[Name: Yun Tiandao]
[Occupation: Shennong, Fate Officer]
[Fortune: Derivation Nine]
[Physical Body: Early Nascent Realm]
[Divine Soul: Early Nascent Realm]
[Dao Field: Realm Star Fifth Tier]
[Age: 202,457]
[Remaining Lifespan: 588,101]
[Cultivation Method: "Purple Yang" First Layer]
[Source Laws: Minor Four Seasons Transforming Fist, Yun Tiandao, Ruinous Wind, Xuantian Thunder, Reviving Wind, Spiritual Qi Into Rain, Four Pillars Mystic Gate, Reversed Burial Earth Palace]
[Void Law: Mountain and Sea Grand Fortune (A self-created Fate Technique, not yet at the level of Divine Ability)]
[Minor Divine Abilities: Starry Cloud, Star Gaze, Sky Ripper (Unstable, requires stable void conditions for all three abilities to function properly)]
Zhao Xing glanced at Yun Tiandao's status information.
Because Yun Tiandao also possessed a Void-Level Fate Technique, he was classified as dual-occupation.
Additionally, his actual age was two hundred thousand years, a result of his time spent in the Epoch House.
Upon breaking through to the Origin Stage, Yun Tiandao's remaining lifespan had significantly increased—he could now live for nearly an entire epoch.
Zhao Xing also noticed that many of Yun Tiandao's self-created ultimate techniques had already evolved into Source Laws, and his Dao Field had reached Realm Star Fifth Tier.
"Old Yun, congratulations." Zhao Xing approached as Yun Tiandao's radiance receded. "How does it feel?"
"It's… completely different." Yun Tiandao examined his hand. "My spellcasting range has expanded dramatically—I can easily cover an entire low-tier Realm Star with my techniques."
"However, on Qingyu Realm Star, my Dao Field is still relatively small, covering less than an entire province."
"Qingyu Realm Star is a high-tier Realm Star, after all," Zhao Xing explained. "Its Realm Barrier, Earth Veins, and Heavenly Timing are exceptionally stable. Altering the natural laws here is ten thousand times more difficult than on mid- or low-tier Realm Stars."
The reason Qingyu Realm Star had been fortified into a high-tier Realm Star was precisely because even a Third Stage Origin cultivator wouldn't be able to destroy it outright—at most, they could obliterate a single city on the surface.
In contrast, weaker low-tier Realm Stars could potentially be annihilated by even a First Stage Origin cultivator. Even if they couldn't shatter the planet itself, they could still tear through the Realm Barrier, cutting off its vital energy flow and turning it into a dead, barren world.
If Yun Tiandao had reached Second Stage Origin, he could have directly cast Starry Cloud in the void. With just a single thought, he could wrap up an entire low-tier Realm Star and drag it through the Void River.
Of course, this was possible only because Yun Tiandao had Minor Divine Abilities. If he were relying solely on Void Laws, it would still be a challenge.
"Now that I've reached the Origin Stage, I can clearly feel that I'll live much longer." Yun Tiandao raised his hand, and a cloud of spiritual energy formed in his palm. "My control over Spiritual Qi Essence has deepened, and my spells have become more stable. Even outside Realm Stars, Starlands, or Small Worlds, I can still cast them freely."
"Not bad." Zhao Xing nodded. "Reaching First Stage Origin qualifies you for interstellar expeditions."
Regions with high Spiritual Qi Indexes often had violent environmental responses.
A stable void referred to places like Small Worlds, Realm Stars, and Starlands, where natural laws were well-defined.
An unstable void was everywhere else outside these zones.
Even the Spiritual Qi in the void could cause disruptions. To be considered truly capable of interstellar exploration, a cultivator's techniques had to remain functional in most situations.
Otherwise, they might travel to another star system, only to find that they couldn't even return to their ship—rendering them completely stranded.
This was why most First Stage Origin cultivators wouldn't recklessly travel between star systems, even if they owned a Realm Ship.
Of course, for those like Liu Tianning, who were traveling to a designated trial location, the path was pre-arranged and didn't require them to navigate unstable void conditions on their own.
"What are you looking at?" Zhao Xing noticed Yun Tiandao had taken out his Star Mirror.
"Checking external missions from the Purple Divine Mansion," Yun Tiandao replied without lifting his head.
"Now that I've reached First Stage Origin, my unlimited resource supply has been cut off. According to the rules of the Purple Divine Mansion, if I want more cultivation resources, I have to earn them myself."
"Most missions offer low rewards, but external affairs missions pay exceptionally well."
Zhao Xing sighed helplessly. "Do you really need to look at high-risk, high-reward missions the moment you break through?"
For 289 years, Yun Tiandao had never once slacked off.
Zhao Xing prided himself on being a cultivation fanatic, but even he still slept occasionally, browsed news from the cosmos, and visited Ji Che while spending time with family.
In short, Zhao Xing still made room for "life".
But Yun Tiandao had no "life", only cultivation.
With extraordinary talent and relentless dedication, this was why Yun Tiandao had managed to break through in just 289 years.
"You could sell some of your self-created Minor Divine Abilities instead," Zhao Xing suggested. "If you refine your Void Laws and Source Laws, you could make a fortune."
"You could sell them to the Ancient Kingdoms or even the Purple Divine Mansion for a hefty sum."
Yun Tiandao looked up at Zhao Xing. "Now that I've reached the Origin Stage, I do plan to start doing that."
"I've researched this already—even if I perfect my Void and Source Laws, it's not as simple as just selling them immediately."
"Even if I sell to the Ancient Kingdoms, the approval process alone—from submission to testing, ensuring there are no side effects, obtaining a commercial license, and finally launching it for sale—would take at least five hundred years, assuming everything goes perfectly."
"Not to mention, I haven't even fully perfected them yet."
Zhao Xing was speechless. Clearly, Yun Tiandao had already considered everything.
Considering the bureaucratic efficiency of the Ancient Kingdoms, even five hundred years was considered fast.
The only way to speed things up would be to sell incomplete techniques at a low price, with a one-time buyout. But that wouldn't earn nearly enough resources to sustain Yun Tiandao's cultivation.
"Making money is just one part of it. Now that I've broken through to First Stage Origin, relying solely on closed-door cultivation to reach Second Stage is far too slow."
"I've never truly experienced chaotic void, and staying on a stable Realm Star like Qingyu—no matter how high my comprehension is—won't lead to significant progress."
Zhao Xing couldn't argue with that. He understood the burden Yun Tiandao carried on his shoulders.
From what he could tell, Yun Tiandao had already mapped out his entire cultivation path for the next few centuries.
"When do you plan to leave?" Zhao Xing asked.
"Three months from now."
"That's too soon." Zhao Xing frowned. "If you're going out, at least purchase some treasures to carry with you. Right now, you don't even have a decent Realm Star Dao Weapon to use."
"You should stay a bit longer. I can get a few custom-made weapons for you."
"How long does it take to customize a Realm Star Dao Weapon?" Yun Tiandao asked.
"Usually about ten years."
"Too long."
"Sharpening the blade doesn't delay chopping firewood. These ten years would give you time to further refine your foundation," Zhao Xing advised. "If something happens to you mid-journey, wouldn't everything you've worked for be wasted?"
Yun Tiandao thought for a moment before nodding. "Alright, thank you."
Seeing that Yun Tiandao had agreed, Zhao Xing let out a sigh of relief.
Within his capabilities, he would do everything he could to help Yun Tiandao achieve his goals.
"Let's go. We should first register your breakthrough with Gao Ye," Zhao Xing said.
"Yun Tiandao, you've broken through?" Gao Ye was visibly shocked—he hadn't expected Yun Tiandao to progress so quickly.
He was well aware that both Yun Tiandao and Zhao Xing were originally from the Barren Domain, meaning they likely had no prior access to high-level cultivation techniques.
Even if they did, they wouldn't have been able to fully master them in a place like the Barren Domain.
This meant that in less than three hundred years since arriving on Qingyu Realm Star, Yun Tiandao had advanced from the Ascension Stage all the way to the Origin Stage.
"Yes, thank you, Brother Gao, for your guidance over the years," Yun Tiandao nodded.
"You flatter me. With your talent, your future is limitless," Gao Ye's expression changed instantly.
It had taken him over one hundred thousand years just to reach First Stage Origin, and his qualification to join the Purple Divine Mansion was primarily because he had been born on Qingyu Realm Star, with elders in his family holding positions within the mansion.
With such strong connections and the best resources, he had managed to become a disciple under Wu Feng.
He wasn't even a combat-focused cultivator—most of the time, his job was just teaching basic courses to Ascension Stage cultivators and getting by.
But he was very aware that Yun Tiandao was a true genius, the kind of person he could only look up to and envy.
Gao Ye had barely left the Purple Divine Star System his entire life, yet Yun Tiandao had already expressed his desire to venture out into the unknown.
He had even asked about specific interstellar regulations on multiple occasions.
Now that Yun Tiandao had broken through to First Stage Origin, Gao Ye could feel a deep sense of pressure from him.
"Brother Yun, now that you've reached First Stage Origin, with your talent, you could easily find a comfortable position on Qingyu Realm Star." Gao Ye tried to persuade him, "There's no need to rush into danger so soon."
In all his years working here, Gao Ye had seen many Ascension Stage cultivators, but very few could match Yun Tiandao's incredible speed of advancement.
"I appreciate your kindness, Brother Gao. I will remember it," Yun Tiandao said.
Zhao Xing and Gao Ye had never gotten along, but Yun Tiandao and Gao Ye actually had a good relationship—they even chatted about personal matters from time to time.
"Fine, I'll take you to register." Gao Ye sighed.
From start to finish, he never spared a single glance at Zhao Xing.
In his eyes, Zhao Xing was a lazy good-for-nothing, the type to waste away in a luxurious manor, indulging in endless feasting and leisure.
He had stopped talking to Zhao Xing over two hundred years ago.
Without waiting for Zhao Xing, Gao Ye took Yun Tiandao, transformed into a streak of light, and flew off at incredible speed.
"Hey, I haven't even gotten on the ride yet—!" Zhao Xing shouted.
But they were already gone before he could react.
At First Stage Origin, their speed was equivalent to the speed of light.
In the blink of an eye, they had disappeared completely.
"Dammit, what a snob. Can't even recognize a mountain when he sees one." Zhao Xing was furious.
Still, he didn't bother chasing after them. By the time he got there, they'd probably already finished registering.
"When I break through, I'll make sure to blind you with my brilliance," Zhao Xing muttered angrily as he stormed off.
News of Yun Tiandao's breakthrough quickly spread to Wu Feng and Zhao Yuanzi.
They had almost forgotten about the Great Zhou cultivators, never having taken them seriously in the first place.
But when they heard the news, they were genuinely surprised.
"With such talent, why didn't Uncle Qingyu choose Yun Tiandao as his successor back when he was in that native world?" Wu Feng frowned.
He had no knowledge of the Xuanhuang Realm, nor did he know anything about Zhao Xing and Yun Tiandao's backgrounds.
The only reason was that the Lord of the Purple Divine Mansion had intentionally kept it a secret and said nothing about it.
All he had instructed was to treat the two as formal disciples, provide them with resources up to the Origin Stage, arrange a residence for Great Zhou's cultivators, and nothing more.
So when they realized that Yun Tiandao had reached First Stage Origin in just two hundred years, they saw it as an extraordinary feat.
"Perhaps Uncle Qingyu had no other choice at the time," Zhao Yuanzi speculated. "Or maybe he simply wasn't aware of Yun Tiandao's potential."
"What about Zhao Xing's cultivation progress?" Zhao Yuanzi asked.
Wu Feng looked slightly embarrassed. "Master, I didn't personally oversee their training. I had Gao Ye handle it instead."
"Who is Gao Ye?" Zhao Yuanzi was momentarily confused.
Qingyu Realm Star had too many people. Generationally speaking, Gao Ye was a fourth-generation disciple of the Purple Divine Mansion.
Since Gao Ye's talent was mediocre, Zhao Yuanzi had completely forgotten about him.
"He's one of my disciples, a Foundation-Level Instructor in the Purple Divine Mansion."
"Ridiculous!" Zhao Yuanzi snapped, his voice thunderous. "How dare you treat your master's orders with such carelessness?!"
Wu Feng immediately lowered his head. "Disciple acknowledges the mistake."
But if there was any mistake, didn't it all start from you?
"You will handle this personally," Zhao Yuanzi ordered sternly. "Even if it's just for show, you must do it properly. If your grandmaster asks about it later and finds out you were careless, won't that ruin his impression of you?"
"Yes, I understand," Wu Feng responded respectfully.
Yun Tiandao's breakthrough made Zhao Yuanzi and Wu Feng take another look at Zhao Xing and the others.
At the same time, news of Yun Tiandao's advancement spread throughout Great Zhou.
Ji Che even traveled from Qinglian Realm Star to personally offer his congratulations.
"Reaching First Stage Origin, your lifespan greatly extends—almost nearing an epoch."
"This is a completely different level from the Ascension Stage," Ji Che said with emotion.
"An Ascension Stage cultivator living on a high Spirit Qi index Realm Star like Qingyu might have an average lifespan of two hundred thousand years—but that's assuming perfect health and no accidents."
"In reality, maintaining a livelihood is mentally and physically exhausting, and without enough wealth to afford longevity-extending treasures, living that long is nearly impossible."
"But First Stage Origin not only allows one to live much longer, it also accumulates wealth faster, making life significantly better than an Ascension Stage cultivator's."
Over the past two hundred years, Great Zhou's national treasury had barely saved any wealth—it had been constantly spending, mostly investing in talented officials.
Because of population control policies, Great Zhou had been reducing birth rates, leading to a steady decline in wealth. Moreover, the land they cultivated didn't truly belong to them, which in turn hindered Ji Che's own cultivation progress.
"Living in Qingyu… it's really not easy," Ji Che sighed.
After finally producing a First Stage Origin cultivator, it was unfortunate that Yun Tiandao wasn't even his subject, meaning he provided no direct benefits to Great Zhou's national fortune.
As things stood, Luo Wang, Dong Ze, Li Hao, and Xia Jing—all still in Ascension Stage—were far from breaking into First Stage Origin.
Every year, after paying taxes, their earnings barely covered the costs of daily life and cultivation on Qingyu Realm Star—sometimes they even needed to withdraw funds from the national treasury.
"Ji Che, have you found any way to generate revenue yet?" Zhao Xing asked.
To avoid interrupting Zhao Xing's cultivation, all Shennong-related matters in Great Zhou had been delegated to Meng Kun.
Ji Che shook his head. "Over two hundred years ago, we sold part of our resources and exchanged them for three hundred million Hai currency. Now, there's only about one hundred million left."
"Buying cultivation techniques alone cost us over seventy million."
After Great Zhou stabilized, its Spirit Qi Index increased to 20, causing the number of Ascension Stage cultivators to multiply by over tenfold in just two centuries.
With more people, they had to buy more techniques for their cultivation. Over the years, just purchasing new techniques had cost around one hundred million.
Additionally, every hundred years, they had to spend twenty million on Spirit Qi tax and land rent.
Great Zhou had also tried importing seeds and engaging in basic mechanical part processing trades.
If you looked at Great Zhou as a small business, it wasn't profitable every year—some years, they even suffered losses.
Over the past two hundred years, Great Zhou had only earned fifty-five million in profits, but they had spent over one hundred fifty million.
"Big Brother, out of that fifty-five million, fifty million was actually earned by Ji Si. Great Zhou itself only made a net profit of about five million. Making money in the universe is harder than eating dirt," Ji Che said with a bitter smile.
"Ji Si alone made fifty million in just two centuries? What was he doing?" Zhao Xing was surprised.
"You can ask him yourself," Ji Che replied.
"It was just luck," Ji Si admitted as he pulled up Star Realm. "I used Star Fate Codex and divination to make some investments in the Qingyu Realm Star trade market."
"I would buy low and sell high on certain materials—when luck was good, I made some money."
Zhao Xing looked at Ji Si with an incredulous expression.
A Fate Officer… playing the stock market? What a genius.
"All luck? Or did you actually discover a method?" Zhao Xing asked.
"It really was luck," Ji Si explained. "The cultivation of Fate Officers is unique. At first, I entered the trade market purely to train in 'Wheel of Destiny'."
"At the beginning, I lost quite a bit. In a market where countless people's fates intertwine, fortune threads are chaotic—impossible to decipher."
"But after learning from my losses, I became more cautious."
"Grand Shennong gave me the Realm Star Dao Weapon 'Star Fate Codex', so I started reducing the number of trades I made."
"The market is unpredictable, so I only calculated my own fortune."
"I only placed trades on 'Auspicious Star Alignment' days. Even so, I still couldn't completely avoid losses—after all, it's not an almighty tool."
"But as I combined my past losses, my studies, and Star Fate Codex, I started to make some small gains in the second century."
"It wasn't until my most recent 'Auspicious Star Alignment' that I finally hit big."
"That single transaction earned me thirty-eight million. Before that, my profits were actually quite small—so yes, it was just good luck."
Hearing Ji Si's explanation, Zhao Xing was speechless.
Buying 'Wheel of Destiny' for Ji Si and giving him 'Star Fate Codex' was definitely the right move.
"I always knew you were a genius," Zhao Xing muttered.
From a Fate Officer to a stock market guru—Ji Si had really taken Fate Officer applications to another level.
"But you still need to be careful," Zhao Xing warned. "You have a fortune-based Realm Star Dao Weapon, but others do too. Fate Officers from major forces are far stronger than you."
"I understand," Ji Si nodded. "I primarily use it for cultivation."
Zhao Xing nodded. Hearing Ji Si's explanation, he was tempted to visit a trade market himself.
He wasn't sure what the current economic trends were. If it were two thousand two hundred years later, he might have found some opportunities.
Yun Tiandao's breakthrough stirred some waves in Great Zhou, but after that, everyone returned to their grind—cultivating and making money.
"My funds are also burning fast," Zhao Xing glanced at his account balance. "Less than one hundred million left."
He had spent one hundred million purchasing Extreme Lans, and he had also bought 'Yuanhai Domain' for himself, Liu Tianning, and Mi Fu.
Later, when Liu Tianning went out for training, even though he couldn't take a Realm Star Dao Weapon, Zhao Xing still spent ten million to buy five high-quality plant-based combat units for him.
All five were Peak Ascension Stage, and in Skywalker Continent, they had a decent chance of breaking into First Stage Origin.
"But buying those for Liu Tianning was just pocket change."
"The biggest expenses were Moyun Vine and the cultivation of Yuanhai Domain," Zhao Xing thought to himself.
In Purple Divine Mansion, his cultivation techniques were provided for free by Tianshi Sect, and the necessary cultivation resources were included.
However, Yuanhai Domain belonged to Self School, meaning its related resources weren't covered, so Zhao Xing had to pay out of pocket.
Over two hundred eighty-nine years, Zhao Xing had spent one billion two hundred million on this technique.
This technique followed the "Rich Man's Path"—the more money invested, the faster the progress.
Zhao Xing glanced at his progress panel.
[Yuanhai Domain: 99%]
"In two hundred eighty-nine years, I've completed 99% of the first layer of Yuanhai Domain, constructing the Five Elements Origin."
"Once I reach 100%, I will fully master the first layer, transforming the Pure Yuan Space into an Origin Space."
Origin Space was the foundation of a small world, containing the pure essence of the Five Elements!
With it as a base, Zhao Xing would be able to develop a complete small world in the future.
"The second money pit was Moyun Vine." Zhao Xing focused his mind and entered his Pure Spirit Space.
Due to his cultivation in Yuanhai Domain, it could no longer be called Pure Yuan Space but had evolved into Pure Spirit Space.
Above him, five vague streams of Spiritual Qi Origins flickered, forming the prototype of a Small World's Heavenly Dao.
On the land, spiritual mountains, rivers, and lakes were all enveloped in a misty essence.
It resembled a world in its primordial state.
At the very center of this world, only one lifeform pulsed—Moyun Vine.
At this point, Moyun Vine had grown from palm-sized to over a hundred meters long.
Its main vine was purple-gold, its leaves dark purple-black, and the vein patterns on its body shimmered with starlight, connecting into a vast constellation.
From a distance, it looked like a purple-gold galaxy sprawled across the ground.
"After advancing Yuanhai Domain, I spent another two billion in rare resources, and it took nearly three hundred years just to push Moyun Vine out of its seedling phase and into its growth phase."
Even in the growth phase, Moyun Vine was still at First Stage Origin, but it had now reached perfection in the first stage.
To advance to the Second Stage, it would still take a lot more time and investment.
With money in hand, of course, Zhao Xing prioritized his own cultivation. In the cosmic era, after earning five billion, his first thought was to nurture this Void-Type Combat Plant.
"Although it's still First Stage, since it has left the seedling phase, Moyun Vine can now root itself in the Void River, making its combat strength comparable to a low-level Second Stage Origin expert."
By anchoring itself into the Void River, Moyun Vine could ignore the instability of the void, even under extreme interference, and could unleash its two innate divine abilities: Void Solidification and Void Strangulation!
Zhao Xing had always been cautious. The Purple Divine Mansion was powerful, but even Qingyuzi had once been hunted down by enemies and nearly killed!
That meant being under the protection of a great power didn't guarantee absolute safety.
Would the hatred of Dongyan Ancient Clan toward Qingyuzi extend to him as well?
Besides, staying in Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom gave him a constant sense of unease—it was impossible to tell when the entire kingdom might collapse.
"Two hundred years ago, the Purple Moon Palace Lord held a funeral for his disciple, so I probably don't have to worry about anyone coming after me yet."
"But relying on others is never as good as relying on myself. In the end, only personal strength matters."
Zhao Xing was never naive enough to regard the Purple Moon Palace Lord as a true backer. From the way his disciples treated him, it was clear they didn't take him seriously at all.
When he arrived at Qingyu Realm Star, the Palace Lord assigned Zhao Yuanzi to teach him, who then pushed him onto Wu Feng, who then passed him off to Gao Ye.
Zhao Xing didn't care about whatever politics were at play—whether it was a test or an inheritance battle.
Either way, he didn't trust anyone in the Purple Divine Mansion.
To him, the mansion was just a stepping stone.
He would take advantage of its resources to survive his early weak phase, then leave immediately.
"I'm almost breaking into First Stage Origin too." Zhao Xing glanced at his panel.
[Purple Yang Dao Body: 90%]
[Purple Yin Dao Body: 91%]
"My Dual Origin Dao Physique is on its final stretch."
"In about a hundred years, I'll be able to break into First Stage Origin. By then, Yuanhai Domain will also be completed."
"With Dual Origin Dao Physique, the completion of Yuanhai Domain, and bringing Moyun Vine, my mission earnings will be much more stable."
Zhao Xing returned to his luxurious estate, sat down, and began absorbing the power of the twin stars—Taiyin and Taiyang.
While Zhao Xing focused on his low-profile yet diligent cultivation, the people of Great Zhou continued struggling for survival.
Meanwhile, Yun Tiandao, after his breakthrough, borrowed thirty million from Zhao Xing to custom-order three Realm Star Dao Weapons from Yuanhai Hall, scheduled for delivery in twelve years.
Everything seemed to be falling into place.
However, not long after Yun Tiandao's breakthrough, Purple Bone suddenly contacted Zhao Xing.
"Big Brother, something's happened!" Purple Bone sounded panicked.
"Don't panic. Is your communication channel secure?" Zhao Xing asked. "If it's inconvenient, find a confidential channel and contact me later. Go to Yuanhai Hall, find a private room, and talk there."
Purple Bone hesitated, then nodded. "Alright, I'll contact you in half an hour."
Zhao Xing also headed toward Yuanhai Hall on Qingyu Realm Star, paid for a private room, and waited.
Half an hour later, a Star Realm projection of Purple Bone appeared before him.
"Big Brother, can I talk now?"
"Go ahead." Zhao Xing nodded.
"Big Brother, just as you predicted, some unknown people have contacted me," Purple Bone said.
"Tell me exactly what happened." Zhao Xing's expression turned serious.
"A few days ago, while I was cultivating, a mysterious individual suddenly used Boundless Measuring Matrix to forcefully connect with Zero. He called himself Gu Yue," Purple Bone recalled.
"What did he say to you?" Zhao Xing asked.
"He asked if I wanted to inherit Puta's legacy and whether I wanted to go further, to become the master of an entire Yin-Yang Star System. He claimed he could help me, as long as I agreed to cooperate with him."
"And what did you say?" Zhao Xing continued.
"Of course, I refused! For all I know, this could just be a test from Purple Divine Mansion to assess my loyalty!"
Zhao Xing smirked. Good. Purple Bone wasn't just bones anymore—he had grown some brains too.
"You did well," Zhao Xing nodded. "People like that, don't even bother entertaining them."
"Big Brother, after that so-called Gu Yue, another mysterious person contacted me."
"He also forcefully invaded my artifact spirit, this time calling himself Yin Hou."
"What did he say to you?" Zhao Xing asked.
"He tried to bribe me, wanting me to become his informant," Purple Bone said, his voice filled with confusion. "I asked him who he worked for, but he refused to tell me."
"Instead, he threatened me, saying that if I didn't agree, the moment I stepped out of Tianyuan Star System, he would find a way to kill me."
Purple Bone then hesitantly asked, "Big Brother, do you think this is all just another test by Purple Divine Mansion? A test of my loyalty?"
"Big Brother, have you received similar threats or offers?"
Zhao Xing shook his head. "Not yet."
"Maybe it's because I'm not a mechanist, so I'm harder to contact."
"What should I do now, Big Brother?" Purple Bone asked. "That Gu Yue I could ignore, but this Yin Hou… Two days ago, he even remotely took control of one of my mechanized puppets. The power he showed was terrifying!"
Zhao Xing thought for a moment before speaking. "Report it. Tell the Lord of Tianyuan Mansion everything exactly as it happened."
"Whether it's a genuine external threat or just an internal loyalty test, reporting it is your best choice."
Purple Bone was simply too weak—he didn't have the luxury of playing both sides, nor did he have the ability to deal with this alone.
"Understood," Purple Bone nodded. "Big Brother, you be careful too."
"You as well," Zhao Xing warned. "Don't even think about doing anything reckless."
He was afraid that Purple Bone, after years of scheming, might get too used to betraying people and stupidly choose the wrong side.
After ending the communication with Purple Bone, Zhao Xing fell into deep thought.
"If this were just a loyalty test by Purple Divine Mansion, one instance should have been enough."
"But conducting two separate tests, using different people, would only cause confusion and raise suspicion."
As the saying goes, the more complicated a scheme is, the more loopholes it has.
Zhao Xing speculated, "That means one of these groups is most likely an outside force—Dongyan Ancient Clan?"
"But what do they want? Purple Bone and I are just locals from the Barren Domain. We only inherited Qing Yuzi's legacy, and at best, we're just at the Ascension Stage."
Zhao Xing recalled his first meeting with Purple Moon Palace Lord.
Back then, Qing Yuzi's Time Jade Slip had recorded a message for Purple Moon Palace Lord, something Zhao Xing never got to see because it required Purple Divine Mansion's unique decryption method.
"Qing Yuzi and Puta were hunted down by Dongyan Ancient Clan, but what exactly was their original mission? Could it be that Qing Yuzi discovered something, which led to him being hunted?"
"And if that secret was important to Dongyan Ancient Clan, wouldn't that mean we, as Qing Yuzi and Puta's inheritors, should have some knowledge of it too?"
To contact someone across an entire star system and invade Purple Bone's artifact spirit from such a distance… That was something only a Dao Domain Realm expert could pull off!
Zhao Xing sighed. He had said many times before that Qing Yuzi was a knowledgeable man.
Originally, he had only been using Qing Yuzi's name as a shield. But now, it seemed Qing Yuzi really did know something massive.
"Old man, your inheritance is really becoming a burden," Zhao Xing muttered.
"What the hell were you doing in the Barren Domain? Could a place as small as Shenluo Barren Domain really hold some kind of huge secret?" Zhao Xing frowned.
Luckily, Star Realm Communication was extremely difficult to intercept, as it was one of the cornerstones of Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom's security.
The only reason Purple Bone was targeted was because he was a mechanist, making his systems more vulnerable to external intrusions.
However, exactly one month after Purple Bone reported the incident, Zhao Xing also received a message from a mysterious figure—Gu Yue.
This time, the person reached out through Lu Ying.
The pitch was exactly the same as what had been told to Purple Bone—Zhao Xing had the right to inherit Qing Yuzi's legacy. If he was willing to cooperate, Gu Yue could help him legally obtain Qing Yuzi's wealth.
The only condition was that, once the deal was done, they would split the gains 70-30.
"Seventy-thirty?" Zhao Xing looked at the mechanized puppet created by Lu Ying—a construct named Godslayer. It was a mechanical beast shaped like a stray dog.
"No, thirty-seventy," the mechanical beast shook its head. "Seventy percent is ours, you only get thirty."
Hmph. I only get thirty? What do you take me for, a beggar?
Zhao Xing chuckled coldly, raised his hand, and destroyed the mechanical beast in a single strike.
Immediately after, Zhao Xing reported the entire incident to Zhao Yuanzi.
"This actually happened?" Zhao Yuanzi's expression darkened. "I'll have people investigate this. Zhao Xing, do not listen to a single word from that man."
"I understand," Zhao Xing replied. "I've never had any improper thoughts."
Zhao Xing also understood that Zhao Yuanzi wouldn't be able to dig up much on this matter. After all, Qingyu Realm Star was a hub of trade and commerce, and even those who lived there might not be able to trace every transaction. If someone anonymously left a message, trying to track it back to its source would be nearly impossible.
"Don't worry about this matter anymore," Zhao Yuanzi instructed. "Focus more on your cultivation. I've assigned Wu Feng to train you. He will come to find you in a few days. Follow his arrangements and train properly."
"Yes," Zhao Xing responded.
In the following days, Zhao Xing never received another message from that so-called Gu Yue.
Strangely, he also wasn't contacted by the other mysterious person, Yin Hou.
It was as if Zhao Yuanzi's precautions had actually worked.
Zhao Xing didn't ask too many questions—there would be no point. Even if he asked, he wouldn't get an answer.
A few days after that, Wu Feng finally had time to give Zhao Xing some personal training.
At last, the person teaching him wouldn't be Gao Ye, that half-baked excuse of an instructor!
"The difference in power between Heaven Law Techniques and Source Law Techniques isn't very large, at least not to the point of being absurd. So why are there still separate classifications for Heaven Law and Source Law?" Wu Feng asked.
"The reason is simple. Heaven Law Techniques are focused on combat power, whereas Source Law Techniques are primarily for studying the origins of Spirit Qi."
"Whether you're cultivating Purple Yang Dao Body or Purple Yin Dao Body, the power of Source Law techniques is secondary—their main purpose is to accelerate the transformation of your Dao Body's foundation."
"The efficiency of absorbing the power of the Moon and the Sun can be improved through practicing Source-level techniques."
"Cultivating the Dao Body relies on aptitude, while cultivating Source Law relies on comprehension."
Wu Feng glanced at Zhao Xing and asked, "I heard from Gao Ye that over the past two hundred years, you've been staying in your manor, refusing to attend his lectures. Is that because you look down on him?"
"Master, Zhao Xing has always been like this," Gao Ye added. "Even after we've provided him with so many resources and benefits, he refuses to apply himself."
Zhao Xing glanced at Gao Ye, annoyed. This guy was getting bolder and bolder.
Every chance he got, he'd snitch behind his back. And now, he was doing it openly.
When Gao Ye noticed Zhao Xing's gaze, he snorted lightly and turned his head away, as if he didn't even want to look at Zhao Xing.
"It seems that Senior Brother Gao has quite a deep misunderstanding of me," Zhao Xing said casually.
"Not only do I look down on your Dao lectures, I also look down on the Source Law techniques you teach."
Gao Ye: "???"
Hearing the first half of Zhao Xing's sentence, Gao Ye thought he was about to make an excuse.
But then, after all that buildup, he dropped that bombshell.
What the hell?!
What gives you the right to look down on me?!
And you even dare to call yourself my senior brother?!
"You—You're being too arrogant!" Gao Ye snapped, furious.
"Oh?" Wu Feng raised an eyebrow, suddenly interested. "You're only at the Ascension Stage, yet you look down on Gao Ye, who is at the First Realm? I wonder what kind of ability you have. Is it your aptitude? Or is it your comprehension?"
"How far have you progressed in Purple Yang Dao Body or Purple Yin Dao Body?" Wu Feng continued.
Zhao Xing replied, "I practice both Purple Yang Dao Body and Purple Yin Dao Body, cultivating my Dao Body's foundation. One Yin, one Yang—the Yin-Yang Origin Particles in my body have already surpassed four hundred million."
"In Source Law, I've reached the Ninth Level. I've also created four unique techniques, all of which have reached the Seventh Level of Source Law—Wind, Cloud, Thunder, and Rain, all fully mastered."
"Meanwhile, Senior Brother Gao only cultivates Purple Yin Dao Body, has only reached the Third Level of Source Law, and only understands Wind and Cloud."
"I've endured his mediocre teaching for nearly three hundred years, and I never held it against him for misleading his students. That was already me showing respect for you, Senior Brother Wu."
"And yet, now he's the one criticizing me?"
As soon as Zhao Xing finished speaking, two radiant orbs, one Yin, one Yang, rose above his head.
His Dao Body radiated a brilliant light, so intense that Gao Ye had to squint, unable to look directly at him.
"Senior Brother Wu, tell me—do I have the qualifications to look down on him or not?"
Zhao Xing had no intention of showing off, but Gao Ye was just too insufferable.
He had already explained multiple times, yet Gao Ye refused to listen, stubbornly believing only in his own judgment.
Ignoring him only made things worse, and Zhao Xing had reached his limit.
"Hm?" Wu Feng stared at the two purple star-like lights above Zhao Xing's head, his eyes filled with shock.
"Less than three hundred years, and you've managed to cultivate both Purple Yin Dao Body and Purple Yang Dao Body, and you're already this close to mastering them?"
"His speed… is even faster than Yun Tiandao?"
"You… You—" Gao Ye stared at Zhao Xing, at a loss for words.
Yun Tiandao had told him multiple times that Zhao Xing's aptitude surpassed his own.
Back then, Gao Ye didn't believe it. He thought Yun Tiandao was just covering for Zhao Xing.
After all, Yun Tiandao was already insanely fast. How could Zhao Xing be even more talented? Impossible!
But now, looking at this scene…
He had been ridiculously wrong.
Zhao Xing's cultivation talent was so blindingly obvious, it made his own progress look like a joke.
"You idiot, what are you mumbling about?" Wu Feng snapped. "Address him properly—call him Senior Uncle Zhao! Gao Ye, you've been incredibly disrespectful. I had no idea you treated your Senior Uncle like this!"
Realizing the situation was turning against him, Wu Feng immediately shifted the blame, making it clear that he had no knowledge of Gao Ye's past behavior.
This kind of quick backpedaling was typical—after all, Zhao Yuanzi had done the exact same thing to him before.
"Se—Senior Uncle Zhao," Gao Ye's voice trembled as he bowed respectfully. "I… was ignorant and failed to recognize your true strength."
Zhao Xing stood there with his hands behind his back, unmoved.
Because Gao Ye's bow was still too shallow.
If he was going to put on an act, then he should go all the way.
He needed to make sure the juniors below him understood that he wasn't to be messed with.
And he needed the higher-ups to start taking him seriously.
"P-Please, Senior Uncle," Gao Ye bent even lower, his spine almost parallel to the ground. "Forgive my disrespect earlier."