Chapter 553: Harvesting the Ruyuan Civilization Entity?! (Combined)

"Alright, then demonstrate it now—I'll show you what's still lacking."

Saying this, Hong Qianqian reached for the specially made talisman sword to hand it to her.

The "Scripture of Talisman and Sword" fuses "talisman" and "sword," and its core principles are extremely hard to grasp, so a specially made talisman sword is needed as a guide to help cultivators master its balance.

Yet Chi Jiuyu merely nodded and took another bite of her chicken leg:

"Oh!"

Then she raised her free hand and, just as she had practiced last night, pointed forward.

Boom!

A straight white line shot from her fingertip, but the shrill whistle of the line tearing through the air was quickly drowned out by the writhing flame waves formed by the talisman patterns.

Terrifying heat warped the air, and several radiant talisman characters spun within the firelight.

"That's about it."

Chi Jiuyu waved her hand, and the blazing flame waves summoned by the talismans calmed and vanished.

"It's been too short a time—I can only fuse three different types of talismans right now, mainly because I haven't studied talisman crafting; otherwise, I could've done better."

Her tone carried a hint of regret.

This time, it wasn't showboating—she genuinely felt it wasn't much.

After all, this is foundational sword art; with her current sword Dao accumulation, not reaching perfection in one night is already pretty average, okay?

Remember how Master Shu taught Xiao Yunlu the "Flowing Cloud Sword Art"—she mastered it seven or eight tenths after just one sparring session.

"What do you think, Qianqian-jie? Where should we start?"

Hong Qianqian: "..."

What do I think?

I sit and watch!

In just one night, you've mastered the "Scripture of Talisman and Sword" without ever studying talisman arts—and you didn't even need a talisman sword?

emm...

Well then, even members of the "Talisman Sword" lineage aren't that impressive, so she'd naturally assumed the same standard.

Judging by now, Chi Jiuyu's talent is even higher than she'd expected.

No wonder she's the first disciple of the Sword Sovereign—truly extraordinary.

Beyond this, Hong Qianqian wasn't overly shocked.

After all, she was an immortal's offspring and herself a Cultivation Realm of Dongzhen—what great storms hadn't she seen?

So even though Chi Jiuyu's performance far exceeded expectations, she was only slightly surprised.

Suddenly!

Hong Qianqian seemed to realize something and swiftly reached out, grabbing Chi Jiuyu's wrist.

After a brief probe: "You've practiced the 'Sword Bone'? And reached the ninth level?"

Chi Jiuyu wore too many protective artifacts, all of high rank—without this, her true cultivation couldn't have been discerned.

"Yeah! Could it cause problems?"

"..." Hong Qianqian released Chi Jiuyu's wrist and took a bite of her chicken leg. "Not really. 'Sword Bone' is a very useful divine art—just a terrible name."

Sword Bone?

Cheap Bone!

She'd always thought that guy was a weirdo for choosing such a name.

But after all these years, hasn't he still not reached Dongzhen?

Noob!

"Have you practiced it too?"

As she spoke, Chi Jiuyu finished gnawing her chicken leg and tossed the bone into the nearby trash bin.

"Nope! I'm not practicing that thing!"

Hong Qianqian scratched her head. "But your talent is even better than I originally estimated."

Hehe!

Of course!

I'm the number one prodigy of the myriad worlds!

Chi Jiuyu's face showed no expression, but inside, she was overjoyed.

"So I've nothing left to teach you in sword Dao," Hong Qianqian said.

Her own sword talent was even inferior to Chi Jiuyu's.

"Let's start by filling in your talisman basics first."

Saying this, she quickly finished her chicken leg, tossed the bone into the trash, and used a cleansing spell to remove the grease from her hands.

She clapped her hands, reached into her pocket, and pulled out a jade slip.

The jade slip's glossy surface, like the "Scripture of Talisman and Sword," was inscribed with several golden characters.

"Great Void Expounding Dao Yin Fu Jing"

"Here! Take a look at this first."

The "Great Void Expounding Dao Yin Fu Jing" is a simplified version of the Supreme Dao Sect's true scripture, the "Great Void Imperial Decree Expounding Dao True Yin Fu Jing."

Just now, she'd examined Chi Jiuyu's foundational cultivation—every step had been solidly laid.

So she'd given her this instead of the simpler "Talisman Compilation."

"Let's add each other as friends—you can message me anytime you don't understand something."

"Once you've fully mastered this, I'll transmit to you the 'Great Void Imperial Decree Expounding Dao True Yin Fu Jing.'"

Chi Jiuyu took the jade slip and traced his fingers over the golden characters engraved on its surface:

"True Character Scripture…"

Isn't that a true cultivation lineage?

"Uh… isn't that a bit too much?"

"What's wrong with it?" Hong Qianqian shrugged. "I've got the Grand Void Sword Codex too—I've even studied the Annihilation Sword Codex that your master, the Sword Sovereign, uses."

Establishing a new lineage is no easy thing.

Back then, she drew upon many secret scriptures from the Xiang Jianzong, fused them with her own Dao of Talismans, and ultimately founded the 'Talisman Dao' lineage of the Supreme Dao Sect.

"When you have time, go listen to classes at the 'Talisman Hall'—I've already arranged it for you."

As they spoke, the two had already added each other as friends.

Hong Qianqian put away her phone and handed Chi Jiuyu a silver storage ring:

"Take this. If you need anything, go buy it and practice."

"What you need to do now is quickly make up your Talisman Dao foundation."

"You don't have to catch up to your Sword Dao—but at least don't hold yourself back."

After all, you reached out to the Xiang Jianzong yourself—you've got to show some dedication.

"…"

Chi Jiuyu looked at the storage ring, desperately wanting to reach out and take it—but ultimately refused.

"No need. My uncle already prepared something for me when he came."

The storage ring my uncle gave me this time contains more spirit stones than all his previous gifts combined!

I'll never spend it all!

The main reason is, Hong Qianqian is my peer—if it were someone from my uncle's generation…

I wouldn't be so polite!

Like back then with Ling Yin Fang.

"Come on! What realm are you in? What realm am I in? Don't be so formal—just take it!"

With a casual flick, Hong Qianqian tossed the storage ring at Chi Jiuyu and rose from the stone bench.

"The chicken leg tasted great—remember to send me the link later."

"I'm off!"

Hong Qianqian stepped forward—and her entire form faded and vanished.

Since it was our first meeting, I've got to make a grand exit!

"…"

Chi Jiuyu examined the storage ring in her hand.

If this keeps up, someday I'll get rich just by selling storage rings.

She muttered under her breath, clasped her hands to seal it away, and looked up at Zhao Ruohan:

"By the way, Xiao Zhao—how did your cultivation last night go? I told you that was just a gimmick—maybe you shouldn't…"

"It was fine. The effect was good."

"Huh?"

Could Yue Ling really have helped by fetching it for me?

That can't be right!

"You're not lying to me, are you?"

"Of course not," Zhao Ruohan shook her head slightly. "I have no reason to lie to you about something like this."

Last night, during her cultivation, the pure sword intent she felt was far superior to those sold on the Spirit Net.

"…"

Indeed, Xiao Zhao had no reason to lie to me about this.

"But I feel it's more like your own sword intent," Zhao Ruohan added.

She had only recently fought Chi Jiuyu—her impression of that sword intent was still vivid.

"By the way, why use the vague gimmick of 'Immortal Sword'? Wouldn't 'self-collected Qi' be a better hook?"

That's right!

Chi Jiuyu suddenly woke up.

Xiao Zhao's point makes sense!

Practitioners who can afford this probably have the same realm as me—'Immortal Sword' sounds too hollow and grandiose.

I'm Chi Jiuyu—I collect my own Qi. Isn't that far more convincing?

"I'll take another portion. For the rest, I suggest you price them higher—Spirit Transformation Stage practitioners rarely have cultivation materials of this quality."

"Got it! We understand!"

But before selling officially, I need to deal with the portion I bought through other channels first. Making money matters—but my reputation matters more!

…

…

Soon, several more days passed.

During this time, Chi Jiuyu spent her days learning Talisman Dao basics at the Supreme Dao Sect's 'Talisman Hall,' and her nights handling the batch of 'Heaven-and-Earth Qi' she had brought.

She occasionally messaged Hong Qianqian to ask questions about the Great Expansion Expounding Dao Yin Fu Jing.

Although her Talisman Dao talent was eighty percent of her Sword Dao talent,

she was still a complete beginner with no prior foundation—and she was studying a simplified version of a true lineage scripture. The cultivation process was still very arduous.

With rare free time, Zhao Ruohan would take her around to explore various places.

Yet for some reason, though her brother had previously boasted he would seek revenge and defeat her before the Xian Sect's Grand Competition, he had lately been avoiding her constantly.

She had wanted to ask about Little Ye Sister, but never got the chance.

Quite regrettable.

However, during the time Chi Jiu Yu was studying the Dao of Talismans.

The first batch of Ascension Envoys had also gradually made progress.

For instance, Master Xiao Yu of the Tai Shang Dao Sect.

He forged thirteen great cauldrons, gathering the aspirations of all living beings, and forcibly extracted the "corrupted" world will from his mission world.

But unfortunately, due to betrayal by some native Reversal Cultivators, the initial purification ended in failure.

Fortunately, the mad and erratic world will paid no attention to affairs, so Master Xiao Yu suffered no serious injuries.

Now, Master Xiao Yu has just recovered from his wounds and has already slain several of the Reversal Cultivators who betrayed him; completing the mission is merely a matter of time.

Moreover, there was Gao Wuwang of the Ji Shi Valley, the most difficult mission.

He extracted the "self-destruction" will from those severed consciousness sub-entities, which possessed intense "self-destruction" intent.

Through auxiliary modules, he transformed them into emotions such as "greed, anger, delusion, attachment, aversion, and desire," using them as fuel to forge 129,600 "Human Desire Pills."

Then he laid out a pill array covering the entire world, preparing to trigger the "United Unified Consciousness's" desire all at once!

Thus eliminating the "self-destruction" tendency of the severed consciousness sub-entities!

If successful, the "United Unified Consciousness" would very likely collapse on its own and regress to its original "individual" form.

To be fair, his conception was indeed extremely ingenious.

But compared to these, Mission World 1 had a rather peculiar aesthetic.

……

……

Mission World 1, Qixing.

Due to differences in time flow, though only several days had passed in the Xuan Realm, nearly a year had elapsed in the mission world.

Under the combined effects of rapid growth technology and virtual reality technology, the newborn Qixing people who had spent a year outside their growth pods had grown into half-grown adolescents and acquired basic world awareness.

But this was the limit; further use of rapid growth technology would further shorten their lifespans and might even trigger genetic diseases beyond current medical capabilities—too great a cost for too little gain.

In a certain place on Qixing, a city newly established not long ago.

One by one, half-grown adolescents dressed in pure white uniforms, their eyes filled with curiosity and thirst for knowledge, were led by emotionless clones toward the city's outskirts.

Arriving outside the city.

The half-grown adolescents released their hold on the clones and, guided by intelligent drones, boarded the hovering large passenger aircraft.

Once all the half-grown adolescents had boarded, the clones turned back, still expressionless, and walked toward the city.

One by one, the large passenger aircraft shot into the sky, flying toward a single direction.

Meanwhile, inside the aircraft.

Amid chattering voices, a boy seated by the window remained silent, merely gazing quietly out the window.

His eyes occasionally glowed faintly with spiritual light—the sign of imminent Dao entry and Foundation Establishment Level One.

Yet at this moment, his eyes carried a hint of daze.

The New Era…

Though he had confirmed it many times, each time he reached the sky, Zhou Xian felt as if he had crossed an entire lifetime.

He, he had actually returned to this world brimming with opportunity, just as the Spiritual Tide was beginning to revive—the "New Era"!

In this era, "Stellar Refining Spirit" had not yet been banned, the brutal "Star War" had not yet emerged, and even the greatest opportunity of the Spiritual Tide's early revival still remained…

Gugaa! Gugaa! Gugaa!

Amid ugly bird calls, several black monstrous birds with wingspans of over twenty meters glided toward the aircraft.

Yet not a single person showed any panic; some even excitedly placed bets.

Betting on how long it would take for the "beasts" to be eliminated.

Zhou Xian watched the monstrous birds, his eyes utterly calm.

Soon, several white drones detached from the underside of the aircraft and moved to its flanks.

Terrifying energy gathered.

Zzzz~!

Several searing red beams shot from the tops of the drones, piercing through the beasts' tough feathers, tearing open their flesh, and slicing them cleanly in half!

In less than half a minute, the menacing black beasts were completely obliterated.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please refrain from chasing or roughhousing; this flight is approaching its destination,"

A sweet voice echoed through the intercom in every aircraft.

Yet Zhou Xian still gazed out the window, his expression serene.

The Qixing civilization, though it had suffered a Great Collapse and destroyed itself,

Was still a powerful interstellar civilization.

In the early stages of the Spiritual Tide's revival, how could these beasts, having evolved only once and lacking full sentience, possibly resist thermal weapons?

Seven years later, a mutant whale king in the deep sea reached Foundation Establishment and transformed into a "demon," immune even to conventional nuclear explosions.

Yet wasn't it still locked onto by an orbital cannon from space and obliterated in a single blast?

Moreover, the Qixing civilization possessed the Nine-Polar Floating Pagoda Annihilation Sword Array left behind by the "World Destroyer."

With the terrifying computational power of "Heng," the "Defier of Worlds," the array's power was near invincible—even the Reversal Sovereigns standing atop the stars had to temporarily avoid its edge!

"Huh~"

He exhaled softly, and a flicker of determination passed through Zhou Xian's eyes.

Since heaven had given him a second chance, he would surely use his foreknowledge to stop the "World Destroyer's" conspiracy!

Recalling the primordial hand from his past life—beyond time and space, crushing the entire universe—Zhou Xian clenched his fists tightly.

The greatest opportunity of the early Spirit Tide revival lies right here!

……

……

Beyond Qixing.

Zhou Kongming, who had just awakened from meditation, stared at Qixing—more precisely, at Zhou Xian—and felt a wave of disbelief.

I've somehow become the "World Destroyer" for no reason?

Fuck!

And I'm supposed to destroy the world?

The Spirit Tide revival in this world was initiated by me, okay?

This world's World Will is so freaking shameless—the so-called "World Destruction" was just a hypothetical scenario I accessed using the "Time-Scape" auxiliary module!

Get this straight: that false possibility cost me ten Ascension Points!

As the disciple of the Xiang Jianzong's Sect Master, the pinnacle of orthodox cultivation, this "World Destroyer" label was simply unbearable.

Worse still, to complete his mission, he might have to bestow blessings upon that World Chosen One.

And that brat had the audacity to tamper with the divine art I passed down!

Damn it!

After the mission reward, I'm definitely going to beat that kid senseless!

Why the hell does he look so damn much like that asshole "Kaliufansi"?

After muttering curses under his breath, he turned his gaze back to Qixing.

The crewed aircraft had landed before the entrance of an underground laboratory.

Under the guidance of fully automated drones, the adolescent youths entered the lab and began learning the "Soul Absorption Method" and the "Qi Refinement Scripture" with Heng's help.

Zhou Xian, possessing memories from his past life, far outpaced the others and successfully entered the Dao, advancing to Qi Refinement Stage One.

According to Heng's educational plan, the first to enter the Dao could claim a reward.

Zhou Xian had been waiting for this exact opportunity.

He then feigned innocence, claiming he felt a mysterious calling and wished to visit the laboratory housing the Rangyuan Civilization beings.

Heng was reluctant to agree—Rangyuan Civilization beings were far too dangerous.

But…

"Take him." Zhou Kongming transmitted his voice directly.

Yet after sending the message, he cursed the World Will of this world in his heart.

Thus, under Zhou Kongming's orders, Zhou Xian successfully entered the Spirit-Nullifying Laboratory housing the Rangyuan Civilization beings.

And these Rangyuan Civilization beings were the great opportunity from Zhou Xian's past-life memories!

Inside the Spirit-Nullifying Laboratory, Zhou Xian stepped forward and approached a Rangyuan Civilization being resting on the lab table.

A glow of spiritual energy flared in his palm as he gently pressed it against the smooth surface of the being.

His internal spiritual energy traced an arcane pattern, and through the thin layer of spiritual force at his palm, he drew forth delicate threads of strange energy from within the Rangyuan being.

It was a talent!

The innate talent of the Rangyuan Civilization!

A talent so complex even Zhou Kongming needed long analysis—now, under the World Will's favoritism, Zhou Xian seized it effortlessly.

More accurately, it was "cultivation through absorption."

Indeed, the divine art Zhou Xian used to absorb the Rangyuan Civilization being was derived from the "Yin-Yang Absorption and Union Marvelous Art!" (End of Chapter)