two pots of wine to take away? Please wait a moment, sir!" "Mr. Zhang, take some dishes first; the kitchen will have more in the future." "¡­" The taste of pear blossom white in the capital was said to be iparable, and those who enjoyed fine liquor would never forget it once they had tasted it,ing early in the morning to buy a couple of pots. Zhou Yi was too busy serving customers, like a constantly spinning top, the immortal aura that isted him grew thinner and thinner, making him appear more like a mortal. When people are busy, time flies incredibly fast. At night he returned to Kunlun Cave Heaven for cultivation, leaving only an illusion in the courtyard, while during the day he busied himself serving customers. Without realizing it, the tavern had been open for half a year. Chen Chengye, Lu Bo, and others were from famous millennium-old families in Cloud Continent. Because they often came to the tavern to eat, they gradually attracted many other noble family members. Owing to the unique quality of pear blossom white, the ce slowly became a gathering spot for the wealthy. The attires of the wealthy were much the same: square caps, long robes, walking canes, and the click-ck of gold pocket watches. The fabric was naturally the finest handwork, with the family crest subtly embroidered onto the inconspicuous parts of the robe. The cane, appearing to be wooden, was actually solid wrought iron iid with jade the size of a pigeon''s egg. The gold pocket watches were not machine-made either ¨C anyone who used mass-produced goods would be ostracized and despised; they had to be crafted by hand by artisans! Despite being adorned in gold and silver riches, the wealthy never discussed money at their gatherings, as it was too vulgar. They had topare ancestors and talk about their legacies instead. For instance, when two unfamiliar wealthy met, they first had to assess each other''s ancestors. If your ancestor was a county prince from three hundred years ago and mine was a prince from five hundred years ago, then I would rank above you! As the wealthy converged, adhering to the principle that the old and new should never meet, the new families never visited There Is a Tavern. The two types of people, when they met, would mock each other: one saying the other was an uncultured bumpkin, while the other retorted that they were dying old fossils. There Is a Tavern even came under targeted attacks, with Ningde Fang''s lower enforcement officers, under someone''s direction,ing to inspect the ounts aggressively, iming someone had reported underpaid business taxes. Zhou Yi took out a gold ingot and, in front of the officers, effortlessly pinched it into a standard gold coin. Using his fingertip instead of an engraving tool, he quickly drew his own portrait on the face of the gold coin. After that incident. The officers from Ningde Fang never visited the tavern again, and when they dide for a drink after their shift, they would be in civilian clothes. Zhou Yi found out that the old and new families were as ipatible as fire and water, yet Daoists were able to navigate between the two. After inquiring with Chen Jiye about the reason, he couldn''t help but curse. "These guys have lost all face of their ancestors!" The Daoists of White Cloud Temple inherited the traditions of Alchemy Sect and Earth Fire Pce, and from ancient texts, they discovered many forms, such as a certain cultivator, while refining artifacts in his spare time, found that crushed limestone calcined and so on. In the eyes of cultivators, such a form was less important than the secrets of crafting a low-grade magic artifact. Through these forms, the Daoists umted vast amounts of gold and silver wealth, and then they began to tamper with the ancient texts of artifact refining and alchemy. The Immortal Gods had been absent from the world for hundreds of years, and having tasted the tremendous benefits of machinery andmerce, the Daoist sects attempted to exin all the phenomena in the world, including machinery, through the principles of yin and yang and the five elements. So far, the results seemed satisfactory. This interpretation allowed the new families to find their footing, since the souls of the people had been governed by Buddhism, Daoism, and the Four Books and Five ssics for countless years. The wealthy could barely ept it,forting themselves that what they had learned had not been abandoned by the times! ... The City Patrol Office. A department newly established by the Imperial Court less than fifty years ago, responsible for patrolling the city during the day and maintaining stable public order. The emergence of a new department was always a reflection of an urgent need in the situation. If the Imperial Court had casually established the City Patrol Office, the Military Department and the Capital Constabry could have ground it to dust. With Ancestor Zhou''s sessful promotion of machinery, business was booming like never before, and the influx of people into the city was growing. With more people came more cases, and the Military Department and the Capital Constabry couldn''t handle it all, delegating petty theft, brawls, and other minor matters to the City Patrol Office. The East City City Patrol Office jail. The guards on duty, exhausted from a day''s work, dozed off in their chairs. Bai Shiyu spat a piece of iron wire from his mouth and prodded it into the keyhole, and with a click, the door opened. The prisoner in the neighboring cell was gaping at him, pointing first at the door lock and then at his own mouth, to indicate he''d shout if Bai Shiyu wouldn''t unlock his door too. Bai Shiyu repeated the trick and unlocked the prisoner''s door. Delighted, the prisoner was about to take advantage of the dark to escape when he felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck and passed out. "You dare take advantage of Bai Ye''s generosity!" As he spoke, he grabbed the prisoner by the cor at the back of his neck and ced him in a seat opposite the guard, then used his Qinggong to flee into the night. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 225 Unsolved Mysteries In the 351st year of the Zhou dynasty. Summer. Xuan''an City was suffering from drought, with no rain for two consecutive months. The Luo River had dried up, revealing a stone figure on the riverbed with inscriptions on it. Because the inscriptions were so taboo, the vigers didn''t dare to remove and sell the figure, and instead, they reported it to the city''s cultural heritage bureau. A team of more than a dozen experts was assembled to date the stone figure and to n its protection and promotion. Xiao Ran was one of them, having just graduated and entered the department not long ago. As a rookie in the bureau, he was responsible for carrying fishing rods, stools, tents, and other tools on his back. Upon reaching the site. Xiao Ran set down the fishing gear and also squeezed in to take a look at the stone figure. About five to six feet tall, its facial sculpture had turned into abstract art due to the long-term erosion by the river water, but the inscriptions on its chest were clear. "The drying Luo River, the world revolts!" Expert Dong said, "Looking at the script, it seems to be from the pre-Qing period, at least two thousand years ago. Back then, the most famous rebel army recorded was the ck Turban Army." "Old Dong makes sense, but there is another line of text below..." The stone expert pointed at the inscription and said, "Been here, and then there''s a string ofmunication numbers afterwards, this definitely doesn''t resemble the style of ancient times." Xiao Ran also noticed that on the stone figure it was written: Been here, with amunication number 1-9-9-****. "Could it be fake? But looking at this script and the craftsmanship, it doesn''t seem forged!" Expert Dong walked around the stone figure twice, discussing it with the stone expert for a long time. Yet, they still couldn''t understand the reason behind it, and they couldn''t find any simr messages in ancient books. In ancient times, schrs who visited a ce often left behind poems, and asionally inscriptions or paintings, known as "leaving one''s mark" to show off their literary grace. Readtest chapters at empire Nobody has ever heard of someone leaving a "Been here" message, let alone with amunication number¡ªutterly vulgar, unfilial! Once Officer Zhao from the publicity department saw the experts puzzled, he lit up and said, "Perhaps this is a good opportunity, to publicize this mystery and let cultural relics enthusiasts nationwide try to solve it." "Xiao Zhao has a good idea. This could be the first ''Been here'' in the history of cultural relics." Expert Dong clearly understood the implications and nodded slightly. "Research on cultural artifacts is tedious andplicated, and no matter how much we publicize it, it''s tough to resonate withizens. This ''Been here,munication number,'' however, is very grounded, and might spark quite a discussion!" "Exactly, Teacher Dong is right." Officer Zhao felt this was feasible; publicity work wasn''t easy to execute, needing to be serious yet lively, akin to a colorful patch of ck. "First, let''s formally announce the stone figure''s existence, sparking discussions about the riddle of the ancients. Then, create some memes, suggesting historical figures have all ''been here''..."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Being grounded means blending in with themon people, but this presupposes that one holds a high position. Netizens discovering that historically great poets and literati were just as vulgar in their "Been here" as ordinary people would surely find it endearing. The intricacy of it all gave off a sense of enticing good families to lower their standards! "It might just be a trending topic. If it bes an expression like ''Simply delicious,'' it will definitely attract many tourists to Xuan''an City. The National Dynasty is bing increasingly wealthy, and there are plenty of idle people on the inte!" Officer Zhao was very ambitious, always seizing opportunities for promotion, and called his colleagues from the TV station to film from various angles. Xiao Ran, who was about the same age, was naturally aid-back person; otherwise, he wouldn''t have chosen afortable job like Qingshui Yamen at such a young age, where his daily work involved apanying leaders in tea tasting and fishing. Hearing the experts describing it as miraculous, he took out his phone, snapped a few photos, and sent them to the "Nine Provinces Cultivation Chat Group." Picture, picture, picture. Xuan Miao the Daoist: "A new unsolved mystery in the world of archaeology: Did ancient people also havemunication numbers? Are they transmigrators or from an ancient civilization?" The Nine Provinces Cultivation Chat Group was set up by a group of cultivation enthusiasts. Xiao Ran used to be an avid fan of cultivation novels, dreaming of immortality because, after all, youth is wasted without a bit of rebellion. Thus, he collected many cultivation groups on the inte and joined them one by one. Ny-nine percent of such chat groups died a swift death on the grand path, and over the years, only this one remained active. The core reason was that the group didn''t have many members, and the group owner required members to have at least read one Daoist ssic, or they would soon be kicked out. Rebellious teenagers only thought about defying fate and wouldn''t settle down to read. To this day, the group barely had a hundred members! The group owner, Daoist Xuan Ling, was a bona fide Daoist priest who was said to have been born amidst auspicious purple clouds, and the first word he uttered was: Immortal! Xiao Ran, in his peak rebellious phase, was utterly astonished and deeply believed that Daoist Xuan Ling was a true cultivator. Following his advice, Xiao Ran had read many ssics from Daoist sages. His currentid-back personality was probably influenced by this, as non-striving is the highest realm in Daoism. Daoist Xuan Ling: "Is this real? Where was it found?" Send current location. Xuan Miao the Daoist: "Bottom of Luoshui River, I''m at the scene right now." Daoist Xuan Ling: "This location is about three hundred miles away from that immortal''s relic. It seems that the Luoshui River really did have immortals cultivating in secret!" Seeing the group owner''s words, Xiao Ran felt both ashamed and unsurprised, as the other party was a true believer in the existence of cultivation. Most other group members, including Xiao Ran himself, were past their rebellious years and hade to terms with reality. Cultivation didn''t exist; the Daoist scriptures were somewhat useful, providing sce when one felt troubled. Xuan Miao the Daoist: "If it was left by an immortal, why not try to invite them over? Maybe they really exist?" "Well said!" Daoist Xuan Ling didn''t take this as a jest; instead, he took the suggestion very seriously. Searching with themunication number, to their surprise, actually yielded a result. Chapter 226 Pawnshop with Space ``` There Is a Tavern. It was open house day. Having spent twenty yuan on a ticket, Zhou Yi wandered inside, finding the decor unchanged from the past. Schoolchildren were there on a break, visiting under their teacher''s guidance. "This table is an old-fashioned counter. Back in the day, Mr. Li and Mr. Zhang were pursued by secret agents and came to the tavernte at night seeking refuge. Mr. Sun took them in and provided shelter." Wearing a pale blue long gown and holding a megaphone, the teacher said, "There are many ounts of Mr. Sun in the history books, including his love for reading. Does anyone know this story?" "I know." "Teacher, let me answer." "Me me me!" The students eagerly raised their hands, and the teacher picked a little girl to answer. The little girl crisply said, "Mr. Sun''s family had an ancient tome passed down for a thousand years. A wealthy merchant surnamed Chen in the city wanted to buy it for a high price. Mr. Sun didn''t want gold or silver, but exchanged it for more books!" "Correct!" Explore more stories with empire The teacher praised, "Children should learn from Mr. Sun to love reading and read more!" Zhou Yi followed behind the children, blushing at what he heard; he knew he would have to change the covers of the storybooks he read in the future and silently tucked half a jade pendant away. Nothing more than a tavern, if it could have some educational significance for future generations, then let it be passed down! Zhou Yi, with his hands in his sleeves, followed the children. After visiting the site of the Red Alliance''s first meeting and receiving a dose of ideological education, it was a pity that the real people had all gone, with only the waiter, the cook, and the blind man left hanging on the walls. "I should go and offer them some paper money when I have the time. Even though in my view the revolution is not yetplete, they still merit the acim of having changed the world." Zhou Yi held great respect for these people, which was why he had opened up the Kunlun Wondend in the first ce. However, the Red Alliance''s adversaries were not merely mortals; the Royal Family, emerging new families, and the old wealthy all had extraordinary martial power to support them. It was already a remarkable achievement to have reached this point. The fight that involved forming alliances and conniving was vaguely represented online, mostly secret affairs not to be dessified in the short term. The upshot was that the Royal Family abdicated power, leaving only a noble title, while representatives of the Red Alliance and the new noble families upied half the cab seats each. After spending recent days online gathering information, Zhou Yi learned that Da Zhou was the absolute overlord of the Nine Continents, far more powerful than the faith alliance led by the Divine Kingdom. The national power''s vitality could be felt through the people''s discussions and spirit! "No two political systems in the world are entirely the same. The current state of affairs can already be considered excellent." Zhou Yi left the tavern and looked up at the sky; the sun he had seen neen hundred years ago was still dazzling. "A new era, indeed!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ... Xianjing is an ancient capital of a thousand years and naturally has its antique street. Thergest and most famous is at the north end of Chongren District, known as Top Schr Street, which takes its name from the once-existing book printing shop Top Schr Hall. Under the impact of the new era, Top Schr Hall had long gone out of business, allowing someone to purchase and convert it into arge tavern. During that era of huge change, it wasn''t just the old merchants who went out of business; the decaying nobility of Yongchang ce and Qinghua Fang, located to the north of Chongren District, were even more affected, and had to sell their ancestral relics for money. Selling off family heirlooms and engaging in prodigal behavior is immensely embarrassing, so they unanimously went to marketces outside the district for their ndestine dealings. They set up stalls before dawn, quickly sold their items, and left with their faces covered. Should they indeed encounter acquaintances, they would pretend not to recognise them and even concoct stories iming they had stolen these treasured items from their masters. Because Chongren District frequently had top-quality antiques appear, over time more and more people flocked there, establishing the fame of Top Schr Street. On this day. The cold wind was piercing. At the east end of Top Schr Street, a shop hung up its new sign: There Is a Pawnshop. With Top Schr Street''s reputation drawing massive foot traffic, it wasn''t easy to obtain this shop, whose previous owner was reported for making and selling fakes. After the evidence was conclusive, the shop was confiscated for a legal auction. In less than half a year, Zhou Yi became the owner of the shop. Everything was done legally, with a trail to follow! The pawnshop''s ground floor was for business, while the upper floor served for amodation. A Formation and Prohibition had been arranged at the entrance, making ordinary tourists subconsciously overlook the shop. In contrast, visitors with substantial fortunes were influenced by the formation, feeling an inexplicable sense of attention and curiosity. For this reason. The business had remained quiet for a long while, visited only by neighbors bearing flower baskets. Zhou Yi greeted them with smiles all around. With a millenium''s worth of wisdom and discourse, he impressed his peers with just a few words, although what they truly thought inside remained unknown. After all, everyone secretly wishes for the demise of theirpetitors! Behind the shop counter. Zhou Yi, dressed in a simple Taoist robe, let his Mana touch the cell phone, which ttered into a heap ofponents, and his Divine Sense carefully studied each function. "How can I bypass the server and chat unnoticed?" He contemted this problem in recent days. Each time he made an onlinement, he felt a premonition of being watched. It might not be intentional, but it was enough to prompt caution. Zhou Yi attempted to use Formation and Prohibition to hide all traces, making himself an undetectable presence online. "At the moment, there are two simple methods. Either use a prohibition to turn the cell phone into a Magic Artifact, making it difficult for others to locate me, or visit severalpanies offline and have a friendly chat with their bosses." Just then. A customer walked into the shop. Young, with a single-strap bag, he had the air of a student. "A pawnshop?" Cui Yu looked puzzled, not knowing why he had wandered in. Since he was there, he decided to inquire, "Boss, do you deal in antiques here?" "Of course, we do." Zhou Yi pointed to a sign next to him and said, "We buy everything here, and the more mysterious and harder to appraise the antique is, the higher the price!" Unable to grasp his meaning, Cui Yu took a box out of his shoulder bag and opened it to reveal a short sword inside. ``` Chapter 227 Cast Spells Remotely ``` Capital City. Subway Line Seven. Caishikou Station.N?v(el)B\\jnn Xiao Ran, dressed in his Great Purple Taoist Robe, held a Peach Wood Sword in one hand and a Demon-Subduing Pestle in the other. Around his neck hung Buddhist prayer beads and, from the south, a Golden God pendant; at his waist was the Soul-Calming Bell as well. The staff, with wide eyes and open mouths, out of professional practice, did not ask which deity the master was worshipping. After checking and finding nothing dangerous, they let him pass. In the Great Zhou, belief was free, with Buddhism, Daoism, and the worship of the Golden God standing side by side, the Daoist faith being the most prosperous with the support of the Imperial Court. "Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One, this humble monk wishes to expel demons today!" Xiao Ran hadn''t slept for three days, his eyes were bloodshot, and he clinked and nked along the way, more like an evil spirit. Passengers who saw him quickly made way, assuming they had encountered a believer with confused faith. The Great Zhou had many unsolved mysteries, and with freedom of belief, it was not rare for people to believe in all three teachings. It was mainly pragmatism, worship the useful one! Xiao Ran paid no heed to the whispers around him, descended the esctor and headed straight for the men''s restroom at the most easterly end. "At the eighth mark of the Chen hour, hu¡ª" He took a deep breath and strode confidently into the restroom. ording to his observations over the past three days, the ghostly entities would appear at every hour on the hour. Xiao Ran''s eyes widened as he stared intently. The person using the toilet felt a chill in his heart and hurriedly fled after pulling up his pants. Discover hidden tales at empire He bolted the restroom door. Ding! The hour of Si arrived. A ck fog appeared out of thin air in the corner, slowly forming into a semi-transparent ghost shadow, human-like above the waist, with rolling mist below. Just as it appeared, it smashed right into Xiao Ran, who unintentionally propelled himself into the air. "Hey! Where do you think you''re going!" Xiao Ran''s Qi-Blood surged, he threw the Demon-Subduing Pestle with a wave of his hand, and with a loud bang, cracked the wall. However, the ghost shadow was unharmed, hanging upside down from the ceiling, its face full of terror, screaming in a way that pained Xiao Ran''s ears. "Bald donkey is really unreliable, won''t believe in him again!" Xiao Ran brandished his sword, leaping to slice at the ghost shadow as the ringing of the Soul-Calming Bell echoed continuously. The ghost shadow looked puzzled; it remembered this barbarian with thick Qi-Blood that could scatter its spectral body, so why was he using a bunch of nonsensical tools today, practically with zero killing power. They chased and fled, the man and the ghost moving nimbly in the cramped space of the restroom. Bang! The door to the restroom burst open, several patrols rushed in wielding electric batons and anti-riot forks, and they sternly ordered Xiao Ran to ce his hands on his head. Xiao Ran''s eyes were about to split with rage, but he managed to keep his remaining sanity and surrendered obediently. Looking up, he saw the ghost shadow sneering triumphantly, as if mocking him for being powerless. Drip, drip, drip. The phone buzzed with a message, which Xiao Ran opened after getting permission. Bai Zhenjun: "Of course, ghosts exist in this world. As for those who don''t believe, let them see a ghost." Upon seeing the message, Xiao Ran''s face lit up with joy, and he hastily replied, asking how to make ordinary people see ghosts. Bai Zhenjun: "Both Buddhism and Daoism have such spells, but they need a master to cast them. You could find ox tears to apply on your eyes, which will temporarily open the yin-yang eyes." Xiao Ran: "True Immortal, why can I see directly?" Bai Zhenjun: "Very few people in the world are born with Spirit Eyes." Xiao Ran rubbed his eyes; he had only thought his vision was better than ordinary people''s, but it turned out to be the legendary Spirit Eyes, worthy of a protagonist who meets extraordinary beings. "I thank the True Immortal. I will prove to them that I''m not crazy!" Bai Zhenjun: "Xiao Ran, the formation of ghostly entities is often due to lingering attachments, and among these, grudges and malevolence are the mostmon." Xiao Ran suddenly understood that this ghostly entity must have had grievances before death. Exposing it would be tantamount to being entangled in the matter. After pondering for a moment, he replied. "Rest assured, True Immortal, given its value to the Imperial Court, it will certainly be vindicated!" ``` Subway Marshal Office. Xiao Ran had registered his name, age, and ID number, and meticulously exined the consequences of the traction, leaving all the marshals looking at him with strange expressions. "Young man, I see you are a top student from Capital University. You must believe in science!" The captain massaged his temples and said, "I know a psychiatrist. Do you want me to rmend one to you?" "I have a way to prove it!" Xiao Ran nced at his watch and said, "If we can find ox bezoar before midday, you''ll see ghostly entities with your own eyes, and perhaps your name might be recorded in history books in the future." Upon hearing this, the captain was stunned and, as if possessed, he ordered his subordinates to search for ox bezoar at the ughter market. An hourter. The Caishikou station broadcasted on a loop. "This station is under maintenance and temporarily out of service..." ... The pawnshop. Zhou Yi pinched his fingers to cast a spell, divining Xiao Ran''s safety. "In theing days, there will be some twists in his fate, but looking ahead, his qi is showing a greenish-purple hue, indicative of a soaring official fortune!" He had just applied the bewitching god technique across the screen, subtly advancing the situation. The Imperial Court learning of and researching the ghostly entities earlier could potentially save many ordinary people in the future. The revival of Spiritual Energy wasn''t a catastrophic change for heaven and earth, but a very slow and prolonged process. ording to Zhou Yi''s experiences in thest days ofw, ghostly entities benefited the most when Spiritual Energy was meager, just as, in those times, thest to be extinguished were malevolent spirits and fierce ghosts. The ghostly entity Xiao Ran encountered was no exception; it just so happened that he had a spiritual eye that allowed him to see the ghost''s corporalization. Ghost shadows were naturally immune to pure physical attacks, making them difficult for ordinary people to fend off. Without knowing their weaknesses, encountering one meant certain death. "This remote casting of spells is quite interesting!" Zhou Yi had fully grasped the principles ofputing and had begun to merge them with immortal path techniques, allowing him to cast spells remotely. As long as the other party was connected to him through thework, the spells could take effect along the cabling, with their power diminishing over distance, but still sufficient for dealing with ordinary people. "In the future, if any scoundrel dares to cross poor Dao, I''ll vent directly through thework cable!" A day free from events. Night fell. Zhou Yi appeared at the Caishikou subway station, pinched his fingers to cast the Invisibility Technique, and swaggered in. The construction crew had already dismantled the toilets and reinforced the area into a wall with just one entrance and exit, guarded by two rows of soldiers armed to the teeth. His escaping light flickered, and he passed directly through the wall. A dozen men in white coats, old in age, with excitement in their eyes, smeared ox bezoar on their eyelids, staring at the ghost shadow as if looking at a rare treasure. The ghost shadow trembled, for the congregation of living breath was agonizing torture to it. At the end of every hour, it involuntarily materialized and had no choice but to reveal itself. The men took turns asking questions, ranging from the origin of the ghost shadow to its death, as well as its post-mortem form and thoughts, attempting to dissect it thoroughly from inside out. A staff member was recording beside them. This was a groundbreaking scientific dialogue about life and death in the natural and the supernatural! Zhou Yi listened with interest for a moment and broadly understood the origin of the ghost shadow. It had been the boss of a certainpany, who had built his fortune from scratch with hard work over two to three decades and ended up worth hundreds of millions. Three months ago, he crossed a young master from the capital simply because thetter''s surname was Zhu, and the result was betrayal and murder! The white-coated menforted the ghost shadow, saying the Zhu-named young master had paid for his crimes and that as long as the ghost cooperated with scientific research, it could regain all it had lost, and might even be able to meet with its wife and children. The ghost shadow, upon hearing these words, endured the torment of the living breath and let the men question and research it. Zhou Yi pinched his fingers and calcted, shaking his head with a sigh, before his figure shed and dove into the ground. A hundred feet below ground. A grey-ck Spirit Vein, five or six inches long, emitted Spiritual Energy while at the same time gathering Yin Sha energy. Zhou Yi observed for a long time and spected based on the records in the Taoist scriptures. "In the future, this will be a Yin Sha Spiritual Vein, a treasured location for demonic cultivation. The ghostly entity emerged due to the Spiritual Energy but is limited by the confinement of Yin Sha and cannot leave this ce for a short time!" Chapter 228 All the World Suffers Zhou Yi pondered for a moment, but did not shatter the Spirit Vein. With a flick of his fingers, he cast hundreds of spells to form a monitoring formation that clung to the Spirit Vein, which would alert him if anyone approached. "The people in this world who know about Spirit Veins either obtained heritage from the Cultivation World, or some old freak has awaken. For the sake of cultivation, they will definitely guard the Spirit Vein. Thus, I shall lie in wait," he said. At the same time, the Formation and Prohibition were also observing the Spirit Vein, ready to detonate and shatter it at any time. In the future, he would add spells periodically, constantly reinforcing the formation as the Spirit Vein grew, and perhaps one day he would be able to refine it and take it as his own. "In the future, whenever I encounter a Spirit Vein, I''ll do the same." "If I could add a few more Spirit Veins to the cave heavens, making the Spiritual Energy as dense as the legendary ancient times, then it would truly be an Immortal Realm!" Zhou Yi had no intention of dominating an era, but rather watched the tide rise and fall, witnessing the rise and decline of each epoch as a mere chapter in his endless life. Back on the surface. The ghost shadow had disappeared, fleeing into the vicinity of the underground Spirit Vein, instinctively absorbing Yin Sha to nourish itself. The elderly man in white flipped through the conversation records over and over, discussing the existence form of ghostly entities and trying to analyze them with modern science. Science isn''t just physics or chemistry; it''s a means to explore the unknown. The appearance of ghostly entities would inevitably copse many fields of knowledge while also establishing new truths. The most urgent matter to study, naturally, was how to control and eliminate ghostly entities! ... The Caishikou station waspletely sealed off and dismantled. The Imperial Court outwardly imed to have found an underground karst cave, which could copse at any moment, so for the safety of the public, the subway would divert and bypass the area. Online, there were many rumors, including but not limited to ghosts, aliens, murders, and more. With truth and falsehood intermixed, after three to five days, no one paid attention anymore. Two monthster. While there were no changes above ground, underground, aboratory had been constructed, equipped with all sorts of state-of-the-art instruments. Passersby would never imagine that beneath the streets they walked every dayy a top-secret facility. They still went to work carefree, oblivious to the changes in the world, umting day by day until a drastic change arrived, at which point they cried out for help in panic. That day. Xiao Ran arrived at the subway''s Entrance A1, descended, and encountered what appeared to be an ordinary rolling shutter gate. After swiping his ess card, a section of the wall next to the rolling shutter rotated to open an entrance.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Following three additionalyers of verification, he finally entered theboratory, where dozens of scientists in white coats bustled about, with exmations heard from time to time. Xiao Ran saluted the guard, showed his credentials, and asked, "I''m an assistant dispatched from the Investigation Bureau. May I know where Commissioner Wang is located?" "Experimental Area A1." After checking Xiao Ran''s credentials, the guard personally escorted him to the area that used to be the subway''s men''s restroom. The restroom had beenpletely dismantled and was now surrounded by thick transparent ss. Through the ss, one could see ongoing experiments. The ghost shadow was seated on a machine, surrounded by crackling arcs of electricity, which caused it to cower and shiver in fear. "Reporting!" Xiao Ran saluted and said, "Investigation Bureau''s Section A, Xiao Ran, reporting for duty on Commissioner''s orders." "Hmm." Commissioner Wang, in his forties or fifties with a stern face and serious voice, said, "Xiao Ran? I''ve heard of you, the young man with the innate spiritual eye who discovered the ghostly entity. Weren''t you at the Investigation Bureau coborating on research rted to the spiritual eye?" Xiao Ran replied, "The Investigation Bureau screened the military and found two more cases of innate spiritual eye." Commissioner Wang nodded slightly, immediately understanding the implication. The Imperial Court naturally trusted those from the military more. He picked up a walkie-talkie and gave an order. "Begin the experiment!" Inside theb, a scientist typed a series ofmands into aputer, which increased the intensity of the electricity output by the machine, asionally sending sparks flying onto the ghost shadow. The ghost shadow let out a piercing scream, its face grotesquely twisted in pain¡ªvisible through the soundproof ss. Commissioner Wang ordered, "Continue!" The electrical surge intensified once more, visibly melting arge portion of the ghost shadow. Shriek! The scream pierced the ss, straight into the soul, as theb scientists clutched their heads in agony, copsing to the ground. "Silence!" Through the walkie-talkie, a scientist said, "Finish this experiment, hold on until the end, and tomorrow you''ll get to see your parents and spouse." Hearing this, the ghost shadow instantly quieted down, enduring the torture of the electric arcs. As wisps of ck smoke dispersed, the ghost shadow''s color went from pitch-ck to greyish translucent; its features were now distorted and blurred, leaving only two glowing red eyes staring fixedly through the ss. Xiao Ran''s heart trembled. He felt as if the ghost shadow was looking straight at him and said, "Commissioner, this is already at its limit of endurance!" Commissioner Wang''s voice was devoid of any fluctuation, "Increase it further." The scientist got up from the floor and entered anothermand, which boosted the machine''s power to its maximum. Boom! An arc as thick as an arm swept over the ghost shadow, which emitted a harrowing scream and in an instant, turned to ash and smoke. Read new chapters at empire Xiao Ran was dazed for a long time before snapping out of it, only to realize that theb was already handling the aftermath. Everyone was emotionlessly gathering data, discussing the development of weapons to destroy ghostly entities. It was as if the ghost shadow that had just perished was nothing more than a mindlessb rat! ... Late at night. Dark clouds obscured the moon, and shadows of people were sparse on the streets. A ck car stopped in front of the pawnshop. Xiao Ran rubbed his temples, seeking relief from a headache that had persisted for several days. Ever since he witnessed the ghost shadow vanish into smoke in theb, whenever he closed his eyes to sleep, he would dream of two red ghostly eyes staring intently at him, filled with resentment, hatred, and a chilling murderous intent! This time, Xiao Ran truly paid a visit to a psychiatrist. Chapter 229 Midnight Ghost Stories Xiao Ran flipped through the Guiyuan Technique, a script of over five thousand words, each sentence apanied by detailed annotations. The annotators were not just one person, judging from the names, there were monks, daoists, andymen; one could say the Guiyuan Technique was exined thoroughly, even the creator of the cultivation technique wouldn''t have been asprehensive. Born with spiritual eyes, Xiao Ran''s talent for cultivation was second only to that of a Heavenly Spiritual Root; after reciting it twice, he tried to practice. He sensed the faint spiritual energy between heaven and earth, following the meridians to circte it and refine it into mana that converged in the Dantian. One cycle of cirction ended, and when he awoke from his cultivation, half an hour had already passed. Activating the few strands of mana within his Dantian, utterly different from the Qi-Blood of martial arts, Xiao Ran''s thoughts churned like turbulent waves. "Is this cultivating immortality?" "Indeed, this is cultivating immortality." Zhou Yi couldn''t help but exim in admiration, truly, one must notpare between people; no wonder the immortal sects prioritize talent above all. Temperament could be cultivated, malicious thoughts could be converted, but the only thing that couldn''t be changed was the talent granted by the heavens. In the Cultivation World, those cultivators with low Spirit Roots who managed an uprising either had an extraordinary perception, a demonic-like cleverness, or astounding fortune, whichcks universal applicability. Xiao Ran worked to calm himself, the chat group he had joined during his rebellious teenage years turned out to include a real immortal. "True Monarch, why have you taught me Immortal Law?" "I find you quite pleasing to the eye, and also because you share the surname Xiao." Find your next adventure on empire Zhou Yi asked, "Do you know the story of Xuan Xiao Daojun''s demon-ying?" Xiao Ran nodded, "ording to the records of the daoist predecessors, Xuan Xiao Daojun fought to save the world, bravely ying two world-ending demons, and ultimately ascending on the incense offered by thousands of people!" "Xuan Xiao also carried the surname Xiao; I hope you can be like the Daojun." Zhou Yi said, "I have never been much of a good person, but I have always believed, doing good deeds will bring good karma!" Xiao Ran solemnly bowed in gratitude. "I shall not disappoint your expectations, True Monarch!" "You can try to contact Li Chao, the one in the chat group known as King Li." Zhou Yi reminded, "He specializes in martial arts, has a strong sense of justice and hatred for evil. Recently, after encountering a noble harassing a young girl, he broke the man''s three legs and is currently wanted by the patrol forces." Xiao Ran first nodded, then said with frustration, "Why is it always such things?" "Probably because it happens too often, anyone would encounter it once or twice, and most turn a blind eye and just let it pass." Zhou Yi saw Xiao Ran''s disbelief, his fingers formed a calction, which was actually his Divine Sense scanning the area for dozens of miles around. "In the north, at Yongxing Square, Chen''s mansion''s back garden, there is a young man who took a drunk girl back, I cut off his kidney essence, you can go and have a look now!" "Alright." Xiao Ran browsed through the Guiyuan Technique manual, and from the attached spells at the back, selected one for body transformation. Mana circted, his sinews and muscles quickly shrank, turning into a dwarf of five feet tall, his figure leaping and vanishing into the night. "Sigh..." Zhou Yi shook his head and sighed, the woman in his Divine Sense had already died, and the people of Chen''s mansion were burying her in the back garden. In the Cultivation World, the higher the level of the cultivator, the easier it was to fall into the demonic path, with Divine Sense being one of the key factors. Having seen too much darkness in the world of mortals, like gazing into the abyss at the same moment, there woulde a day when one merges into it. "No wonder they seclude themselves in deep mountains and ancient forests, the benefits are not just the Spiritual Energy." Zhou Yi silently recited a purification spell and continued to write and draw on paper, his Divine Sense constantly tracking Xiao Ran''s movements. Half an hourter. Xiao Ran stormed into the Chen mansion, brutally killing the murderer and carrying the corpse of the woman as he fled through a barrage of gunfire. Today, the guards'' marksmanship of the Chen mansion was a little off, each one turned into a master of outlining! ... The end of the year arrived in the blink of an eye. The foot traffic on Top Schr Street surged, and even the usually quiet pawn shop weed a few additional visitors. Formation and Prohibition could only slightly deviate one''s line of sight, and while they are not impossible to twist people''s consciousness, being the only one in a busy street devoid of people would make one stand out the most. Visitors strolled through the pawn shop and found it empty save for the counter and the daoist¡ªan experience less interesting than visiting the antique shop next door. For instance, the bronze cauldrons fromst week, the Sage Emperor''s ridden bicycle, Sh¨¨l¨¬ Relics from high monks, and ornately patterned porcin vases; even knowing they were fake, people would spend money just for enjoyment. "We have a visitor today." Zhou Yi''s fingers formed a divination, deciding to go with the public sentiment, and arranged a disy rack in front of the counter. Most items on the rack were Buddhist and Taoist ssics, with bronze cauldrons and porcin vases casually forged and disyed in ordance with profound principles, instantly making the shop appear ancient and elegant. The hustle and bustle of the day gradually died down. Night fell. Zhou Yi''s fingertips shone with firelight as he carefully carved a piece of fine iron into the form of a mobile phone, pondering for a moment before refining it into a ring. "Cultivators don''t need to look at mobile phone screens, as they canpletely rely on mana and divine sense to rece their eyes, just like using a storage magic artifact¡ªa thought is all it takes to send a text message¡­" After more than half a year of enlightenment, Zhou Yi had tranted the phone''s system one by one, eventually substituting all of it with formation and prohibition patterns, finally crafting the first mobile magic artifact. At this moment. An old man with a white beard wearing a long robe came in through the door, his eyes somewhat vacant as he sat opposite Zhou Yi and watched him cast spells. "Are you an immortal?" "No." Zhou Yi said, "But you are indeed a ghost!" "A ghost? So I''m a ghost!" The old man looked into Zhou Yi''s eyes, which were swirling like vortexes, and the scenes from his life kept reemerging. He saw the surgeries thatsted for two days and nights, ending with him dying in his sleep in a corner of the room. There was no pain, nor any awareness. "My name was Liu Hong. Why did I be a ghost, and how did I end up here?" "There are many reasons why a dead person bes a ghost, most often due to an obsession, like your concern for your patients." Zhou Yi exined, "These past few days, I''ve encountered too much darkness and wanted to talk to someone kind to neutralize the gloominess, to prevent the birth of inner demons. So here you are!" This was just an excuse. A mere Golden Core practitioner couldn''t achieve anything he desired. The true reason was the attraction of spiritual energy. Zhou Yi cultivated the secret technique of his sect that restrained the mana within him, but as a Golden Elixir True Monarch in the age of scarce mana, the difference in spiritual energy between him and the current world was vast. No matter how he sealed it, some would naturally leak out. Wherever a True Monarch was present, it naturally became a Spiritual Mountain Blessed Land, the spiritual energy there even denser than today''s core of a Spirit Vein. Liu Hong was silent for a long while, not understanding the sage''s words, and simply assumed him to be a peculiar person with strange behaviors. As a doctor with quite a reputation in his lifetime, and having believed in the natural course of birth, aging, sickness, and death for decades, he suddenly discovered the mysteries of the soul and felt an almost overwhelming urge to dissect himself. "So what am I supposed to chat with you about?" "Anything, such as medicine. I am quite proficient in it as well¡­" As Zhou Yi spoke, the mobile phone emitted beep-beep-beep sounds. He gestured an apology for the wait, opened the Cloud Chat app, and saw that it was a beautiful female avatar shing. Game, 36 Bing, Passionate, 25, Number Nine: "Brother Bai Long, please help me rank up!" Zhou Yi skimmed the long memo, instantly recognized who it was, and replied without changing his expression, "I have a guest in the shop today, I''ll take you to Emperor rank tomorrow." Number Nine sent a voice message: "But, Brother Bai Long, I want to rank up now." Image, image, image. Liu Hong was dumbfounded, watching as the sagely aura and celestial energy of the road before copsed, plummeting the Daoist into the realm of ordinary mortals. With his fears ayed, he made a meaningfulment. "Based on my years of medical experience, either those photos are fake, or her looks are not real!" "Cough cough cough, as long as it makes you happy, there''s no need to be so serious." Zhou Yi''s face flushed slightly as he turned the mobile phone face down on the counter, actually switching to using his divine sense to chat idly with Number Nine. "I understand, I understand." Liu Hong, ever the old chatterbox, animatedly winked and found the whole thing quite amusing, recalling the strange tales he heard in his lifetime, possibly alluding to existences like this Daoist. "Let''s chat about medicine then!" Zhou Yi and Liu Hong then discussed medicine, from modern to ancient times, and from the flesh to the soul. One was a quirky oldtimer who knew about the past and present, and the other was a new ghost with superb medical skills. The simple phrase "studying medicine to save people" could spark a debate thatsted all night, and before they knew it, dawn was approaching. Tales of ghosts in the night. "Old Liu, why don''t you stay a few more nights?" Zhou Yi said, not yet satisfied, "I once read an ancient text, written by a famous Da Qian physician, which recorded more than a dozen lost secret prescriptions." "I think I''ll go see my son before the break of dawn and enter the cycle of reincarnation early. Perhaps I''ll get to see my wife who passed away two years ago."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Liu Hong shook his head in refusal, his expression serene, "Before death...I mean after death, meeting you, Daoist, is also quite a remarkable encounter!" With that, he gave a cupped-hand salute and drifted away from the pawnshop. Zhou Yi formed a spell sign and executed the Buddhist reincarnation secret technique, a trace of profound spiritual light falling into Liu Hong''s body, which in the next life might enable him to prate the confusion within the womb and inherit his previous wisdom. The Buddhist secret technique was even more peculiar than the way of the demons, and even Zhou Yi couldn''t say for sure what the effects would be. ording to Buddhist texts, morally high monks with countless good deeds in their lifetimes seemed more likely to awaken such wisdom, corresponding mysteriously to the virtues and blessings of their karma. "The Buddhist texts and cultivation techniques, all enshrouded in the mist of Cloud Mountain, and they''re not afraid of people learning them incorrectly and falling into the demonic path!" Zhou Yi spat fiercely and sensed spiritual energy near the vegetable market entrance. It was so thin it was almost undetectable, yet with no cultivators to refine and consume it, one day it would envelop the entire city. "Old Liu didn''t have deep obsessions, yet he still became a ghost. It won''t be many years before we see a parade of a hundred spirits at night¡­" Chapter 230 Exorcising Ghosts and Refining Gu Ghostly Night Parade. A disaster that necessarily arises with the decline and resurgence of spiritual energy. A thousand years ago, Cloud Continent had experienced such a cmity. Monsters and ghosts spawned by spiritual energy created chaos everywhere. Zhou Yi initiated the establishment of the Spring Breeze Building, andter the Dan Ding Sect joined in. Countless cultivators worked together to suppress the catastrophe, finally minimizing it to the extreme. Even so, the death toll by the ghosts was in the millions! The casualties in other continents were even more tragic. Cultivators were keen on evading the disaster of the declining era, and with no one to control the vengeful spirits and fierce ghosts, rumors of ghosts swallowing entire cities weremon, and the misery within was innumerable. "Nowadays, there are no cultivators to subdue demons and expel ghosts, and the thin spiritual energy cannot support cultivation¡ªit''spletely up to ordinary people to struggle." "Compared to the time of decline, the only advantage is technology." Zhou Yi slightly shook his head. He was not optimistic about using technology to subdue demons and expel ghosts. Current technology worked against ordinary souls, but facing true vengeful spirits and fierce ghosts, it was just for show. A few days ago, Xiao Ran received new-style weapons, a thunder gun developed by the Investigation Bureau aimed at ghostly entities. Once activated, it ejects high-voltage electric arcs with abat radius of twenty meters. Currently, most ghostly entities would die upon contact. It could be said that even a child holding it could exterminate ghosts. "The reason is that the people holding the weapons are too weak." Vengeful spirits and fierce ghosts are not fools or brutes who would fight against a thunder gun head-on. They would employ techniques like burrowing, invisibility, possession, illusions, and so forth, not to mention powerful ghostly entities that could unleash Yin Sha and Ghost Monsters. Zhou Yi furrowed his brows, pondering methods to solve the chaos caused by ghostly entities. "The best option is of course cultivation. Martial arts increase Qi-Blood, preventing ghosts froming close. Second is a protective robe. Simply inscribing some Earth Sha prohibitions can fend off the invasion of fierce ghosts!" He thought back and forth, and both could be done at the same time. It''s not like ancient times where you had to establish a sect and select disciples, impart knowledge and skills, and then have them go out to y demons and expel ghosts, which would take decades or even centuries to take effect. So tiresome, and the impact is limited to a small area. The convenience brought by technology nowadays doesn''t require much effort. As long as the cultivation techniques are uploaded to the inte, billions will see them. If one in a hundred believes, and one in a hundred of those seeds in cultivation, then when the ghosts run rampant and harm themon people, they''ll be able to save countless lives. "This poor Daoist truly does not wish to be a savior, but one can''t just stand by and do nothing when one has the ability to help..." Zhou Yi attempted to refine his mobile phone into a magic treasure, which was an important reason. A phoneposed entirely of formations and prohibitions leaked no identity information. The credit of saving the world was not as valuable as safety and secrecy. The ultimate goal of those who cultivate is often immortality, but for Zhou Yi, it was a burden. Beep beep beep! Zhou Yi was contemting an issue that concerned the lives of millions when his phone rang with a message. Opening it, the first thing he saw was a cooling image. Image. Number Sixteen: "Brother White Dragon, my temperature is thirty-nine degrees, hurry over and expel the evil for me!" "This poor Daoist is on his way." Zhou Yi, who had studied the Wanjuan Daozang extensively and was most proficient in this area, to prevent the girl from being harmed by evil ghosts, hurriedly called a private car and headed straight for South City. Along the way. Streetlights on both sides of the street shone brightly outside the car window, with crowds of people passing by. Xianjing is now the top city of the Nine Continents, boasting a poption of over a hundred million. "For the great cause of expelling evil, this poor Daoist cannot sit idly by!" ... The next morning. Top Schr Street. Zhou Yi, his hair in a Hunyuan hair bun, wearing a dark blue Taoist robe, walked with his hands tucked in along the street. If it were the streets of his former life, he would probably attract a lot of attention. But in Da Qian, a Taoist robe is one of the officially recognized proper outfits. It had been three years since he returned to Cloud Continent from the Eastern Sea, and sometimes he still found it surreal. An old master in a long gown focused on swiping through short videos, asionally typing criticisms andmenting the decline of social morals, yet couldn''t help but press like and follow! A pce-dressed girl switched to a phoenix robe for live streaming, when suddenly hundreds of rockets soared, and the top contributor turned out to be an abdicated emperor. The cab ministers used cloudmunication for their meeting, and today''s headline was about two bigwigs slinging mud at each other in their social circles, and who knew which sneak snapped a screenshot and sold it to the newspapers for a high price. In such ways, everything was harmoniously distorted! "What a pity, what a pity, the Spring Breeze Building survived dynastic changes and epochal upheavals, but in the end, it fell a hundred years ago!" Zhou Yi looked around from east to west, walking back unhurriedly. Enjoy new chapters from empire When passing by Gufang Studio, he noticed it was sealed off, with cordon tape and patrol guards on duty, armed to the teeth. About ten or so people gathered outside to watch themotion. Gufang Studio, a legacy of three generations, was one of the earliest antique shops on Top Schr Street, having amassed considerable wealth from reselling items that drifted from the North Side Market. Zhou Yi greeted the owner of Jinshige: "Manager Zhao, what happened to Old Gu?" "Rumor has it he''s suspected of tomb raiding and selling cultural relics abroad, not just a few either¡ªat least twenty or thirty years behind bars." Manager Zhao sighed, "Old Gu looks kind-hearted and benevolent, with a solid family fortune umted over three generations; how could he possibly do such a thing?" Zhou Yi smiled, "That''s not certain; the rich still think about bing richer!" "Then you''re mistaken," Manager Zhao nced around before whispering, "I''ve heard that Old Gu had a treasure at home, and a big shot from Yongchang ce wanted to buy it but the deal fell through, out of spite they pinned a crime on him!" After chatting for a while, Zhou Yi made a tea-tasting appointment at Jinshige with Manager Zhao for a few dayster. Returning to the pawnshop. From a distance, he saw a carriage parked at the entrance, with Xiao Ran and a young man standing one on each side, like door gods. Zhou Yi asked, "Xiao Xiao, why are you here again, not on official duty?" Xiao Ran said, "Master, it has been over half a year since myst visit!" "Time flies." Zhou Yi''s sense of time was quite different from ordinary people''s; he felt that the seasons changed in the blink of an eye, and a single session of intense cultivation couldst several generations. The young man bowed and offered a salute, "Junior Li Chao, thanks you, Master, for imparting your knowledge!" Zhou Yi looked him up and down, nodding slightly, "I only taught you the medicinal decoction form; I didn''t even impart any martial cultivation techniques. Most of your achievements today are due to your own efforts." Li Chao stood over eight feet tall, with a broad back and a narrow waist, exuding an air of authority just by standing there. In this era, even kitchen knives had to be locked away, and ordinary peoplecked any valorous spirit, not to mention martial arts that prioritize fighting¡ªthere''s no soil for cultivation. Zhou Yi pushed open the door, "Come in." Xiao Ran hurried to follow, "Master, what have you been busy withtely?" "I chat with people during the day, and at night, I chat with ghosts." Zhou Yi told the truth; as ghostly entities increasingly appeared, they were often drawn by spiritual energy to the pawnshop, with men and women from all walks of life. The pawnshop was cold and silent during the day, but each evening it bustled with noise. It was Li Chao''s first visit, but he did not hold back, speaking directly. "Master, Xiao Ran and I have taken on a case from the Investigation Bureau, to investigate sorcery-rted harm. After repeatedly failing to track down the perpetrator, and as more victims emerge, we havee to seek your advice." Xiao Ran, knowing Zhou Yi''s disposition, believed in fair trade or ''no profit, no early bird.'' He retrieved a ring from within his clothes and presented it with both hands. "This is a recent acquisition; it''s said to be a burial object of the Great Qi Chu King, found on his finger. ording to my senior, there were many gold and silver jewels nearby, but he valued an iron ring above all!" "The Chu King..." Zhou Yi paused briefly, then reached out and pulled the iron ring to himself¡ªan extremelymon storage ring in the Cultivation World. The value of the iron ring couldn''t evenpare to a hundredth of a magical treasure, yet for Zhou Yi, it held a special memory¡ªan acquaintance he had once briefly met, now having their coffin lid pried open. "Tell me, what kind of sorcery harms people?" "The case urred a month ago, initially deemed a suicide, but it was Xiao Ran who sensed the mana..." Li Chao described in detail, "After careful investigation, it seems the caster can control bugs; the victims'' organs have bite marks..." Zhou Yi pinched his fingers to calcte for a moment and couldn''t find any trace of the culprit, which piqued his interest slightly.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "That''s not controlling bugs; it''s refining Gu!" Chapter 231 The Dispute between the Immortals and the Witches Chapter 231The Dispute between the Immortals and the Witches "Gu, Demon Head?" Xiao Ran''s brows furrowed slightly. In tales of the supernatural, Gu insects were regarded as malevolent entities that harmed people. "The art of Gu refining has an ancient origin, and there''s inherently no good or bad in techniques. However, those who refine Gu often employ the Blood Sacrifice Method to hasten its growth and ferocity, leading them to fall into the demonic path." After Zhou Yi obtained theplete legacy of the One Qi Sect, he recorded many ancient inheritances. In those days, witchcraft could rival the path of immortality in splendor, both being practices that could glimpse eternal life. The dispute between good and evil is a contradiction of doctrines and principles, fought to the death. All the more so the struggle for supremacy between the paths of immortality and witchcraft. As witchcraft waned, the path of immortality flourished. Xiao Ran, listening to the venerable one recount the past, couldn''t help but be enraptured. "Can cultivating immortality truly grant eternal life?" "No!" Zhou Yi offered no exnation. With today''s concentration of spiritual energy, even Foundation Establishment couldn''t be achieved. What talk could there be of immortality with the restraints of heaven and earth? He turned to look at Li Chao, curious. "Li Chao, you could also join the Investigation Bureau?" Li Chao exined, "During my escape, I was fortunate enough for my Qi-Blood to coalesce into a vortex, and an arrest warrant was issued. It was ressified as a righteous act of courage, on the condition that I be an advisor to the Investigation Bureau." "Three years to condensation, such aptitude truly incites envy." Zhou Yi swept over him with his divine sense and discovered that Li Chao''s Dantian vortex was quite profound, with a mixture of Yang Sha within his Qi-Blood. "Have you been to some peculiar ces?" "Your insight is as piercing as a torch, True Lord. The ce is in the central part of Northern Cool Mountain, at the bottom of a nameless cave." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Li Chao took out his phone and sent several pictures, showing the geographic location and surrounding scenery. He said, "There is a hot spring in the cave, scorching hot like fire. Sitting and cultivating within it, one''s martial prowess advances rapidly." "Not bad." Zhou Yi nodded slightly. This ce must be a spirit vein, with pure and tractable Yang Sha that could easily be refined and absorbed into the body. The Taoist archives recorded that with the revival of spirit veins, spiritual objects would emerge, among which was Yang Sha. As the spirit veins grew stronger by the day, the Yang Sha would evolve as well, potentially bing Innate Spirit Sha in the future. Such spiritual objects could even cause covetous stirrings in ancestors who had undergone Divinity Transformation. Zhou Yi took a book from beneath the counter and said, "As a fellow cultivator, I cannot take advantage without giving something in return. This ancestral martial arts tome is for you to ponder." "I thank the True Lord for his generous gift!" Li Chao bowed and epted the book, immediately bing engrossed after flipping through a few pages. The tome started from the very origins of Qi-Blood martial arts, which went through several transformations before leading to the cultivation methods of today. ncing at the names of those who annotated the book, all were renowned historical Martial Arts Grandmasters, including Martial Emperor Qin Zheng. Qin Zheng''s reputation in the historical records wasn''t very good; he was described as tyrannical, a burner of books, and obsessed with the path of immortality, but he was precisely the figure Li Chao admired most. To condense the Qi-Blood into a pill with one''s own power and suppress Cloud Continent for a century! Xiao Ran lost interest after a few nces. What appeal is there in the brutish ways of martial artistspared to the high-end pursuit of immortality? His mind lingered on the case at hand, and he said, "True Lord, already more than twenty people have been murdered, how should we track down the killer?" "I''ll teach you a spell called ''Thousand-Mile Tracker,''" Zhou Yi said. "As long as the killer has left behind a trace of their essence, the spell can be used to pursue them. With your strength, it will be effective within a radius of several miles." Xiao Ran had reached the third level of Qi Refinement, the peak achievable by those near the spirit vein at the present time. In the future, the only way forward would be to continuously purify his mana and wait for the spiritual energy to further revive before breaking through. For a genius to be born at the end of an era or during a revival is a tragedy. "Many thanks, True Lord." Xiao Ran''s eyes flickered as he said, "Ever since the Imperial Court discovered ghostly entities, they have collected all Buddhist and Daoist scriptures. They''ve selected quite a few inheritances from them. Perhaps you''d like to join as a consultant too?" Zhou Yi''s fingers moved in calction, but he shook his head, "Now is not the time." All the Buddhist and Daoist texts of the Nine Continents had already been incorporated into the Taoist archives, and these were the secret original texts of the sects, far superior to the current modified Daoist scriptures. Zhou Yi had also read the current Daoist texts. Within an entire volume, perhaps three to five lines were useful; the rest had been repeatedly amended and supplemented byter generations to conform to the Imperial Court and the times. Tampering was easy, but starting over from scratch required a hundred times more effort. Zhou Yi joined the Investigation Bureau not for the sake of the books, but to seek out the Spirit Veins discovered by the Imperial Court, and he had to set up Formation and Prohibition on each one to refine and assimte them. At the same time, he could pay attention to the strongest of the era, and if a Foundation Establishment-level cultivator or martial artist appeared in the world one day, Zhou Yi would need to take it seriously, even though he could easily crush thousands of them. Thirdly, he could receive some special information at any moment, such as evil cultivators using the Art of Gu Refining to kill people and being able to evade divination, which piqued Zhou Yi''s interest. Zhou Yi looked at Xiao Ran with a deep gaze, his face bearing a greyish-ck aura, indicating death was looming in the recent days. "The fickleness of destiny has always been criticized in the Cultivation World, but Xiao Ran has already cultivated to the strongest level. How could mere Gu Technique be the opponent of an orthodox cultivator?" "Either heavy firepower was used, or some damned person has returned!" A Dharma Seal fell upon Xiao Ran, truly a reincarnation of some old monstering back. Zhou Yi secretly observed the other''s strength before deciding whether or not to suppress him. ... Before dawn. The entire Top Schr Street was pitch-dark, save for a pawnshop with a light on. The candle at the door emitted a strange fragrance that living people could not smell, but it would attract ghostly entities. A taxi stopped at the door, honking its horn with a "beep beep beep," indicating arrival. The rear door opened and ten people, men and women, young and old, got out. Because too many people piled out one after the other, they identally knocked off the door, which made a tearing noise and fell to the ground, turning into fluttering yellow paper. The driver screamed heartbrokenly, "Could you be a little more careful? Fixing the car will cost a lot of Soul Power. I''ll have to charge extra today; let me take an extra bite from each of you!" The ghosts couldn''t care less about the driver and floated into the pawnshop. Zhou Yi watched the room fill with people, their auras pure and devoid of malice. He spoke with a smile, "So you''ve alle together today¡ªhave you made your decision?" "We are here to learn the method of soul solidifying from the Taoist master, to barely maintain our ghostly forms, free from obsession and the erosion of Yang Sha, thus preventing us from turning into fierce spirits and malevolent ghosts." The elder in the long robe leading them, named Lu Yuan, was a professor at Xianjing University in his lifetime and had many disciples. He bowed and said, "In these past days, I''ve also said my goodbyes to my family. I have no more attachments to the world of the living." Zhou Yi said, "A Soul Contract needs to be set in stone. Should anything amiss arise in the future, with but a thought from me, your souls will scatter." These ghostly entities were carefully selected, not ghosts born of resentment, and had earned merit in their lifetimes. Not wanting to dissipate like Chen Hong, they were taught the basic techniques of the Heavenly Ghost Sect. The group of ghosts bowed and said, "We will follow the Taoist master''s instructions." Zhou Yi''s hands formed a spell, and a sacred light fell into the bodies of the ghosts, turning into the Soul Contract Ban. "Go in, someone will teach you how to cultivate!" As his voice faded, the crystal ball on the desk began to shine brightly, swallowing the group of ghosts within. It was also night in Kunlun Cave Heaven. A full moon hung in the sky, and the stars shone brightly but did not move, as if they were painted on a canvas overhead. Lu Yuan sensed the extremely rich Spiritual Energy and inhaled deeply, his ghostly form bing a bit more solid. "That, that, that is..." The ghost speaking was the taxi driver, Shi Huang, pointing to a towering tree in the center, his voice trembling with horror. Lu Yuan murmured, "The Immortal Wood, towering without branches, green leaves and purple stem... this is the legendary Kunlun Wondend!" The ghosts suddenly realized and looked at the Immortal Wood in the center of the cave heaven. It was indeed identical to the one in the legends. At that moment. From within the Taoist temple came yelling and cursing that sounded like it wasing from a child. "Charge! Charge! Use your ultimate, use your ultimate! Heal me, you useless pieces of &#£¤@..." This was followed by a string of vulgar curses that woke the ghosts up, as they saw a three-foot-tall Taoist boy holding a cellphone, cursing as he walked out of the temple. Chapter 232 Yuan Lings Avatar The inte is a giant dye vat, where dense information causes premature worldly wisdom. The Spirit Ginseng baby had maintained the Heart of a Newborn for a thousand years, but just two years after getting a smartphone, its path to immortalityy shattered, and it forgot all about the dream of bing a celestial being. "Why pursue immortality when gaming is so much more fun?" s, its talent for gaming was too poor, and its intelligence was clearly lower than that of number six. Even with skillful y, it was stuck in the gold ranks for the long term. The Spirit Ginseng baby didn''t mind this; it didn''t y games to win or lose. As long as it could make all its teammates mute their mics, it considered that a spiritual victory. Since it had no way to top up its ount, when teammates couldn''t outdo the Spirit Ginseng baby in insults, they started mocking it for being poor. Until one day it heard a male teammate, eager to please, offering CP skins. The Spirit Ginseng baby felt like it had discovered a new world. Transforming into a beautiful girl, it donned extravagant and noble pce attire, and with voice and video conveyance it floated with celestial grace. It sweetly called out to its "little brothers," melting the bones ofizens, and easily received many skins. When Zhou Yi discovered this, he sternly reprimanded it, admonishing against doing wrong even in small ways, and forbade it from cheating with magic again! But the Spirit Ginseng baby quickly found another way. It downloaded a video app, posted a few dance videos, and left its game ount information. In just a few days, it had more digital currency than it could spend. "Mortals are truly foolish; no matter how advanced technology bes, they still crave those inner desires!" Scanning the crowd of ghostly entities, the Spirit Ginseng baby said, "The Immortal Master has sent you here for a great mission to save humanity, which will be entrusted to your hands!" The crowd of ghosts immediately became solemn, not daring to underestimate Kunlun Wondend because of smartphones and games. Compared to the sacred and mist-shrouded majesty that people imagined, the legendary ce where immortals cultivated was indeed connected to the power behind dynastic session in the Nine Continents. Who says immortals can''t game? This is what it truly means to be unfettered by worldly concerns, to follow one''s heart. When the strong do something odd, there will always be people ready to rationalize it perfectly for them! "ording to the rules of Kunlun, you are all granted one year of cultivation," said the Spirit Ginseng baby. "After proving yourselves through cultivation, you will scatter into the Nine Continents, gather benevolent lost souls, and form into patrolling ghost soldiers responsible for suppressing malevolent specters and malevolent ghosts!" "We will heed the Immortal Master''smand." The crowd of ghosts responded with a thunderous affirmation. In the mortal realm, there were already legends about an underworld, and this call to arms seemed simr to the duties of the judges and other officials there. The Spirit Ginseng baby nodded slightly, solemnly adding, "Before we begin our cultivation, there is a very urgent matter that requires thorough investigation!" The ghostly crowd listened keenly, afraid to lose this rare opportunity. "Which ranks do you hold in the Glory of the Nine Continents game?" "..." The ghosts fell silent, unsure of how to respond. Some, like Professor Lu Yuan, had never yed any games. A ghostly figure with the look of a college student raised a hand and replied, "Immortal Master, I am at the rank of Emperor with fifty stars." "Good!" The Spirit Ginseng baby''s eyes lit up as it pulled a magic artifact that resembled a smartphone from its sleeve and spoke seriously. "I have a matter of great urgency that I need your help with!" ... Everything happening in Kunlun Cave Heaven naturally couldn''t escape Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense. After the magic artifact smartphone was sessfully refined and the Formation and Prohibition that blocked signals were lifted, the intention was to expose the Spirit Ginseng baby to information from the outside world to hasten its intellectual development. Who would have thought it would go astray! Zhou Yi felt somewhat helpless. Even an immortal couldn''t control the changes in human nature, much less the Golden Core. "Well, at least it''s be more lively." "The Spirit Ginseng baby will instruct them for a year. Afterward, having inherited the traditions of the Ghost King Sect, they will be powerful enough to subduemon lost souls in just one year. Managing ghosts with ghosts and dividing up the lost souls saves a lot of trouble." "The downside is that it requires a long time." "The Nine Continents are vast, and the eighteen lost souls are like a drop in the ocean when scattered. Without trained ghost soldiers for patrolling, they can''t cover a wide area in the beginning." Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense swept across Immortal Capital City and found a dozen or so malevolent spirits hidden in various secretive ces. Many of them were stained with blood and malevolence, clearly having consumed the life essence of the living. "The spiritual energy of heaven and earth is so thin, yet so many lost souls have formed. It''s different from the Age of Dharma''s decline." "In the era of revival, the Spiritual Energy is light and sprightly, intimate with living things, making cultivation far easier than in the past. Those old monsters who willingly sealed themselves are thinking of using the tide of revival to break through to even higher realms!" "That being so, it also indicates that the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts is even more terrifying than in the declining years of thew!" "Perhaps in the eyes of heaven and earth, the extinction of the human race is not a big deal; after all, countless yearster, a new human race will still emerge..." Zhou Yi, being a member of the human race, naturally thought that humanity was different from the others, but how could heaven and earth, which regard all things as mere straw dogs, treat any one race especially? "Another reason is that the modern people''s resentments and malevolent energies are growing heavier by the day!" The ancient people, whose wisdom had not yet developed, were muddled and habitually endured submission passively; should they be vengeful spirits or fierce ghosts, they were inevitably the result of extremely vicious cases. Over the past year, Zhou Yi encountered many souls, among which many ordinary people who died normal deaths had be fierce ghosts under the influence of Spiritual Energy. Reality exceeds dreams, desires outstrip possessions, the fast pace of life, increasingly fiercepetition, the growing gap between rich and poor, the oppression of intangible material things all allow resentments and malevolent energies to breed in the depths of the heart. "The more you know, the more pain you endure!" Zhou Yi could be said to be the person who knew the most secrets in the Nine Continents. Even though he was proficient in Buddhist and Taoist scriptures and strove to maintain his nature, sometimes he couldn''t help but fall into hardship and doubt. For example, handing over machinery to Zhu Kang years ago and stepping into modern times over the course of several centuries was originally a very good thing. As a result, with the initial revival of Spiritual Energy, the overabundance of ghostly entities urred, and with the rise of modern firearms, the foundations of martial arts were severed, making Martial Artists arguably the fewest in history. Under the mutual influence of the two, the number of people dying might not decrease. "Every drink and every peck is predestined!" Zhou Yi silently recited the Clear Mind Mantra, pushing down his fluttering thoughts; he wouldn''t impose causality on himself. At this moment. Within the range of his Divine Sense, a retired professor from the history department of Immortal Capital University had died from exhaustion of his lifespan. Zhou Yi had been secretly observing this man for a long time, his identity and profession were just right for the requirements, and finally, the day hade; he took out the divination cylinder and performed the Minor Severing Heaven Technique. Experience more content on empire The Spirit Ginsengnded steadily on the ground. "As a Daoist, I exist outside of predestined fate, I am that one who has eluded it!" ... Immortal Capital Hospital. Inside the special care ward. Children and grandchildren formed a circle, their expressions filled with sorrow. Students of the professor stood outside the ward to send off their teacher, among them was Xiao Ran. On the sickbed. The emaciated old man had few hairs remaining and his eyes peacefully closed, evidently, he had few regrets in life, clutching in his hand a peculiar Stone Bead, an ancient artifact discovered for the first time during an archaeological dig. Seeming like a stone but not a stone, as hard as steel, it was difficult to determine its exact age. Suddenly. The Stone Bead flickered with a seven-colored light, a ray of spiritual light emanated, merging into the old man''s body. The children and grandchildren, who had their eyes fixed on the old man, naturally saw this strange phenomenon and were about to shout in astonishment. The old man''s eyebrows twitched, and he slowly opened his eyes. A sharp gaze swept over his family members, a terrifying aura manifested, scaring them into silence. "Where is this?" His son answered tremblingly, "Immortal Capital." The old man''s brows slightly furrowed, then inquired, "Where is Immortal Capital located in which continent?" "Cloud Continent!" At this time, the Stone Bead was still shining with spiritual light, the withered hair began to grow back, the wrinkled skin quickly smoothed out, and in a blink of an eye, he went from an old man to looking in his fifties or sixties. "How has only a little over a thousand years passed?" Ignoring the fear of his children and grandchildren, the old man tore off the various equipment tubes, stood up from the sickbed, and dered, "I am, Heavenly Monarch Yuanling!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 233 The Remnants of the Blood Demon Several dayster. The Xu family vi. Children and grandchildren gathered together, daring not to breathe too loudly. A few days ago, the family head, "Xu Su," came back to life, and with the operation of the Xu family, it was announced to the public that his health had improved. "Xu Su" is a well-known archaeologist in the Great Zhou, influential not only within the industry but also a frequent guest on Great Zhou television programs, where his witty and profound storytelling amassed arge following of fans. After the news spread, well-wishes continuously arrived, including from the cab and the Royal Family, congratting Old Xu on his recovery. The Xu family members who knew the truth were restless and inexplicably terrified! Old Xu was truly dead, the one alive imed to be "Yuan Ling," an unknown ancient creature! Yuan Ling was actually Zhou Yi, using the Heavenly Ghost Sect''s Soul Division Secret Method to refine the dead Xu Su into a split soul to act under this identity. In the future, even if traces were left behind, they wouldn''t be linked back to Zhou Yi, after all, "Heavenly Monarch Yuanling" was a name that rang with notoriety among ancient creatures, who would not only avoid suspicion but would also mock the self-sealing gone awry and the premature awakening. "Enough, don''t look so worried, I''m not here to steal souls or possess bodies." Zhou Yi put down the history book in his hands and said, "I havee to understand the events of the past millennium clearly. If you have any questions, just ask them directly." Xu Ce, the eldest son, looked at his "father" who appeared younger than himself, and despite the fear in his heart, other thoughts sprang to mind, prompting him to ask boldly. "Heavenly Monarch, what exactly is your background?" Over the past few days, the Xu family had various spections. The older ones thought it was a possession by a ghost, while the younger ones guessed body snatching, time travel, resurrection... "Ie from the Cultivation World of a thousand years ago. I''m from the Xuanmen Orthodoxy, certainly not any kind of demon or ghost," Zhou Yi sighed helplessly, "Back then, to avoid catastrophe, I self-sealed within those Stone Beads. I never imagined there would be a problem with my Divine Skills. Now that I''ve unexpectedly awakened, I realize that the path to immortality has been severed, truly the will of the heavens!" Xu Ce understood only half but that didn''t prevent him from being pleasantly surprised, "Father, are you a legendary immortal?" Zhou Yi gave him a sideways nce and nodded, "ording to your understanding, yes, you could say I am an immortal, but more urately, I am a cultivator." Cultivation! The Xu family members immediately felt their fear diminish, and looking at Old Xu''s appearance, they found him quite approachable! Xu Ce said, "Father, do you know of Kunlun Wondend?" "Kunlun? Haha!" Zhou Yi shook his head and said, "When I roamed the Nine Continents, I had never heard of this ce, it must have no connection with the Cultivation World but is instead a figment ofter emperors'' imaginations." "So it is." Xu Ce said respectfully, "Father, what do you need for cultivation? Just give your son your orders." Zhou Yi said, "Since I have taken over this body, I am now karmically linked with the Xu family. In the future, the Xu family will surely reap benefits, and anyone with a Spirit Root can cultivate!" "Thank you, dear father." "Grandpa is the best!"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Hearing these words, they showed filial piety and respect. "Nowadays, it is rare to achieve immortality. My primary concern is to rebuild the sect so that I can face my ancestors with dignity after death!" Zhou Yi nodded slightly and said, "However, the current Nine Continents is different from a thousand years ago. Do you have a way to quickly recruit top disciples for the sect?" The Xu family members pondered deeply, realizing that this was a test. They called him father and grandfather, but they knew it was only a superficial rtionship. If they were of no use, their chances for a connection with immortality would be slim. Xu Ce, who held a government position, suggested, "How about cooperating with the Imperial Court?" Zhou Yi shook his head and said, "After my reincarnation, my Primordial Spirit merged into the ghostly realm, and my level has dropped, making it difficult to contend with the Imperial Court. The sect must not cooperate with the Imperial Court until it has a proper foundation!" The Imperial Court has been scouring through Buddhist and Daoist scriptures for two to three years. Basic Qi Refining Techniques must exist, but they haven''t shared any news with the public. The martial arts ban has not yet been lifted, ghostly entities are breeding and harming people everywhere, causing both the Imperial Court and the Investigation Bureau''s powers to rapidly expand! Zhou Yi did not need to guess to know that cooperating with the Imperial Court would only cultivate a family of cultivators. His grandson, Sun Yu, suggested, "Grandfather can use the inte to spread the sect''s cultivation techniques, select the best to enter the gate, and teach them the subsequent techniques." Zhou Yi pretended to ponder for a moment and then nodded in agreement. "This method is very good!" ... Yicheng. One of the nine satellite cities of Xianjing, each named after the Nine Continents, highlighting the immense pressure of the great Zhou over the world. Continue your journey on empire The Nine Continents are vast, with extremely uneven development outside of Cloud Continent. In many remote areas, feudal rule is still maintained; the emperor sells the domestic ore veins to the great Zhou in exchange for advanced firearms to suppress the people and maintain his own stable rule. Countless people hate the great Zhou, yet when ites to changing countries, they are dead set against it! At this moment. Central Tower. The rm was piercing; the patrol swiftly evacuated the crowd. Police cars surrounded the tower, iming that there were fanatics from the Faith Alliance inside, carrying dangerous items intending to create an attack. To the people of the great Zhou, fanatics were an existence even more horrifying than the Imperial Court. Under the leadership of the Divine Country, the Faith Alliance had always been in conflict with the great Zhou, with both sides constantly developing new-style weapons, more powerful missiles, and bombers with longer range. Whilerge-scale wars had not erupted, small-scale conflicts and mutual infiltration and sabotage weremon urrences. Inside the tower. Xiao Ran held a bloodstained rag, casting a tracking spell, following the scent to sense the culprit''s location. This piece of rag was left behind by the culprit after an injury during a roundup by the Investigation Bureau. The culprit possessed concealment spells that could mask their scent, making it difficult for ordinary police dogs to track by smell. "The person is on the second basement level." Xiao Ran looked at the building''s structural diagram and pointed to a location: "Right around here!" Themander immediately ordered two teams of the Investigation Bureau''s experts, fully armed, to eliminate the perpetrator. In today''s era, twenty years of martial arts cultivation couldn''tpete with a burst from a heavy machine gun. However, when martial artistsbined with heavy weapons, their strong physique and sharp reflexes increased their lethality exponentially. For example, a standard team''s firepower in the Investigation Bureau could include a trooper holding two six-barrel Gatling guns, carrying between five thousand to ten thousand rounds of ammunition, allowing for up to a minute of uninterrupted firing. Duringst year''s test of a standard team''s firepower, the Investigation Bureau specifically invited an old retainer from the Royal Family, an Innate Grandmaster who had to flee when faced with the metal storm. The strength and reflexes of martial artists turned mounted weapons into personal equipment! Second basement level. The standard team broke through from both the east and west entrances, cornering the perpetrator in the center, themander''s voiceing through their ears. "The perpetrator has not moved; be careful of traps!" At this moment, there was no need for themander to remind them, as the team members had already sensed something amiss. From a distance, they saw the perpetrator sitting cross-legged in ce, with hundreds of withered corpses lying around. The ground was carved withplex and sinister grooves, with the blood from the corpses flowing along these lines and gathering into a Blood Pool at the center. The culprit, wearing a simple Taoist robe with hair turned red, sat in the middle of the Blood Pool. His narrow eyes swept over the squad, and he let out a strangeugh. "Hehehe! I have just perfected the Blood Shadow Divine Skill, and now peoplee to die¡­" The squad leader''s face did not change, and he signaled; the demolitions expert immediately got the message. Swish! Swish! Two rockets, trailing mes, wereunched at the perpetrator, while at the same time countless bullets rattled off in a fuside. Chapter 234 - 214: The Immortal Gate Opens A millennial creature, killing a person as effortlessly as eating and drinking. No matter who investigated Lu Bo¡¯s cause of death, it was always attributed to an exercise of power gone awry, with Qi-Blood backflow shattering his heart meridian. Zhou Yi felt no guilt in his heart, having lived so long, there were more and more old acquaintances in the world, until, after thousands of years, everyone tracing their ancestors would have had some connection with him. For mundane matters, one could meet with a smile, regardless of status or hierarchy. But for true wickedness, like Lu Bo nning to betray the Red Alliance to curry favor, Zhou Yi could act ruthlessly too. "No one can betray their own ss, not Lu Bo, nor could this humble daoist!" Zhou Yi never saw himself as a lofty Golden Elixir True Monarch. Since his arrival in the Cultivation World almost seventeen hundred years ago, he had maintained his original aspirations and personality, still themoner from the streets he once was. If he encountered an interesting beggar on the road, he could also invite him for drinks and a chat, with no difference in attitude from how he treated cultivators. After all, with the Longevity Dao Fruit, whether a beggar or a cultivator, in a thousand years, both would be but a mound of yellow soil. "In the end, one holds onto something." Back at the tavern. The illusory double behind the counter was chatting with customers; Zhou Yi pinched out an Invisibility Technique and noiselessly made his way to the second floor. At the door of a corner room, two customers were chatting idly, though their eyes were constantly fixed on the stairs. Zhou Yi pondered for a moment; he didn¡¯t enter nor eavesdrop, but turned back to the first floor. "The cause and effect are too significant, it¡¯s best that this humble daoist offers only a modicum of protection!" Pulling out a Kunlun Cave Heaven from his sleeve, a crystal clear ss bead, he swept it with his Divine Sense to make sure the Spirit Ginseng child was not cking off. He then drew out several Spirit Energy Crystals and began arranging a Formation in the tavern. The Ghost King Sect¡¯s inheritance of the Bewildering Heart Formation could deflect the perception of the soul and mind; even Innate Grandmastersing in for a search would find nothing unusual. "The Bewildering Heart Formation consumes very little Spiritual Energy. These Spirit Crystals willst for more than a decade. By that time, the Red Alliance will either have perished or be strong enough that it no longer needs my protection!" Zhou Yi¡¯s fingers moved as if calcting, faintly sensing that he wouldn¡¯t be able to stay in the mortal world for long. The night fell. The tavern closed for business. Bai Shiyu locked the doors and windows and whispered, "Shouldn¡¯t the manager go up and take a look?" Zhou Yi shook his head, then quickly changed his tone to one of gossip, "That red-d swordsman, is he your sweetheart?" Bai Shiyu¡¯s face flushed red, "How can you call it a sweetheart with the matters of the martial world, that¡¯s a confidante!" "You rascal have quite a few confidantes!" Zhou Yi joked, then solemnly said, "I¡¯ve already instructed the cook to prepare the meal. You take it up. I¡¯ll watch down here; no one wille in." Bai Shiyu backed away two steps, bowed deeply. "Thank you, Manager!" With the Red Alliance members having a meeting upstairs, Zhou Yi read a storybook behind the counter, not disturbing each other. In the blink of an eye, half a month passed. The edict from the Imperial Court to abolish the Imperial Examination had been disseminated throughout thend. The wealthy old men ultimately couldn¡¯t stir up trouble, while many ssical schrs were even willing to shed blood for the Four Books and Five ssics. Outside the pce gates, people periodically smashed into walls in a form of protest, but it only added corpses! That day, There Is a Tavern. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Zhou Yi cheerfully greeted the customers, listening to the hard-talking rich men, finding it quite amusing. The Imperial Court suppressed the old wealth, and they dared not resist. The new noble families ostracized the old wealth, and they dared not resist. Hearing about themoners resisting exploitation by factory owners, the old wealth sat by,ughing and sneering. One day, when themoners take charge, the old wealth will start using their family skills to write essays expressing their discontent. "Such interesting events, others can only specte from history books, but this humble daoist can actually see it with my own eyes, hear it with my own ears!" Zhou Yi found it regrettable that in his previous life he had been uneducated and had forgotten the principles of the camera; otherwise, he could have taken photographs from time to time as precious historical memories for hundreds of years toe. Casting spells to leave images was not difficult, but unfortunately, no one in the future would believe them, like walking in brocade at night. Zhou Yi was pondering whether to spend a few years inventing the camera or to pay craftsmen to research it when suddenly, he felt an instinct. "What is this? Could it be the seal of an ancient creature?" ¡­ Second floor. After more than a month of discussion, the key members of the Red Alliance finally drafted the subsequent development n, gaining a clear understanding of what to do in the future and what their goals should be. After the meeting concluded, they proceeded to the final part. Bai Shiyu took out the original Datong Book from his bosom; ever since he obtained the mystical book of Kunlun, he had printed hundreds of copies and distributed them. "At the end of the mystical book, there is a formation and prohibition," he exined, "I¡¯ve visited the Baiyun Temple to read the venerable scrolls, and it is indeed called by this name. If one ces the hardest substances of the world within the formation, it can open the gates to the Immortal Realm!" The pages of bamboo slips were spread out, revealing thest words of the Datong Book and the formation diagram. Copies of the Datong Book contained only the initial sections, tranted into contemporarynguage and not publicly promoted the Kunlun Wondend. The first reason for this is doubt; modern people no longer believe in Immortal Gods, and the followers of Buddhism and Taoism regard such things merely as spiritual support. The second reason is caution; the previous Martial Emperor and the Great Ancestor of the Great Zhou both imed to be disciples of Kunlun. Should the Red Alliance promote the legacy of Kunlun, they would inevitably be encircled and relentlessly pursued by the Imperial Court. "Real or not, we must try it," he said. The speaker was the Alliance Hierarch, the Straw Raincoat Guest, who took a piece of meteorite iron from beyond the heavens from his bosom; it was pitch-ck and about the size of a fist. "This iron was found by my ancestors while fishing, and I¡¯ve always thought of forging it into a divine weapon, but even after heating it for seven days and nights, it wouldn¡¯t melt!" he said. As he spoke, he ced the meteorite iron in the center of the formation, waited for a moment, and with no reaction forting, he took back the iron with a touch of disappointment. The Kunlun Wondend, having been passed down through two dynasties, was faintly associated with the notion of a heavenly mandate! Afterward, the others brought forward various items they had gathered, mostly rare metals such as gold, silver, copper, and iron, as well as some umon natural minerals and even some kinds of extremely hard wood. Every item was exceedingly hard, fireproof, and waterproof. Regrettably, not one could activate the formation, leading many to suspect that the formation diagram left at the end was a hoax. "This poor Taoist will give it a shot." The speaker was the fortelling Taoist, who took out a regr-looking, gray, dusty bead from his bosom. An irregrly shaped oval, it would just look like an inconspicuous pebble if thrown into a river. "This object was left by my master. He had once received instruction in the Minor Divination of Zhou Yi from a remarkable person and rose to fame, earning the title of living Immortal God!" "During his travels across Cloud Continent, he advised a farming household to flee to the Northern Border to avoid a cmity, and he received this unusual stone bead as a reward. It has been passed down for nearly three hundred years, been held by several generations, and not even a single mark has been left on it," said the Taoist. After introducing the item, he ced the stone bead in the center of the formation, not really expecting it to open the gates to the Immortal Realm. Hum! The formation began to emit spiritual light, growing from faint to dazzling, shooting out andnding on the wall, slowly forming a spinning portal of five-colored light. "What is this?" "Kunlun Immortal Gate!" "There really are Immortal Beings in the world!" "Hiss..." Cries of amazement rang out, and it took a while for the room to return to calm. The Taoist said, "Alliance Leader, why not have a look inside? I¡¯ve just made some calctions, and there shouldn¡¯t be any danger!" "Beyond the Immortal Gate, there must be great opportunities; it¡¯s possible to achieve the status of Martial Emperor or the Great Ancestor in the future." The Straw Raincoat Guest said, "However, since I am not the one who opened this gate, it means I am not fated for the Immortal Realm. If I were to rush in recklessly and displease the Immortal Beings, wouldn¡¯t it be a waste of a tremendous opportunity?" The rest nodded in agreement; having been able to gather together despite the bloody oppression of the Imperial Court, they had already been through countless trials. "Taoist, go and take a look. We¡¯ll wait here and guard the entrance for you. Remember to seek guidance from the Immortal Beings. Even if you don¡¯t receive any treasures, learn a powerful martial art," said the Straw Raincoat Guest. "Alright, I will not let you down," replied the Taoist, no longer hesitating or declining in case the Immortal Gate was limited in time, which would be to waste the ancestral item for nothing. He stepped into the Immortal Gate, passing through as if through a curtain of water, and disappeared all at once. "The Immortal Gate isn¡¯t closing?" Astonished, the Straw Raincoat Guest voiced his surprise and, after consulting with the others for a short while, they lined up and took turns to test and enter. A momentter. The Immortal Gate slowly closed, the wall returned to normal, and the room was empty. Zhou Yi materialized, collecting the gray, dusty stone bead into his hand and repeatedly probed it with his divine sense, but found no traces. "Wondering which old monster it could be!" Chapter 235 - 223: The Illusion Array Refines the Heart Kunlun Cave Heaven. The faint light shimmered, and the fortune-telling Daoistnded on the ground. Looking up, he saw the Heaven-reaching Divine Wood, as well as the little Daoist boy nodding off beneath the tree, affirming the tales from the mundane world. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "This is the Heaven-reaching Divine Wood? Legend has it that by climbing it, one could enter the World of Immortals and Gods!" Just as the Daoist was about to step forward and speak, another dozen or so rays of light flickered, and the Straw Raincoat Guest and others entered the Cave Heaven one after another. "Alliance Hierarch, you¡¯ve alsoe in?" "The immortals did not forbid it." The Straw Raincoat Guest surveyed the Kunlun Wondend, the dense white fog swirling all around. As he inhaled, he felt the mysterious aura enter his meridians and viscera, slightly bolstering his Qi-Blood. "Indeed, an Immortal Realm, where even breathing makes one stronger!" The Spirit Ginseng child heard the murmurs, slowly opened his eyes, yawned, and spoke. "You¡¯vee at an inopportune time. The immortal elder is in secluded cultivation. You can practice nearby, go to the Scripture Pavilion to study the scriptures, and if there are any matters,e and ask poor Dao." The Straw Raincoat Guest bowed and asked, "Esteemed immortal elder, how may you be addressed?" "I am Spirit Ginseng, not worthy of the title ¡¯immortal elder.¡¯" Hearing the words ¡¯immortal elder,¡¯ Spirit Ginseng¡¯s eyes visibly brightened with joy. "You, with your bushy eyebrows and big eyes, look quite fortunate. You could achieve great things in the future!" "Thank you for your praise, immortal elder. The younger one is Ye Yun." Having risen from a fisherman to his current position, Ye Yun had long since learned to observe words and expressions. He said respectfully, "May I ask how long the immortal elder¡¯s secluded cultivation will take?" "You most likely will not be able to wait." Spirit Ginseng exined, "The immortal elder¡¯s secluded cultivationsts at least several decades or hundreds of years, and at most several hundred or even a thousand years." The group showed disappointment upon hearing this, but then quickly realized that being able to enter Kunlun was already a great opportunity. With such a destiny, the Red Alliance is bound to achieve great things! "You may cultivate in Kunlun Mountain for a year. You can stay in the rooms on either side of the Daoist temple and must not make any loud noises. As for food, you will need to prepare it yourself." Spirit Ginseng took pots, pans,dles, spoons, and several bags of grain, flour, meat, and vegetables out of his sleeves. "Come find poor Dao for more when you have finished these. There¡¯s no need to be frugal. Originally, you could have eaten Spirit Rice, but due to some ineffective individual, you will have to make do withmon food." "Thank you, immortal elder!" Everyone bowed and after gathering to discuss for a moment, those not interested in the martial way took charge of reciting scriptures. People like Ye Yun and Bai Shiyu practiced the martial way day and night. A year of arduous cultivation passed in the blink of an eye. Spirit Ginseng was not ustomed to seeing so many people, and without the constraints of Zhou Yi, he had be much more unrestrained. That day, after everyone finished their martial practice near the Heaven-reaching Divine Wood, they sat around Spirit Ginseng, listening to its tales of amusing ancient times. The Cultivation World was already detached from the mundane, and after nine hundred years of obliteration, after countless generations of mortal poption changes, it had be ancient peculiar news to ordinary people. Spirit Ginseng mixed truth with fiction, describing Kunlun as the ancestral pulse of the Nine Continents, and added many tales from the storybooks, making it sound truly imaginative and mysterious. Among them were five members of the Red Alliance, with pen and paper in hand, recording every word. Once the Red Alliance seeds, this will be their cultural heritage! Boasting, Spirit Ginseng said, "Although the Dan Ding Sect is notparable to Kunlun, it is also a great teaching of ten thousand years. To enter the sect, one must undergo an Illusion Array trial. Inside the illusion, one tastes all kinds of temptations. Once indulged, one loses the chance for immortality..." "Immortal elder, I seem to have heard this before." Bai Shiyu, scratching his ears and cheeks, said, "A few years ago, I read a storybook titled ¡¯Legend of the Three Heroes,¡¯ where it was written just like this." "Of course, do you know the author of that book?" Spirit Ginseng, always unable to help feeling ted upon hearing ¡¯immortal elder,¡¯ smiled and exined, "The Pure True Monarch is no ordinary man, but a real practitioner of the Way. While he is naturally indifferent, he particrly likes mundane storybooks. Hence, he personally wrote this book." Ye Yun inquired, "Immortal elder, so there truly exist such Trial Formations in the world?" "That is indeed so." Spirit Ginseng dered, "Such trivial techniques for refining the heart, there are no less than a hundred recorded in the Scripture Pavilion¡¯s Daoist texts. Poor Daoist can easily create one for you." Ye Yun fell silent for a long while before bowing and saying, "I request that the immortal elder perform the heart-refining spell!" "Spirit-refining techniques are not like the ordinary ones. They delve straight into the depths of the soul, and their effects are influenced by the strength of the spirit. It¡¯s a hundred times more difficult for ordinary people than for cultivators." Spirit Ginseng spoke solemnly, "Back then, many talented Loose Cultivators with unyielding determination failed on the path of heart refinement. If you cannot pass it, though there won¡¯t be substantial harm, you also..." "Originally, I came from a family of fishermen, all I wanted was to seek justice for themon folk." Ye Yun spoke firmly, "Now that I have obtained the Immortal Scriptures of Kunlun, all I wish for is universal peace in this world. The difficulty is as daunting as turning the sky and earth upside down. If I cannot get through the heart refinement, I am willing to step down as the Alliance Hierarch!" "Leader!" "Elder Brother Ye!" Hearing this, the group was greatly shocked. The Ye Yun established Red Alliance wasparable to the core founding patriarch. "Do not persuade me further." Ye Yun continued, "I ask the immortal to perform the spell!" "With such determination! There is one in billions who can pass the Spirit-Refining Formation. Poor Dao shall grant you an opportunity!" Apuding, Spirit Ginseng took out an Array te from his sleeve, set it up around Ye Yun, and activated the Formation and Prohibition with a spell. Within the formation, Ye Yun¡¯s vision darkened, and when he reopened his eyes, he was at sea with his father¡¯s urging voice in his ear. "Ye Yun, the Sea Dragon King ising. Hurry back to the shore." "Okay." Ye Yun responded, feeling as if he had forgotten something very important, yet he couldn¡¯t remember what it was. In the outside world, everyone saw Ye Yun sitting in the epassing radiant light, his expression constantly changing. Confusion, fear, regret, despondency, pride, and even greed... After about an hour. Chapter 236 - 223 Illusion Array Refining the Heart_2 ``` The Formation¡¯s brilliance gradually dimmed, and Ye Yun slowly opened his eyes. As various memories surfaced, joy spread across his face. "Many thanks for the guidance, esteemed immortal." The Heart-Refining Formation was like an illusion, bewildering the mind. Having endured all sorts of hardships, including the dilemmas and temptations faced after the Red Alliance¡¯s expansion, he now reflected on them with numerous contingency ns. "You actually made it through!" The Spirit Ginseng Doll showed a look of surprise; it truly didn¡¯t expect a mortal to ovee the Heart-Refining trial and exhaled a puff of green breath towards Ye Yun. The green breath merged into Ye Yun¡¯s body, invigorating him with surging vitality, healing all hidden injuries and chronic diseases. Ye Yun felt an unprecedented ease, as if he had rejuvenated by a dozen years. Under the drive of the vitality, his Qi-Blood gathered in his dantian, explosively condensing into an aperture. Yet that wasn¡¯t the end. As vitality flowed through his limbs and bones, six more apertures were sessively formed before it was finally spent. "I thank the esteemed immortal!" The Spirit Ginseng Doll nodded and said, "In the future, do not let this immortal fate go to waste." Bai Shiyu approached and said, "Esteemed immortal, may I try the Heart-Refining too?" The Spirit Ginseng Doll said, "I don¡¯t know about the others, but you are sure to fail." Still unwilling to ept it, Bai Shiyu persisted in begging, using a mix of soft and hard tactics until he finally stepped into the Heart-Refining Formation. Half an hourter, he woke up with a sharp scream. Ye Yun asked curiously, "What did Shiyu experience?" Bai Shiyu¡¯s face turned red, and he hemmed and hawed, unable to articte his experience. he only mentioned his failure at thest step. The Spirit Ginseng Doll chuckled, "This fellow¡¯s romantic entanglements are too numerous. He¡¯s met with a cmity of love and will one day capsize his boat and find himself in the water." "Hahaha!" Upon hearing this, everyoneughed heartily, showing a bit of envy for Bai Shiyu while also admonishing him to take it as a lesson. The Lady in Red frowned, her hand on the sword¡¯s hilt as she cast a sidelong nce at Bai Shiyu¡¯s waist, breathing heavily a few times before finally suppressing her anger and bowing, "Esteemed immortal, I would like to try the Heart-Refining too!" Upon hearing her, Bai Shiyu¡¯splexion turned pale green, wanting to stop her but unable to mention the reason. The Spirit Ginseng Doll had an enigmatic expression; it had seen how in the illusion, thedy had angrily cut down all his lovers, which had scared Bai Shiyu out of the Heart-Refining Formation. Peeping into one¡¯s private matters was truly quite enjoyable! "Sure, one by one. Anyone can refine their heart." The Lady in Red sat cross-legged inside the formation, her eyebrows tightly knitted. Soon she showed anger and disappointment. She went through various illusions and managed to pass through them all calmly. "Interesting, interesting!" The Spirit Ginseng Doll, being neither male nor female, was just an Art of Transformation, so it had never had notions of love. Seeing Bai Shiyu and the Lady in Red making different choices in their scenarios, it vaguely understood something. To cultivate, Spirits and Monsters must endure the trials of the mortal world toprehend the dao. The tales of poor schrs falling in love with Spirits and Monsters were not unfounded. Of course, there were shortcuts, such as consuming Living Souls. "Many thanks, esteemed immortal." The Lady in Red felt the surging vitality within, her Qi-Blood condensing into several apertures. Even more gratifying was her skin bing jade-like, her bright eyes and shining teeth more radiant, giving her more confidence to defeat those little demons! Subsequently, the rest of the Red Alliance members took turns at Heart-Refining, with most of them failing. It wasn¡¯t that they could not withstand torture, but rather they were lost in the temptations that came with sess. The Spirit Ginseng Doll didn¡¯t skimp either, rewarding the five who passed with a mouthful of its breath. The blind man felt a piercing pain in his eyes like needles, tears of blood streaming down. It felt like insects crawling in his eye sockets. Even after passing through the Heart-Refining, he couldn¡¯t help but scream. The mind may not yield to torture, but the body still feels pain! After a long while. The blind man¡¯s pain receded, he copsed on the ground, and slowly opened his eyes to see the blue sky and white clouds. Rubbing his eyes a few times to ensure it wasn¡¯t an illusion, he quickly got up and kowtowed. "I thank the immortal master!" "It¡¯s just a trifle." The Spirit Ginseng Doll made no distinction in treatment, as the millennia-old, life-giving energy within it considered human flesh and bones trivial matters. N?v(el)B\\jnn ... One yearter. There is a Tavern. Zhou Yi busily clicked away at an abacus, calcting the gold coins earned that day. In just three short years, one could clearly feel that the wealthy were bing increasingly stingy, a far cry from the generosity they disyed when first encountered. The most drastic change had urred in the Lu family. Last year, with the idental death of Lu Bo, the infighting among the branches was fierce, leading to the disintegration of the millennia-old family. The main branch still held some wealth, surviving on the legacy of their ancestors. The second and third branches pledged allegiance to new noble families. The rest scattered like birds and beasts, taking the gold and family treasures to establish new branches across thends of Da Zhou. "Such actions are most likely a concerted decision by the Lu family. Scattered like stars across the sky, they can surely preserve their heritage!" Zhou Yi shook his head slightly. The millennia-old family had weathered countless storms, enduring from the previous era to the present day, with many strategies to adapt to changes in dynasties. Now the new nobility may seem triumphant, just like the founding nobles of Da Qian, Daqing, and so on. But several hundred or a thousand yearster, those who will have their bloodlines endure are still the noble families. ``` Yang Li swept the floor clean and made sure the tables and chairs were neatly arranged before he bowed deeply and said, "Shopkeeper, I will take my leave first." "Take a moment to rest." Zhou Yi formed a spell with his hands and smiled, "Today, your fortune burgeons, and you may encounter a significant opportunity." Knowing that Shopkeeper Sun was a remarkable person and a benefactor of the Yang family, who had supported his younger siblings by selling peanuts and aniseed beans, Yang Li obediently stood to one side. Zhou Yi asked, "Have you learned to read after selling newspapers for these years?" Yang Li nodded and said, "I recognize most characters, but my writing is not good." Zhou Yimented, "That¡¯s very good. No matter if times are tough or prosperous, don¡¯t forget to keep learning." "I will remember your teachings, Shopkeeper." Yang Li bowed in agreement, finding the words somewhat awkward, as if they echoed his father¡¯s dying wishes from years ago. At that moment, Bai Shiyu, the blind man, and the cook came downstairs, all three bowing deeply in respect. "We thank the Shopkeeper for your protection!" Zhou Yi waved his hand and said, "It¡¯s nothing, as the tavern owner, it is my duty to ensure the safety of my guests." Bai Shiyu exined, "The Alliance Hierarch intended to thank you personally, but I stopped him, telling him that you dislike worldly matters and shouldn¡¯t be dragged into this." "You really do understand me!" Looking intently at Bai Shiyu, Zhou Yi said, "Recently, I have had some insights and n to enter seclusion for deep cultivation. It¡¯s good you have returned; from now on, I entrust you with managing the tavern." Bai Shiyu frowned and said, "Shopkeeper, if the Red Alliance affects you, then we will find another ce for our gatherings..." "I truly am entering seclusion!" Zhou Yi said, "Not long ago, I encountered an old friend, and I must bid him a respectful departure. I won¡¯t be back for a while." "Then I would be remiss to decline." Bai Shiyu sped his hands and said, "I will take care of the tavern in the meantime. As soon as you return, Shopkeeper, it will be yours again!" "Let it be so." Zhou Yi took out a cloud-patterned jade pendant from his chest, snapped it in half with a crack, and said, "In the future, use this as a sign. The secret recipe for ¡¯Pear Flower White¡¯ is hidden beneath the counter, along with the ledger of customers." Without any hesitation, he vaulted away and vanished into the night. "Shopkeeper Sun is truly an extraordinary person!" Bai Shiyu carefully stored the jade pendant and turned to Yang Li with a smile, asking, "Young Friend Yang, would you be interested in joining the Red Alliance?" ... Monthster, In the depths of the Eastern Sea, millions of miles away, On an unnamed ind. Zhou Yi took out the dull grey stone bead that he had been researching ever since he acquired it. He practiced the Dark Witch Curse every night when he returned to his retreat for cultivation. "The color has faded slightly, yet I still cannot discern the details inside!" "This object¡¯s seal far exceeds that of the Dragon Emperor¡¯s Treasure Bead. It is likely not another Demon Emperor¡¯s work, but perhaps that of an ancient Divinity Transformation expert..." Having read through the Wanjuan Daozang, Zhou Yi had a deep understanding of the self-sealing technique, which originated from ancient legacies. Aside from its massive energy consumption, it had no other ws and was considered a wonderful method for avoiding cmities! Such as this greyish-green stone bead, indestructible and imprable, even a Divinity Transformation ancestor would be helpless against it, left with no choice but to wait for the seal to dissipate on its own. The Divinity Transformation ancestor was not like Zhou Yi, possessing an infinite lifespan to practice the ck Witch Curse. Even if he waited patiently by its side, he would perish first as thousands of years passed by. When the Cultivation World still existed, one could store such an object within a sect, and when the seal was lifted, it would be in by the sessors. In this era, when even sects have perished, thisst resort is no longer an option! "After much thought, only I am the nemesis of this technique! These old ghosts are all cunning, they should be hidden securely in the Nine Continents, yet time and again, they fall into my hands. Could it be fate?" Zhou Yi looked up at the sky, shook his head slightly, and set upyers of Formation and Prohibition around the stone beads. Miles away, Just as he cursed the Dragon Emperor years ago, he continuously cast curses, and the Demonic God Altar grew more responsive under the nourishment of his endless lifespan. A cackling sound, like that of demons in the world. In a blink of an eye, fifteen years had passed, and the dusty stone bead had be semi-transparent. Through the murky haze, a figure inside could be seen. Zhou Yi scrutinized the robe¡¯s style and,paring it to the records in the Daozang, he could guess the identity of the person who sealed themselves. "Yuanling Heavenly Monarch from the One Qi Sect!" Chapter 237 - 224: 200 Years Later Divine Transformation Heavenly Monarch! In the Cultivation World, the ultimate foundation of both the righteous and the demonic paths, even in old age and close to death, far surpassed any ordinary Nascent Soul. That year, chatting idly with Xiao Tiezhu at the Spring Breeze Building, and learning that the Zhen Yang Demon Venerate brazenly shattered Xiao Dan Mountain, was the confirmation of the Heavenly Monarch of the Dan Ding Sect¡¯s passing. It was both the greed for the Sky Star Stone and a test of the Dan Ding Sect! "ording to the Wanjuan Daozang, Divinity Transformation, also known as Primordial Spirit, is formed by the fusion of essence, energy, and spirit, akin to an independent life, capable of roaming the void at will. In the future, when it merges with the physical body again, it¡¯s called the Great Perfection of cultivation, entering the state of ¡¯Returning to the Void¡¯." "The greatest strength of the Divinity Transformation Realm is the ability to begin controlling the power of heaven and earth. Spells and flight no longer consume mana within the body, but instead draw directly from the Spiritual Energy of the world..." Thinking this far, Zhou Yi couldn¡¯t help but show a smile. "Now, this world doesn¡¯t have a trace of Spiritual Energy, what can Divinity Transformation do?" "The only thing I need to be cautious about is the Supreme rity Divine Talisman, which must be sealed along with Yuan Ling. Perhaps it still retains some of its power!" To ensure there were no idents, Zhou Yi once again flew a million miles deep into the Eastern Sea. The boundless ocean, with its sparsely dotted inds, was devoid of any human traces, deste, silent... Finding an Ind with a fairly wide area, he took out all his Array tes, and theplex oveys of Formation and Prohibition took fifteen years to set up. Zhou Yi cast a Spell to activate the Light Dividing Sword, striking it upon the Formation, causing no damage at all. "The Supreme rity Divine Talisman is more of a support, nowhere near as deadly as the Light Dividing Sword. Such a Formation is enough to seal Yuan Ling for good. Moreover, even if he escapes, I can just hide in the seas for a few hundred years!" "In this age without dharma, without an Innate Spirit Root to provide Spiritual Energy, even a true Divinity Transformation master can only die in despair!" Having prepared both the fore and aft paths, Zhou Yi took out the Demonic God Altar and continued to consume his lifespan to cast incantations. ... In the deepest parts of the Eastern Sea. The azure sea and blue sky, if not for the asional fish leaping and birds chirping, truly seemed like a still painting, Nornal people would go mad or fall into despair if they stayed in such a ce for too long, but cultivation is different. The Scripture Pavilion¡¯s Wanjuan Daozang, the essence of the Cultivation World¡¯s leftover scriptures, took two to three hundred years just to organize, and would take thousands, if not tens of thousands of years, to fullyprehend. Reading scriptures every day, immersing oneself in the contemtion of the heavenly Dao. This joy of recognizing the true principles of the world, this freedom, far surpasses the seven emotions and six desires, which is why the Cultivation World has so many ascetic cultivators. Zhou Yi wasn¡¯t a rigid person by nature and already possessed longevity, so he wasn¡¯t willing to forsake his humanity for the pursuit of extended life and be a cold, lifeless stone through ascetic cultivation. "I¡¯m just a worldlymoner wandering through the mortal world!" The seasons changed, time flew by. In the blink of an eye, ten more years passed, and the dusty pebbles turned into translucent crystals, within whichy a middle-aged man in an ancient Taoist robe, with an extraordinary talisman on his forehead. As thest strand of the sealing force dissipated, Heavenly Monarch Yuanling slowly opened his eyes. "Has the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth revived?" Yuanling sensed the external Spiritual Energy and tried to tap into the forces of heaven and earth with his mana, then furrowed his brows. "Only nine hundred years have passed! Could the sealing secret technique have failed?" The Yiqi Sect was a legacy of an ancient great teaching, with records of the Blood Sacrifice Secret Technique that no ancestor had ever used; after all, the cost was great and the sess rate low, and it wasn¡¯t exercised unless it was ast resort during an apocalyptic cmity! N?v(el)B\\jnn Being sealed was like being dead,pletely unaware of when one would awaken. If the Spiritual Energy had not yet revived, then awakening would just mean waiting for death! "Whatever problems the secret technique had, it¡¯s good that the Spiritual Energy has recovered!" Yuanling couldn¡¯t wait to emerge from the seal. His lifespan was already limited and now, with only a wisp of soul remaining, he urgently needed to find someone with extraordinary talent to seize and start cultivating anew. Just as he appeared in the outside world, thunderous noises rumbled all around. Heavenly Thunder and earthfire struck from all directions, immense in power, intending to obliterate Yuanling to dust. "A Formation? A trap!" Yuanling tried to utilize the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth, only to discover tens ofyers of restraining Formations, with the void solid as a rock, unmoving. The Supreme rity Divine Talisman radiated spiritual light, protecting Yuanling¡¯s soul amid the thunder and fire. "This is the Dan Ding Sect¡¯s Heavenly Net Formation, could it be that the person trapping poor Daoist is Xuan Xiao? No, there¡¯s also the Ghost King Sect¡¯s Soul-ying Formation..." Yuanling, being experienced and knowledgeable, scrutinized each Formation and Prohibition closely, attempting to find a method to break through. But as he identified more Formations, he became increasingly desperate. "Formations from both righteous and demonic paths, merging into one, this person must have reached the pinnacle in the art of Formations!" Meanwhile. Thousands of miles away at the bottom of the sea. Zhou Yi cast the aural light technique, constantly monitoring Yuanling¡¯s every move. "He was barely clinging to life, and after breaking the seal, his strength wasn¡¯t much higher than that of the Dragon Emperor; it¡¯s just that the Supreme rity Divine Talisman protected his body, making it hard to y Yuanling in a short time." "No matter, what I have in abundance is time!" Since then. Zhou Yi tirelessly controlled the Formation, continuously replenishing the Spirit Crystals to prevent Yuanling from finding an opportune moment to break through the Formation and escape using some cunning secret technique or divination. Day after day, year after year. In the initial decades, Yuanling still tried to resist, break through the Formation, and deploy various secret techniques and Divine Skills. Zhou Yi found it quite interesting, using it to reflect on what he had learned, forming contingency ns for encounters with Nascent Souls and Divinity Transformations in the future, increasing his chances of sess. Fifty yearster. Without the replenishment of Spiritual Energy, the power of the Supreme rity Divine Talisman diminished over and over. What originally protected Yuanling with ease was now shaky, its spiritual light flickering in the relentless bombardment of thunder and fire. That day. Yuanling sat cross-legged on the deste ind, gazing eastward, and spoke aloud. "Poor Daoist¡¯s mana is exhausted; I can no longer break the Formation and can only sit and wait for death. Could the fellow Daoist who trapped me show themselves?" After waiting a long time with no response, he said again. "If you choose not to meet, it¡¯s fine. As I am on the verge of death, it would be nice to have a chat anyway." Chapter 238 - 224 Two Hundred Years Later_2 A momentter. Zhou Yi¡¯s figure manifested within the formation, looking down at Heavenly Monarch Yuanling and said, "The deeds of Daoist friend are no different from those of a Demon Head, is there anything good to say?" "If I hadn¡¯t done so, letting our sect¡¯s inheritance be severed, even in death, I would have no face to meet our ancestors!" Yuanling asked, "Daoist friend looks unfamiliar, I do not know what grievances we have that you are so relentless?" Zhou Yi shook his head and said, "No significant grievances, just acting on behalf of the heavens!" Yuanling raised his eyebrows, "In this world, what ¡¯Heavenly Dao¡¯ exists? Even if it truly exists, it couldn¡¯t possibly be as cowardly as Daoist friend, who only manifests a mere formation avatar?" "Cough, cough, cough, this is caution!" Zhou Yi asked, "How much longer does Daoist friend have to live?" "At the very least one or two hundred years, at most three or four hundred years." Yuanling said, "Daoist friend seems to be only in the Golden Core Realm, you might not be able to oust me to death, and even if you win, it would dy your cultivation. Why not make a deal? I swear by the Heavenly Dao, let bygones be bygones, how about it?" "But Daoist friend just said there is no such thing as the Heavenly Dao!" Zhou Yi would not believe the words of this old monster, there are indeed ways to get around oaths in this world, as long as one is willing to pay a sufficient price. His figure dissipated, continuing to operate the formation, submerging Yuanling with thunderous mes. "What I have the most is lifespan, only three or four hundred years, it¡¯s not even enough to cover the consumption of the morning and evening divinations!" Another fifty years passed. Yuanling hadpletely given up struggling, only maintaining the Supreme rity Divine Talisman, barely resisting the formation¡¯s assaults. Every once in a while, he would call out Zhou Yi¡¯s formation avatar for idle chat, sometimes reminiscing about the joy of cultivation in the past, or about a senior sister he once pursued, even unreservedly discussing the dark secrets of their sect. Like how to break into a certain ancient ruin, they caught countless Loose Cultivators and mortals for a Blood Sacrifice. "The Blood Sacrifice Method, derived from ancient witchcraft, can counter any Formation and Prohibition within the Cultivation World." Unreservedly, Yuanling said, "If the Blood Sacrifice can¡¯t break the formation, there¡¯s only one reason¡ªthe number of beings sacrificed isn¡¯t enough!" Zhou Yi asked, "Why did the ancient times vanish?" "It was due to the decline of Spiritual Energy." Yuanling said, "The foundation of the Cultivation Path is Spiritual Energy. Each rise and fall of the ancestral veins represents the ebb and flow of the Cultivation World, just like the cycles of reincarnation!" "At what realm can one break free from the shackles of Spiritual Energy?" "That would probably be the legendary immortals!" Another fifty years passed. Zhou Yi and Yuanling became quite familiar with each other, like close friends of many decades, seemingly talking about everything under the sun. Often consulting Yuanling on the path of cultivation, receiving guidance on the Cultivation techniques and secret arts of both the righteous and demonic paths, his prowess advanced leaps and bounds in just a few decades. Zhou Yi consulted on the method of breaking the Golden Core to form the Nascent Soul, and Heavenly Monarch Yuanling generously taught him. "Nascent Soul, the fusion of the three souls and six spirits with the Golden Core Mana, can be regarded as the embryo of the Primordial Spirit. If you get the chance in the future, be sure to fuse the three souls and six spiritspletely, otherwise, even if you break through to the Nascent Soul Realm, you will have severed your path!" "Thank you for the Heavenly Monarch¡¯s guidance." Zhou Yi bowed respectfully, holding Yuanling in high esteem. Of course, this didn¡¯t affect the operation of the formation; even as the two spoke, the Heavenly Thunder and earthen fire never ceased. Time slipped by. Another century passed. On this day. Zhou Yi didn¡¯t wait for Yuanling¡¯s summon and manifested his figure on his own, looking at the Heavenly Monarch of Divine Transformation who was breathing feebly. The light of the Supreme rity Divine Talisman had been exhausted, already turning into wrinkled beast skin talismans, and now Yuanling was resisting the Formation and Prohibition by depleting his origin. "Is it time to die?" Yuanling murmured, "I have roamed the Nine Continents and Four Seas for two thousand years, never would I have imagined to die at the hands of a Golden Core junior. Could there really be retribution in this world?" "Perhaps there is." Zhou Yi said, "Do too much evil, and one day someone wille seeking revenge." Yuanling sighed, "In principle, that¡¯s true, but having lived for so long, seeing many demons and monsters meet good ends, I stopped believing in such principles." "Be a good person in the next life!" Zhou Yi formed a spell with his hands, and a massive bolt of lightning crashed down, draining Yuanling of hisst bit of origin. A Heavenly Monarch of an era perished, his soul scattered to the winds. Zhou Yi waited another ten years to ensure there were no remnants of the soul or secret techniques before he collected the Supreme rity Divine Talisman and the sealed objects. His Divine Sense swept over them, revealing that the Supreme rity Divine Talisman contained over ten thousand volumes of beast skin books, theplete inheritance of their sect. "Another Supreme Treasure in hand!" "The Supreme rity Divine Talisman, known as the number one auxiliary Supreme Treasure in the Nine Continents, while other treasures are nourished by Mana, it refines Mana in return. The purer the Mana, the easier it is to merge with the soul, breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm!" Zhou Yi swallowed the Supreme rity Divine Talisman, settling it directly over the Golden Core, surrounded by treasures such as the Light Dividing Sword, the Bodhi Treasure Wheel, the Mountain and River Cauldron, and others. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om He packed up the Formation and Prohibition, returning to Kunlun Cave Heaven. The Jianmu tree had already been elerated to more than eight Zhang tall, truly a towering tree piercing the heavens. Zhou Yi took out the sealed object of Yuanling, his fragmented soul entered within, starting to break it open from the inside out. ... Da Zhou Binhai City. Yihong Clubhouse. The "mommy" was dressed in a cheongsam, smiling as she led a Taoist priest in, holding up her orchid fingers as she spoke. "This is a legitimate establishment, offering only health-preserving massages. You can rest assured, we have connections on the inside!" The Daoist nodded repeatedly, "Legitimacy is good. I don¡¯t visit ces that aren¡¯t!" Half an hourter. A loud bang as the door burst open, seven or eight ck-clothed patrol officers charged into the room, shouting loudly for everyone to put their hands on their heads. Patrol House. The Taoist looked around curiously at the corner of the wall, at the camera that was recording the interrogation, which perhaps had another name, but the general function would be much the same. "Name?" "Bai Long." "Age?" "Eighteen!" "upation?" "Taoist priest." "..." One by one, the patrol officer went through the routine interrogation. Zhou Yi answered smoothly, even providing a valid ID number upon request. A simple illusion technique fooled the eyes and minds of the patrol officers, but it was a pity he could no longer forge identities as freely as in the old days. ording to his understanding of his previous life, tools simr toputers were nowworked nationwide! The Taoist was suspected of illegal celebration, a topic likely to be a hot news item, something the Patrol House did not wish to see happen, so they aimed to close the case quickly. After paying five thousand in temporarily made currency, Zhou Yi walked out of the Patrol House. He looked up at the sky. Just then, an airne roared past overhead, his gaze sweeping over the streets, skyscrapers, and the throngs of pedestrians. Drip, drip, drip! Perhaps it was rush hour, as a line of cars were jammed in the road, with impatient drivers honking their horns continuously. On the pedestrian sidewalks on either side, some people wore revealing clothes, others wore simple long robes, and there were quite a few women in pce attire. "Such clothing would have been considered usurping one¡¯s station back in the day, and could have resulted in the execution of the entire nine ns!" Zhou Yi felt both unfamiliar and familiar with these scenes, but his heart was mostly filled with joy. This era might have this or that problem, and it certainly didn¡¯tck corrupt officials or exploitation and oppression, but it was a million times better than the era of Da Qian, Daqing, Da Zhou, and so on. The only dissatisfaction might be that celebrations were no longer permitted! Times change. Zhou Yi was very willing to abide by the rules, to follow the rules of each and every era, whether with caution or by blending in without unting his power. "This city looks nice. I¡¯ll stay here for a while to get familiar with this era before heading to the capital." Several dayster. Zhou Yi sold some old newspapers and exchanged them for an apartment in Binhai. After moving in, the first thing he did was get online. He gently touched therge curved screen, the mechanical keyboard cked, the mouse shed with neon lights, and the high-end mainframe hummed. His fingers trembled with excitement. "One thousand nine hundred and twenty-three years have passed!" "Do you know how I spent these one thousand nine hundred years?" He pressed the power button, watching the familiar yet strange ssh screen. Zhou Yi began to study the function of each icon. More or less the same. Or you could say that human needs werergely simr. He opened the web browser and began searching thest two hundred years of Cloud Continent¡¯s history. "Cloud Continent unified; it¡¯s now the three hundred and fifty-first year of the Da Zhou calendar¡­" "A hundred and fifty years ago, the Red Alliance led a revolution¡­" "The Royal Family voluntarily abdicated, transforming into the Cab and agreed to preserve the Imperial n¡¯s estates¡­" Zhou Yi flipped through the web pages as fast as lightning, scanning the content with his divine sense. After getting an overall grasp of history, he then searched for news about old acquaintances. "Tsk tsk tsk, quite a few have made it into the history textbooks!" "Bai Shiyu, oh Bai Shiyu, you have caused some embarrassment, all I find is tabloid history about you, even earning yourself the title of one of the ¡¯Four Great Young Masters of Old Zhou¡¯!" After acquainting himself with history, Zhou Yi searched for aputer beginner¡¯s tutorial and quickly mastered it. He then downloaded the most popr chat software of the time, Yun Chat, and pondered for a moment before setting up his ount, using his past-lifemunication number as his username. "This is the only trace of memory left for this poor Daoist." Not long after he finished registering. Drip, drip, drip! Xuan Ling Zhenren invites you to join the "Nine Continents Cultivation Chat Group"! Chapter 239 - 225 Unsolved Mysteries In the 351st year of the Zhou dynasty. Summer. Xuan¡¯an City was suffering from drought, with no rain for two consecutive months. The Luo River had dried up, revealing a stone figure on the riverbed with inscriptions on it. Because the inscriptions were so taboo, the vigers didn¡¯t dare to remove and sell the figure, and instead, they reported it to the city¡¯s cultural heritage bureau. A team of more than a dozen experts was assembled to date the stone figure and to n its protection and promotion. Xiao Ran was one of them, having just graduated and entered the department not long ago. As a rookie in the bureau, he was responsible for carrying fishing rods, stools, tents, and other tools on his back. Upon reaching the site. Xiao Ran set down the fishing gear and also squeezed in to take a look at the stone figure. About five to six feet tall, its facial sculpture had turned into abstract art due to the long-term erosion by the river water, but the inscriptions on its chest were clear. "The drying Luo River, the world revolts!" Expert Dong said, "Looking at the script, it seems to be from the pre-Qing period, at least two thousand years ago. Back then, the most famous rebel army recorded was the ck Turban Army." "Old Dong makes sense, but there is another line of text below..." The stone expert pointed at the inscription and said, "Been here, and then there¡¯s a string ofmunication numbers afterwards, this definitely doesn¡¯t resemble the style of ancient times." Xiao Ran also noticed that on the stone figure it was written: Been here, with amunication number 1-9-9-****. "Could it be fake? But looking at this script and the craftsmanship, it doesn¡¯t seem forged!" Expert Dong walked around the stone figure twice, discussing it with the stone expert for a long time. Yet, they still couldn¡¯t understand the reason behind it, and they couldn¡¯t find any simr messages in ancient books. In ancient times, schrs who visited a ce often left behind poems, and asionally inscriptions or paintings, known as "leaving one¡¯s mark" to show off their literary grace. Nobody has ever heard of someone leaving a "Been here" message, let alone with amunication number¡ªutterly vulgar, unfilial! Once Officer Zhao from the publicity department saw the experts puzzled, he lit up and said, "Perhaps this is a good opportunity, to publicize this mystery and let cultural relics enthusiasts nationwide try to solve it." "Xiao Zhao has a good idea. This could be the first ¡¯Been here¡¯ in the history of cultural relics." Expert Dong clearly understood the implications and nodded slightly. "Research on cultural artifacts is tedious andplicated, and no matter how much we publicize it, it¡¯s tough to resonate withizens. This ¡¯Been here,munication number,¡¯ however, is very grounded, and might spark quite a discussion!" "Exactly, Teacher Dong is right." Officer Zhao felt this was feasible; publicity work wasn¡¯t easy to execute, needing to be serious yet lively, akin to a colorful patch of ck. "First, let¡¯s formally announce the stone figure¡¯s existence, sparking discussions about the riddle of the ancients. Then, create some memes, suggesting historical figures have all ¡¯been here¡¯..." Being grounded means blending in with themon people, but this presupposes that one holds a high position. Netizens discovering that historically great poets and literati were just as vulgar in their "Been here" as ordinary people would surely find it endearing. The intricacy of it all gave off a sense of enticing good families to lower their standards! "It might just be a trending topic. If it bes an expression like ¡¯Simply delicious,¡¯ it will definitely attract many tourists to Xuan¡¯an City. The National Dynasty is bing increasingly wealthy, and there are plenty of idle people on the inte!" Officer Zhao was very ambitious, always seizing opportunities for promotion, and called his colleagues from the TV station to film from various angles. Xiao Ran, who was about the same age, was naturally aid-back person; otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have chosen afortable job like Qingshui Yamen at such a young age, where his daily work involved apanying leaders in tea tasting and fishing. Hearing the experts describing it as miraculous, he took out his phone, snapped a few photos, and sent them to the "Nine Provinces Cultivation Chat Group." Picture, picture, picture. Xuan Miao the Daoist: "A new unsolved mystery in the world of archaeology: Did ancient people also havemunication numbers? Are they transmigrators or from an ancient civilization?" The Nine Provinces Cultivation Chat Group was set up by a group of cultivation enthusiasts. Xiao Ran used to be an avid fan of cultivation novels, dreaming of immortality because, after all, youth is wasted without a bit of rebellion. Thus, he collected many cultivation groups on the inte and joined them one by one. Ny-nine percent of such chat groups died a swift death on the grand path, and over the years, only this one remained active. The core reason was that the group didn¡¯t have many members, and the group owner required members to have at least read one Daoist ssic, or they would soon be kicked out. Rebellious teenagers only thought about defying fate and wouldn¡¯t settle down to read. To this day, the group barely had a hundred members! The group owner, Daoist Xuan Ling, was a bona fide Daoist priest who was said to have been born amidst auspicious purple clouds, and the first word he uttered was: Immortal! Xiao Ran, in his peak rebellious phase, was utterly astonished and deeply believed that Daoist Xuan Ling was a true cultivator. Following his advice, Xiao Ran had read many ssics from Daoist sages. His currentid-back personality was probably influenced by this, as non-striving is the highest realm in Daoism. Daoist Xuan Ling: "Is this real? Where was it found?" Send current location. Xuan Miao the Daoist: "Bottom of Luoshui River, I¡¯m at the scene right now." Daoist Xuan Ling: "This location is about three hundred miles away from that immortal¡¯s relic. It seems that the Luoshui River really did have immortals cultivating in secret!" Seeing the group owner¡¯s words, Xiao Ran felt both ashamed and unsurprised, as the other party was a true believer in the existence of cultivation. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Most other group members, including Xiao Ran himself, were past their rebellious years and hade to terms with reality. Cultivation didn¡¯t exist; the Daoist scriptures were somewhat useful, providing sce when one felt troubled. Xuan Miao the Daoist: "If it was left by an immortal, why not try to invite them over? Maybe they really exist?" "Well said!" Daoist Xuan Ling didn¡¯t take this as a jest; instead, he took the suggestion very seriously. Searching with themunication number, to their surprise, actually yielded a result. Chapter 240 - 225 Unsolved Mystery_2 ``` Bai Long. Age: 1939. Signature: Where the mighty tigers lie by the soaring skies, dragons hide within emerald jade belts. upation: Taoist Priest. Bai Long has been invited to join the "Nine Provinces Chat Group". ... Binhai. N?v(el)B\\jnn Garden City No. 404. The moment Zhou Yi received the group invitation, he subconsciously summoned the Xuanwu Divine Armor and swept his Divine Sense over a range of several miles to ensure there were no traces of mana. "Could it be the mysterious powerhouse who secretly controls the Nine Provinces?" He took out a fortune-telling bamboo cup from his storage bag, cast a minor divination spell, and gently shook it until the divination sticks fell to the ground. All is well. Zhou Yi breathed a sigh of relief, as the ck Tortoise Armor turned back into a turtle shell, and then he performed another divination with the lesser version of the calctions. "So it turns out that themunication number I left behind in the past was actually discovered by someone." Since it wasn¡¯t the observation of a strong power, after a bit of thought, Zhou Yi confirmed the addition to the chat group through the ssics. "Wee, neer!" "I¡¯m begging you, send a red packet." "Fellow Daoist, where do you cultivate?" "..." Several consecutive messages, stripped of cringe-worthy words like ¡¯poor Daoist¡¯ and ¡¯cultivation,¡¯ were no different from a normal chat group. Zhou Yi changed his nickname in the group to Bai Zhenjun and said, "Poor Daoist is the Supreme Elder of the East Sea Earth Fire Pce!" Truthfully, no one believed such cringeworthy derations, but they managed to elicit reactions from many fellow Daoists. Chiyan True Monarch: "Hahaha, Poor Daoist has finally condensed a Golden Core!" Aurora Master: "What¡¯s a Golden Core? Poor Daoist, through ceaseless cultivation day and night, has reached the stage of Spirit Division!" Sun Zhenren: "After working overtime for three consecutive days and nights, I¡¯m about to transcend to immortality." Chixing: "Are there still such sweatshops nowadays?" Chiyan True Monarch: "Darkness without daylight, once Poor Daoist exits seclusion, it¡¯s time for another XX!" Chiyan True Monarch has been muted for 1 hour! "..." Zhou Yi smiled knowingly, browsed the group files, and found a wealth of Daoist scriptures, cultivation techniques, and peculiar alchemy recipes that sounded like dark cuisine, purportedly leading to ascension if consumed! "Alchemy downloads are the most numerous!" After pondering for a moment, Zhou Yi rapidlyposed several nourishing medicinal decoction recipes, simplifying the rare ingredients within, which reduced the effects by arge margin but also brought costs down by more than tenfold. He uploaded the medicinal decoction documents, waiting for someone destined to try them. Ding ding ding! Xuan Ling True Monarch requests to add you as a friend. Zhou Yi, with a calction, learned the intention of the group leader, agreed to the request, and they exchanged "sped fist" emojis. Soon after, they had a profound and clear conversation, starting from Taoist teachings to Buddhist sutras and then to Confucianism. Even though Xuan Ling True Monarch professed to have studied the three teachings thoroughly, he was no match for Zhou Yi. Xuan Ling True Monarch: "Fellow Daoist is immensely talented, far surpassing me!" Bai Zhenjun became a group admin. After discussing Taoism for half an hour, the group chat had already umted 99 messages, all because of a picture Xiao Ran had posted. Everyone discussed back and forth, unable to reach any conclusions, which led to many other unsolved mysteries, such as the walls of Immortal Capital City remaining indestructible for a thousand years, their hardness far surpassing normal bluestone. Upon searching for Immortal Capital City walls on the inte, Zhou Yi was immediately met with various interpretations, iming it to be the biggest unsolved mystery in Cloud Continent! Many folk experts and professors asserted that the Immortal Capital was built by the Da Qian with the help of extraterrestrials, because the Imperial Court¡¯s manpower and technology of the time couldn¡¯t possibly have created such tough and tall walls! And where might the extraterrestrials be? Naturally beyond the Nine Heavens Gang Wind or at the ends of the Four Seas, which is another mystery unsolved! Folk scientists are the masters of self-justification, after all, you can¡¯t prove them wrong! Nowadays, Zhou¡¯s technology can onlyunch signal satellites up to theyer of Gang Wind, floating in the sky with the help of wind, beyond that, exploration is extremely difficult. Looking back on the history of Immortal Capital City with the perspective of someone who has been through it all, Zhou Yi found it quite amusing. "Looks like everyone¡¯s drunk and I¡¯m the only one awake!" Another search for ¡¯unsolved mysteries¡¯ instantly brought up top ten, top hundred, and so on, involving various aspects of astronomy and geology. Zhou Yi scanned the web pages quickly with his Divine Sense, filtering out useful information. ``` For instance, why did Red Continent transform into a desert, who carved the statues and inscriptions of Buddha Continent, why are pce ruins frequently discovered in the deep mountains and ancient forests, and does Kunlun Fairy Mountain truly exist... Modern technology far surpasses the ancients in exploring the world. The remains of the Dan Ding Sect are one of the top ten unsolved mysteries, acimed as Cloud Continent¡¯srgest pceplex, with an area exceeding that of Immortal Capital City. However, their crumbling walls and ruins make it difficult to trace their origins. After the explosion of technology, cultivationpletely became an illusion. Many unsolved mysteries rely on the hope of overseas visitors, extraterrestrial arrivals, or even the civilization at the Earth¡¯s core. Only a minority suffering from severe adolescent fantasies still firmly believe that immortals exist in the world, and that all unsolved mysteries were created by these immortals or left behind from their magical duels. Soon. Zhou Yi had looked through all the unsolved mysteries of the Nine Provinces and could pretend to be an expert in mysticism during casual conversations. "What a pity, I haven¡¯t discovered the hardest object in the world." After careful research and contemtion, Zhou Yi decided to open an unconventional antique shop, specializing in studying ancient items that technology could not exin. There might be some good finds. The primary target would naturally be the sealed artifacts of the old monsters, followed by degenerated magical treasures and spiritual objects, which could also be nurtured in Kunlun Cave Heaven. ... Half a monthter. Zhou Yi had legally acquired an identity card. After dealing with various cards, the Xuanwu Divine Armor turned into a id shirt, making him unremarkable in the crowd. During this time, he had been surfing the inte and searching for information on the various nations of the Nine Provinces Continent, as well as experiencing ying Yasuo twenty times. With the reflexes of a Golden Elixir True Monarch, he ughtered opponents as easily as cutting vegetables. "Being invincible is truly lonely!" Zhou Yi took a swig of soda and booked a ne ticket online. From Binhai to Immortal Capital City, first ss. Zhou Yi never stinted on himself; back when he was in prison, he would dly spend ten thousand taels at Spring Breeze Building. Now the several billion in his card were just a string of numbers. Binhai belongs to a century-old new city, a first-tier city in the great Zhou, but its heritage is too thin and doesn¡¯t suit the tastes of a creature as ancient as he. The airne took off. Zhou Yi looked out the window, watching the clouds billowing and the waves churning. It was a different kind of interestpared to cloud-riding. He cast a spell, leaving an illusion of himself in his seat, apparently asleep. His body turned into a streak of light and darted out of the ne, continuing to fly high into the sky until entering the Nine Heavens Gang Wind, heading west with a calction of his fingers. After a long time. A satellite wrapped in steel was within reach, perhaps called by another name, looking somewhat simr to the ones from his previous life. Zhou Yi circled the satellite several times. His divine sense infiltrated it and imprinted the structural blueprints into his mind to refine a simr magical treasure when he had time, testing if he could establish awork. His mana prated the satellite¡¯s shell, sensing the materialposition. "This material seems to be... refined iron!" Zhou Yi eximed in surprise, which was both unexpected and reasonable. Ever since learning online that satellites hovered in the Gang Wind, Zhou Yi had been curious to see for himself, thinking he could use technological means to substitute for the basic materials in artifact refining. "The refining process of this refined iron has obvious artifact refining techniques!" But deep down, Zhou Yi felt somewhat disappointed. Cutting-edge technology had not escaped the old confines of the path of cultivation, with the influence of the Cultivation World deeply embedded in every aspect of Cloud Continent. "Technology has only developed for two to three hundred years, not even a fraction of the millennia of the path of cultivation. Even with the help of collective effort, it will be hard to make a leap in a short time!" The arts of cultivation and the four arts involve gic evolution, space maniption, and time eleration¡­ ... Immortal Capital City. The legacy of Fengyang Country continues to this day, an ancient capital of two thousand years. After disembarking the ne, Zhou Yi smelled a familiar scent and looked up at the hazy sky. "Should I cast a purification spell? Forget it, it would be too sensational!" ustomed to entering the city through the East Gate, Zhou Yi walked on the main streets of the capital, surrounded by towering buildings. The low ancient structures of the past were long gone. Here and there, ancient-style buildings existed only in appearance, designed to attract tourists. Upon reaching the inner loop, near Ningde Fang, most structures were traditional buildings with no more than six stories. As Zhou Yi passed by the Heavenly Prison, he saw people buying tickets at the entrance. Upon inquiry, he learned it had be a famous tourist attraction. It was said to offer a prisoner experience package, including but not limited to prison attire, iron shackles, and flogging. "Hiss! I can¡¯t understand the hobbies of young people; this has be a paid project?" Zhou Yi had no interest in experiencing it, having served literally a century as staff. He followed the familiar streets to his old residence, only to find a stone tablet at the gate. ¡ªSon Wu¡¯s Former Residence! The tablet engraved Son Wu¡¯s life story, with his birth and origins recorded as per the official records of that time, and a question mark for the time of death. It briefly mentioned his deeds, highlighting that he was the proprietor of There Is a Tavern and sheltered members of the Red Alliance in its early days. The historical evaluation branded him as a meritorious phnthropist! Zhou Yi nced at the guards at the entrance and the sign reading "Do not enter uninvited," shook his head helplessly, and left. Chapter 241 - 226 Pawnshop with Space ``` There Is a Tavern. It was open house day. Having spent twenty yuan on a ticket, Zhou Yi wandered inside, finding the decor unchanged from the past. Schoolchildren were there on a break, visiting under their teacher¡¯s guidance. "This table is an old-fashioned counter. Back in the day, Mr. Li and Mr. Zhang were pursued by secret agents and came to the tavernte at night seeking refuge. Mr. Sun took them in and provided shelter." Wearing a pale blue long gown and holding a megaphone, the teacher said, "There are many ounts of Mr. Sun in the history books, including his love for reading. Does anyone know this story?" "I know." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Teacher, let me answer." "Me me me!" The students eagerly raised their hands, and the teacher picked a little girl to answer. The little girl crisply said, "Mr. Sun¡¯s family had an ancient tome passed down for a thousand years. A wealthy merchant surnamed Chen in the city wanted to buy it for a high price. Mr. Sun didn¡¯t want gold or silver, but exchanged it for more books!" "Correct!" The teacher praised, "Children should learn from Mr. Sun to love reading and read more!" Zhou Yi followed behind the children, blushing at what he heard; he knew he would have to change the covers of the storybooks he read in the future and silently tucked half a jade pendant away. Nothing more than a tavern, if it could have some educational significance for future generations, then let it be passed down! Zhou Yi, with his hands in his sleeves, followed the children. After visiting the site of the Red Alliance¡¯s first meeting and receiving a dose of ideological education, it was a pity that the real people had all gone, with only the waiter, the cook, and the blind man left hanging on the walls. "I should go and offer them some paper money when I have the time. Even though in my view the revolution is not yetplete, they still merit the acim of having changed the world." Zhou Yi held great respect for these people, which was why he had opened up the Kunlun Wondend in the first ce. However, the Red Alliance¡¯s adversaries were not merely mortals; the Royal Family, emerging new families, and the old wealthy all had extraordinary martial power to support them. It was already a remarkable achievement to have reached this point. The fight that involved forming alliances and conniving was vaguely represented online, mostly secret affairs not to be dessified in the short term. The upshot was that the Royal Family abdicated power, leaving only a noble title, while representatives of the Red Alliance and the new noble families upied half the cab seats each. After spending recent days online gathering information, Zhou Yi learned that Da Zhou was the absolute overlord of the Nine Continents, far more powerful than the faith alliance led by the Divine Kingdom. The national power¡¯s vitality could be felt through the people¡¯s discussions and spirit! "No two political systems in the world are entirely the same. The current state of affairs can already be considered excellent." Zhou Yi left the tavern and looked up at the sky; the sun he had seen neen hundred years ago was still dazzling. "A new era, indeed!" ... Xianjing is an ancient capital of a thousand years and naturally has its antique street. Thergest and most famous is at the north end of Chongren District, known as Top Schr Street, which takes its name from the once-existing book printing shop Top Schr Hall. Under the impact of the new era, Top Schr Hall had long gone out of business, allowing someone to purchase and convert it into arge tavern. During that era of huge change, it wasn¡¯t just the old merchants who went out of business; the decaying nobility of Yongchang ce and Qinghua Fang, located to the north of Chongren District, were even more affected, and had to sell their ancestral relics for money. Selling off family heirlooms and engaging in prodigal behavior is immensely embarrassing, so they unanimously went to marketces outside the district for their ndestine dealings. They set up stalls before dawn, quickly sold their items, and left with their faces covered. Should they indeed encounter acquaintances, they would pretend not to recognise them and even concoct stories iming they had stolen these treasured items from their masters. Because Chongren District frequently had top-quality antiques appear, over time more and more people flocked there, establishing the fame of Top Schr Street. On this day. The cold wind was piercing. At the east end of Top Schr Street, a shop hung up its new sign: There Is a Pawnshop. With Top Schr Street¡¯s reputation drawing massive foot traffic, it wasn¡¯t easy to obtain this shop, whose previous owner was reported for making and selling fakes. After the evidence was conclusive, the shop was confiscated for a legal auction. In less than half a year, Zhou Yi became the owner of the shop. Everything was done legally, with a trail to follow! The pawnshop¡¯s ground floor was for business, while the upper floor served for amodation. A Formation and Prohibition had been arranged at the entrance, making ordinary tourists subconsciously overlook the shop. In contrast, visitors with substantial fortunes were influenced by the formation, feeling an inexplicable sense of attention and curiosity. For this reason. The business had remained quiet for a long while, visited only by neighbors bearing flower baskets. Zhou Yi greeted them with smiles all around. With a millenium¡¯s worth of wisdom and discourse, he impressed his peers with just a few words, although what they truly thought inside remained unknown. After all, everyone secretly wishes for the demise of theirpetitors! Behind the shop counter. Zhou Yi, dressed in a simple Taoist robe, let his Mana touch the cell phone, which ttered into a heap ofponents, and his Divine Sense carefully studied each function. "How can I bypass the server and chat unnoticed?" He contemted this problem in recent days. Each time he made an onlinement, he felt a premonition of being watched. It might not be intentional, but it was enough to prompt caution. Zhou Yi attempted to use Formation and Prohibition to hide all traces, making himself an undetectable presence online. "At the moment, there are two simple methods. Either use a prohibition to turn the cell phone into a Magic Artifact, making it difficult for others to locate me, or visit severalpanies offline and have a friendly chat with their bosses." Just then. A customer walked into the shop. Young, with a single-strap bag, he had the air of a student. "A pawnshop?" Cui Yu looked puzzled, not knowing why he had wandered in. Since he was there, he decided to inquire, "Boss, do you deal in antiques here?" "Of course, we do." Zhou Yi pointed to a sign next to him and said, "We buy everything here, and the more mysterious and harder to appraise the antique is, the higher the price!" Unable to grasp his meaning, Cui Yu took a box out of his shoulder bag and opened it to reveal a short sword inside. ``` Chapter 242 - 226 Pawnshop_2 "It was dug up from the construction sitest year, and many people have appraised it as a modern craft, but I really didn¡¯t lie. There were a lot of items unearthed that are said to have a history of seven to eight hundred years!" ording to thews of Great Zhou, if an ancient tomb is discovered during exploration on privatend, it belongs to the individual owner. For example, the antiques excavated from a construction site are considered the private property of thendowner, but most of them are divided among the construction workers. Zhou Yi put on gloves and pretended to inspect for a moment, but in fact, his Divine Sense had already scanned the short sword and detected patterns inside simr to those of formations and prohibitions, which had simply lost their effectiveness over time. Swipe! He lightly brushed across the solid wood countertop, and the corner of the table responded by cutting off a piece. "I¡¯ll take this. How much are you nning to sell it for?" "Five hundred thousand!" "Deal." Zhou Yi transferred the money without hesitation, for how could mere mortal moneypare to what was once a magic artifact. Cui Yu suddenly felt he had suffered a loss, but he had no regrets as he got ready to leave after receiving the money. Zhou Yi flicked his fingers and said with a smile, "Poor Dao sees that you have good fortune. If you find any items in the future, feel free to show them to me. Money is not an issue!" Cui Yu chuckled, "Does the boss also know how to read faces?" "I know a thing or two. Recently, you¡¯ve been troubled by emotional matters. Be careful of a financial cmity!" Zhou Yi didn¡¯t go into details, as such matters depend on belief for opportunity. If one doesn¡¯t believe, it signifies a chance missed. Acquiring a flying sword magic artifact was already a great start to the business. He stored the flying sword in the Kunlun Cave Heaven and continued to study the mobile phone. After some thought, Zhou Yi decided to temporarily block his real address. As long as he was careful with his words, that would be enough. His fingers flickered with a mystical light, and one after another, formation and prohibition patterns were engraved inside the phone, transforming it in the manner of a sound transmission and projection magic artifact. These formation and prohibition patterns aligned more closely with the way of heaven and easily included zeros and ones, enhancing the functionality and making it more potent. Several dayster. Zhou Yi energized the phone with his mana, and it turned on and operated on its own. "The initial transformation isplete. Now no one will be able to discover my location. In the future, I will continue to improve it gradually until it bes apletemunication magic artifact!" Ding ding ding! As soon as the phone turned on, dozens of messages popped up. ¡­ In Xuan¡¯an City. In a unit dormitory, Room 306. Arge wooden tub sat in the room, filled with more than half a tub of hot water in which Xiao Ran sat cross-legged. Hmm! Ha! With each breath, his internal organs vibrated, guiding the medicinal decoction to nourish his muscles and bones. After more than half an hour, the greenish medicinal liquid gradually turned clear, leaving only the medicinal residues floating in the water. Ssh! Xiao Ran stood up from the water, his pectoral and abdominal muscles bulging and his skin a bronze color, vastly different from the deadbeat otaku he was half a year ago. "Unlike those chatans who swindle money, this is true martial arts!" "Who exactly is Bai Zhenjun? How could such a precious heritage be casually avable online for download?" Xiao Ran was utterly puzzled. It had been less than two months since he started training, yet his strength had increased by more than fifty percent, and it was an all-around enhancement, including speed, defense, and even limb strength. After getting dressed, he turned on his mobile phone and was delighted to find a message from Bai Zhenjun. Bai Zhenjun: "Little Xiao, what do you need from Poor Dao?" Ever since Xiao Ran discovered the wonders of the nourishing medicinal decoction, he had proactively added Zhou Yi as a friend. After some pleading, he had received a cultivation technique called Swallowing Heaven Skill, which helped to speed up the absorption of medicinal effects. Xiao Ran: "True Immortal, can the medicinal ingredients in the decoction be simplified? If I continue like this, I¡¯ll have to sell my house." Bai Zhenjun: "Since ancient times, schrs are poor, and warriors are rich. If you can¡¯t even afford simplified medicinal decoctions, then why bother practicing martial arts!" Bowing and kneeling, he begged. "Please give me your guidance, True Immortal." Xiao Ran often chatted with Bai Zhenjun and sensed that the other party seemed to be an old mischief-maker, simr to the quirky characters encountered by protagonists in storybooks, who speak and act unconventionally. Bai Zhenjun: "Are you studying archaeology?" Xiao Ran: "I¡¯m officially enrolled in the archaeology department at Capital University. Does True Immortal need to appraise any cultural relics?" Bai Zhenjun: "Then you must know that a lot of ancient artifacts, whose origins can¡¯t be identified, can be sold to me at a high price." Xiao Ran was slightly startled, having already taken Bai Zhenjun for a quirky individual. He carefully pondered every word, vaguely feeling there might be secrets concealed. Yet eager to pursue martial arts, he quickly agreed to the request. "I¡¯ve heard that many of my seniors became treasure hunters. I¡¯ll surely ask around!" ¡­ Meanwhile. Zhou Yi not only chatted with Xiao Ran but also had conversations with the cultivation-obsessed True Person Xuan Ling. In half a year, they discussed cultivation online from time to time. Xuan Ling¡¯s obsession with the path of cultivation was extraordinary, his belief that immortals existed in the world was evident from his conversations. When True Person Xuan Ling sent messages, they also pertained to nourishing medicinal forms. Xuan Ling: "Bai, where did you get this medicinal recipe from?" Bai Zhenjun: "It is naturally passed down from my ancestors." Xuan Ling fell silent for a moment, then replied, "I have deleted the file and will treat this matter as if it never happened. The Imperial Court has departments that oversee these matters, forbidding the private dissemination of martial traditions." Bai Zhenjun: "Even Old Zhou didn¡¯t have this rule, and now they won¡¯t even let people practice martial arts?" Having stayed in the capital for almost half a year, Zhou Yi had visited all of One Hundred and Eight Districs Market, tasting worldly delicacies, and encountered several martial arts schools with true heritage, including external forging, internal refining, and Qi-Blood traditions. The Great Zhou Imperial Pce had already opened to the public, and the Imperial n had moved to the Mountain of Eternal Life¡¯s pce residence, yet an old figure still lingered within the imperial pce. An Innate Grandmaster! Clearly, martial arts had not declined, yet the Imperial Court had imposed martial prohibitions! Xuan Ling: "It¡¯splicated to exin the reasons behind this, there are too many aspects involved. Legendary Grandmasters cannot withstand heavy firepower, and martial artists must obedientlyply!" "Thank you for the reminder, fellow Daoist." Zhou Yi didn¡¯t think about defying the Imperial Court; after all, the prohibition of martial arts dissemination wasn¡¯t entirely without benefits. Fingering calctions, he had already provided more than a dozen people with the nourishing medicinal decoction, and they would surely discover its profundities. Apart from Xiao Ran, there was another person with an extraordinary fate. Looking deeper into his divinations, he faintly sensed that this person had a defiant nature and might break the Imperial Court¡¯s rules. "Human strength cannot defy fate!" "Martial cultivation is also an exploration of heaven and earth, righteous and majestic. How could a mere worldly Imperial Court stop it? But, am I also part of fate?" Zhou Yi shook his head slightly, taking out the Qi Sect¡¯s heritage to read andprehend. The Qi Sect¡¯s inheritance came from the ancient Xuan Tian teachings. When the Cultivation World had not yet quieted, it was known as the number one in refining Qi for both the righteous and demonic paths. The Supreme rity Divine Talisman contained the Sect-Protecting Technique, the Supreme Mystery Scripture, far more profound than the secrets of the stars. Perfecting it could form the Supreme Mystery body, and by now, Zhou Yi had sessfully converted the foundation of his cultivation technique. "The Star Body hasn¡¯t disappeared; can a cultivator really possess two kinds of bodies?" Zhou Yi scoured the Wanjuan Daozang, failing to find a corresponding answer. Achieving a single body was already challenging, and no one had spent hundreds of years of their lifespan to cultivate another one. "If they truly stack up, then cultivating several more bodies would mean one could contend with a Nascent Soul, couldn¡¯t they?" The mysteries of the Immortal Path are endless; even with the Wanjuan Daozang, Zhou Yi was groping his way forward! Flowers bloom and wither. Clouds roll and unfold. Autumn wind blows bleakly again. A pawnshop had opened on Top Schr Street for almost a year, remaining nameless and not causing any ripples. Due to the effects of formations and prohibitions, very few customers came in, and only a few counterfeited items identified by reputable families had been collected. Perhaps for this reason, the other locals on Top Schr Street warmly weed them. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Everyone wanted to know a wealthy sucker! Throughout the year, Zhou Yi attended banquets held by the antiques trade on time and frequently expressed his fondness for curiosities. Over the year, he had be somewhat familiar to others. On this day. The sunlight was just right. Zhou Yi leaned against the counter, rapidly flipping through a book onputer linguistics. After finding that the mobile phone turned into a magic artifact was quite useful, he attempted to use formations and prohibitions to refine a satellite. Materials were not an issue; it could even be made more sturdy and durable, but the internal prohibitions required aprehensive approach. Technology indeed took a different path; individual technology was far behind the Immortal Path, but group applications had significant advantages. At this time. Owner Gu from Gufang Studio knocked on the door and came in, holding a brocaded box in his arms. "Boss Bai, I¡¯ve got an item here; could you take a look for me?" "Let¡¯s see." Zhou Yi¡¯s divine sense swept over it, already having an estimate in his mind. He picked up a magnifying ss and looked over it, saying, "At least two thousand years old, a bronze wine pot. Its shape and carvings are top-notch, but the bronze is too new." Owner Gu nodded, "I had my staff test it with machinery; it¡¯s at least two thousand years old. Indeed, the technology for fakes is incredible nowadays!" A glint shed in Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes as he smiled, "Owner Gu, are you nning to sell it bying to me?" A momentter. Owner Gu collected two hundred thousand and left the shop, giddy with the profit that was more than a hundredfold. Zhou Yi caressed the bronze wine pot, his expressions changing continuously, then took out a tortoise shell to divine that all was well. "It has been touched by a wisp of pure spiritual energy..." Chapter 243 - 226 Resurgence of Heaven and Earth The Longevity Dao Fruit is Zhou Yi¡¯s greatest confidence. No matter how poor the talent or how harsh the environment, as long as one lived, there¡¯d be a day when immortality could be attained. Nowadays, in this age of the ultimate decline of cultivation, "I alone possess thew" was Zhou Yi¡¯s second greatest confidence, otherwise he would not dare to actively interfere with the course of history, preferring to hide in Kunlun Cave Heaven and cultivate in seclusion for a thousand years. "Are there still Spiritual Objects left in the world? Impossible!" "After a thousand years, even the Formation that seals Spiritual Objects would be hard to maintain; it must be a new source of Spiritual Energy." Zhou Yi¡¯s brow furrowed slightly, this matter had to be rified as it concerned how he would act in the future. At night. Gufang Studio. Shopkeeper Gu had a strange dream where he relived the transaction from a few days ago once again in his dream. Dream Entering Form. A secret Buddhist Divine Skill that reads minds, it inflicts far less harm on the souls of mortals than the Soul Searching Technique. Zhou Yi¡¯s face showed a strange look, never expecting that Shopkeeper Gu, who was always friendly and smiling, was actually the leader of a tomb-robbing gang across continents. "The copper potes from an ancient tomb in Qiong Continent!" Clouds formed under his feet, transforming into a streak of escape light and flying westward. Qiong Continent. Under the rule of the Ghost King Sect a thousand years ago, it was once a blessednd of green mountains and rivers for cultivation; now without the nourishment of Spiritual Energy, it had be dry and rainless year-round,pletely turning into a desert. With the copse of the nation, the poption gathered near the oases, forming tribes. The rise of Da Zhou technology, the mining of coal, and the increased value of oil, for example, brought back some vitality to Qiong Continent. "Green Ghost Tribe." Zhou Yi stood in the clouds, looking down at the settlement of thousands of people situated at the foot of a mountain range, with a river running through it. The tribe was pitch ck without any light; after flying for just two days, it felt like he had traveled back in time several hundred years to an old rural vige. His Divine Sense swept over and quickly found the elder who had dealt with Shopkeeper Gu, the elder of the Green Ghost Tribe. His escape light descended into the elder¡¯s home. Unlike the surrounding sandstone buildings, the house waspletely built with green bricks. There was also an oil-powered generator in the courtyard, chattering away and providing cooling for the house through air conditioning. Dream Entering Technique. Zhou Yi read the elder¡¯s memories, learning thatst year¡¯s snowmelt caused andslide, revealing the Nameless ancient tomb within. The elder led people to thoroughly excavate the tomb and transported it to the border of Da Zhou to be sold to the artifact dealer Shopkeeper Gu, including a bronze pot whose authenticity could not be discerned. The pot was not meant for storing wine, but was a treasure named Four Seas Pot, which normally stored boundless water and could unleash the might of flooding oceans during a fight! "First, let¡¯s take a look at that ancient tomb." Zhou Yi flew to the mountainside where the ancient tomb was and found soldiers armed with guns on guard at the entrance. He knocked out an Invisibility Technique to enter. The tomb chamber was already empty; even the ancient paintings on the walls had been peeled off and transported to Da Zhou for sale. "I¡¯ve found it!" Zhou Yi¡¯s figure flickered, appearing in the center of the main chamber and then descending tens of feet down, where he discovered a faint Spiritual Energy continuously emanating. The Four Seas Pot, once a treasure, had activated its internal prohibitions after being nourished by Spiritual Energy, leaving traces behind. "Is this... a Spirit Vein?" Approximately three inches long, clear as water and wriggling like an earthworm, it drilled in and out of the rocks. ording to the ssics, this indeed matched the characteristics of a Spirit Vein, but even the lowest grade, the yellow grade, stretched for a hundred miles. A Spirit Vein as faint and fine as this had never been heard of. Zhou Yi sat cross-legged near the Spirit Vein, staring at it without blinking. In the blink of an eye, half a year passed. The Spirit Vein had grown about an inch, and the Spiritual Energy it radiated had also increased ordingly. "With such a growth rate, when could it ever reach the yellow grade? Moreover, a yellow grade is only sufficient for Solidifying Pill. Those below the yellow grade would max out at Foundation Establishment!" Zhou Yi formed a spell with his hands, attempting to draw the Spirit Vein into them, but found that space itself slightly trembled. The Spirit Vein didn¡¯t move at all, seemingly weak but connected to the void, far beyond the forceful maniption of someone in the Golden Core Realm. "So, will a Spirit Vein appear here in a few hundred or thousand years? Perhaps it won¡¯t take that long, after all, the growth of a Spirit Vein spreads outwards; therger it bes, the faster it grows!" Zhou Yi stared for a long time, with lightning shing at his fingertips, and a thunderous boom struck the Spirit Vein. Hum! The four-inch long Spirit Vein shattered instantly, strands of pure Spiritual Energy dissipated, all of which Zhou Yi absorbed cleanly. Looking back, the Spirit Vein had disappeared without a trace. "This is too fragile!" Zhou Yi¡¯s face turned slightly embarrassed, he had tried to hold back as much as possible, but he left with a shake of his head, turning into a streak of escaping light. ... Pawnshop. Half a year unreturned. Ayer of dust had settled inside the house, along with a few thief¡¯s footprints. Zhou Yi waved his hand, and it instantly became as clean as new, not bothering with the petty thieves, pulled out a jade slip and began to record and analyze what he had obtained from this journey. "The world is beginning to revive, and in as short as three to four hundred years, or as long as over a thousand years, a Golden Elixir True Monarch could appear. It would take even longer for the real appearance though, after all, the Cultivation Techniques are fragmented, lost..." "Judging from the location of that tomb, the initial position of the Spirit Veins should be in a feng shui treasure spot..." "The location of the ancestral vein still needs to be explored!" Zhou Yi, who had cultivated in hiding during the era of declining magic and martial arts, had broken through to the mid-stage of the Golden Core Realm in the Eastern Sea a hundred years ago. After a thousand years of umtion, breaking through came as naturally as water flows into a channel, yet the change in strength was not obvious, and even less significant than having cultivated a Ster Body. "If I cut off another ancestral vein and use the growth of the building wood Spiritual Energy, perhaps I can reach the peak of the Golden Core. The ancestral vein, even though it differs from ordinary Spirit Veins, given its weakness at birth, I might still be able to destroy it!" Zhou Yi looked up at the sky, realizing that this act could truly be considered going against the heavens, and he did not know if it would seed. "Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One!" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "I¡¯ve been at ease for too long in my secluded cultivation during this declining era, and have developed attachments and concerns for gain and loss. Whether cutting off the ancestral vein seeds or fails, I will not be insistent!" Zhou Yi shook his head slightly and put away the jade slip, returning to retreat in Kunlun Cave Heaven to cultivate the Tai Xuan Jing while absorbing Spiritual Energy. The speed at which the world was reviving exceeded Zhou Yi¡¯s expectations. He had thought it would take two to three thousand years, giving him enough time to reach the peak of the Golden Core and then break through to the Nascent Soul with the help of newly born spiritual objects during the revival. "An earlier revival doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯ve spent two thousand years in arduous cultivation pursuing the Dao, am I not able to outdo a few youngsters?" Zhou Yi suddenly thought of Xuan Xiao¡¯s Contrary sh to Transform Divinity and his expression unconsciously became rigid, silently chanting the Heart Sutra to suppress hispetitive heart. "The era belongs to the young, eternity belongs to me!" ... The next day. The pawnshop opened. Zhou Yi greeted familiar customers, iming he had returned to his hometown to visit rtives, and re-arranged the formation at the entrance. Any emergence of Spiritual Energy on the street would immediately send a message. "The whereabouts of the graves of nobles and dignitaries are often in feng shui treasure spots, blending into the antique trade to listen for news was truly the right choice. However, the antique trade belongs to the people, and it is not sensitive to the movements of the Imperial Court, I still need an official identity!" Zhou had some ideas in mind, but he was not in a rush to implement them. Even if the revival of Spirit Veins was fast, it would still take two to three hundred years. He took out his phone that had not been used for a year from his storage bag, only to discover upon leaving Cloud Continent that there was absolutely nomunication signal, rendering itpletely useless like a brick. He logged into his ount, the beeping sound was incessant. Zhou Yi had less than ten friends, and after scanning the messages with his Divine Sense, he read through them quickly, replying one by one to report safety. Xiao Ran had sent the most messages, initially about acquiring a counterfeit antique from a ssmate, unable to contact Zhou Yi repeatedly, assuming he was in closed-door cultivation for martial practice. Latterly, Xiao Ran contacted him once a month, until sending dozens of messages three days ago consecutively. "True Monarch, do you believe in ghosts in this world?" "I really saw one, and I punched it to pieces, but no one believes me!" "That ghost lingers on Line 7, I¡¯ve seen it again, and I¡¯ve scattered it again!" "They all say I¡¯m having hallucinations and even asked me to see a psychiatrist. Damn it, I¡¯m not sick..." Xiao Ran sent dozens of messages in a row, both text and voice, with an urgent and intense tone, obviously scared by the ghostly entity, having his worldview shattered and yet being doubted by everyone. Chapter 244 - 227: Cast Spells Remotely ``` Capital City. Subway Line Seven. Caishikou Station. Xiao Ran, dressed in his Great Purple Taoist Robe, held a Peach Wood Sword in one hand and a Demon-Subduing Pestle in the other. Around his neck hung Buddhist prayer beads and, from the south, a Golden God pendant; at his waist was the Soul-Calming Bell as well. The staff, with wide eyes and open mouths, out of professional practice, did not ask which deity the master was worshipping. After checking and finding nothing dangerous, they let him pass. In the Great Zhou, belief was free, with Buddhism, Daoism, and the worship of the Golden God standing side by side, the Daoist faith being the most prosperous with the support of the Imperial Court. "Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One, this humble monk wishes to expel demons today!" Xiao Ran hadn¡¯t slept for three days, his eyes were bloodshot, and he clinked and nked along the way, more like an evil spirit. Passengers who saw him quickly made way, assuming they had encountered a believer with confused faith. The Great Zhou had many unsolved mysteries, and with freedom of belief, it was not rare for people to believe in all three teachings. It was mainly pragmatism, worship the useful one! Xiao Ran paid no heed to the whispers around him, descended the esctor and headed straight for the men¡¯s restroom at the most easterly end. "At the eighth mark of the Chen hour, hu¡ª" He took a deep breath and strode confidently into the restroom. ording to his observations over the past three days, the ghostly entities would appear at every hour on the hour. Xiao Ran¡¯s eyes widened as he stared intently. The person using the toilet felt a chill in his heart and hurriedly fled after pulling up his pants. He bolted the restroom door. Ding! The hour of Si arrived. A ck fog appeared out of thin air in the corner, slowly forming into a semi-transparent ghost shadow, human-like above the waist, with rolling mist below. Just as it appeared, it smashed right into Xiao Ran, who unintentionally propelled himself into the air. "Hey! Where do you think you¡¯re going!" Xiao Ran¡¯s Qi-Blood surged, he threw the Demon-Subduing Pestle with a wave of his hand, and with a loud bang, cracked the wall. However, the ghost shadow was unharmed, hanging upside down from the ceiling, its face full of terror, screaming in a way that pained Xiao Ran¡¯s ears. "Bald donkey is really unreliable, won¡¯t believe in him again!" Xiao Ran brandished his sword, leaping to slice at the ghost shadow as the ringing of the Soul-Calming Bell echoed continuously. The ghost shadow looked puzzled; it remembered this barbarian with thick Qi-Blood that could scatter its spectral body, so why was he using a bunch of nonsensical tools today, practically with zero killing power. They chased and fled, the man and the ghost moving nimbly in the cramped space of the restroom. Bang! The door to the restroom burst open, several patrols rushed in wielding electric batons and anti-riot forks, and they sternly ordered Xiao Ran to ce his hands on his head. Xiao Ran¡¯s eyes were about to split with rage, but he managed to keep his remaining sanity and surrendered obediently. Looking up, he saw the ghost shadow sneering triumphantly, as if mocking him for being powerless. Drip, drip, drip. The phone buzzed with a message, which Xiao Ran opened after getting permission. Bai Zhenjun: "Of course, ghosts exist in this world. As for those who don¡¯t believe, let them see a ghost." Upon seeing the message, Xiao Ran¡¯s face lit up with joy, and he hastily replied, asking how to make ordinary people see ghosts. Bai Zhenjun: "Both Buddhism and Daoism have such spells, but they need a master to cast them. You could find ox tears to apply on your eyes, which will temporarily open the yin-yang eyes." Xiao Ran: "True Immortal, why can I see directly?" Bai Zhenjun: "Very few people in the world are born with Spirit Eyes." Xiao Ran rubbed his eyes; he had only thought his vision was better than ordinary people¡¯s, but it turned out to be the legendary Spirit Eyes, worthy of a protagonist who meets extraordinary beings. "I thank the True Immortal. I will prove to them that I¡¯m not crazy!" Bai Zhenjun: "Xiao Ran, the formation of ghostly entities is often due to lingering attachments, and among these, grudges and malevolence are the mostmon." Xiao Ran suddenly understood that this ghostly entity must have had grievances before death. Exposing it would be tantamount to being entangled in the matter. After pondering for a moment, he replied. "Rest assured, True Immortal, given its value to the Imperial Court, it will certainly be vindicated!" ``` Subway Marshal Office. Xiao Ran had registered his name, age, and ID number, and meticulously exined the consequences of the traction, leaving all the marshals looking at him with strange expressions. "Young man, I see you are a top student from Capital University. You must believe in science!" The captain massaged his temples and said, "I know a psychiatrist. Do you want me to rmend one to you?" "I have a way to prove it!" Xiao Ran nced at his watch and said, "If we can find ox bezoar before midday, you¡¯ll see ghostly entities with your own eyes, and perhaps your name might be recorded in history books in the future." Upon hearing this, the captain was stunned and, as if possessed, he ordered his subordinates to search for ox bezoar at the ughter market. An hourter. The Caishikou station broadcasted on a loop. "This station is under maintenance and temporarily out of service..." ... The pawnshop. Zhou Yi pinched his fingers to cast a spell, divining Xiao Ran¡¯s safety. "In theing days, there will be some twists in his fate, but looking ahead, his qi is showing a greenish-purple hue, indicative of a soaring official fortune!" He had just applied the bewitching god technique across the screen, subtly advancing the situation. The Imperial Court learning of and researching the ghostly entities earlier could potentially save many ordinary people in the future. The revival of Spiritual Energy wasn¡¯t a catastrophic change for heaven and earth, but a very slow and prolonged process. ording to Zhou Yi¡¯s experiences in thest days ofw, ghostly entities benefited the most when Spiritual Energy was meager, just as, in those times, thest to be extinguished were malevolent spirits and fierce ghosts. The ghostly entity Xiao Ran encountered was no exception; it just so happened that he had a spiritual eye that allowed him to see the ghost¡¯s corporalization. Ghost shadows were naturally immune to pure physical attacks, making them difficult for ordinary people to fend off. Without knowing their weaknesses, encountering one meant certain death. "This remote casting of spells is quite interesting!" Zhou Yi had fully grasped the principles ofputing and had begun to merge them with immortal path techniques, allowing him to cast spells remotely. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om As long as the other party was connected to him through thework, the spells could take effect along the cabling, with their power diminishing over distance, but still sufficient for dealing with ordinary people. "In the future, if any scoundrel dares to cross poor Dao, I¡¯ll vent directly through thework cable!" A day free from events. Night fell. Zhou Yi appeared at the Caishikou subway station, pinched his fingers to cast the Invisibility Technique, and swaggered in. The construction crew had already dismantled the toilets and reinforced the area into a wall with just one entrance and exit, guarded by two rows of soldiers armed to the teeth. His escaping light flickered, and he passed directly through the wall. A dozen men in white coats, old in age, with excitement in their eyes, smeared ox bezoar on their eyelids, staring at the ghost shadow as if looking at a rare treasure. The ghost shadow trembled, for the congregation of living breath was agonizing torture to it. At the end of every hour, it involuntarily materialized and had no choice but to reveal itself. The men took turns asking questions, ranging from the origin of the ghost shadow to its death, as well as its post-mortem form and thoughts, attempting to dissect it thoroughly from inside out. A staff member was recording beside them. This was a groundbreaking scientific dialogue about life and death in the natural and the supernatural! Zhou Yi listened with interest for a moment and broadly understood the origin of the ghost shadow. It had been the boss of a certainpany, who had built his fortune from scratch with hard work over two to three decades and ended up worth hundreds of millions. Three months ago, he crossed a young master from the capital simply because thetter¡¯s surname was Zhu, and the result was betrayal and murder! The white-coated menforted the ghost shadow, saying the Zhu-named young master had paid for his crimes and that as long as the ghost cooperated with scientific research, it could regain all it had lost, and might even be able to meet with its wife and children. The ghost shadow, upon hearing these words, endured the torment of the living breath and let the men question and research it. Zhou Yi pinched his fingers and calcted, shaking his head with a sigh, before his figure shed and dove into the ground. A hundred feet below ground. A grey-ck Spirit Vein, five or six inches long, emitted Spiritual Energy while at the same time gathering Yin Sha energy. Zhou Yi observed for a long time and spected based on the records in the Taoist scriptures. "In the future, this will be a Yin Sha Spiritual Vein, a treasured location for demonic cultivation. The ghostly entity emerged due to the Spiritual Energy but is limited by the confinement of Yin Sha and cannot leave this ce for a short time!" Chapter 245 - 228 All the World Suffers Zhou Yi pondered for a moment, but did not shatter the Spirit Vein. With a flick of his fingers, he cast hundreds of spells to form a monitoring formation that clung to the Spirit Vein, which would alert him if anyone approached. "The people in this world who know about Spirit Veins either obtained heritage from the Cultivation World, or some old freak has awaken. For the sake of cultivation, they will definitely guard the Spirit Vein. Thus, I shall lie in wait," he said. At the same time, the Formation and Prohibition were also observing the Spirit Vein, ready to detonate and shatter it at any time. In the future, he would add spells periodically, constantly reinforcing the formation as the Spirit Vein grew, and perhaps one day he would be able to refine it and take it as his own. "In the future, whenever I encounter a Spirit Vein, I¡¯ll do the same." "If I could add a few more Spirit Veins to the cave heavens, making the Spiritual Energy as dense as the legendary ancient times, then it would truly be an Immortal Realm!" Zhou Yi had no intention of dominating an era, but rather watched the tide rise and fall, witnessing the rise and decline of each epoch as a mere chapter in his endless life. Back on the surface. The ghost shadow had disappeared, fleeing into the vicinity of the underground Spirit Vein, instinctively absorbing Yin Sha to nourish itself. The elderly man in white flipped through the conversation records over and over, discussing the existence form of ghostly entities and trying to analyze them with modern science. Science isn¡¯t just physics or chemistry; it¡¯s a means to explore the unknown. The appearance of ghostly entities would inevitably copse many fields of knowledge while also establishing new truths. The most urgent matter to study, naturally, was how to control and eliminate ghostly entities! ... The Caishikou station waspletely sealed off and dismantled. The Imperial Court outwardly imed to have found an underground karst cave, which could copse at any moment, so for the safety of the public, the subway would divert and bypass the area. Online, there were many rumors, including but not limited to ghosts, aliens, murders, and more. With truth and falsehood intermixed, after three to five days, no one paid attention anymore. Two monthster. While there were no changes above ground, underground, aboratory had been constructed, equipped with all sorts of state-of-the-art instruments. Passersby would never imagine that beneath the streets they walked every dayy a top-secret facility. They still went to work carefree, oblivious to the changes in the world, umting day by day until a drastic change arrived, at which point they cried out for help in panic. That day. Xiao Ran arrived at the subway¡¯s Entrance A1, descended, and encountered what appeared to be an ordinary rolling shutter gate. After swiping his ess card, a section of the wall next to the rolling shutter rotated to open an entrance. Following three additionalyers of verification, he finally entered theboratory, where dozens of scientists in white coats bustled about, with exmations heard from time to time. Xiao Ran saluted the guard, showed his credentials, and asked, "I¡¯m an assistant dispatched from the Investigation Bureau. May I know where Commissioner Wang is located?" "Experimental Area A1." After checking Xiao Ran¡¯s credentials, the guard personally escorted him to the area that used to be the subway¡¯s men¡¯s restroom. The restroom had beenpletely dismantled and was now surrounded by thick transparent ss. Through the ss, one could see ongoing experiments. The ghost shadow was seated on a machine, surrounded by crackling arcs of electricity, which caused it to cower and shiver in fear. "Reporting!" Xiao Ran saluted and said, "Investigation Bureau¡¯s Section A, Xiao Ran, reporting for duty on Commissioner¡¯s orders." "Hmm." Commissioner Wang, in his forties or fifties with a stern face and serious voice, said, "Xiao Ran? I¡¯ve heard of you, the young man with the innate spiritual eye who discovered the ghostly entity. Weren¡¯t you at the Investigation Bureau coborating on research rted to the spiritual eye?" Xiao Ran replied, "The Investigation Bureau screened the military and found two more cases of innate spiritual eye." Commissioner Wang nodded slightly, immediately understanding the implication. The Imperial Court naturally trusted those from the military more. He picked up a walkie-talkie and gave an order. "Begin the experiment!" Inside theb, a scientist typed a series ofmands into aputer, which increased the intensity of the electricity output by the machine, asionally sending sparks flying onto the ghost shadow. The ghost shadow let out a piercing scream, its face grotesquely twisted in pain¡ªvisible through the soundproof ss. Commissioner Wang ordered, "Continue!" The electrical surge intensified once more, visibly melting arge portion of the ghost shadow. Shriek! The scream pierced the ss, straight into the soul, as theb scientists clutched their heads in agony, copsing to the ground. "Silence!" Through the walkie-talkie, a scientist said, "Finish this experiment, hold on until the end, and tomorrow you¡¯ll get to see your parents and spouse." Hearing this, the ghost shadow instantly quieted down, enduring the torture of the electric arcs. As wisps of ck smoke dispersed, the ghost shadow¡¯s color went from pitch-ck to greyish translucent; its features were now distorted and blurred, leaving only two glowing red eyes staring fixedly through the ss. Xiao Ran¡¯s heart trembled. He felt as if the ghost shadow was looking straight at him and said, "Commissioner, this is already at its limit of endurance!" Commissioner Wang¡¯s voice was devoid of any fluctuation, "Increase it further." The scientist got up from the floor and entered anothermand, which boosted the machine¡¯s power to its maximum. Boom! An arc as thick as an arm swept over the ghost shadow, which emitted a harrowing scream and in an instant, turned to ash and smoke. Xiao Ran was dazed for a long time before snapping out of it, only to realize that theb was already handling the aftermath. Everyone was emotionlessly gathering data, discussing the development of weapons to destroy ghostly entities. It was as if the ghost shadow that had just perished was nothing more than a mindlessb rat! ... Late at night. Dark clouds obscured the moon, and shadows of people were sparse on the streets. A ck car stopped in front of the pawnshop. Xiao Ran rubbed his temples, seeking relief from a headache that had persisted for several days. Ever since he witnessed the ghost shadow vanish into smoke in theb, whenever he closed his eyes to sleep, he would dream of two red ghostly eyes staring intently at him, filled with resentment, hatred, and a chilling murderous intent! This time, Xiao Ran truly paid a visit to a psychiatrist.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Chapter 246 - 228 Everyone Suffers_2 "Back when I was healthy, they said my nerves were abnormal. Now that I¡¯m truly cursed, they can¡¯t diagnose anything wrong!" Xiao Ran let out a long sigh of relief, carrying the brocaded box from the passenger seat and walked into the pawnshop. Having lost all faith in modern medicine, he had no choice but to ce his hope in Bai Zhenjun. He couldn¡¯t endure the torment of the ghost eyes any longer; it wouldn¡¯t be much longer before he truly suffered a nervous breakdown and went insane! The pawnshop was the same as always, cold and quiet. The only light in the ce had a low wattage, illuminating only the middle of the counter while the rest remained dim and gloomy. At the counter, Zhou Yi was busy scribbling and drawing, attempting to develop a base system with formation and prohibition, so that after sess, he couldpletely refine his cell phone into a magical artifact, leaving no trace of modern technology. Xiao Ran rubbed his face and walked over, asking, "What¡¯s Bai Zhenjun busy with?" "Waiting for you toe!" Zhou Yi slightly lifted his eyelids and continued to study the formation and prohibition. A visit in the dead of night must be for a reason. Familiar with the ce, Xiao Ran sat across the counter. Previously, by selling four counterfeit cultural relics, he had made several million from Zhou Yi and had long since quit his job at the Cultural Relics Bureau. He ced the brocaded box on the counter and opened it to reveal a nineyered pagoda, which, by its patterns and shape, appeared to be an artifact of Buddhism. "This Buddhist pagoda is a treasured collection of my teacher¡¯s," he said. "Its age has never been pinpointed, but I pleaded for quite a while before he agreed to sell it to me." "A Buddhist Demon-Suppressing Pagoda, what a treasure," Zhou Yi said, as his divine sense swept over the pagoda. The demons it once suppressed had long since dissipated over time, and the pagoda itself had degraded into a finely made imitation antique. Smiling, Xiao Ran said, "If Zhenjun likes it, I¡¯ll give it to you." Zhou Yi yed with the pagoda for a moment and then took out his cell phone to make a transfer: "Two million. Cash and goods in full. For something that can be solved with mere money, I certainly won¡¯t owe favors!" Xiao Ran¡¯s face reddened slightly, a little embarrassed given his time spent at Qingshui Yamen, and he quickly changed the subject, "Ever since discovering that ghostly entity over two months ago, the Imperial Court has conducted arge-scale investigation and found several more..." The modern state machinery, when set in motion, had mobilization capabilities far beyond what ancient times couldpare to, and had swept across the Cloud Continent in a short period of time. With its vast territory and billions of people, Cloud Continent inevitably had dead souls with lingering attachments who were naturally attracted by spiritual energy and would congregate near the spirit vein to be specters. Zhou Yi made a mental note of this and nned to set up formation and prohibition when he had time, then asked, "Why mention such matters to me?" "Number Zero, the ghostly entity I discovered, is no longer the only subject." After a moment of silence, Xiao Ran slowly said, "A few days ago, the Investigation Bureau authorized a destructive experiment on it. Number Zero couldn¡¯t survive the high voltage. Its soul shattered, and it dissipated into smoke and ash." Zhou Yi shook his head slightly. He had divined that the oue for the ghost shadow would not be good but never imagined it would die such a miserable death. "What is the Investigation Bureau?" "The full name is the Kunlun Wondend Traces Investigation Bureau, reputedly established over a hundred years ago with the goal of looking for the legendary Kunlun Fairy Mountain," Xiao Ran exined. "Because it had yielded no results in a hundred years, the bureau had be a marginal Qingshui Yamen, and was nearly on the verge of dissolution. Now, the research on ghostly entities is entirely in the hands of the bureau, including all subsequent rted incidents!" "So it¡¯s the legendary Dragon Group!" Zhou Yi cracked a cold joke, but unfortunately, Xiao Ran looked nkly uprehending and shrugged before asking again, "Has the Investigation Bureau researched you?" "Of course, I¡¯ve been at the research institute these past two months, where they¡¯ve been trying to find out the secrets of the irvoyant eye," Xiao Ran said. "It wasn¡¯t until they sifted through a mountain spirit and tested millions of soldiers that they found two people with innate irvoyant abilities, so I was no longer needed for their experiments." As he spoke, Xiao Ran could not help showing a helpless expression. He had thought he was a one-of-a-kind protagonist, but it turned out he was only special for two months! "They certainly move fast, but they¡¯re doomed not to achieve anything," Zhou Yi shook his head slightly. "The Cultivation World has been studying the spirit root for thousands of years, whether it was to improve one¡¯s talent or to guide rtives on the path, but all in vain." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Spirit Root was like the rules of heaven and earth, appearing randomly in people, without any special treatment just because one¡¯s father was a Divinity Transformation ancestor. Technology, at least current technology, was seen as an interesting approach by cultivators! "It¡¯s not just fast, it¡¯s extraordinary." Xiao Ran snorted coldly, "Just as Zero¡¯s soul was scattered, they released that person the next day without any cover-up process,pletely disregarding thew!" "Are there anyws regarding ghostly entities? How can ghost stories be considered as evidence in court?" Zhou Yi¡¯s voice was somber and dark, "If they truly began ruling cases based on the words of ghosts, there¡¯d soon be a precedent for judgment. Those in high positions would never be able to sleep again, since even the dead would not be able to keep secrets!" Xiao Ran frowned, suddenly realizing, "Does Zhenjun mean that Zero didn¡¯t die from an experimental ident?" "Perhaps," Zhou Yi said. "Since Zero wasn¡¯t unique and theb had recements, its demise was inevitable." Recalling the ghost shadow¡¯s look of despair, Xiao Ran clenched his teeth, "Such tant retribution, just to kill Zeropletely. Aren¡¯t they afraid of being held ountable by higher authorities?" "ording to you, at worst it¡¯s a testing error; after an investigation, at most a few electricians get fired," Zhou Yi shrugged and said, "Besides, with more and more fierce ghosts appearing, they won¡¯t have the resources to capture them all. Who¡¯d bother about just Number Zero?" Xiao Ran was astonished, "Will there really be more ghostly entities in the future?" Zhou Yi nodded, "Not only will there be more, they will also be more violent and brutal,monly racking up killings. They certainly won¡¯t die as pitifully as that Number Zero!" Chapter 247 - 228 Everyone Suffers_3 After a lost soul bes a fierce ghost, it cares even less about the living and the rules, only killing people and devouring their vital energy based on instinct and obsession. Xiao Ran asked, "The Investigation Bureau has already discovered the ghosts¡¯ weaknesses, they fear fire and electricity, and is trying to develop weapons to counter them, can¡¯t they just eliminate all the fierce ghosts?" "Not to mention the mere Investigation Bureau, even if immortals descended to earth, it would be useless." Zhou Yi said, "Vengeful ghosts are created by the hands of evildoers; as long as there are continuous evildoers in this world, fierce ghosts will never cease to exist." "Other ghosts have nothing to do with me, whether they harm people or are scattered to the winds," he said indifferently. Xiao Ran said despondently, "However, I was the one who found Ghost Zero, and now it has endured an injustice it cannot redress. I feel guilty and only wish to do something for it!" Zhou Yi asked, "Do you n to seek revenge for Ghost Zero?" Xiao Ran tried to speak several times, but ultimately shook his head helplessly and sighed, "My parents are still alive at home. If I personally punish that person, it will inevitably involve my family." Zhou Yi offeredforting words, "Life is suffering for everyone; after seeing enough, you won¡¯t feel as bad." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Xiao Ran remarked, "Isn¡¯t speaking like that too cold-hearted?" "It¡¯s not cold-hearted, it¡¯s helplessness," he replied. Zhou Yi, having in no fewer than eight thousand fierce ghosts¡ªamong them, assuredly, many who died unjustly¡ªit was clearly unrealistic to inquire into each one about any grievances. "You can make a note of this matter and consider seeking revenge for Ghost Zero when you have the strength to do so." "That person is a direct descendant of the Imperial n. Even if I be a Martial Arts Grandmaster in the future, I cannot withstand the heavy weapons of the Imperial Court." Xiao Ran¡¯s face soured, "I came here today with the intention of asking the Grandmaster for advice on how to lift Ghost Zero¡¯s curse, but now I¡¯ve lost the will. I deserve this punishment!" "Is the present-day Imperial n very strong?" Zhou Yi did not remind Xiao Ran that the ghost simply had no ability to curse; what tormented Xiao Ran was not the ghost, but the depression in his own heart, what monks and priests call a heart demon. A heart demon is an inevitable cmity on the path of cultivation, possibly arising at any stage. Xiao Ran, once an ordinary youth, suddenly acquired the Swallowing the Heavens Art and nourishing medicinal decoctions, his martial arts prowess skyrocketed, and the expansion of power gave rise to tremendous self-confidence. He was looking forward to a life of wandering thends with his sword, pursuing vengeance joyously, and ridding the world of evil. Ghost Zero was like a heavy blow to the head from an emperor for Xiao Ran, shattering his dreams. He was still that powerless young man, his frustration and powerlessness in the face of reality turning into a heart demon. If he could ovee or y his heart demon in the future, the path of cultivation would be smooth sailing. "The Royal Family did give up their power back then, but they retained theirmercial enterprises; now their business spans various industries." Xiao Ran exined, "Even though they are restricted by thew and cannot participate in politics, they are indeed the first family of the Nine Continents in name and reality!" "What first family of the Nine Continents, they are nothing but local chickens and dogs," he scoffed. Zhou Yi said, "With vast wealth but no corresponding power, they would fall at the slightest push. Before, when legality was valued, the Imperial n could remain stable; that won¡¯t be the case in the future!" Xiao Ran asked, "What will be valued in the future?" "Fists!" Zhou Yi shook his fist and pulled out a booklet from under the counter with the characters "Guiyuan Technique" written in ancient seal script on the cover. "Today, the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda has served you well; this poor Daoist will give you an extra roll of cultivation technique. Once you have mastered it, remember to get justice for Ghost Zero." Xiao Ran expressed his surprise, "Does the Grandmaster have a grudge against the Royal Family?" Zhou Yi reminisced for a long while before finally shaking his head and speaking. "My ancestors did have some connections, but that was with the older generations. After not interacting for hundreds of years, those connections have long ceased to exist with the present!" Chapter 248 - 229: Midnight Ghost Stories Xiao Ran flipped through the Guiyuan Technique, a script of over five thousand words, each sentence apanied by detailed annotations. The annotators were not just one person, judging from the names, there were monks, daoists, andymen; one could say the Guiyuan Technique was exined thoroughly, even the creator of the cultivation technique wouldn¡¯t have been asprehensive. Born with spiritual eyes, Xiao Ran¡¯s talent for cultivation was second only to that of a Heavenly Spiritual Root; after reciting it twice, he tried to practice. He sensed the faint spiritual energy between heaven and earth, following the meridians to circte it and refine it into mana that converged in the Dantian. One cycle of cirction ended, and when he awoke from his cultivation, half an hour had already passed. Activating the few strands of mana within his Dantian, utterly different from the Qi-Blood of martial arts, Xiao Ran¡¯s thoughts churned like turbulent waves. "Is this cultivating immortality?" "Indeed, this is cultivating immortality." Zhou Yi couldn¡¯t help but exim in admiration, truly, one must notpare between people; no wonder the immortal sects prioritize talent above all. Temperament could be cultivated, malicious thoughts could be converted, but the only thing that couldn¡¯t be changed was the talent granted by the heavens. In the Cultivation World, those cultivators with low Spirit Roots who managed an uprising either had an extraordinary perception, a demonic-like cleverness, or astounding fortune, whichcks universal applicability. Xiao Ran worked to calm himself, the chat group he had joined during his rebellious teenage years turned out to include a real immortal. "True Monarch, why have you taught me Immortal Law?" "I find you quite pleasing to the eye, and also because you share the surname Xiao." Zhou Yi asked, "Do you know the story of Xuan Xiao Daojun¡¯s demon-ying?" Xiao Ran nodded, "ording to the records of the daoist predecessors, Xuan Xiao Daojun fought to save the world, bravely ying two world-ending demons, and ultimately ascending on the incense offered by thousands of people!" "Xuan Xiao also carried the surname Xiao; I hope you can be like the Daojun." Zhou Yi said, "I have never been much of a good person, but I have always believed, doing good deeds will bring good karma!" Xiao Ran solemnly bowed in gratitude. "I shall not disappoint your expectations, True Monarch!" "You can try to contact Li Chao, the one in the chat group known as King Li." Zhou Yi reminded, "He specializes in martial arts, has a strong sense of justice and hatred for evil. Recently, after encountering a noble harassing a young girl, he broke the man¡¯s three legs and is currently wanted by the patrol forces." Xiao Ran first nodded, then said with frustration, "Why is it always such things?" "Probably because it happens too often, anyone would encounter it once or twice, and most turn a blind eye and just let it pass." Zhou Yi saw Xiao Ran¡¯s disbelief, his fingers formed a calction, which was actually his Divine Sense scanning the area for dozens of miles around. "In the north, at Yongxing Square, Chen¡¯s mansion¡¯s back garden, there is a young man who took a drunk girl back, I cut off his kidney essence, you can go and have a look now!" "Alright." Xiao Ran browsed through the Guiyuan Technique manual, and from the attached spells at the back, selected one for body transformation. Mana circted, his sinews and muscles quickly shrank, turning into a dwarf of five feet tall, his figure leaping and vanishing into the night. "Sigh..." Zhou Yi shook his head and sighed, the woman in his Divine Sense had already died, and the people of Chen¡¯s mansion were burying her in the back garden. In the Cultivation World, the higher the level of the cultivator, the easier it was to fall into the demonic path, with Divine Sense being one of the key factors. Having seen too much darkness in the world of mortals, like gazing into the abyss at the same moment, there woulde a day when one merges into it. "No wonder they seclude themselves in deep mountains and ancient forests, the benefits are not just the Spiritual Energy." Zhou Yi silently recited a purification spell and continued to write and draw on paper, his Divine Sense constantly tracking Xiao Ran¡¯s movements. Half an hourter. Xiao Ran stormed into the Chen mansion, brutally killing the murderer and carrying the corpse of the woman as he fled through a barrage of gunfire. Today, the guards¡¯ marksmanship of the Chen mansion was a little off, each one turned into a master of outlining! ... The end of the year arrived in the blink of an eye. The foot traffic on Top Schr Street surged, and even the usually quiet pawn shop weed a few additional visitors. Formation and Prohibition could only slightly deviate one¡¯s line of sight, and while they are not impossible to twist people¡¯s consciousness, being the only one in a busy street devoid of people would make one stand out the most. Visitors strolled through the pawn shop and found it empty save for the counter and the daoist¡ªan experience less interesting than visiting the antique shop next door. For instance, the bronze cauldrons fromst week, the Sage Emperor¡¯s ridden bicycle, Sh¨¨l¨¬ Relics from high monks, and ornately patterned porcin vases; even knowing they were fake, people would spend money just for enjoyment. "We have a visitor today." Zhou Yi¡¯s fingers formed a divination, deciding to go with the public sentiment, and arranged a disy rack in front of the counter. Most items on the rack were Buddhist and Taoist ssics, with bronze cauldrons and porcin vases casually forged and disyed in ordance with profound principles, instantly making the shop appear ancient and elegant. The hustle and bustle of the day gradually died down. Night fell. Zhou Yi¡¯s fingertips shone with firelight as he carefully carved a piece of fine iron into the form of a mobile phone, pondering for a moment before refining it into a ring. "Cultivators don¡¯t need to look at mobile phone screens, as they canpletely rely on mana and divine sense to rece their eyes, just like using a storage magic artifact¡ªa thought is all it takes to send a text message¡­" After more than half a year of enlightenment, Zhou Yi had tranted the phone¡¯s system one by one, eventually substituting all of it with formation and prohibition patterns, finally crafting the first mobile magic artifact. At this moment. An old man with a white beard wearing a long robe came in through the door, his eyes somewhat vacant as he sat opposite Zhou Yi and watched him cast spells. "Are you an immortal?" "No." Zhou Yi said, "But you are indeed a ghost!" "A ghost? So I¡¯m a ghost!" The old man looked into Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes, which were swirling like vortexes, and the scenes from his life kept reemerging. He saw the surgeries thatsted for two days and nights, ending with him dying in his sleep in a corner of the room. There was no pain, nor any awareness. "My name was Liu Hong. Why did I be a ghost, and how did I end up here?" "There are many reasons why a dead person bes a ghost, most often due to an obsession, like your concern for your patients." Zhou Yi exined, "These past few days, I¡¯ve encountered too much darkness and wanted to talk to someone kind to neutralize the gloominess, to prevent the birth of inner demons. So here you are!" This was just an excuse. A mere Golden Core practitioner couldn¡¯t achieve anything he desired. The true reason was the attraction of spiritual energy. Zhou Yi cultivated the secret technique of his sect that restrained the mana within him, but as a Golden Elixir True Monarch in the age of scarce mana, the difference in spiritual energy between him and the current world was vast. No matter how he sealed it, some would naturally leak out. Wherever a True Monarch was present, it naturally became a Spiritual Mountain Blessed Land, the spiritual energy there even denser than today¡¯s core of a Spirit Vein. Liu Hong was silent for a long while, not understanding the sage¡¯s words, and simply assumed him to be a peculiar person with strange behaviors. As a doctor with quite a reputation in his lifetime, and having believed in the natural course of birth, aging, sickness, and death for decades, he suddenly discovered the mysteries of the soul and felt an almost overwhelming urge to dissect himself. "So what am I supposed to chat with you about?" "Anything, such as medicine. I am quite proficient in it as well¡­" As Zhou Yi spoke, the mobile phone emitted beep-beep-beep sounds. He gestured an apology for the wait, opened the Cloud Chat app, and saw that it was a beautiful female avatar shing. Game, 36 Bing, Passionate, 25, Number Nine: "Brother Bai Long, please help me rank up!" Zhou Yi skimmed the long memo, instantly recognized who it was, and replied without changing his expression, "I have a guest in the shop today, I¡¯ll take you to Emperor rank tomorrow." Number Nine sent a voice message: "But, Brother Bai Long, I want to rank up now." Image, image, image. Liu Hong was dumbfounded, watching as the sagely aura and celestial energy of the road before copsed, plummeting the Daoist into the realm of ordinary mortals. With his fears ayed, he made a meaningfulment. "Based on my years of medical experience, either those photos are fake, or her looks are not real!" "Cough cough cough, as long as it makes you happy, there¡¯s no need to be so serious." Zhou Yi¡¯s face flushed slightly as he turned the mobile phone face down on the counter, actually switching to using his divine sense to chat idly with Number Nine. "I understand, I understand." Liu Hong, ever the old chatterbox, animatedly winked and found the whole thing quite amusing, recalling the strange tales he heard in his lifetime, possibly alluding to existences like this Daoist. "Let¡¯s chat about medicine then!" Zhou Yi and Liu Hong then discussed medicine, from modern to ancient times, and from the flesh to the soul. One was a quirky oldtimer who knew about the past and present, and the other was a new ghost with superb medical skills. The simple phrase "studying medicine to save people" could spark a debate thatsted all night, and before they knew it, dawn was approaching. Tales of ghosts in the night. "Old Liu, why don¡¯t you stay a few more nights?" Zhou Yi said, not yet satisfied, "I once read an ancient text, written by a famous Da Qian physician, which recorded more than a dozen lost secret prescriptions." "I think I¡¯ll go see my son before the break of dawn and enter the cycle of reincarnation early. Perhaps I¡¯ll get to see my wife who passed away two years ago." Liu Hong shook his head in refusal, his expression serene, "Before death...I mean after death, meeting you, Daoist, is also quite a remarkable encounter!" With that, he gave a cupped-hand salute and drifted away from the pawnshop. Zhou Yi formed a spell sign and executed the Buddhist reincarnation secret technique, a trace of profound spiritual light falling into Liu Hong¡¯s body, which in the next life might enable him to prate the confusion within the womb and inherit his previous wisdom. The Buddhist secret technique was even more peculiar than the way of the demons, and even Zhou Yi couldn¡¯t say for sure what the effects would be. ording to Buddhist texts, morally high monks with countless good deeds in their lifetimes seemed more likely to awaken such wisdom, corresponding mysteriously to the virtues and blessings of their karma. "The Buddhist texts and cultivation techniques, all enshrouded in the mist of Cloud Mountain, and they¡¯re not afraid of people learning them incorrectly and falling into the demonic path!" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Zhou Yi spat fiercely and sensed spiritual energy near the vegetable market entrance. It was so thin it was almost undetectable, yet with no cultivators to refine and consume it, one day it would envelop the entire city. "Old Liu didn¡¯t have deep obsessions, yet he still became a ghost. It won¡¯t be many years before we see a parade of a hundred spirits at night¡­" Chapter 249 - 230: Exorcising Ghosts and Refining Gu Ghostly Night Parade. A disaster that necessarily arises with the decline and resurgence of spiritual energy. A thousand years ago, Cloud Continent had experienced such a cmity. Monsters and ghosts spawned by spiritual energy created chaos everywhere. Zhou Yi initiated the establishment of the Spring Breeze Building, andter the Dan Ding Sect joined in. Countless cultivators worked together to suppress the catastrophe, finally minimizing it to the extreme. Even so, the death toll by the ghosts was in the millions! The casualties in other continents were even more tragic. Cultivators were keen on evading the disaster of the declining era, and with no one to control the vengeful spirits and fierce ghosts, rumors of ghosts swallowing entire cities weremon, and the misery within was innumerable. "Nowadays, there are no cultivators to subdue demons and expel ghosts, and the thin spiritual energy cannot support cultivation¡ªit¡¯spletely up to ordinary people to struggle." "Compared to the time of decline, the only advantage is technology." Zhou Yi slightly shook his head. He was not optimistic about using technology to subdue demons and expel ghosts. Current technology worked against ordinary souls, but facing true vengeful spirits and fierce ghosts, it was just for show. A few days ago, Xiao Ran received new-style weapons, a thunder gun developed by the Investigation Bureau aimed at ghostly entities. Once activated, it ejects high-voltage electric arcs with abat radius of twenty meters. Currently, most ghostly entities would die upon contact. It could be said that even a child holding it could exterminate ghosts. "The reason is that the people holding the weapons are too weak." Vengeful spirits and fierce ghosts are not fools or brutes who would fight against a thunder gun head-on. They would employ techniques like burrowing, invisibility, possession, illusions, and so forth, not to mention powerful ghostly entities that could unleash Yin Sha and Ghost Monsters. Zhou Yi furrowed his brows, pondering methods to solve the chaos caused by ghostly entities. "The best option is of course cultivation. Martial arts increase Qi-Blood, preventing ghosts froming close. Second is a protective robe. Simply inscribing some Earth Sha prohibitions can fend off the invasion of fierce ghosts!" He thought back and forth, and both could be done at the same time. It¡¯s not like ancient times where you had to establish a sect and select disciples, impart knowledge and skills, and then have them go out to y demons and expel ghosts, which would take decades or even centuries to take effect. So tiresome, and the impact is limited to a small area. The convenience brought by technology nowadays doesn¡¯t require much effort. As long as the cultivation techniques are uploaded to the inte, billions will see them. If one in a hundred believes, and one in a hundred of those seeds in cultivation, then when the ghosts run rampant and harm themon people, they¡¯ll be able to save countless lives. "This poor Daoist truly does not wish to be a savior, but one can¡¯t just stand by and do nothing when one has the ability to help..." Zhou Yi attempted to refine his mobile phone into a magic treasure, which was an important reason. A phoneposed entirely of formations and prohibitions leaked no identity information. The credit of saving the world was not as valuable as safety and secrecy. The ultimate goal of those who cultivate is often immortality, but for Zhou Yi, it was a burden. Beep beep beep! Zhou Yi was contemting an issue that concerned the lives of millions when his phone rang with a message. Opening it, the first thing he saw was a cooling image. Image. Number Sixteen: "Brother White Dragon, my temperature is thirty-nine degrees, hurry over and expel the evil for me!" "This poor Daoist is on his way." Zhou Yi, who had studied the Wanjuan Daozang extensively and was most proficient in this area, to prevent the girl from being harmed by evil ghosts, hurriedly called a private car and headed straight for South City. Along the way. Streetlights on both sides of the street shone brightly outside the car window, with crowds of people passing by. Xianjing is now the top city of the Nine Continents, boasting a poption of over a hundred million. "For the great cause of expelling evil, this poor Daoist cannot sit idly by!" ... The next morning. Top Schr Street. Zhou Yi, his hair in a Hunyuan hair bun, wearing a dark blue Taoist robe, walked with his hands tucked in along the street. If it were the streets of his former life, he would probably attract a lot of attention. But in Da Qian, a Taoist robe is one of the officially recognized proper outfits. It had been three years since he returned to Cloud Continent from the Eastern Sea, and sometimes he still found it surreal. An old master in a long gown focused on swiping through short videos, asionally typing criticisms andmenting the decline of social morals, yet couldn¡¯t help but press like and follow! A pce-dressed girl switched to a phoenix robe for live streaming, when suddenly hundreds of rockets soared, and the top contributor turned out to be an abdicated emperor. The cab ministers used cloudmunication for their meeting, and today¡¯s headline was about two bigwigs slinging mud at each other in their social circles, and who knew which sneak snapped a screenshot and sold it to the newspapers for a high price. In such ways, everything was harmoniously distorted! "What a pity, what a pity, the Spring Breeze Building survived dynastic changes and epochal upheavals, but in the end, it fell a hundred years ago!" Zhou Yi looked around from east to west, walking back unhurriedly. When passing by Gufang Studio, he noticed it was sealed off, with cordon tape and patrol guards on duty, armed to the teeth. About ten or so people gathered outside to watch themotion. Gufang Studio, a legacy of three generations, was one of the earliest antique shops on Top Schr Street, having amassed considerable wealth from reselling items that drifted from the North Side Market. Zhou Yi greeted the owner of Jinshige: "Manager Zhao, what happened to Old Gu?" "Rumor has it he¡¯s suspected of tomb raiding and selling cultural relics abroad, not just a few either¡ªat least twenty or thirty years behind bars." Manager Zhao sighed, "Old Gu looks kind-hearted and benevolent, with a solid family fortune umted over three generations; how could he possibly do such a thing?" Zhou Yi smiled, "That¡¯s not certain; the rich still think about bing richer!" "Then you¡¯re mistaken," Manager Zhao nced around before whispering, "I¡¯ve heard that Old Gu had a treasure at home, and a big shot from Yongchang ce wanted to buy it but the deal fell through, out of spite they pinned a crime on him!" After chatting for a while, Zhou Yi made a tea-tasting appointment at Jinshige with Manager Zhao for a few dayster. Returning to the pawnshop. From a distance, he saw a carriage parked at the entrance, with Xiao Ran and a young man standing one on each side, like door gods. Zhou Yi asked, "Xiao Xiao, why are you here again, not on official duty?" Xiao Ran said, "Master, it has been over half a year since myst visit!" "Time flies." Zhou Yi¡¯s sense of time was quite different from ordinary people¡¯s; he felt that the seasons changed in the blink of an eye, and a single session of intense cultivation couldst several generations. The young man bowed and offered a salute, "Junior Li Chao, thanks you, Master, for imparting your knowledge!" Zhou Yi looked him up and down, nodding slightly, "I only taught you the medicinal decoction form; I didn¡¯t even impart any martial cultivation techniques. Most of your achievements today are due to your own efforts." Li Chao stood over eight feet tall, with a broad back and a narrow waist, exuding an air of authority just by standing there. In this era, even kitchen knives had to be locked away, and ordinary peoplecked any valorous spirit, not to mention martial arts that prioritize fighting¡ªthere¡¯s no soil for cultivation. Zhou Yi pushed open the door, "Come in." Xiao Ran hurried to follow, "Master, what have you been busy withtely?" "I chat with people during the day, and at night, I chat with ghosts." Zhou Yi told the truth; as ghostly entities increasingly appeared, they were often drawn by spiritual energy to the pawnshop, with men and women from all walks of life. The pawnshop was cold and silent during the day, but each evening it bustled with noise. It was Li Chao¡¯s first visit, but he did not hold back, speaking directly. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "Master, Xiao Ran and I have taken on a case from the Investigation Bureau, to investigate sorcery-rted harm. After repeatedly failing to track down the perpetrator, and as more victims emerge, we havee to seek your advice." Xiao Ran, knowing Zhou Yi¡¯s disposition, believed in fair trade or ¡¯no profit, no early bird.¡¯ He retrieved a ring from within his clothes and presented it with both hands. "This is a recent acquisition; it¡¯s said to be a burial object of the Great Qi Chu King, found on his finger. ording to my senior, there were many gold and silver jewels nearby, but he valued an iron ring above all!" "The Chu King..." Zhou Yi paused briefly, then reached out and pulled the iron ring to himself¡ªan extremelymon storage ring in the Cultivation World. The value of the iron ring couldn¡¯t evenpare to a hundredth of a magical treasure, yet for Zhou Yi, it held a special memory¡ªan acquaintance he had once briefly met, now having their coffin lid pried open. "Tell me, what kind of sorcery harms people?" "The case urred a month ago, initially deemed a suicide, but it was Xiao Ran who sensed the mana..." Li Chao described in detail, "After careful investigation, it seems the caster can control bugs; the victims¡¯ organs have bite marks..." Zhou Yi pinched his fingers to calcte for a moment and couldn¡¯t find any trace of the culprit, which piqued his interest slightly. "That¡¯s not controlling bugs; it¡¯s refining Gu!" Chapter 250 232 Chapter The Dispute between the Immortals and the Witches "Gu, Demon Head?" Xiao Ran''s brows furrowed slightly. In tales of the supernatural, Gu insects were regarded as malevolent entities that harmed people. "The art of Gu refining has an ancient origin, and there''s inherently no good or bad in techniques. However, those who refine Gu often employ the Blood Sacrifice Method to hasten its growth and ferocity, leading them to fall into the demonic path." After Zhou Yi obtained theplete legacy of the One Qi Sect, he recorded many ancient inheritances. In those days, witchcraft could rival the path of immortality in splendor, both being practices that could glimpse eternal life. The dispute between good and evil is a contradiction of doctrines and principles, fought to the death. All the more so the struggle for supremacy between the paths of immortality and witchcraft. As witchcraft waned, the path of immortality flourished. Xiao Ran, listening to the venerable one recount the past, couldn''t help but be enraptured. "Can cultivating immortality truly grant eternal life?" "No!" Zhou Yi offered no exnation. With today''s concentration of spiritual energy, even Foundation Establishment couldn''t be achieved. What talk could there be of immortality with the restraints of heaven and earth? He turned to look at Li Chao, curious. "Li Chao, you could also join the Investigation Bureau?" Li Chao exined, "During my escape, I was fortunate enough for my Qi-Blood to coalesce into a vortex, and an arrest warrant was issued. It was ressified as a righteous act of courage, on the condition that I be an advisor to the Investigation Bureau." "Three years to condensation, such aptitude truly incites envy." Zhou Yi swept over him with his divine sense and discovered that Li Chao''s Dantian vortex was quite profound, with a mixture of Yang Sha within his Qi-Blood. "Have you been to some peculiar ces?" "Your insight is as piercing as a torch, True Lord. The ce is in the central part of Northern Cool Mountain, at the bottom of a nameless cave." Li Chao took out his phone and sent several pictures, showing the geographic location and surrounding scenery. He said, "There is a hot spring in the cave, scorching hot like fire. Sitting and cultivating within it, one''s martial prowess advances rapidly." "Not bad." Zhou Yi nodded slightly. This ce must be a spirit vein, with pure and tractable Yang Sha that could easily be refined and absorbed into the body. The Taoist archives recorded that with the revival of spirit veins, spiritual objects would emerge, among which was Yang Sha. As the spirit veins grew stronger by the day, the Yang Sha would evolve as well, potentially bing Innate Spirit Sha in the future. Such spiritual objects could even cause covetous stirrings in ancestors who had undergone Divinity Transformation. Zhou Yi took a book from beneath the counter and said, "As a fellow cultivator, I cannot take advantage without giving something in return. This ancestral martial arts tome is for you to ponder." "I thank the True Lord for his generous gift!" Li Chao bowed and epted the book, immediately bing engrossed after flipping through a few pages. The tome started from the very origins of Qi-Blood martial arts, which went through several transformations before leading to the cultivation methods of today. ncing at the names of those who annotated the book, all were renowned historical Martial Arts Grandmasters, including Martial Emperor Qin Zheng. Qin Zheng''s reputation in the historical records wasn''t very good; he was described as tyrannical, a burner of books, and obsessed with the path of immortality, but he was precisely the figure Li Chao admired most. To condense the Qi-Blood into a pill with one''s own power and suppress Cloud Continent for a century! Xiao Ran lost interest after a few nces. What appeal is there in the brutish ways of martial artistspared to the high-end pursuit of immortality? His mind lingered on the case at hand, and he said, "True Lord, already more than twenty people have been murdered, how should we track down the killer?" "I''ll teach you a spell called ''Thousand-Mile Tracker,''" Zhou Yi said. "As long as the killer has left behind a trace of their essence, the spell can be used to pursue them. With your strength, it will be effective within a radius of several miles." Xiao Ran had reached the third level of Qi Refinement, the peak achievable by those near the spirit vein at the present time. In the future, the only way forward would be to continuously purify his mana and wait for the spiritual energy to further revive before breaking through. For a genius to be born at the end of an era or during a revival is a tragedy. "Many thanks, True Lord." Xiao Ran''s eyes flickered as he said, "Ever since the Imperial Court discovered ghostly entities, they have collected all Buddhist and Daoist scriptures. They''ve selected quite a few inheritances from them. Perhaps you''d like to join as a consultant too?" Zhou Yi''s fingers moved in calction, but he shook his head, "Now is not the time." All the Buddhist and Daoist texts of the Nine Continents had already been incorporated into the Taoist archives, and these were the secret original texts of the sects, far superior to the current modified Daoist scriptures. Zhou Yi had also read the current Daoist texts. Within an entire volume, perhaps three to five lines were useful; the rest had been repeatedly amended and supplemented byter generations to conform to the Imperial Court and the times. Tampering was easy, but starting over from scratch required a hundred times more effort. Zhou Yi joined the Investigation Bureau not for the sake of the books, but to seek out the Spirit Veins discovered by the Imperial Court, and he had to set up Formation and Prohibition on each one to refine and assimte them. At the same time, he could pay attention to the strongest of the era, and if a Foundation Establishment-level cultivator or martial artist appeared in the world one day, Zhou Yi would need to take it seriously, even though he could easily crush thousands of them. Thirdly, he could receive some special information at any moment, such as evil cultivators using the Art of Gu Refining to kill people and being able to evade divination, which piqued Zhou Yi''s interest. Zhou Yi looked at Xiao Ran with a deep gaze, his face bearing a greyish-ck aura, indicating death was looming in the recent days. "The fickleness of destiny has always been criticized in the Cultivation World, but Xiao Ran has already cultivated to the strongest level. How could mere Gu Technique be the opponent of an orthodox cultivator?" "Either heavy firepower was used, or some damned person has returned!" A Dharma Seal fell upon Xiao Ran, truly a reincarnation of some old monstering back. Zhou Yi secretly observed the other''s strength before deciding whether or not to suppress him. ... Before dawn. The entire Top Schr Street was pitch-dark, save for a pawnshop with a light on. The candle at the door emitted a strange fragrance that living people could not smell, but it would attract ghostly entities. A taxi stopped at the door, honking its horn with a "beep beep beep," indicating arrival. The rear door opened and ten people, men and women, young and old, got out. Because too many people piled out one after the other, they identally knocked off the door, which made a tearing noise and fell to the ground, turning into fluttering yellow paper. The driver screamed heartbrokenly, "Could you be a little more careful? Fixing the car will cost a lot of Soul Power. I''ll have to charge extra today; let me take an extra bite from each of you!" The ghosts couldn''t care less about the driver and floated into the pawnshop. Zhou Yi watched the room fill with people, their auras pure and devoid of malice. He spoke with a smile, "So you''ve alle together today¡ªhave you made your decision?" "We are here to learn the method of soul solidifying from the Taoist master, to barely maintain our ghostly forms, free from obsession and the erosion of Yang Sha, thus preventing us from turning into fierce spirits and malevolent ghosts." The elder in the long robe leading them, named Lu Yuan, was a professor at Xianjing University in his lifetime and had many disciples. He bowed and said, "In these past days, I''ve also said my goodbyes to my family. I have no more attachments to the world of the living." Zhou Yi said, "A Soul Contract needs to be set in stone. Should anything amiss arise in the future, with but a thought from me, your souls will scatter." These ghostly entities were carefully selected, not ghosts born of resentment, and had earned merit in their lifetimes. Not wanting to dissipate like Chen Hong, they were taught the basic techniques of the Heavenly Ghost Sect. The group of ghosts bowed and said, "We will follow the Taoist master''s instructions." Zhou Yi''s hands formed a spell, and a sacred light fell into the bodies of the ghosts, turning into the Soul Contract Ban. "Go in, someone will teach you how to cultivate!" As his voice faded, the crystal ball on the desk began to shine brightly, swallowing the group of ghosts within.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om It was also night in Kunlun Cave Heaven. A full moon hung in the sky, and the stars shone brightly but did not move, as if they were painted on a canvas overhead. Lu Yuan sensed the extremely rich Spiritual Energy and inhaled deeply, his ghostly form bing a bit more solid. "That, that, that is..." The ghost speaking was the taxi driver, Shi Huang, pointing to a towering tree in the center, his voice trembling with horror. Lu Yuan murmured, "The Immortal Wood, towering without branches, green leaves and purple stem... this is the legendary Kunlun Wondend!" The ghosts suddenly realized and looked at the Immortal Wood in the center of the cave heaven. It was indeed identical to the one in the legends. Experience more tales on empire At that moment. From within the Taoist temple came yelling and cursing that sounded like it wasing from a child. "Charge! Charge! Use your ultimate, use your ultimate! Heal me, you useless pieces of &#£¤@..." This was followed by a string of vulgar curses that woke the ghosts up, as they saw a three-foot-tall Taoist boy holding a cellphone, cursing as he walked out of the temple. Chapter 251 - 232 Yuan Ling’s Avatar The inte is a giant dye vat, where dense information causes premature worldly wisdom. The Spirit Ginseng baby had maintained the Heart of a Newborn for a thousand years, but just two years after getting a smartphone, its path to immortalityy shattered, and it forgot all about the dream of bing a celestial being. "Why pursue immortality when gaming is so much more fun?" s, its talent for gaming was too poor, and its intelligence was clearly lower than that of number six. Even with skillful y, it was stuck in the gold ranks for the long term. The Spirit Ginseng baby didn¡¯t mind this; it didn¡¯t y games to win or lose. As long as it could make all its teammates mute their mics, it considered that a spiritual victory. Since it had no way to top up its ount, when teammates couldn¡¯t outdo the Spirit Ginseng baby in insults, they started mocking it for being poor. Until one day it heard a male teammate, eager to please, offering CP skins. The Spirit Ginseng baby felt like it had discovered a new world. Transforming into a beautiful girl, it donned extravagant and noble pce attire, and with voice and video conveyance it floated with celestial grace. It sweetly called out to its "little brothers," melting the bones ofizens, and easily received many skins. When Zhou Yi discovered this, he sternly reprimanded it, admonishing against doing wrong even in small ways, and forbade it from cheating with magic again! But the Spirit Ginseng baby quickly found another way. It downloaded a video app, posted a few dance videos, and left its game ount information. In just a few days, it had more digital currency than it could spend. "Mortals are truly foolish; no matter how advanced technology bes, they still crave those inner desires!" Scanning the crowd of ghostly entities, the Spirit Ginseng baby said, "The Immortal Master has sent you here for a great mission to save humanity, which will be entrusted to your hands!" The crowd of ghosts immediately became solemn, not daring to underestimate Kunlun Wondend because of smartphones and games. Compared to the sacred and mist-shrouded majesty that people imagined, the legendary ce where immortals cultivated was indeed connected to the power behind dynastic session in the Nine Continents. Who says immortals can¡¯t game? This is what it truly means to be unfettered by worldly concerns, to follow one¡¯s heart. When the strong do something odd, there will always be people ready to rationalize it perfectly for them! "ording to the rules of Kunlun, you are all granted one year of cultivation," said the Spirit Ginseng baby. "After proving yourselves through cultivation, you will scatter into the Nine Continents, gather benevolent lost souls, and form into patrolling ghost soldiers responsible for suppressing malevolent specters and malevolent ghosts!" "We will heed the Immortal Master¡¯smand." The crowd of ghosts responded with a thunderous affirmation. In the mortal realm, there were already legends about an underworld, and this call to arms seemed simr to the duties of the judges and other officials there. The Spirit Ginseng baby nodded slightly, solemnly adding, "Before we begin our cultivation, there is a very urgent matter that requires thorough investigation!" The ghostly crowd listened keenly, afraid to lose this rare opportunity. "Which ranks do you hold in the Glory of the Nine Continents game?" "..." The ghosts fell silent, unsure of how to respond. Some, like Professor Lu Yuan, had never yed any games. A ghostly figure with the look of a college student raised a hand and replied, "Immortal Master, I am at the rank of Emperor with fifty stars." Read exclusive adventures at empire "Good!" The Spirit Ginseng baby¡¯s eyes lit up as it pulled a magic artifact that resembled a smartphone from its sleeve and spoke seriously. "I have a matter of great urgency that I need your help with!" ... Everything happening in Kunlun Cave Heaven naturally couldn¡¯t escape Zhou Yi¡¯s Divine Sense. After the magic artifact smartphone was sessfully refined and the Formation and Prohibition that blocked signals were lifted, the intention was to expose the Spirit Ginseng baby to information from the outside world to hasten its intellectual development. Who would have thought it would go astray! Zhou Yi felt somewhat helpless. Even an immortal couldn¡¯t control the changes in human nature, much less the Golden Core. "Well, at least it¡¯s be more lively." "The Spirit Ginseng baby will instruct them for a year. Afterward, having inherited the traditions of the Ghost King Sect, they will be powerful enough to subduemon lost souls in just one year. Managing ghosts with ghosts and dividing up the lost souls saves a lot of trouble." "The downside is that it requires a long time." "The Nine Continents are vast, and the eighteen lost souls are like a drop in the ocean when scattered. Without trained ghost soldiers for patrolling, they can¡¯t cover a wide area in the beginning." Zhou Yi¡¯s Divine Sense swept across Immortal Capital City and found a dozen or so malevolent spirits hidden in various secretive ces. Many of them were stained with blood and malevolence, clearly having consumed the life essence of the living. "The spiritual energy of heaven and earth is so thin, yet so many lost souls have formed. It¡¯s different from the Age of Dharma¡¯s decline." "In the era of revival, the Spiritual Energy is light and sprightly, intimate with living things, making cultivation far easier than in the past. Those old monsters who willingly sealed themselves are thinking of using the tide of revival to break through to even higher realms!" "That being so, it also indicates that the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts is even more terrifying than in the declining years of thew!" "Perhaps in the eyes of heaven and earth, the extinction of the human race is not a big deal; after all, countless yearster, a new human race will still emerge..." Zhou Yi, being a member of the human race, naturally thought that humanity was different from the others, but how could heaven and earth, which regard all things as mere straw dogs, treat any one race especially? "Another reason is that the modern people¡¯s resentments and malevolent energies are growing heavier by the day!" The ancient people, whose wisdom had not yet developed, were muddled and habitually endured submission passively; should they be vengeful spirits or fierce ghosts, they were inevitably the result of extremely vicious cases. Over the past year, Zhou Yi encountered many souls, among which many ordinary people who died normal deaths had be fierce ghosts under the influence of Spiritual Energy. Reality exceeds dreams, desires outstrip possessions, the fast pace of life, increasingly fiercepetition, the growing gap between rich and poor, the oppression of intangible material things all allow resentments and malevolent energies to breed in the depths of the heart. "The more you know, the more pain you endure!" Zhou Yi could be said to be the person who knew the most secrets in the Nine Continents. Even though he was proficient in Buddhist and Taoist scriptures and strove to maintain his nature, sometimes he couldn¡¯t help but fall into hardship and doubt. For example, handing over machinery to Zhu Kang years ago and stepping into modern times over the course of several centuries was originally a very good thing. As a result, with the initial revival of Spiritual Energy, the overabundance of ghostly entities urred, and with the rise of modern firearms, the foundations of martial arts were severed, making Martial Artists arguably the fewest in history. Under the mutual influence of the two, the number of people dying might not decrease. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Every drink and every peck is predestined!" Zhou Yi silently recited the Clear Mind Mantra, pushing down his fluttering thoughts; he wouldn¡¯t impose causality on himself. At this moment. Within the range of his Divine Sense, a retired professor from the history department of Immortal Capital University had died from exhaustion of his lifespan. Zhou Yi had been secretly observing this man for a long time, his identity and profession were just right for the requirements, and finally, the day hade; he took out the divination cylinder and performed the Minor Severing Heaven Technique. The Spirit Ginsengnded steadily on the ground. "As a Daoist, I exist outside of predestined fate, I am that one who has eluded it!" ... Immortal Capital Hospital. Inside the special care ward. Children and grandchildren formed a circle, their expressions filled with sorrow. Students of the professor stood outside the ward to send off their teacher, among them was Xiao Ran. On the sickbed. The emaciated old man had few hairs remaining and his eyes peacefully closed, evidently, he had few regrets in life, clutching in his hand a peculiar Stone Bead, an ancient artifact discovered for the first time during an archaeological dig. Seeming like a stone but not a stone, as hard as steel, it was difficult to determine its exact age. Suddenly. The Stone Bead flickered with a seven-colored light, a ray of spiritual light emanated, merging into the old man¡¯s body. The children and grandchildren, who had their eyes fixed on the old man, naturally saw this strange phenomenon and were about to shout in astonishment. The old man¡¯s eyebrows twitched, and he slowly opened his eyes. A sharp gaze swept over his family members, a terrifying aura manifested, scaring them into silence. "Where is this?" His son answered tremblingly, "Immortal Capital." The old man¡¯s brows slightly furrowed, then inquired, "Where is Immortal Capital located in which continent?" "Cloud Continent!" At this time, the Stone Bead was still shining with spiritual light, the withered hair began to grow back, the wrinkled skin quickly smoothed out, and in a blink of an eye, he went from an old man to looking in his fifties or sixties. "How has only a little over a thousand years passed?" Ignoring the fear of his children and grandchildren, the old man tore off the various equipment tubes, stood up from the sickbed, and dered, "I am, Heavenly Monarch Yuanling!" Chapter 252 - 233: The Remnants of the Blood Demon Several dayster. The Xu family vi. Children and grandchildren gathered together, daring not to breathe too loudly. A few days ago, the family head, "Xu Su," came back to life, and with the operation of the Xu family, it was announced to the public that his health had improved. "Xu Su" is a well-known archaeologist in the Great Zhou, influential not only within the industry but also a frequent guest on Great Zhou television programs, where his witty and profound storytelling amassed arge following of fans. After the news spread, well-wishes continuously arrived, including from the cab and the Royal Family, congratting Old Xu on his recovery. The Xu family members who knew the truth were restless and inexplicably terrified! Old Xu was truly dead, the one alive imed to be "Yuan Ling," an unknown ancient creature! Yuan Ling was actually Zhou Yi, using the Heavenly Ghost Sect¡¯s Soul Division Secret Method to refine the dead Xu Su into a split soul to act under this identity. In the future, even if traces were left behind, they wouldn¡¯t be linked back to Zhou Yi, after all, "Heavenly Monarch Yuanling" was a name that rang with notoriety among ancient creatures, who would not only avoid suspicion but would also mock the self-sealing gone awry and the premature awakening. "Enough, don¡¯t look so worried, I¡¯m not here to steal souls or possess bodies." Zhou Yi put down the history book in his hands and said, "I havee to understand the events of the past millennium clearly. If you have any questions, just ask them directly." Xu Ce, the eldest son, looked at his "father" who appeared younger than himself, and despite the fear in his heart, other thoughts sprang to mind, prompting him to ask boldly. "Heavenly Monarch, what exactly is your background?" Over the past few days, the Xu family had various spections. The older ones thought it was a possession by a ghost, while the younger ones guessed body snatching, time travel, resurrection... "Ie from the Cultivation World of a thousand years ago. I¡¯m from the Xuanmen Orthodoxy, certainly not any kind of demon or ghost," Zhou Yi sighed helplessly, "Back then, to avoid catastrophe, I self-sealed within those Stone Beads. I never imagined there would be a problem with my Divine Skills. Now that I¡¯ve unexpectedly awakened, I realize that the path to immortality has been severed, truly the will of the heavens!" Xu Ce understood only half but that didn¡¯t prevent him from being pleasantly surprised, "Father, are you a legendary immortal?" Zhou Yi gave him a sideways nce and nodded, "ording to your understanding, yes, you could say I am an immortal, but more urately, I am a cultivator." Cultivation! The Xu family members immediately felt their fear diminish, and looking at Old Xu¡¯s appearance, they found him quite approachable! Xu Ce said, "Father, do you know of Kunlun Wondend?" "Kunlun? Haha!" Zhou Yi shook his head and said, "When I roamed the Nine Continents, I had never heard of this ce, it must have no connection with the Cultivation World but is instead a figment ofter emperors¡¯ imaginations." "So it is." Xu Ce said respectfully, "Father, what do you need for cultivation? Just give your son your orders." Zhou Yi said, "Since I have taken over this body, I am now karmically linked with the Xu family. In the future, the Xu family will surely reap benefits, and anyone with a Spirit Root can cultivate!" "Thank you, dear father." "Grandpa is the best!" Hearing these words, they showed filial piety and respect. "Nowadays, it is rare to achieve immortality. My primary concern is to rebuild the sect so that I can face my ancestors with dignity after death!" Zhou Yi nodded slightly and said, "However, the current Nine Continents is different from a thousand years ago. Do you have a way to quickly recruit top disciples for the sect?" The Xu family members pondered deeply, realizing that this was a test. They called him father and grandfather, but they knew it was only a superficial rtionship. If they were of no use, their chances for a connection with immortality would be slim. Xu Ce, who held a government position, suggested, "How about cooperating with the Imperial Court?" Zhou Yi shook his head and said, "After my reincarnation, my Primordial Spirit merged into the ghostly realm, and my level has dropped, making it difficult to contend with the Imperial Court. The sect must not cooperate with the Imperial Court until it has a proper foundation!" The Imperial Court has been scouring through Buddhist and Daoist scriptures for two to three years. Basic Qi Refining Techniques must exist, but they haven¡¯t shared any news with the public. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The martial arts ban has not yet been lifted, ghostly entities are breeding and harming people everywhere, causing both the Imperial Court and the Investigation Bureau¡¯s powers to rapidly expand! Zhou Yi did not need to guess to know that cooperating with the Imperial Court would only cultivate a family of cultivators. His grandson, Sun Yu, suggested, "Grandfather can use the inte to spread the sect¡¯s cultivation techniques, select the best to enter the gate, and teach them the subsequent techniques." Zhou Yi pretended to ponder for a moment and then nodded in agreement. "This method is very good!" ... Yicheng. One of the nine satellite cities of Xianjing, each named after the Nine Continents, highlighting the immense pressure of the great Zhou over the world. Continue your journey on empire The Nine Continents are vast, with extremely uneven development outside of Cloud Continent. In many remote areas, feudal rule is still maintained; the emperor sells the domestic ore veins to the great Zhou in exchange for advanced firearms to suppress the people and maintain his own stable rule. Countless people hate the great Zhou, yet when ites to changing countries, they are dead set against it! At this moment. Central Tower. The rm was piercing; the patrol swiftly evacuated the crowd. Police cars surrounded the tower, iming that there were fanatics from the Faith Alliance inside, carrying dangerous items intending to create an attack. To the people of the great Zhou, fanatics were an existence even more horrifying than the Imperial Court. Under the leadership of the Divine Country, the Faith Alliance had always been in conflict with the great Zhou, with both sides constantly developing new-style weapons, more powerful missiles, and bombers with longer range. Whilerge-scale wars had not erupted, small-scale conflicts and mutual infiltration and sabotage weremon urrences. Inside the tower. Xiao Ran held a bloodstained rag, casting a tracking spell, following the scent to sense the culprit¡¯s location. This piece of rag was left behind by the culprit after an injury during a roundup by the Investigation Bureau. The culprit possessed concealment spells that could mask their scent, making it difficult for ordinary police dogs to track by smell. "The person is on the second basement level." Xiao Ran looked at the building¡¯s structural diagram and pointed to a location: "Right around here!" Themander immediately ordered two teams of the Investigation Bureau¡¯s experts, fully armed, to eliminate the perpetrator. In today¡¯s era, twenty years of martial arts cultivation couldn¡¯tpete with a burst from a heavy machine gun. However, when martial artistsbined with heavy weapons, their strong physique and sharp reflexes increased their lethality exponentially. For example, a standard team¡¯s firepower in the Investigation Bureau could include a trooper holding two six-barrel Gatling guns, carrying between five thousand to ten thousand rounds of ammunition, allowing for up to a minute of uninterrupted firing. Duringst year¡¯s test of a standard team¡¯s firepower, the Investigation Bureau specifically invited an old retainer from the Royal Family, an Innate Grandmaster who had to flee when faced with the metal storm. The strength and reflexes of martial artists turned mounted weapons into personal equipment! Second basement level. The standard team broke through from both the east and west entrances, cornering the perpetrator in the center, themander¡¯s voiceing through their ears. "The perpetrator has not moved; be careful of traps!" At this moment, there was no need for themander to remind them, as the team members had already sensed something amiss. From a distance, they saw the perpetrator sitting cross-legged in ce, with hundreds of withered corpses lying around. The ground was carved withplex and sinister grooves, with the blood from the corpses flowing along these lines and gathering into a Blood Pool at the center. The culprit, wearing a simple Taoist robe with hair turned red, sat in the middle of the Blood Pool. His narrow eyes swept over the squad, and he let out a strangeugh. "Hehehe! I have just perfected the Blood Shadow Divine Skill, and now peoplee to die¡­" The squad leader¡¯s face did not change, and he signaled; the demolitions expert immediately got the message. Swish! Swish! Two rockets, trailing mes, wereunched at the perpetrator, while at the same time countless bullets rattled off in a fuside. Chapter 253 234 Battle Demon "Young man, you don''t have any respect for martial ethics!" As the words of Xue Yunzi fell, his figure twisted and transformed into a Blood Shadow, seemingly insubstantial. The rocket passed through the Blood Shadow as if it were nothing and exploded on the ground, the high-temperature mes it produced were specifically designed to counter evil ghostly entities. Cackling! From the Blood Shadow came a smug and strangeughter as it twisted and changed in the void like smoke, moving as fast as lightning, lunging at the captain in several flickers. "Protective shield!" The captain shouted into the headset, and arcs of electricity as thick as thumbs shed around him, which would have reduced him to charcoal if not for his protective suit. "The same move, do you think I would be fooled twice?" The voice of Xue Yunzi was cold; he had been injured in thest skirmish because he had been caught off guard by the body-protecting thunder. Suddenly, he dispersed into dozens of wisps of green smoke, slipping into the gaps between the electric arcs and entering the captain''s body. The strong Qi-Blood did not stop him; on the contrary, it became a supplement to the Blood Shadow Divine Skill. The captain, a burly man over seven feet tall, visibly shrank in size in the final moments as his Divine Sense was extinguished. "Die!" He bravely triggered the self-destruction device, which was thest resort against ghostly entities¡ªonce possessed by a fierce spirit or fierce ghost and Qi-Blood could not suppress or expel it, it was used to perish along with the entity without harming teammates. Boom! With a loud bang, thunderous mes burst from thebat suit, turning the man into purple and red hues. "Cough cough cough! Damn it, you all deserve to die!" Xue Yunzi cursed as he escaped from the mes, the Blood Shadow significantly shorter than before, obviously having suffered severe damage. "Attack!" Amand came through the headset, and a dozen weapons fired mes and thunder at the Blood Shadow in the sky. "A bunch of ants, you also want to harm this Demon Monarch?" Xue Yunzi formed a spell with his hands, casting the Soul Bewitching secret technique; ordinary mortals'' souls couldn''t resist at all and would fall into unconsciousness, leaving their physical bodies and Qi-Blood to be taken at will. Sure enough. The invisible and traceless Soul Bewitching Art spread out like ripples, and the touched team members only felt dizzy and weak in their limbs, about to fall to the ground. From the headset came a voice from the remotebat control console: "Activate the awakening device!" Arge dose of hormones specifically developed for Martial Artists was injected into their bodies,bined with electric shock stimtion, instantly waking them from drowsiness. Xue Yunzi was so angry that his old face turned purple; these mortals before him were exceedingly weak, yet, like hedgehogs, they were difficult to tackle, and he was almost infuriated into using what little remained of his soul''s origin. "I shall see if all mortals are such a nuisance!" Using the soul''s origin once meant less remained, and it had to be used at a crucial moment to save himself. After all, the Demon Head didn''t care about losing face; he would remember these people''s faces and exterminate their ns once his demonic prowess wasplete! Blood Shadow easily passed through the thunderous mes and twoyers of concrete, appearing on the first floor of the building. Xiao Ran was ready to cast the Tracking Technique at any moment, sensing that Xue Yunzi was moving rapidly, passing through walls and heading straight for him; he quickly broke off the spell and employed the Light Body Skill. "Retreat!" "What on earth is the background of this guy? His strength is growing too fast!" Li Chao didn''t understand spells, but with his sharp Martial Artist intuition, he sensed a malevolent presenceing. When he first took on this case, the culprit was just an ordinary person who used Gu to harm others. Fleeing from the Investigation Bureau, he could only flee for his life. And in just two or three months, he was now able to withstand a fully-armed squadron! "Cackling! This Tracking Technique is quite exquisite; even I can''t avoid it. I wonder which sect''s inheritance it belongs to!" The Blood Shadow ignored the barrage of bullets, and with a strangeugh, it already appeared within three feet of Xiao Ran. Bewitch! In Xiao Ran''s eyes, a spiritual light flickered, his natural spiritual pupils coupled with the Pupil Skill would lead peers into an illusion. But Xue Yunzi was no ordinary opponent, with a hint of a True Monarch''s soul origin protecting him, he easily became immune to the illusion and lunged to devour Xiao Ran''s Qi-Blood and Mana in one fell swoop. The Blood Shadow Divine Skill is a secret transmission of the Blood God Sect. Once mastered, one can continuously devour living beings to increase its power! A few miles away. In thebatmand center, dozens of screens disyed the scenes from the first floor of the building and underground. Themander''s brow furrowed as he gently caressed the red button, hesitating to make a decision. Your next read is at empire "Sir, ording to the experts from the Buddhist and Daoist sects, this person must have practiced demonic arts." An assistant whispered, "The characteristic of demonic arts is the rapid progress and unpredictability. If notpletely eradicated, it will inevitably be a major cmity in the future!" Inside the war room, there was silence as everyone anxiously waited for themander''s order. If they initiated the destruction attack, the casualties among Yicheng''s civilians would be substantial.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "This is the city, not a remote mountainous area." Themander shook his head slightly. Thest target of the destruction attack was a red-dressed ghost woman born in a mountain vige, which had turned to ashes within miles after the vigers had been evacuated. "The moment he leaves the city, initiate the destruction attack immediately!" "And what if he doesn''t leave the city?" The assistant reminded, "Ordinary surveince equipment simply cannot track this person. Once his demonic arts are fully aplished, even the destruction attack might not be able to kill him!" Themander fell silent for a long time, unsure of how to answer. To choose left meant more people would die from the destruction attack; to choose right meant even more people would die at the hands of the demon head in the future. No matter what choice he made, he would have to bear the pressure of public opinion and the upper echelons. "Dispatch a standard team to dy, start evacuating the poption, and be ready to attack at any moment¡­" At that moment. A change urred on the screen, and Xiao Ran was about to die at the hands of Xue Ying when a Protective Spiritual Light burst forth from his body. "What is this?" Xue Yunzi''s brow furrowed slightly; he had already learned about the modern world where the immortal path''s inheritance was long severed, and it was impossible that anyone could set up such an exquisite protective barrier. "Could it be a Daoist friend who awoke earlier than the rest?" At this thought, Xue Yunzi considered retreating, but it was already toote. An old figure appeared out of nowhere, scolding, "You offspring of the Blood God Sect, dared to provoke my disciple, you shall be executed!" "Who are you?" Xue Yunzi sensed the elder''s aura, which was much stronger than his own at its peak and simply didn''t conform to the norms of Spiritual Energy. "I am Yuan Ling!" Zhou Yi exhaled the Supreme rity Divine Talisman, imbued with Xuan Miao Spiritual Light, striking Xue Ying and with a miserable scream, he reverted back to his original appearance as the Blood-haired Taoist. "Heavenly Monarch Yuan Ling?" Upon hearing the name, Xue Yunzi was shocked and horrified. Ordinary people might not recognize this name, but as a direct descendant of the Blood Devil Child, he found the name of Divine Transformation Heavenly Monarchs from both the righteous and demonic paths as clear as thunder. Xiao Ran''s life-and-death crisis was averted. Suppressing the doubts in his heart, he stepped forward to bow deeply. "I greet my teacher." "Born with a Pupil Skill, you have a good aptitude." Zhou Yi nodded perfunctorily, ignoring Xue Yunzi who was kneeling and begging for mercy. Zhou Yi activated the Supreme rity Divine Talisman to scatter his soul, then waved his hand to capture several remnants and investigate. "So that''s the origin!" Before the copse of the ancestral line of the Blood Devil Child, he had not sacrificed all his sect disciples in a Blood Sacrifice. Instead, he passed on the self-sealing technique to Xue Yunzi and sent him to Beihai to escape the catastrophe. Xue Yunzi seized the body of the Ten Thousand Gu True Monarch with a secret technique and kidnapped many Loose Cultivators and mortals from Beihai, using them for a blood sacrifice to self-seal for a thousand years. Half a year ago, Xue Yunzi broke the seal. After a new body and a rebirth, he practiced his Gu Technique by killing people, which led to the Investigation Bureau''s pursuit. Today, having mastered the Blood Shadow Divine Skill, he was ready to wreak havoc. Knowing the causes and effects, Zhou Yi couldn''t help but click his tongue in wonder. "The demonic path is ruthless and vicious, yet they know to leave a few offspring. Heavenly Monarch Yuan Ling really did exterminate the entire Qi Sect!" Chapter 254 - 235 New Style Cultivation Technique Zhou Yi nced at the camera, waved his hand to grab Xiao Ran, and the Supreme rity Divine Talisman shone with spiritual light. "Let¡¯s go!" Xiao Ran hastily spoke, "Teacher, please take Li Chao with us." "A decent protector in the making." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, and the spiritual light enveloped the three, as they dove into the ground and disappeared. It¡¯s easier said than done, and in a sh, the oue of the confrontation had been decided. The warriors from the Investigation Bureau within the building hadn¡¯t recovered yet whenmands from higher-ups reached their ears, instructing them to sign confidentiality agreements ording to the previous procedure. The Imperial Court had discovered haunting spirits three years ago, and to avoid unrest, still strictly controlled the dissemination of information. Due to the increase in harrowing spirits and victims, even though the inte was buzzing with spection and rumors were too persistent to be purged, mainstream media continued to report peace and tranquility. The only change was the official reminders to the popce. Don¡¯t go out at night! Some believed that the Imperial Court¡¯s actions infringed on their freedom to night run, whether genuinely or to seek attention and traffic, and they physically embodied this belief by proving the health benefits of night running! In these tumultuous times, the Imperial Court couldn¡¯t be bothered with such people. Anyway, within a few days, they wouldn¡¯t be able to speak anymore¡ªthe spirits didn¡¯t care for freedom and were quite adept at silencing people on a very physical level! Combat Command Center. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Conducting a destructive attack within the city, nobody could escape ountability. At the same time, new questions arose, "Who is Heavenly Monarch Yuanling?" The Demon Head, on hearing this title, was scared half to death, clearly indicating a significant background. To investigate a person for the Imperial Court, a single face was enough; they could dig up ancestors eighteen generations back. Using Heavenly Monarch Yuanling¡¯s name while operating didn¡¯t involve deliberate concealment, and this person¡¯s identity information soon appeared before themander. "It is indeed Elder Xu, no wonder he looked familiar. The title of Heavenly Monarch, originating from Taoism, signifies a deity..." Themander, having briefly looked over the records, asked, "Does Elder Xu follow Taoism?" Taoism is the state religion of Great Zhou, with believers numbering in the hundreds of millions, and to this day, the Royal Family officiates consecration ceremonies for every generation¡¯s head of Baiyun Temple. "Elder Xu has repeatedly stated publicly that he is a non-believer, unafraid of ghosts and deities!" The assistant pointed to a piece of information in the materials, saying, "Ten days ago, Elder Xu was critically ill and had even prepared for his funeral, but suddenly he announced a miraculous recovery." Themander instructed, "Inquire with the attending physician to find out the true situation in the ward." The assistant took out a stack of documents, "This is the murderer¡¯s information; he was an ordinary person, cheerful and kind-hearted. Half a year ago, his personality changed abruptly, and he killed his parents, children, and wife, practicing evil Cultivation Techniques!" Themander frowned, "What are you suggesting?" "Experts spected at the time that firstly, the Cultivation Technique was bizarre, and those who practiced it would inevitably be possessed." The assistant continued, "The second is the legendary possession, initially thought to be the work of a harrowing ghost, but now it seems it may not be..." Themander nodded in approval, having thought of a simr hypothesis, but the implications were too frightening for someone of his status to voice lightly. "Continue." "I often read novels online, and one recurring plot is the reincarnation of certain immortals or Demon Heads." The assistant suggested, "Could it be that Elder Xu and the murderer are in such a situation, and perhaps the Demon Head knew of the immortal¡¯s renown and thus was stricken with fear?" "That is quite reasonable." Themandermented, "Compile your spections along with the details of today¡¯sbat into a report, and submit it to the headquarters of the Investigation Bureau." Upon hearing this, the assistant was overjoyed, bowed deeply to take orders. "Thank you, my lord!" ... Xianjing. South City. Investigation Bureau Headquarters. Conference room. Therge screen on the wall was frozen on the image of "Old Xu" activating the Supreme rity Divine Talisman. The Director rubbed his temples to ease the headache, even though his Qi-Blood martial arts had advanced to the stage of Condensing Orifices, staying awake for seven continuous days was bing unbearable. The territory of Great Zhou was so vast that even if only one malicious ghost appeared in each city per day, the paperwork would pile up on the Investigation Bureau¡¯s desks. The malicious ghosts were still ssified, and no correspondingws had been established, so the Investigation Bureau¡¯s soldiers had to get approval from headquarters at every level for their operations. The imperial cab had no choice but to exterminate the ghosts while also needing to keep the power of the Investigation Bureau in check, to prevent it from expanding without limits. "Let¡¯s talk about it, what¡¯s the procedure for today¡¯s issue?" The deputy director to his left said, "Can we not invite Old Xu for a talk? After all, Old Xu is also part of the system, receiving special allowances, and his family is in the capital." "Based on the murderer¡¯s reasoning, whether Old Xu still recognizes his family is hard to guarantee." Someone immediately objected, "If the negotiation ends unpleasantly, with the strength Old Xu has shown, no one can bear the consequences that arise!" "We can¡¯t say that either, Old Xu still recognizes his disciples, evidently, he¡¯s not a Demon Head!" "That disciple was born with a Spirit Eye, an excellent candidate for a sect heir; ording to Buddhist and Taoist texts, it¡¯s much more important than blood rtions!" "..." The conference room was a babel of voices, engaged in a heated discussion on whether to contact "Old Xu." Smack! A loud bang, and a handprint appeared on the solid wood table, instantly quieting the room; everyone turned to look at the Director. "Ha! Each of you knows very well what¡¯s going on, trying to y dumb with me?" The Director, originally a top expert in the military and known for his vtile temperament, was extremely loyal to the Imperial Court. Thus, he had earned the cab¡¯s trust. He cursed, "Is the main point now whether to see Old Xu or not?" "The main point is the Cultivation Technique!" Everyone bowed their heads upon hearing this, not daring to speak. The matter of Cultivation Techniques was too sensitive and dabbling in it could easily lead to a catastrophic end. "Whether Old Xu is human or ghost doesn¡¯t matter, what¡¯s clear is that he values the legacy of his sect so much that he would risk exposing himself to save his disciple. He will definitely start a school to pass on his techniques in the future!" The deputy director said, "Can we not use the name of the Imperial Court to ask Old Xu to temporarily refrain from spreading the Cultivation Technique for the peace and security of the people?" "ording to Buddhist and Taoist texts, those who cultivate immortality are indifferent to the mortal world, whether it¡¯s peaceful or in chaos." The Director said, "Even if Old Xu agrees, what if other immortals or Demon Heads appear? Will you go and negotiate with each one?" Everyone shook their heads upon hearing this, understanding that suppressing the spread of Cultivation Techniques could notst forever. The Imperial Court had scoured Buddhist and Taoist texts and had alreadypiled several basic Immortal Techniques. They had even started training cultivators, but hindered by the requirement of Spirit Roots, the overall effectiveness was minimal. The military did have many soldiers with superior Spirit Roots, but the cab used the excuse of iplete techniques to temporarily forbid training in the military. The fundamental reason was that this issue involved the redistribution of power. Since ancient times, heroes have been forbidden to use martial arts to defy thew! The power controlled by Cultivators was a hundred times stronger than heroes. Once they made progress in their cultivation, not to speak of abiding by thew, it might not even be clear who has the final say in the Imperial Court. If everyone could cultivate immortality, the Imperial Court would actually be less worried, for the strong powers would check each other, and the worst-case scenario would be the emergence of a new ss. But the entirely random nature of Spirit Roots left the Imperial Court helpless. "I have also read several Immortal Techniques, and ording to the conclusions drawn by the Research Institute, the core is to absorb Spiritual Energy." The Director¡¯s gaze swept over everyone, his voice dark and icy. "Times change, the world changes. We are not living in ancient times. We can refer to Immortal Techniques and use technological means to forcibly integrate Spiritual Energy into the human body, perhaps bypassing the restrictions of Spirit Roots!" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "The Research Institute has already sessfully infused Spiritual Energy intob mice, which significantly enhanced their responsiveness and strength." "Now we just need some benevolent and brave volunteers willing to test the new style of Cultivation Techniques, um, I mean Elixirs..." Chapter 255 - 236: Elixir Zero Benevolent gentlemen? These were nothing more than human guinea pigs! The crowd exchanged puzzled looks; the director, this Martial Barbarian, was also beating around the bush when speaking. The deputy director said, "Isn¡¯t it a bit hasty to proceed with human experiments so quickly?" "The situation is out of our hands!" The director shook his head, "You should be the clearest, ghostly entities causing harm is on the rise, and they are getting tougher to deal with. The Imperial Court must have sufficient strength to confront them." Like demonic cultivators, malevolent spirits and fierce ghosts didn¡¯t care about their muddled consciousness and could grow quickly by devouring vitality and flesh. The orthodox path of martial arts and cultivation couldn¡¯tpare at all, and the Imperial Court also didn¡¯t trust the powerful and free cultivators and martial artists. The only thing they could truly control and trust was technology. Someone suggested, "This matter can be discussed with the Patrol and Arrest Department, there is no shortage of death row inmates in the prisons." "They are already not enough!" The director said, "We already have some research results, the new Cultivation Techniques are more suitable for martial artists, or to say, the stronger the body, the higher the sess rate of the experiments." The crowd¡¯s eyes flickered upon hearing this, not trusting the so-called sess rate; the difference between one in a thousand and one in ten thousand wasn¡¯t much. The deputy director said, "Howe I have never heard of this experiment?" "I also only found out about it recently." The director said, "In recent three years, the authority of the Investigation Bureau has expanded rapidly, iming to be the first under the cab. While enjoying power, one must perform their duties, otherwise..." Whoever was unwilling to assist in the experiments would have their past dug up! The crowd was immediately at a loss, nodded reluctantly with bitter faces, and began to ponder where to "invite" martial artists from. The Imperial Court only needed test subjects; it didn¡¯t specify who it had to be. There were many fervent martial practitioners in the world. Anything that could enhance their power, even if there was only a one-in-ten chance of survival, they were willing to take the risk. "Don¡¯t be so pessimistic, how could the Imperial Court harm its own people!" The director said, "I have a mediocre talent, practicing day and night for thirty years, and relying on the Imperial Court¡¯s support, I barely managed to form my Qi-Blood Foundation. Compared to those geniuses, they effortlessly surpassed me in just three to five years." "Therefore, I have already submitted an application to take the new Elixir!" "Moreover, members of the Royal Family will also participate in the experiments. Aren¡¯t their lives precious?" As the sound of his voice faded, the atmosphere of the meeting room suddenly rxed, as if the life-threatening experiment they thought was dangerous now seemed to have yielded real results. The deputy director questioned, "How did the cab allow the Royal Family to join?" "Because theboratory¡¯s achievements are a fusion of ancient Cultivation Technique fragments and the Royal Family¡¯s secret techniques, so the Royal Family has the right to share the research results." The director said, "The new Cultivation Technique is different from cultivation but also originates from ancient methods, hence the rapid progress within a short period of time. Quite a number of people have survived the experiments." Someone immediately asked, "How strong will they be after a sessful experiment?" The director was silent for a moment before speaking slowly. "Body strength can bepared to someone who has solidified their Qi-Blood Foundation, and they will have special explosive secret techniques. In a life-and-death struggle, I am no match for them!" ... Experimental Lab Zero. A distinguished guest visited today, Emperor Mingxiang of the great Zhou, in name. Emperor Mingxiang, Zhu Jin. Although the Zhou Imperial n has no real power, it has substantial prestige among the people and controls a massive wealth conglomerate. Professor Hong, the person in charge of theb, personally led the tour. Zhu Jin was tall and handsome; even if he were not an emperor, he could still make a living off his good looks alone. The Royal Family¡¯s genes had been optimized generation by generation, and few were born ugly. Moreover, due to their environment and upbringing, they naturally exuded nobility. "Professor Hong, you have worked hard!" "Thank you for Your Majesty¡¯s concern." Professor Hong bowed deeply; since the abolition of the kneeling ceremony, bowing had be the highest etiquette. Zhu Jin stated, "Aside from the tour, I have another matter. The Royal Conglomerate will donate another twenty billion to theb to help elerate your research progress, Professor Hong." "Thank you, Your Majesty." Professor Hong bowed again in gratitude; it wasmon forbs to receivemercial donations in great Zhou. Zhu Jin nodded slightly; the Royal Family¡¯s donations were not limited to Experimental Lab Zero. They had even spent a vast amount of money to establish the Royal Research Institute, aiming to keep up with the new era. The Imperial n had plenty of money, but after the resurgence of Spiritual Energy, without powerful strength, they would be other people¡¯s prey. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Conversely, with power, they could even reim some imperial authority! After the routine pleasantries, they got down to business. All the visitors underwent a dozenyers of identity verification, including Emperor Mingxiang Zhu Jin. This included various technological methods, such as a verification conducted by the cultivators trained by the Imperial Court using the Question Heart Technique. As ghostly entities and demonic cultivators had appeared, even gic testing was not urate, as one could use soul possession or Soul Search. An hourter. Professor Hong led the way at the front. Aside from theb members, only three members of the Royal Family were qualified to be on the tour. The doors to the core area hadn¡¯t opened yet, but from inside came the roars of beasts, fierce and brutal energy that went straight into the ears, as if ancient behemoths were imprisoned within. The doors opened. What came into view was a row of ss houses, each containing bizarre and monstrously shaped beasts. Monkeys with two heads, goris with three arms, bulls with tiger heads, fish that had grown wings, mice as fierce as tigers and wolves, and even monsters with three heads and six arms. Walking and stopping along the way, Professor Hong detailed each experimental subject, exining their mutation directions and processes. These exnations included scientific terms but also drew upon ssical Buddhist and Taoist texts, legends and anomalous records to argue for the correctness or facy of the transformations. "... Subject 953, originally a domestic pig, sprouted bird ws after injection and produces a call like that of a dog." Professor Hong¡¯s eyes shone as if admiring a piece of art: "The legendary ancient mythical beast, the Tanuki Power, bears three parts resemnce to this subject!" Chapter 256 - 236: Elixir Zero_2 Zhu Jin¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he praised, "Perhaps one day in the future, true dragons and phoenixes will shed their forms and the ancient myths wille to life again!" The two other young members of the Imperial n turned pale, almost on the verge of vomiting. Inside the ss house, the "tanuki-strength" creature, covered with poisonous tumors and continuously drooling,y on the ground even more disgusting than a toad! As he walked deeper into theboratory, he saw various monsters as if it were the secret base of some biochemical madman. Experiment No. 1895. Amon ck dog with a ck back and yellow ws, its appearance was quite ordinary, but in the midst of these demons and monsters, it suddenly looked quite agreeable. The ck dogy in the corner, trembling and warily watching the crowd outside the ss. The eldest prince said, "Atst we see a normal creature." As he spoke, he approached the ss, wanting to observe up close what made this domestic dog different. Professor Hong remained silent, ncing at Zhu Jin and noticing he had taken two steps back, he asked in surprise. "Your Majesty, what do you think of this dog?" "Dangerous, terrifying," Zhu Jin said. "Of all the experiment subjects I¡¯ve seen, this is the only one that could pose a fatal threat to me." Professor Hong eximed in admiration, "Everyone says Your Majesty prefers the arts, but who would have guessed that your martial cultivation is already close to the pinnacle!" Zhu Jin said somberly, "Our ancestors lost in battle and even the nation was gone; how dare the descendants be negligent?" Hearing this, Professor Hong dared not continue on the topic and turned his head to instruct his assistant. "Activate the experiment subject and demonstrate the specialty of No. 1895 for His Majesty!" The assistant typedmands on the tablet, and firearms appeared on the ceiling of the ss house, firing at the ck dog with a rattle of gunfire. Bullets hit the ck dog, creating bursts of blood holes and triggering its ferociousness with acute pain; it let out angry, sharp howls. Howl! The dog¡¯s body quickly swelled as if it were filled with gas, and then with a bang, it exploded into a shower of flesh and blood. The broken pieces of flesh in the room writhed about, with eyeballs, teeth, and ck-and-yellow dog fur randomly sticking to the flesh, advancing towards the crowd fearlessly despite being under gunfire. "Ah!" The eldest prince screamed in fright, fell to the ground with a thud, and fled in a crawling and rolling scramble. The sound of gunfire not only enraged the ck dog but also the fierce beasts in the other rooms, which roared hoarsely and pounded the ss with horns and ws. Roar! Hiss! Growl¡­ Theboratory suddenly turned chaotic, but the specially made ss walls, stronger than steel, remained solid despite the impact of the fierce beasts. "Useless!" Zhu Jin scolded his son and asked, "This monster is quite special, showing no fear of firearms. What is its origin?" "The other fierce beasts were all based on the Swallowing Heaven Skill and the transformation of brutish bulls, with injected No. 0 Elixir to stimte the potential of the beast bloodline." Professor Hong said proudly, "This beast has had demonic cultivation techniques added to it. Its flesh has fused into one, almost without fatal weaknesses, and it can strengthen itself by devouring flesh and blood!" "Very good, Professor Hong truly is one of the top biochemical experts in the Zhou Dynasty," Zhu Jin said. "The Royal Family will add thirty billion to support Professor Hong¡¯s research, elerating the refinement of the No. 0 Elixir. At the same time, we will collect more cultivation techniques for theboratory to reference, striving to break through the limitations of the Spirit Root soon!" "Thank you, Your Majesty." Professor Hong led the group further inside, to the end of the ss rooms where there was an experiment tform, surrounded by countlessplex instruments, with a naked man lying in the center. The many quietly on the experiment tform, his limbs and torso secured by steel locks, with hundreds of tubes inserted into his body, slowly infusing liquids of various colors. "This is No. 7, originally a death row inmate who had only learned simplebat skills," Professor Hong introduced. "The No. 0 Elixir forcibly changes a person¡¯s bloodline; surviving requires a strong body and will. He is one of seven people who are still alive." Zhu Jin asked, "I can sense a trace of danger; it is said he will have explosive talents¡ªcan we see it?" "Talent explosion consumes the lifespan of the user, and currently, sessful test subjects are too precious to let them use their abilities recklessly," Professor Hong took a tablet from his assistant and began showing a video feed, exining, "This is experimental subject number seven after sessfully taking the elixir Number Zero, recorded on the test field." In the video, subject number seven in a normal state, whose strength wasparable to that of a martial expert at the Bone Cleansing or the Meridian Condensing stages. After testing speed, attack, and resilience, subject number seven activated his bloodline power, his body rapidly inting to a height of thirteen feet, with pitch-ck demonic patterns appearing under his ripped clothes, and his lower limbs turning into bovine hooves. His eyes turned red, hot steam snorted from his nostrils, and two bull horns grew out of the top of his head. "Moo!" Subject number seven let out a skyward bellow, ignoring themands of the test personnel, and began to relentlessly m into the walls. About a quarter of an hourter, number seven¡¯s talent explosion ended, he reverted to his normal human shape, slumped softly to the ground, without the strength even to stand. "Very strong!" Zhu Jin¡¯s eyes sparkled with a brilliant light as he eximed, "Not only has his strength increased after the explosion, but he also possesses innate beastlybat skills,parable to the top martial arts techniques." "The w is the post-explosion rage, difficult to control, with too long a period of weakness afterwards." Professor Hong added, "Moreover, there¡¯s another problem. The pursuit of cultivation is to value life, with the ultimate goal being the legendary Evesting Immortality, yet elixir Number Zero doesn¡¯t extend life." "Doesn¡¯t extend life?" Zhu Jin pondered for a moment and then nodded, "That¡¯s not a w, but rather a good thing. Too powerful and living too long is not beneficial for the Imperial Court!" "The Cab also shares this view, so the future direction of our research is to improve the sess rate and usable frequency of elixir Number Zero." Professor Hong pointed at the experimental tform and said, "Subject number seven is undergoing a second administration. Theoretically, if he survives, there can be a three to fivefold enhancement, but the sess rate is expected to be less than one percent." Zhu Jin asked, "What¡¯s the sess rate for the first administration?" "It varies with individual physique and willpower; ordinary people are less than one percent, but martial experts can reach ten percent." Professor Hong replied, "Currently, we have too few experimental subjects, so we must conduct experiments on wild beasts. To significantly increase the sess rate quickly, we need more samples!" "This is simple. On the Qiong Continent and the Red Continent, states permit the trade of poption, and the Royal Consortium will makerge-scale purchases." Zhu Jin slightly nodded, "With the increasing threat of malignant spirits and ancient sages causing chaos, elixir Number Zero is vital to the fate of humanity, Professor Hong, do not show undue mercy." "Even if the sess rate on beasts is high, it¡¯s of little use to humans!" "Thank Your Majesty for your support." Professor Hong immediately beamed with joy; the Zero Elixir Laboratory was notcking funds, it wascking people. The Imperial Court was not suitable for trafficking in people, as exposure would force the Cab to collectively resign, whereas the Royal Family still maintained ancient traditions, and even if it got out to the public, it would only make the citizens envious. With his wish fulfilled, Professor Hong was also willing to delve deeper, as the data from theb was shared with the Imperial n. "Your Majesty is mistaken," Professor Hong corrected, "the experiments on beasts must continue and cannot be halted. The ingredients for elixir Number Zero are not only gathered from Spiritual Energy, but also a keyponent from the mutated organs of those fierce beasts!" "What¡¯s special about these organs?" Zhu Jin recalled the experimental bodies he had just seen, each fierce beast had a mutation that was incongruous with the rest of its body. "Scientifically speaking, mutated organs possess special genes that can integrate into the human body through Spiritual Energy, which is the process by which elixir Number Zero takes effect," Professor Hong exined. "If exined through ancient methods, it¡¯s likely the imntation of a Heterogeneous Bloodline into the human body, bing a half-demon with both human and bovine blood, possessing the intelligence of the human race and the power of a monstrous beast!" Zhu Jin gained some understanding and, pointing to subject number seven, asked, "He has merged with bovine-type fierce blood. Can he merge with other types as well?" "Not currently, at least not yet," Professor Hong answered. "Merging with the same type of fierce beast blood can increase the sess rate, but if two different types of fierce beast blood meet, it will either cause the body to copse and break apart or turn into an inhuman monster." As he spoke, he tapped a few times on the tablet and found an experimental recording, featuring a grotesque creature with a wolf¡¯s head and eagle¡¯s ws. Its body covered with uneven ck fur and grey feathers, the only human trait left were the two legs supporting its body. "Professor Hong, you are doing an excellent job," Zhu Jin patted Professor Hong on the shoulder and said, "Hasten to increase the sess rate of elixir Number Zero to thirty percent, no matter what is needed, the Imperial n will provide full support!" "On the day the Spirit Elixir is sessful, I will personally confer upon the Professor the title of Imperial Prince, and his descendants shall share the destiny with the Royal Family!"n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 257 - 237: The Six-Eared Beast The title of nobility had no real power, yet it remained an extremely prestigious identity. Especially in the old money circle, even if you were down to yourst few hundred million, holding a noble title still ced you above the rest. Those who wielded real power within the cab had termssting only five years, but the status of a noble could be maintained for life and inherited by future generations. Professor Hong, as a top expert in the Great Zhou, trusted by the cab to oversee Laboratory Zero, had reached a state where he was indifferent to status and wealth, but he had children and kin. "Your servant will certainly work to the bone to research and produce a qualified Elixir Zero before arge-scale outbreak of ghostly entities." "I¡¯ve heard that Professor Hong¡¯s grandson is managing a medical business, I¡¯ll personally instruct on this upon my return." Zhu Jin¡¯s voice was gentle and kind as he spoke to the other apanying individuals, "The Royal Family¡¯s enterprises span all 360 trades. If any of your families wish to start a business, speak directly to me or to one of my two sons." "The Royal Family will offer strong support, and even if one does not wish to start a business, they can take on several positions in the conglomerate." "Thank you, Your Majesty." The crowd bowed their thanks. As the number one family in the Nine Continents, the Zhu n of the Royal Family had gained the greatest benefit during the early expansion of machinery, umting wealth over three hundred years that was difficult to quantify. After the tour concluded, and as they made their way back by the same route, they again saw the bizarrely shaped fierce beasts. As Zhu Jin sensed the violent and ferocious aura, he cautioned, "Professor Hong, please ensure the security of theboratory; these test subjects absolutely must not get out." The monsters spawned by Elixir Zero did not be more intelligent; in fact, their excessive agitation made them seem dull-witted. Furthermore, theycked any infectious or contagious traits, so even if wild beasts consumed the flesh and blood of fierce beasts, it would produce no effect, and in theory, it should not trigger a widespread mutation. Even so, Zhu Jin still harbored doubts. "Rest assured, Your Majesty, the cab has already established strict protocols. Not to mention living fierce beasts, even the remains will be crushed into fertilizer for cultivating nts, in the hopes of growing the legendary Spirit Rice," said Professor Hong. He continued, "At the same time, the Imperial Court¡¯s weapons of destruction are always on standby." "Very good." All of a sudden, Zhu Jin felt a strange sensation, as if someone were spying on him. He casually looked around but saw no one besides theboratory personnel and the strange fierce beasts. "Could I have misperceived?" Meanwhile. In one of the ss rooms, Test Subject 1827 was bowing its head to avoid being seen. It deliberately emitted a shrill squeal and thumped its arms on the ground, drool dribbling from its mouth, indistinguishable from the other fierce beasts. Originally just an ordinary monkey, Test Subject 1827 developed six ears after being injected with Elixir Zero and, at the same time, myriad fragments of memory began infiltrating its mind from its bloodline. The bloodline inheritance granted the six-eared monkey intelligence and awakened within it the cultivation techniques and secret arts of the monster race. Among them was an exceptional Escape Skill, which would easily allow it to flee theboratory; however, the six-eared creature continued to pretend to be a fierce beast, remaining in the ss room. The six ears that had grown due to bloodline reversion could easily hear sounds within a dozen miles, epassing the entireboratory. All the conversations of theboratory personnel were clearly heard by it. Test Subject 1827¡¯s goal was precisely the method of creating Elixir Zero. "For the human race to rule over the Nine Continents, and for the monster race to rise up, Elixir Zero is essential..." The ancestral memories mentioned the blood feud and rivalry between the human and monster races, and the once naive monkey was now transformed by these ancestral memories into a true member of the monster race. ¡­ The Xu family. The living room. The family members of the Xu household gathered together, reporting to Zhou Yi on the progress of establishing a sect. "Father, the external website for the One Qi Sect has been set up, all ording to your design." Xu Ce held a tablet and demonstrated, "After logging into the website, first register your identity, and then record a video as per the oath of the Dao. Once it¡¯s approved, you can download cultivation manuals and scriptures." Zhou Yi clicked to take notes on the tablet. The functions were simple yet crude, and he nodded in satisfaction. "Starting from tomorrow, begin promoting the observation of our sect, not just in the Great Zhou but synchronously across the other eight continents." "Father, will this draw concern from the authorities..." Xu Ce voiced his worry, "The Imperial Court issued a prohibition of violence order a hundred years ago. Any martial arts school with a lineage must receive Imperial Court approval to take in disciples, otherwise it is an illegal private teaching." Zhou Yi¡¯s gaze turned to his side and said, "Regarding the Imperial Court, you two go and notify them." "As youmand, Master!" Xiao Ran and Li Chao bowed to take their orders. The former had already transitioned from student to disciple, while thetter,cking a Spirit Root, joined the Qi Sect to continue practicing martial arts. In the early stages of the world¡¯s revival when the Spiritual Energy was thin, the Qi Sect adapted to the trend of the era. It didn¡¯t merely teach Immortal Techniques; the official website for external disciples also featured martial arts with wider applicability. "Thank you, fellow disciples." Xu Ce¡¯s face showed respect, but he sighed inwardly. Counting all the well-known rtives in the Xu family, there was only one with a Four Spirit Root, who became a nominal disciple thanks to the bonds of blood. Others could only practice martial arts as outer disciples. Divine fate had descended upon the Xu family, which should have been the source of their rise. Yet, "father" revered the ancient sectws, favoring Spirit Roots over bloodlines. "Father, if we promote across the Nine Continents at the same time, the required funding will be quite substantial..." "This matter is simple." Zhou Yi waved his hand, and suddenly, more than a dozenrge golden orbs appeared in the living room, each with a diameter surpassing three to four feet. "I used a spell to refine a gold mine. There¡¯s no need to be stingy with money for publicity. We must make sure that everyone across all regions of the Nine Continents knows that the Qi Sect is reopening its gates, tofort the spirits of our ancestors!" The "Yuan Ling" persona was one of a Secret Technique gone awry, bereft of the path to longevity, wholly devoted to inheriting the sect. This way, he would be seen as separate from his true self, and no one would suspect him in the future. Xu Ce gawked at therge golden orbs, his eyes nearly bulging out. The formidable aspect of cultivation was inly disyed before him; no wonder the tales always spoke of a divide between immortals and mortals. "Rest assured, Father, I guarantee that the Qi Sect¡¯s name will resound across the Nine Continents!" He then ordered a crane to be brought over to move therge golden orbs out of the vi and straight onto a truck heading to the bank to exchange them for money. Inside the vi. Xiao Ran dialed up his superior to report the unique way in which the Qi Sect was establishing its sect, conveying it to the Investigation Bureau. The Investigation Bureau quickly responded. The Director himself spoke with Xiao Ran, first affirming that the Qi Sect was an Orthodox Xuanmen, and additionally indicating that the Bureau would provide certain support, hoping that the sect¡¯s disciples would contribute to the stability of the Nine Continents! The response was very official, seemingly saying everything while actuallymitting to nothing. "Master, will establishing the sect in such a manner through the official website cause the proliferation of our sect¡¯s cultivation techniques?" Xiao Ran expressed his concern, "Even if the Imperial Court refrains from banning the website¡¯s spread due to respect for Master, there¡¯s still the possibility of people downloading the techniques and practicing them in private, bypassing the sect." "I only care that the sect¡¯s inheritance continues unbroken. If the Imperial Court¡¯s people practice in private, they naturally share a bond with our sect¡¯s incense," Zhou Yi said. "Moreover, only the first three levels of Qi Refinement are avable to external disciples. To learn subsequent techniques one must take a master, otherwise they must switch to a different practice. With few cultivation techniques in the world that canpare to the Qi Sect¡¯s, who would willingly sever their own foundation?" n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Of course, this was the superficial reason. Zhou Yi¡¯s true objective, cloaked behind his persona, was to spread cultivation techniques broadly. Whether it was spread through the official website or the Imperial Court downloaded the techniques to then distribute under a differentbel in private, the end goal was the same. Everyone in the Nine Continents with a Spirit Root should have the chance to practice the Qi Sect¡¯s techniques. When the night of a hundred ghosts arrives, it will surely lessen the casualties. As for those who practice the techniques andmit evil deeds, that has little to do with Zhou Yi. One cannot simply arrest the knife seller if someonemits murder with a knife. "It seems what I¡¯m selling is not a knife, but a gun?" Zhou Yi shook his head slightly. Gun or knife, against fierce spirits and ghostly entities, one must have some chance of survival. Chapter 258 - 238: Online Cultivation ``` Ding! A new message received. Li Sheng unlocked his phone to check the content of the message. "Do you want to change your life? Do you want to live a carefree life... alive? Click the link below to enter a new world, register now and get a ten yuan bonus! Earn money by getting the referral code and sharing it!" At the end of the message was an animated GIF of a cool beauty swinging her hips and jiggling her breasts while beckoning with a finger, with glittering text beside her: Sexy senior sister, online for dual cultivation! "Another ad from that gamepany, how much did they spend on this? Why is it everywhere?" Li Sheng was just an ordinary guy, ordinary grades, schools, jobs from childhood to adulthood, repeating the cycle of going to work and getting off work every day, paying off loans with each month¡¯s sry, year after year with no change. And probably there would be no change until he took hisst breath in a hospital bed. The world is not short of people who can break the rigid ss structure; however, for ny-nine percent of ordinary people, life is a straight path seen all the way to death. These past few days, whether Li Sheng opened any app, there would be pop-up ads for cultivation gamesing at him in the most unexpected forms, like the drama series he was binge-watching yesterday. In the series, when there was a tense crime-solving scene, suddenly the protagonist pulled out a phone, opened a webpage, and started exining how to cultivate... "How much money did they stuff into such a blunt ad?" Just as Li Sheng was about to turn off his phone, Xiao Zhang from the next cubicle poked his head over to ask. "Bro Sheng, have you registered? Input my invite code, and we¡¯ll split the earnings fifty-fifty." "This actually pays out?" Li Sheng looked surprised; he had been through various scams, like when a certain app shared a link for boosting, which froze at 99.99 no matter how much you clicked, because there were seven digits after the decimal point. "Registered and credited in seconds!" Xiao Zhang said proudly, "I registered early and have already invited and earned over a thousand yuan. It¡¯s said that there are specialized teams going to rural areas to share it, with the highest earnings reaching millions." "Ah, missed another chance to get rich!" Li Sheng sighed repeatedly; the world is never short of opportunities to make money, it¡¯s just that he was always thest to know. While talking, he opened the link, named himself a disciple of the outer sect of Yi Qi Sect, followed the registration process, verified his identity, and entered Xiao Zhang¡¯s invitation code, ending up with a total of fifteen yuan. "There¡¯s the money for tonight¡¯s dinner." Li Sheng always had a very favorable impression of anyone who gave him money, so he decided to download and try out the game, even if it was abysmal. "Huh? It¡¯s not a game, it¡¯s actually a cultivation technique?" The downloaded document was titled "Tai Xuan Jing Qi Refinement Chapter," with only the first threeyers, and the text was quite a mouthful to read. "The Tai Xuan governs the nurturing of all things; they are endowed with the Five Elements for usage. The Five Elements each have their strengths over one another, and all things have their times of prosperity and decline..." Li Sheng, with gratitude to his benefactor, recited every word and every sentence. When he came across sentences he did not understand, he opened the outer sect¡¯s official website to search, and there would be detailed annotations immediately avable. The text of the firstyer of Qi Refinement was only a few hundred words; after reciting it back and forth a few times, he felt inexplicably smooth. Without thinking, he followed the scripture¡¯s instruction to sense the Five Elements¡¯ energies between heaven and earth, and he actually discovered colorful, mysterious specks of light. "What is this? Spiritual Energy!" Read new adventures at empire Li Sheng¡¯s first reaction wasn¡¯t excitement but fear, the dread of the unknown and chaos. Even if he regrlyined about his wretched life and asionally bragged that if turbulent times arrived, he would rise up and be a bandit king... when true upheaval happened, his heart was filled with fear! After a lengthy daze, Li Sheng drew the spiritual energy into his body and began to refine and circte it ording to the Tai Xuan Jing. Inside his Dantian, a wisp of crimson fire-like mana appeared! "Bro Sheng, Bro Sheng, the manager is calling for you," Xiao Zhang¡¯s voice calling out snapped Li Sheng out of his cultivation. Li Sheng slowly opened his eyes to find his manager¡¯s greasy, corpulent face within a foot¡¯s distance, staring at him viciously. "Sleeping during work hours, today¡¯s wages are gone!" "You..." ``` Li Sheng really wanted to channel his mana and explode his supervisor¡¯s pig head with a single punch, but thinking of his parents back home, his wife and daughter at home, he reluctantly bowed his head and apologized. "Understood." It was another ordinary, busy day. Li Sheng declined Xiao Zhang¡¯s invitation, resolutely took a taxi home, greeted his wife who was cooking, and entered the study to open the official website of Yi Qi Sect. Homepage, cultivation information, download area, disciples¡¯ forum... He clicked each button in turn, basically got a clear understanding of the functions of the official website, and finally clicked on cultivation information. The information contained the basic knowledge of cultivation and martial arts, such as Spirit Root, physique, Inner Qi, mana, etc. Li Sheng clicked on the Spirit Root information. "Heavenly Spiritual Root, Exotic Spirit Root, Twin Spirit Root..." "Identifying a Spirit Root requires special magic artifacts or detection by seniors¡¯ mana, or making a rough judgment ording to the speed of cultivation. The first time you are exposed to the Great Mystery Scripture, if you cultivate mana within an hour, at least it means you have an Exotic Spirit Root or a Heavenly Spiritual Root!" Li Sheng clenched his fists involuntarily when he read this, as he had managed to cultivate mana in just half an hour. He then looked at other cultivation materials and gained a basic understanding of cultivation. His fear was gradually reced by excitement, especially considering the official website¡¯s description of top-notch Spirit Roots being one in a million! "With my aptitude, making money should at least not be a problem." Li Sheng opened the disciples¡¯ forum and found that there were already tens of thousands of posts, all about questions on the Dao of immortals and martial arts. asionally, he would see people calling out scams, fakes, or insanity, but thosements would disappear in no time, obviously managed by someone. He clicked on each post, carefully examining the questions and answers, which mighte in handy in future cultivation. "This is probably what they call discussing the Dao remotely?" Li Sheng clicked his tongue, "If I didn¡¯t have a Spirit Root, maybe I would think like them, that everyone in the forum is crazy." At this moment. His wife pushed the door open and saw Li Sheng staring at his phone with a foolish smile, urging him, "Le Le is home from school, it¡¯s time for dinner." Li Sheng checked the time and realized he had been browsing the forum for an hour. He stood up and embraced his wife, saying, "We¡¯re going to be a couple for a thousand years." "Death wish!" His wife, her face slightly red, pushed Li Sheng away, "Le Le is watching." "Haha!" Li Sheng felt uplifted, and while eating, he noticed that he was still not full after devouring five bowls in a row. Several dayster. Li Sheng submitted his resignation, sold his house in the city, and took his wife and daughter back to his old home in the mountain vige. He did not hide the matter of cultivation from his parents, wife, and daughter. Although Li Sheng had weak mana, he could still lift water out of thin air. Unfortunately, his wife and daughter did not have Spirit Roots, so they could only start practicing martial arts first. The Spiritual Energy was slightly more abundant in the mountain vige, and in just half a month, he reached the firstyer of Qi Cultivation topletion. Li Sheng, following the tutorials from the official website, gathered the ingredients for the Body Tempering Pill and bought a specially specified pressure cooker to refine it. After several failed attempts, he finally produced the pills, which were ck and emitted a faint fragrance. With the aid of the pills, his parents, wife, and daughter progressed rapidly in martial arts. He also sold a few pills through the forum, earning the equivalent of decades¡¯ wages in just half a year, and he only dared to sell small amounts to fellow disciples he knew well. N?v(el)B\\jnn "The sect¡¯s official website repeatedly warns that the path of immortality is extremely difficult, and that betrayals by fellow humans are more dangerous than heavenly tribtions!" Li Sheng gained freedom through cultivation and had fully identified with Yi Qi Sect. His life goal shifted from making money to bing a recorded disciple after reaching the thirdyer of Qi Cultivation. "I must refine a magic artifact to protect myself!" No sooner said than done, after all, personal safety was of utmost importance. Li Sheng bought arge amount of steel ore and, following the sect¡¯s basic Artifact Refining techniques, obtained a fist-sized piece of hundred-refined steel. "This little amount? I can¡¯t forge a flying sword, I might as well make a flying needle for now!" Although flying needles were not as impressive as flying swords, in low-level cultivators¡¯ battles, they usually ended in just two or three exchanges. The subtle and swift flying needle had an obviously stronger lethality! Chapter 259 - 239: Cabinet Meeting The power of money has inted to infinity in modern society. Even if the Nascent Soul ancestors were to promote it recklessly, it would be difficult to spread the sect¡¯s lineage to every mountain vige within a year. Money can do it! From the east to the Great Zhou, west to the Buddhand, north to the desert of Red Continent, south to the Hundred Thousand Mountains. In every inhabited ce, one would see recruiters promoting, and even without the inte, one could record a video of reciting the Tai Xuan Jing and upload it to receive promotional funds. With the enormous poption base of modern society, there are more people with Spirit Roots. N?v(el)B\\jnn As more and more people cultivated Mana, there became no need for promoters to advertise; they began to spread the teachings of immortality and martial arts on their own. The pursuit of powerful strength is human instinct! The magnificent momentum swept through the Nine Continents like a surging tide. The Great Zhou¡¯s edict prohibiting martial arts seemed like a mere formality, and the cab couldn¡¯t possibly go against public opinion, at least they were nominally supported by a stack of ballots. Today. The cab held a full meeting, voting on a major decision. ording to Da Qianw, decisions concerning the public required the presence of the Emperor, after all, as the nominal ruler of the Great Zhou. Emperor Mingxiang, Zhu Jin, sat in the highest seat of the meeting room, looking down at the officials and representatives arguing below, with a smile on his face like a mascot, showing no sign of dissatisfaction. Next to him sat Wei Zheng of the Imperial n, a Martial Arts Grandmaster before the revival, who was also Emperor Mingxiang¡¯s uncle by marriage. The two of them appeared to be listening to the cab meeting, but in reality, they were secretlymunicating through voice transmissions. Read exclusive chapters at empire "This ruckus is as unsightly as a vegetable market. If I had known this earlier, I should have banned that officialwork. Now disciples of the Qi Sect are everywhere, and even the Imperial Court is wary!" Emperor Mingxiang¡¯s tone clearly carried dissatisfaction, as the Qi Sect had disrupted the imperial family¡¯s nning, failing to lead prominently in the new era. The Great Zhou Dynasty¡¯s concealment of Spiritual Energy and ghostly entities was not only a resolution of the cab but also pushed by all families together. Four years after the revival of Spiritual Energy, ordinary people were still working overtime in ignorance, while those upper-ss families were already busily preparing, either collecting ancient methods or studying new techniques. When the new era fully arrived, the powerful would still be powerful. "They can¡¯t stop the Heavenly Monarch Yuanling. The view of good and evil held by such ancient figures is different from ordinary people." Weu Zheng said, "If they really provoke him, a few ancient curses would be enough to wipe out the cab. The power of mortals can only oppress mortals and can never affect cultivators!" Emperor Mingxiang naturally understood this reasoning, and what truly rendered him helpless was exactly this: the cab had not stopped the spread of cultivation techniques, and by default, had chosen to submit to cultivators. "The power of the Royal Family is far less than that of the cab. In the future, will we have to take orders from cultivators?" "Wasn¡¯t it like this in ancient times?" Wei Zheng said, "This is not necessarily a bad thing for those in power. For example, Da Qian hassted for eleven hundred years, whether under a foolish Emperor or a wise one, and has never fallen, all thanks to support from cultivators!" "This is indeed a direction..." Emperor Mingxiang¡¯s expression was subtle; perhaps they could use the power of cultivators to return to the days of the Great Zhou Dynasty. In the face of the powerful strength of cultivators, the so-called freedom of ordinary people is trivial, after all, faced with democracy or death, ny-nine percent of people would choose to cling to life. "Do not try to stop the rise of others, the quest for immortality is determined by talent, after all. The Heavenly Spiritual Root and other Spirit Roots are like different species." Wei Zheng said, "When His Late Majesty took me as his adopted son, it was because of my exceptional talent. What others would cultivate in ten days could notpare to one hour of my cultivation!" Emperor Mingxiang faintly grasped the implication: "What do you mean?" "There are so many nobledies in the Royal Family, who usually live in luxury; now it¡¯s time for them to contribute." Wei Zheng said, "I believe they will not refuse; to marry a cultivator, after all, once one achieves sess in the Dao of immortality, their temperament and appearance will naturally be extraordinary!" Emperor Mingxiang nodded slightly andmunicated through a whisper. "Thank you, uncle, for showing me the way!" As long as the Imperial n formed matrimonial ties with enough top-tier Spirit Roots, they would at least gain an early advantage in the new era. In the future, they could aim to restore the imperial system, or at the very least, ensure the continuity of the Zhu family¡¯s lineage. At that moment. The Cab was still in an uproar, with the great figures haggling over everyst detail for their interests and doing their utmost to assign me, no different from the aunties at the market who would argue over a few dimes for half an hour. After a half-day¡¯s quarreling, the responsibility for the proliferation of Cultivation Techniques fell squarely on the head of the Investigation Bureau Chief. After all, while the others were elected by the people, only the Bureau Chief was appointed by the Cab, akin to the Jinyiweimander of ancient times, born to carry the emperor¡¯s burdens. "I am willing to take full responsibility for this matter and will submit my resignation after the meeting is concluded." The Bureau Chief bowed and said, "In addition, I am willing to join Laboratory Zero and contribute to the development of the new Cultivation Techniques!" "Very well." The Grand Secretary nodded slightly. Such a punishment was sufficient for public announcement. The people would surely apud and praise the fairness of the Cab upon hearing that someone as important as the head of the Investigation Bureau became a test subject, a veritable guinea pig. Then, turning to the microphone, he dered, "The spread of Cultivation Techniques is now inevitable!" "It¡¯s toote to stop it now, and the Cultivation Techniques collected by the Imperial Court can¡¯tpare to those of the Yi Qi Sect. If we truly stopped them, the other Continents¡¯ rate of cultivation progress would surpass that of Great Zhou, and it would be harder to maintain our dominant status across the Nine Continents..." "This would be irresponsible to the people of Great Zhou..." After a verbose speech of several hundred words, he finally announced two decisive resolutions. "Initiate nationwide Spirit Root testing, so the officials can control the number and identities of the cultivators, and attempt to recruit them for the use of the Imperial Court!" A show of hands for the vote, all in favor. "elerate the development of Elixir Zero, to grant those without Spirit Roots powerful strength too!" A show of hands for the vote, all in favor. "Meeting adjourned." The Grand Secretary had anticipated this oue. He had already conducted a private consultation with the Cab and the Council before the meeting, settling on the distribution of interests before the public meeting. After the meeting concluded. The Grand Secretary sent an invitation to Emperor Mingxiang for a dinner, iming there were important matters to discuss, and it also included the present-day leader of the Red Alliance. By current terminology, that would be the party chief, one who would qualify topete for the position of Grand Secretary in the future. An extremely frugal dinner, with food and drinks not exceeding ten thousand yuan, made Emperor Mingxiang quite ufortable. The Imperial n still maintained the traditions of the old days, such as a feast of a hundred and eight dishes. Even though the imperial pce had be a public tourist attraction, the Royal Family had spent billions to construct a simrlyid-out resort pce. Every act and gesture of the Imperial n was governed by strict rules in order to distinguish themselves from themon folk and maintain their mystique and nobility. "Has the Imperial Court be socking in funds?" Emperor Mingxiang wiped his mouth, intending to signal someone to bring the mouth-rinsing water before remembering he wasn¡¯t in the imperial pce: "The Royal Family can donate a few billion to improve the Cab¡¯s dining situation." "The Imperial Court is not short of money, but that money belongs to the taxpayers." The Grand Secretary nced at the Alliance Hierarch and smiled, "The New Party, the Red Alliance, the Emperor. It seems like a long time since we all sat together." "We were all together at the meeting just now!" Emperor Mingxiang huffed coldly. He clearly understood the Grand Secretary¡¯s implication. Back then, the revolution led by the Red Alliance¡¯s main adversaries were the emerging noble families who oppressed workers in their workshops. The oue, however, was that Great Zhou was alternately ruled by the New Party and the Red Alliance, while the Royal Family, sitting back and watching from afar, had be but a mascot. Chapter 260: 240 The Grand Secretary, seeing that Emperor Mingxiang had an unsuspecting expression, immediately shifted the topic. After all, the cab¡¯s term in office was limited, whereas the Imperial n had a lifelong inheritance; in terms of individual power, the Grand Secretary could notpare to the Emperor. "The reason I invited you both here today concerns the future of the Imperial Court," the Grand Secretary said solemnly, "The path of immortality possesses aplete set of cultivation methods. Even if the number zero elixir matures, it can¡¯tpare. To ensure that the power of the Imperial Court doesn¡¯t fall into the wrong hands, we must seek an alternative." A light shed in the eyes of the Red Alliance Hierarch, a vague guess forming in his heart. Emperor Mingxiang asked in confusion, "Could there be anyone in this world who can prevent the prosperity of the path of immortality?" "Kunlun!" The Grand Secretary spoke softly, "In this world, the only ones who can check and bnce the sect of one qi, and who do not interfere with secr power, are those monks from Kunlun Wondend!" "Kunlun..." Emperor Mingxiang mumbled to himself. The rise of the Zhu family was deeply rted to Kunlun, and to this day, the first portrait worshipped in the ancestral temple was still the one of the Kunlun immortal, personally drawn by Ancestor Zhou. As Ancestor Zhouid on his deathbed, he left a will stating that if a new sessor of Kunlun were encountered, the Zhu family must fulfill any of their demands, even if it were the throne! Because of this, when the Red Alliance triggered a revolution, the Imperial n announced their abdication almost without any resistance. "I still hold the handwritten letter from the ancestor in my hands, the primary heirloom meant for the inheritance of the Imperial n, it¡¯s a pity, however, that no one in this world has been able to find Kunlun!" "Your Majesty is mistaken," the Grand Secretary said. "There are people in this world who have found Kunlun, and even have a way to enter the Immortal Realm. Leader Zhang, there¡¯s no need to hide any longer; this matter concerns the future of the National Dynasty!" Leader Zhang shook his head slightly. The registry of immortals was the Red Alliance¡¯s top secret, known to only a few. A century had passed, and someone had eventually changed their true heart, after all, the members of the Red Alliance were no longer the country bumpkins they once were! "The Red Alliance indeed has a method to open the gate to immortality, only the key is missing... the hardest substance in the world." "There is already a clue to this matter." The Grand Secretary said, "That object, even with the utmost pinnacle of technology in this world, can¡¯t be damaged in the slightest!" Emperor Mingxiang snapped out of his shock from the mention of Kunlun Wondend, his face showing a puzzled look, "Why does this matter concern me if it is something for you two to discuss?" "The emperor¡¯s ancestor once entered Kunlun, and there¡¯s also his dying handwritten note; by the time we enter the Immortal Realm, it can be considered a courtesy of incense affection." The Grand Secretary exined, "Moreover, such an object is not easy to obtain; it is enshrined in the Golden God Cathedral, where countless masters stand guard. No weapons can be brought inside, and we will need to request Mr. Wei Zheng¡¯s assistance!" When Wei Zheng cultivated martial arts, he was considered a prodigy and was promoted to innate grandmaster in the age of thestw. When he shifted to cultivating the path of immortality, his superior spirit root advanced his strength further, making him one of the decisive powers in the world. Emperor Mingxiang pondered for a moment, seeming to find no reason to refuse. "This matter requires discussion with my uncle as well." ... Xianjing. Top Schr Street. Even busier than a year ago, the streets were bustling with people, the sounds of bargaining never ceasing. Zhou had the most advanced technology, and with a perfect informationwork, a vast amount of money was spent, quickly spreading the cultivation techniques throughout Cloud Continent. At first, Top Schr Street grew quiet for a long time since everyone could cultivate; with money, they would buy elixirs and magic artifacts, perhaps even living longer than antiques in the future. The shopkeepers were anxious and frustrated, yet helpless to do anything. The antique industry was rtively lightly affected, but the real copse was in the hospitals and medical businesses. It goes without saying that after cultivating immortality or martial arts, one would almost never fall ill; diseases that were formerly incurable, once treated with Marrow Cleansing Pills or Body Tempering Pills, would improve by ny percent almost instantly. Just as everyone was panicking and preparing to sell their shops to return to their hometowns for cultivation, the situation took another turn. A disciple of the One Breath Sect was browsing Top Schr Street and bought an iron can from an antique stall, which turned out to be an ancient Magic Artifact. Even though it had lost all Spirit Energy and had degraded to scrap metal, its essence remained. It could be nurtured back to power with Mana, or melted down to refine its materials. At the beginning of the Spiritual Energy revival, there were no Spirit Mines in the world, only beginner-level Artifact Refining materials such as Iron Essence and Copper Essence. After the news spread, the flow of people in Top Schr Street even surpassed that of the past. The antique dealers introduced counterfeit ancient Magic Artifacts in timely fashion, and even without a teacher, they learned to forge them on their own, for example, by inviting cultivators to imbue the fakes with strands of Mana and traces of restrictions. "Isn¡¯t this the embryonic form of the Marketce?" Zhou Yi returned from the Northern Border, strolled around the street for a couple of turns, and found that mostly they were fakes. Now and then there was one or a half genuine pieces, but the prices were sky-high. Even if they could be nurtured back to power, they were still only Magic Artifacts, so Zhou Yi couldn¡¯t be bothered to take advantage of the younger generation¡¯s opportunities. This trip to the Northern Border was to seal off Spirit Veins. He had checked all the locations where ghostly entities had appeared at the Investigation Bureau. In the preceding year, he had virtually flown a circle around Cloud Continent. "The archives record that newly formed Spirit Veins will have apanying Spiritual Objects, but after sealing off more than thirty Spirit Veins, why haven¡¯t I seen anything?" "Could it be that it¡¯s too early, and the Spirit Veins are too weak?" When Zhou Yi conversed with Heavenly Monarch Yuanling, he learned from the other party that after the revival of heaven and earth, Spiritual Energy was pure and active, and opportunities were everywhere. This was the most rapidly developing phase of the Cultivation World. The Innate Spiritual Objects born with the Spirit Veins had infinite marvelous uses, and could even be used for ascension to revert to the void. "Now with the formations monitoring, if anything unusual really urs, I¡¯ll immediately sense it. If I still can¡¯t obtain any apanying Spiritual Objects, then it¡¯s simply not meant for me. I might as well wait for the next era!" Lost in thought, he arrived at the pawnshop. Zhou Yi took out the key to unlock the door, while the shopkeeper of the store next to his, Boss Xu, was respectfully seeing off a customer. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Has Manager Bai returned?" "Just did." Zhou Yi smiled and pointed to the signboard of his Antique Treasure Pavilion, puzzled, "The Collection Pavilion has been around for a hundred years, why did you change its name?" "I had no choice but to change," said Boss Xu. "People have to keep up with the times." "On this day and age, the hottest topic is cultivation. In our antique business, it¡¯s all about ancient Magic Artifacts. All that elegance and virtue stuff is outdated!" Discover exclusive tales on empire Zhou Yi¡¯s Divine Sense swept over Antique Treasure Pavilion, which was full of newly forged goods. He gave a neighborly reminder, out of consideration. "The external officialwork issued a warning, thews can¡¯t control cultivators; they don¡¯t need to be at the scene to kill. Boss Xu, when doing business, you should be cautious, and avoid provoking cultivators!" "Manager Bai, your words trulye from the heart," replied Boss Xu. ncing left and right, he whispered, "We only deal with ordinary people. If a cultivator really steps in, we¡¯ll provide the best service, with whatever they desire at cost price, and we certainly wouldn¡¯t dare to deceive them!" Zhou Yi expressed his surprise, "What would ordinary people want with a Magic Artifact?" "Looking for a chance at immortality," exined Boss Xu. "Also, who knows who started the rumor that ancient Magic Artifacts contain the marks of sages that can break through the limitations of the Spirit Root. Regardless of whether the news is true or false, people will believe it, and after all, it¡¯s about cultivation!" There are plenty of rich people in the world who pour vast amounts of money into ethereal scientific research to extend their lifespan, no different from an old man spending his savings on health supplements. Between life and death lies great terror; the pursuit of longevity and eternal life stems from our genes. Now that cultivation is possible, true life extension is usible; reaching the first level of Qi Cultivation and living up to 150 years is already considered living a long life, but unfortunately, it¡¯s limited by one¡¯s Spirit Root. Longevity is within sight, yet unattainable, which drives countless wealthy people crazy, thus birthing various rumors about breaking through the Spirit Root limitations, such as legacy imprints, Spirit Root transnts, Soul Snatching, Bone Transfer, and so on. Zhou Yi heard plenty of news while outside. These days, the talk of cultivation is explosive. From octogenarians to preschool children, there is no one who isn¡¯t discussing the mysterious ways of Dao. Even the mightiest era of the Cultivation World hasn¡¯t seen the spectacle of universal cultivation! Chapter 261 - 241 The Immortal Gates Reopen Owner Xu spoke unabashedly, clearly in high spirits. Having justpleted a substantial deal, an unnamed wealthy individual had purchased arge batch of ancient magic artifacts at a steep price, fully aware that ny-nine percent were likely fakes, yet still hoping against hope that one percent might be real. "Heh heh, such grand figures, in the past we had to pay them respect. But now, the third son in my family is officially an outer disciple of the Qi Sect; they have toe to us instead!" An outer disciple is either at the first level of Qi Refinement, or in the martial way, condensing Qi-blood. Nowadays, with the world rejuvenated and spiritual energy active, it is easier to assimte than in the past era of the Cultivation World; anyone with a Spirit Root who diligently practices can cultivate enough mana within a year. Zhou Yi sped his hands in a gesture and said, "Then congrattions are in order for Owner Xu." It was hard for Owner Xu not to feel proud; having a cultivator in the family, even just at the first level of Qi Refinement, would suffice to be considered a cultivator family in ancient times. With the flourish of cultivation, thepetition was no longer about wealth but rather about cultivation. After all, no matter how much wealth you possess, once my cultivation is strong enough, your wealth bes mine! The emergence of cultivation had caused the once-static society to start vibrating with change. Themon people, restrained by the Imperial Court for too long, once they made a substantial leap, it was inevitable for the once-prominent figures to be mere ordinary people, and their minds became restless. Zhou Yi was quite pleased to see this happen; the development of the world is driven by desire, and cultivation is no exception. As for whether the widespread practice of cultivation would cause chaos, at most, it would lead to small-scale conflicts, and the overall situation would still be under the control of the Imperial Court of the great Zhou. Because for several hundred years, bound by the heavens and earth, it would be difficult for a Golden Elixir True Monarch to appear! It might be possible for Foundation Establishment True Persons to exist, but with the avability of artifact refining materials, the weapons of the Imperial Court were also rapidly bing more powerful. Without the emergence of a Golden Elixir True Monarch, chaos would not befall the great Zhou! "A Golden Core after a thousand years? If I can¡¯t defeat it, can¡¯t I oust it?" Zhou Yi¡¯s cultivation technique and divine skills had already reached the limits of Golden Core; theoretically, he was invincible at his level, and his escape skill even surpassed that of a Nascent Soul ancestor. Safe and sound, everything else was just minor details. After chatting with Owner Xu, Zhou Yi returned to the pawnshop and leisurely browsed through novels. The hustle and bustle outside seemed unrted to him, the instigator; after all, it was only a matter of a p to settle it. As night fell. Zhou Yi opened an app and started scrolling through, spotting a pleasing youngdy, he bookmarked and followed her. Casually awarding her a few Royal Pces, he easily obtained the youngdy¡¯s contact, noted her appearance, figure, and number for future reference to possibly visit and dispel evil. This was a new way of celebration that Zhou Yi had discovered, even more enjoyable than before, when Spring Breeze Building only had a few hundreddies; now, he could choose from thousands. "Even an emperor¡¯s selection of consorts was no better than this!" "Which number shall I visit today?" "Number nine says she offers a discount, number seventeen is the most appealing, number thirty-two is proficient in music... number ny-eight is rumored to have cultivated mana, with her price inted a hundredfold..." Just at that moment. Two figures walked in, it was Xiao Ran and Li Chao, alreadyining at the door. "True Monarch, you have deceived me so badly!" Zhou Yi, feigning ignorance while fully aware, said, "I have never deceived anyone. The deals are always voluntary, so how have I cheated you?" "Those antiques, whose authenticity is unknown, they should be ancient magic artifacts, right?" Xiao Ran said with a bitter expression, "These days I haven¡¯t dared to go home; my senior brothers and sisters are blocking my door, demanding that I return the items." "The deal is done." Zhou Yi scanned with his divine sense and said in surprise, "Qi Refinement fourthyer, how did you break through?" Xiao Ran said proudly, "A few days ago, some ghostly entities caused trouble. Ah Chao and I went to capture them, and we found a Yin Spirit Ganoderma in the ce where the ghostly entities were hiding. After sharing and consuming it, we sessfully broke through." Li Chao added, "That Ganoderma grew in a bizarre way, almost like a little horse, with four legs and a long neck." "Innate Spirit Ginseng..." Zhou Yi sighed helplessly; he had traversed more than thirty Spirit Veins and hadn¡¯t encountered any apanying Spiritual Objects. Yet these two caught a ghost and stumbled upon it casually. A millennium-old Spirit Ginseng could aid in Core Formation and was considered priceless in the Cultivation World. A Spirit Ginseng that apanied the Spirit Vein, once it reached a sufficient age, could even be useful for condensing the Nascent Soul. "Did you twoe here to brag?" "Of course not." Xiao Ran exined, "We obtained an object at that Spirit Vein location and hope you could identify it for us." Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow, "Your master has an extraordinary background, why bother looking for a poor Daoist like me?" Xiao Ran chuckled, "The master is too upied with important affairs, so I wouldn¡¯t disturb his reverence." Li Chao, on the other hand, was much more direct, "We trust the True Monarch even more!" "Bring it out then." Zhou Yi didn¡¯t know whether to be happy or sad. The Yuan Ling¡¯s avatar acted decisively and ruthlessly, constantly disying a powerful Mana presence, causing even his direct disciples to not trust him. Moreover, the rebirth of a monster of a thousand years made it hard not to be cautious! Yet, there was another benefit, no one would suspect that Yuan Ling was an incarnation of Zhou Yi. Xiao Ran performed a spell, and the door to the shop closed without any wind, and he pulled out a palm-sized fan from his bosom. The fan was made of banana leaves, fiery red in color! n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes widened as he waved his hand to attract the fan over, his Divine Sense sweeping inside and out, indeed it was that Supreme Treasure from years ago. When Xuan Xiao Daojun¡¯s life ended, he was buried at Divine Fire Peak. Hundreds of yearster, Zhou Yi visited the grave to pay respects and burn joss paper. With the intention of protecting the Sect¡¯s Supreme Treasure from falling into the mundane world, he entered the tomb and searched repeatedly. The Divine Fire Fan was nowhere to be seen! "Where did this objecte from?" Xiao Ran said, "Not far from where that ghostly entity hid, there was a nameless solitary grave, and this was the only burial object." Read exclusive adventures at empire "Could it be destiny..." Zhou Yi looked deep into Xiao Ran¡¯s eyes, gave the Divine Fire Fan back, and said, "This treasure is called the Divine Fire Fan, the legendary Sect¡¯s Supreme Treasure. It once dominated the Nine Continents uncontested; you should cultivate it with care and not let it down!" Xiao Ran solemnly received the Divine Fire Fan and took out a half piece of Yin Spirit Ganoderma from his bosom, "True Monarch, this is what Li Chao and I left after eating, please don¡¯t disdain it!" Zhou Yi¡¯s Divine Sense swept over the Yin Spirit Ganoderma. It was infused with extremely pure Yin energy, fundamentally different from the Spiritual Medicine grown in Kunlun Cave Heaven. In this age of declining magic, there were no seeds of Yin Ganoderma left in the world. The Spirit Vein had spontaneously produced this mystical item, whose origin was as magical as its effects, enabling Xiao Ran to break through the shackles of heaven and earth. "Of course I wouldn¡¯t disdain it!" He swiftly stored the Yin Ganoderma in his sleeve, urging his Spirit Ginseng child to take good care of it. After a moment of searching, he took out two top-level Magic Artifacts. A knife and a sword. "These are minor things crafted by this poor Daoist, for you both to defend yourselves." Xiao Ran and Li Chao received the Magic Artifacts and felt their terrifying power, so they quickly bowed deeply and gave thanks, "Thank you, True Monarch!" "Eh?" Zhou Yi suddenly felt something, he looked up in the direction of the pce, his Divine Sense spreading out and discovered that a ceremony was being held. Emperor Mingxiang put on the attire ofmoners from the great Zhou era, holding a translucent reddish tiger tooth, ced it in the center of the Golden Register Array, bowed thrice and worshipped nine times, chanting continuously. "This poor Daoist has matters to attend to and won¡¯t entertain you two any longer!" ... The Imperial Pce. Kunlun Pce. Built by the Martial Emperor six hundred years ago, it was said to have been constructed ording to the standards of Kunlun, with jade stones and emeralds carving out remarkable flowers and unique nts. Now, it¡¯s a holy site for tourists in great Zhou, who, having bought tickets to the pce, need to pay extra if they wish to enter Kunlun Pce. At this moment. Sixteen people stood behind Emperor Mingxiang, in ordance with records of the Red Alliance, a total of seventeen people entered the Kunlun Wondend. Wei Zheng had stolen the tiger tooth a month ago. For the seventeen spots, three parties had open and secret power struggles. In the end, the Red Alliance and the New Party got seven spots each, with the Royal Family getting only three. Emperor Mingxiang, aware of the Royal Family¡¯s decline, did not struggle vehemently. Instead, he exchanged his efforts for the role of the chief officiant. The Red Alliance unfolds the original Datong Book, Emperor Mingxiang ces the tiger tooth at the center of the array, and takes out the letter from Ancestor Zhou, bowing three times and kneeling nine times in worship. "Unworthy descendants of the Zhu family, kneeling to request an audience with the celestial countenance!" As the voice dropped. The tiger tooth disappeared, and the array burst into dazzling spiritual light, forming a five-colored portal in the sky. Chapter 262 - 242 Night Parade of One Hundred Demons Kunlun Cave Heaven. The weather was gentle and the skies were clear. With the back against a massive tree, Spirit Ginseng Child¡¯s eyes were bright red as the small hands typed like phantoms. "Assist, save me!" "You useless piece of @£¤#%!*&..." Two months after seeing off eighteen ghost cultivators, no one else helped the Spirit Ginseng Child with leveling up; consequently, the Honorable Sovereign soon plummeted to the golden ranks. With its nimble fingers, it made the teammates so angry they quit the game, only then did it feel truly content. "If I can¡¯t win it¡¯s all because the team members are going AFK!" Just as Spirit Ginseng Child was about to start the next game, a bright light shone nearby, from which more than a dozen figures emerged. That was followed by routine admiration and shock. The spiritual energy within the cave heaven was enough to cultivate to the peak of Golden Core, a thousand times more potent than in the mundane world, making it a true Immortal Realm in their eyes. "Ahem!" A voice resembling that of Zhou Yi reached the Child¡¯s ears. With a flick of the hand, the mobile phone was stowed away, another wave and the spiritual energy flowed around, transforming the Child from an inte-addicted teen to an attendant under the seat of an immortal. "This is a sacred ce of the immortals; keep your voices down!" The sound thundered into everyone¡¯s ears. They promptly bowed deeply to pay their respects to the great immortal. Spirit Ginseng Child¡¯s gaze fell upon Emperor Mingxiang, and said, "There is a familiar aura about you, does your ancestry include someone who had once cultivated in Kunlun?" "Replying to the Immortal Master, my humble ancestor Zhu Kang, indeed once studied arts in Kunlun." Emperor Mingxiang knelt on the ground, holding high a letter, "Before my ancestor passed away, he left a letter stating that if his descendants were to possess an immortal fate, it must be handed to the great immortal." The Spirit Ginseng Child drew the letter towards itself, made a spell gesture, and the letter vanished. "The great immortal is in seclusion; I have already delivered the letter to him. Whether or not he will meet with you all requires a short wait." The seven from Red Alliance showed significant changes in expression; they had seen their ancestor¡¯s notes. Back then, the great immortal was already in seclusion, and even after more than two hundred years, he still had not emerged, truly befitting his legendary status. After a moment. The door of the Daoist temple opened without any wind, and a gentle voice came forth. "Come inside to talk." With great joy, everyone thanked and bowed before following the Spirit Ginseng Child into the Daoist temple. The temple was simple and ancient in its design, indistinguishable from Kunlun Pce. It seemed that Martial Emperor had indeed cultivated in Kunlun. The main hall. Zhou Yi sat cross-legged, his gazending on Emperor Mingxiang, praising him. "Zhu Kang has done very well!" "Thank the great immortal." With humility and fear, Emperor Mingxiang was only addressed about his great ancestor and based on the usual practice of criticism following praise, it seemed likely a "but" was forting. Zhou Yi looked at the members of Red Alliance and said, "The Red Alliance has also done well." "Thank the great immortal." The Red Alliance members were genuinely terrified. Reflecting on the past, their forebears¡¯ revolution was iplete, and they were likely to be recorded aspromisers in history books centuriester. Members of the newly-formed party, kneeling at the back, dared not lift their heads; they were once opponents of the immortal¡¯s disciples. Zhou Yi shook his head and refrained from furtherment. Compromise is the inevitable end of all struggles. Considering the many formidable enemies the Red Alliance faced at the time, and their own inadequate foundation, their sess was tremendously difficult. "Your purpose here has already been divined by me." Zhou Yi said, "All of you possess Spirit Roots. Cultivating in Kunlun for a year is enough to maintain the stability of the Imperial Court, but..." His words caused everyone¡¯s faces to drastically change as they held their breath, waiting for the immortal¡¯s next words. "I have also divined that a cmity will befall the Mortal World, known as ¡¯The Night of a Hundred Ghosts.¡¯ As heaven and earth revitalize to a certain point, the Yin and Yang energies manifest, spawning countless ghostly entities that will harm all living beings." "One of you must leave Kunlun to spread this word for early preparations!" Zhou Yi scanned the crowd, and everyone¡¯s gaze darted about, hesitant to give up such a rare opportunity for immortal fate. After pondering for a moment, Emperor Mingxiang said, "Great immortal, I am willing to go. My ancestor left his will stating that the Zhu family are servants and followers of the great immortal, bound to undertake any orders even at the cost of our lives." "Very good, I grant you a scroll of Cultivation Technique!" Zhou Yi nodded slightly, and with a wave of his hand, Emperor Mingxiang vanished. "You may go to the Scripture Pavilion to select cultivation techniques, and if you have any doubts in your cultivation, ask the child. After one year, leave on your own." With that, he vanished from view. ... Several dayster. The National Dynasty called back retired soldiers, conducted inspections across the nation, and imposed military control over key cities. One monthter. Emperor Mingxiang gave a televised speech, detailing his journey to the Kunlun Wondend and dering that the Imperial Court had received the support of immortals. During his speech, he subtly revealed the immortals¡¯ appraisal of Ancestor Zhou, significantly boosting the prestige of the Imperial n within the National Dynasty. "The immortals have proimed that a ghost cmity is imminent in the Mortal World, and I would rather forsake the chance for immortality to return to the Mortal World. I believe that our well-prepared Imperial Court will surely ensure the safety of the people of our great Zhou..." Emperor Mingxiang¡¯s speech was, of course, edited word for word by others. The section about the cmity of the night of a hundred ghosts caused the cab to debate for a month before deciding to make it public. As expected, once the news spread, it immediately caused quite a stir. Fortunately, the Imperial Court was well prepared and treated it as a rehearsal for the ghost cmity. Anyone who tried to create chaos during this time was executed on the spot to prevent them from causing greater disruptions during the night of a hundred ghosts. The unrest was quickly suppressed, and during this period, the army killed quite a number of cultivators. Power hade too easily and status had risen too quickly, so it was inevitable that some cultivators believed they were chosen by destiny, using the cmity as an excuse to challenge the Imperial Court¡¯s authority. As a result, they were torn to shreds by bullets amid the roar of modern weapons! Starting from Xianjing, Emperor Mingxiang visited each city in turn, delivering speeches to calm the people¡¯s fears. With both physical and psychological guidance, the people of the National Dynasty soon faced the cmity withposure, swearing under the guidance of the Imperial Court to fight to the end against the malevolent spirits and ghosts, and for the prosperity of humanity! Meanwhile. The official website of the Outer Sect of Qi Zong issued a sect master order, with all disciples preparing for war and supporting the Imperial Court in protecting humanity. With thebined efforts of the Imperial Court, Imperial n, and sects, the situation in Cloud Continent stabilized. However, when the news reached the other continents, chaos ensued once again. That day. Ningde Fang was unusually lively. In the center of Top Schr Street stood a new machine, shaped like a security gate. Cultivators from the Investigation Bureau were responsible for activating and operating it, and the entire Patrol House went out to knock on doors, calling on households ording to their household registrations. Anyone who wasn¡¯t a local had to clearly mark their destination and be inspected by the local Investigation Bureau. Those who resisted were dealt with by the Imperial Court: the light punishment was arrest, and the severe punishment was execution. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om All people were lined up in a long queue, walking one by one through the security gate. Ny-nine percent of people triggered no reaction, but a very few caused the machine rm to sound, emitting a "beep beep beep." "Name? Address? Cultivation Technique? Cultivation level..." A series of registrations followed, and then a person would try to persuade them toply with the Imperial Court¡¯s arrangements to defend their sector, offering power, money, and status ¡ª all one had to do was catch ghosts. Cultivators tend to be self-centered and are unenthusiastic about obeying orders from the Imperial Court. However, cultivators also have parents and rtives, who need power and status and would naturally help persuade them on behalf of the Imperial Court. At the end of the line. Zhou Yi was chatting with some acquaintances, a group of people without Spirit Roots, indifferent to the bustling world of cultivation and questioning since it had nothing to do with them. "Hey! Half a year ago, we thought that the future belonged to the sects and that the Imperial Court would have to obediently follow orders. Who would have thought that they would gain the support of Kunlun?" "This is only temporary. The immortals of Kunlun rarely concern themselves with worldly affairs. After the ghost cmity is over, the sects will still call the shots!" "Old Xu makes sense. Guns may threaten cultivators now, but once our strength grows, who will listen to the orders of the mere mortals in the cab?" "Who knows, maybe in the future if you don¡¯t cultivate, you can¡¯t even enter the cab..." Zhou Yi listened with his hands in his pockets. No matter if it¡¯s Blue Star or Nine Continents, themon folk love to discuss the affairs of the National Dynasty. He couldn¡¯t help but speak up and ask. "Do you think we can survive the ghost cmity?" "Of course we can. The immortals of Kunlun are watching over us from above, and we have ancient ancestors guarding us from below. Those mere ghostly entities don¡¯t stand a chance!" Hearing this, Zhou Yi¡¯s smile broadened. "I haven¡¯t been working in vain!" "After the ghost cmity is over, I¡¯ll set out to sea to y that twin-winged tiger cub. Yuan Ling¡¯s territory should also be almost ready to break through, and then I¡¯ll unite it with Kunlun to form a single realm. Three joys wille all at once!" "When I return, the Nine Continents will indeed be a world where the way of immortals prospers!" Chapter 263 - 243: The Banner of Ten Thousand Souls The National Dynasty implemented Spirit Root testing, and the process was very smooth. All registered citizens were screened, and the Imperial Court had a clear grasp of how many cultivators there were in the National Dynasty. After all, Spirit Roots are not codes that you can just distribute whenever you wish! All cultivators were assigned positions, and these were not just nominal ranks but actual posts as members of local branches of the Investigation Bureau, wielding astonishing authority when handling ghostly entity cases. No one in the world can refuse power, especially since modern cultivation techniques can be somewhat overzealous. Since cultivators do not study Buddhist or Daoist scriptures, their strength grows rapidly but without the corresponding state of mind, making them more susceptible to worldly temptations. Most cultivators epted the control of the Imperial Court, grudgingly ssified as contributing to the fight against the ghost crisis, while the small remainder found it difficult to stand alone and had no choice but join the majority. The few ascetics who cared little for the mundane world dug into the mountains and never came out again. The Imperial Court did not force the issue, for there are no politicians more skilled at taming human nature than those who shepherd people. For example, they stood at the moral high ground of salvation, with an approach both mild and friendly. Cultivators are people too! At the same time, the Imperial Court was also looking to the future and promulgated newws. Newborns must undergo Spirit Root testing, and if they had a Spirit Root, the Imperial Court would fully provide for them, disbursing nourishment funds ording to the quality of the Spirit Root, with higher-tier Spirit Roots earning more than the wages of the parents. Once the news was out, everyone on social media was announcing their second or third child, with no need for the Imperial Court to urge or persuade them. With the emergence of the cultivators from Kunlun Cave Heaven, all of whom were top-notch in their era, the rule of the Imperial Court became even more stable. Two yearster. The National Dynasty was still the same, but Xianjing now held a different significance. On the streets of the capital, it wasmon to see cultivators flying. At first, this caused quite a stir, butter it became normal. Many people online joked that this was the legendary Heavenly Court reflected on Earth. On this clear morning, At Top Schr Street, There was a pawn shop. Zhou Yi finished his cultivation and emerged from the cave heaven, routinely expending five hundred years of lifespan for divination. The spiritual token fell to the ground. Top sign! "Hmm?" Zhou Yi raised his eyebrows, "The day has finallye!" No one knew the exact time of the ghostly apparitions¡¯ night march, and such a celestial change leading to a cmity across the Nine Continents was beyond Zhou Yi¡¯s power to divine. So he changed his approach, divining not the disaster itself but the best time for Artifact Refining. The Ghost King Sect possessed a top-tier artifact called the Myriad Souls Banner, which required at least ten thousand fierce souls and malevolent ghosts to refine. Zhou Yi had already prepared the banner fabric; he divined daily whether it was a suitable day for refining the artifact, and today¡¯s top sign indicated that the heavenly timing was right, thus deducing that the night march of a hundred ghosts would soon arrive. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om This method of divination was akin to exploiting a loophole from the heavens. Human efforts can¡¯tpete with fate; when you exploit a loophole from the heavens, the heavensy a trap for you in advance. "Time to send out a message for a heads-up." With a thought, Zhou Yi¡¯s Yuan Ling avatar immediately instructed his subordinates to send a pop-up notification through the Qi Sect¡¯s external branch software. ¡ª¡ªGhastly apparitions are about, do not venture out after dark! The Qi Sect¡¯s external branch software had a hundred billion users, iming to be thergest gathering ce for cultivators in the Nine Continents, even though ny-nine percent were non-Spirit Rootmoners. Therefore, once the message was sent out, its impact was not limited to the National Dynasty; the other eight continents also received the warning. In no time, it topped the trending searches on all social media tforms; after all, Heavenly Monarch Yuanling, aside from being a Kunlun immortal, was the most powerful cultivator of the time, and his video lectures on practices would always spark a viewing frenzy. Open any app or browser, and you¡¯ll find the trending lists to be identical. The Imperial Court¡¯s Eight Methods to Subdue Ghosts, pinned at the top. Do not go out after dark, trending! The ghosts areing, hot! The night march of the ghosts, hot! Qi Sect, popr... "With this atmosphere built up, the night march of the ghosts couldn¡¯t not happen!" Zhou Yi opened Cloud Chat, and all the chat groups were talking about it, with some people even nning to team up for ghost hunting because the Imperial Court had long distributed electric guns that did massive damage to ghostly entities. Many friends invited Zhou Yi to face tribtion together, such as number eight, number eighteen, number eighty-eight... He replied one by one, declining and agreeing to celebrate after the tribtion. "When I exorcise spirits on normal days, I always leave behind some talismans," he said. "They may not be very effective, but at least they can ensure that ghostly entities dare not approach. When golden wind and jade dew meet, that¡¯s fate!" Zhou Yi put away his phone, and in a sh, he turned into two figures¡ªone continuing to watch over the shop with a split of his mana. The original turned into an old Daoist with a wide forehead and long beard, holding a Myriad Souls Banner with a purple face and a green pole, below which was a yellow ox formed from conjured mana. He soared into the sky, hiding in the air waiting for the right moment. Zhou Yi looked down at the capital city, where rows of armed soldiers patrolled in neat steps. The citizens had already arrived at designated spots in their respective marketces ording to prior rehearsal. With many people gathered, the strong yang energy prevented ghostly entities from approaching, and everyone held special electric guns issued by the Imperial Court, ready for battle. Time passed, second by second. Dusk fell. All of a sudden, Zhou Yi opened his eyes wide and keenly sensed the changes in heaven and earth, noticing that the yang energy was decreasing while the yin energy was rising. "The transition from day to night is the natural cycle of yin and yang, but today¡¯s yin energy is too dense. Not only those who died with grievances, even the aimless residual souls and wandering spirits will catalyze into ghostly entities..." Residual souls rarely remember their past lives, and after bing ghostly entities, they instinctively absorb yang energy and devour Qi-Blood. It was past midnight. The yin energy had be so tangible that it enveloped the atmosphere like mist, and when he looked up at the moon, it was eerily clear and visible. In the mist, silhouettes emerged out of thin air, floating aimlessly about. Looking closely, they were various kinds of iplete spirits, continuously transforming as they absorbed the mist. Those missing arms and legs grew sharp ws, the drowned spewed water from the Yellow Springs, those who died in fire spat phosphorous fire... Weird and innumerable. What they all had inmon were their crimson eyes, emaciated frames, as if they had been starving for hundreds of years, drooling ck saliva at the scent of a living person¡¯s breath. Boom, boom, boom... Before the ghostly entities could continue to evolve, the military had already initiated annihtion. The art of Artifact Refining from the path of immortality had solved the material problem, and many weapons that were previously only concepts had now been equipped within the military. For example, a vehicle on the street that looked like a tank had a barrel at least as thick as two people could embrace. What it fired was not bombs, but bucket-thick arcs of lightning. The Lightning Method has long been the bane of ghostly entities! As the barrel rotated from side to side, the lightning left nothing but emptiness in its wake, obliterating evil spirits and fierce ghosts. "Changing to the Lightning Method¡¯s power, that¡¯s almost equivalent to a Foundation Establishment real person. The only w is theck of agility..." Zhou Yi had not finished speaking when he heard the buzzing of propellers. Drones flew over the city like a swarm of bees, ignorant to any Illusion Technique influence from the ghostly entities, carrying out a carpet-style electric arc exorcism. Enjoy more content from empire "Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One!" "Don¡¯t destroy my Artifact Refining materials!" Zhou Yi hastily waved the Myriad Souls Banner, casting a vast purple aura over the capital, swallowing all the spirits and ghosts. Then, he turned into a beam of escape light and flew towards other cities. If he was toote, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to scrape up a ghost hair. The rising yin energy continuously spawned ghostly entities. The first wave was thergest in number. With no residual or wandering souls left to transform, the number of new ghosts dwindled and they were no match for the military. Zhou Yi checked his phone to find that the top trending topic had changed. The ghost cmity is nothing more than this. Explosive! With each transition of eras in the Nine Continents and the rise and fall of Spiritual Energy tides, there have always been night marches of a hundred ghosts, but never has it been so easy as today. Fortunately, evil spirits and fierce ghosts can be regenerated, or else some experts and beasts would certainly start preventing the military from carrying out genocidal strikes! Of course, casualties were inevitable. As the number of people killed by fierce ghosts exceeded one hundred thousand, the tragic extinction of the Ghost Monsters reached the inte, and no one pitied the ghostly entities anymore. As Zhou Yi rode the beam of light and flew past cities, he waved the Myriad Souls Banner, sweeping clean the ghostly entities. At the same time, he kept an eye on news on the. Wherever Ghost Monsters appeared, he would immediately go to deal with them to prevent greater chaos. Several dayster. The Myriad Souls Banner was refined to greatpletion. Since he had refined only evil spirits and fierce ghosts, without using the souls of the living to pad the numbers, its power ended up being a bit stronger than recorded in the annals. With a slight flick, a hundred miles around became a Yin Sha Forbidden Land, and tens of thousands of ghostly entities devoured the enemies clean. "No wonder the path of devilry is hard to extinguish. One doesn¡¯t need to search for any rare Spiritual Objects to refine a top-tier magical weapon!" Zhou Yi tossed the Myriad Souls Banner into Kunlun Cave Heaven, nting it at the entrance of the Daoist temple like a g. Now that he had three Sect-Defending magical treasures, there was no need to use this demon treasure anymore. Inbat, one would naturally hurl the most powerful treasures, why bother using an inferior one for a test? The night march of a hundred ghosts passed safely, andrge-scale gatherings would be difficult toe by in the future. Now it was up to the Imperial Court to search for the remaining ghostly entities. With this matter concluded, Zhou Yi celebrated for a month, then closed his doors, locked up, and flew towards the deep waters of the Eastern Sea. Chapter 264 - 245: Ferocious Beasts Besiege the City Experiment Lab Zero. Other realms¡¯ hundred ghosts, at least thrice resembling humans. Those who died from the Experiment Zero Elixir, in life bore suffering a thousandfold, dying amidst vein mutations spurred by Yin energy, the spliced resultpletely monstrous. With a hundred hands and a thousand eyes, dark clouds boiled and churned. Fortunately, the Imperial Court had anticipated this, heavily guarding withyers of soldiers, who after days of fierce fighting exterminated the demons. The demon looked terrifying, like an Evil God from ancient myth, but was in fact also limited by heaven and earth, its mana merely at the third or fourth level of Qi Refinement. Technological weapons matched the might of Foundation Establishment Lightning Methods, allowing Zhou to easily ovee the ghost cmity, while also increasing the Imperial Court¡¯s trust in technology, after all, easier to control than cultivators. A powerful cultivator might harbor rebellious thoughts, but powerful technology would stabilize rule. Thus, investment in talent and funds intensified, even Imperial Court cultivators bing test subjects. The sess rate and manufacturing process of the Experiment Zero Elixir improved significantly, theoretically Qi Refinement Realm cultivators or Martial Arts Grandmasters had a fifty percent chance of sess post-consumption. Sess meant a tremendous increase in strength, failure meant death and Dao destruction! "Continue the deep research of the Experiment Zero Elixir, and on this basis, develop the Experiment One Elixir, for future preparation..." With national support, technology advanced by leaps and bounds. Twenty years passed in the blink of an eye. Year 375 of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Winter. Experiment Lab Zero was a hive of excitement. "We finally seeded!" Professor Hong, benefiting from the Elixir, remained vigorous despite being over a century old, excitedly gazing at the test subject within the ss chamber. The monkey with aquamarine-gold fur slept quietly, over two meters tall with muscles coiled like dragons harboring terrifying strength. Its one peculiar feature was having six ears. "Test Subject 1827 is truly exceptional, surviving nine doses of the Experiment Zero Elixir without dying, and sessfully consuming the Experiment One Elixir, a one in a million probability..." People surrounded the experimental tform, any one of them a top biological expert, among them also Qi Refinement tier three cultivators. Cultivators were not just fearsomely powerful, their spirit far surpassed ordinary people, easily bing elites in any field. The crowd was busy sucking up to Professor Hong, addressing him with high respect as ¡¯Prince Hong¡¯, ¡¯Elder Hong¡¯, and so on. With the continuous promotion of the Experiment Zero Elixir, favored by both the cab and Royal Family, his status was extraordinary. At that moment. The sleeping test subject suddenly opened its eyes, shooting out divine light, sting two holes in the ss chamber. The chamber, though modified, as hard as a Magic Artifact and inscribed with restrictions, was imed to withstand missile bombardment. The color drained from people¡¯s faces, just as they were about to send an rm, ayer of pitch-ck demonic aura enveloped the surroundings. The test subject easily snapped the shackles, removed the various tubes from its body, and lifted the cover of the chamber to stand. "You... er, call me Six Ears!" Having never spoken humannguage before, Six Ears¡¯ voice sounded strange, pausing briefly before speaking again, bing significantly more urate. "Thank you for awakening me." Stimting the bloodline of his demon race fostered sapience, akin to awakening the mystery within the womb. "I now have a small request, that is, please leave with me to develop even more powerful elixirs..." As Six Ears¡¯ voice trailed off, he turned to look at one of the experts, baring teeth and grinning, "Your body carries the scent of mana, you must be a cultivator from the human race. ording to the inherited memories, the taste of flesh is most splendid!" As soon as the words were out, he swallowed that person whole, chewing a few times with crunching sounds before swallowing. "The taste is indeed exquisite, whoever else attemptsmunication, their fate will be as such!" Six Ears¡¯ gaze swept over everyone, finally resting on Professor Hong, "Professor, I¡¯ve studied in theb for over twenty years, I am arguably your best student!" Professor Hong coldly appraised Six Ears, his expression a mix of shock, regret, and various other emotions, extending his hand toward the red button on the experiment chamber. Swoosh! Six Ears opened his mouth and swallowed Professor Hong whole, cackling a few times before saying. "I have an intimate disciple-master rtionship with the Professor, our bond deeper than blood, now merged as one, even closer! All of you could consider me a disciple, who else wishes for closeness?" Everyone fell silent, among them four experts stepped forward, making a move to sound the rm. Liu Er opened his mouth and devoured the four, integrating their souls, flesh, and blood into his body; his mind filled with countless memories, and his eyes became increasingly perceptive. "Eating humans can increase intelligence, what a great discovery!" Having said that, he transformed into a pitch-ck demon wind, sweeping up the remaining experts and vanishing into the ground. A momentter. The rm bells rang out. ... Twenty yearster. Qiong Continent. After the resurgence of Spiritual Energy, the vegetation andndscape began to recover. Oases continuously expanded, the poption gradually prospered, yet there was no progress in technology whatsoever. Unlike the great Zhou, the Imperial Court relied on weaponry to suppress all directions; it was only after the Night Parade of One Hundred Ghosts that cultivators became the rulers of tribes. Cultivators disfavor technology and weapons because during the Qi Refinement Realm, it¡¯s difficult to withstand heavy firepower. The difference from ancient times was that civilian technology such as electric lights and automobiles had already been widely adopted in Qiong Continent, as cultivators easily broke through the technology blockade of the great Zhou. Themon people were very satisfied with this and resolutely supported the rule of cultivators. Green Ghost City. It had evolved from a tribe into a city, with a poption of over two hundred thousand people, and several towns under its jurisdiction. The tribe had been incredibly lucky back then, having produced an Exotic Spirit Root, and thanks to its adjacency to a Spirit Vein, had quickly attained top contemporary skills to be a famous registered disciple of a certain Qi Sect. That day. Dusk approached. There was a peaceful atmosphere in the city, with off-duty citizens strolling the streets. Meeting familiar faces, they greeted each other and discussed news and amusing events, inevitably talking about the Spirit Root and how someone¡¯s young son was found to have one, earning a good sum of money as a reward. Spirit Roots had now be deeply ingrained in people¡¯s hearts, possessing one equated to leaping across social sses! Because they urred randomly and were not influenced by privileges, the ordinary people had no objections whatsoever. All of a sudden. N?v(el)B\\jnn The ground trembled slightly, and a rumbling sound came forth. Some people fetched their telescopes and looked in the direction of the sound, only to see countless fierce beasts emerging from the mountains and forming a torrent rushing toward the city. Experience exclusive tales on empire There were creatures flying in the sky, running on the ground, and even a considerable number of fish equipped with sharp ws. The fastest of the flying beasts reached the vicinity of the city in a blink of an eye, letting out piercing shrieks and brazenly pouncing on the crowd. The nationwide cultivation movement had poprized martial arts, so among the crowd were numerous Martial Artists who attempted to fend off the beasts. Unfortunately, they were torn to shreds and became food for the creatures. "Run!" The crowd let out terrified screams, fleeing in all directions. The soldiers guarding the city took out their handguns to attack the beasts while quickly closing the city gates. A momentter. The beasts surged like a tide, easily breaking open the city gates and rampaging, ughtering the humans within. Atop the mountain. Liu Er, d in a whiteb coat, admired the ughter brought upon by the invading beasts, revealing a satisfied smile. Behind him stood a portly demon of the beast race, with a pig¡¯s head and human body. Unlike those beasts that only knew destruction and ughter, it had awakened its bloodline inheritance after consuming the No. 0 Elixir. "Big brother, the cultivators in the city have already fled. The news of the beasts¡¯ massacre will spread, and what will we do when the humanse to exterminate us?" "The other brothers have already taken the elixir form and are establishingbs everywhere to breed the beasts. As more demons are born, newbs will be established, and the number of beasts will increase geometrically!" Liu Er stroked the sses on the bridge of his nose with a schrly gesture. "Even if humans wipe you and me out, the future of the Nine Continents will inevitably belong to the beasts!" Chapter 265 - 246: 500 Years Later Eastern Sea. The depths. Waves vast and boundless. Nameless ind. Formation¡¯s spiritual light twinkles, covered with countless thunders and zing fires. Roar! The sound of a tiger¡¯s roar reverberates, a tiger-shaped Nascent Soul with wings on its back, dodging left and right amidst the thunder. "Senior, spare my life!" "This tiger is willing to be your mount, capable of flying and escaping without bounds." "This junior¡¯s bloodline carries the inheritance of the ancients, aware of many closely guarded secrets, including the whereabouts of a Demon Saint..." The tiger demon looked outside the Formation, at the cultivator in ancient Taoist robe¡ªit was "Heavenly Monarch Yuanling" from its memories¡ªcontinuously pleading for mercy. "The whereabouts of the Demon Saint? Go on, speak." Zhou Yi¡¯s gaze grew sharp, yet he did not stop the Formation and Prohibition, more interested in sending the tiger demon¡¯s soul to its doom than exploring ancient secrets. After all, it was a Nascent Soul ancestor with ancient bloodline; who knows if it held any ace-in-the-hole secret techniques! After twenty years of secluded cultivation in the Eastern Sea, as usual, he practiced the cursing technique and broke the seal of the tiger teeth, freeing the Demon Emperor of the Winged-Tiger n from within. The Tiger Emperor hurriedly answered, "In ancient times, as the Spiritual Energy gradually depleted, my ancestor Demon Saint sought survival, venturing deep into Beihai to explore the edge of the sky, and ultimately found an Outer Realm Continent." Zhou Yi shook his head and said, "Even though the Demon Saint¡¯s escaping speed might match returning to the void, even if I knew the route, it would be difficult to reach." While saying so outwardly, he took note of this information inwardly. Owning the Evesting Immortality and Kunlun Cave Heaven, with enough patience, he could eventually reach the Outer Realm. However, this news was of little use, as Zhou Yi¡¯s interest in the Outer Realm was limited; the Nine Continents were much safer than any Outer Realm Continent. "This is just one thing." The Tiger Emperor said, "Senior can make a soul contract with me; I will have many more ancient secrets for you in the future!" The demon race integrates its inheritance into its bloodline, awakening the bloodline to obtain the memories of ancient demons, much more reliable than the oral transmissions or jade slip records of the human race. When speaking of this with Heavenly Monarch Yuanling in the past, it was said that in ancient times, some powerful beings attempted to imitate the demon race to ensure the unbroken lineage of the human race, but no one was willing to ept the inheritance mark. Even the most ordinary mortals suspected that the powerful ones intended to seize their bodies through this, to achieve a different form of Evesting Immortality! "Demons must be in!" Zhou Yi formed spell hand signs, the Supreme rity Divine Talisman shining with spiritual light, trapping the Tiger Emperor fixed within the Formation. The Tiger Emperor roared towards the heavens, realizing there was no escaping its soul scattering, pleadings suddenly turned into curses. Cultivators covetously seek longevity, willing to pay any price, yet they are truly not afraid of death. "You old furball, I¡¯ll be waiting for you down below!" Three yearster. The Nascent Soul shattered, the soul scattered to the winds. Zhou Yi collected the left behind transparent tiger teeth, his Divine Sense scanning them, and inside was a space tens of zhang in radius. "Several old fellows¡¯ self-sealing methods, the origins seem to stem from the same Divine Skills. It¡¯s rumored once there was a great doctrine ruling the Nine Continents, with both human and demon races as its disciples, perhaps it¡¯s from that time these secret techniques were passed down!" With a wave of his sleeve, he swept away all the Formation and Prohibition, his figure flickering and vanishing from sight. Kunlun Cave Heaven. The abundance of Spiritual Energy congeals into clouds and rain, nourishing the Spiritual Medicines in the spiritual fields. A thousand years have passed since the decline of thew; many precious Spiritual Medicines have matured, and refining them into pills has made Zhou Yi¡¯s cultivation grow much faster than anticipated. Among them are some that enhance the consolidation of the Nascent Soul, and they would mature after a few hundred years. Zhou Yi materialized, seeing the Spirit Ginseng child sitting beneath a tree, listlessly yawning. Without awork in the deep Eastern Sea, the mobile phone became obsolete, only good for ying some single-yer games. The Spirit Ginseng child instantly lost its favorite hobby; ever since then, it has been drowsy day in and day out, seemingly uninterested in all the wonders of the world. "This is a heart demon. It must realize its own way out!" Zhou Yi never imagined that a mere mobile phone could spoil the Spirit Ginseng child¡¯s immortal heart. Yet, putting himself in its ce, if there were no more celebrations in the world, he too would find the cultivation path tasteless. "Remember to take care of the spiritual fields. I am going into closed-door cultivation!" With thatmand, Zhou Yi retreated into the cultivation chamber of the Taoist temple. He took out the Treasure Bead from the storage bag, which was left behind after Yuan Ling died, containing a soul fragment diligently boring through. The Yi Qi Sect once ruled Yu Continent, their resources far surpassing those of the Dragon Emperor, hence the space inside the Treasure Bead was a thousand zhang in area, and its barriers even more robust. "My divine soul is several times stronger than it was back then. Based on the past twenty-odd years, it will approximately take three hundred years..." Zhou Yi took out a tiger tooth and pinched a spell, splitting off another sliver of divine soul. "The Soul Splitting Technique can be used to cast two at the same time, indeed a significant time-saver!" ... Time flows gently. Within closed-door cultivation, there are no years. One year after another, gone in the blink of an eye. Zhou Yi only left his retreat once during that period, which was for his two-thousandth birthday, but he did not leave the Eastern Sea to celebrate. Instead, he spent the whole night alone on a deserted ind drinking Spiritual Wine. "Evesting Immortality is so solitary!" Afterward, he continued his deep cultivation until two hundred years passed, and the tiger tooth was the first to break through, transforming into a Cave Heaven. "Next step, shattering the tiger tooth within Kunlun to see if I can expand the Cave Heaven." Zhou Yi was not particrly confident about this, since there was no record of this in the Taoist canonical texts; he could only proceed through trial and experimentation. He exhaled the Light Dividing Sword, Bodhi Treasure Wheel, Mountain and River Cauldron, Supreme rity Divine Talisman¡ªfour treasures that had reached the pinnacle of magic artifacts, entering the tiger tooth and beginning to break apart from the inside. The power of the Soul-Calming Mirror had returned to its peak, but due to its intrinsic characteristics, its power increased at an extremely slow pace. "If this method doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll have toyer Cave Heavens one over another within Kunlun and seek a fusion methodter!" In Zhou Yi¡¯s heart, there was no worry or concern; mana cycled through as he continued to cultivate the Too Mysterious Scripture, aiming for a breakthrough to theter stages of the Golden Core when he emerged from seclusion. Since then... Day after day of cultivation, divination, and speeding up the growth of the Jianmu tree. With the passage of hundreds of years, the Spirit Ginseng child finally managed to quit its inte addiction temporary, and after its Dao heart returned, it finally remembered that Zhou Yi had promised him a branch of the Jianmu tree long ago. "The Jianmu tree is already twenty zhang high, when will it start to fork?" "I do not know either, probably still needs several thousand years." Zhou Yi asked, "Child, do you have a lifespan limit?" "I should have one." The Spirit Ginseng child wrinkled its little face and said, "ording to the inherited memories, there was once a Spirit Ginseng that lived for one hundred thousand years and turned into a divine medicine, but instead of dying of old age, it was refined into a medicinal pill by a Divine Transformation Heavenly Monarch!" "The heavens are truly just, for having nearly endless longevity, practicing for one hundred thousand years but still no match for a Heavenly Monarch!" Zhou Yi felt a fair amount of sympathy in his heart, yet when he thought about himself, he felt his talents might not evenpare to the Spirit Ginseng child. "Lest I be a medicinal pill in the future, I must continue the arduous cultivation!" In the blink of an eye, another hundred years passed by. The Yuan Ling Treasure Pearl finally broke open, but Zhou Yi did not proceed with experiments, deciding to wait until the tiger tooth shattered. Time passed. In total, he had spent five hundred years in closed-door cultivation at the Eastern Sea. The tiger tooth finally could not withstand the grinding of the magic treasures and shattered from the inside out, turning into several pieces of translucent ss-like fragments. Hum! n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Kunlun Cave Heaven trembled slightly, the mist around the space beginning to extend outward, the area expanding to twice its original size. Zhou Yi¡¯s face showed delight, as he used his mana to maintain the stability of thend within the Cave Heaven and pulled in several inds from outside to fill it up, reaching an area of over four hundred zhang. "It really worked, the Great Saint¡¯s hardships were not in vain!" "Five hundred years have passed, I wonder what Nine Continents has be. The Yi Qi Sect¡¯s official website had many Dual Cultivation secret techniques. Cultivators are hard to punish with modernws; maybe the Spring Breeze Building has continued on..." "With the Cave Heaven expanded, it¡¯s time to celebrate!" Zhou Yi sent a message to the Spirit Ginseng child, stating they would return to the Nine Continents today. The Spirit Ginseng child¡¯s face flushed with excitement as it pulled out a magic artifact resembling a cell phone from its sleeve, asking eagerly. "Immortal, do you think after five hundred years, ¡¯Honor of Kings¡¯ is still around?" Chapter 266 - 246 Sea Monster "It should be gone by now, right?" Zhou Yi didn¡¯t believe a game could be popr for five hundred years. Seeing the Spirit Ginseng doll¡¯s spirits fall, he patted its leafy head and said. "With the glory of Nine Provinces gone, there will inevitably be other games. With the support of the Immortal Law for technology, its rapid development is certain¡ªfive hundred years is more than enough for game helmets to appear!" The Spirit Ginseng doll asked curiously, "What is a game helmet?" "It¡¯s a device that allows you to enter the game directly with your mind, without needing a phone for control." After giving a simple exnation, Zhou Yiforted it, "Your low ranking in Glory isrgely due to hardware limitations. With direct mental gaming, you will surely beat all the other yers!" "Exactly, it must be so." The Spirit Ginseng doll urged him to hurry back to the Nine Provinces. Little did it know that no response could ever be faster than that of the sixth yer; they were always ready to ambush you in the most unexpected ces! Zhou Yi emerged into the outside world, with the Kunlun Cave Heaven now in hand. "One small step for the expansion of Cave Heaven, one giant leap for the dream!" Having verified the method of expanding the Kunlun Cave Heaven, he believed that one day it would expand to ten thousand miles in radius, perhaps even bing a world in its own right. The thought of one person controlling an entire world was somewhat exhrating! By then, Zhou Yi would have millions of workers at his disposal, and tasks like improving Cultivation Techniques would be effortless. The wisdom of the masses is infinite! "Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One! Back when I only introduced the steam engine, it sparked countless technological advancements, and Cloud Continent entered modernity. Perhaps one day, by spreading teachings within the Cave Heaven, even a single Qi Refinement scroll could evolve into Immortal Law!" Zhou Yi, with a joyous expression, rode the escaping light towards the Nine Provinces. As he journeyed westward, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth grew increasingly rich, until he could glimpse thend¡ªthe energy was now dense enough to support Foundation Establishment. "Five hundred years have passed; I wonder how the One Qi Sect is doing? Foundation Establishment masters are now akin to humanoid mobile suits, surely they wouldn¡¯t want to be governed by the Imperial Court. Could they have turned from subjects to masters..." Whoosh! As he pondered, a huge wave suddenly rose from the sea, and a strange serpent burst forth. The serpent, more than a dozen zhang in length, was covered with pitch-ck scales, sharp bone spurs adorned its body, eight tiger paws extended from its abdomen, and with a pair of fleshy wings on its back pping, it moved as fast as lightning. "What kind of monster is this?" Zhou Yi¡¯s face showed confusion. It was natural for demonic races to be born with the revival of spiritual energy; however, he had never heard of this kind of creature. There were records of demonic races in the Wanjuan Daozang, which almost summarized all the bloodlines that appeared in the Nine Provinces, yet none matched this strange serpent. He casually waved his hand, and several bolts of lightning struck down, shattering the serpent¡¯s flesh and blood, but it still knew no fear, fiercely attacking without regard for its own life. "A major demon without any spiritual intelligence?" Zhou Yi¡¯s interest was piqued; he guessed that the revival of spiritual energy might have caused this change. He waved his hand to immobilize the serpent for a Soul Search. Pain, chaos, ughter, devouring... The serpent¡¯s divine soul was weak, even weaker than that of an average human,pletelycking aplete demonic soul, only filled with tidal waves of negative emotions and numerous twisted and blurry memory fragments. "This is not a member of the demonic race!" N?v(el)B\\jnn Zhou Yi frowned slightly. Despite the deep enmity between the two races, he had to acknowledge that the demonic race cultivated Immortal Law as well. Immortal Law treasures life, with the ultimate goal being immortality. Such a chaotic divine soul was already cut off from the path. "What has happened in the Nine Provinces?" Zhou Yi looked toward the west, a sense of foreboding growing within him. He took out a talisman to perform a minor celestial divination technique. The Spirit Talismannded smoothly. Nothing happened, which was no different from the result of his divination in the morning. "There should be no life-threatening danger, but it¡¯s still best to be cautious." Zhou Yi exhaled the Supreme rity Divine Talisman from his mouth, which suspended above his head, cast a divine light, and he vanished in an instant,pletely concealing his presence without leaking any trace of it. The escape light increased its speed, and as Zhou Yi approached the Nine Provinces Continent, he encountered various sea monsters. Each was misshapen and ugly, with almost no two alike; the one thing they had inmon was ack of spiritual intellect. The monsters roamed the seas, engaging in life-or-death battles on a whim. The victor, after devouring the corpse of the loser, grew even more formidable. One monthter. Zhou Yi finally caught sight of the Nine Provinces Continent. Now within the coastal waters, the sea monsters were densely packed, battling indiscriminately, their blood staining the seawater various hues. "Is this still the Nine Provinces?" Guided by his memory, he flew towards Binhai, a major city in the Great Zhou, where he once bought a house. Half a dayter. Upon careful identification, the ruins before him were the relics of Binhai. The once top-tier city with tens of millions of inhabitants had reverted to lush forests, with only a few broken walls buried under the vegetation, proof of its former renown. Zhou Yi¡¯s face was ashen as his Divine Sense poured out, sweeping over Binhai. One by one, relics arose from the ground: shattered ssware, rusty machine parts, mottled car undercarriages, and most numerous of all, firearms... Roar! The stirring of relics awakened a monster in the forest, as a three-headed lion, with mes beneath its paws, soared into the sky. The lion quickly noticed Zhou Yi, and from its three heads came mes of different colors that merged together, suddenly increasing in ferocity. "An Innate Divine Ability of the demonic race?" Zhou Yi exhaled, extinguishing the mes, and gestured to draw the lion closer, simultaneously performing the Soul Searching Technique with all three heads. "The soul has grown much stronger, its crimson color affinity with fire spirit energy, yet the intellect is chaotic and disordered, still not of the orthodox demonic race!" The three-headed lion was just the beginning; the Binhai region was vast and home to many monsters. Their roars rose and fell, unable to locate the originator of their disturbance. The fury of being disturbed from resting had to be vented, so they turned on each other in a fierce battle. At that moment, Zhou Yi¡¯s Divine Sense detected a bunker to the east of the Binhai ruins. The bunker was buried dozens of feet underground, separated from the surface byyers of concrete and steel. Inside, there were fully equipped living and nting areas, along with a vast arsenal of guns and ammunition. Regrettably, there were no signs of living humans, but several monsters lurked within. Zhou Yi could guess that the once human civilization must have been destroyed by these monsters, all of them incinerated to ashes with a wave of his hand. As his Divine Sense swept over the bunker, his figure shed to the room at the central area, arranged simrly to a warmand center. Inside the roomy several skeletons; their pistols were aimed at their own heads or hearts, as if they hadmitted suicide. Devices such asputers and screens were all utterly destroyed. Zhou Yi¡¯s gaze fell upon a skeleton clutching a rolled-up paper book. He used his mana to bring it over and flip through it page by page. The contents resembled a diary. "The surge of fierce beasts originated from Qiong Continent?" "Qiong Continent was the first to fall, followed by the copse of Buddha Lands, Green State... The only ce capable of resisting the tide of fierce beasts is Cloud Continent..." "Great Zhou held out for over a hundred years, but as the sea filled with demonic beasts, we eventually could not withstand the endless tide of beasts, Binhai being thest coastal city!" As Zhou Yi read through the diary, he learned the identity of the person, Xu An, the general whomanded the defense of Binhai. The bunker had been established by Xu An, leading the military and civilians of Binhai as thest bastion against the tide of fierce beasts. The diary recorded that the Imperial Court once issued an order to recall Xu An, intending to abandon the Binhai frontline. Xu An refused in response, sending his young child on an airne before choosing to live and die with Binhai. In the final entry of the diary. [In the year 550 of Great Zhou, winter, the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month. Today is Little New Year, and I¡¯ve lost count of how many years it¡¯s been since we celebrated a festival. I ordered all the food to be taken out and distributed to the remaining soldiers and civilians. The outer perimeter of the bunker has already fallen, and it¡¯s unlikely Binhai willst to see the new year. Before death, I wanted to give everyone a full meal.] Chapter 267 - 247: The Fall of the Nine Continents "Binhai has fallen for over three hundred years; could it be that in the other regions of the Nine Continents, there are no humans left?" Zhou Yi fell silent for a long time before erecting a new grave in the bunker. Evesting Immortality was already very lonely, and if the Nine Continents became a world of fierce beasts, it would be thoroughly solitary. The Supreme rity Divine Talisman concealed its presence, casting an Escape Technique as it flew towards Xianjing. Xianjing was once thergest city in the Nine Continents, surrounded by hundreds of millions of troops and countless destructive weapons; it should be humanity¡¯sst stronghold. The escaping light traveled ten thousand li, suddenly stopping mid-air. Zhou Yi looked down at the craters on the ground over two hundred zhang deep ¨C a series of about ten, with a radius of a hundred li where not a de of grass grew. N?v(el)B\\jnn "This is near Xuan City, one of the major citities in the eastern part of Cloud Continent!" His Divine Sense swept all around, drawing out relics buried several dozen zhang underground; in one of the mystic iron boxes, he found a jade slip that revealed Xuan City had fallen to the beast tide in the year 650 of the Great Zhou dynasty. The owner of the jade slip imed to be the Defender of Xuan City, with a cultivation reaching the ninthyer of Qi Refinement. "Above and below the heavens, there were dense swarms of fierce beasts, countless as far as the eyes could see..." "After repelling the beast tide for the 72nd time, they would return with even greater numbers a few yearster..." "In the year 645, the city¡¯s poption began to evacuate. I knew Xuan City could not be held. Having lived over a hundred years with no chance of Foundation Establishment, I¡¯d rather die in battle than of old age..." "In the year 650, Xuan City was breached. Before my demise, I witnessed the destructive weapons, so brilliant..." The end of the jade slip recorded an Immortal Technique and the insights of the Pill Technique this person hadprehended, hoping someone would inherit them in the future. "Even destructive weapons couldn¡¯t stop the fierce beasts? Where did theye from?" Zhou Yi¡¯s eyebrows knitted tightly together. The Great Zhou should have had a long period of time to develop Immortal Techniques and technology after surviving the ghostly cmities and ought to have been in a flourishing stage of human prosperity. He continued to fly eastward, deliberately following the route of cities he remembered from memory, and came across many relics of war. The only piece of good news was that the closer he got to Xianjing, located ten thousand li away, the more recent the signs of war were, dating to just over a dozen years ago. "This would mean humanity might not be extinct!" Zhou Yi instantly let out a sigh of relief. As long as there were people left in the Nine Continents, it could eventually return to its former glory. ... Yu City. Fallen ten years ago, with many fierce beasts circling within the city. Night fell. Shen Cheng arrived quietly, following the map¡¯s guidance and using the shadows of the walls as cover, swiftly sprinting toward the southeast of the city. His movements were as light as the wind,nding without a trace or sound, clearly indicating his exceptional qinggong skills. Roar! From behind the wall came the roar of a fierce beast. Shen Cheng froze on the spot, holding his breath. After a long while, having confirmed there was no danger, he continued to move forward in the shadows. In the early hours of dawn. Shen Cheng finally reached his destination¡ªthe main gate was tightly locked, and the signboard above the gate had broken, revealing only the words "Research Center." "Xuan City Elixir Research Center, I hope there will be some gains!" He tossed a few pebbles inside the walls, which didn¡¯t stir any movement. Shen Cheng leaped over the walls and stealthily made his way toward the research building of the elixir center. The building was eerily silent, as dark and deep as the abyss. Shen Cheng¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly, a sense of unexinable danger arising in his heart; however, he couldn¡¯t relent without finding the elixirs. "May my ancestors protect me; once I enter Martial Arts University, I will certainly make many offerings for you¡­" Suddenly. Lights flickered on in the building, banishing the darkness, showering light as if it were an offering. Shen Cheng looked up to see a creature with the head of a rat and the body of a human, seated at the head of the room. To his left and right were all kinds of bizarre and fierce beasts, each three to four zhang in height, greedily eyeing Shen Cheng as if they couldn¡¯t wait to devour him. "Little fellow, wee to myir!" The rat demon said with a smile, "You¡¯re here to look for a gic elixir? Agree to do one thing for me, and I can give you as much as you want." Shen Cheng trembled and asked, "What is it?" The rat demon took out a handful of dust from a magic artifact; on closer inspection with a magnifying ss, one could discern that they were countless insect eggs. "Take them into the city, scatter them anywhere on the ground, and I will give you the elixirs." Shen Cheng hesitated for a moment then nodded in agreement, "You have to give me the elixirs first!" "Deal." The rat demon now held five ss vials, each containing a fiery red liquid. "This is mytest Zero-Number Elixir that I¡¯ve developed, with no side effects, and a sess rate of breakthroughs as high as twenty percent!" The vials and insect eggs fell into the hands of Shen Cheng, and as if they were but a handful of dust, they burrowed into his skin upon contact. Shen Cheng¡¯splexion changed dramatically, and he promptly uncorked all five vials, tilting his head back to down them all. Surging spiritual energy and Exotic Blood began to fuse with Shen Cheng¡¯s gics and bloodline under the influence of the elixir, and crimson demonic patterns emerged on his skin. About half an hourter. Shen Cheng grew in stature, reaching over seven feet tall and feeling the surge of newly acquired strength, "Is this a first-stage Martial Artist? Indeed powerful!" As Qi-Blood circted within his body, it detected the insect eggs hidden in his stomach. Shen Cheng sighed and decided to detonate his Qi-Blood, aiming to obliterate all the insect eggs. His parents had perished in the beast tide; how could he ever be tempted by a demon beast? "Wasting five elixirs from the demon, it¡¯s as if I¡¯ve in five fierce beasts, a revenge for my parents!" The rat demon wore a sneer, calmly watching Shen Cheng as if it had anticipated this oue. Hiss! Shen Cheng cried out in pain; his stomach had been ground into powder, yet the insect eggs remained unharmed, beginning to spread through his blood to every limb and bone. "Foolish humans!" The rat demon proudly dered, "My Invisible Demonic Mosquitoes require the nourishment of a Martial Artist¡¯s blood to hatch, and I¡¯ll use yours to bring them to life. Heeheehee, with these vicious mosquitoes to aid me, I am sure to conquer Liang City!" Chapter 268 - 247 Nine Continents Fall_2 "Hehehe..." Shen Cheng cried out in agony, his eyes filled with extreme hatred, fixating on the rat demon as if he wished to bite it to death. At death¡¯s door, Shen Cheng faintly heard a voice filled with pleasant surprise. "Amitayus Celestial Honor! Atst, this Taoist has seen a living person, and also a rather unorthodox demon race!" The speaker was none other than Zhou Yi, whose escaping light had passed by the ruins of Yu City. His Divine Sense swept across and detected the aura of humans and demons, prompting him to descend immediately to investigate. The rat demon¡¯s expression turned grave; it could not sense the strength of the Taoist and demanded loudly. "Where did this scoundrele from?" "This poor Taoist is a Qi-refinement practitioner from Kunlun Mountain, Xuan Yi!" Zhou Yi waved his hand, and a divine light fell upon Shen Cheng, refining his Qi-Blood once more and obliterating all the parasitic eggs. "Kunlun?" The rat demon cried out in shock, its ears erect like a rabbit¡¯s, and it pped its wings to flee outside. The fierce beasts standing by its sides, fearless, followed the rat demon¡¯smand and attacked Zhou Yi, spewing poison and breathing fire, each as powerful as the Foundation Establishment Stage. "Heard the name of Kunlun and still wish to flee?" Zhou Yi snorted coldly, and the Light Dividing Sword flew out from his sleeve, transforming into dozens of sword lights that swept across. In an instant, the fierce beasts, previously howling fiercely, fell silent, their heads tumbling to the ground, still bearing the expressions they had in life. "Mercy, Immortal Master!" Seeing the sword lights approaching, the rat demon panicked and fell from the sky, hugging its head and begging for mercy. Zhou Yi captured it within his hand and directly applied the Soul Search technique, forcibly extracting its memories. A momentter. The rat demon¡¯s eyes were dull, its mind muddled, and its demon soul damaged¡ªit had be an idiot. "Fierce beasts actually came from the humanboratories!" Zhou Yi stood in shock for a long while, learning from the rat demon¡¯s memories that the Six-Eared Demon King had escaped theboratory and spread the form of Elixir Number Zero all around. Lacking the experimental environment of humans, the crudely made Elixir Number Zero by the Six-Eared Demon King had an even lower sess rate in merging. After wild beasts ingested it, fewer than one in ten survived, and the urrence of intelligence was one in ten thousand. However, beasts differ from humans in their vast numbers andck of intelligence; for example, a pair of rats can multiply into thousands within a year, and there are even more terrifying numbers of insects. The majority of fierce beasts spurred on by Elixir Number Zerocked intelligence and knew only to destroy and kill, being the one in ten thousand intelligent demon servants. In the subsequent hundreds of years, demons, with their endless numbers and fearless fierce beasts, attacked cities and conquerednds. "All of Nine Continents have fallen. Now, the only human settlements left are the cities close to Xianjing, spanning over four thousand li, and even that territory is continuously shrinking..." Zhou Yi sighed helplessly. One could say that humanity had destroyed itself. If they had not researched Elixir Number Zero and instead developed martial arts and Immortal techniques ording to the ancient methods, orthodox demons¡¯ speed of cultivation could not match that of humans. Humans also had the advantage of a headstart. The Tai Xuan Jing Zhou Yi had passed down was a top-level Qi-refinement technique, giving demons absolutely no chance to rise. But human efforts can¡¯t fight fate! Demons inherit abilities through their bloodlines, which align even more closely with Elixir Number Zero. The current demons have abandoned the ancient methods, relying entirely on the elixirs to stimte their bloodlines. In Zhou Yi¡¯s view, this was entirely like cultivating demonic techniques, advancing at a miraculously fast pace. Even a mere rat demon had over a dozen Foundation Establishment Stage fierce beasts as servants. The Rat King had awakened its intelligence less than ten years ago! With such an expansion rate, even humans with Heavenly Spiritual Roots couldn¡¯tpete¡ªof course, the price paid was in millions of wild animal corpses. "But with only Elixir Number Zero, demons couldn¡¯t easily conquer Cloud Continent. Those mindless Qi Refinement Realm fierce beasts could only turn to mud under heavy artillery fire!" "Following Elixir Number Zero, there came the development of Elixir Number One, and the Elixir Number Two that the Rat King obsesses over..." Zhou Yi found in the rat demon¡¯s memory that it had continuously attacked Liang City to obtain the form for Elixir Number Two, simr to how in the old days honors could be exchanged for Immortal cultivation techniques. "The fierce beasts stimted by Elixir Number Zero have the strength corresponding to the Qi Refinement Realm and without intelligence, magic artifacts, etc., are certainly no match for Qi Refinement cultivators." "After taking Elixir Number One, fierce beasts¡¯ power may bepared to the Foundation Establishment Stage." "If a Foundation Establishment Stage fierce beast takes Elixir Number Two and survives, could it beparable to the Golden Core..." Zhou Yi¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly; considering the current environment of heaven and earth, it was theoretically difficult to trigger a heavenly tribtion for Core Formation. However, the elixirs strengthened the physical body and brought forth reckless mutations without regard for the consequences. It was not impossible they could stimte the birth of a mindless Golden Core demon body! "If I had emerged from seclusion a few hundred years earlier, I could have spent some years and wiped out all the demons. Now, with demons rampant across Nine Continents and the unknown Elixir Number Three, we must think of a long-term n..." Zhou Yi couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty at heart, after all, he was the source of the technology that led to the downfall of the Nine Continents. If he hadn¡¯t pushed for technological development, history would have progressed normally, and society would still be feudal, without any research on the No. 0 Elixir. "Sigh..." Zhou Yi looked up at the sky, his gazeplex. Even if he didn¡¯t think developing technology was wrong, he would never again interfere with the course of history. "Since things havee to this, I must ensure the survival of humanity." "Based on the memories of the rat demon, humanity developed a martial arts system centered around the No. 0 Elixir. As the new martial arts system took shape, with everyone practicing martial arts, the advancement of the demon race slowed down!" "Even without my intervention, humanity might not be doomed. In desperate times, there will always be a few prodigies!" "Some may cultivate and form their Golden Core, or sessfully take the No. 3 Elixir, achievingbat powerparable to true immortals, which is enough to protect the continuity of the human race..." While Zhou Yi was deep in thought, Shen Cheng, who was beside him, woke up. When he opened his eyes and saw the blue-robed elder with white hair and aplexion as rosy as a baby¡¯s, one term immediately came to mind: the bearing of an immortal. Shen Cheng looked around, the ground littered with the corpses of fierce beasts, the valuable blood of second-order beasts spilling carelessly. "Daoist master, was it you who saved me?" "My name is Tang Xuan, a Loose Cultivator of the Eastern Sea." Zhou Yi casually gave a name and asked, "I have long practiced overseas and am unaware of the plight of the Nine Continents¡¯ humanity. Could you enlighten me?" "You shouldn¡¯t havee." Shen Cheng sighed, "Only Xianjing remains in the Nine Continents, gathering all of humanity led by the Great Zhou¡¯s inner cab to form the Alliance of the Nine Continents¡¯ Humanity in hopes of preserving our lineage." Zhou Yi already knew this information; the rat demon had never been to the human territories but had captured many humans for interrogation. Zhou Yi asked, "Do you know about the Martial Arts University?" "Of course, the Martial Arts University is humanity¡¯sst hope!" Shen Cheng exined, "The founder, Principal Xiao, is the strongest human. It¡¯s said he has the power to take the No. 3 Elixir, but the sess rate is too low, so the alliance doesn¡¯t dare to risk it." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Zhou Yi nodded slightly. Advancing through elixirs is faster than the path of immortality, but with a much higher mortality rate. "I will head to Xianjing now, and I can take you to a human city on the way." "If you have matters to attend to, you can go on ahead." Shen Cheng nced at the beast corpses and said, "The fierce beast blood is a vital ingredient for elixirs. I wish to collect some to take back, if you would allow it." "Of course." Zhou Yi performed a hand seal and used a demonic secret technique. In the blink of an eye, all the corpses turned into dry bones. The blood in the air coalesced into severalrge orbs that shrank under the pressure of mana, finally turning into a string of blood-red beads that fell into Shen Cheng¡¯s hands. Shen Cheng was astounded. Such a secret technique was almostparable to an Immortal Technique, and he bowed deeply. "Thank you, Daoist master." Zhou Yi waved his hand and stored the rat demon in a storage bag, its bloodline of an ancient flying rat beast potentially useful for research. Clouds formed under his feet, lifting the two and continuing eastward. "Where is your home?" "Liang City." Shen Cheng flew high in the sky, the stars seemingly within reach, and found the experience both mysterious and novel. Zhou Yi asked, "Is Liang City about to fall?" "Yes." Shen Cheng¡¯s expression was resolute, "Now that I¡¯ve be a martial artist, I no longer need to evacuate ahead of time. If Liang City falls, I¡¯d rather die killing a few more fierce beasts!" "Don¡¯t worry, it won¡¯te to that." Zhou Yi knew from the rat demon that the five demons attacking Liang City were not too powerful and could be easily wiped out. "How many people are practicing the ancient methods nowadays?" "Very few." Shen Cheng said helplessly, "Compared to elixirs, the ancient methods progress too slowly. Only a very few with exceptional talent practice the ancient cultivation methods." "I¡¯ve heard that these geniuses protect the alliance in secret, only responsible for cultivating." "In the event that humanity ispletely extinguished, they will travel to the Four Seas to preserve humanity¡¯sst spark." Chapter 269 - 248 Martial Arts University Liang City. Zhou Yi stood in the clouds, looking down at the city that shone bright as day. The entire city appeared like a vast fortress, its walls made of several dozen feet of thick concrete, with the internalyout of houses and streets entirely designed for war, every wall with holes for shooting through. There were no ordinary pedestrians on the streets, only patrolling soldiers marching in neat steps, and tanks rumbling by. There was no need to ask or inquire, a single nce was enough to feel the heavy atmosphere of an impending storm. "Daoist, Liang City is the frontline in the eastern war zone, and has been resisting the beast tide for more than twenty years," Shen Cheng sighed, "Now most of the citizens in the city have evacuated. Perhaps in another ten or twenty years, they will detonate the destructive weapons buried underground!" Zhou Yi¡¯s divine sense swept over and indeed found thousands of silos on standby, ready tounch at any moment. Once they all detonated, a thousand miles around would be reduced to ruins. "Destructive weapons have the powerparable to the bombardment of magic artifacts, yet they cannot harm a true monarch; too slow, too dispersed, and conventional technology cannot track the trace of a Golden Core!" Years ago, in Zhou, Zhou Yi had secretly infiltrated an experimental base in a desert, where he personally experienced the so-calledrgest yield weapon. The crisis of human extinction was imminent, information about the path of immortality had already been made public, and anyone could look it up. Naturally, Shen Cheng knew about the Golden Elixir True Monarchs and spoke with a hopeful look. "If the human race had a Golden Elixir True Monarch, perhaps we could counterattack against the beast race!" "Difficult!" Zhou Yi shook his head slightly, his ownbat power was among the top true monarchs, iming to be the first under Nascent Souls was not an understatement, with many supreme treasures he could fight a nascent soul at the initial stage for several rounds. However, in the memory of mouse demons, when the beast tide erupted, the endlessly vast fierce beasts, even depleting one¡¯s mana, could not be killed off. Humans relied on heavy firearms and the reckless use of destructive weapons to block the beast tide time after time. Moreover, to the true beast race, fierce beasts were nothing but cannon fodder for warfare, only by annihting the intelligent beast race would the gue of fierce beasts be eradicated. "At least it can ensure the human race does not perish, and in the future when spiritual energy further advances, Golden Cores will surely appear!" As he spoke, Zhou Yi, following Shen Cheng¡¯s directions,nded in front of a short building to the west of the city. As soon as hended on the ground, he sensed an invisible wave sweeping over him, simr to divine sense yet without the breath of a living person. "What is this?" Zhou Yi, concealed by the Supreme rity Divine Talisman, went undetected by the wave but instead his own divine sense traced the source to a device installed atop a central building in the city that resembled a radar. Waves rippled out in circles, constantly monitoring the city¡¯s energy. Zhou Yi¡¯s divine sense enveloped the entire Liang City and appropriately, a crisis emerged in the East City; a rat-shaped fierce beast with sharp teeth and reversed spines on its back. Just emerged from underground and before making a sound, nearby soldiers and tanks had already received notice. The military formed an encirclement, trapping the beast on the street. A chain of heavy machine guns and cannons thundered, shredding the beast to pieces, with specialized technicians gathering the remains. Quick to react, orderly and methodical, clearly having endured too many beast sneak attacks. "Fierce beasts are always attacking human cities, it¡¯s just not as horrific as the beast tide. Liang City is like this, as are other cities." Zhou Yi¡¯s divine sense probed into the detector and discovered numerous artifact refining inscriptions inside. It was powered by electricity and spiritual energy; rather than a machine, it was more like abination of several specialized magic artifacts. Under the pressure of the massive tide of fierce beasts, five hundred years had passed, and science and the path of immortality had merged in various aspects. Shen Cheng input a series of passwords, and the iron doors of the low building ttered open, facing four vehicle-mounted heavy machine guns that were already loaded with bullets at the moment the door opened. "Uncle Seven, it¡¯s me." Uncle Seven was a man past his fifties, with sunsses, a ck windbreaker, big leather trousers, towering over six feet, a rocketuncher slung over his shoulder, and bear scars on his face -- an ominous figure prohibited from walking the streets in peaceful times. "Little Shen, why haven¡¯t you shown up these past few days?" Uncle Seven¡¯s expression softened slightly, but he did not lower his rocketuncher. After scrutinizing Zhou Yi he asked, "This Daoist looks somewhat unfamiliar, you¡¯re not from Liang City, are you?" Zhou Yi understood the caution of Uncle Seven and others, sped his hands and said, "I am Tang Xuan, a loose cultivator from the Eastern Sea." "Uncle Seven, the Daoist is a good person. These past few days I¡¯ve been to Yu City searching for elixirs¡­" Shen Cheng roughly described his experience, which was mainly about seeking to be a Martial Artist despite being of mediocre talent by exploring relics. "So, you are an ancient method cultivator!" Uncle Seven¡¯s face showed surprise, he took out a little ck box from his pocket and said, "Do not take offense, Daoist. My wife and children are upstairs, we must be careful. Could you please input your mana to prove yourself?" Zhou Yi gestured to grab the ck box, channeling mana into it, and a white glow shone forth. "What an interesting little gadget!" Divine sense scanned through the construction of the ck box, already understanding its purpose. It was simr to a Spirit Root detector of the Cultivation World, with inscriptions for recognizing demonic energy added, using white or ck light to indicate whether one is human or demon. Zhou Yi channeled mana, casually adding two more arrays into the ck box, one for illusion-breaking, and another for self-destructing. The breaking illusion could protect against demons using illusion techniques to appear human, while the self-destruction one would detonate and incinerate a demon reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage. Uncle Seven, seeing the white light, immediately became much warmer. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Ancient cultivators were no longer popr among humans, but their status was still revered; after all, they were the legendary immortals proficient in the four arts of cultivating, which Martial Barbarians were unable to learn. The six-story low building had the first and sixth floors for standing guard, with the middle floors for residents. Shen Cheng¡¯s home was on the third floor, with no elevator, only the stairs. As Zhou Yi ascended the staircase, he reached out to touch the traces on the wall, riddled with bullet holes and w marks, evidently having experienced numerous battles. Chapter 270 - 248 Martial Arts University_2 The residents on the third floor heard footsteps, woke up one after another, looked through the peephole, and asked through the inte, keeping a close watch until Zhou Yi and hispanion entered the room before rxing. Struggling in the post-apocalyptic world, they had heard too many cases of ferocious beasts wiping out entire households, leaving their nerves perpetually taut! Theyout of the house was two bedrooms and one living room, a mess akin to a dog¡¯s den. The table held several firearms of varying sizes, while corners of the room were piled with several hundred pounds of rice and flour, various fitness equipment scattered on the floor, and charts of human meridians and martial arts mnemonics were pasted on the walls. Zhou Yi nced around and pointed to two bullet holes in the wall, "What happened here?" "Three years ago, while I was cultivating martial arts at night, a bug-like monster somehow burrowed its way in." Shen Cheng picked up a shotgun from the table, loaded it with a click, "Bang bang two shots sprayed the bug to death, and I exchanged its corpse for a potent elixir." Zhou Yi asked doubtfully, "Why didn¡¯t you bring weapons when you went to Yu City?" Shen Cheng shrugged, "I had some, but before I even reached the territory¡¯s border, I encountered a powerful beast and had no choice but to abandon my gear and run." Zhou Yi fumbled in his sleeve and took out a stack of Spirit Talismans. "The Godspeed Talismans I¡¯ve drawn activate with blood in times of danger, and they¡¯re very useful for escaping." "Are you leaving, Daoist Master?" Shen Cheng took the Spirit Talismans and bowed, "I don¡¯t know where the master is heading, but if I make progress in my cultivation, I will surely repay this life-saving grace!" "I¡¯ll go see Xianjing Martial Arts University for now, maybe be a teacher and educate some students." Zhou Yi nced at the photo frame on the table, a happy picture of parents, a younger sister, and Shen Cheng, who now was left all alone. He patted his shoulder and said. "Live well and strive to be admitted to the Martial Arts University!" "Yes." Shen Cheng nodded firmly, "Would you like to rest for the night? I could go to my uncle¡¯s ce to buy a couple of bottles of wine, brewed by the ancient method, and they taste much better than what¡¯s on the ck market." In the face of beasts surrounding the city and to save food, the human race had long ago issued a prohibition on alcohol. Zhou Yi shook his head slightly and disappeared in a sh of escape light, leaving only his faint voice echoing. "I am going to deal with a few youngsters, in the future at the Martial Arts University, I will treat you to a thousand-year brew!" ... Xianjing. The heart of the human alliance, gathering the elites of the Nine Continents. Since the outbreak of the beast tide, the Imperial Court had been continuously increasing its defenses, relying on the city walls refined by Da Qian a thousand years ago, and piling up countless methods from both Immortal Dao and technology. Back then, the officialwork of Yi Qi Sect contained theplete skills for cultivation, suitable for usages by those below the Golden Core. The city walls were protected by Formations and Artifact Refining, coupled with dense, heavy weapons iming to withstand attacks from Golden Elixir True Monarchs! "The Final Bastion, this name sounds a bit ominous." Zhou Yi activated the Supreme rity Divine Talisman, his escape light descended into the city, where the original ancient structures had all been dismantled, reced by fortresses suitable for street fighting. With the threat of n extinction at hand, any cultural heritage had to give way to war. The only exception was the imperial pce, considered thest cultural longing of the human race. The people on the streets hurried by, most of them with solemn expressions. Even though the battlefield was still four thousand miles away, small-scale beast attacks asionally happened in Xianjing, and with the alliance¡¯s frontlines continuously retreating, it was difficult for the citizens not to worry about the future! Zhou Yi walked on the street and noted that nearly all the shops were state-operated, under military control, and in a state of rationing. Inside Immortal Capital City, due to Formation protection, it was rare for ferocious beasts to smuggle in and cause chaos; however, fields outside were often destroyed, and food shortages were a constant issue. The few privately run shops sold a hodgepodge of items, typically selling whatever they could get their hands on that day. Economic transactions had dwindled to the point of copse, the paper currency system had long been unable to sustain, the alliance had restored the exchange of Gold Coins and silver coins, but most shops operated on a barter system. As Zhou Yi walked down the street, he could feel that even the air was filled with various negative emotions. "Despair, destion, no sign of hope..." "Any path of cultivation, including the use of elixirs, requires an unwavering heart of Dao." "We need to find a way to change this despondent and mournful state. When the people see the undying hope of the human race, it will ignite a spirit a thousand times stronger!" He made his way to the very center of the city. Where Ren¡¯an District used to be now stood the Martial Arts University, spanning over several miles. In the highly-valued real estate of Immortal Capital City, this emphasized the alliance¡¯s importance ced on it. At the gates of the university Many were queuing up, hitting against the dark iron pirs with their Qi-Blood. As Shen Cheng had mentioned, the Martial Arts University was always enrolling, and any martial arts genius could join without having to wait for the annual grand examination. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Zhou Yi stood by and watched for a while; dozens of people tested, but not a single one qualified. The iron pir is a magic artifact used for testing Qi-Blood; if someone under the age of twenty reaches the Martial Artist standard in Qi-Blood, they can be admitted to the school without taking the exam. "Breaking the rules of the exams, it requires much higher standards than normal admission." Zhou Yi¡¯s figure flickered as he tunneled into the earth and appeared directly on the campus. The Formation and Prohibition, reputed to withstand a Golden Elixir True Monarch, exerted no effect on him. The Immortal Dao legacy used by the human alliance is said to have all stemmed from Zhou Yi, so how could it possibly restrict him? A momentter. The principal¡¯s office. Knock knock knock. Zhou Yi knocked gently on the door and, after getting permission, entered to meet the founder of the Martial Arts University. The publicly acknowledged number one powerhouse of the human race, Xiao Hong. Xiao Hong looked up to see the visitor, whose mana aura had reached the peak of Foundation Establishment. Such a character should be famous throughout the alliance, yet he had no impression of him at all, and said with a hint of puzzlement. "Where does the Taoist priest hail from?" "A Loose Cultivator from the Eastern Sea, Tang Xuan." Zhou Yi cupped his hands and said, "I have just entered the Nine Continents and, having heard of the Martial Arts University, havee to pay a visit." Upon hearing Zhou Yi¡¯s origins, Xiao Hong¡¯s face lit up with joy. "Is there still a human presence in the Eastern Sea?" "There shouldn¡¯t be any left." Zhou Yi, having returned from the Eastern Sea, had passed severalrge inds on his way with no traces of humanity left. At that time, it wasn¡¯t just a major beast catastrophe. He thought that in the span of a few hundred years, tsunamis and earthquakes had urred, and the human races on the inds had perished, which in the Eastern Sea was not an unusual urrence. "What a pity, such a pity." Xiao Hong sighed repeatedly and then changed the subject. "How did the Taoist priest enter the city?" Zhou Yi made up an excuse on the spot: "I specialize in the legacy of Escape Skills. Although I can¡¯t im that nothing can elude me, so far in the Nine Continents, I haven¡¯t encountered any domain that could stop me." Xiao Hong¡¯s eyes shed with a golden light, confirming that Zhou Yi was a human, as he said with a smile. "What does the Taoist priest seek at the school?" "To teach." Zhou Yi cut straight to the point: "Given the limitations of this world, it¡¯s highly unlikely for me to hope for the Golden Core anymore. To prevent my teachings from being lost, I hope to find several disciples here." "The shackles of the world?" Xiao Hong was momentarily taken aback, vaguely understanding, and quickly asked, "What are these world shackles?" "Everything supernatural in the world stems from Spiritual Energy, regardless of my ancient methods or your newer techniques. The current concentration of Spiritual Energy in this world can at most support the peak of Foundation Establishment and it¡¯s almost impossible to provoke the Heavenly Tribtion for Golden Core formation." Zhou Yi took out a volume of books from his sleeve. It was the one left by the Pure True Monarch centuries ago, now re-emerging in the world after two thousand years. Having gone through the period of Cultivation World decline and entering a new era of Spiritual Energy revival, Zhou Yi had long understood why the powerful liked to write books and establish schools of thought. They likely realized that immortality was hard to attain. As time wore on, even a Heavenly Monarch would die and his teachings would vanish, leaving only the books they had written behind. And how is this not a form of immortality? Xiao Hong stood up, bowed, and took the book, quickly flipping through it and learning of the concept of the origin source. "The origin source, the source of Spiritual Energy in the world... If it were destroyed, would all beasts and monsters revert to ordinary wild beasts?" "Without Spiritual Energy in the world, those monsters would probably copse directly." Zhou Yi had captured several monsters to study them, realizing they were entirely products of demonic power, simr to exorcism or corpse refining techniques, and also integrated with the evolution of monster bloodlines. With the cessation of Spiritual Energy, the physical bodies of the monsters would copse outright, not even having the chance to revert to lesser beings. "Then..." Xiao Hong said excitedly, "Does the Taoist priest know how to find the origin source?" "I don¡¯t know." Zhou Yi shook his head slightly. After the revival of Spiritual Energy, countless Spirit Veins had emerged throughout the Nine Continents, but not a single one was the origin source, or perhaps they all could be. Xiao Hong let out a sigh and said, "The Taoist priest¡¯s knowledge is profound. You could serve as a teacher at the school. Which ancient technique do you wish to teach?" "Escape Skills of course." Zhou Yi said with a smile, "Whether going out to hunt monsters or for self-preservation, Escape Skills are best suited for stealth attacks and survival. If the dayes when Immortal Capital City falls, only Escape Skills can preserve the bloodline of our race!" "Then we shall have to trouble the Taoist priest." Xiao Hong¡¯s face showed a hint of resignation. Nowadays, most of humanity shared sentiments like Zhou Yi¡¯s, due to their overall decline. Were it not for the fact that peaceful negotiations with the beast races were impossible and their goal was the extinction of humanity, there might already be many who surrendered! Chapter 271 - 249: The First Class ss 2B. The stepped ssroom was full of people. The school bulletin board had an announcement posted, a new Escape Technique ss was started by Tang Zhenren from overseas. Martial Arts University originally did not offer this course; ancient cultivators only had the skills,ws, the four arts, and six courses. However, Zhou Yi revealed his Foundation Establishment realm at the peak level and immediately agreed to add this course. Ding ding! The ss bell rang, and the chatter in the ssroom stopped abruptly. Students took out their tabletputers, specially developed teaching equipment, ready to record the screen for review and search all Buddhist and Taoist scriptures for answers to their questions. Zhou Yi appeared out of thin air on the podium, his gaze sweeping over everyone, pointing to the center seat in the first row. "What is your name?" "Gu Chen." "From now on, you are the ss monitor, responsible for striking the chime at the beginning and end of ss." Zhou Yi waved his hand to silence the bell at the door, and a Jade Chime appeared in front of Gu Chen. With another wave of his hand, all the desks, chairs, and stools disappeared, turning into rows of meditation cushions. Caught off guard, some students let out a buzz of surprise. Zhou Yi¡¯s gaze turned to Gu Chen, who immediately understood and picked up the Stone Hammer to strike the Jade Chime. Ding! The profound and mysterious sound resounded in the ssroom, and everyone felt their souls calm like still water, vaguely gaining enlightenment on the previous Buddhist and Taoist scriptures. This Jade Chime had quite an extraordinary origin. ording to Zhou Yi¡¯s research in the Taoist archives, it was a legacy Magic Artifact from Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple. When monks listened to the scriptures, it was driven by the magical powers of a Golden Elixir True Monarch, helping to purify the soul and aid in theprehension of techniques. Zhou Yi had acquired it at a bargain price years ago. Without specifically nurturing it with mana, it had already recovered to the level of a top-tier Magic Artifact due to the influence of the Spiritual Energy from his abode. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Today, this poor Taoist will discuss the light-body Cultivation Technique..." Teaching was already second nature to him. In just a short hour, he had covered Qinggong to the Escape Techniques of the Qi Refinement Realm. Zhou Yi had reviewed the students¡¯ files while preparing for ss. In the ancient cultivator ss of Martial Arts University, even the least gifted students had dual Spirit Roots. Gifted with extraordinary talents and with ess to limitless legacies and scriptures for enlightenment, they wereparable to the disciples of the Dan Ding Sect of old. The only pity was that their numbers were too few. The students were captivated by his teaching and had never felt learning to be such a delightful endeavor, feeling as if the lecture had ended in an instant. Ding! The Jade Chime rang, bringing everyone back from their trance. Zhou Yi said, "Are there any doubts about what was taught today?" Teaching the Dharma, including imparting knowledge and resolving doubts, became of utmost importance in the current age where the celestial heritage was widely avable, and mortals could ess various Cultivation Techniques online; thus, resolving doubts was more crucial than imparting knowledge. A moment of silence filled the ssroom before many hands shot up. Modern cultivators had a very different attitude towards their predecessors in the celestial waypared to the disciples from ancient sects. In the Earth Fire Pce of the Dan Ding Sect, very few dared to voice their queries when Zhou Yi taught. Most disciples were extremely cautious and fearful, lest they displease their master with a word. They would rather return to their abodes to contemte on their own. "Starting with you, one by one," Zhou Yi said, pointing to a student in the leftmost seat of the front row, proceeding to answer each student¡¯s doubts, which were not limited to today¡¯s lecture. The ssmates soon discovered, no matter the question, Zhou Yi could exin it in a simple yet profound manner and even expand upon it to reveal broader realms of existence, as if he were an encyclopedia of the Taoist path. Having a clear path ahead was a great blessing for cultivators! An hour passed quickly, and with half of the students still having queries, it was already time for lunch. Martial Arts University was the future of humanity. The higher-ups of the alliance might endure hunger, but they made sure to save the scarce food to satisfy all the students¡¯ cultivation needs. Ancient cultivators subsisted on refining Spiritual Energy, seemingly without the need for food, yet what they consumed were rare Spiritual Objects! No wonder the alliance preferred the new techniques, for a martial artist¡¯s meal of ten cows paled inparison to the cost of a single Spirit Pill of an ancient cultivator. Lunch was extremely important to the students, as what they received was rare Spiritual Medicine. "Thest question, let the heavens decide," Zhou Yi said as he took out a Compass, casting a divination technique, and pointed to a student in the back row. "What is your doubt?" "The student¡¯s name is Meng Jun." Meng Jun stood up, bowed respectfully, and asked, "Teacher, since you¡¯ve established an Escape Technique ss, you must be unparalleled in Escape Skills, so why do you still resolve matters using divination techniques?" "In my view, the art of divination can be included under Escape Techniques," Zhou Yi said with a smile. "The ultimate realm of Escape Techniques is to be one with the escaping entity. With the Great Expansion as fifty, its use is forty-nine; without understanding divination, without knowing the celestial numbers, how would you know where to escape to?" Meng Jun listened, finding the exnation reasonable yet peculiar, and instinctively asked, "If divination is part of Escape Techniques, then do Pill Refinement, Artifact Refining, and Fu Arrays all belong to Escape Techniques?" "The youth shows promise!" Zhou Yi praised, then continued, "Consuming pills can prolong the energy used in Escape Skills, refining artifacts and Fu inscriptions can elerate Escape Techniques, and Array Dao can conceal the direction of an Escape Skill. Therefore, my ss on Escape Techniques includes everything." "On the day when Escape Techniques reach perfection, to be one with the escaping entity, that is the state of transcending all things and the cycle of eternal life!" "I thank the teacher for his guidance," Meng Jun said as he bowed his respects, pondering for a moment before asking his original question. "Teacher, what lies beyond the Eastern Sea? Are there ferocious beasts rampant there?" "The Eastern Sea stretches boundlessly. ording to records, even hundreds of miles out, it is still the sea..." Zhou Yi spoke of the Eastern Sea¡¯s natural beauty and continued, "There used to be a human poption in the Eastern Sea, but most of them perished due to ferocious beasts. Whether any remnants exist, I am not sure." "As for the distant ocean, there are no ferocious beasts because there the Spiritual Energy is so thin it¡¯s nearly non-existent; no beasts could, nor would dare go there!" Deeper into the Eastern Sea, there were no traces of humanity. All the ind inhabitants of that lineage were taken away by cultivators. One could say the extent of a cultivator¡¯s influence marked the limits of human activity. "Spiritual Energy, Spiritual Energy..." Meng Jun murmured to himself, while silence filled the ssroom and the expressions of all students seemed unusual. They harbored both love and hatred for Spiritual Energy. It was the foundation of transcendence, but also the source of catastrophe. Chapter 272 - 249: The First Class_2 ``` "Before the end of ss, I¡¯m leaving you with an assignment, why do you cultivate immortality?" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Zhou Yi said, "Remember to answer with your true heart. Three dayster, the ss leader will bring the assignment to the office. I am proficient in divination and will know immediately if someone is lying with just a pinch of my fingers." The mournful atmosphere in the ssroom was swept away, as many students let out pained howls, unable to escape homework despite their cultivation. What¡¯s more desperate is that the teacher¡¯s cultivation is higher, so copying homework is out of the question, and one can¡¯t make up standard answers either! "Good answers will be rewarded." Zhou Yi waved his hand, and a demon corpse appeared in the ssroom: "As I passed through Liang City, I saw this demon causing chaos and in it with a spell. The student whose assignment is ranked first will be rewarded with this demon corpse!" The students from the ancient cultivation ss are well-versed in the Four Arts, with exceptional knowledge, and they recognized at a nce that it was a demon corpse and not a beast corpse. The former is worth a hundred times more than thetter. First, its flesh contains Spiritual Energy, which can be used for Alchemy and cultivation; second, the demon race harbors pure bloodlines, which are better for crafting elixirs. The Fierce Beast Blood is chaotic and brutal, affecting the medicinal elixirs that are crafted from it. "In the next ss, we will discuss how to enhance Escape Skills with talismans." Zhou Yi withdrew the demon corpse with a wave of his hand, his figure shed, and he disappeared from view. The ssroom erupted in discussion, each student pondering how to respond. Clearly, there was no standard answer for this assignment; one must guess the teacher¡¯s frame of mind correctly. "It must be to fend off demons; otherwise, why would the teachere to the Nine Continents?" "That makes sense, but the teacher is irvoyant, and I cultivate immortality just to make ends meet." "The two are not in conflict, making ends meet serves the alliance, which ultimately is to resist fierce beasts¡­" In the ancient cultivation ss of Martial Arts University, the emphasis is also on the Four Arts of cultivation. Most graduates be consultants to the alliance, responsible for setting up formations, Artifact Refining, Alchemy, and drawing talismans to support the front line. There are only a few Heavenly Spiritual Roots among the human race, and they do not cultivate in universities; their specific names and locations are only known to the top echelons of the alliance. Suddenly. Ding! The sound of a Jade Chime echoed, the chatter ceased abruptly, souls purified and calmed, and the students gained further insight into the homework Zhou Yi had assigned. It seemed that their answers might determine their futures! When everyone came out of their state of enlightenment, they found that Tang Xuan had not taken the Jade Chime away; it was still left for the ss leader Gu Chen to use. "ss leader, can you strike it a few more times for us to listen?" "What to eat, where to sleep, I want to understand the Dao!" ... Zhou Yi strolled down the campus streets, his Divine Sense sweeping over the students he encountered. Ny percent of the students were cultivating martial arts, and many had Spirit Roots. Those who are close to Spiritual Energy benefit greatly from practicing martial arts. Among them, he encountered several senior students who had sessfully ingested Elixir No. 0, their Qi-Blood robust as that of a fierce beast. "Their strength isparable to ancient martial arts masters who have condensed an acupoint, but their Qi-Blood is mottled and impure, and their temperament has been affected. Moreover, if they do not cultivate their Divine Sense and Mana, they will never achieve longevity. Even someone like Xiao Hong will reach only a hundred and fifty years!" Zhou Yi shook his head in resignation. The issue with elixirs was clear to everyone, but with the impending doom of n annihtion, there was no room for concern. "Ancient cultivators are not without their ws, Foundation Establishment is a big bottleneck. Without the protection of Foundation Establishment Pills, one in ten survives. The alliance has many cultivators in the Nine Layers of Qi Refinement Realm who continue to refine Qi, not daring to take the risk to break through!" "I could provide for the Foundation Establishment of all cultivators without counting lifespan, but I would still need to exin the source of the medicinal pills¡­" Zhou Yi was lost in thought when suddenly a message came through on his phone. Principal Xiao Hong invited him to the teaching affairs office, saying that all teachers of the ancient cultivation ss had just finished watching Zhou Yi¡¯s lecture video. After a discussion, there were important matters to consult. After all, he was a Golden Elixir True Monarch, with a vision and insight exceeding even Nascent Souls. When he lectured, it was from a lofty perspective, reaching down to the fundamentals of the path of immortality. The students, with their lower cultivation levels, only felt that Zhou Yi¡¯s lectures were mysterious, but the ancient cultivation teachers were greatly shocked upon hearing them. Zhou Yi transformed into a beam of light for Escape, in the blink of an eye, he arrived at the teaching affairs office and saw seven or eight cultivators in a heated debate over a question to their students. "Ahem! I wonder what Principal Xiao has summoned me for?" "Tang Xuan is truly profound and unfathomable." Xiao Hong eximed, "No wonder I cannot see through your cultivation. Could it be that you have already reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, condensing a False Core?" Zhou Yi nodded, "My cultivation can progress no further, so I came to the Nine Continents to find a few disciples to pass on my teachings." "These are the teachers from the school, each skilled in one of the Four Arts." ``` Xiao Hong finished the introductions and said, "Several teachers have witnessed Master Tang¡¯s lectures and were amazed, believing that if not for the restrictions of heaven and earth, he would have already formed his Golden Core." "Thus, they discussed whether it would be possible to transmit the lecture videos to the alliance. Should there be any doubts, we would ask the master to resolve them!" "There¡¯s no harm in that." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, suspecting the video had already been sent and that resolving doubts was what was actually needed. Where the Heavenly Spiritual Root was hidden was of no interest to Zhou Yi; it was probably near several Spirit Veins or even right beneath the vegetable market. After all, that was the only Spirit Vein in Xianjing! "It¡¯s been hard on you¡­" Before Xiao Hong could finish speaking, a ck and white pattern emerged on his forehead, and his eyes emitted a fierce light. The assistant by his side immediately took out an injection and plunged it directly into his shoulder. The ck and white pattern slowly dissipated, and Xiao Hong¡¯s breath gradually stabilized as he took a long sigh of relief. "I¡¯m feeling unwell and will go back to rest. Master Tang can talk and discuss the Dao with my colleagues." After Xiao Hong spoke, he left in a hurry, heading not toward the principal¡¯s office but toward the experimental building. Zhou Yi did not inquire further and said with his hands sped, "I am Tang Xuan, and in the future, we will teach together. I hope for your guidance." "We dare not, we dare not, ording to the rites of ancient cultivation you are our senior." The crowd shook their heads again and again, bowing respectfully: "Greetings to Master Tang!" "It is a new era now." Zhou Yi didn¡¯t care about seniority; with his age, even Nascent Soul ancestors had to call him forefather. The topic changed as he asked, "It seems the principal has a problem, do you know the reason?" "Master, this matter is no secret." The cultivator who spoke was named Xu Pu, a teacher of the ancient cultivation ss on talismans and seals, who said, "As the principal¡¯s strength grows stronger, even approaching the body of a True Monarch from legend, his demonic tendencies have be increasingly severe!" Zhou Yi showed a puzzled look: "Demonic tendencies?" "This demonic transformation is not the one of the Immortal Dao, but the transformation from human to demon." The teacher responsible for teaching Alchemy, Liu Yan, said, "The root lies in the instability of the elixirs; once one starts taking Elixir Number Zero, heterogeneous bloodlines appear in the human body." "ording to the alliance¡¯s research institute, the elixir is changing the underlying genes, making the consumer partly non-human." "In our view as cultivators, that bloodlinees from ancient mythical beasts. For example, when the principal fought demons outside of Xianjing, he would transform into a winged white tiger at full strength!" "As the heterogeneous bloodline continues to strengthen, if he cannot suppress it in the future, it will backfire, shattering the spirit and turning one into a half-human, half-beast demon!" "There are such ws!" Zhou Yi frowned slightly. Even if Xiao Hong could suppress the bacsh, if he were to take Elixirs Number Two or Number Three in the future, which were closer to the original bloodline source, what would be of him then¡ªbeast or human? "That elixir originated from demonic cultivation techniques, and the power it catalyzeses with such bacshes as a matter of course." The one who spoke this time was the Spell teacher, Guan Yan, and his tone contained a hint of disdain for the new techniques. These new techniques could allow a person to possess strengthparable to that of Foundation Establishment in a short period, whereas the old methods, limited by innate talent and Foundation Establishment Pills, left most stuck in the Qi Refinement Realm, afraid to break through. Both cultivationmunities looked down on each other. The advocates of new techniques ridiculed the old-fashioned for not keeping up with the times and for sticking to the obsolete concept of "innate Spirit Root," whichpletely vited the modern idea of equality for all. The traditionalists, on the other hand, held themselves above the rest, believing in their profound heritage that pointed directly to the great Dao, and considered those practicing new techniques to be simply elixir monsters. Zhou Yi had been at the school for less than half a month, spending most of his time in the library, getting to grips with the changes of the past five hundred years, yet he was clearly aware of the contradictions between the old and new factions. For example, the two groups hardlymunicated with each other, privately calling each other savages and antiques. As the human race¡¯s great enemies were fierce beasts and the demon race, the existential crisis they faced kept these contradictions from bing obvious, but once humanity returned to its peak, fierce conflicts were sure to erupt. Having lived for two thousand four hundred years, Zhou Yi guessed Guan Yan¡¯s intention with a singlement; most likely, he wanted to use Zhou as a face for the traditionalists. The dispute wouldn¡¯t go that far; it was mostly about face and circles of influence. Zhou Yi was always indifferent to such matters. After pondering for a moment, he asked, "Fellow Daoists, is there any way to obtain a few Elixirs Number One or Number Two?" The group frowned intensely; Elixir Number One was worth a fortune, not to mention the unheard-of Elixir Number Two. "Difficult..." "I have a Foundation Establishment Pill passed down from my ancestors." "Master Tang, would ten suffice? If you need more, we¡¯ll have to gather them slowly!" Chapter 273 - 250 Cultivating Immortality and Longevity Several dayster. Zhou Yi sessfully obtained the elixirs, five of type one and five of type two. The distribution of elixirs was strictly managed by the alliance, and if ordinary people consumed them recklessly, their bloodlines were very likely to copse. "Master Tang, these elixirs are all refined from bovine beasts, and they are the safest type provided by the alliance." The provider of the elixirs was Liu Yan, a Pill Master with considerable fame in the alliance, who had achieved Great Perfection in Qi Refinement for over a decade. He had always been purifying his mana, not daring to rashly break through to Foundation Establishment. Zhou Yi asked with curiosity, "Why are the bovine types the safest?" "To answer that, we need to start from the origin of the elixirs. It was only because the Great Zhou obtained the remnants of the ancient Bull Transformation Technique that we had the qualifications to study bloodline integration." Liu Yan said, "What they call the new technique is merely an extension of the old one, and we¡¯ve only received part of the ancient legacy. In my view, when spiritual energy grows denser in the future, it will ultimately be a world ruled by the ancient techniques!" "That¡¯s not necessarily true." Zhou Yi had received the legacy of the Cultivation World and knew well that the way of immortals was vastly different from ancient times, which even back then was considered new. Realms such as Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, and Nascent Soul were pioneered by the new immortal way, inheriting from the ancient immortal way, just as the ssic texts of the One Qi Sect recorded that disciples of the Great Profound Sect only practiced Qi Refinement in ancient times. As for the current new elixirs with their many ws, they are just like Foundation Establishment and Core Formation back in the day. In the future, as they slowly evolve, they may well rival the immortal path. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Zhou Yi took out a Foundation Establishment Pill and asked, "Haven¡¯t the alliance obtained other parts of the Bull Transformation Technique?" Liu Yan took the pill bottle, eagerly opened it, and looked at the round, bright red pills with immense joy. "The alliance has searched through the Nine Continents¡¯ archives in an attempt to find other parts, but after the decline of the Dharma at the end of the era, the lineage was severed and such ancient cultivation techniques disappeared without a trace. Only the Bull Transformation Technique, for some reason, was still widely circted and even spurred the creation of the new elixir techniques!" Zhou Yi shrugged and said, "Could it be that the owner of the Bull Transformation Technique was selling the technique everywhere for resources?" "How could that be possible, ancient cultivation techniques are extremely precious, who would sell them?" Liu Yan clicked his tongue and said, "If that were truly the case, that person would have earned immeasurable merit, bing the source of the new techniques." Zhou Yi said, "Not necessarily. If it weren¡¯t for the Bull Transformation Technique being handed down, there might not have been the zero-type elixirs. Would there still have been the cmity of the ferocious beasts?" "That¡¯s not right at all!" Liu Yan shook his head repeatedly and said, "The cmity of the ferocious beasts is not due to the cultivation techniques. Just like in the past when the ferocious beasts destroyed the Eight Continents, and Cloud Continent was in grave danger, there were still many who cursed Kunlun Wondend, which is utterly foolish." Zhou Yi¡¯s interest was piqued, "Didn¡¯t Kunlun promote technology and consequently, wasn¡¯t it the root of the great catastrophe?" "The cmity of the ferocious beasts originated from the greed of the human race, who rashly touched upon domains that they couldn¡¯t control. Kunlun just happened to be there at the time." Liu Yan said, "It was the human race itself that destroyed humankind, it has nothing to do with Kunlun or cultivation techniques. The deciding factor lies within people themselves. If a demon cultivator destroys the world, should we me the founders of the immortal way?" "Very good!" Zhou Yi pped in admiration and found Liu Yan very agreeable. He began to make calctions with his fingers as he spoke. "Fellow Daoist, your fortune is very strong these days. Do not hesitate any longer; in seven days it will be an excellent opportunity to break through to the next realm!" "Thank you for your guidance, Master." Lively joy appeared on Liu Yan¡¯s face. Foundation Establishment masters in the alliance were already part of the upper echelons, fighting and killing with secret techniques and magic artifacts, surpassing even those who consumed the type-one elixirs. ... Step ssroom. The meditation cushions were filled with students, and many more were standing to listen to the lecture. Outside the door were even more students unable to find a spot inside, so they listened from the hallway; with their keen hearing and sharp eyesight, there was no fear of missing anything. Zhou Yi¡¯s lecture videos had spread throughout the alliance under the promotion of Martial Arts University. After watching, all ancient cultivators were full of praise, including those renowned Foundation Establishment masters. They gained new insights each time they re-watched the "Master Tang¡¯s" profound lectures. The way Zhou Yi answered students¡¯ questions was even more astounding to the ancient cultivators. Those ancient cultivators who had verified their identities began to speak out on online tforms, iming that Master Tang¡¯s understanding of the way wasparable to that of a true lord! This was one of the advantages of modern cultivation! As the ss was about to begin. Ding! Gu Chen struck the Jade Chime, the mysterious sound rippled through the air, and the noise inside the ssroom immediately quieted down. Due to his role as the ss president and his handling of the magic artifact, the Jade Chime, Gu Chen still sat in the middle of the first row. Some students had privately started calling him Master Tang¡¯s leading disciple. Zhou Yi appeared in the ssroom as if from thin air, his gaze sweeping over the students whose numbers had quadrupled. He smiled and said. "My ss will delve into ancient techniques, yet today I see many students who practice the new arts among those who havee to listen." A student sitting on a meditation cushion on the left side of the first row stood up, bowed, and said, "Greetings to Master Tang. I have gleaned much from your lecture on Qinggong, and I presumptuouslye to attend your ss." At Martial Arts University, course management wasx; students weren¡¯t forced to attend specific lectures and chose based on personal preferences and aptitude. Zhou Yi nodded slightly, "Martial arts, is it? By coincidence, I happen to know just a little bit about that. Today, let¡¯s add an extra topic and discuss the origin of Qi-Blood." He proceeded to exin how the Escape Skill and Talisman Technique perfectly integrated and maximized each other¡¯s effectiveness. Faster and stronger life-saving measures! "After years of testing, I found that when the Featherweight Talisman, the Diamond Talisman, and the Five Qi Talisman are used at the same time, one can forcibly deploy the Five Elements Escape Technique..." "The Perplexing Talisman, the Clone Talisman, and the Mind Chaos Talisman,bined with the Earth Escape Skill, allow one to flee even from a Foundation Establishment master..." An hour went by swiftly. Zhou Yi spoke of methods to preserve life, not only from his own insights but alsorgely recorded in the Daoist texts. Those in the Cultivation World skilled at avoiding death outnumber those exceptional at fighting by a hundred times! The ancient cultivator students listened with rapt attention, while the new art students also found it fascinating, each recalling past encounters when they went out to kill ferocious beasts and realizing they needn¡¯t have been so reckless. They could have instead used poison, set traps, made sneak attacks... Chapter 274 - 250 Immortal Cultivation for Longevity_2 Now, there was a way to escape from fearsome beasts that could not be ovee. "Next, let¡¯s talk about the origin of Qi-Blood, which is rted to the Demon Tribe of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains. In those days..." Zhou Yi spoke slowly, recounting his personal experiences. The will of the Golden Core True Monarch manifested slightly, allowing students to clearly envision the pioneering efforts of the ancients. With ferocious beasts running rampant today, their situation was so simr to that of the ancients! About half an hourter, he finally finished exining the method to condense Blood Pills, and after a long silence in the ssroom, apuse erupted like thunder. All students stood up, bowed deeply, and said in unison. "We will remember the teachings of the True Monarch, we shall surely drive away the ferocious beasts and revitalize our human race!" "..." Aroused from his recollections by the sound, Zhou Yi remained silent for a moment, then spoke slowly, "Check the homework!" Gu Chen had a lump in his throat but managed to suppress his excitement, retrieving a stack of homework books from the drawer. This was a special requirement from Zhou Yi; the homework had to be handwritten, the rationale being that the handwriting contained the person¡¯s essence and spirit. He also instructed students to take good care of their homework books, so that in the future if they became a True Monarch, they could look back at their written aspirations to strengthen their Dao heart and dispel inner demons. Zhou Yi flipped through the first volume from top to bottom. "For the continuation of the human race, I cultivate!" His fingers calcted; it was indeed his intention. Subsequent volumes mostly shared the same theme¡ªthe purpose of cultivation was either to drive away ferocious beasts or to prosper the human race. Born in an era gued by ferocious beasts, this was the mission for everyone. The next mostmon goal was to be stronger, again to resist the ferocious beasts. "Good!" Zhou Yi nced at the many students, nodded slightly, and waved his hand, causing several bottles of Elixir to fall on the monitor¡¯s desk, "I¡¯ve concocted a few batches of Elixirs these days, distribute them after ss." He then pulled out one of the books that read: Cultivate to seek immortality! "Student Han Chao." Zhou Yi looked toward a in-looking student in the corner of the ssroom. Cultivators were generally handsome or beautiful, so such an appearance was considered ugly, "Why are you so insistent on immortality?" "To the True Monarch, this is the student¡¯s true heart," Han Chao bowed deeply, not daring to conceal anything, "Listening to the teacher¡¯s lectures, although the word ¡¯immortality¡¯ is not mentioned, every action, every magical divine ability, is for the sake of immortality!" "Excellent!" Zhou Yi waved his hand, and the corpse of a rat demon fell in front of Han Chao, "For this assignment, you¡¯re ranked first." Han Chao thanked him profusely; with such resources, he could improve his cultivation faster and take his chances at establishing his Foundation after reaching the peak of Qi Cultivation. "The quest of cultivation is indeed for immortality," Zhou Yi said slowly, "When I first saw you, I could tell that the malevolent energy was too strong, not resembling the Orthodox path, but closer to the Demonic Path. With such cultivation, you will have no hope of establishing a Foundation in the future, and may even be a Demon Head!" The students¡¯ expressions changed upon the rebuke; some were resentful, others helpless. "Teacher, it¡¯s not that we are unaware of cultivating the heart, but the state of the world is dire, and we arepelled to cultivate more mana to y more beasts on the battlefield," Gu Chen stood up and said, "On the battlefield, if one¡¯s body and Dao perish, how can one fall into demonic ways?" Zhou Yi certainly understood this reasoning. Yet, cultivation and cultivating the heart were inseparable. A strong mind and pure Dao heart could nourish the speed of cultivation and control mana effortlessly during battle. Speaking empty words to the students was useless; they had to experience it themselves. "I have selected fifty Dao scriptures, all the essence written by the sages, and have already sent them to your email. The ss monitor will take care of the Jade Chime and must lead everyone in reciting scriptures and conducting morning sses daily!" Morning sses had long been abolished in modern cultivation, as it was generally believed that the time spent reciting scriptures was better used for seated meditation and Qi cultivation. Gu Chen bowed, "I will heed the teacher¡¯s instructions." "You are the elite of the human race, one in ten thousand. Your task now is to cultivate diligently in hopes of achieving the Golden Core one day. If but one person attains the Golden Core, the effect would be a hundred times more powerful than going to the battlefield!" Zhou Yi continued, "Regarding the ferocity of the beasts, you won¡¯t be of help. When the great cmity arrives, there will be someone of higher powers to stand at the forefront!" The students looked at each other, not understanding, and one of them couldn¡¯t help but ask. "True Monarch, who are the higher powers?" "Kunlun!" ... Kunlun Wondend. The Taoist temple. Zhou Yi sat cross-legged on a cushion, looking at the two Dao boys in front of him. One wore a purple robe and the other a red robe; they were transformed from grapevines and jujube trees, whose original forms had been nurtured by spiritual energy for a thousand years, and had long sincepleted Foundation Establishment. The only thing theycked was the Heavenly Tribtion; without the baptism of heaven and earth, it was hard for them to be Demon Kings. "I entrust you with a mission, to infiltrate the upper echelons of the demon race under the guise of tree demons," Zhou Yi said. He pulled out two flying swords from his sleeve, which had been restored to top-level magic artifacts, one blue and one purple, perfectly matching the attributes of the two children. "The primary objective is to determine whether there is a Golden Core Demon King among the demons, and secondly, to understand the demons¡¯ whereabouts. Mark them down and I will personally visit each one." "We will diligently follow the Immortal¡¯s decree," they responded. The purple-robed child, who went by the daoist name Clear Wind, bowed to receive the Purple Cloud Sword, a being of serious nature and few words. The red-robed girl, who went by the daoist name Bright Moon, refined the Sky Blue Sword into her body and asked, "If there is no Golden Core Demon King among the demons, does the Immortal intend to take action?" "Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One!" Zhou Yi said with apassionate expression, "The demon race has already strayed from the right path, and it is necessary for me tounch a great ughter to cleanse their source." Would not taking action after exposure go against the cultivation practices of the era and raise suspicions among the old monsters? It can all be ascribed to the folklore of Kunlun Wondend, a thousand-year-old lie that has be orthodox mythology! When those old monsters awaken and hear of this, they might seek the secret of immortality and search for traces of Kunlun. By then, Zhou Yi will have assumed a new identity, walking the world afresh. Who could imagine that the proud master of Kunlun would be a university professor? "If there exists a Golden Core Demon King among the demons, regardless of whether they are normal, we will need to formte a long-term n," Zhou Yi continued. "Back then, eighteen ghostly entities came to Kunlun, and after five hundred years, they have all perished. However, they might have left behind a Ghost Path force; you two should also investigate it." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Ghosts,pared to the demon race, are closer to humans and can be allied with. Moreover, those ghostly entities originated from Kunlun, so they owe a debt to Zhou Yi and are rightfully expected to repay it! Before the two children set off, Zhou Yi took out a bamboo cup and cast a minor divining spell. The divining sticks fell to the ground. They burst forth with dazzling light. Demon Saint! "A sign of utmost auspiciousness!" Zhou Yi¡¯s thoughts raced, the only matter rted to the Demon Saint in the world was that of the Four Saints Temple of old. "If that is the case, could it be that the Turtle Chancellor and the other two are about to emerge?" The Turtle Chancellor and the other two demons had alreadypleted Foundation Establishment before their retreat and received the legacy of a Demon Saint, possessing at least thebat power of a Golden Core. If they could take on these identities and unite the demon race, bing the new Demon Emperor of the era. "If the Demon Emperor is my spiritual pet, then the peril of the human race will be immediately resolved!" ... Zhou Yi¡¯s second lecture quickly spread, but the response was mixed. Especially the part about cultivation for the quest for immortality stirred up resentment among themon people, who felt that "Master Tang Zhenren" was too aloof and failed to prioritize the rise and fall of the human race. "With such virtue, how is he qualified to be a teacher?" "If everyone acted this way, would there be any hope for the human race?" "Master Tang Zhenren should go to the front lines to see the havoc wrought by fierce beasts, then reflect on his own words and actions..." These were the milderments; some impatient inte warriors had already branded Tang Zhenren with thebel of "traitor," believing him to be a spy sent by the demons to undermine the human race! The few praises that did exist concerned the origin of Qi-Blood, while even the Escape Skill and Talisman Technique were criticized as "escapeist doctrine." Zhou Yi paid no regard to this, as no one can control public opinion or sway the merits and demerits - what mattered was doing his job well and not worrying about others¡¯ opinions. Centuriester, Zhou Yi was still alive in the world. Those judging right from wrong were long buried, their graves overgrown with grass, without knowing if anyone still offered paper tributes. "What does capturing Tang Zhenren have to do with me, Zhou Yi?" Zhou Yi was currently immersed in the library, researching books on the principles, formtions, and processes of elixirs, starting from concocting zero-number elixirs and seeking new techniques. Each era births its unique path. Like the ancient Immortal Dao and witchcraft, and the Cultivation World now referred to as ancient, in a million years¡¯ time, this era¡¯s new elixir techniques will also be known as ancient methods. Zhou Yi held no prejudices against any method; living through the long river of history, he would inevitably experience the rise and fall of different paths. His duty was to learn and record. "Only by merging all methods can one transcend them all!" Chapter 275 - 251: Cultivating Immortality for Eternal Life Kunlun Wondend. Early morning. The sun had just risen. Zhou Yi sat cross-legged, surrounded by a purple aura, as his physical strength grew bit by bit. After over a thousand years of practicing the Purple Sun Scripture, he had already reached the Great Achievement Realm and forged a body known as an "Innate True Person." Afterpleting his cultivation and undergoing tests, he found he could withstand magical treasures with his bare body without using the True Dragon Nine Transformations, and that the Innate True Person¡¯s body had great resistance to magic divine abilities. "It¡¯s simr to a Law Body, yet its growth is more all-epassing. No wonder many records state that the Cultivation World¡¯s cultivation techniques are simplified versions of ancient great teachings!" Now that Zhou Yi had cultivated the Tai Xuan Body and the Star Body, with threeyers stacked together, he didn¡¯t know how strong he really was. Also, understanding countless mystic arts of immortals and demons, during a fight he could see through the origins of an enemy¡¯s divine abilities, using targeted techniques to restrain them, increasing his odds of victory by five percent. With his Golden Core Realm crushing those at the Foundation Establishment, his chances of winning increased by another five percent. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "With this in mind, so long as the demon race doesn¡¯t have a Golden Core, even if I encounter a Son of Destiny, I can ensure security!" Zhou Yi never counted on winning, always nning for defeat first. If his methods proved insufficient to withstand the catastrophe of fierce beasts, he would simply abduct millions from the human race and flee to the Four Seas. This would ensure continuous survival, allowing him to cultivate to Divinity Transformation over countless years and seek revenge on the demon race¡¯s descendants at the end of an era. "As a person of evesting immortality, I won¡¯t lose this game of chess!" Zhou Yi slowly ended his cultivation session and proceeded to the newly builtboratory within his cave haven, attempting to concoct the Elixir Zero. Theboratory equipment came from ruins of various cities and was not thetest models, but the fundamental principles had not changed much. After over two months of modifications, theboratory was filled with inscriptions, and all energy conversion had been switched to formation and prohibition workings, making it a Cultivation World version of aboratory. ording to the records, the initial Elixir Zeroboratory had a machine over ten zhang (about 33 meters) long. From collecting spiritual energy to condense it into a liquid state, blending it with fierce beast bloodlines, it went through dozens of consecutive processes. But as technology evolved and processes simplified and merged, only the purification of fierce beast bloodlines remained. Under the devouring effect, it was fused with spiritual energy to be an elixir. Zhou Yi learned swiftly. First, his Golden Core Realm allowed him to control spiritual energy far beyond what ordinary people could, and second, he had cultivated the Bull Transformation and Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique for hundreds of years and knew them by heart. "Today, I¡¯ll attempt to produce Elixir Zero; it¡¯s also the foundation for the new techniques!" "Once a martial artist consumes Elixir Zero, they¡¯re locked into their future path and can no longer change their bloodline. For example, if they consume the blood of a bull demon, they can only trace it further back, but they can¡¯t switch to a wolf demon!" Zhou Yi took out a fire lion, a fierce beast, from his storage bag. Its primary mutation organ was its three heads. He waved his hand, decapitating the heads and throwing them into the grinder. Hum! The lion¡¯s heads instantly turned to powder, and the machine¡¯s program began to automatically identify the heterogeneous bloodline, separating parts that differed from a normal lion¡¯s gic sequence. A momentter. A fist-sized fiery red liquid was moved to the lower part of the machine, where formation and prohibition lights flickered, beginning to mimic the execution of the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique. The demonic technique gathered spiritual energy from heaven and earth. Under the machine¡¯s guidance, it melded into the fiery red liquid, diluting the color and turning it into a crystal-clear fiery red elixir that was then automatically bottled into vials as Elixir Zero. Zhou Yi¡¯s divine sense locked onto each production step. Even though he was already familiar with the process from the texts, he couldn¡¯t help but marvel at it. "Even with my strength, urately extracting a heterogeneous bloodline from a fierce beast would take a long time. However, the machine easily identifies the special bloodline byparing it with normal wild beast genes, achieving efficiency faster than true immortals!" "The midsection, simr to a dantian, has the machine simte the operation of the Devouring Heaven Demonic Technique, refining spiritual energy into the heterogeneous bloodline." "Finally, the synthesis of the elixir parallels the first half of the True Dragon Nine Transformations. After martial artists consume it, thetter half begins automatically, integrating the fierce beast blood into the human gic sequence..." Zhou Yi took out apleted elixir and hesitated for a moment without drinking it. The new technique still had many ws. He¡¯d try it when it couldpare to immortal practices someday. "Let¡¯s start researching Elixir One!" The production of new technique elixirs was much easier than alchemy and artifact refining. The process for Elixir One wasn¡¯t much different from Elixir Zero, but the core had to be blood extracted from a Foundation Establishment Stage fierce beast. The bloodlines of Foundation Establishment fierce beasts were purer and closer to the source, and only powerful martial artists could suppress the ferocity of these bloodlines. Days went by. In the blink of an eye, it was recruitment season again at Martial Arts University. Zhou Yi had been a teacher for half a year and had be the poster figure for the Ancient Cultivation ss, attractingrge numbers of students to his lectures each time. The lecture hall kept expanding until it took over the entire floor, and not until after over three thousand cushions were ced inside could the students¡¯ needs be met. Gu Chen led the early morning exercises and after a few months, results started to show, with increased efficiency in seated meditation and qi cultivation. As the news spread, Zhou Yi¡¯s reputation soared once again. In theworks, many praised him, and ancient practitioners one by one resumed their morning routines, looking upon Zhou Yi as the leader in the "revival of the immortal path!" At that time. Dingxiang Building. The special of the day was a full donkey feast, reportedly from a donkey that had died of illness on a farm. Yesterday Shen Cheng was sessfully admitted to Martial Arts University, and today Zhou Yi fulfilled his promise, treating him to vintage wine. A Wine of Red Rainbow brewed a thousand years ago, the liquid had be as thick as amber. Lifting the seal symbols, an extremely rich fragrance and spiritual energy filled the entire restaurant. The owner stared dumbfounded, as such spiritually endowed wine was rarely seen these days, let alone such a spiritual object. Shen Cheng said apprehensively, "Real Person, this is too precious!" "No matter." Zhou Yi smiled and said, "I excel at grave robbing and tomb raiding, so I¡¯ve dug up quite a lot of this wine." Shen Cheng, not one to make a fuss and considering he dared alone brave a demonir, poured wine for both Zhou Yi and himself and began to recount the events of the past year in Liang City. Chapter 276 - 251 Immortal Cultivation for Longevity_2 "Those fierce beasts, for some reason, suddenly went into a frenzy..." After Liang City turned danger into safety, the news reached Xianjing, and the alliance heavily publicized it, considering it a milestone in humanity¡¯s fight against the fierce beasts. After three rounds of drinks. Shen Cheng, slightly tipsy, couldn¡¯t help but curse the Keyboard Immortals online. "The fierce beasts and demon folk that Master Dao yed are more than all of thembined, how do they have the face to talk about escapism? If they were put on the front lines, they¡¯d surely cry for their parents!" Even with the Nine Continents ravaged by fierce beasts and humanity facing an apocalyptic backdrop, truly brave souls willing to fight to the death were but one or two out of ten. Most people just went with the flow; when fierce beasts came, they ran without a second thought, and when the army was defeated, they died in the maws of the beasts. Rebellion, after all, requires tremendous courage! "Ny percent of people in this world are a confused crowd. They are limited by their cognition, deeming one thing bad today and another good tomorrow, never having a fixed,prehensive standard for judgment," Zhou Yi said with augh, "These days theyvish praise upon someone, and a few dayster, when pessimistic words are spoken, I again be a viin in their eyes!" How could someone as esteemed as a Golden Elixir True Monarch stoop to trading insults with mere mortals because of rumors? It would be beneath him. Even if he did stoop to their level, it was unlikely he would win the argument; they were adept at using moral coercion, forcing you to the front lines to fight fierce beasts¡ªyou couldn¡¯t prove your innocence without sacrifice! Zhou Yi might speak generously, but in reality, whenever he saw suchments, he would curse them from afar. Not to death, of course. At the least, they¡¯d have bad luck for ten days to half a month; at worst, they might break an arm or a leg. Master Dao is small-minded! Zhou Yi had a smile on his face. These days, the rave reviews of "Master Tang" online were probably rted to this; after all, each and every naysayer had ended up in the hospital. "Shen Cheng, I¡¯ve specifically assigned your dorm room to 404, where you¡¯ll live with the students of the Ancient Cultivation department." Shen Cheng was taken aback, puzzled. "Master, do you have any instructions for doing this?" "There are two students in that dormitory, one is Gu Chen, the other Han Chao. Remember to make good friends with them in your daily life," Zhou Yi said, "Their futures are boundless..." Before he could finish speaking. A monstrous might enveloped Xianjing, and the terrifying aura of ughter made people¡¯s souls tremble. "Something¡¯s happened at the school!" Zhou Yi¡¯s brows furrowed deeply. With no time to say goodbye to Shen Cheng, his figure flickered and vanished. ... Martial Arts University. The academic building. The murderous aura condensed into substance, rising like a beacon of smoke into the sky. The teachers in the building used their skills to break the blockade of the murderous aura, leaping directly from the building, shouting for the students to stay away. Boom! Boom! Boom! The sound of warnes filled the sky, hovering over the school, ready to reduce the academic building to rubble at any moment. Zhou Yi activated the Supreme rity Divine Talisman, bing invisible and concealed as his Divine Sense swept over and immediately identified the source of the murderous aura. The principal¡¯s office. Xiao Hong was nowhere to be seen, and in his ce was a thirty-foot-long winged tiger, with only its facial features still resembling a human¡¯s. "Is this bloodline bacsh?" Zhou Yi had encountered Xiao Hong several times in the past half year and had always noticed that the ughter within him grew stronger each time, while his human aura faded. On a daily basis, those who attended to him closely would inject him with bloodline-suppressing Elixirs, helping Xiao Hong suppress the beast blood within him. "ording to initial estimates, Xiao Hong could have endured for another year or two. By then, I would already be able to refine the second Elixir, then cast a spell to help him take and assimte it, greatly increasing his chances of sessfully advancing!" Zhou Yi¡¯s brow furrowed slightly as the Light Dividing Sword moved through his sleeve. Once Xiao Hong¡¯s human soul shattered and he fellpletely into demonhood, he would cast a spell to y him, sparing the school from cmity. Roar! Xiao Hong roared to the heavens, sending sound waves out that shattered all the ss in the teaching building, followed by disjointed human voices. "Everyone stay away from the school... take the second Elixir... aim the weapon of destruction!" Having said this. Xiao Hong smashed the safe with one w, revealing silver-white Elixirs inside, radiating strong energy fluctuations. After hesitating for a moment, he swallowed the Elixir, and tumultuous surges of beast blood and Spiritual Energy coursed through his body, tearing apart his organs and meridians as if he were being mutted by thousands of knives. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Roar! Roar! Roar... The tiger¡¯s roar grew stronger, truly shaking the vicinity for miles. Yet those who understood the situation all had serious expressions, for the tiger¡¯s roar was bing increasingly vicious and brutal. The human wisdom within Xiao Hong had beenpletely suppressed by the beast blood inside him. "In such a state, even with the integration of the elixir, it has just be a bigger bane!" Zhou Yi waved his hand, and dozens of Array tes fell near the teaching building, forming an invisible matter formation that was sufficient to withstand the outbreak after demonic possession. Afterward, it was simply a matter of beheading with a single sword. At this moment. Another change urred. Xiao Hong looked up to the sky and let out a long howl, and from his mouth, a Magic Artifact flew out. It resembled a banana leaf, as red as fire! As soon as the Divine Fire Fan appeared, with a gentle wave, seven-colored mes flowed out, enveloping Xiao Hong and beginning to aid him in refining his bloodline. "To think he is a descendant of Xiao Ran, the ways of the world are ever-changing, even I cannot fathom them!" Zhou Yi shook his head slightly. Since he was the descendant of an old acquaintance, he naturally couldn¡¯t just stand by and do nothing. He took out a wisp of golden light from the Kunlun Cave Heaven. The golden light was as fine as a strand of hair and spiraled around in his palm as if it were alive. After the Tiger Emperor¡¯s soul had dissipated, Zhou Yi used a secret technique of the Ghost King Sect to capture a wisp of the Nascent Soul Origin. "Tiger bloodline with wings, a perfect match for the Tiger Emperor, consider yourself lucky!" Zhou Yi waved his hand, and the golden light silently burrowed into Xiao Hong¡¯s body, merging with his Divine Sense. The pure Nascent Soul Origin, even just a wisp, was a tremendous supplement for Xiao Hong. Xiao Hong¡¯s Divine Sense quickly grew stronger, beginning to regain rity from the viciousness. Even more mysteriously, the nature of the Divine Sense began to change, gradually transforming from a human-shaped Divine Sense into a tiger-headed, human-bodied figure with wings growing out of its back. After the Divine Sense changed, the original fierce and brutal beast blood calmed down instantly and became obedient and docile. "Is there a noble person secretly helping?" Xiao Hong couldn¡¯t care to ponder who was helping him; under the suppression of his Divine Sense, he rapidly integrated his bloodline. The painful and vicious roars of the tiger ceased, and the cultivators who were watching both openly and secretly, even though they did not understand the underlying reasons, could feel that Xiao Hong¡¯s aura was returning to normal. "In such a state, could he be merging sessfully?" "There has yet to be a sessful case with the second elixir among the demon race, is the human race going to take this step first?" "It was on the brink of failure, and then suddenly sessful; there feels like an unexpected element!" "Heavenly assistance, this is a sign of the human race¡¯s great prosperity!" "..." A chorus of excited and thrilled exchanges. Sessful consumption of the second elixir grants strengthparable to that of a Golden Core, enough to protect the human race indefinitely. The bloodline fusion continued from noon until nightfall, and Xiao Hong finallypleted his transformation, turning into a creature with the upper body of a human, the lower body of a ck-striped white tiger with four ws, and a pair of wings on its back. Roar¡ª A long howl. Xiao Hong looked up at the sky and saw that out of nowhere thick clouds had formed, with the sound of thunder endless in his ears. "Is this the Minor Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribtion? Even I must undergo tribtion while practicing a new technique!" Xiao Hong, holding the Divine Fire Fan, took to the clouds with his four ws and rose into the air, flying directly towards the dark clouds without a trace of fear. Somewhere in the void. Zhou Yi was not worried about Xiao Hong. With the Sect¡¯s Supreme Treasure acknowledging him as its master, if he couldn¡¯t even ovee the Heavenly Tribtion, the Nascent Soul Origin would have been wasted for nothing. "His aura is alreadyparable to a Golden Core, but the way he maniptes Spiritual Energy seems somewhat familiar..." "Magic body!" Zhou Yi, watching Xiao Hong being struck by lightning, suddenly realized that the other¡¯sbat techniques were simr to those of the demon race. However, he could control Spiritual Energy through innate talent and bloodline, simr to the Star Body. After a long while. Xiao Hong¡¯s body was charred on one side, having narrowly survived the Heavenly Tribtion. He awaited the purification by heaven and earth as recorded in the annals. Hum! Out of nowhere, a mysterious sound like the chime of dawn or dusk bells prated into everyone¡¯s hearts and minds. Zhou Yi, along with everyone else, suddenly had a realization ¡ª the sound conveyed much information, among which the most important was that Xiao Hong was the first Golden Elixir True Monarch of the new era! Perhaps it shouldn¡¯t be called a Golden Core; the general meaning was simr. Heaven and earth would grant special blessings, encouraging the younger generation of cultivators to work hard at their cultivation, taking Xiao Hong as a role model! The sound ceased. A seven-colored Spiritual Light appeared out of nowhere, containing the mysterious essence of yin and yang and the five elements, pouring directly into Xiao Hong¡¯s body. The scars from the lightning tribtion visibly healed and the vicious and brutal aura slowly dissipated. Xiao Hong felt an itch on his back; under the Divine Light, his back wings continuously shrank until they disappeared. A seven-colored Spiritual Light appeared out of nowhere, containing the mysterious essence of yin and yang and the five elements, pouring directly into Xiao Hong¡¯s body. The scars from the lightning tribtion visibly healed and the vicious and brutal aura slowly dissipated. Xiao Hong felt an itch on his back; under the Divine Light, his back wings continuously shrank until they disappeared. Chapter 277 - 252 The Name of the Martial Saint ``` Ten Thousand Great Mountains. Nameless Barren Mountain to the southeast. The moment Xiao Hong sessfully transcended the tribtion, the mountain peak split open, revealing a pce shaped like a giant tortoise. The mountain crumbled, startling countless fierce beasts. The ck Bear spirit that upied thisnd rode on a swath of demonic clouds tens of feetrge, watching the pce from afar. "Could this be the appearance of an ancient relic?" The ck Bear spirit took out a mobile phone and clicked several photos of the pce, which were sent to a nearby chat group called "Master of the Mountains." The demons in this chat group mostly had territories in the southeastern region of the Ten Thousand Great Mountains; beyond that region, they would lose signal reception. "Have discovered an ancient relic. Which fellow daoist wille explore with me?" Not long after the message was sent, rapid dings of responses came. "Bro Bear, invite me, share the location!" "Such dangerous grounds¡ªhow could those at the Foundation Establishment Stage possibly explore it?" "The pce doesn¡¯t seem to be of human style; it must have been left by our demon ancestors. The heritage site isn¡¯t too dangerous!" "..." "We refine our bloodlines with elixirs. The gains from an ancient relic may not suit us, risking trouble for nothing." This statement brought immediate silence to the chat group. The demons pondered carefully and agreed that this made sense. Elixirs that stimted bloodlines had their pros and conspared to the ancestral hardships of ancient demons. Though the bloodlines obtained through elixirs were unstable and could backfire at any moment, turning one into a savage beast, they were closer to ancestral bloodlines than those gained through arduous cultivation, allowing early manifestation of divine abilities from ancient mythical beasts. "The old lion speaks wisely. It is no longer the ancient times." The Bear Demon hesitated for a moment. Just as it was about to ride the demonic cloud away, the pce gates slowly opened. A golden light burst forth, transforming into a dragon-headed humanoid figure in midair with an icy gaze that swept over the Bear Demon, its overwhelming might surging like a tidal wave. A demon king of the Dragon n! Facing the bloodline oppression, the Bear Demon realized that the other¡¯s bloodline status was unbelievably higher than the ancient mythical beast Flying Bear. It knelt on the demonic clouds, kowtowing. "Little Bear pays respects to the Demon King!" The Dragon Demon didn¡¯t respond, sensing the active and pure Spiritual Energy of the world, which waspletely different from the past. "With such Spiritual Energy, it¡¯s easier to break through realms. It seems somewhat simr to the ancestral veins¡¯ revival mentioned in the Demon Saint¡¯s inheritance¡ªhas there been a significant change in the world while I had sealed myself away?" As this thought crossed his mind, he waved his hand to bring the Bear Demon closer and boldly performed a Soul Search. "The world¡¯s revival... rampant fierce beasts... Demon ns ruling over Nine Continents..." Seeing intermittent fragments of memory, the Dragon Demon¡¯s expression shifted, and much of the gloom in its heart dissipated as it muttered to itself. "Misfortune might be the cradle of fortune. The legacy I inherited is iplete, unable to fully transform into an Azure Dragon, but emerging early has ced me at the forefront of a new era." "Now that demons rule over the Nine Continents, and the strongest among them have not even attained the Golden Core, I have perfected the Golden Core and can easily be the ruler of the Nine Continents!" "The grand scheme that my father, the Emperor, nned for his entire life, I can achieve with little effort!" The Dragon Demon was none other than Ao Qin, who entered the Four Spirits Holy Pce years ago and submerged in the Dragon Blood Pond to receive its legacy. After nurturing for one thousand eight hundred years, he evolved from a Flood Dragon bloodline to that of an Azure Dragon. The bloodlines of demons are equivalent to the Spirit Roots of humans, determining the speed of cultivation from birth. The Azure Dragon is revered among demons as a divine beast, superior to the Flood Dragon in talent. In the past, the Dragon Emperor had fought fiercely for a box of Azure Dragon blood. Because of the missing box of Azure Dragon blood, Ao Qin could notplete the transformation into a divine beast; a patch of golden scales remained on his forehead, incongruous with the surrounding azure jade-like dragon scales. "That Bull Demon from the year of the pce¡¯s entry¡ªbecause of it, my legacy was iplete. Truly deserves death!" Ao Qin hadn¡¯t considered taking revenge, for nearly two thousand years had passed, Spiritual Energy had vanished and then revived, and that Bull Demon was most surely no more. "Over a millennium has passed, and in this world, there are no old acquaintances of mine. Whether Nascent Soul Demon Emperors or Divine Transformation Heavenly Monarchs, in the face of the long river of time, they are all but specks of dust. I am destined to pursue eternal life to the fullest!" "That Bear Demon¡¯s memory mentioned something about a Bloodline Elixir, which mightpensate for myst remaining bloodline defect..." Ao Qin already had a n¡ªsubjugate all demon races first, then exterminate the human race to be the ruler of Nine Continents. Then, by consuming the Bloodline Elixir, he would transform into a true Azure Dragon. Taking advantage of the world¡¯s revival, he would aim directly at bing a Demon Saint! ... Meanwhile. At Xianjing. At the Martial Arts University. Xiao Hong had adapted to the surge of power and descended from the sky, his lower half changing from a tiger¡¯s body back to human form. A dozen teachers arrived around him, including Zhou Yi, who feigned surprise like the rest. N?v(el)B\\jnn "How do you feel now, Principal?" "Very good, better than ever before!" Xiao Hongughed heartily a few times, as the ferocity in his bloodline dissipated. No longer needing to endure, he felt as though he had been freed from a cage. His gaze swept over the crowd, lingering on Zhou Yi for a moment. His eyes shone brightly, confirming Zhou Yi still had Mana at the Foundation Establishment Stage. With a slight shake of his head, he dismissed the doubts in his heart. "The gift from that venerable one is indeed the legendary Nascent Soul Origin. The cultivator¡¯s realm must be above Nascent Soul, possibly a Kunlun immortal of legends." Xiao Hong pressed down his doubts and ordered everyone to calm the students, as he had already received a summon from the Alliance Headquarters. A teacher asked, "Principal, should we keep the news of your tribtion a secret?" "It¡¯s fine." Xiao Hong gestured, "Fierce beasts have oppressed the human race for two to three hundred years. I¡¯ve proven the Golden Core before the demons did, which is cause for celebration. It will boost the morale of the human race!" The decline of humanity was because they saw no hope. Another teacher voiced concern, "Wouldn¡¯t this provoke the demon races... to attack us en masse?" Nowadays, the human race lived in exile, with only the Cloud Continent¡¯s demon race responsible for the attacks. The other continents had be the domain of savage beasts, starting to form alliances for battles among themselves. After all, demons differ from humans, with many ns living as natural enemies andpeting for food. While the human race was flourishing, they could unite against amon cause. As they were about to unify the Nine Continents, internal alliances crumbled without being attacked. ``` Chapter 278 - 252: The Name of the Martial Saint_2 This teacher was worried that the news of Xiao Hong¡¯s elevation to Golden Core would reignite the demons¡¯ shared hatred. "Fear is utterly useless!" "Whether or not I have achieved the Golden Core, the human n must face all the demon ns if they wish to rise!" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Xiao Hong said, "If the hordes of demons dare to attack, it will be a good opportunity to show them the power of a Golden Elixir True Monarch!" "We will follow the headmaster¡¯smand to the letter!" The teachers bowed deeply to ept the order. Xiao Hong was already the most powerful among humans, and now he was blessed by heaven and earth, his prestige even surpassing that of the alliance. A Foundation Establishment Grandmaster could still be considered mortal, and technological weapons could threaten their lives. But a Golden Elixir True Monarch hadpletely shed their mortality! Zhou Yi reminded, "Headmaster, do you still n to use the name ¡¯Golden Elixir True Monarch¡¯ now that you practice the new arts?" "This is indeed an issue..." After pondering for a moment, Xiao Hong said, "Elevating through elixirs is vastly different from the ancient methods, and I don¡¯t possess the longevity of a true monarch. I should indeed change my title. Do you have any ideas?" The teachers were inexplicably excited upon hearing this. Naming a new realm was a supreme honor. Once adopted, every practitioner of the new arts in the future will chant that name! "Since it¡¯s the second elixir, how about naming it based on steps, to imply stages and ranks?" "That sounds good. Starting from zero step, we can add one step with each boundary we break through!" "That won¡¯t do, that won¡¯t do. It sounds too frivolous. It would be better to divide them by the characteristics of bloodline evolution, such as Coagting Blood, Transforming Shape, True Spirit..." "..." Each person gave their opinion and it all made sense. "Taking elixirs requires practicing martial arts first. Even after integrating with the elixirs, one still needs martial practice to strengthen and hone the Qi-Blood, to suppress the bacsh of the bloodline. Why not continue with the martial arts realm?" Zhou Yi said, "The ancient texts call Innate and Foundation Establishment ¡¯Grandmaster¡¯, which corresponds perfectly with the zero elixir. Afterwards, the first and second elixirs can be named ¡¯Great Grandmaster¡¯ and ¡¯Martial Saint¡¯, andter the one who takes the third elixir can be called ¡¯Martial God¡¯." "That sounds very good, it doesn¡¯t forget the old methods yet breaks new ground!" Xiao Hong started as a mortal without any Spirit Root, and his foundation up to now had been in martial arts. Using a name rted to martial arts fit his intentions perfectly! Hearing Xiao Hong say this, everyone else nodded in agreement, bowing deeply in respect. "Congrattions, headmaster, for bing the first Martial Saint of the human n!" "From this moment forth, may the human n prosper. Generations will chant the name of Martial Saint!" "..." Zhou Yi noticed that the most sycophantic were the Martial Barbarians who practiced the new arts, while the old practitioners, known for their sharp tongues and witty debates, did not speak such tantly ttery. Today, the practitioners of ancient methods had lost twice! Xiao Hong walked on air as he departed, and the teachers, following his instructions, spread the news through various channels. Very soon. Martial Arts University became an ocean of joy. All students and staff looked to the sky and cheered. That heartfelt joy, the unstoppable tears, could only be alleviated with a long howl! Since their birth, they had lived with the crisis of racial extinction, living a life of constant fear. Most had family or friends who died at the hands of wild beasts. The territory of the human n shrank year by year, and that despair for the future had been suppressed for twenty to thirty years! Xiao Hong was like the dawn of day, giving everyone a glimmer of hope. Now, with Xiao Hong¡¯s rapidly growing prestige, at hismand, countless members of the human n were willing to serve him, even charging to the front lines without a second thought! In just half an hour. Terms like Heavenly Tribtion, Martial Saint, Golden Core, and Xiao Hong dominated all the hot searches. Tens of millions of people left messages congratting "Xiao Martial Saint," while also growing enormously confident in the human n¡¯s resurgence. Only the majority of the old practitioners remained silent. It was not that they were dissatisfied with Xiao Hong, but rather they started to doubt their own paths. Perhaps the elixir arts were the "true path" of the new era. The old practitioners were inherently proud. The Martial Barbarians born of the new techniques focused only on fighting and killing, hardly engaging in productive activities. They truly believed that once the Spiritual Energy grew denser, the human n would inevitably be dominated by the path of immortals! Yet Xiao Hong had achieved Martial Saint first, and he was also blessed by the heavens and earth... "I must give my peers more confidence lest the path of immortals be lost. After all,pared to the precarious future of elixirs, the system of immortality is moreplete. The human n should walk on two legs, allowing both those with and without Spirit Roots to cultivate, in order to thrive endlessly!" Zhou Yi took out numerous Array tes from his cave abode, pondering how to arrange the Thunder Tribtion Formation so that it appeared indistinguishable from the real Minor Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribtion. "I still need to find a suitable location..." "White Cloud Peak would be perfect. Using the power of Heavenly Tribtion, we can open the ancient pce from the past!" "An ancient sect¡¯s pce, with a garden of elixirs and a hall of pills¡ªit makes sense, doesn¡¯t it?" ... Qing City. Located at the southernmost tip of the alliance, it withstood the beast invasion for sixteen years. The city had long since lost its civilians, only battle-hardened troops and newly arrived armies remained. That day. The piercing sound of the rm rang out. All soldiers rushed towards the city walls, the citywide rm had only one cause, the monster tide wasing. The Eastern City and West City¡¯s numerous barracks also received the rm, decades of building bunkers and fortresses formed a line, like an iron chain across the river, quietly waiting for the monster tide to wash over. They would either hold until the tide receded or perish together with the beasts. Aerial beasts, appearing first on radar, were dense and oddly shaped, gathering in the sky like dark clouds. Swish swish swish... One after another,bat aircraft took off, weaving a of fire, constantly shredding flying beasts. On the ground, rocket artillery fired in volleys, the sky lit up with bursts of fireworks. Corpses fell like raindrops, but for the dark clouds above, it was merely a scattering of small clouds, not even a gap of clear sky to be seen. Regardless of thebat aircraft and rocket artillery¡¯s carnage, there was no sign of the beasts halting their assault, as the dark clouds rapidly approached the city. Atop the city walls. Golden Old Nine used his binocrs, looking at the carnage in the heavens, his expression grave. "This monster tide is different." "Brother Nine, what do you mean?" The speaker, Li Hai, was a new recruit, having arrived at the frontlines only two years ago. He usually witnessed only small-scale beast incursions and was now trembling with excitement. "The numbers, the momentum!" Golden Old Nine, a native of Qing City, had survived four monster tides and, while speaking, took out an odd amulet from his bosom, holding it in his palm and murmuring words. Li Hai, puzzled, said, "Brother Nine, you still believe in gods?" In thesest days of rampant beasts, faith had long since copsed, and people now only believed in weapons, in force. "The Golden God¡¯s blessing got me through four deadly ordeals," Golden Old Nine spoke, "Today I shall return to the embrace of the Golden God, and once I arrive in the divine realm, I will report to the Golden God on mortal affairs. Surely divine grace will descend to annihte these brutal beasts!" "The Golden God... seems like something recorded in history books, a deity worshipped by the Faith Alliance, which was destroyed by the beasts." Li Hai shook his head and said, "If there really were gods, why didn¡¯t the Golden God appear when the Faith Alliance fell?" "Either their faith wasn¡¯t devout enough, or the Golden God is asleep!" Golden Old Nine didn¡¯t argue or get angry at Li Hai¡¯s skepticism. The divine nation had been in ruins for two hundred years, and there were hardly any followers left in the world. At that moment. Cheers erupted from the positions, sounding like those reserved for Martial Saints or headmasters. The oppressive, desperate atmosphere was swept away in an instant, the morale surged like a rainbow, and many soldiers leapt out of their trenches, cradling heavy machine guns and firing bursts at the heavens. They looked as if urging the beasts to hasten their onught! "What¡¯s going on?" Golden Old Nine picked up his binocrs and looked towards the situation in the sky, realizing that the beasts were beginning to retreat. "The monster tide has never retreated once it started, even if they died to thest creature. In the eyes of those monsters, they were just cannon fodder!" Li Hai, exhrated, shouted, "Brother Nine, your phone, quick, look at your phone!" Golden Old Nine took out his phone and saw dozens of message notifications. He opened one at random and immediately understood what had happened. "We have a Golden Elixir True Monarch?" "It¡¯s the Martial Saint, the Martial Saint!" Li Hai yelled hoarsely, "Humankind has a Martial Saint, those beasts hear the name and are so scared they piss themselves. Brother Nine, back in the day, I exchanged martial arts insights with Xiao Martial Saint!" "Just you?" Golden Old Nine raised an eyebrow and bluntly stated, those fighting the beasts on the frontlines were mostly human "cannon fodder." How could someone over thirty with poor martial arts aptitude have had the opportunity to exchange insights with the Martial Saint? Li Haiughed loudly and said, "Don¡¯t disbelieve me, Brother Nine. Ten years ago, when Xiao Martial Saint lectured on martial arts in Immortal Capital Square, I was in the audience, nodding in agreement several times!" "..." Golden Old Nine rolled his eyes, toozy to listen to his boasting. He ced the Golden God amulet on the city wall and followed the ancient rites handed down by his ancestors, bowing three times and kowtowing nine times. "Thank you for the Golden God¡¯s protection!" Li Hai already regarded Xiao Martial Saint as the ultimate idol and couldn¡¯t help retorting, "The divine nation has been in ruins for two hundred years, how could Xiao Martial Saint possibly be rted to the Golden God?" Golden Old Nine carefully put away the amulet, his expression devout as he spoke. "It must be the Golden God¡¯s intervention that enabled Xiao Martial Saint to ascend!" Chapter 279 - 253: Proving the Golden Core Again In the year 197 of the Alliance, in summer. Xiao Hong attained the status of Martial Saint, blessed by heaven and earth. The following day. The million fierce beasts of Southern Border retreated upon hearing the news, the prestige of the Martial Saint¡¯s name shaking the demon race,ter known as the foundation of the human race¡¯s rise. ... Southern Border. Heavenly Fox Abyss. Originally named Righteous Sun Abyss, now upied by the Nine-Tailed Fox King, who nominallymands the demon races of the south of Cloud Continent. Countless fierce beastsy hidden within the deep abyss, continually howling and ughtering each other, with the remains of corpses and bones strewn across the ground, crunching beneathfoot. In the very center stood a huge stone pce, its exterior appearing ancient, but inside it housedboratories filled with top-notch machinery. To the left was a beast breeding room, where animals like mice, rabbits, chickens, and ducks¡ªfamous for rapid reproduction¡ªwere fed and bred, constantly giving birth and hatching. Their food was the offspring of fierce beasts that had died due to bloodline copse. The fierce beasts¡¯ bodies contained heterogeneous bloodlines, which when consumed raw, could swiftly stimte growth in the young. Once the young reached a size that met the required criteria, specialized demon race members would take them to the Bloodline Chamber, where they were roughly injected with Elixir Number Zero, subsequently leading to three possible oues. Their bloodlines would mutate and then copse, killing them, and they were taken back to the breeding room to be food. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Sessful integration but with muddled consciousness; they became fierce beasts and were incorporated into the Fox King¡¯s fierce beast army. Bing a demon race by ancestral reversal, they gained inheritance and could choose to obey the Fox King or leave Heavenly Fox Abyss to establish their own dominion elsewhere. Aplete and rapid production process allowed the Fox King¡¯s fierce beast army to grow continuously, bing stronger by constantly fighting and devouring each other, and every few years they could join with Southern Border¡¯s demon race to form a beast tide that assaulted the human race¡¯s defenses. The instigator behind this beast tide was none other than the Fox King himself. The target was not just Qing City but the entire Southern Border defense line. It was originally estimated that it would perish together with the human race¡¯s army within half a month. This action would shrink the human territory while clearing out the expendable forces; however, news of the Martial Saint caused the demon race of Southern Border to act with strange intentions, swiftly recalling the fierce beasts. At that moment. In the middle of theboratory. The Fox Kingnguidly reclined on a couch, facing arge screen three zhang square, divided into dozens of smaller screens. The small screens disyed beast heads or human faces¡ªjackals, wolves, tigers, leopards, pigs, dogs, cows, sheep¡ªall engaged in a chaotic debate about how to deal with the human race. "Kill! We must kill, we can¡¯t allow the human race to rise!" "The demon race ughtered billions of humans, creating a sea of blood and deep enmity. Once they recover, it will be a disaster for us!" This was the majority view, recognized by most of the demon race, as they surpassed human intelligence only after consuming countless people over the past hundreds of years. The demon race developed advanced machinery and managed to create Elixir Number Two precisely because they consumed humans! Another faction was the conciliatory faction, referred to by the radical demons as the surrender faction. "The Martial Saint, with strengthparable to a Golden Elixir True Monarch, everyone should be clear about his power; all of us tied together wouldn¡¯t be enough to withstand a single p from him!" "One majestic beast under the Four Emperors can sweep through a hundred thousand fierce beasts, and that¡¯s just an empty shell!" "With the Martial Saint¡¯s protection, the human race cannot be easily annihted!" The implication was that since eradication was impossible, it was better to maintain the status quo. The demon race, possessing dominion over the Nine Continents and Four Seas, had the strength to confine humans to a small corner. "Moreover, the extinction of the human race isn¡¯t good for the demon race either. Where would we go to consume humans and increase our intelligence in the future?" Both sides had valid points, and both were persuasive, yet they argued for several hours without reaching a conclusion. "That¡¯s enough." The Fox King stretched his body, revealing an impressive figure, and said, "We shall not sh with the human race for now, we¡¯ll wait for a demon to reach Golden Core, capable of restraining the Martial Saint, beforeunching another beast tide!" The impartial resolution left many demons dissatisfied, yet they didn¡¯t continue to argue. The Fox King continued, "Also, one more thing, we failed to attainplete sess this time; we should produce fewer fierce beasts in the future to avoid trouble from being unable to sustain them." Fierce beasts, low in intelligence and inherently violent, would resort to fighting each other without sufficient food provided by the demon race. Such infighting was minorpared to the chance they would spontaneously form a beast tide and wreak havoc everywhere. The demons had mixed expressions, but they all nodded in agreement, privately dismissing this admonition. Their cultivation was all at the Foundation Establishment Stage, and while there were differences in strength among them, it didn¡¯t reach the point of overwhelming dominance, thus the number of fierce beasts under theirmand was the measure of their power! Whoever led arger fierce beast army controlled more territory and had a stronger say! "This meeting is adjourned!" The Fox King waved his hand to turn off the screen, pondered for a moment, and telepathically instructed theboratory manager, Rabbit Spirit: "Double the production of fierce beasts, keep an eye on the surrounding demon races, and monitor them with satellites at all times!" Though the demons had outwardly agreed to reduce fierce beast production, in secret they would certainly outdo each other in amassing forces, as after all, there were nows in the demon race. If indeed a demon led an army of fierce beasts to conquer Heavenly Fox Abyss, the Four Emperors would likely do nothing more than issue a perfunctory reprimand and then appoint the conqueror as the new demon king of southern Cloud Continent. If there were truly too many fierce beasts to manage, they would either drive them to devour each other or directly inject them with Elixir Number Two. If they managed to create a King of Fierce Beasts, the Fox King could plot to im the ruler¡¯s position of Cloud Continent. With the beast tide receding on its own, the Southern Border¡¯s demon race severely lost face, yet the demon races of other realms also felt panic and behaved simrly. Not to conflict with the human race for now. Watching the wind! ... Xianjing. All around, colorful lights were strung up, more festive than the New Year. The long-missed smiles returned to the faces of the people, who flocked to the streets, even if just to chat, not necessarily to buy anything. To vent their pent-up frustrations and boast about rumors, such as from the neighbor¡¯s daughter-inw¡¯s great-uncle¡¯s friend, who had heard an insider story about "Xiao Martial Saint." "Have you heard, when Xiao Martial Saint was born, divine light descended from the sky, and there was an auspicious purple auraing from the east?" "I just heard that it was Mother Xiao who dreamt of an immortal, and after conceiving for three years, she then gave birth. Which one is true?" Chapter 280 - 253: Another Proof of Golden Core_2 "I heard this from a teacher at the Martial Arts University!" "One before birth, one after birth, it¡¯s possible that both of the extraordinary signs are true..." As the rumors grew more intense, the alliance¡¯s higher-ups originally wanted to stop the citizens from discussing them, but Xiao Hong stepped forward to prevent it. "After the creature catastrophe, everyone has been living too oppressively, hearing nothing but bad news every day, umting a lot of resentment in their hearts." Xiao Hong shrugged and said, "If my rumors add some fun to the citizens¡¯ tea and meal times, that¡¯s not a bad thing!" This senior official nodded slightly, admiring Xiao Hong¡¯s open-mindedness even more and couldn¡¯t help but ask. "Elder Xiao, when you were born, did you really point one hand to the sky and the other to the ground?" Nowadays, with Xiao Hong¡¯s reputation so high, the alliance¡¯s higher-ups all see him as the hope of humanity, and can¡¯t help but believe in the rumors spreading outside. "I¡¯m just an ordinary person who luckily received the recognition of my ancestor¡¯s treasure. Since childhood, I¡¯ve been baptized by Divine Fire, which allowed my martial arts to progress rapidly. All other rumors are made up. I have left my flesh and blood for theboratory to research, don¡¯t you believe that?" Xiao Hong was quite helpless and rode the clouds back to the Martial Arts University. Never did he imagine encountering a familiar teacher, whose Xuan Miao gaze clearly showed that they too believed the rumors! The principal¡¯s office. No sooner had Xiao Hong taken his seat than he heard a knock at the door. "Come in." Upon seeing the visitor, Xiao Hong asked in confusion, "Master Tang, aren¡¯t you teaching today?" The Martial Arts University primarily focuses on new techniques, but only Master Tang is at the Foundation Establishment level and is also knowledgeable, almost as profound as a True Monarch, making him a figurehead simr to those of ancient cultivation traditions. This year¡¯s enrollment saw an increase of fifty percent in students for the ancient cultivation ss, all attracted by Master Tang¡¯s lectures. Now that the Immortal Dao has been openly shared online, with plenty of lecture videos avable, those with exceptional Spirit Roots canpletely study on their own, avoiding any karmic ties with the Martial Arts University. Bluntly put, should humanity face extinction in the future, they can escape without any attachments! Zhou Yi smiles with a hand gesture, "Headmaster¡¯s ascension to Martial Saint not only marks you as the first Golden Core of the new era but also as someone who has cleared the path for new techniques. The history books will certainly highlight your achievements!" Xiao Hong immediately wore a smile on his face, "Empty fame, all empty fame." "Recently, while observing the Headmaster¡¯s Heavenly Tribtion, I had an epiphany, and my cultivation made a slight breakthrough." Zhou Yi revealed a hint of his perfectly rounded energy, along with a false core that seemed both solid and illusory in his Dantian, and continued, "I am now ready to draw the Heavenly Tribtion and condense the Golden Core; I came specifically to ask for some time off." "You¡¯re ready to undergo the Tribtion!" Xiao Hong leapt to his feet, spitting out the Divine Fire Fan from his mouth, "The Heavenly Tribtion is perilous, Master Tang, take this treasure to guard against the Thunder Dragon. If there are any other needs, I will do my utmost to satisfy them!" One Martial Saint could barely protect humanity; adding one Golden Elixir True Monarch meant something entirely different. If the demon tribe dared to invade again in the future, with a True Monarchmanding the Formation and a Martial Saint venturing forth to y demons, their attack and defense coordination would make the demon tribe much more apprehensive! "The Headmaster need not part with his treasure. I am proficient in Formation and confident I can withstand the Heavenly Tribtion." Zhou Yi spit out the Light Dividing Sword and said, "This is the inherited Magic Artifact of my sect, the ancient sword school¡¯s Light Dividing Sword, no less powerful than the Headmaster¡¯s Divine Fire Fan." "The Heavenly Tribtion will be no problem; the rest is up to you, Master Tang." Xiao Hong pondered for a moment andmunicated via telepathy, "What you don¡¯t know, Master Tang, is that I merged with the second elixir, and it was destined to fail. In the moment before death, I prayed to the Kunlun Wondend and surprisingly received a response from an immortal..." "If there¡¯s any trouble with the condensation of your Golden Core, be sure to set aside your pride and follow my example by praying for the assistance of the immortals!" "Certainly, certainly! Such a secretive matter, I thank the Headmaster for telling me. After I achieve the Golden Core, I will surely return to lecture," replied Zhou Yi, struggling to suppress a smile, knowing full well that Xiao Hong meant well, and by a lucky mistake, it was indeed the intervention of a Kunlun immortal. Xiao Hong nodded, "When you do, Master Tang, you will take charge of the ancient cultivation ss!" And so it was. Zhou Yi transformed into a ray of escaping light and left the Martial Arts University, descending on Bright Moon Peak momentster. Bright Moon Peak, located seven hundred li from Xianjing, was neither too far nor too close, the perfect distance to observe the Heavenly Tribtion without anyone being able to tell the true from the false. He set up a multitude of Formations and Prohibitions, summoningyers uponyers of Clear Wind, shrouding the entire peak. Holding a spell in hand, he dived a hundred zhang into the ground and entered the Earth Fire Pce. "It¡¯s still just as it was back then!" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Zhou Yi walked through the Earth Fire Pce twice, sat in the Dharma Lecture Hall and the Hall of Spiritual Fire, and heard the voices of disciples echoing in his ears. Scenes of past lectures and cultivation appeared before his eyes. Now that those people are gone, all that remains in the world are their graves. Zhou Yi went to the sect¡¯s cemetery, burned paper offerings at each grave, and recited the names on the tombstones, likely thest traces of these people left in the world. "A thousand years in an instant, seemed but as yesterday!" There¡¯s a significant downside for cultivators, which is having too keen a memory. Zhou Yi could clearly remember each disciple¡¯s words and deeds from when they were alive; even with a heart of stone, recalling those moments could not help but bring tears. Gently caressing Sect Leader Yuan¡¯s tombstone, the grave goods within remained undisturbed, and the magic artifacts left behind from his lifetime began to shine anew with spiritual light. "Two thousand years have passed; amidst the changing tides of the world, I, too, have inevitably changed," Zhou Yi said. "Had I just arrived in this realm, perhaps I would have hidden overseas for countless years or built a ship to venture across the seas in search of othernds." "Now, with the thought of saving the world arising, it is not just because of the cmities that began because of me..." Zhou Yi returned to the Hall of Spiritual Fire. In a sect with only one member, he silently recited the Purification Spell to suppress distracting thoughts and wild imaginings. But, returning to the familiar grounds, faced with the empty halls and hundreds of tombs, his mind could not find peace, as if a heart devil was about to emerge. "What to do with this pent-up frustration? It ought to be celebrated!" Zhou Yi sent a message to Clear Wind and Bright Moon and then learned the locations of over a dozen demon tribes in the Northern Border. He transformed into light and flew northward. Celebration wasn¡¯t just about indulging in song and wine; it could also mean hunting demons to vent one¡¯s anger! "Serpent demons, fox spirits, and rabbit essences, aid my cultivation!" Several dayster. The demons at home, disaster descends from the skies; one by one, they couldn¡¯t even react before they were reduced to ashes. As the news of the heavy casualties suffered by the demons of the Northern Border spread, without any attempts to conceal it, it soon reached the ears of the Four Emperors and the Demon King. After analyzing the situation, they decided it was Xiao Hong¡¯s intention to demonstrate his power! Thereafter. Zhou Yi cultivated in seclusion within the Earth Fire Pce, celebrating from time to time. The days passed swiftly. At this stage of his state of mind, the only shackles to his cultivationy in the spiritual energy and his Spirit Root. Thetter was a talent hard to change, while the former was restrained by the Jianmu tree¡¯s limitations. The Jianmu tree, having been continuously hastened for a millennium, now stood over twenty zhang tall. The concentration of spiritual energy theoretically allowed for the consolidation of the Golden Core, but without ten out of ten certainty, Zhou Yi dared not take the risk. In the spiritual fields, there were two types of Spiritual Medicine that could assist in the consolidation of the Golden Core. The Nine Revolutions Ganoderma had matured, while the Mysterious Infant Immortal Grass was still growing. "Each ounts for one part, and the Great Perfection of essence, qi, and spirit counts as three parts... that¡¯s only a fifty percent chance. I dare not gamble on it!" Because of this, Zhou Yi was not in a hurry to pursue the cultivation of his mana. He spent his days reading the Daoist scriptures, practicing both the righteous and demonic Magic Divine Abilities, seeking the profound mysteries of the heavenly Dao. In a blink of an eye. A year had passed in the Earth Fire Pce. Xiao Hong¡¯s notoriety had almostpletely dispersed as he unashamedly ughtered the junior demons, significantly reducing the pressure on the human territories. The demon race, now with wisdomparable or even superior to that of humankind, had also naturally learned to be timid. Despite the appointments by the Four Emperors, no demon was willing to approach human territories. Thus, humankind and the demon race entered a short period of calm. Until a Golden Core would emerge amongst the demon race, this fragile bnce would not break. "It¡¯s about time. I must achieve the Golden Core and once again boost human morale, and in the depths of fate, strengthen my destiny!" "The theory of destiny cannot bepletely trusted, nor can it be entirely disbelieved!" With those thoughts in mind, Zhou Yi escaped from underground and stood atop the peak. His hands formed a spell to activate dozens of high-grade thunder attribute formations. Boom, boom, boom... In the clear daytime sky, thunder boomed, the sound carrying for dozens of miles. Dark clouds gathered soon after, with lightning rolling within, looking ready to strike at any moment. Zhou Yi left only a mana avatar on White Cloud Peak while his true self had already entered the clouds, releasing the aura of a Golden Elixir True Monarch, emting the oppressive might of heaven and earth. "I¡¯m casting this tribtion upon myself!" he said. As he spoke, he stimted the Array te, condensing dozens of zhang long Thunder Dragons that descended with roaring fury from the sky. The sudden climatic changes on White Cloud Peak had been detected by satellites in the sky, and after capturing images, they were immediately sent back to the alliance. The event was quickly recognized as a minor Forty-Nine Heavens Tribtion, with the person undergoing it being Taoist Tang. The news of Taoist Tang¡¯s retreat to ovee the tribtion was only known to a few top-level members of the alliance, and they announced it as a regr meditative retreat. Upon hearing the news, Xiao Hong immediately transformed into a half-tiger, half-human and flew towards White Cloud Peak. Despite moving as fast as lightning, by the time Xiao Hong neared White Cloud Peak, more than half an hour had passed, and the Heavenly Tribtion in the sky was slowly dissipating, leaving only one figure standing tall in the air. Zhou Yi stood with his hands sped behind his back, his indigo Daoist robe fluttering in the wind, disying a fearsome Golden Core aura. "Fortune has not failed me, I have achieved the Golden Core!" he proimed. Chapter 261 Chapter 241 The Immortal Gates Reopen 261 Chapter 241 The Immortal Gates Reopen Owner Xu spoke unabashedly, clearly in high spirits. Having justpleted a substantial deal, an unnamed wealthy individual had purchased arge batch of ancient magic artifacts at a steep price, fully aware that ny-nine percent were likely fakes, yet still hoping against hope that one percent might be real. "Heh heh, such grand figures, in the past we had to pay them respect. But now, the third son in my family is officially an outer disciple of the Qi Sect; they have toe to us instead!" An outer disciple is either at the first level of Qi Refinement, or in the martial way, condensing Qi-blood. Nowadays, with the world rejuvenated and spiritual energy active, it is easier to assimte than in the past era of the Cultivation World; anyone with a Spirit Root who diligently practices can cultivate enough mana within a year. Zhou Yi sped his hands in a gesture and said, "Then congrattions are in order for Owner Xu." It was hard for Owner Xu not to feel proud; having a cultivator in the family, even just at the first level of Qi Refinement, would suffice to be considered a cultivator family in ancient times. With the flourish of cultivation, thepetition was no longer about wealth but rather about cultivation. After all, no matter how much wealth you possess, once my cultivation is strong enough, your wealth bes mine! The emergence of cultivation had caused the once-static society to start vibrating with change. Themon people, restrained by the Imperial Court for too long, once they made a substantial leap, it was inevitable for the once-prominent figures to be mere ordinary people, and their minds became restless. Zhou Yi was quite pleased to see this happen; the development of the world is driven by desire, and cultivation is no exception. As for whether the widespread practice of cultivation would cause chaos, at most, it would lead to small-scale conflicts, and the overall situation would still be under the control of the Imperial Court of the great Zhou. Because for several hundred years, bound by the heavens and earth, it would be difficult for a Golden Elixir True Monarch to appear! It might be possible for Foundation Establishment True Persons to exist, but with the avability of artifact refining materials, the weapons of the Imperial Court were also rapidly bing more powerful. Without the emergence of a Golden Elixir True Monarch, chaos would not befall the great Zhou! "A Golden Core after a thousand years? If I can''t defeat it, can''t I oust it?" Zhou Yi''s cultivation technique and divine skills had already reached the limits of Golden Core; theoretically, he was invincible at his level, and his escape skill even surpassed that of a Nascent Soul ancestor. Safe and sound, everything else was just minor details. After chatting with Owner Xu, Zhou Yi returned to the pawnshop and leisurely browsed through novels. The hustle and bustle outside seemed unrted to him, the instigator; after all, it was only a matter of a p to settle it. As night fell. Zhou Yi opened an app and started scrolling through, spotting a pleasing youngdy, he bookmarked and followed her. Casually awarding her a few Royal Pces, he easily obtained the youngdy''s contact, noted her appearance, figure, and number for future reference to possibly visit and dispel evil. This was a new way of celebration that Zhou Yi had discovered, even more enjoyable than before, when Spring Breeze Building only had a few hundreddies; now, he could choose from thousands. "Even an emperor''s selection of consorts was no better than this!" "Which number shall I visit today?" "Number nine says she offers a discount, number seventeen is the most appealing, number thirty-two is proficient in music... number ny-eight is rumored to have cultivated mana, with her price inted a hundredfold..." Just at that moment. Two figures walked in, it was Xiao Ran and Li Chao, alreadyining at the door. "True Monarch, you have deceived me so badly!" Zhou Yi, feigning ignorance while fully aware, said, "I have never deceived anyone. The deals are always voluntary, so how have I cheated you?" "Those antiques, whose authenticity is unknown, they should be ancient magic artifacts, right?" Xiao Ran said with a bitter expression, "These days I haven''t dared to go home; my senior brothers and sisters are blocking my door, demanding that I return the items." "The deal is done." Zhou Yi scanned with his divine sense and said in surprise, "Qi Refinement fourthyer, how did you break through?" Xiao Ran said proudly, "A few days ago, some ghostly entities caused trouble. Ah Chao and I went to capture them, and we found a Yin Spirit Ganoderma in the ce where the ghostly entities were hiding. After sharing and consuming it, we sessfully broke through." Li Chao added, "That Ganoderma grew in a bizarre way, almost like a little horse, with four legs and a long neck." "Innate Spirit Ginseng..." Zhou Yi sighed helplessly; he had traversed more than thirty Spirit Veins and hadn''t encountered any apanying Spiritual Objects. Yet these two caught a ghost and stumbled upon it casually. A millennium-old Spirit Ginseng could aid in Core Formation and was considered priceless in the Cultivation World. A Spirit Ginseng that apanied the Spirit Vein, once it reached a sufficient age, could even be useful for condensing the Nascent Soul. "Did you twoe here to brag?" "Of course not." Xiao Ran exined, "We obtained an object at that Spirit Vein location and hope you could identify it for us." Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow, "Your master has an extraordinary background, why bother looking for a poor Daoist like me?" Xiao Ran chuckled, "The master is too upied with important affairs, so I wouldn''t disturb his reverence." Li Chao, on the other hand, was much more direct, "We trust the True Monarch even more!" "Bring it out then." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Zhou Yi didn''t know whether to be happy or sad. The Yuan Ling''s avatar acted decisively and ruthlessly, constantly disying a powerful Mana presence, causing even his direct disciples to not trust him. Moreover, the rebirth of a monster of a thousand years made it hard not to be cautious! Yet, there was another benefit, no one would suspect that Yuan Ling was an incarnation of Zhou Yi. Xiao Ran performed a spell, and the door to the shop closed without any wind, and he pulled out a palm-sized fan from his bosom. The fan was made of banana leaves, fiery red in color! Zhou Yi''s eyes widened as he waved his hand to attract the fan over, his Divine Sense sweeping inside and out, indeed it was that Supreme Treasure from years ago. When Xuan Xiao Daojun''s life ended, he was buried at Divine Fire Peak. Hundreds of yearster, Zhou Yi visited the grave to pay respects and burn joss paper. With the intention of protecting the Sect''s Supreme Treasure from falling into the mundane world, he entered the tomb and searched repeatedly. The Divine Fire Fan was nowhere to be seen! "Where did this objecte from?" Xiao Ran said, "Not far from where that ghostly entity hid, there was a nameless solitary grave, and this was the only burial object." "Could it be destiny..." Zhou Yi looked deep into Xiao Ran''s eyes, gave the Divine Fire Fan back, and said, "This treasure is called the Divine Fire Fan, the legendary Sect''s Supreme Treasure. It once dominated the Nine Continents uncontested; you should cultivate it with care and not let it down!" Xiao Ran solemnly received the Divine Fire Fan and took out a half piece of Yin Spirit Ganoderma from his bosom, "True Monarch, this is what Li Chao and I left after eating, please don''t disdain it!" Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense swept over the Yin Spirit Ganoderma. It was infused with extremely pure Yin energy, fundamentally different from the Spiritual Medicine grown in Kunlun Cave Heaven. In this age of declining magic, there were no seeds of Yin Ganoderma left in the world. The Spirit Vein had spontaneously produced this mystical item, whose origin was as magical as its effects, enabling Xiao Ran to break through the shackles of heaven and earth. "Of course I wouldn''t disdain it!" He swiftly stored the Yin Ganoderma in his sleeve, urging his Spirit Ginseng child to take good care of it. After a moment of searching, he took out two top-level Magic Artifacts. A knife and a sword. "These are minor things crafted by this poor Daoist, for you both to defend yourselves." Xiao Ran and Li Chao received the Magic Artifacts and felt their terrifying power, so they quickly bowed deeply and gave thanks, "Thank you, True Monarch!" "Eh?" Zhou Yi suddenly felt something, he looked up in the direction of the pce, his Divine Sense spreading out and discovered that a ceremony was being held. Emperor Mingxiang put on the attire ofmoners from the great Zhou era, holding a translucent reddish tiger tooth, ced it in the center of the Golden Register Array, bowed thrice and worshipped nine times, chanting continuously. "This poor Daoist has matters to attend to and won''t entertain you two any longer!" ... The Imperial Pce. Kunlun Pce. Built by the Martial Emperor six hundred years ago, it was said to have been constructed ording to the standards of Kunlun, with jade stones and emeralds carving out remarkable flowers and unique nts. Now, it''s a holy site for tourists in great Zhou, who, having bought tickets to the pce, need to pay extra if they wish to enter Kunlun Pce. At this moment. Sixteen people stood behind Emperor Mingxiang, in ordance with records of the Red Alliance, a total of seventeen people entered the Kunlun Wondend. Wei Zheng had stolen the tiger tooth a month ago. For the seventeen spots, three parties had open and secret power struggles. In the end, the Red Alliance and the New Party got seven spots each, with the Royal Family getting only three. Emperor Mingxiang, aware of the Royal Family''s decline, did not struggle vehemently. Instead, he exchanged his efforts for the role of the chief officiant. The Red Alliance unfolds the original Datong Book, Emperor Mingxiang ces the tiger tooth at the center of the array, and takes out the letter from Ancestor Zhou, bowing three times and kneeling nine times in worship. "Unworthy descendants of the Zhu family, kneeling to request an audience with the celestial countenance!" As the voice dropped. The tiger tooth disappeared, and the array burst into dazzling spiritual light, forming a five-colored portal in the sky. Chapter 262 Chapter 242 Night Parade of One Hundred Demons 262 Chapter 242 Night Parade of One Hundred Demons Kunlun Cave Heaven. The weather was gentle and the skies were clear. With the back against a massive tree, Spirit Ginseng Child''s eyes were bright red as the small hands typed like phantoms. "Assist, save me!" "You useless piece of @£¤#%!*&..." Two months after seeing off eighteen ghost cultivators, no one else helped the Spirit Ginseng Child with leveling up; consequently, the Honorable Sovereign soon plummeted to the golden ranks. With its nimble fingers, it made the teammates so angry they quit the game, only then did it feel truly content. "If I can''t win it''s all because the team members are going AFK!" Just as Spirit Ginseng Child was about to start the next game, a bright light shone nearby, from which more than a dozen figures emerged. That was followed by routine admiration and shock. The spiritual energy within the cave heaven was enough to cultivate to the peak of Golden Core, a thousand times more potent than in the mundane world, making it a true Immortal Realm in their eyes. "Ahem!" A voice resembling that of Zhou Yi reached the Child''s ears. With a flick of the hand, the mobile phone was stowed away, another wave and the spiritual energy flowed around, transforming the Child from an inte-addicted teen to an attendant under the seat of an immortal. "This is a sacred ce of the immortals; keep your voices down!" The sound thundered into everyone''s ears. They promptly bowed deeply to pay their respects to the great immortal. Spirit Ginseng Child''s gaze fell upon Emperor Mingxiang, and said, "There is a familiar aura about you, does your ancestry include someone who had once cultivated in Kunlun?" "Replying to the Immortal Master, my humble ancestor Zhu Kang, indeed once studied arts in Kunlun." Emperor Mingxiang knelt on the ground, holding high a letter, "Before my ancestor passed away, he left a letter stating that if his descendants were to possess an immortal fate, it must be handed to the great immortal." The Spirit Ginseng Child drew the letter towards itself, made a spell gesture, and the letter vanished. "The great immortal is in seclusion; I have already delivered the letter to him. Whether or not he will meet with you all requires a short wait." The seven from Red Alliance showed significant changes in expression; they had seen their ancestor''s notes. Back then, the great immortal was already in seclusion, and even after more than two hundred years, he still had not emerged, truly befitting his legendary status. After a moment. The door of the Daoist temple opened without any wind, and a gentle voice came forth. "Come inside to talk." With great joy, everyone thanked and bowed before following the Spirit Ginseng Child into the Daoist temple. The temple was simple and ancient in its design, indistinguishable from Kunlun Pce. It seemed that Martial Emperor had indeed cultivated in Kunlun. The main hall. Zhou Yi sat cross-legged, his gazending on Emperor Mingxiang, praising him. "Zhu Kang has done very well!" "Thank the great immortal." With humility and fear, Emperor Mingxiang was only addressed about his great ancestor and based on the usual practice of criticism following praise, it seemed likely a "but" was forting. Zhou Yi looked at the members of Red Alliance and said, "The Red Alliance has also done well." "Thank the great immortal." The Red Alliance members were genuinely terrified. Reflecting on the past, their forebears'' revolution was iplete, and they were likely to be recorded aspromisers in history books centuriester. Members of the newly-formed party, kneeling at the back, dared not lift their heads; they were once opponents of the immortal''s disciples. Zhou Yi shook his head and refrained from furtherment. Compromise is the inevitable end of all struggles. Considering the many formidable enemies the Red Alliance faced at the time, and their own inadequate foundation, their sess was tremendously difficult. "Your purpose here has already been divined by me." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Zhou Yi said, "All of you possess Spirit Roots. Cultivating in Kunlun for a year is enough to maintain the stability of the Imperial Court, but..." His words caused everyone''s faces to drastically change as they held their breath, waiting for the immortal''s next words. "I have also divined that a cmity will befall the Mortal World, known as ''The Night of a Hundred Ghosts.'' As heaven and earth revitalize to a certain point, the Yin and Yang energies manifest, spawning countless ghostly entities that will harm all living beings." "One of you must leave Kunlun to spread this word for early preparations!" Zhou Yi scanned the crowd, and everyone''s gaze darted about, hesitant to give up such a rare opportunity for immortal fate. After pondering for a moment, Emperor Mingxiang said, "Great immortal, I am willing to go. My ancestor left his will stating that the Zhu family are servants and followers of the great immortal, bound to undertake any orders even at the cost of our lives." "Very good, I grant you a scroll of Cultivation Technique!" Zhou Yi nodded slightly, and with a wave of his hand, Emperor Mingxiang vanished. "You may go to the Scripture Pavilion to select cultivation techniques, and if you have any doubts in your cultivation, ask the child. After one year, leave on your own." With that, he vanished from view. ... Several dayster. The National Dynasty called back retired soldiers, conducted inspections across the nation, and imposed military control over key cities. Emperor Mingxiang gave a televised speech, detailing his journey to the Kunlun Wondend and dering that the Imperial Court had received the support of immortals. During his speech, he subtly revealed the immortals'' appraisal of Ancestor Zhou, significantly boosting the prestige of the Imperial n within the National Dynasty. "The immortals have proimed that a ghost cmity is imminent in the Mortal World, and I would rather forsake the chance for immortality to return to the Mortal World. I believe that our well-prepared Imperial Court will surely ensure the safety of the people of our great Zhou..." Emperor Mingxiang''s speech was, of course, edited word for word by others. The section about the cmity of the night of a hundred ghosts caused the cab to debate for a month before deciding to make it public. As expected, once the news spread, it immediately caused quite a stir. Fortunately, the Imperial Court was well prepared and treated it as a rehearsal for the ghost cmity. Anyone who tried to create chaos during this time was executed on the spot to prevent them from causing greater disruptions during the night of a hundred ghosts. The unrest was quickly suppressed, and during this period, the army killed quite a number of cultivators. Power hade too easily and status had risen too quickly, so it was inevitable that some cultivators believed they were chosen by destiny, using the cmity as an excuse to challenge the Imperial Court''s authority. As a result, they were torn to shreds by bullets amid the roar of modern weapons! Starting from Xianjing, Emperor Mingxiang visited each city in turn, delivering speeches to calm the people''s fears. With both physical and psychological guidance, the people of the National Dynasty soon faced the cmity withposure, swearing under the guidance of the Imperial Court to fight to the end against the malevolent spirits and ghosts, and for the prosperity of humanity! Meanwhile. The official website of the Outer Sect of Qi Zong issued a sect master order, with all disciples preparing for war and supporting the Imperial Court in protecting humanity. With thebined efforts of the Imperial Court, Imperial n, and sects, the situation in Cloud Continent stabilized. However, when the news reached the other continents, chaos ensued once again. That day. Ningde Fang was unusually lively. In the center of Top Schr Street stood a new machine, shaped like a security gate. Cultivators from the Investigation Bureau were responsible for activating and operating it, and the entire Patrol House went out to knock on doors, calling on households ording to their household registrations. Anyone who wasn''t a local had to clearly mark their destination and be inspected by the local Investigation Bureau. Those who resisted were dealt with by the Imperial Court: the light punishment was arrest, and the severe punishment was execution. All people were lined up in a long queue, walking one by one through the security gate. Ny-nine percent of people triggered no reaction, but a very few caused the machine rm to sound, emitting a "beep beep beep." "Name? Address? Cultivation Technique? Cultivation level..." A series of registrations followed, and then a person would try to persuade them toply with the Imperial Court''s arrangements to defend their sector, offering power, money, and status ¡ª all one had to do was catch ghosts. Cultivators tend to be self-centered and are unenthusiastic about obeying orders from the Imperial Court. However, cultivators also have parents and rtives, who need power and status and would naturally help persuade them on behalf of the Imperial Court. At the end of the line. Zhou Yi was chatting with some acquaintances, a group of people without Spirit Roots, indifferent to the bustling world of cultivation and questioning since it had nothing to do with them. "Hey! Half a year ago, we thought that the future belonged to the sects and that the Imperial Court would have to obediently follow orders. Who would have thought that they would gain the support of Kunlun?" "This is only temporary. The immortals of Kunlun rarely concern themselves with worldly affairs. After the ghost cmity is over, the sects will still call the shots!" "Old Xu makes sense. Guns may threaten cultivators now, but once our strength grows, who will listen to the orders of the mere mortals in the cab?" "Who knows, maybe in the future if you don''t cultivate, you can''t even enter the cab..." Zhou Yi listened with his hands in his pockets. No matter if it''s Blue Star or Nine Continents, themon folk love to discuss the affairs of the National Dynasty. He couldn''t help but speak up and ask. "Do you think we can survive the ghost cmity?" "Of course we can. The immortals of Kunlun are watching over us from above, and we have ancient ancestors guarding us from below. Those mere ghostly entities don''t stand a chance!" Hearing this, Zhou Yi''s smile broadened. "I haven''t been working in vain!" "After the ghost cmity is over, I''ll set out to sea to y that twin-winged tiger cub. Yuan Ling''s territory should also be almost ready to break through, and then I''ll unite it with Kunlun to form a single realm. Three joys wille all at once!" "When I return, the Nine Continents will indeed be a world where the way of immortals prospers!" Chapter 263 Chapter 243: The Banner of Ten Thousand Souls 263 Chapter 243: The Banner of Ten Thousand Souls The National Dynasty implemented Spirit Root testing, and the process was very smooth. All registered citizens were screened, and the Imperial Court had a clear grasp of how many cultivators there were in the National Dynasty. After all, Spirit Roots are not codes that you can just distribute whenever you wish! All cultivators were assigned positions, and these were not just nominal ranks but actual posts as members of local branches of the Investigation Bureau, wielding astonishing authority when handling ghostly entity cases. No one in the world can refuse power, especially since modern cultivation techniques can be somewhat overzealous. Since cultivators do not study Buddhist or Daoist scriptures, their strength grows rapidly but without the corresponding state of mind, making them more susceptible to worldly temptations. Most cultivators epted the control of the Imperial Court, grudgingly ssified as contributing to the fight against the ghost crisis, while the small remainder found it difficult to stand alone and had no choice but join the majority. The few ascetics who cared little for the mundane world dug into the mountains and never came out again. The Imperial Court did not force the issue, for there are no politicians more skilled at taming human nature than those who shepherd people. For example, they stood at the moral high ground of salvation, with an approach both mild and friendly. Cultivators are people too! At the same time, the Imperial Court was also looking to the future and promulgated newws. Newborns must undergo Spirit Root testing, and if they had a Spirit Root, the Imperial Court would fully provide for them, disbursing nourishment funds ording to the quality of the Spirit Root, with higher-tier Spirit Roots earning more than the wages of the parents. Once the news was out, everyone on social media was announcing their second or third child, with no need for the Imperial Court to urge or persuade them. With the emergence of the cultivators from Kunlun Cave Heaven, all of whom were top-notch in their era, the rule of the Imperial Court became even more stable. Two yearster. The National Dynasty was still the same, but Xianjing now held a different significance. On the streets of the capital, it wasmon to see cultivators flying. At first, this caused quite a stir, butter it became normal. Many people online joked that this was the legendary Heavenly Court reflected on Earth. On this clear morning, At Top Schr Street, There was a pawn shop. Zhou Yi finished his cultivation and emerged from the cave heaven, routinely expending five hundred years of lifespan for divination. The spiritual token fell to the ground. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Top sign! "Hmm?" Zhou Yi raised his eyebrows, "The day has finallye!" No one knew the exact time of the ghostly apparitions'' night march, and such a celestial change leading to a cmity across the Nine Continents was beyond Zhou Yi''s power to divine. So he changed his approach, divining not the disaster itself but the best time for Artifact Refining. The Ghost King Sect possessed a top-tier artifact called the Myriad Souls Banner, which required at least ten thousand fierce souls and malevolent ghosts to refine. Zhou Yi had already prepared the banner fabric; he divined daily whether it was a suitable day for refining the artifact, and today''s top sign indicated that the heavenly timing was right, thus deducing that the night march of a hundred ghosts would soon arrive. This method of divination was akin to exploiting a loophole from the heavens. Human efforts can''tpete with fate; when you exploit a loophole from the heavens, the heavensy a trap for you in advance. "Time to send out a message for a heads-up." With a thought, Zhou Yi''s Yuan Ling avatar immediately instructed his subordinates to send a pop-up notification through the Qi Sect''s external branch software. ¡ª¡ªGhastly apparitions are about, do not venture out after dark! The Qi Sect''s external branch software had a hundred billion users, iming to be thergest gathering ce for cultivators in the Nine Continents, even though ny-nine percent were non-Spirit Rootmoners. Therefore, once the message was sent out, its impact was not limited to the National Dynasty; the other eight continents also received the warning. In no time, it topped the trending searches on all social media tforms; after all, Heavenly Monarch Yuanling, aside from being a Kunlun immortal, was the most powerful cultivator of the time, and his video lectures on practices would always spark a viewing frenzy. Open any app or browser, and you''ll find the trending lists to be identical. The Imperial Court''s Eight Methods to Subdue Ghosts, pinned at the top. Do not go out after dark, trending! The ghosts areing, hot! The night march of the ghosts, hot! Qi Sect, popr... "With this atmosphere built up, the night march of the ghosts couldn''t not happen!" Zhou Yi opened Cloud Chat, and all the chat groups were talking about it, with some people even nning to team up for ghost hunting because the Imperial Court had long distributed electric guns that did massive damage to ghostly entities. Many friends invited Zhou Yi to face tribtion together, such as number eight, number eighteen, number eighty-eight... He replied one by one, declining and agreeing to celebrate after the tribtion. "When I exorcise spirits on normal days, I always leave behind some talismans," he said. "They may not be very effective, but at least they can ensure that ghostly entities dare not approach. When golden wind and jade dew meet, that''s fate!" Zhou Yi put away his phone, and in a sh, he turned into two figures¡ªone continuing to watch over the shop with a split of his mana. The original turned into an old Daoist with a wide forehead and long beard, holding a Myriad Souls Banner with a purple face and a green pole, below which was a yellow ox formed from conjured mana. He soared into the sky, hiding in the air waiting for the right moment. Zhou Yi looked down at the capital city, where rows of armed soldiers patrolled in neat steps. The citizens had already arrived at designated spots in their respective marketces ording to prior rehearsal. With many people gathered, the strong yang energy prevented ghostly entities from approaching, and everyone held special electric guns issued by the Imperial Court, ready for battle. Time passed, second by second. Dusk fell. All of a sudden, Zhou Yi opened his eyes wide and keenly sensed the changes in heaven and earth, noticing that the yang energy was decreasing while the yin energy was rising. "The transition from day to night is the natural cycle of yin and yang, but today''s yin energy is too dense. Not only those who died with grievances, even the aimless residual souls and wandering spirits will catalyze into ghostly entities..." Residual souls rarely remember their past lives, and after bing ghostly entities, they instinctively absorb yang energy and devour Qi-Blood. It was past midnight. The yin energy had be so tangible that it enveloped the atmosphere like mist, and when he looked up at the moon, it was eerily clear and visible. In the mist, silhouettes emerged out of thin air, floating aimlessly about. Looking closely, they were various kinds of iplete spirits, continuously transforming as they absorbed the mist. Those missing arms and legs grew sharp ws, the drowned spewed water from the Yellow Springs, those who died in fire spat phosphorous fire... Weird and innumerable. What they all had inmon were their crimson eyes, emaciated frames, as if they had been starving for hundreds of years, drooling ck saliva at the scent of a living person''s breath. Boom, boom, boom... Before the ghostly entities could continue to evolve, the military had already initiated annihtion. The art of Artifact Refining from the path of immortality had solved the material problem, and many weapons that were previously only concepts had now been equipped within the military. For example, a vehicle on the street that looked like a tank had a barrel at least as thick as two people could embrace. What it fired was not bombs, but bucket-thick arcs of lightning. The Lightning Method has long been the bane of ghostly entities! As the barrel rotated from side to side, the lightning left nothing but emptiness in its wake, obliterating evil spirits and fierce ghosts. "Changing to the Lightning Method''s power, that''s almost equivalent to a Foundation Establishment real person. The only w is theck of agility..." Zhou Yi had not finished speaking when he heard the buzzing of propellers. Drones flew over the city like a swarm of bees, ignorant to any Illusion Technique influence from the ghostly entities, carrying out a carpet-style electric arc exorcism. "Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One!" "Don''t destroy my Artifact Refining materials!" Zhou Yi hastily waved the Myriad Souls Banner, casting a vast purple aura over the capital, swallowing all the spirits and ghosts. Zhou Yi checked his phone to find that the top trending topic had changed. The ghost cmity is nothing more than this. Explosive! With each transition of eras in the Nine Continents and the rise and fall of Spiritual Energy tides, there have always been night marches of a hundred ghosts, but never has it been so easy as today. Fortunately, evil spirits and fierce ghosts can be regenerated, or else some experts and beasts would certainly start preventing the military from carrying out genocidal strikes! Of course, casualties were inevitable. As the number of people killed by fierce ghosts exceeded one hundred thousand, the tragic extinction of the Ghost Monsters reached the inte, and no one pitied the ghostly entities anymore. As Zhou Yi rode the beam of light and flew past cities, he waved the Myriad Souls Banner, sweeping clean the ghostly entities. At the same time, he kept an eye on news on the. Wherever Ghost Monsters appeared, he would immediately go to deal with them to prevent greater chaos. Several dayster. The Myriad Souls Banner was refined to greatpletion. Since he had refined only evil spirits and fierce ghosts, without using the souls of the living to pad the numbers, its power ended up being a bit stronger than recorded in the annals. With a slight flick, a hundred miles around became a Yin Sha Forbidden Land, and tens of thousands of ghostly entities devoured the enemies clean. "No wonder the path of devilry is hard to extinguish. One doesn''t need to search for any rare Spiritual Objects to refine a top-tier magical weapon!" Zhou Yi tossed the Myriad Souls Banner into Kunlun Cave Heaven, nting it at the entrance of the Daoist temple like a g. Now that he had three Sect-Defending magical treasures, there was no need to use this demon treasure anymore. Inbat, one would naturally hurl the most powerful treasures, why bother using an inferior one for a test? The night march of a hundred ghosts passed safely, andrge-scale gatherings would be difficult toe by in the future. Now it was up to the Imperial Court to search for the remaining ghostly entities. With this matter concluded, Zhou Yi celebrated for a month, then closed his doors, locked up, and flew towards the deep waters of the Eastern Sea. Chapter 264 Chapter 245: Ferocious Beasts Besiege the City 264 Chapter 245: Ferocious Beasts Besiege the City Experiment Lab Zero. Other realms'' hundred ghosts, at least thrice resembling humans. Those who died from the Experiment Zero Elixir, in life bore suffering a thousandfold, dying amidst vein mutations spurred by Yin energy, the spliced resultpletely monstrous. With a hundred hands and a thousand eyes, dark clouds boiled and churned. Fortunately, the Imperial Court had anticipated this, heavily guarding withyers of soldiers, who after days of fierce fighting exterminated the demons. The demon looked terrifying, like an Evil God from ancient myth, but was in fact also limited by heaven and earth, its mana merely at the third or fourth level of Qi Refinement. Technological weapons matched the might of Foundation Establishment Lightning Methods, allowing Zhou to easily ovee the ghost cmity, while also increasing the Imperial Court''s trust in technology, after all, easier to control than cultivators. A powerful cultivator might harbor rebellious thoughts, but powerful technology would stabilize rule. Thus, investment in talent and funds intensified, even Imperial Court cultivators bing test subjects. The sess rate and manufacturing process of the Experiment Zero Elixir improved significantly, theoretically Qi Refinement Realm cultivators or Martial Arts Grandmasters had a fifty percent chance of sess post-consumption. Sess meant a tremendous increase in strength, failure meant death and Dao destruction! "Continue the deep research of the Experiment Zero Elixir, and on this basis, develop the Experiment One Elixir, for future preparation..." With national support, technology advanced by leaps and bounds. Twenty years passed in the blink of an eye. Year 375 of the Great Zhou Dynasty. Winter. Experiment Lab Zero was a hive of excitement. "We finally seeded!" Professor Hong, benefiting from the Elixir, remained vigorous despite being over a century old, excitedly gazing at the test subject within the ss chamber. The monkey with aquamarine-gold fur slept quietly, over two meters tall with muscles coiled like dragons harboring terrifying strength. Its one peculiar feature was having six ears. "Test Subject 1827 is truly exceptional, surviving nine doses of the Experiment Zero Elixir without dying, and sessfully consuming the Experiment One Elixir, a one in a million probability..." People surrounded the experimental tform, any one of them a top biological expert, among them also Qi Refinement tier three cultivators. Cultivators were not just fearsomely powerful, their spirit far surpassed ordinary people, easily bing elites in any field. The crowd was busy sucking up to Professor Hong, addressing him with high respect as ''Prince Hong'', ''Elder Hong'', and so on. With the continuous promotion of the Experiment Zero Elixir, favored by both the cab and Royal Family, his status was extraordinary. At that moment. The sleeping test subject suddenly opened its eyes, shooting out divine light, sting two holes in the ss chamber. The chamber, though modified, as hard as a Magic Artifact and inscribed with restrictions, was imed to withstand missile bombardment. The color drained from people''s faces, just as they were about to send an rm, ayer of pitch-ck demonic aura enveloped the surroundings. The test subject easily snapped the shackles, removed the various tubes from its body, and lifted the cover of the chamber to stand. "You... er, call me Six Ears!" Having never spoken humannguage before, Six Ears'' voice sounded strange, pausing briefly before speaking again, bing significantly more urate. "Thank you for awakening me." Stimting the bloodline of his demon race fostered sapience, akin to awakening the mystery within the womb. "I now have a small request, that is, please leave with me to develop even more powerful elixirs..." As Six Ears'' voice trailed off, he turned to look at one of the experts, baring teeth and grinning, "Your body carries the scent of mana, you must be a cultivator from the human race. ording to the inherited memories, the taste of flesh is most splendid!" As soon as the words were out, he swallowed that person whole, chewing a few times with crunching sounds before swallowing. "The taste is indeed exquisite, whoever else attemptsmunication, their fate will be as such!" Six Ears'' gaze swept over everyone, finally resting on Professor Hong, "Professor, I''ve studied in theb for over twenty years, I am arguably your best student!" Professor Hong coldly appraised Six Ears, his expression a mix of shock, regret, and various other emotions, extending his hand toward the red button on the experiment chamber. Swoosh! Six Ears opened his mouth and swallowed Professor Hong whole, cackling a few times before saying. "I have an intimate disciple-master rtionship with the Professor, our bond deeper than blood, now merged as one, even closer! All of you could consider me a disciple, who else wishes for closeness?" Liu Er opened his mouth and devoured the four, integrating their souls, flesh, and blood into his body; his mind filled with countless memories, and his eyes became increasingly perceptive. "Eating humans can increase intelligence, what a great discovery!" Having said that, he transformed into a pitch-ck demon wind, sweeping up the remaining experts and vanishing into the ground. A momentter. The rm bells rang out. ... Twenty yearster. Qiong Continent. After the resurgence of Spiritual Energy, the vegetation andndscape began to recover. Oases continuously expanded, the poption gradually prospered, yet there was no progress in technology whatsoever. Unlike the great Zhou, the Imperial Court relied on weaponry to suppress all directions; it was only after the Night Parade of One Hundred Ghosts that cultivators became the rulers of tribes. Cultivators disfavor technology and weapons because during the Qi Refinement Realm, it''s difficult to withstand heavy firepower. The difference from ancient times was that civilian technology such as electric lights and automobiles had already been widely adopted in Qiong Continent, as cultivators easily broke through the technology blockade of the great Zhou. Themon people were very satisfied with this and resolutely supported the rule of cultivators. Green Ghost City. It had evolved from a tribe into a city, with a poption of over two hundred thousand people, and several towns under its jurisdiction. The tribe had been incredibly lucky back then, having produced an Exotic Spirit Root, and thanks to its adjacency to a Spirit Vein, had quickly attained top contemporary skills to be a famous registered disciple of a certain Qi Sect. That day. Dusk approached. There was a peaceful atmosphere in the city, with off-duty citizens strolling the streets. Meeting familiar faces, they greeted each other and discussed news and amusing events, inevitably talking about the Spirit Root and how someone''s young son was found to have one, earning a good sum of money as a reward. Spirit Roots had now be deeply ingrained in people''s hearts, possessing one equated to leaping across social sses! Because they urred randomly and were not influenced by privileges, the ordinary people had no objections whatsoever. All of a sudden. The ground trembled slightly, and a rumbling sound came forth. Some people fetched their telescopes and looked in the direction of the sound, only to see countless fierce beasts emerging from the mountains and forming a torrent rushing toward the city. There were creatures flying in the sky, running on the ground, and even a considerable number of fish equipped with sharp ws. The fastest of the flying beasts reached the vicinity of the city in a blink of an eye, letting out piercing shrieks and brazenly pouncing on the crowd. The nationwide cultivation movement had poprized martial arts, so among the crowd were numerous Martial Artists who attempted to fend off the beasts. Unfortunately, they were torn to shreds and became food for the creatures. "Run!" The crowd let out terrified screams, fleeing in all directions. The soldiers guarding the city took out their handguns to attack the beasts while quickly closing the city gates. A momentter. The beasts surged like a tide, easily breaking open the city gates and rampaging, ughtering the humans within. Atop the mountain. Liu Er, d in a whiteb coat, admired the ughter brought upon by the invading beasts, revealing a satisfied smile. Behind him stood a portly demon of the beast race, with a pig''s head and human body. Unlike those beasts that only knew destruction and ughter, it had awakened its bloodline inheritance after consuming the No. 0 Elixir. "Big brother, the cultivators in the city have already fled. The news of the beasts'' massacre will spread, and what will we do when the humanse to exterminate us?" "The other brothers have already taken the elixir form and are establishingbs everywhere to breed the beasts. As more demons are born, newbs will be established, and the number of beasts will increase geometrically!" Liu Er stroked the sses on the bridge of his nose with a schrly gesture. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Even if humans wipe you and me out, the future of the Nine Continents will inevitably belong to the beasts!" Chapter 265 Chapter 246: 500 Years Later 265 Chapter 246: 500 Years Later Eastern Sea. The depths. Waves vast and boundless. Nameless ind. Formation''s spiritual light twinkles, covered with countless thunders and zing fires. Roar! The sound of a tiger''s roar reverberates, a tiger-shaped Nascent Soul with wings on its back, dodging left and right amidst the thunder. "Senior, spare my life!" "This tiger is willing to be your mount, capable of flying and escaping without bounds." "This junior''s bloodline carries the inheritance of the ancients, aware of many closely guarded secrets, including the whereabouts of a Demon Saint..." The tiger demon looked outside the Formation, at the cultivator in ancient Taoist robe¡ªit was "Heavenly Monarch Yuanling" from its memories¡ªcontinuously pleading for mercy. "The whereabouts of the Demon Saint? Go on, speak." Zhou Yi''s gaze grew sharp, yet he did not stop the Formation and Prohibition, more interested in sending the tiger demon''s soul to its doom than exploring ancient secrets. After all, it was a Nascent Soul ancestor with ancient bloodline; who knows if it held any ace-in-the-hole secret techniques! After twenty years of secluded cultivation in the Eastern Sea, as usual, he practiced the cursing technique and broke the seal of the tiger teeth, freeing the Demon Emperor of the Winged-Tiger n from within. The Tiger Emperor hurriedly answered, "In ancient times, as the Spiritual Energy gradually depleted, my ancestor Demon Saint sought survival, venturing deep into Beihai to explore the edge of the sky, and ultimately found an Outer Realm Continent." Zhou Yi shook his head and said, "Even though the Demon Saint''s escaping speed might match returning to the void, even if I knew the route, it would be difficult to reach." While saying so outwardly, he took note of this information inwardly. Owning the Evesting Immortality and Kunlun Cave Heaven, with enough patience, he could eventually reach the Outer Realm. However, this news was of little use, as Zhou Yi''s interest in the Outer Realm was limited; the Nine Continents were much safer than any Outer Realm Continent. "This is just one thing." The Tiger Emperor said, "Senior can make a soul contract with me; I will have many more ancient secrets for you in the future!" The demon race integrates its inheritance into its bloodline, awakening the bloodline to obtain the memories of ancient demons, much more reliable than the oral transmissions or jade slip records of the human race. When speaking of this with Heavenly Monarch Yuanling in the past, it was said that in ancient times, some powerful beings attempted to imitate the demon race to ensure the unbroken lineage of the human race, but no one was willing to ept the inheritance mark. Even the most ordinary mortals suspected that the powerful ones intended to seize their bodies through this, to achieve a different form of Evesting Immortality! "Demons must be in!" Zhou Yi formed spell hand signs, the Supreme rity Divine Talisman shining with spiritual light, trapping the Tiger Emperor fixed within the Formation. The Tiger Emperor roared towards the heavens, realizing there was no escaping its soul scattering, pleadings suddenly turned into curses. Cultivators covetously seek longevity, willing to pay any price, yet they are truly not afraid of death. "You old furball, I''ll be waiting for you down below!" Three yearster. The Nascent Soul shattered, the soul scattered to the winds. Zhou Yi collected the left behind transparent tiger teeth, his Divine Sense scanning them, and inside was a space tens of zhang in radius. "Several old fellows'' self-sealing methods, the origins seem to stem from the same Divine Skills. It''s rumored once there was a great doctrine ruling the Nine Continents, with both human and demon races as its disciples, perhaps it''s from that time these secret techniques were passed down!" With a wave of his sleeve, he swept away all the Formation and Prohibition, his figure flickering and vanishing from sight. Kunlun Cave Heaven. The abundance of Spiritual Energy congeals into clouds and rain, nourishing the Spiritual Medicines in the spiritual fields. A thousand years have passed since the decline of thew; many precious Spiritual Medicines have matured, and refining them into pills has made Zhou Yi''s cultivation grow much faster than anticipated. Among them are some that enhance the consolidation of the Nascent Soul, and they would mature after a few hundred years. Zhou Yi materialized, seeing the Spirit Ginseng child sitting beneath a tree, listlessly yawning. Without awork in the deep Eastern Sea, the mobile phone became obsolete, only good for ying some single-yer games. The Spirit Ginseng child instantly lost its favorite hobby; ever since then, it has been drowsy day in and day out, seemingly uninterested in all the wonders of the world. "This is a heart demon. It must realize its own way out!" Zhou Yi never imagined that a mere mobile phone could spoil the Spirit Ginseng child''s immortal heart. Yet, putting himself in its ce, if there were no more celebrations in the world, he too would find the cultivation path tasteless. "Remember to take care of the spiritual fields. I am going into closed-door cultivation!" With thatmand, Zhou Yi retreated into the cultivation chamber of the Taoist temple. He took out the Treasure Bead from the storage bag, which was left behind after Yuan Ling died, containing a soul fragment diligently boring through. The Yi Qi Sect once ruled Yu Continent, their resources far surpassing those of the Dragon Emperor, hence the space inside the Treasure Bead was a thousand zhang in area, and its barriers even more robust. "My divine soul is several times stronger than it was back then. Based on the past twenty-odd years, it will approximately take three hundred years..." 10:32 Zhou Yi took out a tiger tooth and pinched a spell, splitting off another sliver of divine soul. ... Time flows gently. Within closed-door cultivation, there are no years. One year after another, gone in the blink of an eye. Zhou Yi only left his retreat once during that period, which was for his two-thousandth birthday, but he did not leave the Eastern Sea to celebrate. Instead, he spent the whole night alone on a deserted ind drinking Spiritual Wine. "Evesting Immortality is so solitary!" N?v(el)B\\jnn Afterward, he continued his deep cultivation until two hundred years passed, and the tiger tooth was the first to break through, transforming into a Cave Heaven. "Next step, shattering the tiger tooth within Kunlun to see if I can expand the Cave Heaven." Zhou Yi was not particrly confident about this, since there was no record of this in the Taoist canonical texts; he could only proceed through trial and experimentation. He exhaled the Light Dividing Sword, Bodhi Treasure Wheel, Mountain and River Cauldron, Supreme rity Divine Talisman¡ªfour treasures that had reached the pinnacle of magic artifacts, entering the tiger tooth and beginning to break apart from the inside. The power of the Soul-Calming Mirror had returned to its peak, but due to its intrinsic characteristics, its power increased at an extremely slow pace. "If this method doesn''t work, I''ll have toyer Cave Heavens one over another within Kunlun and seek a fusion methodter!" In Zhou Yi''s heart, there was no worry or concern; mana cycled through as he continued to cultivate the Too Mysterious Scripture, aiming for a breakthrough to theter stages of the Golden Core when he emerged from seclusion. Since then... Day after day of cultivation, divination, and speeding up the growth of the Jianmu tree. With the passage of hundreds of years, the Spirit Ginseng child finally managed to quit its inte addiction temporary, and after its Dao heart returned, it finally remembered that Zhou Yi had promised him a branch of the Jianmu tree long ago. "The Jianmu tree is already twenty zhang high, when will it start to fork?" "I do not know either, probably still needs several thousand years." Zhou Yi asked, "Child, do you have a lifespan limit?" "I should have one." The Spirit Ginseng child wrinkled its little face and said, "ording to the inherited memories, there was once a Spirit Ginseng that lived for one hundred thousand years and turned into a divine medicine, but instead of dying of old age, it was refined into a medicinal pill by a Divine Transformation Heavenly Monarch!" "The heavens are truly just, for having nearly endless longevity, practicing for one hundred thousand years but still no match for a Heavenly Monarch!" Zhou Yi felt a fair amount of sympathy in his heart, yet when he thought about himself, he felt his talents might not evenpare to the Spirit Ginseng child. "Lest I be a medicinal pill in the future, I must continue the arduous cultivation!" In the blink of an eye, another hundred years passed by. The Yuan Ling Treasure Pearl finally broke open, but Zhou Yi did not proceed with experiments, deciding to wait until the tiger tooth shattered. Time passed. In total, he had spent five hundred years in closed-door cultivation at the Eastern Sea. The tiger tooth finally could not withstand the grinding of the magic treasures and shattered from the inside out, turning into several pieces of translucent ss-like fragments. Hum! Kunlun Cave Heaven trembled slightly, the mist around the space beginning to extend outward, the area expanding to twice its original size. Zhou Yi''s face showed delight, as he used his mana to maintain the stability of thend within the Cave Heaven and pulled in several inds from outside to fill it up, reaching an area of over four hundred zhang. "It really worked, the Great Saint''s hardships were not in vain!" "Five hundred years have passed, I wonder what Nine Continents has be. The Yi Qi Sect''s official website had many Dual Cultivation secret techniques. Cultivators are hard to punish with modernws; maybe the Spring Breeze Building has continued on..." "With the Cave Heaven expanded, it''s time to celebrate!" Zhou Yi sent a message to the Spirit Ginseng child, stating they would return to the Nine Continents today. The Spirit Ginseng child''s face flushed with excitement as it pulled out a magic artifact resembling a cell phone from its sleeve, asking eagerly. "Immortal, do you think after five hundred years, ''Honor of Kings'' is still around?" Chapter 266 Chapter 246 Sea Monster 266 Chapter 246 Sea Monster "It should be gone by now, right?" Zhou Yi didn''t believe a game could be popr for five hundred years. Seeing the Spirit Ginseng doll''s spirits fall, he patted its leafy head and said. "With the glory of Nine Provinces gone, there will inevitably be other games. With the support of the Immortal Law for technology, its rapid development is certain¡ªfive hundred years is more than enough for game helmets to appear!" The Spirit Ginseng doll asked curiously, "What is a game helmet?" "It''s a device that allows you to enter the game directly with your mind, without needing a phone for control." After giving a simple exnation, Zhou Yiforted it, "Your low ranking in Glory isrgely due to hardware limitations. With direct mental gaming, you will surely beat all the other yers!" "Exactly, it must be so." The Spirit Ginseng doll urged him to hurry back to the Nine Provinces. Little did it know that no response could ever be faster than that of the sixth yer; they were always ready to ambush you in the most unexpected ces! Zhou Yi emerged into the outside world, with the Kunlun Cave Heaven now in hand. "One small step for the expansion of Cave Heaven, one giant leap for the dream!" Having verified the method of expanding the Kunlun Cave Heaven, he believed that one day it would expand to ten thousand miles in radius, perhaps even bing a world in its own right. The thought of one person controlling an entire world was somewhat exhrating! By then, Zhou Yi would have millions of workers at his disposal, and tasks like improving Cultivation Techniques would be effortless. The wisdom of the masses is infinite! "Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One! Back when I only introduced the steam engine, it sparked countless technological advancements, and Cloud Continent entered modernity. Perhaps one day, by spreading teachings within the Cave Heaven, even a single Qi Refinement scroll could evolve into Immortal Law!" Zhou Yi, with a joyous expression, rode the escaping light towards the Nine Provinces. As he journeyed westward, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth grew increasingly rich, until he could glimpse thend¡ªthe energy was now dense enough to support Foundation Establishment. "Five hundred years have passed; I wonder how the One Qi Sect is doing? Foundation Establishment masters are now akin to humanoid mobile suits, surely they wouldn''t want to be governed by the Imperial Court. Could they have turned from subjects to masters..." Whoosh! As he pondered, a huge wave suddenly rose from the sea, and a strange serpent burst forth. The serpent, more than a dozen zhang in length, was covered with pitch-ck scales, sharp bone spurs adorned its body, eight tiger paws extended from its abdomen, and with a pair of fleshy wings on its back pping, it moved as fast as lightning. "What kind of monster is this?" Zhou Yi''s face showed confusion. It was natural for demonic races to be born with the revival of spiritual energy; however, he had never heard of this kind of creature. There were records of demonic races in the Wanjuan Daozang, which almost summarized all the bloodlines that appeared in the Nine Provinces, yet none matched this strange serpent. He casually waved his hand, and several bolts of lightning struck down, shattering the serpent''s flesh and blood, but it still knew no fear, fiercely attacking without regard for its own life. "A major demon without any spiritual intelligence?" Zhou Yi''s interest was piqued; he guessed that the revival of spiritual energy might have caused this change. He waved his hand to immobilize the serpent for a Soul Search. Pain, chaos, ughter, devouring... The serpent''s divine soul was weak, even weaker than that of an average human,pletelycking aplete demonic soul, only filled with tidal waves of negative emotions and numerous twisted and blurry memory fragments. "This is not a member of the demonic race!" Zhou Yi frowned slightly. Despite the deep enmity between the two races, he had to acknowledge that the demonic race cultivated Immortal Law as well. Immortal Law treasures life, with the ultimate goal being immortality. Such a chaotic divine soul was already cut off from the path. "What has happened in the Nine Provinces?" Zhou Yi looked toward the west, a sense of foreboding growing within him. He took out a talisman to perform a minor celestial divination technique. The Spirit Talismannded smoothly. Nothing happened, which was no different from the result of his divination in the morning. "There should be no life-threatening danger, but it''s still best to be cautious." Zhou Yi exhaled the Supreme rity Divine Talisman from his mouth, which suspended above his head, cast a divine light, and he vanished in an instant,pletely concealing his presence without leaking any trace of it. The escape light increased its speed, and as Zhou Yi approached the Nine Provinces Continent, he encountered various sea monsters. Each was misshapen and ugly, with almost no two alike; the one thing they had inmon was ack of spiritual intellect. The monsters roamed the seas, engaging in life-or-death battles on a whim. The victor, after devouring the corpse of the loser, grew even more formidable. One monthter. Zhou Yi finally caught sight of the Nine Provinces Continent. Now within the coastal waters, the sea monsters were densely packed, battling indiscriminately, their blood staining the seawater various hues. "Is this still the Nine Provinces?" Guided by his memory, he flew towards Binhai, a major city in the Great Zhou, where he once bought a house. Half a dayter. Upon careful identification, the ruins before him were the relics of Binhai. The once top-tier city with tens of millions of inhabitants had reverted to lush forests, with only a few broken walls buried under the vegetation, proof of its former renown. Zhou Yi''s face was ashen as his Divine Sense poured out, sweeping over Binhai. Roar! The stirring of relics awakened a monster in the forest, as a three-headed lion, with mes beneath its paws, soared into the sky. The lion quickly noticed Zhou Yi, and from its three heads came mes of different colors that merged together, suddenly increasing in ferocity. "An Innate Divine Ability of the demonic race?" Zhou Yi exhaled, extinguishing the mes, and gestured to draw the lion closer, simultaneously performing the Soul Searching Technique with all three heads. "The soul has grown much stronger, its crimson color affinity with fire spirit energy, yet the intellect is chaotic and disordered, still not of the orthodox demonic race!" The three-headed lion was just the beginning; the Binhai region was vast and home to many monsters. Their roars rose and fell, unable to locate the originator of their disturbance. The fury of being disturbed from resting had to be vented, so they turned on each other in a fierce battle. At that moment, Zhou Yi''s Divine Sense detected a bunker to the east of the Binhai ruins. The bunker was buried dozens of feet underground, separated from the surface byyers of concrete and steel. Inside, there were fully equipped living and nting areas, along with a vast arsenal of guns and ammunition. Regrettably, there were no signs of living humans, but several monsters lurked within. Zhou Yi could guess that the once human civilization must have been destroyed by these monsters, all of them incinerated to ashes with a wave of his hand. As his Divine Sense swept over the bunker, his figure shed to the room at the central area, arranged simrly to a warmand center. Inside the roomy several skeletons; their pistols were aimed at their own heads or hearts, as if they hadmitted suicide. Devices such asputers and screens were all utterly destroyed. Zhou Yi''s gaze fell upon a skeleton clutching a rolled-up paper book. He used his mana to bring it over and flip through it page by page. The contents resembled a diary. "The surge of fierce beasts originated from Qiong Continent?" "Qiong Continent was the first to fall, followed by the copse of Buddha Lands, Green State... The only ce capable of resisting the tide of fierce beasts is Cloud Continent..." "Great Zhou held out for over a hundred years, but as the sea filled with demonic beasts, we eventually could not withstand the endless tide of beasts, Binhai being thest coastal city!" As Zhou Yi read through the diary, he learned the identity of the person, Xu An, the general whomanded the defense of Binhai. The bunker had been established by Xu An, leading the military and civilians of Binhai as thest bastion against the tide of fierce beasts. The diary recorded that the Imperial Court once issued an order to recall Xu An, intending to abandon the Binhai frontline. Xu An refused in response, sending his young child on an airne before choosing to live and die with Binhai. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om In the final entry of the diary. [In the year 550 of Great Zhou, winter, the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month. Today is Little New Year, and I''ve lost count of how many years it''s been since we celebrated a festival. I ordered all the food to be taken out and distributed to the remaining soldiers and civilians. The outer perimeter of the bunker has already fallen, and it''s unlikely Binhai willst to see the new year. Before death, I wanted to give everyone a full meal.] Chapter 281 - 254: The Worship of the Human Race ``` "Congrattions, fellow Daoist!" ``` Xiao Hong hadn¡¯t witnessed the Heavenly Tribtion in person, yet he harbored no doubts, for Zhou Yi had be the first individual to demonstrate the Golden Core as a testament from heaven and earth. Zhou Yi reigned in his mana and swept the surroundings with his divine sense. The greatmotion had attracted many cultivators and martial artists from the nearby cities, and he dered loudly, "In a month, I will preach about the Dao at the Martial Arts University, and anyone is wee to listen!" The voice carried for miles, announcing to all around. Xiao Hong¡¯s face immediately broke into a smile, "Fellow Daoist, let¡¯s return to Xianjing first and prepare the True Monarch¡¯s ceremony as per ancient customs!" "There¡¯s no need for too much trouble, there is another matter at hand." Zhou Yi pointed to the ground and transmitted his message secretly, "During my tribtion, the Heavenly Thunder shattered the White Cloud Peak, and I discovered an ancient relic beneath it!" Xiao Hong¡¯s eyes shimmered with a golden light as he activated his bloodline divine skill, peering through a hundred zhang of earth. "Indeed!" "Let¡¯s explore a bit." With a wave of his hand, Zhou Yi threw out the Light Dividing Sword, creating an opening that reached the bottom of the earth. He transformed into a beam of light and entered. Xiao Hong hesitated for a moment, then with a shake of his body, he materialized the body of a white tiger and followed Zhou Yi down the hole to the Earth Fire Pce. The Earth Fire Pce covered a dozen or so li in area, with over a hundredrge and small pces. However, with their divine abilities, the two explored it in a moment¡¯s time. All other realms were empty, leaving only the Scripture Pavilion and the medicinal garden. The Scripture Pavilion held ancient methods which Zhou Yi collected into his storage bag toter catalog and add to the university library. The medicinal garden. There were many traces of formation and prohibition around, which had lost their efficacy over thousands of years. Xiao Hong stood at the edge of the field, continuously rubbing his eyes, his vision glowing as he repeatedly confirmed it wasn¡¯t an illusion array trap. "So many Spirit Ginsengs?" In the middle of the medicinal fields, dozens of thousand-year-old Spirit Ginsengs were growing like white radishes. Zhou Yi pointed to many withered nts, saying, "It seems other spiritual medicines have gone to seed and withered away. The Spirit Ginsengs have a very long medicinal age and low environmental demands, which is probably why they¡¯ve survived till now." "That makes sense." Still skeptical in his heart, Xiao Hong nevertheless urged Zhou Yi to hurry and excavate them. Zhou Yi asked, puzzled, "Don¡¯t you need them, fellow Daoist?" "Your new technique resembles that of the demon race, focusing on transforming your bloodline, so you have little need for medicinal pills," Xiao Hong said, "True Lord Tang could refine the Spirit Ginsengs into medicinal pills to greatly enhance his mana cultivation. With your talent, you could well be the legendary Nascent Soul Ancestor, and the Nine Continents would again be under human rule!" The power of the Golden Elixir True Monarch is strong, but it¡¯s still finite. When Nascent Soul Ancestors engage inbat, they effortlessly deploy magic divine abilities to annihte hundreds of li around them, a force not merely measured in numbers! "I will certainly strive hard in my cultivation." Zhou Yi swept all the Spirit Ginsengs into his storage bag. This harvest was truly self-produced and self-earned. He added, "My sect¡¯s legacy includes a form for the Foundation Establishment Pill, and the key ingredient is the thousand-year Spirit Ginseng..." "Really?" Xiao Hong¡¯s face lit up with delight and seeing Zhou Yi¡¯s confirming nod, he burst outughing with excitement. "If that¡¯s the case, the ancient cultivators are surely on the rise!" The human alliance had many cultivators who had achieved Great Perfection in Qi Refinement, but because the probability of self-achieved Foundation Establishment was too low, they were reluctant to stake their lives on it. The only thing theycked was the Foundation Establishment Pill. "It¡¯s not difficult to concoct Foundation Establishment Pills," Zhou Yi said, "the difficulty lies in how to distribute them." "Do you have an idea, fellow Daoist?" inquired Xiao Hong. "For every Foundation Establishment Pill exchanged, one must serve ten years on the frontlines after breaking through!" On his way back to Xianjing from the Eastern Sea, Zhou Yi had passed the human frontlines and found that despite being fortified with formations and prohibitions, few cultivators were stationed there. Later, while teaching at the Martial Arts University, he learned the reason. Since there were so few ancient cultivators in the alliance, most served in the rear, practicing the four arts of cultivation: Artifact Refining, Alchemy, Talisman Drawing, Formation Setting. Compared to martial artists, these were technical vocations, and it was a shame to lose their lives on the frontlines. Devices that scan ferocious beasts and ck boxes for themon folk to detect demonic energies were all developed and refined by ancient cultivators. Xiao Hong reminded him, "Cultivators are more effective in the rear than on the frontlines, the fighting should be left to the martial artists." "One cannot achieve the Golden Core through bitter cultivation alone." "You needn¡¯t worry too much, fellow Daoist," Zhou Yi said, "Foundation Establishment cultivators can already practice escape techniques. Escaping the battlefield is not difficult for them, and even if the defense line falls, they can still save their lives!" N?v(el)B\\jnn "Then let¡¯s follow what the True Monarch says." Xiao Hong bowed deeply, "The True Monarch is generous enough to forego the treasures of the relic to protect our race. I am ashamed I cannotpare!" "We shall leave this ce to the alliance¡¯s archaeologists, to rify the origins of the relic. It¡¯s right that we extol its name as humans inherit its legacy!" "It should be so." Having said that, the two rose into the air and flew towards Xianjing. That very day. The recently quiet Xianjing once again became an ocean of joy, celebrating the addition of another True Monarch to humanity. The second True Monarch with a different significance, indicating that Xiao Martial Saint was not an anomaly, predicting more powerful humans to emerge, heralding a prosperous future for humanity. Next was the newfound offensive capability. With one on the offense and one on the defense, it might be possible to reim lost human territories. The gossip in the streets shifted from Xiao Hong to Zhou Yi, embellished with tales of purple qi arriving from the east at birth, born with gold and jade, surrounded by celestial miasma, and with identities like the prodigy of a generation, reincarnated True Immortal and so on. The joy of themon folk was simple, freely specting about the great figures! Upon his just returned to Xianjing, Zhou Yi received a message from the higher echelons of the alliance, inviting him to the Eastern Pce¡¯s Court of Imperial Secretariats to discuss important matters. "The Court of Imperial Secretariats!" Zhou Yi nodded slightly, his expression inscrutable. "A return to familiar grounds..." After discussing the celebration and teaching arrangements with Xiao Hong, he transformed into a beam of light andnded directly outside the Court of Imperial Secretariats. Two six-foot-tall stone lions stood at the gates, weathered by twenty-five hundred years of sun and wind, their surfaces now smooth like jade. Their eyes were engraved with prohibitive inscriptions, radiating a fierce majesty. ``` Chapter 282 - 254 Humanity’s Offering_2 Zhou Yi formed a spell, bing invisible as he entered the highest power structure of the human race. Neither the overt nor covert sentries at the entrance, nor the detection spells, issued any warning. Upon entering, the first thing he saw was a screen wall made of bluestone, over two zhang in height, with a simple design and a surface carved with a pattern of ten thousand galloping horses. "I have long thought that as time passes, familiar faces would be everywhere, and now it seems about right!" Zhou Yi looked at the screen wall, focusing on a scar several feet long, and murmured to himself. "When the Duke¡¯s mansion was attacked that year, I secretly protected it, and this mark was left by a martial expert..." The current location of the Cab office was the former site of the Duke¡¯s mansion in Fengyang. In the past, the Imperial n of the Great Zhou announced their abdication and issued a decree to hand over the Duke¡¯s mansion to the Cab, using it as a foundation to transform into an office. The original Capital Magistrate¡¯s Office, the Military Department, the Six Ministries, and so on were all opened to the public as tourist attractions and have now been torn down and reced with air-raid shelters. Centuries have passed, and the Cab office has undergone several renovations, with few traces of the Duke¡¯s mansion left; pavilions and towers have mostly been builtter. Zhou Yi wandered around the yard before heading straight to the central hall, where he saw several Cab dignitaries engaged in conversation. After quietly listening for a while, he found their talk to be nothing but empty congrattions. Indeed, no one would speak their true mind in public! "I, Tang Xuan, have met theyman." Zhou Yi suddenly revealed his form and saluted everyone with his hands sped. The officials hastily stood up and returned the gesture with a bow, performing the extremely proper Taoist etiquette. The Grand Secretary, with a slight frown, said, "True Monarch, please take the seat of honor." Zhou Yi, without being ceremonious, seated himself at the top left side, opposite the Grand Secretary. "Has the Cab summoned me for any particrmand?" "Not at all." The Grand Secretary waved his hands, smiling as he said, "If it were in the past, the True Monarch would be a celestial being beyond the emperor¡¯s reach, let alone us mortals tomand." The Deputy Grand Secretary nodded, "We should be the ones visiting the True Monarch, fearing it might bring trouble, thus we trouble the True Monarch toe here¡­" "There¡¯s no need for such formalities, just speak directly." Zhou Yi would rather listen to music in a brothel than talk to people from the Imperial Court; going back and forth is less straightforward than simply performing a Soul Search. The Deputy Grand Secretary, with a smile still on his face, didn¡¯t mind being interrupted and continued, "With the True Monarch¡¯s temperament, I won¡¯t beat around the bush. Firstly, naturally, it is the honor and power that the True Monarch deserves." As he finished speaking, a secretary immediately passed over a stack of documents. Zhou Yi¡¯s divine sense swept over them, and he immediately understood their contents: the human alliance was inviting him to be a ceremonial offering. What followed were dozens upon dozens of ceremonial rights, which in essence could be said to be equivalent to thews of the alliance; even if a grave crime wasmitted, one would merely lose the ceremonial status. "The True Monk has no obligations to fulfill?" The Grand Secretary said, "The True Monarch agreeing to be a ceremonial offering, to suppress the fate of the human race, is already more than we can wish for; how could we dare to impose other obligations?" "I have no reason not to sign." Zhou Yi flipped to thest page, his fingertips sparkled with spiritual light as he casually signed the name Tang Xuan. The atmosphere in the hall instantly became joyous; even though no one thought Zhou Yi would refuse, they still dared not specte about the will of the True Monarch. Normally, the alliance would not show such reverence towards a Golden Elixir True Monarch, yet Xiao Hong¡¯s test data was a clear evidence. Saying he was a Land Immortal would not be an exaggeration; his power alone could overturn the entire Cab. "The other matter concerns an ancient cultivator with a Heavenly Spiritual Root..." The Grand Secretary said, "The alliance currently has six cultivators with the Heavenly Spiritual Root, without a mentor, relying solely on self-cultivation. We hope the True Monarch could give them some guidance, and in the future, they will surely treat you with the respect due a mentor!" Zhou Yi pondered briefly, then nodded, "First, let me see them." After a short while. Six beams of light descended into the hall,prising four men and two women, each with a vigorous bearing and a robust aura. The Heavenly Spiritual Root has unique advantages; not only is the speed of cultivation extremely fast, but there are also no bottlenecks before Core Formation, requiring no need for Foundation Establishment Pills to break through smoothly. "Their cultivation is all at the peak of Foundation Establishment, reaching the limit of spiritual energy." Zhou Yi¡¯s divine sense swept over them, instantly seeing through each of them, their mana, meridians, magic artifacts, and more leaving nothing hidden. Initially, the six of them had some pride, thinking the other was just lucky to have an early start; they subconsciously wanted to resist the invasion of divine sense, but in an instant, it felt as deep and unfathomable as a profound ocean. Shaken to their souls, they all nearly lost their footing and almost fell over. "Quite a few fine youngsters!" Zhou Yi nodded slightly, their insides as pure as their outsides, unsullied by any malevolent or sinister energy, each harboring an Ancient Treasure within their dantian. That these individuals had made such achievements was clearly not solely due to self-cultivation; the alliance must have expended an enormous amount of manpower and resources on them. The Grand Secretary candidly said, "Over the years, there have been more Heavenly Spiritual Roots than these six, but many proved disloyal and were not recorded into the alliance¡¯s training program." "The stronger one¡¯s power, the greater the potential threat!" Zhou Yi strongly agreed. The Cultivation World recruits sessors through multiple rounds of selection and observes them for over a decade before they endure various trials to finally be True Disciples. The Grand Secretary asked, "They all have top-notch talents and temperaments. Would the True Monarch be willing to take them as disciples?" "I am quite busy with preaching duties on normal days, and in theing days, I will attempt to refine Foundation Establishment Pills. Having six disciples is a bit too many..." Zhou Yi¡¯s gaze swept over and pointed to the youth on the far left, "What is your name?" Jin Jiuxiao bowed respectfully, "Reporting to the True Monarch, this junior¡¯s name is Jin Jiuxiao!" "I have a predestined connection with the Jin surname." Zhou Yi pped his hands and smiled, "Would you be willing to be my nominal disciple, and if you can achieve the Golden Core in the future, you could be called a True Disciple!" "Greetings, Master!" ... Qiong Continent. The birthce of fierce beasts, the sacrednd of the six-eared Demon Emperor. The current six-eared Demon Emperor is the third generation. Perhaps due to the influence of catalyst elixirs, the bloodline of the Demon n is not as pure, and their lifespans are much shorter than what¡¯s recorded in their ancestral memories. Demon Emperor Mountain. An eerie silence prevails, devoid of the usual roars of beasts. At the mountain¡¯s summitboratory, surrounded by the corpses of fierce beasts, fresh blood stained half of the mountain red. At this moment. The ground thunderously split open, and from it emerged two fierce beasts, each tens of feet thick and hundreds of feet long,prised entirely of fresh red flesh, like earthworms magnified by millions of times. The flesh writhed and, with a leap, lunged into the sky. "A Demon King? No, they possess merely flesh without spirit!" Ao Qin stood in midair, hands sped behind his back, watching coldly as the two fierce beasts pounced. Roar! The deafening roar of the beasts echoed, their mouths revealing dense teeth, like deep tunnels aiming to swallow Ao Qin whole. "Ignorant of your superior, you shall be executed!" Ao Qin reproached, his eyes shooting out a green divine light, easily slicing the beasts into four parts. The carcasses of the fierce beasts wriggled on the ground, healing visibly at their wounds, surprisingly transforming into four separate beasts, albeit with somewhat diminished strength. "Such strong vitality should rightfully belong to this king." Ao Qin¡¯s face showed a hint of joy as he formed a spell, green divine light enveloping the beasts. Overwhelming vitality surged out, coalescing into specks of green light that entered and merged with Ao Qin, making his aura increasingly unfathomable. At this time. A six-eared macaque walked out of theboratory, d in a dark blue robe, curiously remarking. "Could it be an ancient Demon Cultivator?" "This king of the Greenwave Pond is the third prince, hmm, now worthy of the title Greenwave Dragon King. If you have any more tricks up your sleeve, let them out without hesitation; don¡¯t say that I didn¡¯t give you a chance!" Ao Qin swept the macaque with his Divine Sense, its strength was but Foundation Establishment, not evenparable to those two earthworm-like fierce beasts. "The might of a Demon King is beyondparison for this junior." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The six-eared macaque bowed, pleading for mercy, "I am willing to hand over both theboratory and the throne of the Demon Emperor, hoping that the Dao friend would spare the lives of my n." "n?" Ao Qin¡¯s brow rose, puzzled. "You all stimte your bloodline with sorcery, born without father or mother, where do you have a n? Don¡¯t think of deceiving this king!" After emerging from seclusion in the Four Symbols Sanctuary, Ao Qin had wandered among the hundred thousand mountains for a year, ying several members of the Demon n to Soul Search and seize, and hade to understand a fair bit about new elixir technique. "That¡¯s amon new technique, involving only a transformation of the bloodline! The four Great Demon Emperors manage to sustain their lineage precisely because they discovered the secret of bloodline inheritance, refining the blood of their ancestors into an elixir and infusing it into ordinary macaques." The six-eared macaque exined, "The macaques that survive in this way are all of the six-eared n, naturally inheriting the memories of their ancestor¡¯s techniques, aiding them significantly in exploring the origins of their bloodline." Ao Qin¡¯s expression became one of fascination, pondering the many possibilities, whether his Azure Dragon bloodline could transform and produce more Azure Dragons. If those descendants contained the Azure Dragon bloodline, and he could separate the essence and consume it, perhaps it wouldpensate for his deficiencies. Having thought this, he waved his hand to capture the six-eared macaque in his w, directly performed a Soul Search to read the memory of the bloodline inheritance; indeed, as it said, the first generation of the six-eared Demon Emperor had split into a dozen six-eared macaques. After the second generation, there are now dozens of macaque demons in the six-eared n. Ao Qin tossed the six-eared macaque to the ground, its soul damaged, eyes idiotic and body convulsing. "Excellent, henceforth this king shall be the source for the dragon lineage!" Chapter 283 - 255: Demonic Clan’s Internal Strife Ao Qin took over theboratory and immediatelymanded the Six-Eared Demon n to start the mass production of the Dragon n¡¯s blood descendants. However, the very first step of the experiment encountered problems. Unlike monkeys that transform into demons, the mythical true dragons were believed to be born from the heaven and earth, so there were no ordinary beast specimens to use. Ao Qin didn¡¯t care about these issues and immediately chewed up several Six-Eared Monkeys. In his inherent understanding, other Demon ns were supposed to be servants to the Dragon n. Bloodline, distinguishing the nobility and lowliness of the Demon n! Under the pressure of life and death, the monkey demons had no choice but to first infuse Ao Qin¡¯s bloodline into snakes and fish. The records stated that snakes could transform into Jiaolong, and fish could leap over the Dragon Gate; perhaps their ancestors had some rtion to the Dragon n. After the fusion of the bloodlines, the effects were unexpectedly good. The snake dragons and fish dragons turned into fierce descendants of dragons, still with chaotic intelligence, but with the blood of the Azure Dragon now flowing in their bodies. Ao Qin swallowed several of the blood descendants whole, admiring the taste and then using the Secret Technique of the Demon Saint "Return to the Origin," which indeed began to replenish his iplete bloodline. "The effect is minuscule, but this method does not require fighting, does not require risking tribtion; as long as one devours enough offspring, one can safely transform into aplete Azure Dragon!" "A new method for the Demon n, fitting to be used by this king!" "You all continue to produce without stopping for a moment, I need more blood descendants." Ao Qin felt that consuming only fish dragons and Jiaolong tasted somewhat nd, so he ordered the bloodline to be infused into other ordinary beasts. Surprisingly, the odd species of dragon that emerged from the transformation had refining and devouring effects that were no weaker than those of the fish and snakes. Dragons can have nine offspring, each unique. Indeed, it seemed that saying was correct. The root of this lies in the extraordinary nature of the Dragon bloodline, capable of assimting any bloodline, not to mention the blood of the Azure Dragon, which when touched by ordinary wild beasts would transform them into descendants of dragons. When encountering a pig, it would be a pig dragon; when encountering a horse, a dragon horse; when encountering a bird, a flying dragon... Very soon. Theboratory was filled with various strangely shaped dragons. With the number growing, Ao Qin didn¡¯t devour them all but kept the intelligent dragon demons, acknowledging them as the Dragon Children under hismand. The Dragon Children then bred further, producing Dragon Grandchildren and so on, and the poption of the Dragon n far exceeded that of the Cultivation World! Since the Demon n also usedwork technology, the news spread rapidly, with the incident at the Demon Emperor Mountain bing known to the world in just two or three days. Ao Qin, with his naturally arrogant and indifferent temperament, didn¡¯t intend to conceal anything and directly announced on social media. He imed that the Dragon n had always been the imperial n among demons, with the rest being servants and food! The other three Demon Emperors would either submit or follow the route of the Six-Eared n! For a time. The Nine Continents stirred with upheaval, and the three Demon Emperors wouldn¡¯t easily submit, while the various Demon ns watched from the sidelines. The only ce where the scenery was uniquely good was on the human side. Xianjing University. The square was filled with Yin Yang and multi-colored gs, and thousands of ancient cultivators dressed in Taoist robes sat cross-legged, eagerly awaiting. Today was the day True Lord Tang would teach thew. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ording to ancient customs, a newly ascended True Lord¡¯s teachings would point directly to the foundation, including unique cultivation methods and insights into Solidifying Pill, which would be greatly beneficial to cultivators of all levels. The school¡¯s leadership speech tform at the very front had already been transformed into a preaching altar. Early morning. All the meditation cushions on the square were upied, and thankfully, the school had prepared in advance, emptying out the surrounding teaching buildings. Approaching noon, the window seats were already packed, and even the rooftops were all full of cultivators. "Who knew the Alliance had so many ancient cultivators?" Liu Yan, who had the advantage of being close to the tform, sitting in the front row of the square, marveled as he looked at the dense crowd of people all around and above him. "Most ancient cultivators seclude themselves in deep mountains and old forests, disregarding worldly affairs and the survival of humanity, focusing solely on pursuing the Dao of longevity, naturally making their numbers appear few," said the teacher named Guan beside him. "True Lord Tang is the first ancient Golden Core since the revival of heaven and earth, and what he teaches may differ from the ancient texts. No one would want to miss it!" The Cultivation World as recorded in ancient texts differed drastically from today¡¯s world: there were no beast tides, no technology, and the methods for Solidifying Pill might not suit the present day. "It¡¯s more than just that..." Teacher Xu whispered, "There¡¯s a rumor that at today¡¯s teaching, True Lord Tang will announce the conditions for epting disciples." Liu Yan questioned, "The rumor says that the Alliance presented a Heavenly Spiritual Root to the True Lord, who chose only one at will, so why would he ept additional disciples?" "The thoughts of a True Lord are not something we can specte about." "..." At noon. A figure suddenly appeared on the altar, wearing a Great Purple Taoist Robe, embroidered with Yin Yang and the Eight Trigrams at the front, draped with the sun, moon, and stars, with a solemn expression and a profound and heavy aura. "I am Tang Xuan, and today I will expound on thew..." Zhou Yi didn¡¯t beat around the bush and directly delved into the main topic, starting to discuss the secrets of cultivation beginning from the Qi Refinement Realm. Having cultivated for two thousand four hundred years, reciting the vast scriptures of Wanjuan Daozang, and experiencing the Cultivation World, the era ofw decay, and the revival of Spiritual Energy, his understanding of the way of the Immortal Realm had peaked. What he taught came effortlessly. Ten days passed in a sh. Zhou Yi started from the firstyer of Qi Cultivation and continued to the peak of Foundation Establishment. He discussed many tricks for Solidifying Pill and surviving tribtions until he concluded the teachings. The teachings were profound yet easily digestible, allowing anyone to benefit from them. Many cultivators stuck at their current stage heard Zhou Yi share the secrets of breakthroughs and suddenly gained insight and made their breakthroughs. "The teachings are over, but I have two more announcements," said Zhou Yi, his voice as gentle as the wind, reaching everyone¡¯s ears and rousing them from their trance to continue. "Firstly, when I overcame the tribtion, I was fortunate to discover an ancient sect¡¯s relic and acquired numerous millennium-old Spiritual Medicines." "In the future, I will refine these Spiritual Medicines into Foundation Establishment Pills. Qi Cultivation practitioners at Great Perfection maye to me to im them!" Boom! As the voice faded, a wave of astonishment erupted. The importance of Foundation Establishment Pills to cultivators was no less significant than the reliance of new technologies on elixirs. Often, many ancient cultivators ridiculed the new methods, saying that Martial Artists increased their strength solely through injections. In reality, ancient sect cultivators also mocked the Immortal Path, for their breakthroughs relied on consuming pills. Chapter 284 - 255 Turmoil Within the Demonic Race_2 Upon hearing this, an elderly cultivator with white hair couldn¡¯t help but stand up excitedly and ask. "Venerable Master, may I ask what conditions must be met to receive the Foundation Establishment Pill?" This old man was quite renowned among the ancient cultivators, having cultivated to the Great Perfection of Qi Refinement with a triple Spirit Root and was an expert in talismans and setting up formations, currently in charge of the alliance¡¯s Special Weapons Bureau. "Anyone can receive it." Zhou Yi¡¯s Divine Sense swept over and immediately knew the old man¡¯s age, who was already more than 120 years old. "However, after breaking through to a true person, one must defend the front lines for ten years, ten years for each Foundation Establishment Pill!" N?v(el)B\\jnn "The junior is willing." The old man nodded without hesitation, fearing that Zhou Yi would regret it, and said, "I am 123 years old, and after breaking through Foundation Establishment, I will have more than seventy years left. If it takes more than seven pills, I am willing to be refined into a Golden Corpse after death!" "There¡¯s no need to refine into a corpse." Zhou Yi said with a smile, "I have ghost path secret techniques here, with a long lifespan, not afraid of being unable to repay!" Immediately, a wave of gasps could be heard. This is truly a debt incurred in life that must be repaid even in death as a ghost! The people couldn¡¯t help but feel a chill in their hearts upon hearing this; the Venerable Master before them seemed amiable, but was in fact thick-skinned, ruthless, and heavy-handed. He was not to be trifled with! Originally, some cultivators were dissatisfied and wanted to call upon the other cultivators to collectively protest, using the grand cause of the flourishing human race to pressure Zhou Yi into handing over the Foundation Establishment Pills. But upon hearing these words, they immediately extinguished the thought. The strong are not terrifying, what¡¯s terrifying is a strong person who doesn¡¯t care for face! The old man bowed in agreement, "All will be as the Venerable Master says!" "After the lecture,e find me for the pills." Zhou Yi didn¡¯t care about the resentment of the ancient cultivators; he truly enjoyed secluded cultivation in the mountains and forests and could bet his life on a breakthrough. He continued, "The second matter is, feeling the thinning of our heritage, I n to open my mountain and ept disciples." The ancient cultivators were all sharp-minded, guessing from the Foundation Establishment Pill that there would be other conditions and quietly waited for what came next. As expected. "Killing fierce beasts and demon ns as conditions, the former a hundred thousand, thetter a hundred. Those who achieve this can enter my sect. Pills and Cultivation Techniques will not becking, and there will also be Immortal Elixirs to increase the rate of sess in Solidifying Pill!" Zhou Yi said, "I n to take seven disciples, and now there are six ces left. Do not think of taking shortcuts, unless you have the confidence to deceive the divination technique!" After saying this, he didn¡¯t wait for the crowd to ask questions, and turned into a streak of light and left. ... The Vice Principal¡¯s office. Zhou Yi browsed through web pages several times; the trending topics were all about him, inadvertently enjoying the feeling of being a star. "I must keep a lower profile in the future; the Demon ns have already seen the emergence of a Demon King." "Once the human race has a few more Golden Cores, I will look for an opportunity to change my name and surname, to avoid being calcted and besieged by demons one day!" Zhou Yi flipped through the secret reports sent by the alliance, with emphasis on the changes and movements within the Demon Nation and looking at the peculiarly shaped dragon n beasts and the photos of the Dragon Emperor on the demon n¡¯s socialworking site, unusual thoughts emerged. "Ao Qin, the third son of the Old Dragon... Tsk tsk, an acquaintance who I had seen a few times back in the day, what should I say when we meet again?" "If I say ¡¯long time no see,¡¯ will it scare this fellow?" After Zhou Yi finished reading the demon n¡¯s intelligence, overall, it was a mixed bag for the human race. Then, he opened Cloud Chat and found that the group he had formed with several teachers had no new messages for several days. "I¡¯ve been promoted to vice principal and became part of the management team, and everyone immediately started a new group!" At that moment. There was a knock on the door. Zhou Yi waved his hand to open the door and saw Xiao Honge in with a smile all over his face. "Xiao Dao-friend, is there some good news today?" "The Demon ns have started an internal war!" Xiao Hong said, "I just received news that the three Emperors teamed up to besiege the Dragon Emperor, under the pretext of expelling ancient demonlore and bloodlines, and to give the Nine Continents a fair and equal Demon Nation!" "Cough cough cough..." Zhou Yi couldn¡¯t help but cough a few times, astonished, "Since ancient times, the Demon ns have been warring and fighting each other, how could there be such a slogan?" "You are mistaken, Tang Dao-friend, today¡¯s Demon ns are indeed very different from the ancient demons," Xiao Hong snorted coldly, "While the new Demon ns absorb the culture and wisdom of the human race, they have also been influenced, and have started to question the hierarchy of bloodlines, with many in the Demon ns proiming the establishment of an equal Demon Nation." "It¡¯s just because the Nine Continents are vast and demon ns in different regions are powerful enough to rule as kings. That¡¯s why this matter hase to nothing!" "The title of ¡¯Three Emperors¡¯ doesn¡¯t seem to be much more equal than that of the Dragon Emperor." Zhou Yi helplessly shrugged his shoulders, offering noment, and said, "The Dragon Emperor has already achieved Golden Core, his strength is enough to crush the other Demon Emperors, how could they have the confidence to contend with him?" "Direct confrontation certainly won¡¯t do, the Three Emperors have already moved to a secret location, hidden somewhere unknown in the Nine Continents." Xiao Hong exined, "Secretly rallying andmanding the fierce beasts of the Nine Continents, they attempt to surround Dragon Emperor Mountain. Even a Demon King cannot withstand the boundless and endless onught of the beast tide!" Zhou Yi thought for a moment and then said with a smile, "So the fierce beasts around the human race are being called away?" Xiao Hong nodded, "The majority have been called away, the remaining are mostly to monitor, to prevent you and me from attacking the Three Emperors from behind." "I see." Zhou Yi remembered the ¡¯supremely auspicious¡¯ divination, not expecting Ao Qin to emerge first, when he was expecting it to be the likes of an imperial adviser. "Oh Niu¡¯er, oh Niu¡¯er, your act of inadvertence back then ended up being a tremendous contribution to the human race!" The insignificant actions of one¡¯s predecessor could stir up towering waves in the history that follows! The Yellow Ox has merged with the Jianmu Tree for twelve hundred years, asionally emitting damp and intimate essences, which only confirms that Niu¡¯er has not yet dispersed his consciousness. As for when he will transform and emerge, that is unknown. The growth of an Innate Spirit Root, for an ordinary cultivator, is as long as the changing of eras! "Upon hearing the news, I immediately came to seek out fellow Daoist." Xiao Hong said, "This is a heaven-sent opportunity for the human race to expand outward. Once the war among the demon races calms down, no matter which side wins, they will turn around and attack the human race to establish their might!" "Indeed, we should expand outward." Zhou Yi lightly nodded, the human race confined within a region of four to five thousand li, exploited various resources without restriction to supply the front line with weaponry, and inevitably, they would run dry one day. Expanding outward, even without relocating the popce, merely seizing mines and resources could significantly alleviate the internal pressure! "Does Fellow Daoist Xiao have any ns?" "I shall personally go to the front lines, ying groups of demons to assist the troops in breaking out. Without the behind-the-scenes control of demon races, the fierce beasts are no match for the regrized army with heavy firepower." Xiao Hong continued, "I ask that fellow Daoist guard Immortal Capital City, be on guard against a surprise attack by demon races!" Zhou Yi pondered for a moment and said, "I am an expert in the divination technique, and it is easier for me to hunt down demon races, so I am supposed to go to the front lines to y the enemy." "Expansion must be built on a foundation of prudence!" Xiao Hong shook his head and said, "I am practicing a new technique, and even though I have transformed into the lineage of the White Tiger, my lifespan is no more than two hundred years. The Dao of immortality values life, you can protect the human race for four to five hundred years, and you cannot take any risks." "Be careful in all things." Zhou Yi exhaled the Bodhi Treasure Wheel and said, "This is a protective Supreme Treasure, Fellow Daoist should carry it with you, so a sneak attack by a Demon King will not harm you. Once the Supreme Treasure is triggered, I will sense it and will find a way to rescue you!" "Thank you, fellow Daoist." Xiao Hong didn¡¯t stand on ceremony, Immortal Capital City was tightly guarded, with prohibitions and patterns throughout the city; it would be difficult for a Demon King to sneak in, but the front lines were full of unknown dangers of life and death. Like Ao Qin, emerging from the Four Spirits Holy Temple, even Zhou Yi could not guess his exact strength. The inheritance from an Ancient Demon Saint was bound to be extremely powerful; if they indeed conspired with the Three Emperors to ambush and encircle Xiao Hong, the Bodhi Treasure Wheel might not even save his life! Then Xiao Hong spoke with Zhou Yi about various matters, such as the important affairs of the school, the backgrounds of various teachers, and students with promising futures who needed particr attention. Such arrangements were like makingst testaments. "If things do not go well for Fellow Daoist Xiao, I will surely protect the Xiao family..." Zhou Yi said gravely, "If a Spirit Root emerges in the Xiao family in the future, even a four or five-grade Spirit Root, I shall assist them with Foundation Establishment, and if it¡¯s a two or three-grade Spirit Root, I will do my utmost to help them achieve Golden Core!" Within Kunlun Cave Heaven, he had nted several Spiritual Objects that aid Core Formation, such as the Seven-Colored Immortal Lotus that had already bloomed and fruited several times. Consuming them together had a sixty to seventy percent chance of achieving Golden Core. With the umtion of long years, Zhou Yi was a hundred times richer than a Nascent Soul ancestor. "That would be excellent, now I have no worries for the future." Xiao Hong said with a smile, "Fellow Daoist, do not worry too much, I have been blessed by heaven and earth, and will not fall easily!" Zhou Yi said, "Fellow Daoist¡¯s fortune reaches the heavens, then I will take a disciple from the Xiao family to share in this fortune." The alliance brought out a Heavenly Spiritual Root, begging Zhou Yi to take it as a disciple, yet he epted only one. But now,ing to Xiao Hong, Zhou Yi seemed eager to take a disciple. Understanding the difference, Xiao Hong nodded without further words and soared into the sky. Zhou Yi now stood by the window, overlooking from a height, below, students and teachers were smiling. His Divine Sense swept over, and the citizens of Immortal Capital City,pared to a few years ago, had a bit more rxation and smiles on their faces. "It¡¯s another cycle, every time a cmity befalls the human race, there will always be those who stand up..." Chapter 285 - 256 Son of Destiny The Alliance¡¯s involvement only fueled the news of infighting among the demon race, which becamemon knowledge to everyone. Any negative news about the demon race was good news for the human race and deserved to be widely propagated. Taking advantage of this momentum, the Alliance announced the appointment of Martial Saint Xiao Hong as the Grand Marshal to lead the Alliance Army¡¯s expansionary efforts. The spirit of the announcement uplifted the hearts of the people, as if the prosperity of the human race was within reach. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Upon hearing this news, Ao Qin and the Three Emperors still had no intention of stopping their conflict. The two sides were entrenched in a fundamental ideological battle within the demon race,beling each other as heretics, determined to fight to the death. At the same time, they did not take the human race seriously; even if the Nine Continents expanded several times over, it wouldn¡¯t turn the tide¡ªthe victorious demon race would eventually be mighty enough to annihte them with one fell swoop. Influenced by this atmosphere, many students from the Martial Arts University applied for withdrawal to rush to the front lines. The acting principal, Zhou Yi, approved all applications, believing it was not right to extinguish the students¡¯ fervor. He also granted them talismans, pills, Divine Weapons and Magical Artifacts for protection. At the same time. Many Qi Refinement perfectionists among the ancient cultivators agreed to Zhou Yi¡¯s selection, willing to exchange for a Foundation Establishment Pill. Now was a good time, with the demons in disarray and humans expanding, it was much safer to join the Alliance Army to y beasts than to defend the front lines against the hordes. Zhou Yi didn¡¯t mind their ulterior motives and provided Foundation Establishment Pills to anyone who had reached Qi Refinement perfection. In the early stages of the revival of heaven and earth, the mysteries of Spiritual Energy made breakthroughs easier than in the past¡ªsix or seven pills were often enough for sess, or even just two or three for a sessful breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment level. Afterward, they would rush to the front lines. The presence of ancient cultivators significantly bolstered the military, far surpassing their martial artist counterparts of the same rank. With this support, the Alliance Army¡¯s expansion went even more smoothly. Within a short half a year. The army expanded over three thousand miles to the east, capturing territories nearly equal to half of the Alliance, with triumphant news sent back to Xianjing daily and then disseminated to the public through various media. In recent days. The footage of Xiao Martial Saint single-handedly confronting the beast horde caused enormous shockwaves. People only knew from historical records how powerful Golden Elixir True Monarchs were, almost like Land Immortals, but theycked a concrete understanding of their actual strength. The beast horde had been a nightmare for the human race for centuries, yet now it had been dispersed by a single person, instantly shattering the fear in their hearts. With arge poption, there were always those who imed to be clear-headed, iming the video instilled fear in them, saying that individual human strength had be so great that ordinary people would be oppressed once the human race flourished! Such statements, once verified, resulted in immediate deployment to the front lines. That day. In a tiered ssroom. Zhou Yi lectured as usual, with a gentle tone and a demeanor as calm as a gentle breeze or light clouds. "...These tricks for reaching the Great Perfection of Qi Refinement have been summed up by numerous sages and can all improve the sess rate of Foundation Establishment." "Based on the length of time spent, one can progress from having Qi like mercury to an overflowing consciousness... one by one to perfection." Having finished the lecture, Zhou Yi nced at Gu Chen, who immediately struck the Jade Chime, awakening the students from their entranced state. Just as he was about to transform into a ray of light and leave, suddenly a student stood up, bowed, and said. "Teacher, why have I not yet received a reply to my application for a Foundation Establishment Pill?" Without looking, Zhou Yi knew who it was. The only Qi Refinement perfectionist ancient cultivator who had his application on hold was Han Chao. He replied, "If you are single-mindedly seeking immortality, why go to the front lines?" Han Chao¡¯s expression was resolute as he said, "It¡¯s to kill fierce beasts and assist the Alliance¡¯s expansion!" "I have heard too much of that rhetoric recently. When there were no benefits, you secluded yourself for deep cultivation, and now that there are benefits, you rise for the ¡¯uprising of the human race!¡¯" Zhou Yi nodded slightly; he didn¡¯t believe a word of it. Han Chao was a pure ancient cultivator whose temperament and Daoist heart did not resemble that of the current cultivators. Unfazed, Han Chao said, "Disciple truly feels this way!" "Your thick skin reminds me a bit of myself, only too naive." Zhou Yi nced at Shen Cheng from the new techniques ss and saw him nodding as if to affirm, then said, "I have greater expectations for you. For now, continue cultivating well, and I will reply to you in a few days." "Thank you, teacher." Han Chao did not show any dissatisfaction; he was genuinely grateful to Zhou Yi, who rewarded diligent students with pills for theirpleted assignments post-ss, a kindness as heavy as a mountain. Three students from the ancient cultivators¡¯ ss had applied for Foundation Establishment Pills and had already rushed to the front lines, reportedly receiving gifts from a True Monarch! After ss. Zhou Yi returned to his office, and soon Shen Cheng knocked and entered. "Greetings, True Monarch." Shen Cheng¡¯s acquaintance with Zhou Yi was something he had never boasted about to anyone¡ª even in person, he was always respectful and adhered to all student etiquette. "Sit down and let¡¯s talk." Zhou Yi waved his hand, and the spiritual water boiled without heat. He brewed some Spiritual Tea with several leaves and poured a cup for himself and Shen Cheng, asking, "Have you noticed anything unusual about Han Chao, who you share a room with?" Shen Cheng looked troubled and said, "True Monarch, I am very close to Han Chao, may I...?" "Don¡¯t worry, even if there is a great opportunity, I will not covet it." Zhou Yi continued, "I am skilled in physiognomy and noticed a change in Han Chao¡¯s destiny, from the ordinary purple and blue of an official¡¯s fate to a soaring vermilion gold, almost condensing into an omen, which is why I asked you to investigate!" When he first met Han Chao, he was different from other students in the ancient cultivator ss, marked by an iron-like Daoist heart. The ambition for immortality aligned with Zhou Yi¡¯s mindset, which led Zhou Yi to award him for the best coursework. "So that¡¯s the reason." Shen Cheng marveled internally at the True Monarch¡¯s divine skills and after musing for a moment, said, "I am not clear about the precise opportunity, but it seems to be rted to fierce beasts and the demon race." "Han Chao is skilled in the Art of Alchemy, spending his days either in arduous cultivation or refining pills, and he exchanges all his pills on the ck market for the corpses of fierce beasts..." As a pretense to defend against the demon race, the Alliance prohibited the free cirction of pills and Magical Artifacts, mandating that designated agencies buy pills at standardized prices or exchange them for Spiritual Objects at equivalent value. Chapter 286 - 256 Son of Destiny_2 Due to the low prices, a ck market naturally emerged. This is also one of the reasons the ancient cultivators were dissatisfied with the Alliance, believing that the Alliance used the human crisis as an excuse to arbitrarily encroach upon the rights of cultivators. Zhou Yi showed a puzzled expression, "Beasts are stimted by elixirs, their aura chaotic and mottled. Their corpses are notparable to the flesh of demon tribes. Ancient alchemy rarely has use for it, so what is it collected for?" "Not sure about the specifics." Shen Cheng said, "The mostmon items in the ck market are the corpses of beasts. Conversely, elixirs are expensive. Han Chao exchanged for a considerable number of corpses, yet they soon disappeared without a trace." Zhou Yi asked, "After the corpses disappeared, was there any change in Han Chao?" "I haven¡¯t paid attention to that..." Shen Cheng frowned slightly, carefully reviewed all his memories, and afterparing past and present, said, "It seems there was a change, either an advancement in mana, a strengthening of divine sense, or even a breakthrough in alchemy techniques." Zhou Yi¡¯s mind raced with various thoughts, and he said, "Let¡¯s leave the matter here. Be more intimate with Han Chao in the future; it will surely benefit your path in cultivation." Shen Cheng agreed repeatedly, gulping down several bowls of tea until his body was filled and expanded with spiritual energy, before taking his leave to continue cultivating the martial path. Zhou Yi pondered for a long time, took out a tablet, and turned on the internal office tform. He clicked ¡¯Agree¡¯ to Han Chao¡¯s application. "A sacrifice, or an exchange? It¡¯s most likely a sacrifice. As long as it¡¯s not something demonic, this poor Daoist will lend you a helping hand!" ¡­ The next day. Following the information sent from the office tform, Han Chao arrived at the office on time. "Greetings, True Monarch." "Here is a bottle of Foundation Establishment Pill. With your aptitude, it is enough to break through." Zhou Yi scanned with his divine sense, thoroughly viewing Han Chao inside and out. His soul had reached the limit of the Qi Refinement Realm, and the mana in his Dantian was as thick as liquid,parable to Zhou Yi¡¯s own after several reconstructions. A mana so dense that he had to reconstruct five times to achieve was now found within the mere body of someone with a double Spirit Root. Moreover, Han Chao had also cultivated body refinement techniques. Even though it was notplete, his body was almostparable to that of a fierce beast! "This poor Daoist wandered in the Qi Refinement Realm for hundreds of years before reaching such a realm. Han Chao, at only twenty-three years old, isparable to the reincarnation of an Immortal..." Zhou Yi¡¯s divine sense swept back and forth for a long time, but still couldn¡¯t find anything unusual about Han Chao. To have such a heaven-defying ability, surely it was not something a Golden Elixir True Monarch could discover. Han Chao showed a look of joy, and quickly bowed in gratitude: "Thank you, True Monarch. This student will fight for humanity!" "You rascal, don¡¯t put on such an act anymore, saying only what pleases me." Zhou Yi waved his hand and set up severalyers of Spirit Gathering Arrays, then smashed hundreds of Spirit Crystals. The office, spanning a hundred square meters, was immediately filled with rich spiritual energy, swirling like mist, almost like an Immortal Realm. "To reach such a level of cultivation in essence, qi, and spirit, breaking through is no ordinary matter. Go ahead and break through right here!" Han Chao did not refuse or escape; knowing he could not hide his unusual cultivation from a True Monarch, he thanked him once again and then sat cross-legged to take the Foundation Establishment Pill. An hourter. Spiritual energy flocked into Han Chao¡¯s body, his essence, qi, and spirit soared several times, and he naturally advanced to Foundation Establishment. Even without taking the Foundation Establishment Pill, Han Chao¡¯s mana in his Dantian had more than a fifty percent chance of sessfully establishing the foundation. However, possessing a treasure that pointed directly to the Great Dao, he couldn¡¯t afford to gamble with his life and luck. Thus, he took a Foundation Establishment Pill and safely had a sessful breakthrough. Han Chao bowed and said, "This student has not let down the expectations of the True Monarch. In the next ten years, I will go to the front lines to fight against the ferocious beasts!" Zhou Yi didn¡¯t expose Han Chao¡¯s little schemes. The front lines were filled with corpses of ferocious beasts, which suited his cultivation needs. Zhou Yi said, "Would you like to enter my tutge?" "A disciple?" Han Chao was stunned upon hearing this, and after making sure that the True Monarch was not joking, he pondered for a moment before asking. "My talents are average, far inferior to those with a Heavenly Spiritual Root. How am I worthy of catching the True Monarch¡¯s eye?" "Don¡¯t belittle yourself. A double Spirit Root is already considered a high-quality talent." Zhou Yi smiled and said, "Those with Heavenly Spiritual Roots may possess excellent bone structure and top-notch mana, and might endure the hardships and solitude of cultivation, but strong cultivators were never made through mere hardships. Eachcks a bit of the spirit of decisive action." This reason was not simply an excuse. His senior disciple Jin Jiuxiao had already gone to the front lines and could only return after ying ten demon beasts alone. Han Chao asked doubtfully, "I¡¯ve heard that those with Heavenly Spiritual Roots also often y beasts to practice their spells." "Indeed, they do, under the heavy protection of the military, where they overpower the beasts one-on-one." Zhou Yi did not oppose this practice. Before the extinction crisis of humankind, those with Heavenly Spiritual Roots were the hope for the continuation of their lineage and deserved heavy protection. All they needed was to be proficient in escape skills. "Times have changed. With Martial Saints and True Monarchs to shelter humanity now, we are unlikely to be eradicated so easily. The chance for prosperity lies with those who soar in the vast sky!" "Thank you for your guidance, True Monarch," said Han Chao, having a moment of enlightenment. Knowing he had no grounds to refuse, he immediately performed three bows followed by nine kowtows and said, "I meet my master!" "My disciple, there is no need for such formalities. From now on, you will be my second disciple," Zhou Yi said, taking out a nineyered pagoda from his sleeve. "This treasure, called the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda, is an ancient Buddhist magical treasure designed to suppress all demons and specters. It is perfectly suited for your use!" Han Chao bent down to receive the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda and felt its terrifying power after a brief period of attunement, which was exactly what he needed. Anyst shred of doubt in his heart immediately dissipated. "Master, did the eldest disciple join your sect because he was innately unparalleled in ughter?" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Zhou Yi shook his head slightly, "I have a connection with those of the Jin name, that is all." Han Chao couldn¡¯t help but admire the True Monarch¡¯s way of doing things, following his heart¡¯s desires. He made a note to help anyone with the Jin surname when possible. ... Boom boom boom... The continuous bombardment hadsted all night. Mountains ten miles ahead were halved in height, and the ck Wind Cave in particr received special attention, turning its fierce beast inhabitants into pools of blood and mud. The beasts had thick hides and were protected by chaotic mana, so normal cannons could only injure them. The Alliance Army¡¯s cannons were different. They were engraved with armor-piercing, prative, and demon-ying inscriptions, and the explosions didn¡¯t just produce shrapnel and st force but also invoked the Lightning and Fire Techniques. The ancient cultivators were discontented with the Alliance but still respected by it¡ªthis was why! "Attack... attack..." "Take down ck Wind Mountain, and tonight we feast on bear meat..." "Jin Jiu, speed up, press the throttle all the way down!" At dawn. Under the cover of artillery fire, ground troops formed units of thirty to forty men and began their assault on ck Wind Mountain. Martial Artists¡¯ powerful Qi-Blood energy,bined with sturdy engraved armor and fully armed heavy firepower, made each soldier akin to a walking mech. Finally. Just before sunrise, Jin Laojiu led his troops to nt the Alliance g atop ck Wind Mountain first. Fierce beasts along the path, ferociously attacking despite their wounds, met their end under the spray of six-barrel heavy machine guns, bing corpses. "Haha, I¡¯ve earned another merit!" Jin Laojiu and his men stood under the g, operating a drone to take photos, to reminisce in old age, or if dead, to be honored on a tombstone for posterity. The troops that arrivedter were helpless, cursing themselves for not having pressed the throttle harder and not having taken photos to remember the moment, but there would be another chance next time! The drive to be number one, to be the leader, was deeply ingrained in the blood of humanity, with no satisfaction in settling for second ce. After an intense battle came cooking over the fire, with no need for the nd, dry Marching Pills¡ªingredients were everywhere on the mountain. The cook skillfully cut off the beast meat, ignoring the head and selecting only the most essence-rich parts. The rest would be transported back to base to briefly extract bloodline essence before being sent to the rearboratories for elixir refinement. The essence of the beasts, particrly their mutated organs, theoretically contained their purest bloodline, making the elixirs refined from them a hundred times more effective than simply eating them. Nevertheless, the front lines were perilous and harsh, with soldiers having one chance in ten to survive, so the Alliance allowed them to decide for themselves. The bubbling soup in the pot, with various parts of the beast continuously turning over, looked like a messy stew. Jin Laojiu and his soldiers circled around the pot, taking out Golden God pendants from their bosoms, cing their hands together in prayer, thanking the Golden God for his protection. Influenced by Jin Laojiu, his men did the same, believing in the Golden God whether it was useful or not. The meat was ready. The soldiers couldn¡¯t wait to scoop out a beast leg, resembling a lion-tiger but with scaled skin. Gobbling it down to the bone, three to four pounds of meat entered their stomachs, spreading a warm sensation from the gut, nourishing Qi-Blood and organs and subtly transforming their bloodlines. Jin Laojiu wiped his mouth and took out a map, drawing a red circle on it. The map was filled with dozens of red circles, all the way from the eastern part of the Alliance, a winding path leading ultimately to Binhai. The reason the Alliance chose to expand eastward was to secure a passage to the Eastern Sea, transporting the human race en masse into the deep sea before either the demon or beast races could prevail. As True Lord Tang had said, there were no demon or fierce beasts in the depths of the Eastern Sea! Jin Laojiu gently touched the map, remembering the countless people of the God Nation who died at the ws of fierce beasts, and his eyes involuntarily moistened. "After fighting for two years, less than three thousand li remain. If we can glimpse the sea, even in death, we¡¯ll have the face to meet our ancestors!" Chapter 287 - 257: Leader of the Heavenly Corpse Sect Ancient Xuzhou in the central part. Cloud Mountain. The tail end leads directly to the Eastern Sea, with the southern part being the Binhai relics, one can say it¡¯s the eastern Cloud Continent¡¯sst dangerous stronghold. In the central area of the mountain range, three nascent Spirit Veins had been discovered, alongside arge number of Ancient Cultivation Relics, prompting three great demon beasts to upy and establish a bloodlineboratory. The three great demons were rather close, having sworn brotherhood through a ritual, with the leader being the Purple Lion, the Eastern Demon King of Cloud Continent, whomanded bothnd and sea, with tens to hundreds of millions of ferocious beasts under hismand. That day. The Purple Lion sent a message to White Elephant and ck Hawk, discussing how to resist the human race¡¯s great army. The screen disyed the map of the eastern Cloud Continent, with arge number of red dots moving eastward from the human territory, less than five hundred miles away from where the three demons were. White Elephant curled his trunk and said, "Big brother, the human army is unstoppable, we alone simply cannot hold them back!" "Humans have already breached Yellow Sand Mountain, the Yellow Wolf¡¯s hundred thousand ferocious beasts,sted only half a month before they werepletely annihted." ck Hawk said helplessly, "That Martial Saint is too fierce, capable of shattering mountains with a single blow, always ying demon races before battle. With beasts of lower intelligence and withoutmand, they can only be ughtered at will!" Purple Lion nodded slightly, "This King also didn¡¯t think we could truly stop them, but we must put on a show, otherwise the Demon Emperor would me us, and we¡¯d have trouble bearing it." "Big brother, how is the battle going on Qiong Continent?" Upon hearing this, White Elephant immediately felt relieved, as long as they didn¡¯t have to fight to the death, it didn¡¯t matter how many of his underling beasts died. The conflict in Cloud Continent was just a small regional dispute in the grand scheme of the Nine Continents, what the demon race truly cared about was the oue of the battle in Qiong Continent, between the Dragon Emperor and the three Emperors, which concerned the future direction of the demon race. Purple Lion shook his head, "That Dragon Emperor is even stronger than the usual Demon King, and Dragon Emperor Mountain has turned into a flesh-and-blood mill, with no victor yet." The majority of the demon race supported the three Emperors; no demon race wanted to be a servant, yet with strength reaching the level of the Dragon Emperor, one could already im a race of one¡¯s own, resisting the billions of beasts with the descendants of Dragon Blood. "We must hold Cloud Mountain for at least half a year, to show that we have made an effort..." Then the meeting began to discuss how to deploy troops and arrange the beasts, to dy the human army¡¯s advance as much as possible. The new demon race was not only proficient in technology but had also absorbed the essence of human culture, having studied military strategies extensively. Meanwhile. A ray of escape lightnded on the outskirts of Cloud Mountain, Han Chao employed the Transforming Shape Form, instantly transforming into a lion-headed monster. "ording to the demon race¡¯s records, the Purple Lion¡¯s den should be a hundred miles ahead..." After Han Chaopleted his Foundation Establishment, he cultivated in seclusion for several days to be familiar with mana, then set off to join the Alliance Army at the front line. The corpses of beasts covered the mountains at the front line, and Han Chao was in his element, his mana breaking through to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment in just two years, matching the pace of those with a Heavenly Spiritual Root. A Foundation Establishment true person was not bound by the army¡¯s rules, could act independently, and even share information from the Alliance. Guided by the strategy of the Alliance Army, Han Chao went around ughtering beasts, sparing no demons he encountered, employing the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda to defeat every enemy without a fight. Half a year ago. After ying a rat demon, he unexpectedly discovered that the creature had kept a diary, which detailed the distribution of the Cloud Continent¡¯s demon race; perhaps out of scheming or caution, it also recorded the weaknesses of various local demons. Following the map, Han Chao¡¯s speed at ying demons increased, arriving at the central Cloud Mountain five hundred miles ahead of the Alliance Army. Transformed into a tiger-headed human, he strutted into the mountains, emanating the aura of a demon race, which made the beasts dare note close. Momentster. Three peaks surrounded a valley, and on the eastern side of the mountain,y the Lion King Laboratory. Han Chao checked his Magic Artifacts, Spirit Talismans, and Elixirs, then created a couple of disturbances nearby, burying more than a dozen heavy bombs; if he couldn¡¯t defeat his enemies and had to flee, he would lead them into an explosion. The equipment in theboratory was valuable, and if the lion demon did not want to see everything destroyed, he would surely turn back to salvage what he could. The old cultivators rejected new methods, yet were not opposed to technological weapons, which cost a hundred times more than disposable Magic Artifacts! "Master always taught, ¡¯n for defeat before expecting victory, always consider everything thoroughly!¡¯" After arranging three or four fallback ns, Han Chao used an Escape Technique to prate the mountain andnded in a certain room in theboratory. He happened upon a patrolling beast, and with a wave of his hand, more than a dozen immobilizing talismans subdued it, then he deftly stored it in his storage bag. Given the scarcity of newly created demon race members, mundane, strenuous tasks such as patrolling were left to the beasts; with their confused consciousness, Soul Search was difficult, and Han Chao reluctantly continued his search in theboratory. By chance, he entered a testing station and saw a rabbit demon injecting Elixir No. 0 into a wild beast. With a human body, dressed sparsely, only its head bore long ears, with a fluffy white tail behind it. Upon seeing Zhou Yi, it subconsciously moved to hit the rm. Swish! Han Chao spat out the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda, as Buddha¡¯s light bloomed, easily shattering the upper body of the rabbit demon. N?v(el)B\\jnn Soul Search! Utilizing the Ghost King Sect¡¯s secret technique, he gathered the remaining soul of the rabbit demon to probe, and quickly learned the news that the three demons and Purple Lion were gathered together. "All three demons are here!" Han Chao shook his head slightly and prepared to leave, nning to set traps at the White Elephant Laboratory, waiting patiently and ambushing; with the traps, he would surely y the elephant demon. Woo woo woo¡ª A series of piercing rms spread throughout the entireboratory. "This is the monitoring station, be warned, there is an intruder in Area Seven! Be warned, Area Seven..." Han Chao¡¯s brow furrowed as he swept the room with his Divine Sense, discovering several hidden camera devices in the testing station that clearly captured the nearby scene. "Leave first, then make further ns." Just as he was about to use the escape light to flee underground, a dazzling light condensed into a barrier, the ground instantly hardening like steel. "Which brat dares wreak havoc in my territory? Today is good timing, as my second and third brothers are here; we¡¯ll catch you and cook up several dishes to entertain them!" The boisterous voice of Purple Lion rang out, but his figure was nowhere to be seen; instead, a powerful assault surged forward. Chapter 288 - 257: Lord of the Heavenly Corpse Sect_2 Han Chao exerted all his strength to activate the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda. The Nineyered Pagoda burst forth with massive devouring power, swallowing all the ferocious beasts into it to suppress them. Then, it turned into an escape light, fleeing along the path it hade. After two years of fighting at the frontline, his escape skill had been refined to perfection, allowing him to escape numerous times from being surrounded and killed by hordes of demons. "Quite skillful!" The Purple Lion¡¯s voice echoed in theboratory, with speakers installed in every corner: "Falling into my hands today, you should meet your death, your path extinguished. I have studied the art of formations on the Alliance¡¯s official website!" As his voice faded. Theboratory was filled with shes of spiritual light, which solidified into mysterious formations, blocking all exits. Han Chao had no choice but tond his escape light, with the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda shedding spiritual light to protect him while he threw a Spirit Talisman at the formation and prohibition. The formations trembled but did not break; instead, countless ferocious beasts with bared ws and teeth charged at him. The Purple Lion obviously knew that Han Chao was not easy to deal with, so he deliberately used a formation to trap him, using a mass of ferocious beasts for the kill, believing that one at the Foundation Establishment Stage could not hold out for three to five days before dying from exhaustion. "I was somewhat reckless this time!" Han Chao frowned deeply, pondering how to break the formation, when he heard the continuous roar of explosions. At that moment. Several figures appeared outside theboratory, led by a young Taoist priest who was none other than Zhou Yi¡¯s eldest disciple, Jin Jiuxiao. The rest were real persons at the Foundation Establishment Stage, activating spells and magic artifacts, bombarding the top of theboratory together, and soon created an opening in the formation. Whoosh! Han Chao seized the opportunity, transformed into an escape light, and flew out through the opening. After seeing the people who came to his aid, he quickly bowed and showed his gratitude. "Thank you for saving my life, eldest senior brother!" "The master sent a message saying that junior brother was in trouble, so I immediately brought people to help." Jin Jiuxiao, being a Heavenly Spiritual Root carefully nurtured by the Alliance and carrying the hopes of official Golden Core entities, was even assigned several Foundation Establishment cultivators tomand, despite already being epted as a disciple by a True Monarch. Only by treating him sincerely would they be able to count on his protection once he attains the Golden Core! "Master¡¯s divination technique is truly like that of a ghostly prophet!" Han Chao eximed in admiration and then said, "Today, the three demons have gathered, and it¡¯s the perfect opportunity to eradicate them all, leaving Binhai with no natural dangers to defend." "That¡¯s exactly what should be done." Jin Jiuxiao looked down at theboratory below, where the three demons, knowing they were no match, tried to hold out by relying on their formations and prohibitions. "These demon creatures have quite a keen mastery over formations and prohibitions, but unfortunately..." "Times have changed!" While speaking, he took out a cylindrical object over ten zhang long from his storage bag, entered aplex password, and casually threw it down at theboratory. Seeing this, Han Chao¡¯s face turned pale. Without waiting for his eldest senior brother¡¯smand, he pped on several talismans and transformed into an escape light, darting away into the distance. Boom! A deafening explosion silenced heaven and earth. A thousand-zhang high mushroom cloud rose from the ground, and the terrifying shockwave swept over the mountains, engulfing theboratory¡¯s formations and prohibitions, which onlysted a few breaths before turning to dust. The mountains were snapped in half at their waist, and the elite ferocious beasts stationed in the mountains simply vanished. Ten miles away. Han Chao couldn¡¯t help but look back. Far away, it was as if a great sun had risen, illuminating and obliterating everything in its path. Dusty haze filled the space between heaven and earth. When he used his skill to see through the spiritual world, the sight caused his eyes to tear up from the irritation. All vegetation and living creatures in the mountains had disappeared, leaving behind a huge pit in their ce. He vaguely sensed strange fluctuations, eroding the meridians of the flesh body, making it impossible for cultivators to meditate nearby. "Such power... it must surpass even that of a Golden Elixir True Monarch!" "No wonder people at the frontline call the eldest senior brother mad, carrying around a nuclear bomb with him, not fearing any idents..." ... Year 202 of the Alliance. Winter. The Battle of Binhai erupted. The remnants of the Cloud Continent¡¯s eastern demon races gathered sea andnd beasts by the millions,unching a beast tide in an attempt to repel the Alliance Army. Fierce shes urred at the old site of Binhai, dragging on for a month, with heavy casualties on both sides. By the beginning of year 203, the Alliance Army¡¯s g was nted at the ruins of Binhai, and the entire eastern region of the Cloud Continent came under human control. ... Qiong Continent. Southwest of the Nameless Barren Mountain. In the mountains lived a pig demon, rted by some blood to the Heavenly Peng Demon Emperor among the Three Emperors, ruling its territory carefree and unchallenged. This demon was naturallyzy, with no interest in fighting for supremacy; its days were filled with eating, drinking, and merrymaking. The only interest it had was in collecting peculiar items, which didn¡¯t necessarily have to be exotic treasures¡ªanything rare caught its fancy for y. The ferocious beasts produced in theboratory weren¡¯t used to fight with other demon races, but rather to dig up graves and search for rare objects. Over the decades, it umted quite a collection of oddities, turning theboratory¡¯s center into a museum, and would asionally brag by posting pictures online. Even though the majority of its kind mocked it, it was still overjoyed by this activity. Had it not grown a pig¡¯s head, it would be indistinguishable from the human race. That day. The pig demon was strolling around the museum, touching and closely examining everything¡ªeven a strange branch could bring it great joy. In the central position was the museum¡¯s treasure, a peculiar transparent stone coffin. The coffin was only the size of a palm, an apanying burial item from an ancient tomb in the mountains. Within its nearly transparent materialy a golden figure. The pig demon couldn¡¯t identify the material of the stone coffin and had tried to break it open, but even a tens of thousands tonnes hydraulic press couldn¡¯t damage it in the slightest. "Hehe! Even science can¡¯t detect this coffin, a truly supreme oddity. Not even the Demon Emperor has one, old pig me..." While admiring it, the pig demon noticed that the coffin suddenly developed tiny cracks on its surface. "What¡¯s happening?" Just as the pig demon was about to grab the coffin, it rose into the air and floated. Inside the coffin, the golden figure shifted from illusory to solid¡ªit was an old man in a simple Taoist robe, with hair, skin, and robe all of a golden-red color. The old man¡¯s eyes suddenly snapped open, scanned the surroundings, and then, his divine sense projected through the coffin and sensed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. "So sparse. By using the Heavenly Corpse Secret Technique, one can barely cultivate a Golden Core..." "Given that the lineage is severed now, only a little over a thousand years have passed¡ªcould the secret technique I used to seal myself have failed?" The old man furrowed his brows, then looked at the pig demon and said coldly, "Howe there are demons in Qiong Continent? The bloodline seems somewhat extraordinary; it could serve as a temporary vessel!" Before the pig demon could react, the old man emerged from the coffin and drilled directly into his forehead and into his mind. Soul Search! "Kunlun legend? The Great Beast Cmity?" "New skills? Ancient methods?" "Martial Saint... Golden Core... Dragon Emperor?" More questions arose in the old man¡¯s mind. Only a millennium had passed in the heavens and earth; not even as long as his own lifespan, yet so much had changed that it was almost unrecognizable! After the soul search, the old man didn¡¯t possess the body but rather applied the Heavenly Corpse Sect¡¯s secret technique. The pig demon¡¯s skin turned purplish, two sharp fangs protruded from its mouth, its eyes turned pale, and its entire body was shrouded in the aura of death. "For now, I¡¯ll reside in this corpse demon¡¯s body andter look for someone with a Heavenly Spiritual Root to possess." The old man took out the pig demon¡¯s cellphone and clumsily searched online. As the web pages rapidly scrolled by, he roughly understood the events of the past thousand years. "Hahaha! Yuan Ling, that fellow, turned out to be even unluckier than me!" Upon reading the records about the One Qi Sect, the old man couldn¡¯t help butugh heartily. ¡ª¡ªMy apologies, a refresh will do the trick¡ª¡ª The old man¡¯s eyes suddenly snapped open, scanned the surroundings, and then his divine sense projected through the coffin and sensed the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. "So sparse. By using the Heavenly Corpse Secret Technique, one can barely cultivate a Golden Core..." N?v(el)B\\jnn "Given that the lineage is severed now, only a little over a thousand years have passed¡ªcould the secret technique I used to seal myself have failed?" The old man furrowed his brows, then looked at the pig demon and said coldly, "Howe there are demons in Qiong Continent? The bloodline seems somewhat extraordinary; it could serve as a temporary vessel!" Before the pig demon could react, the old man emerged from the coffin and drilled directly into his forehead and into his mind. Soul Search! "Kunlun legend? The Great Beast Cmity?" "Kunlun legend? The Great Beast Cmity?" "New skills? Ancient methods?" "Martial Saint... Golden Core... Dragon Emperor?" More questions arose in the old man¡¯s mind. Only a millennium had passed in the heavens and earth; not even as long as his own lifespan, yet so much had changed that it was almost unrecognizable! After the soul search, the old man didn¡¯t possess the body but rather applied the Heavenly Corpse Sect¡¯s secret technique. The pig demon¡¯s skin turned purplish, two sharp fangs protruded from its mouth, its eyes turned pale, and its entire body was shrouded in the aura of death. "For now, I¡¯ll reside in this corpse demon¡¯s body andter look for someone with a Heavenly Spiritual Root to possess." The old man took out the pig demon¡¯s cellphone and clumsily searched online. As the web pages rapidly scrolled by, he roughly understood the events of the past thousand years. "Hahaha! Yuan Ling, that fellow, turned out to be even unluckier than me!" Upon reading the records about the One Qi Sect, the old man couldn¡¯t help butugh heartily. Chapter 289 - 258 Calamity from the West ``` "After the Alliance Army captured Seaside Port, they suffered repeated counterattacks from the demon race but managed to hold their position for a year!" "The eastern part of Cloud Continent has be a territory of the human race, and one day it will regain its ancient glory!" "Xiao Martial Saint took action again, crushing the beast tide in the sea!" "Construction of Seaside Port has officially begun, and it is expected to bepleted within ten years¡­" News after news flooded all media outlets. Following the victory of the battle at Seaside Port, the momentum of the Alliance Army was magnificent, and they began to expand southwards and northwards from Xianjing to Seaside Port. Continuous reports of victories came in¡ªtoday they captured this mountain, tomorrow they crossed that river, the day after they defeated a certain Demon King. With the relentless barrage of information, nearly everyone believed that the human race was on the rise! "Most people are nothing but a disorganized crowd, carried along by public opinion and trends!" Zhou Yi muttered to himself, lifting his head to gaze at the sky, a white rainbow piercing through the bright sun. ording to modern technology¡¯s exnation, this was a normal halo, a circle formed by the refraction of sunlight by water droplets in the cloudyer. "If it were just the white rainbow piercing the sun, it would be one thing, butst month there was Mars guarding the heart of the sky, the month before that aet struck the moon, and the month before that stars appeared during the day¡­ What kind of madness has seized the heavens, as if there weren¡¯t enough clear signs of impending disaster?" Zhou Yi¡¯s brows furrowed. All celestial phenomena have scientific exnations, and even if they urred more frequently, it would not be particrly strange. "However, this is the Cultivation World!" The Nine Continents have more than just technology; they also have the even more ancient and mysterious path of immortality. The Wanjuan Daozang records many divination techniques. Most are used for self-divining one¡¯s path, safety, fortune, and misfortune. Others, such as Astrology and the secrets of heavenly fate, can divine changes in the world¡¯s great trends. Sessive unusual celestial events had put Zhou Yi on alert. After performing several divination spells, the results consistently pointed to a disaster arising from the west, but the specific nature of the cmity was unclear. "After casting a minor Borrowed Luck Technique to divine my own fate, I found no danger, so is thising disaster targeted at the Nine Continents?" "The great trends of the world are vast and mighty, concerned with billions of living beings, far beyond my cultivation to divine. However, there are still ways to foresee it, such as the cheeky methods recorded in the secrets of heavenly fate." "Borrowed Luck Technique!" Zhou Yi made calctions with his fingers, his gaze turning toward East City. "If the master has a task, the disciple is at his service!" He then opened his smartphone, scrolled through his contacts, found Han Chao¡¯s name, and sent a message. "Little Han, you don¡¯t visit your teacher after returning to Xianjing?" ... East City. The old Yongning Fang district, now renamed as Area 72. The pressure from ferocious beasts had turned the ancient Xianjing into a colossal fortress, with all names serving the purpose of war. 1024 Courtyard. A rare single-family house with an area of over twenty zhang in size, considered a top-level luxury residence in the preciousnd of Xianjing. Only in Xianjing, the safest ce in the entire human Alliance, were sky and ground sealed off by defensive formations, preventing ferocious and demon beasts from sneaking in to cause destruction, causing real estate prices to soar to the heavens. To protect more civilians, the Alliance strictly regted personal living space, with even cab members living in cramped apartments. Only two types of people were exempt from these constraints: ancient cultivators, who required a peaceful environment for their cultivation, and martial experts, who fought to the death against ferocious beasts for the human race. Both could purchaserger residences based on their strength and contributions. The Alliance¡¯s policy aimed to motivate people to be stronger. It worked wonders but also attracted much controversy. Most ordinary people dared not fight against ferocious beasts, yet they could use the banner of equality and freedom to oppose the privileges of their stronger kin, after all, even cultivators were subject to thew! Take, for example, the owner of this courtyard, True Lord Tang¡¯s second disciple, Han Chao. Having risen from poverty to such status in just a few years, there were already those who secretly spread various rumors about him. As for Han Chao rushing to the front lines and repeatedly facing death against fierce beasts, in some people¡¯s eyes, this was what he was supposed to do! The only person the inte dared not nder was True Lord Tang. Whenever anyone made snide remarks, in a few days they would develop sores in their mouth and break their legs. Combining technology with Immortal Realm techniques, Alliance hospitals could cure ordinary ailments in a day. However, if afflicted by True Lord Tang¡¯s curse, not even medicinal pills could help, and one had to endure the pain until the curse subsided. Because Zhou Yi cast his spells without any concealment, everyone knew he had a cyber-curse, and he came to be regarded as the perfect cultivator by all. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om True Lord Tang was petty, and nobody dared to speak ill of him! Han Chao was envious of this cyber-curse. In ancient times, there were no inte cables, hence no spells that work through them to curse people, and despite his requests, he hadn¡¯t been able to learn it. "My master is always so generous, even willing to lend out the Supreme Treasure Light Dividing Sword, so why hold back such a trivial technique?" Han Chao¡¯s feelings toward his master, True Lord Tang, were quiteplicated, filled with gratitude but also a fair amount of wariness. Having fought abroad for years, every time Han Chao faced a crisis, just before a desperate fight, a cultivator would alwayse to his aid. Once or twice was fine, but such consistent help inevitably led to other thoughts. Especially since Han Chao possessed a Supreme Treasure, no one dared to fully trust him. "Is it possible that my master¡¯s divination skills, unparalleled in history, have foreseen this?" With various doubts in his heart, Han Chao had always paid close attention to his master¡¯s words and deeds and,paring them against records in the ssics, found them identical to those of cultivators from the age of the ancient Immortal Realm. Those natural actions were not the deliberate imitation of a nostalgic cultivator, but as if he had walked straight out of ancient times. "There are many rumors online iming that my master is the reincarnation of an ancient immortal. Perhaps the truth lies there¡­" Because of this, Han Chao hadn¡¯t returned to Xianjing for years, onlying back to undergo secluded cultivation afterpleting his Foundation Establishment to form a false core and when his mana cultivation could no longer advance, yet he did not dare to rashly trigger the Heavenly Tribtion. After several days of flying from Seaside Port, he finally returned to Xianjing. ``` The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 290 - 258: Disaster Arises from the West_2 The escape light settled in the courtyard. Han Chao nced at the secret prohibitions hidden in the corner and the fallen leaves wedged in the door gap, confirming that no one had been there. Arriving at the closed-door meditation room, he arranged a dozen types of Formation and Prohibition with practiced skill, worthy of being called an Array Dao Master. Of all the four arts of cultivation, Han Chao was proficient in each. Yet, to avoid startling the mundane world, he only revealed his Alchemical Techniques in public, renown within the Alliance as an Alchemy Master. With the Formation and Prohibition blocking prying eyes, Han Chao took out a jade dish from his storage bag. Palm-sized with a pure white jade construction, it was engraved with the Star Map Cloud Pattern; one could not help but be immersed in it with just a nce. "With the Sacrificial Method at hand, I can enter the state of Dao enlightenment at any time, making rapid progress in the four arts of the immortal path. Yet, before my master, I am like a naive child, whose guidance for just a few moments surpasses days of enlightenment." "Master¡¯s knowledge is as profound as a living Scripture Pavilion, knowing no bounds and endless!" "This is beyond the scope of mere talent!" "If master is indeed a reincarnated True Immortal, that would exin all perplexities. The ancient legacies are vast and broad, but today¡¯s cultivators only have fragments. No matter how much enlightenment I pursue, being limited by my legacy, I can hardlypare to theplete ways of immortality!" Han Chao gently caressed the jade dish, frowning deeply. The jade dish¡¯s purpose was solely for enlightenment; indeed, its profound method could aid in solidifying the Golden Core. Coupled with the perfect unity of essence, energy, and spirit, the probability was still only forty to fifty percent. Any cultivator with such a foundation would have long since regted their mana and begun breaking through realms. Yet, Han Chao was unwilling to gamble with his life. He would only attempt the Core Formation when he was one hundred percent sure, willing to trigger the heavenly tribtion. "The master has Spirit Medicine that can improve Core Formation and numerous ancient tomes on Solidifying Pills. Should I request them..." After much hesitation and difficulty deciding, he nned to continue cultivating in seclusion for a while longer. After all, he had enough lifespan left; even waiting a decade or two was inconsequential. "Master always teaches that the path of immortality should be tread lightly and steadily¡ªthese wordse from the heart!" Han Chao took out the corpse of a demon beast from his storage bag and began to perform the Sacrificial Method, pinching a spell in his hand. The jade dish emitted a spiritual light, instantly devouring the demon beast¡¯s corpse. The principles of heaven and earth emerged before him, and Han Chao skillfully entered a state of sudden enlightenment. At this moment, he contemted not the Cultivation Techniques or Divine Abilities but the content of his master¡¯s lectures, gaining new insights with each review. Several dayster. Han Chao awoke from his enlightenment, feeling that his Escape Skill had improved further, even surpassing the escape speeds recorded in the ssics for true masters. "Profound truths within subtle words; a viewpoint from high above is indeed all there is to it!" "Master imparts his teachings without a hint of selfishness, often saving me in times of trouble. How could I dare to doubt him?" With these thoughts, Han Chao prepared to contact his master to visit and seek advice today. Buzz buzz! His phone received a message. Seeing the contact and the content, Han Chao was even more astonished. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "Master sending a message at this time... Could he have foreseen the shift in my thoughts? Such divination technique is rarely seen in the ssics; Master must indeed be a great figure reincarnated from ancient times!" After pondering for a moment, Han Chao replied. "Master, your disciple will be right there." He soon transformed into a streak of escape light, flying towards the Martial Arts University. ¡­ The office. The outer part was styled modernly, while the inner part was decorated with an ancient ambiance. Zhou Yi was sitting cross-legged on a Jade Stone Bed/Couch, with a spirit wood square table in the middle, currently brewing Spiritual Tea. Having gone through a lengthy passage of time, he no longer needed to deliberately contemte and study; wisdom came to him naturally, leading to the creation of Wonderful Techniques. For instance, his tea-brewing method had evolved: from initially learning the skill, to eventually turning to understanding the principles. Now, having integrated it with the arts of Alchemy and wine brewing, the Spiritual Tea leaves, after boiling, each cup was equivalent to a Spirit Pill. Zhou Yipiled this method into a volume and published the "Alchemy Technique of Tea" online. Many people studied it, but very few could apply it. After all, Spiritual Tea was rare; even Foundation Establishment cultivators scarcely had a few leaves, most of which became ingredients for pills. In the future, as the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth grows increasingly dense and Spiritual Tea bes more abundant, the books written by Zhou Yi will surely be widespread. His core Water Refinement Technique might even be a new school of Alchemy Dao in the future. Below the Jade Stone Bed/Couch, seven meditation mats were lined up in a row, five of which bore names and surnames. After bowing respectfully to his master, Han Chao took his seat on the second meditation mat, signifying his ce as the second disciple beneath the True Master. Once the Spiritual Tea was ready, Zhou Yi flicked a finger, and the teacupnded steadily in Han Chao¡¯s hand, with the spirit teapot pouring by itself. "Thank you, Master." Having mastered the Alchemy Technique of Tea with the help of the jade dish and repeated contemtion, Han Chao had already reached the Great Achievement Realm. However, as he carefully tasted it, he found his master¡¯s brewed tea had many more profound and subtle variations. Zhou Yi spoke, "I¡¯ve called you here today to discuss an important matter." "Please speak, Master." Han Chao did not immediately agree, knowing his master to be easygoing and gentle. Having been his disciple for several years and never having been asked to do anything, today¡¯s use of the term ¡¯discuss¡¯ indicated it was no trivial issue. Zhou Yi said, "The Way of Heaven has revealed to me that a great cmity is about to befall the Nine Continents." "A great cmity!" Han Chao¡¯s face showed shock, and he said in disbelief, "Could it be more dangerous than the beasts and demon races?" For two hundred years, since the time Han Chao was born, the Nine Continents had been ravaged by ferocious beasts, the fear of which was deeply ingrained in the human bloodline. "The revival of heaven and earth naturally leads to the rise of demon races; it was just by an unfortunate twist of fate that they became the rulers of the Nine Continents." Zhou Yi shrugged helplessly; human efforts could not defy fate, and people always found ways to destroy themselves. "In ancient times, the Nine Continents were also ruled by demon races. For humanity, it was a disaster; for heaven and earth, it was normal operation. It wouldn¡¯t cause frequent and abnormal changes in the heavens; there must be another reason!" To nature, all creatures are the same; there is no distinction between humans, demon races, beasts, or ferocious beasts. Of course, such opinions, if posted online, would be vilified beyond recognition! Chapter 291 - 258 Disaster from the West_3 Han Chao had already epted Zhou Yi as a transmigrated being from a great ancient power and found such sublime ideas to be only natural, and he asked, "Does Master have a method to resolve the great cmity?" "This poor Taoist cannot even deduce what the great cmity is, let alone resolve it. The only strategy at present is to proceed from two aspects." Zhou Yi said, "First, we must elerate the construction of the ocean-faring giant ships and relocate a portion of the human race deep into the Eastern Sea. No matter what happens to the Nine Continents, at the very least, it will preserve the bloodline and heritage of our race!" Han Chao said, "Master, the spiritual energy is sparse deep in the Eastern Sea; it is even the Land of Absolute Spirit. Cultivators, no matter what, cannot escape it!" "You aspire to immortality and can only stay in the Nine Continents. Faced with the great cmity, there is no escape!" "This is the second point. We must investigate the source of the disaster. Even if we cannot resolve it, we can at least prepare in advance!" Zhou Yi said, "Through my divination technique, I have deduced that the source of the disasteres from the west. However, I must personally refine the sea-crossing giant ship, intending to relocate our race into the ocean as soon as possible, unable to divert my focus. Therefore, I am thinking of having you go and investigate." The path of immortality originates from spiritual energy; ancient cultivators who wished to break through their realms were bound to stay in the Nine Continents. As for martial artists born of the new techniques, they were even less able to leave. Integrating a heterogeneous bloodline, the cessation of spiritual energy would lead to the decline of qi-blood, and the consequence would be exploding on the spot! "This..." In his heart, Han Chao¡¯s first choice was naturally to avoid the disaster. With his cultivation level, unless heavens fell and earth rent, hiding in secluded mountains and forests for closed-door cultivation, being cautious in daily life, he should not encounter any great difficulties. On the contrary, stepping into the midst of cmity, facing the raging currents of fate, he might very well end up as ashes and smoke. "With Master¡¯s divination technique being so profound, could you not know the news of the disaster?" Zhou Yi sighed and said, "This poor Taoist has exhausted over three hundred years of lifespan, trying with all my strength to divine, but I only know its direction." "Three hundred years! Master¡¯s profound concern for the human race, your disciple admires most fervently!" Han Chao¡¯s eyes showed shock. Such divination left only two hundred years of lifespan, and looking up at Zhou Yi again, it seemed as though hallowed golden light suffused his entire being. Zhou Yi had not deceived his disciple, but he had not mentioned that each daily divination consumed a thousand years of lifespan, and three hundred years did not evenpare to one morning. Such a life-reducing method was also paving the way for his eventual transcendence. When the human race had a new Golden Elixir True Monarch, Zhou Yi would again use the excuse of divining the human race¡¯s fate, reducing his lifespan, and then pass away in transcendence, in actuality changing his identity to hide within themon world of the Nine Continents, no longer taking risks by appearing in public. While Han Chao greatly admired him in his heart, he did not agree to the request in line with the conversation. The western part of Cloud Continent and even further west to Qiong Continent and Buddha Continent were deep territories of fierce beasts and demon races, fraught with danger. Han Chao, carrying supreme treasures, was unwilling to take the risk. N?v(el)B\\jnn Moreover, the Nine Continents were vast, and the source of the great cmity could be an unnamed mountain or river¡ªwho else with incredible fortune could find it? Usual days spent in contemting the teachings of Zhou Yi, though superficial in many ways, Han Chao deeply grasped the true transmission of Zhou Yi, and made up his mind to carefully and cautiously seek immortality. Zhou Yi was well aware of his disciple¡¯s thoughts and did not oppose them. Instead, he agreed with them, for those endowed with great destiny are not immortal, and a stable and cautious cultivation is more likely to achieve the Great Way. However, with the present spiritual energy of heaven and earth, the strongest was no more than the Golden Core. Zhou Yi was confident that he could protect Han Chao¡¯s safety. All he needed was Han Chao¡¯s incredible fortune; otherwise, Zhou Yi would go to the west himself to investigate. "I have several spiritual medicines here, each of which can increase the probability of Core Formation by ten percent. If you manage to investigate the news of the disaster, I will bestow them upon you for your consumption and refinement!" As he spoke, five rays of light flew out of his sleeve, transforming into mysteriously shaped medicinal herbs, such as multicolored lotus seeds, Five-Colored Cloud Mushrooms, millennium mushroom-horses... The spiritual light was splendid, dazzling the eyes of onlookers. Han Chao prided himself on his extensive knowledge, yet he could only recognize two of the items, fully convinced that his master was a reincarnation of an ancient immortal, and these spiritual medicines were most likely sealed and left behind from his previous life. "Master, your disciple is willing to investigate, but there is another favor to ask!" "Speak." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, "As long as you can investigate the source of the great catastrophe, as your master, I will not stint on supreme treasures and spiritual objects, I shall support you in every way." The great catastrophe that caused the frequent shifting of the stars, Zhou Yi also had no confidence in his heart; in recent months, he increased to divining six times, consuming a millennium of lifespan every three hours to divine the safety of one day, one month, one year. "Disciple requests that Master lends me the Bodhi Treasure Wheel for protection." Out of gratitude for Zhou Yi¡¯s kindness, coupled with the opportunity presented by the Golden Core and his confidence in his escape skills and the protection of the supreme treasure, Han Chao was willing to go west to investigate the source of the disaster. After all, Han Chao did not possess an endless lifespan; even if he were to cultivate in seclusion for another hundred years, he might not necessarily be able to push the probability of core formation to a full guarantee. Zhou Yi waved his hand, and the Bodhi Gold Wheel fell into Han Chao¡¯s hands: "This object contains my mana and can be used to either burst forth power or protect oneself three times." "Thank you, Master." Han Chao felt greatly reassured; with this treasure to protect him, even if he encountered the Dragon Emperor, he could preserve his life. "Master, I still have doubts in my heart. You often teach me to pursue longevity, so why are you willing to consume three hundred years of your lifespan to divine the great catastrophe? Isn¡¯t such an act cutting off the path of ordinary people?" Zhou Yi waved his hand, and a screen of light appeared before him, disying scenes from the Immortal Capital City. He pointed at a certain ce, and the view quickly zoomed in, showing twomoners talking about how the prices of rice and flour had dropped again and life was getting better by the day. He pointed casually at another ce, and to his surprise, it was a couple in the heat of romance, secretly meeting and kissing in a hidden spot. "They are all living people, not merely a string of numbers or a static backdrop; the joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness experienced by each person could be written into a volume of memoirs." "I still have some strength, I can¡¯t just watch them coldly, all dying in disasters!" Zhou Yi slowly said, "You must remember, no matter how powerful you be in the future, your essence is still that of a human, not a god, buddha, spirit, or demon!" "I will bear Master¡¯s teachings in mind!" Han Chao bowed deeply and then sought advice on several cultivation puzzles before transforming into a beam of light and leaving; he would soon travel westward. In the office, Only Zhou Yi remained, seated on the jade couch, deep in thought for a long time. "With the fortune to stir the heavens on him, and the secret protection of Clear Wind and Bright Moon, there is no threat to his life on this journey. However, the vast expanse of the Nine Continents means Han Chao might not be able to find the source of the great catastrophe; preparations must be made early!" Upon thinking this, his form slowly faded and reappeared at the inner cab yamen. Zhou Yi was not about to emte a tragic drama, hiding the impending disaster for various nonsensical reasons, pretending to be unfathomable, deliberately leaving words unsaid to create obstacles from misunderstandings, only to triumph from ast stand. The catastrophe of the Nine Continents concerns the lives of billions, the four words st stand" could mean millions more would die. Moreover, there are very few who can sessfully counterattack; most of the time, it¡¯s a desperate situation with no turning back! Prepare for defeat before expecting victory. Zhou Yi, who had lived a long life and seen much, was not averse to the word "escape." Chapter 292 - 259: The Seedship of Fire Grand Secretary Office. Meeting Room. Not long after Zhou Yi appeared, the core members of the alliance arrived together. "Greetings, True Lord." The Grand Secretary bowed in greeting. Initially out of fear for power, now it came from genuine respect. The reason the Alliance Army was as unstoppable as a bamboo splitter wasrgely due to the soldiers who bravely sacrificed their lives, but the divination technique was also a tremendous aid. Every human high official who knew this treated Zhou Yi as if he were a prophet, wishing they could consult him before every battle, at the least to gain foresight about the enemy, or at most to directly behead the scheming beasts behind it all. Latterly, having heard that the divination method shortens one¡¯s lifespan, the army generals respected Zhou Yi even more but seldom came to inquire. "True Lord Tang, has something significant urred?" The Assistant Secretary showed a worried face. Ordinarily, when True Lord had a prophecy, he would either transmit a message or make a call, and even for something as crucial as the Seaside Battle, he did note in person. "Perhaps there has, this poor Daoist observed the heavenly signsst night..." Zhou Yi thoroughly recounted the news of the catastrophe, saying, "The great trend of the world is the resurgence of Spiritual Energy, and the conflict between the human and beast races is also within this scope. However, this catastrophe is indeed different, sweeping across the lives of the Nine Continents, thus triggering these ominous signs!" Everyone pondered deeply for a moment until someone said. "True Lord, will the beast race suffer heavy losses because of this?" The great catastrophe had not yet arrived; they could not specifically sense its danger and terror. Instead, the threat of beasts rampaging across the Nine Continents was the immediate existential threat to billions of humans. "That is natural." Zhou Yi shook his head slightly, saying, "I¡¯m afraid by that time you won¡¯t think in the same way, but rather you¡¯ll wish the beast race would suffer less, so that they could join forces with us to resist the catastrophe." The great catastrophe would engulf the Nine Continents, humans could still flee to the deepest parts of the Eastern Sea, but the beast race would have nowhere to retreat. In ces with thin Spiritual Energy, reverting back to wild animals isn¡¯t much better than dying within the catastrophe. The Grand Secretary¡¯s brows furrowed tightly, sensing the danger of the impending catastrophe from these words, and said, "True Lord, have youe this time thinking of quickly building a giant ark, to send some of the human race to the depths of the Eastern Sea?" "This poor Daoist will personally take action, leading the ancient practitioners in constructing the giant ark, which at most can begin sailing within three years." Zhou Yi pulled out a sea chart, pointing at severalrge inds on it, "These inds, spanning hundreds to thousands of miles around, are more than a hundred thousand miles deep into the Eastern Sea, where the Spiritual Energy is extremely thin, enough to establish kingdoms." "True Lord truly holds the human race¡¯s welfare at heart, this old man expresses his thanks!" The Grand Secretary bowed and said, "The alliance will supply all necessary materials to True Lord, to build the giant ark as soon as possible, and preserve the lineage of the human race." No one else objected. Being in such positions, facing the risk of racial extinction, they had little room for personal interest. After a long discussion, the Grand Secretary summarized a brief charter: mainly it involved allocating materials for shipbuilding and naming it the Seed Fire Project. One issue needed to be decided upon early, to coordinate with the alliance¡¯s propaganda and prevent widespread unrest, was how to select who would board the ship? Zhou Yi said, "The necessary technical personnel will directly board the ship, all others will be determined through lottery, and only those under forty years old can participate in the first round of lottery!" It sounded extremely cruel, but preserving the seeds of humanity left no other choice. After all, cultural heritage is built upon the continuation of bloodlines; what good is morality if the entire human race has perished? The Grand Secretary asked, "Do we need to take with us any unique animals from the Nine Continents?" "If we have that space, we might as well squeeze in one more person." ... Several dayster. The alliance began a massive propaganda campaign. A thousand-mile ind deep in the overseas seas, free of the threat of fierce beasts, just as free of old and new practices, it¡¯s possible to establish a realmpletelyposed of ordinary humans. The beasts of the Nine Continents raged; ordinary people live daily in fear and despair, and there is no one who doesn¡¯t wish for stability. As the message spread, innumerable people wanted to settle deep in the Eastern Sea. Even if it sounded nebulous and required starting from scratch, it was still much better than facing a beast¡¯s maw. Moreover, a purely mortal state was extremely tempting for those without the Spiritual Root or low martial talent. Ordinary people tend to me their mediocrity on talent, believing if ced in the Land of Absolute Spirit, their status, power, and wealth could surpass that of Martial Artists and ancient practitioners! Before having no way out, they were united in resisting the beasts! Now that there was a way out, countless people petitioned, requesting the alliance to elerate the construction of the Seed Fire. Zhou Yi took the post of chief designer for the Seed Fire, leveraging and enticing with his status as True Lord, demanding ancient practitioners to participate in forging. With his strength and reputation among the ancient practitioners, naturally, no one dared to oppose, and practitioners from all over headed to the Seaside Port. Monks¡¯ shipbuilding was entirely different from technology; they didn¡¯t need to consider construction, durability, or power. If the structure was unstable, inscribe Formation and Prohibition. If the material was not sturdy, temper with Spiritual Fire. From the outset, power was never about fuel, but powered by Spirit Crystals driving the Formation, possessing immense and endless endurance. Zhou Yi led over a thousand ancient practitioners in constructing the ship, with tens of thousands more responsible for forging materials like Iron Essence and Copper Essence, and the shipbuilding was progressing smoothly. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Half a year had passed. The basic structure of the Seed Fire waspleted, over five hundred yards long and thirty to forty yards high. Apart from looking like a ship in shape, it essentially usedpletely different principles from a ship. Floating at the Seaside Port, it seemed like a steel ind. Zhou Yi stood in midair, his Divine Sense sweeping over the Seed Fire, waving down a waterfall of Spiritual Light. The Spiritual Light enveloped the whole ark, fusing all the joint locations into one, and at weak points like the bow and stern, he personally arranged Formation and Prohibition. "Recorded in the Wanjuan Daozang, great beings of ancient times refined flying Immortal Inds as traveling pces. The Seed Fire,cking just the Spirit Vein, already holds a third of the Immortal Ind¡¯s mystery!" Zhou Yi nodded in satisfaction. The Seed Fire really could fly, but it would require arge amount of Spirit Crystals. Only when facing a beast tide in the sea, to avoid entanglement, would he activate the flight formation! With the initial constructionplete, the next steps were to load weapons and construct the floors. The ark was expected to be able to hold a million people, even though the living conditions wouldn¡¯t be luxurious. Concerning food, there¡¯s no need to worry. Storage bags and sea creatures were enough to satiate the passengers. One yearter. The Seed of Fire was brimming with ship-borne weapons, full firepower, capable of annihting a beast tide of a hundred thousand in scale. Top-tier detection magic artifacts, personally refined by Zhou Yi, could discover the traces of ferocious beasts tens of miles away. Throughputer-controlled rockets, they could be killed beyond the line of sight. Another year. The living quarters for passengers werepleted, a total of fifty floors of low-rise houses, densely packed like a honeb. By this time, the Alliance had already started to publicize the boarding rules. Despite repeatedly emphasizing the unpredictability of the Eastern Sea and the harsh living conditions aboard, they could not suppress the people¡¯s longing for a stable life. After the announcement of the forty-year age limit, significant chaos ensued. Under the rampage of the wild beasts, the Alliance already had few elderly people, and those of age already knew their destiny. Those who caused the chaos were mostly just over the age limit, or had barely celebrated their forty-first birthday, how could they willingly stay in the Nine Continents. After private connections, these people attempted to gather in Xianjing to protest, enlisting more people to oppose the rules and demand a fair and just lottery. Equality! The eternal slogan of the opposition, applicable to any dissatisfaction. But before the protest could even start, they had already been exposed, and the core members were all captured, thrown to the front lines to fight the savage beasts, earning enough military merits to board the ship! The ancient cultivator Zhou Yi personally took action, casting spells to seal the memories of the involved personnel, causing countless people to disappear without a trace. Disappeared both physically and socially! Martial Arts University. Office. Zhou Yi listened quietly to his chief disciple¡¯s report, slowly finishing his Spiritual Tea, and nodded. "In the future, if such things happen again, there is no need to ask for my permission, just deal with it in this manner!" "Such measures have sparked quite a bit of discussion." Jin Jiuxiao voiced his doubts, "Master, you can sacrifice your lifespan for the sake of the human race, so why be so ruthless?" "I can bepassionate, but I won¡¯t be constrained by mundane morality," Zhou Yi said, "You must remember, when the great disaster arrives, one must first kill the Holy Mother!" "I shall heed Master¡¯s teachings!" Jin Jiuxiao, halfprehending, was personally taught by the high levels of the Alliance after his Heavenly Spiritual Root was detected, wherepassion, charity, and self-sacrifice were among the most important teachings. Now that his cultivation had advanced to False Golden Core and he was the chief disciple of a True Lord, the Alliance had already regarded Jin Jiuxiao as the next generation leader of the ancient cultivators. Zhou Yi looked up towards the west and murmured. "Three years have passed, I wonder how your junior brother is doing?" ... Meanwhile, in another ce. Han Chao received his master¡¯s order to travel west, crossing the western part of Cloud Continent, and entering Qiong Continent. Along the way, he moved unpredictably, avoiding the territories of various demon ns to prevent news leakage that might lead to being surrounded and killed by a horde of demons. The first year, Han Chao navigated cautiously, as if treading on thin ice, perceiving demon ns as cruel beings that would fight humans to the death upon encounter. When crossing the border of Cloud Continent, he identally entered a tiger demon¡¯sir and the chasested for hundreds of miles before it turned back. Han Chao secretly observed the tiger demon for several days and realized that it had no intention to summon other demons to hunt him down. Instead, it was focused on optimizing Elixir No. 2 within aboratory. So as not to alert the hoard of demons, for the first time, Han Chao didn¡¯t kill upon encountering a demon, and continued his journey west. In the second year, he encountered several demon ns. Most of them, after a few exchanges in magicalbat, would ignore him upon realizing Han Chao was difficult to handle. Of course, there were also many greedy demons who attempted to devour Han Chao to increase their intelligence. Their fates were sealed by the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda, bing sacrifices to the Jade Dishware. After two years of roaming through the spiritualnds of the demon ns, Han Chao¡¯s sense of crisis had greatly diminished. "With my strength, unless I face the Dragon Emperor head-on, there is no danger from the other demons. As long as I don¡¯t fall into any Formation and Prohibition, even if a group of demons besiege me, I can easily escape!" With his mind at ease, he no longer took excessive precautions on his journey. Using the Transforming Shape Form, Han Chao changed into a bull demon and attempted to visit several demonboratories. He confirmed that if he didn¡¯t engage in a fight, they couldn¡¯t see through his spell. Then, utilizing the Earth Escape technique, he headed straight for the central part of Qiong Continent. "ording to the demon ns, for a thousand miles around Dragon Emperor Mountain, the ground is covered with the carcasses of fierce beasts, piled up into mountains. If I steal a hundred and eighty thousand, it would be like a drop in the ocean, attracting no attention whatsoever!" "Once I form my Golden Core, with such a number in reserve, I can close myself off and cultivate topletion in one breath." "Master asked me to go west to explore. Dragon Emperor Mountain is right in the southwest of Cloud Continent. It¡¯s not against Master¡¯s order, so I can achieve two goals with one action!" Half a yearter. Han Chao activated the Jade Dishware several times, perfecting his understanding of the Transforming Shape Form. The Art of Transformation became more and more exquisite; he even dined andpeted with several demons without giving himself away, finally arriving southeast of Dragon Emperor Mountain. "It¡¯s been six or seven years, and the demons are still fighting!" Transformed into a stunning fox demon, Han Chao stood on the mountain top looking into the distance. Ahead, the sinister energy soared into the sky, with ceaseless roars resounding. The miasmic deathly aura formed dark clouds, covering the sun and bringing with it mournful, piercing whistles as the wind blew by. The fierce beasts were catalyzed by elixirs, and their souls were even weaker than ordinary humans. However, the dense Yin Sha deathly aura was too strong, with groups of ghostly entities seen roaming everywhere. "Whether the Three Emperors or the Dragon Emperor have lost their minds, it has nothing to do with me. I will just steal some corpses and leave!" Han Chao could vaguely guess there were internal issues within the demons, but he had no interest in investigating. The more fiercely they killed each other, the better for humanity. Using Escape Technique, he went underground and arrived at the edge of the battlefield. Countless stacked corpsesy below, and he quickly filled up a storage bag. "This is a paradise for me!" After filling three storage bags, and while the fourth one was almost full, Han Chao suddenly felt gusts of cold wind. Looking up, among the corpses ahead, a monster with ghost fire in ce of its eyes was staring nkly at him! Chapter 293 - 260: The Skeleton Dragon Corpse Demon "Fellow Daoist, sorry to disturb you, but may I leave right this instant?" Han Chao sensed the bone dragon¡¯s strength, its Yin Sha aura wasparable to the peak of Foundation Establishment, and it would be difficult to y it without causing amotion. Roar! The bone dragon let out a piercing howl to the sky, its pupil¡¯s ghostly mes red wildly, and it wriggled out from a pile of corpses. Its eight wings pped, hurling the corpses on the ground into the air, and as the white bones fell like rain, the bone dragon soared upwards, opening its mouth to spray Green Poisonous Fire at Han Chao. "What kind of monster is this?" It was only then that Han Chao got a clear look at the full extent of the bone dragon: a dragon¡¯s head, serpent¡¯s body, five ws, and four pairs of wings sprouting from its back. The creature¡¯s body stretched over ten yards in length, half of it stark white bone and the other half rotting flesh. A massive hole in its chest allowed for a clear view of the withered, pitch-ck organs inside. Dodging the poisonous fire with flickering escape light, Han Chao did not entangle with the bone dragon but instead flew rapidly toward the east. Roar! Roar! Roar... The continuous wails of the bone dragon seemed to activate some kind of restriction, with the unceasing sound emerging from arbitrary corners of the battlefield. All sorts of bizarre dragon corpses burrowed out from underground, circling over the battlefield. At the same time. Corpses that had been dead for who knows how long on the ground suddenly sprang to life, their skulls glowing with purple ghostly mes. They gathered antlers, ws, and teeth at random, assembling themselves into strange Corpse Demons. Roar, roar, roar! A Corpse Demon let out a ferocious roar, its head was that of a withered and rotten bovine demon, while its body was woven from thousands of ribs. It iled about with several long and short, varied ws. Its lower half was from a serpent demon¡¯s remains, slithering across the ground. Near the bovine-headed Corpse Demon, there were many living fierce beasts, not knowing whether they were frightened senseless or had been given orders, each curled up not daring to move, allowing the Corpse Demon to grasp and tear them apart to devour. The pale, rotting body of the Corpse Demon was now stained with the fresh blood of the beasts, resembling a fierce god or evil spirit that just crawled out of hell! This ce was located at the edge of the demon race battlefield, with fewer corpses avable to assemble, so the bovine-headed Corpse Demon was just one insignificant entity among countless others. While escaping, Han Chao looked back, using the Spirit Eye Technique to survey the distance, and he could vaguely make out Corpse Demons as big as mountains. Not far from Dragon Emperor Mountain, a new peak had risen. Bone Mountain, made from countless broken corpses, with innumerable bone ws iling wildly, grabbing plenty of fierce beasts and consuming them to be part of the mountain of corpses. Atop the bloated, gargantuan body of Bone Mountain hung fresh, rotting flesh and blood, and from its summit grew three heads of pig, dog, and cow, emitting painful and mournful shrieks. Atop the bovine demon¡¯s head stood a golden-robed old man, who was none other than the Golden Corpse Daoist released from his seal. "Hee hee hee!" The Golden Corpse let out a creepyugh, looking up at the overcast sky and said coldly, "On the day of my Divine Skills¡¯ great sess, I especially sent an interesting little chap to investigate. Is old heaven still thinking of the lives of the Nine Continents?" "What¡¯s wrong with turning them all into Corpse Demons, possessing tremendous power and an extended lifespan..." "Hee hee hee! No one in the Nine Continents can stop me, let alone a few juniors, not even the Almighty Himself!" As soon as the Golden Corpse had the thought, the Corpse Demon bone dragons on the edge of the battlefield, whether by flight or frenzied rush, surged toward Han Chao like a tidal wave. Seeing this, how could Han Chao dare to watch any longer? His escape light¡¯s speed instantly soared, and he disappeared into the horizon. "Hmph, the little brat sure runs fast." n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The Golden Corpse snorted coldly, feeling no annoyance. A cultivator appearing at such a critical moment surely had an extraordinary destiny and strength. It mattered little that a mere Foundation Establishment True Person had fled. "With billions of Corpse Demons under mymand, sweeping through the Nine Continents is a trivial matter!" "The first order of business now is to capture that dragon, bleed it daily to cultivate dragon kin, and eventually assemble a billion-strong undead army of dragon corpses!" The Golden Corpse waved his hand and the sky-full of dragon corpses and ground-swarming Corpse Demons flooded toward Dragon Emperor Mountain like a tsunami. The dragon race, which had been evenly matched with countless fierce beasts for years, copsedpletely in an instant. What was more terrifying was that the dragon race members who had just died, after being eroded by the Yin Sha demonic aura, stood up again. The newly arisen Corpse Dragons became part of the Corpse Demon army, spewing Green Poisonous Fire, attacking their kin which they had fought alongside moments ago. Their strength was even more formidable than before their death! With one side growing and the other dwindling, the dragon race, already in disarray, was even more unwilling to fight the Corpse Demon army, fearing that in death they too would be Corpse Demons. Dragon Emperor Mountain Laboratory. Ao Qin looked at the screen in front of him, which disyed a sea of bones and countless terrifying Corpse Demons flooding in like a tide. In the center of the screen, the image of a golden-robed Daoist was clearly depicted. "The Golden Corpse Demon Lord of the ancient Heavenly Corpse Sect, he¡¯s actually lived up to now!" Ao Qin was sweating profusely; he had heard from his father about the formidable reputation of both the Heavenly Monarch and the Demon Monarch. Even though he carried the Azure Dragon bloodline and the Golden Corpse Daoist was only at the Golden Core Early Stage, he dared not confront him directly. "Those three heads on the mountain of bones belong to the Three Sovereigns of the new demon race; no wonder they¡¯ve been fighting to the death against me all these years. They had already been refined into Corpse Demons by the Demon Monarch!" Ao Qin had wanted to flee a long time ago, but he had a premonition that the Demon Monarch had put a mysterious tracking curse on him. He had no chance of outrunning the Demon Monarch when it came to using Escape Skills! "I have never left theboratory, not even a wisp of breath remains outside, so the Demon Monarch¡¯s curse must be through some other medium..." Ao Qin pondered for a long while, looking at the bone dragons circling the sky, blotting out the sun. All the dragon race now originated from Ao Qin, meaning the bone dragons were all his descendants, sharing a direct bloodline connection. "The Demon Monarch¡¯s tracking spell can only be ced within the bloodline!" Ao Qin looked down at his palm, which was actually transformed from a dragon¡¯s w. The Azure Dragon blood flowing within was the source of the new era¡¯s dragon race, and to say that he was akin to the Dragon Ancestor was not an exaggeration. Chapter 294 - 260: Bone Dragon Corpse Demon_2 "Just a little more, with another three to five years, I could have transformed into a pure-blooded Azure Dragon..." His eyes brimmed with reluctance, yet in the end survival took precedence. By escaping the present deadly predicament, he could undergo the transformation into an Azure Dragon another day. The transformation within the Four Spirits Sanctuary not only changed Ao Qin¡¯s blood and bones, but his very soul had also morphed into that of an Azure Dragon. Essentially different from ordinary dragon kin, even with a mere wisp of soul remaining, he could congeal dragon¡¯s blood. Watching the screen shatter continuously signaled that the Corpse Demons had breached theboratory;yers of defenses proved insufficient against their onught. "Golden Corpse, this king will surely return for revenge!" Ao Qin waved his hand and seized one of his descendants, seemingly his three-thousandth some son, whose body surged with dragon blood, which he then fully transferred into the progeny. Roar! The dragon offspring let out a heaven-shaking roar, revealing its true form¡ªa hybrid of dragon and fish¡ªbeginning to transform into aplete dragon under the nourishment of the Azure Dragon¡¯s blood. "The Demon Monarch¡¯s Divine Skills are extraordinary, to borrow your body as a means to dy pursuit!" Ao Qin merged all his vital essence into his son¡¯s body. A semi-translucent dragon soul, carrying the lineage of the Azure Dragon, burrowed into the ground, fleeing towards the direction of Cloud Continent. A momentter. Following the bloodline secret technique, the Golden Corpse found his way to the center of theboratory, only to see the trapped dragon fish. "That little mud loach sure knows how to run!" With a wave of his hand, he pulled the dragon fish into his grasp, sensing the rich blood of the Azure Dragon within it and nodded in satisfaction. "Although their bloodline doesn¡¯tpare to that of a true dragon, the dragon offspring cultivated are somewhat inferior. However,bined with the secret techniques of the Heavenly Corpse Sect, the refined corpse dragons are powerful enough to sweep across the Nine Continents!" The Golden Corpse sealed the dragon fish¡¯s soul and flesh, then captured a n of monkey demons, ordering them to continue cultivating fierce dragon beasts. The beasts they cultivated were immediately in, then revived with an infusion of Yin Sha demonic qi. It could be said that the process from catalysis to refinement was a one-stop service, never-ending production of Corpse Demons. With the Golden Corpse overseeing theboratory, his underlings, the Corpse Demons, did not rest. Following his orders, they dispersed in all directions. Every living being they encountered was either devoured to increase their strength or in and transformed into new Corpse Demons. Under the influence of the Yin Sha demonic qi, even nts mutated, turning into withered, pitch-ck trees, their twisted and sharpened branches like vicious ws. Sensing the presence of living beings, the branches twisted and snatched them, pulling them into the trunk to be consumed alive, which contributed to the growth of the trees¡¯ sentient spirit. In just one year¡¯s time. The entire Qiong Continent no longer harbored any living beings; they had all turned into the ghastly and stout Corpse Demons! By now, the number of Corpse Demons was beyond estimation, like a tide, they began to ooze and spread out, starting to invade other continents. ... Binhai. The port. Hundreds of thousands of people lined up in over a dozen queues, undergoing inspection by the Alliance Army. Anxious waiting, tearful goodbyes, faces filled with hope... The theater of life unfolded here. Men holding their young children bowed tearfully to their parents. Lovers embraced tightly, swearing oaths to the sky to express their loyalty to their love. Rich men handed over gold, silver, and jewels to their departing sons, along with amulets stealthily acquired at great cost. Even ordinary people were not entirely defenseless; they were armed with various light and heavy weapons, resembling elite soldiers. Everyone understood that today¡¯s parting might mean they would never meet again, yet they kept saying they would wait for ten, twenty years... Ancientw cultivators mingled among the crowd, continuously using the Heart Cleansing Technique and Soul Condensing Technique to preventrge-scale turmoil. Armed helicopters flew overhead constantly. Should any signs of malicious intent be observed, the lightest response was to inform the patrollers to take the offenders away, while the most severe was to shoot them dead on the spot. Ahead of the lengthy queue was a colossal structure, resembling a steel ind floating on the sea. It was thepleted Fire Seed ship! On the bow deck. Zhou Yi stood against the wind, his Taoist robe fluttering and making a noise, watching the crowd boarding the ship. "I hope everything goes smoothly, no matter how the great cmity unfolds, we must preserve the bloodline of humankind." After three years, the Fire Seed had finally been sessfully refined; it could be said to be the pinnacle of modern technology fused with the path of immortality. N?v(el)B\\jnn The Alliance spent over half a year selecting, with elite technical personnel from all sectors, randomly drawn young passengers, and the soldiers escorting them, totaling up to one million and ten thousand. In the past year, people tried every means to obtain a ticket for the ship. Some went bankrupt trying to buy them legitimately, while to seize a ticket, others even resolutely killed their own kind! For such people, they weren¡¯t even sent to the front lines to face the fierce beasts, lest they sow discord among the troops, and were directly used as test subjects for new elixirs. Today. The Fire Seed officially began boarding, and the first batch of passengers were about to set sail, moving away from the Nine Continents to live deep in the Eastern Sea. "Brother Tang, the deep sea is unlike thend, and with a ship full of people to worry about..." Xiao Hong stood beside him and said somberly, "If the situation bes dire, it¡¯s better to abandon the Fire Seed than to ensure your own safety. Your life and safety are more important to the human race than both this ship and its people!" Because the sea was filled with fierce beasts, it was essential to have a strong member of the human race apany the ship. Xiao Hong originally wanted to go oversea, but being a Martial Artist, he didn¡¯t understand Formation and Prohibition, would find it difficult to speed up the Fire Seed¡¯s journey, and in case of damage to the Formation and Prohibition, there was nothing he could do to repair it. Thus, only Zhou Yi could apany the ship to sea, protecting the million humans, and defending against the attacks of sea monsters. "Brother Xiao can rest assured, if it¡¯s beyond hope, I will not insist." Zhou Yi may havepassion and spend great effort to rescue his kin, but he absolutely could not sacrifice himself as a result. "It¡¯s good that you understand," Xiao Hong was not overly worried; after all, Zhou Yi himself came from the Eastern Sea, so ensuring his own survival should not be an issue. "We¡¯re heading to the depths of the Eastern Sea, tens of thousands of miles away; at the very least it will be three to five years before we return. Some of my disciples might wish to attempt Core Formation." Zhou Yi took out a storage bag from his sleeve and said, "Here are a few Spiritual Objects, and should anyone wish to attract the Heavenly Tribtion during that time, you can give them two of these." Ever since the era of decline, Core Formation Spiritual Objects had grown several cycles; even if they weren¡¯t as plentiful as the millennia-old Spirit Ginseng, there was more than enough for his seven disciples. Now that Zhou Yi¡¯s disciple slots had been filled, his focus was on their temperament and destiny, nning to help them condense the Golden Core. Humanity¡¯s only Golden Core, that title was too heavy, too burdensome; with sessors, Zhou Yi would also be able to pass away earlier. "Rest assured, my friend, I will do my utmost to help!" Xiao Hong had ughtered countless fierce beasts and demons, his murderous aura almost solidifying into substance, truly a fearsome figure of his era. Hearing words that seemed like a final wish, he was deeply moved and couldn¡¯t help but have tears in his eyes. In Xiao Hong¡¯s eyes, Zhou Yi was that saintly figure who would rather sacrifice his own lifespan to calcte the future path for the human race! Should they truly encounter a beast tide in the Eastern Sea, he wouldn¡¯t flee alone as he said, but would fight to the death to protect humankind. "My seven good-for-nothing disciples, I entrust them to you. If anyone¡¯s heart changes and they betray the human race, you can kill them outright!" "Brother Xiao, holding the fort in the Nine Continents, you too must take great care!" Zhou Yi, having been entrusted with many final wishes, had learned to respond in kind and appeared earnest as if he might not return. Half a monthter. Whirring... The sound of the Fire Seed starting spread for miles as it slowly left the port. All passengers on board, crammed on the deck and at the windows, gazed out, etching the scene before them in their memories. Many brought soil from the Nine Continents with them, knowing that if they ever returned in this life, they would pass this handful of home soil to their descendants, a constant reminder of their bloodline¡¯s origins. Chapter 295 - 261 Sea Monster Attack Sea and sky were of one color. Vast and boundless. The Fire Seed sailed through the winds and waves, heading straight east. The ship¡¯s body, several feet thick of refined iron and reinforced by multiple formations and prohibitions, remained unmarked despite the attacks of ferocious beasts from the sea. The control room at the bottom of the ship. Zhou Yi activated the formation with immense mana, and because he didn¡¯t care about the consumption of spirit crystals, their speed was twice as fast as the Alliance had expected. Just relying on the spiritual objects cobbled together by the Alliance required careful calctions and optimized usage to sail deep into the Eastern Sea. "With increased sailing speed, it¡¯s difficult for the beasts to gather inrge numbers, reducing the dangers along the way!" In the rich spiritual energy of Kunlun Cave Heaven, spirit crystals could be easily condensed. Zhou Yi was indifferent to such consumption and would even open a portal of Cave Heaven once they reached the deep sea. The spiritual energy enshrouding the Fire Seed could ensure the stable operation of the formation and prohibitions, sparing the need for constant repairs. The volume and weight of the Fire Seed, the reinforcement and lightweight prohibitions, had to remain effective, otherwise, its own weight would cause it to shatter and disintegrate. They had been sailing for over ten days. And had deeply entered the Eastern Sea by tens of thousands of miles. That day. The wind was soft and the clouds were light; the sea was calm without a single wave. Zhou Yi suddenly opened his eyes. Within the range enveloped by his divine sense, over forty miles ahead, tens of thousands of ferocious beasts were converging. "The beasts lying in ambush in advance? There must be sea demons tipping them off!" The sea demons rarely battled the human race, but they still... With such a short distance, it was unavoidable; better to seize the opportunity to assert dominance, deter the sea demons, and lessen the troubles in the future. With that thought, Zhou Yi¡¯s figure flickered to appear on the top of the ship, his voice covering the entire Fire Seed. "I am Tang Xuan. Beast tides have appeared ahead, everyone return to your cabins! Military personnel on board, maintain order. No one is to wander outside before the battle ends!" He repeated himself several times, and before the sound of his voice faded, the beast tide was already visible in front of them. At the seam where heaven met the sea, a line of ck-green appeared, only bing clear as both sides drew closer. The sea beasts with their grotesque and ugly forms, such as three heads with six ws, beast heads with fish tails, covered in armor and shells, etc., had rows of sharp teeth in their huge mouths, screeching and spewing venomous water. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om The beasts on the water¡¯s surface were only a small portion; there were many more beneath the waves, densely packed intorge dark clusters. Seeing the beast tide, the humans on the ship couldn¡¯t help trembling in fear. It was different from battling ferocious beasts onnd¡ªthere was no escape on a solitary boat in the vast sea. "Pray that True Lord Tang can withstand the beast tide!" "True Lord Tang has never rushed to the frontline, instead, he has a keen interest in punishing mortals with curses. Could it be that his strength iscking?" "We are the hope of the human race. Properly, Xiao Martial Saint should also apany us to provide protection!" "Speak prudently!" "..." Once there are over ten thousand people, opinions be endless. With over a million people on the Fire Seed,parable to a small city, their thoughts were even more varied. On ordinary days, everyone extolled Zhou Yi, knowing that True Lord¡¯s divine sense enveloped everything; they sincerely or pretentiously erected divine altars, worshiping morning and night. Now, faced with the beast tide and the danger to their lives, some began toin about the Alliance¡¯sck of thorough consideration. All sorts of voices naturally reached Zhou Yi¡¯s ears. The True Lord was not big-hearted and kept in mind those who jumped around too much¡ªafter crushing the beast tide, he would have ways to punish them. "Since it¡¯s about asserting dominance, it¡¯s time to unleash my full strength!" Zhou Yi had yet to have the opportunity to strike with all his might to this day, and now facing over a hundred thousand ferocious beasts was the perfect moment to gauge the extent of his power. He formed a sword technique with his hands, the Light Dividing Sword rose into the air and split into thousands of sword lights. Like a tide sweeping over the beast tide, wherever it passed, blood and flesh sttered; the power of the Ancient Supreme Treasure meant instant death for all Foundation Establishment and Qi Refinement beasts! He opened his mouth to spit out the Supreme rity Divine Talisman, which shot out ten thousand rays of divine light, incinerating any beasts within its radiance. Roar! Neigh! Screech... With the two Supreme Treasures deployed, tens of thousands of ferocious beasts were vanquished in an instant, and their assault momentarily halted. The sea demons behind the scenes showed terrified expressions. They had intended to use the terrain to their advantage, ordering the beast armies to surround and kill the human True Lord, intending to demonstrate the sea demons¡¯ momentum to the other races of the Nine Continents. Who could have expected that they would encounter such a god of ughter? With two strikes, he had torn an opening in the beast tide. "Hold him off, summon more beasts!" "The sea is endless with beasts, but human strength eventually reaches its limit. I shall exhaust him to death!" "With a million humans on the ship, he will fight to the death; otherwise, upon returning to the Nine Continents, he will be a sinner among his people!" "This is the perfect opportunity to besiege a human True Lord..." After the sea demonsmunicated, they sent messages to other sea areas, calling for their subordinates¡¯ beasts to kill the human True Lord with sheer numbers. At this time. Zhou Yi multitasked, operating the Supreme Treasures while also maintaining the Fire Seed¡¯s speed. The Light Dividing Sword and the Supreme rity Divine Talisman, to the left and right, obliterated any beast that neared within five miles into smithereens. "Too weak! In the path of immortality, each realm is vastly different!" "Beasts below Golden Core, in my eyes, are no different from ants!" Zhou Yi, feeling somewhat regretful in his heart, looked far ahead and saw several groups of beasts approaching, adding up to thirty to fifty thousand in number. "Reinforcements from sea demons? Perfect for testing my treasures!" He spit out the Mountain and River Cauldron, which spun and expanded to the size of a hundred zhang, resembling a mountain floating in the air. Boom, boom, boom... Without requiring any tool control techniques, the Mountain and River Cauldron smashed into the beast groups several times. Its terrifying weight whipped up huge waves on the sea surface, and as for the beasts, they were already crushed to pieces. At this moment. More groups of ferocious beasts attacked, seemingly from the territories of other sea demons. Zhou Yi waved his hand, retracting the Mountain and River Cauldron, and from his sleeve, numerous magical treasures flew out, including bottles, seals, bells, and pagodas of different shapes. The treasure light glittered brilliantly, and the corpses of the beasts dyed the sea surface red. "They¡¯re not as good in essence as Spiritual Treasures, and their power can¡¯t match that of a Life-bound Magic Treasure, thus I could only make do with them for now!" Zhou Yi slightly shook his head and waved his hand again to collect the many magical treasures. Not long after. It seemed the sea monsters still hadn¡¯t given up and summoned several more groups of ferocious beasts. Zhou Yi¡¯s sleeve fluttered, and different treasures flew out again; magic mirrors, Ruyi scepters, gourds, spirit fans, and so on, effortlessly ughtering the attacking sea creatures. In this manner. After a few rounds, the ferocious beasts that wereying siege dispersed with a thunderousmotion, fleeing in all directions. The water¡¯s surface was covered with flesh and corpses,yered upon each other like a sea of bones, turning the clear waves into a blood-red sea. "I¡¯ve only exerted a mere five percent of my strength!" Zhou Yi had only used magical treasures, with his cultivated mana body yet to manifest and many powerful Taoist Divine Skills unutilized. So iming five percent of his strength was indeed modest. "I can¡¯t let these corpses go to waste either." As he spoke, the Myriad Souls Banner flew out from his Cave Heaven. A thick plume of ck smoke billowed out, and countless fierce souls and malicious ghosts enveloped the sea¡¯s surface. In the broad daylight, the visibility abruptly reduced to nothing, creating an eerie ghosnd. Fierce souls and malicious ghosts devoured the remnants and corpses, continuously strengthening themselves, and in turn, enhancing the power of the Myriad Souls Banner. About half an hour passed. Zhou Yi retracted the Myriad Souls Banner, and the sky cleared up once again. ncing at the sea where not even a single bone could be seen now, the horrifying sight just a moment ago seemed like nothing but fantasy. "Continue sailing!" The tale of this ughter spread widely among the sea monsters, and they dared not attack the Spark number again. ... Half a yearter. The Spark had prated deep into the Eastern Sea. There were no signs of ferocious beasts in the sea, with only the search for a thousand-mile-wide ind remaining before their journey would beplete. That day, at noon. The cafeteria on the second level, section nine. People lined up for food, as usual, in white rice served with a few pickled dishes. There were no seats in the ship¡¯s cafeteria, so people had to return to their dorms or head to the deck. Now that the Spark was far from the beast-infested zones, many had grown ustomed to eating while basking in the breeze on the deck. The monotonous sea they were tired of looking at and the winds they were sick of blowing were a hundred times better than the cramped dorms. Zhang Yu and his eight roommates had gotten in line early today and secured a spot near the edge of the deck. "Boss Yu, when will this ever end?" The speaking man was thin and weak, swallowing the partially cooked rice with difficulty and sighed, "I was counting the days with number six yesterday. I don¡¯t know how, but an extra day seems to have slipped by!" "Soon." Zhang Yu always replied this way, eating his food in small bites, chewing slowly, making sure to absorb all the nutrients from the grains of rice. Jiang Yong, one of the roommates, spoke up, "Boss Yu, Chief Niu came to seek me out yesterday, hoping I would join the Cloud Continent Alliance!" Upon hearing this, the other roommates all showed envious expressions. The Cloud Continent Alliance was not a small force onboard the Spark. Rumor had it that there were Innate Martial Artists among them, and they could swagger around on the ship - even getting two extra scoops of rice when getting their meals. Where there are people, there are rivers andkes! With a poption of over a million on the Spark, various groups of varying sizes had already emerged. Especially after the ship left the dangerous zones full of ferocious beasts, with everyone heading towards a new world, those with a bit of foresight had already begun forming cliques. Thergest force on the ship was naturally the apanying army, which boasted the righteous cause of the Human Alliance and an arsenal. The other considerable powers included the Nine Continents Alliance, Cloud Continent Alliance, Xianjing Alliance, and others. Zhang Yu asked, "When are you going over?" The Cloud Continent Alliance was located on the twelfth level, and its members lived and dined together, which naturally meant a change of dormitory. The dormitory assignments were arranged by the Alliance, but they weren¡¯t strictly enforced. People who initiated room swaps weren¡¯t punished, so almost everyone had changed rooms in a short time. Zhang Yu was well-versed in martial arts and protected by Spirit Talismans, barely managing to protect the few people in his dormitory. "Tomorrow." Jiang Yong cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Boss Yu, for looking after us. If there¡¯s anything you need in the future, juste to the Cloud Continent Alliance and call for me." "The number of deaths on the ship has been increasingtely, and despite the army¡¯s strict patrols, it has not been very effective." Zhang Yu warned, "You need to be careful. At this rate, it will surely rm the one above!" Jiang Yong¡¯s face turned slightly pale, and he hesitated, "Should I dy my response to Chief Niu?" Zhang Yu said, "If you want to quickly rise through the ranks in the Cloud Continent Alliance, this is indeed a good opportunity." Jiang Yong promptly asked, "Please advise me further, Boss Yu!" "With a million people and diverse intents, it¡¯s only natural that various factions emerge. Even immortals can¡¯t stop that." Zhang Yu said, "Generally, they handle it by punishing those who cause trouble among the factions to establish rules on the ship. Once you join the Cloud Continent Alliance, just make sure to get on well with those at the bottom and don¡¯t cause trouble. Wait silently for your superiors to be removed, and then take their ce!" After pondering for a moment, Jiang Yong added, "Boss Yu, if you have any intention of raising your own g, I¡¯d like to follow you." "I don¡¯t have time." Zhang Yu shrugged, finishing thest grain of rice and said, "Recently, Professor Lu agreed to take me as a student to teach me about electrodynamics." "Boss Yu, don¡¯t look at those professors living the good life, that¡¯s because they¡¯re under the protection of the immortals. Once we reach the new world, the Spirit Extermination Land, immortals will ultimately return to the Nine Continents!" Jiang Yong said, "At that time, it¡¯s the fist that speaks, and others can only obediently listen and be driven by others." "Isn¡¯t joining this group or that still being driven by others?" Zhang Yu stood up and said, "Rather than living on the edge, risking my life nine out of ten times, I¡¯d rather be an inconspicuous electrician!" Jiang Yong wanted to persuade him further, knowing that with Zhang Yu¡¯s intelligence and talent, as well as the reputation he had built up, he would be able to take control of ayer of the Spark if he raised his g. Zhang Yu seemed to have anticipated this, waved his hand without looking back. "Yesterday, the teacher praised me for my quickprehension and asked Professor Lu to teach me gics. I need to go to the lecture early!" Chapter 296 - 262 Overcorrection Control room. Commander Luo Qiu looked frightened, devoid of his usual authority. As the one who wielded power over the military might of the Fire Seed vessel,manding thergest arsenal, he was second to none. This morning. Luo Qiu and his officers were discussing how to eliminate the Jiuzhou Association, a force that had grown too swiftly, outnumbering even the soldiers on board. Suddenly, he received a psychic message from a true immortal and hurriedly went to the bottom of the ship to listen for orders. "I have heard that quite a few people have died on the ship these past days?" Zhou Yi¡¯s voice was calm as a still well, showing neither happiness nor anger, not even lifting his eyes to look at Luo Qiu as he meticulously operated the formation and prohibition. "Reporting to the true immortal, several factions have emerged on the ship, with frequent disputes among them." Luo Qiu didn¡¯t dare to hide anything, as the entire ship was under the true immortal¡¯s surveince: "I have already deployed soldiers to strengthen patrols on every level of the cabin, strictly forbidding gathering and fighting..." "Once you disembark, how you fight is of no concern to me; but as long as you¡¯re on the ship, you must abide by thews of the human race." Zhou Yi cut Luo Qiu off and said, "All murderers shall be killed on sight. Those who break thew or bully others, when we pass by inds below, toss them overboard!" "Yes." Luo Qiu bowed deeply, epting themand. The true immortal was the master of the Fire Seed vessel, and he would not hesitate to order the soldiers to ughter on the ship if necessary. Many in the military ranks had vited thew, including some capable officers under hismand. He had already decided to deal with them, as his position asmander could be reced at any time if matters were not handled cleanly and decisively. "True immortal, who counts as a bully?" "Those who, because they have a bit of power in their hands, treat themon folk differently, like those who serve food in the canteen, those responsible for the distribution of supplies, the extortionist floor managers, and the like..." Zhou Yi slowly said, "Might as well toss them onto an ind to fight it out among themselves!" Luo Qiu hesitated, "Such actions will surely affect a great number of people, even impact the ship¡¯s normal operations. Would it not be better to warn them first and leave further inspection forter?" The giant ship carrying a million inhabitants was like a city, needing various functions to be managed daily, like officials under the Imperial Court, not all of whom could bepletely aboveboard. Moreover, due to the shortage of supplies on the ship, most officials filled their own bellies first, taking advantage of their power. "To correct a problem, one must go to extremes!" Zhou Yi said coldly, "Such trifling mundane affairs, I have no interest in haggling with people. After putting an end to it once, there will be no problems for a year or half." With power in hand, even severe penalties could hardly stop the greedy. All he needed was to maintain order for a year or half; once Zhou Yi found arge ind, he would leave, letting them survive or perish on their own. "As youmand." Luo Qiu bowed even lower, realizing that the true immortal before him was ruthless and had little regard for what were considered human rights. Those who were expelled from the ship, without the machinery or technical support of the Fire Seed vessel, would likely see at least half of them perish, all because the true immortal couldn¡¯t be bothered to teach and punish. "Go." Zhou Yi waved his hand as a warning. "Everything said and done by everyone on the ship enters my sight and hearing; do not think of using this opportunity to frame and eliminate your opposition!" ... The next day. The soldiers dragged out dozens of criminals with confirmed crimes from their cabins and executed them by firing squad on the deck. Upon hearing that the true immortal had given the order, the factions associated with the criminals quickly distanced themselves from them. After another half-month of investigation and reports from the public. All criminals were executed ording to thew, bringing closure to the victims, and for a time, all factions trembled with fear. Then came a thorough purge. While passing an ind, thousands were thrown overboard, left to survive or die on their own. Order was swiftly restored on the Fire Seed vessel, and no one dared to break the rules. ... Half a year went by in the blink of an eye. N?v(el)B\\jnn The Fire Seed vessel entered deep into the Eastern Sea, where there was no Spiritual Energy and no ferocious beasts or demon tribes. That day. A wavy ck line appeared on the horizon; as they drew closer, it finally resolved into a continuous mountain range. Zhou Yi soared into the sky, circling the ind twice; it spanned about seven hundred li east to west and more than fifteen hundred li north to south, with a vast in on the eastern part of the ind. "Suitable forrge-scale human settlement!" Atst, the Fire Seed took a detour to the eastern side of the ind. The steel giant ship, propelled by the Formation, didn¡¯t need to carve out a harbor and went straight for the shore, charging through the shallows and gouging a trench dozens of miles long on the ind before finallying to a halt on the ins. "Finally, we¡¯ve found the thousand-mile ind!" "New World, here Ie!" "No more days of constant fear and dread!" "A territory of thousands of miles can sustain millions of people, enough for several nations to divide!" "..." People crowded at the railings and windows on the deck, bustling and busy, imagining how they might achieve great things in the future. The ind was bare, with not a single building to be seen; everything would start from scratch, meaning the gap between the rich and poor was not so vast from the onset. The well-being of future generations, whether they would live in squalor or luxury, would be hugely influenced by the first ancestors. "Silence!" Zhou Yi hovered in the air, his true monarch aura disyed, and the Fire Seed immediately quieted down. With a pinch of his spell, dozens ofdders unfurled from both sides of the Fire Seed, and the soldiers maintained order as everyone disembarked one by one. "I am only responsible for protecting the Fire Seed. Once you are off the ship, your own fate, life or death, fortune or misfortune, will no longer be of my business! This ind is vast and has a mild climate; you should not starve to death." Several dayster. Only soldiers and scientific researchers remained on the Fire Seed, while around the ship, millions of people gathered, an endless, bustling crowd. They were waiting for the allocation of machinery, for even with a new beginning, they wouldn¡¯t have to resort to primitive sh-and-burn agriculture; the ship was equipped with a sufficient number of various machines. After consulting with Zhou Yi, Luo Qiu distributed the machinery ording to the floor and room numbers where people slept. As for the future ownership of the machines, it depended entirely on one¡¯s own abilities and had nothing to do with Zhou Yi anymore. Half a monthter. The Fire Seed was deserted, leaving only the solid iron hull. Perhaps out of fear for the true monarch or due to other schemes, most people chose to stay away from the Fire Seed and began new viges elsewhere on the ind. The wild beasts on the ind could only be food in the face of firearms. Zhou Yi toured the ind to ensure that humanity had established a foothold; in time, viges would grow into cities. "In the Land of Absolute Spirit, humans can easily be the rulers!" "Time to return!" Activating the Formation and Prohibition, the Fire Seed lifted into the air, plunged into the sea causing a giant wave, and then set off westward. Fire Seed Ind. Figures appeared by the seaside, watching the departing giant ship with expressions changing inexplicably. "The ship has left; we can never return to the Nine States again!" "The true monarch has also left; he will no longer have authority over us..." ... Xianjing. Streaks of flight descended. Han Chao headed straight for the Inner Cab Office, where the alliance¡¯s top brass and Xiao Martial Saint were waiting in the conference room. One month prior. Returning to Cloud Continent from Qiong Continent, Han Chao had finally managed to connect with the Xianjing signal. He kept sending messages to his master, but received no reply. Therefore, he sent the recorded videos of the "Bone Dragon Corpse Demon" and "Bone Mountain" to Xiao Martial Saint and the league¡¯s top brass, indicating that these might very well be the disasters his master had spoken of. After that, he continued his unceasing flight. Today, finally back in Xianjing, the alliance¡¯s top brass had prepared various contingency ns, waiting for Han Chao to bring back more urate information. In the conference room. "Greetings, Martial Saint." Han Chao bowed deeply and took out a magic artifact for recording images, running mana through it to materialize clear images. Bone dragons roared, corpse demons bellowed! The onset of Yin Sha energy was overpowering, and from the reenacted images a more urate sense of the corpse demons¡¯ strength could be felt than from a mere video. Xiao Hong¡¯s eyebrows furrowed tightly as he observed the sky-obscuring, mountain-filling multitude of corpse demons in the image, easily numbering in the tens of millions. "Ordinary corpse demons are already a match for Foundation Establishment practitioners, and that Bone Mountain has a horrifically powerful aura; even I am no match for it!" Chapter 297 - 263 Catastrophic News "No wonder Tang Dao friend is so worried!" Xiao Hong repeatedly watched the magical technique¡¯s recorded images, speaking with a solemn expression. "The struggle between the living and the dead is even more intense than the conflicts between humans and demons, leaving the creatures of the Nine Continents with no way out!" In the images recorded by Han Chao, there were many cases of the dead being resurrected; corpses that had been dead for who knows how long, were revived under the influence of demonic divine skills, turning into Corpse Demons. A month ago, the alliance received a message and organized experts topare it with the remnant ancient tomes, and they have made some conjectures about the origins of the Corpse Demons. "It should be the ancient demonic Corpse Refining Technique, it¡¯s a pity that the True Monarch has not returned yet, his extensive heritage would surely recognize its origins." The Grand Secretary shook his head helplessly: "The tomes record that in ancient times, the demonic path poisoned the living, and the righteous path joined forces to annihte it. After surviving the cmity of the degenerate era, not much of the righteous path¡¯s literature remained, and even fewer are the records of the demonic path." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Upon hearing this, Han Chao¡¯s eyes flickered but did not reveal that his master was the reincarnation of a great power, which would imply that the Corpse Demons are rted to the ancient demonic cultivators. The deputy added, "Based on the resurrection and body snatching of Heavenly Monarch Yuanling, we can specte that it was an Ancient Demon Monarch who reincarnated and refined the Corpse Demons to wreak havoc on the Nine Continents." "Heavenly Monarch Yuanling!" Han Chao asked in confusion, "Isn¡¯t that the posthumous title given to Old Xu?" Nowadays, the knowledge of the path of immortality announced on the alliance¡¯s official website is mostly inherited from the official website of the outer sect of the One Qi Sect, and ny-nine percent of cultivators practice the Great Mystery Scripture. The Great Mystery Scripture is a heritage from a great ancient teaching, far superior to ordinary cultivation techniques, and everyone knows how to choose. ording to the information released by the alliance, Heavenly Monarch Yuanling was originally a historian surnamed Xu who discovered the remnants of the One Qi Sect during an archaeological excavation and then announced the ancient immortal cultivation heritage after making some achievements. "Heavenly Monarch Yuanling is the real entity, who merely borrowed Old Xu¡¯s body." Xiao Hong said, "This matter involves resurrection and body snatching, so to avoid chaos, the alliance deliberately obscured the truth." Han Chao looked around the conference room and saw that everyone already knew, a realization slowly dawning on him. "Perhaps, the higher-ups of the alliance had guessed long ago that my master is the reincarnation of an ancient power?" "No wonder no one has suspected this Loose Cultivator identity, full of loopholes!" "These sly old foxes, not a word has leaked out, and they even elevate my master to be worshiped by the human race! Perhaps, my master also knew that they were aware, so he went with the flow?" "Both sides know that the other is aware, yet they tacitly pretend ignorance..." Han Chao felt his spirit in turmoil and quickly recited a spell for calming the mind, inwardly warning himself to not fully trust anyone from now on, especially those who have lived long or are very old. The conference quickly ended, and, in fact, before Han Chao returned to Xianjing, the alliance had already prepared a contingency n. Today¡¯s meeting was to determine the strength of the Corpse Demons, in order to decide which set of ns the alliance should initiate. Xiao Hong looked at the terrifying Bone Mountain and the Ancient Demon Monarch manipting it from behind the scenes and after a long silence, he said. "The existence of the human race is filled with hardship!" "No sooner has the cmity of the ferocious beasts abated than we face the catastrophe of the Corpse Demons; activate the final n directly!" ... In the southeastern part of Cloud Continent. The human race¡¯s vanguard army broke through the Heavenly Fox Abyss, and the Nine-Tailed Fox King fled in disarray. The military camp was stationed near the Fox King Laboratory, where cultivators were busy deciphering the Formation and Prohibition, to facilitate the collection of various experimental data by subsequent scientific research personnel. The demon race¡¯s technology does not seek development in many aspects, but focuses on researching bloodlines and gics, to return to the origin and transform into ancient mythical beasts and divine beasts, so there is much that the human race can learn from. General Jin, promoted to vanguard general, rode around inspecting the camp, asking the staff officer apanying him. "What¡¯s our next target?" "South of Heavenly Fox Abyss was once Zhen Nan City of Old Zhou. This city has an extremely long history, known as Facing the Abyss in ancient times..." The staff officer had obviously done his homework and introduced the history of Heavenly Fox Abyss in detail, stating, "The next target is Zhen Nan City. After its reconstruction, it will form mutual support with Andu City on the south side of Heavenly Fox Abyss, securing southeastern Cloud Continent!" "From now on, stop calling it Heavenly Fox Abyss. Since it was known as Zhengyang in ancient times, now that we have repelled the demon race, we should restore its original name." General Jin adjusted his uniform and looked to the south: "How far is it to Divine City Ruins from here?" The staff officer ced his fist on his chest, bowed and replied, "Thirteen thousand five hundred miles left." "I wonder if we¡¯ll have the chance to rebuild Divine City in this lifetime." General Jin had chosen to attack from the south by way of Binhai with a devout faith, vowing to reim Divine City from the hands of the demon race. His soldiers and friends, influenced by General Jin¡¯s teachings, many had chosen to believe in the Golden God. In the Southeast Military Region, this belief had already taken shape on a considerable scale, especially among mid-level officers. The spread of faith is like a rolling snowball; neers seeking support and benefits often choose to believe in the Golden God. This faith may not be devout, but it is sufficiently resolute! Suddenly. Amunications soldier from the army sped up in a vehicle, saluted, and handed over military orders. "Reporting to the general, urgent orders from Marshal Yan." Marshal Yan was themander-in-chief of the Southeast Military Region and was also General Jin¡¯s direct superior, answerable to the alliance¡¯s cab. General Jin read the military orders, his brows deeply furrowed: "Immediately retreat to the army, hold position at Binhai! Any fallen soldiers are to be cremated on site and brought back to the Heroes¡¯ Garden! The corpses of the ferocious beasts are to be burnedpletely, leaving not a single bone!" "What does this mean?" General Jin confirmed the authenticity of the military orders, and after contacting Marshal Yan personally, he learned that themand came directly from the alliance. "Old Jin, I know you want to go to Divine City, and we definitely will one day..." Marshal Yan, privy to the details of the military order, said, "But now we must retreat. ording to the orders, do not leave any of the soldiers¡¯ remains behind. For now, all I can say is, this is also for the heroes, so they are not desecrated after death!" Chapter 298 - 263: Great Catastrophe News_2 "I understand," Old Jin Number Nine gritted his teeth as he took the order, thenmanded the troops to withdraw. Several ultra-heavy bombs fell, turning the Fox King Laboratory into ruins, barely salvaging some valuable data. The cremation of the fallen soldiersmenced, incinerating the bodies of the ferocious beasts along with them. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Before departing, Old Jin Number Nine turned to look southward, the battle-hardened veterans with fists at their chests and tears in their eyes. "Above Golden God!" ... The year 207 of the Alliance. The human alliance cleared the fields and burnt all the corpses, both new and old, within their borders. The army retreated to the line of defenses near Xianjing Coastal, erecting fortifications, developing targeted weapons, and waiting in tight formation for the invasion of the Corpse Demons. That same winter, news of the cmity at Qiong Continent spread; three emperors died, the Dragon Emperor fled. Leaderless, the demons fell into chaos and defeat. ... The Ten Thousand Great Mountains. Greenwave Pond. A beam of escaping light fell and transformed into a translucent phantom, which was none other than Ao Qin¡¯s escaped soul. "The Dragon n Secret Vault, if anything remains, it didn¡¯t survive the end of the magical era, failing to find any Spiritual Objects." "Father Emperor exhausted the Dragon n¡¯s foundation to enact the Secret Technique and sealed himself; his fate is now unknown!" Ao Qin¡¯s breath was weak, having hidden in desperation for half a year. The Demon King¡¯s soul could hardly endure much longer, yet to seize any wild beast and take over its body would damage his divine beast lineage. To regain his Azure Dragon form in the future would require ten to a hundred times more effort, an unworthy sacrifice. "Greenwave Pond is thend of the Dragon n¡¯s legacy, I hope Father Emperor has left some secret vaults to help me congeal my dragon body." Ao Qin plunged into the water and, following the locations he remembered, activated the Dragon n Secret Technique. Boom, boom, boom! The silt at the bottom of the pond dispersed to reveal a slowly opening stone gate, leading to an underground passage. The escaping light traveled along the passage into the depths, where the treasure vaulty empty, with not even a trace of Spiritual Objects left, seemingly moved by the Dragon Emperor to perform the Blood Sacrifice and seal himself. Dragons naturally loved collecting Spiritual Objects, and each generation¡¯s Dragon Emperor would have a secret vault. Before their demise, they would inform their kin of its location to use as resources for their rebirth and rise. However, after opening several secret vaults, Ao Qin still came up empty-handed. The cmity of the end of the magical era was not something even a sealed Demon Emperor could survive. Ao Qin floated amidst the ruins of the Dragon Pce, gazing upon the broken walls and couldn¡¯t help feeling a sense of sorrow. "Should I really seek to possess amon beast?" "In doing so, the chances of reviving the Dragon n and taking revenge on the Golden Corpse would be extremely slim!" The new demon race, extraordinary in lineage, would return to their origins and awaken the bloodline of ancient mythic beasts upon ingesting elixirs. However, the distorted genes modified by the elixir, shing with the ancient ways of the demon race, left Ao Qin daring not to possess a new demon. At that moment, a ck fish swam by, a full twelve feet in length, its fierce aura scaring away the other fish and shrimp. Ao Qin had no interest in ordinary fish and was considering leaving Greenwave Pond when he suddenly noticed the ck fish¡¯s scales, arranged in a mysterious pattern, the textures seemingly forming Daoist scriptures. "Scales that show scriptures, like a white turtle shell presenting the Eight Trigrams, is a naturally born Dao body!" "Only a cultivator of high attainments reciting scriptures daily, bathing andprehending the ultimate principles of the Dao, could possibly form such a thing." "In this world, apart from that Golden Corpse Demon Lord, there is no other who could be considered a high being... However, the bloodline inheritance of the demon race is mysterious; perhaps an ancestor was fortunate enough to hear high beings preaching and mystically passed down this fate to their descendants." Ao Qin spected briefly and had no intention of delving deeply into the cause. Instead, his soul probed into the ck fish¡¯s body. "No protections from other souls, such a naturally born Dao vessel, is just perfect for this king to seize!" With that thought, the Demon Soul directly burrowed in, effortlessly devouring the fish¡¯s weak mortal soul and enacted the Soul Seizing Secret Art. The Azure Dragon¡¯s Cultivation Technique operated, inhaling and exhaling the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth, seizing the vitality of all living wood spirits. Monthster, the ck fish¡¯s aura had reached that of a great demon, growing four dragon ws on its belly and a lone cyan horn atop its head. The fish tail swayed as the upper body transformed into a human form, bearing seven-tenths resemnce to Ao Qin, albeit with dark skin on the face. "This Dao Fish truly is gifted; in just three to five years, I will be back to my prime!" "The Golden Corpse, no matter the cost, this king shall shred you into ten thousand pieces and banish you from the cycle of reincarnation forever!" ... Eastern Sea. Sword lights, one purple and one green, crisscrossed each other, traveling swiftly into the depths. The ones controlling the swords were a boy and a girl dressed in bluish-purple Taoist robes, who were none other than Clear Wind and Bright Moon, returning to Han Chao from the Qiong Continent and now using the sensory response in their bodies to rendezvous with Zhou Yi. As they exuded pure demon aura, they didn¡¯t encounter any sea demons obstructing their path. Two monthster. Clear Wind¡¯s pupils shone like amethyst as he activated his innate Pupil Skill, and in the distance, he saw a huge ship floating on the sea¡¯s surface. "The Fire Seed Ship, the Immortal Master is right ahead!" Bright Moon was about to speak when she sensed a familiar mana fluctuation. She opened her mind without resistance and in a sh, she appeared inside the Kunlun Cave Heaven. Zhou Yi did not wait for the children to greet him and directly asked. "You¡¯ve been continuously triggering the spiritual soul restriction, and hurried here to the Eastern Sea in such a rush, is there news about the Major Cmity?" "Reporting to the Immortal Master, my senior sister and I saw..." Clear Wind recounted everything they had witnessed and took out a spell-captured recording. Since they hadn¡¯t run into the Bone Dragon and exposed their tracks, the covertly recorded content was even moreplete than Han Chao¡¯s, involving the seeding rampage of Corpse Demons throughout the Qiong Continent. "This is a secret technique of the Heavenly Corpse Sect!" Zhou Yi recognized the origin of the Corpse Demons at a nce; the ancient right and demon paths were extremely familiar with each other, and both the Elixir Cauldron Sect and the Qi Sect had relevant records. "In that case, it seems that the one causing the Major Cmity is none other than the Golden Corpse Demon Lord!" "But Immortal Master," Bright Moon wondered, "with an Ancient Heavenly Monarch¡¯s strength, can he really initiate a Major Cmity all by himself?" "Others might not, but the Heavenly Corpse Sect is different." Zhou Yi dered, "The ancient righteous path scriptures record that the Sect-Defending Supreme Treasure of the Heavenly Corpse Sect, the Immortal Corpse Pearl, is rumored to have been refined from an Immortal Corpse Inner Pill. Whoever possesses this treasure partially wields the authority of a Corpse Immortal and can control all Corpse Demons without the need for a Blood Covenant!" Corpse refinement techniques were not umon in demonic paths, and Corpse Demons of the Heavenly Corpse Sect were far stronger than ordinary corpse refinements but still subject to thews of corpse cultivation. The biggest w was that the refiner needed to constantly feed the Corpse Demon with their own vital blood and spiritual soul to prevent the refined corpse from going mad and devouring their master. A cultivator¡¯s vital blood and spiritual soul were not unlimited, and even the Nascent Soul ancestors of the Heavenly Corpse Sect faced a limit in controlling several of their rank¡¯s Corpse Demons. However, the Immortal Corpse Pearl broke through this limit; simply by emitting the aura of a Corpse Immortal, one could control a multitude of corpses. In ancient times, there were countless powerful beings from righteous and demonic paths; even with the Immortal Corpse Pearl, the Golden Corpse Demon Lord did not dare to refine corpses indefinitely, lest he provoke collective wrath and suffer thebined assault from both paths. Now, not only was there no restriction, but it was also the perfect moment to leverage the battlefield of the Demon Race, quickly refining myriads of Corpse Demons in a short period. "Let¡¯s not even mention the strength of the Golden Corpse Demon Lord; almost invincible in the world, just those myriads of Corpse Demons alone could sweep across the Nine Continents!" Zhou Yi continued, "Now, even though the human and demon ns have be aware, they¡¯re unable to extinguish the vast army of Corpse Demons. Instead, the corpses produced by their fighting only serve to strengthen and increase the number of Corpse Demons." "So you¡¯re saying that the Major Cmity is unstoppable?" Clear Wind realized. "There¡¯s no sure victory nor absolute defeat in this world." Zhou Yi exined, "The Golden Corpse Demon Lord controls the endless Corpse Demon army with the Immortal Corpse Pearl. Whether he allies to besiege the Demon Monarch, steals the Supreme Treasure, or seals away the Monarch, any of these could resolve the Major Cmity!" "It¡¯s just that with the Demon Monarch¡¯s intellect, it¡¯s extremely difficult to achieve!" Zhou Yi sighed with resignation. The self-sealing of the three Heavenly Monarchs of the demonic path had already predicted the rise of a Major Cmity after their reincarnation. Yet, throughout the thousand years that had passed since the days ofte dharma, they had never found the self-sealed objects of the Demon Monarchs¡ªit must be said that it was the workings of fate! ... Dragon Emperor Mountain. Now renamed the Heavenly Corpse Sect. Billowing demonic clouds surged up to the sky, connecting heaven and earth, with a vast tide of Yin Sha filling the air, engulfing all directions. Please wait a moment for the update, my deepest apologies. "But Immortal Master," Bright Moon wondered again, "could an Ancient Heavenly Monarch, indeed, initiate a Major Cmity by himself?" "Others might not, but the Heavenly Corpse Sect is different." Zhou Yi borated, "The ancient righteous path scriptures record that the Sect-Defending Supreme Treasure of the Heavenly Corpse Sect, the Immortal Corpse Pearl, is rumored to have been refined from an Immortal Corpse Inner Pill. Holding this treasure grants one a portion of a Corpse Immortal¡¯s might and the ability to control all Corpse Demons without needing a Blood Covenant!" The art of corpse refinement was not rare in the demonic paths, with the Heavenly Corpse Sect¡¯s Corpse Demons being much stronger than standard corpse refinements, albeit still constrained by corpse cultivation techniques. One of the major drawbacks was that the refiner had to regrly nourish the Corpse Demon with their own vital blood and spiritual soul to avoid the refined corpse from bing crazed and consuming their master. A cultivator¡¯s vital blood and spiritual soul were finite; even for the Nascent Soul ancestors of the Heavenly Corpse Sect, controlling a few Corpse Demons of equal rank was already the limit. The Immortal Corpse Pearl, however, broke that limitation, requiring only the release of the Corpse Immortal¡¯s aura tomand legions of the dead. Back in ancient times, with countless titans from both righteous and demonic paths, even with the Immortal Corpse Pearl, the Golden Corpse Demon Lord dared not refine corpses to an unlimited extent for fear of inciting the collective anger and getting besieged by both paths. Chapter 299 - 264: Catastrophe Descends Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple. Once imed to house over ten thousand Buddhist practitioners, now only ruined walls and broken beams remain, following the ughter of Buddha¡¯s Disciples and Buddha¡¯s Grand-disciples by beasts. The hundred-foot Buddha statue on the Lotus tform at Bodhi Peak, despite a thousand years, still sits in meditation with apassionate expression. The que at the temple¡¯s entrance is rust-streaked with only the character "ten thousand" discernible. The trees within the temple grounds are overgrown, with vines entwining and pavilions and towers copsed into ruin. The worshipped Buddha statues inside the temple stand exposed to the elements, either severed at the waist or crumbled into stones, with very few remaining intact. Underneath the statues, there are numerous white bones, so long dead that they have be dry and rough. The kasayas on the bones have weathered into strips of cloth, and the prayer beads that once hung around their necks are now scattered on the ground. When the demon tribes drove the beast tide to breach the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple, it signified theplete annihtion of the human ns of Qiong Continent; the monks in the temple didn¡¯t live to see Buddhae to their rescue, and many took their own lives in front of the Buddha statues as their faith crumbled. Ruined relics, shattered Buddha statues, numerous bones... They document the severity of the battle from the past, and when a somber wind blows, letting out a moaning sound, it only adds to the eerie and deste atmosphere. Crack! Crack! Crack! The bones of the monks slowly rise from the ground, straightening their skewed skulls, with purple mes flickering in their eye sockets. Receiving amand from the beyond, the Corpse Demons move with stiff steps toward Bodhi Peak. This time, they aren¡¯t going to worship or chant scriptures but to kill and release the pain in their twisted souls. As they move closer to the summit, the number of Corpse Demons gathering from all around increases, swarming in groups. Among them are many sizable Demon Corpses, ferocious beasts that died at the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple, enemies in life that had now berades in death. This turn of events had already rmed the demon tribes upying Bodhi Peak, including a lion demon well-versed in Buddhist scriptures. Inside theboratory. The lion demon, holding prayer beads and draped in a kasaya, watches through the surveince system as an endless horde of white Corpse Demons approaches. "Amitabha!" With palms pressed together, it chants the Buddha¡¯s name and enters a series ofmands into the control console, releasing the ferocious beasts sealed within theboratory. From the outside. Thunderous noisese from Bodhi Peak as several tunnel entrances appear on the mountain, echoing continuous roars of beasts. One after another, fierce and grotesque beasts crawl out from the tunnels. At themand of the lion demon, the ferocious beasts charge fearlessly down the mountain, shing with the bone-armored army. The strength of the Corpse Demons and Demon Corpses is closely rted to their previous life. Most of the monks from the Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple were ordinary people; even though they practiced Buddhist Law and martial arts, their bones had turned brittle as kindling over the past few centuries. After several charges by the ferocious beasts, the Corpse Demons fall like mown wheat, leaving the ground littered with bone fragments. However, the Corpse Demons had already been resurrected from death, their movements not supported by flesh and bones but by souls of Yin Sha. Even as their bodies shattered, their skulls still leapt and lunged viciously,tching onto the ferocious beasts, sucking their blood and souls to strengthen themselves. One or two skulls might be inconsequential, but when covered densely with them, a beast, after struggling in the Corpse Demon horde for a long time, would finally fall with a thunderous crash. This was only the beginning¡ªonce the ferocious beasts died, their corpses quickly rose again. Under the corrosion of Yin Sha and demonic energy, their insides had already dried and rotted, exposing the crumbled bones. Roar! With eyes shing with purple ghastly mes, they turn to bite their formerpanions. Ferocious beasts have low intelligence andck a hierarchy among themselves; the only being they obey is the demon tribe that created them. Witnessing theirrades turning on them, they tear into each other without hesitation. However, being reborn as Corpse Demons, they no longer fear death or pain. Their entire bodies are as tough as iron, without any vital weaknesses. With equal strength, the ferocious beasts soon be new Corpse Demons. Ferocious beasts,cking in spirit and intellect, are not fazed by death, but bing Corpse Demons after death is a different matter. As the number of Corpse Demons grows, the tide of battle shifts from a one-sided ughter to a grueling stalemate. The longer the fight drags on, the more the bnce of victory tips toward the Corpse Demons! Inside theboratory. Watching his ferocious beast forces in retreat, even those known for their fearlessness beginning to flee, the lion demon chants. "Amitabha!" "The fruit of todayes from the seeds of the past! Demon tribes wreak havoc upon the Nine Continents, thus we have today¡¯s cmity. I would rather die than be a Corpse Demon!" After decades of chanting Buddhist scriptures, the lion demon had be a devout Buddhist. On ordinary days, preaching and exining scriptures to nearby demon tribes, its understanding of Buddhist matters was not inferior to that of highly virtuous and senior monks. Even if one day the human race is destroyed, Buddhism will not extinguish. The lion demon brings its palms together. mes engulf its body, and in moments it turns to ash, leaving behind just a few beaded Sh¨¨l¨¬ relics. Several hourster. Ten Thousand Buddhas Temple haspletely fallen into the hands of the Corpse Demons, now a yground for the undead, devoid of the breath of life. With their dry, hoarse, or non-existent vocal cords, they roar upwards, venting their agony. Ao! A dragon¡¯s roares from the sky above. The Corpse Demon army looks up in unison, their twisted souls sensing the oppression from a superior being. Atop the Bone Dragon sits a Spirit Corpse d in dark armor, circling twice in the air before drawing a bone de from his waist and pointing westward. "Rally the troops, charge!" The Corpse Demon army, like a pale torrent, surges westward, devouring all living beings on their path or turning them intorades. Everywhere they pass, the spark of life is extinguished! At the same time, they awaken corpses buried underground. The demon tribe¡¯sboratories continually produce ferocious beasts, driving them to ughter each other, causing territories to umte a substantial number of bones. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Now, as the corpsese back to life and emerge from the earth, they fight with the living. The Corpse Demon catastrophe spreads from Qiong Continent to all directions, igniting a war between the dead and the living across the Nine Continents. "The Corpse n is the ultimate destination for all living beings!" Continue reading at empire The Spirit Corpse, now with a fully independent consciousness, naturally developed a concept of its own race, much like the rtionship between demon tribes and ferocious beasts. ... Chapter 300 - 264 Calamity Descends_2 Cloud Continent. Dragon Coiled Mountain. This is where the Founder Emperor of the Old Zhou started his rise, and it has now be the frontline of the human Northern Border. The previously vigorous army, which had expanded a thousand miles, is now ordered by Xianjing to retreat and defend. Generals eager for military achievements and set on restoring the glory of humankind, of course, had objections to the cab¡¯s decision, but with the Martial Saint above and the martial artists and cultivators within the army below, no matter how much one cursed the cab, they had to obediently retreat to the Dragon Coiled Mountain area. ording to military orders, they must leave nothing behind for the enemy! Whether new graves or old bones, all were to be detected with instruments and then burnt to ashes. Heavy machinery constructed towering walls along the mountain ranges, and thankfully, cultivators adept in ancient methods were present, turning fossils to mud and concrete to stone in rapid session, building an extensive Great Wall that stretched thousands of miles within just half a year. "What era are we living in? Still building walls, as if the beast ns can¡¯t develop heavy weaponry. A few cannon shells will break through!" General Xu, stationed at the eastern section of Dragon Coiled Mountain, was inspecting the newly established border wall ording to cab orders. His aide nced subtly at the Daoist Gu Chen and cautiously spoke. "Not only the Northern Border, but the southwestern armies have also constructed Great Walls, especially to the west where they required them to be over nine zhang high, and with cannon densities several times ours. The Eastern army haspletely fallen back to Binhai and, it is said, are building ships, preparing to sail eastward at any moment!" The aide sighed, "Such stringent preparations appear to be in anticipation of an enemy, a formidable one at that." "Could there be an enemy greater than the beast ns for humankind?" General Xu curled his lip, grumbling, "Daoist Gu, as a disciple of a True Immortal, don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ve heard anything? We¡¯re in the same trench here, so don¡¯t keep secrets!" "My teacher has not yet returned from the Eastern Sea. I¡¯m also unaware," said Gu Chen. Gu Chen, as the head of the ancient cultivator ss, had borrowed three Foundation Establishment Pills and sessfully advanced to the True Person realm, responsible for personally protecting General Xu. Cultivators and martial artists weren¡¯t necessarily skilled in warfare, just as Zhou Yi and Xiao Hong were not well-versed in state governance, so all military upper echelons were guarded to prevent the beast ns from carrying out decapitation strategies. General Xu was about to speak. Suddenly, a piercing rm sounded, followed by a transmission. ¡ª¡ªAt Liu Xian Peak on the eastern segment of Dragon Coiled Mountain, radar has detected a massive horde of fierce beasts, numbered over one hundred thousand! "Beast Horde!" General Xu¡¯s expression shifted subtly; the Northern Border army had swept through a thousand miles, encountering only asional beasts in the past half year. "This is an emergency, I ask for Daoist Gu¡¯s assistance." "This is but my duty," responded Gu Chen. Gu Chen spat out his flying sword, which transformed into the size of a door panel. He grabbed General Xu and the aide and flew toward themand center. A momentter. The militarymand center. General Xu looked at therge screen, where vast red areas kept moving south, indicating the fierce beast horde drawing closer to Dragon Coiled Mountain. "Have we identified which Demon King is behind this?" "Not yet," replied a technician with a slight shake of the head. When the beast nsunch a horde, the mastermind won¡¯t reveal themselves until victory is assured, so as not to fall prey to the encirclement and elimination by human cultivators and martial artists. At that moment. A clear morse code telegram arrived, repeatedly broadcasted to inform the human military forces. "I am the Heavenly Wolf King of the Northern Vast Mountains, along with twenty-three demons of the Northern Border. Wee seeking refuge, please do not fire upon us!" "Heavenly Wolf King?" General Xu¡¯s brow furrowed; he was certainly familiar with this demon. The Heavenly Wolf King was naturally cunning, havingst year held off the Northern Border army for half a year with his horde, preventing any expansion. Hearing the broadcast, the aides voiced their warnings one after another. "General, this demon is deceitful; we must not trust him." "The Northern Border army bears deep hatred with the Heavenly Wolf King, with numerous soldiers in by its hand. Now is an excellent opportunity for revenge!" "With a hundred thousand fierce beasts gathered, just a few ultimate weapons can annihte the majority." "..." General Xu pondered for a moment and waved his hand to silence the aides, then he turned to Gu Chen and asked, "True Person, how much credence should we give to this wolf demon¡¯s words?" "I¡¯m not sure either," said Gu Chen. "However, if the wolf demon is indeed seeking refuge, then let it halt the beast horde and show themselves for a detailed discussion. By then, even if they resort to deception, they will hardly escape the bombardment range." Flying speed of the Foundation Establishment Stage beast ns was far inferior to fighter jets, even less capable of escaping the st radius of catastrophic weapons. "I share the same thoughts," said General Xu. He ordered the signal soldier to broadcast a clear response to the Heavenly Wolf King: show yourselves or we¡¯llmence firing. A momentter. The red areas on the screen stopped moving; a hundred thousand fierce beasts halted about forty to fifty miles away, and at the same time, twenty-four red dots emerged from among them, approaching Serpentine Mountain at a speed several times faster than the fierce beasts. Continue your adventure at empire "They actually agreed, with no bargaining whatsoever!" General Xu¡¯s eyelids twitched uncontrobly. The Heavenly Wolf King¡¯s suicidal action instilled more fear in him than reassurance. What kind of threat couldpel the demon race to risk death and seek refuge in human territories? "Establish contact with Marshal Bai, connect with the Cab, and request a resolution!" Humans and demons shared a century-old blood feud with almost everyone having lost loved ones to the beasts. Negotiating with the Heavenly Wolf King and allowing it refuge was not a decision a mere general could make. Once exposed, this act would undoubtedly incite public outrage. The Cab¡¯s response was even quicker than General Bai¡¯s, as if they already had a contingency n in ce. ¡ª¡ªAllow the Heavenly Wolf King to station ten miles outside the Northern Border Great Wall and ascertain specifically what hardship it is fleeing! General Xu didn¡¯t need to ask; the Heavenly Wolf King sent several video clips. After the technical department verified them, the images were disyed in themand center. On the screen. An endless army of Corpse Demons, turning the entirend a ghastly pale color. There were humanoid forms, beastly shapes, and all sorts of monsters haphazardly pieced together from bones, dragging their rotting, broken bodies in a march that devoured everything in its path like locusts. Countless fierce beasts fought the Corpse Demons fearlessly to the death, attempting to halt their advancing steps. The result was an ever-growing number of Corpse Demons, overwhelming the fierce beast army and turning their heads to attack their own kind. "Damn it! What is this?" General Xu watched in disbelief as the fierce beasts fled in defeat. Even the Northern Border¡¯s army had never achieved such a victory, and the fierce beasts,cking in intelligence, never knew fear or how to retreat. Gu Chen said seriously, "It appears to be a demonic technique for creating Corpse Demons, yet ordinary spells couldn¡¯t convert them to Corpse Demons so rapidly!" The staff officers no longer considered assassinating the Heavenly Wolf King but quietly discussed how to use the Great Wall to fend off the invasion of the Corpse Demons. Compared to demons, whose n consciousness was weak, it was even harder for humans to ept battling as enemies those with whom they had trusted with their lives. Faced with familiar yet strange faces, the soldiers would inevitably hesitate! The video was quickly transmitted back to the Cab, which returned with four words: "Defend to death, await reinforcement!" Marshal Bai sent military orders; the western army would dispatch thirty percent of its forces to provide reinforcement. The Corpse Demon army had a clear route of advance, indicating someone was orchestrating from behind. The western front also had to be strictly defended. "Ma De, humanity just caught a breath, and now there¡¯s anotherplication?" General Xu issued a series ofmands. His soldiers readied themselves for battle, and then he said, "Ask the Heavenly Wolf King how far the Corpse Demons are from the Northern Border, the specific number, and whether there are any stronger than the Foundation Establishment stage!" Golden Core Realm Corpse Demons could annihte cities on their own, far beyond what the Northern Border¡¯s army could withstand. Desperate for help, the Heavenly Wolf King quickly responded in clear code. ¡ª¡ªAt most not more than five hundred miles! The Corpse Demons number in the millions, none in the Golden Core Realm. The king is willing to exchangemand over a hundred thousand fierce beasts for refuge in human territories. "This scoundrel is scared out of his wits!" General Xu felt no joy hearing his old adversary beg for mercy; only someone truly in despair would do so. After consulting with Marshal Bai, he immediately replied. "Reply that, after the hundred thousand fierce beasts perish, the Heavenly Wolf King will be allowed to enter our territory!" ¡ª¡ªAgreed! In the screen, the red area quickly spread out along a fifty-mile radius, forming an arc-shaped barrier in front of the Great Wall. The next day. The Northern Border¡¯s army was on high alert, and satellites had already detected the Corpse Demon army within a two hundred-mile range. By midday. The fierce beasts collided with the Corpse Demons at the front line. Watching the tragic scenes on the screen, General Xu immediately ordered the bombers to take off and help the fierce beasts resist the Corpse Demon army. "I never imagined that one day we would join forces with the demons!" General Xu¡¯s parents had died in a beast tide, and he had long sworn to fight the demons to hisst breath with all his might. Times change. Now was not the time to dwell on personal vendettas or even racial hatred. They had to survive the tide of Corpse Demons first before anything else could be considered. Just then, a messenger arrived with news, his expression grave as he reported. "Militarymand, Corpse Demons have been spotted in the western section of Dragon Coiled Mountain, numbering over ten million. It will be difficult to send reinforcements in a short time!" N?v(el)B\\jnn General Xu fell silent for a long moment, then pointed at the screen and said. "You¡¯ve all seen for yourselves, those bag-of-bones are not even worth being called beasts; they show no mercy to any living being. If they cross the border, they¡¯ll spread like gue, turning city after city of people into Corpse Demons." "By then, humanity would be thoroughly doomed!" No further words were needed. Every officer in themand center stood up to salute, saying in unison. "Defend to the death!" Chapter 301 - 265: Return from the Eastern Sea Xianjing. The Cab office. Meeting room. The high-level officials gathered, watching the scenes on the screen. An endless army of Corpse Demons surged like tides repeatedly against the Northern Border defenses, unfazed by relentless artillery fire, with their numbers showing no sign of diminishing. Thankfully, the Corpse Demons consisted only of ground troops,cking aerial or subterranean forces, making resistance far less difficult than against an equally sized army of fierce beasts. However, thend ravaged by the Corpse Demons, eroded by the evil demonic energy, turned dark green and ck, and it was unknown how long it would take to be habitable again. "Currently, only the Dragon Coiling Mountain line has encountered Corpse Demons, there have been no battle reports from the other defenses," a military official said gravely, "The number is estimated to be between five and ten million, ording to the news from Qiong Continent, it should be a small force under a Corpse General." In the past six months, the alliance had dispatched numerous cultivators to Qiong Continent to investigate the movements of the Corpse Demons. Based on what they had seen with their own eyes and the messages spread among the beast ns, they summarized theposition of the Corpse Demons, led by Corpse Generals riding bone dragons, ughtering everywhere to refine more Corpse Demons and sweeping across the Nine Continents. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om It was originally expected that it would take another half a year for the Corpse Demons to possibly reach the eastern part of Cloud Continent, yet they encountered them earlier at the Northern Border. "It¡¯s good in a way, to give our troops some early practice," the Vice Grand Secretary nodded slightly, "If the hundreds of billions of Corpse Demons from Qiong Continent were to strike directly, it¡¯s not just the Northern Border defenses at risk, Xianjing would be doomed as well!" Nobody knew exactly how many Corpse Demons there were in Qiong Continent; even the beast ns that had been ughtered and driven out were unclear. The alliance leadership estimated based on a conversion rate of one to ten, but taking into ount the corpses buried underground, the actual number was likely much higher. Discover hidden tales at empire The thought of this made the human officials feel a sense of despair every time it crossed their minds. Moreover, that was just Qiong Continent. Once the Corpse Demons swept across the Nine Continents, an unstoppable army of hundreds of billions woulde, making resistance futile! "Issue orders to the Northern Border defenses, to have each type of troop take turns on the front, rigorously record data, and be certain to test out future directions for weapon development." The Grand Secretary, well past his nies with a full head of silver hair, surveyed the room and said, "Gentlemen, let¡¯s not be pessimistic. There is no cmity in this world that cannot be ovee. Before I die, I wish to see the resurgence of humanity!" "That Corpse Demon army seems formidable, but it has a fatal w, which is its sole reliance on the Demon Head at its core." "Indeed it does," said Xiao Hong, who had been silent until then, "Even if the ancient Demon Head is reincarnated, he¡¯s subject to the constraints of heaven and earth and cannot break through beyond the Golden Core Stage. As long as we y him, the Corpse Demons will be like dragons without a head, hardly troubling!" The atmosphere in the meeting room lightened slightly. Being in such positions of power, even knowing they were outmatched, feeling despair, they would still choose to resist to the end. Humanity, since the ancient times, has not only thrived but also emerged victorious from the struggle for supremacy among myriad races. Someone asked, "The Demon Head will surely be cautious; how do we find his hiding ce?" "True Lord Tang excels in divination techniques, and those Corpse Demons, especially the Corpse Generals, carry prohibitions set by the Demon Head within them; he can surely deduce the location of the Demon Head." Xiao Hong said, "It¡¯s been nearly three years now, and whether the Seeds of Fire Project seeds or fails, True Lord Tang should be about ready to return!" After a moment¡¯s thought, the Grand Secretary said, "It¡¯s not safe for only Xiao and True Lord Tang to surround and kill the Demon Head; he will surely be guarded by endless Corpse Demons. We need to enlist external assistance..." Xiao Hong instantly understood, his brow furrowed slightly, "Joining forces with the Dragon Emperor, isn¡¯t that a bit too soon?" In the alliance leadership¡¯s contingency ns, there was already the idea of forming an alliance with the beast ns to resist the Corpse Demons, but that was after the beast ns suffered heavy losses, and humanity would then lead thebined forces. Currently, within a span of two to three years, the overall strength of the beast ns still far exceeded that of humanity. If they really managed to decapitate the Demon Head, it was feared that the alliance between humans and beasts could turn hostile in an instant, and the Nine Continents could potentially transform into a three-way power struggle. "My entire family perished at the hands of the beast ns; among the Nine ns, only a nephew remains, with a blood feud against the beasts. However, we cannot let personal feelings affect this; with one more Golden Core, there¡¯s one more chance at victory," said the Grand Secretary, "The Demon Head has triggered this great cmity, vowing to sweep across the Nine Continents. He must have made thorough preparations. If we fail to strike sessfully, it will be exceedingly difficult to find him again!" After a brief discussion, everyone agreed with the Grand Secretary. The appearance of the Corpse Demon army at the Northern Border half a year ahead of schedule indicated that their expansion was far faster than expected, and it was not suitable to sit back and watch any longer. Contacting the Dragon Emperor was not difficult; that fellow had a verified ount on the beast nwork and had recently published a message iming that he was now the only emperor of the beast ns and intended to unite them against the Corpse Demons. Such a im to be an emperor on thework, whether or not it was recognized by the beast ns, remained to be seen! The meeting continued for three days and three nights, and the Northern Border front also fought for three days and three nights before the Corpse Demon army was finally repelled. From start to finish, there was no sign of a Corpse General riding a bone dragon, confirming that it was only a minor Corpse Demon detachment. ... Binhai. Along the coast, numerous ports had been opened. With ancient cultivators of the alliance providing support, when the terrain was not suitable for docking, they would directly cast spells to alter it. The ports were filled with countless steel docks, resembling the smaller versions of the Seeds of Fire ships, meant for ocean voyages. In the face of the irresistible Corpse Demons, the alliance would resist to thest but was also prepared for an escape route. On this day. The sky was clear. Sailors in the cabin were scanning to see if any fierce beasts had entered within a hundred miles, a dull task that left them drowsy and listless. Suddenly. The machine began to beep rapidly, startling the sailor awake, as he saw a massive fish-like shadow appear within the radar¡¯s scanning range. "It¡¯s at least four or five hundred zhang in length; could it be a Golden Core Stage fierce beast?" The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 302 - 265 Return from the Eastern Sea_2 The sailor¡¯s expression turned to one of sheer rm as he pressed the rm and picked up the walkie-talkie to report to the captain. Seaside Port quickly prepared for battle, all sorts of heavy firepower loaded with live ammunition aimed at the sea surface, and more than a dozen fighter jets took off to investigate. When the jets circled back, they brought good news¡ªthe Torch had returned from the deeps of the Eastern Sea. After repeated confirmations, the port instantly transformed into a sea of joy. The Torch bore too many human hopes; no matter what great cmities the future held, so long as the bloodline was passed down, humanity would once again stand atop the Nine Continents in a million years. A momentter. The Torch, like a steel ind, slowly approached the harbor and docked at the cleared berth. The surrounding ships, originally massive, immediately seemed like tiny toys byparison. "I have indeed not arrived toote!" Zhou Yi, having secluded himself in deep cultivation in the past, had missed the outbreak of the beast cmity and hadn¡¯t been able to intervene in time, something he somewhat regretted. Had Zhou Yi been in the Nine Continents at that time, with the prowess of a Golden Elixir True Monarch, he would have crushed the demon race that hadn¡¯t even reached the Foundation Establishment stage; they wouldn¡¯t have been annihtedpletely, but they certainly wouldn¡¯t have been allowed to instigate a great cmity. Upon learning the news of the Corpse Demon from Clear Wind and Bright Moon, Zhou Yi had spared no mana in traveling day and night. Seeing Seaside thriving with lively spirits and the port regaining some of its former bustle signified that the Corpse Demon cmity had not truly erupted yet. When officials from Seaside heard of the True Monarch¡¯s visit, they immediately went to the port to pay respects but were refused. They didn¡¯t mind the rejection¡ªthey hadn¡¯t really expected to meet him¡ªbut it was essential to show the proper respect. The Torch, stationed at the port, had its own maintenance crew. Zhou Yi declined all sorts of requests for audiences and was just about to transform into a fleeing light to return to Xianjing and understand the details of the Nine Continents. At this moment. Marshal Yan, responsible for the Eastern Sea defences, sent news that Corpse Demon traces had been found to the southeast and requested the True Monarch to stay for several days. "The Corpse Demons have already reached Cloud Continent?" Zhou Yi took out his cell phone from his sleeve and opened the alliance¡¯s internal chat app, where he saw a slew of messages marked with ny-nine plus notifications. After being conferred the title of a human race¡¯s spiritual leader, even if only a nominal role, he had the power to monitor the decisions of the six departments of the imperial court, so Zhou Yi had been added to various group chats. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om If Zhou Yi or Xiao Hong truly saw any resolutions that didn¡¯t meet their approval, they had the authority to veto them. This arrangement was equivalent to the imperial court having ced a restricting spell over their own heads¡ªit seemed as if they were dispersing power, but in truth, it had no substantial effect. To date, neither of them had used this authority. Opening all the chat groups and scanning with his Divine Sense, Zhou Yi found no essential messages. Chat records contained many discussions about the Corpse Demon, giving Zhou Yi a clear understanding of the current situation. "A few months ago, the Northern Border repelled the great Corpse Demon army; since then, small-scale Corpse Demons have appeared from the south, north, and west..." Zhou Yi frowned slightly as he reviewed messages from the few contacts he had. Xiao Hong: Fellow Daoist has returned to the Nine Continents, hurry back to Xianjing, there are urgent matters to discuss. Calcting with his fingers, Zhou Yi vaguely guessed what Xiao Hong was nning¡ªmost likely, it was to join forces to kill the Golden Corpse Demon Lord. "An Ancient Demon Monarch who has survived even longer than I, guarded by endless Corpse Demons¡ªit¡¯s almost impossible for this n to seed!" Zhou Yi understood better than anyone just how terrifying a Divine Transformation Heavenly Monarch was; back then, Heavenly Monarch Yuan Ling, with but a shred of divine soul essence, had managed to linger in formations and prohibitions for two hundred years. Such inherent strength couldn¡¯t possibly be killed by someone at the Golden Core Stage! "The only possibility would be if the Demon Monarch was reborn after possession and his essence was no longer that of a Divine Transformation Heavenly Monarch; it would be much easier to kill him then." Zhou Yi was very familiar with the process of possession and rebirth, having discussed everything under the sun with Heavenly Monarch Yuan Ling and inherited the One Qi Sect lineage. If the Golden Corpse wished to cultivate anew, he would need to possess and be reborn. He would naturally seek a human with a Heavenly Spiritual Root to ensure a smoother path in the future. If he didn¡¯t possess a new body, though his nature would remain strong and invincible, a fragmentary soul would mean a severed path forward! "Possession..." A glint of sharpness shed in Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes; there was much that could be done with this. Explore more stories at empire There were only so many humans with a Heavenly Spiritual Root and, adding those suitable for Yin attributes like Yin Spirit Bodies and Ice Spirit Roots etc., the number wouldn¡¯t exceed one hundred. Deciding specifically which one to possess could be strategized and arranged to trap the Demon Monarch. Zhou Yi pondered for a while before continuing to read messages from other people; the most sent were from his seven disciples, with Han Chao being the most frequent. Han Chao asked every morning, noon, and night when his Master would return, having investigated the great cmity and inquiring about the promised Core Formation Spiritual Objects to be delivered, vowing it was to help humanity make breakthroughs. "A few mere Spiritual Objects wouldn¡¯t breed dishonesty in this fellow, would they?" While perusing the messages, the Grand Secretary posted in the imperial court group chat, specifically summoning Zhou Yi. Grand Secretary: True Lord Tang, Corpses have been detected to the south of Seaside; I ask you to please travel there to oversee the situation. "Yes." Zhou Yi replied and, after adding Marshal Yan¡¯s contact information, received the locations and numbers of the Corpse Demons from him. "One thousand five hundred li to the southeast, approximately one million in number." Immediately transforming into a streak of escaping light, he flew directly towards the destination. Zhou Yi had always advocated for nipping crises in the bud rather than waiting for them to emerge before taking drastic measures to avert disaster. A momentter. His Divine Sense covered the area, detecting traces of the Corpse Demons. Countless bone fragments, tirelessly swinging their bone des, were locked inbat with ferocious beasts. Numerous as one million, although a small force among Corpse Demons, they seemed endless and boundless with their white expanse. The Yin Sha emanating from them soared to the sky, forming demonic clouds. Zhou Yi stood in the air, his Divine Sense sweeping over them, and saw that they were all Corpse Demons with no spiritual intelligence. "Corpse Generals, going by the descriptions of the Grand Secretary, should be Spirit Corpses from ancient demonic ways. They are revived from death, naturally attuned to spirit, with aptitudes not inferior to Heavenly Ghosts!" Heavenly Ghosts and Spirit Corpses both had somewhat simr origins, differing in that they stemmed from Yin souls and Corpse, respectively. Zhou Yi looked at the endless wave of Corpse Demons, taking out the Myriad Souls Banner from Kunlun Cave Heaven and using his mana to release countless fierce souls and evil spirits. The fierce souls shed with the Corpse Demons for a brief moment. However, when the Corpse Demons died, their souls did not float out to merge into the Myriad Souls Banner, thwarting Zhou Yi¡¯s n to use the onught of Corpse Demons to refine a supreme demonic treasure. "The souls of the Corpse Demons are congealed out of Sha Qi, fundamentally different from Yin souls!" Zhou Yi slightly shook his head and exchanged for his Light Dividing Sword, transforming it into hundreds, thousands of sword shadows that swept back and forth through the Corpse Demons. With the mana of a True Monarch, a Foundation Establishment cultivator would perish upon contact, let alone these bone remnants at the Qi Refinement level, whose spirit fire would be extinguished and bodies shattered into pieces upon touching the sword shadows. About half an hour. All one million Corpse Demons turned to ash, and Zhou Yi retracted the Light Dividing Sword, waving his hand to collect the only remaining Corpse Demon. Roar! With its body restrained by mana, the Corpse Demon still fearlessly resisted the pressure of a True Monarch, emitting a dry and hoarse roar. Zhou Yi¡¯s mana probed into the Corpse Demon¡¯s body, inspecting it for a long time before finally discovering an inscription within the soul fire. It was neither a soul nor a blood ban, after all, a Corpse Demon bore no bloodline or soul. This inscription had no binding effect; it seemed more like a unique mark. "Ancient script, ¡¯Heavenly Sha¡¯?" Zhou Yi made calctions with his fingers and, looking toward the southeast, smiled and said, "An unexpected gain indeed. Spirit Corpses are even rarer than Heavenly Ghosts. The loss of an old devil must sting a bit!" With a gentle pinch, the ancient demon turned to dust and ashes. Zhou Yi transformed into an escaping light and flew towards the calcted direction, encountering Corpse Demons of various scales along the way. Some as many as tens of millions, others around one million. The Corpse Demons scattered everywhere, pursuing and killing demon races. Clearly, the Golden Corpse Demon Lord had a definite strategic target, first encircling and converting demon races into ferocious beasts, then overwhelming the human race with a surging tide. Though the demon race seems whole, they rule different territories and fight independently,cking the unity of the human race. For example, even before a million-strong Corpse Demon force approached the human defense line, they were decimated by a barrage of heavy fire. Yet, they could easily encircle and kill a local demon n and not only suffer no losses but indeed grow stronger! The reason why Corpse Demons could sweep across the Nine Continents lies half in the power of the Golden Corpse Demon Lord, and half in the ferocious beasts created by the demon race. One dayter. Zhou Yi stood in the air, looking down at the familiar yet strange Righteous Sun Abyss below. It was once an immortal marketce in ancient times, but now demonic clouds roiled with rising Yin Sha. He couldn¡¯t help snorting coldly as he reminisced about the past and former acquaintances. "This Spirit Corpse has chosen itsir well. Then it cannot me me for being a bully to the weak!" Zhou Yi performed a spell with his hands, and the Supreme rity Divine Talisman above his head showered down divine light, hiding his presence as he slipped into the Righteous Sun Abyss. Either out of confidence or indifference, the Corpse Demon had not set up any Formation and Prohibitions, so Zhou Yi¡¯s entry did not trigger any rms. His Divine Sense swiftly found the location of the Spirit Corpse. A momentter. Before him stood a pce built of white bones, with the words ¡¯Heavenly Sha¡¯ written on the entrance card. "The Spirit Corpse exists between life and death, with intelligence no different from ordinary people. ¡¯Heavenly Sha¡¯ must be a name it chose for itself." Zhou Yi stepped inside and saw the Spirit Corpse sitting at the top, covered in dark armor, with two bright fires for souls flickering uncertainly. Unexpectedly, Heavenly Sha lifted its head, looking towards the empty doorway. "If my fellow daoist has arrived, why not show yourself?" Chapter 303 - 266: Battle of the Golden Corpse "Eh?" Zhou Yi eximed in surprise. Once he was sure the Spirit Corpse had seen through him, he revealed himself. "You¡¯re not the Heavenly Evil One? In this world, only the Golden Corpse Demon Lord can see through my art!" "Hehehe! I have long heard of the Daoist friend¡¯s name, the first Golden Elixir True Monarch between heaven and earth after the era¡¯s change. Seeing you today, you are indeed extraordinary." The Golden Corpse admitted his identity directly, his entire body covered in ck armor, with only two pupils visible on his face, and his voice emanating directly from within his body. Zhou Yi recalled the books about the Heavenly Corpse Sect and said slowly. "It¡¯s rumored that the Heavenly Corpse Sect possesses a secret technique of Divine Sense cement, which allows them to transfer their soul into a corpse and control it from thousands of miles away." "There might be a few in this world who have heard of the Heavenly Corpse Sect, but probably only you, Daoist friend, know even the cultivation techniques." The Golden Corpse nodded and said, "I have only recently escaped from my seal and am secretly refining a secret technique, which is inconvenient for meeting with Daoist friend for now. Once my practice is sessful, I will pay you a visit!" Continue your adventure at empire Zhou Yi mocked on purpose, "The records say the Golden Corpse Demon Lord intimidated the Nine Continents, but seeing you today, it seems that the name does not match the reality; instead, it¡¯s a coward." This old demon¡¯s schemes were as deep as the sea. Theoretically, provocation should have no effect, but it didn¡¯t hurt to give it a try. At most, there were Golden Elixir True Monarchs in the world today. Even if a Demon Monarch possessed another body and proved to be a Golden Core again, Zhou Yi was confident he could put up a fight. "That¡¯s just the records being wrong. I am indeed a coward, careful and cautious in everything I do, taking no risks without being absolutely sure." The Golden Corpseughed weirdly and said, "The Demon Path is not the same as the Righteous Path. Those Daoists always need some face, only squeezing out a few Spirit Stones. In a Demon Path sect, one careless moment and your bloodline and soul could be refined away by others!" "I still remember when I first joined the Heavenly Corpse Sect, I had a Yin Vein in me, prime material for refining into a corpse. My master nned to refine me into a Corpse Demon once I reached Core Formation..." After not speaking for a thousand years and having no living people around after breaking the seal, the Golden Corpse couldn¡¯t help but talk more. Heaven and earth turned upside down, the sea turned to mulberry fields. There weren¡¯t many in this world who could understand the Golden Corpse, let alone had the qualification to listen to him speak! Zhou Yi circted his mana, various magical treasures revolving within his sleeves. Hundreds of Spirit Talismans protected his body as he asked curiously, "I have heard that your master is the renowned Crescent Moon Demon Ancestor, with mana reaching the heavens. How did you manage to escape with your life?" "Hehehe! Daoist friend seems to understand me so well. Such minor details¡ªare they recorded in the books too?" The Golden Corpse examined Zhou Yi for a moment, sensing his aura carefully, finding no simrity to anyone he had known in his memories, and answered, "The process had some twists and turns, just relied on being a coward, and I finally survived till now." "As for my master, after my Divinity Transformation, he was the first flying Yaksha I refined!" Flying Yakshas are a special type of refined corpse with a natural talent for flying and escaping and extremely formidable strength. Zhou Yi anticipated this and said, "As always, a loving and affectionate Demon Path sect." "What qualifications do you have to mock me?" The Golden Corpse sneered, "You¡¯re alive today, having safely passed through the great cmity of Dharma-ending, isn¡¯t it because you sacrificed the blood and souls of your fellow sect members?" "Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One!" Zhou Yi dered his Taoist title, neither denying nor admitting. "Hypocritical Taoist!" The Golden Corpse¡¯s eyes shed with mockery, even more convinced that this True Lord Tang must be the reincarnation of some ancient monstrous being, not necessarily a Divine Transformation Heavenly Monarch, but possibly a self-proimed Nascent Soul Daoist. Zhou Yi spoke coldly, "Demon Monarch, if you have summoned me here today, is there something you wish to say?" Beforeing to capture the Spirit Corpse, he had used divination techniques, and nothing had been amiss, obviously, the Golden Corpse had employed a secret technique as well. If divination techniques existed in the world, naturally there were countermeasures developed to conceal fate. The Golden Corpse did not hide anything and said directly, "I have collected much information on you, Daoist friend, and I cannot guess who reincarnated, so I devised a little n to bring you here to see for myself." Zhou Yi asked, "Have you figured it out then?" "Not yet." The Golden Corpseughed weirdly, "After reincarnation and possession, the soul¡¯s essence changes, and it¡¯s difficult to determine one¡¯s foundation without a fight." "Then let¡¯s have a fight!" Zhou Yi¡¯s mana surged, and the Light Dividing Sword flew out from his sleeve, turning into hundreds of streaks of sword light. "I am still puzzled, how have you concluded that I am someone¡¯s reincarnation? Could I not simply be a peerless genius of the human race?" "Hmph! So-called geniuses must also abide by thews of heaven and earth and bear the shackles of Spiritual Energy." The Golden Corpse said, "In today¡¯s world, the Golden Core Realm cannot exist, even with a Heavenly Spiritual Root. And yet, Daoist friend, you defy heaven and are about to condense a Golden Core without relying on it!" Zhou Yi replied, "It¡¯s not just me; there¡¯s also Daoist friend Xiao." "Xiao Hong? Merely canceling some new techniques, unable to extend life and achieve immortality, does that even qualify as cultivation?" The Golden Corpse looked down on these new techniques and said, "ording to my investigation, on the day Xiao Hong faced tribtion, you were also present. And then there were rumors of a Kunlun immortal lending a hand, it must have been you who actually acted " "Worthy of being a Demon Monarch." Zhou Yi nodded slightly, bing more wary of the Golden Corpse. This demon was not like others¡ªanother ancient demon who had lived until now without any advantage in information. "So what is your opinion about Kunlun Wondend?" "Kunlun..." Upon hearing this, the Golden Corpse paused for a moment and muttered, "I can hardly believe that there could be unknown ces in the Nine Continents. Even the Four Divine Beasts¡¯ sanctuaries are mentioned in the books." "In this Dharma-ending era, Kunlun appears more frequently. It seems to be independent of Spiritual Energy. Could it really be inhabited by immortals?" "Then the Demon Monarch had better be careful!" Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow and said, "As far as I know, the Kunlun Immortal Realm favors the human race. Who knows, one day they might hear about demons throwing the world into chaos and personallye to turn you to dust."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 304 - 266: Battle Against the Golden Corpse_2 "Hmph! Although I am timid, I am certainly not afraid of death." The Golden Corpse¡¯s voice, however, was devoid of any fluctuation, betraying no thoughts, and continued, "With the foundation of Divinity Transformation and another Heavenly Spiritual Root to possess, I will one day unify the Nine Continents, gather the power of millions of Corpse Demons..." "Not to mention breaking through to the Returning Void, there¡¯s even hope to transcend the nine-fold heavenly tribtions in one vigorous effort!" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "The Demon Monarch has a good n, but first you must pass my challenge." Zhou Yi was well aware that threats were futile, not to mention that Kunlun Wondend is but an illusion; even if true immortals were to descend to prevent a great catastrophe, the Golden Corpse wouldn¡¯t hesitate to strike for the sake of the path to eternal life. As his voice fell, he executed the Spirit Sword Sect¡¯s inherited sword technique, the sword light interweaving into a Formation, overwhelmingly attacking the Golden Corpse. "Northern Dipper Devil-suppressing Sword Formation, the Spirit Sword Sect¡¯s secret transmission!" The Golden Corpse stood up, without any sign of casting spells or using Divine Skills, and reached out directly to grab at the Sword Formation. Boom! A loud explosion sounded, and the Heavenyer Hall directly turned to ashes. The Mysterious Armor on the Golden Corpse shattered, revealing its cyan-gray skin; its overall shape was humanoid, but with three heads and six arms, and the feet were grafted from some fierce beast¡¯s ws. "Indeed it is the Light Dividing Sword, could the fellow Taoist be Jian Xuan reincarnated?" "Come again!" Zhou Yi rose into the sky, with the Light Dividing Sword transforming into a long river of Sword Qi which enveloped several miles around, each strand of Sword Qi nearly rivaling the spells of the Golden Elixir True Monarch. Above the heavens and below the earth, from all directions, Sword Qi was omnipresent, solidifying into an intricate array that sealed off any escape routes. Such arge scale Sword Array could not be deployed by an ordinary Golden Core. Under the clear blue sky, stars fell like strands of golden thread, merging into Zhou Yi¡¯s body and transforming into Mana. "The Ten Directions Extermination Sword Array, the Stars Flesh Body, it¡¯s been a thousand years since west met, fellow Taoist. With your first move, you¡¯re trying to thoroughly annihte an old friend?" The Golden Corpse was halfway convinced that the true monarch in front of it was indeed Jian Xuan reincarnated. As the Corpse Demon¡¯s body grew in the wind, transforming into a giant dozens of feet tall, its shape flickering out of sight, when it reappeared it was already behind Zhou Yi, all six arms simultaneously pouncing to attack. Normally, corpse refiners are hard-pressed to fight against cultivators of the same level because they are almost all practitioners of Body Cultivation. With their robust bodies, yet ignorant of spells and unable to control magical treasures, their advantagesy in their long lives, fearless bravery, and nearly no fatal weaknesses. However, a Spirit Corpse was different; truly dead then revived, they possess mystical Innate Divine Abilities. For instance, this Heavenyer Spirit Corpse, its innate ability was the Void Escaping Technique, able to appear anywhere within a hundred paces at a mere thought. Such a mystical Innate Divine Ability surpassed ny-nine percent of spells, already not weaker than cultivators of the same level, and even more superior in assassinations and surprise attacks. Zhou Yi sensed the impending assassination from behind, yet he neither dodged nor evaded, allowing the six arms to smash onto his body. Hum! A green turtle shell appeared behind him to block the attack, and the corpse ws mmed into it without causing even the slightest tremor. "What a treasure!" The Golden Corpse, hailing from the demonic path, was extremely experienced inbat and immediately guessed that Zhou Yi had intentionally not dodged. Without any hesitation, it activated its innate ability again. "Toote." Zhou Yi snorted coldly, as a treasure mirror shot out a soul-stabilizing divine light, directly confusing the Spirit Corpse¡¯s soul. A mere magical treasure could not trap a Heavenly Monarch, but within the Spirit Corpse was only a wisp of the Golden Corpse¡¯s consciousness, and the soul-stabilizing divine light was enough to make it hesitate for a moment. Innumerable beams of Sword Light swept over the Spirit Corpse, instantly turning it into a pile of ring white bones, and its soul me extinguished in the skull. The wisp of soul consciousness attached to the Spirit Corpse, attempting to cast a spell to flee, was once again struck by the soul-stabilizing divine light. It was about to fall into Zhou Yi¡¯s hands when it resolutely activated a secret technique, scattering its soul. Thebat had onlysted a few exchanges, yet it felt as though a long time had passed. Zhou Yi confirmed that the Golden Corpse was no longer present and couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh of relief. Even confident in his own strength, he still felt some unease when fighting an Ancient Demon Monarch. "Dominated the Nine Continents for a thousand years, unlike the cautiousness of old. Today¡¯s actions were somewhat careless!" Even though he had the upper hand, he could not hide the mistake of letting the Golden Corpse lead him here; had he prepared hundreds ofyers of Formations in advance, it probably wouldn¡¯t have escaped in a short time. As the Dharma declines up to the present, Zhou Yi, being the number one in the Nine Continents, acts more willfullypared to the ancient times. This is human nature. Today¡¯s encounter serves as a sharp reminder. "Remember this lesson, one must always reflect in the future. The first thing to do now is..." Zhou Yi waved his hand to draw in a few breaths. Although he hadn¡¯t captured the Golden Corpse¡¯s soul consciousness, its self-destruction still left behind a trace of its presence. He then escaped into the depths of Righteous Sun Abyss, offering his breath to the ghost deities and began to cast the ck Witch Curse. "Even if the chances of usefulness are slim, I must try. If I can exchange a thousand years for one year of Golden Corpse, the great disaster will resolve itself!" The ghost deity statue, with its four faces and eight arms, and red eyes, after enjoying millions of years of lifespan, the original Yin Spirit Wood sculpture gradually transformed into the color of flesh and blood. The pitch-ck arms emitted a strange luster, and their touch was slick and slippery, as if truly stemming from the evil spirits of hell. ... Heavenly Corpse Sect. Outside the hall, bone dragons circled and howled, while inside the hall there was only the Golden Corpse. All the spirit corpses were fighting outside, expanding the numbers of the corpse demon army, waging war across the Nine Continents for the Golden Corpse¡¯s path to eternal life. The Golden Corpse need not patrol the front lines, for if it wanted to know the specifics, it could simply cast down its thoughts to perform a Soul Search. All of a sudden. The Golden Corpse opened its eyes, as many memories emerged within its spirit, including the dialogue and spell battle with Zhou Yi. The sect¡¯s secret technique of entrusting thoughts seemed capable of battling others from millions of miles away, but it wasn¡¯t without its ws. Until that thread of thought returned or dissipated, it couldn¡¯t know what exactly had urred. A thought from the Golden Corpse resided within all its spirit corpses, allowing it to control their movements at any time. The so-called transformation of the beings of the Nine Continents into the corpse demon n was, in fact, amunity structure with the Golden Corpse as the absolute core, simr to a beehive. "Is that True Lord Tang Jian Xuan?" The Golden Corpse pondered for a moment, then shook its head. "Jian Xuan that fellow appears to be righteous, yet in earlier years, for the sake of a breakthrough, he secretly slew many of his fellow disciples. Afterward, with a higher status, he pretended to bepassionate, acting as though he cherished the juniors!" "This True Lord Tang is willing to sacrifice his lifespan for the human race; Jian Xuan definitely couldn¡¯t do it!" Read new adventures at empire Your worst enemy is the one who knows you best. Having battled Jian Xuan for a thousand years, the Golden Corpse knew him thoroughly, almost wishing to unearth even how many times his foe wet the bed as a child. "Could it be some Nascent Soul... no, that¡¯s not right." The Golden Corpse shook its head; from the memories, it judged Zhou Yi¡¯s escape speed to be even faster than that of an ordinary Nascent Soul. "Such an Escape Skill, such sword technique mysteries, one must immerse in this path for a thousand years to achieve mastery. Thus, it could only be a Divinity Transformation reincarnation that has aplished these!" "Could there be a divinity outside of the righteous and demonic paths in the Nine Continents?" The Golden Corpse missed no detail, from Zhou Yi¡¯s expressions and tone to his casting habits, intent on investigating who he was in a past life to devise targeted killing moves. If it truly was a reincarnated divinity, one must thoroughly understand and n ordingly to y the foe! At that moment. Streaks of dark qi arose from nowhere. The grand hall filled with rolling demonic clouds, and while these streaks of ck air were inconspicuous, they seemed sentient, floating in the air before trying to prate the Golden Corpse¡¯s body. "This is... the ck Witch Curse?" The Golden Corpse, well-versed in many things, recognized the origin of the dark mist. "A paltry trick, and yet you perform it before me!" Yin Sha demonic qi emanated from its body, turned into a demonic light that swept across the ck fog, instantly cleansing it without allowing a wisp to merge into its body. The ck Witch Curse had once run rampant across the Nine Continents. The Golden Corpse had used it to curse and kill many righteous talents, of course, by forcing its disciples to willingly sacrifice their lifespan andbat the righteous path. To kill one hundred enemies, at the cost of a thousand of its own. Such tactics were actually weed by the higher echelons of the demonic path, using a few disciples in exchange for eliminating righteous talents. As the righteous pathter devised a countermeasure, making the ck Witch Curse unable to achieve sess, the wasteful sacrifice of disciples¡¯ lifespans dampened the aura of the demonic path significantly. The Golden Corpse greatly regretted this and had pondered over this curse for a hundred years. However, since the path of immortals and witchcraft are vastly different, it was unable to create a new style of curse. With a slight calction with its fingers, it immediately understood the origin of the curse. "To recklessly waste lifespan, such actions do not resemble the character of ancient peers. Could he not be a possessing spirit?" Please wait a few minutes and refresh the page. I apologize profusely. The Golden Corpse greatly regretted this and had pondered over this curse for a hundred years. However, since the path of immortals and witchcraft are vastly different, it was unable to create a new style of curse. With a slight calction with its fingers, it immediately understood the origin of the curse. Chapter 305 - 267 Dragon Blood Martial Artist "The Dark Witch Curse is indeed ineffective against the old demon!" Zhou Yi had anticipated this, yet he couldn¡¯t help feeling disappointed as he spoke to the Demonic God Altar. "You swallowed so much of my longevity, and have developed such mysterious attributes, are you just for show?" Continue your adventure at empire The Ghost Deity Statue¡¯s pupils shed with a ghostly light, as if responding to him, faintly emanating a longing and greedy intention, urging Zhou Yi to sacrifice more of his lifespan. "The ssics record that there are no innate spiritual objects in the Nine Continents, and the Sect-Protecting Spiritual Treasures are mostly refined using the methods of the Spiritual Treasure Scripture!" "For instance, the Divine Fire Fan incorporates countless Spiritual Fires to ascend, the Light Dividing Sword is infused with Sword Qi over thousands of years, the Bodhi Treasure Bead merges with the Buddha¡¯s light, Supreme rity Divine Talisman merges with Mana..." "This altar, having absorbed a hundred million lifespans, could it possibly defy the innate and transform into an ultimate demonic treasure?" Zhou Yi pondered for a long time, then he put the Demonic God Altar into his sleeve. A treasure formed by consuming lifespans, its utility unclear, was far inferior to the Mountain and River Cauldron which had been cultivated since the beginning of cultivation. With his taskpleted, Zhou Yi sent a message back to Marshal Yan, then immediately transformed into an escaping light and left. Two dayster. Xianjing. Martial Arts University. Zhou Yi returned to his office and immediatelymunicated with his seven disciples. They had received the news the day before and had rushed back to Xianjing from various ces in the alliance. Upon receiving their master¡¯s summons, they immediately came. "Greetings, Master!" The disciples lined up, with the eldest disciple Jin Jiuxiao at the front and the youngest sibling Zhong Gang at the end. The seven disciples were of varying ages, lined up ording to the order of their initiation into the sect. Except for Jin Jiuxiao and Han Chao, who were in their twenties, the rest were all over forty, with the fifth disciple, Li Wen, being the oldest at seventy-six. Their cultivation levels were not much different, all at the point of perfect Foundation Establishment. "Yesterday, I encountered an Ancient Demon Monarch and had an exchange, learning many secrets," Zhou Yi didn¡¯t hide anything from his disciples, saying directly, "Nowadays, the concentration of spiritual energy in heaven and earth is insufficient, and without great opportunities, it¡¯s difficult to form a Golden Core!" So-called great opportunities are not necessarily Nascent Soul Origins or Divinity Transformation sources; things like Supreme Treasures and innate spiritual objects are even more mysterious and effective than sources from past lives. Upon hearing this, the disciples¡¯ eyes shed with solemnity, and they all turned to look at their eldest brother. Jin Jiuxiao, having the closest rtionship with the master, rumored to have ancestral ties, asked, "When might we be able to form the Golden Core?" "I¡¯m also not sure, it could be as short as ten or eight years, or as long as two or three hundred years. The precise time will depend on the changes in heaven and earth!" Zhou Yi was unclear how the Golden Corpse determined this, but since the Demon Head was so certain, there must be some basis for it. Li Wen, the oldest in age, bowed deeply and asked, "Master, what kind of great opportunity could assist in Core Formation?" "Such as Supreme Treasures, innate spiritual objects, previous life¡¯s inheritance, and ancient legacy, all can aid the condensation of the Golden Core..." Zhou Yi said, "Chance is determined by heaven, and without profound destiny, it¡¯s hard toe by!" Hearing this, Han Chao bowed deeply, his nervous mind suddenly rxed; he possessed the Supreme Treasure Jade Dishware and several storage bags of corpses. By continuously sacrificing these during the tribtion, he would be able toprehend the secrets to Core Formation! The other disciples did not despair; not to mention a potential change in heavens in ten or eight years, even if it took two or three hundred years, it would not affect their resolve on the path. Besides Jin and Han, the remaining five disciples had to fight their way out of Corpse Mountain Blood Sea to be disciples. "The Great Dao has fifty, Tianyan four nine! The path of Immortal cultivation is treacherous and arduous, what you all strive and seek for is the one that escapes!" Zhou Yi nodded slightly, very satisfied with his disciples¡¯ performance and said, "There are no absolutes in this world; for example, this opportunity for Core Formation, I do know of a clue." The disciples bowed deeply and asked for guidance, "Please enlighten us, Master." "Kunlun Wondend!" Zhou Yi spoke gravely, "I have read extensively, seen all the Taoist scriptures, and have never uncovered the origins of Kunlun. Yet for it to appear in this age of decline, it must be even more formidable than the Ancient Cultivation World, and certainly is a realm of immortality." Li Wen spoke, "Kunlun Wondend has not appeared in hundreds of years, how do we find its trace?" "The alliance possesses a scroll of the Kunlun Golden Records, which can open the gates to the Immortal Realm..." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Jin Jiuxiao, having been cultivated as a human heritage sessor, knew many of the alliance¡¯s secrets and consequently narrated the origins of the golden records in detail. "The hardest substance in the world!" The thoughts of the disciples raced; with countless spiritual objects in the world, one might find ancient relics hidden in any corner, so the single word "hardest" stumped everyone. "You need not dwell too much on this; this method is ast resort. If the heaven and earth change in ten or twenty years, and the Golden Core forms naturally, then there would be no need to search for Kunlun," said Zhou Yi,forting his disciples with a few words. He wasn¡¯t deceiving anyone; if one finds objects sealed by ancient cultivators and breaks the seal, one could obtain the Nascent Soul Origin. If one truly found the sealed objects of Blood Demons or Heavenly Demons, it would be equivalent to sparing the Nine Continents from a great disaster. Bestowing the thousand-year nurtured Core Formation spiritual objects would also be eptable. The inheritance carried by Divinity Transformation demons is a thousand times more valuable than Core Formation spiritual objects; however, the only person who could break the seals was Zhou Yi. Then Zhou Yi spoke further with his disciples, answering their cultivation doubts and meticulously advised on the intricacies of the Pseudo Core realm. These contents were all avable in lecture videos online, but those were targeted at all cultivators, and there were subtle differences in the cultivation paths due to distinct constitutions, talents, andprehension. That¡¯s why ancient sects hadrge lectures for general teaching but also emphasized personalized instruction in small sses between masters and disciples. After the disciples took their leave, Zhou Yi did not immediately go to the inner council office but leisurely enjoyed some tea and read. A momentter. Han Chao cautiously appeared outside the door, pacing back and forth several times before he made up his mind to knock and enter, little did he know that all of this was within Zhou Yi¡¯s expectations. "Master, I¡¯vee to im my reward." "Do you n to induce heavenly tribtion to form the Core?" Chapter 306 - 267 Dragon Blood Martial Artist_2 Zhou Yi had a smile on his face as he let five Core Formation Spiritual Objects float from his sleeve, each dropping into Han Chao¡¯s hands. Han Chao hadn¡¯t expected things to go so smoothly, and he stood there stunned for a moment before taking out a palm-sized Jade Dishware from his storage bag, saying, "ording to my mother, I was born with this piece of jade in my mouth, and it is this jade dish." "Born with Spiritual Objects, his fate is extraordinary!" Zhou Yi asked, "Does this object have any special uses?" "Ever since I was sensible, I have spected that this might be an Ancient Immortal Treasure. However, despite trying all sorts of methods, the jade dish hasn¡¯t shown any signs of activity." Han Chao said, "It was only afterpleting a ssroom assignment and receiving the Corpse Demon rewarded by my master that I discovered the special use of this jade dish¡ªit allows one to sacrifice the corpses of demonic beasts and ferocious beasts to enter a state of sudden enlightenment!" "Sudden enlightenment? I see!" Zhou Yi nodded slightly. Granting an inheritance directly would have been much less safe than letting the disciplee to realizations on their own. After all, what was acquired through sudden enlightenment was genuinely self-cultivated. He then asked with a hint of doubt. "Demonic beast corpses are rare, but there¡¯s no shortage of ferocious beasts. Why didn¡¯t you know the use of this treasure over the past twenty years?" "That..." Han Chao¡¯s face showed embarrassment as he said, "My family was poor, and we couldn¡¯t afford to buy the corpses of ferocious beasts. As for hunting or picking them up outside, since I was born with a Spiritual Treasure, I believed that I had already gripped the Great Way and needed to act cautiously!" "How interesting!" Zhou Yi kept praising, finding his disciple¡¯s state of mind quite simr to his own in the past. Heughed and said. "If I had such a Supreme Treasure, I definitely wouldn¡¯t tell anyone about it and would stay far away from those cultivators I couldn¡¯t beat to avoid attracting cmity." "I was also extremely cautious around my master. I didn¡¯t dare approach without being summoned, for fear that news of the treasure might leak." Knowing he couldn¡¯t deceive such an ancient being and not wanting to lower himself in his master¡¯s eyes, Han Chao simply spoke the truth, "Now, with the great catastrophe of Corpse Demons rolling in, and the human race struggling to cleanse it, the future of the Nine Continents is uncertain. It is better to achieve Core Formation as soon as possible!" Zhou Yi looked at Han Chao for a while before nodding slightly and taking out a dark green turtle shell to divine with. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "On the Double Ninth Festival, when Yang energy is rising, you may try to induce the heavenly tribtion." "Thank you, Master." Han Chao bowed respectfully, feeling a sigh of relief in his heart. He then offered the jade dish, "Master may wish to try using this object. Cultivating with the Cultivation Technique in a state of sudden enlightenment is like having divine assistance!" "You scoundrel..." Zhou Yi waved his hand and said, "I am not so petty as to covet my disciple¡¯s treasures. However, don¡¯t forget to return the Bodhi Treasure Wheel to me after you pass your tribtion." Han Chao packed away the jade dish, about to turn and leave when he suddenly remembered something and asked. "Master, were there any legends of Kunlun in ancient times?" "There were not. I have never heard of them," Zhou Yi replied, eyebrows raised in spection as to why his disciple would ask such a question. He said, "You lucky fellow, if you manage to enter the Kunlun Wondend, don¡¯t forget to take care of your fellow disciples!" "I will keep that in mind," Han Chao replied with utmost reverence, surmising that in ancient times his master must have been a Leader of the Orthodox Path, a holy figure in the ways of the Immortal Realm. Read exclusive content at empire "Go now, your master has an old friend to meet." "Calm your Mana and stabilize your soul before you face the tribtion. Don¡¯t becent just because you have the protective Supreme Treasure. Since ancient times, countless geniuses have fallen whilst struggling to grow, and very few seed." Once Zhou Yi had spoken, his form gradually became ethereal and disappeared from view. ... The Grand Secretariat¡¯s office. Three people were seated in the conference room. Xiao Hong, the Grand Secretary, and a dark-faced Taoist in green robes. The Taoist drank up his Spiritual Tea, showing signs of impatience as he asked, "When exactly is Daoist Tanging?" "Very soon, very soon," the Grand Secretary replied while stroking his long beard, smiling. "Dragon Emperor, don¡¯t be in a hurry. We can start by discussing how to deploy our troops and coordinate our defenses after the alliance between our two races." The Taoist was Ao Qin, the current leader of the demon race. The demon race revered the strong and prized Bloodline, and Ao Qin possessed both qualities. In this era gued by Corpse Demons, even if the demons were reluctant internally, they had to acknowledge his authority. "You should know that those new demons haven¡¯t yet epted me. We need to think this through in the long term," Ao Qin casually found an excuse to put off the matter, knowing all too well that the enmity between humans and demons was deep, both in ancient times and now. If he were to take the initiative in forming an alliance, his prestige among the demons would plummet. After all, the human race had not yet encountered arge-scale army of Corpse Demons. A premature alliance between the two races might seem as though the demon race wasing to beg at the humans¡¯ door. The delicate nuances involved affected the standing of both races, and Ao Qin dared not make any hasty decisions. Wiith regards to political cunning within the imperial court, Ao Qin admitted he was not the Grand Secretary¡¯s match. However, having lived a long time and seen much, he had learned many things on his own and could handle matters effortlessly. At that moment, a figure suddenly appeared, dressed in dark blue Daoist robes, with a face as handsome as a jade carving. "I had some private affairs which dyed me, and I ask for everyone¡¯s understanding," said the man. Zhou Yi smiled with a cupped-fist salute, "This must be the Dragon Emperor, Ao Qin, whose fame shakes the Nine Continents?" "True Lord Tang tters me too much," replied Ao Qin, returning the gesture with a cupped-fist salute. Having transformed into the soul of an Azure Dragon, his natural senses were astute. After carefully observing Zhou Yi, he asked, "This is my first time meeting you and yet there¡¯s a sense of familiarity." "I have a face that is easy to remember; everyone says so." Zhou Yi was confident in the mysteriousness of the Art of Transformation, even if the spiritual eyes of the divine beast Azure Dragon could see through illusions and witness his true face, it would surely be a face it had not seen before. After all, when Zhou Yi attended the banquet at the Dragon Pce, he did not reveal his true face. In the Cultivation World, the true face of Zhou Yi had been seen by no more than a handful of individuals, and those were through overwhelming their realms to see through his transformation. This would not raise anyone¡¯s guard, because in the Cultivation World, everyone carries several faces and identities! "Just an approachable face then?" Ao Qin¡¯s eyes slightly narrowed; he had noticed that True Lord Tang¡¯s every action was in ordance with the customs of the Ancient Cultivation World, something that could not be exined simply by a return to old ways. "Perhaps we had an agreement in a past life!" Zhou Yi¡¯s words left Ao Qin dumbstruck with amazement. He sat down with a smile and asked, "Are you in such a hurry to find me because you want to discuss an alliance between our two ns to resist the Corpse Demons?" Xiao Hong shook his head, "You¡¯ve miscalcted this time, it¡¯s about another matter." "The alliance between our two races is inevitable, but right now, there is chaos within the demon race and too many factional divisions; it¡¯s not an opportune moment," exined the Grand Secretary. "Today, the Dragon Emperor is here, on behalf of the dragon race, to cooperate with the human race!" "The dragon race?" Zhou Yi pondered for a moment, somewhat incredulously, "Ao Qin, surely you¡¯re not nning to sell blood?" Cough cough cough! Ao Qin coughed several times in agitation, emphasizing, "I am an Ancient Godly Beast, the Azure Dragon. As a condition for using my bloodline, human Martial Artists would be bred into Azure Dragon warriors and offer a strand of dragon blood essence to me each month aspensation." After Martial Artists ingest a Bloodline Elixir, non-human genes and heterogeneous organs and bloodlines appear within their bodies, and by continuing to practice martial arts and refine their Qi-Blood, they will constantly temper the heterogeneous bloodline. This is bloodline essence,parable to a cultivator¡¯s mana, but much slower to recover when lost! Zhou Yi neither agreed nor objected, for discussing the matter meant that a cooperation framework was practically in ce. He asked, "Grand Secretary, what do you need me to do?" "The bloodline of an Ancient Godly Beast. The allianceboratory now has only a few strands, which were extracted from the body of a Martial Saint," said the Grand Secretary. "A total of three elixirs have been formted. After Martial Artists take them, there are virtually no rejection reactions, and the bloodline merges more thoroughly. Strength has also improved by more than fifty percent!" Rejection reactions mean demonic possession; any Martial Artist who takes an elixir could potentially experience bacsh and turn into a demon. Martial Artist promotion is not widespread among the popcergely due to this constraint, as ordinary people have weak willpower and can hardly endure the agony of bloodline bacsh. "So the alliance and Ao Qin are joining forces to create Azure Dragon warriors on arge scale?" Zhou Yi nodded slightly, as he had heard about this from Xiao Hong. The White Tiger bloodline elixirs have significant advantages, yet Xiao Hong is not a divine White Tiger. With great difficulty, he gathered only a few strands of the bloodline, which are not enough forrge-scale promotion. On the other hand, Ao Qin is a true Divine Beast, an Azure Dragon. He could easily draw several tons of blood to refine arge quantity of elixirs. "The n is indeed so," said the Grand Secretary in front of Ao Qin. "However, since matters of bloodline concern race, gics, and even the soul, we must involve True Lord Tang to make a judgment." "Lest a different bloodline emerges, and in the process of refining, one truly bes a dragon that doesn¡¯t recognize its own identity!" Zhou Yi nodded slightly, looking at Ao Qin and inquiring, "I heard that in the Dragon Emperor Mountain Laboratory, you have cultivated a new dragonkin race, why not do it again?" "It¡¯s too slow," Ao Qin exined. "I don¡¯t have a liking for humans, but I must admit, in the path of cultivation alone, they are far beyond the demon race!" "Moreover, the demon race by nature isx, never having the spirit of cooperation, sacrifice, or dedication, whereas humans, with their strict top-down management, once supplying dragon blood bes systematic, my true Azure Dragon form will be within reach." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 307 - 268: The Newly Promoted True Monarch Ao Qin¡¯s words were quite reasonable. Discover hidden tales at empire The demon race naturallycked discipline and order, seeming like a n yet each acting on their own. Since establishing Dragon Emperor Mountain, Ao Qin had cultivated and devoured countless Dragon Children and Dragon Grandchildren, yet still could not remedy the defect in their bloodline, which demonstrated the collective weakness of the demon race. If the human race were to do the same, every person umting the essence of Dragon Blood and handing it in like tax payments month by month, year by year. In just a few years, eight or ten Azure Dragons could be condensed! The power of collective cooperation easily surpassed individual talent in the cultivation of gathering sands into mountains and uniting the small to create the big. "This matter, I dare not guarantee..." Zhou Yi nced at Ao Qin and spoke slowly, "After all, it is a Demon Saint inheritance; ordinary demons must not pollute the human bloodline, perhaps the Demon Saint has divine abilities unknown to me!" "True Lord Tang, your knowledge is indeed profound!" Ao Qin narrowed his eyes slightly, convinced that Zhou Yi was the reincarnation of an ancient power, but still uncertain of his identity. "With that said, do you not agree with cooperating with me?" "No, I fully agree." Zhou Yi said, "In this world, no secret technique or divine skill can escape prohibition and divine soul, especially bloodline erosion which must have the will of the divine soul. I shall personally inspect the Dragon Blood Elixir!" Xiao Hong nodded slightly, "It should be so!" The Grand Secretary asked, "True Lord, when do you think it would be best to start our cooperation?" "Now!" Zhou Yi spoke with a solemn expression, "I have already battled the Golden Corpse using divination. I can suppress it temporarily, but if we dy any longer and rely on the nourishment of countless Corpse Demons for cultivation, no one in the Nine Continents will be a match for the Demon Monarch." Upon hearing this, Ao Qin felt a storm surge within his heart; he was truly aware of the fearsome reputation of the Golden Corpse. Even with only a wisp of the divine soul¡¯s origin remaining, it was still a formidable Divine Transformation Heavenly Monarch. Whoever could battle against it must surely be a cultivator of the same level! Any scheming in his heart was instantly cast aside, and Ao Qin opened his mouth to spew out arge mass of blood. "This is a thousand catties of Dragon Blood, the pure bloodline of an Azure Dragon, which is sufficient to create a thousand elixirs. You can begin by trying to cultivate with it. If the effect is good, we can then proceed with a deeper cooperation!" A thousand catties of blood were not much to Ao Qin, as his true demon body manifested was several hundred zhang in length. Xiao Hong and the Grand Secretary showed confusion in their expressions, somewhat puzzled as to why Ao Qin suddenly became so easy to talk to and eagerly agreed. "Dragon Emperor, rest assured, with the White Tiger Elixir as a precedent, the Dragon Blood Elixir will surely be sessful. In the future, with the nourishment of billions of Dragon Blood Martial Artists converging their Bloodline Essence, the Dragon Emperor will surely be able to condense a true dragon body soon!" ... The Double Ninth Festival. Baiyun Peak. A military cordon had been ced for several tens of miles around, with soldiers everywhere forbidding anyone to approach. Noon. The Yang energy was at its peak. Suddenly, the sky was covered with dark clouds as thunder roared, the rumbling noise traveling tens of miles. Han Chao sat withinyers of formations, bringing his mana to its peak before running the Xuan Miao ssic to invigorate his nascent Golden Core, thus summoning the Lesser Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribtion. A momentter. The heavenly tribtion struck, shattering severalyers of the formation. With the Jade Dishware as his treasure and his understanding of formations already exceedingly profound, Han Chao waved his hand andid several formations in session. For a cultivator of his caliber, surviving the Lesser Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribtion posed no difficulty. The real danger came from solidifying the nascent Golden Core into a wlessly round and smooth Golden Core. After withstanding nine heavenly tribtions and seeing them dissipate, Han Chao had already taken Spiritual Objects for Core Formation, but no matter how he circted his cultivation technique and how desperately hepressed his Dantian with Divine Sense, the nascent Golden Core still did not show any sign of solidifying. "My master was right; in today¡¯s world, without great opportunities, it¡¯s hard to break free from shackles!" With that thought, he waved his hand to open several storage bags, from which countless ferocious beast corpses fell. Mana activated the Jade Dishware, which shone with mysterious divine light, causing all the corpses to melt away like ashes. Han Chao entered an enlightenment realm that was profound within the profound, where the insights of Core Formation Technique became clear in one thought, and on this foundation, he understood many principles. At that moment, Han Chao did not seem like a new cultivator but rather like an old monster who had reincarnated for another round of cultivation, having already thoroughly understood the process of Core Formation. "Congeal!" Han Chao let out a snort, and countless strands of Spiritual Energy swarmed into his body, solidifying the nascent Golden Core in an instant. Thunderclouds dropped five-colored divine light, enveloping Han Chao and strengthening his body, restoring what he had expended in oveing the tribtion. The news of his sessful tribtion spread rapidly around Baiyun Peak, and all the observing ancient cultivators bowed and paid their respects. "Congrattions to True Lord Han!" "True Lord Han¡¯s Wonderful Technique is peerless!" "Congrattions to Second Senior Brother!" "..." Create a new paragraph after ao qin "Enjoying.divine")))) The congrattory sounds continued without end, and Han Chao¡¯s face showed joy as he rose into the air on a cloud formed under his feet. From a poor boy whose parents died at the mouths of beasts to standing at today¡¯s pinnacle in the Nine Continents, with very few of his peers remaining, no longer needing to be afraid or overly cautious. "I, Han Chao, have certified my Golden Core today, and I will expound on the Dao in Xianjing a month from now." Han Chao¡¯s voice spread for miles, following the ancient rites to establish a lecture, and then turned into a streak of light andnded on the west side of Baiyun Peak, bowing to Zhou Yi. "Master¡¯s great kindness, I will never forget in all my lifetimes!" "Henceforth, we may address each other as daoist friends." Zhou Yi took out a flying sword treasure from his sleeve and said, "You already have the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda to protect yourself and for ying enemies. This Thunder Fire Sword is more skewed towards speed and techniques, so I give it to you as a gift for your Core Formation!" "Regardless of my realm, Master, you will always be my elder." Han Chao respectfully epted the Thunder Fire Sword and returned the Treasure Bead, as the tribtion had not brought any mishaps. "Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One!" Zhou Yi stored the Buddhist supreme treasure and dered his title before dissolving into wisps of spiritual light and vanishing. Only then did Han Chao realize that his master had only sent a mana incarnation to attend the ceremony today, and he could easily guess the reason why. To avoid suspicions! n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Undergoing tribtion was the most dangerous and vulnerable time for cultivators, and with the heavenly tribtion locking on, there was nowhere to escape to. If anyone coveted the treasure of the Jade Dishware, today would have been the best opportunity. Chapter 308 - 268: The Newly Promoted True Monarch_2 Han Chao couldn¡¯t help butment. "My master is open and upright, yet I¡¯m inferior!" ... At the same time. Xianjing. Beneath the imperial pce. The Alliance¡¯s firstboratory is located here, which can be considered the source of almost all the top technologies and elixirs of the human race. Today. It was time for the Dragon Blood Elixir test, and the first batch of elixirs had been fully produced. With the great cmity approaching, time was pressing. The cab had signed a special decree, allowing the Dragon Blood Elixir to be tested directly on humans without prior experiments. One hundred test subjects from the army¡¯s veteran soldiers were chosen, each of whom had withstood battles against fierce beasts and wars of expansion, their wills tempered on the battlefield as strong as steel. Even so, they had to remain in the safety room in case of demonic transformation. The Dragon Blood Elixir was distributed, and without any hesitation, the test subjects swallowed the crystalline, ruby-like liquid. The elixir flowed through their organs and channels, hot as fire, as if it ignited their blood. Roar! The test subjects let out pained cries, their strong wills kept their consciousness intact as they circted their Qi-Blood to refine and assimte the elixir. "The fusion process is still painful, but their martial arts talents are ordinary, and their internal Qi-Blood is just a bit higher than that of normal people. Taking other elixirs would directly result in bloodline bacsh and physical copse!" Zhou Yi presided over theboratory, his Divine Sense swept over all subjects, but he did not intervene to help. Only when someone could not endure the elixir¡¯s impact and began to lose consciousness, their bodies starting to morph into demon-like forms, did he wave his hand and bring down a Spiritual Light. His tremendous Mana sealed the elixir¡¯s fusion, forcibly interrupting the bloodline metamorphosis, and pulled them back from the brink of death. "Subject number nine, failure." "Subject number thirteen, failure." "Subject number forty-three..." Zhou Yi ryed the information to theboratory, where experts then took away the unconscious subjects. Even the failed bloodline transformations held immense research value. Perhaps someday in the future, someone would discover the reason for the failed fusions and improve the elixir to achieve a hundred percent sess rate. Only then would it truly be a flourishing age of new arts! Several hourster. The elixir finally finished fusing; in total, eleven people failed, and thirty-nine seeded. This was already an exceptionally high sess rate, considering that these subjects were not martial arts experts. If they had tried to break through by taking fierce beast elixirs directly, the sess rate would not even be one in a hundred. The scarcity of bloodline warriors despite a hundred years of history was exactly because of this! Enjoy new chapters from empire "Legend has it the Dragon Emperor has nine sons, each different. Could it be deduced from this that Dragon Blood could adapt to myriad spirits, thus being easier to assimtepared to other fierce beast bloodlines?" Zhou Yi spected in his mind, and as he waited for the newly advanced Dragon Blood warriors to recover their strength, he issued furthermands. "Record their talents, test the data!" Following the order, the subjects reported their talents one by one; most of them possessed dragon scale or dragon w talents, which meant that when they activated their bloodline, dragon scales would appear on their skin or their limbs would turn into sharp ws. A few had dragon heart or dragon horn talents, and there was only one instance of a dragon tail talent. Based on past experience with bloodline elixirs, the greater the change in talent, the stronger the growth in strength. After testing the data, indeed, the person with the dragon tail talent showed far superior strength, speed, and attack power. The mutated dragon scale tail swept through and snapped steel pirs in two. "Such a bloodline transformation is very simr to the true Dragon¡¯s Nine Transformations..." As Zhou Yi looked at the thirty or so little dragon men, he pondered whether to take the Dragon Blood Elixir himself and continued issuingmands. "Conduct one-on-onebat trials against martial artists of the same rank, with the victor facing more opponents, until they fail!" His gaze fell on subject number eight. Eight was already well-built, and after taking the elixir, his stature had swelled to twelve feet tall; his clothes were already torn, revealing scars all over his body, and a dragon tail about a yard long swished back and forth behind him. His opponent was a warrior with a bull bloodline, and since the bull blood elixir was the most stable, it was in the greatest abundance. "Brother, please be gentle." The bull blood warrior had been fused with his bloodline for two years, and should have been far stronger than number eight, but standing before him, he faintly felt the pressure from a higher tier bloodline. Number eight, whose mind was clear, saluted with his fist and said, "Please, senior!" Moo! With a bellow, the warrior¡¯s stature ballooned; two blue bull horns sprouted from his forehead, his arms became as thick as columns, and with a leap, he charged fiercely. Eight neither dodged nor evaded, but crossed his arms to meet his opponent¡¯s onught head-on, matching his strength. His nimble dragon tail, like a third arm,shed out from behind to sweep the bull-headed man into the air. One round, and he¡¯d defeated an opponent of the same rank. A momentter. Facing three Martial Artists of the same rank, Number Eight didn¡¯t fall behind at all. The other Dragon Blood Martial Artists, already defeated by the three attackers, cheered for Number Eight through theboratory¡¯s ss window. Roar! Number Eight¡¯s eyes turned blood red, letting out a dragon¡¯s roar. His bloodline was stimted to the extreme; blood-red demonic patterns appeared on his skin, and his dragon tail extended more than thirty feet. Withstanding the onught of bull horns and tiger ws, his dragon tail coiled around one of them and threw him dozens of feet away. The remaining two had a grave expression, thinking they were about to lose, but then they saw Number Eight copse weakly to the ground, his dragon tail retracting into his body and disappearing. Zhou Yi led the apuse, praising, "Very good, Dragon Blood Martial Artists, three times stronger than those of the same rank! Continue tinkering with the Dragon Blood Elixir, for the next batch of subjects, expand it to five hundred!" The other researchers and Martial Artists hurriedly followed suit, their eyes shing with envy towards the Dragon Blood Martial Artists. The power of the Divine Beast Bloodline was far superior to that of other Fierce Beasts, and those who had taken the Elixir before were somewhat regretful. Zhou Yi took out a dragon-scaled Spirit Fruit from his sleeve and handed it to a researcher, saying, "Give this Spirit Fruit to Number Eight. It¡¯s enough to eliminate the side effects of the bloodline¡¯s explosion and further refine his bloodline!" The researcher bowed deeply to ept it, "Thank you, True Master." Zhou Yi suddenly asked curiously, "What¡¯s Number Eight¡¯s name?" The researcher quickly flipped through the list of experimental subjects and answered. "Lin Lei!" ¡­ In the year 208 of the Alliance. Han Chao seeded in his tribtion and became the third Golden Core of the Human Alliance. The same year. The Dragon Blood Elixir was sessfully developed. Its potent effects shocked the higher-ups of the Alliance, and they quickly reached a cooperation agreement with Ao Qin, requiring the Dragon Blood Martial Artists to turn in a strand of Azure Dragon Blood each month. Since then, the number of Dragon Blood Martial Artists grew rapidly. ording to the newly establishedws of the Alliance, newly promoted Dragon Blood Martial Artists had to turn in two strands of their essence blood each month, one for the Dragon Emperor and the other for the concoction of new Dragon Blood Elixirs. In the year 209 of the Alliance, in December. ording to the official statistics of the Alliance, the number of Dragon Blood Martial Artists surpassed a hundred thousand. ¡­ At the Northern Border. Cold winds swept across thend, and the grass withered. During the coldest month of the year, the sky was overcast with clouds, and scattered snowkes fell. "This damned weather is much colder than in previous years!" General Xu stood on the city wall, dressed only in a thin military uniform, yet not feeling the slightest chill. His forehead was iid with verdant scales, as if they had grown out from his flesh. He had taken the Elixir and sessfully transformed into a Dragon Blood Martial Artist. The Alliance, to maintain internal stability, prioritized the military for the dissemination of the Dragon Blood Elixir, followed by martial arts experts and ordinary citizens. "This wind isn¡¯t normal; it contains Yin Sha essence." Gu Chen reached out his hand and drew in hundreds of snowkes. His Mana circted, evaporating the water vapor and leaving behind only a wisp of gray Yin Sha essence. The ck-robed person standing beside him said coldly, "The northern part of Cloud Continent has already been upied by Corpse Demons, and the Yin Sha essence is bing increasingly dense. With the northern wind carrying it, it will get colder and colder in the future!" "This is the real struggle between life and death. Once defeated, there won¡¯t even be a chance for aeback!" General Xu swore under his breath. He had seen the messages from the scouts to the north: the Corpse Demon army, whether intentionally or not, transformed everywhere they went into Yin Sha Forbidden Land. Suchnds were devoid of life! The ck-robed person said, "Knowing this, why do the two races still not join forces?" "Wolf King, don¡¯t be impatient. That¡¯s a matter for the officials above to consider. They surely have various considerations. Our duty is to defend against the Corpse Demons." General Xu¡¯s eyes shone brightly; with his innate dragon vision, he saw the gathering Yin Sha demonic mist in the distance, rising like billowing smoke into the sky. He then gave orders through themunicator. "You whelps, it¡¯s time to get to work!" A momentter. An endless horde of Corpse Demons reappeared, numbering over a hundred thousand, belonging to a small Corpse Demon unit. The Northern Border soldiers had grown ustomed to this. Corpse Demons often aimlessly, instinctively moved towards areas where living creatures gathered, so every few days, they would assault the Great Wall. Wuuu wuuu! The Corpse Demons, with their hoarse voices, dragged their mangled, rotting bodies, fearlessly charging into battle. Boom boom boom¡­ n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om They were met with countless rocket sts, which after exploding, leftrge areas of Spiritual Fire on the ground. The Corpse Demons stepping on them would ignite and burn to ashes. In this war, neither side would leave a Corpse behind! Chapter 309 - 269: The Last Lesson Tens of thousands of Corpse Demons, after several rounds of carpet fire, left the ground strewn with debris. The intelligence of Corpse Demons is even lower than that of fierce beasts, driven only by the instinct to kill the living. Even with a considerable number of Foundation Establishment Corpse Demons mixed in, they were annihted in the relentless bombing. Their strength lies in their numbers; they are as vast as the ocean, boundless! "Burners, tend to the aftermath!" After issuing the order, General Xu nced at the Wolf King, "A mighty demon race, to think you¡¯d lose to a bunch of bone scraps." "The demons are too scattered, which allowed the Corpse Demons to defeat them one by one." The Wolf King said, "Had the true demon race been united as one, the human race would have disappeared from the Nine Continents long ago, with no chance to survive until now!" A man and a demon exchanged barbs, and even with a substantive alliance, they could not help but find each other displeasing. At that moment. Roar! A strange dragon cry came from the sky. The bone dragon pped its wings as Xue Ming, the Corpse General in Mysterious Armor, sitting on its back, cast a cold gaze over the Northern Border Great Wall. "I am Xue Ming!" Xue Ming¡¯s voice was hoarse and dry. He drew his bone de and pointed it towards the Great Wall. The bone dragon opened its mouth and spewed a stream of Green Poisonous Fire. Whir! Defensive inscriptions on the wall materialized, forming a translucent barrier that blocked the poison fire¡¯s burn. Rumble! The ground shook, and gray and white lines appeared on the horizon. Countless Corpse Demons were moving in for the kill. Unlike the bone scraps that were haphazardly bombarded earlier, these Corpse Demons were enormous, generally twenty to thirty feet tall,posed of various fierce beast corpses, with many towering over fifty feet. Strong in life, and after death, refined by the demonic aura of Yin Sha, their seemingly rotten and dpidated bodies were actually hard as refined steel. "The King of the Northern Domain¡¯s Zombie Demons, Xue Ming!" The Wolf King bared his teeth without any trace of jest and said, "I have seen him from a distance before. His physical strength isparable to a Demon King; the only thingcking is the umtion of mana." A Golden Core Realm body could be refined without having to endure heavenly tribtion, especially without regard for the pain or death of the Corpse Demons. General Xu, observing the Corpse Demons¡¯ army advancing relentlessly despite the artillery fire, decisively issued an order. "Fire the destructive weapons!" Momentster. Mushroom clouds rose from the Corpse Demon ranks, the high temperature vaporizing them instantly, and the terrifying shockwaves spread outward, leaving pits spanning several miles across the ground. Enjoy more content from empire Destructive weapons equated to a strike from a Golden Elixir True Monarch, only more rigid in their area of effect, not even a Foundation Establishment adept could easily hit. Against the swarming, low-intelligence Corpse Demons, however, they were quite suitable. After the explosion, the Corpse Demon army paused briefly before resume charging towards the Great Wall. To them, death was not a pain but a liberation of the soul! Countless artillery fired from the Great Wall, urately covering their targets, continuously sting the Corpse Demons to pieces, yet their numbers were too great, and their defenses too strong. In a short time. One could clearly see the rotting flesh on the Corpse Demons. The soldiers gripped their heavy machine guns tightly; they were the final line of defense on the Great Wall, beyond that was hand-to-handbat. The Wolf King narrowed his eyes, detecting the twisted, peculiar vibrations from the site of the destructive weapons¡¯ explosions and eximed in admiration. "These weapons are good, produce and use more in the future. Instead of letting the Corpse Demons turn the Nine Continents into a Yin Sha Forbidden Land, it¡¯s better to make both sides suffer from radiation corruption!" "Wolf King, stop enjoying the spectacle." General Xu said, "It¡¯s time to release the wolf cubs!" "Understood." The Wolf King took out a tabletputer from his cloak, deftly input a string of passwords, and saw that dozens to hundreds of gates slowly opened at the base of the Great Wall. Howl howl howl... A series of wolf howls sounded, and fierce, ferocious beasts of different shapes charged out of the gates. Unlike the previous armies of fierce beasts, these had undergone mechanical modifications. Steel armor covered their bodies, demonic des were at their joints, and they bore methrowers on their backs. The half-mechanical beasts, because of their improved bodies, had the upper hand in the brawl with Corpse Demons. The methrower devices on their backs, guided by intelligent control, precisely scorched the injured Corpse Demons, ensuring theirplete annihtion. These modified beasts, when facing same-tier Corpse Demons, had no problem taking on ten at a time, but their opponents were too numerous, and they quickly found themselves inyers of encirclement. Faced with attacks from all directions, the beasts quickly began to fall. And at the moment their hearts ceased beating, Boom! A massive explosion obliterated the nearby Corpse Demons. Each of the beasts had liquid bombs imnted within them, set to self-destruct and strike a final blow when life signs vanished, also preventing them from turning into Corpse Demons. "Tsk tsk tsk, humans really know how to use weapons!" The Wolf King watched the beasts¡¯ self-destruction, devoid of any sorrow for their demise; in the eyes of the demons, beasts were merely expendable. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "These wolf cubs, despite some being weaker than the elite Corpse Demons, manage to inflict several times the casualties. Had I sought to be modified earlier, maybe we could have withstood the Corpse Demon army and not been utterly routed." "The Iron Armores from the low-grade Magic Artifacts of ancient cultivation. The liquid bombs imnted withine from the research institute, and that methrower looks ordinary, but it was personally designed by a True Monarch..." General Xu said, "These half-mechanical fierce beasts, every screw in their bodies, are the crystallization of species cooperation!" The Wolf King nodded slightly; in its previous reign over thousands of miles, other than the core gicboratories, it couldn¡¯t produce even a single screw in other territories. Its pointed towards the sky. "But what about Xue Ming? Even as a False Golden Core, he¡¯s not someone we can deal with!" "The second senior brother has arrived." Gu Chen, who had been silent until now, looked towards the southern sky where a golden light was rapidly approaching. Chapter 310 - 269 The Last Lesson_2 Soon after. Xue Ming,manding the bone dragon, shed with Han Chao in a magic duel. Every strike produced earth-shattering roars. With a formidable physique, Xue Ming faced off against Han Chao, whose magical methods were unparalleled. The battle raged on for over half an hour. The bone dragon let out a mournful cry, dying beneath the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda. Seeing that Xue Ming couldn¡¯t hold out much longer, his eyes suddenly changed, his voice ancient and weathered. "Lucky youngster, I shall spare your life for now!" With that, he transformed into a ray of light, his speed beyond what any ordinary Golden Core could match, and disappeared into the horizon in an instant. Han Chao knew the Demon Monarch had arrived and dared not pursue him rashly, only to hear thunderous cheers erupt from the ground below. "Might of the True Lord!" ... The 210th year of the Alliance. The Corpse General Xue Ming invaded the Northern Border¡¯s defenses and, after his defeat, fled. This was the first time that the human race had faced a Corpse General since the great catastrophe began. Themon folk cheered the victory, but the upper echelons were filled with a sense of foreboding. As expected. Just a few dayster, the Southern Border defenses encountered an attack by a Corpse General. An undead army of billions, despite the relentless bombardment of artillery fire, reached the edge of the Great Wall. They braved the fiery barriers spewed from cannons, their corpses climbing and damaging the Wall. After more than ten days of fierce fighting, they finally repelled the undead army. It was as if the spark of war had been ignited. Apart from the coast in the east, undead armies continued their assaults on the remaining defensive lines. Day and night, they attacked endlessly. The 211th year of the Alliance. The demon race¡¯s territories werepletely destroyed. The surviving demons sought asylum within the Alliance and established experimentalbs to create an army of mechanical beasts. In the same year¡¯s autumn. The Grand Secretary of the Alliance and the Dragon Emperor of the demon race jointly addressed the public on television, announcing the formation of an alliance to fight against the undead. "This is an alliance formed by the living tobat the dead!" ... The Cab Court. The conference room. The Grand Secretary looked increasingly aged, his gaze sweeping over those present. Explore stories on empire On the left were the high-ranking members of the human alliance; on the right were the demons, transformed into human shapes, still retaining some beastly features. "I¡¯ve summoned you all today to announce something," he began slowly. "Starting next month, we¡¯re cutting military supplies on the front lines by thirty percent. The resources for experimentalbs will be reduced by the same amount. Everyone should prepare in advance." "How is this possible?" The first to speak out was a military official, whose power had grown daily since the full-scale war had begun. "As we meet here, the front lines are still engaged in battle. The frequency and scale of the undead¡¯s attacks are growing by the day. Not only can¡¯t we continue with normal supply levels, but now we even have to cut back?" A demon with a tiger¡¯s head spoke in a deep and resonant voice, "Currently, the highest death toll is among the mechanical beasts. If experimentalb resources are reduced, are human soldiers expected to fight the undead in closebat?" "The front lines must have sufficient supplies. If firepower iscking, perhaps the defenses will copse next month..." "Experiments can be reduced, but ordingly, the output of mechanical beasts will also fall short..." Neither side was willing to give in, not out of selfishness, but due to the incessant pressure of the undead¡¯s relentless attacks on the front lines. In theter stages of the beast cmity, only surrounding Demon Kings invaded human territories. Demons from other continents established their own kingdoms and had long abandoned the notion of invading humannds, instead fighting amongst themselves within their territories. The undead, however, were different. They obeyed the Golden Corpse Demon Lord unquestioningly. With a horde numbering in the hundreds of billions, they shared a single will. The Golden Corpse¡¯s orders were to eradicate all living beings on the Nine Continents without regard to the cost. The undead from distantnds like Red Continent and Buddha Continent would travel day and night to join the fight. "Cough, cough, cough!" The Grand Secretary coughed violently before speaking, "I don¡¯t wish to make these cuts either, but we have no choice. Creating guns and cannons requires resources; concocting elixirs requires resources..." "We only have this one area, and the mines we could dig have already been depleted. At this rate, we¡¯ll have to start selling off everything we own!" Someone immediately said, "Selling everything is still better than the extinction of our race." "But how long can we hold out?" The Grand Secretary added, "Half a year? A year? The enemy upies the Nine Continents. Their resources are a hundredfold greater than ours. They are creating mechanical beasts and converting them into undead faster than we can kill them." A member of the Wolf-headed Demon Race spoke up, "What¡¯s your n? Just say it inly, no need to beat around the bush." "When we cut resources on the front line, we must ensure we can hold out for two years," the Grand Secretary dered. "Over these two years, by whatever means necessary, even if we have to engage in hand-to-handbat with the undead, we must ensure the defensive lines do not break." Someone immediately asked, "What about two yearster?" "It concerns alliance secrets, this old man cannot reveal them for the time being." Grand Secretary said, "You must also understand that this is the first reduction, perhaps in half a year we will need to continue reducing, but we must fight for two years of time!" Many, both human and demon, had their suspicions and remained silent for a long while before nodding in agreement. ¡­ Martial Arts University. The amphitheater ssroom was filled with students, listening intently to Zhou Yi¡¯s teachings. They knew how difficult and brutal the frontline was, how soldiers were dying all the time, so they studied hard in their cultivation, hoping to kill a few more Corpse Demons when they entered the battlefield. From early morning until the afternoon. "... and with that, the lecture is concluded." Ding! The ss leader struck the Jade Chime, and the students were roused from their absorption. "In these ten consecutive sses on the Lightning Method, with no false modesty, I say that even when you consolidate your Nascent Soul, it will be useful for you." "You are surely aware of the purpose of this. When fighting against Corpse Demons in the future, the Lightning Method will be most effective. It might be this year, or the next, but you will surely step onto the battlefield!" "Cultivators of ancient methods require time to settle and umte, but s, you were born in the wrong era; there is no time left for secluded cultivation!" "Remember, before heading to the battlefield, take a vial of Dragon Blood Elixir. It will sever your path of cultivation, but at that point, we can¡¯t afford to care about that anymore..." Zhou Yi spoke at length, and as he did, some students came to realize that this was indeed a farewell. The atmosphere suddenly turned solemn. Some of the more sentimental female students had red, teary eyes, whether due to their reluctance to part with their teacher, despair for the path ahead, or perhaps both. Zhou Yi was long ustomed to farewells, having attended too many memorials and grave visits; his expression remained as still as an ancient well. "My lectures are all avable as videos online; does anyone remember what the first ss was about?" Immediately, a student answered, "Teacher spoke about the Escape Skill, saying that the faster you run, the longer you live, and only then can one¡¯s path prosper!" "Well said," Zhou Yi nodded slightly. "In this world, there is probably no one more cowardly than I am!" This was not self-deprecation but a statement of fact. After all, sticking to life meant the possibility of achieving immortality. No matter how low one¡¯s talent, given enough time, any realm or bottleneck could eventually be crossed, and so one would always be cautious. "I diligently practice the Escape Skill, unmatched in speed all across the Nine Continents; certainly, if one does not seek out death, they will not die!" "Thus, even if I were to abandon the human race and run away, I could console myself with words like: as long as I live, the human race will not perish..." "However, some things must be done by someone!" "I am about to embark on a distant journey, to do something that must be done, with an uncertain fate ahead of me." Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes grew more resolute as he spoke, "In my first lesson, I taught you how to flee, and in this, myst lesson, I teach you how to face whates." The ssroom fell silent, and the students remained quiet for a long time until they saw Zhou Yi disappear from sight. "Farewell, Teacher!" ¡­ Principal¡¯s office. Zhou Yi did not knock; his figure, having descended in a sh of escape light, materialized in the room. Three other figures were present in the room: Xiao Hong, Han Chao, and Dragon Emperor Ao Qin. Xiao Hong asked, "When will you depart?" "Now," Zhou Yi said. "ording to my divinations, there will be signs in the heavens a year from now, a grand celestial event that will greatly suppress all demons and evil spirits between heaven and earth!" Ao Qin questioned in confusion, "Then why leave now?" "The Golden Corpse Demon Lord is also adept in divination and will certainly be aware of this celestial event and will seek to hide before it urs." Zhou Yi exined, "We will first head to Qiong Continent, keeping close watch on that old demon. When the celestial changes happen, we will then converge to y it!" The four had gathered today to enact the first and quickest method of averting cmity: to y the Golden Corpse Demon Lord that controlled the Corpse Demons from behind the scenes. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Once the Golden Corpse was dead, and the Immortal Corpse Pearl seized, the great catastrophe of the Corpse Demons would naturally be broken." "The Golden Corpse Demon Lord is also adept in divination and will certainly be aware of this celestial event and will seek to hide before it urs." Zhou Yi exined, "We will first head to Qiong Continent, keeping close watch on that old demon. When the celestial changes happen, we will then converge to y it!" The four had gathered today to enact the first and quickest method of averting cmity, to y the Golden Corpse Demon Lord that controlled the Corpse Demons from behind the scenes. Once the Golden Corpse was dead and the Immortal Corpse Pearl seized, the great catastrophe of the Corpse Demons would naturally be broken. Chapter 311 - 270 Innate True Person Heavenly Corpse Mountain. It had be a vastboratory. To the east, countless beasts were held captive, entering theb via conveyor belts, where injections turned them into ferocious beasts. To the west was Yin Sha Forbidden Land, where the Corpse Refining Great Array would directly corrode the freshly produced ferocious beasts, transforming them into Corpse Demons. There were hundreds, even thousands of suchbs dedicated to producing Corpse Demons throughout the Nine Continents. Like locusts consuming the West Garden, they produced ferocious beasts non-stop until humanity was extinguished. "In ancient times, it took me years, even decades, to refine mortal beasts into Corpse Demonsparable to those at the Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment levels. Now, with thebination of ancient methods and new techniques, the efficiency has increased a thousandfold. It is right that I should attain the Great Dao!" The Golden Corpse caressed the dim Treasure Bead in its hand, suddenly looked up at the sky, and let out a wild cackle. "You stubborn old heavens, not yet giving up. What can the mere sr phenomenon do to me?" "All of this is the bed you made for yourself!" Boom... boom... boom... Thunder suddenly rumbled in the sky, splitting the dense demon clouds with several cracks, as if responding to the Golden Corpse. "Hehehe! Cultivation has always been about defying the heavens. For tens of thousands of years, the Cultivation World has experienced cycles of prosperity and decline, and this time It shall be I who brings it all to an end!" Far from being afraid, the Golden Corpse¡¯sughter grew even more wild. Such demonically great figures no longer feared destiny or karma, only believing in the power of their own fists! ... Outside the mountain. A thousand miles to the west. Four figures emerged from underground, poised to surround and kill the Demon Monarch: three humans and a demon. Zhou Yi said, "The Demon Head has not yet taken possession and still retains some Heavenly Monarch power. If we get any closer, we might be detected." The Golden Corpse was cautious and would not concern itself with maintaining the face of a Heavenly Monarch. If it sensed something amiss while fighting Zhou Yi and the others, its first choice would be to flee. In the storybooks, therge and powerful old demons hunkering down in theirirs to fight to the death against righteous cultivators simply did not exist. Ao Qin frowned slightly, "The area within a thousand miles is too vast. If the old demon wants to escape, we cannot stop him!" "I already have a n," Zhou Yi said as he took several storage bags out of his sleeve. "These are the Array tes I have crafted, capable of sealing off a thousand miles. The old demon will have no choice but to fight to the death with us here!" Ao Qin took the storage bags, his Divine Sense swept over them, and he looked deeply at Zhou Yi. Within were tens of thousands of Array tes and Formation gs, which even ordinary True Monarchs would find difficult to craft in a lifetime, let alone several storage bags. "The Divine Skills of a True Monarch are unfathomable. Truly, once the Demon Monarch is eliminated, I hope for peace between our two species!" With that, he turned into a beam of light and flew to the east. Since inheriting the Azure Dragon Bloodline, every divination technique he used pointed to the east as supremely auspicious. Han Chao took the storage bags and said, "Master, I¡¯ll head to the south." Xiao Hong shrugged helplessly, "I am not skilled in formations. If I were to forcibly set one up, it might be fraught with errors." Neither Divine Skills nor supportive arts had developed at all. "Xiao Daoist friend, you are in charge of tracking the old demon. If there¡¯s any movement, immediately send a message." Zhou Yi¡¯s figure flickered, and he split into several Mana avatars, sinking into the ground to begin setting up the Formation and Prohibition. Since reaching the peak of Golden Core, without a clear method to break through to Nascent Soul, Zhou Yi devoted his efforts to the four arts. By now, his mastery of formation pill tool talisman had reached the pinnacle. Waving his hand to set up formations, drawing talismans in the void, performing alchemy without a cauldron, and other profound techniques¡ªZhou Yi was capable of all of them. Countless Corpse Demons roamed the surface,pletely unaware that the ground below became riddled with Formation and Prohibition. With low spiritual intelligence and no cultivation, they relied solely on instinct to devour Yin Sha and vital essence to increase their strength. Half a year passed in a sh. The Golden Corpse cultivated within the grand hall, indifferent to the tens of millions of Corpse Demons lost at the front lines. Due to the vast distance from Cloud Continent, Zhou Yi and the others were unaware of humanity¡¯s plight. The battlefield was undoubtedly bing more difficult; once resources were depleted, humans could only physically fight against the Corpse Demons. Under such circumstances, both the human and demon races were doomed to fail! On this day. All the Formation and Prohibition were in ce, Zhou Yi and the others positioned at the four corners, waiting for the opportune moment. The summer solstice. Yang energy was at its peak, and the sun looked like a zing furnace, scattering endless radiance over the Nine Continents. Near the Heavenly Corpse Sect, however, the sky remained dark and gloomy, shrouded by thick Yin Sha demonic energy, which sunlight could hardly prate. Yet today was out of the ordinary. As noon approached and the sun reached its zenith, what was originally the size of a round te began expanding: first like a pot lid, then like a chariot wheel, until it spanned three to four zhang. Stay connected via empire Looking up, it seemed as if the sun was falling from the sky onto the Nine Continents, within reach. What shone down was no longer mere sunlight but strands of true sr fire, burning through the demon clouds, creating breaches. Sizzling... The demon clouds quickly melted away under the fearsome celestial might, vanishing in moments. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The Corpse Demons, now exposed under the sr true fire, began to suffer mottled burns on their bodies and uttered hoarse, piercing screams, instinctively digging holes to burrow into the ground. "The time hase!" Zhou Yi¡¯s voice boomed from the north, his Mana churning as numerous formations rose from the ground. The formations flickered with flowing light, first sealing the ground, rendering it as hard as fine steel to the Corpse Demons¡¯ bone des. Hum! As all the formations activated, a semi-circr rainbow light appeared in the sky, with the divine radiance of Yin and Yang and the Five Elements swirling around, covering a thousand miles of the void. "Hehehe, it¡¯s been a thousand years since Ist saw the Sect Protection Array!" An eerieugh echoed as the Golden Corpse surged out from the grand hall, scrutinizing the formations for a long while, its expression growing increasingly ferocious. "It¡¯s traces of the Dan Ding Sect. Are you that God of ughter reincarnated? I should have realized sooner. That God of ughter terrified the Nine Continents, allowing him to collect legacies from both righteous and demonic paths!" Chapter 312 - 270 Innate True Person_2 "Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One!" Zhou Yi announced his Taoist title and did not directly reply. Instead, he said, "Back then, Daoist Xiao cut down his Nascent Soul and underwent Divinity Transformation. Today, with the power of the Golden Core Realm, I will send the Demon Monarch into reincarnation." Explore stories on empire "Let¡¯s attack together!" "Kill!" Ao Qin and Xiao Hong were more direct, not wasting words with the Demon Head, and they each transformed into the bodies of their sacred beasts. The White Tiger and the Azure Dragon attacked from east and west, pouncing to kill. Han Chao spurred the Demon-Suppressing Pagoda, which transformed into a nine-zhang tall pagoda, falling from the sky like a small mountain and carrying the terrifying power to suppress demons and seal evil spirits. "Merely juniors, you also dare to battle with me in magic?" The Golden Corpse snorted coldly without showing any spellcasting. His figure turned into nine afterimages, easily avoiding the heavy attacks and leaving several wounds on the bodies of the White Tiger and Azure Dragon. Han Zhao¡¯s expression tightened as he spat out real fire thunder to block off the afterimages. "Little boy, your spellwork isn¡¯t bad, taste my Demon Fire!" The afterimages of the Golden Corpse merged and revealed its true appearance. With a flick of his fingers, he shot out dozens of pitch-ck Demon Fire. This Demon Fire was not an ordinary spell. Instead of igniting and exploding, it set up a strange Formation, trapping Han Chao within and instantly breaking through dozens of Protective Spiritual Lights. Han Chao was trapped in the Demon Fire Formation, unable to escape despite continuously casting spells. Fortunately, Xiao Hong arrived with a pounce, and the Golden Corpse once again turned into an afterimage and dissipated. Ao Qin spat out emerald green Celestial Light, melting away the Demon Fire. Han Chao felt lingering fear, now clearly aware of the strength of the Ancient Demon Monarch. His former pride from Core Formation shattered in an instant. "Hmph! Relying on your Divine Abilities to bully juniors, what kind of skill is that?" Zhou Yi had anticipated this and with a hand gesture, the Sect Protection Array spun into action, forcing the originally invisible and traceless Golden Corpse constrained by the Formation and Prohibition to reveal his form. The Golden Corpse tried to use an Escape Skill again, but his speed was no match for the binding. Seeing this, Ao Qin was immediately ted, employing his Divine Abilities as a Demon Saint, and unfolded a sky filled with emerald green Celestial Light to attack. In a contest of magic, no one was a match for the Golden Corpse. However, with the limits imposed by heaven and earth, the gap in mana realms was actually not thatrge! Xiao Hong opened his mouth to spit out the Divine Fire Fan, a treasure that had been refined over hundreds of years and was now one with Xiao¡¯s bloodline. With a light wave, it scattered heavenly Divine Fire all around. Han Chao no longer held back, drawing out the Supreme Treasure Jade Dishware. After sacrificing thousands of corpses, it shot out a cyan-gray Celestial Light. The light was only as thick as a thumb, and its momentum was far less than that of the emerald Celestial Fire, yet the space it passed through twisted! After ascending to True Monarch, Han Chao could slightly manipte the Jade Dishware instead of using it passively as before. "A few juniors, you also dare to battle with me in magic?" The Golden Corpse¡¯s expression remained unchanged. Just as he was about to cast his Divine Abilities as a Heavenly Monarch, suddenly, a talisman fell from the sky. The Supreme rity Divine Talisman! The number one auxiliary Supreme Treasure of the Nine Continents, it stuck to the head of the Golden Corpse,pletely immobilizing him for a few breaths. Hum! The attack of the three Golden Elixir True Monarchs fell, and for a moment, the world was silent, followed by an earth-shattering boom after two or three breaths. After a long while. The Celestial Light dissipated, and the Golden Corpse Demon Lord had disappeared. "Dead? Just like that?" Ao Qin frowned slightly, he had long heard of the Heavenly Monarch¡¯s reputation and didn¡¯t believe he could be in so easily. "He¡¯s down below." Zhou Yi sighed, just now there was indeed a chance to y the Golden Corpse, but that fellow somehow performed some secret technique, substituting a spirit corpse on the spot. Boom... Before he finished speaking, the mountain of the Heavenly Corpse Sect began to shake; the great hall copsed, and rocks crumbled away to reveal the interior of the mountain. A bone mountain hundreds of zhang high. Atop the mountain was a multitude of skulls, emitting a raucous and chaotic roar, and mid-mountain swung countless sharp ws, each over a hundred zhang long, while the lower half was the serpentine body of a white bone snake, leaving deep valleys in its path. Xiao Hongpared their sizes, realizing himself to be an ant in front of the bone mountain, not even filling the palm of a hand. "How are we supposed to fight this?" "Big? I¡¯ve never feared anyone when ites to size!" Ao Qin¡¯s figure transformed, revealing a hundred-zhang demon body, but it was still onlyparable to one arm. In theory, True Monarchs could shatter mountains and split peaks, but that referred to small hills and ridges. For a several-hundred-zhang Bone Mountain, protected by boundless Yin Sha Demon Energy, the Divine Abilities and magic fell upon it like mere itching. "Cackle cackle cackle!" From within the Bone Mountain, the Golden Corpse¡¯s sinisterugh could be heard as he manipted the Bone Mountain to pound the Formation and Prohibition with tens of thousands of arms. The Sect Protection Array vibrated continuously, with cracks appearing in many ces. After all, hastily arranged in over half a year, it was hard to withstand the violent assault of Bone Mountain; it wouldn¡¯t be long before the Golden Corpse could escape. "This poor Daoist shall dismantle your Bone Mountain!" Zhou Yi¡¯s mana churned, and his figure swelled with the wind, as he grew a bull¡¯s head, owl¡¯s wings, and tiger¡¯s ws, transforming into a giant dozens of feet tall. "Come again!" Starlight fell from the sky and merged into Zhou Yi¡¯s body, causing him to surge another ten zhang. "And there¡¯s more!" Zhou Yi looked up at the sky; the sun descended, and the purple aura was thriving. He circted the Purple Sun Scripture to manifest the body of an Innate true person; as boundless purple energy entered his body, he grew over a hundred zhang tall. Feeling the vast and seemingly endless mana inside, he opened his mouth and spat out the Light Dividing Sword, turning it into hundreds of thousands of sword lights. "In such a state, the mana is shy but insubstantial; however, it¡¯s quite suitable for this moment!" The tens of thousands of sword lights didn¡¯t need to form a formation; they swept directly across Bone Mountain, like a river scouring stones, leaving countless scars and severing hands and arms reaching out. "Is this... an ancient true person?" The Golden Corpse¡¯s voice was filled with disbelief, "Such techniques have been abandoned by the ages. It would take at least a thousand years to perfect. Who exactly are you?" "This is the first time this poor Daoist has used it, and only now do I realize how profound it is!" Zhou Yi manifested the body of a true person, feeling like he couldmand the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth with his own limbs, and the mana consumed by the Light Dividing Sword was instantly replenished. He simply increased the power of the Light Dividing Sword again, turning it into a vast flowing river, sweeping back and forth, and in just moments, it cleaved Light Bone Mountain at the waist. "Damn it!" The Golden Corpse¡¯s expression grew solemn, not because he sensed a life-and-death crisis, but because he spected that Zhou Yi¡¯s origins might be far from ordinary. "Could it be the reincarnation of an ancient Immortal God?" At this thought, the yful intent he originally harbored gave rise to other ideas. "Break through for this Lord!" The Golden Corpse decisively detonated Bone Mountain, and with a thunderous boom, the terrifying shockwave tore a hole in the formation, seizing this opportunity to transform into an escape light that vanished into the horizon. N?v(el)B\\jnn The Celestial God¡¯s Escape Skill was extremely mystical; even as a mere wisp of a remnant soul, the speed wasparable to that of a Nascent Soul ancestor. "Fellow Daoist, please halt!" Zhou Yi¡¯s figure deted like it had lost air, returning to his original appearance, and chased after the Golden Corpse using the Blood Burning Escape Technique at the expense of his own lifespan. The Golden Corpse deliberately slowed down, looking back to see the blood-colored escape light, a triumphant gleam shing in his eyes. "Hehehe! Some Ancient Immortal God reincarnation, once your lifespan is exhausted, these Nine States will still belong to this Lord!" A pursuit ensued. The Golden Corpse intentionally slowed down, maintaining a distance of several li from Zhou Yi, continuously depleting his opponent¡¯s lifespan. Nascent Soul¡¯s escape speed, in just a moment, covers thousands of miles. Zhou Yi looked up at the sky; the sun that was originally asrge as a grindstone had gradually returned to its original appearance; the suppression on the Devil Cultivators had vanished, and he immediately stopped his escape light. ¡ªPlease wait a moment; it¡¯s not finished yet. Refresh and it will be done. Zhou Yi manifested the body of a true person, feeling like he couldmand the Spiritual Energy of heaven and earth with his own limbs, and the mana consumed by the Light Dividing Sword was instantly replenished. He simply increased the power of the Light Dividing Sword again, turning it into a vast flowing river, sweeping back and forth, and in just moments, it cleaved Light Bone Mountain at the waist. "Damn it!" The Golden Corpse¡¯s expression grew solemn, not because he sensed a life-and-death crisis, but because he spected that Zhou Yi¡¯s origins might be far from ordinary. "Could it be the reincarnation of an ancient Immortal God?" At this thought, the yful intent he originally harbored gave rise to other ideas. "Break through for this Lord!" The Golden Corpse decisively detonated Bone Mountain, and with a thunderous boom, the terrifying shockwave tore a hole in the formation, seizing this opportunity to transform into an escape light that vanished into the horizon. The Celestial God¡¯s Escape Skill was extremely mystical; even as a mere wisp of a remnant soul, the speed wasparable to that of a Nascent Soul ancestor. "Fellow Daoist, please halt!" Zhou Yi¡¯s figure deted like it had lost air, returning to his original appearance, and chased after the Golden Corpse using the Blood Burning Escape Technique at the expense of his own lifespan. The Golden Corpse deliberately slowed down, looking back to see the blood-colored escape light, a triumphant gleam shing in his eyes. "Hehehe! Some Ancient Immortal God reincarnation, once your lifespan is exhausted, these Nine States will still belong to this Lord!" A pursuit ensued. The Golden Corpse intentionally slowed down, maintaining a distance of several li from Zhou Yi, continuously depleting his opponent¡¯s lifespan. Nascent Soul¡¯s escape speed, in just a moment, covers thousands of miles. Zhou Yi looked up at the sky; the sun that was originally asrge as a grindstone had gradually returned to its original appearance; the suppression on devil cultivators had vanished, and he immediately stopped his escape light. Chapter 313 - 271 Cause and Effect Constants "In front of the Immortal Corpse Inner Pill, we are no different from mortals, touch it and we die!" "When this object fell from beyond the heavens to the Nine Continents, in just a few days, a ten thousand li radius around Fengdu Mountain turned into a wastnd, from Divinity Transformation beings down to mortals, all were corroded into Corpse Demons." "The ancestors of the Heavenly Corpse Sect could not bear to see living beings suffer and turned themselves into prohibitions, refining the Immortal Corpse Inner Pill into a magical treasure!" Golden Corpse gently caressed the Treasure Bead and said with a cold voice. "If not for the sacrifice of our old ancestors, the Nine Continents would have long be a wastnd, where would there be any continuation of the human race?" "So that¡¯s how it is." Continue reading at empire Zhou Yi heard such a top-secret disclosure for the first time and bowed towards the void, saying, "This poor Daoist expresses gratitude towards the ancestors of the Heavenly Corpse Sect, it is a pity that they have descendants unworthy of their legacy, who bring shame to the pioneers!" "Pioneers? I merely consider them fools!" Golden Corpse was a pure demonic path, truly heartless and unrighteous, if exterminating the Nine ns could enhance Mana, even the slightest hesitation was considered disrespectful to the great Dao. Zhou Yi circted his Mana, the Supreme rity Divine Talisman suspended above his head, the Light Dividing Sword spinning around his body, and his feet stepping on the Lotus tform. "Today, this poor Daoist will, on behalf of the martyred ancestors of the Heavenly Corpse Sect, y their unworthy descendants!" "Let me tell you, this world has never been such that the good will win and the evil will lose!" Golden Corpse urged the Treasure Bead, and the gray, murky Corpse Qi obscured the sun and the sky, the world turned gray, withering all living things, and strands of extremely eerie aura ignored the Protective Spiritual Light, about to burrow into the viscera and meridians. "Neither Yin nor Yang, is this the aura of a Corpse Immortal?" Zhou Yi channeled his Mana, the Lotus tform radiated boundless Buddhist light, and the sinister Corpse Qi melted like snow under the sun. From within his sleeve flew out dozens of magical treasures, Bell Cauldron Mirror Seal, and bottles, towers, beads, swords, shooting out in all directions. The Supreme rity Divine Talisman soared into the air, transitioning from solid to ethereal, sprinkling countless golden light talismans, which attached to the magical treasures, forming a Mysterious Array Method and sealing a radius of several dozen li in the void. "Fellow Daoist and I, only one will be able to leave this formation!" "Jie jie jie!" Golden Corpse let out a sinisterugh, his eyes shing with a triumphant look, flinging his hand to unleash many demonic secret techniques. Demon Fire, Yin Thunder, evil curses, soul-devouring¡­ Each and every powerful dark spell was executed by Golden Corpse as if it were flowing clouds and water, an endless stream of spell brilliance engulfing like a tide. Zhou Yi did not hold back either, with his fingers constantly snapping, casting myriad Lightning Methods. One excelled in mysterious demonic techniques, and the other in profound Lightning Method. Amidst the Formation and Prohibition, the thunderous noise was incessant, with the sealed area of several dozen li suddenly turning into a mix of ck and purple, with purple at times taking the upper hand, and other times, ck prevailed. Zhou Yi and Golden Corpse¡¯s strength had long surpassed that of ordinary Golden Core cultivators, being undefeated under Nascent Soul was not an overstatement. Such a realm could not be achieved by geniuses or gifted individuals, it required two to three thousand years of secluded cultivation and refinement, the spirit, energy, and soul reaching a point beyond further progression, and Technique and Spell Study exhausting all there was to learn before such an achievement could be had. They fought for more than ten days, and still, there was no winner. But Zhou Yi was not in a hurry, his body of the Great Mystery and stars, Innate Real Person¡¯s form, could increase Mana with just amand. On the other hand, although Golden Corpse was of high realm, ultimately it was just a lingering soul,cking a physical body as a vessel, ultimately it could notst long. Then they fought for dozens more days. The pitch-ck demonic Qi kept shrinking, upying only about two to three percent of the Formation and Prohibition space, Zhou Yi used the Trample the Constetions Step-Fight, his hands forming all kinds of seals, unleashing a sky full of thunder to encircle Golden Corpse within it. White hair flying in the wind, Daoist robe billowing with noise. Zhou Yi let out a long cry, "This poor Daoist has finally had a satisfying battle in my cultivation journey!" "Impressive Lightning Method! It¡¯s a shame I no longer have a physical body, otherwise I would fight you till the end of the earth and the sky!" Golden Corpse, seeing the thunder growing more intense, had no choice but to urge the Treasure Bead, the gray murky Corpse Qi forming a Four-Armed Demon God likeness, with all arms spread wide, tearing apart the sky full of thunder. "Amitabha!" Zhou Yi recited the Buddhist invocation, his appearance solemn and majestic like a monk of the Buddhist Law. With the blessing of the Buddhist Law, the Lotus tform shone forth ten thousand zhang of Buddhist light, manifesting a likeness of a Golden Body Bodhisattva. The Bodhisattva sat cross-legged on the Lotus tform, hands forming Dharma Seals, battling the Eight-Armed Demon God on the spot, not losing an ounce of aura. "Dual Cultivation of Buddhism and Daoism, fellow Daoist is truly no ordinary person!" Golden Corpse lowered his eyes with increasing wariness towards Zhou Yi and spat out a dark Long Banner, unleashing a hundred thousand fierce souls and malevolent ghosts. Zhou Yi took out the Myriad Souls Banner, gently swayed it, and rolling demonic clouds matched without falling behind. Golden Corpse frowned slightly and spat out dozens of white bone flying swords, forming a demonic killing formation. "It seems you¡¯ve run out of tricks, fellow Daoist!" Zhou Yi¡¯s face showed joy, the Light Dividing Sword¡¯s myriad shadows, after a few sweeps, cut more than half of the white bone flying swords. "Indeed, as a reincarnated Immortal God, this time, it is I who have lost!" Golden Corpse¡¯s underlings, the Corpse Demon army, swept across the Nine Continents, acquiring numerous Spiritual Objects, asionally refining quite a few magical treasures, which seemed powerful in the eyes of amon True Monarch, yet were of little use in today¡¯s battle of spells. Zhou Yi¡¯s expression was neither sorrowful nor joyful, such an old demon would never admit defeat or wait for death as it approached annihtion. Sure enough. Golden Corpse spat out several Divinity Transformation essences, the Mana that was at the pinnacle of Golden Core suddenly soared again. "Jie jie jie! I am a Heavenly Monarch after all, even if bound by the heavens and the earth, I can still break through momentarily!" "An explosive secret technique? I can do that too!" Zhou Yi formed a spell with his hands, his face growing more aged, and his white hair falling continuously. "What a true Monarch, daring to burn away life essence!" Golden Corpse looked at the aged Zhou Yi and said coldly, "With your talent, even if I were to obliterate the Nine Continents, you would still be beyond my reach. Would you really let yourself die and your Dao to vanish for the sake of mere mortals, resembling ants?" "As long as I kill you, it¡¯s all worth it!" N?v(el)B\\jnn Zhou Yi, during the time of End Times, plundered the heritage of the Nine Continents, among which were demonic techniques that could explosively increase power. Discarding those that would cripple the foundation, he dered one from the Heavenly Demon heritage, consuming vital energy and lifespan to momentarily increase Mana, called the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Technique. Chapter 314 - 271 Causal Constants_2 The depletion of vital energy requires a long period of seclusion topensate, and considering the consumption of lifespan, basically, all who had utilized it had met with death and the destruction of their Dao. The mana that had once been at the very pinnacle of the Golden Core stage broke through some barrier in an instant, and Zhou Yi felt as if he were light as a feather, like a flying immortal. The mana in his Dantian was as deep as the abyss, as vast as the sea, seemingly capable of destroying heaven and earth with a mere wave of his hand. Such mystical and powerful sensations left his spiritual soul in a state of ecstasy and uncertainty! "Nascent Soul? No, it¡¯s not quite right, it can only be considered as a False Daoist Lord, possessing mana without the corresponding realm!" Zhou Yi silently recited a spell for purifying the mind, quickly awakening from his delusions, infusing the Light Dividing Sword with mana. The myriad rays of Sword Qi once again split into tens, into hundreds, filling the space around for tens of miles with what seemed an uncountable number of sword lights that flowed like rivers, not needing any Sword Array or Sword technique to do so. "I want to see just how long you can endure!" The Golden Corpse, knowing it couldn¡¯t match this force, simply focused all its energy on protecting its body, quietly waiting for the other¡¯s lifespan to run out. An endless river of Sword Qi surged turbulently, striking repeatedly above the head of the Golden Corpse, and the originally dull Treasure Bead surprisingly began to show cracks, on the verge of shattering. Read new chapters at empire "How is this possible? Not even the Immortal Corpse Inner Pill, the ancestors of the Heavenly Corpse Sect, could destroy it..." Zhou Yi felt doubtful, yet his hand movements didn¡¯t stop, continuously sending shes down upon the Treasure Bead. "Heh heh heh! It turns out you couldn¡¯t deceive your fellow Daoist, but it¡¯s already toote!" The Golden Corpse, as if it had been enduring for a long time, said proudly: "After living for thousands of years, you turned out to be so foolish, so easily falling into my trap, wasting away your lifespan for nothing." n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Zhou Yi¡¯s brows furrowed tightly as the sword light shed down again, and the Treasure Bead could no longer withstand the assault, loudly shattering. Boom boom boom! An extremely dense Corpse Qi burst out, spreading in all directions, attempting to break through the Formation and Prohibition. Zhou Yi activated the Bodhi Treasure Wheel, and with manaparable to that of a Nascent Soul he infused into it, the visage of the Buddha almost became tangible, its ten-thousand-foot radiance thoroughly cleansing away the Corpse Qi with a smile. Deprived of the Supreme Treasure, the Golden Corpse stood alone in midair, facing the sword light and heavenly thunder without a trace of fear. "I may have lost the battle of magical powers, but I have won the Nine Continents!" "I am adept in divination, yet here you are in your true form." As Zhou Yi managed the calctions with his fingers, the workings of fate became crystal clear, revealing the Daoist before him to be none other than the Ancient Demon Monarch. "That¡¯s both right and wrong, yes and no." The Golden Corpse replied: "What I have done is aimed at destroying the Nine Continents, naturally loathed by heaven and earth. Let alone battling you, even if a few youngsters were to besiege me, I might unexpectedly perish!" Zhou Yi nodded slightly, fully aware that being detested by heaven and earth wasn¡¯t to be taken lightly. For instance, the celestial phenomena of that year had directly exposed the covert development of the Golden Corpse, and the recent anomaly of the great sun had almost tantly biased in favor of Zhou Yi and the others. It was as if heaven and earth were without consciousness, otherwise, they might directly manifest and possibly suppress the Golden Corpse to death. "I had anticipated that I might die in the battle of magical powers, how could I not have prepared a contingency n?" The Golden Corpse spoke: "Thus I divided my spiritual soul into two, one half stationed at the Heavenly Corpse Sect, which you all are wee toe and kill, while the other half seeks a suitable person for possession, ready to reincarnate at any time!" "You were already a broken soul, yet you divided it further into two, have you found your target for possession?" Zhou Yi¡¯s thoughts raced, as the alliance had already protected everyone with a Heavenly Spiritual Root or an Exotic Spirit Root within formations and prohibitions. Withyer uponyer of protection, the Golden Corpse wouldn¡¯t dare to intrude; if it did, it could forget about ever getting out. Killing the Golden Corpse after possession would be much easier; even using the source of Divinity Transformation, it would beparable to an ordinary Golden Core. "Initially, there was none, but a few days ago, I found one." The eyes of the Golden Corpse revealed undisguised joy: "Upon seeing that artifact, I became even more certain that the Nine Continents should rightly be under my control!" "An artifact..." Zhou Yi¡¯s expression changed dramatically, no longer paying attention to the Golden Corpse, as a sky full of sword energy and thunder overwhelmed him. The Golden Corpse stood still, unresistant as he awaited death, his eyes shed through a strange mix of regret, guilt, relief, and determination, a stark contrast to his previous ruthless demeanor. "It¡¯s toote, Master!" ¡­ Heavenly Corpse Mountain. It had been ttened. After Zhou Yi left, Ao Qin managed the Formation and Prohibition, eradicating millions of Corpse Demons nearby. Xiao Hong paced back and forth, asionally ncing westward, an anxious expression on his face. At this moment. A streak of crimson escaping light flew in, not concealing its powerful and aggressive mana aura, which sliced the demonic clouds in the sky into two. "This is... a Daoist Lord!" Ao Qin had heard the Dragon Emperor teach the methods of the Nascent Soul and was very clear about the power of Nascent Soul mana, hence he couldn¡¯t help but show a horrified expression and subconsciously wanted to burrow underground to escape. "Cough cough cough!" The escaping light stopped near Heavenly Corpse Mountain in the blink of an eye, revealing its shape to be the elderly-looking Zhou Yi, who coughed violently several times, his breath faint and imbued with the stench of death. Xiao Hong asked anxiously, "Tang Daoist Friend, what¡¯s wrong with you?" "I¡¯ve executed a secret technique that bursts with power, which has excessively consumed my life span, cough cough cough, my days are numbered." Zhou Yi nced at the cowering Ao Qin, not paying him any heed, but instead asked, "Why don¡¯t I see Han Chao, didn¡¯t this poor Daoist order him to be in charge of the Formation?" Xiao Hong replied, "True Lord Han was worried about your safety, so a few days ago he handed the Array te to the Dragon Emperor and followed your trail to pursue you." "Very good! I have cultivated for thousands of years and have seen countless people, yet I was deceived by my disciple who is only in his twenties or thirties." Zhou Yi¡¯s aura fluctuated wildly, his Nascent Soul mana deep and endless, pressuring Ao Qin and Xiao Hong almost beyond their limits: "Daoist Xiao, I have used up my life span to y that Demon Monarch." "Your merit is immeasurable, True Lord!" Upon hearing this, Xiao Hong¡¯s face lit up with surprise as he bowed continuously, "From now on, True Lord, you will be worshiped eternally by the human race, as long as the human race survives, the incense will never cease!" Ao Qin followed, "The demon race will do the same!" "However, the great cmity of the Corpse Demon will not end and might even intensify." Zhou Yi sighed, "This poor Daoist¡¯s days are numbered, no longer able to protect my disciples. Once you return, swiftly build ships and escort the bloodline of the human race to the depths of the Eastern Sea." Xiao Hong was shocked, "Could it be rted to True Lord Han?" "Perhaps, this poor Daoist isn¡¯t sure." Zhou Yi recalled all the events from the past; Han Chao had no abnormal intentions, otherwise, it would have been impossible to conceal from his own soul perception. "The Golden Corpse ims to have possessed Han Chao, whether true or false is not yet certain, but the Demon Head offered himself as bait, and that is most likely correct." Ao Qin expressed his doubts, "True Lord Han seems to have a dual Spirit Root, one fire and one wood, which does not fit the inheritance of the Heavenly Corpse Sect. Why would the Demon Monarch go and possess him?" "My disciple possesses a congenital Supreme Treasure..." Zhou Yi recounted in detail about Han Chao¡¯s treasures, suddenly feeling a premonition, "I have seen countless people in my time, and that disciple of mine has a firm Daoist heart. Even in death, he would never sully himself by colluding with a demon, so it must be that treasure that is problematic!" Ao Qin looked at the ground covered in countless corpses, murmuring, "Offering the corpses as sacrifices could lead to enlightenment, wouldn¡¯t the Demon Monarch be even more powerful with such a treasure?" Xiao Hong¡¯s voice trembled slightly as he asked, "Daoist Friend Tang, does that mean we are going to lose?" "In this world, there are always wins and losses; as the Demon Head said, it has never been a matter of course for the righteous to win." Zhou Yi sighed, "This poor Daoist has done his utmost. That Demon Head, now in possession of two Supreme Treasures, won¡¯t fall behind even in a direct confrontation!" "It¡¯s often said that human effort cannot ovee fate!" Xiao Hong said, "Ever since the great cmity of the Corpse Demon, heaven and earth have repeatedly aided us, not hesitating to manifest anomalies directly, showing their unwillingness for the Corpse Demon to harm the Nine Continents and obliterate all living beings, right?" "That is true, but unfortunately, every drink and peck is predestined." Zhou Yi briefly spoke of the past where the righteous and demons fought with swords and how heaven and earth covertly interfered with the oue, "Back then, heaven and earth plotted against both the righteous and demonic paths, forcing the three Divine Transformation Heavenly Monarchs to prematurely shatter the ancestral veins instead of allowing them to naturally decline." "That Golden Corpse Demon Lord was one of those three Divine Transformation beings at that time." "The seeds of the world¡¯s destruction were sown then, and today¡¯s cmity of the Corpse Demon is the result; had the Blood Demon or Heavenly Demon awakened sooner, perhaps it would have been another sort of demonic cmity." "If heaven and earth hadn¡¯t interfered that year and let the ancestral veins decline naturally, it would have taken at least a thousand or eight hundred years... not to mention several Divine Transformation Heavenly Monarchs, even the Nascent Soul Daoist Lords would have perished by time¡¯s passage!" "If that were the case, how could the cmity of the Corpse Demon arise!" "To think there was such a hidden secret..." Xiao Hong murmured to himself before suddenly looking up at Zhou Yi and asking, "Who are you exactly, Daoist Friend? Now that your lifespan is ending, why not reveal your identity? If the human race survives, they will surely worship you as a n!" "Who am I?" Zhou Yi looked deeply into Xiao Hong¡¯s eyes and slowly said. "I am your ancestor!" Chapter 315 - 272: Corpse Immortal Legacy "..." Xiao Hong¡¯s face twitched, and he was tempted to retort, "How can you curse like that?" Then he remembered Zhou Yi¡¯s origins, which could very well be the reincarnation of an ancient immortal god, and it seemed that perhaps it wasn¡¯t so bad after all. "Tang fellow Taoist, at such a time, stop joking around!" Your next read is at empire Zhou Yi said, "I never jest, wasn¡¯t your ancestor Xiao Ran?" "Indeed, he was." Xiao Hong felt that Zhou Yi wasn¡¯t joking, and his expression immediately became solemn, "Since ancestor Xiao Ran rose, our family has been passed down for seventeen generations, could it really be that you are a reincarnation of my ancestor?" "My origins are older than Xiao Ran¡¯s." Zhou Yi said, "This Divine Fire Fan was indeed obtained by thatd from my grave. If not for the bloodline of the Xiao family, how could a mere Qi Refinement cultivator have the Supreme Treasure acknowledge him as its master!" "The Divine Fire Fan..." Ao Qin¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he pointed at Zhou Yi, "You... you are Xuan Xiao Daojun?" Before the opening of the Four Spirits Holy Hall, Ao Qin had long heard of Xuan Xiao¡¯s fame. Aftering out, he delved into ancient history, and had learned about the legends of Xuan Xiao Daojun, who alone suppressed the Nine Continents and battled Divinity Transformation beings. "Yes and no." Zhou Yi¡¯s gaze was profound and immeasurable, "Essentially, we are just... two simr flowers, that¡¯s all." Xiao Hong¡¯s face was conflicted, for a moment he didn¡¯t know how to address Zhou Yi ¡ª neither ¡¯fellow Taoist¡¯ nor ¡¯ancestor¡¯ seemed appropriate. "Once this matter here is resolved, I shall find a ce to sit in meditation and pass away. I¡¯ll entrust these Core Formation Spiritual Objects to you, fellow Taoist. If there¡¯s anyone solidifying their pill, bestow upon them one or two." Zhou Yi used the identity of Xuan Xiao¡¯s reincarnation to clear up "Tang Xuan¡¯s" origin, now that he had rified the background, he couldfortably switch to another identity to avoid raising suspicions. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om "The human race will certainly remember your name, fellow Taoist!" Xiao Hong bowed deeply in respect, regardless if the other party was his ancestor or not, he was a hero who had sacrificed for the human race. Zhou Yi nodded slightly and nced at Ao Qin. "In my time, I often heard of the name of the Dragon Emperor. A thousand years have passed in a blink and among the old friends of this world, only fellow Taoist Ao remains. As for the relocation of the human race to the Eastern Sea, I would ask that you, fellow Taoist, facilitate their passage and prevent any sea demons from causing trouble!" "Certainly, certainly." Ao Qin nodded repeatedly in agreement, knowing that those who are nearing the end of their lifespan can be the most frenzied, and he dared not show any defiance. "Immeasurable Heavenly Honored One!" Zhou Yi announced his title and turned into a fleeing light, vanishing into the sky. Xiao Hong stood in a daze for a long time, then suddenly asked Ao Qin, "Do you think I should recognize this ancestor of mine?" "Only a fool wouldn¡¯t recognize him!" Ao Qin waited for Zhou Yi to leave before straightening his back and said, "That is an elder from ancient times, a venerated figure in today¡¯s Taoism. Others would do anything for a chance to be close to him, and you¡¯re still hesitating?" "Having been recognized by a reincarnated Daojun and with the inheritance of the Divine Fire Fan, the Xiao family will be a legendary n spanning three eras from now on!" Xiao Hong pondered for a while and then nced at Ao Qin, saying. "No wonder the Dragon n has so many rtives..." ... Red Continent. The signs of battle by ancient powerhouses had disappeared under the influence of time, perhaps with remnants of cities from the previous era still buried underground. The endless desert, influenced by the Spiritual Energy, had already reverted back to dense forests and mountain ranges. Now, also eroded by the Yin Sha demonic energy, the surface was ck as ink, the vegetation transformed into twisted, bizarre trees, with asionally a few half-rotted ck crows falling down, issuing unpleasant, hoarse cries. Crack, crack! Scattered skeletons and zombies were wandering aimlessly on the ground. All things withered, living beings vanished; today¡¯s Red Continent could be the Nine Continents of tomorrow. At a Nameless Barren Mountain. Hundreds of feet underground. A blue-robed Daoist sat cross-legged, looking to be in his twenties or thirties with an average appearance and ordinary features. It was Zhou Yi¡¯s second disciple, "Han Chao." "Hee hee hee! I¡¯ve consumed half of my origin to drag that guy to the end of his lifespan. No matter whose reincarnation he is, it all doesn¡¯t matter anymore!" "Han Chao¡¯s" sinisterughter was mixed with a distorted expression that gradually turned into the demeanor of a Golden Corpse. The Golden Corpse opened its mouth and spat out a Jade Dishware, which was Han Chao¡¯s apanying supreme treasure. Now, there was a greyish pearl embedded in the center of the Jade Dishware, the two treasures merged seamlessly, perfect and wless. "What a truly wonderful treasure!" Deep within the Divine Sea. A faint and elusive shadow coldly watched the Demon Monarch manipting its own flesh. "Why didn¡¯t you kill me?" "You are the one born with this object, truly Innate acknowledgment, I can¡¯t just kill you carelessly." The soul of the Golden Corpse materialized, smiling as it spoke, "One day when I have proven the Great Dao, I shall Return you to the Origin and refine you into an Artifact Spirit for the supreme treasure. It won¡¯t be difficult for you to enjoy longevity!" "Longevity..." Han Chao murmured to himself, eventually unable to resist asking, "What exactly is this Jade Dishware?" "This object is not a magical treasure, but a skull of a Corpse Immortal that has spontaneously transformed and been polished. Each time you offer a sacrifice of corpses, it slightly triggers the ambiance of a Corpse Immortal." The Golden Corpse, confident in its victory, was very willing to share the joy of its sess with others. "Enveloped by the ambiance of an Immortal God, once touched by mortals, they will enter an enlightened state!" "I see." Han Chao said, "That¡¯s why my continuous offerings of corpses will gradually revive the Corpse Immortal, and perhaps one day even bring it back to life?" "Perhaps it will, after all, it is the might of an Immortal God, beyond what we mortals can imagine!" The Golden Corpseughed wickedly, "Looking at it this way, my possession of you has actually been a life-saving grace. When the dayes for the Corpse Immortal to revive, it will surely devour your soulpletely." Han Chao coldly said, "Aren¡¯t you afraid of the Corpse Immortal?" "Afraid, of course, I¡¯m afraid!" The Golden Corpse replied, "That¡¯s why I need to sweep through the Nine Continents even more swiftly, using the boundless fate and Spiritual Objects to break through to Return to Void as soon as possible. Will I still fear a mere Corpse Immortal¡¯s remains then?" "I will even seize the heritage of the Corpse Immortal and have a glimpse of the True Immortal¡¯s Great Dao!" Return to Void is thest realm before bing a True Immortal, also known as a Human Immortal, and indeed has the power to suppress the remains of a Corpse Immortal. Han Chao¡¯s eyes flickered as he sped his hands and said, "Junior wishes for senior to prove the Dao soon, so I too can catch a ride on your sess and enjoy longevity along with you." Chapter 316 - 272 Corpse Immortal Inheritance_2 "Certainly, certainly." The Golden Corpse nodded in satisfaction and looked Han Chao over carefully before casting dozens more sealing spells. Han Chao calmly epted, guessing at the truth behind the Golden Corpse¡¯s words. It had devoured ny-nine percent of his soul, deliberately leaving behind a wisp as a seal, clearly not for the purpose of refining an Artifact Spirit. "The Jade Dishware is the skull of the Corpse Immortal, it was born with me..." ... Depend-on-Mountain City. The Northern Border stronghold, where Founder Emperor of the Old Zhou started his rise to power. As border conflicts intensified, the Corpse Demon army threatened to break the defense line at any moment, prompting the Alliance to dispatch more troops to the Northern Border. The soldiers would rest and regroup in Depend-on-Mountain City, bringing prosperity back to the once deste city. The bustling streets teemed with all kinds of people, including members of the demon race with beastly heads. Times had changed. In just a few short years, under the pressure of the Corpse Demon catastrophe, two races that once fought to the death now stood side by side in battle. Many civilians still viewed the demon race with animosity, especially if their loved ones had died at their hands, but due to Alliancews, they were forced to curb their anger. The only constion was that the demon race suffered heavy losses facing the Corpse Demon army directly. Humanity, with the help of the border defenses, wrestedmand from the demon race, reiming their position as the dominant species of the Nine Continents, yet there was no sense of triumph. Resources in the Alliance¡¯s territory grew increasingly scarce, to the point where even kitchen knives were collected to forge weapons of war. A year went by. The nature of the border conflict gradually shifted. Large-scale bombardments were rarely used unless necessary, and close-quartersbat with the Corpse Demonsmenced. Fortunately, the ranks of the Dragon Blood Martial Artists kept expanding. The Azure Dragon¡¯s bloodline was highlypatible and the strength gained from merging with it allowed humanity to withstand the Corpse Demon army. On the modernized streets lined with concrete buildings, what was for sale were crude agricultural products. People didn¡¯t use money but various Alliance vouchers, or resorted to bartering goods directly. Woo woo woo¡ª A series of piercing rms rang out from the city center, followed by a broadcast repeating over and over. "Effective immediately, any non-bloodline Martial Artists may apply to go to sea!" Ordinary people thought the announcement signified the Alliance¡¯s attempt to secure an escape route for humanity, but the more astute were struck by fear, suspecting that the front lines could no longer hold. Three hundred miles from Depend-on-Mountain City, Dragon Coiled Mountain became the stage for a fierce battle between the soldiers and the Corpse Demons. The sporadic booms of artillery only targeted Corpse Demons within ten feet of the city walls, which would be decimated by heavy firepower. Ten miles outside the city walls. Semi-mechanized beasts charged at the front lines, followed closely by human Martial Artists in heavy armor, swinging des several feet long to cut down their enemies. The Corpse Demon army was vast and unending, assaulting like waves of a tide. No sooner was one wave repelled than more surged forward; the ground littered with broken bones had piled up two or three feet high. If not for the practice of burning the corpses after battle, reducing them to ash that scattered with the wind, the piles would have long since exceeded the height of the walls. "Let¡¯s die together!" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om This soldier bellowed to the sky, his Dragon Blood nearly depleted, surrounded by countless Corpse Demons with no hope of retreating behind the lines. Resigned to his fate, he detonated the liquid bomb within him, turning an area of several dozen feet into a massive fireball. Such scenes were not umon on the battlefield. The soldiers once operated heavy weaponry, mowing down Corpse Demons like cutting wheat. But as resources neared exhaustion, withmon people cooking with y pots, the frontline had no choice but to fight this way. Atop the city walls. General Xu¡¯s eyes shone with vitality, dragon scales extending from his brow, already covering his entire forehead. Watching more and more soldiers self-destruct, he immediately gave an order. "Send word to Hu Biao, have him rece the next squad." The staff officer reminded him, "General, the second squad has only rested for three hours and haven¡¯t fully recovered their strength..." "We can¡¯t wait, we can¡¯t afford heavy casualties in the first squad." General Xu¡¯s eyes shed with helplessness as he said, "The Cab has sent a message, starting today we are to focus on building ships. Even the production of armor and swords will be reduced..." The staff officer eximed in shock, "How are we to defend then, without armor for protection, without weapons to fight, the Corpse Demon army will break through our defense after just a few charges!" "That¡¯s why we need to choosend over people!" General Xu stated, "The Cab has allowed us to retreat within the defense lines, to defend each city step by step, ensuring that we secure one more year before all soldiers are lost." "Another year?" The staff officer spoke angrily, "A year ago, the Cab said to hold the line, and now it¡¯s telling us to do the same. Isn¡¯t this just sending us to our deaths?" "What else can we do, are you going to surrender to the Corpse Demons?" General Xu sneered, "Old Liu, to tell you the truth, if I could surrender, I would have done it long ago. Unfortunately, surrender means certain death; it¡¯s death either way. Let¡¯s go out in a ze of glory!" The staff officer saluted and immediately went down to convey the message. An hourter. A series of cannon sts sounded, blowing a void into the ranks of the Corpse Demon army. The soldiers erupted with all their Qi-Blood, ying the nearby Corpse Demons before retreating back behind their defensive line. The Corpse Demon army quickly filled the gap, their eyes shing with ghostly fire as they continued to charge the city walls. They had no ce to retreat to, with an endless sea of Corpse Demons behind them, they could only step over the corpses of theirpanions and press forward. A second group of thousands of martial artists and soldiers burst out from the defensive line, swinging their sabers to y the Corpse Demons, followed by long stretches of self-detonations! Half a monthter. The defensive line in the middle section of the Dragon Coiled Mountain was the first to be breached by the Corpse Demons. Dense masses of Corpse Demons climbed the city walls by stepping on theirpanions, like ants gnawing at a dike, bit by bit dismantling the bricks and stones of the wall. When the city wall copsed, the Corpse Demon army, blocked outside the defensive line, surged out through the breach like floodwaters finding an outlet, spreading in all directions to ughter every living being. ... Enjoy exclusive content from empire Binhai. The port. Countless ships were moored, crammed full of people. In both the cabins and on the decks, wherever there was room to stand, people were willing to squeeze in. At this moment, whether they were nobles with ancient lineage or lowly, humblemoners, they all had the same goal: to board a ship and flee the Nine Continents. The news of the copse of the Northern Border defences spread throughout the alliance at lightning speed. Everyone was already panic-stricken, and now they were plunged into a state of mental breakdown. Even escailing to inds very close to the Nine Continents could buy some more time to live. Among the many ships, the Ark of Salvation stood out the most, not only because of itsrger size and perceived safety but also because it had ventured deep into the Eastern Sea, to the legendary Immortal Realm with no Spiritual Energy, no cmities! The Ark of Salvation was piloted by ten Foundation Establishment cultivators. The alliance had provided them with many Spiritual Objects, enough to travel tens of thousands of miles. With no need to return, these cultivators too nned to flee the Nine Continents! The good news was that the sea monsters had orders from Ao Qin not to attack passing ships, so there was no need to fear encountering beast tides, which is why all offensive weapons had been removed to amodate more people. By the shore. Notable wealthy individuals waved their exchange coupons, shouting various promises, even willing to give up everything. All for a chance to secure a ticket aboard the Ark of Salvation. However, the giant ship was already packed with people, and no one was willing to disembark, even if it meant exchanging for the life of their dreams. Only matters of life and death can truly equalize everyone! On the Ark of Salvation. Two middle-aged men squeezed at the edge of the deck, looking down at the surging crowd onshore, feeling strangely exhrated. "Isn¡¯t that our boss over there, crying like a dog?" "Indeed, just like how he looked when I begged him in the past!" "We will survive, right?" "Who knows!" The people below desperately tried to board the ship, while those on it looked on with vacant eyes, clueless about the future. Perhaps, they would encounter a tsunami en route and die at sea. ... Qiong Continent. The ancient grounds of the Heavenly Corpse Sect. After the renaissance of Spiritual Energy, the once depleted earth-grade Spirit Veins began to gather again. Transforming from the most basic of Spirit Veins, and over two to three hundred years, they lengthened considerably. At this moment. A figure emerged from underground, manifesting his form¡ªit was Zhou Yi, who should have been in seated meditation till his death. Zhou Yi took out an Array te, channeling his Mana to activate the Formation and Prohibition. Then, a string of roaring sounds thundered. The earth copsed, the mountains crumbled, and half a mountain range broke into sections under the guidance of the formation. A hum! From the depths, a mourning cry emitted, like the deathly wail of the Spirit Veins. "The seventy-second one!" Zhou Yi took out a map of the Nine Continents, marked a cross over the position of Qiong Continent, and then delved underground to continue westward. "If this Taoist cannot find the ancestral vein, all Spirit Veins shall be severed..." Chapter 317 - 273: The Extinction of the Nine Continents One yearter. In the western region of Qiong Continent. The Unnamed Great River flowed quietly until suddenly, both banks burst open, and the surging waters drained in all directions. The Spirit Veins born along the river, under the ravages of the Formation and Prohibition, shattered with a loud boom into several pieces, releasing thick Spiritual Energy. "The one hundred and ny-second one!" Zhou Yi skillfully took out the map of the Nine Continents, which now showed more than thirty percent of Qiong Continent marked with blood-red crosses. "At this rate, in twenty or thirty years, the Spirit Veins of the Nine Continents will be extinct. By then, no matter what Demon Monarch or Corpse Demon, all will vanish into dust in this declining age!" His hands formed a spell, and hundreds of Formation gs rose from the ground and were collected into his sleeve as he continued to fly westward. As he incessantly destroyed the Spirit Veins, Zhou Yi became increasingly adept, employing different Formation and Prohibition strategies for different types of Spirit Veins. For instance, this set of Formation gs, which integrated various formations such as the Absolute Water Array and Absolute Mountain Array, was specifically designed to destroy waterborne Spirit Veins, and Zhou Yi had named it the Absolute Water Array. Most Spirit Veins are born from mountains and rivers, hence there was also the Absolute Mountain Array. There were also a few Spirit Veins born beneath the ins, which were the most troublesome to destroy and also slowed down Zhou Yi¡¯s progress. "I¡¯ve collected quite a few Spiritual Objects, it¡¯s a pity that they¡¯re all of low age. They cannot wait to grow and mature with the Spirit Veins. After moving them to Kunlun Cave Heaven, I will find another way to nurture them in the future!" Zhou Yi shook his head helplessly. Any Spiritual Object associated with the word ¡¯Innate¡¯ had numerous wondrous uses. Like the Stone Basin he had just retrieved from the riverbed Spirit Vein, which could gather the light of the sun, moon, and stars without any spells and condense it into Spiritual Water. Unfortunately, the grade of the Spiritual Water was too low; for Zhou Yi, it was only good for brewing wine, which had a taste that no ordinary Spiritual Water couldpare. Had the Spirit Vein not been destroyed, if that Stone Basin were nurtured for another three to five thousand years, it could slowly advance to be a Spiritual Treasure or even a Spiritual Treasure, and the condensed Spiritual Water could be used for Nascent Souls undergoing Divinity Transformation to increase their Mana! "Well, enough of that; it¡¯s just an era, after all!" "When the Spiritual Energy rejuvenates, other Spiritual Objects will form, and I¡¯ll be able to collect them as I please." Zhou Yi¡¯s Divine Sense swept in all directions, quickly finding another Spirit Vein nestled among towering mountains and ridges, and he adeptly arranged the Absolute Mountain Array. ... On Red Continent. On the Nameless Barren Mountain, a hundred zhang underground. The Golden Corpse sat in meditation to cultivate and strengthen his Mana. In just one year, he had already reached the pseudo Golden Core stage. "Practicing in constant enlightenment at all times is faster than seizing a Heavenly Spiritual Root. The Divine Skills that have not changed in two thousand years have found new interpretations in recent days." "The path to returning to nothingness is within reach!" At that moment. The message from the Corpse Demon attacking Cloud Continent arrived, dering that the Corpse Demon army, under itsmand, was merely a thousand miles from Xianjing, and within two years at most, they could eradicate the alliance between the two races! "Hehehe, the title of the supreme Overlord of the Nine Continents is within easy reach!" As the Golden Corpse cackled smugly, another piece of news entered his mind, sent from the Corpse Demon guarding Qiong Continent. ¡ª¡ªThe Spirit Veins in the western part of Qiong Continent have beenrgely destroyed, causing the surrounding Spiritual Energy to plummet, and only the Qi Refinement level can be maintained in its central region... "The Spirit Veins destroyed?" The Golden Corpse frowned deeply and reviewed the images sent back by the Corpse Demon, sensing an ominous feeling in his heart. "Investigate the cause of the destruction of Spirit Veins immediately!" The Spirit Veins were far more important than ruling the Nine Continents. If all Spirit Veins were destroyed, all his schemes woulde to naught. Moreover, with his current strength, the Golden Corpse had no way to perform another Blood Sacrifice to seal himself; in this declining world, he could only wait for death! ... Another year passed. Zhou Yi had destroyed six or seven tenths of the Spirit Veins in Qiong Continent, leaving vast areas with exceedingly sparse Spiritual Energy. Although Corpse Demonscked spiritual intelligence, they instinctively sought beneficial conditions and avoided harm, migrating continuously toward areas with richer Spiritual Energy. "The effect is far better than expected!" "Had I known it would be this simple, why bother struggling against the Golden Corpse with spells? I could have directly initiated another era of decline. After all, with Kunlun Cave Heaven, I wouldn¡¯t fall in realm, and perhaps over a long time, I could naturally form a Nascent Soul!" Zhou Yi had no aversion to the declining world. In fact, with the Longevity Dao Fruit and Kunlun Cave Heaven, Qiong Continent was safest during such times. His flight and Divine Sense continued as he searched for more Spirit Veins. A few dayster. He found a Nameless Deep Valley, too deep to see the bottom. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om At the foot of the valley, a Spirit Vein nurtured naturally, with inherent mountains and river prohibitions trapping the Spiritual Energy inside, turning it into rising clouds and mist. Explore stories at empire "What a remarkable blessednd, it could be the base for a sect in the future!" Zhou Yi uttered a sigh of regret but his hands moved expertly and without dy, arranging the True Qi at the bottom of the valley. At that moment. A furious shout came through, "Who is this scruffy Taoist, daring to destroy the Spirit Veins? Defying the natural order like this, aren¡¯t you afraid of retribution?" As the words fell, countless Corpse Demons burst from the ground, and piercing dragon roars came from the sky. Zhou Yi¡¯s eyes twinkled with spirit, and he found himself surrounded by Corpse Demons above and below, on all sides. "The Demon Head reacts quite quickly, marshaling millions of Corpse Demons and setting a trap in advance¡ªthat must have taken at least a year to prepare." The Corpse Demons on the ground weren¡¯t randomly arranged; they formed the basis of a vast array, using themselves as the prohibition to create a massive formation that sealed off the void to prevent Zhou Yi from escaping. "Kill!" At the Corpse Demon¡¯smand, millions of Corpse Demons opened their mouths and spewed forth Yin Sha demonic qi, which, under the effect of the Formation and Prohibition, fused into a vast river and swept toward Zhou Yi. "Its power isparable to the peak of Golden Core; ordinary Golden Cores would certainly not be an opponent." Zhou Yi felt a hint of relief in his heart as a dark green tortoise shell appeared above his head, easily blocking the river of Yin Sha. After observing for a moment, he charged toward the southern part. The grand arrayid by the millions of Corpse Demons was powerful indeed but had sparse defenses. Zhou Yi formed a spell and cast numerous Lightning Methods and Fire Techniques, instantly shattering tens of thousands of Corpse Demons. At the same time, he was continuously assaulted by the river of Yin Sha, but he relied on the invincible defense of the Xuanwu Divine Armor to withstand the attacks and break out of the periphery. Chapter 318 - 273: Extinction of the Nine Continents_2 The corpse puppeteermanded the bone dragon to spew poison fire, but it was to no avail, and he saw that Zhou Yi was about to break through the formation, his eyes shing with soul fire as his aura suddenly changed. "Hehehe! I am the Golden Corpse, does my fellow daoist find my appearance somewhat unfamiliar?" "I am Sun Xing, a nameless nobody." Zhou Yi casually responded, disregarding any attack from the Corpse Demon while continuously casting spells to st open a path. The Golden Corpse took a close look at the Xuanwu Divine Armor and recognized it not as any known treasure, feeling a sense of relief in his heart, "As long as it is not that scoundrel Tang Xuan, just a mere tortoise shell, I will eventually break it!" He waved his hand casting many Demon Head curse techniques, such spells directly targeted the divine soul and were most suitable for breaking through defensive treasures. Despite the shining light of the Evil Demon Curse Technique, it couldn¡¯t prate Zhou Yi¡¯s body, as the Xuanwu Divine Armor blocked everything outside. The Golden Corpse then cast hundreds of Magic Divine Abilities, none of which could break the defense, his face showing a greedy expression. "Such a protective treasure should belong to me!" An hourter. Zhou Yi, enduring the endless onught, persistently ughtered the Corpse Demons, finally killing his way through and breaking out from the Formation and Prohibition. "Fellow daoist, please wait, I shall leave as well!" Having spoken, he transformed into a streak of light and disappeared into the horizon amidst the furious curses of the Golden Corpse. ... Following this. Zhou Yi roamed chaotically across the Nine Continents, sometimes in Buddha Continent, sometimes in Red Continent, or maybe in Quiet Continent. A hammer here, a mallet there. Wherever he passed, Spirit Veins were destroyed, the Golden Corpse raged like thunder, yet being unable to keep Zhou Yi with his spirit possessing others and protected by that treasure. With lessons learned from before, every time Zhou Yi aimed to destroy Spirit Veins, he would consume hundreds of years of his lifespan, casting minor secret techniques to divine the movements of the Corpse Demons, never again falling into an ambush. Seeing the continuous copse of Spirit Veins, the Golden Corpse had no choice but to order the Corpse Demon armies to form defenses around the Spirit Veins. However, it was to little avail. Zhou Yi, proficient in both righteous and demonic Formation and Prohibition, silently slipped into the formations, detonated the Spirit Veins right under the noses of numerous Corpse Demons, and left without looking back. ... Five yearster. Quiet Continent. The ancient grounds of Heavenly Corpse Sect had reopened their gates. Corpse Demons roamed freely, bone dragons circled in the skies. A staircase built of piled white bones led straight up to the grand hall at the mountain¡¯s peak, from which roaring sounds continuously emanated. "Idiots, imbeciles..." "They should be thrown into the Nine Netherworlds Demon Fire, to burn for ten thousand years..." "The majority of Qiong Continent, a part of Buddha Continent, and bits of Green State and Ji Continent, the veins all severed..." "At this rate, my so-called rule over the Nine Continents will be a joke!" The Golden Corpse¡¯s eyes nearly burst from their sockets as his cold gaze swept across the Corpse Demons in the hall, unable toprehend how such a good situation had been ruined by a bug flitting about everywhere. One could foresee that in another ten to twenty years, over half of the Spirit Veins in the Nine Continents would be destroyed. By then, the Spiritual Energy would surely be scarce, possibly dying the revival of the Spiritual Energy, and if he could not ascend to Nascent Soul within five to six hundred years, the Golden Corpse would die of old age! The Corpse Demons in the hall lowered their heads in silence, possessing full sentience, yet they were fundamentally subservient to the Golden Corpse. Not to mention being thrown into the Demon Fire to burn their divine souls, even if it meant being pulverized for no reason, there would be no thought or act of resistance. Absolute obedience! The Golden Corpse¡¯s rage was not directed at the Corpse Demons, after all, each of them harbored a piece of his spirit, serving as the sole will of all the Corpse Demons in the Nine Continents, with their emotions more like a lonely self-performance. One of the Corpse Demons, under the control of the divided spirit, stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Sect Master, we could round up the remaining humans, torment but not kill them, to draw out that bug!" The Golden Corpse nodded in satisfaction, speaking to himself, "Very well, I entrust this matter to you." Another Corpse Demon came forward, "Sect Master, the humans have fled deep into the Eastern Sea; we could create White Bone Flying Boats to capture them all and herd them, threatening the bug to no longer destroy the Spirit Veins!" "Very good." The Golden Corpse nodded in appreciation, as if manipting puppets, amusing himself in a solo performance. After a long time. As the anger in his heart gradually dissipated, he motioned for all the Corpse Demons to withdraw, the Golden Corpse sat alone in the grand hall, rather forlorn. "After solving that bug problem, the vast expanse of the Nine Continents will have only me!" At that moment. The voice of Han Chao sounded in his mind. "Golden fellow daoist, no matter how many humans you take as hostages, you will not draw out that person!" Explore more stories at empire The Golden Corpse asked, "Han fellow daoist, are you suggesting you have a method?" "That person possesses a protective treasure, unparalleled in defense. ording to the information you¡¯ve obtained, even Nascent Soul practitioners would struggle to break through." Han Chao said, "Relying on this treasure, you have already established an invincible position, but no matter how you try to defend, there wille a day when the Spirit Vein is exhausted, and then, Golden Core fellow daoist, your path will end!" "Although I am reluctant to admit it, indeed there is nothing I can do about that tortoise shell." The Golden Corpse¡¯s eyebrows were tightly furrowed, and what Han Chao said made sense, now that the chains of heaven and earth made it difficult to form a Golden Core, Zhou Yi with his Nascent Soul-level defense has be an existence like a loophole in the heavenly way. Wait a hundred or so years, once heaven and earth revive further. Among the army of billions of Corpse Demons, many Golden Cores will surely be born, capable of guarding the Spirit Veins of the Nine Continents, no longer allowing anyone to casually destroy them. Han Chao reminded, "Golden fellow daoist cannot wait that long, not to mention a hundred years, in three to five decades, the Spirit Veins of the Nine Continents will be almost gone!" The Golden Corpse was silent for a long while, then said helplessly, "This sect leader has roamed the Nine Continents for more than two thousand years, seen countless treasures, yet inexplicably cannot recognize that tortoise shell, nor do I know where that bug crawled out from." "Fellow daoist has extinguished the lives of the Nine Continents, bound by endless karma, how could there be no cmities?" Han Chao persuaded gently, "Before there was my master, the reincarnation of an invincible Dao Lord, and now there is this supreme treasure recognizing its owner, surely it¡¯s Heaven¡¯s retaliation!" "Thief Old Heaven? Humph!" The Golden Corpse looked up at the sky and said, "Zhou fellow daoist, no more beating around the bush, if you have any methods, speak them directly!" "The method is very simple, release the seal on the Immortal Corpse Pearl!" Han Chao said, "Once the Nine Continents are shrouded in corpse qi, no matter how strong that person¡¯s supreme treasure defense is, can it really withstand the erosion of the immortal corpse¡¯s qi? Either transform into a Corpse Demon or escape far across the sea!" "Golden fellow daoist, protected by the Jade Dishware, you are the only one in the Nine Continents who can resist the corpse qi, not even Heaven itself can do anything about it." "This method¡­" The Golden Corpse murmured, "Indeed it is not bad, after obtaining the Jade Dishware, I had such thoughts as well." Han Chao said, "This person appeared out of nowhere, must be Heaven secretly obstructing, even if by chance you kill him, another will appear, until once again the end of the Law arrives!" The Golden Corpse was very tempted, and suddenly asked. "For such a n, fellow daoist, what do you seek to gain?" Han Chao sighed, and said slowly. "If the end of the Law arrives, my path to immortality is cut off, how can I be reconciled?" ... In the western part of Cloud Continent. Boom boom boom! Mountains copsed and the earth split open, the Spirit Vein breaking into sections. Zhou Yi, dozens of miles away, watched the chaos among the Corpse Demons with a smile on his face. "Over a hundred Spirit Veins in Cloud Continent, Iid down formations when they were first born, today they have finally seen use. As for which ce to destroy next, I need to divine a little!" Zhou Yi took out a divination cylinder and gently shook it a few times. A divination stick fell to the ground, snapping into three pieces with a crack. "Hm?" Zhou Yi revealed a shocked expression, muttering to himself. "After a thousand years, the third Blood Light Disaster!" "In the Nine Continents today, the only one who can threaten me is the Golden Corpse, that Demon Head has discovered some kind of secret technique, that even the Xuanwu Divine Armor can hardly withstand!" He silently recited a mantra to calm his mind, slowly steadying his emotions. Zhou Yi sacrificed a decade of his lifespan, casting a minor heaven-cutting technique to divine the fortunes and misfortunes of the next ten days. The divination sticknded smoothly! n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om He then spent a century of his lifespan to divine the fortune of the next 100 days, and after the divination stick fell and broke into three pieces. "A cmity will erupt within 100 days!" Zhou Yi calmed his mind, continued to repeatedly divine the hexagrams, and finally determined the exact time. "Sixty-three days from now, a Blood Light Disaster will ur, there is still time to avoid it." "The Demon Head is in Quiet Continent, far away from me by tens of thousands of miles, it must be some kind of supreme curse technique, to be safe, the farther I escape the better!" With this thought in mind, Zhou Yi flickered and sprouted wings on his back, using the Blood Burning Escape Technique to fly eastward. Several dayster. Passing by Xianjing. Zhou Yi¡¯s escape light slowed down a bit, and he nced at the ground, the once prosperous city had turned into a yground for Corpse Demons. "It¡¯s all over!" With a helpless sigh, he waved a hand, drawing over some intact bricks and stones from the ruins of the imperial pce. Afterward, he steered his escape light directly into the Eastern Sea, using the Blood Spirit Fruit to replenish his blood, and in just over sixty days with an escape speed not weaker than a Nascent Soul ancestor, he had entered a ce where Spiritual Energy was utterly cut off. Zhou Yi hid in the Kunlun Cave Heaven, set up hundreds of formations, affixed thousands of talismans, and pushed various treasures to their limits. He waited for several tens of days. "Has the Blood Light Disaster passed?" Zhou Yi carefully examined his essence, qi, and spirit, finding no trace of curses, and after waiting a few more months without any incident, he steered his escape light to return to the Nine Continents. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!