Chapter 243: Oath in the Ruins

Zheng Fa observed the growth of those spiritual plants.

Spiritual plants are different from ordinary plants—he had discovered this back at the nursing home.

For example, the Evergreen Talisman could accelerate ordinary plants, ripening them overnight and drastically shortening cultivation time.

But it had no effect on the spiritual pea plants Zheng Fa had grown—in his hypothesis, this was because they contained spiritual energy and possessed a kind of "resistance" to talismans.

Put simply, the talisman's effect was disrupted by the spiritual energy within them.

He speculated that perhaps some sects possessed secret methods to hasten the maturation of certain spiritual plants.

But something like this Golden Bell, which caused an entire herb garden's spiritual plants and beasts to grow at breakneck speed—never mind Zheng Fa, even Zhang Shijie had never heard of such a thing.

"Time..." Zhang Shijie's gaze grew distant. "That Heavenly Sovereign is likely far stronger than we imagined..."

Zheng Fa's eyes shimmered with silver light as he studied the spiritual plants in the garden, as if observing something closely—he did not hear Zhang Shijie's whisper.

"Younger brother, what are you looking at?"

Zhang Shijie asked curiously.

"I'm watching the increase of spiritual energy on these plants… it's strange…"

Just now, a thought had struck him: the Wood Thunder.

More precisely, he recalled how he had previously observed the growth of pea seedlings and deduced one form of Wood Thunder.

Under the influence of Wood Thunder, those peas transformed from lacking spiritual energy to containing it—in simple terms, the seedlings underwent a mutation guided by Wood Thunder.

That was why he now wanted to see if a similar mutation existed within this herb garden.

And he had actually found it!

"Strange?" Zhang Shijie frowned, not understanding him.

"Every spiritual plant undergoes a sudden surge of spiritual energy once per day-night cycle—twenty-four times in total!"

Zhang Shijie froze, then activated her Void-Sight Spiritual Eye and gazed toward the garden.

After a moment, she slowly nodded.

"Indeed," Zhang Shijie affirmed. "Though each plant's spiritual energy output varies, they truly do synchronize their surges twenty-four times per day-night cycle?"

"Twenty-four?"

Yuan Shijie suddenly spoke up. "Aren't there twenty-four statues in that previous temple? And twenty-four chairs!"

Zheng Fa and Zhang Shijie exchanged glances, both giving slight nods.

The number twenty-four was not ordinary—Yuan Shijie's association was natural.

But Zhang Shijie, studying Zheng Fa's expression, suddenly asked: "You have another thought, don't you?"

Zheng Fa had no intention of hiding anything from his two senior sisters. "Sister, do you remember what Han True Person of Qianhe Sect said—that spiritual farming techniques are tied to the solar terms?"

"You mean the Twenty-Four Solar Terms?"

Zheng Fa nodded.

"So these twenty-four are deities governing the solar terms?"

"I don't know," Zheng Fa shook his head. "But I have a feeling now…"

"Hmm?"

"Wood Thunder… might also have twenty-four forms."

"Twenty-four kinds? There's some logic to that…" Zhang Shijie frowned slightly, finding it excessive. "This… will take you years to study."

Indeed, Zheng Fa's discovery of the first Wood Thunder had been sheer luck.

If there were twenty-four, relying on fortune alone might take him until the Year of the Monkey.

Zheng Fa looked at the rapidly growing spiritual plants in the garden and suddenly had an idea:

If he measured the magnetic field strength during each spiritual energy surge here, confirming twenty-four—or even two hundred forty—would be simple…

He just needed an electromagnetic laboratory!

Hmm?

Zheng Fa suddenly glanced at Zhang Shijie, his gaze thoughtful.

If Zhang Shijie could serve as a talisman laboratory…

Xiao Yuying's Yuan Magnet Body wasn't precisely an excellent electromagnetic laboratory?

At the very least, measuring magnetic field strength should be within her capability.

But this woman was wealthy and powerful—getting her to cooperate willingly would be difficult.

Indeed, people born too well-off were hard to trick into becoming beasts of burden…

…

When the Golden Bell descended, each spiritual plant rose from the garden and landed before Zheng Fa—the very ones he had selected from the jade tablet.

The other spiritual plants remained motionless.

The Golden Bell looked dangerous, so even Yuan Shijie dared not reach out to harvest the rest.

Zheng Fa gripped the silver seal before him, and a thought struck him—he turned to Zhang Shijie and the other. "Let's go explore elsewhere?"

The two senior sisters nodded, clearly intrigued.

He touched his spiritual essence to the silver seal, and it summoned three gentle winds that carried Zheng Fa toward the other "islands."

The first was closest to the herb garden.

"The shape of this plot…" Zhang Shijie spoke before they landed. "It subtly matches the herb garden?"

Zheng Fa carefully examined the edges of this "island," recalled the garden's shape, and nodded.

A dozen courtyards stood before them.

The air carried a faint odor—Zhang Shijie's expression changed, as if about to speak.

A flash of radiance from the silver seal swept over the three of them, and the smell vanished instantly.

"Zhang Shijie?"

"This place must be the Heavenly Palace's alchemy chamber," Zhang Shijie frowned. "That odor was likely from old herbs or pills—poisonous. Without the silver seal, we should have left immediately."

They entered one courtyard. It had only one hall, where a single alchemy furnace stood, empty.

In the left side room, several shelves held herbs—now dried into thin black lines.

The odor must have come from these.

The right room held dozens of jade vials and gourds, presumably for storing finished pills.

As expected, the vials and gourds were empty; even any residual traces had been ruined by time and could no longer be consumed.

The interiors were largely similar, but some courtyards had overturned elixir furnaces, and some gourds and jade vials lay shattered on the ground, as if a struggle had taken place.

Their interiors were largely similar, though some furnaces had been overturned, some gourds and vials shattered on the ground—as if a battle had occurred.

"It's common for alchemy chambers and herb gardens to be together."

As they stepped out, Zhang Shijie suddenly said.

"So the Heavenly Palace was originally a single complex?" Zheng Fa understood her meaning. "It must have suffered a great battle."

"Yes. Judging from the state of the alchemy chambers, these people knew danger was coming—they prepared to evacuate in advance…"

The three circled the courtyards once more and found nothing else.

They moved on to the other "islands."

The rest disappointed them further.

These appeared to be the dwellings of powerful cultivators, but now empty—no treasures, no scriptures remained.

"Clearly, these people evacuated early… leaving nothing behind."

"But what about the Golden Bell?"

Yuan Shijie asked, puzzled.

Zheng Fa understood her meaning—the Golden Bell clearly was a valuable treasure. If they were fleeing, wouldn't they take it?

"I don't know," Zhang Shijie considered. "I think the Golden Bell wasn't left behind by choice—it couldn't be taken."

Zheng Fa nodded; this theory felt plausible.

After passing through several "islands," they found nothing of value, causing Elder Sister Yuan to show signs of boredom on her face.

After visiting several "islands" with no success, Yuan Shijie's face showed clear boredom.

The final island was the largest.

It was a grand yet ruined palace complex—perhaps a thousand halls in total—but not one remained intact…

Collapsed walls, shattered jade pillars, broken tiles littered the ground.

"This must have been the Heavenly Palace master's residence," Zhang Shijie said. "Likely where the battle occurred."

The three walked deeper into the palace.

Most halls were empty, holding nothing.

A few contained magic treasures—but after centuries of decay and lack of cultivation, most had dimmed to lifelessness, retaining no power.

Having seen the rest, they were prepared—no disappointment, only continued forward.

Finally, they reached the deepest hall.

This had once been the largest hall, but suffered the most damage—only its foundation remained.

As they walked through it, Yuan Shijie suddenly pointed to a corner of the courtyard wall. "What's that?"

Zheng Fa looked—part of the wall still stood over a person's height, glowing faintly with markings.

They approached and saw two rows of blue characters, written in some unknown medium—after countless years, they had not faded, but emitted a dim light.

Zheng Fa glanced twice, then confirmed—he did not recognize these characters.

Or rather, he could only vaguely recognize them.

【101】 "Zhang Shijie?"

"This is likely a script from before the second-to-last epoch—I've seen it in ancient texts," said Sister Zhang, frowning. "Let me see..."

She softly recited:

"All beings are ignorant, unworthy of reliance. The divine path serves as a wedding gown; the Heavenly Sovereign is no longer himself."

"Now, the Nine Heavens..."

Sister Zhang's voice paused slightly, and she exchanged a glance with Zheng Fa.

Nine Heavens...

"Now, the Nine Heavens seeks to open the Great Dao for Xuanwei; the gods block the path—I shall kill them myself."

The two lines left Zheng Fa and Sister Zhang in silence.

Even Yuan Shijie, who had always been clueless, now stammered: "Does this 'Nine Heavens' mean the Nine Heavens Demon Ancestor?"

"Probably..."

It's not that others can't bear the name Nine Heavens.

But the Heavenly Sovereign of this realm should have been immensely powerful—how many Nine Heavens in Xuanwei's history could have killed him?

The most likely candidate is the current Nine Heavens Demon Ancestor.

"So... the Nine Heavens Demon Ancestor... opens the Great Dao for all beings? Then we've got nothing left to do?"

Yuan Shijie's voice was filled with confusion.

Zheng Fa was also speechless—he had long suspected that the Demon Ancestor was not, as he once imagined, a spokesman for the old ways.

Now, this was confirmed.

Even... the original intent of this Nine Heavens Demon Ancestor was strikingly similar to his own, and to the Heavenly River Sovereign's?

But now?

Zheng Fa gazed at the heavens, thinking of one thing—were these Demon Ancestors the dragon-slayers who became dragons themselves? Or had the boy already died, and only the dragon remained?

Or had the Demon Ancestors truly forged another path?

(End of Chapter)