The creator of the Heaven Essence Treasure Imperial Lotus was one of the ten great Immortal Venerables in history, Immortal Venerable Yuanlian.
Its function was to produce primeval stones and true essence, hence it was called a mobile primeval spring. As long as it was placed in a Gu Master's Aperture, it could continuously provide the Gu Master with primeval stones and restore true essence.
The Heaven Essence Treasure Imperial Lotus was at least Rank Three. After ascending to Rank Four, it was called the Heaven Essence Treasure Lord Lotus. When it ascended to Rank Five, it was called the Heaven Essence Treasure King Lotus. When it ascended to a Rank Six Immortal Gu, it was the Heaven Essence Treasure Imperial Lotus, capable of providing Immortal Essence to a Gu Immortal, ranking sixth among the top ten Immortal Gu in the world!
The one Zhou Ming had on him was a Rank Five Heaven Essence Treasure King Lotus, continuously restoring true essence to Zhou Ming's dry Aperture.
In fact, at Rank Four, Zhou Ming couldn't fully unleash the power of this Gu yet!
With the support of the Heaven Essence Treasure King Lotus, Zhou Ming activated the Iron Shell Flower Gu and advanced step by step with great difficulty into the Azure Water Boundary Wall.
The further Zhou Ming went, the greater the pressure he had to face, to the point where he had to divert more energy to resist this pressure. His steps became slower and more difficult.
Later on, the repulsive force of the Azure Water Boundary Wall almost materialized, like a solid wall of water blocking Zhou Ming's path.
At this point, merely using defensive Gu to resist the pressure was no longer enough. Zhou Ming had to activate offensive Gu, breaking apart the solidified repulsive force with repeated attacks, literally carving out a Dao.
This caused Zhou Ming's true essence consumption to increase, and his energy and stamina required more time to recover, so Zhou Ming could only continuously extend his rest periods.
However, at this depth, just staying in place required a lot of true essence. The back and forth meant that his recovery was tens of times slower than outside.
Zhou Ming became increasingly fatigued, and his steps grew more strenuous. Each step was exceptionally difficult, and even his defensive Gu could no longer completely block the pressure, allowing some of the force to spill onto Zhou Ming's body.
Zhou Ming gritted his teeth and continued forward.
One step, two steps, three steps... Blood gradually seeped from the corner of Zhou Ming's mouth. The pressure had grown so immense that his internal organs were gradually unable to bear it and were suffering damage.
Zhou Ming activated his healing Gu, continuously recovering from his injuries, and took another step.
Step after step, Zhou Ming began to experience tinnitus. A buzzing sound echoed in his mind, and the scene in his eyes began to blur, gradually showing signs of blackening.
More and more blood flowed from the corners of his mouth, nostrils, and eyes, splattering onto his clothes, staining them with patches of crimson plum blossoms, exceptionally vibrant and beautiful.
Zhou Ming's consciousness also gradually became hazy, like being drunk. He couldn't spare any effort to think about more things, only able to reduce the generation of thoughts. Only one thought became increasingly clear and firm.
Keep going, keep going, keep going... Suddenly, Zhou Ming's eyes lit up, and his body abruptly felt lighter. All the pressure around him vanished.
Thud! Zhou Ming fell to the ground, completely exhausted. He sat there in a daze for a while before finally reacting.
He had already exited the Azure Water Boundary Wall!
Before him was a vast, boundless blue sea, with surging waves.
Zhou Ming slumped on a reef in the sea, with the Azure Water Boundary Wall, like a natural chasm, behind him.
This was the East Sea!
Before Zhou Ming could rejoice, a subtle sense of suppression made his expression change. An invisible restraint enveloped him.
Immediately, Zhou Ming's Rank Four Peak cultivation dropped to Rank Three Peak.
The Five Regions of the Gu World are independent of each other, not only reflected in the barriers between the Five Regions, but also in each region's suppression of living beings from the other Four Regions.
Zhou Ming and the Gu on him were both living beings, so when he traveled from Northern Plains to the East Sea, their combat power was suppressed by one rank.
Although the true essence in Zhou Ming's Aperture was still Rank Four Peak pure gold true essence, the effect it displayed was only equivalent to the effect of Rank Three Peak snow silver true essence.
All his Rank Four Gu were also suppressed to Rank Three power, and the Rank Five Heaven Essence Treasure King Lotus could only exert an effect equivalent to a Rank Four Heaven Essence Treasure Lord Lotus.
However, Zhou Ming didn't care much, as these were things he already knew and were naturally within his expectations.
After Gu cross regions, the suppression they experience is permanent and cannot be recovered, unless the Gu Master refines that Gu in that particular region, only then can the Gu exert its normal power.
For example, the Rank Four Iron Shell Flower Gu, brought by Zhou Ming from Northern Plains to the East Sea, will forever only be able to exert the power of a Rank Three Gu.
But as long as Zhou Ming refines it to Rank Five in the East Sea, it will be considered an East Sea Gu and can normally exert Rank Five power.
However, humans are different from Gu. They possess strong spirituality and adaptability. After crossing regions, they only need a period of adaptation, and the invisible suppression will gradually disappear, allowing the Gu Master's strength to recover.
So Zhou Ming was not worried. After he lived in the East Sea for a period, his own combat power would naturally recover.
As for the Gu? Wouldn't it be fine to exchange them again from the Main God Space?
The Gu that Zhou Ming exchanged from the Main God Space would be considered Gu of whichever region they were brought out into.
So Zhou Ming only needed to re-exchange the Gu on him, and when he came out of the Main God Space again, his Gu would be East Sea Gu.
"Unfortunately, there isn't more time to move around in the East Sea."
Only three days remained in the ninety-day mission interval. Zhou Ming had just entered the East Sea, and three days were not enough to do anything.
"First, find a safe place for secluded cultivation, and then start acting after my injuries recover."
Passing through the Azure Water Boundary Wall had left Zhou Ming's body significantly injured.
He did not act rashly. He found a relatively large reef island around the Azure Water Boundary Wall, dug a cave, hid inside, and recovered from his injuries.
Two days later, Zhou Ming, who was in secluded cultivation, received a mission prompt from the Main God.
[Announcing next mission information.]
[Twenty years ago, Yagyu Killing God, the top expert of Dongying known as 'Overlord Saber', entered the Central Plains, challenging all the Jianghu heroes of the Central Plains Martial Forest. He massacred sects and annihilated factions, causing everyone to live in fear.]
[Shangguan Wuji, the Manor Lord of Heaven Sword Manor, challenged Yagyu Killing God to a duel. The two clashed on the Changyun River. Yagyu Killing God was defeated and fled back to Dongying.]
[Shangguan Wuji, returning victorious, hosted a celebratory banquet at Heaven Sword Manor, inviting various Martial Forest heroes. However, on the night of the banquet, he suddenly suffered a Qi Deviation, went mad, and massacred everyone in the Manor. Only his newlywed wife, Liu Qingsi, escaped. The generation's Heaven Sword has since disappeared without a trace.]
[Twenty years later, Yagyu Killing God, whose martial arts had further improved, once again stepped onto the Central Plains, intending to challenge Shangguan Wuji again and defeat the entire Central Plains Martial Forest.]
[At this time, Shangguan Nianci, Shangguan Wuji's son, also entered Jianghu, embarking on the Dao of searching for his father...]
[Mission Mode: Multiplayer Survival.]
[Main Mission: Kill Yagyu Killing God! Mission duration: Ninety days. After Yagyu Killing God dies, Reincarnators return to the Main God Space. Reincarnators receive reward points based on their contribution. Mission failure: All veteran Reincarnators will have 10,000 reward points deducted. Those with negative reward points will be erased.]
[Side Mission: Newcomers. Please explain Main God Space related matters to the newcomers. Reward points: 100. This mission has a time limit; it ends when the main mission begins.]
[Note: This is the Reincarnators' first normal difficulty mission. Mission settlement will change. Please explore it yourselves!]
Along with the mission prompt, a third-person perspective scene also entered Zhou Ming's mind.
A hundred-meter-wide great river traversed the land, like a winding Dragon. The river water surged, flowing east into the sea.
Two figures stood in the air above the surging river, treading on the water without sinking or being carried by the current. Instead, the water within a one-meter radius beneath their feet was calm and still.
"Heaven Sword, what strong Killing Intent!"
"Overlord Saber! You have committed numerous acts of slaughter on my Central Plains. Today, I shall bury you here, forever suppressing you in the Changyun River, never to reincarnate!"
"Hmph, I only killed some trash who contributed nothing to the advancement of martial arts, yet occupied vast resources and suppressed the younger generation. If I don't kill them, how can new talents rise? What I'm doing is promoting the progress of your Central Plains Martial Forest. You should thank me instead!"
"Heretical Dao! Overlord Saber, you have long since suffered a Qi Deviation in your cultivation and have stepped onto the Demonic Path!"
"Hahaha, I only practice the saber that defeats enemies, the saber that kills! Shangguan Wuji, today, let me experience the power of your Heaven Sword! Sweep Through A Thousand Armies!"
Yagyu Killing God drew his saber from its sheath. His Saber Qi shot into the sky, condensing into a forty-meter-long saber light that cleaved straight down towards Shangguan Wuji.
"Shatter Heaven!"
Shangguan Wuji's Internal Energy vibrated. He raised his right hand, gripping his sword, and horizontally blocked the Saber Qi that Yagyu Killing God had cleaved down.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The surging Internal Energy collided, causing countless explosions to erupt on the hundred-meter-wide river. Tens of thousands of tons of river water splashed into the sky, and countless fish and shrimp were flung into the spray, only to crash back into the water.
"Kill!"
Saber and sword clashed, and the two immediately engaged in a fierce battle. Saber light was domineering, Sword Qi crisscrossed, overturning rivers and seas, eclipsing the sun and moon.
The two fought from the surface of the water to the bottom, and then from the bottom to the sky. The Changyun River raged with towering waves, and all living creatures were silenced.
Countless fish and shrimp were killed by the spreading, incredibly sharp Saber Qi and Sword Qi, staining patches of the river water red, which were then quickly stirred by the surging waves and transformed into tides that slapped against the sky.
Rumble!
As if a clap of thunder had exploded, a rumbling echo reverberated through heaven and earth. A gigantic vortex appeared in the sky, and black clouds rolled and gathered towards its center.
Hiss!
A flash of saber light and a flash of sword light suddenly pierced the vortex, as if tearing apart the entire sky. Two hazy figures emerged from the rolling black clouds.
The next moment, a dazzling sword light streaked across a hundred meters of sky, piercing through the other figure!
Swish!
All anomalies vanished. Shangguan Wuji and Yagyu Killing God's figures descended from the sky, landing back on the turbulent river surface, silently gazing at each other.
Suddenly, Yagyu Killing God spat out a mouthful of fresh blood with a "wah" sound.
Blood seeped from his chest, quickly soaking his clothes front and back. Cold sweat streamed down his face, and he asked in a hoarse voice, "What martial art is this?"
"Heaven Sword!" Shangguan Wuji sheathed his sword, clasped his hands behind his back, and said calmly.
"Good, good Heaven Sword!" Yagyu Killing God shouted, then suddenly flew away. No one knew how he practiced his lightness skill, but in the blink of an eye, he was gone.
Only a sentence echoed in place: "Today I lost! When my Undying Divine Saber reaches Major Achievement, I will definitely come back to fight you to the death!"
Shangguan Wuji, however, did not pursue him, simply watching him retreat with a calm expression.
However, not long after Yagyu Killing God disappeared, two lines of fresh blood suddenly flowed from Shangguan Wuji's ears.
A faint black Qi had quietly covered his eyes, dyeing his gaze sinister and cold, as if he were a demonic fiend.