Chapter 36: Chapter 36: I Will Be the Sharpest Sword in Your Hand
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
During these three days, the entire Ziwei Mountain became bustling.
Because the trial of the Hundred Thousand Mountains in the Southern Border was about to begin!
Every member of the Chen Family was striving hard in cultivation or preparing various talisman weapons, aiming to soar in the Southern Border trial and then represent the Chen Family in the once-a-decade East Profound Domain grand competition!
Among these, those born from collateral branches of the Chen Family were particularly diligent.
They only wished to perform excellently in this Southern Border trial, so that the Patriarch could see their efforts and excellence, and give them more attention.
Chen Zhixing, however, maintained a calm mindset, regardless of how busy and competitive others were, he continued to live his life in an orderly fashion.
Aside from his regular cultivation in the secret room each day, he would also tease Biluo.
The Longevity Sword Spirit Qingzhi, who was cultivating in the secret room, initially thought that during these three days, this guy named Chen Zhixing would certainly torment and humiliate her in every way possible.
However.
To her surprise, not to mention humiliating or tormenting her, Chen Zhixing never even glanced at her upon entering the secret room, and every time he finished cultivating, he would calmly leave.
Even when she initiated conversation, this guy named Chen Zhixing would not respond.
This made Qingzhi, who had mentally prepared for strong resistance, feel a bit awkward.
Later on, out of sheer boredom, she couldn't help but start observing Chen Zhixing.
Then.
She made an extremely shocking discovery — this young teen's cultivation had reached the Peak of Divine Travel!
And he was only a hair's breadth away from the True Self Realm!!
A ten-year-old at the peak of the Divine Travel Realm!
What kind of concept was that?!
Not to mention that Ye Chen was far inferior, even her Sword God master, reputed to have a divine prowess unmatched in swordsmanship throughout history, was considerably lacking!
"This cultivation speed must have broken all historical legends, right?"
Qingzhi was shaken.
And this was not all.
She then made another terrifying discovery — Chen Zhixing's enlightenment was astoundingly high, enough to be termed as remarkably extraordinary!
No matter what cultivation technique was handed to him, after merely observing it a few times, he could perfectly replicate it!
Even able to infer and perform it better than the original!
Even her proudest Sword Dao was no exception!
The path of Sword Dao was unlike techniques, it required relentless practice night and day.
Even a simple thrust had to be repeated hundreds or thousands of times!
But Chen Zhixing?
She watched with her own eyes as Chen Zhixing went from a complete outsider to mastering swordsmanship in just three days!
Finally, she arrived at a conclusion in her heart.
"A prodigy! This is a prodigy that ancient history could not account for!!"
On this day.
Chen Zhixing was in his usual meditation in the secret chamber.
He wore a moon-white robe, his hair as black as ink hanging down, his whole being in a state of deep meditation.
With each breath he took, a large amount of Spiritual Qi flowed towards him, entering his body.
Qingzhi was observing secretly from the side.
Suddenly.
"The three days are up, have you made up your mind?"
Chen Zhixing slowly opened his eyes, his gaze deep and calm.
Upon hearing this, the Sword Spirit Qingzhi couldn't help but be stunned.
The shock received from Chen Zhixing over these three days was so overwhelming that she completely forgot about this matter.
In a void space.
She opened her mouth, almost instinctively preparing to refuse.
But she held back her words and fell silent instead.
Her previous refusal of Chen Zhixing was partly because she perceived Chen Zhixing as erratic, ruthless, surely a person who treats lives as grass and is fond of killing!
But over these three days, after careful observation, she found that Chen Zhixing did not harbor any bloody aura.
Besides this, there was another reason.
She didn't want herself to fall into Chen Zhixing's hands, becoming a weapon that aids in his misdeeds!
However, she now couldn't help but question herself.
Given Chen Zhixing's talent and strength, if he truly wanted to commit evil, would he even need her?
Would there really be much difference with or without her?
These thoughts led Qingzhi into deep contemplation.
Chen Zhixing did not press her but just quietly looked at her.
After a moment.
A cold female voice, tinged with complexity, sounded in Chen Zhixing's mind.
"Chen Zhixing, I am willing to be of service to you, but you must promise me one thing — that you won't use me for evil purposes. Can you do that?"
Upon hearing this.
Chen Zhixing spoke lightly: "Mr. Cyan Pheasant, are you negotiating with me? A kind reminder, you currently don't have the leverage to make demands of me."
"Fine."
The Sword Spirit Qingzhi lowered her spirits, thought for a long time, and finally seemed to make a decision: "I have another request — if you agree to it, from this day forth, I will be the sharpest sword in your hand. How about that?"
Chen Zhixing keenly noted the change from 'demand' to 'request' in Qingzhi's words.
"Very well, speak." Chen Zhixing nodded.
"When...when you become powerful in the future, perhaps even on the verge of touching Longevity, can you help me find the whereabouts of the Sword God master?"
The Sword Spirit Qingzhi looked at Chen Zhixing eagerly.
This was her greatest wish!
She refused to believe that someone as powerful as the Sword God master would disappear without a word in this vast world.
"Alright." Chen Zhixing uttered two words.
In the void space, Qingzhi sword spirit breathed a sigh of relief as if a burden was lifted from her shoulders.
"Thank you!" She sincerely uttered two words.
"Haha, now we're family, no need for thanks."
Chen Zhixing's face broke into a smile, feeling equally delighted.
This was once a Longevity Soldier!
Across the entire Cultivation Realm, Longevity Soldiers were extremely rare!
If there was no thrill, it would be false.
The next moment.
Chen Zhixing flipped his right hand, and five Clarity Divine Weapons appeared before him.
"Here, a welcome gift for you." Chen Zhixing said with a faint smile.
All at once.
The Sword Spirit Qingzhi looked at the pile of five Clarity Soldiers with her eyes wide open.
She had a dizzy feeling of being showered with heavenly gifts!
My heavens, to give away five Clarity Soldiers right off the bat, such generosity!
Thinking back to Ye Chen, after months of following him, not to mention Clarity Soldiers, she hadn't even seen many dharma treasures of any rank!
As a dignified Longevity Soldier, she ended up gnawing on scraps every day!
Such comparison made Qingzhi feel she had chosen illumination too late!
Swish!
In an instant!
The ancient sword Qingzhi soared into the sky, twisted in mid-air, and landed on one of the Clarity Divine Weapons.
Hiss!
Thin strands of invisible Soldier Qi flowed from the Clarity Soldier into the body of the ancient sword Qingzhi.
Immediately, the ancient sword Qingzhi began to shine a bit, its aura growing visibly stronger.
Crack!
Within the time it takes to sip a cup of tea, that Clarity Divine Weapon shattered into pieces, turning to dust with no trace of Spirit left.
Then.
The second.
The third.
The fourth.
The fifth.
An hour later.
"Burp~~."
Accompanied by a burping sound, the ancient sword Qingzhi swooped up from the ground, flying towards Chen Zhixing, fluttering continuously around him.
"Do... do you have more?"
The Sword Spirit Qingzhi gulped, looking eagerly.
Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Sword Spirit Never Be a Slave, Unless Board and Lodging are Provided
"No more."
Chen Zhixing shrugged his shoulders.
He could distinctly sense that the aura emanating from Sword Spirit Qingzhi had progressed from the Void Transformation Realm to the Clarity Realm!
"Alright." Sword Spirit Qingzhi nodded with a hint of disappointment.
"Don't be anxious. After we return from the Southern Border, I'll let you eat to your heart's content." Chen Zhixing laughed.
"Really?"
Instantly, Sword Spirit Qingzhi's eyes lit up, and she jumped with joy.
"Of course, it's true." Chen Zhixing chuckled.
This Sword Spirit Qingzhi seems to have existed for an incredibly long time, yet she has spent most of that time sleeping.
Her temperament is quite similar to that of a young girl.
Immediately.
Chen Zhixing flipped his right hand, and a black sword box appeared in his hand.
The entire sword box was made of black gold dragon sandalwood, with simple arrays nurturing the spiritual soul engraved with Nine Heavens Star Sand.
This is a supreme treasure specifically used to nurture divine weapons!
This single sword box is worth a fortune outside!
"Is this... for me?"
Sword Spirit Qingzhi stared blankly at the sword box.
"Of course, who else would it be for?" Chen Zhixing raised an eyebrow.
Sword Spirit Qingzhi looked at the sword box, then at Chen Zhixing's matter-of-fact face, and couldn't control her emotions any longer. She burst into tears.
"Boohoo, when I was following that Ye Chen, I didn't even have a sword scabbard, let alone a sword box. I, a grand Longevity Sword Spirit, was wrapped in a torn cloth bag, exposed to the wind and rain, sun and rain daily..."
"I ate scrap iron and lived in a torn cloth bag..."
Sword Spirit Qingzhi finally couldn't hold back anymore and let all her grievances pour out.
"I treated him so well, defending him with my life several times, and yet this is how he repaid me..."
The more Sword Spirit Qingzhi thought, the more aggrieved she became until she finally cried loudly.
Chen Zhixing was momentarily stunned, unsure of how to respond.
He could only reach out and pat the sword handle, as if comforting a child, and said, "Alright, alright, don't cry. Be good."
"Follow me in the future, and I'll make sure you have everything you desire."
Sword Spirit Qingzhi sniffled a couple of times, then gritted her teeth and said, "What about Ye Chen's corpse? I won't be satisfied until I hack at it a couple more times!"
Chen Zhixing touched his nose, somewhat speechless.
Are women always this vengeful?
"His corpse has already been fed to the dogs." Chen Zhixing replied casually.
"That really let him off easy!"
Sword Spirit Qingzhi snorted coldly, then looked at Chen Zhixing, having made up her mind to stick closely to him and work with him.
The next moment.
Sword Spirit Qingzhi leaped and entered the sword box.
She immediately felt as if she were enveloped in a warm ocean, with nurturing spiritual soul energy converging from all directions, gently repairing and nourishing her spiritual soul.
"It's great to have wealth." Qingzhi thought happily to herself.
Snap.
Chen Zhixing closed the sword box and walked out of the chamber step by step.
"Is this what they call a sword spirit never to be enslaved, except being well-cared for?"
He couldn't help but think to himself.
...
...
The next day.
At dawn.
The sound of a bell and drum echoed through the mist-covered Ziwei Mountain.
Instantly, all nine peaks of Ziwei Mountain were abuzz with activity.
Youths who had been cultivating opened their eyes one after another.
"It's here!"
The Ninth Peak, where the collateral descendants of the Chen Family resided.
A young man with a head full of purple hair suddenly opened his eyes.
In his eyes, numerous Great Tao Runes flashed by.
"The Southern Border trial is finally beginning, isn't it?"
With a flash of his figure, he emerged from the house.
This time, he wanted to show the Chen Family who the true dragon of the Chen Family was!
The Seventh Peak.
A thousand-foot waterfall cascaded down from the peak, crashing onto the green stones of the pool and sending up a great spray of water.
This is a famous scenic spot of the Ziwei Chen Family, known as the Thousand Feet.
At this moment, beneath the Thousand Feet Waterfall.
A young man with disheveled hair, naked to the waist, revealing a body of strong and well-defined muscles, stood with his head bowed, holding two sabers, allowing the waterfall mighty enough to smash the green rocks to crash over him.
He remained unmoved.
"Ten years, it's finally going to begin."
He slowly lifted his head, revealing an astonishingly marked face.
His entire face was covered with hideous patterns resembling centipedes.
His name was Chou'er.
Chen Chou'er.
Merely because he was born with an ugly appearance, his father, known as a generation's master, glanced at him once, called him "Chou'er," and abandoned him in the Seventh Peak, where the servants resided.
For sixteen years, his father never visited him again.
In the beginning, his father would occasionally inquire about his condition from the servants in charge of the Miscellaneous Affairs Department.
But ever since his father had a Nine Ancient Pattern Chen Family dragon child, it was as if he'd completely forgotten him.
Even when he took the initiative to visit the First Peak several times, he was directly driven out of the First Peak.
Afraid that his dragon son might overthink, they even sent someone to threaten him strictly not to disclose their father-son relationship to others!
And all this, merely because of his ugly appearance!
Merely because his mother was just a servant maid!
[You don't think just because you gave birth to my son you can board the great ship of the Chen Family, do you?]
[I'm telling you, our Chen Family doesn't have such lowly and ugly bloodlines! You are not fit to be called my son, Chen Tianxiong!]
[Behave yourself and stay on the Seventh Peak. I'll allow you to remain in the Chen Family. But if I hear any rumors, I won't even consider our slightest connection!]
The mocking words that Chen Tianxiong had once sent to him and his mother echoed continuously in Chen Chou'er's mind.
Chen Chou'er's grip on the sword's handle tightened, making a cracking sound as veins protruded.
"Chen Tianxiong!!!"
He squeezed a name out through clenched teeth.
The next moment.
He took a deep breath, his expression gradually returning to calm.
"Mother, watch from the heavens as I slowly raise your spiritual tablet to the ancestral shrine of the Chen Family."
Immediately, he turned his head to look in the direction of the First Peak, letting out a low laugh, his entire face twisting into a hideous grin because of it.
"Chen Zhaosheng, the young king, is it..."
"Very well, this time, I will defeat and crush you in front of everyone to show the entire Chen Family who the true hope of the Chen Family is!"
"In my veins, the same blood of the Chen Family flows!!"
Chen Chou'er's eyes were full of fervor.
...
...
At the same time.
On the summit of the First Peak.
Chen Zhaosheng stood with his hands behind his back, the invisible majesty between his brows growing vastly heavy, as if a true king stood there, making it difficult for others to gaze directly at him.
His gaze swept over the Nine Peaks of Ziwu one by one, finally settling on the location of the Third Peak.
"My brother, I truly wish to see just how long you plan to hide?"
"To what stage has your cultivation reached? Could it be, like me, Clarity Realm?"
Chen Zhaosheng's face was calm, as if speaking to himself, or as if conversing with someone across a distance.
No one could see it.
In the deepest part of his eyes, there was a spark of excitement gently burning.
...
...
Thanks to all the big shots for the monthly tickets, and thanks to big shot Feng You Zhi Ling for the 500 coin reward. Thanks, thanks.
"""
Chapter 38: Chapter 38: Go to the Southern Border, Obtain the Divine Technique, Tread upon the True Self!
The entire Ziwei Chen Family was in tumult.
Yet, within the Third Peak where Chen Zhixing resided, everything was peaceful.
"Ha~~, boring trial."
Chen Zhixing sat on the chair, unable to suppress a yawn.
He wasn't really interested in the Southern Border trial.
With his cultivation at the Divine Travel Ninth Layer, participating in such a trial was like a college student taking an elementary school exam.
Is it interesting?
No, not interesting at all.
The real reason he was going to the Southern Border was that he remembered the plot of "Great Cultivation" from his previous life, which mentioned a tomb of a Taoist Jiu Feng in the depths of the Southern Border's vast mountains.
Taoist Jiu Feng was not a particularly prominent figure in the cultivation realm.
By the time he died, his cultivation was only at the Peak of Divine Travel.
But this man had once had great fortune in his youth and obtained a True Self Technique called the Nine Gods Technique!
Typically, in the True Self Realm, one would integrate their Yin Spirit with themselves to form a Great Tao Seed.
This Great Tao Seed has another name: Heaven-Earth Manifestation!
For example, the Infinite Blood Realm released by Chen Tianliang in Lin'an City was his Heaven-Earth Manifestation!
However, the Nine Gods Technique took a different approach; in each realm of the True Self Realm, a Great Tao Seed could be condensed.
This means that if this technique was cultivated to the True Self Ninth Layer, there would be nine manifestations of Heaven-Earth!
How terrifying is that?
Sadly.
Taoist Jiu Feng did not live to cultivate this technique to the True Self Realm; he died of old age in the vast mountains.
Alas, such was fate.
The purpose of Chen Zhixing's visit to the Southern Border was precisely for the Nine Gods Technique!
As he's about to step into the True Self Realm, he urgently needed a True Self Technique!
This Nine Gods Technique was undoubtedly his top choice!
"In the game 'Great Cultivation' from my previous life, a Celestial Chosen Protagonist acquired this technique, and after obtaining it, became invincible within the same realm, laying the foundation for becoming invincible later."
"Calculating the time, it should be three years before the Celestial Chosen Protagonist acquires this technique."
"I... can intercept it ahead of time."
Chen Zhixing's eyes continually glimmered.
Going to the Southern Border, acquiring the divine technique, stepping into the True Self!
His aim this time was clear.
"Young master, these are mung bean cakes, osmanthus cakes, and red bean cakes I've made for you. If you get hungry over there, eat some pastries."
Biluo busied herself packing for Chen Zhixing while chattering away.
"Young master, this is your first time traveling far; carry more spirit stones just in case something happens, you can have a contingency."
"Young master, I heard there are a lot of snakes, insects, mosquitoes, and ants in the Southern Border. I've prepared various antitoxic pills for you; they're on the table; don't forget..."
"Young master, I prepared ten sets of clothes and undergarments for you to change and wash. You've been fond of cleanliness since you were young..."
Chen Zhixing came to his senses and couldn't help but smile a little.
In reality, at his level of cultivation, he was already immune to all poisons, his body unstained, and no longer needed food or drink.
However, he still gently and repeatedly touched the storage ring on his ring finger, patiently listening.
"Young master, you've had people serving you since childhood; how will you manage alone this time? Should I... perhaps come with you?" Biluo looked up, still somewhat uneasy, worriedly saying.
"Silly girl, I'm just going for a few days, and the clan elders will be there too."
Chen Zhixing stood up, ruffled Biluo's head, and smiled warmly.
Immediately, he stored all the large and small packages Biluo had packed into his storage ring, then shouldered a sandalwood sword box.
"Let's go."
...
...
When Chen Zhixing arrived at the mountain gate plaza.
The entire mountain gate plaza was already gathered with twenty to thirty young members of the Chen Family!
Chen Zhixing glanced around; most of their cultivation was at the Nourishing Spirit Realm, with only a few reaching the Void Transformation Realm.
Among them, two people slightly caught Chen Zhixing's attention.
One was a youth with long purple hair cascading down, his entire body displaying Void Transformation cultivation, with traces of Great Tao Runes flickering in his eyes.
The other was a strange youth with a pair of knives at his waist and half of his face covered with a refined iron mask.
This dual-knife youth, Chen Zhixing had never seen in the Chen Family.
However.
Chen Zhixing merely gave him a glance, withdrew his gaze, and felt little stirred in his heart.
To Chen Zhixing, they were merely a group of 'children'.
His vision had long surpassed this level.
"Third Young Master!"
"Third Young Master is here!"
"I heard just a few days ago; Third Young Master confronted a clan elder during an early education class, leaving that elder speechless."
"Well, that could only happen because he's a direct descendant; if it were us from the collateral lines, we'd have faced severe punishment long ago!"
"I've heard that Third Young Master's cultivation is only at the Nourishing Spirit Realm; if he doesn't score well this time in the Southern Border, wouldn't he shame the Chen Family's direct line?"
"Hmph, Chen Zhixing is just relying on his birth; if any of us had his background, we'd definitely achieve greater heights than he ever could!"
"That's right, if we had his resources, we'd have soared long ago!"
"Heavens really are unfair. We work hard yet are limited by our humble origins, having to fight for every resource. Meanwhile, someone like Chen Zhixing, who lazes about, has everything effortlessly fall into his lap!"
"Well, what can we do? He was just born lucky, with a good father!"
"Heh, once we reach the Southern Border, I'll step all over Chen Zhixing and show our family elders that bloodline doesn't determine everything!"
A series of whispers constantly echoed.
However.
When Chen Zhixing walked over.
The collateral and branch line members of the Chen Family could only lower their heads and respectfully greet him:
"Third Young Master."
"Greetings, Third Young Master."
"Third Young Master, please lead the way."
Chen Zhixing slightly nodded, not even bothering to look at them as he stepped to the front of the group.
At the forefront of the group, responsible for overseeing the Southern Border trial, the clan elders responded with smiles:
"Third Young Master."
Chen Zhixing smiled back at them.
The Chen Family was strictly hierarchical, with a natural distinction between direct and collateral lines.
Even among the branch line members, some might be stronger than Chen Zhixing, yet they had to pay their respects without the slightest disrespect.
That's because Chen Zhixing bore the purest bloodline of the Ziwei Chen Family's ancestor!
In contrast, many of these collateral relatives were either born of other family members or descended from the servants granted the surname Chen as a reward by the Chen Family Ancestor.
"Zhixing nephew."
A warm voice greeted Chen Zhixing.
It was the main figure overseeing the proceedings, Chen Tianchen, sitting in a large chair, greeting Chen Zhixing.
Beside him was a young girl wearing a half iron mask and two knives at her waist, smiling sweetly at Chen Zhixing.
"Uncle Tianchen, Ling'er."
Chen Zhixing kindly replied to his uncle and sister.
"Hey, is your father still refusing to come back, wandering off somewhere?" Chen Tianchen jokingly asked.
Chen Zhixing shrugged and replied, "Who knows? I guess my father and mother are off touring the mountains and rivers, utterly enchanted."
As they were conversing.
Suddenly, a respectful greeting erupted from the crowd.
In the bustling crowd, a path opened up voluntarily.
All the Chen family juniors lowered their heads and pressed their arms to their sides, exuding reverence.
And at the end of that road.
Chen Zhaosheng appeared, his expression calm, his black hair flowing as he walked with hands clasped behind his back.
...
...
[The first round of recommendation PK has begun, asking for all kinds of support! Please, after you've finished reading, be sure to provide feedback on the last page, which shows "to be continued." Thank you, everyone!]
Chapter 39: Chapter 39: What Is the True Self Realm?
Under the gaze of all.
Chen Zhaosheng walked forward step by step, beside him, Lu Ying held her head high, her chin slightly raised, like a proud king inspecting her own territory.
At this moment, in the central square of the mountain gate, dozens of Chen Family's collateral disciples didn't dare to breathe heavily, their expressions intensely respectful.
If their previous respect for Chen Zhixing was merely due to family traditions.
Then their respect for Chen Zhaosheng was from the heart, born from the awe of Chen Zhaosheng's strength.
Among the crowd.
Only Chen Chou'er, wearing two knives at his waist and an iron mask, slowly clenched his fists.
All of this should have included him!
"Fourth Uncle."
Chen Zhaosheng greeted Chen Tianchen lightly.
"Hmm, Zhaosheng's elegance surpasses the past." Chen Tianchen smiled and nodded.
Immediately.
Chen Tianchen glanced across everyone's face, and said, "Since everyone is here, let's set off."
As the words fell.
Chen Tianchen flipped his right hand, and a small black ship immediately appeared in his palm.
"Go."
Chen Tianchen silently chanted a spell, tossing the small ship into the air.
In an instant, the ship grew with the wind, transforming into a giant wheel flying ship a hundred yards long!
The entire ship was pitch black, with mysterious and exquisite array patterns carved on the hull, pressing down in the void and emanating majestic authority!
On the deck, a large black flag unfurled in the wind, with a large golden 'Chen' character inscribed on it!
"Let's go."
Chen Tianchen stepped up, first flying onto the ship.
Subsequently, the disciples of the Chen Family and clan elders all employed their magical abilities to enter the flying ship.
Once all the Chen Family disciples had boarded the ship.
Rumbling~~~!
The giant wheel emitted a sound like thunder.
The next moment.
Boom——!!!
A long tail flame shot out from the rear of the giant wheel, propelling the entire ship skyward, breaking through layers of clouds.
In just an instant.
The giant flying ship had turned into a small black dot on the horizon, gradually disappearing at the far edge of the sky.
...
...
Above the sea of clouds.
The giant wheel swept through the void at an incredibly fast yet stable speed.
Many Chen Family disciples gathered together, chattering about the scenes over the sea of clouds, their young faces full of excitement.
Some paired up, whispering about this Southern Border trial.
Others quietly found a deserted place to meditate, preparing for the upcoming trial.
Chen Zhixing sat alone at the back of the deck, with the array on the flying ship transforming gusts of Nine Heavens Gang Wind into gentle breezes, softly lifting his clothes and hair.
In his hand, he held a scroll detailing the True Self Realm.
He was lowering his head, carefully reading it.
A moment later.
"True Self Realm..."
Chen Zhixing put down the book, pondering these three words repeatedly.
The True Self Realm emphasizes seeing one's true self, the unification of Yin Spirit and the physical body, and the condensation of Tao seeds.
He couldn't help but contemplate.
If he steps into the True Self Realm, what Great Tao seed should he condense?
"Currently, to me, both the Power Tao and Divine Thought Tao can be condensed into Great Tao seeds."
"The Great Tao seed of Power can be transformed into the Heaven-Earth Manifestation of Ox Demon Shattering Heaven."
"The Great Tao seed of Divine Thought can manifest the Heaven-Earth Manifestation of Hanging Hundred Weapons."
Chen Zhixing silently voiced his thoughts, starting to preliminarily envision the Heaven-Earth Manifestation after the Great Tao seed.
Great Tao seed.
Heaven-Earth Manifestation Map.
These are the two most critical aspects of the True Self Realm, determining one's strength in the True Self Realm and establishing the direction of the future Great Tao!
Among them, Heaven-Earth Manifestation distinguishes the cultivators in the True Self Realm from those in previous realms with its greatest divine technique.
The structure of the Heaven-Earth Manifestation Map depends on one's imagination to outline it.
For instance, in today's cultivation realm, there's a cultivator of the Flame Tao whose outlined Heaven-Earth Manifestation is a nine-legged golden crow capable of scorching the heavens.
Upon displaying the nine-legged golden crow's Heaven-Earth Manifestation Map, he once evaporated Yunmeng Marsh instantly, turning it into a thousand-mile drought!
Another example from the cultivation realm is a Thunder Tao cultivator claiming invincibility in the True Self Realm, whose Heaven-Earth Manifestation is an apocalyptic thunder tribulation!
Once this Dharma Aspect is unleashed, it can forcibly subject enemy cultivators to an apocalyptic thunder tribulation!
Under his thunder tribulation Dharma Aspect, countless cultivators met their demise.
Others outlined a mountain top giant with the power to grasp a hundred mountains, or envisioned a blue dragon whose body was as if a mountain, with horns reaching the heavens.
Some even ridiculously outlined ten peerless beauties as their Heaven-Earth Manifestation Map, able to mesmerize opponents into a charming illusion realm with no escape.
In summary.
The construction of the Heaven-Earth Manifestation Map is varied and bizarre.
Closer examples.
Take Chen Zhixing's father, Chen Tianliang, who outlined a Heaven-Earth Manifestation that was a sea of corpses and blood, which too garnered great renown in the cultivation realm, with many calling it the Infinite Blood Realm.
Of course.
It's not simply about how imaginative one's Heaven-Earth Manifestation is, deciding its strength.
Otherwise, one could directly outline the Three Pristine Saints or Pangu opening the heavens, wouldn't that make one instantly invincible?
The power source of the Heaven-Earth Manifestation comes from the condensed Great Tao seed.
The grade of the Great Tao seed is determined by one's understanding of the Great Tao.
For instance.
Even within the Sword Dao, the condensed Great Tao seeds can vastly differ in grade!
The depth of understanding and insight into the Sword Dao determines the difference in grade!
And the power of the Heaven-Earth Manifestation is determined by the grade of the Great Tao seed!
In addition, the functionalities of Heaven-Earth Manifestation are enhanced by the divine techniques and spells cultivated.
Simply put.
The Great Tao seed determines the strength of the Heaven-Earth Manifestation.
Divine techniques determine the functions of the Heaven-Earth Manifestation.
For instance, the Flame Tao cultivator condensing the nine-legged golden crow not only has profound insights into the Flame Tao but also has cultivated divine techniques related to the golden crow.
Otherwise, another Flame Tao cultivator might just condense a couple of large fireballs.
"No wonder people always say the True Self Realm is so enigmatic."
Chen Zhixing slightly sighed.
The complexity and vast extent of the True Self Realm far exceed any previous realm!
The Heaven-Earth Manifestation Map is a grand fusion of one's cultivated techniques, realized Great Tao, and learned divine techniques!
"In the cultivation realm, it's often said that breaking through to the True Self Realm cannot be aided by anyone, yet once past, it is completely distinct from any previous realm."
"The True Self Realm is a watershed on the cultivation path and the realm with the greatest disparity in strength among beings of the same level."
"These statements truly aren't baseless."
Shaking his head, Chen Zhixing looked toward the distant sea of clouds, the muddiness in his thoughts, due to the extensive information intake, gradually became clearer.
"Power Tao and Divine Thought Tao, I dare say, my understanding is deep enough to condense them into Great Tao seeds."
"But...if during this Southern Border trial, I fail to obtain the 'Nine Gods Technique', then which Tao should I choose to condense the Great Tao seed and outline the Heaven-Earth Manifestation Map?"
Chen Zhixing's brows slightly furrowed.
Southern Border has a hundred thousand mountains, vast in territory.
He only knew that Taoist Jiu Feng's tomb was located in a black forest in the middle of these mountains.
But exactly where, he could not precisely determine.
Hence, whether he could obtain the 'Nine Gods Technique' this time, he wasn't very confident.
It all depends on fate and luck!
"I hope that my fortune value, now increased to 37%, brings me some luck to obtain this technique."
Chen Zhixing slightly sighed.
Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Arrival! Heaven-Earth Manifestation Conjecture
"Mr. Cyan Pheasant, the Sword God you once followed, what is Heaven-Earth Manifestation?"
Chen Zhixing pondered slightly, then used Divine Thought to communicate.
Not long after.
A female voice echoed in Chen Zhixing's mind.
"Third Young Master, our Sword God's Heaven-Earth Manifestation is a single sword stroke!"
"A single sword?" Chen Zhixing raised an eyebrow.
"Exactly, in one battle, our Sword God suddenly had a spontaneous insight and unleashed a sword far surpassing anything prior. That sword was the culmination of all her Essence, Qi, and Spirit, a flash of brilliance, a fortuitous stroke."
"In terms of Sword Dao, that sword stroke was the Sword God's pinnacle!"
"Thus, when the Sword God was condensing the Heaven and Earth Dharma Aspect, she transformed this sword into her Heaven-Earth Manifestation."
"From then on, whenever faced with battle, the Sword God would strike only once."
"After that one sword stroke, it was either the opponent who would die or herself."
"However... until the Sword God reached the Great Longevity Realm, no one has ever survived that sword stroke."
Chen Zhixing, hearing this, could not help but fall into deep thought.
"Is it merely a simple sword stroke then...?" Chen Zhixing had a fleeting moment of inspiration in his mind.
It seems that the condensation of the Heaven-Earth Manifestation need not be overly intricate or flashy.
A moment later.
"Enough,"
Chen Zhixing shook his head, deciding to ponder these matters seriously when the time came to break into the True Self Realm.
Subsequently, Chen Zhixing rose and gazed into the distance.
Only to see the flying ship had completely left the Chen Family's territory.
...
...
The Ziwei Chen Family was separated from the Southern Border by over ten thousand miles.
Without traveling at full speed, it was not until the dawn of the second day.
That the flying ship reached the territory of the Ten Thousand Mountains in the Southern Border.
A group of Chen Family disciples leaned over, gazing to see a verdant sea appearing beneath the ship.
The towering peaks stretched endlessly, layer upon layer, extending to the horizon.
"Is this the Ten Thousand Mountains?"
Each disciple of the Chen Family expressed admiration; witnessing such a view broadened their mindsets slightly.
After arriving at the Ten Thousand Mountains, the flying ship did not stop until it reached the midpoint of the mountains, where it slowly halted, hovering in the air.
"Hmm?"
Chen Zhixing looked down, noticing that not far from where the flying ship rested was a black pine needle forest.
"Not a bad bit of luck." Chen Zhixing's face lit up with an expansive smile.
This saves him a considerable amount of time searching for the pine needle forest.
Which boosted his confidence in finding the tomb of Taoist Jiu Feng and acquiring the "Nine Gods Technique."
At the forefront of the deck.
"Elder Zhaoguang, is everything in this territory arranged properly?" Chen Tianchen asked.
An elder of the clan, with white hair and beard, stroked his beard and replied: "Fourth Master, rest assured, the powerful demons within this territory have been thoroughly cleared, leaving only demons ranging from the Nourishing Spirit Realm to Void Transformation Realm, along with a Clarity Realm Ape Demon for the trial.
Aside from that, the entire territory has been set up with the Heaven-Filling Array, covering five hundred miles, providing ample space for the trial."
Chen Tianchen nodded, saying, "Alright, in that case, let us begin."
"Yes!"
Then Elder Zhaoguang stepped back.
Afterward.
Elder Zhaoguang gathered all the Chen Family disciples, to announce the trial rules.
"The entire trial period lasts for seven days!"
"During these seven days, what you must do is survive and seize the wristbands from others!"
Elder Zhaoguang swung his right hand, instantly producing a wristband made of amber.
The wristband was etched with numerous array patterns.
"Each person initially receives one wristband, and to obtain more wristbands, you must defeat others."
"If anyone's wristband is removed, they are automatically eliminated and transported from the territory."
"To clarify, this trial is purely for honing skills; lethal actions are forbidden."
Elder Zhaoguang wore a stern expression and admonished,
"Do you understand?"
All the Chen Family disciples, upon hearing, reinvigorated and responded loudly: "Understood!"
Elder Zhaoguang's expression softened and allowed them to come forward to retrieve the wristbands.
A short while later.
Every Chen Family disciple now had a wristband on their arm.
Elder Zhaoguang instructed the Chen Family disciples to begin disembarking the ship.
Every half incense stick's worth of time, a Chen Family disciple would leave.
This was to provide them with some opportunity for maneuver, avoiding a chaotic melee by all appearing at once.
During the waiting period, Chen Zhixing fidgeted slightly with the wristband on his arm.
The design of this wristband was rather ingenious, containing several arrays within.
Not only could it monitor location in real-time, but it could also, if facing a fatal blow, trigger a barrier.
Preventing anyone in the trial from losing control and dealing excessive force.
Approximately after two hours, on the entire ship there were only Chen Zhaosheng, Chen Zhixing, and the outsider Lu Ying left.
"My younger brother, I hope this time I may see your true skills."
Chen Zhaosheng looked at Chen Zhixing with profound intent.
As for Lu Ying, she simply shook her head.
This time, she requested to participate in the Chen Family trial specifically to openly defeat Chen Zhixing.
To show her father.
That day in the main hall of the Chen Family, her choice was not wrong!
The next moment.
The two of them leapt off the flying ship simultaneously.
Chen Zhixing remained indifferent, paying no attention to them.
His target this time was merely the tomb of Taoist Jiu Feng.
Meng Hedong of the Meng Family, after the tumultuous breakup scandal, had already surged ahead aided by the guidance of an ancient Great Power's Spiritual Soul within a ring.
Based on the timeline, it wouldn't be long before Meng Hedong reached the Divine Travel Realm!
Though he possessed Heaven-defying Comprehension, each of the nine Celestial Chosen Protagonists carries their own Golden Finger.
Even the weakest amongst them, Ye Chen, who he killed, also had top-tier Sword Dao talent and the Divine Sword Qing Zhi.
It was merely that he hadn't begun to grow before Chen Zhixing preemptively slew him.
Thus.
Chen Zhixing had already decided; he must advance to the True Self Realm soon and intercept Meng Hedong prematurely!
Half a stick of incense time later.
Chen Zhixing took a step down from the flying ship.
...
...
Meanwhile.
In the Ten Thousand Mountains.
Outside the Chen Family trial area, on a mountainside at a high point.
A towering tree stood, its canopy draped like a ceremonial cover, obscuring the scene beneath.
Whiz, whiz, whiz!
In an instant, five dark silhouettes landed on the branches of this canopy.
These five individuals were all clad in wide black cloaks, embroidered with a white silk spider web pattern on the back.
On their faces were golden spider masks, fearsome in design.
Each mask's left brow had a different number etched on it.
Twenty-eight.
Twenty-seven.
Twenty-three.
Twenty-two.
Nineteen.
At the next moment.
These five figures slowly raised their heads, looking towards the Chen Family trial territory, their eyes behind the masks radiating a deep and chilling light.
Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Shocking Change! Anomaly!
"Shijiu, when do we make our move?"
On the tree crown, a man in a black robe with the number twenty-three engraved on his forehead stepped forward and spoke in a deep voice.
The leading black-robed man, Shijiu, replied indifferently, "No rush, let's wait until their trial ends, and then dismantle the Heaven-Filling Array."
After a pause, the black-robed man Shijiu continued, "Have we figured out the background of the guardians that the Chen Family sent this time?"
"Yes."
The black-robed man Twenty-three nodded and replied, "There are three guardians in total. The most powerful is the Fourth Peak Master of the Chen Family, Chen Tianchen, who has reached the True Self Realm. The other two are clan elders at the Peak of Divine Travel."
"When the time comes, Shijiu, you'll be responsible for dealing with Chen Tianchen. Twenty-three and I will handle the two clan elders at the Peak of Divine Travel. As for Twenty-seven and Twenty-eight, they'll be tasked with suppressing the target this time, Chen Zhaosheng, and extracting the King's Map from him."
"Shijiu, what do you think?"
The leading black-robed man Shijiu pondered for a moment, closed his eyes, nodded, and said:
"Let's follow this plan."
...
...
Time passed slowly.
In the blink of an eye, a day had passed since Chen Zhixing left the flying ship.
During this day, the battles among the entire Chen Family's new generation disciples gradually intensified.
In just the first day, more than ten Chen Family youths were eliminated.
However, all of this had nothing to do with Chen Zhixing.
"Where's the formation eye?"
Chen Zhixing walked along the edge of the Heaven-Filling Array, furrowing his brows, spreading out his divine thought, constantly searching for the position of the formation eye.
Indeed, he had no intention of participating in this trial.
His goal in coming to the Southern Border from the start was to find the tomb of Taoist Jiu Feng and thus obtain the "Nine Gods Technique."
And perhaps to see if he could resolve a major upheaval destined for the Chen Family.
"Young master, you're looking to find the formation eye of the Heaven-Filling Array and leave here without alerting others?"
A cold female voice echoed in Chen Zhixing's mind.
"That's right." Chen Zhixing nodded.
"This... this array should have been laid by an Array Grandmaster. I'm afraid that even if you find the formation eye, you won't be able to break it."
Cyan Pheasant, knowledgeable as she was, recognized at once that this Heaven-Filling Array was of a quite high grade and should be the work of a True Self Realm Array Tao Grandmaster.
She couldn't help but doubt that Chen Zhixing could find the formation eye, let alone quietly break the array and leave.
"Let's give it a try." Chen Zhixing smiled ambiguously.
"Alright, come to think of it, I also know a bit of the way of arrays, so I'll help the young master think of a way to break it when the time comes."
Cyan Pheasant smiled slightly, then asked curiously:
"Young master, why must you leave at this time and not wait until the trial is over? With the trial completed, the array will be dismissed, and wouldn't that be much simpler?"
Chen Zhixing did not reply but instead looked up, glanced at the flying ship hovering in the distant sky.
If his memory served correctly.
This trial would be a turning point in the decline of the entire Chen Family!
Chen Tianchen, the Fourth Peak Master of the Chen Family, would meet a violent death in the Southern Border during this trial, with his bones never to be found!
Chen Zhaosheng, the Qilin Child of the Chen Family, would have his King's Map extracted, becoming a cripple overnight!
The act would be executed by an organization called "Spider Web."
As for Chen Zhixing.
He didn't care much about Chen Zhaosheng's fate.
Although in this lifetime, due to proactively revealing the Nine Ancient Patterns talent, and because Chen Tianliang did not encounter distress in the South Sea Secret Realm, the originally tragic end for Chen Zhixing's family did not occur as it did in the plot of the original "Great Cultivation," evading the pitiful downfall at the hands of Chen Tianxiong's line.
But when he thought back to his birth.
All the hardships and deliberate obstruction by Chen Tianxiong to his father, withholding family resources, which nearly sent Chen Tianliang to the South Sea Secret Realm.
And how Chen Zhaosheng, over the years, had been subtly probing into his affairs, plotting against him from behind.
He felt not a shred of goodwill towards this father and son duo.
Especially now, why did Chen Zhaosheng repeatedly express the desire to see his strength? Wasn't it just to find a legitimate excuse to act against him, to stomp Chen Zhixing underfoot in front of everyone's eyes?
Including that fool, Lu Ying, why was she always able to stay beside Chen Zhaosheng, even joining this internal family trial?
Could it be that Chen Zhaosheng truly fancied Lu Ying?
No.
Everything Chen Zhaosheng did was just to show him, to provoke him, to make him act impulsively.
And Chen Zhaosheng would then justly accept the challenge and stomp Chen Zhixing underfoot.
"Narrow-minded, petty, jealous, yet acts extremely hypocritical, wanting to step on me while maintaining face, unwilling to gain the reputation of ostracizing his own clan. Truly trying to be both virtuous and infamous at the same time."
Chen Zhixing couldn't help but mockingly laugh in his heart.
Shaking his head, Chen Zhixing calmed his thoughts.
Chen Zhaosheng was merely a minor character. Even if he escaped this time, Chen Zhixing would actively seek Chen Zhaosheng for retribution.
This guy had already brought him enough displeasure.
Cultivation is the cultivation of the heart.
If one's thoughts cannot be accessible, how can they cultivate the heart?
But...
Chen Tianchen was the only one in the Chen Family who truly cared for the house of Chen Zhixing.
Even in the previous life of the "Great Cultivation" storyline, he was one of the few in the Chen Family who offered Chen Zhixing ten years of warmth during his dark childhood.
The ending for Chen Tianchen should not have been a tragic death here.
And to change all this...
Chen Zhixing can only grow stronger, transforming himself into the variable of this sudden upheaval!
Time slowly passed.
Chen Zhixing silently pondered these things while searching with his divine thought for the core of the Heaven-Filling Array.
Suddenly.
Chen Zhixing's steps halted.
"Found it!"
His eyes flashed, and he looked up at a massive blue stone.
He felt it.
The core of the Heaven-Filling Array was buried beneath that blue stone.
On either side of that blue stone, there were two young men around twenty years old, in a tense standoff.
One of them held a ring-headed long blade, while the other wielded a half-moon axe.
Both of them had bloodstains on them, clearly having already fought to a draw.
"Who?"
"Huh? Third Young Master?!"
In an instant, the two members of the Chen Family simultaneously turned their heads to look at Chen Zhixing.
Chen Zhixing raised his eyebrows slightly, somewhat surprised, not expecting anyone to be fighting at the array's core.
"Third Young Master, you're just in time! The two of us can quickly join forces to take this man down! He has at least six wristbands on him, and we can split them!"
The young man holding the ring-headed long blade immediately beamed and called out.
He then approached Chen Zhixing.
"You're spouting nonsense! Third Young Master, don't believe him! He tricked me the same way before and then stabbed me in the back! If not for my quick reflexes, he would have succeeded!"
The young man holding the half-moon axe quickly shouted.
In his panic, he also hurried towards Chen Zhixing, looking as though he feared Chen Zhixing would team up with the long-blade youth.
Closer.
Getting closer.
In the blink of an eye, the two drew near from left and right, only one zhang away from Chen Zhixing!
Seeing Chen Zhixing remain indifferent, the two exchanged glances silently and shared a look.
"So that's all the direct line of the Chen Family is, hahaha!"
"Another fool falling for our trick! Let's eliminate him!"
In an instant, the two burst into laughter and swiftly swung their blade and axe towards Chen Zhixing!
A surge of Void Transformation Realm cultivation emanated from the two of them!
Boom!!!
A pair of white slender hands shot out like lightning, grasping the necks of the two smugly airborne men like they were little chicks.
"Ah???"
Suddenly, their eyes widened, their gleeful smiles frozen, disbelief washed over their faces.
This... What happened?
"Why is it that so many people in this world boast of minor cleverness and feel smug?"
A faint voice sounded.
Chen Zhixing calmly lifted his head, holding the two by their necks, and gently collided them in the middle.
Bang!!
In an instant, the two felt as though their heads hit a wall of steel and stone, and with a sharp pain in their heads, they passed out.
Chen Zhixing casually tossed their unconscious bodies onto the forked branches of a large nearby tree.
Then, he took the wristbands from their hands and threw them onto the two.
After doing all this.
Chen Zhixing took a deep breath and reached out to move the blue stone in front of him aside.
The next moment.
Chen Zhixing looked down at the ground beneath where the blue stone had pressed, and his gaze couldn't help but focus intently.
"Hmm?"
Chen Zhixing raised an eyebrow, a hint of astonishment crossing his face.
Chapter 42: Chapter 42: Ingenious Craftsmanship! Seizing the Creation of Heaven and Earth!
At the spot where the green stone pressed down, there was a small apricot-yellow flag, about the size of a palm.
On the flag's surface, like ghostly symbols, intertwined countless complex patterns forming an extremely esoteric and intricate formation diagram.
"Found it!"
Chen Zhixing's eyes lit up.
What he needed to do now was to find one of the nodes in the array pattern inscribed on the flag and alter it to escape the Heaven-Filling Array.
"Young Master, leave it to me,"
"I've followed the Sword God across the land, seen many arrays. Though I haven't delved deeply, I do consider myself somewhat experienced."
Cyan Pheasant's confident voice rang out.
Having followed Chen Zhixing for several days, she also wanted to prove her worth.
"Alright."
Chen Zhixing nodded casually, then fixed his gaze on the array pattern.
In the void space within the Divine Sword Qing Zhi, Sword Spirit Qingzhi began to carefully scrutinize the array pattern.
In her mind, she couldn't help but recall the Sword God's explanation of arrays.
"The art of arrays consists of three parts: array flags, array patterns, and formation diagrams."
"To set up an array, you must first find a carrier to serve as the array flag, then draw the array pattern on the flag, connecting one node after another to form the formation diagram."
"Finally, infuse it with Spiritual Qi to activate it."
Sword Spirit Qingzhi mumbled to herself, her gaze constantly wandering over the formation diagram.
"The Great Tao is fifty, Heaven derives forty-nine."
"The one that eludes is the sliver of life."
"In this world, there's always a way out, nothing is flawless."
"Arrays are no exception."
"But, where is this escape point in this array?"
Time slowly passed.
Sword Spirit Qingzhi gazed at the closely packed array patterns on the formation diagram, feeling more and more dazzled, her head spinning.
It was as if she were reading a celestial tome.
"Young Master, uh... give me a little more time, I can definitely solve it, trust me..."
Sword Spirit Qingzhi spoke a bit awkwardly, not finishing her sentence before...
"Eh???"
From the corner of her eye, she suddenly noticed.
Chen Zhixing, who was casually looking at the flag, suddenly bent down and reached to press one of the nodes on the array pattern.
"Young Master, don't do that! It will alert the array to intrusions and react immediately!"
Sword Spirit Qingzhi became extremely anxious.
Before she could finish speaking.
A faint light emerged from Chen Zhixing's fingertip, touching that node on the array pattern.
Crack.
In an instant, the entire array pattern started to move.
Ahead of Chen Zhixing, the void began to distort.
An invisible door slowly opened from the void, creating a passage leading out of the Heaven-Filling Array.
"Done."
Chen Zhixing stood up, murmuring with some relief, "Good thing I read a few basic books on arrays when I was a kid."
"...???"
Sword Spirit Qingzhi's mouth hung wide enough to fit an egg, her expression utterly dazed.
Done?
Just like that??
With a look of shock, she stared at Chen Zhixing, a formation set by an Array Tao Grandmaster found its escape so easily?
Simply because he read a few basic array books as a child?
Unbelievable!!
"What's wrong?" Chen Zhixing noticed Sword Spirit Qingzhi's reaction, asking puzzledly.
"...Nothing, I just want some peace."
Sword Spirit Qingzhi fell silent, feeling somewhat powerless.
I... I'm really useless!
In her heart, she couldn't help but cry, for the first time feeling so insignificant as the Longevity Sword Spirit.
"Let's go."
Chen Zhixing chuckled lightly, not thinking too much, then stepped out of the Heaven-Filling Array.
After Chen Zhixing left, that invisible door slowly sealed once more.
As if nothing had ever occurred.
...
...
Meanwhile.
East Profound Domain, Extreme North region.
Celestial Mountain.
Snow falls year-round here, with freezing cold throughout.
Wherever the eye can see, towering white glaciers reach into the sky, impossible for birds to cross.
This place, along with the Frozen Plateau, is known as one of the forbidden lands of the East Profound Domain.
The Frozen Plateau is called a forbidden land due to the presence of Snow Maidens.
And Celestial Mountain is a forbidden land because... it is the location of one of the Three Great Immortal Tao Lineages, the Celestial Saint Palace!
The Celestial Saint Palace consists of three Palaces, nine Towers, and seventy-two Halls.
At this moment, inside one of the seventy-two Halls, in Huixin Hall where Elder Huixin resides.
The usually tranquil Huixin Hall is unusually lively today.
"You... you say someone merely glanced at this Heaven-Burning Skill and found a way to improve it?"
A hunched, silver-haired old woman, dressed in ragged clothes and completely indifferent to her appearance, looked suspiciously at Mo Qingyue.
She prided herself on her research in the way of Techniques, and although not the strongest, she was undoubtedly among the top experts of the era.
There aren't many in this world who could improve her Technique.
But if someone managed to improve the Heaven-Burning Skill just by looking at it once.
She... truly couldn't believe it!
"Indeed, he even took a different path and made some improvements to it."
Mo Qingyue, the Saintess who had regained her stunning visage, said with a slight smile.
"Hmph, carelessly altering my Technique is just superfluous!"
Elder Huixin snorted coldly.
"If Your Highness would present the Guidance Map, I'd like to see who it is that supposedly made these improvements."
Mo Qingyue shook her head with a smile, saying, "No rush. Let's first confirm, does the previous agreement still stand? If I indeed find someone to improve the Heaven-Burning Skill, you would grant me one request."
"Fine, fine. You little girl, always playing tricks on this old woman." Elder Huixin replied helplessly.
Mo Qingyue smiled gently upon hearing this.
Then she flipped her right hand, and the Divine Power Guidance Map drawn by Chen Zhixing appeared in her palm.
Elder Huixin casually took the Divine Power Guidance Map, looking at it with little interest.
"This guidance map is... what an awful drawing, ugly and sloppy."
Immediately, Elder Huixin furrowed her brows.
The entire guidance map was drawn rather carelessly, without the neatness she was accustomed to.
If Mo Qingyue hadn't spoken so seriously, she would have just tossed it aside.
Then.
Elder Huixin settled down to take a closer look.
The more she looked, the less dismissive her expression became.
Her demeanor turned serious.
"Elder Huixin, how is it?" Mo Qingyue asked with a smile at the corner of her mouth.
"It... it does have some value, but not much. Hmm... I'll say more later, let this old one finish looking first."
Elder Huixin reluctantly admitted, continuing to observe carefully.
As she looked on, her serious expression turned to a grave one, and her breathing grew labored.
Further into it, her gravely serious demeanor shifted to one of fascination, her eyes widening and sparkling.
A moment later.
She seemed entirely absorbed in the guidance map, oblivious to the outside world, her hands trembling as she occasionally gasped in amazement.
"The Shaoshang Acupoint really had an issue?"
"Huh? Replacing the Shaoshang Acupoint with the Qichong Acupoint, it can actually be done this way?"
"Unbelievable, truly unbelievable!"
"This... this... the alteration of this node is far too bold, isn't it?"
"Combining extreme yin and extreme yang guidance maps into one? Transforming it into a Divine Technique?"
"Hiss—replacing the Taiyi Acupoint with the Lingxu Acupoint? Yes! Why didn't I think of that?"
"This... this... it's simply brilliant!"
"Can this really work? I... I truly can't comprehend!"
"Marvelous, marvelous, truly indescribably wonderful!"
"Good heavens, how did someone think of directly replacing the Yangchi Acupoint with the Qingleng Yuan Acupoint?"
An entire hour passed.
Only to see Elder Huixin sometimes furrow her brow in contemplation, sometimes slap the table in amazement, and occasionally gasp in shock, her face full of astonishment.
Just when Mo Qingyue observed this, unable to hold back her uncertainty.
Elder Huixin finally finished examining the guidance map, suddenly looking up at Mo Qingyue.
Unbeknownst to anyone.
Her eyes had turned bloodshot, her face flushed with excitement!
"Your... Your Highness, this is a work of... divine craftsmanship! A masterpiece that seizes the creation of heaven and earth!!!"
Elder Huixin was utterly enraptured, her voice unable to conceal her shock.
Chapter 43: Chapter 43: He Is Enough to Rank in the Current Top 10!
"Is it... really that exaggerated? A creation that seizes the marvels of heaven and earth?"
Mo Qingyue was slightly startled by Elder Huixin's reaction.
She admitted that the improvement of this Technique was indeed well-done, but wasn't it a bit too much to say this?
"Exaggerated? You know nothing!"
Elder Huixin's eyes widened, and she immediately exclaimed in awe, "I'm not exaggerating when I tell you, the structural design within this Divine Techniques Technique, the boldness of the ideas, the clarity of thought, it's practically something rare in my entire life! Every modification is incredibly precise, changed perfectly without a bit of excess!
This indicates that the person who made these modifications has analyzed the effects of the human body's apertures and their combinations to perfection!
Especially changing this Heaven-Burning Skill into being guided by two guidance maps, forming both extreme yin and yang effects within one, is truly a stroke of genius!!!"
Seeing Mo Qingyue's puzzled expression, Elder Huixin shook her head as if talking to someone who doesn't understand:
"Forget it, no matter how much I tell you, you won't understand the gold content."
"Let me just tell you, in the current path of Divine Techniques...
Elder Huixin took a deep breath, then slowly spoke:
"There are no more than ten people!"
As soon as these words were uttered.
It was as if a thunderbolt exploded in Mo Qingyue's mind, setting off a tremendous storm in her thoughts.
"No more than ten people?!!"
Mo Qingyue was completely dumbfounded.
The current Cultivation Realm has tens of millions of cultivators, and those studying Divine Techniques aren't a minority.
And those who rank in the top ten, who among them hasn't been immersed in this field for hundreds to thousands of years as a Grandmaster?!
And Chen Zhixing?
He's only so young yet already able to stand alongside them?
A teenaged Grandmaster of Technique??
Thinking of this, Mo Qingyue's scalp tingled.
This once again reinforced the monstrous image of Chen Zhixing in her mind!
"Your Highness, quickly tell me, who did you get to make these changes? Master Peng Yu from the West Spring Building? Or Senior Li Fanzhen from Guiyuan Pavilion? Could it be... Senior Master Tianjizi from the Void Tao Sect?"
Elder Huixin looked at Mo Qingyue with anticipation.
Such a method of modification she had never seen before, and among the contemporary masters of Techniques in the Cultivation Realm, there was no one as bold and radical!
"None... none of them."
Mo Qingyue shook her head and, after a moment of thought, felt it best not to reveal Chen Zhixing's identity without his consent.
"This was modified by a friend of mine, not a current Grandmaster of Technique in the Cultivation Realm."
"Is that so?" Upon hearing this, Elder Huixin sighed, "I never expected that today's world still harbors such hidden talents, truly people who keep a low profile."
After a pause, Elder Huixin smiled and said, "Your Highness, do you have any request? Just say it."
Mo Qingyue's eyes lit up at once, and, recalling Chen Zhixing's instructions, she smiled and said:
"Elder Huixin, I've been eyeing your 'True Self Thirteen Techniques' for quite some time."
True Self Thirteen Techniques!
This is Elder Huixin's magnum opus, compiled over five hundred years, a monumental work of Technique!
It records thirteen cultivation methods of the True Self Realm, containing thirteen top-level Dharma Images!
It's safe to say.
Each Technique in the 'True Self Thirteen Techniques,' if taken out, is enough to cause a sensation outside, even making the Longevity Family unable to resist competing for it!
And when these thirteen techniques are combined, their value is utterly immeasurable!!
"Your Highness, I knew you had your eye on this, your appetite is indeed not small." Elder Huixin shook her head helplessly.
"Alright, I can afford to lose, I'll give it to you."
With a flip of Elder Huixin's right hand, a heavy ancient book appeared in her hand.
Mo Qingyue received the ancient book with a face full of joy and casually flipped through a few pages, seeing that each page not only contained cultivation methods but also Elder Huixin's detailed annotations and insights when she created it.
"Thank you." Mo Qingyue sincerely cupped her hands toward Elder Huixin.
"It's nothing." Elder Huixin waved her hand, then suddenly thought of something, her eyes brightening:
"Right, I have a problem in my recent research on a Divine Techniques Technique, can you ask that friend of yours to take a look for me?"
"Uh..." Upon hearing this, Mo Qingyue hesitated for a moment before saying, "Elder, I'll try my best? But I can't guarantee it will work, how about that?"
Though she's now very trusting of Chen Zhixing, it's best not to make promises she can't keep, preserving some room for retreat.
"Alright, alright, I'll write it down for you."
Elder Huixin immediately smiled widely, turned into a chamber, and brought out a cultivation method guidance map to hand to Mo Qingyue.
...
...
When Mo Qingyue walked out of Huixin Hall, it was already evening.
She was preparing to tidy up her own chamber and then deliver the 'True Self Thirteen Techniques' to Chen Zhixing.
In one of the Seventy-Two Halls, inside the Flying Dragon Hall.
"Ah ah ah, failed again!!"
A voice full of annoyance erupted.
Following that.
An old man, disheveled and full of frustration, soared from the Flying Dragon Hall and landed outside the Celestial Saint Palace.
This man was none other than Master Fei Long who had gone to the Chen Family years ago!
One of the top Sword Dao Grandmasters of the time!
"Just a little bit more, just a little bit more!"
"For ten whole years, every time I'm about to break through to the Nirvana Realm, I'm just one step short, either here or there!"
Master Fei Long murmured incessantly with frustration.
"Hmm? Elder Fei Long, failed again this time? Don't worry, relax your mind a bit."
Mo Qingyue smiled and greeted him.
"Your Highness?"
Master Fei Long looked at Mo Qingyue and asked, "Where is Your Highness going this time? Headed to the Chen Family again?"
In these ten years.
Master Fei Long constantly attempted to break through to the Nirvana Realm, while Mo Qingyue frequently traveled back and forth between the Ziwei Chen Family and the Celestial Saint Palace.
"Yes." Mo Qingyue replied.
"Alright then." Master Fei Long looked up at the snow-filled Arctic sky, sighed, and said, "Nirvana, nirvana... where is the opportunity for the nirvana breakthrough? What am I missing?"
Seeing Mo Qingyue about to leave, Master Fei Long pondered and then suddenly said, "A great idea occurs to those who rest. Your Highness, why don't I accompany you this time? I can also take a walk at the foot of the mountain and perhaps find an opportunity."
"Sure." Mo Qingyue's eyes brightened as she thought of something and said, "Oh right, didn't we have a ten-year wager? Exactly ten years have passed."
As soon as this was said.
Master Fei Long remembered and laughed loudly, "Hahaha, indeed, there was such a thing, let's go, let's go, let's see now if young Chen Zhixing or young Chen Zhaosheng has achieved more!"
"Your Highness, you might lose badly this time!"
Mo Qingyue just smiled in response without speaking.
Then, the two of them walked shoulder to shoulder, stepping onto the teleportation array of the Celestial Saint Palace.
A flash of bright light went by, and their figures disappeared into the vast snowy landscape of the Celestial Saint Palace.
...
...
Meanwhile.
Southern Border, the Hundred Thousand Mountains.
Peering down from the Cloud Sea Flying Ship, the pine needle forest and the Chen Family's Land of Trial appeared adjoining but were actually separated by over a hundred miles.
Chen Zhixing traveled northwards and, after about an hour, finally reached a black-soiled pine needle forest.
"We're here."
Chen Zhixing felt a surge of spirit.