Chapter 418: A Century of Seclusion, Zuo Qiyu

The 157th year since entering the Primordial Realm.

In the Huailiu Courtyard, inside the dueling arena.

"Boom~ Boom~"

The Yin-Yang Dao Domain realm martial artist, Bagel, extended four arms, holding weapons, and fought against three bronze-colored giants.

The giants were empty-handed, bare-chested, and wore only grass clothes woven from green leaves.

Bagel held three types of weapons, constantly dodging under the giants' attacks. He was very flexible, and the giants could barely touch him, but Bagel was also very cautious and had not yet unleashed his full strength.

Because he knew that facing three Giant Yang Grassmen—who also knew the Great Divine Ability 'Five Finger Mountain' and could perform the 'Treasure Mountain' divine ability—he only had one chance to strike.

After sparring for thousands of moves, Bagel finally couldn't help it. His physical body surged, and he grew four more arms, transforming like a wild beast, instantly charging toward the Giant Yang Grassmen.

But just at this moment... the three Giant Yang Grassmen disappeared, turning into the size of rice grains.

"What? Void Ancestor Divine Ability, 'Rice Grain Heaven-Mixing Art'?" Bagel was stunned, suddenly feeling tiny pricks of pain in his abdomen, the back of his legs, and his palms.

"Bang!"

Although he was instantly defeated by the Eight-Armed Divine Ability, Bagel's body staggered, and a patch of blood appeared on him.

The battle ended, and the Giant Yang Grassmen exploded, turning into ashes.

"My lord, when did you learn the 'Rice Grain Heaven-Mixing Art'? Isn't this something only martial artists can learn?" Bagel asked.

"I just learned it." A wisp of consciousness gathered from the grassman ashes, swirling like the wind, drifting into the distance: "Bagel, you've worked hard. Let's end today's sparring here."

"Yes, my lord." Bagel could only stop asking.

"Truly exaggerated." Xinda greeted Bagel as he stepped off the arena: "My lord only sent out three clones and forced out your 'Eight-Armed Divine Ability'."

The Eight-Armed Divine Ability is a physical divine ability of martial artists. Each additional arm adds a type of divine ability, and the power is additive.

The first two levels of the Eight-Armed Divine Ability are at the level of minor divine abilities; only when all eight arms are gathered does it count as a Great Divine Ability.

Usually, martial artists can only excavate the fourth arm of their physical body and cannot go further. However, after reaching the Yin-Yang Dao Domain realm, Bagel had excavated his physical treasure to the eighth arm.

It was precisely relying on this divine ability that Bagel was able to enter the Primordial Realm as a sparring partner.

Although he defeated Zhao Xing's Giant Yang clone, Bagel was a proper martial artist, while Zhao Xing was a Silon.

And his grassmen could actually perform the Great Divine Ability 'Five Finger Mountain' and 'Rice Grain Heaven-Mixing Art'. This was simply shocking.

"Xinda, I have cultivated for so many years, yet I didn't know that a Silon's grassman technique could use a martial artist's Great Divine Ability. Then what does that make me?" Bagel was beginning to doubt his life.

Xinda hesitated: "A... a waste?"

"Thank you, you didn't have to answer."

"Uh."

In the hundred-fathom void, Zhao Xing withdrew his grassman soul thoughts while absorbing the day's 'combat experience'.

"Bagel and Xinda's cognition is still limited. They have seen grassman techniques, but they haven't seen my kind of Void Ancestor grassman technique."

The Giant Yang Grassman technique is part of the Void Ancestor grassman technique series.

Ordinary grassman techniques usually can only be compatible with spells and cannot be compatible with the secret divine abilities of the martial artist path.

However, the Void Ancestor series of grassman techniques is different; it is capable of compatibility and integration.

After the Great Zhou suffered heavy losses, Zhao Xing began to enter a state of frantic cultivation. Nearly a hundred years had passed since then.

The biggest achievement was that the Giant Yang Grassman technique had reached the perfection of minor divine ability, and he had begun to integrate spells and divine abilities.

"The Giant Yang Grassman technique is ultimately a spell. Using materials from the Void Ancestor star system, it is compatible with two Great Divine Abilities: besides the Mountain Method Great Divine Ability, there is the Rice Grain Heaven-Mixing Art."

The Mountain Method Great Divine Ability was because Zhao Xing was very familiar with it and had practiced it for a long time.

And the Rice Grain Heaven-Mixing Art itself belongs to one of the Void Ancestor divine abilities. When exploring the scholars' Dao Treasury, the Great Divine Ability realm Qi-sect martial artist Yu Yitian under Du Yun had once performed it.

"The Giant Yang Grassman technique has reached the perfection of divine ability and can perform Dao integration, but integrating two Great Divine Abilities is already the limit."

"This is not because my talent and comprehension are insufficient, but because the Giant Yang Grassman technique itself is no longer suitable as a foundation for Dao integration," Zhao Xing thought to himself.

If you think of the Giant Yang Grassman technique as the foundation and Dao integration as building a house, the first floor is the Mountain Method Great Divine Ability, and the second floor is the Rice Grain Heaven-Mixing Art.

The weight of the two great divine abilities had reached the limit of what the Giant Yang Straw Man Method could bear; to merge them further? It would one hundred percent crush the foundation.

The Giant Yang Grassman technique itself would cease to exist.

"This series of grassman techniques must be replaced, and in this series, only Zuo Qiyu can teach it."

"Primordial Envoy Zuo Qiyu, how should I find him to learn the technique?" Zhao Xing pondered. "Personal unique skills don't appear on the treasure vault exchange list."

The Red Star Empire does not force others to contribute their secret techniques selflessly. Those willing to do so naturally have benefits; those who are unwilling are not forced.

To learn many unique skills, one needs fortuitous encounters. For example, Wu Tian's Great Divine Ability—he sold the Treasure Mountain Divine Ability, but he never sold 'Five Finger Mountain'.

Zuo Qiyu's Primordial Grassman technique belongs to the category of non-transferable unique skills.

Perhaps only when one reaches the limit of their true spirit will they consider passing it on.

"Zuo Qiyu's clone technique, the Primordial Clone, I won't count on for now. Even if I learned it, there are no Primordial series materials for me. Those are non-renewable resources, and their rarity is comparable to top-tier Reincarnation Dao soldiers."

"But the high-level advanced Void, Primordial, and Extinction three-series grassman techniques—I must find a way to pry one out of him."

"Otherwise, my Giant Yang clone cannot advance and will forever remain at the minor divine ability realm."

"Targeting Zuo Qiyu is difficult," Zhao Xing sighed. "It's been nearly a hundred years, and I haven't even seen the person."

In Zhao Xing's past-life memories, Zuo Qiyu did not take disciples.

That he suddenly appeared this session to take him as a disciple was an accident. And after the Ancient Luo River intervened, Zuo Qiyu ultimately did not take a disciple, though the Five-Poison Emperor did take two.

"The reason Zuo Qiyu doesn't take disciples is because he was once betrayed by a disciple. I will settle for second best—not becoming a disciple, but just learning the art. Will that work?"

In the three-thousand Dao Seed area, another of Zhao Xing's clones was contemplating the 'Sun Treasure Tree'.

"The Stem-Bucket Divine Ability has reached the perfection of divine ability. Now, for this four-series variant technique, I am only missing the 'Great Tree' type primary life structure map."

Mushroom, vine, tree, and bamboo—the four-series variant techniques each have three 'primary life structure maps'.

Although named primary, once fully comprehended, one can grasp the 'embryonic form of the Life Dao' and cultivate the Stem-Bucket Divine Ability into the Stem-Bucket Great Divine Ability realm.

"The clone's contemplation has reached a bottleneck. It depends on whether the true self can transmit some new insights."

The clone closed its eyes again.

Different clones cultivate and contemplate in different locations, and their insights are transmitted at a certain point in time.

In the Ancient Luo River's internal world, Zhao Xing sat quietly in front of that Emperor-level vine.

Beside Zhao Xing were also two tough vines, but they were only ordinary-level seedlings.

One grew vigorously, crawling all over the grass, completely dependent on the earth.

The other was much weaker, but it was striving to extend, standing stubbornly.

The surrounding grass was withered on the left and prosperous on the right.

Then, at a certain moment, the states on both sides suddenly reversed.

It became withered on the right and prosperous on the left.

Zhao Xing turned a blind eye to this scene, his eyes fixed only on that Emperor-level vine.

"For 100 years, I have stayed here every day, watching this tough Emperor-level vine."

"The Ancient Luo River prepared twelve cultivation sites for me, all based on the Life Dao. The first cultivation site is to contemplate this tough vine."

"In reality, it is to let me see the operation and flow of the Life Dao on the tough vine."

Zhao Xing stared at the Emperor-level vine. The dark roots disappeared, and the leaves seemed to become transparent.

"The Life Dao is full of infinite possibilities. The growth limit of a tough vine doesn't even reach the Origin realm. Which cosmic rule is hindering its growth?"

"And how did the Ancient Luo River make this tough vine break the growth rule limit?"

Gradually, in Zhao Xing's eyes, the entire Emperor-level vine completely disappeared! The leaves, branches, and roots were completely gone!

Only the presentation of the rules of the Ancient Luo River's internal world remained.

Countless rules were entangled together, seemingly chaotic, yet vaguely following some mysterious veins.

Gradually, these chaotic rule veins converged into a perfect carving knife.

A carving knife formed with the Life Dao as the foundation.

It was precisely this carving knife that changed the life essence of the tough vine and broke the original growth rule limit.

Zhao Xing had an epiphany. The surrounding grassland stopped changing, and he began to work on the Emperor-level tough vine.

The Ancient Luo River was contemplating in the Dao-Ancient layer of the hundred-fathom void. Feeling a slight abnormality in his internal world, he couldn't help but open his eyes.

"His Life Dao has taken the first step."

There are many kinds of Great Daos in the universe: the Five Elements Dao, the Yin-Yang Dao... and what the Self-Nature Sect reveres most, of course, is the Life Dao.

Zhao Xing had not yet shown the potential to make the Ancient Luo River look twice in other aspects, but his comprehension of the Life Dao, 157 years after entering the Primordial Realm, made the Ancient Luo River look twice.

Because on this day, Zhao Xing used a spell for the first time to shake the internal vitality of the tough vine.

Although it was only like chiseling a grain of sand from a large mountain, it was, after all, a shake.

Thus, the Ancient Luo River appeared in person for the first time, appearing before Zhao Xing.

"Teacher."

Zhao Xing stood up.

The Ancient Luo River did not acknowledge him as a student, but he always respectfully called him teacher. Although the Ancient Luo River had never responded even once, Master Zhao simply did not lack this kind of tenacity.

Just keep calling him that; maybe one day the Ancient Luo River will respond?

"Your clone cultivates techniques, your true self contemplates the Dao, cultivating in a near-masochistic way like an ascetic—this is not a good thing," the Ancient Luo River said, pointing out the problem right away.

"The grassman technique is overused, and there is no matching soul spell. Relying solely on willpower to force it will sooner or later lead to problems."

Zhao Xing listened quietly.

The Ancient Luo River was worthy of being a demigod; he saw the hidden dangers in his cultivation at a glance.

Just like in the Xuanhuang Realm period, the grassman technique had drawbacks; in the cosmic version, such a situation still existed.

The grassman technique always requires a powerful soul spell and willpower divine ability to match it.

And the minor divine ability technique 'Three God Life Palace' was no longer enough to satisfy Zhao Xing's needs.

After all, the Giant Yang Grassman technique alone was at the perfection of divine ability, and Zhao Xing was constantly excavating his own potential, even using the grassman technique to cultivate Great Divine Abilities.

That he could persist like this was purely because Zhao Xing's own foundation was solid, and his comprehension and potential were astonishing.

"Teacher is right," Zhao Xing said respectfully: "I would like to ask for Teacher's guidance."

The Ancient Luo River shook his head: "In terms of attainments in the grassman technique, no one can surpass Zuo Qiyu. You should go ask him."

Zhao Xing was about to climb up the ladder, but was interrupted by the Ancient Luo River: "Since Zuo Qiyu's many grassman techniques didn't appear on the treasure vault list, it proves that this technique is not easily obtained. For public or private reasons, I will not let him come out to teach you."

The Ancient Luo River stated once again that he would not use his favor to let Zuo Qiyu teach him.

It was within expectations, and Zhao Xing was not too disappointed.

But then the Ancient Luo River added:

"You can try to break into his Primordial City. Zuo Qiyu once left a checkpoint in Primordial City to refuse the harassment of many seekers of the technique, stating that those who can break through can choose one grassman technique to learn."

"Yes, student will go and try."

Zhao Xing bowed, asked a few more questions about cultivation, and then left the internal world.

People who don't understand Zuo Qiyu rarely remember this rule.

First, it is too harsh; no one can pass the test. At most, they can learn some spells of similar grade in the treasure vault, which can be exchanged with points, so there is no need to suffer this torture.

Second, it is too long ago and has gradually been forgotten.

Over time, it has been forgotten.

Every time the Primordial Assembly is held, this rule is briefly remembered and then forgotten again.

But this session, the situation has become different.

Because there are too many reincarnated souls and many peerless geniuses, everyone thinks they are extraordinary, the one in a billion.

Thus, Zuo Qiyu's rule was quickly dug up.

When Zhao Xing arrived at Primordial City via the Thousand-Star Vine, many people were already stopping before the city gate.

"The Mushroom King is here."

"Ancient Senior's student?"

"Right, that Zhao Xing from the Beihe star system."

Due to the existence of the Ancient Luo River, Zhao Xing's fame was great; among the Silons of this session, almost no one didn't know him.

However, Zhao Xing was a cultivation maniac and almost never socialized, so the geniuses only watched from afar, and few took the initiative to greet him.

"Brother Zhao, over here." Han Chuchen waved from a pavilion outside the city.

"Swish~" Zhao Xing landed immediately.

"Brother Han."

Entering the pavilion, he found four other people inside: Fairy Youling, Yuan Qiu, Daoist Miaosong, and Han Qianye.

"Greetings, fellow Daoists."

Unlike Zhao Xing, who buried himself in bitter cultivation, Han Chuchen was a social butterfly in his past life, and this life was his 【Calamity Life】, so he naturally made friends everywhere.

The four people sitting in the pavilion included Yuan Qiu, who ranked first among auxiliary Silons, and three of the top ten combat Silons.

This social ability was not weak.

"Brother Zhao." The other four returned the courtesy politely.

Fairy Youling joked: "Mushroom King, you've been in seclusion for over a hundred years. I wonder if you have any new gains? When will you fight me again?"

Zhao Xing smiled slightly: "My strength is insufficient, and I dare not challenge the Fairy for now. Wait until I cultivate for a few hundred more years, and then I will come to ask for the Fairy's guidance."

He wasn't being polite. In terms of Dao fields, Zhao Xing was still in the Taiyin Dao field.

Fairy Youling, however, was already in the fifth-tier Sun Dao field.

In other aspects, Zhao Xing felt the difference wasn't large, but when Self-School members spar, if the Dao field difference is large, the outcome is clear at a glance, because it involves World Law.

He sparred with Fairy Youling not to win or lose, but for progress. Using other schools' spells would lose the original intention.

"A few hundred more years will be enough." Fairy Youling's eyes lit up, and she raised her eyebrows: "Then I will wait."

Seeing the two finish talking, Han Chuchen immediately invited Zhao Xing and the others to sit down and opened the topic: "Brother Zhao, you are also here to break into Primordial City, right?"

"Indeed, I just came out of seclusion and came over as soon as I heard about it," Zhao Xing said. "I wonder what the rules are inside?"

"Brother Zhao doesn't know, Primordial Envoy Zuo Qiyu actually possesses the legendary Void Ancestor grassman technique," Han Chuchen said with emotion: "And he possesses the Primordial Clone."

"The Primordial Golden Body was originally a top-secret of the martial artist path. Using the grassman technique to peek into the mysteries of the Void Ancestor is even more rare. This is also the first time I've heard of a Void Ancestor grassman technique."

"As for the test inside Primordial City, I don't know much, because I didn't even enter the city gate."

"Qiusheng and Qianye have entered the city gate. If you want to know, you have to ask the two of them."

Han Chuchen praised Yuan Qiu and Han Qianye while speaking.

Zhao Xing was somewhat surprised. Han Qianye was fine; he was in the top ten combat Silons, so it was normal for him to pass the first level.

Yuan Qiu was only a Silon in the auxiliary division; how could he enter the first level?

"The two fellow Daoists have profound spells. I wonder if I could ask for some guidance?"