Chapter 196

Zheng Fa had never been a person with much security—or rather, he found almost no sense of security in the Xuanwei Realm.

Without the contrast of modern society, this feeling might have been bearable; but conversely, his sense of security in the modern world was built step by step—his ten Yang Yuanfu foundation pillars in the dantian were the true reason for his growing confidence now.

But the Jiushan Sect in the Xuanwei Realm was different.

His Yang Yuanfu foundation pillars, his cultivation—all failed to make him feel safe.

Zheng Fa believed that everyone in the Jiushan Sect was willing to stand by him, but wasn't there still the entire Zizaimo Sect standing firmly against him?

The Jiushan Sect could currently hold off the Zizaimo Sect only because it had luckily stumbled upon a Lei Chi.

Because of this, he constantly thought of his mother and sister, yet refused to bring them over now—the Jiushan Sect was too far, and the Lei Chi marketplace was too close to the Zizaimo Sect.

Only if his vision for the Heavenly Stele World could come true would he feel he had a secure base, and only then could many of his planned initiatives begin.

"Is it because of the Zizaimo Sect's secret realm that you've developed this idea?"

Zhang Shijie spoke after a moment of contemplation.

"Yes, the setting sun Immortal's warning was vague, but after entering the Heavenly Stele World, I made a guess—if only the Zizaimo Sect's techniques function within their secret realm…"

Zheng Fa had not finished speaking.

Both Zhang Shijie and Yuan Shijie's faces involuntarily twisted with horror.

Even a hint of revulsion.

This meant that as long as the secret realm existed, the Zizaimo Sect was nearly immortal… and sooner or later, the Jiushan Sect would face the Zizaimo Sect's retaliation.

"So you're thinking of turning the Heavenly Stele World into the Jiushan Sect's secret realm?" Zhang Shijie asked.

"Yes. The Heavenly Stele World's rules are unique and can serve as our refuge," Zheng Fa explained his idea: "At least, though we dare not enter the Zizaimo Sect's secret realm, if we truly seize control of the Heavenly Stele, the Zizaimo Sect's people would likely dare not enter the Heavenly Stele Realm either—and the Jiushan Sect would be able to defend itself within it."

"It doesn't sound like much of a problem…" Zhang Shijie said slowly.

"It's a huge problem!" Yuan Shijie glared and asked: "After all you've said, aren't you supposed to first seize the Heavenly Stele World for the Jiushan Sect?"

"Since Brother Zheng has raised this idea, he must already have some plan in mind?"

Zhang Shijie understood Zheng Fa's character a bit better.

Zheng Fa smiled—he had spent a month in the Heavenly Stele World, and besides investigating his own fengtu's condition, he had mostly studied the few Lei Ting techniques in the Divine Register; he already had some ideas.

…

At the Heavenly Stele.

Yan Wushuang and Chu Tianque's group, likely intending to leave together, emerged one step after Zheng Fa.

The three walked together, their conversation still centered on Zheng Fa.

"Brother Yan, you say Zheng Fa's initial fengtu was Silver Scroll—later, he might rival you for control of the Heavenly Stele World," Chu Tianque said, his expression wary.

"What rivalry?" Yan Wushuang sighed and replied: "You know I haven't even touched the surface of the Heavenly Stele Lei Ting techniques—this Heavenly Stele World isn't mine."

"... Even so," Chu Tianque was not convinced: "Brother Yan, you're the first person in Lei Dao talent I've ever met."

"The Divine Register is extraordinary. Though Brother Zheng is only at Foundation Establishment, he holds the same five-thousand-li fengtu as I do," Yan Wushuang countered: "His talent may even surpass mine."

"... Brother Yan, why do you always speak up for Zheng Fa?"

"Brother Chu," Yan Wushuang sighed: "I know you come from the Xuanweiwu Sect, and perhaps you're a bit haughty, looking down on other sects."

"I shouldn't have said this," Yan Wushuang continued, seeing Chu Tianque's gloomy face: "But we've known each other for years, and I know you're only thinking of me. Yet before my ancestor rose to prominence, the Tianhe Sect was just a small, obscure sect."

"Besides, looking down on others won't raise our cultivation by even a fraction."

"..." Chu Tianque clenched his lips and muttered: "Brother Yan."

"I've long known my own talent," Yan Wushuang sighed: "I'm nowhere near my ancestor, not even close to my father."

This left Chu Tianque without a rebuttal.

Yan Wushuang's father, as the Tianhe Sect's sect master, had been the undisputed top talent among Tianhe's true disciples in his day—but Yan Wushuang bore no such reputation.

"I may never surpass my father in cultivation, but if I befriend the world's heroes, I may still accomplish great things in time—aren't you all the very people I've sincerely befriended?"

"Yes."

"Zheng Fa has already shown some talent and is close to me," Yan Wushuang smiled: "The better his talent, the higher his cultivation—even if he truly seizes control of the Heavenly Stele World, though I'll feel regret, I'll also be happy for him."

With these words spoken,

Chu Tianque fell silent.

Beside them, Xue Zhuanzhuan chuckled: "If Brother Yan didn't have this kind of heart, how could we have such a bond?"

"Indeed…" Chu Tianque scratched his head, realizing Xue's pride was no less than his own—had Yan not been free of jealousy toward talent, the three of them would never have forged a bond nearly as close as life and death.

He looked at Yan Wushuang, who was smiling at him, and felt a little embarrassed; he glanced away from Yan's gaze and toward the Heavenly Stele: "I'd like to see how much Heavenly Merit this Brother Zheng has accumulated."

"Hm?"

After a moment, all three of their faces showed confusion.

On the Heavenly Stele's ranking list, Zheng Fa's name was glaringly obvious—the very last.

"That doesn't make sense. With his five-thousand-li fengtu, his Heavenly Merit should have accumulated quickly," Xue Shimei frowned.

Chu Tianque also looked at Yan Wushuang, who pondered long before guessing: "Perhaps Brother Zheng is newly at Foundation Establishment and still unskilled in Lei Ting techniques—his progress is just slow."

Chu Tianque muttered: "It's just a Lei Ting technique. With our talent, we should've mastered it long ago. Does he really need this long?"

Yan Wushuang glared at him, and Chu Tianque fell silent, then looked again at the Heavenly Stele: "Who's Li Shi? How did he accumulate Heavenly Merit so fast—he's almost caught up to you, Brother Yan."

"Li Shi… that name sounds familiar," Xue Shimei murmured twice, then remembered: "Isn't that the alias the Bronze Coffin Elder used before he became famous? Legend says he attained Dao through ancient corpse cultivation; his original surname was Li, so he named himself Li Shi."

"Him? How dare he come here?"

Chu Tianque's mouth gaped open in disbelief.

The thunder near the Heavenly Stele was notoriously selective—the higher one's cultivation, the harsher the punishment, and besides, the Bronze Coffin Elder was from the Zizaimo Sect, utterly suppressed by heavenly thunder.

Coming here was practically suicide.

The other two didn't know why—but soon, they understood.

…

"What is that?"

Zheng Fa was discussing the terrain and spiritual qi conditions he had investigated within the Heavenly Stele Realm with Senior Sister Zhang, when he heard Senior Sister Yuan exclaim in surprise from nearby.

He raised his eyes to look, only to discover someone speeding through the Lei Chi—no, speeding in a coffin.

This coffin looked suspiciously familiar; it was precisely the bronze coffin of the old man who had besieged Senior Uncle Pang that day.

The Old Man of the Bronze Coffin did not expose his head; the coffin lid was sealed tight. His main strategy was lying down while driving, paying no attention to the road at all, as he drifted back and forth amidst the Lei Ting.

These heavenly thunderbolts did not indulge him, yet bolt after bolt striking that bronze coffin seemed to have not the slightest effect on the person inside.

On the contrary, this person appeared extremely familiar with the environment of the Lei Chi; his speed of travel far exceeded that of ordinary people, and in the blink of an eye, he had moved from the location of the heavenly stele to stand before the three of them.

Senior Sister Zhang could not help but summon her native magical treasure, the Flying Immortal Brush, and prepare for battle.

"This person... did he come out from inside the heavenly stele?"

Senior Sister Yuan asked softly, seeming unable to believe her own eyes.

Zheng Fa and Senior Sister Zhang exchanged a glance, their hearts also filled with shock and suspicion—previously, Senior Sister Zhang had said someone had seen the Old Man of the Bronze Coffin within the Lei Chi, and she had suspected this person harbored some sinister plot.

Who would have thought that, looking at it now, the fellow probably had no sinister plot at all.

He merely possessed some lofty ambitions—who said that a member of the Zizaimo Sect could not cultivate thunder techniques?

This Old Man of the Bronze Coffin dared to dream!

Not only did he dare, but he was also heading straight for the heavenly stele!

The Old Man of the Bronze Coffin seemed to have spotted the figures of the three as well, and he halted beside them.

"Zhang Wuyi? I heard you are hunting me down, seeking to avenge your senior uncle for that single arrow?" A cold snort came from within the bronze coffin: "To think you would chase me all the way here."

The Flying Immortal Brush in Senior Sister Zhang's hand radiated a treasure light, as if she were about to strike.

"Do you dare to make a move?" the Old Man of the Bronze Coffin laughed loudly: "My precious coffin cannot be broken by anyone below the Nascent Soul realm! And for those above Nascent Soul, do you dare to act within this Lei Chi?"

His tone was full of certainty.

However, after glancing twice at that bronze coffin, Senior Sister Zhang suddenly said: "You also dare not step out of this bronze coffin, do you."

"..."

Understood...

A mobile version of the Xuanguan Jian.

No wonder this person from the Mo Sect actually likes to hide within the Lei Chi.

What he is playing at is simply tanking hits.

Having had his true situation exposed by Senior Sister Zhang, the Old Man of the Bronze Coffin, instead of becoming angry, laughed: "Even if the Canyang Sword Immortal were to arrive now, I would not fear him! What can you possibly do to me!"

Having finished speaking, this person seemingly had no desire to tangle with them; he simply walked while laughing: "Once I have clarified the true situation of the Heavenly Stele Realm for our Holy Sect, and your Jiushan Sect no longer has the protection of the Lei Chi, then in the future..."

Zheng Fa extended a hand, and the opposing Five Elements Divine Light shot forth from his palm, striking the bronze coffin squarely as it was moving away.

As the five elements rotated, the bronze coffin suddenly came to a halt; the coffin lid snapped open with a 'pa' sound, and a withered old man's body—

—was launched out!

The old man looked at the heavenly thunder above his head.

Then he looked at his native magical treasure, which was all too familiar behind his backside.

The expression of utter despair on his face made it hard to tell whether it was caused by the heavenly thunder descending upon his body, or by the betrayal of his beloved magical treasure...

The duration for which Zheng Fa could interfere with that bronze coffin was merely an instant.

An instant later, that bronze coffin seemed to have a sudden attack of conscience, like a prodigal son returning home, and wanted to embrace its master in its arms to care for him properly.

But Senior Sister Zhang would not give the two of them a chance to reconcile.

She waved the Flying Immortal Brush before her, instantly drawing three Lei Fu talismans, which struck straight down at the Old Man of the Bronze Coffin.

Yan Wushuang and the other two watched this twist of events, all falling silent.

After a long while, it was Chu Tianque who finally spoke, his tone actually containing a hint of heartfelt admiration: "This Zheng Fa actually possesses such a technique... Could it be that he deems cultivating thunder techniques beneath his dignity?"

"..."

This guess was a bit outrageous, yet it seemed to make some sense.

"Senior Brother Yan, your eyesight is truly remarkable; this junior brother is extremely impressed."

"I am also quite impressed with myself, although I do not know exactly what I should be impressed by," Yan Wushuang said after a moment of silence.