Chapter 494

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Protagonist:

Yu Zhangsheng

"The Beihai Domain? That's a good place, not bad."

The Profound Turtle listened to Wei Lao's words, nodded, and a trace of nostalgia appeared in its eyes.

"But it's been a long time since I've gone to the Beihai Domain. If you go there, I stayed in the Beihai Domain for a long time. There are some opportunities there; if they still exist, they would be of immense help to you."

The Profound Turtle sighed with emotion, letting out a long breath of white air, and a hint of a smile appeared in its vicissitude-filled gaze.

"I myself am also more suited to the Beihai Domain. The environment there can help me recover from my injuries faster, and some things there are also of great help to me."

"Oh? Is that so?"

Yu Zhangsheng raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised, but upon second thought it wasn't unexpected. The Profound Turtle was originally a spirit beast with a water attribute as its main element; in a place like the Beihai Domain, it was naturally better than in the Nan Yu, more compatible.

Wei Lao smiled faintly and said: "In my early years, when Teacher traveled the continent, I made many old friends. Among them were people of considerable status in the Beihai Domain, who held a Holy Land Rank at the Hai Shou Tian Dao in the Beihai Domain."

Wei Lao's tone paused; he pondered for a moment, then continued:

"There are many Holy Lands in the Beihai Domain, and the Hai Shou Tian Dao is one of them. Its strength, compared to the Meng Yao Holy Land, is also not inferior. With his protection, and separated by thousands of mountains and rivers and a sea.

The Meng Yao Holy Land, even with the ability to pierce the heavens, absolutely cannot cross a domain to interfere with and hunt us down. It can ensure our Wanxiang Sect remains safe and sound."

"Hai Shou Tian Dao?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Zhangsheng instantly froze, his heart skipping a beat. He had never heard of this name, but since Teacher Wei spoke of it as one of the Holy Lands, it naturally could not be underestimated.

Holy Lands have no weaklings. Any single Holy Land possesses the strength to easily unify the Five States of the Eastern Wilderness in the Nan Yu.

So this time, the reason the Wanxiang Sect was in such a miserable state, forced to relocate the sect, was mainly because of the Meng Yao Holy Land's attack, which was absolutely not something they could currently resist.

And the Hai Shou Tian Dao, being able to serve as a Holy Land, naturally has its powerful aspects. Teacher Wei's friend being able to hold a Holy Land Rank within a Holy Land genuinely surprised Yu Zhangsheng a bit.

"That's right," Wei Lao laughed heartily, his gaze bright and spirited, looking at Yu Zhangsheng and saying: "Now, with your talent and strength, Wu Zhou is no longer conducive to your development.

My old friend holds a Holy Land Rank in a Holy Land. Relying on the relationship between him and me, with his recommendation, it would not be difficult for you to enter a Holy Land for advanced study with your strength and talent. That is the stage you should go to. Only by going there can you grow at a faster speed, and not waste your talent."

"Uh..." Yu Zhangsheng scratched his head, a bit astonished.

"And the Hai Shou Tian Dao is also one of the rare Holy Lands on the continent famous for beast taming. It is very suitable for your development. Relocating the sect there is also the result of my deep consideration."

Wei Lao said in a deep voice. Relocating the sect is a major matter. After repeated deliberation, the remaining choices were not many. The Beihai Domain was, in his view, the optimal solution. A large part of the reason was also because of Yu Zhangsheng.

As he said, in his view, relying on Yu Zhangsheng's talent and strength, only by going to a Holy Land could he truly bring them into play.

Yu Zhangsheng pondered, and after a moment of sudden realization, he nodded and said: "Teacher has put thought into this. Originally it is like this. Then the Beihai Domain truly is the most suitable place."

As the two conversed, their steps did not stop. They had already traveled a hundred li, transforming into two long rainbows speeding toward Lanzhou. The Profound Turtle was held on Yu Zhangsheng's shoulder, drooping and resting, silently inhaling and exhaling the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

Even though the Profound Turtle had the Fifth-Grade Pill, the Reincarnation Rebirth Pill, as support, bearing a territory of 800 li in one breath — including all the mountains, rivers, every blade of grass and tree, and countless living beings within it — was still a very heavy burden for it at present.

Truly, as Yu Zhangsheng's currently strongest tamed beast, the Profound Turtle's special nature is undeniable. Having just unsealed and fused its Origin Dharma Body, even with unhealed severe injuries, it already possessed a Late Stage World cultivation base. Its combat power did not fall short of a Sub-Talisman Peak either. This is the confidence behind its claim that no one below Spirit Transformation could move it.

However, even so, this kind of divine ability to carry a domain across space, containing heaven and earth within a world — let alone a Fourth Rank spirit beast, even a Fifth Rank spirit beast could almost not achieve it. This involves not only the 800-li territory being too heavy, but also has a great relationship with the rejection of the Heaven and Earth Laws.

With a Late Stage World cultivation base, the Profound Turtle achieving this is already the natural limit. It has no remaining mental energy to do anything else.

Heaven and Earth have spirit. In this world, although the Heavenly Dao has not yet gained sentience, it has a self-protection mechanism. Out of instinct, to prevent loss of the Heaven and Earth origin, it will send down Heavenly Dao punishment and backlash against large-scale separation of heaven and earth.

After all, with the abilities of some Daoneng cultivators, moving mountains and overturning seas is nothing difficult. It is completely possible. If they empty heaven and earth to fill their own internal world, causing mountains and rivers to disappear from the root, this world would become a fraction more fragile.

Therefore, for this kind of large-scale domain change, there will be karmic retribution. The Profound Turtle separated the Wanxiang Sect's 800 li from its original location and moved it across the Five States. For the vast territory of the Five States, it's not considered large, and not enough to trigger Heavenly Dao punishment. However, the rejection received certainly exists.

After all, unlike ordinary sect relocation, the Wanxiang Sect's move was a true withdrawal of every single bit — all of it, including mountains, rivers, grass, trees, and spirit veins, moved away empty, not a trace left. This is equivalent to moving away a portion of Wu Zhou's Qi Luck.

Such an act truly violates a great taboo of heaven and earth.

Only because the Profound Turtle's rank is extremely high could it bear the load.

………

………

Time passed; ten days flashed by.

During these ten days, the Five States were even more turbulent. With the fall of the two great defense lines, the Qingzhou army drove straight in, swiftly carving out large swathes of territory with thunderous means. Urgent reports came from the Five States without count. Middle-tier forces surrendered, defected, or were slaughtered and destroyed.

For a time, panic and unrest reigned. Wu Zhou bled. The counterattack from the Three Gates erupted again. Sub-Talisman cultivators emerged in force; Spirit Transformation experts fought in numbers. In a short time, heaven and earth overturned, a tremor everywhere. The outcome, however, with the Meng Yao Holy Land's intervention, was unsurprisingly the Three Gates' defeat.

Quite a few Sub-Talisman fell; Spirit Transformation experts also bled. Banners belonging to Qingzhou spread unceasingly across Wu Zhou. All parties were fearful. The Six Sects remained silent. With the Chi Huo Sect's taking the lead in submitting and surrendering among the Three Gates and Six Sects, it also marked that Wu Zhou's overall situation was thoroughly lost. And just amidst the uproar, everyone belatedly discovered that the Wanxiang Sect among the Three Gates and Six Sects had completely disappeared overnight — the 800-li territory vanished, leaving only a heavenly pit floating in its place.

For a time, Wu Zhou was shocked. Everyone was astonished. The Qingzhou army instantly flew into a great rage, even making adjustments, changing their original strategic direction, deploying most of their forces to carpet-search for clues on the Wanxiang Sect people. But the result left people's jaws dropping, inconceivable — there was no news at all, as if the entire Wanxiang Sect had evaporated from the world, leaving not a single trace.

Under such circumstances, the Qingzhou Emperor Huang Pu Hongxuan even stepped forward to issue a statement, releasing a Bounty Order against the Wanxiang Sect, especially Yu Zhangsheng. The reward was an opportunity for a Sub-Talisman to advance to Spirit Transformation.

For a time, the whole state shook. Not just Qingzhou and Wu Zhou, but even neighboring Linzhou, Lanzhou... even amidst the war chaos and misty uncertainty, they were shocked and cast their gazes over, joining the bounty hunt. A strong curiosity arose toward Yu Zhangsheng's side.

Thus, as Yu Zhangsheng's matters were dug up one by one, instantly the Five States were shocked. The name Yu Zhangsheng thoroughly entered the sight of the Five States' cultivators. Faintly, the title of First Prodigy of the Five States became somewhat substantiated.

And arrests from cultivators of all sides came crazily. Stream after stream of auras swept across; all-encompassing Divine Sense permeated. Even some Sub-Talisman cultivators far from the secular world, deep in mountains and old forests, were alarmed. Carrying greed and desire, they searched for Yu Zhangsheng and the Wanxiang Sect's whereabouts.

After all, this is a walking opportunity for a Sub-Talisman to advance to Spirit Transformation. Such a bounty truly makes it hard for people not to be stirred.

Spirit Transformation — looking across the entire Eastern Wilderness Five States — are existences few enough to count on fingers. The true highest level.

And the outcome of the war between Qingzhou and Wu Zhou also gradually drew its curtain with the Wanxiang Sect's disappearance.

The Xuan Yin Gate, Zi Hong Gate, Seven Stars Gate — the Three Gates suffered heavy losses and ultimately chose to seclude themselves. Their respective Spirit Transformation Ancestors emerged to guard their own gates.

The Qingzhou army, deterred by the might of Spirit Transformation, also had other considerations. In the short term, they did not consider fighting to the death, and did not exterminate them completely. They merely took the territories originally governed by each of the Three Gates for themselves.

Within the Six Sects, the Wanxiang Sect withdrew, whereabouts unknown. The Chi Huo Sect and Ba Huang Sect submitted. The remaining sects each had losses; disciples died or were injured. Ultimately the sects disintegrated, ceasing to exist.

Wu Zhou, to this point, with the fall of the Three Gates and Six Sects, thoroughly changed. Total defeat! A complete reshuffle of power.

Thus, a month later.

In the far north of Wu Zhou, within a vast desert Gobi, this is the northernmost edge of Wu Zhou, and also the border with Lanzhou.

The scorching sun hung high; wind and sand rolled. On the boundless desert, jagged rocks stood erect amidst the yellow sand everywhere, like strangely shaped soldiers standing silently, adding a few different colors to this monotonous yellow desert.

Above the Desert, due to the high temperature, heat waves rolled, twisting light; the temperature there was scorching and unbearable—let alone ordinary people coming here, they would probably turn into dried corpses from dehydration within a short time; even for cultivators, those whose cultivation base had not reached Foundation Establishment would face life-threatening danger if they stayed long in the desert, unbearable.

And just above this boundless expanse of yellow sand, as the wind blew, it carried rolling heat waves; two figures raced swiftly through the desert.

Of these two, one had white hair and the appearance of an old man, yet was a crane-haired child-faced person, with a ruddy complexion and steady breathing; his cultivation appeared to be at Golden Core.

The other looked like a youth, following behind the old man; his tender face seemed eleven or twelve years old, and judging by his brows, he could be called handsome, though still childish; as for his cultivation, he appeared to be at Qi Refinement Peak.

Besides these, there was also a small turtle with an entirely dark blue shell, bearing white and red patterns on it, its limbs stretched out, lying on the youth's shoulder, sticking out its tongue; wisps of water vapor rose from its body, and in its turtle eyes, seemingly due to the intense heat waves, a trace of fatigue and numbness showed.

These two were Wei Lao and Yu Zhangsheng after disguising themselves; the old man was naturally Wei Lao, and the youth was Yu Zhangsheng; judging by their aura and appearance, both were completely different from their original looks, like two different people.

In fact, on the third day after the two left the original Wanxiang Sect stronghold, with the release of Huang Pu Hongxuan's Bounty Order, the entire Wuzhou was almost sealed off, countless gazes frantically searching for traces of Yu Zhangsheng.

Under this situation, Wei Lao and Yu Zhangsheng were helpless, with hearts pounding through one shock after another; after many twists and turns, their travel speed slowed significantly, and finally, after another month, on this day they finally set foot on the Yunbo Desert, at the northern border of Wuzhou, on the edge of Lanzhou.

"Crossing the Yunbo Desert means completely leaving Wuzhou's territory and entering Lanzhou's region."

Above the desert, Wei Lao walked ahead, maintaining the speed a Golden Core cultivator should have, leading Yu Zhangsheng as they raced across the desert; while speaking, his tone carried a hint of fatigue.

Yu Zhangsheng nodded, a pale color fitting the occasion showing on his tender face; beads of sweat flowed densely on his forehead; he pouted, grabbed Wei Lao's clothing sleeve, and followed closely behind.

"Wuzhou is in turmoil and has already changed hands; I fear even the other three states won't remain stable for long. Once Qingzhou stabilizes, Wuzhou will be completely pacified, and the next target will be the other three states."

Wei Lao sighed emotionally, his voice deliberately changed, completely different from his original tone.

Yu Zhangsheng pouted, his voice showing childishness fitting his age, and said: "Teacher really is something; I said we shouldn't come to Wuzhou—couldn't we just stay in the Sect? You insisted on bringing me to Wuzhou to broaden my horizons and gain experience. Now look, Wuzhou has fallen and is completely sealed off, causing us no end of trouble on the way back."

"What do you know? These are beneficial to your path and count as a special experience. In the future, when you recall them, you will understand Teacher's good intentions."

The white-haired old man glared, let out a cold hum, stroked his beard, and hummed as he spoke.

"Hmph, I think it's just that you, Teacher, want to travel and sightsee yourself, and felt no one was keeping you company alone, so you found some excuse to drag me along."

The youth muttered as he spoke, his tone carrying a hint of complaint, yet his expression showed great intimacy with his Teacher.

"You little..."

"Cultivation isn't that simple; besides, you advanced too fast and your foundation is unstable. Only by traveling more will you gain insights."

Hearing this, the white-haired old man exhaled sharply, blowing his chin beard upward, glared with his eyes, raised his right hand, about to slap the youth's shoulder hard, but suddenly froze, turned around, clasped his fist, and bowed toward the front.

"I don't know which senior blocks the road ahead—is there some matter? Poor Daoist Jiang Shiqiu of Lian Shui Sect, Lanzhou, pays my respects to senior." (Chapter End)