Chapter 249: The Green Cloud Great Sage Blocks the Way

Kowtowing is naturally unnecessary—likely due to luck, over the next half month, Zheng Fa and the others detected six more types of special electromagnetic waves.

Adding the previous two, Zheng Fa now knows eight special waveforms, meaning he has mastered eight possible Spirit-Wood Thunder types.

"The Spirit-Wood Thunder we studied earlier aligns with the special electromagnetic waves of the Major Heat solar term..." Bai Lao said with a touch of gratification, "which also indirectly validates your hypothesis, Zheng Fa."

A smile also appeared on Zheng Fa's face.

Indeed—if the special electromagnetic waves of the Major Heat solar term are a type of Spirit-Wood Thunder, then the likelihood that the special electromagnetic waves of the other twenty-three solar terms are related to Spirit-Wood Thunder is very high.

"Pity we cannot verify it for now..."

Teacher Tian beside him sighed.

Regarding this matter... Zheng Fa could think of no solution either.

Verifying whether these special electromagnetic waves can stimulate the growth of Spirit Plants is somewhat difficult in the modern world...

According to Zheng Fa's hypothesis, if Spirit Plants are plants that cultivate passively, then their formation likely does require a certain amount of time and conditions.

First, in the modern world, time may simply not be sufficient.

Second, the concentration of Qi also seems unable to meet the requirements.

Moreover, how many modern plants can actually be cultivated into Spirit Plants remains questionable.

To verify this, one would probably have to go to the Xuanwei Realm; no, it would be even better to go to the Heavenly Stele Realm.

Actually, Zheng Fa already had a method of verification in mind—utilizing the medicinal garden in the Heavenly Stele Realm.

During the growth process of the Spirit Plants in that garden, there are twenty-four surges of Qi; in Zheng Fa's view, the likelihood that these are related to Spirit-Wood Thunder is very high.

To be honest, verifying this is quite simple:

Zheng Fa uses the newly experimented Spirit-Wood Thunder, then compares the resulting electromagnetic field with the changes in the electromagnetic field within that garden, and he will know whether this Spirit-Wood Thunder is effective.

The problem is how to measure such subtle changes in the electromagnetic field within the Heavenly Stele Realm...

The figure of a long-legged Xiao Xianzi appeared in his mind.

Heavenly Stele Realm, outside the Hundred Treasures Hall.

Yuan Shijie is still advancing; this time, only Zheng Fa and Zhang Shijie entered the Heavenly Stele Realm. The Heavenly Merits obtained were not few, still totaling over twenty thousand.

After exchanging for Spirit Materials, Zheng Fa had just stepped out of the Hundred Treasures Hall door when he met the one he had been thinking of, Xiao Yuying—it seemed she was also waiting for him.

"Xiao Xiao Xianzi?"

He looked at Xiao Yuying and asked with some confusion.

"I have come to bid you farewell," Xiao Yuying said with a smile.

"Farewell?"

"I am likely unable to compete with you for this Heavenly Stele," Xiao Yuying said frankly, "staying here any longer would be a waste of time."

Zheng Fa was stunned, not expecting this person to give up so decisively.

Perhaps seeing the confusion on his face, Xiao Yuying smiled: "Actually, everyone understands; now that your name on the Heavenly Stele keeps rising higher, the betting markets outside can no longer operate... Those who remain are just hoping to exchange for more Spirit Materials inside this Hundred Treasures Hall."

"..."

"I do not lack these things; if I could obtain the Heavenly Stele, I would naturally fight for it again... but you just now..."

Xiao Yuying shook her head, as if recalling the scene of Zheng Fa exchanging Spirit Materials on a massive scale just moments ago.

Zheng Fa smiled a bit embarrassedly.

Then he heard Xiao Yuying say: "I plan to wander around other places; perhaps I might stumble upon some other treasure."

"..."

With words like that, there was no need to feel embarrassed...

She is far wealthier than him!

Zheng Fa thought for a moment; indeed, the Heavenly Stele is naturally precious, but the problem is that for Xiao Yuying, aside from the Heavenly Stele, there seems to be nothing else here particularly attractive to her.

But...

Zheng Fa still desired her body!

Xiao Yuying handed over a jade pendant and said: "I told you before, if anything happens to the Jiushan Sect, you can come find me..."

Zheng Fa looked at Zhang Shijie; Zhang Shijie did not speak.

She just had a somewhat cold expression.

Xiao Yuying seemed to ignore it, placing the jade pendant in Zheng Fa's palm and saying: "This offer still stands; if you wish to find me, simply infuse spiritual energy into this jade pendant; no matter how far away, I will be able to sense it."

Zheng Fa was stunned, looking at the jade pendant—

This thing sounds like a rather precious magical artifact...

Xiao Yuying had probably come just to say this one thing; after speaking, she waved her hand at him and walked out of the Heavenly Stele Realm, her figure extremely carefree.

Zheng Fa's gaze, however, remained fixed on her back.

"What's wrong?"

Zhang Shijie beside him asked softly, glancing at Zheng Fa.

"Shijie... what do you think Xiao Xiao Xianzi likes?"

"..."

Zhang Shijie's eyes were somewhat cold.

"I originally wanted to invite her to research Spirit-Wood Thunder together, but now, she has just left?"

He thought about this matter for a long time; Xiao Yuying was indeed difficult to win over.

This person is far too wealthy, and her background is excellent; it is not that she has no desires.

It is just that the things she wants, Zheng Fa absolutely cannot provide...

After hearing Zheng Fa's words, Zhang Shijie's eyes showed some deep thought, and she also looked in the direction Xiao Yuying had departed.

……

Just back at the base, Master Huang hurried over, his expression grim.

Zheng Fa and Zhang Shijie exchanged a glance, knowing something bad had happened.

"Your Master Pang has sent word."

Master Huang didn't explain; he tapped a finger in the air, and a water screen appeared before them.

Master Pang's figure stood at the center of the screen, beside him a tall, kindly-faced old man.

They stood in the grand hall of the Five Dragon Celestial Palace, as if racing toward Jiushan Sect.

Voices from the screen carried Master Pang's words and those of the old man.

Master Pang bowed respectfully: "Your Eminence, my disciple has sent word that Qianhe Sect has suffered disaster, and Yuling Sect has undergone upheaval…"

The old man was either Tongming Shangren himself, or his Spirit Treasure.

His tone was stiff, yet carried emotion; he sighed lightly: "My Baixian Alliance is already a scattered mess, with only my true self as a Soul Transformation cultivator… If no external power stirs things up, it's nothing—but if there is…"

Master Pang fell silent for a moment, then asked: "Then what will Your Eminence do?"

The Tongming Shangren fell silent for a moment, then said:

"Yuling Sect is rotten meat—scrape it off. Those with disloyal hearts rising up, whatever schemes they harbor—it's all trivial. The real issue is Qingyun Dasheng. Jiushan Sect must not fall into chaos. If it does, the Zizaimo Sect will emerge—and that will be the annihilation of my Baixian Alliance."

Zheng Fa listened and nodded inwardly; this Tongming Shangren saw things clearly.

The Xuanwei Realm is ultimately a world where individual power reigns supreme.

In the end, without Qingyun Dasheng, the matter of Yuling Sect wouldn't be unsolvable for a Soul Transformation cultivator.

The beast tribes and Zizaimo Sect are stirring up trouble simply to drive away Zheng Fa and his group, the ones blocking their way.

Hearing this, Master Pang seemed somewhat reassured.

"Then what is Your Eminence planning…?"

"The one in Tongming Mountain who tipped off the Zizaimo Sect—I've dealt with him." Tongming Shangren's voice turned cold. "As for Qingyun Dasheng, he's forgotten why the Immortal Sects have ruled for hundreds of thousands of years…"

Even Zheng Fa could sense Tongming Shangren's confidence in those words.

But he glanced at Master Huang's still-tense face and knew things were not so simple.

In the water screen, the Five Dragon Celestial Palace drew nearer to Jiushan Sect.

The sky was stained red by the setting sun; the ground churned with demonic aura.

There were few beast beasts near Jiushan Sect; Master Pang's party encountered only a hundred or so—but each was of high cultivation.

"Eight Yuan Ying beast kings…"

Zhang Shijie whispered.

Her tone was heavy.

"More than that."

Master Huang spoke up.

Master Pang seemed unwilling to provoke these great beasts; he aimed to reach Jiushan Sect first to meet Zhu Yuanzhang. The Five Dragon Celestial Palace slowly vanished into the clouds, concealing their forms.

Yet after another half-hour,

A loud laugh suddenly rose from the ground:

"Is that you, Tongming Shangren?"

The Five Dragon Celestial Palace halted midair, as if forcibly pulled to a stop.

"Qingyun Dasheng?"

Tongming Shangren murmured, his tone certain.

On the peak of a green mountain below, a middle-aged man stood, smiling up at the Five Dragon Celestial Palace.

He wore a green Confucian scholar's robe, tall and slender, more like a literati—but if one looked closely at his golden pupils, one sensed coldness and ruthlessness within.

"Qingyunzi, I've long heard of your fame, Tongming Shangren."

He bowed his fists.

Tongming Shangren fell silent for a long while, then swept his sleeve—and he and Master Pang descended onto the peak.

"The Demon Cult has been hiding in the secret realm for hundreds of thousands of years, driven into silence by our Immortal Sects," Tongming Shangren said coldly. "Yet you beast tribes dare fetch firewood for them."

This was also what puzzled Zheng Fa—

From this era's perspective, the Immortal Sects still held the advantage.

Why had these beast tribes rushed out so recklessly?

Qingyun Dasheng smiled: "Tongming Shangren, do you not know what life has been like for my beast tribes over these hundreds of thousands of years?"

Tongming Shangren seemed to recall something, and fell silent.

"Spirit Treasures born of one's life essence… ha, Spirit Treasures born of one's life essence…" Qingyun Dasheng's face was full of mockery. "Aren't those the lives of my beast tribes? Aren't they the souls of my beast tribes' Yuan Ying?"

"…"

Zheng Fa and Zhang Shijie exchanged a glance, both startled.

They had never known Spirit Treasures had any connection to the beast tribes.

Now that he thought of it—it made sense. In the Xuanwei Realm, spiritual materials were growing ever scarcer; the beast tribes were naturally a major source.

More importantly, the forging of Spirit Treasures seemed deeply tied to the Yuan Ying of beast tribes—if the Immortal Sects now relied on Spirit Treasures, then the beast tribes' lives must truly be miserable.

Tongming Shangren fell silent, unable to refute.

After a long while, he said: "So because of this, you're willing to die for the Zizaimo Sect and fight me?"

"Fight you?" Qingyun Dasheng laughed. He looked at Tongming Shangren. "I only mean to delay you. If you halt here, I'll offer you fine wine and jade nectar—what talk of fighting?"

"Delay me?"

Tongming Shangren froze, then suddenly looked up toward Jiushan Sect.

Uncle Pang's face turned even more terrified; the Five Dragons Tiangong seemed to want to surge skyward, yet was pressed firmly into the clouds by Great Sage Qingyun.

"Your Eminence has keen eyes..." Great Sage Qingyun laughed: "Our Demon Sect of the Demon Race has endured for hundreds of thousands of years. Now that we emerge in one stroke, sending only a single Soul Transformation feels a bit petty."

Zheng Fa's heart jolted, and he looked toward Uncle Huang.

He finally understood why Uncle Huang had acted with such urgency and gravity.